Aerosol generator

Abstract

An aerosol generating apparatus according to one embodiment includes an oscillator that generates microwaves, a resonant unit that houses the aerosol product and heats the aerosol product by resonating the microwaves, and a processor that applies a control signal to the oscillator and controls the output frequency of the microwaves output from the oscillator.

Description

Technical Field

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

Background Art

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

[0003] On the other hand, conventional aerosol generating devices heat an aerosol generating article by resistance heating, induction heating, and ultrasonic heating methods. However, such conventional aerosol generating devices have problems in that the preheating speed is slow and uniform heating is impossible as compared with the dielectric heating method.

[0004] In addition, some of the conventional aerosol generating devices use a dielectric heating method, but it is only a microwave radiation method using an antenna, and there is a problem that the power transmission efficiency is significantly reduced.

Summary of the Invention

Problems to be Solved by the Invention

[0005] A technical problem of the present invention is to provide an aerosol generating device that heats an aerosol generating article through a dielectric heating method using microwave resonance in order to solve the above problems.

[0006] The technical problems of the present invention are not limited to those described above, and other technical problems can be analogized from the following embodiments.

Means for Solving the Problems

[0007] An aerosol generating apparatus according to one embodiment includes an oscillator that generates microwaves, a resonant unit that houses the aerosol product and heats the aerosol product by resonating the microwaves, and a processor that applies a control signal to the oscillator and controls the output frequency of the microwaves output from the oscillator. [Effects of the Invention]

[0008] The aerosol generating apparatus of the present invention has the advantage of significantly increasing power transfer efficiency because it heats a dielectric material using microwave resonance.

[0009] Furthermore, the aerosol generator estimates the microwave resonance frequency in real time and matches the output frequency of the oscillator with the resonance frequency, significantly increasing power transfer efficiency and providing a uniform flavor even in the latter half of the heating process.

[0010] Furthermore, since the aerosol generator uses microwave resonance to heat the aerosol product, the aerosol product can be heated uniformly throughout.

[0011] Furthermore, since the aerosol generator uses microwave resonance to heat the aerosol product, the aerosol product can be preheated rapidly.

[0012] Furthermore, when an aerosol generator uses microwave resonance to heat the aerosol product, power consumption can be significantly reduced.

[0013] The effects of the invention are not limited to those exemplified above, and a wider variety of effects are included herein. [Brief explanation of the drawing]

[0014] [Figure 1] This is a perspective view of an aerosol generating device according to one embodiment. [Figure 2] This is an internal block diagram of an aerosol generating device according to one embodiment. [Figure 3] It is an internal block diagram of the dielectric heating unit in FIG. 2. [Figure 4] It is a perspective view of a heater assembly according to an embodiment. [Figure 5] It is a cross-sectional view of the heater assembly in FIG. 4. [Figure 6] It is a perspective view schematically showing a heater assembly according to another embodiment. [Figure 7] It is an internal block diagram for explaining an output control method of an oscillation unit according to an embodiment. [Figure 8] It is a drawing for explaining a method for tracking a resonance frequency by using the output microwave power of an oscillation unit and the reflected microwave power of a resonance unit according to an embodiment.

Mode for Carrying Out the Invention

[0015] An aerosol generating device according to an embodiment includes an oscillation unit that generates microwaves, a resonance unit that houses an aerosol generating article and resonates the microwaves to heat the aerosol generating article, and a processor that applies a control signal to the oscillation unit and controls the output frequency of the microwaves output from the oscillation unit. [[ID=X]] [[ID=Y]]

[0016] [[ID=Z]] [[ID=AA]] [[ID=BB]]

[0017] [[ID=CC]] [[ID=DD]] [[ID=EE]]

[0018] [[ID=FF]] The aerosol generating device according to an embodiment further includes a DAC that transmits the control signal from the processor in a digital format, converts the transmitted digital control signal into an analog control signal, and transmits the analog control signal to the oscillation unit.

[0017] [[ID=3I]] The oscillation unit determines the output frequency of the microwaves based on the voltage magnitude of the analog control signal.

[0018] The output frequency of the microwaves is linearly proportional to the voltage magnitude of the analog control signal,

[0019] It seems there are some consecutive tags without content between ID=24 and ID=28 in the original text which might be a formatting issue. I've translated the text as accurately as possible while maintaining the tag structure. If you have any further clarifications regarding the text, feel free to let me know.The aerosol generation device according to an embodiment further includes a power monitoring unit that measures the reflected microwave power reflected from the resonance unit and input to the oscillation unit, and the processor generates the control signal based on the reflected microwave power measured by the power monitoring unit.

[0020] In the resonance unit, the dielectric material contained in the aerosol generation article is heated and consumed by the microwave, so that the resonance frequency of the microwave is variable.

[0021] The resonance frequency of the resonance unit increases due to the decrease of the dielectric material contained in the aerosol generation article.

[0022] The power monitoring unit measures the reflected microwave power corresponding to the variation of the resonance frequency.

[0023] The processor controls the output of the oscillation unit so that the reflected microwave power measured by the power monitoring unit is included in a preset reference power range.

[0024] The processor sweeps the output frequency of the microwave power output from the oscillation unit within the preset reference band range, and adjusts the output frequency of the microwave power so that the reflected microwave power is included in the reference power range.

[0025] The processor sweeps the output frequency of the microwave power output from the oscillation unit within the reference band range between 2.4 GHz and 2.5 GHz.

[0026] The processor matches the output frequency and the resonance frequency of the resonance unit by adjusting the output frequency of the microwave power at any one frequency selected within the reference band range.

[0027] The processor adjusts the magnitude of the microwave power output from the oscillator according to a pre-configured power profile, and controls the magnitude of the microwave power and the output frequency of the microwave power independently of each other.

[0028] The resonant portion includes a hollow cylindrical first internal conductor surrounding one region of the aerosol product and a hollow cylindrical second internal conductor positioned at a predetermined distance from the first internal conductor and surrounding another region of the aerosol product, and the microwave is resonated by the first internal conductor and the second internal conductor.

[0029] The resonant portion includes a first plate surrounding one region of the aerosol product and a second plate spaced apart from the first plate along the circumferential direction of the aerosol product and surrounding another region of the aerosol product, and the microwave is resonated by the first plate and the second plate.

[0030] The embodiments disclosed herein will be described in detail below with reference to the attached drawings, but regardless of the reference numerals used in the drawings, identical or similar components will be given the same reference numerals, and redundant descriptions thereof will be omitted.

[0031] The suffixes "module" and "part" used with respect to the constituent elements in the following description are added or used interchangeably solely for the purpose of facilitating the creation of the specification, and do not have any distinct meaning or role on their own.

[0032] Furthermore, in describing the embodiments disclosed herein, if a specific description of such prior art is deemed to obscure the gist of the embodiments disclosed herein, such detailed description will be omitted. In addition, the accompanying drawings are merely for the purpose of facilitating the understanding of the embodiments disclosed herein, and it should be understood that the accompanying drawings do not limit the technical ideas disclosed herein and include all modifications, equivalents, or substitutes that fall within the concept and technical scope of the present invention.

[0033] Terms including ordinal numbers, such as "first," "second," etc., can be used to describe a variety of components, but the components are not limited by such terms. The terms are simply used to distinguish one component from another.

[0034] When it is mentioned that one component is "linked" or "connected" to another component, it must be understood that it is either directly linked to the other component, or connected but with other components in between. On the other hand, when it is mentioned that one component is "directly linked" or "directly connected" to another component, it must be understood that there are no other components in between.

[0035] A singular expression includes plural expressions unless the context clearly indicates otherwise.

[0036] Figure 1 is a perspective view of an aerosol generating apparatus according to one embodiment.

[0037] Referring to Figure 1, an aerosol generating apparatus 100 according to one embodiment may include a housing 110 for containing the aerosol product 10 and a heater assembly 200 for heating the aerosol product 10 contained in the housing 110.

[0038] The housing 110 forms the overall appearance of the aerosol generator 100, and components of the aerosol generator 100 may be arranged in the internal space (or "packaging space") of the housing 110. For example, the internal space of the housing 110 may contain, but is not limited to, a heater assembly 200, a battery, a processor and / or sensors.

[0039] An inlet 110h is formed in one region of the housing 110, and at least one region of the aerosol product 10 can be inserted into the housing 110 through the inlet 110h. For example, the inlet 110h is formed in one region of the upper end surface of the housing 110 (e.g., the surface facing the z direction), but the location where the inlet 110h is generated is not limited thereto. In other embodiments, the inlet 110h may be formed in one region of the side surface of the housing 110 (e.g., the surface facing the x direction).

[0040] The heater assembly 200 is positioned in the internal space of the housing 110 and can heat the aerosol product 10 inserted or housed inside the housing 110 through the inlet 110h. For example, the heater assembly 200 can be positioned to surround at least one area of ​​the aerosol product 10 inserted or housed inside the housing 110 and can heat the aerosol product 10.

[0041] According to one embodiment, the heater assembly 200 can heat the aerosol product 10 by dielectric heating. In the present invention, "dielectric heating method" means a method of heating a dielectric material to be heated by utilizing the resonance of microwaves and / or the electric field (including magnetic field) of microwaves. Microwaves are an energy source for heating the material to be heated and are generated by high-frequency power; therefore, microwaves may be used in combination with microwave power below.

[0042] Inside the heater assembly 200, microwave resonance causes the charges or ions of the dielectric material contained within the aerosol product 10 to vibrate or rotate, and frictional heat generated during the vibration or rotation process of the charges or ions causes heat to be generated from the dielectric material, which can heat the aerosol product 10.

[0043] When the aerosol product 10 is heated by the heater assembly 200, an aerosol can be generated from the aerosol product 10. In this invention, "aerosol" means gaseous particles produced by mixing the vapor and air generated by heating the aerosol product 10.

[0044] The aerosol generated from the aerosol product 10 can pass through the aerosol product 10 or be discharged to the outside of the aerosol generator 100 through the open space between the aerosol product 10 and the inlet 110h. The user can smoke by bringing their mouth into contact with a portion of the aerosol product 10 exposed to the outside of the housing 110 and inhaling the aerosol discharged to the outside of the aerosol generator 100.

[0045] An aerosol generator 100 according to one embodiment may further include a cover 111 movably disposed in a housing 110 for opening or closing an inlet 110h. For example, the cover 111 may be slidably coupled to the upper end surface of the housing 110 and either expose the inlet 110h to the outside of the aerosol generator 100 or cover the inlet 110h so that it is not exposed to the outside of the aerosol generator 100.

[0046] For example, the cover 111 exposes the inlet 110h to the outside of the aerosol generator 100 from a first position (or "open position"). When the aerosol generator 100 is exposed to the outside, the aerosol product 10 can be inserted into the housing 110 through the inlet 110h.

[0047] As another example, the cover 111 covers the inlet 110h from the second position (or "closed position"), thereby preventing the inlet 110h from being exposed to the outside of the aerosol generator 100. In this case, the cover 111 can prevent foreign matter from the outside from flowing into the heater assembly 200 through the inlet 110h when the aerosol generator 100 is not in use.

[0048] Figure 1 shows only an aerosol generating apparatus 100 for heating a solid-phase aerosol product 10, but the aerosol generating apparatus 100 is not limited to the illustrated embodiment.

[0049] In other embodiments, an aerosol generating apparatus may generate an aerosol by heating a liquid or gel-like aerosol generating substance, other than the solid-phase aerosol product 10, through a heater assembly 200.

[0050] Furthermore, an aerosol generating apparatus according to another embodiment may include a heater assembly 200 for heating the aerosol product 10 and a liquid or gel-like aerosol generating material, and may also include a cartridge (or "vaporizer") for heating the aerosol generating material. The aerosol generated from the aerosol generating material moves to the aerosol product 10 along an airflow passage connecting the cartridge and the aerosol product 10, mixes with the aerosol generated from the aerosol product 10, and can then be transmitted to the user through the aerosol product 10.

[0051] Figure 2 is an internal block diagram of an aerosol generating apparatus according to one embodiment.

[0052] Referring to Figure 2, the aerosol generator 100 may include an input unit 102, an output unit 103, a sensor unit 104, a communication unit 105, a memory unit 106, a battery 107, an interface unit 108, a power conversion unit 109, and a dielectric heating unit 200.

[0053] The input unit 102 can receive user input. For example, the input unit 102 may be provided in a single pressurized push button. Another example is that the input unit 102 is a touch panel including at least one touch sensor. The input unit 102 can transmit input signals to the processor 101. The processor 101 can control the power supplied to the dielectric heating unit 200 based on the user input, or control the output unit 103 to output user notifications.

[0054] The output unit 103 can output information regarding the status of the aerosol generator 100. The output unit 103 can output the charge / discharge status of the battery 107, the heating status of the dielectric heating unit 200, the insertion status of the aerosol product 10, and error information of the aerosol generator 100. For this purpose, the output unit 103 may include a display, a haptic motor, and an acoustic output unit.

[0055] The sensor unit 104 can sense the state of the aerosol generator 100 or the surrounding environment of the aerosol generator 100 and transmit the sensed information to the processor 101. Based on the sensed information, the processor 101 can control the aerosol generator 100 to perform various functions such as heating control of the dielectric heating unit 200, smoking restrictions, determination of whether or not to insert the aerosol product 10, and notification display.

[0056] The sensor unit 104 may include a temperature sensor, a puff sensor, and an insertion sensing sensor.

[0057] The temperature sensor can either sense the temperature inside the dielectric heating unit 200 in a non-contact manner, or it can contact the dielectric heating unit 200 to directly obtain the temperature of the resonator. In some embodiments, the temperature sensor may sense the temperature of the aerosol product 10. The temperature sensor can also be positioned adjacent to the battery 107 to obtain the temperature of the battery 107. The processor 101 can control the power supplied to the dielectric heating unit 200 based on the temperature information from the temperature sensor.

[0058] The puff sensor can detect a user's puff. The puff sensor can detect a user's puff based on at least one of the following: temperature change, flow rate change, power change, and pressure change. The processor 101 can control the power supplied to the dielectric heating unit 200 based on the puff information from the puff sensor. For example, the processor 101 can count the number of puffs and cut off the power supplied to the dielectric heating unit 200 when the number of puffs reaches a pre-set maximum number of puffs. As another example, the processor 101 can cut off the power supplied to the dielectric heating unit 200 if no puff is detected for a pre-set time or longer.

[0059] The insertion sensing sensor is located inside or adjacent to the containment space (220h in Figure 4) and can sense the insertion and removal of the aerosol product 10 contained in the insertion port 110h. For example, the insertion sensing sensor may include an inductive sensor and / or a capacitance sensor. The processor 101 can supply power to the dielectric heating unit 200 when the aerosol product 10 is inserted into the insertion port 110h.

[0060] Depending on the embodiment, the sensor unit 104 may further include a reuse detection sensor, a motion detection sensor, a humidity sensor, a pressure sensor, a magnetic field sensor, a cover removal / attachment detection sensor, a position sensor (GPS), and a proximity sensor. The function of each sensor can be intuitively inferred from its name, so a detailed explanation is omitted.

[0061] The communication unit 105 may include at least one communication module for communication with an external electronic device. The processor 101 can control the communication unit 105 and transmit information about the aerosol generator 100 to the external electronic device. Alternatively, the processor 101 can receive information from the external electronic device through the communication unit 105 and control the configuration included in the aerosol generator 100. For example, the information transmitted between the communication unit 105 and the external electronic device may include user authentication information, firmware update information, and user smoking pattern information.

[0062] Memory 106 is hardware that stores various data processed within the aerosol generator 100, and can store data processed by the processor 101 and data being processed. For example, memory 106 can store data such as the operating time of the aerosol generator 100, the maximum number of puffs, the current number of puffs, at least one temperature profile, and the user's smoking pattern.

[0063] The battery 107 can supply power to the dielectric heating unit 200 so that the aerosol product 10 is heated. The battery 107 can also supply power necessary for the operation of other components within the aerosol generator 100. The battery 107 is either a rechargeable battery or a detachable battery.

[0064] The interface unit 108 may include a connection terminal that is physically connected to an external electronic device. The connection terminal may include at least one of the following, or a combination thereof: an HDMI® connector, a USB connector, an SD card connector, or an audio connector (e.g., a headphone connector). The interface unit 108 can send and receive information with the external electronic device or charge power through the connection terminal.

[0065] The power conversion unit 109 may include a DC-DC converter that adjusts the voltage magnitude of the DC power supply from the battery 107, and an inverter that converts the DC power supply to an AC power supply. The power conversion unit 109 can supply the converted AC power supply to the dielectric heating unit 200. The inverter may include at least one switching element. The inverter may consist of a full-bridge or a half-bridge. The processor 101 can apply a first control signal to the power conversion unit 109 to control the ON / OFF state of the switching element included in the inverter. The processor 101 can also apply a first control signal to the power conversion unit 109 to set a feedback voltage value that adjusts the output voltage of the DC-DC converter.

[0066] The dielectric heating unit 200 can heat the aerosol product 10 using a dielectric heating method. The dielectric heating unit 200 has a configuration corresponding to the heater assembly 200 shown in Figure 1.

[0067] The dielectric heating unit 200 can heat the aerosol product 10 using microwaves and / or a microwave electric field (hereinafter referred to as microwaves or microwave power unless otherwise specified). The heating method of the dielectric heating unit 200 is not a method of radiating microwaves using an antenna, but a method of heating the object to be heated by forming microwaves within a resonant structure. The resonant structure will be described later with reference to Figure 4 and subsequent figures.

[0068] The dielectric heating unit 200 can output high-frequency microwaves to the resonant unit (220 in Figure 3). The microwaves are within the ISM (Industrial Scientific and Medical Equipment) power band permitted for heating, but are not limited to this. The resonant unit 220 may be designed considering the wavelength of the microwaves so that the microwaves resonate within the resonant unit 220.

[0069] The aerosol product 10 is inserted into the resonant section 220, and the dielectric material within the aerosol product 10 can be heated by the resonant section 220. For example, the aerosol product 10 may contain a polar material, and the molecules within the polar material may be polarized inside the resonant section 220. The molecules vibrate or rotate due to the polarization phenomenon, and the aerosol product 10 can be heated by frictional heat generated in this process. The dielectric heating section 200 will be explained in more detail with reference to Figure 3.

[0070] The processor 101 can control the overall operation of the aerosol generator 100. The processor 101 may be implemented as an array of numerous logic gates, or as a combination of a general-purpose microprocessor and memory where the program executed by this microprocessor is stored. It may also be implemented as other forms of hardware.

[0071] The processor 101 can control the DC power supplied from the battery 107 to the power conversion unit 109 and / or the AC power supplied from the power conversion unit 109 to the dielectric heating unit 200 based on the power requirements of the dielectric heating unit 200. In one embodiment, the aerosol generator 100 includes a DC-DC converter that boosts or buckes the DC power, and the processor 101 can control the DC-DC converter by applying a first control signal to adjust the magnitude of the DC power. The processor 101 can also control the AC power supplied to the dielectric heating unit 200 by applying a first control signal to adjust the switching frequency and duty cycle of the switching elements included in the power conversion unit 109.

[0072] The processor 101 applies a second control signal to the dielectric heating unit 200 and controls the microwave power and resonant frequency of the dielectric heating unit 200, thereby controlling the heating temperature of the aerosol product 10. Therefore, the oscillation unit 210, isolation unit 240, power monitoring unit 250, and matching unit 260 shown in Figure 3, which will be described later, are also part of the processor 101.

[0073] The processor 101 can control the microwave power of the dielectric heating unit 200 based on temperature profile information stored in the memory 106. In other words, the temperature profile includes time-series information regarding the target temperature of the dielectric heating unit 200, and the processor 101 can control the microwave power of the dielectric heating unit 200 over time.

[0074] The processor 101 can adjust the microwave frequency so that the resonant frequency of the dielectric heating unit 200 remains constant. The processor 101 can track the change in the resonant frequency of the dielectric heating unit 200 due to heating of the object to be heated in real time and control the dielectric heating unit 200 so that a microwave frequency corresponding to the changed resonant frequency is output. In other words, the processor 101 can change the microwave frequency in real time, regardless of pre-stored temperature profiles.

[0075] Figure 3 is an internal block diagram of the dielectric heating section shown in Figure 2.

[0076] Referring to Figure 3, the dielectric heating unit 200 may include an oscillation unit 210, an isolation unit 240, a power monitoring unit 250, a matching unit 260, a microwave output unit 230, and a resonance unit 220.

[0077] The oscillator 210 receives AC power from the power conversion unit 109 and can generate high-frequency microwave power. In this embodiment, the power conversion unit 109 is included in the oscillator 210. The microwave power can be selected from the 915 MHz, 2.45 GHz, and 5.8 GHz frequency bands included in the ISM band.

[0078] The oscillator 210 includes a solid-state RF generator, which can be used to generate microwave power. The solid-state RF generator can be implemented using semiconductors. When the oscillator 210 is implemented using semiconductors, the dielectric heating unit 200 can be miniaturized, which has the advantage of increasing the lifespan of the equipment.

[0079] The oscillator 210 can output microwave power toward the resonant 220. The oscillator 210 may include a power amplifier that increases or decreases the microwave power. The power amplifier can adjust the magnitude of the microwave power by applying a second control signal from the processor 101. For example, the power amplifier can decrease or increase the amplitude of the microwaves. By adjusting the amplitude of the microwaves, the microwave power can be adjusted.

[0080] In one embodiment, the oscillator 210 may be composed of a voltage-controlled oscillator (VCO). The processor 101 can adjust the frequency of the microwave output by the oscillator 210 through a second control signal. Specifically, the oscillator 210 may receive an analog control signal as input. The frequency of the microwave output by the oscillator 210 may be determined based on the voltage magnitude of the input control signal. The microwave frequency may be determined in linear proportion to the voltage magnitude of the control signal. That is, the frequency ω of the microwave output by the oscillator 210 out and the control signal V applied to the oscillator 210 cont The relationship can be expressed by the following equation 1.

[0081]

number

[0082] Here, ω0 is an integer value determined by the design of the voltage-controlled oscillator, and K is the gain or sensitivity determined by the design of the oscillator. Control signal V cont This value is obtained when the digital-to-analog converter (DAC) converts the second control signal transmitted from the processor 101 into an analog signal.

[0083] The processor 101 can generate a second control signal based on a pre-stored temperature profile and adjust the magnitude of the microwave power output from the oscillator 210 through the second control signal. For example, the temperature profile may include target temperature information for the preheating section and the smoking section, and the oscillator 210 can supply microwave power to the first power from the preheating section and microwave power to the second power, which is smaller than the first power, from the smoking section.

[0084] The isolation unit 240 can block the microwave power input from the resonant unit 220 toward the oscillator unit 210. Most of the microwave power output from the oscillator unit 210 is absorbed by the heated object, but depending on the heating characteristics of the heated object, some of the microwave power may be reflected by the heated object and transmitted again toward the oscillator unit 210. This is because the impedance from the oscillator unit 210 toward the resonant unit 220 changes due to the exhaustion of polar molecules due to heating of the heated object. The statement "the impedance from the oscillator unit 210 toward the resonant unit 220 changes" is equivalent to the statement "the resonant frequency of the resonant unit 220 changes." If microwave power reflected from the resonant unit 220 is input to the oscillator unit 210, not only will the oscillator unit 210 fail, but it will also be unable to achieve the desired output performance. The isolation unit 240 can prevent the microwave power reflected from the resonant unit 220 from returning to the oscillator unit 210, but instead guide it in a predetermined direction and absorb it. For this purpose, the isolation section 240 may include a circulator and a dummy load.

[0085] The power monitoring unit 250 can monitor the microwave power output from the oscillation unit 210 and the reflected microwave power reflected from the resonance unit 220. The power monitoring unit 250 can transmit information regarding the microwave power and reflected microwave power to the matching unit 260.

[0086] The impedance matching unit 260 can match the impedance from the oscillator 210 to the resonant 220 with the impedance from the resonant 220 to the oscillator 210 so as to minimize reflected microwave power. Impedance matching is equivalent to matching the frequency of the oscillator 210 with the resonant frequency of the resonant 220. Therefore, the impedance matching unit 260 can vary the frequency of the oscillator 210 in order to match the impedances. In other words, the impedance matching unit 260 can adjust the frequency of the microwave power output from the oscillator 210 so as to minimize reflected microwave power. Impedance matching by the impedance matching unit 260 is performed in real time, independently of the temperature profile.

[0087] On the other hand, the aforementioned oscillation unit 210, isolation unit 240, power monitoring unit 250, and matching unit 260 are separate configurations distinct from the microwave output unit 230 and resonant unit 220, which will be described later, and can be implemented as a chip-shaped microwave source. Furthermore, depending on the embodiment, at least one of the aforementioned oscillation unit 210, isolation unit 240, power monitoring unit 250, and matching unit 260 may be implemented as part of the processor 101.

[0088] The microwave output unit 230 is configured to input microwave power to the resonant unit 220 and corresponds to the coupler shown in Figure 4 and below. The microwave output unit 230 can be implemented in the form of an SMA, SMB, MCX, or MMCX connector. The microwave output unit 230 connects a chip-shaped microwave source and the resonant unit 220 to each other and can transmit microwave power generated from the microwave source to the resonant unit 220.

[0089] The resonant section 220 can heat the object to be heated by forming microwaves within its resonant structure. The resonant section 220 includes a containment space in which the aerosol product 10 is contained, and the aerosol product 10 can be exposed to microwaves and dielectrically heated. For example, the aerosol product 10 contains a polar substance, and the molecules within the polar substance can be polarized by microwaves inside the resonant section 220. The molecules vibrate or rotate due to the polarization phenomenon, and the aerosol product 10 can be heated by frictional heat generated in this process.

[0090] The resonant section 220 includes at least one internal conductor so that microwaves resonate, and the arrangement, thickness, and length of the internal conductors may cause microwaves to resonate inside the resonant section 220.

[0091] The resonant section 220 can be designed considering the wavelength of the microwave so that the microwave resonates inside the resonant section 220. For the microwave to resonate inside the resonant section 220, there must be a closed end (short end) and an open end where at least one region of the cross-section is open in the opposite direction to the closed end. Furthermore, the length between the closed end and the open end must be set to an integer multiple of 1 / 4 of the microwave wavelength. In the resonant section 220 of the present invention, a length of 1 / 4 of the microwave wavelength is selected for miniaturization of the device. In other words, the length between the closed end and the open end of the resonant section 220 can be set to a length of 1 / 4 of the microwave wavelength.

[0092] The resonant portion 220 may include a dielectric housing space. The dielectric housing space is configured to be separate from the housing space for the aerosol product 10, and contains a material that changes the overall resonant frequency of the resonant portion 220 and miniaturizes the resonant portion 220. In one embodiment, the dielectric housing space may house a dielectric with low microwave absorptivity. This is to prevent the phenomenon in which energy that should be transferred to the object to be heated is transferred to the dielectric, causing the dielectric itself to heat up. Microwave absorptivity can be expressed as loss tangent, which is the ratio of the imaginary part to the real part of the complex dielectric constant. In one embodiment, the dielectric housing space 227 houses a dielectric having a loss tangent of a predetermined size or less, where the predetermined size is 1 / 100. For example, the dielectric is at least one of quartz, tetrafluoroethylene, and aluminum oxide, or a combination thereof, but is not limited to these.

[0093] Figure 4 is a perspective view of a heater assembly according to one embodiment.

[0094] Referring to Figure 4, the heater assembly 200 according to one embodiment may include an oscillation unit 210 and a resonance unit 220. Figure 4 shows one embodiment of the heater assembly 200 and dielectric heating unit 200 described above, and repeated explanations will be omitted below.

[0095] The oscillator 210 can generate microwaves in a predetermined frequency band by supplying power. The microwaves generated from the oscillator 210 can be transmitted to the resonant section 220 through a coupler (not shown).

[0096] The resonant section 220 includes a containment space 220h for accommodating at least one region of the aerosol product 10, and the aerosol product 10 can be heated by dielectric heating by resonating the microwaves generated from the oscillator 210. For example, the microwave resonance causes the charge of the glycerin contained in the aerosol product 10 to vibrate or rotate, and the frictional heat generated during the vibration or rotation of the charge generates heat from the glycerin, thereby heating the aerosol product 10.

[0097] According to one embodiment, the resonant section 220 is made of a material with a low microwave absorption rate in order to prevent microwaves generated from the oscillator section 210 from being absorbed by the resonant section 220.

[0098] The specific structure of the resonant section 220 of the heater assembly 200 will be described below with reference to Figure 5.

[0099] Figure 5 is a cross-sectional view of the heater assembly shown in Figure 4. Figure 5 is a cross-sectional view of the heater assembly 200 shown in Figure 4 along the line A-A'.

[0100] Referring to Figure 5, one embodiment of the heater assembly 200 may include an oscillator 210, a resonant unit 220, and a coupler 230. The components of the heater assembly 200 are identical or similar to at least one of the components of the heater assembly 200 in Figure 4, and redundant explanations will be omitted below.

[0101] The oscillator 210 generates microwaves in a predetermined frequency band by applying an AC voltage, and the microwaves generated from the oscillator 210 can be transmitted to the resonant section 220 through the coupler 230.

[0102] According to one embodiment, the oscillator 210 may be fixed to the resonant section 220 to prevent separation from the resonant section 220 during the use of the aerosol generator. For example, the oscillator 210 may be fixed on the resonant section 220 by being supported by a bracket 220b that protrudes from one region of the resonant section 220 along the x-direction. As another example, the oscillator 210 may be fixed on the resonant section 220 by being attached to one region of the resonant section 220 without a bracket 220b.

[0103] Although the drawings only show an embodiment in which the oscillator 210 is fixed in one region of the resonant portion 220 in the x-direction, the position of the oscillator 210 is not limited to the illustrated embodiment. In other embodiments, the oscillator 210 may be fixed in other regions of the resonant portion 220 in the -z direction.

[0104] The resonant section 220 is positioned to surround at least one region of the aerosol product 10 inserted inside the aerosol generator, and can heat the aerosol product 10 through microwaves generated from the oscillator 210. For example, the dielectric material contained in the aerosol product 10 may be heated by the electric field generated from inside the resonant section 220 by the microwaves, and the aerosol product 10 may be heated by the heat generated from the dielectric.

[0105] According to one embodiment, the aerosol product 10 may include a tobacco rod 11 and a filter rod 12.

[0106] The tobacco rod 11 contains an aerosol-generating substance and can be made in sheet or strand form, or from shredded tobacco obtained by finely cutting tobacco sheets. For example, the aerosol-generating substance includes, but is not limited to, at least one of glycerin, propylene glycol, ethylene glycol, dipropylene glycol, diethylene glycol, triethylene glycol, tetraethylene glycol, and oleyl alcohol. The tobacco rod 11 may also contain other additives such as flavoring agents, humectants, and / or organic acids. In addition, a flavoring liquid such as menthol or a humectant may be added to the tobacco rod 11 by spraying it onto the tobacco rod 11.

[0107] The filter rod 12 is a cellulose acetate filter. However, there are no restrictions on the shape of the filter rod 12. For example, the filter rod 12 can be a cylindrical (type) rod, a tubular (type) rod containing a hollow interior, or a recessed (type) rod. If the filter rod 12 consists of multiple segments, at least one of the segments may be made into a different shape.

[0108] At least a portion of the aerosol-generating substance contained in the aerosol product 10 (for example, glycerin) is a dielectric that has polarity in an electric field, and at least a portion of such aerosol-generating substance can generate heat by dielectric heating, thereby heating the aerosol product 10.

[0109] According to one embodiment, the resonant portion 220 may include an outer conductor 221, a first inner conductor 223, and a second inner conductor 225.

[0110] The outer conductor 221 forms the overall appearance of the resonant section 220 and is formed in a hollow shape with an open interior, allowing the components of the resonant section 220 to be arranged inside the outer conductor 221. The outer conductor 221 includes a containment space 220h in which the aerosol product 10 is contained, and the aerosol product 10 can be inserted into the interior of the outer conductor 221 through the containment space 220h.

[0111] According to one embodiment, the outer conductor 221 may include a first surface 221a, a second surface 221b positioned opposite the first surface 221a, and a side surface 221c surrounding the open space between the first surface 221a and the second surface 221b. At least some of the components of the resonant section 220 (for example, the first internal conductor 223 and the second internal conductor 225) may be arranged in the internal space of the resonant section 220, which consists of the first surface 221a, the second surface 221b, and the side surface 221c.

[0112] The first internal conductor 223 may be formed in a hollow cylindrical shape that extends from the first surface 221a of the outer conductor 221 toward the internal space of the outer conductor 221.

[0113] According to one embodiment, a region of the first internal conductor 223 is in contact with a coupler 230 connected to the oscillator 210, and microwaves generated from the oscillator 210 can be transmitted to the first internal conductor 233 through the coupler 230. For example, the coupler 230 penetrates the outer conductor 221, with one end in contact with the oscillator 210 and the other end in contact with a region of the first internal conductor 223, and microwaves generated from the oscillator 210 can be transmitted to the first internal conductor 223 through the coupler 230.

[0114] In this case, the coupler 230 is positioned to penetrate the outer conductor 221 without contacting it in order to transmit microwaves. However, the arrangement structure of the coupler 230 is not limited to this, as long as the microwaves generated from the oscillator 210 are transmitted to the first inner conductor 223.

[0115] The first region formed between the outer conductor 221 and the first inner conductor 223 can act as a "first resonator" that generates an electric field through microwave resonance. The first region refers to the space consisting of the first surface 221a, the side surface 221c of the outer conductor 221 and the first inner conductor 223, and within the first region, microwaves transmitted through the coupler 230 can resonate and generate an electric field.

[0116] The second internal conductor 225 may be formed in a hollow cylindrical shape extending from the second surface 221b of the outer conductor 221 toward the internal space of the outer conductor 221. The second internal conductor 225 is positioned in the internal space of the outer conductor 221 at a predetermined distance from the first internal conductor 223, and a gap 226 may be formed between the first internal conductor 223 and the second internal conductor 225.

[0117] The second region formed between the outer conductor 221 and the second inner conductor 225 can act as a "second resonator" that generates an electric field through microwave resonance. The second inner conductor 225 is coupled (e.g., capacitive coupling) with the first inner conductor 223, and due to the aforementioned coupling relationship, when an electric field is generated from within the first region, an induced electric field can also be generated from within the second region. In this invention, "capacitive coupling" refers to a coupling relationship in which energy is transferred by the capacitance between the two conductors.

[0118] For example, when microwaves generated from the oscillator 210 are transmitted to the first internal conductor 223, an electric field is generated from within the first region due to resonance, and an induced electric field can be generated within the second region, which consists of the outer conductor 221 and the second internal conductor 225 coupled with the first internal conductor 223.

[0119] According to one embodiment, the first and second regions of the resonant section 220 can operate as resonators having a length of 1 / 4 wavelength (λ / 4) of a microwave.

[0120] As an example, one end of the first region (for example, the end in the -z direction) is a short end because the cross-section of the first region is closed by the first surface 221a of the outer conductor 221, and the other end of the first region (for example, the end in the z direction) is an open end because the cross-section is open due to the absence of the first surface 221a. As another example, one end of the second region (for example, the end in the -z direction) is an open end because the cross-section is open, and the other end of the second region (for example, the end in the z direction) is a closed end because the cross-section of the second region is closed by the second surface 221b of the outer conductor 221.

[0121] In other words, the first and second regions, when viewed from the xz-plane, include closed and open ends, and overall Formed in the manner of JPEG2026512303000003.jpg714, the first and second regions can operate as resonators having a length of 1 / 4 wavelength of a microwave through the aforementioned structure.

[0122] According to one embodiment, the first internal conductor 223 and the second internal conductor 225 are formed to have the same length with respect to the z-axis, and the first region and the second region are arranged symmetrically with respect to each other, but the embodiment is not limited to this.

[0123] The aerosol product 10, inserted into the internal space of the outer conductor 221 through the containment space 220h, is surrounded by the first internal conductor 223 and the second internal conductor 225, and can be heated by dielectric heating.

[0124] In the first and / or second region, at least a portion of the electric field generated by microwave resonance propagates through the gap 226 between the first and second internal conductors 223 and 225 into the interior of the first and / or second internal conductors 223 and 225, and the aerosol product 10 surrounded by the first and second internal conductors 223 and 225 may be heated by the propagated electric field. For example, a dielectric contained in the aerosol product 10 may be heated by the electric field propagating through the gap 226, and the aerosol product 10 may be heated by the heat generated from the dielectric.

[0125] In one embodiment, the heater assembly 200 can prevent the electric field propagated inside the first internal conductor 223 and / or the second internal conductor 225 from leaking to the outside of the heater assembly 200 or the resonant section 220 by making the diameters of the first internal conductor 223 and the second internal conductor 225 less than a predetermined value.

[0126] In the present invention, the "predetermined value" means the diameter value at which the electric field begins to leak to the outside of the first internal conductor 223 and / or the second internal conductor 225. For example, if the diameter of the first internal conductor 223 and / or the second internal conductor 225 is greater than or equal to the predetermined value, a situation occurs in which a portion of the electric field that has flowed into the first internal conductor 223 and / or the second internal conductor 225 leaks to the outside of the resonant section 220.

[0127] On the other hand, the heater assembly 200 according to one embodiment prevents the electric field from propagating outside the resonant section 220 through a structure in which the diameters of the first internal conductor 223 and the second internal conductor 225 are less than a predetermined value. As a result, leakage of the electric field to the outside of the heater assembly 200 or the resonant section 220 can be prevented without the need for a separate shielding member.

[0128] According to one embodiment, when the aerosol product 10 is inserted into the resonant section 220 through the containment space 220h, the tobacco rod 11 of the aerosol product 10 may be positioned in a location corresponding to the gap 226 between the first internal conductor 223 and the second internal conductor 225.

[0129] The electric fields generated from the first region and the electric fields generated from the second region flow into the interior of the first internal conductor 223 and / or the second internal conductor 225 through the gap 226, thereby generating the strongest electric field in the region surrounding the gap 226 within the interior region of the resonant section 220.

[0130] In one embodiment of the heater assembly 200, the heating efficiency (or "dielectric heating efficiency") of the heater assembly 200 can be improved by positioning the tobacco rod 11, which contains a dielectric material that generates heat in the electric field, at a location corresponding to the gap 226 with the strongest electric field.

[0131] According to one embodiment, the resonant portion 220 may further include a closure portion 224 located inside the first internal conductor 223, which closes the cross-section of the first internal conductor 223 and restricts the flow direction of aerosols generated from the aerosol product 10. For example, the closure portion 224 can close the cross-section of the first internal conductor 223 and block the flow of aerosols generated from the aerosol product 10 in the -z direction.

[0132] If aerosols generated from the aerosol product 10, or droplets generated by the liquefaction of aerosols, flow in the -z direction and enter other components of the aerosol generator (for example, the aerosol generator 100 in Figure 1), it can cause malfunction or damage to the components of the aerosol generator. On the other hand, the heater assembly 200 according to one embodiment can prevent malfunction or damage to the components of the aerosol generator by aerosols or droplets by restricting the direction of aerosol flow through the closure 224.

[0133] According to one embodiment, the resonant portion 220 may further include a dielectric housing space 227 for housing a dielectric. The dielectric housing space 227 refers to the empty space formed between the outer conductor 221 and the first inner conductor 223 and the second inner conductor 225, and a dielectric with low microwave absorption may be housed in the dielectric housing space 227. For example, the dielectric is at least one of quartz, tetrafluoroethylene, and aluminum oxide, or a combination thereof, but is not limited to these.

[0134] In one embodiment, the heater assembly 200 can generate an electric field similar to that of a resonant section 220 without a dielectric, while reducing the overall size of the resonant section 220 by arranging a dielectric inside the dielectric housing space 227. In other words, the heater assembly 200 in one embodiment reduces the size of the resonant section 220 through the dielectric arranged inside the dielectric housing space 227, reducing the mounting space for the resonant section 220 in the aerosol generator, and as a result, the aerosol generator can be miniaturized.

[0135] Figure 6 is a schematic perspective view showing a heater assembly according to another embodiment.

[0136] The heater assembly 300 according to the embodiment shown in Figure 6 may include a resonant section 320 that generates microwave resonance and a coupler 311 that supplies microwaves to the resonant section 320.

[0137] The resonant section 320 may include a case 321, a plurality of plates 323a, 323b, and a connecting section 322 that connects the plurality of plates 323a, 323b to the case 321.

[0138] The coupler 311 can supply microwaves to at least one of the multiple plates 323a, 323b so as to generate microwave resonance in the resonant section 320.

[0139] The resonant section 320 can surround at least one region of the aerosol product 10 inserted inside the aerosol generator. The coupler 311 can supply microwaves generated from an oscillator (not shown) to the resonant section 320. When microwaves are supplied to the resonant section 320, microwave resonance occurs in the resonant section 320, and the resonant section 320 can heat the aerosol product 10. For example, a dielectric material contained in the aerosol product 10 may be heated by the electric field generated from inside the resonant section 220 by the microwaves, and the aerosol product 10 may be heated by the heat generated from the dielectric material.

[0140] The case 321 of the resonant section 320 functions as an "outer conductor." Since the case 321 is formed in a hollow shape with an empty interior, the components of the resonant section 320 can be arranged inside the case 321.

[0141] The case 321 may include a containment space 320h into which the aerosol product 10 is contained, and an opening 321a into which the aerosol product 10 is inserted. The opening 321a is connected to the containment space 320h. Since the opening 321a is open to the outside of the case 321, the containment space 320h is connected to the outside through the opening 321a. Thus, the aerosol product 10 can be inserted into the containment space 320h of the case 321 through the opening 321a of the case 321.

[0142] Although the case 321 shown in the drawing has a square cross-sectional shape, the shape of the case 321 can be deformed into a variety of shapes. For example, the structure of the case 321 can be deformed to have various cross-sectional shapes such as rectangles, ellipses, or circles. The case 321 can be extended in one direction.

[0143] Multiple plates 323a and 323b that function as "internal conductors" of the resonant section 320 may be arranged inside the case 321.

[0144] Multiple plates 323a, 323b may be arranged spaced apart from each other along the circumferential direction of the aerosol product 10 contained in the containment space 320h. The multiple plates 323a, 323b may include a first plate 323a arranged to surround one region of the aerosol product 10 and a second plate 323b arranged to surround another region of the aerosol product 10.

[0145] Multiple plates 323a, 323b can be connected to the case 321 by connecting parts 322. Furthermore, one end of the first plate 323a and one end of the second plate 323b can be connected to each other by connecting parts 322. Therefore, a closed end can be formed at one end of each of the multiple plates 323a, 323b by the connecting parts 322.

[0146] The other end 323af of the first plate 323a and the other end 323bf of the second plate 323b of the multiple plates 323a and 323b can be opened by separating them from each other. Since the other ends of the multiple plates 323a and 323b are separated from each other, an open end can be formed at the other ends of the multiple plates 323a and 323b.

[0147] A resonator assembly can be completed by connecting multiple plates 323a, 323b and connecting parts 322 to each other. The cross-sectional shape of the resonator assembly in the longitudinal direction may include a "U-shape (horseshoe-shape)".

[0148] Multiple plates 323a, 323b extend in the longitudinal direction of the aerosol product 10. At least a portion of the multiple plates 323a, 323b may be curved to protrude outward from the longitudinal center of the aerosol product 10.

[0149] For example, if the aerosol product 10 is manufactured in a cylindrical shape, multiple plates 323a, 323b may be formed by curving them circumferentially along the outer surface of the aerosol product 10. The radius of curvature of the cross-sections of the multiple plates 323a, 323b is the same as the radius of curvature of the aerosol product 10. The radius of curvature of the cross-sections of the multiple plates 323a, 323b can be deformed in various ways. For example, the radius of curvature of the cross-sections of the multiple plates 323a, 323b may be greater than or smaller than the radius of curvature of the aerosol product 10.

[0150] With a structure in which multiple plates 323a and 323b are formed by curving in the circumferential direction along the outer surface of the aerosol product 10, a more uniform electric field is formed in the resonant portion 320, so that the heater assembly 300 can uniformly heat the aerosol product 10.

[0151] The open ends of the other ends of the multiple plates 323a, 323b may be positioned toward the opening 321a of the case 321. The opening 321a of the case 321 may be positioned far away from the other ends of the multiple plates 323a, 323b.

[0152] The open ends of the other ends of the multiple plates 323a, 323b can be aligned with the opening 321a of the case 321. Therefore, when the aerosol product 10 is inserted through the opening 321a of the case 321 and positioned in the containment space 320h, a portion of the aerosol product 10 located in the containment space 320h is surrounded by the multiple plates 323a, 323b.

[0153] The multiple plates 323a, 323b are arranged in pairs opposite each other with respect to the longitudinal center of the aerosol product 10. The embodiment is not limited by the number of multiple plates 323a, 323b, which may be, for example, three or four or more.

[0154] Multiple plates 323a, 323b can be arranged symmetrically with respect to the longitudinal direction of the aerosol product 10, that is, the central axis in the extension direction of the aerosol product 10.

[0155] At least one of the multiple plates 323a, 323b can contact a coupler 311 connected to an oscillator (not shown). Specifically, at least a portion of the first plate 323a can contact the coupler 311. When microwaves are transmitted to the first plate 323a through the coupler 311, microwave resonances are formed between the multiple plates 323a, 323b. Microwave resonances are also formed between the first plate 323a and the upper plate of the case 321, and between the second plate 323b and the lower plate of the case 321. Therefore, electric fields can be generated between the multiple plates 323a, 323b and the connecting portion 322, between the first plate 323a and the upper plate of the case 321, and between the second plate 323b and the lower plate of the case 321.

[0156] The coupler 311 penetrates the case 321, one end of the coupler 311 contacts the oscillator (not shown), and the other end of the coupler 311 can contact a region of the first plate 323a. Microwaves generated from the oscillator (not shown) are transmitted through the coupler 311 to the multiple plates 323a, 323b and the connecting part 322, thereby generating an electric field inside the assembly of the multiple plates 323a, 323b and the connecting part 322.

[0157] Furthermore, the structure of the resonant section 320 of the heater assembly 300 allows for the formation of triple resonant modes from the resonant section 320. Resonance of microwave TEM modes (transverse electric & magnetic mode) is formed between the multiple plates 323a and 323b. In addition, resonance of TEM modes different from those formed between the multiple plates 323a and 323b is formed between the first plate 323a and the upper plate of the case 321, and between the second plate 323b and the lower plate of the case 321. Since the resonant section 320 in Figure 6 allows for TEM mode resonance by the multiple plates 323a and 323b, it can be manufactured to be smaller than the resonant section 220 in Figure 5, which is only capable of TE (transverse electric) and TM (transverse magnetic mode) modes.

[0158] Triple resonance occurs from the resonant section 320 of the heater assembly 300, allowing the aerosol product 10 to be heated more effectively and uniformly.

[0159] The resonant portion 320 according to the above-described embodiment may include a closed short end of the cross section and an open end located in the opposite direction to the closed end, where at least one region of the cross section is open, having a length of 1 / 4 of the microwave wavelength (λ) (λ / 4).

[0160] In Figure 6, the region at one end of the resonant section 320, corresponding to the left region, forms a closed end by a structure in which one end of multiple plates 323a, 323b and a connecting portion 322 are connected to the case 321. In Figure 6, the region at the other end of the resonant section 320, corresponding to the right region, forms an open end by opening the opening 321a of the case 321 to the outside. With this structure of the resonant section 320, the resonant section 320 can operate as a resonator having a length of 1 / 4 wavelength of a microwave.

[0161] According to the resonant structure of the resonant section 320 described above, the electric field does not need to propagate to the area outside the resonant section 320. Therefore, the heater assembly 300 can prevent the electric field from leaking to the outside of the heater assembly 300 without the need for a separate shielding member to shield the electric field.

[0162] The aerosol product 10 inserted into the containment space 320h of case 321 can be heated by dielectric heating by being surrounded by the first plate 323a and the second plate 323b. For example, a portion of the aerosol product 10, including the medium, inserted into the containment space 320h of case 321 can be placed in the space between the first plate 323a and the second plate 323b. The electric field generated from the space between the first plate 323a and the second plate 323b causes the dielectric contained in the aerosol product 10 to heat up, thereby heating the aerosol product 10.

[0163] Furthermore, the electric fields formed by the resonant modes between the first plate 323a and the upper plate of the case 321, and between the second plate 323b and the lower plate of the case 321, respectively, provide a secondary heating effect on the aerosol product 10.

[0164] When the aerosol product 10 is inserted into the resonant section 320 through the containment space 320h, the tobacco rod 11 of the aerosol product 10 may be located between a plurality of plates 323a, 323b.

[0165] The length L4 of the tobacco rod 11 may be longer than the length L1 of the multiple plates 323a, 323b. Therefore, the front end 11f of the tobacco rod 11 that contacts the filter rod 12 is positioned to protrude toward the opening 321a of the case 321 from the other end 323af of the first plate 323a and the other end 323bf of the second plate 323b.

[0166] At the other ends of the multiple plates 323a and 323b that act as resonators, a resonance peak is formed, generating a stronger electric field compared to other regions. When the aerosol product 10 is inserted into the heater assembly 300, the heating efficiency (or "dielectric heating efficiency") of the heater assembly 300 can be improved by positioning the tobacco rod 11, which contains a dielectric that generates heat due to the electric field, to correspond to the region with the strongest electric field.

[0167] Referring to Figure 6, the length L1 of the multiple plates 323a, 323b can be set to be smaller than the length L1 + L2 of the internal space of the case 321. Therefore, the other ends of the multiple plates 323a, 323b can be located inside the case 321 beyond the opening 321a. That is, the other ends of the multiple plates 323a, 323b can be located at a distance of L2 from the rear end of the opening 321a.

[0168] The length from the rear end of the opening 321a, where it connects to the case 321, to the front end of the opening 321a, where it is opened, is L3. The total length of the case 321 in the longitudinal direction is L. The total length L of the case 321 can be determined by the sum of the lengths L1 of the multiple plates 323a, 323b, the distance L2 between the multiple plates 323a, 323b and the rear end of the opening 321a, and the length L3 of the opening 321a protruding from the case 321.

[0169] To prevent microwave leakage, the front end of the opening 321a is positioned to protrude from the case 321 by a length of L3. By the opening 321a protruding from the case 321, the opening 321a can function to prevent microwaves inside the case 321 of the resonant section 320 from leaking to the outside of the case 321.

[0170] The resonant section 320 may further include a dielectric housing space 327 for housing a dielectric. The dielectric housing space 327 may be formed in the empty space between the case 321 and a plurality of plates 323a, 323b. A dielectric with low microwave absorption may be housed in the dielectric housing space 327.

[0171] The heater assembly 300 can generate an electric field at the same level as that generated from a resonant section without a dielectric, while reducing the overall size of the resonant section 320 by arranging a dielectric inside the dielectric housing space 327. In other words, by reducing the size of the resonant section 320 through the dielectric placed inside the dielectric housing space 327, the mounting space for the resonant section 320 in the aerosol generator is reduced, and as a result, the aerosol generator can be miniaturized.

[0172] Figure 7 is an internal block diagram illustrating an output control method for the oscillator according to one embodiment.

[0173] Figure 7 shows only the configuration for controlling the output of the oscillator 210 from the components of Figures 3 and 4 included in the aerosol generator 100. The output of the oscillator 210 refers to the magnitude and frequency of the microwave power. Therefore, explanations that overlap with Figures 3 and 4 will be omitted below.

[0174] Referring to Figure 7, the aerosol generator 100 may include an oscillator 210, a power monitoring unit 250, a resonant unit 220, a DAC 710, and a processor 101.

[0175] The oscillator 210 consists of a voltage-controlled oscillator (VCO). The processor 101 can apply a second control signal to the oscillator 210 and vary the frequency of the microwave output by the oscillator 210. The processor 101 can generate a second control signal in digital form. The DAC 710 can convert the second control signal transmitted from the processor 101 into an analog signal and transmit it to the oscillator 210. The oscillator 210 receives the second control signal in analog form from the DAC 710, and the frequency of the microwave output by the oscillator 210 can be determined based on the voltage magnitude of the input second control signal. The frequency of the microwave output by the oscillator 210 can be determined in linear proportion to the voltage magnitude of the second control signal. For example, the processor 101 can control the oscillator 210 through the second control signal so that it outputs a microwave having one of the output frequencies selected from the range of 2.4 GHz to 2.5 GHz or 5.7 GHz to 5.9 GHz.

[0176] In one embodiment, the oscillator 210 includes at least one switching element, and the processor 101 may vary the microwave output frequency by adjusting the on / off state of the switching element via a second control signal.

[0177] Furthermore, the oscillator 210 includes a power amplifier, which can adjust the power level of the output microwave by increasing or decreasing the amplitude of the microwave according to the second control signal of the processor 101. For example, the processor 101 can apply a second control signal to the oscillator 210 and control the oscillator 210 so that it outputs a microwave having one power level selected within the range of 3W to 20W.

[0178] The microwaves generated from the oscillator 210 can be output to the resonant section 220.

[0179] The resonant section 220 houses the aerosol product 10 and resonates with microwaves supplied from the oscillator 210, thereby heating the aerosol product 10. The internal structure of the resonant section 220 is the same as that shown in Figures 4 to 6.

[0180] The power monitoring unit 250 is provided to track changes in the resonant frequency of the resonant unit 220 in real time.

[0181] More specifically, the impedance of the resonant section 220 can be varied by heating and consuming the dielectric material contained in the aerosol product 10 with microwaves. Even though the impedance of the resonant section 220 is varied, if the oscillator 210 is controlled by a fixed output, the first impedance Zeq1 from the oscillator 210 to the resonant section 220 and the second impedance Zeq2 from the resonant section 220 to the oscillator 210 do not have to match. In other words, the first impedance Zeq1 and the second impedance Zeq2 do not have to match each other. Furthermore, since impedance matching is related to the maximum power transfer condition, the maximum power transfer condition does not have to be satisfied. As a result, the power supplied from the oscillator 210 is not completely transmitted to the resonant section 220, and some of it may be reflected from the resonant section 220 and input back into the oscillator 210.

[0182] The power monitoring unit 250 can measure the reflected microwave power reflected from the resonant unit 220 and input to the oscillator unit 210 in order to match the first impedance Zeq1 and the second impedance Zeq2. In this embodiment, the power monitoring unit 250 can also further measure the output microwave power output from the oscillator unit 210 and input to the resonant unit 220. Hereinafter, the output microwave power will be named the first power P1 and the reflected microwave power will be named the second power P2. The first power P1 and the second power P2 represent the magnitude of the power.

[0183] The power monitoring unit 250 can provide the processor 101 with information regarding the first power P1 and / or the second power P2.

[0184] The processor 101 can match the first impedance Zeq1 and the second impedance Zeq2 based on information about the first power P1 and / or second power P2 provided by the power monitoring unit 250. Impedance matching can be achieved by adjusting the output frequency of the oscillator unit 210, since impedance is a parameter related to frequency.

[0185] The processor 101 can adjust the output frequency of the oscillator 210 so that the second power P2 measured by the power monitoring unit 250 falls within a reference power range. In one embodiment, the processor 101 can adjust the output frequency of the oscillator 210 so that the difference between the first power P1 and the second power P2 measured by the power monitoring unit 250 falls within a pre-set reference power range. For example, the reference power range is between 0W and 1W, but is not limited to this.

[0186] The processor 101 can control the oscillator 210 so that the second power P2 falls within the reference power range, while sweeping the output frequency output from the oscillator 210 within a pre-set reference bandwidth range. In this embodiment, the processor 101 can control the oscillator 210 so that the difference between the first power P1 and the second power P2 falls within a pre-set range. For example, the reference bandwidth range is, but is not limited to, a range of 2.4 GHz to 2.5 GHz or a range of 5.7 GHz to 5.9 GHz.

[0187] On the other hand, the output frequency of the processor 101 is adjusted in real time. In other words, the processor 101 can adjust the output frequency of the oscillator 210 independently of adjusting the power level of the oscillator 210, which will be described later.

[0188] The processor 101 can adjust the magnitude of the microwave power output from the oscillator 210 using a pre-set temperature profile and / or power profile, regardless of the output frequency adjustment of the oscillator 210.

[0189] The temperature profile may include time-series information regarding the target temperature of the aerosol product 10. Similarly, the power profile may include time-series information regarding the target power of the oscillator 210. In other words, the temperature profile and power profile may include information regarding the target temperature and target power during the preheating and smoking phases, respectively.

[0190] The processor 101 can control the oscillator 210 via a second control signal to output microwave power of a first magnitude during the preheating section. Furthermore, the processor 101 can control the oscillator 210 via the second control signal to output microwave power of a second magnitude, smaller than the first magnitude, during the smoking section after the preheating section. Additionally, the processor 101 can control the microwave power output by the oscillator 210 during the smoking section to increase progressively.

[0191] The processor 101 can adjust the magnitude of the microwave power output from the oscillator 210 according to a pre-configured profile, and can match the output frequency of the oscillator 210 with the resonant frequency of the resonant section 220 in real time. By matching the output frequency of the oscillator 210 with the resonant frequency of the resonant section 220, the power transfer efficiency is significantly increased, and the aerosol product 10 can be heated uniformly.

[0192] Figure 8 is a diagram illustrating a method for tracking the resonant frequency using the output microwave power of the oscillator and the reflected microwave power of the resonant section according to one embodiment.

[0193] Referring to Figure 8, the processor 101 senses the mismatch between the first impedance Zeq1 and the second impedance Zeq2 as the difference between the first power P1 and / or the second power P2, and can adjust the output frequency of the oscillator 210 to match the impedances. By adjusting the output frequency of the oscillator 210, the output frequency of the oscillator 210 and the resonant frequency of the resonant section 220 can be matched. The matching in this invention includes not only a perfect match, but also cases where the output frequency falls within the upper and lower threshold ranges of the resonant frequency. This is to account for losses due to the internal configuration of the dielectric heating section 200. For example, matching means that the output frequency falls within the range of resonant frequency - α to resonant frequency + α, where α is 10 kHz, but is not limited to this.

[0194] In Figure 8, the x-axis represents frequency, and the y-axis represents the amount of power transferred to the resonant section 220 according to frequency. Figure 8 shows Figure 810 when the output frequency f1 of the oscillator section 210 and the resonant frequency f2 of the resonant section 220 coincide, and Figure 820 when the resonant frequency of the resonant section 220 is varied to f2', and the output frequency f1 of the oscillator section 210 and the varied resonant frequency f2' of the resonant section 220 are made to coincide.

[0195] In Figure 8, the output frequency f1 of the oscillator 210 and the resonant frequency f2 of the resonant section 220 can be matched. For example, when the processor 101 receives a user input to heat the device, it can sweep the output frequency of the oscillator 210 and select Fa as the output frequency, which is the frequency at which the second power P2 reflected from the resonant section 220 and input to the oscillator 210 is minimized. In one embodiment, the processor 101 can select Fa as the output frequency, which is the frequency at which the difference between the first power P1 transmitted from the oscillator 210 to the resonant section 220 and the second power P2 reflected from the resonant section 220 and input to the oscillator 210 is minimized. By matching the output frequency f1 of the oscillator 210 and the resonant frequency f2 of the resonant section 220, the maximum power Pa can be supplied to the resonant section 220. The resonant section 220 can use the power supplied from the oscillator 210 to heat the aerosol product 10.

[0196] On the other hand, the dielectric material contained in the aerosol product 10 is heated and consumed by microwaves, which changes the impedance of the resonant section 220, and therefore the resonant frequency f2 can also be changed. In one embodiment, the resonant frequency f2 of the resonant section 220 can be increased to f2' due to a decrease in the dielectric material contained in the aerosol product 10. Even though the resonant frequency of the resonant section 220 is increased to f2', if the oscillator 210 is controlled by a fixed output frequency, the maximum power Pa' is not transmitted to the resonant section 220, and a power of about Pb, which is smaller than Pa', may be transmitted to the resonant section 220. In other words, the resonant section 220 consumes about Pb of power, and the remaining power may be reflected and output towards the oscillator 210.

[0197] The processor 101 can adjust f1, which is the output frequency f1 of the oscillator 210, to match the variable resonant frequency f2', so that maximum power is transmitted to the resonant section 220. For this purpose, the processor 101 may be provided with information from the power monitoring unit 250 regarding the first power P1 output from the oscillator 210 to the resonant section 220. The processor 101 may also be provided with information from the power monitoring unit 250 regarding the second power P2 reflected from the resonant section 220 and input back to the oscillator 210. The processor 101 may be provided with information from the power monitoring unit 250 in real time regarding the second power P2 corresponding to the variable resonant frequency of the resonant section 220.

[0198] The processor 101 can control the oscillator 210 so that the second power P2 measured by the power monitoring unit 250 falls within a reference power range. In this embodiment, the processor 101 can control the output of the oscillator 210 so that the difference between the first power P1 and the second power P2 measured by the power monitoring unit 250 falls within a pre-set reference power range. For example, the reference power range is between 0W and 1W, but is not limited to this.

[0199] The processor 101 can sweep the frequency of the microwave power output from the oscillator 210 within a pre-set reference bandwidth range Fre, and control the oscillator 210 so that the second power P2 falls within the reference power range. In this embodiment, the processor 101 can adjust the output frequency of the microwave power so that the difference between the first power P1 and the second power P2 falls within the reference power range. For example, the reference bandwidth range Fre is, but is not limited to, a range of 2.4 GHz to 2.5 GHz or a range of 5.7 GHz to 5.9 GHz.

[0200] The processor 101 can match the output frequency and the resonant frequency by adjusting the output frequency of the microwave power at any one frequency selected in the reference bandwidth range Fre such that the difference between the first power P1 and the second power P2 falls within the reference power range. In other words, the processor 101 can adjust the output frequency of the oscillator 210 from Fa to Fb, which is the resonant frequency of the resonant unit 210. The adjustment of the output frequency of the microwave power described above is performed independently of the magnitude of the microwave power.

[0201] The foregoing detailed description should not be interpreted restrictively in any way, but should be considered illustrative. The scope of the invention should be determined by a reasonable interpretation of the appended claims, and all modifications within the equivalent scope of the invention are included within the scope of the invention.

Claims

1. An oscillator that generates microwaves, A resonant section that contains the aerosol product and heats the aerosol product by resonating the microwave, an aerosol generating apparatus, comprising: a processor that applies a control signal to the oscillator and controls the output frequency of microwaves output from the oscillator.

2. The aerosol generating apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising a DAC that receives the control signal from the processor in digital format and converts the transmitted digital control signal into an analog control signal and transmits it to the oscillator.

3. The aerosol generating apparatus according to claim 2, wherein the oscillation unit determines the output frequency of the microwave based on the voltage magnitude of the analog control signal.

4. The aerosol generating apparatus according to claim 3, wherein the output frequency of the microwave is linearly proportional to the voltage magnitude of the analog control signal.

5. The system further includes a power monitoring unit that measures the reflected microwave power reflected from the resonant unit and input to the oscillator, The aerosol generating apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the processor generates the control signal based on the reflected microwave power measured by the power monitoring unit.

6. The aforementioned resonant section is The aerosol generating apparatus according to claim 5, wherein the dielectric material contained in the aerosol product is heated and consumed by the microwave, thereby varying the resonance frequency of the microwave.

7. The aerosol generating apparatus according to claim 6, wherein the resonant frequency of the resonant portion increases due to a decrease in the dielectric material contained in the aerosol product.

8. The aforementioned power monitoring unit is The aerosol generating apparatus according to claim 6, which measures the reflected microwave power corresponding to the variable resonance frequency.

9. The aforementioned processor, The aerosol generating apparatus according to claim 5, wherein the output of the oscillation unit is controlled so that the reflected microwave power measured by the power monitoring unit falls within a previously set reference power range.

10. The aforementioned processor, The aerosol generating apparatus according to claim 9, wherein the output frequency of the microwave power output from the oscillator is swept within the previously set reference band range, and the output frequency of the microwave power is adjusted so that the reflected microwave power is included in the reference power range.

11. The aforementioned processor, The aerosol generating apparatus according to claim 10, wherein the output frequency of the microwave power output from the oscillator is swept within the reference bandwidth range between 2.4 GHz and 2.5 GHz.

12. The aforementioned processor, The aerosol generating apparatus according to claim 10, wherein the output frequency of the microwave power is matched with the resonant frequency of the resonant section by adjusting the output frequency of the microwave power at any one frequency selected within the aforementioned reference band range.

13. The aforementioned processor, The aerosol generating apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the magnitude of the microwave power output from the oscillator is adjusted according to a pre-set power profile, and the magnitude of the microwave power and the output frequency of the microwave power are controlled independently of each other.

14. The aforementioned resonant section is The aerosol product includes a hollow cylindrical first internal conductor surrounding one region of the aerosol product and a hollow cylindrical second internal conductor positioned at a predetermined distance from the first internal conductor and surrounding another region of the aerosol product. The aerosol generating apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the microwave is resonated by the first internal conductor and the second internal conductor.

15. The aforementioned resonant section is The aerosol product includes a first plate surrounding one region of the aerosol product and a second plate spaced apart from the first plate along the circumferential direction of the aerosol product and surrounding another region of the aerosol product. The aerosol generating apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the microwave is resonated by the first plate and the second plate.

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