Heater with multiple heat-generating areas and aerosol generator including the same

Abstract

The examples relate to a heater having a number of heating regions and an aerosol generator including the same, and more specifically, to a heater having a number of heating regions directly formed on a heating pipe, and capable of improving the amount of fog generated and power efficiency by individual control of each heating region, and an aerosol generator including the same. [Solution] In the embodiment, the heater includes a pipe-shaped metal structure capable of containing a rolled cigarette, a first insulating layer directly formed on the outer surface of the metal structure, an electrode layer directly formed on the outer surface of the first insulating layer, a heating layer directly formed on the outer surface of the first insulating layer and electrically connected to the electrode layer, and a second insulating layer protecting the first insulating layer, the electrode layer and the heating layer. The heating layer includes a number of heating regions arranged in the direction of airflow, and the heating of each heating region is individually controlled.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] Examples relate to a heater having a number of heat generating regions and an aerosol generating device including the same. More specifically, the present invention relates to a heater having a number of heat generating regions directly formed on a heating pipe, and an aerosol generating device including the same, which can improve the amount of smoke generated and power efficiency by individual control for each heat generating region.

Background Art

[0002] Those who inhale fine particles in the air, i.e., aerosol, can achieve inhalation of addictive substances such as so-called smoking. Conventionally, cigarettes in the form of rolled tobacco have been almost the only means of inhaling such addictive substances, but recently, electronic cigarettes have occupied another means. Electronic cigarettes apply heat or ultrasonic waves to a cartridge filled with a liquid inhalation substance, vaporize the inhalation substance into vapor, and generate fine particles. Therefore, they are completely differentiated from conventional rolled tobacco cigarettes that generate smoke by combustion, and have the advantage of preventing the generation of various harmful substances that can be generated by combustion.

[0003] In addition, in response to the demands of consumers who prefer ordinary cigarettes in the form of rolled tobacco, aerosol forming articles having the form of a filter part and a rolled tobacco part of ordinary cigarettes have also been proposed. Such a method has a configuration in which the user inhales through a filter part having a configuration equivalent to that of ordinary cigarettes while vaporizing the aerosol forming substrate contained in the rolled tobacco part (substrate part) of the rolled tobacco type aerosol forming article with an electronic heater. That is, when a rolled tobacco type aerosol forming article is inserted into a holder and the heater in the holder heats and vaporizes the aerosol forming substrate in the substrate part, the user can inhale the aerosol forming substrate vaporized through the filter part.

[0004] The heater contained within an aerosol generator is a core element directly related to the user experience of the aerosol generator. In particular, it must rapidly heat up to the operating temperature and uniformly transfer heat to the aerosol-forming articles continuously inserted inside during the heating cycle. Furthermore, providing a uniform taste and abundant mist volume from the initial to the final operation of the aerosol generator is a crucial element of the user experience. Therefore, as a prior art for improving the heater structure, Registered Korean Patent No. 10-2323782 discloses a heater structure including a heat-resistant metal pipe, a heating pattern, and a sensor pattern. However, there is room for improvement in terms of enhancing the user experience by providing abundant mist volume and a uniform taste.

[0005] Figure 1 shows an example of a heater in a conventional aerosol generator. The heater in the conventional aerosol generator is of the blade type, and the blade-type heater is inserted into the aerosol-forming article (A). The blade-type heater is electrically insulated, and has multiple conductive tracks 13 formed on a rigid substrate 11, with connections 15 for applying power to the conductive tracks 13 leading out from the substrate 11.

[0006] Figure 2 shows another example of a heater for a conventional aerosol generator. The heater for the aerosol generator includes a first part 29 having conductive tracks 23 formed on an electrically insulating substrate 21 and including connections 25 for applying power to the conductive tracks 23, and a second part 31 having a heat-insulating reflective honeycomb structure 27 formed on an electrically insulating substrate 21. The heater is formed by winding a tube shape such that the first part 29 is located on the inside and the second part 31 is located on the outside.

[0007] However, conventional aerosol generators have the disadvantage that the installation of sensors for measuring the heater temperature is complicated, and it is difficult to uniformly transfer the heat generated from the conductive track 23 to the aerosol generating article.

[0008] To improve these aspects, the applicant proposed a structure in which a heating element 20, having a heating pattern attached to an insulating film, is installed on the outer surface of a cylindrical metal structure 10, as shown in Figure 3. After installing a temperature sensor 30 on the outer surface of the heating element 30, the heating layer 20 is fixed to the metal structure 10 by heating and shrinking a heat-shrinkable tube 40. However, since such a heat-shrinkable tube 40 is made of a PTFE series material containing fluorine, there was a problem that toxic chemical substances were emitted when heated above 200°C. [Overview of the Initiative] [Problems that the invention aims to solve]

[0009] The present invention aims to provide a heater and an aerosol generator including it, which have multiple heating regions and are easy to assemble and have improved thermal efficiency, by directly forming a heating pattern on the outer surface of the heating pipe.

[0010] Furthermore, the examples aim to provide a heater with multiple heating regions and an aerosol generator including the same, which can improve the user experience by selectively controlling heating for each of the multiple heating regions, thereby increasing the preheating rate and heating efficiency, and increasing the amount of mist produced.

[0011] Furthermore, the examples aim to provide a heater equipped with multiple heating regions and an aerosol generator including the same, which can prevent burning while improving power efficiency through individual control of each heating region. [Means for solving the problem]

[0012] According to one embodiment, a heater having a plurality of heating regions is used to heat a cigarette, which includes a substrate portion located upstream and a filter portion located downstream, when inserted in an airflow, in order to generate an aerosol. The heater includes a pipe-shaped metal structure capable of accommodating the cigarette, a first insulating layer formed directly on the outer surface of the metal structure, an electrode layer formed directly on the outer surface of the first insulating layer, a heating layer formed directly on the outer surface of the first insulating layer and electrically connected to the electrode layer, and a second insulating layer protecting the first insulating layer, the electrode layer and the heating layer. The heating layer includes a plurality of heating regions arranged in the direction of the airflow, and the heating of each heating region is individually controlled.

[0013] In another embodiment, in a heater having multiple heating regions, the first insulating layer is formed by coating a glass component and then sintering it.

[0014] In another embodiment, in a heater having multiple heating regions, the heating layer is formed by applying a metal paste and then sintering it.

[0015] In another embodiment, in a heater having multiple heating regions, the metal paste is a mixture of at least one of graphene, platinum group ruthenium, palladium, and silver.

[0016] In another embodiment, a heater having a number of heating regions is provided, where each heating region consists of one heating pattern, multiple heating patterns, or a planar heating element.

[0017] In another embodiment, in a heater having multiple heating regions, the first insulating layer, the heating layer, and the second insulating layer are provided with holes at the same location, through which a metal structure is exposed, and a thermocouple wire for sensing the heater temperature is directly connected to the metal structure exposed through the hole.

[0018] According to one embodiment, the aerosol generator includes a heater having a plurality of heating regions as in any embodiment, a case forming the exterior and protecting the internal components, a control unit for individually controlling the plurality of heating regions of the heater, and a battery for supplying power, wherein the plurality of heating regions include a first heating region arranged at the furthest downstream, and the first heating region is further extended downstream from the downstream boundary of the substrate portion of a cigarette housed in a metal structure.

[0019] In other embodiments, in the aerosol generator, the length to which the first heat-generating region extends further downstream from the downstream boundary of the substrate is within 7 mm.

[0020] In another embodiment, in an aerosol generator, the control unit controls the temperature of the heating region using a temperature change resistance (TCR) of the heating layer.

[0021] In another embodiment, in the aerosol generator, the substrate portion of the cigarette contained in the metal structure includes a tobacco layer and an aerocore layer, and among the numerous heating regions of the heater, different heating regions heat the tobacco layer and the aerocore layer, respectively.

[0022] In another embodiment, in an aerosol generator, a cigarette housed in a metal structure is provided with a sensor pattern containing information about the cigarette, the aerosol generator further includes an inductive sensor that senses the sensor pattern of the cigarette, and the metal structure has an open section with a portion of its lower end removed so that the sensor pattern is exposed to be sensed by the inductive sensor.

[0023] In another embodiment, the inductive sensor is extended to a position where it overlaps with the opening in the aerosol generator.

[0024] In another embodiment, the control unit controls the heating timing of at least one of a number of heating regions to be different within a single heating cycle.

[0025] According to another embodiment, in the aerosol generator, the heating temperature of a large number of heating regions does not exceed 350°C.

[0026] According to another embodiment, in the aerosol generator, the control unit controls so that among a large number of heating regions, the first heating region preferentially generates heat within one heating cycle.

[0027] According to another embodiment, in the aerosol generator, the control unit controls so that a large number of heating regions generate heat in the order from downstream to upstream within one heating cycle.

[0028] According to another embodiment, in the aerosol generator, the heating layer includes at least three or more heating regions.

[0029] According to another embodiment, in the aerosol generator, it further includes an air heater that is disposed upstream of the heater and heats the airflow flowing into the heater.

[0030] According to another embodiment, in the aerosol generator, the heating layer includes a second heating region arranged immediately upstream of the first heating region, a third heating region arranged immediately upstream of the second heating region, and a fourth heating region arranged immediately upstream of the third heating region.

[0031] According to another embodiment, in the aerosol generator, the control unit controls so that either one of the first heating region and the second heating region and either one of the third heating region and the fourth heating region generate heat simultaneously.

[0032] According to another embodiment, in the aerosol generator, a drive circuit that applies the power of the battery to a large number of heating regions included in the heating layer of the heater is connected to the electrical path between the battery and the heater.

[0033] In another embodiment, in an aerosol generator, a number of heat-generating regions are connected in a 1:1 ratio to a number of drive circuits, and the control unit controls the heat-generating temperature of each heat-generating region by controlling each drive circuit.

[0034] In another embodiment, in an aerosol generator, a switching element is connected to the electrical path between the drive circuit and the heater, and a number of heating regions are connected to a number of switching elements in a 1:1 ratio. The control unit controls the heating temperature of each heating region by controlling each drive circuit and each switching element.

[0035] In another embodiment, the control unit in the aerosol generator outputs a signal with a fixed duty cycle to control the first heat-generating region.

[0036] In another embodiment, the aerosol generator further includes a first temperature sensor that senses the temperature of a first heat-generating region, and the control unit provides feedback control by adjusting the duty cycle of the signal output to the first heat-generating region based on the information sensed by the first temperature sensor.

[0037] In another embodiment, in an aerosol generator, one heating cycle performed by the control unit includes a preheating step and a subsequent aerosol generation step divided into a number of sections, and the control unit controls all sections of the aerosol generation step so that among the number of heating regions, there are at least two or more operating regions to which power is applied and at least one or more non-operating regions to which power is not applied.

[0038] In another embodiment, in an aerosol generator, the control unit converts at least one operating region to a non-operating region when transitioning between sections during the aerosol generation step.

[0039] In another embodiment, in an aerosol generator, the control unit converts at least one non-operating region to an operating region when transitioning between sections during the aerosol generation step.

[0040] In another embodiment, in an aerosol generator, the control unit controls the aerosol generation step so that when a certain section is converted, at least one operating region is included that is not converted to a non-operating region.

[0041] In another embodiment, in the aerosol generator, the control unit controls the aerosol generation step so that each of the numerous heat-generating regions becomes an operating region at least once.

[0042] In another embodiment, in an aerosol generator, the control unit controls the aerosol generation step so that each of the numerous heat-generating regions becomes a non-operating region at least once.

[0043] In another embodiment, in an aerosol generator, the control unit controls the operating region in the aerosol generation step so that the heat generated in the operating region is maintained at or above a predetermined aerosol generation temperature.

[0044] According to other embodiments, in an aerosol generator, the predetermined aerosol generation temperatures of at least two heat-generating regions are different from each other.

[0045] In another embodiment, in an aerosol generator, one heating cycle performed by the control unit includes a preheating step and an aerosol generation step that proceeds thereafter, and the control unit controls at least one of a number of heat-generating regions to maintain a predetermined aerosol generation temperature or higher throughout the aerosol generation step.

[0046] In another embodiment, in the aerosol generator, the control unit controls the aerosol generation step so that the heating temperature of each heating region among a number of heating regions reaches a predetermined aerosol generation temperature or higher at least once.

[0047] In another embodiment, the control unit controls the aerosol generator so that the average of the heat generation temperatures of multiple heat-generating regions remains below a predetermined threshold temperature throughout the aerosol generation step.

[0048] In another embodiment, the control unit controls the aerosol generator so that the average of the heat generation temperatures of multiple heat-generating regions remains above a predetermined aerosol generation temperature throughout the aerosol generation step.

[0049] In another embodiment, in an aerosol generator, the control unit controls a number of heat-generating regions to generate heat with predetermined phase, amplitude, period, and waveform during the aerosol generation step.

[0050] In another embodiment, in an aerosol generator, the control unit controls the numerous heat-generating regions to generate heat with the same amplitude, period, and waveform during the aerosol generation step. [Effects of the Invention]

[0051] According to the examples, the heating pattern is not formed on a separate film and then installed on the outer surface of the heating pipe, but rather the heating pattern is formed directly on the heating pipe. This eliminates the need for the film assembly process and the need for separate parts such as heat shrink tubing for fixing and adhering the film.

[0052] Furthermore, according to the examples, since the heater has multiple heating regions, it is possible to heat different parts of the cigarette according to individual control of the heating temperature and heating timing.

[0053] Furthermore, according to the examples, individual control of multiple heat-generating regions can increase the initial amount of haze and improve the sensory experience in the latter half of the process.

[0054] Furthermore, according to the examples, in the heating step, at least two or more of the numerous heating regions are heated simultaneously, resulting in a larger heating area and increased smoke volume compared to conventional simple cross-heating control, while also enabling faster temperature rise compared to a single heater configuration.

[0055] Furthermore, according to the examples, at least one heater continuously heats two sections in each heating step, so the amount of smoke does not decrease in the intersecting section.

[0056] Furthermore, according to the examples, at least one heating area does not operate during the heating step, thus preventing overheating, burning, and wasted power.

[0057] Furthermore, according to the examples, at least two of the numerous heat-generating regions have different heating temperatures. Therefore, the aerosol-forming substrate can be heated appropriately due to the differences in the transfer rate between different regions, thus preventing scorching and increasing power efficiency. [Brief explanation of the drawing]

[0058] [Figure 1] This figure shows an example of a heater for a conventional aerosol generator. [Figure 2] This figure shows another example of a heater for a conventional aerosol generator. [Figure 3] This is a diagram showing the heating element installation structure of a heater in another conventional aerosol generator. [Figure 4] This is a schematic exploded view of a heater having multiple heating regions according to the first embodiment. [Figure 5] This figure shows the soldering portion of a temperature sensor for a heater having multiple heating regions according to the first embodiment. [Figure 6] This is a schematic diagram of the heating layer of a heater having multiple heating regions according to the second embodiment. [Figure 7] This is a schematic diagram of the heating layer of a heater having multiple heating regions according to the third embodiment. [Figure 8]This figure shows the soldering portion of a temperature sensor for a heater having multiple heating regions according to a third embodiment. [Figure 9] This is a schematic cross-sectional view of an aerosol generator including a heater with multiple heat-generating regions according to the fourth embodiment. [Figure 10] This figure shows a metal structure 100a of a heater having multiple heating regions according to the fifth embodiment. [Figure 11] This is a schematic cross-sectional view of an aerosol generator including a heater with multiple heat-generating regions according to the fifth embodiment. [Figure 12] This is a schematic diagram showing how a cigarette is sensed in an aerosol generator including a heater with multiple heating regions according to the fifth embodiment. [Figure 13] This is a conceptual internal diagram illustrating the internal configuration of an aerosol generator 1, which includes a heater 1000 having multiple heating regions, according to yet another embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 14] This block diagram shows the functional components to explain the control relationships of the aerosol generator 1. [Figure 15] This is a magnified view of the heater 1000, which has multiple heating regions, and the cigarettes contained within it, as shown in the cross-sectional view of Figure 13. [Figure 16] This is a circuit diagram illustrating the connection relationship between the control unit 300, battery 400, numerous heat-generating regions 141, 142, 143, 144, and air heater 500 of an aerosol generator according to one embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 17] This is a sequence diagram showing a control method for an aerosol generator 1 that can be performed by a control unit 300 according to one embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 18] This is a sequence diagram illustrating the detailed steps of the aerosol generation step S200 that can be performed by the control unit 300 according to one embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 19] This diagram shows a method for controlling multiple heat-generating regions in the aerosol generation step S200 that can be performed by the control unit 300 according to the first embodiment of the present invention (Figure 19(a)), and a conventional method for controlling multiple heat-generating regions (Figure 19(b)). [Figure 20] This is a diagram illustrating a method for controlling multiple heat-generating regions in the aerosol generation step S200, which can be performed by the control unit 300 of the aerosol generator according to another embodiment. [Figure 21] This is a graph of the heat generation temperature of multiple heat-generating regions in the aerosol generation step S200, illustrating a control method that can be performed by the control unit 300 of an aerosol generator according to another embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 22] This is a graph of the heat generation temperature of multiple heat-generating regions in the aerosol generation step S200, illustrating a control method that can be performed by the control unit 300 of an aerosol generator according to another embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 23] This is a graph showing the heat generation temperatures of multiple heaters, illustrating the control methods that can be performed by the control unit of a conventional aerosol generator. [Modes for carrying out the invention]

[0059] The embodiments will be described in more detail below, based on the drawings.

[0060] Figure 4 is a schematic exploded view of a heater having multiple heating regions according to the first embodiment. The heater is used to generate aerosols from an aerosol generator. In particular, the heater houses an aerosol-forming article in the form of a cigarette (hereinafter referred to as "cigarette") inside and heats it, converting the aerosol-forming substrate contained in the cigarette into an aerosol that can be inhaled by the user. At this time, the user can inhale the aerosol originating from the aerosol-forming substrate by puffing (inhaling), generating an airflow from the bottom end to the top end as shown in Figure 4 and the following drawings. In the general usage of such an aerosol generator, assuming an airflow from the bottom end to the top end, for convenience, the bottom end side will be referred to as "upstream" and the top end side as "downstream".

[0061] A cigarette inserted into a heater having multiple heating regions may include, for example, an upstream substrate section and a downstream filter section. The substrate section may include an aerosol-forming substrate for conversion into an aerosol, such as nicotine, VG (vegetable glycerin), or PG (propylene glycol). The filter section may be the part that comes into contact with the user's lips and includes a filter for filtering out incompletely vaporized liquid, and may also include a cooling structure, such as a cavity of a predetermined length, for cooling the heated airflow.

[0062] Upon examining the structure of the heater in this embodiment, a first insulating layer 120 is formed on the outer surface of a pipe-shaped metal structure 100 capable of housing a rolled cigarette. An electrode layer 130 and a heating layer 140 are formed on the outer surface of the first insulating layer 120, and a second insulating layer 150 is formed to protect them.

[0063] Generally, the metal structure 100 is made of stainless steel and has sufficient strength and heat resistance. The heat-generating layer 140 formed on the outer surface of the metal structure 100 is not attached to the metal structure 100 as a separate heat-generating film as in the conventional technology, but is formed directly on the outer surface of the metal structure 100 by coating and sintering.

[0064] First, a first insulating layer 120 is formed on the outer surface of the metal structure 100. The first insulating layer 120 is formed by a process in which a glass layer is applied and then sintered, thereby creating a high-strength glass coating layer. The glass layer is heated to 1000°C and sintered to form the first insulating layer 120. Since the first insulating layer 120 formed by the sintering of the glass coating layer has a thin film of about 0.1 mm, it can smoothly transfer heat from the heating layer 140 to the metal structure 100.

[0065] Subsequently, the electrode layer 130 and the heating layer 140 are patterned on the outer surface of the first insulating layer 120 using a metal paste, and the sintering process is repeated. The metal paste forming the electrode layer 130 is a mixture of graphene, platinum group ruthenium (Ruthenox), palladium, and silver, at least one of these.

[0066] The heating layer 140 may include a number of heating regions arranged in the direction of airflow. In this embodiment, the heating layer 140 includes a first heating region 141 arranged at the downstream end, which heats the downstream portion of the substrate of the contained cigarette, and a second heating region 142 arranged directly upstream thereof, which heats the upstream portion of the substrate of the contained cigarette. In this embodiment, the heating of the number of heating regions 141 and 142 included in the heating layer 140 can be controlled separately. In this embodiment, the heating layer 140 is formed from a planar heating layer, rather than in a form in which heating wires are formed.

[0067] Subsequently, a second insulating layer 150 is formed again, and a glass coating layer is used for forming the second insulating layer 150, similar to the first insulating layer 120.

[0068] At this time, in order to attach a temperature sensor so that the heating temperature of the heater can be measured, masking regions 125, 135, 145, and 155 are formed on the first insulating layer 120, electrode layer 130, heating layer 140, and second insulating layer 150. Masking is performed using a masking member before the formation of the first insulating layer 120, electrode layer 130, heating layer 140, and second insulating layer 150, and the masking member is removed after the formation of the first insulating layer 120, electrode layer 130, heating layer 140, and second insulating layer 150, thereby forming masking regions in which the metal structure 100 is exposed.

[0069] Figure 5 shows the soldering portion of a temperature sensor for a heater having multiple heating regions according to the first embodiment. The masking region can be used as the soldering portion of a temperature sensor that is directly attached to the metal structure 100. Since the metal structure 100 has separate heating regions formed by multiple heating regions 141, 142, the temperature sensors can also be provided separately for each heating region.

[0070] Figure 6 is a schematic diagram of the heating layer of a heater having multiple heating regions according to the second embodiment. The heating layer shown in Figure 6 represents one of the multiple heating regions formed on a metal structure. In the heating layer of the heater according to the second embodiment, each heating region consists of one heating pattern. That is, for example, the first heating region consists of one heating pattern, and the second heating region consists of one heating pattern.

[0071] Figure 7 is a schematic diagram of the heating layer of a heater having a number of heating regions according to the third embodiment. The heating layer of the heater according to the third embodiment consists of multiple heating patterns in which each heating region is formed in parallel. That is, for example, multiple parallel heating patterns are formed between groups of electrodes to which power is applied to the first heating region, and multiple parallel heating patterns are formed between groups of electrodes to which power is applied to the second heating region.

[0072] Figure 8 shows the soldering portion of the temperature sensor of a heater having multiple heating regions according to the third embodiment. Referring to Figures 7 and 8, the heater according to the third embodiment does not have a masking region formed. Instead, the heater temperature can be controlled using the temperature change resistance (TCR) of the heating layer.

[0073] Figure 9 is a schematic cross-sectional view of an aerosol generator including a heater with multiple heating regions according to the fourth embodiment. The aerosol generating article used in the aerosol generator, a rolled cigarette, includes a substrate portion and a filter portion, as described above. In particular, in this embodiment, the substrate portion is configured to include a first substrate portion T1 which is an aerocore layer and a second substrate portion T2 which is a tobacco body layer. The first substrate portion T1 and the second substrate portion T2 are formed by different methods, but for example, the first substrate portion T1 which is an aerocore layer may be a mixture containing at least one of VG (vegetable glycerin), PG (propylene glycol), a flavoring agent, or a drug, which is liquid, gel-like, or solid at room temperature, as an aerosol-forming substrate. The second substrate portion T2 which is a tobacco body layer may be made from conventional cut filler used in cigarettes. In this example, the aerosol generated from the first substrate T1, which is the aerocore layer, assists the aerosol generated by heating the second substrate T2, which is the tobacco body layer, thereby increasing the amount of smoke. The aerosols generated from the first substrate T1 and the second substrate T2 are inhaled by the user through the filter F. In this example, the second substrate T2, which is the tobacco body layer, is located upstream of the cigarette, and the first substrate T1, which is the aerocore layer, is located downstream of the cigarette.

[0074] A heater with multiple heating regions allows different heating regions within the heating layer to heat different substrate parts T1 and T2. For example, the first heating region 141 can heat the first substrate part T1, which is the aerocore layer, and the second heating region 142 can heat the second substrate part T2, which is the tobacco layer.

[0075] In this case, it is desirable that the first heating region, which is arranged at the furthest downstream of the numerous heating regions, extends further downstream from the downstream boundary of the substrate portion of the cigarette housed in the metal structure. For example, in the embodiment shown in Figure 9, it is desirable that the height h2 to which the first heating region 141 extends downstream is longer than the height h1 of the downstream boundary of the first substrate portion T1. That is, the first heating region 141 extends further downstream than the end of the substrate portion and heats up to a part of the filter portion F. This has the advantage that, if the first substrate portion T1, especially if the first substrate portion T1 is an aerocore layer, the aerosol can be vaporized more easily and the amount of smoke can be increased.

[0076] Figure 10 shows a metal structure 100a of a heater having multiple heating regions according to the fifth embodiment, Figure 11 is a schematic cross-sectional view of an aerosol generator including a heater having multiple heating regions according to the fifth embodiment, and Figure 12 is a schematic diagram showing the sensing of a cigarette by an aerosol generator including a heater having multiple heating regions according to the fifth embodiment.

[0077] The aerosol generating article used in the aerosol generating device according to the fifth embodiment, a cigarette, includes a first substrate portion T1 which is an aerocore layer, a second substrate portion T2 which is a tobacco body layer, and a filter portion F, similar to the case of the fourth embodiment. In this embodiment, it is desirable that the height of the upstream end of the second heating region extending downstream is greater than or equal to the height of the upstream end of the second substrate portion T2, and Figure 11 shows an example in which the height of the upstream end of the second substrate portion T2 and the height of the upstream end of the second heating region are formed to be the same (h3).

[0078] The cigarette contained in the metal structure 100a of the aerosol generator according to the fifth embodiment includes a sensor pattern P on the wrapping paper that contains information about the cigarette, allowing the aerosol generator to automatically control the heating profile of the cigarette by sensing. The sensor pattern P is printed on a conductive material, for example, and can be sensed by an inductive sensor S included in the aerosol generator.

[0079] However, the metal structure 100a that forms the heater into which the cigarette is inserted makes it impossible for the inductive sensor S to sense the sensor pattern P. Therefore, by providing an open section 102a in which a part of the lower end of the metal structure 100a is removed, the sensor pattern P can be exposed so that it can be sensed by the inductive sensor S. The part of the lower end that is not removed is used as a supporter 103a for setting the installation height of the heater within the device.

[0080] In this case, it is desirable that the height of the upper end (downstream end) of the inductive sensor S be higher than the lower end of the supporter 103a, that is, to a position where it can overlap with the opening 102a.

[0081] Figure 13 is a conceptual internal configuration diagram illustrating the internal configuration of an aerosol generator 1 including a heater 1000 having a number of heating regions, according to another embodiment of the present invention, and Figure 14 is a block diagram illustrating functional components to illustrate the control relationships of the aerosol generator 1. The aerosol generator 1 of this embodiment is a portable aerosol generator that generates an aerosol by heating a cigarette-shaped aerosol-forming article (cigarette) including a substrate T and a filter F when it is inserted, and may include a case 210 for forming the exterior and housing and protecting other components, and the aforementioned heater 1000 having a number of heating regions for housing and heating the cigarette inside the case 210. In the following drawings, the heater 1000 having a number of heating regions is shown as a metal structure 100, a heating layer 140, and heating regions 141, 142, 143, and 144, and the illustration of the first insulating layer 120, electrode layer 130, and second insulating layer 150 is omitted. This is for the sake of explanation and clarifies that such omissions do not necessarily mean the omission of their actual implementation.

[0082] Furthermore, the aerosol generator 1 in Figure 13 includes a control unit 300 that individually controls multiple heating regions 141, 142, 143, and 144 of the heater 1000, and a battery 400 for supplying power to the components. In addition, other known elements for operating the aerosol generator 1 may also be included. For example, input units such as operation buttons and display means such as LEDs may also be included, but detailed illustrations and descriptions of known components that a person skilled in the art can easily anticipate are omitted.

[0083] The case 210 is made of a rigid material and is portable in size, and can house and protect other components inside. The airflow path 230 communicates with the outside of the case 210 on at least one side and with the inside of the heater 1000, i.e., the inside of the metal structure 100, on the other side, allowing outside air to flow into the inside of the heater 1000 and generate an inhalation flow mixed with the aerosol generated from the cigarette contained by the heater 1000. As a result, the aerosol mixed with the outside air flows along the airflow path 230 in the direction of the airflow indicated by the arrow due to the user's puffing action, and can be inhaled by the user.

[0084] The heater 1000 is configured to heat at least the substrate portion T of the contained cigarette to generate an aerosol. The numerous heating regions 141, 142, 143, and 144 included in the heater 1000 can be individually controlled by the control unit 300. In this embodiment and the following embodiments, it is desirable that the heating layer 140 of the heater 1000 consists of four heating regions 141, 142, 143, and 144. That is, in this embodiment, the heating layer 140 of the heater 1000 is configured to include a first heating region 141 arranged at the downstream end, a second heating region 142 arranged directly upstream thereof, a third heating region 143 arranged directly upstream thereof, and a fourth heating region 144 arranged directly upstream thereof. Of course, this is merely an example, and the number of heating regions is not particularly limited as long as there are two or more, and it is more desirable that the heating layer 140 includes three or more heating regions. If the heater 1000 contains two or more heat-generating regions, the following advantageous effects can be expected, which can be explained and inferred below.

[0085] The control unit 300 may include, for example, an MCU (Micro-Controller Unit) capable of performing instruction processing, various calculations, and device control, and can control the heat generation of each heat-generating region 141, 142, 143, and 144 by controlling the power supplied to the heater 1000. For example, the control unit 300 can control the heat generation temperature of each heat-generating region 141, 142, 143, and 144 by PWM control, which adjusts the duty cycle of the output signal. The control unit 300 can also control the heat generation temperature of each heat-generating region 141, 142, 143, and 144 to follow a temperature profile, which is a predetermined, stored, time-dependent temperature change scenario. To control the system to follow a predetermined temperature profile that has been stored in advance, the control unit 300 can use means such as a PID (Proportional-Integral-Differential) controller and / or an RTD (Resistance Temperature Detector) sensor. In addition, the control unit 300 can perform device control functions throughout the entire operating cycle of the aerosol generator 1. In particular, the control unit 300 can individually control the numerous heating regions 141, 142, 143, and 144 contained in the heating layer 140 of the heater 1000, and especially preferably, the control unit 300 can control at least one of the numerous heating regions 141, 142, 143, and 144 to have a different heating timing or heating temperature within a single heating cycle.

[0086] For example, a heating cycle is the period from when power from the battery 400 is applied to the heater 1000 to generate an aerosol until the application is normally terminated, and can represent one unit of use for a normal aerosol generator. For example, if normal heating termination conditions are met, such as when an arbitrary reference value is reached or an arbitrary heating time has elapsed, rather than due to arbitrary heating interruption by the user, the control unit 300 will interrupt the heating and one operating cycle will be completed. This can be done by counting the number of puffs or measuring the amount of aerosol-forming substrate consumed in the contained cigarette 10.

[0087] The numerous heating regions 141, 142, 143, and 144 contained in the heating layer 140 of the heater 1000 are arranged in the direction of the airflow (indicated by the arrows in Figure 13), i.e., from the bottom end to the top end, as shown in Figure 13. The configuration of the numerous individually controlled heating regions 141, 142, 143, and 144, as in this embodiment, provides a heater with independently controllable segmented regions. Since the airflow of the aerosol generator 1 moves from upstream to downstream, i.e., from the bottom end to the top end in the drawing, individually controlling the heating timing of each different heating region arranged in the direction of such airflow provides a user-favorable effect. Furthermore, compared to a configuration that includes a single heating region that completely surrounds the substrate T, the individual heating regions 141, 142, 143, and 144 have the advantage of being able to heat up the heating region faster using less power because their individual heating areas are reduced.

[0088] In the examples, in particular, the numerous heating regions 141, 142, 143, and 144 include a first heating region 141 for heating the downstream end of the substrate portion T of the contained cigarette. It is desirable that the first heating region 141 be arranged at the furthest downstream of the numerous heating regions. As described above, the first heating region 141 is characterized by heating the downstream end of the substrate portion T, that is, the substrate portion T near the boundary with the filter portion F.

[0089] The downstream end of the substrate section T is located at the furthest downstream point of the substrate section T and is closest to the filter section F, and therefore contributes most significantly to the formation of the initial mist compared to other parts of the substrate section T. For example, when the aerosol generator 1 is activated and the heating cycle is started, in a desirable embodiment, the control unit 300 can be controlled to preferentially heat the first heat-generating region 141 among the numerous heat-generating regions 141, 142, 143, and 144.

[0090] As mentioned above, since the individual heating regions 141, 142, 143, and 144 have smaller heating areas compared to a single heating region that completely surrounds the substrate T, the first heating region 141 can heat up faster and generate aerosols than the heater of a conventional aerosol generator. Furthermore, since the first heating region 141 heats the downstream portion of the substrate T, the generated aerosols immediately enter the filter T and are inhaled by the user. If, using the partial heating method described above, the portion of the substrate T that is far from the filter T is preferentially heated, the generated aerosols move downstream along the airflow and are cooled as they pass through the unheated substrate T, making it difficult to fully utilize the advantages of partial heating.

[0091] Based on this principle, the control unit 300 can control the heating order of the numerous heating regions 141, 142, 143, and 144 within a single heating cycle, from downstream to upstream. That is, by controlling the heating order to proceed in the order of the first heating region 141, the second heating region 142, the third heating region 143, and the fourth heating region 144, the aforementioned effect of abundant haze from the initial stage can be achieved. Furthermore, by heating the third heating region 143 and the fourth heating region 144, which heat the upstream portion of the substrate T, in the latter half of the heating cycle, the sensory experience in the latter half can be improved.

[0092] Furthermore, the control unit 300 can control the heating to so that two or more of the numerous heating regions 141, 142, 143, and 144 heat up simultaneously. As mentioned above, preferably, when the heating cycle is started, the first heating region 141 heats up preferentially, but at the same time, the control unit 300 can control the heating to so that, for example, one of the second heating region 142, the third heating region 143, and the fourth heating region 144 heats up. In a preferred embodiment, the control unit 300 can also control the heating to so that one of the first heating region 141 and the second heating region 142 heats up simultaneously with one of the third heating region 143 and the fourth heating region 144 heats up simultaneously. In this way, by targeting the divided heating regions for heating the heater 1000, a wider variety of user experiences can be provided compared to a single heater in the conventional technology.

[0093] It is desirable that the numerous heat-generating regions 141, 142, 143, and 144 all generate heat within a temperature range that does not exceed 350°C.

[0094] The air heater 500 is an element for heating the outside air flowing into the heater 1000 from the outside in response to the user's puffing action. For this purpose, the air heater 500 can be positioned upstream of the numerous heating regions 141, 142, 143, and 144 of the heater 1000. It is desirable that the air heater 500 be installed to heat the airflow path 230 between the outside and the heater 1000, as shown in Figure 13. The air heater 500 also consists of a heating element that generates heat when power is applied, and may be a heating element that generates heat by resistance heating or induction heating. The air heater 500 can also be controlled independently by the control unit 300.

[0095] Figure 15 is an enlarged view of the heater 1000 and the cigarette contained therein, which are cross-sectional views of Figure 13 and have multiple heating regions. As mentioned above, the multiple heating regions 141, 142, 143, and 144 can be arranged in the direction of airflow (from the bottom end to the top end). In particular, the first heating region 141 is arranged so as to heat the downstream end of the substrate portion T of the contained cigarette. For this reason, it is desirable that the first heating region 141 be located furthest downstream of the multiple heating regions 141, 142, 143, and 144, and the first heating region 141 is further extended downstream to within 7 mm from the downstream boundary of the substrate portion T of the contained cigarette. For example, the first heating region 141 can be extended such that the deviation (k1) from the boundary between the substrate portion T and the filter portion F toward the top end is within 7 mm. Experimentally, this arrangement and length of the first heat-generating region 141 not only sufficiently heats the downstream end of the substrate T, but also heats a portion of the filter F, thereby achieving the intended effect of generating abundant haze initially.

[0096] Figure 16 is a circuit diagram illustrating the connection between the control unit 300, battery 400, multiple heat-generating regions 141, 142, 143, 144, and air heater 500 of an aerosol generator according to one embodiment of the present invention. The multiple heat-generating regions 141, 142, 143, 144 can be connected to one or more drive circuits 310, 320, which are independently controlled by the control unit 300. The drive circuits 310, 320 are installed in the electrical path between the battery 400 and the heater 1000 and supply power from the battery 400 to the multiple heat-generating regions 141, 142, 143, 144 of the heater 1000. The control unit 300 can control the heating temperature of the multiple heat-generating regions 141, 142, 143, 144 by controlling the operation of the drive circuits 310, 320. The air heater 500 is also supplied with power from the battery 400 by a drive circuit 330.

[0097] In this embodiment, each heat-generating region 141, 142, 143, and 144 can be connected to a drive circuit in a 1:1 ratio so that each heat-generating region is independently controlled by the control unit 300. Alternatively, as shown in the embodiment of Figure 16, switching elements 311, 312, 321, and 322 can be connected to the electrical paths between the drive circuits 310 and 320 and each heat-generating region 141, 142, 143, and 144. In this case, the control unit 300 can control the heat generation of each heat-generating region 141, 142, 143, and 144 by controlling each drive circuit 310 and 320 and the switching elements 311, 312, 321, and 322.

[0098] As in this embodiment, when a number of heat-generating regions 141, 142, 143, and 144 are connected in a 1:1 ratio to a number of switching elements 311, 312, 321, and 322, the control unit 300 can independently control the heating timing or heating temperature of each heat-generating region 141, 142, 143, and 144 by controlling each drive circuit 310, 320 and the switching elements 311, 312, 321, and 322. The switching elements 311, 312, 321, and 322 are, for example, FETs, and more specifically, N-channel MOSFETs or P-channel MOSFETs. The connection relationship with the battery 400, including such drive circuits and switching elements, can be similarly applied to the air heater 500.

[0099] The control unit 300 can, in particular, output signals with a predetermined changing or fixed duty cycle to the drive circuits 310, 320, and 330 to control the heating temperature of the heating regions connected to them. The control unit 300 can also output signals with a predetermined voltage to the switching elements 311, 312, 321, and 322 to allow or interrupt current flow to the heating regions connected to them.

[0100] Furthermore, the control unit 300 can control the first heat-generating region 141 by outputting a signal with a fixed duty cycle, rather than using feedback control. In other embodiments, the aerosol generator 1 may further include a temperature sensor 600 that senses the temperature of the first heat-generating region 141. The control unit 300 can perform feedback control to adjust the duty cycle of the signal output to the first heat-generating region 141 based on the information sensed by the temperature sensor 600, i.e., the heat-generating temperature of the first heat-generating region 141.

[0101] Figure 17 is a sequence diagram showing a control method for the aerosol generator 1 that can be performed by a control unit 300 according to one embodiment of the present invention. Although not shown separately, the heater 1000 included in the aerosol generator 1 of this embodiment includes a total of three heat-generating regions 141, 142, and 143.

[0102] The control unit 300 starts the heating cycle based on user button input or automatic control based on the detection of cigarette insertion. When starting the heating cycle in this way, the control unit 300 first performs a preheating step S100, which controls the heating temperature of at least two heating regions to reach a predetermined aerosol generation temperature or higher. The temperatures of the numerous heating regions 141, 142, and 143 are close to room temperature before the aerosol generator is activated, so it is necessary to heat them to a predetermined aerosol generation temperature or higher to prepare for aerosol generation.

[0103] The predetermined aerosol generation temperature refers to the temperature at which aerosols are generated at a considerable rate. This temperature can vary depending on the composition of the aerosol-forming substrate mixture contained in the inserted cigarette, but is generally determined within a temperature range of approximately 120°C to 300°C. The predetermined aerosol generation temperature is determined experimentally in advance and stored as data in the control unit 300. Furthermore, the predetermined aerosol generation temperatures may not be the same for all of the heating regions 141, 142, and 143. That is, the predetermined aerosol generation temperatures for at least two of the numerous heating regions 141, 142, and 143 are set to be different and stored in the control unit 300. For example, the rate at which the aerosol-forming substrate is transferred to the heated areas of each heating region 141, 142, and 143 may differ, the amount of aerosol-forming substrate contained in each area may differ, or the composition of the aerosol-forming substrate in each area may differ. Therefore, it is efficient to set the predetermined aerosol generation temperature to be different for each of the heating regions 141, 142, and 143 as needed.

[0104] After a preheating step S100 in which the heating temperature of at least two heating regions is raised to a predetermined aerosol generation temperature, the control unit 300 performs an aerosol generation step S200 in which it controls multiple heating regions 141, 142, and 143 to generate aerosols. The aerosol generation step S200 is a step in which the control unit 300 controls multiple heating regions 141, 142, and 143 to generate aerosols in earnest. The aerosol generation step S200 is continued, for example, after the preheating step S100 until the end of the heating cycle.

[0105] Figure 18 is a sequence diagram illustrating the detailed steps of the aerosol generation step S200 that can be performed by a control unit 300 according to one embodiment of the present invention. The aerosol generation step S200 can be divided into a number of sections. Thus, the aerosol generation step S200 can include control steps S210 to S240 in each section. The sections can be divided into, for example, time, and may all be sustained for the same amount of time or for different amounts of time. Alternatively, the sections can be divided into, for example, the number of puffs by the user, and each section may be sustained for a predetermined number of puffs. Alternatively, each section can be switched by user control such as button input. In this embodiment, the aerosol generation step S200 includes a total of four sections (the first section to the fourth section), but this is merely an example, and the number of sections may vary depending on the embodiment. Furthermore, the control steps S210 to S240 in each section can be repeated by the control unit 300 as needed. In this case, the complexity of the control is reduced while substantially increasing the number of sections included.

[0106] Figure 19 is a diagram showing a control method for multiple heat-generating regions in the aerosol generation step S200 that can be performed by a control unit 300 according to the first embodiment of the present invention (Figure 19(a)), and a control method for multiple heat-generating regions according to the prior art (Figure 19(b)). In particular, the control unit 300 controls the multiple heat-generating regions 141, 142, and 143 so that at least two or more operating regions and at least one or more non-operating regions are included in all sections of the aerosol generation step S200. The operating regions can mean heat-generating regions among the multiple heat-generating regions 141, 142, and 143 that generate heat when power is applied from the battery 400 under the control of the control unit 300. The non-operating regions can mean heat-generating regions among the multiple heat-generating regions 141, 142, and 143 that are in a dormant state where power is not applied from the battery 400 under the control of the control unit 300. In particular, it is desirable that the operating region be controlled so that its heat generation temperature remains above the predetermined aerosol generation temperature mentioned above, and as mentioned above, the predetermined aerosol generation temperatures of any two operating regions can be set to be different.

[0107] Referring to Figure 19(a), in the first section, the control unit 300 controls the system to include the first heat-generating area 141 and the second heat-generating area 142, which are operating areas, and the third heat-generating area 143, which is a non-operating area. In the second section, the operating areas are the second heat-generating area 142 and the third heat-generating area 143, and the non-operating area is the first heat-generating area 141. In the third section, the first heat-generating area 141 and the third heat-generating area 143 are operating areas, and the second heat-generating area 142 is a non-operating area. In the fourth section, similar to the first section, the system includes the first heat-generating area 141 and the second heat-generating area 142, which are operating areas, and the third heat-generating area 143, which is a non-operating area.

[0108] Furthermore, in a preferred embodiment, during the aerosol generation step S200, the control unit 300 converts at least one operating region to a non-operating region and at least one non-operating region to an operating region when transitioning between sections. This conversion between operating and non-operating regions enables uniform heating of multiple heating points and has the effect of extending the lifespan of each heating region by suspending operation. In the aerosol generation step S200, it is desirable that the control unit 300 controls each of the numerous heating regions 141, 142, and 143 so that each heating region is an operating region and a non-operating region at least once. In other words, this means that all heating regions 141, 142, and 143 are involved in aerosol generation by heat in the aerosol generation step S200. Since all heating regions 141, 142, and 143 are involved in aerosol generation, the contained cigarette or the aerosol-forming substrate contained therein can be heated uniformly, and the practical benefits of configuring the numerous heating regions 141, 142, and 143 can be ensured.

[0109] As demonstrated in this embodiment, by ensuring the operation of multiple heating regions within the heater's heating layer in all sections, the heating area is increased compared to conventional simple cross-heating control, resulting in increased smoke volume and faster heating than a single heater configuration.

[0110] Furthermore, it is desirable that the control unit 300, in the aerosol generation step S200, control the system so that when transitioning between sections, it includes at least one operating section that is not converted to a non-operating section. For example, in the first embodiment shown in Figure 19(a), when transitioning from the first section to the second section, the second heat-generating section 142 is not converted to a non-operating section. Also, when transitioning from the second section to the third section, the third heat-generating section 143 is not converted to a non-operating section, and when transitioning from the third section to the fourth section, the first heat-generating section 141 is not converted to a non-operating section, thus maintaining heat generation as an operating section continuously across the two sections. In such a desirable embodiment, even when transitioning between sections, at least one heat-generating section can continuously maintain a temperature above a predetermined aerosol generation temperature, so that the amount of aerosol generation does not decrease, or the amount of decrease is minimized.

[0111] For example, referring to the prior art shown in Figure 19(b), in a configuration with multiple heating regions, a single heating region is operated alternately for each heating section. That is, the first section includes a first heating region which is a single operating region, the second section includes a second heating region, the third section includes a third heating region, and the fourth section includes the first heating region as operating regions.

[0112] In the conventional technology, for example, when transitioning from the first section to the second section, a preheating time is required for the second heat-generating section, which is a non-operating region, to heat up to a temperature at which aerosols can be generated. Therefore, in the alternating section, the heat-generating temperatures of both the first and second heat-generating sections may drop below the aerosol generation temperature. Consequently, in the alternating section when transitioning between sections in the conventional technology, aerosols may not be generated at all, or only extremely small amounts may be generated, significantly degrading the user experience.

[0113] On the other hand, according to the first embodiment in Figure 19(a), even if multiple heat-generating regions 141, 142, and 143 are controlled alternately in sections, at least one heat-generating region maintains a temperature above the aerosol generation temperature, so aerosols are continuously generated during the aerosol generation step S200.

[0114] Figure 20 is a diagram illustrating a method for controlling multiple heat-generating regions in the aerosol generation step S200, which can be performed by the control unit 300 of an aerosol generator according to another embodiment. In particular, embodiments 20(a) and 20(b) show different exemplary control methods for an aerosol generator including a total of four heating regions.

[0115] In Figure 20(a), the entire section includes two operating regions and two non-operating regions. Furthermore, when the section changes, the operating and non-operating regions alternate, but one operating region is not converted to a non-operating region. In Figure 20(b), the entire section includes three operating regions and one non-operating region. Furthermore, when the section changes, the operating and non-operating regions alternate, but two operating regions are not converted to non-operating regions.

[0116] The following describes a control method for the control unit 300 according to another embodiment, but the heater 1000 included in the aerosol generator 1 of this embodiment includes a total of three heat-generating regions 141, 142, and 143.

[0117] In particular, during the aerosol generation step S200, the control unit 300 controls the system so that the heat generated in at least one of the numerous heat-generating regions 141, 142, and 143 remains above a predetermined aerosol generation temperature throughout the entire aerosol generation step S200. With this control, even when the system alternately controls the numerous heat-generating regions 141, 142, and 143, at least one of the heat-generating regions remains above the aerosol generation temperature, so aerosols are continuously generated during the aerosol generation step S200.

[0118] Furthermore, it is desirable that the control unit 300 controls the aerosol generation step S200 so that the heating temperature of each of the numerous heating regions 141, 142, and 143 reaches a predetermined aerosol generation temperature or higher at least once. In other words, this means that all heating regions 141, 142, and 143 are involved in aerosol generation by heating in the aerosol generation step S200. Since all heating regions 141, 142, and 143 are involved in aerosol generation, the contained cigarette or the aerosol-forming substrate contained therein is heated uniformly, and the practical benefits of the numerous heating regions 141, 142, and 143 can be ensured.

[0119] Furthermore, it is desirable that the control unit 300 controls the aerosol generation step S200 so that the average of the heating temperatures of the numerous heating regions 141, 142, and 143 remains below a predetermined threshold temperature throughout the entire aerosol generation step S200. Such control prevents the power consumption from rising sharply due to the simultaneous operation of the numerous heating regions 141, 142, and 143, and prevents a reduction in heater lifespan and the occurrence of burnt flavor due to overheating. Preferably, the predetermined threshold temperature, like the predetermined aerosol generation temperature, is determined in advance by experiment and stored as data in the control unit 300.

[0120] Furthermore, the control unit 300 can control the aerosol generation step S200 so that the average of the heat-generating temperatures of the numerous heat-generating regions 141, 142, and 143 remains above a predetermined aerosol generation temperature throughout the entire aerosol generation step S200. This control ensures the continuous and abundant generation of aerosols during the aerosol generation step S200.

[0121] Figure 21 is a graph of the heat generation temperatures of multiple heat-generating regions, namely the first heat-generating region 141, the second heat-generating region 142, and the third heat-generating region 143, in the aerosol generation step S200, illustrating a control method that can be performed by the control unit 300 of an aerosol generator according to another embodiment of the present invention. In this graph, the X axis represents time in units of an arbitrary unit called an "interval," and the Y axis represents the heat generation temperature in units of Celsius.

[0122] Furthermore, the graph in Figure 21 also shows the aerosol generation temperature guideline (L), the threshold temperature guideline (U), and the average temperature graph (V). In this embodiment, the exemplary predetermined aerosol generation temperature is 130°C, as shown by the aerosol generation temperature guideline (L). The exemplary predetermined threshold temperature is 210°C, as shown by the threshold temperature guideline (U).

[0123] By comparing the heat generation temperature graphs of the numerous heat generation regions 141, 142, and 143 with the aerosol generation temperature guide line (L), the control unit 300 controls the system throughout the aerosol generation step S200 so that the heat generation temperature of at least one of the numerous heat generation regions 141, 142, and 143 is always maintained at a predetermined aerosol generation temperature of 130°C or higher.

[0124] Furthermore, as can be seen from the heat generation temperature graphs of the numerous heat generation regions 141, 142, and 143 in Figure 21, each heat generation temperature graph forms a predetermined waveform with periodicity. That is, the control unit 300 can control the numerous heat generation regions 141, 142, and 143 in the aerosol generation step S200 so that each generates heat with a predetermined phase, amplitude, period, and waveform. In particular, it is desirable for the control unit 300 to control the numerous heat generation regions 141, 142, and 143 so that they all generate heat with the same amplitude, period, and waveform, but such control has the advantage of mathematically simplifying the heat generation control of each heat generation region.

[0125] For example, in Figure 21, the control unit 300 controls the multiple heat-generating regions 141, 142, and 143 to generate heat with the same amplitude, period, and waveform, except that the heating timing, i.e., the phase, of each heat-generating region differs by 120°. In this case, the average of the heating temperatures of the multiple heat-generating regions 141, 142, and 143 can be maintained at a constant value throughout the aerosol generation step S200, as can be seen from the average temperature graph (V).

[0126] As described above, throughout the aerosol generation step S200, the control unit 300 controls the average (V) of the heat-generating temperatures of the numerous heat-generating regions 141, 142, and 143 to be maintained below a predetermined threshold temperature (U) and above a predetermined aerosol generation temperature (L).

[0127] Figure 22 is a graph of the heat generation temperature of multiple heat-generating regions, namely the first heat-generating region 141 and the second heat-generating region 142, in the aerosol generation step S200, illustrating a control method that can be performed by the control unit 300 of the aerosol generator according to this invention and other embodiments. This embodiment is the same as the embodiment in Figure 21, except that the heat-generating layer includes only two heat-generating regions 141 and 142. It is assumed that the predetermined aerosol generation temperature and the predetermined threshold temperature are set in the same way as in the embodiment in Figure 21.

[0128] In this embodiment, the heat generation temperature graphs of the numerous heat generation regions 141 and 142 form a periodic triangular wave. In particular, the heat generation temperature graphs of the first heat generation region 141 and the second heat generation region 142 have the same amplitude, period, and waveform, differing only in phase by 180°. Throughout the aerosol generation step S200, the control unit 300 controls at least one heat generation region to maintain a predetermined aerosol generation temperature of 130°C or higher. Furthermore, throughout the aerosol generation step S200, the control unit 300 controls the average (V) of the heat generation temperatures of the numerous heat generation regions 141 and 142 to maintain a predetermined threshold temperature (U) or lower and a predetermined aerosol generation temperature (L) or higher.

[0129] A comparative example is shown in Figure 23 to illustrate the effects of the above embodiments. Figure 23 is a graph of the heat generation temperatures of multiple heaters, namely heater A and heater B, to illustrate a control method that can be performed by the control unit of a conventional aerosol generator. In this graph, even in the section after preheating is completed, in the section where the heat generation of the two heaters intersects, for example, section y1, section y2, and section y3, the heat generation temperatures of both heater A and heater B all drop below the predetermined aerosol generation temperature (L) of 130°C. Therefore, in the above-mentioned intersecting sections y1, y2, and y3, no aerosol may be generated, or only a very small amount may be generated, which can greatly reduce the user experience.

[0130] As explained above, the present invention is not limited to the specific preferred inventions described above, and any person with ordinary skill in the art to which the invention belongs can carry out a variety of modifications without departing from the gist of the claims, and such modifications are within the scope of the claims.

Claims

1. In an airflow, when a cigarette containing a substrate located upstream and a filter located downstream is inserted, a heater for heating it to generate an aerosol, A pipe-shaped metal structure capable of housing rolled cigarettes, A first insulating layer formed directly on the outer surface of a metal structure, An electrode layer formed directly on the outer surface of the first insulating layer, A heating layer is formed directly on the outer surface of the first insulating layer and electrically connected to the electrode layer, It includes a first insulating layer, an electrode layer, and a second insulating layer that protects the heating layer, A heater comprising numerous heating regions, the heating layer including numerous heating regions arranged in the direction of airflow, and the heating of each heating region being individually controlled.

2. A heater comprising a plurality of heating regions according to claim 1, wherein the first insulating layer is formed by coating a glass component and then sintering it.

3. A heater comprising a plurality of heating regions according to claim 1, wherein the heating layer is formed by applying a metal paste and then sintering it.

4. The heater comprising multiple heating regions according to claim 3, wherein the metal paste is a mixture of graphene, platinum group ruthenium (Ruthenox), palladium, and silver.

5. A heater comprising a plurality of heating regions according to claim 1, wherein each heating region consists of one heating pattern, a plurality of heating patterns, or a planar heating element.

6. The first insulating layer, the heating layer, and the second insulating layer are provided with holes at the same location, through which the metal structure is exposed. A heater comprising multiple heating regions according to claim 1, wherein thermocouple wires for sensing the heater temperature are directly connected to a metal structure exposed through a hole.

7. A heater according to any one of claims 1 to 6, A case that forms the exterior and protects the internal components, A control unit that individually controls multiple heating regions of the heater, Includes a battery for supplying power, An aerosol generator comprising multiple heat-generating regions, including a first heat-generating region located at the furthest downstream end, the first heat-generating region further extending downstream from the downstream boundary of the substrate portion of a cigarette housed in a metal structure.

8. The aerosol generator according to claim 7, wherein the length to which the first heat-generating region extends further downstream from the downstream boundary of the substrate is within 7 mm.

9. The aerosol generator according to claim 7, wherein the control unit controls the temperature of the heating region using a temperature change resistance (TCR) of the heating layer.

10. The substrate portion of a rolled cigarette housed in a metal structure includes a tobacco layer and an aerocore layer. The aerosol generating apparatus according to claim 7, wherein, among the numerous heating regions of the heater, different heating regions heat the tobacco body layer and the aerocore layer, respectively.

11. A cigarette housed in a metal structure is equipped with a sensor pattern containing information about the cigarette. The aerosol generator further includes an inductive sensor that detects the sensor pattern of a rolled cigarette. The aerosol generator according to claim 7, wherein the metal structure has an open portion from which a portion of the lower end has been removed, and a sensor pattern is exposed so as to be sensed by an inductive sensor.

12. The aerosol generator according to claim 11, wherein the inductive sensor is extended to a position where it overlaps with the opening.

13. The aerosol generator according to claim 7, wherein the control unit controls the timing of heating at least one of a number of heating regions to be different within a single heating cycle.

14. The aerosol generator according to claim 7, wherein the heating temperature of the numerous heating regions does not exceed 350°C.

15. The aerosol generator according to claim 7, wherein the control unit controls the system so that, within a single heating cycle, a first heat-generating region is preferentially heated among a number of heat-generating regions.

16. The control unit controls the aerosol generator according to claim 7, wherein, within a single heating cycle, a number of heat-generating regions generate heat in an order from downstream to upstream.

17. The aerosol generating apparatus according to claim 7, wherein the heating layer includes at least three or more heating regions.

18. The aerosol generator according to claim 7, further comprising an air heater positioned upstream of the heater for heating the airflow flowing into the heater.

19. The aerosol generator according to claim 7, wherein the heating layer includes a second heating region arranged directly upstream of a first heating region, a third heating region arranged directly upstream of the second heating region, and a fourth heating region arranged directly upstream of the third heating region.

20. The aerosol generator according to claim 19, wherein the control unit controls the heating so that one of the first heating region and the second heating region and one of the third heating region and the fourth heating region heat up simultaneously.

21. The aerosol generator according to claim 7, wherein a drive circuit is connected to the electrical path between the battery and the heater, which applies the power of the battery to a number of heat-generating regions contained in the heating layer of the heater.

22. The aerosol generator according to claim 21, wherein a number of heating regions are connected in a one-to-one ratio to a number of drive circuits, and the control unit controls the heating temperature of each heating region by controlling each drive circuit.

23. The aerosol generator according to claim 21, wherein a switching element is connected to the electrical path between the drive circuit and the heater, a number of heating regions are connected one-to-one with a number of switching elements, and the control unit controls the heating temperature of each heating region by controlling each drive circuit and each switching element.

24. The aerosol generator according to claim 7, wherein the control unit outputs a signal of a fixed duty cycle to control the first heat-generating region.

25. The system further includes a first temperature sensor for sensing the temperature of a first heat-generating region. The aerosol generator according to claim 7, wherein the control unit adjusts the duty cycle of the signal output to the first heat-generating region based on the information sensed by the first temperature sensor and performs feedback control.

26. One heating cycle performed by the control unit includes a preheating step and a subsequent aerosol generation step, which is divided into a number of sections. The aerosol generator according to claim 7, wherein the control unit controls the numerous heat-generating regions so that in all sections of the aerosol generation step, at least two or more operating regions to which power is applied and at least one or more non-operating regions to which power is not applied are included.

27. The aerosol generating apparatus according to claim 26, wherein the control unit converts at least one operating region to a non-operating region when a section is switched during the aerosol generation step.

28. The aerosol generating apparatus according to claim 27, wherein the control unit converts at least one non-operating region into an operating region when transitioning between sections in the aerosol generation step.

29. The aerosol generator according to claim 27, wherein the control unit controls the aerosol generation step so that when a certain section is converted, at least one working region that is not converted to a non-working region is included.

30. The aerosol generating apparatus according to claim 26, wherein the control unit controls the numerous heat-generating regions so that each heat-generating region is an operating region at least once during the aerosol generation step.

31. The aerosol generator according to claim 26, wherein the control unit controls the aerosol generation step so that each of the numerous heat-generating regions becomes a non-operating region at least once.

32. The aerosol generating apparatus according to claim 26, wherein the control unit controls the operating region in the aerosol generation step so that the heat generation temperature of the operating region is maintained at or above a predetermined aerosol generation temperature.

33. The aerosol generator according to claim 32, wherein the predetermined aerosol generation temperatures of at least two heat-generating regions are different from each other.

34. One heating cycle performed by the control unit includes a preheating step and an aerosol generation step that proceeds thereafter. The aerosol generating apparatus according to claim 7, wherein the control unit controls at least one of a number of heat-generating regions to maintain a predetermined aerosol generation temperature or higher throughout the entire aerosol generation step.

35. The aerosol generator according to claim 34, wherein the control unit controls the aerosol generation step so that the heating temperature of each heating region among a number of heating regions reaches a predetermined aerosol generation temperature or higher at least once.

36. The aerosol generator according to claim 34, wherein the control unit controls the average of the heat generation temperatures of a number of heat generation areas to remain below a predetermined threshold temperature throughout the aerosol generation step.

37. The aerosol generator according to claim 34, wherein the control unit controls the average of the heat generation temperatures of a number of heat generation areas to be maintained above a predetermined aerosol generation temperature throughout the aerosol generation step.

38. The aerosol generator according to claim 34, wherein the control unit controls a number of heat-generating regions to generate heat with predetermined phase, amplitude, period and waveform during the aerosol generation step.

39. The aerosol generator according to claim 38, wherein the control unit controls the numerous heat-generating regions to generate heat with the same amplitude, period, and waveform during the aerosol generation step.

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