Aerosol generator

Abstract

An aerosol generating apparatus is disclosed. The aerosol generating apparatus of this disclosure includes a heater for heating an aerosol generating substance, a display, a power supply for supplying power to the heater and the display, and a charging circuit for connecting the power supply and the heater and transmitting power supplied from the power supply to the heater, wherein the display is connected to the power supply and can receive power from the power supply.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present disclosure relates to an aerosol generating device.

Background Art

[0002] An aerosol generating device is for extracting a predetermined component from a medium or a substance through an aerosol. The medium can contain substances with various components. The substances contained in the medium may be flavor substances with various components. For example, the substances contained in the medium can include a nicotine component, a herb component, and / or a coffee component, etc. In recent years, many studies have been conducted on such aerosol generating devices.

[0003] In an aerosol generating device, a charging circuit is used for charging control of a battery. Through the charging circuit, power can be supplied to each component including the heater of the aerosol generating device from the battery. In the process of supplying power to the components through the charging circuit, due to the internal impedance component of the charging circuit, the voltage at the output end of the charging circuit may be lower than the output voltage of the battery.

[0004] An aerosol generating device is gradually equipped with a larger screen display. When the voltage supplied to the display drops below a certain level, a flickering phenomenon may occur where the screen of the display shakes or flickers. The larger the size of the display or the greater the power consumption of the display, the higher the possibility of the flickering phenomenon occurring.

[0005] Aerosol generators, like heaters, contain elements that draw large currents. Therefore, in a structure where power is supplied to the heater via a charging circuit, a significant voltage drop occurs in the charging circuit, resulting in a decrease in the voltage applied to the display connected to the charging circuit. Thus, conventional power supply structures in aerosol generators can cause flickering on the display, which can be inconvenient for the user. [Overview of the project] [Problems that the invention aims to solve]

[0006] This disclosure aims to resolve the aforementioned issues and other problems.

[0007] Another objective is to provide an aerosol generator in which the heater is connected to a power source via a charging circuit, and the display is connected to a power source separately from the charging circuit.

[0008] Another objective is to provide an aerosol generator in which the switch connecting the display to the power supply has a lower internal impedance than the charging circuit.

[0009] Another objective is to provide an aerosol generator in which the threshold voltage for shutting off the heater's power supply is lower than the minimum drive voltage of the display. [Means for solving the problem]

[0010] According to one aspect of this disclosure for achieving the above-mentioned objectives, an aerosol generating apparatus is provided, comprising: a heater for heating an aerosol generating substance; a display; a power supply for supplying power to the heater and the display; and a charging circuit for connecting the power supply and the heater and transmitting power supplied from the power supply to the heater, wherein the display is connected to the power supply and receives power from the power supply. [Effects of the Invention]

[0011] According to at least one embodiment of the present disclosure, the heater is connected to a power supply via a charging circuit, and the display is connected to a power supply separately from the charging circuit. This structure prevents the voltage supplied to the display from becoming low due to voltage drops caused by the charging circuit, thereby preventing the flickering phenomenon from occurring on the display.

[0012] According to at least one embodiment of the present disclosure, the switch connecting the display to the power supply has a structure in which the internal impedance is smaller than that of the charging circuit, so that the voltage drop generated by the switch is smaller than the voltage drop generated by the charging circuit, and thus it is possible to prevent the voltage supplied to the display from becoming low.

[0013] According to at least one embodiment of the present disclosure, by having a structure in which the threshold voltage for cutting off the power supply to the heater is lower than the minimum driving voltage of the display, it is possible to prevent a reduction in the number of puffs that the user can inhale in order to reduce the display flickering phenomenon.

[0014] Any additional applicable scope of this disclosure will become apparent from the following detailed description. However, since various changes and modifications within the spirit and scope of this disclosure will be readily apparent to those skilled in the art, the detailed description and specific embodiments, such as preferred embodiments of this disclosure, should be understood to be given only as examples. [Brief explanation of the drawing]

[0015] [Figure 1] This is a block diagram of an aerosol generating apparatus according to one embodiment of the present disclosure. [Figure 2] This figure shows an aerosol generating apparatus according to one embodiment of the present disclosure. [Figure 3] This figure shows an aerosol generating apparatus according to one embodiment of the present disclosure. [Figure 4]This is a front perspective view of an aerosol generating apparatus according to one embodiment of the present disclosure. [Figure 5] This is a circuit diagram of an aerosol generating apparatus according to one embodiment of the present disclosure. [Figure 6] This is a circuit diagram of an aerosol generating apparatus according to one embodiment of the present disclosure. [Figure 7] This is a flowchart illustrating the power supply control of the heater of an aerosol generating apparatus according to one embodiment of the present disclosure. [Figure 8] This graph illustrates the changes in the power supply output voltage, display applied voltage, and charging circuit output voltage with respect to the number of puffs in an aerosol generating device according to one embodiment of the present disclosure. [Figure 9] This flowchart illustrates the power supply control of the heater and display of an aerosol generating apparatus according to one embodiment of the present disclosure. [Figure 10] This graph illustrates the changes in the power supply output voltage, display applied voltage, and charging circuit output voltage with respect to the number of puffs in an aerosol generating device according to one embodiment of the present disclosure. [Modes for carrying out the invention]

[0016] The embodiments disclosed in this specification will be described in detail below with reference to the attached drawings. Identical or similar components will be given the same reference numeral even if they are shown in different drawings, and redundant descriptions will be omitted. Similar reference numerals may be used in the description of the drawings for similar or related components.

[0017] The suffixes "module" and "unit" for the components used in the following description are used or mixed only for the ease of description in the specification, and do not have distinct meanings or roles by themselves. On the other hand, the suffixes "module" or "unit" can include units implemented by hardware, software, or firmware, and can be used interchangeably with terms such as, for example, logic, logic blocks, components, or circuits. A "module" or "unit" can be an integrally configured component or the minimum unit of the component or a part thereof that performs one or more functions. For example, a "module" or "unit" can be implemented in the form of an ASIC (application-specific integrated circuit).

[0018] Also, in the description of the embodiments disclosed in this specification, when a detailed description of related known technologies may obscure the gist of the embodiments disclosed in this specification, the detailed description thereof is omitted. Further, the accompanying drawings are provided to facilitate understanding of the embodiments disclosed in this specification, and it should not be construed that the technical idea disclosed in this specification is limited by the accompanying drawings, and should be construed to include all modifications, equivalents, and alternatives included in the idea and scope of the present disclosure.

[0019] Terms including ordinal numbers such as first, second, etc. can be used to describe various components, but it should be understood that the components are not limited by the terms. The terms are used only for the purpose of distinguishing one component from another.

[0020] When referring to a component being "coupled" or "connected" to another component, it can be understood that it may be directly coupled or connected to the other component, but there may also be additional components in between. On the other hand, when referring to a component being "directly coupled" or "directly connected" to another component, it can be understood that there are no additional components in between.

[0021] Singular expressions include plural expressions unless the context clearly indicates otherwise.

[0022] Embodiments of the present disclosure can be implemented by software including one or more instruction words stored in a storage medium (e.g., memory 17) readable by a machine (e.g., aerosol generating device 1). For example, a processor (e.g., control unit 12) of a machine (e.g., aerosol generating device 1) can call and execute at least one of the one or more instruction words stored in the storage medium. This enables the machine to be operated so as to execute at least one function by the at least one called instruction word. The one or more instruction words can include code generated by a compiler or code executable by an interpreter. The storage medium readable by the machine can be provided in the form of a non-transitory storage medium. Here, "non-transitory" merely means that the storage medium is a tangible device and does not include a signal (e.g., electromagnetic wave), and this term does not distinguish between cases where data is stored semi-permanently and cases where it is stored temporarily in the storage medium.

[0023] In the present disclosure, based on a Cartesian coordinate system, the direction of the aerosol generating device 1 can be defined. In the Cartesian coordinate system, the x-axis direction can be defined as the left-right direction of the aerosol generating device 1. The y-axis direction can be defined as the front-back direction of the aerosol generating device 1. The z-axis direction can be defined as the up-down direction of the aerosol generating device 1.

[0024] Figure 1 is a block diagram of an aerosol generating apparatus 1 according to one embodiment of the present disclosure.

[0025] According to one embodiment, the aerosol generator 1 may include a power supply 11, a control unit 12, a sensor unit 13, an output unit 14, an input unit 15, a communication unit 16, a memory 17, and / or heaters 18, 24. However, it will be understood by those ordinary skill in the art relating to this embodiment that the design of the aerosol generator 1 may allow for the omission of some of the components shown in Figure 1 or the addition of new components.

[0026] According to one embodiment, the sensor unit 13 can sense the state of the aerosol generator 1 or the state of the area around the aerosol generator 1 and transmit the sensed information to the control unit 12. For example, the sensor unit 13 may include a temperature sensor, a puff sensor, an insertion sensor, a reuse sensor, an overly moist sensor, a cigarette identification sensor, a cartridge sensor, a cap sensor, and / or a motion sensor. On the other hand, the sensor unit 13 may further include a variety of sensors such as a liquid level sensor for sensing the amount of liquid remaining in the cartridge and a water ingress sensor for sensing water ingress into the aerosol generator 1.

[0027] According to one embodiment, the temperature sensor can sense the temperature at which the heaters 18 and 24 are heated. The aerosol generator 1 may include a separate temperature sensor that senses the temperature of the heaters 18 and 24, or the heaters 18 and 24 themselves may act as temperature sensors. As an example, the temperature sensor can be used to measure the impedance to the heater 18. The impedance to the heater 18 may correlate with the temperature of the heater 18. The temperature sensor can measure the current and / or voltage applied to the heater 18 (or induction coil). Based on the measured current and / or voltage, the impedance to the heater 18 can be calculated. The control unit 12 can estimate the temperature of the heater 18 based on the calculated impedance.

[0028] As an example, the temperature sensor may include a resistive element (e.g., a thermistor) whose resistance changes in response to temperature changes in the heaters 18 and 24. The temperature sensor can output a signal corresponding to the resistance value of the resistive element, and the control unit 12 can detect the temperature and / or temperature change of the heaters 18 and 24 in response to the signal corresponding to the resistance value.

[0029] As another example, the temperature sensor may include a sensor that detects the resistance values ​​of heaters 18 and 24. The temperature sensor may output a signal corresponding to the resistance values ​​of heaters 18 and 24, and the control unit 12 may detect the temperature and / or temperature change of heaters 18 and 24 in response to the signal corresponding to the resistance value.

[0030] According to one embodiment, the temperature sensor can sense the temperature of the power supply 11. The temperature sensor may be positioned adjacent to the power supply 11. For example, the temperature sensor may be attached to one side of the power supply 11 (e.g., a battery) and / or mounted on one side of a printed circuit board. As an example, the aerosol generator 1 may include a protection circuit module (PCM), and the temperature sensor may be positioned adjacent to the power supply 11 together with the protection circuit module.

[0031] According to one embodiment, the temperature sensor is placed inside the housing (not shown) of the aerosol generator 1, and can also sense the internal temperature of the housing (not shown).

[0032] According to one embodiment, the puff sensor can detect the user's puff.

[0033] As an example, the puff sensor may include a pressure sensor. The pressure sensor can output a signal corresponding to the internal pressure of the aerosol generator 1, and the control unit 12 can detect the user's puff in accordance with the signal corresponding to the internal pressure. Here, the internal pressure of the aerosol generator 1 may correspond to the pressure of the airflow path through which the gas flows. The puff sensor may be positioned in the aerosol generator 1 corresponding to the airflow path through which the gas flows.

[0034] As another example, the puff sensor may include a temperature sensor. When a user puffs, a temporary temperature drop may occur in the airflow path, the space into which the aerosol product is inserted (hereinafter referred to as the insertion space), heaters 18 and 24, etc. The control unit 12 can detect the user's puff in response to a signal corresponding to the temperature of the airflow path, etc., output from the temperature sensor.

[0035] As yet another example, the puff sensor may also include a pressure sensor and a temperature sensor together. In this case, the temperature sensor can measure the temperature used to calibrate the internal pressure measured by the pressure sensor. For example, the puff sensor can calibrate the signal corresponding to the internal pressure based on the temperature measured by the temperature sensor and output the calibrated signal. As yet another example, the puff sensor can output a signal corresponding to the temperature measured by the temperature sensor and a signal corresponding to the internal pressure measured by the puff sensor. In this case, the control unit 12 can receive the signals and calibrate the signal corresponding to the internal pressure according to the signal corresponding to the temperature.

[0036] As yet another example, the puff sensor may include a capacitance sensor. In this disclosure, the capacitance sensor may also be called a capacitive sensor. When a user puffs, a temperature change and / or aerosol flow may occur within the insertion space of the aerosol product, and thus the dielectric constant inside the insertion space may change. The control unit 12 can detect the user's puff in accordance with a signal corresponding to the dielectric constant inside the insertion space output from the capacitance sensor.

[0037] The puff sensor is not limited to the examples given above, and can be implemented by a variety of sensors to detect the user's puff.

[0038] According to one embodiment, the insertion sensor can detect the insertion and / or removal of aerosol products. The insertion sensor can be installed around the insertion space.

[0039] As an example, the insertion sensing sensor may include a capacitance sensor. The capacitance sensor may include at least one conductor, which may be positioned adjacent to the insertion space. When an aerosol product is inserted into or removed from the insertion space, the dielectric constant around the conductor may change. The control unit 12 can detect the insertion and / or removal of the aerosol product in response to a signal corresponding to the dielectric constant inside the insertion space output from the capacitance sensor.

[0040] As another example, the insertion sensing sensor may include an inductive sensor. The inductive sensor may include at least one coil, which may be positioned adjacent to the insertion space. If the aerosol product (e.g., a wrapper for the aerosol product) includes a conductor, a change in the magnetic field may occur around the coil through which current flows when the aerosol product is inserted into or removed from the insertion space. The control unit 12 can sense the insertion and / or removal of the aerosol product containing a conductor based on the characteristics of the current output from or sensed by the inductive sensor (e.g., frequency, current value, voltage value, inductance value, impedance value, etc., of the alternating current). Alternatively, the aerosol product (e.g., the medium portion of the aerosol product) may include a susceptor (SUS), etc. In this case as well, a change in the magnetic field may occur around the coil due to the insertion or removal of the susceptor, etc., into or from the insertion space, and the control unit 12 can also sense the insertion and / or removal of the aerosol product based on the characteristics of the current from the inductive sensor.

[0041] The insertion sensing sensor is not limited to the examples given above and can be embodied by a variety of sensors (e.g., proximity sensors) for sensing the insertion and / or removal of aerosol products. Furthermore, the insertion sensing sensor may include any combination of the examples given above. According to one embodiment, the insertion sensing sensor may also include a switch for sensing pressure by the aerosol product.

[0042] According to one embodiment, the reuse detection sensor can detect whether or not an aerosol product has been reused. For example, the reuse detection sensor may be a color sensor for detecting the hue of the aerosol product. When an aerosol product is used by a user, the generated aerosol or heating may cause a partial change in the hue of the wrapper surrounding the outside of the aerosol product. The color sensor can output a signal corresponding to the optical properties (e.g., wavelength of light) corresponding to the hue of the wrapper based on the light reflected from the wrapper. When the control unit 12 detects a partial change in the hue of the wrapper, it can determine that the aerosol product inserted into the insertion space has already been used.

[0043] According to one embodiment, the over-humidity sensing sensor can sense whether the aerosol product is in an over-humid state. For example, the over-humidity sensing sensor may include a capacitance sensor. The capacitance sensor may include at least one conductor positioned adjacent to the insertion space. The control unit 12 can detect the over-humid state of the aerosol product based on the level of a signal corresponding to the dielectric constant output from the capacitance sensor. As an example, the control unit 12 can check the level range that includes the level of the signal based on a lookup table and determine the amount of moisture in the aerosol product based on the checked level range.

[0044] According to one embodiment, the cigarette identification sensor can sense whether the aerosol product is a normal product and / or sense the type of aerosol product.

[0045] As an example, the cigarette identification sensor may include an optical sensor for sensing an identification substance (or identification mark) located on the outer surface (e.g., the wrapper) of the aerosol product. The optical sensor can irradiate light onto the identification substance (or identification mark) of the aerosol product and sense the authenticity and / or type of the aerosol product based on the reflected light. For example, the identification substance may include a substance that emits light of a specific wavelength range based on the irradiated light. The control unit 12 can detect the authenticity and / or type of the aerosol product based on the wavelength range.

[0046] As another example, a cigarette identification sensor may include a capacitance sensor. The dielectric constant inside the insertion space may differ depending on the type of aerosol product inserted into the insertion space. The control unit 12 can detect the authenticity and / or type of the aerosol product in response to a signal corresponding to the dielectric constant inside the insertion space output from the capacitance sensor.

[0047] As yet another example, a cigarette identification sensor may include an inductive sensor. If the wrapper and / or interior (e.g., the medium portion) of the aerosol product inserted into the insertion space contains a conductor, the characteristics of the current sensed by the inductive sensor when the aerosol product is inserted into the insertion space (e.g., frequency, current value, voltage value, inductance value, impedance value, etc. of the AC current) may differ depending on the type of aerosol product inserted into the insertion space. The control unit 12 can detect the authenticity and / or type of the inserted aerosol product based on the characteristics of the current output from or sensed by the inductive sensor.

[0048] The cigarette identification sensor is not limited to the examples given above and can be embodied by a variety of sensors for sensing the authenticity of an aerosol product and / or the type of aerosol product. Furthermore, the cigarette identification sensor may include any combination of the examples given above.

[0049] According to one embodiment, the cartridge sensing sensor can detect the insertion and / or removal of a cartridge. For example, the cartridge sensing sensor may include an inductive sensor, a capacitive sensor, a resistive sensor, a Hall sensor (Hall IC), and / or an optical sensor.

[0050] According to one embodiment, the cap sensing sensor can sense the attachment and / or removal of the cap. For example, the cap sensing sensor may include an inductive sensor, a capacitive sensor, a resistance sensor, a contact sensor, a Hall sensor (Hall IC), and / or an optical sensor. The cap may include a structure that covers at least a portion of the cartridge attached to or inserted into the aerosol generator 1, or that covers at least a portion of the housing of the aerosol generator 1. When the cap sensing sensor is attached to or removed from the housing, it may output a signal corresponding to the attachment or removal, and the control unit 12 may sense the attachment or removal of the cap in accordance with the signal corresponding to the attachment or removal.

[0051] According to one embodiment, the motion sensing sensor can sense the movement of the aerosol generator 1. The motion sensing sensor can be implemented by at least one of an acceleration sensor or a gyro sensor.

[0052] In one embodiment, the sensor unit 13 may further include at least one of the following sensors in addition to the aforementioned sensors: a humidity sensor, a pressure sensor, a geomagnetic sensor, a Global Positioning System (GPS) sensor, or a proximity sensor. The function of each sensor can be intuitively inferred by those skilled in the art from its name, so a detailed explanation can be omitted.

[0053] According to one embodiment, the output unit 14 can output information about the status of the aerosol generator 1. The output unit 14 may include, but is not limited to, a display, a haptic unit, and / or an acoustic output unit. For example, information about the aerosol generator 1 may include the charge / discharge status of the power supply 11 of the aerosol generator 1, the preheating status of the heaters 18 and 24, the insertion / removal status of the aerosol product and / or cartridge, the attachment and / or removal status of the cap, or a state in which the use of the aerosol generator 1 is restricted (e.g., detection of an abnormal item). The display can visually provide the user with information about the status of the aerosol generator 1. For example, the display may include an LED (light-emitting diode) light-emitting element, a liquid crystal display panel (LCD), an organic light-emitting diode (OLED), and the like. If the display includes a touchpad, it can also be used as an input unit 15. The haptic unit can tactilely provide the user with information about the status of the aerosol generator 1. For example, the haptic section may include a vibration motor, a piezoelectric element, an electrical stimulator, etc. The acoustic output section can provide the user with auditory information about the aerosol generator 1. For example, the acoustic output section can convert electrical signals into acoustic signals and output them externally.

[0054] According to one embodiment, the power supply 11 can supply power for the operation of the aerosol generator 1. The power supply 11 may include one or more batteries. The power supply 11 can supply power so that the heaters 18 and 24 can be heated. The power supply 11 can also supply power necessary for the operation of other components included in the aerosol generator 1, such as the control unit 12, sensor unit 13, output unit 14, input unit 15, communication unit 16, and memory 17. The power supply 11 may be a rechargeable battery or a disposable battery. For example, the power supply 11 may be, but is not limited to, a lithium polymer (LiPoly) battery. The power supply 11 may be a replaceable type (detachable battery) (hereinafter referred to as a removable battery). The removable battery may be installed in a battery housing provided in the aerosol generator 1 or removed from the battery housing. The removable battery may also be charged by wire and / or wirelessly.

[0055] According to one embodiment, heaters 18 and 24 can receive power from a power source 11 to heat the aerosol product and / or the medium and / or aerosol generating substance in the cartridge. The aerosol generating apparatus 1 may include a heater 18 for heating the aerosol product and / or a cartridge heater 24 for heating the cartridge (i.e., solid and / or liquid medium).

[0056] According to one embodiment, heaters 18 and 24 may be electrical resistance heaters. For example, electrical resistance heaters may include electrical resistance materials such as metals or metal alloys, including titanium, zirconium, tantalum, platinum, nickel, cobalt, chromium, hafnium, niobium, molybdenum, tungsten, tin, gallium, manganese, iron, copper, stainless steel, and nichrome. Electrical resistance heaters can be embodied by metal heating wires, metal heating plates on which electrical conductive tracks are arranged, ceramic heating elements, and the like.

[0057] According to one embodiment, heaters 18 and 24 may be induction heating heaters. For example, an induction heating heater may include a susceptor that generates heat in response to a magnetic field. An alternating current flowing through the induction coil can generate a magnetic field from the induction coil. The generated magnetic field can penetrate the heater and generate eddy currents in the susceptor. The generation of eddy currents can heat the susceptor. According to one embodiment, the susceptor may be contained inside the aerosol product (e.g., in the medium). In this case as well, the susceptor contained inside the aerosol product can be heated by the induction coil.

[0058] The heaters 18 and 24 are not limited to the examples given above and may include or be replaced by a variety of heating methods, structures, components, etc., for heating aerosol products and / or cartridges.

[0059] According to one embodiment, the input unit 15 can receive information entered by the user. For example, the input unit 15 may include a touch panel, buttons, a keypad, a dome switch, a jog wheel, a jog switch, and the like.

[0060] According to one embodiment, the memory 17 is hardware that stores various data processed within the aerosol generator 1, and can store data processed by the control unit 12 and data to be processed. For example, the memory 17 can include at least one type of storage medium from among flash memory type, hard disk type, multimedia card micro type, card type memory (e.g., SD or XD memory), RAM (random access memory), SRAM (static random access memory), ROM (read-only memory), EEPROM (electrically erasable programmable read-only memory), PROM (programmable read-only memory), magnetic memory, magnetic disk, and optical disk. For example, the memory 17 can store data such as the operating time of the aerosol generator 1, the maximum number of puffs, the current number of puffs, at least one temperature profile, and the user's smoking pattern.

[0061] According to one embodiment, the communication unit 16 may include at least one component for communication with other electronic devices (e.g., portable electronic devices). For example, the communication unit 16 may include a Bluetooth® communication unit, a BLE (Bluetooth® Low Energy) communication unit, a Near Field Communication unit, a WLAN (wireless local area network) communication unit, a Zigbee® communication unit, an infrared (infrared Data Association, IrDA) communication unit, a WFD (Wireless Fidelity Direct) communication unit, a UWB (ultra wideband) communication unit, an Ant (Adaptive Network Topology) communication unit, a cellular network communication unit, an Internet communication unit, a computer network (e.g., LAN or WAN) communication unit, and the like.

[0062] According to one embodiment, the control unit 12 can control the overall operation of the aerosol generator 1. For example, the control unit 12 may include at least one processor. The control unit 12 may be embodied by an array of numerous logic gates, or by a combination of a general-purpose MCU (microcontroller unit) (or microprocessor) and memory storing a program executable by such an MCU. It will be understood by those ordinary skill in the art to which this embodiment belongs that it may also be embodied by other forms of hardware.

[0063] According to one embodiment, the control unit 12 can control the temperature of heaters 18 and 24 by controlling the supply of power from the power supply 11 to heaters 18 and 24. The control unit 12 can control the temperature of heaters 18 and 24 and / or the power supplied to heaters 18 and 24 based on the temperature of heaters 18 and 24 sensed using a temperature sensor (e.g., sensor unit 13). The control unit 12 can control the temperature of heaters 18 and 24 and / or the power supplied to heaters 18 and 24 based on a temperature profile and / or power profile stored in memory 17.

[0064] According to one embodiment, the control unit 12 can control the power (e.g., voltage and / or current) supplied to the heaters 18 and 24 by controlling a power conversion circuit (not shown) electrically connected to the heaters 18 and 24 and the power supply 11. For example, the power conversion circuit may include a DC / DC converter (e.g., a buck converter, buck-boost converter, boost converter, Zener diode, etc.) that converts power to be supplied to the heaters 18 and 24, and a DC / AC converter (e.g., an inverter) that converts power to be supplied to an induction coil (not shown). The DC / AC converter can be embodied by a full-bridge circuit or a half-bridge circuit including a plurality of switching elements. For example, the power conversion circuit may include at least one switching element such as a bipolar junction transistor (BJT) or a field-effect transistor (FET).

[0065] According to one embodiment, the control unit 12 can adjust the current and / or voltage supplied to the heaters 18 and 24 by adjusting the frequency and / or duty cycle of the current pulse input to at least one switching element of a power conversion circuit (not shown). The duty cycle for the on / off operation of the switching element may correspond to the ratio of the output voltage of the power conversion circuit to the output voltage of the power supply 11.

[0066] In one embodiment, the control unit 12 can control the power supplied to the heaters 18 and 24 using at least one of the following methods: pulse width modulation (PWM) and proportional-integral-differential (PID). For example, the control unit 12 can use the PWM method to control the supply of current pulses having a predetermined frequency and duty cycle to the heaters 18 and 24. The control unit 12 can control the power supplied to the heaters 18 and 24 by adjusting the frequency and duty cycle of the current pulses. For example, the control unit 12 can determine a target temperature for control based on a temperature profile. The control unit 12 can control the power supplied to the heaters 18 and 24 using the PID method, which is a feedback control method based on the difference between the temperature of the heaters 18 and 24 and the target temperature, the value obtained by integrating the difference over time, and the value obtained by differentiating the difference over time.

[0067] In one embodiment, the control unit 12 can determine a target power that will be the control target based on the power profile. The control unit 12 can also control the power supplied to the heaters 18 and 24 over time to correspond to the already set target power.

[0068] According to one embodiment, the control unit 12 can detect the user's puff by sensing the power supplied to the heaters 18 and 24. More specifically, the control unit 12 can control the power supplied to the heaters 18 and 24 in a PID manner. When the user's puff occurs, a temporary temperature drop may occur in the space into which the aerosol product is inserted (hereinafter referred to as the insertion space), the heaters 18 and 24, etc. Therefore, a change in the power (or current) supplied to the heaters 18 and 24 may occur during PID power control. The control unit 12 can detect the user's puff based on the change in the controlled power.

[0069] According to one embodiment, the control unit 12 can prevent the heaters 18 and 24 from overheating. For example, if the temperature of the heaters 18 and 24 exceeds a previously set limit temperature, the control unit 12 can control the operation of the power conversion circuit to reduce the amount of power supplied to the heaters 18 and 24 or to interrupt the power supply to the heaters 18 and 24.

[0070] According to one embodiment, the control unit 12 can control the charging and discharging of the power supply 11. For example, the control unit 12 can check the temperature of the power supply 11 using a temperature sensor (e.g., sensor unit 13). If the temperature of the power supply 11 is above a first limit temperature, the control unit 12 can cut off charging of the power supply 11. If the temperature of the power supply 11 is above a second limit temperature, the control unit 12 can interrupt the use (e.g., discharge) of the power stored in the power supply 11. The control unit 12 can calculate the remaining amount of power stored in the power supply 11. For example, the control unit 12 can calculate the remaining amount of power in the power supply 11 based on the sensed voltage and / or current of the power supply 11.

[0071] According to one embodiment, the control unit 12 can control the power supply to the heaters 18 and 24 based on the results sensed by the sensor unit 13.

[0072] According to one embodiment, the control unit 12 can control the power supply to the heaters 18 and 24 based on the insertion and / or removal of aerosol products into and from the insertion space. For example, the control unit 12 can use an insertion sensing sensor (e.g., sensor unit 13) to determine that aerosol products have been inserted into the insertion space and control the power supply to the heaters 18 and 24 to supply power. The control unit 12 can use an insertion sensing sensor (e.g., sensor unit 13) to determine that aerosol products have been removed from the insertion space and cut off the power supply to the heaters 18 and 24. The control unit 12 can also determine that aerosol products have been removed from the insertion space if the temperature of the heaters 18 and 24 is above a limit temperature or if the temperature change gradient of the heaters 18 and 24 is above a set gradient.

[0073] According to one embodiment, the control unit 12 can control the power supply time and / or power supply amount to the heaters 18 and 24 based on the state of the aerosol product. For example, if the control unit 12 determines that the aerosol product is in an over-humidity state using an over-humidity sensing sensor (e.g., sensor unit 13), it can extend the power supply time (e.g., preheating time) to the heaters 18 and 24.

[0074] According to one embodiment, the control unit 12 can control the power supply to the heaters 18 and 24 based on whether or not the aerosol product has been reused. For example, if the control unit 12 determines that the aerosol product has been used, it can cut off the power supply to the heaters 18 and 24.

[0075] According to one embodiment, the control unit 12 can control the power supply to the heaters 18 and 24 based on the coupling and / or removal of the cartridge. For example, if the control unit 12 determines, using a cartridge sensing sensor (e.g., sensor unit 13), that the cartridge is separated, it can interrupt the power supply to the heaters 18 and 24 or control the system so that no power is supplied to the heaters 18 and 24.

[0076] According to one embodiment, the control unit 12 can control the power supply to the heaters 18 and 24 based on whether the aerosol-generating material in the cartridge has been exhausted. For example, the control unit 12 can determine that the aerosol-generating material in the cartridge has been exhausted if it determines that the temperature of the heaters 18 and 24 exceeds a limit temperature during preheating (i.e., in the preheating section). If it is determined that the aerosol-generating material in the cartridge has been exhausted, the control unit 12 can cut off the power supply to the heaters 18 and 24.

[0077] In one embodiment, the control unit 12 can control the power supply to the heaters 18 and 24 based on whether the cartridge is usable or not. For example, based on the data stored in the memory 17, the control unit 12 can determine that the cartridge is unusable if the current number of puffs is equal to or greater than the maximum number of puffs set for the cartridge. Alternatively, the control unit 12 can determine that the cartridge is unusable if the total time the heaters 18 and 24 have been heated is equal to or greater than the already set maximum time, or if the total amount of power supplied to the heaters 18 and 24 is equal to or greater than the already set maximum amount of power. In this case, the control unit 12 can interrupt the power supply to the heaters 18 and 24 or control the system so that power is not supplied to the heaters 18 and 24.

[0078] According to one embodiment, the control unit 12 can control the power supply to the heaters 18 and 24 based on the user's puffs. For example, the control unit 12 can use a puff sensor (e.g., sensor unit 13) to determine whether or not a puff has occurred and / or the intensity of the puff. The control unit 12 can cut off the power supply to the heaters 18 and 24 when the number of puffs reaches a previously set maximum number of puffs and / or when no puffs are detected for a previously set time or longer. The control unit 12 can also control the power supply to the heaters 18 and 24 when a puff is detected.

[0079] According to one embodiment, the control unit 12 can control the power supply to the heaters 18 and 24 based on the authenticity and / or type of the aerosol product (or cartridge). For example, the control unit 12 can detect the authenticity and / or type of the aerosol product using a cigarette identification sensor (e.g., sensor unit 13). As an example, if the control unit 12 detects that the aerosol product (or cartridge) is counterfeit, it can cut off the power supply to the heaters 18 and 24. If the control unit 12 detects that the aerosol product (or cartridge) is normal, it can control (e.g., start) the power supply to the heaters 18 and 24. As another example, the control unit 12 can control the power supply to the heaters 18 and 24 differently depending on the type of aerosol product (or cartridge). More specifically, when the control unit 12 detects an aerosol product (or cartridge) as a first aerosol product (or first cartridge), it can control the temperature and / or power of the heaters 18 and 24 based on a first temperature profile (or first power profile), and when it detects a second aerosol product (or second cartridge), it can control the temperature and / or power of the heaters 18 and 24 based on a second temperature profile (or second power profile).

[0080] In one embodiment, the control unit 12 can control the output unit 14 based on the results sensed by the sensor unit 13. For example, the control unit 12 can control the output unit 14 to visually, tactilely, and / or audibly provide information that the aerosol generator 1 will immediately terminate when the number of puffs counted using the puff sensor (e.g., the sensor unit 13) reaches a previously set number. For example, the control unit 12 can also control the output unit 14 to visually, tactilely, and / or audibly provide information about the temperature of the heaters 18 and 24.

[0081] According to one embodiment, the control unit 12 can store and update a history of events in the memory 17 based on the occurrence of a predetermined event. For example, an event may include operations performed by the aerosol generator 1, such as sensing the insertion of an aerosol product, starting the heating of the aerosol product, detecting puffing, ending puffing, detecting overheating of heaters 18 and 24, detecting the application of overvoltage to heaters 18 and 24, ending the heating of the aerosol product, turning the power of the aerosol generator 1 on / off, starting charging of the power supply 11, detecting overcharging of the power supply 11, and ending charging of the power supply 11. For example, the history of an event may include the date and time the event occurred, log data corresponding to the event, etc. For example, if a predetermined event is the sensing of the insertion of an aerosol product, the log data corresponding to the event may include data such as the sensing value of the insertion sensing sensor (e.g., sensor unit 13). For example, if a predetermined event is the detection of overheating in heaters 18 and 24, the log data corresponding to the event may include data such as the temperature of heaters 18 and 24, the voltage applied to heaters 18 and 24, and the current flowing through heaters 18 and 24.

[0082] According to one embodiment, the control unit 12 can control the communication unit 16 to form a communication link with an external device such as the user's mobile terminal.

[0083] According to one embodiment, when the control unit 12 receives authentication data from an external device via a communication link, it can release the restriction on the use of at least one function of the aerosol generator 1 (e.g., heating function). For example, the authentication data may include the user's date of birth, a unique number identifying the user, and whether the user's authentication has been completed.

[0084] According to one embodiment, the control unit 12 can transmit data about the status of the aerosol generator 1 (e.g., remaining power 11, operating mode, etc.) to an external device via a communication link. The transmitted data can be output via a display or the like on the external device.

[0085] According to one embodiment, when the control unit 12 receives a request from an external device via a communication link to locate the aerosol generator 1, it can control the output unit 14 to perform an operation corresponding to the location search. For example, the control unit 12 can control the haptic unit to generate vibrations or to output an object corresponding to the display location search and the end of the search.

[0086] According to one embodiment, the control unit 12 can perform a firmware update when it receives firmware data from an external device via a communication link.

[0087] According to one embodiment, the control unit 12 can transmit data about the sensing values ​​of at least one sensor unit 13 to an external server (not shown) via a communication unit, learn the sensing values ​​from the server via machine learning such as deep learning, and receive and store the generated learning model. Using the learning model received from the server, the control unit 12 can perform operations such as determining the user's inhalation pattern and generating a temperature profile.

[0088] Although not shown in Figure 1, the aerosol generator 1 may further include a protection circuit module. The protection circuit module includes at least one switching element that can interrupt the circuit to the power supply 11 in response to overcharging and / or over-discharging of the power supply 11. The aerosol generator 1 may further include a connection interface, such as a USB (universal serial bus) interface, which can connect to other external devices via the connection interface to send and receive information or charge the power supply 11.

[0089] The aerosol products referred to in this disclosure may include at least one aerosol-generating rod (e.g., a medium) and at least one filter rod. The heater 18 is arranged to correspond to at least one aerosol-generating rod and may be designed differently depending on the arrangement order and / or position of the aerosol-generating rod and the filter rod. The aerosol-generating rod may include at least one of nicotine, an aerosol-generating substance, and an additive. For example, the aerosol-generating substance may include glycerin (e.g., vegetable glycerin, VG) and / or propylene glycol (PG), and may also include a variety of other substances. For example, the additive may include flavoring agents and / or organic acids, and may also include a variety of other substances. For example, the aerosol-generating rod may include an aerosol-generating substrate (e.g., a sheet) impregnated with a liquid non-tobacco substance (e.g., an aerosol-generating substance and / or nicotine) and / or a solid tobacco substance (e.g., tobacco leaves, reconstituted tobacco, etc.). Tobacco substances can be contained in the aerosol-generating rod in various forms such as leaf pulp, granules, or powder. According to one embodiment, the additives to the aerosol-generating rod may include a basic substance. Based on the basic substance, the nicotine of the tobacco substance contained in the aerosol-generating rod may have a basic pH (e.g., pH 7.0 or higher). In this case, freebase nicotine can be released from the aerosol-generating rod even at low temperatures. According to one embodiment, the aerosol-generating rod may include two or more aerosol-generating rods, each containing tobacco substance and / or non-tobacco substance. On the other hand, although not shown, at least one aerosol-generating rod and at least one filter rod may each and / or collectively be surrounded by at least one wrapper. In this disclosure, the aerosol product can also be called a stick.

[0090] The cartridges referred to in this disclosure may contain an aerosol-generating substance having one of the following states: liquid, solid, gaseous, or gel. The aerosol-generating substance may include a liquid composition. For example, the liquid composition may be a liquid containing a tobacco-containing substance that includes volatile tobacco flavor components, or a liquid containing a non-tobacco substance. On the other hand, the cartridge may include a storage section containing the aerosol-generating substance and / or a liquid delivery means impregnated with (containing) the aerosol-generating substance. For example, the liquid delivery means may include a wick such as cotton fibers, ceramic fibers, glass fibers, or porous ceramic. The cartridge heater 24 may be included in the cartridge as a coil-shaped structure surrounding (or winding) the liquid delivery means or as a structure in contact with one side of the liquid delivery means. Alternatively, the cartridge heater 24 may be included in an aerosol generator 1 that is separable from the cartridge.

[0091] Figures 2 and 3 show an aerosol generating apparatus 1 according to one embodiment of the present disclosure.

[0092] According to one embodiment, the aerosol generator 1 may include a housing 10, a power supply 11, a control unit 12, a sensor unit 13, and / or heaters 182, 183 (for example, heater 18 in Figure 1). However, it will be understood by those ordinary skill in the art relating to this embodiment that the components included in the aerosol generator 1 are not limited to those shown in Figure 2 or Figure 3, and that some components may be omitted or new configurations may be added. The aerosol generator 1 shown in Figure 2 can be described as an "internal heating type" aerosol generator that heats the inside of the aerosol product 2. The aerosol generator 1 shown in Figure 3 can be described as an "external heating type" aerosol generator that heats the outside of the aerosol product 2. In the following drawings, explanations that overlap with Figure 1 will be omitted.

[0093] According to one embodiment, the housing 10 may have an upwardly opening space into which an aerosol product 2 is inserted. In this disclosure, the upwardly opening space can be called an insertion space. The insertion space may be formed by recessing inward to a predetermined depth so that at least a portion of the aerosol product 2 can be inserted. The depth of the insertion space may be greater than or equal to the length of the region in the aerosol product 2 that contains the aerosol-generating substance and / or medium. The lower end of the aerosol product 2 is inserted into the housing 10, and the upper end of the aerosol product 2 may protrude outward from the housing 10. The user can inhale the aerosol by putting the exposed upper end of the aerosol product 2 in their mouth.

[0094] According to one embodiment, heaters 182 and 183 can heat the aerosol product 2.

[0095] Referring to Figure 2, the heater 182 may be an internal heating type heater.

[0096] According to one embodiment, the internal heating element can extend upward in the space into which the aerosol product 2 is inserted (i.e., the insertion space). For example, the internal heating element may include a rod-shaped or needle-shaped heating element as shown in the figure, but it may also include a variety of heating elements such as a tubular heating element or a plate-shaped heating element. The internal heating element can be inserted through the bottom of the aerosol product 2.

[0097] According to one embodiment, the internal heating type heater may include an electrical resistance heater and / or an induction heating type heater.

[0098] For example, an electrical resistance heater may contain an electrical resistance material inside (e.g., internal hollow or inner surface) or outside (e.g., outer surface), and be heated by an electric current flowing through the electrical resistance material. In this case, the electrical resistance heater can be electrically connected to a power supply 11 and can directly generate heat by receiving current from the power supply 11. The induction coil 181 may also be omitted.

[0099] For example, in the case of an induction heating type heater, the aerosol generator 1 may include an induction coil 181 that surrounds at least a portion of the internal heating type heater (for example, positioned externally to correspond to the length of at least a portion of the heater). In this case, the induction coil 181 may further include a magnetic flux concentrator or the like to increase the efficiency of induction heating. The induction heating type heater includes a susceptor and can generate heat through the magnetic field generated from the induction coil 181. According to one embodiment, the induction heating type heater (e.g., a susceptor) (or a heater module including the same) may be arranged to be separated from the housing 10.

[0100] In one embodiment, the heater 182 may be a multi-heater. The multi-heater may include a first heater and a second heater and may be inserted into the aerosol product 2. The first heater and the second heater may be arranged side by side in the longitudinal direction. The first heater and the second heater may operate as an electrical resistance heater and / or an induction heating heater and may be heated sequentially or simultaneously. In this case, the first heater and the second heater may be positioned respectively at locations corresponding to the longitudinal positions of two or more aerosol generating rods. Alternatively, the first heater and the second heater may be positioned respectively at locations corresponding to the longitudinal positions of a first and second portion of a single aerosol generating rod. On the other hand, if the heater 182 is an induction heating heater, the aerosol generating device 1 may include a first induction coil and a second induction coil, and the first and second induction coils may be positioned respectively at locations corresponding to the longitudinal positions of the first heater and the second heater. Alternatively, the first and second induction coils may be positioned corresponding to the longitudinal positions of the first and second portions of a single heater 182, respectively. Furthermore, the heater and / or induction coils may include three or more components.

[0101] According to one embodiment, the susceptor may be placed (or included) inside the aerosol product 2 (for example, in the medium portion), and the susceptor included inside the aerosol product 2 may be heated by the magnetic field generated from the induction coil 181.

[0102] Referring to Figure 3, the heater 183 may be an external heating type heater.

[0103] According to one embodiment, the external heating element can extend upward around the space into which the aerosol product 2 is inserted (i.e., the insertion space). For example, the external heating element may be positioned to surround at least a portion of the insertion space. As an example, the external heating element may have a tubular form (e.g., cylindrical shape) with a hollow interior. The external heating element may also have a form that includes a hollow interior and surrounds the hollow. In this case, the external heating element may be supported by a polyimide film. A heater supported by such a film can be called a film heater. The external heating element may be positioned to surround at least a portion of the insertion space. The external heating element can heat the outside of the aerosol product 2 inserted into the hollow.

[0104] In one embodiment, the external heating element may include an electrical resistance heater and / or an induction heating element, and a description that overlaps with Figure 2 will be omitted. On the other hand, in the case of an induction heating element, the aerosol generator 1 includes an external heating element embodied by a tubular susceptor and may include an induction coil 181 surrounding at least a portion of the external heating element (for example, positioned externally to correspond to the length of at least a portion of the heater). On the other hand, if the external heating element is an electrical resistance heater, the induction coil 181 may be omitted because it can generate heat by the flow of current on the tubular electrical resistance heater (for example, a film heater). On the other hand, an insulating material may be placed outside the external heating element. This can reduce the heat that radiates radially outward from the heater 183 and is transferred to the outside of the housing 10.

[0105] In one embodiment, the heater 183 may be a multi-heater, and the first heater and the second heater may be arranged side by side in the longitudinal direction so as to surround at least a portion of the insertion space, respectively. The first heater and the second heater can operate as an electrical resistance heater and / or an induction heating heater, and can be heated sequentially or simultaneously. On the other hand, if the heater 183 is an induction heating heater, the aerosol generator 1 includes a first induction coil and a second induction coil, and the first induction coil and the second induction coil may be arranged respectively at positions corresponding to the longitudinal positions of the first heater and the second heater. Alternatively, the first induction coil and the second induction coil may be arranged at positions corresponding to the longitudinal positions of the first and second portions of a single heater 183, respectively.

[0106] Unlike those shown in Figure 2 or Figure 3, the heater 182 in Figure 2 and the heater 183 in Figure 3 may be included together in the aerosol generator 1. In this case, the heater 182 can heat the inside of the aerosol product 2, and the heater 183 can heat the outside of the aerosol product 2.

[0107] According to one embodiment, the aerosol generator 1 may be equipped with an airflow channel through which air flows. For example, the housing 10 may have a structure (e.g., a hole) through which air from the outside can flow into the housing 10. The air that flows into the housing 10 can flow into the aerosol product 2 through its lower end (i.e., upstream side). The aerosol generated by heating the aerosol product 2 can be inhaled into the user's mouth through its upper end (i.e., downstream side) along with the incoming air.

[0108] Figure 4 is a front perspective view of an aerosol generating apparatus according to one embodiment of the present disclosure.

[0109] Referring to Figure 4, the body 10 (for example, the housing 10 in Figures 2 and 3) may include elongated side walls 101, 102, a cover 103 forming one end, a base 104 forming the other end, and a door 110 for opening and closing the insertion space 43. The body 10 may have a cylindrical shape that extends elongated in one direction.

[0110] The body 10 may include side walls 101 and 102 that form the outer surface. The side walls 101 and 102 may include curved surfaces that extend along the circumferential direction of the body 10.

[0111] The side walls 101 and 102 may include the first side wall 101. The first side wall 101 may extend in the circumferential direction of the body 10. The first side wall 101 may be bent in the circumferential direction of the body 10 to form a space inside. The first side wall 101 may have an opening on one side. The cross-section of the first side wall 101 may have a loop shape with one side open.

[0112] The side walls 101 and 102 may include a second side wall 102. The second side wall 102 may extend along the longitudinal direction of the body 10. The second side wall 102 may be coupled to the first side wall 101. The second side wall 102 may be located between the circumferential ends of the first side wall 101 and may form a continuous surface with the first side wall 101. The second side wall 102 may cover one side of the first side wall 101 that is open laterally.

[0113] The body 10 may include a cover 103 that forms one end in the longitudinal direction. The cover 103 may be coupled to one end in the longitudinal direction of the first side wall 101 and one end in the longitudinal direction of the second side wall 102.

[0114] The body 10 may include a door 110. The door 110 may be coupled to the cover 103. The door 110 can open and close the insertion space 43 (see Figures 2 and 3) in a sliding manner. A rail 105 may be formed in the cover 103. The door 110 can slide along the rail 105.

[0115] The body 10 may include a base 104 that forms the other end in the longitudinal direction. The base 104 may be coupled to the other end in the longitudinal direction of the first side wall 101 and the other end in the longitudinal direction of the second side wall 102.

[0116] The body 10 may include a button 106 (for example, the input section 15 in Figure 1). The button 106 can be inserted into a hole formed on one side of the second side wall 102.

[0117] The body 10 may include a display 141 (for example, the output unit 14 in Figure 1). The display 141 may be located on the second side wall 102. The display 141 may extend along the longitudinal direction of the body 10. The display 141 can visually provide the user with information about the aerosol generator 1. The display 141 may be an LED light-emitting element, a liquid crystal display panel (LCD), an organic light-emitting display panel (OLED), etc.

[0118] Figure 5 is a circuit diagram of an aerosol generating apparatus 1 according to one embodiment of the present disclosure.

[0119] Referring to Figure 5, the aerosol generator 1 may include at least one of the following: a power supply 11, a control unit 12, a heater 18, a display 141, and a charging circuit 210.

[0120] The heater 18 may be located in the body 10. The heater 18 receives power from the power supply 11 and can heat the insertion space 43 provided in the body 10 and / or the stick 2 (for example, the aerosol product 2 in Figures 2 and 3) inserted into the insertion space 43. The heater 18 may have the features of the heater 18 described earlier in Figures 1 to 3.

[0121] The power supply 11 can supply power to the heater 18. The power supply 11 can supply power to the heater 18 under the control of the control unit 12.

[0122] The charging circuit 210 may be connected to the heater 18, the power supply 11, and the control unit 12. The charging circuit 210 can transmit power supplied from the power supply 11 to the heater 18 under the control of the control unit 12. The charging circuit 210 can be called a charger.

[0123] The charging circuit 210 can electrically connect the power supply 11 and the heater 18. The power supply 11 may be connected to the input terminal 211 of the charging circuit 210, and the heater 18 may be connected to the output terminal 212 of the charging circuit 210.

[0124] The charging circuit 210 can either charge the power supply 11 or transmit power to the heater 18 under the control of the control unit 12. For example, when an external power supply (not shown) is electrically connected to the aerosol generator 1, the charging circuit 210 can supply power from the external power supply to the power supply 11 or the heater 18. The charging circuit 210 can convert power supplied from the external power supply into power suitable for charging the power supply 11. For example, when an external power supply is not electrically connected to the aerosol generator 1, the charging circuit 210 can transmit power supplied from the power supply 11 to the heater 18.

[0125] The display 141 may be connected to the power supply 11. The display 141 is connected to the power supply 11 and can receive power from the power supply 11.

[0126] The display 141 may be connected to the power supply 11 separately from the charging circuit 210. For example, the display 141 may be connected to the power supply 11 in parallel with the charging circuit 210. The display 141 can be electrically connected to the power supply 11 and receive power from the power supply 11 without going through the charging circuit 210.

[0127] The charging circuit 210 may include a switching element internally. For example, the charging circuit 210 may include a power switching element such as a field-effect transistor (FET). When the switching element inside the charging circuit 210 is turned ON, power supplied from the power supply 11 can be transmitted to the element connected to the output terminal 212 via the input terminal 211 and output terminal 212 of the charging circuit 210. An impedance Zc may exist between the input terminal 211 and the output terminal 212 of the charging circuit 210 due to the power switching element included in the charging circuit 210. When power from the power supply 11 is transmitted through the charging circuit 210, a voltage drop may occur between the input terminal 211 and the output terminal 212 due to the impedance Zc of the charging circuit 210. The voltage Vsys at the output terminal 212 of the charging circuit 210 may be lower than the voltage at the input terminal 211 of the charging circuit 210 by the amount of the voltage drop occurring in the charging circuit 210. For example, the voltage Vsys at the output terminal 212 of the charging circuit 210 may be lower than the voltage at the input terminal 211 of the charging circuit 210, i.e., the output voltage Vbat of the power supply 11.

[0128] The heater 18 is connected to the power supply 11 via the charging circuit 210, and the display 141 has a structure that connects to the power supply 11 separately from the charging circuit 210. This prevents the voltage supplied to the display 141 from becoming low due to a voltage drop caused by the charging circuit 210, and prevents the flickering phenomenon from occurring on the display 141.

[0129] Figure 6 is a circuit diagram of an aerosol generating apparatus 1 according to one embodiment of the present disclosure.

[0130] Detailed explanations of the configurations shown in Figure 6 that overlap with those in Figure 5 will be omitted.

[0131] Referring to Figure 6, the aerosol generator 1 may include a first switch 260. The display 141 may be connected to the power supply 11 via the first switch 260, separately from the charging circuit 210. The first switch 260 can connect the power supply 11 and the display 141. The first switch 260 can transmit power supplied from the power supply 11 to the display 141.

[0132] The first switch 260 may include a switching element internally. For example, the first switch 260 may include a switching element such as an FET internally. Due to the switching element included in the first switch 260, an impedance Zs may exist between the input terminal 261 and the output terminal 262 of the first switch 260. When power from the power supply 11 is transmitted through the first switch 260, a voltage drop may occur between the input terminal 261 and the output terminal 262 due to the impedance Zs of the first switch 260. The voltage Vd at the output terminal 262 of the first switch 260 may be lower than the voltage at the input terminal 261 of the first switch 260 by the amount of the voltage drop occurring in the first switch 260. For example, the voltage Vd at the output terminal 262 of the first switch 260 may be lower than the voltage at the input terminal 211 of the first switch 260, i.e., the output voltage Vbat of the power supply 11.

[0133] The first switch 260 may be an element having a current capacity capable of carrying the current necessary to drive the display 141. In contrast, the charging circuit 210 can be connected to a heater 18 and a control unit 12 that heat the aerosol generating material, and in some embodiments, it may be further connected to at least one sensor (for example, the sensor unit 13 in Figure 1) and a vibration motor (for example, the output unit 14 in Figure 1). Therefore, since the charging circuit 210 is connected to elements that carry a relatively large current together with the heater 18 and to various other configurations of the aerosol generating device, it may be an element having a current capacity capable of carrying the current necessary to drive such configurations. In other words, the maximum allowable current of the first switch 260 may be smaller than the maximum allowable current of the charging circuit 210.

[0134] The impedance Zs between the input terminal 261 and output terminal 262 of the first switch 260 may be smaller than the impedance Zc between the input terminal 211 and output terminal 212 of the charging circuit 210. In other words, even if the same amount of current flows through the first switch 260 and the charging circuit 210, the voltage drop between the input terminal 261 and output terminal 262 of the first switch 260 may be smaller than the voltage drop between the input terminal 211 and output terminal 212 of the charging circuit 210.

[0135] The switch 260 connecting the display 141 to the power supply 11 has a structure in which the internal impedance is smaller than that of the charging circuit 210. As a result, the voltage drop generated by the switch is smaller than the voltage drop generated by the charging circuit 210, thus preventing the voltage supplied to the display 141 from becoming too low.

[0136] The control unit 12 can control the operation of the charging circuit 210 and the first switch 260. For example, the control unit 12 can control the switching of the switching elements of the charging circuit 210. For example, the control unit 12 can control the switching of the switching elements of the first switch 260.

[0137] The control unit 12 can independently control the operation of the charging circuit 210 and the first switch 260. The control unit 12 can control the power supplied to the heater 18 based on the voltage Vsys at the output terminal 212 of the charging circuit 210. In addition, the control unit 12 can control the on-off operation of the first switch 260 separately from the control of the power supplied to the heater 18.

[0138] The feature that the control unit 12 independently controls the operation of the charging circuit 210 and the first switch 260 will be described in detail later based on Figures 7 to 10.

[0139] A first regulator 250 may be further provided between the first switch 260 and the power supply 11. The first regulator 250 can connect the power supply 11 and the first switch 260. The first regulator 250 can convert the voltage Vbat output from the power supply 11. For example, the first regulator 250 can be implemented as a low dropout linear regulator that converts the voltage Vbat output from the power supply 11.

[0140] Therefore, the voltage applied to the first switch 260 and the display 141 can be stabilized.

[0141] A second regulator 270 may be further provided between the control unit 12 and the charging circuit 210. The second regulator 270 can connect the output terminal 212 of the charging circuit 210 to the control unit 12. The second regulator 270 can convert the voltage Vsys output from the charging circuit 210. For example, the second regulator 270 can be implemented by a low-dropout linear regulator that converts the voltage Vsys output from the charging circuit 210.

[0142] Therefore, the voltage applied to the control unit 12 can be stabilized.

[0143] A power conversion unit 220 may be further provided between the heater 18 and the charging circuit 210. The power conversion unit 220 can convert the voltage Vbat output from the power supply 11. For example, the power conversion unit 220 can be implemented by a buck converter, boost converter, and buck-boost converter that convert the voltage output from the power supply 11. The power conversion unit 220 can be described as a booster, converter, or transformer. The power conversion unit 220 can convert the voltage Vbat output from the power supply 11 and output the converted voltage. For example, the magnitude of the voltage output from the power conversion unit 220 may be the same as or greater than the magnitude of the voltage Vbat output from the power supply 11.

[0144] A second switch 240 may be connected to the heater 18. The second switch 240 may have one end connected to the heater 18 and the other end connected to ground (GND). The second switch 240 can electrically connect the heater 18 to ground under the control of the control unit 12. The second switch 240 can supply power output from the power conversion unit 220 to the heater 18.

[0145] The control unit 12 can control the power supplied to the heater 18. By controlling the switching of the second switch 240, the control unit 12 can control whether or not power is supplied to the heater 18. The heater 18 can generate heat when power is supplied, and can not generate heat when power is not supplied.

[0146] The control unit 12 can control the second switch 240 so that pulses having a predetermined frequency and / or duty cycle are supplied to the heater 18. The control unit 12 can adjust the pulse frequency and / or duty cycle via the second switch 240 to control the power supplied to the heater 18.

[0147] The control unit 12 can derive the temperature of the heater 18. The control unit 12 can determine the temperature of the heater 18 in response to a signal output from a temperature sensor (not shown). Based on the determined temperature of the heater 18, the control unit 12 can determine the power to be supplied to the heater 18. The control unit 12 can supply the determined power to the heater 18 by controlling at least one of the power supply 11, the charging circuit 210, the power conversion unit 220, and the second switch 240.

[0148] Although not shown in Figure 6, the charging circuit 210 may be further connected to at least one sensor and / or a vibration motor. A third regulator (not shown) may be further provided between the charging circuit 210 and at least one sensor. A fourth regulator (not shown) may be further provided between the charging circuit 210 and the vibration motor. The third and fourth regulators can each convert the voltage Vsys output from the charging circuit 210.

[0149] Figure 7 is a flowchart illustrating the power supply control of the heater of an aerosol generator according to one embodiment of the present disclosure, and Figure 8 is a graph illustrating the changes in the power supply output voltage, display applied voltage, and charging circuit output voltage due to the number of puffs in an aerosol generator according to one embodiment of the present disclosure.

[0150] Referring to Figure 7, the control unit 12 can supply power to the heater 18 by controlling at least one of the power supply 11, the charging circuit 210, the power conversion unit 220, and the second switch 240 (S710). The heater 18 can generate heat by receiving power from the power supply 11.

[0151] The control unit 12 can compare the voltage Vsys at the output terminal 212 of the charging circuit 210 with a first threshold value Vcutoff (S720). The control unit 12 can receive a signal corresponding to the voltage at the output terminal 212 from a sensor (not shown) connected to the output terminal 212 of the charging circuit 210, and determine the voltage Vsys at the output terminal 212 based on this signal. The first threshold value Vcutoff may correspond to a value set through experiments or other means to determine whether the heater 18 is unable to generate a sufficient amount of aerosol, or whether the heater 18 is unable to generate aerosol even if it generates heat.

[0152] The control unit 12 can control the power supplied to the heater 18 to be cut off if the voltage Vsys at the output terminal 212 of the charging circuit 210 is equal to or less than the first threshold Vcutoff (yes in S730) (S740). For example, the control unit 12 can control at least one of the charging circuit 210, the power conversion unit 220, and the second switch 240 to cut off the power supplied to the heater 18. On the other hand, if the voltage Vsys at the output terminal 212 of the charging circuit 210 is greater than the first threshold Vcutoff (no in S730), the control unit 12 can control the power supply to the heater 18 to be maintained, and process S710 and subsequent processes can be repeatedly executed.

[0153] Therefore, it is possible to prevent the heater 18 from being unnecessarily heated and thus wasting electricity.

[0154] Referring to Figure 8 together with Figure 7, the first threshold Vcutoff may be lower than the set drive voltage Vdmin of the display 141. Here, the set drive voltage Vdmin may correspond to the minimum drive voltage at which flickering does not occur in the display 141. For example, the set drive voltage Vdmin may be between 2.6V and 3.0V. However, the set drive voltage is not limited to this and may vary depending on the type of display 141.

[0155] With power supplied to the heater 18, the output voltage Vbat of the power supply 11 can gradually decrease as the number of puffs increases. Therefore, the voltage Vd applied to the display 141 and the voltage Vsys output from the charging circuit 210 can also decrease in proportion to the output voltage Vbat of the power supply 11.

[0156] The voltage Vd applied to the display 141 may be greater than the voltage Vsys output from the charging circuit 210.

[0157] For example, if the display 141 is directly connected to the power supply 11, the voltage Vd applied to the display 141 may be the same as the output voltage Vbat of the power supply 11 and may be greater than the voltage Vsys output from the charging circuit 210.

[0158] For example, when the display 141 is connected to the power supply 11 via the first switch 260, the voltage Vd applied to the display 141 may be less than the voltage Vbat output voltage of the power supply 11 by the voltage drop occurring in the first switch 260, and greater than the voltage Vsys output from the charging circuit 210. In other words, the voltage drop occurring in the first switch 260 may be less than the voltage drop occurring in the charging circuit 210.

[0159] For example, when the display 141 is connected to the power supply 11 via the first regulator 250 and the first switch 260, the voltage Vd applied to the display 141 may be less than the output voltage Vbat of the power supply 11 by the magnitude of the voltage drop occurring in the first switch 260 and the voltage converted by the first regulator 250, and greater than the voltage Vsys output from the charging circuit 210. In other words, the sum of the magnitudes of the voltage drop occurring in the first switch 260 and the voltage converted by the first regulator 250 may be less than the voltage drop occurring in the charging circuit 210.

[0160] When the voltage Vsys output from the charging circuit 210 gradually decreases and reaches the first threshold Vcutoff, or after the number of puffs N1, the control unit 12 can cut off the power supplied to the heater 18. Here, the voltage Vd applied to the display 141 may be higher than the set drive voltage Vdmin.

[0161] According to one embodiment of the present disclosure, the display 141 is connected to the power supply 11 separately from the charging circuit 210, and / or the first switch 260 connecting the display 141 to the power supply 11 has a structure in which the internal impedance is smaller than that of the charging circuit 210, thereby preventing the flickering phenomenon from occurring in the display 141.

[0162] If the first threshold Vcutoff is set to a larger value to prevent the flickering phenomenon from occurring, the number of puffs the user can take before the power supplied to the heater 18 is cut off may decrease. According to one embodiment of the present disclosure, it is possible to prevent a reduction in the number of puffs the user can inhale in order to reduce the flickering phenomenon of the display 141.

[0163] Figure 9 is a flowchart illustrating the power supply control of the heater and display of an aerosol generator according to one embodiment of the present disclosure, and Figure 10 is a graph illustrating the changes in the power supply output voltage, display applied voltage, and charging circuit output voltage due to the number of puffs in an aerosol generator according to one embodiment of the present disclosure.

[0164] Referring to Figure 9, the control unit 12 can supply power to the heater 18 by controlling at least one of the power supply 11, the charging circuit 210, the power conversion unit 220, and the second switch 240 (S910). The heater 18 can generate heat by receiving power from the power supply 11.

[0165] The control unit 12 can compare the voltage Vsys at the output terminal 212 of the charging circuit 210 with a first threshold Vcutoff (S920). If the voltage Vsys at the output terminal 212 of the charging circuit 210 is equal to or less than the first threshold Vcutoff (yes in S930), the control unit 12 can control the power supplied to the heater 18 to shut off (S940). For example, the control unit 120 can control at least one of the charging circuit 210, the power conversion unit 220, and the second switch 240 to shut off the power supplied to the heater 18.

[0166] If the voltage Vsys at the output terminal 212 of the charging circuit 210 is greater than the first threshold Vcutoff (no in S930), the control unit 12 can compare the voltage Vd applied to the display 141 with a second threshold. Here, the second threshold may correspond to the set drive voltage Vdmin. The control unit 12 can receive a signal corresponding to the voltage Vd applied to the display 141 from a sensor (not shown) connected to the input terminal of the display 141, and based on this, can determine the voltage Vd applied to the display 141.

[0167] The control unit 12 can control the power supplied to the display 141 to cut off the power supplied to the display 141 if the voltage Vd applied to the display 141 is equal to or less than the second threshold (yes in S950) (S960). For example, the control unit 12 can control the first switch 260 to cut off the power supplied to the display 141. On the other hand, if the voltage Vd applied to the display 141 is greater than the second threshold (no in S950), the control unit 12 can control the power supplied to the heater 18 and the display 141 to be maintained, and the above process S910 and subsequent processes can be repeatedly executed.

[0168] Therefore, it is possible to prevent the heater 18 from being unnecessarily heated and power from being wasted, and to prevent the flickering phenomenon from occurring on the display 141.

[0169] Referring to Figure 10 together with Figure 9, as the usage time of the aerosol generator 1 accumulates, the charging circuit 210, the first switch 260, the first regulator 250, etc., may age, and changes in their characteristics may occur. Alternatively, due to manufacturing errors in the charging circuit 210, the first switch 260, the first regulator 250, etc., their characteristics may differ for each aerosol generator 1. In this case, the voltage Vd applied to the display 141 at the point when the voltage Vsys output from the charging circuit 210 gradually decreases and reaches the first threshold Vcutoff, or at the number of puffs N1, may be lower than the set drive voltage Vdmin. In other words, the voltage Vd applied to the display 141 at a point earlier than when the voltage Vsys output from the charging circuit 210 gradually decreases and reaches the first threshold Vcutoff, or at a number of puffs N3 less than the number of puffs, may be the same as the set drive voltage Vdmin.

[0170] If the voltage Vd applied to the display 141 becomes lower than the set drive voltage Vdmin before the voltage Vsys output from the charging circuit 210 reaches the first threshold Vcutoff, a flickering phenomenon may occur.

[0171] According to one embodiment of the present disclosure, the display 141 is connected to the power supply 11 separately from the charging circuit 210 and / or the first switch 260 connecting the display 141 to the power supply 11 has a structure in which the internal impedance is smaller than that of the charging circuit 210. Furthermore, when the voltage Vd applied to the display 141 is the same as or smaller than the set drive voltage Vdmin, the power supplied to the display 141 is cut off, thereby preventing the flickering phenomenon from occurring in the display 141.

[0172] As described above, according to at least one embodiment of the present disclosure, the heater is connected to the power supply via a charging circuit and has a structure that connects to the power supply separately from the display charging circuit, thereby preventing the voltage supplied to the display from becoming low due to voltage drops caused by the charging circuit, and thus preventing the flickering phenomenon from occurring on the display.

[0173] According to at least one embodiment of the present disclosure, the switch connecting the display to the power supply has a structure in which the internal impedance is smaller than that of the charging circuit, so that the voltage drop generated by the switch is smaller than the voltage drop generated by the charging circuit, and thus it is possible to prevent the voltage supplied to the display from becoming low.

[0174] According to at least one embodiment of the present disclosure, by having a structure in which the threshold voltage for cutting off the power supply to the heater is lower than the minimum driving voltage of the display, it is possible to prevent a reduction in the number of puffs that the user can inhale in order to reduce the display flickering phenomenon.

[0175] Referring to Figures 1 to 10, an aerosol generating apparatus 1 according to one aspect of the present disclosure includes a heater 18 for heating an aerosol generating substance, a display 141, a power supply 11 for supplying power to the heater 18 and the display 141, and a charging circuit 210 that connects the power supply 11 and the heater 18 and transmits power supplied from the power supply 11 to the heater 18, wherein the display 141 is connected to the power supply 11 and can receive power from the power supply 11.

[0176] Furthermore, according to another aspect of this disclosure, the display 141 is connected in parallel with the charging circuit 210 to the power supply 11 and can receive power from the power supply 11 without going through the charging circuit 210.

[0177] Furthermore, according to another aspect of this disclosure, the charging circuit 210 has an input terminal 211 connected to the power supply 11 and an output terminal 212 connected to the heater 18, and the voltage Vsys at the output terminal 212 of the charging circuit 210 may be lower than the output voltage Vbat of the power supply 11.

[0178] Furthermore, according to other aspects of this disclosure, a switch 260 may be included that connects the power supply 11 and the display 141 and transmits power supplied from the power supply 11 to the display 141.

[0179] Furthermore, according to other aspects of this disclosure, the impedance Zs between the output terminal 262 and the input terminal 261 of the switch 260 may be smaller than the impedance Zc between the output terminal 212 and the input terminal 211 of the charging circuit 210.

[0180] Furthermore, according to other aspects of this disclosure, the magnitude of the maximum allowable current of the switch 260 may be smaller than the magnitude of the maximum allowable current of the charging circuit 210.

[0181] Furthermore, according to other aspects of this disclosure, the system includes a control unit 12 that controls the operation of the switch 260 and the charging circuit 210, the control unit 12 being able to independently control the operation of the switch 260 and the charging circuit 210.

[0182] Furthermore, according to another aspect of the present disclosure, the control unit 12 may compare the voltage Vsys at the output terminal 212 of the charging circuit 210 with a first threshold Vcutoff, and control the charging circuit 210 to cut off the power supplied to the heater 18 if the voltage Vsys at the output terminal 212 of the charging circuit 210 is equal to or less than the first threshold Vcutoff.

[0183] Furthermore, according to other aspects of this disclosure, the first threshold Vcutoff may be lower than the set drive voltage Vdmin of the display 141.

[0184] Furthermore, according to other aspects of this disclosure, the set drive voltage Vdmin may correspond to the minimum drive voltage at which flickering does not occur in the display 141.

[0185] Furthermore, according to other aspects of this disclosure, a first regulator 250 may be included that connects the power supply 11 and the switch 260 and converts the power supplied from the power supply 11.

[0186] Furthermore, according to other aspects of this disclosure, a second regulator 270 may be included that connects the output terminal 212 of the charging circuit 210 to the control unit 12 and converts the power supplied from the power supply 11.

[0187] The specific or other embodiments of the present disclosure described above are not mutually exclusive or distinguishable. The specific or other embodiments of the present disclosure described above may be used in combination or in combination with each other in terms of their respective configurations or functions.

[0188] For example, this means that configuration A described in a particular embodiment and / or drawing can be combined with configuration B described in other embodiments and / or drawings. In other words, even if a combination of configurations is not directly described, it means that such a combination is possible unless it is explicitly stated that such a combination is not possible.

[0189] The foregoing detailed description should not be interpreted restrictively in any way and 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. A heater for heating aerosol-generating material, The display and A power supply that provides power to the heater and the display, The circuit includes a charging circuit that connects the power supply and the heater and transmits power supplied from the power supply to the heater, The display is connected to the power supply and receives power from the power supply, and is an aerosol generating device.

2. The aerosol generating apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the display is connected in parallel with the charging circuit to the power supply and receives power from the power supply without going through the charging circuit.

3. The charging circuit has an input terminal connected to the power supply and an output terminal connected to the heater. The aerosol generating apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the voltage at the output terminal of the charging circuit is lower than the output voltage of the power supply.

4. The aerosol generating apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising a switch that connects the power supply and the display and transmits power supplied from the power supply to the display.

5. The aerosol generating apparatus according to claim 4, wherein the impedance between the output terminal and the input terminal of the switch is smaller than the impedance between the output terminal and the input terminal of the charging circuit.

6. The aerosol generating apparatus according to claim 4, wherein the magnitude of the maximum allowable current of the switch is smaller than the magnitude of the maximum allowable current of the charging circuit.

7. Includes a control unit that controls the operation of the switch and the charging circuit, The aerosol generating apparatus according to claim 4, wherein the control unit independently controls the operation of the switch and the charging circuit.

8. The control unit, The voltage at the output terminal of the charging circuit is compared with a first threshold voltage. The aerosol generating apparatus according to claim 7, wherein the charging circuit is controlled to cut off the power supplied to the heater when the voltage at the output terminal of the charging circuit is equal to or less than the first threshold.

9. The aerosol generating apparatus according to claim 8, wherein the first threshold is lower than the set driving voltage of the display.

10. The aerosol generating apparatus according to claim 9, wherein the set drive voltage corresponds to the minimum drive voltage at which flickering does not occur on the display.

11. The aerosol generating apparatus according to claim 4, further comprising a first regulator that connects the power supply and the switch and converts the power supplied from the power supply.

12. The aerosol generating apparatus according to claim 7, further comprising a second regulator that connects the output terminal of the charging circuit to the control unit and converts the power supplied from the power source.

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