Heater assembly and aerosol generating apparatus containing the same

Abstract

The heater assembly includes an oscillator that generates microwaves, an insertion space for housing aerosol products, a resonant section for heating the aerosol products by microwave resonance, and a microwave output section for transmitting microwaves generated by the oscillator to the resonant section. The microwave output section, connected to the oscillator, is screw-coupled into a region of the resonant section to couple the oscillator to the resonant section.

Description

TECHNICAL FIELD

[0001] Various embodiments of the present invention relate to a heater assembly and an aerosol generating apparatus including the same, and more particularly, to a heater assembly in which an oscillating unit is coupled to a resonance unit through screwing, and an aerosol generating apparatus including the same.

BACKGROUND ART

[0002] Recently, demand related to alternative methods for overcoming the shortcomings of general cigarettes has been increasing. For example, demand is increasing for systems that generate an aerosol by heating a cigarette or an aerosol generating substance using an aerosol generating apparatus, instead of the method of generating an aerosol by burning a cigarette. Accordingly, research on heated aerosol generating apparatuses has been actively conducted.

[0003] Meanwhile, among methods for heating an object, microwave heating technology is a technology that directly heats polar molecules such as water and organic solvents using the principle of dielectric heating. Since only the substance that needs to be heated is selectively heated using microwaves, it has the advantages of high energy efficiency and fast heating speed. In the field of aerosol generating apparatuses as well, continuous research has been conducted on microwave heating technology as a new heating method.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

PROBLEMS TO BE SOLVED BY THE INVENTION

[0004] An aerosol generating apparatus that heats a cigarette (hereinafter, "aerosol generating article" may be used as having the same meaning as the cigarette) using microwave heating description may generally include an oscillating unit that generates microwaves, and a resonance unit that resonates the microwaves to heat the aerosol generating article.

[0005] In the process of processing the resonance unit which is a waveguide, a slight error occurs. In consideration of such manufacturing errors, the method of coupling the oscillating unit to the resonance unit is important so that all resonance units exhibit the same performance.

[0006] In this case, energy can be concentrated at the coupling point between the high-power oscillator and the resonant section. Therefore, when coupling the oscillator and resonant section by methods such as soldering, the high heat can cause the oscillator to melt and separate from the resonant section. This necessitates a method for easily and precisely adjusting the connection between the oscillator and resonant sections.

[0007] The embodiment provides a heater assembly in which an oscillator is coupled to a resonant section via a screw, and an aerosol generating apparatus including the same.

[0008] Furthermore, the embodiment provides a heater assembly and an aerosol generating apparatus including the same, which adjust the screwing of the oscillation unit and the resonance unit even in a usage step, not just a manufacturing step.

[0009] The problems to be addressed through these embodiments are not limited to those described above, and any problems not mentioned will be clearly understood by a person with ordinary skill in the art to which these embodiments belong, based on this specification and the accompanying drawings. [Means for solving the problem]

[0010] A heater assembly according to one embodiment includes an oscillator that generates microwaves, an insertion space for housing aerosol products, a resonant section for heating the aerosol products by microwave resonance, and a microwave output section for transmitting microwaves generated by the oscillator to the resonant section. The microwave output section, connected to the oscillator, is screw-coupled into a region of the resonant section, thereby coupling the oscillator to the resonant section.

[0011] An aerosol generator according to one embodiment includes a heater assembly according to one embodiment, a housing for housing the heater assembly, a drive unit for moving a microwave output unit, and a processor electrically connected to the heater assembly, wherein the processor can adjust the position of the microwave output unit via the drive unit so that the frequency of the microwaves generated by the oscillation unit matches the frequency of the resonant unit. [Effects of the Invention]

[0012] According to the heater assembly and aerosol generating apparatus including the same, the same heating performance can be achieved despite the existence of physical deviations in the resonance portion for each heater assembly.

[0013] Furthermore, with the heater assembly and aerosol generating apparatus containing the same according to the embodiment, the heating performance can be easily adjusted by the user not only in the manufacturing step but also in the usage step.

[0014] The effects of the embodiments are not limited to those described above, and any effects not mentioned will be clearly understood by a person with ordinary skill in the art to which the embodiments pertain from this specification and the accompanying drawings. [Brief explanation of the drawing]

[0015] [Figure 1] This is a block diagram of an aerosol generating device according to one embodiment. [Figure 2] This is a block diagram of a heater assembly (dielectric heating section) and an aerosol generating apparatus including the same, according to one embodiment. [Figure 3] This is a perspective view of an aerosol generating device according to one embodiment. [Figure 4] This is a perspective view of a heater assembly according to one embodiment. [Figure 5] Figure 4 is a cross-sectional perspective view of the heater assembly. [Figure 6] Figure 5 is an enlarged view of the microwave output section and surrounding area applied to the heater assembly. [Figure 7]This is an enlarged view of another example of the microwave output section and surrounding portion applied to a heater assembly according to another embodiment. [Figure 8] Furthermore, this is a cross-sectional view of a heater assembly according to another embodiment and an aerosol generating apparatus including the same. [Modes for carrying out the invention]

[0016] The embodiments disclosed herein will be described in detail below with reference to the attached drawings, but regardless of the reference numerals used in the drawings, identical or similar components will be given the same reference numerals, and redundant descriptions thereof will be omitted. In connection with the description of the drawings, similar reference numerals may be used for similar or related components.

[0017] The suffixes "module" and "part" used in the following description for components are added or used interchangeably solely for the sake of ease of specification preparation and do not have a distinct meaning or role on their own. On the other hand, the suffixes "module" or "part" include units embodied by hardware, software, or firmware and can be used interchangeably with terms such as logic, logic block, component, or circuit. A "module" or "part" is the smallest unit or part of a component that is configured as a whole or performs one or more functions. For example, a "module" or "part" can be embodied in the form of an ASIC (application-specific integrated circuit).

[0018] Furthermore, in describing the embodiments disclosed herein, if a specific description of such prior art is deemed to obscure the gist of the embodiments disclosed herein, such detailed description will be omitted. In addition, the accompanying drawings are merely for the purpose of facilitating the understanding of the embodiments disclosed herein, and it should be understood that the accompanying drawings do not limit the technical ideas disclosed herein and include all modifications, equivalents, or substitutes that fall within the concept and technical scope of the present invention.

[0019] Terms including ordinal numbers such as first, second, and the like may be used to describe various components, but the components are not limited by the terms. The terms are only used to distinguish one component from other components.

[0020] When a component is referred to as being "coupled to" or "connected to" another component, it should be understood that the component may be directly coupled or connected to the other component, or other components may be present therebetween. On the other hand, when a component is referred to as being "directly coupled to" or "directly connected to" another component, it should be understood that no other components are present therebetween.

[0021] The singular expressions include the plural expressions unless the context clearly dictates otherwise.

[0022] Embodiments of the present invention may be embodied as software including one or more instructions stored on a machine-readable storage medium (e.g., a memory) of a device (e.g., an aerosol generating device 1). For example, a processor (e.g., processor 170) of the device (e.g., the aerosol generating device 1) may call at least one of the one or more instructions stored from the storage medium and execute it. This allows the device to be operated to perform at least one function according to the called at least one instruction. The one or more instructions may include code generated by a compiler or code executed by an interpreter. The machine-readable storage medium may be provided in the form of a non-transitory storage medium. Here, "non-transitory" only means that the storage medium is a tangible device and does not include signals (e.g., electromagnetic waves), and this term does not distinguish between cases where data is stored semi-permanently and cases where data is stored temporarily on the storage medium.

[0023] Figure 1 is a block diagram of an aerosol generating device 1 according to one embodiment.

[0024] According to one embodiment, the aerosol generator 1 may include a control unit 10, a source unit 20, and a radiating unit 30. The control unit 10 is a circuit for controlling the basic operation of the aerosol generator 1. The source unit 20 is a circuit for generating an RF (Radio Frequency) signal under the control of the control unit 10. The radiating unit 30 is a device for radiating the RF signal generated by the source unit 20 in an electromagnetic wave manner into the space in which the aerosol product is inserted (hereinafter referred to as the insertion space). The radiated electromagnetic wave (e.g., RF signal) causes the charge or ions of the dielectric (e.g., glycerin) contained in the aerosol product to vibrate or rotate, and the dielectric heat generated by the frictional heat generated in the process of the charge or ions vibrating or rotating can heat the aerosol product. In other words, the aerosol generator 1 is a device that heats the aerosol product using a dielectric heating method and generates an aerosol.

[0025] For example, the control unit 10 may include a power connector 110, a charging circuit 120, a power supply 130, a first power converter 140, a second power converter 150, a third power converter 160, and / or a processor 170. The source unit 20 may include an RF signal generation circuit 210, a drive amplifier 220, a power amplifier 230, a directional coupler 240, and / or a temperature sensing circuit 250. However, a person with ordinary skill in the art relating to this embodiment will understand that some of the components shown in Figure 1 may be omitted or new components may be added depending on the design of the aerosol generator 1.

[0026] The power connector 110 refers to a physical coupling device used for transmitting and receiving power, electrically connecting the aerosol generator 1 to an external electronic device or system (e.g., an external power supply). For example, the power connector 110 can receive power from an external power supply and transmit the received power to a component that needs charging (e.g., a power supply 130). The power connector 110 may also provide a path for data transmission. In this case, the power connector 110 may be referred to as a data and power connector. The aerosol generator 1 can transmit and receive data with an external electronic device or system (e.g., a smartphone, computer, etc.) through the power connector 110. The power connector 110 may include a USB (Universal Serial Bus) power connector, a DC (Direct Current) power connector, etc. As an example, the power connector 110 is a USB-C type connector that supplies a 9V DC voltage with a 1A current, but is not necessarily limited to this. The power connector 110 may also include an interface for wirelessly transmitting and receiving power.

[0027] The charging circuit 120 refers to a circuit for charging the power supply 130. The charging circuit 120 can charge the power supply 130 using power transmitted from the power connector 110. For example, the charging circuit 120 may be embodied by a charger IC, which is an integrated circuit (IC) that performs functions for efficiently and safely charging the power supply 130. The charging circuit 120 can monitor the charge state of the power supply 130 or optimize the charging process by monitoring the voltage, current, and / or temperature of the power supply 130. For example, the charging circuit 120 can prevent overcharging or over-discharging by sensing the state of the power supply 130 and providing appropriate charging voltage and current.

[0028] The power supply 130 can supply power for the operation of the aerosol generator 1. The power supply 130 may include one or more rechargeable batteries. The power supply 130 can supply power to the radiating unit 30 so that the radiating unit 30 radiates electromagnetic waves (e.g., RF signals) into the insertion space to heat the aerosol product. Here, supplying power to the radiating unit 30 is equivalent to supplying power to the source unit 20. The power supply 130 can also supply power necessary for the operation of the processor 170, the RF signal generation circuit 210, the drive amplifier 220, the power amplifier 230, the temperature sensing circuit 250, etc. For example, the power supply 130 is a lithium polymer (LiPoly) battery, but is not limited thereto. The power supply 130 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 it may be removed from the battery housing. The removable battery may be charged via wired and / or wireless connection.

[0029] The aerosol generator 1 may include a power conversion circuit for converting power supplied from the power supply 130 into power (e.g., voltage and / or current) suitable for other components. The power conversion circuit may include at least one of a buck converter, buck-boost converter, boost converter, Zener diode, and LDO regulator (low-dropout regulator). The power conversion circuit may also include a DC / AC converter (e.g., inverter) as needed.

[0030] As an example, the aerosol generator 1 may include a first power converter 140, a second power converter 150, and a third power converter 160. The first power converter 140 is an LDO regulator for supplying power suitable for the processor 170 (e.g., DC 3.3V), the second power converter 150 is a buck boost converter for supplying power suitable for the temperature sensing circuit 250, the RF signal generation circuit 210, and the drive amplifier 220 (e.g., DC 5V), and the third power converter 160 is a boost converter for supplying power suitable for the power amplifier 230 (e.g., DC 12V / 25W).

[0031] However, the first power converter 140, the second power converter 150, and the third power converter 160 are not limited to the examples given above and may include other types of power conversion circuits. Also, although Figure 1 shows that the aerosol generator 1 includes three power converters, the aerosol generator 1 may include more than three power converters or fewer power converters. For example, at least some of the first power converter 140, the second power converter 150, and the third power converter 160 may be integrated into a single power converter.

[0032] The processor 170 can control the overall operation of the aerosol generator 1. For example, the processor 170 can directly or indirectly control the charging and discharging of the power supply 130 using the charging circuit 120. Furthermore, the processor 170 can adjust the voltage and / or current output from the power conversion circuit by adjusting the frequency and / or duty cycle of the current pulse input to at least one switching element of the power conversion circuit. In addition to the components described above, the processor 170 can also generally control the operation of other components, which will be described later.

[0033] The processor 170 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. Furthermore, a person with ordinary skill in the art to which this embodiment belongs will understand that the processor 170 may be embodied by different forms of hardware.

[0034] The RF signal generation circuit 210 can generate an RF signal based on the power supplied from the power supply 130 or the second power converter 150. An RF signal refers to a signal having a frequency in the range of 300 MHz to 300 GHz. For example, an RF signal may have a frequency of 1 GHz to 100 GHz. Alternatively, an RF signal may have frequencies in the ISM (Industrial Scientific and Medical equipment) band, such as 915 MHz, 2.45 GHz, and / or 5.8 GHz.

[0035] The RF signal generation circuit 210 may include a VCO (Voltage-controlled oscillator) that generates RF signals having different frequencies depending on the input voltage. The RF signal generation circuit 210 can receive a control signal (e.g., a DC signal) from the processor 170 and generate an RF signal having a frequency corresponding to the received control signal. The processor 170 can store the control signals corresponding to the desired frequencies in a lookup table format, or it can calculate the control signals corresponding to the desired frequencies in real time through at least one operation.

[0036] As an example, the aerosol generator 1 may further include a digital-to-analog converter (D / A converter) for converting a digital control signal output from the processor 170 into an analog control signal. The RF signal generation circuit 210 can receive an analog control signal and generate an RF signal having a frequency corresponding to the received analog control signal.

[0037] The drive amplifier 220 can amplify the RF signal generated by the RF signal generation circuit 210. For example, by amplifying the signal level (e.g., amplitude) of the RF signal, the drive amplifier 220 can provide an input signal suitable for the next step's components (e.g., the power amplifier 230). The drive amplifier 220 minimizes signal distortion by maintaining high linearity. However, since the drive amplifier 220 is an amplifier focused on increasing the signal level, it can provide relatively low output power.

[0038] The power amplifier 230 can amplify the power of the RF signal received from the drive amplifier 220. The power amplifier 230 is an amplifier focused on providing sufficient power to the final output device (e.g., the radiator 30). For example, the power amplifier 230 can provide the radiator 30 with a high-power RF signal so that the radiator 30 radiates electromagnetic waves into the insertion space to heat aerosol products. The power amplifier 230 performs amplification operations using the power received through the third power converter 160, which provides higher power and / or voltage than the second power converter 150.

[0039] The drive amplifier 220 and power amplifier 230 may include transistors such as bipolar junction transistors (BJTs) and field effect transistors (FETs), or vacuum tubes. For example, the drive amplifier 220 and power amplifier 230 are GaN (Gallium Nitride) transistors that offer high efficiency, high speed, and high voltage processing, but are not necessarily limited to these. The drive amplifier 220 and power amplifier 230 may also include operational amplifiers.

[0040] On the other hand, although the drive amplifier 220 and the power amplifier 230 are shown as separate amplifiers in Figure 1, the drive amplifier 220 and the power amplifier 230 can be integrated into a single amplifier. Furthermore, the drive amplifier 220 and / or the power amplifier 230 may be composed of multiple amplifiers connected in series, in parallel, and / or in combination thereof.

[0041] The radiating section 30 may include at least one antenna for radiating electromagnetic waves into space. At least one antenna may have a size and shape suitable for the size and shape of the aerosol product. For example, if the aerosol product is cylindrical, at least one antenna may be tubular, surrounding the cylindrical aerosol product. Here, the tubular shape of the antenna means that the overall shape of the antenna is tubular. In other words, if the antenna is formed by a metal (e.g., SUS) track, it means that the overall shape of the entire track is tubular. The shape of at least one antenna is not limited to the examples given above and may include a variety of shapes such as a flat plate or a bent plate.

[0042] The radiating unit 30 can heat the aerosol product by radiating electromagnetic waves (e.g., amplified RF signal or transmitted RF signal) into the insertion space. To maximize the heating efficiency of the aerosol product, electromagnetic resonance must occur within the insertion space. The resonance conditions of the insertion space (e.g., resonance frequency) may vary depending on the amount of dielectric material contained in the inserted aerosol product. The processor 170 can control the frequency of the RF signal generated by the RF signal generation circuit 210 to correspond to or be adjacent to the resonance conditions of the insertion space by adjusting the control signal input to the RF signal generation circuit 210. The processor 170 can utilize the directional coupler 240 to obtain information about the resonance conditions of the insertion space.

[0043] The directional coupler 240 refers to a passive element having a waveguide structure that separates incident waves and reflected waves. The directional coupler 240 can receive the RF signal transmitted from the power amplifier 230 toward the radiator 30 and the electromagnetic waves that have been radiated by the radiator 30 and reflected from the insertion space. The directional coupler 240 can separate the transmitted RF signal and the reflected electromagnetic waves and transmit them to the processor 170.

[0044] As an example, the aerosol generator 1 may further include an A / D converter (Analog to digital converter) for converting the analog output of the directional coupler 240 to a digital output. The A / D converter may be integrated into the processor 170 or may exist as a separate component outside the processor 170. By monitoring the output of the directional coupler 240, the processor 170 can analyze the characteristics of the transmitted RF signal (e.g., current, voltage, power, phase and / or frequency) and the characteristics of the reflected electromagnetic wave (e.g., current, voltage, power, phase and / or frequency).

[0045] The processor 170 can verify whether the source unit 20 is operating as intended based on the characteristics of the transmitted RF signal. Furthermore, the characteristics of the transmitted RF signal, along with the characteristics of the reflected electromagnetic wave, can be used to determine the heating efficiency of the source unit 20 or the radiating unit 30. The processor 170 can control the source unit 20 so that the heating efficiency of the source unit 20 or the radiating unit 30 is maximized. For example, the processor 170 can adjust the frequency of the RF signal generated by the RF signal generation circuit 210 so that the power of the reflected electromagnetic wave is minimized. Minimizing the power of the reflected electromagnetic wave means that the frequency of the RF signal approaches the resonance condition of the insertion space. The characteristics of the transmitted RF signal can provide a criterion for determining whether the power of the reflected electromagnetic wave has been minimized.

[0046] Since electromagnetic wave resonance occurs in the insertion space depending on the frequency of the RF signal, the insertion space is referred to as the resonant area. At least a portion of the insertion space is surrounded by at least one shielding member to prevent electromagnetic waves from leaking outside the aerosol generator 1. According to one embodiment, the insertion space may further include a physical structure to ensure that the resonance conditions are within a range controllable by the processor 170. The physical structure includes at least one conductor, and the resonance conditions of the insertion space may vary depending on the arrangement, thickness, and length of the conductor. The physical structure may also include a space for housing a dielectric with low electromagnetic wave absorption, separate from the dielectric contained in the aerosol product. A dielectric with low electromagnetic wave absorption can change the resonance frequency of the entire resonant area without absorbing the energy that must be transferred to the heated object. This allows the resonance conditions to be determined within a range controllable by the processor 170, even if the resonant area is miniaturized.

[0047] The temperature sensing circuit 250 is positioned in contact with or adjacent to the components included in the source unit 20 and can measure the temperature of the source unit 20. For example, the temperature sensing circuit 250 may be positioned in contact with or adjacent to at least one of the RF signal generation circuit 210, the drive amplifier 220, and the power amplifier 230. During the RF signal generation and / or amplification process, heat is generated by limited efficiency, but if excessive heat is generated, it will negatively affect the components included in the source unit 20 or other components included in the aerosol generator 1. The temperature measured by the temperature sensing circuit 250 can be used to prevent overheating of the source unit 20.

[0048] The processor 170 receives the temperature (or a value corresponding to the temperature) measured by the temperature sensing circuit 250, and if it determines that the source unit 20 has overheated, it can interrupt the operation of the source unit 20. For example, the processor 170 can interrupt the operation of the source unit 20 by interrupting the power supply to the source unit 20 or by transmitting a control signal. Hereafter, the term "power supply to the source unit 20" is used to mean controlling the operation of the source unit 20.

[0049] The temperature sensing circuit 250 may include at least one temperature sensor from among thermocouples, RTDs (Resistance Temperature Detectors), thermistors, semiconductor temperature sensors, and optical temperature sensors. For example, the temperature sensing circuit 250 may be implemented by a chip-type sensor (e.g., an NTC (Negative Temperature Coefficient) sensor) to minimize the area it occupies, but is not necessarily limited to this.

[0050] On the other hand, the aerosol generator 1 may further include other components in addition to those shown in Figure 1. For example, the aerosol generator 1 may further include a sensor unit, an output unit, an input unit, a communication unit, and a memory. Also, if the aerosol generator 1 is a hybrid type device that uses both aerosol products and a cartridge, the aerosol generator 1 may further include a cartridge heater. The cartridge heater is powered by a power supply 130 and can heat the medium and / or aerosol generating material in the cartridge.

[0051] According to one embodiment, the sensor unit 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 processor 170. For example, the sensor unit 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 may further include a variety of sensors, such as a liquid level sensor for sensing the remaining liquid in the cartridge and a water ingress sensor for sensing water ingress into the aerosol generator 1.

[0052] According to one embodiment, the temperature sensor can sense the temperature of the insertion space or the aerosol product. The temperature sensor can be positioned in contact with or adjacent to the insertion space or the aerosol product to directly measure the temperature of the insertion space or the aerosol product. Alternatively, the temperature sensor may be positioned at a distance from the insertion space or the aerosol product to indirectly measure the temperature of the insertion space or the aerosol product (e.g., non-contact). As an example, the temperature sensor may include an optical temperature sensor (e.g., an infrared temperature sensor).

[0053] According to one embodiment, the temperature sensor can sense the temperature of the power supply 130. The temperature sensor may be positioned adjacent to the power supply 130. For example, the temperature sensor may be attached to one side of the power supply 130 (e.g., a battery) and / or mounted on one side of a printed circuit board. As an example, the aerosol generator 1 includes a power protection circuit module (PCM), and the temperature sensor may be positioned adjacent to the power supply 130 together with the power protection circuit.

[0054] According to one embodiment, the temperature sensor may be placed inside the housing (not shown) of the aerosol generator 1 and may sense the temperature inside the housing (not shown).

[0055] According to one embodiment, the puff sensor can detect the user's puff.

[0056] As an example, the puff sensor may include a pressure sensor. The pressure sensor outputs a signal corresponding to the internal pressure of the aerosol generator 1, and the processor 170 can detect the user's puff based on 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.

[0057] As another example, a puff sensor may include a temperature sensor. When a user puff occurs, a temporary temperature drop occurs in the airflow path, insertion space, aerosol product, etc. The processor 170 can detect the user puff based on a signal corresponding to the temperature of the airflow path, etc., output from the temperature sensor.

[0058] As yet another example, the puff sensor may include both a pressure sensor and a temperature sensor. In this case, the temperature sensor can measure a temperature used to calibrate the internal pressure measured by the pressure sensor. For example, the puff sensor can calibrate a 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 processor 170 can receive the signals and calibrate the signal corresponding to the internal pressure based on the signal corresponding to the temperature.

[0059] As yet another example, the puff sensor may include a capacitance sensor. In this invention, the capacitance sensor is also referred to as a capacitive sensor. When a user puff occurs, a temperature change and / or aerosol flow occurs within the insertion space, which can change the dielectric constant inside the insertion space. The processor 170 can detect the user puff based on a signal corresponding to the dielectric constant inside the insertion space output from the capacitance sensor.

[0060] 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.

[0061] According to one embodiment, the insertion sensing sensor can detect the insertion and / or removal of an aerosol product. The insertion sensing sensor may be installed around the insertion space.

[0062] As an example, the insertion sensing sensor may include a capacitance sensor. The capacitance sensor includes at least one conductor, which may be positioned adjacent to the insertion space. When aerosol products are inserted into / removed from the insertion space, the dielectric constant around the conductor changes. The processor 170 can detect the insertion and / or removal of aerosol products based on a signal output from the capacitance sensor that corresponds to the dielectric constant inside the insertion space.

[0063] As another example, the insertion sensing sensor may include an inductive sensor. The inductive sensor includes at least one coil, which may be positioned adjacent to the insertion space. If the aerosol product (e.g., the wrapper of the aerosol product) includes a conductor, a change in the magnetic field may occur around the coil through which the current flows when the aerosol product is inserted into / out of the insertion space. The processor 170 can sense the insertion and / or removal of the aerosol product containing a conductor based on the characteristics of the current (e.g., frequency, current value, voltage value, inductance value, impedance value, etc.) output from or sensed by the inductive sensor. Alternatively, the aerosol product (e.g., the medium portion of the aerosol product) may include a susceptor (e.g., SUS). In this case as well, a change in the magnetic field occurs around the coil based on the insertion or removal of a susceptor or the like in the insertion space, and the processor 170 may sense the insertion and / or removal of the aerosol product based on the current characteristics of the inductive sensor.

[0064] 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. The insertion sensing sensor may also include any combination of the examples given above. According to one embodiment, the insertion sensing sensor may include a switch for sensing the intrusion by the aerosol product.

[0065] According to one embodiment, the reuse-sensing sensor can sense whether or not an aerosol product is to be reused. As an example, the reuse-sensing sensor is a color sensor for sensing the hue of the aerosol product. When the aerosol product is used by a user, the generated aerosol or heating causes a change in the hue of a portion of the flank 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 flank based on the light reflected from the flank. If a change in the hue of a portion of the flank is detected, the processor 170 can determine that the aerosol product inserted into the insertion space has already been used.

[0066] According to one embodiment, the over-humidity sensing sensor can sense whether or not 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 processor 170 can detect whether or not the aerosol product is in an over-humid state based on the level of a signal corresponding to the dielectric constant output from the capacitance sensor. As an example, the processor 170 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.

[0067] According to one embodiment, the cigarette identification sensor can sense whether or not the aerosol product is genuine, and / or the type of aerosol product.

[0068] As an example, a cigarette identification sensor may include an optical sensor for sensing an identification substance (or identification tag) located on the outer surface (e.g., the flaps) of an aerosol product. The optical sensor can irradiate light onto the identification substance (or identification tag) of the aerosol product and, based on the reflected light, can sense whether the aerosol product is genuine and / or of its type. For example, the identification substance may include a substance that emits light of a specific wavelength range based on the irradiated light. The processor 170 can detect whether the aerosol product is genuine and / or of its type based on the wavelength range.

[0069] As another example, a cigarette identification sensor may include a capacitance sensor. Depending on the type of aerosol product inserted into the insertion space, the dielectric constants inside the insertion space may differ from one another. The processor 170 can detect whether the aerosol product is genuine and / or of the type based on a signal corresponding to the dielectric constant inside the insertion space output from the capacitance sensor.

[0070] As yet another example, a cigarette lighter identification sensor may include an inductive sensor. If the hood 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 from one another, depending on the type of aerosol product inserted into the insertion space. The processor 170 can detect whether the inserted aerosol product is genuine and / or of the type based on the characteristics of the current output from or sensed by the inductive sensor.

[0071] The cigarette identification sensor is not limited to the examples given above and can be embodied by a variety of sensors for sensing whether an aerosol product is genuine and / or for sensing the type of aerosol product. Furthermore, the cigarette identification sensor may include any combination of the examples given above.

[0072] 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 capacitance sensor, a resistance sensor, a Hall sensor (Hall IC), and / or an optical sensor.

[0073] 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 capacitance 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 attaches to / removes the cap from the housing, it outputs a signal corresponding to the attachment or removal, and the processor 170 can sense the attachment or removal of the cap based on the signal corresponding to the attachment or removal.

[0074] According to one embodiment, the motion sensing sensor can sense the movement of the aerosol generator 1. The motion sensing sensor can be embodied by at least one of an acceleration sensor or a gyro sensor.

[0075] According to one embodiment, the sensor unit may further include at least one of the following sensors in addition to the aforementioned sensors: a humidity sensor, a pressure sensor, a magnetic sensor, a Global Positioning System (GPS) sensor, or a proximity sensor. The function of each sensor can be intuitively inferred by an ordinary engineer from its name, so a detailed explanation may be omitted.

[0076] According to one embodiment, the output unit can output information about the status of the aerosol generator 1. The output unit includes, 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 charging / discharging status of the power supply 130 of the aerosol generator 1, the operating status of the source unit 20 or the radiation unit 30, 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 may also be used as an input unit. 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.

[0077] According to one embodiment, the input unit can receive information entered by the user. For example, the input unit may include a touch panel, buttons, a keypad, a dome switch, a jog wheel, a jog switch, and the like.

[0078] According to one embodiment, the memory is hardware that stores various data processed within the aerosol generator 1, and can store data processed by the processor 170 and data being processed. For example, the memory may 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 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.

[0079] According to one embodiment, the communication unit may include at least one component for communication with other electronic devices (e.g., portable electronic devices). For example, the communication unit 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.

[0080] According to one embodiment, the processor 170 can control the temperature of the insertion space or aerosol product by controlling the amplification factor of the source unit 20 (e.g., power amplifier 230). The processor 170 can control the amplification factor of the source unit 20 (e.g., power amplifier 230) based on the temperature of the insertion space or aerosol product sensed using a temperature sensor. The processor 170 can control the amplification factor of the source unit 20 (e.g., power amplifier 230) based on a temperature profile and / or power profile stored in memory.

[0081] Furthermore, the processor 170 can heat the aerosol product using a resistance heating method instead of a dielectric heating method by controlling the supply of power from the power supply 130 to the heater (or "aerosol product"). For example, the processor 170 can heat the aerosol product using a resistance heating method by supplying power only to the heater without supplying power to the source unit 20 through the power supply 130.

[0082] Furthermore, the processor 170 can control the temperature of the cartridge heater by controlling the power supplied to the cartridge heater from the power supply 130. The processor 170 can control the temperature of the cartridge heater and / or the power supplied to the cartridge heater based on the temperature of the cartridge heater sensed using a temperature sensor. The processor 170 can control the temperature of the cartridge heater and / or the power supplied to the cartridge heater based on a temperature profile and / or power profile stored in memory.

[0083] According to one embodiment, the processor 170 can prevent the insertion space, aerosol product, and / or cartridge heater from overheating. For example, the processor 170 can control the operation of the power conversion circuit to reduce the amount of power supplied to the source unit 20 or cartridge heater, or to interrupt the power supply to the source unit 20 or cartridge heater, based on the temperature of the insertion space, aerosol product, and / or cartridge heater exceeding a pre-set limit temperature.

[0084] According to one embodiment, the processor 170 can control the power supply to the source unit 20 or the cartridge heater based on the results sensed by the sensor unit.

[0085] According to one embodiment, the processor 170 can control the power supply to the source unit 20 or the cartridge heater based on the insertion and / or removal of aerosol products into and from the insertion space. For example, the processor 170 can use an insertion sensing sensor to control the power supply to the source unit 20 or the cartridge heater if it determines that aerosol products have been inserted into the insertion space. The processor 170 can use an insertion sensing sensor to cut off the power supply to the source unit 20 or the cartridge heater if it determines that aerosol products have been removed from the insertion space. The processor 170 may also determine that aerosol products have been removed from the insertion space if the temperature of the insertion space or the aerosol products is above a limiting temperature, or if the temperature change gradient of the insertion space or the aerosol products is above a set gradient.

[0086] According to one embodiment, the processor 170 can control the power supply time and / or power supply amount to the source unit 20 or cartridge heater based on the state of the aerosol product. For example, if the processor 170 determines, using an over-humidity sensing sensor, that the aerosol product is in an over-humidity state, it can increase the power supply time (e.g., preheating time) to the source unit 20 or cartridge heater.

[0087] According to one embodiment, the processor 170 can control the power supply to the source unit 20 or the cartridge heater based on whether or not the aerosol product is to be reused. For example, if the processor 170 determines that the aerosol product has been used, it can cut off the power supply to the source unit 20 or the cartridge heater.

[0088] According to one embodiment, the processor 170 can control the power supply to the source unit 20 or the cartridge heater based on whether or not the cartridge is connected and / or removed. For example, if the processor 170 determines, using a cartridge sensing sensor, that the cartridge is separated, it can interrupt the power supply to the source unit 20 or the cartridge heater, or control the power supply so that it does not reach the source unit 20 or the cartridge heater.

[0089] According to one embodiment, the processor 170 can control the power supply to the source unit 20 or the cartridge heater based on whether or not the aerosol-generating material in the cartridge has been consumed. For example, the processor 170 can determine that the aerosol-generating material in the cartridge has been consumed if it determines that the temperature of the cartridge heater exceeds a limiting temperature during preheating (i.e., in the preheating section). If it determines that the aerosol-generating material in the cartridge has been consumed, the processor 170 can cut off the power supply to the source unit 20 or the cartridge heater.

[0090] According to one embodiment, the processor 170 can control the power supply to the source unit 20 or the cartridge heater based on whether the cartridge is usable or not. For example, the processor 170 can determine that the cartridge is unusable if, based on data stored in memory, the current number of puffs is equal to or greater than the maximum number of puffs set for the cartridge. Alternatively, the processor 170 can determine that the cartridge is unusable if the total time the cartridge heater has been heated is equal to or greater than a previously set maximum time, or if the total amount of power supplied to the cartridge heater is equal to or greater than a previously set maximum amount of power. In this case, the processor 170 can interrupt the power supply to the source unit 20 or the cartridge heater, or control the power supply so that it is not supplied to the source unit 20 or the cartridge heater.

[0091] According to one embodiment, the processor 170 can control the power supply to the source unit 20 or the cartridge heater based on the user's puffs. For example, the processor 170 can use a puff sensor to determine whether a puff has occurred and / or the intensity of the puff. The processor 170 can cut off the power supply to the source unit 20 or the cartridge heater if the number of puffs reaches a predetermined maximum number of puffs and / or if no puffs are detected for a predetermined time or longer. The processor 170 may also control the power supply to the source unit 20 or the cartridge heater when a puff is detected.

[0092] According to one embodiment, the processor 170 can control the power supply to the source unit 20 or the cartridge heater based on whether the aerosol product (or cartridge) is genuine and / or of the type. For example, the processor 170 can use a cigarette identification sensor to detect whether the aerosol product is genuine and / or of the type. As an example, if the processor 170 detects that the aerosol product (or cartridge) is counterfeit, it can cut off the power supply to the source unit 20 or the cartridge heater. If the processor 170 detects that the aerosol product (or cartridge) is genuine, it can control (e.g., start) the power supply to the source unit 20 or the cartridge heater. As another example, the processor 170 can control the power supply to the source unit 20 or the cartridge heater differently depending on the type of aerosol product (or cartridge). More specifically, the processor 170 can control the amplification factor of the source unit 20 or the temperature and / or power of the cartridge heater based on a first temperature profile (or first power profile) if the aerosol product (or cartridge) is detected as a first aerosol product (or first cartridge), and can control the amplification factor of the source unit 20 or the temperature and / or power of the cartridge heater based on a second temperature profile (or second power profile) if the aerosol product (or second cartridge) is detected as a second aerosol product (or second cartridge).

[0093] According to one embodiment, the processor 170 can control the output unit based on the results sensed by the sensor unit. For example, the processor 170 can control the output unit to provide visual, tactile, and / or auditory information that the aerosol generator 1 will immediately terminate when the number of puffs counted using the puff sensor reaches a predetermined number. For example, the processor 170 can also control the output unit to provide visual, tactile, and / or auditory information regarding the temperature of the insertion space, the aerosol product, or the cartridge heater.

[0094] According to one embodiment, the processor 170 can store and update a history of events in memory 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 the puffing, detecting overheating, sensing the application of an overvoltage to the cartridge heater, ending the heating of the aerosol product, turning the power of the aerosol generator 1 on / off, starting the charging of the power supply 130, detecting overcharging of the power supply 130, and ending the charging of the power supply 130. 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 the predetermined event is the sensing of insertion of an aerosol product, the log data corresponding to the event may include data on the sensing value of the insertion sensing sensor, etc. For example, if the predetermined event is the detection of overheating of the cartridge heater, the log data corresponding to the event may include data on the temperature of the cartridge heater, the voltage applied to the cartridge heater, the current flowing through the cartridge heater, etc.

[0095] According to one embodiment, the processor 170 can control the communication unit to form a communication link with an external device such as a user's mobile terminal.

[0096] According to one embodiment, if the processor 170 receives authentication data from an external device via a communication link, it can remove 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 or not the user's authentication has been completed.

[0097] According to one embodiment, the processor 170 can transmit data regarding the state of the aerosol generator 1 (e.g., remaining power supply 130, operating mode, etc.) to an external device via a communication link. The transmitted data can be output through a display or the like on the external device.

[0098] According to one embodiment, when the processor 170 receives a request from an external device to locate the aerosol generator 1 via a communication link, it can control the output unit to perform an operation corresponding to the location search. For example, the processor 170 can control the haptic unit to generate vibrations, or control the display to output an object corresponding to the location search and the completion of the search.

[0099] According to one embodiment, the processor 170 performs a firmware update when it receives firmware data from an external device via a communication link.

[0100] According to one embodiment, the processor 170 transmits data for sensing values ​​from at least one sensor unit to an external server (not shown) via a communication link, learns the sensing values ​​from the server through machine learning such as deep learning, and receives and stores the generated learning model. The processor 170 uses the learning model received from the server to perform operations such as determining the user's inhalation pattern and generating a temperature profile.

[0101] Although not shown in Figure 1, the aerosol generator 1 may further include a power protection circuit. The power protection circuit includes at least one switching element that can interrupt the circuit to the power supply 130 in response to overcharging and / or over-discharging of the power supply 130.

[0102] The aerosol product referred to in the present invention may include at least one aerosol generating rod (e.g., a medium) and at least one filter rod. The radiating section 30 is arranged to correspond to at least one aerosol generating rod and may be designed differently from each other in terms of 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 a flavoring agent and / or an organic acid, 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 include a solid tobacco substance (e.g., tobacco leaves, reconstituted tobacco, etc.). Tobacco material is contained in the aerosol generating rod in various forms, such as cut tobacco, 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 in the tobacco material 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 includes two or more aerosol generating rods, and these two or more aerosol generating rods may each contain tobacco material and / or non-tobacco material. On the other hand, although not shown, at least one aerosol generating rod and at least one filter rod are each and / or collectively wrapped by at least one wrapper. In the present invention, the aerosol product may be referred to as a stick.

[0103] The cartridge referred to in this invention may contain an aerosol-generating substance having one of the following states: liquid, solid, gas, 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 that impregnates (contains) 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 is included in the cartridge in the form of a coil-shaped structure that surrounds (or winds) the liquid delivery means or a structure that contacts one side of the liquid delivery means. Alternatively, the cartridge heater may be included in an aerosol-generating device 1 that is detachable from the cartridge.

[0104] The following describes an embodiment in which a non-heated object is heated by forming microwaves within a resonant structure through a coupler, rather than by using an antenna-shaped radiating section 30 to radiate microwaves.

[0105] Figure 2 is a block diagram of a heater assembly (dielectric heating section 2000) according to one embodiment and an aerosol generating apparatus including the same.

[0106] Referring to Figure 2, the aerosol generator 1 may include an input unit 1020, an output unit 1030, a sensor unit 1040, a communication unit 1050, a memory unit 1060, a battery 1070, an interface unit 1080, a power conversion unit 1090, and a dielectric heating unit 2000. However, the internal configuration of the aerosol generator 1 is not limited to that shown in Figure 2. Depending on the design of the aerosol generator 1, some of the configurations shown in Figure 2 may be omitted, or new configurations may be added.

[0107] The input unit 1020 can receive user input. For example, the input unit 1020 may be provided as a single pressurized push button. Another example is that the input unit 1020 is a touch panel including at least one touch sensor. The input unit 1020 can transmit input signals to the processor 1010. The processor 1010 can supply power to the dielectric heating unit 2000 or control the output unit 1030 to output user notifications based on the user input.

[0108] The output unit 1030 can output information relating to the status of the aerosol generator 1. The output unit 1030 can output the charge / discharge status of the battery 1070, the heating status of the dielectric heating unit 2000, the insertion status of the aerosol product, and error information of the aerosol generator 1. For this purpose, the output unit 1030 may include a display, a haptic motor, and an acoustic output unit.

[0109] The sensor unit 1040 can sense the state of the aerosol generator 1 or the surrounding environment of the aerosol generator 1 and transmit the sensed information to the processor 1010. Based on the sensed information, the processor 1010 can control the aerosol generator 1 to perform various functions such as heating control of the dielectric heating unit 2000, smoking restrictions, determination of whether or not aerosol products are inserted, and notification display.

[0110] The sensor unit 1040 may include a temperature sensor, a puff sensor, and an insertion sensing sensor.

[0111] The temperature sensor can either sense the internal temperature of the dielectric heating unit 2000 in a non-contact manner, or it can contact the dielectric heating unit 2000 to directly obtain the temperature of the resonator. Depending on the embodiment, the temperature sensor can also sense the temperature of the aerosol product. Furthermore, the temperature sensor can be positioned adjacent to the battery 1070 to obtain the temperature of the battery 1070. The processor 1010 can control the power supplied to the dielectric heating unit 2000 based on the temperature information from the temperature sensor.

[0112] The puff sensor can detect a user's puff. The puff sensor can detect a user's puff based on at least one of the following: temperature change, flow rate change, power change, and pressure change. The processor 1010 can control the power supplied to the dielectric heating unit 2000 based on the puff information from the puff sensor. For example, the processor 1010 can count the number of puffs and cut off the power supplied to the dielectric heating unit 2000 when the number of puffs reaches a pre-set maximum number of puffs. As another example, the processor 1010 can cut off the power supplied to the dielectric heating unit 2000 if no puff is detected for a pre-set time or longer.

[0113] The insertion sensing sensor is positioned inside or adjacent to the insertion space and can sense the insertion and removal of aerosol products contained through the insertion port. For example, the insertion sensing sensor may include an inductive sensor and / or a capacitance sensor. The processor 1010 can supply power to the dielectric heating unit 2000 when an aerosol product is inserted into the insertion port.

[0114] Depending on the embodiment, the sensor unit 1040 may further include a reuse detection sensor, a motion detection sensor, a humidity sensor, a pressure sensor, a magnetic sensor, a cover removal / attachment detection sensor, a position sensor (GPS), and a proximity sensor. The function of each sensor can be intuitively inferred from its name, so a detailed explanation is omitted.

[0115] The communication unit 1050 may include at least one communication module for communication with an external electronic device. The processor 1010 can control the communication unit 1050 and transmit information related to the aerosol generator 1 to the external electronic device. Alternatively, the processor 1010 can receive information from the external electronic device through the communication unit 1050 and control the configuration included in the aerosol generator 1. For example, the information transmitted between the communication unit 1050 and the external electronic device may include user authentication information, firmware update information, and user smoking pattern information.

[0116] Memory 1060 is hardware that stores various data processed within the aerosol generator 1, and can store data processed by the processor 1010 and data being processed. For example, memory 1060 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.

[0117] The battery 1070 can supply power to the dielectric heating unit 2000 so that the aerosol product is heated. The battery 1070 can also supply power necessary for the operation of other components within the aerosol generator 1. The battery 1070 is either a rechargeable battery or a detachable battery.

[0118] The interface unit 1080 may include a connection terminal that is physically connected to an external electronic device. The connection terminal may include at least one of the following, or a combination thereof: an HDMI® connector, a USB connector, an SD card connector, or an audio connector (e.g., a headphone connector). The interface unit 1080 can send and receive information with the external electronic device or charge power through the connection terminal.

[0119] The power conversion unit 1090 can convert the DC power supplied from the battery 1070 into AC power. The power conversion unit 1090 can also supply the converted AC power to the dielectric heating unit 2000. The power conversion unit 1090 is an inverter including at least one switching element, and the processor 1010 controls the ON / OFF state of the switching element included in the power conversion unit 1090 to convert the DC power to AC power. The power conversion unit 1090 may be configured as a full-bridge or a half-bridge.

[0120] The dielectric heating unit 2000 can heat the aerosol product using a dielectric heating method. The dielectric heating unit 2000 has a configuration that corresponds to the heater assembly 2000 described later.

[0121] The dielectric heating unit 2000 can heat the aerosol product using microwaves and / or a microwave electric field (hereinafter referred to as microwaves or microwave power unless otherwise specified).

[0122] As mentioned above, the heating method of the dielectric heating section 2000 is not a method that uses an antenna to radiate microwaves, but rather a method that heats the non-heated object by forming microwaves within a resonant structure.

[0123] The dielectric heating unit 2000 can output high-frequency microwaves to the resonant unit 2200. The microwaves are within the ISM (Industrial Scientific and Medical Equipment) power band permitted for heating, but are not limited thereto. The resonant unit 2200 may be designed considering the wavelength of the microwaves so that they resonate within the resonant unit 2200.

[0124] The aerosol product is inserted into the resonant section 2200, and the dielectric material within the aerosol product may be heated by the resonant section 2200. For example, the aerosol product may contain a polar material, and the molecules within the polar material may be polarized inside the resonant section 2200. The molecules vibrate or rotate due to the polarization phenomenon, and the aerosol product may be heated by frictional heat generated in this process. A more detailed explanation of the dielectric heating section 2000 will be given later.

[0125] The processor 1010 can control the overall operation of the aerosol generator 1. The processor 1010 may be implemented by an array of numerous logic gates, or by a combination of a general-purpose microprocessor and memory in which a program executed by this microprocessor is stored. It may also be implemented by other forms of hardware.

[0126] The processor 1010 can control the DC power supplied from the battery 1070 to the power conversion unit 1090 and / or the AC power supplied from the power conversion unit 1090 to the dielectric heating unit 2000 based on the power requirements of the dielectric heating unit 2000. In one embodiment, the aerosol generator 1 includes a converter that boosts or buckes the DC power, and the processor 1010 can control the converter and adjust the magnitude of the DC power. The processor 1010 can also control the AC power supplied to the dielectric heating unit 2000 by adjusting the switching frequency and duty cycle of the switching elements included in the power conversion unit 1090.

[0127] The processor 1010 can control the heating temperature of the aerosol product by controlling the microwave power of the dielectric heating unit 2000 and the resonant frequency of the dielectric heating unit 2000. Therefore, the oscillation unit 2100, isolation unit 2400, power monitoring unit 2500, and matching unit 2600, which will be described later, are also part of the processor 1010.

[0128] The processor 1010 can control the microwave power of the dielectric heating unit 2000 based on temperature profile information stored in the memory 1060. In other words, the temperature profile includes information relating to the target temperature of the dielectric heating unit 2000 over time, and the processor 1010 can control the microwave power of the dielectric heating unit 2000 over time.

[0129] The processor 1010 can adjust the microwave frequency so that the resonant frequency of the dielectric heating unit 2000 remains constant. The processor 1010 can track the change in the resonant frequency of the dielectric heating unit 2000 due to heating of the non-heated body in real time and control the dielectric heating unit 2000 so that a microwave frequency corresponding to the changed resonant frequency is output. In other words, the processor 1010 can change the microwave frequency in real time regardless of pre-stored temperature profiles.

[0130] Referring to Figure 2, the dielectric heating unit 2000 may include an oscillation unit 2100, an isolation unit 2400, a power monitoring unit 2500, a matching unit 2600, a microwave output unit 2300, and a resonant unit 2200. However, the internal configuration of the dielectric heating unit 2000 is not limited to that shown in Figure 2. Depending on the design of the dielectric heating unit 2000, some of the configurations shown in Figure 2 may be omitted, or new configurations may be added.

[0131] The oscillator 2100 has the same configuration as the source unit described in Figure 1 (for example, source unit 20 in Figure 1). The oscillator 2100 can generate high-frequency microwave power by receiving AC power from the power conversion unit 1090. In this embodiment, the power conversion unit 1090 is included in the oscillator 2100. The microwave power can be selected from the 915 MHz, 2.45 GHz, and 5.8 GHz frequency bands included in the ISM band.

[0132] The oscillator 2100 includes a solid-state RF generator, which can be used to generate microwave power. The solid-state RF generator can be implemented using semiconductors. When the oscillator 2100 is implemented using semiconductors, the dielectric heating unit 2000 can be miniaturized, which has the advantage of increasing the lifespan of the equipment.

[0133] The oscillator 2100 can output microwave power toward the resonant section 2200. The oscillator 2100 includes a power amplifier that increases or decreases the microwave power, and the power amplifier can adjust the magnitude of the microwave power under the control of the processor 1010. For example, the power amplifier can decrease or increase the amplitude of the microwaves. By adjusting the amplitude of the microwaves, the microwave power can be adjusted.

[0134] The processor 1010 can adjust the magnitude of the microwave power output from the oscillator 2100 based on a pre-stored temperature profile. For example, the temperature profile includes target temperature information for the preheating section and the smoking section, and the oscillator 2100 can supply microwave power to the first power from the preheating section and microwave power to the second power, which is smaller than the first power, from the smoking section.

[0135] The isolation unit 2400 can block the microwave power input from the resonant unit 2200 toward the oscillator unit 2100. Most of the microwave power output from the oscillator unit 2100 is absorbed by the unheated body, but depending on the heating state of the unheated body, some of the microwave power may be reflected by the unheated body and transmitted again toward the oscillator unit 2100. This is because the impedance seen from the oscillator unit 2100 toward the resonant unit 2200 changes due to the consumption of polar molecules due to the heating of the unheated body. The meaning of "the impedance seen from the oscillator unit 2100 toward the resonant unit 2200 changes" is the same as meaning "the resonant frequency of the resonant unit 2200 changes". If microwave power reflected from the resonant unit 2200 is input to the oscillator unit 2100, not only will the oscillator unit 2100 fail, but it will also be unable to achieve the desired output performance. The isolation unit 2400 can guide the microwave power reflected from the resonant unit 2200 in a predetermined direction without returning it to the oscillator unit 2100 and absorb it. For this purpose, the isolation section 2400 may include a circulator and a dummy load.

[0136] The power monitoring unit 2500 can monitor the microwave power output from the oscillation unit 2100 and the reflected microwave power reflected from the resonance unit 2200. The power monitoring unit 2500 can transmit information related to the microwave power and reflected microwave power to the matching unit 2600.

[0137] The impedance matching unit 2600 can match the impedance seen from the oscillator unit 2100 to the resonant unit 2200 with the impedance seen from the resonant unit 2200 to the oscillator unit 2100, so as to minimize reflected microwave power. Impedance matching is equivalent to matching the frequency of the oscillator unit 2100 with the resonant frequency of the resonant unit 2200. Therefore, the impedance matching unit 2600 can vary the frequency of the oscillator unit 2100 in order to match the impedances. In other words, the impedance matching unit 2600 can adjust the frequency of the microwave power output from the oscillator unit 2100 so as to minimize reflected microwave power. Impedance matching by the impedance matching unit 2600 is performed in real time, regardless of the temperature profile.

[0138] On the other hand, the oscillation unit 2100, isolation unit 2400, power monitoring unit 2500, and matching unit 2600 described above are separate configurations distinct from the microwave output unit 2300 and resonant unit 2200 described later, and can be implemented by a chip-shaped microwave source. Furthermore, depending on the embodiment, the oscillation unit 2100, isolation unit 2400, power monitoring unit 2500, and matching unit 2600 described above can also be implemented by a part of the processor 1010.

[0139] The microwave output unit 2300 is configured to input microwave power to the resonant unit 2200 and is described as a "coupler". The microwave output unit 2300 can be implemented in the form of an SMA, SMB, MCX, or MMCX connector. For example, the microwave output unit 2300 can connect a chip-shaped microwave source and the resonant unit 2200 to each other and transmit microwave power generated by the microwave source to the resonant unit 2200.

[0140] The resonant section 2200 can heat a non-heated object by generating microwaves within its resonant structure. The resonant section 2200 includes an insertion space in which an aerosol product is contained, and the aerosol product can be exposed to microwaves and dielectrically heated. For example, the aerosol product may contain a polar substance, and the molecules within the polar substance may be polarized by microwaves inside the resonant section 2200. The molecules vibrate or rotate due to the polarization phenomenon, and the aerosol product may be heated by frictional heat generated in this process.

[0141] The resonant section 2200 includes at least one internal conductor so that microwaves resonate, and the arrangement, thickness, and length of the internal conductors may cause microwaves to resonate inside the resonant section 2200.

[0142] The resonant section 2200 can be designed considering the wavelength of the microwave so that the microwave resonates inside the resonant section 2200. For the microwave to resonate inside the resonant section 2200, there must be a closed end (short end) with a closed cross-section and an open end (open end) with at least one region of the cross-section open in the opposite direction from the closed end. Furthermore, the length between the closed end and the open end must be set to an integer multiple of 1 / 4 of the microwave wavelength. In order to miniaturize the device, the resonant section 2200 of this invention selects a length of 1 / 4 of the microwave wavelength. In other words, the length between the closed end and the open end of the resonant section 2200 can be set to a length of 1 / 4 of the microwave wavelength.

[0143] The resonant portion 2200 may include a dielectric housing space. The dielectric housing space is configured to be separate from the aerosol product insertion space, and contains a material that changes the overall resonant frequency of the resonant portion 2200 and miniaturizes the resonant portion 2200. In one embodiment, the dielectric housing space may house a dielectric with low microwave absorptivity. This is to prevent the phenomenon in which energy that should be transferred to the non-heated body is transferred to the dielectric, causing the dielectric itself to heat up. Microwave absorptivity can be expressed as loss tangent, which is the ratio of the imaginary part to the real part of the complex dielectric constant. In one embodiment, the dielectric housing space houses a dielectric having a loss tangent of a predetermined size or less, where the predetermined size is 1 / 100. For example, the dielectric is at least one of quartz, tetrafluoroethylene, and aluminum oxide, or a combination thereof, but is not limited to these.

[0144] Figure 3 is a perspective view of an aerosol generating apparatus 1 according to one embodiment.

[0145] Referring to Figure 3, an aerosol generating apparatus 1 according to one embodiment may include a housing 1100 for containing the aerosol product 2 and a heater assembly 2000 for heating the aerosol product 2 contained in the housing 1100.

[0146] The housing 1100 forms the overall appearance of the aerosol generator 1, and components of the aerosol generator 1 may be arranged in the internal space (or "packaging space") of the housing 1100. For example, the internal space of the housing 1100 may contain a heater assembly 2000, a battery, a processor, and / or sensors, but the components arranged in the internal space are not limited to these.

[0147] An inlet 1100h is formed in one region of the housing 1100, and at least one region of the aerosol product 2 can be inserted into the housing 1100 through the inlet 1100h. For example, the inlet 1100h is formed in one region of the upper end surface of the housing 1100 (e.g., the surface facing the z direction), but the location where the inlet 1100h is generated is not limited to this. In other embodiments, the inlet 1100h may be formed in one region of the side surface of the housing 1100 (e.g., the surface facing the x direction).

[0148] The heater assembly 2000 is positioned in the internal space of the housing 1100 and can heat the aerosol product 2 inserted or housed inside the housing 1100 through the insertion opening 1100h. The heater assembly 2000 may include an insertion space for housing the aerosol product 2. Once the aerosol product 2 inserted or housed inside the housing 1100 is housed in the insertion space of the heater assembly 2000, the heater assembly 2000 is positioned to surround at least one area of ​​the aerosol product 2 and can heat the aerosol product 2.

[0149] According to one embodiment, the heater assembly 2000 can heat the aerosol product 2 by dielectric heating. In the present invention, "dielectric heating" means a method of heating a dielectric, which is a non-heated material, by utilizing the resonance of microwaves and / or the electric field (or magnetic field) of microwaves (hereinafter, when distinction is not necessary, referred to as microwaves or microwave power). Microwaves are an energy source for heating non-heated materials and are generated by high-frequency power; therefore, microwaves may be used interchangeably with microwave power below. In short, the heater assembly 2000 is configured to heat the aerosol product 2 contained in the insertion space via microwaves.

[0150] Inside the heater assembly 2000, microwave resonance causes the charges or ions of the dielectric material contained within the aerosol product 2 to vibrate or rotate, and the frictional heat generated during the process of the vibrating or rotating charges or ions causes heat to be generated from the dielectric material, thereby heating the aerosol product 2.

[0151] Aerosols can be generated from the aerosol product 2 by heating it with the heater assembly 2000. In this invention, "aerosol" means gaseous particles produced by mixing vapor and air generated when the aerosol product 2 is heated.

[0152] The aerosol generated from the aerosol product 2 can pass through the aerosol product 2 or be discharged to the outside of the aerosol generator 1 through the empty space between the aerosol product 2 and the inlet 1100h. The user can smoke by bringing their mouth into contact with a portion of the aerosol product 2 exposed to the outside of the housing 1100 and inhaling the aerosol discharged to the outside of the aerosol generator 1.

[0153] An aerosol generator 1 according to one embodiment may further include a cover 1110 movably disposed in a housing 1100 for opening or closing an inlet 1100h. For example, the cover 1110 may be slidably coupled to the upper end surface of the housing 1100 and either expose the inlet 1100h to the outside of the aerosol generator 1, or cover the inlet 1100h so that it is not exposed to the outside of the aerosol generator 1.

[0154] For example, the cover 1110 can expose the inlet 1100h to the outside of the aerosol generator 1 from a first position (or "open position"). When the inlet 1100h is exposed to the outside, the aerosol product 2 can be inserted into the housing 1100 through the inlet 1100h.

[0155] As another example, the cover 1110 covers the inlet 1100h from the second position (or "closed position"), thereby preventing the inlet 1100h from being exposed to the outside of the aerosol generator 1. In this case, when the aerosol generator 1 is not in use, the cover 1110 can prevent foreign matter from the outside from flowing into the heater assembly 2000 through the inlet 1100h.

[0156] Figure 3 shows only an aerosol generating apparatus 1 for heating a solid aerosol product 2, but the aerosol generating apparatus 1 is not limited to the illustrated embodiment.

[0157] In other embodiments, the aerosol generating apparatus may generate an aerosol by heating a liquid or gel-like aerosol generating substance, other than the solid aerosol product 2, through the heater assembly 2000.

[0158] Furthermore, an aerosol generating apparatus according to another embodiment may include a heater assembly 2000 for heating the aerosol product 2 and a liquid or gel-like aerosol generating material, and may also include a cartridge (or "vaporizer") for heating the aerosol generating material. The aerosol generated from the aerosol generating material moves to the aerosol product 2 along an airflow passage connecting the cartridge and the aerosol product 2, mixes with the aerosol generated from the aerosol product 2, and can then be transmitted to the user through the aerosol product 2.

[0159] Figure 4 is a perspective view of a heater assembly 2000 according to one embodiment.

[0160] Referring to Figure 4, the heater assembly 2000 according to one embodiment may include an oscillation unit 2100 and a resonance unit 2200. Figure 4 shows one embodiment of the heater assembly 2000 and dielectric heating unit 2000 described above, and repeated explanations will be omitted below.

[0161] The oscillator 2100 can generate microwaves in a predetermined frequency band when power is supplied to it. The microwaves generated by the oscillator 2100 can be transmitted to the resonant unit 2200 through a microwave output unit (not shown) connected to the oscillator 2100. The microwave output unit can be coupled to the resonant unit 2200 through a bracket 2700.

[0162] The resonant section 2200 includes an insertion space 2200h for accommodating at least one region of the aerosol product 2, and the aerosol product 2 can be heated by a dielectric heating method by resonating the microwaves generated by the oscillator 2100. For example, the microwave resonance causes the charge of the glycerin contained in the aerosol product 2 to vibrate or rotate, and the frictional heat generated during the vibration or rotation of the charge generates heat from the glycerin, thereby heating the aerosol product 2.

[0163] According to one embodiment, the resonant portion 2200 may be formed of a material with a low microwave absorption rate in order to prevent microwaves generated by the oscillator portion 2100 from being absorbed by the resonant portion 2200.

[0164] The specific structure of the resonant section 2200 of the heater assembly 2000 will be described below with reference to Figure 5.

[0165] Figure 5 is a cross-sectional perspective view of the heater assembly 2000 shown in Figure 4.

[0166] Referring to Figure 5, the heater assembly 2000 according to one embodiment may include an oscillator 2100, a resonant 2200, and a microwave output 2300. The components of the heater assembly 2000 are identical or similar to at least one of the components of the heater assembly 2000 in Figure 4, and redundant explanations will be omitted below.

[0167] The oscillator 2100 generates microwaves in a predetermined frequency band when an AC voltage is applied, and the microwaves generated by the oscillator 2100 can be transmitted to the resonant section 2200 through the microwave output section 2300.

[0168] The microwave output unit 2300 is configured to transmit microwaves generated by the oscillator unit 2100 to the resonant unit 2200. In this case, the microwave output unit 2300 can be described as a "coupler". The microwave output unit 2300, which is connected to the oscillator unit 2100, can be coupled to a region of the resonant unit 2200. Therefore, the microwave output unit 2300 can couple the oscillator unit 2100 to the resonant unit 2200.

[0169] In this configuration, the microwave output unit 2300 can be coupled to a region of the resonant unit 2200 by a screw-coupled connection. The screw-coupled connection firmly supports the portion of the microwave output unit 2300 coupled to the resonant unit 2200, preventing it from shaking. This prevents the oscillator unit 2100, which is connected to the microwave output unit 2300, from shaking or separating from the resonant unit 2200 during the operation of the aerosol generator 1.

[0170] Furthermore, the screw allows the microwave output unit 2300 to move relative to the resonant unit 2200 along the screw threads. This allows the manufacturer to adjust the position of the microwave output unit 2300 or the oscillator unit 2100 relative to the resonant unit 2200 by adjusting the screw. The manufacturer can also adjust the degree to which the oscillator unit 2100 is coupled to the resonant unit 2200 by adjusting the screw.

[0171] On the other hand, according to one embodiment, the threading can be adjusted not only during the manufacturing process of the heater assembly 2000, but also during the process of using the heater assembly 2000. Therefore, not only the manufacturer but also the user can adjust the position and degree of coupling of the microwave output unit 2300 or the oscillation unit 2100 by adjusting the threading.

[0172] As shown in the diagram, the thickness of one region of the resonant section 2200 to which the microwave output section 2300 is coupled is relatively thin compared to the length of the microwave output section 2300. In this case, even if the microwave output section 2300 is screwed into one region of the resonant section 2200, the other portion of the microwave output section 2300 exposed to the outside of the resonant section 2200 is relatively larger than the portion of the microwave output section 2300 coupled to the resonant section 2200. Therefore, the microwave output section 2300 is not firmly fixed to the resonant section 2200.

[0173] According to one embodiment, the heater assembly 2000 may further include a bracket 2700 such that the microwave output section 2300 is stably coupled to the resonant section 2200. Other portions of the microwave output section 2300 that are exposed to the outside of the resonant section 2200 may be stably coupled to the resonant section 2200 by being supported by the bracket 2700 that protrudes along the x-axis direction in one region of the resonant section 2200.

[0174] However, the embodiments are not limited to the arrangement of the bracket 2700. In some embodiments, the microwave output unit 2300 can be stably coupled to a region of the resonant unit 2200 without the bracket 2700. In this case, the length of the microwave output unit 2300, or the thickness of the region of the resonant unit 2200 to which the microwave output unit 2300 is coupled, can be designed to be of appropriate dimensions.

[0175] On the other hand, although the drawings only show an embodiment in which the microwave output unit 2300 is fixed in one region of the resonant unit 2200 in the x-direction, the position of the microwave output unit 2300 is not limited to the illustrated embodiment. In other embodiments, the microwave output unit 2300 may be fixed in other regions of the resonant unit 2200 in the -z direction.

[0176] According to one embodiment, the oscillation unit 2100 is connected to the microwave output unit 2300 and coupled to the resonant unit 2200 via the microwave output unit 2300, eliminating the need for the oscillation unit 2100 to be directly coupled to the resonant unit 2200. This can improve the degree of freedom in the shape or form of the oscillation unit 2100.

[0177] On the other hand, as shown in the figures, the oscillator 2100 can be directly connected to the microwave output unit 2300 and coupled to the resonant unit 2200 through the microwave output unit 2300. However, depending on the embodiment, the oscillator 2100 may be electrically connected to the microwave output unit 2300 through a conductor. The oscillator 2100 can be connected to the resonant unit 2200 through the microwave output unit 2300 even if it is not located in a region adjacent to the resonant unit 2200. This can improve the degree of freedom in the placement of the oscillator 2100 inside the aerosol generator 1.

[0178] In this case, although the oscillator 2100 is not physically coupled to the resonant 2200, the oscillator 2100 can be connected to the resonant 2200 and transmit microwaves. Thus, even when the oscillator 2100 is connected to the resonant 2200 in a manner that transmits microwaves, it can be said that the oscillator 2100 is coupled to the resonant 2200.

[0179] In other words, the meaning of the oscillator 2100 being coupled to the resonant 2200 can include not only physically connected units, but also electrically connected units or units connected in a manner that transmits electromagnetic waves. However, in this invention, the expression "the oscillator 2100 is coupled to the resonant 2200" is used primarily to mean that the oscillator 2100 is physically connected and coupled to the resonant 2200.

[0180] The resonant section 2200 is positioned to surround at least one region of the aerosol product 2 inserted inside the aerosol generating device 1, and can heat the aerosol product 2 through microwaves generated by the oscillator 2100. For example, the dielectric material contained in the aerosol product 2 may be heated by the electric field generated inside the resonant section 2200 by the microwaves, and the aerosol product 2 may be heated by the heat generated from the dielectric.

[0181] According to one embodiment, the aerosol product 2 may include a tobacco rod 21 and a filter rod 22.

[0182] The tobacco rod 21 contains an aerosol-generating substance and may be made from a sheet or a strand, or from shredded tobacco obtained by finely cutting a tobacco sheet. For example, the aerosol-generating substance may include, but is not limited to, at least one of glycerin, propylene glycol, ethylene glycol, dipropylene glycol, diethylene glycol, triethylene glycol, tetraethylene glycol, and oleyl alcohol. The tobacco rod 21 may also contain other additives such as flavoring agents, humectants, and / or organic acids. Furthermore, a flavoring liquid such as menthol or a humectant may be added to the tobacco rod 21 by spraying it.

[0183] The filter rod 22 is a cellulose acetate filter. However, there are no restrictions on the shape of the filter rod 22. For example, the filter rod 22 may be a cylindrical (type) rod, or a tubular (type) rod containing a hollow inside. The filter rod 22 may also be a recessed (type) rod. If the filter rod 22 is composed of multiple segments, at least one of the segments may be made to have a different shape.

[0184] At least a portion of the aerosol-generating substance contained in the aerosol product 2 (for example, glycerin) is a dielectric that has polarity in an electric field, and at least a portion of such aerosol-generating substance can generate heat by dielectric heating, thereby heating the aerosol product 2.

[0185] According to one embodiment, the resonant portion 2200 may include an outer conductor 2210, a first inner conductor 2230, and a second inner conductor 2250.

[0186] The outer conductor 2210 forms the overall appearance of the resonant section 2200 and is formed in a hollow shape with an open interior, allowing the components of the resonant section 2200 to be arranged inside the outer conductor 2210. The outer conductor 2210 includes an insertion space 2200h in which the aerosol product 2 is contained, and the aerosol product 2 can be inserted into the interior of the outer conductor 2210 through the insertion space 2200h.

[0187] According to one embodiment, the outer conductor 2210 may include a first surface 2210a, a second surface 2210b positioned opposite the first surface 2210a, and a side surface 2210c surrounding the empty space between the first surface 2210a and the second surface 2210b. At least some of the components of the resonant section 2200 (for example, the first internal conductor 2230 and the second internal conductor 2250) may be arranged in the internal space of the resonant section 2200 formed by the first surface 2210a, the second surface 2210b, and the side surface 2210c.

[0188] The first internal conductor 2230 may be formed in a hollow cylindrical shape that extends from the first surface 2210a of the outer conductor 2210 toward the internal space of the outer conductor 2210.

[0189] As shown in the diagram, the microwave output unit 2300 is screwed into a region of the outer conductor 2210 and can penetrate the outer conductor 2210. In this case, one end of the microwave output unit 2300 may be in contact with the oscillator 2100, and the other end may be in contact with a region of the first inner conductor 2230. This allows microwaves generated by the oscillator 2100 to be transmitted to the first inner conductor 2230 through the microwave output unit 2300.

[0190] In this case, the embodiment is not limited to the other end of the microwave output unit 2300 being in contact with a region of the first internal conductor 2230. Since the microwave output unit 2300 is also in contact with the outer conductor 2210 through the screw, the arrangement structure of the microwave output unit 2300 is not limited to this, as long as the microwaves generated by the oscillation unit 2100 are transmitted into the interior of the resonance unit 2200.

[0191] The first region formed between the outer conductor 2210 and the first inner conductor 2230 can operate as a "first resonator" that generates an electric field through microwave resonance. The first region refers to the space formed by the first surface 2210a, the side surface 2210c of the outer conductor 2210 and the first inner conductor 2230, and within the first region, microwaves transmitted through the microwave output unit 2300 can resonate and generate an electric field.

[0192] The second internal conductor 2250 may be formed in a hollow cylindrical shape extending from the second surface 2210b of the outer conductor 2210 toward the internal space of the outer conductor 2210. The second internal conductor 2250 is positioned in the internal space of the outer conductor 2210 at a predetermined distance from the first internal conductor 2230, and a gap 2260 may be formed between the first internal conductor 2230 and the second internal conductor 2250.

[0193] The second region formed between the outer conductor 2210 and the second inner conductor 2250 can act as a "second resonator" that generates an electric field through microwave resonance. The second inner conductor 2250 is coupled (e.g., capacitive coupling) to the first inner conductor 2230, and due to the aforementioned coupling relationship, when an electric field is generated inside the first region, an induced electric field can also be generated inside the second region. In this invention, "capacitive coupling" refers to a coupling relationship in which energy is transferred by the capacitance between the two conductors.

[0194] For example, when microwaves generated from the oscillator 2100 are transmitted to the first internal conductor 2230, an electric field is generated inside the first region by resonance, and an induced electric field may be generated inside the second region formed by the outer conductor 2210 and the second internal conductor 2250 coupled with the first internal conductor 2230.

[0195] According to one embodiment, the first and second regions of the resonant section 2200 can be operated by a resonator having a length of 1 / 4 wavelength (λ) of a microwave.

[0196] For example, one end of the first region (e.g., the end in the -z direction) may be formed as a short end by closing the cross-section of the first region with the first surface 2210a of the outer conductor 2210, while the other end of the first region (e.g., the end in the z direction) may be formed as an open end by leaving the cross-section open without the first surface 2210a. As another example, one end of the second region (e.g., the end in the -z direction) may be formed as an open end by leaving the cross-section open, while the other end of the second region (e.g., the end in the z direction) may be formed as a closed end by closing the cross-section of the second region with the second surface 2210b of the outer conductor 2210.

[0197] In other words, the first and second regions, in terms of xy-plane view, including the closed and open ends, are as a whole. JPEG2026536450000002.jpg1329 Formed in this manner, the first and second regions can operate as resonators having a length of one-quarter of a microwave wavelength due to the structure described above.

[0198] According to one embodiment, the first internal conductor 2230 and the second internal conductor 2250 are formed to have the same length with respect to the z-axis, and the first region and the second region are arranged symmetrically with respect to each other, but are not limited to this.

[0199] The aerosol product 2, inserted into the internal space of the outer conductor 2210 through the insertion space 2200h, is surrounded by the first internal conductor 2230 and the second internal conductor 2250 and can be heated by dielectric heating.

[0200] In the first and / or second regions, at least a portion of the electric field generated by microwave resonance propagates through the gap 2260 between the first and second internal conductors 2230 and 2250 toward the interior of the first and / or second internal conductors 2230 and 2250, and the aerosol product 2 surrounded by the first and second internal conductors 2230 and 2250 can be heated by the propagated electric field. For example, a dielectric contained in the aerosol product 2 may be heated by the electric field propagating through the gap 2260, and the aerosol product 2 may be heated by the heat generated from the dielectric.

[0201] In one embodiment, the heater assembly 2000 can prevent the electric field propagated inside the first internal conductor 2230 and / or the second internal conductor 2250 from leaking to the outside of the heater assembly 2000 or the resonant section 2200 by setting the diameters of the first internal conductor 2230 and the second internal conductor 2250 to less than a predetermined value. In the present invention, "predetermined value" means the diameter value at which the electric field begins to leak to the outside of the first internal conductor 2230 and / or the second internal conductor 2250. For example, if the diameters of the first internal conductor 2230 and / or the second internal conductor 2250 are greater than or equal to the predetermined value, a situation will occur in which a portion of the electric field that flows into the first internal conductor 2230 and / or the second internal conductor 2250 leaks to the outside of the resonant section 2200. On the other hand, the heater assembly 2000 according to one embodiment prevents the electric field from propagating outside the resonant section 2200 through a structure in which the diameters of the first internal conductor 2230 and the second internal conductor 2250 are less than a predetermined value. As a result, it is possible to prevent the electric field from leaking outside the heater assembly 2000 or the resonant section 2200 without the need for a separate shielding member.

[0202] According to one embodiment, when the aerosol product 2 is inserted into the resonant section 2200 through the insertion space 2200h, the tobacco rod 21 of the aerosol product 2 may be positioned in a location corresponding to the gap 2260 between the first internal conductor 2230 and the second internal conductor 2250.

[0203] The electric fields generated in the first region and the electric fields generated in the second region flow into the interior of the first internal conductor 2230 and / or the second internal conductor 2250 through the gap 2260, thereby generating the strongest electric field in the region surrounding the gap 2260 within the interior region of the resonant section 2200. In one embodiment of the heater assembly 2000, the heating efficiency (or "dielectric heating efficiency") of the heater assembly 2000 can be improved by arranging the tobacco rod 21, which contains a dielectric that generates heat in response to the electric field, at a position corresponding to the gap 2260 where the electric field is strongest.

[0204] According to one embodiment, the resonant portion 2200 may further include a closure portion 2240 located inside the first internal conductor 2230, which closes the cross-section of the first internal conductor 2230 and restricts the flow direction of aerosols generated from the aerosol product 2. For example, the closure portion 2240 can close the cross-section of the first internal conductor 2230 and block the flow of aerosols generated from the aerosol product 2 in the -z direction.

[0205] If aerosols generated from aerosol product 2, or droplets generated by the liquefaction of aerosols, flow in the -z direction and enter other components of the aerosol generator (for example, aerosol generator 1 in Figure 1), this can cause malfunction or damage to the components of the aerosol generator. On the other hand, the heater assembly 2000 according to one embodiment can prevent malfunction or damage to the components of the aerosol generator by aerosols or droplets by restricting the flow direction of aerosols through the closure portion 2240.

[0206] According to one embodiment, the resonant section 2200 may further include a dielectric housing space 2270 for housing a dielectric DM. The dielectric housing space 2270 refers to the empty space between the outer conductor 2210 and the first inner conductor 2230 and the second inner conductor 2250, and a dielectric DM with low microwave absorption may be housed in the dielectric housing space 2270. For example, the dielectric DM is at least one of quartz, tetrafluoroethylene, and aluminum oxide, or a combination thereof, but is not limited to these.

[0207] In one embodiment, the heater assembly 2000 can generate an electric field at a level similar to that generated by a resonant section without dielectric DM, while reducing the overall size of the resonant section 2200 by arranging dielectric DM inside the dielectric housing space 2270. In other words, the heater assembly 2000 in one embodiment reduces the size of the resonant section 2200 through the dielectric DM arranged inside the dielectric housing space 2270, reducing the mounting space for the resonant section 2200 in the aerosol generator, and as a result, the aerosol generator can be miniaturized.

[0208] The microwave output unit 2300 and its surrounding structure will be described in detail below with reference to Figure 6.

[0209] Figure 6 is an enlarged view of the microwave output section 2300 and surrounding area applied to the heater assembly 2000 shown in Figure 5.

[0210] Referring to Figure 6, a heater assembly 2000 according to one embodiment may include an oscillator 2100, a resonant 2200, a microwave output 2300, and a bracket 2700.

[0211] The resonant portion 2200 may include a hole 2210h through which the microwave output portion 2300 passes. The hole 2210h may be located in one region of the outer conductor 2210. As shown in the illustration, the hole 2210h may be formed on the side surface 2210c of the outer conductor 2210. Thus, the microwave output portion 2300 may be located on the side surface of the resonant portion 2200.

[0212] A region of the resonant section 2200 or the outer conductor 2210 surrounding the hole 2210h may have threads into which the microwave output section 2300 is screwed. The microwave output section 2300 can rotate and translate along the threads formed in the hole 2210h and be inserted into the interior of the resonant section 2200.

[0213] The microwave output section 2300 may include a rod-shaped section that extends in the direction in which the hole 2210h is opened. In this case, one end of the microwave output section 2300 may be inserted into the resonant section 2200 through the hole 2210h formed in the outer conductor 2210. The other end of the microwave output section 2300 may be connected to the oscillator section 2100.

[0214] In this case, the position of one end of the microwave output section 2300 can be adjusted by the extent to which the microwave output section 2300 is inserted into the resonant section 2200 by screwing. That is, the position of one end of the microwave output section 2300 can be determined by the rotational and translational motion of the microwave output section 2300 along the screw threads formed in the hole 2210h.

[0215] The degree to which the oscillator 2100 is coupled to the resonant section 2200 changes depending on the position of one end of the microwave output section 2300 or the extent to which the microwave output section 2300 is inserted into the resonant section 2200.

[0216] Furthermore, by adjusting the position of one end of the microwave output section 2300 or the degree to which the microwave output section 2300 is inserted into the resonant section 2200, the degree to which the microwave output section 2300 contacts a region of the resonant section 2200 (for example, a region of the outer conductor 2210 where the hole 2210h is located) changes. This can affect the resonant frequency of the resonant section 2200. Therefore, the user can adjust the resonant frequency of the resonant section 2200 by rotating the microwave output section 2300 and moving it along the screw threads.

[0217] On the other hand, the outer conductor 2210 can function to shield microwaves output inside the resonant section 2200 from leaking to the outside. However, since the outer conductor 2210 has holes 2210h, there is a risk of microwaves leaking through the holes 2210h. However, according to this embodiment, the screw threads formed in the microwave output section 2300 engage with the screw threads formed in the holes 2210h, so the gap through which microwaves leak can be minimized. Furthermore, even if there is a small gap between the two engaging screw threads, the gap is formed along the shape of the screw threads, so microwaves do not easily leak through the complex structure of the gap.

[0218] The bracket 2700 is coupled to the outside of the resonant section 2200 and is used to couple the microwave output section 2300 with the resonant section 2200. As shown in the diagram, the bracket 2700 can be positioned on the side surface 2210c of the outer conductor 2210. In this case, the bracket 2700 can be firmly coupled to the resonant section 2200. As a result, the microwave output section 2300 supported by the bracket 2700 can also be fixed in place without movement.

[0219] The bracket 2700 may include a hollow 2700h through which the microwave output section 2300 passes. The microwave output section 2300 can extend in the direction in which the hollow 2700h is open and penetrate the bracket 2700. Since the bracket 2700 and the resonant section 2200 are in contact with each other, the microwave output section 2300 can penetrate the bracket 2700 and be coupled to the resonant section 2200.

[0220] For the microwave output section 2300 to be coupled to the resonant section 2200, it must pass through the hollow 2700h of the bracket 2700 and be inserted into the hole 2210h of the outer conductor 2210. Therefore, the hollow 2700h and the hole 2210h can be aligned in a direction from the outside to the inside of the resonant section 2200 (for example, in the x-axis direction) so that they are connected to each other.

[0221] By arranging the hollow 2700h to align with the hole 2210h, the microwave output section 2300, which has a rod shape extending in one direction, can pass through the hollow 2700h and the hole 2210h simultaneously, as they are in contact with each other.

[0222] In this case, screw threads that engage with the microwave output section 2300 may be arranged on the inner circumferential surface of the bracket 2700 surrounding the hollow section 2700h. When the screw threads arranged in the hole 2210h are designated as the first screw threads and the screw threads arranged in the hollow section 2700h are designated as the second screw threads, the microwave output section 2300 can be screwed into the first and second screw threads sequentially from the outside of the resonant section 2200 and inserted into the inside of the resonant section 2200.

[0223] According to one embodiment, since the microwave output unit 2300 is screwed not only to the resonant unit 2200 but also to the bracket 2700, the entire area of ​​the outer surface of the microwave output unit 2300 can be coupled to and firmly supported by the resonant unit 2200 and the bracket 2700. In other words, the microwave output unit 2300 and the oscillator unit 2100 connected to it can be coupled to the resonant unit 2200 without moving or swaying due to the presence of the bracket 2700.

[0224] However, the embodiment is not limited to having screw threads on the inner circumferential surface of the bracket 2700. In the embodiment, even if there are no screw threads on the inner circumferential surface of the bracket 2700 surrounding the hollow 2700h, the outer circumferential surface of the microwave output unit 2300 can be firmly supported by contact with the inner circumferential surface of the bracket 2700.

[0225] On the other hand, the embodiment is not limited to the arrangement of the microwave output unit 2300 and the bracket 2700. The microwave output unit 2300 may be positioned below the resonant unit 2200 (for example, in the -z direction relative to the resonant unit 2200). Alternatively, the microwave output unit 2300 may be directly coupled to the resonant unit 2200 without a separate bracket 2700.

[0226] When the microwave output section 2300 penetrates the outer conductor 2210 through the hole 2210h, one end of the microwave output section 2300 may be located in the space between the outer conductor 2210 and the first inner conductor 2230. Since the outer conductor 2210 surrounds the first inner conductor 2230 while being separated from it, the end of the microwave output section 2300 that has penetrated the outer conductor 2210 can move further by the distance that the outer conductor 2210 is separated from the first inner conductor 2230.

[0227] In this case as well, the microwave output unit 2300 can move along the resonant portion 2200 surrounding the hole 2210h or along the threads located in one region of the outer conductor 2210, and move toward the first inner conductor 2230.

[0228] If the outer conductor 2210 is configured to shield the microwaves output inside the resonant section 2200 from leaking to the outside, then the first inner conductor 2230 is configured to resonate the microwaves and heat the aerosol product 2.

[0229] In this case, if one end of the microwave output unit 2300 that has moved toward the first internal conductor 2230 comes into contact with the outer surface of the first internal conductor 2230, the microwave output unit 2300 can directly transmit microwaves to the first internal conductor 2230.

[0230] However, even if one end of the microwave output unit 2300 is not in contact with the first internal conductor 2230, the microwave output unit 2300 is coupled to the outer conductor 2210 through a screw, and therefore microwaves can be indirectly transmitted to the first internal conductor 2230 by transmitting microwaves to the outer conductor 2210.

[0231] As mentioned above, the resonant frequency of the resonant section 2200 changes depending on the extent to which the microwave output section 2300 contacts the resonant section 2200. Just as the resonant frequency of the resonant section 2200 changes depending on the extent to which the microwave output section 2300 is inserted into the hole 2210h of the outer conductor 2210, in this case as well, the resonant frequency of the resonant section 2200 changes depending on whether or not the microwave output section 2300 contacts the first inner conductor 2230. Therefore, the user can adjust the resonant frequency of the resonant section 2200 by rotating the microwave output section 2300 and moving it along the screw threads.

[0232] According to one embodiment, one end of the microwave output section 2300, which penetrates the outer conductor 2210 and is located between the outer conductor 2210 and the first inner conductor 2230, can come into contact with the dielectric DM housed in the dielectric housing space 2270. In this case, unlike as shown in the figures, the dielectric DM may fill up to the portion adjacent to the first surface 2210a of the microwave output section 2300 inserted inside the resonant section 2200 or the outer conductor 2210.

[0233] The dielectric DM can be positioned so as not to hinder the unidirectional (e.g., x-axis) motion of the microwave output section 2300. As a result, the microwave output section 2300 can be inserted between the outer conductor 2210 and the first inner conductor 2230 without being hindered by the dielectric DM, and can contact the first inner conductor 2230. In this case, at least a portion of the microwave output section 2300 inserted inside the resonant section 2200 can contact the dielectric DM through its outer surface.

[0234] In this case, the resonant frequency of the resonant section 2200 changes depending on the degree to which the microwave output section 2300 is in contact with the dielectric DM. The degree to which the microwave output section 2300 is in contact with the dielectric DM depends on the position of one end of the microwave output section 2300 within the dielectric housing space 2270 or the degree to which the microwave output section 2300 is inserted into the resonant section 2200. Therefore, the user can adjust the resonant frequency of the resonant section 2200 by rotating the microwave output section 2300 and moving it along the screw threads.

[0235] As shown in the illustration, the dielectric DM extends from the first surface 2210a to the second surface 2210b of the outer conductor 2210 and is housed in the entire area of ​​the dielectric housing space 2270, but the embodiment is not limited to what is shown. In the embodiment, the dielectric DM housed in the dielectric housing space 2270 may be spaced away from the microwave output section 2300 in the longitudinal direction (e.g., the z-axis direction) of the resonant section 2200 and arranged so as not to come into contact with the microwave output section 2300.

[0236] Figure 7 is an enlarged view of the microwave output section 2300 and surrounding area applied to a heater assembly 2000 according to another embodiment.

[0237] Referring to Figure 7, the heater assembly 2000 according to other embodiments may include an oscillator 2100, a resonant 2200, and a microwave output 2300. Detailed explanations of the configuration and effects of the heater assembly 2000 in relation to Figures 5 and 6 are omitted to the extent that they overlap.

[0238] In other embodiments, the oscillator 2100 may be positioned on the outer surface of the resonant portion 2200. Specifically, the oscillator 2100 may be positioned to be in contact with the side surface 2210c of the outer conductor 2210 of the resonant portion 2200.

[0239] The oscillation unit 2100 may include a hollow space 2100h through which the microwave output unit 2300 passes. The microwave output unit 2300 can penetrate the oscillation unit 2100 through the hollow space 2100h.

[0240] In this case, threads for the microwave output section 2300 may be arranged on the inner circumferential surface of the oscillator section 2100 surrounding the hollow section 2100h. The microwave output section 2300 can be screwed into the threads formed on the oscillator section 2100 and the threads formed on the resonant section 2200 in order from the outside of the resonant section 2200, and inserted into the inside of the resonant section 2200.

[0241] According to this, the microwave output unit 2300 is screwed in while simultaneously passing through the oscillator unit 2100 and the outer conductor 2210, so that the oscillator unit 2100 and the resonant unit 2200, which are in contact with each other, can be coupled by the microwave output unit 2300.

[0242] The microwave output section 2300 may include a protruding portion 2300p that extends from the oscillator section 2100. For example, one end of the microwave output section 2300 may be inserted into the resonant section 2200, and the other end of the microwave output section 2300 may protrude from the oscillator section 2100. In this case, the protruding portion 2300p may include the other end of the microwave output section 2300.

[0243] In other embodiments, the heater assembly 2000 may further include a fastening portion 2800 that screws onto a protruding portion 2300p of the microwave output portion 2300 and pressurizes the oscillation portion 2100 toward the resonant portion 2200. In this case, the relationship between the microwave output portion 2300 and the fastening portion 2800 is similar to that of a bolt and nut.

[0244] As the fastening portion 2800 engages with the protruding portion 2300p and moves toward one end of the microwave output portion 2300, the fastening portion 2800 can come into contact with the oscillator portion 2100. As the fastening portion 2800 moves toward the resonant portion 2200, the oscillator portion 2100 can be pressurized toward the resonant portion 2200 by the fastening portion 2800. This allows the oscillator portion 2100 to be firmly coupled to the resonant portion 2200.

[0245] On the other hand, although no separate bracket (for example, bracket 2700 in Figure 6) is shown in the illustration, the embodiment is not limited to this. Depending on the embodiment, a bracket may be placed between the resonant section 2200 and the oscillator section 2100 or between the oscillator section 2100 and the fastening section 2800.

[0246] As described above, the oscillator 2100 can be coupled to the resonant section 2200 through a microwave output section 2300 that is screwed into the resonant section 2200. This principle is not limited to the resonant section 2200 and heater assembly 2000 according to the present invention. That is, the principle described above can be applied to heater assemblies of various structures including an oscillator, a resonant section, and a microwave output section.

[0247] Figure 8 is a cross-sectional view of a heater assembly 2000 and an aerosol generating apparatus 1 containing the same according to yet another embodiment.

[0248] Referring to Figure 8, other embodiments of the aerosol generator 1 may include a housing 1100, a processor 1200, a drive unit 1300, and a heater assembly 2000. Detailed explanations of the configuration and effects of the aerosol generator 1 that overlap with the above are omitted.

[0249] Processor 1200 has the same configuration as processor 170 described through Figure 1 and processor 1010 described through Figure 3. Processor 1200 can control its internal configuration so that the frequency of microwaves generated by the oscillator (for example, oscillator 2100 in Figure 5) matches the resonant frequency of the resonant unit 2200.

[0250] For example, the processor 1200 can monitor the microwave power output from the oscillator 2100 and the reflected microwave power reflected from the resonant 2200 towards the oscillator 2100 through a power monitoring unit (for example, the power monitoring unit 2500 in Figure 3).

[0251] The processor 1200 can match the impedance seen from the oscillator 2100 to the resonant 2200 and the impedance seen from the resonant 2200 to the oscillator 2100 through a matching unit (for example, the matching unit 2600 in Figure 3) so that the reflected microwave power is minimized. Impedance matching is equivalent to matching the frequency of the oscillator 2100 to the resonant frequency of the resonant 2200.

[0252] The processor 1200 can match the impedance by varying the frequency of the oscillator 2100 through the matching unit 2600. This allows the frequency of the microwave power output from the oscillator 2100 to be adjusted so that the reflected microwave power is minimized. In this case, impedance matching through the matching unit 2600 is performed each time power is cut off and then supplied again to the aerosol generator 1.

[0253] In other words, each time the user restarts the aerosol generator 1 or restarts the aerosol generator 1 after the power has been turned off, the processor 1200 can maintain the heating performance of the heater assembly 2000 in an optimal state by matching the frequency of the oscillation unit 2100 with the resonant frequency of the resonant unit 2200.

[0254] On the other hand, the frequency of the oscillator 2100 is an electronically set value, while the resonant frequency of the resonant section 2200 is a mechanically set value. In other words, the frequency of the oscillator 2100 can be adjusted electronically, and the resonant frequency of the resonant section 2200 can be adjusted mechanically.

[0255] As described above, the user can control the frequency of the microwaves generated by the oscillator 2100 to match the resonant frequency of the resonant unit 2200 by an electronic control method via the processor 1200. Alternatively, the user may control the resonant frequency of the resonant unit 2200 to match the frequency of the microwaves generated by the oscillator 2100 by a mechanical control method.

[0256] In other words, if the previously mentioned content was to match the frequency of the oscillator 2100 to the resonant frequency of the resonant unit 2200, then the following will explain how to match the resonant frequency of the resonant unit 2200 to the frequency of the oscillator 2100.

[0257] In another embodiment, the resonant frequency of the resonant section 2200 changes depending on the extent to which the microwave output section (for example, the microwave output section 2300 in Figure 5) is inserted into the resonant section 2200.

[0258] As mentioned above, the extent to which the microwave output unit 2300 is inserted into the resonant unit 2200 can be adjusted by the manufacturer during the manufacturing process or by the user during use. However, in order to operate the heater assembly 2000, it is necessary to disassemble the aerosol generator 1.

[0259] However, if the aerosol generator 1 has a configuration that generates mechanical movement, the user can operate the microwave output unit 2300 without disassembling the aerosol generator 1 by controlling that configuration through the processor 1200.

[0260] Furthermore, an aerosol generator 1 according to another embodiment may include a drive unit 1300 electrically connected to the processor 1200. The drive unit 1300 is configured to move a microwave output unit (for example, the microwave output unit 2300 in Figure 5). The drive unit 1300 may include one or more actuators. In this case, the actuators may include a variety of configurations that perform mechanical work using electricity, hydraulics, compressed air, etc. For example, the actuator may include a motor. The actuator can perform not only rotational motion but also linear motion, and can rotate and / or linearly move components connected to the actuator.

[0261] In another embodiment, the drive unit 1300 can rotate and translate the microwave output unit 2300 along the threads into which it is engaged. This allows the drive unit 1300 to adjust the degree to which the microwave output unit 2300 is inserted into the resonant unit 2200, thereby adjusting the resonant frequency of the resonant unit 2200.

[0262] The user can control the drive unit 1300 through an electronic control method via the processor 1200. As described above, the processor 1200 monitors the microwave power output from the oscillator 2100 and the reflected microwave power reflected by the resonant unit 2200, and based on this, if it determines that the frequency of the oscillator 2100 and the resonant frequency of the resonant unit 2200 do not match, it can control the drive unit 1300 to adjust the resonant frequency of the resonant unit 2200.

[0263] Specifically, the processor 1200 adjusts the position of the microwave output unit 2300 via the drive unit 1300 so that the frequency of the microwaves generated by the oscillator unit 2100 matches the frequency of the resonant unit 2200, thereby matching the resonant frequency of the resonant unit 2200 with the frequency of the oscillator unit 2100.

[0264] As described above, in order to determine the resonant frequency of the resonant section 2200, the processor 1200 can perform power monitoring through the power monitoring unit 2500. If the method described above is an electronic method for determining the resonant frequency of the resonant section 2200, then the resonant frequency of the resonant section 2200 can also be determined by a mechanical method.

[0265] Furthermore, an aerosol generating apparatus 1 according to another embodiment may further include a vibration generating unit 1400 for generating vibrations in the resonant portion 2200 of the heater assembly 2000. The vibration generating unit 1400 can be operated by the user to apply an impact to the resonant portion 2200.

[0266] Specifically, the vibration generating section 1400 may include a striking member 1410 and a fixing member 1420. One end of the striking member 1410 may be coupled to the outer conductor 2210 of the resonant section 2200 by the fixing member 1420. The other end of the striking member 1410 may be exposed to the outside of the housing 1100 through an open portion of the housing 1100. The striking portion of the striking member 1410 may be in contact with the outer conductor 2210.

[0267] The striking member 1410 may include an elastic material. As a result, the striking member 1410 can function like a leaf spring with one end fixed by a fixing member 1420.

[0268] With no manipulation applied to the striking member 1410, the other end and striking portion of the striking member 1410 can come into contact with the outer conductor 2210. In this case, if the user pulls the other end of the striking member 1410 downwards and then releases it, the striking member 1410, separated from the outer conductor 2210, can move toward the outer conductor 2210 due to its elastic restoring force.

[0269] In this case, since one end of the striking member 1410 is fixed to the outer conductor 2210 by the fixing member 1420, the remaining part of the striking member 1410 can move toward the outer conductor 2210 with the one end of the striking member 1410 as the pivot point. As a result, the striking portion of the striking member 1410 impacts the outer conductor 2210, causing vibration to be generated in the resonant portion 2200.

[0270] The processor 1200 can determine the frequency of the resonant section 2200 based on the frequency of vibrations generated from the resonant section 2200 by the vibration generating section 1400. In this case, if the frequency of the oscillation section 2100 and the resonant frequency of the resonant section 2200 do not match, the processor 1200 can adjust the position of the microwave output section 2300 through the drive section 1300 so that the frequency of the microwaves generated by the oscillation section 2100 matches the frequency of the resonant section 2200, thereby making the resonant frequency of the resonant section 2200 match the frequency of the oscillation section 2100.

[0271] By using this method, the processor 1200 can maintain the heating performance of the heater assembly 2000 in an optimal state by matching the resonant frequency of the resonant section 2200 with the frequency of the oscillator 2100.

[0272] According to the heater assembly and aerosol generating apparatus including the same according to the embodiment, the same heating performance can be achieved despite the existence of physical deviations in the resonance part for each heater assembly.

[0273] Furthermore, with the heater assembly and aerosol generating apparatus containing the same according to the embodiment, the heating performance can be easily adjusted by the user not only in the manufacturing step but also in the usage step.

[0274] The embodiments of the present invention described above are not mutually exclusive or distinct from each other. The respective configurations or functions of the embodiments of the present invention described above may be used in combination or in combination with each other.

[0275] For example, it means that configuration A described in a particular embodiment and / or drawing can be combined with configuration B described in another embodiment and / or drawing. In other words, even if the combination of configurations is not directly described, it means that combination is possible unless it is stated that such combination is impossible.

[0276] The detailed description set forth herein should not be interpreted restrictively in any way, but should be considered illustrative. The scope of the invention shall be determined by a reasonable interpretation of the appended claims, and all modifications within the equivalent scope of the invention shall be included within the scope of the invention.

Claims

1. An oscillator that generates microwaves, It includes an insertion space for containing the aerosol product, and a resonant section for heating the aerosol product by microwave resonance, It includes a microwave output unit for transmitting microwaves generated by the oscillation unit to the resonance unit, A heater assembly comprising a microwave output unit connected to the oscillation unit, which is screw-coupled into a region of the resonance unit, thereby coupling the oscillation unit to the resonance unit.

2. The resonant section includes a hole through which the microwave output section passes. The heater assembly according to claim 1, wherein a screw thread into which the microwave output unit is screwed is arranged in one region of the resonant portion surrounding the hole.

3. The microwave output section includes a rod-shaped section that extends in the direction in which the hole is opened. The heater assembly according to claim 2, wherein one end of the microwave output section is inserted into the resonant section.

4. The heater assembly according to claim 3, wherein the position of one end of the microwave output section is adjustable according to the extent to which the microwave output section is inserted into the resonant section by screwing.

5. The heater assembly according to claim 3, wherein the other end of the microwave output section is connected to the oscillation section.

6. The oscillation unit is arranged on the outer surface of the resonant unit. The microwave output section is the heater assembly according to claim 3, which penetrates the oscillation section.

7. The oscillation unit includes a hollow space through which the microwave output unit passes. On the inner circumferential surface of the oscillator section surrounding the hollow space, screw threads are arranged into which the microwave output section is screwed. The heater assembly according to claim 6, wherein the microwave output section is sequentially screwed into the threads of the oscillator section and the threads of the resonant section from the outside of the resonant section and inserted into the inside of the resonant section.

8. The microwave output section includes a protruding portion that extends from the oscillation section. The heater assembly according to claim 6, further comprising a fastening member that screws into the protruding portion of the microwave output section and pressurizes the oscillation section toward the resonant section.

9. It includes a hollow space through which the microwave output section passes, is coupled to the outside of the resonant section, and further includes a bracket for coupling the microwave output section to the resonant section, The heater assembly according to claim 1, wherein the microwave output section extends in the direction in which the hollow is opened, passes through the bracket, and is coupled to the resonant section.

10. The resonant section includes a hole through which the microwave output section passes. The heater assembly according to claim 9, wherein the hollow is arranged to be aligned with the hole.

11. A first screw thread into which the microwave output section is screwed is arranged in one region of the resonant section surrounding the hole. A second screw thread is provided on the inner circumferential surface of the bracket surrounding the hollow, into which the microwave output unit is screwed. The heater assembly according to claim 10, wherein the microwave output section is sequentially screwed into the first and second threads from the outside of the resonant section and inserted into the inside of the resonant section.

12. The resonant portion includes an internal conductor for resonating microwaves to heat the aerosol product, and an outer conductor that is separated from the internal conductor, surrounds the internal conductor, and in which the holes are located. The heater assembly according to claim 2, wherein the microwave output section moves along the screw threads located in a region of the resonant section surrounding the hole, and is movable toward the internal conductor.

13. The outer conductor and the inner conductor further include a dielectric housing space, The heater assembly according to claim 12, wherein at least a portion of the microwave output section inserted inside the resonant section is capable of contacting the dielectric housed in the dielectric housing space.

14. The heater assembly described in claim 1, A housing for accommodating the heater assembly, A drive unit for moving the microwave output unit, The heater assembly includes a processor electrically connected to it, The processor is an aerosol generator that adjusts the position of the microwave output unit via the drive unit so that the frequency of the microwaves generated by the oscillation unit matches the frequency of the resonance unit.

15. The aforementioned resonant portion further includes a vibration generating unit for generating vibrations, The aerosol generating apparatus according to claim 14, wherein the processor determines the frequency of the resonant portion based on the frequency of vibrations generated from the resonant portion by the vibration generating portion, and adjusts the position of the microwave output portion through the drive unit so that the frequency of microwaves generated by the oscillation unit matches the frequency of the resonant portion.

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