Aerosol generator

Abstract

The aerosol generating apparatus includes an oscillator for generating microwaves, an insertion space for housing aerosol products, a shielding section for shielding microwaves, a microwave output section for providing microwaves inside the shielding section, a heater assembly for heating the aerosol products housed in the insertion space via microwaves, one or more optical fiber temperature sensors that are not inserted into the temperature measurement target but measure the temperature of the temperature measurement target from outside the temperature measurement target, and a control unit that adjusts the microwaves based on the temperature measured through the optical fiber temperature sensors.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] Various embodiments of the present invention relate to an aerosol generation device, and more particularly, to a dielectric heating type aerosol generation device to which an optical fiber temperature sensor is applied.

Background Art

[0002] Recently, demand related to alternative methods for overcoming the disadvantages 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 generation device, rather than a method of burning a cigarette to generate an aerosol. Accordingly, research related to heated aerosol generation devices is being actively conducted.

[0003] Meanwhile, among methods for heating objects, 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 generation devices as well, continuous research on microwave heating technology using new heating methods is being carried out.

Summary of the Invention

Problems to be Solved by the Invention

[0004] The aerosol generation device may be equipped with additional functions that provide user convenience. For example, a function of monitoring the temperature of a cigarette inserted into the aerosol generation device (hereinafter, an aerosol-generating article or stick is used as having the same meaning as this) may be installed.

[0005] The control unit monitors the temperature of the aerosol product via a temperature sensor and adjusts the heater's heating temperature to ensure that the aerosol product is heated according to the optimal heating profile. As a result, user satisfaction with smoking may improve. In addition, temperature sensors can be placed in various other locations, which can improve the usability of the aerosol generator.

[0006] However, when heating aerosol products using microwave heating technology, problems arise if existing temperature sensors are used. Specifically, if a temperature sensor made of a conventional conductor is inserted to measure the temperature of the aerosol product or the microwave output unit, the microwaves will affect the temperature sensor, preventing it from accurately measuring the temperature. Furthermore, there is a risk of damage not only to the temperature sensor but also to internal components placed in the aerosol generation device, such as the microwave resonator and microwave output unit.

[0007] In this case, if a temperature sensor made of optical fiber is used, the optical fiber temperature sensor is not affected by microwaves. Therefore, if this is applied to an aerosol generator, the aerosol generator can measure not only the temperature of the aerosol product but also the temperature of components desired by the user, such as the microwave resonator and microwave output section, thereby enabling control tailored to the purpose.

[0008] The embodiment provides a dielectric heating type aerosol generator to which an optical fiber temperature sensor is applied.

[0009] Furthermore, the embodiment provides an aerosol generating device that can be controlled for various purposes based on the temperature measured through a temperature sensor.

[0010] 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]

[0011] An aerosol generating apparatus according to one embodiment may include an oscillator for generating microwaves, an insertion space for housing aerosol products, a shielding section for shielding microwaves, a microwave output section for providing microwaves inside the shielding section, a heater assembly for heating the aerosol products housed in the insertion space through microwaves, one or more optical fiber temperature sensors that are not inserted into the temperature measurement target but measure the temperature of the temperature measurement target from outside the temperature measurement target, and a control unit that adjusts the microwaves based on the temperature measured through the optical fiber temperature sensors. [Effects of the Invention]

[0012] According to the aerosol generating apparatus of this embodiment, the temperature of the aerosol product can be accurately measured, and optimal smoking performance can be achieved.

[0013] Furthermore, according to the embodiment of the aerosol generator, abnormal operation of the aerosol generator can be quickly detected through temperature monitoring of the microwave output section, enabling a rapid response.

[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 perspective view of an aerosol generating device according to one embodiment. [Figure 3] This is a cross-sectional view of an aerosol generating device according to one embodiment. [Figure 4] This is a cross-sectional view of an aerosol generating apparatus according to another embodiment. [Figure 5]This is an internal block diagram of a dielectric heating section applied to an aerosol generating apparatus according to another embodiment. [Figure 6] This is a cross-sectional perspective view showing an example of a heater assembly that can be applied to an aerosol generating device according to another embodiment. [Figure 7] This is a cross-sectional perspective view showing another example of a heater assembly applicable to an aerosol generating apparatus according to another embodiment. [Figure 8] This is a cross-sectional perspective view showing yet another example of a heater assembly applied to an aerosol generating apparatus according to another embodiment. [Figure 9A] This is a perspective view showing yet another example of a heater assembly applied to an aerosol generating apparatus according to another embodiment. [Figure 9B] Figure 9A is a cross-sectional view of the heater assembly. [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 "unit" for the components used in the following description are assigned or used interchangeably solely for the ease of preparing the specification, and do not have distinct meanings or roles from each other as such. Meanwhile, the suffix "module" or "unit" includes a unit embodied by hardware, software, or firmware, and may be used interchangeably with terms such as logic, logical block, component, or circuit. A "module" or "unit" may be an integrally configured component, or the minimum unit or a part of the component that performs one or more functions. For example, a "module" or "unit" may be embodied in the form of an ASIC (application-specific integrated circuit).

[0018] Further, in describing the embodiments disclosed in this specification, when it is determined that a specific description of related known techniques would obscure the gist of the embodiments disclosed in this specification, the detailed description thereof will be omitted. In addition, the accompanying drawings are merely for facilitating understanding of the embodiments disclosed in this specification, and the technical ideas disclosed in this specification are not limited by the accompanying drawings, and it should be understood that the drawings cover all modifications, equivalents, and alternatives falling within the spirit and technical scope of the present invention.

[0019] Terms including ordinal numbers such as "first" and "second" may be used to describe various components, but the components are not limited by the terms. The terms are merely 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 intervening components may be present. Meanwhile, when a component is referred to as being "directly coupled to" or "directly connected to" another component, it should be understood that no intervening components are present between them.

[0021] A singular expression includes plural expressions unless the context clearly indicates otherwise.

[0022] Embodiments of the present invention are embodied by software comprising one or more instruction words stored on a storage medium (e.g., memory) readable by a machine (e.g., aerosol generator 1). For example, the processor (e.g., processor 170) of the machine (e.g., aerosol generator 1) can invoke and execute at least one instruction from the one or more instruction words stored on the storage medium. This enables the machine to be operated to perform at least one function by the invoked at least one instruction word. The one or more instruction words include code generated by a compiler or code executable by an interpreter. The storage medium readable by the machine may be provided in the form of a non-transitory storage medium. Here, "non-transitory" simply means that the storage medium is a tangible device and does not contain signals (e.g., electromagnetic waves), and the term does not distinguish between cases where data is stored semi-permanently and cases where it 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 as to maximize the heating efficiency of the source unit 20 or the radiating unit 30. For example, the processor 170 can adjust the frequency of the RF signal generated by the RF signal generation circuit 210 so as to minimize the power of the reflected electromagnetic wave. 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] Figure 2 is a perspective view of an aerosol generating apparatus according to one embodiment.

[0105] Referring to Figure 2, 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.

[0106] 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.

[0107] 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).

[0108] 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.

[0109] 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, using the resonance of microwaves and / or microwave electric fields (including magnetic fields) (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, hereafter, microwaves may be used interchangeably with microwave power. In short, the heater assembly 2000 is configured to heat the aerosol product 2 contained in the insertion space via microwaves.

[0110] 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 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.

[0111] 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.

[0112] 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.

[0113] 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.

[0114] 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.

[0115] 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.

[0116] Figure 2 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.

[0117] 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.

[0118] 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.

[0119] Although not shown in Figure 2, one embodiment of the aerosol generator 1 may further include a temperature sensor (not shown) for measuring the temperature of the aerosol product 2 or the heater assembly 2000. The temperature sensor is positioned to improve the ease of use of the aerosol generator.

[0120] For example, if a temperature sensor monitors the temperature of the aerosol product 2, the control unit can adjust the heating temperature of the heater assembly 2000 based on the measured result, thereby controlling the heating of the aerosol product 2 with an optimal heating profile.

[0121] As another example, if a temperature sensor monitors the temperature of the heater assembly 2000, the control unit can adjust the temperature of the heater assembly 2000 based on the measured result so that parts or components placed around the heater assembly 2000 do not overheat.

[0122] By the way, when heating the aerosol product 2 using microwave heating technology, if a temperature sensor made of an existing conductor is inserted inside the aerosol generator 1, the microwaves will affect the temperature sensor, making it impossible for the temperature sensor to accurately measure the temperature. In addition, there is a risk of damage not only to the temperature sensor but also to the internal components placed in the aerosol generator.

[0123] In this case, if a temperature sensor made of optical fiber is used, the optical fiber temperature sensor is not affected by microwaves. Therefore, if this is applied to the aerosol generator 1, the aerosol generator 1 can measure not only the temperature of the aerosol product 2 but also the temperature of components desired by the user, thereby enabling control that is appropriate for the purpose.

[0124] The following describes various embodiments in which an optical fiber temperature sensor is applied inside the aerosol generator 1.

[0125] Figure 3 is a cross-sectional view of an aerosol generating apparatus according to one embodiment.

[0126] Referring to Figure 3, an aerosol generating apparatus 1 according to one embodiment can generate an aerosol by heating the aerosol product 2 in a non-contact manner via microwaves.

[0127] To realize this, one embodiment of the aerosol generator 1 may include a housing 1100, a control unit 1200, and a heater assembly 2000. Detailed explanations of the configuration and effects of the aerosol generator 1 that overlap with Figure 2 are omitted.

[0128] The control unit 1200 can control the overall operation of the aerosol generator 1. The control unit 1200 has the same configuration as the control unit 10 or processor 170 described in Figure 1. The control unit 1200 can control the heater assembly 2000 and adjust the heating using microwaves. For example, the control unit 1200 controls whether microwaves are generated or not by controlling the power supplied to the oscillator 2100.

[0129] The heater assembly 2000 is configured for heating the aerosol product 2 via microwaves. The heater assembly 2000 may include an oscillating section 2100, a radiating section 2200, and a shielding section 2300.

[0130] The oscillator 2100 is configured to generate microwaves by receiving power from a power source (for example, the power source 130 in Figure 1), and has the same configuration as the source 20 described in Figure 1. Depending on the embodiment, the oscillator 2100 may also be called a microwave heater.

[0131] The oscillator 2100 may include a magnetron for generating microwaves. The oscillator 2100 may not simply be the magnetron itself, but may also include an IC chipset containing the magnetron.

[0132] The control unit 1200 controls whether microwaves are generated or not by controlling the power supplied to the oscillation unit 2100.

[0133] The radiating unit 2200 is configured to radially send microwaves generated by the oscillating unit 2100 to the shielding unit 2300, and has the same configuration as the radiating unit 30 described in Figure 1. The radiating unit 2200 is a microwave output unit that provides microwaves inside the shielding unit 2300. Hereinafter, the radiating unit 2200 may be used in combination with the microwave output unit.

[0134] The radiating units 2200 may consist of one or more units. In this case, the oscillating unit 2100 includes the same number of magnetrons as the number of radiating units 2200. In this case, the different magnetrons may be designed to generate microwaves of different frequencies.

[0135] For example, the oscillator 2100 includes two magnetrons, each generating microwaves of 2.5 GHz and 2.7 GHz, respectively, and transmitting these microwaves through two radiating units 2200. Once microwaves of a specific frequency are generated in each magnetron, the microwaves are transmitted to the shielding unit 2300 through the radiating units 2200, which are arranged to correspond one-to-one with each magnetron.

[0136] The shielding section 2300 forms part of the exterior of the heater assembly 2000 and is configured to receive microwaves emitted from the radiating section 2200. In Figure 3, both the radiating section 2200 and the oscillating section 2100 may be located outside the shielding section 2300. Microwaves supplied into the inside of the shielding section 2300 may be reflected at least once by the inner wall of the shielding section 2300.

[0137] The shielding unit 2300 functions to shield the microwaves applied from the radiating unit 2200 from being emitted to the outside. This prevents the microwaves emitted from the radiating unit 2200 from being emitted outside the aerosol generator 1 and reaching the user.

[0138] The shielding portion 2300 may include an opening 2310. The opening 2310 may be located in one area of ​​the shielding portion 2300. In this case, the opening 2310 may be aligned with the insertion opening of the housing 1100 (for example, the insertion opening 1100h in Figure 2).

[0139] Therefore, when the aerosol product 2 is inserted into the aerosol generator 1, the aerosol product 2 can be inserted into the interior of the shielding portion 2300 through an opening 2310 formed in one area of ​​the shielding portion 2300. As a result, the interior of the shielding portion 2300 includes an insertion space 2300i for accommodating the aerosol product 2, and the shielding portion 2300 can enclose the aerosol product 2 when inserted into the interior of the aerosol generator 1.

[0140] The shielding portion 2300 may include a support 2320 that extends from a region of the shielding portion 2300 where the opening 2310 is located in the direction of insertion of the aerosol product 2 (e.g., in the z-axis direction). The support 2320 supports the aerosol product 2 so that it does not move inside the shielding portion 2300. For example, the support 2320 supports the outer circumferential surface of the aerosol product 2. Also, because the support 2320 extends in the direction of insertion of the aerosol product 2, it can reduce microwave leakage through the opening 2310.

[0141] However, the embodiments are not limited to the shape of the support 2320 shown in the figure, and the support 2320 may include a variety of shapes for supporting the aerosol product 2 inside the shielding portion 2300. In addition, a separate shielding member may be placed around the opening 2310 to prevent microwave leakage through the opening 2310.

[0142] The aerosol product 2 inserted into the shielding section 2300 can be heated by microwaves reflected from the inner wall of the shielding section 2300. Specifically, microwaves emitted into the interior of the shielding section 2300 through the radiating section 2200 can penetrate the aerosol product 2. The penetrating microwaves heat the aerosol product 2 as they are reflected several times by the inner wall of the shielding section 2300.

[0143] During this process, the microwaves are not only continuously reflected by the inner wall of the shielding section 2300, but are also scattered by the shredded tobacco, various humectants, and other components that make up the aerosol product 2.

[0144] Aerosols can be generated from the aerosol product 2 heated by microwaves. At this time, the user can recognize that an aerosol has been generated through an output unit (not shown) provided in the aerosol generator 1 and inhale the aerosol by puffing.

[0145] In this embodiment, the control unit 1200 can control the oscillator 2100 to generate microwaves when it determines, via an insertion sensing sensor (not shown), that the insertion of the aerosol product 2 into the shielding unit 2300 is complete. This control method prevents microwaves from being unnecessarily generated and sent to the shielding unit 2300 when the aerosol product 2 has not been inserted into the shielding unit 2300.

[0146] On the other hand, the shape of the shielding portion 2300 is not limited to that shown in Figure 3. The shielding portion 2300 may have a shape suitable for heating the aerosol product 2, such that the microwaves emitted from the radiating portion 2200 do not escape straight through the aperture 2310 but are reflected to the maximum extent within the shielding portion 2300. In other words, the shielding portion 2300 may include a variety of shapes such that the microwaves inside the shielding portion 2300 are concentrated on the aerosol product 2, to the greater the heating efficiency of the aerosol generating material.

[0147] An aerosol generator 1 according to one embodiment may include an optical fiber temperature sensor 1300. When the optical fiber temperature sensor 1300 is applied to the aerosol generator 1 that heats the aerosol product 2 through microwaves, the optical fiber temperature sensor 1300 is not affected by microwaves, and therefore more accurate temperature measurement is possible than when using existing temperature sensors. The types of optical fiber temperature sensors 1300 vary depending on the temperature measurement method, and the embodiment is not limited to a specific type.

[0148] As mentioned above, the optical fiber temperature sensor 1300 is unaffected by microwaves. From this perspective, various sensors unaffected by microwaves (for example, infrared sensors) other than the optical fiber temperature sensor 1300 can be applied to the aerosol generator 1. However, this invention will mainly describe embodiments in which the optical fiber temperature sensor 1300 is applied.

[0149] The optical fiber temperature sensor 1300 is not inserted into the object to be measured and can measure the temperature of the object from outside the object. In other words, the optical fiber temperature sensor 1300 can measure the temperature without damaging or destroying the object to be measured.

[0150] According to one embodiment, the optical fiber temperature sensor 1300 can measure the temperature of an object to be measured through one end. Specifically, one end of the optical fiber temperature sensor 1300 emits light toward the object to be measured or receives light reflected from the object to be measured. The optical fiber temperature sensor 1300 includes multiple optical fibers, so that one end of the optical fiber temperature sensor 1300 may emit light or receive reflected light.

[0151] The other end of the optical fiber temperature sensor 1300 may be connected to the control unit 1200. The control unit 1200 can control a light source (not shown) so that light is emitted from one end of the optical fiber temperature sensor 1300. Specifically, the control unit 1200 can control the light source so that it emits light.

[0152] In this case, the light source may be placed at one end of the optical fiber temperature sensor 1300, or at the other end of the optical fiber temperature sensor 1300. When the light source is placed at the other end of the optical fiber temperature sensor 1300, the light emitted from the light source can travel along the optical fiber of the optical fiber temperature sensor 1300 toward one end of the optical fiber temperature sensor 1300. Specifically, the light can be totally reflected from inside the optical fiber and transmitted to one end of the optical fiber temperature sensor 1300.

[0153] When one end of the optical fiber temperature sensor 1300 receives reflected light from the object to be measured, the light is totally reflected from inside the optical fiber of the optical fiber temperature sensor 1300 and can be transmitted to the control unit 1200 located at the other end of the optical fiber temperature sensor 1300. Based on the light transmitted from the optical fiber temperature sensor 1300, the control unit 1200 can determine the temperature of the object to be measured.

[0154] One end of the optical fiber temperature sensor 1300 can be positioned at various locations outside the object whose temperature is to be measured. For example, one end of the optical fiber temperature sensor 1300 can be positioned to contact the object whose temperature is to be measured. That is, one end of the optical fiber temperature sensor 1300 can contact the surface of the object whose temperature is to be measured and measure its temperature.

[0155] Since one end of the optical fiber temperature sensor 1300 is in direct contact with the object whose temperature is to be measured, the optical fiber temperature sensor 1300 can measure the temperature of the object with relatively high accuracy.

[0156] As another example, one end of the optical fiber temperature sensor 1300 may be positioned away from the object whose temperature is to be measured. That is, one end of the optical fiber temperature sensor 1300 can measure the temperature at a position away from the surface of the object whose temperature is to be measured.

[0157] Since one end of the optical fiber temperature sensor 1300 is not in contact with the object whose temperature is to be measured, the position of the optical fiber temperature sensor 1300 is not affected by the object whose temperature is to be measured, and the optical fiber temperature sensor 1300 can measure the temperature at a predetermined position.

[0158] Conversely, the position of the object to be measured is not affected by the optical fiber temperature sensor 1300, and the presence of the optical fiber temperature sensor 1300 prevents the position of the object to be measured from shifting.

[0159] According to this, the reproducibility of the temperature measurement results of the optical fiber temperature sensor 1300 is improved. In other words, under the same conditions, there is a higher probability that the same temperature measurement results will be obtained.

[0160] On the other hand, depending on the embodiment, "other parts" or "all parts" of the optical fiber temperature sensor 1300 may be involved in temperature measurement. However, for the sake of explanation, the following description will focus on embodiments in which temperature is measured through "one end" of the optical fiber temperature sensor 1300.

[0161] According to one embodiment, one or more optical fiber temperature sensors 1300 may be provided. For example, when one or more optical fiber temperature sensors 1300 are provided, they may be provided to measure the temperature of the aerosol product 2 inserted into the shielding portion 2300. In this case, the aerosol product 2 housed in the insertion space 2300i is the target of temperature measurement by the optical fiber temperature sensor 1300.

[0162] Hereinafter, the optical fiber temperature sensor 1300 that measures the temperature of the aerosol product 2 housed in the insertion space 2300i will be referred to as the first sensor 1310. In other words, the optical fiber temperature sensor 1300 may include the first sensor 1310 for measuring the temperature of the aerosol product 2 inserted into the shielding portion 2300. The first sensor 1310 is located outside the aerosol product 2 housed in the insertion space 2300i, and one end of the first sensor 1310 is in contact with the aerosol product 2.

[0163] As shown in the illustration, one end of the first sensor 1310 may be positioned facing the outer surface of the aerosol product 2. That is, one end of the first sensor 1310 is positioned to be in contact with the outer surface of the aerosol product 2, and the temperature of the outer surface of the aerosol product 2 can be measured.

[0164] Since the first sensor 1310 is not inserted into the aerosol product 2, the aerosol product 2 is not damaged by the optical fiber temperature sensor 1300. Therefore, the optical fiber temperature sensor 1300 does not affect the user's smoking sensation. Furthermore, if the aerosol product 2 is damaged, when the aerosol product 2 is removed from the aerosol generator 1, shredded tobacco and other residues will remain inside the insertion space 2300i, but according to one embodiment, this situation can be prevented.

[0165] The control unit 1200 can determine the temperature of the object to be measured via the optical fiber temperature sensor 1300 and adjust the microwave based on the measured temperature.

[0166] For example, if the temperature of the aerosol product 2 measured through the first sensor 1310 deviates from a pre-set range, the control unit 1200 can adjust the microwave output inside the shielding unit 2300 by adjusting the intensity or frequency of the microwave generated by the oscillation unit 2100.

[0167] This allows the control unit 1200 to adjust the temperature of the aerosol product 2 within a pre-set range. With this control method, the aerosol product 2 can be heated according to a pre-set heating profile, providing the user with an optimal smoking experience.

[0168] According to one embodiment, multiple optical fiber temperature sensors 1300 can be arranged. By arranging multiple optical fiber temperature sensors 1300, multiple objects whose temperature is measured by the optical fiber temperature sensors 1300 can also be arranged. As shown in the figure, two optical fiber temperature sensors 1300 are arranged.

[0169] For example, the optical fiber temperature sensor 1300 may further include not only a first sensor 1310 for measuring the temperature of the aerosol product 2 inserted into the shielding portion 2300, but also a second sensor 1320 for measuring the temperature of the radiating portion 2200. The aerosol product 2 contained in the insertion space 2300i is the temperature target of the first sensor 1310, and the radiating portion 2200 is the temperature target of the second sensor 1320.

[0170] As described above, the first sensor 1310 is located outside the aerosol product 2, and one end of the first sensor 1310 is in contact with the aerosol product 2. Similarly, the second sensor 1320 is located outside the radiating unit 2200, and one end of the second sensor 1320 is in contact with the radiating unit 2200.

[0171] In other words, Figure 3 shows an embodiment in which the optical fiber temperature sensor 1300 is in contact with the object whose temperature is to be measured, but the embodiment is not limited to this, and the optical fiber temperature sensor 1300 may be positioned at a distance from the object whose temperature is to be measured. The same applies to the following drawings.

[0172] Since the radiating section 2200 is the microwave output section 2200, the temperature of the radiating section 2200 rises as it outputs microwaves into the shielding section 2300. If the temperature of the radiating section 2200 rises, the temperature of components located adjacent to the radiating section 2200 will also rise. Unintended temperature increases in surrounding components can cause damage to those components. Therefore, it is necessary to monitor the temperature of the radiating section 2200 to prevent it from becoming excessively high.

[0173] In this case, by monitoring the temperature of the radiating unit 2200 through the second sensor 1320, the control unit 1200 can adjust the output of microwaves sent into the shielding unit 2300 if the temperature of the radiating unit 2200 becomes higher than a previously set temperature.

[0174] The control unit 1200 can adjust the temperature of the radiating unit 2200 to below a previously set temperature by adjusting the intensity or frequency of the microwaves generated by the oscillating unit 2100. This control method prevents damage to the surrounding components of the radiating unit 2200 due to heat.

[0175] On the other hand, in the process of sending microwaves into the shielding unit 2300 through the microwave output unit 2200 to heat the aerosol product 2, a situation occurs where only the temperature of the microwave output unit 2200 rises, and the aerosol product 2 is not heated. In this case, no aerosol is generated, and only the temperature of the microwave output unit 2200 or the heater assembly 2000 rises, which is problematic.

[0176] To resolve this situation, the control unit 1200 can control the aerosol generator 1 by taking into account both the temperature measurement result of the aerosol product 2 via the first sensor 1310 and the temperature measurement result of the microwave output unit 2200 via the second sensor 1320.

[0177] For example, if the control unit 1200 determines that the temperature of the aerosol product 2 is lower than a pre-set first temperature and the temperature of the microwave output unit 2200 is higher than a pre-set second temperature, it can adjust the frequency of the microwaves supplied to the shielding unit 2300 so that the aerosol product 2 is heated by the microwaves.

[0178] In this case, the first temperature means a temperature sufficient to heat the aerosol product 2 so that an aerosol is generated, and the second temperature means a temperature sufficient to heat-damage the components surrounding the microwave output unit 2200.

[0179] As another example, if the control unit 1200 determines that the temperature of the aerosol product 2 is lower than a pre-set first temperature and the temperature of the microwave output unit 2200 is higher than a pre-set second temperature, it can control the heating element 2400, which is located inside the shielding unit 2300, so that power is supplied to the heating element 2400.

[0180] Specifically, the heater assembly 2000 may further include a heating element 2400 for heating the aerosol product 2 inserted into the insertion space 2300i. Since the heater assembly 2000 basically heats the aerosol product 2 by microwave heating, under typical circumstances, when a user uses the aerosol generator 1, power is not supplied to the heating element 2400. That is, under typical circumstances, the heating element 2400 only performs the function of supporting the aerosol product 2 and does not heat the aerosol product 2.

[0181] According to one embodiment, the dielectric heating method has the advantage of heating quickly and being energy efficient compared to other heating methods, so the heater assembly 2000 can efficiently heat the aerosol product 2. In this case, even if the heater assembly 2000 includes a heating element 2400, under general circumstances, the aerosol product 2 is heated only by the dielectric heating method without being heated through the heating element 2400, thus reducing the amount of power consumed for heating the aerosol product 2.

[0182] However, in special circumstances where only the temperature of the microwave output unit 2200 rises and the aerosol product 2 is not heated, the heating element 2400 can heat the aerosol product 2 to generate an aerosol.

[0183] Simultaneously, the control unit 1200 can block the supply of microwaves to the shielding unit 2300 by various methods, such as controlling the oscillation unit 2100 so that it does not generate microwaves.

[0184] According to this, in addition to the aerosol generation from the aerosol product 2 by the heating element 2400, the microwave output unit 2200 does not supply microwaves further into the shielding unit 2300. Therefore, the temperature of the microwave output unit 2200 is kept low, preventing the surrounding components of the microwave output unit 2200 from overheating.

[0185] As shown in the illustration, the heating element 2400 can be inserted into the aerosol product 2. The heating element 2400 can heat the inside of the aerosol product 2 housed in the insertion space 2300i. However, the embodiments are not limited to the shape and arrangement of the heating element 2400. As another example, the heating element 2400 is a cylindrical electrical resistive heater that surrounds at least a portion of the insertion space 2300i and heats the outside of the aerosol product 2. As yet another example, the heating element 2400 may include a cylindrical susceptor and an induction coil surrounding the susceptor that heats the outside of the aerosol product 2. In this case, the induction coil may be located inside or outside the shielding portion 2300.

[0186] On the other hand, it is necessary to inform the user that, within the aerosol generator 1 currently in use, only the temperature of the microwave output unit 2200 rises, and the aerosol product 2 is not heated.

[0187] For this purpose, the aerosol generator 1 according to one embodiment may further include an output unit (not shown) that outputs information related to the aerosol generator 1. The output unit has the same configuration as the output unit described in Figure 1.

[0188] If the control unit 1200 determines that the temperature of the aerosol product 2 is lower than a pre-set first temperature and the temperature of the microwave output unit 2200 is higher than a pre-set second temperature, it can control the output unit so that a notification is provided to the user through the output unit. The user can then recognize the problem through the output unit and take measures to address it, such as adjusting the microwave or visiting a service center.

[0189] Although not shown, in some embodiments, the optical fiber temperature sensor 1300 may measure the temperature of the shielding portion 2300. That is, the optical fiber temperature sensor 1300 may further include a third sensor (not shown) for measuring the temperature of the shielding portion 2300. In this case, the aerosol product 2, the microwave output unit 2200, and the shielding portion 2300 each correspond to one of a plurality of temperature measurement targets. The third sensor is located outside the shielding portion 2300 and can measure the temperature of the outer wall or outside of the shielding portion 2300.

[0190] Similar to the radiating portion 2200, if the temperature of the shielding portion 2300 rises, the temperature of components located adjacent to the shielding portion 2300 will also rise. This can cause damage to surrounding components, so it is necessary to monitor the temperature of the shielding portion 2300 to prevent it from becoming excessively high.

[0191] By monitoring the temperature of the shielding section 2300 through the third sensor, the control unit 1200 can adjust the output of microwaves sent into the shielding section 2300 when the temperature of the shielding section 2300 rises above a previously set temperature.

[0192] The control unit 1200 can adjust the temperature of the shielding unit 2300 to below a predetermined temperature by adjusting the intensity or frequency of the microwaves generated by the oscillation unit 2100. This control method prevents damage to the surrounding components of the shielding unit 2300 due to heat.

[0193] As mentioned above, the sensor that measures the temperature of the aerosol product 2 was named the first sensor 1310, the sensor that measures the temperature of the microwave output unit radiation section 2200 was named the second sensor 1320, and the sensor that measures the temperature of the shielding section 2300 was named the third sensor. However, the ordinal numbers were used for convenience of explanation and do not indicate the arrangement or importance order of the optical fiber temperature sensors 1300.

[0194] In other words, if one optical fiber temperature sensor 1300 is provided, the first sensor 1310 may be provided to measure the temperature of the microwave output unit 2200, as shown in Figure 3. Similarly, if two optical fiber temperature sensors 1300 are provided, the first sensor 1310 and the second sensor 1320 may be provided to measure the temperatures of the microwave output unit 2200 and the shielding unit 2300, respectively.

[0195] On the other hand, as shown in the illustration, the aerosol product 2 is inserted inside the shielding portion 2300, and at least a portion of the first sensor 1310 may be located inside the shielding portion 2300. On the other hand, the microwave output portion 2200 is located outside the shielding portion 2300, and the entire portion of the second sensor 1320 may be located outside the shielding portion 2300.

[0196] When the optical fiber temperature sensor 1300 is placed outside the shielding section 2300, the surrounding space of the heater assembly 2000 can be utilized, thus providing a relatively high degree of flexibility in the placement of the optical fiber temperature sensor 1300.

[0197] However, if at least a portion of the optical fiber temperature sensor 1300 is located inside the shielding portion 2300, the internal space of the shielding portion 2300 is limited, so the optical fiber temperature sensor 1300 needs to be efficiently positioned inside the shielding portion 2300. For this purpose, the shielding portion 2300 may include a guide 2330 for supporting the optical fiber temperature sensor 1300, at least a portion of which is located inside the shielding portion 2300.

[0198] At least a portion of the optical fiber temperature sensor 1300 can be inserted into the guide 2330 and positioned along the shape of the guide 2330. That is, the guide 2330 can locate the position of the optical fiber temperature sensor 1300 located inside the shielding portion 2300.

[0199] For example, the guide 2330 may include a first portion 2331 extending in the longitudinal direction (e.g., the z-axis direction) of the shielding portion 2300 and a second portion 2332 extending in a direction transverse to the longitudinal direction of the shielding portion 2300 (e.g., the y-axis direction).

[0200] A portion of the optical fiber temperature sensor 1300 may be extended along the first portion 2331. In this case, one end of the optical fiber temperature sensor 1300 may be positioned to face the outer surface of the aerosol product 2.

[0201] Other parts of the optical fiber temperature sensor 1300 may be extended along the second part 2332. In this case, the other end of the optical fiber temperature sensor 1300 may be brought out outside the shielding part 2300.

[0202] In connection with this, the optical fiber temperature sensor 1300 must be positioned to penetrate the shielding portion 2300 in order to connect with the control unit 1200 located outside the shielding portion 2300 or the heater assembly 2000. For this purpose, the shielding portion 2300 may include a through-hole 2340 for passing the optical fiber temperature sensor 1300.

[0203] In this case, a problem arises in which microwaves supplied into the shielding portion 2300 leak out to the outside of the shielding portion 2300 through the through-holes 2340 formed in the shielding portion 2300. Therefore, the heater assembly 2000 may further include a shielding member 2500 to block microwaves from leaking through the through-holes 2340.

[0204] As shown in the illustration, the shielding member 2500 is positioned outside the shielding portion 2300 and can block the through-hole 2340 while surrounding the optical fiber temperature sensor 1300 that is drawn out through the through-hole 2340. However, the embodiment is not limited to the position of the shielding member 2500 as shown. Depending on the embodiment, the shielding member 2500 may be positioned inside the shielding portion 2300. Furthermore, the shielding member 2500 may include a variety of shapes to prevent microwave leakage through the through-hole 2340.

[0205] On the other hand, the shape of the guide 2330 is not limited to those shown in the illustration. As another example, the guide 2330 may have a shape that extends along one direction. In this case, the guide 2330 may have a hole that is open in a direction that crosses one direction.

[0206] Furthermore, the position of the guide 2330 is not limited to that shown in the figure. The guide 2330 may extend from one region of the shielding portion 2300 inward from the through hole 2340, or it may extend outward from the shielding portion 2300.

[0207] Similarly, the location of the through-hole 2340 is not limited to that shown in the illustration. As shown, the through-hole 2340 is formed in the lower part of the shielding portion 2300, but in some embodiments, the through-hole 2340 may be formed in the side portion of the shielding portion 2300.

[0208] In this embodiment, the heater assembly 2000 heated the aerosol product 2 by transmitting microwaves generated by the oscillation unit 2100 through the radiation unit 2200 to the medium. However, this method only provides weak heating and has low energy efficiency.

[0209] According to this, a resonator that generates high-density microwaves is required to heat the aerosol product 2. The following describes an embodiment that includes a resonator.

[0210] Figure 4 is a cross-sectional view of an aerosol generating apparatus according to another embodiment.

[0211] Referring to Figure 4, in another embodiment, the aerosol generating apparatus 1 can generate an aerosol by heating the aerosol product 2 using dielectric resonance caused by microwaves.

[0212] To realize this, the aerosol generator 1 according to other embodiments may include a housing 1100, a control unit 1200, an optical fiber temperature sensor 1300, and a heater assembly 3000. Detailed explanations of the configuration and effects of the aerosol generator 1 that overlap with Figure 3 are omitted.

[0213] In other embodiments, the heater assembly 3000 may include an oscillation section 3100, a radiating section 3200, a shielding section 3300, and a dielectric resonant section 3400.

[0214] The oscillator 3100 is configured to generate microwaves. The oscillator 3100 has the same configuration as the oscillator 2100 described in Figure 2.

[0215] The radiating unit 3200 is positioned inside the shielding unit 3300, and can radiate microwaves into the shielding unit 3300. The microwaves radiated from the radiating unit 3200 are electromagnetic waves that are emitted omnidirectionally. Furthermore, at least one radiating unit 3200 may be positioned inside the shielding unit 3300.

[0216] The radiating unit 3200 can be electrically connected to the oscillating unit 3100. In this case, the radiating unit 3200 is located inside the shielding unit 3300, and the oscillating unit 3100 is located outside the shielding unit 3300, so the connecting portion that connects the radiating unit 3200 and the oscillating unit 3100 can penetrate the shielding unit 3300. In this case, a shielding member (not shown) may be placed in the portion through which the connecting portion penetrates to prevent microwave leakage.

[0217] The shielding section 3300 has the same configuration as the shielding section 2300 described in Figure 3. However, unlike the shielding section 2300 shown in Figure 3, which had an empty space inside, the shielding section 3300 shown in Figure 4 is filled with a dielectric resonant section 3400.

[0218] The dielectric resonant section 3400, located inside the shielding section 3300, can absorb microwaves of a specific frequency radiated from the radiating section 3200. The microwaves cause dielectric resonance to occur in the dielectric resonant section 3400.

[0219] Dielectric resonance means that resonance occurs inside the dielectric resonant section 3400 due to microwaves, and the dielectric resonant section 3400 forms an alternating current electromagnetic field. In other words, microwaves can cause the dielectric resonant section 3400 to resonate internally and generate an alternating current electromagnetic field.

[0220] The dielectric resonant section 3400 can accommodate the aerosol product 2. With the aerosol product 2 contained within the dielectric resonant section 3400, an alternating current electromagnetic field can be applied to the aerosol product 2 through dielectric resonance. More specifically, the dielectric resonant section 3400 can apply an alternating current electric field in a direction intersecting the alternating current magnetic field contained in the microwaves.

[0221] Under an alternating electric field oscillating at a predetermined frequency, polar molecules contained in the dielectric resonant section 3400 and the aerosol product 2 can vibrate in accordance with the direction and phase of the electric field. As a result, the polar molecules vibrate and experience resistance due to intermolecular forces, which generates heat.

[0222] Therefore, the aerosol generating apparatus 1 according to one embodiment can heat the aerosol product 2 by vibrating polar molecules contained in the aerosol product 2 using the radiation section 3200 and the dielectric resonance section 3400.

[0223] A groove may be formed in the dielectric resonant portion 3400. The aerosol product 2 can be accommodated in the groove formed in the dielectric resonant portion 3400. That is, the groove formed in the dielectric resonant portion 3400 corresponds to the insertion space 3300i for the aerosol product 2. The shape of the groove is cylindrical, but is not limited to this, and varies from one another depending on the shape of the aerosol product 2 to be accommodated.

[0224] When the aerosol product 2 is inserted into the groove of the dielectric resonant portion 3400, the dielectric resonant portion 3400 can surround the aerosol product 2. For example, one inner surface of the dielectric resonant portion 3400 can come into contact with the aerosol product 2. Also, the lower surface of the dielectric resonant portion 3400 can come into contact with the aerosol product 2.

[0225] Once the aerosol product 2 is contained in a groove formed in the dielectric resonant portion 3400, the dielectric resonant portion 3400 can easily apply an alternating electromagnetic field to the aerosol product 2.

[0226] In this case, if the groove is formed along the central axis of the dielectric resonant section 3400, the microwaves emitted from the radiating section 3200 can be concentrated around the central axis of the dielectric resonant section 3400. When the central axis of the aerosol product 2 and the central axis of the dielectric resonant section 3400 are aligned, the alternating electromagnetic field applied by the dielectric resonant section 3400 can be concentrated around the central axis of the aerosol product 2. This can further shorten the heating time of the aerosol product 2.

[0227] However, the embodiments are not limited thereto, and the dielectric resonant portion 3400 can apply an alternating electromagnetic field to the aerosol product 2 when the aerosol product 2 is separated from the dielectric resonant portion 3400.

[0228] The dielectric resonant portion 3400 can have various shapes, such as cylindrical or rectangular parallelepiped. In this case, the dielectric resonant portion 3400 is arranged to be in airtight contact with the inner wall of the shielding portion 3300 and can be fixed so as not to move due to the insertion of the aerosol product 2.

[0229] Furthermore, at least one dielectric resonant portion 3400 may be provided. For example, multiple dielectrics made of different materials may be provided along the longitudinal direction of the aerosol product 2.

[0230] The material of the dielectric resonant section 3400 includes, but is not limited to, fused quartz or alumina. For example, the dielectric resonant section 3400 may include a variety of materials having a dielectric constant of 3 or more and a loss tangent of 0.0005 or less.

[0231] As shown in the illustration, the dielectric resonant portion 3400 may be positioned inside the shielding portion 3300 at a predetermined distance from the radiating portion 3200. The distance between the dielectric resonant portion 3400 and the radiating portion 3200 is determined by the coupling coefficient of the radiating portion 3200.

[0232] In this case, the coupling coefficient of the radiating section 3200 represents the ratio of the thermal energy absorbed by the aerosol product 2 contained in the dielectric resonant section 3400 to the microwave energy radiated by the radiating section 3200. For example, if the coupling coefficient value is 0.5, 50% of the microwave energy applied from the radiating section 3200 may be absorbed by the aerosol product 2.

[0233] Therefore, by arranging the dielectric resonant portion 3400 and the radiating portion 3200 while considering the distance between them, the coupling coefficient of the radiating portion 3200 can be changed, thereby allowing the aerosol product 2 to be heated to a desired temperature.

[0234] In another embodiment, the optical fiber temperature sensor 1300 includes a processing unit 1301 which includes at least one of a light-emitting element (having the same configuration as the light source described above) and a light-receiving element. The processing unit 1301 performs the role of the control unit 1200 described above. In this case, the optical fiber temperature sensor 1300 can function as a single sensing module.

[0235] For example, if one end of the optical fiber temperature sensor 1300 receives reflected light from the object to be measured, the reflected light is totally reflected inside the optical fiber and transmitted to the processing unit 1301 located at the other end of the optical fiber temperature sensor 1300. The processing unit 1301 can then determine the temperature of the object to be measured based on the transmitted light.

[0236] As shown in the diagram, the optical fiber temperature sensor 1300 may be placed inside the shielding section 3300. According to this, the processing unit 1301 may also be placed inside the shielding section 3300. In this case, the processing unit 1301 is surrounded by a shielding member (not shown) to prevent it from being affected by microwaves.

[0237] To supply power to the optical fiber temperature sensor 1300 located inside the shielding portion 3300, the heater assembly 3000 may include a terminal 3500 positioned to penetrate the shielding portion 3300. The terminal 3500 can electrically connect the inside of the shielding portion 3300 to the outside of the shielding portion 3300.

[0238] Specifically, terminal 3500 can be electrically connected to the processing unit 1301 or optical fiber temperature sensor 1300 located inside the shielding unit 3300. Terminal 3500 can also be electrically connected to a battery (not shown) located outside the shielding unit 3300. Power can be supplied from the battery to the optical fiber temperature sensor 1300 through terminal 3500.

[0239] By positioning the terminal 3500 to penetrate the shielding portion 3300 of the heater assembly 3000, microwaves do not leak into the area where the terminal 3500 is located. This prevents the phenomenon of reduced heating efficiency due to microwave leakage.

[0240] On the other hand, the dielectric resonant portion 3400 is arranged inside the shielding portion 3300 at a predetermined distance from the processing unit 1301 of the optical fiber temperature sensor 1300, but the embodiment is not limited to what is shown.

[0241] In other embodiments, the heater assembly 3000 may further include a heating element 3600 for heating the aerosol product 2 inserted into the dielectric resonant portion 3400. As shown, the heating element 3600 is tubular in shape, thereby allowing it to heat the outside of the aerosol product 2. However, the embodiments are not limited thereto, and the shape of the heating element 3600 may cause heating of the inside or outside of the aerosol product 2.

[0242] The heating element 3600 can be heated by applying an alternating current electromagnetic field from the dielectric resonant section 3400. Specifically, an alternating current electromagnetic field can induce a current in the heating element 3600. More specifically, an alternating current electric field can be generated in a direction intersecting the alternating current electric field applied to the heating element 3600, thereby inducing a current in the heating element 3600. The induced current is either a current generated by Faraday's law or a vortex current such as an eddy current. If a current is induced in the heating element 3600, the heating element 3600 can be heated by its internal electrical resistance.

[0243] The aerosol-generating substance in the aerosol product 2 can be heated by the heated heating element 3600, thereby generating an aerosol. If necessary, the aerosol generator 1 can heat the heating element 3600 even when the aerosol product 2 is not inserted into the aerosol generator 1.

[0244] The material of the heating element 3600 may include a conductor or a semiconductor. For example, the material of the heating element 3600 may include at least one selected from ferrite, ferromagnetic alloy, stainless steel, and aluminum, or a combination thereof.

[0245] Furthermore, the material of the heating element 3600 may include at least one selected from ceramics such as graphite, molybdenum, silicon carbide, niobium, nickel alloy, metal film, and zirconia, transition metals such as nickel (Ni) and cobalt (Co), and metalloids such as boron (B) and phosphorus (P), or combinations thereof.

[0246] However, the material of the heating element 3600 is not limited to the examples described above; it is not restricted as long as it heats up to the desired temperature as an alternating electromagnetic field is applied. Here, the desired temperature may be pre-set in the aerosol generator 1, or it may be set to a desired temperature by the user.

[0247] In other embodiments of the aerosol generating apparatus 1, the aerosol generating apparatus 1 can heat the aerosol generating apparatus 2 by using dielectric resonance via microwaves to vibrate polar molecules contained in the aerosol generating apparatus 2 or by inducing an electric current in the heating element 3600.

[0248] According to another embodiment, since a high-frequency microwave is used to generate an induced current in the heating element 3600, the aerosol product 2 can be heated in a short time. At the same time, since a high-frequency microwave is used to generate the induced current, the heating efficiency is high. As a result, the amount of power required for heating is saved, and the amount of power consumed can be reduced compared to an aerosol generator that generates an induced current using a low-frequency electromagnetic field.

[0249] On the other hand, if only the temperature of the radiating section 3200, which corresponds to the microwave output section, rises and dielectric resonance does not occur in the dielectric resonant section 3400, then the aerosol product 2 will not be heated, which is problematic.

[0250] As in the embodiment described above, if it is determined that the temperature of the aerosol product 2 is lower than a pre-set first temperature and the temperature of the microwave output unit is higher than a pre-set second temperature, the control unit 1200 can adjust the frequency of the microwaves supplied to the shielding unit 3300 so that the aerosol product 2 is heated.

[0251] As another example, the control unit 1200 blocks the microwaves supplied to the inside of the shielding unit 3300 and controls the heating element 3600 so that power is supplied to the heating element 3600. In this case, the heating element 3600 can heat the aerosol product 2 through electrical resistance heating rather than induction heating.

[0252] Through the control operations described above, the control unit 1200 heats the aerosol product 2 even in problematic situations, and in particular, even when the microwave supply is cut off, it heats the aerosol product 2 while simultaneously preventing the temperature of the microwave output unit 3200 from rising further, thereby preventing overheating of the peripheral components of the microwave output unit 3200.

[0253] In this embodiment, the heater assembly 3000 heated the aerosol product 2 through a dielectric resonant section 3400, which was a shielding section 3300 with a relatively simple shape filled with dielectric material. In this case, the dielectric resonance was generated by microwaves radiated from the radiating section 3200.

[0254] The following describes an embodiment in which the object to be heated is heated by forming microwaves within a resonant structure via a coupler, rather than by radiating microwaves using the antenna radiation unit 3200. This embodiment includes a resonant structure in which a specific shaped conductor is applied not only to the shielding unit but also inside the shielding unit. Due to the resonant structure of such a resonant unit, the resonant unit can be operated by a resonator having a length of 1 / 4 wavelength of a microwave. This will be explained in detail below.

[0255] Figure 5 is an internal block diagram of a dielectric heating section applied to an aerosol generating apparatus according to yet another embodiment.

[0256] Referring to Figure 5, the dielectric heating unit 400 is configured to heat the aerosol product (for example, the aerosol product 2 in Figure 2) by a dielectric heating method, and corresponds to the heater assembly described above and the heater assembly described later.

[0257] The dielectric heating unit 400 can heat the aerosol product using microwaves.

[0258] In this case, the heating method of the dielectric heating section 400 is not a method of radiating microwaves using an antenna, but rather a method of heating the object to be heated by forming microwaves within a resonant structure. The resonant structure will be described later with reference to Figure 6 and subsequent figures.

[0259] The dielectric heating unit 400 can output high-frequency microwaves to the resonant unit 430. The microwaves are within the ISM (Industrial Scientific and Medical equipment) power band permitted for heating, but are not limited to this. The resonant unit 430 may be designed considering the wavelength of the microwaves so that they resonate within the resonant unit 430.

[0260] The aerosol product is inserted into the resonant section 430, and the dielectric material within the aerosol product may be heated by the resonant section 430. For example, the aerosol product may contain a polar material, and the molecules within the polar material may be polarized inside the resonant section 430. The molecules vibrate or rotate due to the polarization phenomenon, and the aerosol product may be heated by frictional heat generated in this process.

[0261] The processor (for example, the processor 170 in Figure 1) can control the DC power supplied from the power supply (for example, the power supply 130 in Figure 1) to the power conversion unit (for example, the power converter in Figure 1) and / or the AC power supplied from the power conversion unit to the dielectric heating unit 400, according to the power requirements of the dielectric heating unit 400.

[0262] As an example, the aerosol generator (for example, aerosol generator 1 in Figure 1) includes a converter that boosts or buckes DC power, and the processor can control the converter and adjust the magnitude of the DC power. The processor can also control the AC power supplied to the dielectric heating unit 400 by adjusting the switching frequency and duty cycle of the switching elements included in the power conversion unit.

[0263] The processor can control the heating temperature of the aerosol product by controlling the microwave power of the dielectric heating unit 400 and the resonant frequency of the dielectric heating unit 400. Therefore, the oscillator unit 410, isolation unit 440, power monitoring unit 450, and matching unit 460, which will be described later, are also part of the control unit (for example, the control unit 10 in Figure 1).

[0264] The processor can control the microwave power of the dielectric heating unit 400 based on temperature profile information stored in memory. In other words, the temperature profile includes time-dependent information relating to the target temperature of the dielectric heating unit 400, and the processor can control the microwave power of the dielectric heating unit 400 over time.

[0265] The processor can adjust the microwave frequency so that the resonant frequency of the dielectric heating unit 400 remains constant. The processor can track the change in the resonant frequency of the dielectric heating unit 400 due to the heating of the object being heated in real time and control the dielectric heating unit 400 so that a microwave frequency corresponding to the changed resonant frequency is output. In other words, the processor can change the microwave frequency in real time, regardless of pre-stored temperature profiles.

[0266] Referring to Figure 5, the dielectric heating unit 400 may include an oscillator 410, an isolation unit 440, a power monitoring unit 450, a matching unit 460, a coupler 420, and a resonant unit 430. However, the internal configuration of the dielectric heating unit 400 is not limited to that shown in Figure 5. Depending on the design of the dielectric heating unit 400, some of the configurations shown in Figure 5 may be omitted, or new configurations may be added.

[0267] The oscillator 410 has a configuration corresponding to the source 20 in Figure 1 and can generate high-frequency microwave power by receiving AC power from the power conversion unit. In this embodiment, the power conversion unit is included in the oscillator 410. The microwave power can be selected from the 915 MHz, 2.45 GHz, and 5.8 GHz frequency bands included in the ISM band.

[0268] The oscillator 410 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 410 is implemented using semiconductors, the dielectric heating unit 400 can be miniaturized, which has the advantage of increasing the lifespan of the equipment.

[0269] The oscillator 410 can output microwave power toward the resonant 430. The oscillator 410 includes a power amplifier (e.g., power amplifier 230 in Figure 1) 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. 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.

[0270] The processor can adjust the magnitude of the microwave power output from the oscillator 410 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 410 can supply microwave power as a first power during the preheating section and microwave power as a second power smaller than the first power during the smoking section.

[0271] The isolation unit 440 can block the microwave power input from the resonant unit 430 toward the oscillator unit 410. Most of the microwave power output from the oscillator unit 410 is absorbed by the heated object, but depending on the heating conditions of the heated object, some of the microwave power may be reflected by the heated object and transmitted again toward the oscillator unit 410. This is because the impedance seen from the oscillator unit 410 toward the resonant unit 430 changes due to the consumption of polar molecules caused by the heating of the heated object. The meaning of "the impedance seen from the oscillator unit 410 toward the resonant unit 430 changes" is the same as meaning "the resonant frequency of the resonant unit 430 changes". If the microwave power reflected by the resonant unit 430 is input to the oscillator unit 410, not only will the oscillator unit 410 fail, but it will also be unable to achieve the expected output performance. The isolation unit 440 can prevent the microwave power reflected by the resonant unit 430 from returning to the oscillator unit 410, and instead guide it in a predetermined direction to absorb it. For this purpose, the isolation section 440 may include a circulator and a dummy load.

[0272] The power monitoring unit 450 can monitor the microwave power output from the oscillation unit 410 and the reflected microwave power reflected by the resonance unit 430. The power monitoring unit 450 can transmit information related to the microwave power and reflected microwave power to the matching unit 460.

[0273] The impedance matching unit 460 can match the impedance seen from the oscillator 410 to the resonant 430 with the impedance seen from the resonant 430 to the oscillator 410 so as to minimize reflected microwave power. Impedance matching is equivalent to matching the frequency of the oscillator 410 with the resonant frequency of the resonant 430. Therefore, the impedance matching unit 460 can vary the frequency of the oscillator 410 in order to match the impedances. In other words, the impedance matching unit 460 can adjust the frequency of the microwave power output from the oscillator 410 so as to minimize reflected microwave power. Impedance matching by the impedance matching unit 460 is performed in real time, regardless of the temperature profile.

[0274] On the other hand, the oscillation unit 410, isolation unit 440, power monitoring unit 450, and matching unit 460 described above are separate configurations distinct from the coupler 420 and resonant unit 430, which will be described later, and can be embodied by a chip-shaped microwave source. Furthermore, depending on the embodiment, the oscillation unit 410, isolation unit 440, power monitoring unit 450, and matching unit 460 described above may be embodied by a part of the control unit.

[0275] The coupler 420 is configured to input microwave power to the resonant section 430. The coupler 420 corresponds to the microwave output section 420 and is configured to correspond to the radiating section 30 in Figure 1. The coupler 420 can be implemented in the form of an SMA, SMB, MCX, or MMCX connector. The coupler 420 connects the chip-shaped microwave source and the resonant section 430 to each other and can transmit the microwave power generated by the microwave source to the resonant section 430.

[0276] The resonant section 430 heats the object to be heated by forming microwaves within its resonant structure. The resonant section 430 includes an insertion space in which aerosol products are contained, and the aerosol products can be exposed to microwaves and dielectrically heated. For example, the aerosol products may contain polar materials, and the molecules within the polar materials may be polarized by microwaves inside the resonant section 430. The molecules vibrate or rotate due to the polarization phenomenon, and the aerosol products may be heated by frictional heat generated in this process.

[0277] The resonant section 430 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 430.

[0278] The resonant section 430 can be designed considering the wavelength of the microwave so that the microwave resonates inside the resonant section 430. For the microwave to resonate inside the resonant section 430, 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 the present invention, the resonant section 430 is selected to be 1 / 4 of the microwave wavelength in order to miniaturize the device. In other words, the length between the closed end and the open end of the resonant section 430 can be set to 1 / 4 of the microwave wavelength.

[0279] The resonant portion 430 may include a dielectric housing space. The dielectric housing space is configured to be separate from the aerosol product housing space, and contains materials that change the overall resonant frequency of the resonant portion 430 and miniaturize the resonant portion 430. In one embodiment, a dielectric with low microwave absorptivity may be housed in the dielectric housing space. This is to prevent the phenomenon in which energy that should be transferred to the object to be heated is transferred to the dielectric, causing the dielectric itself to generate heat. 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, a dielectric having a loss tangent of a predetermined size or less is housed in the dielectric housing space, and 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.

[0280] Figure 6 is a cross-sectional perspective view showing an example of a heater assembly applied to an aerosol generating apparatus according to yet another embodiment.

[0281] Referring to Figure 6, another embodiment of the aerosol generating apparatus (for example, the aerosol generating apparatus 1 in Figure 2) can generate an aerosol by using the electromagnetic field generated by the coaxial resonator R to heat the aerosol product 2 inserted into the resonator R.

[0282] To realize this, the heater assembly 4000 of the aerosol generator according to other embodiments may include an oscillator 4100, a coupler 4200, and a resonant section 4300. Detailed explanations of the configuration and effects of the aerosol generator are omitted insofar as they overlap with Figure 3.

[0283] The oscillation unit 4100 is configured to generate microwaves of a preset frequency based on a control signal from a control unit (for example, the control unit 1200 in Figure 2). The oscillation unit 4100 has the same configuration as the aforementioned oscillation unit (for example, the oscillation unit 2100 in Figure 2).

[0284] The coupler 4200 is a component for supplying the microwaves generated from the oscillation unit 4100 to the resonance unit 4300. Injecting the microwaves generated by the oscillation unit 4100 from a microwave transmission line (or waveguide) into the resonator is referred to as resonator coupling. At this time, the structure for resonator coupling is defined as the coupler 4200.

[0285] That is, the coupler 4200 corresponds to a microwave output unit for providing microwaves to the inside of the resonance unit 4300. Hereinafter, the coupler 4200 may be used interchangeably with the microwave output unit.

[0286] The coupler 4200 is directly connected to the center conductor 4320 located inside the resonance unit 4300, and microwaves can be supplied to the resonance unit 4300 by the coupler 4200 and the center conductor.

[0287] The resonance unit 4300 can form an amplified electromagnetic field by resonating the microwaves supplied to the inside. At least a part of the electromagnetic field formed by the resonated microwaves heats the aerosol-generating article 2 inserted into the resonance unit 4300, thereby generating an aerosol.

[0288] The resonance unit 4300 may include an outer conductor 4310 and a center conductor 4320. At this time, the outer conductor 4310 performs the same or similar function as the aforementioned shielding unit (for example, the shielding unit 2300 in Figure 3).

[0289] The outer conductor 4310 may form the overall outer shape of the resonance part 4300. The outer conductor 4310 may include a hollow cylindrical shape. The constituent elements of the resonance part 4300 may be disposed inside the outer conductor 4310. The outer conductor 4310 includes an insertion space 4300i in which the aerosol-generating article 2 is accommodated, and the aerosol-generating article 2 may be inserted into the insertion space 4300i inside the outer conductor 4310 through an opening formed in the outer conductor 4310.

[0290] The outer conductor 4310 may include a first wall 4310a, a second wall 4310b disposed to face the first wall 4310a, and a side wall 4310c surrounding the empty space between the first wall 4310a and the second wall 4310b. At least a part of the constituent elements of the resonance part 4300 (for example, the center conductor 4320) may be disposed in the inner space of the resonance part 4300 formed by the first wall 4310a, the second wall 4310b and the side wall 4310c.

[0291] The center conductor 4320 disposed inside the outer conductor 4310 may be inserted into the aerosol-generating article 2 inserted inside the outer conductor 4310. Specifically, a first end of the center conductor 4320 is connected to the first wall 4310a of the outer conductor 4310, and a second end may penetrate at least a part of the aerosol-generating article 2 inserted inside the outer conductor 4310 of the resonance part 4300. For example, the center conductor 4320 includes a rod shape or a needle shape, but is not limited to the above-described embodiment. The material of the center conductor 4320 includes aluminum or stainless steel, but is not limited to the above-described embodiment.

[0292] The outer conductor 4310 and the center conductor 4320 may share a common axis. At this time, the cavity formed between the cylindrical outer conductor 4310 and the center conductor 4320 may operate as the resonator R. In other words, the resonator R may be formed by the cavity between the cylindrical outer conductor 4310 and the center conductor 4320.

[0293] The resonator R is a hollow tube with an inner diameter equal to the outer diameter c of the central conductor 4320. In this case, considering that the central conductor 4320 is rod-shaped, the resonator R shown in Figure 6 is referred to as a coaxial resonator R in this invention.

[0294] In another embodiment, the first end of the resonator R is formed as a closed end SE (short end) by a first wall 4310a connecting the outer conductor 4310 and the central conductor 4320, such that the length of the resonator R is 1 / 4 of the wavelength of microwaves inside the resonator, and the second end of the resonator R opposite the first end is formed as an open end OE (open end) where the outer conductor 4310 and the central conductor 4320 are separated and not connected.

[0295] The distance between the first and second ends is an integer multiple of 1 / 4 of the wavelength. When microwaves are confined to a limited space, such as in a resonator R, they may have a different wavelength than microwaves radiated into free space. For example, structural factors in the resonator R can change the wavelength of microwaves.

[0296] Microwaves are supplied to the central conductor 4320 through the coupler 4200, and the central conductor 4320 supplies microwaves to the resonator R, which can resonate the microwaves. The resonated microwaves create an amplified electromagnetic field within the resonator R, and at least a portion of the electromagnetic field can heat the aerosol product 2.

[0297] In another embodiment, when a user inserts the aerosol product 2 into the resonant section 4300 (or resonator R), the central conductor 4320 is inserted into the medium portion of the aerosol product 2, and the tip portion 4320t of the central conductor 4320 may be located within the medium portion. In this case, a stopper (not shown) may be placed inside the outer conductor 4310 so that each time the aerosol product 2 is inserted into the resonant section 4300, the tip portion 4321t of the central conductor 4320 is always located within the medium portion of the aerosol product 2.

[0298] The electric field formed by microwaves can be generated in the direction from the central conductor 4320 toward the outer conductor 4310. The electric field is stronger as it approaches the central conductor 4320 and weaker as it approaches the outer conductor 4310. Also, in the direction of the central axis of the resonator R, the electric field is strongest at the tip portion 4321t of the central conductor 4320 and weakens as it approaches the first wall 4310a of the outer conductor 4310. Overall, the strongest electric field can be formed in the portion adjacent to the tip portion 4321t of the central conductor 4320.

[0299] Since the aerosol product 2 is heated by the principle of microwave dielectric heating, the degree of microwave absorption increases with the strength of the electric field formed in the resonator R.

[0300] The higher the degree of microwave absorption, the higher the heating temperature. For example, the highest heating temperature occurs in the portion adjacent to the tip portion 4321t of the central conductor 4320. The microwave output and output time can be adjusted so that the highest heating temperature occurs within a predetermined range (e.g., 200°C to 300°C).

[0301] On the other hand, the magnetic field formed by microwaves can be formed in a direction that rotates around a central axis perpendicular to the electric field. The magnetic field is strongest in the region adjacent to the connection between the coupler 4200 and the central conductor 4320, and weakens as it approaches the tip portion 4321t of the central conductor 4320.

[0302] In further embodiments, a coaxial cable may be used to transmit an output of several tens of watts or less, and the coupler 4200 may be installed close to the first wall 4310a so as not to obstruct the insertion of the aerosol product 2.

[0303] The coupling method of coupler 4200 is magnetic coupling. Because the size of the inside of the resonator R is relatively small, sufficient coupling can be obtained by forming a magnetic loop by directly contacting coupler 4200 and the central conductor 4320. As a result, coupler 4200 can have a structure in which it is connected to the central conductor 4320 in the radial direction at a predetermined distance from the first wall 4310a.

[0304] On the other hand, if the central conductor 4320 within the outer conductor 4310 is connected only to the first wall 4310a, the outer conductor 4310 has the structure of a coaxial waveguide in the section where the central conductor 4320 is present, and the structure of a cylindrical waveguide in the section where the central conductor 4320 is not present, thus naturally performing the role of a mode converter. For example, if the microwave frequency is 2.45 GHz, the microwave enters the cutoff frequency region in the cylindrical waveguide section because the diameter of the cylindrical waveguide is small.

[0305] In yet another embodiment, the resonant portion 4300 may further include a support 4330 that supports the outer surface of the aerosol product 2 inserted into the outer conductor 4310. The support 4330 may be connected to the second wall 4310b of the outer conductor 4310 and extend from the second wall 4310b toward the outside of the outer conductor 4310.

[0306] The support 4330 may include a hollow 4331 to guide the insertion of the aerosol product 2 into the internal space of the outer conductor 4310. The user can insert the aerosol product 2 into the interior of the outer conductor 4310 through the hollow 4331 such that the central conductor 4320 penetrates at least a portion of the aerosol product 2. In this case, the internal space of the outer conductor 4310 corresponds to the insertion space 4300i of the aerosol product 2.

[0307] The material of the support 4330 is different from the material of the outer conductor 4310. For example, the material of the outer conductor 4310 is a material that prevents the electromagnetic field generated in the internal cavity from propagating to the outside, and the material of the support 4330 is a material that does not affect the radio waves of the electromagnetic field.

[0308] However, due to the structure of the resonance part 4300 in which the support 4330 is in contact with the aerosol-generating article 2 and surrounds the aerosol-generating article 2, the electromagnetic field does not leak in the direction where the support 4330 is located, which is not the region of the resonator R. That is, the electromagnetic field leaked to the aerosol-generating article 2 heats only the aerosol-generating article 2 and does not propagate to the outside (for example, in the direction of the user's mouth). Since the electromagnetic field does not propagate (or leak) to the space that is not the region of the resonator R, a separate function or structure for shielding the electromagnetic field is not required.

[0309] According to still another embodiment, the resonance part 4300 may further include a microwave input waveguide 4340. The microwave input waveguide 4340 may extend from a region of the side surface part of the outer conductor 4310 toward the outside of the outer conductor 4310. The coupler 4200 may be connected to the microwave input waveguide 4340. For example, the coupler 4200 is located inside the microwave input waveguide 4340. The coupler 4200 may penetrate the side surface parts of the microwave input waveguide 4340 and the outer conductor 4310 to be connected to the central conductor 4320.

[0310] On the other hand, the degree to which the aerosol-generating article located in the resonance part 4300 absorbs microwaves varies depending on the material properties of the aerosol-generating article and the frequency of the microwaves.

[0311] In order to increase the absorption amount of microwaves, the structures of the resonator R and the central conductor 4320 may be determined. As an example, in order to adjust the resonance frequency and the microwave absorption rate of the resonator R, at least one of "the distance a between the first wall 4310a and the coupler 4200" and "the distance b from the connection portion of the coupler 4200 and the central conductor 4320 to the second end of the central conductor 4320" may be adjusted.

[0312] As another example, at least one of the "outer diameter c of the central conductor 4320" and the "inner diameter d of the outer conductor 4310" can be adjusted to adjust the microwave absorption distribution. Specifically, the larger the ratio of the outer diameter c of the central conductor 4320 to the inner diameter d of the outer conductor 4310, the more uniform the electric field will be formed, thereby resulting in a more uniform degree of microwave absorption.

[0313] In another embodiment, the optical fiber temperature sensor 1300 may be placed inside the aerosol generator to measure the temperature of the aerosol product 2 or the coupler microwave output unit 4200.

[0314] As shown in the diagram, two optical fiber temperature sensors 1300 may be arranged. One end of each optical fiber temperature sensor 1300 may be placed inside the resonant section 4300.

[0315] One end of the first sensor 1310 may be positioned opposite one end of the aerosol product 2. That is, one end of the first sensor 1310 is positioned to contact one end of the aerosol product 2 inserted into the insertion space 4300i, and the temperature of the aerosol product 2 can be measured. One end of the second sensor 1320 is positioned to contact the microwave output unit 4200 located in the internal space of the outer conductor 4310, and the temperature of the microwave output unit 4200 can be measured. Contrary to the illustration, one end of the optical fiber temperature sensor 1300 may be positioned away from the object whose temperature is to be measured.

[0316] In another embodiment, the resonant portion 4300 may include a through-hole 4350 for passing the optical fiber temperature sensor 1300. As shown, the optical fiber temperature sensor 1300 can penetrate the outer conductor 4310 through the through-hole 4350 formed in the first wall 4310a of the outer conductor 4310. In this case, a shielding member (not shown) may be provided to prevent microwave leakage through the through-hole 4350.

[0317] Depending on the embodiment, the arrangement of the optical fiber temperature sensor 1300 may change. Consequently, the position of the through-hole 4350 may also change. Furthermore, the optical fiber temperature sensor 1300 may measure the temperature of the portion exposed to the outside of the resonant portion 4300. In this case, since one end of the optical fiber temperature sensor 1300 is located outside the resonant portion 4300, a separate through-hole 4350 is not provided in the outer conductor 4310.

[0318] On the other hand, according to yet another embodiment, if only the temperature of the coupler 4200, which is the microwave output section, rises and resonance does not occur in the resonant section 4300, then the aerosol product 2 will not be heated, which is problematic.

[0319] As in the embodiment described above, if it is determined that the temperature of the aerosol product 2 is lower than a pre-set first temperature and the temperature of the microwave output unit is higher than a pre-set second temperature, the control unit (for example, the control unit 1200 in Figure 3) can adjust the frequency of the microwaves supplied to the resonant unit 4300 so that the aerosol product 2 is heated.

[0320] As another example, the control unit can block microwaves supplied into the resonant section 4300 and control the temperature of the conductor supporting the aerosol product 2 inserted into the insertion space 4300i so that the conductor heats the aerosol product.

[0321] In this case, the conductor may refer to a component included in the heater assembly 4000 that supports the aerosol product 2 as part of the resonant section 4300 (for example, a central conductor 4320), or it may refer to a separate heating element made of a conductor, separate from the components included in the resonant section 4300.

[0322] In another embodiment, the control unit can control the temperature of the central conductor 4320. For example, the control unit can control the central conductor 4320 so that power is supplied to it. In this case, the central conductor 4320 can heat the aerosol product 2 by the principle of electrical resistance heating, rather than by heating the aerosol product 2 through an electromagnetic field formed by resonant microwaves.

[0323] However, the method by which the central conductor 4320 directly heats the aerosol product is not limited to the electrical resistance heating method. As another example, the central conductor 4320 can heat the aerosol product 2 by the principle of induction heating. In this case, the control unit controls the induction coil so that power is supplied to the induction coil which is located separately from the central conductor 4320, and as a result, the control unit can control the temperature of the central conductor 4320 which is heated by the magnetic field generated by the induction coil.

[0324] Through the control operations described above, the control unit heats the aerosol product 2 even in problematic situations, and in particular, even when the microwave supply is cut off, it heats the aerosol product 2 while simultaneously preventing the temperature of the microwave output unit 4200 from rising further, thereby preventing the surrounding components of the microwave output unit 4200 from overheating.

[0325] Figure 7 is a cross-sectional perspective view showing another example of a heater assembly applied to an aerosol generator according to yet another embodiment.

[0326] Referring to Figure 7, in yet another embodiment, the aerosol generating apparatus (for example, the aerosol generating apparatus 1 in Figure 2) uses an electromagnetic field generated by a cylindrical resonator R to heat the aerosol product 2 inserted into the resonator R and generate an aerosol.

[0327] To realize this, the heater assembly 5000 of the aerosol generator according to other embodiments may include an oscillator 5100, a coupler 5200, and a resonant section 5300. Detailed explanations of the configuration and effects of the aerosol generator are omitted insofar as they overlap with Figure 6.

[0328] The oscillator 5100, coupler 5200, and resonant section 5300 have functionally identical configurations to the oscillator 4100, coupler 4200, and resonant section 4300 described in Figure 6. However, the resonant section 5300 shown in Figure 7 is structurally different from the resonant section 4300 shown in Figure 6.

[0329] In the resonant section 4300 shown in Figure 6, the outer conductor 4310 itself is a hollow cylindrical shape, whereas the resonant section 5300 shown in Figure 7 has a hollow coaxial shape. Specifically, the outer conductor 5310 of the resonant section 5300 in Figure 7 may have a shape in which a hole is made in the center of the first wall 4310a, similar to the outer conductor 4310 in Figure 6. That is, the outer conductor 5310 has openings not only in the second wall 5310b but also in the first wall 5310a.

[0330] The inner conductor 5320 may have a tubular shape that extends along the end of the opening formed in the first wall 5310a of the outer conductor 5310 and extends inward from the first wall 5310a of the outer conductor 5310.

[0331] The tubular inner conductor 5320, positioned inside the outer conductor 5310, can surround at least a portion of the aerosol product 2 inserted inside the outer conductor 5310. Specifically, the first end of the inner conductor 5320 is connected to the first wall 5310a of the outer conductor 5310, and the second end can surround one end of the aerosol product 2 inserted inside the outer conductor 5310 of the resonant section 5300.

[0332] The outer conductor 5310 and the inner conductor 5320 may be coaxial. In this case, the cavity formed between the outer conductor 5310 and the inner conductor 5320 acts as a resonator R. In other words, the resonator R may be formed by the cavity between the outer conductor 5310 and the inner conductor 5320.

[0333] The resonator R is a hollow tube with an inner diameter equal to the outer diameter of the inner conductor 5320. In this case, considering that the shape of the inner conductor 5320 is tubular, the resonator R shown in Figure 7 is referred to as a cylindrical resonator R in this invention.

[0334] In yet another embodiment, the first end of the resonator R is formed as a closed end SE (short end) in which the outer conductor 5310 and the inner conductor 5320 are connected, such that the length of the resonator R is 1 / 4 of the wavelength of microwaves within the resonator R, while the second end of the resonator R opposite the first end is formed as an open end OE (open end) in which the outer conductor 5310 and the inner conductor 5320 are separated and not connected.

[0335] The distance between the first and second ends is an integer multiple of 1 / 4 of the wavelength. When microwaves are confined in a limited space, such as a resonator R, they may have a different wavelength than microwaves radiated into free space. For example, structural factors in the resonator R can change the wavelength of microwaves. As another example, the wavelength of microwaves present within the dielectric in the resonator R becomes shorter as the dielectric constant of the dielectric increases.

[0336] The coupler 5200 supplies microwaves to the internal conductor 5320, the internal conductor 5320 supplies microwaves to the resonator R, and the resonator R can resonate the microwaves. The resonated microwaves create an amplified electromagnetic field within the resonator R, and at least a portion of the electromagnetic field can heat the aerosol product 2.

[0337] In further embodiments, the resonant portion 5300 may further include a support 5330 that supports the outer surface of the aerosol product 2 inserted into the outer conductor 5310. The support 5330 may be connected to the second wall 5310b of the outer conductor 5310 and extend from the second wall 5310b toward the outside of the outer conductor 5310.

[0338] The support 5330 may include a hollow 5331 to guide the insertion of the aerosol product 2 into the internal space of the outer conductor 5310. The user can insert the aerosol product 2 into the interior of the outer conductor 5310 through the hollow 5331 such that the internal conductor 5320 penetrates at least a portion of the aerosol product 2. In this case, the internal space of the outer conductor 5310 corresponds to the insertion space 5300i of the aerosol product 2.

[0339] In this case, the internal conductor 5320 is not connected to the support 5330. Through the open end OE formed by the lack of connection between the internal conductor 5320 and the support 5330, at least a portion of the electromagnetic field can act on the aerosol product 2.

[0340] A portion of the electromagnetic field formed as an open end OE leaks to the aerosol product 2 adjacent to the resonator R, and the leaked electromagnetic field can heat the aerosol product 2. In particular, since a strong electromagnetic field is formed around the open end OE, the aerosol product 2 can be easily heated.

[0341] In yet another embodiment, the diameter of the hollow 5331 of the support 5330 is less than half the wavelength of the microwave. When the diameter of the hollow 5331 is less than half the wavelength of the microwave, the resonant microwave can be cut off.

[0342] In further embodiments, the resonant portion 5300 may further include a stopper 5340 that supports the end of the aerosol product 2 inserted into the outer conductor 5310. The stopper 5340 is located inside the tubular inner conductor 5320 and can prevent the insertion of the aerosol product 2.

[0343] The aerosol product 2, inserted into the interior of the outer conductor 5310 through an opening formed in the second wall 5310b of the outer conductor 5310, is prevented from moving any further in the insertion direction (e.g., the z-axis direction) by the stopper 5340. For example, the aerosol product 2 will not move to the opening formed in the first wall 5310a of the outer conductor 5310. Therefore, the stopper 5340 can prevent the aerosol product 2 from being inserted too deeply into the interior of the outer conductor 5310.

[0344] From this perspective, the position of the stopper 5340 can determine the location where the highest heating temperature appears in the aerosol product 2. The medium portion of the aerosol product 2 is positioned within the resonant portion 5300 in the region where the electromagnetic field is strongest, due to the stopper 5340.

[0345] The stopper 5340 may include a material that prevents microwaves or electromagnetic fields from propagating outside the resonant section 5300 through the interior of the central conductor 4320. However, the embodiment is not limited to what has been described above, and a separate shielding member (not shown) made of the above-mentioned material may be arranged together with the stopper 5340.

[0346] In another embodiment, the optical fiber temperature sensor 1300 may be placed inside the aerosol generator to measure the temperature of the aerosol product 2 or the coupler (microwave output unit 5200).

[0347] As shown in the diagram, two optical fiber temperature sensors 1300 may be arranged. One end of each optical fiber temperature sensor 1300 is placed inside the resonant section 5300, and can measure the temperatures of the aerosol product 2 and the microwave output section 5200, respectively.

[0348] In another embodiment, the resonant section 5300 may include a through-hole 5350 for passing the optical fiber temperature sensor 1300. As shown, the through-hole 5350 for passing the first sensor 1310 is formed in the side wall 5310c of the outer conductor 5310. The through-hole 5350 for passing the second sensor 1320 is formed in the first wall 5310a of the outer conductor 5310.

[0349] The two through-holes 5350 can be located on the outer conductor 5310 at the shortest distance from the temperature measurement area of ​​the optical fiber temperature sensor 1300. In other words, the space occupied by the optical fiber temperature sensor 1300 inside the outer conductor 5310 of the resonant section 5300 can be minimized. As a result, when microwaves or electromagnetic fields propagate inside the resonant section 5300, radio interference caused by the optical fiber temperature sensor 1300 is minimized.

[0350] On the other hand, according to yet another embodiment, if only the temperature of the coupler 5200, which is the microwave output section, rises and resonance does not occur in the resonant section 5300, then the aerosol product 2 will not be heated, which is problematic.

[0351] As in the embodiment described above, if it is determined that the temperature of the aerosol product 2 is lower than a pre-set first temperature and the temperature of the microwave output unit is higher than a pre-set second temperature, the control unit can adjust the frequency of the microwaves supplied to the resonant unit 5300 so that the aerosol product 2 is heated.

[0352] As another example, the control unit can block microwaves supplied into the resonant section 5300 and control the temperature of the conductor supporting the aerosol product 2 inserted in the insertion space 5300i so that the conductor heats the aerosol product.

[0353] In this case, the conductor may mean a component included in the heater assembly 5000 that supports the aerosol product 2 by one component of the resonant section 5300 (for example, an internal conductor 5320 and / or a stopper 5340), or it may mean a separate heating element made of a conductor, separate from the components included in the resonant section 5300.

[0354] In another embodiment, the heater assembly 5000 may further include a heating element 5400 for heating the aerosol product 2 inserted into the insertion space 5300i. In this case, the heater assembly 5000 does not heat the aerosol product 2 through an electromagnetic field formed by resonant microwaves, but rather heats the aerosol product 2 using the principle of electrical resistance heating or induction heating through a separate heating element 5400 located within the resonant section 5300.

[0355] As shown in the illustration, the heating element 5400 may be disc-shaped. The heating element 5400 is positioned inside the internal conductor 5320 on the stopper 5340 and in contact with the end of the aerosol product 2. This allows the heating element 5400 to heat the end of the aerosol product 2.

[0356] Through the control operations described above, the control unit heats the aerosol product 2 even in problematic situations, and in particular, even when the microwave supply is cut off, it heats the aerosol product 2 while simultaneously preventing the temperature of the microwave output unit 5200 from rising further, thereby preventing the surrounding components of the microwave output unit 5200 from overheating.

[0357] On the other hand, the arrangement and shape of the heating element 5400 are not limited to those shown in the figures. The heating element 5400 can have various positions and corresponding shapes for heating the aerosol product 2. As shown, when the heating element 5400 heats the end of the aerosol product 2, the heating element 5400 may have a shape corresponding to the internal cross-sectional shape of the tubular internal conductor 5320 or the shape of the stopper 5340.

[0358] Figure 8 is a cross-sectional perspective view showing yet another example of a heater assembly applied to an aerosol generator according to yet another embodiment.

[0359] Referring to Figure 8, in yet another embodiment, the aerosol generating apparatus (for example, the aerosol generating apparatus 1 in Figure 2) uses an electromagnetic field generated by a double-cylinder resonator R to heat the aerosol product 2 inserted into the resonator R and generate an aerosol.

[0360] To realize this, the heater assembly 6000 of the aerosol generator according to other embodiments may include an oscillator 6100, a coupler 6200, and a resonant section 6300. Detailed explanations of the configuration and effects of the aerosol generator are omitted insofar as they overlap with Figure 7.

[0361] The oscillator 6100, coupler 6200, and resonant section 6300 have functionally identical configurations to the oscillator 5100, coupler 5200, and resonant section 5300 described in Figure 7.

[0362] Unlike the oscillator 5100 shown in Figure 7, the oscillator 6100 can be fixed to the resonant section 6300 to prevent it from separating from the resonant section 6300 during the operation of the aerosol generator.

[0363] As an example, the oscillator 6100 may be fixed on the resonant portion 6300 by being supported by a bracket 6300b that protrudes outward from the resonant portion 6300 in one region of the resonant portion 6300. As another example, the oscillator 6100 may be fixed on the resonant portion 6300 by being attached to one region of the resonant portion 6300 without a bracket 6300b.

[0364] The resonant section 6300 is structurally different from the resonant section 5300 shown in Figure 7. The resonant section 6300 shown in Figure 8 may have a shape obtained by cutting the two resonant sections 5300 shown in Figure 7 at the open end OE position and then joining the hollow circular cut surfaces together.

[0365] Specifically, the resonant section 6300 may include an outer conductor 6310, a first inner conductor 6320, and a second inner conductor 6330.

[0366] The outer conductor 6310 can form the overall appearance of the resonant section 6300. The outer conductor 6310 may include a hollow cylindrical shape. Components of the resonant section 6300 may be arranged inside the outer conductor 6310.

[0367] The outer conductor 6310 may include a first wall 6310a, a second wall 6310b positioned opposite the first wall 6310a, and a side wall 6310c surrounding the empty space between the first wall 6310a and the second wall 6310b. At least a portion of the components of the resonant section 6300 (e.g., the central conductor 6320) may be positioned in the internal space of the resonant section 6300 formed by the first wall 6310a, the second wall 6310b, and the side wall 6310c.

[0368] The outer conductor 6310 may include an insertion space 6300i in which the aerosol product 2 is contained. Openings are formed in the first wall 6310a and the second wall 6310b of the outer conductor 6310, and the aerosol product 2 can be inserted into the insertion space 6300i inside the outer conductor 6310 through the opening formed in the second wall 6310b.

[0369] The opening formed in the second wall 6310b may be located adjacent to the inlet (e.g., the inlet 1100h in Figure 2) of the housing (e.g., the housing 1100 in Figure 2). However, since the first wall 6310a, which is located opposite the second wall 6320, is relatively located inside the housing, the aerosol product 2 does not pass through the opening formed by the first wall 6310a.

[0370] The first internal conductor 6320 may be formed as a hollow cylindrical (tubular) shape that extends along the end of an opening formed in the first wall 6310a of the outer conductor 6310 and extends in the direction toward the internal space of the outer conductor 6310 from the first wall 6310a of the outer conductor 6310.

[0371] A region of the first internal conductor 6320 can come into contact with a coupler 6200 connected to the oscillator 6100. Specifically, the coupler 6200 may be positioned to penetrate the outer conductor 6310, with one end in contact with the oscillator 6100 and the other end in contact with a region of the first internal conductor 6320. Microwaves generated by the oscillator 6100 can be transmitted to the first internal conductor 6320 through the coupler 6200.

[0372] In this case, the coupler 6200 is positioned so as to penetrate the outer conductor 6310 without contacting it, in order to transmit microwaves. However, the arrangement of the coupler 6200 is not limited to this, as long as the microwaves generated by the oscillator 6100 are transmitted to the first inner conductor 6320.

[0373] The first region R1 formed between the outer conductor 6310 and the first inner conductor 6320 acts as a "first resonator R1" that generates an electric field through microwave resonance. In this context, the first region R1 refers to the space formed by the first wall 6310a and side wall 6310c of the outer conductor 6310 and the first inner conductor 6320.

[0374] In other words, the first resonator R1 can be formed by the space between the outer conductor 6310 and the first inner conductor 6320. Inside the first region R1, microwaves transmitted through the coupler 6200 can resonate and generate an electric field.

[0375] The second internal conductor 6330 may be formed in a hollow cylindrical shape that extends from the second wall 6310b of the outer conductor 6310 toward the internal space of the outer conductor 6310.

[0376] The second internal conductor 6330 may be positioned within the internal space of the outer conductor 6310 at a predetermined distance from the first internal conductor 6320. As a result, a gap 6340 may be formed between the first internal conductor 6320 and the second internal conductor 6330.

[0377] The second region R2 formed between the outer conductor 6310 and the second inner conductor 6330 acts as a "second resonator R2" that generates an electric field through microwave resonance. In this context, the second region R2 refers to the space formed by the first wall 6310a and side wall 6310c of the outer conductor 6310 and the second inner conductor 6330.

[0378] In other words, the second resonator R2 can be formed by the space between the outer conductor 6310 and the second inner conductor 6330. The second inner conductor 6330 is coupled (e.g., capacitive coupling) with the first inner conductor 6320, and due to the coupling relationship described above, when an electric field is generated inside the first region R1, an induced electric field can also be generated inside the second region R2. In this invention, "capacitive coupling" means a coupling relationship in which energy is transferred by the capacitance between two conductors.

[0379] For example, as microwaves generated from the oscillator 6100 are transmitted to the first internal conductor 6320, an electric field is generated inside the first region R1 by resonance, and an induced electric field may be generated inside the second region R2, which is formed by the outer conductor 6310 and the second internal conductor 6330 coupled to the first internal conductor 6320.

[0380] The first resonator R1, corresponding to the first region R1, is a hollow tube with an inner diameter equal to the outer diameter of the first internal conductor 6320. Similarly, the second resonator R2, corresponding to the second region R2, is a hollow tube with an inner diameter equal to the outer diameter of the second internal conductor 6330. Considering that the two internal conductors 6320 and 6330 are hollow cylinders (tubes), in this invention, the first resonator R1 and the second resonator R2 shown in Figure 8 are collectively referred to as a double-cylinder resonator R.

[0381] In another embodiment, the first region R1 and the second region R2 of the resonant section 6300 operate as resonators having a length of one-quarter of a microwave wavelength.

[0382] For example, one end of the first region R1 (e.g., the end in the -zz direction) may be formed as a closed end SE (short end) as the cross-section of the first region R1 is closed by the first wall 6310a of the outer conductor 6310, and the other end of the first region R1 (e.g., the end in the z direction) may be formed as an open end OE as the cross-section is left open without a wall.

[0383] As another example, one end of the second region R2 (e.g., the -z end) may be formed as an open end OE as the cross section is opened, and the other end of the second region R2 (e.g., the z end) may be formed as a closed end SE as the cross section of the second region R2 is closed by the second wall 6310b of the outer conductor 6310.

[0384] In other words, the first region R1 and the second region R2, in an xz-plane view, include a closed end SE and an open end OE, and are formed in an overall inverted "U" shape. Through the above-described structure, the first region R1 and the second region R2 operate as resonators having a length of 1 / 4 wavelength of a microwave.

[0385] In other embodiments, the first internal conductor 6320 and the second internal conductor 6330 are formed to have the same length with respect to the z-axis, and the first region R1 and the second region R2 are arranged symmetrically with respect to each other, but the embodiment is not limited thereto.

[0386] The aerosol product 2 inserted into the internal space of the outer conductor 6310 is surrounded by the first internal conductor 6320 and the second internal conductor 6330, and can be heated by dielectric heating.

[0387] In the first region R1 and / or the second region R2, at least a portion of the electric field generated by microwave resonance propagates into the first internal conductor 6320 and / or the second internal conductor 6330 through the gap 6340 between the first internal conductor 6320 and the second internal conductor 6330, and the aerosol product 2 surrounded by the first internal conductor 6320 and the second internal conductor 6330 may be heated by the propagated electric field.

[0388] For example, the dielectric material contained in the aerosol product 2 may be heated by the electric field propagating through the gap 6340, and the aerosol product 2 may be heated by the heat generated from the dielectric material.

[0389] In another embodiment, the heater assembly 6000 prevents the electric field propagated inside the first internal conductor 6320 and / or the second internal conductor 6330 from leaking to the outside of the heater assembly 6000 or the resonant section 6300 by making the diameters of the first internal conductor 6320 and the second internal conductor 6330 less than a predetermined value.

[0390] In the present invention, the "predetermined value" means the diameter value at which the electric field begins to leak to the outside of the first internal conductor 6320 and / or the second internal conductor 6330. For example, if the diameter of the first internal conductor 6320 and / or the second internal conductor 6330 is greater than or equal to the predetermined value, a situation occurs in which a portion of the electric field that has flowed into the first internal conductor 6320 and / or the second internal conductor 6330 leaks to the outside of the resonant section 6300.

[0391] In another embodiment, the heater assembly 6000 prevents the electric field from propagating outside the resonant section 6300 through a structure in which the diameters of the first internal conductor 6320 and the second internal conductor 6330 are less than a predetermined value. As a result, it is possible to prevent the electric field from leaking outside the heater assembly 6000 or the resonant section 6300 without the need for a separate shielding member.

[0392] On the other hand, when the aerosol product 2 is inserted into the resonant section 6300, the medium portion of the aerosol product 2 may be positioned in a location corresponding to the gap 6340 between the first internal conductor 6320 and the second internal conductor 6330.

[0393] As the electric fields generated in the first region R1 and the electric fields generated in the second region R2 flow into the interior of the first internal conductor 6320 and / or the second internal conductor 6330 through the gap 6340, the strongest electric field can be generated in the region surrounding the gap 6340 within the interior region of the resonant section 6300.

[0394] In this case, the heater assembly 6000 improves its heating efficiency (or "dielectric heating efficiency") by positioning the medium containing a dielectric that generates heat due to the electric field at a location corresponding to the gap 6340 where the electric field is strongest.

[0395] In further embodiments, the resonant portion 6300 may further include a closure portion 6350 located inside the first internal conductor 6320, which closes the cross-section of the first internal conductor 6320 and restricts the flow direction of aerosols generated from the aerosol product 2. For example, the closure portion 6350 can close the cross-section of the first internal conductor 6320 and block the flow of aerosols generated from the aerosol product 2 in the -z direction.

[0396] If the aerosol generated from aerosol product 2, or the droplets produced by the liquefaction of the aerosol, flows in the -z direction and enters other components of the aerosol generator, it may cause malfunction or damage to the components of the aerosol generator.

[0397] In this case, the flow direction of the aerosol is restricted by the closing section 6350, which can prevent malfunction or damage to the components of the aerosol generating device caused by aerosols or droplets.

[0398] On the other hand, in this embodiment, the closing portion 6350 performs the same function as the stopper 5340 described in Figure 7 in relation to the first internal conductor 6320. Similarly, the stopper 5340 in Figure 7 also performs the same function as the closing portion 6350 in relation to the internal conductor 5320.

[0399] In further embodiments, the resonant section 6300 may further include a dielectric housing space 6360 for housing a dielectric. The dielectric housing space 6360 refers to the empty space between the outer conductor 6310 and the first inner conductor 6320 and the second inner conductor 6330, and a dielectric with low microwave absorption may be housed in the dielectric housing space 6360. For example, the dielectric may be, but is not limited to, at least one of quartz, tetrafluoroethylene, and aluminum oxide, or a combination thereof.

[0400] By placing a dielectric material inside the dielectric housing space 6360, the overall size of the resonant section 6300 is reduced while generating an electric field of the same level as that generated by a resonant section 6300 without a dielectric material. In other words, the size of the resonant section 6300 is reduced by placing a dielectric material inside the dielectric housing space 6360, thereby reducing the mounting space for the resonant section 6300 within the aerosol generator, and as a result, the aerosol generator can be miniaturized.

[0401] In another embodiment, the optical fiber temperature sensor 1300 may be placed inside the aerosol generator to measure the temperature of the aerosol product 2 or the coupler microwave output unit 6200.

[0402] As shown in the diagram, two optical fiber temperature sensors 1300 may be arranged. One end of each optical fiber temperature sensor 1300 is placed inside the resonant section 6300, and can measure the temperatures of the aerosol product 2 and the microwave output section 6200, respectively.

[0403] In another embodiment, the resonant portion 6300 may include a through-hole 6370 for passing the optical fiber temperature sensor 1300. As shown, the through-hole 6370 for passing the first sensor 1310 is formed in the closing portion 6350. The through-hole 6370 for passing the second sensor 1320 is formed in the first wall 6310a of the outer conductor 6310.

[0404] In this case, one end of the first sensor 1310 that passes through the through hole 6370 formed in the closed portion 6350 is not inserted into the aerosol product 2, but may be positioned either in contact with the end of the aerosol product 2 or at a distance from the end. That is, one end of the first sensor 1310 is not exposed to the insertion space 6300i of the aerosol product 2.

[0405] Considering that the electric field generated by microwave resonance propagates through the gap 6340 toward the interior of the first inner conductor 6320, the optical fiber temperature sensor 1300 is not exposed to the insertion space 6300i formed inside the outer conductor 6310, so the optical fiber temperature sensor 1300 does not interfere with the propagation of the electromagnetic field into the insertion space 6300i or the aerosol product 2.

[0406] On the other hand, according to yet another embodiment, if only the temperature of the coupler 6200, which is the microwave output section, rises and resonance does not occur from the resonant section 6300, then the aerosol product 2 will not be heated, which is problematic.

[0407] As in the embodiment described above, if it is determined that the temperature of the aerosol product 2 is lower than a pre-set first temperature and the temperature of the microwave output unit is higher than a pre-set second temperature, the control unit (for example, the control unit 1200 in Figure 3) can adjust the frequency of the microwaves supplied to the resonant unit 6300 so that the aerosol product 2 is heated.

[0408] As another example, the control unit can block the microwaves supplied into the resonant section 6300 and control the induction coil 6400 so that the heating element SS present in the medium portion of the aerosol product 2 is inductively heated.

[0409] Specifically, the heater assembly 6000 may further include an induction coil 6400 for inductively heating a heating element SS of the aerosol product 2 inserted into the insertion space 6300i. The induction coil 6400 can generate an alternating magnetic field toward the insertion space 6300i inside the outer conductor 6310. In this case, the heating element SS is a susceptor SS that generates heat due to the magnetic field generated by the induction coil 6400. The control unit can control the power supplied to the induction coil 6400 so that the temperature of the susceptor SS rises due to the magnetic field generated by the induction coil 6400.

[0410] Through the control operations described above, the control unit heats the aerosol product 2 even in problematic situations, and in particular, even when the microwave supply is cut off, it heats the aerosol product 2 while simultaneously preventing the temperature of the microwave output unit 6200 from rising further, thereby preventing the surrounding components of the microwave output unit 6200 from overheating.

[0411] As shown in the diagram, the induction coil 6400 is a planar helical coil and may be positioned on the other side of the closing section 6350 opposite one side of the closing section 6350 that overlooks the insertion space 6300i. That is, the induction coil 6400 is not positioned inside the insertion space 6300i. In this case, the closing section 6350 may be made of a material that allows the magnetic field generated by the induction coil 6400 to pass through.

[0412] However, depending on the embodiment, the induction coil 6400 may be arranged on one side of the enclosure 6350. In this case, the induction coil 6400 is surrounded by a separate shielding member (not shown) so as not to be affected by microwaves.

[0413] On the other hand, the heating element SS is not limited to one of the components of the aerosol product 2. In this case, as mentioned above, a separate heating element made of a conductor may be placed inside the aerosol generating device, separate from the components included in the resonant section 6300.

[0414] Furthermore, depending on the embodiment, a separate heating element may not be provided. In this case, as described above, one component of the resonant section 6300 is a susceptor in which a conductor supporting the aerosol product 2 (for example, at least one of the first internal conductor 6320, the second internal conductor 6330, and the closing section 6350) is heated by the magnetic field generated by the induction coil 6400.

[0415] Figure 9A is a perspective view showing yet another example of a heater assembly of an aerosol generator according to yet another embodiment. Figure 9B is a cross-sectional view of the heater assembly shown in Figure 9A.

[0416] Referring to Figures 9A and 9B, an aerosol generating apparatus according to yet another embodiment (for example, aerosol generating apparatus 1 in Figure 2) can generate an aerosol by using an electromagnetic field generated by a plate-shaped resonator R to heat the aerosol product 2 inserted into the resonator R.

[0417] To realize this, the heater assembly 7000 of the aerosol generator according to other embodiments may include an oscillator 7100, a coupler 7200, and a resonant section 7300. Detailed explanations of the configuration and effects of the aerosol generator are omitted insofar as they overlap with Figure 8.

[0418] The oscillator 7100, coupler 7200, and resonant section 7300 have functionally identical configurations to the oscillator 6100, coupler 6200, and resonant section 6300 described in Figure 8.

[0419] In another embodiment, the resonant section 7300 may include a case 7310, a plurality of plates 7320, and a connecting section 7330 that connects the plurality of plates 7320 to the case 7310. In this case, the coupler 7200 supplies microwaves to at least one of the plurality of plates 7320 so as to generate microwave resonance in the resonant section 7300.

[0420] Case 7310 performs the function of the "outer conductor" described above. Since case 7310 is formed in a hollow shape, the components of the resonant section 7300 can be arranged inside case 7310. Case 7310 also performs the same or similar function as the shielding section described above (for example, the shielding section 2300 in Figure 3).

[0421] The case 7310 may include an insertion space 7300i into which the aerosol product 2 is contained, and an opening 7311 into which the aerosol product 2 is inserted. The opening 7311 may be formed in the second wall 7310b of the case 7310. The aerosol product 2 may be inserted into the insertion space 7300i through the opening 7311 of the case 7310. On the other hand, the first wall 7310a and the side wall 7310c of the case 7310 may be closed.

[0422] The case 7310 shown in the drawing has a cylindrical shape, but the shape of the case 7310 can be deformed into various shapes. The case 7310 can be extended in one direction. Multiple plates 7320 that function as "internal conductors" of the resonant section 7300 may be arranged inside the case 7310.

[0423] The multiple plates 7320 may be arranged spaced apart from each other along the circumferential direction of the aerosol product 2 housed in the insertion space 7300i. The multiple plates 7320 may include a first plate 7321 arranged to surround one region of the aerosol product 2 and a second plate 7322 arranged to surround another region of the aerosol product 2.

[0424] Multiple plates 7320 can be connected to the case 7310 by connecting portions 7330. Furthermore, one end of the first plate 7321 and one end of the second plate 7322 of the multiple plates 7320 can be connected to each other by connecting portions 7330. Therefore, a closed end can be formed at one end of the multiple plates 7320 by the connecting portions 7330.

[0425] The other end 7321f of the first plate 7321 and the other end 7322f of the second plate 7322 of the multiple plates 7320 can be opened by separating them from each other. Since the other ends of the multiple plates 7320 are separated from each other, open ends can be formed at the other ends of the multiple plates 7320.

[0426] A resonator assembly can be completed by connecting multiple plates 7320 and connecting parts 7330 to each other. The shape of the cross section cut along the longitudinal direction of the resonator assembly may include a "horseshoe shape".

[0427] Multiple plates 7320 may extend in the longitudinal direction of the aerosol product 2. At least a portion of the multiple plates 7320 may be curved to project outward from the longitudinal center of the aerosol product 2.

[0428] For example, if the aerosol product 2 is manufactured in a cylindrical shape, the multiple plates 7320 may be formed curving circumferentially along the outer surface of the aerosol product 2. The radius of curvature of the cross-sections of the multiple plates 7320 is the same as the radius of curvature of the aerosol product 2. The radius of curvature of the cross-sections of the multiple plates 7320 can be deformed in various ways. For example, the radius of curvature of the cross-sections of the multiple plates 7320 may be larger or smaller than the radius of curvature of the aerosol product 2.

[0429] With a structure in which multiple plates 7320 are formed by curving in the circumferential direction along the outer surface of the aerosol product 2, a more uniform electric field is formed in the resonant portion 7300, so that the heater assembly 7000 can uniformly heat the aerosol product 2.

[0430] The open ends of the other ends of the multiple plates 7320 may be positioned toward the opening 7311 of the case 7310. The opening 7311 of the case 7310 may be positioned away from the other ends of the multiple plates 7320.

[0431] The open ends of the other ends of the multiple plates 7320 can be aligned with the opening 7311 of the case 7310. Therefore, when the aerosol product 2 is inserted through the opening 7311 of the case 7310 and positioned in the insertion space 7300i, a portion of the aerosol product 2 located in the insertion space 7300i is surrounded by the multiple plates 7320.

[0432] The multiple plates 7320 are arranged in pairs opposite each other with respect to the longitudinal center of the aerosol product 2. The embodiments are limited by the number of multiple plates 7320, which may be, for example, three or four or more.

[0433] Multiple plates 7320 can be arranged symmetrically with respect to the longitudinal direction of the aerosol product 2, that is, the central axis in the direction in which the aerosol product 2 extends.

[0434] At least one of the multiple plates 7320 can contact the coupler 7200 connected to the oscillator 7100. Specifically, at least a portion of the first plate 7321 can contact the coupler 7200. When microwaves are transmitted to the first plate 7321 through the coupler 7200, microwave resonances are formed between the multiple plates 7320. Microwave resonances are also formed between the first plate 7321 and the upper plate of the case 7310, and between the second plate 7322 and the lower plate of the case 7310. Therefore, electric fields can be generated between the multiple plates 7320 and the connecting portion 7330, between the first plate 7321 and the upper plate of the case 7310, and between the second plate 7322 and the lower plate of the case 7310.

[0435] The coupler 7200 penetrates the case 7310, with one end of the coupler 7200 in contact with the oscillator 7100 and the other end of the coupler 7200 in contact with a region of the first plate 7321. As microwaves generated by the oscillator 7100 are transmitted through the coupler 7200 to the multiple plates 7320 and the connecting portion 7330, an electric field can be generated inside the assembly of the multiple plates 7320 and the connecting portion 7330.

[0436] Furthermore, according to the structure of the resonant section 7300 of the heater assembly 7000, triple resonant modes can be formed in the resonant section 7300. Resonances of microwave TEM modes (transverse electric and magnetic modes) are formed between the multiple plates 7320. In addition, resonances of TEM modes different from those formed between the multiple plates 7320 are formed between the first plate 7321 and the upper plate of the case 7310, and between the second plate 7322 and the lower plate of the case 7310.

[0437] The resonant section 7300 in Figures 9A and 9B can resonate in the TEM mode using multiple plates 7320, and therefore can be manufactured in a smaller size than the resonant section 6300 in Figure 8, which is only capable of TE (transverse electric) and TM (transverse magnetic) modes.

[0438] In another embodiment, triple resonance occurs in the resonant section 7300 of the heater assembly 7000, which allows the aerosol product 2 to be heated more effectively and uniformly.

[0439] The resonant portion 7300 according to the above embodiment may include a closed end SE (short end) with a closed cross-section having a length of 1 / 4 the wavelength (λ) of the microwave (λ), and an open end OE (open end) located in the opposite direction to the closed end SE, in which at least one region of the cross-section is open.

[0440] In Figures 9A and 9B, the region at one end of the resonant section 7300, corresponding to the left region, forms a closed end SE, which is closed by a structure in which one end of a plurality of plates 7320 and a connecting portion 7330 are connected to the case 7310. In Figures 9A and 9B, the region at the other end of the resonant section 7300, corresponding to the right region, forms an open end OE, which is opened to the outside by the opening 7311 of the case 7310. With this resonant structure of the resonant section 7300, the resonant section 7300 can operate as a resonator R having a length of 1 / 4 wavelength of a microwave. In other words, the resonator R can be formed by the space between the plurality of plates 7320 and / or the space between the plurality of plates 7320 and the case 7310. In this case, considering that a plurality of horseshoe-shaped curved plates 7320 are arranged inside the case 7310, the resonator R shown in Figures 9A and 9B is referred to as a plate-shaped resonator R in the present invention.

[0441] According to the resonant structure of the resonant section 7300 described above, the electric field is not propagated to the area outside the resonant section 7300. Therefore, the heater assembly 7000 can prevent the electric field from leaking to the outside of the heater assembly 7000 without the need for a separate shielding member to block the electric field.

[0442] The aerosol product 2 housed in the insertion space 7300i of case 7310 is surrounded by the first plate 7321 and the second plate 7322 and can be heated by dielectric heating. For example, the medium portion of the aerosol product 2 housed in the insertion space 7300i of case 7310 may be placed in the space between the first plate 7321 and the second plate 7322. The electric field generated in the space between the first plate 7321 and the second plate 7322 causes the dielectric contained in the aerosol product 2 to generate heat, thereby heating the aerosol product 2.

[0443] Furthermore, secondary heating of the aerosol product 2 is performed by the electric fields generated by resonant modes formed between the first plate 7321 and the upper plate of the case 7310, and between the second plate 7322 and the lower plate of the case 7310.

[0444] On the other hand, when the aerosol product 2 is inserted into the resonant section 7300, the medium portion of the aerosol product 2 housed in the insertion space 7300i may be located between the multiple plates 7320.

[0445] At the other end of the multiple plates 7320 acting as resonators, a resonance peak is formed, generating a stronger electric field compared to other regions. When the aerosol product 2 is inserted into the heater assembly 7000, the heating efficiency (or "dielectric heating efficiency") of the heater assembly 7000 can be improved by positioning the medium containing the dielectric that generates heat due to the electric field in a location corresponding to the region with the strongest electric field.

[0446] Referring to Figures 9A and 9B, the lengths of the multiple plates 7320 can be set to be smaller than the length of the internal space of the case 7310. Therefore, the other ends of the multiple plates 7320 can be located inside the case 7310 beyond the opening 7311. That is, the other ends of the multiple plates 7320 can be located a predetermined distance away from the opening 7311.

[0447] In yet another embodiment, the resonant section 7300 may further include a support 7340 that supports the outer circumferential surface of the aerosol product 2 inserted into the case 7310. The support 7340 may extend outward from the second wall 7310b of the case 7310, where the opening 7311 is located.

[0448] The support 7340 may include a hollow 7341 to guide the insertion of the aerosol product 2 into the internal space of the case 7310. The hollow 7341 may be connected to the opening 7311. The user can insert the aerosol product 2 into the interior of the case 7310 through the hollow 7341.

[0449] To prevent microwave leakage, the support 7340 may protrude from the case 7310. By the support 7340, which is connected to the opening 7311, protruding from the case 7310, the support 7340 performs the function of preventing microwaves from the inside of the case 7310 of the resonant section 7300 from leaking to the outside of the case 7310.

[0450] The resonant section 7300 may further include a dielectric housing space 7350 for housing a dielectric. The dielectric housing space 7350 may be formed in the empty space between the case 7310 and the multiple plates 7320. A dielectric with low microwave absorption may be housed in the dielectric housing space 7350.

[0451] By placing a dielectric material inside the dielectric housing space 7350, it is possible to generate an electric field of the same level as that generated by a resonant section 7300 without a dielectric material, while reducing the overall size of the resonant section 7300. In other words, by reducing the size of the resonant section 7300 through the dielectric material placed inside the dielectric housing space 7350, the mounting space for the resonant section 7300 in the aerosol generator is reduced, and as a result, the aerosol generator can be miniaturized.

[0452] In another embodiment, the optical fiber temperature sensor 1300 may be placed inside the aerosol generator to measure the temperature of the aerosol product 2 or the coupler (microwave output unit) 7200.

[0453] As shown in the diagram, two optical fiber temperature sensors 1300 may be arranged. One end of each optical fiber temperature sensor 1300 is placed inside the resonant section 7300, and can measure the temperatures of the aerosol product 2 and the microwave output section 7200, respectively.

[0454] In yet another embodiment, the resonant portion 7300 may include a through-hole 7360 for passing the optical fiber temperature sensor 1300. As shown in the illustration, the through-hole 7360 is formed to simultaneously penetrate the first wall 7310a of the case 7310 and the connecting portion 7330 adjacent to the first wall 7310a.

[0455] In this case, one end of the first sensor 1310 passing through the through hole 7360 is not inserted into the aerosol product 2, but may be positioned either in contact with the end of the aerosol product 2 or separated from the end. That is, one end of the first sensor 1310 is not exposed to the insertion space 7300i of the aerosol product 2.

[0456] When considering the point that an electric field is generated in the space between the first plate 7321 and the second plate 7322, the optical fiber temperature sensor 1300 is not exposed to the insertion space 7300i formed inside the case 7310, so the optical fiber temperature sensor 1300 does not interfere with the propagation of the electromagnetic field into the insertion space 7300i or the aerosol product 2.

[0457] On the other hand, according to yet another embodiment, if only the temperature of the coupler 7200, which is the microwave output section, rises and resonance does not occur in the resonant section 7300, then the aerosol product 2 will not be heated, which is problematic.

[0458] As in the embodiment described above, if it is determined that the temperature of the aerosol product 2 is lower than a pre-set first temperature and the temperature of the microwave output unit is higher than a pre-set second temperature, the control unit (for example, the control unit 1200 in Figure 3) can adjust the frequency of the microwaves supplied to the resonant unit 7300 so that the aerosol product 2 is heated.

[0459] As another example, the control unit can block microwaves supplied into the resonant section 7300 and control the induction coil 7500 so that multiple heating elements 7400, arranged inside multiple plates 7320, are inductively heated.

[0460] Specifically, the heater assembly 7000 may further include a heating element 7400 for heating the aerosol product 2 inserted into the insertion space, and an induction coil 7500 for induction heating the heating element 7400. The induction coil 7500 can generate an alternating magnetic field toward the insertion space 7300i inside the case 7310. In this case, the heating element 7400 is a susceptor 7400 that generates heat due to the magnetic field generated by the induction coil 7500. The control unit can control the power supplied to the induction coil 7500 so that the temperature of the susceptor 7400 rises due to the magnetic field generated by the induction coil 7500.

[0461] Through the control operation described above, the control unit can heat the aerosol product 2 even in problematic situations, and in particular, even when the microwave supply is cut off, it can heat the aerosol product 2 while simultaneously preventing the temperature of the microwave output unit 7200 from rising further, thereby preventing the surrounding components of the microwave output unit 7200 from overheating.

[0462] On the other hand, although not shown in Figure 9A, as shown in Figure 9B, the induction coil 7500 may be positioned outside the case 7310 so as to surround the side wall 7310c of the case 7310. In other words, the induction coil 7500 may not be positioned inside the case 7310. In this case, the case 7310 may be made of a material that allows the magnetic field generated by the induction coil 7500 to pass through.

[0463] However, depending on the embodiment, the induction coil 7500 may be placed inside the case 7310. In this case, the induction coil 7500 is surrounded by a separate shielding member (not shown) so as not to be affected by microwaves.

[0464] Furthermore, depending on the embodiment, a separate heating element 7400 made of a conductor may not be provided. In this case, as described above, one component of the resonant section 7300 is a susceptor in which a conductor supporting the aerosol product 2 (for example, multiple plates 7320 and / or connecting parts 7330) is heated by the magnetic field generated by the induction coil 7500.

[0465] According to the aerosol generating apparatus of this embodiment, the temperature of the aerosol product can be accurately measured, and optimal smoking performance can be achieved.

[0466] Furthermore, according to the embodiment of the aerosol generator, abnormal operation of the aerosol generator can be detected quickly by temperature monitoring of the microwave output section, enabling a rapid response.

[0467] 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.

[0468] 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.

[0469] 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. A heater assembly for heating the aerosol product contained in the insertion space, which includes an oscillator for generating microwaves, an insertion space for containing aerosol products, a shielding section for shielding microwaves, and a microwave output section for providing microwaves inside the shielding section, through microwaves, One or more optical fiber temperature sensors that are not inserted into the object to be measured and measure the temperature of the object from outside the object, an aerosol generating apparatus comprising a control unit that adjusts microwaves based on the temperature measured through the optical fiber temperature sensor.

2. Each of the optical fiber temperature sensors measures the temperature of the object to be measured through one end. The aerosol generating apparatus according to claim 1, wherein each of the ends of the optical fiber temperature sensor is arranged to contact the object whose temperature is to be measured.

3. The aerosol product contained in the insertion space is the object to be measured for temperature, The aerosol generating apparatus according to claim 2, wherein each of the ends of the optical fiber temperature sensor is arranged to be in contact with the outer surface of the aerosol product.

4. The aerosol product contained in the insertion space is the object to be measured for temperature, The aerosol generating apparatus according to claim 2, wherein each of the ends of the optical fiber temperature sensor is arranged to contact one end of the aerosol product inserted into the insertion space.

5. Each of the optical fiber temperature sensors measures the temperature of the object to be measured through one end. The aerosol generating apparatus according to claim 1, wherein each of the ends of the optical fiber temperature sensor is positioned at a distance from the object whose temperature is to be measured.

6. Multiple temperature measurement targets are arranged, The aerosol product and the microwave output unit each correspond to one of the multiple temperature measurement targets, The aerosol generating apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the optical fiber temperature sensor includes a first sensor for measuring the temperature of the aerosol product and a second sensor for measuring the temperature of the microwave output unit.

7. The aerosol generating apparatus according to claim 6, wherein the control unit determines that the temperature of the aerosol product is lower than a previously set first temperature and the temperature of the microwave output unit is higher than a previously set second temperature, and adjusts the frequency of microwaves provided inside the shielding unit.

8. The heater assembly further includes a conductor for supporting the aerosol product inserted into the insertion space, The control unit, If it is determined that the temperature of the aerosol product is lower than the previously set first temperature and the temperature of the microwave output unit is higher than the previously set second temperature, The supply of microwaves to the heater assembly is cut off. The aerosol generating apparatus according to claim 6, wherein the temperature of the conductor is controlled so that the conductor heats the aerosol product.

9. The system further includes an induction coil that generates an alternating magnetic field toward the insertion space, The conductor is a susceptor that generates heat due to the magnetic field generated by the induction coil. The aerosol generating apparatus according to claim 8, wherein the control unit determines that the temperature of the aerosol product is lower than a previously set first temperature and the temperature of the microwave output unit is higher than a previously set second temperature, and controls the power supplied to the induction coil so that the temperature of the susceptor rises due to the magnetic field generated by the induction coil.

10. The system further includes an output unit that outputs information relating to the state of the aerosol generating device, The aerosol generating apparatus according to claim 6, wherein the control unit controls the output unit so that a notification is provided to the user via the output unit when it determines that the temperature of the aerosol product is lower than a previously set first temperature and the temperature of the microwave output unit is higher than a previously set second temperature.

11. The shielding portion is applied to one of the multiple temperature measurement targets, The aerosol generating apparatus according to claim 6, wherein the optical fiber temperature sensor further includes a third sensor for measuring the temperature of the shielding portion.

12. The aerosol generating apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the shielding portion further includes a guide for supporting the optical fiber temperature sensor disposed inside the shielding portion.

13. The aerosol generating apparatus according to claim 12, wherein the guide includes a first portion extending in the longitudinal direction of the shielding portion and a second portion extending in a direction transverse to the longitudinal direction.

14. The heater assembly is A through hole formed in the shielding portion for allowing the optical fiber temperature sensor to pass through, The aerosol generating apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising a shielding member for blocking microwaves supplied to the inside of the shielding portion from leaking to the outside of the shielding portion through the through-hole.

15. The heater assembly further includes terminals for supplying power to the optical fiber temperature sensor, which is located inside the shielding portion. The aerosol generating apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the terminal is arranged to penetrate the shielding portion and electrically connects the inside of the shielding portion to the outside of the shielding portion.

Images