Aerosol generating device having puff recognition function and method thereof

Abstract

According to one embodiment of the present disclosure, an aerosol generating device with a puff recognition function includes at least two temperature sensors that detect an internal temperature change in an airflow path portion within the aerosol generating device, and a control unit that, when a temperature change is detected, compares the detected temperature change with a critical value set for each temperature sensor, and determines whether a puff has been generated by a user based on the comparison result.

Description

[Technical field]

[0001] The present invention relates to an aerosol generating device having a puff recognition function and a method thereof, and more particularly to an aerosol generating device and a method thereof that can recognize and count a user's puffs. [Background technology]

[0002] Recently, there has been an increasing demand for an alternative method to overcome the shortcomings of conventional cigarettes. For example, there has been an increasing demand for a method in which an aerosol is generated by heating an aerosol generating material in a cigarette, rather than a method in which an aerosol is generated by burning a cigarette. As a result, research on heated cigarettes or heated aerosol generating devices has been actively conducted. Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0003] Generally, when an aerosol generating device is turned on, it provides a user with a smoking experience through a preset number of puffs, and when the preset number is exhausted, the aerosol generating device temporarily enters a standby mode or a charging mode. Generally, when an aerosol generating device heats an aerosol generating substrate for an excessively long time due to structural characteristics, an aerosol that induces significantly low smoking satisfaction is generated, so in order to provide aerosol of consistent quality to a user, it is desirable to accurately count the number of puffs of a user and temporarily stop heating the heater.

[0004] The technical problem that the present disclosure aims to solve is to provide an aerosol generating device that can accurately recognize a user's puff using a temperature sensor. [Means for solving the problem]

[0005] To solve the above technical problem, an apparatus according to one embodiment of the present disclosure is an aerosol generating apparatus having a puff recognition function, and includes at least two temperature sensors that detect internal temperature changes in an air flow path formed within the aerosol generating apparatus, and a control unit that compares the detected temperature changes with critical values ​​set for each temperature sensor, and determines whether a puff has been generated by a user based on the comparison results.

[0006] To solve the above technical problem, an apparatus according to one embodiment of the present disclosure is an aerosol generating device having a puff recognition function, and includes at least two temperature sensors that detect internal temperature changes in an airflow path section, and a control unit that integrates the detected temperature changes, compares the integrated result with a preset critical value, and determines whether a puff has been generated by the user based on the comparison result.

[0007] A method according to one embodiment of the present disclosure to solve the above technical problem includes a step of at least two temperature sensors detecting an internal temperature change of an airflow path formed in an aerosol generating device, a step of a control unit comparing the detected temperature change with a critical value set for each temperature sensor when the temperature change is detected, and a step of the control unit determining whether a puff has been generated by a user based on the comparison result. Effect of the Invention

[0008] The present disclosure allows accurate puff recognition regardless of the unique characteristics of the user's inhalation action.

[0009] The present disclosure also provides a consistent tasting aerosol to the user through accurate puff counting. [Brief description of the drawings]

[0010] [Figure 1] FIG. 2 is a diagram illustrating an example in which a cigarette is inserted into the aerosol generating device. [Diagram 2]FIG. 2 is a diagram illustrating an example in which a cigarette is inserted into the aerosol generating device. [Diagram 3] FIG. 13 illustrates another example in which a cigarette is inserted into the aerosol generating device. [Figure 4] FIG. 1 is a diagram illustrating an example of a cigarette. [Diagram 5] FIG. 13 is a diagram illustrating another example of a cigarette. [Figure 6] FIG. 4 illustrates an example of a dual medium cigarette for use with the device of FIG. 3. [Figure 7] FIG. 1 is a perspective view of an example of an aerosol generating device according to the present invention. [Figure 8] FIG. 8 is a side view of the device illustrated in FIG. [Figure 9] FIG. 1 is a schematic cross-sectional view of an aerosol generating device according to the present invention. [Figure 10] FIG. 2 is a schematic perspective view of another example of an aerosol generating device according to the present invention. [Figure 11] 13 is a graph showing temperature changes of a temperature sensor that detects changes in air temperature in an airflow path portion. FIG. [Figure 12] 1 is a diagram illustrating the remaining number of puffs output through an output unit of an aerosol generating device according to an embodiment. [Figure 13] 4 is a flow chart of an example of a puff recognition method according to the present invention. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

[0011] According to one aspect of the present disclosure, an aerosol generating device is an aerosol generating device having a puff recognition function, and includes at least two temperature sensors that detect an internal temperature change in an air flow path formed within the aerosol generating device, and a control unit that, when the temperature change is detected, compares the detected temperature change with a critical value set for each temperature sensor, and determines whether a puff has been generated by a user based on the comparison result.

[0012] According to one aspect of the present disclosure, an aerosol generating device is an aerosol generating device having a puff recognition function, and includes at least two temperature sensors that detect internal temperature changes in an airflow path portion, and a control unit that integrates the detected temperature changes, compares the integrated result with a pre-set critical value, and determines whether a puff has been generated by the user based on the comparison result.

[0013] In the apparatus, at least one of the temperature sensors may sense a change in temperature of the air in the airflow path portion.

[0014] In the apparatus, at least one of the temperature sensors may sense a change in temperature of a heater.

[0015] In the apparatus, the heater is also a susceptor that is inductively heated by a coil through which an alternating current flows.

[0016] In the above device, the at least two temperature sensors also include at least one air temperature detection sensor configured to detect a temperature change of the air in the airflow path portion, and at least one heater temperature detection sensor configured to detect a temperature change of the heater.

[0017] In the device, the temperature sensor is an air temperature detection sensor that detects a change in air temperature in the airflow path portion, and the position at which the temperature sensor is installed is also a position in the airflow path portion where the temperature change ranges from 3°C to 5°C before and after a user's puff.

[0018] The device further includes an output unit that visually outputs the number of remaining puffs, and the control unit can determine whether a puff has occurred and control the output unit to output the number of remaining puffs.

[0019] In the apparatus, the temperature sensor senses a change in temperature of the air in the airflow path and is selectively capable of sensing an air temperature change exceeding a preset value.

[0020] According to one aspect of the present disclosure, a method for recognizing a puff in an aerosol generating device includes a step of at least two temperature sensors detecting an internal temperature change in an airflow path portion in an aerosol generating device, a step of a control unit comparing the detected temperature change with a critical value set for each temperature sensor when the temperature change is detected, and a step of the control unit determining whether a puff has been generated by a user based on the comparison result.

[0021] In the method, at least one of the temperature sensors may sense a change in temperature of the air in the airflow path portion.

[0022] In the method, at least one of the temperature sensors may sense a change in temperature of a heater.

[0023] In the method, the at least two temperature sensors also include at least one air temperature sensor and at least one heater temperature sensor.

[0024] In the above method, the temperature sensor is an air temperature detection sensor that detects a change in air temperature in the airflow path portion, and the position at which the temperature sensor is installed is also a position in the airflow path portion where the temperature change ranges from 3°C to 5°C before and after a user's puff.

[0025] In the method, the temperature sensor may sense a change in temperature of the air in the airflow path and selectively sense an air temperature change that exceeds a preset value.

[0026] The terms used in this embodiment are currently widely used general terms as much as possible, taking into consideration the functions of the present invention, but they may vary depending on the intentions of engineers in this field, precedents, or the emergence of new technologies. In addition, in certain cases, the applicant may arbitrarily select terms, and in such cases, the meanings of the terms will be described in detail in the description of the invention. Therefore, the terms used in this invention must be defined based on the meanings of the terms and the overall content of the present invention, rather than simply by the names of the terms.

[0027] Throughout the specification, when a part "includes" a certain component, it does not mean excluding other components, but also means including other components, unless otherwise specified to the contrary. Furthermore, terms such as "... unit" and "... module" described in the specification mean a unit that processes at least one function or operation, which may be realized by hardware or software, or a combination of hardware and software.

[0028] In the following, the present invention will be described in detail with reference to the accompanying drawings so that those skilled in the art can easily carry out the present invention. However, the present invention may be embodied in various different forms and is not limited to the embodiments set forth herein.

[0029] Hereinafter, embodiments of the present invention will be described in detail with reference to the drawings.

[0030] 1 and 2 are diagrams illustrating an example in which a cigarette is inserted into an aerosol generating device.

[0031] 1 and 2, the aerosol generating device 10 includes a battery 120, a control unit 110, a heater 130, and a vaporizer 180. In addition, a cigarette 200 may be inserted into the internal space of the aerosol generating device 10.

[0032] Components related to the present embodiment are illustrated in the aerosol generating device 10 illustrated in Figures 1 and 2. Therefore, a person having ordinary skill in the art related to the present embodiment would understand that the aerosol generating device 10 further includes other general components in addition to the components illustrated in Figures 1 and 2.

[0033] 1 and 2 show the aerosol generating device 10 including the heater 130, the heater 130 may be omitted if necessary.

[0034] In Fig. 1, the battery 120, the control unit 110, the vaporizer 180, and the heater 130 are illustrated as being arranged in a line. Also, in Fig. 2, the vaporizer 180 and the heater 130 are illustrated as being arranged in parallel. However, the internal structure of the aerosol generating device 10 is not limited to that illustrated in Fig. 1 or Fig. 2. In other words, the arrangement of the battery 120, the control unit 110, the vaporizer 180, and the heater 130 may be changed depending on the design of the aerosol generating device 10.

[0035] When the cigarette 200 is inserted into the aerosol generating device 10, the aerosol generating device 10 can activate the vaporizer 180 to generate an aerosol from the vaporizer 180. The aerosol generated by the vaporizer 180 passes through the cigarette 200 and is delivered to a user. The vaporizer 180 will be described in more detail below.

[0036] The battery 120 supplies power used for operating the aerosol generating device 10. For example, the battery 120 can supply power to heat the heater 130 or the vaporizer 180, and can supply power necessary for the control unit 110 to operate. The battery 120 can also supply power necessary for the display, sensor, motor, and the like provided in the aerosol generating device 10 to operate.

[0037] The control unit 110 generally controls the operation of the aerosol generation device 10. Specifically, the control unit 110 controls the operation of not only the battery 120, the heater 130, and the vaporizer 180 but also other components included in the aerosol generation device 10. The control unit 110 can also check the state of each component of the aerosol generation device 10 and determine whether the aerosol generation device 10 is in an operable state.

[0038] The control unit 110 includes at least one processor. The processor may be realized by an array of a number of logic gates, or may be realized by a combination of a general-purpose microprocessor and a memory storing a program that can be executed by the microprocessor. Those skilled in the art will understand that the controller 110 may also be realized by other types of hardware.

[0039] The heater 130 may be heated by power supplied from the battery 120. For example, the heater 130 may be located outside the cigarette when the cigarette is inserted into the aerosol generating device 10. Thus, the heated heater 130 may increase the temperature of the aerosol generating material within the cigarette.

[0040] The heater 130 may be an electrically resistive heater. For example, the heater 130 may include an electrically conductive track, and the heater 130 may be heated by passing an electric current through the electrically conductive track. However, the heater 130 is not limited to the above example, and may be any heater that can be heated to a desired temperature. Here, the desired temperature may be preset in the aerosol generating device 10, or may be set by a user to a desired temperature.

[0041] As another example, the heater 130 may be an induction heater. Specifically, the heater 130 may include an electrically conductive coil for inductively heating the cigarette, and the cigarette may include a susceptor that may be heated by the induction heater.

[0042] 1 and 2, the heater 130 is illustrated as being disposed on the exterior of the cigarette 200, but is not limited thereto. For example, the heater 130 may include a tubular heating element, a plate heating element, a needle heating element, or a rod heating element, and depending on the shape of the heating element, the interior or exterior of the cigarette 200 may be heated.

[0043] In addition, a plurality of heaters 130 may be disposed in the aerosol generating device 10. In this case, the plurality of heaters 130 may be disposed so as to be inserted inside the cigarette 200, and also disposed outside the cigarette 200. In addition, some of the plurality of heaters 130 may be disposed so as to be inserted inside the cigarette 200, and the rest may be disposed outside the cigarette 200. In addition, the shape of the heater 130 is not limited to the shapes illustrated in Figs. 1 and 2, and may be manufactured in various shapes.

[0044] The vaporizer 180 can heat the liquid composition and generate an aerosol, which can pass through the cigarette 200 and be delivered to the user. In other words, the aerosol generated by the vaporizer 180 can travel along an airflow passage of the aerosol generating device 10, which can be configured to allow the aerosol generated by the vaporizer 180 to pass through the cigarette and be delivered to the user.

[0045] For example, the vaporizer 180 may include, but is not limited to, a liquid storage unit, a liquid delivery means, and a heating element, and the liquid storage unit, the liquid delivery means, and the heating element may be included in the aerosol generation device 10 as separate modules.

[0046] The liquid storage unit can store a liquid composition, for example, a liquid containing a tobacco-containing substance including a volatile tobacco flavor component, or a liquid containing a non-tobacco substance. The liquid storage unit can be made to be detachable / attachable to / from the vaporizer 180, or can be made to be integral with the vaporizer 180.

[0047] For example, the liquid composition may include water, solvent, ethanol, plant extract, fragrance, flavoring agent, or vitamin mixture. The fragrance may include, but is not limited to, menthol, peppermint, spearmint oil, various fruit fragrance components, etc. The flavoring agent may include components that can provide a variety of flavors or tastes to the user. The vitamin mixture may include, but is not limited to, at least one of vitamin A, vitamin B, vitamin C, and vitamin E. The liquid composition may also include an aerosol forming agent, such as glycerin and propylene glycol.

[0048] The liquid transfer means can transfer the liquid composition of the liquid reservoir to the heating element, for example, but not limited to, a wick such as cotton fiber, ceramic fiber, glass fiber, or porous ceramic.

[0049] The heating element is an element for heating the liquid composition transferred by the liquid transfer means. For example, the heating element can be, but is not limited to, a metal hot wire, a metal hot plate, a ceramic heater, etc. The heating element can also be configured with a conductive filament such as a nichrome wire and arranged in a structure wound around the liquid transfer means. The heating element can be heated by supplying an electric current and transfer heat to the liquid composition in contact with the heating element, thereby heating the liquid composition. As a result, an aerosol can be generated.

[0050] For example, the vaporizer 180 may also be referred to as, but is not limited to, a cartomizer or an atomizer.

[0051] The aerosol generation device 10 further includes a general-purpose configuration in addition to the battery 120, the control unit 110, and the heater 130. For example, the aerosol generation device 10 includes a display capable of outputting visual information, and / or a motor for outputting tactile information. The aerosol generation device 10 also includes at least one sensor (such as a puff detection sensor, a temperature detection sensor, or a cigarette insertion detection sensor). The aerosol generation device 10 may be fabricated in a structure that allows external air to flow in or internal gas to flow out even when the cigarette 200 is inserted.

[0052] 1 and 2, the aerosol generating device 10 can also configure a system together with a separate cradle. For example, the cradle can be used to charge the battery 120 of the aerosol generating device 10. Alternatively, the heater 130 can be heated while the cradle and the aerosol generating device 10 are coupled together.

[0053] Cigarette 200 is also similar to a typical combustion cigarette. For example, cigarette 200 may be divided into a first portion including an aerosol-generating material and a second portion including a filter or the like. Alternatively, the second portion of cigarette 200 may also include an aerosol-generating material. For example, the aerosol-generating material in the form of granules or capsules may be inserted into the second portion.

[0054] The entire first part may be inserted into the aerosol generating device 10, and the second part may be exposed to the outside. Alternatively, only a part of the first part may be inserted into the aerosol generating device 10, and the first part and the second part may be inserted. A user can inhale the aerosol while holding the second part in his / her mouth. At that time, the aerosol is generated by the passage of outside air through the first part, and the generated aerosol passes through the second part and is delivered to the user's mouth.

[0055] As an example, the external air may be introduced through at least one air passage formed in the aerosol generating device 10. For example, the opening and closing of the air passage formed in the aerosol generating device 10 and / or the size of the air passage may be adjusted by the user. As a result, the amount of atomization, smoking sensation, etc. may be adjusted by the user. As another example, the external air may be introduced into the cigarette 200 through at least one hole formed in the surface of the cigarette 200.

[0056] FIG. 3 is a diagram illustrating another example in which a cigarette is inserted into the aerosol generating device.

[0057] Comparing Fig. 3 with the aerosol generating device described through Fig. 1 and Fig. 2, it can be seen that the vaporizer 180 is omitted. Since the dual medium cigarette 300 inserted into the aerosol generating device shown in Fig. 3 includes an element that performs the function of the vaporizer 180, the aerosol generating device according to Fig. 3 does not include the vaporizer 180, unlike the aerosol generating device shown in Fig. 1 and Fig. 2.

[0058] When the dual medium cigarette 300 is inserted, the aerosol generating device 10 shown in Fig. 3 externally heats the dual medium cigarette 300 so that an aerosol that can be inhaled by a user can be generated from the dual medium cigarette 300. The dual medium cigarette 300 will be described in detail with reference to Fig. 6.

[0059] An example of a cigarette 200 will now be described with reference to FIG.

[0060] FIG. 4 is a diagram illustrating an example of a cigarette.

[0061] 4, the cigarette 200 includes a tobacco rod 210 and a filter rod 220. The first portion described with reference to FIGS.

[0062] 4, the filter rod 220 is illustrated as a single segment, but is not limited thereto. In other words, the filter rod 220 may be composed of multiple segments. For example, the filter rod 220 may include a first segment for cooling the aerosol and a second segment for filtering a specific component contained in the aerosol. In addition, the filter rod 220 may further include at least one segment for performing another function, if necessary.

[0063] The cigarette 200 may be wrapped by at least one wrapper 240. The wrapper 240 may have at least one hole through which external air can flow in or internal gas can flow out. As an example, the cigarette 200 may be wrapped by one wrapper 240. As another example, the cigarette 200 may be wrapped by two or more wrappers 240 in a superimposed manner. For example, the tobacco rod 210 may be wrapped by a first wrapper, and the filter rod 220 may be wrapped by a second wrapper. Then, the tobacco rod 210 and the filter rod 220 wrapped by the individual wrappers may be combined, and the entire cigarette 200 may be further wrapped by a third wrapper. If the tobacco rod 210 or the filter rod 220 is composed of a plurality of segments, each segment may be wrapped by an individual wrapper. Then, the entire cigarette 200 to which the segments wrapped by the individual wrappers are combined may be further wrapped by another wrapper.

[0064] The tobacco rod 210 includes an aerosol-generating material, such as, but not limited to, at least one of glycerin, propylene glycol, ethylene glycol, dipropylene glycol, diethylene glycol, triethylene glycol, tetraethylene glycol, and oleyl alcohol. The tobacco rod 210 also includes other additives, such as flavoring agents, humectants, and / or organic acids. A flavoring liquid, such as menthol or a humectant, may also be added to the tobacco rod 210 by spraying it onto the tobacco rod 210.

[0065] The tobacco rod 210 may be manufactured in various ways. For example, the tobacco rod 210 may be manufactured from a sheet or a strand. The tobacco rod 210 may also be manufactured from cut tobacco, which is a tobacco sheet that has been finely shredded. The tobacco rod 210 may also be surrounded by a thermally conductive material. For example, the thermally conductive material may be a metal foil such as aluminum foil, but is not limited thereto. For example, the thermally conductive material surrounding the tobacco rod 210 may evenly distribute the heat transferred to the tobacco rod 210 and improve the thermal conductivity applied to the tobacco rod, thereby improving the tobacco taste. The thermally conductive material surrounding the tobacco rod 210 may also function as a susceptor that is heated by an induction heater. In this case, although not shown in the drawings, the tobacco rod 210 may further include an additional susceptor in addition to the thermally conductive material surrounding the outside.

[0066] The filter rod 220 is also a cellulose acetate filter. The shape of the filter rod 220 is not limited. For example, the filter rod 220 may be a cylindrical type rod or a tube type rod having a hollow inside. The filter rod 220 may also be a recess type rod. If the filter rod 220 is composed of multiple segments, at least one of the multiple segments may be made to have a different shape.

[0067] The filter rod 220 may be made to produce a flavor. For example, a flavoring liquid may be sprayed onto the filter rod 220, or a separate fiber coated with the flavoring liquid may be inserted into the filter rod 220.

[0068] The filter rod 220 also includes at least one capsule 230. Here, the capsule 230 can perform a function of generating flavor or a function of generating aerosol. For example, the capsule 230 is a structure in which a liquid containing a flavoring agent is surrounded by a coating. The capsule 230 can have a spherical or cylindrical shape, but is not limited thereto.

[0069] If the filter rod 220 includes a segment for cooling the aerosol, the cooling segment can be made of a polymeric material or a biodegradable polymeric material. For example, the cooling segment can be made of pure polylactic acid, but is not limited thereto. Alternatively, the cooling segment can be made of a cellulose acetate filter with multiple holes. However, the cooling segment is not limited to the above examples, and can be any material without limitation as long as it can perform the function of cooling the aerosol.

[0070] Although not shown in Fig. 4, the cigarette 200 according to one embodiment further includes a front end filter. The front end filter is located on one side of the tobacco rod 210 opposite the filter rod 220. The front end filter can prevent the tobacco rod 210 from falling out to the outside, and can prevent the aerosol liquefied from the tobacco rod 210 during smoking from flowing into the aerosol generating device 100 (Figs. 1 and 2).

[0071] FIG. 5 is a diagram illustrating another example of a cigarette.

[0072] 5, it can be seen that the cigarette 200 has a configuration in which the cross tube 205, the tobacco rod 210, the tube 220a, and the filter 220b are wrapped by a final wrapper 240a. In FIG. 5, the wrapper includes individual wrappers 240b, 240c, 240d, and 240e that respectively wrap the cross tube 205, the tobacco rod 210, the tube 220a, and the filter 220b, and the final wrapper 240a that wraps together the cross tube 205, the tobacco rod 210, the tube 220a, and the filter 220b that are wrapped by the individual wrappers 240b, 240c, 240d, and 240e.

[0073] The first part described with reference to Figures 1 and 2 includes the cross tube 205 and the tobacco rod 210, and the second part includes the filter rod 220. For convenience of explanation, the following description will be made with reference to Figures 1 and 2, but the description overlapping with that described with reference to Figure 4 will be omitted.

[0074] Cross tube 205 refers to a cross-shaped tube that is connected to tobacco rod 210 .

[0075] The cross tube 205 is a part that is sensed by the cigarette detection sensor together with the tobacco rod 210 when the cigarette 200 is inserted into the aerosol generating device, and is wrapped in the same copper-inserted paper wrapper as the tobacco rod 210, and can be used to determine whether the cigarette 200 into which the cigarette detection sensor is inserted is a type of cigarette supported by the aerosol generating device (whether it is a cigarette made in-house or not). The copper-inserted paper wrapper will be described later with reference to Figures 7 to 9.

[0076] The tobacco rod 210 comprises an aerosol-generating substrate that is heated by the heater 130 of the aerosol generating device 10 to generate an aerosol.

[0077] The tube 220a transfers the aerosol generated when the aerosol generating substrate of the tobacco rod 210 receives a sufficient amount of energy from the heater 130 and is heated, to the filter 220b. The tube 220a is manufactured by adding a certain amount of triacetin (TA), a plasticizer, to cellulose acetate tow and forming it into a circle, and is different from the cross tube 205 not only in shape but also in the arrangement in which the tobacco rod 210 and the filter 220b are connected.

[0078] The filter 220b performs the function of allowing the user to inhale the aerosol filtered by the filter 220b by passing the aerosol generated by the tobacco rod 210 when the aerosol is transmitted through the tube 220a. The filter 220b is also a cellulose acetate filter made based on cellulose acetate tow.

[0079] The final wrapper 240a is a paper that covers and wraps the cross tube 205, the tobacco rod 210, the tube 220a, and the filter 220b, respectively, and also includes a cross tube wrapper 240b, a tobacco rod wrapper 240c, a tube wrapper 240d, and a filter wrapper 240e.

[0080] 5, the cross tube wrapper 240b is wrapped with an aluminum wrapper, the tube portion 220a is wrapped with an MFW wrapper or a 24K wrapper, and the filter 220b is wrapped with an oil-resistant hard wrapper or a PLA (poly lactic acid) interleaving paper. The tobacco rod wrapper 240c and the final wrapper 240 will be described in more detail below.

[0081] The tobacco rod wrapper 240c is a wrapper that encases the tobacco rod 210, and may be coated with a thermal conductivity improving material to maximize the efficiency of the thermal energy transferred by the heater 130. For example, the tobacco rod wrapper 240c may be manufactured by coating a general wrapper or release paper with at least one of silver foil paper (Ag), aluminum foil paper (Al), copper foil paper (Cu), carbon paper, filler, ceramics (AlN, Al2O3), silicon carbide, sodium citrate (Na citrate), potassium citrate (K citrate), aramid fiber, nano cellulose, mineral paper, glassine paper, and single-walled carbon nanotubes (SWNT). The general wrapper refers to a wrapper that is widely used in cigarettes, and is a porous wrapper made of a material that has been verified to have papermaking workability and thermal conductivity both exceeding certain values ​​through handmade paper tests.

[0082] In addition, in the present invention, the final wrapper 240 may be prepared by coating at least one of the various materials that can be coated on the tobacco rod wrapper 240c, including fillers, ceramics, silicone carbide, sodium citrate, potassium citrate, aramid fiber, nanocellulose, and SWNTs, onto the MFW base paper.

[0083] 1 and 2, the heater 130 included in the external heating type aerosol generating device 10 is controlled by the control unit 110, and heats the aerosol generating substrate included in the tobacco rod 210 to generate aerosol, and at that time, the thermal energy transferred to the tobacco rod 210 is composed of 75% radiant heat, 15% convective heat, and 10% conductive heat. According to one embodiment, the ratio of radiant heat, convective heat, and conductive heat that constitute the thermal energy transferred to the tobacco rod 210 may vary.

[0084] In order to overcome the difficulty in rapid aerosol generation due to the heater 130 being unable to transfer thermal energy by direct contact with the aerosol-generating substrate, the present invention coats the tobacco rod wrapper 240c and the final wrapper 240 with a thermal conductivity enhancing material as described above, thereby promoting efficient transfer of thermal energy to the aerosol-generating substrate of the tobacco rod 210, thereby making it possible to provide a sufficient amount of aerosol to the user even during the initial puff before the heater 130 is sufficiently heated.

[0085] In one embodiment, only one of the tobacco rod wrapper 240c or the final wrapper 240 may be coated with a thermal conductivity enhancing material, and in addition to the above examples, the present invention may also be embodied by coating the tobacco rod wrapper 240c or the final wrapper 240 with an organic metal, inorganic metal, fiber, or polymer material having a predetermined value of thermal conductivity.

[0086] FIG. 6 is a diagram illustrating an example of a dual medium cigarette that may be used in the device of FIG.

[0087] In FIG. 6, the name of the dual medium cigarette is given not only for the purpose of distinguishing it from the cigarettes described in FIG. 4 and FIG. 5, but also for the purpose of simplifying the description of the present invention, and according to one embodiment, it may be called the same as a general cigarette.

[0088] 6, it can be seen that the dual-media cigarette 300 has a configuration in which the aerosol-based section 310, the medium section 320, the cooling section 330, and the filter section 340 are wrapped by a final wrapper 350. In FIG. 6, the final wrapper 350 refers to an outer cover that wraps the individual wrappers 310a, 320a, and 340a that respectively wrap the aerosol-based section 310, the medium section 320, and the filter section 340.

[0089] The aerosol base part 310 is a part formed into a preset shape by impregnating a humectant into pulp-based paper. The humectants (base materials) contained in the aerosol base part 310 include propylene glycol and glycerin. The humectants in the aerosol base part 310 include propylene glycol and glycerin having a certain weight ratio relative to the weight of the base paper. When the dual medium cigarette 300 is inserted into the aerosol generating device 10 of FIG. 3, the aerosol base part 310 generates humectant vapor if it is heated to a certain temperature or higher by the heater 130.

[0090] The medium section 320 includes at least one of sheets, strands, and tobacco sheets that are finely shredded, and is a section that generates nicotine to provide a user with a smoking experience. Even when the dual medium cigarette 300 is inserted into the aerosol generating device 10 of FIG. 3, the medium section 320 is not directly heated by the heater 130, but may be indirectly heated by the medium section wrapper (or final wrapper) that surrounds the heated aerosol base section 310 and the medium section 320 through conduction, convection, and radiation. In the present invention, in consideration of the characteristic that the temperature to be reached by the medium contained in the medium section 320 is lower than the temperature to be reached by the humectant contained in the aerosol base section 310, the aerosol base section 310 is heated by the external heater 130, and then the temperature of the medium section 320 is increased indirectly. When the temperature of the medium contained in the medium part 320 is increased to a certain temperature or higher, nicotine vapor is generated from the medium part 320 .

[0091] According to one embodiment, when the dual media cigarette 300 is inserted into the aerosol generating device 10 of FIG. 3, a portion of the media portion 320 is oriented opposite the heater 130 and is also heated by the heater 130 .

[0092] The cooling section 330 is made of a tube filter containing a predetermined weight of plasticizer, and the moisturizer vapor and nicotine vapor generated from the aerosol base section 310 and the medium section 320 are mixed and aerosolized, and cooled as they pass through the cooling section 330; unlike the aerosol base section 310, the medium section 320 and the filter section 340, the cooling section 330 is not wrapped in an individual wrapper.

[0093] The filter unit 340 may be a cellulose acetate filter, and there is no limitation on the shape of the filter unit 340. The filter unit 340 may be a cylindrical rod or a tube with a hollow inside. If the filter unit 340 is composed of a plurality of segments, at least one of the plurality of segments may be manufactured in a different shape. The filter unit 340 may be manufactured to produce a flavor. For example, a flavoring liquid may be sprayed on the filter unit 340, and separate fibers coated with the flavoring liquid may be inserted into the filter unit 340.

[0094] The filter unit 340 also includes at least one capsule. Here, the capsule can perform a function of generating a flavor. For example, the capsule can have a structure in which a liquid containing a flavoring agent is covered with a coating, and can have a spherical or cylindrical shape, but is not limited thereto.

[0095] The final wrapper 350 refers to an outer cover that encases the aerosol base material portion 310, the medium portion 320, and the filter portion 340, which are all wrapped in the individual wrappers, and the final wrapper 350 may be made of the same material as the medium portion wrapper described below.

[0096] FIG. 7 is a perspective view of an example of an aerosol generating device according to the present invention.

[0097] 7, the aerosol generating device 10 according to the present invention includes a control unit 110, a battery 120, and a heater 130. A dual medium cigarette 300 is inserted into the aerosol generating device 10 and heated to generate an aerosol. Since FIG. 7 shows only a part of the configuration of the aerosol generating device 10 in relief for the convenience of explanation, it will be obvious to a person skilled in the art that even if other configurations are added, it does not depart from the scope of the present invention as long as the above-mentioned configurations are included.

[0098] In addition, the internal structure of the aerosol generating device 10 is not limited to that shown in Fig. 7, and the arrangement of the control unit 110, the battery 120, the heater 130, and the dual medium cigarette 300 may be different depending on the embodiment and design. The description of each component in Fig. 7 has already been given in Figs. 1 to 3, so it will be omitted.

[0099] FIG. 8 is a side view of the aerosol generating device 10 illustrated in FIG.

[0100] 8, it can be seen that the aerosol generating device 10 according to the present invention includes a PCB (printed circuit board) 11, a control unit 110, a battery 120, a first heater 130A, a second heater 130B, a display 150, and a cigarette insertion space 160. In the following, descriptions that overlap with the description of the configuration described in FIG. 1 will be omitted.

[0101] The PCB 11 performs the function of electronically integrating various components that collect information of the aerosol generating device 10 while communicating with the control unit 110, and the control unit 110 and display 150 are fixed and mounted on the surface of the PCB 11, and a battery 120 for supplying power to the elements connected to the PCB 11 is connected to the surface of the PCB 11.

[0102] The first heater 130A and the second heater 130B heat the two medium parts of the dual medium cigarette 300 inserted into the cigarette insertion space 160 of the aerosol generating device of Fig. 8 at different temperatures. The first heater 130A and the second heater 130B are made of different materials or the same material, and receive different control signals from the control unit 110 to be heated to different temperatures.

[0103] The display 150 is a device that controls the information generated by the aerosol generating device 10 so that the information necessary for the user is output as visual information, and based on the information received from the control unit 110, controls the information output to an LCD (liquid crystal display) panel (or LED (light-emitting diode) panel) provided on the front of the aerosol generating device 10.

[0104] The cigarette insertion space 160 refers to a space that is recessed to a certain depth toward the inside of the aerosol generating device 10 so that the cigarette 200 or the dual medium cigarette 300 can be inserted. The cigarette insertion space 160 has a cylindrical shape so that the stick-shaped cigarette 200 or the dual medium cigarette 300 can be stably installed, and the height (depth) of the cigarette insertion space 160 varies depending on the length of the region containing the aerosol generating material in the cigarette 200 or the dual medium cigarette 300.

[0105] 6 is inserted into the cigarette insertion space 160, the height of the cigarette insertion space 160 is equal to the combined length of the aerosol substrate portion 310 and the medium portion 320. When the cigarette 200 or the dual medium cigarette 300 is inserted into the cigarette insertion space 160, the first heater 130A and the second heater 130B adjacent to the cigarette insertion space 160 are heated to generate aerosol.

[0106] FIG. 9 is a schematic cross-sectional view of an aerosol generating device according to the present invention.

[0107] 9 is a diagram for easily explaining the number and positions of temperature sensors and a method of implementing puff recognition by an MCU (microcontroller unit) (controller) in an aerosol generating device according to the present invention, and in the center of Fig. 9, the dual medium cigarette 300 described in Fig. 6 is inserted into the cigarette insertion space, and the path of air flow (air current) is displayed by arrows around the cigarette insertion space due to the user's inhalation (puffing). In the following, unless otherwise specified, the controller and the MCU are regarded as the same object.

[0108] Fig. 9 shows a plurality of temperature sensors provided in the airflow path section. The temperature sensors shown in Fig. 9 include a heater temperature sensor 920' provided adjacent to the heater 130 and detecting a temperature change of the heater 130, and an air temperature sensor detecting a temperature change of the air inside the airflow path section. Hereinafter, the heater temperature sensor 920' may be abbreviated as a first temperature sensor, and the air temperature sensor may be abbreviated as a second temperature sensor. As an alternative embodiment, unlike that shown in Fig. 9, only a plurality of air temperature sensors may be provided in the airflow path section.

[0109] The heater temperature sensor 920' is disposed adjacent to the heater 130, senses a temperature change of the heater 130, and transmits the sensed result to the MCU 110. The MCU 110 may determine a current state of the heater 130 based on the temperature of the heater 130 transmitted from the heater temperature sensor 920'. For example, the MCU 110 may determine whether the heater 130 is being preheated or whether preheating of the heater has been completed based on the temperature value or temperature change transmitted from the heater temperature sensor 920'. In FIG. 9, the heater 130 is also a susceptor that is inductively heated by a coil through which an alternating current flows.

[0110] The air temperature sensor is composed of a temperature change detector 910' that is completely exposed to the airflow path and directly contacts the air inside the airflow path to detect temperature changes, and a variable resistor R1 910 that keeps the position of the temperature change detector 910' fixed and changes its resistance value depending on the temperature change detected by the temperature change detector 910'.

[0111] Also, although Fig. 9 shows temperature sensors provided in three locations, the present invention is not limited to a specific number of temperature sensors, so in one embodiment, the number of temperature sensors may be different from that shown in Fig. 9. Also, the temperature sensors provided in the airflow path selectively detect only temperature changes equal to or greater than a preset value, thereby further improving the reliability of puff recognition.

[0112] 9, when power is input to the aerosol generating device and preheating of the heater 130 is completed, the temperature of the air in the airflow path is also stabilized at a constant value. At this time, the temperature sensor installed in the airflow path uses the stabilized air temperature after preheating of the heater 130 is completed as a reference (critical value), and detects the air temperature change every time the user puffs and external air flows into the airflow path, causing the temperature of the air inside the airflow path to temporarily cool, and the resistance value of the variable resistor 910 becomes different, so that the MCU 110 of the PCB 11 recognizes that a puff has occurred. The variable resistor R1 of the temperature sensor is one of an NTC (negative temperature coefficient of resistance) element or a PTC (positive temperature coefficient of resistance) element.

[0113] In Fig. 9, the air temperature sensor may be provided anywhere inside the airflow path where airflow occurs through the user's puff. The location where airflow occurs through the user's puff may be determined experimentally, empirically, or mathematically. In order for the MCU 110 to accurately recognize the puff through information received from the air temperature sensor, the more air temperature sensors there are, the more preferable it is.

[0114] In addition, in order for the MCU 110 to accurately recognize puffs based on the information received from the air temperature sensor, it is desirable for the sensitivity of the air temperature sensor to be at least somewhat high. If it is not possible to adopt an air temperature sensor with a high sensitivity due to high costs, it is desirable to place the air temperature sensor in the most efficient position in the airflow path for recognizing puffs.

[0115] As an example, the position at which the temperature sensor is provided in the airflow path portion is also a position at which the temperature change in the airflow path portion is in the range of 3° C. to 5° C. before and after a user's puff.

[0116] The position inside the airflow path unit where the temperature change is the largest before and after the user puffs is the position where the air inside the airflow path unit circulates while the outside air flows into the airflow path unit and meets the outside air. In Fig. 9, a total of three temperature sensors are illustrated, and the position of the temperature sensing change unit S (the temperature sensor except for the variable resistor R1) is the position where the outside air meets the inside air based on the airflow path unit, and the position where the air temperature change before and after the user puffs is the largest, so the temperature sensor is provided and may have the greatest effect on the puff recognition of the MCU 110.

[0117] In addition, in FIG. 9, the remaining air temperature sensors excluding the temperature sensing change unit S are located at points where air tends to flow into the airflow path unit and points where air tends to circulate inside the airflow path unit, respectively. Although the influence is not as great as that of the temperature sensor including the aforementioned temperature sensing change unit S, they can sense the change in air temperature inside the airflow path unit as a kind of auxiliary index (sub parameter) and affect the puff recognition of the MCU 110.

[0118] An example of a process in which the MCU 110 determines whether a puff has occurred through the three temperature sensors in Fig. 9 will be described in detail below. First, the heater 130 heats the dual medium cigarette 300, and pre-heating is completed sufficiently to generate an aerosol. The MCU 110 detects that pre-heating of the heater 130 is completed through the heater temperature sensor 920' or other method, and controls the heater temperature to be stably maintained according to a preset temperature profile. When the temperature of the air inside the airflow path is stable and the user inhales through the end of the dual medium cigarette, the temperature of the air inside the airflow path temporarily drops, and the temperature sensors installed in the airflow path detect the temperature change and transmit it to the MCU 110.

[0119] If one or more of the temperature sensors cannot detect a temperature change due to the sensitivity or location of the temperature sensors, the MCU 110 may determine that a puff has not occurred even if the remaining temperature sensors detect a temperature change. In other words, the control unit receives information on temperature changes from all the temperature sensors, compares the information with a threshold value set for each temperature sensor, and comprehensively analyzes the comparison results to determine whether a puff has occurred.

[0120] At this time, the threshold value for each temperature sensor is set individually depending on the sensitivity and the position of the temperature sensor. For example, since the temperature sensor including the temperature change detector S is installed at a position where the air temperature changes significantly, the threshold value for the temperature sensor including the temperature change detector S tends to be larger than the threshold values ​​for the other temperature sensors. The individual threshold values ​​for each temperature sensor are stored in the form of a lookup table in a memory included in the control unit, and can be quickly loaded whenever necessary.

[0121] As described above, if the comparison results of the critical values ​​of the multiple temperature sensors all satisfy the preset conditions, the MCU 110 determines that a puff has occurred, and if the conditions are not satisfied, it determines that a puff has not occurred.

[0122] As another alternative embodiment, the MCU 110 may set an individual threshold value for each temperature sensor and, instead of using a method of comparing and judging as many as the number of temperature sensors, integrate the results sensed by all (air) temperature sensors into one data and compare the integrated data with a preset threshold value to judge whether a puff has occurred. According to this alternative embodiment, even if one or more of the multiple temperature sensors fail or are not fully functional, the MCU 110 may determine that a puff has occurred if the reliability of the results sensed by the remaining temperature sensors is sufficiently high, so that the impact of a temperature sensor failure is relatively smaller.

[0123] FIG. 10 is a schematic perspective view of another example of the aerosol generating device according to the present invention, which is different from the example described in FIG.

[0124] 10, it can be seen that the variable resistor R1 910 is provided adjacent to the cigarette insertion space 160 or the heater 130 surrounding the cigarette insertion space 160. The temperature change sensor 910', which corresponds to the variable resistor 910, is omitted for the sake of easy understanding of the drawing. However, it will be obvious to those skilled in the art from the explanation of FIG. 9 that in an actual embodiment, the temperature change sensor 910' is located adjacent to the variable resistor R1 910.

[0125] In order to ensure that the resistance change of the variable resistor R1 910 is immediately reflected in the MCU 110, the variable resistor R1 910 is electrically connected via an electric wire to the PCB 11 located at the lower end of the aerosol generating device, and the MCU 110 can grasp the sensing result of the temperature sensor installed in the airflow path based on the resistance change of the variable resistor R1 910 and recognize that a puff has been generated by the user.

[0126] FIG. 11 is a graph showing a temperature change of a temperature sensor that detects a change in air temperature in an airflow path portion.

[0127] 11, the air temperature starts at T0 and increases through 90° C. to a maximum of approximately 100° C. For ease of explanation, it is considered that preheating of the heater 130 is completed when the air temperature is 90° C.

[0128] 11, it can be seen that the air temperature inside the airflow path portion tends to be maintained constant within an error range after the preheating of the heater 130 is completed, and that the air temperature inside the airflow path portion tends to drop suddenly temporarily every time the user puffs. When the MCU 110 recognizes that a puff has occurred, it controls the duty ratio of the power supplied to the heater 130 or performs control to quickly restore the suddenly dropped temperature of the heater 130 through a proportional-integral-differential (PID) control method.

[0129] FIG. 12 is a diagram for explaining the remaining puff number outputted through the output unit.

[0130] More specifically, FIG. 12 is a multigraph that combines a graph of the change in the number of remaining puffs with a graph of the temperature of the second temperature sensor over time.

[0131] The upper part of Fig. 12 illustrates an aerosol generating device 10 according to the present invention, which outputs the number of remaining puffs through an output unit disposed on the front side. The number of puffs guaranteed per session of the aerosol generating device in Fig. 12 is a total of 14 puffs, and the number of remaining puffs has a tendency to gradually decrease over time. In order to clearly express the mathematical meaning, the x-axis in the graph at the top of Fig. 12 is written as "1 / number of remaining puffs", and for reasonable interpretation, the x-axis is considered to be log-scaled.

[0132] 12, a graph showing the temperature change detection result of the second temperature sensor over time described in FIG. 11 is shown at the bottom.

[0133] First, the air temperature in the airflow path portion sensed by the second temperature sensor (air temperature sensor) starts from an initial temperature T0 and continues to rise until preheating is completed, and the air temperature in the airflow path portion also drops sharply when the user takes the first puff at T1. It can be seen that thereafter, the air temperature sensed by the second temperature sensor drops sharply every time the user's puff is sensed at T2 to T5.

[0134] The MCU 110 receives the detection results of the temperature changes of the multiple temperature sensors, determines that a puff has occurred, and immediately after T1 has elapsed, changes the number of remaining puffs displayed on the output unit of the aerosol generating device 10 from 14 to 13. The user can recognize from the number of remaining puffs displayed on the output unit that 13 puffs remain to inhale aerosol of consistent quality. After that, the user can visually confirm via the output unit that the number of remaining puffs changes to 12, 11, 10, and 9, respectively, at T2 to T5.

[0135] FIG. 13 is a flow chart of an example of a puff recognition method according to the present invention.

[0136] FIG. 13 can be realized through the above-mentioned aerosol generating device 10, so in the following, it will be described with reference to FIG. 1 to FIG. 12, and any explanation that overlaps with the content already described will be omitted.

[0137] First, a temperature change of the airflow path portion is sensed by a plurality of temperature sensors (S1310). In step S1310, the temperature sensor may be at least one of a heater temperature sensor and an air temperature sensor.

[0138] The control unit 110 integrates the sensing results of the plurality of temperature sensors (S1330) and compares the integrated result with a threshold value (S1350). The control unit 110 determines whether the comparison result satisfies a preset condition (S1370), and if it determines that the condition is satisfied, determines that a puff has occurred by the user (S1390). As an alternative embodiment, in step S1330, the control unit 110 may compare a threshold value individually set for each of the plurality of temperature sensors with the temperature change result sensed by each temperature sensor, and determine whether a puff has occurred based on the comparison result, as already described in FIG. 9.

[0139] According to the present invention, by providing a plurality of temperature sensors inside the airflow path portion and comprehensively analyzing the results sensed by the temperature sensors, it is possible to accurately recognize a puff (inhalation) regardless of the inherent characteristics of the user's inhalation behavior.

[0140] In addition, the present invention can provide a consistent flavor of aerosol to a user through accurate puff counting. For example, in an aerosol generating device, if a certain number of puffs are taken per session, low-quality aerosol is generated, but if puffs can be counted accurately, various alarms can be set to stop the user from smoking before low-quality aerosol is generated.

[0141] The above-described embodiments of the present invention may be embodied in the form of a computer program executable by various components on a computer, and such a computer program may be recorded on a computer-readable medium, which may include magnetic media such as hard disks, floppy disks, and magnetic tapes, optical recording media such as compact disc read only memories (CD-ROMs) and digital versatile discs (DVDs), magneto-optical media such as floptical disks, and hardware devices specially configured to store and execute program instructions, such as read-only memory (ROM), random access memory (RAM), and flash memory.

[0142] The computer program may be one that has been specially designed and constructed for the present invention, or one that is known and available to those skilled in the art of computer software. Examples of the computer program include not only machine language code produced by a compiler, but also high-level language code that can be executed by a computer using an interpreter or the like.

[0143] The specific implementation described in the present invention is an embodiment and is not intended to limit the scope of the present invention in any manner. For the sake of brevity of the specification, descriptions of conventional electronic configurations, control systems, software, and other functional aspects of the system may be omitted. In addition, the wire connections or connecting members between components shown in the drawings are illustrative of functional connections and / or physical or circuit connections, and may be shown as various functional connections, physical connections, or circuit connections that can be substituted or added in an actual device. In addition, unless specifically stated as "essential" or "important", a component is not necessarily required for application of the present invention.

[0144] In the present specification (particularly in the claims), the use of the term "said" and similar indicators may apply to both the singular and the plural. In addition, when a range is described in the present invention, it includes the invention to which each individual value belonging to the range is applied (unless otherwise stated), and each individual value constituting the range is described in the detailed description of the invention. Finally, for steps constituting the method according to the present invention, unless an order is clearly stated or there is no description to the contrary, the steps may be performed in any suitable order. The order in which the steps are described is not necessarily intended to limit the present invention. In the present invention, the use of all examples or exemplary terms (e.g., "etc.") is merely for the purpose of explaining the present invention in detail, and the scope of the present invention is not limited by the above examples or exemplary terms, since it is not limited by the claims. In addition, a person skilled in the art will know that various modifications, combinations and changes can be made within the scope of the claims or their equivalents, depending on design conditions and factors.

Claims

1. An aerosol generating device, At least two temperature sensors for detecting an internal temperature change of an airflow path of the aerosol generating device; and a control unit that, when the temperature change is detected, compares the detected temperature change with a critical value set for each temperature sensor, and determines whether a puff has been generated by a user based on the comparison result.

2. The aerosol generating device according to claim 1 , wherein at least one of the temperature sensors detects a change in temperature of the air in the airflow path portion.

3. The aerosol generating device according to claim 1 , wherein at least one of the temperature sensors senses a temperature change of a heater.

4. The aerosol generating device according to claim 3 , wherein the heater is a susceptor that is inductively heated by a coil through which an alternating current flows.

5. The at least two temperature sensors include The aerosol generating device of claim 1 , comprising at least one air temperature sensor configured to sense a change in temperature of the air in the airflow path portion, and at least one heater temperature sensor configured to sense a change in temperature of the heater.

6. The temperature sensor is an air temperature sensor that detects a change in air temperature in the airflow path; The temperature sensor is The aerosol generating device according to claim 1 , wherein the airflow path portion is provided at a position where the temperature change ranges from 3° C. to 5° C. before and after a user's puff.

7. The apparatus comprises: Further comprising an output unit for visually outputting the number of remaining puffs, The control unit is The aerosol generating device according to claim 1 , which determines whether a puff has occurred and controls the output unit accordingly.

8. The temperature sensor is 10. The aerosol generating device of claim 1, wherein the device selectively senses a change in air temperature above a preset value.

9. An aerosol generating device, At least two temperature sensors that detect an internal temperature change of an airflow path portion in the aerosol generating device; and a control unit that integrates the sensed temperature changes, compares the integrated result with a preset critical value, and determines whether a puff has been generated by a user based on the comparison result.

10. At least two temperature sensors detect an internal temperature change of an airflow path in the aerosol generating device; If the temperature change is detected, a control unit compares the detected temperature change with a threshold value set for each temperature sensor; A puff recognition method for an aerosol generating device, comprising: a step in which the control unit determines whether or not a puff has been generated by the user based on the result of the comparison.

11. The method for recognizing a puff in an aerosol generating device according to claim 10, wherein at least one of the temperature sensors detects a change in temperature of air in the airflow path portion.

12. The method for recognizing a puff in an aerosol generating device according to claim 10, wherein at least one of the temperature sensors detects a temperature change of a heater.

13. The at least two temperature sensors include A method for recognizing a puff in an aerosol generating device as described in claim 10, comprising at least one air temperature sensor configured to sense a change in temperature of air in the airflow path, and at least one heater temperature sensor configured to sense a change in temperature of a heater.

14. The temperature sensor is an air temperature sensor that detects a change in air temperature in the airflow path; The temperature sensor is The puff recognition method for an aerosol generating device according to claim 10, wherein the airflow path section is provided at a position where the range of temperature change before and after a user's puff is 3°C to 5°C.

15. The temperature sensor is 11. The method for recognizing a puff in an aerosol generating device according to claim 10, further comprising selectively sensing an air temperature change exceeding a preset value.

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