Aerosol generating article and aerosol generating device used therewith

Abstract

An aerosol-generating article and an aerosol-generating device for use therewith are provided. The aerosol-generating device according to some embodiments of the present disclosure includes a housing that defines a storage space for the aerosol-generating article, and a heater unit that heats the aerosol-generating article stored in the storage space. The aerosol-generating article may include a tobacco rod and a filter rod, each of which includes a cavity segment filled with tobacco granules. The heater unit may be configured to heat only the cavity segment or to heat the tobacco rod simultaneously from the inside and outside, thereby effectively heating the filled tobacco granules.

Description

[Technical field]

[0001] The present disclosure relates to aerosol-generating articles and aerosol-generating devices for use therewith, and more particularly to tobacco granule-based aerosol-generating articles and aerosol-generating devices for use therewith. [Background technology]

[0002] In recent years, there has been an increasing demand for alternative products that overcome the shortcomings of traditional cigarettes. For example, there is an increasing demand for devices that generate aerosols by electrically heating cigarette sticks (e.g., cigarette-type electronic cigarettes). As a result, research on electrically heated aerosol generators and the cigarette sticks (or aerosol-generating products) that are applied to them has been actively conducted.

[0003] Meanwhile, the tobacco substance used in the cigarette sticks is mainly in the form of a sheet, and occasionally also in the form of shredded tobacco. Recently, a method of using a granular form of tobacco substance has been proposed. For example, a method of smoking a cartridge containing tobacco granules is mounted on an aerosol generating device.

[0004] However, cartridge-type products have the disadvantages of being less familiar to consumers than cigarette sticks, not being able to provide the same smoking experience as cigarette sticks, and increasing manufacturing costs. Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0005] The technical problem that some embodiments of the present disclosure aim to solve is to provide an aerosol-generating article that can provide smoking functionality based on tobacco granules.

[0006] Another technical problem that some embodiments of the present disclosure seek to solve is to provide an aerosol generating device for use with tobacco granule-based aerosol-generating articles.

[0007] Yet another technical problem that some embodiments of the present disclosure seek to solve is to provide an aerosol generating device that can effectively heat tobacco granule-based aerosol-generating articles.

[0008] Yet another technical problem to be solved through some embodiments of the present disclosure is to provide an aerosol generating device that can operate in a set mode between a smokeless mode and a smoked mode, and an aerosol generating article to be used therewith.

[0009] The technical problems of the present disclosure are not limited to the technical problems mentioned above, and other technical problems not mentioned can be clearly understood by a person of ordinary skill in the art of the present disclosure from the following description. [Means for solving the problem]

[0010] In order to solve the above technical problems, an aerosol generating device according to some embodiments of the present disclosure includes a housing forming a storage space in which an aerosol-generating article is contained, and a heater section for heating the aerosol-generating article contained in the storage space, and the aerosol-generating article may include a tobacco rod filled with tobacco granules and a filter rod.

[0011] In some embodiments, the tobacco rod may include a first filter segment, a second filter segment, and a cavity segment formed by the first filter segment and the second filter segment, and the tobacco granules may be filled into the cavity segment.

[0012] In some embodiments, the second filter segment is located upstream of the cavity segment and comprises a paper material, the heater section comprises a heating element that internally heats the tobacco rod, and the heating element may have a thickness of 2.0 mm or less.

[0013] In some embodiments, the heater section may include a heating element that externally heats the tobacco rod, the heating element being positioned to heat only the cavity segment.

[0014] In some embodiments, the heater section includes a heating element that externally heats the tobacco rod, the heating element being positioned to heat the cavity segment and to form an unheated area near the downstream end of the cavity segment.

[0015] In some embodiments, the heater section may include a first heating element that heats the tobacco rod externally and a second heating element that heats the tobacco rod internally.

[0016] In some embodiments, the heater section may include a heating element that heats the exterior of the tobacco rod, and a heat-conducting element that transfers heat generated by the heating element to the interior of the tobacco rod.

[0017] In some embodiments, the tobacco granules or the tobacco rod may include a susceptor material in particulate form, and the heater element may include an inductor that inductively heats the susceptor material. Effect of the Invention

[0018] According to some embodiments of the present disclosure described above, an aerosol-generating article including a tobacco rod filled with tobacco granules and an aerosol-generating device for use therewith can be provided. The provided aerosol-generating article can use the tobacco granules to provide a smoking experience similar to that of other heated cigarettes.

[0019] In addition, a cavity segment may be formed by filter segments located upstream and downstream of the tobacco rod, and tobacco granules may be filled into the cavity segment, which makes it possible to easily manufacture a tobacco rod that can prevent the tobacco granules from falling out.

[0020] The heater unit of the aerosol generating device may be configured to heat only the cavity segment, or to heat both the inside and outside of the cavity segment at the same time, thereby effectively heating the tobacco granules filled in the cavity segment.

[0021] The filter segment of the tobacco rod may also include a paper material. Such a tobacco rod is suitable for producing a heated aerosol generating article, since the physical properties of the filter segment are hardly changed by heating the heater portion.

[0022] In addition, the tobacco rod can be designed to generate a vortex flow within the cavity segment during puffing, which allows the tobacco granules to be heated while being thoroughly mixed together, resulting in a uniform heating of the granules and a reduced burnt taste, improving the smoking experience.

[0023] The effects of the technical ideas of the present disclosure are not limited to the effects mentioned above, and other effects not mentioned can be clearly understood by those skilled in the art from the following description. [Brief description of the drawings]

[0024] [Figure 1] FIG. 1 is a schematic illustration of an aerosol generating device according to some embodiments of the present disclosure. [Diagram 2] FIG. 13 is a schematic illustration of an aerosol generating device according to some other embodiments of the present disclosure. [Diagram 3] FIG. 13 is a schematic illustration of an aerosol generating device according to some other embodiments of the present disclosure. [Figure 4]13 is an illustrative diagram showing an aerosol generating device according to some other embodiments of the present disclosure operating in smokeless mode. [Diagram 5] 13 is an illustrative diagram showing an aerosol generating device according to some other embodiments of the present disclosure operating in a smoky mode. [Figure 6] 1 is a schematic illustration of an aerosol-generating article according to some embodiments of the present disclosure. FIG. [Figure 7] 1 is a schematic illustration of an aerosol-generating article according to some embodiments of the present disclosure. FIG. [Figure 8] 1 is an illustrative diagram for explaining the principles and conditions under which vortex flows are generated in an aerosol-generating article according to some embodiments of the present disclosure. FIG. [Figure 9] FIG. 2 is an exemplary diagram for explaining a heating structure of a heater unit according to the first embodiment of the present disclosure. [Figure 10] FIG. 11 is an exemplary diagram for explaining a heating structure of a heater unit according to a second embodiment of the present disclosure. [Figure 11] FIG. 11 is an exemplary diagram for explaining a heating structure of a heater unit according to a third embodiment of the present disclosure. [Figure 12] FIG. 13 is an exemplary diagram for explaining a heating structure of a heater unit according to a fourth embodiment of the present disclosure. [Figure 13] 13 is an exemplary diagram for explaining a heating structure of a heater unit according to a fifth embodiment of the present disclosure. FIG. [Figure 14] FIG. 13 shows experimental results on the effect of tobacco granule size on the generation of vortex flows. [Figure 15] FIG. 13 shows experimental results on the effect of tobacco granule size on the generation of vortex flows. [Figure 16] FIG. 13 shows experimental results on the effect of tobacco granule packing ratio on the generation of vortex currents. [Figure 17] FIG. 13 shows experimental results on the effect of tobacco granule packing ratio on the generation of vortex currents. [Figure 18] FIG. 13 shows experimental results on the effect of tobacco granule packing ratio on the generation of vortex currents. [Figure 19]13 shows experimental results on the effect of the thickness and shape of the internal heating element on the damage level of the filter segment. [Figure 20] 13 shows experimental results on the effect of the thickness and shape of the internal heating element on the damage level of the filter segment. [Figure 21] 13 shows experimental results on the effect of the thickness and shape of the internal heating element on the damage level of the filter segment. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

[0025] Hereinafter, preferred embodiments of the present disclosure will be described in detail with reference to the accompanying drawings. The advantages and features of the present disclosure, as well as the methods for achieving them, will become clear with reference to the following embodiments described in detail with the accompanying drawings. However, the technical idea of ​​the present disclosure is not limited to the following embodiments, and may be embodied in various different forms. The following embodiments are merely provided to complete the technical idea of ​​the present disclosure and to fully inform those skilled in the art of the present disclosure of the scope of the present disclosure, and the technical idea of ​​the present disclosure is only defined by the scope of the claims.

[0026] When adding reference symbols to components in each drawing, it should be noted that the same symbols are used for the same components even if they are displayed in different drawings. In addition, when describing the present disclosure, if it is determined that a detailed description of related known configurations or functions may obscure the gist of the present disclosure, the detailed description will be omitted.

[0027] Unless otherwise defined, all terms (including technical and scientific terms) used herein may be used in a manner commonly understood by those having ordinary skill in the art to which the present invention belongs. In addition, terms defined in commonly used dictionaries are not interpreted ideally or excessively unless otherwise clearly defined. The terms used herein are intended to describe the embodiments and are not intended to limit the present disclosure. In this specification, the singular form includes the plural form unless otherwise specified in the text.

[0028] In addition, when describing components of the present disclosure, terms such as first, second, A, B, (a), (b), etc. may be used. Such terms are merely used to distinguish the components from other components, and do not limit the essence, procedure, or order of the components. When a component is described as being "coupled," "coupled," or "connected" to another component, it should be understood that the component may be directly coupled or connected to the other component, but that other components may also be "coupled," "coupled," or "connected" between each component.

[0029] As used in this disclosure, "comprises" and / or "comprising" means that a referenced component, step, operation and / or element does not exclude the presence or addition of one or more other components, steps, operations and / or elements.

[0030] Prior to describing the various embodiments of the present disclosure, certain terminology used in the following embodiments will be clarified.

[0031] In the following embodiments, "aerosol forming agent" may refer to a substance that can facilitate the formation of visible smoke and / or aerosol. Examples of aerosol forming agents include, but are not limited to, glycerin (GLY), propylene glycol (PG), ethylene glycol, dipropylene glycol, diethylene glycol, triethylene glycol, tetraethylene glycol and oleyl alcohol. In the art, aerosol forming agent can be used interchangeably with terms such as moisturizer, humectant, etc.

[0032] In the following embodiments, "aerosol-forming substrate" may refer to a substance capable of forming an aerosol. The aerosol may include a volatile compound. The aerosol-forming substrate may be solid or liquid.

[0033] For example, the solid aerosol-forming substrate may include a solid material based on tobacco raw materials, such as flat tobacco, shredded tobacco, or reconstituted tobacco, and the liquid aerosol-forming substrate may include a liquid composition based on nicotine, tobacco extract, and / or various flavoring agents. However, the scope of the present disclosure is not limited to such examples. The aerosol-forming substrate may further include an aerosol-forming agent for stably forming visible smoke and / or aerosol.

[0034] In the following embodiments, the term "aerosol generating device" may refer to a device that generates an aerosol using an aerosol-forming substrate to generate an aerosol that can be directly inhaled into the lungs of a user through the mouth of the user. For some examples of aerosol generating devices, see Figures 1 to 3.

[0035] In the following embodiments, "aerosol-generating article" may refer to an article capable of generating an aerosol. The aerosol-generating article may include an aerosol-forming substrate. A representative example of an aerosol-generating article is a cigarette, but the scope of the present disclosure is not limited thereto.

[0036] In the following embodiments, "upstream" or "upstream direction" may mean a direction away from the mouth of a user (smoker), and "downstream" or "downstream direction" may mean a direction toward the mouth of a user. The terms upstream and downstream may be used to describe the relative positions of elements constituting an aerosol-generating article. For example, in the aerosol-generating article 2 illustrated in FIG. 6, the tobacco rod 21 is located upstream or in the upstream direction of the filter rod 22, and the filter rod 22 is located downstream or in the downstream direction of the tobacco rod 21.

[0037] In the following embodiments, "puff" refers to a user's inhalation, which may refer to drawing in through the user's mouth or nose into the user's oral cavity, nasal cavity, or lungs.

[0038] In the following embodiments, "longitudinal direction" may mean the direction corresponding to the longitudinal axis of the aerosol-generating article.

[0039] Various embodiments of the present disclosure will now be described with reference to the accompanying drawings.

[0040] Fig. 1 is an exemplary diagram for explaining an aerosol generating device 1 according to some embodiments of the present disclosure. In particular, Fig. 1 and subsequent figures illustrate a state in which an aerosol-generating article 2 is inserted (contained).

[0041] As shown in FIG. 1, the aerosol generating device 1 according to the present embodiment may include a housing, a heater unit 13, a battery 11, and a control unit 12. However, FIG. 1 shows only components related to the embodiment of the present disclosure. Therefore, a person skilled in the art to which the present disclosure belongs will understand that the device may further include other general components in addition to the components shown in FIG. 1. For example, the aerosol generating device 1 may further include an input module (e.g., a button, a touchable display, etc.) for receiving input such as a command from a user, and an output module (e.g., an LED, a display, a vibration motor, etc.) for outputting information such as the device status, smoking information, etc. Each component of the aerosol generating device 1 will be described below.

[0042] The housing may form the exterior appearance of the aerosol generating device 1. In addition, the housing may form a storage space for storing the aerosol generating article 2. The housing is preferably made of a material capable of protecting the internal components.

[0043] Next, the heater section 13 can heat the aerosol-generating article 2 accommodated in the accommodation space. Specifically, when the aerosol-generating article 2 is accommodated in the accommodation space of the aerosol generating device 1, the heater section 13 can heat the aerosol-generating article 2 by using the power supplied from the battery 11.

[0044] The heater element 13 may be configured in various forms and / or manners.

[0045] For example, the heater section 13 may be configured to include an electrically resistive heating element. For example, the heater section 13 may include a heating element including an electrically insulating substrate (e.g., a substrate formed of polyimide) and an electrically conductive track, and generating heat as an electric current flows through the electrically conductive track. However, the scope of the present disclosure is not limited to the above examples, and the heating element may be applicable without limitation as long as it can be heated to a desired temperature. Here, the desired temperature may be preset in the aerosol generating device 1 (e.g., when a temperature profile is stored in advance) or may be set to a desired temperature by a user.

[0046] As another example, the heater section 13 may be configured to include a heating element that operates in an induction heating manner. Specifically, the heater section 13 may include an inductor (e.g., induction coil) for heating the aerosol-generating article 2 in an induction heating manner, and a susceptor that is inductively heated by the inductor. The susceptor may be located outside or inside the aerosol-generating article 2.

[0047] For example, the heater section 13 may be configured to include a heating element that heats the aerosol-generating article 2 internally (hereinafter referred to as an "internal heating element"), a heating element that heats the aerosol-generating article 2 externally (hereinafter referred to as an "external heating element"), or a combination of these. The internal heating element may have a shape such as a tube, needle, or rod, and may be disposed so as to penetrate at least a part of the aerosol-generating article 2, and the external heating element may have a shape such as a plate or cylinder, and may be disposed so as to surround at least a part of the aerosol-generating article 2. However, the scope of the present disclosure is not limited thereto, and the shape, number, arrangement, and the like of the heating elements can be designed in various ways. In order to avoid redundant explanation, a more detailed explanation of the heating structure of the heater section 13 will be given later with reference to Figs. 9 to 13.

[0048] Next, the battery 11 can supply the power used to operate the aerosol generating device 1. For example, the battery 11 can supply power so that the heater unit 13 can heat the aerosol-generating article 2, and can supply the power necessary for the control unit 12 to operate.

[0049] In addition, the battery 11 can supply the power necessary to operate electrical components installed in the aerosol generating device 1, such as a display (not shown), a sensor (not shown), and a motor (not shown).

[0050] Next, the control unit 12 can generally control the operation of the aerosol generating device 1. For example, the control unit 12 can control the operation of the heater unit 13 and the battery 11, and can also control the operation of other components included in the aerosol generating device 1. The control unit 12 can control the power supplied by the battery 11, the heating temperature of the heater unit 13, etc. The control unit 12 can also check the state of each component of the aerosol generating device 1 to determine whether the aerosol generating device 1 is in an operable state.

[0051] The control unit 12 may be realized by at least one control unit (processor). The control unit may be realized by an array of a number of logic gates, or may be realized by a combination of a general-purpose microcontroller and a memory in which a program that can be executed by the microcontroller is stored. In addition, a person having ordinary skill in the art to which the present disclosure pertains can obviously understand that the control unit 12 may be realized by other types of hardware.

[0052] The aerosol-generating article 2 may have a structure similar to that of a general combustion-type cigarette. For example, the aerosol-generating article 2 is divided into a first part (e.g., a tobacco rod) including a tobacco substance (or an aerosol-forming substrate) and a second part (e.g., a filter rod) including a filter or the like. The entire first part may be inserted into the aerosol-generating device 1, 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 1, or the entire first part and a part of the second part may be inserted. A user can smoke while chewing the second part in the mouth.

[0053] In some embodiments, the aerosol-generating article 2 may include a tobacco rod filled with tobacco material in granular form. For example, a cavity formed in the tobacco rod may be filled with tobacco granules. To avoid redundant description, the aerosol-generating article 2 according to this embodiment will be described below with reference to Figure 6 and subsequent figures.

[0054] Meanwhile, in some embodiments, the aerosol generating device 1 may have a smokeless function (i.e., a function of not generating visible smoke during use or a function of minimizing the generation of visible smoke). Also, the aerosol-generating article 2 may be designed to realize the smokeless function. Specifically, the aerosol-generating article 2 is an article filled with tobacco granules, and the aerosol generating device 1 may operate to heat the aerosol-generating article 2 at a heating temperature of about 270° C. or less. In this case, no visible smoke is generated during smoking or the generation of visible smoke can be minimized because the tobacco granules have a significantly lower content of moisture and / or aerosol-forming agents than tobacco materials such as shreds (e.g., shredded tobacco leaves, shredded tabular leaves) and tabular leaves, thereby reducing the generation of visible smoke. In addition, tobacco granules can produce a sufficient smoking taste (i.e., nicotine can be sufficiently transferred) even at a lower heating temperature than tobacco materials such as shreds and sheets (e.g., the heating temperature for shreds is usually 270°C or higher), and the heating temperature of the heater section 13 can be lowered, and the lower the heating temperature, the less visible smoke is generated. According to this embodiment, a smokeless function is provided, so that the user can use the aerosol generating device without being restricted by location or environment, greatly improving user convenience. This embodiment will be described in more detail below, along with the structure of the aerosol-generating article 2, with reference to Figure 6 and subsequent drawings.

[0055] Other types of aerosol generating devices 1 will be described below with reference to Figures 2 to 5. However, for the sake of clarity of the present disclosure, descriptions that overlap with the above-described embodiment will be omitted.

[0056] 2 and 3 are diagrams for explaining the aerosol generating device 1 according to some other embodiments of the present disclosure.

[0057] As shown in Figures 2 and 3, the aerosol generating device 1 according to this embodiment may further include a cartridge 15 and a cartridge heater section 14. Figure 2 illustrates an example in which the heater section 13 (or the aerosol-generating article 2) and the cartridge heater section 14 are arranged in a line, and Figure 3 illustrates an example in which the heater section 13 (or the aerosol-generating article 2) and the cartridge heater section 14 are arranged in parallel. However, the internal structure of the aerosol generating device 1 is not limited to the examples shown in Figures 2 and 3, and the arrangement of the components can be changed as many times as desired.

[0058] The cartridge 15 may include a liquid storage tank and a liquid transmission means. However, the cartridge 15 is not limited thereto, and may further include other components. In addition, the cartridge 15 may be manufactured so as to be detachable from the cartridge heater unit 14, or may be manufactured integrally with the cartridge heater unit 14.

[0059] The liquid reservoir can store a liquid composition. For example, the liquid composition may be a liquid containing a tobacco-containing substance (or a nicotine-containing substance) or a liquid containing a non-tobacco substance. For example, the liquid composition may include water, a solvent, ethanol, a plant extract (e.g., tobacco extract), nicotine, a flavoring, an aerosol-forming agent, a flavoring agent, or a vitamin mixture. The flavoring agent may include, but is not limited to, menthol, peppermint, spearmint oil, various fruit scent components, and the like. The flavoring agent may include components that can provide a variety of flavors or tastes to the user. The vitamin mixture may be, but is not limited to, a mixture of at least one of vitamin A, vitamin B, vitamin C, and vitamin E. In addition, examples of the aerosol-forming agent include, but are not limited to, glycerin or propylene glycol.

[0060] Next, the liquid transfer means can transfer the liquid composition stored in the liquid storage tank to the cartridge heater unit 14. For example, the liquid transfer means can be, but is not limited to, a wick element such as cotton fiber, ceramic fiber, glass fiber, or porous ceramic.

[0061] Next, the cartridge heater section 14 can heat the liquid aerosol-forming base material (e.g., liquid composition) stored in the cartridge 15 to form an aerosol. For example, the cartridge heater section 14 can heat the liquid composition transmitted by the liquid transmission means to form an aerosol. The formed aerosol can be transmitted to the user through the aerosol-generating article 2. In other words, the aerosol formed by heating the cartridge heater section 14 can move along the airflow path of the aerosol generating device 1, and the airflow path may be configured so that the formed aerosol can be transmitted to the user through the aerosol-generating article 2. The operation, heating temperature, etc. of the cartridge heater section 14 can be controlled by the control section 12.

[0062] Examples of the cartridge heater part 14 include, but are not limited to, a metal hot wire, a metal hot plate, a ceramic heater part, etc. Also, the cartridge heater part 14 may be, for example, a conductive filament such as a nichrome wire, and may be arranged in a structure surrounded by a liquid transmitting means. However, the cartridge heater part 14 is not limited to this.

[0063] For reference, in the art, the cartridge heater portion 14 and the cartridge 15 may be referred to by terms such as a cartomizer, an atomizer, a vaporizer, and the like.

[0064] Meanwhile, according to some embodiments of the present disclosure, the aerosol generating device 1 illustrated in Fig. 2 or Fig. 3 can operate in a smokeless mode or a smoky mode. Specifically, the aerosol generating device 1 can operate in a selected mode of the smokeless mode and the smoky mode, and the operation mode can be set by a user. Each operation mode and the operation of the aerosol generating device 1 will be further described below with further reference to Figs. 4 and 5.

[0065] As shown in FIG. 4, the smokeless mode may refer to a mode in which the aerosol generating device 1 generates aerosol and does not generate visible smoke (or a mode in which the generation of visible smoke is minimized). To realize the smokeless mode, the control unit 12 can operate only the heater unit 13 out of the cartridge heater unit 14 and the heater unit 13. In other words, in response to a determination that the set mode is the smokeless mode, the control unit 12 can operate only the heater unit 13. In this case, the cartridge 15 is not heated and only the aerosol-generating article 2 is heated, thereby preventing the generation of visible smoke. Specifically, the liquid stored in the cartridge 15 generates an aerosol containing visible smoke when heated, but since the heating of the liquid is prevented, the generation of visible smoke can also be prevented.

[0066] 5, the smoky mode may refer to a mode in which aerosol is generated and visible smoke is also generated by the aerosol generating device 1. There are various ways to implement the smoky mode, and the specific implementation method may vary depending on the embodiment.

[0067] In some embodiments, the control unit 12 can operate both the cartridge heater unit 14 and the heater unit 13. In this case, the liquid stored in the cartridge 15 is heated to form an aerosol containing visible smoke, and the formed aerosol is released through the aerosol-generating article 2 to realize a smoked mode. In this case, the heating temperature of the heater unit 13 can be set lower than the heating temperature in the smokeless mode. In the smoked mode, the high-temperature aerosol formed in the cartridge 15 passes through the aerosol-generating article 2, so that even if the aerosol-generating article 2 is heated at a relatively low temperature, a sufficient smoking taste can be ensured. For example, the heating temperature of the heater unit 13 may be about 230° C. or higher (e.g., about 230° C. to 270° C.) in the smokeless mode, and may be about 230° C. or lower (e.g., about 220° C.) in the smoked mode.

[0068] In some other embodiments, the control unit 12 can operate only the cartridge heater unit 14. This is because an aerosol containing visible smoke is formed even when only the cartridge 15 is heated. In order to form a hotter aerosol, the heating temperature of the cartridge heater unit 14 according to this embodiment may be higher than that of the previous embodiment.

[0069] Above, the aerosol-generating device 1 according to some embodiments of the present disclosure has been described with reference to Figures 1 to 5. Below, the aerosol-generating article 2 according to some embodiments of the present disclosure will be described with reference to Figure 6 onwards.

[0070] FIG. 6 is a schematic illustration of an aerosol-generating article 2 according to some embodiments of the present disclosure.

[0071] As shown in Fig. 6, the aerosol-generating article 2 may include a filter rod 22 and a tobacco rod 21. However, Fig. 6 shows only components related to the embodiment of the present disclosure. Therefore, a person skilled in the art to which the present disclosure pertains will understand that the aerosol-generating article 2 may further include other general components in addition to the components shown in Fig. 6. Each component of the aerosol-generating article 2 will be described below.

[0072] The filter rod 22 is located downstream of the tobacco rod 21 and can perform a filtering function for the aerosol. To this end, the filter rod 22 may include a filter material such as paper, cellulose acetate fiber, etc. The filter rod 22 may further include a wrapper wrapping the filter material.

[0073] The filter rod 22 can be manufactured in various shapes. For example, the filter rod 22 can be a cylindrical rod or a tube-type rod having a hollow inside. The filter rod 22 can also be a recessed rod. If the filter rod 22 is composed of multiple segments, at least one of the multiple segments can be manufactured in a different shape.

[0074] The filter rod 22 may be manufactured to emit a flavor. For example, a flavoring liquid may be sprayed onto the filter rod 22, or separate fibers coated with the flavoring liquid may be inserted into the filter rod 22. For another example, the filter rod 22 may include at least one capsule (not shown) containing the flavoring liquid.

[0075] 6 illustrates that the filter rod 22 is composed of a single segment, but the scope of the present disclosure is not limited thereto, and the filter rod 22 may be composed of multiple segments. For example, as shown in FIG. 7, the filter rod 22 may be composed of a cooling segment 222 that performs a cooling function for the aerosol and a mouthpiece segment 221 that performs a filtering function for the aerosol. Alternatively, in some cases, the filter rod 22 may further include at least one segment that performs another function.

[0076] For reference, the cooling segment 222 may be manufactured in various forms. For example, the cooling segment 222 may be manufactured in the form of a paper tube, a cellulose acetate filter having a hollow space, a cellulose acetate filter having a plurality of holes, a filter filled with a polymeric material or a biodegradable polymeric material, etc. However, without being limited thereto, as long as the cooling segment 222 can perform the function of cooling the aerosol, it does not matter if it is manufactured in any form. The polymeric material or the biodegradable polymeric material may be a woven fabric made of polylactic acid (PLA) material, but is not limited thereto.

[0077] The mouthpiece segment 221 may be, for example, a cellulose acetate filter (i.e., a filter made of cellulose acetate fibers), but is not limited thereto. The above description of the filter rod 22 can also be applied to the mouthpiece segment 221.

[0078] Further explanation will be given with reference to FIG.

[0079] Next, the tobacco rod 21 is a tobacco rod including cavities or cavity segments 212, which can be heated to provide a tobacco component (or a flavor component) such as nicotine.

[0080] As shown, the tobacco rod 21 may include a first filter segment 211, a second filter segment 213, and a cavity segment 212 formed by the first filter segment 211 and the second filter segment 213. The cavity segment 212 may then be filled with tobacco granules 214 (i.e., tobacco material in granular form). The tobacco rod 21 may further include a wrapper surrounding the rod.

[0081] The first filter segment 211 is a filter segment that forms the cavity segment 212, and may be located downstream of the cavity segment 212. In addition to the cavity forming function, the first filter segment 211 may also perform aerosol filtering, cooling, and the like.

[0082] In some embodiments, the first filter segment 211 may include a paper material. In other words, the first filter segment 211 is made of a paper filter. In order to ensure a smooth airflow path, the paper material is preferably arranged in the length direction. However, the present invention is not limited thereto. According to the present embodiment, the tobacco rod 21 suitable for the heated aerosol generator 1 can be manufactured. Specifically, when the cellulose acetate fiber is heated above a certain temperature, it melts or shrinks, so it is difficult to apply the cellulose acetate fiber to the tobacco rod portion heated by the heater unit 13. In contrast, the paper material is hardly denatured by heat, so it can be easily applied to the tobacco rod portion, and thus the tobacco rod 21 suitable for the heated aerosol generator 1 can be manufactured. However, in some other embodiments, the first filter segment 211 is made of a cellulose acetate filter. In this case, the effect of improving the removal ability of the first filter segment 211 can be achieved.

[0083] Also, in some embodiments, the first filter segment 211 may include a water-resistant or oil-resistant paper material. In this case, the problem of a reduction in the amount of visible atomization due to the smoke components (e.g., moisture, aerosol forming agent components) contained in the aerosol being absorbed while passing through the first filter segment 211 can be greatly reduced. For example, when the first filter segment 211 includes a general paper material, the above-mentioned smoke components may be absorbed due to the hygroscopicity of the paper material, reducing the amount of visible atomization. However, when a water-resistant or oil-resistant paper material is used, the absorption of the above-mentioned smoke components hardly occurs, and the problem of a reduction in the amount of atomization can be solved.

[0084] In some embodiments, the suction resistance of the first filter segment 211 or the second filter segment 213 may be about 50 mmH2O / 60 mm to 150 mmH2O / 60 mm, and preferably about 50 mmH2O / 60 mm to 130 mmH2O / 60 mm, about 50 mmH2O / 60 mm to 120 mmH2O / 60 mm, about 50 mmH2O / 60 mm to 110 mmH2O / 60 mm, about 50 mmH2O / 60 mm to 100 mmH2O / 60 mm, about 50 mmH2O / 60 mm to 90 mmH2O / 60 mm, about 50 mmH2O / 60 mm to 100 mmH2O / 80 mm, or about 50 mmH2O / 60 mm to 70 mmH2O / 60 mm. Within such a numerical range, appropriate suction performance can be ensured. In addition, due to the appropriate suction properties, the probability of vortex generation within the cavity segment 212 is increased, and therefore the effect of uniformly heating a large number of tobacco granules 214 can be achieved, which will be explained in more detail later with reference to Figure 8. In addition, when the filter segments 211, 213 are paper filters, it has been confirmed that an appropriate amount of atomization is guaranteed within the exemplified numerical range (see Experimental Example 1).

[0085] Next, the second filter segment 213 is a filter segment that forms the cavity segment 212, and may be located upstream of the cavity segment 212. The second filter segment 213 can further perform a function of preventing the tobacco granules 214 from falling out. In addition, the second filter segment 213 can ensure that the cavity segment 212 is positioned at an appropriate position within the aerosol generating device 1 when the aerosol-generating article 2 is inserted into the aerosol generating device 1. The second filter segment 213 can also prevent the tobacco rod 21 from falling out to the outside, and can also prevent aerosol liquefied from the tobacco rod 21 during smoking from flowing into the aerosol generating device 1.

[0086] In some embodiments, the second filter segment 213 may include a paper material. In other words, the second filter segment 213 is made of a paper filter. To ensure a smooth airflow path, the paper material is preferably arranged in the length direction. However, this is not limited to this. According to this embodiment, a tobacco rod 21 suitable for the heated aerosol generating device 1 can be manufactured. Specifically, cellulose acetate fiber melts or shrinks when it comes into contact with the internal heating element, which can accelerate the falling off of the tobacco granules 214. However, a heat-resistant paper material can greatly mitigate this phenomenon.

[0087] Also, in some embodiments, the second filter segment 213 may comprise a water or oil resistant paper material, which can greatly reduce the problem of reduced visible aerosol amount, as mentioned above.

[0088] On the other hand, the physical properties of the paper materials contained in the filter segments 211, 213 are diverse.

[0089] In some embodiments, the grease resistance of the paper material may be about 4 or more (i.e., about 4 or more on a range of 1 to 12), preferably about 5, 6, 7, or 8 or more, as measured by the 3M Kit Test. Within such a range, the problem of a reduction in the amount of visible mist (i.e., the amount of visible smoke generated) due to moisture absorption by the paper material (e.g., a reduction in the amount of visible mist in smoky mode) can be resolved.

[0090] Also, in some embodiments, the thickness of the paper material may be about 30 μm to 50 μm, and preferably about 33 μm to 47 μm, about 35 μm to 45 μm, or about 37 μm to 42 μm.

[0091] Also, in some embodiments, the basis weight of the paper material is about 20 g / m 2 ~40g / m 2 and preferably about 23 g / m 2 ~37g / m 2 , about 25g / m 2 ~35g / m 2 , about 27g / m 2 ~33g / m 2 may be also possible.

[0092] Also, in some embodiments, the tensile strength of the paper material may be greater than or equal to about 2.5 kgf / 15 mm, and preferably greater than or equal to about 2.8 kgf / 15 mm, 3.2 kgf / 15 mm, or 3.5 kgf / 15 mm.

[0093] Also, in some embodiments, the elongation of the paper material may be about 0.8% or more, and preferably about 1.0%, 1.2% or about 1.5% or more.

[0094] In some embodiments, the stiffness of the paper material is about 100 cm 3 or more, preferably about 120 cm 3 , 150cm 3 or 180cm 3 It may be more than that.

[0095] Also, in some embodiments, the ash content of the paper material may be about 1.5% or less, and preferably about 1.2%, 1.0% or 0.8% or less.

[0096] In some embodiments, the paper material may have a width of about 80 mm to 250 mm, and preferably about 90 mm to 230 mm, about 100 mm to 200 mm, about 120 mm to 180 mm, or about 120 mm to 150 mm. It was confirmed that within such a numerical range, the filter segments 211 and 213 have an appropriate suction resistance and an appropriate amount of atomization is ensured (see Experimental Example 1).

[0097] Next, the cavity segment 212 is a segment having a cavity, and may be located between the first filter segment 211 and the second filter segment 213. That is, the cavity segment 212 is formed by the filter segment 211 and the second filter segment 213.

[0098] The cavity segment 212 may be manufactured in a variety of ways. For example, the cavity segment 212 may be manufactured in a form including a tube-type structure such as a cardboard tube. For another example, the cavity segment 212 may be manufactured by wrapping the cavity formed by the two filter segments 211, 213 with a wrapper of an appropriate material. However, the scope of the present disclosure is not limited in this respect, and the cavity segment 212 may be manufactured in any way as long as it can be filled with tobacco granules 214.

[0099] The length of the cavity segment 212 can be freely selected within a range of about 8 mm to 12 mm, but the scope of the present disclosure is not limited to such a numerical range.

[0100] As shown, the cavity segment 212 may be filled with tobacco granules 214. The tobacco granules 214 can provide sufficient flavor even at a lower heating temperature than other types of tobacco substances (e.g., tobacco shreds, tabular leaves, etc.), and therefore the power consumption of the heater unit 13 can be reduced. In addition, the tobacco granules 214 are easier to reduce the moisture and / or aerosol forming agent content than other types of tobacco substances (e.g., tobacco shreds, tabular leaves, etc.) (i.e., it is easier to manufacture tobacco granules with a low moisture content or a low aerosol forming agent content), and therefore, by using the exemplified tobacco rod 21, an aerosol generating article (e.g., 2 in FIG. 7 or FIG. 8) that can realize the smokeless function of the aerosol generating device 1 can be easily manufactured.

[0101] The diameter, density, packing rate, composition ratio of constituent materials, heating temperature, etc. of the tobacco granules 214 may vary, depending on the embodiment.

[0102] In some embodiments, the diameter of the tobacco granules 214 may be about 0.3 mm to 1.2 mm. Within this range, appropriate hardness and ease of manufacture of the tobacco granules 214 are ensured, and the probability of vortex generation within the cavity segments 212 can be increased. The generation of vortex currents will be described in more detail below with reference to FIG. 8.

[0103] Also, in some embodiments, the size of the tobacco granules 214 may be about 15 mesh to 50 mesh, and preferably about 15 mesh to 45 mesh, about 20 mesh to 45 mesh, about 25 mesh to 45 mesh, or about 25 mesh to 40 mesh. Within such numerical ranges, appropriate hardness and ease of manufacture of the tobacco granules 214 are ensured, shedding phenomenon is minimized, and the probability of vortex generation within the cavity segments 212 can be increased.

[0104] Also, in some embodiments, the density of the tobacco granules 214 is about 0.5 g / cm 3 ~1.2g / cm3 and preferably about 0.6 g / cm 3 ~1.0g / cm3, 0.7g / cm 3 ~0.9g / cm 3 or 0.6g / cm 3 ~0.8g / cm 3 Within this range of values, appropriate hardness of the tobacco granules 214 can be ensured, and the probability of vortex generation within the cavity segment 212 can be increased. The generation of vortex flow will be described in more detail below with reference to FIG.

[0105] Also, in some embodiments, the hardness of the tobacco granules 214 may be about 80% or more, preferably 85% or 90% or more, and more preferably 91%, 93%, 95% or 97% or more. Within such a range, the manufacturability of the tobacco granules 214 is improved, the phenomenon of shattering is minimized, and the manufacturability of the aerosol-generating article 2 is improved. In this embodiment, the hardness of the tobacco granules 214 is a value measured based on the national standard test method KSM-1802 ("Test Method for Activated Carbon"). For details of the hardness measurement method and the meaning of the measured value, please refer to the national standard KSM-1802.

[0106] Also, in some embodiments, the filling rate of the tobacco granules 214 in the cavity segment 212 may be about 80% by volume or less, and preferably about 70%, 60%, or 50% by volume or less. Within such a numerical range, the probability of vortex generation within the cavity segment 212 may be increased. More information regarding vortex generation will be provided later with reference to FIG. 8. Also, the filling rate of the tobacco granules 214 is preferably about 20%, 30%, or about 40% by volume or more to ensure a suitable smoking taste.

[0107] Also, in some embodiments, the tobacco granules 214 may contain less than about 20% moisture by weight, and preferably less than about 15%, 12%, 10%, 7% or 5% moisture by weight. Within such a range, the generation of visible smoke can be significantly reduced, and the smokeless function of the aerosol generating device 1 can be easily realized. However, in some other embodiments, the tobacco granules 214 may contain more than about 20% moisture by weight.

[0108] Also, in some embodiments, the tobacco granules 214 may include about 10% by weight or less of an aerosol-forming agent, and preferably about 7%, 5%, 3% or 1% by weight of an aerosol-forming agent. Alternatively, the tobacco granules 214 may not include an aerosol-forming agent. Within such a numerical range, the generation of visible smoke can be significantly reduced, and the smokeless function of the aerosol generating device 1 can be easily realized. However, in some other embodiments, the tobacco granules 214 may include about 10% by weight or more of an aerosol-forming agent.

[0109] Also, in some embodiments, the heating temperature of the tobacco granules 214 may be about 270°C, 260°C, 250°C, 240°C, or 230°C or less. In other words, the heater unit 13 can heat the tobacco rod 21 at a heating temperature in the exemplified range. Within such a numerical range, the problem of the tobacco granules 214 being overheated and causing a burnt taste can be solved. In addition, a suitable smoking taste is guaranteed while the generation of visible smoke is minimized, and the smokeless function of the aerosol generating device 1 can be easily realized. In addition, tobacco materials such as shreds and sheets of tobacco produce a sufficient smoking taste when heated at about 270°C or higher, whereas the tobacco granules 214 can produce a sufficient smoking taste even at a lower temperature, so that the power consumption of the heater unit 13 can be reduced and the generation of visible smoke can be easily suppressed. Also, due to such characteristics, the tobacco granules 214 are more suitable for realizing the smokeless function of the aerosol generating device 1 than other types of tobacco materials.

[0110] In some embodiments, the nicotine content of the tobacco granules 214 on a wet basis may be about 1.0% to 4.0%, and preferably about 1.5% to 3.5%, 1.8% to 3.0%, or 2.0% to 2.5%. Within such a range, an appropriate level of smoking sensation can be ensured.

[0111] In some embodiments, the nicotine content of the tobacco granules 214 on a dry basis is about 1.2% to 4.2%, and preferably about 1.7% to 3.7%, 2.0% to 3.2%, or 2.2% to 2.7%. Within such a range, an appropriate level of smoking sensation can be ensured.

[0112] Meanwhile, although not explicitly shown, the aerosol-generating article 2 may be wrapped in at least one wrapper. As an example, the aerosol-generating article 2 may be wrapped in one wrapper. As another example, the aerosol-generating article 2 may be wrapped in two or more wrappers in a redundant manner. For example, the tobacco rod 21 may be wrapped in a first wrapper, and the filter rod 22 may be wrapped in a second wrapper. Then, the tobacco rod 21 and the filter rod 22 wrapped in separate wrappers may be combined, and the entire aerosol-generating article 2 may be rewrapped in a third wrapper. If the tobacco rod 21 or the filter rod 22 is composed of multiple segments, each segment may be wrapped in a separate wrapper. Then, the entire aerosol-generating article 2, in which the segments wrapped in separate wrappers are combined, may be rewrapped in a different wrapper. The wrapper may have at least one hole through which external air can enter and internal gas can escape.

[0113] Aerosol-generating articles 2 according to some embodiments of the present disclosure have been described above with reference to Figures 6 and 7. According to the above, it is possible to provide an aerosol-generating article 2 filled with tobacco granules 214. Such an aerosol-generating article 2 can provide a user with a better smoking sensation and intimacy than a cartridge-type product (i.e., a cartridge product filled with tobacco granules), and can also reduce manufacturing costs.

[0114] Also, it is possible to provide an aerosol-generating article 2 suitable for realizing the smokeless function of the aerosol generating device 1. Specifically, the aerosol-generating article 2 includes a tobacco rod 21 filled with tobacco granules 214, and the tobacco granules 214 have a significantly lower content of moisture and / or aerosol forming agents than tobacco materials such as shreds (e.g., shredded tobacco leaves, shredded flat leaves), flat leaves, etc., and therefore can significantly reduce the generation of visible smoke. In addition, the tobacco granules 214 exhibit sufficient smoking flavor even at a relatively low temperature compared to other types of tobacco materials, so the heating temperature of the aerosol generating device 1 can be set relatively low, and the lower the heating temperature, the more the generation of visible smoke can be reduced.

[0115] In addition, a cavity segment 212 may be formed by the filter segments 211 and 213 located upstream and downstream of the tobacco rod 21, and tobacco granules 214 may be filled in the cavity segment 212. This makes it possible to easily manufacture a tobacco rod 21 that minimizes the falling-off phenomenon of the tobacco granules 214.

[0116] Furthermore, the filter segments 211 and 213 may be made of paper filters. In this case, the problem of the physical properties of the filter segments 211 and 213 changing due to the heating of the heater unit 13 can be prevented.

[0117] Meanwhile, the inventors of the present disclosure have confirmed that when certain conditions are met, a vortex occurs within the cavity segment 212 during puffing, and the vortex causes a number of tobacco granules 214 to mix and be uniformly heated. Hereinafter, the principle and conditions for the generation of such a vortex will be described with reference to FIG.

[0118] 8 is an illustrative diagram for explaining the principle and conditions for generating a vortex flow in an aerosol-generating article 2 according to some embodiments of the present disclosure. For ease of understanding, the figures following FIG. 8 show only the tobacco rod 21, excluding the filter rod 22.

[0119] As shown in FIG. 8, when certain conditions are satisfied, the airflow (see dotted arrow) flowing in through the second filter segment 213 by the puff can swirl in the cavity segment 212. For example, the airflow flowing in by the puff meets a number of tobacco granules 214 moving downstream by the puff to form an irregular airflow, and a vortex occurs during this process. In addition, the generated vortex allows the tobacco granules 214 to mix well and be heated evenly. For example, the tobacco granules 214 that are heated more and the tobacco granules 214 that are heated less mix together, changing the position of the tobacco granules 214, thereby achieving the effect of heating the tobacco granules 214 evenly. This can reduce the burnt taste during smoking and improve the taste.

[0120] The inventors have confirmed the occurrence of the above-mentioned vortex generation phenomenon during the course of continuous research, and through experiments have confirmed that the probability of vortex generation is significantly increased under the following conditions. The conditions for vortex generation will now be described.

[0121] The first condition relates to the filling rate of the cavity segment 212. This is because if there is sufficient open space within the cavity segment 212, a large number of tobacco granules 214 can easily move and mix together. Experimental results have confirmed that vortexes occur frequently when the filling rate of the tobacco granules 214 in the cavity segment 212 is about 80 volume % or less, and that the probability of vortexes occurring increases further when the filling rate is about 70 volume % or less.

[0122] Next, the second condition relates to the density of the tobacco granules 214. If the tobacco granules 214 are very heavy, they are difficult to move by the puff or air current, and can act as a strong resistance to the incoming air current. Experimental results show that the density of the tobacco granules 214 is about 1.2 g / cm 3 It has been confirmed that vortexes occur frequently when the density is below 1.0 g / cm 3 It has been confirmed that the probability of vortex generation is further increased when

[0123] Next, the third condition relates to the diameter of the tobacco granules 214. This is because even if the diameter of the tobacco granules 214 is very large, it can act as a strong resistance to the incoming airflow. According to the experimental results, it was confirmed that when the diameter of the tobacco granules 214 is about 1.2 mm or less, vortex flow occurs easily, and when the diameter is about 1.0 mm or less, the probability of vortex flow occurrence is further increased.

[0124] Next, the fourth condition relates to the suction resistance of the first filter segment 211. If the suction resistance is very low, suction errors may occur and the suction force of the puff may not be transmitted to the cavity segment 212. According to experimental results, it was confirmed that when the suction resistance of the first filter segment 211 is about 50 mmH2O / 60 mm or more, vortexes are frequently generated, and when it is about 70 mmH2O / 60 mm or more, the probability of vortexes being generated is further increased.

[0125] Conditions related to the principle of vortex generation have been described above with reference to Fig. 8. Hereinafter, the heating structure of the heater section 13 according to some embodiments of the present disclosure will be described with reference to Figs. 9 to 13.

[0126] First, the heating structure of the heater section 13 according to the first embodiment of the present disclosure will be described with reference to FIG.

[0127] 9, the heater section 13 according to the present embodiment may be configured to include an external heating element 131, and the external heating element 131 may be arranged to heat only the cavity segment 212. For example, the external heating element 131 may be arranged to surround at least a portion of the cavity segment 212.

[0128] In this case, it is possible to solve the problem of the physical properties of the filter segments 211, 213 changing due to the heat of the heater unit 13 and the problem of the visible atomization amount (i.e., the amount of visible smoke generated) decreasing due to moisture absorption of the filter segments 211, 213. For example, when the filter segments 211, 213 are cellulose acetate filters, a problem of the cellulose acetate fibers melting or shrinking due to the heat of the heater unit 13 can be solved, but this problem can be solved. As another example, when the filter segments 211, 213 are paper filters, a problem of the amount of atomization decreasing in the smoky mode as the moisture absorption of the paper material increases due to the heat of the heater unit 13 can be solved, but this problem can also be solved.

[0129] Hereinafter, a heating structure of the heater unit 13 according to a second embodiment of the present disclosure will be described with reference to Fig. 10. For clarity of the present disclosure, descriptions of contents that overlap with the above-described embodiment will be omitted.

[0130] 10, the heater unit 13 according to the present embodiment may be configured to include an external heating element 131. The external heating element 131 may be arranged to heat only the cavity segment 212 and to form an unheated portion 215 near the downstream end of the cavity segment 212. For example, the external heating element 131 may be arranged to surround the remaining portion of the cavity segment 212 excluding the unheated portion 215.

[0131] In this case, the heating efficiency of the heater unit 13 can be improved, and the probability of vortex generation can be further improved. Specifically, the power consumption is reduced by reducing the heating area of ​​the external heating element 131, while the heating performance for the tobacco granules 214 is maintained as is, and the heating efficiency can be improved. In other words, when smoking, many tobacco granules 214 are located upstream of the cavity segment 212 due to gravity, and the external heating element 131 heats the upstream portion where many tobacco granules 214 are located, so that even if the heating area is reduced, the amount of heat transferred to the tobacco granules 214 is substantially not reduced. In addition, a temperature difference is generated within the cavity segment 212, and the probability of vortex generation can be improved. For example, the flow of air in the downstream direction is promoted due to the temperature difference within the cavity segment 212 (e.g., the upstream is heated at a relatively high temperature), and the probability of vortex generation can be further increased.

[0132] Meanwhile, in some embodiments, the heater unit 13 may be configured to include a first external heating element for heating the upstream side of the cavity segment 212 and a second external heating element for heating the downstream side, and the control unit 12 may control the heating temperature of the first external heating element to be higher than that of the second external heating element. In this case, the same effect as described above can be achieved.

[0133] Also, in some embodiments, the heater section 13 may be configured to include a plurality of external heating elements that heat various portions of the cavity segment 212 at different temperatures. For example, the heater section 13 may be configured to include a first external heating element that heats a first portion of the cavity segment 212, a second external heating element that heats a second portion, and a third external heating element that heats a third portion, and the control section 12 can operate each external heating element at a different temperature. In this case, the internal air flow may become complicated as each portion of the cavity segment 212 is heated at a different temperature, and therefore, the probability of vortex generation may be further increased.

[0134] Hereinafter, the heating structure of the heater section 13 according to the third embodiment of the present disclosure will be described with reference to FIG.

[0135] 11, the heater unit 13 according to this embodiment may be configured to include an internal heating element 132 and an external heating element 131. The heater unit 13 can uniformly heat a number of tobacco granules 214 by simultaneously heating the cavity segment 212 from the inside and outside through the two heating elements 131, 132. However, the specific implementation of the heater unit 13 may vary.

[0136] For example, the internal heating element 132 and the external heating element 131 can be embodied in a form that is simultaneously controlled by the control unit 12. In this case, the two heating elements 131 and 132 can be manufactured as a physically integrated type as shown in the figure, or can be manufactured in a form that is separate from each other. In any case, the complexity of the circuit configuration between the control unit 12 and the heater unit 13 can be reduced.

[0137] As another example, the internal heating element 132 and the external heating element 131 may be embodied to be independently controlled by the control unit 12. For example, the two heating elements 131, 132 may be manufactured in separate forms and controlled by the control unit 12 at different temperatures. In this example, the control unit 12 may operate the internal heating element 132 at a lower heating temperature than the external heating element 131, or may operate the internal heating element 132 only under certain conditions (e.g., operate every puff, operate only during pre-heating time, etc.). In this case, the problem of the tobacco granules 214 being overheated due to the internal heating element 132 and causing a burnt taste can be greatly reduced. For example, the problem of some of the tobacco granules 214 being heated by being in continuous contact with the internal heating element 132 can be greatly reduced.

[0138] Meanwhile, in some embodiments, the thickness of the internal heating element 132 may be about 4.0 mm or less, and preferably about 3.0 mm, 2.5 mm, or 2.0 mm or less.

[0139] Within such a numerical range, problems such as the tobacco rod 21 being pushed during insertion or the filter segment (eg213) being damaged by the internal heating element 132 can be easily solved, and the phenomenon of the tobacco granules 214 falling off through the damaged portion of the filter segment (eg213) can also be minimized. For example, if the second filter segment 213 is a paper filter and the internal heating element 132 is thick, the tobacco rod 21 may be pushed by the internal heating element 132 being clogged with the paper material during insertion. Alternatively, the second filter segment 213 may be significantly damaged by the penetration of the internal heating element 132, causing the tobacco granules 214 to fall out through the damaged portion. However, if the thickness of the internal heating element 132 falls within the numerical range exemplified, the exemplified problems can be solved.

[0140] In some embodiments, the internal heating element 132 may have a pointed shape, such as a semi-cone shape, to minimize damage to the second filter segment 213 and the falling off of the tobacco granules 214 caused by the internal heating element 132.

[0141] Hereinafter, the heating structure of the heater portion 13 according to the fourth embodiment of the present disclosure will be described with reference to FIG.

[0142] 12, the heater unit 13 according to the present embodiment may be configured to include an external heating element 131 and a heat conducting element 133 for heating the inside of the tobacco rod 21. Here, the heat conducting element 133 is made of a thermally conductive material and is disposed in thermal contact with the external heating element 131, and can transfer heat generated from the external heating element 131 to the inside of the tobacco rod 21.

[0143] In this case, the tobacco granules 214 are heated by conductive heat inside the cavity segment 212, which can greatly reduce the problem of overheating the tobacco granules 214. Furthermore, since only the control unit 12 and the external heating element 131 are connected in a circuit, the complexity of the circuit configuration can be reduced.

[0144] Hereinafter, the heating structure of the heater section 13 according to the fifth embodiment of the present disclosure will be described with reference to FIG.

[0145] 13, the heater unit 13 according to the present embodiment can heat the cavity segment 212 by induction heating through a particulate susceptor material (hereinafter referred to as "susceptor particles"). Specifically, the heater unit 13 can be configured to include an inductor 134 (e.g., induction coil) for inductively heating the susceptor material, and a number of susceptor particles can be disposed inside the cavity segment 212. In this case, the number of susceptor particles mix with the tobacco granules 214 inside the cavity segment 212 to heat the tobacco granules 214, so that the tobacco granules 214 can be heated uniformly.

[0146] There are various ways to arrange the susceptor particles. For example, the susceptor particles may be filled inside the cavity segment 212 together with the tobacco granules 214. As another example, the susceptor particles may constitute a part of the tobacco granules 214. For example, the tobacco granules 214 containing the susceptor particles may be manufactured by adding the susceptor particles during the manufacture of the tobacco granules 214.

[0147] The heating structures of the heater unit 13 according to the first to fifth embodiments of the present disclosure have been described above with reference to Figures 9 to 13. For ease of understanding, the embodiments have been described separately, but the above-mentioned first to fifth embodiments may be combined in various forms. For example, the heater unit 13 according to some embodiments may be configured to include an internal heating element and an external heating element that heats only the cavity segment 212.

[0148] The following provides a more detailed explanation of the configuration and effects of the tobacco granules 214 and / or the aerosol-generating article 2 through examples and experimental examples. However, the following examples are merely illustrative of a portion of the present disclosure, and the scope of the present disclosure is not limited to the following examples. EXAMPLES

[0149] A cigarette having the same structure as the aerosol-generating article 2 illustrated in FIG. 7 was manufactured. Specifically, a cigarette having a circumference of about 22 mm and a length of about 48 mm was manufactured, and about 150 mg of tobacco granules was put into the cavity segment of the tobacco rod. Then, clip paper (i.e., paper that had been subjected to a crimping process) having a paper width of about 150 mm was put in to manufacture a paper filter having a suction resistance of about 70 mmH2O / 60 mm (see Table 1 below), and the manufactured paper filter was cut and used as a filter segment of the tobacco rod. In addition, a paper tube was used as the cooling segment of the filter rod, and a cellulose acetate filter was used as the mouthpiece segment. EXAMPLES

[0150] A paper filter having a drawing resistance of about 70 mmH2O / 60 mm was manufactured by inputting paper having a paper width of about 150 mm (see Table 1 below), and the manufactured paper filter was cut and used as a filter segment of a tobacco rod, but the same cigarette as in Example 1 was manufactured. In order to reduce the drawing resistance more than in Example 1, a paper filter was manufactured by inputting clip paper having a crimping strength weaker than that in Example 1. EXAMPLES

[0151] A paper filter having a draw resistance of about 70 mmH2O / 60 mm was manufactured by inputting paper having a paper width of about 120 mm (see Table 1 below), and the manufactured paper filter was cut and used as a filter segment of a tobacco rod, but the same cigarette as in Example 1 was manufactured. In order to make the draw resistance the same as in Example 1, a paper filter was manufactured by inputting clip paper having a crimping strength stronger than that in Example 1. EXAMPLES

[0152] A paper filter having a draw resistance of about 50 mmH2O / 60 mm was manufactured by inputting paper having a paper width of about 120 mm (see Table 1 below), and the manufactured paper filter was cut and used as a filter segment of a tobacco rod, but the same cigarette as in Example 1 was manufactured. In order to make the draw resistance the same as in Example 2, a paper filter was manufactured by inputting clip paper having a crimping strength stronger than that in Example 2. EXAMPLES

[0153] A paper filter having a draw resistance of about 100 mmH2O / 60 mm was manufactured by inputting paper having a paper width of about 120 mm (see Table 1 below), and the manufactured paper filter was cut and used as a filter segment of a tobacco rod, but the same cigarette as in Example 1 was manufactured. In order to increase the draw resistance more than in Example 3, a paper filter was manufactured by inputting clip paper having a crimping strength stronger than that in Example 3.

[0154] The following Table 1 summarizes the specifications of the paper filters used in the manufacture of the cigarettes according to Examples 1 to 5, and Table 2 summarizes the structures and specifications of the cigarettes according to Examples 1 to 5.

[0155] [Table 1]

[0156] [Table 2]

[0157] [Experimental Example 1: Evaluation of atomization amount] An experiment was carried out to evaluate the amount of atomization for the cigarettes according to Examples 1 to 5. Specifically, in order to evaluate whether the paper material inserted into the filter segment of the cigarette has some effect on the amount of atomization, an experiment was carried out to measure the weight increase of the paper material after smoking (i.e., the weight increased by absorbing the aerosol generated in the liquid cartridge) and analyze the smoke components. In addition, the degree of the amount of atomization actually visible to the naked eye during smoking (i.e., the amount of visible atomization) was relatively evaluated. The experiment was carried out using a hybrid aerosol generator (see FIG. 2 or FIG. 3) equipped with a liquid cartridge in a smoking room with a temperature of about 20° C. and a humidity of about 62.5%, and the smoke collection for the component analysis was repeated three times for each sample, with 8 puffs per time, and the average value for each collection result is shown in Table 3 below. The weight increase of the filter segment shown in Table 3 was also calculated as the average value for each measurement result.

[0158] [Table 3]

[0159] Referring to Table 3, it was shown that the amount of atomization of the cigarette according to Example 2 was generally superior to that of Example 1. Specifically, it was shown that the weight increase of the filter segment according to Example 2 was smaller than that of Example 1 (i.e., the moisture absorption amount of the paper material was smaller), and the amount of visible atomization of the cigarette according to Example 2 was also superior to that of Example 1. This is considered to be the result of introducing a paper material with a relatively weak crimping strength in order to reduce the suction resistance compared to Example 1. Also, the amount of atomization of the cigarette according to Example 5 was evaluated as the worst (i.e., the amount of visible atomization was relatively small and the amount of weight increase was high), which is also considered to be due to the above-mentioned reasons. In other words, when manufacturing the filter segment according to Example 5, paper with a very strong crimping strength was used to achieve a suction resistance of about 100 mmH2O / 60 mm with a paper with a relatively small paper width, and it is considered that this point affected the amount of atomization.

[0160] In addition, when comparing Example 1 with Example 3 (or Example 2 with Example 4), it was found that the amount of atomization of the cigarette according to Example 1 was superior. This is considered to mean that the crimping strength has a greater effect on the amount of atomization than the width of the paper inserted into the filter segment. In other words, even if the width of the paper inserted into the filter segment is large (i.e., the amount is large), the effect on the amount of atomization can be adjusted by weakening the crimping strength.

[0161] For reference, although not described, a paper filter with a very weak crimping strength and a suction resistance of about 30 mmH2O / 60 mm was manufactured, which was then cut to manufacture cigarettes, but during manufacture, the phenomenon of tobacco granules falling off occurred intermittently. Therefore, the manufactured cigarettes were excluded from the atomization amount evaluation experiment according to Experimental Example 1.

[0162] To summarize the above, it is found that it is preferable for the filter segment of the tobacco rod to use a paper filter with a suction resistance of approximately 50 mmH2O / 60 mm to 100 mmH2O / 60 mm using appropriately crimped paper, and that even if the paper width range is further expanded from approximately 120 mm to 150 mm, it does not have a significant effect on the amount of atomization. EXAMPLES

[0163] Tobacco granules having a size of about 30 mesh to 45 mesh were prepared, and the prepared tobacco granules were added so that the filling rate was about 75 volume % to prepare a cigarette having the same structure as the article 2 illustrated in Figure 7. As the two filter segments (eg211, 213) constituting the tobacco rod (eg21), filters made of a paper material having an oil resistance of about 2 (oil resistance measured by 3M Kit Test) were used. EXAMPLES

[0164] Cigarettes were produced identically to those in Example 6, except that filters made of a paper material having an grease resistance of about 6 were used. EXAMPLES

[0165] Cigarettes were produced identical to Example 6, except that the tobacco granules had a size of about 20 mesh to 30 mesh. EXAMPLES

[0166] The same cigarettes as in Example 6 were produced, except that tobacco granules were added so that the filling rate was about 50% by volume. EXAMPLES

[0167] The same cigarettes as in Example 6 were produced, except that tobacco granules were added so that the filling rate was about 100% by volume.

[0168] [Experimental Example 2: Confirmation of the effect of oil resistance of paper material on atomization amount] In order to confirm the effect of the oil resistance of the paper material inserted in the filter segments (eg211, 213) on the amount of atomization, an experiment was conducted to analyze the smoke components of the cigarettes according to Examples 6 and 7 in a smoked mode and measure the TPM (Total Particulate Matter) content. The experiment was conducted in the same manner as in Experimental Example 1, and the experimental results are shown in Table 4 below.

[0169] [Table 4]

[0170] Referring to Table 4, it was found that the TPM content of the cigarette according to Example 7 (i.e., the cigarette containing a highly oil-resistant paper material) was significantly higher than that of Example 6. This is believed to be due to the fact that the highly oil-resistant paper material reduces moisture absorption in the aerosol passing through the filter segment, thereby increasing the transfer of the aerosol forming agent and moisture. These experimental results show that the amount of atomization can be improved when a highly oil-resistant paper material is used.

[0171] [Experimental Example 3: Confirmation of the effect of tobacco granule size on the generation of vortex flow] In order to confirm the effect of the size of the tobacco granules on the generation of vortex flow inside the cavity segment (eg212), smoking experiments were conducted on cigarettes according to Examples 6 and 8, and an experiment was conducted to confirm the degree to which the tobacco granules had agglomerated after smoking. The more vortex flow can be generated inside the cavity segment (eg212), the more uniformly the tobacco granules are mixed and the less the agglomeration phenomenon occurs, so the degree to which the tobacco granules have agglomerated after smoking can be a measure of the degree to which vortex flow is generated. The experimental results are shown in Figures 14 and 15, which are photographs of the degree to which the tobacco granules have agglomerated after smoking, and show the experimental results for Example 6 (approximately 30 mesh to 45 mesh) and Example 8 (approximately 20 mesh to 30 mesh), respectively.

[0172] 14 and 15, it was found that the degree of aggregation of the tobacco granules according to Example 8 (i.e., larger sized tobacco granules) was worse than that of Example 6. That is, it was confirmed that the tobacco granules according to Example 1 were relatively uniformly spread, whereas the tobacco granules according to Example 8 had some strongly aggregated areas. This is believed to be because the larger sized tobacco granules act as a greater resistance to airflow (e.g., they are better able to block airflow due to increased weight, size, etc.), reducing the probability of vortex generation.

[0173] [Experimental Example 4: Confirmation of the effect of tobacco granule packing ratio on the generation of vortex flow] In order to confirm the effect of the filling rate of the tobacco granules on the generation of vortex currents inside the cavity segment (eg212), smoking experiments were conducted on cigarettes according to Examples 6, 9, and 10, and experiments were conducted to confirm the degree to which the tobacco granules had agglomerated after smoking. The experimental results are shown in Figures 16 to 18. Figures 16, 17, and 18 are photographs showing the degree to which the tobacco granules had agglomerated after smoking, and respectively show the experimental results for Example 9 (filling rate of approximately 50% by volume), Example 6 (filling rate of approximately 75% by volume), and Example 10 (filling rate of approximately 100% by volume).

[0174] 16 to 18, it was confirmed that the degree of agglomeration of the tobacco granules becomes more severe as the filling rate of the tobacco granules increases. For example, it was confirmed that the degree of agglomeration of the tobacco granules in Example 9, which has a filling rate of about 50% by volume, is significantly lower than that in Example 10, which has a filling rate of about 100% by volume. This is believed to be because the lower the filling rate, the more open space in the cavity segment (eg212) increases, promoting the flow of airflow, and as the airflow is promoted, the probability of vortex generation increases. From these experimental results, it can be seen that the filling rate of the tobacco granules is preferably about 75% by volume or less than about 80% by volume.

[0175] [Experimental Example 5: Confirmation of the effect of the thickness and shape of the heating element on the damage degree of the filter segment] Since the greater the degree of damage to the filter segment, the more accelerated the falling-off phenomenon of tobacco granules can be, an experiment was conducted to confirm the influence of the thickness and shape of the internal heating element (eg132) on the degree of damage to the filter segment (eg213). Specifically, an experiment was conducted to confirm the degree of damage to the filter segment of the cigarette according to Example 6 while changing the thickness and shape of the internal heating element. The experimental results are shown in Figures 19 to 21. Figures 19 to 21 are photographs of the cross section of the filter segment (eg213) penetrated by the internal heating element, and show the experimental results for a semi-conical heating element with a thickness of about 2 mm, a cylindrical (rod-shaped) heating element with a thickness of about 2 mm, and a cylindrical heating element with a thickness of about 3 mm, respectively.

[0176] 19 to 21, it can be seen that the thicker the heating element is, the more the damage to the filter segment increases. Therefore, in order to minimize damage to the filter segment and the falling off of tobacco particles, it is preferable that the thickness of the heating element is about 3 mm or less.

[0177] It has also been found that it is preferable to use a heating element with a pointed configuration, such as a half-cone, rather than a cylindrical configuration, in order to minimize damage to the filter segments.

[0178] For reference, it has been confirmed that when the thickness of the heating element is about 4 mm or more, the filter segment is pushed during insertion, making insertion difficult and increasing the degree of damage to the filter segment.

[0179] The configurations and effects of the tobacco granules 214 and / or the aerosol-generating article 2 have been described in more detail above through examples and experimental examples.

[0180] Although the embodiments of the present disclosure have been described above with reference to the accompanying drawings, those skilled in the art will understand that the present disclosure can be implemented in other specific forms without changing its technical ideas or essential features. Therefore, it should be understood that the embodiments described above are illustrative in all respects and are not limiting. The scope of protection of the present disclosure should be interpreted according to the following claims, and all technical ideas within the scope equivalent thereto should be interpreted as being included in the scope of rights of the technical ideas defined by the present disclosure.

Claims

1. An aerosol generating device that generates an aerosol by heating an aerosol-generating article that includes tobacco granules, which are a tobacco material in granular form, comprising: a housing forming a storage space in which the aerosol-generating article is stored; a heater unit that heats the aerosol-generating article contained in the storage space, the aerosol-generating article includes a tobacco rod filled with the tobacco granules and a filter rod; The tobacco rod comprises: A first filter segment; a second filter segment disposed downstream of the first filter segment and spaced apart from the first filter segment; a cavity segment including a cavity formed by spacing the first filter segment and the second filter segment, the tobacco granules are filled into the cavities of the cavity segments; the tobacco granules are packed to form at least some space within the cavity segments such that the tobacco granules can move and intermix within the cavity segments upon a user's puff; The filling rate of the tobacco granules in the cavity segment is 80% by volume or less; the density of the tobacco granules is between 0.5 g / cm and 1.2 g / cm; the tobacco granules have a diameter of 0.3 mm to 1.2 mm; The suction resistance of the first filter segment located downstream of the cavity segment is 50 mmH2O / 60 mm to 150 mmH2O / 60 mm; Aerosol generator.

2. The filling rate of the tobacco granules in the cavity segment is 20% by volume or more and 80% by volume or less.

2. The aerosol generating device according to claim 1.

3. a housing forming a storage space in which an aerosol-generating article is stored; a heater unit that heats the aerosol-generating article contained in the storage space, the aerosol-generating article includes a tobacco rod filled with tobacco granules and a filter rod; the tobacco rod includes a first filter segment, a second filter segment, and a cavity segment formed by the first filter segment and the second filter segment; the tobacco granules are filled into the cavity segments; The filling rate of the tobacco granules in the cavity segment is 80% by volume or less; The density of the tobacco granules is 0.5 g / cm ３ to 1.2 g / cm ３ and the tobacco granules have a diameter of 0.3 mm to 1.2 mm; The suction resistance of the first filter segment located downstream of the cavity segment is 50 mmH ２ O / 60mm to 150mmH ２ An aerosol generating device having a diameter of 0.05 mm / 60 mm.

4. the second filter segment is located upstream of the cavity segment and comprises a paper material; the heater section includes a heating element that heats the tobacco rod internally; 4. An aerosol generating device as claimed in claim 1, wherein the heating element has a thickness of 2.0 mm or less.

5. The heater section includes a heating element for externally heating the tobacco rod; 4. An aerosol generating device according to claim 1, wherein the heating element is arranged to heat only the cavity segment.

6. The heater section includes a heating element for externally heating the tobacco rod; 4. An aerosol generating device as described in any one of claims 1 to 3, wherein the heating element is positioned to heat the cavity segment and to form an unheated portion near the downstream end of the cavity segment.

7. the first filter segment comprises a paper material having a paper width of 100 mm to 200 mm; The suction resistance of the first filter segment is 50 mmH ２ O / 60mm to 100mmH ２ 4. The aerosol generating device according to claim 1, wherein the aerosol generating device has a diameter of 0 / 60 mm.

8. 4. The aerosol generating device according to claim 1, wherein the heater section includes a first heating element for externally heating the tobacco rod and a second heating element for internally heating the tobacco rod.

9. 4. The aerosol generating device according to claim 1, wherein the heater section includes a heating element for externally heating the tobacco rod and a heat conducting element for transferring heat generated by the heating element to the inside of the tobacco rod.

10. the tobacco granules or the tobacco rod comprise a susceptor material in particulate form; The aerosol generating device according to claim 1 , wherein the heater section includes an inductor that inductively heats the susceptor material.

11. The aerosol generating device according to claim 1 , wherein the filter rod comprises a cooling segment and a mouthpiece segment.

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