Heating assembly and aerosol generating device including same

Abstract

An aerosol generating device is provided, which includes a storage space for storing at least a portion of an aerosol product, and a heating assembly including at least one helical coil arranged outside the storage space to generate an induction magnetic field, the helical coil being in the form of a curved plate along the circumferential direction of the storage space, and the center around which the helical coil is wound being arranged on the outer surface of the storage space.

Description

[Technical field]

[0001] The present invention relates to a heating assembly and an aerosol generating device including the same, and more particularly, to a heating assembly capable of efficiently heating a susceptor included in an aerosol product and an aerosol generating device including the same. [Background technology]

[0002] Recently, there has been an increasing demand for alternative methods to overcome the shortcomings of conventional cigarettes. For example, there has been an increasing demand for methods of generating aerosol by heating an aerosol generating material, instead of the method of generating aerosol by burning a cigarette. As a result, research on heated aerosol generating devices has been actively conducted.

[0003] The method by which the aerosol generating device heats the aerosol product can be classified into an electric resistance heating method and an induction heating method. In the case of an induction heating type aerosol generating device, a susceptor that generates heat by an external magnetic field is disposed around or inside the aerosol product, and the magnetic field is induced by a coil to cause the susceptor to generate heat. Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0004] A conventional induction heating aerosol generator includes a susceptor and a coil, and the susceptor is heated by a magnetic field generated by the coil, thereby transferring thermal energy to the aerosol product.

[0005] Recently, there has been active research into a method of heating a susceptor included in an aerosol product without disposing a separate susceptor in the aerosol generator. However, the shape of the coil used in the conventional induction heating aerosol generator is not suitable for heating a susceptor included in the aerosol product, and there is a problem in that the aerosol product cannot be efficiently heated.

[0006] An object of the present invention is to provide a heating assembly capable of efficiently heating a susceptor contained in an aerosol product, and an aerosol generating device including the same.

[0007] The problems to be solved through the embodiments are not limited to the problems described above, and problems not mentioned will be clearly understood by a person having ordinary skill in the art to which the embodiments belong from this specification and the accompanying drawings. [Means for solving the problem]

[0008] An aerosol generating apparatus for heating an aerosol product including a susceptor according to one embodiment includes a storage space for storing at least a portion of the aerosol product, and a heating assembly including at least one helical coil arranged outside the storage space to generate an induced magnetic field, wherein the helical coil is a plate-like coil curved along the circumferential direction of the storage space, and the center around which the helical coil is wound is arranged on the outer surface of the storage space.

[0009] A heating assembly for heating an aerosol product including a susceptor in another embodiment includes a storage space that contains at least a portion of the aerosol product, and at least one helical coil arranged outside the storage space to generate an induced magnetic field, wherein the helical coil is a plate curved along the circumferential direction of the storage space, and the center around which the helical coil is wound is arranged on the outer surface of the storage space.

[0010] The means for solving the problem are not limited to those described above, but include any matters that can be inferred by a person of ordinary skill in the art throughout this specification. Effect of the Invention

[0011] According to the heating assembly and the aerosol generating device including the heating assembly according to the embodiment, the susceptor included in the aerosol generating article can be efficiently heated by the alternating magnetic field induced by the helical coil.

[0012] The effects of the embodiment are not limited to those described above, and may include any effects that can be inferred from the configurations described below. [Brief description of the drawings]

[0013] [Figure 1] FIG. 2 is a cross-sectional view showing an example in which an aerosol product is inserted into an aerosol generating device according to one embodiment. [Diagram 2] 1 is a schematic diagram of a coil of a conventional aerosol generating device. [Diagram 3] 1 is a diagram showing the direction of magnetic field lines generated by a coil of a conventional aerosol generating device. [Figure 4] 1 is a diagram illustrating a schematic diagram of a helical coil of an aerosol generating device according to one embodiment. [Diagram 5] 1 is a diagram showing the direction of magnetic field lines generated by a helical coil of an aerosol generating device according to one embodiment. [Figure 6] 1 is a schematic diagram illustrating a longitudinal cross section of a heating assembly according to an embodiment; [Figure 7] 1 is a schematic cross-sectional view of a heating assembly according to an embodiment taken along a direction transverse to the longitudinal direction; [Figure 8] 2 is a cross-sectional view showing a schematic diagram of an insulating portion of a heating assembly according to one embodiment; [Figure 9] 1 is a drawing showing an example of an aerosol product. [Figure 10] 1 is a diagram showing the results of an experiment for comparing the heating performance of an aerosol generation device according to an embodiment and a conventional aerosol generation device. [Figure 11] 1 is a diagram showing the results of an experiment for comparing the heating performance of an aerosol generation device according to an embodiment and a conventional aerosol generation device. [Figure 12] 1 is a diagram showing the results of an experiment for comparing the heating performance of an aerosol generation device according to an embodiment and a conventional aerosol generation device. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

[0014] An aerosol generating apparatus for heating an aerosol product including a susceptor in one embodiment includes a heating assembly including a storage space that contains at least a portion of the aerosol product and at least one helical coil arranged outside the storage space to generate an induced magnetic field, wherein the helical coil is a plate-like coil curved along the circumferential direction of the storage space, and the center around which the helical coil is wound is arranged on the outer surface of the storage space.

[0015] The at least one helical coil may include a plurality of helical coils electrically coupled to each other.

[0016] The aerosol production device may further include a heat insulating portion disposed between the aerosol production article inserted into the storage space and the helical coil.

[0017] The aerosol product inserted into the receiving space and the insulating part may be spaced apart from each other.

[0018] The helical coil and the thermal insulation portion may be spaced apart from each other.

[0019] The thermal insulation portion may include a plurality of hollow beads.

[0020] The hollow beads may include one or more ceramics selected from the group consisting of silica, alumina, glass bubble, and perlite.

[0021] A heating assembly for heating an aerosol product including a susceptor in another embodiment includes a storage space that contains at least a portion of the aerosol product, and at least one helical coil arranged outside the storage space to generate an induced magnetic field, wherein the helical coil is a plate curved along the circumferential direction of the storage space, and the center around which the helical coil is wound is arranged on the outer surface of the storage space.

[0022] The at least one helical coil may include a plurality of helical coils electrically coupled to each other.

[0023] The aerosol production device may further include a heat insulating portion disposed between the aerosol production article inserted into the storage space and the helical coil.

[0024] The aerosol product inserted into the receiving space and the insulating part may be spaced apart from each other.

[0025] The helical coil and the thermal insulation portion may be spaced apart from each other.

[0026] The insulating portion may include a plurality of hollow beads.

[0027] The hollow beads may comprise one or more ceramics selected from the group consisting of silica, alumina, glass bubbles, and perlite.

[0028] The terms used in the examples are currently widely used and common terms as much as possible, taking into consideration the functions in the present disclosure, but this may vary depending on the intentions of those skilled in the art, precedents, the emergence of new technologies, etc. 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 the present disclosure must be defined based on the meanings of the terms and the overall content of the present disclosure, not simply the names of the terms.

[0029] When a part in the entire specification "includes" a certain component, it does not mean excluding other components and may further include other components, unless otherwise specified to the contrary. Furthermore, the terms "unit", "module", etc. 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.

[0030] Additionally, terms including ordinal numbers such as "first" or "second" as used herein may be used to describe various components, but the components should not be limited by the terms. The terms are used only to distinguish one component from another.

[0031] Throughout the specification, an "aerosol generating device" is also a device that generates an aerosol using an aerosol generating substance to generate an aerosol that can be inhaled directly into a user's lungs via the user's mouth.

[0032] Throughout the specification, "aerosol-generating article" refers to an article used for smoking. For example, the aerosol-generating article may be a general combustion cigarette used in a manner in which it is lit and burned, or a heated cigarette used in a manner in which it is heated by an aerosol generating device. As another example, the aerosol-generating article may be an article used in a manner in which a liquid contained in a cartridge is heated. Hereinafter, embodiments of the present disclosure will be described in detail with reference to the accompanying drawings so that a person skilled in the art to which the present disclosure pertains can easily carry out the embodiments. However, the present disclosure may be embodied in various different forms and is not limited to the embodiments described herein.

[0033] Hereinafter, the embodiments will be described in detail with reference to the drawings.

[0034] Fig. 1 is a cross-sectional view showing an example in which an aerosol product 200 is inserted into an aerosol generating device 100 according to an embodiment. Referring to Fig. 1, the aerosol generating device 100 includes a battery 110, a controller 120, and a heating assembly 130. However, the embodiment is not limited thereto, and other elements may be further included in the aerosol generating device 100 in addition to the elements shown in Fig. 1. Depending on the design of the aerosol generating device 100, the arrangement of the battery 110, the controller 120, and the heating assembly 130 may be changed.

[0035] The battery 110 supplies power used for the operation of the aerosol generating device 100. For example, the battery 110 can supply power to apply an alternating current to the heating assembly 130 and supply power necessary for the operation of the control unit 120. The battery 110 can also supply power necessary for the operation of a display, a sensor, a motor, and the like provided in the aerosol generating device 100.

[0036] The control unit 120 generally controls the operation of the aerosol generating device 100. Specifically, the control unit 120 controls the operation of the battery 110 and the heating assembly 130 as well as other components included in the aerosol generating device 100. The control unit 120 can also check the state of each component of the aerosol generating device 100 and determine whether the aerosol generating device 100 is in an operable state.

[0037] The control unit 120 may include at least one processor. The processor may be realized as an array of a number of logic gates, or may be realized by a combination of a general-purpose microprocessor and a memory in which a program executed by the microprocessor is stored. Those skilled in the art will understand that the controller 120 may also be realized by other types of hardware.

[0038] The aerosol generating device 100 can generate an aerosol by heating the aerosol product 200 using an induction heating method. The induction heating method refers to a method of generating heat from a magnetic material by applying an alternating magnetic field.

[0039] When an alternating magnetic field is applied to a magnetic material, energy loss occurs in the magnetic material due to eddy current loss and hysteresis loss. The lost energy is released from the magnetic material as heat energy. The larger the amplitude or frequency of the alternating magnetic field, the more heat energy is released from the magnetic material.

[0040] The heating assembly 130 may include helical coils 131a, 131b, an accommodation space 132, and a thermal insulation portion 133. The accommodation space 132 may accommodate at least a portion of the aerosol product product 200. The accommodation space 132 may include an opening for accommodating the aerosol product product 200 in the aerosol generation device 100. The opening of the accommodation space 132 may be open toward the outside of the aerosol generation device 100. The aerosol product product 200 may be inserted into the heating assembly 130 through the opening of the accommodation space 132.

[0041] The heating assembly 130 can heat the aerosol product 200 inserted into the receiving space 132. Specifically, when the helical coils 131a and 131b of the heating assembly 130 generate a magnetic field, a susceptor included in the aerosol product 200 generates heat, thereby heating the aerosol product 200. A detailed description of the aerosol product 200 will be provided below with reference to FIG.

[0042] The heat insulating part 133 is disposed between the aerosol product 200 inserted in the storage space 132 and the spiral coils 131a, 131b, and blocks the heat generated in the aerosol product 200 from moving to the outside. The heat insulating part 133 is also tubular and surrounds at least a part of the storage space 132. For example, the heat insulating part 133 is cylindrical in shape corresponding to the shape of the aerosol product 200.

[0043] The heat insulating section 133 may improve the heating efficiency of the heating assembly 130 by concentrating the heat generated in the susceptor of the aerosol production product 200 to the aerosol production product 200. In addition, the heat insulating section 133 may shorten the preheating time of the aerosol generation device 100 and reduce power consumption.

[0044] The spiral coils 131a and 131b may be disposed around the receiving space 132 to generate an induced magnetic field. The spiral coils 131a and 131b may be supplied with power from the battery 110. When power is supplied to the spiral coils 131a and 131b, a magnetic field may be formed inside the receiving space 132. When an alternating current is applied to the spiral coils 131a and 131b, the direction of the magnetic field formed inside the receiving space 132 changes periodically. When the susceptor is exposed to the magnetic field formed by the coils, the susceptor may generate heat.

[0045] The temperature of the heated susceptor can be changed by changing the amplitude or frequency of the magnetic field formed by the helical coils 131a and 131b. The control unit 120 controls the power supplied to the helical coils 131a and 131b to adjust the amplitude or frequency of the alternating magnetic field formed by the helical coils 131a and 131b, thereby controlling the temperature of the susceptor.

[0046] As an example, the spiral coils 131a and 131b include, but are not limited to, copper. The spiral coils 131a and 131b may include any one or an alloy including at least one of silver (Ag), gold (Au), aluminum (Al), tungsten (W), zinc (Zn), and nickel (Ni) to have low resistivity and thus allow high current to flow. A detailed description of the spiral coils 131a and 131b will be provided below with reference to FIGS. 4 and 5.

[0047] 2 and 3 are diagrams showing a coil 30 of a conventional induction heating type aerosol generator. Fig. 2 is a diagram showing a schematic view of the coil 30 of the conventional induction heating type aerosol generator, and Fig. 3 is a diagram showing the direction of magnetic field lines M generated by the coil 30 of the conventional induction heating type aerosol generator.

[0048] 2 and 3, the coil 30 included in the conventional induction heating type aerosol generating device is generally embodied in a solenoid shape made by winding a conductor wire densely and uniformly into a long cylindrical shape. An accommodation space into which the aerosol product 200 is inserted may be formed in the inner space of the solenoid.

[0049] The coil 30 included in the conventional induction heating type aerosol generation device may generate a magnetic field in which magnetic field lines M enter and exit inside the solenoid depending on the direction of the current. That is, the magnetic field lines M enter and exit in the longitudinal direction of the storage space, and the magnetic field lines M may pass inside the stored aerosol product 200 in the longitudinal direction of the aerosol product 200. Here, the longitudinal direction of the storage space refers to the direction in which the length of the storage space extends or the direction in which the aerosol product 200 is inserted into the storage space. Similarly, the longitudinal direction of the aerosol product 200 refers to the direction in which the length of the aerosol product 200 extends or the direction in which the aerosol product 200 is inserted into the aerosol generation device.

[0050] Since the magnetic field lines M pass through the aerosol product 200 in the longitudinal direction of the aerosol product 200, the density of the magnetic field lines M in the aerosol product 200 is low, and as a result, the susceptor cannot release sufficient thermal energy. In particular, when the susceptor included in the aerosol product 200 is in the form of a sheet surrounding the aerosol product 200, the magnetic field lines M hardly pass through a wide area of ​​the sheet. This causes a problem that the susceptor is not heated sufficiently, and the aerosol product 200 cannot be heated efficiently.

[0051] Figures 4 and 5 are diagrams for explaining the helical coils 131a and 131b of the aerosol generation device 100 according to an embodiment. Figure 4 is a diagram that illustrates the helical coils 131a and 131b of the aerosol generation device 100 according to an embodiment, and Figure 5 is a diagram that illustrates the direction of the magnetic field lines M generated by the helical coils 131a and 131b of the aerosol generation device 100 according to an embodiment.

[0052] 4 and 5, the spiral coils 131a and 131b may have a plate shape curved along the circumferential direction of the receiving space 132. The centers of the spiral coils 131a and 131b (i.e., the centers around which the spiral coils 131a and 131b are wound) may be disposed on (or on) the outer surface of the receiving space 132 (i.e., the cylindrical side surface defined by the receiving space 132). That is, when the spiral coils 131a and 131b are cut perpendicularly to the longitudinal direction of the receiving space 132, the cross sections of the spiral coils 131a and 131b may have a curved shape (i.e., a circular arc shape). The central axis around which the spiral coils 131a and 131b are wound may intersect with the longitudinal direction of the receiving space 132.

[0053] Depending on the direction of the current, the spiral coils 131a, 131b can form a magnetic field in which magnetic field lines M enter and exit through a region near the center where the spiral coils 131a, 131b are wound. That is, the magnetic field lines M enter and exit in a direction transverse to the longitudinal direction of the accommodating space 132, and the magnetic field lines M can pass through the inside of the aerosol product 200 inserted in the accommodating space 132 in a direction transverse to the longitudinal direction of the aerosol product 200.

[0054] Unlike coils included in conventional induction heating type aerosol generating devices, the direction of the magnetic field lines M is transverse to the longitudinal direction of the aerosol product 200, so that the density of the magnetic field lines M passing through the susceptor included in the aerosol product 200 is increased, and thus the heating efficiency of the susceptor can be improved. In particular, when the susceptor included in the aerosol product 200 is in the form of a sheet surrounding the aerosol product 200, the magnetic field lines M pass through a wide area of ​​the sheet, so that the susceptor can be heated to a sufficiently high temperature.

[0055] A plurality of spiral coils 131a, 131b may be arranged. As shown in Figures 4 and 5, two spiral coils 131a, 131b including a first spiral coil 131a and a second spiral coil 131b may be arranged. The first spiral coil 131a and the second spiral coil 131b may have the same size and shape and may be arranged symmetrically with respect to the central axis of the receiving space 132.

[0056] The first and second spiral coils 131a and 131b may have a circular shape when viewed from the central axis direction of the spiral coils 131a and 131b. However, the present invention is not limited thereto, and the number, size, and shape of the spiral coils 131a and 131b may be modified as necessary. For example, the spiral coil may have a rectangular shape when viewed from the central axis direction of the spiral coil, and four spiral coils may be arranged at equal intervals from each other.

[0057] As described above, the magnetic field lines M enter and exit the accommodating space 132 in a direction intersecting the longitudinal direction of the accommodating space 132 through the vicinity of the centers of the helical coils 131a and 131b. Since the magnetic flux density is high at the centers of the helical coils 131a and 131b, the portions of the aerosol product 200 adjacent to the centers of the helical coils 131a and 131b can be heated to a relatively high temperature. When a plurality of helical coils 131a and 131b are arranged in this manner, the centers of the helical coils 131a and 131b are arranged at a plurality of points on the outer surface of the accommodating space 132, so that the aerosol product 200 accommodated in the accommodating space 132 can be heated uniformly.

[0058] A plurality of the spiral coils 131a, 131b may be arranged so as to be electrically connected to each other. When a plurality of the spiral coils 131a, 131b are arranged, it is required to precisely control the direction of the AC current applied to each of the spiral coils 131a, 131b so that the directions of the magnetic fields generated by the spiral coils 131a, 131b do not cross each other and the strength of the magnetic fields is not offset. However, when the plurality of the spiral coils 131a, 131b are electrically connected, the AC current flows in the same direction in the plurality of the spiral coils 131a, 131b, so no separate control is required.

[0059] The heating assembly 130 will now be described in further detail with reference to FIGS.

[0060] 6 and 7 are cross-sectional views of a heating assembly 130 according to an embodiment. Fig. 6 is a schematic diagram showing a cross section of the heating assembly 130 according to an embodiment cut in the longitudinal direction, and Fig. 7 is a schematic diagram showing a cross section of the heating assembly 130 according to an embodiment cut perpendicular to the longitudinal direction. Here, the longitudinal direction of the heating assembly 130 refers to the direction in which the length of the heating assembly 130 extends. It may also refer to the direction in which the aerosol product 200 is inserted into the receiving space 132 of the heating assembly 130.

[0061] 6 and 7, the aerosol product 200 inserted into the receiving space 132 and the heat insulating part 133 may be spaced apart from each other. During the operation of the aerosol generating device, high temperature heat is generated in the susceptor of the aerosol generating device 200. In this case, the heat may be unnecessarily transferred to a user or may damage other components of the aerosol generating device 100. Therefore, it is necessary to block the heat generated during the use of the aerosol generating device 100.

[0062] Since an air layer is formed in the space formed between the aerosol product 200 and the insulating part 133, the performance of blocking the transfer of heat generated by the susceptor of the aerosol product 200 can be improved. In particular, when the susceptor included in the aerosol product 200 is in a sheet shape surrounding the aerosol product 200, the susceptor is arranged to be in close contact with the insulating part 133 over a wide area, so that the insulating part 133 may be deteriorated by the heat generated by the susceptor. Since the aerosol product 200 and the insulating part 133 are separated from each other, the heat generated by the susceptor of the aerosol product 200 is prevented from being directly transferred to the insulating part 133, so that the insulating performance of the insulating part 133 can be prevented from being deteriorated.

[0063] In addition, the helical coils 131a and 131b and the heat insulating portion 133 may be spaced apart from each other. For example, the helical coils 131a and 131b may be disposed spaced apart from the side of the heat insulating portion 133, which is generally cylindrical. Since an air layer is formed between the helical coils 131a and 131b and the heat insulating portion 133, the heat insulating performance may be improved. Furthermore, the amount of heat transferred to the helical coils 131a and 131b is reduced, so that deterioration of the helical coils 131a and 131b may be prevented.

[0064] To further improve the insulation performance, a vacuum can be created between the aerosol production article 200 and the insulation section 133, and between the helical coils 131a, 131b and the insulation section 133.

[0065] The heat insulating part 133 may include a heat insulating material having excellent heat insulating performance such as ceramic, glass fiber, etc. However, the heat insulating part 133 is not limited thereto, and any heat insulating material capable of blocking heat generated in the susceptor of the aerosol product 200 may be included in the heat insulating part 133 without limitation. Hereinafter, the heat insulating part 133 of the heating assembly 130 according to one embodiment will be described in more detail with reference to FIG. 8.

[0066] FIG. 8 is a schematic cross-sectional view of the insulating portion 133 of the heating assembly 130 according to one embodiment.

[0067] 8, the heat insulating portion 133 may include a plurality of hollow beads 134 each having a hollow 134a therein. The heat insulating portion 133 including the plurality of hollow beads 134 may have improved heat insulating effect due to the plurality of hollows 134a present inside the hollow beads 134.

[0068] The hollow beads 134 may be made of one or more ceramics selected from the group consisting of, but not limited to, silica, alumina, glass bubble, and perlite, although other materials with low thermal conductivity may be used.

[0069] Specifically, the heat insulating portion 133 may include a structure formed by packing a plurality of hollow beads 134. For example, as shown in Fig. 8, the structure may be formed by sphere packing a plurality of hollow beads 134. The sphere packing method may include, but is not limited to, a method of bonding particles to form a structure such as a body-centered cubic (BCC) structure or a face-centered cubic (FCC) structure.

[0070] The structure may be formed by packing and firing a plurality of hollow beads 134. The packed hollow beads 134 may be fixed by a binder 135. The binder 135 may improve the durability of the structure and the heat insulating performance of the structure by filling the spaces formed between the packed hollow beads 134. A polymer having excellent heat resistance is used for the binder 135, for example, polyimide (PI), but is not limited thereto.

[0071] The structure manufactured by packing the plurality of hollow beads 134 may include a waterproof membrane formed on the outer surface of the structure. The waterproof membrane can prevent the aerosol generated in the aerosol product 200 and turned into droplets from being absorbed by the hollow beads 134, thereby preventing a problem of a decrease in the insulating performance of the structure. In addition, the waterproof membrane can block airflow between the plurality of hollow beads 134, thereby further improving the insulating performance.

[0072] The waterproof membrane may include, for example, a glass membrane, a polyimide coating membrane, a water-repellent coating membrane, or a combination thereof, but is not limited thereto, and other types of waterproof membranes having a waterproof (or moisture-proof) function may also be used.

[0073] As an example, the waterproof membrane may be a glass membrane. The structure may be manufactured through a first firing process in which a plurality of hollow beads are packed and fired, and a second firing process in which glass frit is applied to the outer surface and fired. If the melting point of the glass frit is higher than the firing temperature of the porous structure, the outer surface of the porous structure may melt during the second firing process. Therefore, it is preferable to use glass frit having a melting point lower than the firing temperature of the first firing process. For example, the firing temperature of the first firing process is 800°C or higher, and the melting point of the glass frit is 600°C to 800°C.

[0074] In order to ensure excellent heat insulating performance and ease of manufacture of the structure, the diameter of the hollow bead 134 is also 75 μm to 500 μm. Desirably, the diameter of the hollow bead 134 is also 100 μm to 450 μm, 150 μm to 450 μm, or 150 μm to 400 μm. If the diameter of the hollow bead 134 is preferably 75 μm or more, the larger the diameter of the hollow bead 134, the larger the diameter of the internal hollow 134a, and the better the heat insulating performance of the structure. Also, the diameter of the hollow bead 134 is preferably 500 μm or less, but the larger the size of the hollow bead 134, the greater the curvature of the surface, making it difficult to form a waterproof membrane of uniform thickness, and the durability of the waterproof membrane is reduced.

[0075] In order for the structure including the hollow beads 134 to have uniform thermal insulation performance over the entire area, the diameter distribution of the hollow beads 134 has an error range of 30% or less with respect to the average diameter. Desirably, the diameter distribution of the hollow beads 134 has an error range of 25%, 23%, or 21% or less. More desirably, the diameter distribution of the hollow beads 134 has an error range of 20%, 18%, 16%, 14%, 12%, or 10% or less. Even more desirably, the diameter distribution of the hollow beads 134 has an error range of 8%, 6%, or 5% or less.

[0076] In one embodiment, a first size hollow bead 134 is packed to form an initial structure, and a second size hollow bead 134 is packed on the outer surface of the initial structure to form a final structure. Here, the second size is smaller than the first size. In this case, the size of the voids on the outer surface of the structure is reduced, so that the external airflow can be effectively blocked. In addition, since the structure includes hollow beads 134 with large hollows 134a, the heat insulating performance of the structure can be improved.

[0077] FIG. 9 is a diagram illustrating an example of an aerosol product 200 .

[0078] 9, an aerosol product 200 includes a tobacco rod 210 and a filter rod 220. In FIG. 10, the filter rod 220 is illustrated as being a single segment, but is not limited thereto, i.e., the filter rod 220 may be comprised of multiple segments.

[0079] For example, the filter rod 220 may include a first segment that cools the aerosol and a second segment that filters a predetermined component contained in the aerosol, and may optionally include at least one additional segment that performs another function.

[0080] The aerosol product 200 may be packaged 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 aerosol product 200 may be packaged by one wrapper 240. As another example, the aerosol product 200 may be packaged by two or more wrappers 240 in a stacked manner. For example, the tobacco rod 210 may be packaged by a first wrapper 241, and the filter rod 220 may be packaged by wrappers 242, 243, and 244. Then, the entire aerosol product 200 may be repackaged by a single wrapper 245. If the filter rod 220 is made up of multiple segments, each segment may be packaged by a wrapper 242, 243, and 244.

[0081] The tobacco rod 210 includes an aerosol-generating material. For example, the aerosol-generating material may include, but is not limited to, at least one of glycerin, propylene glycol, ethylene glycol, dipropylene glycol, diethylene glycol, triethylene glycol, tetraethylene glycol, and oleyl alcohol. The tobacco rod 210 may also include other additives, such as flavoring agents, humectants, and / or organic acids. A flavoring liquid, such as menthol or a humectant, may be added to the tobacco rod 210 by being sprayed onto the tobacco rod 210.

[0082] The tobacco rod 210 may be made in a variety of ways. For example, the tobacco rod 210 may be made in sheet form or in strand form.

[0083] Alternatively, the tobacco rod 210 may be made from cut tobacco, where a tobacco sheet is cut into small pieces.

[0084] The tobacco rod 210 may include a susceptor that generates heat by a magnetic field. The susceptor may include metal or carbon. The susceptor may include at least one of ferrite, ferromagnetic alloy, stainless steel, and aluminum (Al). The susceptor may also include at least one of graphite, molybdenum, silicon carbide, niobium, nickel alloy, metal film, ceramic material such as zirconia, transition metal such as nickel (Ni) or cobalt (Co), and semi-metal such as boron (B) or phosphorus (P).

[0085] The susceptor included in the tobacco rod 210 can have a variety of forms. For example, the susceptor can have a sheet-like shape and surround the exterior of the tobacco rod 210. As another example, the susceptor can be provided in the form of strands or particulates that are distributed and disposed within the tobacco rod 210.

[0086] The tobacco rod 210 is also surrounded by a thermally conductive material. For example, the thermally conductive material may be, but is not limited to, a metal foil, such as aluminum foil. As an example, the thermally conductive material surrounding the tobacco rod 210 may uniformly distribute the heat transferred to the tobacco rod 210 to improve the thermal conductivity applied to the tobacco rod 210, thereby improving the flavor of the aerosol generated from the tobacco rod 210. The thermally conductive material surrounding the tobacco rod 210 may also function as a susceptor that is heated by an external magnetic field.

[0087] The filter rod 220 is also a cellulose acetate filter. Meanwhile, the shape of the filter rod 220 is not limited. For example, the filter rod 220 is also a cylindrical rod, or a tubular rod including a hollow inside. The filter rod 220 is also a recessed rod. If the filter rod 220 is composed of multiple segments, at least one of the multiple segments is also manufactured to have a different shape.

[0088] The filter rod 220 may be manufactured to generate a flavor. For example, a flavoring liquid may be sprayed onto the filter rod 220, and separate fibers coated with the flavoring liquid may be inserted into the filter rod 220.

[0089] The filter rod 220 may also include at least one capsule 230. Here, the capsule 230 may generate flavor or aerosol. For example, the capsule 230 may be a structure that encases a liquid containing a flavoring agent with a coating. The capsule 230 may have a spherical or cylindrical shape, but is not limited thereto.

[0090] If the filter rod 220 includes a segment for cooling the aerosol, the cooling segment may be made of a polymeric material or a biodegradable polymeric material. For example, the cooling segment may be made of pure polylactic acid, but is not limited thereto. Alternatively, the cooling segment may be made of a cellulose acetate filter having a plurality of holes formed therein. However, the cooling segment is not limited to the above examples, and may be applicable without limitation as long as it can perform the function of cooling the aerosol.

[0091] Although not shown, the aerosol product 200 may further include a front end plug. The front end plug may be located on one side of the tobacco rod 210 opposite the filter rod 220. The front end plug may prevent the tobacco rod 210 from escaping to the outside and may prevent the liquefied aerosol from the tobacco rod 210 from flowing into the aerosol generating device (100 in FIG. 1).

[0092] Experimental example: Comparison of heating performance of aerosol generating devices

[0093] An experiment was conducted to compare the heating performance of the aerosol generating device according to the embodiment and a conventional aerosol generating device.

[0094] In the experiment, an aerosol product including a sheet-shaped susceptor was used, and aluminum foil was used for the sheet-shaped susceptor. The aluminum foil was arranged so as to surround the tobacco rod of the aerosol product. The aerosol product was heated using an aerosol generating device including a solenoid as shown in FIG. 2 (hereinafter referred to as a comparative example) and an aerosol generating device including spiral coils 131a and 131b as shown in FIG. 4 (hereinafter referred to as an example), and the temperature change of the aluminum foil of the aerosol product was measured over time. The same alternating current was applied to the solenoid of the comparative example and the spiral coil of the example.

[0095] 10 to 12 are diagrams showing the results of an experiment to compare the heating performance of an aerosol generator according to an embodiment and a conventional aerosol generator. Fig. 10 shows a graph of temperature change over time of the aluminum foil of the aerosol product according to the embodiment and the comparative example. Fig. 11 is an image showing the appearance of the aerosol product according to the comparative example after being heated in the experiment, and Fig. 12 is an image showing the appearance of the aerosol product according to the embodiment after being heated in the experiment.

[0096] 10, in the case of the embodiment, the aluminum foil of the aerosol product was heated in a temperature range of about 200°C to 250°C except for the preheating section. Meanwhile, in the case of the comparative example, it was confirmed that the aluminum foil of the aerosol product was heated in a temperature range of about 50°C to 100°C. Considering that aerosol generating substances (such as glycerin) contained in general aerosol products have a vaporization temperature of about 140°C to 250°C, it was confirmed that normal aerosol generation was difficult in the comparative example.

[0097] 11 and 12, the aerosol product heated according to the Comparative Example had no change in appearance. Meanwhile, in the case of the aerosol product heated according to the Example, carbonization occurred on the surface of the wrapper where the aluminum foil was located. This confirmed that the helical coil of the Example effectively heated the aerosol product compared to the solenoid of the Comparative Example.

[0098] It will be understood by those skilled in the art that the present invention can be embodied in various modified forms without departing from the essential characteristics of the above description. Therefore, the disclosed method should be considered in an illustrative rather than restrictive sense. The scope of the present invention is defined in the claims, not the above description, and all differences within the scope of the equivalents should be interpreted as being included in the present invention.

Claims

1. 1. An aerosol generating apparatus for heating an aerosol product comprising a susceptor, comprising: a storage space for storing at least a portion of the aerosol product, and a heating assembly including at least one helical coil disposed outside the storage space for generating an induction magnetic field; the spiral coil is a plate-like shape curved along a circumferential direction of the accommodating space, and a center around which the spiral coil is wound is disposed on an outer surface of the accommodating space; the at least one helical coil includes a plurality of helical coils electrically connected to each other; An aerosol generating device, wherein a current applied to one of the plurality of helical coils flows to the other helical coils, and a current flows in the same direction through the plurality of helical coils.

2. The aerosol generating device according to claim 1 , further comprising a thermal insulator disposed between the aerosol production product and the helical coil when the aerosol production product is inserted into the receiving space.

3. The aerosol generating device according to claim 2 , wherein the aerosol product inserted into the accommodating space and the heat insulating portion are spaced apart from each other.

4. The aerosol generating device according to claim 2 , wherein the helical coil and the thermal insulation portion are spaced apart from each other.

5. The aerosol generating device according to claim 2 , wherein the heat insulating portion includes a plurality of hollow beads.

6. 6. The aerosol generating device according to claim 5, wherein the hollow beads comprise one or more ceramic materials selected from the group consisting of silica, alumina, glass bubbles, and perlite.

7. 1. A heating assembly for heating an aerosol product comprising a susceptor, comprising: a receiving space for receiving at least a portion of the aerosol product; At least one helical coil disposed outside the storage space to generate an induction magnetic field; the spiral coil is a plate-like shape curved along a circumferential direction of the accommodating space, and a center around which the spiral coil is wound is disposed on an outer surface of the accommodating space; the at least one helical coil includes a plurality of helical coils electrically connected to each other; A heating assembly, wherein current applied to one of said plurality of helical coils flows to the other of said helical coils and current flows in the same direction through said plurality of helical coils.

8. 8. The heating assembly of claim 7, further comprising a thermal insulator disposed between the aerosol product article and the helical coil when the aerosol product article is inserted into the receiving space.

9. The heating assembly of claim 8 , wherein the aerosol product and the insulating portion are spaced apart from each other when inserted into the receiving space.

10. The heating assembly of claim 8 , wherein the helical coil and the insulation are spaced apart from one another.

11. The heating assembly of claim 8 , wherein the insulation comprises a plurality of hollow beads.

12. 12. The heating assembly of claim 11, wherein the hollow beads comprise one or more ceramic materials selected from the group consisting of silica, alumina, glass bubbles, and perlite.

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