Aerosol Generator

Abstract

To provide a method of controlling a heater temperature of an aerosol generating device, and the aerosol generating device, which are capable of providing high smoking satisfaction to a user.SOLUTION: There is disclosed an aerosol generating device including: a heater configured to generate aerosol by heating an aerosol generating substrate; a storage unit configured to store information regarding a first time period and a second time period for controlling a temperature of the heater; and a controller configured to control power supplied to the heater. When the first time period elapses after the temperature of the heater reaches a first target temperature, the controller changes the temperature of the heater to a second target temperature and keeps it for the second time period. The sum of the first time period and the second time period is a time period in a preset range.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 7

Description

[Technical field]

[0001] The present invention relates to a method for controlling the heater temperature of an aerosol generating device and the aerosol generating device, and more specifically, to a method for controlling the heater temperature of an aerosol generating device that can provide the user with a high level of smoking satisfaction by controlling the heater temperature of the aerosol generating device in a specific manner over time, regardless of the number of puffs by the user, and the aerosol generating device. [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 a method in which an aerosol is generated by heating an aerosol generating material in a cigarette, rather than a method in which an aerosol is generated by burning a cigarette. As a result, research into heated cigarettes or heated aerosol generating devices has been actively conducted.

[0003] Since the substances heated by the heater of the aerosol generating device are diverse other than the aerosol generating substrate, the smoking satisfaction expressed by the heated substance differs significantly depending on the heating method of the heater.

[0004] Conventionally popular aerosol generating devices tend to count the number of puffs of a user and change the heater temperature all at once, or have a heater heating time set to a short time compared to the smoking time of a general user. In the above cases, problems pointed out include an excessively high power consumption of the aerosol generating device, or a phenomenon of insufficient particle generation due to the limit of particle generation dissolved in the solid phase caused by the cooling effect of the heater due to repeated smoking in a short period of time, or a phenomenon of insufficient warmth of the aerosol. Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0005] The technical problem to be solved by the present invention is to provide a user with a consistently rich smoking satisfaction by controlling the heater temperature of an aerosol generating device at a constant value regardless of the user's puff count. [Means for solving the problem]

[0006] An apparatus according to one embodiment of the present invention for solving the technical problem includes a heater that heats an aerosol generating substrate to generate an aerosol, a storage unit that stores information related to a first time and a second time for controlling the temperature of the heater, and a control unit that controls the power supplied to the heater, wherein the control unit changes the temperature of the heater to a second target temperature and maintains it for a second time when the first time has elapsed since the temperature of the heater reached a first target temperature, and is characterized in that the sum of the first time and the second time is within a preset range of time.

[0007] A method according to another embodiment of the present invention to solve the technical problem is a method for controlling a heater temperature of an aerosol generating device, comprising a primary heating step of heating a heater to a first target temperature, a primary maintenance step of maintaining the heated temperature of the heater at the first target temperature for a first time, a temperature changing step of changing the heater temperature to a second target temperature after the first time has elapsed, and a secondary maintenance step of maintaining the changed heater temperature at the second target temperature for a second time, wherein the sum of the first time and the second time is within a preset range of time.

[0008] An embodiment of the present invention may provide a computer-readable recording medium storing a program for implementing the method.

[0009] In addition, to solve the technical problems, an aerosol generating device according to another embodiment of the present invention may be provided to a user. Effect of the Invention

[0010] According to the present invention, a temperature control method can be used to increase the amount of nicotine and glycerin transferred, without the need to take into account the individual number of times a user smokes, thereby providing the user with a high level of smoking satisfaction.

[0011] In particular, the present invention does not realize a high level of smoking satisfaction by simply limiting the heating time to a certain range of time, but by combining a pattern of temperature maintenance, temperature change, and temperature maintenance with a method of appropriately adjusting the maintenance time, it is possible to provide users of the aerosol generating device with a high smoking sensation and a high smoke volume early on. [Brief description of the drawings]

[0012] [Figure 1] 1 is a diagram illustrating an example in which a cigarette is inserted into an aerosol generating device. [Diagram 2] 1 is a diagram illustrating an example in which a cigarette is inserted into an aerosol generating device. [Diagram 3] 1 is a diagram illustrating an example in which a cigarette is inserted into an aerosol generating device. [Figure 4] 1 is a drawing illustrating an example of a cigarette. [Diagram 5] 1 is a drawing illustrating an example of a cigarette. [Figure 6] FIG. 1 is a schematic block diagram of an example of an aerosol generating device according to the present invention. [Figure 7] 1 is a graph showing the amount of nicotine transferred when controlling the heater temperature according to the present invention. [Figure 8] 1 is a graph showing the amount of glycerin transferred when the heater temperature is controlled according to the present invention. [Figure 9] 1 is a flowchart illustrating an example of a method for controlling a heater temperature of an aerosol generating device according to the present invention. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

[0013] An apparatus according to one embodiment of the present invention for solving the technical problem includes a heater that heats an aerosol generating substrate to generate an aerosol, a storage unit that stores information related to a first time and a second time for controlling the temperature of the heater, and a control unit that controls the power supplied to the heater, wherein the control unit changes the temperature of the heater to a second target temperature and maintains it for a second time when the first time has elapsed since the temperature of the heater reached a first target temperature, and is characterized in that the sum of the first time and the second time is within a preset range of time.

[0014] In the device, the sum of the first time period and the second time period is characterized as being greater than 4 minutes and less than 5 minutes.

[0015] In the apparatus, the first period of time is characterized as being longer than the second period of time.

[0016] The apparatus is characterized in that the second period of time is longer than the first period of time, or the second period of time is the same as the first period of time.

[0017] The device is characterized in that the ratio of the length of the first time to the length of the second time is a constant value.

[0018] In the apparatus, the first target temperature is characterized as being lower than the second target temperature.

[0019] In the apparatus, the first target temperature is 315°C or higher and 325°C or lower, and the second target temperature is 325°C or higher and 335°C or lower.

[0020] In the apparatus, the first target temperature is characterized as being higher than the second target temperature.

[0021] In the apparatus, the first target temperature is 325°C or higher and 335°C or lower, and the second target temperature is 310°C or higher and 320°C or lower.

[0022] In the device, the storage unit further stores information related to a third time, and the control unit changes the heater temperature to a second target temperature for a third time when the heater temperature reaches a first target temperature and the first time has elapsed, and then maintains the heater temperature at the second target temperature for a second time, and the sum of the first time, the second time, and the third time is within a preset range of time.

[0023] Another embodiment of the method of the present invention to solve the technical problem is a method for controlling a heater temperature of an aerosol generating device, comprising a primary heating step of heating a heater to a first target temperature, a primary maintenance step of maintaining the heated temperature of the heater at the first target temperature for a first time, a temperature change step of changing the heater temperature to a second target temperature after the first time has elapsed, and a secondary maintenance step of maintaining the changed heater temperature at the second target temperature for a second time, wherein the sum of the first time and the second time is within a preset range of time.

[0024] The method is characterized in that the sum of the first time period and the second time period is greater than 4 minutes and less than 5 minutes.

[0025] The method wherein the first period of time is characterized as being longer than the second period of time.

[0026] The method is characterized in that the ratio of the length of the first period to the length of the second period is a constant value.

[0027] In the method, the first target temperature is characterized as being lower than the second target temperature.

[0028] In the method, the first target temperature is greater than or equal to 315°C and less than or equal to 325°C, and the second target temperature is greater than or equal to 325°C and less than or equal to 335°C.

[0029] In the method, the first target temperature is characterized as being higher than the second target temperature.

[0030] In the method, the first target temperature is greater than or equal to 325°C and less than or equal to 335°C, and the second target temperature is greater than or equal to 310°C and less than or equal to 320°C.

[0031] In the method, the temperature varying step is characterized by varying the temperature of the heater to a second target temperature for a third time period once the temperature of the heater reaches the first target temperature and the first time period has elapsed.

[0032] One embodiment of the present invention discloses a computer readable recording medium having stored thereon a program for carrying out a method.

[0033] The terms used in this embodiment are currently common terms that are selected as much as possible while taking into consideration the functions of the present invention, but they may vary depending on the intentions of the engineers in the field, precedents, or the emergence of new technologies. In addition, in certain cases, the applicant may arbitrarily select terms, and in such cases, the meanings of the terms will be described in detail in the description of the invention. Therefore, the terms used in this invention must be defined based on the meanings of the terms and the overall content of the present invention, rather than simply by the names of the terms.

[0034] Throughout the specification, when a part "includes" a certain component, it does not mean excluding other components, but may further include other components, unless otherwise specified to the contrary. Furthermore, terms such as "... unit" and "... module" described in the specification mean a unit that processes at least one function or operation, which may be realized by hardware or software, or a combination of hardware and software.

[0035] DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS In the following, the preferred embodiments of the present invention will be described in detail with reference to the accompanying drawings so that those skilled in the art can easily carry out the present invention. However, the present invention may be embodied in various different forms and is not limited to the preferred embodiments described herein.

[0036] Hereinafter, embodiments of the present invention will be described in detail with reference to the drawings.

[0037] 1 to 3 are diagrams illustrating an example in which a cigarette is inserted into an aerosol generating device.

[0038] 1, the aerosol generation device 1 includes a battery 11, a control unit 12, and a heater 13. 2 and 3, the aerosol generation device 1 further includes a vaporizer 14. In addition, a cigarette 2 can be inserted into the internal space of the aerosol generation device 1.

[0039] Components related to the present embodiment are illustrated in the aerosol generating device 1 illustrated in Figures 1 to 3. Therefore, it would be understood by a person skilled in the art of the present embodiment that the aerosol generating device 1 may further include other general components in addition to the components illustrated in Figures 1 to 3.

[0040] In addition, although the aerosol generating device 1 is illustrated in FIGS. 2 and 3 as including the heater 13, the heater 13 may be omitted if necessary.

[0041] In Fig. 1, the battery 11, the control unit 12, and the heater 13 are illustrated as being arranged in a line. In Fig. 2, the battery 11, the control unit 12, the vaporizer 14, and the heater 13 are illustrated as being arranged in a line. In Fig. 3, the vaporizer 14 and the heater 13 are illustrated as being arranged in parallel. However, the internal structure of the aerosol generation device 1 is not limited to that illustrated in Figs. 1 to 3. In other words, the arrangement of the battery 11, the control unit 12, the heater 13, and the vaporizer 14 may be changed depending on the design of the aerosol generation device 1.

[0042] When the cigarette 2 is inserted into the aerosol generation device 1, the aerosol generation device 1 can activate the heater 13 and / or the vaporizer 14 to generate an aerosol. The aerosol generated by the heater 13 and / or the vaporizer 14 passes through the cigarette 2 and is delivered to the user.

[0043] If necessary, the aerosol generation device 1 can heat the heater 13 even when the cigarette 2 is not inserted in the aerosol generation device 1.

[0044] The battery 11 supplies power used for operating the aerosol generation device 1. For example, the battery 11 can supply power so that the heater 13 or the vaporizer 14 is heated, and can supply power necessary for the operation of the control unit 12. The battery 11 can also supply power necessary for the operation of a display, a sensor, a motor, and the like provided in the aerosol generation device 1.

[0045] The control unit 12 generally controls the operation of the aerosol generation device 1. Specifically, the control unit 12 controls the operation of not only the battery 11, the heater 13, and the vaporizer 14, but also other components included in the aerosol generation device 1. The control unit 12 can also check the state of each component of the aerosol generation device 1 and determine whether the aerosol generation device 1 is in an operable state.

[0046] The control unit 12 includes at least one processor. The processor may be realized by an array of a number of logic gates, or may be realized by a combination of a general-purpose microprocessor and a memory storing a program that can be executed by the microprocessor. Those skilled in the art will understand that the processor may also be realized by other types of hardware.

[0047] The heater 13 is also heated by the power supplied from the battery 11. For example, when a cigarette is inserted into the aerosol generation device 1, the heater 13 can be located outside the cigarette. Thus, the heated heater 13 can increase the temperature of the aerosol generating material in the cigarette.

[0048] The heater 13 may be an electric resistive heater. For example, the heater 13 may include an electric conductive track, and the heater 13 may be heated by passing an electric current through the electric conductive track. However, the heater 13 is not limited to the above example, and may be any heater that can be heated to a desired temperature. Here, the desired temperature may be a temperature that is preset in the aerosol generating device 1, or may be a temperature that is set by a user.

[0049] As another example, the heater 13 may be an induction heater. Specifically, the heater 13 may include an electrically conductive coil for inductively heating the cigarette, and the cigarette may include a susceptor that can be heated by the induction heater.

[0050] For example, the heater 13 may include a tube-type heating element, a plate-type heating element, a needle-type heating element, or a rod-type heating element, and depending on the form of the heating element, the inside or outside of the cigarette 2 can be heated.

[0051] Furthermore, a plurality of heaters 13 may be disposed in the aerosol generation device 1. In this case, the plurality of heaters 13 are disposed so as to be inserted inside the cigarette 2, and also disposed outside the cigarette 2. Furthermore, some of the plurality of heaters 13 are disposed so as to be inserted inside the cigarette 2, and the rest are disposed outside the cigarette 2. Furthermore, the shape of the heater 13 is not limited to the shapes illustrated in Figs. 1 to 3, and various shapes may be produced.

[0052] The vaporizer 14 can heat the liquid composition to generate an aerosol, which can be transmitted to the user through the cigarette 2. In other words, the aerosol generated by the vaporizer 14 can travel along an airflow passage of the aerosol generating device 1, which is also configured to allow the aerosol generated by the vaporizer 14 to be transmitted to the user through the cigarette 2.

[0053] For example, the vaporizer 14 may include, but is not limited to, a liquid storage unit, a liquid transfer means, and a heating element, and for example, the liquid storage unit, the liquid transfer means, and the heating element may be included in the aerosol generation device 1 as separate modules.

[0054] The liquid storage unit can store a liquid composition. For example, the liquid composition can be a liquid containing a tobacco-containing substance including a volatile tobacco flavor component, or a liquid containing a non-tobacco substance. The liquid storage unit can be made to be detachable from the vaporizer 14, or can be made to be integral with the vaporizer 14.

[0055] For example, the liquid composition may include water, solvent, ethanol, plant extracts, fragrances, flavorings, or vitamin mixtures. The fragrances may include, but are not limited to, menthol, peppermint, spearmint oil, various fruit fragrance components, and the like. The flavorings may include components that can provide a variety of flavors or tastes to the user. The vitamin mixture may include, but is not limited to, at least one of vitamin A, vitamin B, vitamin C, and vitamin E. The liquid composition may also include an aerosol forming agent, such as glycerin and propylene glycol.

[0056] The liquid transfer means can transfer the liquid composition of the liquid reservoir to the heating element, for example, but not limited to, a wick such as cotton fiber, ceramic fiber, glass fiber, or porous ceramic.

[0057] The heating element is an element for heating the liquid composition transferred by the liquid transfer means. For example, the heating element can be, but is not limited to, a metal hot wire, a metal hot plate, a ceramic heater, etc. The heating element can also be configured with a conductive filament such as a nichrome wire, and can be arranged in a structure wound around the liquid transfer means. The heating element is heated by the supply of electric current, and can transfer heat to the liquid composition in contact with the heating element, thereby heating the liquid composition. As a result, an aerosol is generated.

[0058] For example, the vaporizer 14 may also be referred to as, but is not limited to, a cartomizer or an atomizer.

[0059] Meanwhile, the aerosol generation device 1 may further include a general-purpose configuration in addition to the battery 11, the control unit 12, the heater 13, and the vaporizer 14. For example, the aerosol generation device 1 may include a display capable of outputting visual information, and / or a motor for outputting tactile information. The aerosol generation device 1 may also include at least one sensor. The aerosol generation device 1 may also be fabricated in a structure in which external air flows in and internal gas flows out even when the cigarette 2 is inserted.

[0060] Although not shown in Fig. 1 to Fig. 3, the aerosol generating device 1 can also configure a system together with a separate cradle. For example, the cradle can also be used to charge the battery 11 of the aerosol generating device 1. Alternatively, the heater 13 can heat the aerosol generating device 1 when the cradle and the aerosol generating device 1 are combined.

[0061] The cigarette 2 is similar to a typical combustion cigarette. For example, the cigarette 2 may be divided into a first portion including an aerosol-generating material and a second portion including a filter or the like. Alternatively, the second portion of the cigarette 2 may also include an aerosol-generating material. For example, the aerosol-generating material in the form of granules or capsules is inserted into the second portion as well.

[0062] The entire first part may be inserted into the aerosol generation 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 generation device 1, and the entire first part and a part of the second part may be inserted. A user may inhale aerosol while holding the second part in his / her mouth. In this case, the aerosol is generated by external air passing through the first part, and the generated aerosol is delivered to the user's mouth by passing through the second part.

[0063] As an example, the external air also flows in through at least one air passage formed in the aerosol generation device 1. For example, the opening and closing of the air passage formed in the aerosol generation device 1 and / or the size of the air passage may be adjusted by the user. This allows the user to adjust the amount of atomization, smoking sensation, etc. As another example, the external air also flows into the cigarette 2 through at least one hole formed on the surface of the cigarette 2.

[0064] An example of the cigarette 2 will now be described with reference to Figs.

[0065] 4 and 5 are drawings illustrating examples of cigarettes.

[0066] 4, the cigarette 2 includes a tobacco rod 21 and a filter rod 22. The first portion 21 described with reference to FIGS.

[0067] 4, the filter rod 22 is illustrated as a single segment, but is not limited thereto. In other words, the filter rod 22 may be composed of a plurality of segments. For example, the filter rod 22 may include a segment for cooling the aerosol and a segment for filtering a predetermined component contained in the aerosol. In addition, the filter rod 22 may further include at least one segment for performing another function, if necessary.

[0068] The cigarette 2 is also wrapped by at least one wrapper 24. The wrapper 24 may have at least one hole through which external air can flow in and internal gas can flow out. As an example, the cigarette 2 is also wrapped by one wrapper 24. As another example, the cigarette 2 is also wrapped by two or more wrappers 24 in a superimposed manner. For example, the tobacco rod 21 may be wrapped by a first wrapper 241, and the filter rod 22 may be wrapped by wrappers 242, 243, and 244. Then, the entire cigarette 2 may be further wrapped by a single wrapper 245. If the filter rod 22 is composed of a plurality of segments, each segment is also wrapped by the wrappers 242, 243, and 244.

[0069] The tobacco rod 21 includes an aerosol-generating material. For example, the aerosol-generating material may include at least one of glycerin, propylene glycol, ethylene glycol, dipropylene glycol, diethylene glycol, triethylene glycol, tetraethylene glycol, and oleyl alcohol, but is not limited thereto. The tobacco rod 21 may also include other additives, such as flavoring agents, humectants, and / or organic acids. A flavoring liquid, such as menthol or a humectant, may also be added to the tobacco rod 21 by being sprayed onto the tobacco rod 21.

[0070] The tobacco rod 21 can be manufactured in various ways. For example, the tobacco rod 21 can be manufactured in a sheet or a strand. The tobacco rod 21 can also be manufactured in a cut tobacco obtained by cutting a tobacco sheet into small pieces. The tobacco rod 21 can also be wrapped with a thermally conductive material. For example, the thermally conductive material can be a metal foil such as aluminum foil, but is not limited thereto. As an example, the thermally conductive material surrounding the tobacco rod 21 can evenly distribute the heat transferred to the tobacco rod 21 and improve the thermal conductivity applied to the tobacco rod, thereby improving the tobacco taste. The thermally conductive material surrounding the tobacco rod 21 can also function as a susceptor heated by an induction heater. In this case, although not shown in the drawings, the tobacco rod 21 may further include an additional susceptor in addition to the thermally conductive material surrounding the outside.

[0071] The filter rod 22 is also a cellulose acetate filter. Meanwhile, the shape of the filter rod 22 is not limited. For example, the filter rod 22 may be a cylindrical rod or a tube-type rod having a hollow inside. The filter rod 22 may also be a recessed rod. If the filter rod 22 is composed of multiple segments, at least one of the multiple segments may be made to have a different shape.

[0072] The filter rod 22 may also include at least one capsule 23. Here, the capsule 23 may perform the function of generating flavor or the function of generating aerosol. For example, the capsule 23 may be a structure in which a liquid containing a flavoring agent is covered with a coating. The capsule 23 may have a spherical or cylindrical shape, but is not limited thereto.

[0073] 5, the cigarette 3 may further include a front end plug 33. The front end plug 33 may be located on one side of the tobacco rod 31 opposite the filter rod 32. The front end plug 33 may prevent the tobacco rod 31 from falling out to the outside, and may prevent aerosol liquefied from the tobacco rod 31 during smoking from flowing out into the aerosol generating device 1 (FIGS. 1 to 3).

[0074] Filter rod 32 may include a first segment 321 and a second segment 322, where first segment 321 also corresponds to the first segment of filter rod 22 of FIG.

[0075] The diameter and overall length of cigarette 3 also correspond to the diameter and overall length of cigarette 2 of FIG.

[0076] The cigarette 3 is also wrapped by at least one trumpet 35. The trumpet 35 may have at least one hole through which external air can flow in and internal gas can flow out. For example, the front end plug 33 may be wrapped by a first trumpet 351, the tobacco rod 31 may be wrapped by a second trumpet 352, the first segment 321 may be wrapped by a third trumpet 353, and the second segment 322 may be wrapped by a fourth trumpet 354. Then, the entire cigarette 3 may be further wrapped by a fifth trumpet 355.

[0077] Also, at least one perforation 36 may be formed in the fifth wrapper 355. For example, but not limited to, the perforation 36 may be formed in the region surrounding the tobacco rod 31. The perforation 36 may serve to transfer heat generated by the heater 130 shown in Figures 2 and 3 to the inside of the tobacco rod 31.

[0078] The second segment 322 may also include at least one capsule 34. Here, the capsule 34 may perform a function of generating a flavor or a function of generating an aerosol. For example, the capsule 34 may be a structure in which a liquid containing a flavoring agent is surrounded by a coating. The capsule 34 may have a spherical or cylindrical shape, but is not limited thereto.

[0079] FIG. 6 is a schematic block diagram of an example of an aerosol generating device according to the present invention.

[0080] 6, it can be seen that the aerosol generating device according to the present invention includes a battery 120, a control unit 110, a heater 130, a pulse width modulation processing unit 140, a display unit 150, a motor 160, and a storage device 170. For convenience of explanation, the general functions of each component included in the aerosol generating device will be primarily described below, and the operation of the control unit 110 according to the present embodiment will be secondarily described in detail.

[0081] The battery 120 supplies power to the heater 130, and the magnitude of the power supplied to the heater 130 is also adjusted by a control signal generated by the control unit 110. According to an embodiment, a regulator for maintaining a constant voltage of the battery may be included between the battery 120 and the control unit 110.

[0082] The control unit 110 collectively controls the battery 120, heater 130, pulse width modulation processing unit 140, display unit 150, motor 160, and storage device 170 included in the aerosol generating device 1 through a method of generating and transmitting a control signal. Although not shown in FIG. 6, according to an embodiment, the control unit 110 may further include an input receiving unit (not shown) that receives a button input or a touch input from a user, and a communication unit (not shown) that can communicate with an external communication device such as a user terminal. In addition, although not shown in FIG. 6, the control unit 110 may further include an additional module for performing proportional integral derivative control (PID) on the heater 130.

[0083] When a current is applied to the heater 130, the heater 130 generates heat due to its inherent resistance, and when an aerosol-generating substrate is brought into contact (coupled) with the heated heater 130, an aerosol can be generated.

[0084] The pulse width modulation processor 140 causes the controller 110 to control the power supplied to the heater 130 through a method of transmitting a pulse width modulation (PWM) signal to the heater 130. According to an embodiment, the pulse width modulation processor 140 may be implemented as a part of the controller 110, and the PWM signal output from the pulse width modulation processor 140 may be a digital pulse width modulation signal.

[0085] The display unit 150 visually outputs various alarm messages generated in the aerosol generation apparatus 1, allowing a user who uses the aerosol generation apparatus 1 to check them. The user can check a battery power shortage message, a susceptor overheat warning message, and the like outputted on the display unit 150, and can stop the operation of the aerosol generation apparatus 1 or take appropriate measures before the aerosol generation apparatus 1 is damaged.

[0086] The motor 160 is driven by the control unit 110, allowing the user to recognize through tactile sensation the fact that the aerosol generation device 1 is ready for use.

[0087] The storage device 170 stores various information for the control unit 110 to appropriately control the power supplied to the heater 130 and provide a consistent flavor to a user who uses the aerosol generating device 1. The storage device 170 is not only configured with a non-volatile memory such as a flash memory, but also with a volatile memory that stores data only when powered on in order to ensure a faster data input / output (I / O) speed. Hereinafter, the storage device 170 may be referred to as the storage unit 170 in one embodiment.

[0088] The operation of the control unit 110 according to an embodiment will be described in detail below.

[0089] In one embodiment of the present invention, the storage unit 170 stores information related to a first time and a second time, and the control unit 110 may change the temperature of the heater 130 to the second target temperature and maintain it for the second time after the first time has elapsed since the temperature of the heater 130 reaches the first target temperature.

[0090] Here, the first time and the second time stored in the storage unit 170 are information referenced by the control unit 110 in controlling the heater temperature, and refer to a specific range of time. As an example, the first time is 210 seconds, and the second time is 60 seconds. In the present invention, the units of the first time and the second time are not limited to a specific unit, and according to an embodiment, the storage unit 170 may store times measured in units other than hours, minutes, and seconds as the first time and the second time.

[0091] The control unit 110 supplies power from the battery 120 to the heater 130, causing the temperature of the heater 130 to reach the first target temperature. The process of the heater 130 reaching the first target temperature may be understood to be the same as a pre-heating process of a heater that is generally known in electronic cigarettes. As an example, the control unit 110 pre-heats the heater 130 for 20 seconds to increase the temperature to 330° C., which is the first target temperature. Here, 20 seconds and 330° C. are merely exemplary values, and it is obvious that other time lengths and temperature values ​​may be used according to an embodiment.

[0092] The control unit 110 checks whether a first time has elapsed since the temperature of the heater 130 reaches the first target temperature. Here, the first time is information stored in the storage unit 170, as described above, and the control unit 110 may include a timer (not shown) for checking the elapse of the first time.

[0093] When the first time has elapsed since the temperature of the heater 130 reached the first target temperature, the control unit 110 changes the temperature of the heater 130 to the second target temperature and maintains the temperature for the second time. Here, the second target temperature means a temperature when the temperature of the heater 130 is further changed and maintained for the second time after the first time has elapsed since the temperature of the heater 130 reached the first target temperature. Thus, the second target temperature does not mean a temperature when the temperature of the heater 130 continues to change over time since the temperature of the heater 130 reaches the first target temperature and is changed to the second target temperature, but is defined as the temperature of the heater 130 at a point when the control unit 110 starts counting the elapse of the second time in a state where the change in the temperature of the heater 130 is stopped and the temperature is fixed. Here, the first target temperature and the second target temperature are information stored in advance in the control unit 110 or the storage unit 170.

[0094] The sum of the durations of the first and second times stored in the storage unit 170 is within a preset range. For example, if the first time is 200 seconds and the second time is 60 seconds, the sum of the durations of the first and second times stored in the storage unit 170 is 260 seconds. In the above example, the control unit 110 maintains the temperature of the heater 130 for a total of 260 seconds, and more specifically, controls the temperature of the heater 130 to be maintained at the first target temperature for 200 seconds and then at the second target temperature for 60 seconds, thereby providing a high smoking satisfaction to the user. According to an embodiment, the storage unit 170 may additionally store a third time in addition to the first and second times, and the third time is also defined as the time required for the temperature of the heater 130 to change from the first target temperature to the second target temperature. According to this embodiment, the sum of the first to third times is also within a preset range.

[0095] As another alternative embodiment, the sum of the first time and the second time is more than 4 minutes and less than 5 minutes. According to the present invention, it has been found from the results of several experiments that the most stable and satisfying smoking experience is provided when the sum of the first time and the second time is more than 4 minutes and less than 5 minutes. Therefore, the control unit 110 can adjust the physical properties of the aerosol generated from the aerosol generating device to suit the user's preference by appropriately controlling the temperature of the heater 130 so that the sum of the first time and the second time is more than 4 minutes and less than 5 minutes.

[0096] As yet another alternative embodiment, the first period of time is set to be longer than the second period of time, as described above, by setting the second period of time to be shorter than the first period of time, a properly processed aerosol can be provided to the user.

[0097] As an opposite example to the above example, the length of the second time period may be longer than the length of the first time period, or the length of the second time period may be the same as the length of the first time period. By adjusting the lengths of the first time period and the second time period, a nicotine transfer amount and a glycerin transfer amount exceeding a certain value may be ensured in a specific puff number section.

[0098] As an alternative embodiment different from the above example, the ratio of the length of the first time to the length of the second time may be a fixed value. For example, if the length of the first time is 200 seconds and the length of the second time is 50 seconds, the ratio of the length of the first time to the length of the second time is 4, and the control unit 110 may fix such a ratio and induce the remaining time length that has not been adjusted to be adjusted if any one of the first time or the second time is adjusted.

[0099] As an alternative embodiment different from the above example, the first target temperature may be lower than the second target temperature. For example, the first target temperature may be 315°C or more and 325°C or less, and the second target temperature may be 325°C or more and 335°C or less. In the above case, the temperature of the heater 130 is preheated to reach the first target temperature, maintained for a first time, and then changed to the second target temperature and maintained for a second time. Hereinafter, for convenience of explanation, the method in which the second target temperature is higher than the first target temperature is referred to as a sustained rise control method.

[0100] As an alternative embodiment different from the above example, the first target temperature may be higher than the second target temperature. For example, the first target temperature may be 325°C or more and 335°C or less, and the second target temperature may be 310°C or more and 320°C or less. In the above case, the temperature of the heater 130 is preheated, reaches the first target temperature, is maintained at the first target temperature for a first time, is lowered to the second target temperature, and is maintained at the first target temperature for a second time. Hereinafter, for convenience of explanation, the method in which the second target temperature is lower than the first target temperature is referred to as a sustained drop control method.

[0101] FIG. 7 is a graph showing the amount of nicotine transferred when controlling the heater temperature according to the present invention.

[0102] Referring to FIG. 7, it can be seen that the amount of nicotine transferred increases as the user increases the number of puffs up to a certain number of puffs, and then gradually decreases.

[0103] First, the control group A 710 refers to a heater temperature control method of a conventional aerosol generating device. Referring to FIG. 7, in the case of the control group A 710, when the number of puffs is 7 to 9, the amount of nicotine transferred approaches the highest level of 0.15 mg, and then gradually decreases. The control group A 710 is a method in which the total heating time of the heater is set to 6 minutes according to a heater temperature control method of a conventionally known aerosol generating device, and when the number of puffs by the user reaches 12, the power supply to the heater 130 is stopped.

[0104] Next, referring to FIG. 7, in the case of the sustained increase control method 720 or the sustained decrease control method 730, when the number of puffs is 4 to 6, the amount of nicotine transferred approaches the highest point, and then gradually decreases.

[0105] In particular, when comparing the control group A 710 with the sustained rise control method 720 or the sustained fall control method 730, it can be seen that the nicotine transfer amount from the second to the sixth or seventh puff, which corresponds to the initial puff, when the heater temperature is controlled by the sustained rise control method 720 or the sustained fall control method 730 is higher than the nicotine transfer amount when the heater temperature is controlled by the control group A 710. In general, it is known that the amount of nicotine transfer is directly related to the smoking stimulation, and a high amount of nicotine transfer quickly relieves the desire to smoke, so the control method according to the present invention allows the user to quickly satisfy the desire to smoke even with just a few puffs.

[0106] FIG. 8 is a graph showing the amount of glycerin transferred when the heater temperature is controlled according to the present invention.

[0107] Referring to FIG. 8, it can be seen that the amount of glycerin transferred, like the amount of nicotine transferred, increases as the user inhales smoke from the aerosol generating device and increases the number of puffs, up to a certain number of puffs, and then gradually decreases.

[0108] First, the control group A 710 refers to a heater temperature control method of a conventional aerosol generating device. Referring to FIG. 8, in the case of the control group A 810, when the number of puffs is 8 to 10, the amount of nicotine transferred approaches the highest level of 0.40 mg, and then gradually decreases. The control group A 710 is a method in which the total heating time of the heater is set to 6 minutes according to a heater temperature control method of a conventionally known aerosol generating device, and when the number of puffs by the user reaches 12, the power supply to the heater 130 is stopped.

[0109] Next, referring to FIG. 8, in the case of the sustained increase control method 820 or the sustained decrease control method 830, when the number of puffs is 4 to 6, the amount of glycerin transferred reaches a maximum point, and then gradually decreases.

[0110] In particular, when comparing the control group A 810 with the sustained rise control method 820 or the sustained fall control method 830, it can be seen that the amount of glycerin transferred from the second to the seventh puff, which corresponds to the initial puff, when the heater temperature is controlled by the sustained rise control method 820 or the sustained fall control method 830 is greater than the amount of glycerin transferred when the heater temperature is controlled by the control group A 810. In general, it is known that the amount of glycerin transferred is related to the feeling of smoke volume, and according to the control method of the present invention, the user can experience a rich feeling of smoke volume.

[0111] 7 and 8, when the heater temperature of the aerosol generating device is controlled by the sustained rise control method or the sustained fall control method, the user can obtain a high nicotine transfer amount and a high glycerin transfer amount in the initial puff (2 to 7 puffs) section, and can obtain a high smoking stimulation and a rich smoke volume. In other words, if the smoking stimulation and the smoke volume are collectively referred to as smoking satisfaction, the heater temperature controlled by the method according to the present invention can provide the user with a high smoking satisfaction compared to the conventionally known method. Also, referring to FIG. 7 and FIG. 8, it can be seen that the sustained rise control method calculates a better nicotine transfer amount and glycerin transfer amount than the sustained fall control method.

[0112] According to the present invention, a high smoking satisfaction can be provided to a user through a temperature control method that can increase the amount of nicotine and glycerin transferred without the need to consider the individual number of times of smoking of the user. In particular, the present invention does not simply realize a high smoking satisfaction by limiting the heating time to a certain time range, but by combining a pattern of temperature maintenance, temperature change, and temperature maintenance with a method of appropriately adjusting the maintenance time, a high smoking stimulation feeling and a high smoke volume feeling can be provided to a user who uses an aerosol generating device in an early stage.

[0113] FIG. 9 is a flowchart illustrating an example of a method for controlling the heater temperature of the aerosol generating device according to the present invention.

[0114] The method according to FIG. 9 can be implemented by the aerosol generating apparatus according to FIG. 6, and therefore will be described below with reference to FIG. 6. However, descriptions that overlap with those described with reference to FIG. 6 will be omitted.

[0115] First, the control unit 110 heats the heater 130 to reach the first target temperature (S910).

[0116] Next, the control unit 110 determines whether a first time has elapsed since the first target temperature was reached (S930).

[0117] The control unit 110 changes the temperature of the heater 130 from the first target temperature to the second target temperature (S950).

[0118] The control unit 110 maintains the second target temperature by changing the temperature of the heater 130 for a second time having a specific ratio to the first time (S970). Here, the combination of the first time and the second time having a specific ratio thereto has already been described through various embodiments. As an example, the sum of the first time and the second time is also a time within a preset range.

[0119] The above-described embodiments of the present invention may also be embodied in the form of a computer program that can be executed by various components on a computer, and such a computer program may also be recorded on a computer-readable medium, which may include magnetic media such as hard disks, floppy disks, and magnetic tapes; optical recording media such as compact disc read only memories (CD-ROMs) and digital versatile discs (DVDs); magneto-optical media such as floptical disks; and hardware devices specially configured to store and execute program instructions, such as read only memory (ROM), random access memory (RAM), and flash memory.

[0120] The computer programs may be those specially designed and constructed for the present invention, or those well known and available to those skilled in the art of computer software. Examples of computer programs include not only machine code, such as that produced by a compiler, but also high-level language code that can be executed by a computer using an interpreter or the like.

[0121] The specific implementation described in the present invention is an embodiment and is not intended to limit the scope of the present invention in any manner. For the sake of brevity, descriptions of conventional electronic configurations, control systems, software, and other functional aspects of the system are omitted. In addition, the line connections or connecting members between components shown in the drawings are illustrative of functional connections and / or physical or circuit connections, and may be shown as various functional connections, physical connections, or circuit connections that can be substituted or added in an actual device. In addition, unless specifically mentioned as "essential" or "important", a component is not necessarily required for application of the present invention.

[0122] In the present specification (particularly the claims), the use of the term " " and similar indicators applies to both the singular and the plural. In addition, when a range is described in the present invention, it includes the invention to which each individual value belonging to the range is applied, and each individual value constituting the range is described in the detailed description of the invention (unless otherwise specified). Finally, for the steps constituting the method of the present invention, unless the order is clearly described or the contrary is not specified, the steps may be performed in any suitable order. The order of the steps is not necessarily intended to limit the present invention. In the present invention, the use of all examples or exemplary terms (e.g., "etc.") is merely for the purpose of explaining the present invention in detail, and the scope of the present invention is not limited by the above examples or exemplary terms, since it is not limited by the claims. In addition, those skilled in the art will understand that various modifications, combinations and changes can be made within the scope of the claims or their equivalents, depending on design conditions and factors. [Industrial Applicability]

[0123] An embodiment of the present invention can be used to create a next generation electronic cigarette with multi-stage heater temperature control.

Claims

1. a heater for heating the aerosol-generating substrate to generate an aerosol; a storage unit for storing information related to a first time, a second time, and a third time for controlling a temperature of the heater; A control unit that controls the power supplied to the heater, The control unit is When the temperature of the heater reaches a first target temperature and the first time has elapsed, the temperature of the heater is changed to a second target temperature for the third time and then maintained for the second time; An aerosol generating device, wherein the sum of the first time, the second time, and the third time is within a preset range of time, and the length of the first time is longer than the length of the second time.

2. The aerosol generating device according to claim 1 , wherein the first target temperature is higher than the second target temperature.

3. The aerosol generating device according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the sum of the first time period and the second time period is more than 4 minutes and less than 5 minutes.

4. 3. The aerosol generating device according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the sum of the first time period and the second time period is more than 3 minutes and less than 4 minutes.

5. The aerosol generating device according to claim 1 , wherein the ratio of the length of the first time to the length of the second time is a constant value.

6. The aerosol generating device according to claim 1 , wherein the heater is an induction heater including an electrically conductive coil.

7. The aerosol generating device according to claim 1 , wherein the control unit preheats the heater so that the temperature of the heater reaches the first target temperature.

8. The aerosol generating device according to any one of claims 1 to 7, wherein the control unit controls the temperature of the heater so that the amount of nicotine transfer increases in a first section and decreases in a second section following the first section.

9. The aerosol generating device according to any one of claims 1 to 8, wherein the control unit controls the temperature of the heater so that the amount of glycerin transfer increases in a first section and decreases in a second section following the first section.

10. An aerosol generating device described in any one of claims 1 to 9, wherein the first target temperature is not less than 325°C and not more than 335°C, and the second target temperature is not less than 310°C and not more than 320°C.

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