Aerosol generating device providing a customized smoking experience and aerosol generating article applied thereto

Abstract

An aerosol generating device and an aerosol-generating article applicable thereto that provide a customized smoking experience are provided. The aerosol generating device according to some embodiments of the present disclosure may include a housing that forms a storage space for storing an aerosol-generating article, and a heater unit that heats the aerosol-generating article stored in the storage space to generate an aerosol. In this case, the aerosol-generating article may include an aerosol-forming substrate unit and an additive storage unit that stores an additive, and the heater unit may include a user-controlled heater that heats the additive storage unit. The user-controlled heater can heat the additive storage unit based on user input, thereby providing a customized smoking experience tailored to the user's preferences.

Description

[Technical field]

[0001] The present disclosure relates to an aerosol generating device that provides a customized smoking experience and an aerosol generating article that is applied thereto. More specifically, the present disclosure relates to an aerosol generating device that can provide a customized smoking experience according to user preferences through various adjustment functions such as flavor adjustment and atomization amount adjustment, and an aerosol generating article that is designed to be applied to the device. [Background technology]

[0002] In recent years, there has been an increasing demand for alternative products that overcome the shortcomings of traditional cigarettes. For example, there has been an increasing demand for devices that generate aerosols by electrically heating cigarettes and heated cigarettes that are applied to the devices. As a result, research on heated aerosol generating devices and heated cigarettes has been actively conducted.

[0003] In recent years, as user preferences become more diverse, research into providing a customized smoking experience has been actively conducted. One of the products of such research is a crushable flavor capsule that is inserted into a filter. The crushable flavor capsule contains a flavor liquid inside, and can provide a general flavor to the user or an enhanced flavor depending on whether it is crushed or not.

[0004] However, the flavor capsule method has the disadvantages that the flavor liquid is rapidly released when crushed and the flavor release decreases toward the latter half of the smoking process, and it does not provide a function for precisely adjusting flavor intensity. Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0005] The technical problem to be solved through some embodiments of the present disclosure is to provide an aerosol generating device that can provide a customized smoking experience according to user preferences.

[0006] Another technical problem to be solved through some embodiments of the present disclosure is to provide an aerosol generating article that can be applied to the above-mentioned aerosol generating device to provide a customized smoking experience.

[0007] Yet another technical problem to be solved through some embodiments of the present disclosure is to provide an aerosol generating device and an aerosol generating article applicable thereto that can provide a precise adjustment function according to user preferences.

[0008] The technical problems of the present disclosure are not limited to the technical problems mentioned above, and other technical problems not mentioned can be clearly understood by a person of ordinary skill in the art of the present disclosure from the following description. [Means for solving the problem]

[0009] In order to solve the above technical problems, an aerosol generating device according to some embodiments of the present disclosure includes a housing that forms a storage space in which an aerosol-generating article is accommodated, and a heater section that heats the aerosol-generating article accommodated in the storage space to generate an aerosol, wherein the aerosol-generating article includes an aerosol-forming substrate section and an additive storage section in which an additive is accommodated, and the heater section may include a heater that heats the aerosol-forming substrate section, and a user-controlled heater that heats the additive storage section and is adjusted based on user input.

[0010] In some embodiments, the user input can be received through buttons formed on an exterior surface of the housing.

[0011] In some embodiments, the additive may be a flavoring agent.

[0012] In some embodiments, the flavoring agent may be a flavor sheet manufactured in a sheet form.

[0013] In some embodiments, the additive may be a humectant.

[0014] In some embodiments, the additive housing may include a first housing and a second housing, and the user-controlled heater may include a first heater configured to heat the first housing and a second heater configured to heat the second housing.

[0015] In some embodiments, the heating intensity of the user-controlled heater can be adjusted based on input from the user.

[0016] In some embodiments, the user controlled heater is externally heated, the additive is a flavoring, and a wrapper around the additive housing may also contain the flavoring.

[0017] In some embodiments, the user-controlled heater is externally heated, the additive is a flavoring, and the flavoring may also be added to a wrapper of an adjacent segment of the additive housing. Effect of the Invention

[0018] According to some embodiments of the present disclosure described above, an aerosol generating device can be provided that includes an aerosol-generating article including an additive-containing portion and a user-controlled heater. The user-controlled heater can provide a customized smoking experience to a user by heating the additive-containing portion based on user input. For example, if the additive is a flavoring agent, a customized smoking experience can be provided through flavor adjustment, and if the additive is a humectant, a customized smoking experience can be provided through atomization adjustment.

[0019] Also, the heating intensity of the user-controlled heater can be adjusted based on user input, providing more precise control, for example, if the additive is a flavoring, providing more precise flavor control.

[0020] Also, a flavor sheet manufactured in a sheet form may be used as a flavoring agent. The flavor sheet gradually releases the flavor fixed inside when heated, thereby ensuring superior flavor persistence compared to flavor capsules.

[0021] The effects of the technical ideas of the present disclosure are not limited to the effects mentioned above, and other effects not mentioned can be clearly understood by those skilled in the art from the following description. [Brief description of the drawings]

[0022] [Figure 1] 1A to 1C are schematic illustrative diagrams of aerosol generating devices according to various embodiments of the present disclosure. [Diagram 2] 1 is a schematic illustration of an aerosol generating device according to various embodiments of the present disclosure; FIG. [Diagram 3] 1 is a schematic illustration of an aerosol generating device according to various embodiments of the present disclosure; FIG. [Figure 4] FIG. 2 is an illustrative diagram for explaining the operating principle of a heater part of a detailed structure of the aerosol-generating article according to the first embodiment of the present disclosure. [Diagram 5] FIG. 2 is an illustrative diagram for explaining the operating principle of a heater part of a detailed structure of the aerosol-generating article according to the first embodiment of the present disclosure. [Figure 6] 11 is an illustrative diagram for explaining the operating principle of a heater part of a detailed structure of an aerosol-generating article according to a second embodiment of the present disclosure. FIG. [Figure 7] 13 is an illustrative diagram for explaining the operating principle of a heater part of a detailed structure of an aerosol-generating article according to a third embodiment of the present disclosure. FIG. [Figure 8] 13 is an illustrative diagram for explaining the operating principle of a heater part of a detailed structure of an aerosol-generating article according to a fourth embodiment of the present disclosure. FIG. [Figure 9] 1A to 1C are illustrative diagrams for explaining various methods of inserting flavor sheets according to some embodiments of the present disclosure. [Figure 10] 1A to 1C are illustrative diagrams for explaining various processing forms of flavor sheets according to some embodiments of the present disclosure. [Figure 11] 1A to 1C are illustrative diagrams for explaining various processing forms of flavor sheets according to some embodiments of the present disclosure. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

[0023] Hereinafter, preferred embodiments of the present disclosure will be described in detail with reference to the accompanying drawings. The advantages and features of the present disclosure, as well as the methods for achieving them, will become clear with reference to the following embodiments described in detail with the accompanying drawings. However, the technical idea of ​​the present disclosure is not limited to the following embodiments, and may be embodied in various different forms. The following embodiments are merely provided to complete the technical idea of ​​the present disclosure and to fully inform those skilled in the art of the present disclosure of the scope of the present disclosure, and the technical idea of ​​the present disclosure is only defined by the scope of the claims.

[0024] When adding reference symbols to components in each drawing, it should be noted that the same symbols are used for the same components even if they are displayed in different drawings. In addition, when describing the present disclosure, if it is determined that a detailed description of related known configurations or functions may obscure the gist of the present disclosure, the detailed description will be omitted.

[0025] Unless otherwise defined, all terms (including technical and scientific terms) used herein may be used in a manner commonly understood by those having ordinary skill in the art to which the present invention belongs. In addition, terms defined in commonly used dictionaries are not interpreted ideally or excessively unless otherwise clearly defined. The terms used herein are intended to describe the embodiments and are not intended to limit the present disclosure. In this specification, the singular form includes the plural form unless otherwise specified in the text.

[0026] In addition, when describing components of the present disclosure, terms such as first, second, A, B, (a), (b), etc. may be used. Such terms are merely used to distinguish the components from other components, and do not limit the essence, procedure, or order of the components. When a component is described as being "coupled," "coupled," or "connected" to another component, it should be understood that the component may be directly coupled or connected to the other component, but that other components may also be "coupled," "coupled," or "connected" between each component.

[0027] As used in this disclosure, "comprises" and / or "comprising" means that a referenced component, step, operation and / or element does not exclude the presence or addition of one or more other components, steps, operations and / or elements.

[0028] First, we clarify some terminology used in the various embodiments of this disclosure.

[0029] In the following embodiments, "aerosol-forming substrate" may refer to a substance capable of forming an aerosol. The aerosol may include a volatile compound. The aerosol-forming substrate may be solid or liquid.

[0030] For example, the solid aerosol-forming substrate may include solid substances based on tobacco raw materials, such as flat tobacco, shredded tobacco, reconstituted tobacco, etc., and the liquid aerosol-forming substrate may include liquid compositions based on nicotine, tobacco extracts, and / or various flavoring agents. However, the scope of the present disclosure is not limited to the examples listed above.

[0031] In the following embodiments, the term "aerosol generating device" may refer to a device that generates an aerosol using an aerosol-forming substrate to generate an aerosol that can be directly inhaled into the lungs of a user through the mouth of the user. For some examples of aerosol generating devices, see Figures 1 to 3.

[0032] In the following embodiments, "aerosol-generating article" may refer to an article capable of generating an aerosol. The aerosol-generating article may include an aerosol-forming substrate. A representative example of an aerosol-generating article is a cigarette, but the scope of the present disclosure is not limited thereto.

[0033] In the following embodiments, "upstream" or "upstream direction" may mean a direction away from the mouth of a user, and "downstream" or "downstream direction" may mean a direction toward the mouth of a user. The terms upstream and downstream may be used to describe the relative positions of elements constituting an aerosol-generating article. For example, in the aerosol-generating article 150-1 illustrated in FIG. 4, the filter portion 152 is located downstream or in the downstream direction of the aerosol-forming substrate portion 151, and the aerosol-forming substrate portion 151 is located upstream or in the upstream direction of the filter portion 152.

[0034] In the following embodiments, "longitudinal direction" may mean the direction corresponding to the longitudinal axis of the aerosol-generating article.

[0035] In the following embodiments, "puff" refers to a user's inhalation, which may refer to drawing in through the user's mouth or nose into the user's oral cavity, nasal cavity, or lungs.

[0036] In the following embodiments, a "sheet" may refer to a thin element having a width and length substantially greater than its thickness. In the art, the term sheet may be used interchangeably with terms such as web and film.

[0037] In the following embodiments, "flavor sheet" or "flavoring sheet" may refer to a substance (ingredient) containing a flavoring agent or fragrance and manufactured in sheet form.

[0038] Various embodiments of the present disclosure will now be described in detail with reference to the accompanying drawings.

[0039] First, aerosol generating devices 100-1 to 100-3 according to various embodiments of the present disclosure will be described with reference to FIGS.

[0040] 1 is a schematic diagram of an exemplary aerosol generating device 100-1 according to some embodiments of the present disclosure, in particular, an aerosol-generating article 150 is housed within the device 100-1.

[0041] As shown in Fig. 1, the aerosol generating device 100-1 may include a housing, a heater unit 140, a battery 130, and a control unit 120. However, this is merely a preferred embodiment for achieving the object of the present disclosure, and it goes without saying that some components may be added or omitted as necessary. Also, each component of the aerosol generating device 100-1 shown in Fig. 1 indicates a functional element that is functionally divided, and a plurality of components may be embodied in a form integrated with each other in an actual physical environment, or a single component may be embodied in a form separated into a plurality of detailed functional elements. Each component of the aerosol generating device 100-1 will now be described.

[0042] The housing can form the exterior appearance of the aerosol generating device 100-1, and can also form a storage space for storing the aerosol-generating article 150. The housing is preferably made of a sturdy material so as to protect the internal components.

[0043] In some embodiments, a user interface module may be formed on an outer surface of the housing. The aerosol generating device 100-1 may provide a customized smoking experience by adjusting the heater unit 140 based on a user input received through the user interface module. The user interface module may be embodied in various forms, such as a button, a touchable display, and the like. This embodiment will be described in more detail below with reference to FIG. 4 and subsequent drawings.

[0044] Next, the heater unit 140 may be arranged to heat the aerosol-generating article 150 accommodated in the accommodation space. The aerosol-generating article 150 includes a solid aerosol-forming substrate, and can generate an aerosol by being heated. The generated aerosol can be inhaled through the mouth of a user. The operation, heating temperature, etc. of the heater unit 140 can be controlled by the control unit 120.

[0045] In some embodiments, the heater section 140 may include a user-controlled heater (hereinafter referred to as a "controlled heater") that is adjustable based on a user input. For example, the heater section 140 may include a basic heater that heats the aerosol-generating article 150 according to a preset temperature profile and a controlled heater. A user can be provided with a customized smoking experience by directly controlling the controlled heater. This embodiment will be described in more detail below with reference to FIG. 4 and subsequent drawings.

[0046] Next, the battery 130 can supply power used to operate the aerosol generating device 100-1. For example, the battery 130 can supply power to enable the heater unit 140 to heat the aerosol-forming substrate included in the aerosol-generating article 150, and can supply power necessary for the control unit 120 to operate.

[0047] In addition, the battery 130 can supply the power necessary to operate electrical components installed in the aerosol generating device 100-1, such as a display (not shown), a sensor (not shown), and a motor (not shown).

[0048] Next, the control unit 120 can generally control the operation of the aerosol generating device 100-1. For example, the control unit 120 can control the operation of the heater unit 140 and the battery 130, and can also control the operation of other components included in the aerosol generating device 100-1. The control unit 120 can control the power supplied by the battery 130, the heating temperature of the heater unit 140, etc. The control unit 120 can also check the state of each component of the aerosol generating device 100-1 to determine whether the aerosol generating device 100-1 is in an operable state.

[0049] The control unit 120 may be realized by 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. In addition, a person having ordinary skill in the art to which the present disclosure pertains can obviously understand that the control unit 120 may be realized by other types of hardware.

[0050] Meanwhile, in various embodiments of the present disclosure, a customized smoking experience can be provided through an additive receiving section of the aerosol-generating article 150 and a controllable heater for heating the additive receiving section. In this case, the additive received in the additive receiving section is a substance capable of changing the smoking experience and capable of changing the degree of expression by heating, and examples thereof include, but are not limited to, flavoring agents, moisturizing agents, sound generating agents, etc. This embodiment will be described in more detail below with reference to FIG. 4 and subsequent drawings.

[0051] Hereinafter, other types of aerosol generating devices 100-2 and 100-3 will be briefly described with reference to FIGS.

[0052] Fig. 2 illustrates an aerosol generating device 100-2 in which a vaporizer 1 and an aerosol generating article 150 are arranged in parallel, and Fig. 3 illustrates an aerosol generating device 100-3 in which a vaporizer 1 and an aerosol generating article 150 are arranged in series. However, the internal structure of the aerosol generating device is not limited to that illustrated in Fig. 2 and Fig. 3, and the arrangement of the components can be changed depending on the design method.

[0053] 2 and 3, the vaporizer 1 may include a liquid storage tank for storing a liquid aerosol-forming substrate, a wick for absorbing the aerosol-forming substrate, and a vaporization element for vaporizing the absorbed aerosol-forming substrate to generate an aerosol. The vaporization element may be embodied in various forms such as a heating element, a vibration element, etc. In some embodiments, the vaporizer 1 may be designed to have a structure that does not include a wick.

[0054] The aerosol generated by the vaporizer 1 can be inhaled through the mouth of a user after passing through the aerosol-generating article 150. The vaporization element of the vaporizer 1 can also be controlled by the control unit 120.

[0055] The aerosol generating devices 100-1 to 100-3 according to various embodiments of the present disclosure have been briefly described above with reference to Figures 1 to 3. Hereinafter, the operation principle of the aerosol generating article 150 and the heater unit 140 that can provide a customized smoking experience will be described in detail with reference to Figure 4 and subsequent drawings.

[0056] First, an aerosol-generating article 150-1 and a heater section 140 according to a first embodiment of the present disclosure will be described with reference to FIGS.

[0057] 4 and 5 are exemplary diagrams illustrating the detailed structure of the aerosol-generating article 150-1 according to the first embodiment of the present disclosure and the operating principle of the heater section 140. FIG.

[0058] As shown in Fig. 4 and Fig. 5, the aerosol-generating article 150-1 according to the present embodiment may include an aerosol-forming substrate portion 151, a filter portion 152, and an additive receiving portion 153. However, Fig. 4 and Fig. 5 only show components related to the embodiment of the present disclosure. Therefore, a person skilled in the art to which the present disclosure pertains will understand that the aerosol-generating article may further include other general components in addition to the components shown. Also, Fig. 4 and Fig. 5 only show examples of some of the aerosol-generating articles according to various embodiments of the present disclosure, and the detailed structure of the aerosol-generating article may be different from that shown. Each component of the aerosol-generating article 150-1 will be described below.

[0059] The aerosol-forming substrate unit 151 is located upstream of the filter unit 152 and can perform a function of forming an aerosol A. Specifically, the aerosol-forming substrate unit 151 may include an aerosol-forming substrate, and can form an aerosol through the aerosol-forming substrate. The aerosol-forming substrate unit 151 can form an aerosol by being heated by the heater unit 140. The formed aerosol can be delivered to the mouth of a user through the filter unit 152 by a puff. The aerosol-forming substrate unit 151 may further include a wrapper that wraps the aerosol-forming substrate.

[0060] The aerosol-forming substrate portion 151 is manufactured in the form of a rod, and is therefore also referred to as an "aerosol-forming rod 151" or a "tobacco rod 151" depending on the circumstances. Alternatively, it is also referred to as a "medium portion 151" depending on the circumstances.

[0061] In some embodiments, the aerosol-forming substrate 151 may further include a flavor sheet. For example, shredded flavor sheet and shredded tobacco (e.g. shredded leaf tobacco, shredded tabular leaves) may be mixed and included in the aerosol-forming substrate 151. In this case, the flavor fixed inside the flavor sheet is gradually released by heating, so that the flavor persistence of the aerosol-generating article 150-1 can be significantly improved. The flavor sheet will be described in detail later.

[0062] Next, the filter unit 152 is located downstream of the aerosol-forming substrate unit 151 and can perform a filtering function for the aerosol. For this purpose, the filter unit 152 may include a filter material. Examples of the filter material include, but are not limited to, cellulose acetate fiber and paper. In addition, the filter unit 152 is located at the downstream end portion of the aerosol-generating article 150-1 and can function as a mouthpiece that comes into contact with the mouth of the user. The filter unit 152 may further include a wrapper that encases the filter material (plug).

[0063] The filter unit 152 is also manufactured in the form of a rod, and is therefore sometimes referred to as a "filter rod 152," and may be manufactured in various forms, such as a cylindrical type, a tube type having a hollow inside (e.g., a tube-shaped cellulose acetate filter), a recess type, etc. Alternatively, the filter unit 152 functions as a mouthpiece, and is therefore also referred to as a "mouthpiece unit 152."

[0064] Next, the additive container 153 may contain a predetermined additive. Here, the additive may be a substance capable of changing the smoking experience of the user in any form, and the degree of its expression may be adjusted by heating. For example, the additive may include, but is not limited to, a flavoring agent capable of changing taste or olfactory experience elements, a moisturizing agent capable of changing visual experience elements, a sound generating agent capable of changing auditory experience elements, and the like. The additive container 153 may further include a wrapper.

[0065] The humectant 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 humectant can maintain moisture at an appropriate level to soften the inherent taste and enrich the amount of atomization.

[0066] Flavoring agents may include, for example, but are not limited to, licorice, sucrose, fructose syrup, isosweet, cocoa, lavender, cinnamon, cardamom, celery, fenugreek, cascarilla, sandalwood, bergamot, geranium, honey essence, rose oil, vanilla, lemon oil, orange oil, mint oil, cinnamon, caraway, cognac, jasmine, chamomile, menthol, cinnamon, ylang-ylang, salvia, spearmint, ginger, coriander, clove extract (or clove substance), or coffee.

[0067] In some embodiments, a flavor sheet may be used as the flavoring agent. The flavor sheet may be processed in various forms, such as a cut form, a rolled form, or a folded form, and then inserted into the additive receiving section 153. The flavor sheet may be heated to gradually release the flavoring agent fixed therein, thereby greatly improving the duration of the flavor. The flavor sheet will be described in detail below.

[0068] The sound-generating agent may be a substance capable of generating sound when heated. For example, the sound-generating agent may include a flavor sheet manufactured with a porosity. When heated, the internal pores (or the membranes forming the pores) of such a flavor sheet can burst to generate sound. The porous flavor sheet can be manufactured from a sheet composition including, for example, a solvent such as distilled water and / or ethanol, a hydrocolloid substance, and an oil-based flavoring. The flavor sheet manufactured from such a sheet composition has porosity and can function as a sound-generating element in the aerosol-generating article 150-1. For example, a hydrophilic hydrocolloid substance and a lipophilic flavoring are mixed together with a solvent to form a large number of pores in the composition, and such a sheet composition is dried to manufacture a porous flavor sheet. Further description of the flavor sheet will be given later.

[0069] As shown in the figure, the additive accommodating section 153 may be located downstream of the aerosol-forming substrate section 151. In this case, since the high-temperature aerosol formed in the aerosol-forming substrate section 151 passes through the additive accommodating section 153, the accommodated additive can be satisfactorily expressed (transferred). However, the scope of the present disclosure is not limited thereto, and the additive accommodating section 153 may also be located upstream of the aerosol-forming substrate section 151. For example, when the additive accommodating section 153 contains a moisturizing agent, the additive accommodating section 153 may also be located upstream of the aerosol-forming substrate section 151.

[0070] Next, the heater section 140 may include a basic heater 141 that heats the aerosol-forming substrate section 151 and a controlled heater 142 that heats the additive containing section 153. The basic heater 141 may be for heating the aerosol-forming substrate section 151 to provide a basic (general) smoking experience, and the controlled heater 142 may be for providing a customized smoking experience by being controlled based on a user input.

[0071] As mentioned above, the basic heater 141 can heat the aerosol-forming substrate 151 based on a preset temperature profile. In other words, the basic heater 141 may be a heater controlled by the control unit 120 based on a preset temperature profile.

[0072] The basic heater 141 may be implemented in various forms. For example, the basic heater 141 may be implemented as an internal heating type as shown in Fig. 4, or as an external heating type as shown in Fig. 5. The basic heater 141 may also be implemented as an electric resistance heater or as an induction heating type.

[0073] Next, the controlled heater 142 can provide a customized smoking experience by heating the additive-containing portion 153. For example, as shown in the figure, the controlled heater 142 can be implemented as an external heating type, and at least a portion of the additive-containing portion 153 can be heated externally. Also, the controlled heater 142 can provide a customized smoking experience by controlling (adjusting) the degree of heating for the additive-containing portion 153 based on a user input (i.e., by adjusting the expression degree of the contained additive). However, the specific control method can be changed depending on the embodiment.

[0074] In some embodiments, the controlled heater 142 can be controlled to be activated or deactivated based on user input. For example, the controlled heater 142 can be turned on or off by user input. In this case, the user can be provided with a customized smoking experience by controlling the on / off of the controlled heater 142.

[0075] Also, in some embodiments, the heating intensity of the controlled heater 142 can be controlled based on a user input. For example, the controlled heater 142 can operate at a first heating intensity in response to a first user input, and at a second heating intensity in response to a second user input. In this case, the first user input and the second user input may be the same user input (eg button press). According to this embodiment, the degree of additive expression (eg flavor intensity, atomization level) can be more precisely adjusted, providing a more customized smoking experience.

[0076] Also, in some embodiments, the heating mode of the controlled heater 142 is controlled based on a user input. For example, the controlled heater 142 may operate in a manual mode based on a first user input and in an automatic mode based on a second user input. In this case, the first user input and the second user input may be the same user input (e.g., pressing a button). In the manual mode, the control heater 142 may be operated or not and the heating intensity may be controlled based on the user input. In the automatic mode, the controlled heater 142 may operate regardless of the user input. For example, the control unit 120 may automatically control the controlled heater 142 based on the user's puff pattern. As a more specific example, the control unit 120 may turn on the controlled heater 142 or increase the heating intensity when the puff intensity becomes stronger, the puff interval becomes shorter, or the puff length becomes longer. In the opposite case, the control unit 120 may turn off the controlled heater 142 or decrease the heating intensity. In the automatic mode, the control unit 120 can also operate the controlled heater 142 according to a preset temperature profile.

[0077] Meanwhile, the controlled heater 142 is controlled based on a user input received through a user interface module. For example, the control unit 120 can control the controlled heater 142 based on a user input received through a user interface module, but is not limited thereto.

[0078] The user interface module may be implemented in various forms such as a button, a touchable display, a voice recognition module, etc. For example, the user interface module may be implemented as a button formed on the outer surface of the housing of the aerosol generating device eg150-1. In this case, the user can control the controllable heater 142 through a simple input of pressing the button, thereby improving user convenience.

[0079] Meanwhile, in some embodiments, the controlled heater 142 may be embodied as an external heating type, and a flavoring agent may be put into the additive-containing portion 153. A flavoring agent (eg, a flavor sheet) may also be put into the wrapper of the additive-containing portion 153 or an adjacent segment (eg, the aerosol-forming substrate portion 151, the filter portion 152, the filter portions 154, 155, and 158 in FIG. 7 or FIG. 8, etc.). In this case, the controlled heater 142 is activated, and the flavoring agent in the wrapper portion located close to the controlled heater 142 is transferred quickly, so that the delay in flavor transfer can be minimized. In addition, even if the controlled heater 142 is activated (turned on) by the user, it takes a certain amount of time for the flavor to transfer. This is because a certain amount of time is required for the additive-containing portion 153 to be sufficiently heated. In other words, the flavor transfer may be delayed until the controlled heater 142 sufficiently heats the additive-containing portion 153, but according to the present embodiment, such a problem can be easily solved.

[0080] The detailed structure of the aerosol-generating article 150-1 according to the first embodiment of the present disclosure and the operating principle of the heater section 140 have been described above with reference to Figures 4 and 5. Based on the above, it is possible to provide a heater 142 that is a dedicated heater for the additive containing section 153 and is controlled by a user. The controlled heater 142 heats the additive containing section 153 based on user input, thereby providing a customized smoking experience according to the user's preferences.

[0081] The following describes the detailed structure of the aerosol-generating article 150-2 according to the second embodiment of the present disclosure and the operating principle of the heater unit 140. However, for the sake of clarity of the present disclosure, descriptions of contents that overlap with the above-mentioned embodiments will be omitted.

[0082] 6 is an exemplary view illustrating a detailed structure of an aerosol-generating article 150-2 according to a second embodiment of the present disclosure and an operating principle of a heater unit 140. For reference, in the drawings following FIG. 6, the basic heater 141 is omitted for ease of understanding.

[0083] 6, the aerosol-generating article 150-2 according to the present embodiment may include a plurality of additive containing units 153-1 and 153-2, and the heater unit 140 may also include a plurality of controlled heaters 142-1 and 142-2. In this case, the first controlled heater 142-1 may heat the first additive containing unit 153-1, and the second controlled heater 142-2 may heat the second additive containing unit 153-2.

[0084] 6 illustrates the aerosol-generating article 150-2 including two additive accommodating sections 153-1, 153-2, but the number of additive accommodating sections may be three or more. Also, while FIG. 6 illustrates the multiple additive accommodating sections 153-1, 153-2 being adjacent to each other, the multiple additive accommodating sections 153-1, 153-2 do not have to be adjacent to each other. For example, the first additive accommodating section 153-1 may be located upstream of the aerosol-forming substrate section 151, and the second additive accommodating section 153-2 may be located downstream of the aerosol-forming substrate section 151.

[0085] The additives put into the additive-containing sections 153-1 and 153-2 may be the same or different from each other.

[0086] When the same additive is added, the degree of transfer of the additive can be controlled more precisely. For example, when the same flavoring agent is added to the two additive storage units 153-1 and 153-2, the flavor intensity can be controlled more precisely by the two controllable heaters 142-1 and 142-2. For example, a user can feel a very strong flavor by turning on both the controllable heaters 142-1 and 142-2, or can feel a medium flavor by turning on only one of the controllable heaters 142-1 or 142-2.

[0087] When different additives are added, a variety of smoking experiences can be provided to the user. For example, when different flavorings are added to the two additive containing units 153-1 and 153-2 and the two control type heaters 142-1 and 142-2 are both activated, the two flavors can be combined and transferred to the user. Or, when only one of the control type heaters 142-1 or 142-2 is activated, only the flavoring added to the additive containing unit 153-1 or 153-2 can be strongly transferred. As another example, when a flavoring and a moisturizing agent are added to the two additive containing units 153-1 and 153-2, respectively, and the two control type heaters 142-1 and 142-2 are both activated, both flavor transfer and atomization amount can be increased.

[0088] The detailed structure of the aerosol-generating article 150-2 according to the second embodiment of the present disclosure and the operating principle of the heater unit 140 have been described above with reference to Fig. 6. As described above, the multiple additive containing units 153-1, 153-2 and the multiple controlled heaters 142-1, 142-2 can improve control precision and provide a variety of smoking experiences to the user.

[0089] The detailed structure of the aerosol-generating article 150-3 according to the third embodiment of the present disclosure and the operating principle of the heater section 140 will be described below.

[0090] FIG. 7 is an exemplary diagram illustrating the detailed structure of an aerosol-generating article 150-3 according to the third embodiment of the present disclosure and the operating principle of a heater unit 140. As shown in FIG.

[0091] As shown in FIG. 7, an aerosol-generating article 150-3 according to this embodiment may include an aerosol-forming substrate portion 151, an additive-containing portion 153, and a plurality of filter portions (or filter segments) 154-156.

[0092] The first filter unit 154 may be located downstream of the aerosol-forming substrate unit 151. The first filter unit 154 may provide a passageway for the aerosol formed in the aerosol-forming substrate unit 151, and may perform a filtering or cooling function for the aerosol. As shown in the figure, the first filter unit 154 may be a filter structure having a hollow space. For example, the first filter unit 154 may be a tubular cellulose acetate filter or a paper tube, but the scope of the present disclosure is not limited thereto.

[0093] Next, the second filter unit 155 can perform a cooling function for the aerosol. The second filter unit 155 can improve the user's smoking satisfaction by allowing the aerosol at an appropriate temperature to be delivered to the user. The second filter unit 155 may be a structure having a hollow space or a cavity. For example, the second filter unit 155 may be a cellulose acetate filter in the form of a paper tube or a tube. However, the present invention is not limited thereto.

[0094] The second filter section 155 performs a cooling function and is therefore sometimes referred to as the "cooling section 155" or the "cooling segment 155."

[0095] Next, the third filter section 156 corresponds to the above-mentioned filter section 152. Therefore, a description thereof will be omitted.

[0096] The detailed structure of the aerosol-generating article 150-3 according to the third embodiment of the present disclosure and the operating principle of the heater unit 140 have been described above with reference to Fig. 7. The detailed structure of the aerosol-generating article 150-4 according to the fourth embodiment of the present disclosure and the operating principle of the heater unit 140 will be described below.

[0097] FIG. 8 is an exemplary diagram illustrating the detailed structure of an aerosol-generating article 150-4 according to the fourth embodiment of the present disclosure and the operating principle of a heater unit 140. As shown in FIG.

[0098] As shown in FIG. 8, an aerosol-generating article 150-4 according to this embodiment may include a first filter portion 157, an aerosol-forming substrate portion 151, an additive-containing portion 153, a second filter portion 158 and a third filter portion 159.

[0099] The first filter unit 157 is located at the upstream end of the aerosol-generating article 150-4 and can prevent the aerosol-forming substrate unit 151 from escaping to the outside. The first filter unit 157 can also prevent the liquefied aerosol from the aerosol-forming substrate unit 151 from flowing to the aerosol generating device (eg150-2). Alternatively, the first filter unit 157 can perform a function of adjusting the aerosol-forming substrate unit 151 to be positioned at an appropriate position inside the aerosol generating device (eg150-2) when the aerosol-generating article 150-4 is inserted into the aerosol generating device (eg150-2).

[0100] The first filter portion 157 is located in the upstream stage of the aerosol-forming substrate portion 151, and is therefore also referred to as the "pre-stage filter portion 157," the "pre-stage filter segment 157," or the "pre-stage plug 157" depending on the circumstances.

[0101] Next, the second filter section 158 and the third filter section 159 correspond to the above-mentioned filter sections 155 and 156, respectively, and therefore a description thereof will be omitted.

[0102] The detailed structure of the aerosol-generating article 150-4 according to the fourth embodiment of the present disclosure and the operating principle of the heater section 140 have been described above with reference to FIG.

[0103] Meanwhile, in the above various embodiments, the flavoring agent added to the aerosol forming substrate 151 or the additive receiving portion 153 may be a flavor sheet manufactured in a sheet form. The flavor sheet can gradually release the flavoring agent fixed therein by heating, so that it can ensure a superior fragrance durability compared to a fragrance liquid. However, the specific method of adding and processing the flavor sheet are various.

[0104] In some embodiments, the flavor sheet (10 in FIG. 9) may be introduced in a shredded form. For example, the flavor sheet 10 may be mixed with tobacco shreds in a shredded form and introduced into the aerosol-forming substrate portion 151. Alternatively, the flavor sheet 10 may be introduced into the additive containing portion 153 in a shredded form.

[0105] In some other embodiments, the flavor sheet 10 may be introduced in a rolled or folded form as shown in Fig. 9. For example, the flavor sheet 10 may be introduced into the aerosol forming substrate 151 or the additive receiving portion 153 in a rolled or folded form in an irregular pattern (see 10-1), a spiral form (see 10-2), a concentric circle form (see 10-3), or a form folded multiple times (see 10-4; e.g., a form folded to ensure an airflow path in the length direction). When the flavor sheet 10 is introduced in the illustrated form, an airflow path is ensured in the length direction, ensuring smooth airflow and appropriate suction resistance. In addition, the contact area between the flavor sheet 10 and the high-temperature airflow is increased, and the amount of flavor transferred can also be increased.

[0106] In still other embodiments, the flavor sheet 10 can be applied (eg, attached) to a wrapper of an aerosol-generating article (eg, 150). For example, the flavor sheet 10 can be disposed inside the wrapper of the additive-containing section 153 or an adjacent segment thereof (eg, the aerosol-forming substrate section 151, the filter sections 152, 154, 156-159). When the wrapper includes a metal foil, the flavor sheet 10 can be disposed inside the metal foil. Alternatively, the flavor sheet 10 can constitute at least a part of the wrapper. For example, the flavor sheet 10 itself can function (be used) as the wrapper, or a wrapping material manufactured in a form in which the flavor sheet 10 and wrapping paper are integrated can be used as the wrapper.

[0107] In the above embodiment, the flavor sheet 10 may be one that has been processed through a predetermined process, although the specific processing form may vary.

[0108] For example, as shown in FIG. 10, the flavor sheet 10 may be processed to be wrinkled or folded in the length direction (i.e., MD direction) of the aerosol-generating article (eg 150). For example, the flavor sheet 10 may be wrinkled or folded by at least one of a crimping process, a pleating process, a folding process, and a gathering process. Specifically, the crimping process is a process in which wrinkles are imparted to the surface of a sheet through the difference in roller pressure and speed of a crimping device, and is divided into a wet process and a dry process. The wet process may refer to a process in which the base paper is moistened with water, softened, crimped, and then dried again. The dry process may refer to a drying process using two dryers with different temperatures. Those skilled in the art are already familiar with the pleating, folding and gathering processes, so further description thereof will be omitted. According to this example, a number of channels can be formed in the flavor sheet 10 in the length direction through at least one of the illustrated processes, and a smooth flow of air and appropriate suction resistance can be ensured through the formed channels. In addition, the contact area between the flavor sheet 10 and the high-temperature air flow increases, so that the amount of flavor transferred can also increase.

[0109] As another example, as shown in FIG. 11, the flavor sheet 10 may be processed to have a plurality of holes 101. For example, the plurality of holes 101 may be formed in the flavor sheet 10 through a punching process. In this case, the diameter of the holes 101 may be about 0.05 mm to 5 mm, and preferably about 0.1 mm to 3 mm, about 0.2 mm to 2.5 mm, about 0.3 mm to 2.1 mm, or about 0.4 mm to 1.8 mm. Within such a numerical range, smooth air flow and appropriate suction resistance can be ensured. In addition, the contact area between the flavor sheet 10 and the high-temperature air flow increases, and the amount of flavor transferred can also increase.

[0110] Meanwhile, in some embodiments, the flavor sheet 10 may be inserted into the filter unit (eg155, 158) or hollow filter unit (eg154) that performs the cooling function. For example, the flavor sheet 10 may be inserted inside the filter unit (eg154, 155, 158) or attached to the inner wall. In this case, the aroma release and cooling performance of the aerosol-generating article (eg150-3) can be improved. In addition, when the flavor sheet 10 comes into contact with a high-temperature aerosol, it absorbs the high-temperature heat and releases the flavoring, thereby improving both the aroma release and the cooling performance.

[0111] The flavor sheet 10 described above can be manufactured through a step of manufacturing a liquid (e.g., slurry) sheet composition and a step of drying the manufactured sheet composition. Here, the liquid state may include not only a liquid state but also a state in which a liquid and a solid are mixed (e.g., slurry state). For example, the flavor sheet 10 can be manufactured by spreading (casting) the sheet composition on a predetermined substrate and drying it. However, the method is not limited thereto, and the specific manufacturing method may be different.

[0112] The detailed composition of the sheet composition can be designed in various ways, but in some embodiments, the sheet composition can be formed by blending distilled water, a solvent such as ethanol, a polysaccharide substance (or a hydrocolloid substance), and a flavoring. The flavored sheet 10 manufactured from such a sheet composition has excellent aroma retention and aroma retention, and can greatly enhance the aroma expression and aroma persistence of the aerosol generating article (eg150). Each of the constituent substances of the sheet composition will be described below.

[0113] A solvent such as distilled water or ethanol may be an element for adjusting the viscosity of the slurry sheet composition.

[0114] Next, the polysaccharide material is a material that coats and fixes the flavoring agent, and may be a sheet forming agent that forms a sheet. Examples of the polysaccharide material include cellulose-based materials such as hydroxypropylmethylcellulose (HPMC), methylcellulose (MC), carboxymethylcellulose (CMC), and agar. Such cellulose-based materials have the property of absorbing hot air well through a phase change when in contact with a high-temperature air flow, so that the flavor sheet 10 can be used not only as a flavoring material but also as a cooling material.

[0115] In some embodiments, the sheet composition may include modified cellulose among various polysaccharide materials. Here, "modified cellulose" may mean cellulose in which a specific functional group is substituted in the molecular structure. Examples of modified cellulose include, but are not limited to, HPMC, MC, CMC, and EC. For example, HPMC may have a grade within a range of about 4 to 40,000 depending on the ratio of hydroxypropyl groups and methyl groups (or methoxy groups) substituted and the molecular weight. The viscosity of the modified cellulose can be determined depending on the grade. More specifically, the physicochemical properties of HPMC are related to the ratio of methoxy groups, the ratio of hydroxypropyl groups, and the molecular weight, and according to the United States Pharmacopoeia (USP), the types of HPMC can be classified into HPMC1828, HPMC2208, HPMC2906, HPMC2910, etc. depending on the ratio of methoxy groups and hydroxypropyl groups. Here, the first two numbers may represent the ratio of methoxy groups, and the last two numbers may represent the ratio of hydroxypropyl groups. As a result of the inventors' continued experiments, it was confirmed that the flavored sheet 10 made from the sheet composition containing the modified cellulose has excellent sheet physical properties and aroma retention.

[0116] Examples of flavorings include menthol, nicotine, nicotine salts, tobacco leaf extract, tobacco leaf extract containing nicotine, natural plant flavorings (e.g., cinnamon, sage, herbs, chamomile, dried grass, sweet tea, cloves, lavender, cardamom, clove fragrance, nutmeg, bergamot, geranium, honey essence, rose oil, lemon, orange, cinnamon, caraway, jasmine, ginger, coriander, vanilla extract, spearmint, peppermint, cassia, coffee, celery, cascarilla, sandalwood, cocoa, ylang-ylang, fennel, anise, licorice, St. John's bread, plum extract, peach extract, etc.), sugars (e.g., Glucose, fructose, isomerized sugar, caramel, etc.), cocoa (powder, extract, etc.), esters (eg isoamyl acetate, linalyl acetate, isoamyl propionate, linalyl butyrate, etc.), ketones (eg menthone, ionone, damascenone, ethylmatol, etc.), alcohols (eg geraniol, linalool, anethole, eugenol, etc.), aldehydes (eg vanillin, benzaldehyde, anisaldehyde, etc.), lactones (eg γ-undecalactone, γ-nonalactone, etc.), animal flavors (eg musk, ambergris, civet, castoreum, etc.), hydrocarbons (eg limonene, pinene, etc.). The flavor may be used as a solid, or dissolved or dispersed in a suitable solvent, such as propylene glycol, ethyl alcohol, benzyl alcohol, or triethyl citrate. In addition, a fragrance that is easily dispersed in a solvent by the addition of an emulsifier, such as a hydrophobic fragrance or an oil-soluble fragrance, may be used. These fragrances may be used alone or as a mixture. However, the scope of the present disclosure is not limited to the above examples.

[0117] In some embodiments, a flavoring agent having a melting point of about 80° C. or less may be used. In this case, when the flavor sheet 10 comes into contact with an airflow of 80° C. or more, the flavoring agent undergoes a phase change and further absorbs the hot air, thereby further improving the cooling performance of the flavor sheet 10. Considering that the temperature of a heated aerosol is generally 80° C. or more, the use of such a flavoring agent can effectively increase the cooling performance of most aerosol-generating articles (eg150). In addition, the flavoring agent that has undergone a phase change can be easily vaporized, thereby increasing the fragrance expression of the aerosol-generating article (eg150). Examples of flavoring agents having a melting point of about 80° C. or less include, but are not limited to, menthol.

[0118] Meanwhile, in some embodiments, the sheet composition may further include LM-pectin (low methoxyl pectin). LM-pectin is a low ester pectin or low methoxyl pectin that is relatively little esterified, and specifically, it may mean a pectin containing less than about 50% carboxyl groups inside the molecular structure. Unlike carrageenan, LM-pectin has the property of not gelling when cooled, so that the viscosity of the slurry sheet composition can be reduced (e.g., about 600 cp to 800 cp). In addition, the slurry sheet composition can be produced without an emulsifier, and thus there is no safety issue caused by the emulsifier.

[0119] LM-pectin may contain less than about 50%, less than about 40%, less than about 30%, less than about 20%, or less than about 10% carboxy groups within its molecular structure. The lower the carboxy group content within the molecular structure of the LM-pectin, the lower the viscosity of a slurry containing the LM-pectin.

[0120] In some embodiments, the sheet composition may further include a bulking agent. The bulking agent may be a substance that increases the total mass (i.e., dry mass) of components other than distilled water to increase the volume of the flavor sheet 10 produced, and does not affect the original function of the flavor sheet 10. Specifically, the bulking agent may have properties that increase the volume of the flavor sheet 10 and do not substantially increase the viscosity of the slurry, while not adversely affecting the flavor retention function of the flavor sheet 10. Preferably, the bulking agent may be starches, modified starches, or starch hydrolysates. However, the bulking agent is not limited thereto.

[0121] The modified starch includes starch acetate, oxidized starch, hydroxypropyl distarch phosphate, hydroxypropyl starch, distarch phosphate, monostarch phosphate, phosphorylated distarch phosphate, and the like.

[0122] Starch hydrolysate refers to a substance obtained by a process including a step of hydrolyzing starch. The starch hydrolysate may include, for example, a substance obtained by direct hydrolysis of starch (i.e., dextrin) or a substance obtained by hydrolyzing starch after heat treatment (i.e., resistant dextrin). The bulking agent may be, for example, dextrin, more specifically, cyclodextrin.

[0123] The starch hydrolysate may generally be a starch hydrolysate having a DE value in the range of about 2 to about 40, preferably a starch hydrolysate having a DE value in the range of about 2 to about 20. Examples of starch hydrolysates having a DE value in the range of about 2 to about 20 that can be used include Pine Index #100 (Matsutani Chemical Industry Co., Ltd.), Pine Fiber (Matsutani Chemical Industry Co., Ltd.), and TK-16 (Matsutani Chemical Industry Co., Ltd.).

[0124] Here, "DE" is an abbreviation for dextrose equivalent, and the DE value indicates the degree of hydrolysis of starch, i.e., the saccharification rate of starch. In the present disclosure, the DE value may be a value measured by the Willstatter-Schudel method. The properties of hydrolyzed starch (starch hydrolysate), such as the molecular weight of the starch hydrolysate and the arrangement of sugar molecules constituting the starch hydrolysate, are not constant for each molecule of the starch hydrolysate, but exist with any distribution or variation. Depending on the distribution or variation of the properties of the starch hydrolysate, or the difference in the section to be cut, the starch hydrolysate can express different physical properties (e.g., DE value) for each molecule. Thus, although starch hydrolysates are a collection of molecules exhibiting different physical properties, the measurement result using the Willstatter-Schudel method (i.e., DE value) is treated as a representative value indicating the degree of hydrolysis of starch.

[0125] Preferably, the starch hydrolysate may be selected from the group consisting of dextrin having a DE value of about 2 to about 5, resistant dextrin having a DE value of about 10 to about 15, and mixtures thereof. As a dextrin having a DE value of about 2 to about 5, for example, Pine Index #100 (Matsutani Chemical Industry Co., Ltd.) may be used. As a resistant dextrin having a DE value of about 10 to about 15, for example, Pine Fiber (Matsutani Chemical Industry Co., Ltd.) may be used.

[0126] In some embodiments, the sheet composition may further include a plasticizer. The plasticizer can improve the physical properties of the sheet by imparting appropriate flexibility to the flavored sheet 10. The plasticizer may include, for example, at least one of glycerin and propylene glycol, but is not limited thereto.

[0127] In some embodiments, the sheet composition may further include an emulsifier. The emulsifier can increase the amount of aroma retained by the flavored sheet 10 by allowing the highly fat-soluble flavoring and the water-soluble polysaccharide substance to mix well. Examples of emulsifiers include, but are not limited to, lecithin.

[0128] Meanwhile, the flavor sheet 10 manufactured from the above-mentioned sheet composition may have various content ratios (composition ratios).

[0129] In some embodiments, the flavor sheet 10 may contain about 20 to 60 parts by weight of polysaccharide material and about 10 to 50 parts by weight of flavoring, based on a total of 100 parts by weight. Of course, the flavor sheet 10 may further contain an appropriate amount of moisture. It has been confirmed that the flavor sheet 10 thus configured significantly increases the flavor expression, flavor persistence, and cooling performance of the aerosol-generating article (eg150).

[0130] In some embodiments, the flavor sheet 10 may contain, based on a total of 100 parts by weight, about 2 to about 15 parts by weight of moisture, about 25 to about 90 parts by weight of modified cellulose, and about 0.1 parts by weight of inner paper and about 60 parts by weight of flavoring.

[0131] In some embodiments, the flavor sheet 10 may contain, based on a total of 100 parts by weight, about 2 to about 15 parts by weight of moisture, about 1 to about 60 parts by weight of polysaccharide substance, about 1 to about 60 parts by weight of LM-pectin, and about 0.1 to about 60 parts by weight of flavoring.

[0132] In some embodiments, the plasticizer may be included in an amount of about 0.1 to about 15 parts by weight, preferably about 1 to 10 parts by weight, based on 100 parts by weight of the total flavor sheet 10. For example, the flavor sheet 10 may include about 20 to 60 parts by weight of a polysaccharide substance, about 10 to 50 parts by weight of a flavoring, and about 1 to 10 parts by weight of a plasticizer, based on 100 parts by weight of the total. Within such a numerical range, a sheet having appropriate flexibility (physical properties) is formed, and processing of the flavor sheet 10 (e.g. crimping, rolling, folding, etc.) is easy, and workability can be improved. For example, if a very small amount of plasticizer is added, the flexibility of the sheet decreases and it may be easily broken during processing, and if a very large amount of plasticizer is added, the sheet may not be well formed. The flavored sheets 10 according to several embodiments of the present disclosure have been described above.

[0133] Although the embodiments of the present disclosure have been described above with reference to the accompanying drawings, those skilled in the art will understand that the present disclosure can be implemented in other specific forms without changing its technical ideas or essential features. Therefore, it should be understood that the embodiments described above are illustrative in all respects and are not limiting. The scope of protection of the present disclosure should be interpreted according to the claims below, and all technical ideas within the scope equivalent thereto should be interpreted as being included in the scope of rights of the technical ideas defined by the present disclosure.

Claims

1. a housing forming a storage space in which an aerosol-generating article is stored; a heater unit that heats the aerosol-generating article contained in the storage space to generate an aerosol, The aerosol-generating article includes an aerosol-forming substrate portion and an additive containing portion in which an additive is contained, The heater unit includes a heater that heats the aerosol-forming substrate unit based on a preset temperature profile, and a user-controlled heater configured to heat the additive receiving unit while adjusting a heating intensity based on a user input; the user-controlled heater is configured to operate in a manual mode via a first user input and in an automatic mode via a second user input, wherein in the manual mode the heating intensity of the user-controlled heater is controlled by a user input and in the automatic mode the heating intensity of the user-controlled heater is controlled based on a pre-defined temperature profile regardless of user input; in the manual mode, the user-controlled heater operates at a first heating intensity in response to a third user input and at a second heating intensity in response to a fourth user input; In the automatic mode, the heating intensity of the user-controlled heater is controlled based on a user's puff pattern. Aerosol generator.

2. The aerosol generating device of claim 1 , wherein the user input is received through a button formed on an exterior surface of the housing.

3. The aerosol generating device of claim 1 , wherein the additive is a flavoring agent.

4. The aerosol generating device according to claim 3 , wherein the flavoring agent is a flavor sheet manufactured in a sheet form.

5. The flavoring agent is a flavor sheet manufactured in a sheet form, The aerosol generating device according to claim 3 , wherein the flavor sheet is inserted into the additive container in a cut form.

6. The flavoring agent is a flavor sheet manufactured in a sheet form, The aerosol generating device according to claim 3 , wherein the flavor sheet is inserted into the additive container in a rolled or folded form.

7. 7. The aerosol generating device according to claim 1, wherein the additive is a humectant.

8. The additive storage section includes a first storage section and a second storage section, 7. The aerosol generating device according to claim 1, wherein the user-controlled heater includes a first heater for heating the first container and a second heater for heating the second container.

9. the user-controlled heater is externally heated; The additive is a flavoring agent, 7. An aerosol generating device according to claim 1, wherein the flavouring agent is also added to a wrapper of the additive container.

10. the user-controlled heater is externally heated; The additive is a flavoring agent, 7. An aerosol generating device according to claim 1, wherein the flavouring agent is also added to a wrapper of an adjacent segment of the additive containing portion.

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