Apparatus for heating a smoking material

Abstract

To provide an apparatus comprising a film heater configured to heat smoking material to volatilize at least one component of the smoking material for inhalation.SOLUTION: An apparatus 1 for heating smoking material comprises an energy source 2, a heater 3, and a heating chamber 4. The energy source 2 may comprise a Li-ion battery, a Ni battery, an Alkaline battery, and / or similar battery, and is electrically coupled to the heater 3 to supply electrical energy to the heater 3 when required. The heating chamber 4 is configured to receive smoking material 5 so that the smoking material 5 can be heated in the heating chamber 4. The apparatus comprises a film heater 3 configured to heat the smoking material 5 to volatilize at least one component of the smoking material for inhalation.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 1

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present invention relates to a heated smoking material.

Background Art

[0002] Smoking articles such as cigarettes and cigars burn tobacco during use to generate tobacco smoke. A number of attempts have been made to provide alternatives to these smoking articles by creating products that release a composition that does not generate tobacco smoke. A specific example of such a product is a so-called heat-not-burn product, which heats tobacco but does not burn it and releases a composition.

Summary of the Invention

Means for Solving the Problems

[0003] According to the present invention, there is provided an apparatus comprising a film heater configured to heat a smoking material and volatilize at least one of its components for inhalation.

[0004] The film heater may be a polyimide film heater.

[0005] The heater may have a thickness of less than 1 mm.

[0006] The heater may have a thickness of less than 0.5 mm.

[0007] The heater may have a thickness of about 0.2 mm to 0.0002 mm.

[0008] The apparatus may include a heat insulation part integrated with the heater.

[0009] The apparatus may include a heat insulation part arranged side by side with the heater.

[0010] The apparatus may include a heat insulation part separated from the heater by a barrier.

[0011] The barrier may include a layer of stainless steel.

[0012] The heat insulation part may have a central region that is depressurized to a pressure lower than that of its outer side.

[0013] The wall parts of the heat insulation part on both sides of the central region may converge to a sealed gas outlet.

[0014] The thickness of the heat insulation part may be less than about 1 mm.

[0015] The thickness of the heat insulation part may be less than about 0.1 mm.

[0016] The thickness of the heat insulation part may be about 1 to 0.001 mm.

[0017] The device may be provided with a suction port for inhaling the volatilized components of the smoking material.

[0018] The device may be configured to heat the smoking material without burning it.

[0019] According to the present invention, a method for manufacturing this device and a method for heating a smoking material using this device are provided.

[0020] The heat insulation part may be disposed between the smoking material heating chamber and the outside of the device to reduce heat loss from the heated smoking material.

[0021] The heat insulation part may be disposed coaxially around the heating chamber.

[0022] The smoking material heating chamber may constitute a substantially tubular heating chamber, and the heat insulation part may be disposed around the longitudinal surface of the tubular heating chamber.

[0023] The heat insulation part may include a substantially tubular body disposed around the heating chamber.

[0024] The smoking material heating chamber may be disposed between the heat insulation part and the heater.

[0025] The heater may be disposed between the smoking material heating chamber and the heat insulation part.

[0026] The heat insulation part may be arranged outside the heater.

[0027] The heater may be arranged coaxially around the heating chamber, and the heat insulation part may be arranged coaxially around the heater.

[0028] The heat insulation part may be provided with an infrared radiation reflecting material to reduce the infrared radiation passing through and propagating through the heat insulation part.

[0029] The heat insulation part may be provided with an outer wall surrounding the central region.

[0030] The inner surface of the wall may be provided with an infrared radiation-reflecting film to reflect infrared radiation into the central region.

[0031] The wall may be provided with a layer of stainless steel having a thickness of at least about 100 microns.

[0032] A plurality of wall portions on both sides of the central region may be connected by a connecting wall portion passing through a circuitous path therebetween.

[0033] The pressure in the central region may be about 0.1 to about 0.001 millibar.

[0034] When the temperature range of the heat insulation part is 150 to 250 °C, the heat transfer rate of the heat insulation part may be about 1.10 to about 1.40 W / (m 2 K).

[0035] The central region may be provided with a porous material.

[0036] The converging wall portion may converge to the end region of the heat insulation part.

[0037] The heater may be electric.

[0038] With reference to the accompanying drawings, embodiments of the present invention will be described below for illustrative purposes only.

Brief Description of the Drawings

[0039]

Figure 1

Figure 2

Figure 3

Figure 4

Figure 5

Figure 6

Figure 7

Figure 8

Figure 9

Figure 10

Figure 11

Figure 12

Figure 13

Figure 14

Figure 15

Figure 16

Embodiments for Carrying Out the Invention

[0040] As used herein, "smoking material" includes any material that emits volatile components when heated and any tobacco-containing material, and may include, for example, one or more of tobacco, tobacco derivatives, expanded tobacco, recycled tobacco, or tobacco substitutes.

[0041] An apparatus 1 for heating a smoking material includes an energy source 2, a heater 3, and a heating chamber 4. The energy source 2 may include a lithium-ion battery, a nickel battery, an alkaline battery, and / or a similar battery, and is electrically connected to the heater 3 to supply electrical energy to the heater 3 when necessary. The heating chamber 4 is configured to accommodate the smoking material 5, and the smoking material 5 can be heated within the heating chamber 4. For example, the heating chamber 4 may be arranged adjacent to the heater 3, and the smoking material 5 therein may be heated by the thermal energy of the heater 3 without being burned to volatilize the aromatic components and nicotine of the smoking material 5. A suction port 6 is provided, and a user can inhale the evaporated components through this suction port 6 during use of the apparatus 1. The smoking material 5 may contain a tobacco formulation.

[0042] Elements such as the energy source 2 and the heater 3 of the device 1 may be housed in the housing 7. As shown in FIG. 1, the housing 7 constitutes a substantially cylindrical tube, with the energy source 2 placed towards the first end 8 thereof and the heater 3 and the heating chamber 4 placed towards the second end 9 on the opposite side. The energy source 2 and the heater 3 extend along the longitudinal axis of the housing 7. For example, as shown in FIG. 1, the energy source 2 and the heater 3 can be aligned in a substantially end-to-end contact arrangement along the central longitudinal axis of the housing 7 such that the end face of the energy source 2 faces the end face of the heater 3. The length of the housing 7 may be about 130 mm, the length of the energy source may be about 59 mm, and the length of the heater 3 and the heating region 4 may be about 50 mm. The diameter of the housing 7 may be about 15 to about 18 mm. For example, the diameter of the first end 8 of the housing may be 18 mm, and the diameter of the suction port 6 at the second end 9 of the housing may be 15 mm. The diameter of the heater 3 may be about 2.0 to about 6.0 mm. The diameter of the heater 3 may be, for example, about 4.0 to about 4.5 mm, or about 2.0 to about 3.0 mm. Heater diameters and thicknesses outside these ranges may be used instead. For example, the diameter of the housing 7 and the overall size of the device 1 can be significantly reduced using the film-like heater 3 and the vacuum insulation section 18 described later. The depth of the heating chamber 4 may be about 5 mm, and the heating chamber 4 may have an outer diameter of about 10 mm on its outer surface. The diameter of the energy source 2 may be about 14.0 to about 15.0 mm, for example 14.6 mm. However, an energy source 2 with an even smaller diameter can also be used instead.

[0043] A heat insulation section may be provided between the energy source 2 and the heater 3 to prevent heat from directly transferring from one to the other. The suction port 6 can be arranged adjacent to the heating chamber 4 and the smoking material 5 at the second end 9 of the housing 7. Since the housing 7 is suitable for the user to hold the device 1 during use, the user can inhale the volatile components of the smoking material from the suction port 6 of the device 1.

[0044] The heater 3 may include a film heater 3 such as a film-shaped polyimide heater 3. One specific example is a Kapton (registered trademark) polyimide heater 3. Other materials can be used instead. The film heater 3 has high tensile strength and tear resistance. The insulation strength of the heater 3 may be about 1000 VAC. The film heater 3 is thin, for example less than 1 mm, and can make a great contribution to miniaturizing the appliance 1 compared to using other types of heaters. An exemplary thickness of the film 3 is about 0.2 mm, but heaters 3 with even thinner and thicker thickness dimensions can be used instead. For example, the thickness of the film heater 3 may be as thin as about 0.0002 mm. The output of the heater 3 may be about 5 to about 8 W / cm 2 but this output may be even smaller, and if necessary, this output may be controlled over time. The film heater 3 may be transparent if necessary, and if so, the internal structure can be easily inspected. If the inspection is so simple, it may be convenient for quality control and maintenance work. To heat the smoking material in the heating chamber 4, one or more etched film-shaped heating elements may be incorporated into the film heater 3. The operating temperature of the heater 3 may be, for example, a maximum of about 260 °C. The appliance 1 may include a resistance temperature detector (RTD) or a thermocouple used for temperature control of the heater 3. A sensor may be attached to the surface of the heater 3. The sensor is configured to send the measured value of the resistance to the controller 12, and the controller 12 can maintain or adjust the temperature of the heater 3 as needed. For example, the controller 12 may turn on and off the power supply of the heater 3 to maintain a certain temperature for a predetermined time, or may change the temperature according to a certain heating method. The controller 12 and examples of specific heating methods are described in more detail below. Since the mass of the film heater 3 is small, the total mass of the appliance 1 can be easily reduced by using this film heater 3.

[0045] As shown in FIG. 1, the heater 3 may include a plurality of separate heating regions 10. The plurality of heating regions 10 may be operable independently of each other, and different regions 10 may be activated at different times to heat the smoking material 5. The heating regions 10 may be arranged in any geometric arrangement within the heater 3. However, in the specific example shown in FIG. 1, the heating regions 10 are geometrically arranged within the heater 3 such that each one can mainly individually heat different regions of the smoking material 5.

[0046] For example, referring to FIGS. 1 and 2, the heater 3 may include a plurality of heating regions 10 aligned in a substantially axially elongated arrangement. The plurality of regions 10 may each constitute an individual element of the heater 3. For example, the plurality of heating regions 10 may all be aligned with each other along the longitudinal axis of the heater 3, providing a plurality of independent heating zones along the length of the heater 3.

[0047] Referring to FIG. 1, each heating region 10 may constitute a hollow heating cylinder 10. This heating cylinder 10 may be a finite length ring 10 that is significantly shorter than the overall length of the heater 3. By arranging the plurality of heating regions 10 axially aligned, the outside of the heating chamber 4 is defined, and the heating regions 10 are configured to heat the smoking material 5 placed within the heating chamber 4. Heat is mainly applied inwardly towards the central longitudinal axis of the heating chamber 4. The plurality of heating regions 10 are arranged along the length of the heater 3 with their radial surfaces, i.e., cross-sections, facing each other. The cross-section of each heating region 10 and the cross-section of its adjacent heating region 10 may be separated by a heat insulating portion 18 as shown in FIG. 1 and described below.

[0048] Alternatively, as shown in FIG. 2, the heater 3 may be arranged in the central region of the housing 7, and the heating chamber 4 and the smoking material 5 may be arranged around the longitudinal surface of the heater 3. In this arrangement, the thermal energy radiated by the heater 3 moves outwardly from the longitudinal surface of the heater 3 and enters the heating chamber 4 and the smoking material 5.

[0049] Each of the heating regions 10 may constitute an independent element of the heater 3. As shown in FIGS. 1 and 2, each heating region 10 may constitute a heating cylinder 10 having a finite length that is significantly shorter than the overall length of the heater 3. However, it is also possible to use other configurations of the heater 3 instead, that is, it is not necessary to use a film heater 3 having a cylindrical cross-section. The plurality of heating regions 10 may be aligned such that their cross-sections face each other along the length of the heater 3. The cross-section of each region 10 may be in contact with the cross-section of the adjacent region 10. Alternatively, a heat insulation portion or a heat reflection layer may be present between the cross-sections of the regions 10 so that the thermal energy radiated from each of the regions 10 does not substantially heat the adjacent region 10 and mainly moves to the heating chamber 4 and the smoking material 5. Each heating region 10 may have substantially the same dimensions as the other regions 10.

[0050] In this method, when a specific one of the heating regions 10 is activated, that heating region 10 supplies thermal energy to, for example, the smoking material 5 disposed adjacent in the radial direction and does not substantially heat the remaining smoking material 5. Referring to FIG. 2, the heating region of the smoking material 5 may constitute an annular smoking material 5 disposed around the activated heating region 10. Therefore, a plurality of portions of the smoking material 5, such as annular or substantially solid cylindrical portions, can be heated separately. At this time, each portion corresponds to the smoking material 5 disposed directly adjacent to a specific one of the plurality of heating regions 10 and has a mass and volume that are significantly less than the mass of the entire mass of the smoking material 5.

[0051] Furthermore or alternatively, the heater 3 may include heating regions 10 that are disposed at different locations around the central longitudinal axis of the heater 3 and that are elongated and extend longitudinally. The plurality of heating regions 10 may have different lengths or may have substantially the same length and each extends along substantially the entire length of the heater 3.

[0052] The heated portion of the smoking material 5 may also constitute a longitudinal portion of the smoking material 5 that lies parallel to and in direct contact with the longitudinal heating region 10. Therefore, as described above, a plurality of portions of the smoking material 5 can be heated separately.

[0053] As will be described later, the plurality of heating regions 10 can be separately and selectively activated.

[0054] The smoking material 5 may be configured on a cartridge 11 that can be inserted into the heating chamber 4. For example, as shown in FIG. 1, the cartridge 11 can form a substantially solid mass of the smoking material 5 in the shape of a cylinder that fits into the recess of the heater 3. In this configuration, the outer surface of the smoking material mass faces the heater 3. Alternatively, as shown in FIG. 2, the cartridge 11 can form a tube 11 of the smoking material that can be inserted around the heater 3, and the inner surface of the tube 11 of the smoking material faces the longitudinal surface of the heater 3. The tube 11 of the smoking material may be hollow. The diameter of the hollow central portion of the tube 11 may be substantially the same as or slightly larger than the diameter, i.e., the transverse dimension, of the heater 3 so that the tube 11 fits snugly around the heater 3. The length of the cartridge 11 may be substantially the same as the length of the heater 3 so that the heater 3 can heat the cartridge 11 along its entire length.

[0055] The housing 7 of the appliance 1 may be provided with an opening through which the cartridge 11 can be inserted into the heating chamber 4. The opening may form, for example, an opening disposed at the second end 9 of the housing, and the cartridge 11 can be inserted into the opening and directly pushed into the heating chamber 4. Preferably, this opening is closed during use of the appliance 1 to heat the smoking material 5. Alternatively, a part of the housing 7 is removable from the appliance 1 at the second end 9 so that the smoking material 5 can be inserted into the heating chamber 4. If necessary, a smoking material removal device such as an internal mechanism operable by the user may be provided in the appliance 1. This removal device is configured to slide and remove, and / or separate, the used smoking material 5 from the heater 3. For example, the used smoking material 5 may be pushed back through the opening of the housing 7. If necessary, a new cartridge 11 can then be inserted.

[0056] As described above, the device 1 may include a controller 12, for example a ultra-small controller 12, configured to control the operation of the device 1. The controller 12 is electrically connected to other elements such as the energy source 2 and the heater 3 of the device 1, and can control other elements by transmitting and receiving signals. Specifically, the controller 12 is configured to control the activation of the heater 3 to heat the smoking material 5. For example, the controller 12 may be configured to activate the heater 3, which may include selectively activating one or more heating regions 10 when the user sucks on the mouthpiece 6 of the device 1. At this time, the controller 12 may be connected to the inhalation sensor 13 through a suitable communication connection. The inhalation sensor 13 is configured to detect when suction occurs at the mouthpiece 6, and is configured to send a signal indicating suction to the controller 12 when detected. An electronic signal may be used. The controller 12 may respond by activating the heater 3 in response to a signal from the inhalation sensor 13, and thus heat the smoking material 5. However, it is not essential to use the inhalation sensor 13 to activate the heater 3, and other alternative means for supplying a stimulus to activate the heater 3 can be used. For example, the controller 12 may activate the heater 3 in response to another type of activation stimulus, for example the operation of an operating device that can be operated by the user. As a result, the user can inhale the volatile components released during heating from the mouthpiece 6. The controller 12 may be disposed at any suitable position within the housing 7. One exemplary position is between the energy source 2 and the heater 3 / heater chamber 4 as shown in FIG. 4.

[0057] When the heater 3 includes two or more heating regions 10 as described above, the controller 12 may be configured to activate the heating regions 10 in a predetermined order or pattern. For example, the controller 12 may be configured to activate the plurality of heating regions 10 continuously along or around the heater chamber 4. Each heating region 10 may be activated in response to the inhalation sensor 13 detecting suction, or may be activated by another method as described below.

[0058] Referring to FIG. 5, an exemplary heating method includes a first step S1 in which an activation stimulus such as a first suction is detected, followed by a second step S2. In the second step S2, a first portion of the smoking material 5 is heated in response to the first suction or other activation stimulus. In the third step S3, the sealable intake and exhaust valve 24 may be opened to suck air from the heating chamber 4 so that it can be discharged outside the device 1 from the mouthpiece 6. In the fourth step, the valve 24 is closed. These valves 24 will be described in detail later with reference to FIG. 20. In the fifth step S5, the sixth step S6, the seventh step S7, and the eighth step S8, a second portion of the smoking material 5 may be heated by opening and closing the heating chamber intake and exhaust valve 24 accordingly in response to a second activation stimulus, for example, a second suction. In the ninth step S9, the tenth step S10, the eleventh step S11, and the twelfth step S12, a third portion of the smoking material 5 may be heated by opening and closing the heating chamber intake and exhaust valve 24 accordingly in response to a third activation stimulus, for example, a third suction, and so on. As described above, alternative means other than the inhalation sensor 13 can be used. For example, it may be indicated that the user of the device 1 activates the control switch to newly suck. In this method, a new portion of the smoking material 5 may be heated for each new suction to volatilize nicotine and flavor components. The number of heating regions 10 of the smoking material 5 and / or the number of separately heatable portions may match the planned number of suctions of the cartridge 11. Alternatively, each portion of the smoking material 5 that can be heated separately may be heated by the corresponding heating region 10 for each of a plurality of suctions, for example, 2, 3, or 4 suctions, and a new portion of the smoking material 5 may be heated only when a plurality of suctions are completed during the heating of the previous smoking material portion.

[0059] Instead of activating each heating area 10 according to individual suction, the plurality of heating areas 10 may be successively and alternately activated according to the first suction of the suction port 6. For example, during the planned suction time of a specific smoking material cartridge 11, the plurality of heating areas 10 may be activated at regular predetermined intervals. The suction time may be, for example, about 1 to about 4 minutes. Therefore, at least the fifth step S5 and the ninth step S9 shown in FIG. 5 are optional. Each heating area 10 may be operated for a predetermined time corresponding to one or more suction times to heat the corresponding smoking material portion 5 that can be heated separately for this period of time. When all the heating areas 10 of a certain cartridge 11 are activated, the controller 12 may be configured to indicate to the user the necessity of replacing that cartridge 11. The controller 12 may, for example, turn on the indicator light on the outer surface of the housing 7.

[0060] Naturally, by sequentially activating the individual heating areas 10 instead of activating the entire heater 3, the energy required to heat the smoking material 5 is reduced compared to the energy required when the entire heater 3 is activated throughout the entire suction time of the cartridge 11. Therefore, the required maximum output of the energy source 2 is also reduced. That is, it becomes possible to mount a smaller and lighter energy source 2 on the device 1.

[0061] The controller 12 may be configured to stop the heater 3 or reduce the power supplied to the heater 3 between inhalations. By doing so, energy is conserved and the duration of the energy source 2 is extended. For example, in response to some other stimulus such as when the user turns on the switch of the device 1 or when the user's lip contact with the mouthpiece 6 is detected, the controller 12 is configured to heat the smoking material 5 using the heater 3 or the next heating zone 10 and to incompletely activate it so that the smoking material 5 is preheated for the volatilization of the components. In this incomplete activation, the smoking material 5 does not get hot enough to volatilize nicotine. The appropriate temperature can be about 100 °C. In response to the detection of an inhalation by the inhalation sensor 13, the controller 12 further heats the smoking material 5 in the heater 3 or the heating zone 10 so that the nicotine and other aromatic components inhaled by the user can be instantaneously volatilized. When the smoking material 5 contains tobacco, the appropriate temperature for the volatilization of nicotine and other aromatic components may be 150 to 250 °C. Thus, an exemplary full operating temperature is 250 °C. If necessary, an electric double layer capacitor (super-capacitor) can be used to supply the maximum current used to heat the smoking material 5 to the volatilization temperature. A specific example of an appropriate heating mode is shown in FIG. 7. Here, the plurality of maximum values may each represent the full activation of a different heating zone 10. As can be seen from the figure, the smoking material 5 is maintained at the volatilization temperature for approximately the inhalation time (2 seconds in this specific example).

[0062] Three exemplary operating modes of the heater 3 are described below.

[0063] In the first operating mode, while one heating zone 10 is fully activated, all other heating zones 10 of the heater are stopped. Thus, when a new heating zone 10 is activated, the previous heating zone stops. Power is supplied only to the activated zone 10.

[0064] Instead, in the second operating mode, while a certain heating region 10 is fully activated, one or more of the other heating regions 10 may be incompletely activated. The incomplete activation of the one or more other heating regions 10 may include heating those heating regions 10 only to a certain temperature at which components volatilized from the smoking material 5 in the heating chamber 4, such as nicotine, are not substantially concentrated. The temperature of the incompletely activated heating region 10 is lower than the temperature of the fully activated heating region 10. The smoking material 5 disposed adjacent to the incompletely activated region 10 is not heated to a temperature sufficient to volatilize its components.

[0065] Instead, in the third operating mode, when a certain heating region 10 is activated, that heating region 10 remains fully activated until the switch of the heater 3 is turned off. Therefore, during suction from the cartridge 11, more heating regions 10 are activated, so the power supplied to the heater 3 gradually increases. By continuously activating the heating regions 10 in the same manner as in the second mode described above, the concentration of components such as nicotine volatilized from the smoking material 5 in the heating chamber 4 is substantially suppressed.

[0066] The device 1 may include a heat insulation part 3a disposed between the heater 3 and the heating chamber 4 / smoking material 5. The heat insulation part 3a is configured such that thermal energy does not substantially flow through the heat insulation part 3a. Therefore, by using this heat insulation part 3a, even when the heater 3 is activated and radiating thermal energy, the smoking material 5 can be selectively prevented from being heated. Referring to FIG. 14, the heat insulation part 3a may include, for example, a cylindrical layer of heat-reflective material coaxially disposed around the heater 3. Alternatively, when the heater 3 is disposed around the heating chamber 4 and the smoking material 5 as described with reference to FIG. 1, the heat insulation part 3a may include a cylindrical layer of heat-reflective material coaxially disposed around the heating chamber 4 and coaxially inside the heater 3. The heat insulation part 3a may additionally or alternatively include a heat insulation layer configured to isolate the heater 3 from the smoking material 5.

[0067] The heat shield portion 3a substantially includes a thermally transmissive window 3b. Heat energy is transmitted through the window 3b to the heating chamber 4 and the smoking material 5 by the window 3b. Accordingly, the portion of the smoking material 5 aligned with the window 3b is heated, and the remaining portion is not heated. Since the heat shield portion 3a and the window 3b may be rotatable or movable with respect to the smoking material 5, different portions of the smoking material 5 can be selectively and separately heated by rotating or moving the heat shield portion 3a and the window 3b. The effect is the same as the effect obtained by selectively and separately activating the heating region 10 described above. For example, the heat shield portion 3a and the window 3b may be gradually rotated or moved in response to a signal from the suction detector 13. Additionally or alternatively, the heat shield portion 3a and the window 3b may be gradually rotated or moved over a predetermined heating elapsed time. The movement or rotation of the heat shield portion 3a and the window 3b may be controlled by an electronic signal from the controller 12. The relative rotation or other movement of the heat shield portion 3a / window 3b and the smoking material 5 may be driven by a stepping motor 3c controlled by the controller 12. This is illustrated in FIG. 14. Alternatively, the heat shield portion 3a and the window 3b may be rotated using user control such as an operating device of the housing 7. The heat shield portion 3a need not be cylindrical and may be constituted by one or more elements and / or plates extending in the longitudinal direction positioned appropriately if necessary.

[0068] Naturally, similar results can be obtained by relatively rotating or relatively moving the smoking material 5 with respect to the heater 3, the heat shield portion 3a, and the window 3b. For example, the heating chamber 4 may be rotatable around the heater 3. In this case, the above description regarding the movement of the heat shield portion 3a can be applied instead of the relative movement of the heating chamber 4 with respect to the heat shield portion 3a.

[0069] The heat shield portion 3a may include the covering of the longitudinal surface of the heater 3. In this case, a partial area of the heater surface is not covered, forming a heat transmission window 3b. The heater 3 can be rotated or moved, for example, by control by the controller 12 or by the user, to heat different portions of the smoking material 5. Alternatively, the heat shield portion 3a and the window 3b may constitute an independent shielding portion 3a. This shielding portion 3a can be rotated or moved relative to both the heater 3 and the smoking material 5 by control by the controller 12 or by other user control.

[0070] The device 1 may be provided with an air inlet 14. By means of the air inlet 14, outside air can be sucked into the housing 7 during suction and passed through the heated smoking material 5. The air inlet 14 may constitute an opening 14 of the housing 7 and may be arranged upstream from the smoking material 5 and the heating chamber 4 towards the first end 8 of the housing 7. This is shown in FIG. 1. Another specific example is shown in FIG. 6. The air sucked through the air inlet 14 moves through the heated smoking material 5, where vapors of the smoking material such as aromatic vapors are mixed in, and then is inhaled by the user from the mouthpiece 6. If necessary, as shown in FIG. 6, the device 1 may be provided with a heat exchanger 15 configured to warm the air before it enters the smoking material 5 and / or to cool the air before it is sucked from the mouthpiece 6. For example, the heat exchanger 15 may be configured to warm the fresh air before it enters the smoking material 5 using the heat extracted from the air entering the mouthpiece 6.

[0071] Apparatus 1 may include a compressor 16 for the smoking material. The compressor 16 is configured to compress the smoking material 5 when activated. The apparatus 1 may also include an expander 17 for the smoking material. The expander 17 is configured to expand the smoking material 5 when activated. The compressor 16 and the expander 17 may actually be implemented as the same device as described below. The compressor 16 and the expander 17 for the smoking material may operate as needed under the control of the controller 12. In this case, the controller 12 is configured to send a signal such as an electrical signal to the compressor 16 or the expander 17, whereby the compressor 16 or the expander 17 compresses or expands the smoking material 5 respectively. Alternatively, the user of the apparatus 1 may activate the compressor 16 and the expander 17 by manual control of the housing 7 to compress or expand the smoking material 5 as needed.

[0072] Basically, the compressor 16 is configured to compress the smoking material 5 and thereby increase the density of the smoking material 5 during heating. Compression of the smoking material increases the thermal conductivity of the mass of the smoking material 5, thus resulting in more rapid heating of nicotine and other aromatic components and the resulting rapid volatilization. This is preferable because it enables the user to inhale nicotine and fragrance substantially without delay in response to detection of inhalation. Thus, the controller 12 may activate the compressor 16 in response to detection of inhalation to compress the smoking material 5 for a predetermined heating time, for example, for 1 second. For example, under the control of the controller 12, the compressor 16 may be configured to release the compression of the smoking material 5 after heating for a predetermined time. Alternatively, the compression may be released or the compression may be automatically terminated in response to the smoking material 5 reaching a predetermined threshold temperature. A suitable threshold temperature may be in the range of about 150 to 250 °C and may be selectable by the user. A temperature sensor may be used to detect the temperature of the smoking material 5.

[0073] Basically, the expander 17 is configured to expand the smoking material 5, thereby reducing the density of the smoking material 5 during suction. When the smoking material 5 expands, the arrangement of the smoking material 5 in the heating chamber 4 becomes sparser. Then, the gas flow, for example, the air flow passing through the smoking material 5 from the inlet 14, becomes easier. Therefore, this air can further carry the volatilized nicotine and flavoring agent to the suction port 6 and be used for suction. The controller 12 may activate the expander 17 immediately after the above compression time to expand the smoking material 5 so that air can be more freely sucked through the smoking material 5. At the same time as activating the expander 17, an audible sound or other indication may be given to indicate to the user that the smoking material 5 has been heated and suction can be started.

[0074] Referring to FIGS. 8 and 9, the compressor 16 and the expander 17 may include a spring-driven rod. The spring-force-driven rod is configured to compress the smoking material 5 in the heating chamber 4 when the spring is released from the compressed state. This is schematically illustrated in FIGS. 8 and 9. However, of course, other implementation methods can be used. For example, the compressor 16 may include a ring having a thickness substantially equal to that of the above-mentioned tubular heating chamber 4, and this ring may be pushed into the heating chamber 4 by a spring or other means to compress the smoking material 5. Alternatively, the compressor 16 may be configured as part of the heater 3, and the heater 3 itself may be configured to compress and expand the smoking material 5 under the control of the controller 12. One method of compressing and expanding the smoking material 5 is shown in FIG. 10.

[0075] The heater 3 may be integral with the above-mentioned heat insulation part 18. For example, referring to FIG. 1, the heat insulation part 18 may include a substantially elongated hollow body, for example, the heat insulation part 18 may be a substantially cylindrical tube. This hollow body is coaxially arranged around the heating chamber 4, and the heating region 10 is integrated therewith. The heat insulation part 18 may include a layer provided with a plurality of recesses, forming an inward surface shape 21. Since the heating region 10 is arranged in these recesses, the heating region 10 faces the smoking material 5 in the heating chamber 4. The surface of the heating region 10 facing the heating chamber 4 may be flush with the inner surface 21 of a plurality of regions of the heat insulation part 18 without recesses.

[0076] When the heater 3 and the heat insulation part 18 are integrated, all side parts of the heating area 10 except the inner side part of the heating area 10 facing the smoking material heating chamber 4 will be substantially surrounded by the heat insulation part 18. In this way, the heat radiated by the heater 3 is concentrated on the smoking material 5 and does not dissipate into other parts of the device 1 or the outside air of the housing 7.

[0077] Also, when the heater 3 is integrated with the heat insulation part 18, the thickness of the combination of the heater 3 and the heat insulation part 18 can be reduced. By doing so, the diameter of the device 1, specifically the outer diameter of the housing 7, can be further reduced. Alternatively, when the heater 3 and the heat insulation part 18 are integrated to reduce the thickness, a wider smoking material heating chamber 4 can be accommodated in the device 1, or additional elements can be incorporated without widening the overall width of the housing 7 at all.

[0078] Alternatively, instead of integrating the heater 3 with the heat insulation part 18, it may be adjacent to the heat insulation part 18. For example, when the heater 3 is arranged outside the heating chamber 4, the inner surface 21 of the heat insulation part 18 may be covered with the film heater 3. When the heater 3 is arranged inside the heating chamber 4, the outer surface 22 of the heat insulation part 18 may be covered with the film heater 3.

[0079] If necessary, a barrier may be present between the heater 3 and the heat insulation part 18. For example, a layer of stainless steel may be present between the heater 3 and the heat insulation part 18. This barrier may comprise a stainless steel tube that fits between the heater 3 and the heat insulation part 18. The thickness of the barrier may be thin so as not to substantially increase the dimensions of the device. An exemplary thickness is about 0.1 - 1.0 mm.

[0080] Also, a heat reflection layer may be present between the cross-sections of the plurality of heating areas 10. The plurality of heating areas 10 may be arranged relative to each other such that the thermal energy radiated from one of each heating area 10 does not substantially heat the adjacent heating area 10, but mainly moves inward from the peripheral surface of the heating area 10 to the heating chamber 4 and the smoking material 5. Each heating area 10 may have substantially the same dimensions as the other areas 10.

[0081] The heater 3 may be adhered or fixed in the appliance 1 using a pressure-sensitive adhesive. For example, the heater 3 may be adhered to the above-mentioned heat insulation part 18 or the barrier using a pressure-sensitive adhesive. Alternatively, the heater 3 may be adhered to the outer surface of the cartridge 11 or the smoking material heating chamber 4.

[0082] Instead of using a pressure-sensitive adhesive, the heater 3 may be fixed at a predetermined position in the appliance 1 using a self-fusing tape, or may be fixed with a fixture for fixing it at a predetermined position. The heater 3 can be securely fixed by all of these methods, and heat can be efficiently transferred from the heater 3 to the smoking material 5. Other types of fixing are also possible.

[0083] As described above, the heat loss from the appliance 1 is reduced by the heat insulation part 18 provided between the smoking material 5 and the outer surface 19 of the housing 7, and thus the efficiency of heating the smoking material 5 is improved. For example, referring to FIG. 1, the wall of the housing 7 may include a layer of the heat insulation part 18 extending around the outer periphery of the heating chamber 4. The length of the heat insulation layer 18 may be substantially the tube length of the heat insulation part 18 arranged coaxially around the heating chamber 4 and the smoking material 5. This is shown in FIG. 1. Note that the heat insulation part 18 can be configured as a part of the smoking material cartridge 11, and in this case the heat insulation part 18 will be arranged coaxially outside the smoking material 5.

[0084] Referring to FIG. 11, the heat insulating portion 18 may constitute a vacuum heat insulating portion 18. For example, the heat insulating portion 18 may constitute a layer surrounded by a wall material 19 such as a metallic material. The inner region of the heat insulating portion 18, that is, the central portion 20, may be provided with a continuous foamed porous material containing, for example, a polymer, an aerogel, or other suitable material, and may be depressurized to a low pressure. The pressure in the inner region 20 may be in the range of 0.1 to 0.001 millibar. The wall 19 of the heat insulating portion 18 is strong enough to withstand the force acting on the wall 19 due to the pressure difference between the central portion 20 and the outer surface of the wall 19, thereby preventing the heat insulating portion 18 from being crushed. For example, the wall 19 may be a stainless steel wall 19 having a thickness of about 100 μm. The thermal conductivity of the heat insulating portion 18 may be in the range of 0.004 to 0.005 W / mK. The heat transfer rate of the heat insulating portion 18 may be about 1.10 to about 1.40 W / (m 2 K) in a temperature range of about 150 to about 250 °C. The gas conductivity of the heat insulating portion 18 can be ignored. A reflective coating may be applied to the inner surface of the wall material 19 to minimize heat loss due to radiative propagation through the heat insulating portion 18. This coating may include, for example, an aluminum IR reflective coating having a thickness of about 0.3 to 1.0 μm. If the inside of the central region 20 is in a depressurized state, the heat insulating portion 18 will function even when the thickness of the central region 20 is very thin. This heat insulating property is not substantially affected by its thickness. This makes it easier to make the entire appliance 1 smaller.

[0085] As shown in FIG. 11, the wall 19 may include an inward portion 21 and an outward portion 22. The inward portion 21 substantially faces the smoking material 5 and the heating chamber 4. The outward portion 22 substantially faces the outside of the housing 7. During operation of the appliance 1, the inward portion 21 may be warmer due to the thermal energy of the heater 3, and the outward portion 22 may be cold due to the influence of the heat insulating portion 18. The inward portion 21 and the outward portion 22 may constitute a plurality of walls 19 that are, for example, substantially parallel, extend in the longitudinal direction, and have at least the same length as the heater 3. The inner surface of the outward wall portion 22, that is, the surface facing the depressurized central region 20, may be provided with a coating that absorbs the gas in the central portion 20. A suitable coating is a titanium oxide film.

[0086] The heat insulation part 18 may be provided with an ultra-high vacuum heat insulation part such as an Insulon Shaped-Vacuum Thermal Barrier described in U.S. Patent No. 7,374,063. The total thickness of such a heat insulation part 18 may be extremely thin. An exemplary thickness is from about 1 mm to about 1 μm, for example about 0.1 mm. However, other thicker or thinner thicknesses are also possible. The heat insulation characteristics of the heat insulation part 18 are not substantially affected by its thickness, and thus a thin heat insulation part 18 can be used without substantially increasing the heat loss from the appliance 1. With a very thin heat insulation part 18, the housing 7 and the entire appliance 1 may be made smaller than the size described above, and the thickness of the appliance 1, for example the diameter, may be made approximately equal to that of smoking articles such as cigarettes, cigars, and slender cigars. Also, the appliance 1 may be lightened to provide the same advantages as the above-described miniaturization.

[0087] The above-described heat insulation part 18 may be provided with a gas absorption material to facilitate the maintenance or evacuation of the vacuum within the central region 20, but the gas absorption material is not used in the high vacuum heat insulation part 18. The absence of the gas absorption material helps to keep the thickness of the heat insulation part 18 very thin, that is, it becomes easier to make the entire appliance 1 smaller.

[0088] Due to the shape of the ultra-high heat insulation part 18, the degree of vacuum of the heat insulation part can be increased above that of the vacuum used to extract molecules from the central region 20 of the heat insulation part 18 during manufacturing. For example, the high vacuum inside the heat insulation part 18 can be made higher than the degree of vacuum of the vacuum furnace chamber in which it is made. The vacuum inside the heat insulation part 18 is, for example, 10 -7It may also be about the same as the Torr. Referring to FIG. 16, one end of the central region 20 of the high-vacuum heat-insulating part 18 is tapered, and the outward-facing part 22 and the inward-facing part 21 converge toward the outlet 25. During the manufacture of the heat-insulating part 18, the gas in the central region 20 may be removed through the outlet 25 to create a high vacuum. Although FIG. 16 shows the outward-facing part 22 converging toward the inward-facing part 21, the reverse arrangement where the inward-facing part 21 converges toward the outward-facing part 22 can be used instead. The converging end of the heat-insulating wall 19 is configured to let the gas molecules in the central region 20 out of the outlet 25, thereby creating a high vacuum in the central part 20. The outlet 25 is sealed and maintains the high vacuum in the central region 20 after the pressure in the region 20 is reduced. The sealing of the outlet 25 can be achieved, for example, by heating the brazing material of the outlet 25 to create a brazed seal at the outlet 25 after removing the gas from the central part 20. Other sealing techniques can also be used.

[0089] To reduce the pressure in the central region 20, the heat-insulating part 18 may be placed in a substantially evacuated low-pressure environment, such as in a vacuum furnace chamber, so that the gas molecules in the central region 20 flow into the low-pressure environment outside the heat-insulating part 18. As the pressure in the central region 20 decreases, the tapered shape of the central region 20 and specifically the converging parts 21, 22 described above will affect the residual gas molecules to exit the central part 20 via the outlet 25. In particular, when the pressure of the gas in the central region 20 is low, to guide the residual gas molecules in the central part 20 to the outlet 25 and make the possibility of gas exiting the central part 20 higher than the possibility of gas entering the central part 20 from the outside of the low-pressure environment, the guiding effect of the converging inward-facing part 21 and outward-facing part 22 is effective. In this way, the pressure in the central part 20 can be made lower than the pressure of the environment outside the heat-insulating part 18 due to the shape of the central part 20.

[0090] If necessary, as described above, one or more low-emissivity coatings may be present on the inner surfaces of the inward-facing part 21 and the outward-facing part 22 of the wall 19 to substantially prevent heat loss due to radiation.

[0091] In this specification, the shape of the heat insulation part 18 is described as being substantially cylindrical or similar in shape as a whole. However, the heat insulation part 18 can be made into another shape to accommodate and insulate various components of the device 1, such as the heating chamber 4, the heater 3, the housing 7, or the energy source 2, which have various shapes and sizes. For example, there are substantially no restrictions on the size and shape of the high-vacuum heat insulation part 18 like the above-mentioned Inslon (registered trademark) molding vacuum heat barrier due to its manufacturing process. Suitable materials for forming the above-mentioned focusing structure include ceramics, metals, semimetals, and combinations thereof.

[0092] Referring to the schematic description of FIG. 12, at one or more ends of the heat insulation part 18, the inner wall part 21 and the outer wall part 22 may be connected by the heat bridge 23 to completely surround and accommodate the low-pressure central part 20. The heat bridge 23 may include a wall 19 formed of the same material as the inner part 21 and the outer part 22. A suitable material is stainless steel as described above. The heat bridge 23 has a higher thermal conductivity than the heat insulation central part 20, and thus may disadvantageously transfer heat from the device 1 to the outside, and at this time, the efficiency of heating the smoking material 5 decreases.

[0093] To reduce the heat loss due to the heat bridge 23, the heat bridge 23 may be extended to increase the resistance to the flow of heat from the inner part 21 to the outer part 22. This is schematically illustrated in FIG. 13. For example, the heat bridge 23 may follow a circuitous path between the inner part 21 of the wall 19 and the outer part 22 of the wall 19. This may be facilitated by providing the heat insulation part 18 over a certain longitudinal distance. This distance is longer than the lengths of the heater 3, the heating chamber 4, and the smoking material 5 so that the heat bridge 23 can gradually extend along the circuitous path from the inner part 21 to the outer part 22. By doing so, at a certain location in the longitudinal direction of the housing 7 where there is no heater 3, heating chamber 4, and smoking material 5, the thickness of the central part 20 becomes zero.

[0094] Referring to FIG. 15 as described above, the heating chamber 4 insulated by the heat insulation part 18 may be provided with an intake and exhaust valve 24 that seals the heating chamber 4 when closed. The valve 24 can thus prevent unnecessary entry and exit of air into the chamber 4 and prevent the aroma of the smoking material from escaping from the chamber 4. The intake and exhaust valve 24 may be provided, for example, in the heat insulation part 18. For example, the valve 24 may be closed by the controller 12 between inhalations so that the volatilized substances remain inside the chamber 4 during that time. The partial pressure of the volatilized substances between inhalations reaches the saturated vapor pressure, and thus the amount of the evaporated substances is determined only by the temperature inside the heating chamber 4. This promotes a reliable and constant supply of the volatilized nicotine and aromatic components from inhalation to inhalation. During inhalation, the controller 12 is configured to open the valve 24 so that air can flow through the chamber 4 and carry the volatilized smoking material components to the suction port 6. A film that prevents oxygen from entering the chamber 4 can be disposed inside the valve 24. The valve 24 may be exhalation-activated so that the valve 24 opens in response to detection of suction at the suction port 6. The valve 24 may close in response to detection of the end of suction. Alternatively, the valve 24 may close after a predetermined time has elapsed after its opening. This predetermined time may be timed by the controller 12. If necessary, mechanical or other appropriate opening / closing means may be provided so that the valve 24 automatically opens and closes. For example, the valve 24 may be opened and closed using the gas movement generated by the user's suction at the suction port 6. Therefore, the use of the controller 12 is not necessarily required for the activation of the valve 24.

[0095] The mass of the smoking material 5 heated by the heater 3, for example, in each heating region 10 may be in the range of 0.2 to 1.0 g. The temperature at which the smoking material 5 is heated may be controllable by the user, and the temperature may be any temperature within the temperature range of 150 to 250 °C as described above, for example. The total mass of the device 1 may be in the range of 70 to 125 g, but can be made lighter when the film heater 3 and / or the high-vacuum heat insulation part 18 are employed. A battery 2 with a capacity of 1000 to 3000 mAh and a voltage of 3.7 V can be used. The heating region 10 may be configured to separately and selectively heat about 10 to 40 portions of the smoking material 5 of one cartridge 11.

[0096] Of course, any one or a combination of the above options can be used alone.

[0097] To address various problems and develop this technology, the entire present disclosure exemplarily shows various embodiments, in which the invention of the claims is practiced to provide excellent devices. The advantages and features of the present disclosure are merely representative specific examples of the embodiments and are neither comprehensive nor exclusive. These specific examples are presented only to assist in and teach the understanding of the features of the claims. Of course, the advantages, embodiments, specific examples, functions, features, structures, and / or other aspects of the present disclosure do not limit the present disclosure as defined in the claims, nor do they limit the equivalents of the claims, and other embodiments may be utilized and improved without departing from the scope and / or spirit of the present disclosure. The various embodiments may appropriately include various combinations of the disclosed elements, components, features, parts, processes, means, etc., or may be composed of only them, or may be substantially composed of only them. Further, the present disclosure also includes other inventions that are not currently claimed but may be claimed in the future. [Items of the Invention] [Item 1] An apparatus comprising a film heater configured to heat a smoking material to volatilize at least one component of the smoking material for inhalation. [Item 2] The apparatus according to item 1, wherein the film heater is a polyimide film heater. [Item 3] The apparatus according to item 1 or 2, wherein the heater has a thickness of less than 1 mm. [Item 4] The apparatus according to any one of items 1 to 3, wherein the heater has a thickness of less than 0.5 mm. [Item 5] The apparatus according to any one of items 1 to 4, wherein the heater has a thickness of about 0.2 mm to 0.0002 mm. [Item 6] The appliance according to any one of Items 1 to 5, characterized by comprising a heat insulation part integrated with the heater. [Item 7] The appliance according to any one of Items 1 to 5, characterized by comprising a heat insulation part covered by the heater. [Item 8] The appliance according to any one of Items 1 to 5, characterized by comprising a heat insulation part separated from the heater by a barrier. [Item 9] The appliance according to Item 8, characterized in that the barrier comprises a layer of stainless steel. [Item 10] The appliance according to any one of Items 6 to 9, characterized in that the heat insulation part comprises a central region depressurized to a pressure lower than that on its outer side. [Item 11] The appliance according to Item 10, characterized in that the wall parts of the heat insulation part on both sides of the central region converge to a sealed gas outlet. [Item 12] The appliance according to Item 10 or 11, characterized in that the thickness of the heat insulation part is less than about 1 mm. [Item 13] The appliance according to Item 10 or 11, characterized in that the thickness of the heat insulation part is less than about 0.1 mm. [Item 14] The appliance according to any one of Items 1 to 13, characterized by comprising a suction port for sucking the volatilized components of the smoking material. [Item 15] The appliance according to any one of Items 1 to 14, characterized in that it is configured to heat the smoking material without burning it. [Item 16] A method for manufacturing the appliance according to any one of Items 1 to 15. [Item 17] A method for heating a smoking material using the appliance according to any one of Items 1 to 15.

Explanation of Reference Signs

[0098] 1... appliance, 2... energy source, 3... heater, 4... heating chamber, 5... smoking material.

Claims

1. A film heater configured to heat a smoking material to volatilize at least one component of the smoking material for inhalation, A heating chamber configured to accommodate the smoking material, A heat insulation part, comprising, The heat insulation part is separated from the film heater by a barrier, The barrier comprises a layer of stainless steel, an apparatus.

2. The internal region of the heat insulation part contains a continuous-bubble porous material, the apparatus according to claim 1.

3. The film heater is adhered to the outer surface of the heating chamber, the apparatus according to claim 1.

4. The heating chamber is configured to accommodate a cartridge having a smoking material or a substantially solid mass of smoking material, the apparatus according to claim 1.

5. A film heater configured to heat a smoking material to volatilize at least one component of the smoking material for inhalation, A heating chamber configured to accommodate the smoking material, comprising, The film heater is adhered to the outer surface of the heating chamber, The film heater has a thickness of less than 0.5 mm and an output of 5 W / cm2 to 8 W / cm2, an apparatus.

6. The apparatus according to any one of claims 1 to 5, further comprising one or more sensors attached to the surface of the heater.

7. The film heater is a polyimide film heater, the apparatus according to any one of claims 1 to 5.

8. The heater has a thickness of about 0.2 mm to 0.0002 mm, the apparatus according to any one of claims 1 to 5.

9. The appliance according to claim 5, characterized in that it comprises a heat-insulating part.

10. The appliance according to claim 9, characterized in that the heat-insulating part is (i) integral with the heater, (ii) covered by the heater, or (iii) separated from the heater by a barrier.

11. The appliance according to claim 10, characterized in that the barrier comprises a layer of stainless steel.

12. The appliance according to claim 1 or 9, characterized in that the heat-insulating part comprises a central region that is depressurized to a pressure lower than that on its outer side.

13. The appliance according to claim 12, characterized in that the wall parts of the heat-insulating part on both sides of the central region converge at a sealed gas outlet.

14. The appliance according to claim 1 or 9, characterized in that the thickness of the heat-insulating part is less than about 1 mm.

15. The appliance according to claim 1 or 9, characterized in that the thickness of the heat-insulating part is less than about 0.1 mm.

16. The appliance according to any one of claims 1 to 5, characterized in that it comprises a suction port for sucking the volatilized components of the smoking material.

17. The appliance according to any one of claims 1 to 5, characterized in that it is configured to heat the smoking material without burning it.

18. A method for heating a smoking material using the appliance according to any one of claims 1 to 5.

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