Aerosol generator and infrared heater

Abstract

The present application relates to the field of smoking articles and provides an aerosol generating device and an infrared heater. The aerosol generating device includes a cavity for receiving an aerosol-forming substrate and at least one infrared heater configured to radiate infrared rays into the cavity to heat the aerosol-forming substrate, the infrared heater including multiple infrared heating regions for heating different portions of the aerosol-forming substrate, a predetermined interval between adjacent infrared heating regions, and the multiple infrared heating regions configured to operate independently. In the present application, the multiple infrared heating regions are operated independently to heat different portions of the aerosol-forming substrate, and a predetermined interval between adjacent infrared heating regions is maintained, so that a clear temperature difference exists between the portions of the aerosol-forming substrate corresponding to the infrared heating regions and the portions of the aerosol-forming substrate corresponding to the predetermined intervals, thereby avoiding the problem of tobacco component volatilization and improving the user's smoking experience.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] (Cross - reference to related applications) This application claims the priority of the Chinese patent application with the application number 202010902708.1 and the invention title "Aerosol Generator and Infrared Heater", which was filed with the Chinese Patent Office on September 1, 2020, and all of its contents are incorporated herein by reference.

[0002] The embodiments of this application relate to the technical field of smoking devices, and in particular, to an aerosol generator and an infrared heater.

Background Art

[0003] Smoking products such as cigarettes and cigars generate smoke by burning tobacco during use. Attempts have been made to provide alternatives to these products that burn tobacco by manufacturing products that release compounds without combustion. Examples of such products include so - called heat - not - burn products that release compounds by heating tobacco rather than burning it.

[0004] Conventional heat - not - burn smoking devices mainly apply a far - infrared coating and a conductive coating on the outer surface of the base. After being energized, the far - infrared coating emits far - infrared rays that penetrate the base and heat the tobacco inside the base. Since far - infrared rays have strong permeability, they can penetrate the outside of the tobacco and enter the inside, making the heating of the aerosol - forming substrate in the tobacco uniform.

[0005] In order to meet the physiological requirements of consumers for smoking, tobacco is usually blended with multiple components to obtain a smoking experience such as aroma, irritation, and fullness. However, the volatilization rates of different components at different temperatures are different. When heating tobacco with conventional smoking devices, since the temperature distribution inside the tobacco is uniform, the volatilization of tobacco components often becomes single, and consumers are likely to feel that the types and contents of smoke components do not change significantly during smoking, which has a certain impact on consumers' smoking experience.

Summary of the Invention

[0006] This application provides an aerosol generating device and an infrared heater to solve the problem that the volatilization of tobacco components is single when heating tobacco with a conventional smoking device.

[0007] A first aspect of this application is an aerosol generating device for generating an aerosol for smoking by heating an aerosol-forming substrate, a cavity for receiving the aerosol-forming substrate, and at least one infrared heater configured to radiate infrared rays into the cavity to heat the aerosol-forming substrate, and includes: The infrared heater includes a plurality of infrared heating regions for heating different portions of the aerosol-forming substrate, a predetermined interval is maintained between adjacent infrared heating regions, and the plurality of infrared heating regions are configured to be activated non-independently, providing an aerosol generating device.

[0008] A second aspect of this application is an infrared heater used in an aerosol generating device, the infrared heater includes a plurality of infrared heating regions for heating different portions of the aerosol-forming substrate, a predetermined interval is maintained between adjacent infrared heating regions, and the plurality of infrared heating regions are configured to be activated non-independently, providing an infrared heater.

[0009] In the aerosol generating device and the infrared heater provided in this application, the plurality of infrared heating regions are activated non-independently to heat different portions of the aerosol-forming substrate, and a predetermined interval is maintained between adjacent infrared heating regions. Therefore, there is an obvious temperature difference between the portion of the aerosol-forming substrate corresponding to the infrared heating region and the portion of the aerosol-forming substrate corresponding to the predetermined interval, avoiding the problem of single volatilization of tobacco components and improving the smoking experience of users.

Brief Description of the Drawings

[0010] One or more embodiments will be exemplarily described with reference to the figures in the corresponding drawings. These exemplary descriptions do not limit the embodiments, and elements / modules and processes with the same reference numerals in the drawings indicate similar elements / modules and processes. Unless otherwise specified, the figures in the drawings do not limit the scale.

Figure 1

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Embodiments for Carrying Out the Invention

[0011] To facilitate the understanding of this application, the following will describe this application in more detail with reference to the drawings and specific embodiments. It should be noted that when an element is referred to as being "fixed to" another element, it may be directly on the other element or there may be one or more intervening elements between them. When an element is referred to as being "connected to" another element, it may be directly connected to the other element or there may be one or more intervening elements between them. The terms "upper", "lower", "left", "right", "inner", "outer" and similar expressions used in this specification are merely for the purpose of explanation.

[0012] Unless otherwise defined, all technical and scientific terms used in this specification have the same meaning as commonly understood by those skilled in the technical field to which this application belongs. The terms used in the specification of this application are merely for the purpose of describing specific embodiments and do not limit this application. The term "and / or" used in this specification includes any and all combinations of one or more of the related listed items.

[0013] FIG. 1 to FIG. 2 show an aerosol generating device 100 provided in an embodiment of this application. The aerosol generating device 100 includes a casing 6 and an infrared heater, and the infrared heater is provided inside the casing 6. The infrared heater of this embodiment is provided with a plurality of infrared electrothermal coatings on the outer surface of the substrate 11 so as to form a plurality of infrared heating regions. The plurality of infrared electrothermal coatings are configured to be activated non-independently. For example, the plurality of infrared electrothermal coatings are connected in parallel or in series to a single current loop. Therefore, when current flows, the plurality of infrared electrothermal coatings emit infrared rays to radiatively heat different parts of the aerosol-forming substrate in the cavity of the substrate 11. Since a predetermined interval is maintained between the plurality of infrared electrothermal coatings, there is an obvious temperature difference between the part of the aerosol-forming substrate corresponding to the infrared electrothermal coating and the part of the aerosol-forming substrate corresponding to the predetermined interval, avoiding a single problem of the volatilization of tobacco components and improving the smoking experience of users.

[0014] The casing 6 includes an outer casing 61, a fixed casing 62, a base, and a bottom cover 64. Both the fixed casing 62 and the base are fixed within the outer casing 61. Among them, the base is for fixing the base body 11, the base is provided within the fixed casing 62, and the bottom cover 64 is provided at one end of the outer casing 61 and covers the outer casing 61.

[0015] Specifically, the base includes a base 15 fitted to the first end A of the base body 11 and a base 16 fitted to the second end B of the base body 11. Both the base 15 and the base 16 are provided within the fixed casing 62. An intake pipe 641 protrudes from the bottom cover 64. One end of the base 16 away from the base 15 is connected to the intake pipe 641. The base 15, the base body 11, the base 16, and the intake pipe 641 are provided coaxially. And, the base body 11 can be hermetically connected to the base 15 and the base 16 by a sealing member, and the base 16 can also be hermetically connected to the intake pipe 641. The intake pipe 641 communicates with the outside air so that the user can inhale smoothly when inhaling.

[0016] The aerosol generating device 100 further includes a main control circuit board 3 and a battery 7. The fixed casing 62 includes a front casing 621 and a rear casing 622. The front casing 621 and the rear casing 622 are fixedly connected. Both the main control circuit board 3 and the battery 7 are provided within the fixed casing 62. The battery 7 is electrically connected to the main control circuit board 3. The button 4 protrudes from the outer casing 61. By pressing the button 4, the energization or power-off of the infrared electrothermal coating on the surface of the base body 11 can be realized. A charging interface 31 is further connected to the main control circuit board 3. The charging interface 31 is exposed on the bottom cover 64. The user can charge or upgrade the aerosol generating device 100 through the charging interface 31 to ensure the continuous use of the aerosol generating device 100.

[0017] The aerosol generating device 100 further includes a heat-insulating tube 17. The heat-insulating tube 17 is provided within the fixed casing 62, is provided on the outer periphery of the base body 11, and can prevent a large amount of heat from being transmitted to the outer casing 61 to avoid scalding the user's hand. The heat-insulating tube contains a heat-insulating material, and the heat-insulating material may be heat-insulating rubber, aerogel, aerogel felt, asbestos, aluminum silicate, calcium silicate, diatomaceous earth, zirconia, etc. The heat-insulating tube 17 may be a vacuum heat-insulating tube. An infrared reflection coating may be formed within the heat-insulating tube 17 to reflect the infrared rays emitted from the infrared electrothermal coating on the base body 11 back to the infrared electrothermal coating to improve the heating efficiency.

[0018] The aerosol generating device 100 further includes a temperature sensor 2 such as an NTC temperature sensor for detecting the real-time temperature of the base body 11 and transmitting the detected real-time temperature to the main control circuit board 3. The main control circuit board 3 adjusts the magnitude of the current flowing through the infrared electrothermal coating according to the real-time temperature.

[0019] Specifically, when the NTC temperature sensor detects that the real-time temperature inside the base body 11 is relatively low, for example, when it is detected that the temperature inside the base body 11 is less than 150°C, the main control circuit board 3 controls the battery 7 to output a relatively high voltage to the conductive element, further increasing the current supplied to the infrared electrothermal coating, increasing the heating power of the aerosol-forming substrate, and reducing the waiting time of the user required for the first smoking.

[0020] When the NTC temperature sensor detects that the temperature of the base body 11 is between 150°C and 200°C, the main control circuit board 3 controls the battery 7 to output a normal voltage to the conductive element.

[0021] When the NTC temperature sensor detects that the temperature of the base body 11 is between 200°C and 250°C, the main control circuit board 3 controls the battery 7 to output a relatively low voltage to the conductive element.

[0022] When the NTC temperature sensor detects that the temperature inside the substrate 11 is 250 °C or higher, the main control circuit board 3 controls the battery 7 to stop the voltage output to the conductive element.

[0023] FIG. 3 is an infrared heater provided in the embodiment of the present application, and the infrared heater includes a substrate 11 that extends in the axial direction of the cavity and is configured in a tubular shape surrounding the cavity, and the cavity is for receiving an aerosol-forming substrate.

[0024] Specifically, the substrate 11 includes a first end (or proximal end) A, a second end (or distal end) B, and a surface extending between the first end A and the second end B. The substrate 11 may be cylindrical, prismatic, or other columnar or non-columnar shapes (for example, plate-shaped). The substrate 11 is preferably cylindrical, and the cavity is a cylindrical hole penetrating the middle of the substrate 11. The inner diameter of the hole is slightly larger than the outer diameter of the aerosol-forming product in order to facilitate heating the aerosol-forming product placed in the cavity.

[0025] The substrate 11 may be made of a transparent material resistant to high temperatures such as quartz glass, ceramics, or mica, or may be made of other materials with high infrared transmittance, for example, high-temperature resistant materials with an infrared transmittance of 95% or more, and is not specifically limited here.

[0026] The aerosol-forming substrate is a substrate capable of releasing a volatile compound capable of forming an aerosol. Such a volatile compound can be released by heating the aerosol-forming substrate. The aerosol-forming substrate may be solid, liquid, or may contain solid and liquid components. The aerosol-forming substrate can be adsorbed, coated, impregnated, or mounted in other ways on a carrier or support. Conveniently, the aerosol-forming substrate may be a part of an aerosol-generating product.

[0027] The aerosol-forming substrate may contain nicotine. The aerosol-forming substrate may contain tobacco, for example, it may contain a tobacco-containing material containing volatile tobacco flavor compounds, and when heated, the volatile tobacco flavor compounds are released from the aerosol-forming substrate. A preferred aerosol-forming substrate may contain a homogenized tobacco material, for example, Castlereagh tobacco. The aerosol-forming substrate may contain at least one aerosol-forming agent, and the aerosol-forming agent may be any suitable known compound or mixture of compounds, and during use, the compound or mixture of compounds is advantageous for densifying and stabilizing the formation of the aerosol and is substantially resistant to thermal decomposition at the operating temperature of the aerosol generation system. Suitable aerosol-forming agents are well known in the art and include polyhydric alcohols such as triethylene glycol, 1,3-butanediol and glycerin, esters of polyhydric alcohols such as glycerin mono-, di- or triacetate, and fatty acid esters of monohydric, dihydric or polyhydric carboxylic acids such as dimethyl dodecanedioate and dimethyl tetradecanoate, but are not limited thereto. Preferred aerosol-forming agents are polyhydroxy alcohols or mixtures thereof, for example, triethylene glycol, 1,3-butanediol and most preferably glycerol.

[0028] The infrared electrothermal coating 111 is formed on the surface of the substrate 11. The infrared electrothermal coating 111 may be formed on the outer surface of the substrate 11 or may be formed on the inner surface of the substrate 11.

[0029] In this example, the outer surface of the substrate 11 includes three coating regions arranged at intervals in the axial direction of the cavity, and adjacent coating regions are separated by a non-coating region 112 so as to maintain a predetermined interval.

[0030] Specifically, the first infrared electrothermal coating 1111, the second infrared electrothermal coating 1112, and the third infrared electrothermal coating 1113 are respectively provided in three coating regions. The first infrared electrothermal coating 1111 and the second infrared electrothermal coating 1112 are separated by the first non-coating region 1121, and the second infrared electrothermal coating 1112 and the third infrared electrothermal coating 1113 are separated by the second non-coating region 1122.

[0031] In this example, the axial lengths of the first non-coating region 1121 and the second non-coating region 1122 are in the range of 2 mm to 10 mm, preferably 2 mm to 8 mm, more preferably 3 mm to 8 mm, still more preferably 4 mm to 8 mm, still more preferably 5 mm to 8 mm, and still more preferably 5 mm to 7 mm. It should be noted that the axial length of the first non-coating region 1121 and the axial length of the second non-coating region 1122 may be the same or different.

[0032] The axial lengths of the first infrared electrothermal coating 1111, the second infrared electrothermal coating 1112, and the third infrared electrothermal coating 1113 may be the same or different, and their equivalent resistances may be the same or different. For example, the axial lengths of the first infrared electrothermal coating 1111 and the third infrared electrothermal coating 1113 can be set to be smaller than the axial length of the second infrared electrothermal coating 1112 so that the equivalent resistances of both the first infrared electrothermal coating 1111 and the third infrared electrothermal coating 1113 are smaller than the equivalent resistance of the second infrared electrothermal coating 1112. In this way, after the infrared electrothermal coating 111 receives power, both ends of the substrate 11 generate a larger current density and more heat, and temperature compensation at both ends of the substrate can be achieved. Also, by setting the equivalent resistance of the first infrared electrothermal coating 1111 to be small, the waiting time until smoke appears can be shortened, and the smoking experience of the user can be further improved.

[0033] The infrared electrothermal coating 111 receives power to generate heat and further generates infrared rays of a certain wavelength, for example, far-infrared rays of 8 μm to 15 μm. When the wavelength of the infrared rays matches the absorption wavelength of the aerosol-forming substrate, the energy of the infrared rays is more likely to be absorbed by the aerosol-forming substrate. The wavelength of the infrared rays is not limited and may be infrared rays of 0.75 μm to 1000 μm, preferably far-infrared rays of 1.5 μm to 400 μm. In this example, the first infrared electrothermal coating 1111, the second infrared electrothermal coating 1112, and the third infrared electrothermal coating 1113 are configured to receive the power of the power source non-independently to generate heat and further generate infrared rays to radiatively heat different parts of the aerosol-forming substrate.

[0034] The infrared electrothermal coating 111 is preferably formed by sufficiently and uniformly stirring far-infrared electrothermal ink, ceramic powder, and an inorganic binder, then applying the mixture to the outer surface of the substrate 11, and subsequently drying and curing for a certain period of time. The thickness of the infrared electrothermal coating 111 is 30 μm to 50 μm. Of course, the infrared electrothermal coating 111 may also be formed by mixing and stirring tin tetrachloride, tin oxide, antimony trichloride, titanium tetrachloride, and anhydrous copper sulfate in a certain ratio and then applying the mixture to the outer surface of the substrate 11. Alternatively, it may be one of a silicon carbide ceramic layer, a carbon fiber layer, a carbon fiber composite layer, a zirconium titanium-based oxide ceramic layer, a zirconium titanium-based nitride ceramic layer, a zirconium titanium-based boride ceramic layer, a zirconium titanium-based carbide ceramic layer, an iron-based oxide ceramic layer, an iron-based nitride ceramic layer, an iron-based boride ceramic layer, an iron-based carbide ceramic layer, a rare earth-based oxide ceramic layer, a rare earth-based nitride ceramic layer, a rare earth-based boride ceramic layer, a rare earth-based carbide ceramic layer, a nickel cobalt-based oxide ceramic layer, a nickel cobalt-based nitride ceramic layer, a nickel cobalt-based boride ceramic layer, a nickel cobalt-based carbide ceramic layer, or a high-silicon molecular sieve ceramic layer. The infrared electrothermal coating may further be other material coatings, for example, derivatives and compounds in which some or all of the constituent elements are carbon, including but not limited to carbon nanotubes, carbon nanotube films, graphene, carbon fibers, carbon fiber films, carbon films, and carbon fiber cloths.

[0035] The conductive element is used to non-independently supply power to the first infrared electrothermal coating 1111, the second infrared electrothermal coating 1112, and the third infrared electrothermal coating 1113.

[0036] In this example, the conductive element includes a first electrode 113 and a second electrode 114 provided at intervals on the substrate 11. Both the first electrode 113 and the second electrode 114 are conductive coatings, and the conductive coating may be a metal coating or a conductive tape, etc. The metal coating may include silver, gold, palladium, platinum, copper, nickel, molybdenum, tungsten, niobium, or the above metal alloy materials. Both the first electrode 113 and the second electrode 114 at least partially overlap with the first infrared electrothermal coating 1111, the second infrared electrothermal coating 1112, and the third infrared electrothermal coating 1113 to form an electrical connection, and supply power to the first infrared electrothermal coating 1111, the second infrared electrothermal coating 1112, and the third infrared electrothermal coating 1113.

[0037] In this example, the first electrode 113 includes a coupling portion 1132 and a conductive portion 1131 extending axially in the direction from the coupling portion 1132 towards the second end B. The coupling portion 1132 extends in the circumferential direction of the substrate 11 to form an annular electrode. The conductive portion 1131 at least partially overlaps with any of the first infrared electrothermal coating 1111, the second infrared electrothermal coating 1112, and the third infrared electrothermal coating 1113 to form an electrical connection, and the coupling portion 1132 does not overlap with any of the first infrared electrothermal coating 1111, the second infrared electrothermal coating 1112, and the third infrared electrothermal coating 1113, that is, they are separated.

[0038] The second electrode 114 includes a coupling portion 1142 and a conductive portion 1141 extending axially in the direction from the coupling portion 1142 towards the first end A. The coupling portion 1142 extends in the circumferential direction of the substrate 11 to form an annular electrode. The conductive portion 1141 at least partially overlaps with any of the first infrared electrothermal coating 1111, the second infrared electrothermal coating 1112, and the third infrared electrothermal coating 1113 to form an electrical connection, and the coupling portion 1142 also does not overlap with the first infrared electrothermal coating 1111, the second infrared electrothermal coating 1112, and the third infrared electrothermal coating 1113.

[0039] It should be noted that in other examples, the connecting parts 1132 and 1142 may extend in the circumferential direction of the base body 11 to form an arc-shaped electrode, that is, they may not be closed in a ring shape. The connecting parts 1132 and 1142 may be provided at the same end of the base body 11, for example, they may be provided adjacent to the second end B.

[0040] The conductive part 1131 and the conductive part 1141 are provided symmetrically with respect to the central axis of the base body 11. Thus, when the connecting parts 1132 and 1142 are coupled to a power source, for example, when the connecting part 1132 is coupled to the positive electrode of the power source and the connecting part 1142 is coupled to the negative electrode of the power source, current flows through the conductive part 1131 and can flow circumferentially through the first infrared electrothermal coating 1111, the second infrared electrothermal coating 1112, and the third infrared electrothermal coating 1113 to reach the conductive part 1141. Thereby, the first infrared electrothermal coating 1111, the second infrared electrothermal coating 1112, and the third infrared electrothermal coating 1113 simultaneously emit infrared rays into the cavity to heat different parts of the aerosol-forming substrate.

[0041] Figure 4 is a schematic diagram of the effect of heating the cigarette 20 with the infrared heater shown in Figure 3. As shown in Figure 4, the first infrared electrothermal coating 1111 radiatively heats the A part of the cigarette, the second infrared electrothermal coating 1112 radiatively heats the B part of the cigarette, and the third infrared electrothermal coating 1113 radiatively heats the C part of the cigarette. The AB part of the cigarette corresponds to the first non-coated area 1121, the BC part of the cigarette corresponds to the second non-coated area 1122, and the heat of the AB part and the BC part of the cigarette mainly comes from the heat conduction of the base body 11 and the heat conduction of the adjacent parts.

[0042] As can be seen from FIG. 4, there is an obvious temperature difference between part A of the tobacco and part AB of the tobacco, and the temperature difference can be controlled within the range of 40°C to 80°C. In this example, the temperature difference is controlled around 60°C. The temperature differences between part B of the tobacco and part AB or BC of the tobacco, and between part C of the tobacco and part BC of the tobacco are similar to this. Due to this temperature difference, the volatilization of tobacco components can avoid a single problem and improve the smoking experience of users.

[0043] FIG. 5 is a schematic diagram of another infrared heater provided in the embodiment of the present application. The difference from FIG. 3 is that the outer surface of the substrate 11 includes three coating regions arranged at intervals in the circumferential direction of the cavity. The first infrared electrothermal coating 1111, the second infrared electrothermal coating 1112, and the third infrared electrothermal coating 1113 are respectively provided in the three coating regions. The first infrared electrothermal coating 1111 and the second infrared electrothermal coating 1112 are separated by the first non-coating region 1121, the second infrared electrothermal coating 1112 and the third infrared electrothermal coating 1113 are separated by the second non-coating region 1122, and the third infrared electrothermal coating 1113 and the first infrared electrothermal coating 1111 are separated by the third non-coating region 1123. The first electrode 113 and the second electrode 114 both extend in the circumferential direction of the substrate 11 to form an annular electrode (which may also be an arc-shaped electrode). When the first electrode 113 and the second electrode 114 are coupled to a power source, for example, when the first electrode 113 is coupled to the positive pole of the power source and the second electrode 114 is coupled to the negative pole of the power source, the current flows axially from the first electrode 113 through the first infrared electrothermal coating 1111, the second infrared electrothermal coating 1112, and the third infrared electrothermal coating 1113 to the second electrode 114. Thereby, the first infrared electrothermal coating 1111, the second infrared electrothermal coating 1112, and the third infrared electrothermal coating 1113 simultaneously emit infrared rays into the cavity to heat different parts of the aerosol-forming substrate.

[0044] FIG. 6 is a schematic diagram of the effect of heating the tobacco 20 with the infrared heater shown in FIG. 5. Similar to what has been described above, there is an obvious temperature difference between the A part of the tobacco and the AB part or CA part of the tobacco, between the B part of the tobacco and the AB part or BC part of the tobacco, and between the C part of the tobacco and the CA part or BC part of the tobacco.

[0045] It should be noted that although the above has been described with reference to the infrared heating coating, in other embodiments, the plurality of infrared heating regions of the infrared heater may be formed by a thermally excited infrared radiation layer, or may be formed by a film structure that can be wound around the substrate 11.

[0046] FIG. 7 is a schematic diagram of still another infrared heater provided in the embodiment of the present application. The difference from FIG. 3 is that the outer surface of the substrate 11 includes five coating regions arranged at intervals in the axial direction of the cavity, and the first infrared electrothermal coating 1111, the second infrared electrothermal coating 1112, the third infrared electrothermal coating 1113, the fourth infrared electrothermal coating 1114, and the fifth infrared electrothermal coating 1115 are respectively provided in the five coating regions and are separated by the first non-coating region 1121, the second non-coating region 1122, the third non-coating region 1123, and the fourth non-coating region 1124. The axial lengths of the first non-coating region 1121 close to the first end A and the fourth non-coating region 1124 close to the second end B are small, while the axial lengths of the second non-coating region 1122 and the third non-coating region 1123 are large. Thereby, there is an obvious temperature difference between the part of the aerosol-forming substrate corresponding to the infrared heating region and the part of the aerosol-forming substrate corresponding to the predetermined interval, and both ends of the substrate 11 can generate a larger current density and more heat, and temperature compensation at both ends of the substrate can be realized. It should be noted that in this example, the axial lengths of the first infrared electrothermal coating 1111, the second infrared electrothermal coating 1112, the third infrared electrothermal coating 1113, the fourth infrared electrothermal coating 1114, and the fifth infrared electrothermal coating 1115 may also be different.

[0047] FIG. 8 is a schematic diagram showing a further unfolded part of another infrared heater provided in an embodiment of the present application. The difference from FIG. 3 is that the outer surface of the substrate 11 includes a plurality of coating regions and a plurality of non-coating regions 112, the plurality of infrared electrothermal coatings 111 are provided in the plurality of coating regions, and the plurality of infrared electrothermal coatings 111 and the plurality of non-coating regions 112 jointly form a network structure, and the conductive part 1131 and the conductive part 1141 overlap with a part of the infrared electrothermal coating 111 to form an electrical connection.

[0048] FIG. 9 is a schematic diagram of still another infrared heater provided in an embodiment of the present application. As shown in FIG. 9, the infrared heater includes an infrared electrothermal coating 211, a first electrode 212, a second electrode 213, and a third electrode 214 formed on a substrate 21. The infrared electrothermal coating 211 is partitioned into a first infrared electrothermal coating 2111 and a second infrared electrothermal coating 2112 in the axial direction of the outer surface of the substrate 21. The first electrode 212 includes a connecting portion 2121 and a conductive portion 2122, the second electrode 213 includes a connecting portion 2131 and a conductive portion 2132, the third electrode 214 includes a connecting portion 2141 and a conductive portion 2142, and by providing the first electrode 212, the second electrode 213, and the third electrode 214, the first infrared electrothermal coating 2111 and the second infrared electrothermal coating 2112 can be independently activated and controlled to achieve stepwise heating.

[0049] In this example, the first infrared electrothermal coating 2111 and the second infrared electrothermal coating 2112 correspond to two independent infrared heaters. In either case, a plurality of infrared heating regions can be configured in the manner of FIG. 3 or FIG. 7 such that there is a distinct temperature difference between the portion of the aerosol-forming substrate corresponding to the infrared heating region and the portion of the aerosol-forming substrate corresponding to a predetermined interval, thereby avoiding a single problem of the volatilization of tobacco components and improving the smoking experience of the user. It can be easily conceived that a plurality of independently activated infrared electrothermal coatings spaced circumferentially on the outer surface of the substrate 21 can be similarly realized. It should be noted that the structure of the stepwise heating is not limited to the embodiment of FIG. 9.

[0050] Referring to FIGS. 10 to 12 for understanding, the aerosol generating device 100 further includes an electrode connection member 14. The electrode connection member 14 is electrically connected to the first electrode 113 and the second electrode 114 respectively, and extends the first electrode 113 and the second electrode 114 to positions away from the substrate 11 respectively.

[0051] Hereinafter, the electrode connection member 14 electrically connected to the second electrode 114 will be described as an example.

[0052] The electrode connection member 14 includes a contact portion and an extension portion 142. At least a part of the contact portion protrudes toward the outer surface of the substrate 11 so as to contact the coupling portion 1142 to form an electrical connection. The extension portion 142 extends away from the substrate 11 with respect to the contact portion, and the extension portion 142 is for coupling to a power source.

[0053] The contact portion includes a main body 141 and four cantilevers 1411 extending from the main body 141. The four cantilevers 1411 protrude from one surface of the main body 141. In this way, when the cantilever 1411 abuts against the coupling portion 1142, an elastic force can be generated to realize an electrical connection with the coupling portion 1142, and the extension portion 142 extends from the main body 141 toward a position away from the substrate 11.

[0054] The main body 141 is matched with the shape of the end of the base body 11. Specifically, the main body 141 is formed in an arc shape, and the main body 141 has an abutting portion 1412 extending in the radial direction. The arc-shaped main body 141 is in close contact with the end face of the base body 11. The abutting portion 1412 abuts against the end of the base body 11 to provide position limitation in order to limit the relative position between the contact portion and the base body 11 and further position the cantilever 1411 at the position of the coupling portion 1142.

[0055] The four cantilevers 1411 are provided at intervals on the main body 141 in the circumferential direction of the base body 11. In other examples, the number of the cantilevers 1411 is not limited either, and it may be four or more or less. As can be understood, the plurality of cantilevers 1411 are helpful for a highly reliable electrical connection of the electrodes, but may increase the processing cost, and those skilled in the art can select according to the need.

[0056] The aerosol generating device 100 further includes a base 15 fitted to the first end A and a base 16 fitted to the second end B. The bases 15 and 16 are selected to use an insulating and heat-insulating material that can withstand high temperatures.

[0057] The base 15 and the base 16 can have the same configuration. Specifically, as shown in FIG. 12, the base 16 includes an inner cylinder 161 and an outer cylinder 162, and the base body 11 is removably fitted between the outer wall of the inner cylinder 161 and the inner wall of the outer cylinder 162. The inner cylinder 161 is a hollow tube, and the air flow passes through the inner cylinder 161 and flows into the cavity of the base body 11. The axial length of the inner cylinder 161 is slightly larger than the axial length of the joint portion 1142. On the outer wall of the outer cylinder 162, there are a plurality of bosses 1621 distributed in the circumferential direction and extending toward the heat insulation tube 17. At the end of the outer cylinder 162, there is a contact portion 1622 extending in the radial direction. By providing the bosses 1621 and the contact portion 1622, when assembling with the heat insulation tube 17, the end of the heat insulation tube 17 can contact the contact portion 1622, and there is a certain gap between the inner wall of the heat insulation tube 17 and the outer wall of the outer cylinder 162 to facilitate the inflow of cold air. There are also a plurality of holding portions 1623 distributed at intervals on the inner wall of the outer cylinder 162. The holding portions 1623 extend from the inner wall of the outer cylinder 162 toward the inner cylinder 161. When the base body 11 is fitted into the base 16, the holding portions 1623 contact the outer surface of the base body 11 to hold the end of the base body 11.

[0058] The base 16 is also provided with an anti-rotation portion for preventing the rotation of the base body 11. The anti-rotation portion includes a positioning protrusion 163 protruding from one side of the base 16 toward the base body 11. A positioning recess corresponding to the positioning protrusion 163 is provided on the tube wall of the base body 11. When the base body 11 is fitted into the base 16, the positioning protrusion 163 engages with the positioning recess correspondingly to prevent the base body 11 from rotating in the circumferential direction with respect to the base 16. The base 16 is also provided with a via hole 164 for drawing out the extending portion 142 of the electrode connection member 14.

[0059] It should be noted that although the preferred embodiments of the present application are shown in the specification and drawings of the present application, the present application can be realized in many different forms and is not limited to the embodiments described in this specification. These embodiments are not intended as additional limitations to the content of the present application. The purpose of providing these embodiments is to make the understanding of the disclosure content of the present application more thorough and comprehensive. In addition, all various embodiments formed by continuously combining the above technical features with each other and not described above are considered to be within the scope described in the specification of the present application. Furthermore, those skilled in the art can make improvements and conversions based on the above description, and all these improvements and conversions shall fall within the protection scope of the appended claims of the present application.

Claims

1. An aerosol generating device for generating an aerosol to be used for smoking by heating an aerosol-forming substrate, comprising: a cavity for receiving the aerosol-forming substrate; and at least one infrared heater configured to emit infrared rays into the cavity to heat the aerosol-forming substrate, wherein the infrared heater comprises: a substrate having a surface, the substrate being configured to be infrared-permeable; and a plurality of infrared radiation layers spaced apart on the surface, the plurality of infrared radiation layers being used to emit the infrared rays passing through the substrate to heat different portions of the aerosol-forming substrate, a predetermined interval being maintained between adjacent infrared radiation layers, and the plurality of infrared radiation layers being configured to be activated non-independently.

2. All of the plurality of infrared radiation layers are coatings formed on the substrate, the surface includes a plurality of coating regions, the plurality of infrared radiation layers are respectively provided within the plurality of coating regions, and a non-coated region is provided between adjacent coating regions so that a predetermined interval is maintained between adjacent infrared radiation layers. The aerosol generating device according to claim 1.

3. All of the plurality of infrared radiation layers are films that can be wound around the substrate. The aerosol generating device according to claim 1.

4. The infrared heater further comprises a conductive element for non-independently supplying power to the plurality of infrared radiation layers. The aerosol generating device according to any one of claims 1 to 3.

5. The conductive element includes a first electrode and a second electrode provided at intervals on the substrate, and both the first electrode and the second electrode at least partially overlap with the plurality of infrared radiation layers to form an electrical connection. The aerosol generating device according to claim 4.

6. The substrate extends in the axial direction of the cavity and is configured as a tubular shape surrounding the cavity. The plurality of infrared radiation layers are arranged at intervals in the axial direction of the cavity or the plurality of infrared radiation layers form a network structure, and both the first electrode and the second electrode include a conductive portion, and the conductive portion extends in the axial direction of the cavity and is configured to at least partially overlap with the plurality of infrared radiation layers to form an electrical connection. The aerosol generator according to claim 5, characterized in that.

7. The first electrode and / or the second electrode further includes a coupling portion electrically connected to the conductive portion, and the coupling portion is configured to extend in the circumferential direction of the cavity without overlapping with the plurality of infrared radiation layers, and the coupling portion is for coupling to a power source. The aerosol generator according to claim 6, characterized in that.

8. The substrate extends in the axial direction of the cavity and is configured in a tubular shape surrounding the cavity. The plurality of infrared radiation layers are arranged at intervals in the circumferential direction of the cavity, and both the first electrode and the second electrode extend in the circumferential direction of the cavity and are configured to at least partially overlap with the plurality of infrared radiation layers to form an electrical connection. The aerosol generator according to claim 5, characterized in that.

9. The conductive element is a conductive coating formed on the substrate. The aerosol generator according to claim 4, characterized in that.

10. The predetermined interval is in the range of 2 mm to 10 mm. The aerosol generator according to claim 1, characterized in that.

11. The predetermined interval is 2 mm to 8 mm. The aerosol generator according to claim 10, characterized in that.

12. The aerosol generator includes a first infrared heater and a second infrared heater, and the first infrared heater and the second infrared heater are configured to be independently activated to achieve stepwise heating. The aerosol generator according to claim 1, characterized in that.

13. An infrared heater used in an aerosol generator, wherein the infrared heater is a substrate having a surface, the substrate being configured to be infrared-transmissive, A plurality of infrared radiation layers disposed at intervals on the surface, wherein the plurality of infrared radiation layers are used to emit the infrared rays passing through the substrate to heat different portions of the aerosol-forming substrate, a predetermined interval is maintained between adjacent infrared radiation layers, and the plurality of infrared radiation layers are configured to be activated non-independently. An infrared heater characterized by the above.

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