Aerosol Generation System

Abstract

[Problem] To provide an aerosol generation system capable of increasing the heating rate of a heating unit. [Solution] An aerosol generation system comprising a resistance heating unit that has a porous structure in at least a part thereof, and that heats an aerosol-generating base material from the inside, and a pair of plate-shaped conductive units provided on mutually opposed surfaces of the resistance heating unit.

Description

[Technical Field]

[0001] The present invention relates to an aerosol generating system. [Background technology]

[0002] Inhalation devices, such as electronic cigarettes and nebulizers, that generate substances to be inhaled by users are widely used. These inhalation devices can generate aerosols imparted with flavor components by using an aerosol source for generating aerosols and a flavor source for imparting flavor components to the generated aerosols. Users can enjoy the flavor by inhaling the flavor-imparted aerosols generated by the inhalation devices.

[0003] In recent years, there has been active development of technologies relating to inhalation devices that use a stick-shaped substrate as an aerosol source or flavor source. For example, Patent Document 1 below discloses a blade-shaped heating unit that is inserted into a stick-shaped substrate to heat the substrate from the inside. [Prior art documents] [Patent documents]

[0004] [Patent Document 1] Chinese Utility Model No. 209807157 Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0005] However, the heating section disclosed in Patent Document 1 does not have a sufficiently high temperature rise rate, so it takes a long time to heat the substrate, making it difficult to provide a comfortable suction experience to the user of the suction device.

[0006] Therefore, the present invention has been made in consideration of the above problems, and an object of the present invention is to provide a new and improved aerosol generation system that can further increase the temperature rise rate of the heating section. [Means for solving the problem]

[0007] In order to solve the above problem, according to one aspect of the present invention, an aerosol generating system is provided, comprising a resistance heating unit having a porous structure in at least a portion thereof and heating an aerosol-generating substrate from the inside, and a pair of plate-shaped conductive units provided on opposing surfaces of the resistance heating unit.

[0008] The porous structure may include a plurality of regions with different porosities.

[0009] The resistive heating portion may contain barium titanate.

[0010] The resistance heating portion has a resistance of 0.3 g / cm 3 It may further contain less than 1000 carbon atoms.

[0011] The electrical connector may further include a fixing portion having an insertion portion into which the conductive portion is inserted and fixing the conductive portion to the housing.

[0012] The fixing portion may be made of super engineering plastic.

[0013] The fixing portion may be in the shape of a circular or rectangular flat plate.

[0014] The conductive portion may be made of metal or carbon.

[0015] The conductive portion may be made of a nickel-containing iron alloy.

[0016] The resistance heating portion may be in the shape of a flat plate.

[0017] The thickness of the flat plate shape may be less than ¼ of the width of the flat plate shape.

[0018] The aerosol-generating device may further include the aerosol-generating substrate into which the resistance heating part and the conductive part are inserted.

[0019] At least one of the conductive portions may include a rib portion formed by bending an edge of the conductive portion from opposing surfaces of the resistance heating portion along the outer shape of the resistance heating portion.

[0020] The resistance heating part may be configured in a shape that protrudes at an angle toward the tip side that is inserted into the aerosol-generating base material.

[0021] At least one of the conductive portions may further include a tip rib portion formed by bending an edge portion of the conductive portion along the shape of the tip side of the resistance heating portion.

[0022] The resistance heating portion and the conductive portion may be bonded together with a conductive adhesive paste.

[0023] The resistance heating portion may be a PTC heater.

[0024] The resistance heating portion may have a heating temperature of less than 350°C. [Effects of the Invention]

[0025] As described above, according to the present invention, it is possible to further increase the temperature rise rate of the heating unit in the aerosol generation system. [Brief explanation of the drawings]

[0026] [Figure 1] FIG. 2 is a schematic diagram illustrating a configuration example of a suction device. [Figure 2] FIG. 2 is a perspective view of a heating unit according to an embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 3] 3 is an exploded perspective view of a heating unit main body included in the heating unit shown in FIG. 2. FIG. [Figure 4] FIG. 2 is a graph schematically showing the relationship between the density of a porous carbon body and its electrical resistance value. [Figure 5] FIG. 10 is an exploded perspective view of a heating unit main body according to a first modified example. [Figure 6]FIG. 10 is an exploded perspective view of a heating unit main body according to a second modified example. [Figure 7] FIG. 11 is an exploded perspective view of a heating unit main body according to a third modified example. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0027] Hereinafter, preferred embodiments of the present invention will be described in detail with reference to the accompanying drawings. In this specification and drawings, components having substantially the same functional configurations are designated by the same reference numerals, and redundant explanations will be omitted.

[0028] <1. Example of suction device configuration> The suction device according to this configuration example generates an aerosol by heating a substrate containing an aerosol source from within the substrate. Hereinafter, this configuration example will be described with reference to FIG.

[0029] Fig. 1 is a schematic diagram showing an example of the configuration of a suction device. As shown in Fig. 1, a suction device 100 according to this example configuration includes a power supply unit 111, a sensor unit 112, a notification unit 113, a memory unit 114, a communication unit 115, a control unit 116, a heating unit 121, and a storage unit 140. In the suction device 100, a stick-shaped substrate 150 is stored in the storage unit 140, and the user performs suction. Each component will be described below in order.

[0030] The inhalation device 100 and the stick-type substrate 150 work together to generate an aerosol that is inhaled by the user. Therefore, the combination of the inhalation device 100 and the stick-type substrate 150 may be considered as an aerosol generating system.

[0031] The power supply unit 111 stores power. The power supply unit 111 supplies power to each component of the suction device 100. The power supply unit 111 may be configured with a rechargeable battery such as a lithium-ion secondary battery. The power supply unit 111 may be charged by connecting to an external power supply via a USB (Universal Serial Bus) cable or the like. The power supply unit 111 may also be charged using wireless power transmission technology while not connected to a power transmitting device. Alternatively, the power supply unit 111 may be provided so as to be detachable from the suction device 100, or so as to be replaceable with a new power supply unit 111.

[0032] The sensor unit 112 detects various types of information related to the inhalation device 100 and outputs the detected information to the control unit 116. As an example, the sensor unit 112 may be configured with a pressure sensor such as a condenser microphone, a flow rate sensor, or a temperature sensor. When the pressure sensor, flow rate sensor, or temperature sensor detects a value associated with the user's inhalation, it can output information indicating that the user has inhaled to the control unit 116. As another example, the sensor unit 112 may be configured with an input device such as a button or switch that accepts information input from the user. In particular, the sensor unit 112 may include a button that instructs the user to start / stop aerosol generation. The input device that accepts information input from the user can output the information input by the user to the control unit 116. As yet another example, the sensor unit 112 may be configured with a temperature sensor that detects the temperature of the heating unit 121. The temperature sensor can determine the temperature of the stick-shaped substrate 150 accommodated in the accommodation unit 140 by detecting the temperature of the heating unit 121 based on, for example, the electrical resistance value of the heating unit 121.

[0033] The notification unit 113 notifies the user of information. As an example, the notification unit 113 is configured with a light-emitting device such as an LED (Light Emitting Diode). Accordingly, the notification unit 113 can emit light in different light-emitting patterns when the power supply unit 111 needs charging, when the power supply unit 111 is charging, when an abnormality has occurred in the inhalation device 100, and the like. The light-emitting pattern here is a concept that includes color, timing of turning on / off, and the like. The notification unit 113 may be configured with a display device that displays images, a sound output device that outputs sound, a vibration device that vibrates, and the like, together with or instead of the light-emitting device. Additionally, the notification unit 113 may notify information indicating that the user is ready to inhale. The information indicating that the user is ready to inhale can be notified when the temperature of the stick-shaped substrate 150 heated by the heating unit 121 reaches a predetermined temperature.

[0034] The storage unit 114 stores various types of information for the operation of the suction device 100. The storage unit 114 is configured, for example, with a non-volatile storage medium such as a flash memory. One example of the information stored in the storage unit 114 is information related to the OS (Operating System) of the suction device 100, such as control information for various components by the control unit 116. Another example of the information stored in the storage unit 114 is information related to suction by the user, such as the number of suctions, the time of suction, or the cumulative suction time.

[0035] The communication unit 115 is a communication interface for transmitting and receiving information between the suction device 100 and other devices. The communication unit 115 performs communication in accordance with any wired or wireless communication standard. Examples of such communication standards include wireless local area network (LAN), wired LAN, Wi-Fi (registered trademark), and Bluetooth (registered trademark). As one example, the communication unit 115 may transmit information related to the user's suction to a smartphone to display the information related to the user's suction on the smartphone. As another example, the communication unit 115 may receive new OS information from a server to update the OS information stored in the storage unit 114.

[0036] The control unit 116 functions as an arithmetic processing device and control device, and controls the overall operation of the suction device 100 in accordance with various programs. The control unit 116 is realized by electronic circuits such as a CPU (Central Processing Unit) or a microprocessor. The control unit 116 may also include a ROM (Read Only Memory) that stores programs to be used, calculation parameters, etc., and a RAM (Random Access Memory) that temporarily stores parameters that change as needed. The suction device 100 executes various processes under the control of the control unit 116. Examples of processes controlled by the control unit 116 include power supply from the power supply unit 111 to the other components, charging of the power supply unit 111, detection of information by the sensor unit 112, notification of information by the notification unit 113, storage and reading of information by the memory unit 114, and transmission and reception of information by the communication unit 115. Other processes executed by the suction device 100, such as input of information to each component and processing based on information output from each component, are also controlled by the control unit 116.

[0037] The storage section 140 has an internal space 141 and holds the stick-shaped substrate 150 while accommodating a portion of the stick-shaped substrate 150 in the internal space 141. The storage section 140 has an opening 142 that connects the internal space 141 to the outside and holds the stick-shaped substrate 150 inserted into the internal space 141 through the opening 142. For example, the storage section 140 is a cylindrical body with the opening 142 and a bottom 143 as its bottom surface, and defines a columnar internal space 141. The storage section 140 is configured so that the inner diameter is smaller than the outer diameter of the stick-shaped substrate 150 in at least a portion of the height direction of the cylindrical body, and can hold the stick-shaped substrate 150 inserted into the internal space 141 by compressing it from the outer periphery. The storage section 140 also has the function of defining an air flow path that passes through the stick-shaped substrate 150. An air inlet, which is an entrance for air into this flow path, is located, for example, in the bottom 143. On the other hand, the air outlet hole, which is the outlet for air from such a flow path, is the opening 142 .

[0038] The stick-shaped substrate 150 is a stick-shaped aerosol-generating substrate. The stick-shaped substrate 150 includes a substrate portion 151 and a mouthpiece portion 152.

[0039] The substrate 151 includes an aerosol source. The aerosol source is atomized by heating to generate an aerosol. The aerosol source may include, for example, a tobacco-derived material, such as a processed product obtained by molding cut tobacco or tobacco raw material into granules, sheets, or powder. The aerosol source may also include a non-tobacco-derived material produced from a plant other than tobacco (e.g., mint or herbs). When the inhalation device 100 is a medical inhaler, the aerosol source may include a drug to be inhaled by the patient. Note that the aerosol source is not limited to a solid, but may also be, for example, a polyhydric alcohol such as glycerin or propylene glycol, or a liquid such as water. At least a portion of the substrate 151 is accommodated in the internal space 141 of the accommodation unit 140 when the stick-shaped substrate 150 is held in the accommodation unit 140.

[0040] Suction mouthpiece 152 is a member that is held in the user's mouth when inhaling. At least a portion of suction mouthpiece 152 protrudes from opening 142 when stick-shaped substrate 150 is held in storage portion 140. When the user holds suction mouthpiece 152 protruding from opening 142 in their mouth and inhales, air flows into storage portion 140 through an air inlet hole (not shown). The inflowing air passes through internal space 141 of storage portion 140, that is, passes through substrate portion 151, and reaches the user's mouth together with the aerosol generated from substrate portion 151.

[0041] The heating unit 121 generates aerosol by heating the aerosol source and atomizing the aerosol source. As will be described in detail later, the heating unit 121 is configured in a blade shape and is disposed so as to protrude from the bottom 143 of the storage unit 140 into the internal space 141 of the storage unit 140. Therefore, when the stick-shaped substrate 150 is inserted into the storage unit 140, the blade-shaped heating unit 121 is inserted into the stick-shaped substrate 150 by piercing the substrate portion 151 of the stick-shaped substrate 150. When the heating unit 121 generates heat, the aerosol source contained in the stick-shaped substrate 150 is heated from the inside of the stick-shaped substrate 150 and atomized, thereby generating aerosol. The heating unit 121 generates heat when power is supplied from the power supply unit 111. For example, when the sensor unit 112 detects that a predetermined user input has been performed, the powered heating unit 121 generates heat, and the temperature of the stick-shaped substrate 150 reaches a predetermined temperature, thereby generating aerosol from the stick-shaped substrate 150. This allows the inhalation device 100 to enable the user to inhale. Thereafter, when the sensor unit 112 detects that a predetermined user input has been performed, the power supply to the heating unit 121 may be stopped. As another example, aerosol may be generated by the powered heating unit 121 during the period in which the sensor unit 112 detects that the user has performed inhalation.

[0042] <2. Detailed configuration of the heating section> Next, the heating unit 121 included in the suction device 100 according to this embodiment will be described in more detail with reference to Figures 2 and 3. Figure 2 is a perspective view of the heating unit 121 according to this embodiment. Figure 3 is an exploded perspective view of a heating unit main body 1250 included in the heating unit 121 shown in Figure 2.

[0043] 2, the heating unit 121 includes a heating unit main body 1250 and a fixing unit 1260. The heating unit main body 1250 is held by the fixing unit 1260, and is fixed to the housing of the suction device 100 or the like via the fixing unit 1260.

[0044] 3, the heating unit main body 1250 includes a resistance heating unit 1210, a first conductive unit 1220, and a second conductive unit 1230. The heating unit main body 1250 can heat the stick-shaped substrate 150 from the inside by heat generated by the resistance heating unit 1210 to which electricity is applied via the first conductive unit 1220 and the second conductive unit 1230.

[0045] 2 and 3, the direction of the tip side of the heating unit main body 1250 inserted into the stick-shaped substrate 150 is also referred to as the upward direction, and the direction opposite to the upward direction is also referred to as the downward direction. Also, the direction in which the first conductive part 1220, the resistance heating part 1210, and the second conductive part 1230 are attached together is also referred to as the front-rear direction, and the directions perpendicular to the up-down direction and the front-rear direction are also referred to as the left-right direction.

[0046] Resistance heating portion 1210 is a plate-like member that generates heat by resistance heating. Specifically, resistance heating portion 1210 is a PTC (Positive Temperature Coefficient) heater that generates heat when electricity is applied between first conductive portion 1220 and second conductive portion 1230.

[0047] A PTC heater is a heater that uses a resistor with a PTC characteristic, which causes a sudden increase in electrical resistance and the flow of electricity to cease when a predetermined temperature (called the Curie temperature) is reached. By utilizing the PTC characteristic, the PTC heater can control the amount of current flow based on temperature without using a control device, making it possible to control the heating temperature below the Curie temperature. Therefore, the PTC heater can heat an object below the Curie temperature. For example, the resistance heating unit 1210 may be a PTC heater that uses barium titanate (BaTiO3), which has PTC characteristics, as a resistor. In this case, the resistance heating unit 1210 can set the Curie temperature of barium titanate to 350°C, allowing it to heat the stick-shaped substrate 150 at temperatures below 350°C.

[0048] The various properties of barium titanate having PTC characteristics, such as its Curie temperature or electrical resistance, can be controlled, for example, by adding trace amounts of additives to the barium titanate. Specifically, barium titanate may be doped with alkaline earth metal elements such as calcium (Ca) or strontium (Sr), or rare earth metal elements such as yttrium (Y), neodymium (Nd), samarium (Sm), or dysprosium (Dy). These added elements can substitute for the Ba site or Ti site of barium titanate to control the structure of the barium titanate sintered body. By controlling the structure of the sintered body, the various properties of barium titanate, such as its Curie temperature or electrical resistance, can be controlled.

[0049] In the suction device 100 according to this embodiment, the resistance heating unit 1210 is provided so as to have at least a porous structure in a portion thereof. By having at least a portion of the resistance heating unit 1210 have a porous structure, the mass for the same volume can be reduced, and therefore the heat capacity can be reduced. This allows the resistance heating unit 1210 to increase the temperature more efficiently with a smaller amount of heat generated, thereby increasing the temperature rise rate of the heating unit 121. A porous structure is a structure in which many pores are formed. For example, the porous structure may have a porosity of 10% or more, calculated by dividing the sum of the volumes of the pores by the total volume. The size of the pores formed in the porous structure is not particularly limited.

[0050] The resistance heating portion 1210 having such a porous structure can be manufactured, for example, by controlling the mixing conditions, dispersion conditions, and sintering conditions of the titanium source and barium source in the sintered body of barium titanate.

[0051] Furthermore, the resistance heating part 1210 having a porous structure can be manufactured by adding carbon and sintering barium titanate. In such a case, the porosity of the porous structure of the resistance heating part 1210 can be controlled by the amount of carbon added.

[0052] For example, when barium titanate is sintered to form a porous structure without adding carbon, the porosity of the porous structure can be controlled to approximately 10%. Furthermore, when barium titanate is sintered to form a porous structure by controlling the mass ratio of barium titanate to carbon to 90:10, the porosity of the porous structure can be controlled to approximately 50%. Furthermore, when barium titanate is sintered to form a porous structure by controlling the mass ratio of barium titanate to carbon to 75:25 to 10:90, the porosity of the porous structure can be controlled to approximately 75%.

[0053] In addition, by controlling the amount of carbon added, it is also possible to control the electrical resistance value of the resistance heating part 1210. However, when the density of the carbon added to barium titanate is 0.3 g / cm 3 If this is the case, the PTC characteristics of barium titanate may be reduced. The above threshold value of carbon density will be explained with reference to Fig. 4. Fig. 4 is a graph schematically showing the relationship between the density of a carbon porous body and its electrical resistance value.

[0054] As shown in Figure 4, the carbon porous body has a carbon density of 0.3 g / cm 3 When the density of carbon added to barium titanate is 0.3 g / cm or more, the electrical resistance value drops sharply. This is because the increase in density makes it easier for the carbon network to form, making it easier for current to flow. Therefore, when the density of carbon added to barium titanate is 0.3 g / cm or more, the electrical resistance value drops sharply. 3 If the density is more than this, the electrical resistance value of the carbon becomes lower than that of the barium titanate, and there is a possibility that current will flow only through the carbon. In such a case, there is a possibility that current will not flow through the barium titanate, which has PTC characteristics, and the resistance heating part 1210 will no longer function as a PTC heater. Therefore, the density of the carbon added to the barium titanate is set to 0.3 g / cm. 3 It is preferable that the temperature be controlled to less than 100°C.

[0055] Here, the density of barium titanate is 6 g / cm when the porosity is 10% without adding carbon.3 Therefore, the density of barium titanate with a porosity of 50% is 3 g / cm 3 Assuming that the resistance heating part 1210 having a porous structure with a porosity of 50% has a heat capacity of 3 g / cm 3 of barium titanate and 0.3 g / cm 3 The density of barium titanate with a porosity of 75% is 1.5 g / cm 3 Assuming that the resistance heating part 1210 having a porous structure with a porosity of 75% has a resistance of 1.5 g / cm 3 of barium titanate and 0.3 g / cm 3 The carbon content will be less than 1000 ppm.

[0056] Furthermore, the porous structure of the resistance heating part 1210 may include a plurality of regions with different porosities.

[0057] As an example, the resistance heating unit 1210 may be provided so as to include multiple regions with different porosities by connecting multiple PTC heaters having porous structures with different porosities in the longitudinal direction (i.e., the vertical direction). For example, the resistance heating unit 1210 may have a region with higher porosity on the tip side that is inserted into the stick-shaped substrate 150, and a region with lower porosity on the rear end side. In this case, the heat capacity of the region on the tip side that is inserted into the stick-shaped substrate 150 can be further reduced, and the stick-shaped substrate 150 can be heated more efficiently by increasing the temperature rise rate on the tip side.

[0058] As another example, the resistance heating unit 1210 may be provided so as to include multiple regions with different porosities by connecting multiple PTC heaters having porous structures with different porosities in the short direction (i.e., left-right direction). In such a case, the resistance heating unit 1210 may have a region with higher porosity in the center of the resistance heating unit 1210 and regions with lower porosity at both ends. In such a case, the resistance heating unit 1210 can further reduce the heat capacity of the region near the center of the stick-shaped substrate 150, and therefore can heat the stick-shaped substrate 150 more efficiently by increasing the temperature rise rate in the center.

[0059] The resistance heating unit 1210 may be configured as a longitudinal flat plate extending in the vertical direction. That is, the longitudinal direction of the longitudinal shape of the resistance heating unit 1210 corresponds to the vertical direction, and the short-side direction of the longitudinal shape corresponds to the left-right direction. By configuring the resistance heating unit 1210 as a longitudinal flat plate, the cross section of the resistance heating unit 1210 perpendicular to the longitudinal direction of the longitudinal shape (i.e., the vertical direction) is rectangular. This allows the perimeter of the cross-sectional shape of the resistance heating unit 1210 to be longer than when the cross section is circular with the same area. Therefore, the resistance heating unit 1210 can increase the contact area between the heating unit 121 and the stick-shaped substrate 150 into which the heating unit 121 is inserted, thereby more efficiently heating the stick-shaped substrate 150. For example, the thickness of the flat plate shape of the resistance heating unit 1210 may be less than ¼ of the width in the short-side direction of the longitudinal shape (i.e., the left-right direction).

[0060] Furthermore, the resistance heating unit 1210 on the tip side to be inserted into the stick-shaped substrate 150 may be provided in a shape that protrudes at an angle toward the tip side (i.e., toward the upward direction). The shape of the angle formed toward the tip side may be any of an acute angle, a right angle, and an obtuse angle. For example, the resistance heating unit 1210 may be provided in the shape of a pentagonal flat plate that has an apex on the tip side (i.e., the upward side) to be inserted into the stick-shaped substrate 150 and is elongated in the vertical direction. By making the tip side (i.e., the upward side) of the resistance heating unit 1210 to be inserted into the stick-shaped substrate 150 sharp like the tip of a sword, it becomes easier to insert the heating unit 121 into the stick-shaped substrate 150.

[0061] The first conductive part 1220 and the second conductive part 1230 are a pair of electrode plates that sandwich the resistance heating part 1210. Specifically, the first conductive part 1220 and the second conductive part 1230 may be provided on both opposing main surfaces in the front-to-rear direction of the flat plate-shaped resistance heating part 1210. The first conductive part 1220 and the second conductive part 1230 are provided spaced apart from each other to prevent short-circuiting.

[0062] The first conductive portion 1220 and the second conductive portion 1230 are bonded to the resistance heating portion 1210 using a conductive adhesive paste, thereby allowing current to flow to the resistance heating portion 1210. As the conductive adhesive paste, for example, a so-called anisotropic conductive adhesive in which conductive particles are uniformly dispersed in an epoxy adhesive can be used.

[0063] As an example, the first conductive portion 1220 and the second conductive portion 1230 may be made of a metal with a low thermal expansion coefficient. For example, the first conductive portion 1220 and the second conductive portion 1230 may be made of an iron alloy containing nickel (Ni) with a low thermal expansion coefficient, such as Invar (registered trademark). This makes it possible to prevent the first conductive portion 1220 and the second conductive portion 1230 from being separated from the resistance heating portion 1210 due to thermal expansion when the resistance heating portion 1210 generates heat.

[0064] As another example, first conductive portion 1220 and second conductive portion 1230 may be made of a conductive carbon sheet. First conductive portion 1220 and second conductive portion 1230 made of a carbon sheet undergo little dimensional change at high temperatures, and therefore can prevent the adhesion between resistance heating portion 1210 and first conductive portion 1220 and second conductive portion 1230 from peeling off due to thermal expansion when resistance heating portion 1210 generates heat. Furthermore, because carbon sheets are lightweight, first conductive portion 1220 and second conductive portion 1230 can further reduce the weight of heating portion 121, thereby further improving the portability of suction device 100 including heating portion 121.

[0065] As yet another example, the first conductive part 1220 and the second conductive part 1230 may be formed of a laminate of a metal and a carbon sheet. For example, the first conductive part 1220 and the second conductive part 1230 may be formed of a laminate of Invar (registered trademark) and a carbon sheet. By laminating the first conductive part 1220 and the second conductive part 1230 so that the carbon sheet faces the resistance heating part 1210, peeling due to the difference in thermal expansion coefficient with the resistance heating part 1210 can be further suppressed.

[0066] The first conductive part 1220 and the second conductive part 1230 may be provided in a shape corresponding to the shape of the resistance heating part 1210 so as to cover the resistance heating part 1210. Specifically, the first conductive part 1220 and the second conductive part 1230 may be provided in a shape obtained by further extending the longitudinal shape of the resistance heating part 1210 in the longitudinal direction (i.e., the vertical direction). For example, like the resistance heating part 1210, the first conductive part 1220 and the second conductive part 1230 may be provided in the shape of a pentagonal flat plate that has an apex on the tip side (i.e., the upward side) that is inserted into the stick-shaped substrate 150 and is extended in the vertical direction. The first conductive part 1220 and the second conductive part 1230 may be provided in the same shape as each other or in different shapes.

[0067] The rear end sides (i.e., downward sides) of the first conductive part 1220 and the second conductive part 1230 opposite to the tip side may be provided so as to extend further downward than the rear end sides of the resistance heating part 1210. The downward extending regions of the first conductive part 1220 and the second conductive part 1230 are inserted into a fixing part 1260, for example, to fix the heating part main body 1250 to the housing of the suction device 100.

[0068] The fixing part 1260 is a structural member that fixes the heating part main body 1250 to the housing of the suction device 100. Specifically, the fixing part 1260 is configured in the shape of a circular or rectangular flat plate having an insertion part 1261 with a slit-shaped recessed structure or a through-hole structure.

[0069] The insertion portion 1261 may have two recessed or through-hole structures into which the first conductive portion 1220 and the second conductive portion 1230 are inserted, respectively, or may have one recessed or through-hole structure into which the first conductive portion 1220 and the second conductive portion 1230 are inserted together. By inserting the first conductive portion 1220 and the second conductive portion 1230 into the insertion portion 1261, the fixing portion 1260 can hold the heating unit main body 1250 and fix the heating unit main body 1250 to the housing of the suction device 100.

[0070] The fixing portion 1260 may be made of a super engineering plastic. Super engineering plastics have high heat resistance and mechanical strength, and can be inexpensively formed into desired shapes by injection molding or the like, making them suitable for use as a structural member material. For example, the fixing portion 1260 may be made of PEEK (PolyEtherEtherKetone), a type of engineering plastic. PEEK is a thermoplastic resin that has very high heat resistance and high dimensional stability. Therefore, by making the fixing portion 1260 out of PEEK, dimensional changes in the fixing portion 1260 due to heat generated by the resistance heating portion 1210 are further reduced.

[0071] Furthermore, the fixing portion 1260 may hold the first conductive portion 1220 and the second conductive portion 1230 in a region extending downward from the rear end of the resistance heating portion 1210. By holding the heating portion main body 1250 in a region distant from the resistance heating portion 1210, the possibility of heat propagation from the resistance heating portion 1210 can be reduced. In this case, the fixing portion 1260 can be made of a material with greater flexibility, taking into consideration not only heat resistance but also processability and cost. For example, the fixing portion 1260 can be made of a resin having a lower melting point or glass transition point than metals. Furthermore, because the fixing portion 1260 does not directly contact the resistance heating portion 1210, the possibility of heat generated by the resistance heating portion 1210 propagating to the housing of the suction device 100 can be further reduced.

[0072] According to the above configuration, the heating unit 121 according to this embodiment can reduce the heat capacity by making at least a part of the resistance heating unit 1210 porous, and therefore can increase the temperature with a smaller amount of heat generation. Therefore, the suction device 100 according to this embodiment can further increase the temperature rise rate of the heating unit 121.

[0073] <3. Modifications> 5 to 7, first to third modified examples of the heating unit main body 1250 according to this embodiment will be described. Note that the first conductive part 1220 and the second conductive part 1230 are interchangeable, and therefore the following description of the first conductive part 1220 can be read as the description of the second conductive part 1230.

[0074] (First Modification) 5 is an exploded perspective view of the heating unit main body 1250A according to the first modified example. In FIG. 5, as in FIGS. 2 and 3, the up-down direction, the front-rear direction, and the left-right direction are defined. Specifically, the direction of the tip side of the heating unit main body 1250A inserted into the stick-shaped substrate 150 is also referred to as the up direction, and the direction opposite the up direction is also referred to as the down direction. In addition, the direction in which the first conductive part 1220, the resistance heating part 1210, and the second conductive part 1230 are attached together is also referred to as the front-rear direction, and the directions perpendicular to the up-down direction and the front-rear direction are also referred to as the left-right direction.

[0075] As shown in FIG. 5, in a heating unit main body 1250A according to the first modification, a rib portion 1240 is further provided on at least one of the first conductive portion 1220 and the second conductive portion 1230.

[0076] Specifically, the rib portion 1240 is formed by bending both edges in the short direction (i.e., the left-right direction) of the longitudinal shape of the first conductive portion 1220 along the outer shape of the resistance heating portion 1210. For example, when the first conductive portion 1220 is provided in a pentagonal shape extended in the up-down direction, the rib portion 1240 may be formed by bending each edge of both extended sides of the first conductive portion 1220 in the left-right direction.

[0077] By providing the rib portion 1240, the strength of the first conductive portion 1220 in the front-rear direction when the rib portion 1240 is bent is increased, and deformation in the front-rear direction can be suppressed. As a result, the heating unit main body 1250A is less likely to deform in the normal direction of the main surface of the first conductive portion 1220 (i.e., the front-rear direction), and the possibility of the heating unit main body 1250A breaking in the normal direction can be reduced. With the heating unit main body 1250A of the first modified example, the strength of the heating unit 121 in the front-rear direction can be increased, and the possibility of the heating unit 121 breaking when inserted into the stick-shaped substrate 150 can be reduced.

[0078] (Second Modification) 6 is an exploded perspective view of the heating unit main body 1250B according to the second modified example. In FIG. 6, as in FIGS. 2 and 3, the up-down direction, the front-rear direction, and the left-right direction are defined. Specifically, the direction of the tip side of the heating unit main body 1250B inserted into the stick-shaped substrate 150 is also referred to as the up direction, and the direction opposite the up direction is also referred to as the down direction. In addition, the direction in which the first conductive part 1220, the resistance heating part 1210, and the second conductive part 1230 are attached together is also referred to as the front-rear direction, and the directions perpendicular to the up-down direction and the front-rear direction are also referred to as the left-right direction.

[0079] As shown in FIG. 6, in a heating unit main body 1250B according to the second modification, a first rib portion 1241 is provided on a first conductive portion 1220, and a second rib portion 1242 is provided on a second conductive portion 1230.

[0080] Specifically, the first rib portion 1241 is formed by bending one edge portion in the short direction (i.e., left-right direction) of the longitudinal shape of the first conductive portion 1220 along the outer shape of the resistance heating portion 1210. The second rib portion 1242 is formed by bending the other edge portion in the short direction (i.e., left-right direction) of the longitudinal shape of the second conductive portion 1230 along the outer shape of the resistance heating portion 1210. For example, when the first conductive portion 1220 and the second conductive portion 1230 are provided in a pentagonal shape extended in the up-down direction, the first rib portion 1241 may be formed by bending the edge portion of the extended right side of the first conductive portion 1220. The second rib portion 1242 may be formed by bending the edge portion of the extended left side of the second conductive portion 1230.

[0081] By providing the first rib portion 1241 and the second rib portion 1242, the strength of the first conductive portion 1220 and the second conductive portion 1230 in the front-rear direction when the first rib portion 1241 and the second rib portion 1242 are bent is increased, and deformation in the front-rear direction can be suppressed. As a result, the heating unit main body 1250B is less likely to deform in the normal direction of the main surfaces of the first conductive portion 1220 and the second conductive portion 1230 (i.e., the front-rear direction), and therefore the possibility of the heating unit 121 breaking in the normal direction can be reduced.

[0082] That is, the first rib portion 1241 and the second rib portion 1242 may be provided on both of the pair of electrode plates (the first conductive portion 1220 and the second conductive portion 1230). Even in such a case, the heating unit main body 1250B according to the second modified example can reduce the possibility that the heating unit 121 will break when inserted into the stick-shaped substrate 150, similar to the heating unit main body 1250A according to the first modified example.

[0083] (Third Modification) 7 is an exploded perspective view of a heating unit main body 1250C according to a third modified example. In FIG. 7, as in FIGS. 2 and 3, the up-down direction, the front-rear direction, and the left-right direction are defined. Specifically, the direction of the tip end of the heating unit main body 1250C inserted into the stick-shaped substrate 150 is also referred to as the up direction, and the direction opposite the up direction is also referred to as the down direction. In addition, the direction in which the first conductive part 1220, the resistance heating part 1210, and the second conductive part 1230 are bonded together is also referred to as the front-rear direction, and the directions perpendicular to the up-down direction and the front-rear direction are also referred to as the left-right direction.

[0084] As shown in FIG. 7, in the heating unit main body 1250C according to the third modified example, in addition to the rib portion 1240, a tip rib portion 1243 is further provided along a shape that protrudes at an angle toward the tip side of the resistance heating unit 1210 (i.e., upward).

[0085] Specifically, the tip rib portion 1243 is formed by bending the edge of each side on the upward direction side of the first conductive portion 1220 (i.e., the tip side of the resistance heating portion 1210) along the outer shape of the resistance heating portion 1210. For example, if the first conductive portion 1220 is provided in a pentagonal shape stretched in the vertical direction, the tip rib portion 1243 may be formed by bending the edge of two upward direction sides of the first conductive portion 1220. In such a case, the first conductive portion 1220 has the rib portion 1240 or the tip rib portion 1243 formed on four sides excluding the downward direction side of the pentagonal shape.

[0086] By providing the tip rib portion 1243, the first conductive portion 1220 can cover the pointed, sword-like shape formed on the tip side (i.e., the upward side) of the resistance heating portion 1210 with the tip rib portion 1243. Accordingly, when the heating portion 121 is inserted into the stick-shaped substrate 150, a force acts among the resistance heating portion 1210, the first conductive portion 1220, and the second conductive portion 1230, and the heating portion main body 1250C can prevent the first conductive portion 1220 and the second conductive portion 1230 from peeling off from the resistance heating portion 1210. Therefore, the heating portion main body 1250C can further improve the durability of the heating portion 121 against insertion into the stick-shaped substrate 150.

[0087] Although the preferred embodiments of the present invention have been described in detail above with reference to the accompanying drawings, the present invention is not limited to these examples. It is clear that a person skilled in the art to which the present invention pertains can conceive of various modifications and alterations within the scope of the technical ideas set forth in the claims, and it is understood that these also naturally fall within the technical scope of the present invention.

[0088] The following configurations also fall within the technical scope of the present invention. (1) a resistance heating section having a porous structure at least in part and configured to heat the aerosol-generating substrate from the inside; a pair of plate-shaped conductive portions provided on opposing surfaces of the resistance heating portion; An aerosol generating system comprising: (2) The aerosol generation system described in (1) above, wherein the porous structure includes multiple regions with different porosities. (3) The aerosol generating system described in (1) or (2), wherein the resistance heating part contains barium titanate. (4) The resistance heating portion has a resistance of 0.3 g / cm 3 The aerosol generating system described in (3) above, further comprising less than 10 ... (5) The aerosol generation system described in any one of (1) to (4) above further comprises an insertion portion into which the conductive portion is inserted and a fixing portion that fixes the conductive portion to the housing. (6) The aerosol generation system described in (5) above, wherein the fixing part is made of super engineering plastic. (7) The aerosol generation system described in (5) or (6), wherein the fixing part is a circular or rectangular flat plate. (8) The aerosol generation system according to any one of (1) to (7), wherein the conductive part is made of metal or carbon. (9) The aerosol generation system described in (8) above, wherein the conductive part is made of a nickel-containing iron alloy. (10) The aerosol generation system according to any one of (1) to (9), wherein the resistance heating part has a flat plate shape. (11) The aerosol generation system described in (10) above, wherein the thickness of the flat plate shape is less than 1 / 4 of the width of the flat plate shape. (12) The aerosol-generating system according to any one of (1) to (11) above, further comprising the aerosol-generating substrate into which the resistance heating part and the conductive part are inserted. (13) An aerosol generation system described in any one of (1) to (12), wherein at least one of the conductive parts includes a rib part formed by folding the edge of the conductive part along the outer shape of the resistive heating part from the opposing surfaces of the resistive heating part. (14) The aerosol generating system according to any one of (1) to (13), wherein the resistance heating part is configured in a shape that protrudes at an angle toward the tip side that is inserted inside the aerosol-generating substrate. (15) The aerosol generation system described in (14) above, wherein at least one of the conductive parts further includes a tip rib part formed by folding an edge of the conductive part along the shape of the tip side of the resistive heating part. (16) The aerosol generating system according to any one of (1) to (15), wherein the resistance heating part and the conductive part are bonded together with a conductive adhesive paste. (17) The aerosol generation system according to any one of (1) to (16), wherein the resistance heating part is a PTC heater. (18) The aerosol generating system according to any one of (1) to (17), wherein the resistance heating part generates heat at a temperature lower than 350°C. [Explanation of symbols]

[0089] 100 Suction device 121 Heating section 140 Storage unit 141 Interior Space 142 Aperture 143 Bottom 150 Stick-type base material 151 Base material part 152 Mouthpiece 1210 Resistance heating element 1220 First conductive part 1230 Second conductive part 1240 Rib section 1241 First rib section 1242 Second rib section 1243 Tip rib 1250 Heating unit body 1260 Fixed part 1261 Insertion section

Claims

1. a resistance heating section having a porous structure at least in part and configured to heat the aerosol-generating substrate from the inside; a pair of plate-shaped conductive portions provided on opposing surfaces of the resistance heating portion; Equipped with An aerosol generation system in which the resistance heating section is formed by connecting multiple heaters having porous structures with different porosities in the longitudinal direction of the resistance heating section.

2. The aerosol generating system according to claim 1 , wherein the resistive heating portion includes barium titanate.

3. The resistance heating portion has a resistance of 0.3 g / cm ３ 3. The aerosol generating system of claim 2, further comprising less than 1000 carbon atoms.

4. An aerosol generation system as described in any one of claims 1 to 3, further comprising an insertion portion into which the conductive portion is inserted and a fixing portion that fixes the conductive portion to the housing.

5. The aerosol generating system according to claim 4 , wherein the fixing part is made of a super engineering plastic.

6. The aerosol generation system according to claim 4 or 5, wherein the fixing part has a circular or rectangular flat plate shape.

7. The aerosol generation system according to any one of claims 1 to 6, wherein the conductive portion is made of metal or carbon.

8. The aerosol generating system according to claim 7 , wherein the conductive portion is made of a nickel-containing iron alloy.

9. The aerosol generation system according to any one of claims 1 to 8, wherein the resistance heating portion has a flat plate shape.

10. The aerosol generation system according to claim 9 , wherein the thickness of the flat plate shape is less than ¼ of the width of the flat plate shape.

11. The aerosol generating system according to any one of claims 1 to 10, further comprising the aerosol-generating substrate into which the resistive heating portion and the conductive portion are inserted.

12. An aerosol generation system described in any one of claims 1 to 11, wherein at least one of the conductive parts includes a rib part formed by folding the edge of the conductive part along the outer shape of the resistive heating part from the opposing surfaces of the resistive heating part.

13. The aerosol generating system according to any one of claims 1 to 12, wherein the resistance heating portion is configured in a shape that protrudes at an angle toward the tip side that is inserted inside the aerosol-generating substrate.

14. The aerosol generation system according to claim 13 , wherein at least one of the conductive portions further includes a tip rib portion formed by folding an edge portion of the conductive portion along the shape of the tip side of the resistive heating portion.

15. The aerosol generation system according to any one of claims 1 to 14, wherein the resistance heating portion and the conductive portion are bonded together with a conductive adhesive paste.

16. The aerosol generation system according to any one of claims 1 to 15, wherein the resistive heating unit is a PTC heater.

17. The aerosol generating system according to any one of claims 1 to 16, wherein the resistance heating portion has a heating temperature of less than 350°C.

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