Aerosol Generation System

Abstract

[Problem] To provide an aerosol generation system with which it is possible to suppress the propagation of heat emitted from a heating unit to other than an aerosol generating base material. [Solution] This aerosol generation system comprises: a resistive heating unit that heats an aerosol generating base material from the inside thereof; and a pair of metal plates provided on mutually opposing surfaces of the resistive heating unit, wherein the pair of metal plates include a first region where the metal plates face each other with the resistive heating unit interposed therebetween in the thickness direction of the resistive heating unit, and a second region where the metal plates do not face each other with the resistive heating unit interposed therebetween in the thickness direction of the resistive 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 unit disclosed in Patent Document 1 generates heat uniformly throughout the heating unit, which means that the heat generated by the heating unit may be transmitted to areas other than the aerosol-generating substrate. This reduces the heating efficiency of the aerosol-generating substrate, and the heat generated by the heating unit may affect the reliability 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 prevent heat emitted from a heating unit from propagating to any part other than the aerosol-generating substrate. [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 that heats an aerosol generating substrate from the inside, and a pair of metal plates provided on opposing surfaces of the resistance heating unit, wherein the pair of metal plates include a first region in which the metal plates face each other across the resistance heating unit in the thickness direction of the resistance heating unit, and a second region in which the metal plates do not face each other across the resistance heating unit in the thickness direction of the resistance heating unit.

[0008] The first region may be provided on the leading end side when the resistance heating part is inserted into the aerosol-generating substrate, and the second region may be provided on the trailing end side opposite to the leading end side.

[0009] The second region may be formed by cutting out a part of the metal plate so that the metal plates do not face each other across the resistance heating portion in the thickness direction of the resistance heating portion.

[0010] In the second region, each of the pair of metal plates may be partially cut away, leaving edge portions positioned at diagonal corners of the cross-sectional shape of the resistance heating portion.

[0011] The metal plate cut out in the second region may have a rectangular shape.

[0012] The heating element may further include a fixing portion having an insertion portion into which the metal plate and the resistance heating portion are inserted, and which fixes the metal plate and the resistance heating portion to the housing.

[0013] The metal plate of the second region and the resistance heating portion may be inserted into the insertion portion.

[0014] The fixing portion may be made of super engineering plastic.

[0015] The fixing portion may be in the shape of a circular or rectangular flat plate.

[0016] The metal plate may be made of a nickel-containing iron alloy.

[0017] The resistance heating portion may be in the shape of a flat plate.

[0018] The thickness of the flat plate shape may be less than ¼ of the width of the flat plate shape.

[0019] The aerosol-generating device may further include an aerosol-generating substrate into which the resistance heating part and the metal plate are inserted.

[0020] At least one of the metal plates may include a rib portion formed by bending an edge of the metal plate from opposing surfaces of the resistance heating portion along the outer shape of the resistance heating portion.

[0021] The resistance heating part may be configured in a shape that protrudes at an angle toward a tip side that is inserted into the aerosol-generating base material.

[0022] At least one of the metal plates may further include a tip rib portion formed by bending an edge of the metal plate along the shape of the tip side of the resistance heating portion.

[0023] The resistance heating portion and the metal plate may be bonded together with a conductive adhesive paste.

[0024] The resistance heating portion may be a PTC heater.

[0025] The resistive heating portion may contain barium titanate.

[0026] The resistance heating portion may have a heating temperature of less than 350°C. [Effects of the Invention]

[0027] As described above, according to the present invention, it is possible to prevent the heat generated from the heating part from being transmitted to parts other than the aerosol-generating substrate. [Brief explanation of the drawings]

[0028] [Figure 1] 1 is a schematic diagram illustrating an example of the configuration of a suction device according to an embodiment of the present invention; [Figure 2] FIG. 2 is an exploded perspective view of a heating unit main body included in the heating unit. [Figure 3] FIG. 3 is a perspective view of a heating unit including a heating unit main body shown in FIG. 2. [Figure 4] FIG. 10 is an exploded perspective view of a heating unit main body according to a first modified example. [Figure 5] FIG. 10 is an exploded perspective view of a heating unit main body according to a second modified example. [Figure 6] FIG. 11 is an exploded perspective view of a heating unit main body according to a third modified example. [Figure 7] FIG. 10 is an exploded perspective view of a heating unit main body according to a fourth modified example. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0029] 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.

[0030] <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.

[0031] 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.

[0032] 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.

[0033] 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.

[0034] 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.

[0035] 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.

[0036] 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.

[0037] 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.

[0038] 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.

[0039] 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 .

[0040] 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.

[0041] 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.

[0042] 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.

[0043] 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.

[0044] <2. Detailed configuration of the heating section> Next, the heating unit 121 provided 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 an exploded perspective view of a heating unit main body 1250 included in the heating unit 121. Figure 3 is a perspective view of the heating unit 121 including the heating unit main body 1250 shown in Figure 2.

[0045] 2, the heating unit main body 1250 includes a resistance heating unit 1210, a first metal plate 1220, and a second metal plate 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 metal plate 1220 and the second metal plate 1230.

[0046] 3, the heating unit main body 1250, in which the resistance heating unit 1210, the first metal plate 1220, and the second metal plate 1230 are bonded together, is held by a fixing unit 1260 and fixed to the housing of the suction device 100, etc. In other words, the heating unit 121 is composed of the heating unit main body 1250 and the fixing unit 1260, for example.

[0047] 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 metal plate 1220, the resistance heating unit 1210, and the second metal plate 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.

[0048] 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 metal plate 1220 and second metal plate 1230.

[0049] 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.

[0050] The various properties of barium titanate having PTC properties, 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 control the structure of the barium titanate sintered body by substituting the Ba site or Ti site of the barium titanate. 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.

[0051] 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).

[0052] 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.

[0053] The first metal plate 1220 and the second metal plate 1230 are a pair of electrode plates that sandwich the resistance heating part 1210. Specifically, the first metal plate 1220 and the second metal plate 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 metal plate 1220 and the second metal plate 1230 are provided spaced apart from each other to prevent short-circuiting.

[0054] The first metal plate 1220 and the second metal plate 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.

[0055] As an example, the first metal plate 1220 and the second metal plate 1230 may be made of a metal with a low thermal expansion coefficient. For example, the first metal plate 1220 and the second metal plate 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 metal plate 1220 and the second metal plate 1230 from being separated from the resistance heating unit 1210 due to thermal expansion when the resistance heating unit 1210 generates heat.

[0056] In the suction device 100 according to this embodiment, the first metal plate 1220 includes a first region 1220A and a second region 1220B arranged in the longitudinal direction. The second metal plate 1230 includes a first region 1230A and a second region 1230B arranged in the longitudinal direction.

[0057] The first regions 1220A and 1230A are provided on the tip side (i.e., the upward side) where the heating unit main body 1250 is inserted into the stick-shaped substrate 150, and the second regions 1220B and 1230B are provided on the rear end side (i.e., the downward side) opposite the tip side.

[0058] The first regions 1220A and 1230A are regions where the first metal plate 1220 and the second metal plate 1230 face each other across the resistance heating portion 1210 in the thickness direction of the resistance heating portion 1210. In the first regions 1220A and 1230A, the first metal plate 1220 and the second metal plate 1230 may be provided so as to cover the resistance heating portion 1210, for example, in the same rectangular shape.

[0059] In the first regions 1220A and 1230A, the distance between the first metal plate 1220 and the second metal plate 1230 is approximately the same as the thickness of the resistance heating portion 1210 in the front-to-rear direction. Therefore, in the first regions 1220A and 1230A, the distance between the first metal plate 1220 and the second metal plate 1230 is relatively short, so the electrical resistance between the first metal plate 1220 and the second metal plate 1230 is low and a large current flows. Therefore, in the first regions 1220A and 1230A, the amount of heat generated by the resistance heating portion 1210 is relatively large.

[0060] The second regions 1220B, 1230B are regions that do not face each other across the resistance heating portion 1210 in the thickness direction of the resistance heating portion 1210. Specifically, the second regions 1220B, 1230B are regions where part of the first metal plate 1220 and the second metal plate 1230 are cut out so that the second regions 1220B, 1230B do not face each other across the resistance heating portion 1210 in the thickness direction of the resistance heating portion 1210.

[0061] For example, the first metal plate 1220 and the second metal plate 1230 in the second regions 1220B and 1230B may be cut out, leaving diagonal edges of the cross-sectional shape (rectangular shape) in the thickness direction of the resistance heating part 1210. For example, the first metal plate 1220 in the second region 1220B may be cut out in a rectangular region, leaving a left edge. Furthermore, the second metal plate 1230 in the second region 1230B may be cut out in a rectangular region, leaving a right edge.

[0062] In the second regions 1220B and 1230B, the distance between the first metal plate 1220 and the second metal plate 1230 is approximately the same as the length of the diagonal of the cross-sectional shape (rectangular shape) of the resistance heating part 1210. Therefore, in the second regions 1220B and 1230B, the distance between the first metal plate 1220 and the second metal plate 1230 is relatively long, so the electrical resistance value between the first metal plate 1220 and the second metal plate 1230 is high, making it difficult for current to flow. Therefore, the amount of heat generated by the resistance heating part 1210 is relatively small in the second regions 1220B and 1230B.

[0063] According to this, the first metal plate 1220 and the second metal plate 1230 can adjust the distance between the first regions 1220A, 1230A and the second regions 1220B, 1230B, thereby adjusting the heat generation amount of the resistance heating unit 1210. Specifically, the first metal plate 1220 and the second metal plate 1230 can increase the heat generation amount of the resistance heating unit 1210 in the first regions 1220A, 1230A on the leading end side (upward side), and can decrease the heat generation amount of the resistance heating unit 1210 in the second regions 1220B, 1230B on the trailing end side (downward side). In this case, the heating unit main body 1250 can heat the stick-shaped substrate 150 more efficiently.

[0064] Here, the rear end portions of the first metal plate 1220 and the second metal plate 1230 may have the same length as the rear end portion of the resistance heating portion 1210. In such a case, as shown in Fig. 3, the first metal plate 1220 and the second metal plate 1230 are bonded to the resistance heating portion 1210 in both the first regions 1220A, 1230A and the second regions 1220B, 1230B.

[0065] As described above, in the second regions 1220B and 1230B, the first metal plate 1220 and the second metal plate 1230 are notched in diagonal regions, so that they do not face each other across the resistance heating portion 1210 in the thickness direction of the resistance heating portion 1210. Therefore, in the second regions 1220B and 1230B, the electrical resistance between the first metal plate 1220 and the second metal plate 1230 is high, and the amount of heat generated from the resistance heating portion 1210 is reduced. Therefore, in the second regions 1220B and 1230B, the impact of heat generated from the resistance heating portion 1210 on the surroundings is reduced. Therefore, the heating portion main body 1250 is held to the fixing portion 1260 by the second regions 1220B and 1230B of the first metal plate 1220 and the second metal plate 1230, so that heat propagation to the fixing portion 1260 can be suppressed.

[0066] 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 a cylindrical or prismatic shape having an insertion part 1261 with a slit-shaped recessed structure or a through-hole structure.

[0067] 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 caused by the heat generated by the resistance heating portion 1210 can be further reduced.

[0068] The insertion portion 1261 may be a single recessed structure or a through-hole structure into which the heating unit main body 1250 is inserted. The first metal plate 1220 of the second region 1220B, the second metal plate 1230 of the second region 1230B, and the resistance heating unit 1210 may be inserted into the insertion portion 1261 of the fixing portion 1260. By inserting the resistance heating unit 1210 into the insertion portion 1261 in addition to the first metal plate 1220 and the second metal plate 1230, the fixing portion 1260 can more firmly hold the heating unit main body 1250.

[0069] The resistance heating parts 1210 in the second regions 1220B, 1230B generate little heat, and therefore, even when held by the fixed part 1260, little heat is transmitted to the fixed part 1260. Therefore, the suction device 100 according to this embodiment can prevent the heat generated by the resistance heating part 1210 from transmitting to components other than the stick-type substrate 150. Therefore, the suction device 100 according to this embodiment can improve the heating efficiency of the stick-type substrate 150 and prevent the heat generated from the heating part 121 from affecting reliability.

[0070] <3. Modifications> 4 to 7, first to fourth modified examples of the heating unit main body 1250 according to this embodiment will be described. Note that, since the first metal plate 1220 and the second metal plate 1230 are interchangeable, the following description of the first metal plate 1220 can be read as a description of the second metal plate 1230.

[0071] (First Modification) 4 is an exploded perspective view of the heating unit main body 1251 according to the first modified example. In FIG. 4, 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 1251 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. Furthermore, the direction in which the first metal plate 1220, the resistance heating unit 1210, and the second metal plate 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.

[0072] 4, in the heating unit main body 1251 according to the first modification, the first regions 1220A, 1230A of the first metal plate 1220 and the second metal plate 1230 may have shapes corresponding to the shape of the resistance heating unit 1210. Specifically, the first regions 1220A, 1230A of the first metal plate 1220 and the second metal plate 1230 may have a pentagonal shape with an apex on the tip side that is inserted into the stick-shaped substrate 150, similar to the resistance heating unit 1210. In this way, the first metal plate 1220 and the second metal plate 1230 have a sharpened tip like a sword on the tip side that is inserted into the stick-shaped substrate 150, which makes it easier to insert the heating unit 121 into the stick-shaped substrate 150.

[0073] (Second Modification) 5 is an exploded perspective view of the heating unit main body 1252 according to the second 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 1252 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. Furthermore, the direction in which the first metal plate 1220, the resistance heating unit 1210, and the second metal plate 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.

[0074] As shown in FIG. 5, in a heating unit main body 1252 according to the second modification, a first rib portion 1241 is provided on a first metal plate 1220, and a second rib portion 1242 is provided on a second metal plate 1230.

[0075] 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 metal plate 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 metal plate 1230 along the outer shape of the resistance heating portion 1210.

[0076] 5, the first rib portion 1241 may be formed by bending the right edge portions of the first region 1220A and the second region 1220B of the first metal plate 1220. The second rib portion 1242 may be formed by bending the left edge portions of the first region 1230A and the second region 1230B of the second metal plate 1230.

[0077] As another example (not shown), the first rib portion 1241 may be formed by bending only the left edge of the first region 1220A of the first metal plate 1220. The second rib portion 1242 may be formed by bending the right edge of the first region 1230A of the second metal plate 1230.

[0078] By providing the first rib portion 1241 and the second rib portion 1242, the strength of the first metal plate 1220 and the second metal plate 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 1252 is less likely to deform in the normal direction of the main surfaces of the first metal plate 1220 and the second metal plate 1230, and the possibility of the heating unit 121 breaking in the normal direction can be reduced.

[0079] (Third Modification) 6 is an exploded perspective view of the heating unit main body 1253 according to the third 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 1253 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 metal plate 1220, the resistance heating unit 1210, and the second metal plate 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.

[0080] 6, in a heating unit main body 1253 according to the third modification, a first rib portion 1241 is provided on the first metal plate 1220, and a second rib portion 1242 is provided on the second metal plate 1230. In addition, in the second regions 1220B, 1230B, the entire surfaces of the first metal plate 1220 and the second metal plate 1230 facing in the thickness direction of the resistance heating unit 1210 are cut out. As a result, only the first rib portion 1241 and the second rib portion 1242 are provided in the second regions 1220B, 1230B of the first metal plate 1220 and the second metal plate 1230.

[0081] That is, in the heating unit main body 1253 according to the third modification, the first metal plate 1220 and the second metal plate 1230 in the second regions 1220B, 1230B may have the entire surface cut out without leaving any edges.

[0082] This allows the resistance heating portion 1210 to be electrically connected between the first rib portion 1241 and the second rib portion 1242. In this case, the distance between the first rib portion 1241 and the second rib portion 1242 is the width of the resistance heating portion 1210 in the left-right direction. Therefore, the electrical resistance between the first rib portion 1241 and the second rib portion 1242 is higher than the electrical resistance between the first metal plate 1220 or the second metal plate 1230 in the first regions 1220A and 1230A. Therefore, the heating portion main body 1253 according to the third modification can reduce the amount of heat generated by the resistance heating portion 1210 in the second regions 1220B and 1230B to be lower than the amount of heat generated by the resistance heating portion 1210 in the first regions 1220A and 1230A. That is, even with the heating unit main body 1253 according to the third modified example, like the heating unit main body 1250 shown in Figures 2 and 3, the heating efficiency of the stick-shaped substrate 150 can be improved and the heat emitted from the heating unit 121 can be prevented from affecting reliability.

[0083] (Fourth Modification) 7 is an exploded perspective view of the heating unit main body 1254 according to the fourth 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 side of the heating unit main body 1254 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. Furthermore, the direction in which the first metal plate 1220, the resistance heating unit 1210, and the second metal plate 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] 7, a heating unit main body 1254 according to the fourth modification is provided with the first rib portion 1241 and the second rib portion 1242 described in the second modification. In addition, 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 portions of each side on the upper side (i.e., the tip side of the resistance heating portion 1210) of the first metal plate 1220 or the second metal plate 1230 along the outer shape of the resistance heating portion 1210. For example, the tip rib portion 1243 may be formed by bending the edge portions of two sides on the upper side of the first metal plate 1220 or the second metal plate 1230 along a shape that protrudes at an angle toward the tip side of the resistance heating portion 1210.

[0086] By providing the tip rib portion 1243, the first metal plate 1220 and the second metal plate 1230 can cover the pointed shape like the tip of a sword formed on the tip side (i.e., the upward side) of the resistance heating unit 1210. As a result, the heating unit main body 1254 can prevent the first metal plate 1220 and the second metal plate 1230 from peeling off from the resistance heating unit 1210 when the heating unit 121 is inserted into the stick-shaped substrate 150. Therefore, the heating unit main body 1254 can further improve the durability of the heating unit 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 portion that heats the aerosol-generating substrate from the inside; a pair of metal plates provided on opposing surfaces of the resistance heating portion; Equipped with An aerosol generation system, wherein the pair of metal plates includes a first region in which the metal plates face each other in the thickness direction of the resistive heating portion, sandwiching the resistive heating portion therebetween, and a second region in which the metal plates do not face each other in the thickness direction of the resistive heating portion, sandwiching the resistive heating portion therebetween. (2) The aerosol generating system described in (1) above, wherein the first region is provided on the tip side when the resistance heating part is inserted into the aerosol generating substrate, and the second region is provided on the rear side opposite the tip side. (3) The second region is formed by cutting out a portion of the metal plate so that the metal plates do not face each other across the resistance heating portion in the thickness direction of the resistance heating portion, in the aerosol generation system described in (1) or (2). (4) The aerosol generation system described in (3) above, wherein in the second region, each of the pair of metal plates has a portion of the metal plate cut out, leaving an edge portion located diagonally opposite the cross-sectional shape of the resistive heating portion. (5) The aerosol generation system described in (4) above, wherein the shape of the metal plate cut out in the second region is rectangular. (6) An aerosol generation system described in any one of (1) to (5), further comprising an insertion portion into which the metal plate and the resistance heating portion are inserted, and a fixing portion that fixes the metal plate and the resistance heating portion to the housing. (7) The aerosol generation system described in (6) above, wherein the metal plate of the second region and the resistance heating portion are inserted into the insertion portion. (8) The aerosol generation system described in (6) or (7) above, wherein the fixing part is made of super engineering plastic. (9) The aerosol generation system according to any one of (6) to (8), wherein the fixing part has a circular or rectangular flat plate shape. (10) The aerosol generation system described in (9) above, wherein the metal plate is made of a nickel-containing iron alloy. (11) The aerosol generation system according to any one of (1) to (10), wherein the resistance heating part has a flat plate shape. (12) The aerosol generation system described in (11) above, wherein the thickness of the flat plate shape is less than 1 / 4 of the width of the flat plate shape. (13) The aerosol generating system according to any one of (1) to (12) above, further comprising the aerosol-generating substrate into which the resistance heating part and the metal plate are inserted. (14) An aerosol generation system described in any one of (1) to (13), wherein at least one of the metal plates includes a rib portion formed by folding the edge of the metal plate from the opposing surfaces of the resistance heating portion along the outer shape of the resistance heating portion. (15) The aerosol generating system according to any one of (1) to (14), 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. (16) The aerosol generation system described in (15) above, wherein at least one of the metal plates further includes a tip rib portion formed by folding the edge of the metal plate along the shape of the tip side of the resistance heating portion. (17) The aerosol generation system according to any one of (1) to (16), wherein the resistance heating part and the metal plate are bonded together with a conductive adhesive paste. (18) The aerosol generation system according to any one of (1) to (17), wherein the resistance heating part is a PTC heater. (19) The aerosol generating system described in (18) above, wherein the resistance heating portion contains barium titanate. (20) The aerosol generating system according to any one of (1) to (19), 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 Metal Plate 1220A,1230A 1st area 1220B,1230B 2nd area 1230 Second Metal Plate 1240 Rib section 1241 First rib section 1242 Second rib section 1243 Tip rib 1250, 1251, 1252, 1253, 1254 Heating unit body 1260 Fixed part 1261 Insertion section

Claims

1. a resistance heating portion that heats the aerosol-generating substrate from the inside; a pair of metal plates provided on opposing surfaces of the resistance heating portion; Equipped with the pair of metal plates include a first region in which the metal plates face each other across the resistance heating portion in a thickness direction of the resistance heating portion, and a second region in which the metal plates do not face each other across the resistance heating portion in the thickness direction of the resistance heating portion, An aerosol generating system, wherein the first region is provided on the tip side when the resistance heating portion is inserted into the aerosol generating substrate, and the second region is provided on the rear side opposite the tip side.

2. The aerosol generation system described in claim 1, wherein the second region is formed by cutting out a portion of the metal plate so that the metal plates do not face each other across the resistance heating portion in the thickness direction of the resistance heating portion.

3. The aerosol generation system described in claim 2, wherein in the second region, each of the pair of metal plates is cut out in part, leaving behind edges located diagonally opposite corners of the cross-sectional shape of the resistive heating portion.

4. The aerosol generation system according to claim 3 , wherein the shape of the metal plate cut out in the second region is rectangular.

5. An aerosol generation system described in any one of claims 1 to 4, further comprising an insertion portion into which the metal plate and the resistance heating portion are inserted, and a fixing portion that fixes the metal plate and the resistance heating portion to a housing.

6. The aerosol generation system according to claim 5 , wherein the metal plate of the second region and the resistance heating portion are inserted into the insertion portion.

7. The aerosol generation system according to claim 5 or 6, wherein the fixing part is made of super engineering plastic.

8. The aerosol generation system according to any one of claims 5 to 7, wherein the fixing part has a circular or rectangular flat plate shape.

9. The aerosol generating system of claim 8 , wherein the metal plate is made of a nickel-containing iron alloy.

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

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

12. The aerosol generating system according to any one of claims 1 to 11, further comprising the aerosol generating substrate into which the resistive heating part and the metal plate are inserted.

13. An aerosol generation system described in any one of claims 1 to 12, wherein at least one of the metal plates includes a rib portion formed by folding the edge of the metal plate from the opposing surfaces of the resistance heating portion along the outer shape of the resistance heating portion.

14. The aerosol generating system according to any one of claims 1 to 13, 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.

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

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

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

18. 18. The aerosol generating system of claim 17, wherein the resistive heating portion comprises barium titanate.

19. The aerosol generation system according to any one of claims 1 to 18, wherein the resistance heating portion has a heating temperature of less than 350°C.

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