HEATER ASSEMBLY, AEROSOL GENERATION DEVICE INCLUDING THE SAME, AND METHOD FOR MANUFACTURING THE HEATER ASSEMBLY

Abstract

In a heater assembly for heating an aerosol generating article by a dielectric heating method, the heater assembly includes an oscillation unit that generates microwaves, a resonance unit that resonates the microwaves to generate an electric field, and a coupler having one end in contact with the oscillation unit and the other end in contact with the resonance unit, and transmitting the microwaves generated by the oscillation unit to the resonance unit. The oscillation unit also includes a printed circuit board laminated on the resonance unit.

Description

[Technical Field]

[0001] The present invention relates to a heater assembly capable of heating an aerosol product by a dielectric heating method to generate an aerosol, and to an aerosol generating device including the same. [Background technology]

[0002] Recently, there has been an increasing demand for alternative methods to overcome the shortcomings of conventional cigarettes, such as systems that utilize an aerosol generating device to generate aerosol by heating a cigarette (or "aerosol-producing article"), rather than by burning a cigarette to generate aerosol.

[0003] Recently, aerosol generators using dielectric heating have been proposed, which use microwaves to heat the aerosol product, rather than resistance or induction heating. Microwave heating technology uses microwave resonance to generate heat in a dielectric contained in the aerosol product, and the aerosol product can be heated via the heat generated in the dielectric.

[0004] In order to improve the convenience of use of such a dielectric heating type aerosol generating device, it is necessary to attempt to miniaturize the device while increasing the heating efficiency by appropriately arranging the components of the oscillation unit and the resonance unit. Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0005] One embodiment provides a miniaturized heater assembly and aerosol generating device that can heat an aerosol product by dielectric heating.

[0006] In one embodiment, by stacking the oscillation section on the resonator section, it is possible to improve the heating efficiency and heat dissipation effect even in a miniaturized device.

[0007] The problems to be solved through the embodiments of the present disclosure are not limited to the problems described above, and problems not mentioned will be clearly understood by a person having ordinary skill in the art to which the present embodiments pertain from this specification and the accompanying drawings. [Means for solving the problem]

[0008] According to one embodiment, a heater assembly for heating an aerosol product includes an oscillator that generates microwaves, a resonator that resonates the microwaves to generate an electric field, and a coupler that has one end in contact with the oscillator and the other end in contact with the resonator and transmits the microwaves generated by the oscillator to the resonator, and the oscillator also includes a printed circuit board that is laminated on the resonator.

[0009] According to one embodiment, an aerosol generating device includes a housing having an insertion port into which an aerosol product is inserted, and a heater assembly for heating the aerosol product inserted through the insertion port, wherein the heater assembly includes an oscillator for generating microwaves, a resonator for resonating the microwaves to generate an electric field, and a coupler having one end in contact with the oscillator and the other end in contact with the resonator and transmitting the microwaves generated by the oscillator to the resonator, and the oscillator also includes a printed circuit board stacked on the resonator.

[0010] A method for manufacturing a heater assembly for heating an aerosol product according to one embodiment also includes providing a resonator, connecting a coupler having one end in contact with the resonator, and stacking an oscillator including a printed circuit board on the resonator, the oscillator contacting the other end of the coupler. [Effects of the Invention]

[0011] The heater assembly, the aerosol generating device, and the method for manufacturing the heater assembly according to the present embodiment may provide a miniaturized heater assembly and an aerosol generating device.

[0012] Furthermore, the present invention can provide a heater assembly, an aerosol generating device, and a method for manufacturing the heater assembly, which can improve heating efficiency and heat dissipation effect even in a miniaturized device.

[0013] The effects of this embodiment are not limited to the effects described above, and any effects not mentioned will be clearly understood by a person having ordinary skill in the art to which this embodiment pertains from this specification and the accompanying drawings. [Brief explanation of the drawings]

[0014] [Figure 1] 1 is a perspective view of an aerosol generating device according to one embodiment. FIG. [Figure 2] FIG. 1 is an internal block diagram of an aerosol generating device according to one embodiment. [Figure 3] FIG. 3 is an internal block diagram of the dielectric heating unit of FIG. 2. [Figure 4] FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a heater assembly according to one embodiment. [Figure 5] FIG. 5 is a cross-sectional view of the heater assembly of FIG. [Figure 6] FIG. 10 is a perspective view of a heater assembly according to another embodiment. [Figure 7A] FIG. 10 is a cross-sectional view of a heater assembly according to yet another embodiment. [Figure 7B] FIG. 10 is a cross-sectional view of a heater assembly according to yet another embodiment. [Figure 8A] 7B is a diagram schematically illustrating a method for manufacturing the heater assembly of FIG. 7A. [Figure 8B] 7B is a diagram schematically illustrating a method for manufacturing the heater assembly of FIG. 7A. [Figure 9A] 7C is a diagram schematically illustrating a method for manufacturing the heater assembly of FIG. 7B. [Figure 9B] 7C is a diagram schematically illustrating a method for manufacturing the heater assembly of FIG. 7B. [Figure 9C] 7C is a diagram schematically illustrating a method for manufacturing the heater assembly of FIG. 7B. [Figure 10] FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a heater assembly according to one embodiment. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0015] Hereinafter, the embodiments disclosed in this specification will be described in detail with reference to the accompanying drawings. Regardless of the drawing numbers, identical or similar components will be given the same reference numbers and redundant descriptions thereof will be omitted.

[0016] The suffixes "module" and "section" used in the following description are used or are used interchangeably solely for the convenience of drafting the specification, and do not have any distinct meanings or roles.

[0017] Furthermore, in the description of the embodiments disclosed herein, if it is determined that a detailed description of related publicly known technologies may obscure the gist of the embodiments disclosed herein, the detailed description will be omitted. Furthermore, the attached drawings are intended to facilitate understanding of the embodiments disclosed herein, and the technical ideas disclosed herein should not be limited by the attached drawings, and should be understood to include all modifications, equivalents, and alternatives within the ideas and technical scope of the present disclosure.

[0018] Terms including ordinal numbers such as first and second may be used to describe various components, but the components are not limited by the terms. The terms are used only to distinguish one component from another.

[0019] When a component is said to be "coupled" or "connected" to another component, it should be understood that it may be directly coupled or connected to the other component, but that there may be other components in between. Furthermore, when a component is said to be "directly coupled" or "directly connected" to another component, it should be understood that there are no other components in between.

[0020] Any expression in the singular includes a plural expression unless the context clearly dictates otherwise.

[0021] FIG. 1 is a perspective view of an aerosol generating device according to one embodiment.

[0022] Referring to FIG. 1, an aerosol generating device 100 according to one embodiment also includes a housing 110 capable of containing an aerosol product 10, and a heater assembly 200 for heating the aerosol product 10 contained in the housing 110.

[0023] The housing 110 forms the overall appearance of the aerosol generating device 100, and the components of the aerosol generating device 100 may be arranged in the interior space (or "mounting space") of the housing 110. For example, the heater assembly 200, a battery, a processor, and / or a sensor may be arranged in the interior space of the housing 110, but the components arranged in the interior space are not limited to these.

[0024] An insertion opening 110h is formed in a region of the housing 110, and at least a region of the aerosol product 10 can be inserted into the housing 110 through the insertion opening 110h. For example, the insertion opening 110h can be formed in a region of the top surface (e.g., the surface facing the z direction) of the housing 110, but the position where the insertion opening 110h is formed is not limited thereto. In other embodiments, the insertion opening 110h can also be formed in a region of the side surface (e.g., the surface facing the x direction) of the housing 110.

[0025] The heater assembly 200 is disposed in the interior space of the housing 110 and can heat the aerosol product 10 inserted or housed inside the housing 110 through the insertion port 110h. For example, the heater assembly 200 can be disposed to surround at least a region of the aerosol product 10 inserted or housed inside the housing 110 and can heat the aerosol product 10.

[0026] According to one embodiment, the heater assembly 200 may heat the aerosol product 10 using a dielectric heating method. In this disclosure, the term "dielectric heating method" refers to a method of using microwaves and / or the resonance of microwave electric fields (including magnetic fields) to heat a dielectric material that is a heated object. The microwaves are an energy source for heating the heated object and are generated by high-frequency power. Therefore, hereinafter, the term "microwaves" may be used interchangeably with "microwave power."

[0027] Inside the heater assembly 200, microwave resonance causes the charges or ions of the dielectric contained inside the aerosol product 10 to vibrate or rotate, and frictional heat generated during the vibration or rotation of the charges or ions generates heat in the dielectric, causing the aerosol product 10 to heat up.

[0028] The aerosol production article 10 can be heated by the heater assembly 200 to generate an aerosol from the aerosol production article 10. In this disclosure, "aerosol" can refer to gas particles that are generated when the vapor generated by heating the aerosol production article 10 mixes with air.

[0029] The aerosol generated from the aerosol production product 10 can be discharged to the outside of the aerosol generation device 100 by passing through the aerosol production product 10 or through the empty space between the aerosol production product 10 and the insertion port 110h. A user can smoke by contacting their mouth with a region of the aerosol production product 10 exposed to the outside of the housing 110 and inhaling the aerosol discharged to the outside of the aerosol generation device 100.

[0030] The aerosol generation device 100 according to one embodiment further includes a cover 111 movably disposed on the housing 110 for opening and closing the insertion opening 110h. For example, the cover 111 is slidably coupled to the upper end surface of the housing 110 to expose the insertion opening 110h to the outside of the aerosol generation device 100, or to cover the insertion opening 110h so that the insertion opening 110h is not exposed to the outside of the aerosol generation device 100.

[0031] In one example, in the first position (or "open position"), the cover 111 allows the insertion opening 110h to be exposed to the outside of the aerosol generating device 100. When the aerosol generating device 100 is exposed to the outside, the aerosol product 10 can be inserted into the housing 110 through the insertion opening 110h.

[0032] In another example, the cover 111 covers the insertion opening 110h in the second position (or "closed position"), thereby preventing the insertion opening 110h from being exposed to the outside of the aerosol generation device 100. In this case, the cover 111 can prevent external foreign matter from entering the heater assembly 200 through the insertion opening 110h when the aerosol generation device 100 is not in use.

[0033] Although FIG. 1 illustrates only an aerosol generating device 100 for heating a solid-state aerosol product article 10, the aerosol generating device 100 is not limited to the illustrated embodiment.

[0034] The aerosol generating device according to another embodiment may also generate an aerosol by heating a liquid or gel-state aerosol generating substance via the heater assembly 200, rather than the solid-state aerosol product 10.

[0035] In yet another embodiment, the aerosol generating device also includes a heater assembly 200 for heating the aerosol product article 10 and a cartridge (or "vaporizer") containing a liquid or gel aerosol generating substance for heating the aerosol generating substance. The aerosol generated from the aerosol generating substance travels along an airflow passageway connecting the cartridge and the aerosol product article 10 to the aerosol product article 10, where it mixes with the aerosol generated from the aerosol product article 10, passes through the aerosol product article 10, and can be delivered to a user.

[0036] FIG. 2 is an internal block diagram of an aerosol generating device according to one embodiment.

[0037] 2, the aerosol generating device 100 also includes an input unit 102, an output unit 103, a sensor unit 104, a communication unit 105, a memory 106, a battery 107, an interface unit 108, a power conversion unit 109, and a dielectric heating unit 200. However, the internal configuration of the aerosol generating device 100 is not limited to that shown in Fig. 2. Depending on the design of the aerosol generating device 100, some of the components shown in Fig. 2 may be omitted, or new components may be added.

[0038] The input unit 102 may receive a user input. For example, the input unit 102 may be provided as a single pressure-sensitive push button. As another example, the input unit 102 may be a touch panel including at least one touch sensor. The input unit 102 may transmit an input signal to the processor 101. Based on the user input, the processor 101 may supply power to the induction heating unit 200 or control the output unit 103 to output a user notification.

[0039] The output unit 103 may output information related to the status of the aerosol generation device 100. The output unit 103 may output the charge / discharge status of the battery 107, the heating status of the dielectric heating unit 200, the insertion status of the aerosol product 10, and error information of the aerosol generation device 100. To this end, the output unit 103 may also include a display, a haptic motor, and an audio output unit.

[0040] The sensor unit 104 may sense the state of the aerosol generating device 100 or the ambient state of the aerosol generating device 100 and transmit the sensed information to the processor 101. Based on the sensed information, the processor 101 may control the aerosol generating device 100 to perform various functions such as heating control of the dielectric heating unit 200, smoking restriction, determining whether or not to insert the aerosol generating product 10, and displaying notifications.

[0041] The sensor section 104 also includes a temperature sensor, a puff sensor, and an insertion sensor.

[0042] The temperature sensor may sense the temperature inside the dielectric heating unit 200 in a non-contact manner, or may be in contact with the dielectric heating unit 200 and directly acquire the temperature of the resonator. According to one embodiment, the temperature sensor may also sense the temperature of the aerosol product 10. The temperature sensor may also be disposed adjacent to the battery 107 and acquire the temperature of the battery 107. The processor 101 may control the power supplied to the dielectric heating unit 200 based on the temperature information from the temperature sensor.

[0043] The puff sensor may detect a user's puff. The puff sensor may detect a user's puff based on at least one of a temperature change, a flow change, a power change, and a pressure change. The processor 101 may control the power supplied to the dielectric heating unit 200 based on the puff information from the puff sensor. For example, the processor 101 may count the number of puffs and cut off the power supplied to the dielectric heating unit 200 when the number of puffs reaches a preset maximum number of puffs. As another example, the processor 101 may cut off the power supplied to the dielectric heating unit 200 when no puffs are detected for a preset time or longer.

[0044] The insertion detection sensor is disposed inside the storage space 220h (FIG. 4) or adjacent to the storage space 220h and can detect the insertion and removal of the aerosol product 10 stored in the insertion port 110h. For example, the insertion detection sensor can include an inductive sensor and / or a capacitance sensor. The processor 101 can supply power to the dielectric heating unit 200 when the aerosol product 10 is inserted into the insertion port 110h.

[0045] According to an embodiment, the sensor unit 104 may additionally include a reuse sensor, a motion sensor, a humidity sensor, an air pressure sensor, a geomagnetic sensor, a cover removal sensor, a position sensor (GPS (global positioning system)), a proximity sensor, etc. The function of each sensor can be intuitively inferred from its name, so a detailed description thereof will be omitted.

[0046] The communication unit 105 also includes at least one communication module for communication with an external electronic device. The processor 101 may control the communication unit 105 and transmit information related to the aerosol generation device 100 to the external electronic device. Alternatively, the processor 101 may receive information from the external electronic device via the communication unit 105 and control components included in the aerosol generation device 100. For example, information transmitted between the communication unit 105 and the external electronic device may include user authentication information, firmware update information, and user smoking pattern information.

[0047] The memory 106 is hardware that stores various data processed within the aerosol generating device 100, and may store data that has been processed by the processor 101 and data that is to be processed. For example, the memory 106 may store data related to the operating time of the aerosol generating device 100, the maximum number of puffs, the current number of puffs, at least one temperature profile, and the user's smoking pattern.

[0048] The battery 107 can supply power to the dielectric heating unit 200 so that the aerosol product 10 can be heated. The battery 107 can also supply power necessary for the operation of other components provided in the aerosol generating device 100. The battery 107 can be a rechargeable battery or a detachable battery.

[0049] The interface unit 108 also includes a connection terminal that can be physically connected to an external electronic device. The connection terminal may include at least one of an HDMI (High Definition Multimedia Interface) connector, a USB (Universal Serial Bus) connector, an SD (Secure Digital) card connector, or an audio connector (e.g., a headphone connector), or a combination thereof. The interface unit 108 may transmit and receive information to and from the external electronic device or charge the device via the connection terminal.

[0050] The power conversion unit 109 may convert DC power supplied from the battery 107 into AC power. The power conversion unit 109 may also provide the converted AC power to the dielectric heating unit 200. The power conversion unit 109 may also be an inverter including at least one switching element, and the processor 101 may control the ON / OFF of the switching element included in the power conversion unit 109 to convert the DC power into AC power. The power conversion unit 109 may be configured as a full-bridge or a half-bridge.

[0051] The dielectric heating unit 200 can use a dielectric heating method to heat the aerosol product 10. The dielectric heating unit 200 also has a configuration corresponding to the heater assembly 200 in FIG.

[0052] The dielectric heating unit 200 can heat the aerosol product 10 using microwaves and / or microwave electric fields (hereinafter, referred to as microwaves or microwave power unless otherwise specified). The heating method of the dielectric heating unit 200 is not to radiate microwaves using an antenna, but to generate microwaves within a resonant structure to heat the object to be heated. The resonant structure will be described later with reference to FIG. 4 and subsequent figures.

[0053] The dielectric heating unit 200 may output high-frequency microwaves to the resonator 220 (FIG. 3). The microwaves may be power in the ISM (industrial, scientific, and medical equipment) band permitted for heating, but are not limited thereto. The resonator 220 may be designed taking into account the wavelength of the microwaves so that the microwaves can resonate within the resonator 220.

[0054] The aerosol production product 10 is inserted into the resonator 220, and the dielectric material within the aerosol production product 10 can be heated by the resonator 220. For example, the aerosol production product 10 may contain a polar substance, and the molecules within the polar substance can be polarized within the resonator 220. The molecules vibrate or rotate due to the polarization phenomenon, and the aerosol production product 10 can be heated by frictional heat or the like generated in the process. The dielectric heating unit 200 will be described in more detail with reference to FIG. 3.

[0055] The processor 101 can control the overall operation of the aerosol generating device 100. The processor 101 can be implemented as an array of multiple logic gates, a general-purpose microprocessor in combination with a memory storing a program that can be executed by the microprocessor, or other forms of hardware.

[0056] The processor 101 can control the DC power supplied from the battery 107 to the power conversion unit 109 and / or the AC power supplied from the power conversion unit 109 to the dielectric heating unit 200, depending on the power required by the dielectric heating unit 200. In one embodiment, the aerosol generating device 100 includes a converter that boosts or intensifies the DC power, and the processor 101 can control the converter to adjust the magnitude of the DC power. In addition, the processor 101 can control the AC power supplied to the dielectric heating unit 200 by adjusting the switching frequency and duty ratio of a switching element included in the power conversion unit 109.

[0057] The processor 101 can control the heating temperature of the aerosol product 10 by controlling the microwave power of the dielectric heating unit 200 and the resonant frequency of the dielectric heating unit 200. Therefore, the oscillation unit 210, isolation unit 240, power monitoring unit 250, and matching unit 260 in Figure 3, which will be described later, are also part of the processor 101.

[0058] The processor 101 can control the microwave power of the dielectric heating unit 200 based on the temperature profile information stored in the memory 106. In other words, the temperature profile includes information related to the target temperature of the dielectric heating unit 200 over time, and the processor 101 can control the microwave power of the dielectric heating unit 200 over time.

[0059] The processor 101 may adjust the microwave frequency so that the resonant frequency of the dielectric heating unit 200 is constant. The processor 101 may track changes in the resonant frequency of the dielectric heating unit 200 due to heating of the object to be heated in real time, and control the dielectric heating unit 200 so that a microwave frequency according to the changed resonant frequency is output. In other words, the processor 101 may change the microwave frequency in real time, regardless of a pre-stored temperature profile.

[0060] FIG. 3 is an internal block diagram of the dielectric heating unit of FIG.

[0061] 3, the dielectric heating unit 200 also includes an oscillation unit 210, an isolation unit 240, a power monitoring unit 250, a matching unit 260, a microwave output unit 230, and a resonance unit 220. However, the internal configuration of the dielectric heating unit 200 is not limited to that shown in FIG. 3. Depending on the design of the dielectric heating unit 200, some of the components shown in FIG. 3 may be omitted or new components may be added.

[0062] The oscillator 210 may receive AC power from the power converter 109 and generate high-frequency microwave power. According to one embodiment, the power converter 109 is also included in the oscillator 210. The microwave power may be selected from the 915 MHz, 2.45 GHz, and 5.8 GHz frequency bands included in the ISM band.

[0063] The oscillator 210 may include a solid-state based RF (radio frequency) generator and generate microwave power using the solid-state based RF generator. The solid-state based RF generator may be implemented using a semiconductor. Implementing the oscillator 210 using a semiconductor has the advantages of enabling the dielectric heating unit 200 to be miniaturized and extending the device's lifespan.

[0064] The oscillator 210 may output microwave power toward the resonator 220. The oscillator 210 includes a power amplifier that increases or decreases the microwave power, and the power amplifier may adjust the magnitude of the microwave power under the control of the processor 101. For example, the power amplifier may increase or decrease the amplitude of the microwave. The microwave power may be adjusted by adjusting the amplitude of the microwave.

[0065] The processor 101 may adjust the magnitude of the microwave power output from the oscillation unit 210 based on a pre-stored temperature profile. For example, the temperature profile may include target temperature information for a pre-heating section and a smoking section, and the oscillation unit 210 may supply microwave power at a first power in the pre-heating section and at a second power lower than the first power in the smoking section.

[0066] The isolating unit 240 can block microwave power input from the resonator 220 toward the oscillator 210. Most of the microwave power output from the oscillator 210 is absorbed by the heated object. However, depending on the heating pattern of the heated object, some of the microwave power can be reflected by the heated object and transmitted to the oscillator 210. This is because the impedance seen from the oscillator 210 to the resonator 220 changes due to the dissipation of polar molecules caused by heating of the heated object. The phrase "the impedance seen from the oscillator 210 to the resonator 220 changes" has the same meaning as "the resonant frequency of the resonator 220 changes." If microwave power reflected by the resonator 220 is input to the oscillator 210, the oscillator 210 may not only fail, but may also fail to achieve its expected output performance. The isolating unit 240 can guide the microwave power reflected by the resonator 220 in a predetermined direction and absorb it, rather than returning it to the oscillator 210. To that end, the isolation unit 240 also includes a circulator and a dummy load.

[0067] The power monitoring unit 250 may monitor the microwave power output from the oscillator 210 and the reflected microwave power reflected by the resonator 220. The power monitoring unit 250 may transmit information related to the microwave power and the reflected microwave power to the matching unit 260.

[0068] The matching unit 260 may match the impedance seen from the oscillator 210 toward the resonator 220 with the impedance seen from the resonator 220 toward the oscillator 210, so as to minimize the reflected microwave power. This impedance matching has the same meaning as matching the frequency of the oscillator 210 with the resonant frequency of the resonator 220. Therefore, the matching unit 260 may vary the frequency of the oscillator 210 to match the impedance. In other words, the matching unit 260 may adjust the frequency of the microwave power output from the oscillator 210 so as to minimize the reflected microwave power. The impedance matching of the matching unit 260 may be performed in real time, regardless of the temperature profile.

[0069] The oscillator 210, the isolator 240, the power monitor 250, and the matching unit 260 are separate components distinct from the microwave output unit 230 and the resonator 220, which will be described later, and may be implemented as a chip-type microwave source. Also, according to an embodiment, the oscillator 210, the isolator 240, the power monitor 250, and the matching unit 260 may be implemented as part of the processor 101.

[0070] The microwave output unit 230 is a component for inputting microwave power to the resonator 220 and corresponds to a coupler shown in FIG. 3 and below. The microwave output unit 230 may be implemented in the form of a Subminiature Version A (SMA), Subminiature Version B (SMB), Micro Coaxial (MCX), or Micro-Miniature Coaxial (MMCX) connector. The microwave output unit 230 connects a chip-type microwave source to the resonator 220 and transfers microwave power generated in the microwave source to the resonator 220.

[0071] The resonator 220 can heat a heated object by generating microwaves within the resonator structure. The resonator 220 includes a storage space for the aerosol product 10, which can be exposed to microwaves and dielectrically heated. For example, the aerosol product 10 can contain a polar substance, and the molecules of the polar substance can be polarized by microwaves within the resonator 220. The molecules vibrate or rotate due to the polarization phenomenon, and the aerosol product 10 can be heated by frictional heat generated during this process.

[0072] The resonator 220 includes at least one internal conductor so that microwaves can be resonated, and microwaves can be resonated inside the resonator 220 depending on the arrangement, thickness, length, etc. of the internal conductor.

[0073] The resonator 220 may be designed taking into account the wavelength of the microwave so that the microwave can resonate within the resonator 220. For the microwave to resonate within the resonator 220, the cross section must have a short end and an open end, with at least a region of the cross section open, opposite the short end. The length between the short end and the open end must be set to an integral multiple of ¼ of the microwave wavelength. The resonator 220 of the present disclosure is selected to be ¼ of the microwave wavelength in order to miniaturize the device. In other words, the length between the short end and the open end of the resonator 220 may be set to ¼ of the microwave wavelength.

[0074] The resonator 220 also includes a dielectric containing space. The dielectric containing space is configured separately from the space containing the aerosol product 10 and contains a material capable of changing the overall resonant frequency of the resonator 220 and miniaturizing the resonator 220. In one embodiment, the dielectric containing space may contain a dielectric with low microwave absorption. This prevents the dielectric from heating up due to the energy that should be transferred to the heated object being transferred to the dielectric. Microwave absorption can be expressed by the loss tangent, which is the ratio of the imaginary part to the real part of the complex dielectric constant. In one embodiment, the dielectric containing space 227 contains a dielectric with a loss tangent less than a predetermined magnitude, which may be 1 / 100 of the predetermined magnitude. For example, the dielectric may be at least one of quartz, tetrafluoroethylene, and aluminum oxide, or a combination thereof, but is not limited thereto.

[0075] 4, a heater assembly 200 according to an embodiment also includes an oscillation unit 210 and a resonance unit 220. Fig. 4 also shows an embodiment of the heater assembly 200 and the dielectric heating unit 200 described above, and therefore, a redundant description will be omitted below.

[0076] The oscillator 210 may generate microwaves in a designated frequency band when power is supplied to the oscillator 210. The microwaves generated by the oscillator 210 may be transmitted to the resonator 220 via the coupler 230.

[0077] The resonator 220 also includes a storage space 220h for storing at least a region of the aerosol product 10, and can heat the aerosol product 10 by dielectric heating by resonating the microwaves generated by the oscillator 210. For example, the microwaves resonate to cause the electric charge of glycerin contained in the aerosol product 10 to oscillate or rotate, and frictional heat generated by the electric charge oscillation or rotation generates heat in the glycerin, thereby heating the aerosol product 10.

[0078] According to an embodiment, the resonating unit 220 may be made of a material with low microwave absorption rate to prevent the microwaves generated by the oscillation unit 210 from being absorbed by the resonating unit 220 .

[0079] The specific structure of the resonating portion 220 of the heater assembly 200 will be described below with reference to FIG.

[0080] Fig. 5 is a cross-sectional view of the heater assembly of Fig. 4. Fig. 5 shows a cross section of the heater assembly 200 of Fig. 4 taken along the AA' direction.

[0081] 5, a heater assembly 200 according to an embodiment also includes an oscillation unit 210, a resonance unit 220, and a coupler 230. The components of the heater assembly 200 may be the same as or similar to at least one of the components of the heater assembly 200 of FIG. 4, and therefore, a redundant description will be omitted below.

[0082] The oscillator 210 generates microwaves in a specified frequency band when an AC voltage is applied thereto, and the microwaves generated by the oscillator 210 can be transmitted to the resonator 220 via the coupler 230 .

[0083] According to one embodiment, the oscillation unit 210 may be fixed to the resonator unit 220 in a dimension that prevents the oscillation unit 210 from being separated from the resonator unit 220 during use of the aerosol generating device. In one example, the oscillation unit 210 may be fixed on the resonator unit 220 in a region of the resonator unit 220 facing the x-direction. The oscillation unit 210 may be fixed on the resonator unit 220 by a bracket or the like provided on one region of the resonator unit 220. Alternatively, the oscillation unit 210 may be fixed on the resonator unit 220 by being directly attached to one region of the resonator unit 220.

[0084] Although the drawings only show an embodiment in which the oscillation unit 210 is fixed to one region of the resonator 220 facing the x-direction, the position of the oscillation unit 210 is not limited to the illustrated embodiment. In other embodiments, the oscillation unit 210 may be fixed to another region of the resonator 220 facing the -z direction.

[0085] The resonator 220 is disposed so as to surround at least a region of the aerosol product 10 inserted inside the aerosol generating device, and can heat the aerosol product 10 via microwaves generated by the oscillator 210. For example, a dielectric contained in the aerosol product 10 can generate heat due to an electric field generated inside the resonator 220 by microwaves, and the aerosol product 10 can be heated by the heat generated in the dielectric.

[0086] According to one embodiment, the aerosol product 10 also includes a tobacco rod 11 and a filter rod 12 .

[0087] The tobacco rod 11 contains an aerosol-forming material and may be made of a sheet or strand, or may be made of finely shredded tobacco. For example, the aerosol-forming material may include at least one of glycerin, propylene glycol, ethylene glycol, dipropylene glycol, diethylene glycol, triethylene glycol, tetraethylene glycol, and oleyl alcohol, but is not limited to these. The tobacco rod 11 may also contain other additives, such as flavoring agents, humectants, and / or organic acids. Flavoring liquids, such as menthol or humectants, may also be added to the tobacco rod 11 by spraying them onto the tobacco rod 11.

[0088] The filter rod 12 is also a cellulose acetate filter. The shape of the filter rod 12 is not limited. For example, the filter rod 12 may be a cylindrical rod or a tube-type rod having a hollow interior. The filter rod 12 may also be a recess-type rod. If the filter rod 12 is composed of multiple segments, at least one of the multiple segments may be manufactured in a different shape.

[0089] At least a portion of the aerosol-generating material contained in the aerosol-producing product 10 (e.g., glycerin) is also a dielectric that has a polarity in an electric field, and at least a portion of such aerosol-generating material can generate heat by dielectric heating and heat the aerosol-producing product 10.

[0090] According to one embodiment, the resonator unit 220 also includes an outer conductor 221 , a first inner conductor 223 and a second inner conductor 225 .

[0091] The outer conductor 221 forms the overall appearance of the resonator unit 220 and is formed in a hollow shape with an open interior, and the components of the resonator unit 220 can be arranged inside the outer conductor 221. The outer conductor 221 also includes a storage space 220h in which the aerosol product 10 can be stored, and the aerosol product 10 can be inserted into the outer conductor 221 through the storage space 220h.

[0092] According to one embodiment, the outer conductor 221 also includes a first surface 221a, a second surface 221b arranged to face the first surface 221a, and a side surface 221c surrounding the space between the first surface 221a and the second surface 221b. At least some of the components of the resonator unit 220 (e.g., the first inner conductor 223 and the second inner conductor 225) may be arranged in the internal space of the resonator unit 220 formed by the first surface 221a, the second surface 221b, and the side surface 221c.

[0093] The first inner conductor 223 may be formed in a hollow cylindrical shape extending from the first surface 221 a of the outer conductor 221 toward the inner space of the outer conductor 221 .

[0094] According to an embodiment, one region of the first inner conductor 223 may be in contact with the coupler 230 connected to the oscillator 210, and microwaves generated in the oscillator 210 may be transmitted to the first inner conductor 223 via the coupler 230. For example, the coupler 230 may be disposed so that one end thereof passes through the outer conductor 221 and contacts the oscillator 210 and the other end thereof contacts one region of the first inner conductor 223, and microwaves generated in the oscillator 210 may be transmitted to the first inner conductor 223 via the coupler 230.

[0095] In this case, the coupler 230 may be arranged to penetrate the outer conductor 221 without contacting the outer conductor 221 for the transmission of microwaves, but the arrangement structure of the coupler 230 is not limited thereto as long as the microwaves generated in the oscillation unit 210 can be transmitted to the first inner conductor 223.

[0096] The first region formed between the outer conductor 221 and the first inner conductor 223 can operate as a "first resonator" that generates an electric field through microwave resonance. The first region refers to a space formed by the first surface 221 a and the side surface 221 c of the outer conductor 221 and the first inner conductor 223, and inside the first region, microwaves transmitted via the coupler 230 can resonate and generate an electric field.

[0097] The coupler 230 is not limited to the illustrated form as long as it can transmit the microwaves of the oscillation section 210 to the resonance section 220 .

[0098] The second inner conductor 225 may be formed in a hollow cylindrical shape extending from the second surface 221b of the outer conductor 221 toward the internal space of the outer conductor 221. The second inner conductor 225 may be disposed in the internal space of the outer conductor 221, spaced a predetermined distance from the first inner conductor 223, and a gap 226 may be formed between the first inner conductor 223 and the second inner conductor 225.

[0099] The second region formed between the outer conductor 221 and the second inner conductor 225 may act as a "second resonator" that generates an electric field through microwave resonance. The second inner conductor 225 may be coupled (e.g., capacitively coupled) with the first inner conductor 223, and when an electric field is generated in the first region due to the coupling relationship, an induced electric field may also be generated in the second region. In this disclosure, "capacitive coupling" may refer to a coupling relationship in which energy can be transferred by electrostatic capacitance between two conductors.

[0100] For example, when microwaves generated from the oscillator 210 are transmitted to the first internal conductor 223, an electric field is generated inside the first region due to resonance, and an induced electric field can be generated inside the second region formed by the outer conductor 221 and the second internal conductor 225 coupled to the first internal conductor 223.

[0101] According to one embodiment, the first and second regions of the resonating unit 220 can operate as a resonator having a length of 1 / 4 wavelength (λ) of microwaves.

[0102] In one example, one end of the first region (e.g., end in the −z direction) may be formed as a short end by closing the cross section of the first region with the first surface 221a of the outer conductor 221, and the other end of the first region (e.g., end in the z direction) may be formed as an open end by not having the first surface 221a and opening the cross section. In another example, one end of the second region (e.g., end in the −z direction) may be formed as an open end by opening the cross section, and the other end of the second region (e.g., end in the z direction) may be formed as a closed end by closing the cross section of the second region with the second surface 221b of the outer conductor 221.

[0103] That is, the first region and the second region include a closed end and an open end when viewed in the xz plane, and are formed in a "C" shape as a whole, and via the above-mentioned structure, the first region and the second region can operate as a resonator having a length of 1 / 4 wavelength of microwaves.

[0104] According to one embodiment, the first inner conductor 223 and the second inner conductor 225 may be formed to have the same length based on the z-axis, and the first region and the second region may be arranged symmetrically to each other, but are not limited thereto.

[0105] The aerosol product 10 inserted into the inner space of the outer conductor 221 through the receiving space 220h is surrounded by the first inner conductor 223 and the second inner conductor 225 and can be heated by a dielectric heating method.

[0106] In the first region and / or the second region, at least a portion of the electric field generated by the resonance of the microwave propagates through the gap 226 between the first inner conductor 223 and the second inner conductor 225 toward the inside of the first inner conductor 223 and / or the second inner conductor 225, and the aerosol product 10 surrounded by the first inner conductor 223 and the second inner conductor 225 may be heated by the propagated electric field. For example, a dielectric material included in the aerosol product 10 may be heated by the electric field propagated through the gap 226, and the aerosol product 10 may be heated by the heat generated from the dielectric material.

[0107] In one embodiment, the heater assembly 200 can prevent the electric field propagated inside the first inner conductor 223 and / or the second inner conductor 225 from leaking outside the heater assembly 200 or the resonator 220 by making the diameters of the first inner conductor 223 and the second inner conductor 225 less than a specified value.

[0108] In the present disclosure, the term "specified value" may refer to a diameter value at which the electric field begins to leak out of the first inner conductor 223 and / or the second inner conductor 225. For example, if the diameter of the first inner conductor 223 and / or the second inner conductor 225 is equal to or greater than the specified value, a situation may occur in which part of the electric field flowing into the first inner conductor 223 and / or the second inner conductor 225 leaks out of the resonator unit 220.

[0109] In addition, the heater assembly 200 according to one embodiment prevents the electric field from propagating outside the resonator 220 through a structure in which the diameters of the first inner conductor 223 and the second inner conductor 225 are less than a specified value, and as a result, the electric field can be prevented from leaking outside the heater assembly 200 or the resonator 220 without a separate shielding member.

[0110] According to one embodiment, when the aerosol product 10 is inserted into the resonator 220 through the accommodating space 220h, the tobacco rod 11 of the aerosol product 10 can be positioned at a position corresponding to the gap 226 between the first inner conductor 223 and the second inner conductor 225.

[0111] The electric field generated in the first region and the electric field generated in the second region flow into the first internal conductor 223 and / or the second internal conductor 225 through the gap 226, so that the strongest electric field can be generated in the internal region of the resonator 220, in the region surrounding the gap 226.

[0112] In one embodiment of the heater assembly 200, the heating efficiency (or "dielectric heating efficiency") of the heater assembly 200 can be improved by positioning the tobacco rod 11, which contains a dielectric that generates heat in response to an electric field, at a position corresponding to the gap 226 where the electric field is strongest.

[0113] According to one embodiment, the resonator 220 further includes a closing portion 224 located inside the first inner conductor 223, closing a cross section of the first inner conductor 223, and restricting the flow direction of the aerosol generated from the aerosol production product 10. For example, the closing portion 224 may close a cross section of the first inner conductor 223 and block the flow of the aerosol generated from the aerosol production product 10 in the -z direction.

[0114] If the aerosol generated from the aerosol product 10 or droplets generated by liquefying the aerosol flow in the -z direction and enter other components of the aerosol generating device (e.g., aerosol generating device 100 (FIG. 1)), it may cause malfunction or damage to the components of the aerosol generating device. Note that the heater assembly 200 according to one embodiment can prevent malfunction or damage to the components of the aerosol generating device due to the aerosol or droplets by restricting the flow direction of the aerosol via the closure portion 224.

[0115] According to an embodiment, the resonator unit 220 further includes a dielectric receiving space 227 for receiving a dielectric. The dielectric receiving space 227 refers to an empty space formed between the outer conductor 221 and the first and second inner conductors 223 and 225. A dielectric having low microwave absorption may be received in the dielectric receiving space 227. For example, the dielectric may be at least one of quartz, tetrafluoroethylene, and aluminum oxide, or a combination thereof, but is not limited thereto.

[0116] The heater assembly 200 according to one embodiment can generate the same electric field as the resonator unit 220 that does not include a dielectric while reducing the overall size of the resonator unit 220 by disposing a dielectric inside the dielectric accommodating space 227. That is, the heater assembly 200 according to one embodiment can reduce the size of the resonator unit 220 via the dielectric disposed inside the dielectric accommodating space 227, thereby reducing the mounting space of the resonator unit 220 in the aerosol generation device, and as a result, the aerosol generation device can be miniaturized.

[0117] The oscillation unit 310 may be disposed on one surface of the outer conductor 221 of the resonator unit 320. The oscillation unit 310 may cover at least a portion of or completely cover one surface of the outer conductor 221, and may be larger than the size required to cover one surface of the outer conductor 221. As shown in FIG. 5, the oscillation unit 310 may be disposed on a side surface 221c of the outer conductor 221 (e.g., in the +x direction).

[0118] FIG. 6 is a perspective view that schematically illustrates a heater assembly according to another embodiment.

[0119] The heater assembly 300 according to the embodiment shown in FIG. 6 also includes an oscillator 310 that generates microwaves, a resonator 320 that resonates the microwaves generated by the oscillator 310 to generate an electric field, and a coupler 330 that transmits the microwaves to the resonator 320.

[0120] Resonating unit 320 also includes case 321, a plurality of plates 323a and 323b, and connecting unit 322 that connects plates 323a and 323b and case 321 together.

[0121] The coupler 330 can supply microwaves to at least one of the plates 323a and 323b in the resonator 320 so as to generate microwave resonance.

[0122] The resonator 320 may surround at least a region of the aerosol product 10 inserted inside the aerosol generating device. The coupler 330 may supply the microwaves generated by the oscillator 310 to the resonator 320. When the microwaves are supplied to the resonator 320, microwave resonance occurs in the resonator 320, and the resonator 320 may heat the aerosol product 10. For example, a dielectric included in the aerosol product 10 may generate heat due to an electric field generated inside the resonator 320 by the microwaves, and the aerosol product 10 may be heated by the heat generated in the dielectric.

[0123] The case 321 of the resonator 320 functions as an “outer conductor.” The case 321 is formed in a hollow shape with an open interior, so that components of the resonator 320 can be disposed inside the case 321.

[0124] The case 321 also includes a storage space 320h in which the aerosol product 10 can be stored and an opening 321a through which the aerosol product 10 can be inserted. The opening 321a is connected to the storage space 320h. Since the opening 321a opens toward the outside of the case 321, the storage space 320h is connected to the outside via the opening 321a. Therefore, the aerosol product 10 can be inserted into the storage space 320h of the case 321 through the opening 321a of the case 321.

[0125] Although the case 321 shown in the drawings has a square cross-sectional shape, the shape of the case 321 may be modified into various shapes. For example, the case 321 may be modified to have various cross-sectional shapes such as a rectangle, an oval, or a circle. The case 321 may be elongated in one direction.

[0126] Inside the case 321, a plurality of plates 323a and 323b that can function as the “internal conductor” of the resonator unit 320 can be arranged.

[0127] The plates 323a, 323b may be arranged spaced apart from one another along the circumferential direction of the aerosol product 10 contained in the containing space 320h. The plates 323a, 323b may include a first plate 323a arranged to surround one region of the aerosol product 10 and a second plate 323b arranged to surround another region of the aerosol product 10.

[0128] The plates 323a and 323b may be connected to the case 321 by connecting portions 322. Furthermore, one end of the first plate 323a and one end of the second plate 323b of the plates 323a and 323b may be connected to each other by the connecting portions 322. Therefore, a closed end may be formed by the connecting portions 322 at one end of the plates 323a and 323b.

[0129] The other end 323af of the first plate 323a and the other end 323bf of the second plate 323b of the plurality of plates 323a and 323b may be spaced apart from each other to form an open end. Since the other ends of the plurality of plates 323a and 323b are spaced apart from each other, an open end may be formed at the other ends of the plurality of plates 323a and 323b.

[0130] The resonator assembly can be completed by connecting the multiple plates 323a, 323b and the connecting portion 322. The cross section of the resonator assembly taken along the longitudinal direction has a horseshoe shape.

[0131] The plates 323a, 323b extend in the longitudinal direction of the aerosol product 10. At least a portion of the plates 323a, 323b may be curved so as to protrude outward from the center of the aerosol product 10 in the longitudinal direction.

[0132] For example, if the aerosol product 10 is manufactured in a cylindrical shape, the plates 323a and 323b may be formed to be curved in the circumferential direction along the outer circumferential surface of the aerosol product 10. The radius of curvature of the cross sections of the plates 323a and 323b may be the same as the radius of curvature of the aerosol product 10. The radius of curvature of the cross sections of the plates 323a and 323b may be varied in various ways. For example, the radius of curvature of the cross sections of the plates 323a and 323b may be larger or smaller than the radius of curvature of the aerosol product 10.

[0133] By forming a structure in which multiple plates 323a, 323b are curved circumferentially along the outer peripheral surface of the aerosol product 10, a more uniform electric field is formed in the resonating portion 320, allowing the heater assembly 300 to heat the aerosol product 10 uniformly.

[0134] The open ends of the other ends of the plates 323a and 323b may be positioned toward the opening 321a of the case 321. The opening 321a of the case 321 may be positioned to be spaced apart from the other ends of the plates 323a and 323b.

[0135] The other open ends of the plates 323a and 323b may be aligned with the opening 321a of the case 321. Therefore, when the aerosol product 10 is inserted through the opening 321a of the case 321 and positioned in the receiving space 320h, a portion of the aerosol product 10 positioned in the receiving space 320h may be surrounded by the plates 323a and 323b.

[0136] Two of the plates 323a, 323b are arranged at positions opposite to the center of the longitudinal direction of the aerosol product 10. An embodiment is not limited by the number of plates 323a, 323b, and the number of plates 323a, 323b may be, for example, three, four, or more.

[0137] The plates 323a and 323b may be arranged symmetrically with respect to the longitudinal direction of the aerosol product 10, that is, the central axis in the direction in which the aerosol product 10 extends.

[0138] At least one of the plates 323a and 323b may be in contact with the coupler 330 connected to the oscillation unit 310. Specifically, at least a portion of the first plate 323a may be in contact with the coupler 330. When microwaves are transmitted to the first plate 323a via the coupler 330, microwave resonance occurs between the plates 323a and 323b. Microwave resonance also occurs between the first plate 323a and the upper plate of the case 321, and between the second plate 323b and the lower plate of the case 321. Therefore, electric fields may be generated between the plates 323a and 323b and the connecting unit 322, between the first plate 323a and the upper plate of the case 321, and between the second plate 323b and the lower plate of the case 321.

[0139] Coupler 330 may penetrate case 321, with one end of coupler 330 contacting oscillation unit 310 and the other end of coupler 330 contacting a region of first plate 323a. Microwaves generated in oscillation unit 310 may be transmitted to multiple plates 323a and 323b and connecting unit 322 via coupler 330, thereby generating an electric field within the assembly of multiple plates 323a and 323b and connecting unit 322.

[0140] Furthermore, due to the structure of the resonator unit 320 of the heater assembly 300, a triple resonant mode can be formed in the resonator unit 320. A microwave TEM (transverse electric & magnetic) mode resonance is formed between the multiple plates 323a and 323b. A TEM mode resonance different from the resonance formed between the multiple plates 323a and 323b is formed between the first plate 323a and the upper plate of the case 321 and between the second plate 323b and the lower plate of the case 321. The resonator unit 320 of FIG. 6 can resonate in the TEM mode using the multiple plates 323a and 323b, so it can be fabricated in a smaller size than the resonator unit 220 of FIG. 5, which can only resonate in the TE (transverse electric) mode and the TM (transverse magnetic) mode.

[0141] The triple resonance in the resonating portion 320 of the heater assembly 300 may result in more efficient and uniform heating of the aerosol product 10 .

[0142] The resonator 320 according to the above-described embodiment includes a short end whose cross section is closed to have a length (λ / 4) that is ¼ of the wavelength (λ) of the microwave, and an open end located in the opposite direction from the short end, where at least a region of the cross section is open.

[0143] In Fig. 6, the region at one end of resonator unit 320, which corresponds to the region on the left side, forms a closed end that is closed by a structure in which one ends of multiple plates 323a and 323b and connecting portion 322 are connected to case 321. In Fig. 6, the region at the other end of resonator unit 320, which corresponds to the region on the right side, forms an open end by opening 321a of case 321 that is open to the outside. With such a structure of resonator unit 320, resonator unit 320 can operate as a resonator having a ¼ wavelength length of microwaves.

[0144] Due to the resonant structure of the resonant unit 320, the electric field is not propagated to an area outside the resonant unit 320. Therefore, the heater assembly 300 can prevent the electric field from leaking outside the heater assembly 300 without a separate shielding member for shielding the electric field.

[0145] The aerosol product 10 inserted into the receiving space 320h of the case 321 is surrounded by the first plate 323a and the second plate 323b and can be heated by a dielectric heating method. For example, a portion of the aerosol product 10 inserted into the receiving space 320h of the case 321, including the medium, can be disposed in the space between the first plate 323a and the second plate 323b. An electric field generated in the space between the first plate 323a and the second plate 323b causes the dielectric contained in the aerosol product 10 to generate heat, thereby heating the aerosol product 10.

[0146] In addition, a secondary heating effect can be exerted on the aerosol product 10 by the action of the electric field due to the resonant modes formed between the first plate 323a and the upper plate of the case 321, and between the second plate 323b and the lower plate of the case 321.

[0147] When the aerosol production product 10 is inserted into the resonator 320 through the receiving space 320h, the tobacco rod 11 of the aerosol production product 10 can be positioned between the plates 323a and 323b.

[0148] The length L4 of the tobacco rod 11 can be longer than the length L1 of the plates 323a, 323b. Therefore, the front end 11f of the tobacco rod 11 that contacts the filter rod 12 is located at a position that protrudes further in the direction toward the opening 321a of the case 321 than the other end 323af of the first plate 323a and the other end 323bf of the second plate 323b.

[0149] A resonance peak is formed at the other end of the multiple plates 323a, 323b that operate as a resonator, and a stronger electric field can be generated at that end than in other regions. When the aerosol product 10 is inserted into the heater assembly 300, the tobacco rod 11, which includes a dielectric that can generate heat in response to the electric field, is positioned to correspond to the region where the electric field is strongest, thereby improving the heating efficiency (or "dielectric heating efficiency") of the heater assembly 300.

[0150] 6, the length L1 of the plates 323a and 323b may be set to be shorter than the length (L1+L2) of the internal space of the case 321. Therefore, the other ends of the plates 323a and 323b may be positioned more inward than the opening 321a in the case 321. That is, the other ends of the plates 323a and 323b may be positioned to be spaced apart from the rear end of the opening 321a by a distance L2.

[0151] The length from the rear end of opening 321a, where opening 321a is connected to case 321, to the front end of opening 321a, where opening 321a is open, is also L3. The overall length of case 321 along the longitudinal direction of case 321 is also L. The overall length L of case 321 can be determined by the sum of the length L1 of multiple plates 323a, 323b, the distance L2 between multiple plates 323a, 323b and the rear end of opening 321a, and the length L3 of opening 321a protruding from case 321.

[0152] In order to prevent leakage of microwaves, the front end of opening 321a, where opening 321a is opened, is positioned to protrude by a length of L3 from case 321. Since opening 321a of case 321 protrudes from case 321, opening 321a can function to prevent microwaves inside case 321 of resonator 320 from leaking to the outside of case 321.

[0153] The resonator unit 320 further includes a dielectric accommodating space 327 for accommodating a dielectric. The dielectric accommodating space 327 may be formed in the empty space between the case 321 and the plurality of plates 323a and 323b. A dielectric having low microwave absorption may be accommodated in the dielectric accommodating space 327.

[0154] By disposing a dielectric inside the dielectric accommodating space 327, it is possible to generate an electric field of the same level as that generated in a resonator that does not include a dielectric, while reducing the overall size of the resonator 320 of the heater assembly 300. In other words, the size of the resonator 320 can be reduced via the dielectric disposed inside the dielectric accommodating space 327, and the mounting space for the resonator 320 in the aerosol generation device can be reduced, resulting in a miniaturized aerosol generation device.

[0155] The specific structure of the oscillation section 310 of the heater assembly 300 will be described below with reference to FIG.

[0156] 7A and 7B are cross-sectional views of a heater assembly according to another embodiment. The components of Fig. 7A and Fig. 7B are the same as or similar to at least one of the components of heater assembly 300 of Fig. 6, and therefore will not be described again below.

[0157] The heater assembly 300 according to one embodiment also includes an oscillation unit 310 disposed on a surface of the resonance unit 320. For example, the oscillation unit 310 may be stacked on one surface (e.g., in the +x direction) of the resonance unit 320. The heater assembly 300 also includes couplers 330-1 and 330-2 that transmit microwaves generated by the oscillation unit 310 to the resonance unit 320.

[0158] Coupler 330-1 may transmit microwaves generated in oscillation unit 310 to resonator unit 320, and may be disposed such that one end thereof contacts oscillation unit 310 and the other end thereof contacts resonator unit 320. As a specific example, one end of coupler 330-1 may contact printed circuit board 311 of oscillation unit 310, and the other end of coupler 330-1 may contact a region of first plate 323a of resonator unit 320. Couplers 330-1 and 330-2 may extend to oscillation unit 310, and couplers 330-1 and 330-2 and oscillation unit 310 may be joined by a conductive material (not shown), but the present invention is not limited thereto.

[0159] In Figures 7A and 7B, couplers 330-1 and 330-2 are shown with one end penetrating through oscillator 310 and protruding above the surface of oscillator 310, but the shapes of couplers 330-1 and 330-2 are not limited to this and may be various.

[0160] Referring to FIG. 7A, the oscillation unit 310 includes a printed circuit board (PCB) 311 , which may be disposed on a surface of the resonance unit 320 .

[0161] According to the embodiment, the oscillation unit 310 may be fixed to the resonator unit 320. As a specific example, the oscillation unit 310 may be fixed on one surface of the resonator unit 320. The oscillation unit 310 and the resonator unit 320 may be in direct contact with each other.

[0162] The oscillator 310 is layered on one surface of the resonator 320, which can reduce the size of the heater assembly 300. Furthermore, with the above-described structure, the oscillator 310 is in surface contact with the resonator 320, and the resonator 320 itself can function as a heat dissipation means. The resonator 320 generates little heat, and since the surface of the resonator 320 is made of metal, it can have an excellent heat dissipation effect.

[0163] The oscillator 310 also includes a printed circuit board 311. The printed circuit board 311 is in direct contact with the resonator 320, and thus can dissipate heat generated from the components of the printed circuit board 311 via the resonator 320.

[0164] The oscillation unit 310 may be soldered onto the surface of the resonator unit 320. As a specific example, the printed circuit board 311 of the oscillation unit 310 may be soldered onto the surface of the resonator unit 320. Soldering can join different metals, and components made of different metal materials can be bonded and connected by heating and melting solder and then cooling it. The solder can be melted between the resonator unit 320 and the printed circuit board 311 and cooled to join the resonator unit 320 and the printed circuit board 311.

[0165] If a connector is used to connect the oscillator 310 and the resonator 320, the connector is likely to result in a structure in which a space remains between the oscillator 310 and the resonator 320. However, the heater assembly 300 of this embodiment can achieve miniaturization of the aerosol generating device by directly joining the oscillator 310 onto the resonator 320.

[0166] The printed circuit board 311 may be formed to have a size and shape similar to that of the surface of the resonating unit 320 to be laminated thereon, but the size and shape of the printed circuit board 311 may be modified in various ways.

[0167] 7B, the oscillation unit 310 may further include a heat sink 312. For example, the heat sink 312 may be laminated between the printed circuit board 311 and the resonator unit 320. Thus, the heat sink 312 may be disposed on a surface of the resonator unit 320, and the printed circuit board 311 may be disposed on the surface of the heat sink 312.

[0168] The heat sink 312 is located between the printed circuit board 311 and the resonator 320 and is in direct contact with the printed circuit board 311 and the resonator 320, thereby improving the heat dissipation effect generated by the components of the printed circuit board 311.

[0169] That is, the heat sink 312 is in direct contact with the resonator unit 320. Even if the heater assembly 300 further includes the heat sink 312, the size of the heater assembly 300 is not significantly increased. The surface contact with the printed circuit board 311 allows for excellent heat dissipation. The oscillator unit 310 may be soldered onto the surface of the resonator unit 320. As a specific example, the heat sink 312 of the oscillator unit 310 may be soldered onto the surface of the resonator unit 320. Soldering can join different metals, and components made of different metals can be bonded and connected by heating and melting solder and then cooling it. The solder can be melted between the resonator unit 320 and the heat sink 312 and then cooled to join the resonator unit 320 and the heat sink 312.

[0170] The heat sink 312 may be made of a solderable metal material. In one embodiment, the heat sink 312 may be made of aluminum, which has relatively better heat dissipation performance and processability than other metals. The heat sink 312 may also have a nickel-plated surface to enable soldering. As another example, the heat sink 312 may be made of a copper plate.

[0171] The heat sink 312 may be formed to have a size similar to that of the printed circuit board 311 and a surface shape similar to that of the printed circuit board 311. However, the size and shape of the heat sink 312 may be variously modified.

[0172] The solder used for soldering may contain at least one metal selected from the group consisting of silver (Ag), lead (Pb), tin (Sn), bismuth (Bi), aluminum (Al), zinc (Zn), and indium (In), or an alloy of such metals. A metal alloy having a melting temperature relatively lower than that of a single-material solder may also be used as the solder.

[0173] In one embodiment, the case 321 of the resonator unit 320 may be made of a material that is easy to solder, or may be surface-treated to facilitate soldering. Examples of surface treatments include plating the case 321 of the resonator unit 320 with a material including gold (Pt), silver (Ag), tin (Sn), or a mixture of these metals. To facilitate the soldering process, a process of applying flux to the surface of the case 321 of the resonator unit 320 may be added. However, the materials and methods used for the surface treatment may vary depending on the purpose, and are not limited thereto.

[0174] As described above, by arranging the oscillation unit 310 directly on the resonating unit 320 of the heater assembly 300, the size of the dielectric heating type aerosol generating device can be reduced, and via the above-mentioned structure, the resonating unit 320 can effectively dissipate the heat generated from the oscillation unit 310.

[0175] 8A and 8B are schematic diagrams illustrating a method of manufacturing the heater assembly of FIG. 7A.

[0176] FIG. 8A is a schematic diagram illustrating a configuration in which a coupler 330-1 is attached to a resonator unit 320 of a heater assembly 300.

[0177] 8A, the coupler 330-1 may be disposed to protrude from one surface (e.g., in the +x direction (FIG. 8A)) of the case 321 of the heater assembly 300. However, the position and shape of the coupler 330-1 are not limited to those shown in FIG. 8A, as long as one end of the coupler 330-1 contacts the oscillation unit 310 and the other end of the coupler 330-1 contacts the resonance unit 320.

[0178] 8B, a printed circuit board 311 may be stacked on one surface of the resonator unit 320 from which the coupler 330-1 protrudes from the heater assembly 300. The printed circuit board 311 may be in contact with a case 321 of the resonator unit 320. The printed circuit board 311 may also include a hole through which the coupler 330-1 may protrude.

[0179] In one embodiment, the oscillation part 310 may be stacked to cover at least a portion of the surface of the resonator part 320. Alternatively, as shown in Fig. 8B, the oscillation part 310 may have the same length and width as the surface of the resonator part 320 and completely cover the surface of the resonator part 320. Although only an embodiment in which the oscillation part 310 is stacked on one side of the resonator part 320 facing the +x direction is illustrated in the drawings, the present invention is not limited to the illustrated embodiment.

[0180] 9A-9C are schematic illustrations of a method for manufacturing the heater assembly of FIG. 7B.

[0181] 9A is a schematic diagram illustrating a configuration in which a coupler 330-2 is attached to the resonator unit 320 of the heater assembly 300. Description of FIG. 9A that overlaps with FIG. 8A will be omitted.

[0182] 9B, a heat sink 312 may be laminated on one surface of the resonator unit 320 from which the coupler 330-2 protrudes from the heater assembly 300. The heat sink 312 may be in contact with the case 321 of the resonator unit 320. The heat sink 312 may also include a hole through which the coupler 330-2 may protrude.

[0183] Referring to FIG. 9c, the printed circuit board 311 may be stacked on the surface of the heat sink 312. That is, the heat sink 312 may be stacked on the surface of the resonator 320, and the printed circuit board 311 may be stacked on the surface of the heat sink 312. The printed circuit board 311 may also include a hole through which the coupler 330-2 may protrude.

[0184] Also, instead of sequentially following the manufacturing method shown in Figures 9A to 9C, the oscillator 310, which already has the heat sink 312 and printed circuit board 311 laminated thereon, may be laminated on the heater assembly 300 of Figure 9A.

[0185] In one embodiment, the oscillation part 310 may be stacked to cover at least a portion of the surface of the resonator part 320. Alternatively, as shown in Fig. 9C, the oscillation part 310 may have the same length and width as the surface of the resonator part 320 and completely cover the surface of the resonator part 320. Although only an embodiment in which the oscillation part 310 is stacked on one side of the resonator part 320 facing the +x direction is illustrated in the drawings, the present invention is not limited to the illustrated embodiment.

[0186] FIG. 10 is a perspective view of a heater assembly according to one embodiment.

[0187] 10, the oscillation unit 310 is stacked on one side surface of the resonator unit 320 facing the +x direction, and the surface of the resonator unit 320 on which the oscillation unit 310 is stacked may have a width W and a length (L1+L2). In addition, the length from the rear end of the opening 321a of the resonator unit 320, where the opening 321a is connected to the case 321, to the front end of the opening 321a where the opening 321a is opened is also L3.

[0188] In one embodiment, the oscillation unit 310 may have a width w that is greater than the width W of the surface of the resonator unit 320 and may be stacked to protrude along the y direction. Alternatively, the oscillation unit 310 may have a length l that is greater than the length (L1+L2) of the surface of the resonator unit 320 and may be stacked to protrude along the z direction. The length (L1+L2) of the surface of the resonator unit 320 may refer to the length (L1+L2) of the internal space of the case 321 of the resonator unit 320 excluding the opening 321a of the case 321.

[0189] In addition, the oscillation part 310 may have a width w wider than the width W and length (L1+L2) of the surface of the resonator part 320 and a length l longer than the width W and length (L1+L2) of the surface of the resonator part 320, and may be stacked to protrude in the y and z directions. Therefore, the printed circuit board 311 of the oscillation part 310 may include various components.

[0190] FIG. 10 illustrates an embodiment in which the width w of the oscillation section 310 is greater than the width W of the surface of the resonator section 320 on which the oscillation section 310 is stacked, and at the same time, the length l of the oscillation section 310 is greater than the length (L1+L2) of the surface of the resonator section 320.

[0191] In one embodiment, when the length l of the oscillation unit 310 is longer than the length (L1+L2) of the surface of the resonator 320, the oscillation unit 310 may be arranged to extend in the opposite direction (e.g., −z direction) to the direction (e.g., +z direction) in which the opening 321a into which the aerosol product can be inserted is located. Therefore, even without extending the overall length of the heater assembly 300, it is possible to ensure space for arranging the oscillation unit 310 without affecting the position where the user inhales the aerosol product, and the aerosol generating device can be made smaller.

[0192] 10, this corresponds to the case where the length l of the oscillation unit 310 is longer than the length (L1+L2) of the surface of the resonance unit 320, based on the surface in the +x direction where the oscillation unit 310 is stacked on the resonance unit 320. In FIG. 9, the opening 321a of the resonance unit 320 is located in the +z direction, and the oscillation unit 310 may be arranged to extend in the -z direction.

[0193] That is, even if the length l of the oscillation part 310 is long, it can be arranged so that there is no spatial inconvenience when a user inhales the aerosol product inserted through the opening 321a of the resonation part 320.

[0194] In another embodiment, even if the oscillation unit 310 is arranged to extend in the +z direction, it may be arranged to be shorter than the length L3 from the rear end to the front end of the opening 321a.

[0195] In one embodiment, the oscillator 310 further includes a cover (not shown) for protecting the printed circuit board 311. The cover may include a heat dissipation material. By including the cover, the oscillator 310 can effectively dissipate heat generated from the components of the printed circuit board 311.

[0196] As a specific example, the resonating unit 320 is located at the lower end of the printed circuit board 311, and the cover is located at the upper end of the printed circuit board 311, i.e., the resonating unit 320 and the cover are located on each layer, sandwiching the printed circuit board 311, so that even a miniaturized aerosol generating device can have an excellent heat dissipation effect.

[0197] In another embodiment, the cover for protecting the printed circuit board 311 is included in the housing 110 (FIG. 1) rather than the heater assembly 300. That is, the aerosol generating device also includes a housing having an insertion port into which an aerosol product is inserted, and a heater assembly 300 for heating the aerosol product inserted through the insertion port by a dielectric heating method.

[0198] The heater assembly 300 may not include a separate cover and may have an exposed printed circuit board 311. The heater assembly 300 may be disposed in the interior space of a housing, and the cover included in the housing may protect the printed circuit board 311 of the heater assembly 300.

[0199] In addition, according to one embodiment of the method for manufacturing the heater assembly 300 as described above, the method for manufacturing the heater assembly 300 also includes the steps of providing a resonator 320, connecting a coupler 330 having one end in contact with the resonator 320, and stacking an oscillator 310 including a printed circuit board 311 that contacts the other end of the coupler 330 and is stacked on the resonator 320.

[0200] The foregoing description of the heater assembly 300 and the components of the aerosol generating device including the same may also be applied to a method of manufacturing the heater assembly 300.

[0201] In one embodiment, the step of laminating the printed circuit board 311 on the resonator 320 also includes providing solder on the surface of the resonator 320 to bond the resonator 320 and the oscillator 310 together.

[0202] The above-described embodiments of the present disclosure or other embodiments are not mutually exclusive or distinct, and the respective configurations or functions of the above-described embodiments of the present disclosure or other embodiments may be used in combination.

[0203] For example, this means that a specific embodiment and / or configuration A illustrated in the drawings can be combined with a different embodiment and / or configuration B illustrated in the drawings. In other words, even if the combination between the components is not directly described, this means that the combination is possible unless it is described that the combination is not possible.

[0204] The foregoing detailed description should be considered in all respects as illustrative and not restrictive. The scope of the present invention is determined by reasonable interpretation of the appended claims, and all modifications within the equivalent scope of the present invention are intended to be embraced within the scope of the present invention.

Claims

1. 1. A heater assembly for heating an aerosol product by dielectric heating, comprising: an oscillator that generates microwaves; a resonator that resonates the microwaves to generate an electric field; and a coupler that has one end in contact with the oscillator and the other end in contact with the resonator and transmits the microwaves generated by the oscillator to the resonator, The heater assembly, wherein the oscillator portion includes a printed circuit board laminated on the resonator portion.

2. The heater assembly of claim 1 , wherein the printed circuit board is soldered to a surface of the resonator.

3. The heater assembly according to claim 2 , wherein the resonator further includes a plating layer covering a surface of the resonator.

4. 3. The heater assembly according to claim 2, further comprising a solder between said resonator and said printed circuit board for joining said resonator and said printed circuit board.

5. 5. The heater assembly of claim 4, wherein the solder comprises at least one metal selected from the group consisting of silver (Ag), lead (Pb), tin (Sn), bismuth (Bi), aluminum (Al), zinc (Zn), and indium (In), or an alloy of the metal.

6. the resonator includes an opening on one side into which the aerosol-producing article can be inserted; The heater assembly of claim 1 , wherein the length of the oscillation portion is longer than the length of the resonator portion, and the oscillation portion extends in a direction opposite to a direction in which the opening is located.

7. 2. The heater assembly of claim 1, wherein the printed circuit board has a hole through which the coupler can pass, and the coupler passes through the hole.

8. The heater assembly of claim 7 , wherein the coupler is exposed on a surface of the printed circuit board.

9. The heater assembly of claim 1 further comprising a cover protecting the printed circuit board.

10. a housing including an insertion port into which an aerosol product is inserted; and a heater assembly for heating the aerosol product inserted through the insertion port; the heater assembly includes an oscillator including a printed circuit board that generates microwaves; a resonator that resonates the microwaves to generate an electric field; and a coupler having one end in contact with the oscillator and the other end in contact with the resonator, and transmitting the microwaves generated by the oscillator to the resonator, The aerosol generating device, wherein the oscillation unit is stacked on the resonance unit.

11. The aerosol generating device of claim 10 , wherein the housing further includes a cover that protects the printed circuit board.

12. 1. A method of manufacturing a heater assembly for heating an aerosol product, comprising: providing a resonator; connecting a coupler having one end contacting the resonator; and laminating an oscillator unit, the oscillator unit including a printed circuit board in contact with the other end of the coupler and laminated on the resonator unit.

13. The method of claim 12 , wherein the laminating step provides solder on a surface of the resonator portion to bond the resonator portion and the oscillator portion together.

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