Aerosol Generator

Abstract

[Problem] To provide an aerosol generation device having further improved waterproofing properties. [Solution] Provided is an aerosol generation device comprising: a holding part having a cylindrical structure, an aerosol-generating base material being inserted into the interior of the cylindrical structure; a heat-emitting part that protrudes into the cylindrical structure through the bottom surface of the cylindrical structure from the exterior thereof, the heat-emitting part heating the aerosol-generating base material; a flange part that juts out from the heat-emitting part at the exterior of the cylindrical structure in a direction orthogonal to an extension direction of the heat-emitting part; a securing part that grips the flange part in the extension direction of the heat-emitting part; and a hermetic member that is provided between the flange part and the securing part, the hermetic member hermetically sealing a gap communicating from the interior of the cylindrical structure along the heat-emitting part.

Description

[Technical Field]

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

[0002] Inhalation devices, such as electronic cigarettes and nebulizers, which generate substances to be inhaled by users, are widely used. Inhalation devices can generate aerosols by heating an aerosol source. This allows users to inhale the aerosols generated by the inhalation devices and enjoy the flavors of the aerosols.

[0003] For example, the inhalation device can generate an aerosol by inserting a blade- or pin-shaped heater into a stick-shaped substrate containing an aerosol source and heating the stick-shaped substrate from the inside. In an inhalation device equipped with such a heater, the heater penetrates the cup that receives the stick-shaped substrate and protrudes into the cup, resulting in a gap around the protruding heater.

[0004] The following Patent Document 1 discloses that a bushing is provided between the flange side of the blade-type heater and the housing to prevent liquid generated by condensation of the aerosol from leaking into the inside of the suction device through the gap around the blade-type heater. [Prior art documents] [Patent documents]

[0005] [Patent Document 1] Special Publication No. 2020-528737 Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0006] However, in the above-mentioned Patent Document 1, detailed consideration was not given to the placement of waterproofing members such as bushings, so there was room for further improvement in the waterproofing of the suction device. Also, when washing the inside of the cup that holds the stick-shaped substrate with water, a large amount of water is poured into the inside of the cup. Therefore, there was a need to further improve the waterproofing of the gap around the protruding heater.

[0007] 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 generating device that can further improve waterproofing. [Means for solving the problem]

[0008] In order to solve the above problems, according to one aspect of the present invention, there is provided an aerosol generating device having a cylindrical structure, comprising: a holding portion having an aerosol-generating substrate inserted into the cylindrical structure; a heat generating portion that penetrates the bottom surface of the cylindrical structure from the outside and protrudes into the inside of the cylindrical structure to heat the aerosol-generating substrate; a flange portion that protrudes from the heat generating portion on the outside of the cylindrical structure in a direction perpendicular to the extension direction of the heat generating portion; a fixing portion that clamps the flange portion in the extension direction of the heat generating portion; and a sealing member that is provided between the flange portion and the fixing portion and that seals a gap that communicates from the inside of the cylindrical structure along the heat generating portion.

[0009] The sealing member may generate a compressive stress in an extension direction of the heat generating portion.

[0010] The sealing member may be constructed of an elastic or metallic material.

[0011] The sealing member may be ring-shaped.

[0012] The sealing member may have a diameter of 1 mm or more and 8 mm or less.

[0013] The width of the gap between the flange portion and the fixing portion may be equal to or less than the thickness of the sealing member.

[0014] The sealing member may have a thickness of 1 mm or less.

[0015] The fixing portion may include a first fixing portion spaced apart from the heat generating portion and provided on the same side of the flange portion as the holding portion, and a second fixing portion provided on the opposite side of the flange portion from the holding portion and clamping the heat generating portion in a direction perpendicular to the extension direction of the heat generating portion.

[0016] The flange portion may be sandwiched between the first fixing portion and the second fixing portion. [Effects of the Invention]

[0017] As described above, according to the present invention, it is possible to further improve the waterproofness of the aerosol generation device. [Brief explanation of the drawings]

[0018] [Figure 1] FIG. 2 is a schematic diagram illustrating a configuration example of a suction device. [Figure 2] 3 is a schematic cross-sectional view showing a first configuration example of a support structure for a heat generating portion. FIG. [Figure 3] FIG. 10 is a schematic cross-sectional view showing a second configuration example of the support structure for the heat generating portion. [Figure 4] FIG. 10 is a schematic diagram showing a model for deriving the inclination of a heat generating portion when no sealing member is provided. [Figure 5] 5 is a schematic diagram illustrating the positional relationship between the tilted heat generating part and the stick-shaped substrate shown in FIG. 4. FIG. [Figure 6] FIG. 10 is a schematic diagram showing a model for deriving the inclination of a heat generating portion when a sealing member is provided. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0019] 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.

[0020] <1. Example of suction device configuration> First, a configuration example of a suction device according to one embodiment of the present invention will be described. The suction device according to this configuration example can generate 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.

[0021] 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 heat generation unit 121, and a holding unit 140. In the suction device 100, a stick-shaped substrate 150 is housed in the holding unit 140, and the user performs suction. Each component will be described below in order.

[0022] 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.

[0023] 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.

[0024] 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. Accordingly, when the sensor unit 112 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 a 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. As such, the sensor unit 112 can output 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 heat generating unit 121. As such, the sensor unit 112 can determine the temperature of the stick-shaped substrate 150 accommodated in the holder 140 by detecting the temperature of the heat generating unit 121 based on, for example, the electrical resistance value of the heat generating unit 121.

[0025] 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.

[0026] 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.

[0027] 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.

[0028] 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.

[0029] The holding unit 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 holding unit 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 holding unit 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 holding unit 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 by compressing the stick-shaped substrate 150 inserted into the internal space 141 from the outer periphery. The holding unit 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 air inlet into the 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 .

[0030] 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.

[0031] 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 plants 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 holder 140 when the stick-shaped substrate 150 is held in the holder 140.

[0032] 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 holding portion 140. When the user holds suction mouthpiece 152 protruding from opening 142 in their mouth and inhales, air flows into holding portion 140 through an air inlet hole (not shown). The inflowing air passes through internal space 141 of holding portion 140, that is, passes through substrate portion 151, and reaches the user's mouth together with the aerosol generated from substrate portion 151.

[0033] The heat generating unit 121 generates aerosol by heating the aerosol source and atomizing the aerosol source. The heat generating unit 121 is configured in a blade or pin shape and is disposed so as to protrude from the bottom 143 of the holding unit 140 into the internal space 141 of the holding unit 140. Therefore, when the stick-shaped substrate 150 is inserted into the holding unit 140, the blade-shaped or pin-shaped heat generating unit 121 is inserted into the stick-shaped substrate 150 by piercing the substrate portion 151 of the stick-shaped substrate 150. When the heat generating 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 heat generating 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 heat generating 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 heat generating unit 121 may be stopped. As another example, aerosol may be generated by the powered heat generating unit 121 during the period in which the sensor unit 112 detects that the user has performed inhalation.

[0034] In the suction device 100 according to this embodiment, by appropriately arranging a sealing member in the support structure of the heat generating part 121 protruding from the bottom part 143 of the holding part 140, it is possible to prevent moisture from entering along the heat generating part 121 from the internal space 141 of the holding part 140. The support structure of the heat generating part 121 will be described in detail below.

[0035] <2. Heat generating unit support structure> (2.1. First Configuration Example) A first example of the support structure for heat generating section 121 will be described with reference to Fig. 2. Fig. 2 is a schematic cross-sectional view showing the first example of the support structure for heat generating section 121.

[0036] As shown in FIG. 2, the heat generating portion 121 is supported by fixing a flange portion 122 that protrudes in a direction perpendicular to the extension direction of the heat generating portion 121 to a first fixing portion 161 and a second fixing portion 162.

[0037] Specifically, the heat generating part 121 is a blade-type or pin-type heater that heats the stick-type substrate 150 inserted into the internal space 141 of the holding part 140. The heat generating part 121 penetrates the bottom part 143 from the outside of the holding part 140 and protrudes into the internal space 141, thereby being inserted into the stick-type substrate 150 held in the internal space 141. The heat generating part 121 may be, for example, a PTC (Positive Temperature Coefficient) heater that generates heat when electricity is applied.

[0038] The flange portion 122 is a convex portion that protrudes in a direction perpendicular to the extension direction of the heat generating portion 121 at the other end opposite to one end of the heat generating portion 121 that protrudes into the internal space 141 of the holding portion 140. The flange portion 122 is sandwiched in the extension direction of the heat generating portion 121 by the first fixing portion 161 and the second fixing portion 162 via the sealing member 170 and the horizontal support portion 163. The flange portion 122 may be made of a material that does not generate heat when electricity is applied.

[0039] The extending portion 123 extends in the extending direction of the heat generating portion 121 from a second surface S2 opposite to the first surface S1 of the flange portion 122 from which the heat generating portion 121 protrudes. The extending portion 123 is clamped by the second fixing portion 162 in a direction perpendicular to the extending direction of the extending portion 123. With this, the heat generating portion 121 can extend in a direction perpendicular to the bottom portion 143 of the holding portion 140 by fixing the flange portion 122 and the extending portion 123 by the first fixing portion 161 and the second fixing portion 162. The extending portion 123, like the flange portion 122, may be made of a material that does not generate heat when electricity is applied.

[0040] The first fixing portion 161 and the second fixing portion 162 are provided on the opposite side of the internal space 141 with respect to the bottom 143 of the holding portion 140, and support the heat generating portion 121 by sandwiching the flange portion 122 and the extending portion 123. Specifically, the first fixing portion 161 supports the first surface S1 of the flange portion 122 on the side where the holding portion 140 is provided via the sealing member 170. On the other hand, the second fixing portion 162 supports the second surface S2 of the flange portion 122 on the side opposite the side where the holding portion 140 is provided via the horizontal support portion 163. Therefore, the flange portion 122 is fixed by being sandwiched between the first fixing portion 161 and the second fixing portion 162 in the extending direction of the heat generating portion 121.

[0041] Furthermore, first fixing portion 161 has a recessed structure with an opening on one side opposite to the side where holding portion 140 is provided. Second fixing portion 162 is housed together with flange portion 122 inside the recessed structure of first fixing portion 161, and has protruding portion 1621 that spreads toward the inner side surface of the recessed structure of first fixing portion 161. Second fixing portion 162 is fixed to first fixing portion 161 so that it will not come off by having protruding portion 1621 protrude and fit into notch portion 1611 provided on the side surface of first fixing portion 161. Note that first fixing portion 161 may also serve as a housing for suction device 100. This reduces the number of components of suction device 100, making it easier to assemble.

[0042] The horizontal support portion 163 is provided between the second surface S2 of the flange portion 122 and the second fixing portion 162. The horizontal support portion 163 controls the second surface S2 of the flange portion 122 to be parallel to the bottom portion 143 of the holding portion 140, thereby controlling the inclination of the heat generating portion 121 so that the heat generating portion 121 protrudes perpendicularly into the internal space 141 of the holding portion 140. Specifically, the horizontal support portion 163 may be formed of a plurality of hemispherical portions or convex structures, and may be provided so that the apexes of the plurality of hemispherical or convex structures are included in the same plane parallel to the bottom portion 143 of the holding portion 140. In this way, the horizontal support portion 163 supports the second surface S2 of the flange portion 122 on a plane parallel to the bottom portion 143 of the holding portion 140, thereby ensuring the perpendicularity of the heat generating portion 121 with respect to the bottom portion 143.

[0043] Here, the first fixing portion 161 and the holding portion 140 are arranged so as not to come into contact with the side surface of the heat generating portion 121. This is to prevent the heat generated from the heat generating portion 121 from being conducted to the first fixing portion 161 and the holding portion 140 by contact, which would reduce the heating efficiency of the stick-shaped substrate 150. However, in such a case, a gap is generated between the heat generating portion 121 and the first fixing portion 161 and the holding portion 140. The gap generated on the side surface of the heat generating portion 121 communicates with the space around the flange portion 122 and the extension portion 123. Therefore, if water is injected into the internal space 141 of the holding portion 140, the water may enter the interior of the suction device 100 through the gap.

[0044] 2, in the first configuration example, a ring-shaped sealing member 170 is provided between the first surface S1 of the flange portion 122 and the first fixing portion 161. This allows the suction device 100 to seal any gaps that occur on the side surfaces of the heat-generating portion 121 with the sealing member 170. Therefore, the suction device 100 can prevent water injected into the internal space 141 from entering the inside of the suction device 100, thereby further improving waterproofing.

[0045] The sealing member 170 may be made of an elastic material or a metallic material. For example, the sealing member 170 may be an O-ring, a gasket, a sealing washer, or the like made of rubber, silicone resin, various organic resins, aluminum, or the like.

[0046] The sealing member 170 is compressed and elastically deformed between the first surface S1 of the flange portion 122 and the first fixing portion 161. This allows the sealing member 170 to generate compressive stress between the flange portion 122 and the first fixing portion 161, thereby more strongly sealing the gap between the flange portion 122 and the first fixing portion 161. Furthermore, the sealing member 170 can press the flange portion 122 more strongly against the horizontal support portion 163 due to the compressive stress, thereby further suppressing the inclination of the flange portion 122 with respect to the bottom portion 143 of the holder 140.

[0047] Furthermore, when the sealing member 170 is sandwiched between the first surface S1 of the flange portion 122 and the first fixing portion 161, the suction device 100 can be assembled more easily.

[0048] For example, if the sealing member 170 is provided between the side surface of the first fixing portion 161 and the side surface of another component, such as a housing, strong friction may occur between the side surface of the first fixing portion 161 and the side surface of the other component, such as a housing, due to the sealing member 170 when assembling the support structure for the heat generating portion 121. In such a case, the difficulty of assembling the support structure for the heat generating portion 121 may increase, or the first fixing portion 161 or the sealing member 170 may be damaged, resulting in a decrease in sealing performance. On the other hand, if the sealing member 170 is sandwiched between the first surface S1 of the flange portion 122 and the first fixing portion 161, it is possible to assemble the support structure for the heat generating portion 121 without generating friction. Therefore, by arranging the sealing member 170 in the above-described manner, the suction device 100 can be assembled more easily and can prevent a decrease in sealing performance during assembly.

[0049] Considering the sizes of the heat generating part 121 and the suction device 100, the diameter of the ring-shaped sealing member 170 may be, for example, 1 mm or more and 8 mm or less. When the diameter of the ring-shaped sealing member 170 is within the above range, the sealing member 170 can more appropriately seal the gap between the flange part 122 and the first fixing part 161.

[0050] Furthermore, the thickness of the sealing member 170 may be equal to or greater than the width between the flange portion 122 and the first fixing portion 161. When the thickness of the sealing member 170 is equal to or greater than the width between the flange portion 122 and the first fixing portion 161, the sealing member 170 is elastically deformed between the flange portion 122 and the first fixing portion 161. Therefore, the sealing member 170 can generate compressive stress, and can more strongly seal the gap between the flange portion 122 and the first fixing portion 161. The thickness of the sealing member 170 may be, for example, 1 mm or less.

[0051] In the first configuration example, by elastically deforming sealing member 170 between flange portion 122 and first fixing portion 161, it is possible to more tightly seal between flange portion 122 and first fixing portion 161 by using the restoring force of sealing member 170. Therefore, sealing member 170 can more reliably prevent moisture from entering the inside of suction device 100 from internal space 141 of holding portion 140, and therefore the waterproofness of suction device 100 can be improved.

[0052] (2.2. Second Configuration Example) A second example of the support structure for heat generating section 121 will be described with reference to Fig. 3. Fig. 3 is a schematic cross-sectional view showing the second example of the support structure for heat generating section 121.

[0053] 3, heat generating portion 121 is supported by fixing flange portion 122, which protrudes in a direction perpendicular to the extending direction of heat generating portion 121, to first fixing portion 161 and second fixing portion 162. Heat generating portion 121, flange portion 122, extending portion 123, first fixing portion 161, and second fixing portion 162 are substantially the same as those in the first configuration example, and therefore description thereof will be omitted here.

[0054] In the second configuration example, a ring-shaped sealing member 170 is provided between the second surface S2 of the flange portion 122 and the second fixing portion 162. Meanwhile, the horizontal support portion 163 is provided between the first surface S1 of the flange portion 122 and the first fixing portion 161. By controlling the first surface S1 of the flange portion 122 to be parallel to the bottom portion 143 of the holding portion 140, the horizontal support portion 163 can control the inclination of the heat generating portion 121 so that the heat generating portion 121 protrudes vertically into the internal space 141 of the holding portion 140. That is, in the second configuration example, the positions of the horizontal support portion 163 and the sealing member 170 are swapped with respect to the first configuration example.

[0055] The sealing member 170 is a ring-shaped member made of an elastic or metallic material. For example, the sealing member 170 may be an O-ring, a gasket, a seal washer, or the like made of rubber, silicone resin, various organic resins, aluminum, or the like.

[0056] The sealing member 170 is compressed and elastically deformed between the second surface S2 of the flange portion 122 and the second fixing portion 162. As a result, the sealing member 170 can generate compressive stress between the flange portion 122 and the second fixing portion 162, thereby more strongly sealing the gap between the flange portion 122 and the second fixing portion 162. Therefore, the sealing member 170 can prevent water injected into the internal space 141 from entering the inside of the suction device 100, thereby further improving the waterproofness of the suction device 100. Furthermore, the sealing member 170 can press the flange portion 122 more strongly against the horizontal support portion 163 by the compressive stress, thereby further suppressing the inclination of the flange portion 122 with respect to the bottom portion 143 of the holder 140.

[0057] <3. Action and Effects> As described above, in the suction device 100 according to this embodiment, the sealing member 170 is provided between the flange portion 122 of the heat generating portion 121 and the first fixing portion 161 and the second fixing portion 162 that sandwich the flange portion 122. By providing the sealing member 170 at any position between the flange portion 122 and the first fixing portion 161 and the second fixing portion 162, the suction device 100 according to this embodiment can prevent moisture injected into the internal space 141 from penetrating into the inside of the suction device 100.

[0058] Furthermore, with the suction device 100 according to this embodiment, it is possible to control the inclination of the heat generating part 121 with higher precision. As a result, the suction device 100 can ease the processing precision required for each part of the support structure for the heat generating part 121. Such an effect will be described with reference to FIGS. 4 to 6.

[0059] Fig. 4 is a schematic diagram showing a model for deriving the inclination of the heat generating part 121 when the sealing member 170 is not provided. Fig. 5 is a schematic diagram for explaining the positional relationship between the inclined heat generating part 121 shown in Fig. 4 and the stick-shaped substrate 150. Fig. 6 is a schematic diagram showing a model for deriving the inclination of the heat generating part 121 when the sealing member 170 is provided. Note that in Figs. 4 to 6, various parts are omitted compared to Fig. 2, and the side on the side facing the holding part 140 is referred to as the upper side, and the side opposite the holding part 140 side is referred to as the lower side.

[0060] 4, when the dimensions of heat generating portion 121, first fixing portion 161, and second fixing portion 162 are set, tilt angle θ of heat generating portion 121 can be expressed by the following mathematical formula (1) or mathematical formula (2). The following mathematical formula (1) represents the tilt angle θ of heat generating portion 121 when flange portion 122 interferes with first fixing portion 161 and second fixing portion 162. The following mathematical formula (2) represents the tilt angle θ of heat generating portion 121 when heat generating portion 121 and extending portion 123 interfere with first fixing portion 161 and second fixing portion 162.

[0061] Here, a1 is the distance from the lower end of the first opening 161H of the first fixed portion 161 through which the heat generating portion 121 passes to the upper end of the second opening 162H of the second fixed portion 162 through which the extending portion 123 passes. b1 is the distance from the upper end of the first opening 161H to the lower end of the second opening 162H. a2 is the width of the second opening 162H, and h2 is the width of the heat generating portion 121 and the extending portion 123. f1 is the thickness of the flange portion 122 in the extension direction of the heat generating portion 121, and f2 is the width of the flange portion 122 in a direction perpendicular to the extension direction of the heat generating portion 121.

[0062]

number

[0063] That is, the heat generating portion 121 may be tilted from the vertical direction by the angle θ expressed by the above formula (1) or (2) due to the wobble between the heat generating portion 121, the first fixing portion 161, and the second fixing portion 162, and due to the processing accuracy. When the heat generating portion 121 extends at an angle from the vertical direction of the bottom portion 143 of the holding portion 140 in this way, the heat generating portion 121 may protrude from the inserted stick-shaped substrate 150.

[0064] As shown in FIG. 5, if the width of the stick-shaped substrate 150 is s, the inclination angle θ at which the heat generating part 121 protrudes from the stick-shaped substrate 150 is s is expressed by the following formula (3).

[0065]

number

[0066] Here, if s=7mm, h1=30mm, and h2=1mm, then θ s That is, the inclination angle θ of the heat generating part 121 is θ s If the angle exceeds 5.73°, the heat generating portion 121 will protrude from the stick-shaped substrate 150.

[0067] When the dimensional tolerance is 0.2 mm, if the clearance between heat generating portion 121 and first fixed portion 161 is 0.1 mm, then a2 = 1.3 mm. If the clearance between flange portion 122 and first fixed portion 161 and second fixed portion 162 is 0.1 mm, and the thicknesses of first fixed portion 161 and second fixed portion 162 are each 1 mm, then b1 = 3.3 mm. In this case, if f1 = 1 mm, then θ = 5.75° in the above formula (2), and therefore heat generating portion 121 protrudes from stick-shaped substrate 150.

[0068] When the dimensional tolerance is 0.1 mm, if the clearance between heat generating portion 121 and first fixed portion 161 is 0.1 mm, then a2 = 1.2 mm. If the clearance between flange portion 122 and first fixed portion 161 and second fixed portion 162 is 0.1 mm, and the thicknesses of first fixed portion 161 and second fixed portion 162 are each 1 mm, then b1 = 3.2 mm. In this case, if f1 = 1 mm, then θ = 4.25° in the above formula (2), and therefore heat generating portion 121 does not protrude from stick-shaped substrate 150.

[0069] 4 and 5, if the sealing member 170 is not provided, the tilt angle of the heat generating part 121 will change depending on the amount of play between the parts and the size of the dimensional tolerances. Therefore, in order to reliably insert the heat generating part 121 into the stick-shaped substrate 150 and efficiently heat the stick-shaped substrate 150, it is important to further improve the processing precision and assembly precision.

[0070] 6, the suction device 100 according to this embodiment is provided with a sealing member 170, which makes it possible to absorb rattles between components and large dimensional tolerances through elastic deformation of the sealing member 170. Therefore, the suction device 100 can absorb variations in processing accuracy and assembly accuracy, thereby reducing manufacturing costs.

[0071] Furthermore, in the suction device 100 according to this embodiment, the flange portion 122 can be pressed against the horizontal support portion 163 by the compressive stress generated in the elastically deformed sealing member 170. Therefore, the suction device 100 can more easily fix the flange portion 122 parallel to the bottom portion 143 of the holding portion 140. Therefore, in the suction device 100, the heat generating portion 121 can be more reliably inserted without protruding from the stick-shaped substrate 150, and the stick-shaped substrate 150 can be heated more efficiently.

[0072] 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.

[0073] The following configurations also fall within the technical scope of the present invention. (1) a holder having a cylindrical structure into which the aerosol-generating substrate is inserted; a heat generating portion that penetrates the bottom surface of the cylindrical structure from the outside and protrudes into the cylindrical structure to heat the aerosol-generating substrate; a flange portion extending from the heat generating portion on the outside of the cylindrical structure in a direction perpendicular to the extending direction of the heat generating portion; a fixing portion that sandwiches the flange portion in an extending direction of the heat generating portion; a sealing member provided between the flange portion and the fixing portion, which seals a gap that communicates with the inside of the cylindrical structure along the heat generating portion; An aerosol generating device comprising: (2) The aerosol generating device according to (1), wherein the sealing member generates compressive stress in the extension direction of the heat generating portion. (3) The aerosol generating device described in (2) above, wherein the sealing member is made of an elastic material or a metallic material. (4) The aerosol generating device according to any one of (1) to (3), wherein the sealing member is ring-shaped. (5) The aerosol generating device according to (4) above, wherein the diameter of the sealing member is 1 mm or more and 8 mm or less. (6) The aerosol generating device according to any one of (1) to (5), wherein the width of the gap between the flange portion and the fixing portion is equal to or less than the thickness of the sealing member. (7) The aerosol generating device according to (6) above, wherein the sealing member has a thickness of 1 mm or less. (8) The aerosol generating device described in any one of (1) to (7), wherein the fixing portion includes a first fixing portion spaced apart from the heat generating portion and provided on the same side of the flange portion as the holding portion, and a second fixing portion provided on the opposite side of the flange portion from the holding portion and clamping the heat generating portion in a direction perpendicular to the extension direction of the heat generating portion. (9) The aerosol generating device according to (8), wherein the flange portion is sandwiched between the first fixing portion and the second fixing portion. [Explanation of symbols]

[0074] 100 Suction device 121 Heat generating part 122 flange 123 Extension 140 Holding part 141 Interior Space 142 Aperture 143 Bottom 150 Stick-type base material 151 Base material part 152 Mouthpiece 161 First fixed part 162 Second fixed part 163 Horizontal support section 170 Sealing member

Claims

1. a holder having a cylindrical structure into which the aerosol-generating substrate is inserted; a heat generating portion that penetrates the bottom surface of the cylindrical structure from the outside and protrudes into the cylindrical structure to heat the aerosol-generating substrate; a flange portion extending from the heat generating portion on the outside of the cylindrical structure in a direction perpendicular to the extending direction of the heat generating portion; a fixing portion that sandwiches the flange portion in an extending direction of the heat generating portion; a sealing member provided between the flange portion and the fixing portion, which seals a gap that communicates with the inside of the cylindrical structure along the heat generating portion; An aerosol generating device comprising:

2. The aerosol generating device according to claim 1 , wherein the sealing member generates a compressive stress in an extension direction of the heat generating portion.

3. The aerosol generating device according to claim 2 , wherein the sealing member is made of an elastic material or a metallic material.

4. The aerosol generating device according to any one of claims 1 to 3, wherein the sealing member is ring-shaped.

5. The aerosol generating device according to claim 4 , wherein the diameter of the sealing member is equal to or greater than 1 mm and equal to or less than 8 mm.

6. The aerosol generating device according to any one of claims 1 to 3, wherein the width of the gap between the flange portion and the fixing portion is equal to or less than the thickness of the sealing member.

7. The aerosol generating device according to claim 6 , wherein the sealing member has a thickness of 1 mm or less.

8. An aerosol generating device as described in any one of claims 1 to 3, wherein the fixing portion includes a first fixing portion spaced apart from the heat generating portion and provided on the same side of the flange portion as the holding portion, and a second fixing portion provided on the opposite side of the flange portion from the holding portion and clamping the heat generating portion in a direction perpendicular to the extension direction of the heat generating portion.

9. The aerosol generating device according to claim 8 , wherein the flange portion is sandwiched between the first fixing portion and the second fixing portion.

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