Aerosol generator

Abstract

An aerosol generation device according to one aspect includes an oscillation unit that generates microwaves, a resonance unit that accommodates an aerosol generation article and heats the aerosol generation article by outputting an electric field due to resonance of the microwaves to the aerosol generation article, and a processor that controls the output of the oscillation unit so that the maximum electric field absorption region of the aerosol generation article is moved.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present invention relates to an aerosol generating device that heats an aerosol generating article by a dielectric heating method, and more particularly, to an aerosol generating device capable of moving the maximum electric field absorption region of the aerosol generating article.

Background Art

[0002] Recently, there has been an increasing demand for alternative methods to overcome the disadvantages of conventional cigarettes. For example, there is an increasing demand for a system that generates an aerosol by heating a cigarette (or "aerosol generating article") using an aerosol generating device, rather than by burning a cigarette to generate an aerosol.

[0003] Conventional aerosol generating devices heat aerosol generating substances by means of a resistance heating method, an induction heating method, and an ultrasonic heating method. However, such conventional aerosol generating devices have a problem in that the preheating speed is slow and uniform heating is impossible as compared with the dielectric heating method.

[0004] In addition, some of the conventional aerosol generating devices use a dielectric heating method, but they are only a microwave radiation method using an antenna, and there is a problem in that the power transmission efficiency is significantly reduced.

Summary of the Invention

Problems to be Solved by the Invention

[0005] The technical problem of the present disclosure is to provide an aerosol generating device capable of heating an aerosol generating article through a dielectric heating method using microwave resonance in order to solve the above problems.

[0006] The technical problem of the present disclosure is not limited to the above, and other technical problems can be analogized from the following examples.

Means for Solving the Problems

[0007] An aerosol generating apparatus according to one embodiment includes an oscillator that generates microwaves, a resonant unit that houses the aerosol product and heats the aerosol product by outputting an electric field due to the resonance of the microwaves to the aerosol product, and a processor that controls the output of the oscillator so that the maximum electric field absorption region of the aerosol product is moved. [Effects of the Invention]

[0008] The aerosol generating apparatus of this disclosure has the advantage of significantly increasing power transfer efficiency because it heats a dielectric material using microwave resonance.

[0009] Furthermore, since the aerosol generator uses microwave resonance to heat the aerosol product, it can rapidly preheat the aerosol product.

[0010] Furthermore, when an aerosol generator uses microwave resonance to heat the aerosol product, it can significantly reduce power consumption.

[0011] Furthermore, the aerosol generator can provide a uniform flavor profile throughout the entire heating section by shifting the region of maximum electric field absorption due to microwave resonance within the aerosol product.

[0012] The effects of the invention are not limited to those exemplified above, and a wider variety of effects are included herein. [Brief explanation of the drawing]

[0013] [Figure 1] This is a perspective view of an aerosol generating device according to one embodiment. [Figure 2] This is an internal block diagram of an aerosol generating device according to one embodiment. [Figure 3] Figure 2 is an internal block diagram of the dielectric heating section. [Figure 4] This is a perspective view of a heater assembly according to one embodiment. [Figure 5] Figure 4 is a schematic perspective view illustrating a heater assembly according to the embodiment shown. [Figure 6] This is a cross-sectional view of the heater assembly according to the embodiment shown in Figure 4. [Figure 7] Figure 4 is a schematic perspective view illustrating the electric field distribution of the heater assembly according to the embodiment shown. [Figure 8] Figure 4 is a schematic perspective view illustrating the heating density distribution of the aerosol product heated by the heater assembly according to the embodiment shown. [Figure 9] This is an internal block diagram illustrating a method for controlling the output of an oscillator according to one embodiment. [Figure 10] This figure illustrates the power profile for controlling the output of the oscillator according to the embodiment shown in Figure 9. [Figure 11] This figure illustrates the movement of the maximum electric field absorption region due to the power profile according to the embodiment shown in Figure 10. [Figure 12] This is a flowchart illustrating the operation method of an aerosol generating device according to one embodiment. [Modes for carrying out the invention]

[0014] An aerosol generating apparatus according to one embodiment includes an oscillator that generates microwaves, a resonant unit that houses the aerosol product and heats the aerosol product by outputting an electric field due to the resonance of the microwaves to the aerosol product, and a processor that controls the output of the oscillator so that the maximum electric field absorption region of the aerosol product is moved.

[0015] Further, the resonance part includes a first plate surrounding one area of the aerosol generating article, a second plate spaced apart from the first plate along the circumferential direction of the aerosol generating article and surrounding another area of the aerosol generating article, and a connecting part connecting the first plate and the second plate. The microwave is resonated by the first plate, the second plate and the connecting part, and the aerosol generating article is heated by the electric field output from the ends of the first plate and the second plate.

[0016] Further, the lengths of the first plate and the second plate are formed shorter than the length of the tobacco rod included in the aerosol generating article, and the tobacco rod is arranged at a position protruding from the ends of the first plate and the second plate in the direction toward the opening in which the aerosol generating article is accommodated, so that at the initial stage of heating, a predetermined region of the tobacco rod arranged on the end side of the first plate and the second plate generates the maximum electric field absorption region.

[0017] Further, the processor controls the output of the oscillation part so that the maximum electric field absorption region moves along the longitudinal direction of the tobacco rod included in the aerosol generating article.

[0018] Further, the maximum electric field absorption region moves to the opposite side of the direction toward the opening in which the aerosol generating article is accommodated within the tobacco rod.

[0019] Further, the processor adjusts the magnitude of the microwave power output from the oscillation part according to a preset power profile so that the maximum electric field absorption region of the aerosol generating article moves.

[0020] Further, the processor controls the oscillation part so that microwave power of a first magnitude is output in the preheating section.

[0021] Furthermore, when the smoking section begins after the preheating section, the processor controls the oscillator to output a second microwave power smaller than the first, and progressively increases the power output from the oscillator so that the maximum electric field absorption region moves as the smoking section progresses.

[0022] Furthermore, the processor tracks in real time the change in the resonant frequency of the resonant section due to the exhaustion of dielectric material contained in the aerosol product, and adjusts the output frequency of the microwave power output from the oscillator based on the change in the resonant frequency of the resonant section.

[0023] Furthermore, the processor independently controls the magnitude of the microwave power and the output frequency of the microwave power.

[0024] The embodiments disclosed herein will be described in detail below with reference to the attached drawings. Regardless of the reference numerals in the drawings, identical or similar components will be given the same reference numerals, and redundant descriptions relating to them will be omitted.

[0025] The suffixes "~module" and "~part" used in the following description, relating to the constituent elements, are added or used interchangeably solely for the purpose of facilitating the creation of the specification, and do not inherently possess any distinct meaning or role from one another.

[0026] Furthermore, in the description of the embodiments disclosed herein, if it is determined that a specific description relating to relevant prior art would obscure the gist of the embodiments disclosed herein, such detailed description will be omitted. In addition, the accompanying drawings are provided solely to facilitate understanding of the embodiments disclosed herein, and the accompanying drawings do not limit the technical ideas disclosed herein. It should be understood that they include all modifications, equivalents, or substitutions that fall within the concept and scope of this disclosure.

[0027] Terms including ordinal numbers, such as "1st" and "2nd," may be used to describe a variety of components, but these components are not limited by such terms. These terms are used solely for the purpose of distinguishing one component from another.

[0028] When it is mentioned that one component is "connected" or "linked" to another component, it must be understood that it may be directly connected or linked to the other component, but that other components may also exist in between. However, when it is mentioned that one component is "directly connected" or "directly linked" to another component, it must be understood that there are no other components in between.

[0029] A singular expression includes plural expressions unless the context clearly indicates otherwise.

[0030] Figure 1 is a perspective view of an aerosol generating apparatus according to one embodiment.

[0031] Referring to Figure 1, one embodiment of the aerosol generating apparatus 100 also includes a housing 110 capable of containing the aerosol product 10, and a heater assembly 200 for heating the aerosol product 10 contained in the housing 110.

[0032] The housing 110 forms the overall appearance of the aerosol generator 100, and components of the aerosol generator 100 may be arranged in the internal space (or "mounting space") of the housing 110. For example, the internal space of the housing 110 may contain a heater assembly 200, a battery, a processor and / or sensors, but the components arranged in the internal space are not limited to these.

[0033] An inlet 110h is formed in one region of the housing 110, and at least one region of the aerosol product 10 can be inserted into the housing 110 through the inlet 110h. For example, the inlet 110h may be formed in one region of the upper end surface of the housing 110 (e.g., the surface facing the z direction), but the location where the inlet 110h is generated is not limited thereto. In other embodiments, the inlet 110h may also be formed in one region of the side surface of the housing 110 (e.g., the surface facing the x direction).

[0034] The heater assembly 200 is positioned in the internal space of the housing 110 and can heat the aerosol product 10 inserted or housed inside the housing 110 via the insertion opening 110h. For example, the heater assembly 200 can be positioned to surround at least one area of ​​the aerosol product 10 inserted or housed inside the housing 110 and heat the aerosol product 10.

[0035] According to one embodiment, the heater assembly 200 can heat the aerosol product 10 by dielectric heating. In this disclosure, “dielectric heating” means a method of heating a dielectric material to be heated by utilizing the resonance of microwaves and / or the electric field (or magnetic field) of microwaves. The microwaves are an energy source for heating the material to be heated and are generated by high-frequency power; therefore, in the following, the microwaves may be used in combination with microwave power.

[0036] Inside the heater assembly 200, due to microwave resonance, the charges or ions of the dielectric contained within the aerosol product 10 vibrate or rotate, and the frictional heat generated during the process of the charges or ions vibrating or rotating generates heat in the dielectric, which can heat the aerosol product 10.

[0037] Aerosols can be generated from the aerosol product 10 by heating it with the heater assembly 200. In this disclosure, "aerosol" may mean gaseous particles produced by mixing vapor and air generated when the aerosol product 10 is heated.

[0038] The aerosol generated from the aerosol product 10 can be discharged to the outside of the aerosol generator 100 either by passing through the aerosol product 10 or through the empty space between the aerosol product 10 and the inlet 110h. The user can smoke by bringing their mouth into contact with a portion of the aerosol product 10 exposed to the outside of the housing 110 and inhaling the aerosol discharged to the outside of the aerosol generator 100.

[0039] An aerosol generator 100 according to one embodiment further includes a cover 111 that is movably disposed in a housing 110 and opens and closes an inlet 110h. For example, the cover 111 is slidably coupled to the upper end surface of the housing 110 and either exposes the inlet 110h to the outside of the aerosol generator 100, or covers the inlet 110h so that it is not exposed to the outside of the aerosol generator 100.

[0040] In one example, the cover 111 is configured such that, in a first position (or "open position"), the inlet 110h is exposed to the outside of the aerosol generator 100. When the aerosol generator 100 is exposed to the outside, the aerosol product 10 can be inserted into the housing 110 through the inlet 110h.

[0041] In other examples, the cover 111, in the second position (or "closed position"), covers the inlet 110h so that the inlet 110h is not exposed to the outside of the aerosol generator 100. In this case, the cover 111 can prevent external foreign matter from flowing into the heater assembly 200 through the inlet 110h when the aerosol generator 100 is not in use.

[0042] Although Figure 1 only illustrates an aerosol generating apparatus 100 for heating a solid aerosol product 10, the aerosol generating apparatus 100 is not limited to the illustrated embodiment.

[0043] In other embodiments, the aerosol generating apparatus also generates an aerosol by heating a liquid or gel-like aerosol generating substance, rather than a solid aerosol product 10, via a heater assembly 200.

[0044] Furthermore, an aerosol generating apparatus according to another embodiment also includes a heater assembly 200 for heating the aerosol product 10 and a cartridge (or "vaporizer") for heating a liquid or gel-like aerosol generating material. The aerosol generated from the aerosol generating material moves along the cartridge and an airflow passage communicating with the aerosol product 10 to the aerosol product 10, mixes with the aerosol generated from the aerosol product 10, passes through the aerosol product 10, and can be transmitted to the user.

[0045] Figure 2 is an internal block diagram of an aerosol generating apparatus according to one embodiment.

[0046] Referring to Figure 2, the aerosol generator 100 also includes an input unit 102, an output unit 103, a sensor unit 104, a communication unit 105, a memory unit 106, a battery 107, an interface unit 108, a power conversion unit 109, and a dielectric heating unit 200.

[0047] The input unit 102 can receive user input. For example, the input unit 102 may be provided as a single pressurized push button. As another example, the input unit 102 may also be a touch panel including at least one touch sensor. The input unit 102 may transmit input signals to the processor 101. Based on the user input, the processor 101 may supply power to the dielectric heating unit 200 or control the output unit 103 to output user notifications.

[0048] The output unit 103 can output information related to the status of the aerosol generator 100. The output unit 103 can 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 generator 100. For this purpose, the output unit 103 also includes a display, a haptic motor, and an acoustic output unit.

[0049] The sensor unit 104 can sense the state of the aerosol generator 100 or the surrounding environment of the aerosol generator 100, and transmit the sensed information to the processor 101. Based on the sensed information, the processor 101 can control the aerosol generator 100 so that various functions are performed, such as heating control of the dielectric heating unit 200, smoking restriction, determination of whether or not to insert the aerosol product 10, and notification display.

[0050] The sensor unit 104 also includes a temperature sensor, a puff sensor, and an insertion sensing sensor.

[0051] The temperature sensor can either sense the temperature inside the dielectric heating unit 200 in a non-contact manner, or it can contact the dielectric heating unit 200 to directly obtain the temperature of the resonator. In one embodiment, the temperature sensor can also sense the temperature of the aerosol product 10. The temperature sensor can also be positioned adjacent to the battery 107 to obtain the temperature of the battery 107. The processor 101 can control the power supplied to the dielectric heating unit 200 based on the temperature information from the temperature sensor.

[0052] The puff sensor can detect a user's puff. The puff sensor can detect a user's puff based on at least one of the following: temperature change, flow rate change, power change, and pressure change. The processor 101 can control the power supplied to the dielectric heating unit 200 based on the puff information from the puff sensor. For example, the processor 101 can count the number of puffs and cut off the power supplied to the dielectric heating unit 200 when the number of puffs reaches a predetermined maximum number of puffs. As another example, the processor 101 can cut off the power supplied to the dielectric heating unit 200 if no puff is detected for a predetermined time or longer.

[0053] The insertion sensing sensor is positioned inside or adjacent to the containment space 220h (Figure 4) and can sense the insertion and removal of the aerosol product 10 contained in the insertion port 110h. For example, the insertion sensing sensor may also 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.

[0054] In one embodiment, the sensor unit 104 also includes additional sensors such as a reuse detection sensor, a motion detection sensor, a humidity sensor, a pressure sensor, a magnetic sensor, a cover removal / attachment detection sensor, a position sensor (GPS (global positioning system)), and a proximity sensor. The function of each sensor can be intuitively inferred from its name, so a detailed explanation is omitted.

[0055] The communication unit 105 also includes at least one communication module for communication with an external electronic device. The processor 101 can control the communication unit 105 and transmit information related to the aerosol generator 100 to the external electronic device. Alternatively, the processor 101 can receive information from the external electronic device via the communication unit 105 and control the configuration included in the aerosol generator 100. For example, the 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.

[0056] Memory 106 is hardware that stores various data processed within the aerosol generator 100, and can store data processed by the processor 101, as well as data being processed. For example, memory 106 can store the operating time of the aerosol generator 100, the maximum number of puffs, the current number of puffs, at least one temperature profile, and data related to the user's smoking pattern.

[0057] 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 within the aerosol generator 100. The battery 107 is both a rechargeable battery and a detachable battery.

[0058] 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 the following, or a combination thereof: 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). The interface unit 108 can transmit and receive information to and from an external electronic device, or charge its power supply, via the connection terminal.

[0059] The power conversion unit 109 can convert the DC power supplied from the battery 107 into AC power. The power conversion unit 109 can also supply the converted AC power to the dielectric heating unit 200. The power conversion unit 109 is also an inverter including at least one switching element, and the processor 101 can control the ON / OFF state of the switching element in the power conversion unit 109 to convert the DC power to AC power. The power conversion unit 109 can be configured as a full-bridge or a half-bridge.

[0060] The dielectric heating unit 200 can heat the aerosol product 10 using a dielectric heating method. The dielectric heating unit 200 also corresponds to the heater assembly 200 shown in Figure 1.

[0061] The dielectric heating unit 200 can heat the aerosol product 10 using microwaves and / or a microwave electric field (hereinafter referred to as microwaves or microwave power unless otherwise specified). The heating method of the dielectric heating unit 200 is not a method of radiating microwaves using an antenna, but rather a method of heating the object to be heated by forming the microwaves within a resonant structure. The resonant structure will be described later with reference to Figure 4 and subsequent figures.

[0062] The dielectric heating unit 200 can output high-frequency microwaves to the resonant unit 220 (Figure 3). These microwaves are, but are not limited to, the power within the ISM (industrial, scientific, and medical equipment) band permitted for heating. The resonant unit 220 may be designed with consideration to the wavelength of the microwaves so that the microwaves can resonate within the resonant unit 220.

[0063] The aerosol product 10 is inserted into the resonant section 220, and the dielectric material within the aerosol product 10 can be heated by the resonant section 220. For example, the aerosol product 10 may contain a polar material, and the molecules within the polar material can be polarized inside the resonant section 220. These molecules vibrate or rotate due to the polarization phenomenon, and the aerosol product 10 can be heated by frictional heat generated in this process. The dielectric heating section 200 will be explained in more detail with reference to Figure 3.

[0064] The processor 101 can control the overall operation of the aerosol generator 100. The processor 101 may be implemented by an array of numerous logic gates, or by a combination of a general-purpose microprocessor and memory storing a program that can be executed by the microprocessor. It may also be implemented by other forms of hardware.

[0065] 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, based on the power requirements of the dielectric heating unit 200.

[0066] In one embodiment, the aerosol generator 100 includes a converter that boosts or amplifies DC power, and the processor 101 can control the converter and adjust the magnitude of the DC power. The processor 101 can also control the AC power supplied to the dielectric heating unit 200 by adjusting the switching frequency and duty cycle of the switching elements included in the power conversion unit 109.

[0067] 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 shown in Figure 3, which will be described later, are also part of the processor 101.

[0068] The processor 101 can control the microwave power of the dielectric heating unit 200 based on temperature profile information stored in the memory 106. In other words, the temperature profile includes information relating 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.

[0069] The processor 101 can adjust the microwave frequency so that the resonant frequency of the dielectric heating unit 200 remains constant. The processor 101 can track the change 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 corresponding to the changed resonant frequency is output. In other words, the processor 101 can change the microwave frequency in real time, regardless of pre-stored temperature profiles.

[0070] Figure 3 is an internal block diagram of the dielectric heating section shown in Figure 2.

[0071] Referring to Figure 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.

[0072] The oscillator 210 receives AC power from the power conversion unit 109 and can generate high-frequency microwave power. In one embodiment, the power conversion unit 109 is also included in the oscillator 210. The microwave power can be selected from the 915 MHz, 2.45 GHz, and 5.8 GHz frequency bands included in the ISM band.

[0073] The oscillator 210 includes a solid-state RF (radio frequency) generator, which can be used to generate microwave power. The solid-state RF generator can be implemented using semiconductors. When the oscillator 210 is implemented using semiconductors, the dielectric heating unit 200 can be miniaturized, which has the advantage of extending the lifespan of the equipment.

[0074] The oscillator 210 can output microwave power toward the resonant section 220. The oscillator 210 includes a power amplifier that increases or decreases the microwave power, and the power amplifier can adjust the magnitude of the microwave power under the control of the processor 101. For example, the power amplifier can increase or decrease the amplitude of the microwave. By adjusting the amplitude of the microwave, the microwave power can be adjusted.

[0075] The processor 101 can adjust the magnitude of the microwave power output from the oscillator 210 based on a previously stored power profile. For example, the power profile may include target power information for the preheating section and the smoking section, and the oscillator 210 may supply microwave power at a first power level during the preheating section and at a second power level lower than the first power level during the smoking section.

[0076] The isolation unit 240 can block the microwave power input from the resonant unit 220 to the oscillator unit 210. Most of the microwave power output from the oscillator unit 210 is absorbed by the heated object, but depending on the heating characteristics of the heated object, some of the microwave power may be reflected by the heated object and further transmitted to the oscillator unit 210. This is because the impedance viewed from the oscillator unit 210 to the resonant unit 220 changes due to the exhaustion of polar molecules caused by the heating of the heated object. The statement "the impedance viewed from the oscillator unit 210 to the resonant unit 220 changes" is equivalent to the statement "the resonant frequency of the resonant unit 220 changes." If the microwave power reflected by the resonant unit 220 is input to the oscillator unit 210, not only will the oscillator unit 210 fail, but it will also be unable to achieve the expected output performance. The isolation unit 240 can prevent the microwave power reflected by the resonant unit 220 from returning to the oscillator unit 210, but can guide it in a predetermined direction and absorb it. Therefore, the isolation section 240 also includes a circulator and a dummy load.

[0077] The power monitoring unit 250 can monitor the microwave power output from the oscillation unit 210 and the reflected microwave power reflected by the resonance unit 220, respectively. The power monitoring unit 250 can transmit information related to the microwave power and reflected microwave power to the matching unit 260.

[0078] The impedance matching unit 260 can match the impedance from the oscillator unit 210 to the resonant unit 220 with the impedance from the resonant unit 220 to the oscillator unit 210 so as to minimize reflected microwave power. This impedance matching is equivalent to matching the frequency of the oscillator unit 210 with the resonant frequency of the resonant unit 220. Therefore, the impedance matching unit 260 can vary the frequency of the oscillator unit 210 in order to match the impedances. In other words, the impedance matching unit 260 can adjust the frequency of the microwave power output from the oscillator unit 210 so as to minimize reflected microwave power. The impedance matching of the impedance matching unit 260 can be performed in real time, regardless of the temperature profile.

[0079] Furthermore, the aforementioned oscillation unit 210, isolation unit 240, power monitoring unit 250, and matching unit 260 are separate configurations distinct from the microwave output unit 230 and resonant unit 220, which will be described later, and can be implemented as a chip-type microwave source. In one embodiment, the aforementioned oscillation unit 210, isolation unit 240, power monitoring unit 250, and matching unit 260 can also be implemented as part of the processor 101.

[0080] The microwave output unit 230 is configured to input microwave power to the resonant unit 220 and is also configured to correspond to the couplers shown in Figure 4 and below. The microwave output unit 230 can be implemented in the form of SMA (SubMiniature Version A), SMB (SubMiniature Version B), MCX (Micro Coaxial), and MMCX (Micro-Miniature Coaxial) connectors. The microwave output unit 230 connects a chip-type microwave source and the resonant unit 220 to each other and can transmit the microwave power generated in the microwave source to the resonant unit 220.

[0081] The resonant section 220 can heat the object to be heated by forming microwaves within its resonant structure. The resonant section 220 includes a containment space in which the aerosol product 10 is contained, and the aerosol product 10 is exposed to microwaves and can be dielectrically heated. For example, the aerosol product 10 may contain a polar substance, and the molecules within the polar substance may be polarized by microwaves inside the resonant section 220. The molecules vibrate or rotate due to the polarization phenomenon, and the aerosol product 10 may be heated by frictional heat generated in this process.

[0082] The resonant section 220 includes at least one internal conductor so that microwaves can resonate within it, and the arrangement, thickness, and length of the internal conductor can cause microwaves to resonate within the resonant section 220.

[0083] The resonant section 220 may be designed with consideration to the microwave wavelength so that the microwave can resonate within the resonant section 220. For the microwave to resonate within the resonant section 220, the cross section must have a short end and, opposite the short end, an open end where at least one region of the cross section is open. Furthermore, the length between the short end and the open end must be set to an integer multiple of 1 / 4 of the microwave wavelength. The resonant section 220 of this disclosure selects a length of 1 / 4 of the microwave wavelength for the purpose of miniaturizing the device. In other words, the length between the short end and the open end of the resonant section 220 may be set to a length of 1 / 4 of the microwave wavelength.

[0084] The resonant portion 220 also includes a dielectric housing space. This dielectric housing space is configured to be separate from the housing space for the aerosol product 10, and contains a material that can change the overall resonant frequency of the resonant portion 220 and miniaturize the resonant portion 220. In one embodiment, the dielectric housing space may house a dielectric with low microwave absorptivity. This is to prevent the phenomenon in which energy that should be transferred to the object to be heated is transferred to the dielectric, causing the dielectric itself to heat up. Microwave absorptivity 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 housing space 227 houses a dielectric having a loss tangent of a predetermined size or less, which is 1 / 100. For example, the dielectric may be at least one of quartz, tetrafluoroethylene, and aluminum oxide, or a combination thereof, but is not limited to these.

[0085] Figure 4 is a perspective view of a heater assembly according to one embodiment.

[0086] Referring to Figure 4, the heater assembly 200 according to one embodiment also includes an oscillation unit 210 and a resonance unit 220. Figure 4 is also an embodiment of the aforementioned heater assembly 200 and dielectric heating unit 200, and redundant explanations will be omitted below.

[0087] The oscillator 210 can generate microwaves in a specified frequency band as power is supplied. The microwaves generated by the oscillator 210 can be transmitted to the resonant 220 via a coupler (not shown).

[0088] The resonant section 220 also includes a containment space 220h for accommodating at least one region of the aerosol product 10, and the aerosol product 10 can be heated by dielectric heating by resonating the microwaves generated by the oscillating section 210. For example, the microwave resonance causes the charge of the glycerin contained in the aerosol product 10 to vibrate or rotate, and the frictional heat generated when the charge vibrates or rotates generates heat in the glycerin, thereby heating the aerosol product 10.

[0089] According to one embodiment, the resonant portion 220 may be formed of a material with a low microwave absorption rate in order to prevent microwaves generated by the oscillator portion 210 from being absorbed by the resonant portion 220.

[0090] In the following section, the specific structure of the resonant section 220 of the heater assembly 200 will be described with reference to Figure 5.

[0091] Figure 5 is a schematic perspective view illustrating the heater assembly according to the embodiment shown in Figure 4.

[0092] Referring to Figure 5, the heater assembly 200 according to the embodiment shown in Figure 5 also includes a resonant section 220 that generates microwave resonance and a coupler 211 that supplies microwaves to the resonant section 220.

[0093] The resonant section 220 also includes a case 221, multiple plates 223a, 223b, and a connecting section 222 that connects the multiple plates 223a, 223b and the case 221.

[0094] The coupler 211 can supply microwaves to at least one of the multiple plates 223a, 223b so as to generate microwave resonance from the resonant section 220.

[0095] The resonant section 220 may surround at least one region of the aerosol product 10 inserted inside the aerosol generator. The coupler 211 may supply microwaves generated by an oscillator (not shown) to the resonant section 220. When microwaves are supplied to the resonant section 220, microwave resonance occurs in the resonant section 220, and the resonant section 220 may heat the aerosol product 10. For example, a dielectric material contained in the aerosol product 10 may be heated by the electric field generated inside the resonant section 220 by the microwaves, and the aerosol product 10 may be heated by the heat generated in the dielectric material.

[0096] The case 221 of the resonant section 220 functions as an "outer conductor". Since the case 221 is formed in a hollow shape with an empty interior, the components of the resonant section 220 can be arranged inside the case 221.

[0097] The case 221 also includes a containment space 220h into which the aerosol product 10 can be contained, and an opening 221a into which the aerosol product 10 can be inserted. The opening 221a is connected to the containment space 220h. Since the opening 221a is open to the outside of the case 221, the containment space 220h is connected to the outside through the opening 221a. Therefore, the aerosol product 10 can be inserted into the containment space 220h of the case 221 through the opening 221a of the case 221.

[0098] The case 221 shown in the drawing has a square cross-sectional shape, but the shape of the case 221 can be deformed into various shapes. For example, the structure of the case 221 can be deformed to have various cross-sectional shapes such as rectangles, ellipses, or circles. The case 221 can be extended in one direction.

[0099] Multiple plates 223a and 223b can be arranged inside the case 221, each capable of functioning as an "internal conductor" of the resonant section 220.

[0100] Multiple plates 223a, 223b may be arranged so as to be spaced apart from each other along the circumferential direction of the aerosol product 10 contained in the containment space 220h. The multiple plates 223a, 223b may also include a first plate 223a arranged to surround one area of ​​the aerosol product 10 and a second plate 223b arranged to surround another area of ​​the aerosol product 10.

[0101] Multiple plates 223a, 223b can be connected to the case 221 by connecting parts 222. Furthermore, one end of the first plate 223a and one end of the second plate 223b can be connected to each other by connecting parts 222. Therefore, a closed end can be formed at one end of the multiple plates 223a, 223b by the connecting parts 222.

[0102] The other end 223af of the first plate 223a and the other end 223bf of the second plate 223b of the multiple plates 223a and 223b can be opened by separating them from each other. Since the other ends of the multiple plates 223a and 223b are separated from each other, open ends can be formed at the other ends of the multiple plates 223a and 223b.

[0103] A resonator assembly can be completed by connecting multiple plates 223a, 223b and connecting parts 222 to each other. The shape of the cross section cut along the longitudinal direction of the resonator assembly may include a "horseshoe shape".

[0104] Multiple plates 223a, 223b extend in the longitudinal direction of the aerosol product 10. At least a portion of the multiple plates 223a, 223b may be curved to protrude outward from the longitudinal center of the aerosol product 10.

[0105] For example, if the aerosol product 10 is manufactured in a cylindrical shape, the multiple plates 223a, 223b may be formed to curve circumferentially along the outer surface of the aerosol product 10. The radius of curvature of the cross-sections of the multiple plates 223a, 223b is the same as the radius of curvature of the aerosol product 10. The radius of curvature of the cross-sections of the multiple plates 223a, 223b can be deformed in various ways. For example, the radius of curvature of the cross-sections of the multiple plates 223a, 223b may be greater than or less than the radius of curvature of the aerosol product 10.

[0106] With a structure in which multiple plates 223a and 223b are formed to curve circumferentially along the outer surface of the aerosol product 10, a more uniform electric field is formed in the resonant portion 220, so that the heater assembly 200 can uniformly heat the aerosol product 10.

[0107] The open ends of the other ends of the multiple plates 223a, 223b may be positioned to face the opening 221a of the case 221. The opening 221a of the case 221 may be positioned to be spaced away from the other ends of the multiple plates 223a, 223b.

[0108] The open ends of the other ends of the multiple plates 223a, 223b can be aligned with the opening 221a of the case 221. Therefore, when the aerosol product 10 is inserted through the opening 221a of the case 221 and located in the containment space 220h, a portion of the aerosol product 10 located in the containment space 220h can be surrounded by the multiple plates 223a, 223b.

[0109] The multiple plates 223a, 223b are arranged in pairs at positions opposite the longitudinal center of the aerosol product 10. One embodiment is not limited by the number of multiple plates 223a, 223b, and the number of multiple plates 223a, 223b may be, for example, three or four or more.

[0110] Multiple plates 223a, 223b can 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 is extended.

[0111] At least one of the multiple plates 223a, 223b may be in contact with a coupler 211 connected to an oscillator (not shown). Specifically, at least a portion of the first plate 223a may be in contact with the coupler 211. When microwaves are transmitted to the first plate 223a via the coupler 211, microwave resonances are formed between the multiple plates 223a, 223b. Microwave resonances are also 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. Therefore, electric fields can be generated between the multiple plates 223a, 223b and the connecting portion 222, 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.

[0112] The coupler 211 penetrates the case 221, one end of the coupler 211 may contact an oscillator (not shown), and the other end of the coupler 211 may contact a region of the first plate 223a. Microwaves generated by the oscillator (not shown) are transmitted through the coupler 211 to the multiple plates 223a, 223b and the connecting portion 222, thereby generating an electric field inside the assembly of the multiple plates 223a, 223b and the connecting portion 222.

[0113] Furthermore, the structure of the resonant section 220 of the heater assembly 200 allows for the formation of triple resonant modes in the resonant section 220. Resonance of microwave TEM modes (transverse electric & magnetic modes) is formed between the multiple plates 223a and 223b. In addition, resonance of TEM modes different from those formed between the multiple plates 223a and 223b is formed between the first plate 223a and the upper plate of the case 221, and between the second plate 223b and the lower plate of the case 221. Since the resonant section 220 in Figure 5 allows for TEM mode resonance by the multiple plates 223a and 223b, it can be manufactured in a smaller size than conventional cylindrical resonators that are only capable of TE (transverse electric) mode and TM (transverse magnetic) mode.

[0114] In the resonant section 220 of the heater assembly 200, triple resonance occurs, which allows the aerosol product 10 to be heated more effectively and uniformly.

[0115] The resonant portion 220 according to the above-described embodiment also includes a closed end (short end) whose cross-section is closed to have a length of 1 / 4 of the microwave wavelength (λ) (λ / 4), and an open end located on the opposite side of the closed end, in which at least one region of the cross-section is open.

[0116] In Figure 5, the region at one end of the resonant section 220, corresponding to the left region, forms a closed end by connecting one end of multiple plates 223a, 223b and the connecting portion 222 to the case 221. In Figure 5, the region at the other end of the resonant section 220, corresponding to the right region, forms an open end by opening the opening 221a of the case 221 to the outside. With such a structure, the resonant section 220 can operate as a resonator having a microwave wavelength of 1 / 4 wavelength.

[0117] According to the resonant structure of the resonant section 220 described above, the electric field is not propagated in the region outside the resonant section 220. Therefore, the heater assembly 200 can prevent the electric field from leaking outside the heater assembly 200 even without a separate shielding member to block the electric field.

[0118] The aerosol product 10 inserted into the containment space 220h of case 221 is surrounded by the first plate 223a and the second plate 223b and can be heated by dielectric heating. For example, a portion of the aerosol product 10, including the medium, inserted into the containment space 220h of case 221 may be placed in the space between the first plate 223a and the second plate 223b. The electric field generated in the space between the first plate 223a and the second plate 223b causes the dielectric contained in the aerosol product 10 to heat up, thereby heating the aerosol product 10.

[0119] Furthermore, secondary heating of the aerosol product 10 can be achieved by the electric fields generated by 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.

[0120] According to one embodiment, the aerosol product 10 also includes a tobacco rod 11 and a filter rod 12.

[0121] The tobacco rod 11 contains an aerosol-generating substance and is made of a sheet or strand, or of shredded tobacco obtained by finely shredding a tobacco sheet. For example, the aerosol-generating substance may include, but is not limited to, at least one of glycerin, propylene glycol, ethylene glycol, dipropylene glycol, diethylene glycol, triethylene glycol, tetraethylene glycol, and oleyl alcohol. The tobacco rod 11 may also contain other additives such as flavoring agents, humectants, and / or organic acids. In addition, a flavoring liquid such as menthol or a humectant may be added to the tobacco rod 11 by spraying it.

[0122] The filter rod 12 is also a cellulose acetate filter. There are no restrictions on the shape of the filter rod 12. For example, the filter rod 12 can be a cylindrical rod, a tubular rod containing a hollow interior, or a recessed rod. If the filter rod 12 is composed of multiple segments, at least one of the segments may be made in a different shape.

[0123] At least a portion of the aerosol-generating substance (e.g., glycerin) contained in the aerosol product 10 is a polar dielectric in an electric field, and at least a portion of such aerosol-generating substance can generate heat by dielectric heating, thereby heating the aerosol product 10.

[0124] When the aerosol product 10 is inserted into the resonant section 220 via the containment space 220h, the tobacco rod 11 of the aerosol product 10 may be located between multiple plates 223a, 223b.

[0125] The length L4 of the tobacco rod 11 can be formed to be longer than the length L1 of the multiple plates 223a and 223b. Therefore, the front end 11f of the tobacco rod 11 that contacts the filter rod 12 is positioned to protrude from the other end 223af of the first plate 223a and the other end 223bf of the second plate 223b in the direction toward the opening 221a of the case 221.

[0126] At the other ends of the multiple plates 223a and 223b that act as resonators, a resonance peak is formed, which can generate a stronger electric field compared to other regions. When the aerosol product 10 is inserted into the heater assembly 200, the heating efficiency (or "dielectric heating efficiency") of the heater assembly 200 can be improved by arranging the tobacco rod 11, which contains a dielectric that can generate heat due to the electric field, to correspond to the region with the strongest electric field.

[0127] Referring to Figure 5, the length L1 of the multiple plates 223a, 223b can be set to be shorter than the length (L1 + L2) of the internal space of the case 221. Therefore, the other ends of the multiple plates 223a, 223b can be located inside the case 221 beyond the opening 221a. That is, the other ends of the multiple plates 223a, 223b can be positioned so as to be separated from the rear end of the opening 221a by a distance of L2.

[0128] The length of the opening 221a from the rear end of the opening 221a, which is connected to the case 221, to the front end of the opening 221a, which is opened, is also L3. The total length of the case 221 along its longitudinal direction is also L. The total length L of the case 221 can be determined by the sum of the lengths L1 of the multiple plates 223a, 223b, the distance L2 between the multiple plates 223a, 223b and the rear end of the opening 221a, and the length L3 of the opening 221a protruding from the case 221.

[0129] To prevent microwave leakage, the front end of the opening 221a is positioned to protrude from the case 221 by a length of L3. By protruding from the case 221, the opening 221a can function to prevent microwaves inside the case 221 of the resonant section 220 from leaking to the outside of the case 221.

[0130] The resonant section 220 also further includes a dielectric housing space 227 for housing a dielectric. The dielectric housing space 227 may be formed in the empty space between the case 221 and the multiple plates 223a, 223b. A dielectric with low microwave absorptiveness may be housed in the dielectric housing space 227.

[0131] The heater assembly 200 can generate an electric field of the same level as that generated in a resonant section without a dielectric, while reducing the overall size of the resonant section 220, by arranging a dielectric inside the dielectric housing space 227. In other words, by arranging the dielectric inside the dielectric housing space 227, the size of the resonant section 220 can be reduced, and the mounting space for the resonant section 220 in the aerosol generator can be reduced, resulting in a miniaturized aerosol generator.

[0132] Figure 6 is a cross-sectional view of the heater assembly according to the embodiment shown in Figure 4.

[0133] Referring to Figure 6, when the aerosol product 10 is inserted into the support cylinder 225 of the resonant section 220, the tobacco rod 11 of the aerosol product 10 may be positioned between multiple plates 223a, 223b. Since the closed surface at one end of the support cylinder 225 supports the left end of the tobacco rod 11, the movement of the aerosol product 10 facing to the left may be restricted.

[0134] The length L1 of the multiple plates 223a, 223b can be set to be shorter than the length (L1 + L2) of the internal space of the case 221. Therefore, the other ends of the multiple plates 223a, 223b can be located at a distance from the opening 221a to the inside of the case 221. That is, the other ends of the multiple plates 223a, 223b can be located at a distance of L2 from the rear end of the opening 221a.

[0135] The length of the opening 221a protruding from the case 221 is also L3. The total length of the case 221 along its longitudinal direction is also L. The total length L of the case 221 is set in the range of 25 mm to 35 mm, and the total length L of the case 221 in Figure 6 is approximately 29 mm. To prevent microwave leakage, the length L3 of the opening 221a is also 5 mm or more.

[0136] The height H of case 221 in the direction that crosses the longitudinal direction of case 221 is determined to be in the range of 13 to 25 mm, and the height H of case 221 in Figure 6 is approximately 16 mm.

[0137] The front end of the dielectric 224, which is placed inside the resonant section 220, may protrude from the other ends of the multiple plates 223a, 223b in the longitudinal direction of the case 221. In Figure 6, the front end of the dielectric 224 may be in contact with the inner surface of the case 221. The length L2 to which the front end of the dielectric 224 protrudes from the other ends of the multiple plates 223a, 223b can be varied. Therefore, although the front end of the dielectric 224 protrudes from the other ends of the multiple plates 223a, 223b, the front end of the dielectric 224 may be separated from the inner surface of the case 221 so as not to come into contact with the inner surface of the case 221.

[0138] Of the multiple plates 223a, 223b, at least a portion of the first plate 223a may come into contact with the coupler 211. The position where the coupler 211 and the first plate 223a come into contact with each other may be determined in the section from the opening 221a to the connecting portion 222, at a position further adjacent to the connecting portion 222 than the opening 221a.

[0139] When microwaves are transmitted to the first plate 223a via the coupler 211, microwave resonances are formed between the multiple plates 223a and 223b. Microwave resonances are also formed between the first plate 223a and the upper plate of the case 221, and between the second plate 223b and the lower plate of the case 221. Therefore, electric fields can be generated between the multiple plates 223a and 223b and the connecting portion 222, 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. In particular, resonance peaks are formed at the ends 223af and 223bf of the first plate 223a and the second plate 223b, respectively, which act as resonators, and stronger electric fields can be generated compared to other regions.

[0140] Furthermore, the front end of the tobacco rod 11 that contacts the filter rod 12 is positioned to protrude from the other end 223af of the first plate 223a and the other end 223bf of the second plate 223b, in the direction toward the opening 221a of the case 221. As a result, in the initial stages of heating, the maximum electric field absorption region 610 can be positioned on the tobacco rod 11 located on the end sides 223af and 223bf of the first plate 223a and the second plate 223b. The maximum electric field absorption region 610 can be increased or decreased by the output of the oscillation unit 210. Also, the initial stages of heating may refer to the period from the start of the smoking section until a predetermined time has elapsed.

[0141] In Figure 7 below, the region where the maximum electric field is generated within the resonator is explained through the electric field distribution, and in Figure 8, the region where the maximum electric field is absorbed is explained through the heating density distribution of the tobacco rod 11.

[0142] Figure 7 is a schematic perspective view illustrating the electric field distribution of the heater assembly according to the embodiment shown in Figure 4.

[0143] The electric field distribution shown in Figure 7 indicates the voltage (V / m) intensity per unit length of the resonant section.

[0144] Referring to Figure 7, the structure of the resonant section 220 of the heater assembly allows for the formation of triple resonant modes in the resonant section 220. Microwave TEM mode resonances are formed between the multiple plates 223a and 223b. Furthermore, TEM mode resonances different from those formed between the multiple plates 223a and 223b are formed between the first plate 233a and the upper plate of the case 221, and between the second plate 223b and the lower plate of the case 221. In particular, resonant peaks are formed at the edges of the first plate 223a and the second plate 223b, indicating that a stronger electric field is generated in these areas compared to other regions.

[0145] Figure 8 is a schematic perspective view illustrating the heating density distribution of an aerosol product heated by the heater assembly according to the embodiment shown in Figure 4.

[0146] The heating density distribution shown in Figure 8 represents the temperature energy per unit volume (W / m3) in each region of the heated aerosol product.

[0147] Referring to Figure 8, the strong electric fields generated at the ends of the first plate 223a and the second plate 223b can create a maximum heating density region 810 on the tobacco rod 11 located on the end sides of the first plate 223a and the second plate 223b. Heating density is the temperature energy per unit volume and is related to electric field absorption; therefore, the maximum heating density region 810 is also the same as the maximum electric field absorption region 610.

[0148] Furthermore, the maximum heating density region 810 has a high thermal energy per unit volume, so the dielectric material heats up faster than in other regions. In other words, the tobacco rod 11 is heated first from the region where it contacts the filter rod. This has the advantage of reducing the initial suction resistance of the aerosol product 10.

[0149] Furthermore, if the maximum electric field absorption region is fixed within the tobacco rod 11, the substances placed in a specific region will be consumed more quickly, making it impossible to provide a uniform smoking experience throughout the entire smoking section. To solve this problem, this disclosure controls the power supplied to the oscillation unit 210 over time, thereby shifting the maximum electric field absorption region within the tobacco rod 11.

[0150] Figure 9 is an internal block diagram illustrating an output control method for the oscillator according to one embodiment.

[0151] More specifically, Figure 9 illustrates only the configuration for adjusting the magnitude and frequency of the microwave power output from the oscillator 210, as shown in Figures 2 and 3 of the aerosol generator 100. Therefore, explanations that overlap with Figures 2 and 3 will be omitted below.

[0152] Referring to Figure 9, the aerosol generator 100 also includes a memory 106, an oscillator 210, a power monitoring unit 250, a resonant unit 220, and a processor 101.

[0153] The oscillator 210 can output microwaves having a predetermined output frequency and predetermined power. The oscillator 210 can supply the generated microwaves to the resonant 220.

[0154] The resonant section 220 houses the aerosol product 10 and resonates with microwaves supplied from the oscillator 210, thereby heating the aerosol product 10. The internal structure of the resonant section 220 is shown in Figures 1 to 6.

[0155] Memory 106 also includes temperature profile information and power profile information. The temperature profile includes information relating to the target temperature of the resonant section 220 over time, and the processor 101 can control the magnitude of the microwave power output from the oscillator 210 based on this temperature profile information. The power profile also includes information relating to the target power of the oscillator 210 over time, and the processor 101 can control the magnitude of the microwave power output from the oscillator 210 based on this power profile. The following describes a method for controlling the magnitude of microwave power based on the power profile, but the following description also applies to a method for controlling the magnitude of microwave power based on the temperature profile.

[0156] The processor 101 controls the oscillator 210 according to the power profile and can output a first magnitude microwave power during the preheating section. Furthermore, after the preheating section, during the smoking section, the processor 101 controls the oscillator 210 and can output a second magnitude microwave power smaller than the first magnitude. The processor 101 can also progressively increase the magnitude of the microwave power during the smoking section. This progressive increase in microwave power during the smoking section can cause the maximum electric field absorption region to move within the tobacco rod 11.

[0157] The oscillator 210 includes a power amplifier, and the processor 101 can control the power amplifier to adjust the magnitude of the microwave power. The power amplifier can adjust the microwave power magnitude by increasing or decreasing the amplitude of the microwave under the control of the processor 101. For example, the processor 101 can control the oscillator 210 to output a microwave having one power magnitude selected from the range of 3W to 20W.

[0158] Furthermore, the processor 101 can track the resonant frequency change of the resonant section 220 in real time, regardless of the aforementioned control of the microwave power magnitude, and match the output frequency of the oscillator 210 with the resonant frequency of the resonant section 220. In other words, the processor 101 can match the output frequency of the oscillator 210 with the resonant frequency of the resonant section 220 in real time, moving from a state where the magnitude of the microwave power output from the oscillator 210 is adjusted according to a pre-set power profile. By matching the output frequency of the oscillator 210 with the resonant frequency of the resonant section 220, the power transfer efficiency is significantly increased, and the aerosol product 10 can be heated uniformly.

[0159] The power monitoring unit 250 may be provided to track changes in the resonant frequency of such a resonant unit 220 in real time.

[0160] More specifically, the dielectric material contained in the aerosol product 10 is heated and consumed by microwaves, which can cause the impedance of the resonant section 220 to be variable. Despite the variable impedance of the resonant section 220, if the oscillator 210 is controlled to a fixed output, the first impedance seen from the oscillator 210 towards the resonant section 220 and the second impedance seen from the resonant section 220 towards the oscillator 210 will not match. In other words, the first impedance and the second impedance will not match each other. Furthermore, since impedance matching is related to the maximum power transfer condition, this condition will not be satisfied. As a result, the power supplied from the oscillator 210 cannot be fully transmitted to the resonant section 220, and some of it may be reflected from the resonant section 220 and further input back into the oscillator 210.

[0161] The power monitoring unit 250 can measure a first power P1 output from the oscillator unit 210 and input to the resonant unit 220, and a second power P2 reflected from the resonant unit 220 and input to the oscillator unit 210, in order to match such a first impedance and a second impedance. In this case, the first power P1 and the second power P2 may represent the magnitude of the power.

[0162] The power monitoring unit 250 can provide the processor 101 with information relating to the first power P1 and the second power P2.

[0163] The processor 101 can match the first impedance and the second impedance based on information relating to the first power P1 and the second power P2 provided by the power monitoring unit 250. Impedance matching can be achieved by adjusting the output frequency of the oscillator unit 210, since impedance is a parameter related to frequency.

[0164] The oscillator 210 includes at least one switching element, and the processor 101 can control the on / off state of the switching element to adjust the output frequency of the oscillator 210.

[0165] The processor 101 can adjust the output frequency of the oscillator 210 so that the difference between the first power P1 and the second power P2 measured by the power monitoring unit 250 falls within a pre-set reference power range. For example, this reference power range is between 0W and 1W, but is not limited to that range.

[0166] The processor 101 can control the oscillator 210 while sweeping the output frequency output from the oscillator 210 within a pre-set reference bandwidth range, such that the difference between the first power P1 and the second power P2 falls within the pre-set range. For example, the reference bandwidth range may be, but is not limited to, a 2.4GHz to 2.5GHz range or a 5.7GHz to 5.9GHz range.

[0167] Furthermore, the output frequency adjustment of the processor 101 can be performed in real time. In other words, the processor 101 can adjust the output frequency of the oscillator 210 independently of the power level adjustment of the oscillator 210.

[0168] Figure 10 is a diagram illustrating the power profile for controlling the output of the oscillator according to the embodiment shown in Figure 9.

[0169] Referring to Figure 10, which illustrates a power profile according to one embodiment, the power profile includes information relating to the target power in the preheating and smoking sections. In Figure 10, the preheating section is the same as the first time t1, and the smoking section may mean from the first time t1 to the fifth time t5. For example, the first time t1 is 20 seconds, and the fifth time t5 is 4 minutes 30 seconds or more, but is not limited to these.

[0170] The processor 101 controls the oscillator 210 during a first time interval t1 and can output microwave power of a first magnitude Pa. For example, the first magnitude Pa is 20 W.

[0171] Note that the first time t1 is the same as the preheating section, and the target power at the first time t1 is unrelated to the movement of the maximum electric field absorption region. In other words, the reason why the first magnitude Pa is larger than the second magnitude Pb to the fifth magnitude Pe, which will be described later, is to quickly heat the tobacco rod 11, and since it is maintained for only a short time such as 20 seconds, not only is the dielectric material not completely depleted in a predetermined region of the tobacco rod 11, but a relatively high power is supplied to the resonant section 220, so the dielectric material as a whole is heated quickly. Therefore, in the preheating section, there is no need to move the maximum electric field absorption region.

[0172] The processor 101 controls the oscillator 210 from the first time t1 to the second time t2, and can output microwave power of a second magnitude Pb that is smaller than the first magnitude Pa. The difference between the second time t2 and the first time t1 can be greater than the difference between the first time t1 and the second time t2. For example, the difference between the second time t2 and the first time t1 can be 1 minute and 30 seconds, but is not limited to this. Also, the second magnitude Pb can be any one selected from the range of 3W to 4W.

[0173] When a microwave power of magnitude Pb is output to the resonant section 220, an even larger electric field is output to a portion of the tobacco rod 11, and therefore, a region with maximum electric field absorption can be generated in the tobacco rod 11.

[0174] If the maximum electric field absorption region of the tobacco rod 11 is not moved, the electric field will be concentrated in a specific region, and the tobacco rod 11 will not be heated uniformly. Therefore, the processor 101 gradually increases the microwave power in the smoking section in order to move the maximum electric field absorption region of the tobacco rod 11.

[0175] From the second time t2 to the third time t3, the processor 101 controls the oscillator 210 and can output microwave power of a third magnitude Pc greater than the second magnitude Pb. The difference between the third time t3 and the second time t2 is the same as, or greater than, the difference between the second time t2 and the first time t1. For example, the difference between the third time t3 and the second time t2 is 1 minute 30 seconds or more, and also less than 2 minutes, but is not limited to that. Also, the third magnitude Pc is one of the values ​​selected from the range of 4W to 5W. By the oscillator 210 outputting microwave power of a third magnitude Pc greater than the second magnitude Pb, the maximum electric field absorption region can be shifted within the tobacco rod 11.

[0176] From the third time t3 to the fourth time t4, the processor 101 controls the oscillator 210 and can output microwave power of a fourth magnitude Pd greater than the third magnitude Pc. The difference between the fourth time t4 and the third time t3 is the same as, or greater than, the difference between the third time t3 and the second time t2. For example, the difference between the fourth time t4 and the third time t3 is 1 minute 30 seconds or more, and less than 2 minutes, but is not limited to that. Also, the fourth magnitude Pd is one of the values ​​selected from the range of 5W to 6W. By the oscillator 210 outputting microwave power of a fourth magnitude Pd greater than the third magnitude Pc, the maximum electric field absorption region can be shifted within the tobacco rod 11.

[0177] From the fourth time t4 to the fifth time t5, the processor 101 controls the oscillator 210 and can output microwave power of magnitude 5 Pe, which is greater than magnitude 4 Pd. The difference between the fifth time t5 and the fourth time t4 is the same as, or greater than, the difference between the fourth time t4 and the third time t3. For example, the difference between the fifth time t5 and the fourth time t4 is 1 minute 30 seconds or more, and less than 2 minutes, but is not limited to that. Also, magnitude 5 Pe can be any one selected from the range of 6W to 7W. By the oscillator 210 outputting microwave power of magnitude 5 Pe, which is greater than magnitude 4 Pd, the maximum electric field absorption region can be shifted within the tobacco rod 11.

[0178] Figure 11 is a diagram illustrating the movement of the maximum electric field absorption region due to the power profile according to the embodiment shown in Figure 10.

[0179] Referring to Figure 11, the processor 101 controls the oscillator 210 during the first smoking interval and can output microwave power of a second magnitude Pb. This first interval means from the first time t1 to the second time t2, and the second magnitude Pb is any one selected from the range of 3w to 4w. When microwave power of a second magnitude Pb is output, resonance peaks are formed at the ends of the first plate 223a and the second plate 223b of the resonant section 220, generating a stronger electric field compared to other regions. As a result, a maximum electric field absorption region can be generated in the first region 1110 of the cigarette rod 11 located on the end sides of the first plate 223a and the second plate 223b.

[0180] Furthermore, the aerosol generating apparatus 100 of this disclosure has the advantage that the initial suction resistance of the aerosol product 10 is reduced because the tobacco rod 11 is first heated from the first region 1110, which is the part that contacts the filter rod. However, if the maximum electric field absorption region is fixed throughout the entire heating section, there is a problem that the tobacco rod 11 cannot be heated uniformly. Therefore, the processor 101 gradually increases the microwave power in the smoking section to move the maximum electric field absorption region of the tobacco rod 11.

[0181] The processor 101 progressively increases the magnitude of the microwave power output from the oscillator 210 so that the maximum electric field absorption region moves along the longitudinal direction of the tobacco rod 11. As the magnitude of the microwave power output from the oscillator 210 increases, the maximum electric field absorption region in the tobacco rod 11 moves to the opposite side of the opening where the aerosol product 10 is contained, as shown in Figure 11.

[0182] More specifically, the processor 101 controls the oscillator 210 in a second section following the first section of the smoking section, and can output microwave power of a third magnitude Pc greater than a second magnitude Pb. The second section may mean from the second time t2 to the third time t3. Since there is no dielectric material in the filter rod, and the dielectric material present in the first region 1110 is considerably consumed in the first section, when the microwave power is increased to the third magnitude Pc, the maximum electric field absorption region is moved to the second region 1120, which is in the opposite direction to the opening where the aerosol product 10 is contained.

[0183] The processor 101 controls the oscillator 210 in the third section, after the second section, to move the maximum electric field absorption region of the tobacco rod 11 again, and may output a microwave power of a fourth magnitude Pd greater than the third magnitude Pc. The third section may mean from the third time t3 to the fourth time t4. Similarly, since there is no dielectric material in the filter rod, and the dielectric material present in the second region 1120 is considerably consumed in the second section, when the microwave power is increased to the fourth magnitude Pd, the maximum electric field absorption region is moved to the third region 1130, which is in the opposite direction to the opening where the aerosol product 10 is contained.

[0184] The processor 101 controls the oscillator 210 in the fourth section after the third section to move the maximum electric field absorption region of the tobacco rod 11 again, and can output a microwave power of magnitude 5 Pe, which is greater than magnitude 4 Pd. The fourth section may mean from the fourth time t4 to the fifth time t5. Similarly, since there is no dielectric material in the filter rod, and the dielectric material present in the third region 1130 is considerably consumed in the third section, when the microwave power is increased to magnitude 5 Pe, the maximum electric field absorption region is moved to the fourth region 1140, which is in the opposite direction to the opening where the aerosol product 10 is contained. Although Figure 11 only illustrates the gradual increase of microwave power using a total of four sections, the number of sections may be increased or decreased depending on the length of the medium and the magnitude of the microwave power.

[0185] Figure 12 is a flowchart illustrating the operation method of an aerosol generating device according to one embodiment.

[0186] Referring to Figure 12, in step S1210, the oscillator 210 can generate microwaves.

[0187] The oscillator unit 210 includes a solid-state RF (radio frequency) generator, which can be used to generate microwaves.

[0188] The oscillator 210 can output microwaves having a predetermined output frequency and predetermined power under the control of the processor 101.

[0189] The oscillator 210 includes a power amplifier, which can adjust the magnitude of the microwave power under the control of the processor 101. For example, the power amplifier can increase or decrease the amplitude of the microwaves. By adjusting the amplitude of the microwaves, the microwave power can be adjusted.

[0190] In step S1220, the resonant section 220 can heat the aerosol product 10 by outputting an electric field due to microwave resonance to the aerosol product 10.

[0191] The resonant portion 220 also includes, as shown in Figures 4 to 8, a first plate 223a surrounding one region of the aerosol product 10, a second plate 223b along the circumferential direction of the aerosol product 10, separated from the first plate 223a, and surrounding another region of the aerosol product 10, and a connecting portion 222 connecting the first plate 223a and the second plate 223b. Due to the first plate 223a, the second plate 223b, and the connecting portion 222, microwaves resonate between the first plate 223a and the second plate 223b, and between each of the first plate 223a and the second plate 223b and the case 221 (a so-called triple resonant structure), and the aerosol product 10 can be heated by the electric field caused by the microwave resonance.

[0192] In particular, the lengths of the first plate 223a and the second plate 223b are formed to be shorter than the length of the tobacco rod 11 contained in the aerosol product 10, and the tobacco rod 11 may be arranged in a position that protrudes from the ends of the first plate 223a and the second plate 223b in the direction toward the opening in which the aerosol product 10 is contained. Since a strong electric field is generated at the ends of the first plate 223a and the second plate 223b, a maximum electric field absorption region may be generated in a predetermined region of the tobacco rod 11 located on the end side of the first plate 223a and the second plate 223b during the initial heating phase. The initial heating phase may mean from the start of the smoking section until a predetermined time has elapsed.

[0193] Furthermore, if the maximum electric field absorption region is fixed within the tobacco rod 11, the dielectric material placed in a predetermined region will be quickly depleted, making it impossible to provide a uniform smoking experience throughout the entire smoking section. To solve this problem, this disclosure increases the magnitude of the microwave power in the smoking section, thereby shifting the maximum electric field absorption region within the tobacco rod 11.

[0194] In step S1230, the processor 101 can control the output of the oscillator 210 so that the maximum electric field absorption region of the aerosol product 10 is moved.

[0195] The processor 101 can adjust the magnitude of the microwave power output from the oscillator 210 using a pre-configured power profile so that the maximum electric field absorption region of the aerosol product 10 is shifted.

[0196] The processor 101 can control the oscillator 210 so that a microwave power of a first magnitude Pa is output during the preheating section. In the preheating section, the microwave power is relatively large, such as 20W, and the preheating section is maintained for a relatively short time, such as 20 seconds, so there is little need to shift the maximum electric field absorption region. In other words, in the preheating section, a relatively high power is supplied to the resonant section 220 for a relatively short time, so the dielectric material as a whole is heated rapidly, and therefore, there is little need to shift the maximum electric field absorption region during the preheating section.

[0197] When the smoking section begins after the preheating section, the processor 101 can control the oscillator 210 and output microwave power of a second magnitude Pb smaller than a first magnitude Pa. As the smoking section progresses, the processor 101 can progressively increase the power output from the oscillator 210 so that the maximum electric field absorption region moves.

[0198] In one embodiment, the processor 101 can control the oscillator 210 during the first smoking section to output microwave power of a second magnitude Pb. Furthermore, the processor 101 can control the oscillator 210 during the second section after the first section to output microwave power of a third magnitude Pc, which is greater than the second magnitude Pb. Also, the processor 101 can control the oscillator 210 to output microwave power of a fourth magnitude Pd, which is greater than the third magnitude Pc, during the third section after the second section, and to output microwave power of a fifth magnitude Pe, which is greater than the fourth magnitude Pd, during the fourth section after the third section.

[0199] In the smoking section, as the microwave power gradually increases, the region of maximum electric field absorption moves along the longitudinal direction of the cigarette rod 11. In one embodiment, the region of maximum electric field absorption may move within the cigarette rod 11 to the opposite side of the direction toward the opening that contains the aerosol product 10.

[0200] Furthermore, the processor 101 can track in real time the change in the resonant frequency of the resonant section 220 due to the exhaustion of dielectric material contained in the aerosol product 10, regardless of the power profile. The processor 101 can also adjust the output frequency of the microwave power output from the oscillator 210 based on the change in the resonant frequency. In other words, the processor 101 can independently control the magnitude of the microwave power output from the oscillator 210 and the output frequency of the microwave power.

[0201] Any embodiment of the Disclosure described herein, or any other embodiment, is not mutually exclusive or distinguishable from one another. Any embodiment of the Disclosure described herein, or any other embodiment, may be used in combination or in conjunction with each other, depending on the configuration or function of each embodiment.

[0202] For example, this means that a particular embodiment and / or configuration A described in the drawings can be combined with a different embodiment and / or configuration B described in the drawings. In other words, even if the combination of configurations is not directly described, it means that combination is possible unless it is described as impossible.

[0203] The detailed description above should be considered illustrative and not restrictive in all respects. The scope of the invention shall be determined by a reasonable interpretation of the claims, and all modifications within the equivalent scope of the invention are included within the scope of the invention.

Claims

1. In an aerosol generating device, An oscillator that generates microwaves, A resonant section that houses the aerosol product and heats the aerosol product by outputting an electric field due to the resonance of the microwave to the aerosol product, Aerosol generating apparatus, comprising: a processor that controls the output of the oscillator to change the electric field distribution within the resonant section and shifts the maximum electric field absorption region corresponding to the maximum heating density of the aerosol product.

2. The aforementioned resonant section is A first plate surrounding a region of the aerosol product, A second plate is provided along the circumferential direction of the aerosol product, separated from the first plate, and surrounding other areas of the aerosol product. It includes a connecting portion that connects the first plate and the second plate, The aerosol generating apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the microwave is resonated by the first plate, the second plate and the connecting portion, and the aerosol product is heated by the electric field output from the ends of the first plate and the second plate.

3. The aerosol generating apparatus according to claim 2, wherein the lengths of the first plate and the second plate are formed to be shorter than the length of the tobacco rod contained in the aerosol product, and the tobacco rod is positioned to protrude from the ends of the first plate and the second plate in the direction toward the opening in which the aerosol product is contained, so that in the initial stages of heating, the maximum electric field absorption region is generated in a predetermined region of the tobacco rod positioned on the end side of the first plate and the second plate.

4. The aforementioned processor, The aerosol generating apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the output of the oscillator is controlled so that the region with the maximum electric field absorption moves along the longitudinal direction of the tobacco rod contained in the aerosol product.

5. The aforementioned maximum electric field absorption region is, The aerosol generating apparatus according to claim 4, wherein the tobacco rod moves in the opposite direction to the direction toward the opening that contains the aerosol product.

6. The aforementioned processor, The aerosol generating apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the magnitude of the microwave power output from the oscillator is adjusted by a pre-set power profile so that the maximum electric field absorption region of the aerosol product is moved.

7. The aforementioned processor, The aerosol generating apparatus according to claim 6, wherein the oscillation unit is controlled so that a microwave power of a first magnitude is output during the preheating section.

8. The aforementioned processor, The aerosol generating apparatus according to claim 7, wherein, when a smoking section is started after the preheating section, the oscillation unit is controlled to output a microwave power of a second magnitude smaller than the first magnitude, and the power output from the oscillation unit is gradually increased so that the maximum electric field absorption region moves as the smoking section progresses.

9. The aforementioned processor, The aerosol generating apparatus according to claim 1, which tracks in real time the change in the resonant frequency of the resonant section due to the exhaustion of dielectric material contained in the aerosol product, and adjusts the output frequency of the microwave power output from the oscillator based on the change in the resonant frequency of the resonant section.

10. The aforementioned processor, The aerosol generating apparatus according to claim 9, wherein the magnitude of the microwave power and the output frequency of the microwave power are controlled independently of each other.

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