Aerosol generating apparatus and its operating method

Abstract

To provide an aerosol generation device and an operation method of the aerosol generation device.SOLUTION: An aerosol generation device includes: an oscillation part for generating a microwave; a resonance part including a storage space for storing an aerosol product for resonating the microwave and heating the aerosol product; a power monitoring part for measuring a reflected microwave reflected from the resonance part and input to the oscillation part; and a processor for determining a type of the aerosol product on the basis of the reflected microwave measured by the power monitoring part.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 7

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present invention relates to an aerosol generating device capable of heating an aerosol generating article by a dielectric heating method to generate an aerosol and a method of operating the same.

Background Art

[0002] Recently, the demand for alternative methods to overcome the disadvantages of conventional cigarettes has been increasing. For example, there has been 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 the cigarette to generate an aerosol.

[0003] An aerosol generating device that heats an aerosol generating substance by a resistance heating method or an induction heating method to generate an aerosol has been common, but recently, an aerosol generating device using dielectric heating that uses microwaves to heat an aerosol generating substance has also been proposed.

[0004] A dielectric heating type aerosol generating device means a device that generates heat in a dielectric contained in an aerosol generating substance by resonance of microwaves and heats the aerosol generating substance through the heat generated in the dielectric.

[0005] Depending on the type of aerosol generating article inserted into the aerosol generating device, the power profile for maintaining optimal atomization performance may vary. If a dielectric heating type aerosol generating device includes a separate sensor for identifying the type of aerosol generating article, it will be accompanied by an increase in manufacturing cost and difficulty in miniaturizing the product.

Summary of the Invention

Problems to be Solved by the Invention

[0006] The problem to be solved by the present invention is to provide a dielectric heating type aerosol generating device that can identify an aerosol generating article by itself without adding a separate insertion detection sensor.

[0007] The problems that are sought to be solved through the embodiments of this disclosure are not limited to those described above, and any problems not mentioned can be clearly understood by a person skilled in the art to which these embodiments belong, based on this specification and the accompanying drawings. [Means for solving the problem]

[0008] An aerosol generating apparatus according to one embodiment of the present invention includes an oscillator that generates microwaves, a housing space for housing aerosol products, a resonant unit that resonates the microwaves and heats the aerosol products, a power monitoring unit that measures reflected microwaves reflected from the resonant unit and input to the oscillator, and a processor that determines the type of aerosol products based on the reflected microwaves measured by the power monitoring unit.

[0009] An aerosol generating apparatus according to the present invention, which includes an oscillator for generating microwaves and a containment space for containing aerosol products, and which includes a resonant section for resonating the microwaves and heating the aerosol products, includes the steps of: identifying whether or not the aerosol products have been inserted into the containment space; if the insertion of the aerosol products is detected, generating incident microwaves output from the oscillator and input to the resonant section; measuring reflected microwaves reflected from the resonant section and input to the oscillator; and determining the type of aerosol products based on the measured reflected microwaves. [Effects of the Invention]

[0010] The aerosol generating apparatus according to the embodiment of the present invention can autonomously identify inserted aerosol products by utilizing reflected microwaves reflected from the resonator to the oscillator, without the need for the addition of a separate insertion sensing sensor.

[0011] The effects of this embodiment are not limited to those described above, and any effects not mentioned can be clearly understood by a person with ordinary skill in the art to which this embodiment belongs from this specification and the accompanying drawings. [Brief explanation of the drawing]

[0012] [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 cross-sectional view of the heater assembly. [Figure 6] This is a schematic perspective view illustrating a heater assembly according to another embodiment. [Figure 7] This is a block diagram of an aerosol generating device according to one embodiment. [Figure 8A] This is a diagram illustrating a lookup table containing power profiles corresponding to each of several aerosol products. [Figure 8B] This is a diagram illustrating a lookup table containing power profiles corresponding to each of several aerosol products. [Figure 9] This is a flowchart illustrating the operation method of a dielectric heating type aerosol generator. [Modes for carrying out the invention]

[0013] 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 numeral, and redundant descriptions relating to them will be omitted.

[0014] The suffixes “~module” and “~section” related to the components used in the following description are added or used interchangeably only for the ease of preparing the specification, and do not have meanings or roles that are distinguishable from each other by themselves.

[0015] In addition, in the description of the embodiments disclosed in this specification, when it is determined that specific descriptions related to related known technologies may obscure the gist of the embodiments disclosed in this specification, the detailed descriptions thereof are omitted. Also, the accompanying drawings are only for facilitating the understanding of the embodiments disclosed in this specification, and it should not be understood that the technical idea disclosed in this specification is limited by the accompanying drawings, and all modifications, equivalents or alternatives included in the idea and technical scope of this disclosure should be understood.

[0016] Terms including ordinal numbers such as first and second can be used in the description of various components, but the components are not limited by the terms. The terms are used only for the purpose of distinguishing one component from another.

[0017] When it is mentioned that a certain component is “connected” or “attached” to another component, it should be understood that it may be directly connected or attached to the other component, but other components may also exist in between. In addition, when it is mentioned that a certain component is “directly connected” or “directly attached” to another component, it should be understood that no other component exists in between.

[0018] Singular expressions include plural expressions unless the context clearly indicates otherwise. FIG. 1 is a perspective view of an aerosol generating device according to an embodiment.

[0019] Referring to FIG. 1, an aerosol generating device 100 according to an embodiment includes a housing 110 that can accommodate an aerosol generating article 10, and a heater assembly 200 for heating the aerosol generating article 10 housed in the housing 110.

[0020] The housing 110 forms the overall appearance of the aerosol generating device 100, and components of the aerosol generating device 100 can be arranged in the internal space (or "mounting space") of the housing 110. For example, a heater assembly 200, a battery, a processor, and / or a sensor can be arranged in the internal space of the housing 110, but the components arranged in the internal space are not limited thereto.

[0021] An insertion port 110h is formed in one region of the housing 110, and at least one region of the aerosol generating article 10 can be inserted into the housing 110 through the insertion port 110h. For example, the insertion port 110h can be formed in one region of the upper end surface (e.g., the surface facing in the z direction) of the housing 110, but the position where the insertion port 110h is formed is not limited thereto. In other embodiments, the insertion port 110h can also be formed in one region of the side surface (e.g., the surface facing in the x direction) of the housing 110.

[0022] The heater assembly 200 is arranged in the internal space of the housing 110 and can heat the aerosol generating article 10 inserted or housed in the housing 110 through the insertion port 110h. For example, the heater assembly 200 is arranged to surround at least one region of the aerosol generating article 10 inserted or housed in the housing 110 and can heat the aerosol generating article 10.

[0023] 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.

[0024] 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.

[0025] 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.

[0026] 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.

[0027] 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.

[0028] 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.

[0029] 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.

[0030] 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.

[0031] 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.

[0032] 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.

[0033] Figure 2 is an internal block diagram of an aerosol generating apparatus according to one embodiment.

[0034] 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.

[0035] 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.

[0036] The output unit 103 can output information relating to the status of the aerosol generator 100. The output unit 103 can output the charge / discharge status of the battery 107, the heating / heating interruption status of the dielectric heating unit 200, the insertion status of the aerosol product 10, and error information of the aerosol generator 100. To this end, the output unit 103 can use one of the following senses—sight, hearing, or touch—to convey information relating to the status of the aerosol generator 100 to the user. For example, the output unit 103 may also include a display, a haptic motor, and an acoustic output unit.

[0037] 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.

[0038] The sensor unit 104 also includes a temperature sensor, a puff sensor, and an insertion sensing sensor. 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.

[0039] 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 pre-set 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 pre-set time or longer.

[0040] 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 include at least one of the following: a film sensor, a pressure sensor, a light sensor, a resistive sensor, a capacitive sensor, an inductive sensor, and an infrared 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.

[0041] The insertion sensing sensor may also include an inductive sensor and / or a capacitance sensor. The processor 101 may supply power to the dielectric heating unit 200 when the aerosol product 10 is inserted into the insertion port 110h.

[0042] 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.

[0043] 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.

[0044] 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.

[0045] 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.

[0046] 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.

[0047] 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.

[0048] 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.

[0049] 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.

[0050] 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.

[0051] 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.

[0052] 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.

[0053] 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, according to the power requirements of the dielectric heating unit 200. In one embodiment, the aerosol generator 100 includes a converter that boosts or amplifies the 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.

[0054] 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.

[0055] 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.

[0056] 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.

[0057] Figure 3 is an internal block diagram of the dielectric heating section shown in Figure 2.

[0058] 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.

[0059] 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.

[0060] 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.

[0061] The oscillator 210 can output microwave power toward the resonant 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.

[0062] The processor 101 can adjust the magnitude of the microwave power output from the oscillator 210 based on a previously stored power profile (or temperature profile). For example, the power profile may include target temperature information for the preheating section and the smoking section, and the oscillator 210 may supply microwave power at a first power level in the preheating section and at a second power level lower than the first power level in the smoking section.

[0063] The processor 101 can adjust the magnitude of the microwave power output from the oscillator 210 based on the operating mode of the aerosol generator 100. For example, the aerosol generator 100 can operate in standby mode and heating mode. The standby mode is a state in which the aerosol generator 100 is powered on, but the heater assembly 200 (or dielectric heating unit) is not heating. The heating mode is the stage in which the heater assembly 200 heats and can be divided into a preheating section and a smoking section.

[0064] The oscillator 210 can supply microwave power with a first power in standby mode, and can supply microwave power with a second power greater than the first power in heating mode.

[0065] In standby mode, the processor 101 can determine the type of aerosol product 10.

[0066] In heating mode, the oscillator 210 can adjust the magnitude of the microwave power output from the oscillator 210 based on the power profile corresponding to the type of aerosol product 10 determined in standby mode. For example, the heating profile includes target temperature information for the preheating section and the smoking section, and the oscillator 210 can supply microwave power at a 2-1 power level in the preheating section and at a 2-2 power level lower than the 2-1 power level in the smoking section.

[0067] 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.

[0068] 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.

[0069] Within the resonant section 220, the microwave reflection characteristics can vary depending on the dielectric constant within the resonant section 220. Permittivity is an important characteristic value that indicates the electrical properties of a dielectric, i.e., an insulator. Permittivity does not indicate the electrical properties for DC (direct current) current, but is directly related to the properties of AC (alternating current) current, especially AC electromagnetic waves. Specifically, the magnitude of the reflected microwaves reflected in the resonant section 220 can vary depending on the complex dielectric constant within the resonant section 220. Within the resonant section 220, the microwave absorption can be expressed by the loss tangent, which is the ratio of the imaginary part to the real part of the complex dielectric constant. Furthermore, the phase of the reflected microwaves reflected in the resonant section 220 can vary depending on the dielectric constant within the resonant section 220. Since the aerosol product 10 inserted into the containment space 220h of the resonant section 220 contains different dielectrics depending on the type, the dielectric constant of the resonant section 220 may differ. Therefore, by analyzing the reflected microwaves reflected by the resonant section 220, the type of aerosol product 10 inserted into the containment space of the resonant section 220 can be determined.

[0070] 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.

[0071] 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.

[0072] 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 3 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.

[0073] 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.

[0074] The resonant section 220 includes at least one internal conductor so that microwaves can resonate, and the arrangement, thickness, and length of the internal conductor can cause microwaves to resonate inside the resonant section 220.

[0075] The resonant section 220 may be designed with consideration to the microwave wavelength so that the microwave can resonate inside the resonant section 220. For the microwave to resonate inside the resonant section 220, the cross section must be a short end, and at least one region of the cross section must be an open end in the opposite direction from the short end. 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.

[0076] 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 contain 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 as 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 contains 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.

[0077] Figure 4 is a perspective view of a heater assembly according to one embodiment.

[0078] 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.

[0079] The oscillator 210 can generate microwaves in a specified frequency band when power is supplied to it. The microwaves generated by the oscillator 210 can be transmitted to the resonant 220 via a coupler (not shown).

[0080] 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. one

[0081] 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 210 from being absorbed by the resonant portion 220.

[0082] 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.

[0083] Figure 5 is a cross-sectional view of the heater assembly shown in Figure 4. Figure 5 shows a cross-section of the heater assembly 200 shown in Figure 4, cut in the direction A-A'.

[0084] Referring to Figure 5, the heater assembly 200 according to one embodiment also includes an oscillator 210, a resonant 220, and a coupler 230. The components of the heater assembly 200 are identical or similar to at least one of the components of the heater assembly 200 in Figure 4, but redundant explanations will be omitted below.

[0085] The oscillator 210 generates microwaves in a specified frequency band when an AC voltage is applied, and the microwaves generated by the oscillator 210 can be transmitted to the resonant section 220 via the coupler 230.

[0086] According to one embodiment, the oscillator 210 may be fixed to the resonant section 220 in such a way as to prevent it from separating from the resonant section 220 during the use of the aerosol generator. In one example, the oscillator 210 may be fixed to the resonant section 220 by being supported by a bracket 220b that protrudes along the x-direction in a region of the resonant section 220. In another example, the oscillator 210 may also be fixed to the resonant section 220 by being attached to a region of the resonant section 220 without the bracket 220b.

[0087] Although the drawings only illustrate an embodiment in which the oscillator 210 is fixed in one region of the resonant portion 220 in the x-direction, the position of the oscillator 210 is not limited to the illustrated embodiment. In other embodiments, the oscillator 210 may also be fixed in other regions of the resonant portion 220 in the -z direction.

[0088] The resonant section 220 is positioned to surround at least one region of the aerosol product 10 inserted inside the aerosol generating device, and can heat the aerosol product 10 via microwaves generated by the oscillator 210. For example, a dielectric material contained in the aerosol product 10 may be heated by the electric field generated inside the resonant section 220 due to the microwaves, and the aerosol product 10 may be heated by the heat generated in the dielectric material.

[0089] According to one embodiment, the aerosol product 10 also includes a tobacco rod 11 and a filter rod 12.

[0090] 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.

[0091] 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 tube-type rod containing a hollow interior, or a recessed rod. If the filter rod 12 is composed of multiple segments, at least one of these segments may be manufactured in a different shape.

[0092] At least a portion of the aerosol-generating substance contained in the aerosol product 10 (e.g., glycerin) is also a dielectric that has polarity 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.

[0093] According to one embodiment, the resonant section 220 also includes an outer conductor 221, a first inner conductor 223, and a second inner conductor 225.

[0094] The outer conductor 221 forms the overall appearance of the resonant section 220 and is formed in a hollow shape with an open interior, and the components of the resonant section 220 can be arranged inside the outer conductor 221. The outer conductor 221 also includes a containment space 220h in which the aerosol product 10 can be contained, and the aerosol product 10 can be inserted into the interior of the outer conductor 221 through the containment space 220h.

[0095] According to one embodiment, the outer conductor 221 also includes a first surface 221a, a second surface 221b positioned opposite the first surface 221a, and a side surface 221c surrounding the open space between the first surface 221a and the second surface 221b. At least some of the components of the resonant section 220 (e.g., a first internal conductor 223, a second internal conductor 225) may be positioned in the internal space of the resonant section 220 formed by the first surface 221a, the second surface 221b, and the side surface 221c.

[0096] The first internal conductor 223 may be formed in a hollow cylindrical shape that extends from the first surface 221a of the outer conductor 221 toward the internal space of the outer conductor 221.

[0097] According to one embodiment, a region of the first internal conductor 223 is in contact with a coupler 230 connected to the oscillator 210, and microwaves generated by the oscillator 210 can be transmitted to the first internal conductor 223 via the coupler 230. For example, the coupler 230 penetrates the outer conductor 221, with one end in contact with the oscillator 210 and the other end in contact with a region of the first internal conductor 223, and microwaves generated by the oscillator 210 can be transmitted to the first internal conductor 223 via the coupler 230.

[0098] In this case, the coupler 230 may be arranged so as to not contact the outer conductor 221 but to penetrate the outer conductor 221 in order to transmit microwaves, but the arrangement structure of the coupler 230 is not limited to this, as long as the microwaves generated in the oscillator 210 can be transmitted to the first inner conductor 223.

[0099] A first region formed between the outer conductor 221 and the first inner conductor 223 can act as a "first resonator" that generates an electric field through microwave resonance. This first region refers to the space formed by the first surface 221a, the side surface 221c of the outer conductor 221 and the first inner conductor 223, and within this first region, microwaves transmitted through the coupler 230 can resonate and generate an electric field.

[0100] The second internal conductor 225 may be formed in a hollow cylindrical shape that extends from the second surface 221b of the outer conductor 221 toward the internal space of the outer conductor 221. The second internal conductor 225 is arranged in the internal space of the outer conductor 221 at a predetermined distance from the first internal conductor 223, and a gap 226 may be formed between the first internal conductor 223 and the second internal conductor 225.

[0101] The second region formed between the outer conductor 221 and the second inner conductor 225 can act as a “second resonator” that generates an electric field via microwave resonance. The second inner conductor 225 may also be coupled (e.g., capacitive coupling) with the first inner conductor 223, and when an electric field is generated within the first region due to the aforementioned coupling relationship, an induced electric field may also be generated within the second region. In this disclosure, “capacitive coupling” may mean a coupling relationship in which energy can be transferred by the capacitance between the two conductors.

[0102] For example, an electric field may be generated inside the first region due to resonance caused by the transmission of microwaves generated from the oscillation unit 210 to the first internal conductor 223, and an induced electric field may be generated inside the second region formed by the outer conductor 221 and the second internal conductor 225 coupled with the first internal conductor 223.

[0103] According to one embodiment, the first and second regions of the resonant section 220 can operate as resonators having a microwave wavelength (λ) length.

[0104] In one example, one end of the first region (e.g., the -z direction end) is formed as a short end by closing the cross-section of the first region with the first surface 221a of the outer conductor 221, and the other end of the first region (e.g., the z direction end) may be formed as an open end by not having the first surface 221a and leaving the cross-section open. In another example, one end of the second region (e.g., the -z direction end) is formed as an open end by leaving the cross-section open, and the other end of the second region (e.g., the z direction end) may be formed as a closed end by closing the cross-section of the second region with the second surface 221b of the outer conductor 221.

[0105] That is, the first and second regions, in xz-plane view, include a closed end and an open end, and are formed in an overall "U" shape, and through the aforementioned structure, the first and second regions can operate as resonators having a microwave wavelength of 1 / 4 wavelength.

[0106] According to one embodiment, the first internal conductor 223 and the second internal conductor 225 are formed to have the same length with respect to the z-axis, and the first region and the second region may be arranged symmetrically with respect to each other, but are not limited thereto.

[0107] The aerosol product 10, inserted into the internal space of the outer conductor 221 via the containment space 220h, is surrounded by the first internal conductor 223 and the second internal conductor 225, and can be heated by dielectric heating.

[0108] In the first and / or second regions, at least a portion of the electric field generated by microwave resonance propagates through the gap 226 between the first internal conductor 223 and the second internal conductor 225 into the interior of the first internal conductor 223 and / or the second internal conductor 225, and the aerosol product 10 surrounded by the first internal conductor 223 and the second internal conductor 225 may be heated by the propagated electric field. For example, a dielectric contained in the aerosol product 10 may be heated by the electric field propagating through the gap 226, and the aerosol product 10 may be heated by the heat generated from the dielectric.

[0109] In one embodiment, the heater assembly 200 can prevent the electric field propagated inside the first internal conductor 223 and / or the second internal conductor 225 from leaking to the outside of the heater assembly 200 or the resonant section 220 by ensuring that the diameters of the first internal conductor 223 and the second internal conductor 225 are less than a specified value. In this disclosure, “specified value” may mean the diameter value at which the electric field begins to leak to the outside of the first internal conductor 223 and / or the second internal conductor 225. For example, if the diameters of the first internal conductor 223 and / or the second internal conductor 225 are greater than or equal to the specified value, a situation may occur where a portion of the electric field that flows into the first internal conductor 223 and / or the second internal conductor 225 leaks to the outside of the resonant section 220. In addition, the heater assembly 200 according to one embodiment prevents the electric field from propagating outside the resonant section 220 through a structure in which the diameters of the first internal conductor 223 and the second internal conductor 225 are less than a specified value. As a result, it is possible to prevent the electric field from leaking outside the heater assembly 200 or the resonant section 220 without the need for a separate shielding member.

[0110] According to one embodiment, 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 positioned in a location corresponding to the gap 226 between the first internal conductor 223 and the second internal conductor 225.

[0111] The electric field generated in the first region and the electric field generated in the second region flow into the interior of the first internal conductor 223 and / or the second internal conductor 225 through the gap 226, thereby generating the strongest electric field in the interior region of the resonant section 220 and in the region surrounding the gap 226.

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

[0113] According to one embodiment, the resonant portion 220 also further includes a closure portion 224 located inside the first internal conductor 223, which closes the cross-section of the first internal conductor 223 and restricts the flow direction of aerosols generated from the aerosol product 10. For example, the closure portion 224 can close the cross-section of the first internal conductor 223 and block the flow of aerosols generated from the aerosol product 10 in the -z direction.

[0114] If the aerosol generated from the aerosol product 10, or the droplets generated when the aerosol is liquefied, flows in the -z direction and enters other components of the aerosol generator (e.g., aerosol generator 100 (Figure 1)), it may cause malfunction or damage to the components of the aerosol generator. On the other hand, the heater assembly 200 according to one embodiment can prevent malfunction or damage to the components of the aerosol generator by aerosols or droplets by restricting the direction of aerosol flow via the closing section 224.

[0115] According to one embodiment, the resonant portion 220 also further includes a dielectric housing space 227 for housing a dielectric. The dielectric housing space 227 refers to the empty space between the outer conductor 221, the first inner conductor 223, and the second inner conductor 225, and a dielectric with low microwave absorption may be housed in the dielectric housing space 227. For example, the dielectric may be, but is not limited to, at least one of quartz, tetrafluoroethylene, and aluminum oxide, or a combination thereof.

[0116] In one embodiment, the heater assembly 200 can generate the same electric field as a resonant section 220 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, in one embodiment, the heater assembly 200 can reduce the size of the resonant section 220 through the dielectric arranged inside the dielectric housing space 227, thereby reducing the mounting space for the resonant section 220 in the aerosol generating device, and as a result, the aerosol generating device can be miniaturized.

[0117] Figure 6 is a schematic perspective view illustrating a heater assembly according to another embodiment.

[0118] The heater assembly 300 according to the embodiment shown in Figure 6 also includes a resonant section 320 that generates microwave resonance and a coupler 311 that supplies microwaves to the resonant section 320.

[0119] The resonant section 320 also includes a case 321; a plurality of plates 323a, 323b; and a connecting section 322 that connects the plurality of plates 323a, 323b to the case 321.

[0120] The coupler 311 can supply microwaves to at least one of the multiple plates 323a, 323b so as to generate microwave resonance in the resonant section 320.

[0121] The resonant section 320 may surround at least one region of the aerosol product 10 inserted inside the aerosol generator. The coupler 311 may supply microwaves generated by the oscillator (not shown) to the resonant section 320. When microwaves are supplied to the resonant section 320, microwave resonance occurs in the resonant section 320, and the resonant section 320 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 due to the microwaves, and the aerosol product 10 may be heated by the heat generated in the dielectric material.

[0122] The case 321 of the resonant section 320 functions as an "outer conductor". Since the case 321 is formed in a hollow shape with an empty interior, the components of the resonant section 320 can be arranged inside the case 321.

[0123] The case 321 also includes a containment space 320h into which the aerosol product 10 can be contained, and an opening 321a into which the aerosol product 10 can be inserted. The opening 321a is connected to the containment space 320h. Since the opening 321a is open to the outside of the case 321, the containment space 320h is connected to the outside through the opening 321a. Therefore, the aerosol product 10 can be inserted into the containment space 320h of the case 321 through the opening 321a of the case 321.

[0124] The case 321 shown in the drawing has a square cross-sectional shape, but the shape of the case 321 can be deformed into a variety of shapes. For example, the structure of the case 321 can be deformed to have various cross-sectional shapes such as rectangles, ellipses, or circles. The case 321 can be extended in one direction.

[0125] Multiple plates 323a and 323b can be arranged inside the case 321, each capable of functioning as an "internal conductor" of the resonant section 320.

[0126] Multiple plates 323a, 323b 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 320h. The multiple plates 323a, 323b may also include a first plate 323a arranged to surround one region of the aerosol product 10 and a second plate 323b arranged to surround another region of the aerosol product 10.

[0127] Multiple plates 323a, 323b can be connected to the case 321 by connecting parts 322. Furthermore, one end of the first plate 323a and one end of the second plate 323b can be connected to each other by connecting parts 322. Therefore, a closed end can be formed at one end of the multiple plates 323a, 323b by the connecting parts 322.

[0128] The other end 323af of the first plate 323a and the other end 323bf of the second plate 323b of the multiple plates 323a and 323b can be opened by separating them from each other. Since the other ends of the multiple plates 323a and 323b are separated from each other, open ends can be formed at the other ends of the multiple plates 323a and 323b.

[0129] A resonator assembly can be completed by connecting multiple plates 323a, 323b and connecting parts 322 to each other. The shape of the cross section cut along the longitudinal direction of the resonator assembly may include a "horseshoe shape".

[0130] Multiple plates 323a, 323b extend in the longitudinal direction of the aerosol product 10. At least a portion of the multiple plates 323a, 323b may be curved to protrude outward from the longitudinal center of the aerosol product 10.

[0131] For example, if the aerosol product 10 is manufactured in a cylindrical shape, the multiple plates 323a and 323b may be formed to curve circumferentially along the outer surface of the aerosol product 10. The radii of curvature of the multiple plates 323a and 323b are the same as the radius of curvature of the aerosol product 10. The radii of curvature of the multiple plates 323a and 323b can be deformed in various ways. For example, the radii of curvature of the multiple plates 323a and 323b may be larger or smaller than the radius of curvature of the aerosol product 10.

[0132] With a structure in which multiple plates 323a and 323b 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 320, so that the heater assembly 300 can uniformly heat the aerosol product 10.

[0133] The open ends of the other ends of the multiple plates 323a, 323b may be positioned to face the opening 321a of the case 321. The opening 321a of the case 321 may be positioned to be spaced away from the other ends of the multiple plates 323a, 323b.

[0134] The open ends of the other ends of the multiple plates 323a, 323b can be aligned with the opening 321a of the case 321. Therefore, if the aerosol product 10 is inserted through the opening 321a of the case 321 and positioned in the containment space 320h, a portion of the aerosol product 10 located in the containment space 320h can be surrounded by the multiple plates 323a, 323b.

[0135] The multiple plates 323a and 323b are arranged in pairs, opposite each other to the longitudinal center of the aerosol product 10. This embodiment is not limited by the number of plates 323a and 323b; for example, there may be three plates or four or more plates.

[0136] Multiple plates 323a, 323b 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.

[0137] At least one of the multiple plates 323a, 323b may be in contact with a coupler 311 connected to an oscillator (not shown). Specifically, at least a portion of the first plate 323a may be in contact with the coupler 311. When microwaves are transmitted to the first plate 323a via the coupler 311, microwave resonances are formed between the multiple plates 323a, 323b. 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 323a, 323b and the connecting portion 322, between the first plate 323a and the upper plate of the case 321, and between the second plate 323b and the lower plate of the case 321.

[0138] The coupler 311 penetrates the case 321, one end of the coupler 311 may contact an oscillating unit (not shown), and the other end of the coupler 311 may contact a region of the first plate 323a. Microwaves generated by the oscillating unit (not shown) are transmitted through the coupler 311 to the multiple plates 323a, 323b and the connecting part 322, thereby generating an electric field inside the assembly of the multiple plates 323a, 323b and the connecting part 322.

[0139] Furthermore, the structure of the resonant section 320 of the heater assembly 300 allows for the formation of triple resonant modes in the resonant section 320. Resonance of microwave TEM modes (transverse electric & magnetic modes) is formed between the multiple plates 323a and 323b. In addition, 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, resonance of TEM modes different from the resonance formed between the multiple plates 323a and 323b is formed. Since the resonant section 320 in Figure 6 allows for TEM mode resonance by the multiple plates 323a and 323b, it can be manufactured in a smaller size than the resonant section 220 in Figure 5, which is only capable of TE (transverse electric) mode and TM (transverse magnetic) mode.

[0140] In the resonant section 320 of the heater assembly 300, triple resonance occurs, which allows the aerosol product 10 to be heated more effectively and uniformly.

[0141] The resonant portion 320 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 in the opposite direction to the closed end, in which at least one region of the cross-section is open.

[0142] In Figure 6, the region at one end of the resonant section 320, corresponding to the left region, forms a closed end, where one end of multiple plates 323a, 323b and the connecting portion 322 are connected to the case 321. In Figure 6, the region at the other end of the resonant section 320, corresponding to the right region, forms an open end, where the opening 321a of the case 321 is open to the outside. With such a structure, the resonant section 320 can operate as a resonator having a microwave wavelength of 1 / 4 wavelength.

[0143] According to the resonant structure of the resonant section 320 described above, the electric field is not propagated to the region outside the resonant section 320. Therefore, the heater assembly 300 can prevent the electric field from leaking outside the heater assembly 300 without the need for a separate shielding member to block the electric field.

[0144] The aerosol product 10 inserted into the containment space 320h of case 321 is surrounded by the first plate 323a and the second plate 323b and can be heated by dielectric heating. For example, a portion of the aerosol product 10, including the medium, inserted into the containment space 320h of case 321 may be placed in the space between the first plate 323a and the second plate 323b. The electric field generated in the space between the first plate 323a and the second plate 323b causes the dielectric contained in the aerosol product 10 to heat up, thereby heating the aerosol product 10.

[0145] 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. workman

[0146] When the aerosol product 10 is inserted into the resonant section 320 via the containment space 320h, the tobacco rod 11 of the aerosol product 10 may be located between multiple plates 323a, 323b. Ta

[0147] The length L4 of the tobacco rod 11 can be formed to be longer than the length L1 of the multiple plates 323a and 323b. Therefore, the front end 11f of the tobacco rod 11 that contacts the filter rod 12 is positioned to protrude more than the other end 323af of the first plate 323a and the other end 323bf of the second plate 323b in the direction toward the opening 321a of the case 321.

[0148] At the other ends of the multiple plates 323a and 323b that act as resonators, a resonance peak is formed, and a stronger electric field can be generated compared to other regions. When the aerosol product 10 is inserted into the heater assembly 300, the heating efficiency (or "dielectric heating efficiency") of the heater assembly 300 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.

[0149] Referring to Figure 6, the length L1 of the multiple plates 323a, 323b can be set to be shorter than the length (L1 + L2) of the internal space of the case 321. Therefore, the other ends of the multiple plates 323a, 323b can be located inside the case 321 beyond the opening 321a. That is, the other ends of the multiple plates 323a, 323b can be positioned at a distance of L2 from the rear end of the opening 321a.

[0150] The length from the rear end of the opening 321a, where it connects to the case 321, to the front end of the opening 321a, where it is opened, is also L3. The total length of the case 321 along its longitudinal direction is also L. The total length L of the case 321 can be determined by the sum of the lengths L1 of the multiple plates 323a, 323b, the distance L2 between the multiple plates 323a, 323b and the rear end of the opening 321a, and the length L3 of the opening 321a protruding from the case 321.

[0151] To prevent microwave leakage, the front end of the opening 321a, through which the opening is opened, is positioned to protrude from the case 321 by a length of L3. By the opening 321a of the case 321 protruding from the case 321, the opening 321a can function to prevent microwaves from the inside of the case 321 of the resonant section 320 from leaking to the outside of the case 321.

[0152] The resonant section 320 also further includes a dielectric housing space 327 for housing a dielectric. The dielectric housing space 327 may be formed in the empty space between the case 321 and the multiple plates 323a, 323b. A dielectric with low microwave absorption may be housed in the dielectric housing space 327.

[0153] The heater assembly 300 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 320 by arranging a dielectric inside the dielectric housing space 327. In other words, by arranging the dielectric inside the dielectric housing space 327, the size of the resonant section 320 can be reduced, and the mounting space for the resonant section 320 in the aerosol generator can be reduced, resulting in a miniaturized aerosol generator.

[0154] Figure 7 is a block diagram of an aerosol generator according to one embodiment. Figures 8A and 8B are diagrams illustrating a lookup table containing power profiles corresponding to each of several aerosol products.

[0155] Figure 7 shows only the configuration for adjusting the magnitude and frequency of microwave power at the output of the oscillator 210, which is included in the aerosol generator 100, as shown in Figures 2 to 4. Therefore, explanations that overlap with Figures 2 to 4 will be omitted below.

[0156] Referring to Figures 3 and 5 through 7, the aerosol generator 100 also includes an oscillator 210, a power monitoring unit 250, a resonant unit 220, and a processor 101.

[0157] The oscillator 210 can output microwaves having a frequency within a predetermined range and a power of a predetermined magnitude, under the control of the processor 101. The oscillator 210 includes at least one switching element, and the processor 101 can vary the output frequency of the microwaves by adjusting the on / off state of the switching element. For example, the processor 101 can control the oscillator 210 to output microwaves having one output frequency selected from the range of 2.4 GHz to 2.5 GHz or the range of 5.7 GHz to 5.9 GHz.

[0158] Furthermore, the oscillator 210 includes a power amplifier, which can adjust the power level of the output microwave 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 level selected from the range of 3W to 20W.

[0159] The microwaves output from the oscillator 210 can be output to the resonant section 220.

[0160] 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 the same as that shown in Figures 4 to 6.

[0161] The power monitoring unit 250 can measure the incident microwave W1 output from the oscillation unit 210, or the reflected microwave W2 reflected from the resonant unit 220 and input to the oscillation unit 210. In one embodiment, the magnitude of the incident microwave W1 may correspond to the magnitude of the power output from the oscillation unit 210 and input to the resonant unit 220, and the magnitude of the reflected microwave W2 may correspond to the magnitude of the power reflected from the resonant unit 220 and input to the oscillation unit 210.

[0162] The aerosol product 10 comprises a tobacco rod 11 and a filter rod 12, wherein the tobacco rod 11 also contains an aerosol-generating substance. The aerosol-generating substance may be made from a sheet, strand, or shredded tobacco, and the type of aerosol-generating substance may include 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 further contain at least one of a flavoring agent, a humectant, an organic acid, and a flavoring liquid.

[0163] The aerosol product 10 contains a dielectric such as an aerosol generating substance, flavoring agent, humectant, organic acid, and flavoring liquid, and the dielectric constant of the dielectric contained in the tobacco rod 11 may differ depending on the type of aerosol product 10. Therefore, the dielectric constant of the dielectric in the resonant section 220 will differ depending on the type of aerosol product 10 inserted into the resonant section 220. In other words, the impedance of the resonant section 220 may differ depending on the type of aerosol product 10 inserted into the resonant section 220. Even if the incident microwave W1 incident on the resonant section 220 is the same, if the impedance of the resonant section 220 is different, the degree of reflection will be different, and therefore the magnitude of the reflected microwave W2 may be different.

[0164] Even though the impedances of the resonant section 220 are different, when the oscillator 210 is controlled with a fixed output, the first impedance Zeq1, viewed from the oscillator 210 overlooking the resonant section 220, and the second impedance Zeq2, viewed from the resonant section 220 overlooking the oscillator 210, do not match. In other words, the first impedance Zeq1 and the second impedance Zeq2 are not matched with each other. Furthermore, since impedance matching is related to the maximum power transfer condition, this maximum power transfer condition is not satisfied. If this maximum power transfer condition is not satisfied, the aerosol generator 100 cannot exhibit optimal atomization performance.

[0165] The configuration for adjusting the magnitude of the microwave power output to the oscillator 210 based on the different power profiles depending on the type of aerosol product 10 will be described in detail below.

[0166] First, in standby mode, the aerosol generator 100 can determine whether or not the aerosol product 10 has been inserted into the containment space 220h (Figure 4).

[0167] In one embodiment, the processor 101 can use the insertion sensing sensor of the sensor unit 104 (Figure 2) to determine whether or not the aerosol product 10 has been inserted into the containment space 220h (Figure 4). In this case, the insertion sensing sensor also includes at least one of the following: a film sensor, a pressure sensor, a light sensor, a resistive sensor, a capacitive sensor, an inductive sensor, and an infrared sensor.

[0168] In other embodiments, the processor 101 can also determine whether the aerosol product 10 has been inserted based on reflected microwaves. The processor 101 can determine that the aerosol product 10 has been inserted into the accommodating space 220h of the resonant section 220 if the magnitude of the reflected microwave W2 is smaller than a first critical value. In this case, the first critical value can be determined by the dielectric constant and the amount of dielectric contained in the aerosol product 10. For example, if the dielectric constant of the aerosol product 10 is high, it absorbs almost all of the incident microwave W1, so the first critical value can be inversely proportional to the dielectric constant of the aerosol product 10. The first critical value can be calculated experimentally. The first critical value can be stored in advance in memory 106 (Figure 2).

[0169] When the insertion of the aerosol product 10 is detected, the processor 101 may use the oscillation unit 210 to output an incident microwave W1 and use the power monitoring unit 250 to measure the reflected microwave W2 that is reflected from the resonance unit 220 and input to the oscillation unit 210. At this time, the processor 101 may be provided with the incident microwave W1 and reflected microwave W2 measured by the power monitoring unit 250.

[0170] Subsequently, the processor 101 can determine the type of aerosol product 10 based on the measured reflected microwave W2. An aerosol generator 100 according to one embodiment also includes a memory 106 (Figure 2) that stores the relationship between multiple reflected microwaves W2 and the aerosol product 10 in the form of a lookup table.

[0171] Each of the multiple aerosol products 10 can have a fixed dielectric constant depending on the composition of the tobacco rod 11. Therefore, each of the multiple aerosol products 10 can respond to an incident microwave W1 of the same magnitude and have different magnitudes of reflected microwaves W2.

[0172] For example, referring to Figure 8A, the multiple aerosol products 10 also include a first aerosol product, a second aerosol product, and a third aerosol product. In this case, the dielectric constant of the dielectric contained in the aerosol product 10 may increase in the order of the third aerosol product, the second aerosol product, and the first aerosol product (i.e., the dielectric constant of the first aerosol product is the lowest, and the dielectric constant of the third aerosol product is the highest). The higher the dielectric constant of the aerosol product 10, the more incident microwaves W1 it absorbs, so the reflected microwaves W2 for an incident microwave W1 of the same magnitude may increase in the order of the first aerosol product, the second aerosol product, and the third aerosol product (i.e., the reflected microwaves W2 related to the first aerosol product are the largest, and the reflected microwaves W2 related to the third aerosol product are the smallest).

[0173] Next, in heating mode, the processor 101 can adjust the magnitude of the microwave power output from the oscillator 210 based on the power profile corresponding to the type of aerosol product 10 determined in standby mode.

[0174] An aerosol generator 100 according to one embodiment also includes a memory 106 (Figure 2) that stores the relationship between multiple aerosol products 10 (or the magnitude of the reflected microwave W2) and power profiles in the form of a lookup table. That is, the lookup table stored in the memory 106 (Figure 2) may consist of a first lookup table containing aerosol products 10 corresponding to the magnitude of the reflected microwave W2, and a second lookup table containing power profiles corresponding to the aerosol products 10. However, it is not limited to these, and may also consist only of a lookup table containing power profiles corresponding to the magnitude of the reflected microwave W2.

[0175] For example, referring to Figure 8A, the first heating profile corresponding to the first aerosol product includes target temperature information (or target power information) for the preheating section PR1 and the smoking section PR2. The oscillator 210 can supply microwave power at the 2-11 power in the preheating section PR1 and at the 2-21 power, which is lower than the 2-11 power, in the smoking section PR2. The processor 101 can progressively increase the magnitude of the microwave power in the smoking section PR2.

[0176] Furthermore, the second heating profile corresponding to the second aerosol product includes target temperature information (or target power information) for the preheating section PR1 and the smoking section PR2. The oscillator 210 can supply microwave power at 2-12 power in the preheating section PR1 and at 2-22 power, which is lower than 2-12 power, in the smoking section PR2. The processor 101 can progressively increase the magnitude of the microwave power in the smoking section PR2.

[0177] Similarly, the third heating profile corresponding to the third aerosol product includes target temperature information (or target power information) for the preheating section PR1 and the smoking section PR2. The oscillator 210 can supply microwave power at a 2-13 power level in the preheating section PR1 and at a 2-23 power level, which is lower than the 2-13 power level, in the smoking section PR2. The processor 101 can progressively increase the magnitude of the microwave power in the smoking section PR2.

[0178] In this case, the higher the dielectric constant of the object to be heated (or the aerosol product 10), the higher the temperature at which heating is required. Therefore, the magnitudes of the 2nd-13th power, the 2nd-12th power, and the 2nd-11th power can be set to be large in that order, and the magnitudes of the 2nd-23rd power, the 2nd-22nd power, and the 2nd-21st power can be set to be large in that order.

[0179] However, the heating profile is not limited to configurations that adjust the target temperature by adjusting the power level. For example, as illustrated in Figure 8B, the heating profile can also adjust the target temperature by adjusting the preheating time.

[0180] Specifically, referring to Figure 8B, the first heating profile corresponding to the first aerosol product includes target temperature information (or target power information) for the preheating section PR1 and the smoking section PR2. The oscillator 210 can supply microwave power at the 2-11 power in the preheating section PR1 and at the 2-21 power, which is lower than the 2-11 power, in the smoking section PR2. The processor 101 can progressively increase the magnitude of the microwave power in the smoking section PR2.

[0181] Furthermore, the second heating profile corresponding to the second aerosol product also includes target temperature information (or target power information) based on the preheating section (PR1-1) and the smoking section (PR2-1). However, the preheating section (PR1-1) of the second heating profile is even longer than the preheating section PR1 of the first heating profile.

[0182] The oscillator 210 can supply microwave power at the same 2-11 power level as the preheating section PR1 of the first heating profile during the preheating section (PR1-1), and can supply microwave power at the same 2-21 power level as the smoking section PR2 of the first heating profile during the smoking section (PR2-1). The processor 101 can progressively increase the magnitude of the microwave power during the smoking section (PR2-1).

[0183] Similarly, the third heating profile corresponding to the third aerosol product also includes target temperature information (or target power information) from the preheating section (PR1-2) and the smoking section (PR2-2). However, the preheating section (PR1-2) of the third heating profile is even longer than the preheating section (PR1-1) of the second heating profile.

[0184] The oscillator 210 can supply microwave power at the same 2-11 power level as the preheating section PR1 of the first heating profile during the preheating section (PR1-2), and can supply microwave power at the same 2-21 power level as the smoking section PR2 of the first heating profile during the smoking section (PR2-1). The processor 101 can progressively increase the magnitude of the microwave power during the smoking section (PR2-2).

[0185] In this case, the higher the dielectric constant of the object to be heated (or the aerosol product 10), the longer the preheating time needs to be, so the preheating intervals (PR1-2), (PR1-1), and (PR1) can be set to be even longer in that order.

[0186] Furthermore, the processor 101 can also determine whether the aerosol product 10 can be reused based on the reflected microwave W2 measured in standby mode.

[0187] Specifically, if the reflected microwave W2 measured in standby mode is above a pre-set critical value, the processor 101 may interrupt microwave generation in the oscillator 210. That is, since the reused aerosol product 10 is in a state where the aerosol generating substances contained in the tobacco rod 11 have been completely consumed, it may have a dielectric constant that is significantly lower than that of the unused aerosol product 10. As a result, the reflected microwave W2 of the reused aerosol product 10 may be greater than the reflected microwave W2 of the unused aerosol product 10. At this time, the pre-set critical value may be calculated experimentally and statistically and stored in the memory 106 in advance.

[0188] In one embodiment, the power monitoring unit 250 can track the change in the resonant frequency of the resonant unit 220 in real time during the heating mode.

[0189] More specifically, the impedance of the resonant section 220 can be varied as the dielectric material contained in the aerosol product 10 is heated and consumed by microwaves. If the oscillator 210 is controlled with a fixed output despite the impedance of the resonant section 220 being varied, the first impedance Zeq1, viewed from the oscillator 210 towards the resonant section 220, and the second impedance Zeq2, viewed from the resonant section 220 towards the oscillator 210, will not match. In other words, the first impedance Zeq1 and the second impedance Zeq2 will not match each other. Furthermore, since impedance matching is related to the maximum power transfer condition, the maximum power transfer condition will not be satisfied. In the heating mode, the power monitoring unit 250 can measure the power output from the oscillator 210 and input to the resonant section 220, and the power reflected from the resonant section 220 and input to the oscillator 210, in order to match the first impedance Zeq1 and the second impedance Zeq2.

[0190] The processor 101 can adjust the output frequency of the oscillator 210 so that the difference between the power output from the oscillator 210 and input to the resonant 220 and the power reflected from the resonant 220 and input to the oscillator 210 falls within a pre-set reference power range. For example, this reference power range may be between 0W and 1W, but is not limited to that range.

[0191] 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 power output from the oscillator 210 and input to the resonant 220, and the power reflected from the resonant 220 and input to the oscillator 210, falls within the pre-set range. For example, the reference bandwidth range may be, but is not limited to, a 2.4 GHz to 2.5 GHz range or a 5.7 GHz to 5.9 GHz range.

[0192] 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 magnitude adjustment of the oscillator 210 described above. That is, the processor 101 can adjust the magnitude of the microwave power output from the oscillator 210 according to the power profile corresponding to the type of aerosol product 10 described above, regardless of the output frequency adjustment of the oscillator 210.

[0193] Figure 9 is a flowchart illustrating the operation method of a dielectric heating type aerosol generator. It goes without saying that not only the embodiment shown in Figure 9, but also the embodiments described in Figures 1 to 8B, can be applied to the operation method of the aerosol generator.

[0194] Referring to Figures 1 to 9, the operation method of the aerosol generator 100, which includes an oscillator 210 for generating microwaves and a containment space 220h for containing the aerosol product 10, and a resonant unit 220 for resonating microwaves and heating the aerosol product 10, includes the steps of: in standby mode, identifying whether or not the aerosol product 10 has been inserted into the containment space 220h (S10); if the insertion of the aerosol product 10 is detected, generating incident microwaves W1 that are output from the oscillator 210 and input to the resonant unit 220 (S20); and measuring reflected microwaves W2 that are reflected from the resonant unit 220 and input to the oscillator 210, and determining the type of aerosol product based on the measured reflected microwaves W2 (S30); and in heating mode, adjusting the magnitude of the microwave power output from the oscillator 210 according to the power profile corresponding to the aerosol product 10 determined in standby mode (S40).

[0195] The processor 101 can adjust the magnitude of the microwave power output from the oscillator 210 based on the operating mode of the aerosol generator 100. For example, the aerosol generator 100 can operate in standby mode and heating mode. The standby mode is a state in which the aerosol generator 100 is powered on, but the heater assembly 200 (or dielectric heating unit) is not heating. The heating mode is a stage in which the heater assembly 200 is heating and can be divided into a preheating section and a smoking section.

[0196] The oscillator 210 can supply microwave power with a first power in standby mode (e.g., S10, S20, and S30) and supply microwave power with a second power greater than the first power in heating mode (e.g., S40).

[0197] Specifically, in standby mode, the processor 101 can use the insertion sensing sensor of the sensor unit 104 (Figure 2) to determine whether or not the aerosol product 10 has been inserted into the containment space 220h (Figure 4) (S10). At this time, the insertion sensing sensor also includes at least one of the following: a film sensor, a pressure sensor, a light sensor, a resistive sensor, a capacitive sensor, an inductive sensor, and an infrared sensor.

[0198] Subsequently, in standby mode, if the insertion of the aerosol product 10 is detected, the processor 101 may use the oscillator 210 to output the incident microwave W1 (S20).

[0199] Subsequently, in standby mode, the processor 101 can use the power monitoring unit 250 to measure the reflected microwave W2 reflected from the resonant unit 220 and input to the oscillator unit 210, and determine the type of aerosol product 10 based on the measured reflected microwave W2 (S30). An aerosol generator 100 according to one embodiment also includes a memory 106 (Figure 2) in which the relationship between the magnitude of the reflected microwave W2 and the power profile is stored in the form of a lookup table. Each of the multiple aerosol products 10 may have a fixed dielectric constant depending on the composition of the tobacco rod 11. Therefore, each of the multiple aerosol products 10 may have different magnitudes of reflected microwave W2 in response to an incident microwave W1 of the same magnitude.

[0200] Next, in heating mode, the processor 101 can adjust the magnitude of the microwave power output from the oscillator 210 based on the power profile corresponding to the type of aerosol product 10 determined in standby mode (S40).

[0201] One embodiment of the aerosol generator 100 also includes a memory 106 (Figure 2) that stores the relationship between a plurality of aerosol products 10 and power profiles in the form of a lookup table. For example, referring to Figure 8A, the first heating profile corresponding to the first aerosol product includes target temperature information (or target power information) for the preheating section PR1 and the smoking section PR2, and the oscillator 210 can supply microwave power at the 2-11 power in the preheating section PR1 and at the 2-21 power, which is smaller than the 2-11 power, in the smoking section PR2. The processor 101 can progressively increase the magnitude of the microwave power in the smoking section PR2.

[0202] Furthermore, the second heating profile corresponding to the second aerosol product includes target temperature information (or target power information) for the preheating section PR1 and the smoking section PR2. The oscillator 210 can supply microwave power at 2-12 power in the preheating section PR1 and at 2-22 power, which is lower than 2-12 power, in the smoking section PR2. The processor 101 can progressively increase the magnitude of the microwave power in the smoking section PR2.

[0203] Similarly, the third heating profile corresponding to the third aerosol product includes target temperature information (or target power information) for the preheating section PR1 and the smoking section PR2. The oscillator 210 can supply microwave power at a 2-13 power level in the preheating section PR1 and at a 2-23 power level, which is lower than the 2-13 power level, in the smoking section PR2. The processor 101 can progressively increase the magnitude of the microwave power in the smoking section PR2.

[0204] In this case, the higher the dielectric constant of the object to be heated (or the aerosol product 10), the higher the temperature at which heating is required. Therefore, the magnitudes of the 2nd-13th power, the 2nd-12th power, and the 2nd-11th power can be set to be large in that order, and the magnitudes of the 2nd-23rd power, the 2nd-22nd power, and the 2nd-21st power can be set to be large in that order.

[0205] Furthermore, the processor 101 can also determine whether the aerosol product 10 can be reused based on the reflected microwave W2 measured in standby mode.

[0206] Specifically, if the reflected microwave W2 measured in standby mode is above a pre-set critical value, the processor 101 may interrupt microwave generation in the oscillator 210. That is, since the reused aerosol product 10 is in a state where the aerosol generating substances contained in the tobacco rod 11 have been completely consumed, it may have a dielectric constant that is significantly lower than that of the unused aerosol product 10. As a result, the reflected microwave W2 of the reused aerosol product 10 may be greater than the reflected microwave W2 of the unused aerosol product 10. At this time, the pre-set critical value may be calculated experimentally and statistically and stored in advance in the memory 106 (Figure 2).

[0207] Any embodiment of the Disclosure described herein, or any other embodiment, is not mutually exclusive or distinguishable from one another. Any or any of the embodiments of the Disclosure described herein may be used in combination or in conjunction with each other. 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.

[0208] 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. [Explanation of symbols]

[0209] 10 Aerosol Products 100 Aerosol Generator 200 Heater Assembly 210 Oscillator 220 Resonance part W1 Incident microwave W2 Reflected Microwave

Claims

1. In an aerosol generating device, An oscillator that generates microwaves, A resonant section includes a containment space for containing aerosol products, and resonates the microwaves to heat the aerosol products, A power monitoring unit that measures reflected microwaves reflected from the resonant section and input to the oscillator, an aerosol generating apparatus comprising: a processor that determines the type of aerosol product based on the reflected microwaves measured by the power monitoring unit;

2. The aerosol generating apparatus according to claim 1, comprising a memory for storing the relationship between multiple aerosol products and power profiles in the form of a lookup table.

3. The aerosol generating apparatus according to claim 2, wherein the processor adjusts the magnitude of the microwave power output from the oscillator based on the power profile corresponding to the determined aerosol product, based on the lookup table.

4. The aerosol generating apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising an insertion sensing sensor for detecting whether or not the aerosol product has been inserted into the containment space.

5. The aerosol generating apparatus according to claim 4, wherein the processor outputs an incident microwave in the oscillation unit when the insertion of the aerosol product is detected by the insertion sensing sensor.

6. The aerosol generating apparatus according to claim 4, wherein the insertion sensing sensor includes at least one of a film sensor, a pressure sensor, a light sensor, a resistive sensor, a capacitive sensor, an inductive sensor, and an infrared sensor.

7. The aerosol generating apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the aerosol product comprises a tobacco rod and a filter rod, and the tobacco rod comprises an aerosol generating substance and a dielectric such as a fragrance liquid.

8. The aerosol generating apparatus according to claim 7, wherein the reflected microwaves vary depending on the dielectric constant of the dielectric material.

9. The aerosol generating apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the processor interrupts the generation of microwaves in the oscillation unit when the reflected microwaves are above a predetermined critical value.

10. The system further includes an output unit that uses one of the senses of sight, hearing, or touch to transmit information relating to the state of the aerosol generating device to the user. The aerosol generating apparatus according to claim 9, wherein the processor notifies the user of the insertion status of the aerosol product and / or the interruption of microwave generation via the output unit.

11. The aforementioned resonant section is It includes a first internal conductor in the shape of a hollow cylinder surrounding one region of the aerosol product, and a second internal conductor in the shape of a hollow cylinder, disposed at a predetermined distance from the first internal conductor and surrounding another region of the aerosol product. The microwave is resonated by the first internal conductor and the second internal conductor, claim. The aerosol generating apparatus described in 1.

12. The aforementioned resonant section is The aerosol product comprises a first plate surrounding one region of the aerosol product, and a second plate spaced apart from the first plate along the circumferential direction of the aerosol product and surrounding another region of the aerosol product. The aerosol generating apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the microwave is resonated by the first plate and the second plate.

13. In a method for operating an aerosol generating apparatus that includes an oscillator for generating microwaves and a containment space for housing aerosol products, and a resonant unit for resonating the microwaves and heating the aerosol products, A step of identifying whether or not the aerosol product has been inserted into the containment space, When the insertion of the aerosol product is detected, the oscillator generates an incident microwave that is output and input to the resonant section. The steps include measuring the reflected microwaves that are reflected from the resonant section and input to the oscillator, A method for operating an aerosol generator, comprising the step of determining the type of aerosol product based on the measured reflected microwaves.

14. A method for operating an aerosol generator according to claim 13, comprising the step of adjusting the magnitude of microwave power output from the oscillator based on a power profile corresponding to a determined aerosol product, based on a lookup table which includes power profiles corresponding to a plurality of aerosol products.

15. The method of operating an aerosol generating apparatus according to claim 14, wherein the step of adjusting the magnitude of the microwave power is to interrupt the generation of microwaves in the oscillation unit if the reflected microwaves are above a previously set critical value.

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