Aerosol generator

Abstract

The aerosol generating device according to the embodiment includes a processor that controls the operation of the aerosol generating device, an oscillation unit that is supplied with AC power and generates microwaves within a preset frequency range, a resonance unit that includes an accommodation space for accommodating an aerosol generating article, resonates incident microwaves output from the oscillation unit, and heats the aerosol generating article inserted into the accommodation space, and a power monitoring unit that monitors reflected microwaves reflected from the resonance unit. The processor determines whether the aerosol generating article is inserted based on the reflected microwaves monitored by the power monitoring unit.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present invention relates to an aerosol generating device that heats an aerosol generating article by dielectric heating.

Background Art

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

Summary of the Invention

Problems to be Solved by the Invention

[0003] Recently, research related to a method of automatically starting the heating of a device when the insertion of an aerosol generating article into the aerosol generating device is detected has been actively carried out. In addition, research related to a method of automatically ending the heating of the device when the depletion of the aerosol generating substance contained in the aerosol generating article is detected has been actively carried out.

[0004] At this time, in order to detect the insertion of the aerosol generating article, the aerosol generating device may be equipped with a separate sensor (e.g., a pressure sensor, a film sensor, an optical sensor, or an infrared sensor).

[0005] By implementing a method of detecting the insertion of the aerosol generating article and starting the heating without user input, the convenience of the user using the aerosol generating device can be increased. However, if the aerosol generating device includes a separate sensor for detecting the insertion of the aerosol generating article or the depletion of the aerosol generating substance, the hardware complexity and manufacturing cost will increase. In addition, providing space for mounting a separate sensor in the aerosol generating device, which is a relatively small-sized electronic device, will impose restrictions on the design change of the aerosol generating device.

[0006] 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]

[0007] An aerosol generator according to one embodiment includes a processor that controls the operation of the aerosol generator, an oscillator that is supplied with AC power and generates microwaves in a preset frequency range, a resonance unit that includes a containment space in which aerosol products are contained and resonates the incident microwaves output from the oscillator to heat the aerosol products inserted into the containment space, and a power monitoring unit that monitors the reflected microwaves reflected from the resonance unit, wherein the processor determines whether or not to insert the aerosol products based on the reflected microwaves monitored by the power monitoring unit. [Effects of the Invention]

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

[0009] An aerosol generating apparatus according to one embodiment can monitor the reflected microwaves of a resonator into which the aerosol product is inserted, determine the insertion status of the aerosol product, and determine the degree of depletion of the aerosol generating substance.

[0010] 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]

[0011] [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 8] This is a flowchart relating to a control method for an aerosol generating device according to one embodiment. [Modes for carrying out the invention]

[0012] An aerosol generator according to one embodiment includes a processor that controls the operation of the aerosol generator, an oscillator that is supplied with AC power and generates microwaves in a preset frequency range, a resonance unit that includes a containment space in which aerosol products are contained and resonates the incident microwaves output from the oscillator to heat the aerosol products inserted into the containment space, and a power monitoring unit that monitors the reflected microwaves reflected from the resonance unit, wherein the processor determines whether or not to insert the aerosol products based on the reflected microwaves monitored by the power monitoring unit.

[0013] The processor determines that the aerosol product has been inserted if the reflected microwave is less than the first critical value.

[0014] The processor determines that the aerosol product has been inserted if the phase difference between the incident microwave and the reflected microwave is greater than the second critical value.

[0015] The processor controls to supply first power to the oscillation unit, determines whether the aerosol generating article is inserted, and when it is determined that the aerosol generating article is inserted, controls to supply second power different from the magnitude of the first power to the oscillation unit to heat the aerosol generating article.

[0016] The first power is characterized by being smaller than the second power.

[0017] The processor monitors the amplitude ratio of the reflected microwave with respect to the incident microwave, and when the ratio of the current amplitude ratio of the amplitude ratio comparison at the start time of heating is smaller than a third critical value, controls to supply the first power.

[0018] The processor sweeps the output frequency of the microwave power output from the oscillation unit within a preset reference band range, calculates the resonance frequency at which the magnitude of the reflected microwave becomes minimum, and when the difference between the resonance frequency and the resonance frequency at the start time of heating is greater than a fourth critical value, controls to supply the first power.

[0019] The aerosol generating device further includes an output unit that outputs information related to the state of the aerosol generating device, and the control unit controls the output unit to provide the information to the user by at least one of means of vision, touch, and hearing.

[0020] The processor sweeps the output frequency of the microwave power output from the oscillation unit in the reference band range between 2.4 GHz and 2.5 GHz.

[0021] The resonance unit includes a hollow cylindrical first inner conductor surrounding a first region, and a hollow cylindrical second inner conductor arranged at a predetermined distance from the first inner conductor and surrounding a second region different from the first region, and the first inner conductor and the second inner conductor resonate the microwave.

[0022] The resonance part includes a first plate surrounding a third region and a second plate surrounding a fourth region that is separated from the first plate along the circumferential direction of the third region and is different from the third region. The microwave is resonated by the first plate and the second plate.

[0023] Hereinafter, with reference to the accompanying drawings, the embodiments disclosed in this specification will be described in detail. However, regardless of the reference numerals in the drawings, the same or similar components will be assigned the same reference numbers, and the overlapping descriptions related thereto will be omitted.

[0024] The suffixes “~module” and “~part” related to the components used in the following description are given or mixed only for the ease of preparing the specification, and do not have meanings or roles that are distinguishable from each other by themselves.

[0025] In addition, in the description of the embodiments disclosed in this specification, when it is determined that the specific description related to the related known technology may make the gist of the embodiments disclosed in this specification unclear, the detailed description thereof will be omitted. Also, the accompanying drawings are only for facilitating the understanding of the embodiments disclosed in this specification, and the technical idea disclosed in this specification is not limited by the accompanying drawings. It should be understood that all modifications, equivalents, or alternatives included in the idea and technical scope of this disclosure are included.

[0026] 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.

[0027] When it is mentioned that one component is "connected" or "linked" to another component, it must be understood that it may be directly connected or linked to the other component, but that other components may also exist in between. However, when it is mentioned that one component is "directly connected" or "directly linked" to another component, it must be understood that there are no other components in between.

[0028] A singular expression includes plural expressions unless the context clearly indicates otherwise.

[0029] Figure 1 is a perspective view of an aerosol generating apparatus according to one embodiment.

[0030] Referring to Figure 1, one embodiment of the aerosol generating apparatus 100 also includes a housing 110 capable of containing the aerosol product 10, and a heater assembly 200 for heating the aerosol product 10 contained in the housing 110.

[0031] The housing 110 forms the overall appearance of the aerosol generator 100, and components of the aerosol generator 100 may be arranged in the internal space (or "mounting space") of the housing 110. For example, the internal space of the housing 110 may contain a heater assembly 200, a battery, a processor and / or sensors, but the components arranged in the internal space are not limited to these.

[0032] An inlet 110h is formed in one region of the housing 110, and at least one region of the aerosol product 10 can be inserted into the housing 110 through the inlet 110h. For example, the inlet 110h may be formed in one region of the upper end surface of the housing 110 (e.g., the surface facing the z direction), but the location where the inlet 110h is generated is not limited thereto. In other embodiments, the inlet 110h may also be formed in one region of the side surface of the housing 110 (e.g., the surface facing the x direction).

[0033] The heater assembly 200 is positioned in the internal space of the housing 110 and can heat the aerosol product 10 inserted or housed inside the housing 110 via the insertion opening 110h. For example, the heater assembly 200 can be positioned to surround at least one area of ​​the aerosol product 10 inserted or housed inside the housing 110 and heat the aerosol product 10.

[0034] 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.

[0035] 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.

[0036] 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.

[0037] 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.

[0038] 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.

[0039] 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.

[0040] 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.

[0041] 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.

[0042] 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.

[0043] 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.

[0044] Figure 2 is an internal block diagram of an aerosol generating apparatus according to one embodiment.

[0045] 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. However, the internal configuration of the aerosol generator 100 is not limited to what is shown in Figure 2. Depending on the design of the aerosol generator 100, some of the components shown in Figure 2 may be omitted, or new components may be added.

[0046] 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.

[0047] The output unit 103 can output information related to the status of the aerosol generator 100. The output unit 103 can output the charge / discharge status of the battery 107, the heating status of the dielectric heating unit 200, the insertion status of the aerosol product 10, and error information of the aerosol generator 100. For this purpose, the output unit 103 also includes a display, a haptic motor, and an acoustic output unit.

[0048] 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.

[0049] The sensor unit 104 also includes a temperature sensor, a puff sensor, and an insertion sensing sensor.

[0050] 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.

[0051] The puff sensor can detect a user's puff. The puff sensor can detect a user's puff based on at least one of the following: temperature change, flow rate change, power change, and pressure change. The processor 101 can control the power supplied to the dielectric heating unit 200 based on the puff information from the puff sensor. For example, the processor 101 can count the number of puffs and cut off the power supplied to the dielectric heating unit 200 when the number of puffs reaches a predetermined maximum number of puffs. As another example, the processor 101 can cut off the power supplied to the dielectric heating unit 200 if no puff is detected for a predetermined time or longer.

[0052] The insertion sensing sensor is positioned inside or adjacent to the containment space 220h (Figure 4) and can sense the insertion and removal of the aerosol product 10 contained in the insertion port 110h. For example, the insertion sensing sensor may also include an inductive sensor and / or a capacitance sensor. The processor 101 can supply power to the dielectric heating unit 200 when the aerosol product 10 is inserted into the insertion port 110h.

[0053] In one embodiment, the aerosol generator 100 may be configured without an insertion sensing sensor. The aerosol generator 100 can determine whether the aerosol product 10 has been inserted based on the incident and / or reflected microwave waves used in the dielectric heating section 200.

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

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

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

[0057] The battery 107 can supply power to the dielectric heating unit 200 so that the aerosol product 10 can be heated. The battery 107 can also supply power necessary for the operation of other components within the aerosol generator 100. The battery 107 is both a rechargeable battery and a detachable battery.

[0058] The interface unit 108 also includes a connection terminal that can be physically connected to an external electronic device. The connection terminal may include at least one of the following, or a combination thereof: an HDMI® (high definition multimedia interface) connector, a USB (universal serial bus) connector, an SD (secure digital) card connector, or an audio connector (e.g., a headphone connector). The interface unit 108 can transmit and receive information to and from an external electronic device, or charge its power supply, via the connection terminal.

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

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

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

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

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

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

[0065] The processor 101 can control the DC power supplied from the battery 107 to the power conversion unit 109, and / or the AC power supplied from the power conversion unit 109 to the dielectric heating unit 200, based on the power requirements of the dielectric heating unit 200.

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

[0067] The processor 101 can control the heating temperature of the aerosol product 10 by controlling the microwave power of the dielectric heating unit 200 and the resonant frequency of the dielectric heating unit 200. Therefore, the oscillation unit 210, isolation unit 240, power monitoring unit 250, and matching unit 260 shown in Figure 3, which will be described later, are also part of the processor 101.

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

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

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

[0071] Referring to Figure 3, the dielectric heating unit 200 also includes an oscillation unit 210, an isolation unit 240, a power monitoring unit 250, a matching unit 260, a microwave output unit 230, and a resonant unit 220. However, the internal configuration of the dielectric heating unit 200 is not limited to that shown in Figure 3. Depending on the design of the dielectric heating unit 200, some of the configurations shown in Figure 3 may be omitted, or new configurations may be added.

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

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

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

[0075] The processor 101 can adjust the magnitude of the microwave power output from the oscillator 210 based on 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 200 does not perform heating operations. The heating mode is a stage in which the heater assembly 200 or dielectric heating unit 200 performs heating operations, and can be divided into a preheating section and a smoking section. In standby mode, the oscillator 210 can supply microwave power with a first power, and in the heating section, it can supply microwave power with a second power that is greater than the first power. In standby mode, the processor 101 can determine whether an aerosol product has been inserted, and if it is determined that an aerosol product has been inserted, it can control the aerosol generator 100 to operate in heating mode. Furthermore, in heating mode, the processor 101 monitors the exhaustion of aerosol-generating substances contained in the aerosol product. If the amount of aerosol-generating substances is below a critical value, it determines that the aerosol-generating substances have been exhausted and can terminate the heating mode operation.

[0076] The processor 101 can adjust the magnitude of the microwave power output from the oscillator 210 based on a previously stored temperature profile. For example, the temperature 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 during the preheating section and at a 2-2 power level lower than the 2-1 power level during the smoking section.

[0077] The isolation unit 240 can block the microwave power input from the resonant unit 220 to the oscillator unit 210. Some of the microwave power output from the oscillator unit 210 may be reflected by the heated object and further transmitted to the oscillator unit 210. If microwave power reflected from the resonant unit 220 is input to the oscillator unit 210, it may not only fail to produce the expected output performance but also fail to produce the expected output performance. The isolation unit 240 can prevent the microwave power reflected from the resonant unit 220 from returning to the oscillator unit 210, but instead guide it in a predetermined direction and absorb it. For this purpose, the isolation unit 240 also includes a circulator and a dummy load.

[0078] The power monitoring unit 250 can monitor the reflected microwave power reflected from the resonant unit 220. The power monitoring unit 250 can also monitor the incident microwave power output from the oscillator unit 210 and incident on the resonant unit 220. The power monitoring unit 250 can transmit information related to microwave power and reflected microwave power to the matching unit 260.

[0079] Within the resonant section 220, the microwave reflection characteristics can vary depending on the permittivity within the resonant section 220. Permittivity is an important characteristic value that indicates the electrical properties of a dielectric material, i.e., an insulator. Permittivity does not indicate electrical properties related to DC (direct current) current, but is directly related to the characteristics of AC (alternating current) current, especially AC electromagnetic waves. Specifically, the magnitude of the reflected microwaves reflected from the resonant section 220 can vary depending on the complex permittivity 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 permittivity. Furthermore, the phase of the reflected microwaves reflected from the resonant section 220 can vary depending on the permittivity within the resonant section 220. When an aerosol product containing a dielectric material is inserted into the containment space of the resonant section 220, the dielectric constant of the resonant section 220 will be different. Therefore, by analyzing the reflected microwaves reflected from the resonant section 220, it is possible to determine whether or not an aerosol product has been inserted into the containment space of the resonant section 220.

[0080] 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.

[0081] 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.

[0082] 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.

[0083] 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.

[0084] 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.

[0085] The resonant section 220 may be designed with consideration to the microwave wavelength so that the microwave can resonate within the resonant section 220. For the microwave to resonate within the resonant section 220, the cross section must have a short end and, opposite the short end, an open end where at least one region of the cross section is open. Furthermore, the length between the short end and the open end must be set to an integer multiple of 1 / 4 of the microwave wavelength. The resonant section 220 of this disclosure selects a length of 1 / 4 of the microwave wavelength for the purpose of miniaturizing the device. In other words, the length between the short end and the open end of the resonant section 220 may be set to a length of 1 / 4 of the microwave wavelength.

[0086] The resonant portion 220 also includes a dielectric housing space. This dielectric housing space is configured to be separate from the housing space for the aerosol product 10, and contains a material that can change the overall resonant frequency of the resonant portion 220 and miniaturize the resonant portion 220. In one embodiment, the dielectric housing space may house a dielectric with low microwave absorptivity. This is to prevent the phenomenon in which energy that should be transferred to the object to be heated is transferred to the dielectric, causing the dielectric itself to heat up. Microwave absorptivity can be expressed by the loss tangent, which is the ratio of the imaginary part to the real part of the complex dielectric constant. In one embodiment, the dielectric housing space 227 houses a dielectric having a loss tangent of a predetermined size or less, which is 1 / 100. For example, the dielectric may be at least one of quartz, tetrafluoroethylene, and aluminum oxide, or a combination thereof, but is not limited to these. Figure 4 is a perspective view of a heater assembly according to one embodiment.

[0087] Figure 4 is a perspective view of a heater assembly according to one embodiment.

[0088] 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.

[0089] 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). In one example, the oscillator 210 can be fixed on the resonant 220 by being supported by a bracket 220b that protrudes along the x-direction in a region of the resonant 220.

[0090] 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, due to the resonance of the microwaves, the charge of the glycerin contained in the aerosol product 10 vibrates or rotates, and the frictional heat generated when the charge vibrates or rotates generates heat in the glycerin, thereby heating the aerosol product 10.

[0091] According to one embodiment, the resonant portion 220 may be formed of a material with a low microwave absorption rate in order to prevent microwaves generated by the oscillator portion 210 from being absorbed by the resonant portion 220.

[0092] 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.

[0093] 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'.

[0094] Referring to Figure 5, the heater assembly 200 according to one embodiment also includes an oscillator 210, a resonant unit 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.

[0095] 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.

[0096] 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 one 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 one region of the resonant section 220 without the bracket 220b.

[0097] 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.

[0098] 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.

[0099] According to one embodiment, the aerosol product 10 also includes a tobacco rod 11 and a filter rod 12.

[0100] 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.

[0101] The filter rod 12 is also a cellulose acetate filter. There are no restrictions on the shape of the filter rod 12. For example, the filter rod 12 can be a cylindrical rod, a tubular rod containing a hollow interior, or a recessed rod. If the filter rod 12 is composed of multiple segments, at least one of the segments may be manufactured in a different shape.

[0102] 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.

[0103] 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.

[0104] 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.

[0105] 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 portion 220 (e.g., a first inner conductor 223, a second inner conductor 225) may be arranged in the internal space of the resonant portion 220 formed by the first surface 221a, the second surface 221b, and the side surface 221c.

[0106] 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.

[0107] 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.

[0108] 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.

[0109] 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 via the coupler 230 can resonate and generate an electric field. The second inner conductor 225 can be formed in a hollow cylindrical shape extending from the second surface 221b of the outer conductor 221 toward the internal space of the outer conductor 221. The second inner conductor 225 is positioned within the internal space of the outer conductor 221 at a predetermined distance from the first inner conductor 223, and a gap 226 can be formed between the first inner conductor 223 and the second inner conductor 225.

[0110] 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 by 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.

[0111] For example, when microwaves generated from the oscillator 210 are transmitted to the first internal conductor 223, an electric field is generated inside the first region by resonance, 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.

[0112] According to one embodiment, the first and second regions of the resonant section 220 can operate as resonators having a microwave wavelength (λ) length.

[0113] In one example, one end of the first region (e.g., the end in the -z direction) 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 end in the z direction) 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 end in the -z direction) is formed as an open end by leaving the cross-section open, and the other end of the second region (e.g., the end in the z direction) may be formed as a closed end by closing the cross-section of the second region with the second surface 221b of the outer conductor 221.

[0114] That is, the first and second regions, in xz-plane view, include a closed end and an open end, and are formed as a whole in a "U" shape, and through the aforementioned structure, the first and second regions can operate as resonators having a microwave wavelength of 1 / 4 wavelength.

[0115] 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.

[0116] 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.

[0117] 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.

[0118] 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.

[0119] In this disclosure, “specified value” may mean the diameter value at which the electric field begins to leak out of the first internal conductor 223 and / or the second internal conductor 225. For example, if the diameter of the first internal conductor 223 and / or the second internal conductor 225 is greater than or equal to the specified value, a situation may occur in which a portion of the electric field that has flowed into the first internal conductor 223 and / or the second internal conductor 225 leaks out of the resonant section 220.

[0120] 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.

[0121] 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.

[0122] The electric fields generated in the first region and the electric fields 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 fields in the interior region of the resonant section 220 and in the region surrounding the gap 226.

[0123] 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.

[0124] 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 the aerosol 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 the aerosol generated from the aerosol product 10 in the -z direction.

[0125] If the aerosol generated from the aerosol product 10, or the droplet 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. In one embodiment, the heater assembly 200 can prevent malfunction or damage to the components of the aerosol generator by restricting the flow direction of the aerosol via the closing section 224.

[0126] 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 and 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.

[0127] 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 generator, and as a result, the aerosol generator can be miniaturized.

[0128] Figure 6 is a schematic perspective view illustrating a heater assembly according to another embodiment.

[0129] 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.

[0130] The resonant section 320 also includes a case 321, multiple plates 323a, 323b, multiple plates 323a, 323b, and a connecting section 322 that connects the case 321.

[0131] 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.

[0132] 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.

[0133] The case 321 of the resonant section 320 performs the function of 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.

[0134] 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.

[0135] 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 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.

[0136] Inside the case 321, multiple plates 323a and 323b may be arranged, each capable of functioning as an "internal conductor" of the resonant section 320.

[0137] 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 area of ​​the aerosol product 10 and a second plate 323b arranged to surround another area of ​​the aerosol product 10.

[0138] 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.

[0139] 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.

[0140] 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".

[0141] 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.

[0142] 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 radius of curvature of the cross-sections of the multiple plates 323a and 323b is the same as the radius of curvature of the aerosol product 10. The radius of curvature of the cross-sections of the multiple plates 323a and 323b can be varied. For example, the radius of curvature of the cross-sections of the multiple plates 323a and 323b may be greater than or less than the radius of curvature of the aerosol product 10.

[0143] According to 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.

[0144] 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.

[0145] 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, when the aerosol product 10 is inserted through the opening 321a of the case 321 and located 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.

[0146] The multiple plates 323a and 323b are arranged in pairs, opposite each other to the longitudinal center of the aerosol product 10. One embodiment is not limited by the number of plates 323a and 323b; for example, there may be three plates or four or more plates.

[0147] 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.

[0148] 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.

[0149] The coupler 311 penetrates the case 321, one end of the coupler 311 may contact an oscillator (not shown), and the other end of the coupler 311 may contact a region of the first plate 323a. Microwaves generated by the oscillator (not shown) are transmitted through the coupler 311 to the multiple plates 323a, 323b and the connecting portion 322, thereby generating an electric field inside the assembly of the multiple plates 323a, 323b and the connecting portion 322.

[0150] 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, resonance of TEM modes different from those formed between the multiple plates 323a and 323b is formed between the first plate 323a and the upper plate of the case 321, and between the second plate 323b and the lower plate of the case 321. 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.

[0151] Triple resonance occurs in the resonant section 320 of the heater assembly 300, which allows the aerosol product 10 to be heated more effectively and uniformly.

[0152] 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.

[0153] 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.

[0154] According to the resonant structure of the aforementioned resonant section 320, 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.

[0155] 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.

[0156] 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.

[0157] 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 a plurality of plates 323a, 323b.

[0158] 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 from 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.

[0159] 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.

[0160] 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 so as to be separated from the rear end of the opening 321a by a distance of L2.

[0161] 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.

[0162] To prevent microwave leakage, the front end of the opening 321a is positioned to protrude from the case 321 by a length of L3. By the opening 321a protruding from the case 321, the opening 321a can function to prevent microwaves inside the case 321 of the resonant section 320 from leaking to the outside of the case 321.

[0163] 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.

[0164] 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.

[0165] Figure 7 is a block diagram of an aerosol generating apparatus according to one embodiment.

[0166] Figure 7 illustrates only the configuration for controlling the output of the oscillator 210 from the configurations shown in Figures 2 to 4 of the aerosol generator 100. The output of the oscillator 210 can represent the magnitude and frequency of microwave power. Therefore, explanations that overlap with Figures 2 to 4 will be omitted below.

[0167] Referring to Figure 7, the aerosol generator 100 also includes an oscillator 210, a power monitoring unit 250, a resonant unit 220, and a processor 101.

[0168] 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.

[0169] The oscillator 210 includes at least one switching element, and the processor 101 can vary the microwave output frequency by adjusting the on / off state of the switching element. For example, the processor 101 can control the oscillator 210 to output a microwave 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.

[0170] 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.

[0171] The microwaves output from the oscillator 210 can be output to the resonant section 220.

[0172] 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.

[0173] The power monitoring unit 250 can measure the reflected microwave W2 that is reflected from the resonant unit 220 and input to the oscillator unit 210. In addition, the power monitoring unit 250 can measure not only the reflected microwave W2 that is reflected from the resonant unit 220 and input to the oscillator unit 210, but also the incident microwave W1 that is output from the oscillator unit 210. In one embodiment, the magnitude of the incident microwave W1 may correspond to the magnitude of the first power output from the oscillator unit 210 and input to the resonant unit 220, and the magnitude of the reflected microwave W2 may correspond to the magnitude of the second power that is reflected from the resonant unit 220 and input to the oscillator unit 210.

[0174] The aerosol product 10 includes a dielectric. Whether or not the aerosol product is inserted into the housing space 220h of the resonant section 220 will result in a different dielectric constant of the resonant section 220. In other words, the impedance of the resonant section 220 can be varied depending on whether or not the aerosol product 10 is inserted. Even if the incident microwave W1 incident on the resonant section 220 is the same, if the impedance of the resonant section 220 is varied, the degree of reflection will be different, and therefore the magnitude of the reflected microwave W2 may be different.

[0175] Furthermore, even with the aerosol product 10 inserted, the dielectric constant of the resonant section 220 may differ. For example, when heating and user smoking proceed with the aerosol product 10 inserted, the aerosol generating substance is consumed, which may cause the dielectric constant of the resonant section 220 to change. In other words, as the user smokes, the impedance of the resonant section 220 may change.

[0176] The processor 101 can receive measured values ​​of the incident microwave W1 and reflected microwave W2 from the power monitoring unit 250. The incident microwave W1 can be determined by the output of the oscillator unit 210 set by the processor 101. Therefore, the processor 101 is not necessarily required to receive the measured value of the incident microwave W1 from the power monitoring unit 250; it can also receive only the measured value of the reflected microwave W2 from the power monitoring unit 250.

[0177] First, the control operation of the processor 101 according to one embodiment in the standby mode of the aerosol generator 100 will be described. In this standby mode, the processor 101 can determine whether or not to insert the aerosol product 10 based on reflected microwaves.

[0178] In one embodiment, the processor 101 may determine that the aerosol product 10 has been inserted into the housing space 220h of the resonant section 220 if the magnitude of the reflected microwave W2 is smaller than a first critical value. The first critical value may 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 will absorb almost all of the incident microwave W1, so the first critical value may be inversely proportional to the dielectric constant of the aerosol product 10. The first critical value may be calculated experimentally. The first critical value may be stored in advance in the memory 106.

[0179] In one embodiment, the processor 101 can determine that the aerosol product 10 has been inserted into the housing space 220h of the resonant section 220 if the phase difference between the incident microwave W1 and the reflected microwave W2 is greater than a second critical value. When the aerosol product 10 is inserted into the housing space 220h of the resonant section 220, the dielectric constant of the resonant section 220 will be different, resulting in a phase difference between the incident microwave W1 and the reflected microwave W2. The second critical value can be determined by the dielectric constant and the amount of dielectric contained in the aerosol product 10. The second critical value can be calculated experimentally and stored in advance in the memory 106.

[0180] Next, the control operation of the processor 101 according to one embodiment will be described in the heating mode of the aerosol generator 100. In the heating mode, the processor 101 can determine whether the aerosol generating material has been consumed and terminate the heating mode operation. In one embodiment, the processor 101 can terminate the heating mode operation and control the aerosol generator 100 to operate in standby mode.

[0181] In one embodiment, the processor 101 determines the degree of exhaustion of the aerosol-generating material based on the amplitude ratio (W2 / W1) of the reflected microwave W2 to the incident microwave W1. Specifically, the processor 101 compares the amplitude ratio (W2 / W1) at the start of heating with the current amplitude ratio (W2 / W1), and if the ratio is smaller than the third critical value, it can determine that the aerosol-generating material has been exhausted. At the start of heating, the aerosol-generating material contained in the aerosol product 10 gives the resonant portion 220 a relatively high dielectric constant, and the amplitude ratio (W2 / W1) of the reflected microwave W2 to the incident microwave W1 is relatively small. As the user continues to smoke, the aerosol-generating material is exhausted, and the dielectric constant of the resonant portion 220 decreases. If the dielectric constant of the resonant section 220 decreases, the amplitude ratio (W2 / W1) of the reflected microwave W2 to the incident microwave W1 will gradually increase. In other words, the degree of microwave absorption in the resonant section 220 will decrease. The third critical value can be determined by the dielectric constant and the amount of dielectric contained in the aerosol product 10. This third critical value can be calculated experimentally and stored in advance in the memory 106.

[0182] In one embodiment, the processor 101 can sweep the output frequency of the microwave power output from the oscillator 210 within a pre-set reference bandwidth range and calculate the resonant frequency at which the magnitude of the reflected microwave W2 is minimized. 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. 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.

[0183] In one embodiment, the processor 101 determines whether the aerosol-generating material has been exhausted based on the degree of change in the resonant frequency. Specifically, the processor 101 compares the resonant frequency at the start of heating with the current resonant frequency, and if the difference is greater than the fourth critical value, it can determine that the aerosol-generating material has been exhausted. As the user continues to smoke, the aerosol-generating material is exhausted, and the dielectric constant of the resonant section 220 decreases. As the dielectric constant of the resonant section 220 changes, the resonant frequency at which the magnitude of the reflected microwave W2 is minimized also changes as the user continues to smoke. The fourth critical value can be determined by the dielectric constant and amount of the dielectric contained in the aerosol product 10. The fourth critical value can be calculated experimentally and stored in advance in the memory 106.

[0184] Figure 8 is a flowchart relating to a control method for an aerosol generation device according to one embodiment.

[0185] Referring to Figures 1 to 8, in step 710, the processor 101 can determine whether or not to insert the aerosol product 10. In step 810, the aerosol generator 100 is operating in standby mode. The processor 101 can determine whether or not to insert the aerosol product 10 based on the reflected microwave W2.

[0186] In one embodiment, the processor 101 can determine that the aerosol product 10 has been inserted into the containment space 220h of the resonant section 220 if the magnitude of the reflected microwave W2 is smaller than the first critical value.

[0187] In one embodiment, the processor 101 can determine that the aerosol product 10 has been inserted into the containment space 220h of the resonant section 220 if the phase difference between the incident microwave W1 and the reflected microwave W2 is greater than the second critical value.

[0188] In step 820, if the processor 101 determines that the aerosol product 10 has been inserted, it may heat the aerosol product 10. The processor 101 may control the oscillator 210 to output microwaves with a first power in standby mode, and to output microwaves with a second power greater than the first power in heating mode.

[0189] In step 830, the processor 101 determines whether the aerosol-generating substance contained in the aerosol product 10 has been exhausted, and if it determines that the aerosol-generating substance has been exhausted, it may terminate the heating of the aerosol product 10. Step 830 is also the state in which the aerosol generator 100 operates in heating mode. Specifically, step 830 is also the smoking section in heating mode for the aerosol generator 100.

[0190] In one embodiment, the processor 101 determines whether the aerosol-generating material has been exhausted based on the amplitude ratio of the reflected microwave W2 to the incident microwave W1. Specifically, the processor 101 compares the amplitude ratio at the start of heating (W2 / W1) with the current amplitude ratio (W2 / W1), and if the ratio is smaller than the third critical value, it can determine that the aerosol-generating material has been exhausted.

[0191] In one embodiment, the processor 101 determines whether the aerosol-generating material has been exhausted based on the degree of change in the resonant frequency. Specifically, the processor 101 compares the resonant frequency at the start of heating with the current resonant frequency, and if the difference is greater than the fourth critical value, it can determine that the aerosol-generating material has been exhausted.

[0192] Any embodiment of the Disclosure described herein, or any other embodiment, is not mutually exclusive or distinguishable from one another. Any embodiment of the Disclosure described herein, or any other embodiment, may be used in combination or in conjunction with each other, depending on the configuration or function of each embodiment.

[0193] 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.

[0194] The detailed description above should be considered illustrative and not restrictive in all respects. The scope of the invention shall be determined by a reasonable interpretation of the claims, and all modifications within the equivalent scope of the invention are included within the scope of the invention.

Claims

1. In an aerosol generating device, A processor that controls the operation of the aerosol generating device, An oscillator that receives AC power and generates microwaves within a preset frequency range, A resonant section includes a containment space for containing aerosol products, which resonates the incident microwaves output from the oscillator and heats the aerosol products inserted into the containment space, It includes a power monitoring unit that monitors reflected microwaves reflected from the resonant section, The processor determines whether or not the aerosol product is inserted by comparing the reflected microwave monitored by the power monitoring unit with a first critical value or by comparing the phase difference between the incident microwave and the reflected microwave with a second critical value, in an aerosol generating apparatus.

2. The aforementioned processor, The aerosol generating apparatus according to claim 1, wherein it is determined that the aerosol product has been inserted when the reflected microwave is smaller than the first critical value.

3. The aforementioned processor, If the phase difference between the incident microwave and the reflected microwave is greater than the second critical value, The aerosol generating apparatus according to claim 1, which determines that the aerosol product has been inserted.

4. The processor controls the supply of first power to the oscillator and determines whether or not the aerosol product is inserted. When it is determined that the aerosol product has been inserted, the oscillator is controlled to supply a second power, which is different in magnitude from the first power, to heat the aerosol product. The aerosol generating apparatus according to claim 1.

5. The aerosol generating apparatus according to claim 4, wherein the first power is smaller than the second power.

6. The aforementioned processor, The amplitude ratio of the reflected microwave to the incident microwave is monitored. The aerosol generating apparatus according to claim 4, wherein the first power is supplied when the ratio of the current amplitude ratio to the amplitude ratio at the start of heating is smaller than the third critical value.

7. The aforementioned processor, Within the previously set reference bandwidth range, the output frequency of the microwave power output from the oscillator is swept, and the resonant frequency at which the magnitude of the reflected microwave is minimized is calculated. The aerosol generating apparatus according to claim 4, wherein the first power is supplied when the difference between the resonant frequency and the resonant frequency at the start of heating is greater than the fourth critical value.

8. The aerosol generating device further includes an output unit that outputs information relating to the state of the aerosol generating device, The aerosol generating apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the processor controls the output unit to provide the information to the user by at least one of the following means: sight, touch, or hearing.

9. The aforementioned processor, The aerosol generating apparatus according to claim 7, wherein the output frequency of the microwave power output from the oscillator is swept within the reference band range between 2.4 GHz and 2.5 GHz.

10. The aforementioned resonant section is It includes a first internal conductor in the shape of a hollow cylinder surrounding a first region, and a second internal conductor in the shape of a hollow cylinder, which is disposed at a predetermined distance from the first internal conductor and surrounds a second region different from the first region. The aerosol generating apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the microwave is resonated by the first internal conductor and the second internal conductor.

11. The aforementioned resonant section is It includes a first plate surrounding a third region, and a second plate that is aligned with the periphery of the third region, separated from the first plate, and surrounding a fourth region different from the third region. The aerosol generating apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the microwave is resonated by the first plate and the second plate.

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