Non-combustion heating type aerosol generator including transparent heater

Abstract

The present invention relates to a heater (4) for an aerosol generating device (1), the heater (4) comprising at least one part (4a, 4b) made at least in part of a material that is thermally conductive and transparent to electromagnetic radiation (200, 204, 205). The present invention also relates to an aerosol generating device (1) comprising the heater (4). The present invention also relates to an aerosol generating system comprising the aerosol generating device (1) and an aerosol-generating article (100) to be inserted into the aerosol generating device (1). The present invention also relates to a method for authenticating an aerosol-generating article (100) using said device (1), the method comprising: - collecting the electromagnetic radiation (204, 205) emitted by the inserted article (100) passing through said at least one transparent portion (4a, 4b) and collecting at least a portion (206, 207) of said emitted electromagnetic radiation (204, 205) with a detector (30) of an optical reading system (300); - authenticating the aerosol-generating article (1) by calculating the information contained in the electromagnetic radiation (206, 207) collected by said detector (30).

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present invention relates to the field of aerosol generating articles and devices, and particularly to non-combustion heating articles and devices.

Background Art

[0002] Electronic cigarettes and vaporizers have become popular in recent years. There are mainly two types: a liquid vaporizer that generates inhalable vapor or aerosol by heating a vaporizable liquid substrate such as e-liquid or gel, and a non-combustion heating device that generates aerosol when heating a cigarette containing an aerosol generating consumable inserted into the device. The non-combustion heating system is intended to provide the original cigarette flavor and taste rather than the aerosol from flavored liquids. These operating principles are as follows: when heating a material such as tobacco leaves containing an aerosol forming substance (e.g., glycerin or propylene glycol), the aerosol forming substance vaporizes during heating to generate a vapor that extracts nicotine and flavor components from the tobacco material. This substance is heated to 200 - 400 °C, which is lower than the normal combustion temperature of conventional cigarettes. The non-combustion heating device is typically a handheld device including an internal chamber, which is configured to accommodate a consumable such as a tobacco rod consumable and heating means that heats the consumable from the inside or outside to generate inhalable aerosol when the consumable is inserted into the chamber. The heating means is powered by a rechargeable battery arranged in the device, and both the heating means and the battery are electronically controlled by an electronic control mechanism including sensors, circuits, and often ICs and / or microprocessors.

[0003] To ensure the compatibility of a given aerosol-generating article with a given non-combustion heating device, and / or the authenticity of the aerosol-generating article, it has been proposed to place markings containing optical information about the article on the outer surface of the article. Such markings can be read optically when inserted into a correspondingly designed non-combustion heating device having reading means, or by external reading (e.g., using an independent reader such as a handheld terminal or smartphone). In some cases, such markings may also include optical information about parameters that should be set with respect to the non-combustion heating device so that the article is consumed properly (e.g., an ideal temperature range, or a heating profile as a function of time).

[0004] In one example described in European Patent Application Publication No. 3818877A1, the mark is composed of a thermochromic material embedded in the wrapper of a smoking article. When heated by an opaque heater surrounding at least a portion of the inserted smoking article, the color of a portion of the surface of the smoking article changes, which is used to indicate that the article has been heated, i.e., that at least a portion of it has been consumed. Such discoloration may only become visible when a user removes the article and inspects it, or possibly with an optical inspection device.

[0005] Even more advanced, optically readable markings rely primarily on conventional codes such as 2D or 3D barcodes. Other types of markings contain information codes contained within arrays of individual elements smaller than 100 μm, or even less than 1 μm, making them extremely difficult for humans to observe in detail with the naked eye. These individual elements may be formed by microstructures such as ink, holes, embossing, cavities, or diffractive structures.

[0006] All optically readable marks rely on the use of a light source suitable for emitting a beam of light directed at at least a portion of the mark. The interaction between the light beam and the mark yields at least one secondary beam, which may be a reflected and / or diffracted beam emitted from at least a portion of the mark.

[0007] In the case of devices relying on opaque heaters, such as the inductance heater described in International Publication No. 2020 / 182767A1, optical information can only be read from the portion of the smoking article located outside the space defined by the inductance heater, thereby limiting the available space and, consequently, the possible optical arrangements that would be necessary to read optical information from the smoking article.

[0008] For example, the aerosol generator described in International Publication No. 2018 / 050701A1 includes light sources positioned around the cavity containing the article and on the support. The light sources described in International Publication No. 2018 / 050701A1 are adapted to excite light-emitting material incorporated into the article wrapper by irradiating the article with light from the periphery of the article, and therefore from the outside of the article.

[0009] Existing non-combustion heating devices are compact, making it difficult to incorporate optical components, particularly detectors and light sources. In the case of heaters that rely on heater material (such as metal) surrounding the smoking article, the available locations on the smoking article and within the aerosol generator are always very limited. For example, it would be impossible to read the portion of the wrapper surrounding the heated smoking substrate or any markings incorporated within it. Placing optical elements between the cavity into which the smoking article is inserted and the heater is considered extremely difficult, if not impossible, and information reading would be limited to the portion of the article that does not contain the aerosol generating substrate (e.g., the filter of the smoking article). The optical system would then be placed at one end of the heater and outside the heater. This is because the heater is opaque.

[0010] Therefore, an optical system is needed that can be implemented to read information from the portion of the smoking article's surface that faces the optically opaque heating element of the aerosol generator. [Overview of the Initiative] [Means for solving the problem]

[0011] The inventors of the present invention have found a solution to the above-mentioned problem. This solution involves equipping the aerosol generator with a heater that allows light to be exchanged with the surface of the aerosol generating article without affecting the thermal characteristics of the heating section of the aerosol generator.

[0012] In a first aspect, the present invention relates to an aerosol generator comprising a power supply unit and a cavity located in an outer body. The cavity has an opening accessible to the outer body and is configured to receive an aerosol generating article when at least a consumable portion of the article is inserted into the cavity. The aerosol generator further includes a heater for the aerosol generator. The heater extends over a length L0 and includes at least one transparent portion having a length L1 less than or equal to L0, the portion being made of a material that is at least partially thermally conductive and at least partially transparent to electromagnetic radiation. The transparent portion has a transparency value T defined as the proportion of the intensity I1 of an electromagnetic radiation beam that enters the portion and passes through the transparent portion. By providing a heater that is at least partially transparent to electromagnetic radiation and also thermally conductive, it becomes possible to realize a heater configured to transmit a light beam from the smoking article to a detector or imager, while simultaneously ensuring that it does not affect the heat distribution to be realized in the cavity for heating the smoking article. Using an aperture within the heater would affect the thermal balance or required thermal profile within the heating compartment of the device, and furthermore, it would transfer heat outside the heating compartment, which is unacceptable in an aerosol generator.

[0013] In one embodiment, the transparency value T is 10% to 90%, more preferably 20% to 85%, and even more preferably 40% to 85%. Transparency depends on the material used in the transparent portion, the wavelength of transmitted light, and the thickness of the transparent portion. In the embodiment, the transparent portion may be transparent to a narrow wavelength range, for example, to a spectral range smaller than 10 nm, for example, to a spectral range of 1500 to 1500 nm.

[0014] In one embodiment, the transparent portion is at least partially transparent to a beam of electromagnetic radiation having a wavelength of 120 nm to 1 mm, preferably 250 nm to 15 μm, and more preferably 350 nm to 10 μm. Providing a heater 4 that is at least partially transparent to electromagnetic radiation not only enables detection of a mark by detecting the intensity and / or spectrum and / or polarization of radiation re-emitted from the mark on the article, but can also be used to recognize an optical image of the mark. In an embodiment, imaging of a mark 110 on an aerosol-generating article 100 may be combined with information relating to the intensity and / or spectrum and / or polarization of light re-emitted from the mark.

[0015] In one embodiment, the length L1 of the above portion of the heater is 0.1 × L0 to 0.3 × L0 (including 0.3 × L0), preferably 0.3 × L0 to 0.5 × L0 (including 0.5 × L0), more preferably 0.5 × L0 to 0.8 × L0 (including 0.8 × L0), and even more preferably 0.8 × L0 to L0 (including L0).

[0016] In one embodiment, the heater includes at least two distinct portions that are transparent to electromagnetic radiation, and these two portions are arranged either in close proximity to each other or at a distance from each other along the length L0 of the heater.

[0017] In one embodiment, at least one portion is made of a material having a thermal conductivity of more than 200 W / (m·K), preferably more than 500 W / (m·K), more preferably more than 1000 W / (m·K), and even more preferably more than 2000 W / (m·K).

[0018] In one embodiment, the material of at least one of the above parts is selected from diamond, diamond-like carbon (DLC), carbide, ZnO, SnO, glass, SiO2, Al2O3, a heat-resistant polymer, or a combination thereof.

[0019] In one embodiment, the material of at least one transparent portion is conductive.

[0020] In one embodiment, the heater includes at least one conductive layer that may be disposed relative to the at least one transparent portion.

[0021] In a second aspect, the present invention is achieved by an aerosol generating device, the aerosol generating device comprising: - a cavity having an opening configured to receive an aerosol generating article; - a heater disposed around the cavity and configured to heat the aerosol generating article inserted into the cavity as described herein; - an optical reading system including at least one photodetector; - a power supply unit; - a control unit configured to control at least the heater and the optical reading system. and includes.

[0022] The device is configured to collect at least a portion of the reflected or transmitted electromagnetic radiation provided by the article through the transparent portion by the optical reading system.

[0023] In one embodiment, the at least one transparent portion extends around the entire circumference of the cavity.

[0024] In one embodiment, the heater or the at least one transparent portion forms the distal end of the cavity on the opposite side of the opening.

[0025] In one embodiment, the heater includes at least one conductive layer that is in electrical and / or thermal contact with a power source or heat source of the device.

[0026] The present invention also relates to an aerosol generating system, which includes an aerosol generating device and an aerosol generating article at least partially inserted into the aerosol generating device. <00001​​​ - The step of inserting at least a portion of the aerosol generating article into the cavity of the aerosol generating device, - A step of collecting electromagnetic radiation emitted from an article passing through at least one of the transparent portions, and collecting at least a portion of the emitted electromagnetic radiation with a detector of an optical reading system, - A step of authenticating an aerosol-generating item by calculating the information contained in the electromagnetic radiation collected by the detector using the control unit described above, Includes.

[0028] In one embodiment, the method includes the step of emitting electromagnetic radiation from a radiator located within the apparatus and directing the electromagnetic beam toward and onto the article through the at least one transparent portion, wherein the collected radiation is a reflected portion of the electromagnetic beam that was incident on the article.

[0029] In one embodiment, the collection of electromagnetic radiation emitted from an article may be performed to obtain an image of a mark placed on the aerosol-generating article, and in a modified form, the imaging of the mark on the aerosol-generating article may be combined with information relating to the intensity and / or spectrum and / or polarization of light re-emitted from the mark. [Brief explanation of the drawing]

[0030] [Figure 1] This diagram shows a schematic view of a partial longitudinal cross-section of an aerosol generator according to the present invention, which includes at least a partially transparent heater. [Figure 2] A schematic diagram of a partial longitudinal cross-section of an aerosol generator, which includes a heater that is at least partially transparent along its entire length, is shown. [Figure 3] A schematic diagram of a partial longitudinal cross-section of the heater of the present invention, including a transparent section, is shown. [Figure 4] A schematic diagram of a partial longitudinal cross-section of the heater of the present invention, which is at least partially transparent along its entire length, is shown. [Figure 5]A schematic diagram of a partial longitudinal cross-section of the heater of the present invention, which is at least partially transparent along its entire length and includes a closed end, is shown. [Figure 6] A schematic diagram of a partial longitudinal cross-section of the heater of the present invention, including two opaque sections and two transparent sections, is shown. [Figure 7] An example of a partially transparent portion of a heater is shown. This portion is a window located within the heater, which includes a first transparent plate and a second plate or layer that are transparent to electromagnetic light and are thermally conductive. [Figure 8] The diagram shows a heater including a transparent heat conduction portion, which comprises a first transparent portion and a second transparent heat conduction layer. In the example in Figure 8, the first portion has a prism shape that deflects reflected light from the smoking item. Figure 8 also shows a possible thermal bridge that ensures thermal connection between the opaque and transparent portions of the heater. [Figure 9] The present invention illustrates an aerosol generating system comprising an aerosol generator and an aerosol generating article inserted into the aerosol generator, configured to collect information from markings on the article by the reflection of light from the markings. [Figure 10] The present invention illustrates an aerosol generation system comprising an aerosol generator and an aerosol-generating article inserted into the aerosol generator, configured to collect information from markings on the article by the transmission and reflection of light from the markings. [Figure 11] A partial diagram of an aerosol generation system is shown, which includes an aerosol generator and an aerosol-generating article inserted into the aerosol generator, and is configured to collect information from a mark on the article by reflection of a light beam from the mark, wherein the light beam consists of at least two light beams with different spectral and / or polarization characteristics. [Figure 12] This shows a transparent heat conduction heater connected to a heat source by at least one heat conduction connection. [Figure 13] The cylindrical heater according to the present invention is shown, which includes two heat conduction connections, which may also be conductive connections. [Figure 14]This shows the transparent heat conduction portion of the heater, including a curved surface region that enables the function of focusing electromagnetic radiation. [Figure 15] The diagram shows an aerosol generator including a heater, wherein at least one end portion of the heater defines the closed end portion of the heating compartment of the device. [Modes for carrying out the invention]

[0031] The present invention will be described with reference to the accompanying drawings with respect to specific embodiments, but the invention is not limited thereto. The drawings are schematic and non-limiting. In the drawings, the sizes of some elements may be exaggerated for illustrative purposes and may not be drawn to scale.

[0032] The electromagnetic radiation described herein refers to electromagnetic waves with wavelengths ranging from 200 nm to 1 mm, that is, electromagnetic waves whose wavelengths may extend from the UV band of the electromagnetic spectrum to bands below that, including terahertz waves.

[0033] Figure 1 shows an aerosol generator 100 for an aerosol generating system according to the present invention. The aerosol generator 100 includes an outer body, in which a power supply unit 250 and a cavity 2 are located. The cavity 2 is also defined as a compartment, defining the Z-axis for insertion of an aerosol generating article 1, and has an opening 2a accessible in the outer body. The outer body may include one or more air inlets (not shown), which are typically located at the distal end 2b opposite the opening 2a. The aerosol generator 1 includes a heater 4 of the present invention, embodiments thereof are disclosed in detail herein and shown in Figures 3-6.

[0034] The aerosol generator 1 is configured to accept an aerosol generating article 100, which forms an aerosol generating system when the aerosol generating article 100 is at least partially inserted into the aerosol generator 1. The aerosol generating article 100 is a disposable article and includes an aerosol generating substrate 110 (e.g., a cigarette) having a first end and a second end. The aerosol generating article 100 is substantially stick-shaped or rod-shaped and preferably has a substantially circular cross-section that substantially matches the circular cross-section of the heating compartment, which is the cavity 2 of the aerosol generator 1. The aerosol generating article 100 typically includes a paper wrapper (not shown) surrounding the aerosol generating substrate 110. The smoking article 100 includes a filter at the first end, which is the mouth end. The filter functions as a mouthpiece and includes a vent plug (e.g., containing cellulose acetate fibers). Both the paper wrapper and the filter are typically overwrapped with an outer wrapper (not shown) and typically overwrapped with chipping paper.

[0035] The heater 4 is positioned close to the cavity 2, which is the heating compartment. During operation, the heater is close to the outer surface of the aerosol-generating substrate 110, as best shown in Figures 8, 9, 10, and 11. The longitudinal length of the portion of the smoking article 100 that includes the substrate 110 is not necessarily the same as the length L0 of the heater 4, and may be shorter or longer. The heater 4 has a surface exposed to the interior of the cavity 2 so as to be able to heat the aerosol-generating substrate 110. As further noted, the heater 4 may extend around the entire circumference of the cavity 2 or only a portion thereof. The airflow within the heating compartment is an important parameter for the efficient consumption of the smoking article. For example, if there is a through aperture in the body of the heater, this may affect the airflow and reduce smoking efficiency, or the heating temperature may drop locally, resulting in uneven consumption of the substrate 110 by the smoking article 100.

[0036] To read information from a smoking article 100, the present invention proposes a solution that enables the collection of electromagnetic waves (typically visible or infrared light) from the article 100. These electromagnetic waves are guaranteed to pass through the heater 4 of the aerosol generator 1 and, at the same time, not affect the thermal properties of heating the substrate 110.

[0037] The heater 4 of the present invention extends over a length L0, where L0 is typically shorter than the length of the heating cavity 2 in the longitudinal direction Z. The heater 4 includes at least one transparent portion 4a, 4b, the length of which L1 is less than or equal to L0. The at least one transparent portion 4a, 4b is made of a material that is at least partially thermally conductive and at least partially transparent to electromagnetic radiation 200, 204, 205. The transparency T of the at least one transparent portion 4a, 4b is defined as the proportion of the intensity I1 of the electromagnetic radiation beam 200 that is incident on the transparent portion 4a, 4b and transmitted through it.

[0038] The transparent portions 4a and 4b may be flat or curved windows or 3D-shaped elements, or plates, or self-supporting thin layers or vapor-deposited layers, as described herein. A self-supporting layer is a layer (e.g., a suspended membrane) that is fixed to another element or support by at least one edge of the layer. As further noted, the transparent portions 4a and 4b may be a stack of at least two layers.

[0039] As shown in Figure 3, if the transparent portions 4a and 4b do not constitute the entire heater 4, the heater 4 includes at least one opaque portion 40 that is opaque to electromagnetic light and thermally conductive. The opaque portion 40 is opaque to electromagnetic light, thermally conductive, and may also be electrically conductive. The opaque portion 40 is preferably a metal layer such as a metal tube. For example, in the embodiment of Figure 3, the opaque portion 40 is cylindrical in shape and includes an aperture on which a transparent heat conduction window 4a is located. For example, the window 4a may be pressed into or bonded to the aperture of the opaque portion 40.

[0040] As will be further described in the embodiments, the transparent heat-conducting portion 4a may consist of at least two layers, which may be different layers and made of different materials. For example, as shown in Figure 7, at least one layer 44 may be a flat or curved window, and the other layer may be a thin layer 46 placed on or deposited on the layer 44. Preferably, the thermal conductivity of at least one transparent portion 4a, 4b is highest relative to the surface of the heating cavity 2 when it is placed inside the aerosol generator 2, for example, as shown in the arrangement in Figure 8.

[0041] While cylindrical shape is not essential for the heater 4 of the present invention, it is a preferred choice because most available smoking articles are cylindrical. In embodiments, the heater 4 may also be a rectangular plate extending in the longitudinal direction of the cavity 2. Using a cylindrical heater makes it possible to heat the substrate 110 of the smoking article more evenly. However, even heating can also be achieved, for example, by arranging at least three rectangular heaters (not shown) parallel to each other on the circumference of the cavity. In such a case, the heater 4 of the aerosol generator 1 is an assembly of three heater plates, at least one of which includes the at least partially transparent portions 4a, 4b.

[0042] The provision of a heater 4 that is at least partially transparent to electromagnetic radiation not only enables the detection of a mark on an article by detecting the intensity and / or spectrum and / or polarization of radiation re-emitted from the mark, but can also be used to recognize an optical image of the mark 120. In one variant, imaging of the mark 120 on the aerosol-generating article 100 may be combined with information relating to the intensity and / or spectrum and / or polarization of light re-emitted from the mark 120. It should be understood that the mark 120 may be any structure, element, or substance placed on or within the aerosol-generating article 100. In this sense, the mark 120 is broadly defined herein as one that can be given by the electromagnetic properties of the material, components, or composition of the smoking article 100 (e.g., the spectral properties of the paper wrapper or the substrate 110).

[0043] The heater 4 of the present invention is configured to transmit a light beam from the smoking article 100 to the detector 30 or imager 30, and at the same time ensures that the heat distribution in the cavity 2 is not affected at all even if the aerosol generating substrate 110 of the smoking article 100 is heated during operation.

[0044] The heater 4 is preferably able to withstand temperatures of at least 300°C, has high thermal conductivity, and is at least partially transparent in the UV region and / or the visible region and / or the infrared region and / or the terahertz region of the electromagnetic spectrum. In a preferred configuration of the aerosol generator 1, visible light or infrared light is used to detect the mark.

[0045] The phrase "withstands at least 300°C" means that its mechanical and optical properties will not change up to at least 300°C. More precisely, there should be no significant change in refractive index or transmittance, and no change in surface or volume. For example, transparent parts 4a and 4b must remain transparent to the transmitted light beam at room temperature and must not transform the transmitted light beam into a scattered light beam.

[0046] It is optional, not mandatory, but at least a portion of heater 4 may be conductive (more on this later).

[0047] The transparency T of at least one transparent portion 4a, 4b may be any value between 0 and 100% (excluding 0). Transparency as defined herein includes reflection loss on the surface of the transparent portions 4a, 4b. Reflection loss can be high in materials with high refractive indices, but can be considerably reduced by applying an anti-reflective coating. Transparency T depends on the properties of the material, the dopants that can be incorporated into the material, the thickness t of the material, and the wavelength of the transmitted light passing through the portions 4a, 4b. At least one transparent portion 4a, 4b does not necessarily have to be a high-transmittance layer or window, as it can be detected by the highly sensitive detector 30 even at low light intensity. Therefore, it is possible to use it with a transmittance T of less than 10%, and even less than 1%. In a preferred embodiment, the transparency value T is 10% to 90%, more preferably 20% to 85%, and even more preferably 40% to 85%.

[0048] The material, wavelength, and thickness t may be selected to achieve a predetermined intensity transmittance T. For example, in one embodiment, the material may be selected to achieve a predetermined transmittance T (e.g., 60-85%) for a given thickness and a given wavelength range. In another case, the thickness t may be selected to achieve a predetermined transmittance T (e.g., 60-85%) for a given material and a given wavelength range.

[0049] In one embodiment, the transparent portions 4a and 4b are at least partially transparent to electromagnetic radiation 200, 204, and 205 having wavelengths of 120 nm to 1 mm, preferably 250 nm to 15 μm, and more preferably 350 nm to 10 μm.

[0050] In one embodiment, the length L1 of the above portion 4a of the heater is 0.1 × L0 to 0.3 × L0 (including 0.3 × L0), preferably 0.3 × L0 to 0.5 × L0 (including 0.5 × L0), more preferably 0.5 × L0 to 0.8 × L0 (including 0.8 × L0), and even more preferably 0.8 × L0 to L0 (including L0).

[0051] In embodiments, the thickness of at least one transparent portion 4a, 4b may differ from the thickness of the opaque portion of the heater. Such an example is shown in Figure 8 and further described herein.

[0052] In one embodiment, the heater 4 includes at least two identical or different portions 4a, 4b, both of which are at least partially transparent to electromagnetic radiation. The two portions 4a, 4b may be located close to each other and may be separated by a gap or gap layer. In the embodiment shown in Figure 6, the heater 4 is an array of four rings or tubes 40, 4a, 42, 4b. In such an array, the gap layer is an opaque heat-conducting layer 42 separating the two transparent portions 4a, 4b.

[0053] In the embodiments, the opaque heat-conducting portions 40 and 42 are conductive and preferably made of a metal such as aluminum. In all embodiments of the present invention, all portions 40, 42, 4a, and 4b of the heater 4, i.e., the entire heater 4, - A good thermal conductor and a good conductor, - A good thermal conductor and a poor thermal conductor, - A poor thermal conductor and a good conductor, - Poor thermal conductor and poor conductor It can be made with [this method].

[0054] In this specification, a good thermal conductor is defined as having a thermal conductivity of 500 W / (m·K) or higher, and a poor thermal conductor is defined as having a thermal conductivity of less than 500 W / (m·K). In this specification, a good conductor is defined as having a resistivity of 2.8 × 10⁻⁶ -8It is defined as being made from a material with a conductivity of Ωm (ohm meter) or less, and a poor conductor is defined as having a conductivity of 2.8 × 10⁻⁶. -8 It is defined as being greater than Ωm.

[0055] A preferred choice for the transparent portions 4a and 4b is a material that is both a good thermal conductor and a good electrical conductor. In modified forms, the thermal and / or electrical properties of the opaque portions 40 and 42 of the heater 4 and the transparent portions 4a and 4b may differ. Also, in modified forms, the transparent thermal conductive portions 4a and 4b do not necessarily have uniform optical and / or thermal properties. For example, the thermal conductivity of one side of at least one of the transparent portions 4a and 4b may be higher than that of the opposite side. In such a case, the side with the highest thermal conductivity is positioned relative to the surface of the cavity 2 in the apparatus 1.

[0056] In one embodiment, at least one portion 4a, 4b is made of a material having a thermal conductivity of more than 200 W / (m·K), preferably more than 500 W / (m·K), more preferably more than 1000 W / (m·K), and even more preferably more than 2000 W / (m·K).

[0057] The types of materials suitable for realizing at least one transparent portion 4a, 4b of the heater 4 are very limited, because both transparency and thermal conductivity are required. Here, preferred selections of such materials are described.

[0058] The transparent portion 4a of the heater 4 may be made of a single material, or it may be a transparent thermal conductive layer placed on a dielectric transparent substrate or window, the substrate or window being non-thermally conductive or only partially thermally conductive (this will be further described in the embodiments).

[0059] In one embodiment, the material of at least one portion 4a, 4b is selected from diamond, diamond-like carbon (DLC), carbide, ZnO, SnO, glass, SiO2, Al2O3, a heat-resistant polymer, or a combination thereof. The material of at least one portion 4a, 4b may be a doped material and does not necessarily have to be a homogeneous material.

[0060] For the optical properties of the transparent parts 4a and 4b described herein, see, for example, WGDriscoll, “Handbook of Optics”; Optical Society of America, McGraw-Hill Book Company, 1978, ISBN 0-07-047710-8, 7.1-17.24.

[0061] Preferred materials, as will be further described, are carbon-based materials such as synthetic diamond. In the case of such materials, for example, a transmittance T of more than 60% can be achieved for thicknesses t up to 3 mm, and for visible or near-infrared wavelengths.

[0062] In one embodiment, the material of the transparent portion 4a is a layer, window, or thin film of undoped diamond. The thermal conductivity of diamond is five times that of copper. Unlike most electrical insulators, diamond is a good thermal conductor due to its strong covalent bonding and low phonon scattering. The thermal conductivity of natural diamond is approximately 2200 W / (m·K), or 22 W / (cm·K), which is five times higher than copper, the metal with the highest thermal conductivity. The thermal conductivity of single-crystal synthetic diamond concentrated to 99.9% isotope 12C is extremely high, at approximately 3320 W / (m·K). The electrical resistivity of most diamonds is 10 11 ~10 18 It is of the order of Ω·m.

[0063] In the embodiments, at least one transparent portion 4a, 4b of the heater 4, or the entire heater 4, is made at least partially of doped diamond, preferably doped synthetic diamond. The synthetic diamond layer or window described herein can be realized by any technique such as plasma chemical vapor deposition (PECVD), chemical vapor deposition (CVD), or high-temperature, high-pressure (HTHP) processes. For the realization of synthetic diamond, see, for example, the following publication, which is incorporated in its entirety herein, namely, RSBalmer et al., “Chemical vapor deposition synthetic diamond: materials, technology and applications,” Journal of Physics Condensed Matter, Aug. 2009, pp. 1-51, DOI 10.3762 / bjnano.11.57.

[0064] In the embodiment shown in Figure 7, the entire heater 4, or the transparent portions 4a, 4b of the heater 4, may be made of a stack of layers including at least two layers 44, 46. This stack can be realized by placing at least one layer (e.g., a sedimentary layer) on a plate. Figure 7 shows an example of a partially transparent composite portion 4a of the heater 4. Portion 4a in Figure 7 is a window placed inside the heater. This window includes a first transparent plate and a second plate or layer 46 that is transparent to electromagnetic light and is thermally conductive.

[0065] For example, at least one transparent portion 4a, 4b of the heater 4 may include a transparent dielectric substrate 44, which may include, for example, glass, SiO2, sapphire, or a heat-resistant polymer that can withstand at least 250°C. In such cases, another window or layer 46 is placed on the substrate 44 to ensure that the transparent portions 4a, 4b are at least thermally conductive with respect to the surfaces that must be positioned relative to the circumference of the cavity 2 in the apparatus.

[0066] The second layer may be any transparent and thermally conductive nanometer-thick or micrometer-thick layer (e.g., a doped synthetic diamond layer, a doped semiconductor layer). This second layer may be a stack of at least two layers. The second layer may be partially positioned on top of the opaque layer 40 so as to be in direct thermal contact with the adjacent opaque layer 40. The first and second transparent layers 44, 46 may be bonded and / or curved layers.

[0067] In this embodiment, as shown in Figure 8, the transparent portion 4a includes a prism-shaped transparent base plate 44 on which a transparent thermal conductive layer 46 is deposited. This base plate 44 may be made of, for example, SiO2 or A2O3. In order to ensure that the transparent portions 4a and 4b are in thermal contact with the opaque thermal conductive portions 40 and 42 of the heater 4, a thermal bridge layer 48 may be placed between the thermal conductive portion 40 and the thermal conductive layer 46, or on top of them. The thermal bridge 48 is made of a thermal conductive layer and, in some cases, is made of a metal layer or a plurality of thermal conductive junctions.

[0068] In one embodiment, at least one portion 4a, 4b may include a metallic doped DLC layer. Doping the DLC film is possible with a variety of metals, including at least one of Ti, Nb, Ta, Cr, Mo, W, Ru, Fe, Co, Ni, Al, Cu, Au, and Ag. The advantage of metallic doped DLC layers or plates is that their conductive behavior can be altered from that of dielectric materials to that of metallic materials. The metal can be incorporated into layers 4a, 4b, 44, and 46 as small nanocrystals of pure metal or metallic carbide elements, which are dispersed throughout the carbon network.

[0069] In one embodiment, at least a portion of at least one transparent portion 4a, 4b is made of boron and / or phosphorus-doped diamond (BDD, PDD). The limitations on the conductivity of diamond that existed in the past are no longer an issue today. By inserting foreign atoms into the crystal structure of diamond, it is possible to reduce the large energy gap to an acceptable level, thereby enabling electrical conductivity while maintaining its thermal and chemical stability. The most common foreign atoms that can be added to diamond (which may be synthetic diamond) are boron, nitrogen, and phosphorus. BDD has been the most common material for synthetic diamond since its introduction in 1987.

[0070] In the embodiment, it should be noted that the windows or layers 4a, 4b, 44, 46 (BDD) of boron-doped synthetic diamond are p-type semiconductors. In addition, the windows or layers (PDD) of phosphorus-doped diamond (PDD) produced by chemical vapor deposition are n-type semiconductors.

[0071] A pn junction can be formed by alternating boron-doped and phosphorus-doped layers, which can be utilized to provide advantageous embodiments of the heater 4. For example, such layers can be used to form a light-emitting diode (LED) that emits ultraviolet light. For example, in one embodiment, the heater 4 may include at least one transparent portion 4a comprising a stack of alternating boron-doped and phosphorus-doped layers, which allows for the integration of an LED light source within or on the heater 4.

[0072] In one modified form, the transparent portions 4a and 4b include at least portions made of electro-optical material or electromagnetic material.

[0073] In the embodiment, the transparent portions 4a and 4b may be realized using a silicon support or substrate, and since silicon is transparent to wavelengths greater than 1.5 μm, it may be used for wavelengths greater than 1.5 μm. This makes it possible to realize, for example, a DLC layer deposited on the silicon substrate, a technique that is well known in the field of MEMS. In the embodiment, the self-supporting membranes 4a and 4b may be realized on a silicon frame so that the transparent portions 4a and 4b can be realized in batch processing, making the solution inexpensive. The silicon frame can also be easily bonded to, for example, the opaque portion 40 of the heater 4.

[0074] In embodiments (not shown), at least one transparent portion 4a, 4b may be made of a self-supporting layer (or possibly a flexible layer) placed on a through aperture provided in the opaque portion 40 of the heater 4. Such flexible transparent portions 4a, 4b of a certain length may be positioned to be in thermal contact with the opaque portion 40, which may be done by mechanical force, or by adhesion, or by soldering, or by any process, which may mean a deposition process as known in the realization of membranes.

[0075] At least one transparent portion 4a, 4b of the present invention may have any shape as follows: - Cylindrical shape (the diameter is not necessarily uniform relative to its length), - Closed or open ring shape, - Tubes or rings having a rectangular or square cross-section, or any other non-circular cross-section, - A flat or curved plate having at least one rectangular cross-section, - A window having at least two cross-sections with different curvatures, - A window having at least one flat surface and at least one curved surface, - A sphere or a hollow sphere, - A shape defined by at least two inclined surfaces, such as the prism shape shown in Figure 8. - An array of transparent heat conduction windows (which may be an array of microlenses or microprisms) It can be any shape, like the one shown.

[0076] For imaging applications of the marker 120, flat or slightly curved transparent portions 4a, 4b are preferred choices. In modified forms where detection and recognition of the marker 120 are based solely on various types of intensity, and / or spectral, and / or polarization measurements, the shape of at least one transparent portion 4a, 4b is not particularly restricted. For example, the transparent portions 4a, 4b may be spherical or cubic in shape, allowing light exchanging with the marker 120 to be transmitted to the detector 30.

[0077] The heater 4 may be a self-heating device if doped. It may be heated by a thermally conductive layer or contacts, and may optionally be heated by using deposited conductive strips 500, 502, as shown in Figure 13. In this specification, self-heating means that the heater 4 may be heated by an electric current supplied through the heater body.

[0078] In one embodiment, the material of at least one transparent portion 4a, 4b is conductive and has electrical resistance that allows it to heat the body of the heater 4. In such an embodiment, the heater 4 can be directly heated by applying a voltage across at least a portion of the heater 4 to induce heat within the body of the heater 4 due to the Joule effect of the given current. This eliminates the need to add an electric heating element 400 that must be in thermal contact with the heater, thereby simplifying the design of the heater 4.

[0079] In the advantageous modification shown in Figure 10, the heater 4 may include a passive or active optical element or optical device positioned relative to at least one of the transparent portions 4a, 4b.

[0080] In another variant (not shown), the transparent portion may essentially consist of two contacting parts 4a and 4b, which may be two contacting rings having different optical properties, such as different transparency as a function of the wavelength of transmitted light and / or its polarization state or polarization direction. This allows for the realization of a transparent portion that may include optical filtering. For example, one part may transmit a broad spectral beam of light toward a mark, and this light may be filtered by the second part so that only a portion of the light beam with a narrower spectral range than the light incident on the wrapper of the smoking article is supplied to the detector.

[0081] In one advantageous embodiment, at least one surface 4a', 4a'' of the at least one transparent portion 4a, 4b is a curved convex or concave surface. This makes it possible to give the at least one transparent portion 4a, 4b a focusing or diverging optical function. In the modified form shown in Figure 13, the at least one transparent portion 4a, 4b may include a flat portion 4a''' and another curved portion 4a''''. Such an arrangement can be used to uniformly illuminate a predetermined area of ​​an article, preferably a region including mark 120, and to efficiently collect reflected or scattered light from the curved portion 4a'' (this makes it possible to collect a greater light output by a detector or imager, and at the same time eliminates the need to fit a lens to the at least one transparent portion 4a, 4b).

[0082] In yet another advantageous embodiment, the at least one transparent portion 4a, 4b may contain, on at least one of its surfaces or inside the transparent portion 4a, 4b, a substance that changes color under the action of a change in physical parameters such as heat, electric current, or electric field, or a substance that emits light. For example, the at least one transparent portion 4a, 4b may contain a fluorescent substance or be coated with a fluorescent substance.

[0083] In this embodiment, the static optical element may be, but is not limited to, the following: - Optical filters, - Optical coating (this may be an anti-reflective coating, or a coating that absorbs a specific spectrum of a predetermined wavelength of light transmitted through at least one transparent portion 4a, 4b), - An opaque plate or film containing apertures (such as slits) that can act to restrict the field of view. (In one variant, two apertures may be provided: one for sending light to article 1, and another for sending light from the article to the detector. The aperture may be an array of three or more apertures.) - Optical lenses and / or optical mirrors, - Arrays of microlenses, and / or arrays of microprisms, - Polarizer, - Diffractive element or diffractive structure (Figure 10 shows a modified form in which the optical element is a diffractive optical structure 43 or layer. The diffractive structure can be realized by embossing a transparent layer 4a with at least one of its surfaces 4a', 4a''. A diffractive structure like the one shown in Figure 11 enables a simple solution for splitting an incident light beam 204 into at least two different light beams 206, 206'), - Half-wavelength plate or quarter-wavelength plate, - A specific shape of the surface of the transparent layer 4a (Figure 8 shows a prism-shaped surface 45 of the substrate 44 of the transparent layer, which enables a deflection optical function indicated by the deflection angle Θ of the light beam given from the mark 120 or from the region of the smoking article 100 where the mark 120 is located). That's fine.

[0084] In this embodiment, the active optical element (not shown) is not limited to the following: - Optically addressable modulator (in a modified form, this modulator may be an addressable optical shutter (MEMS shutter, etc.)), - Electro-optical layer (which may be addressed to correct the polarization state and / or polarization direction of incident light sent to the surface of the smoking article, or reflected light sent from the surface of the smoking article), - An addressable mirror which may be a MEMS mirror (this mirror may be used to optically close at least one of the transparent portions 4a, 4b in its closed position; that is, the mirror surface is parallel to the transparent windows 4a, 4b. This mirror may be addressable and may direct light given from the smoking article 110 or its mark 120 to the detector 30 according to a preset angle. In a modified form, the addressable mirror may, during operation of the device, direct light to two different detector elements according to at least two different angles. This makes it possible, for example, to read its optical information from two different areas of the smoking article.) That's fine.

[0085] The present invention is also achieved by the aerosol generator 1, which is, o A cavity 2 having an opening 2a configured to receive an aerosol-generating article 100, o A heater 4 is positioned around the cavity 2 and heats the aerosol generating article 100 inserted into the cavity 2, as described herein. o An optical reading system 300 including at least one photodetector 30, o Power supply unit and, o A control unit 250 configured to control at least the heater 4 and the optical reading system 300, Includes.

[0086] The apparatus 1 of the present invention is configured to collect at least a portion 206, 207 of the electromagnetic radiation 204, 205 that is reflected or transmitted from the article 100 by the optical reading system 30 through the transparent portions 4a, 4b.

[0087] In the apparatus 100 of the present invention, it is preferable that a light source 20 is used to illuminate the mark 120 on the article 100. In a modified form, the light source 20 may be electromagnetic radiation (e.g., infrared radiation) realized by a heat source or the heater 4 itself.

[0088] In one embodiment, at least one transparent portion 4a, 4b extends around the entire circumference of the cavity 2. In a modified embodiment, at least one transparent portion 4a, 4b may consist of multiple transparent portions that are arranged around the periphery of the cavity 2 as a series of independent rectangular window portions.

[0089] In the embodiment, the heater 4 may extend around the entire or partial circumference of the cavity 2. In the embodiment, for example, the heater 4 may extend over one-tenth to three-quarters of the circumference. The heater 4 may include at least two individual heating elements, for example, two heating elements that extend over approximately 45 degrees each of the circumference of the cavity 2.

[0090] In one embodiment, the heater 4 includes at least one conductive layer 400 that is in electrical and / or thermal contact with a power source or heat source located within the aerosol generator 1. For example, Figure 11 shows a transparent heat conduction heater connected to a heat source 400 by at least one heat conduction connection 402, 404. In a modified form, the heat conduction connections 402, 404 may be located in the opaque portions 40, 42 of the heater 4, or in at least one of the transparent portions 4a, 4b of the heater 4.

[0091] It should be understood that the shape of the heater 4 is not limited to the arrangements shown in Figures 1-14. The heater is configured to define almost the entire heating section, or at least a substantial portion of the heating section. For example, at least the end portion 4a of the heater 4 included in the aerosol generator shown in Figure 15. V This defines the closed end 2b of the heating section of the device. In the modified form, the closed end portion 4a V It may include at least one aperture to ensure the desired airflow during operation. In a modified form, the end portion 4aV This may constitute the transparent portion 4a described herein. This makes it possible to read information from the end section of the article 100. It should also be understood that the detector 30 does not necessarily have to face the transparent portion 4a, and that the light beam may be directed from the mark to the detector by using optical elements such as mirrors, lenses, or waveguides.

[0092] The present invention also relates to an aerosol generating system, which comprises an aerosol generating device 1 described above and an aerosol generating article 100, at least a portion of which is inserted into the cavity 2 of the aerosol generating device 1.

[0093] In another aspect, the present invention relates to a method for authenticating an aerosol-generating article 100 using the apparatus 1 described herein, the method being: - The step of inserting at least a portion of the aerosol generating article 100 into the cavity 2 of the aerosol generating device 1, - A step of collecting electromagnetic radiation 204, 205 emitted from article 100 through at least one of the transparent portions 4a, 4b, and collecting at least a portion 206, 207 of the emitted electromagnetic radiation 204, 205 with a detector 30 of an optical reading system 300, - A step of authenticating the aerosol-generating article 1 by calculating the information contained in the electromagnetic radiation 206, 206', and 207 collected by the detector 30 using the control unit 250, Includes.

[0094] In one embodiment, the method includes the step of emitting electromagnetic radiation 200 from a radiator 20 located within the apparatus 1, and directing the electromagnetic beam 200 toward the article 100 and onto the article 100 through the at least one transparent portion 4a, 4b, wherein the collected radiation is a reflected portion 204 of the electromagnetic beam 202 that was incident on the article 100.

[0095] In one embodiment (not shown), electromagnetic radiation emitted from article 100 is collected by the end portion 4a V This can be achieved through [the following method]. This makes it possible to detect information provided from the end section 102 of the article 100 inserted into the cavity 2.

Claims

1. A heater (4) for an aerosol generator (1), wherein the heater (4) has a length L ０ It extends over a certain length, and the heater (4) has a length L １ is L ０ It comprises at least one portion (4a, 4b) which is made of a material that is at least partially thermally conductive and at least partially transparent to electromagnetic radiation (200, 204, 205), and has a transparency value T which is defined as the proportion of the intensity I1 of the electromagnetic radiation beam (200) that is incident on the at least one portion and transmitted through the transparent at least one portion (4a, 4b), A heater (4) in which the material of at least one transparent portion (4a, 4b) is conductive.

2. The heater (4) according to claim 1, wherein the transparency value T is 10% to 90%, more preferably 20% to 85%, and even more preferably 40% to 85%.

3. The heater (4) according to claim 1, wherein at least one portion (4a) is at least partially transparent to electromagnetic radiation (200, 204, 205) having a wavelength of 120 nm to 1 mm, preferably 250 nm to 15 μm, and more preferably 350 nm to 10 μm.

4. The length L of the at least one part (4a) of the heater １ is 0.1 × L ０ to 0.3 × L ０ (including 0.3 × L ０ , preferably 0.3 × L ０ to 0.5 × L ０ (including 0.5 × L ０ , more preferably 0.5 × L ０ to 0.8 × L ０ (including 0.8 × L ０ , even more preferably 0.8 × L ０ to L ０ (including L ０ ), the heater (4) according to claim 1.

5. It includes at least two distinct portions (4a, 4b) that are transparent to electromagnetic radiation, and the at least two distinct portions (4a, 4b) are the length L of the heater. ０ The heater (4) according to claim 1, which is arranged in close proximity to one another or at a distance from one another along the same line.

6. The heater (4) according to claim 1, wherein at least one portion (4a, 4b) is made of a material having a thermal conductivity of more than 200 W / (m·K), preferably more than 500 W / (m·K), more preferably more than 1000 W / (m·K), and even more preferably more than 2000 W / (m·K).

7. The material of at least one portion (4a, 4b) is diamond, diamond-like carbon (DLC), carbide, ZnO, SnO, glass, SiO ２ Al ２ O ３ The heater (4) according to claim 6, selected from a heat-resistant polymer or a combination thereof.

8. The heater (4) according to claim 1, comprising at least one conductive layer (400).

9. Aerosol generator (1), o Cavity (2) having an opening (2a) configured to receive an aerosol generating article (100), o A heater (4) according to any one of claims 1 to 8, wherein the heater (4) is arranged around the cavity (2) and heats the aerosol generating article (100) inserted into the cavity (2), o An optical reading system (300) including at least one photodetector (30), o Power supply unit and, o A control unit (250) configured to control at least the heater (4) and the optical reading system (300), Includes, The aerosol generator (1) is configured to collect at least a portion (206, 207) of the reflected or transmitted electromagnetic radiation (204, 205) from the aerosol generating article (100) through the optical reading system (300) via the transparent at least one portion (4a, 4b). Aerosol generator (1).

10. The aerosol generator (1) according to claim 9, wherein the transparent at least one portion (4a, 4b) extends around the entire circumference of the cavity (2).

11. The aerosol generator (1) according to claim 9, wherein the transparent at least one portion (4a, 4b) forms the distal end (4a') of the cavity (2) opposite to the opening (2a).

12. The aerosol generator (1) according to claim 9, wherein the heater (4) includes at least one conductive layer (400) that is in electrical and / or thermal contact with the power supply or heat source of the aerosol generator (1).

13. A method for authenticating an aerosol generating article (100) using the aerosol generating device (1) described in claim 9, - The step of inserting at least a portion of the aerosol generating article (100) into the cavity (2) of the aerosol generating device (1), - A step of collecting electromagnetic radiation (204, 205) emitted from the aerosol-generating article (100) through the transparent at least one portion (4a, 4b), and collecting at least a portion (206, 207) of the emitted electromagnetic radiation (204, 205) with the at least one photodetector (30) of the optical reading system (300), - A step of authenticating the aerosol generating article (100) by having the control unit (250) calculate the information contained in the electromagnetic radiation (206, 207) collected by the at least one photodetector (30), A method that includes this.

14. The method according to claim 13, comprising the step of emitting electromagnetic radiation (200) from a radiator (20) located in the aerosol generating device (1), and directing the electromagnetic beam (200) toward the aerosol generating article (100) and onto the aerosol generating article (100) through the transparent at least one portion (4a, 4b), wherein the collected radiation is a reflected portion (204) of the electromagnetic beam (202) incident on the aerosol generating article (100).

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