Aerosol generator and related operating method

Abstract

The aerosol generating device (10) is configured to operate with a tobacco article (24) and defines an airflow channel (26) extending along a device axis (X-X'). The aerosol generating device (10) includes a mouthpiece (12) and an oven (14) extending along an oven axis (O-O') and configured to receive and heat the tobacco article (24) through an oven opening (28). The oven (14) is rotatable between an active position and a loaded position. The aerosol generating device (10) also includes a switch (16) defining an activation configuration and an inactivation configuration and switchable between these configurations by rotation of the oven (14), and a controller (18) configured to activate a power supply to the oven (14) according to control logic based on the configuration of the switch (16).

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present invention relates to an aerosol generating device including an oven.

[0002] The aerosol generating device according to the present invention is configured to operate with, for example, an aerosol generating substrate that provides a solid substrate capable of forming an aerosol upon heating. Thus, such a type of aerosol generating device, also known as a heat-not-burn device, is adapted to heat rather than burn the substrate by conduction, convection, and / or radiation to generate an aerosol for inhalation.

Background Art

[0003] (Also known as a vaporizer) The popularity and use of risk reduction devices or risk modification devices have increased rapidly in recent years as an aid to assist habitual smokers who wish to quit smoking conventional tobacco products such as cigarettes, cigars, cigarillos, and roll-your-own tobacco. In contrast to burning tobacco in conventional tobacco products, various devices and systems for heating or warming vaporizable substances are available.

[0004] Commonly available risk reduction or risk modification devices include substrate-heated aerosol generators or heated non-combustion generators. These devices typically generate aerosols or vapors by heating an aerosol substrate, also known as an aerosol-generating substrate, which usually comprises moist tobacco leaves or other suitable vaporizable material, to a temperature typically in the range of 150°C to 350°C. By heating the aerosol substrate rather than burning or incinerating it, an aerosol is released that contains the components desired by the user but does not contain toxic and carcinogenic by-products from combustion and incineration. Furthermore, aerosols generated by heating tobacco or other vaporizable materials typically do not contain the burnt or bitter taste resulting from combustion and incineration, which can be unpleasant to the user. Therefore, the substrate does not require sugars and other additives that are typically added to such materials to make the smoke and / or vapor more palatable to the user.

[0005] Replacing aerosol substrates such as tobacco articles, and further vaping in such devices, significantly impacts the user experience and therefore needs to be as smooth, intuitive, and easy as possible. Current devices are not entirely satisfactory because they require both the complex movement of aerosol generator components to attach / remove tobacco articles from the device, and the additional action of turning the oven on / off to start / end a vaping session. Current devices are also complicated to clean. [Overview of the Initiative] [Problems that the invention aims to solve]

[0006] Therefore, one object of the present invention is to provide an aerosol generator that allows for smooth, intuitive, and easy replacement of the aerosol substrate and further vaping. Another object of the present invention is to provide an aerosol generator that simplifies cleaning. [Means for solving the problem]

[0007] For this purpose, the present invention relates to an aerosol generator configured to operate with a tobacco article and defining an airflow channel extending along the axis of the device, The aerosol generator comprises a mouthpiece and an oven that extends along the oven axis and is configured to receive tobacco articles through the oven opening and heat the tobacco articles. The oven is rotatable between an operating position in which the oven opening is closed by a mouthpiece and a loading position in which the oven is open for loading tobacco articles. The aerosol generator is - Defines start and stop configurations, and includes a switch that allows switching between these configurations while the oven is running. - A controller configured to activate the oven's power supply according to control logic based on the switch configuration. To further prepare.

[0008] Such an aerosol generator can, in fact, have a device that allows for easy loading and unloading of tobacco articles by using an oven that is rotatable between an open and closed position. Having a rotatable oven is particularly advantageous because it allows for easy access to the oven when it is in the loading position and allows for easy cleaning of the oven, for example, if dust or damage to the tobacco articles occurs inside the oven. Furthermore, such a switch, and such a controller configured to activate the power supply to the oven according to a control logic based on the configuration of the switch, allows for easy and intuitive power supply to the oven brought about by the displacement of the oven, and thus makes the replacement of tobacco articles and further vaping easy and intuitive.

[0009] According to some embodiments, in the loading position, the end of the oven defining the oven opening protrudes from the side wall of the aerosol generator.

[0010] Thanks to this feature, tobacco articles can be introduced into or removed from the oven without moving any elements from the aerosol generator to separate them from the oven. Therefore, by having an opening protruding from the side wall of the aerosol generator, it becomes possible to access the oven directly from the side of the aerosol generator without, for example, having to remove the mouthpiece of the device.

[0011] According to some embodiments, in the operating position, the oven axis coincides with the device axis, and in the loading position, the oven axis forms a non-zero angle with the device axis.

[0012] Thanks to this feature, the aerosol generator is particularly compact when the oven is in its operating position, while the device is easily accessible when the oven is in its loading position.

[0013] According to some embodiments, the angle formed between the oven axis and the device axis in the loading position is set to 10° to 170°, advantageously 10° to 90°, and preferably 20° to 80°.

[0014] This feature further improves accessibility to the oven when it is in its loading position.

[0015] According to some embodiments, the aerosol generator is configured to operate with a flat-shaped tobacco article, and the oven has a flat shape extending within the oven plane.

[0016] Thanks to this feature, the device can be made particularly compact, which may be advantageous for the user. Furthermore, the flat shape of the tobacco article ensures excellent vapor generation capacity, while also being particularly compact and convenient for storage.

[0017] According to some embodiments, the oven is rotatable with respect to a pivot axis perpendicular to the apparatus axis and the oven plane.

[0018] This feature allows for a reduction in the external surface area of ​​the moving device as the oven rotates, particularly because the oven rotates perpendicular to the oven plane. This provides a better appearance for the device, while also allowing for more space to mount actuators or displays on the device.

[0019] According to some embodiments, in the operating position, the airflow channel extends through the oven. For example, an air inlet hole can be formed at the end of the oven opposite its opening. Thus, the airflow channel can extend through the tobacco article along the oven axis when the tobacco article is inserted therein. According to another embodiment, the air inlet can be formed at the oven opening. In this case, the airflow channel can first extend outside the tobacco article from the oven opening to the opposite end of the chamber, then make a "U" turn to enter the tobacco article and extend through it.

[0020] Thanks to this feature, the user can vape from the device when it is in its operating position.

[0021] According to some embodiments, the switch is in an activated configuration when the oven is in the loaded position and in a deactivated configuration when the oven is in the operating position.

[0022] Thanks to this feature, the switch is activated by a simple movement of the oven in the loading position. Boot configuration It is moved, and by a simple movement of the oven in its operating position, Stop configuration It is moved to the operating position. In certain embodiments, the device is expected to have an oven that is in its operating position for most of the time, so this feature also contributes to extending the average lifespan of the switch and the device as a whole.

[0023] In some embodiments, the control logic includes starting the power supply of the oven when switching the switch from Boot configuration to Stop configuration when the oven is not yet powered.

[0024] Thanks to this feature, the power supply of the oven is Boot configuration from Stop configuration automatically started when switching the switch to

[0025] That is, when the oven is placed in its operating position. This makes it possible to make the use of the aerosol generator even more intuitive.

[0026] Thanks to this feature, Boot configuration from Stop configuration switching the switch to

[0027] That is, placing the oven in its operating position not only triggers the start of vaping by turning on the oven power, but also makes it possible to turn on the oven power during the vaping time, Stop configuration from Boot configuration i.e., turning off the oven after the end of the vaping session time. Therefore, this device further simplifies vaping and makes it more intuitive.

[0028] Thanks to this feature, the power supply of the oven is Stop configuration from Boot configurationThe oven automatically shuts off when the switch is flipped, that is, when the oven is placed in its loading position. This not only makes it possible to stop the oven in an easy way, but also improves safety during use and ensures that the oven's power is cut off while it is being loaded.

[0029] According to some embodiments, the switch is a mechanical switch such as a hinge switch, a push-button switch, or a rotary switch.

[0030] The use of such mechanical switches is particularly advantageous because they are heat-resistant and can therefore be located near ovens.

[0031] According to some embodiments, the switch is a magnetic switch, comprising a magnetic element.

[0032] Such switches offer particular advantages because they allow for contactless switching. This enables smooth switching operations for the user with a simple switch configuration.

[0033] According to some other embodiments, the switch is an optical switch or an infrared switch.

[0034] Such switches are particularly advantageous because they are extremely smooth, allowing for switching that, for example, even the user may not notice.

[0035] According to some embodiments, the aerosol generator includes an insulating layer located around the oven.

[0036] These features are particularly advantageous for protecting the components of the apparatus surrounding the oven.

[0037] According to some embodiments, the device further comprises a user interface unit, and the control logic further depends on instructions received by the user interface unit. For example, the user interface unit is configured to receive instructions from a user, and the controller is further configured, for example, to activate the power supply to the oven according to control logic based on the instructions received by the interface.

[0038] Thanks to these features, the logic can be more tailored to user requirements, making the device even more intuitive.

[0039] According to some embodiments, the interface unit includes a button and / or touch-sensitive interface.

[0040] Thanks to these features, users can easily command the control logic. For example, when an interface unit has a touch-sensitive interface, a simple touch is sufficient to interact with the control logic.

[0041] The present invention also relates to a method for operating the aerosol generating device described above. This delicious, - The oven's rotation switches between the start and stop configurations, - This includes controlling the power supply to the oven according to control logic based on the switch configuration.

[0042] This operating method is particularly advantageous because it allows control of the oven's power supply based on the switch configuration, which can be switched by a simple rotation of the oven. This operating method makes the operation of the aerosol generator particularly simple and intuitive.

[0043] The present invention and its advantages will be better understood by reading the following description, which is given only as a non-limiting example and with reference to the accompanying drawings. [Brief explanation of the drawing]

[0044] [Figure 1] This is a schematic diagram of the aerosol generating device according to the present invention, with the oven in its operating position and the switch in its stopped position. [Figure 2] Figure 1 is a schematic diagram of a tobacco article configured to be received in the oven of an aerosol generator. [Figure 3] This is a schematic diagram of the apparatus according to claim 1, with the oven in its loading position and the switch in its activation configuration. [Figure 4] This flowchart shows the steps of the control logic according to the configuration in which the controller of the device in Figure 1 is set to activate the power supply to the oven. [Modes for carrying out the invention]

[0045] Before describing the present invention, it should be understood that the present invention is not limited to the structural details described below. Those skilled in the art who benefit from this disclosure will see that other embodiments of the present invention are possible and can be practiced or carried out in a variety of ways.

[0046] As used herein, the terms “aerosol generator” or “device” may include a vaping device for delivering aerosols to a user, including aerosols for vaping, using a heater element as described in more detail below. The device may be portable. “Portable” may refer to a device intended for use when held by a user. The device may be controlled by a trigger and adapted to generate a variable amount of aerosol by activating a heater element for varying durations, for example, as opposed to quantitative aerosol generation. The trigger may be user-activated, such as a vaping button and / or inhalation sensor. The inhalation sensor may enable the delivery of a variable amount of vapor in response not only to the strength of inhalation but also to the duration of inhalation (to mimic the effect of smoking conventional flammable smoking articles such as cigarettes, cigars, or pipes). The device may include a temperature control unit for driving the temperature of the heater and / or heated aerosol-generating material (aerosol precursor) to a specific target temperature and then maintaining that temperature at a target temperature at which aerosols can be efficiently generated.

[0047] As used herein, the term “aerosol” may include a suspension of vaporizable material, such as solid particles, droplets, or gases. The suspension may be in a gas, including air. As used herein, an aerosol generally refers to / may include vapor. An aerosol may include one or more components consisting of vaporizable material.

[0048] As used herein, the terms “vaporizable material” or “precursor” may refer to a smokeable material that may, for example, contain nicotine or tobacco and an aerosol-forming agent. Tobacco may take the form of various materials such as shredded tobacco, granular tobacco, tobacco leaves and / or reconstituted tobacco. Suitable aerosol-forming agents include polyols (sorbitol, glycerol, and glycols (such as propylene glycol or triethylene glycol)), non-polyols (such as monohydric alcohols), acids (such as lactic acid), glycerol derivatives, esters (such as triacetin), triethylene glycol diacetate, triethyl citrate, glycerin, or vegetable glycerin. In some embodiments, the aerosol-generating agent may be glycerol, propylene glycol, or a mixture of glycerol and propylene glycol. The substrate may also contain at least one of a gelling agent, a binder, a stabilizer, and a water-retaining agent.

[0049] Referring to Figure 1, the aerosol generator 10 comprises a mouthpiece 12, an oven 14, a switch 16, and a controller 18. Furthermore, the device includes, for example, an interface unit 20. The device 10 further comprises, for example, a main body 22. The aerosol generator 10 is configured to operate with a tobacco article 24, which will be shown in more detail later.

[0050] As can be seen from Figure 1, the aerosol generator 10 defines an airflow channel 26 that extends along the device axis X-X'. In the embodiment shown in Figure 1, the aerosol generator 10 extends along the device axis X-X'. For example, the main body 22 defines the device axis X-X'. The main body 22 comprises, for example, a battery (not shown) and various electronic components (not shown).

[0051] The mouthpiece 12 defines, for example, a portion of the airflow channel 26. In other words, the airflow channel 26 extends through the mouthpiece. The mouthpiece 12 specifically defines the end of the airflow channel 26, and the user of the aerosol generator 10 can inhale air guided through the airflow channel 26 by the mouthpiece 12. In some embodiments, a separate mouthpiece 12 is not provided in the device 10, and a portion of the tobacco article 24 forms the mouthpiece.

[0052] As can be seen in Figures 1 and 3, the oven extends along the oven axis O-O' between two ends 30 and 31. End 31 can be completely closed or can define an air inlet opening to the airflow channel 26. End 32 defines an opening 28 suitable for loading tobacco articles 24. In some embodiments, end 32 can also define an air inlet. In this case, the opposite end 31 can be completely closed.

[0053] The opening 28 extends, for example, perpendicular to the oven axis O-O'. The oven 14 is configured to receive tobacco articles 24 through the oven opening 28. That is, a user can insert tobacco articles 24 into the oven 14, or remove tobacco articles 24 from the oven 14 through the opening 28.

[0054] Referring to Figure 2, the tobacco article 24 is, for example, a flat rectangular parallelepiped with a flat shape extending along the article axis XT between the inlet end IN and the outlet end OU, and having external dimensions LxWxH. The consumable article 24 is adapted to guide airflow from the inlet end IN to the outlet end OU, as will be described in more detail below. In a typical example, the length L of the article 24 along the article axis XT is substantially equal to 25-35 mm, for example 33 mm, while the width W of the article 24 is 8-15 mm, for example 12 mm, and the height H is 0.8-2 mm, for example 1.2 mm. According to a different example, the values ​​L, W and H can be selected within, for example, a range of ±40%.

[0055] In the example in Figure 2, the consumable article 24 is wrapped in a common wrapper W. In other words, in this example, the wrapper W is formed from a unique sheet that substantially wraps the entire length of the consumable article 24 around the article axis XT. In other examples, the wrapper W extends along only a portion of the length of the consumable article 24. For example, the wrapper W can extend along only the tobacco substrate of the consumable article 24, and advantageously, can wrap only the tobacco substrate. According to another example, the wrapper W is formed from two different sheets that separately package, for example, the tobacco substrate and the support structure of the consumable article 24. The wrapper W is made of aluminum and / or paper. To prevent liquid absorption, the paper can be coated with an impermeable coating, such as cooking paper or backing paper. In some embodiments, when the wrapper W is made of aluminum, the wrapper W can package only the tobacco substrate to prevent condensation leakage and / or vapor leakage. Additionally, aluminum allows for better heat transfer.

[0056] As shown above, the shape of the tobacco article 24 is, for example, flat. In such a case, the oven 14 is configured to operate with tobacco articles of such flat shape. If the oven 14 is configured to accept tobacco articles 24 of flat shape, the oven has, for example, a flat shape. By a flat shape, it is understood that, for example, one of the dimensions of the oven is at least one-fifth of the other dimensions of the oven 14. If the oven 14 has a flat shape, the oven 14 defines an oven plane P, which is a plane along which the oven 14 is flat. The oven axis O-O' is preferably parallel to the oven plane P.

[0057] The oven 14 is configured to heat the tobacco article 24. Therefore, the oven 14 includes a resistance heating element 33, as shown, for example, in Figures 1 and 3. The oven 14 is configured to heat the tobacco article 24 received in the oven 14 at a temperature, specifically between 150°C and 350°C. At least some walls defining the boundaries of the oven 14 can heat the tobacco article 24 by conduction in direct contact with it, or by convection at least a short distance away. According to another embodiment, instead of the resistance heating element 33, the oven 14 includes a coil intended to extend around the tobacco article 24 when the tobacco article 24 is inserted into the oven. In this case, heating can be achieved by the magnetic interaction of the coil with a susceptor contained in the tobacco article 24.

[0058] As shown in Figures 1 and 3, the oven is rotatable, for example, relative to the main body 22. In particular, as shown in these figures, the oven 14 is rotatable between an operating position as shown in Figure 1 and a loading position as shown in Figure 3. The oven 14 is rotatable, in particular, with respect to the pivot axis P-P', i.e., around the pivot axis P-P'. The pivot axis P-P' is, for example, perpendicular to the device axis X-X' and the oven plane P.

[0059] As shown in Figure 1, when the oven 14 is in its operating position, the oven opening 28 is closed by the mouthpiece 12. When the oven is in its operating position, the oven 14 defines, for example, a portion of the airflow channel 26. In other words, the airflow channel 26 extends through the oven 14. The oven 14 defines, for example, a portion of the airflow channel 26 adjacent to a portion of the airflow channel 26 defined by the mouthpiece 12. For example, as shown in Figure 1, in its operating position, the oven axis O-O' coincides with the device axis X-X'.

[0060] As can be seen in Figure 1, when the oven is in its loading position, the oven opening is open for loading the tobacco articles 24. When the oven 14 is in its loading position, the end 30 of the oven 14 defining the opening 28 protrudes from the side wall 32 of the aerosol generator. As can be seen in Figures 1 and 3, the side wall 32 is, for example, the wall of the main body 22.

[0061] When the oven 14 is in its loading position, the oven axis O-O' preferably forms a non-zero angle A with the device axis X-X'. The angle A formed between the oven axis O-O' and the device axis X-X' is, for example, 10° to 170°, advantageously 10° to 90°, and preferably 20° to 80°.

[0062] Switch 16 defines the start configuration and the stop configuration. As shown in Figures 1 and 3, switch 16 is switchable between these configurations while the oven 14 is rotating, i.e., by the rotation of the oven. In the embodiments of Figures 1 and 3, switch 16 is switchable from its stop configuration to its start configuration by the rotation of the oven 14 from its operating position to its loading position. Switch 16 is in its stop configuration when the oven 14 is in its operating configuration, for example, and switch 16 is in its start configuration when the oven 14 is in its loading position.

[0063] As will be shown in more detail later, the controller 18 is configured to activate the power supply to the oven 14 according to control logic based on the configuration of the switch 16. In certain embodiments, the controller 18 is further configured to activate the power supply to the oven 14 according to control logic based on instructions received by the interface unit 20, i.e., the control logic is based on the configuration of the switch and instructions received by the interface unit 20.

[0064] Switch 16 is, for example, a mechanical switch. In particular, the switch is positioned to work in cooperation with the oven 14 to switch between its start configuration and stop configuration. In particular, in the examples of Figures 1 and 3, switch 16 is a push-button switch. Such a push-button is pressed by the oven 14, for example, when the oven is in its loading position, and such a button is released (i.e., not pressed), for example, when the oven is in its operating position.

[0065] In embodiments not shown, switch 16 is a hinged switch. An example of such a hinged switch is, for example, pressed in oven 14 when the oven is in its operating position, and such a hinged switch is, for example, released (i.e., not pressed) when the oven is in its loading position.

[0066] In embodiments not shown, switch 16 is a rotary switch. Such a rotary switch comprises at least one switching element, such as a “pogo switch”. The tip of such a “pogo switch” is biased toward an extended position, and such a “pogo switch” is activated when the tip of the switch makes contact with a conductive track to which the “pogo switch” is connected. Such a switch is in its deactivated configuration when the tip of the switch is away from the conductive track. In this embodiment, the conductive track is located on the surface of the oven 14 extending perpendicularly to the pivot axis P-P'. Rotation of the oven 14 around the pivot axis P-P' results in displacement of the tip of the switching element on the oven surface where the conductive track is located, and therefore results in activation / deactivation of switch 16 depending on whether the tip of the switching element is in contact with the conductive track.

[0067] The interface unit 20 includes, for example, buttons and / or touch-sensitive surfaces (not shown). The interface unit 20 is configured to, for example, transmit commands received by the user to the controller 18. Commands are, for example, commands to start or stop the oven 14. For example, pressing a button on the interface unit and / or tapping or touching the touch-sensitive surface in a predetermined pattern constitutes a command to start or stop the oven 14.

[0068] For example, the controller 18 includes an information processing unit having memory associated with, for example, a processor (not shown). In such a case, the controller is made, for example, in the form of software executable by the processor. In this case, the memory can store control logic based on the configuration of the switch 16, and, in a particular embodiment, control software configured to start the power supply to the oven 16 according to instructions received by the interface unit 20. In this case, the processor of the information processing unit is capable of executing the control software.

[0069] In variant forms (not shown), the controller may be made in the form of a programmable logic component such as an FPGA (Field Programmable Gate Array), or a dedicated integrated circuit such as an ASIC (Application-Specific Integrated Circuit), or any combination of ASIC, FPGA, and / or software.

[0070] In another variant (not shown), the controller 18 is implemented as an analog signal processing unit. If the controller is made in the form of one or more software programs, i.e., computer programs, it can further be stored in a computer-readable medium (not shown). A computer-readable medium is, for example, a medium suitable for storing electronic instructions and can be connected via a computer system bus. Examples of readable media include ROM memory, RAM memory, any type of non-volatile memory (e.g., EPROM, EEPROM, flash, NVRAM), magnetic cards, or optical cards. In this case, the computer program containing the software instructions is stored in the readable medium.

[0071] The control logic, following the configuration that the controller 18 is set to activate the power supply to the oven 14, will, if power is not yet supplied to the oven 14, Boot configuration from Stop configuration This includes activating the power supply to the oven 14 when switch 16 is switched. Activating the power supply to the oven 14 includes, for example, enabling power to be sent from the battery of the device 10 to the oven 14. The control logic further includes, for example, supplying power to the oven 14 until the vaping session time is complete. Furthermore, for example, the control logic also includes, Stop configuration from Boot configuration This further includes stopping the power supply to the oven 14 when switching to the other mode.

[0072] If the control logic is further based on instructions received by the user interface unit 20, these instructions may overrun the control logic defined by, for example, switching the switch 16, as will become clear later.

[0073] Here, an example of control logic is described in more detail with reference to Figure 4. In the first logic block 34, the controller 18, which executes the control logic, verifies whether the device 10 is supplying power to the oven 14, that is, whether the oven 14 is powered. If the oven 14 is not powered, the controller 18 executes the first secondary logic block 36. If the oven 14 is powered, the controller 18 executes the second secondary logic block 38.

[0074] In the first secondary logic block 36, the controller 18, which executes the control logic, verifies whether the switch 16 is in its startup configuration. If the switch 16 is in its startup configuration, the controller 18 executes the first action block 40. If the switch is not in its startup configuration, the controller 18 executes the first logic block 34.

[0075] In the first action block 40, the controller 18 verifies the configuration of the switch 16. When the switch 16 is switched from its on configuration to its off configuration, the controller controls the activation of the power supply to the oven 14 for the vaping session time. For example, the vaping session time consists of 2 to 15 minutes, for example, 4 to 7 minutes. The controller 18 then executes the first logic block 34 when the power supply to the oven 14 for the vaping session time is activated.

[0076] In the second secondary logic block 38, the controller 18, which executes the control logic, verifies whether the switch 16 is in its startup configuration. If the switch 16 is in its startup configuration, the controller 18 executes the second action block 42. If the switch is not in its startup configuration, the controller 18 executes the third action block 44.

[0077] In the second action block 42, the controller 18 controls the shutdown of the power supply to the oven 14. In other words, the controller 18 controls the termination of the session even if the vaping session time has not completely ended. The controller 18 then executes the first logic block 34 when the power supply to the oven 14 is shut off.

[0078] In the third action block 44, the controller 18 controls the vaping session time. Specifically, the controller 18 compares how long the oven 14 has been powered on during the vaping session. Then, the controller 18 executes the first logic block 34 while controlling the vaping session time. Furthermore, if the vaping session time has not ended, the controller powers on the oven 14. If the vaping session time has ended, the controller 18 shuts off the power supply to the oven 14.

[0079] As can be seen above, in embodiments not shown, the control logic is further based on instructions received, for example, by the user interface 20. For example, if the user interface unit 20 receives a corresponding instruction, the controller 18 controls the startup of the oven 14 for the duration of the vaping session, for example, as described above, even if the previous vaping session has ended. In some specific embodiments, when the controller 18 receives a relevant instruction from the user interface 20, it controls the startup of the oven 14 as long as the switch is in its stopped configuration, i.e., as long as the oven is in its operating position. For example, if the controller 18 receives a corresponding instruction from the user interface 20, it controls the shutdown of the oven 14, regardless of the configuration of the switch 16.

[0080] The operation method of the aerosol generator 10 described above is shown below. In the first step, the switch 16 is switched between an on configuration and a off configuration by the rotation of the oven 14. In the second step, the power supply to the oven 14 is controlled according to the control logic based on the configuration of the switch 16.

Claims

1. An aerosol generator (10) configured to operate with a flat-shaped tobacco article (24) and defining an airflow channel (26) extending along the device axis (X-X'), The aerosol generator (10) is Mouthpiece (12) and An oven (14) extending along the oven axis (O-O') and configured to receive the tobacco article (24) through the oven opening (28) and heat the tobacco article (24), and Equipped with, The oven (14) has a flat shape that extends in the oven plane (P), The oven (14) is rotatable between an operating position in which the oven opening (28) is closed by the mouthpiece (12) and a loading position in which the oven (14) is opened for loading tobacco articles (24). The aerosol generator (10) is A switch (16) defines a start configuration and a stop configuration, and is switchable between these configurations by the rotation of the oven (14), A controller (18) configured to start the power supply to the oven (14) according to the control logic based on the configuration of the switch (16) and Furthermore, Aerosol generator (10).

2. At the loading position, the end of the oven (30) that defines the oven opening (28) protrudes from the side wall (32) of the aerosol generator (10). The aerosol generating apparatus (10) according to claim 1.

3. In the aforementioned operating position, the oven axis (O-O') coincides with the device axis (X-X'), At the loading position, the oven axis (O-O') forms an angle (A) other than zero with the device axis (X-X'). The aerosol generator (10) according to claim 1 or 2.

4. At the loading position, the angle (A) formed between the oven axis (O-O') and the device axis (X-X') is set to 10° to 170°, preferably 10° to 90°, and more preferably 20° to 80°. The aerosol generating apparatus (10) according to claim 3.

5. The oven (14) is rotatable with respect to a pivot axis (P-P') perpendicular to the device axis (X-X') and the oven plane (P). The aerosol generator (10) according to claim 1 or 2.

6. In the operating position, the airflow channel (26) extends through the oven (14). The aerosol generator (10) according to claim 1 or 2.

7. The aforementioned switch (16) When the oven (14) is in the loading position, it is in the startup configuration. When the oven (14) is in the operating position, it is in the stopped configuration. The aerosol generator (10) according to claim 1 or 2.

8. The control logic includes starting the power supply to the oven (14) when the switch (16) is switched from the start configuration to the stop configuration, when the oven (14) is not yet supplied with power. The aerosol generating apparatus (10) according to claim 7.

9. The control logic further includes supplying power to the oven (14) until the vaping session time is completed. The aerosol generating apparatus (10) according to claim 8.

10. The control logic further includes stopping the power supply to the oven (14) when the switch (16) is switched from the stopped configuration to the started configuration. The aerosol generating apparatus (10) according to claim 8.

11. The aerosol generator (10) further comprises a user interface unit (20), The control logic further depends on the instructions received by the user interface unit (20). The aerosol generator (10) according to claim 1 or 2.

12. A method for operating an aerosol generator (10) according to any one of claims 1 or 2, The rotation of the oven (14) switches the switch (16) between the start configuration and the stop configuration. The steps include controlling the power supply to the oven (14) according to the control logic based on the configuration of the switch (16), and Methods that include...

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