Method for controlling a heating system for an aerosol generating assembly and related aerosol generating assembly

Abstract

The present invention relates to a method for controlling a heating system for an aerosol generating assembly comprising a vaporizable material, the method comprising: a pre-heating stage comprising controlling a temperature of a susceptor based on at least one vaporizable material characteristic specific to the vaporizable material, or at least one device characteristic specific to the aerosol generating assembly, or an ambient characteristic specific to the ambient area, and a heating stage comprising controlling a temperature of the susceptor based on temperature measurements provided by a heating temperature sensor and a predefined offset.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present invention relates to a method for controlling a heating system for an aerosol generating assembly.

[0002] The present invention also relates to an aerosol generating assembly related to such a method for controlling a heating system. The aerosol generating assembly can include, for example, an aerosol generating device and a cartridge.

Background Art

[0003] Different types of aerosol generating devices are already known in the art. Generally, such devices comprise a storage part for storing a vaporizable material which can contain, for example, a liquid or a solid. The heating system is formed from one or more electrically operated resistive heating elements arranged to heat the vaporizable material to generate an aerosol. The aerosol is discharged into a flow path extending between an inlet and an outlet of the device. The outlet can be arranged as a mouthpiece for the user to inhale in order to deliver the aerosol.

[0004] In some aerosol generating devices, the vaporizable material is stored in a detachable cartridge. Thus, when the vaporizable material is consumed, the cartridge can be easily removed and replaced. For attaching the detachable cartridge to the device body, for example, a screw connection can be used.

[0005] Vaporizable materials can be heated in such devices using different types of heating systems. For example, in the case of a liquid vaporizable material, the heating system may be formed by a resistor wound around a core that is placed in a flow path and communicates with the liquid vaporizable material. Thus, the vaporizable material supported by the wick can be evaporated by the resistor placed in the flow path. According to another embodiment, the heating system comprises a heating plate in direct contact with the vaporizable material, which may be, for example, a solid vaporizable material. Thus, the plate can heat the vaporizable material to form vapor.

[0006] According to another embodiment of the heating system, a vaporizable material can be heated by a susceptor element positioned in contact with the vaporizable material. This susceptor element is magnetically coupled to a coil connected to the device's battery, and thus the vaporizable material can be heated by induction heating. The source of the generated heat is a magnetic hysteresis loss and / or eddy current loss mechanism. In this case, the coil is connected to the battery via a self-oscillating circuit that enables the generation of an alternating current on the coil. A controller is typically provided to control this current and, consequently, the temperature of the vaporizable material. This last type of heating system is commonly used with solid vaporizable materials, and aerosol generating devices incorporating such systems are known as "heating non-combustion" devices. In fact, these heating systems must be able to heat the vaporizable material without combustion. In addition, to provide a better user experience, the vaporizable material can be heated according to a predetermined heating profile.

[0007] Therefore, precise temperature control can be considered important for aerosol generating devices. In this art, some heating systems incorporating self-oscillating circuits cannot provide such control. Vaporizable materials may be heated, for example, very slowly or, conversely, very quickly. This can cause the vaporizable material to burn and / or provide an unsatisfactory user experience. Other heating systems may exhibit complex structures that increase the cost of the device and affect its design. [Overview of the project] [Problems that the invention aims to solve]

[0008] One of the objectives of the present invention is to provide a method for controlling a heating system for an aerosol generating assembly that can perform precise temperature control of a vaporized material without increasing costs or affecting the design of the aerosol generating device. [Means for solving the problem]

[0009] For this purpose, the present invention relates to a method for controlling a heating system for an aerosol generating assembly, the aerosol generating assembly comprising a storage section for storing a vaporizable material, and the heating system comprising a susceptor located within the storage section and a heating temperature sensor located adjacent to or inside the storage section and configured to measure the temperature of the vaporizable material.

[0010] The method is, - A preheating step including controlling the temperature of the susceptor based on at least one vaporizing material property inherent to the vaporizing material, or at least one device property inherent to the aerosol generation assembly, or ambient properties inherent to the surrounding region, - A heating step which includes controlling the temperature of a susceptor based on a temperature measurement provided by a heating temperature sensor and a predetermined offset of the temperature measurement.

[0011] Because the susceptor is located inside the storage compartment, its temperature control is extremely difficult as it cannot be accessed from the outside. Therefore, in most cases, the temperature sensor can be positioned adjacent to the storage compartment and configured to measure the temperature of the vaporizing material rather than the susceptor temperature. However, it has been observed that once the vaporizing material is sufficiently heated, its temperature differs from the susceptor temperature by an experimentally identifiable offset. Therefore, it is possible to perform a heating phase in which the susceptor temperature is controlled with extreme precision based on the temperature measurement and offset provided by the temperature sensor. It has also been observed that during the preheating phase, the susceptor temperature can be significantly different from the vaporizing material temperature and may behave differently. For this purpose, the method according to the present invention proposes a preheating phase in which susceptor temperature control is performed independently of the vaporizing material temperature. In this case, it is possible to control the susceptor temperature based on at least one other parameter, such as vaporizing material properties inherent to the vaporizing material, device properties inherent to the aerosol generation assembly, or ambient properties inherent to the surrounding region. Therefore, both the preheating and heating stages can be performed by modeling a susceptor temperature, which can be used for extremely precise control of the vaporized material temperature.

[0012] According to the present invention, the above-mentioned or each vaporized material property is, - Vaporizing material composition, - Consistency in the manufacture of volatile materials, - The size of at least one vaporized material component, - Concentration of at least one vaporized material component, This corresponds to the element selected in the group that includes it.

[0013] These characteristics allow the susceptor temperature during the preheating phase to be determined according to the properties of the vaporizable material provided in the storage unit. In particular, it is possible to define one or more relationships between the susceptor temperature and the aforementioned properties of the vaporizable material. These relationships can be determined experimentally and, for example, programmed in the aerosol generation assembly according to the properties of the vaporizable material. In addition, these relationships can be easily adapted when the vaporizable material is changed.

[0014] According to the present invention, the above or each device characteristic is, - Storage section design, - Susceptor design, - Susceptor material, - Susceptor arrangement within the storage section, - Deterioration of at least one electrical component of the aerosol generating assembly over time, This corresponds to the element selected in the group that includes it.

[0015] These characteristics allow the susceptor temperature during the preheating phase to be determined according to at least one of the aforementioned characteristics of the device.

[0016] According to some embodiments, the ambient characteristics correspond to the ambient temperature measured by the aerosol generating assembly, or the temperature in the immediate vicinity of the aerosol generating assembly.

[0017] These features allow ambient characteristics to be dynamically determined during the preheating phase, for example, using a temperature sensor placed on the housing of the aerosol generation assembly.

[0018] According to some embodiments, the preheating step includes controlling the temperature of the susceptor based on at least one vaporizing material property and at least one device property.

[0019] These features may make the control of the susceptor temperature more accurate. This control can be carried out, for example, using a predetermined relationship that uses the characteristics of the vaporizable material and the device characteristics. This relationship can include, for example, weighting parameters for the characteristics that can be determined experimentally.

[0020] According to some embodiments, the temperature of the susceptor is further controlled based on ambient characteristics during the preheating stage.

[0021] These features can make the control of the susceptor temperature even more accurate. For example, a predetermined relationship corresponding to each of the types of characteristics can be used. Regarding the vaporizable material characteristics and the device characteristics, the ambient characteristics can be included in the relationship with the weighting parameters determined experimentally.

[0022] According to some embodiments, the preheating stage is carried out during a predetermined time interval after the start of the aerosol generation assembly.

[0023] According to some embodiments, the predetermined time interval is less than about 10 seconds, preferably less than about 5 seconds, more preferably included between 2 and 4 seconds, and advantageously approximately equal to 2 seconds.

[0024] These features make it possible to identify the moment when the heating stage should be started.

[0025] According to some embodiments, a predetermined offset presents a constant value over time.

[0026] These features allow the same value of the predetermined offset to be used throughout the heating stage.

[0027] According to some embodiments, the temperature of the susceptor is controlled according to a predetermined preheating temperature profile during the preheating stage and according to a predetermined heating temperature profile during the heating stage.

[0028] According to some embodiments, the temperature of the susceptor is controlled according to a corresponding temperature profile by controlling the heat generated on the susceptor.

[0029] These features allow for optimal control of the temperature of the vaporized material to ensure an ideal user experience. Furthermore, the profile can be customized by the user according to their own preferences.

[0030] According to some embodiments, the control step includes controlling the vaporizable material by comparing a temperature measurement provided by a heating temperature sensor with a predetermined behavioral profile.

[0031] According to some embodiments, the control step further includes stopping the operation of the aerosol generating assembly if the temperature measurement does not match a predetermined behavior profile.

[0032] These features allow the user to control the properties of the vaporized material used. For example, in the case of an unauthorized or counterfeit vaporized material, its behavioral profile may differ from a predetermined profile stored in the assembly or remotely accessible, for example, on a server. In this case, the operation of the aerosol generating device can be prevented. The features described above are advantageous when the vaporized material is stored in a removable cartridge. In this case, for example, it is possible to prevent the same cartridge from being used after a predetermined number of uses, or to prevent the use of counterfeit or modified cartridges.

[0033] The present invention also relates to an aerosol generating assembly comprising a storage unit for storing a vaporizable material and a heating system controlled by the method defined above.

[0034] The present invention and its advantages are given only as non-limiting examples and will be better understood by reading the following description, which is based on reference to the accompanying drawings. [Brief explanation of the drawing]

[0035] [Figure 1] This is a schematic diagram showing an aerosol generation assembly according to the present invention, which includes a heating system. [Figure 2] Figure 1 is a schematic diagram showing the heating system. [Figure 3] Figure 1 is a detailed diagram illustrating an example of the heating system's configuration. [Figure 4] Figure 2 is a schematic diagram illustrating a method for controlling the heating system. [Modes for carrying out the invention]

[0036] Before describing the present invention, it should be understood that the present invention is not limited to the structural details described below. It will be apparent to those skilled in the art who benefit from this disclosure that other embodiments are possible and that the invention can be implemented or carried out in various ways.

[0037] As used herein, the terms “aerosol generating device” or “device” may include a vapor inhalation device for delivering an aerosol containing an aerosol for vapor inhalation to a user by an aerosol generating unit (e.g., an aerosol generating element that generates vapor that condenses into an aerosol before being delivered to the device outlet, e.g., in a mouthpiece, for the user to inhale). The device may be portable. “Portable” may mean a device used when held by a user. The device may be adapted to generate a variable amount of aerosol (as opposed to a fixed amount of aerosol) by activating a heater system for a variable amount of time, which may be controlled by a trigger. The trigger may be user-operable, such as a vapor inhalation button and / or an inhalation sensor. The inhalation sensor may be highly sensitive to inhalation intensity and duration, and may enable the provision of a variable amount of vapor (to mimic the smoking effect of conventional flammable smoking articles such as cigarettes, cigars, or pipes). The device may include a temperature control unit for driving the heater and / or heated aerosol-generating material (aerosol precursor) to a specific target temperature, and then maintaining the temperature at the target temperature to enable efficient aerosol generation.

[0038] As used herein, the term "aerosol" may include a suspension of a vaporizable material as one or more solid particles, droplets, or gases. The suspension may be in a gaseous state, including air. In general, an aerosol as used herein refers to or may include vapor. An aerosol may contain one or more components of a vaporizable material.

[0039] As used herein, the terms “vaporizable material” or “precursor” or “aerosol-forming substance” or “substance” are used to specify any material that can vaporize in air to form an aerosol. Vaporization is generally achieved by raising the temperature of the vaporizable material to the boiling point, such as a temperature of less than 400°C, preferably up to 350°C. The vaporizable material may include, or consist of, an aerosol-generating solid, which may be in the form of a rod, such as an aerosol-generating liquid, gel, wax, foam, etc., and may include processed tobacco material, a compressed sheet or oriented strip of reconstituted tobacco (RTB), or any combination thereof. The vaporizable material may contain nicotine, caffeine, or one or more other active ingredients. The active ingredients may be carried by a carrier, which may be liquid. The carrier may contain propylene glycol or glycerin. Flavors may be present. Flavors may include ethyl vanillin (vanilla), menthol, isoamyl acetate (banana oil), or similar substances.

[0040] Referring to Figure 1, the aerosol generating assembly 10 according to the present invention comprises an aerosol generating device 12 and a cartridge 14 configured to store a vaporizable material. In this embodiment of Figure 1, the cartridge 14 is a removable cartridge that can be inserted into the payload compartment of the aerosol generating device 12, as will be described in detail below. In this case, the cartridge 14 can be replaced or refilled, for example, when the vaporizable material is depleted. According to another embodiment (not shown), the cartridge may be formed by the payload compartment of the aerosol generating device. Thus, when the vaporizable material is depleted, the cartridge can be refilled.

[0041] As shown in Figure 1, the aerosol generating device 12 includes a device housing 21 that extends along the device axis X between the battery end 22 and the mouthpiece end 24.

[0042] The device housing 21 defines the interior of the aerosol generating device 12, which includes a power block 32 designed to supply power to the device 12, at least a portion of a heating system 34 powered by the power block 32, and a controller 36. The device housing 21 also defines a payload compartment 38 which may be located inside the device 12 and / or at least partially defined by at least one wall of the device housing 21. In addition, in the embodiment of Figure 1, at the mouthpiece end 24, the device housing 21 defines a mouthpiece 40. The mouthpiece 40 is in fluid communication with the payload compartment 38 and defines an air outlet configured to deliver aerosol to the user when the aerosol generating device 12 operates with the cartridge 14. According to another embodiment, the mouthpiece 40 can be integrated with the cartridge 14. The device housing 21 may further include other internal components that perform different functions of the device 12 known in the art.

[0043] In some embodiments, the device housing 21 further includes an ambient temperature sensor 39 configured to measure the ambient temperature in its vicinity, for example, the temperature inside the device housing 21, or the temperature on the outer surface of the device housing 21, or the temperature in the immediate vicinity of the aerosol generating assembly 10. In the embodiment shown in Figure 1, the ambient temperature sensor 39 is located at the battery end 22 of the device housing 21. In some other embodiments, the device housing 21 includes several ambient temperature sensors located at different locations on the housing 21.

[0044] It should be noted that Figure 1 only shows schematic diagrams of the different components of the aerosol generating device 12 and does not necessarily show the actual physical arrangement and dimensions of these components. In particular, such arrangements can be selected according to the design of the aerosol generating device 12 and the technical characteristics of its components.

[0045] The power block 32 includes a battery 32B (shown in Figure 2) and a battery charger. Battery 32B is a known battery that is charged using a power source supplied by an external source, for example, and is designed to supply a DC current of a predetermined voltage. Battery 32B has, for example, a positive voltage terminal V + The first battery terminal is, for example, the negative voltage terminal V - A second battery terminal is defined. The battery charger is capable of connecting the battery to an external power source and for this purpose is equipped with a power connector (such as a mini-USB connector) or a wireless charging connector. The battery charger is also capable of controlling the power supplied to the battery from the external power source, for example, according to a predetermined charging profile. Such a charging profile can, for example, define the charging voltage of the battery according to its charge level.

[0046] The controller 36 can control the operation of the aerosol generating device 12. In particular, the controller 36 is configured to supply power from the power block 32 to the heating system 34 to generate vapor from the vaporizable material, according to a method for controlling the heating system which will be described in more detail below. The controller 36 can be activated by the user via a vaping button, or further, in response to an event trigger, such as the detection of a user's puff. The controller 36 may perform any other additional functions of the device 12 that are known by themselves. Such functions may relate, for example, to the device 12's ability to communicate with external devices, maintenance capabilities, analytical capabilities, etc.

[0047] The payload compartment 38 defines a cavity designed to receive a cartridge 14. In a preferred embodiment of the present invention, the cavity is cylindrical. In the embodiment shown in Figure 1, the payload compartment 38 extends along the device axis X between a pair of parallel walls 41, 42 of the device housing 21. In the same embodiment, the payload compartment 38 is further defined by at least one side wall 43 extending between the parallel walls 41, 42 along the device axis X. In this case, the payload compartment 38 may further define an opening used for inserting the cartridge 14 into the payload compartment 38. The opening may extend, for example, perpendicular to the device axis X and is formed when a detachable portion of the device housing 21 moves away from the fixed portion of the device housing 21, particularly the payload compartment 38. The detachable portion may comprise, for example, a mouthpiece 24 and a wall 42. The detachable portion may be hinged or screwed to the fixed portion. In embodiments where the mouthpiece 40 is integrated with the cartridge 14, the opening to the payload compartment 38 may extend perpendicular to the device axis X at, for example, the mouthpiece end 24 of the device 10. In this case, the cartridge 14 can be inserted into the payload compartment 38 along the device axis X. In embodiments where the cartridge 14 is formed by the payload compartment 38, the opening of the payload compartment 38 can be used to refill the vaporizable material.

[0048] Each of the parallel walls 41 and 42 is, for example, perpendicular to the device axis X. Wall 41 is adjacent to the battery end 22 and defines a hole suitable for the airflow channel between the airflow channel formed inside the device housing 21 and the cartridge 14. Wall 42 is adjacent to the mouthpiece end 24 and defines a hole suitable for the airflow channel between the cartridge 14 and the airflow outlet of the mouthpiece 40.

[0049] As shown in Figure 1, the cartridge 14 comprises a cartridge housing 51 and a portion of a heating system 34 not provided in the aerosol generating device 12, as will be described in more detail below. The cartridge housing 51 extends along the cartridge axis Y between the device end and the mouthpiece end, and at these ends, defines two parallel walls 61, 62 perpendicular to the cartridge axis Y and at least one side wall 63 extending along the cartridge axis Y between the parallel walls 61, 62. In a preferred embodiment of the present invention, the cartridge housing 51 has a cylindrical shape. In this case, the parallel walls 61, 62 may have a circular shape. The walls 61, 62, 63 of the cartridge housing 51 are made from a dielectric material such as a plastic material, for example. Advantageously, according to the present invention, the walls 61, 62, 63 can form a single part produced by a suitable industrial process. The walls 61, 62, 63 of the cartridge housing 51 define a storage section 66 configured to store an aerosol-forming precursor.

[0050] In the embodiment shown in Figure 1, when the cartridge 14 is received into the payload compartment 38 of the aerosol generating device 12, the cartridge axis Y coincides with the device axis X, and the parallel walls 61 and 62 of the cartridge housing 51 abut against the parallel walls 41 and 42 of the payload compartment 38. In particular, in this case, wall 61 abuts against wall 41 and defines an air inlet facing the corresponding hole in wall 41, allowing airflow to enter the cartridge 14. Similarly, wall 62 abuts against wall 42 and defines an air outlet facing the corresponding hole in wall 42, allowing airflow to be discharged from the cartridge 14.

[0051] Figure 2 shows the heating system 34 in more detail. Referring to Figure 2, the heating system 34 comprises a coil 72 located near the storage section 66 when the cartridge 14 is received in the payload compartment 38, a susceptor 74 located within the storage section 66, an oscillator circuit 76 configured to generate an AC current on the coil 72 from a DC current supplied by the battery 32B, and a heating temperature sensor 78 configured to measure the temperature of the vaporizable material.

[0052] The coil 72 and the susceptor 74 are arranged such that the susceptor 74 can further heat the vaporizable material due to magnetic interaction with the coil 72. A specific embodiment of such arrangement is shown in Figure 3.

[0053] Referring to Figure 3, the coil 72, which can also be seen on the dashed line in Figure 1, is intended to be positioned around the storage portion 66 of the cartridge 14 along the cartridge axis Y when the cartridge 14 is received in the payload compartment 38. In particular, in the embodiments of Figures 1 and 3, the coil 72 is intended to extend around the side wall 63 of the cartridge housing 51, preferably along the entire length of the side wall 63. For this purpose, the coil 72 is integrated with the side wall 43 of the payload compartment 38 or protrudes from this side wall 43 and extends around the payload compartment 38 along the device axis X. Thus, when the coil 72 is integrated with the device 12 and the cartridge 14 is received in the payload compartment 38, the coil 72 extends around the side wall 63 of the cartridge housing 51, and as a result extends around the storage portion 66 of the cartridge 14.

[0054] The susceptor 74 is positioned within the storage section 66 of the cartridge 14, preferably along the cartridge axis Y. The susceptor 74 is made from a conductive material, such as a metallic material like aluminum or an aluminum alloy, or a ferromagnetic material like mild steel. The shape and dimensions of the susceptor 74 are selected to optimize magnetic coupling with the coil 72 and thus energy transfer efficiency. The shape and dimensions of the susceptor 74 are also selected according to the type of cartridge. According to the embodiment in Figure 3, the susceptor 74 has a parallelepiped shape extending along the cartridge axis Y. According to another embodiment, the susceptor 74 has a slender tubular shape also extending along the cartridge axis Y. For example, the tubular shape can range from 30 μm to 150 μm and define a wall thickness equal to, for example, approximately 50 μm. A larger wall thickness can be selected to simplify the manufacturing process. According to both embodiments, the length of the susceptor 74 can be selected between 5 mm and 13 mm, preferably between 7 mm and 11 mm. In general, the shape of the susceptor 74 is selected to better concentrate the electromagnetic field generated by the coil 72. For example, if the coil 72 has a round shape where the strength of the magnetic field is lowest at the geometric center, the shape of the susceptor 74 is selected to be closer to the windings of the coil 72. According to some embodiments, the susceptor 74 can be made from several distinct elements having substantially the same shape and dimensions or different shapes and / or dimensions.

[0055] The heating temperature sensor 78 is positioned to measure the temperature of the vaporizable material. For example, as shown in Figure 3, the heating temperature sensor 78 may be adjacent to at least one wall of the cartridge housing 51, for example, one of the parallel walls 61, 62. According to another embodiment, the heating temperature sensor 78 may form at least partially such a wall. According to yet another embodiment, the heating temperature sensor 78 is positioned inside the storage section 66. According to a preferred embodiment of the present invention, the heating temperature sensor 78 is positioned in contact with the vaporizable material. The heating temperature sensor 78 may correspond to any known sensor, such as a "PT100" sensor.

[0056] A method for controlling the heating system 34, also called a control method, will be described here with particular reference to Figure 4. As described above, this method is performed, for example, by a controller 36. According to the present invention, the control method includes a preheating step intended to preheat a vaporizable material and a heating step intended to heat the vaporizable material to generate an aerosol.

[0057] The preheating phase is further initiated by the controller 36 to detect a trigger event, such as the user activating the vaping button or detecting a user puff. During this phase, the controller 36 supplies power to the heating system 34 to produce a predetermined preheating temperature profile on the susceptor 74. This predetermined preheating temperature profile is determined experimentally, for example, to ensure an optimal user experience. According to another embodiment, the predetermined preheating temperature profile is selected by the user according to their own preferences.

[0058] To generate a predetermined preheating profile on the susceptor 74, the controller 36 can control the operation of the heating system 34 by controlling the operation of an oscillator circuit 76 that supplies power to a coil 72. The coil 72 induces a current on the susceptor 74 that is converted into heat. During the preheating phase, the control of the heating system 34 performed by the controller 36 is based on at least one vaporizing material property inherent to the vaporizing material, or at least one device property inherent to the aerosol generation assembly 10, or an ambient property inherent to the surrounding area. Thus, during the preheating phase, the heating system 34 is controlled using at least one external property, which means that it is controlled according to open-loop control. In some embodiments, the controller 36 can control the operation of the heating system 34 using at least two different types of the aforementioned properties. In some embodiments, the operation of the heating system 34 is performed using all types of the aforementioned properties. For example, the controller 36 may control the operation of the heating system 34 based on at least one vaporizing material property and at least one device property. In addition, this control can be further based on ambient properties.

[0059] In particular, in some cases, the controller 36 can control the power supply to the heating system 34 based on at least one of the characteristics. For this purpose, the controller 36 can use, for example, a predetermined relationship between at least one of the characteristics and the power supplied to the heating system 34 from the battery 32B. Such a relationship is expressed by the following equation P=F(c) It can be expressed as follows, where P is the power supplied to the heating system 34 and c is at least one of the aforementioned characteristics. As mentioned above, the function F may be determined by several different kinds of characteristics. Furthermore, it may also be determined by several values ​​of the same characteristic that change over time, for example. The function F may also be determined by time. For example, in the first second of the preheating phase, 100% of the available power may be supplied to the heating system 34. In the next second, the power may be reduced to 80%, and in the next second, to 50%. In one modified example, the predetermined relationship between at least one of the aforementioned characteristics and the power supplied to the heating system 34 can be represented, for example, in the form of a lookup table based on experimental data.

[0060] According to the present invention, each vaporizing material property corresponds to an element selected from the group including the following.

[0061] - Vaporizing material composition, - Consistency in the manufacture of volatile materials, - The size of at least one vaporized material component, - The concentration of at least one vaporized material component.

[0062] Therefore, the properties of each vaporizing material can be identified according to the properties of the vaporizing material contained in the cartridge 14. These properties are provided, for example, by the manufacturer and can be stored by the controller 36. Thus, when a new cartridge 14 is detected, the controller 36 identifies, for example, the properties of the vaporizing material and, according to these properties, identifies the properties of at least one vaporizing material. For this purpose, the cartridge 14 may be equipped with memory such as an NFC tag that can transmit data regarding the properties of the vaporizing material to the controller 36. Alternatively, the properties of the vaporizing material can be provided by the user, for example, using a suitable user interface incorporated into the aerosol generation assembly 10 or an external device that communicates with the controller 36. According to yet another embodiment, when a new cartridge 14 is detected, the controller 36 directly identifies the properties of at least one vaporizing material from the data provided by the cartridge 14. Alternatively, these properties can be provided by the user.

[0063] According to the present invention, each device characteristic corresponds to an element selected from the group including the following:

[0064] - For example, the design of the storage section, such as the shape and dimensions of the storage section 66, - For example, susceptor design such as the shape, form (whether it is a unique part or not), and dimensions of the susceptor. - Susceptor material, - Susceptor arrangement within the storage section, - Deterioration of at least one electrical component of the aerosol generating assembly over time.

[0065] The last element may relate to the aging degradation of, for example, the susceptor 74, coil 72, and / or battery 32B, and can be stored and changed over time by the controller 36.

[0066] The ambient characteristics can correspond to the ambient temperature measured by the ambient temperature sensor 39 or the temperature in the immediate vicinity of the aerosol generating assembly 10. In a modified example, the ambient characteristics can correspond to the average temperature of several temperature values ​​identified by different temperature sensors placed at different locations on the aerosol generating assembly 10.

[0067] In one embodiment of the present invention, the duration of the preheating phase is fixed at a predetermined time interval. This duration is, for example, less than about 10 seconds, preferably less than about 5 seconds, more preferably between 2 and 4 seconds, and advantageously may be approximately equal to 2 or 3 seconds. In this case, the controller 36 detects the end of the predetermined time interval and starts the heating phase. According to another embodiment of the present invention, the duration of the preheating phase is dynamically determined by the controller 36 based on, for example, at least one of the characteristics described above. For example, the duration of the preheating phase may be determined as a function of ambient temperature. In this case, the controller 36 first determines the duration of the preheating phase, then completes the preheating phase, and starts the heating phase according to this duration. Advantageously, in both cases, at the end of the preheating phase, the vaporizable material may be heated to a steady temperature, for example, a temperature that causes aerosol generation.

[0068] During the heating phase, such as during the preheating phase, the controller 36 supplies power to the heating system 34 to produce a predetermined heating temperature profile on the susceptor 74. This predetermined heating temperature profile is, for example, experimentally determined to ensure an optimal user experience. According to another embodiment, the predetermined heating temperature profile is selected by the user according to their own preferences. The predetermined heating temperature profile may be selected, for example, to maintain the same susceptor 74 temperature throughout all vaping sessions.

[0069] To produce a predetermined heating temperature profile on the susceptor 74, the controller 36 can control the operation of the heating system 34 by controlling the operation of the oscillation circuit 76, particularly the power supply to the coil 72, as in the preheating phase. However, during the heating phase, the controller 36 controls the operation of the heating system 34 based on temperature measurements provided by the heating temperature sensor 78 and a predetermined offset. This type of control is called closed-loop control because it does not use any external characteristics other than temperature measurements. In some embodiments, temperature measurements can be emitted from several heating temperature sensors located near and / or inside the storage unit 66.

[0070] The predetermined offset corresponds to the difference between the temperature of the susceptor 74 and the temperature measured by the heating temperature sensor 78, i.e., the temperature measurement of the vaporizable material. The offset may present a constant value over time. According to another embodiment, the offset can change over time, for example, according to a predetermined law. In either case, the offset can be determined experimentally. In some embodiments, the offset can be a function of at least one of the properties described above. In particular, the offset can be determined as a function of at least one vaporizable material property inherent to the vaporizable material and / or at least one device property inherent to the aerosol generation assembly 10 and / or ambient property inherent to the surrounding area. For example, the offset can be determined depending on the storage unit and / or susceptor design. In particular, in some embodiments, the offset can be proportional to the distance between the susceptor 74 and the temperature sensor 78.

[0071] As in the previous case, the controller 36 can control the power supply to the heating system 34 to control the susceptor temperature, for example, by using a predetermined relationship between the temperature measurement and the offset on the one hand, and by using the power supplied to the heating system 34 from the battery 32B on the other hand. Such a relationship is given by the following equation P=f(T k ,O) It can be expressed as follows, where P is the power supplied to the heating system 34, and T k is the temperature measurement at time k, and O is a predetermined offset, which, as described above, may be determined by one or more characteristics.

[0072] Figure 4 shows different temperature measurements during the preheating stage PHP and heating stage HP of the control method according to the present invention. In Figure 4, curve L1 corresponds to temperature measurements in the ambient area away from the aerosol generation assembly 10, curve L2 corresponds to temperature measurements taken on the surface of the aerosol generation assembly 10 using, for example, an ambient temperature sensor 39, curve L3 corresponds to temperature measurements of the vaporizable material taken, for example, by a heating temperature sensor 78, and curve L4 corresponds to temperature measurements of the susceptor 74. It can be seen that curve L1 remains substantially constant throughout all vaping sessions, and curve L2 shows a slight temperature increase after the preheating stage. With respect to curves L3 and L4, their behavior can be seen to be quite different during the preheating stage PHP. In particular, the susceptor temperature rises significantly during the preheating stage PHP compared to the vaporizable material temperature. Their maximum difference D can be several times larger than the offset during the heating stage HP. However, as described above, the susceptor temperature can be modeled using one or more of the characteristics described above. In contrast, during the heating phase (HP), the difference between the susceptor temperature and the evaporable material temperature is more regular and can be modeled by an offset.

[0073] According to a particular embodiment of the present invention, the control method further includes a control step performed, for example, during the preheating stage. In particular, during this control step, the controller 36 acquires temperature measurements of the vaporizable material provided, for example, by a heating temperature sensor 78, and compares these measurements with a predetermined behavior profile of the vaporizable material. The behavior profile may, for example, be stored by the controller 36 and / or be remotely accessible, for example, on a server. Such a behavior profile may correspond to the normal behavior of a known temperature rise of the vaporizable material during the preheating stage. If the measurements do not match the predetermined behavior profile, the controller 56 may stop the operation of the heating system 34 and / or issue a corresponding signal to the user. In this case, the vaporizable material used by the user is not considered to correspond to the vaporizable material intended to be used with the aerosol generating assembly 10. This may occur, for example, if the vaporizable material (or cartridge 14) is counterfeit, or if the user attempts to use the vaporizable material (or cartridge 14) for the second time. In this case, the controller 36 can resume normal operation of the heating system 34, for example, when the user replaces the cartridge 14 with a new one containing a known vaporizing material or a vaporizing material permitted for use by the user.

Claims

1. A method for controlling a heating system (34) for an aerosol generating assembly (10), wherein the aerosol generating assembly (10) comprises a storage section (66) for storing a vaporizable material, and the heating system (34) comprises a susceptor (74) disposed within the storage section (66), and a heating temperature sensor (78) disposed adjacent to or inside the storage section (66) and configured to measure the temperature of the vaporizable material. The aforementioned method, - A preheating step including controlling the temperature of the susceptor (74) based on at least one vaporization material property inherent to the vaporization material, or at least one device property inherent to the aerosol generation assembly (10), or ambient properties inherent to the surrounding region, - A heating step which includes controlling the temperature of the susceptor (74) based on a temperature measurement provided by the heating temperature sensor (78) and a predetermined offset of the temperature measurement, method.

2. The aforementioned at least one vaporizing material property is, - Vaporizing material composition, - Consistency in the manufacture of volatile materials, - The size of at least one vaporized material component, - Concentration of at least one vaporized material component, The method according to claim 1, corresponding to an element selected in the group including the group.

3. The aforementioned at least one device characteristic is, - Storage section (66) design, - Suscepter (74) design, - Susceptor (74) material, - Arrangement of susceptors (74) within the storage section, - Deterioration over time of at least one electrical component of the aerosol generating assembly (10), The method according to claim 1 or 2, corresponding to an element selected in the group including the group.

4. The method according to any one of claims 1 to 3, wherein the ambient characteristics correspond to the ambient temperature measured by the aerosol generating assembly (10) or the temperature in the immediate vicinity of the aerosol generating assembly (10).

5. The method according to any one of claims 1 to 4, wherein the preheating step includes controlling the temperature of the susceptor (74) based on at least one vaporizable material property and at least one device property.

6. The method according to claim 5, wherein the temperature of the susceptor (74) is further controlled based on the ambient characteristics during the preheating stage.

7. The method according to any one of claims 1 to 6, wherein the preheating step is performed during a predetermined time interval after the aerosol generating assembly (10) is started.

8. The method according to claim 7, wherein the predetermined time interval is less than about 10 seconds, preferably less than about 5 seconds, more preferably between 2 and 4 seconds, and advantageously approximately equal to 2 seconds.

9. The method according to any one of claims 1 to 8, wherein the predetermined offset presents a constant value over time.

10. The method according to any one of claims 1 to 9, wherein the temperature of the susceptor (74) is controlled according to a predetermined preheating temperature profile during the preheating stage and according to a predetermined heating temperature profile during the heating stage.

11. The method according to claim 10, wherein the temperature of the susceptor (74) is controlled according to the corresponding temperature profile by controlling the heat generated on the susceptor (74).

12. The method according to any one of claims 1 to 11, further comprising a control step of controlling the vaporizable material by comparing a temperature measurement value provided by the heating temperature sensor (78) with a predetermined behavior profile.

13. The method according to claim 12, wherein the control step further includes stopping the operation of the aerosol generating assembly (10) if the temperature measurement does not match the predetermined behavior profile.

14. The control step is performed during the preheating step, according to the method of claim 12 or 13.

15. An aerosol generating assembly (10) comprising a storage section (66) for storing a vaporizable material and a heating system (34) controlled by the method described in any one of claims 1 to 14.

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