Aerosol generation device

Abstract

This aerosol generation device into which an aerosol generation article including an aerosol source is inserted comprises: an antenna that emits electromagnetic waves; and a heating element that generates heat by absorbing the electromagnetic waves emitted from the antenna and heats the aerosol generation article.

Description

Aerosol Generator

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

[0002] In recent years, in aerosol generating devices such as heated tobacco, a heating method has been attracting attention in which an aerosol generating article (such as a capsule or stick) containing an aerosol source is heated by irradiating the aerosol generating article with microwaves (see, for example, Patent Document 1).

[0003] International Publication No. 2021 / 013477

[0004] Since aerosol generating devices are configured as portable devices having internal batteries, they are required to be power-efficient so that they can be used for as long as possible. Therefore, even in heating methods using electromagnetic waves (microwaves), it is desirable to efficiently heat the aerosol-generating article using electromagnetic waves from the viewpoint of power saving.

[0005] Therefore, an object of the present invention is to provide an aerosol generating device that can efficiently heat an aerosol product using electromagnetic waves.

[0006] In order to achieve the above-mentioned object, an aerosol generating device according to one embodiment of the present invention is an aerosol generating device into which an aerosol-generating article including an aerosol source is inserted, and is characterized by comprising an antenna that emits electromagnetic waves, and a heating element that generates heat by absorbing the electromagnetic waves emitted from the antenna and heats the aerosol-generating article.

[0007] According to the present invention, for example, an aerosol generating device capable of efficiently heating an aerosol product using electromagnetic waves can be provided.

[0008] Other features and advantages of the present invention will become apparent from the following description taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, in which the same or similar elements are designated by the same reference numerals.

[0009] The accompanying drawings are incorporated into and constitute a part of the specification, illustrate embodiments of the present invention, and, together with the description, are used to explain the principles of the present invention. Schematic diagram showing an example of the configuration of an aerosol generating device Schematic diagram showing an example of the configuration of an aerosol generating device A diagram (perspective view) showing the configuration / arrangement of a tobacco stick, antenna, heating element, and heat storage body in Example 1 A diagram (cross-sectional view) showing the configuration / arrangement of a tobacco stick, antenna, heating element, and heat storage body in Example 1 A diagram showing modified configurations / arrangements of a tobacco stick, antenna, heating element, and heat storage body A diagram (perspective view) showing the configuration / arrangement of a tobacco stick, antenna, heating element, and heat storage body in Example 2 A diagram (cross-sectional view) showing the configuration / arrangement of a tobacco stick, antenna, heating element, and heat storage body in Example 2 A diagram (perspective view) showing the configuration / arrangement of a tobacco stick, antenna, heating element, and heat storage body in Example 3 A diagram (cross-sectional view) showing the configuration / arrangement of a tobacco stick, antenna, heating element, and heat storage body in Example 3

[0010] Hereinafter, embodiments will be described in detail with reference to the accompanying drawings. Note that the following embodiments do not limit the scope of the invention as claimed, and not all combinations of features described in the embodiments are necessarily essential to the invention. Two or more of the features described in the embodiments may be arbitrarily combined. Furthermore, the same reference numerals are used for the same or similar components, and redundant descriptions will be omitted.

[0011] An aerosol generation device 10 according to one embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to Figs. 1 and 2. Figs. 1 and 2 are schematic diagrams showing an example of the configuration of the aerosol generation device 10 of this embodiment. Fig. 1 is a diagram showing the aerosol generation device 10 before an aerosol-generating article 30 and a mouthpiece 40 are attached, and Fig. 2 is a diagram showing the aerosol generation device 10 after the aerosol-generating article 30 and the mouthpiece 40 have been attached. In Figs. 1 and 2, directions are shown in an XYZ coordinate system, with the insertion direction of the tobacco stick 30 into the aerosol generation device 10 being the -Z direction.

[0012] The aerosol generating device 10 is configured to heat the aerosol-generating article 30 in response to an action (also called an atomization request) by a user that requests atomization of the aerosol source, such as inhalation, and provide the user with a gas containing an aerosol or a gas containing an aerosol and a flavoring substance. The aerosol generating device 10 is sometimes called an inhaler (atomizer), and in the following description, the aerosol generating device 10 may be referred to as the "inhaler 10."

[0013] The aerosol-generating article 30 is an article including an aerosol source that generates an aerosol when heated, and is detachably (insertable) attached to the inhaler 10. The aerosol-generating article 30 may include, in addition to the aerosol source, a flavor source that generates a flavor substance when heated. The flavor source may be a plant other than tobacco, such as mint, Chinese medicine, or herbs. In this embodiment, the aerosol-generating article 30 is configured as a tobacco stick having a substantially cylindrical rod shape, but it does not have to be stick-shaped and may be capsule-shaped or cartridge-shaped. Hereinafter, the aerosol-generating article 30 may be referred to as a "tobacco stick 30."

[0014] The tobacco stick 30 may include, for example, a tobacco filler section 31 (tobacco rod section), a mouthpiece section 32, and tipping paper 33 that connects them together. The tobacco filler section 31 contains a tobacco filler that includes an aerosol source and a flavor source. The mouthpiece section 32 is connected coaxially to the tobacco filler section 31 by being wrapped around the tobacco filler section 31 with tipping paper 33. The tobacco stick 30 has a substantially constant diameter over its entire length in the Z-axis direction (longitudinal direction). Note that the tobacco stick 30 may be provided with a filter at the end upstream of the tobacco filler section 31 to prevent the tobacco filler from falling out.

[0015] [Tobacco Filling Section] There are no particular limitations on the configuration of the tobacco filling section 31, and it may be of a general configuration. For example, the tobacco filling section 31 may be one in which a tobacco filler is wrapped in cigarette paper.

[0016] The tobacco filler contains, as a flavor source, tobacco leaves, tobacco leaf extracts, or processed products thereof, for example. In this embodiment, the tobacco filler is configured to contain tobacco shreds. The material of the tobacco shreds contained in the tobacco filler is not particularly limited, and known materials such as lamina or backbone can be used. Alternatively, the tobacco filler may be made by crushing dried tobacco leaves to an average particle size of 20 μm or more and 200 μm or less to obtain tobacco pulverized material, homogenizing the material, and processing it into a sheet (hereinafter simply referred to as a homogenized sheet). Furthermore, the tobacco filler may be a so-called strand type, in which a homogenized sheet having a length approximately the same as the longitudinal direction of the tobacco rod is shredded approximately parallel to the longitudinal direction of the tobacco rod and filled into the tobacco rod, or may be made by extruding or tableting tobacco pulverized material. The width of the tobacco shreds is preferably 0.5 mm or more and 2.0 mm or less when filling the tobacco filling section 31. The content of dried tobacco leaves contained in the tobacco filler 31 is not particularly limited, but may be 200 mg or more and 800 mg or less per rod, and preferably 250 mg or more and 600 mg or less per rod. This range is particularly suitable for a tobacco filler 31 having a circumference of 22 mm and a length of 20 mm. Depending on the shape of the aerosol-generating article 30, a liquid mixture of glycerin, nicotine, flavorings, etc., or a glass fiber nonwoven fabric impregnated with such a liquid may also be used as the tobacco filler.

[0017] Various types of tobacco can be used for the production of shredded tobacco and homogenized sheets. Examples include flue-cured tobacco, burley, oriental tobacco, native tobacco, other Nicotiana tabacum varieties, Nicotiana rustica varieties, and mixtures thereof. Mixtures can be created by appropriately blending the above varieties to achieve the desired flavor. Details of the tobacco varieties are disclosed in the "Encyclopedia of Tobacco," published by the Tobacco Research Center on March 31, 2009. There are several conventional methods for producing homogenized sheets, i.e., grinding tobacco leaves and processing them into homogenized sheets. The first method is to produce a paper-making sheet using a papermaking process. The second method is to mix a suitable solvent, such as water, with ground tobacco leaves to homogenize them, then thinly cast the homogenized mixture onto a metal plate or metal belt and dry it to produce a cast sheet. The third method is to mix a suitable solvent, such as water, with ground tobacco leaves to homogenize them, and extrude the mixture into a sheet to produce a rolled sheet. The types of the above-mentioned uniforming sheets are disclosed in detail in "Encyclopedia of Tobacco, Tobacco Research Center, March 31, 2009."

[0018] The moisture content of the tobacco filler can be 10% by weight or more and 15% by weight or less, and preferably 11% by weight or more and 13% by weight or less, based on the total weight of the tobacco filler. This moisture content suppresses the occurrence of stains on the tobacco filler and improves the suitability for wrapping during the production of the tobacco filler 31. There are no particular restrictions on the size or preparation method of the tobacco shreds contained in the tobacco filler. For example, dried tobacco leaves shredded to a width of 0.5 mm or more and 2.0 mm or less may be used. Furthermore, when using a pulverized homogenized sheet, dried tobacco leaves may be pulverized to an average particle size of approximately 20 μm to 200 μm, homogenized, and then shredded to a width of 0.5 mm or more and 2.0 mm or less.

[0019] The tobacco filler contains an aerosol base that generates aerosol smoke. The type of aerosol base is not particularly limited, and extracts from various natural products and / or their constituent components can be selected depending on the application. Examples of aerosol bases include water, glycerin, propylene glycol, triacetin, 1,3-butanediol, and mixtures thereof. The content of the aerosol base in the tobacco filler is not particularly limited, and from the viewpoints of generating sufficient aerosol and imparting a good flavor, it is usually 5% by weight or more, preferably 10% by weight or more, and usually 50% by weight or less, preferably 15% by weight or more and 25% by weight or less, based on the total weight of the tobacco filler.

[0020] The tobacco filler may contain a flavoring. The type of the flavoring is not particularly limited, and from the viewpoint of imparting a good flavor, the following may be used: acetanisole, acetophenone, acetylpyrazine, 2-acetylthiazole, alfalfa extract, amyl alcohol, amyl butyrate, trans-anethole, star anise oil, apple juice, balsam of Peru oil, beeswax absolute, benzaldehyde, benzoin resinoid, benzyl alcohol, benzyl benzoate, benzyl phenylacetate, benzyl propionate, 2,3-butanedione, 2-butanol, butyl butyrate, butyric acid, caramel, cardamom oil, carob absolute, β-carotene, carrot juice, L-carvone, β-caryophyllene, cassia bark oil, cedarwood oil, celery seed oil, chamomile oil, cinnamaldehyde, cinnamic acid, cinnamyl alcohol, cinnamyl cinnamate, citronella oil, DL-citronellal, Nerol, clary sage extract, cocoa, coffee, konjac oil, coriander oil, cumin aldehyde, davana oil, delta-decalactone, gamma-decalactone, decanoic acid, dill herb oil, 3,4-dimethyl-1,2-cyclopentanedione, 4,5-dimethyl-3-hydroxy-2,5-dihydrofuran-2-one, 3,7-dimethyl-6-octenoic acid, 2,3-dimethylpyrazine, 2,5-dimethylpyrazine, 2,6-dimethylpyrazine, ethyl 2-methylbutyrate, ethyl acetate, ethyl butyrate, ethyl hexanoate, ethyl isovalerate, ethyl lactate, ethyl laurate, ethyl levulinate, ethyl maltol, ethyl octanoate, ethyl oleate, ethyl palmitate, ethyl phenylacetate, ethyl propionate, ethyl stearate, ethyl valerate, ethyl vanillin, ethyl vanillin glucoside, 2-ethyl-3,(5 or 6)-dimethylpyrazine, 5-ethyl-3-hydroxy-4-methyl-2(5H)-furanone, 2-ethyl-3-methylpyrazine, eucalyptol, fenugreek absolute, gene absolute, gentian root infusion, geraniol, geranyl acetate, grape juice, guaiacol, guava extract, gamma-heptalactone, gamma-hexalactone, hexanoic acid, cis-3-hexen-1-ol, hexyl acetate, hexyl alcohol, phenylhexyl acetate, honey, 4-hydroxy-3-pentenoic acid, lauryl methylpropional Ingredients: methicone, 4-hydroxy-4-(3-hydroxy-1-butenyl)-3,5,5-trimethyl-2-cyclohexen-1-one, 4-(para-hydroxyphenyl)-2-butanone, sodium 4-hydroxyundecanoate, immortelle absolute, beta-ionone, isoamyl acetate, isoamyl butyrate, isoamyl phenylacetate, isobutyl acetate, isobutyl phenylacetate, jasmine absolute, cola nut tincture, labdanum oil, lemon terpeneless oil, licorice extract, linalool, linalyl acetate, robertia jasmine Orris root oil, maltol, maple syrup, menthol, menthone, L-menthyl acetate, para-methoxybenzaldehyde, methyl 2-pyrrolyl ketone, methyl anthranilate, methyl phenylacetate, methyl salicylate, 4'-methylacetophenone, methylcyclopentenolone, 3-methylvaleric acid, mimosa absolute, honey, myristic acid, nerol, nerolidol, gamma-nonalactone, nutmeg oil, delta-octalactone, octanal, octanoic acid, orange flower oil, orange oil, orris root oil, palmitic acid, omega-pentadeca Calactone, peppermint oil, petitgrain Paraguay oil, phenethyl alcohol, phenethyl phenylacetate, phenylacetic acid, piperonal, plum extract, propenylguaethol, propyl acetate, 3-propylidenephthalide, prune juice, pyruvic acid, raisin extract, rose oil, rum, sage oil, sandalwood oil, spearmint oil, styrax absolute, marigold oil, tea distillate, α-terpineol, terpinyl acetate, 5,6,7,8-tetrahydroquinoxaline, 1,5,5,9-tetramethyl-13-oxacyclo(8.3.0.0(4.9))tridecane, 2,3,5,6-tetramethylpyrazine, thyme oil, tomato extract, 2-tridecanone, triethyl citrate, 4-(2,6,6-trimethyl-1-cyclohexenyl)2-buten-4-one, 2,6,6-trimethyl-2-cyclohexene-1,4-dione, 4-(2,6,6-trimethyl-1,3-cyclohexene) Examples of the fragrance include 2-(2-(2-oxadienyl)-2-buten-4-one, 2,3,5-trimethylpyrazine, γ-undecalactone, γ-valerolactone, vanilla extract, vanillin, veratraldehyde, violet leaf absolute, N-ethyl-p-menthane-3-carboxamide (WS-3), and ethyl-2-(p-menthane-3-carboxamide) acetate (WS-5), with menthol being particularly preferred. These fragrances may be used alone or in combination of two or more.

[0021] The content of the flavoring in the tobacco filler is not particularly limited, but from the viewpoint of imparting a good flavor, it is usually 10,000 ppm or more, preferably 20,000 ppm or more, more preferably 25,000 ppm or more, and is usually 70,000 ppm or less, preferably 50,000 ppm or less, more preferably 40,000 ppm or less, and even more preferably 33,000 ppm or less.

[0022] Cigarette paper is a sheet material for wrapping a tobacco filler, and its composition is not particularly limited, and a common one can be used. For example, the base paper used for cigarette paper can be cellulose fiber paper, and more specifically, hemp, wood, or a mixture thereof. The basis weight of the base paper in the cigarette paper is, for example, usually 20 gsm or more, preferably 25 gsm or more. On the other hand, the basis weight is usually 65 gsm or less, preferably 50 gsm or less, and more preferably 45 gsm or less. The thickness of cigarette paper having the above properties is not particularly limited, and from the viewpoints of rigidity, breathability, and ease of adjustment during papermaking, it is usually 10 μm or more, preferably 20 μm or more, more preferably 30 μm or more, and usually 100 μm or less, preferably 75 μm or less, and more preferably 50 μm or less.

[0023] The shape of the cigarette paper for the tobacco filler 31 (tobacco filler) can be square or rectangular. When used as cigarette paper for wrapping the tobacco filler (for producing the tobacco filler 31), the length of one side can be about 6 mm to 70 mm, and the length of the other side can be 15 mm to 28 mm, with the preferred length of the other side being 22 mm to 24 mm, and more preferably about 23 mm.

[0024] In addition to the pulp, the cigarette paper may contain a filler. The filler content can be 10% by weight or more and less than 60% by weight, preferably 15% by weight or more and 45% by weight or less, relative to the total weight of the cigarette paper. In the cigarette paper, within a preferred basis weight range (25 gsm or more and 45 gsm or less), the filler content is preferably 15% by weight or more and 45% by weight or less. Furthermore, when the basis weight is 25 gsm or more and 35 gsm or less, the filler content is preferably 15% by weight or more and 45% by weight or less, and when the basis weight is more than 35 gsm and 45 gsm or less, the filler content is preferably 25% by weight or more and 45% by weight or less. As the filler, calcium carbonate, titanium dioxide, kaolin, etc. can be used, but calcium carbonate is preferably used from the viewpoint of enhancing flavor and whiteness, etc.

[0025] Various auxiliary agents other than the base paper and fillers may be added to the cigarette paper. For example, a water resistance improver may be added to improve water resistance. Water resistance improvers include wet strength agents (WS agents) and sizing agents. Examples of wet strength agents include urea-formaldehyde resin, melamine-formaldehyde resin, polyamide epichlorohydrin (PAE), etc. Examples of sizing agents include rosin soap, alkyl ketene dimer (AKD), alkenyl succinic anhydride (ASA), and highly saponified polyvinyl alcohol with a saponification degree of 90% or more. A paper strength agent may also be added as an auxiliary agent, such as polyacrylamide, cationic starch, oxidized starch, CMC, polyamide epichlorohydrin resin, and polyvinyl alcohol. It is known that the use of a very small amount of oxidized starch in particular improves air permeability (for example, JP 2017-218699 A). The wrapping paper may also be coated as appropriate.

[0026] A coating agent may be added to at least one of the two surfaces of the cigarette paper, the front and back. There are no particular limitations on the coating agent, but a coating agent that can form a film on the surface of the paper and reduce liquid permeability is preferred. Examples of such coating agents include alginic acid and its salts (e.g., sodium salts), polysaccharides such as pectin, cellulose derivatives such as ethyl cellulose, methyl cellulose, carboxymethyl cellulose, and nitrocellulose, starch and its derivatives (e.g., ether derivatives such as carboxymethyl starch, hydroxyalkyl starch, and cationic starch, and ester derivatives such as starch acetate, starch phosphate, and starch octenyl succinate).

[0027] The length in the Z-axis direction of the tobacco filling section 31 can be changed appropriately to suit the size of the product, but is, for example, 5 mm or more, preferably 10 mm or more, more preferably 12 mm or more, even more preferably 18 mm or more, and is usually 70 mm or less, preferably 50 mm or less, more preferably 30 mm or less, even more preferably 25 mm or less.

[0028] [Mouth Section] The configuration of the mouth section 32 is not particularly limited and can be any common configuration. For example, the mouth section 32 may be configured to include two segments (sections) consisting of a cooling segment and a filter segment. The cooling segment and the filter segment are arranged along the Z-axis direction (longitudinal direction) so that the cooling segment is located closer to the tobacco packing section 31 than the filter segment. That is, the cooling segment is positioned so as to be sandwiched between the tobacco packing section 31 and the filter segment in the Z-axis direction. The mouth section 32 may be configured so that the cooling segment abuts the tobacco packing section 31 and the filter segment, or so that a gap is formed between the tobacco packing section 31 and the cooling segment, and between the cooling segment and the filter segment 122. The mouth section 32 may also be formed from a single segment.

[0029] The configuration of the cooling segment of the mouthpiece portion 32 is not particularly limited as long as it has the function of cooling the mainstream tobacco smoke, and an example thereof is a cylindrical cardboard. In this case, the inside of the cylinder is hollow, and the vapor containing the aerosol base material and tobacco flavor components is cooled by contact with the air inside the hollow.

[0030] One embodiment of the cooling segment may be a paper tube formed by processing a single sheet of paper or multiple sheets of paper into a cylindrical shape. Furthermore, in order to increase the cooling effect by bringing room-temperature external air into contact with high-temperature steam, it is preferable that the paper tube have holes around the periphery for introducing external air. That is, the cooling segment is provided with vent holes, which are openings for introducing air from the outside. The number of vent holes in the cooling segment is not particularly limited. In this embodiment, multiple vent holes are arranged at regular intervals around the circumferential direction of the cooling segment. Furthermore, the vent hole groups arranged around the circumferential direction of the cooling segment may be formed in multiple stages along the Z-axis direction of the cooling segment. By providing vent holes in the cooling segment, when the tobacco stick 30 is inhaled, low-temperature air flows into the cooling segment from the outside, thereby lowering the temperature of the volatile components and air flowing in from the tobacco filling section 31. Furthermore, the vapor containing the aerosol base material and tobacco flavor components is condensed by being cooled by the low-temperature air introduced into the cooling segment through the vent holes. This promotes aerosol generation and enables control of the size of the aerosol particles. In addition, by applying a polymer coating such as polyvinyl alcohol or a polysaccharide coating such as pectin to the inner surface of the paper tube, the cooling effect can be increased by utilizing the heat of dissolution that accompanies the heat absorption and phase change of the coating. The airflow resistance of this cylindrical cooling segment is zero mmH ２ It becomes O.

[0031] When a sheet or the like for cooling the volatile components and air flowing from the tobacco filling section 31 into the cooling segment of the mouthpiece section 32 is filled into the cooling segment, the total surface area of ​​the cooling segment is not particularly limited, and may be, for example, 300 mm ２ / mm or more, 1000mm ２ This surface area is the surface area per length (mm) of the cooling segment in the airflow direction. The total surface area of ​​the cooling segment is 400 mm ２ / mm or more, and ２ / mm or more is more preferable, while 600 mm ２ / mm or less, and２ / mm or less is more preferable.

[0032] It is desirable for the cooling segment's internal structure to have a large total surface area. Thus, in a preferred embodiment, the cooling segment may be formed from a thin sheet of material that is wrinkled to form channels, and then pleated, gathered, and folded. The more folds or pleats within a given volume of the element, the greater the total surface area of ​​the cooling segment. The thickness of the cooling segment's constituent material is not particularly limited and may be, for example, from 5 μm to 500 μm, or from 10 μm to 250 μm.

[0033] It is also desirable to use paper as the material for the cooling sheet member from the viewpoint of reducing the environmental load. The paper as the material for the cooling sheet has a basis weight of 30 to 100 g / m ２ and a thickness of 20 to 100 μm is desirable. From the viewpoint of minimizing the removal of flavor source components and aerosol base components in the cooling segment, it is desirable for the air permeability of the paper used as the cooling sheet material to be low, and the air permeability is preferably 10 Coresta or less. By applying a polymer porting such as polyvinyl alcohol or a coating of a polysaccharide such as pectin to the paper used as the cooling sheet material, the cooling effect can be increased by utilizing the heat of solution associated with the endothermic heat and phase change of the coating.

[0034] The ventilation holes in the cooling segment are preferably positioned at a distance of 4 mm or more from the boundary between the cooling segment and the filter segment. This not only improves the cooling capacity of the cooling segment, but also suppresses the retention of components generated by heating within the cooling segment, thereby improving the delivery amount of the components. Preferably, the tipping paper 33 has openings directly above the ventilation holes in the cooling segment (i.e., positions where the holes are vertically overlapping). The ventilation holes (openings) in the cooling segment are preferably positioned so that the air inflow rate (volume ratio of air inflowing through the ventilation holes, where the volume ratio of air inhaled from the mouthpiece end is 100% by volume) when inhaled at 17.5 ml / sec using an automatic smoking machine is 10 to 90% by volume, preferably 50 to 80% by volume, and more preferably 55 to 75% by volume. This can be achieved, for example, by selecting the number of ventilation holes per ventilation hole group from a range of 5 to 50, selecting the ventilation hole diameter from a range of 0.1 to 0.5 mm, or by combining these selections. The air inflow ratio can be measured using an automatic smoking machine (e.g., a single-cigarette automatic smoking machine manufactured by Borgwaldt) using a method conforming to ISO 9512. The length of the cooling segment in the Z-axis direction (airflow direction) is not particularly limited, but is typically 10 mm or more, preferably 15 mm or more, and typically 40 mm or less, preferably 35 mm or less, and more preferably 30 mm or less. It is particularly preferred that the length of the cooling segment in the Z-axis direction be 20 mm. By setting the length of the cooling segment in the Z-axis direction to be equal to or greater than the above-mentioned lower limit, a sufficient cooling effect can be ensured, resulting in a good flavor. Furthermore, by setting the length of the cooling segment in the Z-axis direction to be equal to or less than the above-mentioned upper limit, loss due to vapor and aerosol generated during use adhering to the inner wall of the cooling segment can be suppressed.

[0035] The configuration of the filter segment of the suction nozzle 32 is not particularly limited as long as it functions as a general filter. For example, a cylindrical filter segment made of cellulose acetate tow can be used. The single-filament fineness and total fineness of the cellulose acetate tow are not particularly limited. However, for a filter segment with a circumference of 22 mm, the single-filament fineness is preferably 5 to 20 g / 9000 m and the total fineness is preferably 12,000 to 30,000 g / 9000 m. The cross-sectional shape of the cellulose acetate tow fibers may be either a Y-shaped or an R-shaped cross-section. When forming a filter segment by filling cellulose acetate tow, 5 to 10 wt. % of triacetin may be added relative to the weight of the cellulose acetate tow to improve filter hardness. The filter segment may be composed of a single segment or multiple segments. When the filter segment is composed of multiple segments, for example, a hollow segment such as a center hole may be arranged on the upstream side (tobacco packing section 31 side), and an acetate filter with a mouthpiece cross section filled with cellulose acetate tow may be arranged as a segment on the downstream side (mouthpiece end side). This type of arrangement prevents unnecessary loss of the generated aerosol and improves the appearance of the tobacco stick 30. Furthermore, from the perspective of changes in the smoking sensation and mouthfeel, an acetate filter may be arranged on the upstream side (tobacco packing section 31 side) and a hollow segment such as a center hole may be arranged on the downstream side (mouthpiece end side). Furthermore, the filter segments may be arranged using alternative filter materials, such as a paper filter filled with sheet-like pulp paper, instead of an acetate filter.

[0036] Typical functions of a filter in a filter segment include, for example, adjusting the amount of air mixed in when inhaling aerosols, reducing flavor, and reducing nicotine and tar, but it is not necessary for the filter to have all of these functions. Furthermore, in electrically heated tobacco products, which tend to produce fewer components and have a lower tobacco filler filling rate than cigarette products, one important function is to suppress the filtering function while preventing the tobacco filler from falling out.

[0037] The cross-sectional shape of the filter segment is substantially circular, and the diameter of the circle can be appropriately changed according to the size of the product, but is usually 4.0 mm to 9.0 mm, preferably 4.5 mm to 8.5 mm, and more preferably 5.0 mm to 8.0 mm. If the cross section is not circular, the above diameter refers to the diameter of a circle assumed to have the same area as the cross section. The circumferential length of the filter segment can be appropriately changed according to the size of the product, but is usually 14.0 mm to 27.0 mm, preferably 15.0 mm to 26.0 mm, and more preferably 16.0 mm to 25.0 mm. The length of the filter segment in the Z-axis direction can be appropriately changed according to the size of the product, but is usually 5 mm to 35 mm, and preferably 10.0 mm to 30.0 mm. The shape and dimensions of the filter medium can be appropriately adjusted so that the shape and dimensions of the filter segment fall within the above ranges.

[0038] The airflow resistance per 120 mm of the filter segment in the Z-axis direction is not particularly limited, but is usually 40 mmH ２ O or more, 300mmH ２ O or less, 70 mmH ２ O or more, 280mmH ２ It is preferable that the pressure is 90 mmH or less. ２ O or more, 260mmH ２ It is more preferable that the airflow resistance is 0 or less. The airflow resistance is measured in accordance with the ISO standard method (ISO 6565), for example, using a filter airflow resistance measuring device manufactured by Cerulean Co., Ltd. The airflow resistance of a filter segment refers to the air pressure difference between the first end face and the second end face when air is flowed at a predetermined air flow rate (17.5 cc / min) from one end face (first end face) to the other end face (second end face) of the filter segment in a state where air does not pass through the side faces of the filter segment. The unit of airflow resistance is generally mmH ２It can be expressed as O. It is known that the relationship between the airflow resistance of a filter segment and its length is proportional within the length range typically used (5 mm to 200 mm), and if the length of a filter segment is doubled, the airflow resistance also doubles.

[0039] The density of the filter material in the filter segment is not particularly limited, but is usually 0.10 g / cm ３ Above, 0.25g / cm ３ or less, and 0.11 g / cm ３ Above, 0.24g / cm ３ It is preferable that the density is 0.12 g / cm or less. ３ Above, 0.23g / cm ３ It is more preferable that the following is true. From the viewpoint of improving strength and structural rigidity, the filter segment may be provided with a wrapper (filter plug wrapper) on which the filter medium or the like is wound. The form of the wrapper is not particularly limited, and it may include one or more rows of seams containing adhesive. The adhesive may include a hot melt adhesive, and the hot melt adhesive may further include polyvinyl alcohol. Furthermore, when the filter segment consists of two or more segments, it is preferable that the wrapper wraps these two or more segments together. The material of the wrapper in the filter segment is not particularly limited, and known materials can be used, and it may also include a filler such as calcium carbonate.

[0040] The thickness of the roll is not particularly limited, but is usually 20 μm to 140 μm, preferably 30 μm to 130 μm, and more preferably 30 μm to 120 μm. The basis weight of the roll is not particularly limited, but is usually 20 gsm to 100 gsm, preferably 22 gsm to 95 gsm, and more preferably 23 gsm to 90 gsm. The roll may or may not be coated, but is preferably coated with a desired material from the viewpoint of imparting functions other than strength and structural rigidity.

[0041] When the filter segment includes a center hole segment and a filter medium, the center hole segment and the filter medium may be connected, for example, by an outer plug wrapper (outer wrapping paper). The outer plug wrapper may be, for example, a cylindrical piece of paper. The tobacco filler section 31, the cooling segment, and the connected center hole segment and filter medium may also be connected, for example, by a mouthpiece lining paper. These connections can be made, for example, by applying glue such as vinyl acetate glue to the inner surface of the mouthpiece lining paper, and then wrapping the tobacco filler section 31, the cooling segment, and the connected center hole segment and filter medium. These may also be connected in multiple layers using multiple lining papers.

[0042] The filter material of the filter segment may include a crushable additive release container (e.g., a capsule) having a crushable outer shell such as gelatin. The form of the capsule (also referred to in the art as an "additive release container") is not particularly limited and may be any known form, for example, a crushable additive release container having a crushable outer shell such as gelatin. The form of the capsule is not particularly limited and may be, for example, an easily breakable capsule, preferably spherical. The additive contained in the capsule may include any of the additives described above, but preferably includes a flavoring agent or activated carbon. The flavoring agent may be, for example, menthol, spearmint, peppermint, fenugreek, clove, medium-chain triglycerides (MCT), or a combination thereof. One or more materials that aid in filtering smoke may also be added as an additive. The form of the additive is not particularly limited and is typically a liquid or solid. The use of capsules containing additives is well known in the art. Frangible capsules and methods for their manufacture are well known in the art.

[0043] A flavoring may be added to the filter material of the filter segment. Adding a flavoring to the filter material increases the amount of flavoring delivered during use compared to conventional techniques in which flavoring is added to the tobacco packing that constitutes the tobacco packing section 31. The degree of increase in flavoring delivery further increases depending on the position of the ventilation holes (openings) provided in the cooling segment. The method for adding a flavoring to the filter material is not particularly limited; it need only be added so that the flavoring is substantially uniformly dispersed in the filter material to which the flavoring is to be added. The amount of flavoring added may be 10 to 100 volume % of the filter material. The flavoring may be added to the filter material before or after the filter segment is constructed. The type of flavoring is not particularly limited, and flavorings similar to those contained in the tobacco packing described above may be used.

[0044] The filter segment includes a filter medium, and activated carbon may be added to at least a portion of the filter medium. The amount of activated carbon added to the filter medium is 15.0 m per tobacco stick 30, calculated as the specific surface area of ​​the activated carbon × the weight of the activated carbon / the cross-sectional area of ​​the filter medium in the direction perpendicular to the air flow direction. ２ / cm ２ Over 80.0m ２ / cm ２ or less. For convenience, the above-mentioned "specific surface area of ​​activated carbon × weight of activated carbon / cross-sectional area of ​​filter medium perpendicular to the airflow direction" is sometimes expressed as "surface area of ​​activated carbon per unit cross-sectional area." This surface area of ​​activated carbon per unit cross-sectional area can be calculated based on the specific surface area of ​​activated carbon added to the filter medium of one tobacco stick 30, the weight of the added activated carbon, and the cross-sectional area of ​​the filter medium. Note that activated carbon may not be uniformly dispersed in the filter medium to which it is added, and therefore it is not required that the above range be satisfied in all cross-sections of the filter medium (cross-sections perpendicular to the airflow direction).

[0045] The surface area of ​​activated carbon per unit cross-sectional area is 17.0 m ２ / cm ２More preferably, it is 35.0 m or more. ２ / cm ２ It is more preferable that the distance is 77.0 m or more. ２ / cm ２ More preferably, it is 73.0 m or less. ２ / cm ２ It is more preferable that the surface area of ​​activated carbon per unit cross-sectional area is less than 1 / 2. The surface area of ​​activated carbon per unit cross-sectional area can be adjusted, for example, by adjusting the specific surface area of ​​activated carbon, its amount added, and the cross-sectional area of ​​the filter medium in the direction perpendicular to the airflow direction. The calculation of the surface area of ​​activated carbon per unit cross-sectional area is calculated based on the filter medium to which activated carbon is added. When a filter segment is composed of multiple filter mediums, the cross-sectional area and length of only the filter medium to which activated carbon is added are used as the basis.

[0046] Examples of activated carbon include those made from raw materials such as wood, bamboo, coconut shells, walnut shells, and coal. Activated carbon with a BET specific surface area of ​​1100 m ２ / g or more, 1600m ２ / g or less, and preferably 1200m ２ / g or more, 1500m ２ / g or less, and more preferably 1250m ２ / g or more, 1380m ２ / g or less can be used. The BET specific surface area can be determined by nitrogen gas adsorption (BET multipoint method). In addition, activated carbon can be used with a pore volume of 400 μL / g or more and 800 μL / g or less, more preferably 500 μL / g or more and 750 μL / g or less, and even more preferably 600 μL / g or more and 700 μL / g or less. The pore volume can be calculated from the maximum adsorption amount obtained using the nitrogen gas adsorption method. The amount of activated carbon added per unit length in the airflow direction of the filter medium to which activated carbon is added is preferably 5 mg / cm or more and 50 mg / cm or less, more preferably 8 mg / cm or more and 40 mg / cm or less, and even more preferably 10 mg / cm or more and 35 mg / cm or less. By setting the specific surface area of ​​activated carbon and the amount of activated carbon added within the above ranges, the surface area of ​​activated carbon per unit cross-sectional area can be adjusted to the desired one.

[0047] Furthermore, it is preferable that the cumulative 10% by volume particle diameter (particle diameter D10) of the activated carbon particles is 250 μm or more and 1200 μm or less. It is also preferable that the cumulative 50% by volume particle diameter (particle diameter D50) of the activated carbon particles is 350 μm or more and 1500 μm or less. The particle diameters D10 and D50 can be measured by a laser diffraction scattering method. An example of a suitable device for this measurement is the HORIBA Laser Diffraction / Scattering Particle Size Distribution Analyzer "LA-950." Powder is poured into the cell of this device together with pure water, and the particle diameter is detected based on the light scattering information of the particles. The measurement conditions for the above-mentioned measuring device are as follows: Measurement mode: Manual flow-moh cell measurement Dispersion medium: Ion-exchanged water Dispersion method: Measurement after 1 minute of ultrasonic irradiation Refractive index: 1.92-0.00i (sample refractive index) / 1.33-0.00i (dispersion medium refractive index) Number of measurements: Measurements were performed twice with different samples

[0048] The method for adding activated carbon to the filter medium of the filter segment is not particularly limited, and the activated carbon may be added so as to be dispersed substantially uniformly in the filter medium to which the activated carbon is added.

[0049] [Tipping Paper] The material for the tipping paper 33 is not particularly limited, and may be paper made from ordinary plant fibers (pulp), a sheet made from polymer-based chemical fibers (such as polypropylene, polyethylene, or nylon), a polymer-based sheet, metal foil, or a composite material combining these. For example, the tipping paper 33 may be made from a composite material in which a polymer-based sheet is bonded to a paper base material. Note that the tipping paper 33 referred to here refers to a sheet-like material that connects multiple segments of the tobacco stick 30, for example, connecting the tobacco filler portion 31 and the mouthpiece portion 32.

[0050] The basis weight of the tipping paper 33 is not particularly limited, but is usually 32 gsm or more and 40 gsm or less, preferably 33 gsm or more and 39 gsm or less, and more preferably 34 gsm or more and 38 gsm or less. The air permeability of the tipping paper 33 is not particularly limited, but is usually 0 Coresta units or more and 30,000 Coresta units or less, and preferably more than 0 Coresta units and 10,000 Coresta units or less. The air permeability is a value measured in accordance with ISO 2965:2009, and is the rate at which an area of ​​1 cm2 per minute is lost when the differential pressure between both sides of the paper is 1 kPa. ２ Flow rate of gas passing through (cm ３ 1 C.U. is expressed as cm under 1 kPa. ３ / (min cm ２ )

[0051] In addition to the pulp, the tipping paper 33 may contain fillers, such as metal carbonates such as calcium carbonate and magnesium carbonate, metal oxides such as titanium oxide, titanium dioxide and aluminum oxide, metal sulfates such as barium sulfate and calcium sulfate, metal sulfides such as zinc sulfide, quartz, kaolin, talc, diatomaceous earth, gypsum, etc. In particular, it is preferable that the tipping paper 33 contains calcium carbonate from the viewpoints of improving whiteness and opacity and increasing the heating rate. Furthermore, these fillers may be used alone or in combination of two or more.

[0052] In addition to the pulp and filler, various auxiliary agents may be added to the tipping paper 33. For example, the tipping paper 33 may contain a water resistance improver to improve water resistance. Water resistance improvers include wet strength agents (WS agents) and sizing agents. Examples of wet strength agents include urea-formaldehyde resin, melamine-formaldehyde resin, polyamide epichlorohydrin (PAE), etc. Examples of sizing agents include rosin soap, alkyl ketene dimer (AKD), alkenyl succinic anhydride (ASA), and highly saponified polyvinyl alcohol with a saponification degree of 90% or more.

[0053] A coating agent may be added to at least one of the two surfaces, the front and back surfaces, of the tipping paper 33. There are no particular restrictions on the coating agent, but a coating agent that can form a film on the surface of the paper and reduce liquid permeability is preferred.

[0054] The method for producing the tipping paper 33 is not particularly limited, and a general method can be applied, and for example, in the case of an embodiment in which pulp is the main component, a method can be mentioned in which the texture is adjusted and made uniform using pulp in a papermaking process using a Fourdrinier paper machine, a cylinder paper machine, a combined cylinder and short-circuit paper machine, etc. If necessary, a wet strength agent can be added to impart water resistance to the cigarette paper, or a sizing agent can be added to adjust the printing condition of the cigarette paper.

[0055] [Microwave Shield] The tobacco stick 30 (e.g., the mouthpiece portion 32) may be provided with a microwave shield (electromagnetic wave shield). The microwave shield of the tobacco stick 30 is attached to the cooling segment of the mouthpiece portion 32, upstream of the vent hole, and is located inside the guide portion 13 of the inhaler 10 when the tobacco stick 30 is inserted into the inhaler 10. This allows the microwave shield of the tobacco stick 30 to cooperate with the guide portion 13 of the inhaler 10 to prevent microwaves from leaking outside the inhaler 10. However, as long as the microwave shield of the tobacco stick 30 is located inside the guide portion 13 of the inhaler 10 when the tobacco stick 30 is inserted into the inhaler 10, the microwave shield of the tobacco stick 30 may be attached to the filter segment of the mouthpiece portion 32, or may be located adjacent to the filter segment of the mouthpiece portion 32, for example. The microwave shield of the tobacco stick 30 may also be located at the upstream or downstream end of another filter segment located adjacent to the cooling segment of the mouthpiece portion 32. The microwave shield of the tobacco stick 30 may be configured by placing a pre-formed shielding member at a predetermined position on the tobacco stick 30, or may be configured by printing it on the filter segment of the mouthpiece portion 32. Note that, as will be described later, when a mouthpiece 40 equipped with a microwave shield 41 is attached to the inhaler 10, the tobacco stick 30 does not need to be provided with a microwave shield.

[0056] When the aperture ratio of the microwave shield of the tobacco stick 30 is designed in consideration of microwave blocking and airflow resistance, the aperture ratio is, for example, 10% or more, preferably 30% or more, and more preferably 50% or more. The aperture ratio is 90% or less, preferably 80% or less, and more preferably 70% or less. Furthermore, in the case of the above-mentioned aperture ratio of the microwave shield of the tobacco stick 30, the overall airflow resistance of the inhaler 10 and the tobacco stick 30 is 8 mmH. ２ 0 or more, preferably 10 mmH ２ 0 or more, more preferably 12 mmH ２O or more and 100 mmH ２ 0 or less, preferably 80 mmH ２ 0 or less, and more preferably 60 mmH ２ In this case, it is possible to provide a system that suppresses microwave leakage and achieves desirable airflow resistance with a simple device configuration. Note that the airflow resistance is measured based on the ISO standard method (ISO 6565) as described above.

[0057] Furthermore, the tobacco stick 30 configured as described above may have a configuration in which a portion of the outer surface of the tipping paper 33 is coated with a lip release material. The lip release material refers to a material configured to help the lips and the tipping paper 33 to easily separate without causing substantial adhesion when the user holds the mouthpiece 32 of the tobacco stick 30 in their mouth. The lip release material may contain, for example, ethyl cellulose, methyl cellulose, etc. For example, the outer surface of the tipping paper 33 may be coated with the lip release material by applying an ethyl cellulose-based or methyl cellulose-based ink to the outer surface of the tipping paper 33.

[0058] The lip release material of the tipping paper 33 is disposed at least in a predetermined mouthpiece region that comes into contact with the lips of a user when the user holds the mouthpiece 32 in their mouth. More specifically, the lip release material-disposed region of the outer surface of the tipping paper 33 that is covered with the lip release material is defined as the region located between the mouthpiece end and the air hole of the mouthpiece 32.

[0059] Furthermore, the airflow resistance in the Z-axis direction per tobacco stick 30 configured as described above is not particularly limited, but from the viewpoint of ease of smoking, it is usually 8 mmH ２ O or more, 10 mmH ２ It is preferable that the pressure is 12 mmH or more. ２ It is more preferable that the pressure is 100 mmH or more. ２ O or less, 80 mmH ２ It is preferable that the pressure is 60 mmH or less. ２It is more preferable that the airflow resistance is 0 or less. The airflow resistance is measured in accordance with the ISO standard method (ISO 6565:2015) using, for example, a filter airflow resistance measuring device manufactured by Cerulean Co., Ltd. The airflow resistance refers to the air pressure difference between the first end face and the second end face when air is flowed at a predetermined air flow rate (17.5 cc / min) from one end face (first end face) to the other end face (second end face) in a state where air does not pass through the side faces of the tobacco stick 30. The unit is generally mmH. ２ It is represented by O. It is known that the relationship between the airflow resistance and the tobacco stick 30 is proportional within the length range normally used (5 mm to 200 mm), and if the length of the tobacco stick 30 is doubled, the airflow resistance also doubles.

[0060] The rod-shaped tobacco stick 30 preferably has a columnar shape that satisfies an aspect ratio of 1 or more, as defined below: aspect ratio = h / w

[0061] where w is the width of the tip of the tobacco stick 30, and h is the length in the Z-axis direction, and it is preferable that h≧w. The cross-sectional shape of the tobacco stick 30 is not particularly limited, and may be polygonal, rounded polygonal, circular, elliptical, or the like. The width w of the tobacco stick 30 is the diameter when the cross-sectional shape of the tobacco stick 30 is circular, the major axis when the cross-sectional shape is elliptical, and the diameter of the circumscribing circle or the major axis of the circumscribing ellipse when the cross-sectional shape is polygonal or rounded polygonal. The length h of the tobacco stick 30 in the Z-axis direction is not particularly limited, and is, for example, usually 40 mm or more, preferably 45 mm or more, and more preferably 50 mm or more. It is also usually 100 mm or less, preferably 90 mm or less, and more preferably 80 mm or less. The width w of the tip of the tobacco stick 30 is not particularly limited, and is, for example, usually 5 mm or more, and preferably 5.5 mm or more. It is also usually 10 mm or less, preferably 9 mm or less, and more preferably 8 mm or less. The ratio of the lengths of the cooling segment and the filter segment of the mouthpiece portion 32 to the length of the tobacco stick 30 (cooling segment:filter segment) is not particularly limited, but from the viewpoint of the amount of flavor delivered and an appropriate aerosol temperature, it is usually 0.60-1.40:0.60-1.40, preferably 0.80-1.20:0.80-1.20, more preferably 0.85-1.15:0.85-1.15, even more preferably 0.90-1.10:0.90-1.10, and particularly preferably 0.95-1.05:0.95-1.05. By setting the ratio of the lengths of the cooling segment and the filter segment of the mouthpiece portion 32 within the above ranges, a balance is achieved between the cooling effect, the effect of suppressing losses due to adhesion of generated vapor and aerosol to the inner wall of the cooling segment, and the filter's function of adjusting the air volume and flavor, thereby achieving a good flavor and flavor intensity.

[0062] <Configuration of Inhaler> The inhaler 10 includes a case 11 in which various components, described below, are mounted. The case 11 is provided with a storage section 12 capable of storing a portion of a tobacco stick 30 inserted through an opening 12a, a guide section 13 for guiding the insertion of the tobacco stick 30 through the opening 12a of the storage section 12, and an air flow path 14 that communicates with the storage section 12 and allows air to be introduced into the storage section 12. The storage section 12 may have an inner surface made of metal or the like to confine microwaves (electromagnetic waves) within the storage section 12. The air flow path 14 has an air intake 14a provided on the exterior of the case 11 and is configured to introduce air into the storage section 12 through the air intake 14a. The air flow path 14 may be provided with a microwave shield 14b that allows air to pass through but blocks microwaves. The air flow path 14 is not limited to being provided on the side surface of the storage section 12 as shown in FIG. 1 , but may also be provided on the bottom or top surface of the storage section 12.

[0063] The aspirator 10 further includes a high-frequency oscillator 20, a waveguide 21, an antenna 22, a controller 23, a power supply 24, a notification unit 25, a communication unit 26, and an article detector 27. These components 20 to 27 are mounted in the case 11.

[0064] The high-frequency oscillator 20 includes, for example, a semiconductor (solid-state) oscillator and generates a high-frequency electromagnetic field (electromagnetic waves) of a predetermined frequency. The semiconductor oscillator is an oscillator configured with semiconductor elements such as an LDMOS transistor, GaAs FET, SiC MESFET, or GaN HFET. The high-frequency electromagnetic field (electromagnetic waves) refers to an electromagnetic field between 3 Hz and 3 THz, including microwaves between 300 MHz and 300 GHz. The high-frequency oscillator 20 can generate microwaves with a frequency (e.g., 2.40 to 2.50 GHz) suitable for heating the tobacco stick 30 (aerosol source). In this embodiment, the high-frequency oscillator 20 generates microwaves with a frequency of 2.45 GHz. The high-frequency oscillator 20 may also include an amplifier for amplifying the high-frequency electromagnetic field. In the high-frequency oscillator 20, the semiconductor oscillator itself may function as an amplifier, or an amplifier configured as an electronic component separate from the semiconductor oscillator may be provided.

[0065] Although magnetron oscillators are also used as devices for generating high-frequency electromagnetic fields, when a semiconductor oscillator is used as the high-frequency oscillator 20, the main body can be made smaller than when a magnetron oscillator is used. Furthermore, semiconductor oscillators can operate at lower voltages than magnetron oscillators, and therefore can improve frequency stability and output stability. However, the high-frequency oscillator 20 of this embodiment may be a magnetron oscillator as long as it is capable of generating a high-frequency electromagnetic field of a predetermined frequency.

[0066] The microwaves generated by the high-frequency oscillator 20 are guided to the antenna 22 through the waveguide 21. The waveguide 21 connects the high-frequency oscillator 20 and the antenna 22, and guides the microwaves generated by the high-frequency oscillator 20 to the antenna 22 to heat the tobacco stick 30 (aerosol source). The waveguide 21 may be, for example, a waveguide or a coaxial cable. When the high-frequency oscillator 20 and the antenna 22 are directly connected, the waveguide 21 may be omitted. The antenna 22 emits (radiates) the microwaves guided through the waveguide 21 into the storage section 12. In the example of FIG. 1 , the antenna 22 is provided on the bottom surface of the storage section 12, but this is not limiting and the antenna 22 may be provided on the side or top surface of the storage section 12.

[0067] In order to protect the high-frequency oscillator 20, the waveguide 21 may be provided with an isolator for absorbing reflected waves returning toward the high-frequency oscillator 20 via the antenna 22. The waveguide 21 may also be provided with a power monitor that detects the power of the incident wave from the high-frequency oscillator 20 and the power of the reflected wave from the antenna 22, and / or an impedance matching section that matches the impedance of the high-frequency oscillator 20 with the impedance of the antenna 22 when the tobacco stick 30 is placed thereon, thereby reducing the power of the reflected wave.

[0068] The control unit 23 functions as an arithmetic processing unit and a control unit, and controls the overall operation of the inhaler 10 in accordance with various programs. Specifically, the control unit 23 can control the high-frequency oscillator unit 20 to emit microwaves from the antenna 22 to heat the tobacco stick 30 in response to an atomization request from the user. The control unit 23 can also control the high-frequency oscillator unit 20 to heat the tobacco stick 30 in accordance with a desired heating profile that has been set in advance. The control unit 23 can be realized by an electronic circuit such as a CPU (Central Processing Unit) or a microprocessor, for example.

[0069] The power supply unit 24 supplies power to the high-frequency oscillator unit 20 under the control of the control unit 23. The power supply unit 24 is configured by, for example, a rechargeable battery such as a lithium-ion secondary battery. By providing such a power supply unit 24, the inhaler 10 can be configured to be portable.

[0070] The notification unit 25 notifies the user of information based on control by the control unit 23. Examples of information notified to the user include information indicating the detection of insertion of the tobacco stick 30 into the storage unit 12, information indicating the start of heating of the tobacco stick 30 by microwaves, information indicating transition of the aerosol to a state where it can be inhaled, error information, and remaining charge information (remaining battery charge information) of the power supply unit 24. The notification unit 25 may be composed of a light-emitting element such as an LED (Light Emitting Diode), a vibration element such as a vibration motor, or a sound output element. The notification unit 25 may be composed of a display element (display) such as an LCD (Liquid Crystal Display). The notification unit 25 may be a combination of two or more elements selected from a light-emitting element, a vibration element, a sound output element, and a display element.

[0071] The communication unit 26 is an interface for acquiring information about the usage state of the inhalator 10 and transmitting it to an external data server or a user's mobile terminal device, etc. (hereinafter referred to as a data server, etc.), and for receiving data from a data server, etc. The communication unit 26 can communicate with the data server, etc., for example, via Bluetooth (registered trademark), which is short-range wireless communication, or LPWA (Low Power Wide Area), which is long-range wireless communication. Note that the communication between the communication unit 26 and the data server, etc., is not limited to the above-described wireless communication, and may be another form of wireless communication or wired communication.

[0072] The object detection unit 27 detects the presence or absence of a tobacco stick 30 in the storage unit 12. This allows the control unit 23 to determine whether a tobacco stick 30 is stored (inserted) in the storage unit 12 based on the detection result of the object detection unit 27, and to control the emission of microwaves from the antenna 22 according to the determination result. For example, when the control unit 23 determines based on the detection result of the object detection unit 27 that a tobacco stick 30 is not stored in the storage unit 12, it prohibits the emission of microwaves from the antenna 22. On the other hand, when the control unit 23 determines based on the detection result of the object detection unit 27 that a tobacco stick 30 is stored (inserted) in the storage unit 12, it enables the emission of microwaves from the antenna 22. The object detection unit 27 may be configured, for example, as a capacitance-type proximity sensor, but is not limited to this and may also be configured as a contact-type sensor (for example, a pressure sensor) or a photoelectric sensor. In the example of Figure 1, the item detection unit 27 is provided on the bottom surface (inner surface on the -Z direction side) of the storage unit 12, but it may also be provided on the side or top surface of the storage unit 12, or on the guide unit 13.

[0073] 1, the inhaler 10 of this embodiment may be equipped with a mouthpiece 40 that the user holds in their mouth to inhale gas (gas containing aerosol) from the storage unit 12. The mouthpiece 40 may be attached to the guide part 13 of the inhaler 10 so as to cover the portion (mouthpiece part 32) of the tobacco stick 30 that protrudes from the inhaler 10 (storage unit 12). The mouthpiece 40 is provided with a microwave shield 41 that blocks microwaves leaking out from the storage unit 12 to the outside via the opening 12a and the guide part 13. The microwave shield 41 may be made of a metal mesh or the like so as to allow gas to pass through while blocking microwaves.

[0074] When using a mouthpiece 40 equipped with a microwave shield 41, the inhaler 10 may be provided with a mouthpiece detection unit 28 that detects whether the mouthpiece 40 is attached. This allows the control unit 23 to control the emission of microwaves from the antenna 22 based on the detection result of the mouthpiece detection unit 28. For example, when the control unit 23 determines that the mouthpiece 40 is not attached based on the detection result of the mouthpiece detection unit 28, it prohibits the emission of microwaves from the antenna 22. On the other hand, when the control unit 23 determines that the mouthpiece 40 is attached based on the detection result of the mouthpiece detection unit 28, it enables the emission of microwaves from the antenna 22. The inhaler 10 may also be configured so that the user directly applies the mouthpiece portion 32 of the tobacco stick 30 without using the mouthpiece 40. In this case, a microwave shield made of a metal mesh or the like may be provided on the mouthpiece portion 32 of the tobacco stick 30 to block microwaves.

[0075] As described above, portable inhalers 10 having an internal power supply unit 24 (battery) are required to be energy-efficient so that they can be used for as long as possible, and it is desirable to efficiently heat the tobacco stick 30 using microwaves. To this end, the inhaler 10 of this embodiment is provided with a heating element 15 (absorber) inside the container 12, which generates heat by absorbing microwaves emitted from the antenna 22 to heat the tobacco stick 30, and a heat storage element 16, which stores heat and gradually releases it. This configuration, which provides the heating element 15 and the heat storage element 16, improves the energy conversion efficiency for converting the microwaves emitted from the antenna 22 into heat, making it possible to efficiently heat the tobacco stick 30. Note that a portion of the microwaves emitted from the antenna 22 may be irradiated directly onto the tobacco stick 30 without being absorbed by the heating element 15 (i.e., the tobacco stick 30 may be heated directly without passing through the heating element 15).

[0076] Below, an example will be described regarding the configuration / arrangement of the heating element 15 and the heat storage element 16. Here, an example will be described in which both the heating element 15 and the heat storage element 16 are provided inside the storage portion 12, but a configuration in which only the heating element 15 is provided inside the storage portion 12 is also possible. In other words, the heat storage element 16 does not have to be provided inside the storage portion 12. Even when only the heating element 15 is provided inside the storage portion 12, it becomes possible to heat the tobacco stick 30 using microwaves more efficiently than when the heating element 15 is not provided inside the storage portion 12.

[0077] [Example 1] Figures 3A and 3B are diagrams showing the configuration / arrangement of a tobacco stick 30, an antenna 22, a heating element 15, and a heat storage element 16 in Example 1. Figure 3A shows a perspective view, and Figure 3B shows a cross-sectional view. In Figures 3A and 3B, the direction in which microwaves are emitted from the antenna 22 is indicated by arrow A.

[0078] The heating element 15 is a member that generates heat (about 200°C) by absorbing microwaves emitted from the antenna 22, and can be made of a ceramic material such as titanium metal or titanium oxide. The heating element 15 is disposed inside the storage section 12 of the inhaler 10 (aerosol generating device), near at least a portion of the tobacco stick 30 (tobacco filling section 31) stored in the storage section 12, and generates heat by absorbing microwaves to heat the tobacco stick 30.

[0079] Specifically, the heating element 15 is preferably arranged so as to be in contact with at least a portion of the tobacco stick (tobacco packing portion 31) accommodated in the accommodation portion 12 of the inhaler 10. This allows the heat generated by the heating element 15 to be efficiently transferred to the tobacco stick 30, thereby efficiently heating the tobacco stick 30. The heating element 15 is also preferably configured to guide the insertion of the tobacco stick 30 into the accommodation portion 12 of the inhaler 10 and to hold the tobacco stick 30 inserted in the accommodation portion 12. In this case, the heating element 15 may be configured as a tubular member that accommodates the tobacco stick 30. When the heating element 15 is configured as a tubular member, the tubular member may have a bottom surface that contacts the tip of the tobacco stick 30, or may not have a bottom surface. This eliminates the need to provide a separate member from the heating element 15 for guiding the insertion of the tobacco stick into the accommodation portion 12 or for holding the tobacco stick 30 within the accommodation portion 12, which can be advantageous for simplifying the device configuration and reducing costs.

[0080] 3A to 3B, the heating element 15 is provided so as to cover (surround) the entire outer periphery of the tobacco filler portion 31 in the circumferential direction (direction of rotation around the Z axis) of the tobacco stick 30 for at least a portion of the tobacco stick 30 (tobacco filler portion 31) in the Z direction. However, the heating element 15 may also be provided so as to partially cover (surround) the outer periphery of the tobacco filler portion 31 in the circumferential direction of the tobacco stick 30 for at least a portion of the tobacco stick 30 (tobacco filler portion 31) in the Z direction.

[0081] The heat storage body 16 is a member that stores heat and gradually releases the heat, and may be made of, for example, a ceramic material. The heat storage body 16 is disposed near the heating element 15 inside the housing portion 12 of the inhaler 10, and temporarily stores the heat generated by the heating element 15. For example, the heat storage body 16 may be disposed on the outer periphery of the heating element 15 in the circumferential direction of the tobacco stick 30. The heat storage body 16 may be made of a material that stores heat for a longer period of time than the heating element 15 and gradually releases the stored heat. The heat storage body 16 may be made of a material that stores a larger amount of heat per unit volume than the heating element 15. By providing such a heat storage body 16, the heat generated by the heating element 15 can be efficiently stored. In other words, even when the emission (oscillation) of microwaves from the antenna 22 is stopped, the tobacco stick 30 can be heated or kept warm by the heat released from the heat storage body 16. Therefore, it is possible to obtain effects such as power saving by reducing the microwave emission time, and shortening the time required for the tobacco stick 30 to reach a target temperature (for example, the temperature at which aerosols are generated) after the microwaves are re-emitted (re-oscillated).

[0082] Here, the heat storage body 16 is not limited to being provided on the outer periphery of the heating element 15, but may also be provided on a portion of the outer periphery of the tobacco stick 30 where the heating element 15 is not provided. As an example, as shown in FIG. 4 , the heating element 15 and the heat storage body 16 may be arranged alternately in the circumferential direction of the tobacco stick 30. This configuration also enables efficient heat generation in the heating element 15 and heat storage / dissipation in the heat storage body 16. Alternatively, the entire outer periphery of the tobacco filling section 31 may be covered (surrounded) by the heating element 15, and the heating element 15 may be partially covered by the heat storage body 16. The heat storage body 16 may be arranged inside the heating element 15 (i.e., between the tobacco stick 30 and the heating element 15). In this case, the heat storage body 16 may be configured as a tubular member that houses the tobacco stick 30. When the heat storage body 16 is configured as a tubular member, the tubular member may have a bottom surface that contacts the tip of the tobacco stick 30, or may have no bottom surface.

[0083] The antenna 22 may be configured as a planar antenna (e.g., a patch antenna) disposed on the inner surface of the storage unit 12 so as to emit microwaves into the storage unit 12. In the configuration example shown in Figures 3A to 3B, the antenna 22 is disposed on the bottom surface of the storage unit 12 so as to emit microwaves toward the tobacco stick 30 (tobacco filler portion 31) and the heating element 15. The bottom surface of the storage unit 12 is the surface of the storage unit 12 on the -Z direction side, i.e., the surface facing the tip of the tobacco stick 30 (tobacco filler portion 31) inserted into the storage unit 12. By arranging the antenna 22 in this manner, it becomes possible to efficiently irradiate microwaves onto the tobacco stick 30 (tobacco filler portion 31) and the heating element 15. In other words, it becomes possible to heat the aerosol source by directly irradiating the aerosol source in the tobacco stick 30 with microwaves, and also to heat the aerosol source via the heat generated by the heating element 15 due to microwave irradiation of the heating element 15.

[0084] [Example 2] Figures 5A and 5B are diagrams showing the configuration / arrangement of a tobacco stick 30, an antenna 22, a heating element 15, and a heat storage element 16 in Example 2. Figure 5A shows a perspective view, and Figure 5B shows a cross-sectional view. In Figures 5A and 5B, the direction in which microwaves are emitted from the antenna 22 is indicated by arrow B. Note that matters other than those mentioned in Example 2 can follow those in Example 1.

[0085] In Example 2, the configuration / arrangement of the heating element 15 and the heat storage element 16 are similar to those in Example 1, but the configuration of the antenna 22 is different. As shown in Figures 5A and 5B, the antenna 22 in Example 2 is configured to be inserted into the tobacco stick 30 (tobacco filling portion 31) when the tobacco stick 30 is inserted into the inhaler 10 (container portion 12). Specifically, the antenna 22 is configured as a rod-shaped vertical antenna (e.g., a monopole antenna) that emits microwaves radially outward. With this configuration, microwaves can be directly irradiated onto the aerosol source within the tobacco stick 30 to heat the aerosol source, and microwaves that leak outside the tobacco stick 30 can be absorbed by the heating element 15 to generate heat. In other words, microwaves not used to heat the aerosol source within the tobacco stick 30 are used to generate heat from the heating element 15, allowing efficient heating of the tobacco stick 30 using microwaves.

[0086] [Example 3] Figures 6A and 6B are diagrams showing the configuration / arrangement of a tobacco stick 30, an antenna 22, a heating element 15, and a heat storage element 16 in Example 3. Figure 6A shows a perspective view, and Figure 6B shows a cross-sectional view. In Figures 6A and 6B, the direction in which microwaves are emitted from the antenna 22 is indicated by arrow C. Note that matters other than those mentioned in Example 3 can follow those in Example 1.

[0087] In Example 3, as shown in FIGS. 6A and 6B , the heating elements 15 and the heat storage elements 16 are alternately arranged around the outside (surrounding) of the tobacco stick 30 (tobacco filling portion 31) inserted into the inhaler 10 (container 12) along the insertion direction (−Z direction) of the tobacco stick 30. An antenna 22 is provided for each of the heating elements 15 so that microwaves can be irradiated to each of the heating elements 15 individually. In the configuration example shown in FIGS. 6A and 6B , the antenna 22 can be arranged on the inner surface (surface on the ±Y direction side) of the container 12 so as to irradiate microwaves to the side surface (surface on the ±Y direction side) of each heating element 15. In this configuration, the heat generation at each heating element 15 can be individually controlled by individually controlling the intensity of the microwaves emitted from each antenna 22 and irradiated to each heating element 15. In other words, it becomes possible to accurately control the heating distribution of the tobacco stick 30 in the Z direction.

[0088] 6A to 6B, three heating elements 15 and three heat storage elements 16 are provided, but the numbers of heating elements 15 and heat storage elements 16 are not limited to three and can be set arbitrarily depending on the control accuracy of the heating distribution of the tobacco stick 30 in the Z direction. Also, in the configuration examples of Figures 6A to 6B, an antenna 22 is provided individually for each of the multiple heating elements 15, but this is not limiting and a common antenna 22 may be provided for the multiple heating elements 15. In this case, although it is difficult to individually control the heat generation of each heating element 15, it is possible to uniformize the heating distribution of the tobacco stick 30 in the Z direction.

[0089] As described above, the inhaler 10 of this embodiment is provided with a heating element 15 that generates heat by absorbing microwaves, and a heat storage element 16 that stores heat and gradually releases the heat, in the storage section 12 into which the tobacco stick 30 (tobacco filling section 31) is inserted. This allows the tobacco stick 30 to be efficiently heated using microwaves, which can be advantageous in terms of power saving for the inhaler 10.

[0090] <Other Embodiments> In the above embodiment, an example (microwave heating method) has been described in which the tobacco sticks 30 and / or the heating element 15 in the storage unit 12 are heated by emitting electromagnetic waves (microwaves) generated by the high-frequency oscillator 20 from the antenna 22 into the storage unit 12. However, the present invention is not limited to this, and may be, for example, a method in which the tobacco sticks 30, the heating element 15 and / or the heat storage body 16 are dielectrically heated by changing the electromagnetic field (electromagnetic field intensity) generated in the storage unit 12 by controlling the electromagnetic waves irradiated from the antenna 22.

[0091] The invention is not limited to the above-described embodiment, and various modifications and variations are possible within the scope of the gist of the invention.

Claims

1. An aerosol generating device into which an aerosol-generating article including an aerosol source is inserted, comprising: an antenna that emits electromagnetic waves; a heating element that generates heat by absorbing the electromagnetic waves emitted from the antenna and heats the aerosol-generating article; An aerosol generating device comprising:

2. 2. The aerosol generating device according to claim 1, wherein the heating element is disposed near at least a portion of the aerosol-generating article inserted into the aerosol generating device.

3. 3. The aerosol generating device according to claim 1, wherein the heating element is arranged so as to be in contact with at least a portion of the aerosol-generating article inserted into the aerosol generating device.

4. 3. The aerosol generating device according to claim 1, wherein the heating element is arranged to hold the aerosol-generating article inserted into the aerosol generating device.

5. 3. The aerosol generating device according to claim 1, wherein the antenna is disposed around the heating element so as to emit electromagnetic waves toward the heating element.

6. 3. The aerosol generating device according to claim 1, wherein the antenna is inserted into the aerosol-generating article when the aerosol-generating article is inserted into the aerosol generating device.

7. 3. The aerosol generating device according to claim 1, further comprising a heat storage body arranged in the vicinity of the heating body.

8. The aerosol generating device according to claim 7 , wherein the heat storage body is disposed around the heating body.

9. The aerosol generating device described in claim 7, characterized in that the heating element and the heat storage element are arranged alternately outside the aerosol generating article inserted into the aerosol generating device along the insertion direction of the aerosol generating article.