Aerosol generating device

Abstract

The present disclosure relates to an aerosol generating device for generating an aerosol from an article comprising an aerosol generating substrate, comprising: a chamber configured to receive the article; a heater comprising a light-emitting element configured to emit a light beam to a first portion of the aerosol generating substrate when the article is present in the chamber; and a motor configured to rotate one of the article and the heater relative to the other of the article and the heater around a rotation axis so as to generate an aerosol by heating at least a second portion of the aerosol generating substrate, wherein the light beam is emitted in a direction substantially parallel to the rotation axis or the light beam is emitted in a direction inclined by an angle (α) of 45° or less with respect to the rotation axis.

Description

Technology Field

[0001] The present disclosure relates to an aerosol generating device. The aerosol generating device is configured to receive a consumable article to be heated, for example, by resistance heating or induction heating, and to generate an inhalable aerosol. The consumable article is any one of a liquid, a gel, or a solid and may include an aerosol precursor material that may or may not include tobacco. Additionally, the present disclosure relates to an aerosol generating system comprising such an aerosol generating device and a method for implementing such an aerosol generating system. Background Technology

[0002] Aerosol generating devices are an alternative to conventional cigarettes. Instead of burning an aerosol generating material, such as tobacco, to produce inhalable smoke, the device generates an aerosol that can be inhaled by the user by heating an aerosol precursor material of an aerosol generating material without combustion, and the aerosol precursor material contains an aerosol-forming component. An aerosol generating device is a portable inhaler device equipped with a casing that houses the operating components. The casing of the aerosol generating device may have an elongated shape so that the user can hold it. It typically includes a casing for the consumable item, a heater, and a power supply unit such as a battery. Vaporization occurs when the heater heats the consumable item to form an aerosol that can be inhaled through the mouthpiece section or directly through the item. The problem to be solved

[0003] It is necessary to improve the energy efficiency of aerosol generation devices by reducing heat loss and to enhance the controllability of "heat-not-burn" processes. Additionally, it is necessary to provide uniform heating of tobacco products to improve flavor or enhance the overall user experience. Furthermore, miniaturization of heating devices is required to meet user expectations. means of solving the problem

[0004] The present disclosure improves this situation.

[0005] The present disclosure relates to an aerosol generating device for generating an aerosol from an article comprising an aerosol generating substrate,

[0006] - A chamber configured to accommodate items,

[0007] - A heater comprising a light-emitting element configured to emit light to a first part of an aerosol-generating substrate when an article is present in the chamber,

[0008] - A motor configured to generate an aerosol by rotating one of the article and the heater around a rotation axis with respect to the other of the article and the heater, so that the light beam heats at least a second portion of the aerosol generating substrate.

[0009] This relates to an aerosol generating device comprising

[0010] In the example, the ray is emitted in a direction substantially parallel to the axis of rotation.

[0011] In another example, the light ray is emitted in a direction tilted by an angle of 45° or less, preferably 30° or less, and even more preferably 20° or less with respect to the axis of rotation.

[0012] The direction in which the ray is emitted is considered to be the central axis of the ray. The ray may have a pyramidal or conical shape with a square or rectangular cross-section centered on this central axis. For example, the central axis of the ray is defined by a line passing through the center of each cross-section. The center of the cross-section is defined by the point where the diagonals of the cross-sections meet. In a specific example, the ray may include a pyramidal shape that has a square or rectangular base and extends upward in a flared shape forming a maximum flare angle of about 10°.

[0013] In addition, the phrase "rays are emitted in a direction substantially parallel to the axis of rotation" should be understood to mean that at any time during the heating process, the direction of emission of the rays and the axis of rotation are substantially parallel to each other in a plane.

[0014] For the purposes of this disclosure, the result introduced by the term “substantially” is interpreted as being as precise as the measurement method. For example, an error of less than 15°, preferably less than 10°, more preferably less than 5° may be allowed. Preferably, the light is emitted in a direction parallel to the axis of rotation. The term “substantially parallel to the axis of rotation” specifically excludes the case where the light reaches the light source while the light-emitting element is positioned laterally with respect to the aerosol-generating substrate.

[0015] The statement that "the light ray is emitted in a direction inclined by an angle of 45° or less, preferably 30° or less, and more preferably 20° or less with respect to the axis of rotation" should be understood to mean that when the direction of emission of the light ray and the axis of rotation are projected onto the same plane, they form an angle of 45° or less, preferably 30° or less, and more preferably 20° or less. According to the example, since geometric relationships are known and measurements are identical, it should be noted that the angle between the direction of emission of the light ray and the axis of rotation may be measured between the direction of emission of the light ray and a reference axis that passes through the light-emitting element, is parallel to the axis of rotation, and lies in the same plane. The reference axis can be obtained by translating the axis of rotation to pass through the center of the light-emitting element while maintaining exactly the same orientation.

[0016] In the example, the motor and the light-emitting element are located on the same side of the article. In the example, both the motor and the light-emitting element are located below the article, and the mouthpiece is located above the article.

[0017] Due to the relative rotation between the heater and the article, the light-emitting element can cover a wider area of ​​the aerosol-generating substrate than in the case of a static arrangement. In this way, it is possible to satisfactorily heat the aerosol-generating substrate using only a limited number of light-emitting elements. Therefore, this arrangement achieves a significant improvement in efficiency compared to, for example, a solution using a light beam emitted from the side of the aerosol-generating substrate in a direction substantially perpendicular to the axis of rotation.

[0018] In the example, the light-emitting element is positioned spaced apart from the axis of rotation.

[0019] In the example, the heater of the aerosol generating device includes a single light-emitting element that emits a single beam. Therefore, this limits the overall cost of the aerosol generating device.

[0020] In addition, due to the fact that the emitted light rays are substantially parallel to or inclined (at the aforementioned angle) with respect to the rotation axis of one of the article and the heater, multiple positive technical effects can be obtained compared to the case where the light-emitting element is positioned laterally with respect to the aerosol generating substrate.

[0021] This enables the optimized miniaturization of the aerosol generating device. In practice, the motor, heater, and articles can be stacked along the axis of rotation and may be suitable for a casing that is easy to support, for example, which is entirely cylindrical.

[0022] Furthermore, this allows the beam to completely cover the entire aerosol generating substrate with only a single rotation. The relative motion can be purely rotational, and there is no need to induce motion combining translation and rotation to cover the entire aerosol generating substrate. This arrangement enables the use of specific article shapes, such as disc-shaped articles, thereby maximizing the quantity of aerosol generated by a single rotation and featuring a limited volume.

[0023] In the example, the light-emitting element includes a VCSEL (Vertical Cavity Surface Emitting Laser). The light-emitting element may be any other type known to those skilled in the art, such as an infrared LED (Light Emitting Diode), an EEL (Edge Emitting Laser), or a TCSEL (Topology Cavity Surface Emitting Laser).

[0024] Using VCSELs or TCSELs can be advantageous because they are more effective and feature an efficient manufacturing process that enables mass production at minimal cost. These types of lasers also feature high heating rates.

[0025] In a preferred example, the motor may be configured to rotate the article relative to the heater, and the heater is not rotated by the motor.

[0026] However, in an alternative example, the heater is rotated relative to the motor, and the item is not rotated by the motor.

[0027] In the example, the motor may be fixed inside a casing by a structural arrangement comprising a core in which the motor is housed. The core is preferably located on the longitudinal central axis of the casing. The longitudinal central axis may be the same as the axis of rotation. The motor may include a rotor aligned along the axis of rotation.

[0028] In the example, the motor may include a conveyor configured to contact the article when the article is present in the chamber, and the motor is configured to rotate the conveyor to rotate the article. The conveyor may be rigidly attached to the rotor of the motor or manufactured integrally with the rotor.

[0029] The motor may be configured to rotate the article in a manner sufficient for the entire aerosol-generating material to be consumed in a single full rotation. In this case, the motor may operate at a relatively slow rotational speed, for example, a speed included in the range of 0.02 rpm to 1 rpm. In an example, the speed may be included in the range of 0.03 rpm to 0.2 rpm. A single full rotation may occur in a single smoking session or over multiple sessions. If only a portion of the aerosol-generating material is used in the first session, the user may continue smoking the unused remaining portion in one or more subsequent sessions from the point where the motor stopped. Sessions are typically set to 5 minutes, but other session durations, for example, 1 minute, may also be considered. In an example, the session duration may be set by the user.

[0030] In the example, the rotation speed may depend on parameters such as the vape intensity, session duration, and whether the entire aerosol-generating material is smoked or only a portion of the aerosol-generating material is smoked in a single session.

[0031] In an example where the entire aerosol generating material is inhaled in a single session (corresponding to a high-performance example), the speed is 0.2 rpm. One rotation is completed in 5 minutes.

[0032] In an example where the aerosol generating material is smoked over multiple sessions in which only a portion of the aerosol generating material is smoked, the article can typically rotate only 60 degrees in a single session, and the speed can be reduced, for example, to 0.033 rpm. In this case, five additional sessions are required for the aerosol generating material to complete a full 360° rotation. The output power of the light-emitting element can also be reduced. The user can set the output power of the light-emitting element.

[0033] In the example, for a strong vaping session, a full rotation can be achieved in 1 minute, and accordingly, the speed is set to 1 rpm.

[0034] In the example, the rotational speed of the motor and the power of the light-emitting element can be adjusted according to user preference to provide a customized sensory level. The angular stroke of the motor can be adjusted, for example, from 60 degrees to 360 degrees, where 360 ​​degrees represents full use of the aerosol-generating material.

[0035] In an example where the article is rotated and the heater is stationary, the transfer unit may include a corresponding flat surface configured to cooperate with the flat surface of the article. Thus, the rotation of the rotor can be transmitted to the article by contact between the two surfaces. The flat surface and the corresponding flat surface may be substantially perpendicular to the axis of rotation.

[0036] In the example, the flat surface and / or the corresponding flat surface includes increased roughness to reduce slippage and provide more efficient torque transmission.

[0037] In the example, the aerosol generating device may include a casing comprising an upper part including a chamber and a lower part including a motor, and the aerosol generating device includes a heater partition whose periphery is fixed by a continuous fixed line inside the casing, and the heater partition includes a heater and partitions the upper part and the lower part of the casing.

[0038] The heater partition can be secured at the periphery by a continuous fixing line to the inner wall of the casing to form an airtight seal, so as to prevent air filled with aerosol from leaking through the heater partition by the periphery edge between the heater partition and the casing.

[0039] In the example, the heater partition may additionally include an aperture that is preferably circular, and the transfer member is configured to penetrate the heater partition through the aperture to contact the article when the article is present in the chamber. The transfer member and / or the heater partition may be configured to prevent air leakage through the gap between the transfer member and the heater partition. For example, the heater partition may include a sealing joint inside the peripheral edge of the aperture.

[0040] In the example, the heater partition may include a through opening positioned spaced apart from the rotation axis of the motor. The heater partition may connect the upper and lower parts of the casing. A light-emitting element may be received in the through opening. Once placed in place, the light-emitting element may completely block the through opening. The light-emitting element may be configured to emit a light beam toward the upper part of the casing and may include an electrical interface, such as an electrical cable, extending from the opposite side of the casing toward the lower part. The heater partition may include a sealing joint inside the peripheral edge of the through opening to prevent air leakage between the light-emitting element and the heater partition.

[0041] In the example, the aerosol generating device may include a product tray for receiving products, and the product tray is configured to be inserted into a chamber at an insertion position and removed from the chamber at a removal position. The product tray may be made of stainless steel or any other material. The product tray is configured so that a user can replace the consumed product by removing the consumed product from the product tray and filling the product tray with a new product.

[0042] In the example, the article tray may be configured to slide between an insertion position and a removal position. The article tray may be inserted through a slot placed in the casing. The article tray may include two linear guide rods, and the aerosol generating device may include two corresponding guide grooves, and the guide rods and guide grooves interact to slide the article tray between the insertion position and the removal position. In the removal position, the article supported by the article tray can be removed, and a new article can be filled into the article tray. In the insertion position, the article is made to reach a position suitable for rotation by the motor. In the example, the insertion position may be suitable for the flat surface of the article to reach the transmission part of the motor and to ensure contact between the flat surface of the article and the corresponding surface of the transmission part.

[0043] In the example, the item tray may include a handle. Thus, when a user grasps the handle and pulls, the item tray can be removed to the removal position. The handle may include a hollow portion configured to facilitate the user's grasping action. The handle may be made of the same material as the item tray.

[0044] In the example, the article tray may include a curved stop portion configured to hold the article in place at the support portion. In the example where the article is circular or disc-shaped, the curvature of the inner wall of the stop portion is configured to fit the outer circular edge of the article. In the example where the casing is tubular or round cylinder with a curved outer shape, the stop portion may include an outer wall curved to fit the outer shape of the casing. The stop portion may be configured to hermetically block a slot placed in the casing. Additionally, the stop portion may be configured to act as a stroke stop for the article tray, thereby ensuring the travel distance of the article tray within the casing and, consequently, ensuring that the article reaches a determined position suitable for the operation of the aerosol generating device when the article tray is in the insertion position.

[0045] In the example, the heater partition may include a guide groove. The guide groove may extend linearly and parallelly to both sides of the aperture of the heater partition. The guide groove may extend perpendicularly to the axis of rotation.

[0046] In the example, the lower part of the casing may include at least one air inlet, and the heater partition may include at least one air passage, preferably three air passages, and the air inlet and air passages are configured so that air from outside the casing circulates from the lower part of the casing to the upper part of the casing. Each of the air inlet and air passage may include a diameter of 0.4 mm to provide optimal suction resistance.

[0047] In the example, the upper part of the casing may include a mouthpiece comprising an open end and a duct configured to guide air from the upper part of the casing to the open end. The entire air path from the duct and the air inlet to the open end may include a relatively long air path for at least two reasons:

[0048] - This provides sufficient time for the inhaled air to cool down, thereby preventing irritation to the throat and bronchi, for example. This is fully possible because the luminescent element emits a relatively large amount of concentrated power, which can raise the air temperature.

[0049] - This provides sufficient space to store items, and in the example, these items can be stored in a casing and / or mouthpiece.

[0050] For at least these two reasons, the longer and straighter the overall air path, the better.

[0051] For example, the duct may have a length substantially equal to half the total height of the aerosol generating device. For example, the duct may have a length longer than 40 mm, preferably longer than 50 mm, and even more preferably longer than 60 mm. This allows the air filled with heated aerosol circulating within the duct to have time to cool before reaching the user's mouth.

[0052] In the example, the aerosol generating device may include a battery, and the motor and heater are controlled by a PCB (printed circuit board), and the PCB is preferably connected to the battery, motor, and heater.

[0053] In the example, the PCB may be configured to control a motor to rotate an article according to at least one predetermined angular stroke value, preferably an angular stroke value within the range of 60° to 360°, preferably an angular stroke value that is a multiple of 60°. Additionally, the PCB may be configured to adjust the power output of a heater, more specifically a light-emitting element, and to adjust the rotational speed of the motor. The PCB may be connected to an input interface, for example, including a button or a screen, or any other user interface known to those skilled in the art, and is configured to allow a user to operate the aerosol generating device and select preferred parameters.

[0054] According to another aspect, the present disclosure further relates to an article configured to be inserted into an aerosol generating device as described above, in combination with the above content.

[0055] The article may include an aerosol generating substrate configured to be heated by an aerosol generating device and may be configured to rotate about a rotation axis. The aerosol generating substrate may additionally include a total height measured along the rotation axis and a total width measured perpendicular to the rotation axis, wherein the total height is preferably smaller than the total width. Generally, the height of the article may be dimensioned to be small enough so that heat applied to only one side of the article can penetrate the substrate and pass through the article to the other side, so that heating only one side generates aerosol and a full rotation is sufficient to consume the entire aerosol generating substrate. In example, the article may be disc-shaped or generally circular. In this case, the width may be measured as the diameter of the article. The height of the aerosol generating substrate may preferably be at least 1 / 2 or less of the width, preferably at least 1 / 5 or less, and more preferably at least 1 / 10 or less.

[0056] In the example, the item can be flat.

[0057] In other words, the article may be primarily two-dimensional and have two main surfaces extending in two dimensions, and these surfaces are separated by a distance negligible relative to the dimensions of the surfaces.

[0058] In the example, the article has a thickness of 0.6 mm to 1.2 mm, which combines the best results between mechanical properties, particularly durability and the amount of aerosol-generating material for heating efficiency.

[0059] In the example, due to the difficulty of handling and mechanical strength, it may be desirable not to make the thickness of the article less than 0.6 mm.

[0060] In the example, a thickness of 1 mm appears to provide the best mechanical properties and an appropriate amount of aerosol-generating substrate suitable for aerosol generation.

[0061] In the example, the article may be provided with various thicknesses that vary, for example, depending on the amount of tobacco and / or nicotine and / or flavor, thereby causing different user experiences.

[0062] In the example, the article may include a central core characterized by an overall rotational shape extending around an axis of rotation. Such a shape can induce balanced rotation. The central core may include, for example, a toroidal shape having a substantially rectangular cross-section or any other overall shape. Generally, the shape of the central core is configured not to have any eccentric shape that could cause unbalanced rotation.

[0063] The aerosol generating substrate may extend radially from the outer side of the central core. In an example, the article may feature a general shape of a disc, and the central core and the aerosol generating substrate may be concentric. Generally, the article may feature a flattened shape along the axis of rotation and extend radially, mainly perpendicular to the axis of rotation. The article features a general rotational shape.

[0064] In the example, the article may include a periphery edge that is round and cylindrical. The article may include an upper surface that is substantially perpendicular to the axis of rotation and faces upward, and a lower surface that is substantially parallel to the upper surface, perpendicular to the axis of rotation, and faces downward toward the light-emitting element of the heater. The height of the article may be measured as the distance between the upper surface and the lower surface. In the example where the light beam is emitted in a direction substantially parallel to the axis of rotation, the lower surface may be substantially perpendicular to the light beam for optimal heating efficiency.

[0065] In the example, the light is emitted only from the lower surface of the aerosol-generating substrate.

[0066] In the example, the article may include planar symmetry with respect to a plane perpendicular to the axis of rotation, and preferably, the article includes a disc shape. This ensures that the user does not need to consider the correct insertion direction, so no errors can be made.

[0067] In the example, the article may include a central core that rotates about a rotation axis, and an aerosol generating substrate is positioned around the central core and fixed thereto, and the central core is configured to receive torque from the motor of the aerosol generating device and rotate about the rotation axis relative to the heater. In the example, the central core may include a flat surface configured to contact a delivery part. The central core may include a ring shape and, preferably, may have a rectangular cross-section in a plane including the rotation axis. The central core may include an annular cross-section in a plane perpendicular to the rotation axis.

[0068] In an example, the central core may include at least one channel for air to pass through. Each channel may include grooves distributed radially in rotation around the central core. The channels may extend in a direction substantially parallel to the axis of rotation. Slots may be formed on the flat surface of the central core. The central core may include a cavity fluidly connected to an upper portion, preferably a chamber, by each channel. In an example, a duct of the mouthpiece may be connected to the cavity of the central core so that air can flow from the chamber to the duct through at least one channel. The cavity may be round cylindrical and may be concentric with the central core and the aerosol generating substrate.

[0069] In the example, the central core may comprise a polymer material, preferably PEEK (polyether ether ketone) or compressed biodegradable paper. In the example, additional discs of compressed paper may be attached to the outer edge of the aerosol-generating substrate to make the article more rigid and easier to handle.

[0070] In the example, the aerosol generating material may include compressed tobacco.

[0071] According to another aspect, in combination with the above, the present disclosure further relates to an aerosol generating system comprising at least one article and an aerosol generating device as described above.

[0072] In the example, the aerosol generating system may include a plurality of articles and an automatic loading mechanism configured to insert one of the plurality of articles into a chamber. The automatic loading mechanism may include, for example, a cartridge containing a plurality of articles, for example 10 articles, which can be manually filled and / or refilled by a user. The cartridge may be pre-filled with a plurality of articles by, for example, a manufacturer and may be configured to be replaced entirely when all articles are completely consumed.

[0073] According to another aspect, in combination with the above, the present disclosure further provides a method for heating an article with a heater of an aerosol generating device according to the above, wherein the heater comprises a light-emitting element configured to emit light to an aerosol generating substrate, and the method is

[0074] - A step of operating a light-emitting element to start the emission of light rays to a first part of an aerosol generating substrate, a step of operating a motor to drive one of the article and the heater to rotation relative to the other of the article and the heater,

[0075] - A method comprising the step of continuing at least one or both of the emission of a beam of light to an aerosol generating substrate and relative rotation, so that the beam heats a second portion of the aerosol generating substrate to generate an aerosol.

[0076] In the example, the above ray is emitted in a direction substantially parallel to the axis of rotation, and

[0077] In the example, the above ray is emitted in a direction inclined at an angle of 45° or less with respect to the axis of rotation, and

[0078] In the example, the operation of the light-emitting element and the operation of the motor may be independent, and, for example, the motor may rotate and drive the heater or aerosol generating material even when the light-emitting element is not operating. Additionally, the light-emitting element may operate even when the motor is not operating.

[0079] In the example, the operating order of the light-emitting element and the motor can be selected by the user, for instance, and is not limited to operating the light-emitting element first and then the motor. In the example, the motor operates first and then the light-emitting element operates.

[0080] In the example, the light-emitting element and the motor can be operated in any order, that is, sequentially or simultaneously. When one is operating, the other can remain off.

[0081] In the example, the motor may be configured to rotate one of the article and the heater relative to the other of the article and the heater in order to move a specific part of the aerosol generating material to a predetermined position, for example, in front of a light-emitting element to be heated. Brief explanation of the drawing

[0082] Other features, details, and advantages will be seen in the detailed description and drawings below, FIG. 1 is a schematic perspective view of an aerosol generating device according to one example, and FIG. 2 is a schematic perspective view of an aerosol generating device featuring a product tray according to one example, and FIG. 3 is a schematic cross-sectional view showing the interior of an aerosol generating device according to one example, and FIG. 4 is a schematic cross-sectional view showing an enlarged portion of the interior of an aerosol generating device according to one example, and FIG. 5 is a schematic perspective view of an article according to one example, and FIG. 6 is a schematic cross-sectional view of an article according to one example, and FIG. 7 is a schematic perspective view of an aerosol generating device featuring a stock tray showing details of a chamber according to one example, and FIG. 8 is a schematic partial perspective view of an aerosol generating device featuring a product tray showing details of a product insertion operation according to one example, and FIG. 9 is a schematic cross-sectional view of an aerosol generating device according to one example, and Figure 10 shows a schematic cross-sectional view of an aerosol generating device according to one example. Specific details for implementing the invention

[0083] The embodiments described below represent information necessary for those skilled in the art to practice the present disclosure. Identical reference numerals in different drawings correspond to identical elements. Such elements may be described in only one or more drawings, but apply to all drawings unless otherwise specified.

[0084] In the following description, when referring to terms indicating absolute positions such as "front," "rear," "top," "bottom," "left," "right," etc., or relative terms such as "top," "bottom," "upper," "lower," etc., or modifiers regarding orientation such as "horizontal," "vertical," etc., unless otherwise specified, the orientation of the drawing or the orientation of the aerosol generating device with the suction duct located at the top shall be used as the reference.

[0085] Now, referring to FIG. 1, an aerosol generating device (1) according to one example is illustrated. The aerosol generating device (1) includes a casing (11) including an upper portion (112) and a lower portion (111) that includes a mouthpiece (17). The mouthpiece (17) includes an open end (171) at the free end configured to allow air from inside the aerosol generating device (1) to flow into the user's mouth.

[0086] The lower portion (111) is characterized by an overall cylindrical shape, and the upper portion (112) is characterized by a truncated conical end including the open end (171) of the mouthpiece (17). Thus, the aerosol generating device (1) is compact and easy to hold. The casing (11) is designed to be held by the user's hand, and the mouthpiece (17) is designed to be placed against the user's mouth.

[0087] The aerosol generating device (1) further includes an article tray (15) visible at the insertion position of FIG. 1, and the article tray (15) extends between the bottom portion (111) and the top portion (112) at the insertion position. The article tray (15) is configured to receive an article (2) containing an aerosol generating material (22) that generates an aerosol upon heating. The article tray (15) is used to refill the consumed article (2) with a new article.

[0088] The item tray (15) is movable between the insertion position shown in FIG. 1 and the removal position shown in FIG. 2. In the insertion position, the item tray (15) is configured to match the shape of the casing (11) so as not to interfere with the user grasping the device, that is, to be in contact flat with the outer wall of the casing. However, in this example, the item tray (15) additionally includes a handle (156) protruding from the casing (11), and this handle (156) is configured to allow the user to pull the item tray (15) from the insertion position to the removal position or to push the item tray (15) from the removal position to the insertion position. Movement from the insertion position to the removal position and the opposite movement are illustrated by double arrows in FIG. 2. In this example, the aerosol generating device (1) additionally includes a chamber (18) located inside the upper part (112), which is not illustrated in FIG. 1 and FIG. 2. The item tray (15) is configured to be inserted into the chamber (18) in the insertion position. In the insertion position, the item tray (15) moves the item (2) to an operating position inside the chamber (18).

[0089] The item (2) can be seen in FIG. 2. The aerosol generating material (22) is in the shape of a disc in this example.

[0090] As can be seen in FIGS. 3 and 4, the article (2) is placed in an operating position by the article tray (15).

[0091] Now, referring to FIGS. 3 and FIGS. 4, both of which illustrate an internal cross-section of an aerosol generating device (1) in which an article tray (15) is inserted, and an article (2) is placed in a chamber (18). The chamber (18) is designed to define a volume that may be cylindrical, in which an aerosol generating substrate (22) is heated to generate an aerosol.

[0092] The aerosol generating device (1) includes a heater (4) configured to generate heat. The heater (4) includes a single light-emitting element (41) configured to emit a light beam (42) onto an aerosol generating substrate (22) when an article (2) is present in the chamber (18).

[0093] The aerosol generating device (1) further includes a motor (13) configured to rotate an article (2) inside a chamber (18) around a rotation axis (A) indicated by a dotted line.

[0094] As shown in FIG. 4, the ray (42) is emitted in a direction (X) corresponding to the central axis of the pyramidal shape of the ray (42).

[0095] In a preferred example, the direction (X) and the axis of rotation (A) may be in the same plane or projected onto a single plane. In the same plane, the direction (X) is substantially parallel to the axis of rotation (A) of the article (2), which means parallel with an accuracy allowing an angle of less than 15°, preferably less than 10°, and even more preferably less than 5° with respect to the axis of rotation (A). The ray (42) is emitted onto the article (2) such that the irradiated portion of the aerosol generating substrate (22) moves substantially perpendicular to the ray (42), that is, the X direction of the ray (42), and accordingly, the heated portion is expanded to cover a wider portion of the article (2) than in a static configuration.

[0096] As described above, there may also be other examples in which a ray (42) is emitted in a direction (X) tilted by an angle (α) greater than 15° and less than or equal to 45° with respect to the axis of rotation (A).

[0097] It should be noted that, since geometric relationships are known and measurements are identical, the angle (α) between the direction of light emission and the axis of rotation can be measured by the angle between the direction of light emission (X) and the reference axis (A'), which passes through the light-emitting element (41), is parallel to the axis of rotation (A), and lies in the same plane (see, for example, FIG. 10). In the example, the reference axis (A') can be obtained while maintaining exactly the same orientation by translating the axis of rotation (A) so as to pass through the center of the light-emitting element.

[0098] As described above, there may be other examples in which the heater (4) is rotated by the motor (13) and the article (2) remains stationary. In such examples, the heater (4) moves substantially perpendicularly to the light beam (42) and covers a wider portion of the aerosol generating material (22) than when it remains stationary.

[0099] In the example of FIGS. 3 and 4, the aerosol generating device (1) includes a transfer unit (14) coupled with a motor (13), and the transfer unit (14) is configured to transmit torque to the article (2) to rotate the article (2). The article (2) includes a central core (21) characterized by a lower flat surface (211) configured to contact the transfer unit (14). The transfer unit (14) is characterized by a platter shape having a corresponding flat surface (141) that makes contact with the flat surface (211) of the article (2). The transfer unit (14) is rigidly coupled to the rotor (131) of the motor (13). In this example, the rotor (131), which is the direct output of the motor (13), is directly aligned with the axis of rotation (A). To this end, in the present example, the aerosol generating device (1) comprises a structural array (132) including a core (133) in which a motor (13) is housed and the periphery is fixed to a casing (11). Thus, the motor (13) is fixed to the casing (11). The core places the motor (13) at a central position where the rotation axis (A) and the rotor (131) are directly aligned. This eliminates the need for an additional transmission unit configured to correct misalignment.

[0100] The aerosol generating device (1) further includes a heater partition (12) in which the periphery is fixed by a continuous fixed line inside the casing (11) to form an airtight fixed state. Thus, the heater partition (12) partitions the lower portion (111) from the upper portion (112). The heater partition (12) includes a through opening (122) positioned spaced apart from the rotation axis (A) of the motor (13). The light-emitting element (41) of the heater (4) is received in the through opening (122).

[0101] In the illustrated example, the heater partition (12) further includes a circular central aperture (182) and is configured so that the transfer member (14) passes through the central aperture (182) and contacts the flat surface (211) of the central core (21) as described above. The central aperture (182) is circular to allow rotation of the transfer member (14). Since the motor (13) is located in the bottom portion (111) of the casing (11) and the article (2) is located in the chamber (18) within the top portion (112), the aperture (182) allows torque to be transmitted from the bottom portion (111) to the top portion (112) by allowing the transfer member (14) to pass through. There may be a sealing means around the aperture (182) to prevent air from leaking through the gap between the transfer member (14) and the aperture (182).

[0102] The aerosol generating device (1) includes a battery (19) located at the bottom portion (111) of the casing (11) and configured to supply power to the motor (13) and the heater (4). The aerosol generating device (1) further includes a printed circuit board (PCB) (20) configured to control the motor (13) and the heater (4). The PCB (20) is accommodated between the outer wall (116) of the casing (11) and the battery (19) for optimized miniaturization of the aerosol generating device (1). Additionally, the electrical interface (43) of the light-emitting element (41) extends from one side of the heater partition (12) toward the bottom portion (111) of the casing (11), and the light beam (42) is emitted from the other side of the heater partition (12) toward the top portion (112).

[0103] The outer wall of the casing (11) includes an air inlet (113) that allows air from outside the aerosol generating device (1) to flow into the casing (11), as indicated by the arrow in FIG. 3. The heater partition (12) is secured to the casing (11) in an airtight manner but includes three air passages (123), one of which is shown in FIG. 3. The air passages (123) are located at approximately the midpoint of the distance from the edge of the aperture (182) to the casing (11). The air passages (123) may be positioned at a sufficient distance from the motor (13). Since the motor may cause an "electrical taste," it may be desirable for the air passages (123) to be located further away from the motor (13). In an example, the motor (13) may be housed within a housing that may require a sufficient distance from the air passages (123) for integration. For example, air flows through the channel (212) and then moves to the open end (172). If the air passage (123) is located closer to the peripheral edge of the heater partition (12), the air will travel a longer distance in an "unguided" state. Therefore, it is desirable to keep the position of the air passage (123) sufficiently far from the motor (13) and the peripheral edge of the heater partition (12). The air passage (123) is configured to allow air to enter from the bottom portion (111) inside the chamber (18). Subsequently, as the aerosol generating material (22) of the rotating article (2) is heated, the air becomes aerosol-containing within the chamber (18). Then, the air from the chamber (18) is guided to the user's mouth by the duct (172) in the center of the mouthpiece (17) and a specific structure of the article.

[0104] As illustrated in FIGS. 3 and 4, the rotor (131), the delivery unit (14), the article (2), and the duct (172) are stacked along the axis of rotation (A) to provide optimal miniaturization to the aerosol generating device (1). The light-emitting element (41) is offset from the axis of rotation (A) to cover the rotating aerosol generating substrate (22).

[0105] FIGS. 5 and 6 show additional details of the article (2). The article (2) is configured to rotate around a rotation axis (A) indicated by a dotted line on a heater (4) during use of the aerosol generating system.

[0106] The article (2) features a general disc shape. In fact, the total height (H) of the aerosol generating material (22) when measured along the rotation axis (A) is significantly smaller than the total width (W) of the aerosol generating material (22) when measured perpendicular to the rotation axis (A). In other words, the article (2) is formed flat along the rotation axis (A) and extends mainly in the radial direction. Because the height of the aerosol generating material (22) is relatively small, the rotating aerosol generating material (22) can be efficiently heated even if a single light-emitting element (41) is located only on one side of the article (2), in this case, the bottom side.

[0107] The article (2) includes a cylindrical peripheral edge (216) having a circular cross-section. This provides perfect balance when the article (2) rotates. The article (2) further includes an upper surface (215) that is substantially perpendicular to the rotation axis (A) and faces upward toward the open end (171) of the mouthpiece. The article (2) further includes a lower surface (214) that is substantially parallel to the upper surface (215) and faces downward toward the bottom portion (111) of the casing, and more importantly toward the light-emitting element (41) of the heater (4). Thus, the light beam (42) is emitted exclusively to the lower surface (214) of the article (2), so that the light beam (42) is not emitted to the upper surface (215) or the peripheral edge (216). In the example given, when the ray (42) is emitted substantially parallel to the axis of rotation (A), the lower surface (214) is substantially perpendicular to the ray (42) to optimize the heating efficiency of energy transfer.

[0108] The central core (21) of the article (2) is characterized by having a rotational shape overall and extends around a rotation axis (A). Here, the central core (21) has a substantially rectangular cross-section and has an annular shape forming a cavity (213) at the center. The article (2) includes an aerosol generating material (22) extending radially from the outer side of the central core (21). In this example, the central core (21) includes an annular groove (217) in which the aerosol generating material (22) is received and fixedly maintained. When generated by heating the aerosol generating material (22), it becomes possible to generate an aerosol that is suspended in the air inside the chamber (18) and guided to the user's mouth.

[0109] To this end, the article (2) includes a plurality of channels (212). The channels (212) include grooves that extend radially from the chamber (18) to the cavity (213) of the central core (21). Air entering from the air passage (123) is drawn through the channels (212) by the user's inhalation. The distance between the air passage (123) and the channels (212) is kept short enough so that air can be guided directly into the channels (212). The cavity (213) is connected to the duct (172) of the mouthpiece (17). Thus, the channels (212) fluidly connect the chamber (18) to the duct (172) (as shown in FIG. 3, FIG. 4 and FIG. 9). The channels (212) are distributed radially around the central core (21) so that air can continue to flow into the duct (172) even when the article (2) is rotating. Then, the duct (172) leads air to the open end (171), and the user inhales air from the open end (171).

[0110] Now, refer to FIGS. 7 and FIGS. 8, both of which show the detailed structure of the item tray (15) and the way the item tray (15) moves between the insertion position and the removal position.

[0111] In this example, the item tray (15) moves between the insertion position and the removal position by a sliding motion. The user pulls the handle (156) at the removal position to remove the item tray (2). The handle (156) is kept as small as possible so as not to protrude excessively from the outer shape of the casing so as not to cause discomfort when the user grasps the device. The handle (156) includes a hollow portion configured to facilitate the user's grasping motion.

[0112] Afterward, the user can remove the consumed item (2) from the item tray (15), replace it, and fill it with a new item (2). The item tray (15) includes a curved stop portion (153) configured to secure the item (2) in place on the support portion (151). The stop portion (153) includes a curved inner wall (154) that aligns with the peripheral edge (216) of the item to prevent the item from falling out of the item tray (15), and an outer wall (155) that is curved to align with the external shape of the casing (11). When the item tray (15) is in the removal position, the chamber (18) communicates with the outside of the casing (11) through the slot (114). When the item tray (15) is pushed into the insertion position, the stop portion (153) seals the chamber (18).

[0113] When the item tray (15) is empty and in the removal position, the item (2) is placed on the support portion (151) in a position suitable for sliding into the chamber (18) through the slot (114) together with the item tray (15). In the removal and insertion positions, the item (2) is placed on the support portion (151) of the item tray (15) in a position parallel to the heater partition (12). In this way, the item (2) does not require any additional movement other than the sliding motion to reach a position suitable for heating inside the chamber (18). In the insertion position, the item tray (15) is also configured to place the item (2) in a position suitable for the delivery portion (14) to contact the flat surface (211) of the central core (21) of the item (2) to transmit the torque required for rotation of the item (2).

[0114] The heater partition (12) includes two linear guide grooves (121) configured to cooperate with two linear guide rods (152) of the article tray (15). In the illustrated example, the support portion (151) is essentially composed of these two linear guide rods (152), which extend horizontally from the inner wall (154) of the stop portion (153) to form a plane suitable for holding the article (2) in a horizontal position. The two linear rods (152) form a void between them, providing room for the central core (21) to come into contact with the transmission portion (14) of the motor (13).

[0115] The casing (11) additionally includes a main seal (115) at the part joined to the mouthpiece (17) to prevent aerosol from leaking out of the device.

[0116] FIG. 9 shows a general cross-sectional view of an aerosol generating device (1) in which the upper portion (112) and the lower portion (111) can be seen. The aerosol generating device (1) additionally includes an electric charger port (20) for connecting and charging a battery (19), in this example, a USB-C charger port. It is advantageous for the charger port (20) to be located at the lower end of the aerosol generating device (1).

[0117] In a further embodiment, the present disclosure relates to an aerosol generating system comprising an aerosol generating device (1) and an article (2) as described above.

[0118] In use, according to one example, the user opens the item tray (15) and moves it to the removal position, and then recharges the aerosol generating device (1) by inserting a new item (2) into the item tray (15) in place of, for example, the consumed item (2). Then, when the item tray (15) is placed back in the insertion position, the aerosol generating device (1) is ready for use. The motor (13) rotates the item (2) as needed by the user. The light-emitting element (41) also operates as needed by the user. It may operate simultaneously with the motor (13) or after the motor (13) has brought a part of the item to a specific position. In use, the aerosol generating material (22) of the item (2) is heated at an extended portion by a single light-emitting element (41) by the rotation of the item (2). Accordingly, an aerosol is generated within the chamber (18). The airflow is generated by first entering the casing (11) through the air inlet (113) and then passing through the heater partition (12) via the air passage (123). Then the air enters the chamber (18) to capture the aerosol. The aerosol is then guided into the cavity (213) by the channel (212) located in the central core (21) of the article (2), and finally discharged through the duct (172). It is preferable that the path of the duct (172) be formed relatively long so that the air can be cooled before reaching the open end (171) and the user's mouth.

[0119] In other examples, the direction (X) and the axis of rotation (A) are not substantially parallel. In such cases, as illustrated in FIG. 10, the direction (X) projected onto the plane containing the axis of rotation (A) may be tilted by an angle (α) greater than 15° with respect to the axis of rotation (A). In the example of FIG. 10, α = 45°, but in other examples, α may be less than 30° or less than 20°. As previously mentioned, since geometric relationships are known, the angle (α) between the direction of light emission (X) and the axis of rotation (A) may also be measured as the angle between the direction of light emission (X) and a reference axis (A') that passes through the light-emitting element (41), is parallel to the axis of rotation (A), and lies in the same plane. In an example, the reference axis (A') can be obtained by translating the axis of rotation (A) to pass through the center of the light-emitting element (41) while maintaining exactly the same orientation.

Claims

Claim 1 An aerosol generating device (1) for generating an aerosol from an article (2) comprising an aerosol generating substrate (22), comprising: a chamber (18) configured to accommodate the article (2); a heater (4) comprising a light-emitting element (41) configured to emit a light beam (42) to a first portion of the aerosol generating substrate (22) when the article (2) is present in the chamber (18); and a motor (13) configured to generate an aerosol by rotating one of the article (2) and the heater (4) around a rotation axis (A) relative to the other of the article (2) and the heater (4), so as to heat at least a second portion of the aerosol generating substrate (22) with respect to the light beam (42), wherein the light beam (42) is emitted in a direction (X) substantially parallel to the rotation axis (A), or the light beam (42) is emitted in a direction (X) tilted by an angle (α) of 45° or less with respect to the rotation axis (A). Aerosol generating device (1). Claim 2 In claim 1, the heater (4) comprises a single light-emitting element (41) that emits a single light (42), an aerosol generating device (1). Claim 3 An aerosol generating device (1) according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the light-emitting element comprises a vertical cavity surface emission laser. Claim 4 In any one of claims 1 to 3, the motor (13) is configured to rotate the article (2) relative to the heater (4), and the heater (4) is not rotated by the motor (13), an aerosol generating device (1). Claim 5 An aerosol generating device (1), wherein, in any one of claims 1 to 4, the motor (13) includes a delivery unit (14) configured to contact the article (2) when the article (2) is present in the chamber, and the motor (13) is configured to rotate the delivery unit (14) to rotate the article (2). Claim 6 In any one of claims 1 to 5, the aerosol generating device (1) comprises a casing (11) comprising an upper portion including the chamber (18) and a lower portion including the motor (13), wherein the aerosol generating device (1) comprises a heater partition (12) whose periphery is fixed by a continuous fixed line inside the casing (11), and wherein the heater partition (12) comprises the heater (4) and partitions the upper portion and the lower portion of the casing (11). Claim 7 An aerosol generating device (1) according to any one of claims 1 to 6, comprising an article tray (15) for receiving the article (2), wherein the article tray (15) is configured to be inserted into the chamber (18) at an insertion position and removed from the chamber (18) at a removal position. Claim 8 In claim 7, the aerosol generating device (1) is configured such that the above-mentioned item tray slides between the above-mentioned insertion position and the above-mentioned removal position. Claim 9 In any one of claims 6 to 8, the item tray (15) is configured so that the user can replace the consumed item by taking the consumed item out of the item tray (15) and filling the tray with a new item, and preferably the item tray (15) is inserted through a slot (114) disposed in the casing (11) of the aerosol generating device (1). Claim 10 In any one of claims 7 to 9, the article tray (15) comprises two linear guide rods (152), and the aerosol generating device (1) comprises two corresponding guide grooves (121), wherein the guide rods (152) and the guide grooves (121) interact to slide the article tray (15) between the insertion position and the removal position, wherein at the removal position, the article (2) supported by the article tray (15) can be removed and a new article can be filled into the article tray, and at the insertion position, the article (2) can reach a position suitable for rotation by the motor (13), the aerosol generating device (1). Claim 11 In any one of claims 7 through 10 and 5, the insertion position is suitable for ensuring contact between the flat surface (211) of the article (2) and the corresponding surface (141) of the transmission part (14) of the motor (13), and for ensuring contact between the flat surface (211) of the article (2) and the corresponding surface (141) of the transmission part (14). Claim 12 An aerosol generating device (1), wherein in any one of claims 1 to 11 combined with claim 6, the lower portion of the casing (11) includes at least one air inlet (113), and the heater partition (12) includes at least one air passage (123), preferably three air passages, and the air inlet (113) and the air passage (123) are configured to allow air from outside the casing to circulate from the lower portion of the casing (11) to the upper portion of the casing (11). Claim 13 An aerosol generating device (1) according to any one of claims 1 to 12, comprising a battery (19), wherein the motor (13) and the heater (4) are controlled by a PCB (20), and the PCB (20) is connected to the battery, the motor (13) and the heater (4), and preferably the PCB (20) is configured to control the motor (13) to rotate the article (2) according to at least one predetermined angle stroke value, preferably an angle stroke value within the range of 60° to 360°, preferably an angle stroke value that is a multiple of 60°. Claim 14 An article (2) configured to be inserted into an aerosol generating device (1) according to any one of claims 1 to 13, wherein the article (2) comprises an aerosol generating substrate (22) configured to be heated by the aerosol generating device (1), and wherein the article (2) is configured to rotate about a rotation axis (A), and the aerosol generating substrate comprises a total height (H) measured along the rotation axis (A) and a total width (W) measured perpendicular to the rotation axis (A), wherein the total height (H) is smaller than the total width (W). Claim 15 In claim 14, the article (2) comprises planar symmetry centered on a plane perpendicular to the rotation axis (A), and preferably the article (2) comprises a disc shape. Claim 16 Article (2), wherein, in claim 14 or 15, the central core (21) rotates around the rotation axis (A), the aerosol generating material (22) is positioned around the central core (21) and fixed thereto, and the central core (21) is configured to receive torque from the motor (13) of the aerosol generating device (1) and rotate about the heater (4) around the rotation axis (A). Claim 17 An aerosol generating system comprising an aerosol generating device (1) according to any one of claims 1 to 13 and at least one article (2) according to any one of claims 14 to 16. Claim 18 An aerosol generating system according to claim 17, comprising a plurality of articles (2) and an automatic loading mechanism configured to insert one of the plurality of articles (2) into the chamber. Claim 19 A method for heating an article (2) with a heater (4) of an aerosol generating device (1) according to any one of claims 1 to 13, wherein the heater (4) comprises a light-emitting element (41) configured to emit a light (42) to an aerosol generating substrate (22), and the method comprises the step of operating the light-emitting element (41) to start emitting a light (42) to a first part of the aerosol generating substrate (22), wherein the light (42) is o A direction substantially parallel to the rotation axis (A), o or, a step of emitting in a direction inclined by an angle (α) of 45° or less with respect to the rotation axis; a step of operating the motor (13) to drive one of the article (2) and the heater (4) in relative rotation with respect to the other of the article (2) and the heater (4); a step of continuing at least one or both of the emission of the light beam (42) to the aerosol generating substrate (22) and the relative rotation so that the light beam (42) generates an aerosol by heating a second portion of the aerosol generating substrate (22).

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