Flavor inhaler

Abstract

Provided is a flavor inhaler having a novel structure. The flavor inhaler is configured to heat at least a flavor source accommodated in a container with a bottom wall and a side wall. The flavor inhaler includes a housing that accommodates the container, and an induction coil that is arranged to face the bottom wall of the container accommodated in the housing and configured to inductively heat the bottom wall of the container.

Description

TECHNICAL FIELD

[0001] The invention relates to flavor inhalers.BACKGROUND ART

[0002] Flavor inhalers for inhalation of flavors or the like without material burning have been known. Such flavor inhalers include, for example, a smoking material heating device that forms aerosol by heating smoking material that comprises tobacco containing volatile compounds (see Patent Literature 1). In the aerosol-generating system discussed in Patent Literature 1, an aerosol-forming substrate and a susceptor are enclosed in a capsule, and the susceptor is inductively heated by an induction coil arranged laterally around the capsule.CITATION LISTPATENT LITERATURE

[0003] PTL 1: International Publication No. 2017 / 068095SUMMARY OF INVENTIONTECHNICAL PROBLEM

[0004] An object of the invention is to provide a flavor inhaler having a novel structure.SOLUTION TO PROBLEM

[0005] One embodiment of the invention provides a flavor inhaler configured to heat at least a flavor source accommodated in a container with a bottom wall and a side wall. The flavor inhaler includes a housing that accommodates the container, and an induction coil that is arranged to face the bottom wall of the container accommodated in the housing, and configured to inductively heat the bottom wall of the container.BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF DRAWINGS

[0006] Fig. 1 is a schematic cross-sectional view of a flavor inhaler according to the present embodiment. Fig. 2 is a top view of a pod as an example which includes heat releasing members on a side wall thereof. Fig. 3 is a side view of a pod as another example which includes a heat releasing member on a side wall thereof. Fig. 4 shows a state in which a seal member of the pod illustrated in Fig. 2 is broken. Fig. 5 is a plan view of a pod as still another example. Fig. 6 is a plan view of a pod as still another example. DESCRIPTION OF EMBODIMENTS

[0007] Embodiments of the invention will be discussed with reference to the attached drawings. In the drawings explained below, similar or corresponding constituent elements are provided with the same reference signs, and overlapping explanation will be omitted.

[0008] Fig. 1 is a schematic cross-sectional view of a flavor inhaler according to the present embodiment. A flavor inhaler 10 of the present embodiment is configured to heat an aerosol source and a flavor source which are accommodated in a pod 20 (which is an example of a container) and thus generate aerosol containing a flavor. More specifically, the pod 20 contains the aerosol source in a liquid state and the flavor source in a solid state with a predetermined ratio by weight. The ratio by weight of the aerosol source to the flavor source is, for example, in a range from 3:1 to 20:1. In the present embodiment, a fluent material containing a liquid and a solid is referred to as slurry. The slurry preferably contains a liquid and a flavor source in a solid state. For example, water may be used as the liquid forming the slurry. The liquid is preferably an aerosol source such as glycerin and propylene glycol. The ratio by weight of the liquid to the solid which form the slurry is, as mentioned above, in a range from 3:1 to 20:1 but preferably from 5:1 to 15:1. The slurry contained in the pod 20 has a weight ranging, for example, from 0.05 g to 0.5 g but preferably from 0.1 g to 0.3 g.

[0009] After use, the pod 20 may be removed from the flavor inhaler 10 and discarded. A fresh pod 20 then may be used in the flavor inhaler 10. In short, the pod 20 is a cartridge used in the flavor inhaler 10.

[0010] As shown in Fig. 1, the flavor inhaler 10 of the present embodiment includes a housing 11, a battery 12, a controller 13, an electromagnetic shield 14, an induction coil 15, a mouthpiece 16, and an insulating material 30. The housing 11 contains inside the battery 12, the controller 13, the electromagnetic shield 14, the induction coil 15, and the insulating material 30. As in the figure, the mouthpiece 16, the pod 20, the induction coil 15, the electromagnetic shield 14, the controller 13, and the battery 12 are aligned in a longitudinal direction of the flavor inhaler 10. The housing 11 may be dividable into two or more parts.

[0011] The battery 12 may be, for example, a rechargeable or non-rechargeable battery. The battery 12 is electrically connected to the induction coil 15 via the controller 13. This allows the battery 12 to supply electric power to the induction coil 15 so as to properly heat the slurry contained in the pod 20.

[0012] The controller 13 includes, for example, a microprocessor or the like and is capable of controlling the power supply from the battery 12 to the induction coil 15. The controller 13 is thus capable of controlling the heating of the slurry by the induction coil 15. According to the present embodiment, the electromagnetic shield 14 is arranged between the induction coil 15 and the controller 13 in a longitudinal direction of the housing 11. The electromagnetic shield 14 thus inhibits an electromagnetic wave generated by the induction coil 15 from reaching the controller 13. According to the present embodiment, the electromagnetic shield 14 may be made, for example, of ferritic metal material. The electromagnetic shield 14 is not particularly limited in shape but preferably has a disc-like shape conforming to the shape of the induction coil 15. As shown in Fig. 1, the electromagnetic shield 14 preferably has a width or diameter that is larger than a largest width of the induction coil 15 in a transverse direction orthogonal to the longitudinal direction. This more reliably inhibits the electromagnetic wave generated by the induction coil 15 from reaching the controller 13.

[0013] The housing 11 is provided in a mouthpiece-side end portion (on a mouthpiece 16-side) with a cavity 11a for the pod 20 to be accommodated. The pod 20 includes a substantially cylindrical side wall 22 and a bottom wall 24 that closes an end portion of the side wall 22. The induction coil 15 is arranged to face the bottom wall 24 of the pod 20 to be closer to the battery 12 than the bottom wall 24 of the pod 20 accommodated in the cavity 11a of the housing 11. According to the present embodiment, the pod 20 may be made of conductive material at least in the bottom wall 24. To be specific, the side wall 22 and the bottom wall 24 of the pod 20 are preferably made of SUS (stainless steel). SUS has a lower heat conductivity than aluminum. When the bottom wall 24 generates heat, therefore, the heat of the bottom wall 24 is not easily transmitted to the side wall 22 and yet efficiently transmitted to the slurry in the pod 20. This allows the bottom wall 24 to function as a susceptor that is heated by the induction coil 15. It is then preferable that a surface (outer surface) of the bottom wall 24 which faces the induction coil 15 be flat.

[0014] The induction coil 15 is configured to inductively heat the bottom wall 24 of the pod 20. The induction coil 15 is preferably formed to have a substantially plate-like shape as a whole as in the figure. According to the present embodiment, the entire induction coil 15 is arranged within a region having smaller area than the bottom wall 24 of the pod 20. In other words, as viewed in the longitudinal direction, the induction coil 15 is arranged at such a position as to overlap with the bottom wall 24 and located inside an edge defining the bottom wall 24. The induction coil 15 is arranged in substantially parallel with the bottom wall 24.

[0015] If the induction coil 15 is arranged to face the bottom wall 24 of the pod 20 as in the present embodiment, induction current is less likely to generate outside the flavor inhaler 10, as compared to a case in which the induction coil 15 is arranged around the side wall 22 of the pod 20. If there is another electronic device near the flavor inhaler 10, the electronic device is less likely to be affected by the induction current caused by the induction coil 15. According to the present embodiment, moreover, since the bottom wall 24 of the pod 20 is heated, the temperature of an upper portion of the pod 20 is difficult to increase. Therefore, if a seal member 28 is provided at an opening of the pod 20 as mentioned below, an adhesive agent for adhesion between the pod 20 and the seal member 28 is prevented from being melted.

[0016] When the slurry contained in the pod 20 is heated by a planar heating element (film heater) using stainless steel as a heating resistance element, the heat generated in the planar heating element is transmitted to the slurry through the pod 20 that contains the slurry. In other words, the heat generated in the planar heating element is transmitted to the pod 20 and the slurry, causing a relatively great heat transmission loss. In contrast, the present embodiment uses an IH (induction heating) method as a method for heating the slurry as mentioned above. According to the IH method, the bottom wall 24 of the pod 20 per se generates heat, and the heat of the bottom wall 24 is transmitted to the slurry. Since the heat generated in the bottom wall 24 is transmitted directly to the slurry, the loss caused by heat transmission can be reduced, as compared to when the slurry is heated by the planar heating element.

[0017] When the bottom wall 24 is inductively heated by the induction coil 15, and the slurry in the pod 20 is then atomized, the solid (flavor source) contained in the slurry possibly escapes from the pod 20 to reach the mouthpiece 16. The present embodiment therefore provides the pod 20 with a porous structure 26 so as to close at least a part of the opening of the side wall 22. The porous structure 26 may be, for example, a filter, a metal mesh or any porous structure that allows gas and aerosol to pass therethrough. The porous structure 26 is preferably a filter. For example, an acetate filter may be used as the porous structure 26. The filter allows gas and aerosol to pass therethrough and yet at the same time inhibits a liquid from passing therethrough. This prevents the slurry from leaking outside the pod 20 after the seal member 28 of the pod 20 is broken as mentioned below. According to the present embodiment, the porous structure 26 is so configured as to allow the aerosol generated inside the pod 20 to flow outside the pod 20 and at the same time inhibit the slurry in the pod 20 from flowing outside the pod 20 when the slurry in the pod 20 is atomized.

[0018] The heating of the side wall 22 of the pod 20 or the utilization of the planar heating element, a coil heater or the like facilitates heat dispersion throughout the slurry. The heat then might be transmitted to the porous structure 26 to decrease atomization efficiency or melt the porous structure 26. In the present embodiment, however, since the induction coil 15 is arranged to face the bottom wall 24 to inductively heat the bottom wall 24, the heat of the bottom wall 24 is less likely to be transmitted to the porous structure 26, which prevents the decrease of atomization efficiency or the melting of the porous structure 26.

[0019] As in the figure, at least a part of a surface of the porous structure 26 which faces the bottom wall of the pod 20 preferably includes a convex surface 26a formed to be convex toward the bottom wall 24 of the pod 20. The induction heating of the bottom wall 24 causes temperature difference between the slurry close to the bottom wall 24 in the pod 20 and the slurry close to the porous structure 26 in the pod 20, generating a convection flow of the slurry. Since the porous structure 26 includes the convex surface 26a, the slurry that flows from down to up in the pod 20 contacts the convex surface 26a to be guided in right and left directions. This accelerates the convection of the slurry. According to the present embodiment, therefore, even if the slurry is decreased in amount with the atomization of the slurry, the temperature of the entire slurry is homogenized by the convection of the slurry. It is then possible to maintain a ratio between amount of the aerosol generated from the aerosol source and amount of the aerosol generated from the flavor source. Consequently, smoke flavor is maintained unchanged.

[0020] As in the figure, the mouthpiece 16 is connected to one end portion of the housing 11 so as to close the cavity 11a of the housing 11. The mouthpiece 16 includes an air inlet channel 16a connecting the outside of the mouthpiece 16 and the cavity 11a of the housing 11, and an air outlet channel 16b connecting the cavity 11a and the inside of a user's mouth. When the user inhales air from the air outlet channel 16b, the air that flows from the air inlet channel 16a into the cavity 11a passes through the porous structure 26 and reaches the inside of the user's mouth together with the aerosol generated from the pod 20.

[0021] The mouthpiece 16 may include an air channel 16c instead of the air inlet channel 16a and the air outlet channel 16b. The air channel 16c is in communication with an interior space, not shown, of the mouthpiece 16. In this case, the aerosol generated from the pod 20 moves to the interior space of the mouthpiece 16, and outside air reaches the inside of the user's mouth while absorbing the aerosol through the air channel 16c. The air channel 16c may be a three-pronged channel extended from a mouthpiece end portion of the mouthpiece 16 to the cavity 11a of the housing 11 and stretching to a side portion of the mouthpiece 16. An air inlet portion of the air channel 16c may be provided to a connection region between the mouthpiece 16 and the housing 11. More specifically, for example, the air inlet portion of the air channel 16c may be formed by providing a groove to the mouthpiece 16 and connecting the housing 11 and the mouthpiece 16. By so doing, the air that enters from the air inlet portion of the air channel 16c can pass through a surface of the pod 20 and flow out of the mouthpiece 16 together with the aerosol generated from the pod 20.

[0022] The insulating material 30 is arranged in the housing 11 so as to at least partially surround the side wall 22 of the pod 20 that is accommodated in the cavity 11a of the housing 11. The insulating material 30 of the present embodiment includes a first tube 30a, a second tube 30b, an upper end portion 30c, and a lower end portion 30d. The second tube 30b is arranged on an outer periphery side of the first tube 30a. The upper end portion 30c couples an upper end of the first tube 30a and an upper end of the second tube 30b. The lower end portion 30d couples a lower end of the first tube 30a and a lower end of the second tube 30b. The first tube 30a, the second tube 30b, the upper end portion 30c, and the lower end portion 30d define an interior space 31 that is tightly sealed by the insulting material 30. The interior space 31, for example, may be evacuated, which makes the insulating material 30 function as a vacuum insulating material. For example, the interior space 31 may be filled with insulating material such as aerogel.

[0023] At least the first tube 30a and the second tube 30b of the insulating material 30 are preferably made of SUS. The first tube 30a or the second tube 30b thus absorbs the electromagnetic wave generated by the induction coil 15. According to the present embodiment, the entire insulating material 30 is made of SUS. The first tube 30a and the second tube 30b of the insulating material 30 are preferably arranged to at least partially surround the induction coil 15. Due to the first tube 30a or the second tube 30b, it is possible to absorb more of the electromagnetic wave that flows from the induction coil 15 toward the outside of the housing. The insulating material 30 is therefore preferably longer in a direction thoroughly surrounding the side of the pod 20 and of the induction coil 15, that is, in a device longitudinal length of the insulating material 30 than a longitudinal length from an upper end to a lower end of a region in which the pod 20 and the induction coil 15 are arranged.

[0024] The flavor inhalator 10 may include a heat releasing member 34 that is in contact with the side wall 22 of the pod 20 accommodated in the cavity 11a of the housing 11. In an example shown in Fig. 1, the heat releasing member 34 is a fin extending in the longitudinal direction. The fin is arranged on an inner wall of the housing 11 which defines the cavity 11a. The heat releasing member 34 is preferably in contact with the side wall 22 of the pod 20 in the vicinity of an upper end portion of the side wall 22 (in the vicinity of the porous structure 26). This prevents an increase in temperature in the vicinity of the upper end portion of the pod 20, prevents the melting of the porous structure 26, and prevents the melting of the adhesive agent for adhesion between the pod 20 and the seal member 28 in the case where the seal member 28 is provided at the opening of the pod 20 as discussed below. The heat releasing member 34 may have any shape as long as the heat releasing member 34 contacts the side wall 22 of the pod 20. The heat releasing member 34 may be, for example, a ring-like fin that extends in a circumferential direction of the inner wall of the housing 11 which defines the cavity 11a. The heat releasing member 34 is preferably made of metal.

[0025] According to the present embodiment, the heat releasing member 34 is provided to the housing 11. Alternatively, a heat releasing member may be provided to the pod 20. Fig. 2 is a top view of the pod 20 as an example which includes heat releasing members on the side wall 22. Fig. 3 is a side view of the pod 20 as another example which includes a heat releasing member on the side wall 22. According to the example shown in Fig. 2, the pod 20 includes four fin-like heat releasing members 27 extending in an axial direction of the side wall 22 (vertical direction in Fig. 1). According to the example shown in Fig. 3, the pod 20 includes a ring-like heat releasing member 27 extending in a circumferential direction of the side wall 22. In a case where the heat releasing member 27 is provided in an outer peripheral surface of the side wall 22 as shown in Figs. 2 and 3, the pod 20 is so designed that the heat releasing member 27 provided to the side wall 22 of the pod 20 contacts the inner wall of the housing 11 which defines the cavity 11a when the pod 20 is accommodated in the cavity 11a. In a case where the pod 20 is provided with the fin-like heat releasing members 27 extending in the axial direction of the side wall 22 as shown in Fig. 2, the housing 11 is provided with grooves for the respective heat releasing members 27 so that the heat releasing members 27 may be guided by the grooves. This makes it possible to position the pod 20 and the housing 11 with accuracy and improve the stability of the atomizing action. The heat releasing members 27 shown in Figs. 2 and 3 are preferably made of metal.

[0026] The pod 20 of the present embodiment contains the slurry having fluidity. To prevent a leakage of the slurry stored in the pod 20, the pod 20 preferably includes the seal member 28 that seals the opening of the side wall 22 as shown in Fig. 2. More specifically, the seal member 28 is bonded, for example, with resin adhesive to the end portion of the side wall 22 which is provided with the porous structure 26, to thereby seal the opening of the pod 20. According to the example shown in Fig. 2, the entire seal member 28 may be metallic foil 28a, such as aluminum foil.

[0027] Fig. 4 shows a state in which the seal member 28 of the pod 20 shown in Fig. 2 is broken. In the case where the seal member 28 formed of the metallic foil 28a is provided on an upper surface of the pod 20 as shown in Fig. 2, the seal member 28 needs to be broken before the pod 20 is used. In a case where the pod 20 of Fig. 2 is used in the flavor inhalator 10 of Fig. 1, therefore, the mouthpiece 16 is provided with a protrusion, not shown, and the mouthpiece 16 is engaged with the housing 11 whereby the protrusion breaks a part of the seal member 28.

[0028] Fig. 5 is a plan view of the pod 20 as still another example. Fig. 6 is a plan view of the pod 20 as still another example. The seal member 28 of the pod 20 shown in Fig. 5 is made of film 28b in a substantially center portion thereof and the metallic foil 28a, such as aluminum foil, in remaining portions thereof. The seal member 28 of the pod 20 shown in Fig. 6 is entirely made of film 28b. The film 28b shown in Figs. 5 and 6 is heated by the heat transmitted to the side wall 22 through the bottom wall 24 of the pod 20 that is inductively heated by the induction coil 15 and then at least partially broken. It is not preferable that the film 28b shown in Figs. 5 and 6 be made of material that is melted by being heated and forms liquid droplets. This is because the melted film possibly drips onto the slurry and affects the smoke flavor. For this reason, the film 28b shown in Figs. 5 and 6 is heat-shrinkable film and may be made of PP (polypropylene), PET (polyethylene terephthalate), gelatin or another material such as polysaccharide. The film 28b preferably shrinks from a center portion of the seal member 28 toward an outer peripheral portion of the seal member 28. The film 28b therefore preferably has a smaller film thickness in the center position than in the outer peripheral portion. The pod 20 shown in Fig. 1 may also be provided with the seal member 28 shown in Figs. 2, 4, 5 and 6.

[0029] According to the present embodiment, the pod 20 and the mouthpiece 16 are separate members. If the film 28b is used as the seal member 28 as discussed above, however, the film 28b is broken by the heat of the pod 20. In this case, it is not necessary to break the seal member 28 using the mouthpiece 16, so that the pod 20 and the mouthpiece 16 may be an integrated member. The seal member 28 may be extended to a side surface of the porous structure 26 to be bonded to the side surface of the porous structure 26. In such a case, a bonded portion can be melted by the heat from the bottom wall 24 that is inductively heated by the induction coil 15 to be turned into a channel that allows air from the outside of the flavor inhaler 10 to pass through the side surface of the porous structure 26.

[0030] The embodiments of the invention which have been discussed above are not intended to limit the invention. The invention may be modified in various ways within the scope of claims and technical ideas described in the description and drawings. Any shape and material that provide the operation and advantageous effects of the invention of the present application are within the scope of technical ideas of the invention even if they are not explicitly mentioned in the description and the drawings.

[0031] The following are several modes disclosed in this description.

[0032] A first mode provides a flavor inhaler configured to heat at least a flavor source accommodated in a container with a bottom wall and a side wall. The flavor inhaler comprises a housing that accommodates the container, and an induction coil that is arranged to face the bottom wall of the container accommodated in the housing and configured to inductively heat the bottom wall of the container.

[0033] In a second mode according to the first mode, the container contains slurry containing the flavor source.

[0034] In a third mode according to the second mode, the flavor inhaler includes an insulating material that at least partially surrounds the side wall of the container accommodated in the housing.

[0035] In a fourth mode according to the third mode, the insulating material is configured to at least partially surround the induction coil.

[0036] In a fifth mode according to the third or fourth mode, the insulating material includes a first tube and a second tube arranged on an outer periphery side of the first tube.

[0037] In a sixth mode according to the fifth mode, the first and second tubes of the insulating material are made of stainless steel.

[0038] In a seventh mode according to any one of the first to sixth modes, the induction coil as a whole is formed into a substantially plate-like shape, and the entire induction coil is arranged within a region having smaller area than the bottom wall of the container.

[0039] In an eighth mode according to any one of the first to seventh modes, the flavor inhaler includes a heat releasing member configured to contact the side wall of the container accommodated in the housing.

[0040] In a ninth mode according to any one of the first to eighth modes, the flavor inhaler includes a controller configured to control the induction coil, and an electromagnetic shield arranged between the induction coil and the controller.

[0041] In a tenth mode according to the ninth mode, the electromagnetic shield has a disc-like shape and has a diameter that is larger than a largest width of the induction coil.REFERENCE SIGN LIST

[0042] 10Flavor inhaler 11Housing 11aCavity 13Controller 14Electromagnetic shield 15Induction coil 16Mouthpiece 20Container 22Side wall 24Bottom wall 26Porous structure 26aConvex surface 27Heat releasing member 28Seal member 28aMetallic foil 28bFilm 30Insulating material 30aFirst tube 30bSecond tube 31Interior space 34Heat releasing member

Claims

1. A flavor inhaler configured to heat at least a flavor source accommodated in a container with a bottom wall and a side wall, the flavor inhaler comprising: a housing that accommodates the container, and an induction coil that is arranged to face the bottom wall of the container accommodated in the housing and configured to inductively heat the bottom wall of the container.

2. The flavor inhaler according to Claim 1, wherein the container contains slurry containing the flavor source.

3. The flavor inhaler according to Claim 2, comprising: an insulating material that at least partially surrounds the side wall of the container accommodated in the housing.

4. The flavor inhaler according to Claim 3, wherein the insulating material is configured to at least partially surround the induction coil.

5. The flavor inhaler according to Claim 3 or 4, wherein the insulating material includes a first tube and a second tube arranged on an outer periphery side of the first tube.

6. The flavor inhaler according to Claim 5, wherein the first and second tubes of the insulating material are made of stainless steel.

7. The flavor inhaler according to any one of Claims 1 to 6, wherein the induction coil as a whole is formed into a substantially plate-like shape, and wherein the entire induction coil is arranged within a region having smaller area than the bottom wall of the container.

8. The flavor inhaler according to any one of Claims 1 to 7, comprising: a heat releasing member configured to contact the side wall of the container accommodated in the housing.

9. The flavor inhaler according to any one of Claims 1 to 8, comprising: a controller configured to control the induction coil, and an electromagnetic shield arranged between the induction coil and the controller.

10. The flavor inhaler according to Claim 9, wherein the electromagnetic shield has a disc-like shape and has a diameter that is larger than a largest width of the induction coil.