Aerosol generation device

Abstract

An aerosol generation device according to an embodiment comprises: a heater which heats an aerosol-generating article to generate aerosol; and a first battery which supplies power to the heater, wherein the first battery comprises an aqueous electrolyte.

Description

Aerosol generating device

[0001] The embodiments relate to an aerosol generating device, and more particularly to an aerosol generating device having improved battery life.

[0002] Recently, there has been a growing demand for alternative methods that overcome the shortcomings of conventional cigarettes. For example, there is a growing demand for systems that generate aerosol by heating cigarettes or aerosol-generating materials using an aerosol generator, rather than by burning cigarettes to produce aerosol. Accordingly, research into heated aerosol generators is actively underway.

[0003] A heated aerosol generating device may include a heater for heating an aerosol generating article and a battery for powering the heater. Aerosol generating devices require portability, which limits the size and capacity of the battery, requiring repeated charging.

[0004] The frequent charging and discharging of batteries required during the use of aerosol generators can shorten their lifespan. Furthermore, there is a risk of external impact, such as dropping the aerosol generator while the user is carrying it, so battery stability must be ensured.

[0005] The problems to be solved through the examples are not limited to the problems described above, and problems not mentioned can be clearly understood by a person having ordinary skill in the technical field to which the examples belong from this specification and the attached drawings.

[0006] An aerosol generating device according to one embodiment includes a heater for heating an aerosol generating article to generate an aerosol, and a first battery for supplying power to the heater, wherein the first battery includes an aqueous electrolyte.

[0007] An aerosol generating device according to an embodiment may include a battery including an aqueous electrolyte, and may have a fast charge / discharge speed, an improved service life, and high stability.

[0008] The effects of the embodiments are not limited to those described above, and may include all effects that can be inferred from the configuration described below.

[0009] Figures 1 to 4 are drawings illustrating examples of aerosol generating articles inserted into an aerosol generating device.

[0010] Figure 5 is a schematic diagram showing an example of a first battery.

[0011] Figure 6 is a schematic diagram illustrating a holder of an aerosol generating device according to one embodiment.

[0012] Figures 7 and 8 are drawings showing an example of a holder from various aspects.

[0013] Figure 9 is a schematic diagram illustrating a cradle of an aerosol generating device according to one embodiment.

[0014] Figures 10 and 11 are drawings showing an example of a cradle from various aspects.

[0015] Figure 12 is a schematic diagram showing an example of a holder inserted into a cradle.

[0016] Figure 13 is a drawing showing an example of a holder inserted into a cradle.

[0017] Figures 14 to 16 are drawings illustrating examples of aerosol generating articles.

[0018] Figure 17 is a block diagram of an aerosol generating device according to another embodiment.

[0019] An aerosol generating device according to one embodiment includes a heater for heating an aerosol generating article to generate an aerosol, and a first battery for supplying power to the heater, wherein the first battery includes an aqueous electrolyte.

[0020] It may include a cradle including a holder including the heater and the first battery, an internal space accommodating the holder, and a second battery that charges the first battery by supplying power to the first battery.

[0021] The second battery may be a lithium ion battery.

[0022] The above aqueous electrolyte is Mg 2+ , Ca 2+ , Zn 2+ , and Al 3+ It may include one or more polyvalent metal ions selected from the group consisting of:

[0023] The above aqueous electrolyte may include at least one metal salt selected from the group consisting of ZnSO4, Zn(CF3SO3)2, Zn(NO3)2, Zn(ClO4)2, ZnCl2, Zn(CH3COO)2, Zn(TFSI)2, Zn(BF4)2·xH2O, and Zn(N(CF3SO2)2)2)2(Zn(TFSI)2).

[0024] The above aqueous electrolyte contains a metal salt, and the concentration of the metal salt in the aqueous electrolyte may be 1 M or more.

[0025] The above aqueous electrolyte may include one or more additives selected from the group consisting of Zinc triflate, Na2SO4, PAM (polyacrylamide), Et2O (diethyl ether), and DMSO (dimethyl sulfoxide).

[0026] The above first battery may include a positive electrode including at least one transition metal selected from manganese and vanadium as a positive electrode active material and a negative electrode including zinc as a negative electrode active material.

[0027] The above-mentioned aqueous electrolyte includes a positive electrode electrolyte and a negative electrode electrolyte, and the first battery includes a positive electrode, a negative electrode, and a separator disposed between the positive electrode and the negative electrode, and the positive electrode electrolyte can circulate from a positive electrode electrolyte tank containing the positive electrode electrolyte to the positive electrode electrolyte tank via the positive electrode, and the negative electrode electrolyte can circulate from a negative electrode electrolyte tank containing the negative electrode electrolyte to the negative electrode electrolyte tank via the negative electrode.

[0028] The positive electrode electrolyte may contain bromine, and the negative electrode electrolyte may contain zinc.

[0029] The first battery may further include an anode pump that circulates the anode electrolyte from the anode electrolyte tank to the anode electrolyte tank via the anode, and a cathode pump that circulates the cathode electrolyte from the cathode electrolyte tank to the cathode electrolyte tank via the cathode.

[0030] The terms used in the examples are selected from widely used, common terms, taking into account the functions of the present disclosure. However, these terms may vary depending on the intentions of those skilled in the art, precedents, the emergence of new technologies, etc. Furthermore, in certain cases, terms may be arbitrarily selected by the applicant, and in such cases, their meanings will be described in detail in the relevant description of the invention. Therefore, the terms used in this disclosure should not be defined simply as names, but rather based on the meanings of the terms and the overall content of the present disclosure.

[0031] When a part of the specification is said to "include" a component, this does not exclude other components, but rather implies the inclusion of other components, unless otherwise specifically stated. Furthermore, terms such as "-unit" and "-module" used in the specification refer to a unit that processes at least one function or operation, which may be implemented in hardware, software, or a combination of hardware and software.

[0032] As used herein, when an expression such as "at least one" precedes an array of elements, it modifies the entire array of elements, not just each individual element. For example, the expression "at least one of a, b, and c" should be interpreted to include a, b, c, or a and b, a and c, b and c, or a and b and c.

[0033] Additionally, terms including ordinal numbers, such as "first" or "second," used herein may be used to describe various components, but the components should not be limited by the terms. The terms are used only to distinguish one component from another.

[0034] Throughout the specification, an "aerosol generating device" may be a device that generates an aerosol using an aerosol generating material to generate an aerosol that is directly inhalable into the user's lungs through the user's mouth.

[0035] Throughout the specification, "aerosol-generating article" means an article used in smoking. For example, an aerosol-generating article may be a combustible cigarette, which is used by ignition and combustion, or a heated cigarette, which is used by heating by an aerosol-generating device.

[0036] Throughout this specification, "upstream" and "downstream" can be determined based on the direction in which air flows when a user inhales an aerosol using an aerosol-generating article. Those skilled in the art will readily understand that "upstream" and "downstream" can be relative depending on the relationship between the components.

[0037] Throughout the specification, "puff" refers to an inhalation by the user. Inhalation may refer to drawing an aerosol into the user's oral cavity, nasal cavity, or lungs through the user's mouth or nose.

[0038] Below, embodiments of the present disclosure are described in detail with reference to the attached drawings so that those skilled in the art can easily implement the present disclosure. However, the present disclosure may be implemented in various different forms and is not limited to the embodiments described herein.

[0039] Hereinafter, an aerosol generating device according to one embodiment will be described with reference to the drawings.

[0040] Figures 1 to 3 are drawings illustrating examples of aerosol generating articles inserted into an aerosol generating device.

[0041] Referring to FIG. 1, the aerosol generating device (100) includes a first battery (110), a control unit (120), and a heater (130).

[0042] Referring to FIGS. 2 and 3, the aerosol generating device (100) further includes a vaporizer (140). In addition, an aerosol generating article (200) may be inserted into the internal space of the aerosol generating device (100).

[0043] The aerosol generating device (100) illustrated in FIGS. 1 to 3 illustrates components related to the present embodiment. Accordingly, a person skilled in the art related to the present embodiment will understand that, in addition to the components illustrated in FIGS. 1 to 3, the aerosol generating device (100) may further include other general-purpose components.

[0044] In addition, although FIGS. 2 and 3 illustrate that the aerosol generating device (100) includes a heater (130), the heater (130) may be omitted if necessary.

[0045] In FIG. 1, the first battery (110), the control unit (120), and the heater (130) are illustrated as being arranged in a row. In addition, in FIG. 2, the first battery (110), the control unit (120), the vaporizer (140), and the heater (130) are illustrated as being arranged in a row. In addition, in FIG. 3, the vaporizer (140) and the heater (130) are illustrated as being arranged in parallel. However, the internal structure of the aerosol generating device (100) is not limited to that illustrated in FIGS. 1 to 3. In other words, depending on the design of the aerosol generating device (100), the arrangement of the first battery (110), the control unit (120), the heater (130), and the vaporizer (140) may be changed.

[0046] When an aerosol generating article (200) is inserted into an aerosol generating device (100), the aerosol generating device (100) can operate a heater (130) and / or a vaporizer (140) to generate an aerosol from the aerosol generating article (200) and / or the vaporizer (140). The aerosol generated by the heater (130) and / or the vaporizer (140) passes through the aerosol generating article (200) and is delivered to the user.

[0047] If necessary, the aerosol generating device (100) can heat the heater (130) even when the aerosol generating article (200) is not inserted into the aerosol generating device (100).

[0048] The first battery (110) supplies power used to operate the aerosol generating device (100). For example, the first battery (110) can supply power to heat the heater (130) or the vaporizer (140), and can supply power required for the control unit (120) to operate. In addition, the first battery (110) can supply power required for the operation of the display, sensors, motors, etc. installed in the aerosol generating device (100).

[0049] The control unit (120) controls the overall operation of the aerosol generating device (100). Specifically, the control unit (120) controls the operation of the first battery (110), the heater (130), and the vaporizer (140), as well as other components included in the aerosol generating device (100). In addition, the control unit (120) can also check the status of each component of the aerosol generating device (100) to determine whether the aerosol generating device (100) is in an operable state.

[0050] The control unit (120) includes at least one processor. The processor may be implemented as an array of multiple logic gates, or as a combination of a general-purpose microprocessor and a memory storing a program executable on the microprocessor. Furthermore, those skilled in the art will appreciate that the processor may be implemented using other types of hardware.

[0051] The heater (130) can be heated by power supplied from the first battery (110). For example, when the aerosol generating article (200) is inserted into the aerosol generating device (100), the heater (130) can be located outside the aerosol generating article (200). Accordingly, the heated heater (130) can increase the temperature of the aerosol generating material within the aerosol generating article (200).

[0052] The heater (130) may be an electrically resistive heater. For example, the heater (130) may include an electrically conductive track, and the heater (130) may be heated as current flows through the electrically conductive track. However, the heater (130) is not limited to the above-described example, and any heater capable of heating to a desired temperature may be used without limitation. Here, the desired temperature may be preset in the aerosol generating device (100) or may be set to a desired temperature by the user.

[0053] Meanwhile, as another example, the heater (130) may be an induction heating heater. Specifically, the heater (130) may include an electrically conductive coil for inductively heating an aerosol generating article, and the aerosol generating article may include a susceptor that can be heated by the induction heating heater.

[0054] For example, the heater (130) may include a tubular heating element, a plate-shaped heating element, a needle-shaped heating element, or a rod-shaped heating element, and may heat the inside or outside of the aerosol generating article (200) depending on the shape of the heating element.

[0055] In addition, a plurality of heaters (130) may be arranged in the aerosol generating device (100). At this time, the plurality of heaters (130) may be arranged to be inserted into the interior of the aerosol generating article (200) or may be arranged on the exterior of the aerosol generating article (200). In addition, some of the plurality of heaters (130) may be arranged to be inserted into the interior of the aerosol generating article (200), and the rest may be arranged on the exterior of the aerosol generating article (200). In addition, the shape of the heater (130) is not limited to the shape illustrated in FIGS. 1 to 3, and may be manufactured in various shapes.

[0056] The vaporizer (140) can heat the liquid composition to generate an aerosol, and the generated aerosol can be delivered to a user by passing through an aerosol generating article (200). In other words, the aerosol generated by the vaporizer (140) can travel along an airflow passage of the aerosol generating device (100), and the airflow passage can be configured so that the aerosol generated by the vaporizer (140) can pass through an aerosol generating article (200) and be delivered to a user.

[0057] For example, the vaporizer (140) may include, but is not limited to, a liquid reservoir, a liquid delivery means, and a heating element. For example, the liquid reservoir, the liquid delivery means, and the heating element may be included in the aerosol generating device (100) as independent modules.

[0058] The liquid storage unit can store a liquid composition. For example, the liquid composition can be a liquid containing a tobacco-containing substance including volatile tobacco flavoring components, or a liquid containing a non-tobacco substance. The liquid storage unit can be designed to be detachable from / attached to the vaporizer (140), or can be designed as an integral part of the vaporizer (140).

[0059] For example, the liquid composition may include water, a solvent, ethanol, a plant extract, a fragrance, a flavoring agent, or a vitamin mixture. The flavoring agent may include, but is not limited to, menthol, peppermint oil, spearmint oil, various fruit-flavored ingredients, and the like. The flavoring agent may include ingredients that can provide a variety of flavors or tastes to the user. The vitamin mixture may include, but is not limited to, a mixture of at least one of vitamin A, vitamin B, vitamin C, and vitamin E. Additionally, the liquid composition may include an aerosol-forming agent such as glycerin and propylene glycol.

[0060] The liquid delivery means can deliver the liquid composition from the liquid storage to the heating element. For example, the liquid delivery means can be, but is not limited to, a wick such as cotton fiber, ceramic fiber, glass fiber, or porous ceramic.

[0061] A heating element is an element for heating a liquid composition delivered by a liquid delivery means. For example, the heating element may be, but is not limited to, a metal heating wire, a metal heating plate, a ceramic heater, etc. In addition, the heating element may be composed of a conductive filament, such as a nichrome wire, and may be arranged in a structure that is wound around the liquid delivery means. The heating element may be heated by a current supply and may transfer heat to the liquid composition in contact with the heating element, thereby heating the liquid composition. As a result, an aerosol may be generated.

[0062] For example, the vaporizer (140) may be referred to as a cartomizer or an atomizer, but is not limited thereto.

[0063] Meanwhile, the aerosol generating device (100) may further include general-purpose components in addition to the first battery (110), the control unit (120), the heater (130), and the vaporizer (140). For example, the aerosol generating device (100) may include a display capable of outputting visual information and / or a motor for outputting tactile information. In addition, the aerosol generating device (100) may include at least one sensor (a puff sensor, a temperature sensor, an aerosol generating article insertion detection sensor, etc.). In addition, the aerosol generating device (100) may be manufactured in a structure in which external air may be introduced or internal gas may be discharged even when the aerosol generating article (200) is inserted.

[0064] Figure 4 is a drawing showing another example in which an aerosol generating article is inserted into an aerosol generating device.

[0065] Referring to FIG. 4, the aerosol generating device (100) may include a first battery (110), a control unit (120), and a heater (130), and the heater (130) may include a heating body (131) and an induction coil (132).

[0066] The aerosol generating device (100) can generate an aerosol by heating an aerosol generating article (200) accommodated in the aerosol generating device (100) using an induction heating method. The induction heating method may refer to a method of heating a magnetic body by applying an alternating magnetic field whose direction periodically changes to the magnetic body that generates heat due to an external magnetic field.

[0067] When a variable magnetic field is applied to a magnetic body, energy loss may occur in the magnetic body due to eddy current loss and hysteresis loss, and the lost energy may be released from the magnetic body as heat energy. The greater the amplitude or frequency of the variable magnetic field applied to the magnetic body, the more heat energy may be released from the magnetic body. The aerosol generating device (100) may release heat energy from the magnetic body by applying a variable magnetic field to the magnetic body, and may transfer the heat energy released from the magnetic body to the aerosol generating article (200).

[0068] A magnetic material that generates heat by an external magnetic field may be a susceptor. The susceptor may be provided in the aerosol generating device (100) in the shape of a piece, a thin sheet, or a strip. For example, at least a portion of the heating element (131) disposed inside the aerosol generating device (100) may be formed of a susceptor material.

[0069] At least a portion of the susceptor material may be formed of a ferromagnetic substance. For example, the susceptor material may include a metal or carbon. The susceptor material may include at least one of ferrite, a ferromagnetic alloy, stainless steel, and aluminum (Al). Additionally, the susceptor material may include at least one of graphite, molybdenum, silicon carbide, niobium, a nickel alloy, a metal film, a ceramic such as zirconia, a transition metal such as nickel (Ni) or cobalt (Co), or a metalloid such as boron (B) or phosphorus (P).

[0070] The heating body (131) can heat the aerosol generating article (200) accommodated in the aerosol generating device (100). As described above, the heating body (131) can heat the aerosol generating article (200) by induction heating. The heating body (131) can include a susceptor material that generates heat by an external magnetic field, and the aerosol generating device (100) can apply a variable magnetic field to the heating body (131).

[0071] An induction coil (132) may be provided in the aerosol generating device (100). The induction coil (132) may apply a variable magnetic field to the heating body (131). When power is supplied to the induction coil (132) from the aerosol generating device (100), a magnetic field may be formed inside the induction coil (132). When an alternating current is applied to the induction coil (132), the direction of the magnetic field formed inside the induction coil (132) may be continuously changed. When the heating body (131) is positioned inside the induction coil (132) and exposed to a variable magnetic field whose direction periodically changes, the heating body (131) may generate heat, and the aerosol generating article (200) accommodated in the accommodation space may be heated.

[0072] The induction coil (132) may be wound along the outer surface of the heating body (131). Additionally, the induction coil (132) may be wound along the inner surface of the outer housing of the aerosol generating device (100). The heating body (131) may be positioned in the internal space formed by winding the induction coil (132). When power is supplied to the induction coil (132), a variable magnetic field generated by the induction coil (132) may be applied to the heating body (131).

[0073] The induction coil (132) may extend in the longitudinal direction of the aerosol generating device (100). The induction coil (132) may extend to an appropriate length along the longitudinal direction. For example, the induction coil (132) may extend to a length corresponding to the length of the heating body (131), or may extend to have a length longer than the length of the heating body (131).

[0074] The induction coil (132) may be placed at a position suitable for applying a variable magnetic field to the heating body (131). For example, the induction coil (132) may be placed at a position corresponding to the heating body (131). By the size and placement of the induction coil (132), the efficiency with which the variable magnetic field of the induction coil (132) is applied to the heating body (131) may be improved.

[0075] When the amplitude or frequency of the variable magnetic field formed by the induction coil (132) is changed, the degree to which the heating body (131) heats the aerosol generating article (200) can also be changed. Since the amplitude or frequency of the magnetic field by the induction coil (132) can be changed by the power applied to the induction coil (132), the aerosol generating device (100) can control the heating of the aerosol generating article (200) by adjusting the power applied to the induction coil (132). For example, the aerosol generating device (100) can control the amplitude and frequency of the alternating current applied to the induction coil (132).

[0076] As an example, the induction coil (132) may be implemented as a solenoid. The induction coil (132) may be a solenoid wound along the inner surface of the outer housing of the aerosol generating device (100), and a heating element (131) and an aerosol generating article (200) may be positioned in the inner space of the solenoid. The material of the conductor constituting the solenoid may be copper (Cu). However, the present invention is not limited thereto, and any one of silver (Ag), gold (Au), aluminum (Al), tungsten (W), zinc (Zn), and nickel (Ni), or an alloy including at least one thereof may be the material of the conductor constituting the solenoid.

[0077] The control unit (120) can control the power supplied to the induction coil (132). The control unit (120) can control the first battery (110) so that the power supplied to the induction coil (132) is adjusted. For example, the control unit (120) can control the power supplied to the induction coil (132) so that the heater (131) maintains a target temperature.

[0078] According to an embodiment, the first battery (110) may include an aqueous electrolyte. An aqueous electrolyte may refer to an electrolyte that includes water as a solvent. The first battery (110) may refer to an electrochemical energy storage device that generates electricity through a chemical reaction.

[0079] Lithium-ion batteries, the most representative energy storage device, are typically composed of a cathode, anode, a separator, and an electrolyte. During discharge, lithium ions migrate from the cathode to the anode, and during charging, lithium ions migrate from the anode to the cathode. The separator is positioned between the anode and cathode, allowing lithium ions to pass through while preventing contact between the two electrodes.

[0080] The electrolyte is located between the positive and negative electrodes and transports lithium ions to the positive electrode. Electrolytes contain solvents, salts, and additives. Typically, the electrolyte in lithium-ion secondary batteries contains an organic solvent. Organic solvent electrolytes are flammable and pose a fire hazard due to the oxygen gas generated during charging and discharging.

[0081] In contrast, batteries containing aqueous electrolytes exhibit high stability and fast charge / discharge rates. Because they contain water as the electrolyte solvent, batteries containing aqueous electrolytes ensure stable operation, eliminating the risk of ignition even if a short circuit occurs after long-term cycling.

[0082] The aerosol generating device (100) according to the embodiment can be quickly charged because the first battery (110) includes an aqueous electrolyte, and can have an improved service life even with frequent charging and discharging. In addition, the stability of the aerosol generating device (100), which is easily exposed to the risk of external impact, can be improved.

[0083] The aqueous electrolyte is Mg 2+ , Ca 2+ , Zn 2+ , and Al 3+ It may include one or more polyvalent metal ions selected from the group consisting of. Polyvalent metal ions have the advantage that multiple charges participate in electrochemical reactions.

[0084] For example, the first battery (110) may be an aqueous zinc-ion battery in which the aqueous electrolyte includes zinc. The aqueous zinc-ion battery may have a wide operating voltage and high energy density based on the multi-electron exchange and high density of zinc metal.

[0085] For example, in an aqueous zinc ion battery, the aqueous electrolyte may include, but is not limited to, one or more metal salts selected from the group consisting of ZnSO4, Zn(CF3SO3)2, Zn(NO3)2, Zn(ClO4)2, ZnCl2, Zn(CH3COO)2, Zn(TFSI)2, Zn(BF4)2·xH2O, and Zn(N(CF3SO2)2)2)2(Zn(TFSI)2). A battery including an aqueous electrolyte may have a water decomposition reaction as a side reaction, which may gradually lower the energy density. The above-mentioned metal salts may prevent the water decomposition reaction of the aqueous electrolyte, thereby enabling the first battery (110) to provide stable electrochemical performance.

[0086] The concentration of the metal salt in the aqueous electrolyte may be about 1 M or more. Batteries containing aqueous electrolytes have a chronic problem of dendrite formation on the surface of the electrode. The dendrite formed on the electrode not only detaches from the electrode and loses its function as an electrode active material, but may also cause a short circuit of the battery. When the aqueous electrolyte contains a relatively high concentration of a metal salt of about 1 M or more, it may have the effect of suppressing dendrite formation. The concentration of the metal salt in the aqueous electrolyte may be about 3 M or more, about 5 M or more, about 10 M or more, about 20 M or more, about 30 M or more, or about 50 M or more. In addition, the concentration of the metal salt in the aqueous electrolyte may be about 200 M or less, about 100 M or less, about 50 M or less, about 30 M or less, about 20 M or less, about 10 M or less, about 5 M or less, or about 3 M or less.

[0087] For example, the aqueous electrolyte may contain LiTFSI in an amount of about 20 M or more. This can inhibit the reduction of water at the cathode, thereby suppressing the generation of hydrogen and inducing stable insertion / deintercalation reactions of zinc ions. As another example, the aqueous electrolyte may contain ZnCl2 in an amount of about 30 M or more. This can increase the operating voltage range of the aqueous electrolyte by suppressing the formation of electrochemically inactive byproducts.

[0088] Additionally, the aqueous electrolyte may include multiple metal salts. For example, the aqueous electrolyte may include Zn(TFSI)2 and LiTFSI. The aqueous electrolyte may include a mixture of a Zn(TFSI)2 aqueous solution having a concentration of at least about 1 M and a LiTFSI aqueous solution having a concentration of at least about 20 M. In this case, the undesired hydrogen evolution reaction can be suppressed and a high Coulombic efficiency of at least 90% can be achieved.

[0089] The aqueous electrolyte may include additives. For example, the aqueous electrolyte may include one or more additives selected from the group consisting of zinc triflate, sodium sulfate (Na2SO4), polyacrylamide (PAM), diethyl ether (Et2O), and dimethyl sulfoxide (DMSO), but is not limited thereto. The additives may improve the cycle characteristics of the first battery (110) and enable it to have a high energy density.

[0090] For example, the aqueous electrolyte may include Na2SO4 as an additive, and the concentration of Na2SO4 in the aqueous electrolyte may be about 0.1 g / L to about 5 g / L. As another example, the aqueous electrolyte may include Et2O as an additive, and the concentration of Et2O in the aqueous electrolyte may be about 1 vol% to about 5 vol%. The additive has the effect of preventing zinc from corroding by being absorbed onto the surface of the electrode or forming a solid electrolyte interphase (SEI). Accordingly, the first battery (110) may have a high charge / discharge rate and cycle characteristics while maintaining about 95% or more of the initial capacity after about 1,000 cycles.

[0091] The first battery (110) may include a positive electrode including one or more transition metals selected from manganese and vanadium as a positive electrode active material. For example, the positive electrode of the first battery (110) may include MnO2, V2O5, and / or V6O 13 may include, but is not limited to, a cathode active material.

[0092] Additionally, the first battery (110) may include a negative electrode including zinc as a negative electrode active material. For example, the negative electrode of the first battery (110) may include zinc metal, but is not limited thereto.

[0093] As another example, the first battery (110) may be an aqueous redox flow battery.

[0094] FIG. 5 is a schematic diagram illustrating an example of a first battery (110). Referring to FIG. 5, the aqueous electrolyte (1100) of the first battery (110) may include a positive electrode electrolyte (1101) and a negative electrode electrolyte (1102). The first battery (110) may include a positive electrode (1121), a negative electrode (1122), a separator (1130) disposed between the positive electrode (1121) and the negative electrode (1122), a positive electrode electrolyte tank (1111) that accommodates the positive electrode electrolyte (1101), and a negative electrode electrolyte tank (1112) that accommodates the negative electrode electrolyte (1102). The positive electrolyte (1101) can be circulated from the positive electrolyte tank (1111) to the positive electrolyte tank (1111) via the positive electrode (1121), and the negative electrolyte (1102) can be circulated from the negative electrolyte tank (1112) to the negative electrolyte tank (1112) via the negative electrode (1122).

[0095] The positive electrode electrolyte (1101) and the negative electrode electrolyte (1102) supplied to the positive electrode (1121) and the negative electrode (1122) can produce energy by utilizing the redox reaction of the active material contained in each electrolyte occurring between the electrodes. The separator (1130) arranged between the positive electrode (1121) and the negative electrode (1122) prevents contact between the positive electrode (1121) and the negative electrode (1122), but allows ions of the active material present in the positive electrode electrolyte (1101) or the negative electrode electrolyte (1102) to move through the separator (1130).

[0096] The positive electrode electrolyte (1101) may include at least one selected from the group consisting of bromine, iron, nickel, and manganese. The negative electrode electrolyte (1102) may include zinc. For example, the positive electrode electrolyte (1101) of the first battery (110) may include bromine, and the negative electrode electrolyte (1102) may include zinc.

[0097] Additionally, the cathode (1122) may include a carbon-based material. When a carbon-based material is applied to the cathode (1122), the formation of dendritic structures on the surface of the electrode can be prevented, and improved lifespan characteristics can be achieved. The cathode (1122) may include, for example, one or more carbon-based materials selected from graphene, activated carbon, carbon fiber, carbon nanotubes, and fullerene, but is not limited thereto.

[0098] The first battery (110) may include an anode pump (1141) that circulates anode electrolyte (1101) from an anode electrolyte tank (1111) via an anode (1121) to an anode electrolyte tank (1111). The first battery (110) may also include a cathode pump (1142) that circulates cathode electrolyte (1102) from an anode electrolyte tank (1112) via an anode (1122) to an anode electrolyte tank (1112). The positive electrolyte tank (1111) and the negative electrolyte tank (1112) may include an electrolyte inlet and an electrolyte outlet connected to the positive electrolyte tank (1111) and the negative electrolyte tank (1112), respectively, and the positive electrolyte (1101) and the negative electrolyte (1102) may be circulated by driving the positive pump (1141) and the negative pump (1142).

[0099] An aerosol generating device (100) according to one embodiment may include a holder and a cradle. The holder may include a heater (130) and a first battery (110). The cradle may include an internal space for accommodating the holder and a second battery for supplying power to the first battery (110).

[0100] Figure 6 is a schematic diagram illustrating a holder of an aerosol generating device according to one embodiment.

[0101] Referring to Fig. 6, the holder (1) includes a first battery (110), a first control unit (12), and a heater (130). In addition, the holder (1) includes an internal space formed by a case (11). An aerosol generating article can be inserted into the internal space of the holder (1).

[0102] Only components related to the present embodiment are shown in the holder (1) illustrated in FIG. 6. Therefore, it will be understood by those skilled in the art related to the present embodiment that, in addition to the components illustrated in FIG. 6, other general-purpose components may be included in the holder (1).

[0103] When an aerosol-generating article is inserted into the holder (1), the holder (1) heats the heater (130). The aerosol-generating substance within the aerosol-generating article increases in temperature by the heated heater (130), thereby generating an aerosol. The generated aerosol is delivered to the user through the filter of the aerosol-generating article. However, even when the aerosol-generating article is not inserted into the holder (1), the holder (1) can heat the heater (130).

[0104] The case (11) can be separated from the holder (1). For example, the case (11) can be separated from the holder (1) by the user turning the case (11) clockwise or counterclockwise.

[0105] In addition, the diameter of the hole formed by the end of the case (11) can be made smaller than the diameter of the space formed by the case (11) and the heater (130), and in this case, it can serve as a guide for the aerosol generating article inserted into the holder (1).

[0106] The first battery (110) supplies power used to operate the holder (1). For example, the first battery (110) can supply power to heat the heater (130) and supply power required for the first control unit (12) to operate. In addition, the first battery (110) can supply power required for the operation of the display, sensors, motors, etc. installed in the holder (1).

[0107] The heater (130) is heated by power supplied from the first battery (110). When an aerosol generating article is inserted into the holder (1), the heated heater (130) can increase the temperature of the aerosol generating article. The same descriptions given above with respect to FIGS. 1 to 4 may be applied to the first battery (110) and the heater (130).

[0108] The first control unit (12) controls the overall operation of the holder (1). Specifically, the first control unit (12) controls the operation of not only the first battery (110) and the heater (130), but also other components included in the holder (1). In addition, the first control unit (12) can also check the status of each component of the holder (1) to determine whether the holder (1) is operable.

[0109] The first control unit (12) includes at least one processor. The processor may be implemented as an array of multiple logic gates, or as a combination of a general-purpose microprocessor and a memory storing a program executable on the microprocessor. Furthermore, those skilled in the art will appreciate that the processor may be implemented using other types of hardware.

[0110] For example, the first control unit (12) can control the operation of the heater (130). The first control unit (12) can control the amount of power supplied to the heater (130) and the time for which the power is supplied so that the heater (130) can be heated to a predetermined temperature or maintained at an appropriate temperature. In addition, the first control unit (12) can check the status of the first battery (110) (e.g., the remaining capacity of the first battery (110), etc.) and, if necessary, generate a notification signal.

[0111] In addition, the first control unit (12) can check whether the user has a puff and the intensity of the puff, and can count the number of puffs. In addition, the first control unit (12) can continuously check the time that the holder (1) is operating. In addition, the first control unit (12) can check whether the cradle (2), which will be described later, is connected to the holder (1), and can control the operation of the holder (1) according to the connection or separation of the cradle (2) and the holder (1).

[0112] Meanwhile, the holder (1) may further include general-purpose components in addition to the first battery (110), the first control unit (12), and the heater (130).

[0113] For example, the holder (1) may include a display capable of outputting visual information or a motor for outputting tactile information. For example, when a display is included in the holder (1), the first control unit (12) can transmit to the user, through the display, information about the status of the holder (1) (e.g., whether the holder is available for use, etc.), information about the heater (130) (e.g., preheating start, preheating in progress, preheating complete, etc.), information related to the first battery (110) (e.g., remaining capacity of the first battery (110), availability, etc.), information related to resetting the holder (1) (e.g., reset time, reset in progress, reset complete, etc.), information related to cleaning of the holder (1) (e.g., cleaning time, cleaning required, cleaning in progress, cleaning complete, etc.), information related to charging of the holder (1) (e.g., charging required, charging in progress, charging complete, etc.), information related to puffs (e.g., number of puffs, puff end notice, etc.), or information related to safety (e.g., elapsed use time, etc.). As another example, if a motor is included in the holder (1), the first control unit (12) can transmit the above-described information to the user by generating a vibration signal using the motor.

[0114] In addition, the holder (1) may include at least one input device (e.g., a button) that allows a user to control the function of the holder (1) and / or a terminal that is coupled with the cradle (2). For example, the user may execute various functions using the input device of the holder (1). By controlling the number of times the user presses the input device (e.g., once, twice, etc.) or the time for which the user presses the input device (e.g., 0.1 second, 0.2 second, etc.), a desired function among a plurality of functions of the holder (1) may be executed. As the user operates the input device, the holder (1) may perform a function of preheating the heater (130), a function of controlling the temperature of the heater (130), a function of cleaning the space into which an aerosol generating article is inserted, a function of checking whether the holder (1) is operable, a function of displaying the remaining amount (available power) of the first battery (110), a function of resetting the holder (1), etc. However, the functions of the holder (1) are not limited to the examples described above.

[0115] In addition, the holder (1) may include a puff detection sensor, a temperature detection sensor, and / or an aerosol-generating article insertion detection sensor. For example, the puff detection sensor may be implemented by a general pressure sensor, and the aerosol-generating article insertion detection sensor may be implemented by a general capacitive sensor or a resistance sensor. In addition, the holder (1) may be manufactured in a structure that allows external air to be introduced / expelled even when the aerosol-generating article is inserted.

[0116] Figures 7 and 8 are drawings showing an example of a holder from various aspects.

[0117] Fig. 7 is a drawing illustrating an example of a holder (1) viewed from a first direction. As illustrated in Fig. 7, the holder (1) may be manufactured in a cylindrical shape, but is not limited thereto. The case (11) of the holder (1) may be separated by a user's action, and an aerosol generating product may be inserted into the end of the case (11). In addition, the holder (1) may include a first button (13) that allows a user to control the holder (1) and a first display (14) that outputs an image.

[0118] Fig. 8 is a drawing showing an example of the holder (1) viewed from a second direction. The holder (1) may include a first terminal (15) coupled with a cradle (2). When the first terminal (15) of the holder (1) is coupled with the second terminal (26) of the cradle (2), the first battery (110) of the holder (1) may be charged by the power supplied by the second battery (21) of the cradle (2). In addition, the holder (1) may be operated by the power supplied by the second battery (21) of the cradle (2) through the first terminal (15) and the second terminal (26), and communication (transmission and reception of signals) is possible between the holder (1) and the cradle (2). For example, the first terminal (15) may be composed of four micro pins, but is not limited thereto.

[0119] Figure 9 is a schematic diagram illustrating a cradle of an aerosol generating device according to one embodiment.

[0120] Referring to Fig. 9, the cradle (2) includes a second battery (21) and a second control unit (22). In addition, the cradle (2) includes an internal space (23) into which the holder (1) can be inserted. For example, the internal space (23) may be formed on one side of the cradle (2). Accordingly, even if the cradle (2) does not include a separate lid, the holder (1) can be inserted and fixed in the cradle (2).

[0121] The cradle (2) illustrated in Fig. 9 only illustrates components related to the present embodiment. Therefore, it will be understood by those skilled in the art related to the present embodiment that, in addition to the components illustrated in Fig. 9, other general-purpose components may be further included in the cradle (2).

[0122] The second battery (21) supplies power used to operate the cradle (2). In addition, the second battery (21) can supply power to charge the first battery (110) of the holder (1). For example, when the holder (1) is inserted into the cradle (2) and the first terminal (15) of the holder (1) and the second terminal (260) of the cradle (2) are connected, the second battery (21) of the cradle (2) can supply power to the first battery (110) of the holder (1).

[0123] In addition, when the holder (1) and the cradle (2) are combined, the second battery (21) can supply power used to operate the holder (1). For example, when the first terminal (15) of the holder (1) and the second terminal (260) of the cradle (2) are combined, the holder (1) can operate using power supplied by the second battery (21) of the cradle (2), regardless of whether the first battery (110) of the holder (1) is discharged.

[0124] The second battery (21) may be a lithium ion battery. For example, the second battery (21) may be at least one selected from a lithium iron phosphate (LFP) battery, a lithium cobalt oxide (LCO) battery, a lithium nickel manganese cobalt (NCM) battery, and a lithium nickel cobalt aluminum (NCA) battery, but is not limited to the examples described above.

[0125] The first battery (110) of the holder (1) requires excellent cycle performance and stability, taking into account the risk of frequent charging and discharging and external impact. However, since the first battery (110) can be charged by the cradle (2) except for the relatively short period during which the user uses the holder (1), a high energy density is not necessarily required.

[0126] In contrast, the second battery (21) of the cradle (2) has fewer charge / discharge cycles and a lower risk of external impact than the first battery (110), while requiring a high energy density that allows the first battery (110) to be repeatedly charged. Accordingly, the first battery (110) of the holder (1) uses a battery including an aqueous electrolyte with excellent cycle performance and stability, and the second battery (21) of the cradle (2) uses a lithium ion battery with high energy density, thereby solving the above-described problems.

[0127] The second control unit (22) controls the overall operation of the cradle (2). The second control unit (22) can control the operation of all components of the cradle (2). In addition, the second control unit (22) can determine whether the holder (1) and the cradle (2) are coupled, and control the operation of the cradle (2) according to the coupling or separation of the cradle (2) and the holder (1).

[0128] For example, when the holder (1) and the cradle (2) are combined, the second control unit (22) can charge the first battery (110) or heat the heater (130) by supplying power from the second battery (21) to the holder (1). Therefore, even when the remaining amount of the first battery (110) is low, the user can continuously smoke by combining the holder (1) and the cradle (2).

[0129] The second control unit (22) includes at least one processor. The processor may be implemented as an array of multiple logic gates, or as a combination of a general-purpose microprocessor and a memory storing a program executable on the microprocessor. Furthermore, those skilled in the art will appreciate that the processor may be implemented using other types of hardware.

[0130] Meanwhile, the cradle (2) may further include general-purpose components in addition to the second battery (21) and the second control unit (22). For example, the cradle (2) may include a display capable of outputting visual information. For example, when the cradle (2) includes a display, the second control unit (22) may generate a signal to be displayed on the display, thereby transmitting to the user information related to the second battery (21) (e.g., remaining capacity of the second battery (21), availability, etc.), information related to resetting the cradle (2) (e.g., reset timing, reset progress, reset completion, etc.), information related to cleaning of the holder (1) (e.g., cleaning timing, cleaning need, cleaning progress, cleaning completion, etc.), information related to charging of the cradle (2) (e.g., charging need, charging progress, charging completion, etc.), etc.).

[0131] Additionally, the cradle (2) may include at least one input device (e.g., a button) that allows the user to control the functions of the cradle (2), a second terminal (26) that couples with the holder (1), and / or an interface (e.g., a USB port, etc.) for charging the second battery (21).

[0132] For example, a user can execute various functions using the input device of the cradle (2). By controlling the number of times the user presses the input device or the time the user presses the input device, a desired function among the multiple functions of the cradle (2) can be executed. As the user operates the input device, the cradle (2) can perform functions such as preheating the heater (130) of the holder (1), controlling the temperature of the heater (130) of the holder (1), cleaning the space in which an aerosol generating item is inserted in the holder (1), checking whether the cradle (2) is in an operable state, displaying the remaining amount (available power) of the second battery (21) of the cradle (2), and resetting the cradle (2). However, the functions of the cradle (2) are not limited to the examples described above.

[0133] Figures 10 and 11 are drawings showing an example of a cradle from various aspects.

[0134] Fig. 10 is a drawing illustrating an example of a cradle (2) viewed from a first direction. One side of the cradle (2) has an internal space (23) into which a holder (1) can be inserted. In addition, even if the cradle (2) does not include a separate fixing means such as a lid, the holder (1) can be inserted and fixed into the cradle (2). In addition, the cradle (2) may include a second button (24) that allows a user to control the cradle (2) and a second display (25) that outputs an image.

[0135] Fig. 11 is a drawing showing an example of the cradle (2) viewed from a second direction. The cradle (2) may include a second terminal (26) that is coupled with the inserted holder (1). By coupling the second terminal (26) with the first terminal (15) of the holder (1), the first battery (110) of the holder (1) may be charged by the power supplied by the second battery (21) of the cradle (2). In addition, the holder (1) may be operated by the power supplied by the second battery (21) of the cradle (2) through the first terminal (15) and the second terminal (26), and transmission and reception of signals between the holder (1) and the cradle (2) is possible. For example, the second terminal (26) may be composed of four micro pins, but is not limited thereto.

[0136] As described above, the holder (1) can be inserted into the internal space (23) of the cradle (2). In addition, the holder (1) can be completely inserted into the interior of the cradle (2), or can be tilted while inserted into the cradle (2).

[0137] Figure 12 is a drawing showing an example of a holder inserted into a cradle.

[0138] Referring to Fig. 12, an example of a holder (1) being inserted into a cradle (2) is illustrated. Since an internal space (23) into which the holder (1) is to be inserted exists on one side of the cradle (2), the inserted holder (1) may not be exposed to the outside by other sides of the cradle (2). Accordingly, the cradle (2) may not include other components (e.g., a lid) for preventing the holder (1) from being exposed to the outside.

[0139] The cradle (2) may include at least one fastening member to increase the fastening strength with the holder (1). In addition, the holder (1) may also include at least one fastening member. Here, the fastening member may be a magnet, but is not limited thereto.

[0140] Since the holder (1) and the cradle (2) include a fastening member, even if the holder (1) is inserted into one side of the cradle (2), the holder (1) and the cradle (2) can be more strongly fastened. Accordingly, even if the cradle (2) does not have a separate component (e.g., a lid), the inserted holder (1) may not be easily separated from the cradle (2).

[0141] Additionally, if it is determined that the holder (1) is fully inserted into the cradle (2) by the terminals (15, 26) and / or the fastening members, the second control unit (22) can charge the first battery (110) of the holder (1) using the power of the second battery (21).

[0142] Figure 13 is a drawing showing an example of a holder inserted into a cradle.

[0143] Fig. 13 illustrates an example in which the holder (1) is fully inserted into the cradle (2). When the holder (1) is fully inserted into the cradle (2), the cradle (2) may be manufactured to have sufficient internal space (23) to minimize the user's contact with the holder (1). When the holder (1) is fully inserted into the cradle (2), the second control unit (22) supplies power from the second battery (21) to the holder (1) so that the first battery (110) of the holder (1) can be charged.

[0144] Hereinafter, examples of aerosol generating articles will be described with reference to FIGS. 14 to 16.

[0145] Figures 14 and 15 are drawings illustrating examples of aerosol generating articles.

[0146] Referring to FIG. 14, the aerosol generating article (200) includes a tobacco rod (210) and a filter rod (220).

[0147] Although the filter rod (220) is illustrated as a single segment in FIG. 14, it is not limited thereto. In other words, the filter rod (220) may be composed of multiple segments. For example, the filter rod (220) may include a first segment for cooling the aerosol and a second segment for filtering a predetermined component contained within the aerosol. In addition, the filter rod (220) may further include at least one segment for performing another function, if necessary.

[0148] The aerosol-generating article (200) may be wrapped by at least one wrapper (240). The wrapper (240) may have at least one hole formed therein through which outside air may be introduced or internal gas may be discharged. As an example, the aerosol-generating article (200) may be wrapped by one wrapper (240). As another example, the aerosol-generating article (200) may be wrapped by two or more wrappers (240) in an overlapping manner. For example, the tobacco rod (210) may be wrapped by a first wrapper (241), and the filter rod (220) may be wrapped by wrappers (242, 243, 244). In addition, the entire aerosol-generating article (200) may be repackaged by a single wrapper (245). If the filter load (220) is composed of multiple segments, each segment can be wrapped by wrappers (242, 243, 244).

[0149] The tobacco rod (210) includes an aerosol-generating substance. For example, the aerosol-generating substance may include, but is not limited to, at least one of glycerin, propylene glycol, ethylene glycol, dipropylene glycol, diethylene glycol, triethylene glycol, tetraethylene glycol, and oleyl alcohol. In addition, the tobacco rod (210) may contain other additives, such as flavoring agents, humectants, and / or organic acids. In addition, a flavoring agent, such as menthol or a humectant, may be added to the tobacco rod (210) by spraying it onto the tobacco rod (210).

[0150] The tobacco rod (210) can be manufactured in various ways. For example, the tobacco rod (210) can be manufactured as a sheet or as a strand. Furthermore, the tobacco rod (210) can be manufactured as a cut tobacco sheet. Furthermore, the tobacco rod (210) can be surrounded by a heat-conducting material. For example, the heat-conducting material can be a metal foil such as aluminum foil, but is not limited thereto. For example, the heat-conducting material surrounding the tobacco rod (210) can evenly distribute heat transferred to the tobacco rod (210) to improve the heat conductivity applied to the tobacco rod, thereby improving the taste of the tobacco. Furthermore, the heat-conducting material surrounding the tobacco rod (210) can function as a susceptor heated by an induction heater. Although not illustrated in the drawing, the tobacco rod (210) can further include an additional susceptor in addition to the heat-conducting material surrounding the exterior.

[0151] The filter rod (220) may be a cellulose acetate filter. Meanwhile, there is no limitation on the shape of the filter rod (220). For example, the filter rod (220) may be a cylindrical rod or a tubular rod having a hollow portion therein. In addition, the filter rod (220) may be a recessed rod. If the filter rod (220) is composed of a plurality of segments, at least one of the segments may be manufactured in a different shape.

[0152] The filter rod (220) may be manufactured to generate a flavor. For example, a flavoring agent may be sprayed onto the filter rod (220), or a separate fiber coated with a flavoring agent may be inserted into the interior of the filter rod (220).

[0153] Additionally, the filter rod (220) may include at least one capsule (230). Here, the capsule (230) may generate a flavor or an aerosol. For example, the capsule (230) may have a structure in which a liquid containing a flavor is encapsulated in a film. The capsule (230) may have a spherical or cylindrical shape, but is not limited thereto.

[0154] If the filter rod (220) includes a segment for cooling the aerosol, the cooling segment may be manufactured from a polymer material or a biodegradable polymer material. For example, the cooling segment may be manufactured from pure polylactic acid, but is not limited thereto. Alternatively, the cooling segment may be manufactured from a cellulose acetate filter having a plurality of holes. However, the cooling segment is not limited to the examples described above, and may be manufactured without limitation as long as it can perform the function of cooling the aerosol.

[0155] Referring to FIG. 15, the aerosol generating article (300) may further include a shear plug (330). The shear plug (330) may be positioned on a side of the tobacco rod (310) opposite the filter rod (320). The shear plug (330) may prevent the tobacco rod (310) from escaping to the outside and may prevent liquefied aerosol from the tobacco rod (310) from flowing into the aerosol generating device during smoking.

[0156] The filter load (320) may include a first segment (321) and a second segment (322). Here, the first segment (321) may correspond to the first segment of the filter load (220) of FIG. 14, and the second segment (322) may correspond to the second segment of the filter load (220) of FIG. 14.

[0157] The diameter and overall length of the aerosol generating article (300) may correspond to the diameter and overall length of the aerosol generating article (200) of FIG. 14. For example, the length of the shear plug (330) may be about 7 mm, the length of the tobacco rod (310) may be about 15 mm, the length of the first segment (321) may be about 12 mm, and the length of the second segment (322) may be about 14 mm, but is not limited thereto.

[0158] The aerosol-generating article (300) may be wrapped by at least one wrapper (350). The wrapper (350) may have at least one hole formed therein through which external air may be introduced or internal gas may be discharged. For example, the shear plug (330) may be wrapped by a first wrapper (351), the tobacco rod (310) may be wrapped by a second wrapper (352), the first segment (321) may be wrapped by a third wrapper (353), and the second segment (322) may be wrapped by a fourth wrapper (354). In addition, the entire aerosol-generating article (300) may be repackaged by a fifth wrapper (355).

[0159] Additionally, at least one perforation (360) may be formed in the fifth wrapper (355). For example, the perforation (360) may be formed in an area surrounding the tobacco rod (310), but is not limited thereto. The perforation (360) may serve to transfer heat generated by the heater (130) illustrated in FIGS. 2 and 3 to the interior of the tobacco rod (310).

[0160] Additionally, the second segment (322) may include at least one capsule (340). Here, the capsule (340) may generate a flavor or an aerosol. For example, the capsule (340) may have a structure in which a liquid containing a flavor is encapsulated in a film. The capsule (340) may have a spherical or cylindrical shape, but is not limited thereto.

[0161] Figure 16 is a drawing illustrating another example of an aerosol generating article.

[0162] Referring to FIG. 16, the aerosol generating article (400) may include a first aerosol generating rod (410), a second aerosol generating rod (420), a cooling rod (430), and a filter rod (440). Additionally, the aerosol generating article (400) may be wrapped by at least one wrapper (450).

[0163] The first aerosol generating rod (410), the second aerosol generating rod (420), the cooling rod (430), and the filter rod (440) may be sequentially aligned along the longitudinal direction of the aerosol generating article (400). Here, the longitudinal direction of the aerosol generating article (400) may be a direction in which the length of the aerosol generating article (400) extends. For example, the longitudinal direction of the aerosol generating article (400) may be a direction from the first aerosol generating rod (410) toward the filter rod (440).

[0164] The aerosol generated from the first aerosol generating rod (410) and the second aerosol generating rod (420) can form an airflow by passing through the first aerosol generating rod (410), the second aerosol generating rod (420), the cooling rod (430), and the filter rod (440) in sequence, and thus, the smoker can inhale the aerosol from the filter rod (440).

[0165] The first aerosol generating rod (410) can be heated to generate an aerosol. The first aerosol generating rod (410) can include an aerosol generating material. Additionally, the first aerosol generating rod (410) can contain other additives such as a humectant and / or an organic acid, and can contain a flavoring such as menthol. For example, the aerosol generating material can include at least one of glycerin, propylene glycol, ethylene glycol, dipropylene glycol, diethylene glycol, triethylene glycol, tetraethylene glycol, and oleyl alcohol.

[0166] The first aerosol generating rod (410) may include an aerosol generating substrate impregnated with an aerosol generating material. The aerosol generating substrate may include a crimped sheet, and the aerosol generating material may be included in the first aerosol generating rod (410) in a state impregnated in the crimped sheet. Additionally, other additives and flavorings, such as flavoring agents, humectants, and / or organic acids, may be included in the first aerosol generating rod (410) in a state absorbed by the crimped sheet.

[0167] The aerosol generating substrate may be placed inside the first aerosol generating rod (410) in a rolled state. The rolled aerosol generating substrate may be rolled around an axis extending along the length of the aerosol generating article (400), but is not limited thereto.

[0168] The crimped sheet may be a sheet composed of a polymeric material. For example, the polymeric material may include at least one of paper, cellulose acetate, lyocell, and polylactic acid. For example, the crimped sheet may be a paper sheet that does not emit an off-flavor due to heat even when heated to a high temperature.

[0169] The first aerosol generating rod (410) may extend from a distal end of the aerosol generating article (400) to a point about 7 mm to about 20 mm, and the second aerosol generating rod (420) may extend from a point at which the first aerosol generating rod (410) ends to a point about 7 mm to about 20 mm. However, the lengths to which each of the first aerosol generating rod (410) and the second aerosol generating rod (420) extend may be appropriately adjusted within a range that can be easily changed by a person skilled in the art.

[0170] The second aerosol generating rod (420) can be heated to generate an aerosol containing nicotine. For example, the second aerosol generating rod (420) can contain tobacco material. The tobacco material can take the form of, but is not limited to, tobacco strands, tobacco particles, tobacco sheets, tobacco beads, tobacco granules, tobacco powder, or tobacco extract.

[0171] For example, the second aerosol generating rod (420) may include a plurality of tobacco strands, and the plurality of tobacco strands may include a sheet-shaped cut filler. The sheet-shaped cut filler may be manufactured by cutting a sheet-shaped cut filler. The sheet-shaped cut filler may be manufactured by the following process. Tobacco raw materials are ground to manufacture a slurry containing an aerosol generating material (e.g., glycerin, propylene glycol, etc.), a flavoring liquid, a binder (e.g., guar gum, xanthan gum, carboxymethyl cellulose, etc.), water, etc. Natural pulp or cellulose may be added to the slurry, and one or more binders may be mixed and used. The slurry may be cast to form a sheet, and then dried to manufacture a sheet-shaped cut filler. The manufactured sheet-shaped cut filler may be manufactured by cutting or cutting the sheet-shaped cut filler. The tobacco raw material may be tobacco leaves, tobacco stems, and / or tobacco fines generated during tobacco processing. Additionally, the sheet may contain other additives such as wood cellulose fibers.

[0172] Additionally, the second aerosol generating rod (420) may include tobacco charcoal produced by blending and processing various types of tobacco leaves and then cutting them. Additionally, the second aerosol generating rod (420) may include a mixture of flat leaf charcoal and tobacco charcoal.

[0173] As another example, the second aerosol generating rod (420) may comprise a plurality of tobacco granules. The tobacco granules may be particles having a diameter of about 100 μm to about 2,000 μm. The tobacco granules may be manufactured by extruding a mixture of tobacco leaf powder, a pH adjuster, and a solvent.

[0174] A plurality of tobacco granules may be disposed between the filter material. The filter material may, for example, comprise a bundle of cellulose acetate fiber strands. The plurality of tobacco granules may be evenly dispersed between the plurality of cellulose fibers. As another example, the filter material may comprise a crimped paper sheet. The crimped paper sheet may be disposed in a wound state within the second aerosol generating rod (420). The crimped paper sheet may be wound around an axis extending along the longitudinal direction of the aerosol generating article (400). A plurality of tobacco granules may be dispersed and disposed within the wound paper sheet.

[0175] Additionally, the second aerosol generating rod (420) may include an aerosol generating substrate impregnated with a liquid aerosol generating composition. The aerosol generating substrate may include a crimped sheet, and the liquid aerosol generating composition may be included in the second aerosol generating rod (420) in a state of being impregnated in the crimped sheet. The aerosol generating substrate included in the second aerosol generating rod (420) may be identically applied to the aerosol generating substrate included in the first aerosol generating rod (410).

[0176] The liquid aerosol-generating composition may include nicotine. The nicotine may include freebase nicotine and a nicotine salt. Freebase nicotine may refer to neutral nicotine without protons. For example, when a strong base, such as ammonia, is added to a positively charged nicotine salt, the strong base is converted into a cation, and the nicotine salt may become freebase nicotine, which is in a neutral state.

[0177] Additionally, the liquid aerosol-generating composition may include an aerosol-generating material. The aerosol-generating material may be the same as described above for the aerosol-generating substrate included in the first aerosol-generating rod (410).

[0178] The liquid aerosol-generating composition may be impregnated in an amount of from about 0.05 g to about 1.0 g per 1 g of the aerosol-generating substrate. For example, the liquid aerosol-generating composition may be impregnated in an amount of from about 0.1 g to about 0.8 g per 1 g of the aerosol-generating substrate.

[0179] The cooling rod (430) can cool the aerosol generated from the first aerosol generating rod (410) and the second aerosol generating rod (420). The cooling rod (430) can be made of a biodegradable polymer material and can have a cooling function. For example, the cooling rod (430) can be made of polylactic acid (PLA) fiber, but is not limited thereto.

[0180] Alternatively, the cooling rod (430) may be made of a cellulose acetate filter. However, the cooling rod (430) is not limited to the examples described above, and any material that performs the function of cooling the aerosol may be used without limitation. For example, the cooling rod (430) may be a tube filter including a hollow portion or a paper tube.

[0181] At least one hole (431) may be formed on the outer surface of the cooling rod (430). The at least one hole (431) may be formed along the circumferential direction of the cooling rod (430) to form one or more rows. The at least one hole (431) may allow external air to be introduced into the interior of the cooling rod (430). The external air introduced into the interior of the cooling rod (430) may be mixed with the high-temperature aerosol generated from the first aerosol generating rod (410) and the second aerosol generating rod (420) to cool the aerosol.

[0182] The filter rod (440) can filter out some components contained in an aerosol passing through the filter rod (440). The filter rod (440) can include a filter material. For example, the filter rod (440) can be a cellulose acetate filter. The filter rod (440) can be manufactured by adding a plasticizer (e.g., triacetin) to cellulose acetate tow.

[0183] There is no limitation on the shape of the filter rod (440). For example, the filter rod (440) may be a cylindrical rod, or a tubular rod having a hollow space inside. Alternatively, the filter rod (440) may be a recessed rod having a hollow space with an open end. If the filter rod (440) is composed of a plurality of segments, at least one of the segments may be manufactured in a different shape.

[0184] The filter rod (440) may be constructed to generate a flavor. As an example, the filter rod (440) may contain a flavoring agent, and a separate fiber containing the flavoring agent may be inserted into the interior of the filter rod (440).

[0185] Additionally, the filter rod (440) may include at least one capsule. Here, the capsule may generate a flavor or aerosol. For example, the capsule may have a structure in which a liquid containing a flavor is encapsulated in a film. The capsule may have a spherical or cylindrical shape, but is not limited thereto.

[0186] The aerosol generating article (400) may include a wrapper (450) surrounding at least a portion of the first aerosol generating rod (410) to the filter rod (440). Additionally, the aerosol generating article (400) may include a wrapper (450) surrounding all of the first aerosol generating rod (410) to the filter rod (440). The wrapper (450) may be positioned at the outermost portion of the aerosol generating article (400), and the wrapper (450) may be a single wrapper, or may be a combination of multiple wrappers.

[0187] The aerosol generating article (400) may be wrapped in layers by two or more wrappers. For example, the first aerosol generating rod (410) may be wrapped by a first wrapper (451), the second aerosol generating rod (420) may be wrapped by a second wrapper (452), the cooling rod (430) may be wrapped by a third wrapper (453), and the filter rod (440) may be wrapped by a fourth wrapper (454). In addition, the entire aerosol generating article (400) may be repackaged by a fifth wrapper (455).

[0188] The first wrapper (451) may surround the first aerosol generating rod (410), and the second wrapper (452) may surround the second aerosol generating rod (420). The first wrapper (451) and the second wrapper (452) may be a combination of paper and metal foil, such as aluminum foil. For example, the first wrapper (451) and the second wrapper (452) may be laminated sheets in which paper and metal foil are laminated. The first wrapper (451) and the second wrapper (452) may be laminated sheets in which paper is arranged on one side of the metal foil, or may be laminated sheets in which paper is arranged on both sides of the metal foil.

[0189] The paper of the first wrapper (451) may contain a non-oily material. For example, the paper of the first wrapper (451) may contain polyvinyl alcohol (PVOH) or silicone. The paper of the first wrapper (451) may have its surface coated with polyvinyl alcohol or silicone.

[0190] The third wrapper (453) can surround the cooling rod (430). The third wrapper (453) can include a paper roll. The paper roll of the third wrapper (453) can be a porous roll or a non-porous roll. At least one perforation (256) can be formed in the third wrapper (453). For example, the third wrapper (453) wraps the cooling rod (430) having at least one hole (431) formed therein, and at least one perforation (256) formed in the third wrapper (453) can be formed at a position corresponding to at least one hole (431) formed in the cooling rod (430).

[0191] The fourth wrapper (454) can surround the filter rod (440). The fourth wrapper (454) can include hard paper having a greater thickness and basis weight than general paper. For example, the thickness of the hard paper can be about 70 um to about 150 um, and the basis weight can be about 50 g / m. 2 About 100 g / m 2 It may be. In addition, the hard paper may contain an oil-resistant material. For example, the hard paper may contain a surface treatment with an oil-resistant material such as polyvinyl alcohol or silicone.

[0192] The fifth wrapper (455) can collectively surround the first aerosol generating rod (410) wrapped by the first wrapper (451), the second aerosol generating rod (420) wrapped by the second wrapper (452), the cooling rod (430) wrapped by the third wrapper (453), and the filter rod (440) wrapped by the fourth wrapper (454). The fifth wrapper (455) can prevent the exterior of the aerosol generating article (400) from being contaminated by the aerosol generated from the aerosol generating article (400). Liquid substances can be generated within the aerosol generating article (400) by the user's puff. For example, liquid substances (e.g., moisture, etc.) can be generated by cooling the aerosol generated from the aerosol generating article (400) by the outside air. As the fifth wrapper (455) wraps the outer surface of the aerosol generating article (400), the generated liquid substances can be prevented from leaking out of the aerosol generating article (400).

[0193] Figure 17 is a block diagram of an aerosol generating device according to another embodiment.

[0194] The aerosol generating device (1700) may include a control unit (1710), a sensing unit (1720), an output unit (1730), a battery (1740), a heater (1750), a user input unit (1760), a memory (1770), and a communication unit (1780). However, the internal structure of the aerosol generating device (1700) is not limited to that illustrated in FIG. 17. That is, a person skilled in the art related to the present embodiment will understand that some of the components illustrated in FIG. 17 may be omitted or new components may be added depending on the design of the aerosol generating device (1700).

[0195] The sensing unit (1720) can detect the status of the aerosol generating device (1700) or the status around the aerosol generating device (1700) and transmit the detected information to the control unit (1710). Based on the detected information, the control unit (1710) can control the aerosol generating device (1700) to perform various functions such as controlling the operation of the heater (1750), restricting smoking, determining whether an aerosol generating article (e.g., an aerosol generating article, a cartridge, etc.) is inserted, and displaying a notification.

[0196] The sensing unit (1720) may include, but is not limited to, at least one of a temperature sensor (1722), an insertion detection sensor (1724), and a puff sensor (1726).

[0197] The temperature sensor (1722) can detect the temperature at which the heater (1750) (or the aerosol generating material) is heated. The aerosol generating device (1700) may include a separate temperature sensor to detect the temperature of the heater (1750), or the heater (1750) itself may function as a temperature sensor. Alternatively, the temperature sensor (1722) may be positioned around the battery (1740) to monitor the temperature of the battery (1740).

[0198] The insertion detection sensor (1724) can detect the insertion and / or removal of an aerosol-generating article. For example, the insertion detection sensor (1724) can include at least one of a film sensor, a pressure sensor, an optical sensor, a resistive sensor, a capacitive sensor, an inductive sensor, and an infrared sensor, and can detect a signal change as the aerosol-generating article is inserted and / or removed.

[0199] The puff sensor (1726) can detect the user's puff based on various physical changes in the airflow passage or airflow channel. For example, the puff sensor (1726) can detect the user's puff based on any one of temperature changes, flow changes, voltage changes, and pressure changes.

[0200] In addition to the sensors (1722 to 1726) described above, the sensing unit (1720) may further include at least one of a temperature / humidity sensor, a pressure sensor, a magnetic sensor, an acceleration sensor, a gyroscope sensor, a position sensor (e.g., GPS), a proximity sensor, and an RGB sensor (illuminance sensor). Since the function of each sensor can be intuitively inferred by a person skilled in the art from its name, a detailed description thereof may be omitted.

[0201] The output unit (1730) can output information about the status of the aerosol generating device (1700) and provide it to the user. The output unit (1730) can include at least one of a display unit (1732), a haptic unit (1734), and an audio output unit (1736), but is not limited thereto. When the display unit (1732) and the touch pad form a layered structure to form a touch screen, the display unit (1732) can be used as an input device in addition to an output device.

[0202] The display unit (1732) can visually provide information about the aerosol generating device (1700) to the user. For example, the information about the aerosol generating device (1700) can mean various information such as the charging / discharging status of the battery (1740) of the aerosol generating device (1700), the preheating status of the heater (1750), the insertion / removal status of the aerosol generating item, or the status in which the use of the aerosol generating device (1700) is restricted (e.g., detection of an abnormal item), and the display unit (1732) can output the above information to the outside. The display unit (1732) can be, for example, a liquid crystal display panel (LCD), an organic light-emitting display panel (OLED), etc. In addition, the display unit (1732) can also be in the form of an LED light-emitting element.

[0203] The haptic component (1734) can convert an electrical signal into a mechanical stimulus or an electrical stimulus to provide tactile information about the aerosol generating device (1700) to the user. For example, the haptic component (1734) can include a motor, a piezoelectric element, or an electrical stimulus device.

[0204] The acoustic output unit (1736) can provide information about the aerosol generating device (1700) to the user audibly. For example, the acoustic output unit (1736) can convert an electrical signal into an acoustic signal and output it externally.

[0205] The battery (1740) can supply power used to operate the aerosol generating device (1700). The battery (1740) can supply power so that the heater (1750) can be heated. In addition, the battery (1740) can supply power required for the operation of other components provided in the aerosol generating device (1700) (e.g., the sensing unit (1720), the output unit (1730), the user input unit (1760), the memory (1770), and the communication unit (1780)). The battery (1740) can be a rechargeable battery or a disposable battery. For example, the battery (1740) can be a lithium polymer (LiPoly) battery, but is not limited thereto.

[0206] The heater (1750) can receive power from the battery (1740) to heat the aerosol generating material. Although not illustrated in FIG. 17, the aerosol generating device (1700) may further include a power conversion circuit (e.g., a DC / DC converter) that converts the power of the battery (1740) and supplies it to the heater (1750). In addition, when the aerosol generating device (1700) generates the aerosol by induction heating, the aerosol generating device (1700) may further include a DC / AC converter that converts the direct current power of the battery (1740) into alternating current power.

[0207] The control unit (1710), sensing unit (1720), output unit (1730), user input unit (1760), memory (1770), and communication unit (1780) can perform functions by receiving power from the battery (1740). Although not shown in FIG. 17, the device may further include a power conversion circuit, such as an LDO (low dropout) circuit or a voltage regulator circuit, that converts power from the battery (1740) and supplies it to each component.

[0208] In one embodiment, the heater (1750) may be formed of any suitable electrically resistive material. For example, suitable electrically resistive materials may be metals or metal alloys including, but not limited to, titanium, zirconium, tantalum, platinum, nickel, cobalt, chromium, hafnium, niobium, molybdenum, tungsten, tin, gallium, manganese, iron, copper, stainless steel, nichrome, and the like. Furthermore, the heater (1750) may be implemented as, but not limited to, a metal heating wire, a metal heating plate having electrically conductive tracks arranged thereon, a ceramic heating element, and the like.

[0209] In another embodiment, the heater (1750) may be an induction heater. For example, the heater (1750) may include a susceptor that heats the aerosol generating material by generating heat through a magnetic field applied by a coil.

[0210] The user input unit (1760) can receive information input from a user or output information to the user. For example, the user input unit (1760) may include, but is not limited to, a key pad, a dome switch, a touch pad (contact electrostatic capacitance type, pressure resistive film type, infrared detection type, surface ultrasonic conduction type, integral tension measurement type, piezo effect type, etc.), a jog wheel, a jog switch, etc. In addition, although not illustrated in FIG. 17, the aerosol generating device (1700) further includes a connection interface such as a USB (universal serial bus) interface, and can transmit and receive information or charge a battery (1740) by connecting to another external device through a connection interface such as a USB interface.

[0211] The memory (1770) is hardware that stores various data processed within the aerosol generating device (1700), and can store data processed and data to be processed in the control unit (1710). The memory (1770) may include at least one type of storage medium among a flash memory type, a hard disk type, a multimedia card micro type, a card type memory (e.g., SD or XD memory, etc.), a random access memory (RAM), a static random access memory (SRAM), a read-only memory (ROM), an electrically erasable programmable read-only memory (EEPROM), a programmable read-only memory (PROM), a magnetic memory, a magnetic disk, and an optical disk. The memory (1770) may store data on the operation time of the aerosol generating device (1700), the maximum number of puffs, the current number of puffs, at least one temperature profile, and a user's smoking pattern.

[0212] The communication unit (1780) may include at least one component for communicating with another electronic device. For example, the communication unit (1780) may include a short-range communication unit (1782) and a wireless communication unit (1784).

[0213] The short-range wireless communication unit (1782) may include, but is not limited to, a Bluetooth communication unit, a BLE (Bluetooth Low Energy) communication unit, a near field communication unit, a WLAN (Wi-Fi) communication unit, a Zigbee communication unit, an infrared (IrDA, infrared Data Association) communication unit, a WFD (Wi-Fi Direct) communication unit, an UWB (ultra wideband) communication unit, an Ant+ communication unit, etc.

[0214] The wireless communication unit (1784) may include, but is not limited to, a cellular network communication unit, an Internet communication unit, a computer network (e.g., a LAN or WAN) communication unit, etc. The wireless communication unit (1784) may also use subscriber information (e.g., an international mobile subscriber identity (IMSI)) to identify and authenticate the aerosol generating device (1700) within the communication network.

[0215] The control unit (1710) can control the overall operation of the aerosol generating device (1700). In one embodiment, the control unit (1710) can include at least one processor. The processor can be implemented as an array of multiple logic gates, or can be implemented as a combination of a general-purpose microprocessor and a memory storing a program executable by the microprocessor. Furthermore, it will be understood by those skilled in the art that the present embodiment can be implemented as other types of hardware.

[0216] The control unit (1710) can control the temperature of the heater (1750) by controlling the supply of power from the battery (1740) to the heater (1750). For example, the control unit (1710) can control the power supply by controlling the switching of a switching element between the battery (1740) and the heater (1750). In another example, the heating direct circuit can control the power supply to the heater (1750) according to a control command from the control unit (1710).

[0217] The control unit (1710) can analyze the results detected by the sensing unit (1720) and control the processes to be performed thereafter. For example, the control unit (1710) can control the power supplied to the heater (1750) so that the operation of the heater (1750) is started or ended based on the results detected by the sensing unit (1720). As another example, the control unit (1710) can control the amount of power supplied to the heater (1750) and the time for which the power is supplied so that the heater (1750) can be heated to a predetermined temperature or maintain an appropriate temperature based on the results detected by the sensing unit (1720).

[0218] The control unit (1710) can control the output unit (1730) based on the result detected by the sensing unit (1720). For example, when the number of puffs counted through the puff sensor (1726) reaches a preset number, the control unit (1710) can notify the user that the aerosol generating device (1700) will soon be terminated through at least one of the display unit (1732), the haptic unit (1734), and the sound output unit (1736).

[0219] One embodiment may also be implemented in the form of a recording medium containing computer-executable instructions, such as program modules, executed by a computer. Computer-readable media can be any available media that can be accessed by a computer, and includes both volatile and nonvolatile media, removable and non-removable media. Furthermore, computer-readable media can include both computer storage media and communication media. Computer storage media includes both volatile and nonvolatile, removable and non-removable media implemented in any method or technology for storage of information, such as computer-readable instructions, data structures, program modules, or other data. Communication media typically contains computer-readable instructions, data structures, other data, such as program modules, in a modulated data signal, or other transport mechanism, and includes any information delivery media.

[0220] The description of the above-described embodiments is merely illustrative, and those skilled in the art will appreciate that various modifications and equivalent alternative embodiments are possible. Therefore, the true scope of protection for the invention should be defined by the appended claims, and all differences within the scope equivalent to the claims should be construed as being included within the scope of protection defined by the claims.

Claims

1. A heater that heats an aerosol-generating article to generate an aerosol; and A first battery for supplying power to the heater; The above first battery is an aerosol generating device containing an aqueous electrolyte.

2. In paragraph 1, a holder including the heater and the first battery; and An aerosol generating device comprising a cradle comprising an internal space for accommodating the holder and a second battery for charging the first battery by supplying power to the first battery.

3. In paragraph 2, The above second battery is an aerosol generating device that is a lithium ion battery.

4. In paragraph 1, The above aqueous electrolyte is Mg 2+ , Ca 2+ , Zn 2+ , and Al 3+ An aerosol generating device comprising at least one polyvalent metal ion selected from the group consisting of:

5. In paragraph 1, An aerosol generating device, wherein the aqueous electrolyte comprises at least one metal salt selected from the group consisting of ZnSO4, Zn(CF3SO3)2, Zn(NO3)2, Zn(ClO4)2, ZnCl2, Zn(CH3COO)2, Zn(TFSI)2, Zn(BF4)2·xH2O, and Zn(N(CF3SO2)2)2(Zn(TFSI)2).

6. In paragraph 1, An aerosol generating device wherein the aqueous electrolyte comprises a metal salt, and the concentration of the metal salt in the aqueous electrolyte is 1 M or more.

7. In paragraph 1, An aerosol generating device wherein the aqueous electrolyte comprises at least one additive selected from the group consisting of Zinc triflate, Na2SO4, PAM (polyacrylamide), Et2O (diethyl ether), and DMSO (dimethyl sulfoxide).

8. In paragraph 1, The above first battery is an aerosol generating device including a positive electrode including at least one transition metal selected from manganese and vanadium as a positive electrode active material and a negative electrode including zinc as a negative electrode active material.

9. In paragraph 1, The above aqueous electrolyte includes a positive electrode electrolyte and a negative electrode electrolyte, The first battery includes a positive electrode, a negative electrode, and a separator disposed between the positive electrode and the negative electrode, The above positive electrode electrolyte circulates from the positive electrode electrolyte tank containing the positive electrode electrolyte to the positive electrode electrolyte tank via the positive electrode, An aerosol generating device in which the cathode electrolyte circulates from a cathode electrolyte tank containing the cathode electrolyte to the cathode electrolyte tank via the cathode.

10. In paragraph 9, An aerosol generating device, wherein the positive electrolyte comprises bromine and the negative electrolyte comprises zinc.

11. In paragraph 9, The first battery comprises an anode pump that circulates the anode electrolyte from the anode electrolyte tank to the anode electrolyte tank via the anode, and An aerosol generating device further comprising a cathode pump that circulates the cathode electrolyte from the cathode electrolyte tank to the cathode electrolyte tank via the cathode.

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