Electronic atomization apparatus and control method therefor

Abstract

An electronic atomization apparatus and a control method therefor. The electronic atomization apparatus comprises: a liquid storage unit (12), used to store a liquid matrix; a heating element (14), used to heat the liquid matrix so as to generate an aerosol; and a battery cell (16), used to supply electric power to the heating element (14). The method comprises: determining an amount of liquid matrix remaining; on the basis of the amount of the liquid matrix remaining, performing look-up in pre-stored relationship data between remaining amounts and electrical parameters, so as to obtain an electrical parameter corresponding to the remaining amount; and on the basis of the electrical parameter found, controlling the battery cell (16) to adjust electric power supplied to the heating element (14). By means of determining the amount of the liquid matrix remaining and the electrical parameter corresponding thereto, and controlling the battery core (16) to adjust the electric power supplied to the heating element (16), the problem of generating a burnt smell due to a relatively large power provided to the heating element (16) caused by a reduction in liquid matrix is avoided, and the vaping experience of a user is improved.

Description

Electronic atomization device and control method thereof

[0001] CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

[0002] This application claims priority to the Chinese patent application filed with the China Patent Office on September 18, 2023, with application number 202311201518.7 and entitled “Electronic Atomization Device and Control Method Thereof,” the entire contents of which are incorporated herein by reference. Technical Field

[0003] The embodiments of the present application relate to the field of electronic atomization technology, and in particular to an electronic atomization device and a control method thereof. Background Art

[0004] An electronic atomization device is an electronic product that generates an aerosol for users to inhale by heating a liquid matrix, such as tobacco oil. It generally consists of two parts: an atomizer and a power supply assembly. The atomizer stores the liquid matrix and is equipped with an atomization core for heating the liquid matrix. The power supply assembly can supply power to the atomization core to generate heat and generate high temperature to heat the liquid matrix.

[0005] An existing electronic atomization device is not prone to producing a burnt smell when inhaled due to sufficient liquid matrix at the beginning of use; after a certain number or times of inhalation, as the liquid matrix gradually decreases, if the battery cell of the electronic atomization device is fully charged, for example, recharged to full power, a burnt smell is easily produced during inhalation due to insufficient liquid supply, thereby reducing the user's inhalation experience.

[0006] Summary of the Invention

[0007] The present application provides an electronic atomization device and a control method thereof to solve the problem of burnt smell generated by existing electronic atomization devices.

[0008] In one aspect, the present application provides a control method for an electronic atomization device, wherein the electronic atomization device comprises: a liquid storage unit for storing a liquid matrix; a heating element for heating the liquid matrix to generate an aerosol; and a battery cell for providing power to the heating element.

[0009] The method comprises:

[0010] determining the remaining amount of the liquid matrix;

[0011] According to the remaining amount of the liquid matrix, searching in pre-stored data on the relationship between the remaining amount and the electrical parameter to obtain the electrical parameter corresponding to the remaining amount;

[0012] The battery cell is controlled to adjust the power provided to the heating element according to the found electrical parameter.

[0013] Another aspect of the present application provides an electronic atomization device, comprising:

[0014] a liquid storage unit for storing a liquid matrix;

[0015] a heating element for heating the liquid matrix to generate an aerosol;

[0016] a battery cell for providing power to the heating element;

[0017] A memory, used for storing data on the relationship between the remaining quantity and the electrical parameters;

[0018] The controller is configured to execute the control method of the electronic atomization device.

[0019] The electronic atomization device and control method provided above determine the remaining amount of liquid matrix and its corresponding electrical parameters, control the battery cell to adjust the power supplied to the heating element, avoid the problem of burnt smell caused by the reduction of liquid matrix and the resulting high power supplied to the heating element, and improve the user's puffing experience. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0020] The implementation of the objectives, functional features, and advantages of this application will be further described in conjunction with the embodiments and with reference to the accompanying drawings. One or more embodiments are exemplarily illustrated by the figures in the corresponding drawings, and these exemplifications do not constitute limitations on the embodiments. Elements with the same reference numerals in the drawings represent similar elements, and unless otherwise stated, the figures in the drawings are not intended to be proportional.

[0021] FIG1 is a schematic diagram of an electronic atomization device provided in an embodiment of the present application;

[0022] FIG2 is a schematic diagram of another electronic atomization device provided in an embodiment of the present application;

[0023] FIG3 is a schematic diagram of a specific circuit provided in an embodiment of the present application;

[0024] FIG4 is a schematic diagram of a control method for an electronic atomization device provided in an embodiment of the present application;

[0025] FIG5 is a schematic diagram of the control process of the electronic atomization device provided in an embodiment of the present application. DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0026] It should be understood that the specific embodiments described herein are only used to explain the present application and are not intended to limit the present application. In order to facilitate understanding of the present application, the present application will be described in more detail below in conjunction with the accompanying drawings and specific embodiments. It should be noted that when an element is described as "fixed to" another element, it can be directly on the other element, or there can be one or more centered elements therebetween. When an element is described as "connected to" another element, it can be directly connected to the other element, or there can be one or more centered elements therebetween. The terms "upper", "lower", "left", "right", "inside", "outside" and similar expressions used in this specification are for illustrative purposes only.

[0027] FIG1 is a schematic diagram of an electronic atomization device provided in an embodiment of the present application.

[0028] As shown in FIG1 , the electronic atomization device includes a mouthpiece 11, a liquid storage unit 12, a liquid transfer unit 13, a heating element 14, a circuit 15, a battery cell 16, and a puff detector 17. In the example of FIG1 , the above components are formed as one piece, and the electronic atomization device is a common one-piece device. In another example, as shown in FIG2 , the electronic atomization device includes an atomizer, a power supply assembly detachably connected to the atomizer, the atomizer is usually also called a cigarette cartridge, and the power supply assembly is usually also called a cigarette rod; wherein the circuit 15, the battery cell 16, and the puff detector 17 are located in the power supply assembly; the mouthpiece 11, the liquid storage unit 12, the liquid transfer unit 13, and the heating element 14 are located in the atomizer.

[0029] The mouthpiece 11 is used for the user to inhale the aerosol generated by heating.

[0030] Liquid storage unit 12 is used to store the liquid matrix that can generate aerosol.Liquid matrix can be the liquid that comprises the tobacco material that contains volatile tobacco flavor component, can also be the liquid that comprises non-tobacco material.For example, liquid matrix can comprise water, solvent, ethanol, plant extract, spices, flavoring agent or vitamin mixture.Spice can comprise menthol, peppermint, spearmint oil, various fruity fragrance components etc., but is not limited to this.Flavoring agent can comprise the composition that can provide multiple fragrance or local flavor to the user.Vitamin mixture can be for being mixed with at least a material in vitamin A, vitamin B, vitamin C and the vitamin E, but is not limited to this.In addition, liquid matrix can comprise the aerosol forming agent as glycerol and propylene glycol.

[0031] The liquid transfer unit 13 can transfer the liquid matrix stored in the liquid storage unit 12 to the heating element 14. For example, the liquid transfer unit 13 can be made of cotton fiber, ceramic fiber, glass fiber, or porous ceramic, porous glass or other porous materials, but is not limited thereto.

[0032] The heating element 14 is a component used to heat the liquid substrate transferred through the liquid transfer unit 13. For example, the heating element 14 can be a metal wire, a metal plate, a ceramic heater, etc., but is not limited thereto. Alternatively, the heating element 14 can be formed from a conductive heating wire, such as a nickel-chromium wire, and can be arranged to be wound around the liquid transfer unit 13. The heating element 14 can be heated by supplying an electric current and transfers heat to the liquid substrate in contact with the heating element 14, thereby heating the liquid substrate and generating an aerosol. In this example, the heating element 14 is made of a material having a suitable temperature coefficient of resistance (TCR), such as 316 stainless steel, titanium, nickel, or a nickel-chromium alloy. In other examples, the heating element 14 can also be a sensor that can be penetrated by a changing magnetic field and generate heat.

[0033] Circuit 15 controls the overall operation of the electronic atomizer. Specifically, circuit 15 controls not only the operation of battery cell 16 and heating element 14, but also the operation of other components within the electronic atomizer. Furthermore, circuit 15 can determine whether the electronic atomizer is operational by checking the status of its components.

[0034] The circuit 15 includes at least one controller. The controller may include a logic gate array, or may include a combination of a general-purpose microprocessor and a memory storing a program executable in the microprocessor. In addition, those skilled in the art will appreciate that the circuit 15 may include another type of hardware.

[0035] The battery cell 16 provides power for operating the electronic atomization device. For example, the battery cell 16 can provide power to heat the heating element 14 and can provide power required to operate the circuit 15. In addition, the battery cell 16 can provide power required to operate sensors, motors, etc. provided in the electronic atomization device.

[0036] The battery cell 16 may be, but is not limited to, a lithium iron phosphate (LiFePO4) battery. For example, the battery cell 16 may be a lithium cobalt oxide (LiCoO2) battery or a lithium titanate battery. The battery cell 16 may be a rechargeable battery or a disposable battery.

[0037] The puff detector 17 is used to detect the user's puff action and generate a corresponding electrical signal, that is, to detect whether the electronic atomization device is being puffed, so that the circuit 15, such as the controller, controls the operation of the battery cell 16, the heating element 14, etc. according to the electrical signal, for example, controlling the battery cell 16 to provide power to the heating element 14 so that the heating element 14 heats the atomized liquid substrate. The puff detector 17 can be a common pressure sensor, a differential pressure sensor, an airflow sensor, etc.

[0038] An air inlet is provided at a position of the electronic atomization device adjacent to the puff detector 17. When the electronic atomization device is puffed, air flows in through the air inlet, flows through the puff detector 17, the battery cell 16, the circuit 15, the heating element 14, etc., and then flows out through the nozzle 11. The dotted arrow in the figure roughly shows the airflow path.

[0039] It should be noted that Figure 1 only shows components related to this embodiment. Those skilled in the art should understand that the electronic atomization device may also include other common components in addition to the components shown in Figure 1.

[0040] FIG3 is a schematic diagram of a specific circuit provided by an embodiment of the present application. As shown in FIG3 , the components and connections of the circuit include:

[0041] The switch tube Q1 is positioned between the battery cell 16 and the heating element 14; when the switch tube Q1 is turned on, it is used to enable the battery cell 16 to provide power to the heating element 14;

[0042] Resistor R1 is positioned between the switch Q2 and the heating element 14. Specifically, a first end of resistor R1 is connected to the switch Q2, and a second end is connected to the heating element 14. Resistor R1 is a standard resistor with a substantially constant resistance, approximately equal to the operating resistance of the heating element 14. When the switch Q2 is turned on, resistor R1 is connected in series with the heating element 14, thereby forming a detection loop that can detect the voltage between resistor R1 and the heating element 14 through a voltage divider. Of course, when detection is not needed, the switch Q2 is turned off, disconnecting the detection loop.

[0043] In the specific implementation shown in FIG. 2 , a first end of the heating element 14 is connected to the switch Q1 and the resistor R1 , and a second end is grounded, that is, the potential of the second end of the heating element 14 is 0.

[0044] Furthermore, in the specific implementation shown in FIG2 , the controller controls the on / off switching of switch Q1 and switch Q2, and switches Q1 and Q2 are not turned on at the same time. When power needs to be supplied to heating element 14, the controller controls switch Q1 to be on and switch Q2 to be off, allowing battery cell 16 to supply power to heating element 14. For example, when puff detector 17 detects a user's puffing action, the controller controls switch Q1 to be on and switch Q2 to be off. Furthermore, the controller can monitor the duration of each puff. When detection is required, the controller controls switch Q1 to be off and switch Q2 to be on, and detects the relevant electrical characteristics of resistor R1 and / or heating element 14, such as voltage and current, to determine the current resistance or temperature of heating element 14, or to determine an adverse condition of heating element 14.

[0045] Based on the above-mentioned electronic atomization device, in one example, the controller is configured to determine the remaining amount of the liquid matrix stored in the liquid storage unit 12; according to the remaining amount of the liquid matrix, search in the pre-stored relationship data between the remaining amount and the electrical parameters to obtain the electrical parameters corresponding to the remaining amount; according to the found electrical parameters, control the battery cell 16 to adjust the power provided to the heating element 14.

[0046] In this example, the electrical parameter includes at least one of duty cycle, voltage, and power. Taking the duty cycle as an example, the controller may output a PWM pulse signal with a duty cycle of 60% to the switch Q1 based on the duty cycle value found, such as 60%, to provide corresponding power to the heating element 14.

[0047] In one example, the electrical parameter is voltage, and the voltage ranges from 3.3V to 4.0V.

[0048] In one example, the duration of one or more puffs is recorded, and the remaining amount of the liquid matrix is ​​determined based on a preset total puffable duration; or

[0049] The number of puffs is recorded, and the remaining amount of the liquid medium is determined based on a preset total number of possible puffs.

[0050] Among them, the total duration of the puff that can be drawn is pre-stored in the memory, and the total duration of the puff that can be drawn is an empirical value or an experimental value. For example, assuming that the amount of liquid matrix stored in the liquid storage unit at the time of leaving the factory is 2ml (milliliter), the total duration of the puff that can be drawn corresponding to 2ml is approximately 1200s (seconds), and this data is pre-stored in the memory. Assuming that the electronic atomization device is puffed 6 times (puffs), and the duration (average duration) of each puff (each puff) is 2s, it can be determined by calculation that the remaining amount of liquid matrix stored in the liquid storage unit is approximately 1.98ml. It can be understood that in actual applications, the duration of each puff (each puff) can be long or short. For another example, assuming that the amount of liquid matrix stored in the liquid storage unit at the time of leaving the factory is 2ml (milliliter), the total number of puffs that can be drawn corresponding to 2ml is 600 times (puffs), and this data is pre-stored in the memory. Assuming that the electronic atomization device is puffed 6 times (puffs), it can be determined through calculation that the remaining amount of the liquid matrix stored in the liquid storage unit is approximately 1.98 ml.

[0051] In a further implementation, after the puff is completed, the total puffable duration is updated to the remaining puffable duration, or the total number of puffs is updated to the remaining number of puffs.

[0052] In one example, the relationship data includes multiple sets of comparison data of the remaining amount and the electrical parameter; in different sets of comparison data, as the value of the remaining amount decreases, the value of the electrical parameter also decreases.

[0053] Taking the remaining amount vs. voltage comparison data in the following table as an example (where Q is the amount of liquid matrix stored in the liquid storage unit at the time of shipment), in each set of remaining amount vs. voltage comparison data, the remaining amount includes a range with an upper limit and a lower limit. For example, in the first set of remaining amount vs. voltage comparison data, the upper limit is Q and the lower limit is 0.75Q. Between different sets of remaining amount vs. voltage comparison data, as the remaining amount decreases, the voltage also decreases. That is, the less liquid matrix there is, the lower the voltage supplied to the heating element 14. This avoids the problem of excessive power supplied to the heating element, which can lead to a burnt smell, and improves the user's vaping experience.

[0054] In the above table, the remaining amount is an interval value, while the voltage is a single point value. It is understandable that in other examples, the remaining amount is a single point value, while the voltage is an interval value, which is also feasible.

[0055] In one example, when the remaining amount of the liquid matrix is ​​within a first range, controlling the battery cell to provide power to the heating element based on a first electrical parameter;

[0056] When the remaining amount of the liquid matrix is ​​within a second interval, controlling the battery cell to provide power to the heating element based on a second electrical parameter;

[0057] The value of the remaining amount in the first interval is greater than the value of the remaining amount in the second interval, and the first electrical parameter is greater than the second electrical parameter.

[0058] For example, when the remaining amount of the liquid matrix is ​​in the range of 0.75*Q~Q, the battery cell is controlled to provide power to the heating element based on a voltage of 4V; when the remaining amount of the liquid matrix is ​​in the range of 0.5*Q~0.75*Q, the battery cell is controlled to provide power to the heating element based on a voltage of 3.8V.

[0059] In one example, during the interval between the end of a previous puff and the start of a next puff, the remaining amount of the liquid matrix is ​​determined, and a corresponding electrical parameter is determined based on the remaining amount of the liquid matrix; and when the next puff is started, the battery cell is controlled based on the electrical parameter to adjust the power provided to the heating element.

[0060] In this example, the remaining amount of liquid matrix and its corresponding electrical parameters are determined between puffs, and the power supplied to the heating element is adjusted by controlling the battery cell at the start of the next puff. This allows for timely adjustment of the power supplied to the heating element, avoiding the problem of excessive power supplied to the heating element due to a decrease in liquid matrix, which could lead to a burnt smell, and thus improving the user's puffing experience.

[0061] FIG4 is a schematic diagram of a control method for an electronic atomization device provided in an embodiment of the present application. The electronic atomization device can refer to the aforementioned part, and the control method includes:

[0062] Step S11, determining the remaining amount of the liquid matrix;

[0063] Step S12: searching, based on the remaining amount of the liquid matrix, in pre-stored data on the relationship between the remaining amount and the electrical parameters to obtain the electrical parameters corresponding to the remaining amount;

[0064] Step S13: Control the battery cell to adjust the power provided to the heating element according to the found electrical parameters.

[0065] In one example, the duration of one or more puffs is recorded, and the remaining amount of the liquid matrix is ​​determined based on a preset total puffable duration; or

[0066] The number of puffs is recorded, and the remaining amount of the liquid medium is determined based on a preset total number of possible puffs.

[0067] In a specific example, after the puff is completed, the total puffable duration is updated to the remaining puffable duration, or the total number of puffs is updated to the remaining number of puffs.

[0068] In one example, the electrical parameter includes at least one of duty cycle, voltage, and power.

[0069] In a specific example, the electrical parameter is voltage, and the voltage ranges from 3.3V to 4.0V.

[0070] In one example, the relationship data includes multiple sets of comparison data of the remaining amount and the electrical parameter; in different sets of comparison data, as the value of the remaining amount decreases, the value of the electrical parameter also decreases.

[0071] In a specific example, in each set of comparison data between the remaining amount and the electrical parameter, the remaining amount includes an interval having an upper limit value and a lower limit value.

[0072] In a specific example, when the remaining amount of the liquid matrix is ​​within a first interval, controlling the battery cell to provide power to the heating element based on a first electrical parameter;

[0073] When the remaining amount of the liquid matrix is ​​within a second interval, controlling the battery cell to provide power to the heating element based on a second electrical parameter;

[0074] The value of the remaining amount in the first interval is greater than the value of the remaining amount in the second interval, and the first electrical parameter is greater than the second electrical parameter.

[0075] In one example, during the interval between the end of a previous puff and the start of a next puff, the remaining amount of the liquid matrix is ​​determined, and a corresponding electrical parameter is determined based on the remaining amount of the liquid matrix; and when the next puff is started, the battery cell is controlled based on the electrical parameter to adjust the power provided to the heating element.

[0076] FIG5 is a schematic diagram of the control process of the electronic atomization device provided in an embodiment of the present application. The control process specifically includes:

[0077] Step S21, detecting whether the electronic atomization device is being puffed;

[0078] If it is detected that the electronic atomization device is being puffed, step S22 is executed; otherwise, the process continues to detect whether the electronic atomization device is being puffed.

[0079] Step S22: controlling the power provided by the battery cell to the heating element so that the heating element is heated;

[0080] For example, the controller controls the switch Q1 to be turned on to provide maximum power to the heating element 14 .

[0081] Step S23, start timing from the start of the puff and detect whether the puff is finished;

[0082] If the puffing is finished, step S24 is executed; otherwise, step S22 is continued.

[0083] Step S24: Record the duration of this puff;

[0084] Step S25, determining the remaining amount of the liquid matrix and its corresponding electrical parameters;

[0085] Specifically, the remaining amount of liquid matrix can be determined based on the number of puffs (including the current puff), the duration of each puff (including the current puff), and the total duration of available puffs. The remaining amount of liquid matrix can then be determined by searching pre-stored data on the relationship between the remaining amount and electrical parameters to obtain the electrical parameters corresponding to the remaining amount.

[0086] Step S26: Detect again whether the electronic atomization device has been puffed;

[0087] If it is detected that the electronic atomization device is being puffed, step S27 is executed; otherwise, the process continues to detect whether the electronic atomization device is being puffed.

[0088] Step S27, controlling the battery cell to adjust the power provided to the heating element;

[0089] Specifically, according to the electrical parameter corresponding to the remaining amount obtained in step S25, the battery cell is controlled to adjust the power provided to the heating element.

[0090] Step S28: Start timing from the start of the puff and check again whether the puff is finished.

[0091] If the suction is completed again, the control process ends; otherwise, step S27 is continued.

[0092] It should be noted that the preferred embodiments of the present application are given in the specification and drawings of this application. However, the present application can be implemented in many different forms and is not limited to the embodiments described in this specification. These embodiments are not intended to be additional limitations on the content of this application. The purpose of providing these embodiments is to make the understanding of the disclosure of this application more thorough and comprehensive. In addition, the above-mentioned technical features can be combined with each other to form various embodiments not listed above, which are all considered to be within the scope of the description of this application; further, it is obvious to those skilled in the art that improvements or changes can be made based on the above description, and all such improvements and changes should fall within the scope of protection of the claims attached to this application.

Claims

1. A control method for an electronic atomization device, the electronic atomization device comprising: a liquid storage unit for storing a liquid matrix; a heating element for heating the liquid matrix to generate an aerosol; A battery cell is used to provide power to the heating element; wherein the method comprises: determining the remaining amount of the liquid matrix; According to the remaining amount of the liquid matrix, searching in pre-stored data on the relationship between the remaining amount and the electrical parameter to obtain the electrical parameter corresponding to the remaining amount; According to the found electrical parameter, the battery cell is controlled to adjust the power provided to the heating element.

2. The method according to claim 1, characterized in that The control method further comprises: Recording the duration of one or more aspirations and determining the remaining amount of the liquid matrix based on a preset total aspiration duration; or, The number of aspirations is recorded, and the remaining amount of the liquid medium is determined based on a preset total number of possible aspirations.

3. The method according to claim 2, characterized in that The control method further comprises: After the puffing is finished, the total puffable duration is updated to the remaining puffable duration, or the total number of puffs is updated to the remaining number of puffs.

4. The method according to claim 1, 2 or 3, characterized in that: The electrical parameter includes at least one of duty cycle, voltage, and power.

5. The method according to claim 4, characterized in that The electrical parameter is voltage, and the voltage ranges from 3.3V to 4.0V.

6. The method according to claim 1, characterized in that The relationship data includes a plurality of groups of comparison data of the remaining quantity and the electrical parameter; in the comparison data of different groups, as the value of the remaining quantity decreases, the value of the electrical parameter also decreases.

7. The method according to claim 6, characterized in that In each set of comparison data between the remaining amount and the electrical parameter, the remaining amount includes a range having an upper limit value and a lower limit value.

8. The method according to claim 6, characterized in that The control method further comprises: When the remaining amount of the liquid matrix is ​​within a first interval, controlling the battery core to provide power to the heating element based on a first electrical parameter; When the remaining amount of the liquid matrix is ​​within a second interval, controlling the battery core to provide power to the heating element based on a second electrical parameter; The value of the remaining amount in the first interval is greater than the value of the remaining amount in the second interval, and the first electrical parameter is greater than the second electrical parameter.

9. The method according to claim 1, characterized in that: The control method further comprises: During the interval between the end of the previous puff and the start of the next puff, the remaining amount of the liquid matrix is ​​determined, and the corresponding electrical parameters are determined according to the remaining amount of the liquid matrix; and when the next puff is started, based on the electrical parameters, the battery core is controlled to adjust the power provided to the heating element.

10. An electronic atomization device, characterized in that: include: a liquid storage unit for storing a liquid matrix; a heating element for heating the liquid matrix to generate an aerosol; A battery cell for providing power to the heating element; A memory, used for storing data on the relationship between the remaining quantity and the electrical parameters; The controller is configured to execute the control method of the electronic atomization device described in any one of claims 1-9.

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