Aerosol-generating system and heating device

Abstract

Provided in the present application are an aerosol-generating system and a heating device. The aerosol-generating system comprises: a replaceable aerosol-generating article comprising an aerosol-generating substrate; and a heating device comprising at least one or more heaters used for heating the aerosol-generating substrate when the aerosol-generating article is received within the heating device, the at least one or more heaters each having a first side and a second side facing away from each other, and being configured to at least partially bend or protrude from the second side towards the first side. When the aerosol-generating article is received within the heating device, the heater can abut against the aerosol-generating article by means of the bending or protruding surface at the first side, thereby heating the aerosol-generating substrate. In the aerosol-generating system, the aerosol-generating article abuts against the bending and protruding first side of a heating portion of the heater and is heated, so that the aerosol-generating article can relatively tightly abut against and fit with the heating portion, which, compared with planar contact, can better facilitate contact thermal conduction.

Description

Aerosol generating system and heating device

[0001] CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

[0002] This application claims priority to the prior application with application number 202410076673.9 filed with the State Intellectual Property Office of China on January 18, 2024, entitled “Aerosol Generating System and Heating Device”. The contents of the above-mentioned prior application are incorporated into this text by introduction. Technical Field

[0003] The embodiments of the present application relate to the technical field of heat-not-burn aerosol generation, and in particular to an aerosol generation system and a heating device. Background Art

[0004] Smoking articles (eg, cigarettes, cigars, etc.) burn tobacco during use to produce tobacco smoke. Attempts have been made to replace these tobacco-burning articles by creating products that release compounds without combustion.

[0005] An example of such a product is a heating device that releases compounds by heating rather than burning a material. For example, the material may be tobacco or other non-tobacco products, which may or may not contain nicotine. U.S. Patent No. 5,479,948A proposes a heating device that gradually transfers sections or locations of a tape-like aerosol-generating substrate to a heating element for heating. This heating device heats the tape-like aerosol-generating substrate in a manner that allows for accurate and consistent aerosol delivery to the consumer each time. Summary of the Invention

[0006] One embodiment of the present application provides an aerosol generating system, comprising:

[0007] A replaceable aerosol-generating article comprising an aerosol-generating substrate; the aerosol-generating substrate being configured to generate an aerosol when heated;

[0008] a reusable heating device configured to receive the aerosol-generating article and heat the aerosol-generating substrate; the heating device comprising:

[0009] At least one or more heaters are used to heat at least a portion of the aerosol-generating substrate to generate an aerosol when the aerosol-generating article is received in the heating device; the at least one or more heaters include a first side and a second side opposite to each other, and are configured to bend or bulge at least partially from the second side toward the first side; when the aerosol-generating article is received in the heating device, the at least one or more heaters are capable of abutting against the aerosol-generating article through the curved or bulging surface on the first side, thereby heating the aerosol-generating substrate.

[0010] In some embodiments, the heater and / or the heating portion is substantially sheet-like.

[0011] In some embodiments, the aerosol-generating substrate comprises a plurality of substrate units arranged discretely or in an array;

[0012] The plurality of heaters are configured to heat sequentially one after another in a predetermined order to individually heat one of the substrate units in each heating to generate aerosol sufficient for one puff.

[0013] In some embodiments, the aerosol-generating article is configured substantially in a planar or sheet-like shape;

[0014] And / or, the aerosol-generating article further comprises:

[0015] A base layer on which the aerosol-generating substrate is formed or bonded and supported.

[0016] In some embodiments, the heater comprises:

[0017] A heating portion is used to heat the aerosol-generating substrate at least by heat conduction; the heating portion is configured to be in an arc shape that bends from the second side to the first side; when the aerosol-generating article is received in the heating device, the aerosol-generating article is heated against the curved surface of the heating portion.

[0018] In some embodiments, the heating portion is non-deformable.

[0019] In some embodiments, the heater further comprises:

[0020] A rigid substrate to which the heating portion is formed or bonded.

[0021] In some embodiments, a dimension of the mesh along the length direction of the heating portion is greater than a dimension along the width direction of the heating portion.

[0022] In some embodiments, the heating portion is elastic and deformable.

[0023] In some embodiments, the heating portion is actuatable between an expanded state and a compressed state and biased to return to the expanded state;

[0024] The heating portion is at least partially pressed into the compressed state by the aerosol-generating article when the aerosol-generating article is received in the heating device.

[0025] In some embodiments, when the aerosol-generating article is received in the heating device, the aerosol-generating article presses the heated portion from the first side to the second side.

[0026] In some embodiments, the heating portion is more convex toward the first side in the expanded state than in the compressed state;

[0027] And / or, the heating portion has a greater curvature in the expanded state than in the compressed state.

[0028] In some embodiments, a ratio of a protruding height of the heating portion toward the first side in the expanded state to a lengthwise span of the heating portion is less than 1 / 2.

[0029] In some embodiments, the heater further comprises:

[0030] a first electrical connection portion and a second electrical connection portion arranged at intervals, the heating portion being located between the first electrical connection portion and the second electrical connection portion, so that current can be conducted on the heating portion by the first electrical connection portion and the second electrical connection portion;

[0031] The first electrical connection portion, the heating portion, and the second electrical connection portion are integrally formed from a sheet precursor.

[0032] In some embodiments, the heating portion is configured to be a net having mesh openings;

[0033] and / or, the first electrical connection portion and the second electrical connection portion are dense;

[0034] and / or, the heater is formed by punching a dense sheet precursor of metal or alloy;

[0035] And / or, the first electrical connection and the second electrical connection are substantially planar.

[0036] In some embodiments, the heating device further comprises:

[0037] A bracket is configured to support or hold the heater.

[0038] In some embodiments, the heater further comprises a fastening portion;

[0039] The bracket provides support for the heater at least by being connected to the fastening portion.

[0040] In some embodiments, a supporting boss is arranged on the bracket, and the heater is combined with the supporting boss to provide support.

[0041] In some embodiments, a distance is defined between the heating portion and the support for providing thermal insulation therebetween;

[0042] Alternatively, the heating portion is in non-contact with the support.

[0043] Yet another embodiment of the present application provides a heating device configured to heat a substantially sheet-shaped aerosol-generating article to generate an aerosol; the heating device comprising:

[0044] at least one heater at least partially exposed to the receiving cavity for heating the aerosol-generating article; the at least one heater comprising a first side facing the receiving cavity and a second side facing away from the first side; the at least one heater being resilient and configured to be actuated between an expanded state and a compressed state and biased to return to the expanded state;

[0045] The heater is at least partially bent or convex from the second side toward the first side in the expanded state; when the aerosol-generating article is received in the heating device, the heater is pressed from the first side to the second side by the aerosol-generating article to the compressed state.

[0046] Yet another embodiment of the present application provides a heating device configured to heat a substantially sheet-shaped aerosol-generating article to generate an aerosol; the heating device comprising:

[0047] a receiving chamber for receiving the aerosol-generating article;

[0048] At least one heater is at least partially exposed in the receiving cavity; the heater includes a first side facing the receiving cavity and a second side away from the first side, and is configured to bend or bulge at least partially from the second side toward the first side; when the aerosol-generating article is received in the receiving cavity, the heater can heat the aerosol-generating article by abutting against the aerosol-generating article through the curved or convex surface on the first side.

[0049] Yet another embodiment of the present application provides a heating device configured to heat a substantially sheet-shaped aerosol-generating article to generate an aerosol; the heating device comprising:

[0050] a receiving chamber for receiving the aerosol-generating article;

[0051] at least one heater, at least partially exposed from the receiving cavity, for heating the aerosol-generating article; the at least one heater being resilient and configured to be actuated between an expanded state and a compressed state and biased to return to the expanded state; the heater being pressed into the compressed state by the aerosol-generating article when the aerosol-generating article is received in the heating device;

[0052] The at least one heater includes a first side facing the receiving cavity and a second side facing away from the first side; the heater is more curved or convex from the second side toward the first side in the expanded state than in the compressed state.

[0053] Yet another embodiment of the present application provides a heating device configured to heat an aerosol-generating article to generate an aerosol; the heating device comprises:

[0054] a heater for heating the aerosol-generating article;

[0055] An electrically conductive clamping element at least partially clamps the heater; the clamping element is electrically conductively connected to the heater and serves as an electrical contact for guiding a heating current to the heater.

[0056] In some embodiments, it further includes:

[0057] a support that at least partially receives or holds the heater;

[0058] The clamping element elastically abuts between the heater and the bracket to stably hold the heater on the bracket.

[0059] In the above aerosol generating system, the aerosol generating article is heated by being pressed against the curved protruding first side of the heating portion of the heater, thereby making the aerosol generating article and the heating portion relatively tightly pressed and fitted, which is more conducive to promoting contact heat conduction than flat contact. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0060] One or more embodiments are exemplarily illustrated by pictures in the corresponding drawings. These exemplifications do not constitute limitations on the embodiments. Elements with the same reference numerals in the drawings are represented as similar elements. Unless otherwise stated, the figures in the drawings do not constitute proportional limitations.

[0061] FIG1 is a schematic diagram of an aerosol generating system provided by one embodiment;

[0062] FIG2 is an exploded schematic diagram of the aerosol generating system in FIG1 from one perspective;

[0063] FIG3 is a structural schematic diagram of the heater in FIG2 from another perspective;

[0064] FIG4 is a structural schematic diagram of the bracket in FIG2 from another perspective;

[0065] FIG5 is a schematic diagram of the heater and bracket in FIG2 after assembly;

[0066] FIG6 is a schematic structural diagram of the aerosol generating article in FIG2 from another perspective;

[0067] FIG7 is a schematic diagram of an aerosol generating system in which an aerosol generating article is coupled to a heater;

[0068] FIG8 is a structural schematic diagram of a heating mechanism according to another embodiment from one perspective;

[0069] FIG9 is an exploded schematic diagram of some components of the heating mechanism in FIG8 from one perspective;

[0070] FIG10 is an exploded schematic diagram of some components of the heating mechanism in FIG8 from another perspective.

[0071] FIGURES 1000, heating device; 110, first housing; 111, air inlet; 112, air outlet; 113, rib; 120, second housing; 130, battery cell; 140, circuit board; 200, aerosol-generating article; 210, base layer; 211, cavity; 220, aerosol-generating matrix; 300, heater; 310, first electrical connection portion; 311, first planar portion (first fastening portion); 312, second planar portion; 320, heating portion; 321, mesh; 330, second electrical connection portion; 331, third planar portion (second fastening portion); 332, fourth planar portion; 340, receiving cavity; 341, first conductive lead; 342, second conductive lead; 400, bracket; 410, fastener; 420, supporting boss; 430, recess (insulating space); 200a, aerosol-generating article; 300a, heater; 310a, first electrode coating; 320a, second electrode coating; 330a, heating element; 360a, substrate; 351a, first clamping element; 352a, second clamping element; 361a, first end; 362a, second end; 3511a, second hook; 3512a, first hook; 3513a, first clamping arm; 3514a, second clamping arm; 3515a, first clamping space; 400a, bracket; 410a, first side; 411a, receiving port; 420a, second side; 430a, third side; 440a, fourth side; 441a, opening; 443a, rib. DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0072] In order to facilitate the understanding of the present application, the present application is described in more detail below with reference to the accompanying drawings and specific embodiments. It should be noted that when an element is described as being "fixed to" / "fixed to" another element, it can be directly on the other element, or one or more intermediate elements can exist therebetween. When an element is described as being "connected to" another element, it can be directly connected to the other element, or one or more intermediate elements can exist therebetween. The terms "upper", "lower", "left", "right", "inside", "outside" and similar expressions used in this specification are for illustrative purposes only.

[0073] Unless otherwise defined, all technical and scientific terms used in this specification have the same meanings as those commonly understood by those skilled in the art to which this application belongs. The terms used in this specification are for the purpose of describing specific embodiments only and are not intended to limit this application. The term "and / or" as used in this specification includes any and all combinations of one or more of the relevant listed items.

[0074] In addition, the technical features involved in different embodiments of the present application described below can be combined with each other as long as they do not conflict with each other.

[0075] In the embodiments of the present application, the "installation" includes fixing or restricting a component or device to a specific position or place by welding, screwing, clamping, bonding, etc. The component or device can remain stationary at a specific position or place or can move within a limited range. After the component or device is fixed or restricted to a specific position or place, it may or may not be disassembled, which is not limited in the embodiments of the present application.

[0076] Furthermore, the terms "first" and "second" are used for descriptive purposes only and should not be understood to indicate or imply relative importance or implicitly specify the number of the technical features indicated. Thus, a feature specified as "first" or "second" may explicitly or implicitly include one or more of the features. Throughout the description of this application, "plurality" means at least two, such as two, three, etc., unless otherwise specifically defined.

[0077] Example 1:

[0078] One embodiment of the present application provides an aerosol generating system for heating an aerosol generating article that can be a consumable material to generate an aerosol.

[0079] In some embodiments, the aerosol generating system may include a reusable heating device and replaceable consumables such as an aerosol generating article. The replaceable consumables such as an aerosol generating article are received or combined with the reusable heating device to form the aerosol generating system.

[0080] For example, FIG1 and FIG2 show schematic diagrams of an aerosol generating system according to an embodiment; in this embodiment, the aerosol generating system includes:

[0081] An aerosol-generating product 200 as a replaceable consumable, and a heating device 1000 for accommodating and receiving the aerosol-generating product 200 and heating it.

[0082] In the embodiment shown in Figures 1 and 2, the heating device 1000 includes several components disposed within an outer body or housing (which may be referred to as a shell). The overall design of the outer body or housing may vary, and the type or configuration of the outer body, which may define the overall size and shape of the heating device 1000, may vary. Generally, the elongated body may be formed from a single, unitary shell, or the elongated shell may be formed from two or more separable bodies.

[0083] For example, the heating device 1000 may have a control body on one side having a housing containing one or more reusable components (e.g., a battery such as a rechargeable battery and / or a rechargeable supercapacitor, and various electronic devices for controlling the operation of the article) and a heating mechanism for heating the aerosol-generating article 200 on the other side.

[0084] In some embodiments, the outer body or housing of the heating device 1000 substantially defines the outer surface of the heating device 1000. In the specific embodiment shown in Figures 1-2, the heating device 1000 includes:

[0085] The housing may include one or more reusable components; the housing has a first side and a second side that are opposite to each other in the thickness direction; in use, the first side is the side of the housing that is opened by a user to receive or remove the aerosol-generating article 200; the second side is a side of the electronic chamber. In some examples, all or only a portion of the housing may be formed of a metal or alloy such as stainless steel or aluminum, or other suitable materials include various plastics (e.g., polycarbonate), metal-plated plastic, ceramic, and the like.

[0086] In some embodiments, the housing of the heating device 1000 is formed by several components. As shown in Figures 1 and 2, the housing of the heating device 1000 includes:

[0087] The first housing 110 and the second housing 120 are configured such that the first housing 110 is adjacent to and defines a first side, and the second housing 120 is adjacent to and defines a second side. In embodiments, the first housing 110 is removable from the second housing 120 to facilitate operation for replacing or receiving the aerosol-generating article 200. In some embodiments, the first housing 110 and the second housing 120 are detachably connected via protrusions or grooves, snaps, magnets, or other connection methods; the first housing 110 can be removed from the second housing 120. When the first housing 110 is separated or removed from the second housing 120, the user can then receive the aerosol-generating article 200 into the heating device 1000 or replace or remove it.

[0088] As shown in FIG1 to FIG3 , the heating device 1000 further includes:

[0089] a rechargeable battery cell 130 for power supply;

[0090] The circuit board 140 is, for example, a PCB (Printed Circuit Board) or an FPC (Flexible Printed Circuit Board), and is provided with circuits.

[0091] The battery cells 130 and the circuit board 140 are disposed in the second housing 120 .

[0092] As shown in FIG1 to FIG3 , the heating device 1000 further includes:

[0093] A heating mechanism, located in the first housing 110 , for receiving the aerosol-generating article 200 and capable of being powered by the circuit board 140 to heat the aerosol-generating article 200 ; the heating mechanism includes a plurality of heaters 300 arranged in an array;

[0094] The bracket 400 is combined with or mounted on the second housing 120 . The bracket 400 is used to support and hold the heating mechanism and is located between the heating mechanism and the second side and / or the electronic chamber and / or the circuit board 140 .

[0095] As shown in FIG1 to FIG5 , the heating device 1000 further includes:

[0096] The receiving cavity is defined between the heating mechanism and the first shell 110 for receiving the aerosol-generating product 200 ; and when the aerosol-generating product 200 is received in the receiving cavity, the aerosol-generating product 200 is clamped by the first shell 110 and the heater 300 of the heating mechanism.

[0097] Alternatively, as shown in Figures 1 and 7, when the aerosol generating article 200 is received in the receiving cavity, the convex ribs 113 in the first shell 110 squeeze or abut the aerosol generating article 200 from the first side, thereby biasing the aerosol generating article 200 toward the heater 300 of the heating mechanism, so that the aerosol generating article 200 abuts and contacts the heater 300 of the heating mechanism.

[0098] As shown in Figures 1 to 6, the aerosol-generating article 200 is generally configured in a sheet-like shape; the sheet-like shape can be characterized as the length of the aerosol-generating article 200 being greater than or equal to the width, and the width being greater than the thickness. The aerosol-generating article 200 includes:

[0099] A base layer 210 , and an aerosol-generating substrate 220 disposed on the base layer 210 .

[0100] In some embodiments, the aerosol-generating substrate 220 is a continuous thin layer disposed on the base layer 210 ; for example, the aerosol-generating substrate 220 substantially completely covers at least one side surface of the base layer 210 .

[0101] As shown in Figures 1 to 6 , aerosol-generating substrate 220 includes at least one, several, or multiple discretely arranged substrate units. Base layer 210 is provided with at least one, several, or multiple discretely arranged cavities 211; at least one, several, or multiple substrate units of aerosol-generating substrate 220 are respectively disposed within at least one, several, or multiple cavities 211.

[0102] In some embodiments, the aerosol-generating substrate 220 and / or substrate unit can be used to refer to a substrate capable of releasing volatile compounds that can form an aerosol. The volatile compounds can be released to generate an aerosol by heating the aerosol-generating substrate 220 and / or substrate unit. In some typical embodiments, the aerosol-generating substrate 220 and / or substrate unit is or can include a solid or gel at room temperature.

[0103] In some embodiments, the aerosol-generating substrate 220 and / or substrate unit may include one or more of powder, particles, shredded strips, ribbons or flakes of one or more of herb leaves, tobacco leaves, homogenized tobacco, expanded tobacco; or, the solid aerosol-generating substrate 220 and / or substrate unit may contain additional tobacco or non-tobacco volatile flavor compounds to be released when the substrate is heated.

[0104] In some embodiments, the aerosol-generating substrate 220 and / or the substrate unit may include an active substrate; the active substrate includes or is derived from one or more plant products or components thereof; for example, in some specific embodiments, the active substrate includes plant leaves, bark, fibrous tissue, stems, roots, petals, fruits, etc.; for example, in a specific embodiment, the active substrate includes or is derived from one or more plant species or components, derivatives, or extracts thereof, and the plant species is tobacco. For example, in a specific embodiment, the active substrate includes a mixture of plants such as tobacco and Chinese herbal medicine. The active substrate may include tobacco or tobacco-containing materials; for example, the active substrate may include any of the following: tobacco leaves, tobacco leaf vein segments, reconstituted tobacco, homogenized tobacco, extruded tobacco, tobacco slurry, cast leaf tobacco, and expanded tobacco.

[0105] In some optional embodiments, the aerosol-generating substrate 220 and / or the substrate unit further comprises: a flavorant; the flavorant may comprise a volatile flavor component. For example, in typical embodiments, the flavorant may provide a flavor selected from menthol, lemon, vanilla, orange, wintergreen, cherry, and cinnamon; the flavorant may comprise a volatile tobacco flavoring compound that is released from the aerosol-generating substrate 220 and / or the substrate unit upon heating.

[0106] In some optional embodiments, the aerosol-generating substrate 220 and / or the substrate unit further comprises an aerosol-forming agent or a smoke-generating agent, which facilitates the formation of a dense and stable aerosol during use. In some specific embodiments, the aerosol-forming agent or a smoke-generating agent is or comprises at least one of glycerin, propylene glycol, diethylene glycol, triethylene glycol, tetraethylene glycol, and the like.

[0107] In some optional embodiments, the aerosol generating matrix 220 and / or the matrix unit further includes: an adhesive; the adhesive promotes the bonding of the components in the aerosol generating matrix 220 and / or the matrix unit during use; for example, in some specific embodiments, the adhesive is or includes at least one of gum arabic, casein, dextrin, sodium carboxymethyl cellulose, starch, polyvinyl alcohol, guar gum, etc.

[0108] In some optional embodiments, the aerosol-generating substrate 220 and / or the substrate unit further comprises reinforcing fibers. The reinforcing fibers generally have a fiber strength greater than that of the tobacco plant fibers in the active substrate, thereby enhancing the strength and plasticity of the aerosol-generating substrate 220 and / or the substrate unit during use. For example, in some specific embodiments, the reinforcing fibers comprise at least one of softwood fibers, hardwood fibers, hemp fibers or flax fibers, bamboo fibers, and the like.

[0109] In a specific embodiment, the aerosol generating matrix 220 and / or matrix unit includes: 65 wt% to 90 wt% of active substrate (wt% represents mass percentage), 3 wt% to 10 wt% of reinforcing fiber, 0 wt% to 5 wt% of adhesive, 5 wt% to 15 wt% of flavor, and 10 wt% to 20 wt% of aerosol former or smoke generator.

[0110] Or in another specific embodiment, the aerosol generating matrix 220 and / or matrix unit includes: 65wt% to 90wt% active substrate, 3wt% to 10wt% reinforcing fiber, 0wt% to 5wt% adhesive, 5wt% to 15wt% flavor, and 15wt% to 40wt% aerosol former or smoke generator.

[0111] In some embodiments, the aerosol-generating substrate 220 and / or substrate units have an area density of 20 g / m 2 Up to 150g / m 2 (g / m 2 Indicates grams per square meter).

[0112] In some embodiments, the thickness of the aerosol-generating substrate 220 and / or the substrate units is 0.1 mm to 0.6 mm (mm represents millimeters). In some embodiments, the thickness of the aerosol-generating substrate 220 and / or the substrate units is greater than the thickness of the base layer 210 .

[0113] In some embodiments, the water content of the aerosol-generating substrate 220 and / or substrate elements is from 6 wt % to 14 wt %.

[0114] In some embodiments, the aerosol-generating substrate 220 and / or substrate unit may include multiple sublayers. For example, in some optional embodiments, the aerosol-generating substrate 220 and / or substrate unit may include a first sublayer and a second sublayer in a laminated or stacked arrangement. The first sublayer may include an active substrate, reinforcing fibers, an aerosol-forming agent or a smoke-generating agent, etc., while the second sublayer primarily includes a flavoring agent. During use, the first sublayer is used to generate the aerosol, while the second sublayer is used to adjust or modify the aerosol's flavor or aroma.

[0115] Alternatively, in some embodiments, the aerosol-generating substrate 220 and / or substrate unit having multiple sublayers may include a first sublayer and a second sublayer in a laminated or stacked arrangement. The first sublayer may include an active substrate, such as tobacco; the second sublayer may include a flavoring agent, and any one or more functional additives such as an adhesive, a moisture barrier, a mildew inhibitor, and an antimicrobial agent. For example, the second sublayer may include 0 to 20 wt% of a flavoring agent, 80 to 100 wt% of an adhesive, 0 to 0.2 wt% of a moisture barrier, 0 to 0.5 wt% of a mildew inhibitor, and 0 to 0.5 wt% of an antimicrobial agent.

[0116] In this embodiment, the adhesive of the second sublayer includes at least one of gum arabic, casein, dextrin, sodium carboxymethyl cellulose, starch, polyvinyl alcohol, and guar gum; the moisture-proof agent may include at least one of dimethyl fumarate, anhydrous calcium chloride, and a super absorbent resin; the mildew-proof agent includes at least one of biphenyl, o-phenylphenol, 2-pyridinethiol-1-zinc oxide, ammonium persulfate, and calcium phosphate; and the antibacterial agent may be a metal oxide or metal ion inorganic antibacterial agent.

[0117] In some other embodiments, the thickness of the second sublayer of the aerosol generating matrix 220 and / or the matrix unit is 0.001 mm to 0.1 mm; during preparation, the second sublayer is coated on the base layer 210 by spraying, brushing, film transfer, etc., and then the first sublayer is combined with the surface of the second sublayer by rolling or casting to form a multi-sublayer aerosol generating matrix 220 and / or matrix unit.

[0118] Alternatively, in yet other variations, the aerosol-generating substrate 220 and / or the substrate elements may comprise a gel and / or a paste. A gel may be defined as a substantially dilute, cross-linked system that does not exhibit flow in a steady state. A paste may be defined as a viscous fluid such as a paste or slurry; for example, a paste may be a fluid having a dynamic viscosity at rest of greater than 1 Pa·S (Pa·S stands for Pascal·second), 5 Pa·S, or 10 Pa·S.

[0119] In one embodiment, a recognizable marking is disposed on the aerosol-generating substrate 220 and / or the base layer 210. The marking may be arranged as a recognizable pattern; or in other variations, the marking may be a recognizable color, pattern, number, text, QR code, or the like. In some embodiments, the marking is used to provide an identification indication related to the unique properties of the aerosol-generating article 200. A user or the heating device 1000 can obtain the unique properties of the aerosol-generating article 200 by identifying the marking.

[0120] In some embodiments, the unique properties of the aerosol-generating article 200 include various information about the aerosol-generating article 200, such as authenticity information, expiration date, and place of manufacture. In some embodiments, the various information about the aerosol-generating article 200 can be obtained through identification, thereby determining whether the aerosol-generating article 200 is authentic, when the aerosol-generating article 200 has expired, and where the aerosol-generating article 200 was manufactured. As a result, users may not inadvertently use an inauthentic aerosol-generating article 200, an expired aerosol-generating article 200, or an aerosol-generating article 200 from an unexpected source location.

[0121] In yet other embodiments, the unique properties of the aerosol-generating article 200 may include the flavor of the flavorant contained in the aerosol-generating substrate 220, such as peach, mint, or orange.

[0122] As another example, in some embodiments, a unique property of the aerosol-generating article 200 may include the strength of nicotine contained in the aerosol-generating substrate 220 , such as the nicotine content.

[0123] In some embodiments, the base layer 210 is thermally conductive. In a specific embodiment, for example, the base layer 210 comprises a metal or non-metallic material having a suitably high thermal conductivity. In a specific embodiment, the thermal conductivity of the base layer 210 is at least 25 W / m·K (W / m·K represents Watts per meter·Kelvin or Watts per meter·Celsius; when degrees Celsius (°C) and Kelvin (k) represent a temperature difference, 1°C equals 1K), preferably at least 80 W / m·K. In a specific embodiment, the base layer 210 may comprise copper, iron, aluminum, tin, stainless steel, or an alloy containing at least one of these. In a preferred embodiment, the base layer 210 comprises an aluminum foil layer. During use, the base layer 210 can be heated directly or indirectly, for example, by thermal conduction or electromagnetic induction, which in turn heats the aerosol-generating substrate 220 to generate aerosol. Alternatively, in some other embodiments, the base layer 210 includes or is paper; for example, the base layer 210 includes fiber paper made from wood fiber, hemp fiber or flax fiber, bamboo fiber, etc.

[0124] In the embodiments shown in Figures 1 to 6, the base layer 210 is rigid or hard.

[0125] In the embodiment shown in Figures 1 to 6, the aerosol-generating substrate 220 and / or the substrate unit is disposed on only one side surface of the base layer 210. For example, when the aerosol-generating article 200 is received in the heating device 1000 during use, the aerosol-generating substrate 220 and / or the substrate unit is located on the side surface of the base layer 210 facing the first side. During use, the heating mechanism of the heating device 1000 heats the aerosol-generating article 200 from the surface of the base layer 210 facing the second side, thereby releasing aerosol from the surface facing the first side.

[0126] In the embodiment shown in FIG. 1 to FIG. 6 , the heating mechanism of the heating device 1000 includes:

[0127] At least one or more heaters 300 are arranged in an array or discretely spaced apart. Some or more heaters 300 are adjacent to or exposed to the receiving chamber. When the aerosol-generating article 200 is received in the receiving chamber, the some or more heaters 300 can abut against the aerosol-generating article 200 to heat it.

[0128] Specifically, as shown in Figures 1 to 6, when the aerosol-generating article 200 is received in the receiving chamber, several or more heaters 300 are respectively opposite to the substrate units of the aerosol-generating substrate 220, and each heater 300 can heat the opposite substrate unit separately.

[0129] In some embodiments, heater 300 comprises at least one of a resistive heater, an electromagnetic induction heater, or an infrared heater. For example, heater 300 is a resistive heater capable of generating heat through resistive Joule heating. Several or more heaters 300 can heat aerosol-generating substrate 220 and / or substrate units at least by contact-induced heat conduction.

[0130] In some embodiments, several or more heaters 300 are arranged to be independently connected to the circuit board 140, and are then independently powered by the circuit board 140, thereby independently activating heating. For example, in some embodiments, several or more heaters 300 are independently activatable; thereby, each heater 300 can only heat the corresponding substrate unit.

[0131] In some embodiments, the circuit board 140 is configured to control the heating of the plurality of heaters 300 in a predetermined order, one after another. In some embodiments, the circuit board 140 is configured to control the heating of the plurality of heaters 300 to be performed in a non-simultaneous manner; for example, during each puff by a user, the circuit board 140 controls only one heater 300 to heat the aerosol sufficient for one puff. In some embodiments, during each puff, the circuit board 140 controls one of the plurality of heaters 300 to heat the aerosol-generating substrate 220 individually. The amount of total particulate matter (TPM) generated by one unit of the aerosol-generating substrate 220 may be at least 1.5 mg, at least 1.7 mg, at least 2.0 mg, at least 2.5 mg, at least 3.0 mg, about 1.0 mg to about 5.0 mg, about 1.5 mg to about 4.0 mg, about 2.0 mg to about 4.0 mg, or about 2.0 mg to about 3.0 mg, at least 3 mg to about 7 mg, about 4 mg to about 8 mg, or about 5 mg to about 10 mg.

[0132] In some embodiments, during multiple puffs taken by a user, the circuit board 140 controls the predetermined sequence of the multiple heaters 300, activating heating one after another in sequence. Specifically, for example, as shown in FIG1 , during the user's first puff, the circuit board 140 provides power to the first heater 300 closest to the left for heating, generating aerosol for one puff. During the user's next puff, the circuit board 140 provides power to the second heater 300 closest to the left for heating, generating aerosol for one puff. This process continues until all heaters 300 are heated, the substrate unit of the aerosol-generating substrate 200 has been puffed, and the user is prompted to replace the aerosol-generating article 200. In the above embodiments, activating the heaters 300 individually rather than simultaneously minimizes unnecessary consumption of the aerosol-generating substrate and reduces energy waste. Alternatively, in other embodiments, the order in which the multiple heaters 300 are activated in the predetermined sequence is along the direction of the array arrangement.

[0133] Alternatively, in some alternative implementations, the circuit board 140 controls the heaters 300 to be activated individually and sequentially, without any interval along the arrangement direction of the heaters 300. Alternatively, in some alternative implementations, the circuit board 140 controls the heaters 300 to be activated individually and sequentially, with an interval or in a skipped manner.

[0134] For example, in some embodiments, several or more heaters 300 can be energized sequentially, that is, energized once each time the user takes a puff, so that aerosol is consistently generated based on each puff. Accordingly, in some embodiments, each user's puff action can be sensed by an airflow sensor, such as a microphone or a MEMS (Micro-Electro-Mechanical Systems) sensor; based on the sensing results of the airflow sensor, the circuit board 140 sequentially energizes several or more heaters 300. In a preferred embodiment, the circuit board 140 controls the sequential activation of several heaters 300 in a predetermined order, which is performed based on the user's puff action. And in some other variations, the circuit board 140 controls the sequential activation of several heaters 300 at predetermined intervals; for example, the predetermined interval is between approximately 30 seconds and 300 seconds.

[0135] For example, in some other embodiments, the circuit board 140 controls the plurality of heaters 300 to be activated sequentially in a predetermined order based on an operation input signal from the heating device 1000. For example, the heating device 1000 may be provided with input elements, such as switch buttons, touch screens, and knobs, which can be operated by a user to generate input signals. Based on the operation input signals generated by the user operating the input elements, the circuit board 140 controls the plurality of heaters 300 to be activated sequentially in a predetermined order.

[0136] In some embodiments, the circuit board 140 controls the activation of the plurality of heaters 300 in a predetermined order, which is performed based on the removal or replacement of the aerosol-generating article 200. Specifically, in some embodiments, after the circuit board 140 controls the activation of the heaters 300, the user is notified that the aerosol-generating article 200 has been consumed and is prompted to replace the aerosol-generating article 200 with a new one.

[0137] Furthermore, in some embodiments, upon detecting that a new aerosol-generating article 200 has been re-received into the receiving chamber 340 of the heating device 1000, the heaters 300 are restarted sequentially according to a predetermined sequence. Detection of a user replacing an aerosol-generating article 200 with a new one can be performed using a sensor; for example, the aerosol-generating device can be provided with a light sensor or a pressure sensor to sense the engagement or removal of the aerosol-generating article 200 into or from the receiving chamber, and to determine the user's replacement or consumption of the aerosol-generating article 200 based on the engagement or removal.

[0138] In some embodiments, the circuit board 140 controls the sequential activation of the heaters 300 in a cyclic manner. For example, in some embodiments, the cycle repeats a predetermined number of times, such as 10 times. Specifically, when the number of heater 300 activations, and / or the number of puffs taken by the user, and / or the number of input signals received by the input element, reaches a predetermined number, a new cycle begins, controlling the sequential activation of the heaters 300.

[0139] As another example, in some embodiments, the cycle is performed based on the removal or replacement of the aerosol-generating article 200 .

[0140] In some embodiments, the circuit board 140 controls the heaters 300 to heat according to the same heating curve or heating temperature. For example, in some specific embodiments, the circuit board 140 controls the heaters 300 to heat according to a temperature of 300° C. (° C. represents degrees Celsius).

[0141] Alternatively, in some alternative embodiments, the circuit board 140 controls the heating of the plurality of heaters 300 to be performed according to different heating curves or heating temperatures. For example, in some implementations, the circuit board 140 controls the heating temperatures of the plurality of heaters 300 to increase or decrease sequentially along the heating start sequence.

[0142] For example, in some embodiments, the circuit board 140 is configured to sequentially activate several or more heaters 300 so that no two spatially adjacent heaters 300 are activated consecutively. Advantageously, this can minimize preheating of the heaters 300, which can reduce the likelihood of thermal decomposition of adjacent substrate units.

[0143] For example, in some embodiments, the circuit board 140 is configured to sequentially supply power to the heater 300 at a given power level, so that the heater 300 reaches an operating temperature within a predetermined time. For example, each time the circuit board 140 supplies power to the heater 300, the heater 300 reaches a temperature of at least approximately 200 degrees Celsius, or at least 300 degrees Celsius, or at least 400 degrees Celsius within 0.5 seconds (s represents seconds), maintains the temperature for approximately 2.5 seconds, and then stops.

[0144] As shown in FIG1 to FIG6 , the heater 300 includes:

[0145] The first electrical connection portion 310 and the second electrical connection portion 330 are arranged at intervals, and the heating portion 320 is located between the first electrical connection portion 310 and the second electrical connection portion 330 .

[0146] In use, the first electrical connection 310 is connected to the circuit board 140 by soldering the first conductive lead 341, and the second electrical connection 330 is connected to the circuit board 140 by soldering the second conductive lead 342, thereby conducting current on the heating portion 320. Alternatively, the heater 300 is connected to the circuit board 140 via the first electrical connection 310 and the second electrical connection 330, so that the circuit board 140 supplies power to the heater 300 and / or the heating portion 320.

[0147] In some embodiments, the heating portion 320 is non-deformable. This allows the aerosol-generating article 200 to rest against and contact the curved surface of the heating portion 320 while being heated, which facilitates close contact. For example, in some embodiments, the heater 300 comprises an arcuately curved sheet-like ceramic substrate, with the heating portion 320 attached, printed, formed, or bonded to the surface of the sheet-like ceramic substrate; or, the metal heating portion 320 is embedded or buried within the sheet-like ceramic substrate. Alternatively, the heating portion 320 is formed by molding and sintering a hard conductive ceramic material, capable of generating heat through resistive Joule heating; and the hard conductive ceramic heating portion 320 is non-deformable.

[0148] Alternatively, in some embodiments, the heater 300 and / or the heating portion 320 are elastic. Alternatively, the heating portion 320 is deformable. Alternatively, the heater 300 and / or the heating portion 320 are compressible or twistable. In some embodiments, the heater 300 and / or the heating portion 320 are formed by bending a sheet of material, thereby enabling the heater 300 and / or the heating portion 320 to be elastically compressed. Alternatively, the heater 300 and / or the heating portion 320 are curved.

[0149] In some embodiments, the first electrical connection portion 310, the second electrical connection portion 330, and the heating portion 320 of the heater 300 are integrally fabricated from a precursor material. Specifically, the heating portion 320 is formed by punching or etching a portion of a metal precursor sheet, with the first electrical connection portion 310 and the second electrical connection portion 330 defined by an unpunched area. The punched or etched heating portion 320 is then bent into an arc to produce the heater 300.

[0150] In some embodiments, the heating portion 320 is in a mesh shape having meshes 321 ; and the first electrical connection portion 310 and / or the second electrical connection portion 330 are dense.

[0151] In the embodiment shown in FIG3 , the heating portion 320 is convex or curved toward one side in the thickness direction of the heater 300. The mesh holes 321 are elongated, strip-shaped holes extending along the length of the heater 300, which facilitates the curved shape and elasticity of the heating portion 320. Specifically, the length of the mesh holes 321 along the length of the heater 300 is greater than the width of the mesh holes 321 along the width of the heater 300.

[0152] Alternatively, in some alternative embodiments, the mesh holes 321 on the heating portion 320 are in a circular, elliptical, square, polygonal or other shape.

[0153] In some embodiments, the heating portion 320 is a mesh formed by laser drilling, etching, or stamping a dense sheet precursor. Alternatively, in some alternative embodiments, the heating portion 320 is a woven mesh formed by weaving conductive wires arranged in at least two intersecting directions; for example, the heating portion 320 includes a woven mesh woven from metal or alloy wires.

[0154] In some embodiments, the material forming the heater 300 can be a metal or alloy with elasticity; for example, the metal or alloy material forming the heater 300 can include titanium, zirconium, tantalum and platinum group metals, constantan, stainless steel, nickel-containing alloys, cobalt-containing alloys, chromium-containing alloys, aluminum-containing alloys, titanium-containing alloys, zirconium-containing alloys, hafnium-containing alloys, niobium-containing alloys, molybdenum-containing alloys, tantalum-containing alloys, tungsten-containing alloys, tin-containing alloys, gallium-containing alloys, manganese-containing alloys and iron-containing alloys, as well as at least one of superalloys based on nickel, iron, cobalt, stainless steel, etc.

[0155] In one particular embodiment, the heater 300 and / or the heating portion 320 comprises a titanium alloy.

[0156] Figures 3 to 7 illustrate schematic diagrams of the heater 300 and / or heating portion 320 in an elastically relaxed state before being compressed. In Figure 3 , the heater 300 and / or heating portion 320 are curved or convex toward the first side. Alternatively, the heater 300 and / or heating portion 320 are arched.

[0157] Figure 1 shows a schematic diagram of the heating portion 320 being squeezed or compressed to a compressed state by the basically planar aerosol generating article 200 when the aerosol generating article 200 is received in the heating device 1000; in Figure 1, the heating portion 320 elastically pressed against and compressed by the aerosol generating article 200 has a relatively lower or smaller protrusion or bending height; thereby, the heating portion 320 can be pressed against and fitted relatively tightly with the aerosol generating article 200 to form heat conduction, which is beneficial for promoting heat transfer.

[0158] As shown in FIG1 and FIG7 , the heating portion 320 in the elastically compressed state has a relatively lower or smaller protrusion height; and before the aerosol-generating article 200 is received by the heating device 1000, the heating portion 320 in the elastically relaxed state has a relatively larger protrusion height. Alternatively, the heating portion 320 has a larger curvature or protrusion height in the relaxed state than in the compressed state.

[0159] As shown in FIG7 , the heater 300 and / or the heating portion 320 are biased back to the expanded state due to their own elasticity. In the expanded state, the protruding height h1 of the heating portion 320 relative to the first electrical connection portion 310 and / or the second electrical connection portion 330 is approximately 2 mm to 6 mm. The span d1 of the heating portion 320 in the longitudinal direction of the heater 300 is approximately 8 mm to 12 mm. The ratio of the protruding height h1 of the heating portion 320 to the span d1 of the heating portion 320 is less than 1 / 2. The ratio of the protruding height h1 of the heating portion 320 to the span d1 of the heating portion 320 is greater than 1 / 5.

[0160] As shown in FIG3 to FIG7 , the first electrical connection portion 310 includes:

[0161] The heater 300 includes a first planar portion 311 extending in the longitudinal direction and a second planar portion 312 extending from the first planar portion 311 in the thickness direction of the heater 300. The first planar portion 311 and the second planar portion 312 are substantially perpendicular to each other. The first planar portion 311 is connected to the heating portion 320, and the first conductive lead 341 is connected to the second planar portion 312.

[0162] Similarly, the second electrical connection portion 330 includes:

[0163] The heater 300 includes a third planar portion 331 extending in the longitudinal direction and a fourth planar portion 332 extending from the third planar portion 331 along the thickness direction of the heater 300. The third planar portion 331 and the fourth planar portion 332 are substantially perpendicular to each other. The third planar portion 331 is connected to the heating portion 320, and the second conductive lead 342 is connected to the fourth planar portion 332.

[0164] The heater 300 further includes:

[0165] The first fastening portion 311 and the second fastening portion 331 are provided; during assembly, the heater 300 is securely mounted on the bracket 400 via the first fastening portion 311 and the second fastening portion 331. Specifically, a fastener 410, such as a screw, penetrates the first fastening portion 311 and / or the second fastening portion 331 and is then connected to the bracket 400.

[0166] The first fastening portion 311 is adjacent to or defines a first end of the lengthwise direction of the heater 300, and the second fastening portion 331 is adjacent to or defines a second end of the lengthwise direction of the heater 300. The first fastening portion 311 and / or the second fastening portion 331 extend flatly.

[0167] The first fastening portion 311 is parallel to and not coplanar with the first planar portion 311 of the first electrical connection portion 310; alternatively, the first fastening portion 311 and the first planar portion 311 of the first electrical connection portion 310 are at different heights in the thickness direction of the heater. Similarly, the second fastening portion 331 is parallel to and not coplanar with the third planar portion 331 of the second electrical connection portion 330; alternatively, the second fastening portion 331 and the third planar portion 331 of the second electrical connection portion 330 are at different heights in the thickness direction of the heater.

[0168] The first fastening portion 311 and the first electrical connection portion 310 are formed by bending a dense sheet material. And / or the second fastening portion 331 and the second electrical connection portion 330 are formed by bending a dense sheet material.

[0169] As shown in FIG. 2 , FIG. 4 and FIG. 7 , the bracket 400 includes:

[0170] Several or more support bosses 420 and recesses 430 located between adjacent support bosses 420 are provided. After assembly, the first electrical connection portion 310 and the second electrical connection portion 330 of the heater 300 are attached to or abut the support bosses 420. The heating portion 320 faces the recesses 430, which provide a gap between the heating portion 320 and the bracket 400, ensuring a gap rather than contact. This creates a thermally insulating space 430 between the heating portion 320 and the bracket 400, which helps prevent heat from the heating portion 320 from transferring to the bracket 400.

[0171] In the first embodiment, the recess 430 may define the aforementioned heat-insulating space 430 .

[0172] After assembly, the heating portion 320 is curved or convex in a direction away from the support 400. During use, due to the presence of the recess 430, the heating portion 320 maintains a distance from the support 400 even when the aerosol-generating article 200 is pressed into a compressed state.

[0173] As shown in FIG1 , an air inlet 111 and an air outlet 112 are disposed at both ends of the first housing 110 in the longitudinal direction. An air flow channel is formed within the heating device 1000 between the air inlet 111 and the air outlet 112. When the aerosol-generating article 200 is received within the heating device 1000, the aerosol-generating substrate 220 is exposed to the air flow channel. Thus, when a user inhales at the air outlet 112, the aerosol is delivered to the air outlet 112, as indicated by arrow R2 in FIG1 .

[0174] Example 2:

[0175] 8 to 10 show schematic diagrams of a heating mechanism for a heating device in another embodiment; in the second embodiment, the heating mechanism may include:

[0176] at least one or several or more heaters 300a arranged in an array or discretely;

[0177] And, one or more brackets 400a, so as to securely install and retain at least one or several or more heaters 300a in the heating device.

[0178] In the embodiment shown in FIG8 to FIG10, the bracket 400a includes:

[0179] A first side 410a and a second side 420a opposite to each other;

[0180] a third side 430a and a fourth side 440a opposite to each other;

[0181] The bracket 400a is a hollow structure and defines an opening 441a on the fourth side 440a. The heater 300a is assembled or received in the bracket 400a or removed from the bracket 400a through the opening 441a on the fourth side 440a.

[0182] The bracket 400a further defines a receiving opening 411a on the first side 410a; when the heater 300a is assembled or received in the bracket 400a, at least a portion of the heater 300a is exposed at the receiving opening 411a; thereby, a user can place or receive the aerosol-generating article 200a in the bracket 400a or the heater 300a through the receiving opening 411a.

[0183] As shown in FIG8 to FIG10 , the heater 300 a is a planar heater; specifically, the heater 300 a includes:

[0184] a substantially sheet-like substrate 360a; and

[0185] A heating element 330a is formed or bonded to a substrate 360a.

[0186] In some embodiments, the substrate 360a is rigid and made of a material that can withstand temperatures of at least 500°C; for example, the substrate 360a can be made of glass, quartz, ceramic, or surface-insulating metal. The thickness of the sheet-like substrate 360a is approximately 0.2 mm to 2 mm.

[0187] Alternatively, in some alternative embodiments, the substrate 360a is flexible.

[0188] The heating element 330a comprises a planar heating element deposited, sprayed, printed, or mounted on the substrate 360a.

[0189] In the embodiments of Figures 8 to 10, the heating element 330a includes a resistive heating layer formed on the substrate 360a by spraying or deposition. The resistive heating layer may include a nickel-chromium alloy, a nickel-iron alloy, platinum, tungsten, silver, a conductive ceramic, or the like. The thickness of the resistive heating layer may be approximately between 0.05 mm and 0.5 mm. In addition, in the implementation, by selecting the material and thickness of the resistive heating layer, it is advantageous for the resistance value of the resistive heating layer to be approximately between 0.5 Ω (Ω represents ohms) and 3 Ω when the current is guided in the length direction of the resistive heating layer based on the first electrode coating 310a and the second electrode coating 320a.

[0190] Alternatively, in some alternative embodiments, the heating element 330a includes a resistive heating track formed on the substrate 360a. The resistive heating track is formed by printing, spraying, depositing, or other methods of resistive paste on the substrate 360a and then curing the resistive paste. Alternatively, in some other embodiments, the resistive heating track is formed by printing, spraying, or depositing a resistive paste on the electrically insulating substrate 360a.

[0191] Alternatively, in some alternative embodiments, the heating element 330a may further include a heating mesh that is mechanically fixed to the substrate 360a by surface mounting or inlaying.

[0192] As shown in FIG8 to FIG10, the substrate 360a includes a first end 361a and a second end 362a opposite to each other along the length direction; the heater 300a also includes:

[0193] A first electrode coating 310a and a second electrode coating 320a are provided, wherein the first electrode coating 310a is close to the first end 361a and the second electrode coating 320a is close to the second end 362a; the heating element 330a is electrically connected between the first electrode coating 310a and the second electrode coating 320a, so that current can be guided on the heating element 330a by the first electrode coating 310a and the second electrode coating 320a.

[0194] The first electrode coating 310a and the second electrode coating 320a include coatings of metal or alloy with low resistivity. For example, the first electrode coating 310a and the second electrode coating 320a may be formed by printing and curing a paste containing gold, silver, copper, or alloys thereof.

[0195] As shown in Figures 8 to 10, the heating mechanism further includes:

[0196] The first clamping element 351a and the second clamping element 352a are electrically conductive. The first clamping element 351a clamps the heater 300a at its first end 361a and abuts against the first electrode coating 310a to form an electrically conductive connection. The second clamping element 352a clamps the heater 300a at its second end 362a and abuts against the second electrode coating 320a to form an electrically conductive connection. Consequently, after assembly, the heating element 330a is electrically conductively positioned between the first clamping element 351a and the second clamping element 352a. Thus, during use, the first clamping element 351a and the second clamping element 352a are electrically conductive and serve as electrical contacts for providing heating current to the heater 300a and / or the heating element 330a.

[0197] Furthermore, the first clamping element 351 a and the second clamping element 352 a are electrically connected to the circuit board 140 by welding conductive wires, etc., so that the circuit board 140 supplies power to the heater 300 a.

[0198] 8 to 10 , the first clamping element 351 a and / or the second clamping element 352 a are coupled to the heater 300 a by mechanical clamping.

[0199] In an embodiment, the first clamping element 351a and / or the second clamping element 352a are elastic. The first clamping element 351a and / or the second clamping element 352a are elastic, conductive clamping elements formed by bending a conductive metal sheet; the conductive metal sheet may include a copper sheet. The conductive metal sheet has a thickness of approximately 0.05 mm to 0.5 mm.

[0200] Furthermore, when the heater 300a is accommodated and received in the bracket 400a, the first clamping element 351a and / or the second clamping element 352a are located between the heater 300a and the bracket 400a, and are elastically abutted between the heater 300a and the bracket 400a, so that the heater 300a is stably held on the bracket 400a.

[0201] In an embodiment, the first clamping element 351a is substantially configured to be U-shaped. The first clamping element 351a includes:

[0202] The first clamping arm 3513a and the second clamping arm 3514a are arranged opposite to each other; the first clamping arm 3513a and the second clamping arm 3514a are extended along the length direction of the first clamping element 351a, thereby forming a first clamping space 3515a for clamping the heater 300a therebetween.

[0203] In one embodiment, the first clamping arm 3513a has a wavy, curved, and extended shape; the second clamping arm 3514a extends substantially flat. The first clamping arm 3513a abuts and clamps the first electrode coating 310a to form a conductive structure. The first clamping arm 3513a may have a zigzag shape, etc. In some embodiments, the first clamping arm 3513a is defined by a plurality of alternating ridges and valleys, thereby forming a wavy extension.

[0204] In the embodiment, one end of the first clamping arm 3513a is a free end and the other end is a connection end connected to the second clamping arm 3514a. Similarly, one end of the second clamping arm 3514a is a free end and the other end is a connection end connected to the first clamping arm 3513a.

[0205] In an embodiment, the first clamping arm 3513a has a first hook portion 3512a at a free end extending away from the second clamping arm 3514a; the second clamping arm 3514a has a second hook portion 3511a at a free end facing away from the first clamping arm 3513a.

[0206] After assembly, the first clamping arm 3513a and the second clamping arm 3514a partially extend into the bracket 400a through the opening 441a on the fourth side 440a of the bracket 400a. The first hook portion 3512a of the first clamping arm 3513a abuts against the outer surface of the bracket 400a. Similarly, the second hook portion 3511a of the second clamping arm 3514a abuts against the outer surface of the bracket 400a from the outside.

[0207] In some embodiments, the first clamping element 351a can be fastened to the bracket 400a by passing a fastener such as a screw through a screw hole on the second hook portion 3511a.

[0208] Similarly, the second clamping element 352a has the same shape and structure as the first clamping element 351a.

[0209] Alternatively, in some alternative embodiments, the heater 300a is an electromagnetic induction heater or an infrared heater. For example, the heater 300a comprises a planar spiral coil formed or bonded to a substrate 360a. The planar spiral coil, when supplied with an alternating current, generates a varying magnetic field, thereby inducing the substrate layer of the aerosol-generating article 200a to generate heat through the magnetic field, thereby heating the aerosol-generating substrate to form an aerosol. The planar spiral coil may be a printed planar spiral coil. Alternatively, the heater 300a comprises an electrically induced infrared emitting coating formed or bonded to the substrate 360a. A current is then directed through the infrared emitting coating via the second clamping element 352a and the first clamping element 351a, causing the infrared emitting coating to emit infrared radiation toward the aerosol-generating article 200a, thereby heating the aerosol.

[0210] Alternatively, in some other embodiments, a reflective material layer or an emitting material layer such as a mercury layer, an aluminum layer, a gold layer or a silver layer is arranged on the surface of the substrate 360a facing away from the heating element 330a, so as to reflect heat toward one side of the heating element 330a.

[0211] As shown in Figures 8 to 10, a number of ribs 443a are also arranged in the bracket 400a, so that when the first clamping element 351a and the second clamping element 352a extend into the bracket 400a, the ribs 443a abut against the second clamping arm 3514a, thereby firmly holding the first clamping element 351a and the second clamping element 352a in the bracket 400a.

[0212] It should be noted that the specification and drawings of this application provide preferred embodiments of the present application, but are not limited to the embodiments described in this specification. Furthermore, it is possible for a person skilled in the art to make improvements or changes 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. An aerosol generating system, characterized in that, Comprising: A replaceable aerosol-generating article, including an aerosol-generating substrate configured to generate an aerosol when heated; A heating device configured to receive the aerosol-generating article and heat the aerosol-generating substrate; The heating device includes: At least one or more heaters for heating at least a part of the aerosol-generating substrate when the aerosol-generating article is received within the heating device; The at least one or more heaters include opposite first and second sides and are configured to be at least partially curved or protruded from the second side towards the first side; when the aerosol-generating article is received within the heating device, the at least one or more heaters can abut against the aerosol-generating article through a surface curved or protruded on the first side, thereby heating the aerosol-generating substrate.

2. The aerosol generating system according to claim 1, wherein The aerosol-generating substrate includes a plurality of matrix units arranged discretely or in an array; The plurality of heaters are configured to be heated one by one in a predetermined order to separately heat one of the matrix units in each heating to generate an aerosol sufficient for one puff.

3. The aerosol generating system according to claim 1 or 2, characterized in that, The aerosol-generating article is substantially configured to be planar or sheet-shaped; And / or, the aerosol-generating article further includes: A base layer, on which the aerosol-generating substrate is formed or bonded and supported by the base layer.

4. The aerosol generating system according to claim 1 or 2, characterized in that, The heater includes: A heating portion configured to be in an arc shape curved from the second side towards the first side; when the aerosol-generating article is received within the heating device, the aerosol-generating article is heated while abutting against the arc-shaped curved surface of the heating portion.

5. The aerosol generating system according to claim 4, wherein, The heater further includes: A rigid substrate, on which the heating portion is formed or bonded.

6. The aerosol generating system according to claim 4, wherein, The heating portion is elastic and deformable.

7. The aerosol generating system according to claim 4, characterized in that, The heating portion can be actuated between a diastolic state and a compressed state and biased back to the diastolic state; When the aerosol-generating article is received within the heating device, the heating portion is at least partially pressed by the aerosol-generating article to the compressed state.

8. The aerosol generating system according to claim 7, characterized in that, The heating portion is more curved or protruded towards the first side in the diastolic state than in the compressed state.

9. The aerosol generating system according to claim 4, wherein, The heater further includes: First and second electrical connection portions arranged at intervals, with the heating portion located between the first and second electrical connection portions, so that current can be guided through the heating portion by the first and second electrical connection portions; The first electrical connection portion, the heating portion, and the second electrical connection portion are integrally formed from a sheet precursor.

10. The aerosol generating system according to claim 9, characterized in that, The heating portion is configured to be a mesh with mesh holes; And / or, the first and second electrical connection portions are dense; And / or, the heater is formed by punching a sheet precursor of a dense metal or alloy; And / or, the first and second electrical connection portions are substantially planar.

11. The aerosol generating system according to claim 10, characterized in that, The heating device further includes: A bracket configured to support or hold the heater.

12. The aerosol generating system according to claim 11, wherein Support bosses are arranged on the bracket, and the heater is bonded to the support bosses to provide support.

13. The aerosol generating system according to claim 11, wherein, A spacing is defined between the heating portion and the bracket for providing heat insulation therebetween; alternatively, the heating portion and the bracket are non-contact.

14. A heating device configured to heat an aerosol-generating article that is substantially sheet-shaped to generate an aerosol; characterized in that, The heating device includes: a receiving cavity for receiving the aerosol-generating article; at least one heater, at least partially exposed in the receiving cavity; the heater includes a first side facing the receiving cavity and a second side facing away from the first side, and is configured to at least partially bend or protrude from the second side towards the first side; when the aerosol-generating article is received in the receiving cavity, the heater can abut against the aerosol-generating article through the surface that bends or protrudes on the first side, thereby heating the aerosol-generating article.

15. A heating device configured to heat an aerosol - generating article to generate an aerosol; characterized in that, The heating device includes: a heater for heating the aerosol-generating article; a conductive clamping element that at least partially clamps the heater; the clamping element is electrically connected to the heater and serves as an electrical contact for guiding a heating current on the heater.

16. The heating device according to claim 15, characterized in that, It further includes: a bracket that at least partially accommodates or holds the heater; the clamping element elastically abuts between the heater and the bracket to stably hold the heater on the bracket.

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