Aerosol generation device and method for manufacturing aerosol generation device

Abstract

[Problem] To provide a setup that makes it possible to further improve thermal insulation performance. [Solution] An aerosol generation device includes: a heating mechanism having a storage section capable of receiving an aerosol-generating product for generating an aerosol when heated; and an elastic heat insulating section arranged outside the heating mechanism, wherein the heat insulating section is cylindrically formed from a material containing aerogel and is elastically brought into close contact with the heating mechanism disposed in an internal space thereof.

Description

Aerosol generating device and method for manufacturing the aerosol generating device

[0001] The present disclosure relates to an aerosol generating device and a method for manufacturing an aerosol generating device.

[0002] Inhalation devices that generate substances to be inhaled by users are widely used. For example, inhalation devices generate aerosols imparted with flavor components using a substrate containing an aerosol source for generating aerosols and a flavor source for imparting flavor components to the generated aerosol. Users can enjoy the flavor by inhaling the aerosols imparted with flavor components generated by the inhalation device. The action of a user inhaling the aerosol is hereinafter also referred to as a puff or puffing action. One example of a device classified as an inhalation device is a heated tobacco product. A heated tobacco product is an inhalation device that generates an aerosol by heating an aerosol source.

[0003] The suction device is provided with a heat insulating material for the purpose of protecting the electronic components from heat generated when the substrate is heated, etc. For example, Patent Document 1 listed below discloses a technology in which a cylindrical heat insulating material is provided radially outside a heater in a peripheral heating type suction device.

[0004] International Publication No. 2020 / 084775

[0005] In order to further improve usability, such as by reducing the size of suction devices, further improvements in heat insulation performance are required.

[0006] Therefore, the present disclosure has been made in consideration of the above problems, and an object of the present disclosure is to provide a mechanism that can further improve thermal insulation performance.

[0007] In order to solve the above problems, according to one aspect of the present disclosure, there is provided an aerosol generating device comprising: a heating mechanism having a storage portion capable of receiving an aerosol product that generates an aerosol when heated; and an elastic insulating portion disposed on the outside of the heating mechanism, wherein the insulating portion is cylindrically formed from a material containing aerogel and elastically adheres to the heating mechanism disposed in an internal space.

[0008] The heating mechanism may further include a heating portion for heating the aerosol product.

[0009] The heating section may be disposed between the accommodation section and the heat insulating section.

[0010] The heating unit may be disposed inside the housing unit.

[0011] The aerosol generation device may include a plurality of the heat insulating sections, and the plurality of heat insulating sections may be arranged in a stacked state in the height direction.

[0012] The heat insulating section may be configured by joining a plurality of divided heat insulating sections each having a shape obtained by dividing a cylinder in the height direction with the divided surfaces joined together.

[0013] The aerosol generating device may further include a fixing section that fixes the divided heat insulating section by compressing it from the outside while the divided heat insulating section is disposed outside the heating mechanism.

[0014] The housing portion may be made of SUS (stainless steel).

[0015] The material of the thermal insulation may further include fibers.

[0016] The aerogel constituting the heat insulating portion may include silica aerogel.

[0017] In addition, in order to solve the above-mentioned problems, according to another aspect of the present disclosure, there is provided a method for manufacturing an aerosol generation device, the aerosol generation device comprising: a heating mechanism having a storage section capable of receiving an aerosol product that generates an aerosol when heated; and an elastic insulating section that is arranged on the outside of the heating mechanism, the method including: constructing the cylindrical insulating section, whose inner circumference is less than the outer circumference of the heating mechanism, from a material containing aerogel; and inserting the heating mechanism into the internal space of the insulating section while expanding the internal space of the insulating section, thereby arranging the insulating section on the outside of the heating mechanism.

[0018] The aerosol generating device may include a plurality of the heat insulating sections, and the manufacturing method for the aerosol generating device may include arranging the plurality of heat insulating sections in a stacked state outside the heating mechanism.

[0019] In addition, in order to solve the above-mentioned problems, according to another aspect of the present disclosure, there is provided a method for manufacturing an aerosol generation device, the aerosol generation device comprising a heating mechanism having a storage section capable of receiving an aerosol product that generates an aerosol when heated, and an elastic insulating section that is arranged outside the heating mechanism, the method including: constructing a plurality of divided insulating sections, each having a shape obtained by dividing a cylinder in the height direction, the length of whose inner circumference approximately matches the length of the outer circumference of the heating mechanism, from a material containing aerogel; and arranging each of the plurality of divided insulating sections outside the heating mechanism with their divided surfaces joined together.

[0020] As described above, the present disclosure provides a mechanism that can further improve thermal insulation performance.

[0021] 3 is a schematic diagram illustrating an example of a configuration of a suction device. FIG. 3 is a diagram illustrating a configuration of the vicinity of the accommodation section 140 of the suction device 100 according to an embodiment of the present disclosure. FIG. 4 is a diagram illustrating an end face along the cutting line A-A illustrated in FIG. 2. FIG. 5 is a diagram illustrating a manufacturing method of the suction device 100 according to the embodiment. FIG. 6 is a diagram illustrating a first manufacturing method of the heat insulating section 144 according to the embodiment. FIG. 7 is a diagram illustrating a second manufacturing method of the heat insulating section 144 according to the embodiment. FIG. 8 is a diagram illustrating a third manufacturing method of the heat insulating section 144 according to the embodiment. FIG. 9 is a diagram illustrating a fourth manufacturing method of the heat insulating section 144 according to the embodiment. FIG. 10 is a diagram illustrating a fifth manufacturing method of the heat insulating section 144 according to the embodiment. FIG. 11 is a diagram illustrating a sixth manufacturing method of the heat insulating section 144 according to the embodiment. FIG. 12 is a diagram illustrating a manufacturing method of the suction device 100 according to a first modified example. FIG. 13 is a diagram illustrating an example of a manufacturing method of the heat insulating section 144 according to the modified example. FIG. 14 is a diagram illustrating an example of a manufacturing method of the suction device 100 according to the second modified example. FIG. 15 is a diagram illustrating another example of a manufacturing method of the suction device 100 according to the modified example.

[0022] Preferred embodiments of the present disclosure will be described in detail below with reference to the accompanying drawings. In this specification and drawings, components having substantially the same functional configurations are designated by the same reference numerals, and redundant description will be omitted.

[0023] 1. Configuration Example of Inhalation Device The inhalation device is a device that generates a substance to be inhaled by a user. In the following description, the substance generated by the inhalation device is described as an aerosol. Alternatively, the substance generated by the inhalation device may be a gas.

[0024] 1 is a schematic diagram showing an example of the configuration of a suction device. As shown in FIG. 1, a suction device 100 according to this example configuration includes a power supply unit 111, a sensor unit 112, a notification unit 113, a memory unit 114, a communication unit 115, a control unit 116, a heating unit 121, a storage unit 140, and a heat insulating unit 144.

[0025] The power supply unit 111 stores electric power and supplies electric power to each component of the suction device 100 under the control of the control unit 116. The power supply unit 111 may be configured by, for example, a rechargeable battery such as a lithium ion secondary battery.

[0026] The sensor unit 112 acquires various types of information related to the suction device 100. As one example, the sensor unit 112 is configured with a pressure sensor such as a condenser microphone, a flow rate sensor, a temperature sensor, or the like, and acquires values ​​associated with suction by the user. As another example, the sensor unit 112 is configured with an input device such as a button or a switch that accepts information input from the user.

[0027] The notification unit 113 notifies the user of information. The notification unit 113 is configured by, for example, a light emitting device that emits light, a display device that displays an image, a sound output device that outputs sound, or a vibration device that vibrates.

[0028] The storage unit 114 stores various types of information for the operation of the suction device 100. The storage unit 114 is configured by a non-volatile storage medium such as a flash memory, for example.

[0029] The communication unit 115 is a communication interface capable of performing communication conforming to any wired or wireless communication standard, such as Wi-Fi (registered trademark), Bluetooth (registered trademark), BLE (Bluetooth Low Energy (registered trademark)), NFC (Near Field Communication), or LPWA (Low Power Wide Area).

[0030] The control unit 116 functions as an arithmetic processing unit and a control unit, and controls the overall operation of the suction device 100 in accordance with various programs. The control unit 116 is realized by an electronic circuit such as a CPU (Central Processing Unit) or a microprocessor.

[0031] The storage unit 140 has an internal space 141 and holds the stick-shaped substrate 150 while accommodating a portion of the stick-shaped substrate 150 in the internal space 141. The storage unit 140 has an opening 142 that connects the internal space 141 to the outside and accommodates the stick-shaped substrate 150 inserted into the internal space 141 through the opening 142. For example, the storage unit 140 is a cylindrical body with the opening 142 and a bottom 143 as its bottom surface, and defines a columnar internal space 141. An air flow path that supplies air to the internal space 141 is connected to the storage unit 140. An air inlet, which is an air inlet to the air flow path, is arranged, for example, on a side surface of the suction device 100. An air outlet, which is an air outlet from the air flow path to the internal space 141, is arranged, for example, on the bottom 143.

[0032] The stick-shaped substrate 150 includes a substrate portion 151 and a mouthpiece portion 152. The substrate portion 151 includes an aerosol source. The aerosol source includes a tobacco-derived or non-tobacco-derived flavor component. When the inhalation device 100 is a medical inhaler such as a nebulizer, the aerosol source may include a medicament. The aerosol source may be, for example, a liquid such as a polyhydric alcohol, such as glycerin or propylene glycol, or water, containing a tobacco-derived or non-tobacco-derived flavor component, or a solid containing a tobacco-derived or non-tobacco-derived flavor component. When the stick-shaped substrate 150 is held in the storage portion 140, at least a portion of the substrate portion 151 is housed in the internal space 141, and at least a portion of the mouthpiece portion 152 protrudes from the opening 142. When a user holds the mouthpiece portion 152 protruding from the opening 142 in their mouth and inhales, air flows into the internal space 141 via an air flow path (not shown) and reaches the user's mouth along with the aerosol generated from the substrate portion 151.

[0033] The heating unit 121 generates aerosol by heating the aerosol source and atomizing the aerosol source. In the example shown in FIG. 1 , the heating unit 121 is configured in a film shape and is arranged to cover the outer periphery of the storage unit 140. When the heating unit 121 generates heat, the substrate unit 151 of the stick-shaped substrate 150 is heated from the outer periphery, generating aerosol. The heating unit 121 generates heat when power is supplied from the power supply unit 111. As an example, power may be supplied when the sensor unit 112 detects that the user has started inhaling and / or that predetermined information has been input. Power supply may be stopped when the sensor unit 112 detects that the user has stopped inhaling and / or that predetermined information has been input.

[0034] The heat insulating section 144 prevents heat transfer from the heating section 121 to other components. For example, the heat insulating section 144 is made of a vacuum heat insulating material, an aerogel heat insulating material, or the like.

[0035] The above describes an example of the configuration of the suction device 100. Of course, the configuration of the suction device 100 is not limited to the above, and various configurations such as those exemplified below may be used.

[0036] As one example, the heating unit 121 may be configured in a blade shape and disposed so as to protrude from the bottom 143 of the storage unit 140 into the internal space 141. In this case, the blade-shaped heating unit 121 is inserted into the substrate 151 of the stick-shaped substrate 150 and heats the substrate 151 of the stick-shaped substrate 150 from the inside. As another example, the heating unit 121 may be disposed so as to cover the bottom 143 of the storage unit 140. Furthermore, the heating unit 121 may be configured as a combination of two or more of a first heating unit covering the outer periphery of the storage unit 140, a blade-shaped second heating unit, and a third heating unit covering the bottom 143 of the storage unit 140.

[0037] Furthermore, the means for atomizing the aerosol source is not limited to heating by the heating unit 121. For example, the means for atomizing the aerosol source may be induction heating. In that case, the suction device 100 has at least an electromagnetic induction source such as a coil that generates a magnetic field, instead of the heating unit 121. A susceptor that generates heat by induction heating may be provided in the suction device 100 or may be included in the stick-shaped substrate 150.

[0038] The inhalation device 100 is an example of an aerosol generating device that generates an aerosol by heating an aerosol product. The stick-shaped substrate 150 is an example of an aerosol product that generates an aerosol when heated. The storage unit 140 is an example of a storage unit that can receive an aerosol product.

[0039] <2. Technical Features> (1) Detailed Configuration of Suction Device 100 Fig. 2 is a diagram schematically showing the configuration of the vicinity of the storage section 140 of the suction device 100 according to this embodiment. Fig. 3 is a diagram schematically showing an end face along the cutting line A-A shown in Fig. 2.

[0040] 2, in the longitudinal direction of the storage section 140, the opening 142 side is also referred to as the upper side, and the bottom 143 side is also referred to as the lower side. The up-down direction corresponds to the insertion / removal direction of the stick-shaped substrate 150. In addition, the central axis side of the storage section 140 is also referred to as the inside, and the radial direction side is also referred to as the outside.

[0041] 2 and 3 , the heating unit 121 is wrapped around the outer periphery of the storage unit 140. The combination of the storage unit 140 and the heating unit 121 is also referred to as the heating mechanism 10. The heating mechanism 10 is a component involved in heating the stick-shaped substrate 150.

[0042] The storage unit 140 is preferably made of a heat-resistant and heat-conductive material. For example, the storage unit 140 may be made of SUS (stainless steel). With this configuration, the storage unit 140 can transfer the heat generated by the heating unit 121 to the stick-shaped substrate 150 stored in the storage unit 140. As a result, the stick-shaped substrate 150 is heated, and an aerosol is generated.

[0043] 2 and 3 , a heat insulating section 144 is disposed on the outside of the heating mechanism 10. In particular, the heat insulating section 144 is disposed so as to cover the heating section 121. More specifically, the heat insulating section 144 is disposed so as to cover the entire upper, lower, and outer surfaces of the heating section 121 and to extend beyond the heating section 121 in the vertical direction to cover a portion of the accommodation section 140. In this manner, the heating section 121 is disposed between the accommodation section 140 and the heat insulating section 144. With this configuration, it is possible to prevent heat generated by the heating section 121 from being dissipated outside the accommodation section 140.

[0044] The heat insulating section 144 is made of a material containing aerogel. For example, the aerogel constituting the heat insulating section 144 may contain silica aerogel, carbon aerogel, or the like. Aerogel is lightweight and has high heat insulating properties, so it is possible to achieve both improved heat insulating performance and weight reduction of the heat insulating section 144.

[0045] It is desirable that the material of the heat insulating portion 144 further contains fiber. The fiber here may be any member having an elongated shape, and may have a diameter of 100 μm or less, for example. The fiber may be a fiber made of a polymer such as polyethylene terephthalate (PET), nylon, or polypropylene (PP), or may be glass fiber or carbon fiber. Alternatively, the fiber may be Preox fiber. The fiber may also be made of silicon carbide (SiC), titanium oxide (TiO ２ ), aluminum oxide (Al ２ O ３ ), or zirconia (ZrO ２ ) or other suitable material. This configuration makes it possible to prevent breakage when the heat insulating section 144 is deformed while being placed outside the heating mechanism 10 or when the heat insulating section 144 is being molded. In addition, by appropriately selecting the fiber material, the effect of suppressing radiation can be achieved.

[0046] The heat insulating section 144 has elasticity. The Young's modulus of the heat insulating section 144 may be adjusted appropriately in consideration of the ability to follow the heating mechanism 10 and ease of placement.

[0047] The heat insulating section 144 is configured in a cylindrical shape. For example, the heat insulating section 144 may be configured in a cylindrical shape with both ends open. The heat insulating section 144 is in close contact with the heating mechanism 10 arranged inside (more specifically, in an internal space 144a shown in FIG. 4 ) by elastic force.

[0048] With this configuration, the clearance between the insulating section 144 and the heating mechanism 10 (more specifically, the heating section 121 and the storage section 140) can be reduced or eliminated, thereby suppressing radiation and improving the insulating performance.

[0049] Furthermore, with this configuration, the thickness of the heat insulating portion 144 in the radial direction of the heating mechanism 10 can be made uniform in the vertical direction, thereby making it possible to suppress variations in heat insulating performance in the vertical direction.

[0050] Furthermore, with this configuration, the heat insulating section 144 is fixed to the outside of the heating mechanism 10 by its elastic force alone. Therefore, it is possible to eliminate the need for a fastener for fixing the heat insulating section 144, such as a PI (Polyimide) tape or a shrink tube, and as a result, it is possible to reduce the size of the suction device 100. Furthermore, since the process of fixing the heat insulating section 144 using a fastener can be eliminated, it is possible to facilitate the manufacture of the suction device 100 and thereby improve the manufacturing accuracy.

[0051] (2) Manufacturing Method of Suction Device 100 A manufacturing method of the suction device 100 will be described below with reference to Fig. 4. Fig. 4 is a diagram for explaining the manufacturing method of the suction device 100 according to this embodiment.

[0052] 4 , the manufacturing method of the suction device 100 includes, as a first step, constructing the heating mechanism 10. For example, the heating mechanism 10 is constructed by wrapping the heating unit 121 configured as a film heater around the outer surface of the housing portion 140.

[0053] 4, the manufacturing method of the suction device 100 includes, as a second step, constructing the heat insulating part 144. For example, the heat insulating part 144 is cylindrical, with the length of the inner periphery 144b being shorter than the length of the outer periphery 10a of the heating mechanism 10, and is made of a material containing aerogel. With this configuration, when the heat insulating part 144 is disposed outside the heating mechanism 10, the elastic force of the heat insulating part 144 makes it possible to bring the heat insulating part 144 and the heating mechanism 10 into close contact with each other.

[0054] The length of the inner periphery 144b of the heat insulating part 144 may be non-uniform in the vertical direction. In this case, the heat insulating part 144 is configured so that the maximum length of the inner periphery 144b is less than the length of the outer periphery 10a of the part of the heating mechanism 10 where the heat insulating part 144 is arranged on the outside. With this configuration, the heat insulating part 144 and the heating mechanism 10 can be closely attached to each other over the entire vertical direction.

[0055] Similarly, the length of the outer periphery 10a of the heating mechanism 10 may be non-uniform in the vertical direction. In this case, the heat insulating part 144 may be configured so that the length of the inner periphery 144b is less than the minimum value of the length of the outer periphery 10a of the part of the heating mechanism 10 where the heat insulating part 144 is arranged on the outside. With this configuration, it is possible to bring the heat insulating part 144 and the heating mechanism 10 into close contact over the entire vertical direction.

[0056] Of course, both the length of the inner periphery 144b of the heat insulating part 144 and the length of the outer periphery 10a of the heating mechanism 10 may be non-uniform in the vertical direction. In this case, the heat insulating part 144 may be configured so that the maximum value of the length of the inner periphery 144b is less than the minimum value of the length of the outer periphery 10a of the part of the heating mechanism 10 where the heat insulating part 144 is arranged on the outside. With this configuration, it is possible to bring the heat insulating part 144 and the heating mechanism 10 into close contact over the entire vertical direction.

[0057] 4 , the manufacturing method of the suction device 100 includes, as a third step, arranging the heat insulating part 144 on the outside of the heating mechanism 10. At this time, the heat insulating part 144 is arranged on the outside of the heating mechanism 10 by inserting the heating mechanism 10 into the internal space 144a of the heat insulating part 144 while expanding the internal space 144a of the heat insulating part 144. With this configuration, it is possible to arrange and fix the heat insulating part 144 on the outside of the heating mechanism 10 simply by inserting the heating mechanism 10 into the heat insulating part 144.

[0058] The method of manufacturing the suction device 100 then includes placing the heating mechanism 10 and the heat insulating portion 144 in a housing, connecting electronic components such as a battery and control circuitry to the heating mechanism 10, and so on.

[0059] (3) Method for Manufacturing the Heat Insulating Section 144 Next, an example of a method for manufacturing the heat insulating section 144 will be described with reference to FIGS.

[0060] 5 is a diagram illustrating a first manufacturing method of the heat insulating part 144 according to this embodiment. As shown in FIG. 5, the heat insulating part 144 can be constructed by pouring a primary sol into a cylindrical mold, gelling it, drying it, and removing it from the cylindrical mold. Note that the cylindrical mold here has three surfaces: a bottom surface, an inner surface, and an outer surface, and is open on the top surface.

[0061] 6 is a diagram illustrating a second manufacturing method of the heat insulating part 144 according to this embodiment. As shown in Fig. 6, the heat insulating part 144 can be formed by pouring a solution in which a primary sol is mixed with fibers into a cylindrical mold, gelling it, drying it, and removing it from the cylindrical mold.

[0062] 7 is a diagram illustrating a third method for manufacturing the heat insulating part 144 according to the present embodiment. As shown in Fig. 7, the heat insulating part 144 can be formed by rolling a sheet made of Preox fiber or the like and arranging it in a cylindrical shape, pouring a primary sol into it, gelling it, drying it, and removing it from the cylindrical shape.

[0063] 8 is a diagram illustrating a fourth manufacturing method of the heat insulating part 144 according to this embodiment. As shown in FIG. 8, first, a solution in which aerogel powder and a polymer are mixed and dissolved is extruded using a spinneret to spin aerogel fibers. The heat insulating part 144 can be constructed by arranging the aerogel fibers spun in this manner in a cylindrical mold, gelling them, drying them, and removing them from the cylindrical mold.

[0064] 9 is a diagram illustrating a fifth manufacturing method of the heat insulating part 144 according to this embodiment. As shown in FIG. 9, first, a solution in which aerogel powder and a polymer are mixed and dissolved is extruded using a spinneret to spin aerogel fibers. The heat insulating part 144 can be constructed by arranging the aerogel fibers spun in this manner in a cylindrical mold and drying them, then pouring a primary sol into the aerogel fibers, allowing them to gel, drying them, and removing them from the cylindrical mold.

[0065] 10 is a diagram illustrating a sixth manufacturing method of the heat insulating part 144 according to this embodiment. As shown in FIG. 10, first, a solution in which aerogel powder and a polymer are mixed and dissolved is extruded using a spinneret to spin aerogel fibers. The heat insulating part 144 can be constructed by arranging the aerogel fibers thus spun into a cylindrical mold and drying them, then pouring a solution in which the fibers are mixed into a primary sol, gelling it, drying it, and removing it from the cylindrical mold.

[0066] An example of a manufacturing method for the heat insulating part 144 has been described above. Note that, in the third to sixth manufacturing methods, a heating mechanism 10 may be used instead of a cylindrical type. In that case, the fiber is first arranged on the outside of the heating mechanism 10, for example by wrapping the fiber around the heating mechanism 10, and then the primary sol is permeated into the fiber and gelled. Note that the heat insulating part 44 formed directly on the outside of the heating mechanism 10 shrinks as the aerogel dries, thereby adhering closely to the heating mechanism 10.

[0067] 3. Supplementary Information Although preferred embodiments of the present disclosure have been described above in detail with reference to the accompanying drawings, the present disclosure is not limited to such examples. It is clear that a person skilled in the art to which the present disclosure pertains can conceive of various modified or altered examples within the scope of the technical ideas described in the claims, and it is understood that these also naturally fall within the technical scope of the present disclosure.

[0068] (1) First Modification The suction device 100 may include a plurality of heat insulating sections 144. The plurality of heat insulating sections 144 may be arranged in a stacked state in the height direction. With this configuration, the size of each heat insulating section 144 can be made smaller than in the above embodiment, making it easier to deform. As a result, it is possible to more effectively prevent breakage of the heat insulating section 144 when it is being deformed while being placed outside the heating mechanism 10 or when the heat insulating section 144 is being molded.

[0069] A method for manufacturing the suction device 100 according to this modified example will be described below with reference to Fig. 11. Fig. 11 is a diagram for explaining the method for manufacturing the suction device 100 according to this modified example.

[0070] 11, the manufacturing method of the suction device 100 according to this modification includes, as a first step, constructing the heating mechanism 10. This step is as described above with reference to FIG.

[0071] 11, the manufacturing method of the suction device 100 according to this modification includes, as a second step, constructing a plurality of heat insulating sections 144 (144-1 to 144-3). Each of the plurality of heat insulating sections 144 may be manufactured by a manufacturing method similar to the manufacturing method described above with reference to FIGS.

[0072] 11 , the manufacturing method of the suction device 100 includes, as a third step, arranging a plurality of heat insulating sections 144 in layers on the outside of the heating mechanism 10. The method for arranging each of the plurality of heat insulating sections 144 on the outside of the heating mechanism 10 is as described above with reference to FIG.

[0073] The plurality of heat insulating sections 144 can be tightly attached to each other by elastic force, but may also be bonded to each other using adhesive, etc. With this configuration, it is possible to prevent gaps from occurring between the heat insulating sections 144.

[0074] The method for manufacturing the suction device 100 according to this modified example has been described above.

[0075] The heat insulating section 144 according to this modification may be manufactured by a method other than the manufacturing method described above with reference to Figures 5 to 10. Hereinafter, an example of a method for manufacturing the heat insulating section 144 according to this modification will be described with reference to Figure 12.

[0076] FIG. 12 is a diagram illustrating an example of a manufacturing method for the heat insulating section 144 according to this modification. As shown in FIG. 12, the manufacturing method for the heat insulating section 144 according to this modification may include forming the heat insulating section 144 by punching out the plate material 20 with punches 21 (21-1 to 21-3). The plate material 20 is made of a material containing aerogel, more preferably a material containing fiber. The punch 21 may be made of a double cylinder, as shown in the cross-sectional view taken along the cutting line B-B. The plate material 20 is cut by each of these double cylinders, and the portion of the plate material 20 that passes through the gap between the double cylinders of the punch 21 is punched out as the heat insulating section 144.

[0077] (2) Second Modification The heat insulating section 144 may be configured by joining a plurality of divided heat insulating sections (divided heat insulating sections 145 (145-1, etc.) shown in FIG. 13 or FIG. 14) each having a shape obtained by dividing a cylinder in the height direction, at their dividing surfaces (divided surface 145a shown in FIG. 13 or FIG. 14). With this configuration, the size of each divided heat insulating section 145 can be made smaller than that of the single heat insulating section 144 according to the above embodiment, making it easier to deform. As a result, it becomes possible to more effectively prevent breakage when forming the divided heat insulating section 145.

[0078] The suction device 100 according to this modification may further include a fixing portion (fixing portion 146 shown in FIG. 13 or 14 ) that fixes the divided heat insulating portion 145 by compressing it from the outside while it is disposed outside the heating mechanism 10. The fixing portion 146 may be, for example, PI tape or shrink tubing. With this configuration, the divided heat insulating portion 145 can be fixed to the heating mechanism 10 while being in close contact with the heating mechanism 10 by elastic force.

[0079] A method for manufacturing the suction device 100 according to this modified example will be described below with reference to Fig. 13. Fig. 13 is a diagram for explaining an example of a method for manufacturing the suction device 100 according to this modified example.

[0080] 13, the manufacturing method of the suction device 100 according to this modification includes, as a first step, constructing the heating mechanism 10. This step is as described above with reference to FIG.

[0081] 13, the manufacturing method of the suction device 100 according to this modification includes, as a second step, constructing a plurality of divided heat insulating sections 145 (145-1 and 145-2). Each of the plurality of divided heat insulating sections 145 may be manufactured by a manufacturing method similar to the manufacturing method described above with reference to FIGS. 5 to 10 or 12.

[0082] As shown in FIG. 13, the manufacturing method of the suction device 100 includes, as a third step, arranging a plurality of divided heat insulating sections 145 on the outside of the heating mechanism 10 with their divided surfaces 145a joined together.

[0083] As shown in Figure 13, the manufacturing method for the suction device 100 includes, as a fourth step, wrapping and fixing portions 146 around multiple divided insulation portions 145 arranged on the outside of the heating mechanism 10 while compressing them from the outside.

[0084] An example of a method for manufacturing the suction device 100 according to this modified example has been described above.

[0085] Here, the multiple divided insulation sections 145 have a shape obtained by dividing a tube (i.e., the insulation section 144) in the height direction, the tube having an inner periphery 144b whose length is approximately the same as the outer periphery 10a of the heating mechanism 10. In other words, the sum of the lengths of the inner peripheries 145b of the multiple divided insulation sections 145 approximately equals the length of the outer periphery 10a of the heating mechanism 10. In particular, it is sufficient that the sum of the lengths of the inner peripheries 145b of the multiple divided insulation sections 145 equals the length of the outer periphery 10a of the heating mechanism 10 within a range in which the multiple divided insulation sections 145 arranged on the outside of the heating mechanism 10 can elastically deform. With this configuration, it is possible to bring the divided insulation sections 145 and the heating mechanism 10 into close contact with each other throughout the entire vertical direction.

[0086] The number of divided heat insulating sections 145 constituting the heat insulating section 144 is not limited to two. Another example will be described with reference to FIG.

[0087] Figure 14 is a diagram for explaining another example of a manufacturing method for the suction device 100 according to this modified example. As shown in Figure 14, the heat insulating section 144 may be composed of four divided heat insulating sections 145 (145-1 to 145-4). The configuration and manufacturing method of the suction device 100 shown in Figure 14 are the same as the configuration and manufacturing method of the suction device 100 shown in Figure 13, except that the number of divided heat insulating sections 145 is four.

[0088] (3) Others In the above embodiment, the technology according to the present disclosure is described as being applied to a so-called peripheral heating type suction device 100 in which the heating unit 121 is arranged outside the storage unit 140, but the present disclosure is not limited to such an example. The technology according to the present disclosure may also be applied to a so-called central heating type suction device 100 in which the heating unit 121 is arranged inside the storage unit 140. For example, the heating unit 121 may be configured in a blade shape and arranged to protrude from the bottom 143 of the storage unit 140 into the internal space 141. In this case, the insulating unit 144 may be arranged outside the storage unit 140 and may be in close contact with the storage unit 140 by its elastic force.

[0089] The above-described manufacturing methods of the suction device 100 and the heat insulating section 144 are executed by a machine tool such as a robot arm and a computer that controls the machine tool. A computer program can also be created to cause an electronic circuit such as a CPU (Central Processing Unit) built into the computer to execute the above-described manufacturing methods. Furthermore, a recording medium (more specifically, a non-transitory storage medium readable by a computer) on which the computer program is recorded can also be provided.

[0090] Note that the following configurations also fall within the technical scope of the present disclosure. (1) An aerosol generation device comprising: a heating mechanism having a storage section capable of receiving an aerosol product that generates an aerosol when heated; and an elastic heat insulating section arranged on the outside of the heating mechanism, wherein the heat insulating section is cylindrically formed from a material containing aerogel and elastically adheres to the heating mechanism arranged in the interior space. (2) The aerosol generation device described in (1), wherein the heating mechanism further comprises a heating section that heats the aerosol product. (3) The aerosol generation device described in (2), wherein the heating section is arranged between the storage section and the heat insulating section. (4) The aerosol generation device described in (2), wherein the heating section is arranged inside the storage section. (5) The aerosol generation device described in any one of (1) to (4), wherein the aerosol generation device comprises a plurality of the heat insulating sections, and wherein the plurality of the heat insulating sections are arranged in a stacked state in the height direction. (6) The aerosol generation device according to any one of (1) to (4), wherein the heat insulating section is configured by joining a plurality of divided heat insulating sections, each having a shape obtained by dividing a cylinder in the height direction, at their divided surfaces. (7) The aerosol generation device according to (6), wherein the aerosol generation device further includes a fixing section that fixes the divided heat insulating sections by compressing them from the outside while the divided heat insulating sections are arranged outside the heating mechanism. (8) The aerosol generation device according to any one of (1) to (7), wherein the storage section is made of SUS (stainless steel). (9) The aerosol generation device according to any one of (1) to (8), wherein the material of the heat insulating section further includes fiber. (10) The aerosol generation device according to any one of (1) to (9), wherein the aerogel constituting the heat insulating section includes silica aerogel.(11) A method for manufacturing an aerosol generation device, the aerosol generation device comprising: a heating mechanism having a storage section capable of receiving an aerosol product that generates an aerosol when heated; and an elastic insulating section arranged on the outside of the heating mechanism, the method comprising: configuring the insulating section, which has a cylindrical shape and has an inner circumferential length that is less than the outer circumferential length of the heating mechanism, from a material containing aerogel, and arranging the insulating section on the outside of the heating mechanism by inserting the heating mechanism into the internal space of the insulating section while expanding the internal space of the insulating section. (12) The aerosol generation device comprises a plurality of the insulating sections, and the method for manufacturing the aerosol generation device according to (11) above comprises: arranging the plurality of insulating sections in a stacked state on the outside of the heating mechanism. (13) A method for manufacturing an aerosol generation device, the aerosol generation device comprising: a heating mechanism having a storage section capable of receiving an aerosol product that generates an aerosol when heated; and an elastic heat insulating section that is arranged outside the heating mechanism, the method comprising: forming, from a material containing aerogel, a plurality of divided heat insulating sections each having a shape obtained by dividing a cylinder in the height direction, the cylinder having an inner circumferential length that approximately matches the outer circumferential length of the heating mechanism; and arranging each of the plurality of divided heat insulating sections outside the heating mechanism with their divided surfaces joined together.

[0091] 10 Heating mechanism (10a: outer periphery) 100 Suction device 111 Power supply unit 112 Sensor unit 113 Notification unit 114 Memory unit 115 Communication unit 116 Control unit 121 Heating unit 140 Storage unit 141 Internal space 142 Opening 143 Bottom 144 Heat insulating unit (144a: internal space, 144b: inner periphery) 145 Divided heat insulating unit (145a: dividing surface, 145b: inner periphery) 146 Fixing unit 150 Stick-shaped substrate 151 Substrate unit 152 Suction nozzle unit

Claims

1. An aerosol generating device comprising: a heating mechanism having a storage section capable of receiving an aerosol product that generates an aerosol when heated; and an elastic heat insulating section disposed on the outside of the heating mechanism, wherein the heat insulating section is cylindrically formed from a material containing aerogel and elastically adheres to the heating mechanism disposed in the interior space.

2. The aerosol generating device according to claim 1, wherein the heating mechanism further comprises a heating section for heating the aerosol product.

3. The aerosol generating device according to claim 2, wherein the heating section is disposed between the storage section and the heat insulating section.

4. The aerosol generating device according to claim 2, wherein the heating unit is disposed inside the storage unit.

5. The aerosol generating device according to any one of claims 1 to 4, wherein the aerosol generating device comprises a plurality of the heat insulating sections, and the plurality of heat insulating sections are arranged in a stacked state in the height direction.

6. The aerosol generating device according to any one of claims 1 to 4, wherein the heat insulating section is composed of a plurality of divided heat insulating sections each having a shape obtained by dividing a cylinder in the height direction, the divided surfaces of which are joined together.

7. The aerosol generating device according to claim 6, further comprising a fixing part that fixes the divided heat insulating part by compressing it from the outside while it is disposed outside the heating mechanism.

8. The aerosol generating device according to any one of claims 1 to 7, wherein the container is made of SUS (stainless steel).

9. The aerosol generating device according to any one of claims 1 to 8, wherein the material of the heat insulating portion further includes fiber.

10. The aerosol generating device according to any one of claims 1 to 9, wherein the aerogel constituting the heat insulating section includes silica aerogel.

11. A method for manufacturing an aerosol generating device, the aerosol generating device comprising: a heating mechanism having a storage section capable of receiving an aerosol product that generates an aerosol when heated; and an elastic insulating section that is arranged on the outside of the heating mechanism, the method comprising: forming the insulating section into a cylindrical shape whose inner circumference is less than the outer circumference of the heating mechanism from a material that contains aerogel; and inserting the heating mechanism into the inner space of the insulating section while expanding the inner space of the insulating section, thereby arranging the insulating section on the outside of the heating mechanism.

12. The method for manufacturing an aerosol generating device according to claim 11, wherein the aerosol generating device comprises a plurality of the heat insulating sections, and the method for manufacturing the aerosol generating device includes arranging the plurality of heat insulating sections in a stacked state outside the heating mechanism.

13. A method for manufacturing an aerosol generating device, the aerosol generating device comprising: a heating mechanism having a storage section capable of receiving an aerosol product that generates an aerosol when heated; and an elastic insulating section arranged outside the heating mechanism, the method comprising: constructing a plurality of divided insulating sections, each having a shape obtained by dividing a cylinder in the height direction, with an inner circumference length approximately matching the outer circumference length of the heating mechanism, from a material containing aerogel; and arranging each of the plurality of divided insulating sections outside the heating mechanism with their divided surfaces joined together.

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