CN118785823A - Power supply unit for aerosol generating device - Google Patents

Abstract

An aerosol generating device for obtaining a good cigarette flavor is provided. A power supply unit (110) comprises: a power supply unit (111A); a vibration generating unit (110A) arranged near a flavor source (131) for imparting flavor to an aerosol, the aerosol being generated by atomizing the aerosol source by a heating unit (121A); and a control unit (116A) for controlling the supply of power from the power supply unit (111A) to the heating unit (121A) and the vibration generating unit (110A).

Description

Power supply unit for aerosol generating device

Technical Field

The invention relates to a power supply unit for an aerosol generating device.

Background Art

Patent Document 1 describes a flavor inhaler including: an atomizing section that generates aerosol from an aerosol source; and a flavor source that is provided downstream of the atomizing section.

Patent document 2 describes an aerosol generating system, which comprises: a liquid storage portion having a housing for holding a liquid aerosol-forming substrate; a heating component configured to heat the liquid aerosol-forming substrate; a vibrating element having a plurality of passages through which the liquid aerosol-forming substrate heated by the heating component passes to form an aerosol; and an actuator configured to vibrate the vibrating element to generate an aerosol.

Prior art literature

Patent Document 1: International Publication No. 2018/020619

Patent Document 2: Japanese Patent Application No. 2019-502364

Summary of the invention

Problems to be solved by the invention

An object of the present invention is to provide a power supply unit for an aerosol generating device that can provide a good tobacco flavor.

Means for solving problems

A power supply unit of an aerosol generating device according to one embodiment of the present invention comprises: a power supply; a vibration generating unit, which is arranged in the vicinity of a flavor source that imparts flavor to an aerosol, wherein the aerosol is generated by atomizing the aerosol source through an atomizing unit, and the vibration generating unit is separate from the atomizing unit; and a processor, which controls the supply of power from the power supply to the atomizing unit and the vibration generating unit.

Effects of the Invention

According to the present invention, aerosol having a good tobacco smell can be sucked.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is a schematic diagram schematically showing a first configuration example of an aerosol generating device.

FIG. 2 is a schematic diagram showing an example of the structure of the power supply unit 110 shown in FIG. 1 .

FIG. 3 is a plan view of the holding portion 118 as viewed from the side of the cartridge holding portion 117 shown in FIG. 2 .

FIG. 4 is a timing chart for explaining an example of driving the four piezoelectric elements 119 shown in FIG. 3 .

FIG. 5 is a timing chart for explaining control examples EX5 to EX6 of the heating unit 121A and the vibration generating unit 110A.

FIG. 6 is a timing chart for explaining control examples EX7 to EX8 of the heating unit 121A and the vibration generating unit 110A.

FIG. 7 is a diagram showing a modification of the configuration of the power supply unit 110 .

FIG. 8 is a timing chart for explaining a control example of the heating section 121A, the vibration generating section 110A, and the heater HTR in the power supply unit 110 shown in FIG. 7 .

FIG. 9 is a schematic diagram schematically showing a second configuration example of the aerosol generating device.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

The aerosol generating device of the embodiment is a device that generates aerosol by consuming power to atomize an aerosol source contained in an attached aerosol former, and can inhale the generated aerosol. The structure of the aerosol generating device is various and is not particularly limited, but a representative structure example of the aerosol generating device is described below with reference to FIG. 1.

FIG1 is a schematic diagram schematically showing a first structural example of an aerosol generating device. The aerosol generating device 100A shown in FIG1 includes a power supply unit 110A, a cartridge constituting an aerosol forming matrix, and a flavor imparting cartridge 130. The power supply unit 110A includes a vibration generating unit 110A, a power supply unit 111A, a sensor unit 112A, a notification unit 113A, a storage unit 114A, a communication unit 115A, and a control unit 116A. The cartridge 120 includes a heating unit 121A, a liquid guide unit 122, and a liquid storage unit 123. The flavor imparting cartridge 130 includes a flavor source 131, and a mouthpiece 124. An air flow path 180 is formed in the cartridge 120 and the flavor imparting cartridge 130.

The vibration generating unit 110A includes at least one vibrator. The vibrator is, for example, a piezoelectric element, a vibration motor, or a voice coil motor. The vibration generating unit 110A is arranged near the flavor imparting cartridge 130 (in other words, the flavor source 131) to vibrate the flavor imparting cartridge 130. The distance between the vibration generating unit 110A and the flavor imparting cartridge 130 is set to a smaller value to the extent that most of the energy of the vibration generated by the vibration generating unit 110A is transmitted to the flavor imparting cartridge 130. Preferably, the vibration generating unit 110A is arranged in contact with a member (a cartridge holding unit 117 described later) that holds the flavor imparting cartridge 130. The vibration generating unit 110A is preferably configured to enable at least a portion of the member of the housing of the power supply unit 110 and the member that holds the flavor imparting cartridge 130 to vibrate more strongly. Ideally, it is preferred to vibrate only the housing of the power unit 110 and the component that holds the flavor imparting cartridge 130, and it is preferred that the vibration generated by the vibration generating unit 110A is substantially transmitted only to the housing of the power unit 110 and the component that holds the flavor imparting cartridge 130.

The power supply unit 110 may also include a notification vibration generating unit (e.g., a vibration motor) that is different from the vibration generating unit 110A and is used to vibrate the housing to notify the user. The major difference between such a notification vibration generating unit and the vibration generating unit 110A is that the vibration generating unit 110A is located closer to the fragrance source 131 than the notification vibration generating unit.

The power supply unit 111A stores electric power. Furthermore, the power supply unit 111A supplies electric power to each component of the aerosol generating device 100A based on the control of the control unit 116A. The power supply unit 111 may be composed of a rechargeable storage battery such as a lithium ion secondary battery, for example.

The sensor unit 112A acquires various information related to the aerosol generating device 100A. As an example, the sensor unit 112A is composed of a suction sensor composed of a pressure sensor such as a condenser microphone, a flow sensor, or a temperature sensor, and acquires a value accompanying the suction performed by the user. As another example, the sensor unit 112A is composed of an input device such as a button or a switch that receives input of information from the user.

Notification unit 113A notifies the user of information and 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 (the aforementioned vibration generating unit for notification).

The storage unit 114A stores various information used for the operation of the aerosol generating device 100A. The storage unit 114A is composed of a non-volatile storage medium such as a flash memory (flash memory), for example.

The communication unit 115A is a communication interface capable of performing communication in accordance with any wired or wireless communication standard. As the communication standard, for example, Wi-Fi (registered trademark) or Bluetooth (registered trademark) can be adopted.

The control unit 116A controls all operations in the aerosol generating device 100A according to various programs. The control unit 116A is implemented by an electronic circuit including a processor such as a CPU (Central Processing Unit) or an MCU (Microcontroller Unit). The control unit 116A may be processed by a single processor or by multiple processors.

The liquid storage unit 123 stores an aerosol source. Aerosol is generated by atomizing the aerosol source. The aerosol source is, for example, a polyol such as glycerin and propylene glycol, or a liquid such as water. The aerosol source may also contain flavor components derived from tobacco or not derived from tobacco.

The liquid guide portion 122 guides and holds the aerosol source, which is the liquid stored in the liquid storage portion 123, from the liquid storage portion 123. The liquid guide portion 122 is, for example, a wick formed by twisting a fiber material such as glass fiber or a porous material such as porous ceramic. In this case, the aerosol source stored in the liquid storage portion 123 is guided by the capillary effect of the wick.

The heating unit 121A generates an aerosol by heating the aerosol source to atomize the aerosol source. In the example shown in FIG. 1 , the heating unit 121A is configured as a resistor, which is wound around the liquid guide unit 122. If the resistor constituting the heating unit 121A generates heat, the aerosol source held in the liquid guide unit 122 is heated and atomized to generate an aerosol. If power is supplied from the power supply unit 111A, the heating unit 121A generates heat. As an example, when the sensor unit 112A detects that the user has started suctioning and/or that specified information has been input, power may be supplied to the heating unit 121A. Furthermore, when the sensor unit 112A detects that the user has ended suctioning and/or that specified information has been input, power supply to the heating unit 121A may be stopped.

The flavor source 131 is a structural element for imparting flavor components to the aerosol. The flavor source 131 is composed of a raw material sheet (solid matter) that imparts flavor components to the aerosol. The lower limit of the size of the raw material sheet is preferably 0.2 mm or more and 1.2 mm or less, and more preferably 0.2 mm or more and 0.7 mm or less. The smaller the size of the raw material sheet constituting the flavor source 131, the larger the specific surface area, so it is easy to release the flavor components from the raw material sheet constituting the flavor source 131. As the raw material sheet constituting the flavor source 131, shredded tobacco or a shaped body obtained by forming tobacco raw materials into granules can be used. The flavor source 131 can also be composed of plants other than tobacco (for example, mint, herb, etc.). The flavor source 131 can also be given a flavor such as menthol.

The raw material piece constituting the flavor source 131 can be obtained by sieving according to JIS Z 8815, for example, using a stainless steel sieve according to JIS Z 8801. For example, the raw material piece is sieved for 20 minutes by a dry method and a mechanical vibration method using a stainless steel sieve having a mesh of 0.71 mm, thereby obtaining a raw material piece that passes through the stainless steel sieve having a mesh of 0.71 mm. Next, the raw material piece is sieved for 20 minutes by a dry method and a mechanical vibration method using a stainless steel sieve having a mesh of 0.212 mm, thereby removing the raw material piece that passes through the stainless steel sieve having a mesh of 0.212 mm. That is, the raw material piece constituting the flavor source 131 is a raw material piece that passes through the stainless steel sieve (mesh = 0.71 mm) that specifies the upper limit and does not pass through the stainless steel sieve (mesh = 0.212 mm) that specifies the lower limit. Therefore, in the embodiment, the lower limit of the size of the raw material piece constituting the flavor source 131 is defined by the mesh of the stainless steel sieve that specifies the lower limit. The upper limit of the size of the raw material pieces constituting the flavor source 131 is defined by the mesh size of the stainless steel sieve that defines the upper limit.

The air flow path 180 is a flow path for air sucked by the user. The air flow path 180 has a tubular structure with an air inlet 181 and an air outlet 182 as two ends. The air inlet 181 is an inlet of air into the air flow path 180, and the air outlet 182 is an outlet of air from the air flow path 180. In the middle of the air flow path 180, the liquid guide 122 is arranged on the upstream side (the side close to the air inlet 181), and the flavor source 131 is arranged on the downstream side (the side close to the air outlet 182). The air flowing in from the air inlet 181 along with the suction by the user is mixed with the aerosol generated by the heating part 121A, and as shown by the arrow 190, it passes through the flavor source 131 and is transported to the air outlet 182. When the mixed fluid of the aerosol and the air passes through the flavor source 131, the flavor component contained in the flavor source 131 is imparted to the aerosol.

The mouthpiece 124 is a member that is held by the user when inhaling. The mouthpiece 124 is provided with an air outflow hole 182. The user can inhale a mixed fluid of aerosol and air into the oral cavity by holding the mouthpiece 124 and inhaling.

Fig. 2 is a schematic diagram showing an example of the structure of the power supply unit 110 shown in Fig. 1. In the housing 110a of the power supply unit 110, a receiving portion 130A and a receiving portion 120A are arranged side by side. The receiving portion 130A receives a cylindrical cigarette cartridge holding portion 117 and a cylindrical holding portion 118 that holds the vibration generating portion 110A. The receiving portion 120A receives the cigarette cartridge 120. The receiving portion 130A is connected to the receiving portion 120A through a through hole formed in the housing 110a. In the housing 110a, the power supply unit 111A is received next to the receiving portion 130A and the receiving portion 120A.

The flavor imparting cartridge 130 is inserted into the cartridge holding portion 117 from the upper side. A gap is provided between the side surface of the cartridge holding portion 117 and the inner peripheral surface of the receiving portion 130A. The cartridge holding portion 117 is supported by the wall portion of the receiving portion 130A in a state where it can move slightly in the radial direction of the receiving portion 130A (which is synonymous with the radial direction of the flavor imparting cartridge 130). Through the above-mentioned gap, even if the cartridge holding portion 117 vibrates, the vibration of the cartridge holding portion 117 is prevented from being transmitted to the housing 110a.

The holding portion 118 is arranged below the cartridge holding portion 117. On the surface of the holding portion 118 on the side of the cartridge holding portion 117, a plurality of piezoelectric elements 119 constituting the vibration generating portion 110A are arranged. The plurality of piezoelectric elements 119 are in contact with the bottom surface of the cartridge holding portion 117. The surface of the holding portion 118 on the opposite side to the cartridge holding portion 117 is fixed to the bottom surface of the receiving portion 130A. In addition, the vibration generating portion 110A may also be arranged on the surface on the opposite side to the cartridge holding portion 117 of the holding portion 118. In this case, the vibration generating portion 110A is fixed to the bottom surface of the receiving portion 130A, and the upper surface of the holding portion 118 is fixed to the bottom surface of the cartridge holding portion 117. In this way, the vibration generating portion 110A is preferably arranged relative to the bottom surface of the flavor imparting cartridge 130 held in the cartridge holding portion 117. Preferably, the cartridge holder 117 is configured to be non-contacting with components other than the holder 118 and the piezoelectric element 119 in the housing 130A. Moreover, the gap between the cartridge holder 117 and the inner peripheral surface of the housing 130A is preferably a distance at which the cartridge holder 117 and the inner peripheral surface do not contact each other even when the cartridge holder 117 vibrates to the maximum extent. In this way, it is possible to prevent the vibration of the cartridge holder 117 from being attenuated or the vibration of the cartridge holder 117 from being transmitted to the housing 110a.

The vibration generating unit 110A may be provided at a position where the vibration of a vibrator such as a piezoelectric element can be transmitted to the flavor imparting cartridge 130, and may be provided, for example, on the side of the cartridge holding unit 117. In this case, the holding unit 118 may be omitted.

The aerosol generated in the cartridge 120 passes through the hollow portion of the holder 118 and reaches the hollow portion of the cartridge holder 117 , and is delivered from the mouthpiece 124 to the user's mouth through the flavor source 131 of the flavor imparting cartridge 130 inserted into the hollow portion.

FIG3 is a plan view of the holding portion 118 viewed from the side of the cartridge holding portion 117 shown in FIG2 . FIG3 shows the position of the center Ax of the cartridge holding portion 117 (in other words, the center of the flavor imparting cartridge 130 inserted into the cartridge holding portion 117). In the example of FIG3 , four piezoelectric elements 119 are arranged on the surface of the cartridge holding portion 117 of the holding portion 118. The four piezoelectric elements 119 are divided into a first pair and a second pair, the first pair being piezoelectric elements 119a and 119c opposite to each other across the center Ax, and the second pair being piezoelectric elements 119b and 119d arranged in a direction intersecting the arrangement direction of the first pair (vertical in the illustrated example) and opposite to each other across the center Ax.

The control unit 116A controls the supply of power from the power supply unit 111A to the heating unit 121A (hereinafter, also recorded as the power supply control of the heating unit 121A), and controls the supply of power from the power supply unit 111A to the vibration generating unit 110A (hereinafter, also recorded as the power supply control of the vibration generating unit 110A). If power is supplied to the vibration generating unit 110A, the piezoelectric element 119 constituting the vibration generating unit 110A vibrates. The vibration of the piezoelectric element 119 is transmitted to the cartridge holding unit 117 and to the flavor imparting cartridge 130 inserted in the cartridge holding unit 117. As a result, the flavor source 131 contained in the flavor imparting cartridge 130 can be vibrated. It is preferred to add a vibration-proof material to the housing 110a so that the vibration of the piezoelectric element 119 is not transmitted to the housing 110a of the power supply unit 110.

The aroma source 131 includes a large number of fine solids, and the solids include aroma components such as nicotine and menthol. If the aroma source 131 vibrates, the combination of the aroma components and the solids can be weakened due to the collision and friction between the solids, and a state in which the aroma components are easily released from the aroma source 131 can be obtained. In addition, due to the friction between the solids, heat is generated, the temperature rises, and it is also easy to release the aroma components. In addition, if the aroma source 131 vibrates, a gap can be formed between the solids, and the contact area with the aerosol in each solid can be increased. Therefore, for example, by starting the generation of aerosol after vibrating the aroma source 131, or by simultaneously generating aerosol and vibrating the aroma source 131, the aroma components given to the aerosol can be increased compared to the case where the aerosol is generated without vibrating the aroma source 131. As a result, an aerosol with a good cigarette smell can be generated.

Next, a preferred driving example of the vibrators when the vibration generating unit 110A includes a plurality of vibrators is described. In the following description, making two vibrators vibrate at the same timing means making the timing of the start of vibration and the timing of the end of vibration consistent with each other in the two vibrators. Furthermore, making two vibrators vibrate at different timings means making one or both of the timing of the start of vibration and the timing of the end of vibration inconsistent with each other in the two vibrators.

Fig. 4 is a timing chart for explaining an example of driving the four piezoelectric elements 119 shown in Fig. 3. In Fig. 4, the rising period of the pulse waveform indicates a period during which power is supplied to the piezoelectric element 119 (a period of vibration), and the falling period indicates a period during which power is stopped to the piezoelectric element 119 (a period of non-vibration). In Fig. 4, four driving examples EX0 to EX4 are shown as examples of driving the four piezoelectric elements 119.

<Driver Example EX0>

The control unit 116A performs control to make all of the four piezoelectric elements 119 included in the vibration generating unit 110A vibrate at the same timing. According to the driving example EX0, the control can be simplified to the minimum.

<Drive Example EX1, Drive Example EX2>

The control unit 116A controls the first pair and the second pair to vibrate at the same cycle and at different timings. Specifically, as shown in the driving example EX1 of FIG4 , the control unit 116A makes the driving cycles of the piezoelectric elements 119a to 119d the same, and the driving cycle of the first pair is staggered by half a cycle from the driving cycle of the second pair. Alternatively, as shown in the driving example EX2 of FIG4 , the control unit 116A makes the driving cycles of the piezoelectric elements 119a to 119d the same, and the driving cycle of the first pair is staggered by 1/4 cycle from the driving cycle of the second pair.

According to driving examples EX1 and EX2, the driving cycle can be made single to simplify the control, and complex vibrations can be given to the flavor source 131. Moreover, according to driving example EX1, since the period of stopping the vibration of the vibration generating unit 110A can be eliminated, the flavor source 131 is continuously vibrated, and a state that is easy to give the flavor component to the aerosol can be effectively formed.

<Driver Example EX3>

The control unit 116A controls the first pair and the second pair to vibrate at different periods. Specifically, as shown in the driving example EX3 of FIG. 4 , the control unit 116A sets the driving period of each of the piezoelectric element 119a and the piezoelectric element 119c to a first value, and sets the driving period of each of the piezoelectric element 119b and the piezoelectric element 119d to a second value different from the first value (in the example shown in the figure, a value longer than the first value). According to the driving example EX3, it is possible to give the fragrance source 131 a more complex vibration.

<Driver Example EX4>

The control unit 116A controls each of the piezoelectric elements 119a to 119d to vibrate at different timings. Specifically, as shown in the driving example EX4 of FIG. 4 , the control unit 116A sets the driving cycles of the piezoelectric elements 119a and 119c to a first value, and sets the driving cycles of the piezoelectric elements 119b and 119d to a second value different from the first value. Furthermore, the control unit 116A staggers the driving cycles of the piezoelectric element 119a and the piezoelectric element 119c by half a cycle, and staggers the driving cycles of the piezoelectric element 119b and the piezoelectric element 119d by half a cycle.

According to driving example EX4, more complex vibrations can be imparted to the flavor source 131. Furthermore, since the period of stopping the vibration of the vibration generating unit 110A can be eliminated, the flavor source 131 can be continuously vibrated, effectively creating a state in which the flavor component is easily imparted to the aerosol.

In addition, the vibrator included in the vibration generating unit 110A is powered and controlled so as to have a desired oscillation frequency through fixed frequency oscillation, PLL (phase locked loop) oscillation, FM (frequency modulation) oscillation, AM (amplitude modulation) oscillation, intermittent oscillation, etc. The oscillation frequency of the vibrator included in the vibration generating unit 110A is not particularly limited, but is preferably set to a value belonging to an inaudible frequency band so that the vibration of the input fragrance source 131 is not perceived by the user.

2 and 3, the piezoelectric element 119 is provided in plurality, but the piezoelectric element 119 may be provided in one. In this case, for example, by fixing the annular piezoelectric element 119 on the surface of the holding portion 118, the flavor imparting cartridge 130 can be stably vibrated.

Next, a control example of the heating unit 121A and the vibration generating unit 110A is described. FIG. 5 and FIG. 6 are timing diagrams for describing control examples EX5 to EX8 of the heating unit 121A and the vibration generating unit 110A. The rising period of the waveform of the "vibration generation period" in FIG. 5 and FIG. 6 indicates the period during which the power supply control of the vibration generating unit 110A (the control shown in FIG. 4) is performed. The rising period of the waveform of the "aerosol generation period" in FIG. 5 and FIG. 6 indicates the period during which the power supply control of the heating unit 121A (the on-off control of the switching element provided between the heating unit 121A and the power supply unit 111A) is performed. During the period during which the power supply control of the heating unit 121A is performed, power is intermittently supplied to the heating unit 121A so that the temperature of the heating unit 121A becomes the target temperature, and the aerosol source of the flavor imparting cartridge 130 is atomized to generate an aerosol.

<Control Example EX5>

If the operation mode of the power supply unit 110 is transferred to the suction mode in which aerosol can be sucked, the control unit 116A starts the power supply control of the vibration generating unit 110A. The transfer to the suction mode can also be performed by a user operation such as pressing a button. After that, if the control unit 116A detects the user's suction based on the output of the sensor unit 112A, the power supply control of the vibration generating unit 110A is stopped, and the power supply control of the heating unit 121A is started. After the control unit 116A starts the power supply control of the heating unit 121A, if a specified time has passed, or the end of the user's suction is detected, the power supply control of the heating unit 121A is stopped at the timing tb, and the power supply control of the vibration generating unit 110A is started at the same time. In the suction mode, the above actions are repeated. In addition, the action after the timing tb can also be set to perform any one of the control examples EX6 to EX8 described later. That is, the control examples EX5 to EX8 can also be appropriately combined within the range that does not cause contradictions.

Thus, in control example EX5, aerosol is generated after the fragrance source 131 vibrates. Therefore, a sufficient amount of fragrance components can be imparted to the aerosol immediately after the aerosol is generated, and the user's satisfaction can be improved. In addition, since power is not supplied to the vibration generating unit 110A and the heating unit 121A at the same time, the maximum current output from the power supply unit 111A can be reduced. As a result, the deterioration of the power supply unit 111A can be suppressed.

In addition, the control unit 116A may also set the timing of stopping the power supply control of the vibration generating unit 110A to the timing ta in the middle of the period of performing the power supply control of the heating unit 121A. In this way, the state in which the flavor component is easily added to the aerosol can be maintained during the period of generating the aerosol, and the aerosol with a good cigarette flavor can be provided to the user.

<Control Example EX6>

In the suction mode, if the control unit 116A detects the user's suction based on the output of the sensor unit 112A, the power supply control of the vibration generating unit 110A is started. After a predetermined time has passed since the start of the power supply control of the vibration generating unit 110A, the control unit 116A stops the power supply control of the vibration generating unit 110A and starts the power supply control of the heating unit 121A. After the start of the power supply control of the heating unit 121A, if a predetermined time has passed or the end of the user's suction is detected, the control unit 116A stops the power supply control of the heating unit 121A. Thereafter, the same operation is repeated.

In control example EX6, the same effects as those of control example EX5 can be obtained. In addition, compared with control example EX5, the driving period of vibration generator 110A can be shortened, so power consumption can be suppressed.

Furthermore, control unit 116A may set the timing for stopping power supply control of vibration generator 110A to be in the middle of a period in which power supply control of heating unit 121A is performed, or at the end timing of the period.

<Control Example EX7>

In the suction mode, if the control unit 116A detects the user's suction based on the output of the sensor unit 112A, the power supply control of the vibration generating unit 110A and the power supply control of the heating unit 121A are started at the same time. At a timing ta after a predetermined time has passed after the suction is detected, the control unit 116A stops the power supply control of the vibration generating unit 110A. After the control unit 116A starts the power supply control of the heating unit 121A, if a predetermined time has passed or the user's suction is detected to be finished, the power supply control of the heating unit 121A is stopped at a timing tb. Thereafter, the same operation is repeated.

In this way, in control example EX7, the generation of aerosol and the vibration of the fragrance source 131 are started simultaneously, so that a sufficient amount of fragrance components can be given to the aerosol immediately after the generation of the aerosol, which can improve the user's satisfaction. Moreover, during the generation of the aerosol, it is possible to maintain a state in which the fragrance components are easily given to the aerosol, and it is possible to provide the user with an aerosol with a good fragrance.

Furthermore, the control unit 116A may set the timing at which the power supply control of the vibration generating unit 110A is stopped to the timing tb at which the power supply control of the heating unit 121A is ended.

<Control Example EX8>

In the suction mode, when control unit 116A detects suction by the user based on the output of sensor unit 112A, it starts power supply control for heating unit 121A. After a predetermined time has passed, control unit 116A starts power supply control for vibration generating unit 110A.

At timing ta after a predetermined time has passed since the start of power supply control of vibration generating unit 110A, control unit 116A stops power supply control of vibration generating unit 110A. After starting power supply control of heating unit 121A, control unit 116A stops power supply control of heating unit 121A at timing tb if a predetermined time has passed or if the end of suction by the user is detected. Thereafter, the same operation is repeated.

In control example EX8, the same effect as in control example EX7 can be obtained. Moreover, compared with control example EX7, the driving period of the vibration generating unit 110A is shortened, so that power consumption can be suppressed. Moreover, in control example EX8, after the aerosol passes through the flavor source 131, that is, after the flavor source 131 becomes wet, the vibration of the flavor source 131 is started. By vibrating the flavor source 131 in a wet state, the vibration can be efficiently transmitted to the solid matter in the flavor source 131.

Furthermore, the control unit 116A may set the timing at which the power supply control of the vibration generating unit 110A is stopped to the timing tb at which the power supply control of the heating unit 121A is ended.

In any of the above control examples EX5 to EX8, if suction is repeated, the consumption of the fragrance component of the fragrance source 131 increases, and it is assumed that it becomes difficult to impart the fragrance component to the aerosol. Therefore, the control unit 116A may also change the control content of the vibration generating unit 110A based on the elapsed time from the initial detection of suction or the cumulative number of suctions after entering the suction mode.

For example, when the elapsed time or the cumulative number of suctions exceeds a threshold value, the control unit 116A changes the amplitude of the voltage given to the vibrator included in the vibration generating unit 110A, or changes the frequency of the voltage, so that the vibration of the vibrator becomes stronger, compared to when the elapsed time or the cumulative number of suctions is below the threshold value. The vibration of the vibrator becomes stronger, so that the collision and friction between the solids of the fragrance source 131 become more intense, and a state in which the fragrance component is easily released can be obtained. In this way, in the suction mode, even in the second half of the period of repeated suction, the generation of aerosol with a good fragrance can be maintained.

In addition, a motion sensor may be installed in advance on the cartridge holder 117, and the control unit 116A may obtain the vibration frequency of the cartridge holder 117 (a value roughly consistent with the vibration frequency of the flavor imparting cartridge 130) based on the output of the motion sensor, and perform feedback control of the power supplied to the vibration generating unit 110A so that the obtained vibration frequency converges to the target value. In this case, when the vibration frequency obtained from the motion sensor deviates from the target value by more than a threshold value, the control unit 116A may also stop the power supply control to the vibration generating unit 110A, and notify the error through the notification unit 113A.

The structure of the aerosol generating device 100A is not limited to the above, and for example, a heating unit (equivalent to the heating unit 121A) that heats the flavor imparting cartridge 130 (flavor source 131 ) may be added.

Fig. 7 is a diagram showing a modified example of the structure of the power supply unit 110. The power supply unit 110 shown in Fig. 7 has the same structure as the power supply unit 110 shown in Fig. 3 except that a thin film heater HTR is additionally provided on the side of the cartridge holding portion 117.

The heater HTR is provided in a thin film shape, but the shape is not particularly limited. Moreover, the position of the heater HTR is not limited to the side of the cartridge holding portion 117. For example, the vibration generating portion 110A may be provided on the side of the cartridge holding portion 117, and the heater HTR may be provided on the bottom surface of the cartridge holding portion 117.

The control unit 116A of the power supply unit 110 shown in FIG7 also controls the supply of power from the power supply unit 111A to the heater HTR (hereinafter also referred to as power supply control of the heater HTR). The heater HTR generates heat using the power from the power supply unit 111A to heat the flavor imparting cartridge 130 inserted into the cartridge holding unit 117.

FIG8 is a timing diagram for explaining an example of controlling the heating unit 121A, the vibration generating unit 110A, and the heater HTR in the power supply unit 110 shown in FIG7 . The “vibration generating period” and the “aerosol generating period” shown in FIG8 are the same as those described in FIG5 and FIG6 . The rising period of the waveform of the “heating period” shown in FIG8 indicates the period during which the power supply control of the heater HTR is performed. During the period during which the power supply control of the heater HTR is performed, the power supply to the heater HTR is intermittently or continuously performed so that the temperature of the heater HTR (in other words, the temperature of the fragrance source 131) converges to the target temperature.

If the operation mode of the power supply unit 110 is transferred to the attraction mode, the control unit 116A starts the power supply control of the heater HTR. After a specified time has passed since the start of the power supply control of the heater HTR, the control unit 116A starts the power supply control of the vibration generating unit 110A. Thereafter, if the user's attraction is detected based on the output of the sensor unit 112A, the control unit 116A stops the power supply control of the heater HTR and starts the power supply control of the heating unit 121A. After the control unit 116A starts the power supply control of the heating unit 121A, if a specified time has passed or the end of the user's attraction is detected, the power supply control of the heating unit 121A and the power supply control of the vibration generating unit 110A are stopped at the timing tc, and the power supply control of the heater HTR is started. In the attraction mode, the above actions are repeated. In addition, the transition to the attraction mode can also be performed by a user operation such as pressing a button. In addition, it is also possible to stop the power supply control of the heating unit 121A and the power supply control of the vibration generating unit 110A by detecting the user's suction and the lapse of a predetermined time, or detecting the end of the user's suction, thereby ending the suction mode. In this case, the power supply control of the heater HTR does not need to be restarted from the stop of the power supply control of the heating unit 121A. When the suction mode is shifted again, the control unit 116A can start the power supply control of the heater HTR.

Thus, by starting to supply power to the vibration generator 110A while the heater HTR is being supplied with power, aerosol can be generated while sufficient heat and vibration are applied to the flavor source 131. Therefore, aerosol to which a large amount of flavor components are applied can be generated.

8, after the control unit 116A starts the power supply control of the heater HTR, the power supply control of the vibration generating unit 110A may be started after the temperature of the flavor source 131 reaches a predetermined value. Thus, since the flavor source 131 can be vibrated while being sufficiently heated, a state in which the flavor component is easily imparted to the aerosol can be effectively formed.

8 , the control unit 116A may also make the start timing of the power supply control of the vibration generating unit 110A coincide with the start timing of the power supply control of the heater HTR. This allows the aerosol to be generated while the fragrance source 131 is sufficiently heated and vibrated.

In the control example of FIG. 8 , control unit 116A may make the end timing of power supply control of vibration generator 110A coincide with the timing when suction is detected, or may make it a timing between the timing when suction is detected and timing tc.

Moreover, in the control example of FIG. 8 , the control unit 116A can make the start timing of the power supply control of the vibration generating unit 110A coincide with the start timing of the power supply control of the heating unit 121A, or can make the start timing of the power supply control of the vibration generating unit 110A later than the start timing of the power supply control of the heating unit 121A. In this case, the control unit 116A can also generate vibrations through the vibration generating unit 110A after the suction is detected only when the fragrance source 131 is not heated to the target temperature during the heating period. In other words, if the fragrance source 131 reaches the target temperature at the moment of detecting the suction, the vibration of the vibration generating unit 110A during the subsequent aerosol generation period can also be omitted. In this way, when the vibration is generated by the vibration generating unit 110A after the suction is detected only when the fragrance source 131 is not heated to the target temperature during the heating period, it is preferred to determine the intensity of the vibration generated by the vibration generating unit 110A based on the temperature of the fragrance source 131 immediately before the suction is detected. For example, it is preferred that the lower the temperature of the fragrance source 131 immediately before the suction is detected, the stronger the vibration intensity.

In the aerosol generating device 100A, the method of heating the aerosol source is not limited to direct heating by the heating unit 121A. For example, the aerosol source can also be heated by induction heating. In the case of induction heating, it is sufficient to use a structure in which the heating unit 121A is used as an inductor and a susceptor is accommodated inside the liquid storage unit 123. In this structure, by supplying power to the inductor, the susceptor can be heated by induction heating and the aerosol source can be heated. In addition, a structure in which the aerosol source is atomized by ultrasonic vibration instead of heating can also be used. In the case of atomization based on ultrasonic vibration, the heating unit 121A is replaced by an ultrasonic vibrator.

In the power supply unit 110, the method of heating the aroma source 131 is not limited to direct heating by the heater HTR. For example, the aroma source 131 may be heated by induction heating. When induction heating is adopted, the heater HTR is used as a reactor, and a receptor is accommodated inside the aroma source 131. In this structure, by supplying power to the reactor, the receptor can be heated by induction heating and the aroma source 131 can be heated.

Fig. 9 is a schematic diagram schematically showing a second structural example of the aerosol generating device. The aerosol generating device 100B shown in Fig. 9 includes: a power supply unit 110C including a vibration generating unit 111B, a power supply unit 111C, a sensor unit 112B, a notification unit 113B, a storage unit 114B, a communication unit 115B, a control unit 116B, a heating unit 121B, a holding unit 140, and a heat insulating unit 144; and a rod-shaped substrate 150, which constitutes an aerosol former.

Each of the vibration generating unit 111B, the power supply unit 111C, the sensor unit 112B, the notification unit 113B, the storage unit 114B, the communication unit 115B, and the control unit 116B is substantially the same as the corresponding structural element included in the aerosol generating device 100A of the first structural example.

The holding part 140 has an internal space 141, and a part of the rod-shaped substrate 150 is accommodated in the internal space 141 and the rod-shaped substrate 150 is held. The holding part 140 has an opening 142 that connects the internal space 141 to the outside, and holds the rod-shaped substrate 150 inserted into the internal space 141 from the opening 142. For example, the holding part 140 is a cylindrical body with the opening 142 and the bottom 143 as the bottom surface, and defines the columnar internal space 141. The holding part 140 also has a function of defining a flow path of air supplied to the rod-shaped substrate 150. An air inlet hole as an inlet of air to the flow path is arranged at the bottom 143, for example. On the other hand, the air outlet hole as an outlet of air from the flow path is the opening 142.

The rod-type substrate 150 includes a substrate portion 151 and a mouthpiece 152. The substrate portion 151 includes an aerosol source and a flavor source. In addition, in the present structural example, the aerosol source is not limited to a liquid, but may also be a solid. When the rod-type substrate 150 is held by the holding portion 140, at least a portion of the substrate portion 151 is accommodated in the internal space 141, and at least a portion of the mouthpiece 152 protrudes from the opening 142. Furthermore, if the user holds the mouthpiece 152 protruding from the opening 142 and inhales, air flows into the internal space 141 from an air inlet hole not shown in the figure, and reaches the user's mouth together with the aerosol generated from the substrate portion 151.

In the example shown in FIG9 , the heating unit 121B is a sheet-shaped heater, and is arranged to cover the outer periphery of the holding unit 140. When the heating unit 121B generates heat, the base member 151 of the rod-shaped base member 150 is heated from the outer periphery, and an aerosol is generated. In the example shown in FIG9 , the vibration generating unit 111B is, for example, arranged in a state of contact with the holding unit 140, and by vibrating the holding unit 140, the rod-shaped base member 150 including the flavor source and the aerosol source is vibrated.

The heat insulating portion 144 prevents heat conduction from the heating portion 121B to other structural elements. For example, the heat insulating portion 144 is made of a vacuum insulation material or an aerogel insulation material. The heat insulating portion 144 may also have a vibration-proof function for preventing the vibration of the holding portion 140 from being transmitted to the outside.

In the above aerosol generating device 100B, the aerosol source and the flavor source included in the base material part 151 are heated simultaneously by the heating part 121B, thereby generating an aerosol. The control part 116B, for example, starts the control of supplying power to the vibration generating part 111B before the period of controlling the supply of power to the heating part 121B, or starts the control of supplying power to the vibration generating part 111B simultaneously with the start of the period or after a predetermined time has passed from the start of the period. Thus, an aerosol can be generated in a state where the flavor component is easily released.

The structure of the aerosol generating device 100B is not limited to the above, and various structures as exemplified below may be adopted. As an example, the heating portion 121B may also be composed of a blade-shaped heater, which is configured to protrude from the bottom 143 of the holding portion 140 to the internal space 141. In this case, the heating portion 121B is inserted into the substrate portion 151, and the substrate portion 151 of the rod-type substrate 150 is heated from the inside. The method of heating the substrate portion 151 is not limited to direct heating based on the heating portion 121B. For example, the substrate portion 151 may also be heated by induction heating.

At least the following matters are described in this specification. In addition, the components corresponding to the above-mentioned embodiments are shown in brackets, but the present invention is not limited to these.

(1)

The power supply unit (power supply unit 110 ) of the aerosol generating device (aerosol generating device 100A) includes:

Power supply (power supply unit 111A);

a vibration generating unit (vibration generating unit 110A) disposed near a flavor source (flavor source 131) for imparting flavor to an aerosol, wherein the aerosol is generated by atomizing the aerosol source by an atomizing unit (heating unit 121A), and the vibration generating unit and the atomizing unit are separate bodies; and

The processor (control unit 116A) controls supply of electric power from the power source to the atomizing unit and the vibration generating unit.

According to (1), the flavor source can be vibrated by supplying power to the vibration generating unit. By vibrating the flavor source, the amount of flavor component added to the aerosol can be appropriately controlled, and an aerosol with a good tobacco flavor can be generated.

(2)

A power supply unit for an aerosol generating device as described in (1), wherein:

The vibration generating unit causes the housing of the power supply unit and at least a portion of the fragrance source to vibrate more strongly.

According to (2), the amount of the flavor component to be provided to the aerosol can be appropriately controlled by the dedicated vibration generating unit for vibrating the flavor source.

(3)

The power supply unit of the aerosol generating device as described in (1) or (2), wherein:

The aerosol source and the fragrance source are contained in different containers.

The vibration of the vibration generating unit is transmitted to the container (flavor imparting cartridge 130 ) housing the flavor source.

According to (3), only the container containing the flavor source of the aerosol source and the flavor source can be vibrated by the vibration generating unit. Therefore, the amount of the flavor component to be given to the aerosol can be appropriately controlled.

(4)

A power supply unit for an aerosol generating device as described in (3), wherein:

The vibration generating unit is disposed opposite to the bottom surface of the container that accommodates the fragrance source.

According to (4), a structure for vibrating the fragrance source can be easily realized.

(5)

The power supply unit for an aerosol generating device as described in any one of (1) to (4), wherein:

The vibration generating unit includes a plurality of vibrators (piezoelectric elements 119 ).

According to (5), the vibration pattern provided to the flavor source can be complicated, and the amount of the flavor component provided to the aerosol can be controlled more flexibly.

(6)

A power supply unit for an aerosol generating device as described in (5), wherein:

The plurality of vibrators include at least one pair of two vibrators that are disposed opposite to each other across the center of the container that accommodates the fragrance source.

According to (6), the vibration given to the flavor source can be stabilized, and the amount of the flavor component given to the aerosol can be controlled with high accuracy.

(7)

The power supply unit of the aerosol generating device as described in (5) or (6), wherein:

The processor causes all of the plurality of vibrators to start vibrating at the same timing.

According to (7), vibration control can be easily performed.

(8)

A power supply unit for an aerosol generating device as described in (6), wherein:

The plurality of vibrators include a first pair and a second pair as the pairs: a first pair in which two vibrators are arranged in a first direction (a pair of piezoelectric element 119 a and piezoelectric element 119 c ), and a second pair in which two vibrators are arranged in a second direction intersecting the first direction (a pair of piezoelectric element 119 b and piezoelectric element 119 d ).

The processor causes the first pair and the second pair to start vibrating at different timings.

According to (8), complex vibrations can be applied to the fragrance source.

(9)

A power supply unit for an aerosol generating device as described in (8), wherein:

The processor causes the first pair and the second pair to start vibrating at different periods.

According to (9), it is possible to apply complex vibrations to the fragrance source.

(10)

The power supply unit of the aerosol generating device as described in (5) or (6), wherein:

The processor causes all of the plurality of vibrators to start vibrating at different timings.

According to (10), it is possible to apply complex vibrations to the fragrance source.

(11)

The power supply unit for an aerosol generating device as described in any one of (1) to (10), wherein:

The vibration frequency of the vibration generating unit is within an inaudible frequency band.

According to (11), the user can be unaware that the vibration generating unit is vibrating, thereby improving the usability.

(12)

The power supply unit for an aerosol generating device as described in any one of (1) to (11), wherein:

The vibration generating unit is composed of a piezoelectric element.

According to (12), the power supply unit can be miniaturized.

(13)

The power supply unit of the aerosol generating device as described in any one of (1) to (12), wherein:

The processor starts vibration by the vibration generating unit after the timing of starting the supply of power to the atomizing unit.

According to (13), since vibration is imparted to the flavor source while the aerosol has passed through the flavor source, a state in which the flavor component is easily imparted to the aerosol can be effectively formed. Furthermore, since the operating period of the vibration generating unit can be reduced, power saving can be achieved.

(14)

A power supply unit for an aerosol generating device as described in (13), wherein:

The processor starts vibration by the vibration generating unit at the same time as the timing when the power supply to the atomizing unit starts.

According to (14), it is possible to generate an aerosol to which a flavor component is sufficiently imparted from immediately after the generation of the aerosol is started.

(15)

A power supply unit for an aerosol generating device as described in (13),

The processor starts vibration by the vibration generating unit after a predetermined time has passed since the start of power supply to the atomizing unit.

According to (15), vibration is imparted to the flavor source in a state where a large amount of aerosol has passed through the flavor source, so that a state in which the flavor component is easily imparted to the aerosol can be effectively created.

(16)

The power supply unit of the aerosol generating device as described in any one of (1) to (12), wherein:

The processor starts vibration by the vibration generating unit before supplying power to the atomizing unit.

According to (16), since vibration is imparted to the flavor source before the aerosol is generated, the aerosol can be generated in a state where the flavor component is easily imparted to the aerosol. As a result, an aerosol with a good tobacco flavor can be generated.

(17)

A power supply unit for an aerosol generating device as described in (16), wherein:

The processor starts supplying power to the atomizing unit after stopping the vibration by the vibration generating unit.

According to (17), since power is not supplied to the atomizing unit and the vibration generating unit at the same time, deterioration of the power supply can be prevented.

(18)

A power supply unit for an aerosol generating device as described in (16), wherein:

The processor stops the vibration of the vibration generating unit after starting to supply power to the atomizing unit.

According to (18), since the flavor source can be vibrated even during the generation of the aerosol, an aerosol having a good tobacco flavor can be generated.

(19)

The power supply unit of the aerosol generating device as described in any one of (13) to (15), wherein:

The processor supplies power to the atomizing unit and to the vibration generating unit upon detection of inhalation by the user as a trigger.

According to (19), since the generation of aerosol and the provision of vibration to the flavor source are triggered by the user's inhalation, it is possible to efficiently use electric power and prevent the deterioration of the power supply.

(20)

The power supply unit for an aerosol generating device as described in any one of (1) to (19), wherein:

It also includes a heating unit (heater HTR) for heating the fragrance source.

The processor further controls supply of electric power from the power source to the heating unit.

According to (20), by heating the flavor source, more flavor components can be added to the aerosol.

(twenty one)

A power supply unit for an aerosol generating device as described in (20), wherein:

The processor starts supplying power to the vibration generating unit while the processor is supplying power to the heating unit.

According to (21), for example, since aerosol can be generated in a state where heat and vibration are sufficiently applied to the flavor source, aerosol to which a large amount of flavor components are applied can be generated.

(twenty two)

A power supply unit for an aerosol generating device as described in (21), wherein:

After the processor starts supplying power to the heating unit, after a predetermined time has passed or after the temperature of the fragrance source reaches a predetermined value, the processor starts supplying power to the vibration generating unit.

According to (22), the flavor source can be vibrated while being sufficiently heated, so that a state in which the flavor component is easily imparted to the aerosol can be effectively formed. In addition, compared with the case in which the vibration is generated during the entire heating period, power consumption can be suppressed.

(twenty three)

The power supply unit of the aerosol generating device as described in any one of (1) to (22), wherein:

The above-mentioned flavor source is solid.

Description of Reference Numerals

100A aerosol generating device; 110A vibration generating unit; 110 power supply unit; 110a housing; 111A power supply unit; 116A control unit; 117 cigarette cartridge holding unit; 119a, 119b, 119c, 119d, 119 piezoelectric element; 120 cigarette cartridge; 121A heating unit; 130 flavor imparting cigarette cartridge; 131 flavor source.

Claims (15)

1. A power supply unit of an aerosol-generating device is provided with:

A power supply;

A vibration generating unit disposed in the vicinity of a flavor source that imparts flavor to an aerosol generated by atomizing the aerosol source by an atomizing unit, the vibration generating unit being separate from the atomizing unit; and

And a processor configured to control supply of electric power from the power supply to the atomizing unit and the vibration generating unit.

2. A power supply unit of an aerosol-generating device according to claim 1, wherein,

The vibration generating section vibrates more strongly the housing of the power supply unit and at least a part of the fragrance source.

3. A power supply unit of an aerosol-generating device according to claim 1 or 2, wherein,

The aerosol source and the flavour source are housed in different containers,

The vibration of the vibration generating unit is transmitted to a container for housing the fragrance source.

4. A power supply unit for an aerosol-generating device according to claim 3, wherein,

The vibration generating unit is disposed opposite to the bottom surface of the container for housing the fragrance source.

5. A power supply unit of an aerosol-generating device according to any of claims 1 to 4, wherein,

The vibration generating section includes a plurality of vibrators.

6. A power supply unit for an aerosol-generating device according to claim 5, wherein,

The plurality of vibrators include at least 1 pair of 2 vibrators disposed opposite to each other with a center position of a container accommodating the fragrance source interposed therebetween.

7. A power supply unit for an aerosol-generating device according to claim 5 or 6, wherein,

The processor causes the plurality of vibrators to all start vibrating at the same timing.

8. A power supply unit for an aerosol-generating device according to claim 6, wherein,

The plurality of vibrators includes, as the pair, a first pair and a second pair as follows: a first pair of 2 vibrators arranged in a first direction, and a second pair of 2 vibrators arranged in a second direction intersecting the first direction,

The processor causes the first pair and the second pair to begin vibrating at different timings.

9. An aerosol-generating device power supply unit according to any of claims 1 to 8, wherein,

The processor starts vibration by the vibration generating unit after a timing to start power supply to the atomizing unit.

10. A power supply unit for an aerosol-generating device according to claim 9, wherein,

The processor starts vibration by the vibration generating unit after a predetermined time elapses from a timing of starting supply of electric power to the atomizing unit.

11. An aerosol-generating device power supply unit according to any of claims 1 to 8, wherein,

The processor starts vibration by the vibration generating unit before power is supplied to the atomizing unit.

12. An aerosol-generating device power supply unit according to claim 9 or 10, wherein,

The processor is configured to supply power to the atomizing unit and to supply power to the vibration generating unit, with the detection of the suction by the user as a trigger.

13. An aerosol-generating device power supply unit according to any of claims 1 to 12, wherein,

Further comprises a heating unit for heating the fragrance source,

The processor also controls the supply of power from the power source to the heating unit, and starts the supply of power to the vibration generating unit while the supply of power to the heating unit is being performed.

14. A power supply unit of an aerosol-generating device according to claim 13, wherein,

The processor starts power supply to the heating unit, and after a predetermined time elapses or after the temperature of the fragrance source reaches a predetermined value, starts power supply to the vibration generating unit.

15. An aerosol-generating device power supply unit according to any of claims 1 to 14, wherein,

The fragrance source is a solid.