JP7190554B2 - Control unit, aerosol generator, method and program for controlling heater, and smoking article - Google Patents

Description

The present invention relates to control units, aerosol generating devices, methods and programs for controlling heaters, and smoking articles.

Instead of conventional combustible cigarettes, non-combustible aerosol generators are known that inhale aerosols generated by atomizing an aerosol-forming substrate (smoking article) with a heater (Patent Documents 1 and 2). ).

US Pat. No. 5,900,000 discloses an aerosol generating device having a smoking article including a solid aerosol-forming substrate and a blade-type heater that is inserted into the aerosol-forming substrate during use. The heater heats the aerosol-forming substrate from within.

US Pat. No. 5,300,000 discloses an aerosol generating device having a smoking article including a solid aerosol-forming substrate and a cylindrical heater positioned around the perimeter of the aerosol-forming substrate in use. This heater heats the aerosol-forming substrate from the outer peripheral side.

Unlike conventional combustible cigarettes, the aerosol generators disclosed in Patent Documents 1 and 2 are less likely to change in appearance according to the user's inhalation action, so that the user is in any stage of the inhalable period. In some cases, it was difficult to sensuously understand

JP 2017-113016 A International Publication No. 2018/019786

A first feature is an aerosol generator, comprising: a heater configured to be able to heat the outer periphery of a smoking article including an aerosol source; The heater is configured to control the heater so that the delivery profile of the aerosol in the inhalable period has one or more maxima between the start point and the end point of the inhalable period. .

A second feature is the aerosol generator according to the first feature, wherein the heater has a cylindrical shape surrounding the outer periphery of the columnar smoking article.
A third feature is the aerosol generating device according to the second feature, and is summarized in having a tubular heat insulating material disposed radially outward of the heater.

A fourth feature is the aerosol generating device according to any one of the first to third features, wherein the smoking article comprises an aerosol presence region including an aerosol source and the aerosol in a flow direction of the generated aerosol. an aerosol-free region located downstream of the presence region, wherein the heating portion of the heater is arranged to extend from the aerosol-present region of the smoking article across the aerosol-free region of the smoking article. is the gist.

A fifth feature is the aerosol generator according to any one of the first to fourth features, wherein the controller controls the temperature of the heater toward a first target temperature during the first period. controlling the temperature of the heater toward a second target temperature lower than the first target temperature during a second period after the first period, and controlling the temperature of the heater below the second target temperature during a third period after the second period; The gist is that the temperature of the heater is controlled toward a lower third target temperature.

A sixth feature is the aerosol generating device according to any one of the first to fifth features, wherein the delivered amount of aerosol at the end point is larger than the delivered amount of aerosol at the starting point. .

A seventh feature is the aerosol generating device according to any one of the first to sixth features, wherein the delivery profile has an initial slope that increases with respect to the time axis, and and an intermediate phase comprising one or more maxima between said early and said final phase.

An eighth feature is the aerosol generator according to the seventh feature, wherein the maximum value of the gradient at the final stage is smaller than the maximum value of the gradient at the initial stage.
A ninth feature is the aerosol generator according to the seventh feature or eighth feature, wherein the minimum value of the gradient at the final stage is smaller than the minimum value of the gradient at the initial stage.

A tenth feature is the aerosol generator according to any one of the seventh to ninth features, wherein the intermediate period is longer than each of the initial period and the final period.
An eleventh feature is the aerosol generator according to any one of the seventh to tenth features, wherein the intermediate period is equal to or longer than the total period of the initial period and the final period. There is a gist.

A twelfth feature is the aerosol generating device according to any one of the seventh to eleventh features, wherein the intermediate period is such that the gradient is smaller than the minimum value of the gradient in the initial stage, and The method of claim 1 includes a stable period that is less than the minimum value of said slope, said stable period being longer than each of said initial stage and said final stage.

A thirteenth feature is a control unit comprising a controller for controlling a heater configured to heat the outer circumference of a smoking article including an aerosol source, wherein the controller controls a predetermined inhalable period The gist of the matter is configured to control the temperature of the heater such that an aerosol delivery profile has one or more maxima between the start and end of the inhalable period.

A fourteenth feature is a method for controlling a heater that heats the periphery of a smoking article that includes an aerosol source, wherein the aerosol delivery profile during a predetermined inhalable period is between the start point and the end point of the inhalable period. controlling the heater to have one or more maxima at .

The gist of the fifteenth feature is that it is a program that causes a computer to execute the method according to the fourteenth feature.
A sixteenth feature is a smoking article comprising an aerosol source, wherein a delivery profile when used with a device configured to heat the circumference of the smoking article to deliver the aerosol has a start point and an end point. The gist of the invention is that it is configured to have one or more local maxima between

FIG. 1 is a diagram showing a flavor inhaler according to one embodiment. Figure 2 shows a flavor inhaler with a smoking article inserted. 3 is a diagram showing the internal structure of the flavor inhaler shown in FIG. 2. FIG. 4 is a diagram showing the internal structure of the smoking article shown in FIG. 2. FIG. FIG. 5 is a block diagram of a flavor inhaler. FIG. 6 is a schematic enlarged view of region 5R in FIG. FIG. 7 is a diagram schematically showing the positional relationship between the base portion of the smoking article and the heater and inner tubular member of the aerosol generating device. FIG. 8 shows the heating profile of the heater and the delivery profile of the main aerosol components. FIG. 9 is a diagram showing the heating profile of the heater.

Embodiments will be described below. In addition, in the following description of the drawings, the same or similar reference numerals are given to the same or similar parts. However, it should be noted that the drawings are schematic, and the ratio of each dimension may differ from the actual one.

Therefore, specific dimensions should be determined with reference to the following description. In addition, it is needless to say that the drawings may include portions having different dimensional relationships and ratios.

[Summary of Disclosure]
With a conventional combustible cigarette, the user can easily recognize in which stage of the inhalable period, among the initial stage, the middle stage, and the final stage, by visually recognizing the burning position of the cigarette. can. However, in many aerosol-generating devices, the heated state of the smoking article is not visible because most of the smoking article is hidden inside the heater or other member.

The delivery profile of the main aerosol component described in US Pat. No. 5,800,003 increases during the initial activation of the heater and then remains constant until the heater is turned off. Therefore, it is difficult for the user to be aware of the initial, middle, or final period of the inhalable period by the sensation of inhaling the aerosol.

In this aspect, the heater configured to be able to heat the outer periphery of the smoking article including the aerosol source has an aerosol delivery profile in a predetermined inhalable period between the start point and the end point of the inhalable period. controlled to have multiple local maxima.

That is, the aerosol delivery profile first increases, then has a maximum and then decreases. Thereby, the user can be aware of which period of the inhalable period is in the initial, middle, or final period by the sensation of inhaling the aerosol.

(flavor aspirator)
A flavor inhaler according to one embodiment will be described below. FIG. 1 is a diagram showing a flavor inhaler according to one embodiment. Figure 2 shows a flavor inhaler with a smoking article inserted. 3 is a diagram showing the internal structure of the flavor inhaler shown in FIG. 2. FIG. 4 is a diagram showing the internal structure of the smoking article shown in FIG. 2. FIG. FIG. 5 is a block diagram of a flavor inhaler.

Flavor inhaler 100 may be a non-combustion flavor inhaler for generating an aerosol from a smoking article without combustion. Flavor inhaler 100 may be a particularly portable device.
Flavor inhaler 100 has a smoking article 110 containing an aerosol source and an aerosol generator 120 for generating an aerosol from smoking article 110 .

Smoking article 110 is a replaceable cartridge that may contain an aerosol source and a flavor source and has a longitudinally extending columnar shape. The smoking article 110 may be configured to generate an aerosol and flavoring components when heated while inserted into the aerosol-generating device 120 .

In the embodiment shown in FIG. 4, a smoking article 110 includes a base portion 11A including a filler 111, a first wrapping paper 112 around which the filler 111 is wrapped, and an end opposite to the base portion 11A. and a mouthpiece portion 11B forming a portion. The base material portion 11A and the mouthpiece portion 11B are connected by a second wrapping paper 113 different from the first wrapping paper 112 . However, it is also possible to omit the second wrapping paper 113 and use the first wrapping paper 112 to connect the base portion 11A and the mouthpiece portion 11B.

The mouthpiece portion 11B in FIG. 4 has a paper tube portion 114 , a filter portion 115 , and a hollow segment portion 116 arranged between the paper tube portion 114 and the filter portion 115 . The hollow segment portion 116 is composed of, for example, a packing layer having one or more hollow channels and a plug wrapper covering the packing layer. Since the packed bed has a high packing density of fibers, air and aerosol flow only through the hollow channels during suction, and hardly flow inside the packed bed. In the flavor-generating article 110, when it is desired to reduce the reduction of the aerosol component due to filtration in the filter portion 115, shortening the length of the filter portion 115 and replacing it with the hollow segment portion 116 increases the delivery amount of the aerosol. It is valid.

Although the mouthpiece 11B in FIG. 4 is composed of three segments, in this embodiment, the mouthpiece 11B may be composed of one or two segments, or may be composed of four or more segments. may be configured. For example, the hollow segment portion 116 may be omitted, and the paper tube portion 114 and the filter portion 115 may be arranged adjacent to each other to form the mouthpiece portion 11B.

In the embodiment shown in FIG. 4, the longitudinal length of the smoking article 110 is preferably 40-90 mm, more preferably 50-75 mm, and even more preferably 50-60 mm. The circumference of the smoking article 110 is preferably 15-25 mm, more preferably 17-24 mm, and even more preferably 20-23 mm. In the longitudinal direction of the smoking article 110, the length of the base material portion 11A is 20 mm, the length of the first wrapping paper 112 is 20 mm, the length of the hollow segment portion 116 is 8 mm, and the length of the filter portion 115 is 7 mm. However, the length of each of these segments can be changed as appropriate according to manufacturability, required quality, and the like.

In this embodiment, the fill 111 of the smoking article 110 may contain an aerosol source that is heated at a predetermined temperature to generate an aerosol. The type of aerosol source is not particularly limited, and extracts from various natural products and/or constituents thereof can be selected depending on the application. Aerosol sources can include, for example, glycerin, propylene glycol, triacetin, 1,3-butanediol, and mixtures thereof. The content of the aerosol source in the filling 111 is not particularly limited, and is usually 5% by weight or more, preferably 10% by weight or more, from the viewpoint of sufficiently generating an aerosol and imparting a good flavor and taste. It is usually 50% by weight or less, preferably 20% by weight or less.

The filling 111 of the smoking article 110 in this embodiment may contain tobacco cuts as a flavor source. Materials for shredded tobacco are not particularly limited, and known materials such as lamina and backbone can be used. The content range of the filler 111 in the smoking article 110 is, for example, 200 to 400 mg, preferably 250 to 320 mg, when the circumference is 22 mm and the length is 20 mm. The water content of the filler 111 is, for example, 8-18% by weight, preferably 10-16% by weight. Such a moisture content suppresses the occurrence of winding stains and improves the winding suitability during manufacturing of the base material portion 11A. There are no particular restrictions on the size of the shredded tobacco used as the filling 111 and the preparation method thereof. For example, dried tobacco leaves chopped into widths of 0.8 to 1.2 mm may be used. Alternatively, dried tobacco leaves may be pulverized to have an average particle diameter of about 20 to 200 μm, homogenized, processed into sheets, and cut into pieces having a width of 0.8 to 1.2 mm. . Furthermore, the above-described sheet-processed material may be gathered without being chopped, and used as the filling material 111 . Also, the filling 111 may contain one or more perfumes. The type of flavoring agent is not particularly limited, but menthol is preferable from the viewpoint of imparting a good smoking taste.

In this embodiment, the first and second wrapping papers 112, 113 of the smoking article 110 can be made from base paper having a basis weight of, for example, 20-65 gsm, preferably 25-45 gsm. The thickness of the wrapping papers 112 and 113 is not particularly limited, but is 10 to 100 μm, preferably 20 to 75 μm, more preferably 30 to 50 μm from the viewpoint of rigidity, air permeability, and ease of adjustment during paper manufacturing. is.

In this embodiment, the paper wrappers 112, 113 of the smoking article 110 may include filler. The content of the filler can be 10% by weight or more and less than 60% by weight, preferably 15 to 45% by weight, based on the total weight of the wrapping papers 112 and 113 . In this embodiment, it is preferred that the filler be 15-45% by weight relative to the preferred basis weight range (25-45 gsm). Examples of fillers that can be used include calcium carbonate, titanium dioxide, and kaolin. The paper containing such a filler exhibits a bright white color that is preferable from the viewpoint of appearance when used as wrapping paper for the smoking article 110, and can permanently maintain its whiteness. By including a large amount of such fillers, for example, the ISO whiteness of the wrapping paper can be increased to 83% or higher. Moreover, from the practical viewpoint of use as wrapping paper for smoking article 110, first and second wrapping papers 112 and 113 preferably have a tensile strength of 8 N/15 mm or more. This tensile strength can be increased by lowering the filler content. Specifically, the tensile strength can be increased by reducing the filler content below the upper limit of the filler content shown in each basis weight range exemplified above.

Referring to Figure 3, the aerosol generating device 120 has an insertion hole 130 into which the smoking article 110 can be inserted. That is, the aerosol generator 120 has an inner cylindrical member 132 that forms the insertion hole 130 . The inner tubular member 132 may be made of a thermally conductive member such as aluminum or stainless steel (SUS).

Also, the aerosol generator 120 may have a lid portion 140 that closes the insertion hole 130 . The lid portion 140 may be configured to be slidable between a state in which the insertion hole 130 is closed (see FIG. 1) and a state in which the insertion hole 130 is exposed (see FIG. 2).

The aerosol generator 120 may have an air flow path 160 communicating with the insertion hole 130 . One end of the air channel 160 is connected to the insertion hole 130 , and the other end of the air channel 160 communicates with the outside (outside air) of the aerosol generator 120 at a location different from the insertion hole 130 .

The aerosol generator 120 may have a lid portion 170 that covers the end of the air flow path 160 on the side communicating with the outside air. The lid portion 170 can cover the end of the air flow path 160 that communicates with the outside air, or can expose the air flow path 160 .

Even when the lid portion 170 covers the air flow path 160 , it does not airtightly block the air flow path 160 . That is, even when the lid portion 170 covers the air flow path 160 , outside air can flow into the air flow path 160 through the vicinity of the lid portion 170 .

With the smoking article 110 inserted into the flavor inhaler 100, the user holds one end of the smoking article 110, specifically, the mouthpiece 11B in FIG. 4, and performs a suction operation. Outside air flows into the air flow path 160 due to the suction action of the user. The air flowing into the air channel 160 passes through the smoking article 110 inside the insertion hole 130 and is guided into the mouth of the user.

Note that in a state in which the lid portion 140 does not cover the insertion hole 130 and the smoking article 110 is not inserted, that is, in a state in which the inner space of the inner cylindrical member 132 and the air flow path 160 are exposed, the user can use the brush The inside of the air flow path 160 of the inner tubular member 132 can be cleaned using a cleaning tool such as. This cleaning tool may be inserted into the air flow path 160 from the upper lid portion 140 side in FIG. 3 or may be inserted into the air flow path 160 from the lower lid portion 170 side.

The aerosol generating device 120 may have a temperature sensor inside the air flow path 160 or on the outer surface of the wall forming the air flow path 160 . The temperature sensor may be, for example, a thermistor, a thermocouple, or the like. When the user sucks the mouthpiece portion 11B of the smoking article 110, the internal temperature of the air channel 160 or the air channel 160 is formed by the influence of the air flowing in the air channel 160 toward the lid portion 170 side or the heater 30 side. The temperature of the wall where the A temperature sensor can detect the user's sucking action by measuring this temperature drop.

The aerosol generator 120 has a battery 10 , a control unit 20 and a heater 30 . Battery 10 stores power for use in aerosol generator 120 . The battery 10 may be a rechargeable secondary battery. Battery 10 may be, for example, a lithium-ion battery.

The heater 30 may be provided around the inner tubular member 132 . The space accommodating the heater 30 and the space accommodating the battery 10 may be separated from each other by the partition wall 180 . As a result, the air heated by heater 30 can be prevented from flowing into the space housing battery 10 . Therefore, the temperature rise of battery 10 can be suppressed.

The heater 30 preferably has a tubular shape capable of heating the outer circumference of the columnar smoking article 110 . The heater 30 may be, for example, a film heater. The film heater may have a pair of film-like substrates and a resistance heating element sandwiched between the pair of substrates. The film-like substrate is preferably made of a material with excellent heat resistance and electrical insulation, typically made of polyimide. The resistance heating element is preferably made of one or more metal materials such as copper, nickel alloy, chromium alloy, stainless steel, platinum rhodium, etc. For example, it can be formed of a stainless steel base material. Furthermore, the resistance heating element may be plated with copper on the connection part and its lead part in order to connect with the power supply by flexible printed circuit (FPC).

FIG. 6 is a schematic enlarged view of the region 5R in FIG. 3, and is an enlarged cross-sectional view of the heater 30 and its periphery. In the example shown in FIG. 6, the heater 30 is the film heater described above, and is wrapped around the inner cylindrical member 132 capable of receiving the smoking article 110 . That is, the heater 30 is wound in a cylindrical shape surrounding the inner cylindrical member 132 . This allows the heater 30 to surround the outer periphery of the smoking article and heat the smoking article 110 from the outside.

Preferably, a heat shrink tube 136 may be provided outside the heater 30 . In other words, the heater 30 is preferably provided inside the heat shrinkable tube 136 . The heat-shrink tube 136 is a tube 136 that shrinks radially with heat and may be made of, for example, a thermoplastic elastomer. The heater 30 is pressed against the inner cylinder member 132 by the contraction action of the heat shrinkable tube 136 . As a result, the adhesion between the heater 30 and the inner tubular member 132 is enhanced, so that the thermal conductivity from the heater 30 to the smoking article 110 via the inner tubular member 132 is enhanced.

The aerosol generator 120 may have a tubular insulator 138 radially outside the heater 30 , preferably outside the heat shrink tubing 136 . The heat insulating material 138 preferably surrounds the outer circumference of the heater 30 . The heat insulating material 138 may serve to prevent the outer surface of the housing of the aerosol generating device 120 from reaching excessively high temperatures by blocking heat from the heater 30 . Insulator 138 can be made from, for example, aerogels such as silica aerogels, carbon aerogels, alumina aerogels, and the like. Airgel as the thermal insulator 138 may typically be silica airgel, which has high thermal insulation performance and is relatively inexpensive to manufacture. However, the heat insulating material 138 may be a fiber heat insulating material such as glass wool or rock wool, or may be a foamed heat insulating material such as urethane foam or phenol foam. Alternatively, the insulation 138 may be vacuum insulation.

Insulation 138 may be provided between inner tubular member 132 facing smoking article 110 and outer tubular member 134 outside insulation 138 . The outer tubular member 134 may be made of a thermally conductive member such as aluminum or stainless steel (SUS). The heat insulator 138 is preferably provided within a closed space.

FIG. 7 shows a simplified axial positional relationship between the base portion 11A of the smoking article 110 and the heater 30 and the inner cylindrical member 132 of the aerosol generating device 120 in the flavor inhaler 100 of this embodiment. is a diagram shown in FIG. The axis here means the central axis of the insertion hole 130 in the aerosol generator 120, and when the smoking article 110 is inserted into the insertion hole 130, the axis partially overlaps the central axis of the smoking article 110. (See also Figure 3).

The axial length D0 of the heater 30 can be smaller than the axial length L0 of the base portion 11A of the smoking article 110 (D0<L0). Furthermore, the ratio of length D0 to length L0 (D0/L0) is 0.70 to 0.90, preferably 0.75 to 0.85, and typically 0.80. good. Therefore, when the length L0 of the base portion 11A is 20 mm, the length D0 of the heater 30 is 14-18 mm, preferably 15-17 mm, and typically 16 mm.

The upstream end of the base material portion 11A may protrude upstream of the upstream end of the heater 30 by a length D1. The terms "upstream" and "downstream" here correspond to the upstream and downstream of the air flow through the air flow path 160 by the user's suction operation (see also FIG. 3). Since the portion of the substrate portion 11A protruding from the heater 30 does not have the heater 30 radially outward thereof, the internal temperature thereof can be somewhat lower than that of other portions of the substrate portion 11A. As a result, the generation of aerosol at and near the upstream end of the base material portion 11A can be suppressed, so that the aerosol generated there can be prevented from condensing in the air flow path 160 or flowing back through the air flow path 160. Aerosol generated in other parts of the substrate portion 11A can condense at and near the upstream end of the substrate portion 11A.

The ratio (D1/L0) of the protruding length D1 to the length L0 of the entire base portion 11A is 0.25 to 0.40, preferably 0.30 to 0.35, and typically 0. .325. Therefore, when the length L0 of the entire base portion 11A is 20 mm, the protrusion length D1 is 5 to 8 mm, preferably 6 to 7 mm, and typically 6.5 mm.

The downstream end of the heater 30 may protrude by a length D2 downstream from the downstream end of the base material portion 11A. As a result, the downstream end of the base material portion 11A and the vicinity thereof can be sufficiently heated, so that it is possible to prevent insufficient aerosol generation and occurrence of aerosol condensation there. The ratio (D2/L0) of the protrusion length D2 of the heater 30 to the length L0 of the base portion 11A is 0.075 to 0.175, preferably 0.1 to 0.15, and typically may be 0.125. Therefore, when the length L0 of the base material portion 11A is 20 mm, the projection length D2 of the heater 30 is 1.5 to 3.5 mm, preferably 2 to 3 mm, and typically 2.5 mm. It's okay.

The axial positions of the upstream end of the inner cylindrical member 132 and the upstream end of the base material portion 11A may generally coincide. On the other hand, like the downstream end of the heater 30, the downstream end of the inner cylindrical member 132 may protrude by a length D3 downstream from the downstream end of the base material portion 11A. As a result, in addition to the downstream end of the base material portion 11A and its vicinity, the upstream end of the paper tube portion 114 and its vicinity can be heated. Excessive cooling and condensation in the vicinity can be prevented. The ratio (D3/D2) of the protruding length D3 of the inner cylindrical member 132 to the protruding length D2 of the heater 30 is 2.6 to 3.4, preferably 2.8 to 3.2, more preferably 2.8 to 3.2. may be 3.0. Therefore, when the protrusion length D2 of the heater 30 is 2.5 mm, the protrusion length D3 of the inner cylindrical member 132 is 6.5 to 8.5 mm, preferably 7.0 to 8.0 mm. Typically, it may be 7.5 mm.

Referring to FIG. 5, the control unit 20 may include a control board, CPU, memory, and the like. The CPU and memory constitute a controller 22 that controls the heater 30 that heats the aerosol source. The control unit 20 also has a notification section 40 for notifying the user of various information. The notification unit 40 may be, for example, a light-emitting element such as an LED, a vibrating element, or a combination thereof.

When the control unit 22 detects the user's activation request, the control unit 22 starts supplying power from the battery 10 to the heater 30 . The user's activation request is made, for example, by the user's operation of a push button or slide switch, or by the user's suction action. In this embodiment, the user's activation request is made by pressing the push button 150 . More specifically, the user's activation request is made by pressing push button 150 while cover 140 is open. Alternatively, the user activation request may be made by sensing the user's sucking action. The user's sucking action can be detected, for example, by a temperature sensor as described above.

Next, the delivery profile of the main aerosol components in the aerosol generator will be described with reference to FIG. In this embodiment, the heating profile is a graph showing the change over time of the target temperature for control of the heater 30 . Also, the delivery profile is a graph showing the change over time in the amount of the main aerosol components delivered per inhalation to the user's oral cavity when the smoking article 110 is inhaled by the user. FIG. 8 shows the heating profile of the heater 30 and the delivery profile of the main aerosol components. The vertical axis of FIG. 8 indicates the temperature of the heater or the delivered amount of the main aerosol component. The horizontal axis of FIG. 8 indicates time.

As used herein, the "main aerosol component" is the visible aerosol component generated when the various aerosol sources contained in the smoking article are heated above a predetermined temperature. Aerosol sources included in smoking articles are typically propylene glycol and glycerin. In addition, when the smoking article contains a flavor source such as tobacco, the aerosol component derived from the flavor source is also included in the main aerosol component. On the other hand, for the purposes of this specification, the aerosol component derived from the moisture contained in the smoking article is not considered to be the primary aerosol component.

The delivery profile of the major aerosol components can be measured by methods such as the following. First, an aerosol generating device is provided in which the delivery profile of the main aerosol components is to be measured. Next, while the smoking article is inserted into the aerosol generator, suction is performed from the mouthpiece of the smoking article using an automatic smoking device (eg, manufactured by Borgwaldt KC Inc.). At this time, the heater 30 is heated by the control method specified for the prepared aerosol generator. As the suction conditions, those conforming to the HCI conditions (HCI; Health Canada Intense) defined by Health Canada are adopted. Specifically, the suction conditions are a suction amount of 27.5 ml/second, a suction time of 2 seconds/time, and a suction interval of 20 seconds.

The aerosol sucked by the automatic smoking device under the sucking conditions described above is collected with a Cambridge filter (eg, CM-133 manufactured by Borgwaldt KC Inc.). Specifically, the smoke that passed through the Cambridge filter was collected in 10 mL of methanol cooled to -70°C with a dry ice-isopropanol refrigerant. 10 mL of methanol solution and internal standard solution (d-32 pentadecane 0.05 mg / mL, d-1-ethanol 50 mL / L, anethole 2 mL / L, 1,3-butanediol 4 mL / L) 1 mL was added and shaken for 30 minutes to extract the contents.

Extraction of content components is performed for each aspiration. This determines the amount of the primary aerosol component delivered from the aerosol generating device to the automatic smoking device on each puff. By plotting the amount of the primary aerosol component delivered by the time each inhalation was taken, the delivery profile of the primary aerosol component over time is discretely derived. It should be noted that in FIG. 8, the discretely derived delivery profiles are continuously depicted by the approximation curve.

In this embodiment, the delivery profile of the main aerosol components has an early Q1, an intermediate Q2, and a final Q3. Initial Q1 is the period during which the slope of the main aerosol component with respect to time gradually increases. In other words, the initial Q1 can be said to be a period during which the delivery amount of the main aerosol component for each inhalation increases gradually.

Here, the slope of the delivery profile of the primary aerosol component is the absolute value of the slope of each point on the curve forming the delivery profile. The slope of the delivery profile of the primary aerosol component can be defined, for example, by the following method. As described above, the delivery profile of the main aerosol components over time is discretely derived. In this case, the slope of the delivery profile of the main aerosol component can be defined by the difference in the delivery profile of the main aerosol component for adjacent plots on the time axis divided by the time difference between the plots.

Alternatively, the slope of the delivery profile of the primary aerosol component may be derived using a fitted curve derived, for example, from a discrete plot. In this case, once the analytical formula for the approximate curve is determined, the gradient of the delivery profile of the main aerosol component can be defined by calculating the differential value of the analytical formula. Such approximate curves may be derived, for example, by polynomials or by trigonometric functions.

In this embodiment, the starting point S0 of the delivery profile is defined by the starting point of the aerosol inhalable period (inhalable period) (see FIG. 9). Specifically, the starting point S0 of the delivery profile is defined by notification of the start of the suckable period (timing T2 in FIG. 9), which will be described later.

Also, the boundary S1 between the initial Q1 and the intermediate Q2 may be defined by the point at which the gradient of the main aerosol component in the initial Q1 is maximum. In other words, the boundary S1 between early Q1 and middle Q2 is also the point where the slope of the main aerosol component first begins to decrease throughout the delivery profile. If the delivery profile is approximated by a continuous approximation curve, the boundary S1 between early Q1 and intermediate Q2 may be defined by an inflection point.

Terminal Q3 is the period during which the slope of the main aerosol component with respect to time gradually decreases. In other words, the final phase Q3 can also be said to be a period in which the delivery amount of the main aerosol component for each inhalation decreases gradually.

In this embodiment, the end point S3 of the delivery profile is defined by the end point of the aerosol inhalable period (inhalable period) (see FIG. 9). Specifically, the end point S3 of the delivery profile can be defined by the timing (timing T7 in FIG. 9) at which the end of the inhalable period is notified.

Also, the boundary S2 between the middle Q2 and the final Q3 may be defined by the point at which the gradient of the main aerosol component in the final Q3 is maximum. In other words, the boundary S2 between middle Q2 and late Q3 is also the point where the gradient of the main aerosol component finally begins to decrease throughout the delivery profile. If the delivery profile is approximated by a continuous approximation curve, the boundary S2 between middle Q2 and end Q3 may be defined by an inflection point.

Middle Q2 is the period between early Q1 and final Q3. Middle Q2 includes one or more maxima that are greater than the start and end of the delivery profile. In the delivery profile shown in FIG. 8, middle Q2 contains one local maximum (maximum).

According to the aerosol delivery profile described above, the aerosol delivery increases from early Q1 to middle Q2, has a maximum at middle Q2, and decreases from middle Q2 to late Q3. Thereby, the user can be aware of which period of the inhalable period is in the initial period Q1, the middle period Q2, or the final period Q3 by the sensation of inhaling the aerosol.

Furthermore, in early Q1, the gradient of the main aerosol component with respect to time gradually increases, resulting in a downwardly convex delivery profile. On the other hand, in middle Q2, the delivery profile takes on a convex shape. Therefore, the delivered aerosol volume can change relatively significantly during the transition from early Q1 to mid-Q2. Also, in the terminal phase Q3, the gradient of the main aerosol component with respect to time gradually decreases, and the delivery profile takes on a downwardly convex shape. Therefore, the amount of aerosol delivered can change relatively significantly during the transition from mid-Q2 to late-Q3. This makes it easier for the user to recognize the transition from the initial Q1 to the middle Q2 and the transition from the middle Q2 to the final Q3 by the sensation of inhaling the aerosol.

Preferably, the middle Q2 is longer than the early Q1 and the final Q3. More preferably, the middle Q2 is longer than or equal to the sum of the initial Q1 and the final Q3. For example, middle Q2 may be 50-60% of the total period, and early Q1 and final Q3 may be 20-25% of the total period. This allows the user to inhale the main aerosol component over a relatively long period of time, since the period of high delivery of the main aerosol component is relatively long.

Preferably, the delivery of the main aerosol component at the end point S3 of the final phase Q3 is greater than the delivery of the main aerosol component at the start point S0. In this case, it is possible to suppress an excessive decrease in the delivery amount of the aerosol in the final stage Q3. This can prevent the delivery of the main aerosol component from dropping to a low level in the middle of the inhalable period, and in particular can maintain a high level of delivery until the end of the terminal Q3.

The maximum value of the slope of the major aerosol component in the final Q3 is preferably smaller than the maximum value of the slope of the major aerosol component in the initial Q1. In this case, the increase speed of the main aerosol components in the initial Q1 is relatively high, so that a high level of aerosol delivery can be achieved at a relatively early stage of the inhalable period. On the other hand, since the slope of the main aerosol component in the final period Q3 is small, the decrease speed of the main aerosol component in the final period Q3 is relatively small. Therefore, it is possible to suppress the abrupt decrease in the aerosol delivery amount in the final stage Q3. This allows high levels of aerosol delivery to be maintained over relatively long periods of time.

The minimum gradient of the major aerosol component in the final Q3 is preferably smaller than the minimum gradient of the major aerosol component in the initial Q1. Since the minimum value of the slope of the main aerosol component in the final stage Q3 is small, the decrease speed of the main aerosol component in the final stage Q3 is relatively small. Therefore, it is possible to suppress the abrupt decrease in the delivery amount of the aerosol in the final stage Q3.

Middle Q2 includes a stable period SP in which the absolute value of the gradient of the major aerosol component is smaller than the minimum value of the slope of the major aerosol component in early Q1 and smaller than the minimum value of the slope of the major aerosol component in final Q3. you can stay That is, the stability period SP is a period in which the variation in delivery of the primary aerosol component from one inhalation to another is relatively small.

The stable period SP is preferably longer than the initial Q1 and the final Q3. During the stable period SP, the delivered amount of the main aerosol component is large and the fluctuation of the delivered amount is small. Therefore, if the stable period SP is longer than the initial Q1 and the final Q3, the main aerosol components can be stably supplied over a relatively long period of time in the middle Q2. Also, the stable period SP is preferably 50 to 60% of the middle term Q2. This allows the main aerosol components to be stably supplied over a relatively long period of time in mid-Q2.

It should be noted that the aforementioned delivery profile and its advantages were found by the inventors of the present application as a result of extensive research.
The controller 22 of the aerosol generating device 120 may be configured to control the heater 30 such that the delivery profile of the primary aerosol components described above is achieved. Here, the delivery profile of the primary aerosol component may depend primarily on the heating profile of heater 30 .

FIG. 9 shows an example of the heating profile of the heater. It should be noted that the heating profile shown in FIG. 9 is but one example suitable for achieving the delivery profiles of the primary aerosol components described above, and is not necessarily limited thereto.

As described above, the heating profile is a graph representing the change over time of the target temperature for control of the heater 30 . Temperature control of the heater 30 can be realized by, for example, known feedback control. Specifically, the controller 22 of the aerosol generator 120 can supply power from the battery 22 to the heater 30 in the form of pulses by pulse width modulation (PWM) or pulse frequency modulation (PFM). In this case, the controller 22 can control the temperature of the heater 30 by adjusting the duty ratio of the power pulse.

In the feedback control, the control unit 22 measures or estimates the temperature of the heater 30, and based on the difference between the measured or estimated temperature of the heater 30 and the target temperature, the power supplied to the heater 30, for example, The duty ratio should be controlled. Feedback control may be PID control, for example. The temperature of the heater 30 can be quantified, for example, by measuring or estimating the electrical resistance value of the heating resistor that constitutes the heater 30 . This is because the electrical resistance value of the heating resistor changes according to the temperature. The electrical resistance value of the heating resistor can be estimated, for example, by measuring the amount of voltage drop across the heating resistor. The amount of voltage drop across the heating resistor can be measured by a voltage sensor that measures the potential difference applied to the heating resistor. In another example, the temperature of heater 30 can be measured by a temperature sensor located near heater 30 .

As described above, in this embodiment, the power supplied to the heater 30 is controlled so that the actual temperature of the heater 30 approaches the target temperature of the heating profile. However, the heating profile may include locations where the target temperature changes abruptly, and at such locations the deviation of the actual temperature of the heater 30 from the target temperature may temporarily increase. In the heating profile exemplified in FIG. 9 , the dashed lines indicate locations where the deviation of the actual temperature of the heater 30 from the target temperature becomes large.

In the heating profile shown in FIG. 9, when power supply from the battery 10 to the heater 30 is started in response to a user's activation request, the control unit 22 first causes the temperature to reach the first target temperature TA1 during the first period P1. The temperature of the heater 30 is controlled. That is, the controller 22 heats the heater 30 from the initial temperature toward the first target temperature TA1. In the first period P1, when the heater 30 reaches the first target temperature TA1, the controller 22 controls the temperature of the heater 30 to maintain the first target temperature TA1.

The first target temperature TA1 is preferably 225-240°C, and may typically be 230°C.
By setting the first target temperature TA1 relatively high in the first period P1, the temperature rise rate of the heater 30 can be increased. By increasing the rate of temperature rise of the heater 30, the period from the start of power supply to the heater 30 to the time when the aerosol can be sucked can be shortened.

The control unit 22 may be configured to notify the user that the inhalable period has started during the period during which the temperature of the heater 30 is maintained at the first target temperature TA1 during the first period P1. . Notification that the suckable period has started can be performed by the control of the notification unit 40. For example, control to change the emission color of a light emitting element such as an LED, change the emission pattern, or drive the vibration element. , or a combination thereof.

In the example shown in FIG. 9, the notification that the suckable period has started is performed at timing T2. More specifically, the start of the suction-enabled period is notified at timing T2 when a predetermined period of time P1b has elapsed since the temperature of the heater 30 reached the first target temperature, and from the start of power supply to the heater 30. It may be performed at a timing after a predetermined period of time has elapsed, whichever is earlier. The predetermined period P1b is preferably 20-26 seconds and may typically be 23 seconds.

Preferably, the controller 22 may be configured to notify that the suckable period has started in the latter half of the first period P1. The latter half of the first period P1 means a period after the middle of the first period P1.

The control unit 22 shifts to a second period P2, which will be described later, at a timing T3 when a predetermined period P1c has passed from the timing T2 at which the start of the suckable period is notified. The predetermined period P1c is preferably 5 to 15 seconds and may typically be 10 seconds. This increases the possibility that the user will perform the first suction operation during the first period P1. In this case, the user can be made to perform the first suction operation while the heater temperature is maintained near the first target temperature TA1, which is the maximum temperature of the heating profile.

The first period P1 varies depending on the heating state of the heater 30 and the smoking article 110, the ambient temperature, etc., but may typically be in the range of 35 to 55 seconds. However, it is preferable that the controller 22 be configured to be able to change the length of the first period P1 based on the rate of temperature rise of the heater 30 during the first period P1. More specifically, the initial temperature rising period P1a of the first period P1 may be configured to be changeable based on the speed of the temperature rise of the heater 30 . Specifically, the controller 22 is preferably configured to shorten the length of the first period P1 as the period from when the heater 30 starts heating until the temperature reaches the predetermined temperature is shorter.

In the present embodiment, the first period P1 ends when the predetermined period (P1b+P1c) has elapsed after the temperature of the heater 30 reached the first target temperature TA1. That is, if the temperature of the heater 30 rises faster, the period P1a from the time T0 when power supply to the heater 30 is started until the temperature of the heater 30 reaches the first target temperature TA1 becomes shorter. The predetermined period of time (P1b+P1c) is preferably 25-41 seconds and may typically be 33 seconds.

In this way, when the temperature of the heater 30 rises quickly, the preheating period can be shortened to reduce power consumption during the preheating period.
The variable range of the first period P1, more specifically, the variable range of the period (P1a+P1b) until the notification of the start of the suctionable period preferably has a predetermined upper limit. For example, the upper limit of the period (P1a+P1b) from the start of power supply T0 to the notice T2 of the start of the suckable period is preferably 40 to 60 seconds, typically 50 seconds. This prevents the controller 22 from continuing preheating without transitioning to the second period P2 when the temperature of the heater 30 does not reach the first target temperature TA1.

Next, the controller 22 controls the temperature of the heater 30 toward a second target temperature TA2 lower than the first target temperature TA1 during a second period P2 after the first period P1. That is, the controller 22 controls the heater 30 so that the temperature of the heater 30 is lowered from the first target temperature TA1 and maintained at the second target temperature TA2.

The second target temperature TA2 is preferably in the range of 190-210°C and may typically be 200°C. The second period of time P2 preferably ranges from 105 to 160 seconds and may typically be 130 seconds. The second period P2 is preferably longer than the first period P1 and a third period P3 described later. Since the second period is a period in which the temperature is maintained higher than that in the third period P3, it is a period in which the aerosol can be stably supplied. As a result, the period during which the aerosol can be stably supplied can be relatively lengthened.

By lowering the target temperature in the second period P2, the power consumed in the second period P2 can be reduced.
The control unit 22 may have a first OFF period during which power supply to the heater 30 is stopped from the end of the first period P1 to the beginning of the second period P2. By providing the first OFF period, the temperature can be lowered from the first target temperature TA1 to the second target temperature TA2 in the shortest time. The controller 22 can continue to measure the temperature of the heater 30 even during the first off period. In this case, the controller 22 can be configured to resume power supply to the heater 30 when the temperature of the heater 30 drops to near the second target temperature TA2.

The first OFF period is preferably a time interval such that a typical user would not perform two or more suction operations. If the user performs the suction operation twice or more during the OFF period, the temperature of the heater 30 may drop rapidly and drop significantly below the second target temperature TA2. In this case, the amount of aerosol generated from smoking article 110 may decrease. Assuming that the time interval between normal suction actions by a typical user is approximately 20 seconds, the first OFF period is preferably in the range of 15 to 20 seconds, for example. The first target temperature TA1 and the second target temperature TA2 are set so that the temperature drop from the first target temperature TA1 to the second target temperature TA2 due to natural cooling during the first OFF period is performed within the above time range. can be Alternatively, the control unit 22 can be configured to measure the elapsed time of the first OFF period and forcibly restart the power supply to the heater 30 when the first OFF period reaches a predetermined upper limit value. . In this case, the upper limit of the first OFF period is preferably 15 to 20 seconds.

Next, the controller 22 controls the temperature of the heater 30 toward a third target temperature TA3 lower than the second target temperature TA2 during a third period P3 after the second period P2. That is, the controller 22 controls the heater 30 so that the temperature of the heater 30 is further lowered from the second target temperature TA1 and maintained at the third target temperature TA3. The third target temperature TA3 is preferably in the range of 175-190°C and may typically be 185°C. The third time period P3 preferably ranges from 30 to 90 seconds and may typically be 60 seconds. By further lowering the target temperature in the third period P3, the power consumed in the third period P3 can be further reduced.

The temperature difference (ΔT12) between the first target temperature TA1 and the second target temperature TA2 is preferably larger than the temperature difference (ΔT23) between the second target temperature TA2 and the third target temperature TA3. Since the power consumption of the heater 30 is greater in the second period P2 than in the third period P3, the temperature difference (ΔT23) at the transition from the second period P2 to the third period P3 is greater than the temperature difference (ΔT23) from the first period P1 to the second period P3. Increasing the temperature difference (ΔT12) at the transition to period P2 leads to a reduction in power consumption throughout the entire period. Therefore, ΔT12/ΔT23 is preferably greater than one. On the other hand, if ΔT12 is excessively increased with respect to ΔT23, the target temperature TA2 in the second period P2 intended to stably supply the aerosol becomes relatively low, and thus the aerosol generation in the second period P2 may become unstable. There is Therefore, ΔT12/ΔT23 preferably has a predetermined upper limit. The upper limit of ΔT12/ΔT23 may be 2.5, for example. ΔT12/ΔT23 is preferably between 1.0 and 2.5 and may typically be 2.0.

The control unit 22 may have a second OFF period during which power supply to the heater 30 is stopped from the end of the second period P2 to the beginning of the third period P3. By providing the second off period, the temperature can be lowered from the second target temperature TA2 to the third target temperature TA3 in the shortest time. The controller 22 can continue to measure the temperature of the heater 30 even during the second off period. In this case, the controller 22 can be configured to resume power supply to the heater 30 when the temperature of the heater 30 drops to around the third target temperature TA3. Like the first OFF period, the second OFF period is preferably such a time interval that a typical user does not perform suction operations twice or more, for example, in the range of 15 to 20 seconds. Preferably. The second target temperature TA2 and the third target temperature TA3 are set so that the temperature drop from the second target temperature TA2 to the third target temperature TA3 due to natural cooling during the second off period is performed within the above time range. can be Alternatively, the control unit 22 can be configured to measure the elapsed time of the second OFF period and forcibly restart the power supply to the heater 30 when the second OFF period reaches a predetermined upper limit value. .

As described above, the temperature difference (ΔT12) between the first target temperature TA1 and the second target temperature TA2 is larger than the temperature difference (ΔT23) between the second target temperature TA2 and the third target temperature TA3 from the viewpoint of power consumption reduction. However, this relationship is also preferable from the viewpoint of making the values of the first off period and the second off period as close as possible. According to Newton's law of cooling, the rate of temperature drop during natural cooling is greater in a high temperature zone than in a low temperature zone. It is necessary to relatively increase the temperature difference (ΔT12) between the first target temperature TA1 and the second target temperature TA2. If the temperature difference (ΔT12) between the first target temperature TA1 and the second target temperature TA2 is made equal to the temperature difference (ΔT23) between the second target temperature TA2 and the third target temperature TA3, or the former temperature difference (ΔT12 ) is made smaller than the latter temperature difference (ΔT23), the first OFF period is always shorter than the second OFF period, so it is theoretically impossible to make the two OFF periods the same.

Also, the ratio of the difference between the first target temperature TA1 and the second target temperature TA2 to the difference between the second target temperature TA2 and the third target temperature TA3 is preferably less than 2.5. This is because the difference between the first target temperature TA1 and the second target temperature TA2 is not made too large, so that the aerosol can be stably generated in the middle of the puffable period.

From the viewpoint of power consumption reduction, it may be preferable to control the heater 30 at the third target temperature TA3 without going from the first target temperature TA1 to the second target temperature TA2. However, in that case, the period (second OFF period) for reaching the third target temperature TA3 from the first target temperature TA1 becomes relatively long. The power supply to the heater 30 is stopped during the period from the first target temperature TA1 to the third target temperature TA3. The temperature may drop significantly. Before shifting from the first target temperature TA1 to the third target temperature TA3, by passing through the second target temperature TA2 between the first target temperature TA1 and the third target temperature TA2, from between one target temperature to another The period required for transition to the target temperature can be shortened. As a result, the duration of the OFF period during which the power supply to the heater 30 is stopped is relatively short, so that the temperature of the smoking article drops excessively due to multiple inhalation actions, resulting in unstable aerosol generation. can be prevented from becoming

The control unit 22 stops power supply to the heater 30 at the same time as the end of the third period P3. Next, the control unit 22 notifies the end of the suckable period at timing T7 after a predetermined period of time has passed since the power supply to the heater 30 was stopped (timing T6). In other words, even after the power supply to the heater 30 is stopped, the user is urged to inhale the aerosol until the predetermined period elapses, and the residual heat of the heater 30 and the smoking article 110 allows the user to enjoy the aerosol. be able to. The notification of the end of the suctionable period can be performed by the notification unit 40, for example, control to change the emission color of a light emitting element such as an LED, change the emission pattern, drive a vibration element, or It can be done by a combination of these.

After the heater 30 passes through the first period P1, the second period P2, and the third period P3 of the heating profile, the heat of the heater 30 is sufficiently transmitted to the inside of the smoking article 110. FIG. Therefore, in the period from the end of the third period P3 to the end of the inhalable period, that is, in the fourth period P4 in FIG. . However, in the fourth period P4, as in the first off period and the second off period, aerosol generation tends to become unstable, so it is preferable that the fourth period P4 be a time interval that prevents the user from inhaling twice or more. preferable. Therefore, the fourth period P4 is preferably 5 to 15 seconds and may typically be 10 seconds.

Further, the control unit 22 can notify the user that the end of the suction-enabled period is approaching at timing T5, which is earlier than the timing T7 at which the end of the suction-enabled period is notified by a predetermined period Pe. Such notification can be made, for example, 20 to 40 seconds before the end of the suckable period. Such notification can be performed by the notification unit 40, for example, by changing the light emission color of a light emitting element such as an LED, changing the light emission pattern, controlling the driving of a vibration element, or a combination thereof. be able to.

In the aspect described above, the control unit 22 stops supplying power to the heater 30 at the end of the third period P3. In addition, the control unit 22 may stop power supply to the heater 30 even during the second period P2 or the third period P3 when the number of suction operations by the user exceeds a predetermined number. . User puffing can be detected, for example, by the temperature sensor described above.

Refer to FIG. 8 again. The delivery profile of the primary aerosol component may depend primarily on the heating profile of heater 30 . Specifically, the delivery profile of the primary aerosol component can essentially correspond to the temperature profile inside the smoking article 110 . Since the temperature profile inside the smoking article 110 follows the heating profile of the heater 30, it generally tends to be delayed in time with respect to the heating profile.

Therefore, by setting the first target temperature TA1 in the first period P1 to the highest temperature throughout the heating profile, the delivery profile of the main aerosol component tends to form a steep rising curve in the initial Q1. Also, by maintaining the temperature of the heater 30 at the second target temperature TA2 for most of the second period P2 after the first period P1, the delivery profile of the main aerosol component is stable in the middle Q2 with less variation from inhalation to inhalation. It becomes easier to form the period SP. Further, by controlling the temperature of the heater 30 toward a third target temperature TA3 that is lower than the second target temperature TA2 during a third period P3 after the second period P2, the delivery profile of the main aerosol component is It becomes easy to form a downward curve at . In particular, by reducing the temperature difference T23 between the second target temperature TA2 and the third target temperature TA3, the delivery profile of the main aerosol component tends to form a gentler downward curve in the final stage Q3. As described above, by controlling the heating of the heater 30 according to the heating profile illustrated in FIG. 8, the delivery profile of the main aerosol component as a whole tends to form an upwardly convex curve with a maximum point in the middle Q2. , it becomes easy to form a steep rising curve in the initial period Q1, and easy to form a gentle downward curve in the final period Q3.

As previously mentioned, the delivery profile of the primary aerosol components is primarily dependent on the heating profile of heater 30 . However, the delivery profile of the primary aerosol component depends on the shape of the heater 30, the presence and shape of the insulation 138, the size of the smoking article 110, the degree of contact between the heater 30 and the smoking article 110, and the heated portion of the heater 30 with respect to the smoking article 110. may vary depending on factors such as the position of Therefore, the heating profile of heater 30 and these factors may be combined appropriately to achieve the desired delivery profile of the primary aerosol component.

For example, when the heater 30 has a cylindrical shape surrounding the outer circumference of the columnar smoking article, the heat transferred to the smoking article 110 is less likely to escape to the outside, so the delivery profile of the main aerosol component easily follows the heating profile of the heater 30. Become. Similarly, if the tubular heat insulating material 138 is positioned radially outward of the heater 30 , the heat transferred to the smoking article 110 is less likely to escape to the outside. makes it easier to follow. In this case, the rate of increase of the delivery profile in the initial Q1 is relatively greater, so that the overall rising curve of the delivery profile in the initial Q1 can be steeper. On the other hand, the downward curve of the delivery profile at the end Q3 may be generally gentler because the rate of decline of the delivery profile at the end Q3 is relatively slow.

Also, the smaller the size of the smoking article 110 , more specifically, the smaller the diameter of the smoking article 110 , the more easily the heat from the outside of the smoking article 110 is transferred to the inside of the smoking article 110 . Therefore, the smaller the diameter of smoking article 110 , the more likely the delivery profile of the primary aerosol component will follow the heating profile of heater 30 .

Also, the higher the degree of contact between the heater 30 and the smoking article 110 during use, the more easily the heat from the heater 30 is transferred to the smoking article 110 . That is, when the smoking article 110 is inserted into the insertion hole 130, the smaller the gap between the smoking article 110 and the inner cylindrical member 132, the easier it is for the delivery profile of the main aerosol component to follow the heating profile of the heater 30. Become.

The delivery profile of the primary aerosol component may also depend on the positional relationship between smoking article 110 and heater 30 . Referring again to FIG. 7, the heater 30 is preferably positioned to extend from the substrate portion 11A containing the aerosol source in the smoking article 110 across the paper tube portion 114 containing no aerosol source. As a result, the heat from the heater 30 is sufficiently easily transmitted to the downstream end surface of the base material portion 11A and its vicinity, so that the delivery profile of the main aerosol component easily follows the heating profile of the heater 30. Furthermore, the inner cylindrical member 132, which contacts the smoking article 110 on its inner peripheral surface and contacts the heater 3 on its outer peripheral surface, also extends from the base material portion 11A containing the aerosol source to the paper tube portion 114 not containing the aerosol source. is preferably arranged. In particular, it is preferable that the downstream end of the inner cylindrical member 132 protrude further downstream than the downstream end of the heater 30 . As a result, not only the downstream end surface of the base material portion 11A but also the upstream end surface of the paper tube portion 114 and its vicinity can be sufficiently heated, so that aerosol aggregation there is suppressed, so that the overall delivery profile is increased. become a factor. Note that the heating portion 31 of the heater 30 is a portion that is actively heated. In the case of a heater that includes a heating resistor, the heating portion 31 of the heater 30 refers to the heating resistor.

Additionally, the delivery profile of the primary aerosol component can also be attributed to the components that make up smoking article 110 . More specifically, the amount of water contained in the smoking article 110 can affect the rate of increase in the initial Q1 of the delivery profile of the primary aerosol component. For example, if the smoking article 110 contains a relatively high amount of moisture, the heat from the heater 30 is used to vaporize the moisture instead of heating the aerosol source, thus slowing the rate of increase in the delivery profile of the primary aerosol component. can be a factor This may result in an overall more gradual delivery profile in early Q1. As previously mentioned, aerosol derived from moisture in the smoking article 110 is typically not included in the primary aerosol component.

By appropriately setting the heating profile of the heater 30 while considering the factors affecting the delivery profile as described above, the desired delivery profile of the main aerosol components described above can be realized.

(Program and storage medium)
The control flow for realizing the heating profile and/or the delivery profile of the main aerosol components described above can be executed by the controller 22 . That is, the present invention may also include a program that causes the flavor inhaler 100 and/or the aerosol generator 120 to execute the above method, and a storage medium that stores the program. Such storage media may be non-transitory storage media.

[Other embodiments]
Although the present invention has been described by the above-described embodiments, the statements and drawings forming part of this disclosure should not be construed as limiting the present invention. Various alternative embodiments, implementations and operational techniques will become apparent to those skilled in the art from this disclosure.

Claims (16)

a heater configured to heat a smoking article including an aerosol source;
and a controller that controls the heating profile of the heater,
The smoking article includes a substrate portion containing an aerosol source and a tube portion not containing an aerosol source, wherein the tube portion is made of a paper tube,
The heating portion of the heater is configured to be in thermal contact with the outer circumference of the smoking article to heat the outer circumference of the smoking article, and the heating portion extends from the base portion of the smoking article to the tubular portion of the smoking article. arranged to heat the article,
Aerosol generator. 2. The aerosol generating device according to claim 1, wherein the tube portion is located downstream of the substrate portion in the flow direction of the generated aerosol. 3. The aerosol generating device according to claim 1, further comprising a heat insulating layer surrounding the heating portion to block heat from the heater. 4. The aerosol generating device of claim 3 , wherein the heat insulating layer is provided within a closed space. 5. The aerosol generating device according to any one of claims 1 to 4 , wherein the heating portion has a cylindrical shape surrounding the circumference of the columnar smoking article. 6. The aerosol generating device of any one of claims 1-5 , wherein the heating portion is a resistive heating element. The aerosol generating device according to any one of claims 1 to 6 , wherein the heating portion protrudes downstream from the downstream end of the base material portion with a length of 1.5 to 3.5 mm. 8. The aerosol generating device according to claim 7 , wherein the length of protrusion of the heating portion from the downstream end of the base material portion to the downstream side is 2.5 mm. The aerosol generating device according to claim 7 or 8 , wherein the ratio of the protruding length of said heating portion to the length of said base portion is 0.075 to 0.175. The controller is configured to control the heating portion such that an aerosol delivery profile during a predetermined inhalable period has one or more maxima between a start point and an end point of the inhalable period. 10. The aerosol generating device of any one of claims 1-9 , wherein 11. The aerosol generating device according to any one of claims 1 to 10 , comprising a temperature sensor installed near said heater. 12. The aerosol generating device according to any one of claims 1 to 11 , wherein the upstream end of the base portion protrudes beyond the heating portion. 13. The aerosol generating device according to claim 12 , wherein the ratio of the protruding length of the upstream end of the base portion to the length of the base portion is 0.25 to 0.40. 14. The aerosol generating device according to claim 12 or 13 , wherein the protruding length of the upstream end of the base material is 5-8 mm. A method of heating a smoking article using an aerosol generating device comprising a heater configured to heat a smoking article including an aerosol source, and a controller for controlling a heating profile of the heater, the method comprising:
The smoking article includes a substrate portion containing an aerosol source, and a tube portion located downstream of the substrate portion in a flow direction of the generated aerosol, the tube portion being made of a paper tube,
A heating portion of the heater is arranged to extend from the base portion of the smoking article over the tubular portion of the smoking article in thermal contact with the outer periphery of the smoking article so as to be able to heat the outer periphery of the smoking article. , the method of simultaneously heating the substrate portion and at least a portion of the tube portion on the substrate portion side. a smoking article comprising an aerosol source;
an aerosol generating device comprising a heater configured to heat the smoking article and a controller for controlling a heating profile of the heater;
An aerosol generating system comprising:
The smoking article includes a substrate portion containing an aerosol source, and a tube portion located downstream of the substrate portion in a flow direction of the generated aerosol, the tube portion being made of a paper tube,
The heating portion of the heater is configured to be in thermal contact with the outer circumference of the smoking article to heat the outer circumference of the smoking article, and the heating portion extends from the base portion of the smoking article to the tubular portion of the smoking article. arranged to heat the article,
Aerosol generation system.

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