JP7756245B2 - Aerosol Generator - Google Patents

Description

This disclosure relates to an aerosol generating device.

Aerosol generating devices are used to extract specific components from a medium or substance via an aerosol. The medium can contain a variety of substances. The substances contained in the medium can be flavoring substances with a variety of components. For example, the substances contained in the medium can include nicotine, herbal, and/or coffee components. In recent years, much research has been conducted into such aerosol generating devices.

This disclosure aims to solve the above-mentioned problems and other problems.

Another object of the present disclosure is to provide an aerosol generating device that can determine whether an inserted stick has been used and prevent the reuse of a used stick.

Another object of the present disclosure is to provide an aerosol generating device that can minimize changes in the aerosol scent by determining whether the stick has been used by heating the portion of the stick that does not contain the medium at a relatively low temperature.

Another object of the present disclosure is to provide an aerosol generating device that can determine whether an inserted stick has been used, regardless of the type of stick used.

Another object of the present disclosure is to provide an aerosol generating device that can grasp the extent to which a stick has been used.

An aerosol generating device according to one aspect of the subject matter described in this application includes an elongated housing that defines an insertion space; a first heater that is positioned adjacent to one end of the insertion space in the longitudinal direction of the insertion space and heats an aerosol-generating substance; a color sensor that is positioned adjacent to the insertion space and faces the insertion space; and a second heater that heats at least a portion of the outer surface of a stick inserted into the insertion space, the color sensor being positioned above the second heater along the longitudinal direction of the insertion space.

At least one of the embodiments of the present disclosure can determine whether an inserted stick has been used and prevent the stick from being reused.

According to at least one embodiment of the present disclosure, changes in the aerosol scent can be minimized by determining whether the stick has been used by heating the portion of the stick that does not contain the medium at a relatively low temperature.

At least one embodiment of the present disclosure makes it possible to determine whether an inserted stick has been used, regardless of the type of stick used.

At least one of the embodiments of the present disclosure makes it possible to determine the extent to which a stick has been used.

Further scope of applicability of the present disclosure will become apparent from the following detailed description. However, since various changes and modifications within the spirit and scope of the present disclosure will be apparent to those skilled in the art, it should be understood that the detailed description and specific examples, such as preferred embodiments of the present disclosure, are given by way of example only.

FIG. 1 is a block diagram illustrating an example of an aerosol generating device. FIG. 1 is a diagram illustrating an example of an aerosol generating device. FIG. 1 is a diagram illustrating an example of an aerosol generating device. FIG. 1 is a diagram illustrating an example of an aerosol generating device. FIG. 10 is a diagram illustrating an example of a stick. FIG. 10 is a diagram illustrating an example of a stick. FIG. 10 is a diagram illustrating an example of a stick. FIG. 1 is a diagram illustrating an aerosol generating device according to an embodiment of the present disclosure. FIG. 1 is a diagram illustrating an aerosol generating device according to an embodiment of the present disclosure. FIG. 1 is a diagram illustrating an aerosol generating device according to an embodiment of the present disclosure. 1 is a flowchart illustrating the operation of an aerosol generating device according to an embodiment of the present disclosure. 1 is a flowchart illustrating the operation of an aerosol generating device according to an embodiment of the present disclosure. 1 is a flowchart illustrating the operation of an aerosol generating device according to an embodiment of the present disclosure.

The embodiments disclosed in this specification will now be described in detail with reference to the accompanying drawings. Identical or similar components will be given the same reference numerals even if they are shown in different drawings, and duplicate descriptions thereof will be omitted.

The suffixes "module" and "section" used in the following description for components are used solely for ease of explanation. "Module" and "section" do not have distinct meanings or roles.

Furthermore, in the following description of the embodiments disclosed herein, detailed descriptions of related publicly known technologies will be omitted if they may obscure the gist of the embodiments disclosed herein. Furthermore, the attached drawings are intended to facilitate understanding of the embodiments disclosed herein, and do not limit the technical concepts disclosed herein. Therefore, the attached drawings should be interpreted as including all modifications, equivalents, and alternatives within the spirit and scope of the present disclosure.

Terms including ordinal numbers such as "first," "second," etc. may be used to describe various components, but it should be understood that the components are not limited by these terms. These terms are used solely to distinguish one component from another.

When a component is said to be "connected" to another component, it is understood that there may be other components in between. On the other hand, when a component is said to be "directly connected" to another component, it is understood that there are no other components in between.

Singular expressions include plural expressions unless the context clearly dictates otherwise.

Figure 1 is a block diagram of an aerosol generating device according to one embodiment of the present disclosure.

Referring to FIG. 1, the aerosol generating device 10 may include a communication interface 11, an input/output interface 12, an aerosol generating module 13, a memory 14, a sensor module 15, a battery 16, a stick usage detection module 18, and/or a control unit 17.

In one embodiment, the aerosol generating device 10 may be composed of only the main body 100. In this case, the components included in the aerosol generating device 10 may be disposed in the main body 100. In another embodiment, the aerosol generating device 10 may be composed of the main body 100 and a cartridge 200 that stores the aerosol generating material. In this case, the components included in the aerosol generating device 10 may be disposed in at least one of the main body 100 and the cartridge 200.

The communication interface 11 may include at least one communication module for communication with an external device and/or network. For example, the communication interface 11 may include a communication module for wired communication such as USB (universal serial bus). For example, the communication interface 11 may include a communication module for wireless communication such as Wi-Fi (wireless fidelity) (registered trademark), Bluetooth (registered trademark), Bluetooth (registered trademark) low power (BLE), Zigbee (registered trademark), or NFC (near field communication).

The input/output interface 12 may include an input device that receives commands from a user and/or an output device that outputs information to a user. For example, the input device may include a touch panel, physical buttons, a microphone, etc. For example, the output device may include a display device that outputs visual information such as a display or light-emitting diode (LED), an audio device that outputs auditory information such as a speaker or buzzer, a motor that outputs tactile information such as a haptic effect, etc.

The input/output interface 12 can transmit data corresponding to commands input by a user via an input device to other components (etc.) of the aerosol generating device 10. The input/output interface 12 can output information corresponding to data received from other components (etc.) of the aerosol generating device 10 via an output device.

The aerosol generating module 13 can generate an aerosol from an aerosol generating material. Here, the aerosol generating material can refer to any one or a combination of two or more substances in various states, such as liquid, solid, or gel, that can generate an aerosol.

In one embodiment, the liquid aerosol-forming material may be a liquid containing a tobacco-containing substance, including a volatile tobacco flavor component. In another embodiment, the liquid aerosol-forming material may be a liquid containing a non-tobacco substance. For example, the liquid aerosol-forming material may include water, solvent, nicotine, plant extracts, flavorings, flavoring agents, vitamin mixtures, etc.

Solid-state aerosol-generating materials can include solid materials based on tobacco raw materials, such as reconstituted tobacco sheets, shredded tobacco, and granulated tobacco. Solid-state aerosol-generating materials can also include solid materials containing taste modifiers, seasonings, and the like. For example, taste modifiers can include calcium carbonate, sodium bicarbonate, calcium oxide, and the like. For example, seasonings can include natural substances such as herb granules, and silica, zeolite, dextrin, and the like containing fragrance ingredients.

The aerosol generating material may also contain an aerosol forming agent such as glycerin or propylene glycol.

The aerosol generation module 13 may include at least one heater 131.

The aerosol generation module 13 may include an electrical resistance heater. For example, the electrical resistance heater may include at least one electrically conductive track and may be heated by an electric current flowing through the electrically conductive track. Here, the aerosol generating material may be heated by the heated electrical resistance heater.

The electrically conductive track may include an electrically resistive material. As an example, the electrically conductive track may be formed from a metal material. As another example, the electrically conductive track may be formed from a ceramic material, carbon, a metal alloy, or a composite of a ceramic material and a metal.

An electric resistance heater may include an electrically conductive track formed in a variety of shapes. For example, the electrically conductive track may be formed in any one of the following shapes: tubular, plate-shaped, needle-shaped, rod-shaped, and coil-shaped.

The aerosol generation module 13 may include a heater that uses induction heating. For example, the induction heater may include an electrically conductive coil, and an alternating magnetic field whose direction periodically changes may be generated by adjusting the current flowing through the electrically conductive coil. When an alternating magnetic field is applied to a magnetic material, energy loss due to eddy current loss and hysteresis loss may occur in the magnetic material. The lost energy may be released as thermal energy, heating the aerosol-generating material adjacent to the magnetic material. Here, the object that generates heat due to the magnetic field may be referred to as a susceptor.

On the other hand, the aerosol generation module 13 can also generate aerosol from the aerosol-generating substance by generating ultrasonic vibrations.

The aerosol generation module 13 may be referred to as a cartomizer, atomizer, vaporizer, etc.

When the aerosol generating device 10 is composed of a cartridge 200 containing an aerosol generating substance and a main body 100, the aerosol generating module 13 may be disposed in at least one of the main body 100 and the cartridge 200.

Memory 14 can store programs for each signal processing and control within control unit 17, and can store data processed by control unit 17 and data to be processed.

For example, memory 14 may store application programs designed to perform various tasks that can be processed by control unit 17, and may selectively provide some of the stored application programs upon request from control unit 17.

For example, the memory 14 can store the operating time of the aerosol generating device 10, the maximum number of puffs, the current number of puffs, at least one temperature profile, data on the user's inhalation pattern, data on charging and discharging, etc. Here, puffing can refer to the user's inhalation, and inhalation can refer to the situation in which the user inhales through the mouth or nose into the user's oral cavity, nasal cavity, or lungs.

For example, memory 14 may store color signal range information for determining whether a stick is inserted, color signal range information for determining whether a stick is being used, and color signal range information for determining the degree to which a stick is being used.

Memory 14 may include at least one of volatile memory (e.g., DRAM, SRAM, SDRAM, etc.) and non-volatile memory (e.g., flash memory, hard disk drive (HDD), solid-state drive (SSD), etc.).

The memory 14 may be located in at least one of the main body 100 and the cartridge 200. The memory 14 may be located in each of the main body 100 and the cartridge 200. For example, the memory of the main body 100 may store information about the configuration located inside the main body 100, such as information about the total capacity of the battery 190. For example, the memory of the main body 100 may store cartridge information received from a cartridge 200 previously or currently coupled to the main body 100, and the memory of the cartridge 200 may store cartridge information including cartridge identification information (ID information), cartridge type information, etc.

The sensor module 15 may include at least one sensor.

For example, the sensor module 15 may include a sensor that detects puffs (hereinafter referred to as a "puff sensor"). Here, the puff sensor may be embodied as a proximity sensor such as an IR sensor, a pressure sensor, a gyro sensor, an acceleration sensor, a magnetic field sensor, etc.

For example, the sensor module 15 may include a sensor (hereinafter referred to as a temperature sensor) that detects the temperature of the heater 131 included in the aerosol generation module 13, the temperature of the aerosol generation material, etc.

Here, the heater 131 included in the aerosol generation module 13 may also function as a temperature sensor. For example, the electrically resistive material of the heater 131 may be a material having a temperature coefficient of resistance (TCR). The sensor module 15 can sense the temperature of the heater 131 by measuring the resistance of the heater 131, which changes depending on the temperature.

For example, if a stick can be inserted into the main body of the aerosol generating device 10, the sensor module 15 may include a sensor that detects the insertion of the stick (hereinafter referred to as a "stick detection sensor").

For example, if the aerosol generating device 10 includes a cartridge 200, the sensor module 15 may include a sensor (hereinafter referred to as a "cartridge detection sensor") that detects the attachment/detachment and position of the cartridge 200 relative to the main body 100.

Here, the stick detection sensor and/or cartridge detection sensor may be implemented using an inductance-based sensor, a capacitance-type sensor, a resistance sensor, a Hall sensor (Hall IC) using the Hall effect, etc. According to some embodiments of the present invention, the cartridge detection sensor may include a connection terminal. The connection terminal is provided on the main body 100, and may be electrically connected to an electrode provided on the cartridge 200 when the cartridge 200 is coupled to the main body 100. The connection terminal may also function as a cartridge detection sensor. For example, the sensor module 15 may detect the attachment/detachment of the cartridge 200 to/from the main body 100 based on the current flowing through the connection terminal, the voltage applied to the connection terminal, etc.

For example, the sensor module 15 may include a voltage sensor that detects the voltage applied to a component (e.g., battery 16) provided in the aerosol generating device 10 and/or a current sensor that detects the current.

For example, the sensor module 15 may include at least one sensor (hereinafter referred to as a motion sensor) that detects the movement of the aerosol generating device 10. Here, the motion sensor may be embodied by at least one of a gyro sensor and an acceleration sensor.

The battery 16 can supply power used to operate the aerosol generation device 10 under the control of the control unit 17. The battery 16 can also supply power to other components provided in the aerosol generation device 10. For example, the battery 16 can supply power to the communication module included in the communication interface 11, the output device included in the input/output interface 12, the heater 131 included in the aerosol generation module 13, etc.

Battery 16 may be a rechargeable battery or a disposable battery. For example, battery 16 may be, but is not limited to, a lithium-ion battery or a lithium polymer (Li-Polymer) battery. For example, if battery 16 is rechargeable, the charge rate (C-rate) of battery 16 may be, but is not limited to, 10C and the discharge rate (C-rate) may be 10C to 20C. Furthermore, for stable use, battery 16 may be manufactured to maintain 80% or more of its full capacity even after 2,000 charge/discharge cycles.

The aerosol generating device 10 may further include a battery protection circuit module (PCM), which is a circuit for protecting the battery 16. The battery protection module (PCM) may be disposed adjacent to the upper surface of the battery 16. For example, to prevent overcharging and over-discharging of the battery 16, the battery protection module (PCM) may cut off the electrical path to the battery 16 when a short circuit occurs in the circuit connected to the battery 16, when an overvoltage is applied to the battery 16, or when an overcurrent flows through the battery 16.

The aerosol generating device 10 may further include a charging terminal to which externally supplied power is input. For example, a charging terminal may be formed on one side of the body of the aerosol generating device 10, and the aerosol generating device 10 may charge the battery 16 using power supplied through the charging terminal. Here, the charging terminal may be a wired terminal for USB communication, a pogo pin, or the like.

The aerosol generation device 10 can also wirelessly receive power supplied from an external source via the communication interface 11. For example, the aerosol generation device 10 can receive power wirelessly using an antenna included in a communication module for wireless communication, and can charge the battery 16 using the wirelessly supplied power.

The stick usage detection module 18 can detect a stick inserted into the aerosol generation device 10. The stick usage detection module 18 can include a second heater 181 and a color sensor 182. The stick usage detection module 18 can be a sensing module separate from the stick detection sensor of the sensor module 15. On the other hand, if the aerosol generation device 10 includes the stick usage detection module 18, the sensor module 15 does not need to include a stick detection sensor.

The second heater 181 may be disposed adjacent to the outer circumferential surface of the insertion space formed in the aerosol generation device 10. The second heater 181 may be disposed at a position corresponding to the support portion included in the stick inserted into the insertion space. The second heater 181 may heat the outer circumferential surface of the stick support portion.

The color sensor 182 emits light into the insertion space, receives light reflected by the stick, and outputs a color signal corresponding to the received reflected light. The color sensor 182 can output different color signals depending on the hue of the outer surface of the stick on which the emitted light is reflected.

The control unit 17 can control the overall operation of the aerosol generation device 10. The control unit 17 is connected to each component provided in the aerosol generation device 10 and can transmit and/or receive signals between each component to control the overall operation of each component.

The control unit 17 may include at least one processor and may use the processor to control the overall operation of the aerosol generating device 10. Here, the processor may be a general processor such as a CPU (central processing unit). Of course, the processor may be a dedicated device such as an ASIC, or a processor based on other hardware.

The control unit 17 can perform any one of the multiple functions of the aerosol generation device 10. For example, the control unit 17 can execute any one of the multiple functions of the aerosol generation device 10 (e.g., preheating function, heating function, charging function, cleaning function, etc.) depending on the state of each component provided in the aerosol generation device 10, user commands received via the input/output interface 12, etc.

The control unit 17 can control the operation of each component of the aerosol generation device 10 based on the data stored in the memory 14. For example, the control unit 17 can control the battery 16 to supply a predetermined amount of power to the aerosol generation module 13 for a predetermined period of time based on data stored in the memory 14 about the temperature profile, the user's inhalation pattern, etc.

The control unit 17 can determine whether a puff has occurred using the puff sensor 151 included in the sensor module 15. For example, the control unit 17 can check temperature changes, flow rate changes, pressure changes, voltage changes, etc. within the aerosol generating device 10 based on the sensing value of the puff sensor 151, and can determine whether a puff has occurred based on the results of the check based on the sensing value of the puff sensor 151.

The control unit 17 can control the operation of each component of the aerosol generating device 10 depending on whether or not a puff is made and/or the number of puffs. For example, the control unit 17 can control the temperature of the first heater and/or the second heater 181 to be changed or maintained based on the temperature profile stored in the memory 14.

The control unit 17 may control the power supply to the first heater 131 to be cut off under certain conditions. For example, the control unit 17 may control the power supply to the first heater 131 to be cut off when the stick is removed and the cartridge 200 is separated, when the number of puffs reaches a preset maximum number of puffs, when no puffs are detected for a preset time, or when the remaining charge of the battery 16 is less than a predetermined value.

The control unit 17 can control the power supply to the second heater 181 according to predetermined conditions. For example, when a stick is inserted into the insertion space, when the number of puffs reaches a predetermined maximum number of puffs, or between puffs (between puffs), the control unit 17 can control the power supply to the second heater 131.

The control unit 17 can calculate the remaining amount of power stored in the battery 16. For example, the control unit 17 can calculate the remaining amount of power in the battery 16 based on the sensing values of the voltage sensor and/or current sensor included in the sensor module 15.

The control unit 17 can control the supply of power to the heater 131 using at least one of a pulse width modulation (PWM) method and a proportional-integral-differential (PID) method.

For example, the control unit 17 can use a PWM method to control current pulses having a predetermined frequency and duty ratio to be supplied to the first heater 131 and/or the second heater 181. Here, the control unit 17 can control the power supplied to the first heater 131 and/or the second heater 181 by adjusting the frequency and duty ratio of the current pulses.

For example, the control unit 17 can determine a target temperature to be controlled based on the temperature profile. Here, the control unit 17 can control the power supplied to the first heater 131 and/or the second heater 181 using a PID method, which is a feedback control method that uses the difference between the temperature of the first heater 131 and/or the second heater 181 and the target temperature, the value obtained by integrating the difference over time, and the value obtained by differentiating the difference over time.

For example, the control unit 17 can control the power supplied to the first heater 131 and/or the second heater 181 based on the temperature profile. The control unit 17 can control the length of the heating section in which the first heater 131 and/or the second heater 181 are heated, the amount of power supplied to the heater 131 during the heating section, etc. The control unit 17 can control the power supplied to the first heater 131 and/or the second heater 181 based on the target temperature of the first heater 131 and/or the second heater 181.

Meanwhile, while the PWM method and the PID method have been described as examples of control methods for supplying power to the first heater 131 and/or the second heater 181, the present invention is not limited to these, and various control methods such as the Proportional-Integral (PI) method and the Proportional-Differential (PD) method can also be used.

The control unit 17 can determine the temperature of the first heater 131 and/or the second heater 181 and can adjust the power supplied to the first heater 131 and/or the second heater 181 depending on the temperature of the first heater 131 and/or the second heater 181. For example, the control unit 17 can determine the temperature of the heater 131 by checking the resistance value of the first heater 131 and/or the second heater 181, the current flowing through the first heater 131 and/or the second heater 181, and/or the voltage applied to the heater 131.

Meanwhile, the control unit 17 can control the heater 131 to supply power under preset conditions. For example, if a cleaning function for cleaning the space into which the stick is inserted is selected according to a command input by the user via the input/output interface 12, the control unit 17 can control the first heater 131 to supply a predetermined amount of power.

Figures 2 to 4 are diagrams illustrating an aerosol generating device according to an embodiment of the present disclosure.

According to various embodiments of the present invention, the aerosol generating device 10 may include a main body 100 and/or a cartridge 200.

Referring to FIG. 2, an aerosol generating device 10 according to one embodiment may include a main body 100 configured to allow a stick 20 to be inserted into a space formed by a housing 101.

The stick 20 may be similar to a typical combustible cigarette. For example, the stick 20 may be divided into a first portion containing an aerosol-generating substance and a second portion containing a filter or the like. Alternatively, the second portion of the stick 20 may also contain an aerosol-generating substance. For example, the aerosol-generating substance manufactured in the form of granules or capsules may be inserted into the second portion.

The entire first part may be inserted into the aerosol generating device 10, and the second part may be exposed to the outside. Alternatively, only a portion of the first part, or both the first part and the second part, may be inserted into the aerosol generating device 10. A user can inhale the aerosol by holding the second part in their mouth. Here, the aerosol is generated when external air passes through the first part, and the generated aerosol can be delivered to the user's mouth by passing through the second part.

The main body 100 may be configured to allow external air to flow into the main body 100 when the stick 20 is inserted. Here, the external air that flows into the main body 100 can pass through the stick 20 and flow into the user's mouth.

The heater may be positioned within the body 100 at a location corresponding to the location where the stick 20 is inserted into the body 100. In this illustration, the heater is shown as an electrically conductive heater 110 including a needle-shaped electrically conductive track, but the present invention is not limited in this respect.

The heater can heat the inside and/or outside of the stick 20 using power supplied from the battery 16. An aerosol can then be generated from the heated stick 20. The user can then inhale the tobacco-flavored aerosol by inhaling through one end of the stick 20 with their mouth.

Meanwhile, the control unit 17 can control the heater to supply power even when the stick 20 is not inserted, depending on certain conditions. For example, if a cleaning function for cleaning the space into which the stick 20 is inserted is selected according to a command input by the user via the input/output interface 12, the control unit 17 can control the heater to supply a predetermined amount of power.

The control unit 17 can monitor the number of puffs based on the sensing value of the puff sensor from the moment the stick 20 is inserted.

When the inserted stick 20 is removed, the control unit 17 can initialize the current number of puffs stored in the memory 14.

Referring to FIG. 3, an aerosol generating device 100 according to one embodiment may include a main body 100 that supports a cartridge 200, and the cartridge 200 stores an aerosol-generating substance. The main body 100 may be configured so that a stick 20 can be inserted into the insertion space 130.

In one embodiment, the cartridge 200 may be configured to be detachable from the main body 100. In another embodiment, the cartridge 200 may be configured as an integral part of the main body 100. For example, the cartridge 200 may be attached to the main body 100 by inserting at least a portion of the cartridge 200 into the internal space formed by the housing 101 of the main body 100.

The main body 100 may be configured to allow external air to flow into the main body 100 when the cartridge 200 is inserted. Here, the external air that flows into the main body 100 can flow through the cartridge 200 to the user's mouth.

The control unit 17 can determine whether the cartridge 200 is attached or detached using the cartridge detection sensor included in the sensor module 15. For example, the cartridge detection sensor can transmit a pulse current through one terminal connected to the cartridge 200. Here, the cartridge detection sensor can detect whether the cartridge 200 is attached or detached based on whether the pulse current is received through another terminal.

The cartridge 200 may include a heater 210 for heating an aerosol-generating substance and/or a reservoir 220 for storing the aerosol-generating substance. For example, a liquid transfer means impregnated with (containing) the aerosol-generating substance may be disposed inside the reservoir 220. The electrically conductive track of the heater 210 may be formed in a structure that wraps around the liquid transfer means. Here, the liquid transfer means is heated by the heater 210, thereby generating an aerosol. Here, the liquid transfer means may include a wick made of cotton fiber, ceramic fiber, glass fiber, or porous ceramic.

The cartridge 200 may include an insertion space 230 configured to allow the stick 20 to be inserted. For example, the cartridge 200 may include an insertion space formed by an inner wall (not shown) extending circumferentially along the direction in which the stick 20 is inserted. Here, the insertion space may be formed by opening the inside of the inner wall upward and downward. The stick 20 may be inserted into the insertion space 230 formed by the inner wall.

The insertion space into which the stick 20 is inserted may be formed in a shape that corresponds to the shape of the portion of the stick 20 that will be inserted into the insertion space. For example, if the stick 20 is formed in a cylindrical shape, the insertion space may be formed in a cylindrical shape.

When the stick 20 is inserted into the insertion space, the outer periphery of the stick 20 is surrounded by the inner wall and may come into contact with the inner wall.

A portion of the stick 20 can be inserted into the insertion space 230 of the cartridge 200, with the remainder exposed to the outside.

The user can inhale the aerosol while holding one end of the stick 20 in their mouth. The aerosol generated by the heater 210 can pass through the stick 20 and be delivered to the user's mouth. As the aerosol passes through the stick 20, the substance contained in the stick 20 is added to the aerosol, and the aerosol with the added substance can be inhaled into the user's mouth through one end of the stick 20.

Referring to FIG. 4, an aerosol generating device 10 according to one embodiment may include a main body 100 that supports a cartridge 200, and the cartridge 200 holds an aerosol-generating substance. The main body 100 may be configured so that a stick 20 can be inserted into the insertion space 130.

The aerosol generating device 10 may include a first heater that heats the aerosol-generating material stored in the cartridge 200. For example, when a user inhales through one end of the stick 20 into their mouth, the aerosol generated by the first heater can pass through the stick 20. Here, as the aerosol passes through the stick 20, a flavor can be added to the aerosol. The flavored aerosol can be inhaled into the user's mouth through one end of the stick 20.

Meanwhile, in another embodiment, the aerosol generating device 10 may include a heater that heats the aerosol generating material stored in the cartridge 200 and a heater that heats the stick 20 inserted into the main body 100. For example, the aerosol generating device 100 may generate aerosol by using multiple heaters to heat the aerosol generating material stored in the cartridge 200 and the stick 20, respectively.

Figures 5 to 7 are diagrams illustrating a stick according to an embodiment of the present disclosure. Detailed explanations of content that overlaps with Figures 5 to 7 will be omitted.

Referring to FIG. 5, a stick 20 according to one embodiment may include a tobacco rod 21 and a filter rod 22. The first portion described above with reference to FIG. 2 may include the tobacco rod 21. The second portion described above with reference to FIG. 2 may include the filter rod 22.

Although FIG. 5 shows the filter rod 22 as a single segment, it is not limited to this. In other words, the filter rod 22 may be composed of multiple segments. For example, the filter rod 22 may include a first segment that cools the aerosol and a second segment that filters specific components contained in the aerosol. If necessary, the filter rod 22 may also include at least one additional segment that performs another function.

The diameter of the stick 20 may range from 5 mm to 9 mm, and the length may be approximately 48 mm, but is not limited to these. For example, the length of the tobacco rod 21 may be approximately 12 mm, the length of the first segment of the filter rod 22 may be approximately 10 mm, the length of the second segment of the filter rod 22 may be approximately 14 mm, and the length of the third segment of the filter rod 22 may be approximately 12 mm, but is not limited to these.

The stick 20 may be wrapped in at least one wrapper 24. The wrapper 24 may have at least one hole formed therein, allowing external air to enter or internal gas to escape. As an example, the stick 20 may be wrapped in a single wrapper 24. As another example, the stick 20 may be wrapped in two or more overlapping wrappers 24. For example, the tobacco rod 21 may be wrapped in a first wrapper 241. For example, the filter rod 22 may be wrapped in wrappers 242, 243, and 244. The tobacco rod 21 and filter rod 22 wrapped in individual wrappers may be combined, and the entire stick 20 may be further wrapped in a third wrapper. If each filter rod 22 is composed of multiple segments, each segment may be wrapped in an individual wrapper 242, 243, and 244. The entire stick 20, comprising the combined segments wrapped in individual wrappers, may be further wrapped in another wrapper.

The first wrapper 241 and the second wrapper 242 may be made from a typical filter wrapper. For example, the first wrapper 241 and the second wrapper 242 may be porous or non-porous wrapper. The first wrapper 241 and the second wrapper 242 may also be made from oil-resistant paper and/or aluminum laminate packaging material.

The third wrapper 243 may be made of hard wrapping paper. For example, the basis weight of the third wrapper 243 may be in the range of 88 g/ _m to 96 g/ _m . For example, the basis weight of the third wrapper 243 may be in the range of 90 g/ _m to 94 g/ _m . Also, the thickness of the third wrapper 243 may be in the range of 120 μm to 130 μm. For example, the thickness of the third wrapper 243 may be 125 μm.

The fourth wrapper 244 may be made of a grease-resistant hard wrapping paper. For example, the basis weight of the fourth wrapper 244 may be in the range of 88 g/ _m to 96 g/ _m . For example, the basis weight of the fourth wrapper 244 may be in the range of 90 g/ _m to 94 g/ _m . Also, the thickness of the fourth wrapper 244 may be in the range of 120 μm to 130 μm. For example, the thickness of the fourth wrapper 244 may be 125 μm.

The fifth wrapper 245 may be made of a sterilized paper (MFW). Here, sterilized paper (MFW) may refer to paper that is specially manufactured to have improved tensile strength, water resistance, smoothness, etc. compared to general paper. For example, the basis weight of the fifth wrapper 245 may be in the range of 57 g/m ₂ to 63 g/m _2. For example, the basis weight of the fifth wrapper 245 may be 60 g/m ^2. Furthermore, the thickness of the fifth wrapper 245 may be in the range of 64 μm to 70 μm. For example, the thickness of the fifth wrapper 245 may be 67 μm.

The fifth wrapper 245 may contain a predetermined material. Here, an example of the predetermined material may be, but is not limited to, silicon. For example, silicon may have properties such as heat resistance (i.e., small changes due to temperature), oxidation resistance (i.e., no oxidation), resistance to various chemicals, water repellency, or electrical insulation. However, even if it is not silicon, any material having the above-mentioned properties may be applied or coated onto the fifth wrapper 245 without limitation.

The fifth wrapper 245 can prevent the stick 20 from burning. For example, when the tobacco rod 21 is heated by the heater 210, the stick 20 may burn. Specifically, if the temperature rises above the flash point of any one of the materials contained in the tobacco rod 21, the stick 20 may burn. Even in such cases, the fifth wrapper 245 contains a non-flammable material, preventing the stick 20 from burning.

In addition, the fifth wrapper 245 can prevent the main body 100 from being contaminated by the substance produced in the stick 20. A liquid substance can be produced within the stick 20 when the user puffs. For example, a liquid substance (e.g., water) can be produced when the aerosol produced in the stick 20 is cooled by external air. By encasing the stick 20 in the fifth wrapper 245, the liquid substance produced within the stick 20 can be prevented from leaking outside the stick 20.

The tobacco rod 21 may contain an aerosol-generating substance. For example, the aerosol-generating substance may include, but is not limited to, at least one of glycerin, propylene glycol, ethylene glycol, dipropylene glycol, diethylene glycol, triethylene glycol, tetraethylene glycol, and oleyl alcohol. The tobacco rod 21 may also contain other additives such as flavoring agents, humectants, and/or organic acids. A flavoring liquid such as menthol or a humectant may also be added to the tobacco rod 21 by spraying it onto the tobacco rod 21.

The tobacco rod 21 can be manufactured in a variety of ways. For example, the tobacco rod 21 can be manufactured from a sheet. For example, the tobacco rod 21 can be manufactured from a strand. For example, the tobacco rod 21 can be manufactured from finely cut pieces of a tobacco sheet. For example, the tobacco rod 21 can be surrounded by a thermally conductive material. For example, the thermally conductive material can be, but is not limited to, a metal foil such as aluminum foil. For example, the thermally conductive material surrounding the tobacco rod 21 can uniformly distribute heat transferred to the tobacco rod 21 and improve thermal conductivity to the tobacco rod. This can improve the tobacco taste. The thermally conductive material surrounding the tobacco rod 21 can function as a susceptor heated by an induction heater. Although not shown in the drawings, the tobacco rod 21 can further include an additional susceptor in addition to the thermally conductive material surrounding the exterior.

The filter rod 22 may be a cellulose acetate filter. However, there are no limitations on the shape of the filter rod 22. For example, the filter rod 22 may be a cylindrical type rod. For example, the filter rod 22 may be a tubular type rod having a hollow interior. For example, the filter rod 22 may be a recessed type rod. When the filter rod 22 is composed of multiple segments, at least one of the multiple segments may be manufactured in a different shape.

The first segment of the filter rod 22 may be a cellulose acetate filter. For example, the first segment may be a tubular structure with a hollow interior. The first segment prevents the internal material of the tobacco rod 21 from being pushed back when the heater 110 is inserted, and also provides a cooling effect for the aerosol. The diameter of the hollow interior of the first segment may be an appropriate diameter within the range of 2 mm to 4.5 mm, but is not limited to this.

The length of the first segment can be any suitable length within the range of 4 mm to 30 mm, but is not limited to this. For example, the length of the first segment can be 10 mm, but is not limited to this.

The second segment of the filter rod 22 cools the aerosol generated by the heater 110 heating the tobacco rod 21. This allows the user to inhale aerosol cooled to an appropriate temperature.

The length or diameter of the second segment can be determined in various ways depending on the shape of the stick 20. For example, the length of the second segment can be appropriately set within the range of 7 mm to 20 mm. Preferably, the length of the second segment can be approximately 14 mm, but is not limited to this.

The second segment can be made by weaving polymer fibers. In this case, a flavor liquid can be applied to the fibers made from the polymer. Alternatively, the second segment can be made by weaving together separate fibers coated with a flavor liquid and fibers made from the polymer. Alternatively, the second segment can be formed from a crimped polymer sheet.

For example, the polymer may be made from a material selected from the group consisting of polyethylene (PE), polypropylene (PP), polyvinyl chloride (PVC), polyethylene terephthalate (PET), polylactic acid (PLA), cellulose acetate (CA), and aluminum foil.

When the second segment is formed from woven polymer fibers or a crimped polymer sheet, the second segment can include one or more channels extending in the longitudinal direction. Here, a channel can refer to a passage through which a gas (e.g., air or aerosol) passes.

For example, the second segment of the crimped polymer sheet can be formed from a material having a thickness between about 5 μm and about 300 μm, e.g., between about 10 μm and about 250 μm, and the total surface area of the second segment can be between about 300 ^mm /mm and about 1000 ^mm /mm, and the aerosol cooling element can be formed from a material having a specific surface area between about 10 ^mm /mg and about 100 ^mm /mg.

Meanwhile, the second segment may include a thread containing a volatile flavor component. Here, the volatile flavor component may be, but is not limited to, menthol. For example, the thread may be loaded with a sufficient amount of menthol to provide 1.5 mg or more of menthol to the second segment.

The third segment of the filter rod 22 may be a cellulose acetate filter. The length of the third segment may be appropriately within the range of 4 mm to 20 mm. For example, the length of the third segment may be approximately 12 mm, but is not limited to this.

The filter rod 22 may be manufactured to emit a flavor. For example, a flavoring liquid may be sprayed onto the filter rod 22. For example, a separate fiber coated with a flavoring liquid may be inserted into the filter rod 22.

The filter rod 22 may also include at least one capsule 23. Here, the capsule 23 may function to generate a flavor. The capsule 23 may also function to generate an aerosol. For example, the capsule 23 may have a structure in which a liquid containing a flavoring agent is enclosed in a coating. The capsule 23 may have, but is not limited to, a spherical or cylindrical shape.

Referring to FIG. 6, the stick 30 according to one embodiment may further include a front end plug 33. The front end plug 33 may be disposed on the opposite side of the tobacco rod 31 from the filter rod 32. The front end plug 33 may prevent the tobacco rod 31 from detaching to the outside. The front end plug 33 may prevent aerosol liquefied from the tobacco rod 31 during smoking from flowing into the aerosol generating device 100.

The filter rod 32 may include a first segment 321 and a second segment 322. The first segment 321 may correspond to the first segment of the filter rod 22 in FIG. 4. The second segment 322 may correspond to the third segment of the filter rod 22 in FIG. 4.

The diameter and overall length of the stick 30 may correspond to the diameter and overall length of the stick 20 in Figure 4. For example, but not limited to, the length of the front end plug 33 may be approximately 7 mm, the length of the tobacco rod 31 may be approximately 15 mm, the length of the first segment 321 may be approximately 12 mm, and the length of the second segment 322 may be approximately 14 mm.

The stick 30 may be wrapped in at least one wrapper 35. The wrapper 35 may have at least one hole formed therein through which external air can enter or internal gas can escape. For example, the front end plug 33 may be wrapped in a first wrapper 351, the tobacco rod 31 may be wrapped in a second wrapper 352, the first segment 321 may be wrapped in a third wrapper 353, and the second segment 322 may be wrapped in a fourth wrapper 354. The entire stick 30 may then be rewrapped in a fifth wrapper 355.

Furthermore, at least one perforation 36 may be formed in the fifth wrapper 355. For example, the perforation 36 may be formed in the area surrounding the tobacco rod 31, but is not limited to this. For example, the perforation 36 may serve to transfer heat generated by the heater 210 shown in FIG. 2 to the interior of the tobacco rod 31.

The second segment 322 may also include at least one capsule 34. Here, the capsule 34 may function to generate a flavor. The capsule 34 may also function to generate an aerosol. For example, the capsule 34 may have a structure in which a liquid containing a flavoring agent is enclosed in a coating. The capsule 34 may have, but is not limited to, a spherical or cylindrical shape.

The first wrapper 351 may be formed by bonding a metal foil, such as aluminum foil, to a typical filter wrapper. For example, the total thickness of the first wrapper 351 may be in the range of 45 μm to 55 μm. For example, the total thickness of the first wrapper 351 may be 50.3 μm. The thickness of the metal foil of the first wrapper 351 may be in the range of 6 μm to 7 μm. For example, the thickness of the metal foil of the first wrapper 351 may be 6.3 μm. The basis weight of the first wrapper 351 may be in the range of 50 g/m ² to 55 g/m ^2. For example, the basis weight of the first wrapper 351 may be 53 g/m ² .

The second wrapper 352 and the third wrapper 353 may be made from a typical filter wrapper. For example, the second wrapper 352 and the third wrapper 353 may be a porous wrapper or a non-porous wrapper.

For example, the porosity of the second wrapper 352 may be, but is not limited to, 35,000 CU. The thickness of the second wrapper 352 may be in the range of 70 μm to 80 μm. For example, the thickness of the second wrapper 352 may be 78 μm. The basis weight of the second wrapper 352 may be in the range of ²⁰ g/m to 25 g/ ^m . For example, the basis weight of the second wrapper 352 may be 23.5 g/ ^m .

For example, the porosity of the third wrapper 353 may be, but is not limited to, 24,000 CU. The thickness of the third wrapper 353 may be in the range of 60 μm to 70 μm. For example, the thickness of the third wrapper 353 may be 68 μm. The basis weight of the third wrapper 353 may be in the range of 20 g/m to 25 g/m. For example, the basis weight of the third wrapper 353 may be 21 g/ ^m .

The fourth wrapper 354 may be made of PLA laminated paper. Here, PLA laminated paper may refer to a triple-ply paper including a paper layer, a PLA layer, and another paper layer. For example, the thickness of the fourth wrapper 354 may be in the range of 100 μm to 120 μm. For example, the thickness of the fourth wrapper 354 may be 110 μm. Furthermore, the basis weight of the fourth wrapper 354 may be in the range of 80 g/ ^m to 100 g/ ^m . For example, the basis weight of the fourth wrapper 354 may be 88 g/ ^m .

The fifth wrapper 355 may be made of a sterilized paper (MFW). Here, sterilized paper (MFW) refers to paper that is specially manufactured to have improved tensile strength, water resistance, smoothness, etc. compared to general paper. For example, the basis weight of the fifth wrapper 355 may be in the range of 57 g/m ² to 63 g/m ^2. For example, the basis weight of the fifth wrapper 355 may be 60 g/m ^2. Furthermore, the thickness of the fifth wrapper 355 may be in the range of 64 μm to 70 μm. For example, the thickness of the fifth wrapper 355 may be 67 μm.

The fifth wrapper 355 may contain a predetermined material. Here, an example of the predetermined material may be, but is not limited to, silicon. For example, silicon has properties such as heat resistance (i.e., small changes due to temperature), oxidation resistance (i.e., no oxidation), resistance to various chemicals, water repellency, and electrical insulation. However, even if it is not silicon, any material having the above-mentioned properties may be applied (or coated) to the fifth wrapper 355 without limitation.

The front end plug 33 may be made from cellulose acetate. For example, the front end plug 33 may be made by adding a plasticizer (e.g., triacetin) to cellulose acetate toe. The mono-denier of the filaments constituting the cellulose acetate toe may range from 1.0 to 10.0. For example, the mono-denier of the filaments constituting the cellulose acetate toe may range from 4.0 to 6.0. For example, the mono-denier of the filaments constituting the front end plug 33 may be 5.0. The cross section of the filaments constituting the front end plug 33 may be Y-shaped. The total denier of the front end plug 33 may range from 20,000 to 30,000. For example, the total denier of the front end plug 33 may range from 25,000 to 30,000. For example, the total denier of the front end plug 33 may be 28,000.

Optionally, the front end plug 33 may also include at least one channel. The cross section of the channel may be manufactured in a variety of shapes.

The tobacco rod 31 may correspond to the tobacco rod 21 described above with reference to Figure 5. Therefore, a detailed description of the tobacco rod 31 will be omitted below.

The first segment 321 may be made from cellulose acetate. For example, the first segment may be a tube-shaped structure having a hollow interior. The first segment 321 may be made by adding a plasticizer (e.g., triacetin) to cellulose acetate. For example, the mono-denier and total denier of the first segment 321 may be the same as the mono-denier and total denier of the front end plug 33.

The second segment 322 may be made of cellulose acetate. The mono-denier of the filaments constituting the second segment 322 may be in the range of 1.0 to 10.0. For example, the mono-denier of the filaments of the second segment 322 may be in the range of 8.0 to 10.0. For example, the mono-denier of the filaments of the second segment 322 may be 9.0. The cross section of the filaments of the second segment 322 may be Y-shaped. The total denier of the second segment 322 may be in the range of 20,000 to 30,000. For example, the total denier of the second segment 322 may be 25,000.

Referring to FIG. 7, the stick 40 may include a medium portion 410. The stick 40 may include a cooling portion 420. The stick 40 may include a filter portion 430.

The cooling section 420 may be disposed between the medium section 410 and the filter section 430. The stick 40 may include a wrapper 440. The wrapper 440 may encase the medium section 410. The wrapper 440 may encase the cooling section 420. The wrapper 440 may encase the filter section 430. The stick 40 may have a cylindrical shape.

The medium portion 410 may include a medium 411. The medium portion 410 may include a first support portion 413. The medium portion 410 may include a second support portion 415. The medium 411 may be disposed between the first support portion 413 and the second support portion 415. The first support portion 413 may be disposed at one end of the stick 40. The length of the medium portion 410 may be 24 mm.

The medium 411 may contain various substances. The substances contained in the medium may be flavor substances with various ingredients. The medium 411 may be composed of a plurality of granules. Each of the granules may have a size of 0.4 mm to 1.12 mm. The medium 411 may be filled with the granules approximately 70% of the interior. The length L2 of the medium 411 may be 10 mm. The first support portion 413 may be composed of a paper material. The second support portion 415 may be composed of a paper material. The first support portion 413 may be composed of an acetate material. The second support portion 415 may be composed of an acetate material. The first support portion 413 may be composed of an acetate material. The second support portion 415 may be composed of an acetate material. At least one of the first support portion 413 and the second support portion 415 may be composed of a paper material and have a wrinkled shape, forming a plurality of gaps between them for air to flow through. The gaps may be smaller than the size of each granule of the medium 411. The length L1 of the first support portion 413 may be shorter than the length L2 of the medium 411. The length L3 of the second support portion 413 may be shorter than the length L2 of the medium 411. The length L1 of the first support portion 413 may be 7 mm. The length L2 of the second support portion 413 may be 7 mm.

Therefore, each granule of the medium 411 cannot detach from the medium portion 410 and the stick 40.

The cooling portion 420 may have a cylindrical shape. The cooling portion 420 may have a hollow shape. The cooling portion 420 may be disposed between the medium portion 410 and the filter portion 430. The cooling portion 420 may be disposed between the second support portion 415 and the filter portion 430. The cooling portion 420 may be formed in a tubular shape surrounding the cooling passage 424 therein. The cooling portion 420 may be thicker than the wrapper 440. The cooling portion 420 may be made of a paper material that is thicker than the wrapper 440. The length L4 of the cooling portion 420 may be the same as or approximately the same as the length L2 of the medium 411. The length L4 of the cooling portion 420 and the cooling passage 424 may be 10 mm. When the stick 40 is inserted into the aerosol generation device 10, at least a portion of the cooling portion 420 may be exposed to the outside of the aerosol generation device 10.

Therefore, the cooling unit 420 supports the medium unit 410 and the filter unit 430, ensuring the rigidity of the stick 40. The cooling unit 420 also supports the wrapper 440 between the medium unit 410 and the filter unit 430, ensuring a location where the wrapper 440 is adhered. Furthermore, the heated air and aerosol can be cooled as they pass through the cooling passage 424 inside the cooling unit 420.

The filter part 430 may be composed of an acetate filter. The filter part 430 may be disposed at the other end of the stick 40. When the stick 40 is inserted into the aerosol generating device 10, the filter part 430 may be exposed to the outside of the aerosol generating device 10. A user may hold the filter part 430 in their mouth and inhale air. The length L5 of the filter part 430 may be 14 mm.

The wrapper 440 may wrap or surround the medium portion 410, the cooling portion 420, and the filter portion 430. The wrapper 440 may form the outer shape of the stick 40. The wrapper 440 may be made of a paper material. The adhesive portion 441 may be formed on one side edge of the wrapper 440. The wrapper 440 wraps the medium portion 410, the cooling portion 420, and the filter portion 430, and the adhesive portion 441 formed on one side edge and the other side edge may be adhered to each other. The wrapper 440 that wraps the medium portion 410, the cooling portion 420, and the filter portion 430 does not have to cover one end and the other end of the stick 40.

Therefore, the wrapper 440 can secure the medium section 410, the cooling section 420, and the filter section 430, preventing them from coming off the stick 40.

The first thin film 443 may be disposed at a position corresponding to the first support portion 413. The first thin film 443 may be disposed between the wrapper 440 and the first support portion 413, or may be disposed outside the wrapper 440. The first thin film 443 may surround the first support portion 413. The first thin film 443 may be made of a metal material. The first thin film 443 may be made of an aluminum material. The first thin film 443 may be adhered to or coated on the wrapper 440.

The second thin film 445 may be disposed at a position corresponding to the second support portion 415. The second thin film 445 may be disposed between the wrapper 440 and the second support portion 415, or may be disposed outside the wrapper 440. The second thin film 445 may be made of a metal material. The second thin film 445 may be made of an aluminum material. The second thin film 445 may be adhered to or coated on the wrapper 440.

Figures 8 to 10 are diagrams illustrating an aerosol generating device according to one embodiment of the present disclosure.

Here, "upstream" and "downstream" can be determined based on the direction of airflow that flows so that the generated aerosol is inhaled into the user's mouth or lungs when the user inhales using the aerosol generating product. For example, in FIG. 10, the aerosol generated in the medium unit 511 flows toward the cooling unit 520 and the filter unit 530, so the medium unit 511 is located upstream of the cooling unit 520 and the filter unit 530, and the cooling unit 520 and the filter unit 530 are located downstream of the medium unit 511. "Upstream" and "downstream" can be determined based on the relative positions of the components.

Here, the directions of the aerosol generation device 10 can be defined based on a Cartesian coordinate system. In the Cartesian coordinate system, the x-axis direction can be defined as the left-right direction of the aerosol generation device 10. Here, based on the origin, the direction toward +x can mean the rightward direction, and the direction toward -x can mean the leftward direction. The y-axis direction can be defined as the up-down direction of the aerosol generation device 10. Here, based on the origin, the direction toward +y can mean the upward direction, and the direction toward -y can mean the downward direction. The z-axis direction can be defined as the front-to-back direction of the aerosol generation device 10. Based on the origin, the direction toward +z can mean the forward direction, and the direction toward -z can mean the backward direction.

Referring to Figures 8 to 10, the aerosol generating device 10 may include an insertion space 330, a first heater 131, a second heater 181, a color sensor 182, a control unit 17, and a battery 16.

A long insertion space 330 may be formed in the housing of the aerosol generating device 10. The insertion space 330 may be formed by an inner wall (not shown) extending circumferentially along the direction in which the stick 50 is inserted. The insertion space 330 may be formed by opening the inside of the inner wall at the top and bottom. The stick 50 may be inserted into the insertion space 330 formed by the inner wall.

The insertion space 330 into which the stick 50 is inserted may be formed in a shape corresponding to the shape of the portion of the stick 50 to be inserted into the insertion space 330. For example, if the stick 50 is cylindrical, the insertion space 330 may be cylindrical. When the stick 50 is inserted into the insertion space 330, the outer periphery of the stick 50 may be surrounded by and in contact with the inner wall.

The first heater 131 may be disposed adjacent to one end of the insertion space 330 in the longitudinal direction of the insertion space 330. For example, the first heater 131 may be disposed adjacent to the lower end of the insertion space 330. For example, the first heater 131 may be disposed adjacent to the end located farthest from the entrance of the insertion space 330 in the longitudinal direction of the insertion space 330. For example, the first heater 131 may be disposed adjacent to the portion where the upstream end of the stick 50 inserted into the insertion space 330 is located.

The first heater 131 may be connected to the chamber C1 containing the aerosol-generating material via a flow path P1. The first heater 131 may have a structure that wraps around a liquid transfer means (not shown). The first heater 131 can heat the aerosol-generating material impregnated in the liquid transfer means. Aerosol can be generated by heating the liquid transfer means using the first heater 131. The generated aerosol can flow downstream of the stick 50 (toward the inlet side of the insertion space 330) through the inside/outside of the stick 50 inserted into the insertion space 330.

The second heater 181 may be disposed adjacent to the outer circumferential surface of the insertion space 330. The second heater 181 may have an annular shape and be disposed so as to surround at least a portion of the outer circumferential surface of the insertion space 330. If the insertion space 330 is cylindrical, the second heater 181 may have an annular shape that surrounds a portion of the outer circumferential surface of the cylindrical insertion space 330.

The second heater 181 may be positioned at a height close to the height at which at least one support 513, 515 of the stick 50 inserted into the insertion space 330 is positioned. For example, the stick 50 may include a first support 513 at the upstream end. The second heater 181 may be positioned at a height close to the height at which the first support 513 of the stick 50 inserted into the insertion space 330 is positioned. For example, the stick 50 may include a second support 515 connected to the medium 511 on the downstream side of the medium 511. The second heater 181 may be positioned at a height close to the height at which the second support 515 of the stick 50 inserted into the insertion space 330 is positioned. For example, the stick 50 may include a first support 513 and a second support 515. The second heater 181 may be positioned at a height close to at least one of the heights at which the first support 513 and the second support 515 of the stick 50 inserted into the insertion space 330 are positioned.

The stick 50 may include a medium 511 and support portions 513, 515 connected to the upstream end and/or downstream end of the medium 511. The support portions 513, 515 may be made of paper. The support portions 513, 515 may be made of paper and have a wrinkled shape, forming multiple gaps between them to allow air to flow.

The stick 50 may include a cooling section 520. The stick 40 may include a filter section 530. The medium 511, support sections 513 and 515, cooling section 520, and filter section 530 of the stick may correspond to the medium section 511, first and second support sections 413 and 415, cooling section 420, and filter section 430 in Figure 7, respectively.

The second heater 181 can heat at least a portion of the outer surface of the stick 50 inserted into the insertion space 330. When the stick 50 is inserted into the insertion space 330, the second heater 181 can heat the outer surface of the support parts 413, 415 of the stick 50.

The first heater 131 and the second heater 181 may be at least one of an electric resistance heater or an induction heater.

For example, the first heater 131 and the second heater 181 may be electrical resistive heaters. The first heater 131 and the second heater 181 may include an electrically conductive track and may be heated by an electric current flowing through the electrically conductive track.

For example, the first heater 131 and the second heater 181 may be induction heaters. The aerosol generating device 10 may include electrically conductive coils spaced apart from the first heater 131 and the second heater 181 and surrounding the first heater 131 and the second heater 181, respectively. The first heater 131 and the second heater 181 may include a magnetic material. The first heater 131 and the second heater 181 may generate heat by an alternating magnetic field formed by the electrically conductive coils. The first heater 131 and the second heater 181 may be referred to as susceptors.

The color sensor 182 may include a light-emitting unit 1821 and a light-receiving unit 1822. The light-emitting unit 1821 may emit light toward the insertion space 330. For example, the light-emitting unit 1821 may include a light source such as an LED and may emit white light into the insertion space 330. The light-receiving unit 1822 may receive light reflected by an object. For example, the light-receiving unit 1822 may include a light sensor and may receive light reflected by the stick 50 inserted into the insertion space 330. The light-receiving unit 1822 may acquire color information from the reflected light. The light-receiving unit 1822 may output a color signal corresponding to the reflected light.

Meanwhile, the light-emitting unit 1821 may include an infrared LED, and the light-receiving unit 1822 may include an IR sensor. However, the types of the light-emitting unit 1821 and the light-receiving unit 1822 are not limited to this.

The color sensor 182 may be positioned adjacent to the insertion space 330 and facing the insertion space 330. The color sensor 182 may be positioned above the second heater 181 in the longitudinal direction of the insertion space 330. For example, the color sensor 182 may be positioned around the entrance end of the insertion space 330. For example, the color sensor 182 may be positioned at a height higher than the height at which the support portions 513, 515 of the stick 50 inserted into the insertion space 330 are positioned.

If the color sensor 182 is located at the bottom of the second heater 181, even if a used stick is reinserted into the insertion space 330, the portion of the stick's outer surface whose color has changed due to the second heater 181 cannot reach the point where the color sensor 182 is located. Therefore, the color sensor 182 cannot detect the portion whose color has changed.

The control unit 17 can determine whether the stick 50 is inserted into the insertion space 330 and whether the stick 50 is a used stick based on the color signal output by the color sensor 182. The details of how the control unit 17 determines whether the stick 50 is inserted and whether the stick is a used stick will be described in detail below with reference to FIG. 11.

The battery 16 can supply power to the first heater 131 and/or the second heater 181 under the control of the control unit 17.

Figure 11 is a flowchart showing the operation of an aerosol generating device according to one embodiment of the present disclosure.

Referring to FIG. 11, the aerosol generating device 10 can determine the insertion of a stick 50 in operation S1110.

For example, the aerosol generating device 10 can determine the insertion of the stick 50 based on the color signal output by the color sensor 182.

The color sensor 182 can periodically emit light toward the insertion space 330. When the stick 50 is not inserted into the insertion space 330, the emitted light is reflected by a portion of the inner surface of the insertion space 330 located opposite the color sensor 172 and can be received by the color sensor 182. When the stick 50 is inserted into the insertion space 330, the emitted light is reflected by the outer surface of the stick 50 and can be received by the color sensor 182.

The memory 14 of the aerosol generation device 10 may store first hue information within a predetermined range, relating to the color of light reflected by the outer surface of the stick. For example, the first hue information may include information about the hue of the outer surface of an unused stick (e.g., white) and a predetermined range of hues similar to the hue. For example, the first hue information may include at least one of hue, saturation, and brightness information. The aerosol generation device 10 may compare the color signal periodically output from the color sensor 182 with the first hue information stored in the memory 14 to determine whether the color signal corresponds to the first hue information. If the color signal corresponds to the first hue information, the aerosol generation device 10 may determine that the stick 50 is inserted into the insertion space 330.

Meanwhile, the aerosol generating device 10 may include a stick detection sensor. The aerosol generating device 10 can determine the insertion of the stick 50 based on the output signal of the stick detection sensor.

When it is determined that the stick 50 has been inserted, the aerosol generating device 10 can determine, in operation S1120, whether the color signal output from the color sensor 182 corresponds to specific hue information.

The color sensor 182 may periodically emit light toward the insertion space 330 while or after the stick 50 is being inserted. The upstream end of the stick 50 may be inserted into the insertion space 330 so that it is adjacent to or in contact with the lower end of the insertion space 330.

The memory 14 of the aerosol generating device 10 can store second color information within a predetermined range related to the color of light reflected on the outer surface of a used stick. For example, the second color information can include information about the hue (e.g., ochre) of the outer surface of a stick scorched by heat and hues within a predetermined range similar to the hue. For example, the second color information can include at least one of hue, saturation, and brightness information. After detecting the insertion of the stick 50, the aerosol generating device 10 can compare the color signal periodically output from the color sensor 182 with the second color information stored in the memory 14 to determine whether the color signal corresponds to the second color information.

The aerosol generation device 10 can determine whether the color signal periodically output from the color sensor 182 corresponds to the second color information for a predetermined time period after detecting the insertion of the stick 50. For example, the aerosol generation device 10 can determine whether the color signal received by the color sensor 182 corresponds to the second color information from the time the insertion of the stick 50 is detected until the puff sensor 151 detects a puff signal. For example, the aerosol generation device 10 can determine whether the color signal received by the color sensor 182 corresponds to the second color information from the time the insertion of the stick 50 is detected until a set time period (e.g., 0.5 seconds) has elapsed.

In operation S1130, the aerosol generation device 10 can determine whether the stick 50 is a used stick based on the color signal output by the color sensor 182. If the color signal corresponds to the second color information, the aerosol generation device 10 can determine that the stick 50 is a used stick.

If it is determined that the stick 50 is a used stick, the aerosol generating device 10 may control the first heater 131 so that power is not supplied. The aerosol generating device 10 may display information indicating that the stick 50 inserted into the output device is an unusable stick.

In operation S1140, the aerosol generation device 10 can determine whether the stick 50 is an unused (or new) stick based on the color signal output by the color sensor 182. If the color signal does not correspond to the second color information, the aerosol generation device 10 can determine that the stick 50 is an unused stick. For example, if the color signal corresponds to the first color information confirmed in the previous operation S1110, the aerosol generation device 10 can determine that the stick 50 is an unused stick.

If the stick 50 is determined to be an unused stick, the aerosol generating device 10 can control the first heater 131 to supply power. The aerosol generating device 10 can control the first heater 131 to heat to a first target temperature based on the temperature profile stored in the memory 14. Here, the first target temperature can be equal to or higher than the vaporization temperature of the aerosol generating substance. The aerosol generating substance impregnated in the liquid transfer means can be heated by the first heater 131 to generate an aerosol.

Figure 12 is a flowchart showing the operation of an aerosol generating device according to one embodiment of the present disclosure.

Referring to FIG. 12, the aerosol generating device 10 can be controlled to supply power to the second heater 181. The aerosol generating device 10 can be controlled to supply power to the second heater 181 when the inserted stick 50 is an unused stick.

In operation S1210, the aerosol generating device 10 can detect puffs using the puff sensor 151. The puff sensor 151 of the aerosol generating device 10 periodically detects puffs, and when a puff occurs, it can output a corresponding puff signal.

When a puff is detected, the aerosol generating device 10 can count the number of puffs based on the puff signal in operation S1220.

When a puff is detected, the aerosol generation device 10 can supply power to the first heater 131. For example, the aerosol generation device 10 can supply power to the first heater 131 for a predetermined time (e.g., 2 seconds) from the time a puff is detected. For example, when the aerosol generation device 10 detects a puff, it can supply power to the first heater 131 until the next puff is detected. On the other hand, if the inserted stick 50 is determined to be an unused stick, the aerosol generation device 10 can supply power to the first heater 131 even before the first puff is detected, to preheat the first heater 131 until the first puff is detected.

In operation S1230, the aerosol generating device 10 can determine whether the counted number of puffs is a predetermined number (N). Here, the predetermined number (N) may be the maximum number of puffs assigned to the inserted, unused stick 50. For example, the predetermined number (N) may be 14 puffs. However, the predetermined number (N) is not limited to this and may be set to a different value depending on the type of stick 50.

If the counted number of puffs is a predetermined number (N), the aerosol generation device 10 can control the supply of power to the second heater 181 in operation S1240. If the counted number of puffs is less than the predetermined number (N), the aerosol generation device 10 can repeatedly detect puffs from the puff sensor 151.

When the counted number of puffs reaches a predetermined number (N), the aerosol generation device 10 can control the second heater 181 to heat to a second target temperature based on the temperature profile stored in the memory 14. The aerosol generation device 10 can control the second heater 181 to heat for a predetermined time based on the temperature profile stored in the memory 14.

The second heater 181 can heat at least one of the first support part 513 and the second support part 515 of the inserted stick 50. The outer surfaces of the support parts 513 and 515 may be scorched by the heat, and the color may change.

The second target temperature may be lower than the vaporization temperature of the aerosol-generating material. The second heater 181 may be positioned a predetermined distance away from the medium portion 511 of the inserted stick 50 and therefore not come into contact with the medium portion 511 of the inserted stick 50. Because the second heater 181 is heated to a temperature lower than the vaporization temperature of the aerosol-generating material and positioned away from the medium portion 511, the amount of thermal energy transferred by the second heater 181 to the medium portion 511 may be extremely small.

The aerosol generating device 10 heats the portion of the inserted stick 50 that does not contain the medium at a relatively low temperature and determines whether the stick 50 is in use, thereby minimizing the effect of heating by the second heater 181 on the medium portion 511. This prevents the aerosol scent from changing due to heating by the second heater 181.

Figure 13 is a flowchart showing the operation of an aerosol generating device according to another embodiment of the present disclosure.

Referring to FIG. 13, the aerosol generating device 10 can be controlled to supply power to the second heater 181. The aerosol generating device 10 can be controlled to supply power to the second heater 181 when the inserted stick 50 is an unused stick.

The aerosol generating device 10 can detect puffs using the puff sensor 151 in operation S1310. The puff sensor 151 of the aerosol generating device 10 periodically detects puffs, and when a puff occurs, it can output a corresponding puff signal.

When a puff is detected, the aerosol generating device 10 can count the number of puffs based on the puff signal in operation S1320.

When a puff is detected, the aerosol generation device 10 can supply power to the first heater 131. For example, the aerosol generation device 10 can supply power to the first heater 131 for a predetermined time (e.g., 2 seconds) from the time a puff is detected. For example, when the aerosol generation device 10 detects a puff, it can supply power to the first heater 131 until the next puff is detected. On the other hand, if the inserted stick 50 is determined to be an unused stick, the aerosol generation device 10 can supply power to the first heater 131 even before the first puff is detected, thereby preheating the first heater 131 until the first puff is detected.

When a puff is detected, the aerosol generating device 10 can determine, in operation S1330, whether a predetermined time has elapsed since the puff was detected. The predetermined time can be set to correspond to the average time a user maintains inhalation between puffs. For example, the predetermined time can be 1.5 seconds to 2.5 seconds.

When a predetermined time has elapsed since the puff was detected, the aerosol generating device 10 can control the second heater 181 to supply power in operation S1340. The aerosol generating device 10 can control the second heater 181 to heat up to a second target temperature based on the temperature profile stored in the memory 14. The aerosol generating device 10 can control the second heater 181 to heat for a predetermined time based on the temperature profile stored in the memory 14.

The second heater 181 can heat at least one of the first support part 513 and the second support part 515 of the inserted stick 50. The outer surfaces of the support parts 513 and 515 may be scorched by the heat, and the color may change.

In operation S1350, the aerosol generating device 10 can determine whether the counted number of puffs is a predetermined number (N). Here, the predetermined number (N) may be the maximum number of puffs assigned to the inserted, unused stick 50. For example, the predetermined number (N) may be 14 puffs. However, the predetermined number (N) is not limited to this and may be set to a different value depending on the type of stick 50.

If the counted number of puffs is a predetermined number (N), the aerosol generation device 10 can terminate the power control operation of the second heater 181. If the counted number of puffs is less than the predetermined number (N), the aerosol generation device 10 can repeatedly perform the operations S1310 to S1340.

The aerosol generating device 10 can control the second heater 181 to heat each puff after the stick 50 is inserted until a predetermined number (N) of puffs are generated. For each puff, the second heater 181 can heat at least one of the first support portion 513 and the second support portion 515 of the inserted stick 50.

The outer surfaces of the support parts 513 and 515 may change to a darker color in proportion to the time they are heated by the second heater 181. The degree to which the outer surfaces of the support parts 513 and 515 are burned may vary depending on the number of puffs. The more puffs are applied, the more severely the outer surfaces of the support parts 513 and 515 may be burned, and the darker the color may change to.

The aerosol generating device 10 can determine the extent of use of the inserted stick 40 based on the color signal output by the color sensor 182.

The memory 14 of the aerosol generating device 10 may store multiple pieces of hue information divided into multiple ranges in relation to the color of light reflected from the outer surface of a used stick. The multiple pieces of hue information may be stored in accordance with the number of times the outer surface of the stick is heated by the second heater 181. For example, the 2-1 hue information may include information on the hue of the outer surface of a stick scorched by the heat of a first heating and hues within a predetermined range similar to the hue. For example, the 2-2 hue information may include information on the hue of the outer surface of a stick scorched by the heat of a second heating and hues within a predetermined range similar to the hue. For example, the 2-14 hue information may include information on the hue of the outer surface of a stick scorched by the heat of a 14th heating and hues within a predetermined range similar to the hue. For example, the multiple pieces of hue information may include at least one of hue, saturation, and brightness information.

After detecting the insertion of the stick 50, the aerosol generating device 10 can compare the color signal periodically output from the color sensor 182 with multiple pieces of color information stored in the memory 14 to determine the color information corresponding to the color signal. The aerosol generating device 10 can determine the number of heatings that matches the color information corresponding to the color signal. The aerosol generating device 10 can determine the extent of use of the inserted stick 40 based on the matched number of heatings. The aerosol generating device 10 can determine the extent of use of the stick 40 in proportion to the number of heatings.

If the aerosol generation device 10 determines that the number of heating times is less than the maximum number of puffs (e.g., 14 times) assigned to an unused stick, it can supply power to the first heater 131 even if it determines that the inserted stick 50 is a used stick. The aerosol generation device 10 can count the number of puffs each time a puff occurs, based on the number of heating times. The aerosol generation device 10 can control the second heater 181 to heat with each puff until the counted number reaches a predetermined number (N).

As described above, at least one of the embodiments of the present disclosure can determine whether an inserted stick has been used and prevent the stick from being reused.

According to at least one embodiment of the present disclosure, changes in the aerosol scent can be minimized by determining whether the stick has been used by heating the portion of the stick that does not contain the medium at a relatively low temperature.

At least one embodiment of the present disclosure makes it possible to determine whether an inserted stick has been used, regardless of the type of stick used.

At least one of the embodiments of the present disclosure makes it possible to determine the extent to which a stick has been used.

Referring to Figures 1 to 13, an aerosol generating device 10 according to one aspect of the present disclosure includes a housing having an elongated insertion space 330, a first heater 131 arranged adjacent to one end of the insertion space 330 in the longitudinal direction of the insertion space 330 and for heating an aerosol generating material, a color sensor 182 arranged adjacent to the insertion space 330 and facing the insertion space 330, and a second heater 181 for heating at least a portion of the outer circumferential surface of a stick 50 inserted into the insertion space 330, and the color sensor 182 may be arranged above the second heater 181 in the longitudinal direction of the insertion space 330.

According to another aspect of the present disclosure, the second heater 181 may have an annular shape surrounding at least a portion of the outer periphery of the insertion space 330.

According to another aspect of the present disclosure, the second heater 181 may be positioned at a height close to the height at which the support portions 513, 515 of the stick 50 are positioned when the stick 50 is inserted into the insertion space 330.

According to another aspect of the present disclosure, the stick 50 may include a medium portion 511 and support portions 513 and 515 connected to the upstream end and/or downstream end of the medium portion 511. When the stick 50 is inserted into the insertion space 330, the second heater 181 may heat the outer circumferential surfaces of the support portions 513 and 515.

According to another aspect of the present disclosure, the aerosol generating device 10 may further include a control unit 17. The color sensor 182 may emit light into the insertion space 330, receive light reflected by the stick 50, and output a color signal corresponding to the received reflected light. Based on the color signal output by the color sensor 182, the control unit 17 may determine whether the stick 50 has been inserted into the insertion space 330 and whether the stick 50 is a used stick.

According to another aspect of the present disclosure, the aerosol generating device 10 may further include a puff sensor 151 that detects a puff. When the stick 50 is inserted, the control unit 17 determines whether a puff signal is received from the puff sensor 151, and determines whether the stick 50 is a used stick based on the color signals received from the color sensor 182 from the time the insertion of the stick 50 is detected until the time the puff signal is received.

According to another aspect of the present disclosure, the aerosol generating device 10 may further include a puff sensor 151 that detects puffs. When the stick 50 is inserted, the control unit 17 determines whether a puff signal is received from the puff sensor 151, counts the number of puffs based on the puff signal, and controls the second heater 181 to supply power when the number of puffs reaches a predetermined number.

According to another aspect of the present disclosure, the aerosol generating device 10 may further include a puff sensor 151 that detects a puff. When the stick 50 is inserted, the control unit 17 determines whether a puff signal is received from the puff sensor 151, and if the puff signal is received, controls the second heater 181 to supply power for a predetermined period of time.

According to another aspect of the present disclosure, the outer surface of the support parts 513, 515 heated by the second heater 181 may change color in proportion to the heating time. The control unit 17 can determine the extent to which the stick 50 has been used based on the color signal output by the color sensor 182.

According to another aspect of the present disclosure, the control unit 17 may control the supply of power to the first heater 131 if the stick 50 inserted into the insertion space 330 is an unused stick, and may control the supply of power to the first heater 131 to be cut off if the stick 50 inserted into the insertion space 330 is a used stick.

According to another aspect of the present disclosure, the control unit 17 can control the power supplied to the second heater 181 so that the second heater 181 is heated to a temperature lower than the vaporization temperature of the aerosol-generating substance.

The specific embodiments or other embodiments of the present disclosure described above are not mutually exclusive or distinct. The structure or function of any specific element or all elements of the embodiments of the present disclosure described above may be combined with other elements or combined with each other.

For example, configuration A described in one embodiment of this disclosure and drawings and configuration B described in another embodiment of this disclosure and drawings can be combined with each other. In other words, even if a combination between configurations is not directly described, the combination is possible unless it is described that the combination is not possible.

While the embodiments have been described above in accordance with a number of exemplary embodiments, it should be understood by those skilled in the art that many other variations and embodiments are possible within the scope of the principles of the present disclosure. More particularly, various modifications and variations are possible in the components and/or arrangements of the subject combinations within the scope of this disclosure, the drawings, and the appended claims. In addition to the modifications and variations of the components and/or arrangements, other uses will also be apparent to those skilled in the art.

Claims (11)

a housing that forms an insertion space and extends elongatedly;
a first heater disposed adjacent to one end of the insertion space in a longitudinal direction of the insertion space and configured to heat the aerosol-generating material;
a color sensor disposed adjacent to the insertion space and facing the insertion space;
a second heater that heats at least a portion of the outer circumferential surface of the stick inserted into the insertion space at a temperature lower than the vaporization temperature of the aerosol-generating substance ,
An aerosol generating device, wherein the color sensor is positioned above the second heater along the longitudinal direction of the insertion space. The aerosol generating device of claim 1, wherein the second heater has an annular shape and is positioned so as to surround at least a portion of the outer circumferential surface of the insertion space. The aerosol generating device described in claim 1, wherein the second heater is positioned at a height close to the height at which the support portion of the stick is positioned when the stick is inserted into the insertion space. The stick is
a medium portion including a medium ;
the support portion is connected to an upstream end and/or a downstream end of the medium portion;
The aerosol generating device according to claim 3 , wherein the second heater heats the outer circumferential surface of the support part when the stick is inserted into the insertion space. Further comprising a control unit;
The color sensor emits light into the insertion space, receives light reflected by the stick, and outputs a color signal corresponding to the received light;
The aerosol generating device according to claim 1 , wherein the control unit determines whether the stick is inserted into the insertion space and whether the stick is a used stick based on the color signal output by the color sensor. Further includes a puff sensor for detecting a puff,
The control unit further
After the stick is inserted into the insertion space, determining whether a puff signal confirming a puff detected by the puff sensor is received from the puff sensor;
The aerosol generating device of claim 5, wherein the device determines whether the stick is a used stick based on the color signal provided by the color sensor during the period between the time when it is confirmed that the stick is inserted into the insertion space and the time when the puff signal is received. Further includes a puff sensor for detecting a puff,
The control unit further
After the stick is inserted into the insertion space, determining whether a puff signal confirming a puff detected by the puff sensor is received from the puff sensor;
confirming the number of puffs based on the puff signal;
The aerosol generating device according to claim 5 , wherein the power supplied to the second heater is controlled when the number of puffs reaches a predetermined number. Further includes a puff sensor for detecting a puff,
The control unit
determining whether a puff signal is received from the puff sensor when the stick is inserted, confirming a detected puff from the puff sensor;
The aerosol generating device according to claim 5 , wherein when the puff signal is received, the device controls the power supplied to the second heater for a predetermined time. the color of the outer circumferential surface of the support portion of the stick changes in proportion to the time heated by the second heater;
The aerosol generating device according to claim 8 , wherein the control unit determines the degree of use of the stick based on the color signal output by the color sensor. The control unit further
If the stick inserted into the insertion space is an unused stick, the power supplied to the first heater is controlled;
The aerosol generating device according to claim 5 , wherein the power supply to the first heater is controlled when the stick inserted into the insertion space is a used stick. The aerosol generating device of claim 1, wherein when the stick is inserted into the insertion space, the second heater is positioned at a height relative to the lower end of the insertion space that generally corresponds to the position at which the support portion of the stick is located.