VAPORIZER FOR AEROSOL GENERATING DEVICE AND AEROSOL GENERATING DEVICE INCLUDING THE SAME

- KT&G CORPORATION

A vaporizer for an aerosol generating device includes a storage unit storing an aerosol generating material, and a heating chamber configured to heat the aerosol generating material, wherein the heating chamber includes a wick extending in a longitudinal direction and configured to absorb the aerosol generating material, a coil wound around the wick and configured to heat the aerosol generating material absorbed into the wick, and an accommodation portion configured to accommodate the wick, a diameter of wire of the coil is 0.15 mm to 0.2 mm, the number of turns of the coil is 6 times to 9 times, and an ohmic loss in the coil is less than 8 watts (W).

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Description
TECHNICAL FIELD

The disclosure relates to a vaporizer for an aerosol generating device and an aerosol generating device including the same, and more particularly, to a vaporizer for an aerosol generating device, for improving power efficiency, and an aerosol generating device including the same.

BACKGROUND ART

Recently, the demand for alternative methods for overcoming the shortcomings of general cigarettes has increased. For example, there is an increasing demand for a system for generating aerosols by heating a cigarette or an aerosol generating material by using an aerosol generating device, rather than by burning cigarettes. Accordingly, researches on a heating-type aerosol generating device have been actively conducted. Heating-type aerosol generating devices may include, for example, vaporizers for generating aerosols by heating aerosol generating materials. Heating-type aerosol generating devices are portable devices that operate on the basis of internal batteries, and research on methods capable of efficiently generating aerosols by using a small amount of power has been actively conducted.

DISCLOSURE Technical Problem

Various embodiments provide a vaporizer and an aerosol generating device including the vaporizer. The problems to be solved by embodiments are not limited to the problems described above, and problems not mentioned may be clearly understood by one of ordinary skill in the art to which the embodiments belong from the description and the accompanying drawings.

Technical Solution

According to an aspect of the disclosure, a vaporizer for an aerosol generating device includes a storage unit storing an aerosol generating material, and a heating chamber configured to heat the aerosol generating material, wherein the heating chamber includes a wick extending in a longitudinal direction and configured to absorb the aerosol generating material, a coil wound around the wick and configured to heat the aerosol generating material absorbed into the wick, and an accommodation portion configured to accommodate the wick, a diameter of wire of the coil is 0.15 mm to 0.2 mm, the number of turns of the coil is 6 times to 9 times, and an ohmic loss in the coil is less than 8 watts (W).

According to another aspect of the disclosure, an aerosol generating device includes a vaporizer, a battery configured to supply power to the vaporizer, and a controller configured to control the power supplied from the battery to the vaporizer.

Advantageous Effects

A vaporizer for an aerosol generating device and the aerosol generating device, according to embodiments, may increase power efficiency and increase an amount of smoke by reducing heat loss.

Effects of the present disclosure are not limited to the above effects, and effects that are not mentioned could be clearly understood by one of ordinary skill in the art from the present specification and the attached drawings.

DESCRIPTION OF DRAWINGS

FIG. 1A is a front view of an aerosol generating device to which a vaporizer is coupled, according to an embodiment.

FIG. 1B is a perspective view of the aerosol generating device of FIG. 1A.

FIG. 2A is an exploded perspective view of a heating chamber according to an embodiment.

FIG. 2B is an exploded perspective view of a vaporizer according to an embodiment.

FIG. 3 is a plan view of a heating chamber according to an embodiment.

FIG. 4 schematically illustrates a cross-sectional view of a coil and a wick, according to an embodiment.

FIG. 5 schematically illustrates a cross-sectional view of an accommodation portion according to an embodiment.

FIG. 6 is a block diagram of an aerosol generating device according to an embodiment.

 MODE FOR INVENTION

Regarding the terms in the various embodiments, the general terms which are currently and widely used are selected in consideration of functions of structural elements in the various embodiments of the present disclosure. However, meanings of the terms can be changed according to intention, a judicial precedence, the appearance of a new technology, and the like. In addition, in certain cases, terms which can be arbitrarily selected by the applicant in particular cases. In such a case, the meaning of the terms will be described in detail at the corresponding portion in the description of the present disclosure. Therefore, the terms used in the various embodiments of the present disclosure should be defined based on the meanings of the terms and the descriptions provided herein.

In addition, unless explicitly described to the contrary, the word “comprise” and variations such as “comprises” or “comprising” will be understood to imply the inclusion of stated elements but not the exclusion of any other elements. In addition, the terms “-er”, “-or”, and “module” described in the specification mean units for processing at least one function and operation and can be implemented by hardware components or software components and combinations thereof.

As used herein, an expression such as “at least any one” precedes arranged elements, it modifies all elements rather than each arranged element. For example, the expression “at least any one of a, b, and c” should be construed to include a, b, c, or a and b, a and c, b and c, or a, b, and c.

In an embodiment, an aerosol generating device may be a device that generates aerosols by electrically heating a cigarette accommodated in an interior space thereof.

The aerosol generating device may include a heater. In an embodiment, the heater may be an electro-resistive heater. For example, the heater may include an electrically conductive track, and the heater may be heated when currents flow through the electrically conductive track.

The heater may include a tube-shaped heating element, a plate-shaped heating element, a needle-shaped heating element, or a rod-shaped heating element, and may heat the inside or outside of a cigarette according to the shape of a heating element.

A cigarette may include a tobacco rod and a filter rod. The tobacco rod may be formed of sheets, strands, and tiny bits cut from a tobacco sheet. Also, the tobacco rod may be surrounded by a heat conductive material. For example, the heat conductive material may be, but is not limited to, a metal foil such as aluminum foil.

The filter rod may include a cellulose acetate filter. The filter rod may include at least one segment. For example, the filter rod may include a first segment configured to cool aerosols, and a second segment configured to filter a certain component in aerosols.

In another embodiment, the aerosol generating device may be a device that generates aerosols by using a cartridge containing an aerosol generating material.

The aerosol generating device may include a cartridge that contains an aerosol generating material, and a main body that supports the cartridge. The cartridge may be detachably coupled to the main body, but is not limited thereto. The cartridge may be integrally formed or assembled with the main body, and may also be fixed to the main body so as not to be detached from the main body by a user. The cartridge may be mounted on the main body while accommodating an aerosol generating material therein. However, the present disclosure is not limited thereto. An aerosol generating material may also be injected into the cartridge while the cartridge is coupled to the main body.

The cartridge may contain an aerosol generating material in any one of various states, such as a liquid state, a solid state, a gaseous state, a gel state, or the like. The aerosol generating material may include a liquid composition. For example, the liquid composition may be a liquid including a tobacco-containing material having a volatile tobacco flavor component, or a liquid including a non-tobacco material.

The cartridge may be operated by an electrical signal or a wireless signal transmitted from the main body to perform a function of generating aerosols by converting the phase of an aerosol generating material inside the cartridge into a gaseous phase. The aerosols may refer to a gas in which vaporized particles generated from an aerosol generating material are mixed with air.

In another embodiment, the aerosol generating device may generate aerosols by heating a liquid composition, and generated aerosols may be delivered to a user through a cigarette. That is, the aerosols generated from the liquid composition may move along an airflow passage of the aerosol generating device, and the airflow passage may be configured to allow aerosols to be delivered to a user by passing through a cigarette.

The aerosol generating device may further include a wick that absorbs an aerosol generating material.

In another embodiment, the aerosol generating device is a device that generates aerosols by heating an aerosol generating article accommodated in the aerosol generating device in an induction heating method.

The aerosol generating device may include a susceptor and a coil. In an embodiment, the coil may apply a magnetic field to the susceptor. As power is supplied to the coil from the aerosol generating device, a magnetic field may be formed inside the coil. In an embodiment, the susceptor may be a magnetic body that generates heat by an external magnetic field. As the susceptor is positioned inside the coil and a magnetic field is applied to the susceptor, the susceptor generates heat to heat an aerosol generating article. In addition, optionally, the susceptor may be positioned within the aerosol generating article.

In another embodiment, the aerosol generating device may further include a cradle.

The aerosol generating device may configure a system together with a separate cradle. For example, the cradle may charge a battery of the aerosol generating device. Alternatively, the heater may be heated when the cradle and the aerosol generating device are coupled to each other.

Hereinafter, the present disclosure will now be described more fully with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which exemplary embodiments of the present disclosure are shown such that one of ordinary skill in the art may easily work the present disclosure. The present disclosure may be implemented in a form that can be implemented in the aerosol generating devices of the various embodiments described above or may be implemented in various different forms, and is not limited to the embodiments described herein.

The sizes, ratios, or the like of some components in the drawings may be somewhat exaggerated. In addition, components shown in some drawings may not be shown in other drawings.

In addition, throughout the description, a longitudinal direction of a component may refer to a direction in which the component extends along one direction axis of the component, and in this case, the one direction axis of the component may refer to a direction in which the component extends longer than along the other direction axis crossing the one direction axis. For example, a longitudinal direction of a wick may refer to a direction in which a wick extends, illustrated in FIG. 4, i.e., a direction parallel to a direction of a length lw of the wick.

Throughout the description, embodiments are arbitrary divisions for easily describing the disclosure, and each embodiment need not be mutually exclusive of the others. For example, components disclosed in one embodiment may be applied to and/or implemented in other embodiments, and may be modified and applied and/or implemented without departing from the scope of the disclosure.

In addition, the terminology used herein is for describing embodiments and is not intended to be limiting of the present embodiments. As used herein, the singular forms include plural forms as well, unless specifically stated.

Hereinafter, embodiments of the present disclosure will be described in detail with reference to the drawings.

FIG. 1A is a front view of an aerosol generating device to which a vaporizer is coupled, according to an embodiment.

Referring to FIG. 1A, an aerosol generating device 1000 may include a vaporizer 1 and a main body 2. The vaporizer 1 may be coupled to one region of the main body 2. The coupling of the vaporizer 1 to the main body 2 is not limited to the example illustrated in FIG. 1A. For example, the vaporizer 1 may be coupled to the main body 2 on a side surface of the aerosol generating device 1000, and may be coupled to the main body 2 on an upper surface or a lower surface in a longitudinal direction of the aerosol generating device 1000.

In an embodiment, the aerosol generating device 1000 may further include a housing (not shown) including a space in which an aerosol generating article is accommodated, and a separate heater (not shown) for heating the aerosol generating article accommodated in the housing. Accordingly, the aerosol generating device 1000 may generate aerosol by using the vaporizer 1, and may generate aerosol by heating, via the heater, the aerosol generating article accommodated in the housing.

The space in which the aerosol generating article is accommodated and the heater may be included in the main body 2. Accordingly, the vaporizer 1 may be coupled to one region of the main body 2, and the aerosol generating article may be accommodated in the other region of the main body 2.

In an embodiment, the aerosol generating device 1000 may further include a cap (not shown) that is detachable. The cap may protect at least a portion of the vaporizer 1 and the main body 2. The cap may protect a coupled portion of the vaporizer 1 and the main body 2. For example, when the main body 2 and the vaporizer 1 are separated from each other to replace the vaporizer 1, the cap may be separated first and then the vaporizer 1 may be separated. In addition, the cap may include a hole communicating with the housing including the space in which the aerosol generating article is accommodated.

In an embodiment, the aerosol generating device 1000 may include a battery (not shown) for supplying power to the vaporizer 1 and a controller (not shown) for controlling the power supplied to the vaporizer 1 from the battery. The battery and the controller may be electrically connected to the vaporizer 1. Via the power supplied through the battery and the controller, the vaporizer 1 may generate aerosol by heating an aerosol generating material.

FIG. 1B is a perspective view of the aerosol generating device 1000 of FIG. 1A.

The aerosol generating device 1000 may include the vaporizer 1 and the main body 2. The vaporizer 1 may include a storage unit 110 for storing an aerosol generating material and a heating chamber 120 for heating the aerosol generating material. The vaporizer 1 including the storage unit 110 and the heating chamber 120 may be coupled to the main body 2 of the aerosol generating device 1000.

FIG. 2A is an exploded perspective view of a heating chamber according to an embodiment.

Referring to FIG. 2A, a heating chamber 120 according to an embodiment may include a wick 121, a coil 122, and an accommodation portion 123.

The wick 121 may extend in a longitudinal direction and absorb an aerosol generating material. The aerosol generating material may be transmitted from the storage unit 110 of FIG. 1B and absorbed into the wick 121. The wick 121 may have an elongated shape extending in the longitudinal direction. For example, the wick 121 may have various pillar shapes such as a cylindrical shape, a triangular pillar shape, and a rectangular pillar shape, but is not limited thereto.

The aerosol generating material supplied from the storage unit 110 may be absorbed into one portion of the wick 121 and move to the other portion of the wick 121 according to capillarity. In an embodiment, the aerosol generating material supplied from the storage unit 110 may be absorbed into an end of the wick 121 in the longitudinal direction and moved to a central portion, but is not limited to the delivery method described herein. The aerosol generating material stored in the storage unit 110 may be in a liquid or gel state.

The wick 121 may be formed of silica. The wick 121 may be formed of silica and prevent a burnt taste and a harmful substance from being transferred to a user by minimizing carbonization during heating.

The coil 122 may be wound around the wick 121 and generate aerosol by heating the aerosol generating material absorbed into the wick 121. For example, the coil 122 may be wound around the central portion of the wick 121 in the longitudinal direction, and may generate aerosol by heating the aerosol generating material that is absorbed into one end of the wick 121 in the longitudinal direction and moved to the central portion.

The coil 122 may be a resistive heater wound around a circumference of the wick 121. The coil 122 is wound around the wick 121, and a method or order of assembling the wick 121 and coil 122 is not limited. For example, the coil 122 may be wound around an outer circumferential surface of the wick 121, and the wick 121 may be inserted into the coil 122 that is wound.

The accommodation portion 123 may accommodate the wick 121. In detail, the accommodation portion 123 may accommodate the wick 121 around which the coil 122 is wound. The accommodation portion 123 may have an accommodation groove 123b for accommodating the wick 121.

In addition, the accommodation portion 123 may include an inlet 123a for introducing external air into the accommodation portion 123, and may include an outlet 123c for discharging the generated aerosol to the outside of the accommodation portion 123. The accommodation portion 123 may form the external appearance of the heating chamber 120, and the outlet 123c may have a shape that may be connected to the main body 2. Shapes, locations, numbers, and the like of the inlet 123a and the outlet 123c may be changed in various forms.

The accommodation portion 123 may include a terminal (not shown) for electrically connecting the vaporizer 1 to the main body 2. Accordingly, the vaporizer 1 may be connected to a battery (not shown) and a controller (not shown).

FIG. 2B is an exploded perspective view of a vaporizer according to an embodiment.

Referring to FIG. 2B, a vaporizer 1 may include a storage unit 110 and a heating chamber 120, and the heating chamber 120 may further include a sealing portion 124 and a connector 125, in addition to a wick 121, a coil 122, and an accommodation portion 123 as described above.

The wick 121, the coil 122, the accommodation portion 123, the sealing portion 124, and the connector 125 may be combined with one another in a z-axis direction illustrated in FIG. 2B. For example, after the wick 121 and the coil 122 are accommodated in the accommodation portion 123, the sealing portion 124 may be coupled to the accommodation portion 123. In addition, the accommodation portion 123 may be inserted into an inner space 125a of the connector 125.

The storage unit 110 and the heating chamber 120 may be coupled to each other to assemble the vaporizer 1. In detail, the storage unit 110 and the connector 125 of the heating chamber 120 are coupled to each other to assemble the vaporizer 1. However, the assembly order or coupling method of the vaporizer 1 is not limited to the example described above.

The sealing portion 124 may prevent an aerosol generating material stored in the storage unit 110 from leaking. The sealing portion 124 may be in contact with a portion of the storage unit 110 to be coupled to the storage unit 110. In other words, the sealing portion 124 may be firmly coupled to the storage unit 110, so that a gap from which the aerosol generating material leaks is not formed between the storage unit 110 and another component (e.g., the accommodation portion 123).

For example, the storage unit 110 may also have a groove that may be firmly combined with the sealing portion 124. In addition, the sealing portion 124 may include an elastic material, such as a rubber or silicone, to be firmly coupled to the storage unit 110, but is not limited thereto.

The sealing portion 124 may include at least one opening 124b, so that the aerosol generating material stored in the storage unit 110 may move to the accommodation portion 123. Accordingly, the sealing portion 124 may allow the aerosol generating material stored in the storage unit 110 to be moved to the outside of the storage unit 110 through the opening 124b formed in the sealing portion 124, and at the same time, may prevent the aerosol generating material stored in the storage unit 110 from leaking to the outside of the storage unit 110 through another gap other than the opening 124b.

The sealing portion 124 may have an inflow passage 124a communicating with an inlet 123a of the accommodation portion 123. The inflow passage 124a of the sealing portion 124 may be a passage through which external air flows in and is transferred to the inside of the accommodation portion 123 through the inlet 123a.

The connector 125 may accommodate the accommodation portion 123 in the inner space 125a. The connector 125 may also accommodate the accommodation portion 123 and the sealing portion 124 in the inner space 125a. For example, the inner space 125a of the connector 125 may have an inner shape corresponding to the external appearances of the accommodation portion 123 and the sealing portion 124. The connector 125 may allow the accommodation portion 123 and the sealing portion 124 to be appropriately aligned, and may protect the inside of the heating chamber 120.

When the heating chamber 120 further includes the connector 125, the connector 125 may form the external appearance of the heating chamber 120. The connector 125 may have a connection passage 125b that has a shape connectable to the main body 2 of FIG. 1B and communicates with an outlet 123c of the accommodation portion 123.

Aerosol, which is discharged to the outside through the outlet 123c of the accommodation portion 123, may move to the outside of the vaporizer 1 along the connection passage 125b of the connector 125. In addition, the connection passage 125b of the connector 125 may be connected to the main body 2 of the aerosol generating device 1000 and allow the aerosol to move along an airflow passage (not shown) formed in the main body 2. The aerosol, which is moved along the airflow passage, may be discharged to the outside of the aerosol generating device 1000.

FIG. 3 is a plan view of a heating chamber according to an embodiment.

FIG. 3 schematically illustrates a heating chamber 120 in which a wick 121 having a coil 122 wound thereon is accommodated in an accommodation portion 123. The wick 121 around which the coil 122 is wound may be accommodated in an accommodation groove 123b of the accommodation portion 123.

The structures of the wick 121, the coil 122, and the accommodation portion 123 included in the heating chamber 120 are described below in detail with reference to FIGS. 4 and 5, respectively. FIG. 4 schematically illustrates a cross-sectional view of a coil and a wick according to an embodiment.

Referring to FIG. 4, a coil 122 may have a diameter of wire dc of 0.15 mm to 0.2 mm, and the coil 122 may be 6 times to 9 times wound around the wick 121. Here, an ohmic loss in the coil 122 may be less than 8 watts (W). Accordingly, the ohmic loss in the coil 122 in the above range may be appropriate to derive a maximum amount of smoke at a minimum amount of power and minimize, in the above range, a failure and short of the coil 122.

In addition, an electrical resistance of the coil 122 may be 1.1 ohm to 1.25 ohm. When the electrical resistance is higher than the above range, power efficiency may be lower and an amount of exhaustion of an aerosol generating material may be small, and thus, a sufficient amount of smoke may not be provided.

The diameter of wire dc of the coil 122 may be a diameter of a wire forming the coil 122 and may correspond to a thickness of the coil 122. The number of times of winding the coil 122 may refer to the number of complete turns wound around the wick 121.

The coil 122, which is wound around the wick 121, may have a length of coil lc and a winding interval a in a linear direction of the coil 122. In other words, the length of the coil lc of the coil 122 may refer to a linear length of the coil 122 that is wound in a longitudinal direction (e.g., in a y-axis direction) of the wick 121. In an embodiment, the coil 122 may be wound around the wick 121 to have a length of coil of 3 mm to 3.8 mm.

The winding interval a may refer to an interval between a turn and a turn of the coil 122 that is wound, and may refer to a pitch of coil of the coil 122. In an embodiment, the winding interval a of the coil 122, which is wound around the wick 121, may be 0.46 mm to 0.55 mm.

For example, as illustrated in FIG. 4, the coil 122 may be 7 times wound around the wick 121, and here, the length of coil lc of the coil 122 may have a value between 6 times and 7 times of the winding interval a.

The wick 121 has a length lw in a certain range and diameters dw1 and dw2 in a certain range.

For example, the length lw of the wick 121 may be 8.3 mm to 9.7 mm.

The coil 122 may be wound around the wick 121, and in detail, the coil 122 may be wound around am outer circumferential surface of the wick 121, or the wick 121 may be inserted into the coil 122 that is wound. In a detailed embodiment, the coil 122 may be wound around the wick 121 to compress the wick 121, or the wick 121, which is compressed, may be inserted into the coil 122 that is wound.

The diameter of the wick 121 may have an uncompressed diameter dw1 before the wick 121 and the coil 122 are coupled to each other and a compressed diameter dw2 after the wick 121 and the coil 122 are coupled to each other.

Here, the diameter of the wick 121 may be greater before being coupled to the coil 122 and may be smaller after being coupled to the coil 122. In other words, the uncompressed diameter dw1 of the wick 121 before the wick 121 and the coil 122 are coupled to each other may be greater than the compressed diameter dw2 of the wick 121 after the wick 121 and the coil 122 are coupled to each other. For example, the uncompressed diameter dw1 of the wick 121 may be 2.4 mm to 2.6 mm, and the compressed diameter dw2 of the wick 121 may be 1.85 mm to 2.15 mm. A compression rate of the wick 121 from the uncompressed diameter dw1 to the compressed diameter dw2 may be about 10% to about 29%. When the compression rate is higher than the above range, the coil 122 may short.

Meanwhile, in an embodiment, the winding intervals a of the coil 122, which is wound around the wick 121, may be the same as one another, and some of the winding intervals a may be different from one another.

FIG. 5 schematically illustrates a cross-sectional view of an accommodation portion according to an embodiment.

Referring to FIG. 5, an accommodating portion 123 may have an accommodation groove 123b accommodating a wick 121 of FIG. 3, and the wick 121 of FIG. 3 around which a coil 122 of FIG. 3 is wound may be seated inside the accommodation groove 123b of the accommodation portion 123. The accommodation groove 123b may have a length lr of 10 mm to 13 mm and a width Wr1 of 2.4 mm to 3.0 mm.

The accommodation groove 123b may have a shape that may accommodate the wick 121 of FIG. 3. For example, the wick 121 of FIG. 3 may be a cylindrical type, and the accommodation groove 123b may have a cuboid space that may accommodate the wick 121 of FIG. 3. As a detailed example, the length lw of the wick 121 of FIG. 3 may be 8.3 mm to 9.7 mm and the uncompressed diameter dw1 of the wick 121 of FIG. 3 may be 2.4 mm to 2.6 mm. In addition, the accommodation groove 123b accommodating the wick 121 of FIG. 3 may have the length lr of 10 mm to 13 mm and the width Wr1 of 2.4 mm to 3.0 mm.

The accommodation groove 123b may have the length lr and the width Wr1, that are equal to or somewhat greater than the length lw and the uncompressed diameter dw1 of the wick 121 of FIG. 3, to fix the wick 121 of FIG. 3. Alternatively, the accommodation groove 123b may have the length lr and the width Wr1 that are greater than the length lw and the uncompressed diameter dw1 of the wick 121 of FIG. 3, and may include a separate fixation portion that may fix the wick 121 of FIG. 3. Here, fixing the wick 121 of FIG. 3 may indicate that the wick 121 of FIG. 3 is seated not to be detached from the accommodation groove 123b of the accommodation portion 123 even when the vaporizer 1 or the aerosol generating device 1000 including the same moves.

As another example, as illustrated in FIG. 5, the accommodation groove 123b may have a shape in which the width Wr1 of a portion of the accommodation groove 123b accommodating a portion of the wick 121 of FIG. 3 around which the coil 122 of FIG. 3 is not wound may be less than a width Wr2 of a portion of the accommodation groove 123b accommodating a portion of the wick 121 of FIG. 3 around which the coil 122 of FIG. 3 is wound, but is not limited thereto.

Meanwhile, the accommodation groove 123b of the accommodation portion 123 may further include a separate fixation portion (not shown) that may fix the wick 121 of FIG. 3. FIG. 6 is a block diagram of an aerosol generating device 600 according to another embodiment.

The aerosol generating device 600 may include a controller 610, a sensing unit 620, an output unit 630, a battery 640, a heater 650, a user input unit 660, a memory 670, and a communication unit 680. However, the internal structure of the aerosol generating device 600 is not limited to those illustrated in FIG. 6. That is, according to the design of the aerosol generating device 600, it will be understood by one of ordinary skill in the art that some of the components shown in FIG. 6 may be omitted or new components may be added.

The sensing unit 620 may sense a state of the aerosol generating device 600 and a state around the aerosol generating device 600, and transmit sensed information to the controller 610. Based on the sensed information, the controller 610 may control the aerosol generating device 600 to perform various functions, such as controlling an operation of the heater 650, limiting smoking, determining whether an aerosol generating article (e.g., a cigarette, a cartridge, or the like) is inserted, displaying a notification, or the like.

The sensing unit 620 may include at least one of a temperature sensor 622, an insertion detection sensor, and a puff sensor 626, but is not limited thereto.

The temperature sensor 622 may sense a temperature at which the heater 650 (or an aerosol generating material) is heated. The aerosol generating device 600 may include a separate temperature sensor for sensing the temperature of the heater 650, or the heater 650 may serve as a temperature sensor. Alternatively, the temperature sensor 622 may also be arranged around the battery 640 to monitor the temperature of the battery 640.

The insertion detection sensor 624 may sense insertion and/or removal of an aerosol generating article. For example, the insertion detection sensor 624 may include at least one of a film sensor, a pressure sensor, an optical sensor, a resistive sensor, a capacitive sensor, an inductive sensor, and an infrared sensor, and may sense a signal change according to the insertion and/or removal of an aerosol generating article.

The puff sensor 626 may sense a user's puff on the basis of various physical changes in an airflow passage or an airflow channel. For example, the puff sensor 626 may sense a user's puff on the basis of any one of a temperature change, a flow change, a voltage change, and a pressure change.

The sensing unit 620 may include, in addition to the temperature sensor 622, the insertion detection sensor 624, and the puff sensor 626 described above, at least one of a temperature/humidity sensor, a barometric pressure sensor, a magnetic sensor, an acceleration sensor, a gyroscope sensor, a location sensor (e.g., a global positioning system (GPS)), a proximity sensor, and a red-green-blue (RGB) sensor (illuminance sensor). Because a function of each of sensors may be intuitively inferred by one of ordinary skill in the art from the name of the sensor, a detailed description thereof may be omitted.

The output unit 630 may output information on a state of the aerosol generating device 600 and provide the information to a user. The output unit 630 may include at least one of a display unit 632, a haptic unit 634, and a sound output unit 636, but is not limited thereto. When the display unit 632 and a touch pad form a layered structure to form a touch screen, the display unit 632 may also be used as an input device in addition to an output device.

The display unit 632 may visually provide information about the aerosol generating device 600 to the user. For example, information about the aerosol generating device 600 may mean various pieces of information, such as a charging/discharging state of the battery 640 of the aerosol generating device 600, a preheating state of the heater 650, an insertion/removal state of an aerosol generating article, or a state in which the use of the aerosol generating device 600 is restricted (e.g., sensing of an abnormal object), or the like, and the display unit 632 may output the information to the outside. The display unit 632 may be, for example, a liquid crystal display panel (LCD), an organic light-emitting diode (OLED) display panel, or the like. In addition, the display unit 632 may be in the form of a light-emitting diode (LED) light-emitting device.

The haptic unit 634 may tactilely provide information about the aerosol generating device 600 to the user by converting an electrical signal into a mechanical stimulus or an electrical stimulus. For example, the haptic unit 634 may include a motor, a piezoelectric element, or an electrical stimulation device.

The sound output unit 636 may audibly provide information about the aerosol generating device 600 to the user. For example, the sound output unit 636 may convert an electrical signal into a sound signal and output the same to the outside.

The battery 640 may supply power used to operate the aerosol generating device 600. The battery 640 may supply power such that the heater 650 may be heated. In addition, the battery 640 may supply power required for operations of other components (e.g., the sensing unit 620, the output unit 630, the user input unit 660, the memory 670, and the communication unit 680) in the aerosol generating device 600. The battery 640 may be a rechargeable battery or a disposable battery. For example, the battery 640 may be a lithium polymer (LiPoly) battery, but is not limited thereto.

The heater 650 may receive power from the battery 640 to heat an aerosol generating material. Although not illustrated in FIG. 6, the aerosol generating device 600 may further include a power conversion circuit (e.g., a direct current (DC)/DC converter) that converts power of the battery 640 and supplies the same to the heater 650. In addition, when the aerosol generating device 600 generates aerosols in an induction heating method, the aerosol generating device 600 may further include a DC/alternating current (AC) that converts DC power of the battery 640 into AC power.

The controller 610, the sensing unit 620, the output unit 630, the user input unit 660, the memory 670, and the communication unit 680 may each receive power from the battery 640 to perform a function. Although not illustrated in FIG. 6, the aerosol generating device 600 may further include a power conversion circuit that converts power of the battery 640 to supply the power to respective components, for example, a low dropout (LDO) circuit, or a voltage regulator circuit.

In an embodiment, the heater 650 may be formed of any suitable electrically resistive material. For example, the suitable electrically resistive material may be a metal or a metal alloy including titanium, zirconium, tantalum, platinum, nickel, cobalt, chromium, hafnium, niobium, molybdenum, tungsten, tin, gallium, manganese, iron, copper, stainless steel, nichrome, or the like, but is not limited thereto. In addition, the heater 650 may be implemented by a metal wire, a metal plate on which an electrically conductive track is arranged, a ceramic heating element, or the like, but is not limited thereto.

In another embodiment, the heater 650 may be a heater of an induction heating type. For example, the heater 650 may include a susceptor that heats an aerosol generating material by generating heat through a magnetic field applied by a coil.

The user input unit 660 may receive information input from the user or may output information to the user. For example, the user input unit 660 may include a key pad, a dome switch, a touch pad (a contact capacitive method, a pressure resistance film method, an infrared sensing method, a surface ultrasonic conduction method, an integral tension measurement method, a piezo effect method, or the like), a jog wheel, a jog switch, or the like, but is not limited thereto. In addition, although not illustrated in FIG. 6, the aerosol generating device 600 may further include a connection interface, such as a universal serial bus (USB) interface, and may connect to other external devices through the connection interface, such as the USB interface, to transmit and receive information, or to charge the battery 640.

The memory 670 is a hardware component that stores various types of data processed in the aerosol generating device 600, and may store data processed and data to be processed by the controller 610. The memory 670 may include at least one type of storage medium from among a flash memory type, a hard disk type, a multimedia card micro type memory, a card-type memory (for example, secure digital (SD) or extreme digital (XD) memory, etc.), random access memory (RAM), static random access memory (SRAM), read-only memory (ROM), electrically erasable programmable read-only memory (EEPROM), programmable read-only memory (PROM), a magnetic memory, a magnetic disk, and an optical disk. The memory 670 may store an operation time of the aerosol generating device 600, the maximum number of puffs, the current number of puffs, at least one temperature profile, data on a user's smoking pattern, etc.

The communication unit 680 may include at least one component for communication with another electronic device. For example, the communication unit 680 may include a short-range wireless communication unit 682 and a wireless communication unit 684.

The short-range wireless communication unit 682 may include a Bluetooth communication unit, a Bluetooth Low Energy (BLE) communication unit, a near field communication unit, a wireless LAN (WLAN) (Wi-Fi) communication unit, a Zigbee communication unit, an infrared data association (IrDA) communication unit, a Wi-Fi Direct (WFD) communication unit, an ultra-wideband (UWB) communication unit, an Ant+ communication unit, or the like, but is not limited thereto.

The wireless communication unit 684 may include a cellular network communication unit, an Internet communication unit, a computer network (e.g., local area network (LAN) or wide area network (WAN)) communication unit, or the like, but is not limited thereto. The wireless communication unit 684 may also identify and authenticate the aerosol generating device 600 within a communication network by using subscriber information (e.g., International Mobile Subscriber Identifier (IMSI)).

The controller 610 may control general operations of the aerosol generating device 600. In an embodiment, the controller 610 may include at least one processor. The processor may be implemented as an array of a plurality of logic gates or may be implemented as a combination of a general-purpose microprocessor and a memory in which a program executable by the microprocessor is stored. It will be understood by one of ordinary skill in the art that the processor may be implemented in other forms of hardware.

The controller 610 may control the temperature of the heater 650 by controlling supply of power of the battery 640 to the heater 650. For example, the controller 610 may control power supply by controlling switching of a switching element between the battery 640 and the heater 650. In another example, a direct heating circuit may also control power supply to the heater 650 according to a control command of the controller 610.

The controller 610 may analyze a result sensed by the sensing unit 620 and control subsequent processes to be performed. For example, the controller 610 may control power supplied to the heater 650 to start or end an operation of the heater 650 on the basis of a result sensed by the sensing unit 620. As another example, the controller 610 may control, based on a result sensed by the sensing unit 620, an amount of power supplied to the heater 650 and the time the power is supplied, such that the heater 650 may be heated to a certain temperature or maintained at an appropriate temperature.

The controller 610 may control the output unit 630 on the basis of a result sensed by the sensing unit 620. For example, when the number of puffs counted through the puff sensor 626 reaches a preset number, the controller 610 may notify the user that the aerosol generating device 600 will soon be terminated through at least one of the display unit 632, the haptic unit 634, and the sound output unit 636.

One embodiment may also be implemented in the form of a computer-readable recording medium including instructions executable by a computer, such as a program module executable by the computer. The computer-readable recording medium may be any available medium that may be accessed by a computer and includes both volatile and nonvolatile media, and removable and non-removable media. In addition, the computer-readable recording medium may include both a computer storage medium and a communication medium. The computer storage medium includes all of volatile and nonvolatile media, and removable and non-removable media implemented by any method or technology for storage of information such as computer-readable instructions, data structures, program modules, or other data. The communication medium typically includes computer-readable instructions, data structures, other data in modulated data signals such as program modules, or other transmission mechanisms, and includes any information transfer media.

The descriptions of the above-described embodiments are merely examples, and it will be understood by one of ordinary skill in the art that various changes and equivalents thereof may be made. Therefore, the scope of the disclosure should be defined by the appended claims, and all differences within the scope equivalent to those described in the claims will be construed as being included in the scope of protection defined by the claims.

Claims

1. A vaporizer for an aerosol generating device, the vaporizer comprising:

a storage unit configured to store an aerosol generating material; and
a heating chamber configured to heat the aerosol generating material,
wherein the heating chamber includes:
a wick extending in a longitudinal direction and configured to absorb the aerosol generating material;
a coil wound around the wick and configured to heat the aerosol generating material absorbed into the wick; and
an accommodation portion configured to accommodate the wick, wherein a diameter of wire of the coil is 0.15 mm to 0.2 mm, the number of turns of the coil is 6 times to 9 times, and an ohmic loss in the coil is less than 8 watts (W).

2. The vaporizer of claim 1, wherein an electrical resistance of the coil is 1.1 ohm to 1.25 ohm.

3. The vaporizer of claim 1, wherein the wick has a length of 8.3 mm to 9.7 mm.

4. The vaporizer of claim 1, wherein an uncompressed diameter of the wick is 2.4 mm to 2.6 mm, and a compression diameter of the wick is 1.85 mm to 2.15 mm.

5. The vaporizer of claim 1, wherein a winding interval of the coil wound around the wick is 0.46 mm to 0.55 mm.

6. The vaporizer of claim 1, wherein the coil is wound around the wick to have a length of coil of 3 mm to 3.8 mm in a longitudinal direction of the wick.

7. The vaporizer of claim 1, wherein the wick is formed of silica.

8. The vaporizer of claim 1, wherein the accommodation portion includes an accommodation groove configured to accommodate the wick and having a length of 10 mm to 13 mm and a width of 2.4 mm to 3.0 mm.

9. An aerosol generating device comprising:

a vaporizer of claim 1;
a battery configured to supply power to the vaporizer; and
a controller configured to control the power supplied to the vaporizer from the battery.

10. The aerosol generating device of claim 9, further comprising:

a housing including a space in which an aerosol generating article is accommodated; and
a heater configured to heat the aerosol generating article accommodated in the housing.
Patent History
Publication number: 20250072498
Type: Application
Filed: Aug 9, 2023
Publication Date: Mar 6, 2025
Applicant: KT&G CORPORATION (Daejeon)
Inventors: Ju Eon PARK (Gyenggi-do), Tae Hun KIM (Gyeonggi-do), Sung Wook YOON (Gyeonggi-do), Hyung Jin JUNG (Seoul), Jung Ho HAN (Daejeon)
Application Number: 18/563,416
Classifications
International Classification: A24F 40/44 (20060101); A24F 40/10 (20060101); A24F 40/42 (20060101); A24F 40/465 (20060101); A24F 40/51 (20060101); A24F 40/65 (20060101);