ES3034769T3 - Aerosol generation device, method for heating a smoking article, and aerosol generation system - Google Patents

Abstract

An aerosol generating device (120) comprising: a heater (30) configured to heat a smoking article comprising an aerosol source, and a control portion (22) configured to control a heating profile of the heater; wherein the smoking article comprises a base portion (11A) comprising an aerosol source and a tube portion (11B) not comprising an aerosol source, wherein the tube portion is made of a paper tube (113), and wherein a heating portion of the heater is configured to thermally contact an outer periphery of the smoking article to heat the outer periphery of the smoking article, and is positioned to heat the smoking article from the base portion of the smoking article to the tube portion of the smoking article. (Automatic translation with Google Translate, no legal value)

Description

DESCRIPTION

Aerosol generating device, method for heating a smoking article and aerosol generating system

TECHNICAL SECTOR

The present invention relates to an aerosol generating device, a method for heating a smoking article and an aerosol generating system.

STATE OF THE PRIOR ART

A non-combustion type aerosol generating device, which is used instead of a combustion type cigarette of the prior art, is known for drawing aerosol generated by atomizing an aerosol-forming base material (a smoking article) by a heater (Patent Literature 1 and Patent Literature 2).

Patent literature 1 discloses an aerosol generating device comprising a smoking article comprising a solid aerosol-forming base material and a blade-type heater inserted into the aerosol-forming base material during use. The heater heats the aerosol-forming base material from within.

Patent literature 2 discloses an aerosol generating device comprising a smoking article comprising a solid aerosol-forming base material and a cylindrical heater to be positioned at an outer peripheral portion of the aerosol-forming base material when used. The heater heats the aerosol-forming base material from the outer peripheral side.

Unlike a combustion-type cigarette of the prior art, the change in appearance corresponding to a drawing action by a user is small in each of the aerosol generating devices disclosed in Patent Literature 1 and Patent Literature 2, so that there is a case where it is difficult for a user to intuitively understand the stage, in a period of allowed drawing, at which the user is currently.

EP 3062 644 A2 relates to an apparatus for heating smokable material to volatilize at least one component of the smokable material. In an exemplary embodiment, the apparatus has a housing and a plurality of heater segments arranged longitudinally within the housing for heating smokable material contained within the apparatus. At least one heater segment is arranged so that it heats the smokable material contained within at least one heater segment more rapidly than at least one other heater segment heats the smokable material contained within at least one other heater segment.

LIST OF APPOINTMENTS

PATENT BIBLIOGRAPHY

PTL 1: Public Disclosure of Japanese Patent Application No. 2017-113016

PTL 2: PCT International Publication No. WO 2018/019786

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The objective is achieved by the subject matter of the independent claims. Advantageous embodiments are defined in the dependent claims.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[Figure 1] Figure 1 is a figure showing a flavor inhaler according to one embodiment.

[Figure 2] Figure 2 is a figure showing the flavor inhaler into which a smoking article is inserted.

[Figure 3] Figure 3 is a figure showing an internal construction of the flavor inhaler shown in Figure 2.

[Figure 4] Figure 4 is a figure showing an internal construction of the smoking article shown in Figure 2.

[Figure 5] Figure 5 is a block diagram of the flavor inhaler.

[Figure 6] Figure 6 is an enlarged schematic view of the 5R region in Figure 3.

[Figure 7] Figure 7 is a figure schematically showing the positional relationship between a base material portion of a smoking article and a heater and a cylindrical member of the inner side of an aerosol generating device.

[Figure 8] Figure 8 is a figure showing a heating profile of a heater and a delivery profile of the main components of the aerosol.

[Figure 9] Figure 9 is a figure showing a heating profile of a heater.

DESCRIPTION OF ACHIEVEMENTS

Embodiments will be explained in the following description. In this regard, in the following descriptions of the figures, identical or similar symbols are assigned to identical or similar parts. It should be remembered that the figures are drawn schematically, so the proportions between the respective sizes, etc., may differ from the actual proportions.

Therefore, specific sizes, etc., should be judged by considering the following description. Furthermore, it is normal for the relationships and proportions between the sizes of one figure to differ from those of other figures.

[Outline of the invention]

In the case of a prior art combustion-type cigarette, a user can easily recognize a specific stage, i.e., one of an initial period, an intermediate period, and a final period of an allowed draw period, in which the user is currently located, by visually recognizing a cigarette position where the cigarette is being lit. However, in many aerosol-generating devices, it is not possible to visually verify the heating state of a smoking article, since the majority of the smoking article is hidden within a heater or other elements.

The delivery profile of the main aerosol components described in Patent Literature 1 shows an increase in the initial period of heater operation and then maintains the delivery profile at a constant state until the heater is stopped. Therefore, it is difficult for a user to intuitively sense, based on the sensation they experience when performing the aspiration action, a specific period, i.e., one of an initial period, an intermediate period, and an end period of an allowable aspiration period, in which the user is currently located.

In a present embodiment, a heater, which is constructed to be able to heat an outer periphery of a smoking article comprising an aerosol source, is controlled such that an aerosol delivery profile in a predetermined allowed draw period comprises one or more maximum values in a period between a start point and an end point in the allowed draw period.

That is, the aerosol delivery profile first increases, then reaches a maximum value, and then decreases. In this way, a user can recognize a specific period—i.e., one of the initial, intermediate, and final periods of a permitted inhalation period—in which the user is currently located, based on the sensation they experience when inhaling aerosol.

(Flavor inhaler)

In the following description, a flavor inhaler according to an embodiment will be explained. Figure 1 is a figure showing a flavor inhaler according to an embodiment. Figure 2 is a figure showing the flavor inhaler into which a smoking article is inserted. Figure 3 is a figure showing an internal construction of the flavor inhaler shown in Figure 2. Figure 4 is a figure showing an internal construction of the smoking article shown in Figure 2. Figure 5 is a block diagram of the flavor inhaler.

The flavor inhaler 100 may be a non-combustion flavor inhaler for generating aerosol from a smoking article without a combustion process. Specifically, the flavor inhaler 100 may be a portable device.

The flavor inhaler 100 comprises a smoking article 110 including an aerosol source and an aerosol generating device 120 for generating aerosol from the smoking article 110.

The smoking article 110 is an interchangeable cartridge that may include an aerosol source and a flavor source, and has a columnar shape extending in a longitudinal direction. The smoking article 110 may be constructed to generate aerosol and flavor components when heated in the state inserted into the aerosol generating device 120.

In the embodiment shown in Figure 4, the smoking article 110 comprises a base material part 11A, which comprises a filler article 111 and a first rolling paper 112 by which the filler article 111 is rolled, and a drawing opening part 11B which forms an end part opposite to the base material part 11A. The base material part 11A and the drawing opening part 11B are connected by a second rolling paper 113 which is different from the first rolling paper 112. In this sense, it is possible to connect the base material part 11A and the drawing opening part 11B by using the first rolling paper 112, i.e. by omitting the second rolling paper 113.

The suction opening portion 11B in Figure 4 comprises a paper tube portion 114, a filter portion 115, a hollow segment portion 116 positioned between the paper tube portion 114 and the filter portion 115. For example, the hollow segment portion 116 comprises a filling layer including one or more hollow channels and a plug wrapper for covering the filling layer. Since the density of filled fibers in the filling layer is high, air and aerosol flow only through the hollow channel, and almost no air and aerosol flow through the filling layer when the suction action is performed. With respect to the flavor generating article 110, if it is desired to reduce a decrease in the amount of the aerosol components due to filtering in the filter portion 115, it is effective to shorten the length of the filter portion 115 and replace that portion with the hollow segment portion 116, to increase the aerosol delivery amount.

The suction opening portion 11B in Figure 4 is constructed using three segments; however, in the present embodiment, the suction opening portion 11B may be constructed using one or two segments, or it may be constructed using four or more segments. For example, it is possible to omit the hollow segment portion 116 and form the suction opening portion 11B by arranging the paper tube portion 114 and the filter portion 115 adjacent to each other.

In the embodiment shown in Figure 4, with respect to the length in the longitudinal direction of the smoking article 110, it is preferable to set it at 40-90 mm, more preferably at 50-75 mm, and even more preferably at 50-60 mm. As for the circumference of the smoking article 110, it is preferable to set it at 15-25 mm, more preferably at 17-24 mm, and even more preferably at 20-23 mm. Furthermore, in the longitudinal direction of the smoking article 110, the length of the base material portion 11A may be 20 mm, the length of the first rolling paper 112 may be 20 mm, the length of the hollow segment portion 116 may be 8 mm, and the length of the filter portion 115 may be 7 mm; However, the length of each of the above segments can be changed appropriately, depending on suitability for manufacturing, required quality, etc.

In the present embodiment, the filler article 111 in the smoking article 110 may comprise an aerosol source that generates aerosol when heat is applied thereto at a predetermined temperature. The type of aerosol source is not specifically limited, and extracted material and/or its components, which are obtained from various natural products, may be selected as the aerosol source according to the use. As aerosol sources, there may be mentioned, for example, glycerin, propylene glycol, triacetin, 1,3-butanediol, and a mixture thereof. The aerosol source content of the filler article 111 is not specifically limited; and, in view of generating a sufficient amount of aerosol and successfully adding a fragrant inhalation flavor, the aerosol source content is usually equal to or more than 5 percent by weight and preferably equal to or more than 10 percent by weight, and usually equal to or less than 50 percent by weight and preferably equal to or less than 20 percent by weight.

The filler article 111 in the smoking article 110 in the present embodiment may comprise shredded tobacco as a flavor source. The material of the shredded tobacco is not specifically limited, and any publicly known material, such as a sheet, a stem, etc., may be used as the material. The content range of the filler article 111 in the smoking article 110, in the case where the circumference is 22 mm and the length is 20 mm, is, for example, 200 to 400 mg, and preferably, 250 to 320 mg. The water content of the filler article 111 is, for example, 8 to 18% by weight, and preferably, 10 to 16% by weight. If the water content is as explained above, staining at the time of rolling is prevented, and suitability for rolling at the time of manufacturing the base portion 11A is satisfactory. There are no special limitations regarding the size, preparation method, etc. of the shredded tobacco used as the filler article 111. For example, dry tobacco leaves cut into pieces, each having a width of 0.8 to 1.2 mm, may be used. Alternatively, the dry tobacco leaves are crushed and uniformized to become particles, the average particle size of which is 20-200 gm, and the particles are processed to become a sheet, and the sheet can be cut into pieces, each having a width of 0.8-1.2 mm. In addition, the above sheet formed through the sheet process can be processed to gather it, and the gathered sheet can be used as the filler article 111. Furthermore, the filler article 111 may comprise one type, or two or more types of flavors. The types of flavors are not specifically limited; however, in view of providing a satisfactory smoke flavor, one flavor is preferably menthol.

In the present embodiment, each sheet of the first and second rolling papers 112 and 113 may be constructed by using a base paper having a basis weight of, for example, 20-65 g/m2, and preferably 25-45 g/m2. The thickness of each sheet of the first and second rolling papers 112 and 113 is not specifically limited; however, in view of stiffness, gas permeability, and ease of adjustment at the time of paper manufacturing, the thickness is set to 10-100 gm, and preferably 20-75 gm, and more preferably 30-50 gm.

In the present embodiment, filler may be included in the rolling papers 112 and 113 of the filler article 111. The filler content may be equal to or greater than 10 weight percent and less than 60 weight percent, and preferably 15-45 weight percent, based on the total weight of the rolling papers 112 and 113. In the present embodiment, it is preferred that the filler be 15-45 weight percent, based on a preferred basis weight range (25-45 g/m2). For example, calcium carbonate, titanium dioxide, kaolin, etc. may be used as the filler. The paper including the filler as explained above has a white color that is preferable in view of the appearance of the paper used as the rolling paper of the smoking article 110, and is capable of permanently maintaining its whiteness. By including a large amount of filler as explained above, the ISO whiteness of the rolling paper can be increased to 83% or more, for example. Furthermore, in view of the practicality in terms of use as a rolling paper in the smoking article 110, it is preferable for the rolling papers 112 and 113 to have a tensile strength of 8 N/15 mm or more. The tensile strength can be increased by reducing the filler content. Specifically, the tensile strength can be increased by reducing the filler content to a value lower than the upper limit of the filler content shown with respect to each range of the basis weight illustrated in the foregoing description.

Reference is made here to Figure 3; and the aerosol generating device 120 comprises an insertion hole 130 into which the smoking article 110 can be inserted. That is, the aerosol generating device 120 comprises an inner-side cylindrical member 132 which is a component of the insertion hole 130. The inner-side cylindrical member 132 may be constructed of a heat-conducting component such as aluminum, stainless steel (SUS) or the like, for example.

Furthermore, the aerosol generating device 120 may comprise a lid portion 140 for covering the insertion hole 130. The lid portion 140 may be constructed to be slidable between a state in which the insertion hole 130 is closed (see Figure 1) and a state in which the insertion hole 130 is exposed (see Figure 2).

The aerosol generating device 120 may comprise an air flow path 160 communicating with the insertion hole 130. One end of the air flow path 160 is connected to the insertion hole 130, and the other end of the air flow path 160 communicates with the outside (outside air) of the aerosol generating device 120 through a different part of the insertion hole 130.

The aerosol generating device 120 may comprise a cover portion 170 for covering one end of the airflow path 160 on a side where the airflow path 160 communicates with outside air. The cover portion 170 may be brought into a state in which the end of the airflow path 160 on the outside air communication side is covered thereby, and into a state in which the airflow path 160 is exposed.

The cover portion 170 does not tightly block the airflow path 160 even in the state where it covers the airflow path 160. That is, it is constructed such that, even in the state where the airflow path 160 is covered by the cover portion 170, outside air is allowed to flow into the airflow path 160 through a portion near the cover portion 170.

In the state where the smoking article 110 is being inserted into the flavor inhaler 100, a user holds an end portion of the smoking article 110, specifically, the suction opening portion 11B in Figure 4 , in the user's mouth and performs a sucking action. As a result of the user's sucking action, outside air flows into the airflow path 160. The air flowing into the airflow path 160 is guided into the user's mouth through the smoking article 110 at the insertion hole 130.

In the state where the insertion hole 130 is not covered by the lid portion 130 and the smoking article 110 is not inserted therein, that is, in the state where the inner space of the inner-side cylindrical member 132 and the airflow path 160 are exposed, a user may clean the inside of the airflow path 160 in the inner-side cylindrical member 132 using a cleaning device such as a brush. The above cleaning device may be inserted from the side of the upper lid portion 140 in Figure 3 into the airflow path 160, or may be inserted from the side of the lower lid portion 170 into the airflow path 160.

The aerosol generating device 120 may be provided with a temperature sensor in the airflow path 160 or in a wall portion that is a component of the airflow path 160. The temperature sensor may be a thermistor, a thermocouple, or the like, for example. When a user has performed a drawing action through the drawing opening portion 11B of the smoking article 110, the temperature of the interior of the airflow path 160 or the temperature of the wall portion that is a component of the airflow path 160 decreases, due to the effect of the air flowing through the airflow path 160 in the direction from the lid portion 170 side to the heater 30 side. The temperature sensor detects the drawing action of a user by measuring the decrease in temperature.

The aerosol generating device 120 comprises a battery 10, a control unit 20, and a heater 30. The battery stores electrical energy to be used in the aerosol generating device 120. The battery 10 may be a chargeable/dischargeable secondary battery. The battery may be a lithium-ion battery, for example.

The heater 30 may be installed at a position around the inner side cylindrical member 132. The space in which the heater 30 is accommodated and the space in which the battery 10 is accommodated may be separated by a partition wall 180. In the above-mentioned case, it is possible to prevent the air heated by the heater from entering the space intended for accommodating the battery 10. In this way, the temperature rise of the battery 10 can be prevented.

It is preferred that the heater 30 has a cylindrical shape that allows heating the periphery of the columnar smoking article 110. The heater 30 may be, for example, a film heater. The film heater may comprise a pair of film-shaped substrates and a resistance heating element positioned between the pair of film-shaped substrates. It is preferred that the film-shaped substrate be constructed using a material having excellent heat resistance and electrical insulation, and typically, the film-shaped substrate is constructed using polyimide. It is preferred that the resistance heating element be constructed by using one or two or more of copper, nickel alloy, chromium alloy, stainless steel, platinum-rhodium, etc., and the resistance heating element may be formed using a base material of stainless steel, for example. In addition, for connection to an electrical power source via a flexible printed circuit (FPC), the connecting pieces and the conductive parts of the resistance heating element may be copper-clad.

Figure 6 is an enlarged schematic view of region 5R in Figure 3, and a cross-sectional view of heater 30 and portions therearound. In the example shown in Figure 6, heater 30 is the film heater explained above, and is wound around the periphery of inner-side cylindrical member 132 that can accept smoking article 110. That is, heater 30 is wound such that it forms a cylindrical shape surrounding inner-side cylindrical member 132. As a result, heater 30 surrounds the outer periphery of the smoking article and can heat smoking article 110 from outside thereof.

Preferably, a heat shrinkable tube 136 may be installed on the outer side of the heater 30. In other words, it is preferable that the heater 30 be installed in the heat shrinkable tube 136. The heat shrinkable tube 136 is a tube 136 that shrinks in the radial direction when heat is applied, and may be constructed by using thermoplastic elastomer, for example. As a result of the shrinking effect of the heat shrinkable tube 136, the heater 30 is pushed toward the inner side cylindrical member 132. As a result, adhesion between the heater 30 and the inner side cylindrical member 132 is improved, so that thermal conductivity from the heater 30 to the smoking article 220 through the inner side cylindrical member 132 is improved.

The aerosol generating device 120 may comprise a thermal insulating material 138 having a cylindrical shape, on the outer side in the radius direction of the heater 30, preferably, on the outer side of the heat-shrinkable tube 136. It is preferable that the thermal insulating material 138 is positioned to surround the outer periphery of the heater 30. The thermal insulating material 138 may perform a function of preventing the temperature of the outer surface of the housing of the aerosol generating device 120 from reaching an excessively high temperature, by blocking the heat of the heater 30. The thermal insulating material 138 may be constructed using aerogel, such as silica aerogel, carbon aerogel, alumina aerogel or the like, for example. For example, the aerogel used as the thermal insulating material 138 may be silica aerogel, which has a high heat insulation property and can be manufactured at a relatively low cost. In this regard, the thermal insulation material 138 may be a fiber-type thermal insulation material, such as glass wool, rock wool, or the like, or it may be a foam-type thermal insulation material, such as urethane foam or phenol foam. Alternatively, the thermal insulation material 138 may be a vacuum insulation material.

The insulating material 138 may be installed at a position between the inner-side cylindrical member 132 facing the smoking article 110 and an outer-side cylindrical member 134 on the outer side of the insulating material 138. The outer-side cylindrical member 134 may be constructed using a heat-conducting member comprising aluminum or stainless steel (SUS), for example. It is preferable that the insulating material 138 be installed in an enclosed space.

Figure 7 is a figure schematically showing the positional relationship, in the axis line direction, between the base portion 11A in the smoking article 110 and the heater 30 and the inner side cylindrical member 132 in the aerosol generating device 120, in the flavor inhaler 100. The axis line in the present case means the center axis of the insertion hole 130 in the aerosol generating device 120, and when the smoking article 110 is inserted into the insertion hole 130, the axis line and the center axis of the smoking article 110 partially overlap each other (see also Figure 3).

The length D0 of the heater 30 in the axis line direction may be set to be shorter than the length L0 of the base portion 11A in the axis line direction in the smoking article 110 (D0<L0). Furthermore, the ratio of the length D0 to the length L0 (D0/L0) may be 0.70-0.90, preferably 0.75-0.85, and typically 0.80. Thus, in the case where the length L0 of the base portion 11A is 20 mm, the length D0 of the heater 30 may be 14-18 mm, preferably 15-17 mm, and typically 16 mm.

The upstream end of the base member 11A may protrude the length of D1 toward the upstream side above the upstream end of the heater 30. The upstream side and the downstream side in the present case correspond to the upstream side and the downstream side of the airflow passing through the interior of the airflow path 160 as a result of the sucking action of a user (see also Figure 3). The protruding portion of the heater 30 of the base part 11A does not have the heater 30 on the outer side in the direction of the radius of the base part 11A, so that the temperature inside it may become somewhat lower, compared to the temperature of the other part of the base part 11A. In this way, aerosol generation can be prevented at the upstream end and a location near thereto of the base material 11A, so that it is possible to prevent aerosol generated at the above locations from condensing and flowing backward in the air flow path 160. Aerosol generated at the other part of the base part 11A can condense at the upstream end and a location near thereto of the base part 11A.

The ratio of the protruding length D1 to the total length L0 of the base portion 11A (D1/L0) may be from 0.25 to 0.40, preferably from 0.30 to 0.35, and typically 0.325. Thus, if the total length L0 of the base portion 11A is 20 mm, the protruding length D1 may be from 5 to 8 mm, preferably from 6 to 7 mm, and typically from 6.5 mm.

The downstream end of the heater 30 may protrude a length of D2 toward the downstream side below the downstream end of the base portion 11A. In this manner, it is possible to sufficiently heat the downstream end and a location near it of the base portion 11A, so that it is possible to prevent a shortage in the amount of aerosol generated and the occurrence of aerosol condensation at the aforementioned locations. The ratio of the protruding length D2 of the heater 30 to the length L0 of the base portion 11A (D2/L0) may be 0.075 to 0.175, preferably 0.1 to 0.15, and typically 0.125. Thus, in the case where the length L0 of the base portion 11A is 20 mm, the protruding length D2 of the heater 30 may be 1.5-3.5 mm, preferably 2-3 mm, and typically 2.5 mm.

The position of the upstream end of the inner-side cylindrical member 132 and the position of the upstream end of the base portion 11A in the axis line direction may approximately coincide with each other. Moreover, similar to the case of the downstream end of the heater 30, the downstream end of the inner-side cylindrical member 132 may protrude toward the downstream side below the downstream end of the base portion 11A by the length of D3. In this way, in addition to the downstream end and a place near thereto of the base portion 11A, it is possible to heat the upstream end and a place near thereto of the paper tube portion 114, so that it is possible to prevent aerosol generated from the base portion 11A from being excessively cooled and condensed at the upstream end and a place near thereto of the paper tube portion 114. The ratio of the protruding length D3 of the inner-side cylindrical member 132 to the protruding length D2 of the heater 30 (D3/D2) may be 2.6 to 3.4, preferably 2.8 to 3.2, and more preferably 3.0. Thus, in the case where the protruding length D2 of the heater is 2.5 mm, the protruding length D3 of the cylindrical element of the inner side 132 may be 6.5-8.5 mm, preferably 7.0-8.0 mm and usually 7.5 mm.

Referring to Figure 5, the control unit 20 may comprise a control board, a CPU, a memory, etc. The CPU and the memory are components for constructing the control portion 22 that controls the heater 30 for heating an aerosol source. In addition, the control unit 20 has a notification portion 40 for reporting a variety of information to a user. For example, the notification portion 40 may be a light-emitting element, such as an LED or a vibrating element, or a combination thereof.

The control portion 22, upon detecting an activation request issued by a user, initiates supplying electrical power from the battery 10 to the heater 30. The user activation request is generated, for example, as a result of the user manipulating a push button or a slide switch, or a sucking action by the user. In the present embodiment, the user activation request is generated as a result of pressing the push button 150. More specifically, the user activation request is generated as a result of pressing the push button 150 during the state in which the lid portion 140 is open. Alternatively, the user activation request may be generated when a sucking action by the user is detected. For example, a sucking action by a user may be detected by a temperature sensor as explained above.

Next, a delivery profile of major aerosol components related to an aerosol generating device will be explained using Figure 8. In the present embodiment, a heating profile is a graph showing the temporal variation of the target temperature by controlling the heater. Furthermore, a delivery profile is a graph showing the temporal variation of the amount of major aerosol components for each individual drawing action, which is delivered into the mouth of a user when the user has performed the drawing action using the smoking article 110. Figure 8 is a figure showing a heating profile of the heater 30 and a delivery profile of major aerosol components. The vertical axis in Figure 8 represents the temperature of the heater or the delivery amount of major aerosol components. The horizontal axis in Figure 8 represents time.

In this regard, the term "main aerosol components" refers to the visible aerosol components generated when various aerosol sources included in a smoking article are heated to a temperature exceeding a predetermined temperature. Typically, the aerosol sources included in a smoking article are propylene glycol and glycerin. Furthermore, if the smoking article comprises a flavor source such as tobacco or the like, an aerosol component originating from the flavor source is included in the main aerosol components. Furthermore, in the present embodiment, an aerosol component originating from moisture included in the smoking article is not considered an object to be included in the main aerosol components.

The delivery profile of the main aerosol components can be measured using a procedure as explained below. First, an aerosol generating device is prepared, with respect to which a delivery profile of the main aerosol components is to be measured. Next, in a state in which a smoking article has been inserted into the aerosol generating device, aspiration is performed from a portion of the smoking article's aspiration opening, using an automatic smoking device (manufactured by Borgwaldt KC Inc., for example). In carrying out the above process, the heater 30 is heated according to a defined control procedure with respect to the prepared aerosol generating device. As for the aspiration conditions, conditions equivalent to the HCI conditions (HCI; Health Cañada Intense) defined by Health Cañada are adopted. Specifically, the aspiration conditions are as follows: aspiration amount, 27.5 ml per second; aspiration time, 2 seconds for each individual action; and the interval between suction actions, 20 seconds.

The aerosol drawn in by the automatic smoking device under the drawing conditions described above is collected by a Cambridge filter (e.g., CM-133 manufactured by Borgwaldt KC Inc.). Specifically, the smoke that has passed through the aforementioned Cambridge filter is collected in 10 ml of methanol that has been cooled to -70 degrees Celsius using an isopropanol refrigerant and dry ice. 10 mL of methanol solution, in which the tobacco smoke has been collected, and an internal standard solution (0.05 mg/mL of pentadecanod32, 50 mL/L of d-1-ethanol, 2 mL/L of anethole, and 4 mL/L of 1,3-butanediol) are added to the Cambridge filter, and the filter is shaken for 30 minutes, and the contained components are extracted.

The extraction of the contained components has been performed with respect to each of the aspiration actions. As a result, the quantity of major aerosol components delivered from the aerosol generating device to the automatic smoking device is defined, with respect to each aspiration action. By plotting the quantity of the major aerosol components delivered during the time in which each aspiration action was performed, the delivery profile of the major aerosol components can be obtained discretely on the time axis. It should be recalled that, in Figure 8, the delivery profile obtained discretely has been drawn continuously by using an approximate curve.

In the present embodiment, the delivery profile of the main aerosol components comprises an initial period Q1, an intermediate period Q2, and a final period Q3. The initial period Q1 is a period during which a gradient with respect to the main aerosol components gradually increases with time. In other words, the initial period Q1 is a period during which the amount of increase in the delivery amount of the main aerosol components per suction action gradually increases.

In this sense, the gradient of the supply profile of the main aerosol components is an absolute value of the slope of each point on the curve that forms the supply profile. The gradient of the supply profile of the main aerosol components can be defined using the following procedure, for example. As explained above, the supply profile of the main aerosol components on the time axis is obtained discretely. In the previous case, the gradient of the supply profile of the main aerosol components can be defined, with respect to plotted points that are adjacent to each other on the time axis, by a value obtained by dividing a difference in the supply profile of the main aerosol components by a time difference between the plotted points.

Alternatively, the gradient of the delivery profile of the main aerosol components can be obtained, for example, using an approximate curve derived from a discrete graph. In the above case, if an analytical formula for the approximate curve is defined, the gradient of the delivery profile of the main aerosol components can be defined by calculating a differential value of the analytical formula. An approximate curve such as the one explained above can be obtained, for example, using a polynomial expression or a trigonometric function.

In the present embodiment, the delivery profile start point S0 is defined by the start point of the permitted aerosol aspiration period (the permitted aspiration period) (see Figure 9). Specifically, the delivery profile start point S0 is defined by reporting a start of the permitted aspiration period (time T2 in Figure 9), which will be explained later.

Furthermore, the boundary S1 between the initial period Q1 and the intermediate period Q2 can be defined by a point at which the gradient of the main aerosol components in the initial period Q1 becomes the largest. In other words, the boundary S1 between the initial period Q1 and the intermediate period Q2 is a point at which the first-time decrease in the gradient of the main aerosol components begins throughout the delivery profile. In the case where the delivery profile is approximated using a continuous approximate curve, the boundary S1 between the initial period Q1 and the intermediate period Q2 can be defined by an inflection point.

The final Q3 period is a period during which the gradient with respect to the main aerosol components gradually decreases over time. In other words, the final Q3 period is a period during which the amount of decrease in the delivery of the main aerosol components with each inhalation action gradually decreases.

In the present embodiment, the end point S3 of the delivery profile is defined by the end point of the permitted aerosol aspiration period (the permitted aspiration period) (see Figure 9). Specifically, the end point S3 of the delivery profile is defined by the time at which a report of the end of the permitted aspiration period is provided (time T7 in Figure 9).

Furthermore, the S2 boundary between the intermediate period Q2 and the final period Q3 can be defined by a point at which the gradient of the main aerosol components in the final period Q3 becomes largest. In other words, the S2 boundary between the intermediate period Q2 and the final period Q3 is a point at which the final time decrease in the gradient of the main aerosol components begins throughout the delivery profile. In the case where the delivery profile is approximated using a continuous approximate curve, the S2 boundary between the intermediate period Q2 and the final period Q3 can be defined by an inflection point.

The Q2 interim period is a period between the initial period Q1 and the final period Q3. The Q2 interim period includes one or more peak values that are greater than the start and end points of the supply profile. In the supply profile shown in Figure 8, the Q2 interim period includes a single peak value (the largest value).

According to the aerosol delivery profile explained above, the aerosol delivery amount increases in a period from the initial period Q1 to the intermediate period Q2, has the maximum value in the intermediate period Q2, and decreases in a period from the intermediate period Q2 to the final period Q3. In this way, a user can recognize a specific period, that is, one of the initial period Q1, the intermediate period Q2, and the final period Q3 of the allowed aspiration period, in which the user is currently located, based on the sensation of aspiration of aerosol.

Furthermore, in the initial period Q1, the gradient with respect to the main aerosol components with respect to time gradually increases, such that the delivery profile has a downward convex shape. On the other hand, in the intermediate period Q2, the delivery profile has an upward convex shape. Therefore, the delivered aerosol amount can change drastically at the transition time from the initial period Q1 to the intermediate period Q2. Furthermore, in the final period Q3, the gradient with respect to the main aerosol components with respect to time gradually decreases, such that the delivery profile has a downward convex shape. Therefore, the delivered aerosol amount can change drastically at the transition time from the intermediate period Q2 to the final period Q3. In this way, the user can more easily recognize, based on the sensation of inhaling the aerosol, the transition from the initial period Q1 to the intermediate period Q2 and the transition from the intermediate period Q2 to the final period Q3.

Preferably, the intermediate period Q2 is longer than each of the initial period Q1 and the final period Q3. More preferably, the intermediate period Q2 is equal to or longer than the sum of the initial period Q1 and the final period Q3. For example, the intermediate period Q2 may be 50-60% of the total period, and each of the initial period Q1 and the final period Q3 may be 20-25% of the total period. According to the above construction, the period during which the supply amount of the main components of the aerosol is large becomes relatively long, so that a user can inhale the main components of the aerosol for a relatively long period.

It is preferable that the supply amount of the main aerosol components at the end point S3 in the end period<q>3 be greater than the supply amount of the main aerosol components at the start point S0. In the above case, it is possible to prevent an excessive decrease in the supply amount of aerosol in the end period Q3. According to the above construction, the supply amount of the main aerosol components can be prevented from decreasing to a low level during the allowable suction period, and in particular, the supply amount can be maintained at a high level until the end of the end period Q2.

It is preferable that the largest value of the gradient related to the main aerosol components in the final period Q3 be smaller than the largest value of the gradient related to the main aerosol components in the first period Q1. In the aforementioned case, the rate of increase of the main aerosol components in the initial period Q1 becomes relatively high, so that the amount of aerosol delivered can be brought to a high level at a relatively early stage in the allowable aspiration period.

Furthermore, the relative gradient of the main aerosol components in the final Q3 period is small, so the rate of decline of the main aerosol components in the final Q3 period is relatively low. This way, a drastic decrease in the delivered aerosol quantity in the final Q3 period can be avoided. According to the previous construction, the delivered aerosol quantity of a high level can be maintained for a relatively long period.

It is preferable that the smallest value of the gradient related to the main aerosol components in the final period Q3 be smaller than the smallest value of the gradient related to the main aerosol components in the initial period Q1. Since the smallest value of the gradient related to the main aerosol components in the final period Q3 is small, the rate of decrease of the main aerosol components in the final period Q3 becomes relatively low. In this way, a drastic decrease in the amount of aerosol delivered in the final period Q3 can be avoided.

The intermediate period Q2 may comprise a stable period SP in which the absolute value of the gradient related to the main components of the aerosol is smaller than the smallest value of the gradient related to the main components of the aerosol in the initial period Q1 and smaller than the smallest value of the gradient related to the main components of the aerosol in the final period Q3. That is, the stable period SP is a period in which the change in the delivered amount of the main components of the aerosol per suction action is relatively small.

It is preferable that the stable period SP be longer than each of the initial period Q1 and the final period Q3. In the stable period SP, the supply amount of the main aerosol components is large and the change in the supply amount is small. Thus, if the stable period SP is longer than each of the initial period Q1 and the final period Q3, the main aerosol components can be stably supplied for a relatively long period in the intermediate period Q2. Furthermore, it is preferable that the stable period SP be 50-60% of the intermediate period Q2. According to the above construction, the main aerosol components can be stably supplied for a relatively long period in the intermediate period Q2.

It should be remembered that the supply profile explained above and its advantages are those found as a result of a diligent study carried out by the inventors in relation to the application in question.

The control portion 22 of the aerosol generating device 120 may be designed to control the heater 30 to achieve the aforementioned delivery profile of the main aerosol components. In this regard, the delivery profile of the main aerosol components primarily depends on the heating profile of the heater 30.

Figure 9 shows an example of a heater heating profile. It should be noted that the heating profile shown in Figure 9 is a suitable example for implementing the delivery profile of the main aerosol components explained above, and the heating profile is not necessarily limited to the previous heating profile.

As explained above, the heating profile is a graph showing the temporal variation of the target temperature during control of the heater 30. The temperature control of the heater 30 may be performed by using, for example, a publicly known feedback control. Specifically, the control portion 22 of the aerosol generating device 120 may supply electric power from the battery 22 to the heater 30 in the form of pulses according to pulse width modulation (PWM) or pulse frequency modulation (PFM). In the former case, the control portion 22 may perform temperature control of the heater 30 by adjusting the duty ratio of the electric power pulses.

In the feedback control, the control portion 22 may measure or estimate the temperature of the heater 30 and, based on a difference between the measured or estimated temperature of the heater 30 and a target temperature, or the like, control electrical power supplied to the heater 30, for example, by controlling the duty ratio explained above. The feedback control may be a PID control, for example. The temperature of the heater may be determined quantitatively, for example, by measuring or estimating an electrical resistance value of a heating resistor that is a component of the heater 30. This is because the electrical resistance value of the heating resistor changes in response to temperature. The electrical resistance value of the heating resistor may be estimated, for example, by measuring the amount of voltage drop across the heating resistor. The amount of voltage drop across the heating resistor may be measured by a voltage sensor that measures a potential difference applied to the heating resistor. In the other example, the temperature of the sensor may be measured by a temperature sensor installed in a position close to the heater 30.

As explained above, in the present embodiment, the supply of electric power to the heater 30 may be controlled such that the actual temperature of the heater 30 approaches a target temperature in the heating profile. In this regard, since it may be the case that the heating profile includes a portion where the target temperature changes rapidly, it may be the case that, in a portion such as the above portion, the gap between the actual temperature of the heater 30 and the target temperature temporarily becomes large. In the heating profile illustrated in Figure 9, each of the portions where the gap between the actual temperature of the heater 30 and the target temperature is large is shown by using a dashed line.

In the heating profile shown in Figure 9, when the supply of electric power from the battery 10 to the heater 30 is started in response to receiving an activation request from a user, the control part 22 first controls the temperature of the heater 30 to bring it to a first target temperature TA1 for a first period P1. That is, the control part 22 heats the heater 30 to raise the temperature from the initial temperature to the first target temperature TA1. In the first period P1, after the temperature of the heater 30 has reached the first target temperature TA1, the control part 22 performs control to maintain the temperature of the heater 30 at the first target temperature TA1.

The first target temperature TA1 can be 225 to 240 degrees Celsius, preferably, and 230 degrees Celsius, normally.

The temperature rise rate of the heater 30 can be increased by setting the first target temperature TA1 in the first period P1 to a relatively high temperature. By increasing the temperature rise rate of the heater 30, the period from the start of power supply to the heater 30 until the time at which aerosol aspiration is possible can be shortened.

The control portion 22 may be constructed to inform a user of a state that a permitted vacuuming period has begun, in a period that is in the first period P1 and during which the temperature of the heater 30 is maintained at the first target temperature TA1. Notification of the state that the permitted vacuuming period has begun may be performed by controlling the notifying portion 40, and, for example, may be performed by performing a control process for changing a color of light emitted from a light-emitting element such as an LED or the like, a control process for changing a light-emitting pattern, or a control process for driving a vibration element, or a control process comprising a combination of the above control processes.

In the example shown in Figure 9, the reporting of the status that the permitted suction period has started is made at time T2. More specifically, the reporting of the status that the permitted suction period has started may be made at time T2 when a predetermined period P1b has elapsed since the time at which the temperature of the heater 30 has reached the first target temperature, or at the time at which a predetermined period has elapsed since the time at which the supply of electric power to the heater 30 has started, whichever occurs first. The predetermined period P1b may be 20 to 26 seconds, preferably, and 23 seconds, typically.

Preferably, the control portion 22 may be designed to report, in the second half of the first period P1, the status that the permitted suction period has begun. The second half of the first period P1 means a period after the center of the first period P1.

At time T3, when the predetermined period P1c has elapsed since time Ts, when the start of the permitted suction period was reported, the control portion 22 operates to advance the period to a second period P2 which will be explained later. The predetermined period P1c may be 5 to 15 seconds, preferably, and 10 seconds, typically. According to the above construction, the probability of an event occurring in which a user performs a suction action for the first time during the first period P1 becomes high. In the above case, it is possible to have a user perform a suction action for the first time, during a period in which the heater temperature is maintained at a temperature close to the first target temperature TA1, which is the highest temperature in the heating profile.

The first period P1 changes due to the heating states, ambient temperature, etc. of the heater 30 and the smoking article 110; however, it may typically be in the range of 35 to 55 seconds. In this regard, it is preferable that the control portion 22 be constructed to be changeable in length of the first period P1 based on the temperature rising rate of the heater 30 in the first period P1. More specifically, the initial temperature rising period P1a in the first period P1 may be constructed to be changeable based on the temperature rising rate of the heater 30. Specifically, it is preferable that the control portion 22 be constructed to change the length of the first period P1 to become shorter as the period from the start of heating of the heater 30 to the time at which the temperature has reached a predetermined temperature becomes shorter.

In the present embodiment, the first period P1 ends when a predetermined period (P1b+P1c) has elapsed from the time at which the temperature of the heater 30 has reached the first target temperature TA1. That is, if the temperature raising rate of the heater 30 is high, the period P1, that is, from the time T0 when the electric power supply to the heater 30 is started until the temperature of the heater 30 reaches the first target temperature TA1, is shortened. The predetermined period (P1b+P1c) may be 25 to 41 seconds, preferably, and 33 seconds, typically.

As explained above, in the case where the temperature raising rate of the heater 30 is high, the consumption of electric power used during a preheating period can be reduced, shortening the preheating period.

It is preferable that the variable interval of the first period P1, more specifically, the variable interval of the period (P1a+P1b) ending when the start of the permitted suction period is reported, has a predetermined upper limit value. For example, the upper limit value of the period (P1a+P1b), that is, from the start of the electric power supply T0 to the notification time of the start of the permitted suction period T2, is preferably 40 to 60 seconds, and typically 50 seconds. According to the above construction, it is possible to prevent the control portion 22 from continuing preheating without transitioning to the second period P2, in the event that the temperature of the heater 30 does not reach the first target temperature TA1.

Next, during the second period P2 following the first period P1, the control portion 22 controls the temperature of the heater 30 to change it to a second target temperature TA2 that is lower than the first target temperature TA1. That is, the control portion 22 controls the heater 30 to reduce the temperature of the heater 30 from the first target temperature TA1 and maintain the temperature at the second target temperature TA2.

The second target temperature TA2 may be in the range of 190 to 210 degrees Celsius, preferably, and 200 degrees Celsius, typically. The second period P2 may be in the range of 105 to 160 seconds, preferably, and 130 seconds, typically. It is preferred that the second period P2 be longer than each of the first period P1 and a third period P3, which will be explained later. Since the second period is a period during which a higher temperature is maintained than that of the third period P3, the second period is a period during which the aerosol is delivered stably. In this way, the period during which the aerosol can be delivered stably can be relatively long.

By reducing the target temperature in the second P2 period, it is possible to reduce the electrical energy consumed in the second P2 period.

The control portion 22 may have a first shut-off period, i.e., from the end of the first period P1 to a period early in the second period P2, for stopping the supply of electric power to the heater 30. By setting the first shut-off period, the temperature reduction from the first target temperature TA1 to the second target temperature TA2 can be completed in the shortest period of time. The control portion 22 may continue measuring the temperature of the heater 30 even in the first shut-off period. In the above case, the control portion 22 may be constructed to resume the supply of electric power to the heater 30 when the temperature of the heater 30 has decreased and reached a temperature close to the second target temperature TA2.

It is preferred that the first off period be a time interval during which a general user cannot perform two or more drawing actions. If a user performs two or more drawing actions during the off period, the temperature of the heater 30 may be drastically reduced and become much lower than the second target temperature TA2. In the former case, there may be a risk that the amount of aerosol generated by the smoking article 110 will be reduced. If the time interval between typical drawing actions of a general user is assumed to be approximately 20 seconds, it is preferred that the first off period be in the range of 15 to 20 seconds, for example. The first target temperature TA1 and the second target temperature TA2 may be configured such that the temperature reduction from the first target temperature TA1 to the second target temperature TA2 as a result of natural cooling during the first off period is completed within the aforementioned time interval. Alternatively, the control portion 22 may be constructed to measure the elapsed time of the first off period and, when the first off period has reached a predetermined upper limit value, forcibly resume the supply of electric power to the heater 30. It is preferable that the upper limit value of the first off period in the above-mentioned case be 15 to 20 seconds.

Next, during the third period P3 following the second period P2, the control portion 22 controls the temperature of the heater 30 to change it to a third target temperature TA3 that is lower than the second target temperature TA2. That is, the control portion 22 controls the heater 30 to further reduce the temperature of the heater 30 from the second target temperature TA2, and maintain the temperature at the third target temperature TA3. The third target temperature TA3 may be in the range of 175 to 190 degrees Celsius, preferably, and 185 degrees Celsius, typically. The third period P3 may be in the range of 30 to 90 seconds, preferably, and 60 seconds, typically. By further reducing the target temperature in the third period P3, it is possible to reduce the electric power consumed in the third period P3.

It is preferable that the temperature difference (AT12) between the first target temperature TA1 and the second target temperature TA2 is greater than the temperature difference (AT23) between the second target temperature TA2 and the third target temperature TA3. The consumed electric power of the heater 30 in the second period P2 is greater than that in the third period P3, so that the electric power consumption during the entire period can be reduced when the temperature difference (AT12) at the time of transition from the first period P1 to the second period P2 is set to a value greater than the temperature difference (AT23) at the time of transition from the second period P2 to the third period P3. Therefore, it is preferable for AT12/A23 to be greater than 1. On the other hand, if A12 becomes excessively large compared to A23, the target temperature TA2 in the second period P2, which is set taking into consideration the stable aerosol supply, becomes relatively low, so that there may be a risk that the aerosol supply in the second period P2 becomes unstable. Therefore, it is preferable for AT12/A23 to have a predetermined upper limit value. The upper limit value of AT12/A23 may be 2.5, for example. AT12/A23 may be 1.0-2.5, preferably, and 2.0, typically.

The control portion 22 may have a second shut-off period, that is, from the end of the second period P2 to a period early in the third period P3, for stopping the supply of electric power to the heater 30. By setting the second shut-off period, the temperature reduction from the second target temperature TA2 to the third target temperature TA3 can be completed in the shortest period of time. The control portion 22 may continue to measure the temperature of the heater 30 even in the second shut-off period. In the above case, the control portion 22 may be constructed to resume the supply of electric power to the heater 30 when the temperature of the heater 30 has decreased and reached a temperature close to the third target temperature TA3. Similar to the first shut-off period, it is preferable that the second shut-off period be a time interval during which a general user cannot perform two or more vacuuming actions, and that the second shut-off period be in the range of 15 to 20 seconds. The second target temperature TA2 and the third target temperature TA3 may be set such that the temperature reduction from the second target temperature TA2 to the third target temperature TA3 as a result of natural cooling during the second shutdown period is completed within the aforementioned time interval. Alternatively, the control portion 22 may be constructed to measure the elapsed time of the second shutdown period and, when the second shutdown period has reached a predetermined upper limit value, forcibly resume the supply of electric power to the heater 30.

As explained above, it is preferable that the temperature difference (AT12) between the first target temperature TA1 and the second target temperature TA2 be greater than the temperature difference (AT23) between the second target temperature TA2 and the third target temperature TA3; and the above relationship is preferable in view of setting the first off-period and the second off-period to have values close to each other. According to Newton's law of cooling, the temperature decrease rate in a high temperature range is faster than that in a low temperature range in the case of natural cooling; therefore, in order to set the first off-period and the second off-period as close to each other as possible, it is necessary to set the temperature difference (AT12) between the first target temperature TA1 and the second target temperature TA2, which belongs to the high temperature range, to a relatively large level. If the temperature difference (AT12) between the first target temperature TA1 and the second target temperature TA2 is assumed to be set to a value equal to the temperature difference (AT23) between the second target temperature TA2 and the third target temperature TA3, or if the temperature difference (AT12) of the former is assumed to be set to a value smaller than the temperature difference (AT23) of the latter, the first shut-off period always becomes shorter than the second shut-off period, so that it becomes theoretically impossible to set the two shut-off periods equal to each other.

Furthermore, it is preferable that the ratio of the difference between the first target temperature TA1 and the second target temperature TA2 and the difference between the second target temperature TA2 and the third target temperature TA3 be less than 2.5. The reason for adopting the above construction is to allow stable aerosol generation during an intermediate stage in the allowable puff period, preventing the difference between the first target temperature TA1 and the second target temperature TA2 from becoming excessively large.

It should be noted that, in view of reducing electric power consumption, it may be preferable to control the heater 30 at the third target temperature TA3 without passing through the second target temperature TA2 step after the first target temperature TA1. However, in the aforementioned case, the period (the second off period) required to change the temperature from the first target temperature TA1 to the third target temperature TA3 becomes relatively long. Since the supply of electric power to the heater 30 is stopped during the period required to reach the third target temperature TA3 from the first target temperature TA1, there may be a risk that the temperature of the heater 30 will become much lower than the third target temperature if a user performs vacuuming actions several times during the aforementioned period. By passing through the second target temperature T2 that is set between the first target temperature TA1 and the third target temperature TA3 before the transition from the first target temperature TA1 to the third target temperature TA3, the time required for the transition from one target temperature to the other target temperature can be shortened. According to the above construction, the duration of an OFF period, during which the supply of electric power to the heater 30 is stopped, is made shorter, so that it becomes possible to prevent an excessive decrease in temperature of a smoking article due to multiple times of drawing actions, and to prevent unstable aerosol generation due thereto.

The control part 22 stops the supply of electric power to the heater 30 at the time when the third period P3 ends. The control part 22 then reports the end of the permitted suction period at time T7 when a predetermined period has elapsed since the supply of electric power to the heater 30 is stopped (time T6). That is, even at the time after the electric power supply to the heater 30 is stopped, the user is requested to perform an aerosol drawing action, until a predetermined period has elapsed, to allow the user to test the aerosol by utilizing the remaining heat of the heater 30 and the smoking article 110. In this regard, the reporting of the end of the allowable drawing period may be performed by the notification portion 40 and, for example, may be performed by performing a control process for changing the color of light emitted by a light-emitting element such as an LED or the like, a control process for changing a light-emitting pattern, or a control process for driving a vibration element, or a control process comprising a combination of the above control processes.

After the heater 30 has passed through the first period P1, the second period P2, and the third period P3 in the heating profile, sufficient heat from the heater 30 has been transferred to the interior of the smoking article 110. Thus, in a period between the end of the third period P3 and the end of the allowed drawing period, that is, in a fourth period P4 in Figure 8, a certain amount of aerosol can be generated by utilizing the remaining heat of the heater 30 and the smoking article 110. In this regard, similar to the cases of the first off period and the second off period, aerosol generation becomes unstable in the fourth period P4, so that it is preferable that the fourth period P4 be a time interval during which a user does not perform two or more drawing actions. Therefore, the fourth period P4 is preferably 5 to 15 seconds and is typically 10 seconds.

Furthermore, the control portion 22 may report a state that the permitted suction period is coming to an end, at time T5 which is earlier, by a predetermined period Pe, than the time T7 when the end of the permitted suction period is reported. A report as explained above may be made, for example, 20 to 40 seconds before the permitted suction period ends. The reporting portion 40 may make reports as explained above, and, for example, may be performed by performing a control process for changing the color of light emitted from a light-emitting element such as an LED or the like, a control process for changing a light-emitting pattern, or a control process for driving a vibration element, or a control process comprising a combination of the above control processes.

In the embodiment explained above, the control portion 22 stops the supply of electric power to the heater 30 at the end of the third period P3. In addition, the control portion 22 may stop the supply of electric power to the heater 30 even in the second period P2 or the third period P3 if the number of times the user performs sucking actions exceeds a predetermined number of times. A puff taken by the user may be detected, for example, by means of the temperature sensor explained above.

Reference will again be made to Figure 8. The delivery profile of the main components of the aerosol may depend primarily on the heating profile of the heater 30. In particular, the delivery profile of the main components of the aerosol may essentially be a profile corresponding to a temperature profile of the interior of the smoking article 110. The temperature profile of the interior of the smoking article 110 follows the heating profile of the heater 30, so that it generally tends to have a shape that lags in time with respect to the heating profile.

Thus, by setting the first target temperature TA1 in the first period P1 to the highest temperature in the entire heating profile, it becomes easier to form an ascending curve with a steep gradient in the initial period Q1 in the supply profile of the main aerosol components. Furthermore, by maintaining the temperature of the heater 30 at the second target temperature TA2 for most of the second period P2 following the first period P1, it becomes easier to form the stable period SP, during which the change due to suction action is small, in the intermediate period Q2 in the supply profile of the main aerosol components. Furthermore, by controlling the temperature of the heater 30 to direct it to the third target temperature TA3 that is lower than the second target temperature TA2 during the third period P3 following the second period P2, it becomes easier to form a descending curve in the final period Q3 in the supply profile of the main aerosol components. In particular, by making the temperature difference T23 between the second target temperature TA2 and the third target temperature TA3 small, it becomes easier to form a descending curve having a smoother gradient in the final period Q3 in the supply profile of the main components of the aerosol. As explained above, by performing control of the heater 30 according to the heating profile illustrated in Figure 8, it becomes easier to form an ascending convex curve, as a whole, having a maximum point in the middle period Q2, it becomes easier to form an ascending curve having a steep gradient in the initial period Q1, and it becomes easier to form a descending curve having a smooth gradient in the final period Q3, in the supply profile of the main components of the aerosol.

As explained above, the delivery profile of the main components of the aerosol depends primarily on the heating profile of the heater 30. However, the delivery profile of the main components of the aerosol may change depending on factors such as the shape of the heater 30, the presence/absence and shape of the thermal insulating material 138, the size of the smoking article 110, the degree of contact between the heater 30 and the smoking article 110, the position of the heating portion of the heater 30 relative to the smoking article 110, etc. Thus, to achieve a desired delivery profile of the main components of the aerosol, the heating profile of the heater 30 and the above factors may be appropriately combined.

For example, in the case where the heater 30 has a cylindrical shape surrounding the outer periphery of a columnar smoking article, it is difficult for heat transferred to the smoking article 110 to dissipate outwardly, so that it is easier for the supply profile of the main aerosol components to follow the heating profile of the heater 30. Similarly, in the case where the cylindrical heat-insulating material 138 is positioned on the outer side in a radius direction of the heater 30, it is difficult for heat transferred to the smoking article 110 to dissipate outwardly, so that it is easier for the supply profile of the main aerosol components to follow the heating profile of the heater 30. In the aforementioned case, the increase rate of the supply profile in the initial period Q1 becomes relatively high, so that the overall ascending curve of the supply profile in the initial period Q1 may have steeper gradients. On the other hand, the speed of decline of the supply profile in the final Q3 period becomes relatively low, so that the overall downward curve of the supply profile in the final Q3 period may have smoother gradients.

Furthermore, if the size of the smoking article 110, more specifically, the diameter of the smoking article 110, is made smaller, heat transfer from the outer side of the smoking article 110 to the inner side of the smoking article 110 becomes easier. Thus, if the diameter of the smoking article 110 is made smaller, it becomes easier for the delivery profile of the main aerosol components to follow the heating profile of the heater 30.

Furthermore, if the degree of contact between the heater 30 and the smoking article 110 is made high when they are used, it becomes easier for the heat of the heater 30 to be transferred to the smoking article 110. That is, if the space between the smoking article 110 and the insertion hole 130 is set smaller in the state that the smoking article 110 is inserted into the insertion hole 130, it becomes easier for the delivery profile of the main components of the aerosol to follow the heating profile of the heater 30.

Furthermore, the delivery profile of the major aerosol components may depend on the positional relationship between the smoking article 110 and the heater 30. When referring again to Figure 7, it is preferred that the heater 30 is positioned such that it extends, in the smoking article 110, from the base portion 11A comprising the aerosol source to the paper tube portion 114 not comprising the aerosol source. According to the above construction, it is easier for heat from the heater 30 to be sufficiently transferred to the end surface on the downstream side and the place near it of the base material 11A, so that it is easier for the supply profile of the main components of the aerosol to follow the heating profile of the heater 30. Furthermore, it is preferable that the inner side cylindrical member 132, which has an inner peripheral surface that comes into contact with the smoking article 110 and an outer peripheral surface that comes into contact with the heater 3, is positioned such that it extends from the base part 11A comprising the aerosol source to the part of the paper tube 114 that does not comprise the aerosol source. In particular, it is preferred that the downstream end of the inner-side cylindrical member 132 protrudes toward the downstream side below the downstream end of the heater 30. According to the above construction, it is possible to sufficiently heat, in addition to the downstream end surface of the base portion 11A, the upstream end surface and a place near it of the paper tube portion 114, and thereby it is possible to prevent aerosol condensation on the former portion, so that the latter becomes a factor for increasing the overall delivery profile. In this sense, the heating portion 31 of the heater 30 is a portion that is actively heated. In the case of a heater comprising a heating resistor, the heating portion 31 of the heater 30 refers to the heating resistor.

Furthermore, the delivery profile of the major aerosol components may be influenced by the components comprising the smoking article 110. More specifically, the amount of moisture in the smoking article 110 may influence the rate of increase in the initial period Q1 of the delivery profile of the major aerosol components. For example, if the amount of moisture in the smoking article 110 is relatively large, the heat from the heater 30 may be used to vaporize the moisture instead of heating the aerosol source, and the above matter may become a factor in reducing the rate of increase in the delivery profile of the major aerosol components. As a result, the portion of the delivery profile corresponding to the initial period Q1, as a whole, may exhibit gentler gradients. As explained above, the aerosol originating from the moisture in the smoking article 110 generally does not include the major aerosol components.

By appropriately adjusting the heating profile of the heater 30 taking into account factors such as those explained above, which have an influence on the delivery profile, the desired delivery profile explained above of the main components of the aerosol can be achieved.

(Program and storage medium)

The control portion 22 may implement a control flow for implementing the heating profile and/or the delivery profile of the main aerosol components explained above. That is, the present invention may include a program for causing the flavor inhaler 100 and/or the aerosol generating device 120 to perform the method explained above, and a storage medium in which the program is stored. A storage medium as explained above may be a non-transitory storage medium.

Claims (16)

1. Aerosol generating device (120) comprising: a heater (30) configured to heat an outer periphery of a smoking article (110) comprising an aerosol source, and a control part (22) configured to control the heater (30); wherein the control portion (22) is configured to control the heater (30) such that an aerosol delivery profile in a predetermined allowed draw period comprises one or more maximum values in a period between a start point (T2) and an end point (T7) in the allowed draw period, wherein the smoking article (110) comprises an aerosol-existing region (11A) including the aerosol source, and a non-aerosol-existing region (11B) positioned downstream of the aerosol-existing region (11A) in the direction of the generated aerosol flow; characterized in that, when the smoking article (110) is inserted into the aerosol generating device (120), a heating part of the heater (30) is arranged to extend from the region in which aerosol (11A) of the smoking article (110) exists to the region in which no aerosol (11B) of the smoking article (110) exists. 2. Aerosol generating device (120) according to claim 1, wherein the non-aerosol region (11B) of the smoking article (110) comprises a paper tube part (114) and a filter part (115). 3. Aerosol generating device (120) according to claim 2, wherein the paper tube part (114) and the filter part (115) are adjacent to each other. 4. Aerosol generating device (120) according to any one of claims 2 or 3, wherein the heating part of the heater (30) is arranged to extend from the region in which aerosol exists (11A) of the smoking article (110) to the paper tube part (114) of the region in which no aerosol exists (11B). 5. Aerosol generating device (120) according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the heater (30) is configured to come into thermal contact with the outer periphery of the smoking article (110) to heat the outer periphery of the smoking article (110), and is positioned to heat the smoking article (110) from the region where aerosol of the smoking article exists to the region where no aerosol of the smoking article exists. 6. Aerosol generating device (120) according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the heater (30) is a film heater wound around the outer periphery of the smoking article (110) to heat the outer periphery of the smoking article (110), and is positioned to heat the smoking article (110) from the region where aerosol of the smoking article exists to the region where no aerosol of the smoking article exists. 7. Aerosol generating device (120) according to claim 5 or 6, further comprising an internal loop cylindrical element (132) configured to accept the smoking article (110). 8. Aerosol generating device (120) according to any one of claims 1 to 7, further comprising a thermal insulating material (138) placed around the heating part of the heater (30). 9. Aerosol generating device (120) according to claim 8, wherein the thermal insulating material (138) is constructed using aerogel. 10. Aerosol generating device (120) according to claim 8 or 9, wherein the thermal insulating material (138) is a fiber type thermal insulating material, a foam type insulating material or a vacuum insulating material. 11. An aerosol generating device (120) according to any one of claims 1 to 10, wherein the heating portion of the heater (30) has a cylindrical shape surrounding the outer periphery of the columnar smoking article (110). 12. Aerosol generating device (120) according to any one of claims 1 to 11, wherein the heating part is a resistance heating element. 13. An aerosol generating device (120) according to any one of claims 1 to 12, wherein the heating portion of the heater (30) protrudes toward the downstream side below a downstream end of the aerosol-existing region (11A) by a protruding length (D2) of 1.5-3.5 mm. 14. Aerosol generating device (120) according to claim 13, wherein the ratio of the protruding length (D2) of the heating part of the heater (30) to the length (L0) of the aerosol-existing region (11A) of the smoking article (120) is 0.075-0.175. 15. Method for heating a smoking article (110) comprising an aerosol source by using an aerosol generating device (120), the aerosol generating device (120) comprising a heater (30) configured to heat an outer periphery of the smoking article (120) and a control part (22) configured to control the heater (30), Understanding the smoking article an aerosol-infected region (11 A) that includes the aerosol source and a region in which there is no aerosol (11B) located downstream of the region in which there is aerosol (11A) in the direction of the flow of the generated aerosol, understanding the procedure: arranging, when the smoking article (110) is inserted into the aerosol generating device (120), a heating portion of the heater (30) to extend from the aerosol-existing region (11A) of the smoking article (110) to the non-aerosol-existing region (11B) of the smoking article (110), simultaneously heating the aerosol-existing region (11A) and at least a portion of the non-aerosol-existing region (11B) on the aerosol-existing region side, and controlling the heater (30) such that an aerosol delivery profile in a predetermined allowed aspiration period comprises one or more maximum values in a period between a start point (T2) and an end point (T7) in the allowed aspiration period. 16. Aerosol generation system (100) comprising: a smoking article (110) comprising an aerosol source, and an aerosol generating device (120) according to any one of claims 1 to 14.