WO2024053106A1 - Heater for atomizer, atomizer for aerosol inhaler, and aerosol inhaler - Google Patents

Abstract

A heater to be used in an atomizer, the atomizer being equipped with a reservoir for storing an aerosol-generating liquid and a liquid transport member for transporting the aerosol-generating liquid stored in the reservoir. The heater, which includes a first surface and a second surface located on the opposite side of the first surface, comprises: a planer and liquid-impermeable base material; a connection area which is formed on the first surface and to which the liquid transport member is connected; an atomization area which is formed as an area adjacent to the connection area on the first surface and not covered by the liquid transport member, and in which the aerosol-generating liquid transported from the liquid transport member to the connection area wet-spreads; and a heating element located on the second surface at the position corresponding to the back side of the atomization area.

Description

Heater for atomizer, atomizer for aerosol inhaler, and aerosol inhaler

The present disclosure relates to a heater for an atomizer, an atomizer for an aerosol inhaler, and an aerosol inhaler.

An atomizer equipped with a heater that atomizes an aerosol-generating liquid by heating to generate an aerosol, or an aerosol inhaler equipped with an atomizer is known (for example, see Patent Document 1).

A atomizer for an aerosol inhaler usually transports the aerosol-generated liquid in the storage tank to the heater using a liquid transport member called a wick, and supplies the aerosol-generated liquid to the heater.

As one embodiment, a heater is known that heats an aerosol-generating liquid impregnated into a wick by generating heat from a heating wire wound around the wick (see, for example, Patent Document 1). In addition, as another aspect, a heater is known in which a planar base material and a heat generating element are arranged on the base material (see, for example, Patent Documents 2 and 3).

JP2022-82416A International Publication No. 2019/092889 Special table 2017-525342 publication

However, in conventional heaters, a portion of the aerosol generated by atomizing the aerosol-generating liquid may be absorbed by the wick.

The present disclosure has been made in view of the above circumstances, and one of the objects is to provide a technology related to a heater for an atomizer that can generate a sufficient amount of aerosol.

[Aspect 1]
A heater for an atomizer according to the present disclosure for solving the above problems includes a storage section that stores an aerosol generation liquid, and a liquid transport member that transports the aerosol generation liquid stored in the storage section. Used in atomizers.

And the heater is
A liquid-impermeable planar base material including a first surface and a second surface located on the opposite side thereof;
a connection region formed on the first surface and to which the liquid transport member is connected;
an atomization region formed as a region adjacent to the connection region of the first surface and not covered by the liquid transport member, where the aerosol-generating liquid transported from the liquid transport member to the connection region wets and spreads;
The second surface includes a heat generating element disposed at a position corresponding to the back side of the atomization area.

In the heater according to Aspect 1 above, the liquid transport member is connected to the connection area formed on the first surface of the planar base material, and the aerosol-generating liquid wets and spreads in the atomization area adjacent to the connection area. Then, the aerosol-generating liquid that wets and spreads over the atomization region of the base material is heated by a heating element disposed on the second surface of the base material, and is atomized to generate an aerosol.

According to the heater according to aspect 1, the base material has liquid impermeability, and the heating element is disposed on the second surface located on the back side of the first surface where the atomization region is formed. Therefore, the heat generating element does not come into contact with the aerosol generating liquid supplied from the liquid transport member to the base material. Therefore, the heat generating element is less likely to be cooled by the aerosol generating liquid, and the atomization efficiency of the aerosol generating liquid can be improved. Furthermore, since the aerosol generating liquid does not directly touch the heat generating element, it is possible to prevent the heat generating element from becoming dirty or deteriorating, or from affecting the heat generating characteristics of the heat generating element.

Furthermore, in the heater according to aspect 1, the heat generating element on the second surface of the base material is arranged at a position corresponding to the back side of the atomization area on the first surface. Therefore, it becomes possible to efficiently atomize the aerosol-generating liquid that wets and spreads in the atomization region using the heating element. Furthermore, the atomization area formed on the first surface of the base material is formed as an area not covered by the liquid transport member. According to this aspect, when the aerosol-generating liquid that wets and spreads in the atomization region is atomized to generate an aerosol, the aerosol is less likely to be absorbed by the liquid transport member. This can prevent the amount of aerosol provided to the user from being reduced.

From the above, according to the heater according to aspect 1, the atomization efficiency of the aerosol-generating liquid is excellent, and the aerosol generated in the atomization region can be suppressed from being absorbed by the liquid transport member. It becomes possible to generate a sufficient amount of aerosol. Note that the connection region of the heater may be formed only on the first surface of the base material.

[Aspect 2]
Moreover, in the above-mentioned aspect 1, the heater may further include a promotion part that is provided in the atomization region and promotes wetting of the aerosol-generating liquid. By arranging or forming such a promoting portion in the atomization region of the first surface of the base material, wetting of the aerosol-generating liquid can be promoted. As a result, the aerosol-generating liquid more easily wets and spreads over the atomized region of the base material. As a result, it is possible to suppress a phenomenon in which the aerosol-generating liquid in the atomization region is depleted (depletion phenomenon) while the heater is in operation (while the heat-generating element is generating heat).

Note that the specific aspect of the promoting section is not particularly limited as long as it has the function of promoting wetting of the aerosol-generating liquid in the atomization region. For example, a member with excellent wettability (for example, a thin metal plate) may be placed on the first surface corresponding to the atomization region. Here, the metal thin plate has a mesh shape, and in addition to the transport effect due to the wettability of the metal surface, the aerosol generating liquid may be transported using capillary action due to the mesh shape. Alternatively, a promoting portion may be formed in the atomization region by coating (printing) metal paste ink or heat-resistant resin ink with excellent wettability on the first surface corresponding to the atomization region of the base material. good.

[Aspect 3]
Further, in the heater according to Aspect 1 or 2, the connection areas are formed at a plurality of locations on the first surface, and the atomization area is located between the connection areas (i.e., between the connection areas). may be formed in the sandwiched region). According to this aspect, the aerosol-generating liquid can be abundantly supplied to the atomization region from the plurality of connection regions, and the aerosol-generating liquid can efficiently wet and spread in the atomization region. Moreover, according to this aspect, it is possible to shorten the distance to the farthest part of the atomization area, which is the farthest distance from the connection area. Thereby, the liquid drying up phenomenon in the atomization area can be effectively suppressed.

[Aspect 4]
Moreover, in the above-mentioned aspect 3, the connection region may be formed at one end and the other end along the longitudinal direction of the base material, respectively. According to this aspect, it becomes easy to secure an area for forming the atomization region on the first surface of the base material. In other words, while the size of the base material itself is compact, it becomes easy to ensure a sufficient area for the atomization region. This makes it difficult for the base material to absorb the heat of the heat generating element when the heater is activated, and the atomization efficiency of the aerosol generating liquid can be further improved.

[Aspect 5]
Further, an atomizer for a non-combustion flavor inhaler according to one aspect of the present disclosure includes:
The heater according to any one of aspects 1 to 4 above,
a storage section that stores an aerosol generation liquid;
a liquid transport member that transports the aerosol generation liquid stored in the storage section to the heater;
Equipped with.

According to the above-mentioned aspect 5, it is possible to provide an atomizer for a non-combustion type flavor inhaler that can provide a sufficient sense of smoke volume with less energy.

[Aspect 6]
Further, in the atomizer for a non-combustion type flavor inhaler according to the above aspect 5,
The liquid transport member has a cylindrical shape,
The base material has a rectangular planar shape,
A first portion and a second portion forming part of one open end surface of the liquid transport member are connected to the pair of connection regions formed at one end and the other end, respectively, along the longitudinal direction of the base material. By being connected to the open end surface, an opening formed inside the open end surface is partially closed by the base material, and an air inlet is formed inside the open end surface,
An aerosol channel may be formed inside the liquid transport member to allow the aerosol generated in the atomization region to flow when the heater is activated.

According to the sixth aspect, the inside of the cylindrical liquid transport member can be used as an aerosol channel. In addition, among the openings formed inside the open end surface of the liquid transport member, the area that is not blocked by the base material is used as an air inlet, and the air flowing into the aerosol flow path from the air inlet is transferred to the heating heater. It can be suitably mixed with the vapor of the aerosol-generating liquid atomized in the atomization region.

[Aspect 7]
Further, a non-combustion type flavor inhaler according to one aspect of the present disclosure includes the atomizer according to aspect 5 or 6 above. This makes it possible to provide a non-combustion flavor inhaler that can provide a sufficient amount of smoke with less energy.

Note that the means for solving the problems in the present disclosure can be employed in combination as much as possible.

According to the present disclosure, it is possible to provide a technology related to a heater for an atomizer that can generate a sufficient amount of aerosol.

FIG. 1 is a schematic configuration diagram of an aerosol inhaler according to a first embodiment. FIG. 2 is a longitudinal cross-sectional view of the atomizer according to the first embodiment. FIG. 3 is a vertical cross-sectional perspective view of the atomizer according to the first embodiment. FIG. 4 is a diagram illustrating various parts constituting the atomizer according to the first embodiment. FIG. 5 is a perspective view of the atomizer according to the first embodiment, viewed from the top side. FIG. 6 is a perspective view of the atomizer according to the first embodiment, viewed from the bottom side. FIG. 7 is a bottom view of the heater according to the first embodiment. FIG. 8 is a top view of the heater according to the first embodiment. FIG. 9 is a longitudinal sectional view of the heater according to the first embodiment. FIG. 10 is a diagram illustrating the operating status of the heater according to the first embodiment. FIG. 11 is a diagram illustrating a schematic structure of a capsule holder and a capsule according to the first embodiment. FIG. 12 is a top view of the heater according to the second embodiment. FIG. 13 is a longitudinal cross-sectional view of the heater according to the second embodiment.

Embodiments of a heater for an atomizer, an atomizer for an aerosol inhaler, and an aerosol inhaler according to the present disclosure will be described based on the drawings. It should be noted that the dimensions, materials, shapes, relative arrangements, etc. of the components described in this embodiment are not intended to limit the technical scope of the invention to only those, unless otherwise specified. do not have.

A heater for an atomizer according to the present disclosure is a heater used in an atomizer that includes a storage section that stores an aerosol-generated liquid and a liquid transport member that transports the aerosol-generated liquid stored in the storage section. It is. The heater according to the present disclosure includes a planar base material having liquid impermeability, including a first surface and a second surface located on the opposite side thereof, and a liquid transport member formed on the first surface. and an atomization region formed as a region adjacent to the connection region on the first surface and not covered by the liquid transport member, where the aerosol-generating liquid transported from the liquid transport member to the connection region wets and spreads. and a heat generating element disposed on the second surface at a position corresponding to the back side of the atomization area.

Hereinafter, embodiments of a heater, an atomizer, and an aerosol inhaler equipped with the heater according to the present disclosure will be exemplarily described.

<Embodiment 1>
FIG. 1 is a schematic configuration diagram of an aerosol inhaler 1 according to a first embodiment. The aerosol inhaler 1 is an electronic device that includes an atomizer 80, which will be described later, and allows a user to inhale the aerosol generated by the atomizer 80. The aerosol inhaler 1 according to the present embodiment is provided, as an example, as a non-combustion flavor inhaler that generates aerosol by the atomizer 80 without combustion, and allows the user to inhale the aerosol containing flavor components. Ru.

The aerosol inhaler 1 includes a power supply unit 10, a cartridge cover 20 in which a cartridge 40 for storing an aerosol generating liquid is accommodated, a capsule holder 30 in which a capsule 50 containing a flavor source is accommodated, and the like. In the example shown in FIG. 1, the power supply unit 10, the cartridge cover 20, and the capsule holder 30 are provided in this order from one end to the other end in the longitudinal direction of the aerosol inhaler 1.

The power supply unit 10 has a cylindrical shape with a bottom centered on the center line L1 extending in the longitudinal direction of the aerosol inhaler 1. The cartridge cover 20 and the capsule holder 30 have an annular shape centered on a center line L1 extending in the longitudinal direction of the aerosol inhaler 1. The outer circumferential surface of the power supply unit 10 and the outer circumferential surface of the cartridge cover 20 have a substantially annular shape with substantially the same diameter. The capsule holder 30 has a generally annular shape with a slightly smaller diameter than the power supply unit 10 and the cartridge cover 20.

Hereinafter, in this specification and the like, in order to simplify and clarify the explanation, the longitudinal direction of the rod-shaped aerosol inhaler 1 will be defined as the first direction X1. For convenience, in the first direction X1, the side where the power supply unit 10 of the aerosol inhaler 1 is arranged is defined as the bottom side, and the side where the capsule holder 30 of the aerosol inhaler 1 is arranged is defined as the top side. In the drawings, the bottom side of the aerosol inhaler 1 in the first direction X1 is shown as D, and the top side in the first direction X1 is shown as U. Note that the shape of the aerosol inhaler 1 shown in FIG. 1 is just an example, and of course, various shapes can be adopted.

The cartridge cover 20 has a hollow, generally annular shape with both end faces, D and U, at the bottom side D and top side U open. The cartridge cover 20 is made of metal such as stainless steel, for example. The cartridge cover 20 has an end on the bottom side D connected to an end on the top side U of the power supply unit 10 . The cartridge cover 20 is removably attached to the power supply unit 10. The capsule holder 30 has a hollow, substantially annular shape with both end faces, D and U, open. The capsule holder 30 has an end on the bottom side D connected to an end on the top side U of the cartridge cover 20 by screwing, locking, or the like. The capsule holder 30 is made of metal such as aluminum, for example. The capsule holder 30 is removably attached to the cartridge cover 20.

Although the cartridge 40 will be described in detail later, it has a substantially cylindrical shape and is housed inside the cartridge cover 20. In FIG. 1, the outer shape of the cartridge 40 housed inside the cartridge cover 20 is shown by broken lines. The cartridge 40 can be stored inside the cartridge cover 20 with the capsule holder 30 removed from the cartridge cover 20, or conversely, can be taken out from the inside of the cartridge cover 20. Therefore, the aerosol inhaler 1 can be used by replacing the cartridge 40.

The capsule 50 has a substantially cylindrical shape, and is formed into a hollow substantially circular ring such that the end of the top side U in the first direction X1 is exposed in the first direction X1 from the end of the top side U of the capsule holder 30. The capsule holder 30 is housed in a hollow portion of the shaped capsule holder 30 . The capsule 50 is removably attached to the capsule holder 30. Therefore, the aerosol inhaler 1 can be used by replacing the capsule 50. A mouthpiece 58 is formed at the end of the top side U of the capsule 50 in the first direction X1.

The power supply unit 10 includes a hollow, bottomed cylindrical power supply unit case 11 extending in the first direction X1. The power supply unit case 11 is made of metal such as stainless steel, for example. In the example shown in FIG. 1, the power supply unit case 11 is provided with an operation section 15 that can be operated by a user. The operation unit 15 is, for example, a push-button type switch, but may also be composed of a switch other than a push-button type, a touch panel, or the like.

The power supply unit case 11 is provided with a notification section 16 that notifies various information. The notification unit 16 may include, for example, a light emitting element. The notification unit 16 may notify various information depending on the color emitted by the light emitting element. Further, the notification unit 16 may further include a vibration element.

The power supply unit case 11 is provided with an air intake port (not shown) that takes in outside air into its interior. The air intake port may be provided around the operating portion 15, for example, but its position, size, number, etc. are not particularly limited.

A power supply 61, an intake sensor 62, an MCU 63 (MCU: Micro Controller Unit), a heater 70, and the like are housed in a hollow portion formed inside the power supply unit case 11.

The power source 61 is a chargeable/dischargeable electricity storage device such as a secondary battery or an electric double layer capacitor, and is, for example, a lithium ion secondary battery. The electrolyte of the power source 61 may be composed of one or a combination of a gel electrolyte, an electrolytic solution, a solid electrolyte, and an ionic liquid.

The intake sensor 62 is a pressure sensor that detects a puff (suction) operation. The intake sensor 62 is configured to output the value of the change in pressure (internal pressure) inside the power supply unit 10 caused by the user's suction through the mouthpiece 58 of the capsule 50 . The intake sensor 62 changes depending on, for example, the flow rate of air sucked from an air intake port (not shown) formed in the power supply unit case 11 toward the suction port 58 of the capsule 50 (i.e., the user's puffing action). It outputs an output value (for example, a voltage value or a current value) according to the internal pressure. The intake sensor 62 may output an analog value, or may output a digital value converted from an analog value. Furthermore, the intake sensor 62 may include a built-in temperature sensor that detects the temperature of the environment in which the power supply unit 10 is placed (outside temperature) in order to compensate for the detected pressure. Furthermore, the intake sensor 62 may be configured from a condenser microphone, a flow rate sensor, or the like instead of a pressure sensor.

The MCU 63 is an electronic component that performs various controls of the aerosol inhaler 1. Specifically, the MCU 63 is mainly composed of a processor, and has a memory composed of storage media such as RAM (Random Access Memory) necessary for the operation of the processor and ROM (Read Only Memory) that stores various information. It may further contain. A processor in this specification is, for example, an electric circuit that is a combination of circuit elements such as semiconductor elements. For example, the MCU 63 determines that an aerosol generation request has been made when the output value of the intake sensor 62 exceeds a threshold value when the user performs a puffing action, and thereafter, when the output value of the intake sensor 62 falls below this threshold value, It is determined that the aerosol generation request has been completed. The output value of the intake sensor 62 is used as a signal indicating an aerosol generation request. Note that the MCU 63 may detect an aerosol generation request based on the operation of the operation unit 15 instead of the intake sensor 62. For example, the configuration may be such that when the user performs a predetermined operation on the operation unit 15 to start aerosol suction, the operation unit 15 outputs a signal indicating an aerosol generation request to the MCU 63.

The heater 70 is disposed at the end of the top side U of the power supply unit 10 in the first direction X1, and constitutes the atomizer 80 of the aerosol inhaler 1 by being combined with the cartridge 40. The heater 70 is an electric heater that heats the aerosol generation liquid supplied from the cartridge 40 to vaporize and/or atomize it. Operating power for the heater 70 is supplied from the power source 61 via, for example, lead wires, terminals, etc. (not shown) housed in the hollow part of the power supply unit case 11. Power supply from the power source 61 to the heater 70 is controlled by the MCU 63. The detailed structures of the heater 70 and the cartridge 40 will be described later. In addition, the power supply unit case 11 of the power supply unit 10 is provided with a charging terminal (not shown) that can be electrically connected to an external power source. The charging terminal is not particularly limited, and may be, for example, a receptacle to which a USB (Universal Serial Bus) terminal, a microUSB terminal, or the like can be connected.

Next, the detailed structure of the atomizer 80 according to this embodiment will be explained. The atomizer 80 includes, for example, a heater 70 and a cartridge 40. FIG. 2 is a longitudinal cross-sectional view of the atomizer 80 according to the first embodiment. FIG. 3 is a vertical cross-sectional perspective view of the atomizer 80 according to the first embodiment. FIG. 4 is a diagram illustrating various parts that constitute the atomizer 80 according to the first embodiment.

The cartridge 40 includes a cartridge case 41 having a substantially cylindrical outer shape whose longitudinal direction is the axial direction X2. The cartridge case 41 is made of resin such as polycarbonate, for example. The cartridge 40 is housed in the cartridge cover 20 in such a posture that the axial direction X2 is parallel to the first direction X1. For convenience, in the first direction X1 of the cartridge 40 (cartridge case 41), the side facing the power supply unit 10 when the cartridge 40 is housed in the cartridge cover 20 is referred to as the bottom side, and the side facing the capsule 50 is referred to as the top side. Define. In the drawings, the bottom side of the cartridge 40 (cartridge case 41) in the axial direction X2 is shown as D, and the top side of the aerosol inhaler 1 in the axial direction X2 is shown as U.

Inside the cartridge case 41, there is a storage section (storage chamber) 42 that stores the aerosol generation liquid LQ, an atomization chamber 43 that atomizes the aerosol generation liquid LQ, and a capsule 50 (suction port 58) that stores the aerosol generated in the atomization chamber 43. ) is formed such as an aerosol passageway 44 for flowing toward.

The aerosol-generating liquid LQ is a liquid that generates an aerosol when a volatile substance released when vaporized by heating by the heater 70 is cooled. The type of aerosol generation liquid LQ is not particularly limited. The aerosol generation liquid LQ may be, for example, a liquid containing one or more substances selected from glycerin, propylene glycol, triacetin, and 1,3-butanediol.

Additionally, the aerosol generation liquid LQ may contain a flavor source. The type of flavor source contained in the aerosol generation liquid LQ is not particularly limited. The form of the flavor source contained in the aerosol generation liquid LQ is not particularly limited, and may be contained in a liquid form or in a solid form.

For example, the aerosol generation liquid LQ may contain nicotine as a flavor source. For example, by dissolving nicotine in the aerosol generation liquid LQ using glycerin, propylene glycol, or the like as a solvent, an aerosol generation liquid LQ containing nicotine as a flavor source can be obtained. Of course, the flavor source contained in the aerosol generation liquid LQ may include a flavor source other than nicotine instead of nicotine (including flavor components derived from tobacco materials) or in combination with nicotine. Flavor sources other than nicotine include, for example, menthol, natural vegetable flavors (e.g. cognac oil, orange oil, jasmine oil, spearmint oil, peppermint oil, anise oil, coriander oil, lemon oil, chamomile oil, labdanum, vetiver oil) , rose oil, lovage oil), esters (e.g., menthyl acetate, isoamyl acetate, linalyl acetate, isoamyl propionate, butyl butyrate, methyl salicylate, etc.), ketones (e.g., menthone, ionone, ethyl maltol, etc.), alcohols (e.g., phenylethyl alcohol, anethole, cis-6-nonen-1-ol, eucalyptol, etc.), aldehydes (e.g., benzaldehyde, etc.), lactones (e.g., ω-pentadecalactone, etc.), neophytadiene, solanone , or solanesol.

Additionally, the aerosol generation liquid LQ may include a solid flavor source immersed in the aerosol generation liquid LQ. The solid flavor source may or may not contain nicotine. Solid flavor sources containing nicotine include solid tobacco materials. The solid tobacco material may be, for example, shredded or powdered tobacco material such as tobacco leaves, tobacco granules formed into granules, or tobacco molded bodies formed into a predetermined shape. For example, a tobacco molded body is produced by solidifying the residue of tobacco material (tobacco residue) after extracting tobacco extract components from tobacco materials such as tobacco leaves and molding it into a predetermined shape, and then molding the tobacco extract components extracted above into this molded body. It may be obtained by adding.

Of course, the aerosol generation liquid LQ may also contain a solid flavor source that does not contain nicotine.

As described above, when storing a solid flavor source immersed in the aerosol generation liquid LQ, the aerosol generation liquid LQ contains flavor components (for example, nicotine, etc.) eluted from the solid flavor source. .

The outer shape of the cartridge case 41 is defined by a substantially circular top wall 411 located on the top side U in the axial direction X2, and a substantially cylindrical side peripheral wall 412 extending from the top wall 411 toward the bottom side D. The cartridge case 41 has a so-called double tube structure, and an inner tube 413 is disposed inside a side peripheral wall 412. The inner tube 413 is a tube member having a substantially cylindrical shape with a smaller diameter than the side circumferential wall 412, and extends from the top wall 411 toward the bottom side D. Inside the cartridge case 41, the storage section 42 and the aerosol passage 44 are separated by an inner tube 413. In this embodiment, an aerosol passage 44 is formed inside the inner tube 413 along the axial direction X2. Further, a storage portion 42 having a hollow, substantially annular shape with the axial direction X2 as the axial direction is formed between the side peripheral wall 412 and the inner tube 413, and the aerosol generation liquid LQ is stored in this storage portion 42. There is.

413A is a first end located on the bottom side D of the inner tube 413, and 413B is a second end located on the top side U of the inner tube 413. When the aerosol flows through the aerosol passage 44, the aerosol flows from the first end 413A side of the inner tube 413 toward the second end 413B side. A vent hole 414 is formed in the top wall 411 of the cartridge case 41 and is an opening for allowing the aerosol flowing through the aerosol passage 44 to flow out of the cartridge case 41 .

As shown in FIG. 4, the cartridge 40 further includes a disk member 45, a fixing member 46, a liquid transport member 47, and the like. The disk member 45 is made of resin such as polycarbonate, for example. As shown in FIGS. 2, 3, etc., the disc member 45 is a member that is incorporated into the bottom side D of the cartridge case 41 to define the bottom of the storage section 42. The diameter of the disc member 45 is, for example, equal to the inner diameter of the side peripheral wall 412 of the cartridge case 41.

The disk member 45 is formed with an insertion hole 451 and a plurality of communication holes 452 penetrating in the thickness direction. The insertion hole 451 of the disc member 45 is arranged at the center of the disc member 45 in a plane. The diameter of the insertion hole 451 is equal to the outer diameter of the inner tube 413. The communication hole 452 of the disc member 45 is arranged around the insertion hole 451. In the example shown in FIG. 4, a plurality of communication holes 452 are annularly arranged at intervals along the circumferential direction of the disc member 45. In the example shown in FIG. However, the number, size, position, etc. of the communicating holes 452 in the disc member 45 are not particularly limited.

The liquid transport member 47 is also called a wick, and is used to absorb and retain the aerosol-generating liquid LQ stored in the storage section 42 using capillary phenomenon, while supplying (transporting) the aerosol-generating liquid LQ to the heater 70. This is a capillary member. The liquid transport member 47 can be made of, for example, a fibrous material such as glass fiber or cotton, or a porous material such as porous ceramic. In the example shown in FIG. 4 and the like, the liquid transport member 47 is formed into a cylindrical shape. Reference symbol X3 in FIG. 4 indicates the axial direction of the liquid transport member 47. Reference numeral 471 indicates a first open end surface (one open end surface) located on the lower end side of the liquid transport member 47, and reference numeral 472 indicates a second open end surface located on the upper end side of the liquid transport member 47. Further, a hollow portion formed inside the liquid transport member 47 is formed as an aerosol channel 48 through which the aerosol generated in the atomization chamber 43 flows toward the capsule 50 (suction port 58).

The fixing member 46 is a cylindrical body with a through hole formed in the center, and is made of a material with excellent heat resistance and elasticity, such as silicone rubber. The fixing member 46 is integrated with the disk member 45 and the liquid transport member 47 into the bottom side D of the cartridge case 41, as shown in FIGS. 2 and 3. The fixing member 46 has a holding hole 461 formed as a through hole in the center of its plane, through which the liquid transport member 47 is inserted and which holds the side surface of the liquid transport member 47 . The diameter of the holding hole 461 of the fixing member 46 is slightly smaller than the outer diameter of the liquid transport member 47, and the liquid transport member 47 inserted into the holding hole 461 can be elastically held. Of course, instead of this, the liquid transport member 47 may be fixed to the holding hole 461 of the fixing member 46 by adhesive or other methods.

The outer diameter of the fixing member 46 may be, for example, slightly larger than the inner diameter of the side circumferential wall 412 of the cartridge case 41, and the fixing member 46 may be fixed by being press-fitted inside the side circumferential wall 412. Of course, the side surface of the fixing member 46 may be fixed to the side peripheral wall 412 by adhesive or other methods. Further, the disk member 45 may be fixed to the upper end surface of the fixing member 46 by adhesive or other methods.

As shown in FIGS. 2 and 3, when the disc member 45, the fixing member 46, and the liquid transport member 47 are assembled on the bottom side D of the cartridge case 41, the bottom side D of the inner tube 413 is circular. It is inserted into the insertion hole 451 of the plate member 45 and halfway into the hollow part (aerosol channel 48) of the liquid transport member 47. In this state, the second open end surface 472 of the liquid transport member 47 is placed in contact with the lower surface of the disc member 45, and each communication hole of the disc member 45 is provided in the upper part of the second open end surface 472. 452 is located.

FIG. 5 is a perspective view of the atomizer 80 according to the first embodiment, viewed from the top side U. FIG. 6 is a perspective view of the atomizer 80 according to the first embodiment, viewed from the bottom side D. The aerosol-generating liquid LQ stored in the storage section 42 of the cartridge 40 is absorbed by the liquid transport member 47 through each communication hole 452 of the disc member 45 that defines the bottom of the storage section 42, and the liquid transport member 47 is always used for aerosol production. It is in a wet state with the produced liquid LQ.

In the cartridge 40 configured as described above, when the cartridge cover 20 is attached to the power supply unit 10, the first part of the liquid transport member 47 is connected to the heater 70 disposed at the end of the top side U of the power supply unit 10. It is designed so that the opening end surface 471 comes into contact with it. The detailed structure of the heater 70 in the atomizer 80 and the relationship between the heater 70 and the liquid transport member 47 will be described below.

FIG. 7 is a bottom view of the heater 70 according to the first embodiment. FIG. 8 is a top view of the heater 70 according to the first embodiment. FIG. 9 is a longitudinal cross-sectional view of the heater 70 according to the first embodiment. The bottom view of the heater 70 is a view of the heater 70 viewed from the direction of arrow A in FIG. 2, and the top view is a view of the heater 70 viewed from the opposite side. In the top view shown in FIG. 8, the liquid transport member 47 is also shown for convenience. Further, the vertical cross-sectional view shown in FIG. 9 shows a cross section taken along the BB cutting line in FIG. 8.

The heater 70 illustrated in FIGS. 7 to 9 is an electric heating type planar heater that includes a planar base material 71, a heat generating element 72 disposed on the base material 71, and a pair of electrodes 73A, 73B. . In the examples shown in FIGS. 7 to 9, the base material 71 has a rectangular planar shape, thereby providing a flat heater 70. The base material 71 is made of a material having thermal conductivity and liquid impermeability. Moreover, it is preferable that the base material 71 is a material that has heat resistance and does not easily conduct electricity. As a material for such a base material 71, for example, ceramic such as alumina can be suitably used. However, the material of the base material 71 is not limited to ceramic, and other materials may be used.

In the figure, 71A is the first surface of the base material 71, and 71B is the second surface of the base material 71. Here, in a state where the cartridge cover 20 is attached to the power supply unit 10 and the cartridge 40 is housed in the cartridge cover 20, the first surface 71A of the base material 71 is arranged toward the cartridge 40 side. Hereinafter, for convenience, the first surface 71A of the base material 71 will be described as an upper surface. The second surface 71B of the base material 71 is a surface located on the opposite side of the first surface 71A, and hereinafter, the second surface 71B will be described as the lower surface of the base material 71.

In the heater 70, a connection region RC and an atomization region RV are formed only on the first surface 71A of the base material 71. In FIG. 8, diagonal hatching is applied to the connection area RC and horizontal hatching is applied to the atomization area RV with the intention of making the division between the connection area RC and the atomization area RV easier to understand.

The connection region RC formed on the first surface 71A of the base material 71 is a region to which the liquid transport member 47 of the cartridge 40 in the cartridge cover 20 is connected when the cartridge cover 20 is attached to the power supply unit 10. . In this embodiment, connection regions RC are formed at multiple locations on the first surface 71A of the base material 71. In the examples shown in FIGS. 7 to 9, connection regions RC are formed at one end and the other end of the base material 71 in the longitudinal direction, respectively. Each connection region RC is connected to the first opening end surface 471 of the liquid transporting member 47 by contacting the first opening end surface 471 located on the lower end side of the liquid transporting member 47 . Aerosol generation liquid LQ is transported (supplied) from the open end surface 471.

As described above, the liquid transport member 47 in this embodiment has a cylindrical shape, and the first portion 471A forming a part of the first opening end surface 471 (one opening end surface) of the liquid transport member 47 and the second portion The portion 471B is connected to a pair of connection regions RC formed at one end and the other end of the base material 71 in the longitudinal direction. In the example shown in FIG. 8, portions of the first open end surface 471 of the liquid transport member 47 that are located on opposite sides of the hollow portion (aerosol channel 48) (that is, in the circumferential direction of the first open end surface 471 471A and a second portion 471B, respectively.

In the present embodiment, the dimension (width dimension) in the short side direction (hereinafter also referred to as "width direction") of the base material 71 is smaller than the inner diameter of the liquid transport member 47 (see FIG. 8). As shown in FIG. 8, the end face opening on the first open end face 471 of the liquid transport member 47 is partially closed by the base material 71. Therefore, air inflow ports 473A and 473B communicating with the aerosol channel 48 are formed in the end face openings of the first open end face 471 that are not closed by the base material 71 (see FIGS. 6 and 8). ).

Next, the atomization region RV formed on the first surface 71A of the base material 71 will be explained. The atomization region RV is formed as a region adjacent to the connection region RC on the first surface 71A. As shown in FIGS. 8 and 9, the atomization region RV is formed as an exposed region without being covered by the first open end surface 471 of the liquid transport member 47, and is connected to the connection region RC from the liquid transport member 47. The aerosol-generating liquid LQ transported to the area wets and spreads. That is, as for the flow of the aerosol generation liquid LQ, the aerosol generation liquid LQ is supplied from the liquid transport member 47 to the connection region RC of the base member 71 connected to the first open end surface 471 thereof, and then to the connection region RC. The aerosol generation liquid LQ wets and spreads from the connection region RC to the adjacent atomization region RV.

Next, the heat generating element 72 and electrodes 73A and 73B of the heater 70 will be explained. In this embodiment, the heat generating element 72 and the electrodes 73A, 73B are arranged only on the second surface 71B of the base material 71. The heat generating element 72 is formed, for example, by a conductive ink pattern printed on the second surface 71B of the base material 71.

The heat generating element 72 (conductive ink pattern) can be made of, for example, a conductive paste containing a conductive material. The electrically conductive material may be selected from, for example, at least one of electrically conductive metals, electrically conductive ceramics, carbon materials, and electrically conductive polymers. The conductive metal may include, for example, at least one material selected from Ag, Al, Ni, Pt, Au, Cu, and W. The carbon material may include, for example, at least one material selected from graphene, carbon nanotubes, graphite, activated carbon, acetylene black, and Ketjenblack. The conductive polymer may include at least one material selected from, for example, polythiophene, polystyrene sulfonic acid, oligothiophene, polypyrrole, polyaniline. The heating element 72 (conductive ink pattern) can be formed on the second surface 71B of the base material 71 by, for example, screen printing, screen offset printing, inkjet printing, flexo printing, gravure printing, or osset printing.

Of course, the heating element 72 can be formed of various materials other than the conductive ink pattern. For example, the heating element 72 may be a heating element such as a heating resistor, a ceramic heater, or an induction heater.

In the present embodiment, the heat generating element 72 is arranged on the second surface 71B of the base material 71 at a position corresponding to the back side of the atomization region RV. Here, the atomization region RV formed on the first surface 71A of the base material 71 is formed as a substantially rectangular region. Therefore, the heat generating element 72 arranged on the second surface 71B of the base material 71 is also arranged in a substantially rectangular region corresponding to the back side of the atomization region RV. In FIG. 7, the heat generating elements 72 are dot-hatched with the intention of making it easier to understand the arrangement area of the heat generating elements 72 on the second surface 71B of the base material 71.

Electrodes 73A, 73B are connected to the ends of the heat generating element 72 in the long side direction, respectively, and the electrodes 73A, 73B and the heat generating element 72 are electrically connected. Each electrode 73A, 73B is connected to an output terminal of a power source 61 via a lead wire or the like, and when operating power is supplied from the power source unit 10 to the heater 70, the heat generating element 72 generates heat.

Next, the situation in which aerosol is generated by the atomizer 80 equipped with the heater 70 and cartridge 40 configured as described above will be explained. The aerosol inhaler 1 is used with the cartridge cover 20, capsule holder 30, cartridge 40, and capsule 50 attached to the power supply unit 10.

FIG. 10 is a diagram illustrating the operating status of the heater 70 (atomizer 80) according to the first embodiment, and shows a longitudinal section of the heater 70 similarly to FIG. 9. For example, as shown in FIG. 10, the aerosol generation liquid LQ wets and spreads over one surface of the atomization region RV formed on the first surface 71A of the base material 71.

When the MCU 63 in the aerosol inhaler 1 determines that the above-described aerosol generation request has been made, the MCU 63 causes the power source 61 to supply operating power to the heater 70. Then, when power supply from the power source 61 to the heater 70 is started, the heat generating element 72 disposed on the second surface 71B of the base material 71 generates heat. Here, since the base material 71 has thermal conductivity, the heat emitted from the heat generating element 72 is transferred to the first surface 71A side of the base material 71. As a result, the aerosol-generating liquid LQ wetted and spreading in the atomization region RV formed on the first surface 71A of the base material 71 is heated and atomized to form an aerosol. In this way, an aerosol is formed in the atomization chamber 43.

In addition, air taken in from the air intake port of the power supply unit case 11 by the puff (suction) operation is directed to air inflow ports 473A and 473B formed in the first opening end surface 471 of the liquid transport member 47 through a ventilation path (not shown). is supplied. The air that has flowed into the liquid transport member 47 from the air inlets 473A and 473B is mixed with the vapor of the aerosol generation liquid LQ in the atomization chamber 43. The aerosol generated in the atomization chamber 43 of the atomizer 80 in this manner is transferred from the first end 413A of the inner tube 413 of the cartridge case 41 through the aerosol channel 48 formed inside the liquid transport member 47. It flows into passageway 44 . The aerosol flowing through the aerosol passage 44 then flows out from the vent 414. In addition, when the aerosol generation liquid LQ stored in the storage part 42 of the cartridge 40 contains a flavor source, the aerosol generated in the atomization chamber 43 will be flavored with the flavor component contained in the flavor source. In other words, an aerosol containing flavor components is generated in the atomization chamber 43. However, in this embodiment, the aerosol generation liquid LQ stored in the storage section 42 does not need to contain a flavor source.

FIG. 11 is a diagram illustrating a schematic structure of the capsule holder 30 and the capsule 50 accommodated therein. The capsule holder 30 includes a side wall 31 extending in a substantially annular shape in the first direction It has a larger diameter than the passage 44 and a smaller diameter than the cartridge cover 20.

The capsule holder 30 includes a bottom wall 32 provided at the end of the bottom side D of the side wall 31. The bottom wall 32 is made of resin, for example. A communication hole 33 is formed in the bottom wall 32 and extends through the bottom wall 32 in the first direction X1. When the cartridge 40 is housed inside the cartridge cover 20 and the capsule holder 30 is attached to the cartridge cover 20, the communication hole 33 is connected to the aerosol passage of the cartridge 40 when viewed from the top side U in the first direction X1. 44 (vent port 414) is formed to be located inside the communication hole 33. That is, in this state, the aerosol passage 44 (vent port 414) of the cartridge 40 and the communication hole 33 of the capsule holder 30 are arranged at corresponding positions along the first direction X1.

The capsule 50 has, for example, a substantially cylindrical shape, and includes a side wall 51 that is open at both ends and extends in a substantially annular shape. The side wall 51 is made of resin such as plastic, for example. A suction port 58 is formed on the top side U of the side wall 51 of the capsule 50. The capsule 50 includes a housing chamber 53 in which a flavor source 52 is housed. The flavor source 52 may be, for example, the solid tobacco material described above. Of course, the flavor source 52 does not need to contain nicotine, and may contain plants other than tobacco (eg, mint, Chinese medicine, herbs, etc.). Furthermore, the flavor source 52 may contain a flavoring agent such as menthol. In addition, in FIG. 11, the flavor source 52 is shown in a simulated manner.

In the capsule 50 of this embodiment, the aerosol generated in the atomizer 80 (atomization chamber 43) is introduced into the storage chamber 53 that accommodates the flavor source 52. The storage chamber 53 is configured to be able to vent the aerosol. As an example, the storage chamber 53 is formed by a mesh-like partition wall through which aerosol can pass, and is partitioned by an inlet section 53A and an outlet section 53B. It is preferable that the flavor source 52 cannot pass through the inlet portion 53A and the outlet portion 53B, and by doing so, the flavor source 52 can be kept in the storage chamber 53 while allowing ventilation of the aerosol. Note that the position, range, etc. of the storage chamber 53 shown in FIG. 11 are merely examples, and are not particularly limited.

The aerosol transported by the aerosol passage 44 of the cartridge 40 passes through the communication hole 33 formed in the bottom wall 32 and is introduced into the storage chamber 53 of the capsule 50 attached to the capsule holder 30. Then, when the aerosol passes through the accommodation chamber 53 in which the flavor source 52 is accommodated, a flavor component is added from the flavor source 52 to the aerosol. In this way, the aerosol to which the flavor component is added from the flavor source 52 is sucked into the user's oral cavity from the mouthpiece 58.

<Effect>
Hereinafter, technical effects obtained by the heater 70, the atomizer 80 including the heater 70, and the aerosol inhaler 1 according to the present embodiment will be described.

That is, in the heater 70 according to the present embodiment, the liquid transport member 47 is connected to the connection region RC formed on the first surface 71A of the planar base material 71, and the aerosol is transferred to the connection region RC through the liquid transport member 47. Product liquid LQ is supplied. Then, the heat generating element 72 disposed on the second surface 71B of the base material 71 is in a state where the aerosol generation liquid LQ wets and spreads in the atomization region RV adjacent to the connection region RC on the first surface 71A of the base material 71. The aerosol generation liquid LQ in the atomization region RV is heated by the generation of heat, and aerosol is generated by atomization.

Here, the base material 71 of the heater 70 has liquid impermeability, and the heat generating element 72 is arranged on the second surface 71B located on the back side of the first surface 71A where the atomization region RV is formed. ing. Therefore, the heat generating element 72 does not come into contact with the aerosol generating liquid LQ supplied from the liquid transport member 47 of the cartridge 40 to the base material 71 of the heater 70. Therefore, the heat generating element 72 is less likely to be cooled by the aerosol generation liquid LQ, and the atomization efficiency of the aerosol generation liquid LQ can be improved when the heater 70 is activated. Furthermore, since the aerosol generating liquid LQ does not directly touch the heat generating element 72, it is possible to prevent the heat generating element 72 from becoming dirty or deteriorating, or from affecting the heat generating characteristics of the heat generating element 72.

Further, in the heater 70, the heat generating element 72 on the second surface 71B of the base material 71 is arranged at a position corresponding to the back side of the atomization region RV on the first surface 71A. Therefore, it becomes possible to efficiently atomize the aerosol generation liquid LQ wetted and spread in the atomization region RV by the heat generating element 72. Furthermore, the atomization region RV formed on the first surface 71A of the base material 71 is formed as a region not covered by the liquid transport member 47. According to such an aspect, the aerosol generated by atomizing the aerosol-generating liquid LQ that wets and spreads in the atomization region RV becomes difficult to be absorbed by the liquid transport member 47. In this manner, by suppressing the absorption of aerosol by the liquid transport member 47, it is possible to prevent the amount of aerosol provided to the user from the suction port 58 from being reduced.

As described above, according to the heater 70 according to the present embodiment, the atomization efficiency of the aerosol generation liquid LQ is excellent, and the aerosol generated in the atomization region RV (atomization chamber 43) is absorbed into the liquid transport member 47. This makes it possible to generate a sufficient amount of aerosol. Further, it is possible to provide the heater 70 of the atomizer 80 that can provide a sufficient feeling of smoke volume with a small amount of electrical energy, and it is possible to suppress the consumption of electrical energy necessary to obtain a desired feeling of smoke volume. Moreover, according to the atomizer 80 and the aerosol inhaler 1 equipped with the heater 70, it is possible to provide the user with a sufficient sense of smoke volume with a small amount of electrical energy.

Furthermore, in the heater 70 according to the present embodiment, the connection regions RC are formed at a plurality of locations on the first surface 71A of the base material 71, and the atomization region RV is formed in a region located between the connection regions RC. There is. According to this, the aerosol generation liquid LQ can be abundantly supplied to the atomization region RV from the plurality of connection regions RC, and as a result, the aerosol generation liquid LQ can efficiently wet the entire atomization region RV. It can be spread.

In addition, since the aerosol generating liquid LQ is supplied from the connection regions RC at a plurality of locations to the atomization region RV, the farthest region of the atomization region RV that is the farthest from the connection region RC (this embodiment In this case, the distance to the central portion of the atomization region RV in the longitudinal direction can be shortened. Therefore, even while the heater 70 is in operation, the aerosol generation liquid LQ can be sequentially supplied from the connection area RC so that the aerosol generation liquid LQ in the atomization area RV is not depleted. Thereby, the liquid drying up phenomenon in the atomization region RV can be effectively suppressed. The liquid depletion phenomenon is a phenomenon in which the aerosol generating liquid LQ in the atomization region RV is depleted while the heater 70 is in operation.

In particular, according to the heater 70 according to the present embodiment, the connection regions RC are formed at one end and the other end of the base material 71 along the longitudinal direction. According to this aspect, it becomes easy to secure an area for forming the atomization region RV on the first surface 71A of the base material 71. In other words, while the size of the base material 71 itself is compact, it becomes easy to ensure a sufficient area of the atomization region RV. This makes it difficult for the base material 71 to absorb the heat of the heat generating element 72 when the heater 70 is activated, and the atomization efficiency of the aerosol generation liquid LQ can be further improved.

Further, in this embodiment, the liquid transport member 47 of the atomizer 80 has a cylindrical shape, the base material 71 of the heater 70 has a rectangular planar shape, and a part of the first opening end surface 471 of the liquid transport member 47 By connecting the first portion 471A and the second portion 471B forming the first opening end surface 471 to a pair of connection regions RC formed on one end side and the other end side, respectively, along the longitudinal direction of the base material 71, The opening formed on the inside was configured to be partially closed by the base material 71. According to this aspect, among the openings formed inside the open end surface of the liquid transport member 47, the area that is not closed by the base material 71 can be used as the air inflow ports 473A, 473B, and the liquid transport The inside of the member 47 can be used as an aerosol channel 48 through which the aerosol generated in the atomization region RV when the heat generating element 72 generates heat flows. The air flowing into the aerosol channel 48 from the air inlets 473A and 473B can be suitably mixed with the vapor of the aerosol generation liquid LQ atomized in the atomization region RV of the heater 70.

<Embodiment 2>
Next, a heater 70A according to the second embodiment will be explained. FIG. 12 is a top view of a heater 70A according to the second embodiment. FIG. 13 is a longitudinal cross-sectional view of the heater 70 according to the second embodiment. As explained in the first embodiment, the heater 70A according to the second embodiment is provided with the promoting part 74 that promotes wetting of the aerosol generation liquid LQ in the atomization region RV on the first surface 71A of the base material 71. This is different from the heater 70. Hereinafter, the differences between the heater 70A and the heater 70 described in Embodiment 1 will be mainly explained, and the same configurations will be given the same reference numerals and detailed explanation will be omitted.

The promoting portion 74 shown in FIGS. 12 and 13 is formed of a metal member with excellent wettability, and is arranged on the first surface 71A corresponding to the atomization region RV. The promoting portion 74 is formed of, for example, a thin metal plate having a mesh shape, and can transport the aerosol generation liquid LQ by the wettability of the metal surface and the capillary action of the mesh shape. According to this aspect, the aerosol generating liquid LQ is applied by the action of the promoting part 74 even to a portion of the atomization region RV that is far away from the connection region RC (the central portion in the longitudinal direction of the atomization region RV). Can be easily supplied. Thereby, it is possible to more effectively suppress the phenomenon of liquid drying up in the atomization region RV while the heater 70 is in operation.

The specific aspect of the promotion section 74 is not particularly limited as long as it has the function of promoting wetting of the aerosol generation liquid LQ in the atomization region RV. In the example shown in FIGS. 12 and 13, the promoting part 74 is arranged over almost the entire atomization region RV in the base material 71, but the promoting part 74 is arranged only in a part of the atomization region RV. Good too.

Further, for example, the promoting portion 74 does not need to be made of metal, and may be formed of, for example, a heat-resistant resin with excellent wettability. Further, the promoting portion 74 may have a form other than the mesh form.

Further, the promoting portion 74 does not need to be a separate member from the base material 71, and may be formed by the surface layer of the atomization region RV on the first surface 71A. For example, the promoting portion 74 may be formed in the atomization region RV by applying (printing) metal paste ink or heat-resistant resin ink with excellent wettability onto the first surface 71A of the base material 71. The metal paste ink or the heat-resistant resin ink may be formed on the entire atomization region RV on the first surface 71A, or may be formed only on a part of the atomization region RV. Further, the heat-resistant resin ink may contain a surfactant or the like. The promoting portion 74 may be a glass layer formed by applying (printing) a glass coating agent on the first surface 71A (atomization region RV). The glass coating agent may be printed on the entire atomization region RV on the first surface 71A, or may be pattern printed so as to cover only a portion thereof.

Although the embodiments according to the present disclosure have been described above, the embodiments of the heater for the atomizer, the atomizer for the aerosol inhaler, and the aerosol inhaler are not limited to these.

For example, in the heater 70 described in the above embodiment, an example was explained in which the connection region RC and the atomization region RV are arranged only on the first surface 71A of the base material 71, but these are arranged on the first surface 71A and the second surface. 71B. Similarly, in the above embodiment, an example was explained in which the heat generating element 72 and the electrodes 73A, 73B of the heater 70 are arranged only on the second surface 71B of the base material 71, but these are arranged on the first surface 71A and the second surface 71B. may be placed on both sides. Further, for example, in the above embodiment, the liquid transport member 47 of the atomizer 80 is cylindrical, and the base material 71 of the heaters 70, 70A is configured as a rectangular planar shape, but other shapes may also be adopted. good. Moreover, in the heaters 70 and 70A, the connection region RC of the base material 71 may be formed at a single location on the first surface 71A. Further, the atomization regions RV of the base material 71 may be formed at multiple locations on the first surface 71A.

Furthermore, in the above embodiment, an example has been described in which the heaters 70 and 70A of the atomizer 80 are arranged on the power supply unit 10 side, but the cartridge 40 may be provided with the heaters 70 and 70A.

The present disclosure is not limited by the embodiments, but only by the claims. Moreover, each aspect disclosed in the embodiments described above can be combined with any other aspect disclosed in this specification.

1... Aerosol inhaler 40... Cartridge 47... Liquid transport member 70... Heater 71... Base material 72... Heat generating element 74... Promotion part RC... Connection region RV ... Atomization area 80 ... Atomizer

Claims (7)

A heater for use in an atomizer, comprising a storage part that stores an aerosol production liquid, and a liquid transport member that transports the aerosol production liquid stored in the storage part,
A planar base material having liquid impermeability and including a first surface and a second surface located on the opposite side thereof;
a connection region formed on the first surface and to which the liquid transport member is connected;
an atomization region adjacent to the connection region of the first surface and not covered by the liquid transport member, where the aerosol-generating liquid transported from the liquid transport member to the connection region wets and spreads;
a heating element disposed on the second surface at a position corresponding to the back side of the atomization area;
Equipped with
Heater for atomizer. The heater for an atomizer according to claim 1, further comprising a promotion part provided in the atomization region and promoting wetting of the aerosol-generating liquid. the connection areas are formed at a plurality of locations on the first surface;
The heater for an atomizer according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the atomization region is formed in a region located between the connection regions. The heater for an atomizer according to claim 3, wherein the connection area is formed at one end and the other end of the base material in the longitudinal direction. The heater according to any one of claims 1 to 4,
a storage section that stores an aerosol generation liquid;
a liquid transport member that transports the aerosol generation liquid stored in the storage section to the heater;
Atomizer for an aerosol inhaler. The liquid transport member has a cylindrical shape,
The base material has a rectangular planar shape,
A first portion and a second portion forming part of one open end surface of the liquid transport member are connected to the pair of connection regions formed at one end and the other end, respectively, along the longitudinal direction of the base material. an air inlet is formed inside the opening end surface,
An aerosol flow path is formed inside the liquid transport member, through which the aerosol generated in the atomization region when the heater is activated flows.
The atomizer for an aerosol inhaler according to claim 5. An aerosol inhaler comprising the atomizer according to claim 5 or 6.

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