WO2025134265A1 - Flavor inhaler, flavor inhalation system, and method for producing flavor inhaler - Google Patents

Abstract

Provided is a flavor inhaler comprising: a housing part that houses a flavor source; a heating element that heats the flavor source; a power path part that is disposed around the outer surface of the housing part and supplies power to the heating element; and an electrode. The electrode is configured to be biased to abut the power path part.

Description

Flavor inhaler, flavor inhalation system, and method for manufacturing flavor inhaler

The present disclosure relates to a flavor inhaler, a flavor inhalation system, and a method for manufacturing a flavor inhaler.

　In the field of flavor inhalers, a configuration has been proposed for supplying power to a heating element that heats a consumable product. For example, Patent Document 1 discloses that a heater assembly including an internal heating type heat generating component is supplied with power from a battery via an electrode holder including a power supply electrode and a circuit board.

Special table number 2022-547155

The present disclosure provides a flavor inhaler, a flavor inhalation system, and a method for manufacturing a flavor inhaler that is capable of supplying stable power to a heating element with a simple configuration.

Means for solving the problem

A first aspect of the present disclosure is a flavor inhaler comprising a storage section that stores a flavor source, a heating element that heats the flavor source, a power path section that is disposed around the outer surface of the storage section and supplies power to the heating element, and an electrode, the electrode being configured to be energized to come into contact with the power path section.

In the first aspect, the power path section that supplies power to the heating element is disposed around the outer surface of the housing section that houses the flavor source, and the energized electrode abuts against the power path section. Thus, according to the first aspect, a stable power supply to the heating element can be achieved with a simple configuration.

A second aspect of the present disclosure is a flavor inhaler according to the first aspect, further comprising an electrical conductor, a first portion of the electrical conductor constituting the heating element and generating heat by the power supplied from the power path section, a second portion of the electrical conductor different from the first portion including the power path section, and the first portion configured to have a larger electrical resistance than the second portion.

In the second aspect, the flavor inhaler further comprises an electrical conductor, the first part of the electrical conductor forming part of the heating element, the second part of the electrical conductor including a power path section, and the first part of the electrical conductor having a larger electrical resistance than the second part. Thus, according to the second aspect, the second part of the electrical conductor functions as a power path section arranged around the outer surface of the housing section, and the first part of the electrical conductor functions as a heating element, so that a combination of a heating element and a power path section with a simple configuration can be provided.

A third aspect of the present disclosure is a flavor inhaler according to the second aspect, in which the first portion of the conductor is configured to have a smaller cross-sectional area than the second portion.

In the third aspect, the first portion of the conductor has a smaller cross-sectional area than the second portion. Thus, according to the third aspect, the electrical resistance of the first portion is greater than that of the second portion, and it is ensured that the heat generated by Joule heat is greater when power is supplied, so that the first portion of the conductor functions properly as a heating element.

The fourth aspect of the present disclosure is a flavor inhaler according to the first to third aspects, in which the heating element is disposed on the outer surface of the housing.

In the fourth aspect, the heating element for heating the flavor source is disposed on the outer surface of the housing that houses the flavor source. In other words, a peripheral heating type heating element is provided. When a central heating type heating element is employed in a flavor inhaler, the consumable material containing the flavor source is inserted from the tip of the heating blade, so that the contact point between the electrode and the power path is limited to the bottom surface of the heating element. On the other hand, when a peripheral heating type heating element is employed, even if the electrode is disposed in a higher part of the flavor inhaler, it does not prevent the insertion of the consumable material. Thus, according to the fourth aspect, the use of a peripheral heating type heating element increases the degree of freedom in the design of the housing of the flavor inhaler, which can contribute to, for example, the miniaturization of the entire device.

The fifth aspect of the present disclosure is a flavor inhaler according to the first to fourth aspects, in which the storage section is divided into a heated section and a non-heated section along the longitudinal direction, the heated section is an area along the longitudinal direction that corresponds to the heating element, and the power path section is disposed in the non-heated section.

In the fifth aspect, the storage section is divided along the longitudinal direction into a heated section corresponding to the heating element and a non-heated section corresponding to the power path section. Thus, according to the fifth aspect, the flavor source of the consumable product is disposed in the heated section, and the part of the consumable product that does not need to be heated is positioned in the non-heated section, thereby enabling efficient heating of the consumable product.

A sixth aspect of the present disclosure is a flavor inhaler according to any one of the first to fifth aspects, in which the electrode is biased by an elastic material so as to come into contact with the power path portion.

In the sixth aspect, the electrode is biased by the elastic material to abut against the power path portion. Therefore, according to the sixth aspect, the electrode can be stably contacted with the power path with a simple configuration.

The seventh aspect of the present disclosure is a flavor inhaler according to the first to sixth aspects above, which is equipped with three or more of the electrodes.

In the seventh aspect, three or more electrodes are biased to contact the power path section. When three or more electrodes are electrically connected to the power path section, the configuration of the circuit including the electrodes and the heating section is not limited to a series circuit, and it is possible to configure a parallel circuit. When multiple heating sections are present in this circuit (for example, when heating sections are arranged on two opposing surfaces of the housing section), if there is a difference in the electrical resistance values of these heating sections, a difference in the heating temperature of the heating sections will occur in the series circuit. Specifically, due to the relationship W = I ₂ R (W [J]: power, I [A]: current, R [Ω]: electrical resistance), the heating section with a larger electrical resistance value will generate more heat. On the other hand, if these heating sections (for example, R ₁ and R ₂ ) are arranged on different paths in a parallel circuit, different amounts of current (I ₁ , I ₂ ) will flow through each path, and the relationships W ₁ = I ₁ ² R ₁ and W ₂ = I ₂ ² R ₂ will be established for each path. Immediately after the start of current flow, a large amount of current _I1 flows through the path in which the heating part (assumed to be _R1 ) with a small electrical resistance value is arranged, and the heating part _R1 generates a large amount of heat, but then, due to the relationship of the resistance temperature coefficient, the resistance value of the heating part _R1 increases. As a result, a large amount of current _I2 flows through the path in which the heating part _R2 is arranged, and the heating part _R2 generates a large amount of heat. By repeating this process, the heat generation amounts of the multiple heating parts are equalized and the temperature difference between them is eliminated. Strictly speaking, even in the case of only two electrodes, it is also possible to realize a parallel circuit by devising the wiring. However, in this case, the wiring becomes quite complicated. Therefore, according to the seventh aspect, it is possible to equalize the heat generation of the multiple heating parts by utilizing a parallel circuit that is easy to design.

The eighth aspect of the present disclosure is a flavor inhaler according to the seventh aspect, which includes a pair of electrodes arranged to face each other around the outer surface of the storage section.

In the eighth aspect, a pair of electrodes arranged to face each other around the outer surface of the housing are biased to contact the power path portion arranged around the outer surface of the housing. Thus, according to the eighth aspect, the pair of opposing electrodes sandwich the outer surface of the housing, so that the housing can be stably held.

A ninth aspect of the present disclosure is a flavor inhaler according to any one of the first to eighth aspects, in which the storage section is held in a manner that inhibits movement along the longitudinal direction of the flavor inhaler.

In the ninth aspect, the storage section that stores the flavor source is held so that movement along the longitudinal direction of the flavor inhaler is suppressed. Thus, according to the ninth aspect, the consumable material containing the flavor source is inserted into the storage section whose movement in the longitudinal direction is suppressed, so that the user can recognize the limit of insertion when inserting the consumable material, and the user is prevented from pushing the consumable material in too far.

The tenth aspect of the present disclosure is a flavor inhaler according to the first to ninth aspects, in which the storage section is formed in a cylindrical shape.

In the tenth aspect, the storage section that stores the flavor source is formed in a cylindrical shape. Therefore, according to the tenth aspect, it is possible to provide a storage section that is suitable for the shape of a cylindrical flavor inhaler.

An eleventh aspect of the present disclosure is a flavor inhaler according to the tenth aspect, in which the storage section includes a side wall section, the side wall section has an arc section and a flat section that are adjacent to each other in the circumferential direction, and the power path section is disposed on the flat section.

In the eleventh aspect, the storage section that stores the flavor source has a side wall section, and the side wall section has an arc section and a flat section that are adjacent to each other in the circumferential direction, and the power path section with which the electrode abuts is disposed on the flat section. When the electrode abuts against the flat section, the contact area is larger and the contact is more stable than when the electrode abuts against the flat section. Furthermore, when a consumable material containing a flavor source is inserted into the storage section, the flat surface compresses the consumable material, improving the thermal conductivity within the consumable material. Thus, according to the eleventh aspect, by making the inner wall of the storage section have a non-uniform distance from the stored consumable material, it is possible to arrange the inner wall in a manner suitable for heating the consumable material.

A twelfth aspect of the present disclosure is a flavor inhaler according to any one of the first to eleventh aspects, wherein the storage section has an insertion end into which the flavor source is inserted and a bottom end located opposite the insertion end, and the power path section is positioned so as to be closer to the insertion end than to the bottom end.

In the twelfth aspect, the housing that houses the flavor source has an insertion end where the flavor source is inserted and a bottom end located opposite the insertion end, and the power path is positioned so that it is closer to the insertion end than to the bottom end of the housing. Thus, according to the twelfth aspect, it is possible to supply power to the heating element above the housing rather than below.

A thirteenth aspect of the present disclosure is a flavor inhalation system including a consumable material containing a flavor source and a flavor inhaler, the flavor inhaler including a housing that contains the flavor source, a heating element that heats the flavor source, a power path portion that is disposed around the outer surface of the housing portion and supplies power to the heating element, and an electrode, the electrode being configured to be energized to come into contact with the power path portion.

In the thirteenth aspect, the power path section that supplies power to the heating element is disposed around the outer surface of the housing section that houses the flavor source, and the energized electrode abuts against the power path section. Thus, according to the thirteenth aspect, a flavor inhalation system that can stably supply power to the heating element with a simple configuration can be provided.

A fourteenth aspect of the present disclosure is the flavor inhalation system of the thirteenth aspect, in which, when the consumable is contained in the container, the flavor source is arranged in parallel with the heating element.

In the above-mentioned fourteenth aspect, when a consumable material containing a flavor source is stored in the storage section, the flavor source is arranged in parallel with the heating element. Thus, according to the fourteenth aspect, it is possible to provide a flavor inhalation system having a heating element arranged in a position suitable for heating the flavor source.

A fifteenth aspect of the present disclosure is a method for manufacturing a flavor inhaler, comprising: preparing a storage section configured to store a flavor source; arranging a heating element for heating the flavor source and a power path section for supplying power to the heating element around the outer surface of the storage section; preparing a holding section having an electrode configured to receive one end of the storage section closer to the power path section than the heating element and to hold the storage section so as not to move along the longitudinal direction of the flavor inhaler; and pushing the one end side of the storage section into the holding section to bias the electrode of the holding section into contact with the power path section.

In the fifteenth aspect, the electrode is biased into contact with the power path portion by pushing one end of the housing portion around which the heating element and the power path portion are arranged into a holding portion equipped with an electrode. Thus, according to the fifteenth aspect, it is possible to provide a flavor inhaler that can stably supply power to the heating element with a simple configuration.

A sixteenth aspect of the present disclosure is a method for manufacturing a flavor inhaler according to the fifteenth aspect, in which the electrode is biased to abut against the power path portion by an elastic material disposed in the holding portion.

In the 16th aspect, the elastic material arranged in the holding portion biases the electrode so that it contacts the power path portion. Therefore, according to the 16th aspect, it is possible to provide a flavor inhaler that can stably supply power to the heating element using a simple configuration of a biasing mechanism that uses an elastic material.

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a flavor inhaler according to an embodiment of the present disclosure. FIG. 2 is a perspective view of a flavor inhaler housing a consumable product. FIG. 1 is a schematic cross-sectional side view of a consumable product; 2 is a cross-sectional view of the flavor inhaler taken along the line aa in FIG. 1. FIG. 5B is a cross-sectional view of the chamber taken along line 5B-5B of FIG. 5A. 6A is a cross-sectional view of the chamber taken along line 6A-6A of FIG. 5B. 6B is a cross-sectional view of the chamber taken along line 6B-6B of FIG. 5B. FIG. 6C is the cross-sectional view shown in FIG. 6B with the consumable placed in a desired location within the chamber. FIG. 5C is a front view of the side wall portion of the chamber shown in FIGS. 5A and 5B as viewed from the outer surface of the contact portion. FIG. 13 shows the chamber properly pressed inside the mount. 9 is a diagram showing a comparative example of the heating section in which a solder fixing section is provided instead of the current-carrying section in FIG. 8 . FIG. 4 is an exploded perspective view showing details of the configuration of a heating unit serving as a film heater. FIG. 9 is a diagram showing a chamber in the case where a heating section as a film heater is provided around the chamber instead of the heating section shown in FIG. 8 . This is a modified example of the configuration shown in FIG. 1 shows an example of a mount that provides power to a heater near the opening of the chamber. 13 shows another example of a mount for supplying power to a heater adjacent the opening of the chamber.

Below, an embodiment of the present disclosure will be described with reference to the drawings. In the drawings described below, identical or corresponding components will be given the same reference numerals and duplicate descriptions will be omitted.

1 is a perspective view of the flavor inhaler 100 according to this embodiment. FIG. 2 is a perspective view of the flavor inhaler 100 housing the consumable product 200 inserted through the opening 110. In the drawings described in this specification, an X-Y-Z Cartesian coordinate system may be used for convenience of explanation. In this coordinate system, the Z axis faces vertically upward, the X-Y plane is arranged to cut the flavor inhaler 100 horizontally, and the Y axis is arranged to extend from the front to the back of the flavor inhaler 100. The Z axis can also be referred to as the insertion direction of the consumable product 200 housed in the chamber 50 described later. The X-axis direction can also be referred to as the device longitudinal direction in a plane perpendicular to the insertion direction of the consumable product 200. The Y-axis direction can also be referred to as the device lateral direction in a plane perpendicular to the insertion direction of the consumable product 200.

The flavor inhaler 100 is configured to generate an aerosol containing a flavor by, for example, heating a stick-shaped consumable product 200 having a flavor source containing an aerosol source. As an example, the consumable product 200 is configured to have a smokable article containing a flavor source such as tobacco and an aerosol source at the tip in the negative direction of the Z axis, and a filter at another location. Examples of the aerosol source include glycerin, propylene glycol, triacetin, 1,3-butanediol, and mixtures thereof. Note that, in this embodiment, the consumable product 200 is described as having a stick shape, but the consumable product used in the flavor inhaler 100 is not limited to this. For example, the consumable product can be configured to include a cartridge containing a liquid aerosol source. Furthermore, this cartridge may have a heating section.

As shown in FIG. 1, the flavor inhaler 100 has a housing 102 composed of an upper housing 104 and a lower housing 106, and a sliding cover 108.

The housing 102 constitutes the outermost housing of the flavor inhaler 100 and has a size that fits in the user's hand. When using the flavor inhaler 100, the user can hold the flavor inhaler 100 in their hand and inhale the aerosol. In this embodiment, the upper housing 104 is made of a resin such as polycarbonate, and the lower housing 106 is made of a metal such as aluminum. However, the material of the housing 102 is not limited to these and may be made of any suitable resin, such as polycarbonate (PC), ABS (Acrylonitrile-Butadiene-Styrene) resin, PEEK (Polyether Ether Ketone), or a polymer alloy containing multiple types of polymers.

The upper housing 104 has an opening 110 for receiving the consumable product 200, and the slide cover 108 is slidably attached to the upper housing 104 so as to close the opening 110. Specifically, the slide cover 108 is configured to be movable along the outer surface of the upper housing 104 between a closed position in which the opening 110 of the upper housing 104 is closed, and an open position (position shown in Figures 1 and 2) in which the opening is opened. For example, a user can manually operate the slide cover 108 to move the slide cover 108 between the closed position and the open position. In this way, the slide cover 108 can allow or restrict access of the consumable product 200 to the inside of the flavor inhaler 100.

FIGS. 1 and 2 show the joint surface between the upper housing 104 and the lower housing 106 of the housing 102 of the flavor inhaler 100 as intersecting obliquely with the XY plane, but the configuration of the housing 102 is not limited to this. For example, the housing 102 can be made up of three or more components. Also, the housing 102 does not have to be made up of multiple components, and can be a single part.

The flavor inhaler 100 may further have a terminal (not shown). The terminal may be an interface that connects the flavor inhaler 100 to, for example, an external power source. If the power source provided in the flavor inhaler 100 is a rechargeable battery, connecting the external power source to the terminal allows current to flow from the external power source to the power source, thereby charging the power source. In addition, connecting a data transmission cable to the terminal may allow data related to the operation of the flavor inhaler 100 to be transmitted to an external device.

Next, the consumable product 200 used in the flavor inhaler 100 will be described. FIG. 3A is an exploded perspective view of the consumable product 200. FIG. 3B is a schematic side cross-sectional view of the consumable product 200. As shown in FIGS. 3A and 3B, the consumable product 200 includes a flavor source 421 that generates a flavor, and a tip plug 312 arranged upstream of the flavor source 421. More specifically, in the example shown in FIGS. 3A and 3B, the consumable product 200 includes, in order from the tip side (i.e., the side opposite the mouthpiece), a tip plug 312, a flavor generating section 420, a hollow tube section 332, a hollow filter 440, and a filter plug 450. These five components are connected using an outer plug wrap 480, an outer plug wrap 460, and a tip paper 470.

The flavor generating section 420 is disposed adjacent to the downstream end of the tip plug 312. The flavor generating section 420 includes a flavor source 421 and wrapping paper 422 around which the flavor source 421 is wrapped. The form of the flavor generating section 420 is not particularly limited as long as it is a known form, but is usually formed by wrapping the flavor source 421 with wrapping paper 422. The flavor source 421 is wrapped with the wrapping paper 422 so that it is on the inside to form the flavor generating section 420.

The flavor source 421 may include at least one of a flavoring such as menthol, and a natural material such as tobacco. The flavor source 421 may include a tobacco filler. The tobacco filler is not particularly limited, and may include at least one of tobacco shreds and a tobacco sheet formed by processing tobacco shreds into a sheet shape. The flavor generating unit 420 may include an aerosol source. The type of aerosol source is not particularly limited, and extracts from various natural products and/or their constituent components may be selected depending on the application.

The configuration of the cigarette paper 422 used in the consumer product 200 is not particularly limited and can be of a general type. Specifically, for example, the cigarette paper can be mainly made of pulp. Pulp can be wood pulp such as softwood pulp or hardwood pulp, flax pulp, hemp pulp, sisal pulp, esparto, or other pulps generally used in cigarette papers for tobacco products, and the cigarette paper can be obtained by papermaking one or more of these pulps. These pulps can be used alone or in combination of multiple types in any ratio. Pulp can be chemical pulp obtained by kraft cooking, acidic/neutral/alkaline sulfite cooking, soda salt cooking, etc., ground pulp, chemi-ground pulp, thermomechanical pulp, etc.

As shown in Figures 3A and 3B, the tip plug 312 is located at the tip of the consumable product 200 and is configured to cover the end of the flavor source 421. This prevents the flavor source 421 from falling out of the consumable product 200. Specifically, the tip plug 312 includes a first filler 411 and a first inner plug wrap 412 that wraps the first filler 411. The tip plug 312 may further include an aerosol source supported by the first filler 411.

The material of the first inner plug wrap 412 is not particularly limited, and any known material can be used. The first inner plug wrap 412 may contain a filler such as calcium carbonate. The thickness of the first inner plug wrap 412 is not particularly limited, and is usually 20 μm to 140 μm, preferably 30 μm to 130 μm, and more preferably 30 μm to 120 μm. The basis weight of the first inner plug wrap 212 is not particularly limited, and is usually 20 gsm to 100 gsm, preferably 22 gsm to 95 gsm, and more preferably 23 gsm to 90 gsm. The first inner plug wrap 412 may be coated or uncoated, but is preferably coated with a desired material from the viewpoint of imparting functions other than strength and structural rigidity.

As shown in FIG. 3A, the consumable product 200 preferably has a downstream portion 330 disposed downstream of the flavor source 421. In this case, the downstream portion 330 can cool and filter the vapor or aerosol generated in the flavor source 421. Specifically, the downstream portion 330 preferably includes a filter plug 450. This allows the filter plug 450 to cool and filter the vapor or aerosol generated in the flavor source 421.

The filter plug 450 is located at the end of the consumer product 200 on the mouth side. The filter plug 450 includes a second filler 451 and a second inner plug wrap 452 around which the second filler 451 is wrapped. The filter material used in the second filler 451 is not particularly limited as long as it has a general filter function. General functions of a filter include, for example, adjusting the amount of air mixed in when inhaling aerosols, reducing flavor, and reducing nicotine and tar, but it is not necessary for the filter material used in the second filler 451 to have all of these functions. In addition, in electrically heated tobacco products, which tend to produce fewer components and have a lower tobacco filler filling rate compared to cigarette products, one of the important functions is to suppress the filtering function while preventing the tobacco filler from falling.

The filter medium constituting the second filler 451 of the filter plug 450 may be, for example, one manufactured by the manufacturing method described below, or a commercially available product. The form of the filter plug 450 is not particularly limited, and it may be a plain filter including a single filter segment, or a multi-segment filter including multiple filter segments, such as a dual filter or triple filter.

The form of the second filler 451 constituting the filter plug 450 is not particularly limited, and any known form may be adopted. For example, cellulose acetate tow processed into a cylindrical shape may be used as the second filler 451. In the case of a filter filled with cellulose acetate tow, 5% by weight or more and 10% by weight or less of triacetin based on the weight of the cellulose acetate tow may be added to improve the filter hardness. Also, instead of the acetate filter, a paper filter filled with sheet-like pulp paper may be used.

The filter plug 450 may include a second inner plug wrap 452 (wrap paper) around which the second filler 451 described below is wrapped, from the viewpoint of improving strength and structural rigidity. The form of the second inner plug wrap 452 is not particularly limited, and may include one or more rows of seams containing adhesive. The adhesive is not particularly limited, but may include a vinyl acetate adhesive or a hot melt adhesive, and the hot melt adhesive may further include polyvinyl alcohol. Furthermore, when the filter segment is composed of two or more segments, it is preferable that the second inner plug wrap 452 is wrapped around these two or more segments together.

The material of the second inner plug wrap 452 is not particularly limited, and may be a known material, and may contain a filler such as calcium carbonate. The thickness of the second inner plug wrap 452 is not particularly limited, and is usually 20 μm to 140 μm, preferably 30 μm to 130 μm, and more preferably 30 μm to 120 μm. The basis weight of the second inner plug wrap 452 is not particularly limited, and is usually 20 gsm to 100 gsm, preferably 22 gsm to 95 gsm, and more preferably 23 gsm to 90 gsm. The second inner plug wrap 452 may be coated or uncoated, but is preferably coated with a desired material from the viewpoint of imparting functions other than strength and structural rigidity.

As shown in Figures 3A and 3B, the hollow filter 440 and the filter plug 450 may be connected, for example, by an outer plug wrap 460 (outer wrapping paper). The outer plug wrap 460 may be, for example, a cylindrical piece of paper.

The downstream section 330 may further have a hollow tube section 332 and a hollow filter 440. The hollow filter 440 is disposed adjacent to the downstream of the hollow tube section 332. The hollow filter 440 includes a filter medium 441 having one or more hollow sections, and a third inner plug wrap 442 around which the filter medium 441 is wrapped. The third inner plug wrap 442 is not particularly limited, and may be the same as the plug wrap used in cigarettes, for example. The third inner plug wrap 442 may be omitted. The hollow filter 440 may also be omitted.

The hollow tube section 332 is sandwiched adjacent to the flavor generating section 420 and the hollow filter 440 or the filter plug 450 (if the hollow filter 440 is not present), and is usually a rod-shaped member with a cavity in which the circumferential cross section of the cylinder or the like is hollow (hollow). The length of the long axis direction of the hollow tube section 332 can be changed appropriately according to the size of the product, but is usually 15 mm or more, preferably 20 mm or more, and is usually 40 mm or less, preferably 35 mm or less, and more preferably 30 mm or less. By setting the length of the long axis direction of the hollow tube section 332 to the above lower limit or more, a sufficient cooling effect can be ensured to obtain a good flavor, and by setting it to the above upper limit or less, loss due to adhesion of the generated steam and aerosol to the inner wall of the hollow tube section 332 can be suppressed.

3A and 3B, the hollow tube section 332 may be provided with a circumferential and concentric air vent vf (also referred to as a ventilation filter in the technical field of the present disclosure). The presence of the air vent vf allows air to flow from the outside into the hollow tube section 332 during use, lowering the temperature of the components and air flowing in from the flavor generating section 420. The air vent vf may be provided in an area of 4 mm or more toward the hollow tube section 332 from the boundary between the hollow tube section 332 and the hollow filter 440 or the filter plug 450 (when the hollow filter 440 is not present). In this case, the air vent vf not only improves the cooling capacity of the hollow tube section 332, but also suppresses the retention of components generated by heating in the hollow tube section 332, thereby improving the delivery amount of the components. In addition, when an aerosol source is used in the flavor generating unit 420, the vapor containing the aerosol source and tobacco flavor components that is generated by heating the consumable product 200 comes into contact with air from the outside and is cooled, causing it to liquefy, facilitating the generation of the aerosol.

The configuration of the outer plug wrap 480 is not particularly limited and may be of a general type. Specifically, for example, the outer plug wrap 480 may be mainly composed of pulp. Pulp may be wood pulp such as softwood pulp or hardwood pulp, flax pulp, hemp pulp, sisal pulp, esparto, or other pulp generally used in cigarette paper for tobacco articles, and the outer plug wrap 480 is obtained by papermaking one or more of these pulps. These pulps may be used alone or in combination of multiple types in any ratio. Pulp may be chemical pulp, ground pulp, chemi-ground pulp, thermomechanical pulp, etc. obtained by the kraft cooking method, acidic/neutral/alkaline sulfite cooking method, soda salt cooking method, etc. The outer plug wrap 480 may be a commercially available product. The shape of the outer plug wrap 480 is not particularly limited and may be, for example, square or rectangular. The outer plug wrap 480 may include at least one of a filler, an auxiliary agent, and a coating agent.

The configuration of the chip paper 470 is not particularly limited and may be of a general type. Specifically, for example, the chip paper 470 may be mainly composed of pulp. Pulp may be wood pulp such as softwood pulp or hardwood pulp, flax pulp, hemp pulp, sisal pulp, esparto, or other pulp generally used for cigarette paper for tobacco products, and the chip paper 470 is obtained by papermaking one or more of these pulps. These pulps may be used alone or in combination of multiple types in any ratio. The type of pulp may be chemical pulp, ground pulp, chemi-ground pulp, thermomechanical pulp, etc., produced by the kraft cooking method, acidic/neutral/alkaline sulfite cooking method, and soda salt cooking method. The chip paper 470 may be a commercially available product. The shape of the chip paper 470 is not particularly limited and may be, for example, square or rectangular. Furthermore, the consumer product 200 may have one sheet of tipping paper 470, or may have multiple sheets of tipping paper 470. The tipping paper 470 may include at least one of a filler, an auxiliary agent, a coating agent, and a lip release material that helps the tipping paper 470 to easily separate from the lips without substantial adhesion when the user holds the mouthpiece of the consumer product 200 in the mouth.

Next, the connection manner of each element constituting the consumer product 200 will be described. In FIG. 3A, gaps are provided between the elements to make it easier to see how they are connected, but in the actual consumer product 200, as shown in FIG. 3B, the elements are adjacent to each other without any gaps. In the consumer product 200 shown in FIG. 3A, the five elements are connected using the outer plug wrap 480, the outer plug wrap 460, and the tipping paper 470. Specifically, as shown in FIG. 3A, the outer plug wrap 480 connects the tip plug 312, the flavor generating section 420, and the hollow tube section 332. Here, the outer plug wrap 480 is wrapped around the tip plug 312 and the flavor generating section 420 in their entirety, and a part of the hollow tube section 332 to cover them. This connected body is called the first connected body 485. The outer plug wrap 460 connects the hollow filter 440 and the filter plug 450 by wrapping them in their entirety. This connected body is called the second connected body 465. Furthermore, the tipping paper 470 connects the first connector 485 and the second connector 465. Here, the tipping paper 470 covers the entire second connector 465 and a part of the first connector 485, and exposes the first connector 485 at the upstream end. In the example shown in FIG. 3A, the outer plug wrap 480 does not cover the downstream end of the hollow tube 332, leaving the hollow tube 332 exposed at the downstream end, but may cover the downstream end of the hollow tube 332. In this case, it is preferable that the outer plug wrap 480 and the tipping paper 470 have an opening at a position directly above the ventilation hole vf provided in the hollow tube 332. As a result, it is preferable that the ventilation hole vf is provided so as to penetrate the tipping paper 470, the outer plug wrap 480, and the hollow tube 332.

Next, the internal structure of the flavor inhaler 100 will be described. Figure 4 is a cross-sectional view of the flavor inhaler 100 taken along the line a-a in Figure 1.

As shown in FIG. 4, the internal space of the housing 102 of the flavor inhaler 100 contains a power supply unit 20, an atomization unit 30, and a control unit 80.

The control unit 80 includes a substrate 82. The substrate 82 includes, for example, a microprocessor, and can control the supply of power from the power supply unit 20 to the atomization unit 30. This allows the control unit 80 to control the heating of the consumable product 200 by the atomization unit 30. The control unit 80 also includes a Bluetooth (registered trademark) interface 28. The control unit 80 can communicate with external devices via the Bluetooth interface 28.

The power supply unit 20 has a power supply 21 electrically connected to the board 82 of the control unit 80. The power supply 21 can be, for example, a rechargeable battery or a non-rechargeable battery. The power supply 21 is electrically connected to the atomization unit 30 via the board 82. This allows the power supply 21 to supply power to the atomization unit 30 so as to appropriately heat the consumable product 200.

The atomization unit 30 has a chamber 50 extending in the longitudinal direction of the consumable product 200, a heating unit 40 (not shown in FIG. 4) surrounding a portion of the chamber 50, a heat insulating unit 32, and a generally cylindrical insertion guide member 34. The chamber 50 is configured to accommodate the consumable product 200. The heating unit 40 is configured to contact the outer peripheral surface of the chamber 50 and heat the consumable product 200 accommodated in the chamber 50. As an example, it is also possible to provide a susceptor inside or adjacent to the consumable product 200, and to configure the heating unit 40 to include an induction coil for inductively heating the susceptor.

The insulating section 32 is disposed so as to surround the chamber 50 and its heating section 40. The insulating section 32 may be, for example, an aerogel. The insertion guide member 34 is formed of a resin material such as PEEK, PC, or ABS, and is provided between the slide cover 108 in the closed position and the chamber 50. When the slide cover 108 is in the open position, the insertion guide member 34 communicates with the outside of the flavor inhaler 100, and guides the insertion of the consumable product 200 into the chamber 50 by inserting the consumable product 200 into the insertion guide member 34.

Furthermore, the atomization unit 30 and the control unit 80 are covered by a heat diffusion sleeve 70 and placed in the internal space of the housing 102. The heat diffusion sleeve 70 is made of a material with high thermal conductivity such as metal, and diffuses the heat generated in the atomization unit 30 inside the housing 102. The heat diffusion sleeve 70 can be configured to be placed only inside the upper housing 104 without interfering with the lower housing 106. Also, an open area can be provided in the heat diffusion sleeve 70 so as not to interfere with communication with external devices via the Bluetooth interface 28 of the control unit 80. Generally, metal members interfere with electromagnetic waves, but at least the open area of the heat diffusion sleeve 70 can be used as a path for the control unit 80 to communicate with external devices via the Bluetooth interface 28.

(Details of the configuration of the atomization section)
The configuration of the atomizing unit 30 of this embodiment will be described in detail below. Fig. 5A is a perspective view of the chamber 50 alone. Fig. 5B is a cross-sectional view of the chamber 50 taken along the line 5B-5B of Fig. 5A. Fig. 6A is a cross-sectional view of the chamber 50 taken along the line 6A-6A of Fig. 5B. Fig. 6B is a cross-sectional view of the chamber 50 taken along the line 6B-6B of Fig. 5B. Fig. 7 is a cross-sectional view of Fig. 6B in a state in which the consumable product 200 is placed at a desired position in the chamber 50. Fig. 8 is a front view of the side wall portion 60 of the chamber 50 shown in Figs. 5A and 5B, as viewed from the outer surface 62b of the contact portion 62.

As shown in Figs. 5A and 5B, the chamber 50 may be a cylindrical member including an opening 52 into which the consumable product 200 is inserted and a cylindrical side wall portion 60 that houses the consumable product 200. The chamber 50 is preferably formed of a material that is heat resistant and has a small thermal expansion coefficient, and may be formed of, for example, a metal such as stainless steel, a resin such as PEEK, glass, or ceramic. This allows for effective heating of the consumable product 200 from the chamber 50. The cylindrical shape of the chamber 50 fits the shape of the flavor inhaler 100 shown in Fig. 1. The chamber 50 is an example of a housing portion of the present disclosure. The opening 52 is an example of an insertion end portion of the present disclosure.

5B and 6B, the side wall portion 60 includes a contact portion 62 and a separation portion 66. When the consumable product 200 is placed at a desired position in the chamber 50, the contact portion 62 contacts or presses a part of the consumable product 200, and the separation portion 66 is separated from the consumable product 200. In this disclosure, the "desired position in the chamber 50" refers to a position where the consumable product 200 is appropriately heated, or the position of the consumable product 200 when the user smokes. The contact portion 62 has an inner surface 62a and an outer surface 62b. The separation portion 66 has an inner surface 66a and an outer surface 66b. As described below, the thin portion 120A of the heating portion 40 of the chamber 50 is disposed on the outer surface 62b of the contact portion 62. The heating portion 40 may include an adhesive layer. The contact portion 62 is an example of a flat portion of the present disclosure, and the separation portion 66 is an example of an arc portion of the present disclosure.

As shown in Figures 5A and 5B, the outer surface 62b of the contact portion 62 is flat. As shown in Figures 5B and 6B, the inner surface 62a of the contact portion 62 is flat. Also, as shown in Figures 5B and 6B, the thickness of the contact portion 62 is uniform.

As shown in Figures 5A and 5B, the chamber 50 preferably has a cylindrical non-retaining portion 54 between the opening 52 and the side wall portion 60. When the consumable product 200 is positioned at a desired position in the chamber 50, a gap may be formed between the non-retaining portion 54 and the consumable product 200. Also, as shown in Figures 5A and 5B, the chamber 50 preferably has a first guide portion 58 with a tapered surface 58a that connects the inner surface of the non-retaining portion 54 and the inner surface 62a of the contact portion 62.

As shown in Figures 5A, 5B, and 6B, the chamber 50 has two contact portions 62 in the circumferential direction of the chamber 50, and the two contact portions 62 face each other so as to be parallel to each other. It is preferable that at least a part of the distance between the inner surfaces 62a of the two contact portions 62 is smaller than the width of the portion of the consumable product 200 inserted into the chamber 50 that is disposed between the contact portions 62.

As shown in FIG. 6B, the inner surface 66a of the separation portion 66 may have an overall arc-shaped cross section in a plane perpendicular to the longitudinal direction (Z-axis direction) of the chamber 50. In addition, the separation portion 66 is disposed so as to be adjacent to the contact portion 62 in the circumferential direction.

As shown in FIG. 6B, the chamber 50 has a bottom 56. The upper retaining portion 134 of the mount 130 may support a portion of the consumable 200 such that an exposed end surface of the consumable 200 communicates with a gap 67 (see FIG. 7) described below. The chamber bottom 56 is an example of a bottom end of the present disclosure.

7 is a cross-sectional view of the consumable product 200 shown in FIG. 6B when the consumable product 200 is placed at a desired position in the chamber 50. As shown in FIG. 7, when the consumable product 200 is placed at a desired position in the chamber 50, the consumable product 200 can be pressed against the contact portion 62 of the chamber 50. Meanwhile, a gap 67 is formed between the consumable product 200 and the separation portion 66. The gap 67 can be connected to the opening 52 of the chamber 50 and the end face of the consumable product 200 positioned in the chamber 50. This allows air flowing in from the opening 52 of the chamber 50 to pass through the gap 67 and flow into the inside of the consumable product 200. In other words, an air flow path (gap 67) is formed between the consumable product 200 and the separation portion 66.

Next, the details of the configuration of the heating section 40 included in the atomization section 30 will be described with reference to FIG. 8. Since FIG. 8 shows the chamber 50 as viewed from the positive X-axis direction, the outer surface 62b of the contact section 62 of the side wall section 60 is shown in the center. The outer surfaces 66b of the two separation sections 66 are slightly shown on the right and left sides of the outer surface 62b of the contact section 62 in FIG. 8. As shown in FIG. 8, a silver layer 122 is provided so as to cover the side wall section 60 of the chamber 50 shown in FIG. 5A and FIG. 5B. Then, on the outer surface 62b of the contact section 62 of the side wall section 60, an insulating layer 124 is provided on the silver layer 122. Then, the conductor 120 is disposed on the insulating layer 124. As shown in FIG. 8, the end of the conductor 120 (the end of the thin section 120A described later) is above the silver layer 122 and contacts the silver layer 122, protruding from the insulating layer 124. The conductor 120 can be made of a metal such as silver, copper, or gold, and may be made of any material that has a lower electrical resistance and a higher thermal diffusion coefficient than the material of the chamber 50. An example of the heating unit 40 includes a silver layer 122, an insulating layer 124, and the conductor 120.

Conductor 120 is configured to have thin portion 120A located above silver layer 122 (through insulating layer 124), main body portion 120B not located above silver layer 122, and conductive portion 120C forming the vicinity of the lower end of main body portion 120B. Thin portion 120A of conductor 120 has a larger electrical resistance than main body portion 120B. As an example, thin portion 120A can be configured to have a smaller cross-sectional area than main body portion 120B. In FIG. 8, thin portion 120A is folded back at the bent portion at the upper end, so that when cut in a cross section parallel to the horizontal direction (Y-axis direction), this cross section includes two regions of thin portion 120A that are separated from each other. The cross-sectional area of thin portion 120A refers to the area of only one of these two regions. The same applies when the thin-walled portion 120A is folded back in a more complicated manner. When the cut surface includes multiple regions of the thin-walled portion 120A that are separated from each other, only one of them is the "cross-sectional area of the thin-walled portion 120A," and the areas of these regions are not added together. In addition, in a local area of the thin-walled portion 120A of the conductor 120 (for example, near the bend shown in FIG. 8), the cross-sectional area may be larger than that of the main body portion 120B due to manufacturing limitations, or the definition of the cross-sectional area may be unclear. In this embodiment, the "cross-sectional area of the thin-walled portion 120A" excludes such localized unique areas. The thin-walled portion 120A of the conductor 120 is an example of the heating element and first portion of the present disclosure, and the main body portion 120B is an example of the power path portion and second portion of the present disclosure.

As described below, when electrodes 132A and 132B of mount 130 come into contact with current-carrying portion 120C, power is supplied to conductor 120 and current flows. In this case, since main body portion 120B has only a small electrical resistance, no significant Joule heat is generated in main body portion 120B, and main body portion 120B essentially functions only as a path for power. On the other hand, thin-walled portion 120A, which has a larger electrical resistance, generates Joule heat as a result of the current flowing therethrough, and becomes heated. Furthermore, as described above, the end of thin-walled portion 120A of conductor 120 protrudes from insulating layer 124 and contacts silver layer 122, so that the current reaches silver layer 122. Since silver layer 122 is made of a conductor, it has a higher thermal conductivity than insulating layer 124. Therefore, the Joule heat generated in the thin portion 120A of the conductor 120 is conducted to the periphery of the sidewall portion 60 (having two contact portions 62 and two separation portions 66) of the chamber 50 through the silver layer 122. Note that FIG. 8 shows the outer surface 62b of the contact portion 62 of the sidewall portion 60 of the chamber 50 that is perpendicular to the positive direction of the X-axis, but the outer surface 62b of the contact portion 62 perpendicular to the positive direction of the X-axis on the opposite side is also provided with a pair of an insulating layer 124 and a conductor 120 (through the silver layer 122). With the above configuration, when power is supplied to the two conductors 120 that form a pair, the thin portion 120A generates heat, and the entire periphery of the sidewall portion 60 of the chamber 50 surrounded by the silver layer 122 is heated by thermal conduction through the silver layer 122.

In particular, the thin portion 120A, which generates heat as power is supplied to the conductor 120, is disposed only on the outer surface of the contact portion 62 of the sidewall portion 60 of the chamber 50 (through the silver layer 122 and the insulating layer 124). Therefore, the heating portion 40 included in the atomization portion 30 is capable of heating the contact portion 62 to a higher temperature than the separation portion 66. As described above, the consumable product 200 inserted into the chamber 50 comes into contact with and is pressed against the contact portion 62 of the sidewall portion 60, while a gap 67 is formed between the contact portion 62 and the separation portion 66. Therefore, this configuration of the heating portion 40 is advantageous in that it can heat the contact portion 62 to a higher temperature than the separation portion 66.

Furthermore, as shown in FIG. 8, depending on the configuration of the heating section 40, the chamber 50 is divided along the longitudinal direction into a heated section 50A that is heated and a non-heated section 50B that is not heated. In the chamber 50, the portion corresponding to the location where the thin section 120A of the conductor 120 extends is the heated section 50A, and the other portion is the non-heated section 50B. In other words, the main body section 120B of the conductor 120 extends over the non-heated section 50B.

As shown in FIG. 3B, the tip of the consumable product 200 is filled with a first filler 411 instead of a flavor source, and a flavor generating section 420 is disposed downstream of the first filler 411, the flavor generating section 420 being configured by wrapping a flavor source 421 in wrapping paper 422. The heated section 50A of the chamber 50 described above may be disposed in a suitable position for heating the flavor source 421 of the consumable product 200.

The details of power supply to the heating unit 40 in the flavor inhaler 100 will be described with reference to Figures 9 and 10. Figure 9 is a diagram showing a state in which the chamber 50 is properly pressed inside the mount 130. Figure 10 is a diagram showing a comparative example of the heating unit 40 in which a solder fixing unit 126 is provided instead of the current-carrying unit 120C in Figure 8.

9 shows the chamber 50 as viewed from the negative Y-axis direction (i.e., as viewed from the front of the flavor inhaler 100), so the outer surface 66b of the separation portion 66 of the side wall portion 60 is shown in the center. The outer surfaces 62b of the two contact portions 62 are slightly shown on the right and left sides of the outer surface 66b of the separation portion 66 in FIG. 9. Therefore, the insulating layer 124 and the conductor 120 arranged on the outer surface 66b of the separation portion 66 are not clearly shown in FIG. 9. However, FIG. 9 merely shows the pair of the heating portion 40 and the chamber 50 shown in FIG. 8 from another angle (specifically, rotated 90 degrees around the longitudinal axis). For convenience of explanation, FIG. 9 shows the gasket 36 above the chamber 50, which constitutes a mechanism for connecting the chamber 50 and the insertion guide member 34.

FIG. 9 shows the mount 130. The mount 130 is configured with electrodes 132A and 132B facing each other around the side wall portion 60 of the chamber 50, an upper holding portion 134, current-carrying wires 136A and 136B, and a lower holding portion 138. The electrodes 132A and 132B are held on the inner wall of the mount 130 via corresponding springs (not shown) (hidden inside the mount 130 in FIG. 9). The current-carrying wires 136A and 136B are electrically connected to the power source 21 via the substrate 82 (see FIG. 4). With this configuration, power from the power source 21 is supplied to the electrodes 132A and 132B via the current-carrying wires 136A and 136B and current-carrying wires (not shown) inside the mount 130.

The upper holding portion 134 is for stably holding the chamber 50 inside the mount 130, and the lower holding portion 138 is for stably fixing the mount 130 to the lower structure of the flavor inhaler 100.

When the chamber 50 is properly pressed into the mount 130, the upper holding portion 134 of the mount 130 contacts the bottom 56 of the chamber 50, and the outer surface 62b of the contact portion 62 of the sidewall portion 60 of the chamber 50 presses a spring (not shown) located inside the mount 130, and the repulsive force of the pressed spring causes the electrodes 132A and 132B to abut against the outer surface 62b of the contact portion 62. This is the situation shown in Figure 9. In particular, in this case, the electrodes 132A and 132B of the mount 130 abut against the conductive portion 120C of the conductor 120 shown in Figure 8. In other words, the portion of the main body portion 120B of the conductor 120 where the electrodes 132A and 132B abut is called the conductive portion 120C. In this embodiment, the electrodes 132A and 132B come into contact with the conductive portion 120C, which allows the power source 21 to supply power to the heating portion 40 of the atomizing portion 30, thereby making it possible to heat the consumable product 200 inserted in the chamber 50. In addition, the tip of the upper holding portion 134 of the mount 130 comes into contact with the bottom portion 56 of the chamber 50, which prevents the chamber 50 from moving further in the longitudinal direction.

FIG. 10 is a diagram showing a comparative example that does not employ a mechanism that uses the repulsive force of a spring to bring electrodes 132A and 132B into contact with current-carrying portion 120C as shown in FIG. 9. In this case, as shown in FIG. 10, a solder fixing portion 126 is provided instead of current-carrying portion 120C. Solder fixing portion 126 is the portion where electrodes 132A and 132B are soldered to main body portion 120B of conductor 120. In the comparative example of FIG. 10, instead of a pressing mechanism using the repulsive force of a spring, electrodes 132A and 132B are fixed to main body portion 120B of conductor 120 by soldering, thereby realizing power supply from power source 21 to heating portion 40 of atomization portion 30.

Compared to the comparative example of FIG. 10, in the configurations shown in FIGS. 8 and 9, the power supply mechanism to the heating unit 40 is configured simply by pushing the chamber 50 into the mount 130, making it easier to manufacture the flavor inhaler 100. Specifically, the laborious work of soldering and other operations inside the device is unnecessary. Also, contact using a biasing mechanism made of elastic material is more stable than electrical contact by soldering. In addition, the configurations shown in FIGS. 8 and 9 have the following advantages over the comparative example of FIG. 10. (1) It is possible to prevent the possibility of damaging other components due to incorrect soldering. (For example, when soldering, the solder touches the heating unit and the resistance value changes. When the solder comes into contact with the insulating layer, the insulation is destroyed.) (2) After attaching the lead wire to the conductor 120 with solder, if the lead wire is accidentally pulled, the soldered portion may come off, which may lead to damage to the conductor 120. (3) If the conductor 120 is made of a material that is difficult to solder, soldering is impossible in the first place. (4) If solder gets onto an unexpected location, the electrical current path will change and the thin portion 120A of the conductor 120 will no longer function as a heating portion.

(Modification of the heating section)
The heating unit included in the atomizing unit 30 is not limited to the configuration (Printed Heater) shown in Fig. 8, and may be configured as a film heater as shown in Fig. 11 and Fig. 12. Fig. 11 is an exploded perspective view showing the details of the configuration of the heating unit 140 as a film heater. Fig. 12 is a view showing a chamber 50 in which the heating unit 140 as a film heater is provided around the chamber 50 instead of the heating unit 40 shown in Fig. 8.

As shown in FIG. 11, the heating section 140 is configured to include a first insulating layer 210, a conductor 240, a second insulating layer 220, and an adhesive layer 230. The first insulating layer 210 and the second insulating layer 220 are films that sandwich the conductor 240. The adhesive layer 230 is adhered to the first insulating layer 210 and fixes the heating section 140 to the side wall section 60 of the chamber 50 (i.e., the outer surfaces 62b of the pair of contact sections 62 and the outer surfaces 66b of the pair of separation sections 66).

The conductor 240 is configured with a bent portion 240A and a current-carrying portion 240B. The bent portion 240A is formed to be slender, and is a member that generates heat due to Joule heat when a current flows through the conductor 240. The current-carrying portion 240B is configured to have a smaller electrical resistance than the bent portion 240A, and the electrodes 132A and 132B abut against a part of the bent portion 240B when the chamber 50 is pressed inside the mount 130. In addition, directly above the part of the current-carrying portion 240B that abuts against the electrodes 132A and 132B, a current-carrying opening 222 is provided in the second insulating layer 220, so that electrical contact between the electrodes 132A and 132B and the conductor 240 is not impeded. Since the current-carrying portion 240B has a small electrical resistance, it essentially functions only as a path for power when a current flows through the conductor 240. The bent portion 240A can be configured to have a smaller cross-sectional area than the current-carrying portion 240B. Here, similar to the cross-sectional area of the thin portion 120 in FIG. 8, the bent portion 240A is folded back by bending, so that when cut in a cross section parallel to the horizontal direction (Y-axis direction), a plurality of regions of the thin portion 120A that are separated from each other are included. Only one of them is the "cross-sectional area of the bent portion 240A", and the areas of these regions are not the sum of them. As described above for the "cross-sectional area of the thin portion 120A", the "cross-sectional area of the bent portion 240A" in this embodiment is considered excluding local exceptions due to manufacturing limitations. The bent portion 240A of the conductor 240 is an example of the heating element and first portion of the present disclosure, and the current-carrying portion 240B is an example of the power path portion and second portion of the present disclosure.

The conductor 240 is preferably configured in a shape suitable for heating the consumable item 200 inserted in the chamber 50. Specifically, since the heating section 140 does not have a thermally conductive member equivalent to the silver layer 122 in the heating section 40 of FIG. 8, it is preferable that the bent section 240A extends to surround the outer periphery of the side wall section 60 of the chamber 50. On the other hand, it is preferable that the bent section 240A extends more onto the outer surface 62b of the contact section 62 than onto the outer surface 66b of the separation section 66, so that the outer surface 62b of the contact section 62 is heated in a focused manner.

12 shows an example of a conductor 240 constituting the heating section 140 as a film heater. The conductive section 240B of the conductor 240 is disposed on the outer surface 62b of the contact section 62 of the chamber 50 (via the adhesive layer 230 and the first insulating layer 210), and a part of it is exposed from the second insulating layer 220 via the conductive opening 222. When the chamber 50 is properly pressed against the mount 130, the tip of the upper holding section 134 of the mount 130 comes into contact with the bottom section 56 of the chamber 50, and a spring (not shown) located inside the mount 130 is pressed by the outer surface 62b of the contact section 62 of the side wall section 60 of the chamber 50, and the repulsive force of the pressed spring causes the electrodes 132A and 132B to abut against the corresponding parts of the conductive section 240B. As with the heating unit 40 shown in FIG. 8, contact between the electrodes 132A and 132B and the corresponding parts of the current-carrying unit 240B enables power to be supplied from the power source 21 to the heating unit 140 of the atomizing unit 30, making it possible to heat the consumable product 200 inserted in the chamber 50.

12, the bent portion 240A of the conductor 240 extends around the outer periphery of the sidewall portion 60 of the chamber 50, and extends further onto the outer surface 62b of the contact portion 62 than onto the outer surface 66b of the separation portion 66. As described above, such a configuration of the bent portion 240A is preferable in terms of efficient heating of the chamber 50 by the heating portion 40.

(Mount Variations)
The mount in the flavor inhaler 100 of the present disclosure is not limited to the configuration of the mount 130 shown in Figs. 9 and 12, and other configurations may be adopted. Hereinafter, with reference to Figs. 13 to 15, modified examples of the mount will be described. Note that the same or corresponding parts as those in the above-mentioned embodiment are denoted by the same reference numerals and description thereof will be omitted. Fig. 13 is a modified example of the configuration shown in Fig. 12. Fig. 14 shows an example of a mount that supplies power to the heating unit 140 in the vicinity of the opening 52 of the chamber 50. Fig. 15 shows another example of a mount that supplies power to the heating unit 140 in the vicinity of the opening 52 of the chamber 50. Note that Figs. 13 to 15 show the heating unit 140 as the film heater shown in Fig. 12 as an example of the heating unit, but this is merely an example. The modified mount according to Figs. 13 to 15 may also be consistent with the configuration (Printed Heater) of the heating unit 40 shown in Fig. 8.

13 shows a mount 250 equipped with a third electrode 132C on the negative Y-axis side (the front side of the flavor inhaler 100) instead of the mount 130 shown in FIG. 12. The third electrode 132C is held by a spring (not shown) corresponding to the electrode 132C located inside the mount 130, similar to the electrodes 132A and 132B. The configuration of the heating section 140 is also changed according to the configuration of the mount 250. Specifically, the conductor 240 has an additional current-carrying section 240B facing the third electrode 132C in addition to the two current-carrying sections 240B arranged on the outer surface 62b of the contact section 62 of the chamber 50. The configuration of the bent section 240A of the conductor 240 is appropriately changed so as to be suitable for heating the consumable product 200 inserted in the chamber 50. As shown in FIG. 13, the number of electrodes in the present disclosure is not limited to two, and three or other appropriate numbers can be selected.

9, 12, and 13, the electrodes abut against current-carrying portion 120C or current-carrying portion 240B arranged on the sidewall portion 60 near the bottom 56 of the chamber 50. However, the electrode configuration of the present disclosure is not limited to this. Specifically, as exemplified by mount 260 shown in FIG. 14 and mount 270 shown in FIG. 15, the mount configuration may be changed to position electrodes 132A and 132B facing sidewall portion 60 near the opening 52 of the chamber 50. In this case, the position of current-carrying portion 240B is also changed to match the position of the electrodes, as shown in FIG. 14 and FIG. 15.

(Manufacturing method)
The flavor inhaler 100 according to the embodiment of the present disclosure can be manufactured as follows: First, a chamber 50 configured to be capable of accommodating a consumable product 200 is manufactured. Next, a heating unit is disposed around the side wall portion 60 of the chamber 50.

Specifically, in the case of the heating unit 40 (Printed Heater) shown in FIG. 8, a silver layer 122 is provided to cover the side wall 60 of the chamber 50, an insulating layer 124 is provided on the silver layer 122 on the outer surface 62b of the contact portion 62, and the conductor 120 is placed on the insulating layer 124. In the case of the heating unit 140 as a film heater shown in FIG. 12, the conductor 240 is sandwiched between the first insulating layer 210 and the second insulating layer, and then the adhesive layer 230 is adhered to the first insulating layer 210 to fix the heating unit 140 to the side wall 60 of the chamber 50.

A mount 130 is prepared that can receive one end (bottom 56) of the chamber 50 and hold the chamber 50 from moving along the longitudinal direction of the flavor inhaler 100, and has electrodes 132A and 132B that are each held on the inner wall via a spring (not shown) located inside. The bottom 56 side of the chamber is then pushed into the inside of the mount 130, and the spring is biased so that the electrodes 132A and 132B of the mount 130 abut against the current-carrying portion 120C or current-carrying portion 240B. In this manner, the configuration shown in Figures 9 and 12 can be formed.

(Operation of this embodiment)
In this embodiment, the main body 120B that supplies power to the thin portion 120A of the conductor 120, or the current-carrying portion 240B that supplies power to the bent portion 240A of the conductor 240, is disposed around the side wall 60 of the chamber 50 that houses the consumable product 200 including the flavor source 421, and the electrode 132A (132B) that is biased by a spring (not shown) located inside the mount 130 abuts against the current-carrying portion 120C or the current-carrying portion 240B. Furthermore, the configurations shown in Figures 8 and 9 have the above-mentioned advantages (1) to (4) over the comparative example in Figure 10. Thus, according to this embodiment, a stable power supply to the thin portion 120A or the bent portion 240A can be achieved with a simple configuration.

In addition, in this embodiment, the flavor inhaler 100 includes a conductor 120 (240), the thin-walled portion 120A (bent portion 240A) of the conductor 120 (240) generates heat when power is supplied, the main body portion 120B (current-carrying portion 240B) functions as a power path, and the thin-walled portion 120A (bent portion 240A) has a larger electrical resistance than the main body portion 120B (current-carrying portion 240B). Thus, according to this embodiment, the main body portion 120B (current-carrying portion 240B) functions as a power path arranged around the side wall portion 60 of the chamber 50, and the thin-walled portion 120A (bent portion 240A) functions as a heating element, so that a combination of a heating element and a power path portion with a simple configuration can be provided.

Furthermore, in this embodiment, the thin-walled portion 120A (bent portion 240A) of the conductor 120 (240) has a smaller cross-sectional area than the main body portion 120B (current-carrying portion 240B). Therefore, according to this embodiment, the electrical resistance of the thin-walled portion 120A (bent portion 240A) is greater than that of the main body portion 120B (current-carrying portion 240B), and it is guaranteed that the heat generated by Joule heat will be greater when power is supplied, so that the thin-walled portion 120A (bent portion 240A) of the conductor 120 (240) functions properly as a heating element.

In addition, in this embodiment, the thin portion 120A (bent portion 240A) of the conductor 120 (240) that heats the consumable product 200 is disposed on the outer surface of the chamber 50 that houses the consumable product 200. In other words, a peripheral heating type heating element is provided. When a central heating type heating element is used in the flavor inhaler 100, the consumable product 200 is inserted from the tip of the heating blade, so that the contact point between the electrode and the power path portion is limited to the bottom surface of the heating element. On the other hand, when a peripheral heating type heating element is used, even if the electrode is disposed in a higher part of the flavor inhaler 100, the insertion of the consumable product 200 is not hindered. Therefore, according to this embodiment, the use of a peripheral heating type heating element increases the degree of freedom in designing the housing of the flavor inhaler 100, which can contribute to, for example, miniaturization of the entire device.

In addition, in this embodiment, the chamber 50 is divided along the longitudinal direction into a heated portion 50A corresponding to the thin portion 120A (bent portion 240A) and a non-heated portion 50B corresponding to the power path portion. Therefore, according to this embodiment, the flavor source 421 of the consumable product 200 is disposed in the heated portion 50A, and the portion of the consumable product that does not need to be heated is positioned in the non-heated portion 50B, thereby enabling efficient heating of the consumable product 200.

In addition, in this embodiment, the electrode 132A (132B) is biased by a spring (not shown) located inside the mount 130 to abut against the current-carrying portion 120C or current-carrying portion 240B. Therefore, according to this embodiment, the electrode can be stably brought into contact with the power path with a simple configuration.

In a modified example of this embodiment, the three electrodes 132A, 132B, and 132C are energized and contact the corresponding current-carrying portions 240B (see FIG. 13). When the three electrodes are electrically connected to the corresponding current-carrying portions 240B, the configuration of the circuit including the three electrodes 132A, 132B, and 132C and a plurality of heating portions (for example, the two thin portions 120A arranged on the outer surface 62b of the opposing contact portions 62 shown in FIGS. 8 and 9) is not limited to a series circuit, and it is possible to configure a parallel circuit. If there is a difference in the electrical resistance values of the two thin portions 120A, a difference occurs in the heating temperatures of the two thin portions 120A in the series circuit. Specifically, due to the relationship W=I ₂ R (W[J]: power, I[A]: current, R[Ω]: electrical resistance), the heat generation amount of the thin portion 120A with a larger electrical resistance value is larger. On the other hand, in a parallel circuit in which two thin portions 120A are arranged in different paths, different amounts of current ( _I1 , _I2 ) flow through each path, and the relationships _W1 = I1 _{2 R1} and _W2 = _I2 ^{2 R2} are established for _each path. Immediately after the start of current flow, more current _I1 flows through the path in which the thin portion 120A ( _R1 ) with a small electrical resistance is arranged, and _R1 generates a lot of heat, but then, due to the relationship of the resistance temperature coefficient, the resistance value of _R1 increases. As a result, more current _I2 flows through the path in which the other thin portion 120A ( _R2 ) is arranged, and _R2 generates a lot of heat. By repeating this process, the amounts of heat generated by the two thin portions 120A are equalized, and the temperature difference between them is eliminated. Strictly speaking, even when the mount 130 as shown in FIG. 9 has only two electrodes, 132A and 132B, it is also possible to realize a parallel circuit by devising the wiring. However, in this case, the wiring becomes quite complicated. Therefore, according to the modified example of this embodiment, it is possible to equalize the heat generation of the multiple heating parts by using a parallel circuit which is easy to design.

In addition, in this embodiment, a pair of electrodes 132A and 132B arranged to face each other around the outer surface of the container are biased to come into contact with current-carrying portion 120C or current-carrying portion 240B arranged around the outer surface of the chamber 50. Therefore, according to this embodiment, the pair of opposing electrodes 132A and 132B sandwich the outer surface of the chamber 50, so that the chamber 50 can be stably held.

In addition, in this embodiment, the chamber 50 that contains the consumable product 200 is held by the mount 130 so that movement along the longitudinal direction of the flavor inhaler 100 is suppressed. Therefore, according to this embodiment, the consumable product 200 is inserted into the chamber 50 whose movement in the longitudinal direction is suppressed, so that the user can recognize the limit of insertion when inserting the consumable product 200, and the user is prevented from pushing the consumable product 200 in too far.

In addition, in this embodiment, the chamber 50 that houses the consumable product 200 is formed in a cylindrical shape. Therefore, according to this embodiment, it is possible to provide a chamber 50 that is suitable for the shape of the cylindrical flavor inhaler 100.

In this embodiment, the chamber 50 that houses the consumable product 200 has a side wall portion 60, and the side wall portion 60 has an arc-shaped separation portion 66 and a flat contact portion 62 that are adjacent to each other in the circumferential direction, and the main body portion 120B (current-carrying portion 240B) of the conductor 120 (240) that abuts the electrode 132A (132B) is disposed on the contact portion 62. When the main body portion 120B (current-carrying portion 240B) that abuts the electrode 132A (132B) is disposed on the flat contact portion 62, the contact area between the electrode 132A (132B) and the main body portion 120B (current-carrying portion 240B) is larger than when it is disposed on the arc-shaped separation portion 66, and the electrical contact is more stable. When the consumable product 200 is inserted into the chamber 50, the flat contact portion 62 compresses the consumable product 200, improving the thermal conductivity within the consumable product 200. Therefore, according to this embodiment, by making the sidewall portion 60 of the chamber 50 have a non-uniform distance from the contained consumable product 200, it is possible to position the sidewall portion 60 in a manner suitable for heating the consumable product 200.

In addition, in a modification of this embodiment, the chamber 50 that houses the consumable product 200 has an opening 52 into which the consumable product 200 is inserted and a bottom 56 located on the opposite side of the opening 52, and the main body 120B (current-carrying portion 240B) of the conductor 120 (240) is positioned closer to the opening 52 than the bottom 56 of the chamber 50. Therefore, according to this modification of the embodiment, it is possible to supply power to the thin-walled portion 120A (bent portion 240A) of the conductor 120 (240) above the chamber 50, rather than below.

In addition, in this embodiment, the main body 120B (current conducting portion 240B) that supplies power to the thin portion 120A (bent portion 240A) of the conductor 120 (240) is disposed around the side wall portion 60 of the chamber 50 that contains the consumable product 200, and the energized electrode 132A (132B) abuts against the main body 120B (current conducting portion 240B). Therefore, according to this embodiment, a flavor inhalation system that can stably supply power to the heating element with a simple configuration can be provided.

Furthermore, in this embodiment, when the consumable product 200 including the flavor source 421 is housed in the chamber 50, the flavor source 421 is arranged in parallel with the thin portion 120A (bent portion 240A) of the conductor 120 (240) along the longitudinal direction. Therefore, according to this embodiment, a flavor inhalation system having a heating element arranged in a position suitable for heating the flavor source 421 can be provided.

In addition, in this embodiment, the bottom 56 side of the chamber 50 around which the conductor 120 (240) is arranged is pushed into the mount 130 equipped with the electrodes 132A and 132B, so that the electrodes 132A and 132B are biased to come into contact with the main body 120B (current carrying portion 240B) of the conductor 120 (240). Therefore, according to this embodiment, it is possible to provide a flavor inhaler 100 that can stably supply power to the heating element with a simple configuration.

In addition, in this embodiment, a spring (not shown) disposed on the mount 130 biases the electrodes 132A and 132B so that they come into contact with the main body 120B (current-carrying portion 240B) of the conductor 120 (240). Therefore, according to this embodiment, a flavor inhaler 100 can be provided that can stably supply power to the heating element with a simple configuration of a biasing mechanism using a spring.

Although the embodiments and modifications of the present disclosure have been described above, the present disclosure is not limited to the above embodiments and modifications, and various modifications are possible within the scope of the claims and the technical ideas described in the specification and drawings. Furthermore, any shape or material not directly described in the specification and drawings is within the scope of the technical ideas of the present disclosure as long as it achieves the effect of the present disclosure.

(Appendix 1)
A first aspect of the present disclosure is a flavor inhaler comprising a housing for housing a flavor source, a heating element for heating the flavor source, a power path portion disposed around an outer surface of the housing for supplying power to the heating element, and an electrode, the electrode being configured to be energized to abut against the power path portion.

(Appendix 2)
A second aspect of the present disclosure is a flavor inhaler according to the first aspect, further comprising an electrical conductor, a first portion of the electrical conductor constituting the heating element and generating heat by power supplied from the power path portion, and a second portion of the electrical conductor different from the first portion including the power path portion, the first portion being configured to have a larger electrical resistance than the second portion.

(Appendix 3)
A third aspect of the present disclosure is a flavor inhaler according to the second aspect, wherein the first portion of the conductor is configured to have a smaller cross-sectional area than the second portion.

(Appendix 4)
A fourth aspect of the present disclosure is a flavor inhaler according to any one of the first to third aspects, wherein the heating element is disposed on the outer surface of the storage portion.

(Appendix 5)
A fifth aspect of the present disclosure is a flavor inhaler according to the first to fourth aspects above, wherein the storage section is divided into a heated section and a non-heated section along the longitudinal direction, the heated section is an area along the longitudinal direction that corresponds to the heating element, and the power path section is disposed in the non-heated section.

(Appendix 6)
A sixth aspect of the present disclosure is a flavor inhaler according to any one of the first to fifth aspects, wherein the electrode is biased by an elastic material so as to abut against the power path portion.

(Appendix 7)
A seventh aspect of the present disclosure is a flavor inhaler according to any one of the first to sixth aspects, comprising three or more of the electrodes.

(Appendix 8)
An eighth aspect of the present disclosure is a flavor inhaler according to the seventh aspect, comprising a pair of the electrodes arranged opposite each other around the outer surface of the storage portion.

(Appendix 9)
A ninth aspect of the present disclosure is a flavor inhaler according to any one of the first to eighth aspects, wherein the storage portion is held so as to be inhibited from moving along the longitudinal direction of the flavor inhaler.

(Appendix 10)
A tenth aspect of the present disclosure is a flavor inhaler according to any one of the first to ninth aspects, wherein the storage portion is formed in a cylindrical shape.

(Appendix 11)
An eleventh aspect of the present disclosure is a flavor inhaler according to the tenth aspect, wherein the storage portion includes a side wall portion having an arc portion and a flat portion circumferentially adjacent to each other, and the power path portion is disposed on the flat portion.

(Appendix 12)
A twelfth aspect of the present disclosure is a flavor inhaler according to any one of the first to eleventh aspects above, wherein the storage portion has an insertion end into which the flavor source is inserted and a bottom end located opposite the insertion end, and the power path portion is positioned so as to be closer to the insertion end than to the bottom end.

(Appendix 13)
A thirteenth aspect of the present disclosure is a flavor inhalation system including a consumable material including a flavor source and a flavor inhaler, the flavor inhaler including a housing portion that houses the flavor source, a heating element that heats the flavor source, a power path portion that is arranged around an outer surface of the housing portion and supplies power to the heating element, and an electrode, the electrode being configured to be energized to abut against the power path portion.

(Appendix 14)
A fourteenth aspect of the present disclosure is a flavor inhalation system according to the thirteenth aspect, wherein, when the consumable material is contained in the container, the flavor source is arranged in parallel with the heating element.

(Appendix 15)
A fifteenth aspect of the present disclosure is a method for manufacturing a flavor inhaler, comprising: preparing a storage section configured to be capable of storing a flavor source; arranging a heating element for heating the flavor source and a power path section for supplying power to the heating element around an outer surface of the storage section; preparing a holding section having an electrode configured to receive one end of the storage section that is closer to the power path section than the heating element and to hold the storage section so as not to move along the longitudinal direction of the flavor inhaler; and pushing the one end side of the storage section into the holding section to bias the electrode of the holding section into contact with the power path section.

(Appendix 16)
A sixteenth aspect of the present disclosure is a method for manufacturing a flavor inhaler according to the fifteenth aspect, wherein the electrode is biased into contact with the power path portion by an elastic material disposed in the holding portion.

20: Power supply unit 21: Power supply 28: Bluetooth interface 30: Atomization unit 32: Heat insulation unit 34: Insertion guide member 36: Gasket 40: Heating unit 50: Chamber 50A: Heated unit 50B: Non-heated unit 52: Opening 54: Non-holding unit 56: Bottom 58: First guide unit 58a: Tapered surface 60: Side wall unit 62: Contact unit 62a: Inner surface 62b: Outer surface 66: Separation unit 66a: Inner surface 66b: Outer surface 67: Gap 70: Heat diffusion sleeve 80: Control unit 82: Substrate 100: Flavor inhaler 102: Housing 104: Upper housing 106: Lower housing 108: Slide cover 110: Opening 120: Conductor 120A: Thin wall unit 120B: Main unit 120C...Current-carrying portion 122...Silver layer 124...Insulating layer 126...Solder fixing portion 130...Mount 132A...Electrode 132B...Electrode 132C...Third electrode 134...Upper holding portion 136A...Current-carrying wire 136B...Current-carrying wire 138...Lower holding portion 140...Heating portion 200...Consumable item 210...First insulating layer 212...First inner plug wrap 220...Second insulating layer 222...Current-carrying opening 230...Adhesive layer 240...Conductor 240A...Bent portion 240B...Current-carrying portion 250...Mount 260...Mount 270...Mount 312...Tip plug 330...Downstream portion 332...Hollow tube portion 411...First filler 411...First filler Reference Signs: 412: First inner plug wrap 420: Flavor generating section 421: Flavor source 422: Wrapping paper 440: Hollow filter 441: Filtering material 442: Third inner plug wrap 450: Filter plug 451: Second filling material 452: Second inner plug wrap 460: Outer plug wrap 465: Second connecting body 470: Tipping paper 480: Outer plug wrap 485: First connecting body vf: Ventilation hole

Claims (16)

A storage section for storing a flavor source;
a heating element for heating the flavor source;
a power path section disposed around an outer surface of the housing section and adapted to supply power to the heating element;
An electrode and
The electrode is configured to be biased into contact with the power path portion.
Flavor aspirator. Further comprising a conductor;
a first portion of the conductor constitutes the heating element and generates heat by the power supplied from the power path section;
a second portion of the electrical conductor, different from the first portion, includes the power path portion;
The first portion is configured to have a greater electrical resistance than the second portion.
The flavor inhaler according to claim 1 . The first portion of the electrical conductor is configured to have a smaller cross-sectional area than the second portion.
The flavor inhaler according to claim 2. The heating element is disposed on the outer surface of the housing.
The flavor inhaler according to any one of claims 1 to 3. The storage section is divided into a heated section and a non-heated section along the longitudinal direction,
The heated portion is a region corresponding to the heating element along a longitudinal direction,
The power path portion is disposed in the non-heated portion.
The flavor inhaler according to any one of claims 1 to 4. the electrodes are biased into contact with the power path portions by a resilient material;
The flavor inhaler according to any one of claims 1 to 5. Three or more of the electrodes are provided.
The flavor inhaler according to any one of claims 1 to 6. A pair of the electrodes is disposed opposite each other around the outer surface of the housing portion.
The flavor inhaler according to claim 7. The storage portion is held so as to be prevented from moving along the longitudinal direction of the flavor inhaler.
The flavor inhaler according to any one of claims 1 to 8. The storage portion is formed in a cylindrical shape.
The flavor inhaler according to any one of claims 1 to 9. The housing portion includes a side wall portion,
The side wall portion has an arc portion and a flat portion adjacent to each other in the circumferential direction,
The power path portion is disposed on the flat portion.
The flavor inhaler according to claim 10. The container has an insertion end into which the flavor source is inserted and a bottom end opposite the insertion end;
The power path portion is disposed closer to the insertion end than to the bottom end.
The flavor inhaler according to any one of claims 1 to 11. A consumable material including a flavor source;
A flavor inhalation system comprising:
The flavor inhaler comprises:
A storage section for storing a flavor source;
a heating element for heating the flavor source;
a power path section disposed around an outer surface of the housing section and adapted to supply power to the heating element;
An electrode and
The electrode is configured to be biased into contact with the power path portion.
Flavor extraction system. When the consumable is contained in the container, the flavor source is disposed in parallel with the heating element.
The flavor inhalation system according to claim 13. A method for manufacturing a flavor inhaler, comprising:
Providing a container configured to accommodate a flavor source;
disposing a heating element around an exterior surface of the housing for heating the flavor source and a power path for providing power to the heating element;
preparing a holding section having an electrode, the holding section being configured to receive one end of the housing section closer to the power path section than the heating element and to hold the housing section so as not to move along the longitudinal direction of the flavor inhaler;
and pushing the one end side of the accommodation portion into the holding portion to bias the electrode of the holding portion so as to contact the power path portion. The electrode is biased into contact with the power path portion by an elastic material disposed in the holding portion.
A method for producing the flavor inhaler according to claim 15.