Patent Description:
This application provides an aerosol generation device and a control method thereof, to resolve a problem of a high temperature of an aerosol generated when an existing cigarette device heats a cigarette.

This application provides an aerosol generation device, configured to heat an aerosol-forming substrate to generate an aerosol for inhalation. The device includes:.

In the aerosol generation device and the control method thereof provided in this application, before a smoker inhales on the aerosol generation device, the heat drain device drains an aerosol comprising vapor out of the housing, thereby avoiding a problem that the smoker feels burning pain due to a high temperature of the aerosol when the smoker inhales the first puff, and improving inhaling experience of the user.

One or more embodiments are described by way of example with reference to the corresponding figures in the accompanying drawings, and the exemplary descriptions are not to be construed as limiting the embodiments. Elements/modules and steps in the accompanying drawings that have same reference numerals are represented as similar elements/modules and steps, and unless otherwise particularly stated, the figures in the accompanying drawings are not drawn to scale.

For ease of understanding of this application, this application is described below in more detail with reference to accompanying drawings and specific implementations. It should be noted that, when an element is expressed as "being fixed to" another element, the element may be directly on the another element, or one or more intermediate elements may exist between the element and the another element. When an element is expressed as "being connected to" another element, the element may be directly connected to the another element, or one or more intermediate elements may exist between the element and the another element. The terms "upper", "lower", "left", "right", "inner", "outer", and similar expressions used in this specification are merely used for an illustrative purpose.

Unless otherwise defined, meanings of all technical and scientific terms used in this specification are the same as those usually understood by a person skilled in art of this application. The terms used in this specification of this application are merely intended to describe objectives of the specific implementations, and are not intended to limit this application. A term "and/or" used in this specification includes any or all combinations of one or more related listed items.

<FIG> show an aerosol generation device <NUM> according to an implementation of this application, and the device includes:
a housing <NUM> and a cavity <NUM>. The housing <NUM> is internally provided with an accommodating space that may accommodate a heater <NUM>, a battery cell <NUM>, a circuit <NUM>, and the like. The housing <NUM> has a near end and a far end opposite to each other, the near end is provided with a through hole <NUM>, and the far end is provided with an air inlet <NUM>, that is, the through hole <NUM> and the air inlet <NUM> are separated from each other. In another example, the air inlet <NUM> may be a part of the through hole <NUM>, for example: after an aerosol-forming substrate is received in the cavity <NUM> through the through hole <NUM>, air flows in from a gap between the aerosol-forming substrate and the through hole <NUM>, that is, the gap forms the air inlet <NUM>.

The aerosol-forming substrate may be received in the cavity <NUM> or removed from the cavity <NUM> through the through hole <NUM>.

The aerosol-forming substrate is a substrate that can release volatile compounds forming aerosols. The volatile compounds can be released by heating the aerosol-forming substrate. The aerosol-forming substrate may be solid, liquid, or components including solid and liquid. The aerosol-forming substrate may be loaded onto a carrier or a support through adsorbing, coating, impregnating, or in other manners. The aerosol-forming substrate may conveniently be a part of an aerosol-forming article.

The aerosol-forming substrate may include nicotine. The aerosol-forming substrate may include tobaccos, for example, may include a tobacco-comprised material including volatile tobacco-aroma compounds, and the volatile tobacco-aroma compounds are released from the aerosol-forming substrate when the aerosol-forming substrate is heated. A preferred aerosol-forming substrate may include a homogeneous tobacco material. The aerosol-forming substrate may include at least one aerosol-forming agent, and the aerosol-forming agent may be any suitable known compound or a mixture of compounds. During use, the compound or the mixture of compounds facilitates to compact and stabilize formation of the aerosol and is substantially resistant to thermal degradation at an operating temperature of an aerosol-forming system. Suitable aerosol-forming agents are well known in the related art and include, but are not limited to: polyol, such as triethylene glycol, <NUM>, <NUM>-butanediol, and glycerol; polyol ester, such as glycerol acetate, glycerol diacetate, or glycerol triacetate; and fatty acid ester of monobasic carboxylic acid, dibasic carboxylic acid, or polybasic carboxylic acid, such as dimethyl dodecane dibasic ester and dimethyl tetradecane dibasic ester. Preferably, the aerosol-forming agent is polyhydric alcohol or a mixture thereof, such as triethylene glycol, <NUM>, <NUM>-butanediol, and most preferably glycerol.

The heater <NUM> is configured to generate infrared rays to perform radiant heating on the aerosol-forming substrate received in the cavity <NUM>.

The battery cell <NUM> supplies power for operating the aerosol generation device <NUM>. For example, the battery cell <NUM> may supply power to heat the heater <NUM>. In addition, the battery cell <NUM> may supply power for operating other components provided in the aerosol generation device <NUM>.

The battery cell <NUM> may be a rechargeable battery or a disposable battery. The battery cell <NUM> may be, but is not limited to, a lithium iron phosphate (LiFePO4) battery. For example, the battery cell <NUM> may be a lithium cobaltate (LiCoO2) battery or a lithium titanate battery.

The circuit <NUM> may control overall operations of the aerosol generation device <NUM>. The circuit <NUM> not only controls operations of the battery cell <NUM> and the heater <NUM>, but also controls operations of other components in the aerosol generation device <NUM>. For example: the circuit <NUM> obtains temperature information of the heater <NUM> that is sensed by a temperature sensor, and controls, based on the information, power supplied to the heater <NUM> by the battery cell <NUM>.

<FIG> shows a heater <NUM> according to an implementation of this application, and the heater <NUM> includes:
a base body <NUM>, constructed as a tube extending in an axial direction of the cavity <NUM> and surrounding the cavity <NUM>.

Specifically, the base body <NUM> includes a first end, a second end, and a surface extending between the first end and the second end. The base body <NUM> may be in a shape of a cylinder, a prism, or another column. Preferably, the base body <NUM> is in a shape of a cylinder, and a cylindrical hole penetrating through a middle part of the base body <NUM> forms at least a part of the cavity, where an inner diameter of the hole is slightly greater than an outer diameter of an aerosol-forming article, so that the aerosol-forming article may be easily placed in the cavity for heating.

The base body <NUM> may be made of a material that is high temperature-resistant and transparent, such as quartz glass, ceramic, or mica, or may be made of a material having a high infrared transmittance, for example: a high temperature-resistant material having an infrared transmittance higher than <NUM>%, which is not specifically limited herein.

An infrared electrothermal coating <NUM> is formed on the surface of the base body <NUM>. The infrared electrothermal coating <NUM> may be formed on an outer surface of the base body <NUM>, or may be formed on an inner surface of the base body <NUM>.

The infrared electrothermal coating <NUM> receives electric power and generates heat energy, to generate infrared rays of a specified wavelength, for example: far infrared rays of <NUM>-<NUM>. When a wavelength of the infrared rays matches an absorption wavelength of the aerosol-forming substrate, energy of the infrared rays is easily absorbed by the aerosol-forming substrate. The infrared rays are not limited in wavelength, may be infrared rays of <NUM>-<NUM>, or preferably be far infrared rays of <NUM>-<NUM>.

The infrared electrothermal coating <NUM> is preferably formed by infrared electrothermal ink, ceramic powder, and an inorganic adhesive that are fully stirred, evenly coated on the outer surface of the base body <NUM>, and then dried for solidification for a specified period of time. A thickness of the infrared electrothermal coating <NUM> is <NUM>-<NUM>. Certainly, the infrared electrothermal coating <NUM> may also be formed by tin(IV) chloride, tin(II) oxide, antimony(III) chloride, titanium(IV) chloride, and anhydrous copper(II) sulfate that are mixed in a specified proportion, stirred, and coated on the outer surface of the base body <NUM>. Alternatively, the infrared electrothermal coating <NUM> may be one of a silicon carbide ceramic layer, a carbon fiber layer, a carbon fiber composite layer, a titanium zirconium oxide ceramic layer, a titanium zirconium nitride ceramic layer, a titanium zirconium boride ceramic layer, a titanium zirconium carbide ceramic layer, a ferric oxide ceramic layer, a ferric nitride ceramic layer, a ferric boride ceramic layer, a ferric carbide layer, a rare earth oxide ceramic layer, a rare earth nitride ceramic layer, a rare earth boride ceramic layer, a rare earth carbide layer, a nickel cobalt oxide ceramic layer, a nickel cobalt nitride ceramic layer, a nickel cobalt boride ceramic layer, a nickel cobalt carbide layer, or a high silica molecular sieve ceramic layer. The infrared electrothermal coating may also be a coating formed by another material, for example: derivatives and compounds with carbon as a part or all of component elements, including, but not limited to, carbon nanotubes, a carbon nanotube thin film, graphene, carbon fibers, a carbon fiber thin film, a carbon film, or a carbon fiber cloth.

Conductive components include a first electrode <NUM> and a second electrode <NUM> spaced on the base body <NUM>, configured to feed the electric power to the infrared electrothermal coating <NUM>.

Both the first electrode <NUM> and the electrode <NUM> are at least partially electrically connected to the infrared electrothermal coating <NUM>, so that a current can flow from one electrode to the other electrode through the infrared electrothermal coating <NUM>. The first electrode <NUM> and the second electrode <NUM> have opposite polarities, for example: the first electrode <NUM> is an anode, and the second electrode <NUM> is a cathode; or the first electrode <NUM> is a cathode, and the second electrode <NUM> is an anode.

In this example, both the first electrode <NUM> and the second electrode <NUM> are conductive coatings, the conductive coating may be a metal coating, a conductive tape, or the like, and the metal coating may be made of silver, gold, palladium, platinum, copper, nickel, molybdenum, tungsten, niobium, or an alloy material of the foregoing metal.

In this example, the first electrode <NUM> and the second electrode <NUM> are symmetrically arranged along a central shaft of the base body <NUM>.

The first electrode <NUM> includes a coupled electrode <NUM> extending in a circumferential direction of the base body <NUM> and a strip electrode <NUM> extending from the coupled electrode <NUM> to the near end in an axial direction, the coupled electrode <NUM> is not in contact with the infrared electrothermal coating <NUM>, and the strip electrode <NUM> is at least partially in contact with the infrared electrothermal coating <NUM> to form an electrical connection.

The second electrode <NUM> includes a coupled electrode <NUM> extending in the circumferential direction of the base body <NUM> and a strip electrode <NUM> extending from the coupled electrode <NUM> to the near end A in the axial direction, the coupled electrode <NUM> is not in contact with the infrared electrothermal coating <NUM>, and the strip electrode <NUM> is at least partially in contact with the infrared electrothermal coating <NUM> to form an electrical connection.

It can be learned from the foregoing that, the strip electrode <NUM> and the strip electrode <NUM> are distributed evenly, thereby ensuring even heating of the infrared electrothermal coating <NUM>, and improving heating efficiency of the cigarette device. The coupled electrode <NUM> and the coupled electrode <NUM> are arranged to be conveniently coupled to the battery cell <NUM>, and avoid a problem that a wire connected to one end is easily damaged because the wire needs to pass through a heating area.

Further, referring to <FIG>, the aerosol generation device <NUM> further includes a heat insulation tube <NUM> sleeved outside the base body <NUM>. The heat insulation tube <NUM> has an inner tube and an outer tube in a radial direction, a sealed space is formed between the inner tube and the outer tube, and the sealed space may be pumped for vacuum, or may be filled with gas and heat insulation materials. The gas includes, but is not limited to, an inert gas, air, carbon dioxide, or the like, and the heat insulation materials include, but is not limited to, an aerogel, a mica sheet, a mica tube, alumina oxide matrix porous ceramic, cordierite, a rock wool board, a rock wool felt, or other materials with a low thermal conductivity.

It should be noted that, an infrared transmitter formed by the infrared electrothermal coating <NUM>, the first electrode <NUM>, and the second electrode <NUM> is not limited to the example in <FIG>. In another example, the infrared transmitter may be formed by a thermal excited infrared radiation layer, or may be constructed by a thin film wound on the base body <NUM>.

It should be further noted that, in the foregoing example, the heater <NUM> is described in an infrared heating manner. In another example, the heating manner of the heater <NUM> may be resistance heating, electromagnetic heating, or the like, which is not limited herein.

Still referring to <FIG>, the aerosol generation device <NUM> further includes a heat drain device <NUM>.

The heat drain device <NUM> is arranged on a gas flow path (shown by a dotted arrow in the figure) extending among the air inlet <NUM>, the cavity <NUM>, and the through hole <NUM>. Specifically, the heat drain device <NUM> is arranged between the air inlet <NUM> and the cavity <NUM>, and the heat drain device <NUM> is constructed to, after starting operation, drain an airflow toward the through hole <NUM>, that is, a direction shown by the dotted arrow in the figure. It can be understood that, the airflow may be alternatively drained toward the air inlet <NUM>. When the airflow is drained toward the through hole <NUM>, moisture in the aerosol-forming article can be easily drained out of the housing. The heat drain device <NUM> may be a fan or a similar device.

The circuit <NUM> is configured, after the heater <NUM> starts for heating and before the heater <NUM> enters an inhalation stage, control the heat drain device <NUM> to start operation to drain hot air generated by heating out of the housing <NUM> along the gas flow path.

Referring to <FIG>, usually, a time-based temperature variation curve of the heater <NUM> includes a temperature rise stage, a temperature preservation stage, and an inhalation stage.

At the temperature rise stage, a temperature of the heater <NUM> rises from an initial temperature T0 (or an environment temperature) to a maximum operating temperature T1. Usually, T1 may be <NUM>-<NUM>.

At the temperature preservation stage, the temperature of the heater <NUM> maintains at a preset target temperature T1 for a period of time, so that the aerosol-forming substrate is fully preheated, and an inhalation taste for a user is improved.

A duration of the temperature rise stage is t0-t2, a duration of the temperature preservation stage is t2-t3, and t0-t3 is a preheating time of the heater <NUM>. Usually, the preheating time of the heater <NUM> is <NUM>-<NUM>.

At the inhalation stage, the temperature of the heater <NUM> decreases from the maximum operating temperature T1 to an expected operating temperature T2, and the expected operating temperature T2 is an optimal temperature for the aerosol-forming substrate to generate an aerosol. Generally, T2 may be <NUM>-<NUM>. At this stage, the temperature of the heater <NUM> usually maintains at the expected operating temperature T2 or fluctuates around the expected operating temperature T2, and t4-t5 is a maintaining time.

It should be noted that, a heating curve of the heater <NUM> is not limited to the case in <FIG>. In another example, it is also possible that the heating curve of the heater <NUM> has only the temperature rise stage and the inhalation stage.

It can be learned from <FIG> that, to avoid a problem that the smoker feels burning pain due to the high temperature of the aerosol when the smoker inhales the first puff, the circuit <NUM> needs to control, before the inhalation stage (a time point t3 or t4), the heat drain device <NUM> to start operation to drain the hot air generated by heating out of the housing <NUM> along the gas flow path.

In an example, the aerosol generation device <NUM> further includes a temperature detection device (not shown in the figure) configured to detect temperature information of the heater <NUM>.

The circuit <NUM> is configured to: after the heater <NUM> starts for heating, obtain the temperature information of the heater <NUM> that is detected by the temperature detection device; and when a temperature of the heater <NUM> reaches a preset temperature, control the heat drain device <NUM> to start operation to drain an aerosol generated by heating out of the housing <NUM> along the gas flow path.

When the preset temperature is lower than the maximum operating temperature T1 of the heater <NUM>, that is, the heat drain device <NUM> is controlled, before the time point t2, to start operation to drain the aerosol generated by heating out of the housing <NUM> along the gas flow path.

In an example, the circuit <NUM> is configured to: after the heater <NUM> starts for heating, record a heating time of the heater <NUM>; and when the heating time of the heater <NUM> reaches a preset time, control the heat drain device <NUM> to start operation to drain the aerosol generated by heating out of the housing <NUM> along the gas flow path.

The preset time is less than a duration in which the temperature of the heater <NUM> rises from an initial temperature to the maximum operating temperature. That is, the heat drain device <NUM> is controlled, before the time point t2, to start operation to drain the aerosol generated by heating out of the housing <NUM> along the gas flow path.

Further, at a time point t10, most of moisture in the cigarette is evaporated at a heating temperature T10 of the heater <NUM>, so that at the time point t10, the heat drain device <NUM> can be controlled to start operation to drain the hot air generated by heating out of the housing <NUM> along the gas flow path, to avoid a problem that inhaling experience is reduced due to a small smoke volume when the smoker inhales the first puff because the aerosol generated by heating is drained out of the housing <NUM> along the gas flow path when the inhalation stage approaches. Usually, T10 may be <NUM>-<NUM>.

Further, the circuit <NUM> is further configured to, when the smoker inhales on the aerosol generation device <NUM>, control the heat drain device <NUM> to stop operation. That is, when a user inhales (in a period of t4-t5), the heat drain device <NUM> stops operation, and in this case, the user can inhale an aerosol of a relatively low temperature.

It should be noted that, the heat drain device <NUM> stopping operation is not limited to this case. For example: the heat drain device <NUM> stops operation after operating for a period of time, and does not need to stop operation until the smoker can inhale on the aerosol generation device <NUM>. It is easy to imagine that, in an operation period of the heat drain device <NUM>, an operating power of the heat drain device <NUM> is also adjustable, that is, the heat drain device <NUM> can be controlled to operate for a specified time at a specified operating power.

Based on the aerosol generation device <NUM>, this application further provides a control method of the aerosol generation device, and the method includes:.

<FIG> is a schematic diagram of a control process of an aerosol generation device according to an implementation of this application. The control process of the aerosol generation device includes the following steps:.

Claim 1:
An aerosol generation device (<NUM>), configured to heat an aerosol-forming substrate to generate an aerosol for inhalation, and comprising:
a housing (<NUM>), provided with a through hole (<NUM>) and an air inlet (<NUM>);
a cavity (<NUM>), wherein the aerosol-forming substrate is received in the cavity (<NUM>) or removed from the cavity (<NUM>) through the through hole (<NUM>);
a heater (<NUM>), configured to heat the aerosol-forming substrate received in the cavity (<NUM>);
a heat drain device (<NUM>), arranged on a gas flow path extending between the air inlet (<NUM>) and the through hole (<NUM>);
the aerosol generation device (<NUM>) characterized in that it further comprises:
a circuit (<NUM>), configured to, after the heater (<NUM>) starts for heating and before the heater (<NUM>) enters an inhalation stage, control the heat drain device (<NUM>) to start operation to drain hot air generated by heating out of the housing (<NUM>) along the gas flow path, wherein a temperature variation curve of the heater (<NUM>) comprises at least a temperature rise stage and the inhalation stage.