JP7612759B2 - Housing and flavor inhaler having the same - Google Patents

Description

The present invention relates to a housing and a flavor inhaler equipped with the housing.

Conventionally, flavor inhalers for inhaling flavors without burning a material are known. As such flavor inhalers, for example, a smokeless cigarette system using an igniter is known that includes an insulating jacket that substantially surrounds a substantially cylindrical heater, has an outer surface, is made of a heat insulating material, and has a thickness selected so that the temperature of the outer surface remains below 40 degrees (see Patent Document 1).

Patent No. 5133891 specification

The object of the present invention is to provide a housing and a flavor inhaler with a new structure.

According to one embodiment of the present invention, a housing is provided. The housing includes a first housing capable of housing a heat generating element, a second housing surrounding the first housing, and a heat diffusion member provided at least partially between the first housing and the second housing and having a higher thermal conductivity than the first housing and the second housing.

According to another embodiment of the present invention, a flavor inhaler having the above-mentioned housing is provided.

FIG. 1 is an overall perspective view of a flavor inhaler according to an embodiment of the present invention. 1 is an overall perspective view of a flavor inhaler according to an embodiment of the present invention in a state in which a smoking article is held. FIG. 2 is a cross-sectional view of a smoking article. 1B is a cross-sectional view taken along the line 3-3 of FIG. 1A. 1 shows a cross-sectional view of a heating assembly. FIG. 2 is an exploded perspective view of the flavor inhaler with the outer housing removed. FIG. 2 is a cross-sectional view of a flavor inhaler. FIG. 2 is a side view showing a thermal diffusion sheet. 4 is a side view showing a schematic relationship between a heating element, an inner housing, a thermal diffusion sheet, and an outer housing; FIG. FIG. FIG. 4 is a side view showing an inner housing provided with a thermal diffusion sheet.

Embodiments of the present invention will be described below with reference to the drawings. In the drawings described below, identical or corresponding components are designated by the same reference numerals and duplicate descriptions will be omitted.

Fig. 1A is an overall perspective view of the flavor inhaler according to the present embodiment. Fig. 1B is an overall perspective view of the flavor inhaler according to the present embodiment in a state in which a smoking article is held. The flavor inhaler 10 according to the present embodiment is configured to generate an aerosol containing a flavor by, for example, heating a smoking article 110 having a flavor source containing an aerosol source.

As shown in Figures 1A and 1B, the flavor inhaler 10 has a top housing 11A, a bottom housing 11B, a cover 12, a switch 13, and a lid portion 14. The top housing 11A and the bottom housing 11B are connected to each other to form the outermost outer housing 11 (second housing) of the flavor inhaler 10. The outer housing 11 is sized to fit in the user's hand. When the user uses the flavor inhaler 10, the user can hold the flavor inhaler 10 in their hand and inhale the flavor.

The top housing 11A has an opening (not shown), and the cover 12 is coupled to the top housing 11A to close the opening. As shown in FIG. 1B, the cover 12 has an opening 12a through which the smoking article 110 can be inserted. The lid portion 14 is configured to open and close the opening 12a of the cover 12. Specifically, the lid portion 14 is attached to the cover 12 and configured to be movable along the surface of the cover 12 between a first position that closes the opening 12a and a second position that opens the opening 12a. In this way, the lid portion 14 can allow or restrict access of the smoking article 110 to the inside of the flavor inhaler 10.

The switch 13 is used to switch the operation of the flavor inhaler 10 on and off. For example, as shown in FIG. 1B, a user inserts the smoking article 110 into the opening 12a and operates the switch 13, whereby power is supplied from a power source (not shown) to a heating element (not shown), and the smoking article 110 can be heated without being burned. When the smoking article 110 is heated, aerosol evaporates from the aerosol source contained in the smoking article 110, and the flavor of the flavor source is taken in by the aerosol. The user can inhale the aerosol containing the flavor by inhaling the part of the smoking article 110 protruding from the flavor inhaler 10 (the part shown in FIG. 1B). In this specification, the longitudinal direction of the flavor inhaler 10 refers to the direction in which the smoking article 110 is inserted into the opening 12a.

Next, the configuration of the smoking article 110 used in the flavor inhaler 10 according to this embodiment will be described. FIG. 2 is a cross-sectional view of the smoking article 110. In the embodiment shown in FIG. 2, the smoking article 110 has a base material 110A including a filler 111 and a first cigarette paper 112 around which the filler 111 is wrapped, and a mouthpiece 110B forming an end opposite to the base material 110A. The base material 110A and the mouthpiece 110B are connected by a second cigarette paper 113 that is different from the first cigarette paper 112. However, the second cigarette paper 113 can be omitted, and the base material 110A and the mouthpiece 110B can be connected using the first cigarette paper 112.

The mouthpiece 110B in FIG. 2 has a paper tube 114, a filter 115, and a hollow segment 116 disposed between the paper tube 114 and the filter 115. The hollow segment 116 is composed of, for example, a packed bed having one or more hollow channels and a plug wrapper covering the packed bed. Because the packed bed has a high fiber packing density, air and aerosol flow only through the hollow channels during inhalation, and hardly any flow occurs within the packed bed. In the smoking article 110, when it is desired to reduce the loss of aerosol components due to filtration in the filter 115, shortening the length of the filter 115 and replacing it with the hollow segment 116 is effective in increasing the amount of aerosol delivered.

2 is composed of three segments, but in this embodiment, the suction port part 110B may be composed of one or two segments, or may be composed of four or more segments. For example, the hollow segment part 116 may be omitted, and the paper tube part 114 and the filter part 115 may be arranged adjacent to each other to form the suction port part 110B.
It is also possible to form

In the embodiment shown in FIG. 2, the length of the smoking article 110 in the longitudinal direction is preferably 40 mm to 90 mm, more preferably 50 mm to 75 mm, and even more preferably 50 mm to 60 mm. The circumference of the smoking article 110 is preferably 15 mm to 25 mm, more preferably 17 mm to 24 mm, and even more preferably 20 mm to 23 mm. In addition, the length of the substrate portion 110A in the smoking article 110 may be 20 mm, the length of the first cigarette paper 112 may be 20 mm, the length of the hollow segment portion 116 may be 8 mm, and the length of the filter portion 115 may be 7 mm, but the lengths of these individual segments can be changed as appropriate depending on manufacturing suitability, required quality, etc.

In this embodiment, the filling 111 of the smoking article 110 may contain an aerosol source that generates an aerosol when heated at a predetermined temperature. The type of aerosol source is not particularly limited, and various extracts from natural products and/or their constituents may be selected depending on the application. Examples of aerosol sources include glycerin, propylene glycol, triacetin, 1,3-butanediol, and mixtures thereof. The content of the aerosol source in the filling 111 is not particularly limited, and is usually 5% by weight or more, preferably 10% by weight or more, and usually 50% by weight or less, preferably 20% by weight or less, from the viewpoint of generating sufficient aerosol and imparting a good smoking flavor.

The filling 111 of the smoking article 110 in this embodiment may contain tobacco shreds as a flavor source. The material of the tobacco shreds is not particularly limited, and known materials such as lamina and backbone can be used. The content range of the filling 111 in the smoking article 110 is, for example, 200 mg to 400 mg, and preferably 250 mg to 320 mg, in the case of a circumference of 22 mm and a length of 20 mm. The moisture content of the filling 111 is, for example, 8% by weight to 18% by weight, and preferably 10% by weight to 16% by weight. Such a moisture content suppresses the occurrence of rolling stains and improves the suitability for rolling during the manufacture of the base material portion 110A. There are no particular limitations on the size of the tobacco shreds used as the filling 111 or the preparation method thereof. For example, dried tobacco leaves shredded to a width of 0.8 mm to 1.2 mm may be used. Alternatively, dried tobacco leaves may be crushed to a uniform average particle size of about 20 μm to 200 μm, processed into a sheet, and then chopped into widths of 0.8 mm to 1.2 mm. Furthermore, the above-mentioned sheet may be gathered without being chopped and used as the filler 111. The filler 111 may also contain one or more flavorings. The type of flavoring is not particularly limited, but menthol is preferred from the viewpoint of providing a good smoking taste.

In this embodiment, the first cigarette paper 112 and the second cigarette paper 113 of the smoking article 110 can be made from base paper having a basis weight of, for example, 20 gsm to 65 gsm, preferably 25 gsm to 45 gsm. The thickness of the first cigarette paper 112 and the second cigarette paper 113 is not particularly limited, but is 10 μm to 100 μm, preferably 20 μm to 75 μm, and more preferably 30 μm to 50 μm, from the viewpoints of rigidity, breathability, and ease of adjustment during papermaking.

In this embodiment, the first cigarette paper 112 and the second cigarette paper 113 of the smoking article 110 may contain a filler. The content of the filler may be 10% by weight to 60% by weight, preferably 15% by weight to 45% by weight, based on the total weight of the first cigarette paper 112 and the second cigarette paper 113. In this embodiment, the content of the filler is preferably 15% by weight to 45% by weight for a preferred basis weight range (25 gsm to 45 gsm). Examples of the filler that can be used include calcium carbonate, titanium dioxide, and kaolin. Paper containing such a filler exhibits a bright white color that is preferable from the viewpoint of appearance when used as cigarette paper for the smoking article 110, and can permanently maintain whiteness. By containing a large amount of such a filler, for example, the ISO whiteness of the cigarette paper can be 83% or more. From the viewpoint of practical use as cigarette papers for the smoking article 110, the first cigarette paper 112 and the second cigarette paper 113 preferably have a tensile strength of 8 N/15 mm or more. This tensile strength can be increased by reducing the filler content. Specifically, the tensile strength can be increased by reducing the filler content below the upper limit of the filler content shown in each of the basis weight ranges exemplified above.

Next, the internal structure of the flavor inhaler 10 shown in Figures 1A and 1B will be described. Figure 3 is a cross-sectional view taken along the line 3-3 in Figure 1A. As shown in Figure 3, the flavor inhaler 10 has a power supply unit 20, a circuit unit 30, and a heating unit 40 in the internal space of the outer housing 11 and the inner housing 18 (first housing). The outer housing 11 and the inner housing 18 will be described later. The circuit unit 30 has a first circuit board 31 and a second circuit board 32 electrically connected to the first circuit board 31. The first circuit board 31 is disposed, for example, extending in the longitudinal direction as shown in the figure. As a result, the power supply unit 20 and the heating unit 40 are partitioned by the first circuit board 31. As a result, the heat generated in the heating unit 40 is prevented from being transmitted to the power supply unit 20.

The second circuit board 32 is disposed between the top housing 11A and the power supply unit 20, and extends in a direction perpendicular to the extension direction of the first circuit board 31. The switch 13 is disposed adjacent to the second circuit board 32. When a user presses the switch 13, a part of the switch 13 may come into contact with the second circuit board 32.

The first circuit board 31 and the second circuit board 32 include, for example, a microprocessor, and can control the supply of power from the power supply unit 20 to the heating unit 40. This allows the first circuit board 31 and the second circuit board 32 to control the heating of the smoking article 110 by the heating unit 40.

The power supply unit 20 has a power supply 21 electrically connected to the first circuit board 31 and the second circuit board 32. The power supply 21 may be, for example, a rechargeable battery or a non-rechargeable battery. The power supply 21 is electrically connected to the heating unit 40 via at least one of the first circuit board 31 and the second circuit board 32. This allows the power supply 21 to supply power to the heating unit 40 so as to properly heat the smoking article 110. As shown in the figure, the power supply 21 is disposed adjacent to the heating unit 40 in a direction perpendicular to the longitudinal direction. This prevents the longitudinal length of the flavor inhaler 10 from increasing even if the size of the power supply 21 is increased.

Furthermore, the flavor inhaler 10 has a terminal 22 that can be connected to an external power source. The terminal 22 can be connected to a cable such as a micro USB. If the power source 21 is a rechargeable battery, by connecting the external power source to the terminal 22, a current can be passed from the external power source to the power source 21, thereby charging the power source 21. Furthermore, by connecting a data transmission cable such as a micro USB to the terminal 22, data related to the operation of the flavor inhaler 10 can be transmitted to an external device.

As shown in the figure, the heating section 40 has a heating assembly 41 that extends in the longitudinal direction. The heating assembly 41 is composed of multiple cylindrical members and forms a cylindrical body as a whole. The heating assembly 41 is configured to be able to store a part of the smoking article 110 therein, and has the function of defining a flow path for air to be supplied to the smoking article 110, and the function of heating the smoking article 110 from the outer periphery.

The bottom housing 11B is formed with a vent 15 for allowing air to flow into the heating assembly 41. Specifically, the vent 15 is in fluid communication with one end of the heating assembly 41 (the left end in FIG. 3). The flavor inhaler 10 also has a cap 16 that can be attached and detached to the vent 15. The cap 16 is configured so that air can flow into the heating assembly 41 from the vent 15 even when attached to the vent 15, and may have, for example, a through hole or a notch (not shown). By attaching the cap 16 to the vent 15, it is possible to prevent substances generated from the smoking article 110 inserted in the heating assembly 41 from falling from the vent 15 to the outside of the outer housing 11.

The other end of the heating assembly 41 (the end on the right side in FIG. 3) is in fluid communication with the opening 12a shown in FIG. 1B. Between the cover 12 having the opening 12a and the other end of the heating assembly 41, a substantially cylindrical outer fin 17 is provided. When the smoking article 110 is inserted into the flavor inhaler 10 from the opening 12a of the cover 12 as shown in FIG. 1B, the smoking article 110 passes through the outer fin 17, and a part of the smoking article 110 is disposed inside the heating assembly 41. For this reason, it is preferable that the outer fin 17 is formed so that the opening on the cover 12 side is larger than the size of the opening on the other end side of the heating assembly 41. This makes it easier to insert the smoking article 110 into the outer fin 17 from the opening 12a. In addition, when the smoking article 110 is not inserted inside the heating assembly 41, the user can clean the inside of the heating assembly 41 by inserting an instrument such as a brush from the opening 12a. The cleaning instrument can also be inserted from one end of the heating assembly 41 (the end on the left side in FIG. 3). In this case, the cap is removed from the vent 15 of the flavor inhaler 10.

As shown in FIG. 1B, when the smoking article 110 is inserted into the flavor inhaler 10 through the opening 12a, and the user inhales from the part of the smoking article 110 protruding from the flavor inhaler 10, i.e., the filter part 115 shown in FIG. 2, air flows into the heating assembly 41 through the ventilation port 15. The air that flows in passes through the inside of the heating assembly 41 and reaches the user's mouth together with the aerosol generated from the smoking article 110. Therefore, the side of the heating assembly 41 closer to the ventilation port 15 is the upstream side, and the side of the heating assembly 41 closer to the opening 12a (the side closer to the outer fin 17) is the downstream side.

Next, the configuration of the heating assembly 41 shown in FIG. 3 will be described. FIG. 4 shows a cross-sectional view of the heating assembly 41. Here, the heating assembly 41 will be described focusing on the configuration of the heating element 50 that heats the smoking article 110 from the outer periphery. The heating element 50 has an inner tube 42, a heating member 43, an aerogel 44 (corresponding to an example of a heat insulating material), and an outer tube 45. The inner tube 42 has a first opening 42a at one end through which the smoking article 110 can be inserted, and a second opening 42b at the other end that forms an air inlet, and is configured to accommodate the smoking article 110. In this embodiment, the inner tube 42 is columnar and configured to come into contact with at least a part of the smoking article 110 inserted from the first opening 42a. The second opening 42b is located upstream of the air flow, and the first opening 42a is located downstream.

The outer tube 45 is disposed surrounding the inner tube 42, and a predetermined cylindrical space is formed between the inner tube 42 and the outer tube 45. The heating member 43 may be a flexible film heater, for example, configured by sandwiching a heating resistor between two films such as PI (polyimide). The heating member 43 is disposed so as to abut against the inner tube 42. Specifically, in the illustrated example, the heating member 43 is disposed on the outer peripheral surface of the inner tube 42, and the inner surface of the heating member 43 contacts the outer surface of the inner tube 42. Since the heating member 43 is disposed along the outer peripheral surface of the inner tube 42, it is deformed into a substantially cylindrical shape as a whole.

The aerogel 44 is disposed in a cylindrical space formed between the inner pipe 42 and the outer pipe 45. Since the aerogel 44 is disposed between the inner pipe 42 and the outer pipe 45, the heat generated from the heating member 43 is less likely to be transmitted to the outer pipe 45. In addition, in this embodiment, the aerogel 44 is used to insulate the heat generated from the heating member 43, but this is not limited thereto, and other insulating materials may be used, or the cylindrical space formed between the inner pipe 42 and the outer pipe 45 may be evacuated to form a vacuum insulating space.

Next, the configuration of the outer housing 11 and the inner housing 18 shown in FIG. 3 will be described. FIG. 5 is an exploded perspective view of the flavor inhaler 10 with the outer housing 11 removed. FIG. 6 is a cross-sectional view of the flavor inhaler 10. In FIG. 5 and FIG. 6, the inner housing 18 stores the power supply unit 20, the circuit unit 30, and the heating unit 40 shown in FIG. 3 in its internal space. That is, the inner housing 18 stores the heating element 50 of the heating assembly 41 that heats the smoking article 110 from the outer periphery. The top housing 11A and the bottom housing 11B that constitute the outer housing 11 surround the inner housing 18 and store the inner housing 18 in its internal space. A thermal diffusion sheet 60 (corresponding to an example of a thermal diffusion member) is provided between the inner housing 18 and the outer housing 11. In this embodiment, the thermal diffusion sheet 60 is provided on the front surface (the surface on the front side in FIG. 5) and the back surface (the surface on the back side in FIG. 5) of the inner housing 18.

The inner housing 18 and the outer housing 11 are made of resin, for example, and may be formed from polycarbonate (PC), ABS (Acrylonitrile-Butadiene-Styrene) resin, or a polymer alloy containing multiple types of polymers. The inner housing 18 and the outer housing 11 may be made of the same material, or may be made of different materials with different thermal conductivities. Furthermore, when the inner housing 18 and/or the outer housing 11 are composed of multiple parts, the multiple parts may be made of the same material, or may be made of different materials with different thermal conductivities. The thermal diffusion sheet 60 is made of graphite, for example. The structure of the thermal diffusion sheet 60 will be described below with reference to FIG. 7. FIG. 7 is a side view showing the thermal diffusion sheet 60. In FIG. 7, the thermal diffusion sheet 60 has a first surface 60a that contacts the outer surface of the inner housing 18 and a second surface 60b that faces the opposite side to the first surface 60a. The thermal diffusion sheet 60 has a graphite layer 61 made of a graphite material, a double-sided adhesive paper 62 attached to one side of the graphite layer 61 to form a first side 60a, and a single-sided tape 63 attached to the other side of the graphite layer 61 to form a second side 60b. The thermal diffusion sheet 60 has a total thickness of about 0.2 mm, including the graphite layer 61 having a thickness of 180 micrometers, which is formed by laminating three layers of graphite material having a thickness of 60 micrometers, the double-sided adhesive paper 62, and the single-sided tape 63. The single-sided tape 63 functions as a protective member that protects the surface of the graphite layer 61 on the second side 60b side. The structure of the thermal diffusion sheet 60 is not limited to the above, and the graphite layer 61 may have two or less layers or four or more layers, and other known materials having equivalent functions may be used instead of the double-sided adhesive paper 62 and/or the single-sided tape 63.

Here, the thermal conductivity of the inner housing 18 or the outer housing 11 when the ambient temperature is 20° C. is, for example, 0.1 W/mK to 0.8 W/mK, preferably 0.1 W/mK to 0.4 W/mK, and typically 0.2 W/mK. The thermal conductivity of the graphite thermal diffusion sheet 60 when the ambient temperature is 20° C. is, for example, 700 W/mK to 2000 W/mK, preferably 1100 W/mK to 1500 W/mK, and typically 1300 W/mK. Thus, RB/RA, which is the ratio of the thermal conductivity RB of the thermal diffusion sheet 60 to the thermal conductivity RA, which is the larger of the thermal conductivity of the inner housing 18 and the thermal conductivity of the outer housing 11, is 875 to 20,000, preferably 2750 to 15,000, and typically 6,500. The thermal conductivity of the inner housing 18, the outer housing 11, and the thermal diffusion sheet 60 is not limited to those described above, and it is sufficient that the thermal conductivity of the thermal diffusion sheet 60 is higher than the thermal conductivity of the inner housing 18 or the outer housing 11. Furthermore, the thermal diffusion sheet 60 is not limited to being made of graphite, and may be made of a metal such as aluminum or copper.

The thermal diffusion sheet 60 is configured so that the temperature difference T1-T2 between the maximum temperature T1 of the outer surface of the heating element 50 and the maximum temperature T2 of the outer surface of the outer housing 11 is, for example, 17 degrees or more and 27 degrees or less. The thermal diffusion sheet 60 is also arranged with respect to the heating element 50 and the outer housing 11 so that the maximum temperature T2 of the outer surface of the outer housing 11 is, for example, 43 degrees or more and 53 degrees or less, typically 48 degrees. Note that the performance of the thermal diffusion sheet 60 is not limited to the above.

5 and 6, the first surface 60a of the thermal diffusion sheet 60 is in contact with the outer surface of the inner housing 18, and the second surface 60b of the thermal diffusion sheet 60 is spaced apart from the inner surface of the outer housing 11. Specifically, in the region where the thermal diffusion sheet 60 is provided between the inner housing 18 and the outer housing 11, for example, an air layer is formed between the second surface 60b of the thermal diffusion sheet 60 and the inner surface of the outer housing 11. However, this air layer is not essential, and the second surface 60b of the thermal diffusion sheet 60 may be in contact with the inner surface of the outer housing 11. In addition, the thermal diffusion sheet 60 covers the entire length of the heating element 50 when the heating element 50 is viewed along the longitudinal direction of the heating element 50, i.e., the longitudinal direction of the flavor inhaler 10, and is provided over a range longer than the entire length of the heating element 50. On the other hand, in the area where the thermal diffusion sheet 60 is not provided between the inner housing 18 and the outer housing 11, the outer surface of the inner housing 18 and the inner surface of the outer housing 11 are in contact with each other. The outer circumferential surface of the outer tube 45 has a contact area 45a with the inner surface of the inner housing 18 that extends along the longitudinal direction of the heating element 50. The thermal diffusion sheet 60 extends across the contact area 45a in a direction perpendicular to the longitudinal direction of the heating element 50.

Next, referring to FIG. 8, the positional relationship between the heating element 50, the inner housing 18, the thermal diffusion sheet 60, and the outer housing 11 will be described. FIG. 8 is a side view that shows a schematic relationship between the heating element 50, the inner housing 18, the thermal diffusion sheet 60, and the outer housing 11. In FIG. 8, a gap such as an air layer is formed between the second surface 60b of the thermal diffusion sheet 60 and the inner surface of the outer housing 11. In addition, the thermal diffusion sheet 60 is provided over a range longer than the longitudinal length of the heating element 50. Here, the inner surface of the outer housing 11 has a partial region 11c facing the thermal diffusion sheet 60, and the region 11d corresponding to the partial region 11c on the outer surface of the outer housing 11 is configured so that the user can hold it in his hand.

Next, the relationship between the inner housing 18 and the thermal diffusion sheet 60 will be described with reference to Figures 9 and 10. Figure 9 is a side view showing the inner housing 18. Figure 10 is a side view showing the inner housing 18 provided with the thermal diffusion sheet 60. In Figures 9 and 10, a recess 18a for providing the thermal diffusion sheet 60 is formed on the outer surface of the inner housing 18. The depth of the recess 18a is configured to be equal to or greater than the thickness of the thermal diffusion sheet 60. Specifically, the ratio of the thickness t of the thermal diffusion sheet 60 to the depth d of the recess 18a, t/d, is configured to be 0.9 or more and 1.0 or less. In other words, the thermal diffusion sheet 60 does not protrude from the recess 18a. A similar recess is also formed on the opposite surface of the inner housing 18 shown in Figures 9 and 10. The recess is not limited to being formed in the inner housing 18, but may be formed on the inner surface of the outer housing 11, or may be formed in both the inner housing 18 and the outer housing 11.

The flavor inhaler 10 of the above configuration includes a heating element 50, an inner housing 18 that stores the heating element 50, an outer housing 11 that stores the inner housing 18, and a heat diffusion sheet 60 that is provided at least partially between the inner housing 18 and the outer housing 11 and has a higher thermal conductivity than the inner housing 18 and the outer housing 11. Therefore, the heat generated by the heating element 50 can be diffused by the heat diffusion sheet 60, and the housing can be prevented from becoming locally hot. In addition, by making the flavor inhaler 10 a double structure of the inner housing 18 and the outer housing 11, the waterproof performance of the flavor inhaler 10 can be improved. In addition, if the flavor inhaler 10 has a single housing, the fixing structure of the internal parts and the exterior parts are integrated, which places greater restrictions on the design, but by making it a double structure, the design restrictions can be eliminated.

The thermal diffusion sheet 60 has a first surface 60a that contacts the outer surface of the inner housing 18 and a second surface 60b facing the opposite side of the first surface 60a, and the second surface 60b is spaced apart from the inner surface of the outer housing 11. Therefore, the thermal diffusion sheet 60 is provided on the inner housing 18, and an air layer is formed between the second surface 60b of the thermal diffusion sheet 60 and the inner surface of the outer housing 11, so that the heat generated from the heat generating body 50 can be efficiently diffused by the thermal diffusion sheet 60, and the housing can be further prevented from becoming locally hot. Specifically, according to Fourier's law, the amount of heat transfer inside the thermal diffusion sheet 60 is proportional to the temperature gradient. Therefore, if the thermal diffusion sheet 60 is installed on the inner housing 18 side closer to the heat generating body 50, the temperature gradient between the high temperature part (the part where the temperature rise due to the heat source is large) and the low temperature part (the part where the temperature rise is small) becomes larger, and the amount of heat transfer increases. Furthermore, by providing an air layer as a heat insulating part, the temperature of the outer housing 11 can be lowered overall. That is, by arranging the inner housing 18, the thermal diffusion sheet 60, the air layer, and the outer housing 11 in this order, both a high thermal diffusion effect and a high heat insulation effect can be achieved. On the other hand, if the thermal diffusion sheet 60 is installed on the outer housing 11 and arranged in the order of the inner housing 18, the air layer, the thermal diffusion sheet 60, and the outer housing 11, the thermal diffusion effect is relatively small because the temperature gradient of the thermal diffusion sheet 60 is relatively small due to the insulating effect of the air layer. Furthermore, when the thermal diffusion sheet 60 is installed on the outer housing 11, since the outer housing 11 is separated into the top housing 11A and the bottom housing 11B, the thermal diffusion sheet 60 is also separated. That is, if the thermal diffusion sheet 60 is to be installed on the outer housing 11 in the same area as when the thermal diffusion sheet 60 is installed on the inner housing 18, the thermal diffusion sheet 60 is to be installed separately on the top housing 11A side and the bottom housing 11B side. When the thermal diffusion sheet 60 is installed on the inner housing 18, the thermal diffusion sheet 60 can be installed in a wide area without being separated.

The heating element 50 has a columnar shape, and the thermal diffusion sheet 60 covers the entire length of the heating element 50 when the heating element 50 is viewed along the longitudinal direction of the heating element 50, and is provided over a range longer than the entire length of the heating element 50. The outer tube 45 includes a contact area 45a with the inner surface of the inner housing 18, which extends along the longitudinal direction of the heating element 50, on the outer circumferential surface of the outer tube 45, and the thermal diffusion sheet 60 extends across the contact area 45a in a direction perpendicular to the longitudinal direction of the heating element 50. Therefore, since the thermal diffusion sheet 60 is arranged to cover the heating element 50, the heat generated by the heating element 50 can be efficiently diffused by the thermal diffusion sheet 60, and the housing can be further prevented from becoming locally hot.

In addition, in the area where the thermal diffusion sheet 60 is not provided between the inner housing 18 and the outer housing 11, the outer surface of the inner housing 18 and the inner surface of the outer housing 11 are in contact with each other. Therefore, the outer housing 11 can be securely fixed to the inner housing 18.

The inner housing 18 and the outer housing 11 are made of resin, for example. The thermal diffusion sheet 60 is made of graphite, for example. The ratio of the thermal conductivity RB of the thermal diffusion sheet 60 to the thermal conductivity RA, which is the larger of the thermal conductivity of the inner housing 18 and the thermal conductivity of the outer housing 11, is 875 to 20,000, preferably 2,750 to 15,000, and typically 6,500. The thermal diffusion sheet 60 is configured so that the temperature difference T1-T2 between the maximum temperature T1 of the outer surface of the heating element 50 and the maximum temperature T2 of the outer surface of the outer housing 11 is, for example, 17 degrees to 27 degrees. The thermal diffusion sheet 60 is arranged with respect to the heating element 50 and the outer housing 11 so that the maximum temperature T2 of the outer surface of the outer housing 11 is, for example, 43 degrees to 53 degrees. Therefore, the heat generated by the heat generating element 50 can be diffused by the heat diffusion sheet 60, and the housing can be prevented from becoming locally hot. Specifically, as a result of an experiment conducted by the inventors, in an environment with an ambient temperature of 25°C, when the surface temperature of the heat generating element 50 is about 70°C, the peak value of the surface temperature of the outer housing 11 at a position 2.5 mm away from the surface of the heat generating element 50 was about 48°C. In addition, when the heat diffusion sheet 60 is not used, the peak value of the surface temperature of the outer housing 11 at a position 2.5 mm away from the surface of the heat generating element 50 was about 60°C. In other words, it is possible to prevent the surface of the outer housing 11 from becoming locally hot. In addition, even if the heat diffusion sheet 60 is a conductive material, the structure in which the heat diffusion sheet 60 is sandwiched between the inner housing 18 and the outer housing 11, which are made of resin, can prevent the board from shorting out.

In addition, a recess 18a for providing a thermal diffusion sheet 60 is formed on at least one of the outer surface of the inner housing 18 and the inner surface of the outer housing 11. The depth of the recess 18a is configured to be equal to or greater than the thickness of the thermal diffusion sheet 60. Specifically, the ratio t/d of the thickness t of the thermal diffusion member to the depth d of the recess 18a is 0.9 or more and 1.0 or less. Therefore, the heat generated by the heating element 50 is diffused by the thermal diffusion sheet 60, preventing the housing from becoming locally hot, and preventing the inner housing 18 or the outer housing 11 from becoming thicker and the flavor inhaler 10 from becoming larger.

Although the embodiment of the present invention has been described above, the present invention is not limited to the above embodiment, 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 invention as long as it provides the functions and effects of the present invention.

Some of the forms disclosed in this specification are described below.

According to the first embodiment, a housing is provided that includes a first housing capable of housing a heat generating element, a second housing surrounding the first housing, and a heat diffusion member that is provided at least partially between the first housing and the second housing and has a higher thermal conductivity than the first housing and the second housing.

According to the second embodiment, in the housing of the first embodiment, the first housing and the second housing are made of resin.

According to the third embodiment, in the housing of the first or second embodiment, the heat diffusion member has a first surface that contacts the outer surface of the first housing and a second surface facing the opposite side to the first surface, and the second surface is spaced apart from the inner surface of the second housing.

According to the fourth form, in any of the housings of the first to third forms, in an area where no heat diffusion member is provided between the first and second housings, the outer surface of the first housing and the inner surface of the second housing are in contact with each other.

According to the fifth embodiment, in any of the housings of the first to fourth embodiments, at least one of the outer surface of the first housing and the inner surface of the second housing has a recess formed therein for providing a heat diffusion member.

According to the sixth aspect, in the housing of the fifth aspect, the depth of the recess is equal to or greater than the thickness of the heat diffusion member.

According to the seventh embodiment, in the housing of any one of the first to sixth embodiments, the heating element has a columnar shape, and the heat diffusion member covers the entire length of the heating element when viewed along the longitudinal direction of the heating element, and is provided over a range longer than the entire length of the heating element.

According to the eighth aspect, in any of the housings of the first to seventh aspects, the heat diffusion member is made of at least one of graphite, aluminum, and copper.

According to a ninth aspect, in the housing of the eighth aspect, the heat diffusion member is made of graphite,
A protective member is provided on the surface of the heat diffusion member facing the second housing.

According to the tenth embodiment, in any of the housings of the first to ninth embodiments, the ratio (RB/RA) of the thermal conductivity of the heat diffusion member (RB) to the larger thermal conductivity (RA) of the thermal conductivity of the first housing and the thermal conductivity of the second housing is 2500 or more and 16000 or less.

According to the eleventh embodiment, in any of the housings of the first to tenth embodiments, the heat diffusion member is configured so that the temperature difference (T1-T2) between the maximum temperature (T1) of the outer surface of the heating element and the maximum temperature (T2) of the outer surface of the second housing is 17 degrees or more and 27 degrees or less.

According to the twelfth embodiment, in any of the housings of the first to eleventh embodiments, the heat diffusion member is disposed relative to the heating element and the second housing such that the maximum temperature (T2) of the outer surface of the second housing is 43°C or higher and 53°C or lower.

According to the thirteenth aspect, a flavor inhaler having a housing of any one of the first to twelfth aspects is provided.

According to the 14th embodiment, in the flavor inhaler of the 13th embodiment, the heating element has an inner tube capable of accommodating a cylindrical smoking article, a heating member disposed on the outer circumferential surface of the inner tube and heating the smoking article from the outside in the radial direction, an outer tube disposed surrounding the inner tube and the heating member and forming the outer circumferential surface of the heating element, and a heat insulating material disposed in the cylindrical space between the inner tube and the outer tube.

According to the fifteenth embodiment, in the housing of the fourteenth embodiment, the outer tube includes a contact area on the outer circumferential surface of the outer tube with the inner surface of the first housing, which extends along the longitudinal direction of the heating element, and the heat diffusion member extends across the contact area in a direction perpendicular to the longitudinal direction of the heating element.

According to the 16th embodiment, in any one of the flavor inhalers from the 13th to the 15th embodiments, the inner surface of the second housing has a partial area facing the heat diffusion member, and the area corresponding to the partial area on the outer surface of the second housing is configured so that it can be held by the user in the hand.

REFERENCE SIGNS LIST 10: flavor inhaler 11: outer housing 18: inner housing 42: inner tube 43: heating member 44: aerogel 45: outer tube 50: heating element 60: heat diffusion sheet 60a: first surface 60b: second surface 61: graphite layer 62: double-sided adhesive paper 63: single-sided tape 11A: top housing 11B: bottom housing

Claims (16)

1. A flavor inhaler, comprising:
A heating element for heating the smoking article ;
A first housing capable of housing the heat generating element ;
a second housing surrounding the first housing;
a heat diffusion member provided at least partially between the first housing and the second housing,
The heating element is
an inner tube capable of accommodating a column-shaped smoking article;
a heating member disposed on an outer circumferential surface of the inner tube and configured to heat the smoking article from the outside in the radial direction;
In a region where the heat diffusion member is provided between the first housing and the second housing, the heat generating body, the heat diffusion member, an air layer, and the second housing are arranged in this order.
Flavor inhaler . The flavor inhaler according to claim 1,
The first housing and the second housing are made of resin.
Flavor inhaler . The flavor inhaler according to claim 1 or 2,
The heat diffusion member has a first surface in contact with an outer surface of the first housing and a second surface facing the opposite side to the first surface, and the second surface is spaced apart from an inner surface of the second housing.
Flavor inhaler . A flavor inhaler according to any one of claims 1 to 3,
In a region where the heat diffusion member is not provided between the first housing and the second housing, an outer surface of the first housing and an inner surface of the second housing are in contact with each other.
Flavor inhaler . A flavor inhaler according to any one of claims 1 to 4,
At least one of an outer surface of the first housing and an inner surface of the second housing has a recess formed therein for providing the heat diffusion member.
Flavor inhaler . The flavor inhaler according to claim 5,
The depth of the recess is equal to or greater than the thickness of the heat diffusion member.
Flavor inhaler . A flavor inhaler according to any one of claims 1 to 6,
The heating element has a columnar shape,
The heat diffusion member covers the entire length of the heat generating element when the heat generating element is viewed along the longitudinal direction of the heat generating element, and is provided over a range longer than the entire length of the heat generating element.
Flavor inhaler . A flavor inhaler according to any one of claims 1 to 7,
The heat diffusion member is made of at least one of graphite, aluminum, and copper.
Flavor inhaler . The flavor inhaler according to claim 8,
the heat diffusion member is made of graphite;
A protective member is provided on the surface of the heat diffusion member on the second housing side.
Flavor inhaler . A flavor inhaler according to any one of claims 1 to 9,
A ratio (RB/RA) of the thermal conductivity (RB) of the heat diffusion member to the thermal conductivity (RA), whichever is larger, of the thermal conductivity of the first housing and the thermal conductivity of the second housing is 2750 or more and 20000 or less.
Flavor inhaler . A flavor inhaler according to any one of claims 1 to 10,
The heat diffusion member is configured so that the temperature difference (T1-T2) between the maximum temperature (T1) of the outer surface of the heat generating element and the maximum temperature (T2) of the outer surface of the second housing is 17 degrees or more and 27 degrees or less.
Flavor inhaler . A flavor inhaler according to any one of claims 1 to 11,
The heat diffusion member is disposed with respect to the heating element and the second housing so that the maximum temperature (T2) of the outer surface of the second housing is 43 degrees or more and 53 degrees or less.
Flavor inhaler . A flavor inhaler according to any one of claims 1 to 12,
The heat diffusion member has a higher thermal conductivity than the first housing and the second housing.
Flavor inhaler. A flavor inhaler according to any one of claims 1 to 13 ,
The heating element is
an outer tube disposed around the inner tube and the heating element to define an outer circumferential surface of the heating element;
a heat insulating material disposed in a cylindrical space between the inner tube and the outer tube. The flavor inhaler according to claim 14,
the outer tube includes a contact area on an outer circumferential surface of the outer tube with an inner surface of the first housing, the contact area extending along a longitudinal direction of the heating element;
The heat diffusion member extends across the contact area in a direction perpendicular to a longitudinal direction of the heating element. A flavor inhaler according to any one of claims 1 to 15,
an inner surface of the second housing has a partial area facing the heat diffusion member;
A flavor inhaler, wherein a region of the outer surface of the second housing corresponding to the partial region is configured to be held by a user in his/her hand.

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