JP7614277B2 - Heating unit for flavor inhaler and flavor inhaler - Google Patents

Description

The present invention relates to a heating unit for a flavor inhaler and a flavor inhaler.

Conventionally, there is known a flavor inhaler for inhaling flavors and the like without burning a material. The flavor inhaler has, for example, a chamber that contains a flavor-generating article and a heater that heats the flavor-generating article contained in the chamber (see, for example, Patent Documents 1-3).

Special Publication No. 2001-521123 Patent No. 5963375 International Publication No. 2016/207407

According to a first aspect, a heating unit for a flavor inhaler is provided that heats a smokable substance to atomize the smokable substance. The heating unit for a flavor inhaler has an opening and a side surface surrounding the opening, and has a partition section that partitions a storage section that receives the smokable substance, a heating section that heats the partition section, a fixing section that fixes the heating section to the partition section, and a first insulating section that is disposed between the heating section and the fixing section. The smokable substance may be a solid smokable substance.

According to the first aspect, since the heating section is fixed to the partition section by the fixing section, the partition section and the heating section can be substantially integrated. At this time, since the first insulating section can reduce the effect of heat from the heating section to the fixing section, the fixing section can withstand use even under high-temperature heating. Therefore, according to the first aspect, an integrated heating unit for a flavor inhaler that is capable of high-temperature heating is provided. Such an integrated unit has high stability against impacts and vibrations, and may be advantageous for mass production of the unit itself as well as mass production of flavor inhalers incorporating the unit.

The heating section may be disposed on the outer surface of the partition section (opposite the storage section). The heating section may be, for example, a resistive heating section, and may heat the partition section by thermal conduction. The resistive heating section may have, for example, a heating element, which may be a heating track. The heating section may be a film heater. The film heater may have, for example, a structure in which a layer made of an electrically insulating material and a layer made of a heating track are stacked. Also, for example, the heating section may have a structure in which a layer made of a heating track is placed between two layers made of an electrically insulating material. The electrically insulating material may be, for example, polyimide, PEEK (polyether ether ketone), or a Teflon (registered trademark)-based fluororesin. Also, the heating track may be, for example, a metal such as stainless steel or copper. By using these materials for the electrically insulating material and the heating track, a flexible heating structure that is easy to manufacture and highly reliable can be obtained.

The heating section may have a first section located on the opposite side to the opening and a second section located on the opening side. The heater power density of the second section is preferably higher than the heater power density of the first section, or the heating rate of the second section is preferably higher than the heating rate of the first section, or the heating temperature of the second section is preferably higher than the heating temperature of the first section at any given time. The second section preferably covers an outer surface of the partition section that corresponds to at least half of the smokable material in the longitudinal direction of the smokable material when the smokable material is positioned at a desired position within the partition section. This makes it possible to reduce the time from starting the heating section until the first puff can be performed while suppressing energy consumption.

The maximum temperature of the temperature profile when the heating unit heats the smokable material is preferably selected from 250°C to 310°C, 250°C to 300°C, or 250°C to 290°C. Here, the temperature of the heating unit refers to the temperature of the location that generates heat to heat the smokable material, such as the temperature of the resistive heating unit or the temperature of the susceptor. By setting the maximum temperature of the temperature profile when the heating unit heats the smokable material to be within one of these temperature ranges, it is possible to rapidly heat the smokable material without damaging the device.

It is preferable that the first insulating part contacts the heating part and the fixed part. This allows the heating unit for the flavor inhaler to have a simpler and more stable structure than when the first insulating part does not contact either the heating part or the fixed part.

It is preferable that the heating section has a main surface parallel to the side surface of the partition section, and the first insulating section is arranged so as to extend along the main surface of the heating section. This allows the first insulating section to effectively insulate the heating section. Here, "parallel to the side surface of the partition section" includes being substantially parallel to the side surface of the partition section. It is also preferable that the first insulating section is arranged so as to cover the entire main surface of the heating section.

The partition wall thickness is preferably substantially uniform. This allows the entire partition to be heated more uniformly. This simplifies the structure of the partition and facilitates high-precision manufacturing. Here, uniform thickness includes substantially uniform thickness. The thickness of the partition is, for example, 0.04 mm or more and 1.00 mm or less, preferably 0.04 mm or more and 0.50 mm or less, and more preferably 0.05 mm or more and 0.10 mm or less.

The partition may have a cylindrical member with or without a bottom. The partition may have a bottom. Alternatively, the heating unit for a flavor inhaler may have an abutment inside or outside the partition against which a consumable having a smokable substance (hereinafter simply referred to as a consumable) inserted into the storage part of the partition abuts. The bottom or abutment preferably supports a part of the consumable so that at least a part of the end face of the consumable is exposed. The bottom or abutment of the partition may have a convex part or a groove part. The bottom or abutment of the partition may have a hole for taking air into the partition. The partition may be made of, for example, a metal with high thermal conductivity such as stainless steel, a heat-resistant resin, or paper. The partition may be, for example, a cylindrical container with a bottom or a cylindrical body without a bottom, and may be cylindrical or rectangular.

The partition may include a susceptor. In this case, the heating section includes a cylindrical induction coil surrounding the side of the partition, and the first heat insulating section is preferably magnetically permeable and non-conductive (electrically insulating). Here, "non-conductive" includes being substantially non-conductive. This provides an IH (induction heating) assembly with an integrated and stable structure.

The side of the partition may include a susceptor. This allows the partition to receive energy from the induction coil (magnetic lines of force generated around the induction coil) more efficiently than when only the bottom of the partition includes a susceptor. More specifically, the side of the partition may include a tubular susceptor surrounding the storage section and have a current path surrounding the storage section. This allows for an annular current path, which allows eddy currents to be generated efficiently. The side of the partition may also be made of a susceptor and have a current path surrounding the storage section. In this case, the side of the partition itself is made of a susceptor, allowing the partition to have a simple and inexpensive configuration.

As used herein, the term "susceptor" refers to a material capable of converting electromagnetic energy into heat and intended to heat a "smokable material." The susceptor is positioned so that heat can be transferred to the "smokable material." When the susceptor is positioned within a varying electromagnetic field, eddy currents induced within the susceptor and magnetic hysteresis losses within the susceptor cause the susceptor to heat.

The susceptor preferably contains at least one material selected from the group consisting of aluminum, iron, nickel, and alloys thereof (e.g., nichrome and stainless steel). The shape of the susceptor is arbitrary, and may be, for example, granular, rod-like, strip-like, tubular, or cylindrical. If the shape of the susceptor is tubular with a ring-shaped electrical flow path, eddy currents can be generated efficiently. Multiple susceptors of the same shape may be arranged in the partition, or susceptors of different shapes may be arranged.

In this specification, "having magnetic permeability" means that the relative magnetic permeability is greater than 1 and less than 1.000001. Examples of materials that are magnetically permeable and non-conductive (electrically insulating) include glass, plants, wood, paper, and resins such as PEEK.

The bottom of the compartment is preferably formed from a material that is magnetically permeable and non-conductive (electrically insulating). If the bottom of the compartment has a susceptor, there is a possibility that the tip of the smokable material may be locally overheated. Therefore, by forming the bottom of the compartment from the above material, induction heating does not occur at the bottom of the compartment, and the smokable material can be heated more uniformly from the side than when the bottom includes a susceptor.

In addition, the heating unit for the flavor inhaler preferably has a second insulating part between the partition part and the induction coil. In this case, the second insulating part may have magnetic permeability and non-conductivity (electrical insulation). Here, "having non-conductivity" includes having substantially non-conductivity. This provides an IH (induction heating) assembly with an integrated and stable structure. In addition, it has at least one of the following effects. The second insulating part reduces the transfer of heat from the susceptor to the sheath of the Litz wire that may constitute the induction coil. Since the second insulating part suppresses the transfer of heat from the susceptor to the induction coil, it is possible to make it difficult for heat to move from the accommodation part to the outside. It is possible to reduce overheating of the housing due to the heat of the susceptor. In addition, since the second insulating part has magnetic permeability and non-conductivity (electrical insulation), heat is unlikely to be generated in the second insulating part, and it is possible to efficiently heat the susceptor arranged inside the second insulating part by the magnetic field lines generated by the induction coil.

The first and second insulating sections have the same configuration. This allows the heating unit for the flavor inhaler to be simpler and less expensive than when the first and second insulating sections have different configurations. At least one of the first and second insulating sections may have a portion located between adjacent wires of the induction coil. That is, the first insulating section may have a portion located between adjacent wires of the induction coil, and the second insulating section may have a portion located between adjacent wires of the induction coil. This allows the position of the induction coil in the longitudinal direction to be fixed, enabling stable induction heating. Both the first and second insulating sections may have a portion located between adjacent wires of the induction coil. This allows the position of the induction coil in the longitudinal direction to be further fixed, enabling more stable induction heating.

The first and second insulating parts may form an integrated insulating part. This allows the insulating structure of the heating unit for the flavor inhaler to be simpler. The induction coil may be embedded in the integrated insulating part, or at least both the inside and outside of the induction coil may be partially covered with the integrated insulating part. This allows the position of the induction coil to be firmly fixed. The second insulating part may be in contact with both the partition part and the induction coil. This allows the heating unit for the flavor inhaler to have a more stable structure than when the second insulating part is not in contact with either the partition part or the induction coil.

At least one of the first insulating section and the second insulating section has air and a support section that maintains a predetermined distance between the heating section and the partition section when the heating section is fixed to the partition section, or limits the movement of the air contained in the first insulating section or the second insulating section, and has air between the support sections. That is, the first insulating section may have the above-mentioned support section and air provided between the support sections, the second insulating section may have the above-mentioned support section and air provided between the support sections, or the first insulating section and the second insulating section may have the above-mentioned support section and air provided between the support sections. This makes it possible to more effectively insulate the heat emitted from the resistance heating section, the susceptor, etc., for heating the smokable material. The thickness of at least one of the first insulating section and the second insulating section can be, for example, 0.10 mm or more and 3.00 mm or less, 0.30 mm or more and 1.50 mm or less, or 0.50 mm or more and 1.0 mm or less. That is, the thickness of the first heat insulating section may be 0.10 mm to 3.00 mm, 0.30 mm to 1.50 mm, or 0.50 mm to 1.0 mm, the thickness of the second heat insulating section may be 0.10 mm to 3.00 mm, 0.30 mm to 1.50 mm, or 0.50 mm to 1.0 mm, and the thicknesses of the first heat insulating section and the second heat insulating section may be 0.10 mm to 3.00 mm, 0.30 mm to 1.50 mm, or 0.50 mm to 1.0 mm. This makes it possible to reduce the space required for arranging the first heat insulating section or the second heat insulating section while maintaining the desired heat insulating performance. The thermal conductivity of at least one of the support sections of the first heat insulating section or the second heat insulating section is preferably 0.300 W/m/K or less, more preferably 0.100 W/m/K or less, and most preferably 0.050 W/m/K or less. That is, it can be said that the thermal conductivity of the support part of the first insulating part is preferably 0.300 W/m/K or less, more preferably 0.100 W/m/K or less, and most preferably 0.050 W/m/K or less, the thermal conductivity of the support part of the second insulating part is preferably 0.300 W/m/K or less, more preferably 0.100 W/m/K or less, and most preferably 0.050 W/m/K or less, and the thermal conductivity of the support parts of the first insulating part and the second insulating part is preferably 0.300 W/m/K or less, more preferably 0.100 W/m/K or less, and most preferably 0.050 W/m/K or less. This can reduce the thermal conductivity of the first insulating part or the second insulating part.

The thermal conductivity of at least one of the first and second insulating parts is preferably 0.050 W/m/K or less, more preferably 0.026 W/m/K or less, and most preferably 0.013 W/m/K or less. In other words, it can be said that the thermal conductivity of the first insulating part is preferably 0.050 W/m/K or less, more preferably 0.026 W/m/K or less, and most preferably 0.013 W/m/K or less, and that the thermal conductivity of the second insulating part is preferably 0.050 W/m/K or less, more preferably 0.026 W/m/K or less, and most preferably 0.013 W/m/K or less, and that the thermal conductivity of the first and second insulating parts is preferably 0.050 W/m/K or less, more preferably 0.026 W/m/K or less, and most preferably 0.013 W/m/K or less. This allows more effective insulation of the heat emitted from the resistance heating section or the susceptor, etc., for heating the smokable material. Note that the thermal conductivity of at least one of the first insulating section or the second insulating section can vary depending on, for example, the thickness of the first insulating section or the second insulating section, the thermal conductivity of the support section, the shape or volume of the support section, the volume of air provided between the support sections, etc.

At least one of the support parts of the first insulation part or the second insulation part may be, for example, a fiber, a nonwoven fabric, a woven cloth, a porous body, or the like. That is, the support part of the first insulation part may be a fiber, a nonwoven fabric, a woven cloth, a porous body, or the like, the support part of the second insulation part may be a fiber, a nonwoven fabric, a woven cloth, a porous body, or the like, and the support parts of the first insulation part and the second insulation part may be a fiber, a nonwoven fabric, a woven cloth, a porous body, or the like. In addition, at least one of the support parts of the first insulation part or the second insulation part may be made of any material that can exhibit the desired insulation performance, and may be made of, for example, ceramic, glass, aerogel, plant, wood, paper, or the like. That is, the support part of the first insulation part may be made of ceramic, glass, aerogel, plant, wood, paper, or the like, the support part of the second insulation part may be made of ceramic, glass, aerogel, plant, wood, paper, or the like, and the support parts of the first insulation part and the second insulation part may be made of ceramic, glass, aerogel, plant, wood, paper, or the like. At least one of the support parts of the first insulation part or the second insulation part is preferably flexible. That is, it can be said that the support part of the first insulation part is preferably flexible, the support part of the second insulation part is preferably flexible, and the support parts of the first insulation part and the second insulation part are preferably flexible. This makes it easy to assemble the first insulation part or the second insulation part, and it can be assembled to partition parts of various shapes. At least one of the support parts of the first insulation part or the second insulation part can be made of any material that can exhibit the desired insulation performance, and can be made of, for example, metal fibers, organic compound fibers, ceramic fibers such as glass fibers, sheet-shaped ceramic fibers such as sheet-shaped glass fibers, glass wool, Super Wool (registered trademark), rock wool, mineral wool, or the like. That is, the support part of the first heat insulating part may be composed of, for example, metal fiber, organic compound fiber, ceramic fiber such as glass fiber, sheet-shaped ceramic fiber such as sheet-shaped glass fiber, glass wool, Super Wool (registered trademark), rock wool, mineral wool, etc., the support part of the second heat insulating part may be composed of, for example, metal fiber, organic compound fiber, ceramic fiber such as glass fiber, sheet-shaped ceramic fiber such as sheet-shaped glass fiber, glass wool, Super Wool (registered trademark), rock wool, mineral wool, etc., and the support part of the first heat insulating part and the second heat insulating part may be composed of, for example, ceramic fiber such as glass fiber, sheet-shaped ceramic fiber such as sheet-shaped glass fiber, glass wool, Super Wool (registered trademark), rock wool, mineral wool, etc. Other examples of ceramic fibers include carbon fiber, alumina fiber, silicon carbide fiber, etc. Examples of materials constituting the fibers of metal fibers include those coated with metal or alloy with organic compound resin such as metal, alloy, plastic, etc., and those in which the core other than metal is completely covered with metal or alloy. Examples of metals constituting metals and alloys include aluminum, stainless steel, iron, etc. An example of an organic compound fiber is one made of a highly heat-resistant material such as PEEK in a fibrous form. If at least the support part is made of ceramic fibers such as glass fiber, it is expected to have the effect of reducing radiant heat transfer from areas that become hot due to the heat emitted from the resistance heating part or susceptor to heat the smokable material.

The air volume ratio of at least one of the first insulation section or the second insulation section is preferably 50% or more, more preferably 65% or more, and most preferably 80% or more. It is also preferably 95% or less. In other words, it can be said that the air volume ratio of the first insulation section is preferably 50% or more, more preferably 65% or more, most preferably 80% or more, and preferably 95% or less, and that the air volume ratio of the second insulation section is preferably 50% or more, more preferably 65% or more, most preferably 80% or more, and preferably 95% or less, and that the air volume ratio of the first insulation section and the second insulation section is preferably 50% or more, more preferably 65% or more, most preferably 80% or more, and preferably 95% or less. The "air volume ratio" refers to the ratio of the volume of air to the volume of the support section and air. By setting the air volume ratio within these value ranges, it becomes easier to obtain an appropriate compressive stress of the insulation section while maintaining higher insulation performance.

The compressive stress of at least one of the support parts of the first insulation part or the second insulation part is preferably 0.1 N/mm ² or more and 1.0 N/mm ² or less, more preferably 0.1 N/mm ² or more and 0.5 N/mm ² or less, and most preferably 0.1 N/mm ² or more and 0.3 N/mm ² or less. In other words, it can be said that the compressive stress of the support portion of the first insulation portion is preferably 0.1 N/mm ² or more and 1.0 N/mm ² or less, more preferably 0.1 N/mm ² or more and 0.5 N/mm ² or less, and most preferably 0.1 N/mm ² or more and 0.3 N/mm ² or less; the compressive stress of the second insulation portion is preferably 0.1 N/mm ² or more and 1.0 N/mm ² or less, more preferably 0.1 N/mm ² or more and 0.5 N/mm ² or less, and most preferably 0.1 N/mm ² or more and 0.3 N/mm ² or less; and the compressive stress of the first insulation portion and the second insulation portion is preferably 0.1 N/mm ² or more and 1.0 N/mm ² or less, more preferably 0.1 N/mm ² or more and 0.5 N/mm ² or less, and most preferably 0.1 N/mm ² or more and 0.3 N/mm ² or less. As a result, even when the first or second insulating section is fixed by, for example, pressure applied by the fixing section, changes in shape of the first or second insulating section can be suppressed, and a decrease in the insulating function caused by a decrease in the volume of air contained in the insulating section can be reduced. Also, an appropriate flexibility of the first or second insulating section can be maintained, improving the ease of arrangement of the first or second insulating section.

Furthermore, when at least one of the first insulation part or the second insulation part is a sheet, the compressive stress in the thickness direction of the insulation sheet is preferably 0.1 N/mm2 or ^more and 1.0 N/mm2 or ^less , more preferably 0.1 N/mm2 or ^more and 0.5 N/mm2 or ^less , and most preferably 0.1 N/ ^mm2 or more and 0.3 N/ ^mm2 or less. In other words, it can be said that the compressive stress in the thickness direction of the heat insulating sheet of the first heat insulating section is preferably 0.1 N/mm2 ^or more and 1.0 N/mm2 or ^less , more preferably 0.1 N/mm2 or ^more and 0.5 N/mm2 or ^less , and most preferably 0.1 N/ ^mm2 or more and 0.3 N/ ^mm2 or less; the compressive stress in the thickness direction of the heat insulating sheet of the second heat insulating section is preferably 0.1 N/mm2 or ^more and 1.0 N/mm2 or ^less , more preferably 0.1 N/ ^mm2 or more and 0.5 N/mm2 or ^less , and most preferably 0.1 N/ ^mm2 or more and 0.3 N/mm2 or ^less ; and the compressive stress in the thickness direction of the heat insulating sheets of the first heat insulating section and the second heat insulating section is preferably 0.1 N/mm2 ^or more and 1.0 N/mm2 or ^less , more preferably 0.1 N/mm2 or ^more and 0.5 N/mm2 or ^less , and most preferably 0.1 N/mm2 or more and 0.3 N/mm2 or ^less . It can be said that ² or less is most preferable. As a result, even when the first or second insulating section is fixed by, for example, pressure applied in the thickness direction of the insulating sheet by the fixing section, the change in shape of the first or second insulating section is suppressed, and the deterioration of the insulating function due to the reduction in the volume of air contained in the insulating section can be suppressed. In addition, the appropriate flexibility of the first or second insulating section is maintained, and the ease of arrangement of the first or second insulating section can be improved.

It is preferable that the density of the air provided between at least one of the support parts of the first insulation part or the second insulation part is uniform in the thickness direction of the first insulation part or the second insulation part. In other words, it can be said that the density of the air provided between the support parts of the first insulation part is preferably uniform in the thickness direction of the first insulation part, that the density of the air provided between the support parts of the second insulation part is preferably uniform in the thickness direction of the second insulation part, and that the density of the air provided between the support parts of the first insulation part and the second insulation part is preferably uniform in the thickness direction of the first insulation part or the second insulation part. This allows the first insulation part or the second insulation part to have more uniform insulation performance. Here, uniform includes being substantially uniform. The thickness direction of the first insulation part or the second insulation part can be said to be a direction perpendicular to the side of the partition part, a direction perpendicular to the longitudinal direction of the partition part, or a direction perpendicular to the insertion direction of the smokable material into the partition part.

The density of the air provided between at least one of the support parts of the first insulation part or the second insulation part is preferably uniform in the width direction of the first insulation part or the second insulation part. In other words, it can be said that the density of the air provided between the support parts of the first insulation part is preferably uniform in the width direction of the first insulation part, that the density of the air provided between the support parts of the second insulation part is preferably uniform in the width direction of the second insulation part, and that the density of the air provided between the support parts of the first insulation part and the second insulation part is preferably uniform in the width direction of the first insulation part or the second insulation part. This allows the first insulation part or the second insulation part to have more uniform insulation performance. Here, uniform includes being substantially uniform. The width direction of the first insulation part or the second insulation part can be said to be the direction parallel to the side of the partition part, the longitudinal direction of the partition part, or the insertion direction of the smokable material into the partition part.

The fixing part may be a biasing part that biases the heating part toward the partition part. The biasing part may be, for example, a ring or sheet that shrinks due to heat, or an elastic ring or elastic sheet made of rubber or the like. The biasing part is preferably configured to be heat-shrinkable. This allows the biasing part to fix the heating part more reliably, and assembly is also easy because the fixing part in an unshrinked state can be placed in a predetermined position and then the fixing part can be contracted to fix the heating part. It is preferable that the biasing part has a higher shrinkage rate in the circumferential direction of the partition part (which may be called the circumferential direction with the longitudinal direction of the partition part as the axis) than in the longitudinal direction of the partition part (which may be called the insertion direction of the smokable material into the partition part) when covering the partition part and the heating part. It is even more preferable that the biasing part heat-shrinks only in the circumferential direction of the partition part. Since the biasing part does not heat-shrink in the longitudinal direction of the partition part, the range in the longitudinal direction of the partition part where the fixing part can be fixed is not reduced, and the heating part can be fixed more reliably. The heat resistance temperature of the biasing part may be selected from, for example, 150°C to 300°C, 150°C to 270°C, or 150°C to 230°C, taking into consideration the flexibility of the biasing part (a material with a heat resistance temperature that is too high may become ceramic, etc., and problems may arise in terms of flexibility).

The biasing portion may be a sheet member or a string member (which may be wound into a ring shape). The biasing portion may be made of at least one material selected from the group consisting of polyester, polyurethane, nylon, polyvinyl formal, polyvinyl butyral, polyimide (PI), polypropylene (PP), polyethylene terephthalate (PET), gelatin, and polysaccharides. The biasing portion is preferably made of polyimide.

The flavor inhaler heating unit may further have an electromagnetic shield between the fixed part and the induction coil. The electromagnetic shield may include, for example, Ni-Zi ferrite.

The induction coil may be made of a single wire, but may be a helical Litz wire from the viewpoint of effective heat generation. The Litz wire has a core made of metal and a sheath portion made of an electrical insulator covering the core. The single wire or the core of the Litz wire preferably contains at least one material selected from the group consisting of copper, aluminum, nickel, silver, gold, and alloys thereof such as stainless steel. The sheath portion of the Litz wire may be, for example, polyimide or polyester. The heat resistance temperature of the sheath portion may be selected from, for example, 150°C to 300°C, 150°C to 270°C, or 150°C to 230°C, taking into consideration the flexibility of the sheath portion (a member with a heat resistance temperature that is too high may become ceramic or the like, which may cause problems in terms of flexibility).

The induction coil may be wound in a helical (three-dimensional helix) or spiral (two-dimensional vortex) shape. The shape of the induction coil may be cylindrical (a bent helical or spiral coil) or planar. The induction coil may be adjacent to the partition, may surround the partition, or may protrude into the partition, but by arranging it to surround the partition, energy can be efficiently supplied to the heat-generating part of the partition. There may be one or more induction coils. As an example of a configuration surrounding the partition, the induction coil may be configured in a helical shape to surround the partition, may be configured by bending a spiral coil to surround the partition, or may have multiple planar coils surrounding the partition, but by configuring it in a helical shape to surround the partition, it is possible to have a simple configuration and reduce manufacturing costs.

The frequency applied to the induction coil may be about 80 kHz to 500 kHz, preferably about 150 kHz to 250 kHz, and more preferably 190 kHz to 210 kHz. Alternatively, the frequency applied to the induction coil may be 1 MHz to 30 MHz, preferably 2 MHz to 10 MHz, and more preferably 5 MHz to 7 MHz. These frequencies may be determined taking into account the properties of the susceptor, such as the material and shape.

The flavor inhaler heating unit may be configured to operate in a fluctuating electromagnetic field having a magnetic flux density of at most about 0.5 Tesla (T) to 2.0 Tesla (T).

The solid smokable material may be wrapped in a first wrapping paper that is breathable. The first wrapping paper may be provided with a lid that is breathable and prevents the smokable material from falling out. The lid may be attached to the first wrapping paper with glue, or may be fixed to the first wrapping paper by friction. The lid may be, for example, a paper filter or an acetate filter. The consumable may have a tubular member. The tubular member may be a paper tube or a hollow filter.

The hollow filter may be composed of a packed bed having one or more hollow channels and a plug wrapper covering the packed bed. The packed bed has a high fiber packing density, so that when inhaled, air or aerosol flows only through the hollow channels and hardly at all within the packed bed. The hollow filter may have a mouthpiece composed of adjacent filter sections, etc.

The longitudinal length of the solid smokable material 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 solid smokable material is preferably 15 mm to 25 mm, more preferably 17 mm to 24 mm, and even more preferably 20 mm to 23 mm. The length of the solid smokable material may be 12 mm to 22 mm, the length of the first cigarette paper may be 12 mm to 22 mm, the length of the hollow filter portion may be 7 mm to 26 mm, and the length of the filter portion may be 6 mm to 20 mm.

The smokable material contained in the consumable 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 components 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 solid smokable material (% by weight relative to the total weight of the smokable material) is not particularly limited, but from the viewpoint of generating sufficient aerosol and imparting a good smoking flavor, it 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.

As the solid smokable substance, tobacco such as lamina or rib may be used as a flavor source, or other known plants. The shape of the flavor source such as tobacco may be shredded, sheet-like, string-like, powdered, granular, pellet-like, slurry-like, or porous. The range of the content of the smokable substance such as tobacco in the consumable product is, for example, 200 mg to 400 mg, and preferably 250 mg to 320 mg, when the size of the smokable substance is 20 mm to 23 mm in circumference and 18 mm to 22 mm in length. The moisture content (weight % relative to the weight of the entire smokable substance) of the smokable substance containing tobacco as a flavor source 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 production. There are no particular restrictions on the size of the tobacco shreds used as an example of the smokable substance and the method of preparing it. For example, dried tobacco leaves chopped to a width of 0.8 mm to 1.2 mm may be used. Dried tobacco leaves may be crushed to an average particle size of about 20 μm to 200 μm, homogenized, processed into a sheet, and chopped to a width of 0.8 mm to 1.2 mm. The above-mentioned sheet processed product may be gathered without being chopped and used as the smokable substance. The smokable substance may be liquid, and the liquid may have viscosity. In this case, the smokable substance may be mostly made up of the aerosol source. The content of the aerosol source in the liquid smokable substance (weight % relative to the weight of the entire smokable substance) may be 80% by weight or more, 90% by weight or more, or 95% by weight or more. The smokable substance may contain one or more flavorings. The type of flavoring is not particularly limited, but menthol is preferable from the viewpoint of imparting a good smoking taste.

The consumable may have a second cigarette paper different from the first cigarette paper, which wraps at least one of the tubular member, the hollow filter portion, and the filter portion. The second cigarette paper may wrap a portion of the first cigarette paper which wraps the smokable material. The first cigarette paper and the second cigarette paper of the consumable may be made from base paper having a basis weight of, for example, 20 gsm to 65 gsm. The thickness of the first cigarette paper and the second cigarette paper is not particularly limited, but is preferably 10 μm to 100 μm from the viewpoints of rigidity, breathability, and ease of adjustment during papermaking.

The first and second cigarette papers for consumables 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 and second cigarette papers. For the preferred basis weight range (25 gsm to 45 gsm), the filler is preferably 15% by weight to 45% by weight. Examples of fillers 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 consumables, and can permanently maintain its whiteness. By containing a large amount of such a filler, for example, the ISO whiteness of the cigarette paper can be 83% or more. In addition, from the viewpoint of practical use as cigarette paper for consumables, the first and second cigarette papers preferably have a tensile strength of 8 N/15 mm or more. This tensile strength can be increased by reducing the content of the filler. Specifically, the tensile strength can be increased by reducing the filler content below the upper limit of the filler content shown for each basis weight range exemplified above.

Note that the features of other aspects may be combined or applied to the first aspect as long as the action or effect of the first aspect is not impaired.

According to the second aspect, a flavor inhaler is provided. The flavor inhaler has the flavor inhaler heating unit described above and an external insulation part. The external insulation part is disposed between the fixed part and the housing. As a result, the flavor inhaler has the first insulation part of the flavor inhaler heating unit and the external insulation part, and therefore the heating efficiency of the smokable substance can be improved and the temperature rise of the housing can be suppressed. In other words, the first insulation part keeps the partition warm in a position where the space is relatively small and close to the heating part, and the external insulation part reduces overheating of the outer surface of the housing in a position where the space is relatively large and far from the heating part.

The flavor inhaler is preferably a portable device or a handheld device. In addition, the outer insulation section is preferably thicker than the first insulation section. This can improve the insulating effect. Note that the thickness here refers to the thickness in a direction perpendicular to the side surface of the partition section. The outer insulation section is disposed so as to cover at least the entire main surface of the first insulation section. This can improve the insulating effect.

The external insulation part may include, for example, a case that defines an internal space. The case may be made of, for example, a metal such as stainless steel, or a synthetic resin such as plastic. The internal space may be, for example, evacuated or filled with an insulating material such as aerogel. In particular, when the aerogel insulation material is combined with a first insulation part such as a ceramic fiber such as glass fiber, the first insulation part can reduce the radiant heat from the heating part before it reaches the aerogel insulation material that is the external insulation part, so that even an aerogel insulation material with low insulating performance against radiant heat can effectively contribute to insulation. In this case, the emissivity of the first insulation part is preferably 0.7 or more, and more preferably 0.9 or more. By selecting the emissivity from the above range, the transmittance is reduced, so that the radiant heat transfer from the part where the heat for heating the smokable substance with the highest temperature in the flavor inhaler is generated can be effectively suppressed. In other words, by combining an external insulation part made of an insulation material such as an aerogel insulation material with low insulating performance against radiant heat with a first insulation part with an emissivity of preferably 0.7 or more, more preferably 0.9 or more, a synergistic insulating effect that complements each other can be expected.

In addition, the features of the other aspects may be combined or applied to the second aspect as long as they do not impair the action or effect of the second aspect.

According to the third aspect, a flavor inhaler is provided that heats a smokable substance to atomize the smokable substance. The flavor inhaler has a partition having an opening and a side surface surrounding the opening, a heating section that heats the partition, a housing that accommodates the partition and the heating section, an insulating section disposed between the side surface of the partition and the housing, and an external insulating section disposed between the insulating section and the housing. The smokable substance may be a solid smokable substance. As a result, since the flavor inhaler has an insulating section and an external insulating section, it is possible to improve the heating efficiency of the smokable substance and suppress the temperature rise of the housing. In other words, the insulating section keeps the partition warm in a position where the space is relatively small and close to the heating section, and the external insulating section reduces overheating of the outer surface of the housing in a position where the space is relatively large and far from the heating section.

If the shortest distance between the outer surface of the partition and the inner surface of the housing is A, it is preferable that the insulating section is positioned within a range of A/5, preferably A/10, and more preferably A/20 from the outer surface of the partition. This allows the partition to be efficiently kept warm.

If the shortest distance between the outer surface of the partition and the inner surface of the housing is A, it is preferable that the external insulation section is positioned at a distance of 5A/6 or more, preferably 4A/6 or more, and more preferably 3A/6 or more from the outer surface of the partition. This makes it possible to more efficiently prevent overheating of the outer surface of the housing.

In addition, the features of the other aspects may be combined or applied to the third aspect as long as the action and effect of the third aspect is not impaired.

According to a fourth aspect, a heating unit for a flavor inhaler is provided that heats a smokable substance to atomize the smokable substance. The heating unit for a flavor inhaler has an opening and a side surface surrounding the opening, and has a partition section that partitions a storage section that receives the smokable substance, a heating section that heats the partition section, and a second insulating section disposed between the partition section and the heating section. The partition section includes a susceptor. The heating section is a cylindrical induction coil that surrounds the side surface of the partition section. The second insulating section is magnetically permeable and non-conductive (electrically insulating). The smokable substance may be a solid smokable substance. Here, "non-conductive" includes substantially non-conductive.

According to the fourth aspect, an IH (induction heating) assembly with an integrated and stable structure is provided. In addition, the second insulation part reduces the transfer of heat from the susceptor to the sheath of the Litz wire that may constitute the induction coil. Furthermore, since the second insulation part suppresses the transfer of heat from the susceptor to the induction coil, the heat from the susceptor is reduced from being absorbed by the induction coil, and as a result, it is possible to reduce the transfer of heat from the housing part to the outside. Similarly, it is possible to reduce overheating of the housing due to the heat from the susceptor. Since the second insulation part is magnetically permeable and non-conductive (electrically insulating), heat is less likely to be generated in the second insulation part, and it is possible to efficiently heat the susceptor placed inside the second insulation part by the magnetic lines of force generated by the induction coil.

In addition, the features of the other aspects may be combined or applied to the fourth aspect as long as the action and effect of the fourth aspect is not impaired.

According to a fifth aspect, a heating unit for a flavor inhaler is provided that heats a smokable substance to atomize the smokable substance. The heating unit for a flavor inhaler has an opening and a side surface surrounding the opening, and includes a partition section that partitions a storage section that receives the smokable substance, a heating section that heats the partition section, and a second insulating section disposed between the partition section and the heating section. The second insulating section is magnetically permeable and non-conductive (electrically insulating). The partition section includes a susceptor. The heating section is a cylindrical induction coil that surrounds the side surface of the partition section. The second insulating section is magnetically permeable and non-conductive (electrically insulating). Here, "non-conductive" includes being substantially non-conductive. The smokable substance may be a solid smokable substance.

According to the fifth aspect, the partition is inductively heated by the heating section, but the second insulating section can reduce the transfer of heat from the partition to the heating section. In addition, in the fifth aspect, the heating unit for the flavor inhaler may have an external insulating section as necessary. This can reduce the temperature rise of the housing. In addition, in the fifth aspect, the heating unit for the flavor inhaler may have an electromagnetic shield as necessary.

In addition, the features of the other aspects may be combined or applied to the fifth aspect as long as they do not impair the action or effect of the fifth aspect.

According to a sixth aspect, a heating unit for a flavor inhaler is provided that heats a smokable substance to atomize the smokable substance. The heating unit for a flavor inhaler has an opening and a side surface surrounding the opening, and has a partition section that partitions a storage section that receives the smokable substance, a heating section that heats a susceptor placed in the storage section, and a fixing section that fixes the heating section to the partition section. The partition section is magnetically permeable and non-conductive (electrically insulating). The heating section is a cylindrical induction coil that surrounds the side surface of the partition section. The smokable substance may be a solid smokable substance. The partition section may be made of a resin material such as PEEK.

According to the sixth aspect, an IH (induction heating) assembly having an integrated and stable structure is provided. In addition, since the heating section is configured to heat the susceptor placed in the housing section, the heat emitted from the susceptor from the housing section can be reduced.

In addition, the features of the other aspects may be combined or applied to the sixth aspect as long as they do not impair the action or effect of the sixth aspect.

FIG. 1 is a schematic cross-sectional view showing a flavor inhaler according to a first embodiment. FIG. 4 is a schematic cross-sectional view of a first heat insulating section. FIG. 2 is a schematic cross-sectional view of the external insulation part. FIG. 11 is a schematic cross-sectional view showing another example of the heating unit for a flavor inhaler in the first embodiment. FIG. 11 is a schematic cross-sectional view of a flavor inhaler according to a second embodiment. FIG. 4 is an enlarged partial cross-sectional view of a first insulating section and a second insulating section. FIG. 11 is a schematic cross-sectional view showing another example of the heating unit for a flavor inhaler of the second embodiment. FIG. 11 is a diagram showing another example of the flavor inhaler according to the second embodiment. FIG. 11 is a diagram showing yet another example of the flavor inhaler according to the second embodiment. FIG. 11 is a schematic cross-sectional view of a flavor inhaler according to a third embodiment.

First Embodiment
Hereinafter, an embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings. In the drawings described below, the same or corresponding components are denoted by the same reference numerals, and duplicated description will be omitted. Fig. 1 is a schematic cross-sectional view showing a flavor inhaler 100 according to a first embodiment. The flavor inhaler 100 is preferably a portable device or a handheld device. As shown in Fig. 1, the flavor inhaler 100 has a battery 10, a PCB (Printed Circuit Board) 20, a flavor inhaler heating unit 40, and a housing 102.

The flavor inhaler heating unit 40 is configured to heat a solid smokable material 30 to atomize the smokable material. The smokable material 30 constitutes a part of a consumable item 31 having a columnar shape extending, for example, along the longitudinal direction. The consumable item 31 may be, for example, a tobacco stick in which the smokable material includes tobacco. The battery 10 stores power used by the flavor inhaler 100. For example, the battery 10 is a lithium ion battery. The battery 10 may be rechargeable by an external power source.

The PCB 20 is composed of a CPU, memory, etc., and controls the operation of the flavor inhaler 100. For example, the PCB 20 starts heating the smokable material 30 in response to a user's operation on an input device such as a push button or slide switch (not shown), and stops heating the smokable material 30 after a certain period of time has elapsed. If the number of puffs by the user exceeds a certain value, the PCB 20 may stop heating the smokable material 30 even before the certain period of time has elapsed since the start of heating the smokable material 30. For example, the puffing is detected by a sensor (not shown).

Alternatively, the PCB 20 may start heating the smokable material 30 in response to the start of a puffing action, and may end heating the smokable material 30 in response to the end of the puffing action. The PCB 20 may end heating the smokable material 30 even before the end of the puffing action, if a certain amount of time has elapsed since the start of the puffing action. In this embodiment, the PCB 20 is disposed between the battery 10 and the flavor inhaler heating unit 40.

In the illustrated example, the flavor inhaler 100 is configured to receive stick-shaped smokable material 30. Also, as illustrated, the battery 10, PCB 20, and flavor inhaler heating unit 40 may be arranged in a lateral direction, i.e., perpendicular to the direction in which the smokable material 30 is inserted into the flavor inhaler 100. The housing 102 is a housing that contains the battery 10, PCB 20, and flavor inhaler heating unit 40.

The heating unit 40 for a flavor inhaler has a partition section 50, a heating section 60, a first insulating section 70, and a fixing section 80. As shown in the figure, the heating section 60 is disposed on the outer surface of the partition section 50, and the first insulating section 70 is disposed between the heating section 60 and the fixing section 80. When assembling the heating unit 40 for a flavor inhaler, first, the heating section 60 is wrapped around the outer surface of the partition section 50, and the first insulating section 70 is then wrapped around the outside of the heating section 60. Next, the fixing section 80 is wrapped around the outer surface of the heating section 60.

The partition 50 has an opening 51 and a side surface 52 surrounding the opening 51, and defines a storage section 53 that receives the smokable material 30. In the illustrated example, the partition 50 is a tubular member having a bottom 55. The bottom 55 preferably supports the smokable material 30 such that at least a portion of the end face of the smokable material 30 is exposed. In the illustrated example, the bottom 55 is provided with a hole 54 for introducing air into the storage section 53, and a portion of the end face of the smokable material 30 is exposed. The hole 54 communicates with an air flow path 102a formed in the housing 102, and the air flow path 102a communicates with the outside of the housing 102. The partition 50 of the first embodiment may be made of a metal with high thermal conductivity, such as stainless steel.

The heating section 60 is configured to heat the partition section 50. The heating section 60 is, for example, a resistive heating section, and can heat the partition section 50 by thermal conduction. In the first embodiment, the heating section 60 is a film heater. Specifically, the heating section 60 may have a structure in which an insulating layer 61 made of an electrically insulating material and a heating layer 62 made of a heating track are stacked. The heating section 60 may be composed of only a heating track. The insulating layer 61 is arranged to cover at least one side of the heating section 60, and preferably to cover both sides of the heating section 60.

The first insulating section 70 is arranged so as to contact both the heating section 60 and the fixing section 80. FIG. 2 is a schematic cross-sectional view of the first insulating section 70. As shown in FIG. 2, the first insulating section 70 can have a support section 71 that maintains a predetermined distance between the heating section 60 and the partition section 50 when the heating section 60 is fixed to the partition section 50, and air 72 provided between the support section 71. That is, the first insulating section 70 can have a support section 71 having an air layer therein. In addition, it is preferable that the support section 71 of the first insulating section 70 has flexibility. Specifically, for example, the support section 71 of the first insulating section 70 can be made of glass fiber, and can further be a sheet-like glass fiber.

It is preferable that the density of the air 72 provided between the support parts 71 of the first insulation part 70 is uniform in the thickness direction of the first insulation part 70. It is also preferable that the density of the air 72 provided between the support parts 71 of the first insulation part 70 is uniform in the width direction of the first insulation part 70.

As shown in FIG. 1, the heating section 60 has a main surface parallel to the side surface 52 of the partition section 50, and the first insulating section 70 is preferably arranged to extend along the main surface of the heating section 60. More preferably, the first insulating section 70 covers the entire heating section 60 in the longitudinal direction of the partition section 50 (the direction of insertion of the smokable material 30). Also, the first insulating section 70 is preferably arranged to cover the entire main surface of the heating section 60 along the longitudinal direction of the partition section 50 in a direction perpendicular to the side surface 52 of the partition section 50. Also, the first insulating section 70 is preferably arranged to cover the main surface of the heating section 60 along the entire circumferential direction of the partition section 50. Therefore, it is most preferable that the first insulating section 70 is arranged to cover the entire main surface of the heating section 60.

The fixing part 80 is configured to fix the heating part 60 to the partition part 50. This allows the heating part 60 to be fixed in almost intimate contact with the outer surface of the partition part 50, further improving the heating efficiency and stabilizing the structure around the chamber 50. The fixing part 80 may be a biasing part 80 that biases the heating part 60 toward the partition part 50. The biasing part 80 may be, for example, a ring or sheet that shrinks due to heat, or an elastic ring or elastic sheet made of rubber or the like. The biasing part 80 is preferably configured to be thermally contractible. It is preferable that the biasing part 80 has a higher shrinkage rate in the circumferential direction of the partition part 50 than in the longitudinal direction when covering the partition part 50 and the heating part 60. It is even more preferable that the biasing part 80 is thermally contractible only in the circumferential direction of the partition part 50.

In the first embodiment, the biasing portion 80 may be a sheet member. The biasing portion 80 is preferably made of polyimide.

In the first embodiment, a first insulating section 70 is provided between the fixing section 80 and the heating section 60, so that it is possible to suppress the transfer of heat from the heating section 60 to the fixing section 80. This makes it possible to raise the temperature of the heating section 60 higher than in the past and heat the smokable material 30 to a higher temperature, which can contribute to an increase in the amount of aerosol generated and an improvement in flavor, etc.

As shown in FIG. 1, the flavor inhaler 100 according to the first embodiment may further have an external insulation part 85. The external insulation part 85 is disposed between the fixed part 80 and the housing 102. Thus, the flavor inhaler 100 has the first insulation part 70 of the flavor inhaler heating unit 40 and the external insulation part 85. This improves the heating efficiency of the smokable substance 30 and suppresses the temperature rise of the housing 102. In other words, the first insulation part 70 keeps the partition part 50 warm at a position where the space is relatively small and close to the heating part 60, and the external insulation part 85 suppresses overheating of the outer surface of the housing 102, the PCB 20, and the battery 10 at a position where the space is relatively large and far from the heating part 60.

The external insulation section 85 is preferably thicker than the first insulation section 70. The external insulation section 85 is preferably arranged so as to cover the entire main surface of the first insulation section 70 that is parallel to the side surface 52 of the partition section 50 in the direction perpendicular to the side surface 52 of the partition section 50 along the longitudinal direction of the partition section 50. The external insulation section 85 is preferably arranged so as to cover the first insulation section 70 along the entire circumferential direction of the partition section 50.

Figure 3 is a schematic cross-sectional view of the external insulation unit 85. As shown in Figure 3, the external insulation unit 85 may include a case 86 that defines an internal space 87. The case 86 may be made of, for example, a metal such as stainless steel, or a synthetic resin such as plastic. The internal space 87 may be, for example, evacuated or filled with an insulating material such as aerogel.

In FIG. 1, if the shortest distance between the outer surface of the partition 50 and the inner surface of the housing 102 is A, then it is preferable that the first insulating section 70 is disposed within a range of A/5, preferably A/10, and more preferably A/20 from the outer surface of the partition 50. In other words, if the distance between the outer surface of the partition 50 and the outer surface of the first insulating section 70 is L1, then L1 is A/5 or less, preferably A/10 or less, and more preferably A/20 or less. This allows the partition 50 to be efficiently kept warm.

Furthermore, it is preferable that the external insulation section 85 is positioned at a distance of 5A/6 or more, preferably 4A/6 or more, and more preferably 3A/6 or more from the outer surface of the partition section 50. In other words, when the distance between the outer surface of the partition section 50 and the inner surface of the external insulation section 85 is L2, L2 is 5A/6 or more, preferably 4A/6 or more, and more preferably 3A/6 or more. This makes it possible to more efficiently prevent overheating of the outer surface of the housing 102.

Figure 4 is a schematic cross-sectional view showing another example of the flavor inhaler heating unit 40 in the first embodiment. In the flavor inhaler heating unit 40 shown in Figure 1, the first insulating part 70 and the fixing part 80 are arranged only at the position corresponding to the main surface of the heating part 60. In contrast, in the example shown in Figure 4, the first insulating part 70 also covers the end face of the heating part 60. That is, in the longitudinal direction of the partitioning part 50, the first insulating part 70 is longer than the heating part 60 and covers both ends of the heating part 60. This makes it possible to insulate the heat from the heating part 60 more efficiently. In addition, as shown in Figure 4, the fixing part 80 may also cover the end faces of the first insulating part 70 and the heating part 60. That is, in the longitudinal direction of the partitioning part 50, the fixing part 80 is longer than the first insulating part 70 and the heating part 60 and covers both ends of the first insulating part 70 and the heating part 60. This allows the fixing part 80 to more reliably fix the heating part 60 to the partition part 50.

Second Embodiment
Next, a flavor inhaler 100 according to a second embodiment will be described. Fig. 5 is a schematic cross-sectional view of the flavor inhaler 100 according to the second embodiment. The flavor inhaler 100 according to the second embodiment has a different configuration of the flavor inhaler heating unit 40 compared to the flavor inhaler 100 according to the first embodiment.

In the second embodiment, the heating unit 40 for the flavor inhaler has a partition section 50, a second insulating section 73, a heating section 60, a first insulating section 70, an electromagnetic shield 88, and a fixing section 80.

The heating section 60 of the second embodiment has a substantially cylindrical induction coil surrounding the side surface 52 of the partition section 50. The partition section 50 may also include a susceptor. The susceptor may be disposed on the outer or inner surface of the partition section 50, or may be included in the side surface 52 that constitutes the partition section 50. In the illustrated example, the susceptor may be made of a metal such as stainless steel so that the side surface 52 of the partition section 50 is inductively heated by the heating section 60. This allows the partition section 50 to receive energy (magnetic lines of force generated around the induction coil) from the heating section 60 more efficiently than when only the bottom 55 of the partition section 50 includes a susceptor. More specifically, the side surface 52 of the partition section 50 includes a tubular susceptor that surrounds the storage section 53, and has a current path that surrounds the storage section 53. This allows eddy currents to be generated efficiently because of the annular current path.

In addition, in this embodiment, the bottom 55 of the partition 50 may be formed of a synthetic resin such as PEEK that is magnetically permeable and non-conductive (electrically insulating). If the bottom 55 of the partition 50 has a susceptor, the tip of the smokable material 30 may be locally overheated. Therefore, since the bottom 55 of the partition 50 is formed of a material that is magnetically permeable and non-conductive, induction heating does not occur at the bottom 55 of the partition 50, and the smokable material 30 can be heated more uniformly from the side than when the bottom 55 includes a susceptor.

The first heat insulating section 70 is preferably magnetically permeable and non-conductive (electrically insulating). The first heat insulating section 70 can protect the electromagnetic shield 88 and the fixed section 80 from the heat of the partition section 50. The second heat insulating section 73 can be magnetically permeable and non-conductive (electrically insulating). This provides an IH (induction heating) assembly having a stable configuration in which the components necessary for heating are arranged in layers around the partition section as an axis, and in which the components necessary for heating are integrated. Such a configuration may be advantageous for mass production of the IH assembly itself, as well as for mass production of a flavor inhaler incorporating the IH assembly. In addition, it has at least one of the following effects. The sheath of the Litz wire that can constitute the induction coil of the heating section 60 can be protected from the heat of the susceptor (side surface 52 of the partition section 50) by the second heat insulating section 73. The second insulating section 73 prevents heat from the susceptor (side surface 52 of the partition section 50) from being transferred to the induction coil of the heating section 60, making it difficult for heat to move from the storage section 53 to the outside. This prevents the housing 102 from being overheated by the heat from the susceptor (side surface 52 of the partition section 50).

The first insulating section 70 and the second insulating section 73 have the same configuration. This makes it possible to make the heating unit 40 for the flavor inhaler simpler and less expensive than when the first insulating section 70 and the second insulating section 73 have different configurations. FIG. 6 is an enlarged partial cross-sectional view of the first insulating section 70 and the second insulating section 73. As shown in FIG. 6, at least one of the first insulating section 70 and the second insulating section 73 may have a portion 70a, 73a located between adjacent wires of the induction coil of the heating section 60. This allows the position of the induction coil in the longitudinal direction to be fixed, enabling stable induction heating. Both the first insulating section 70 and the second insulating section 73 may have a portion 70a, 73a located between adjacent wires of the induction coil. This allows the position of the induction coil in the longitudinal direction to be further fixed, enabling more stable induction heating.

Figure 7 is a schematic cross-sectional view showing another example of the heating unit 40 for a flavor inhaler of the second embodiment. As shown in Figure 7, the first insulating section 70 and the second insulating section 73 may form an integrated insulating section 75. This allows the insulating structure of the heating unit 40 for a flavor inhaler to be simpler. In this case, the induction coil of the heating section 60 may be embedded in the integrated insulating section 75, or at least both the inner and outer sides of the induction coil may be partially covered with the integrated insulating section 75. This allows the position of the induction coil to be firmly fixed.

In the second embodiment, the second insulating section 73 may be in contact with both the partition section 50 and the induction coil of the heating section 60. This allows the heating unit 40 for the flavor inhaler to have a more stable structure than when the second insulating section 73 is not in contact with either the partition section 50 or the induction coil.

As shown in FIG. 2 in the first embodiment, the second insulating section 73 may have support portions and air provided between the support portions, similar to the first insulating section 70. This allows for more effective insulation against heat from the susceptor (side surface 52 of partition section 50). In addition, it is preferable that the support portion of the second insulating section 73 is flexible. This makes it easier to assemble the second insulating section 73, and allows it to be attached to partition sections 50 of various shapes. Specifically, for example, the support portion of the second insulating section 73 may be made of glass fiber.

It is preferable that the density of the air provided between the support parts of the second insulating part 73 is uniform in the thickness direction of the second insulating part 73. It is also preferable that the density of the air provided between the support parts of the second insulating part 73 is uniform in the width direction of the second insulating part 73.

As shown in FIG. 5, the induction coil of the heating section 60 may be arranged to surround the partition section 50. The induction coil of the heating section 60 may be composed of a single wire, but may also be a helical Litz wire from the viewpoint of effective heat generation.

The induction coil of the heating unit 60 may be wound in a helical (three-dimensional helical) or spiral (two-dimensional vortex) shape. The shape of the induction coil may be cylindrical (a bent helical coil or spiral coil) or flat. The induction coil may be adjacent to the partition 50, may surround the partition 50, or may protrude into the interior of the partition 50, but by arranging it so as to surround the partition 50, energy can be efficiently supplied to the heat generating portion of the partition 50. There may be one or more induction coils. As an example of a configuration surrounding the partition 50, the induction coil may be configured in a helical shape to surround the partition 50, may be configured by bending a spiral coil to surround the partition 50, or may have multiple planar coils surrounding the partition 50, but by configuring it in a helical shape to surround the partition 50, it is possible to have a simple configuration and reduce manufacturing costs.

The electromagnetic shield 88 disposed between the fixed part 80 and the induction coil of the heating part 60 may include, for example, Ni-Zi ferrite.

According to the flavor inhaler 100 of the second embodiment shown in FIG. 5 or FIG. 7 described above, the heating section 60 including the induction coil can heat the side surface 52 of the partition section 50 by electromagnetic induction. At this time, the first insulating section 70 and the second insulating section 73 can suppress the transfer of heat from the side surface 52 of the partition section 50 to the fixed section 80 or the electromagnetic shield 88. This makes it possible to raise the temperature of the partition section 50 higher than before and heat the smokable material 30 to a higher temperature, which can contribute to an increase in the amount of aerosol generated and an improvement in flavor, etc.

The compartment 50 of the flavor inhaler 100 according to the second embodiment may have a susceptor in the storage section 53. FIG. 8 is a diagram showing another example of the flavor inhaler 100 according to the second embodiment. In the example shown, a pin-, blade-, or plate-shaped susceptor 90 is arranged in the storage section 53 of the compartment 50. The susceptor 90 is arranged to extend in the longitudinal direction of the compartment 50. When the smokable material 30 is inserted and arranged at a desired position in the storage section 53, the susceptor 90 is inserted and positioned inside the smokable material 30. In this state, the susceptor 90 is inductively heated by the heating section 60, thereby heating the smokable material 30.

In the example shown in FIG. 8, the partition 50 can be made of a synthetic resin such as PEEK that is magnetically permeable and non-conductive (electrically insulating). This allows the energy from the heating unit 60 (magnetic lines of force generated around the induction coil) to be efficiently transmitted to the susceptor 90 without being absorbed by the partition 50.

In the example shown in FIG. 8, the heating unit 40 for the flavor inhaler does not necessarily have to include the second insulating section 73. This is because when the smokable material 30 is heated, the smokable material 30 is present between the susceptor 90 and the heating section 60, so the transfer of heat from the susceptor 90 to the heating section 60 can be reduced.

Figure 9 is a diagram showing yet another example of the flavor inhaler 100 according to the second embodiment. In the example shown in Figure 9, the heating unit 40 for the flavor inhaler does not have a susceptor, but instead a susceptor 92 is provided inside the smokable material 30. The shape of the susceptor 92 is arbitrary, and for example, a granular, rod-shaped, strip-shaped, tubular, or cylindrical susceptor 92 may be disposed inside the smokable material 30. In the example shown in Figure 9, as in the example of Figure 8, the partition 50 may be formed of a synthetic resin such as PEEK that is magnetically permeable and non-conductive (electrically insulating).

When the smokable material 30 is placed in the desired position within the storage section 53, the susceptor 92 is located inside the induction coil of the heating section 60. In this state, the susceptor 92 is inductively heated by the heating section 60, thereby heating the smokable material 30.

In the example shown in FIG. 9, similar to the example shown in FIG. 8, the heating unit 40 for the flavor inhaler does not necessarily have to include the second insulating section 73. This is because when the smokable material 30 is heated, the smokable material 30 is present between the susceptor 92 and the heating section 60, so that the transfer of heat from the susceptor 92 to the heating section 60 can be reduced.

Third Embodiment
Next, a flavor inhaler 100 according to a third embodiment will be described. Fig. 10 is a schematic cross-sectional view of the flavor inhaler 100 according to the third embodiment. The flavor inhaler 100 according to the third embodiment is different from the flavor inhaler 100 according to the second embodiment shown in Fig. 5 in the configuration of the flavor inhaler heating unit 40. Specifically, in the third embodiment, the flavor inhaler heating unit 40 does not have a first insulating part 70 and a fixing part 80.

In the third embodiment, the side surface 52 of the partition 50 is inductively heated by the heating section 60, but the second insulating section 73 can prevent heat from the partition 50 from being transferred to the heating section 60. In the third embodiment, the heating unit 40 for the flavor inhaler may have an external insulating section 85 as necessary. This can reduce the temperature rise of the housing 102. In the third embodiment, the heating unit 40 for the flavor inhaler may have an electromagnetic shield 88 as necessary.

In the third embodiment, the second insulating section 73 is biased and fixed to the partition section 50 by the induction coil of the heating section 60. Therefore, even if the flavor inhaler heating unit 40 does not have a fixing section 80, the second insulating section 73 can be fixed to the outer surface of the partition section 50.

Although the embodiments of the present invention have been described above, the present invention is not limited to the above embodiments, and various modifications are possible within the scope of the claims and the technical ideas described in the specification and drawings. Any shape or material not directly described in the specification or drawings is within the scope of the technical ideas of the present invention as long as it achieves the action and effect of the present invention. Furthermore, the shape, degree, etc. expressed in the specification as at least "substantially" is not limited to only "strictly that shape, degree, etc.", but is intended to include "at least the shape, degree, etc. within the range that achieves the intended effect."

30: smokable material 40: heating unit for flavor inhaler 50: partition section 51: opening 52: side surface 53: storage section 60: heating section 70: first heat insulating section 71: support section 72: air 73: second heat insulating section 75: heat insulating section 80: fixing section, biasing section 85: outer heat insulating section 88: electromagnetic shield 90: susceptor 92: susceptor 100: flavor inhaler 102: housing

Claims (15)

1. A flavor inhaler, comprising:
a partition portion having an opening and a side surface surrounding the opening, the partition portion defining an accommodation portion for receiving a columnar consumable product;
A heating unit that heats the partition portion;
A fixed portion;
a housing that accommodates the partition portion, the heating portion, and the fixing portion therein;
The compartment includes a susceptor,
the heating section includes an induction coil surrounding the side surface of the compartment,
The flavor inhaler comprises:
a first heat insulating portion disposed between the susceptor and the induction coil;
The fixing portion is configured to fix the first insulating portion. The flavor inhaler according to claim 1,
The flavor inhaler has a second insulating part disposed between the induction coil and the fixed part. The flavor inhaler according to claim 2,
The fixing portion is configured to fix the second insulating portion. The flavor inhaler according to claim 2 or 3,
The flavor inhaler, wherein the second insulation portion has a portion located between adjacent wires of the induction coil. The flavor inhaler according to any one of claims 2 to 4,
The flavor inhaler, wherein the second insulating portion includes glass fiber. The flavor inhaler according to any one of claims 2 to 5,
The flavor inhaler, wherein the second insulating portion has a thickness of 0.10 mm or more and 3.00 mm or less. The flavor inhaler according to any one of claims 2 to 6,
The flavor inhaler, wherein the first insulating section and the second insulating section have the same configuration. The flavor inhaler according to any one of claims 2 to 7,
At least one of the first insulation section and the second insulation section includes a sheet, and a compressive stress in a thickness direction of the sheet is 0.1 N/mm2 or ^more and 1.0 N/mm2 or ^less . The flavor inhaler according to any one of claims 2 to 8,
A flavor inhaler, wherein, when the shortest distance between the outer surface of the partition and the inner surface of the housing is A, the second insulating section is positioned within a range of A/5 from the outer surface of the partition. The flavor inhaler according to claim 1,
an electromagnetic shield disposed between the fixed portion and the induction coil. The flavor inhaler according to any one of claims 1 to 10,
The flavor inhaler has a side surface of the partition portion formed of the susceptor and has a current path surrounding the storage portion. The flavor inhaler according to any one of claims 1 to 11,
The flavor inhaler, wherein the fixing portion is made of polyimide. The flavor inhaler according to any one of claims 1 to 12,
and an outer insulation part disposed between the fixing part and the housing. The flavor inhaler according to claim 13,
A flavor inhaler in which, when the shortest distance between the outer surface of the partition and the inner surface of the housing is A, the external insulation section is positioned at a distance of 5A/6 or more from the outer surface of the partition. A flavor inhalation system having the consumable and a flavor inhaler described in any one of claims 1 to 14.