CN-122028812-A - Dielectric heated aerosol-generating device with partitioned dielectric heating

CN122028812ACN 122028812 ACN122028812 ACN 122028812ACN-122028812-A

Abstract

The present invention relates to an aerosol-generating device, and in particular to an aerosol-generating device configured to heat an aerosol-forming substrate by dielectric heating. The present disclosure provides an aerosol-generating device for dielectrically heating an aerosol-forming substrate. The aerosol-generating device comprises a power supply, an oscillating circuit powered by the power supply, a dielectric heating element fed by the oscillating circuit, the dielectric heating element being arranged for dielectrically heating the aerosol-forming substrate by dipole rotation when subjected to an electric field caused by the dielectric heating element, and a controller for controlling heating of the aerosol-forming substrate by changing a parameter or configuration of the aerosol-generating device. The dielectric heating element is shaped such that the opposing electrodes have a variable, preferably increasing, distance towards each other along a given direction between the two opposing electrodes, wherein the controller is configured to change the parameter to cause a spatially and temporally varying profile of the electric field strength in a space or volume for receiving the aerosol-forming substrate along the given direction, wherein the spatially varying profile varies over time in response to a change in a parameter or configuration of the aerosol-generating device.

Inventors

S. Laonstein
O. Milonov

Assignees

菲利普莫里斯生产公司

Dates

Publication Date: 20260512
Application Date: 20241004
Priority Date: 20231005

Claims (15)

1. An aerosol-generating device for dielectrically heating an aerosol-forming substrate, the aerosol-generating device comprising: A power supply; the oscillating circuit is powered by the power supply; A dielectric heating element fed by the oscillating circuit, the dielectric heating element being arranged for dielectrically heating the aerosol-forming substrate by dipole rotation when subjected to an electric field induced by the dielectric heating element, and A controller for controlling heating of the aerosol-forming substrate by changing a parameter or configuration of the aerosol-generating device, Wherein the dielectric heating element is shaped such that the opposing electrodes have a variable, preferably increasing, distance towards each other along a given direction between the two opposing electrodes, Wherein the controller is configured to change the parameter to cause a spatially and temporally varying profile of the electric field strength in a space or volume for receiving the aerosol-forming substrate along the given direction, wherein the spatially varying profile varies over time in response to a change in the parameter or configuration of the aerosol-generating device.
2. An aerosol-generating device according to claim 1, wherein the dielectric heating element is shaped such that, in operation, the electric field strength has a varying strength along at least one defined direction.
3. An aerosol-generating device according to any of claims 1 or 2, wherein the spatially varying profile is such that the predetermined temperature is moved in operation in at least one direction.
4. An aerosol-generating device according to any of claims 1 to 3, wherein the controller is configured to set or control the time displacement rate of the spatially varying profile to a predetermined value or predetermined profile.
5. An aerosol-generating device according to any of claims 1 to 4, wherein changing a parameter or configuration of the aerosol-generating device comprises increasing a supply voltage to the oscillating circuit.
6. An aerosol-generating device according to any of the preceding claims, wherein the dielectric heating element comprises at least two electrodes arranged to receive the aerosol-forming substrate in a heating cavity defining a longitudinal axis, wherein the at least two electrodes have increasing distance from each other along the longitudinal axis, Wherein the at least two electrodes are arranged in a tubular arrangement forming a cylindrical heating chamber in the tubular arrangement, the at least two electrodes having opposite polarities forming a gap between each other, and wherein the gap has a width that increases along a longitudinal axis of the tubular arrangement.
7. An aerosol-generating device according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein the dielectric heating element comprises interdigitated or ribbon electrodes in a flat configuration and separated by at least one gap, wherein the width of the gap increases in a given direction.
8. An aerosol-generating device according to any of the preceding claims, wherein the oscillating circuit comprises a resonant feedback circuit such that the oscillating circuit is self-resonating, the resonant feedback circuit comprising the dielectric heating element.
9. An aerosol-generating device according to any one of the preceding claims, further comprising a temperature determination unit for measuring values indicative of one or more temperatures of the aerosol-forming substrate, and Wherein the controller is operable to control the temperature of the aerosol-forming substrate by changing a parameter or configuration of the aerosol-generating device based on a signal from the temperature determination unit.
10. An aerosol-generating device according to claim 9, wherein the change of a parameter or configuration of the aerosol-generating device comprises controlling, by the controller, a DC supply voltage provided by the power supply based on a signal from the temperature determination unit, Wherein the voltage control unit comprises a DC-DC converter, preferably a boost, buck, half-bridge or full-bridge converter, a voltage regulator, a charge pump circuit, or a combination thereof.
11. An aerosol-generating device according to claim 9 or 10, wherein the temperature determination unit comprises a temperature sensor operable to capture the temperature of an element of the aerosol-generating device having dielectric properties.
12. An aerosol-generating device according to any of claims 9 to 11, wherein the dielectric heating element comprises at least two electrodes placed on a dielectric carrier film or material, and wherein the temperature determining unit is operable to capture the temperature of the dielectric carrier film or material.
13. An aerosol-generating device according to any of claims 9 to 12, wherein the temperature determination unit comprises at least one temperature marker which transitions from a first physical state to a second physical state when a defined marker temperature is reached.
14. A method of dielectrically heating an aerosol-forming substrate by means of an aerosol-generating device, the method comprising the steps of: Heating the aerosol-forming substrate in a dielectric manner by dipole rotation when subjected to an electric field caused by a dielectric heating element, wherein the dielectric heating element is included in an oscillating circuit of the aerosol-generating device, the oscillating circuit being fed by a power supply; controlling heating of the aerosol-forming substrate by changing a parameter or configuration of the aerosol-generating device; Wherein the dielectric heating element is shaped such that the opposing electrodes have a variable, preferably increasing, distance towards each other along a given direction between the two opposing electrodes, Wherein the controller is configured to change the parameter to cause a spatially and temporally varying profile of the electric field strength in a space or volume for receiving the aerosol-forming substrate along the given direction, wherein the profile varies over time in response to a change in the parameter or configuration of the aerosol-generating device.
15. An aerosol-generating system comprising: An aerosol-generating article comprising an aerosol-forming substrate, and An aerosol-generating device for dielectrically heating the aerosol-forming substrate, the aerosol-generating device comprising: A power supply; the oscillating circuit is powered by the power supply; a dielectric heating element fed by the oscillating circuit, the dielectric heating element being arranged for heating the aerosol-forming substrate by dipole rotation when subjected to an electric field caused by the dielectric heating element; A controller for controlling heating of the aerosol-forming substrate by changing a parameter or configuration of the aerosol-generating device; Wherein the dielectric heating element is shaped such that the opposing electrodes have a variable, preferably increasing, distance towards each other along a given direction between the two opposing electrodes, Wherein the controller is configured to change the parameter to cause a spatially and temporally varying profile of the electric field strength in a space or volume for receiving the aerosol-forming substrate along the given direction, wherein the profile varies over time in response to a change in the parameter or configuration of the aerosol-generating device.

Description

Dielectric heated aerosol-generating device with partitioned dielectric heating The present invention relates to an aerosol-generating device, and in particular to an aerosol-generating device configured to heat an aerosol-forming substrate by dielectric heating. The present disclosure also relates to a method of dielectrically heating an aerosol-forming substrate by means of an aerosol-generating device, and to an aerosol-generating system comprising an aerosol-generating device and an aerosol-generating article comprising an aerosol-forming substrate. Background Known electrically operated aerosol-generating systems typically heat the aerosol-forming substrate by one or more of conducting heat from the heating element to the aerosol-forming substrate, radiating heat from the heating element to the aerosol-forming substrate, or drawing heated air through the aerosol-forming substrate. Most commonly, heating is achieved by passing an electrical current through the resistive heating element, producing joule heating of the heating element. Induction heating systems have also been proposed in which joule heating occurs due to eddy currents induced in the susceptor heating element. One problem with these heating mechanisms is that they produce undesirable non-uniform heating of the aerosol-forming substrate. The portion of the aerosol-forming substrate closest to the heating element is heated faster or to a higher temperature than the portion of the aerosol-forming substrate further from the heating element. Systems have been proposed for heating aerosol-forming substrates in a dielectric manner, which advantageously provide uniform heating of the aerosol-forming substrate. However, known dielectric heating systems are less efficient than induction heating systems and require complex circuitry in order to achieve the necessary voltages and frequencies for dielectric heating of the aerosol-forming substrate. Furthermore, the various components included in the aerosol-forming substrate and heated to form an aerosol comprising a mixture of ingredients may have different temperatures at which they evaporate. Thus, when providing particularly homogeneous heating of a homogeneously loaded substrate, the components evaporating at lower temperatures may evaporate too fast and the mixing ratio of the aerosols to be consumed may vary over time. A possible solution to this problem is to provide different heating elements at different locations. However, such an arrangement can be complex to control and costly. Thus, it may be desirable to provide a dielectric heating concept that allows for uniform aerosolization over time, even for aerosol-forming substrates having components that evaporate at different temperatures. Furthermore, in order to ensure efficient aerosol generation on the one hand and to avoid dangerous overheating on the other hand, it may be necessary to control the temperature of the heated substrate itself within well-defined limits. It is desirable to provide a system that heats the aerosol-forming substrate in a dielectric manner with greater efficiency while still being achievable in a compact or handheld system. Disclosure of Invention According to a first aspect, the present disclosure provides an aerosol-generating device for dielectrically heating an aerosol-forming substrate. The aerosol-generating device comprises a power supply, an oscillating circuit powered by the power supply, a dielectric heating element fed by the oscillating circuit, the dielectric heating element being arranged for dielectrically heating the aerosol-forming substrate by dipole rotation when subjected to an electric field caused by the dielectric heating element, and a controller for controlling heating of the aerosol-forming substrate by changing a parameter or configuration of the aerosol-generating device. The dielectric heating element is shaped such that the counter electrodes have a variable, preferably increasing, distance towards each other along a given direction between the two counter electrodes, Wherein the controller is configured to change the parameter to cause a spatially and temporally varying profile of the electric field strength in a space or volume for receiving the aerosol-forming substrate along the given direction, wherein the spatially varying profile varies over time in response to a change in the parameter or configuration of the aerosol-generating device. More specifically, the dielectric heating element is shaped such that the opposing electrodes have a variable, preferably increasing, distance towards each other along a given direction between the two opposing electrodes, wherein the controller is configured to change the parameter to cause a spatially and temporally varying profile of the electric field strength in the space or volume for receiving the aerosol-forming substrate along the given direction, wherein the spatially varying profile varies over time in response to a change in the par