JP2024147817A - Flavor inhaler and method for manufacturing flavor inhaler - Google Patents

Abstract

[Problem] To prevent aerosol generated in a storage section from leaking into the housing of a flavor inhaler. [Solution] A flavor inhaler 100 includes a cylindrical storage section 50 having an opening formed at one end by an opening edge section and storing at least a part of a flavor-generating article through the opening, a contact section 34 that contacts the opening edge section around the entire circumference of the opening, and a sealing section 38 that seals between the storage section 50 and the contact section 34 at a position away from the storage section 50. [Selected Figure] Figure 3

Description

The present invention relates to a flavor inhaler and a method for manufacturing a flavor inhaler.

Conventionally, there are known flavor inhalers for inhaling flavors and the like without burning any material. For example, one such flavor inhaler has a storage section that stores a flavor-generating product and a heating section that heats the flavor-generating product stored in the storage section, and uses an O-ring to ensure airtightness (see, for example, Patent Document 1).

International Publication No. 2020/035454

In the flavor inhaler described in Patent Document 1, an O-ring is disposed near the storage unit. Therefore, there is a risk that the O-ring may deteriorate due to long-term exposure to heat from the heating unit or aerosols generated in the storage unit. As a result, there is a risk that the aerosols generated in the storage unit may leak into the housing of the flavor inhaler.

The present invention has been made to solve at least some of the problems described above, and aims to provide a flavor inhaler and a method for manufacturing a flavor inhaler that can prevent aerosol generated in the storage section from leaking into the housing of the flavor inhaler.

According to a first aspect of the present invention, a flavor inhaler is provided. This flavor inhaler includes a cylindrical storage section having an opening at one end formed by an opening edge section and configured to store at least a portion of a flavor-generating article through the opening, a contact section that contacts the opening edge section along the entire circumference of the opening, and a sealing section that seals the gap between the storage section and the contact section at a position spaced from the storage section.

According to the first aspect of the present invention, by sealing between the storage section and the abutment section at a position where the sealing section is separated from the storage section, heat from the storage section is less likely to be transmitted to the sealing section, and deterioration of the sealing section is suppressed, so that it is possible to suppress leakage of the aerosol generated in the storage section into the housing of the flavor inhaler.

In the second embodiment of the present invention, the sealing portion in the first embodiment is provided around the entire outer circumferential surface of the storage portion, and has an annular first member that supports the storage portion, and a second member made of an elastic material that contacts the abutment portion around the entire circumference of the abutment portion and engages with the first member around the entire circumference of the first member, and a seal portion is formed at the contact point between the first member and the second member, and the seal portion is formed closer to the axis of the storage portion in the radial direction of the storage portion than the outer edge of the first member.

According to the second aspect of the present invention, a seal is formed at the contact point between the first and second members, closer to the axis of the housing member in the radial direction than the outer edge of the first member, so the flavor inhaler can be made smaller than when the seal is formed on the outer edge of the first member. In addition, because the second member is made of an elastic material, the sealing property of the seal can be improved.

In the third embodiment of the present invention, in the second embodiment, the seal portion has a seal surface that extends along the axial direction of the storage portion.

According to the third aspect of the present invention, the first member and the second member come into contact with each other on their faces to form a sealing surface, so that the contact area between the first member and the second member can be made large, and therefore it is possible to further prevent the aerosol generated in the storage section from leaking into the housing of the flavor inhaler.

In the fourth embodiment of the present invention, the first member and the second member are arranged side by side along the axial direction of the housing portion in the third embodiment, the first member has a convex portion that protrudes toward the second member along the axial direction of the housing portion, and the second member has a concave portion provided opposite the convex portion, and the seal surface is formed at the contact point between the axially inner surface of the housing portion of the convex portion and the axially outer surface of the housing portion of the concave portion.

According to the fourth aspect of the present invention, at the contact point between the convex portion and the concave portion, the surface of the convex portion and the surface of the concave portion come into contact with each other to form a seal surface, thereby improving the sealing property of the seal surface and further preventing the aerosol generated in the storage portion from leaking into the housing of the flavor inhaler. In addition, by forming a seal surface between the convex portion and the concave portion, the length of the leakage path of the aerosol can be increased, thereby further preventing the aerosol generated in the storage portion from leaking into the housing of the flavor inhaler.

In the fifth embodiment of the present invention, the first member and the second member are arranged side by side along the axial direction of the accommodating portion in the third embodiment, the first member has a first protrusion that protrudes toward the second member along the axial direction of the accommodating portion, and the second member has a second protrusion that protrudes toward the first member along the axial direction of the accommodating portion, and the seal surface is formed at the contact point between the axially inner surface of the accommodating portion of the first protrusion and the axially outer surface of the accommodating portion of the second protrusion.

According to the fifth aspect of the present invention, at the contact point between the first protrusion and the second protrusion, the surface of the first protrusion and the surface of the second protrusion come into contact with each other to form a seal surface, thereby improving the sealing properties of the seal surface and further preventing the aerosol generated in the storage section from leaking into the housing of the flavor inhaler.

In the sixth aspect of the present invention, in any of the third to fifth aspects, the first and second members are capable of sliding against each other at the sealing surfaces.

According to the sixth aspect of the present invention, even if an axial force is applied to the storage portion, the first member and the second member slide against each other at the seal surface, so that no stress is generated in the first member supporting the storage portion, and therefore it is possible to prevent the seal from being broken between the first member and the second member.

In the seventh aspect of the present invention, in any of the second to sixth aspects, the second member has a pressed portion that is pressed by the contact portion.

According to the seventh aspect of the present invention, the pressed portion is pressed by the abutting portion, so that a seal is formed between the abutting portion and the second member, and therefore it is possible to prevent the aerosol generated in the storage portion from leaking into the housing of the flavor inhaler.

In the eighth aspect of the present invention, in the seventh aspect, the second member is biased against the first member by the pressed portion being pressed by the abutting portion.

According to the eighth aspect of the present invention, the second member is biased against the first member by the abutting portion pressing against the pressed portion, thereby improving the sealing performance of the sealing surface.

In the ninth aspect of the present invention, in any of the second to eighth aspects, the second member has a positioning portion that engages with at least one of the housing of the flavor inhaler and the fixing portion fixed to the housing of the flavor inhaler.

According to the ninth aspect of the present invention, the second member is held by the positioning part to the housing of the flavor inhaler or to a fixing part fixed to the housing of the flavor inhaler, so that it is possible to suppress misalignment of the storage part within the housing.

In the tenth aspect of the present invention, in any of the second to ninth aspects, the second member has a holding portion that holds a state detection portion that detects the state of the abutment portion.

According to the tenth aspect of the present invention, the state of the contact part can be detected using the state detection part, so that, for example, by using a thermistor as the state detection part, the puffing action can be detected based on the temperature change of the contact part.

According to an eleventh aspect of the present invention, there is provided a flavor inhaler. This flavor inhaler includes a cylindrical storage section having an opening at one end formed by an opening edge section and configured to store at least a part of a flavor-generating article through the opening, a cylindrical abutment section abutting the opening edge section over the entire circumference of the opening, and a sealing section that seals between the storage section and the abutment section at a position away from the storage section, the sealing section having a ring-shaped pressed section made of an elastic member that protrudes from the sealing section and is pressed by the abutment section, and the protruding length of the pressed section before being pressed is longer than the thickness of the pressed section perpendicular to the protruding direction.

According to the eleventh aspect of the present invention, by sealing between the storage section and the abutment section at a position where the sealing section is separated from the storage section, heat from the storage section is less likely to be transferred to the sealed section, and deterioration of the sealed section is suppressed, so that it is possible to suppress leakage of aerosol generated in the storage section into the housing of the flavor inhaler. In addition, since the protruding length of the pressed section is longer than the thickness of the pressed section before being pressed, it is possible to form a seal between the abutment section and the pressed section while reducing resistance when inserting the abutment section.

According to the twelfth aspect of the present invention, a method for manufacturing a flavor inhaler is provided. The method for manufacturing a flavor inhaler includes a cylindrical storage section having an opening formed at one end by an opening edge section and storing at least a part of a flavor-generating article through the opening, a cylindrical abutment section abutting the opening edge section, and a sealing section that seals between the storage section and the abutment section at a position away from the storage section, and the sealing section has a ring-shaped pressed section made of an elastic member that is pressed by the abutment section, and includes arranging the storage section in the sealing section, arranging the sealing section in a housing of the flavor inhaler, inserting the abutment section into the sealing section so as to abut against the opening edge section, and inserting the abutment section into the sealing section to press the pressed section in the insertion direction of the abutment section and biasing the pressed section radially outwardly of the storage section to form a seal section.

According to the twelfth embodiment of the present invention, by sealing the space between the storage section and the abutment section at a position where the sealing section is separated from the storage section, heat from the storage section is less likely to be transmitted to the sealing section, and deterioration of the sealing section is suppressed, so that a flavor inhaler can be obtained that can suppress leakage of aerosol generated in the storage section into the housing of the flavor inhaler.

FIG. 1 is a schematic front view of a flavor inhaler according to an embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 2 is a schematic top view of the flavor inhaler according to the present embodiment. FIG. 2 is a schematic bottom view of the flavor inhaler according to the present embodiment. 1 is a schematic cross-sectional side view of a flavor generating article. FIG. 3 is a cross-sectional view of the flavor inhaler taken along the arrows 3-3 in FIG. 1B. FIG. 4B is a cross-sectional view of the chamber taken along line 4B-4B of FIG. 4A. 5A is a cross-sectional view of the chamber taken along line 5A-5A of FIG. 4B. 5B is a cross-sectional view of the chamber taken along line 5B-5B of FIG. 4B. FIG. 2 is a perspective view of the chamber and the heating section. FIG. 5C is the cross-sectional view shown in FIG. 5B with the flavor generating article positioned in a desired location within the chamber. FIG. 4 is an enlarged cross-sectional view of a first holding portion. FIG. 4 is an enlarged cross-sectional view of a second holding portion. FIG. 2 is a perspective view of a gasket and a circular ring member. FIG. 4 is a perspective view of a circular member and a fixing portion. 11 is a cross-sectional view showing a state of the annular member when the insertion guide member is inserted into the inner housing. FIG. 11 is an enlarged cross-sectional view showing another embodiment of the second holding portion. FIG.

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

Figure 1A is a schematic front view of the flavor inhaler 100 according to this embodiment. Figure 1B is a schematic top view of the flavor inhaler 100 according to this embodiment. Figure 1C is a schematic bottom view of the flavor inhaler 100 according to this embodiment. In the drawings described in this specification, an X-Y-Z Cartesian coordinate system may be attached for convenience of explanation. In this coordinate system, the Z axis faces vertically upward, the X-Y plane is arranged to cut the flavor inhaler 100 horizontally, and the Y axis is arranged to extend from the front to the back of the flavor inhaler 100. The Z axis can also be said to be the insertion direction of the flavor generating article contained in the chamber 50 of the atomization unit 30 described later, or the axial direction of the chamber 50. The X axis is a direction perpendicular to the Y axis and the Z axis.

The flavor inhaler 100 according to this embodiment is configured to generate an aerosol containing a flavor, for example, by heating a stick-shaped flavor generating article having a flavor source containing an aerosol source.

As shown in FIG. 1A to FIG. 1C, the flavor inhaler 100 has an outer housing 101 (corresponding to an example of a housing), a slide cover 102, and a switch unit 103. The outer housing 101 constitutes the outermost housing of the flavor inhaler 100 and has a size that fits in the user's hand. When using the flavor inhaler 100, the user can hold the flavor inhaler 100 in his/her hand and inhale the aerosol. The outer housing 101 may be constructed by assembling multiple members. The outer housing 101 may be made of resin, for example, and may be formed of polycarbonate (PC), ABS (Acrylonitrile-Butadiene-Styrene) resin, PEEK (Polyetheretherketone) or a polymer alloy containing multiple types of polymers, or a metal such as aluminum.

The outer housing 101 has an opening (not shown) for receiving a flavor-generating article, and the slide cover 102 is slidably attached to the outer housing 101 to close the opening. Specifically, the slide cover 102 is configured to be movable along the outer surface of the outer housing 101 between a closed position (position shown in Figs. 1A and 1B) in which the opening of the outer housing 101 is closed, and an open position in which the opening is open. For example, a user can manually operate the slide cover 102 to move the slide cover 102 between the closed position and the open position. This allows or restricts the access of the flavor-generating article to the inside of the slide cover 102 and the flavor inhaler 100.

The switch unit 103 is used to switch the operation of the flavor inhaler 100 on and off. For example, a user can operate the switch unit 103 while inserting a flavor-generating article into the flavor inhaler 100, whereby power is supplied from a power source (not shown) to a heating unit (not shown), and the flavor-generating article can be heated without being burned. The switch unit 103 may be a switch provided outside the outer housing 101, or may be a switch located inside the outer housing 101. When the switch is located inside the outer housing 101, the switch is indirectly pressed by pressing the switch unit 103 on the surface of the outer housing 101. In this embodiment, an example in which the switch of the switch unit 103 is located inside the outer housing 101 will be described.

The flavor inhaler 100 may further have a terminal (not shown). The terminal may be an interface that connects the flavor inhaler 100 to, for example, an external power source. If the power source of the flavor inhaler 100 is a rechargeable battery, the external power source can be connected to the terminal so that the external power source can pass a current through the power source and charge the power source. In addition, the flavor inhaler 100 may be configured to transmit data related to the operation of the flavor inhaler 100 to an external device by connecting a data transmission cable to the terminal.

Next, the flavor generating article used in the flavor inhaler 100 according to this embodiment will be described. FIG. 2 is a schematic side cross-sectional view of the flavor generating article 110. In this embodiment, a smoking system can be configured by the flavor inhaler 100 and the flavor generating article 110. In the example shown in FIG. 2, the flavor generating article 110 has a smokable article 111, a tubular member 114, a hollow filter portion 116, and a filter portion 115.

The smokable article 111 is wrapped in a first wrapping paper 112. The tubular member 114, the hollow filter portion 116, and the filter portion 115 are wrapped in a second wrapping paper 113 that is different from the first wrapping paper 112. The second wrapping paper 113 also wraps a portion of the first wrapping paper 112 that wraps the smokable article 111. This connects the tubular member 114, the hollow filter portion 116, and the filter portion 115 to the smokable article 111. However, the second wrapping paper 113 may be omitted, and the tubular member 114, the hollow filter portion 116, and the filter portion 115 to the smokable article 111 may be connected using the first wrapping paper 112. A lip release agent 117 is applied to the outer surface of the second wrapping paper 113 near the end portion on the filter portion 115 side to facilitate the user's lips being released from the second wrapping paper 113. The portion of the flavor generating article 110 to which the lip release agent 117 is applied functions as the mouthpiece of the flavor generating article 110.

The smokable article 111 may include a flavor source, such as tobacco, and an aerosol source. The first wrapping paper 112 that wraps the smokable article 111 may be a breathable sheet member. The tubular member 114 may be a paper tube or a hollow filter. In the illustrated example, the flavor-generating article 110 includes the smokable article 111, the tubular member 114, the hollow filter portion 116, and the filter portion 115, but the configuration of the flavor-generating article 110 is not limited to this. For example, the hollow filter portion 116 may be omitted, and the tubular member 114 and the filter portion 115 may be disposed adjacent to each other.

Next, the internal structure of the flavor inhaler 100 will be described. FIG. 3 is a cross-sectional view of the flavor inhaler 100 taken along the line 3-3 in FIG. 1B. As shown in FIG. 3, an inner housing 10 (corresponding to an example of a housing) is provided inside the outer housing 101 of the flavor inhaler 100. The inner housing 10 is made of resin, for example, and may be formed of polycarbonate (PC), ABS (Acrylonitrile-Butadiene-Styrene) resin, PEEK (Polyetheretherketone), or a polymer alloy containing multiple types of polymers, or a metal such as aluminum. From the viewpoint of heat resistance and strength, it is preferable that the inner housing 10 is made of PEEK. A power supply unit 20 and an atomization unit 30 are provided in the internal space of the inner housing 10. The outer housing 101 and the inner housing 10 may be collectively referred to as a housing.

The power supply unit 20 has a power supply 21. The power supply 21 may be, for example, a rechargeable battery or a non-rechargeable battery. The power supply 21 is electrically connected to the atomization unit 30. This allows the power supply 21 to supply power to the atomization unit 30 so as to appropriately heat the flavor generating article 110.

As shown in the figure, the atomizing section 30 has a chamber 50 (corresponding to an example of a storage section) extending in the insertion direction (Z-axis direction) of the flavor-generating article 110, a heating section 40 covering a part of the chamber 50, a heat insulating section 32, and a substantially cylindrical insertion guide member 34 (corresponding to an example of an abutment section). The chamber 50 is configured to store the flavor-generating article 110. The heating section 40 is configured to contact the outer peripheral surface of the chamber 50 and heat the flavor-generating article 110 stored in the chamber 50. As shown in the figure, a bottom member 36 may be provided at the bottom of the chamber 50. The bottom member 36 can function as a stopper to position the consumable 110 inserted into the chamber 50. The bottom member 36 has unevenness on the surface that the flavor-generating article 110 abuts against, and can define a space that can supply air to the surface that the flavor-generating article 110 abuts against. The bottom member 36 is made of resin, for example, and may be made of polycarbonate (PC), ABS (Acrylonitrile-Butadiene-Styrene) resin, PEEK (Polyether Ether Ketone), a polymer alloy containing multiple types of polymers, or a metal such as aluminum. Note that the bottom member 36 is preferably made of a material with low thermal conductivity to prevent heat from being transferred to the insulating portion 32, etc.

The heat insulating section 32 is generally cylindrical and is arranged to cover the chamber 50. The heat insulating section 32 may include, for example, an aerogel sheet. The insertion guide member 34 is formed, for example, from a resin material, and is provided between the slide cover 102 in the closed position and the chamber 50. When the slide cover 102 is in the open position, the insertion guide member 34 communicates with the outside of the flavor inhaler 100, and guides the insertion of the flavor generating article 110 into the chamber 50 by inserting the flavor generating article 110 into the insertion guide member 34. In FIG. 3, the state in which the slide cover 102 is closed to cover the entire insertion guide member 34 is shown by a two-dot chain line.

The flavor inhaler 100 further has a first holding part 37 and a second holding part 38 that support both ends of the chamber 50 and the heat insulating part 32. The first holding part 37 is arranged to support the ends of the chamber 50 and the heat insulating part 32 on the negative Z-axis side. The second holding part 38 is arranged to support the ends of the chamber 50 and the heat insulating part 32 on the slide cover 102 side (positive Z-axis side). The first holding part 37 and the second holding part 38 will be described in detail later.

Next, the structure of the chamber 50 will be described. Figure 4A is a perspective view of the chamber 50. Figure 4B is a cross-sectional view of the chamber 50 taken along line 4B-4B in Figure 4A. Figure 5A is a cross-sectional view of the chamber 50 taken along line 5A-5A in Figure 4B. Figure 5B is a cross-sectional view of the chamber 50 taken along line 5B-5B in Figure 4B. Figure 6 is a perspective view of the chamber 50 and the heating section 40.

4A and 4B, the chamber 50 may have a cylindrical shape including an opening 52 into which the flavor generating article 110 is inserted and a cylindrical side wall portion 60 that houses the flavor generating article 110. A flange portion 52a (corresponding to an example of an opening edge portion) is formed on an end surface that defines the opening 52 formed at one end of the chamber 50. The chamber 50 is preferably formed of a material that is heat resistant and has a small thermal expansion coefficient, and may be formed of, for example, stainless steel. In addition to metal, the chamber 50 may be formed of a resin such as PEEK, glass, ceramic, etc. This allows effective heating from the chamber 50 to the flavor generating article 110. In addition, the chamber 50 is not limited to a cylindrical shape and may have a cup shape.

4B and 5B, the side wall portion 60 includes a contact portion 62 and a separation portion 66. When the flavor generating article 110 is placed at a desired position in the chamber 50, the contact portion 62 contacts or presses a part of the flavor generating article 110, and the separation portion 66 is separated from the flavor generating article 110. In this specification, the "desired position in the chamber 50" refers to a position where the flavor generating article 110 is appropriately heated, or the position of the flavor generating article 110 when the user smokes. The contact portion 62 has an inner surface 62a and an outer surface 62b. The separation portion 66 has an inner surface 66a and an outer surface 66b. As shown in FIG. 6, the heating portion 40 is placed on the outer surface 62b of the contact portion 62. It is preferable that the heating portion 40 is placed on the outer surface 62b of the contact portion 62 without any gaps. The heating portion 40 may include an adhesive layer. In this case, it is preferable that the heating section 40 including the adhesive layer is arranged without any gaps on the outer surface 62b of the contact section 62.

As shown in Figures 4A and 5B, the outer surface 62b of the contact portion 62 is flat. By having the outer surface 62b of the contact portion 62 be flat, when the strip-shaped electrode 48 is connected to the heating portion 40 arranged on the outer surface 62b of the contact portion 62 as shown in Figure 6, it is possible to prevent the strip-shaped electrode 48 from bending. As shown in Figures 4B and 5B, the inner surface 62a of the contact portion 62 is flat. Also, as shown in Figures 4B and 5B, the thickness of the contact portion 62 is uniform.

As shown in Figures 4A, 4B, and 5B, the chamber 50 has two contact portions 62 in the circumferential direction of the chamber 50, and the two contact portions 62 face each other so as to be parallel to each other. It is preferable that at least a part of the distance between the inner surfaces 62a of the two contact portions 62 is smaller than the width of the portion of the flavor generating article 110 inserted into the chamber 50 that is disposed between the contact portions 62.

As shown in FIG. 5B, the inner surface 66a of the spaced portion 66 may have an overall arc-shaped cross section in a plane perpendicular to the longitudinal direction (Z-axis direction) of the chamber 50. In addition, the spaced portion 66 is disposed so as to be adjacent to the contact portion 62 in the circumferential direction.

4B, the chamber 50 may have a hole 56a in its bottom 56 so that the bottom member 36 shown in FIG. 3 can penetrate and be placed inside the chamber 50. The bottom member 36 may be fixed to the inside of the bottom 56 of the chamber 50 by adhesive or the like. The adhesive interposed between the bottom member 36 and the bottom 56 may be made of a resin material such as epoxy resin. Alternatively, an inorganic adhesive such as cement or welding may be used. The bottom member 36 provided on the bottom 56 may support a part of the flavor generating article 110 inserted into the chamber 50 so that at least a part of the end surface of the flavor generating article 110 is exposed. The bottom 56 may support a part of the flavor generating article 110 so that the exposed end surface of the flavor generating article 110 communicates with a void 67 (see FIG. 7) described later.

As shown in Figures 4A and 4B, the chamber 50 preferably has a cylindrical non-retaining portion 54 between the opening 52 and the side wall portion 60. When the flavor-generating article 110 is positioned at a desired position in the chamber 50, a gap may be formed between the non-retaining portion 54 and the flavor-generating article 110. Also, as shown in Figures 4A and 4B, the chamber 50 preferably has a first guide portion 58 with a tapered surface 58a that connects the inner surface of the non-retaining portion 54 and the inner surface 62a of the contact portion 62.

6, the heating unit 40 has a heating element 42. The heating element 42 may be, for example, a heating track. The heating element 42 is preferably arranged so as to heat the contact portion 62 without contacting the separation portion 66 of the chamber 50. In other words, the heating element 42 is preferably arranged only on the outer surface of the contact portion 62. The heating element 42 may have a difference in heating capacity between the portion that heats the separation portion 66 of the chamber 50 and the portion that heats the contact portion 62. Specifically, the heating element 42 may be configured to heat the contact portion 62 to a higher temperature than the separation portion 66. For example, the arrangement density of the heating track of the heating element 42 in the contact portion 62 and the separation portion 66 may be adjusted. In addition, the heating element 42 may have approximately the same heating capacity around the entire circumference of the chamber 50 and be wound around the outer periphery of the chamber 50. As shown in FIG. 6, the heating unit 40 preferably has, in addition to the heating element 42, an electrically insulating member 44 that covers at least one surface of the heating element 42. In this embodiment, the electrical insulation member 44 is arranged to cover both sides of the heating element 42.

7 is a cross-sectional view of the flavor generating article 110 shown in FIG. 5B in a state in which the flavor generating article 110 is placed at a desired position in the chamber 50. As shown in FIG. 7, when the flavor generating article 110 is placed at a desired position in the chamber 50, the flavor generating article 110 can be pressed against the contact portion 62 of the chamber 50. On the other hand, a gap 67 is formed between the flavor generating article 110 and the spaced portion 66. The gap 67 can communicate with the opening 52 of the chamber 50 and the end face of the flavor generating article 110 positioned in the chamber 50. As a result, air flowing in from the opening 52 of the chamber 50 can pass through the gap 67 and flow into the inside of the flavor generating article 110. In other words, an air flow path (gap 67) is formed between the flavor generating article 110 and the spaced portion 66.

Next, the structure of the first holding portion 37 and the second holding portion 38 (corresponding to an example of a sealing portion) that hold the chamber 50 and the heat insulating portion 32 will be described. FIG. 8 is an enlarged cross-sectional view of the first holding portion 37. FIG. 9 is an enlarged cross-sectional view of the second holding portion 38. Note that FIG. 9 shows the circular ring member 90, which will be described later, in a state before the insertion guide member 34 is inserted into the inner housing (not shown), i.e., the pressed portion 92 of the circular ring member 90 is not pressed down.

8, the first holding section 37 has a cap 72 and a heater cushion 74. The cap 72 is configured so that the first side surface 72a facing the chamber 50 abuts against the bottom 56 of the chamber 50 to support the chamber 50. The cap 72 is made of resin, for example, and may be formed from polycarbonate (PC), ABS (Acrylonitrile-Butadiene-Styrene) resin, PEEK (Polyetheretherketone), or a polymer alloy containing multiple types of polymers. The cap 72 may be formed from metal, glass, ceramic, or the like. From the viewpoint of heat resistance, the cap 72 is preferably made of PEEK. The cap 72 has a rib 72b protruding toward the heater cushion 74 on the surface opposite to the first side surface 72a.

The heater cushion 74 is configured to accommodate and support one end of the cap 72. The heater cushion 74 has a second side 74d configured to abut against the rib 72b formed on the cap 72. The heater cushion 74 also has a third side 74e on the side opposite the chamber 50, which is configured to abut against the fixing part 22 and has a protrusion 74a protruding in the opposite direction from the chamber 50. The heater cushion 74 can be formed of an elastic material such as silicone rubber. When using silicone rubber, the preferred Shore A hardness range is 40 to 60, and can be appropriately selected depending on the deformation of the heater cushion 74. The heater cushion 74 is also configured to be positioned and fixed to the fixing part 22 fixed to the inner housing (not shown). The fixing part 22 may be the inner housing itself.

9, the flange portion 52a of the chamber 50 is configured to abut against the insertion guide member 34 over the entire circumference. The insertion guide member 34 is made of resin, for example, and may be formed from polycarbonate (PC), ABS (Acrylonitrile-Butadiene-Styrene) resin, PEEK (Polyether Ether Ketone), or a polymer alloy containing multiple types of polymers. The insertion guide member 34 may be formed from metal, glass, ceramic, or the like. From the viewpoint of heat resistance, the insertion guide member 34 is preferably made of PEEK. The second holding portion 38 is configured to seal aerosols that are generated in the chamber 50 by heating the flavor generating article 110 and leak out from between the chamber 50 and the insertion guide member 34 at a position away from the chamber 50, specifically at a position thermally separated from the heating portion 40 that covers the chamber 50.

Specifically, the second holding portion 38 has a gasket 80 (corresponding to an example of the first member) and a ring member 90 (corresponding to an example of the second member). The gasket 80 and the ring member 90 form a sealing portion. The gasket 80 is disposed around the non-holding portion 54 of the chamber 50, over the entire circumference of the outer circumferential surface of the chamber 50, and is configured as a ring-shaped member that supports the chamber 50. The gasket 80 is made of, for example, a resin, and may be formed, in particular, from polycarbonate (PC), ABS (Acrylonitrile-Butadiene-Styrene) resin, PEEK (Polyether Ether Ketone), or a polymer alloy containing multiple types of polymers. The gasket 80 may be formed of metal, glass, ceramic, or the like. In addition, from the viewpoint of heat resistance, the gasket 80 is preferably PEEK.

The ring member 90 is configured to contact the insertion guide member 34 over the entire circumference of the insertion guide member 34 at a pressed portion 92 (described later) and to engage with the gasket 80 over the entire circumference of the gasket 80 to support them. The ring member 90 may be formed of an elastic material such as silicone rubber. When using silicone rubber, the preferred Shore A hardness range is 40 to 60, and can be selected appropriately depending on the deformation of the ring member 90. The ring member 90 is configured to be positioned and fixed to a fixing portion 22 fixed to an inner housing (not shown).

Here, a sealing surface 85 extending along the axial direction of the chamber 50 is formed at the contact point between the gasket 80 and the ring member 90. The sealing surface 85 is formed closer to the axis of the chamber 50 in the radial direction of the chamber 50 than the outer edge of the gasket 80. This allows the second holding part 38 having the gasket 80 and the ring member 90 to seal aerosol leaking into the inner housing from between the chamber 50 and the insertion guide member 34 at a position away from the chamber 50.

In this way, the second holding portion 38 seals the aerosol leaking between the chamber 50 and the insertion guide member 34 at a position away from the chamber 50, so that heat from the chamber 50 is less likely to be transferred to the sealed portion and deterioration of the sealed portion is suppressed, thereby preventing the aerosol generated in the chamber 50 from leaking into the inner housing.

In addition, since a sealing surface 85 is formed at the contact point between the gasket 80 and the ring member 90, closer to the axis of the chamber 50 in the radial direction of the chamber 50 than the outer edge of the gasket 80, the flavor inhaler 100 can be made smaller than when a sealing surface is formed on the outer edge of the gasket 80. In addition, since the ring member 90 is made of an elastic material, the sealing property of the sealing surface 85 can be improved.

Furthermore, by forming a seal surface 85 by contacting the gasket 80 and the ring member 90 at their surfaces, the contact area between the gasket 80 and the ring member 90 can be made larger, which can better prevent aerosols generated in the chamber 50 from leaking into the inner housing. Note that the gasket 80 and the ring member 90 do not necessarily need to contact at their surfaces, and in the cross-sectional view shown in FIG. 9, the gasket 80 and the ring member 90 may contact at points. In this case, a seal is formed at the contact point between the gasket 80 and the ring member 90.

Next, preferred shapes of the gasket 80 and the ring member 90 will be described. FIG. 10 is a perspective view of the gasket 80 and the ring member 90. FIG. 11 is a perspective view of the ring member 90 and the fixing portion 22. As shown in FIGS. 9, 10, and 11, the gasket 80 has a jaw portion 81 and a protruding portion 82. The ring member 90 also has a recessed portion 91, a pressed portion 92, a positioning portion 93, and a retaining portion 94. The gasket 80 and the ring member 90 are arranged side by side along the axial direction of the chamber 50.

The jaw portion 81 of the gasket 80 is formed on the inner peripheral surface of the gasket 80 and is configured to engage with the flange portion 52a of the chamber 50 to support the chamber 50. The protrusion portion 82 of the gasket 80 is configured to protrude from the main body portion of the gasket 80 toward the annular member 90 along the axial direction of the chamber 50.

The recess 91 of the annular member 90 is provided opposite the protrusion 82 of the gasket 80. Here, the seal surface 85 is formed at the contact point between the surface of the protrusion 82 on the inner side of the axial direction of the chamber 50 and the surface of the recess 91 on the outer side of the axial direction of the chamber 50. As a result, the surface of the protrusion 82 and the surface of the recess 91 come into contact with each other at the contact point between the protrusion 82 and the recess 91 to form the seal surface 85, thereby improving the sealing property of the seal surface 85 and further suppressing leakage of aerosol generated in the chamber 50 into the inner housing. In addition, by forming the seal surface 85 with the protrusion 82 and the recess 91, the length of the leakage path of the aerosol can be increased, so that leakage of the aerosol generated in the chamber 50 into the inner housing can be further suppressed.

At this time, it is preferable that the convex portion 82 of the gasket 80 and the concave portion 91 of the annular member 90 are configured to be able to slide against each other on the sealing surface 85. With this, even if an axial force is applied to the chamber 50 by the insertion guide member 34, for example, and the chamber 50 moves in the axial direction, the convex portion 82 and the concave portion 91 slide against each other on the sealing surface 85, so that no stress is generated in the gasket 80 supporting the chamber 50. Therefore, it is possible to suppress the occurrence of seal destruction between the gasket 80 and the annular member 90.

Although it has been described that the sealing surface 85 is formed at the contact point between the convex portion 82 and the concave portion 91, this is not limited to the above. The gasket 80 and the annular member 90 each have a first protrusion and a second protrusion that protrude toward the annular member 90 and the gasket 80 along the axial direction of the chamber 50, and a sealing surface may be formed at the contact point between the axially inner surface of the chamber 50 of the first protrusion and the axially outer surface of the chamber 50 of the second protrusion.

Even in this case, the surface of the first protrusion and the surface of the second protrusion come into contact with each other at the contact point between the first protrusion and the second protrusion to form a seal surface, improving the sealing properties of the seal surface and further preventing aerosols generated in the chamber 50 from leaking into the inner housing.

The pressed portion 92 of the ring member 90 is formed to protrude from the inner peripheral surface of the ring member 90 and is configured as an annular lip-shaped member that contacts the insertion guide member 34. The protruding length of the pressed portion 92 (length along the radial direction of the chamber 50) is longer than the thickness of the pressed portion 92 (length along the axial direction of the chamber 50), and the pressed portion 92 has an inner diameter smaller than the outer diameter of the insertion guide member 34. When the insertion guide member 34 is inserted into the inner housing during the manufacture of the flavor inhaler 100, the pressed portion 92 is pressed by the insertion guide member 34 and pushed down in the negative Z-axis direction. Figure 12 is a cross-sectional view showing the state of the ring member when the insertion guide member is inserted into the inner housing. As shown in Figure 12, the pressed portion 92 of the ring member 90 is pushed down in the insertion direction of the insertion guide member 34 (from the top to the bottom in the figure).

As a result, a seal is formed between the insertion guide member 34 and the pressed portion 92, which makes it possible to prevent aerosols generated in the chamber 50 from leaking into the inner housing. In addition, since the protruding length of the pressed portion 92 is longer than the thickness of the pressed portion 92, a seal can be formed between the insertion guide member 34 and the pressed portion 92 while reducing resistance when the insertion guide member 34 is inserted. Furthermore, by reducing resistance when the insertion guide member 34 is inserted, it is possible to prevent the outer periphery of the annular member 90 from curling toward the slide cover 102 side (the positive Z-axis direction side) and causing incomplete engagement with the gasket 80.

At this time, it is preferable that the circular member 90 is configured so that the pressed portion 92 is pressed by the insertion guide member 34, thereby biasing the circular member 90 against the gasket 80. In this way, the sealing performance of the sealing surface 85 can be improved because the circular member 90 is biased against the gasket 80.

In summary, the recess 91 of the ring member 90 faces the protrusion 82 of the gasket 80, and the protrusion 82 is inserted into the recess 91 to hold the ring member 90 in the gasket 80. When the chamber 50 is passed through the gasket 80 from the bottom side, the flange portion 52a does not pass through, so the chamber 50 is held in the gasket 80. The flange portion 52a and the gasket 80 are tightly sealed with no gaps by an adhesive or glue. The gasket 80 also fits into the inner diameter of one end of the insulation portion 32 to hold the insulation portion 32.

The heater cushion 74 holds the bottom side of the chamber 50 and the inner diameter of the other end side of the heat insulating section 32. A rib 72b provided on the support section 72 abuts against the second side surface 74d of the heater cushion 74, and a protrusion 74a formed on the third side surface 74e of the heater cushion 74 abuts against the fixed section 22.

When the insertion guide member 34 is inserted into the housing with the heating unit consisting of the annular member 90, gasket 80, chamber 50, heat insulating material 32, and heater cushion 74 housed in the housing, the insertion guide member 34 comes into contact with the pressed portion 92. Since the diameter of the pressed portion 92 is smaller than the diameter of the insertion guide member 34, the pressed portion 92 is pushed down in the insertion direction as the insertion guide member 34 is inserted, and one surface of the pressed portion 92 comes into close contact with the insertion guide member 34, sealing the gap between the one surface of the pressed portion 92 and the insertion guide member 34. After that, the tip of the insertion guide member 34 comes into contact with the flange portion 52a, and when the insertion guide member 34 is inserted until the claws of the insertion guide member 34 engage with the housing, the rib 72b bites into the heater cushion 74, and at the same time, the protrusion 74a of the heater cushion 74 is crushed, causing the heater cushion 74 to generate a reaction force. This reaction force causes the tip of the insertion guide member 34 to adhere closely to the flange portion 52a, eliminating the gap between the flange portion 52a and the insertion guide member 34. By eliminating this gap, it is possible to prevent aerosol present in the chamber 50 from leaking into the housing through this gap.

In the flavor inhaler described in Patent Document 1, the O-ring is stretched to fit into the groove, and is further compressed while attached, so that the member in which the groove is formed continues to be subjected to compressive stress for a long period of time. If the groove is deformed, the aerosol generated in the storage section may leak into the housing of the flavor inhaler, accelerating the deterioration of the electronic circuit section and possibly causing the device to break down due to poor contact in the electrical contact section. To avoid this, it is necessary to increase the rigidity of the member in which the groove is formed by making it thicker or using a highly rigid material. Also, to ensure a stable amount of compression, it is necessary to manufacture the member in which the groove is formed with high precision. As a result, this may lead to an increase in the size of the device and an increase in costs.

In contrast, in this embodiment, the simple configuration described above makes it possible to eliminate the gap between the flange portion 52a and the insertion guide member 34.

In addition, because this type of device is portable, users may sometimes accidentally drop it. The moment the device is dropped and hits the ground, the device may deform, and the tight contact between the flange portion 52a and the tip of the insertion guide member 34, which was achieved by the action of the heater cushion 74, may momentarily be released. When the tight contact is released, there is a risk that aerosol may leak into the housing through the gap between the flange portion 52a and the insertion guide member 34.

In this embodiment, therefore, in order to prevent aerosol from leaking into the housing through the gap between the flange portion 52a and the insertion guide member 34, and also to simplify the configuration and avoid increasing the size of the device, an annular member 90 is disposed that can be pushed down to ensure sealing between the insertion guide member 34 and the annular member 90, and between the annular member 90 and the gasket 80.

10, the pressed portion 92 of the annular member 90 is described as a lip-shaped member, but is not limited thereto. FIG. 13 is an enlarged cross-sectional view showing another form of the second holding portion. As shown in FIG. 13, the pressed portion 192 may be configured as an annular member that protrudes in an arc shape from the inner circumferential surface of the annular member 90 toward the insertion guide member 34 and contacts the insertion guide member 34 at a point in the cross-sectional view shown in FIG. 9. In addition, the pressed portion 192 has an inner diameter smaller than the outer diameter of the insertion guide member 34. In this case, a seal can be formed between the insertion guide member 34 and the pressed portion 192 while reducing resistance when inserting the insertion guide member 34, compared to when the entire inner circumferential surface of the annular member 90 contacts the insertion guide member 34.

The positioning portion 93 of the ring member 90 protrudes outward from the main body of the ring member 90 and is configured to engage with a positioning claw 22a formed on the fixing portion 22. This holds the ring member 90 in the fixing portion 22, so that the ring member 90 and the gasket 80 work together to prevent the chamber 50 from shifting position within the inner housing. This allows the insertion guide member 34 to be easily attached.

The holding portion 94 of the ring member 90 protrudes outward from the main body of the ring member 90 and is configured to hold a state detection portion that detects the state of the insertion guide member 34. The state detection portion is, for example, a puff thermistor. This makes it possible to measure the temperature change of the insertion guide member 34 using the puff thermistor and detect the puffing action by the user.

8 and 9, in order to further prevent the aerosol generated in the chamber 50 from leaking into the inner housing from between the chamber 50 and the insertion guide member 34, the heater cushion 74 may be used to bias the chamber 50 against the insertion guide member 34, forming a seal between the flange portion 52a of the chamber 50 and the insertion guide member 34.

The manufacturing method of such a flavor inhaler 100 includes arranging the chamber 50 in the sealing portion, arranging the sealing portion in the inner housing, inserting the insertion guide member 34 into the sealing portion so as to abut against the flange portion 52a, and inserting the insertion guide member 34 into the sealing portion to press the pressed portion 92 in the insertion direction of the insertion guide member 34 and to bias the pressed portion 92 radially outward of the chamber 50, thereby forming a seal portion.

Although the embodiment of the present invention has been described above, the present invention is not limited to the above embodiment, and various modifications are possible within the scope of the claims and the technical ideas described in the specification and drawings. Furthermore, any shape or material not directly described in the specification and drawings is within the scope of the technical ideas of the present invention as long as it provides the functions and effects of the present invention.

For example, the flavor inhaler 100 of this embodiment has a so-called counter-flow type air flow passage in which air flowing in from the opening 52 of the chamber 50 is supplied to the end face of the flavor generating article 110, but is not limited to this, and may have a so-called bottom-flow type air flow passage in which air is supplied into the chamber 50 from the bottom 56 of the chamber 50. Also, the heating element 42 is not limited to a resistance heating type, and may be an induction heating type. In that case, the heating element 42 can heat the chamber 50 by induction heating. Also, if the flavor generating article 110 has a susceptor, the heating element 42 can heat the susceptor of the flavor generating article 110 by induction heating.

LIST OF SYMBOLS 10...inner housing 22...fixing portion 22a...positioning claw 34...insertion guide member 37...first holding portion 38...second holding portion 50...chamber 52...opening 52a...flange portion 72...cap 74...heater cushion 80...gasket 81...jaw portion 82...projection portion 85...sealing surface 90...annular member 91...recess 92...pressed portion 93...positioning portion 94...holding portion 100...flavor inhaler 101...outer housing 110...flavor-generating article 192...pressed portion

Claims (12)

a cylindrical container having an opening at one end formed by an opening edge portion and configured to contain at least a portion of the flavor-generating article through the opening;
a cylindrical contact portion that contacts the opening edge portion over the entire circumference of the opening;
a sealing portion that seals between the accommodation portion and the abutment portion at a position away from the accommodation portion;
A flavor inhaler equipped with The flavor inhaler according to claim 1,
The sealing portion is
a first annular member provided around an entire outer circumferential surface of the housing portion and supporting the housing portion;
a second member made of an elastic material that contacts the contact portion over an entire circumference thereof and engages with the first member over an entire circumference thereof,
A seal portion is formed at a contact point between the first member and the second member,
The seal portion is formed closer to the axis of the housing portion than an outer edge of the first member in a radial direction of the housing portion.
Flavor inhaler. The flavor inhaler according to claim 2,
The seal portion has a seal surface extending along the axial direction of the accommodating portion.
Flavor inhaler. The flavor inhaler according to claim 3,
The first member and the second member are arranged side by side along an axial direction of the housing portion,
the first member has a protrusion protruding toward the second member along an axial direction of the housing portion,
the second member has a recess provided opposite the protrusion,
The seal surface is formed at a contact point between an axially inner surface of the accommodating portion of the protrusion and an axially outer surface of the accommodating portion of the recess.
Flavor inhaler. The flavor inhaler according to claim 3,
The first member and the second member are arranged side by side along an axial direction of the housing portion,
the first member has a first protruding portion protruding toward the second member along an axial direction of the housing portion,
the second member has a second protruding portion protruding toward the first member along an axial direction of the housing portion,
The seal surface is formed at a contact point between an axially inner surface of the accommodating portion of the first protrusion and an axially outer surface of the accommodating portion of the second protrusion.
Flavor inhaler. A flavor inhaler according to any one of claims 3 to 5,
The first member and the second member are slidable relative to each other on the seal surface.
Flavor inhaler. A flavor inhaler according to any one of claims 2 to 6,
The second member has a pressed portion that is pressed by the abutting portion.
Flavor inhaler. The flavor inhaler according to claim 7,
The second member is biased toward the first member by the pressed portion being pressed by the abutting portion.
Flavor inhaler. A flavor inhaler according to any one of claims 2 to 8,
The second member has a positioning portion that is engaged with at least one of a housing of the flavor inhaler and a fixing portion fixed to the housing of the flavor inhaler.
Flavor inhaler. A flavor inhaler according to any one of claims 2 to 9,
The second member has a holding portion that holds a state detection portion that detects a state of the abutment portion.
Flavor inhaler. a cylindrical container having an opening at one end formed by an opening edge portion and configured to contain at least a portion of the flavor-generating article through the opening;
a cylindrical contact portion that contacts the opening edge portion over the entire circumference of the opening;
a sealing portion that seals between the accommodation portion and the abutment portion at a position away from the accommodation portion;
Equipped with
the sealing portion has a pressed portion that is annular and made of an elastic member and that protrudes from the sealing portion and is pressed by the abutting portion,
In a state before being pressed, a protruding length of the pressed portion is longer than a thickness of the pressed portion perpendicular to a protruding direction.
Flavor inhaler. a cylindrical container having an opening at one end formed by an opening edge portion and configured to contain at least a portion of the flavor-generating article through the opening;
A cylindrical contact portion that contacts the opening edge portion;
a sealing portion that seals between the accommodation portion and the abutment portion at a position away from the accommodation portion;
Equipped with
A method for manufacturing a flavor inhaler having a pressed portion that is annular and made of an elastic member and is pressed by the abutting portion, the method comprising:
disposing the receiving portion within the sealing portion;
disposing the sealing portion within a housing of the flavor inhaler;
inserting the abutment portion into the sealing portion so as to abut against the opening edge portion;
The abutting portion is inserted into the sealing portion to press the pressed portion in an insertion direction of the abutting portion and bias the pressed portion radially outwardly of the accommodating portion to form a seal portion.
A method for manufacturing a flavor inhaler.

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