JP7728355B2 - Flavor inhaler and smoking system - Google Patents

Description

The present invention relates to a flavor inhaler and a smoking system.

Flavor inhalers for inhaling flavors and the like without burning any material have been known. One such flavor inhaler is an electrically heated aerosol generating system that includes a housing with a chamber for accommodating smoking articles (Patent Document 1).

Patent No. 5963375

In an electrically heated aerosol generating system such as that disclosed in Patent Document 1, a pin- or blade-shaped heater is inserted into the smokable material, and the smokable material is heated by the heater. When the smokable material is inserted into or removed from the heater, stress is applied to the smokable material in the axial direction (the insertion direction of the heater). For this reason, a stopper element such as a filter may be provided at the tip of the consumable product to prevent the smokable material from spilling from the consumable product when the heater is inserted or removed. However, stopper elements such as filters are easily melted or damaged by heat. For this reason, it is preferable to heat the smokable material sufficiently while suppressing heat transfer to the stopper element. Furthermore, if a stopper element is not provided at the tip of the consumable product and the smokable material extends to the tip of the consumable product, if the upstream end of the smokable material is heated in the same way as other parts, there is a risk that aerosol will flow back from the upstream end to the upstream side of the air flow path.

One object of the present invention is to reduce heat transfer to the stopper element. Another object of the present invention is to reduce heat transfer to the upstream end of the smokable material.

According to a first aspect, a flavor inhaler is provided. The flavor inhaler includes a container for containing a smokable material of a consumable product including the smokable material and a stopper element, a heater configured to be inserted into the smokable material contained in the container and to heat the smokable material from the inside, and a gap formed between the heater and the stopper element when the heater is inserted into the smokable material.

According to the first aspect, the heater is at least partially separated from the stopper element, so that the smokable material can be heated by the heater while heat transfer to the stopper element is suppressed. This prevents the stopper element from melting or being damaged, and also suppresses heat loss due to heat transfer to the stopper element. It is preferable that the gap exists around the entire periphery of the heater. In this case, heat transfer to the stopper element can be further suppressed.

The second aspect is characterized in that, in the first aspect, the heater has a heat-generating portion and a non-heat-generating portion each positioned along the insertion direction, and the gap is positioned between the non-heat-generating portion of the heater and the stopper element.

According to the second aspect, a gap is provided between the non-heat-generating portion, which contributes little to heating of the smokable material, and the stopper element, thereby further suppressing heat transfer to the stopper element while still allowing the smokable material to be heated by the heat-generating portion to generate sufficient aerosol.

The third aspect is the second aspect, wherein the heat-generating portion is located closer to the tip of the heater than the non-heat-generating portion.

According to the third aspect, the non-heat-generating portion can be positioned so that it overlaps the stopper element and the heat-generating portion overlaps the smokable material in the axial direction (the direction in which the heater is inserted).

The fourth aspect is characterized in that, in the second or third aspect, the heating portion has a resistive heating element and a cover that covers the outer surface of the resistive heating element.

According to the fourth aspect, the resistance heating element does not come into direct contact with the smokable material, thereby preventing the resistance heating element from being soiled by the smokable material and preventing physical damage to the resistance heating element.

The fifth aspect is characterized in that, in any of the first to fourth aspects, a wall portion is arranged between the heater and the stopper element, contacts the stopper element, and is spaced apart from the heater.

According to the fifth aspect, the wall portion can form a gap between the stopper element and the heater, allowing the size (volume or thickness) of the gap to be constant. As a result, heat transfer to the stopper element can be stably suppressed.

The sixth aspect is the fifth aspect which references the second aspect, and is characterized in that the wall portion is positioned so as to overlap the non-heat-generating portion in the insertion direction and is spaced apart from the non-heat-generating portion.

According to the sixth aspect, a gap is provided between the non-heat-generating portion, which contributes little to heating of the smokable material, and the wall portion. This allows the smokable material to be heated by the heat-generating portion to generate sufficient aerosol while suppressing heat transfer to the wall portion. As a result, heat transfer to the stopper element in contact with the wall portion can be suppressed.

The seventh aspect is the fifth or sixth aspect, wherein the wall portion has a tapered surface whose diameter decreases from the rear end side to the front end side of the heater.

According to the seventh aspect, when the heater is inserted into the smokable material from the tip side, the stopper element in contact with the wall portion is pushed apart, forming a gap between the stopper element and the heater via the wall portion. At this time, the stopper element is pushed apart smoothly by the tapered surface of the wall portion, making it easy to insert the heater into the smokable material.

The eighth aspect is characterized in that, in any of the fifth to seventh aspects, an insulating member is provided between the wall portion and the heater.

According to the eighth aspect, heat transfer from the heater to the wall portion can be further suppressed. As a result, heat transfer to the stopper element in contact with the wall portion can be further suppressed.

The ninth aspect is characterized in that, in any of the first to fourth aspects, the heater has a first portion positioned along the insertion direction and a second portion having a smaller cross-sectional area than the first portion, the first portion is positioned closer to the tip of the heater than the second portion, and the gap is positioned between the second portion and the stopper element.

According to the ninth aspect, when the heater is inserted into the consumable product, the first portion first forms a through hole in the stopper element that corresponds to the cross-sectional shape of the first portion, and then the second portion is positioned so that it overlaps the stopper element in the axial direction. As a result, a gap is formed between the inner surface of the through hole and the second portion, which prevents the stopper element from melting or being damaged, and also prevents heat loss due to heat transfer to the stopper element.

The tenth aspect is the ninth aspect which references the second aspect, and is characterized in that the second portion includes the non-heat-generating portion.

According to the tenth aspect, a gap is provided between the second part, which contributes little to heating of the smokable material, and the stopper element, thereby further suppressing heat transfer to the stopper element while still allowing the smokable material to be heated by the heat generating part to generate sufficient aerosol.

The 11th aspect is characterized in that, in the 9th or 10th aspect, the first part and the second part are arranged coaxially.

If the central axis of the second part is located outside the cross section of the first part, there is a risk that the second part will come into contact with the inner surface of the through hole formed in the stopper element by the first part. According to the eleventh aspect, by adjusting the shape of the second part, the entire second part can be positioned inside the outer peripheral surface of the first part when viewed from the insertion direction. As a result, a gap can be created between the second part and the stopper element around the entire circumference, further suppressing heat transfer to the stopper element.

The 12th aspect is characterized in that, in any of the 9th to 11th aspects, the entire second part is located inside the outer peripheral surface of the first part when viewed from the insertion direction.

According to the 12th aspect, a gap can be provided between the second part and the stopper element around the entire circumference, thereby further suppressing heat transfer to the stopper element.

According to a thirteenth aspect, a flavor inhaler is provided. The flavor inhaler includes a storage section that stores a smokable material consumable, a heater that is inserted into the smokable material stored in the storage section and configured to heat the smokable material from the inside, a wall section that is disposed around the heater, and a gap between the heater and the wall section.

According to the thirteenth aspect, since the heater is at least partially spaced from the smokable material, positioning the wall portion to correspond to the upstream end of the smokable material can somewhat lower the internal temperature of the smokable material at and near the upstream end of the smokable material. This suppresses aerosol generation at and near the upstream end of the smokable material, preventing aerosol generated there from condensing at the bottom of the container or flowing back through the airflow path. Furthermore, aerosol generated in other parts of the smokable material may condense at and near the upstream end of the smokable material. Furthermore, according to the thirteenth aspect, since the wall portion can form a gap between the smokable material and the heater, the size (volume or thickness) of the gap can be made constant. As a result, heat transfer to the smokable material can be stably suppressed.

According to a fourteenth aspect, a flavor inhaler is provided. The flavor inhaler includes a storage section that stores a smokable material of a consumable product, and a heater that is inserted into the smokable material stored in the storage section and configured to heat the smokable material from the inside. The heater has a first portion positioned along the insertion direction and a second portion having a smaller cross-sectional area than the first portion, and the first portion is positioned closer to the tip of the heater than the second portion.

According to the fourteenth aspect, when the heater is inserted into the smokable material, the first portion first forms a through-hole in the smokable material that corresponds to the cross-sectional shape of the first portion, and then the second portion can be positioned so that it overlaps the smokable material in the axial direction. As a result, a gap is formed between the inner surface of the through-hole and the second portion, which can somewhat lower the internal temperature of the smokable material at and near the upstream end of the smokable material. This suppresses aerosol generation at and near the upstream end of the smokable material, preventing aerosol generated there from condensing at the bottom of the container or flowing back through the airflow path. Furthermore, aerosol generated in other parts of the smokable material may condense at and near the upstream end of the smokable material. Furthermore, the fourteenth aspect can prevent excessive insertion resistance of the heater.

According to a fifteenth aspect, there is provided a smoking system. The smoking system comprises a flavor inhaler according to any one of the first to fourteenth aspects and the consumable material.

1 is a schematic cross-sectional side view of a smoking system according to an embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 2 is a schematic side view showing an example of a heating unit of the present embodiment. 2B is a cross section of the heating portion taken along the arrows 2B-2B shown in FIG. 2A. FIG. 2 is a schematic side view showing the heating unit inserted into the consumable product. FIG. 10 is a schematic side view showing an example of a heating unit according to another embodiment. FIG. 2 is a schematic side view showing the heating unit inserted into the consumable product.

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

1 is a schematic side cross-sectional view of a smoking system according to this embodiment. The smoking system according to this embodiment includes a consumable product 10 and a flavor inhaler 100. The flavor inhaler 100 is preferably a portable or handheld device. As shown in FIG. 1, the consumable product 10 includes a stopper element 18, a smokable material 16 heated by the flavor inhaler 100, a center-hole filter 15, a paper tube portion 14, and a filter portion 12. The center-hole filter 15 of the consumable product 10 is located between the smokable material 16 and the paper tube portion 14. The paper tube portion 14 may function as a cooling portion that cools aerosol that has passed through the center-hole filter 15. The interior of the paper tube portion 14 may be filled with a material such as a sheet to increase the contact area with the aerosol and promote cooling of the aerosol. The stopper element 18 is located on the tip side of the consumable product 10, i.e., at a position that first comes into contact with a heater 62 of a heating portion 60 (described below) when the consumable product 10 is inserted into the flavor inhaler 100. The stopper element 18 has the function of preventing the smokable material 16 from falling off from the tip of the consumable product 10, and may be, for example, an acetate filter, a center-hole filter, a neo filter, a paper filter, or the like. The stopper element 18 may also include a cylindrical wrapping sheet and a stopper sheet whose two ends are connected to the inner surface of the wrapping sheet at different positions in the circumferential direction. The stopper sheet may be paper whose length between its ends is longer than the diameter of the wrapping sheet. The consumable product 10 may not include the stopper element 18. In that case, the smokable material 16 may extend to the tip of the consumable product 10.

The flavor inhaler 100 is configured to heat solid or liquid smokable material 16 to atomize it. The smokable material 16 constitutes a part of a consumable product 10, which may be, for example, a columnar consumable product extending in the longitudinal direction. The consumable product 10 may be, for example, a tobacco stick in which the smokable material 16 contains tobacco. The smokable material 16 contained in the consumable product 10 may contain an aerosol source that generates an aerosol when heated to a predetermined temperature. The type of aerosol source is not particularly limited, and extracts and/or components of various natural products may be selected depending on the application. Examples of aerosol sources include glycerin, propylene glycol, triacetin, 1,3-butanediol, and mixtures thereof. The smokable material 16 may be tobacco lamina, ribs, or other known plants. The smokable material 16, such as tobacco, may be in the form of shreds, sheets, strings, powder, granules, pellets, slurry, or porous material.

The flavor inhaler 100 includes a battery 23 and a printed circuit board (PCB) 24. The battery 23 stores power used by the flavor inhaler 100. For example, the battery 23 is a lithium-ion battery. The battery 23 may be rechargeable by an external power source.

The PCB 24 is composed of a CPU, memory, etc., and controls the operation of the flavor inhaler 100. For example, the PCB 24 starts heating the smokable material 16 in response to user operation of an input device such as a push button or slide switch (not shown), and stops heating the smokable material 16 after a certain period of time has elapsed. The PCB 24 may stop heating the smokable material 16 even before the certain period of time has elapsed since heating of the smokable material 16 began if the number of puffs performed by the user exceeds a certain value. For example, puffs are detected by a sensor (not shown).

Alternatively, the PCB 24 may begin heating the smokable material 16 in response to the start of a puffing action and end heating the smokable material 16 in response to the end of a puffing action. The PCB 24 may end heating the smokable material 16 after a certain amount of time has elapsed since the start of a puffing action, even before the end of a puffing action.

In the illustrated example, the flavor inhaler 100 has an insertion end 101 into which the consumable product 10 is inserted, and is configured to accept a stick-shaped consumable product 10. As illustrated, the battery 23 and PCB 24 can be arranged in the direction in which the consumable product 10 is inserted into the flavor inhaler 100. In this specification, the insertion direction of the consumable product 10 or the longitudinal direction of the flavor inhaler 100 may be referred to as the axial direction. In this specification, the circumferential direction refers to the circumferential direction centered on an axis in the axial direction, and the radial direction refers to the direction perpendicular to the axial direction.

The flavor inhaler 100 has a housing 30, a storage portion 42, a heating portion 60, and a cap portion 80. The heating portion 60 is configured to heat the smokable material 16. Specifically, for example, the heating portion 60 has a shape that allows it to be inserted into the smokable material 16 and is configured to heat the smokable material 16 from the inside. More specifically, the heating portion 60 has a heater 62 that is inserted into the smokable material 16 and a flange portion 64 for fixing the heater 62 to the support 50. The heater 62 extends in the axial direction. The flange portion 64 extends in a direction intersecting the axial direction, specifically in a direction perpendicular to the axial direction. The heater 62 may have, for example, a resistively heatable heating track on its surface or inside.

The heater 62 is preferably a pin-type heater. In the case of a blade-type heater, which has a very small thickness relative to its width, when the heater 62 is inserted into the smokable material 16, the small thickness of the heater 62 makes it less likely for a gap, as described below, to form between the main surface of the heater 62 and the stopper element 18. When the heater 62 is a pin-type heater, it is easier to form the gap as compared to a blade-type heater. Specifically, the pin-type heater may be cylindrical, for example. The cross-sectional shape perpendicular to the insertion direction of the pin-type heater does not have to be a perfect circle and may be elliptical, for example. The cross-sectional shape perpendicular to the insertion direction of the pin-type heater may be rectangular, but this is not preferred as it increases the resistance when the heater 62 is inserted into the consumable product 10.

The heater 62 is supplied with power from the battery 23. Specifically, the heater 62 is provided with lead wires 66 and can be electrically connected to the PCB 24 and/or the battery 23 via the lead wires 66. The flavor inhaler 100 may have an induction coil that inductively heats the heater 62. In this case, the heater 62 can be inductively heated by the induction coil as a susceptor. Specifically, the heater 62 is inserted inside the smokable material 16 and inductively heated by the induction coil (not shown), thereby heating the smokable material 16. If the flavor inhaler 100 has an induction coil, it is preferable that at least one of the housing 30, the storage portion 42, and the cap portion 80 be magnetically permeable and non-conductive (electrically insulating). This makes it difficult for the induction coil to generate heat in at least one of the housing 30, the storage portion 42, and the cap portion 80, allowing the heater 62 to generate heat efficiently. Examples of magnetically permeable and non-conductive (electrically insulating) materials include glass, plants, wood, paper, and resins such as PEEK. The induction coil may be, for example, a flat coil or a cylindrical coil. When the consumable product 10 is positioned at a desired position in the storage section 42, the induction coil may be provided on the opposite side of the consumable product 10 via a bottom wall 44 (described later) of the storage section 42, or may be provided so as to surround a side wall 43 (described later) of the storage section 42.

The storage portion 42 may be generally cylindrical and configured to store the smokable material 16. Specifically, the storage portion 42 has a cylindrical side wall 43 and a bottom wall 44. The side wall 43 surrounds the smokable material 16 and stopper element 18 of the consumable product 10, which are positioned at a desired position within the storage portion 42. As shown in FIG. 1 , the heater 62 of the heating portion 60 passes through the opening 44a in the bottom wall 44, with a portion of the heater 62 located inside the storage portion 42.

As shown in Figure 1, it is preferable to provide a gap S2 around the entire circumference between the smokable material 16 of the consumable product 10 contained in the storage section 42 and the side wall 43 of the storage section 42. This can reduce the transfer of heat from the heater 62 and the heated smokable material 16 to the storage section 42 and the housing 30 compared to when the side of the consumable product 10 is in contact with the storage section 42. As a result, the temperature rise on the surface of the housing 30 can be reduced, and heat loss from the smokable material 16 by the storage section 42 can be reduced.

The housing 30 surrounds at least the outer periphery of the storage portion 42. Specifically, the housing 30 surrounds the outer periphery of the heating portion 60 and the storage portion 42. As shown in FIG. 1, the housing 30 has an air inlet 32 for supplying air to the heating portion 60, and an end portion 38 formed with openings into which the storage portion 42 and cap portion 80 are inserted. Air flowing in from the air inlet 32 of the housing 30 flows into the interior of the storage portion 42 through an opening 44a formed in the storage portion 42.

The end 38 constitutes one end of the housing 30. When assembling the flavor inhaler 100, the storage portion 42 and the cap portion 80 are inserted from the end 38. Specifically, the cap portion 80 can be removably attached to the housing 30. The cap portion 80 has an opening 81 for inserting the consumable product 10.

Next, details of the heater 62 will be described. Figure 2A is a schematic side view showing an example of the heating unit 60 of this embodiment. Figure 2B is a cross-section of the heating unit 60 taken along the arrows 2B-2B shown in Figure 2A. Figure 2C is a schematic side view showing the heating unit 60 inserted into the consumable product 10. In Figures 2A and 2C, the cover 67 and wall 70 are shown in a transparent manner. As shown in Figure 2A, the heating unit 60 may have a heater 62 and a wall 70 attached to the heater 62.

The heater 62 preferably includes a resistance heating element 68 and a cover 67 covering the outer surface of the resistance heating element 68. This prevents the resistance heating element 68 from coming into direct contact with the smokable material 16, thereby preventing the resistance heating element 68 from becoming contaminated by the smokable material 16 and from being physically damaged. Specifically, in the illustrated example, the heater 62 may have a hollow tube 65. This reduces the heat capacity compared to a solid heater 62. In the illustrated example, the resistance heating element 68 is formed on the outer surface of the tube 65, and a cover 67 is disposed on the outer surface of the resistance heating element 68. The tube 65, resistance heating element 68, and cover 67 are sintered to form an integrated heater 62. The tube 65 and cover 67 may be formed of an insulating material such as ceramic. Disposing the cover 67 on the outer surface of the resistance heating element 68 improves the strength of the heater 62 and ensures uniform heating.

2A to 2C, the flavor inhaler 100 has a gap S1 between the heater 62 and the stopper element 18 that is formed when the heater 62 is inserted into the smokable material 16. This separates the heater 62 at least partially from the stopper element 18, allowing the heater 62 to heat the smokable material 16 while suppressing heat transfer to the stopper element 18. This prevents the stopper element 18 from melting or being damaged, and also suppresses heat loss due to heat transfer to the stopper element 18. It is preferable that the gap S1 exists around the entire periphery of the heater 62, as shown in FIG. 2B. This further suppresses heat transfer to the stopper element 18.

In this embodiment, as shown in FIG. 2A , the heater 62 preferably has a heating portion 69A and a non-heating portion 69B, each positioned along the insertion direction (the axial or longitudinal direction of the heater 62). Specifically, for example, the heating portion 69A corresponds to the portion of the heater 62 where the resistive heating element 68 is located, and the non-heating portion 69B corresponds to the portion where the lead wire (a conductive portion with lower resistance than the resistive heating element 68) connected to the resistive heating element 68 is located. Here, as shown in FIG. 2C , the gap S1 is preferably located between the non-heating portion 69B of the heater 62 and the stopper element 18. This provides a gap between the non-heating portion 69B, which contributes little to heating the smokable material 16, and the stopper element 18. This allows the smokable material 16 to be heated by the heating portion 69A to generate sufficient aerosol while further suppressing heat transfer to the stopper element 18.

As shown, the heat-generating portion 69A is preferably located closer to the tip of the heater 62 than the non-heat-generating portion 69B. This allows the non-heat-generating portion 69B to overlap the stopper element 18, and the heat-generating portion 69A to overlap the smokable material 16, in the axial direction (the insertion direction of the heater 62). The tip of the heater 62 also preferably has a protrusion 69C whose diameter decreases toward the tip. This allows the heater 62 to be easily inserted into the consumable product 10.

In the illustrated example, the heating unit 60 is preferably disposed between the heater 62 and the stopper element 18 and has a wall portion 70 that contacts the stopper element 18 and is spaced apart from the heater 62. The wall portion 70 allows a gap S1 to be formed between the stopper element 18 and the heater 62, thereby making it possible to maintain a constant size (volume or thickness) of the gap S1. As a result, heat transfer to the stopper element 18 can be stably suppressed. In this embodiment, the wall portion 70 can be formed from an easily machined metal such as stainless steel, or a material with low thermal conductivity (e.g., a resin material).

As shown, the wall portion 70 is preferably positioned to overlap the non-heat-generating portion 69B in the insertion direction and spaced apart from the non-heat-generating portion 69B. This creates a gap S1 between the wall portion 70 and the non-heat-generating portion 69B, which contributes little to heating the smokable material 16. This allows the smokable material 16 to be heated by the heat-generating portion 69A to generate sufficient aerosol while suppressing heat transfer to the wall portion 70. As a result, heat transfer to the stopper element 18 in contact with the wall portion 70 is suppressed. If the consumable product 10 does not include a stopper element 18, for example, the wall portion 70 can be attached to the heater 62 by being positioned to correspond to the upstream end of the smokable material 16 that extends to the tip (upstream end) of the consumable product 10. The wall portion 70 is located on the base side of the heater 62 in the longitudinal direction. Here, the "root" of the heater 62 refers to the portion that exists at a longitudinal position corresponding to the leading end (upstream end) of the consumable product 10 when the heater 62 is inserted into the consumable product 10.

As shown, the wall 70 preferably has a tapered surface 71 whose diameter decreases from the rear end toward the tip end of the heater 62. As a result, when the heater 62 is inserted into the smokable material 16 from the tip end, the stopper element 18 in contact with the wall 70 is pushed apart, forming a gap S1 between the stopper element 18 and the heater 62 via the wall 70. At this time, the stopper element 18 is smoothly pushed apart by the tapered surface 71 of the wall 70, allowing the heater 62 to be easily inserted into the smokable material 16.

Specifically, the wall portion 70 has a cylindrical shape as a whole, and the tapered surface 71 causes the diameter to continuously increase from the front end to the rear end. In the illustrated example, the wall portion 70 is cylindrical. One end of the wall portion 70 on the front side can be fixed to the heater 62. The method of fixing the wall portion 70 to the heater 62 can be selected from chemical fixing methods such as using adhesives, mechanical fixing methods such as fitting or crimping, and combinations thereof. As a result, the wall portion 70 forms an integral part with the heater 62. A flange 72 having a diameter larger than the tapered surface 71 can be formed on the other end of the rear end of the wall portion 70. As shown in FIG. 2C , when the heating unit 60 is inserted into the consumable product 10, the end of the consumable product 10 (stopper element 18) comes into contact with the flange 72. As a result, the flange 72 can position the consumable product 10. The flange 72 can be positioned so as to overlap the non-heat-generating portion 69B in the axial direction.

In this embodiment, it is preferable to have an insulating member between the wall portion 70 and the heater 62. This further reduces heat transfer from the heater 62 to the wall portion 70. As a result, heat transfer to the stopper element 18 in contact with the wall portion 70 can be further reduced. The insulating member may fill the entire gap S1 between the wall portion 70 and the heater 62, or may be positioned between the wall portion 70 and the heater 62 so that part of the gap S1 remains. The insulating member may be a known insulating member, such as aerogel.

Next, another embodiment of the heating unit 60 will be described. Figure 3A is a schematic side view showing an example of a heating unit 60 according to another embodiment. Figure 3B is a schematic side view showing the heating unit 60 inserted into the consumable product 10. In Figures 3A and 3B, the cover 67 is shown as opaque, but has a resistance heating element 68 similar to that in Figures 2A to 2C.

The heating unit 60 shown in Figures 3A and 3B does not have a wall portion 70, unlike the heating unit 60 shown in Figures 2A to 2C. In contrast, the heater 62 of the heating unit 60 shown in Figures 3A and 3B has a first portion 73A positioned along the insertion direction and a second portion 73B with a smaller cross-sectional area than the first portion 73A. Note that the cross-sectional area here refers to the cross-sectional area in a plane perpendicular to the insertion direction of the heater 62. As shown, the first portion 73A is positioned closer to the tip of the heater 62 than the second portion 73B, and the gap S1 is located between the second portion 73B and the stopper element 18. As a result, when the heater 62 is inserted into the consumable product 10, the first portion 73A first forms a through hole h1 in the stopper element 18 that corresponds to the cross-sectional shape of the first portion 73A (see Figure 3B), and then the second portion 73B can be positioned to overlap the stopper element 18 in the axial direction. As a result, a gap S1 is formed between the inner surface of the through hole h1 and the second portion 73B, which prevents the stopper element 18 from melting or being damaged, and also prevents heat loss due to heat transfer to the stopper element 18. The through hole h1 may be formed in the stopper element 18 in advance.

As shown, the second portion 73B preferably includes a non-heat-generating portion 69B. This creates a gap S1 between the second portion 73B, which contributes little to heating of the smokable material 16, and the stopper element 18. This allows the smokable material 16 to be heated by the heat-generating portion 69A to generate sufficient aerosol while further suppressing heat transfer to the stopper element 18.

Furthermore, it is preferable that the first portion 73A and the second portion 73B are arranged coaxially. If the central axis of the second portion 73B is located outside the cross section of the first portion 73A, there is a risk that the second portion 73B will come into contact with the inner surface of the through hole h1 formed in the stopper element 18 by the first portion 73A. When the first portion 73A and the second portion 73B are arranged coaxially, adjusting the shape of the second portion 73B allows the entire second portion 73B to be positioned inside the outer peripheral surface of the first portion 73A when viewed from the insertion direction. As a result, a gap S1 can be provided between the second portion 73B and the stopper element 18 along the entire circumference, further suppressing heat transfer to the stopper element 18.

Furthermore, when viewed from the insertion direction, it is preferable that the entire second portion 73B be located inside the outer peripheral surface of the first portion 73A. This allows a gap S1 to be formed between the second portion 73B and the stopper element 18 around the entire circumference, thereby further suppressing heat transfer to the stopper element 18.

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

10: Consumable product 16: Smokable material 18: Stopper element 42: Storage portion 62: Heater 67: Cover 68: Resistive heating element 69A: Heating portion 69B: Non-heating portion 70: Wall portion 71: Tapered surface 73A: First portion 73B: Second portion 100: Flavor inhaler S1: Gap S2: Gap

Claims (14)

a container for containing a smokable material of a consumable product including a smokable material and a stopper element;
a heater configured to be inserted into the smokable material contained in the container and to heat the smokable material from the inside;
a gap between the heater and the stopper element formed when the heater is inserted into the smokable material;
the heater has a heat generating portion and a non-heat generating portion, each of which is positioned along the insertion direction;
the gap is located between the non-heat-generating portion of the heater and the stopper element,
The heat generating unit has a resistance heating element and a cover that covers the outer surface of the resistance heating element. The flavor inhaler according to claim 1,
The flavor inhaler, wherein the heat generating portion is located closer to a tip end of the heater than the non-heat generating portion. The flavor inhaler according to claim 1 or 2,
The flavor inhaler has a wall portion disposed between the heater and the stopper element, the wall portion being in contact with the stopper element and spaced apart from the heater. The flavor inhaler according to claim 3,
The wall portion is positioned so as to overlap the non-heat generating portion in the insertion direction and is spaced apart from the non-heat generating portion. The flavor inhaler according to claim 3 or 4,
The wall portion has a tapered surface whose diameter decreases from the rear end side to the front end side of the heater. The flavor inhaler according to any one of claims 3 to 5,
The flavor inhaler has a heat insulating member between the wall portion and the heater. The flavor inhaler according to claim 1 or 2,
The heater has a first portion positioned along the insertion direction and a second portion having a cross-sectional area smaller than that of the first portion,
the first portion is located closer to a tip end of the heater than the second portion,
The gap is located between the second portion and the stopper element. The flavor inhaler according to claim 7,
The flavor inhaler, wherein the second portion includes the non-heat-generating portion. The flavor inhaler according to claim 7 or 8,
The flavor inhaler, wherein the first part and the second part are arranged coaxially. The flavor inhaler according to any one of claims 7 to 9,
When viewed from the insertion direction, the second part is entirely located inside the outer circumferential surface of the first part. a container for containing a smokable material of the consumable product;
a heater configured to be inserted into the smokable material contained in the container and to heat the smokable material from the inside;
a wall portion disposed around the heater;
a gap between the heater and the wall,
the heater has a heat generating portion and a non-heat generating portion, each of which is positioned along an insertion direction and inserted into the consumable product;
the gap is located between the non-heat-generating portion of the heater and the wall portion ,
The flavor inhaler , wherein the wall portion is attached to the heater and configured to be inserted into the consumable . a container for containing a smokable material of the consumable product;
a heater configured to be inserted into the smokable material contained in the container and to heat the smokable material from the inside;
The heater has a first portion positioned along the insertion direction and a second portion having a cross-sectional area smaller than that of the first portion,
the first portion and the second portion are configured to be inserted into the consumable product ;
the first portion is located closer to a tip end of the heater than the second portion,
The first part includes a resistance heating element and a cover that covers an outer surface of the resistance heating element. a container for containing a smokable material of a consumable product including a smokable material and a stopper element;
a heater configured to be inserted into the smokable material contained in the container and to heat the smokable material from the inside;
a gap between the heater and the stopper element formed when the heater is inserted into the smokable material;
a wall portion disposed between the heater and the stopper element, the wall portion contacting the stopper element and spaced apart from the heater;
The flavor inhaler has a heat insulating member between the wall portion and the heater. A smoking system comprising the flavor inhaler described in any one of claims 1 to 13 and the consumable material.