Inhalation device, base material, and control method

Abstract

An inhalation device including: a heating unit that heats a base material containing an aerosol source and generates aerosol; and a control unit that controls operation of the heating unit on the basis of a temperature setting specifying time-series transition of a target temperature, which is a target value of the temperature of the heating unit, wherein the temperature setting includes a temperature increasing period where the temperature of the heating unit is increased from an initial temperature, which is the temperature of the heating unit at start of heating, to a predetermined temperature, and the control unit controls the length of the temperature increasing period on the basis of the initial temperature.

1 . An inhaler device comprising:
 a heater configured to heat a substrate including an aerosol source to generate an aerosol; and   a controller configured to control, based on a temperature setting defining a time-series transition of a target temperature, the target temperature being a target value of a temperature of the heater, an operation of the heater, wherein   the temperature setting includes a temperature rise period during which the temperature of the heater is raised from an initial temperature to a predetermined temperature, the initial temperature being the temperature of the heater at start of heating, and   the controller is configured to control, based on the initial temperature, a length of the temperature rise period.   
     
     
         2 . The inhaler device according to  claim 1 , wherein
 the temperature rise period is composed of a first period having a length that is variable and a second period following the first period and having a length that is fixed, and   the controller is configured to control, based on the initial temperature, the length of the first period.   
     
     
         3 . The inhaler device according to  claim 2 , wherein
 the controller is configured to shorten the first period as the initial temperature increases and lengthen the first period as the initial temperature decreases.   
     
     
         4 . The inhaler device according to  claim 2 , wherein
 the controller is configured to change, based on the temperature of the heater in the first period, the length of the first period determined based on the initial temperature.   
     
     
         5 . The inhaler device according to  claim 4 , wherein
 the controller is configured to terminate the first period and switch to the second period, in response to the temperature of the heater reaching the predetermined temperature at an end of the first period whose length is determined based on the initial temperature.   
     
     
         6 . The inhaler device according to  claim 4 , wherein
 the controller is configured to extend the first period in response to the temperature of the heater not reaching the predetermined temperature at an end of the first period whose length is determined based on the initial temperature.   
     
     
         7 . The inhaler device according to  claim 6 , wherein
 the controller is configured to extend, by a time corresponding to the initial temperature, the first period whose length is determined based on the initial temperature.   
     
     
         8 . The inhaler device according to  claim 6 , wherein
 the controller is configured to stop the operation of the heater in response to the temperature of the heater not reaching the predetermined temperature at an end of the extended first period.   
     
     
         9 . The inhaler device according to  claim 4 , wherein
 the controller is configured to terminate the first period and switch to the second period, in response to the temperature of the heater reaching the predetermined temperature before an end of the first period whose length is determined based on the initial temperature.   
     
     
         10 . The inhaler device according to  claim 2 , wherein
 the inhaler device comprises a plurality of the heaters, and   the controller is configured to perform control such that first periods in a plurality of the temperature settings for the plurality of heaters have respective lengths that are different from each other.   
     
     
         11 . The inhaler device according to  claim 10 , wherein
 the controller is configured to make the first period in the temperature setting for the heater disposed on an upstream side among the plurality of heaters longer than the first period in the temperature setting for the heater disposed on a downstream side among the plurality of heaters.   
     
     
         12 . The inhaler device according to  claim 2 , wherein
 the controller is configured to control the operation of the heater such that the temperature of the heater is raised from the initial temperature to the predetermined temperature in the first period and that the temperature of the heater is maintained at the predetermined temperature in the second period.   
     
     
         13 . The inhaler device according to  claim 1 , wherein
 the temperature rise period is a period from the start of heating to when inhalation of the aerosol by a user becomes possible.   
     
     
         14 . The inhaler device according to  claim 1 , wherein
 the controller is configured to control, based on the temperature of the heater in the temperature rise period, the length of the temperature rise period.   
     
     
         15 . The inhaler device according to  claim 1 , wherein
 the controller is configured to control, based on an elapsed time from termination of preceding heating that is based on the temperature setting, the length of the temperature rise period.   
     
     
         16 . A substrate that includes an aerosol source and that is to be heated by an inhaler device to generate an aerosol, the inhaler device comprising:
 a heater configured to heat the substrate including the aerosol source to generate the aerosol; and   a controller configured to control, based on a temperature setting defining a time-series transition of a target temperature, the target temperature being a target value of a temperature of the heater, an operation of the heater, wherein   the temperature setting includes a temperature rise period during which the temperature of the heater is raised from an initial temperature to a predetermined temperature, the initial temperature being the temperature of the heater at start of heating, and   the controller is configured to control, based on the initial temperature, a length of the temperature rise period.   
     
     
         17 . A control method for controlling an inhaler device including a heater configured to heat a substrate including an aerosol source to generate an aerosol, the control method comprising:
 controlling, based on a temperature setting defining a time-series transition of a target temperature, the target temperature being a target value of a temperature of the heater, an operation of the heater, wherein   the temperature setting includes a temperature rise period during which the temperature of the heater is raised from an initial temperature to a predetermined temperature, the initial temperature being the temperature of the heater at start of heating, and   the controlling of the operation of the heater includes controlling, based on the initial temperature, a length of the temperature rise period.