Induction heating module for use in an inductively heating aerosol generating device

Abstract

An induction heating module for an inductively heating aerosol-generating device is provided, the module including: a cylindrical-helical induction coil to generate an alternating magnetic field allowing to inductively heat a susceptor within an interior space of the coil to heat an aerosol-forming substrate in thermal contact or thermal proximity with the susceptor; and a coil support to support the coil and including a support tube, an outer circumference of the tube has a non-circular flattened transverse cross-sectional shape including two opposing flat sections connected by two opposing at least partially curved sections, the coil being wound around the outer circumference such that a transverse cross-sectional shape of the coil follows the shape of the outer circumference, and the shape of the outer circumference includes major and minor axes of symmetry.

1 .- 15 . (canceled) 
     
     
         16 . An induction heating module for an inductively heating aerosol-generating device, the induction heating module comprising:
 a cylindrical-helical induction coil configured to generate an alternating magnetic field allowing to inductively heat a susceptor within an interior space of the cylindrical-helical induction coil in order to heat an aerosol-forming substrate in thermal contact or thermal proximity with the susceptor; and   a coil support configured to support the cylindrical-helical induction coil, the coil support comprising a support tube,
 wherein an outer circumference of the support tube has a non-circular flattened transverse cross-sectional shape comprising two opposing flat sections connected by two opposing at least partially curved sections, 
 wherein the cylindrical-helical induction coil is wound around the outer circumference of the support tube such that a transverse cross-sectional shape of the cylindrical-helical induction coil follows the non-circular flattened transverse cross-sectional shape of the outer circumference of the support tube, and 
 wherein the non-circular flattened transverse cross-sectional shape of the outer circumference of the support tube comprises a minor axis of symmetry and a major axis of symmetry, 
   wherein a ratio of a maximum distance along the major axis of symmetry between the two opposing at least partially curved sections to a maximum distance along the minor axis of symmetry between the two opposing flat sections is in a range between 1.2 and 3, and/or   wherein a maximum distance along the minor axis of symmetry between the two opposing flat sections is in a range between 4 millimeters and 7 millimeters, and/or   wherein a maximum distance along the major axis of symmetry between the two opposing at least partially curved sections is in a range between 7 millimeters and 10 millimeters.   
     
     
         17 . The induction heating module according to  claim 16 ,
 wherein the ratio of the maximum distance along the major axis of symmetry between the two opposing at least partially curved sections to the maximum distance along the minor axis of symmetry between the two opposing flat sections is in a range between 1.5 and 2.5, and/or   wherein the maximum distance along the minor axis of symmetry between the two opposing flat sections is in a range between 5 millimeters and 6 millimeters; and/or   wherein the maximum distance along the major axis of symmetry between the two opposing at least partially curved sections is in a range between 8 millimeters and 9 millimeters.   
     
     
         18 . The induction heating module according to  claim 16 , wherein the two opposing flat sections are parallel to each other. 
     
     
         19 . The induction heating module according to  claim 16 , wherein each of the at least partially curved sections is one of substantially semi-circular, substantially semi-oval, substantially semi-elliptical, or substantially parabolic. 
     
     
         20 . The induction heating module according to  claim 16 , wherein the non-circular flattened transverse cross-sectional shape of the outer circumference of the support tube is obround. 
     
     
         21 . The induction heating module according to  claim 16 , wherein a distance in a radial direction between the cylindrical-helical induction coil and an inner circumference of the coil support is in a range between 0.1 millimeter and 1 millimeter. 
     
     
         22 . The induction heating module according to  claim 16 , wherein the coil support further comprises a circumferential collar at each axial end of the support tube. 
     
     
         23 . The induction heating module according to  claim 22 , wherein the circumferential collar has a non-circular flattened transverse cross-sectional shape corresponding to the non-circular flattened transverse cross-sectional shape of the outer circumference of the support tube. 
     
     
         24 . The induction heating module according to  claim 22 , wherein the circumferential collar comprises a recess or feedthrough opening configured for passing through connecting leads for the cylindrical-helical induction coil. 
     
     
         25 . An inductively heating aerosol-generating device for an aerosol-generating article, the aerosol-generating article comprising an aerosol-forming substrate to be heated by interaction of a susceptor with an alternating magnetic field provided by the aerosol-generating device, wherein the aerosol-generating device comprises an induction heating module according to  claim 16 . 
     
     
         26 . An inductively heating aerosol-generating device for an aerosol-generating article, the aerosol-generating article comprising an aerosol-forming substrate to be heated by interaction of a susceptor with an alternating magnetic field provided by the aerosol-generating device, the aerosol-generating device comprising:
 a cylindrical-helical induction coil configured to generate the alternating magnetic field,
 wherein the cylindrical-helical induction coil has a non-circular flattened transverse cross-sectional shape comprising two opposing flat sections connected by two opposing at least partially curved sections, and 
 wherein the non-circular flattened transverse cross-sectional shape of the cylindrical-helical induction coil comprises a minor axis of symmetry and a major axis of symmetry, 
   wherein a ratio of a maximum distance along the major axis of symmetry between the two opposing at least partially curved sections to a maximum distance along the minor axis of symmetry between the two opposing flat sections is in a range between 1.2 and 3, and/or   wherein a maximum distance along the minor axis of symmetry between the two opposing flat sections is in a range between 4 millimeters and 7 millimeters, and/or   wherein a maximum distance along the major axis of symmetry between the two opposing at least partially curved sections is in a range between 7 millimeters and 10 millimeters.   
     
     
         27 . The inductively heating aerosol-generating device according to  claim 26 ,
 wherein a ratio of the maximum distance along the major axis of symmetry between the two opposing at least partially curved sections to the maximum distance along the minor axis of symmetry between the two opposing flat sections is in a range between 1.5 and 2.5, and/or   wherein the maximum distance along the minor axis of symmetry between the two opposing flat sections is in a range between 5 millimeters and 6 millimeters, and/or   wherein the maximum distance along the major axis of symmetry between the two opposing at least partially curved sections is in a range between 8 millimeters and 9 millimeters.   
     
     
         28 . The inductively heating aerosol-generating device according to  claim 26 , wherein the non-circular flattened transverse cross-sectional shape of the cylindrical-helical induction coil is obround and/or wherein the cylindrical-helical induction coil has an obround-cylindrical shape. 
     
     
         29 . An aerosol-generating system comprising an aerosol-generating device according to  claim 25  and an aerosol-generating article for the aerosol-generating device, the aerosol-generating article comprising an aerosol-forming substrate to be heated by interaction of a susceptor with an alternating magnetic field provided by the aerosol-generating device. 
     
     
         30 . The aerosol-generating system according to  claim 29 , wherein either the aerosol-generating device or the aerosol-generating article comprises the susceptor for heating the aerosol-forming substrate.