KR102259897B1 - Aerosol generating device - Google Patents

Abstract

The aerosol generating device is formed on both sides of the case and includes a first air inlet and a second air inlet through which external air is introduced, and a first air channel extending from the first air inlet to the second air inlet; and a second air channel branched from one air channel to fluidly communicate with the atomizing unit and the mouthpiece, wherein the first air inlet and the second air inlet are disposed below the atomizing unit, and the first air channel A droplet blocking unit for preventing the droplets generated in the atomizing unit from leaking into the first air inlet and the second air inlet is disposed on the ventilator, thereby preventing user inconvenience and equipment failure due to the leakage of the droplets.

Description

Aerosol generating device {AEROSOL GENERATING DEVICE}

The present invention relates to an aerosol generating device, and more particularly, to an aerosol generating device capable of preventing the droplets generated in the atomization unit from leaking to the outside.

In recent years, there has been an increasing demand for an alternative method that overcomes the disadvantages of conventional cigarettes. For example, there is an increasing demand for a method of generating an aerosol as the aerosol generating material in the cigarette or liquid reservoir is heated rather than a method of generating an aerosol by burning a cigarette.

This aerosol generating device is designed to allow the user to inhale the aerosol generated in the atomization unit, but in the aerosol generating device, droplets may be generated by various factors such as supercooling of the aerosol, collision, change in airflow velocity, and the like.

However, since the conventional aerosol generating device has an air inlet formed in the lower part of the cartridge, there is a problem in that the droplets generated in the atomization unit penetrate into the body and cause device failure. Accordingly, there is a need for an airflow path design method capable of reducing user inconvenience due to droplet leakage while arranging the air inlet on the side of the cartridge.

KR 10-2017-0013786 A (2017.02.07)

The technical problem to be solved by the present invention is to provide an aerosol generating device capable of reducing device failure and user inconvenience due to leakage while simplifying an airflow passage.

Another technical problem to be solved by the present invention is to provide an aerosol generating device capable of reducing power consumption of a heater.

The technical problems of the present invention are not limited to the above, and other technical problems can be inferred from the following examples.

In an aerosol generating device comprising a main body and a cartridge coupled to one end of the main body, the aerosol generating device according to an embodiment of the present invention for solving the above technical problem, the cartridge is accommodated in the case and stored in the aerosol storage unit An atomization unit generating an aerosol by heating a product, a mouthpiece unit discharging the generated aerosol, first and second air inlets formed on both sides of the case and through which external air is introduced; A first air channel extending from the first air inlet to the second air inlet, a second air channel branching from the first air channel to fluidly communicate with the atomizing unit and the mouthpiece unit, and generated in the atomizing unit and a droplet blocking unit for preventing droplets from leaking into the first air inlet and the second air inlet through the first air channel.

In addition, the droplet blocking part may include a first protrusion and a second protrusion protruding from a bottom portion of a portion of the first air channel to a predetermined height in a direction for closing the first air channel.

In addition, the first protrusion and the second protrusion may be symmetrically arranged with respect to a center line extending in the longitudinal direction from the center of the end face of the cartridge.

Also, a distance between the first protrusion and the second protrusion may be greater than a width of the second air channel.

In addition, the droplet blocking part may include a recessed part recessed by a predetermined depth in a direction opposite to the closing direction of the first air channel from the bottom of the central portion of the first air channel.

In addition, the droplet blocking part is disposed on the bottom of the recessed portion, it may further include a protrusion disposed to be spaced apart from both sides of the depression by a predetermined distance.

In addition, the atomization unit includes a wick for absorbing the aerosol-generating material stored in the storage unit, and a heater for heating the aerosol-generating material absorbed into the wick in contact with the wick, the first air inlet and the The second air inlet may be disposed below the heater.

In addition, the mouthpiece portion includes a guide portion extending in a direction perpendicular to the air flow direction flowing in the second air channel, the cartridge is in fluid communication with the second air channel, a third branched by the guide portion It may further include an air channel and a fourth air channel.

In addition, the cartridge is disposed above the atomization unit, the first air inlet, and the second air inlet, and a third air inlet through which the outside air is introduced, and the third air inlet through the third air inlet. 2 It may further include a fifth air channel leading to the atomizer along the outside of the air channel.

In addition, the main body has a sixth air channel for guiding the external air introduced through a fourth air inlet provided at the other end to the cartridge, the cartridge is opposite to the second air channel in the first air channel It further includes a seventh air channel extending in the direction, and when coupled to the body, the seventh air channel may be in fluid communication with the sixth air channel.

In the aerosol generating device of the present invention, since the first air inlet and the second air inlet are formed on both sides of the cartridge, and the first air channel is formed to extend to the first air inlet and the second air inlet, the liquid generated in the atomization unit It can prevent enemies from leaking into the body. Accordingly, the aerosol generating device may prevent device failure due to leakage of droplets.

In addition, since the droplet blocking unit is disposed in the first air channel, it is possible to prevent the droplets generated in the atomizing unit from leaking out through the air inlet. Accordingly, the aerosol generating device may reduce user discomfort due to the leakage of droplets.

In addition, when the droplet blocking part includes the recessed part, by arranging the protrusion at the center of the bottom surface of the recessed part, it is possible to prevent a short circuit of the electrode due to the droplet leaking into the recessed part.

In addition, the aerosol generating device diverges from the first air channel and arranges the guide portion in the second air channel in fluid communication with the atomizing portion and the mouthpiece portion, so that the air flowing through the second air channel is directed to the third air channel and the fourth air channel. It can be configured to branch to and discharge. Accordingly, while the droplets generated in the second air channel collide with the guide unit to generate droplets, it is possible to prevent the droplets collected in the guide unit from leaking to the outside through the discharge hole.

In addition, the aerosol generating device may increase suction resistance by branching and discharging air flowing through the second air channel.

In addition, the aerosol generating device arranges the third air inlet above the first air inlet and the second air inlet, and the air introduced through the third air inlet flows along the outside of the second air channel heated by the atomizing unit. By forming the fifth air channel to guide the atomization unit, it is possible to reduce power consumption of the heater.

In addition, the aerosol generating device arranges the fourth air inlet at the other end of the main body, and as the air introduced through the fourth air inlet is guided to the cartridge via the battery and circuit board accommodated in the main body, consumption of the heater power can be reduced.

1 is an exploded perspective view schematically illustrating a coupling relationship between a replaceable cartridge containing an aerosol-generating material and an aerosol-generating device having the same according to an embodiment;
FIG. 2 is a perspective view illustrating an exemplary operating state of the aerosol generating device according to the embodiment shown in FIG. 1 .
3 is a perspective view illustrating another exemplary operating state of the aerosol generating device according to the embodiment shown in FIG. 1 .
4 is a block diagram illustrating a hardware configuration of an aerosol generating device according to an embodiment.
5 is a longitudinal cross-sectional view of a cartridge according to an embodiment of the present invention.
FIG. 6 is a view for explaining an air flow along the air channel of FIG. 5 .
7 is a longitudinal cross-sectional view of a cartridge according to another embodiment of the present invention.
8 is a longitudinal cross-sectional view of a body according to another embodiment of the present invention.
Fig. 9 is a longitudinal cross-sectional view of the cartridge along an air inlet formed in the body of Fig. 8;

The terms used in the embodiments have selected general terms that are currently widely used as possible while considering functions in the present invention, but this may vary according to the intention or precedent of a technician working in the art, the emergence of new technologies, and the like. In addition, in certain cases, there are terms arbitrarily selected by the applicant, and in this case, the meaning of the terms will be described in detail in the description of the corresponding invention. Therefore, the terms used in the present invention should be defined based on the meaning of the term and the overall contents of the present invention, not a simple name of the term.

When a part of the specification is said to "include" a certain component, it means that other components may be further included rather than excluding other components unless specifically stated to the contrary. In addition, terms such as "... unit" and "... module" described in the specification mean a unit that processes at least one function or operation, which may be implemented as hardware or software, or a combination of hardware and software.

In the present disclosure, the width of the air channel may mean the diameter of the air channel.

Hereinafter, embodiments of the present invention will be described in detail with reference to the accompanying drawings so that those of ordinary skill in the art may easily implement the present invention. However, the present invention may be implemented in various different forms and is not limited to the embodiments described herein.

The aerosol generating device 5 according to the embodiment shown in FIG. 1 comprises a cartridge 20 holding an aerosol generating material, and a body 10 supporting the cartridge 20 .

The cartridge 20 may be coupled to the body 10 in a state in which the aerosol generating material is accommodated therein. A portion of the cartridge 20 is inserted into the receiving space 19 of the main body 10 , so that the cartridge 20 can be mounted on the main body 10 .

In FIG. 1 , the cartridge and the body of the aerosol generating device are shown as detachable and detachable from each other, but the present invention is not limited and the aerosol generating device may be an integral type in which the cartridge and the body are integrated.

At least part of the liquid storage unit 21 of the cartridge may include a transparent material so that the aerosol-generating material accommodated in the cartridge can be visually confirmed from the outside. The liquid storage unit 21 includes a protruding window 21a protruding from the liquid storage unit 21 so that it can be inserted into the groove 11 of the body when coupled to the body. The entire mouthpiece 22 and the liquid storage unit 21 may be made of a transparent plastic or glass material, and only the protruding window 21a corresponding to a portion of the liquid storage unit 21 may be made of a transparent material. can

The body 10 includes a connection terminal 10t disposed inside the accommodation space 19 . When the liquid storage unit 21 of the cartridge 20 is inserted into the receiving space 19 of the main body 10, the main body 10 provides power to the cartridge 20 through the connection terminal 10t, or the cartridge 20 ) may supply a signal related to the operation of the cartridge 20 .

A slider 7 is movably coupled to the body 10 with respect to the body 10 . The slider 7 covers at least a portion of the mouthpiece portion 22 of the cartridge 20 coupled to the main body 10 by moving relative to the body 10 or exposes at least a portion of the mouthpiece portion 22 to the outside. perform the function The slider 7 includes a long hole 7a for exposing at least a part of the protruding window 21a of the cartridge 20 to the outside.

The slider 7 is hollow inside and has a cylindrical shape with both ends open. The structure of the slider 7 is not limited to a tubular shape as shown in the drawings, but is bent with a clip-shaped cross-sectional shape that is movable with respect to the body 10 while maintaining a state coupled to the edge of the body 10 . It may have a structure such as a curved plate structure or a curved semi-cylindrical shape having a cross-sectional shape of a curved arc shape.

The slider 7 includes a body 10 and a magnetic body for maintaining the position of the slider 7 relative to the cartridge 20 . The magnetic material may include a permanent magnet, or a material such as iron, nickel, cobalt, or an alloy thereof.

The magnetic material includes two first magnetic materials 8a facing each other with the inner space of the slider 7 therebetween, and two second magnetic materials 8b facing each other with the inner space of the slider 7 interposed therebetween. do. The first magnetic body 8a and the second magnetic body 8b are disposed to be spaced apart from each other in the movement direction of the slider 7 , that is, along the longitudinal direction of the body 10 , that is, the direction in which the body 10 extends.

The body 10 is a fixed magnetic body 9 disposed on a path in which the first magnetic body 8a and the second magnetic body 8b of the slider 7 move while the slider 7 moves with respect to the body 10. includes Two fixed magnetic bodies 9 of the main body 10 may also be installed to face each other with the receiving space 19 therebetween.

Depending on the position of the slider 7, due to the magnetic force acting between the stationary magnetic body 9 and the first magnetic body 8a or between the stationary magnetic body 9 and the second magnetic body 8b, the slider 7 is moved to the mouthpiece part ( 22) can be stably maintained in a position that covers or exposes the end of the

The body 10 includes a position change detection sensor disposed on the moving path of the first magnetic body 8a and the second magnetic body 8b of the slider 7 while the slider 7 moves with respect to the body 10. 3) is included. The position change detection sensor 3 may include, for example, a hall sensor (hall IC) using a hall effect that detects a change in a magnetic field and generates a signal.

Although the main body 10, the cartridge 20, and the slider 7 in the aerosol-generating device 5 according to the above-described embodiment have a substantially rectangular cross-sectional shape in a direction transverse to the longitudinal direction, the embodiment is such an aerosol-generating device It is not limited by the shape of (5). The aerosol generating device 5 may have a cross-sectional shape of, for example, a circle, an ellipse, a square, or a polygon of various shapes. In addition, when the aerosol generating device 5 extends in the longitudinal direction, it is not necessarily limited to a structure extending in a straight line, for example, it is curved in a streamline shape or bent at a predetermined angle in a specific area to make it easier for a user to hold it in a hand, and it extends for a long time. can do.

FIG. 2 is a perspective view illustrating an exemplary operating state of the aerosol generating device according to the embodiment shown in FIG. 1 .

In FIG. 2 , an operating state in which the slider 7 is moved to a position covering the end of the mouthpiece portion 22 of the cartridge coupled with the main body 10 is shown. In a state in which the slider 7 is moved to a position to cover the end of the mouthpiece 22, the mouthpiece 22 is safely protected from foreign substances and can be maintained in a clean state.

The user can check the remaining amount of the aerosol generating material held in the cartridge by visually checking the protruding window 21a of the cartridge through the long hole 7a of the slider 7 . The user may move the slider 7 in the longitudinal direction of the body 10 to use the aerosol generating device 5 .

3 is a perspective view illustrating another exemplary operating state of the aerosol generating device according to the embodiment shown in FIG. 1 .

3 shows an operating state in which the slider 7 is moved to a position in which the end of the mouthpiece 22 of the cartridge coupled with the main body 10 is exposed to the outside. In a state in which the slider 7 is moved to a position where the end of the mouthpiece 22 is exposed to the outside, the user inserts the mouthpiece 22 into his or her mouth, and the discharge hole 22a of the mouthpiece 22 is ) can inhale the aerosol emitted through the

Even when the slider 7 is moved to a position where the end of the mouthpiece 22 is exposed to the outside, the protruding window 21a of the cartridge is exposed through the long hole 7a of the slider 7 to the outside, so that the user You can visually check the remaining amount of aerosol-generating material held by the

4 is a block diagram illustrating a hardware configuration of an aerosol generating device according to an embodiment.

Referring to FIG. 4 , the aerosol generating device 10000 may include a battery 11000 , a heater 12000 , a sensor 13000 , a user interface 14000 , a memory 15000 , and a controller 16000 . However, the internal structure of the aerosol generating device 10000 is not limited to that shown in FIG. 4 . According to the design of the aerosol generating device 10000, some of the hardware components shown in FIG. 4 may be omitted or new components may be further added to those of ordinary skill in the art related to this embodiment It can be understood .

In an embodiment, the aerosol generating device 10000 may consist of only the body, and in this case, the hardware components included in the aerosol generating device 10000 are located in the body. In another embodiment, the aerosol generating device 10000 may be composed of a main body and a cartridge, and hardware components included in the aerosol generating device 10000 may be divided into the main body and the cartridge. Alternatively, at least some of the hardware components included in the aerosol generating device 10000 may be located in each of the main body and the cartridge.

Hereinafter, the operation of each component will be described without limiting the space in which each component included in the aerosol generating device 10000 is located.

The battery 11000 supplies power used to operate the aerosol generating device 10000 . That is, the battery 11000 may supply power so that the heater 12000 may be heated. In addition, the battery 11000 may supply power required for the operation of other hardware components included in the aerosol generating device 10000, that is, the sensor 13000, the user interface 14000, the memory 15000, and the control unit 16000. can The battery 11000 may be a rechargeable battery or a disposable battery. For example, the battery 11000 may be a lithium polymer (LiPoly) battery, but is not limited thereto.

The heater 12000 receives power from the battery 11000 under the control of the controller 16000 . The heater 12000 may receive power from the battery 11000 to heat a cigarette inserted into the aerosol generating device 10000 or to heat a cartridge mounted in the aerosol generating device 10000 .

The heater 12000 may be located in the body of the aerosol generating device 10000 . Alternatively, when the aerosol generating device 10000 is composed of a main body and a cartridge, the heater 12000 may be located in the cartridge. When the heater 12000 is positioned in the cartridge, the heater 12000 may receive power from the battery 11000 positioned in at least one of the main body and the cartridge.

Heater 12000 may be formed of any suitable electrically resistive material. For example, suitable electrically resistive materials include titanium, zirconium, tantalum, platinum, nickel, cobalt, chromium, hafnium, niobium, molybdenum, tungsten, tin, gallium, manganese, iron, copper, stainless steel, nichrome, etc. It may be a metal or metal alloy including, but is not limited thereto. Also, the heater 12000 may be implemented as a metal heating wire, a metal heating plate on which an electrically conductive track is disposed, a ceramic heating element, or the like, but is not limited thereto.

In one embodiment, the heater 12000 may be a configuration included in the cartridge. The cartridge may include a heater 12000 , a liquid delivery means and a liquid reservoir. The aerosol-generating material accommodated in the liquid storage unit moves to the liquid delivery means, and the heater 12000 may heat the aerosol-generating material absorbed in the liquid delivery means to generate an aerosol. For example, the heater 12000 may include a material such as nickel chromium and may be wound around the liquid delivery means or disposed adjacent to the liquid delivery means.

Meanwhile, the heater 12000 may be an induction heating type heater. The heater 12000 may include an electrically conductive coil for heating the cigarette or cartridge in an induction heating manner, and the cigarette or cartridge may include a susceptor capable of being heated by an induction heating heater.

The aerosol generating device 10000 may include at least one sensor 13000 . The result sensed by the at least one sensor 13000 is transmitted to the control unit 16000, and according to the sensing result, the control unit 16000 controls the operation of the heater, restricts smoking, determines whether or not a cigarette (or cartridge) is inserted, notification The aerosol generating device 10000 may be controlled to perform various functions such as display.

The user interface 14000 may provide information about the state of the aerosol generating device 10000 to the user. The user interface 14000 includes a display or lamp for outputting visual information, a motor for outputting tactile information, a speaker for outputting sound information, and input/output (I/O) for receiving information input from a user or outputting information to the user. ) Interfacing means (eg, button or touch screen) and terminals for data communication or receiving charging power, wireless communication with external devices (eg, WI-FI, WI-FI Direct, Bluetooth, NFC) (Near-Field Communication, etc.) may include various interfacing means, such as a communication interfacing module for performing.

However, in the aerosol generating device 10000, only some of the various examples of the user interface 14000 exemplified above may be selected and implemented.

The memory 15000 is hardware for storing various data processed in the aerosol generating device 10000 , and the memory 15000 may store data processed by the controller 16000 and data to be processed. The memory 15000 includes a variety of random access memory (RAM), such as dynamic random access memory (DRAM), static random access memory (SRAM), read-only memory (ROM), electrically erasable programmable read-only memory (EEPROM), and the like. It can be implemented in types.

The memory 15000 may store the operating time of the aerosol generating device 10000, the maximum number of puffs, the current number of puffs, at least one temperature profile, and data on the user's smoking pattern.

The controller 16000 is hardware that controls the overall operation of the aerosol generating device 10000 . The controller 16000 includes at least one processor. The processor may be implemented as an array of a plurality of logic gates, or may be implemented as a combination of a general-purpose microprocessor and a memory in which a program executable in the microprocessor is stored. In addition, it can be understood by those skilled in the art that the present embodiment may be implemented in other types of hardware.

The controller 16000 analyzes a result sensed by the at least one sensor 13000 and controls subsequent processes to be performed.

The controller 16000 may control the power supplied to the heater 12000 to start or end the operation of the heater 12000 based on a result sensed by the at least one sensor 13000 . In addition, the controller 16000 is based on the result sensed by the at least one sensor 13000, the amount of power supplied to the heater 12000 so that the heater 12000 can be heated to a predetermined temperature or maintain an appropriate temperature. And it is possible to control the time when power is supplied.

In an embodiment, the controller 16000 may set the mode of the heater 12000 to the preheating mode to start the operation of the heater 12000 after receiving the user input for the aerosol generating device 10000 . Also, the controller 16000 may detect the user's puff by using the puff detection sensor and then change the mode of the heater 12000 from the preheating mode to the operation mode. Also, after counting the number of puffs using the puff detection sensor, the controller 16000 may stop supplying power to the heater 12000 when the number of puffs reaches a preset number.

The controller 16000 may control the user interface 14000 based on a result sensed by the at least one sensor 13000 . For example, after counting the number of puffs using the puff detection sensor, when the number of puffs reaches a preset number, the controller 16000 provides the aerosol generating device 10000 to the user using at least one of a lamp, a motor, and a speaker. ) may be announced soon.

Meanwhile, although not shown in FIG. 4 , the aerosol generating device 10000 may constitute an aerosol generating system together with a separate cradle. For example, the cradle may be used to charge the battery 11000 of the aerosol generating device 10000 . For example, the aerosol generating device 10000 may receive power from the battery of the cradle and charge the battery 11000 of the aerosol generating device 10000 while being accommodated in the receiving space inside the cradle.

5 is a longitudinal cross-sectional view of a cartridge according to an embodiment of the present invention.

Throughout the specification, the upper side may mean a proximal direction closer to the discharge holes 22a and 22b, and the lower side may mean a direction opposite to the proximal direction.

Referring to FIG. 5 , the cartridge 20 may include a case 23 forming an external appearance. The cartridge 20 may receive power through the electrode 26 . The cartridge 20 may be detachably coupled to the main body 10 or may be configured integrally with the main body 10 .

In the case 23, the storage unit 21 for storing the aerosol-generating material, the atomization unit 24 for generating an aerosol by heating the aerosol-generating material, and the mouthpiece unit 22 for discharging the generated aerosol are accommodated. can

The cartridge 20 may hold an aerosol generating material having any one state, such as a liquid state, a solid state, a gaseous state, or a gel state, for example. The aerosol generating material may comprise a liquid composition. For example, the liquid composition may be a liquid comprising a tobacco-containing material comprising a volatile tobacco flavor component, or may be a liquid comprising a non-tobacco material.

The liquid composition may include, for example, any one component of water, a solvent, ethanol, a plant extract, a fragrance, a flavoring agent, and a vitamin mixture, or a mixture of these components. The fragrance may include, but is not limited to, menthol, peppermint, spearmint oil, various fruit flavoring ingredients, and the like. Flavoring agents may include ingredients that can provide a user with a variety of flavors or flavors. The vitamin mixture may be a mixture of at least one of vitamin A, vitamin B, vitamin C, and vitamin E, but is not limited thereto. Liquid compositions may also include aerosol formers such as glycerin and propylene glycol.

For example, the liquid composition may include a solution of glycerin and propylene glycol in any weight ratio to which a nicotine salt has been added. The liquid composition may include two or more nicotine salts. Nicotine salts can be formed by adding a suitable acid, including organic or inorganic acids, to nicotine. Nicotine is either naturally occurring nicotine or synthetic nicotine, and may have any suitable weight concentration relative to the total solution weight of the liquid composition.

The acid for the formation of the nicotine salt may be appropriately selected in consideration of the blood nicotine absorption rate, the operating temperature of the aerosol generating device 5 , flavor or flavor, solubility, and the like. For example, acids for the formation of nicotine salts include benzoic acid, lactic acid, salicylic acid, lauric acid, sorbic acid, levulinic acid, pyruvic acid, formic acid, acetic acid, propionic acid, butyric acid, valeric acid, caproic acid, caprylic acid, capric acid , citric acid, myristic acid, palmitic acid, stearic acid, oleic acid, linoleic acid, linolenic acid, phenylacetic acid, tartaric acid, succinic acid, fumaric acid, gluconic acid, saccharic acid, malonic acid or malic acid alone or It may be a mixture of two or more acids selected from the group, but is not limited thereto.

The cartridge 20 converts the phase of the aerosol-generating material inside the cartridge 20 into a gas phase by operating by an electrical signal or a radio signal transmitted from the main body 10 to generate an aerosol. perform the function The aerosol may refer to a gas in a state in which vaporized particles generated from an aerosol-generating material and air are mixed.

For example, the cartridge 20 may receive an electrical signal from the main body 10 to heat the aerosol-generating material, use an ultrasonic vibration method, or convert the phase of the aerosol-generating material by using an induction heating method. As another example, when the cartridge 20 includes its own power source, the cartridge 20 is operated by an electrical control signal or wireless signal transmitted from the main body 10 to the cartridge 20 to generate an aerosol. may be

The storage unit 21 may store the aerosol generating material. That the storage unit 21 'accommodates the aerosol-generating material' therein means that the storage unit 21 performs a function of simply containing the aerosol-generating material, such as the use of a container, and the storage unit 21 of It is meant to include an element impregnated therein with (containing) an aerosol-generating material such as, for example, a sponge or cotton or cloth or a porous ceramic structure.

The atomizer 24 (atomizer) may generate an aerosol by heating the aerosol-generating material stored in the storage unit 21 . To this end, the atomization unit 24 may include a wick 24a for absorbing the stored aerosol-generating material, and a heater 24b for heating the aerosol-generating material absorbed in the wick 24a by contacting the wick 24a. have. The heater 24b of FIG. 5 may correspond to the heater 12000 of FIG. 4 .

The wick 24a may be formed of, for example, cotton fiber, ceramic fiber, glass fiber, porous ceramic, or the like. Since the wick 24a transfers the liquid stored in the storage unit 21 to the heater 24b, it may be referred to as a liquid transfer means.

The heater 24b may include a metal material such as copper, nickel, or tungsten in order to heat the aerosol-generating material transferred to the wick 24a by generating heat by electrical resistance. The heater 24b may be implemented as, for example, a metal hot wire, a metal hot plate, a ceramic heating element, etc., and is implemented as a conductive filament using a material such as a nichrome wire, or wound around a wick 24a or a wick It may be disposed adjacent to (24a).

The atomization unit 24 also performs both a function of absorbing an aerosol-generating material and maintaining it in an optimal state for conversion into an aerosol without using a separate liquid delivery means, and a function of generating an aerosol by heating the aerosol-generating material. It may be implemented as a heating element having a mesh shape or a plate shape.

The mouthpiece part 22 may be a part in direct contact with the user's mouth. The aerosol generated by the aerosol generating device 5 may be delivered to the user through the mouthpiece 22 . The mouthpiece 22 may be made of an antibacterial material in order to suppress the generation of microorganisms due to exposure of the mouth.

The cartridge 20 has a first air inlet 25a and a second air inlet 25b through which external air is introduced, and the first air extending from the first air inlet 25a to the second air inlet 25b. It may include a channel 310 . In addition, the cartridge 20 may include a second air channel 320 branching from the first air channel 310 to fluidly communicate the atomization part 24 and the mouthpiece part 22 . Also, the cartridge 20 may include a third air channel 330a and a fourth air channel 330b branching from the second air channel 320 .

According to the embodiment, the cartridge 20 is disposed above the first air inlet 25a and the second air inlet 25b, and the third air inlet 25c and the third air inlet 25c through which external air is introduced. A fifth air channel 340 for guiding the external air introduced from the second air channel 320 to the atomizing unit 24 along the outside may be further included.

The cartridge 20 may generate an aerosol by heating the aerosol generating material stored in the reservoir 21 . At this time, the aerosol-generating material is mixed with the external air introduced into the aerosol-generating device 5 through the first air inlet 25a to the third air inlet 25c, and the first outlet hole 22b and the second outlet hole ( 22a).

The first air inlet 25a to the third air inlet 25c may be formed as through holes. The first air inlet 25a and the second air inlet 25b may be formed on both sides of the case 23 . The first air inlet 25a is formed on one side of the case 23 , and the second air inlet 25b is formed at a position corresponding to the position of the first air inlet 25a on the other side of the case 23 . can be As the first air inlet (25a) and the second air inlet (25b) are formed on both sides of the cartridge (20), the droplet generated in the atomizing unit (24) is coupled to the lower end of the cartridge (20) (10) can be prevented from penetrating. The first air inlet 25a and the second air inlet 25b may be symmetrically disposed with respect to a center line A-A′ extending in the longitudinal direction from the center of the end face of the cartridge 20 . The first air inlet 25a and the second air inlet 25b may be disposed below the atomizing unit 24 .

The first air channel 310 may extend in a vertical direction of the center line A-A'. The first air channel 310 may extend from the first air inlet 25a to the second air inlet 25b. As the first air channel 310 is formed in a straight shape extending from the first air inlet 25a to the second air inlet 25b, the airflow path of the aerosol generating device 5 is simplified, and thus the cartridge There is an advantage in that the preparation of (20) is easy. A reduction in resistance to draw (RTD) due to the simplification of the airflow path may be supplemented by a first protrusion 410a and a second protrusion 410b to be described later.

Since the first air channel 310 extends from the first air inlet 25a to the second air inlet 25b , the first air channel 310 may be disposed below the atomizing unit 24 . In addition, since the first air channel 310 is disposed below the atomizing unit 24 , droplets generated in the atomizing unit 24 may fall into the first air channel 310 . In addition, as the first air channel 310 is formed in a straight shape extending from the first air inlet 25a to the second air inlet 25b, a droplet that has fallen into the first air channel 310 falls on an external shock or the like. Thus, it may leak to the outside through the first air inlet 25a and the second air inlet 25b. Accordingly, the present invention is a droplet that prevents the droplets generated in the atomizing unit 24 from leaking to the outside through the first air inlet 25a and the second air inlet 25b through the first air channel 310 . It may further include a blocking unit 410 .

The droplet blocking part 410 includes a first protrusion 410a and a second protrusion 410b protruding from the bottom of a portion of the first air channel 310 to a predetermined height in a direction to close the first air channel 310 . ) may be included. The first protrusion 410a and the second protrusion 410b prevent the droplets generated in the atomizing part 24 from leaking to the outside through the first air inlet 25a and the second air inlet 25b. can do. The first protrusion 410a and the second protrusion 410b may be integrally formed with the first air channel 310 or may be coupled to the first air channel 310 .

The first protrusion 410a and the second protrusion 410b may be symmetrically disposed with respect to the center line A-A'.

On the other hand, when the distance between the first protrusion 410a and the second protrusion 410b is excessively small, the droplet generated in the atomizing part 24 is a region between the first protrusion 410a and the second protrusion 410b. It is difficult to be accommodated in the , and the amount of droplets that can be accommodated in the region between the first protrusion 410a and the second protrusion 410b decreases, and the first protrusion 410a and the second protrusion 410b receive the droplet. It functions as a guide for guiding the air flowing through the first air channel 310 to the second air channel 320 without exerting its function. Accordingly, a distance between the first protrusion 410a and the second protrusion 410b may be formed to be greater than the inlet width of the second air channel 320 .

In addition, when the distance between the first protrusion 410a and the second protrusion 410b is excessively large, the first protrusion 410a and the second protrusion 410b may be a factor to seriously increase the suction resistance. . Accordingly, the distance between the first protrusion 410a and the second protrusion 410b may be 1.5 to 2 times the inlet width of the second air channel 320 .

On the other hand, the height of the first protrusion 410a and the second protrusion 410b prevents the flow of external air without the first air channel 310 being hermetically sealed by the first protrusion 410a and the second protrusion 410b. to allow for 0.2 to 0.5 times the width of the first air channel 310 .

The second air channel 320 may be branched from the first air channel 310 and extend to the mouthpiece portion 22 . The second air channel 320 may be in fluid communication with the first air channel 310 , the atomizing part 24 , and the mouthpiece part 22 . The second air channel 320 may guide the external air introduced from the first air channel 310 to the mouthpiece unit 22 via the atomizing unit 24 . On the other hand, since the first air inlet 25a and the second air inlet 25b are disposed below the heater 24b, the outside air introduced from the first air channel 310 is discharged by the second air channel 320 . After the atomization unit 24 flows, it may be discharged to the outside.

The third air channel 330a and the fourth air channel 330b may be branched from the second air channel 320 . The mouthpiece part 22 includes a guide part 22c extending in a direction perpendicular to the air flow direction flowing in the second air channel 320, and the second air channel 320 is formed by the guide part 22c. It may be branched into a third air channel 330a and a fourth air channel 330b. Air flowing through the second air channel 320 may be discharged to the first discharge hole 22b and the second discharge hole 22a by the third air channel 330a and the fourth air channel 330b. In order to increase resistance to draw (RTD), the width of the third air channel 330a and the fourth air channel 330b may be smaller than the width of the second air channel 320 .

According to the present invention, the guide part 22c is formed to extend in the vertical direction of the air flow direction flowing through the second air channel 320, so that the droplets generated in the atomization part 24 are formed in the second air channel 320. It is possible to prevent leakage through the discharge holes (22a, 22b).

The third air inlet 25c may be disposed above the first air inlet 25a and the second air inlet 25b. The fifth air channel 340 may extend from the third air inlet 25c to the atomizer 24 along the outside of the second air channel 320 .

A portion of the fifth air channel 340 may provide an air flow in a direction opposite to the moving direction of the heated air flowing through the second air channel 320 . A portion of the fifth air channel 340 may be disposed adjacent to the second air channel 320 to receive heat from the second air channel 320 . The external air flowing through the fifth air channel 340 may be heated by receiving heat from the heated air flowing through the second air channel 320 . The fifth air channel 340 may guide heated air to the atomization unit 240 .

Since the outside air is heated while flowing through the fifth air channel 340 , and the heated outside air flows into the atomizer 24 , power consumption of the heater 24b can be significantly reduced.

FIG. 6 is a view for explaining an air flow along the air channel of FIG. 5 .

Referring to the drawings, external air may be introduced into the first air inlet 25a, the second air inlet 25b, and the third air inlet 25c.

External air introduced into the first air inlet 25a may promote the formation of droplets on one side of the second protrusion 410b. External air introduced through the second air inlet 25b may promote the formation of droplets on one side of the first protrusion 410a. The droplets collected between the first protrusion 410a and the second protrusion 410b do not flow out by the first protrusion 410a and the second protrusion 410b.

External air introduced through the first air inlet 25a and the second air inlet 25b may be guided to the atomizing unit 24 through the first air channel 310 and the second air channel 320 . In addition, external air introduced through the third air inlet 25c may be guided to the atomizing unit 24 along the fifth air channel 340 . External air introduced through the third air inlet 25 is formed to be introduced below the atomization unit 24 so that the aerosol generated in the atomization unit 24 can be easily guided to the mouthpiece unit 22 . have.

The air introduced into the first air inlet 25a, the second air inlet 25b, and the third air inlet 25c may be mixed with the aerosol generated in the atomization unit 24 . Mixed air of external air and aerosol may be guided to the mouthpiece portion 22 along the second air channel 320 .

The mixed air is to be sucked by the user through the first discharge hole 22b and the second discharge hole 22a along the third air channel 330a and the fourth air channel 330b branched by the guide part 22c. can

In this case, the mixed air flowing through the second air channel 320 collides with the guide portion 22c extending in the vertical direction of the air flow path of the second air channel 320 to form droplets. The guide part 22c may prevent the droplets from being sucked into the user through the discharge holes 22a and 22b.

7 is a longitudinal cross-sectional view of a cartridge according to another embodiment of the present invention.

Referring to the drawing, the droplet blocking unit 410 includes an indentation portion 410c that is recessed by a predetermined depth in the opposite direction to the direction of closing the first air channel 310 from the bottom of the central portion of the first air channel 310 . may include The recessed part 410c may prevent the droplets generated in the atomizing part 24 from leaking to the outside through the first air inlet 25a and the second air inlet 25b. The depression 410c may be integrally formed with the first air channel 310 .

The width of the recessed portion 410c may be equal to the distance between the first protrusion 410a and the second protrusion 410b. For example, the width of the depression 410c may be 1.5 to 2 times the width of the inlet of the second air channel 320 .

On the other hand, when the depth of the depression 410c is excessively small, it is difficult for the droplets generated in the atomization portion 24 to be accommodated in the depression portion 410c, and the amount of droplets that can be accommodated in the depression portion 410c is reduced. Therefore, the expected droplet receiving function cannot be exhibited. On the other hand, when the depth of the recessed portion 410c is excessively large, the suction resistance is excessively small, and a vortex phenomenon may occur in the recessed portion 410c. Accordingly, the depth of the depression 410c may be 1.1 times to 1.3 times the width of the first air channel 310 .

The droplet blocking part 410 further includes a protrusion 420 disposed on the bottom of the recessed part 410c in order to prevent a short-circuit phenomenon of the electrode 26 due to the droplets collected in the recessed part 410c. may include The protrusion 420 is disposed on the bottom surface of the recessed portion 410c, and may be disposed to be spaced apart from both sides of the recessed portion 410c by a predetermined distance. The protrusion 420 may be disposed at the center of the bottom surface of the recessed portion 410c. In order for the recessed portion 410c to perform a droplet blocking function, the height of the protrusion 420 may be 0.2 to 0.4 times the depth of the recessed portion 410c.

8 is a longitudinal cross-sectional view of a body according to another embodiment of the present invention, and FIG. 9 is a longitudinal cross-sectional view of the cartridge along an air inlet formed in the body of FIG. 8 .

Referring to the drawings, the body 10 may be coupled to the cartridge 20 . The cartridge 20 may be coupled to one end of the body 10 . The body 10 may support the cartridge 20 by accommodating the cartridge 20 on one side, and may provide power so that the cartridge 20 can generate an aerosol.

The main body 10 may accommodate a battery 710 that supplies power to the heater 24b and a controller 720 that controls the battery 710 to adjust the power supplied to the heater 24b. The battery 710 and the control unit 720 of FIG. 8 may correspond to the battery 11000 and the control unit 16000 of FIG. 4 , respectively.

A fourth air inlet 520 may be disposed at the other end of the body 10 . The body 10 may include a sixth air channel 610 for guiding the external air introduced through the fourth air inlet 520 to the cartridge 20 . The sixth air channel 610 may be formed to extend so that external air introduced through the fourth air inlet 520 is guided to the cartridge 20 along the inner surface of the body 10 .

External air may be introduced through the fourth air inlet 520 to flow through the sixth air channel 610 . The external air flowing through the sixth air channel 610 may be heated by receiving heat from the battery 710 and the controller 720 accommodated in the main body 10 . The heated outside air may be directed to the cartridge 20 along the sixth air channel 610 .

The cartridge 20 may further include a seventh air channel 350 through which heated external air is introduced. The seventh air channel 350 may extend in a direction opposite to the second air channel 320 from the first air channel 310 . The seventh air channel 350 may extend downward from the center of the first air channel 310 . The width of the seventh air channel 350 may be the same as the width of the first protrusion 410a and the second protrusion 410b. For example, the width of the seventh air channel 350 may be 1.5 to 2 times the width of the inlet of the second air channel 320 .

The seventh air channel 350 may be in fluid communication with the sixth air channel 610 when the cartridge 20 is coupled to the body 10 . The seventh air channel 350 may guide the heated external air introduced from the sixth air channel 610 to the atomizing unit 240 when the cartridge 20 and the main body 10 are combined. Since the outside air is heated while flowing through the sixth air channel 610 and the heated outside air flows into the atomizer 24 , the power consumption of the heater 24b can be significantly reduced.

Those of ordinary skill in the technical field related to the present embodiment will appreciate that it may be implemented in a modified form within a range not departing from the essential characteristics of the above-described description. Therefore, the disclosed methods should be considered from an explanatory point of view rather than a limiting point of view. The scope of the present invention is indicated in the claims rather than the foregoing description, and all differences within an equivalent scope should be construed as being included in the present invention.

5: aerosol generating device
10: body
20: cartridge
22: mouthpiece part
24: Awakening
25a: first air inlet
25b: second air inlet
310: first air channel
320: second air channel

Claims (10)

In an aerosol generating device comprising a main body and a cartridge coupled to one end of the main body,
the cartridge
an atomization unit accommodated in the case and heating the aerosol-generating material stored in the storage unit to generate an aerosol;
a mouthpiece for discharging the generated aerosol;
a first air inlet and a second air inlet formed on both sides of the case and through which external air is introduced;
a first air channel extending from the first air inlet to the second air inlet; and
a second air channel branched from the first air channel and in fluid communication with the atomizing part and the mouthpiece part; and
the mouthpiece
and a guide portion extending in a direction perpendicular to the direction of air flow flowing in the second air channel;
the cartridge
The aerosol generating device further comprising a third air channel and a fourth air channel in fluid communication with the second air channel and branched by the guide portion. The method of claim 1,
the cartridge
The aerosol generating device further comprising a; droplet blocking unit for preventing the droplets generated in the atomizing unit from leaking into the first air inlet and the second air inlet through the first air channel. The method of claim 2,
The droplet blocking unit,
An aerosol generating device comprising: a first protrusion and a second protrusion protruding from the bottom of a portion of the first air channel to a predetermined height in a direction for closing the first air channel. The method of claim 3,
The first protrusion and the second protrusion,
An aerosol generating device that is disposed symmetrically with respect to a center line extending in the longitudinal direction from the center of the end face of the cartridge. The method of claim 3,
An aerosol generating device, wherein a distance between the first protrusion and the second protrusion is formed to be greater than a width of the second air channel. The method of claim 2,
The droplet blocking unit,
An aerosol generating device including a depression that is recessed by a predetermined depth in a direction opposite to the direction of closing the first air channel from the bottom of the central portion of the first air channel. The method of claim 6,
The droplet blocking unit
Doedoe disposed on the bottom of the recessed part, the aerosol generating device further comprising a projection disposed spaced apart a predetermined distance from both sides of the recessed part. The method of claim 1,
The atomization part,
A wick for absorbing the aerosol-generating material stored in the storage unit, and a heater for heating the aerosol-generating material absorbed in the wick in contact with the wick,
The first air inlet and the second air inlet are
An aerosol generating device that is disposed below the heater. The method of claim 1,
the cartridge
a third air inlet disposed above the atomization unit, the first air inlet, and the second air inlet and through which the outside air is introduced; and
and a fifth air channel for guiding the external air introduced from the third air inlet to the atomization unit along an outer side of the second air channel. The method of claim 9,
the body is
and a sixth air channel for guiding the external air introduced through a fourth air inlet provided at the other end to the cartridge,
the cartridge
and a seventh air channel extending from the first air channel in a direction opposite to the second air channel, wherein when engaged with the body, the seventh air channel is in fluid communication with the sixth air channel. aerosol generating device.

Images