JP7584534B2 - Aerosol Generator - Google Patents

Description

The present invention relates to an aerosol generating device that includes a support into which an aerosol product is inserted, and more specifically, to an aerosol generating device that includes a support that has openings on the side to facilitate removal of residue or foreign matter, and ribs that guide the movement of the aerosol product.

Recently, there has been an increasing demand for alternative methods to overcome the shortcomings of conventional cigarettes. For example, there is an increasing demand for aerosol generating devices that generate aerosols by heating aerosol generating materials in a cigarette without combustion. As a result, research into heated cigarettes or heated aerosol generating devices is actively underway.

When the aerosol generating device is used, the aerosol product is inserted into the container of the aerosol generating device. The aerosol product is inserted in the longitudinal direction of the container. After smoking is completed, when the aerosol product is extracted from the container, residue of the aerosol product remains in the container. In conventional aerosol generating devices, it is not easy to remove the residue from the container. The residue remaining in the container affects the aerosol generated by the aerosol generating device, reducing the flavor of the aerosol and causing hygienic problems. To remove the residue, a separate cleaning tool, such as a cotton swab, is required to be inserted into the container.

When the aerosol generating device is used, the aerosol product is inserted into the container of the aerosol generating device. The aerosol product is inserted in the longitudinal direction of the container. After smoking is completed, when the aerosol product is extracted from the container, residues of the aerosol product remain in the container. In conventional aerosol generating devices, it is not easy to remove the residues from the container. The residues remaining in the container affect the aerosol generated by the aerosol generating device, reducing the flavor of the aerosol and causing hygienic problems. To remove the residues, a separate cleaning tool such as a cotton swab is required to be inserted into the container, which is inconvenient for the user.

The problem that this embodiment aims to solve is not limited to the technical problem described above, and other technical problems can be inferred from the following embodiment.

In order to solve the above-mentioned problems, an aerosol generating device according to one embodiment includes a case; a heater disposed in the case for generating heat; and a support for providing a space in which an aerosol product is heated to generate an aerosol, the support including a cavity for accommodating the aerosol product; an inlet for accommodating the aerosol product in the cavity; an opening disposed on a side surface of the support so that the cavity is exposed to the outside of the support; and a rib disposed on an inner peripheral surface of the support for guiding the movement of the aerosol product so that it does not move in a direction toward the opening.

The aerosol generating device according to the embodiment includes a support into which the aerosol product is inserted, and the support is detachably connected to the aerosol generating device. This allows the aerosol product to be easily removed from the aerosol generating device. In addition, the aerosol generating device according to the embodiment is provided with an opening on the side of the support. This makes it easy to remove residue and foreign matter, and the flavor of the generated aerosol is excellent.

In addition, the aerosol generating device according to the embodiment increases the amount of atomization by increasing the amount of air mixed with the aerosol through the air passage flowing in through the opening.

In addition, in the aerosol generating device according to the embodiment, ribs are arranged on the inner peripheral surface between the inlet and the opening of the support, and by guiding the movement of the aerosol product, the position of the aerosol product relative to the heater can be adjusted.

1 is a diagram showing an example of an aerosol generating device into which a cigarette is inserted. 1 is a drawing showing an example of a cigarette. 1 is a perspective view of an aerosol generating device and an aerosol product according to a first embodiment. FIG. FIG. 4 is a vertical cross-sectional view of the aerosol generating device shown in FIG. 3. FIG. 4 is a perspective view of a support for the aerosol generating device shown in FIG. FIG. 4 is a perspective view of a support for the aerosol generating device shown in FIG. 7 is a cross-sectional view of the support of the aerosol generating device shown in FIG. 6 taken along line VII-VII. 8 is a cross-sectional view of the support of the aerosol generating device shown in FIG. 5 taken along line VIII-VIII. FIG. 11 is a perspective view of a support of the aerosol generating device according to the second embodiment. FIG. 11 is a perspective view of a support of the aerosol generating device according to the second embodiment. FIG. 11 is a perspective view of a support of the aerosol generating device according to the third embodiment. FIG. 11 is a perspective view of a support of the aerosol generating device according to the third embodiment. FIG. 11 is a vertical cross-sectional view of a support of an aerosol generating device according to the fourth embodiment. 12 is a vertical cross-sectional view illustrating the airflow inflow into the support shown in FIG. 11; 1 is a diagram showing an air passage of an aerosol generating device according to an embodiment.

The aerosol generating device according to one embodiment includes a case; a heater disposed in the case for generating heat; and a support for providing a space in which an aerosol product is heated to generate an aerosol. The support includes a cavity for accommodating an aerosol product; an inlet for accommodating the aerosol product in the cavity; an opening disposed on a side surface of the support so that the cavity is exposed to the outside of the support; and a rib disposed on an inner peripheral surface of the support for guiding the movement of the aerosol product so that it does not move in a direction toward the opening.

The ribs protrude from the inner surface of the support into the cavity, and the surfaces of the ribs are inclined with respect to the extension direction of the cavity. The distance from the center of the cavity to the ribs is greater than or equal to the radius of the horizontal cross section of the cylindrical aerosol product.

In addition, at least a portion of the side surface of the opening includes a guide portion inclined toward the inside of the cavity, and the rotational movement of the aerosol product within the cavity can be guided by the guide portion. In addition, the opening includes an inclined portion inclined with respect to the extension direction of the cavity.

The first opening angle corresponding to the lower end of the opening is greater than the second opening angle corresponding to the upper end of the opening.

The first opening angle is between 120° and 180°, and the second opening angle is between 90° and 120°.

The rib also extends along at least a portion of the periphery of the opening.

Moreover, multiple ribs may be arranged.

The support may further include a through hole on the bottom surface of the support that faces the end of the aerosol product when the aerosol product is inserted into the cavity, and the heater may be positioned to pass through the through hole.

The through hole also includes an inclined portion that gradually becomes larger along the direction in which the through hole faces the cavity. The support body can also be detachably connected to the case.

The case also includes a housing that houses the support; and an air passage formed between the housing and the support, which allows air to flow into the cavity. The support also includes a through hole through which the heater penetrates on a bottom surface of the support that faces an end of the aerosol product when the aerosol product is inserted into the cavity, the heater is disposed to pass through the through hole, the opening communicates the housing and the cavity, and the air passage includes a main air passage through which air flows into the cavity through the through hole, and a sub-air passage through which air flows into the cavity through the opening.

The terms used in the examples are currently common terms that are widely used as much as possible while taking into consideration their functions in the present invention, but they may differ depending on the intentions or precedents of engineers in this field, the emergence of new technologies, etc. In addition, in certain cases, the applicant may have arbitrarily selected terms, and in such cases, their meanings will be described in detail in the description of the invention. Therefore, the terms used in the present invention must be defined based on the meanings that the terms possess and the overall content of the present invention, rather than simply by the names of the terms.

Throughout the specification, when a part "includes" a certain component, this does not mean to exclude other components, but means that it may further include other components, unless specifically stated to the contrary. Furthermore, terms such as "... unit" and "... module" used in the specification refer to a unit that processes at least one function or operation, and may be realized by hardware or software, or a combination of hardware and software.

As used herein, phrases such as "at least one" modify the entire list and not any individual member of the list. For example, the phrase "at least one of a, b, and c" should be understood to include any of "a," "b," "c," "a and b," "a and c," "b and c," or "a, b, and c."

When an element or layer is referred to as "above," "on," "connected," or "bonded" to another element or layer, it may be directly connected or bonded to the other element or layer, or there may be separate bonded elements or layers. In contrast, when an element is referred to as "directly above," "directly on," "directly connected," or "directly bonded" to another element or layer, it should be understood that there are no separate intervening elements. Like reference numbers generally refer to the same elements.

The term "aerosol product" refers to a product designed to be inhaled by a person who inhales the aerosol product. The aerosol product includes an aerosol-generating material that generates an aerosol without combustion. For example, at least one aerosol product can generate an aerosol when loaded into an aerosol generating device and heated by the aerosol generating device. The shape, size, material, and structure of the aerosol product can vary from embodiment to embodiment. Examples of aerosol product products include, but are not limited to, cigarette-shaped materials and cartridges. Hereinafter, "cigarette" (i.e., when used alone without modifiers such as "general," "traditional," or "combusted") refers to an aerosol product having a shape and size similar to a traditional combustible cigarette.

The following detailed description of the embodiments of the present invention will be made with reference to the accompanying drawings so that those skilled in the art can easily implement the present invention. However, the present invention may be embodied in various different forms and is not limited to the embodiments described herein.

The following describes in detail an embodiment of the present invention with reference to the drawings.

Figure 1 shows an example of a cigarette inserted into an aerosol generating device.

Referring to FIG. 1, the aerosol generating device 10 includes a battery 11, a control unit 12, and a heater 200. In addition, a cigarette 20 can be inserted into the internal space of the aerosol generating device 10.

The aerosol generating device 10 shown in FIG. 1 illustrates the components related to this embodiment. Therefore, a person having ordinary knowledge in the technical field related to this embodiment would understand that the aerosol generating device 10 further includes other general-purpose components in addition to the components illustrated in FIG. 1.

Although FIG. 1 illustrates the battery 11, the control unit 12, and the heater 200 arranged in a row, this is not limited thereto. In other words, the arrangement of the battery 11, the control unit 12, and the heater 200 may be changed depending on the design of the aerosol generating device 10.

When the cigarette 20 is inserted into the aerosol generating device 10, the aerosol generating device 10 heats the heater 200. The aerosol generating material in the cigarette 20 is heated by the heated heater 200, and thus an aerosol can be generated. The generated aerosol is delivered to the user through the filter 22 of the cigarette 20.

If necessary, the aerosol generating device 10 can heat the heater 200 even when the cigarette 20 is not inserted into the aerosol generating device 10.

The battery 11 supplies the power used to operate the aerosol generating device 10. For example, the battery 11 supplies power to heat the heater 200 and supplies the power necessary for the operation of the control unit 12. The battery 11 also supplies the power necessary for the operation of the display, sensor, motor, etc. provided in the aerosol generating device 10.

The control unit 12 controls the overall operation of the aerosol generating device 10. Specifically, the control unit 12 controls the operation of not only the battery 11 and the heater 200, but also other components included in the aerosol generating device 10. The control unit 12 also checks the state of each component of the aerosol generating device 10 and determines whether the aerosol generating device 10 is in an operable state.

The control unit 12 includes at least one processor. The processor may be realized by an array of a large number of logic gates, or may be realized by a combination of a general-purpose microprocessor and a memory in which a program that can be executed by the microprocessor is stored. Those having ordinary skill in the art to which the embodiment pertains will understand that the processor may also be realized by other forms of hardware.

The heater 200 is heated by power supplied from the battery 11. For example, when a cigarette is inserted into the aerosol generating device 10, the heater 200 is located inside the cigarette. Therefore, the heated heater 200 can increase the temperature of the aerosol generating material inside the cigarette.

The heater 200 may also be an electrically resistive heater. For example, the heater 200 may include a conductive track, and the heater 200 may be heated by passing a current through the conductive track. However, the heater 200 is not limited to the above example, and may be any type that can be heated to a desired temperature. Here, the desired temperature may be preset in the aerosol generating device 10, or may be set to the desired temperature by the user.

Meanwhile, as another example, the heater 200 may be an induction heating heater. Specifically, the heater 200 includes a conductive coil for heating the cigarette by induction heating, and the cigarette includes a susceptor that is heated by the induction heating heater.

1 illustrates the heater 200 being disposed to be inserted inside the cigarette 20, but is not limited thereto. For example, the heater 200 may include a tubular heating element, a plate heating element, a needle heating element, or a rod heating element, and may heat the inside or outside of the cigarette 20 depending on the shape of the heating element.

The aerosol generating device 10 also includes a plurality of heaters 200. In this case, the plurality of heaters 200 may be arranged to be inserted inside the cigarette 20 or may be arranged outside the cigarette 20. In addition, some of the plurality of heaters 200 may be arranged to be inserted inside the cigarette 20 and the remaining may be arranged outside the cigarette 20. In addition, the shape of the heaters 200 is not limited to the shape shown in FIG. 1, and may be manufactured in various shapes.

Meanwhile, the aerosol generating device 10 may further include general-purpose components in addition to the battery 11, the control unit 12, and the heater 200. For example, the aerosol generating device 10 includes a display capable of outputting visual information and/or a motor for outputting tactile information. The aerosol generating device 10 also includes at least one sensor (such as a puff detection sensor, a temperature detection sensor, or a cigarette insertion detection sensor).

The aerosol generating device 10 can also be constructed so that external air can flow in or internal gas can flow out even when the cigarette 20 is inserted.

Although not shown in FIG. 1, the aerosol generating device 10 may form a system together with a separate cradle. For example, the cradle may be used to charge the battery 11 of the aerosol generating device 10. Alternatively, the heater 200 may be heated when the cradle and the aerosol generating device 10 are combined.

The cigarette 20 is similar to a typical combustion cigarette. For example, the cigarette 20 may be divided into a first portion 21 including an aerosol generating material and a second portion 22 including a filter or the like. Alternatively, the second portion 22 of the cigarette 20 may also include an aerosol generating material. For example, the aerosol generating material in the form of granules or capsules may be inserted into the second portion 22.

The entire first part 21 may be inserted into the aerosol generating device 10, and the second part 22 may be exposed to the outside. Alternatively, only a portion of the first part 21 may be inserted into the aerosol generating device 10. In another example, a portion of the first part 21 and the second part 22 may be inserted. The user inhales the aerosol while holding the second part 22 to their mouth. In this case, the aerosol is generated by the passage of outside air through the first part 21, and the generated aerosol is delivered to the user's mouth through the second part 22.

As an example, external air may flow in through at least one air passage formed in the aerosol generating device 10. For example, the opening and closing of the air passage formed in the aerosol generating device 10 and/or the size of the air passage may be adjusted by the user. This allows the user to adjust the amount of atomization, smoking sensation, etc. As another example, external air may flow into the cigarette 20 through at least one hole formed on the surface of the cigarette 20.

Below, an example of a cigarette 20 is described with reference to Figure 2.

Figure 2 shows an example of a cigarette.

Referring to FIG. 2, the cigarette 20 includes a tobacco rod 21 and a filter rod 22. With reference to FIG. 1, the first portion 21 includes the tobacco rod 21, and the second portion 22 includes the filter rod 22.

Although FIG. 2 illustrates the filter rod 22 as a single segment, the present invention is not limited to this. That is, the filter rod 22 may be composed of multiple segments. For example, the filter rod 22 includes a first segment that cools the aerosol and a second segment that filters a specific component contained in the aerosol. In addition, the filter rod 22 may further include at least one segment that performs another function, if necessary.

The cigarette 20 is also wrapped by at least one wrapper 24. The wrapper 24 may have at least one hole through which external air flows in or internal gas flows out. As an example, the cigarette 20 may also be wrapped by one wrapper 24. As another example, the cigarette 20 may be wrapped by two or more wrappers 24 in a superimposed manner. For example, the tobacco rod 21 may be wrapped by a first wrapper, and the filter rod 22 may be wrapped by a second wrapper. The tobacco rod 21 and the filter rod 22 wrapped by the individual wrappers may then be combined, and the entire cigarette 20 may be rewrapped by a third wrapper. If the tobacco rod 21 or the filter rod 22 is composed of a plurality of segments, each segment may also be wrapped by an individual wrapper. The entire cigarette 20, in which the segments wrapped by the individual wrappers are combined, may then be rewrapped by another wrapper.

The tobacco rod 21 includes an aerosol generating material. For example, the aerosol generating material may include, but is not limited to, at least one of glycerin, propylene glycol, ethylene glycol, dipropylene glycol, diethylene glycol, triethylene glycol, tetraethylene glycol, and oleyl alcohol. The tobacco rod 21 may also include other additives, such as flavoring agents, humectants, and/or organic acids. A flavoring liquid, such as menthol or a humectant, may also be added to the tobacco rod 21 by being sprayed onto the tobacco rod 21.

The tobacco rod 21 can be manufactured in various ways. For example, the tobacco rod 21 can be manufactured in the form of a sheet or a strand. The tobacco rod 21 can also be manufactured from tobacco shreds, which are formed by cutting a tobacco sheet into small pieces. The tobacco rod 21 can also be surrounded by a thermally conductive material. For example, the thermally conductive material can be a metal foil such as aluminum foil, but is not limited thereto. For example, the thermally conductive material surrounding the tobacco rod 21 can uniformly distribute the heat transferred to the tobacco rod 21 to improve the thermal conductivity applied to the tobacco rod 21, thereby improving the tobacco taste. The thermally conductive material surrounding the tobacco rod 21 can also function as a susceptor that is heated by an induction heater. In this case, although not shown, the tobacco rod 21 can further include an additional susceptor in addition to the thermally conductive material surrounding the outside.

The filter rod 22 is also a cellulose acetate filter. However, there is no limitation on the shape of the filter rod 22. For example, the filter rod 22 may be a cylindrical rod or a tubular rod with a hollow interior. The filter rod 22 may also be a recessed rod. If the filter rod 22 is composed of multiple segments, at least one of the multiple segments may be manufactured to have a different shape.

The filter rod 22 can also be made to generate a flavor. As an example, a flavoring liquid can be sprayed onto the filter rod 22, and separate fibers coated with the flavoring liquid can be inserted into the filter rod 22.

The filter rod 22 may also include at least one capsule 23. Here, the capsule 23 performs the function of generating a flavor and the function of generating an aerosol. For example, the capsule 23 may have a structure in which a liquid containing a flavoring is covered with a coating. The capsule 23 may have a spherical or cylindrical shape, but is not limited thereto.

If the filter rod 22 includes a segment for cooling the aerosol, the cooling segment may be made of a polymeric material or a biodegradable polymeric material. For example, the cooling segment may be made of pure polylactic acid, but is not limited thereto. Alternatively, the cooling segment may be made of a cellulose acetate filter having a number of holes formed therein. However, the cooling segment is not limited to the above examples, and may be applicable without limitation as long as it can perform the function of cooling the aerosol.

Figure 3 is a perspective view of the aerosol generating device 10 and the aerosol product 20 according to the first embodiment, and Figure 4 is a vertical cross-sectional view of the aerosol generating device 10 shown in Figure 3.

Referring to FIG. 3 and FIG. 4, the aerosol generating device 10 according to the first embodiment includes a case 100, a heater 200, and a support 300. The components of the aerosol generating device 10 according to the first embodiment are not limited to the components illustrated in the drawings, and further include components of a general aerosol generating device 10.

The case 100 includes a storage section 110 that stores the support 300. The storage section 110 has a shape and size corresponding to the support 300 so as to store the support 300. For example, when the support 300 has a cylindrical shape, the storage section 110 is also cylindrical and hollow so as to store the support 300. However, the shape of the support 300 is not limited thereto and can be changed as necessary.

The support 300 operates as a heating chamber that provides a space in which the aerosol product 20 is heated to generate an aerosol. The support 300 includes a cavity 310 for accommodating the aerosol product 20 and an inlet 320 connected to the cavity 310 and through which the aerosol product 20 is inserted. The cavity 310 formed inside the support 300 has a size and shape corresponding to the size and shape of the aerosol product 20. For example, when the aerosol product 20 has a cylindrical shape, the cavity 310 has a cylindrical shape corresponding to the aerosol product 20 so as to accommodate the cylindrical aerosol product 20.

The heater 200 generates heat to heat the aerosol product 20 housed in the cavity 310. When the heater 200 heats the aerosol product 20, an aerosol is generated, and the user inhales the generated aerosol. As shown in FIG. 3, the heater 200 may be disposed near the housing 110. Also, as described below, the heater 200 may be disposed to penetrate into the support 300, and the heater 200 may be inserted into the aerosol product 20 housed in the cavity 310.

The support 300 may be detachably coupled to the container 110. As shown in FIG. 4, the support 300 may be connected to a cover C. Thus, when a user removes the cover C, the support 300 connected to the cover C is moved from the container 110, thereby extracting the aerosol product 20. As one example, the support 300 extracts the aerosol product 20 while being separated from the aerosol generating device 10. As another example, the support 300 may move a predetermined distance in the container 110, while the aerosol product 20 is extracted.

In a typical aerosol generating device, residues of tobacco, tobacco sheets, etc. contained in the tobacco rod 21 may adhere to the inner wall of the support 300 or the heater 200. Therefore, even if the aerosol product 20 is extracted from the cavity 310, the residues may remain in the cavity 310. Alternatively, if a part of the aerosol product 20 is torn or cut during the process of extracting the aerosol product 20, the residues may fall into the cavity 310 and remain there. Since the cavity 310 has an elongated shape (e.g., cylindrical) to accommodate the aerosol product 20, it is difficult for a user to access the cavity 310. Therefore, it is difficult to remove the residues or foreign matter remaining in the cavity 310 through the inlet 320.

In one embodiment of the aerosol generating device 10, the support 300 includes an opening 330 formed on a side of the support 300 to open at least a portion of the cavity 310 so as to easily remove residues or foreign matter present in the cavity 310. The support 300 includes at least one opening 330. If residues are present in the cavity 310, a user can easily remove the residues from the cavity 310 through the opening 330. For example, by lightly tapping the support 300 toward the opening 330, the residues can be discharged to the outside of the cavity 310 through the opening 330.

The arrangement of the heater 200 is not limited to that shown in the drawings. For ease of explanation, it is assumed that the heater 200 is arranged in the cavity 310 and has a needle shape. The heater 200 may be exposed to the cavity 310 by penetrating the bottom surface 340 of the support 300.

For the heater 200 to effectively heat the aerosol product 20, the position of the heater 200 and the position of the aerosol product 20 must be aligned. In order for the position of the aerosol product 20 to be aligned with the position of the heater 200, the aerosol product 20 must be inserted accurately along the extension direction of the cavity 310.

However, if the user accidentally inserts the aerosol product 20 into the cavity 310 in a tilted state, the aerosol product 20 may be pushed toward the opening. That is, the aerosol product 20 may be inserted into the cavity 310 in a direction that is not parallel to the extension direction (e.g., the vertical axis direction) of the cavity 310. In this case, a portion of the aerosol product 20 may be exposed to the support 300 through the opening 330. That is, although the opening 330 facilitates removal of residue, the aerosol product 20 may also be positioned in the wrong place within the cavity 310.

If the aerosol product 20 is inserted into the cavity 310 while tilted toward the opening 330, the position of the aerosol product 20 relative to the heater 200 will be misaligned. In this case, the heater 200 will not be able to heat the aerosol product 20 evenly, resulting in inconsistent tobacco flavor and reduced atomization. Also, when the aerosol product 20 is extracted, a portion of the aerosol product 20 may be cut off and remain in the cavity 310.

To solve this problem, the support 300 according to one embodiment includes ribs 400. As shown in FIG. 4, the ribs 400 may be disposed on the inner circumferential surface of the support 300 between the inlet 320 and the opening 330 of the support 300. That is, the ribs 400 are disposed near (e.g., above) the opening 330 and not on other portions of the inner circumferential surface of the support 300 where the opening 330 is not provided.

When the aerosol product 20 is inserted into the cavity 310, the ribs 400 disposed between the inlet 320 and the opening 330 of the support 300 support the aerosol product 20 in a direction opposite to the direction toward the opening 330. Thus, the ribs 400 guide the aerosol product 20 into the cavity 310 so that the aerosol product 20 does not tilt toward the opening 330 and can move along the direction in which the cavity 310 extends. As a result, the ribs 400 can align the position of the aerosol product 20 with the position of the heater 200 inside the support 300. The ribs 400 are also made of a flexible material to guide the movement of the aerosol product 20 without damaging the aerosol product 20.

Figures 5 and 6 are perspective views of the support 300 of the aerosol generating device 10 shown in Figure 3.

Referring to Figures 5 and 6, as described above, the ribs 400 are disposed between the inlet 320 and the opening 330 of the support 300, and the ribs 400 are not disposed in other parts of the support where the opening 330 is not provided.

Referring also to FIG. 4, the ribs 400 protrude into the cavity 310 from the inner peripheral surface of the support 300 and are inclined with respect to the direction of the vertical axis of the cavity 310 into which the aerosol product 20 is inserted (i.e., the extension direction of the cavity 310). The ribs 400 abut against the outer peripheral surface of the aerosol product 20 to guide the aerosol product 20 to move along the extension direction of the cavity 310 when the aerosol product 20 is inserted. Thus, the ribs 400 can guide the movement of the aerosol product 20 to prevent the aerosol product 20 from being tilted toward the opening 330 when inserted into the cavity 310.

As shown in FIG. 4, the surface of the rib 400 is inclined with respect to the extension direction of the cavity 310 so as not to impede the insertion of the aerosol product 20. Since the rib 400 is inclined with respect to the extension direction of the cavity 310, the aerosol product 20 can be inserted naturally even if the rib 400 protrudes into the cavity 310. However, the shape of the rib 400 may be various and is not limited to the above-mentioned shape.

Figure 7 is a cross-sectional view of the support 300 of the aerosol generating device 10 shown in Figure 6 taken along VII-VII, viewed from direction A. Direction A refers to the vertical direction on the support 300 toward the inlet 320.

Referring to FIG. 7, the support 300 has a distance a from the center 311 of the cavity to the rib 400 that is greater than or equal to the radius b of the cross-section of the aerosol product 20. For illustrative purposes, the cross-section of the aerosol product 20 is shown as being circular, but is not necessarily limited to being circular and may have other shapes as needed.

When the aerosol product 20 is inserted in an aligned state with respect to the cavity 310, the center of the aerosol product 20 and the center of the cavity 311 coincide. As a result, an imaginary circle with a radius of the distance a from the center of the cavity 311 to the rib 400 is larger than or equal to the cross section of the aerosol product 20.

For the aerosol product item 20 to be inserted into the cavity 310, the cross section of the cavity 310 must be larger than or equal to the cross section of the aerosol product item 20 at every position of the support 300. Since the rib 400 protrudes into the cavity 310, the cavity 310 has the smallest cross section at the position of the rib 400. The cross section of the cavity 310 at the position of the rib 400 can form an imaginary circle with a radius of the distance a from the center 311 of the cavity to the rib 400. If the distance a from the center 311 of the cavity to the rib 400 is larger than or equal to the radius b of the cross section of the aerosol product item 20, the cavity 310 allows the insertion and extraction of the aerosol product item 20.

According to one embodiment, the distance a from the center 311 of the cavity to the rib 400 is equal to or greater than the radius b of the cross-section of the aerosol product item 20, thereby allowing the support 300 of the aerosol product item 20 to be inserted into and extracted from the cavity 310 of the aerosol generation device 10.

Figure 8 is a cross-sectional view of the support 300 of the aerosol generating device 10 shown in Figure 5, transferred to VIII-VIII.

When extracting the used aerosol product item 20 from the cavity 310, the user may rotate the aerosol product item 20 while extracting the aerosol product item 20 outside the cavity 310. In this case, the side of the opening 330 (i.e., the part of the support 300 located on the edge of the opening 330) may tear the bell or cut off a part of the aerosol product item 20.

8, at least a portion of the side of the opening 330 includes a guide portion 331 inclined toward the inside of the cavity 310. That is, the guide portion 331 may correspond to one surface of the support 300 that defines the opening 330. When the aerosol product 20 is rotated in the cavity 310, the inclined guide portion 331 guides the rotational motion of the aerosol product 20, thereby preventing the aerosol product 20 from being torn or cut by the rotational motion. The length of the guide portion 331 (i.e., the difference between the opening angle of the opening 330 on the outer circumferential surface of the support 300 and the opening angle of the opening 330 on the inner surface of the support 300) may be appropriately adjusted as necessary.

The following describes the aerosol generating device 10 according to other embodiments. Except for the configurations of the aerosol generating device 10 according to the second to fourth embodiments that have been described separately, the remaining configurations are the same as those of the aerosol generating device 10 according to the first embodiment, and the same reference numbers are used for the same configurations. Descriptions that overlap with those described above will be omitted.

Figures 9A and 9B are perspective views of the support 300 of the aerosol generating device 10 according to the second embodiment.

9A and 9B, the support 300 of the aerosol generating device 10 according to the second embodiment includes an inclined portion 332 inclined with respect to the extension direction of the cavity 310. The inclined portion 332 may correspond to the edge of the opening 330. Therefore, the cross section of the opening 330 is also tapered. Here, "tapered" means that the width of the opening 330 narrows toward the end of the opening 330 (e.g., the inlet 320).

As shown in Figures 9A and 9B, the length of the inclined portion 332 can be appropriately adjusted as needed.

When inserting the aerosol product 20, the end of the aerosol product 20 that reaches the opening 330 through the entrance 320 can be guided in the insertion direction by the inclined portion 332. Even if the aerosol product 20 is tilted toward the opening 330, it does not pass through the opening 330 and can be inserted in a direction parallel to the extension direction of the cavity 310 along the inclined portion 332. That is, the inclined portion 332 guides the movement of the aerosol product 20 so that the center of the aerosol product 20 and the center of the cavity 310 are substantially aligned. When the aerosol product 20 reaches the inclined portion 332 through the entrance 320, the inclined portion 332 guides the movement of the aerosol product 20 so that the aerosol product 20 moves along the extension direction of the cavity 310. As a result, the aerosol product 20 can be naturally inserted into the cavity 310.

In addition, the inclined portion 332 and the opening 330 have different opening widths along the extension direction of the cavity 310. That is, the opening angle (e.g., the central angle) of the opening 330 varies along the extension direction of the cavity 310.

Referring to FIG. 9B, the first opening angle 333 of the opening 330 at the lower end is greater than the second opening angle 334 of the opening 330 at the upper end. As an example, the first opening angle 333 is between 120° and 180°, and the second opening angle 334 is between 90° and 120°, but is not limited thereto.

The second opening angle 334 of the upper opening 330 is relatively smaller than the first opening angle 333 of the lower opening, which prevents the aerosol product 20 from tilting toward the opening 330. In addition, since there is a high possibility that residue will remain at the bottom of the cavity 30, it is easy to remove the residue through the lower end of the opening 330, which has a wide opening angle.

Figures 10A and 10B are perspective views of the support 300 of the aerosol generating device 10 according to the third embodiment.

10A and 10B, in the support 300 of the aerosol generating device 10 according to the third embodiment, at least one rib 400 is disposed on the inner circumferential surface between the inlet 320 and the opening 330. One rib 400 may extend along at least a portion of the circumference of the opening 330, or multiple ribs 400 may be disposed along at least a portion of the circumference of the opening 330.

The support 300 of the aerosol generating device 10 according to the above-mentioned embodiment has at least one rib arranged thereon, which increases the contact area between the rib 400 and the aerosol product 20. Therefore, the rib 400 effectively guides the movement of the aerosol product 20.

The ribs 400 are arranged only in the portion of the support 300 where the opening 330 is provided, and are not arranged in other portions of the opening 330. If the ribs 400 were arranged to extend to the portion where the opening 330 is not provided, tilting of the aerosol product 20 would not be effectively prevented.

When multiple ribs 400 are arranged, the multiple ribs 400 may be arranged at equal intervals, and the surface of each rib 400 may be inclined with respect to the extension direction of the cavity 310 (i.e., the vertical axis direction).

Figure 11 is a vertical cross-sectional view of the support 300 of the aerosol generating device 10 according to the fourth embodiment.

Referring to FIG. 11, a through hole 341 through which the heater 200 passes may be formed on the bottom surface 340 of the support 300. The bottom surface 340 of the support 300 may face one end of the aerosol product product 20 when the aerosol product product 20 is inserted into the cavity 310. The bottom surface 340 of the support 300 may contact one end of the aerosol product product 20 when the aerosol product product 20 is inserted into the cavity 310.

When a user inhales the aerosol product 20, air may flow into the aerosol product 20 through the through holes 341 formed on the bottom surface 340 of the support 300. The air flowing into the aerosol product 20 may be mixed with the aerosol and provided to the user.

As shown in FIG. 11, the through hole 341 of the support 300 includes a sloped portion 342 that gradually becomes larger along the direction in which the through hole 341 approaches the cavity 310. Therefore, air flowing into the through hole 341 can be uniformly diffused throughout the aerosol product 20.

Figure 12 is a vertical cross-sectional view that shows a schematic of airflow inflow into the support 300 shown in Figure 11.

Referring to FIG. 12, looking at the air flow into the support 300 of the aerosol generating device 10 according to the fourth embodiment, the airflow that passes through the through hole 341 can expand into the inside of the support 300 by moving along the inclined portion 342. As a result, the amount of air flowing into the support 300 increases, and pressure loss into the support 300 and the aerosol product 20 can be prevented.

The airflow that expands while passing through the inclined portion 342 can flow into the inside of the aerosol product 20 and effectively mix with the aerosol. Therefore, the flavor of the aerosol delivered to the user can be improved and the amount of atomization can be increased.

Figure 13 is a diagram showing the air passage 500 of the aerosol generating device 10 of the embodiment.

Referring to FIG. 13, air in the aerosol generating device 10 according to the embodiment flows into the cavity 310 through a gap between the housing 110 and the support 300. The opening 330 provides fluid communication between the cavity 310 and the housing 110. The air passage 500 includes a main air passage 510 and a sub air passage 520.

The main air passage 510 extends from between the storage unit 110 and the support 300 to a through hole 341 formed in the bottom surface 340 of the support 300. Therefore, air flowing through the main air passage 510 can flow between the storage unit 110 and the support 300, flow along the outer surface of the support 300, and flow into the cavity 310 through the through hole 341.

The sub-air passage 520 extends from between the housing 110 and the support 300 to the opening 330 through which the cavity 310 and the housing 110 are connected. Therefore, air flowing through the sub-air passage 520 can flow between the housing 110 and the support 300, flow along the outer surface of the support 300, and flow into the cavity 310 through the opening 330. Since the housing 110 and the cavity 310 are fluidically connected to each other through the opening 330, not only the main air passage 510 but also the sub-air passage 520 can introduce external air into the cavity 310. The amount of air flowing through the sub-air passage 520 can be adjusted depending on the width of the opening 330. Since the amount of air flowing into the cavity 310 is increased by the sub-air passage 520, aerosol generation and inhalation are also facilitated.

Those of ordinary skill in the art to which the present invention relates will understand that the present invention may be embodied in modified forms without departing from the essential characteristics of the above description. Therefore, the disclosed method should be considered in an illustrative rather than a restrictive sense. The scope of the present invention is set forth in the claims, not the above description, and all differences within the scope of the equivalents thereto should be construed as being included in the present invention.

Claims (14)

Case and
a heater disposed in the case to generate heat;
a support providing a space in which the aerosol-producing article can be heated to generate an aerosol;
The support is
a cavity for containing an aerosol producing article;
an inlet for receiving the aerosol product article into the cavity;
an opening disposed on a side surface of the support such that the cavity is exposed to the outside of the support;
An aerosol generating device comprising: a rib located on the inner surface of the support between the inlet and the opening , in the area above the opening , for guiding the movement of the aerosol product so that it does not move in a direction toward the opening. The rib protrudes from an inner surface of the support into the cavity;
The aerosol generating device according to claim 1 , wherein the surface of the rib is inclined with respect to the extension direction of the cavity. The aerosol generating device according to claim 2, wherein the distance from the center of the cavity to the rib is greater than or equal to the radius of the horizontal cross section of the cylindrical aerosol product. Case and
a heater disposed in the case to generate heat;
a support providing a space in which the aerosol-producing article can be heated to generate an aerosol;
The support is
a cavity for containing an aerosol producing article;
an inlet for receiving the aerosol product article into the cavity;
an opening disposed on a side surface of the support such that the cavity is exposed to the outside of the support;
a rib arranged on the inner circumferential surface of the support between the inlet and the opening in a region above the opening for guiding the movement of the aerosol product article in a direction away from the opening,
An aerosol generating device, wherein at least a portion of a side surface of the opening includes a guide portion inclined toward the inside of the cavity, and rotational movement of the aerosol product within the cavity is guided by the guide portion. Case and
a heater disposed in the case to generate heat;
a support providing a space in which the aerosol-producing article can be heated to generate an aerosol;
The support is
a cavity for containing an aerosol producing article;
an inlet for receiving the aerosol product article into the cavity;
an opening disposed on a side surface of the support such that the cavity is exposed to the outside of the support;
a rib arranged on the inner circumferential surface of the support between the inlet and the opening in a region above the opening for guiding the movement of the aerosol product article in a direction away from the opening,
An aerosol generating device, wherein the opening includes an inclined portion inclined with respect to the extension direction of the cavity. Case and
a heater disposed in the case to generate heat;
a support providing a space in which the aerosol-producing article can be heated to generate an aerosol;
The support is
a cavity for containing an aerosol producing article;
an inlet for receiving the aerosol product article into the cavity;
an opening disposed on a side surface of the support such that the cavity is exposed to the outside of the support;
a rib arranged on the inner circumferential surface of the support between the inlet and the opening in a region above the opening for guiding the movement of the aerosol product article in a direction away from the opening,
An aerosol generating device, wherein a first opening angle corresponding to a lower end of the opening is greater than a second opening angle corresponding to an upper end of the opening. The aerosol generating device according to claim 6, wherein the first opening angle is between 120° and 180°, and the second opening angle is between 90° and 120°. The aerosol generating device of claim 1, wherein the rib extends along at least a portion of the periphery of the opening. The aerosol generating device according to claim 1, wherein a plurality of the ribs are arranged. The aerosol generating device according to claim 1, wherein the support further includes a through hole on a bottom surface of the support that faces an end of the aerosol product when the aerosol product is inserted into the cavity, and the heater is disposed to pass through the through hole. The aerosol generating device according to claim 10, wherein the through hole includes a slope that gradually increases in size along a direction in which the through hole approaches the cavity. The aerosol generating device according to claim 1, wherein the support is releasably coupled to the case. The case has a housing portion that houses the support body,
The aerosol generating device according to claim 1 , further comprising: an air passage formed between the container and the support for allowing air to flow into the cavity. the support further includes a through hole through which the heater passes on a bottom surface of the support facing an end of the aerosol product when the aerosol product is inserted into the cavity;
The heater is disposed so as to pass through the through hole,
the opening fluidly connects the housing to the cavity;
The aerosol generating device according to claim 13 , wherein the air passage includes a main air passage through which air flows into the cavity through the through hole, and a sub-air passage through which air flows into the cavity through the opening.