Aerosol-generating device

Abstract

An aerosol-generating device is disclosed. the aerosol-generating device comprising: a container, which extends vertically and has a chamber defined between an outer wall and an inner wall thereof for storing a liquid, the inner wall having a inserting space into which a stick is inserted; a wick disposed below the inserting space and connected to the chamber to absorb the liquid; and a heater disposed near the wick, wherein a passage is formed between the inserting space and the wick, wherein the passage has: a first passage positioned adjacent to the wick; a second passage positioned adjacent to the inserting space to be connected to the inserting space; and a third passage positioned between the first passage and the second passage to connect the first passage to the second passage, the third passage having a width that is less than a width of the first passage and less than a width of the second passage.

1 . An aerosol-generating device comprising:
 a container, which extends vertically and has a chamber defined between an outer wall and an inner wall thereof for storing a liquid, the inner wall having a inserting space into which a stick is inserted;   a wick disposed below the inserting space and connected to the chamber to absorb the liquid; and   a heater disposed near the wick,   wherein a passage is formed between the inserting space and the wick,   wherein the passage has:   a first passage positioned adjacent to the wick;   a second passage positioned adjacent to the inserting space to be connected to the inserting space; and   a third passage positioned between the first passage and the second passage to connect the first passage to the second passage, the third passage having a width that is less than a width of the first passage and less than a width of the second passage.   
     
     
         2 . The aerosol-generating device according to  claim 1 , wherein the second passage has a portion having a width which gradually increases leading toward the inserting space. 
     
     
         3 . The aerosol-generating device according to  claim 2 , wherein the second passage is configured such that the width thereof gradually increases in a radially outward from the third passage leading toward the inserting space and then remains substantially constant from a point of a maximum width to the inserting space. 
     
     
         4 . The aerosol-generating device according to  claim 1 , wherein the first passage extends toward the third passage while maintaining a constant width. 
     
     
         5 . The aerosol-generating device according to  claim 1 , wherein a vertical length of the first passage is less than a vertical length of the second passage. 
     
     
         6 . The aerosol-generating device according to  claim 5 , wherein the width of each of the first passage and the second passage decreases leading toward the third passage, and wherein a variation of the width of the first passage relative to a length of the first passage is greater than a variation of the width of the second passage relative to a length of the second passage. 
     
     
         7 . The aerosol-generating device according to  claim 6 , wherein (W 1 −W 3 )/(L 1 )>(W 2 −W 3 )/(L 2 ),
 wherein W 1  denotes the width of the first passage, W 2  denotes the width of the second passage, W 3  denotes the width of the third passage, L 1  denotes the length of the first passage, and L 2  denotes the length of the second passage. 
 
     
     
         8 . The aerosol-generating device according to  claim 1 , wherein a second passage surface surrounding the second passage has a portion that is inclined radially outwards toward the inserting space. 
     
     
         9 . The aerosol-generating device according to  claim 8 , wherein the second passage surface has a portion that extends toward the inserting space and is rounded. 
     
     
         10 . The aerosol-generating device according to  claim 8 , wherein the second passage surface has:
 a first bent zone adjacent to the third passage and bent to be convex toward an inside of the container; and   a second bent zone adjacent to the inserting space and bent to be convex toward an outside of the container.   
     
     
         11 . The aerosol-generating device according to  claim 1 ,
 wherein a first passage surface surrounds the first passage and extends vertically,   wherein a third passage surface surrounds the third passage and extends vertically, and   wherein an extended surface connecting the first passage surface to the third passage surface is spaced apart from the wick to face the wick.   
     
     
         12 . The aerosol-generating device according to  claim 11 , wherein the wick extends along the width of the first passage, and the extended surface extends parallel to the wick. 
     
     
         13 . The aerosol-generating device according to  claim 1 , wherein the wick extends along the width of the first passage,
 wherein the heater is wound around the wick along a length of the wick, and   wherein the width of the third passage is less than a width of the heater wound around the wick.   
     
     
         14 . The aerosol-generating device according to  claim 1 , wherein the width of the second passage at an upper end of the second passage is less than a width of the inserting space. 
     
     
         15 . The aerosol-generating device according to  claim 14  wherein a stepped surface, which is positioned between a lower end of the inserting space and an upper end of the second passage, projects inwards from the inner wall of the container, and supports a periphery of a lower end of the stick inserted into the inserting space. 
     
     
         16 . The aerosol-generating device according to  claim 1  wherein a sloped surface extends toward an upper end surface of the container from an inner surface of the container while being inclined outwards.