Airflow management improvement in an aerosol-generating device

Abstract

An aerosol-generating device comprises a vaporization element having an outlet and is configured to vaporize a liquid. An airflow passage extends from the outlet of the vaporization element and is configured to convey vapor to an outlet of the aerosol-generating device. A hot air channel is configured to direct heated air towards the outlet of the vaporization element, and a dilution air channel is configured to direct ambient air into the device and to mix the ambient air with the vapor conveyed in the airflow passage to form an aerosol.

1 . Aerosol-generating device comprising
 a vaporization element having an outlet and being configured to vaporize a liquid,   an airflow passage extending from the outlet of the vaporization element and being configured to convey vapor to an outlet of the aerosol-generating device,   a hot air channel configured to direct heated air towards the outlet of the vaporization element, and   a dilution air channel configured to direct ambient air into the device and to mix the ambient air with the vapor conveyed in the airflow passage to form an aerosol.   
     
     
         2 . Aerosol-generating device according to  claim 1 , wherein the outlet of the hot air channel is concentrically arranged around the outlet of the vaporization element. 
     
     
         3 . Aerosol-generation device according to  claim 1 , wherein the vaporization element comprises a capillary tube and a heater element, wherein the capillary tube has an inlet and an outlet and is configured to convey vaporizable liquid, and wherein the heater element is in thermal contact with the capillary tube. 
     
     
         4 . Aerosol-generating device according to  claim 1 , wherein the aerosol-generating device comprises a heater module and an aerosol-forming module that are connected to each other. 
     
     
         5 . Aerosol-generating device according to  claim 1 , wherein the heater module and the aerosol-forming module are connected by a connection element. 
     
     
         6 . Aerosol-generating device according to  claim 1 , wherein the aerosol-forming module comprises an aerosol-forming chamber and a dilution chamber. 
     
     
         7 . Aerosol-generating device according to  claim 1 , wherein the aerosol-forming chamber is arranged adjacent the upstream end of the aerosol-forming module and the dilution chamber is arranged downstream from the aerosol-forming chamber. 
     
     
         8 . Aerosol-generating device according to  claim 1 , wherein the heated air from the hot air channel is introduced into the aerosol-forming chamber and the ambient air from the dilution air channel is introduced into the dilution chamber. 
     
     
         9 . Aerosol-generating device according to  claim 3 , wherein the hot air channel is arranged in thermal contact with the heater element. 
     
     
         10 . Aerosol-generating device according to  claim 9 , wherein the heater element is arranged around the centrally arranged capillary tube and the hot air channel is arranged radially outward from the heater element. 
     
     
         11 . Aerosol-generating device according to  claim 9 , wherein the connection element comprises a pinhole inlet via which the hot air channel is fluidly connected to the aerosol-forming chamber. 
     
     
         12 . Aerosol-generating device according to  claim 9 , wherein the pinhole inlet of the connection element is concentrically arranged around the outlet of the capillary tube. 
     
     
         13 . Aerosol-generating device according to  claim 1 , wherein the hot air channel is arranged in the aerosol-forming module and the heated air is generated by an external heater. 
     
     
         14 . Aerosol-generating device according to  claim 1 , wherein the aerosol-forming module comprises a centrally arranged tube, wherein the inner volume of that tube defines the aerosol-forming chamber. 
     
     
         15 . Aerosol-generating device according to  claim 1 , wherein the air channels in the aerosol-forming module are defined between the outer surface of the tube and the inner surface of the housing.