Aerosol-generating device having a restricted airflow pathway

Abstract

An aerosol-generating device is provided, including: an air inlet; a cavity configured to receive at least part of an aerosol-generating article; and an airflow channel defining an airflow pathway extending between the air inlet and the cavity, the airflow channel including a first airflow channel portion and a second airflow channel portion, a cross-sectional area of the airflow pathway in the first airflow channel portion being less than a cross-sectional area of the airflow pathway in the second airflow channel portion such that the aerosol-generating device is configured to restrict airflow in first airflow channel portion, and a resistance-to-draw through the airflow channel being between 25 millimetres of water gauge and 70 millimetres of water gauge. An aerosol-generating system including the aerosol-generating device and an aerosol-generating article is also provided.

1 .- 60 . (canceled) 
     
     
         61 . An aerosol-generating device, comprising:
 an air inlet;   a cavity configured to receive at least part of an aerosol-generating article; and   an airflow channel defining an airflow pathway extending between the air inlet and the cavity,   wherein the airflow channel comprises a first airflow channel portion and a second airflow channel portion, a cross-sectional area of the airflow pathway in the first airflow channel portion being less than a cross-sectional area of the airflow pathway in the second airflow channel portion such that the aerosol-generating device is configured to restrict airflow in first airflow channel portion, and   wherein a resistance-to-draw through the airflow channel is between 25 millimetres of water gauge and 70 millimetres of water gauge.   
     
     
         62 . The aerosol-generating device according to  claim 61 , wherein an end of the first airflow channel portion is arranged at the air inlet to restrict the airflow pathway at the air inlet. 
     
     
         63 . The aerosol-generating device according to  claim 61 , wherein a ratio of the cross-sectional area of the airflow pathway in the second airflow channel portion to the cross-sectional area of the airflow pathway in the first airflow channel portion is between 10:1 and 100:1. 
     
     
         64 . The aerosol-generating device according to  claim 63 , wherein a ratio of the cross-sectional area of the airflow pathway in the second airflow channel portion to the cross-sectional area of the airflow pathway in the first airflow channel portion is between 10:1 and 20:1. 
     
     
         65 . The aerosol-generating device according to  claim 61 ,
 wherein the airflow channel further comprises a tubular casing, an internal surface of the tubular casing defining the airflow pathway, and   wherein the first airflow channel portion of the tubular casing has an internal width or diameter of between 0.5 millimetre and 2 millimetres.   
     
     
         66 . The aerosol-generating device according to  claim 61 , wherein a ratio of a length of the second airflow channel portion to a length of the first airflow channel portion is between 5:1 and 1:1. 
     
     
         67 . The aerosol-generating device according to  claim 61 , wherein the first airflow channel portion is tapered. 
     
     
         68 . The aerosol-generating device according to  claim 67 , wherein the first airflow channel portion has an exit width or diameter at a downstream end of the first airflow channel portion that is smaller than an entry width or diameter at an upstream end of the first airflow channel portion. 
     
     
         69 . The aerosol-generating device according to  claim 67 , wherein the first airflow channel portion has an exit width or diameter at a downstream end of the first airflow channel portion that is larger than an entry width or diameter at an upstream end of the first airflow channel portion. 
     
     
         70 . The aerosol-generating device according to  claim 69 , wherein the exit width or diameter of the first airflow channel portion is between 5 percent and 15 percent larger than the entry width of the first airflow channel portion. 
     
     
         71 . The aerosol-generating device according to  claim 65 , wherein the first and the second airflow channel portions are integrally formed in the tubular casing. 
     
     
         72 . The aerosol-generating device according to  claim 65 , wherein the first airflow channel portion comprises a removable plug configured to be connected to the second airflow channel portion, the plug having a through-bore extending between opposing ends of the plug to define an airflow pathway through the plug. 
     
     
         73 . The aerosol-generating device according to  claim 61 , further comprising a heater configured to heat the aerosol-generating article in the cavity. 
     
     
         74 . An aerosol-generating system comprising an aerosol-generating device according to  claim 61  and an aerosol-generating article, the aerosol-generating article comprising an aerosol-forming substrate. 
     
     
         75 . An aerosol-generating system according to  claim 74 , wherein the aerosol-generating article has a resistance-to-draw that is less than 50 percent of a resistance-to-draw of the airflow channel of the aerosol-generating device.