Aerosol generation device

Abstract

[Problem] To provide an aerosol generation device with an enhanced waterproof property. [Solution] Provided is an aerosol generation device that comprises: a holding portion that has a cylindrical structure into which an aerosol-generating base material is inserted; a body portion provided on a bottom surface of the cylindrical structure; a gap formed in the bottom surface along the outline of the body portion; and a convex portion protruding from the body portion to cover an opening of the gap.

Description

Aerosol Generator

[0001] The present invention relates to an aerosol generating device.

[0002] Inhalation devices, such as electronic cigarettes and nebulizers, which generate substances to be inhaled by users, are widely used. Inhalation devices can generate aerosols by heating an aerosol source. This allows users to inhale the aerosols generated by the inhalation devices and enjoy the flavors of the aerosols.

[0003] In such a suction device, droplets may be generated inside the suction device due to aggregation of the aerosol generated from the aerosol source. Therefore, Patent Document 1 listed below discloses that a gap in a tube containing the aerosol source is sealed with a sealing member to prevent the generated droplets from damaging circuits, etc.

[0004] Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2020-188794

[0005] However, the technology disclosed in the above-mentioned Patent Document 1 is intended to prevent small amounts of moisture, such as droplets, from penetrating into the gap, and was not designed to anticipate situations in which a large amount of water is poured into the holding unit that houses the aerosol source, for example, when the holding unit is washed with water. Therefore, there has been a need to prevent water from penetrating into the device even when a large amount of water is poured into the holding unit that houses the aerosol source.

[0006] Therefore, the present invention has been made in consideration of the above problems, and an object of the present invention is to provide a new and improved aerosol generating device that can be made more waterproof.

[0007] In order to solve the above problem, according to one aspect of the present invention, there is provided an aerosol generating device having a cylindrical structure, comprising: a holding portion into which an aerosol-generating substrate is inserted inside the cylindrical structure; a main body portion provided on the bottom surface of the cylindrical structure; a gap formed on the bottom surface along the outer shape of the main body portion; and a convex portion protruding from the main body portion so as to cover the opening of the gap.

[0008] The convex portion may protrude so that the width of the opening after covering is 0.2 mm or less.

[0009] At least the surface of the protrusion may be made of a water-repellent material.

[0010] The protrusions may be made of a silicon-based resin material, a fluorine-based resin material, or a ceramic material.

[0011] The protrusion may be provided so that the height of the tip of the protrusion is equal to or greater than the height of any point from the center of the main body to the protrusion.

[0012] The gap may be sealed with a sealing member provided inside the gap.

[0013] The plate may further include an opposing protrusion provided on the opposite side of the protrusion and overlapping with the protrusion.

[0014] The gap may be provided between the main body and a housing that holds the main body from the outside.

[0015] The gap may be provided between the main body and a heating section that protrudes from the bottom surface into the cylindrical structure and heats the aerosol-generating substrate.

[0016] As described above, according to the present invention, it is possible to further improve the waterproofness of the aerosol generation device.

[0017] 1 is a schematic diagram showing a configuration example of a suction device; FIG. 1 is a schematic cross-sectional view showing a first configuration example of the bottom of the holder; FIG. 2 is an explanatory view showing a schematic example of the cross-sectional shape of a convex portion; FIG. 3 is an explanatory view showing a schematic example of the cross-sectional shape of a convex portion; FIG. 4 is an explanatory view showing a schematic example of the cross-sectional shape of a convex portion; FIG. 5 is an explanatory view showing a schematic example of the cross-sectional shape of a convex portion; FIG. 6 is a schematic cross-sectional view showing a modified example in which a plurality of convex portions protrude from the first fixing portion; FIG. 7 is a schematic cross-sectional view showing a modified example in which a plurality of convex portions protrude from the first fixing portion and an opposing convex portion protrudes from the housing; FIG. 8 is a schematic cross-sectional view showing a second configuration example of the bottom of the holder; FIG. 9 is a schematic view showing a model for deriving the amount of water flowing through the gap when no convex portion is provided; FIG. 10 is a schematic view showing a model for deriving the amount of water flowing through the gap when a convex portion is provided.

[0018] Hereinafter, preferred embodiments of the present invention will be described in detail with reference to the accompanying drawings. In this specification and drawings, components having substantially the same functional configurations are designated by the same reference numerals, and redundant explanations will be omitted.

[0019] <1. Configuration Example of Suction Apparatus> First, a configuration example of a suction apparatus according to one embodiment of the present invention will be described. The suction apparatus according to this configuration example can generate an aerosol by heating a substrate containing an aerosol source from within the substrate. This configuration example will be described below with reference to FIG.

[0020] Fig. 1 is a schematic diagram showing an example of the configuration of a suction device. As shown in Fig. 1, a suction device 100 according to this example configuration includes a power supply unit 111, a sensor unit 112, a notification unit 113, a storage unit 114, a communication unit 115, a control unit 116, a heating unit 121, and a holding unit 140. In the suction device 100, a stick-shaped substrate 150 is housed in the holding unit 140, and the user performs suction. Each component will be described below in order.

[0021] The inhalation device 100 and the stick-shaped substrate 150 work together to generate an aerosol that is inhaled by the user. Therefore, the combination of the inhalation device 100 and the stick-shaped substrate 150 may be considered as an aerosol generating system.

[0022] The power supply unit 111 stores power. The power supply unit 111 supplies power to each component of the suction device 100. The power supply unit 111 may be configured, for example, by a rechargeable battery such as a lithium-ion secondary battery. The power supply unit 111 may be charged by connecting to an external power source via a USB (Universal Serial Bus) cable or the like. The power supply unit 111 may also be charged using wireless power transmission technology while not connected to a power transmitting device. Alternatively, the power supply unit 111 may be provided so as to be removable from the suction device 100, or may be provided so as to be replaceable with a new power supply unit 111.

[0023] The sensor unit 112 detects various types of information related to the inhalation device 100 and outputs the detected information to the control unit 116. As an example, the sensor unit 112 may be configured with a pressure sensor such as a condenser microphone, a flow rate sensor, or a temperature sensor. In this case, when the sensor unit 112 detects a value associated with the user's inhalation, it can output information indicating that the user has inhaled to the control unit 116. As another example, the sensor unit 112 may be configured with an input device such as a button or switch that accepts information input from the user. In particular, the sensor unit 112 may include a button that instructs the start / stop of aerosol generation. In this case, the sensor unit 112 can output information input by the user to the control unit 116. As yet another example, the sensor unit 112 may be configured with a temperature sensor that detects the temperature of the heating unit 121. In this case, the sensor unit 112 can determine the temperature of the stick-shaped substrate 150 accommodated in the holding unit 140 by detecting the temperature of the heating unit 121 based on, for example, the electrical resistance value of the heating unit 121.

[0024] The notification unit 113 notifies the user of information. As an example, the notification unit 113 is configured with a light-emitting device such as an LED (Light Emitting Diode). Accordingly, the notification unit 113 can emit light in different light-emitting patterns when the power supply unit 111 needs charging, when the power supply unit 111 is charging, when an abnormality has occurred in the suction device 100, and the like. The light-emitting pattern here is a concept that includes color, timing of turning on / off, and the like. The notification unit 113 may be configured with a display device that displays an image, a sound output device that outputs sound, a vibration device that vibrates, and the like, together with or instead of the light-emitting device. Additionally, the notification unit 113 may notify information indicating that the user is ready to inhale. The information indicating that the user is ready to inhale may be notified when the temperature of the stick-shaped substrate 150 heated by the heating unit 121 reaches a predetermined temperature.

[0025] The storage unit 114 stores various types of information for the operation of the suction device 100. The storage unit 114 is configured, for example, with a non-volatile storage medium such as a flash memory. One example of the information stored in the storage unit 114 is information related to the OS (Operating System) of the suction device 100, such as control information for various components by the control unit 116. Another example of the information stored in the storage unit 114 is information related to suction by the user, such as the number of suctions, the time of suction, or the cumulative suction time.

[0026] The communication unit 115 is a communication interface for transmitting and receiving information between the suction device 100 and other devices. The communication unit 115 performs communication in accordance with any wired or wireless communication standard. Examples of such communication standards include a wireless local area network (LAN), a wired LAN, Wi-Fi (registered trademark), or Bluetooth (registered trademark). As one example, the communication unit 115 may transmit information about the user's suction to a smartphone to display the information about the user's suction on the smartphone. As another example, the communication unit 115 may receive information about a new OS from a server to update the OS information stored in the storage unit 114.

[0027] The control unit 116 functions as a calculation processing unit and a control device, and controls the overall operation of the suction device 100 in accordance with various programs. The control unit 116 is realized by an electronic circuit such as a CPU (Central Processing Unit) or a microprocessor. The control unit 116 may also include a ROM (Read Only Memory) for storing programs and calculation parameters to be used, as well as a RAM (Random Access Memory) for temporarily storing parameters that change as needed. The suction device 100 executes various processes under the control of the control unit 116. Examples of processes controlled by the control unit 116 include power supply from the power supply unit 111 to the other components, charging of the power supply unit 111, detection of information by the sensor unit 112, notification of information by the notification unit 113, storage and retrieval of information by the memory unit 114, and transmission and reception of information by the communication unit 115. Other processes executed by the suction device 100, such as input of information to each component and processing based on information output from each component, are also controlled by the control unit 116.

[0028] The holding unit 140 has an internal space 141 and holds the stick-type substrate 150 while accommodating a portion of the stick-type substrate 150 in the internal space 141. The holding unit 140 has an opening 142 that connects the internal space 141 to the outside and holds the stick-type substrate 150 inserted into the internal space 141 through the opening 142. For example, the holding unit 140 is a cylindrical body with the opening 142 and a bottom 143 as its bottom surface, and defines a columnar internal space 141. The holding unit 140 is configured so that the inner diameter is smaller than the outer diameter of the stick-type substrate 150 in at least a portion of the height direction of the cylindrical body, and can hold the stick-type substrate 150 by compressing the stick-type substrate 150 inserted into the internal space 141 from the outer periphery. The holding unit 140 also has the function of defining an air flow path that passes through the stick-type substrate 150. An air inlet, which is an entrance for air into this flow path, is located, for example, in the bottom 143. On the other hand, the air outlet hole, which is the outlet for air from the flow path, is the opening 142 .

[0029] The stick-shaped substrate 150 is a stick-shaped aerosol-generating substrate. The stick-shaped substrate 150 includes a substrate portion 151 and a mouthpiece portion 152.

[0030] The substrate 151 includes an aerosol source. The aerosol source is atomized by heating to generate an aerosol. The aerosol source may include, for example, a tobacco-derived material, such as a processed product obtained by molding shredded tobacco or tobacco raw material into granules, sheets, or powder. The aerosol source may also include a non-tobacco-derived material produced from a plant other than tobacco (e.g., mint or herbs). When the inhalation device 100 is a medical inhaler, the aerosol source may include a drug to be inhaled by the patient. Note that the aerosol source is not limited to a solid, but may also be, for example, a polyhydric alcohol such as glycerin or propylene glycol, or a liquid such as water. At least a portion of the substrate 151 is accommodated in the internal space 141 of the holding portion 140 when the stick-shaped substrate 150 is held in the holding portion 140.

[0031] The suction mouth portion 152 is a member that is held in the user's mouth when inhaling. At least a portion of the suction mouth portion 152 protrudes from the opening 142 when the stick-shaped substrate 150 is held in the holding portion 140. When the user holds the suction mouth portion 152 protruding from the opening 142 in their mouth and inhales, air flows into the inside of the holding portion 140 through an air inlet hole (not shown). The inflowing air passes through the internal space 141 of the holding portion 140, that is, passes through the substrate portion 151, and reaches the user's mouth together with the aerosol generated from the substrate portion 151.

[0032] The heating unit 121 generates an aerosol by heating the aerosol source and atomizing the aerosol source. The heating unit 121 is configured in a blade shape and is disposed so as to protrude from the bottom 143 of the holding unit 140 into the internal space 141 of the holding unit 140. Therefore, when the stick-shaped substrate 150 is inserted into the holding unit 140, the blade-shaped heating unit 121 is inserted into the stick-shaped substrate 150 by piercing the substrate portion 151 of the stick-shaped substrate 150. When the heating unit 121 generates heat, the aerosol source contained in the stick-shaped substrate 150 is heated from the inside of the stick-shaped substrate 150 and atomized, generating an aerosol. The heating unit 121 generates heat when power is supplied from the power supply unit 111. For example, when the sensor unit 112 detects that a predetermined user input has been performed, the powered heating unit 121 generates heat, and the temperature of the stick-shaped substrate 150 reaches a predetermined temperature, generating an aerosol from the stick-shaped substrate 150. This allows the inhalation device 100 to enable the user to inhale. Thereafter, when the sensor unit 112 detects that a predetermined user input has been performed, the power supply to the heating unit 121 may be stopped. As another example, aerosol may be generated by the powered heating unit 121 during the period in which the sensor unit 112 detects that the user has performed inhalation.

[0033] In the suction device 100 according to this embodiment, a convex portion is provided to cover the gap formed in the bottom 143 of the holding part 140, thereby preventing water injected into the internal space 141 of the holding part 140 from flowing into the gap. The structure of the bottom 143 of the holding part 140 will be described in detail below.

[0034] 2. Bottom Structure of Holding Unit> (2.1. First Configuration Example) A first configuration example of the bottom 143 of the holding unit 140 will be described with reference to Fig. 2. Fig. 2 is a schematic cross-sectional view showing the first configuration example of the bottom 143 of the holding unit 140.

[0035] 2, a main body 160 is provided on the bottom 143 of the holding part 140. The main body 160 includes a first fixing part 161 and a second fixing part 162, and supports the heating part 121 by clamping the flange part 122 and the extension part 123 extending from the heating part 121 between the first fixing part 161 and the second fixing part 162. The main body 160 is housed in a housing 164 having a cylindrical structure.

[0036] The heating part 121 is a blade heater that heats the stick-shaped substrate 150 inserted into the internal space 141 of the holding part 140. The heating part 121 penetrates the bottom part 143 from the outside of the holding part 140 and protrudes into the internal space 141, thereby being inserted into the stick-shaped substrate 150 held in the internal space 141. The heating part 121 may be, for example, a PTC (Positive Temperature Coefficient) heater that generates heat when electricity is applied.

[0037] The flange portion 122 is a convex portion that protrudes in a direction perpendicular to the extending direction of the heating portion 121 at the other end opposite to one end of the heating portion 121 that protrudes into the internal space 141 of the holding portion 140. The flange portion 122 is clamped by the first fixing portion 161 and the second fixing portion 162 in the extending direction of the heating portion 121 via the horizontal support portion 163. The flange portion 122 may be made of a material that does not generate heat when electricity is applied.

[0038] The extending portion 123 extends in the extending direction of the heating portion 121 from a second surface S2 opposite to the first surface S1 of the flange portion 122 from which the heating portion 121 protrudes. The extending portion 123 is clamped by the second fixing portion 162 in a direction perpendicular to the extending direction of the extending portion 123. With this, the heating portion 121 can extend in a direction perpendicular to the bottom portion 143 of the holding portion 140 by fixing the flange portion 122 and the extending portion 123 by the first fixing portion 161 and the second fixing portion 162. The extending portion 123, like the flange portion 122, may be made of a material that does not generate heat when electricity is applied.

[0039] The first fixing portion 161 supports a first surface S1 of the flange portion 122 on the side where the holding portion 140 is provided. Meanwhile, the second fixing portion 162 supports a second surface S2 of the flange portion 122 on the side opposite to the side where the holding portion 140 is provided via the horizontal support portion 163. As a result, the flange portion 122 is fixed by being sandwiched between the first fixing portion 161 and the second fixing portion 162 in the extension direction of the heating portion 121.

[0040] Furthermore, first fixing portion 161 has a recessed structure with an opening on one side opposite to the side where holding portion 140 is provided. Second fixing portion 162 is housed together with flange portion 122 inside the recessed structure of first fixing portion 161, and has protruding portion 1621 that spreads out toward the inner side surface of the recessed structure of first fixing portion 161. Second fixing portion 162 is fixed to first fixing portion 161 so that it will not come off by having protruding portion 1621 protrude and fit into notch portion 1611 provided on the side surface of first fixing portion 161.

[0041] The horizontal support portion 163 is provided between the second surface S2 of the flange portion 122 and the second fixing portion 162. The horizontal support portion 163 controls the inclination of the heating portion 121 so that the heating portion 121 protrudes perpendicularly into the internal space 141 of the holding portion 140 by controlling the second surface S2 of the flange portion 122 to be parallel to the bottom portion 143 of the holding portion 140. Specifically, the horizontal support portion 163 may be configured with a plurality of hemispherical portions or convex structures, and may be provided so that the apexes of the plurality of hemispherical or convex structures are included in the same plane parallel to the bottom portion 143 of the holding portion 140. In this way, the horizontal support portion 163 supports the second surface S2 of the flange portion 122 on a plane parallel to the bottom portion 143 of the holding portion 140, thereby ensuring the perpendicularity of the heating portion 121 with respect to the bottom portion 143.

[0042] The housing 164 has a cylindrical structure and houses the main body 160 inside the cylindrical structure. For example, the housing 164 may be a cylindrical structure made of a metal material such as stainless steel and provided so as to surround the side surface of the main body 160.

[0043] In the first configuration example, a gap 171 is formed between the first fixing portion 161 and the housing 164, following the outer shape of the first fixing portion 161. The gap 171 is sealed by a sealing member 170 that is sandwiched between the housing 164 and the first fixing portion 161 inside the gap 171. The sealing member 170 is a ring-shaped member made of an elastic material or a metallic material. For example, the sealing member 170 may be an O-ring, a gasket, a seal washer, or the like made of rubber, silicone resin, various organic resins, aluminum, or the like.

[0044] In the suction device 100 according to this embodiment, a convex portion 144 protrudes from the first fixing portion 161 at the bottom portion 143 of the holding portion 140 so as to cover the opening of the gap 171. With this, the suction device 100 can reduce the amount of water flowing into the gap 171 by narrowing the opening of the gap 171 with the convex portion 144.

[0045] Furthermore, the sealing member 170 seals the gap 171 by generating stress between the housing 164 and the first fixing portion 161 due to a restoring force caused by elastic deformation. Therefore, if a force is applied to the sealing member 170 in the extension direction of the gap 171 due to water pressure or the discharge pressure of the water flow, the sealing member 170 may deform, potentially breaking the seal of the gap 171. In the suction device 100 according to this embodiment, the convex portion 144 can block the water flow flowing into the gap 171, thereby preventing the water flow from directly hitting the sealing member 170 or excessive water pressure from being applied to the sealing member 170. Therefore, by preventing deformation of the sealing member 170, the suction device 100 can prevent water injected into the internal space 141 from entering the interior of the suction device 100. This allows the suction device 100 to have improved waterproofing.

[0046] However, the convex portion 144 does not have to be provided so as to completely cover the opening of the gap 171. For example, the convex portion 144 may be provided so that the width of the opening of the gap 171 after being covered by the convex portion 144 is 0.2 mm or less. Even in such a case, the convex portion 144 can increase the resistance when water flows into the gap 171, thereby reducing the amount of water flowing into the gap 171. Furthermore, the convex portion 144 can prevent the water flow from directly hitting the sealing member 170, thereby improving the waterproofness of the suction device 100.

[0047] The protrusions 144 may be provided so that at least their surfaces are water-repellent. In this case, the water-repellent properties of the protrusions 144 can further prevent water from penetrating the gaps 171. For example, the protrusions 144 may be entirely made of a water-repellent material, or the surfaces may be coated with a water-repellent material. Examples of water-repellent materials include a silicon-based resin material, a fluorine-based resin material, and a ceramic material.

[0048] The shape of the convex portion 144 is not particularly limited as long as it can cover the opening of the gap 171. However, in order to more reliably prevent water from entering the gap 171, it is preferable that the height of the end of the convex portion 144 be equal to or greater than the height of the surface of the first fixing portion 161 on which the convex portion 144 is provided.

[0049] The shape of such convex portion 144 will be described with reference to Figures 3 to 6. Figures 3 to 6 are explanatory diagrams that schematically show examples of the cross-sectional shape of convex portion 144.

[0050] The convex portion 144 may be configured in a shape having a rectangular cross section as shown in Fig. 3, or in a shape having a triangular cross section as shown in Fig. 4 and Fig. 5. Furthermore, it may be configured in a shape having a cross section including a curve as shown in Fig. 6.

[0051] Here, as shown in FIGS. 3 and 4 , the height P2 of the tip of the convex portion 144 may be the same as (i.e., on the same plane as) the height P1 of any surface of the first fixing portion 161 on which the convex portion 144 is provided. Alternatively, as shown in FIGS. 5 and 6 , the height P2 of the tip of the convex portion 144 may be higher than the height P1 of any surface of the first fixing portion 161 on which the convex portion 144 is provided. When the height P2 of the tip of the convex portion 144 is equal to or higher than the height P1 of any surface of the first fixing portion 161, the convex portion 144 can prevent water from flowing toward the convex portion 144 along the slope from the first fixing portion 161 to the convex portion 144. Therefore, the convex portion 144 having the above shape can suppress the inflow of water into the gap 171, thereby further improving the waterproofness of the suction device 100.

[0052] Further, a modified example of the first configuration example will be described with reference to Fig. 7 and Fig. 8. Fig. 7 is a schematic cross-sectional view showing a modified example in which multiple protrusions 144A, 144B protrude from first fixing portion 161. Fig. 8 is a schematic cross-sectional view showing a modified example in which multiple protrusions 144A, 144B protrude from first fixing portion 161 and an opposing protrusion 165 protrudes from housing 164.

[0053] 7 , a plurality of protrusions 144A, 144B may protrude from the first fixing portion 161 so as to cover the opening of the gap 171. For example, the plurality of protrusions 144A, 144B may be provided so as to overlap in the extension direction of the gap 171. Furthermore, the areas of the opening of the gap 171 that the plurality of protrusions 144A, 144B cover may be the same as or different from each other. In this way, the suction device 100 can further suppress the inflow of water into the gap 171 by the plurality of protrusions 144A, 144B, thereby further improving waterproofing.

[0054] 8, a facing protrusion 165 may be further provided on the housing 164 facing the plurality of protrusions 144A, 144B. The facing protrusion 165 can form a zigzag flow path between the facing protrusions 144A, 144B by fitting with the facing protrusions 144A, 144B. Therefore, the facing protrusion 165 can further increase the resistance to water flowing from the internal space 141 of the holding part 140 into the gap 171. This can further suppress water from flowing into the gap 171, thereby further improving the waterproofing of the suction device 100.

[0055] In the first configuration example, a convex portion 144 is provided on the main body portion 160 including the first fixing portion 161 and the second fixing portion 162. The convex portion 144 protrudes from the main body portion 160 so as to cover the opening of a gap 171 formed between the main body portion 160 and the housing 164, thereby suppressing the inflow of water into the gap 171. Furthermore, the convex portion 144 blocks the opening of the gap 171, thereby preventing water from directly inflowing into the gap 171. As a result, the convex portion 144 can prevent the sealing member 170 from being deformed by water pressure and the sealing ability of the gap 171 from being reduced. Therefore, the convex portion 144 can suppress the inflow of water from the internal space 141 into the interior of the suction device 100, thereby improving the waterproofness of the suction device 100.

[0056] (2.2. Second Configuration Example) A second configuration example of the bottom 143 of the holder 140 will be described with reference to Fig. 9. Fig. 9 is a schematic cross-sectional view showing the second configuration example of the bottom 143 of the holder 140.

[0057] 9 , a main body 160 is provided on the bottom 143 of the holding unit 140. The main body 160 includes a first fixing portion 161 and a second fixing portion 162, and supports the heating unit 121 by sandwiching the flange 122 and the extension 123 extending from the heating unit 121 between the first fixing portion 161 and the second fixing portion 162. Note that the heating unit 121, the flange 122, the extension 123, the first fixing portion 161, and the second fixing portion 162 are substantially similar to those in the first configuration example, and therefore description thereof will be omitted here.

[0058] In the second configuration example, a gap 171 is formed between the first fixing portion 161 and the heating portion 121, extending in the extension direction of the heating portion 121 along the outer shape of the first fixing portion 161. The opening of the gap 171 is covered by a protrusion 144 that protrudes from the first fixing portion 161 toward the heating portion 121. That is, in the second configuration example, the position where the gap 171 is formed on the bottom 143 of the holding portion 140 is different from that in the first configuration example.

[0059] Even in such a case, similarly to the first configuration example, the convex portion 144 can increase the resistance when water flows into the gap 171 by narrowing the width of the opening of the gap 171, thereby reducing the amount of water leaking into the gap 171. Furthermore, the convex portion 144 can prevent water from directly flowing into the gap 171 by covering the gap 171 formed in the bottom 143 of the holding portion 140. Therefore, the convex portion 144 can improve the waterproofness of the suction device 100.

[0060] 3. Effects Next, the effects of the above-described convex portion 144 will be described in more detail with reference to Fig. 10 and Fig. 11. Fig. 10 is a schematic diagram showing a model for deriving the amount of water flowing through the gap 171 when the convex portion 144 is not provided. Fig. 11 is a schematic diagram showing a model for deriving the amount of water flowing through the gap 171 when the convex portion 144 is provided. For simplicity, Figs. 10 and 11 assume that no sealing member 170 is provided inside the gap 171.

[0061] As shown in FIG. 10, the width or diameter of the internal space 141 of the holding portion 140 is D, and the opening width of the gap 171 is h １ Then, the amount of water passing through the gap 171 of length L is expressed by the following formula (1) where η is the viscosity of water at a predetermined temperature. １ is the pressure of the water flowing into the gap 171, and P ２ is the pressure of the water passing through the gap 171.

[0062]

[0063] On the other hand, as shown in FIG. 11, the width or diameter of the internal space 141 of the holding portion 140 is D, and the opening width of the gap 171 after being covered with the protrusion 144 is h ２ Then, the amount of water passing through the convex portion 144 having a height L is expressed by the following formula (2) where η is the viscosity of water at a predetermined temperature. １ is the pressure of the water flowing into the convex portion 144, and P ２ is the pressure of the water passing through the convex portion 144.

[0064]

[0065] As shown in the above formulas (1) and (2), the amount of water passing through gap 171 is proportional to the cube of the opening width of gap 171 relative to internal space 141. Therefore, by narrowing the opening width of gap 171 with convex portion 144, suction device 100 can significantly reduce the amount of water that enters gap 171.

[0066] Although the preferred embodiments of the present invention have been described in detail above with reference to the accompanying drawings, the present invention is not limited to these examples. It is clear that a person skilled in the art to which the present invention pertains can conceive of various modifications and alterations within the scope of the technical ideas set forth in the claims, and it is understood that these also naturally fall within the technical scope of the present invention.

[0067] For example, in the above embodiment, the suction device 100 is provided with the heating unit 121 having a blade-like structure that heats the stick-shaped substrate 150 from the inside, but the present invention is not limited to such an example. As long as a gap 171 is formed in the internal space 141 of the holding unit 140, the heating method for the stick-shaped substrate 150 in the suction device 100 is not particularly limited. For example, the suction device 100 may be provided with a heating unit such as a film heater that heats the stick-shaped substrate 150 from the outside, or may be provided with a heating unit such as a susceptor that is induction-heated by a fluctuating magnetic field.

[0068] The following configurations also fall within the technical scope of the present invention. (1) An aerosol generating device comprising: a holding section having a cylindrical structure into which an aerosol-generating substrate is inserted; a main body section provided on the bottom surface of the cylindrical structure; a gap formed on the bottom surface along the outer shape of the main body section; and a convex section protruding from the main body section to cover the opening of the gap. (2) The aerosol generating device according to (1), wherein the convex section protrudes so that the width of the opening after covering is 0.2 mm or less. (3) The aerosol generating device according to (1) or (2), wherein at least the surface of the convex section is made of a water-repellent material. (4) The aerosol generating device according to (3), wherein the convex section is made of a silicon-based resin material, a fluorine-based resin material, or a ceramic-based material. (5) The aerosol generating device according to any one of (1) to (4), wherein the height of the tip of the convex section is equal to or greater than the height of any point from the center of the main body section to the convex section. (6) The aerosol generation device according to any one of (1) to (5), wherein the gap is sealed by a sealing member provided inside the gap. (7) The aerosol generation device according to any one of (1) to (6), further comprising an opposing convex portion provided on the opposite side of the convex portion and overlapping the convex portion. (8) The aerosol generation device according to any one of (1) to (7), wherein the gap is provided between the main body and a housing that holds the main body from the outside. (9) The aerosol generation device according to any one of (1) to (7), wherein the gap is provided between the main body and a heating portion that protrudes from the bottom surface into the cylindrical structure and heats the aerosol-generating substrate.

[0069] REFERENCE SIGNS LIST 100 Suction device 121 Heating part 122 Flange part 123 Extension part 140 Holding part 141 Internal space 142 Opening 143 Bottom part 144 Convex part 150 Stick-shaped substrate 151 Substrate part 152 Suction mouth part 160 Main body part 161 First fixing part 162 Second fixing part 163 Horizontal support part 164 Housing 170 Sealing member 171 Gap

Claims

1. A holding part having a cylindrical structure, with an aerosol generating substrate inserted inside the cylindrical structure, A main body part provided on the bottom surface of the cylindrical structure, A gap formed on the bottom surface along the outer shape of the main body part, A convex part protruding from the main body part so as to cover the opening of the gap, An aerosol generating device comprising the above.

2. The aerosol generating device according to Claim 1, wherein the convex part protrudes such that the width of the opening after covering is 0.2 mm or less.

3. The aerosol generating device according to Claim 1, wherein at least the surface of the convex part is made of a water-repellent material.

4. The aerosol generating device according to Claim 3, wherein the convex part is made of a silicone-based resin material, a fluorine-based resin material, or a ceramic-based material.

5. The aerosol generating device according to any one of Claims 1 to 4, wherein the convex part is provided such that the height of the tip of the convex part is equal to or greater than the height of any point from the center of the main body part to the convex part.

6. The aerosol generating device according to any one of Claims 1 to 4, wherein the gap is sealed by a sealing member provided inside the gap.

7. The aerosol generating device according to any one of Claims 1 to 4, further comprising an opposing convex part provided on the surface facing the convex part and overlapping the convex part.

8. The aerosol generating device according to any one of Claims 1 to 4, wherein the gap is provided between the main body part and a housing that holds the main body part from the outside.

9. The aerosol generating device according to any one of Claims 1 to 4, wherein the gap is provided between the main body part and a heating part that protrudes from the bottom surface into the inside of the cylindrical structure and heats the aerosol generating substrate.