Heater assembly and aerosol generating device including the same

Abstract

A heater assembly includes a chamber including an air inlet, a liquid inlet, and an air outlet; a wick configured to absorb an aerosol generating material from outside of the heater assembly through the liquid inlet and including a first surface, a second surface, and a side surface surrounding a space between the first surface and the second surface; a heater arranged on the side surface of the wick and configured to heat the aerosol generating material absorbed into the wick; and a guide structure configured to induce external air flowing into the chamber through the air inlet to move in a direction toward the heater.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A heater assembly comprising:
 a chamber comprising an air inlet through which external air flows in, a liquid inlet through which an aerosol generating material flows in, and an air outlet through which air inside the heater assembly is discharged to the outside;   a wick arranged inside the chamber and configured to absorb the aerosol generating material flowing in from the outside of the heater assembly through the liquid inlet, wherein the wick comprises a first surface facing the liquid inlet, a second surface arranged in an opposite direction to the first surface, and a side surface surrounding a space between the first surface and the second surface;   a heater arranged on the side surface of the wick and configured to heat the aerosol generating material absorbed into the wick; and   a guide structure arranged inside the chamber to face the heater and configured to induce the external air flowing into the chamber through the air inlet to move in a direction toward the heater.   
     
     
         2 . The heater assembly of  claim 1 , wherein the guide structure is spaced apart from the heater by a predefined distance. 
     
     
         3 . The heater assembly of  claim 2 , wherein the predefined distance is 0.5 mm to 1 mm. 
     
     
         4 . The heater assembly of  claim 1 , wherein the guide structure comprises:
 a first portion extending in a first direction crossing the side surface of the wick, when viewed above the first surface of the wick; and   a second portion extending in a second direction crossing the first direction and arranged so that one end of the second portion contacts one end of the first portion to form a certain angle with the first portion, when viewed above the first surface of the wick.   
     
     
         5 . The heater assembly of  claim 4 , wherein a region in which the one end of the first portion and the one end of the second portion are in contact with each other is formed in a bent shape having a predefined curvature. 
     
     
         6 . The heater assembly of  claim 1 , wherein a distance between one end of the guide structure facing the first surface of the wick and a bottom surface of the chamber facing the second surface of the wick is greater than or equal to a distance between one end of the heater facing the first surface of the wick and the bottom surface of the chamber. 
     
     
         7 . The heater assembly of  claim 1 , wherein the second surface of the wick is spaced apart from the bottom surface of the chamber facing the second surface of the wick by a certain distance. 
     
     
         8 . The heater assembly of  claim 7 , wherein one region of the wick adjacent to the bottom surface of the chamber absorbs liquefied aerosols accumulated inside the chamber. 
     
     
         9 . The heater assembly of  claim 1 , further comprising a plurality of electrical connection elements configured to electrically connect the heater to a battery outside the heater assembly. 
     
     
         10 . The heater assembly of  claim 9 , wherein the plurality of electrical connection elements comprise:
 a first electrical connection element in contact with one region of the heater; and   a second electrical connection element spaced apart from the first electrical connection element and in contact with another region of the heater, wherein the guide structure is arranged between the first electrical connection element and the second electrical connection element.   
     
     
         11 . An aerosol generating device comprising:
 a cartridge comprising a storage tank storing an aerosol generating material;   a heater assembly detachably coupled to one region of the cartridge and configured to generate aerosols by heating the aerosol generating material supplied from the cartridge; and   a main body detachably coupled to one region of the heater assembly and comprising a battery configured to supply power to the heater assembly, wherein the heater assembly comprises: a chamber comprising an air inlet through which external air flows in, a liquid inlet through which the aerosol generating material flows in from the cartridge, and an air outlet through which air inside the heater assembly is discharged to the cartridge; a wick arranged inside the chamber and configured to absorb the aerosol generating material flowing in from the cartridge through the liquid inlet, wherein the wick comprises a first surface facing the liquid inlet, a second surface arranged in an opposite direction to the first surface, and a side surface surrounding a space between the first surface and the second surface; a heater arranged on the side surface of the wick and configured to heat the aerosol generating material absorbed into the wick; and a guide structure arranged inside the chamber to face the heater and configured to induce the external air flowing into the chamber through the air inlet to move in a direction toward the heater.   
     
     
         12 . The aerosol generating device of  claim 11 , wherein the guide structure is spaced apart from the heater by a predefined distance. 
     
     
         13 . The aerosol generating device of  claim 11 , wherein the cartridge further comprises a liquid delivery element configured to deliver the aerosol generating material stored in the storage tank to the wick of the heater assembly. 
     
     
         14 . The aerosol generating device of  claim 13 , wherein the liquid delivery element comprises a cotton material for absorbing the aerosol generating material, and
 the wick comprises a ceramic wick.   
     
     
         15 . The aerosol generating device of  claim 11 , wherein the heater assembly further comprises a plurality of electrical connection elements configured to electrically connect the heater to the battery of the main body, wherein the heater is configured to heat the aerosol generating material absorbed into the wick by generating heat when power is supplied from the battery.