Patent Description:
Recently, the demand for alternatives to overcome the shortcomings of general cigarettes has increased. For example, there is growing demand for a method of generating aerosol by heating an aerosol generating material in cigarettes, rather than by combusting cigarettes. Accordingly, studies on a heating-type cigarette or a heating-type aerosol generating apparatus have been conducted actively.

However, in general aerosol generating apparatuses, an element for transporting an aerosol generating material, such as a wick, is often carbonized by excessively heating the wick. <CIT> relates to a heater for use in an aerosol generating device. The heater comprises a heating element comprising a coil. The coil has at least two coiled regions and one non- coiled region. The heater comprises a pair of wicks arranged to feed e-liquid to the heating element from different directions.

The problem is solved by the combination of features of the independent claims. Preferred embodiments are defined in the dependent claims and in the description.

According to an embodiment of the present disclosure, since the arrangements of a heating element for different portions of the wick are determined based on the degree of absorption of the aerosol generating material at each portion of the wick, heating intensity may be optimized to properly regulate the amount of aerosol production and carbonization of the wick is prevented.

According to an aspect of the present disclosure, a vaporizer may include: a storage storing a liquid aerosol generating material; a wick extending in one direction and absorbing the aerosol generating material through both end portions thereof that are connected to the storage; and a coil surrounding the wick a plurality of times at different winding intervals and heating the aerosol generating material absorbed by the wick, based on an absorption rate profile of the aerosol generating material which changes in the wick along the one direction.

Winding intervals at the center portion of the wick are longer than the winding intervals of the coil at both end portions of the wick such that heating intensity at the center portion of the wick is lower than heating intensity at the both end portions of the wick.

The winding intervals at the center portion of the wick may be <NUM> times to <NUM> times longer than the winding intervals of the coil at both ends of the wick.

The coil may surround a center portion of the wick at first winding intervals and surround other portions of the wick at second winding intervals longer than the first winding intervals, and the first winding intervals may have <NUM> times to <NUM> times the frequency of occurrence of the second winding intervals.

The coil heats the inside of the wick by surrounding the wick at both end portions of the wick and penetrate the wick at the center portion of the wick.

Alternatively, the coil heats the inside of the wick by surrounding the wick at both end portions of the wick and be arranged within the wick at the center portion of the wick.

According to another aspect of the present disclosure, an aerosol generating apparatus may include: a storage storing a liquid aerosol generating material; a vaporizer including a wick extending in one direction and absorbing the aerosol generating material through both end portions thereof that are connected to the storage and a coil surrounding the wick a plurality of times at different winding intervals and heating the aerosol generating material absorbed by the wick, based on an absorption rate profile of the aerosol generating material which changes in the wick along the one direction; a battery supplying electric power to the vaporizer; and a controller controlling the electric power supplied to the vaporizer from the battery.

<FIG> is a diagram of an aerosol generating apparatus <NUM> including a vaporizer <NUM> according to an embodiment of the present disclosure.

Referring to <FIG>, the aerosol generating apparatus <NUM> may include a vaporizer <NUM>, a battery <NUM>, and a controller <NUM>. However, internal structure of the aerosol generating apparatus <NUM> is not limited to the illustration of <FIG>. It will be apparent to those skilled in the art that depending on a design of the aerosol generating apparatus <NUM>, some of hardware components may be omitted or new components, such as a heater, a sensor, a user interface, and the like may be added therein.

Hereinafter, without limiting a space in which each component included in the aerosol generating apparatus <NUM> is arranged, operation of each component will be described.

The vaporizer <NUM> is configured to store an aerosol generating material and heat the aerosol generating material to generate vaporized aerosol. The vaporizer <NUM> may include a wick <NUM> and a storage <NUM> (see <FIG>). The aerosol generating material accommodated in the storage <NUM> is absorbed by the wick <NUM>, and the heater may heat the aerosol generating material absorbed by the wick <NUM> to generate aerosol. The generated aerosol moves along an airflow path and may be inhaled by a user through a mouthpiece <NUM>. The vaporizer <NUM> may be referred to as a cartomizer.

According to an embodiment, the vaporizer <NUM> is a cartridge capable of being inserted into and detached from the aerosol generating apparatus <NUM>. When the aerosol generating material stored in the vaporizer <NUM> is completely consumed, the vaporizer <NUM> may be refilled with the aerosol generating material or may be replaced with another vaporizer <NUM> storing the aerosol generating material. The vaporizer <NUM> will be described in greater detail later, with reference to <FIG>.

For example, the battery <NUM> may supply power for heating the heater. In addition, the battery <NUM> may supply power required for operation of other hardware components included in the aerosol generating device <NUM>, such as a sensor, a user interface, a memory, and the controller <NUM>, etc. The battery <NUM> may be a rechargeable battery or a disposable battery. For example, the battery <NUM> may be a lithium polymer (LiPoly) battery, but is not limited thereto.

The controller <NUM> is a hardware component configured to control overall operations of the aerosol generating device <NUM>. A processor can be implemented as an array of a plurality of logic gates or can be implemented as a combination of a microprocessor and a memory in which a program executable in the microprocessor is stored.

The controller <NUM> may analyzes a result of the sensing by at least one sensor, and controls processes that are to be performed subsequently. The controller <NUM> may control power supplied to the heater so that the operation of the heater is started or terminated, based on the result of the sensing by the at least one sensor. In addition, based on the result of the sensing by the at least one sensor, the controller <NUM> may control the amount of power supplied to the heater and the time at which the power is supplied, so that the heater is heated to or maintained at an appropriate temperature.

In an embodiment, the controller <NUM> may set a mode of the heater to a pre-heating mode to start the operation of the heater after receiving a user input to the aerosol generating device <NUM>. In addition, the controller <NUM> may switch the mode of the heater from the pre-heating mode to an operation mode after detecting a user's puff by using the puff detecting sensor. In addition, the controller <NUM> may stop supplying power to the heater when the number of puffs reaches a preset number after counting the number of puffs by using the puff detecting sensor.

The controller <NUM> may control the user interface based on the result of the sensing by the at least one sensor. For example, when the number of puffs reaches the preset number after counting the number of puffs by using the puff detecting sensor, the controller <NUM> may notify the user by using at least one of a light emitter, a motor or a speaker that the aerosol generating device <NUM> will soon be terminated.

Although not illustrated in <FIG>, the aerosol generating device <NUM> may include at least one sensor. A result sensed by the at least one sensor is transmitted to the controller <NUM>, and the controller <NUM> may control the aerosol generating device <NUM> to perform various functions such as controlling the operation of the heater, restricting smoking, determining whether a cigarette (or a cartridge) is inserted, and displaying a notification.

For example, the at least one sensor may include a puff detecting sensor. The puff detecting sensor may detect a user's puff based on any one of a temperature change, a flow change, a voltage change, and a pressure change.

In addition, the at least one sensor may include a temperature sensor. The temperature sensor may detect a temperature at which the heater (or an aerosol generating material) is heated. The aerosol generating device <NUM> may include a separate temperature sensor for sensing a temperature of the heater, or the heater itself may serve as a temperature sensor instead of including a separate temperature sensor.

At least one sensor may include a position change detection sensor. The position change detection sensor may acquire information regarding a posture of the user holding the aerosol generating apparatus <NUM> and the user's intention to smoke by detecting a change in tilt and acceleration of the aerosol generating apparatus <NUM>.

Although not illustrated in <FIG>, the aerosol generating device <NUM> may include a user interface. The user interface may provide the user with information about the state of the aerosol generating device <NUM>. The user interface may include various interfacing devices, such as a display or a light emitter for outputting visual information, a motor for outputting haptic information, a speaker for outputting sound information, input/output (I/O) interfacing devices (for example, a button or a touch screen) for receiving information input from the user or outputting information to the user, terminals for performing data communication or receiving charging power, and communication interfacing modules for performing wireless communication (for example, Wi-Fi, Wi-Fi direct, Bluetooth, near-field communication (NFC), etc.) with external devices. However, the aerosol generating device <NUM> may be implemented by selecting only some of the above-described various interfacing devices.

Although not illustrated in <FIG>, the aerosol generating device <NUM> may include a memory. The memory may be a hardware component configured to store various pieces of data processed in the aerosol generating device <NUM>, and the memory may store data processed or to be processed by the controller <NUM>. The memory may include various types of memories, such as dynamic random access memory (DRAM), static random access memory (SRAM), read-only memory (ROM), electrically erasable programmable read-only memory (EEPROM), etc..

The memory may store an operation time of the aerosol generating device <NUM>, the maximum number of puffs, the current number of puffs, at least one temperature profile, data on a user's smoking pattern, etc..

Although not illustrated in <FIG>, an aerosol generating system may be configured by the aerosol generating device <NUM> and a separate cradle. For example, the aerosol generating device <NUM> may be supplied with power from a battery of the cradle to charge the battery <NUM> of the aerosol generating device <NUM> while being accommodated in an accommodation space of the cradle.

<FIG> is a cross-sectional view of the vaporizer <NUM> according to an embodiment of the present disclosure. The vaporizer <NUM> may include the storage <NUM>, the wick <NUM>, a heating element <NUM>, an aerosol discharge passage <NUM>, and the like, but the elements of the vaporizer <NUM> are not limited thereto.

The storage <NUM> includes a housing and an empty space surrounded by the housing. An aerosol generating material may be stored in the empty space of the storage <NUM>. The storage <NUM> may be sealed to prevent the aerosol generating material from leaking out of the storage <NUM> through a path other than the wick <NUM>.

The storage <NUM> may be manufactured in various shapes. For example, the storage <NUM> may have a cylindrical or rectangular parallelepiped shape extending in one direction according to an embodiment.

The storage <NUM> may be connected to the wick <NUM>, and the aerosol generating material of the storage <NUM> may be transported out of the storage <NUM> through the wick <NUM>. The storage <NUM> may include a plurality of openings connected to both end portions 122a and 122b of the wick <NUM>. The openings of the storage <NUM> and the wick <NUM> connected to the openings are hermetically sealed to prevent a leakage of the aerosol generating material.

The wick <NUM> may be connected to the storage <NUM> to transfer the aerosol generating material stored in the storage <NUM> to a vaporization chamber and the heating element <NUM> in the vaporization chamber.

The wick <NUM> may include a hygroscopic fiber that absorbs the aerosol generating material in liquid or gel. The wick <NUM> may transport the aerosol generating material by absorbing the aerosol generating material through an end portion connected to the storage <NUM>. Alternatively, according to an embodiment, the wick <NUM> has a thin tube shape and may transport the aerosol generating material through the inside of the tube using a capillary phenomenon.

The wick <NUM> may be in various shapes. For example, the wick <NUM> may have an elongated shape extending in one direction. Both of the end portions 122a and 122b of the wick <NUM> may be connected to the storage <NUM> to absorb the aerosol generating material. The wick <NUM> absorbs the aerosol generating material through its end portions 122a and 122b and may transport the aerosol generating material to a center portion of the wick <NUM>.

The heating element <NUM> may generate vaporized aerosol by heating the aerosol generating material of the wick <NUM>. When the temperature becomes equal to or higher than a vaporization temperature of the aerosol generating material by the heating element <NUM>, the aerosol generating material may be vaporized to generate aerosol.

The heating element <NUM> may be arranged to heat one or more areas of the wick <NUM>. As shown in <FIG>, the heating element <NUM> may include a coil <NUM> surrounding the wick <NUM>. The heating element <NUM> may surround the wick <NUM> along a direction in which the wick <NUM> extends.

As the heating element <NUM> surrounds the wick <NUM>, the heating element <NUM> may form a plurality of rings along a circumferential direction of the wick <NUM>. Winding intervals, which are intervals between the rings of the heating element <NUM>, may differ along a lengthwise direction of the wick <NUM>. This will be described in greater detail herein below with reference to <FIG>.

The heating element <NUM> may surround a surface of the wick <NUM> and/or penetrate the wick <NUM>. Thus, the heating element <NUM> may effectively heat the aerosol generating material in the wick <NUM>. This will be described in greater detail herein below with reference to FIGS. <NUM> to <NUM>.

The heating element <NUM> may be formed of any suitable electrically resistive material. For example, the suitable electrically resistive material may include metal, such as titanium, zirconium, tantalum, platinum, nickel, cobalt, chromium, hafnium, niobium, molybdenum, tungsten, tin, gallium, manganese, iron, copper, stainless steel, nichrome, and the like or a metal alloy. However, embodiments of the present disclosure are not limited thereto. Alternatively, the heating element <NUM> may be implemented with a metal heating wire, a metal heating plate on which an electrical conductive track is arranged, a ceramic heating element, and the like. However, embodiments of the present disclosure are not limited thereto.

The vaporization chamber is a space in which the aerosol generating material is vaporized to generate aerosol. For example, the vaporization chamber is a space in which the heating element <NUM> is wound around the wick <NUM>. The aerosol generating material of the storage <NUM> may be transported to the vaporization chamber through the wick <NUM>. The vaporization chamber is connected to an aerosol generating material discharge passage, and the generated aerosol may move through the vaporization chamber.

The vaporization chamber may be a space surrounded by an outer wall that maintains heat generated from the heating element <NUM> in the vaporization chamber. The vaporization chamber may maintain airtightness so that heat does not transfer outside the aerosol discharge passage <NUM>. As a result, heating efficiency in the vaporization chamber may be increased.

The vaporized aerosol may be released through the aerosol discharge passage <NUM>. The mouthpiece <NUM> is arranged at one end of the aerosol discharge passage <NUM>.

The vaporizer <NUM> may include a terminal <NUM>. The vaporizer <NUM> may receive electric power from the battery <NUM> through the terminal <NUM> and transfer the electric power to the heating element <NUM>. When the vaporizer <NUM> is coupled to the battery <NUM>, the terminal <NUM> may be electrically connected to the battery <NUM>. The end portions of the heating element <NUM> may extend to be electrically connected to the terminal <NUM>.

<FIG> is a diagram of an aerosol generating material absorption profile along a lengthwise direction of the wick <NUM> according to an embodiment.

Referring to <FIG>, the wick <NUM> absorbs an aerosol generating material through its end portions 122a and 122b and transports the aerosol generating material to the center portion of the wick <NUM>. A direction indicated by an arrow (and also its opposite direction) corresponds to a lengthwise direction of the wick <NUM>. A rate at which the aerosol generating material is absorbed may vary according to the distance (d) from one end portion 122a of the wick <NUM>.

Referring to <FIG>, the rate at which the aerosol generating material is absorbed is high at both end portions 122a and 122b of the wick <NUM>. Both end portions 122a and 122b of the wick <NUM> are connected to the storage <NUM> to directly receive the aerosol generating material. When the aerosol generating material in the wick <NUM> is vaporized after a puff, the wick <NUM> becomes a dry state. When the wick <NUM> is in a dry state, both end portions 122a and 122b of the wick <NUM> may absorb the aerosol generating material at a high rate.

On the other hand, the aerosol generating material absorption rate at the center portion of the wick <NUM> may be lower than the aerosol generating material absorption rate at both end portions 122a and 122b of the wick <NUM>. Since the center portion of the wick <NUM> is spaced apart from the storage <NUM>, it takes a longer time for the aerosol generating material to reach the center portion of the wick <NUM> than to reach both end portions 122a and 122b of the wick <NUM>.

Looking at micro-sections constituting the wick <NUM> along a lengthwise direction of the wick <NUM>, aerosol may be absorbed according to the difference of a degree to which the aerosol generating material has been absorbed at both end portions of each micro-section. In this regard, the closer to the center portion of the wick <NUM> from an end portion of the wick <NUM>, the lower the difference value of the degree to which the aerosol generating material has been absorbed at both end portions of each micro-section. In other words, the closer to the center portion of the wick <NUM> from both end portions 122a and 122b of the wick <NUM>, the lower the aerosol generating material absorption rate.

<FIG>, and <FIG> are diagrams of the wick <NUM> and the heating element <NUM> according to embodiments of the present disclosure. As described above with reference to <FIG>, the absorption rate of the aerosol generating material is different between the end portions 122a and 122b and at the center portion of the wick <NUM>. Accordingly, the degree to which the aerosol generating material has been absorbed is different at different portions of the wick <NUM>.

Therefore, by heating the aerosol generating material to a suitable intensity based on the aerosol generating material absorption rate at each portion of the wick <NUM>. As such, the degree to which the aerosol generating material is vaporized may be regulated in a consistent manner, and the carbonization of the wick <NUM> at the center portion may be prevented.

Specifically, the heating element <NUM> may reduce the heating intensity at the center portion of the wick <NUM> having a relatively low absorption rate of the aerosol generating material. In contrast, the heating element <NUM> may increase the heating intensity at both end portions 122a and 122b of the wick <NUM> having an aerosol generating material absorption rate higher than the center portion of the wick <NUM>.

The heating element <NUM> may surround the wick <NUM> at different winding intervals along a lengthwise direction of the wick <NUM>, based on the aerosol generating material absorption profile. Specifically, shorter winding intervals of the heating element <NUM> surrounding the wick <NUM> provide greater heating intensity. Conversely, the longer the winding intervals, the lesser the heating intensity. In this regard, the heating element <NUM> may surround the wick <NUM> by maintaining long winding intervals at the center portion of the wick <NUM> and short winding intervals at both end portions 122a and 122b of the wick <NUM>.

The number of times the coil <NUM> surrounds the wick <NUM> is determined according to the absorption profile. In other words, the coil <NUM> may surround the wick <NUM> a preset number of times at different winding intervals, according to the absorption profile.

<FIG> show embodiments in which the heating element <NUM> in the form of the coil <NUM> winds the wick <NUM> six times, five times, and four times, respectively. Embodiments of <FIG> are merely examples, and embodiments of the present disclosure are not limited thereto. For example, the coil <NUM> may wind the wick <NUM> three times, seven times, eight times, and etc..

The winding intervals of the coil <NUM> may be constant or different from each other, depending on the design. For example, since the aerosol generating material is absorbed from both end portions 122a and 122b of the wick <NUM> toward the center portion, the winding intervals may be symmetrical with respect to the center portion of the wick <NUM>.

<FIG> illustrates the coil <NUM> winding the wick <NUM> six times. In other words, <FIG> shows five winding intervals of the coil <NUM> surrounding the wick <NUM>.

A winding interval a3 at the center portion of the wick <NUM> may be longer than or equal to winding intervals a2 and a4 at an intermediate portion of the wick <NUM>. The winding intervals a2 and a4 at the intermediate portion of the wick <NUM> are longer than or equal to winding intervals a1 and a5 at both end portions 122a and 122b of the wick <NUM>.

For example, the winding interval a3 at the center portion of the wick <NUM> may be <NUM> times to <NUM> times longer than the winding intervals a1 and a5 of the coil <NUM> at both end portions 122a and 122b of the wick <NUM>. In that case, to the extent the winding intervals a2 and a4 at the intermediate portion of the wick <NUM> do not exceed the winding interval a3 at the center portion of the wick <NUM>, the winding intervals a2 and a4 at the intermediate portion of the wick <NUM> may be <NUM> times to <NUM> times longer than the winding intervals a1 and a5 at both end portions 122a and 122b of the wick <NUM>.

As such, the coil <NUM> surrounds the wick <NUM> a preset number of times at different winding intervals. The following examples show a relationship between the frequency of occurrence of the winding intervals a1 and a2 that are shorter than the winding interval a3 at the center portion of the wick <NUM> and the frequency of occurrence of the winding interval a3 at the center portion of the wick <NUM>. However, the frequency of occurrence of the different winding intervals is not limited to the following examples. Each winding interval may appear a suitable number of times according to the aerosol generating material absorption profile.

For example, the coil <NUM> may be wound such that the winding interval a3 at the center portion of the wick <NUM> appears one time and a winding interval shorter than the winding interval a3 appears four times at other portions. In that case, the winding interval a2 at the intermediate portion of the wick <NUM> and the winding interval a1 at both end portions 122a and 122b of the wick <NUM> are equal to each other. As a result, the frequency of occurrence of a winding interval shorter than the winding interval a3 at the center portion of the wick <NUM> is four times greater than the frequency of occurrence of the winding interval a3 at the center portion of the wick <NUM>.

As another example, the coil <NUM> may be wound such that the winding interval a3 at the center portion of the wick <NUM> appears three times and a winding interval shorter than the winding interval a3 appears twice. In that case, the winding interval a2 at the intermediate portion of the wick <NUM> and the winding interval a3 at the center portion of the wick are equal to each other. The winding interval shorter than the winding interval a3 at the center portion of the wick <NUM> has <NUM> times the frequency of occurrence of the winding interval a3 at the center portion of the wick <NUM>.

<FIG> illustrates the coil <NUM> winding the wick <NUM> five times. In other words, <FIG> shows four winding intervals of the coil <NUM> surrounding the wick <NUM>.

Winding intervals b2 and b3 at the center portion of the wick <NUM> may be longer than or equal to winding intervals b1 and b4 at both end portions 122a and 122b of the wick <NUM>. For example, the winding intervals b2 and b3 at the center portion of the wick <NUM> may be <NUM> times to <NUM> times longer than the winding intervals b1 and b4 at both end portions 122a and 122b of the wick <NUM>. Depending on symmetry, the winding interval b2 and the winding interval b3 may be equal to each other and the winding interval b1 and the winding interval b4 may be equal to each other.

As aforementioned, the coil <NUM> may surround the wick <NUM> a preset number of times at different winding intervals. For example, the coil <NUM> is wound such that the winding intervals b2 and b3 at the center portion of the wick <NUM> appear twice and the winding intervals b1 and b4 shorter than the winding intervals b2 and b3 appear twice. In this case, the frequency of occurrence of a winding interval shorter than the winding intervals b2 and b3 is equal to the frequency of occurrence of the winding intervals b2 and b3 at the center portion of the wick <NUM>.

<FIG> illustrates the coil <NUM> winding the wick <NUM> four times. In other words, <FIG> shows three winding intervals of the coil <NUM> surrounding the wick <NUM>.

A winding interval c2 at the center portion of the wick <NUM> may be longer than or equal to winding intervals c1 and c3 at both end portions 122a and 122b of the wick <NUM>. For example, the winding interval c2 at the center portion of the wick <NUM> may be <NUM> times to <NUM> times longer than the winding intervals c1 and c3 at both end portions 122a and 122b of the wick <NUM>. Depending on symmetry, the winding interval c1 and the winding interval c3 may be equal to each other.

As aforementioned, the coil <NUM> may surround the wick <NUM> a preset number of times at different winding intervals. For example, the coil <NUM> may be wound such that the winding interval c2 at the center portion of the wick <NUM> appears once and the winding intervals c1 and c3 shorter than the winding interval c2 appear twice. In this case, the frequency of occurrence of a winding interval shorter than the winding interval c2 at the center portion of the wick <NUM> is twice greater than the frequency of occurrence of the winding interval c2 at the center portion of the wick <NUM>.

<FIG> are diagrams of the wick <NUM> and the heating element <NUM> according to embodiments of the present disclosure. <FIG> are diagrams showing an example of a cross-section of the wick <NUM> according to the cutting line a-a' of <FIG>. However, the cross-section of the wick <NUM> is not limited thereto. For example, the cross-section of the wick <NUM> may have a different shape, such as an oval, a polygon, and the like.

Depending on the distance from a center point of the cross-section of the wick <NUM>, the amount of the aerosol generating material absorbed and retained by the wick <NUM> may differ. The aerosol generating material is easily vaporized on a surface of the wick <NUM> by airflow passing through the wick <NUM>. In addition, the aerosol generating material absorbed by the wick <NUM> tends to converge to a center point within the wick <NUM> by attraction of each other. As such, a surface of the wick <NUM> tends to be drier than the inside of the wick <NUM> and the inside of the wick <NUM> tends to be wet, in comparison.

The heating element <NUM> may increase the amount of vaporized aerosol generating material by heating not only the surface of the wick <NUM> but also the inside of the wick <NUM>. According to an embodiment, coil may surround a surface of the wick at both end portions of the wick and also heat the inside of the wick at the center portion.

Referring to <FIG>, one portion 123a of the heating element <NUM> winds the wick <NUM> along a surface of the wick <NUM>, and another portion 123b of the heating element <NUM> may penetrate the wick <NUM>. For example, as illustrated in <FIG>, the portion 123b of the heating element <NUM> may penetrate an upper portion of the wick <NUM> to enter the wick <NUM>. However, embodiments of the present disclosure are not limited thereto.

The portion 123b of the heating element <NUM> may effectively heat the aerosol generating material absorbed by the wick <NUM>. The portion 123b of the heating element <NUM> may be arranged in the form of a straight line or a curve in the wick <NUM> and may be arranged according to a certain pattern for increasing heating efficiency.

Meanwhile, the portion 123a of the heating element <NUM> may heat the aerosol generating material at a surface of the wick <NUM>. Therefore, the heating element <NUM> may heat both the surface of the wick <NUM> and the inside of the wick <NUM> to increase the heating efficiency and the amount of vaporized aerosol generating material.

Referring to <FIG>, the heating element <NUM> may be present in the wick <NUM> so that the heating element <NUM> may effectively heat the aerosol generating material absorbed by the wick <NUM>. For example, the heating element <NUM> may be arranged in an oval or circular shape in the wick <NUM>, but is not limited thereto. The heating element <NUM> may be arranged according to any other patterns that increase the heating efficiency.

As shown in <FIG>, the heating element <NUM> may be arranged in an oval shape in the wick <NUM>. In this case, a long radius of the oval may be arranged in a vertical direction according to airflow passing from a lower side of the wick <NUM> toward an upper side of the wick <NUM>. According to an embodiment, the coil may surround a surface of the wick at both end portions of the wick and may also be arranged within the wick at the center portion of the wick to heat the inside of the wick.

Claim 1:
A vaporizer (<NUM>) comprising:
a storage (<NUM>) storing a liquid aerosol generating material;
a wick (<NUM>) extending in one direction and configured to absorb the aerosol generating material through both end portions (122a, 122b) thereof that are connected to the storage (<NUM>); and
a coil (<NUM>) surrounding the wick (<NUM>) a plurality of times at different winding intervals and configured to heat the aerosol generating material absorbed by the wick (<NUM>), based on an absorption rate profile of the aerosol generating material which changes in the wick (<NUM>) along the one direction,
wherein winding intervals at a center portion of the wick (<NUM>) are longer than winding intervals of the coil (<NUM>) at the both end portions (122a, 122b) of the wick (<NUM>) such that heating intensity at the center portion of the wick (<NUM>) is lower than heating intensity at the both end portions (122a, 122b) of the wick (<NUM>), characterized in that
(i) the coil (<NUM>) penetrates a surface of the wick (<NUM>) and is configured to heat inside of the wick (<NUM>) by penetrating the wick (<NUM>); or in that
(ii) the coil (<NUM>) is disposed within the wick (<NUM>) and is configured to heat inside of the wick (<NUM>).