Terminal adapter

Abstract

The present disclosure relates to a terminal adapter connectable to a battery comprising a battery positive terminal and a battery negative terminal each located on a first end face of the battery. The terminal adapter comprises an abutment face configured to abut the first end face of the battery in use, and a terminal face opposite the abutment face, the terminal face comprising a positive terminal region and a negative terminal region electrically insulated from the positive terminal region. The positive terminal region is electrically connectable to the battery positive terminal, and the negative terminal region is electrically connectable to the battery negative terminal. An insulating element is interposed between the positive terminal region and the negative terminal region to electrically insulate the positive terminal region from the negative terminal region. The insulating element abuts the terminal face and protrudes upwardly from the terminal face. The present disclosure also provides a battery assembly and a kit of parts each comprising the terminal adapter and the battery, and an aerosol-generating device.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This disclosure relates to terminal adapters that can be connected to a battery, battery assemblies and kits of parts, each including the terminal adapter and the battery, and an aerosol generating apparatus. Background Technology

[0002] A typical aerosol generation device may include a power source such as a battery, an aerosol generation unit driven by the power source, an aerosol precursor (atomized by the aerosol generation unit during use to generate an aerosol), and a delivery system for delivering the aerosol to a user. The aerosol generation device may include a battery cavity for housing and electrically connecting to the battery. The battery may include a positive terminal and a negative terminal, both located on the same end face of the battery.

[0003] One drawback of known aerosol generation devices with such batteries is the need for precise rotational alignment of the battery terminals within the battery cavity to establish an electrical connection between the battery terminals and electrical contacts located within the battery cavity. This complicates the insertion of the battery into the aerosol generation device, thereby hindering the manufacturability and / or user experience of the aerosol generation device.

[0004] Another disadvantage of using batteries with both terminals on the same end face is the risk of short circuits if the battery is lost. Specifically, when the positive and negative terminals of the battery are set on the same plane, flat conductors such as metal can easily short-circuit the battery electrodes, causing the battery to catch fire during disposal.

[0005] Despite significant efforts already invested in the development of aerosol generation devices / systems, further improvements are still expected. Summary of the Invention

[0006] In a first aspect, a terminal adapter is provided that can be connected to a battery, the battery including a positive terminal and a negative terminal respectively located on a first end face of the battery, wherein the terminal adapter includes: An abutment face, configured to abut against a first end face of the battery during use; The terminal face opposite the contact surface includes a positive terminal region and a negative terminal region electrically insulated from the positive terminal region. The positive terminal region is electrically connected to the positive terminal of the battery, and the negative terminal region is electrically connected to the negative terminal of the battery. An insulating element is located between the positive terminal region and the negative terminal region, thereby electrically isolating the positive terminal region from the negative terminal region.

[0007] In some examples, the insulating element abuts against the terminal face and protrudes upward from the terminal face.

[0008] By providing an insulating element (i.e., an electrical insulating element) that abuts against the terminal face (on which the terminal area is formed) and protrudes upward from the terminal face, the insulating element can ensure that the planar contact (e.g., a planar conductor) cannot simultaneously contact the positive terminal area and the negative terminal area, thereby reducing the risk of electrical short circuits, for example, after the battery is discarded.

[0009] The insulating element has a mounting surface that abuts (i.e., contacts) the terminal surface of the insulating element.

[0010] In some examples, the insulating element may protrude upward from the terminal face by at least 0.5 mm, or at least 0.75 mm, or at least 1 mm, or at least 1.25 mm, or at least 1.5 mm, for example, about 1.5 mm.

[0011] In some examples, the insulating element may be formed of a substantially rigid material. In this way, the insulating element can resist compressive forces applied thereto, thereby ensuring that the planar contact cannot simultaneously contact the positive and negative terminal areas, even when the insulating element is pressed toward the terminal face.

[0012] The insulating element may be formed of a material having a compressive strength of at least 50 MPa, or at least 60 MPa, or at least 70 MPa, or at least 80 MPa (e.g., about 80 MPa). The compressive strength is the uniaxial compressive stress σ value at which the material fails.

[0013] The insulating element may be formed of a material whose maximum deformation is 10% or less, 7% or less, 5% or less, or 1% or less when subjected to compressive stress equal to or less than the absolute value of σ.

[0014] In some examples, the insulating element may be formed of plastic, such as a thermoplastic polymer like polycarbonate (PC).

[0015] In some examples, the insulating element may be provided with an adhesive for adhesion to the terminal face of the terminal adapter. For example, the mounting surface of the insulating element may be coated with an adhesive. The mounting surface of the insulating element including the adhesive is the surface configured to contact the terminal face of the terminal adapter.

[0016] In some examples, the terminal adapter may include a pair of through holes, each extending at least partially from the abutment surface to the terminal surface, wherein each of the pair of through holes is configured to receive a corresponding one of the battery positive terminal and the battery negative terminal. That is, the pair of through holes may extend at least partially through the terminal adapter in the thickness direction. In this way, the terminal adapter can be mounted to the first end face of the battery by inserting the first battery terminal into one through hole and the battery negative terminal into the other through hole.

[0017] In some examples, each or both through-holes may extend fully through the terminal adapter along the thickness direction, such that each or both through-holes have corresponding openings on both the abutment surface and the terminal surface. The length of each through-hole (i.e., along the thickness direction) may match the length of each battery terminal, such that when each battery terminal is inserted into its corresponding through-hole, it does not protrude above the terminal surface of the terminal adapter, but is flush with the terminal surface. The position of each through-hole on the terminal surface may be radially located between the positive and negative terminal regions. The through-holes may be radially opposite each other.

[0018] The insulating element can abut against the terminal face, such that the insulating element covers (i.e., blocks / overlays) the opening of the through-hole at the terminal face. Therefore, in use, the insulating element can cover the positive and negative terminals of the battery at the terminal face of the adapter.

[0019] In some examples, each of the positive and negative terminal areas can be arranged rotationally symmetrically on the terminal face. In this way, when connected to a battery, the terminal adapter can effectively reconfigure the battery terminals such that the battery has multiple rotational orientations relative to its axis, allowing for the establishment of electrical connections between the terminal areas and electrical contacts (e.g., within an aerosol generating device) in multiple rotational orientations during use. This eliminates the need for precise directional rotational alignment of the positive / negative terminal areas relative to the electrical contacts.

[0020] In some examples, the positive terminal region may have a rotational symmetry degree n of at least 2, or at least 3, or at least 4, or at least 5, or at least 6. The rotational symmetry degree n is the number of times the terminal region can rotate within 360 degrees and exhibit rotational symmetry. Similarly, the negative terminal region may have a rotational symmetry degree n of at least 2, or at least 3, or at least 4, or at least 5, or at least 6.

[0021] In some examples, each of the positive and negative terminal regions can be arranged circularly symmetrically on the terminal face. In this way, each of the positive and negative terminal regions can be rotationally symmetrical with respect to any angle. This allows the battery terminals (via the terminal regions) to establish an electrical connection with electrical contacts, such as those of an aerosol generating device, in any rotational orientation of the battery.

[0022] In some examples, one of the positive and negative terminal regions may be a radially outer terminal region, and the other may be a radially inner terminal region. When the radially outer terminal region is circularly symmetrical, it may be annular in the plane of the terminal face. When the radially inner terminal region is circularly symmetrical, it may be either circular or annular in the plane of the terminal face. The radially inner terminal region may be a positive terminal region, and the radially outer terminal region may be a negative terminal region. Alternatively, the radially inner terminal region may be a negative terminal region, and the radially outer terminal region may be a positive terminal region.

[0023] The insulating element may be disposed radially inside the radially outer terminal area. The insulating element may be disposed radially outside the radially inner terminal area. The insulating element may extend radially completely between the radially outer terminal area and the radially inner terminal area on the terminal face.

[0024] In some examples, the insulating element may be annular, forming a ring in the plane of the terminal face, for example when both the positive and negative terminal areas are circularly symmetrical. Thus, the annular insulating element defines a central opening. The central opening of the insulating element may overlap the radially inner terminal area, for example, to expose it for electrical connection with electrical contacts. That is, the insulating element may surround the radially inner terminal area.

[0025] In some examples, a portion of the insulating element near the mounting surface may be recessed into the terminal adapter. That is, the insulating element may extend at least partially along its thickness between the terminal face and the abutment face. In this way, the insulating element can electrically insulate layers within the terminal adapter (e.g., conductive layers within the terminal adapter).

[0026] In some examples, the positive terminal area can be electrically connected to the positive terminal of the battery via a first electrical connector, and the negative terminal area can be electrically connected to the negative terminal of the battery via a second electrical connector. Each of the first and second electrical connectors can be located inside the terminal adapter. That is, each of the first and second electrical connectors can be located between the terminal face and the contact face of the terminal adapter, such that each of the first and second electrical connectors is completely enclosed within the terminal adapter.

[0027] As described above, the terminal adapter may include at least one conductive layer. A first electrical connector configured to electrically connect the positive terminal of the battery to the positive terminal region may include a first conductive layer. A second electrical connector configured to electrically connect the negative terminal of the battery to the negative terminal region may include a second conductive layer. The terminal adapter may be a printed circuit board.

[0028] In a second aspect, this disclosure provides a battery assembly comprising: A battery having a positive terminal and a negative terminal respectively located on a first end face of the battery; and According to the terminal adapter described in the first aspect, the terminal adapter is mounted on the first end face of the battery.

[0029] In some examples, each of the positive and negative terminals of the battery can be an elongated battery terminal extending axially away from the first end face. That is, the battery terminal can be configured as a pin (or lead) extending from the first end face of the battery.

[0030] In some examples, each of the battery positive and negative terminals can be soldered to the terminal adapter, for example, to the terminal face of the terminal adapter.

[0031] In some examples, each of the battery positive and negative terminals may be flush with (i.e., coplanar) the terminal faces. That is, each of the battery positive and negative terminals may be coplanar with the positive and negative terminal regions. This can be achieved by cutting the battery terminals in more detail below.

[0032] The insulating element abuts against the terminal face such that it covers (i.e., blocks) the opening of the through-hole at the terminal face. In other words, the insulating element abuts against the terminal face such that it covers (i.e., overlaps) the positive and negative terminals of the battery at the terminal face.

[0033] In some examples, the battery and the terminal adapter may be integrated, so that the battery assembly provides a single battery component.

[0034] In a third aspect, this disclosure provides an aerosol generating apparatus comprising a terminal adapter according to the first aspect or a battery assembly according to the second aspect.

[0035] In some examples, the aerosol generating apparatus may include a battery cavity for housing the battery assembly. The battery cavity may include a pair of electrical contacts, each connectable to a corresponding positive and negative terminal area of ​​the terminal face of the terminal adapter. The electrical contacts may all be located at the upper axial end of the battery cavity, near the heating element of the aerosol generating apparatus. One or both of the electrical contacts may be spring-loaded contacts resiliently biased into the battery cavity. One or both of the electrical contacts may have a generally serpentine cross-section in a plane extending axially along the aerosol generating apparatus.

[0036] In a fourth aspect, this disclosure provides a component kit comprising: A battery, comprising a positive terminal and a negative terminal each located on a first end face of the battery; and The terminal adapter as described in the first aspect.

[0037] When the terminal adapter includes an insulating element, the component kit may include an insulating element separate from the terminal adapter.

[0038] In a fifth aspect, this disclosure provides a method for forming the battery assembly described in the second aspect, the method comprising: Provide the battery; Provide a terminal adapter according to the first aspect; The terminal adapter is mounted on the first end face of the battery, such that the contact surface of the terminal adapter abuts against the first end face of the battery. Installing the terminal adapter on the first end face of the battery includes: electrically connecting the positive terminal area of ​​the terminal adapter to the positive terminal of the battery, and electrically connecting the negative terminal area of ​​the terminal adapter to the negative terminal of the battery; and Install the insulating element so that it abuts against the terminal face of the terminal adapter.

[0039] In some examples, providing the terminal adapter described in the first aspect may include providing a terminal adapter pre-cursor, and forming the terminal adapter described in the first aspect from the terminal adapter pre-cursor.

[0040] The terminal adapter front body may include an abutment surface and a terminal surface opposite to the abutment surface. The terminal surface includes a positive terminal area that can be electrically connected to the positive terminal of the battery and a negative terminal area that can be electrically connected to the negative terminal of the battery, wherein the positive terminal area and the negative terminal area are electrically insulated from each other.

[0041] Each of the positive and negative terminal regions can be rotatably (e.g., circularly) arranged symmetrically on the terminal surface. The terminal adapter precursor can be a printed circuit board. The terminal adapter precursor can include at least one conductive layer configured to electrically connect the battery positive terminal to the positive terminal region and the battery negative terminal to the negative terminal region. The at least one conductive layer can include a first conductive layer and a second conductive layer, the first conductive layer being configured to electrically connect the battery positive terminal to the positive terminal region and the second conductive layer being configured to electrically connect the battery negative terminal to the negative terminal region.

[0042] The terminal adapter described in the first aspect, formed by the terminal adapter front body, may include forming a pair of through holes in the terminal adapter front body, such that each through hole extends at least partially from the abutment surface to the terminal face. For example, forming a pair of through holes may include drilling a pair of through holes in the terminal adapter front body along the thickness direction from the abutment surface or from the terminal face.

[0043] In some examples, mounting the terminal adapter to a first end face of the battery may include securing each of the battery's positive and negative terminals to the terminal adapter, such as the terminal face of the terminal adapter. Securing each battery terminal to the terminal adapter may include welding (e.g., laser welding) and / or soldering each battery terminal to the terminal adapter (e.g., to the terminal face of the terminal adapter). This step may be performed after each of the battery's positive and negative terminals has been inserted into a corresponding through-hole of a pair of through-holes. When the battery terminals are soldered to the terminal adapter, the terminal face may include one or more pads configured to solder the battery's positive and / or negative terminals thereto.

[0044] When the positive and negative terminals of the battery each have an axial length longer than the thickness of the terminal adapter (and / or the axial length of the through-hole), the method may include cutting each of the positive and negative terminals flush with the terminal face. This step may be performed after the battery terminals have been soldered / fused to the terminal adapter.

[0045] In some examples, mounting the insulating element may include positioning the insulating element on the terminal face of the terminal adapter, for example, to cover the openings of through holes and / or battery terminals on the terminal face. Mounting the insulating element may also include pressing the insulating element against the terminal face of the terminal adapter such that the adhesive-coated surface of the insulating element contacts and adheres to the surface of the terminal face of the terminal adapter.

[0046] In some examples, the insulating element can be installed after the terminal adapter is mounted on the first end face of the battery. For example, the insulating element can be installed to the terminal adapter after the battery terminals are electrically connected to the terminal area of ​​the terminal adapter, and / or after the battery terminals are soldered to the terminal face, and / or after the battery terminals are cut flush with the terminal face.

[0047] The foregoing is provided merely to outline some examples and to provide a basic understanding of aspects of the subject matter described herein. Therefore, the foregoing features should not be construed as narrowing the scope or spirit of the subject matter in any way. Furthermore, the foregoing and / or the foregoing examples may be combined in any suitable combination to provide further examples, unless such combination is clearly disallowed or explicitly excluded. Other features, aspects, and advantages of the subject matter described herein will become apparent from the following text and figures. Attached Figure Description

[0048] Various aspects, features, and advantages of this disclosure will become apparent from the following description of embodiments with reference to the accompanying drawings, wherein like numerals denote like elements.

[0049] Figure 1 This is a system block diagram illustrating an exemplary aerosol generating apparatus.

[0050] Figure 2 It is shown Figure 1 A system block diagram of an exemplary embodiment of the device, wherein the aerosol generating apparatus is configured to generate an aerosol from a liquid precursor.

[0051] Figures 3A and 3B illustrate... Figure 2 A schematic diagram of an exemplary embodiment of the device.

[0052] Figure 4 It is shown Figure 1 A system block diagram of an exemplary embodiment of the apparatus, wherein the aerosol generating apparatus is configured to generate an aerosol from a solid precursor.

[0053] Figure 5 It is shown Figure 4 A schematic diagram of an exemplary embodiment of the device.

[0054] Figure 6A This is a schematic diagram showing an exploded view of an exemplary terminal connector and battery. Figures 6B to 6D It is shown Figure 6A A schematic diagram of the corresponding perspective view of the terminal connector and the battery.

[0055] Figure 7A and Figure 7B These are schematic diagrams showing a perspective view and a side view of an embodiment of a battery assembly including a terminal adapter and a battery, respectively.

[0056] Figure 8 This is a schematic diagram showing a top perspective view of the electrical contacts of the terminal adapter mounted on the battery.

[0057] Figure 9 This is a schematic diagram showing a side cross-sectional view of an exemplary aerosol generating apparatus including a battery cavity.

[0058] Figure 10 It is shown Figure 9 A schematic diagram of the aerosol generating device having a side cross-sectional view of a battery assembly installed inside the battery chamber. Detailed Implementation

[0059] Before describing several examples of implementing this disclosure, it should be understood that this disclosure is not limited to the specific construction details or process steps set forth in the following description and drawings. Rather, those skilled in the art who benefit from this disclosure will understand that the systems, apparatuses, and / or methods described herein can be implemented in different ways, and / or implemented or performed in various alternative ways.

[0060] Unless otherwise defined herein, scientific and technical terms relating to the inventive concepts of this disclosure shall have the meanings commonly understood by one of ordinary skill in the art, and known techniques and procedures shall be performed in accordance with conventional methods known in the art and as described in the various general and more specific references that may be cited and discussed in this specification.

[0061] Any patents, published patent applications and non-patent publications mentioned in this specification are incorporated herein by reference in their entirety.

[0062] According to this disclosure, all examples of implementing this disclosure can be made and performed without excessive experimentation. While specific examples have been described, it will be apparent to those skilled in the art that variations can be made to the systems, apparatuses, and / or methods described herein, as well as the steps or sequence of steps of the methods described herein, without departing from the concept, spirit, and scope of the inventive concept. All such similar alternatives and modifications that will be apparent to those skilled in the art are considered to be within the scope of the inventive concept as defined by the appended claims.

[0063] The terms “a” or “an” as used in the claims and / or specification may mean “one (type)”, “one (type) or more (types)”, “at least one (type)”, and “one (type) and more than one (type)”. Therefore, unless the context clearly indicates otherwise, the terms “a,” “an,” and “the”, as well as all singular terms, include plural indicators. Similarly, unless the context requires otherwise, plural terms shall include the singular.

[0064] The term “or” as used in this disclosure (including the claims) is intended to mean inclusive “and / or”, unless explicitly indicated to refer only to alternatives or unless the alternatives are mutually exclusive. For example, the condition “A or B” is satisfied in any of the following cases: A is true (or exists) and B is false (or does not exist), A is false (or does not exist) and B is true (or exists), and both A and B are true (or exist).

[0065] As used in this specification and claims, the words “comprising,” “having,” “including,” or “containing” (and any forms thereof, such as “comprise” and “comprises,” “have” and “has,” “includes” and “include,” or “contains” and “contain”) are inclusive or open-ended and do not exclude additional unlisted elements or method steps.

[0066] Unless otherwise expressly stated as incompatible, or the physical nature or other aspects of the embodiments, examples, or claims prevent such combination, the examples disclosed herein and the features of the claims may be integrated in any suitable arrangement, especially when doing so has beneficial effects. This is not limited to any particular benefit, but may arise from "after-the-fact" benefits. That is, the combination of features is not limited to the described form, particularly the form of the examples, examples, or claims dependencies (e.g., numbering). Furthermore, this also applies to phrases such as "in one embodiment," "according to one embodiment," etc., which are merely stylistic forms of wording and should not be construed as limiting subsequent features to separate embodiments of all other instances of the same or similar wording. That is, references to "an," "a," or "some" embodiments can be references to any one or more, and / or all, embodiments, or combinations thereof. Similarly, references to "the" embodiment may not be limited to the immediately preceding embodiment. Moreover, all references to one or more embodiments or examples should be construed as not restrictive to the claims.

[0067] This disclosure can be better understood through the following explanation, in which terms separated by "or" are used interchangeably.

[0068] As used herein, an "aerosol generating device" (or "electronic cigarette") can be a device configured to deliver an aerosol to a user for inhalation. If the device is intended to replace a conventional combustible smoking product, it may additionally / optionally be referred to as a "smoking replacement device." As used herein, a combustible "smoking product" can refer to cigarettes, cigars, pipes, or other products that produce smoke (an aerosol comprising solid particles and gases) by heating to above a thermal decomposition temperature (typically by combustion and / or pyrolysis). The aerosol generated by the device can include aerosols with a particle size of 0.2-7 micrometers, or less than 10 micrometers, or less than 7 micrometers. This particle size can be achieved by controlling one or more of the following: heater temperature; cooling rate when vapor condenses into an aerosol; and flow characteristics including turbulence and velocity. The generation of aerosols by the aerosol generating device can be controlled by an input device. The input device can be configured to be activated by a user and can, for example, include or employ actuators (e.g., actuation buttons) and / or airflow sensors.

[0069] Each occurrence that causes the aerosol generating device to generate aerosol for a period of time (which can be variable) can be referred to as an "activation" of the aerosol generating device. The aerosol generating device can be arranged to allow the amount of aerosol delivered to the user to be variable each time an activation occurs (instead of delivering a fixed dose of aerosol), for example by activating the heating unit of the device for a variable amount of time, such as based on the intensity / duration of the user's inhalation through the flow path of the device (to replicate the effect of inhaling conventional combustible smoking products).

[0070] Aerosol generating devices can be portable. As used herein, the term "portable" may refer to the device being used when held by a user.

[0071] As used herein, an "aerosol generation system" can be a system that includes an aerosol generation device and optionally other circuitry / components related to the function of the device, such as one or more external devices and / or one or more external components (where "external" is intended to mean the exterior of the aerosol generation device). As used herein, "external devices" and "external components" can include one or more of the following: charging devices; mobile devices (which may be connected to the aerosol generation device, for example, via wireless or wired connections); network-based computers (e.g., remote servers); cloud-based computers; and any other server systems.

[0072] An exemplary aerosol generation system can be a system for managing an aerosol generation device. Such a system may include, for example, a mobile device, a web server, and an aerosol generation device.

[0073] As used herein, "aerosol" may include a suspension of a precursor, comprising one or more of the following: solid particles; droplets; or gases. The suspension may be in a gas including air. Aerosol as used herein may generally refer to / include vapor. Aerosols may include one or more components of a precursor.

[0074] As used herein, a "precursor" may include one or more of the following: liquid; solid; gel; loose leaf material; other substances. Precursors may be processed by an aerosol generation unit of an aerosol generation apparatus to generate an aerosol. Precursors may include one or more of the following: active ingredient; carrier; flavoring agent. Active ingredients may include one or more of the following: nicotine; caffeine; non-pharmaceutical formulations, such as those not intended to treat human diseases or physiological disorders. Active ingredients may be carried by a carrier, which may be a liquid, including propylene glycol and / or glycerin. The term "flavoring agent" may refer to a component that provides taste and / or aroma to a user. Flavoring agents may include one or more of the following: ethyl vanillin (vanilla extract), menthol, isoamyl acetate (banana oil), or others. Precursors may include a matrix, such as reconstituted tobacco, to carry one or more of the active ingredient, carrier, and flavoring agent.

[0075] As used herein, a “storage section” can be a portion of an apparatus configured to store a precursor. Depending on the implementation of the precursor (as defined above), it can be implemented as a fluid-holding reservoir or a container for solid materials.

[0076] As used herein, "flow path" can refer to a path or enclosed channel through an aerosol generation device, such as for delivering aerosols to a user. A flow path can be arranged to receive aerosols from an aerosol generation unit. When referring to a flow path, upstream and downstream can be defined relative to the flow direction within the flow path; for example, an outlet may be located downstream of an inlet.

[0077] As used herein, a "delivery system" can be a system for delivering aerosols to a user. A delivery system may include a nozzle and a flow path.

[0078] As used herein, “flow” can refer to flow within a flow path. Flow can include aerosols generated from precursors. Flow can include air, which can be introduced into the flow path via a user’s puff.

[0079] As used in this article, a user’s “inhalation” (or “aspiration” or “sucking”) may refer to the expansion of the user’s lungs and / or mouth to induce a pressure reduction that induces flow through the flow path.

[0080] As used herein, "aerosol generating unit" can refer to a device configured to generate aerosols from precursors. An aerosol generating unit may include units for directly generating vapor from the precursors (e.g., a heating system or other system) or directly generating aerosols from the precursors (e.g., an atomizer including an ultrasonic system, a flow expansion system or other system that operates without electrical energy to carry precursor droplets in flow). Multiple aerosol generating units may be present in an aerosol generating apparatus to generate multiple aerosols (e.g., from multiple different aerosol precursors).

[0081] As used herein, "heating system" may refer to an arrangement of at least one heating element operable to atomize the precursor upon heating. The at least one heating element may be resistive to generate heat through an electric current flowing through it. The at least one heating element may be arranged as a sensor to generate heat upon penetration of an alternating magnetic field. The heating system may be configured to heat the precursor to below 300°C or 350°C, including without combustion.

[0082] As used herein, "consumable" can refer to a unit that includes a precursor. Consumables may include aerosol generating units, such as those arranged as atomizing cartridges. Consumables may include mouthpieces. Consumables may include information-carrying media. For liquid or gel embodiments of the precursor (e.g., e-liquid), the consumable may be referred to as a "capsule," "cartridge," or "e-liquid consumable." Capsules / cartridges may include storage portions, such as reservoirs or tanks for storing the precursor. For solid material embodiments of the precursor (e.g., tobacco or reconstituted tobacco formulations), the consumable may be referred to as a "stick," "pack," or "heat-not-burn consumable." In heat-not-burn consumables, the mouthpiece may be implemented as a filter, and the consumable may be arranged to carry the precursor. Consumables may be implemented as a dose or pre-divided portion of material, including loose leaf products.

[0083] As used herein, "information-carrying medium" can include one or more arrangements for storing information on any suitable medium. Examples include: computer-readable media; radio frequency identification (RFID) transponders; codes that encode information, such as optical codes (e.g., barcodes or QR codes) or mechanically readable codes (e.g., configurations with missing or present cut-outs to encode bits, through which pins or readers can be inserted).

[0084] As used herein, “heat-not-burn” (or “HNB” or “heat-precursor”) can refer to a heated precursor, typically tobacco, that is heated without combustion or substantial combustion (i.e., may experience partial combustion of a limited portion of the precursor, including less than 5% of the total volume).

[0085] refer to Figure 1An exemplary aerosol generating device 1 includes a power source 2 for supplying electrical energy. Device 1 includes an aerosol generating unit 4 driven by the power source 2. The power source 2 may be a battery-based power source. Device 1 includes a precursor 6, which is atomized by the aerosol generating unit 4 during use to generate an aerosol. Device 2 includes a delivery system 8 for delivering the aerosol to a user.

[0086] Circuits can be implemented ( Figure 1 (Not shown in the image) to control the interoperability of power supply 2 and aerosol generation unit 4.

[0087] Figure 2 It shows Figure 1 One embodiment of the apparatus 1 is wherein the aerosol generating apparatus 1 is configured to generate an aerosol from a liquid precursor.

[0088] In this embodiment, the device 1 includes a device body 10 and consumables 30.

[0089] In this embodiment, the main body 10 includes a power supply 2. The main body may additionally include any one or more of the following: circuitry 12, memory 14, wireless interface 16, and one or more other components 18.

[0090] Circuit 12 may include processing resources for controlling one or more operations of the main body 10 and the consumable 30, such as based on instructions stored in memory 14.

[0091] The wireless interface 16 can be configured to communicate wirelessly with external (e.g., mobile) devices, for example, via Bluetooth.

[0092] Other components 18 may include one or more user interface devices configured to communicate information to a user and / or, for example, a charging port (see, for example, Figure 3).

[0093] The consumable 30 includes a storage section, which is implemented herein as a tank 32 for storing liquid precursor 6 (e.g., e-liquid). The consumable 30 also includes a heating system 34, one or more air inlets 36, and a mouthpiece 38. The consumable 30 may include one or more other components 40.

[0094] Both the main body 10 and the consumable 30 may each include a corresponding electrical interface (not shown) to provide an electrical connection between one or more components of the main body 10 and one or more components of the consumable 30. In this way, electrical energy can be supplied to components of the consumable 30 (e.g., heating system 34) without requiring the consumable 30 to have its own power source.

[0095] In use, when a user inhales through the nozzle 38, i.e., performs suction, the aerosol generating device 1 is activated. The user's suction can trigger a flow through a flow path in the consumable 30, which extends from the air inlet 34 through an area near the heating system 34 to the nozzle 38.

[0096] Activation of the aerosol generating device 1 can be initiated, for example, by an airflow sensor in the main body 10 (which detects airflow in the aerosol generating device 1, e.g., caused by a user inhaling through a nozzle) or by actuation of an actuator included in the main body 10. Upon activation, circuitry 12 (e.g., under the control of processing resources) can supply electrical energy from power source 2 to heating system 34, which can then heat the liquid precursor 6 drawn from the storage tank to generate an aerosol that flows out from nozzle 38.

[0097] In some embodiments, the heating system 34 may include a heating wire and a wick, wherein a first portion of the wick extends into the tank 32 to draw liquid precursor 6 from the tank 32, and the heating wire is wound around a second portion of the wick located outside the tank 32. The heating wire may be configured to heat the liquid precursor 6 drawn from the tank 32 by the wick to generate an aerosol.

[0098] In this embodiment, the aerosol generation unit 4 is provided by the heating system 34 described above, and the delivery system 8 is provided by the flow path and the nozzle 38 described above.

[0099] In different embodiments (not shown), one or more of the precursor 6, heating system 34, air inlet 36, and nozzle 38 may be included in the body 10. For example, the nozzle 36 may be included in the body 10, while the precursor 6 and heating system 32 are arranged as detachable atomizing cartridges.

[0100] Figures 3A and 3B show Figure 2 An exemplary embodiment of the aerosol generating device 1 is shown. In this embodiment, the consumable 30 is implemented as a capsule / cartridge, which is shown in FIG. 3A to be physically connected to the body 10, and in FIG. 3B to be separated from the body 10.

[0101] In this embodiment, the body 10 and the consumable 30 are configured to be physically connected together by pushing the consumable 30 into an opening at the top 11 of the body 10, with the consumable 30 held in the opening by an interference fit.

[0102] In other embodiments (not shown), the body 10 and the consumable 30 may be physically connected together in other ways, such as by screwing one onto the other, by bayonet engagement, or by, for example, a snap-fit ​​mechanism.

[0103] The main body 10 also includes a charging port (not shown) at the bottom 13 of the main body 10.

[0104] The main body 10 also includes a user interface device configured to convey information to a user. Here, the user interface device is implemented as a lamp 15, which may be configured to illuminate when the device 1 is activated. Other user interface devices are also possible, such as conveying information to the user through touch or hearing.

[0105] In this embodiment, the consumable 30 has an opaque cap 31, a translucent reservoir 32, and a translucent window 33. As shown in FIG3A, when the consumable 30 is physically connected to the body 10, only the cap 31 and the window 33 are visible, while the reservoir 32 is obscured by the body 10. The body 10 includes a slot 15 for receiving the window 33. The window 33 is configured such that the amount of liquid precursor 6 in the reservoir 32 can be visually assessed even when the consumable 30 is physically connected to the body 10.

[0106] Figure 4 It shows Figure 1 One embodiment of the device 1 is wherein the aerosol generating device 1 is configured to generate aerosols by a heating non-combustion process.

[0107] In this embodiment, the device 1 includes a device body 50 and consumables 70.

[0108] In this embodiment, the main body 50 includes a power supply 2 and a heating system 52. The heating system 52 includes at least one heating element 54. The main body may additionally include any one or more of the following: circuitry 56, memory 58, wireless interface 60, and one or more other components 62.

[0109] Circuit 56 may include processing resources for controlling one or more operations of the main body 50, such as based on instructions stored in memory 58.

[0110] The wireless interface 60 can be configured to communicate wirelessly with external (e.g., mobile) devices, for example, via Bluetooth.

[0111] Other components 62 may include actuators, one or more user interface devices configured to communicate information to a user, and / or, for example, a charging port (see, for example, Figure 5 ).

[0112] The main body 50 is configured to engage with the consumable 70 such that at least one heating element 54 of the heating system 52 penetrates into the solid precursor 6 of the consumable. In use, the user can activate the aerosol generating device 1 so that the heating system 52 of the main body 50 causes at least one heating element 54 to heat the solid precursor 6 of the consumable through thermal conduction (without burning it) to generate an aerosol for the user to inhale.

[0113] Figure 5 It shows Figure 4An exemplary embodiment of the aerosol generating device 1.

[0114] like Figure 5 As shown, the consumable 70 is implemented as a cigarette stick, which is engaged with the body 50 by inserting the cigarette stick into an opening at the top 53 of the body 50, thereby allowing at least one heating element 54 of the heating system 52 to penetrate into the solid precursor 6.

[0115] The consumable 70 includes a solid precursor 6 near the main body 50 and a filter away from the main body 50. The filter serves as the mouthpiece for the consumable 70 and thus the entire device 1. The solid precursor 6 may be a reconstituted tobacco formulation.

[0116] In this embodiment, at least one heating element 54 is a rod-shaped element with a circular cross-section. Other heating element shapes are also possible; for example, at least one heating element may be blade-shaped (with a rectangular cross-section) or tubular (e.g., with a hollow cross-section).

[0117] In this embodiment, the body 50 includes a cover 51. In use, the cover 51 engages with the top end 53 of the body 50. Although from... Figure 5 The details are not immediately obvious, but the cover 51 can move relative to the body 50. Specifically, the cover 51 can slide and slide along the longitudinal axis of the body 50.

[0118] The body 50 also includes an actuator 55 on the outer surface of the body 50. In this embodiment, the actuator 55 is in the form of a button.

[0119] The main body 50 also includes a user interface device configured to convey information to the user. Here, the user interface device is implemented as a plurality of lights 57, which may be configured, for example, to illuminate when the device 1 is activated and / or to indicate the charging status of the power supply 2. Other user interface devices are also possible, such as conveying information to the user through touch or hearing.

[0120] The main body may also include an airflow sensor that detects airflow in the aerosol generating device 1 (e.g., caused by a user inhaling through consumable 70). This can be used, for example, to count the number of inhalations.

[0121] In this embodiment, the consumable 70 includes a flow path that delivers the aerosol generated by at least one heating element 54 to the nozzle of the consumable.

[0122] In this embodiment, the aerosol generating unit 4 is provided by the heating system 52 described above, and the delivery system 8 is provided by the flow path and nozzle of the consumable 70 described above.

[0123] Next, the aerosol generation system (which may be implemented as in any of the foregoing embodiments) may include reference to Figures 6A to 6DThe battery assembly 200 under discussion includes a terminal adapter 100 and a battery 2. The battery 2 includes a positive terminal 21 and a negative terminal 22, each located on a first end face 23 of the battery 2. Each of the positive terminal 21 and the negative terminal 22 is configured as a corresponding pin extending from the first end face 23 of the battery 2. The positive terminal 21 and the negative terminal 22 are radially opposite each other.

[0124] The terminal adapter 100 includes an abutment surface 101 and a terminal surface 102 opposite to the abutment surface. The abutment surface 101 is configured to abut against a first end surface 23 of the battery 2. The terminal surface 102 includes a positive terminal region 103 and a negative terminal region 104 electrically insulated from the positive terminal region. The positive terminal region 103 is electrically connected to the positive terminal 21 of the battery, and the negative terminal region 104 is electrically connected to the negative terminal 22 of the battery. Each of the positive terminal region 103 and the negative terminal region 104 is arranged rotationally symmetrically on the terminal surface 102. Specifically, in Figure 6A-Figure 1 In embodiment 1, each of the positive terminal sub-region 103 and the negative terminal sub-region 104 is arranged symmetrically on the terminal face 102.

[0125] In these embodiments, the negative terminal region 104 is a radially outer terminal region, and the positive terminal region 103 is a radially inner terminal region. Therefore, the negative terminal region 104 is annular in the plane of the terminal face 102, while the positive terminal region 103 is circular in the plane of the terminal face 102. However, in alternative configurations of the terminal connector 100, it is also conceivable that the negative terminal region 104 may be a radially inner terminal region, and the positive terminal region 103 may be a radially outer terminal region.

[0126] In these embodiments, the positive terminal region 103 and the negative terminal region 104 are coplanar, such that the terminal surface 102 is planar.

[0127] Specific reference Figure 6A and Figure 6B In either case, the terminal adapter 100 further includes a pair of through holes 106, each extending fully from the abutment surface 101 to the terminal surface 102. To mount the terminal adapter 100 onto the battery 2, each of the battery positive terminal 21 and battery negative terminal 22 is inserted into a corresponding through hole 106. Each through hole 106 is located radially between the positive terminal region 103 and the negative terminal region 104 on the terminal surface 102. The through holes 106 are radially opposite each other relative to the positive terminal region 103. An insulating element 105 abuts against the terminal surface 102 such that the insulating element covers the opening of the through hole at the terminal surface and covers the battery positive terminal 21 and battery negative terminal 22 at the terminal surface. That is, the insulating element 105 overlaps the opening of the through hole 106 at the terminal surface 102 and the battery terminals 21, 22.

[0128] The terminal adapter is a printed circuit board (PCB) that includes a first conductive layer and a second conductive layer (not shown). The conductive layers are spaced apart from each other by an electrically insulating layer such as a dielectric layer / prepreg layer. The first conductive layer is configured to electrically connect the battery positive terminal 21 to the positive terminal region 103, and the second conductive layer is configured to electrically connect the battery negative terminal 22 to the negative terminal region 104.

[0129] Reference Figure 6B It is possible that the positive battery terminal 21 and the negative battery terminal 22 each have an axial length longer than the thickness of the terminal adapter 100, such that after insertion into the through-hole 106, the battery terminals 21, 22 protrude from the terminal face 102. In this embodiment, the battery terminals 21, 22 are subsequently cut flush with the terminal face 102 to obtain... Figure 6C The arrangement is shown. Each of the battery positive terminal 21 and battery negative terminal 22 is soldered to a terminal face 102 located at a corresponding pad 109 surrounding the through hole 106. Alternatively or additionally, to mount the terminal adapter 100 onto the battery 2, each of the battery positive terminal 21 and battery negative terminal 22 may be fused (e.g., laser-welded) to the terminal adapter 100. Soldering and / or fusion of the battery terminals 21, 22 to the terminal adapter 100 (e.g., to the terminal face 102) may be performed before or after the battery terminals are cut flush with the terminal face 102.

[0130] Reference Figure 6A and Figure 6D Terminal face 102 includes an insulating element 105 between a positive terminal region 103 and a negative terminal region 104 to electrically insulate the positive and negative terminal regions. The insulating element 105 is annular in the plane of terminal face 102. The insulating element is disposed radially inside the radially outer (i.e., negative) terminal region 104. The insulating element is disposed radially outside the radially inner (i.e., positive) terminal region 103. That is, the insulating element 105 surrounds the positive terminal region 103. The insulating element 105 defines a central opening that overlaps the positive terminal region, for example, to expose the positive terminal region for electrical connection with an electrical contact (see...). Figure 8 The insulating element 105 abuts against the terminal face 102 of the terminal adapter 100 (i.e., it does not extend between the terminal face and the abutting surface, but only abuts against the terminal face 102).

[0131] An insulating element 105 protrudes upward from the terminal face 102. In this way, the insulating element ensures that a planar contact (e.g., a planar conductor) cannot simultaneously contact the positive terminal sub-region 103 and the negative terminal sub-region 104, thereby reducing the risk of short circuits, for example, after the battery is discarded. In this embodiment, the insulating element protrudes upward from the terminal face by 1.5 mm. In this embodiment, the insulating element is formed of polycarbonate (PC) with a compressive strength of approximately 80 MPa and a deformation rate of 10% or less. Therefore, the insulating element 105 is substantially rigid, enabling it to resist compressive forces applied thereto, ensuring that even when the insulating element 105 is pressed towards the terminal face 102, the planar contact cannot simultaneously contact the positive terminal sub-region 103 and the negative terminal sub-region 104.

[0132] exist Figures 6A to 6D In this embodiment, the insulating element 105 is provided with an adhesive for adhesion to the terminal adapter 100. That is, the surface of the insulating element 105 is coated with an adhesive layer. Therefore, in order to mount the insulating element 105 onto the terminal adapter 100, the insulating element is pressed against the terminal face 102 of the terminal adapter 100, such that the adhesive-coated surface of the insulating element 105 contacts and adheres to the terminal face 102.

[0133] The installation of insulating element 105 is performed after the terminal adapter 100 is mounted on the first end face 23 of the battery 2, after the battery terminals 21, 22 are electrically connected to the terminal areas 103, 104 on the terminal adapter 100, after the battery terminals are soldered to the terminal face 102, and after the battery terminals are cut to be flush with the terminal face.

[0134] The assembly configuration of battery module 200 is shown in Figure 6D .

[0135] Reference Figure 7A and Figure 7B The battery 2 and the terminal adapter 100 can be integrated, so that the battery assembly 200 provides a single battery component. In this variant, a portion of the insulating element 105 is disposed inside the terminal adapter 100. That is, the insulating element 105 extends partially in the thickness direction between the terminal face 102 and the abutment face 101. In this way, the insulating element 105 can electrically insulate the layers within the terminal adapter 100 (e.g., the conductive layers within the terminal adapter).

[0136] Two variations of battery module 200 (i.e.) Figures 6A to 6D Variations and Figures 7A to 7B All variations of these designs eliminate the need for precise rotational alignment of the positive / negative end regions 103, 104 relative to the electrical contacts 302 of the aerosol generating device 300 (e.g., Figure 9 and Figure 10The advantages of this (as shown) are as follows. Specifically, because the positive terminal region 103 and the negative terminal region 104 are arranged symmetrically in a circular pattern on the terminal face 102, the two terminal regions are rotationally symmetrical with respect to any angle. This allows an electrical connection to be established between the battery terminals 21, 22 (via terminal regions 103, 104) and the electrical contacts 302 of the aerosol generating device in any rotational orientation of the battery assembly 200.

[0137] This is Figure 8 As shown, any rotational orientation of the battery assembly 200 relative to the positive terminal contact 302a results in an electrical connection between the positive terminal region 103 and the positive terminal contact 302a. Similarly, any rotational orientation of the battery assembly 200 relative to the negative terminal contact 302b results in an electrical connection between the negative terminal region 104 and the negative terminal contact 302b.

[0138] Reference Figure 9 and Figure 10 The battery assembly 200 can be installed inside the aerosol generating apparatus 300 implemented according to any of the above embodiments. The aerosol generating apparatus 300 includes a battery cavity 301 for accommodating and electrically connecting the battery assembly 200 thereto. The battery cavity 301 includes a pair of electrical contacts 302 (including a positive electrical contact 302a and a negative electrical contact 302b), each of which can be connected to a corresponding one of the positive terminal sub-region 103 and the negative terminal sub-region 104 on the terminal face 102 of the terminal adapter 100. The electrical contacts 302 are both located at the upper axial end of the battery cavity 301, close to the heating element 54 of the aerosol generating apparatus 300. Both electrical contacts 302 are spring-loaded electrical contacts elastically biased into the battery cavity 301. Each electrical contact 302 has a generally serpentine cross-section in a plane extending axially along the aerosol generating apparatus 300. Figure 9 (Not shown in the image). For example... Figure 9 As shown, the battery assembly 200 is inserted into the battery cavity 301, such that terminal areas 103 and 104 are electrically connected to electrical contacts 302 at the upper shaft end of the battery cavity. The lower end of the battery cavity 301 is closed by a cover assembly 303. The assembly configuration of the aerosol generating device 300 including the battery assembly 200 is shown in the figure. Figure 10 .

Claims

1. A terminal adapter (100) connectable to a battery (2), the battery (2) including a positive terminal (21) and a negative terminal (22) respectively located on a first end face (23) of the battery (2), wherein the terminal adapter (100) includes: A contact surface (101) is configured to abut against a first end face (23) of the battery (2) during use; A terminal surface (102) opposite to the contact surface (101) includes a positive terminal region (103) and a negative terminal region (104) electrically insulated from the positive terminal region. The positive terminal region (103) is electrically connected to the positive terminal (21) of the battery, and the negative terminal region (104) is electrically connected to the negative terminal (22) of the battery. An insulating element (105) is provided between the positive terminal sub-region (103) and the negative terminal sub-region (104) to electrically insulate the positive terminal sub-region (103) from the negative terminal sub-region (104). The insulating element (105) abuts against the terminal face (102) and protrudes upward from the terminal face (102).

2. The terminal adapter (100) of claim 1, wherein the terminal adapter includes a pair of through holes (106), each through hole extending from the abutment surface (101) to a corresponding opening on the terminal surface (102), wherein each of the pair of through holes (106) is configured to receive a corresponding one of the battery positive terminal (21) and the battery negative terminal (22), and wherein the insulating element covers the opening of the through hole (106) at the terminal surface.

3. The terminal adapter (100) as claimed in claim 1, wherein the insulating element (105) protrudes upward from the terminal face (102) by at least 0.5 mm.

4. The terminal adapter as claimed in any of the preceding claims, wherein each of the positive terminal sub-region (103) and the negative terminal sub-region (104) is arranged rotationally symmetrically on the terminal face (102).

5. The terminal adapter (100) as claimed in any of the preceding claims, wherein each of the positive terminal sub-region (103) and the negative terminal sub-region (104) is arranged symmetrically in a circular pattern on the terminal face (102).

6. The terminal adapter (100) as claimed in any of the preceding claims, wherein: One of the positive terminal sub-region (103) and the negative terminal sub-region (104) is a radially outer terminal region, and the other of the positive terminal sub-region (103) and the negative terminal sub-region (104) is a radially inner terminal region; and At least the external terminal area is annular in the plane of the terminal surface.

7. The terminal adapter (100) as claimed in any of the preceding claims, wherein the internal terminal area is circular in the plane of the terminal surface.

8. The terminal adapter (100) as claimed in any of the preceding claims, wherein: The positive terminal region (103) is electrically connected to the positive terminal (21) of the battery via a first electrical connector, and the negative terminal region (104) is electrically connected to the negative terminal (22) of the battery via a second electrical connector; and Each of the first electrical connector and the second electrical connector is inside the terminal adapter (100).

9. The terminal adapter (100) as claimed in any of the preceding claims, wherein the terminal adapter is a printed circuit board.

10. A battery assembly (200), comprising: Battery (2), the battery (2) having a positive terminal (21) and a negative terminal (22) respectively located on a first end face (23) of the battery; and The terminal adapter (100) as described in any of the preceding claims is mounted on the first end face (23) of the battery (2).

11. An aerosol generating apparatus (300) comprising a terminal adapter (100) according to any one of claims 1 to 9, or a battery assembly (200) according to claim 10.

12. Parts kit, which includes: Battery (2), the battery (2) comprising a positive terminal (21) and a negative terminal (22) respectively located on a first end face (23) of the battery; and The terminal adapter (100) as described in any one of claims 1 to 9.

13. A method of forming the battery assembly of claim 10, the method comprising: Provides batteries (23); A terminal adapter (100) as described in any one of claims 1 to 9 is provided; The terminal adapter (100) is mounted on the first end face (23) of the battery (2) such that the contact surface (101) of the terminal adapter (100) abuts against the first end face (23) of the battery. The process of mounting the terminal adapter (100) on the first end face of the battery includes: Electrically connect the positive terminal (103) of the terminal adapter (100) to the positive terminal (21) of the battery, and electrically connect the negative terminal (104) of the terminal adapter (100) to the negative terminal (22) of the battery; and Install the insulating element so that it abuts against the terminal face of the terminal adapter.

14. The method of claim 13, wherein: The terminal adapter (100) includes a pair of through holes (106), each of the through holes (106) extending from the abutment surface (101) to a corresponding opening on the terminal surface (102); The method includes mounting the terminal adapter (100) on the first end face (23) of the battery (2) by inserting each of the battery positive terminal (21) and the battery negative terminal (22) into a corresponding one of the pair of through holes (106); and The method includes mounting the insulating element abutting against the terminal face to cover the opening of the through hole (106) at the terminal face.

15. The method of claim 14, wherein mounting the terminal adapter (100) on the first end face (23) of the battery (2) further comprises: Solder each of the positive terminal (21) and the negative terminal (22) of the battery to the terminal face (102) of the terminal adapter (100); and Cut each of the positive terminal (21) and the negative terminal (22) of the battery so that they are flush with the terminal face (102).

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