Heat-not-burn smoking device

Abstract

The present invention provides a heat-not-burn smoking device, comprising a battery and a heating body, and further comprising: a flexible substrate, which has a first circuit area and a second circuit area that can be electrically connected to the first circuit area along the extension direction of the heat-not-burn smoking device; a control circuit, which is formed in the second circuit area of ​​the flexible substrate; a heating body solder point, which is formed in the second circuit area of ​​the flexible substrate and can be electrically connected to the control circuit, and the heating body solder point can also be electrically connected to the heating body of the heat-not-burn smoking device; a rigid substrate, the second circuit area of ​​the flexible substrate is attached to the rigid substrate. To a certain extent, the connection of the various components in the smoking device can be made more compact, and by improving the connection method, the overall assembly process is simplified, and a basis is provided for improving the degree of automated assembly.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The invention relates to smoking articles, in particular to a heat-not-burn smoking article. Background Art

[0002] Heat-not-burn cigarettes are different from traditional cigarettes. "Low-temperature cigarettes" designed with the idea of ​​"heating without burning" can heat the tobacco leaves just enough to emit flavor without igniting the tobacco leaves. Normally, ordinary cigarettes produce many harmful substances at high temperatures of 350°C to 600°C when smoked, while low-temperature cigarettes are below 300°C, which reduces harmful substances. Specifically, taking the release as an example, heat-not-burn tobacco products are only about 5% of traditional tobacco. From the perspective of cytotoxicity, heat-not-burn tobacco products are about 14% of traditional cigarettes.

[0003] In addition, heat-not-burn products are closer to traditional cigarettes in taste and smoking experience, allowing smokers to feel the real tobacco flavor and are more easily accepted.

[0004] As mentioned above, heat-not-burn tobacco products use external heat sources to heat tobacco instead of burning it to produce tobacco flavor gas, and there are charcoal heating, electric heating and other methods. Crucially, heat-not-burn tobacco products need to be equipped with special smoking utensils to more accurately control the heating temperature and time, so that "heating without burning" can be achieved. Obviously, special heat-not-burn smoking utensils need to be equipped with more complex heating modules, energy modules and control modules, so the volume of the cigarette is much larger than that of traditional cigarette products. Intuitively described, according to regulations, traditional cigarette products are placed in cigarette boxes with dozens of cigarettes, and some cigarette boxes also have friction ignition configurations, which are very convenient for carrying and storage. However, in the heat-not-burn products on the market now, cigarettes are placed in a cigarette box, and due to the heating principle, the cigarette box needs to be treated with humidity maintenance. In addition, smoking utensils are required to heat the cigarettes when smoking. Most products are also specially equipped with charging boxes, resulting in the need for a larger storage space, which causes certain inconveniences to carry.

[0005] Moreover, as mentioned above, heat-not-burn tobacco products need to realize numerous functions and need to be configured with different modules, which leads to a relatively complicated manufacturing process for tobacco products. In particular, the assembly process involves many steps, which is not compatible with the large volume and high degree of industrialization requirements of tobacco products.

[0006] Existing heat-not-burn smoking devices usually include two structures: rod-shaped and box-shaped. Compared with the box-shaped structure, the rod-shaped structure is favored by more and more consumers because of its advantages such as small size, convenient grip and more consistent with the hand-holding feel of traditional cigarettes. However, since the internal space of the rod-shaped structure is small, after the battery, heating element, smoke chamber and other structures are integrated in its internal space, its axial size and radial size are easily affected.

[0007] Therefore, in the prior art, flexible circuit boards are used to assemble heat-not-burn smoking devices, which reduces the space required inside the smoking devices. However, due to the flexible nature of the flexible circuit board itself, the positioning accuracy cannot be guaranteed when it is welded to the heating body and other structures, or when it is installed in the housing, making it difficult to achieve automated assembly, reducing assembly efficiency.

[0008] It should be noted that the above contents belong to the technical knowledge of the inventor and do not necessarily constitute prior art. Summary of the invention

[0009] In view of the technical problems mentioned in the above background technology, the present invention provides a heat-not-burn smoking device, which can, to a certain extent, make the connection of various components in the smoking device more compact and simplify the overall assembly process by improving the connection method.

[0010] The technical solution adopted by the present invention is:

[0011] A heat-not-burn smoking device, comprising a battery and a heating body, and further comprising:

[0012] A flexible substrate having a first circuit area and a second circuit area electrically connected to the first circuit area along the extension direction of the heat-not-burn smoking device;

[0013] A control circuit formed in the second circuit area of ​​the flexible substrate;

[0014] A heating body soldering point, which is formed in the second circuit area of ​​the flexible substrate and can be electrically connected to the control circuit, and the heating body soldering point can also be electrically connected to the heating body of the heat-not-burn smoking device;

[0015] A rigid substrate, the second circuit area of ​​the flexible substrate is attached to the rigid substrate.

[0016] In one example, the second circuit area includes a switch circuit, and the switch circuit cooperates with at least one switch element.

[0017] In one example, it also includes:

[0018] A housing, wherein the housing has a hollow cavity, and the switch element is movably mounted on the housing;

[0019] A fixing bracket, wherein the fixing bracket structure has an appearance matching the cavity of the shell, and the fixing bracket is connected to the rigid substrate to fix the second circuit area in the cavity relative to the shell.

[0020] In one example, the second circuit region is biased toward the center of the cavity along a direction perpendicular to the flexible substrate.

[0021] In one example, the second circuit region includes a protrusion formed at an edge, and the heating body solder joint is formed on the protrusion.

[0022] In one example, it also includes:

[0023] An intermediate package fixes the flexible substrate relative to the battery.

[0024] In one example, the intermediate packaging member is a heat shrinkable material.

[0025] By adopting the above technical solution, solder joints are set on the flexible substrate to connect various components, which reduces the setting of wires, thereby improving the compactness of the overall structure. In addition, through relatively tight connection, the various components will form a relatively stable whole based on the flexible substrate, which improves the modularity of the product and reduces the complexity of the subsequent assembly process. Obviously, the components and the flexible substrate are relatively fixed by the welding structure, which is easier to operate than first fixing and limiting the various components and then connecting them through wires, and can also reduce the setting of process equipment.

[0026] Moreover, by setting a hard substrate on the flexible substrate, the positioning accuracy of each welding point is more accurate when welding the flexible substrate to the heating body and other structures. When the flexible substrate is assembled or installed into the shell, the probability of bending, damage or other accidents of the flexible substrate due to its own flexible characteristics is reduced. The degree of automated assembly of smoking tools in the production process is improved, and a basis for improving the degree of automated assembly is provided. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0027] The drawings described herein are used to provide a further understanding of the present invention and constitute a part of the present invention. The exemplary embodiments of the present invention and their descriptions are used to explain the present invention and do not constitute an improper limitation of the present invention. In the drawings:

[0028] Figure 1 A schematic diagram of a heat-not-burn smoking device in use according to an embodiment of the present invention is depicted.

[0029] Figure 2 A schematic diagram of the structure of a flexible substrate in a heat-not-burn smoking device according to an embodiment of the present invention is shown.

[0030] Figure 3 A schematic diagram of the structure of a flexible substrate with a bending portion in a heat-not-burn smoking device according to an embodiment of the present invention is shown.

[0031] Figure 4A schematic structural diagram of a bent flexible substrate in a heat-not-burn smoking device according to an embodiment of the present invention is shown.

[0032] Figure 5 A schematic diagram of the assembly of some components of a heat-not-burn smoking device in one embodiment of the present invention is shown.

[0033] Figure 6 A schematic diagram of the assembly of some components of a heat-not-burn smoking device in one embodiment of the present invention is shown.

[0034] Figure 7 A schematic structural diagram of the back side of a flexible substrate in a heat-not-burn smoking device according to an embodiment of the present invention is shown. DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0035] In order to more clearly illustrate the overall concept of the present invention, a detailed description is given below in an exemplary manner in conjunction with the accompanying drawings.

[0036] It should be noted that many specific details are set forth in the following description to facilitate a full understanding of the present invention. However, the present invention may also be implemented in other ways different from those described herein. Therefore, the protection scope of the present invention is not limited to the specific embodiments disclosed below.

[0037] In addition, in the description of the present invention, it should be understood that the terms "center", "up", "down", "front", "back", "left", "right", "vertical", "horizontal", "top", "bottom", "inside", "outside", "axial", "radial", "circumferential" and the like indicate orientations or positional relationships based on the orientations or positional relationships shown in the accompanying drawings, and are only for the convenience of describing the present invention and simplifying the description, and do not indicate or imply that the referred device or element must have a specific orientation, be constructed and operated in a specific orientation, and therefore should not be understood as a limitation on the present invention.

[0038] In the present invention, unless otherwise clearly specified and limited, the terms "installed", "connected", "connected", "fixed" and the like should be understood in a broad sense. For example, it can be a fixed connection, a detachable connection, or an integral one; it can be directly connected, or indirectly connected through an intermediate medium, it can be the internal connection of two elements or the interaction relationship between two elements. However, if it is indicated as a direct connection, it means that the two connected bodies are not connected through an intermediate structure, but are only connected to form a whole through a connecting structure. For those of ordinary skill in the art, the specific meanings of the above terms in the present invention can be understood according to the specific circumstances.

[0039] In the present invention, unless otherwise clearly specified and limited, the first feature "on" or "under" the second feature may be that the first and second features are in direct contact, or the first and second features are in indirect contact through an intermediate medium. In the description of this specification, the description with reference to the terms "one embodiment", "some embodiments", "example", "specific example", or "some examples" means that the specific features, structures, materials or characteristics described in conjunction with the embodiment or example are included in at least one embodiment or example of the present invention. In this specification, the schematic representation of the above terms does not necessarily refer to the same embodiment or example. Moreover, the specific features, structures, materials or characteristics described may be combined in an appropriate manner in any one or more embodiments or examples.

[0040] Figure 1 The diagram shows how to use the heat-not-burn smoking device 100. Functional modules such as a heating element, an energy supply element, and a control element are arranged inside the smoking device. A cigarette C is inserted into one end of the smoking device and is heated at a specific temperature by the heating element to generate aerosol for the user to inhale, thereby realizing a smoking experience.

[0041] In one embodiment, Figure 2 and Figure 5 Based on the illustrated structure, the innovation of the present invention in one aspect is described. In the heat-not-burn smoking device, a battery 510, a heating body 410 and a circuit component are included. This is a functional module commonly configured in heat-not-burn smoking devices.

[0042] Among them, the circuit assembly includes a flexible substrate 110; a control circuit, a battery solder joint 1102 and a heating body solder joint 1103 formed on the flexible substrate; the flexible substrate 110 may include multiple different circuit areas, and signal transmission is achieved through a conductive structure (not shown in the figure) on the surface of the flexible substrate. For the convenience of description, the following explanation is given by taking the flexible substrate 110 including two circuit areas as an example, and these two areas are respectively referred to as the first circuit area 1101 and the second circuit area 1104. According to general industrial design, the charging interface and the heating body are usually designed at both ends of the smoking device, so that the first circuit area 1101 and the second circuit area 1104 are respectively arranged at positions close to the two ends in the smoking device. Among them, the first circuit area 1101 can be used as an installation area for the charging circuit, connected to, for example, a USB charging interface, for charging the battery when the smoking device is connected to an external power supply. The second circuit area 1104 is a control circuit for controlling the heating power, which is connected to the heating body.

[0043] The flexible substrate 110 is connected to the battery 510 and the heating body 410 through the battery welding point 1102 and the heating body welding point 1103 respectively. The battery welding point 1102 includes an anode welding point and a cathode welding point, which are respectively used to weld to the anode and cathode of the battery 510. The heating body welding point 1103 is formed in the second circuit area 1104 and is connected to the control circuit for welding to the heating body 410. Figure 7 As shown, a rigid substrate 610 attached to the second circuit area 1104 is provided on the back of the second circuit area 1104. Of course, in addition to the second circuit area 1104 and the heating body solder joint 1103 in the second circuit area 1104, a rigid substrate (not shown in the figure) can also be provided on the back of the area of ​​the first circuit area 1101 and the battery solder joint 1102 on the flexible substrate 110. Moreover, the shape of the rigid substrate 610 is not limited to the shape shown in the figure. As long as the rigid substrate 610 can be attached to the second circuit area 1104, it can be included in the embodiment of the present application. Among them, the side of the flexible substrate 110 on which the electronic components are provided is called the front side, and the side on which the electronic components are not provided is called the back side.

[0044] The rigid substrate 610 can strengthen the rigidity of the local structure of the flexible substrate, making the local structure of the flexible substrate, especially the part where the control circuit and the solder joint are set, a rigid structure, which can keep the part from bending and changing, and avoid the structure set on the front side from being pulled due to the bending of the substrate, causing damage or failure. In addition, due to the strengthening of its rigid structure, the flexible substrate 110 is more stable during the movement, welding and assembly process, which also makes the subsequent automated production process more reliable.

[0045] By setting a welding point on the flexible substrate 110 to connect the battery 510 and the heating body 410, the setting of the wire is reduced, thereby shortening the extension length of the internal components in the axial direction of the smoking device and improving the compactness of the overall structure. In addition, if the wire connection structure does not increase the limit, the interconnected components will swing at will; through the welding of the welding point, the components are connected more tightly, and each part of the components will form a relatively stable whole based on the flexible substrate 110, which improves the modularity of the product and reduces the complexity of the subsequent automated assembly process. Obviously, the welding structure makes the components relatively fixed to the flexible substrate 110, which is easier to operate than first fixing and limiting each part of the components and then connecting them through wires, and it can also reduce the setting of process devices such as limit devices.

[0046] In addition, each component will form a relatively stable whole based on the flexible substrate 110, and can also adapt to the selection of an integrated shell with an open end as an external support, which will further reduce the complexity of the process. Compared with a split shell, the number of molds for shell molding and the process of split buckling or connecting the shell during assembly are reduced, and the related positioning and limiting processes are also reduced. Of course, the integrated shell is only a preferred solution in the embodiments of the present application. The following embodiments are only explained by taking the integrated shell as an example, but it is not limited here that the shells in the embodiments of the present application are all integrated shells.

[0047] In addition, as the internal structure of the smoking device will become more compact while pursuing miniaturization, the heat generated by the heating body will be more concentrated in the smoking device. The most direct result is that during the heating process of the cigarette, if a wire is set in the smoking device, the temperature change of the heating element will affect the change of the wire conduction parameter, thereby affecting the stability of the cigarette heating temperature control curve, which may cause instability in the smoking taste, especially during continuous puffing. The possibility of this happening is higher. The heating body 410 is directly fixed to the flexible substrate 110 through the solder joint. The solder joint connection will hardly change the conduction parameter due to high temperature. Therefore, such a setting can achieve the miniaturization of the smoking device while improving the stability of the cigarette smoking experience.

[0048] Based on the structure disclosed in the above embodiments, Figure 6 As shown, the smoking device also includes a shell 210, which is selected to define a columnar cavity, and both ends of the shell 210 have openings connecting the outside and the columnar cavity; the shell 210 is mainly used to support various components, specifically, the battery 510, the flexible substrate 110, and at least part of the heating body 410 are accommodated in the columnar cavity; the battery 510 and the flexible substrate 110 pass through the opening to enter the columnar cavity.

[0049] The aforementioned structure in which each welding point is formed based on the flexible substrate 110 to directly connect the battery 510 and the flexible substrate 110 is particularly suitable for this columnar cavity structure that is entered through the end opening.

[0050] The specific manufacturing process mainly includes the following steps: forming a control circuit, a battery welding point 1102 and a heating body welding point 1103 on the flexible substrate 110; connecting the flexible substrate 110 with the battery 510 and the heating body 410 through the battery welding point 1102 and the heating body welding point 1103 respectively to form a heating module; and allowing the heating module to pass through the opening into the columnar cavity.

[0051] The shell 210 is preferably an integrated structure, and the columnar cavity is a cylindrical shape; the integrated molding method can reduce the number of molding molds and avoid the split method of the snap-fit ​​structure, so there is no need to process or form the corresponding interface. Moreover, the cylindrical shape is easier to form, and a variety of implementation methods can be selected. For example, the cavity can be formed by molding, or by post-processing such as boring. In fact, as a preferred implementation method, the shell 210 can directly use a seamless metal tube or a seamless composite material tube. Under the premise of meeting the size requirements, a fixed length segment is directly cut from the molded tube to form the base material of the shell 210, and then other structures are processed by machining, which will undoubtedly greatly reduce the production cost. Of course, non-integrated shells 210, as well as shells 210 with cavities in other shapes such as rhombus and ellipse, can also achieve the functions in the embodiments of the present application. The above-mentioned preferred shell is only a preferred embodiment among the various shells 210.

[0052] In one embodiment, the flexible substrate 110 has a plurality of bending portions for changing the extension direction of the local flexible substrate. Figure 3 As shown, the second circuit area 1104 includes a first control unit 1105 located on the right side of the figure, and the first control unit 1105 is arranged at the end of the flexible substrate 110. The bending portion includes a first bending portion 1106. The extension direction of the end is changed by the first bending portion 1106 to form a U-shaped structure with an opening facing parallel to the extension direction of the battery 510. Of course, the U-shaped structure is only a preferred solution. As long as the bending of the flexible substrate 110 is achieved by the first bending portion 1106, for example, the opening faces one side of the battery 510, but does not form a U-shaped structure, but forms a V-shaped structure or a right-angle structure, etc., they can all be included in the scope of the embodiments of the present application. After the second circuit area 1104 is bent, the second circuit area 1104 includes a protrusion formed at the edge of one end of the flexible substrate 110, and the heating body solder joint 1103 is formed on the protrusion.

[0053] Similarly, the bending portion may also include a second bending portion 1107 and a third bending portion 1108, and the extension direction of the middle portion of the flexible substrate is changed by the second bending portion 1107 and the third bending portion 1108, so that the middle portion forms a U-shaped structure with an opening facing perpendicular to the extension direction of the battery 510, covering the two end faces or partial areas of the two end faces of the battery 510, and covering the partial area of ​​the unilateral circumferential surface of the battery 510. Of course, the U-shaped structure is only a preferred solution, and other structures that are bent on the flexible substrate 110 by the second bending portion 1107 and the third bending portion 1108, such as a structure with an opening facing upward but the two sides are not perpendicular to the extension direction of the battery 510, can be included in the scope of the embodiments of the present application.

[0054] like Figure 4As shown, the extension direction of the middle part of the flexible substrate 110 is changed by the second bending portion 1107 and the third bending portion 1108. The bending portion can reduce the length of the flexible substrate along the axial extension direction of the battery 510, and directly connect the flexible substrate and the battery 510 relatively fixedly. "Relatively fixed" means that the two connection structures basically keep the relative positions unchanged, and a little shaking or swinging is allowed. In this way, the structural connection between the flexible substrate and the battery 510 is achieved while achieving electrical connection, reducing additional connection structures and connection processes.

[0055] In one embodiment, Figure 6 As shown, a fixing bracket 310 connected to the end of the housing by limiting one or more rigid substrates 610 is provided on one side of the housing 210. The fixing bracket 310 has an outer shape matching the cavity of the housing 210, that is, it has an outer peripheral surface matching the inner wall of the housing 210, so as to fix the second circuit area 1104 in the cavity relative to the housing 210.

[0056] In this way, during the assembly process, the end of the flexible substrate 110 can be directly fixed relative to the shell 210 through the fixing bracket 310, and it can be considered to form a stop structure or a limiting structure that cooperates with the shell 210 on the surface of the fixing bracket 310. For example, a smooth protrusion is formed on the surface of the fixing bracket 310, and a limiting hole is formed in the shell 210. After the fixing bracket 310 is pushed into the columnar cavity defined by the shell 210, the protrusion reaches the position of the limiting hole and forms a snap-fit ​​structure with the limiting hole.

[0057] On the other hand, the fixing bracket 310, the battery 510 and the heating body 410 are connected to the flexible substrate 110 to form a whole extending along the axial direction of the battery 510, and enter the columnar cavity through the opening of the shell 210. The above components can be first assembled into a whole, and then the whole is pushed into the columnar cavity, which will simplify the assembly process of the shell 210 and the internal components. Among them, in order to reduce the axial length of the flexible substrate 110, the second circuit area 1104 can be offset toward the center of the cavity in a direction perpendicular to the flexible substrate 110. Among them, the offset toward the center of the cavity here means that based on the first bending portion 1106 in the above embodiment, the second circuit area 1104 is bent so that the outer end of the second circuit area 1104 is offset toward the center of the cavity. By bending the second circuit area 1104, the axial length of the flexible substrate 110 is reduced. Of course, the shape of the second circuit area 1104 after bending can be various, which has been described in the above embodiment and will not be repeated here.

[0058] In one embodiment, Figure 5As shown, the smoking device also includes an intermediate packaging member (not shown in the figure), and the intermediate packaging member fixes the flexible substrate 110 relative to the battery 510. In the above embodiment, when the overall structure is pushed into the cavity, due to the characteristics of the flexible substrate 110 itself, it is easy to bend during the pushing process. Therefore, before the overall structure is pushed into the cavity, an intermediate packaging member can be used to fix the flexible substrate 110 relative to the battery 510, and then the step of pushing it into the cavity is performed. It can ensure that the flexible substrate 110 is more difficult to bend during the pushing process, and the probability of product damage during the automated production process is reduced. Among them, the intermediate packaging member can be a heat shrinkable material. After the heat shrinkable material is inserted into the corresponding position, it is shrunk by heating and fixed at the flexible substrate 110 and the battery 510. The intermediate packaging member can also be an intermediate shell of a non-metallic hollow structure with a diameter smaller than the shell 210, such as a plastic product. After the flexible substrate is fixed by the plastic shell, the shell 210 can be fixed on the outer periphery of the intermediate shell. When the intermediate packaging member is a plastic shell, the shell 210 can be customized according to different requirements of users to enhance the user experience.

[0059] In one embodiment, the second circuit area 1104 is provided with a circuit switch for controlling the on and off of the control circuit. The smoking device also includes a switch trigger component, which is triggered to operate the circuit switch. The switch trigger component can be a button 3101 provided on the fixed bracket 310. An optional implementation of the button 3101 is a tongue-shaped structure with elasticity formed on the fixed bracket 310, which triggers the switch element by pressing inward. In combination with the foregoing, the fixed bracket 310 is pushed into the housing 210, and the housing 210 is provided with an opening to expose the button, or the housing 210 is provided with a structure for pressing the button inward.

[0060] The various embodiments in this specification are described in a progressive manner, and the same or similar parts between the various embodiments can be referenced to each other, and each embodiment focuses on the differences from other embodiments.

[0061] The above is only an embodiment of the present application and is not intended to limit the present application. For those skilled in the art, the present application may have various changes and variations. Any modification, equivalent replacement, improvement, etc. made within the spirit and principle of the present application should be included in the scope of the claims of the present application.

Claims

1. A heat-not-burn smoking device, comprising a battery and a heating element, characterized in that: Also includes: A flexible substrate having a first circuit area and a second circuit area electrically connected to the first circuit area along the extension direction of the heat-not-burn smoking device; A control circuit formed in the second circuit area of ​​the flexible substrate; A heating body soldering point, which is formed in the second circuit area of ​​the flexible substrate and can be electrically connected to the control circuit, and the heating body soldering point can also be electrically connected to the heating body of the heat-not-burn smoking device; A rigid substrate, the second circuit area of ​​the flexible substrate being attached to the rigid substrate; A housing having a hollow cavity; A fixing bracket, wherein the fixing bracket structure has an appearance matching the cavity of the housing, and the fixing bracket is connected to the rigid substrate to fix the second circuit area in the cavity relative to the housing; The second circuit area includes a switch circuit, and the switch circuit cooperates with at least one switch element; the switch element is movably mounted on the housing; The second circuit area is biased toward the center of the cavity along a direction perpendicular to the flexible substrate; The second circuit area includes a protrusion formed at an edge, and the heating body solder joint is formed on the protrusion; an intermediate package that fixes the flexible substrate relative to the battery; The intermediate packaging member is made of heat-shrinkable material.

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