Evaporator unit, evaporator cartridge, inhaler, and method of manufacturing an evaporator unit

Abstract

The present invention relates to a method for producing an evaporator unit, comprising the following steps: a) providing a flexible conductor board material having a plurality of mounting locations for the evaporator units and being optionally pre-structured with at least predetermined conductor track and / or pre-punched sections for each mounting location; b) providing at least one heating element electrically connected to the conductor track at the mounting location; and c) at least partially covering each mounting location with a sealing material to form a partial enclosure for each evaporator unit, the enclosure covering each heating element at least in an edge region on the upper side of the flexible conductor board material while leaving the heating surface exposed, and at least the outer surface of the enclosure facing away from the conductor board material and / or the heating element forming a sealing surface. The present invention further relates to an evaporator unit, an evaporator assembly, an evaporator cartridge, and an inhaler having such an evaporator unit.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The invention relates to a method for producing a vaporizer unit as a component of an inhaler.

[0002] Furthermore, the invention relates to an evaporator unit, an evaporator assembly and an evaporator cartridge as a component of an inhaler.

[0003] The invention further relates to an inhaler which is constructed and arranged for inhaling a vapor / aerosol enriched with an active substance and / or an aroma substance. Background Art

[0004] Such vaporizer units, vaporizer components, vaporizer cartridges, and inhalers are used in the luxury goods industry, particularly in conjunction with electronic cigarettes known as e-cigarettes, as well as in the medical field to allow the inhalation of fluid luxury goods and / or fluid medical products in vapor form and / or as an aerosol. During consumption, a person typically inhales on the mouthpiece of the inhaler, thereby generating suction pressure in the air flow channel, which produces an air flow through the air flow channel. However, the air flow can also be generated mechanically, such as by a pump. In the air flow channel, evaporated liquid generated and provided by the vaporizer unit is added to the air flow to deliver an aerosol or an aerosol-vapor mixture to the consumer. The liquid is stored at or in the vaporizer cartridge. Different mixtures of various components with the same or different vapor densities are used as liquids. Typical mixtures used in e-cigarettes include, for example, glycerol and propylene glycol, optionally enriched with nicotine and / or nearly any flavoring and / or aromatic substance. For use in the medical or therapeutic field, for example for inhaled asthma preparations, the mixture can accordingly comprise medicinal components and active substances.

[0005] The evaporator unit is of central importance in inhalers and is typically a disposable item or a component of a disposable item. It is conceivable that there is an increasing trend toward using such evaporator units, which results in the production of evaporator units, evaporator components, evaporator cartridges, and inhalers in very large quantities, particularly if the evaporator components and / or the evaporator cartridges with the evaporator unit are constructed as disposable items. In other words, the evaporator unit is a mass-produced product. The methods known to date for producing evaporator units are only limited in their suitability for quickly and efficiently producing large quantities of units so that they can then be quickly and efficiently assembled in batches in the evaporator components and evaporator cartridges, or inhalers can be manufactured therefrom.

[0006] The evaporator unit is a component of the evaporator structural assembly. The evaporator structural assembly is a component of the evaporator cartridge. The evaporator cartridge forms an inhaler together with the cartridge carrier and the mouthpiece. The individual components of the evaporator cartridge, i.e. at least one hollow body, a reservoir and the evaporator unit can be assembled in a common structural member, wherein the structural member is then a disposable article, which is designed for a limited number of times of inhalation by a consumer, and forms an inhaler together with the cartridge carrier as a reusable multiple-use article, which comprises at least one electronic control unit and an energy source. However, the evaporator cartridge can also be formed by first engaging a plurality of structural members, wherein the individual structural member, i.e. especially the hollow body and the evaporator unit are arranged in the cartridge carrier as a multiple-use article, and the reservoir forms the multiple-use article as an independent structural member. Finally, the inhaler can be used variably by replacing the disposable article that usually comprises liquid.

[0007] Accordingly, the disposable article and the reusable article are detachably connected to each other. As a cartridge carrier of a reusable article, it usually includes at least one electronic control unit and an electrical energy source. The energy source can be, for example, an electrochemical disposable battery or a rechargeable electrochemical storage battery, such as a lithium-ion storage battery or a lithium polymer storage battery, by means of which the heating mechanism is supplied with energy via the electrical contacts of the evaporator unit. The electronic and / or electrical control unit is used to control the evaporator unit inside the evaporator cartridge. However, the cartridge carrier can also include an integral part of the evaporator cartridge. The disposable article can be constructed as a plug-in member that can be inserted against the reusable article or an insert that can be inserted into the reusable article. Instead of plug connection, a threaded connection, a clamping connection or another quick connection can also be used. Utilize the connection of the disposable article and the reusable article to produce a mechanical and electrical coupling for forming a functional inhaler.

[0008] The final component destined for use (for example, as an e-cigarette or a medical inhaler) is the reservoir, which is part of the vaporizer cartridge. This vaporizer cartridge typically contains a desired and / or required liquid or liquid mixture (hereinafter also generally referred to as a fluid), as well as a hollow body and an evaporator unit that form an air flow channel. The fluid is stored in the reservoir of the evaporator cartridge. Using the liquid-permeable evaporator unit—created by microchannels—the fluid is guided from the reservoir through the mandrel mechanism and the heating mechanism, at least initially by capillary force. A voltage generated by an energy source and applied to the heating mechanism generates a current in the heating mechanism. Due to the heating resistor, preferably an ohmic resistor, of the heating mechanism, this current causes the heating mechanism to heat up and ultimately vaporizes the fluid in the evaporator unit. The vapor and / or aerosol generated in this manner overflows the evaporator unit toward the air flow channel and is added as vapor to the air flow, mixing. The fluid thus follows a predetermined path with a predetermined flow direction, namely, as a fluid, it passes through the mandrel mechanism to the heating mechanism, then through the heating mechanism and out of the heating mechanism in a gaseous state into the air flow channel. In the air flow channel, the evaporated fluid is entrained by the air flow, wherein vapor / mist and / or aerosol is formed when the air flow channel is loaded with pressure / low pressure, for example by a consumer drawing suction on the air flow channel or by a pump pushing the air flow through the air flow channel.

[0009] In one embodiment, the evaporator unit is used for the intermediate storage of fluid, and the evaporator unit is used for the intermediate storage of fluid.The ...

[0010] The known method for manufacturing an evaporator unit is to provide a heating mechanism, for example, a structural member mainly comprising silicon or doped silicon, electrically connected to a conductor track on a ceramic substrate by direct contact, so that the heating mechanism covers a through-opening in the ceramic. This method has only limited suitability for mass production. The evaporator unit manufactured in this manner is problematic in terms of the sealing of the through-openings, excluding the microchannels in the heating mechanism, and on the other hand, when assembling the evaporator unit with the components of the inhaler that surround the evaporator unit. In order to ensure that liquid neither reaches the air flow channel nor escapes from the evaporator cartridge or the inhaler, additional sealing devices, such as sealing rings or similar devices, are required. This results in multiple individual components with correspondingly narrow tolerances, making the assembly of the evaporator unit manufactured using the known method demanding and expensive. In particular, the automation of the manufacturing process is very complex and therefore very expensive and technically difficult.

[0011] In other known methods for making evaporator units, a metallic stamped strip that surrounds injection molding with plastic is equipped with a heating mechanism. The heating mechanism is pre-fixed and then the conductor track of the heating mechanism and the stamped strip is electrically contacted, for example, by means of wire bonding. On the one hand, this method form is expended and therefore expensive, because the automated step sequence with standardized technology can only be implemented in an adapted device / machine / automatic device. In addition, there is also a sealing problem in the evaporator unit made in this way, because by the diversity of parts when the inhaler component that surrounds the evaporator unit is assembled to the evaporator unit, multiple components must be sealed relative to each other with additional sealing devices. Thus, the assembly of the evaporator unit manufactured with known methods is demanding and expensive. Summary of the Invention

[0012] The object of the present invention is therefore to provide an efficient method for the mass production of assembly-friendly evaporator units optimized in terms of sealing properties. Furthermore, the object is to provide assembly-friendly evaporator units, evaporator subassemblies, evaporator cartridges, and inhalers that can be produced automatically and efficiently as mass-produced items and have optimized sealing properties.

[0013] According to a first aspect of the invention, this object is achieved in particular by the aforementioned method having the following steps: a) providing a flexible conductor board material having a plurality of mounting locations for individual evaporator units, wherein the flexible conductor board material is optionally prestructured or prestructured with at least conductor track tracks predetermined in terms of position and / or course and / or pre-punched portions for each mounting location; b) providing and placing at least one heating element that is optionally electrically connected or to be connected to the conductor track tracks at one or each mounting location; and c) at least partially covering each mounting location with a sealing material to form a partial enclosure for each formed evaporator unit, wherein the sealing material is applied such that the enclosure formed by the sealing material covers each heating element at least in an edge region on the upper side of the flexible conductor board material while leaving the heating surface exposed, and at least the outer surface of the enclosure facing away from the conductor board material and / or the heating element forms a sealing surface. This sequence of steps ensures that the evaporator units can be manufactured as mass-produced items without the additional development of special machines or the like. This sequence of steps can in particular be carried out at least partially automatically, but preferably fully automatically, from the delivery of the individual parts to the installation of the finished evaporator unit in a production line assembled from known devices / machines, so that the logistics requirements during production are cost-effectively limited to the transportation of individual parts, such as flexible conductor circuit board material, heating means and sealing material, and the removal of the finished evaporator unit.

[0014] Flexible conductor board materials are advantageous carrier materials and enable energy-saving implementation of conductor tracks with virtually any designable conductor cross-section. In particular, conductor track cross-sections that are as thin and narrow as possible can be provided for optimized energy efficiency. The use of flexible conductor board materials and their provision also allows for small profiles for conductor tracks and / or pre-punched parts, compared to ceramic or plastic-encased stamped grids as carrier materials, and offers diverse contacting possibilities for the conductor tracks without the process-related constraints, such as those associated with stamped grid production. For example, the conductor board material can include or consist of polyimide in film form.

[0015] Pre-punched portions within the meaning of the present invention are holes, gaps, free cuts, through-cuts, or similar features in the conductor circuit board material that connect the upper side to the lower side. Examples of pre-punched portions include openings formed at each mounting location, such as a circumferential separating gap or through-cut opening that is interrupted only by a connecting tab. The connection locations that form the base for the evaporator unit to be manufactured are called mounting locations. A mounting location is an area on the conductor circuit board material that, after completion, can be separated / detached from the remaining conductor circuit board material and thereby form a single evaporator unit. The multiple mounting locations on the coil are preferably configured uniformly and form a so-called endless strip. On such a strip, the mounting locations can be arranged / configured individually, one behind the other, and / or side by side in two or more rows, evenly or staggered, or in some other manner. For example, the mounting locations can be arranged in a checkerboard pattern or a hexagonal pattern. The electrical conductor track and pre-punched portion are predefined and pre-structured for each installation location, specifically according to the configuration of the evaporator unit to be completed. In other words, the flexible conductor circuit board material is pre-fabricated (pre-batch produced). Prefabrication can also include a heating mechanism, in which, instead of the pre-punched portion as a through-opening at each installation location, a heating mechanism is integrated into the conductor circuit board material for the independently placed heating mechanism, which is electrically connected to the conductor track. In this case, steps a) and b) overlap, because the heating mechanism is also provided by providing the flexible conductor circuit board material. For example, in the case where the heating mechanism integrated into the conductor circuit board material is used as a film heater, the connection between the heating mechanism and the conductor track can already exist. Such a heating mechanism can be liquid-permeable or, for example, made liquid-permeable by a microstructure. However, the connection can also be formed, for example, when the heating mechanism is placed on the conductor track. Advantageously, such a heating mechanism can already have microchannels.

[0016] Alternatively or additionally, electrical conductor track traces can be applied to the conductor circuit board material before providing and placing the heating mechanism. For example, this can be done using a process similar to color printing, such as polyjet, screen printing or embossing, or targeted vapor deposition (Bedampfung). However, any other suitable and known process can also be considered. In other words, the conductor circuit board material is prefabricated or prestructured by this step. Alternatively or additionally, pre-punched parts can also be inserted into the conductor circuit board material before or after providing and placing the heating mechanism. For example, the pre-punched parts can be inserted via appropriate punching tools or other tools for cutting and drilling. In other words, the conductor circuit board material is prefabricated or prestructured by this step. The sequence of applying the conductor track traces and inserting the pre-punched parts can be performed independently and therefore one after the other in any sequence or simultaneously.

[0017] For the case where the heating means are not an integral component of the flexible conductor circuit board material, but are provided in step b) as independent mounting elements / heating chips to be equipped, for example, placing one or each heating means by means of an appropriate SMT equipment automatic device includes receiving and providing each heating means via one or each pre-punched portion constructed in the conductor circuit board material as a through-opening, the heating means can be, for example, a heating chip essentially made of silicon from a sawn wafer composite or a film heating element. For electrically connecting the equipped heating means to the conductor track, see the following description. Providing and placing the heating means at one or each mounting position also includes, in the sense of the present invention, providing and placing it at each second mounting position (as long as this is desired or required) or only at a defect-free mounting position. Therefore, at each mounting position only means at each desired, predetermined mounting position.

[0018] In step c), at least one of the heating mechanisms or each heating mechanism is partially enclosed, for example, by utilizing suitable silicone, plastic, polyimide, rubber or other materials suitable as sealing materials, for example, by means of so-called film-assisted molding. It is also conceivable that the sealing material has a multilayer structure made of any combination of the aforementioned materials, and is manufactured by utilizing another or the same material from the aforementioned material entry by repeatedly applying the film-assisted molding method. Here, the region of the heating mechanism, i.e., the heating surface in particular, is locally left empty. By forming a shroud, on the one hand, (additional) mechanical retention of each heating mechanism is formed. On the other hand, and particularly advantageously, a sealing surface is provided simultaneously using the shroud. Particularly advantageously, a sealing surface that is reliable and adapted to the desired contour or required contour can be obtained by utilizing a sealing material so that the installation position is at least partially surrounded by injection or deformed at least partially covering. The sealing surface / sealing portion integrated in the evaporator unit, preferably with a defined sealing surface, can reduce the number of required components, such as additional sealing devices, when being assembled to the inhaler. Thus, assembly simplification and process automation are optimized. Another advantage of at least partially covering each installation location with sealing material is that, for example, the geometry of the evaporator unit for air and / or liquid conduction, enclosed by the housing molding, is incorporated into the evaporator unit and, therefore, becomes an integral component of each evaporator unit. Applying the sealing material in step c) also allows for a clear delimitation of the heating surface of the heating element, resulting in an efficient seal directly to the active heating surface for the fluid from the tank, i.e., the active feed-through area. Optionally, in step c), only the upper side supporting the heating element can be provided with sealing material. The lower side of each evaporator unit can be free of sealing material and delimited by the conductor board material.

[0019] Preferably, in step a), a flexible conductor board material is provided, wherein at least one mounting location for an RFID chip is formed in the region of each mounting location for an individual evaporator unit, wherein the flexible conductor board material is pre-structured or pre-structured with respect to the positioning and / or routing of predetermined conductor track paths serving as RFID antennas. This achieves a high degree of integration by utilizing any available mounting space / locations on the conductor board material to improve the functionality of each evaporator unit obtained therefrom without increasing the mounting space and without negatively impacting efficiency during mass production. The predetermined conductor track paths serving as RFID antennas ultimately form at least one coil, wherein the transmitting coil and the receiving coil can be designed independently and separately from one another, preferably parallel to one another with a small spacing, or can be designed together as a common transmitting and receiving coil. This preferred refinement also allows for modular production, in particular, in which the heating device and / or the RFID chip can be integrated in a selective manner.

[0020] In an advantageous development, the flexible conductor board material is optionally pre-structured or pre-structured for electronically connecting at least the RFID chip, using conductor track paths predetermined in terms of positioning and / or course and / or pre-punched sections for each mounting position. Thus, the connectors and / or the antenna itself are already provided and supplemented during the structuring process of the conductor board material, which ensures particularly compact and efficient production of the evaporator unit.

[0021] Preferably, in step k), which can be performed before, together with, or after step b), an RFID chip is provided and placed at each mounting location. This is done for the case where one or each RFID chip is not an integral component of the flexible conductor circuit board material, but is provided in step k) as an independent mounting element to be equipped. For example, an NFC component can be provided and placed as an RFID chip. However, another short-range radio module can also be used. One or each RFID chip itself can have an antenna so that it can communicate with one or each RFID antenna. The placement of one or each RFID chip is carried out, for example, by means of an appropriate SMT equipment automatic device, just as each RFID chip is received and provided. In order to electrically connect the equipped RFID chip to the conductor line track, see the following instructions.

[0022] As previously mentioned, the RFID chip can be an integral component of the conductor circuit board material. Alternatively, a separate RFID chip can be provided, positioned and electrically connected to the conductor circuit track. The RFID chip is also optionally connected or connectable to the conductor circuit track forming the RFID antenna at each mounting location. This connection can be made electrically or via radio signals.

[0023] To protect the RFID chip, in particular from moisture, in step c), optionally in addition to partially covering each installation location for a heating element, the installation location for the RFID chip is also covered with a sealing material, forming a sealing surface.

[0024] Preferably, the flexible conductive circuit board material is provided in step a) by selectively unwinding the conductive circuit board material from a coil or by conveying sections of the conductive circuit board material stored in a cassette or similar device. Coils containing flexible conductive circuit board material can be stored in a space-saving manner and can be quickly provided to an installation location in large quantities by simple unwinding and unwinding. The same applies to conveying sections of conductive circuit board material from a cassette or similar device.

[0025] Advantageously, in step c), each mounting location is at least partially enclosed with a sealing material in such a way that a sealing surface is formed on the outer surface of the housing, not only on the upper side of the flexible conductor board material but also on the lower side opposite the upper side, for connection to the inhaler component surrounding the evaporator unit without the use of an additional sealing agent. In particular, the formation of the additional, preferably defined, sealing surface on the lower side of the conductor board material can also be performed before, during, or after the application of the sealing material to the upper side. This allows the evaporator unit to be assembled particularly simply and effectively, for example, in standardized evaporator subassemblies or similar devices.

[0026] As already described above, the heating means can be provided as a separate mounting element. In this case, it is particularly advantageous if step b) comprises: as step b1), applying electrical contact material to the upper side of the flexible conductor track at least on the contact surface of the conductor track at each mounting location; as step b2), placing at least one heating means in the region of each mounting location in such a way that the pre-punched portion connecting the upper side to the lower side of the conductor track material is completely or partially covered by the or each heating means; and as step b3), establishing an electrical connection between the heating means and the conductor track at each mounting location.

[0027] As already described above, the RFID chip can be provided as a separate mounting element. Optionally, step k) comprises: as a step k1), applying electrical contact material to the upper side of the flexible conductor circuit board material at least on the contact surface of the conductor track at each mounting position for the RFID chip; as a step k2), placing at least one RFID chip in the area of each mounting position; and as a step k3) establishing an electrical connection between the RFID chip and the conductor track at each mounting position. In other embodiments or preferred improvements, electrical contact material can also be applied to the contact portion of the RFID chip. Specifically, for example, an anisotropic conductive adhesive can be applied to the lower side of the chip in the area of the contact portion, wherein the chip prepared in this way is placed on the conductor track of the flexible conductor circuit board material.

[0028] The electrical contact material can be applied using a suitable method. The electrical contact material can be, for example, solder paste, solder, sinter paste, conductive adhesive, or the like, or a combination of one or more of the above-mentioned contact materials. Examples of suitable methods include screen printing, stencil printing, pad printing, dispensing, or a combination of one or more of the above-mentioned methods. These methods are performed using suitable equipment. An example of suitable equipment is an automatic screen printing device.

[0029] The heating mechanism and the RFID chip can preferably be placed using automated SMT equipment or similar devices. The electrical connection can be established, for example, by converting the contact material using heat and / or pressure, or a combination of one or more of these variables, in a furnace, sintering extruder, contact thermode, or the like. Optionally, wire bonding can also be used in step b3). By adapting the evaporator unit manufacturing process, particularly in step b), to standardized production processes and equipment, large-scale production of evaporator units is ensured, while production bottlenecks that can arise when using specialized methods / machines are reliably avoided.

[0030] It is also conceivable to use the so-called nanowire method (NanoWiring-Verfahren) for the electrical contact heating mechanism. In the nanowire method, nanowires are grown on the upper side. The nanowire method involves an electroplating process similar to pad printing. In this case, a sponge carrying an electrolyte is squeezed onto a substrate. Here, a metallic lawn grows into the porous layer of the sponge, the metallic lawn having a diameter of a few nanometers to a few micrometers and a length of hundreds of nanometers to tens of micrometers. Through a structuring process (also known as masking), the substrate is coated only in the area where the nanowire coating is provided. Ultimately, all materials not used for connection are removed in an etching process and the substrate is cleaned. Through the electroplating process, it is possible to manufacture nanowires from virtually all metals that can be deposited by electroplating. For example, copper, gold or nickel can be used to manufacture the nanowire coating.

[0031] In so-called Velcro welding, two substrates prepared using the nanowire method, i.e., sections of conductor track on a conductor board material and sections on a heating element, each provided with a nanowire coating and thus with nanowires, are connected by pressing them together at room temperature (e.g., with 20 MPa). This force can be applied in accordance with the size of the components of a commercially available equipment or flip-chip bonding machine. Large-area connections are produced using electric motors or hydraulic power machines. Simple toggle presses can also be used. Due to their small diameter, multiple individual wires are connected mechanically and additionally on the atomic lattice planes—similar to cold welding. While also having high mechanical strength, the resulting connection has similar electrical and thermal properties to rolled copper.

[0032] It is also conceivable to perform the electrical connection using a so-called Velcro sintering process. Here, only the substrate, that is, either the conductor circuit material or the heating element, has the nanowire coating. The second substrate, that is, either the heating element or the conductor circuit material, requires a copper or gold-plated surface. The two substrates are pressed together (for example, using 20 MPa) and a temperature of about 210°C is applied to the connection area, for example, via a thermocouple. The same applies to the electrical contacting of the RFID chip.

[0033] In a preferred embodiment of the method, after step c), the potting section of the sealing material produced with the sealing material when covering or encapsulating the mounting locations is removed in step d). Thus, each mounting location or the evaporator unit formed thereon—with the exception of at least one connecting tab—is separated or detached from the conductive board material and all other connections that are not part of the evaporator unit. However, it is also conceivable that the potting section is detached or separated simultaneously with the separation of the evaporator unit from the strip of conductive board material.

[0034] Preferably, after step c) or d), the conductor circuit board material provided with a plurality of fully assembled, sealed evaporator units can optionally be wound back onto a coil or collected in a cassette or similar device for further use in step e). Winding / collecting can also take place after step b), in particular starting from the point of permanent connection between the heating device and the conductor circuit board material. Further use can include storage, intermediate storage, or further processing. The winding / collection of the conductor circuit board material produced in steps a) and b) or a) through c) or d) between the coils and the evaporator units produced thereon significantly supports efficient, space-saving mass production of evaporator units. For example, complete coils or cassettes, etc., containing a large number of evaporator units can be supplied, allowing subsequent mass assembly of the evaporator units at any location after successful separation.

[0035] To prepare for assembly of the evaporator unit, the sealed evaporator unit is separated from the flexible conductor circuit board material in step f) for further use. This separation can preferably be performed, for example, by punching the conductor circuit board material by separating one or each remaining connection tab for the conductor circuit board material. The evaporator unit can also be separated from a complete body of conductor circuit board material, i.e., without a completely or partially circumferential pre-punched portion. Sawing or cutting are also options for separation. The separated evaporator unit can then be further processed as a palletized or bulk load or directly assembled further.

[0036] To complete the evaporator unit, in step g), at least one mandrel mechanism can be placed at each mounting location on the upper side of the flexible conductor circuit board material or on the free heating surface of the heating mechanism. Preferably, the mandrel mechanism is mounted on or at the upper side (O) of the conductor circuit board material. In particular, the mandrel mechanism can be placed on the empty heating surface, for example, using an automated SMT system, in a one-piece configuration. The mandrel mechanism can also be designed as a granular mandrel mechanism and assembled in bulk for assembly. A granular mandrel mechanism is at least partially formed from a large number of granular particles, which form microchannels based on their bulk and / or configuration. In cases where a mandrel mechanism is already constructed in conjunction with a heating mechanism (the heating mechanism is therefore also a mandrel mechanism or the heating mechanism has a mandrel mechanism on and / or on the heating surface), the placement of the heating mechanism also includes the placement of the mandrel mechanism. The mandrel mechanism can be placed in any order, either simultaneously with step b) or after step b). When placed after step b), one or each mandrel mechanism can also be placed before or after step c). To secure each mandrel mechanism, it can, for example, be placed / pressed / assembled / secured after step c) into a recess / pocket, etc., formed by the sealing material. Alternatively, the mandrel mechanism can be placed on an empty heating surface after step c) and secured by pushing it into a receptacle, for example, formed in a component of the evaporator assembly. Finally, the time of equipping / positioning the mandrel mechanism can be selected virtually arbitrarily. It is even possible to place the mandrel mechanism after the evaporator unit has been separated from the conductor board material.

[0037] In a preferred refinement of the method, at least one additional electronic component can be placed in the area of each installation location in step h), preferably together with steps b2) and k2). The electronic component is, for example, an ID chip, which serves as an identification element for uniquely identifying the corresponding evaporator unit and can be configured as an NFC element, an RFID element, or a digital memory module (e.g., an EEPROM). The or each ID chip can also optionally be connected to an antenna, such as an NFC antenna or an RFID antenna. Various options are available for positioning the or each ID chip at the installation location. It is also possible to position additional components, which can be placed instead of or in addition to the ID chip, as well as sensors and other electronic components, not only on the top side but also on the bottom side in the area of the corresponding electrical contact surfaces. The ID chip and any additional components can also be at least partially covered or enclosed by a housing. Covering / enclosing can be accomplished with a sealing material that also covers / encloses the heating element, particularly if the electronic components are placed prior to step c). However, covering / enclosing can also be performed in a separate step using the same sealing material or a second material, in particular a sealing material.

[0038] Preferably, before step h), and particularly preferably together with steps b1) and k1), i.e., simultaneously, contact material is applied to the upper side and / or the lower side of the flexible conductive circuit board material on the contact surface of the conductor track at each mounting location. And after step h), preferably therefore simultaneously with steps b3) or k3), i.e., simultaneously, an electrical connection is established between the or each additional electronic component and the conductor track at each mounting location. Accordingly, the same automated production device used for the heating mechanism can be used.

[0039] Particularly preferably, each heating element and / or each RFID chip and / or each additional electronic component is electrically connected to the conductor track of the flexible conductor track material using one or more of the following methods: direct contact with silver sintering, eutectic bonding, conductive adhesive bonding, anisotropic conductive adhesive bonding, hook-and-loop welding, hook-and-loop sintering, soldering, welding. This achieves particularly good contacting of the conductor track with adequate thermal isolation.

[0040] Optionally, in step c), when covering or enclosing each mounting location, at least one section of the air flow channel is formed on the underside of the conductor board material by and / or using the sealing material at each mounting location. The air flow channel sections can also be formed before or after step c), specifically, by the sealing material that also covers / encloses the heating element, or by using a second sealing material. This embodiment results in a so-called "open" variant, since the air flow channel only forms a continuous, peripherally closed air flow channel when combined with the components surrounding the evaporator unit.

[0041] In another option, a prefabricated tubular section can be placed on the underside of the conductor board material at each installation location as part of the air flow channel, enclosed by means of an additional sealing material, and thus secured. This embodiment results in a so-called "closed" variant, since the evaporator unit itself comprises a continuous, peripherally closed section of the air flow channel.

[0042] Particularly preferably, at least steps a) to c) are each carried out in succession at their own or the same production station of a production line, so that multiple mounting positions are processed simultaneously in each step. This ensures a high degree of automation with greatly optimized parts logistics for fast and efficient mass production.

[0043] Particularly preferably, the entire manufacturing process of the evaporator unit takes place in a common production line having a plurality of production stations, thereby further supporting the aforementioned advantages.

[0044] In a preferred refinement, a flexible, pre-structured conductor circuit board material, preferably made of polyimide, is unwound from a reserve coil as an endless strip and transported continuously or intermittently through a production line comprising multiple production stations. Thus, there is the possibility of, for example, unwinding the endless strip so that, for example, step b) is performed at a first production station at multiple installation locations for multiple evaporator units. After completing step b), the endless strip can be further transported so that subsequent sections of the endless strip are transported to the area of the first production station for the purpose of performing step b). Alternatively, the preceding section, which has already undergone method step b), can then be placed at a second production station for the purpose of performing step c). This process sequence can be continuously implemented up to and including step k). Thus, all manufacturing steps can preferably be fully automated using a production line. The method can also be implemented accordingly by transporting sections of the flexible conductor circuit board material with one or more installation locations, for example, in cassettes, boxes, etc., and transporting them through the production line with or without cassettes, etc.

[0045] According to a second aspect of the invention, this object is also achieved, in particular, by the evaporator unit mentioned at the outset, which is characterized by a conductor track section made of a flexible conductor track material, wherein the conductor track section comprises: at least two conductor tracks; a through-opening connecting the upper side of the conductor track section to the lower side of the conductor track section; at least a heating element, which completely or partially covers the through-opening from the upper side and is in electrical contact with the conductor track; and a cover made of a sealing material, which at least partially covers the conductor track section and the heating element while leaving the heating surface exposed and is provided with a sealing surface facing outward. The flexible conductor track material of the conductor track section, in addition to the possibility of mass production, provides a particularly energy-efficient design of the conductor track cross section. The heating element is mechanically secured by the enclosure made of sealing material, and, on the one hand, a preferably defined sealing surface is formed, directed outward, i.e., away from the heating element. As a whole, the evaporator unit has a dual function: on the one hand, an evaporator, and on the other hand, a sealing element. This ensures a reduced number of parts when using the evaporator unit according to the invention with an integrated sealing element. Overall, the design according to the invention provides an energy-efficient, reliable evaporator unit suitable for mass production.

[0046] Advantageously, the conductor board section includes at least one RFID chip and at least one RFID antenna. Thus, the one or each RFID chip and the one or each RFID antenna are integral components of the carrier substrate and, therefore, the vaporizer unit itself, ensuring, in a compact and efficient manner, contactless transmission of data, for example, between the vaporizer unit or a vaporizer cartridge enclosing the vaporizer unit and a cartridge carrier, or between the vaporizer unit or an inhaler enclosing the vaporizer unit and a reader, such as a smartphone. Typical data that can be transmitted include, for example, data for accurate vaporization, data regarding inhaler user authorization, data for activating the vaporizer cartridge, or data for tracking usage behavior of the inhaler by the user themselves and / or a physician or pharmacist, particularly for medical use.

[0047] Advantageously, the conductor track section is formed from polyimide, the doped silicon chip serving as the heating element is electrically connected to the conductor track via direct contact using silver sintering, and the conductor track section and the silicon chip are partially encapsulated by silicone or polyimide, thereby mechanically securing the silicon chip and forming a preferably defined sealing surface facing outward. The sealing surface can be of any design. However, it preferably has a predetermined and reproducible, i.e., defined, sealing surface. Silicone can be replaced by a suitable plastic or polyimide. Furthermore, the conductor track section and the silicon chip are encapsulated by the sealing material in such a way that liquid can be transported from a first side of the silicon chip to a second side through microchannels in the silicon chip. This design further enhances the aforementioned advantages. Alternatively to the silicon chip, a so-called film heater having a microstructure that allows liquid to be transported from a first side of the film heater to a second side of the film heater can also be used or provided as the heating element.

[0048] In a particularly preferred embodiment, conductor tracks embedded in the flexible conductor board material extend bendably, in particular reversibly and / or flexibly, from the enclosure formed by the sealing material to form a spring contact. During and after the bending, the conductor tracks embedded in the conductor board material are electrically conductive and contact the silicon chip or the film heater or any other heating element. This eliminates the need for components that enclose the evaporator unit, such as the evaporator assembly or other contacts in the evaporator cartridge, further reducing the number of parts and enabling significantly simplified and space-saving assembly.

[0049] An advantageous embodiment is characterized in that the heating surface of the heating device is at least partially covered on the upper side by the mandrel device, thereby making the evaporator unit completely usable in a particularly efficient and reliable manner.

[0050] An alternative embodiment is characterized in that at least one tube section is formed and / or arranged on the underside of the conductor track section as a section of the air flow channel, wherein the tube section has an opening directed toward the heating device. The tube section can be formed from a sealing material and / or a separate tube.

[0051] Particularly preferably, the evaporator unit is produced using the method according to the invention. The advantages obtained thereby have already been explained above in conjunction with the production method, and reference is made to the corresponding paragraphs to avoid repetition.

[0052] According to a third aspect of the present invention, this object is also achieved, in particular, by an evaporator assembly as mentioned at the outset, comprising an evaporator unit according to the second aspect of the present invention and an adapter plug into which the evaporator unit is inserted, wherein the evaporator unit or its housing at least partially rests sealingly with the outer surface of the housing against the inner geometry of the adapter plug. The inner geometry of the adapter plug refers here to the surface of a region in the adapter plug that is designed to receive the evaporator assembly. This design of the housing in combination with the inner geometry of the adapter plug ensures that a fluid connection exists solely via the evaporator unit in the direction of the flow channel without additional sealing means. In other words, the evaporator assembly is designed to be sealed, with the exception of the evaporator unit in the region of the heating surface for receiving liquid from the reservoir and for generating steam in the direction of the air flow channel.

[0053] Advantageously, the evaporator assembly includes at least one section of an air flow channel formed by the evaporator unit and / or the adapter plug. The adapter plug can have its own section of the air flow channel, wherein the air flow channel has an opening for connection to the evaporator unit. However, the air flow channel can also be formed completely by the evaporator unit or partially by the evaporator unit, for example in conjunction with a wall of the adapter plug or a section of the aforementioned internal geometry of the adapter plug.

[0054] This object is also achieved according to the fourth aspect of the present invention, in particular, by the above-mentioned evaporator cartridge, which comprises: a hollow body having at least one section of an air flow channel; a reservoir tank for storing liquid; and an evaporator structural assembly according to the third aspect of the present invention, wherein the evaporator structural assembly is sealedly connected to the hollow body and the reservoir tank, so that the section of the air flow channel of the evaporator structural assembly and the section of the air flow channel of the hollow body form a common air flow channel and the reservoir tank has at least one inlet opening for the flow channel, in which the evaporator unit is placed.

[0055] According to a fifth aspect of the invention, this object is also achieved in particular by the inhaler mentioned at the outset, which has at least one electronic control unit, a cartridge carrier including an electrical energy source, and a vaporizer cartridge according to the fourth aspect of the invention.

[0056] Several of the advantages achieved in connection with the evaporator assembly, the evaporator cartridge and the inhaler have already been described in connection with the production method and the evaporator unit, and to avoid repeated reference to the corresponding paragraphs.

[0057] Furthermore, the aforementioned device, in particular the inhaler, can be configured or used, in particular in medical applications, in such a way that one or more of the following further advantages arise:

[0058] While known inhalers for powdered medicaments generally have to be cleaned or even maintained before and / or after use, this is generally not necessary with the inhaler according to the invention, especially since the medicament is enclosed in liquid form in the vaporizer cartridge or the reservoir.

[0059] Furthermore, the inhaler according to the invention can be used for various treatments, for which either a vaporizer cartridge with a liquid (with at least one corresponding therapeutic active substance) is newly inserted depending on the treatment to be used, or an already installed vaporizer cartridge is replaced by another vaporizer cartridge with a corresponding content that is adapted to the treatment to be performed.

[0060] Individual, in particular manual, loading and pre- or post-cleaning of the inhaler per dose or application can also be dispensed with if the reservoir of the vaporizer cartridge is dimensioned such that it has sufficient space for receiving a sufficient amount of liquid to be vaporized for multiple doses or applications.

[0061] Because medicine is generally given to the user's (breathing) air stream that is used to suck in with steam form under the situation of this inhaler completely, so can realize a series of other advantages: especially, after application, typically do not occur the residual that medicine is retained in the inhaler, because medicine steam is at least only condensed again in air stream basically.In addition can obtain particularly good application result, because the maximum medicine amount that can be received by the patient is given in the respirable air stream.Therefore, the overdose of medicine also can be owing to the medicine that does not leave in the subsequent application of inhaler is received and avoided, and this is especially favourable aspect improving for patient safety.Therefore also can realize the raising of checking possibility when treating patient, because more accurate dosing is feasible.

[0062] In addition, inhaler according to the present invention does not need dispersion medium and driving medium (especially driving gas), and they may often be disadvantageous or even threaten health especially in medical field.Driven gas can be understood as following gas especially in the case, and this gas has the pressure that is improved with respect to ambient pressure, and this gas is used for making the medicine to be administered fragmentation and accelerate in typical traditional inhaler.Also can abandon the compression device that is used to produce air stream or other gas stream, can abandon the dead volume that therefore occurs in the inhaler housing equally.Therefore can realize the minimizing of required installation space, because replace the pressure chamber that needs space or the spring system that is used for the expended of inhaler pretensioning, only need air channel.Less installation space requirement can be favourable especially in the raising aspect (for example less attractive design is feasible) that therefore can realize the configuration freedom when designing inhaler again.

[0063] In the case of the inhaler according to the present invention, after the drug evaporates, the user can instead transfer the drug into the lungs through their own breathing air. Due to the fact that it is feasible to abandon the use of a driving medium for crushing the drug, problems that often occur in patients when using traditional inhalers with a driving medium, such as throat irritation or coughing, can be effectively avoided. The manual pre-tightening of the inhaler, which is generally often required for crushing the drug in the case of traditional inhalers, is also eliminated. Therefore, user-friendliness can be improved, especially by avoiding manual preparation before using the inhaler.

[0064] Furthermore, the seal provided according to the invention has the advantage that the undesirable or, depending on the active substance, potentially harmful ingress of unevaporated liquid into the air duct, with the associated possibility of such liquid being taken up by the user, is effectively limited, thereby ensuring the safety of the inhaler in use.

[0065] Because the inhaler according to the present invention, and in particular its heating mechanism, is electrically operated, a high dosing accuracy of the heating mechanism can be achieved due to the precise controllability of the heating operation. This improves the quality of use, in particular, by enabling the vaporized amount of drug to be very well adapted to the individual needs of the user or patient and, in particular, also to be limited in terms of the maximum dose, which in turn improves the safety of use when the inhaler is used.

[0066] Preferably, inhaler according to the present invention can have an output quantity checking device. Here, in particular, can relate to a counting device, in particular can have a counting device for counting the metering of the liquid evaporated within a limited consideration period (for example, within the time period from the last initialization of the counting device or the time period after the reset). As metering to be counted, here in particular can consider: (i) the quantity of the evaporated filling material of a vaporizer cylinder or its reserve tank or different vaporizer cylinders or its corresponding reserve tank; Or (ii) the quantity of bursts of steam or predetermined steam quantity units output by the inhaler within the considered time period. Therefore, can especially in medical applications, in maintaining the simple and reliable monitoring of the desired dosing, detecting the output quantity of the vaporized material and realizing dosing thus. In addition, based on this inspection possibility, in terms of using a single metering, it is not necessary to carry out personalized loading of the inhaler for each single metering to be administered or to be evaporated. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0067] Further suitable and / or advantageous features and improvements as well as method steps can be obtained from the description and / or the figures. Particularly preferred embodiments and production methods are explained in detail with reference to the accompanying drawings. In the figures:

[0068] Figure 1a )to Figure 1b ) shows a first embodiment of an evaporator unit according to the present invention, having a protruding and curved elastic contact portion;

[0069] Figure 1aa )to Figure 1bb ) shows that according to Figure 1a )and Figure 1b ) embodiments, respectively supplemented with an RFID antenna and another electronic structural component;

[0070] Figure 2 Another embodiment of an evaporator unit according to the invention is shown;

[0071] Figure 3.1) to Figure 3.6) shows a possible sequence of steps for implementing a preferred method according to the invention based on an endless strip for processing at different production stations of a production line;

[0072] Figure 4 The evaporator unit is shown separated / detached from the strip;

[0073] Figure 5 shows the upper side of a section of a first embodiment of a conductor track material with two mounting locations having heating means;

[0074] Figure 5.1 Shown according to Figure 5 with a modified contact in the area of the conductor track;

[0075] Figure 5a shows the top side of a section of another embodiment of a conductor track material, each with two mounting locations having a heating device and each with two RFID antennas;

[0076] Figure 6 An exemplary arrangement of a plurality of evaporator units on a conductor board section is shown obliquely from above before the separation step;

[0077] Figure 7 From the bottom, it shows Figure 6 Layout plan;

[0078] Figure 8 A preferred embodiment of the evaporator structural assembly according to the present invention is shown;

[0079] Figure 8a Another preferred embodiment of the evaporator structural assembly according to the present invention is shown;

[0080] Figure 9 A preferred embodiment of the evaporator cartridge according to the present invention is shown;

[0081] Figure 10 shows another embodiment of an evaporator cartridge according to the present invention; and

[0082] Figure 11 A preferred embodiment of the inhaler according to the invention is shown. DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0083] The vaporizer unit or vaporizer assembly and vaporizer cartridge shown in the figures are used for inhaling a vapor and / or aerosol enriched with an active substance, such as nicotine, from a liquid when assembled in an inhaler, and are also described in conjunction with an E-cigarette. Other applications, in particular also in the medical field, are explicitly included. Furthermore, the vaporizer unit and vaporizer assembly allow for universal use, since standardized vaporizer units or vaporizer assemblies can be integrated / installed in different vaporizer cartridges and / or different canister shapes.

[0084] As previously mentioned, the method is used to manufacture the vaporizer unit 10 as a component of the inhaler 100. The method can be carried out manually or semi-automatically, for example, by only automating the individual method steps. However, the method is preferably configured for fully automated implementation or manufacturing of the vaporizer unit.

[0085] According to the invention, the method is characterized in that at least the following steps a) to c) are carried out in a predetermined order, namely, a) providing a flexible conductor circuit board material 11 having a plurality of evaporator unit mounting locations 12 for individual evaporator units 10, wherein the flexible conductor circuit board material 11 is optionally prestructured or prestructured with at least first conductor track tracks 13, 14 predetermined in terms of positioning and / or orientation and / or pre-punched portions 15, 16, 24 for each evaporator unit mounting location 12; b) providing and placing at least one conductive conductive material electrically connected to the first conductive track tracks on one mounting location or on each evaporator unit mounting location 12 13, 14 are optionally connected or connectable heating mechanisms 17; and c) using a sealing material 18 to at least partially cover each evaporator unit installation position 12 to form a local cover 19 for each formed evaporator unit 10, wherein the sealing material 18 is applied so that the cover 19 formed by the sealing material 18 covers each heating mechanism 17 at least in an edge area on at least one upper side O of the flexible conductor circuit board material 11 while retaining an exposed heating surface 20, and at least the outer surface of the cover 19 pointing away from the flexible conductor circuit board material 11 and / or the heating mechanism 17 forms a sealing surface 21.

[0086] Using each or one or every evaporator unit installation location 12 also explicitly includes, for example, that only every second evaporator unit installation location 12 or only defect-free evaporator unit installation locations 12 are processed. This means each desired or selected or to-be-produced evaporator unit installation location 12. Ideally, for particularly high efficiency, virtually all evaporator unit installation locations 12 can be processed without exception. In step a), the provision of the flexible conductor circuit board material 11 can be carried out in various ways (see the following description for this). The flexible conductor circuit board material 11 can already be provided in a pre-structured manner, or it can also be pre-structured after provision and before further processing, i.e., during the manufacturing process of the evaporator unit 10. In step b), the heating means 17 can already be connected, for example, if the heating means 17 is a film heater, while the heating means 17 can also be connected during the manufacturing process, for example, if the heating means 17 is a silicon chip. The or each heating element 17 can be arranged on both sides of the flexible printed circuit board material 11, for example, only on the top side or only on the bottom side, wherein the top side and bottom side can ultimately be interchanged, since the assignment depends on how the flexible printed circuit board material 11 is ultimately held / transported or how the evaporator unit 10 formed thereon is ultimately assembled, or can be arranged on both sides with feedthroughs. In the edge region, this means that the heating element 17 is sealed all around in such a way that a fluid connection between the top side O and the bottom side U of the flexible printed circuit board material 11 is excluded adjacent to the heating surface 20.

[0087] The flexible conductor board material 11 as a substrate can be, for example, a single-width (and hereinafter also referred to as an endless strip) strip 11.1 (see in particular FIG. 3 ) or a single-width endless strip (see, for example Figures 5 to 7 ), which is stored in coils or other storage containers and is continuously or intermittently unwound or unrolled in the transport direction T for further processing. To transport the endless strip 11.1, it has a pre-punched portion 15 on at least one side edge 22, but preferably on both side edges 22, 23, into which transport means, for example, in the form of transport pins, drive wheels, etc., can be inserted. The flexible conductive circuit board material 11 serving as the substrate can also be divided or separated, for example, into sections containing one or more evaporator unit installation locations 12, and these sections can be stored and transported in cassettes, boxes, etc.

[0088] In addition to the pre-punched portions / recesses 15 caused by transport, the flexible conductive circuit board material 11 can have further pre-punched portions 16, i.e., recesses or openings, at each evaporator unit installation location 12 of an evaporator unit 10. Specifically, this is particularly true in cases where a separately equipped heating device 17 is used for the evaporator unit 10. In these cases, the pre-punched portions 16 serve as through-openings 41 at each evaporator unit installation location 12, which enable a connection between the reservoir and the air flow channel via the evaporator unit 10, as discussed further below. If the heating device 17 is an integral component of the flexible conductive circuit board material 11, for example, as a film heater, a microstructured area 92 can optionally be provided that is liquid-permeable. Further pre-punched portions 24 ensure that the sealing material 18 can flow from the upper side to the lower side, or vice versa. The pre-punched portions 24 can also be used to pre-detach the evaporator unit 10 from the flexible conductive circuit board material 11 in sections.

[0089] Each evaporator unit mounting location 12 also includes at least two first conductor tracks 13, 14 for electrically contacting the heating device 17. Not only the first conductor tracks 13, 14, but also the pre-punched portions 15, 16 assigned to the flexible conductor board material 11 at one or each side edge 22, 23 and each evaporator unit mounting location 12 are pre-structured or pre-structured so that they adapt to the pre-defined structure / pre-defined layout of the first conductor tracks 13, 14 and pre-punched portions 15, 16, 24 to the evaporator unit 10 to be manufactured. Ultimately, the number of evaporator unit mounting locations 12 on an endless strip 11.1 can be arbitrary and the arrangement / pattern can vary, as can the layout of the evaporator unit mounting locations 12. However, preferably, all evaporator unit mounting locations 12 are configured uniformly on the endless strip 11.1.

[0090] For the case where the flexible conductor circuit board material 11 comprises a heating device 17 integrated into the flexible conductor circuit board material 11 for forming a heating surface 20 at each evaporator unit installation location 12 (see, for example, Figure 5 ), the implementation of step a) compulsorily and simultaneously also results in the implementation of step b), so that at least one intermediate step method is obtained in combination with step c).

[0091] Steps a) and b) can be carried out one after the other for the case where the heating means 17 are not integrally formed with the flexible conductor board material 11 (see the following description), so that at least a three-step method is obtained in combination with step c). In the latter case, the equipment of each evaporator unit installation location 12 with at least one heating means 17 is carried out, for example, by means of an automatic SMT equipment of the upper side O of the flexible conductor board material 11 (see the following description). Figure 3.3 The upper side is also referred to as the contact side. Each evaporator unit installation location 12 is at least partially covered with a sealing material 18, at least from the upper side O of the flexible conductor board material 11. For this purpose, the method "film-assisted molding" known in principle in the art is particularly preferably used, so that each heating element 17 is covered all around at least in the edge region, wherein the sealing material 18 preferably reaches as closely as possible to the active actual heating surface 20 (see according to Figure 3.5 ), the heating surface remains free of sealing material 18 to ensure liquid / steam transport through the heating mechanism. Figure 6 The figure shows, by way of example, the top side O of a strip 11.1 made of flexible printed circuit board material 11 with multiple evaporator unit installation locations 12 after step c). In the case of partially or completely covering / enclosing / surrounding the evaporator unit installation locations 12, at least one, preferably two, layers of film are first placed into a defined molded part, where they are pressed against the inner side of the molded part, for example, by means of a vacuum. This is before the endless strip 11.1 is introduced and preferably silicone is conveyed as the sealing material 18 to form the cover 19. However, the use of a suitable plastic or polyimide is also conceivable. At least partially, the heating element 17 and a portion of the printed circuit board material 18 are covered or hermetically sealed at each evaporator unit installation location 12 by the cover 19. However, covering each evaporator unit installation location 12 with the sealing material 18 can also be performed from the bottom side U of the flexible printed circuit board material 11 or from both sides, for example, if the heating element 17 is placed on the bottom side.

[0092] The method steps described below introduce preferred embodiments that are considered on their own or in combination with each other. It is expressly pointed out that the improvements and method steps summarized in the description and / or the figures or described in the common embodiments can also improve the method and the components obtained therefrom without any functional restrictions.

[0093] Preferably, in step a), a flexible conductor circuit board material 11 is provided, for example, Figure 5a, wherein at least one RFID chip mounting location 101 for an RFID chip 102 is formed in the area of each evaporator unit mounting location 12 for an individual evaporator unit 10, and the flexible conductor track material 11 is prestructured or prestructured with respect to the positioning and / or course of predetermined second conductor track tracks 103, 104 serving as RFID antennas 105. Figure 5a In the embodiment, the RFID chip mounting location 101 forms a connection location for another electronic component, such as an (RF) ID chip 102. Figure 5a It is also schematically shown that the RFID antenna 105 is arranged or formed on the bottom / back side of the flexible printed circuit board material 11 with corresponding plated-through holes 150 on the top side.

[0094] The flexible conductor track material 11 can be pre-structured in various ways with respect to the additional RFID chip mounting locations 101 for the RFID chip 102 and their electrical or radio connections. The RFID antenna 105 can be formed as a coil for the first conductor track tracks 13, 14 of the heating device 17. Alternatively, however, the independent second conductor track tracks 103, 104 can form a coil as the RFID antenna 105. Multiple conductor track tracks can also be pre-structured to form a receiving antenna (receiving coil) on the one hand and a transmitting antenna (transmitting coil) on the other. Communication between the RFID antenna(s) and the RFID chip can occur electrically or via electromagnetic coupling, as can the voltage supply for the RFID chip. The pre-structured RFID antennas can preferably be arranged and configured in parallel with one another and at a small distance apart. Particularly preferably, the flexible conductor track material 11 is pre-structured or pre-structured in an optional manner, at least with predetermined conductor track positions and / or orientations and / or pre-punched sections for each RFID chip mounting location 101, for the electronic connection of at least the RFID chip 102.

[0095] RFID chip 102 can be an integral component of pre-structured flexible conductor track material 11. If RFID chip 102 is a separate structural component, in step k), RFID chip 102 is provided and positioned on each RFID chip mounting location 101. This step can correspond to step h) described further below and can be performed before, in conjunction with, or after step b). Preferably, RFID chip 102 is provided and positioned so as to be selectively connected or connectable to the conductor track. The RFID chip 102 is selectively connected or connectable to the second conductor track 103, 104 forming the RFID antenna 105 on each RFID chip mounting location 101, specifically electrically or via electromagnetic coupling.

[0096] Furthermore, the method steps described above in conjunction with the heating device 17 apply accordingly to the RFID chip 102 and the RFID antenna 105. Optionally, in step c), in addition to partially covering each evaporator unit installation location 12 for the heating device 17, the RFID chip installation location 101 for the RFID chip 102 is also covered with the sealing material 18, forming a sealing surface. In other words, the RFID chip 102 is protected from the environment by the sealing material 18.

[0097] As already briefly indicated, providing the flexible conductor circuit board material 11 in step a) can optionally be carried out by unwinding the flexible conductor circuit board material 11 stored or stored on a coil or by conveying a section of the flexible conductor circuit board material 11 stored in a cassette or the like.

[0098] Preferably, in step c), each evaporator unit installation location 12 and each RFID chip installation location 101 is at least partially enclosed with a sealing material 18 in such a manner that a sealing surface 21 is formed on the outer surface of the housing 19, not only on the upper side O of the flexible conductor board material 11, but also on the lower side U opposite the upper side O, for connection to the components of the inhaler 100 that enclose the evaporator unit 10 without an additional sealing agent (see the following description). In other words, each evaporator unit installation location 12 and each RFID chip installation location 101 is enclosed from both sides of the endless strip 11.1, for example, by surrounding injection molding of the upper side O and the lower side U, or by surrounding injection molding only from the upper side O, wherein the sealing material 18 reaches the lower side U through a pre-punched portion 24 on each evaporator unit installation location 12 and each RFID chip installation location 101. The sealing surface 21 is preferably partially or completely defined and reproducible. Figure 7 , the bottom side U of an endless strip 11.1 made of flexible conductor circuit board material 11 with a plurality of evaporator unit mounting locations 12 is shown by way of example after step c). The pre-punched portion 24 also serves to make it possible to separate each evaporator unit 10 from the flexible conductor circuit board material 11 as simply as possible. In addition to the two connecting tabs 70, a pre-punched portion 24 is preferably formed around each evaporator unit mounting location 12 and each RFID chip mounting location 101. Obviously, only one tab 70 or more than two tabs 70 can also be provided. However, the pre-punched portion 24 for subsequent separation can also be completely or partially omitted. In this case, the pre-punched portion 24 is only provided when the sealing material 18 is to enclose the substrate.

[0099] For the case where the heating means 17 are not an integral component of the flexible conductor circuit board material 11, but the flexible conductor circuit board material 11 can be equipped with each heating means 17 independently, as already briefly shown above, step b) comprises: as step b1), at least on the contact surface 26 of the first conductor track 13, 14 at each evaporator unit installation location 12 (see Figure 3.2 ) applying electrical contact material 25 to the upper side O of the flexible conductor circuit board material 11; as step b2), placing the at least one heating means 17 in the region of each evaporator unit installation location 12 in such a way that the pre-punched portion 16 connecting the upper side O and the lower side U of the flexible conductor circuit board material 11 (which pre-punched portion will later form the through-opening of the evaporator unit 10) is completely covered by one or each heating means 17 (see according to Figure 3.3 ); and as step b3), an electrical connection is formed between the heating means 17 and the first conductor track 13, 14 at each evaporator unit installation location 12. The first production station provides a prefabricated endless strip with first conductor track 13, 14 and pre-punched parts 15, 16, 24 (see according to Figure 3.1 Afterwards, at a second production station, sintering paste is applied, for example, to the contact surfaces 26. Each heating element 17 is then received, positioned, and lowered / placed on the contact surfaces 26, which have been wetted with sintering paste, by an automated assembly system so that the pre-punched portion 16 forming the through-opening is completely covered by the heating element 17. A sintering process, for example, performed in a sintering press, creates a permanent electrical connection between the heating element 17 and the first conductor tracks 13, 14, thereby additionally securing the heating element 17 to the flexible conductive board material 11. Particularly preferably, each heating element 17 is electrically connected to the first conductor tracks 13, 14 of the flexible conductive board material 11 by direct contact via silver sintering. Steps b1) and b2) can also be combined by equipping the heating element 17, for example, with a film provided with the contact material 25, so that the heating element 17, when fully pressed and placed on the contact surface 26, virtually "carries" the contact material 25. Alternatively, any of the other above-described methods is suitable for producing an electrical connection between the first conductor tracks 13, 14 and the heating element 17. Finally, the heating element 17 can also be prefabricated with the contact material 25, for example by having the silicon chips already coated with the contact material 25 on the wafer.

[0100] In the case where the RFID chip 102 can be equipped independently, step k) includes: as step k1), applying electrical contact material 25 to the upper side O of the flexible conductor track material 11 at least on the contact surface of the conductor track at each RFID chip mounting location 101; as step k2), placing at least one RFID chip 102 in the area of each RFID chip mounting location 101; and as step k3), establishing an electrical connection between the RFID chip 102 and the conductor track at each RFID chip mounting location 101. As already described above, the electrical contact material can optionally also be applied directly to the contacts of the RFID chip in step k1), wherein the RFID chip prepared in this way is then placed on the RFID chip mounting location 101.

[0101] Previously, the method was described with respect to a case where the heating mechanism 17 is placed on and connected to the upper side of the flexible conductor circuit board material 11. Optionally and accordingly, the placement and connection can also be on the lower side. There is also the possibility of placing the heating mechanism 17 on the upper side, wherein the electrical contact portion, i.e., for example, the first conductor track 13, 14, is arranged on the lower side. A pre-punched portion 24 in the area of the electrical contact portion of the heating mechanism 17 connects the upper side and the lower side, so that a contact material 25 is applied in the area of the pre-punched portion 24, which, after step b3), establishes a connection between the heating mechanism 17 on the upper side and the first conductor track 13, 14 on the lower side. The corresponding situation applies to each RFID chip 102.

[0102] The following listing of steps d) to h) and k) does not imply a mandatory sequence of these steps. Rather, steps d) to h) and k) can be carried out in almost any order. Particularly preferably, step k) is carried out directly before or after step b).

[0103] After step c), the endless strip 11.1 can be wound again, for example, so that a roll-to-roll process can be used to produce the evaporator units 10. This means that a roll with wound flexible conductor circuit board material 11 is initially provided in step a). Subsequently, a plurality of evaporator units 10 are formed thereon in steps b) and c). Finally, the flexible conductor circuit board material 11 can be wound again / rewound in step e) for further use, for example, for transport, storage, etc. Once the sections of the flexible conductor circuit board material 11 have been processed, they can, for example, be transferred to a cassette or the like in step e) for further use.

[0104] When covering or enclosing the evaporator unit installation location 12 with the sealing material 18, so-called potting sites, or material splices, are produced by the process. These potting sites, or material splices, are formed during the pouring, injection, or other processing of the sealing material 18. Preferably, after step c), the potting sections of the sealing material 18 produced when covering or enclosing the evaporator unit installation location 12 with the sealing material 18 are removed in step d). Removal can also occur later, for example, when separating the individual evaporator units 10 therefrom. Rewinding can, as already mentioned, be performed after step c), and optionally after any other subsequent steps. Winding can optionally even be performed after step b). Accordingly, the flexible conductor circuit board material 11 provided with a plurality of finished, sealed evaporator units 10 can be wound onto a coil, preferably for the first time or again in step e), without potting sections for further use. The same applies to using sections of the flexible conductor circuit board material 11 in a cassette or similar device.

[0105] The produced, sealed (i.e., provided with sealing surfaces 21) evaporator units 10 (which are combined with other components of the inhaler 100 / are sealed by assembly with these other components without additional sealing means) are separated from the flexible conductor circuit board material 11 in step f) for further use. For separation, the wound flexible conductor circuit board material 11 provided with the evaporator units 10 can be unwound again at a later point in time, for example, at the assembly position for the evaporator units 10. This separation can be performed, for example, by punching, cutting, etc. It can also be performed directly after step d), for example, to produce palletized goods or bulk goods.

[0106] To complete each evaporator unit 10, in step g), at least one mandrel member 27 is placed on the upper side O of the flexible conductor board material 11, at least on a portion of the free heating surface 20 of the heating element 17, at each evaporator unit installation location 12. The mandrel member 27 can be, for example, a ceramic block, a glass fiber mat, a cotton mat, or constructed in another integral manner and placed, for example, together with step b) or after step b) in any order of steps. The joint placement in step b) is particularly preferred when the mandrel member 27 and the heating element 17 form a composite body. However, the mandrel member 27 can also be placed after step c), step d), or step f). In another embodiment in which the mandrel member 27 is a pellet mandrel member 27, for example, the pellets can be loosely packed, after separation, into a recess 28 formed in the housing 19, where the heating surface 20 of the heating element 17 is exposed. By combining / assembling (see record below for this purpose) with another component of inhaler 100, mandrel mechanism 27 can then for example be fixed by bonding or other connection technology. Mandrel mechanism 27 can also be placed and / or fixed on the side opposite to heating mechanism 17 in other embodiments. Heating mechanism 17 and mandrel mechanism 27 all need not be forced to be arranged on one side, and especially also need not be forced to be arranged on the upper side.

[0107] Optionally, in step h), which may correspond to step k), at least one additional electronic component may be placed in the area of each evaporator unit installation location 12, preferably together with step b2) or k2). However, step h) may also be performed before or after step b2) or k2). Before step h), preferably together with steps b1) and k1), contact material 25 is applied to the upper side O and / or lower side U of the flexible conductive board material 11 on the contact surfaces 26 of the first conductor tracks 13, 14 on each evaporator unit installation location 12. After step h), preferably together with step b3) or k3), an electrical connection is established between the or each additional electronic component and the first conductor tracks 13, 14 on each evaporator unit installation location 12. This may be the first conductor tracks 13, 14 of the heating device 17. However, the electronic components may also be electrically contacted at / on their own conductor tracks. Electronic components can be placed on the side and / or on the opposite side of the heating element 17. One or each additional electronic component, such as an ID chip, sensor, or other electronic component, can be partially or completely covered or enclosed by the sealing material 18. This can be done, for example, in step c). It is also possible to completely or partially enclose the electronic components with the same sealing material 18 or another material in a separate step.

[0108] Each heating mechanism 17 and / or each RFID chip 102 and / or each electronic component, in particular each ID chip, is electrically connected to the first conductor track 13, 14 or another contact surface of the flexible conductor circuit board material 11 using one or more methods from the following (non-final) items: direct contact with the aid of silver sintering, eutectic bonding, conductive adhesive bonding, anisotropic conductive adhesive bonding, Velcro welding, Velcro sintering, soldering, welding. In particular, the RFID chip and other electronic components can optionally also be connected to the first conductor track 13, 14 of the flexible conductor circuit board material 11 by means of wire bonding. To this end, the electronic component (RFID chip, etc.) is fixed to the flexible conductor circuit board material 11 using a non-conductive adhesive and then connected.

[0109] In a modified embodiment of the present method, for example, in step c), when covering or enclosing each evaporator unit installation location 12, at least one (preferably tab-like) section of the air flow channel 30 can be formed on the lower side U of the flexible conductor circuit board material 11 at each evaporator unit installation location 12 by and / or using the sealing material 18 (see, for example, FIG. Figure 7 ). Here, the section 29 forms part of the wall of the air flow channel 30 to be formed. The forming of the partial air flow channel 30 or the completely constructed air flow channel 30 can also be carried out in a separate step with a material different from the sealing material 18. In another embodiment, a tubular prefabricated section 31 (also called a tube section 31) as a partial air flow channel 30 can be placed on the lower side U of the flexible conductor circuit board material 11 at each evaporator unit installation location 12 and enclosed and then fixed with the help of an additional sealing material 32 (see Figure 2 and 10 As previously mentioned, a seal and / or air flow channel section may be formed on the underside U of the flexible conductor circuit board material 11 before / during / after step c). The sealing and / or flow function of the evaporator unit 10 is described in further detail below in conjunction with assembly.

[0110] At least the steps a) to c) are carried out one after the other on their own or the same production station of a production line 33 in such a way that in each step a plurality of evaporator unit mounting positions 12 and a plurality of RFID chip mounting positions 101 are processed or can be processed simultaneously on each production station 34 to 39. For example, there is the option of carrying out sintering for producing electrical connections and enclosing with a sealing material 18 in / at the production station. At the same time, in the sense of the present invention this means that the same steps are carried out on a plurality of evaporator unit mounting positions 12 and a plurality of RFID chip mounting positions 101 or that a plurality of / different steps are carried out on a plurality of evaporator unit mounting positions 12 and a plurality of RFID chip mounting positions 101. However, it is particularly preferred that the entire manufacturing process of the evaporator unit 10 is carried out in a common production line 33 using a plurality of production stations 34 to 39. An exemplary production line 33 is schematically illustrated in FIG. At the production station 34 (according to Figure 3.1 In step a), one or each coil of the flexible conductor circuit board material 11 is stored and provided for unwinding or, if necessary, for active unwinding. At a production station 35, for example, a screen printing robot, in step b1) or k1) electrical contact material 25 (according to Figure 3.2 ). On a production station 36, such as an SMT equipment automation device, in step b2) or k2) one or each heating mechanism 17 or one or each RFID chip 102 (according to Figure 3.3 At the production station 37, for example a sintering press, a direct electrical contact is formed in step b3) or k3) (according to Figure 3.4 At the production station 38, for example, a film-assisted molding robot, in step c), each evaporator unit installation location 12 and a plurality of RFID chip installation locations 101 (according to Figure 3.5 ). At a production station 39, for example a punching robot, in step f) a plurality of evaporator units 10 are separated by separating / detaching them from the flexible conductor board material 11 (according to Figure 3.6 ( ) To produce the evaporator unit 10, a flexible, pre-structured flexible conductor circuit board material 11, preferably made of polyimide, is unwound from a supply roll as an endless strip in one example and transported continuously or intermittently through a production line 33 comprising a plurality of production stations 34 to 39. In another example, sections of the flexible conductor circuit board material 11 are transported through the production line, for example in cassettes. Alternatively, however, all of the contact methods already described above can also be used during the production process. Two or more production lines 33 can also be provided.

[0111] The following describes a purely exemplary preferred process sequence / step order. The flexible conductor circuit board material 11 is provided on a coil. The flexible conductor circuit board material 11 is unwound on a first production line 33. The flexible conductor circuit board material 11 is printed with sintering paste using a stencil printing method at the location where the heating device 17 will later be placed. After checking the printed image, the heating device 17 is placed using an SMT placer, i.e., a pick-and-place device. Next, the flexible conductor circuit board material 11 is dried from below using a heating plate. Sintering is carried out using a heated punch from above onto the same plate. Next, the prepared flexible conductor circuit board material 11 is wound up again.

[0112] The aforementioned sequence of steps can be repeated on another production line 33 with a corresponding structure or, if necessary, on the same production line 33 with an adaptation program for printing and placing at least one (RF)ID chip, so that the flexible conductor circuit board material 11 equipped with a heating mechanism 17 and an (RF)ID chip 102 is then provided in a wound manner.

[0113] The flexible conductor circuit board material 11 prepared and equipped in this manner can then be further processed in an additional, preferably independent production line due to lower production capacity, wherein one or each additional production line is configured as a FAM line (film assisted molding). The prefabricated flexible conductor circuit board material 11 can be unwound in the FAM line or FAM equipment. After unwinding, the connection point / installation point, including the heating mechanism 17 and the (RF) ID chip 102, is enclosed with silicone. After the casting residue is separated, the flexible conductor circuit board material 11 is rewound.

[0114] This process sequence describes only a selected example, which can be varied almost arbitrarily.

[0115] The present method is used to manufacture separate evaporator units 10 (see for example Figure 4 ). The evaporator units 10 according to the invention as components of the inhaler 100 are characterized in that they have the following components: a conductor circuit board section 40 made of a flexible conductor circuit board material 11, wherein the conductor circuit board section 40 includes: at least two first conductor track tracks 13, 14; a through opening 41, which connects the upper side O of the conductor circuit board section 40 with the lower side U of the conductor circuit board section 40; a heating mechanism 17, which completely covers the through opening 41 from the upper side O and is in electrical contact with the first conductor track tracks 13, 14; and a cover 19 made of a sealing material 18, which at least partially covers the conductor circuit board section 40 and the heating mechanism 17 while leaving the heating surface 20 exposed and is provided with a sealing surface 21 outwardly. A schematic view from Figure 4However, the conductor track section 40 can comprise an integrated heating mechanism 17 instead of the through-opening 41, which has a region 92 of the microstructure and is electrically connected to the first conductor track tracks 13, 14 (see Figure 5 Technically, a heating device 17 also functions in the same manner, for example, which completely covers the through-opening 41 from the bottom side U and is in electrical contact with the first conductor tracks 13 , 14 .

[0116] exist Figure 1a ), 1b) and 2 show enlarged views of a preferred embodiment of the evaporator unit 10 in cross section, wherein a wick arrangement 27 is placed on the heating surface 20. FIG. 1 shows a basic variant without an air flow channel 30. The passage of the generated steam in the direction of the flow channel 30 is ensured via the through-opening 41 and the liquid-permeable heating element 17. Figure 2 In the embodiment, a prefabricated tube section 31 for forming an air flow channel 30 with an evaporator unit 10 is constructed on the lower side U of the conductor track section 40, wherein the tube section 31 is connected to the evaporator unit 10 by means of an additional sealing material 32. An opening 42 in the sealing material 32 is provided above the core rod mechanism 27 so that the core rod mechanism 27 is exposed in the direction of the storage tank to establish a fluid connection with the storage tank. The tube section 31 has an opening 55 in the area of the heating mechanism 17 and the through-opening 41 so as to enable the evaporated liquid to be discharged into the air flow channel 30. Alternatively, the air flow channel 30 can also be partially or completely formed by the sealing material 18. In a partial construction scheme, the evaporator unit 10 can have, for example Figure 7 2. These web-shaped sections 29 form a partial wall portion of an air flow channel 30 which is not completely closed in the circumferential direction and which interacts with walls or surfaces or the like of other components (e.g. the inner geometry of an adapter plug, an evaporator cartridge or the like) and thus forms an air flow channel 30 which is completely closed in the circumferential direction.

[0117] In all of the embodiments of the evaporator unit 10 described herein, the electrical connection between the heating means 17 and the first conductor tracks 13, 14 can be direct or indirect. In the case of direct contact, at least a portion of the first conductor tracks 13, 14 that are to be in electrical contact with or in contact with the heating means 17 is arranged on the same side of the conductor track section 40 as the heating means 17. In this case, the electrical contact is established using the method described herein in conjunction with the present invention. In the case of indirect contact, a portion of the first conductor tracks 13, 14 that are to be in electrical contact with or in contact with the heating means 17 is arranged on the lower side of the conductor track section 40 opposite the side on which the heating means 17 is or is to be arranged. In this case, the electrical contact between the heating means 17 and the first conductor tracks 13, 14, i.e., the connection, is established through the conductor track section 40. Accordingly, these contacts are not shown or visible in the illustrated embodiment.

[0118] To establish contact, one or more openings can be provided in the conductor track section 40, in which an electrically conductive material is arranged, which establishes an electrical connection between the heating device 17 and the first conductor track traces 13, 14. Alternatively, during the prefabrication of the flexible conductor track material 11, an electrical connection can be provided that extends from one side of the flexible conductor track material 11 to the other, or from the upper side O to the lower side U. This allows contact points to be present on the side opposite the first conductor track traces 13, 14, via which the heating device 17 can be electrically connected. In this case, electrical contact is also established using the method described herein in conjunction with the present invention.

[0119] In a preferred embodiment, the conductor track section 40 includes at least one RFID chip 102 and at least one RFID antenna 105. The RFID antenna 105 can be formed by the wall of the heating element 17. Preferably, one or each RFID antenna 105 is formed by its own second conductor track 103, 104. The RFID antenna 105 and the heating element 17 can be arranged or constructed on the same side of the conductor track section 40 or on opposite sides. Preferably, the RFID antenna 105 can be arranged on the conductor track section 40 in such a way that it encloses the heating element 17 in the plane of the conductor track section 40 within the inner area enclosed by it. The position and / or location and / or orientation of one or each RFID antenna 105 with respect to the heating element 17, the position and / or location of the RFID chip 102, and the number of RFID chips 102 can vary. Data transmission can optionally be performed wirelessly. For this purpose, for example, the RFID chip 102 can include an antenna.

[0120] The conductor track section 40 of the evaporator unit 10 is preferably formed from polyimide, although other flexible substrate materials can also be used. Particularly preferably, a doped silicon chip serving as the heating element 17 is electrically connected to the first conductor tracks 13 , 14 via direct contact using silver sintering. Other components, particularly MEMS components (micro-electromechanical components) made essentially of silicon or comprising silicon or p-doped or n-doped silicon, which are designed to be liquid-permeable, can also be used as the heating element 17. In particular, a so-called film evaporator / film heater can also be used as the heating element 17. The conductor track section 40 and the silicon chip are at least partially encapsulated by silicone or polyimide, which, on the one hand, mechanically holds the silicon chip in place and, on the other hand, forms a preferably defined sealing surface 21 toward the outside. Instead of silicone, other materials, particularly those processable using film-assisted molding methods, which act as a seal in the processed state, can also be used. Examples of other materials processable using film-assisted molding methods are polyimide or plastic.

[0121] In a preferred development, a section of the first conductor track 13, 14 embedded in the flexible conductor board material 11 is bendably extended from the enclosure 19 formed by the sealing material 18 to form a resilient contact portion 43. By bending the extended section, for example, by 90°, a space-saving contacting possibility of the first conductor track 13, 14 can be achieved. Figure 1a ) describes this embodiment, in which the elastic contact portion 43 has not yet been bent. Figure 1b ) describes the resilient contact portion 43 in the bent state. As further illustrated by the preferred embodiment of the evaporator unit 10, particularly in Figures 1 and 2, and 8 to 11, the heating surface 20 on the upper side O is at least partially, but preferably completely, covered by the mandrel structure 27. As previously mentioned, the mandrel structure 27 can have various mounting configurations and be made of various materials. Alternatively, the mandrel structure 27 can also be arranged on the lower side, provided that during assembly, the path from mandrel structure 27 - heating structure 17 - air flow channel 30 is maintained during the fluid connection.

[0122] The evaporator unit 10 is particularly preferably manufactured using the method according to the present invention. The evaporator unit 10 or each evaporator unit 10 can be stored in coils or cartridges, or used, stored, and inserted as individual parts, replacement parts, or replacements. However, the evaporator unit 10 is preferably a component of an evaporator assembly 44, which itself is a component of the inhaler 100. The evaporator assembly 44 comprises the evaporator unit 10, preferably according to the present invention, and an adapter plug 45, into which the evaporator unit 10 is inserted. In the functional state, i.e., in the assembled state, the evaporator unit 10 or its housing 19 rests at least partially, with the outer surface of the housing 19, in an at least partially sealing manner against the inner geometry of the adapter plug 45. The assembly, which involves simply pushing the evaporator unit 10 into the adapter plug 45, results in a sealed unit, wherein the fluid connection exists solely via the path from opening 47 in the adapter plug 45 - mandrel mechanism 27 - heating mechanism 17 - through-opening 41 - opening 48. In other words, the liquid in the reservoir 62 of the evaporator cartridge 59 can reach the first section 50 of the air flow channel 30 and further into the air flow channel 30 only via the aforementioned path (after prior evaporation at or in the heating mechanism 17 ).

[0123] exist Figure 8 A preferred embodiment of the evaporator structural assembly 44 is shown in . In this embodiment, the evaporator unit 10 is inserted into a receiving portion 46, a pocket, etc. of an adapter plug 45. The receiving portion 46 has an opening 47 for establishing a fluid connection with the storage tank. The receiving portion 46 also has an opening 48 facing the air flow channel 30. The evaporator unit 10 with its core rod mechanism 27 and its heating mechanism 17 is placed between these openings 47, 48, so that the liquid from the storage tank is forced to flow through the evaporator unit 10 in the direction of the air flow channel 30 and can be evaporated by the evaporator unit 10 in the direction of the air flow channel 30. Optionally, a plug insert 90 can also be provided as a component of the evaporator structural assembly 44, which plug insert is constructed and arranged to fix / maintain the elastic contact portion 43 in a bent position. In Figure 8a 1 shows an embodiment in which an RFID chip 102 is provided in addition to the heating device 17. In addition to or as an alternative to the RFID chip 102, at least one other ID chip or another electronic component can be provided.

[0124] However, the evaporator unit 10 can also be connected in another manner in a form-fitting and / or force-fitting manner to the adapter plug 45 in a sealed manner. Figure 7 The sealing material 18 of the cover 19 of the evaporator unit 10 uses the sealing surface 21 to position the evaporator unit 10 relative to the Figure 8 The adapter plug 45 in the evaporator unit is sealed so that, without additional sealing means, liquid is effectively prevented from flowing out between the evaporator unit 10 and the adapter plug 45. The adapter plug 45 optionally preferably has a flange-shaped cover section 49, which is designed and provided, for example, as a stop and / or cover for the reservoir.

[0125] The evaporator subassembly 44 comprises at least one first section 50 of the air flow duct 30 , which is formed by the evaporator unit 10 and / or the adapter plug 45 . Figure 8 and 9 In the embodiment, the first section 50 is formed by the adapter plug 45 in such a way that the air flow channel 30 is bounded and formed by the wall 51 of the receiving portion 46 and the wall 52 of the first section 50. However, the first section 50 can also be formed partially or completely by the evaporator unit 10. As already described above, the evaporator unit 10 can be formed as follows. Figure 7 As shown in FIG, it has web-shaped sections 29 made of sealing material 28 on its underside. These web-shaped sections 29 form channel sections that are only partially closed along the circumference in the form of an "open variant" alone, and only in the assembled state together with the adapter plug 45 form an air flow channel 30 that is closed all around with a wall 52, but open and continuous towards the two top sides 52, 54. In the case of, for example Figure 2 In another embodiment, the evaporator unit 10 is provided separately with a tube section 31 in a "closed variant" to form part of the air flow channel 30. As already explained above, the tube section 31 can be secured to the evaporator unit 10 using a second material 32, preferably a sealing material. The tube section 31 can optionally be securely and permanently connected to the evaporator unit 10, for example, by adhesive bonding. The wall 52 then serves solely as a sealing surface for the evaporator unit 10. The tube section 31, as a prefabricated air flow channel element, can be formed from sheet material, ceramic, silicone, polyimide, plastic, or another material, preferably from an endless strip profile. The cross-sectional shape can vary, with a circular cross-section being preferred. However, it can also be, for example, semicircular, square, or rectangular. In particular, if the tube section is made from sheet material, the tube section 31 can have profile variations in its cross section, such as in the form of a crimp, to controllably influence the air flow in the air flow channel 30.

[0126] The tube section 31 and / or the first section 50 of the air flow channel 30 can be coupled to other sections of the air flow channel 30 of the inhaler 100 to form a continuous chimney in the inhaler 100 (see further description below). In the case where the tube section 31 is fixed to the evaporator unit 10 by means of a second sealing material 32, two circumferential sealing contours 56, 57 can be formed from the second sealing material 32, for example - similar to an O-ring - so that the evaporator unit 10 with the tube section 31 can be directly inserted in a sealing manner into the second section 58 of the air flow channel 30 of the evaporator cartridge 59 to form a chimney 60, wherein the inner diameter of the second section 58 is at least partially / section-wise larger than the outer diameter of the evaporator unit 10 including the connected tube section 31 (see in particular Figure 10 The assembled evaporator assembly 44 with the evaporator unit 10 or the evaporator unit 10 separates the aerosol-generating section (storage tank—upper side of the evaporator unit) from the aerosol-conducting section (lower side of the evaporator unit—air flow channel) by sealing contours 56, 57. However, it is also conceivable that the inner diameter of the second section 58 is at least partially / section-wise smaller than the outer diameter of the evaporator unit 10 including the connected pipe section 31.

[0127] Accordingly, the evaporator assembly 44 or the evaporator unit 10 is preferably a component of the evaporator cartridge 59 as a component of the inhaler 100 (see in particular Figure 9 and 10 The evaporator cartridge 59 comprises: a hollow body 61 having at least one second section 58 of the air flow channel 30; a reservoir tank 62 for storing liquid; and an evaporator assembly 44 preferably according to the present invention, wherein the evaporator assembly 44 is sealedly connected to the hollow body 61 and the reservoir tank 62, so that the first section 50 or the tube section 31 of the air flow channel 30 of the evaporator assembly 44 and the second section 58 of the air flow channel 30 of the hollow body 61 form a common air flow channel 30 or the chimney 60 that is sealed toward the reservoir liquid, and the reservoir tank 62 has at least one inlet opening 63 for the air flow channel 30 (for example in the form of a Figure 9 The opening 47 in the form of Figure 10 The evaporator unit 10 is placed in the region of the inlet opening. Figure 9The connection of the chimney 60 in the housing can be carried out, for example, by means of a press fit. However, it is also conceivable to arrange a sealing element in the connection area between the first section 50 and the second section 58, which is configured to provide a liquid-tight transition between the first section 50 and the second section 58. Such elements can be constructed, for example, from silicone, polyimide, rubber or another suitable elastic and sealing material. Such elements can exist, for example, in the form of a sealing ring or a sealing sleeve, a sealing bushing or a transition piece. In this form, the transition piece can be configured in the form of a cylinder and be in sealing engagement with the first section 50 in the area of the first top end side of the cylinder and in sealing engagement with the second section 58 in the area of the second top end side of the cylinder. Figure 10 In the embodiment, the second section 58 is shaped so as to converge in the direction of the mouthpiece 80 in order to provide an air flow channel 30 / chimney 60 which is as transition-free as possible.

[0128] In accordance with Figure 9 In the embodiment of the invention, the cover section 49 of the evaporator assembly 44 closes the reservoir 62 in a liquid-tight manner. This results in an evaporator cartridge 44 that is sealed relative to the environment to prevent the escape of liquid, which, on the one hand, provides a continuous air flow channel 30 for the aerosol-laden air flow for inhalation, wherein the air flow channel 30 is sealed against unwanted ingress of liquid from the reservoir 62, and, on the other hand, establishes a fluid connection between the reservoir 62 and the air flow channel 30 in such a way that the liquid from the reservoir 62 can reach / be transported to the region of the evaporator unit 10 and the vapor generated from the liquid in or at the evaporator unit 10 can be discharged to the air flow channel 30. Figure 10 In the embodiment of the invention, the corresponding functionality is also guaranteed. However, the storage tank 62 is sealed by a separate cover 81. The evaporator cylinder 59 can also include a mouthpiece 80. However, it is also conceivable that Figure 10 The evaporator cartridge 59 shown in FIG has Figure 8 and 9 The adapter plug 45 shown in FIG and from Figure 2 and 10 The evaporator unit 44 is mounted in the adapter plug 45. It is also conceivable that Figure 9 The evaporator cartridge 59 shown in FIG has a separate cover 81 as shown in FIG. Figure 10 In the above two cases, about Figure 9 and 10 The above provisions apply in a similar and directly transferable manner.

[0129] The present invention further relates to a kind of inhaler 100, is constructed and is provided for inhaling the steam / aerosol rich in active substance and / or aromatic substance, this inhaler comprises tube carrier 66 and according to vaporizer tube 44 of the present invention, and tube carrier comprises at least one electronic control unit 64 and energy source 65.Inhaler 100 is shown as E-cigarette.But, inhaler 100 can be used in medicine and / or treatment field only by selecting the material to be inhaled when not having any structural adaptation.Optionally, tube carrier 66 can comprise relative contact portion 91, and this relative contact portion is connected with control unit 64 and electrical energy source 65 on one side and contacts with first conductor line track 13,14 on the other side.But relative contact portion 91 also can independently for example be constructed as plug connector.

[0130] However, the evaporator unit 10 or the evaporator subassembly 44 according to the invention can also be a component of the inhaler 100, wherein the evaporator unit 10 or the evaporator subassembly 44 is arranged outside the evaporator cartridge 59, so that the evaporator subassembly 44 is a fixed component of the cartridge carrier 66 and thus forms a reusable article. Optionally, the cartridge carrier 66, the evaporator subassembly 44 and the evaporator cartridge 59, which only includes the hollow body 61 and / or the reservoir 62, can be connected to each other in a replaceable manner at different time intervals.

Claims

1. A method for producing a vaporizer unit (10) as a component of an inhaler (100), characterized in that The following steps: a) providing a flexible conductor circuit board material (11) having a plurality of evaporator unit mounting locations (12) for individual evaporator units (10), wherein the flexible conductor circuit board material (11) is optionally prestructured with at least first conductor track tracks (13, 14) predetermined in terms of positioning and / or course and / or a pre-punched portion for each evaporator unit mounting location (12); b) providing and placing at least one heating means (17) which is electrically connectable or connectable to said first conductor track (13, 14) in an optional manner at one or each evaporator unit mounting location (12); and c) using a sealing material (18) to at least partially cover each evaporator unit installation position (12) to form a local enclosure (19) for each formed evaporator unit (10), wherein the sealing material (18) is applied so that the enclosure (19) formed by the sealing material (18) covers each heating mechanism (17) at least in an edge region on the upper side (O) of the flexible conductor circuit board material (11) while leaving the heating surface (20) exposed, and at least the outer surface of the enclosure (19) pointing away from the flexible conductor circuit board material (11) and / or the heating mechanism (17) forms a sealing surface (21).

2. The method according to claim 1, characterized in that In step a), a flexible conductor circuit board material (11) is provided, wherein at least one RFID chip mounting location (101) for an RFID chip (102) is formed in the region of each evaporator unit mounting location (12) for an individual evaporator unit (10), and the flexible conductor circuit board material (11) is prestructured with respect to the positioning and / or course of predetermined second conductor track tracks (103, 104) serving as RFID antennas (105).

3. The method according to claim 2, characterized in that The flexible conductor circuit board material (11) is optionally pre-structured with at least a second conductor track predetermined in terms of positioning and / or course and / or a pre-punched portion for each RFID chip installation position (101) for electronically connecting at least the RFID chip (102).

4. The method according to claim 2 or 3, characterized in that In step k), which can be performed before, together with, or after step b), an RFID chip (102) is provided and placed on each RFID chip mounting location (101).

5. The method according to claim 4, characterized in that An RFID chip (102) is provided and placed, which is electrically connected or connectable to the second conductor track in an optional manner, wherein the RFID chip (102) is connected or connectable to the second conductor track (103, 104) forming the RFID antenna (105) in an optional manner at each RFID chip mounting location (101).

6. The method according to claim 2 or 3, characterized in that In step c), in addition to partially covering each evaporator unit installation position (12) for the heating mechanism (17), the RFID chip installation position (101) for the RFID chip (102) is also covered by the sealing material (18) while forming a sealing surface.

7. The method according to any one of claims 1 to 3, characterized in that The provision of the flexible conductor circuit board material (11) in step a) is optionally carried out by unwinding the flexible conductor circuit board material (11) stored on a coil or by conveying a section of the flexible conductor circuit board material (11) stored in a cassette.

8. The method according to any one of claims 1 to 3, characterized in that In step c), each evaporator unit mounting location (12) and each RFID chip mounting location (101) is at least partially enclosed with a sealing material (18) in such a way that a sealing surface (21) is additionally formed on the outer surface of the enclosure (19) not only on the upper side (O) of the flexible conductor circuit board material (11) but also on the lower side (U) opposite the upper side (O) for connection to a part of the inhaler (100) surrounding the evaporator unit (10) without additional sealing medium.

9. The method according to claim 8, characterized in that Step b) comprises: as step b1), applying electrical contact material (25) on the upper side (O) of the flexible conductor circuit board material (11) at least on the contact surface (26) of the first conductor track (13, 14) at each evaporator unit installation position (12); as step b2), placing at least one heating mechanism (17) in the area of each evaporator unit installation position (12) in such a way that the pre-punched portion connecting the upper side (O) to the lower side (U) of the flexible conductor circuit board material (11) is completely or partially covered by the at least one heating mechanism (17); and as step b3), forming an electrical connection between the heating mechanism (17) and the first conductor track (13, 14) at each evaporator unit installation position (12).

10. The method according to claim 4, characterized in that Step k) comprises: as step k1), applying an electrical contact material (25) on the upper side (O) of the flexible conductor circuit board material (11) at least on the contact surface of the second conductor track at each RFID chip installation position (101); as step k2), placing the at least one RFID chip (102) in the area of each RFID chip installation position (101); and as step k3), establishing an electrical connection between the RFID chip (102) and the second conductor track at each RFID chip installation position (101).

11. The method according to any one of claims 1 to 3, characterized in that After step c), in step d), the potting section of the sealing material (18) produced with the sealing material (18) when covering or enclosing the evaporator unit installation location (12) is removed.

12. The method according to claim 7, characterized in that After step c), the flexible conductor board material (11) provided with a plurality of finished evaporator units (10) is optionally wound back onto a coil or collected in a cassette for further use in step e).

13. The method according to claim 11, characterized in that After step d), the flexible conductor board material (11) provided with a plurality of finished evaporator units (10) is optionally wound back onto a coil or collected in a cassette for further use in step e).

14. The method according to any one of claims 1 to 3, characterized in that The evaporator unit (10) is separated from the flexible conductor circuit board material (11) in step f) for further use.

15. The method according to any one of claims 1 to 3, characterized in that In step g), at least one mandrel mechanism (27) is placed at each evaporator unit installation location (12) on the upper side (O) of the flexible conductor circuit board material (11) or on at least a part of the free heating surface (20) of the heating mechanism (17).

16. The method according to claim 15, characterized in that Each mandrel mechanism (27) is placed together with step b) or after step b) in any order of steps.

17. The method according to claim 8, characterized in that In step h), at least one additional electronic component is placed in the region of each evaporator unit installation location (12).

18. The method according to claim 17, characterized in that Prior to step h), electrical contact material (25) is applied to the upper side (O) and / or the lower side (U) of the flexible conductor circuit board material (11) on the contact surface (26) of the first conductor track (13, 14) at each evaporator unit installation location (12), and after step h), an electrical connection is established between an additional electronic component or each additional electronic component and the first conductor track (13, 14) at each evaporator unit installation location (12).

19. The method according to any one of claims 1 to 3, characterized in that Each heating mechanism (17) and / or each RFID chip (102) and / or each additional electronic structural component is electrically connected to the first conductor track (13, 14) of the flexible conductor circuit board material (11) by using one or more methods from the following items: direct contact by means of silver sintering, eutectic bonding, conductive bonding, anisotropic conductive bonding, Velcro welding, Velcro sintering, soldering, welding.

20. The method according to any one of claims 1 to 3, characterized in that In step c), when covering or enclosing each evaporator unit installation location (12), at least one wall section (29) of an air flow channel (30) is formed at each evaporator unit installation location (12) on the lower side (U) of the flexible conductor circuit board material (11) using the sealing material (18).

21. The method according to claim 8, characterized in that A prefabricated pipe section (31) is placed on the lower side (U) of the flexible conductor board material (11) at each evaporator unit installation location (12) as a partial air flow channel (30) and is enclosed and thus fixed by means of an additional sealing material (32).

22. The method according to any one of claims 1 to 3, characterized in that At least steps a) to c) are carried out one after the other at their own or the same production station (34 to 39) of a production line (33) in such a way that a plurality of evaporator unit installation positions (12) are processed simultaneously in each step.

23. The method according to claim 22, characterized in that The overall manufacturing process of the evaporator unit (10) is carried out on a common production line (33) using a plurality of manufacturing stations (34 to 39).

24. The method according to claim 22, characterized in that A flexible and pre-structured flexible conductor circuit board material (11) is unwound as an endless strip from a supply roll and transported continuously or discontinuously through a production line (33) comprising a plurality of production stations (34 to 39).

25. The method according to claim 24, characterized in that The flexible conductor circuit board material (11) is made of polyimide.

26. An evaporator unit (10) for use as a component of an inhaler (100), characterized in that A conductor circuit board section (40) made of a flexible conductor circuit board material (11), wherein the conductor circuit board section (40) comprises: at least two first conductor track tracks (13, 14); a through opening (41), the through opening connecting the upper side (O) of the conductor circuit board section (40) with the lower side (U) of the conductor circuit board section (40); at least one heating mechanism (17), the heating mechanism completely or partially covering the through opening (41) from the upper side (O) and electrically conductively connected to the first conductor track tracks (13, 14); and a cover (19) made of a sealing material (18), the cover at least partially covering the conductor circuit board section (40) and the heating mechanism (17) while leaving the heating surface (20) exposed, and having a sealing surface (21) facing outward.

27. The evaporator unit according to claim 26, characterized in that The conductor circuit board section (40) includes at least one RFID chip (102) and at least one RFID antenna (105).

28. The evaporator unit (10) according to claim 26 or 27, characterized in that The conductor circuit board section (40) is formed of polyimide, a doped silicon chip as a heating means (17) is electrically connected to the first conductor track (13, 14) by direct contact by means of silver sintering, and the conductor circuit board section (40) and the silicon chip are at least partially enclosed by silicone resin or polyimide, so that on the one hand the silicon chip is mechanically held and on the other hand a sealing surface (21) facing outward is formed.

29. The evaporator unit (10) according to claim 28, characterized in that The conductor track section (40) and the silicon chip are at least partially enclosed by silicone or polyimide, so that on the one hand the silicon chip is mechanically held and on the other hand an outwardly defined sealing surface (21) is formed.

30. The evaporator unit (10) according to claim 26 or 27, characterized in that First conductor track tracks (13, 14) embedded in the flexible conductor circuit board material (11) are bendably extended from a housing (19) formed by the sealing material (18) to form an elastic contact portion (43).

31. Evaporator unit (10) according to claim 26 or 27, characterized in that The heating surface (20) of the heating device (17) is at least partially covered on the upper side by the mandrel device (27).

32. The evaporator unit (10) according to claim 26 or 27, characterized in that At least one pipe section (31) of an air flow channel (30) is constructed and / or arranged on the lower side (U) of the conductor track section (40), wherein the pipe section (31) has an opening (55) pointing toward the heating device (17).

33. The evaporator unit (10) according to claim 26 or 27, characterized in that The evaporator unit is produced using the method according to any one of claims 1 to 25 .

34. An evaporator assembly (44) as a component of an inhaler (100) characterized in that An evaporator unit (10) and an adapter plug (45) according to any one of claims 26 to 33, wherein the evaporator unit (10) is inserted into the adapter plug, wherein the evaporator unit (10) or its housing (19) at least partially rests sealingly against the inner geometry of the adapter plug (45) with the outer surface of the housing (19).

35. The evaporator structural assembly (44) according to claim 34, characterized in that The evaporator assembly comprises at least one first section (50) of an air flow channel (30), which is formed by the evaporator unit (10) and / or the adapter plug (45).

36. An evaporator cartridge (59) as a component of an inhaler (100), characterized in that: A hollow body (61) having at least one second section (58) of an air flow channel (30); a storage tank (62) for storing liquid; and an evaporator structural assembly (44) according to claim 34 or 35, wherein the evaporator structural assembly (44) is sealedly connected to the hollow body (61) and the storage tank (62) so that the first section (50) of the air flow channel (30) of the evaporator structural assembly (44) and the second section (58) of the air flow channel (30) of the hollow body (61) form a common air flow channel (30) and the storage tank (62) has at least one inlet opening (63) for the air flow channel (30), in which the evaporator unit (10) is placed.

37. Inhaler (100), constructed and arranged for inhaling a vapor / aerosol enriched with an active substance and / or an aroma substance, characterized in that A cartridge carrier (66) comprising at least one electronic control unit (64) and an electrical energy source (65) and an evaporator cartridge (59) according to claim 36.

Images