Piezoelectric sensor and atomizer control method

Abstract

The invention discloses a piezoelectric sensor and an atomizer control method.The piezoelectric sensor comprises a surface layer, an inner layer and a shielding layer, the surface layer comprises electrodes and a nanofiber membrane made of polyvinylidene fluoride, and the electrodes are etched on the front face and the back face of the nanofiber membrane; the inner layer is prepared by doping a carbon nanotube in a polyvinylidene fluoride-trifluoroethylene copolymer film through a solution tape casting method; the shielding layer is arranged between the surface layer and the inner layer and is used for grounding, and the shielding layer is a silver-plated nylon net. Pressure generated when the lip of a user touches the suction nozzle of the atomizer is sensed through the piezoelectric sensor, and a corresponding electric signal is generated to control the power of the atomizer.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present invention relates to the technical field of piezoelectric sensors, and particularly relates to a piezoelectric sensor and an atomizer control method. Background Art

[0002] In addition to using a microphone sensor (airflow sensor) to control the start of an atomizer, existing atomizers also use a pressure or piezoelectric sensor to collect the pressure exerted by the user's lips on the mouthpiece of the atomizer and convert the pressure into an electrical signal to control the start or stop of the atomizer. The accuracy of existing pressure / piezoelectric sensors is easily affected by the user's oral liquid and the contact area between the sensor sensing surface and the lips, and there may also be phenomena of automatic or ineffective atomization. Summary of the Invention

[0003] The main object of the present invention is to propose a piezoelectric sensor and an atomizer control method, which can improve the start accuracy of the atomizer.

[0004] On the one hand, to achieve the above object, the present application provides a piezoelectric sensor, which includes:

[0005] A surface layer, including two independent electrodes and a nanofiber membrane made of polyvinylidene fluoride, the two electrodes are etched on the front and back of the fiber membrane, and the two electrodes are electrically connected through the fiber membrane;

[0006] An inner layer, prepared by doping carbon nanotubes in a polyvinylidene fluoride-trifluoroethylene copolymer film by a solution casting method;

[0007] A shielding layer, disposed between the surface layer and the inner layer and used for grounding, the shielding layer is a Faraday cage made of silver-plated nylon.

[0008] It can be understood that the surface layer uses an electrospinning process to make a nanofiber membrane of polyvinylidene fluoride. Aluminum electrodes are etched on both sides of the fiber membrane, the two electrodes are electrically connected through the fiber membrane, and the electrode width is 50 μm.

[0009] On the one hand, to achieve the above object, the present application provides an atomizer control method, the atomizer includes an airflow sensor and the piezoelectric sensor described in the above embodiment. The atomizer control method includes:

[0010] The piezoelectric sensor obtains the pressure generated by the user's operation of the atomizer and outputs a first electrical signal, the first electrical signal includes a voltage value corresponding to the pressure value;

[0011] The atomizer responds to the first electrical signal and outputs power.

[0012] In some embodiments, when the piezoelectric sensor is triggered by a user and outputs a first electrical signal, the atomizer can output power based on the first electrical signal, turning on the atomizer or causing the atomizer to generate an aerosol.

[0013] In some embodiments, the atomizer control method further includes:

[0014] Configuring a power mapping table that reflects the mapping relationship between power values and corresponding pressure values;

[0015] The atomizer outputs a corresponding power in response to the first electrical signal according to the power mapping table.

[0016] In some embodiments, the atomizer control method further includes:

[0017] At a first time, the piezoelectric sensor obtains a first pressure generated by a user operating the atomizer and outputs a first electrical signal. The atomizer outputs a drive signal to collect a second pressure, and the second pressure is included in the first electrical signal output by the piezoelectric sensor when obtaining the pressure generated by the user operating the atomizer at a second time;

[0018] When the second pressure is greater than the first pressure, the atomizer responds to the first electrical signal and outputs power.

[0019] On the other hand, the present application also provides an atomizer control method. In some embodiments, the atomizer includes not only an airflow sensor but also the piezoelectric sensor in the above embodiments, and the control method further includes:

[0020] The airflow sensor obtains the user's suction activity and outputs a second electrical signal;

[0021] After receiving the second electrical signal, the atomizer responds to the first electrical signal and adjusts the output power.

[0022] In some embodiments, the atomizer control method further includes:

[0023] When the inhalation rate generated by the user's suction activity is less than a preset threshold, after receiving the second electrical signal, the atomizer drives the piezoelectric sensor to obtain the first electrical signal.

[0024] When the inhalation rate generated by the user's suction activity is greater than a preset threshold, the atomizer directly outputs power.

[0025] It is understandable that when the user uses the atomizer to suck, the user needs to first contact the atomizer and suck through the mouthpiece of the atomizer. The airflow sensor outputs a second electrical signal according to the change in the air velocity generated by the user's sucking activity, and then the atomizer can obtain the first electrical signal output due to the pressure generated by the user's touch on the surface through the piezoelectric sensor, and output power according to the first electrical signal to turn on the atomizer or generate an aerosol. Description of the Drawings

[0026] Figure 1 Schematic cross-sectional view of the structure of the piezoelectric sensor in the embodiment provided by the present application;

[0027] Figure 2 One of the schematic flowcharts of the atomizer control method in the embodiment provided by the present application;

[0028] Figure 3 Another schematic flowchart of the atomizer control method in the embodiment provided by the present application;

[0029] Figure 4 Another schematic flowchart of the atomizer control method in the embodiment provided by the present application;

[0030] Figure 5 Another schematic flowchart of the atomizer control method in the embodiment provided by the present application.

[0031] Description of the Reference Numerals in the Drawings:

[0032] 1 - fluorosiloxane; 2 - electrode; 3 - fiber membrane; 4 - shielding layer; 5 - inner layer. Detailed Description of the Embodiment

[0033] To make the above - mentioned objects, features, and advantages of the present application more obvious and understandable, the following detailed description of the specific embodiments of the present application is provided in conjunction with the drawings. Many specific details are set forth in the following description to fully understand the present application. However, the present application can be implemented in many other ways different from those described herein. Those skilled in the art can make similar improvements without departing from the connotation of the present application. Therefore, the present application is not limited by the specific embodiments disclosed below. Unless otherwise defined, all technical and scientific terms used herein have the same meaning as commonly understood by those skilled in the technical field to which the present application belongs. The terms used in the specification of the present application are only for the purpose of describing specific embodiments and are not intended to limit the present application. The term "and / or" used herein includes any and all combinations of one or more of the related listed items.

[0034] In the description of the present application, unless otherwise clearly defined and limited, terms such as "installation", "connection", "connection", "fixation", etc. should be understood in a broad sense. For example, it can be a fixed connection, a detachable connection, or integrated; it can be a mechanical connection or an electrical connection; it can be directly connected or indirectly connected through an intermediate medium. It can be the communication inside two components or the interaction relationship between two components, unless otherwise clearly defined. For those of ordinary skill in the art, the specific meanings of the above terms in the present application can be understood according to specific circumstances.

[0035] On the one hand, the present application provides a piezoelectric sensor, which can sense pressure changes through the touch of a user and release corresponding electrical signals.

[0036] As Figure 1 shown, the piezoelectric sensor includes at least one sensing unit. The sensing unit includes a surface layer, an inner layer 5 and a shielding layer 4. Among them, the surface layer includes an electrode 2 and a nanofiber membrane 3 made of polyvinylidene fluoride. The electrode 2 is etched on the front and back of the fiber membrane 3; the inner layer 5 is made by doping carbon nanotubes in a PVDF-TrFE copolymer film by a solution casting method; the shielding layer 4 is arranged between the surface layer and the inner layer 5 and is used for grounding. The shielding layer 4 is a silver-plated nylon mesh. Specifically, the surface layer, the shielding layer 4 and the inner layer 5 are connected by conductive silver glue.

[0037] Specifically, the surface layer is used to contact the user. When the user touches the surface layer, the surface layer deforms under pressure and causes the resistance value to change. Then, a voltage difference will be generated between the surface layer and the inner layer 5, and the voltage value changes with the size of the contact area between the surface layer and the user. It can be understood that the more the user contacts the surface layer, the greater the voltage value.

[0038] The fiber membrane 3 is made of polyvinylidene fluoride by an electrospinning process. Among them, the fiber membrane 3 also has the characteristic of being porous, and the pore diameter is 10 - 50μm.

[0039] When the user touches the surface layer through the mouth, the liquid or water vapor in the user's oral cavity will adhere to the surface layer. A 3μm fluorosiloxane 1 is coated on the surface of the fiber membrane 3 to form a humidity protection, and the water contact angle of the surface layer is 150°. During the use of the piezoelectric sensor, the piezoelectric sensor can be fixed on the surface of the object operated by the user. The object can fix the sensor through a generally horizontally extending surface, or a vertically extending surface or a combination thereof to jointly fix the sensor, so as to meet the requirement that the piezoelectric sensor senses the touch of the user on the object from different surfaces. The piezoelectric sensor can release corresponding electrical signals to represent the size of the contact area between the user and the object. It can be understood that the user can apply different forces to the piezoelectric sensor to expect to obtain services corresponding to the pressure.

[0040] The present application provides an atomizer control method. The atomizer includes an airflow sensor and the piezoelectric sensor described in the above embodiments. As Figure 2 shown, the atomizer control method includes:

[0041] The piezoelectric sensor acquires the pressure generated by the user operating the atomizer and outputs a first electrical signal, and the first electrical signal includes a voltage value corresponding to the pressure value;

[0042] The atomizer responds to the first electrical signal and outputs power.

[0043] Specifically, the present application exemplifies an atomizer, which has a housing convenient for the user to grasp and a mouthpiece for the user to inhale the aerosol by mouth. The piezoelectric sensor can be installed in at least one of the housing or the mouthpiece. Taking the mouthpiece as an example, the mouthpiece can include a first side surface contacting the upper lip of the user, a second side surface contacting the lower lip of the user, and a third side surface connecting the first side surface and the second side surface, or a fourth side surface oppositely arranged relative to the third side surface. The piezoelectric sensor can be installed on at least one of the first side surface, the second side surface, the third side surface and the fourth side surface. It can be understood that the mouthpiece can be trapezoidal, conical or columnar, and its cross section can be annular or rectangular.

[0044] When the user holds the atomizer by the mouth, at least one of the upper lip or the lower lip contacts the piezoelectric sensor. The surface layer of the piezoelectric sensor is pressed by the lip and receives pressure, and the pressure is converted into an electrical signal for release. The atomizer is driven by the electrical signal to output power, and the atomizer is turned on or an aerosol is generated.

[0045] The piezoelectric sensor can be divided into multiple sensing units according to the shape of the mouthpiece or the number of side surfaces of the mouthpiece, and there is no interference between the sensing units or the piezoelectric sensors. Each sensing unit releases electrical signals representing different pressure values affected by the pressure detection area. For example, the user can slide the lip on the sensing surface of the piezoelectric sensor to change the contact area.

[0046] Further, the atomizer can determine whether to respond to the touched event according to the corresponding pressure value or the voltage value after pressure conversion, so as to provide services corresponding to the event. For example, by the piezoelectric sensor responding to the touch event, it is converted from the standby state to the active state, and waits for the next event to trigger the next action of the atomizer. For example, by the piezoelectric sensor responding to the touch event, the atomizer outputs power and generates an aerosol.

[0047] By the feedback of the piezoelectric sensor on the mouthpiece, it is known that the user only touches at least one of the multiple sensing units of the piezoelectric sensor, and the atomizer can perform any one of the following actions:

[0048] Standby;

[0049] Transition from the standby state to the active state;

[0050] Generate an aerosol;

[0051] Increase the power for generating the aerosol.

[0052] As Figure 3 As shown, when the atomizer is in the standby state and the user touches the atomizer expecting it to generate an aerosol, the piezoelectric sensor outputs a first electrical signal upon being touched by the user, and the atomizer responds to the first electrical signal to generate an aerosol.

[0053] In some embodiments, the atomizer control method in the above embodiments further includes:

[0054] Configure a power mapping table that reflects the mapping relationship between power values and corresponding pressure values;

[0055] The atomizer outputs a corresponding power in response to the first electrical signal according to the power mapping table.

[0056] Specifically, the mapping table can be provided to the atomizer by the user through multiple different pressure touches. Different multiple input data are collected through the piezoelectric sensor, and the user provides corresponding services for different pressure values through the atomizer. Of course, the mapping table can also be provided by the atomizer manufacturer, who provides corresponding services for different pressure values, and the user obtains corresponding services by touching the piezoelectric sensor with different pressures. Among them, the services described in the embodiments of the present application include, but are not limited to, the atomizer performing standby, transitioning from the standby state to the active state, generating an aerosol, increasing or decreasing the power for generating the aerosol, etc.

[0057] In some embodiments, as Figure 4 shown, the atomizer control method further includes:

[0058] At a first time, the piezoelectric sensor obtains a first pressure generated by the user operating the atomizer and outputs a first electrical signal. The atomizer outputs a drive signal to collect a second pressure, and the second pressure is included in the first electrical signal output by the piezoelectric sensor when obtaining the pressure generated by the user operating the atomizer at a second time;

[0059] When the second pressure is greater than the first pressure, the atomizer responds to the first electrical signal and adjusts the output power.

[0060] Specifically, the user touches the piezoelectric sensor continuously for multiple times, and the atomizer collects continuous pressure values through the piezoelectric sensor. When the pressure applied by the user to the piezoelectric sensor for the second time is greater than the first time, the atomizer can be switched from the standby state to the active state, or the output power of the atomizer can be changed to increase the output power of the atomizer to output more aerosol. When the pressure applied for the second time is less than the first time, the atomizer may not respond, and it can be determined that the piezoelectric sensor has been accidentally touched. In particular, the continuous acquisition time range of the atomizer is 1-5 seconds. At least two touches of the piezoelectric sensor occurring within this time range will be collected and recorded, and compared by the controller set in the atomizer.

[0061] In some embodiments, as Figure 5 shown, the atomizer control method further includes:

[0062] The airflow sensor obtains the user's suction activity and outputs a second electrical signal;

[0063] After receiving the second electrical signal, the atomizer responds to the first electrical signal and adjusts the output power.

[0064] Specifically, the user sucks the atomizer through the mouthpiece. The external air of the atomizer passes through the inside and is supplied to the user through the mouthpiece. The airflow sensor senses the change in the air flow rate or the change in the air pressure inside the atomizer on the atomizer, generates a second electrical signal. The atomizer determines that the user has a need to suck aerosol from the atomizer according to the second electrical signal. The atomizer responds to this need and collects whether there is a first electrical signal output from the mouthpiece through the piezoelectric sensor. When the first electrical signal is collected, the atomizer responds to the first electrical signal and adjusts to the output power corresponding to the pressure value according to the pressure value included in the first electrical signal, and outputs the corresponding power during the suction action to generate aerosol.

[0065] In daily life, during the process of the user carrying the atomizer and moving, it may cause the airflow sensor to be accidentally touched and the atomizer to collect the second electrical signal. In some embodiments, when the inhalation rate generated by the user's suction activity is less than the preset threshold, after receiving the second electrical signal, the atomizer drives the piezoelectric sensor to obtain the first electrical signal. Specifically, when the inhalation rate is less than 200 Pa / s, the atomizer does not perform further actions. Even if the pressure value received by the piezoelectric sensor meets the condition for triggering the atomizer to generate aerosol, the atomizer will not collect the first electrical signal through the piezoelectric sensor.

[0066] It can be understood that when the inhalation rate generated by the user's suction activity is greater than 200 Pa / s, the atomizer directly outputs power. Moreover, the atomizer preferentially adjusts the power according to the inhalation rate collected by the airflow sensor.

[0067] The above are only some or preferred embodiments of the present invention. Neither the text nor the drawings can limit the scope of protection of the present invention. Any equivalent structural transformation made by using the content of the specification and drawings of the present invention under the overall concept of the present invention, or any direct / indirect application in other related technical fields is included in the scope of protection of the present invention.

Claims

1. A piezoelectric sensor, characterized in that, Comprising: A surface layer, including two independent electrodes and a nanofiber membrane made of polyvinylidene fluoride. The two electrodes are etched on the front and back of the fiber membrane, and the two electrodes are electrically connected through the fiber membrane; An inner layer, prepared by doping carbon nanotubes in a polyvinylidene fluoride-trifluoroethylene copolymer film through a solution casting method; A shielding layer, disposed between the surface layer and the inner layer and used for grounding. The shielding layer is a Faraday cage made of silver-plated nylon.

2. The piezoelectric sensor according to claim 1, wherein Holes are provided on the fiber membrane, and the pore diameter is 10 - 50 μm.

3. The piezoelectric sensor according to claim 1, characterized in that, The surface of the fiber membrane is coated with 3 μm of fluorosilicone, and the water contact angle of the fluorosilicone is 150°.

4. The piezoelectric sensor according to claim 1, wherein The two electrodes respectively divide the front and back of the fiber membrane into multiple induction units, and adjacent induction units are electrically connected in series.

5. A method for controlling an atomizer, characterized in that, The atomizer includes an airflow sensor and at least one piezoelectric sensor according to any one of claims 1 - 4. The atomizer control method includes: The piezoelectric sensor obtains the pressure generated by the user operating the atomizer, and outputs a first electrical signal. The first electrical signal includes a voltage value corresponding to the pressure value; The atomizer responds to the first electrical signal and outputs power.

6. The atomizer control method according to claim 5, characterized in that, The atomizer control method further includes: Configuring a power mapping table, which reflects the mapping relationship between power values and pressure values; The atomizer outputs corresponding power according to the power mapping table in response to the first electrical signal.

7. The atomizer control method according to claim 5, characterized in that The atomizer control method further includes: ​ ​ 8. The atomizer control method according to claim 5, wherein ​ ​ ​ 9. The atomizer control method according to claim 8, wherein, ​ 10. The atomizer control method according to claim 8, wherein, ​

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