Method for processing atomizing core, atomizing core and atomizing device

Abstract

The embodiment of the invention discloses a method for processing an atomizing core, the atomizing core and an atomizing device. The method comprises the following steps: forming a through perforation array on a substrate, and forming a heating film on the atomization side of the substrate; and then a vibrating mirror system and pulse laser are adopted to form a microstructure on the atomized surface of the heating film, so that the surface roughness ranges from 10 nm to 5000 nm. According to the embodiment of the invention, the controllable microstructure is directly processed on the surface, so that the problem of poor liquid wettability caused by a smooth film layer in the prior art is effectively solved. The method has the advantages of simplified process and no thermal damage, and the atomization performance and the product consistency can be remarkably improved.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The embodiments of the present disclosure generally relate to the field of atomization technology, and more particularly to a method for processing an atomizer core, an atomizer core prepared using the method, and an atomization device comprising the atomizer core. Background Art

[0002] Electronic atomizers typically heat atomized liquid (e.g., e-liquid) through a heating element, producing an aerosol for the user to inhale. The atomizer core is the core component of the atomizer device, and its performance directly impacts atomization efficiency and user experience. Currently, the overly smooth surface of the atomizer core hinders the adequate wetting and spreading of the atomized liquid across the heating element, potentially leading to localized dry burning or uneven atomization, thus affecting the atomization effect. Summary of the Invention

[0003] The main purpose of the present disclosure is to provide a method for processing an atomizer core, as well as a corresponding atomizer core and an atomizer device, aiming to solve the technical problems in the prior art that the surface of the heating film is too smooth resulting in poor wettability, or that the resistance of the heating film is unstable due to roughening of the substrate.

[0004] To achieve the above objectives, the first aspect of the present disclosure provides a method for machining an atomizer core. The method comprises: forming a perforation array on a substrate, the perforation array comprising multiple perforations extending through the inhalation side and the atomization side; forming a heating film on the atomization side of the substrate; and using a galvanometer system and a pulsed laser to form a microstructure on the atomization surface of the heating film, such that the atomization surface has a roughness between 10 nm and 5000 nm.

[0005] In some embodiments, the pulse duration of the pulsed laser is between 10 femtoseconds and 10 picoseconds.

[0006] In some embodiments, the method further comprises: adjusting at least one of the energy, pulse width and frequency of the pulsed laser to adjust the morphology of the microstructure, where the morphology includes the depth, width and density of the microstructure.

[0007] In some embodiments, the microstructure includes regular grooves or irregular groove structures.

[0008] In some embodiments, forming the through-hole array on the substrate includes: forming the through-hole array on the substrate using a through-glass via technology.

[0009] In some embodiments, forming the heating film includes: forming the heating film on the atomization side using a physical or chemical vapor deposition process.

[0010] A second aspect of the present disclosure provides an atomizer core for an atomizer device. The atomizer core comprises: a substrate having an intake side facing an oil storage tank of the atomizer device, an atomizer side opposite the intake side, and an array of perforations extending through the intake and atomizer sides; and a heating film formed on the atomizer side and having a microstructure formed on the atomizer surface such that the atomizer surface has a roughness between 10 nm and 5000 nm.

[0011] In some embodiments, the microstructure is formed by using a galvanometer system and a pulsed laser, and the pulse duration of the pulsed laser is between 10 femtoseconds and 10 picoseconds.

[0012] In some embodiments, the microstructure includes regular grooves or irregular groove structures.

[0013] A third aspect of the present disclosure provides an atomization device, comprising: an oil storage tank; and an atomization core according to the second aspect of the present disclosure.

[0014] Compared with the prior art, the present invention has the following beneficial effects: The present invention directly processes the desired roughness on the already formed heating film, avoiding the pretreatment of the substrate and simplifying the overall process flow. This method directly acts on the functional surface, solving the root cause of the problem. In addition, since the heating film is formed on a smooth and flat substrate, its thickness is uniform and the resistance value is stable and controllable. The subsequent laser processing is "cold processing" and will not have an adverse effect on the macroscopic electrical properties of the heating film, thereby ensuring the high consistency of the product.

[0015] Furthermore, by using ultrashort pulse lasers (such as picosecond or femtosecond lasers, also called ultrafast lasers), the strong field effect is used to directly break the molecular bonds of the material. The action time is extremely short and the heat has no time to diffuse, thus achieving "cold processing" with no heat-affected zone, ensuring that the edges of the microstructure are clear and sharp, and will not damage the surrounding film materials.

[0016] In addition, by adjusting the laser's energy, frequency, scanning speed, and path, micro-nano structures of different depths, widths, and densities can be easily produced, thereby precisely controlling the surface roughness within a range of 10nm to 5000nm to match atomized liquids of different viscosities and achieve optimal wetting and atomization effects. It is even possible to perform differentiated processing based on the temperature distribution of different areas of the heating film to achieve precise control of liquid distribution. Using a galvanometer system for high-speed scanning, the processing efficiency is much higher than traditional mechanical or chemical processing methods, and it is easy to integrate with automated production lines, with huge potential for industrial applications.

[0017] It should be understood that the content described in this content section is not intended to limit the key features or important features of the embodiments of the present disclosure, nor is it intended to limit the scope of the present disclosure. Other features of the present disclosure will become easily understood through the following description. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0018] The above and other features, advantages and aspects of the embodiments of the present disclosure will become more apparent with reference to the following detailed description in conjunction with the accompanying drawings. In the accompanying drawings, the same or similar reference numerals represent the same or similar elements, wherein:

[0019] Figure 1 A cross-sectional view of an atomizer core for an atomizer device according to an embodiment of the present disclosure is shown;

[0020] Figure 2 Shown Figure 1 Magnified view of section A;

[0021] Figures 3A to 3D Different forms of microstructures in the atomizer core according to embodiments of the present disclosure are respectively shown;

[0022] Figure 4 A schematic diagram showing a process of a method for processing an atomizer core according to an embodiment of the present disclosure; and

[0023] Figure 5 A cross-sectional view of an atomization device according to an embodiment of the present disclosure is shown. DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0024] The preferred embodiments of the present disclosure will be described in more detail below with reference to the accompanying drawings. Although preferred embodiments of the present disclosure are shown in the accompanying drawings, it should be understood that the present disclosure can be implemented in various forms and should not be limited by the embodiments set forth herein. Rather, these embodiments are provided to make the present disclosure more thorough and complete, and to fully convey the scope of the present disclosure to those skilled in the art.

[0025] As used herein, the term "including" and its variations represent open inclusion, i.e., "including but not limited to." Unless otherwise stated, the term "or" means "and / or." The term "based on" means "based at least in part on." The terms "one example embodiment" and "an embodiment" mean "at least one example embodiment." The term "another embodiment" means "at least one additional embodiment." The terms "first," "second," etc. may refer to different or identical objects.

[0026] At present, the atomizer core usually uses glass through-glass via (TGV) technology to form an oil guide channel on the glass substrate, and forms a metal heating film on its atomization side through physical vapor deposition (PVD) and other processes. However, this process is usually carried out on a smooth glass substrate, resulting in the heating film surface being very smooth, and its surface roughness is usually difficult to exceed 100nm. An overly smooth film surface is not conducive to the full infiltration and spreading of the atomized liquid on the entire heating film, which may cause local dry burning or uneven atomization, thus affecting the atomization effect.

[0027] To address this issue, one existing solution involves roughening the surface of the glass substrate before fabricating the heating film. However, this approach has significant drawbacks: when fabricating a heating film on a rough, uneven glass surface, it's difficult to ensure uniform thickness. This makes it difficult to stably control the resistance of the heating film, impacting product consistency and reliability.

[0028] Therefore, this field urgently needs a new method for processing atomizer cores, which can effectively improve the roughness of the heating film surface while ensuring the stability and controllability of the heating film resistance, so as to improve the wetting effect of the liquid and ultimately improve the atomization performance.

[0029] See also Figure 1 The embodiment of the present disclosure provides an atomizer core 100 processed using this method. The atomizer core 100 includes a substrate 10 and a heating film 20. The substrate 10 is a dense insulating substrate, such as borosilicate glass, quartz glass, or sapphire. The substrate 10 has two opposing surfaces: an intake side 11 facing the oil storage tank of the atomizer device and an atomization side 12 opposite the intake side 11.

[0030] A perforation array 13 is formed on substrate 10. Perforation array 13 comprises a plurality of perforations extending through suction side 11 and atomization side 12. These perforations serve as oil channels, directing atomized liquid from the atomization device's oil reservoir from suction side 11 to atomization side 12. In some implementations, perforation array 13 is formed using through-glass via (TGV) technology, which efficiently fabricates high-density, high-aspect-ratio micropores in brittle materials such as glass.

[0031] The heating film 20 is firmly formed on the atomizing side 12 of the substrate 10 by a physical or chemical vapor deposition process (such as magnetron sputtering). When the heating film 20 is formed, through holes (or openings) 14 corresponding to the perforated array 13 of the substrate 10 are formed thereon. These through holes are precisely aligned with the perforations of the substrate, and together constitute an unobstructed liquid penetration channel from the suction side 11 to the atomizing surface 21, thereby ensuring that the atomized liquid can smoothly penetrate and reach the heating surface. Since the heating film 20 is deposited on a smooth and flat substrate 10, its thickness is uniform, thereby ensuring that its resistance value is highly consistent and stable, which is a key prerequisite for ensuring the stable performance of the atomizing device.

[0032] The electrodes 30 are electrically connected to both ends of the heating film 20 to connect the heating film 20 to the power supply of the atomizing device. When the power supply is applied, current flows through the heating film 20, generating Joule heat, thereby heating and atomizing the atomized liquid soaked on its surface.

[0033] A preset microstructure 22 is formed on the atomized surface 21 of the heating film 20, such as Figure 2 As shown. The formation of the microstructure 22 enables the atomizing surface 21 to have a specific and controllable surface roughness. Specifically, the surface roughness can be precisely controlled within the range of 10nm to 5000nm. Compared with the smooth surface, this designed rough surface greatly increases the specific surface area of the atomizing surface 21, and significantly enhances the wetting, spreading ability and adhesion of the atomized liquid thereon through the capillary effect. This directly solves the technical pain point of the poor wettability of the existing smooth film layer, ensuring that the liquid can quickly and evenly cover the entire heating area, thereby achieving efficient and uniform atomization during heating, effectively avoiding the dry burning phenomenon caused by local lack of liquid, and greatly improving the atomization effect and the fullness of the taste.

[0034] In some embodiments, the topography of the microstructure 22 has a high degree of design freedom. Figures 3A to 3D Different morphologies of the microstructure 22 are shown respectively. For example, in some embodiments, it can be, for example, a series of regular grooves parallel to each other, which can guide the liquid to flow in a specific direction. In other embodiments, it can also be a randomly distributed pit or concave-convex structure to improve the wettability equally in all directions. Furthermore, the present disclosure has extremely high flexibility and can produce different roughness in corresponding areas according to the temperature distribution and the required oil distribution in different areas of the atomizer core surface. For example, a deeper microstructure is made in the central area with a higher temperature to enhance liquid adhesion, and a shallower structure is made in the edge area with a lower temperature, thereby achieving fine control of the atomization effect.

[0035] See below for Figure 4The following describes a method for manufacturing an atomizer core 100. The method includes the following steps: Step S10: Forming a perforation array. A smooth, flat, dense insulating substrate, such as glass or sapphire, is selected as the substrate 10. Using proven through-glass via (TGV) technology, a perforation array 13 is machined into the substrate 10, extending through the inhalation side 11 and the atomization side 12.

[0036] Step S20: forming a heating film. On the atomized side 12 of the smooth substrate 10 that has been perforated, a physical vapor deposition (PVD) process such as magnetron sputtering, evaporation, or a chemical vapor deposition (CVD) process is used to deposit and form a uniform and dense heating film 20. The key to this step is that since the surface of the substrate 10 is smooth, the thickness of the formed heating film 20 can be precisely controlled, and its macro resistance value is therefore very stable, laying a solid foundation for the high consistency of subsequent products. At this point, the atomized surface 21 of the heating film 20 is also smooth, ready for the next step of precision processing.

[0037] Step S30: Precisely forming microstructures on the heating film surface. This is the core process step of this disclosure. It directly "carves" functional structures onto the smooth heating film, thereby simplifying the overall process and resolving the problem of traditional PVD processes being unable to directly produce rough metal film layers. This step utilizes a laser micromachining system to process the atomized surface 21 of the smooth heating film 20 formed in step S20.

[0038] The laser micromachining system includes a pulsed laser and a galvanometer system. In a preferred embodiment, the pulsed laser is an ultrafast laser, and the duration of the laser pulse it outputs (i.e., the pulse width) is in the extremely short range of 10 femtoseconds to 10 picoseconds. The interaction between this ultrashort pulse laser and the material is a "cold processing" process. The principle is that the strong field effect generated by the extremely high peak power is sufficient to directly break the molecular bonds of the material and instantly vaporize and remove the material in a non-thermal ablation manner. Since the interaction time is extremely short, the heat has almost no time to conduct and diffuse to the surrounding area, so no heat-affected zone is generated, which ensures the clarity and sharpness of the edges of the microstructure without damaging or changing the properties of the film material in the surrounding unprocessed areas.

[0039] The laser beam emitted from the laser is first shaped and focused by optical devices to form a high-energy-density laser focus with a diameter between 5μm and 50μm. This focused beam is then incident on the galvanometer system 32. Under the precise control of a computer, the galvanometer system 32 uses its internal X and Y mirrors to perform high-speed deflection, guiding the laser focus to scan the atomized surface 21 of the heating film 20 at high speed along a preset path (e.g., lines, dots, etc.).

[0040] This step has high process controllability and flexibility. By adjusting the laser parameters (such as energy, pulse width, and repetition rate) and the scanning parameters of the galvanometer system (such as scanning path and speed) in the control software, the morphology of the final microstructure 22 can be precisely controlled.

[0041] For example, in some embodiments, by adjusting the laser energy, pulse width, and repetition rate, the amount of material removed by a single pulse can be controlled, thereby affecting the depth of the microstructure. By controlling the scanning path of the galvanometer (e.g., drawing lines, dots, or other patterns), the shape and width of the microstructure can be determined. By controlling the spacing of the scanning path, the density of the microstructure can be determined.

[0042] By comprehensively controlling the depth, width, and density, the overall roughness of the atomized surface 21 can be precisely adjusted to fall within the target range of 10nm to 5000nm. This high-precision machining capability and the ease of achieving a high level of automation make this method more efficient and consistent than traditional sanding or chemical etching.

[0043] The embodiment of the present disclosure also provides an atomizing device. Figure 5 As shown, the atomizing device includes an oil storage tank 16 for storing atomized liquid, and an atomizing core 100 as described above. In some embodiments, the atomizing device also includes a battery 17 for powering. When in use, the liquid in the oil storage tank is transported to the atomizing surface 21 of the heating film 20 through the perforated array 13 on the substrate 10. Since the atomizing surface 21 has a microstructure 22 made by the method disclosed in the present invention, the liquid can quickly and evenly infiltrate the entire heating surface. When the user starts the device, the battery 17 supplies power to the heating film 20 through the electrode 30. When the current flows through the heating film 20, the uniform liquid film is efficiently and stably heated and atomized, thereby producing a stable, full, and consistent-tasting aerosol. The whole process solves the problems of performance fluctuations and reduced experience caused by uneven infiltration in the prior art, and provides users with a reliable and high-quality atomization experience.

[0044] In summary, the present disclosure successfully solves the inherent contradictions in the existing technology by post-processing a controllable microstructure on a smooth heating film, and provides a new, stable, reliable, flexible and efficient solution for the manufacture of high-performance atomizer cores.

[0045] While various embodiments of the present disclosure have been described above, the above descriptions are illustrative, non-exhaustive, and not intended to be limiting of the disclosed embodiments. Many modifications and variations will be apparent to those skilled in the art without departing from the scope and spirit of the described embodiments. The terminology used herein is selected to best explain the principles of the embodiments, their practical applications, or technological improvements in the marketplace, or to enable other persons skilled in the art to understand the embodiments disclosed herein.

Claims

1. A method for processing an atomizer core, characterized in that: include: A perforation array (13) is formed on a substrate (10), wherein the perforation array (13) includes a plurality of perforations penetrating the suction side (11) and the atomization side (12); forming a heating film (20) on the atomization side (12) of the substrate (10); as well as A galvanometer system is used and a pulsed laser is used to form a microstructure (22) on the atomized surface (21) of the heating film (20), so that the roughness of the atomized surface (21) is between 10 nm and 5000 nm.

2. The method according to claim 1, characterized in that The pulse duration of the pulse laser is between 10 femtoseconds and 10 picoseconds.

3. The method according to claim 1, characterized in that Also includes: At least one of the energy, pulse width and frequency of the pulse laser is adjusted to adjust the morphology of the microstructure (22), wherein the morphology includes the depth, width and density of the microstructure (22).

4. The method according to claim 1, wherein The microstructure (22) includes regular grooves or irregular groove structures.

5. The method according to claim 1, wherein Forming a perforated array (13) on a substrate (10) includes: The through-glass via (TGV) technology is used to form the through-hole array (13) on the substrate (10).

6. The method according to any one of claims 1 to 5, characterized in that Forming the heating film (20) includes: The heating film (20) is formed on the atomization side (12) by using a physical or chemical vapor deposition process.

7. An atomizing core (100) for an atomizing device, characterized in that: include: A substrate (10) includes a suction side (11) facing the oil storage tank of the atomizing device, an atomizing side (12) opposite to the suction side (11), and a perforation array (13) penetrating the suction side (11) and the atomizing side (12); A heating film (20) is formed on the atomizing side (12) and has a microstructure (22) formed on the atomizing surface (21) so that the roughness of the atomizing surface (21) is between 10 nm and 5000 nm.

8. The atomizer core (100) according to claim 7, characterized in that: The microstructure (22) is formed by adopting a galvanometer system and using a pulsed laser, and the pulse duration of the pulsed laser is between 10 femtoseconds and 10 picoseconds.

9. The atomizer core (100) according to claim 7, characterized in that: The microstructure (22) includes regular grooves or irregular groove structures.

10. An atomizing device, characterized in that: include: oil storage tanks; as well as The atomizer core (100) according to any one of claims 7 to 9.

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