Heater for non-combustion heating devices

Abstract

A heater (100) for a heating non-combustion device (1), comprising: a substrate (110); a heating track (120) formed on the substrate (110); a temperature sensor (130) disposed on the substrate (110); and at least one electrical contact (140) disposed on the substrate (110) at a position between a first point on the heating track (120) and a second point on the heating track (120), wherein at least one electrical contact (140) includes a pair of electrical contacts connected to the temperature sensor (130).

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present invention relates to an aerosol generating device, more specifically, a heater for a heat-not-burn device.

Background Art

[0002] Typically, a heater in a heat-not-burn device comprises a cavity into which a consumable is inserted. The cavity can be formed from one or more walls each including a substrate on which a heating track is formed. When electrical energy is supplied to the heating track via electrical contacts, heat is transferred to the consumable and an aerosol for the user to inhale is generated.

[0003] One problem faced by such devices is that there are limitations in efficiency. Since the substrate can have a large heat mass, a large amount of energy is required for the substrate to reach the desired temperature, and the responsiveness of the heater to control signals is reduced. Since electrical connections and wires need to be connected to the heating track, it can be difficult to thermally insulate the heater from the rest of the heat-not-burn device. If the thermal insulation is insufficient, not all of the generated heat is supplied to the consumable within the cavity, further reducing efficiency.

Summary of the Invention

Problems to be Solved by the Invention

[0004] Therefore, an object of the present invention is to address the above problems.

Means for Solving the Problems

[0005] According to one aspect of the present invention, there is provided a heater for a heat-not-burn device, comprising a substrate, a heating track formed on the substrate, and at least one electrical contact disposed at a position between a first point on the heating track and a second point on the heating track on the substrate.

[0006] In this way, a conceptual line connecting the first point and the second point along the surface of the substrate preferably passes through the location of at least one electrical contact. At least one electrical contact is located in a “heating area” of the substrate that is occupied (or “embedded”) by the heating track. Advantageously, this allows the heating track to fill the substrate without requiring any protrusions or spaces near the edges where the electrical contact may be located. This allows the size of the substrate to be reduced without reducing the size of the heating track, resulting in an improved overall heater efficiency without affecting performance. During use, an aerosol-forming material may be placed adjacent to the surface of the substrate so that the heat generated by the heating track is transferred to the aerosol-forming material.

[0007] The substrate may have a base portion arranged to provide the base of the heating cavity and an upper portion arranged to provide the upper part of the heating cavity. The heating track preferably has a first portion adjacent to the base portion of the substrate and a second portion adjacent to the upper portion of the substrate.

[0008] In this way, the heating track can extend to both the top and base of the heating cavity, as there is no need to reserve space adjacent to the top or base of the substrate for at least one electrical contact. This reduces the required size of the substrate and improves the efficiency of the heater.

[0009] Each substrate may have a first side and a second side extending between a base portion and an upper portion of the substrate, and the heating track may have a third portion adjacent to the first side of the substrate and a fourth portion adjacent to the second side of the substrate.

[0010] In this way, the heating track can extend to both sides of the heating cavity, as space does not need to be reserved for at least one electrical contact. This reduces the required size of the substrate and improves the efficiency of the heater. The substrate may be substantially rectangular, with its four edges corresponding to the base portion, top portion, first side, and second side. Preferably, the heating track substantially follows the outer perimeter of the substrate in the first, second, third, and fourth portions, as well as in the other portions (i.e., the heating area extends to the outer perimeter). It should be understood that a non-rectangular substrate may be used to provide the heater. Even when a non-rectangular substrate is used, the heating area preferably extends to the outer perimeter of the substrate.

[0011] Preferably, at least one electrical contact is located in the central region of the substrate. In this way, at least one electrical contact may be located substantially in the center of the heating area of ​​the substrate.

[0012] Preferably, the substrate is substantially flat, thereby providing a planar surface on which a heating track is formed. In this way, the heater can be easily manufactured from a flat sheet of material. The substrate may be a ceramic substrate. The substrate may provide the walls of the heating cavity. Other such substrates may provide other walls of the cavity, for example, two parallel walls between them defining a thin rectangular heating cavity. Alternatively, it should be understood that the substrate may have a non-planar profile, such as a curved one.

[0013] Preferably, at least one electrical contact includes a pair of electrical contacts for supplying power to the heating track. In this way, there is no need to provide additional electrical contacts elsewhere to supply power to the heating track, thereby reducing the size of the substrate and improving the efficiency of the heater.

[0014] The heater may further include a temperature sensor placed on the substrate. The temperature sensor can monitor the temperature inside the heating cavity. The temperature sensor may be connected to a feedback loop to control the heater temperature.

[0015] Preferably, the temperature sensor is located in the central region of the substrate. Preferably, the temperature sensor is also located in the center of the heating area. In this way, the temperature sensor can more accurately monitor the heat supplied to the aerosol-forming material inserted adjacent to the heater.

[0016] At least one electrical contact may include a pair of electrical contacts connected to the temperature sensor.

[0017] The heater may further comprise at least one wire extending from at least one electrical contact, preferably the wire extending from the substrate perpendicular to the substrate. This may facilitate connection to other components of the non-combustible heating device, such as a power supply (for connecting to the heating track) and / or a processor or control circuit (for receiving the output of a temperature sensor).

[0018] Preferably, a portion of at least one wire is bent in a direction parallel to the substrate.

[0019] An insulating thermal insulation layer (or “insulating thermal insulation plate”) may be placed on or in contact with the surface of the substrate. The insulating thermal insulation layer may be placed on the surface of the substrate opposite to the surface on which the aerosol-forming material is placed during use. The combination of the insulating thermal insulation layer and the heater may be called a “heating assembly”. The term “insulating” preferably indicates that the layer is insulating, but it should be understood that the layer can also be insulating. In this way, the amount of heat supplied to the aerosol-forming material is increased because the flow of heat away from the aerosol-forming material is suppressed. The insulating thermal insulation layer may include Superwool® or Finesulight®. The insulating thermal insulation layer may be about 1 mm thick to about 3 mm thick.

[0020] The substrate may be a first substrate, and the heater may further comprise a second substrate arranged parallel to the first substrate, wherein a heating cavity is provided between the first and second substrates. This provides a heater that is substantially rectangular in shape. The second substrate is preferably similar to the first substrate and thus comprises a second heating track formed on the second substrate and at least one electrical contact disposed on the substrate as described above and herein. Any of the optional features presented above may also be applied to the second substrate.

[0021] According to another aspect of the present invention, a heating non-combustion device is provided that includes the heater described above and herein.

[0022] According to another aspect of the present invention, a heating assembly for a non-combustible heating device is provided, comprising: a heating substrate having a substantially flat surface; a heating track formed on the surface of the heating substrate; electrical contacts disposed on the surface of the heating substrate; a wire connected to the electrical contacts, the wire extending from the heating substrate; and a thermal insulating layer disposed on the surface of the heating substrate, the thermal insulating layer being arranged to provide an opening through which the wire extends.

[0023] In this way, the thermal insulation layer (or thermal insulation plate) can be placed on the flat (planar) surface of the heating substrate while allowing wires to pass through it to connect to other parts of the heating non-combustible device. It should be understood that other parts of the heating substrate, other than the surface, are not necessarily flat. The thermal insulation layer may be placed in direct contact with the surface of the heating substrate. Alternatively, a small gap or air layer may be provided between the thermal insulation layer and the surface of the heating substrate. The thermal insulation layer may include Superwool® or Finesulight®. The thermal insulation layer may be about 1 mm to about 3 mm thick.

[0024] Preferably, the wire extends from the heating substrate in a direction substantially perpendicular to the surface of the heating substrate. Thereby, the size of the opening in the heat insulating layer can be reduced, and the structure of the opening can be simplified.

[0025] The heating assembly may further include a plurality of electrical contacts disposed on the surface of the heating substrate, with each electrical contact connected to a corresponding wire.

[0026] The heat insulating layer may include a first portion and a second portion disposed on the heating substrate, the first portion and the second portion having a gap therebetween that provides an opening. The first portion and the second portion can be translated or slid on the surface of the heating substrate to position them, such as from above or below the heating substrate. The first and second portions can be translated until they abut the wires connected to the electrical contacts. When there are a plurality of electrical contacts, it is preferable that the plurality of electrical contacts are on the same straight line, whereby the heat insulating layer can be easily divided into the first portion and the second portion along a straight line. It should be understood that the boundary between the first portion and the second portion may have other shapes, such as to account for electrical contacts not on the same straight line and / or to fill the space between electrical contacts.

[0027] The opening may be provided in the heat insulating layer by a slot extending to the edge of the heat insulating layer, whereby the heat insulating layer is arranged by translating the heat insulating layer on the surface of the heating substrate with the wire extending through the slot. When there are a plurality of electrical contacts, it is preferable that the plurality of electrical contacts are on the same straight line, whereby the slot can be a straight line (which is easier to manufacture), and the heat insulating layer can be easily slid to a predetermined position along a single direction.

[0028] The opening may be provided by at least one hole in the heat insulating layer, whereby the heat insulating layer is arranged on the surface of the heating substrate by passing the end of the wire through the at least one hole. In this way, the hole prevents the sliding of the heat insulating layer on the surface of the heating substrate, and the area of the heating substrate that is not covered by the heat insulating layer is reduced.

[0029] The heat insulating layer may include a plurality of holes where each hole corresponds to a separate wire. Thereby, the hole only needs to be large enough to fit a single wire, so that the area of the heating substrate that is not covered by the heat insulating layer is further reduced. Preferably, each hole seals around its corresponding wire. Alternatively, two or more wires may pass through a single hole in the heat insulating layer.

[0030] Preferably, the portion of the wire that extends through the opening is bent in a direction parallel to the heat insulating layer, thereby holding the heat insulating layer in contact with the surface of the heating substrate.

[0031] The heating substrate may be a first heating substrate, and the heating assembly may further include a second heating substrate arranged parallel to the first heating substrate, whereby a heating cavity is provided between the first heating substrate and the second heating substrate. Thereby, a substantially cuboid-shaped heater is provided. The second heating substrate is preferably similar to the first heating substrate, with electrical contacts arranged on the surface of the second heating substrate, wires connected to the electrical contacts, and a heat insulating layer arranged on the surface of the second heating substrate. The heat insulating layer covering the second heating substrate may be a separate heat insulating layer from the heat insulating layer covering the first heating substrate, or the heating substrates may be covered by the same heat insulating layer. Any of the optional features presented above may also be applied to the second heating substrate.

[0032] According to another aspect of the present invention, a method is provided for manufacturing a heating assembly for a heating non-combustion device, the method comprising: providing a heating substrate; arranging electrical contacts on a substantially flat surface of the heating substrate; connecting wires to the electrical contacts; and arranging a thermal insulating layer on the surface of the heating substrate such that the wires extend through openings provided by the thermal insulating layer.

[0033] According to another aspect of the present invention, a heating assembly for a non-combustible heating device is provided, comprising: a heater disposed around an internal heating cavity having an opening configured to receive a consumable; and a thermal insulating layer bent around the heater about a first axis to cover at least a first (e.g., outer) surface and a second (e.g., outer) surface of the heater, wherein the second surface is on the opposite side from the first surface, and the thermal insulating layer is bent about a second axis perpendicular to the first axis to cover a third (e.g., outer) surface of the heater connecting the first surface to the second surface, and the thermal insulating layer is sealed to form a wrapping around the heater.

[0034] The thermal insulation layer can be wrapped around a first axis to cover the first and second surfaces of the heater, leaving the third surface unwrapped initially. The thermal insulation layer can then be bent around the second axis to cover the third surface, thereby providing a pouch-shaped piece of thermal insulation material housing the heater, with the (main) opening of the pouch aligned with the opening of the heating cavity. In this way, the wrapping is formed by sealing a single thermal insulation material to itself without requiring other components (such as a separate base) to cover the third surface of the heater. Advantageously, this reduces the number of parts required to provide the thermal insulation layer, simplifying manufacturing. The first, second, and third surfaces are preferably the outer surfaces of the heater. As used herein, the term “oppose” preferably indicates that the second surface is located on the opposite side of the heater from the first surface. The first and second surfaces may be parallel to each other. In this case, the third surface may be perpendicular to both the first and second surfaces (for example, in the case of a rectangular heater). Alternatively, the first and second surfaces may be curved or angled surfaces positioned on either side of the heater. The third surface may also be curved or angled relative to the first and / or second surfaces.

[0035] To enable the thermal insulation layer to be bent about a second axis to cover a third surface, the thermal insulation layer may have at least one edge that protrudes onto the third surface after the thermal insulation layer has been bent about a first axis. The at least one edge may protrude from the first and second surfaces onto the third surface. Preferably, the heater is at least partially in contact with the bend of the thermal insulation layer, and as a result, the heater is wound relatively tightly by the thermal insulation layer. The sealing portion may be a crimp sealing portion. Preferably, the thermal insulation layer is sealed on the third surface of the heater. The sealing portion may include a fold in the thermal insulation layer. The thermal insulation layer may include Superwool® or Finesulight®.

[0036] Preferably, the first, second, and third surfaces are each substantially flat or planar. Preferably, the first, second, and third surfaces are connected by straight edges. Preferably, the heater has a rectangular parallelepiped shape. In this way, the thermal insulation layer can be bent around the edges to cover each of the heater surfaces, while reducing the amount of bending and / or folding of the thermal insulation layer. In addition, wrapping is particularly advantageous when used with a rectangular parallelepiped heater (which has flat surfaces) because the rectangular parallelepiped heater has a larger surface area than a heater with curved surfaces (such as a cylindrical heater), and is therefore particularly advantageous in reducing heat loss from the rectangular parallelepiped heater.

[0037] Alternatively, the heater may have other shapes, such as a cylindrical shape. Therefore, the first, second, and third surfaces are not necessarily connected by edges, but may be connected by smooth surfaces. In this case, the thermal insulation layer may still be bent around the first and second axes to cover the first, second, and third surfaces of the heater, and the thermal insulation layer may include additional folds or pleats so that it remains relatively tightly wrapped around the heater. In this way, wrapping can be used to provide thermal insulation for heaters of other shapes.

[0038] Preferably, the third surface of the heater is located at the base of the heater, opposite the opening of the heating cavity. In this configuration, the first axis corresponds to the bending of the thermal insulation layer about the longitudinal axis of the heater, and the second axis corresponds to the bending of the thermal insulation layer below the base about an axis perpendicular to the longitudinal axis.

[0039] Alternatively, the third surface may be a side of the heater, the first axis may correspond to the bending of the thermal insulation layer beneath the base, and the second axis may correspond to the bending of the thermal insulation layer around at least one side of the heater before a seal is formed along the side of the heater.

[0040] The heater assembly may further comprise one or more additional thermal insulation layers, each bent to cover at least a first and second surface of the heater, with at least one of the thermal insulation layers bent about a second axis to cover and seal a third surface of the heater. Preferably, all thermal insulation layers are sealed, thereby providing a plurality of nesting insulating pouches.

[0041] Preferably, this (or each) thermal insulation layer is less than 1 mm thick. The heater may have at least one corner where the thermal insulation layer is bent (about either the first or second axis). For example, the heater may be a rectangular parallelepiped with corners at a 90-degree angle. Thinner thermal insulation layers (e.g., layers less than 1 mm thick) may be more sharply wrapped (folded) around the edges or corners of the heater. If several thermal insulation layers are used, the total thickness may be about 3 mm.

[0042] The heating assembly may further include wires extending from the outer surface of the heater, and the thermal insulation layer may include openings through which the wires extend. These openings are distinct from the main openings aligned with the cavity openings. The openings may be holes through which the wires pass before the thermal insulation layer is wrapped around the heater (i.e., preferably before the thermal insulation layer is bent around either the first or second axis). Alternatively, the openings may be slots so that the wires can be positioned through the slots by sliding or bending of the thermal insulation layer, such as during bending of the thermal insulation layer during the wrapping process. Preferably, the size of the openings is minimized to a dimension that fits around the wires, thereby forming a seal around the wires. Additional wires may be provided that can supply electricity to the heating elements of the heater (e.g., heating tracks) and / or connect to temperature sensors adjacent to the heating cavity. The wires may be connected to different sides of the heater.

[0043] Preferably, the portion of the wire extending through the opening is bent in contact with the outer surface of the thermal insulation layer. This ensures that the thermal insulation layer is in contact with and held against the heater surface. In addition, this allows the wire to be connected to other components of the device (e.g., power supply or control electronics) located around the heating assembly, without the need for such other components to be placed directly on the wire.

[0044] Preferably, an air layer is provided between the thermal insulation layer and the heater. Advantageously, the air layer provides further thermal insulation due to the low specific heat capacity of air. It should be understood that the air layer may be filled with another thermal insulation material. For example, the air layer may be provided between the thermal insulation layer and the third surface of the heater, in other words, the thermal insulation layer is not directly sealed to the third surface after being bent about a second axis so that an air pocket is formed between them. By providing an air pocket, the third surface of the heater (e.g., the base) is better thermally insulated, thereby increasing the efficiency of the heater.

[0045] Alternatively or additionally, an air layer can be provided by placing a wire between the thermal insulation layer and the heater. In this way, a separate spacer is not required to maintain the air layer. Preferably, the wire is bent between the first thermal insulation layer and the second thermal insulation layer, thereby creating an air layer between them. If further thermal insulation layers are wrapped around the heater, the wire may be bent to separate any adjacent pairs of thermal insulation layers. If multiple wires are present, the multiple wires may be bent between different pairs of thermal insulation layers so that multiple air layers are provided. At least one of the wires may be bent over the outer surface of the outermost thermal insulation layer.

[0046] Preferably, openings in the first thermal insulation layer are covered by the second thermal insulation layer. For example, if a wire extends through a slot in the first thermal insulation layer, the same wire may extend through a hole in the second thermal insulation layer (and vice versa). If the wire extends from both sides of the heater, each wire may alternate between passing through slots and holes. In some scenarios, holes (tightly sealed around the wire) may provide better thermal insulation than slots (leaving uncovered areas), meaning that all sides of the heater are covered by at least one thermal insulation layer.

[0047] The heater may comprise a first heating substrate providing a first (e.g., outer) surface of the heater, a second heating substrate positioned parallel to the first heating substrate, the second heating substrate providing a second (e.g., outer) surface of the heater, and a substantially planar heating cavity between the first and second heating substrates. This provides a rectangular heater in which the thermal insulation layer is bent over substantially straight edges, thereby covering the heater in a substantially pleatless manner. On the other hand, if the heater has a curved shape (e.g., cylindrical shape), pleats may be formed in the thermal insulation layer when bent to cover the base. If additional folds or pleats are used to tightly wrap the thermal insulation layer around the heater, additional sealing portions may be used (e.g., between different folds in the thermal insulation layer) to hold the thermal insulation layer in its wrapped state.

[0048] According to another aspect of the present invention, a non-combustible heating device is provided, comprising the heating assembly described above and herein.

[0049] According to another aspect of the present invention, a method is provided for manufacturing a heating assembly for a non-combustible heating device, comprising: providing a heater disposed around an internal heating cavity having an opening configured to receive a consumable; bending a thermal insulating layer around the heater about a first axis to cover at least a first (e.g., outer) surface and a second (e.g., outer) surface of the heater, wherein the second surface of the heater is on the opposite side from the first surface; bending the thermal insulating layer about a second axis perpendicular to the first axis to cover a third (e.g., outer) surface of the heater connecting the first surface to the second surface; and sealing the thermal insulating layer of the heater to form a wrapping around the heater.

[0050] The method involves bending one or more additional thermal insulation layers around a heater to cover at least a first and second surface of the heater, further comprising bending at least one of the thermal insulation layers about a second axis to cover and seal a third surface of the heater.

[0051] The method may further include connecting wires to the outer surface of the heater and positioning the wires through openings in the thermal insulation layer before bending the thermal insulation layer about either the first or second axis.

[0052] Preferably, the openings in the first thermal insulation layer are covered by the second thermal insulation layer.

[0053] It should be understood that any feature of any of the embodiments defined above and herein may be provided in any suitable combination. Furthermore, any selected or preferred feature from any one of the embodiments above may be included in any of the other embodiments. It will be understood by those skilled in the art that any feature of any apparatus described herein may be provided as a feature of a method, and vice versa. It should also be understood that any particular combination of the various features described and defined in any embodiment described herein may be independently carried out and / or supplied and / or used.

[0054] Furthermore, it should be understood that the present invention is described merely as an example herein, and that modifications of details can be made within the scope of the invention.

[0055] Here, with reference to the attached drawings, one or more embodiments will be described simply as examples. [Brief explanation of the drawing]

[0056] [Figure 1A] One embodiment of an aerosol generating device is shown. [Figure 1B] A cross-section of an aerosol generating device is shown to illustrate a heating assembly equipped with a heating substrate. [Figure 2A] An example of a typical heated substrate is shown, which has a heating track and electrical contacts located near the base of the substrate. [Figure 2B] Figure 2A shows consumables placed inside a heater formed using a typical heating substrate. [Figure 3A] One embodiment of a heater that can form part of a heating assembly is shown, wherein the heater has a heating substrate on which electrical contacts are arranged. [Figure 3B] Figure 3A shows the heating substrate with wires extending from the electrical contacts. [Figure 4] A first example of a thermal insulation layer that can form part of a heating assembly is shown, wherein the thermal insulation layer has one or more pores. [Figure 5] Figures 5A, 5B, and 5C show how the heat insulating layer shown in Figure 4 is placed on the heating substrate of the heater. [Figure 6] Figures 6A and 6B show a second example of a thermal insulation layer having slots, and a method for placing the thermal insulation layer on a heater heating substrate. [Figure 7A] A third example of a thermal insulation layer having a first part and a second part, and a method for arranging the thermal insulation layer on a heating substrate of a heater are shown. [Figure 7B]A third example of a thermal insulation layer having a first part and a second part, and a method for arranging the thermal insulation layer on a heating substrate of a heater are shown. [Figure 8A] A fourth example of a thermal insulation layer having both holes and slots is shown, and a method of arranging the thermal insulation layer by wrapping it around a heater is also shown. [Figure 8B] A fourth example of a thermal insulation layer having both holes and slots is shown, and a method of arranging the thermal insulation layer by wrapping it around a heater is also shown. [Figure 8C] A fourth example of a thermal insulation layer having both holes and slots is shown, and a method of arranging the thermal insulation layer by wrapping it around a heater is also shown. [Figure 8D] A fourth example of a thermal insulation layer having both holes and slots is shown, and a method of arranging the thermal insulation layer by wrapping it around a heater is also shown. [Figure 9A] This shows an example of a heating assembly in which multiple thermal insulation layers are wrapped around the heater. [Figure 9B] This shows an example of a heating assembly in which multiple thermal insulation layers are wrapped around the heater. [Figure 9C] This shows an example of a heating assembly in which multiple thermal insulation layers are wrapped around the heater. [Figure 9D] This shows an example of a heating assembly in which multiple thermal insulation layers are wrapped around the heater. [Figure 10A] This shows an example of a heated assembly in which a thermal insulation layer is bent and sealed to form a wrap. [Figure 10B] This shows an example of a heated assembly in which a thermal insulation layer is bent and sealed to form a wrap. [Figure 10C] This shows an example of a heated assembly in which a thermal insulation layer is bent and sealed to form a wrap. [Figure 10D] This shows an example of a heated assembly in which a thermal insulation layer is bent and sealed to form a wrap. [Modes for carrying out the invention]

[0057] Figure 1A shows an external view of the aerosol generating device 1, and Figure 1B shows a cross-sectional view of the aerosol generating device 1. The device 1 comprises an outer casing 2 in which a heating assembly 10 is housed. In this particular example, the heating assembly 10 is connected to a mouthpiece 4 from which a user can inhale the aerosol. It should be understood that the device 1 may have other components and functional parts (such as a display and control circuits) that are not described in detail herein.

[0058] As shown in Figure 1B, the heating assembly 10 includes a heater 100. Although not shown in Figure 1B, the heating assembly 10 includes a thermal insulation layer 50 around the heater 100, which will be further described in relation to Figures 4 to 10. The heater 100 includes a first wall provided by a first heater substrate 110a and a second wall provided by a second heater substrate 110b. In this example, the heater substrate 110 is formed from a ceramic material. The heater substrate 110 has a substantially flat or planar surface 118. The first heater substrate 110a is positioned parallel to the second heater substrate 110b. In this way, the heater 100 has a substantially rectangular parallelepiped shape with a cavity 105 formed between the substantially planar substrates 110a and 110b. Thus, a substantially planar consumable 5 can be received in the cavity 105. During use, the consumable 5 is heated by the heater 100 to generate an aerosol. Consumable 5 includes an aerosol-forming substance and may be configured as a non-combustible heating consumable 5. Since the heater 100 is a rectangular parallelepiped formed from planar substrates 110a and 110b, it has a large surface area compared to other types of heaters such as cylindrical heaters. Therefore, improving the energy efficiency of the heater 100 is of particular importance.

[0059] The heater 100 comprises a base 101 and side walls 103, 104 (shown in Figure 3A). In this way, the edges of the cavity 105 are enclosed, and as a result, the consumable 5 is held in a consistent position within the cavity 105. The upper part 102 of the heater 100 is left substantially open so that the consumable 5 can be inserted into the cavity 105. In other words, the upper part 102 provides an opening to the cavity 105. A mouthpiece 4 may be detachably connected to the upper part 102 / heating assembly 10 of the heater 100 via a boundary connector (not shown) to allow easier access to the cavity 105 (e.g., for insertion of the consumable 5 or for cleaning). Alternatively, the consumable 5 may be inserted into the cavity 105 through the mouthpiece 4.

[0060] A heating track 120 is formed on each of the substrates 110 (i.e., on the planar surface 118 of each substrate 110). The heating track 120 follows a winding path on the surface 118 of the substrate 110. The heating track 120 is configured to receive electrical energy from the battery or power source (not shown) of the device 1 when the consumable 5 is inserted into the cavity 105 of the heater 100, generating heat to produce an aerosol from the consumable 5. The electrical connection between the heating track 120 and the battery is provided by at least one electrical contact 140 located on the substrate 110, each electrical contact 140 being connected to its respective wire 150.

[0061] Here, a typical heater substrate 110' is described with reference to Figures 2A and 2B. As shown, the substrate 110' has a heating track 120 formed on it. The electrical contacts 140' are located at the edge of the substrate 110' (in this case, near its base 111'), and the wire 150' extends from the base 111' in a direction substantially parallel to the plane of the substrate 110'. This allows for a simple electrical connection to the heating track 120' and allows other components to be placed around the heater 100' without being obstructed by the electrical contacts 140' or the wire 150'. However, the area near the base 111' cannot be used to heat the consumable 5' during use. As a result, as shown in Figure 2B, the area near the base 111' does not generate enough heat to form an inhalable aerosol, and therefore the consumable 5' is not fully inserted into the cavity 105' between the substrates 110a' and 110b'. However, especially when ceramic is used for the substrate 110', the area near the base 111' still increases the thermal mass of the heater 100', which means that heating takes longer and increases the size of the heater 100' and the overall size of device 1. Figures 2A and 2B show electrical contacts 140' located near the base 111', but it should be understood that the same problem exists if the electrical contacts are located near any edge of the substrate 110', such as the side or top.

[0062] Here, the heater 100 will be described in detail with reference to Figures 3A and 3B. Figure 3A shows a heater substrate 110 installed on the heater 100, which has a base 101, an upper part 102, and side walls 103, 104. Figure 3B shows the heater substrate 110 of the heater 100 connected to a wire 150. It should be understood that any features provided in the following description may apply to the first heater substrate 110a and / or the second heater substrate 110b. It should also be understood that the first heater substrate 110a and the second heater substrate 110b do not have to be identical; for example, the heating tracks 120 provided on each of the substrates 110 may have different paths, and / or the electrical contacts 140 may be located at different positions on the substrate 110. Alternatively, a single heater substrate 110 may be provided with the opposing walls of the cavity 105 provided by an unheated substrate or an insulating substrate. However, this example has two substrates 110a and 110b to heat the consumable 5 from both sides.

[0063] As shown in Figure 3A, the substrate 110 is substantially rectangular, having a base portion 111, an upper portion 112, a first side 113, and a second side 114. In this way, the first side 113 and the second side 114 extend between the base portion 111 and the upper portion 112. The base 101, the first side 113, and the second side 114 each provide a surface of the heater that joins the first substrate 110a to the second substrate 110b. Alternatively, the substrate 110 may have other shapes (e.g., not rectangular). The heating track 120 is formed on the planar surface 118 of the substrate 110. The heating track 120 follows a winding path on the substrate 110. To enable power to be supplied to the heating track 120, the first electrical contact 140-1 and the second electrical contact 140-2 are connected to the heating track 120. In this example, the heating track 120 forms a closed loop, and the track 120 has two paths, both of which connect the first electrical contact 140-1 to the second electrical contact 140-2. It should be understood that an open loop, such as a single path between the first electrical contact 140-1 and the second electrical contact 140-2, may also be used. Furthermore, several winding paths may form the heating track 120, and additional electrical contacts 140 may be used.

[0064] The heating track 120 is formed on the substrate 110 within the heating area 115. For illustrative purposes, the boundary of the heating area 115 is shown by a dotted line in Figure 3A, but it should be understood that this boundary is typically not visible. In this example, since both the cavity 105 and the consumable 5 are rectangular, the heating area 115 has a corresponding rectangular shape. The heating area 115 may have a shape other than rectangle (this may be appropriate for a non-rectangular cavity 105 and / or consumable 5). In general, in any path of the heating track 120, the heating area 115 is defined as a convex shape (e.g., a convex polygon) that minimizes the area enclosing the entire heating track 120. The heating area 115 substantially corresponds to the size and shape of the consumable 5 when it is inserted into the cavity 105. This means that the entire heating track 120 is used to heat the consumable 5, and the entire consumable 5 is heated by a portion of the heating track 120. This reduces wasted energy (for example, by heating parts other than consumable 5) and reduces waste of consumable 5 (for example, by having parts that are not heated sufficiently to generate aerosols).

[0065] The substrate 110 has a central region defined as the region adjacent to the center of the substrate 110 and / or the region adjacent to the center of the heating area 115. The center of the substrate 110 and / or the heating area 115 may be defined as the average position or mass center of the substrate 110 and / or the heating area 115.

[0066] A temperature sensor 130 is provided on the substrate 110. In this way, it is possible to monitor the amount of heat supplied to the consumable 5. This may enable optimal vaporization and / or prevent overheating (which may lead to the generation of unwanted steam). The temperature sensor 130 has corresponding third and fourth electrical contacts 140 (not shown), each connected to a corresponding wire 150. This allows the temperature measured by the temperature sensor 130 to be transmitted to other components of device 1, such as a control unit. For example, the temperature sensor 130 may be connected to the power supply and heating track 120 in a feedback loop. To better monitor the temperature, the temperature sensor 130 (and its electrical contacts 140) is positioned inside the central region of the substrate 110.

[0067] The electrical contacts 140 are positioned on the substrate 110 between a first point on the heating track 120 and a second point on the heating track 120. In this way, a (straight) line connecting the first point and the second point along the substrate 110 passes through the location of at least one electrical contact 140. The first and second points are not necessarily unique to each electrical contact 140, insofar as such pairs of points can be found. In other words, if the heating area 115 is defined in the manner described above, at least one electrical contact 140 is located inside the heating area 115. As described above, the electrical contacts 140 include electrical contacts 140-1, 140-2 for supplying power to the heating track 120 and electrical contacts 140 (e.g., a pair) for connecting to the temperature sensor 130.

[0068] In contrast, in the substrate 110' described in relation to Figures 2A and 2B, it is not possible to find a straight line between two points on the heating track 120' that passes through either of the electrical contacts 140'. This is because the electrical contacts 140' are located adjacent to the edge of the substrate 110' (in this case, the base portion 111'). In other words, the electrical contacts 140' are located outside the heating area 115' of the heating track 120'.

[0069] Advantageously, by having an electrical contact 140 between a first point and a second point on the heating track 120, the heating track 120 can fill the substrate 110 without requiring any protrusions or spaces near the edges of the electrical contact 140. In the rectangular heating area 115 shown in Figure 3A, the heating track 120 has a first portion 121 adjacent to the base portion 111 of the substrate 110 and a second portion 122 adjacent to the upper portion 112 of the substrate 110. In other words, the heating track 120 extends to both the top and base of the heating cavity 105 because there is no need to reserve space adjacent to the upper portion 112 or the base portion 111 of the substrate 110 to accommodate at least one electrical contact 140. This reduces the size of the substrate 110 and improves the efficiency of the heater 100. As used herein, the term “adjacent” means that portions 121, 122 of the heating track 120 extend within 20%, more preferably 10%, and even more preferably 5% of the length of the substrate 110 from the upper portion 112 or the base portion 111.

[0070] The heating track 120 has a third portion 123 adjacent to the first side surface 113 of the substrate 110 and a fourth portion 124 adjacent to the second side surface 114 of the substrate 110. In other words, the heating track 120 extends to both sides of the heating cavity 105 so that space does not need to be reserved for at least one electrical contact 140. This allows for a further reduction in the size of the substrate 110 without reducing the size of the heating track 120, and as a result, the overall efficiency of the heater 100 is improved without affecting performance. As used herein, the term “adjacent” means that portions 123, 124 of the heating track 120 extend within 20%, more preferably within 10%, and even more preferably within 5% of the width of the substrate 110 from the first side surface 113 or the second side surface 114.

[0071] Preferably, the heating track 120 substantially follows the outer perimeter of the substrate 110 in other parts, in addition to the first, second, third, and fourth parts described above (i.e., the heating area 115 extends to the outer perimeter of the substrate 110). In other words, parts 121, 122, 123, and 124 shown in Figure 3A are labeled as examples only and are not the only parts adjacent to each side of the substrate. In both rectangular and non-rectangular substrates 110, the heating area 115 preferably extends to the outer perimeter of the substrate 110 (i.e., the boundary of the heating area 115 is adjacent to the outer perimeter of the substrate 110, and the term “adjacent” is defined as described above).

[0072] As shown in Figure 3B, at least one wire 150 extends from at least one electrical contact 140. More specifically, the first wire 150-1 extends from the first electrical contact 140-1, the second wire 150-2 extends from the second electrical contact 140-2, and the third wire 150-3 and the fourth wire 150-4 extend from the electrical contact 140 of the temperature sensor 130. As will be described in more detail later, the wires 150 preferably extend perpendicularly from the surface 118 of the substrate 110, and a portion of the wires 150 is bent parallel to the surface 118 of the substrate 110. This allows the wires 150 to be connected to other components of device 1, such as a power supply or control circuit. In this example, all of the wires 150 are bent to extend over the base 101 of the heater 100, but it should be understood that the wires 150 may be bent to extend in other directions, or may not be bent at all.

[0073] Advantageously, the energy efficiency of the heater 100 is improved by providing electrical contacts 140 within the heating area 115. The energy consumed is generally proportional to the area of ​​the substrate 110. In the typical heater 100' shown in Figures 2A and 2B, the surface area is 329 mm². 2 This requires approximately 3 kJ of energy per session. In heater 100 shown in Figures 3A and 3B, the surface area is 263 mm². 2This is reduced to requiring only about 2.6 kJ of energy per session. This represents an improvement of approximately 20% in energy efficiency while maintaining the performance of device 1.

[0074] To further improve the efficiency of device 1, it is desirable to maximize the amount of heat transferred from the heating track 120 to the cavity 105 and minimize any heat leakage elsewhere. This can improve the battery life of device 1 without affecting the performance of heater 100 and suppress external heating of device 1 during use. To achieve this, the heating assembly 10 includes a thermal insulation layer 50 placed on the surface 118 of the substrate 110. The thermal insulation layer 50 may also be referred to herein as a thermal insulation plate 50.

[0075] As shown in Figure 4, the thermal insulation layer 50 may be a substantially rectangular piece of material. The material may be about 3 mm thick, but as described later, multiple thermal insulation layers 50 may be used to provide a total thickness of about 3 mm, preferably with each layer having a thickness of about 1 mm or less. The thermal insulation layer 50 has a nanoporous structure and may contain materials such as Superwool® or Finesulight®.

[0076] As described above, since the wire 150 extends from the central region of the surface 118 of the substrate 110, one problem may be how to effectively insulate the heater 100 while still allowing the wire 150 to connect to other components of the device 1. In contrast, in the configurations shown in Figures 2A and 2B, the insulating layer can be easily provided over the heating area 115' without being obstructed by the electrical contacts 140' or the wire 150'. To address this problem, in this example, the insulating layer 50 is positioned to provide openings through which the wire 150 extends. As shown in Figure 4, the insulating layer 50 comprises at least one hole or perforation 52, more specifically, a hole 52 corresponding to each of the wires 150. In this example, the first hole 52-1 and the second hole 52-2 correspond to the first wire 150-1 and the second wire 150-2 that connect to the heating track 120. The third hole 52-3 and the fourth hole 52-4 correspond to the third wire 150-3 and the fourth wire 150-4, which are connected to the temperature sensor 130.

[0077] Figures 5A to 5C illustrate the steps in the construction of the heating assembly 10. In Figure 5A, the end of each wire 150 is passed through its corresponding hole 52. In Figure 5B, the thermal insulation layer 50 is positioned in contact with the surface 118 of the substrate 110, with the wires 150 moving through the holes 52. The size of each hole 52 tightly seals around its corresponding wire 150, meaning that there are no uncovered portions of the surface 118 by the thermal insulation layer 50. Preferably, the thermal insulation layer 50 is in contact with the surface 118 of the substrate 110. Alternatively, an air layer may be provided between them, which may provide additional thermal insulation.

[0078] As shown in Figure 5C, the portion of each wire 150 extending through the hole 52 is bent parallel to the thermal insulation layer 50. This causes the thermal insulation layer 50 to contact and be held against the surface 118 of the heating substrate 110. Although Figures 5A to 5C show only a single thermal insulation layer 50 placed on the first heating substrate 110a, it should be understood that the same process may be performed on the second heating substrate 110b, resulting in thermal insulation on both sides of the heater 100. Furthermore, other heating layers may be provided to cover the base 101 and side walls 103, 104 of the heater 100. As will be described in more detail later, the thermal insulation layer 50 may be bent (folded or wound) to cover the base 101 and side walls 103, 104.

[0079] The opening may be provided in other ways. As shown in Figures 6A and 6B, the thermal insulation layer 50 may have slots 54 extending to the edge of the thermal insulation layer 50. In this way, the thermal insulation layer 50 can be positioned by translating the wires 150 through the slots 54 on the surface 118 of the substrate 110. Since the electrical contacts 140 are preferably collinear, the slots 54 can be straight lines, thereby allowing the thermal insulation layer 50 to slide easily into place along a single direction (as indicated by the arrows). While straight slots 54 are easier to manufacture, it should be understood that slots 54 of other shapes may be used to accommodate other arrangements of the electrical contacts 140 (e.g., not collinear). Even when slot 54 is used, the wire 150 may be bent parallel to the thermal insulation layer 50 in order to hold the thermal insulation layer 50 in contact with the heating substrate 110, which can be done either before or after the thermal insulation layer 50 is placed on the substrate 110, preferably after.

[0080] As an alternative way of providing an opening, Figures 7A and 7B show a thermal insulation layer 50 having a first portion 50-1 and a second portion 50-2 positioned on the substrate 110 with a gap 56 that will form an opening in between. As indicated by the arrows in Figure 7A, the first portion 50-1 and the second portion 50-2 may be translated (slid) on the surface 118 of the heating substrate 110 to position them. In Figure 7B, the first portion 50-1 and the second portion 50-2 are slid so as to contact a wire 150 connected to an electrical contact 140. Since the electrical contact 140 is preferably collinear, the thermal insulation layer 50 may simply be divided into the first portion 50-1 and the second portion 50-2 along a straight line. While straight gaps 56 (boundaries) can be manufactured more easily, it should be understood that other shapes of gaps 56 may be used, for example, to accommodate electrical contacts 140 that are not collinear and / or to fill the space between electrical contacts 140.

[0081] Figures 8A to 8D show alternative ways of providing openings in the thermal insulation layer 50, which is wrapped around the heater 100. As shown in Figure 8A, the thermal insulation layer 50 has holes 52 corresponding to those already described in relation to Figure 4. However, the thermal insulation layer 50 is also wider and has slots 54-1, 54-2 on both sides.

[0082] As shown in Figure 8B, the first set of wires 150a extends from the first substrate 110a, and the second set of wires 150b extends from the second substrate 110b. In a manner similar to that in Figure 5A, as shown in Figure 8B, the ends of each wire 150a are passed through their corresponding holes 52 in order to position the thermal insulation layer 50 in contact with the surface 118 of the first substrate 110a.

[0083] In Figure 8C, the thermal insulation layer 50 is bent (i.e., wrapped around and / or folded) around the side walls 103, 104 of the heater 100 in order to position it in contact with the surface 118 of the second substrate 110b. The thermal insulation layer 50 is bent about the longitudinal axis of the heater 100, which is the axis extending between the base 101 of the heater 100 and the mouthpiece 4. The thermal insulation layer 50 may be sealed to itself and / or to the heater 100 to prevent its wrapping from coming undone later. Because the heater 100 is rectangular in shape, the thermal insulation layer 50 can be bent over the 90-degree corners of the heater 100 without substantially creating folds in the thermal insulation layer 50.

[0084] As shown in Figure 8D, slots 54-1 and 54-2 allow the second set of wires 150b to extend through the thermal insulation layer 50. In this example, the thermal insulation layer 50 is wrapped around the side walls 103 and 104 of the heater 100, but it should be noted that the thermal insulation layer 50 could also be wrapped under the base 101 of the heater 100, which may require holes 52 and slots 54 of a different configuration, or a thermal insulation layer 50 of a different shape. It should also be noted that the first set of wires 150a may instead pass through slots 54, and the second set of wires 150b may instead pass through holes 52 in the thermal insulation layer 50.

[0085] Any of the features of the thermal insulation layer 50 described above may be combined in any suitable manner. For example, instead of providing slots 54 on both sides of the thermal insulation layer 50 as in Figure 8A, the thermal insulation layer 50 may be made slightly narrower so that the wires instead extend through the gap when the thermal insulation layer 50 is folded around the heater 100.

[0086] Here, as will be explained in relation to Figures 9A to 9D, multiple thermal insulation layers 50 may be wrapped around each other. In Figure 9A, the first thermal insulation layer 50a is wrapped around the heater 100 in the same manner as described in relation to Figures 8A to 8D. The first set of wires 150a extend through holes 52a in the first thermal insulation layer 50a, and the second set of wires 150b extend through slots 54a in the first thermal insulation layer 50a. The first thermal insulation layer 50a covers most of the heater 100, but the slots 54a mean that parts of the second substrate 110b near the second set of wires 150b (such as between adjacent wires 150) are not covered by the first thermal insulation layer 50a.

[0087] In Figure 9B, the second thermal insulation layer 50b is wrapped around the heater 100 on top of the first thermal insulation layer 50a in the same manner as described above. Preferably, the second thermal insulation layer 50b is wrapped so as to cover the openings in the first thermal insulation layer 50a. More specifically, the slots 54a in the first thermal insulation layer 50a are covered by the second thermal insulation layer 50b. This is achieved by passing a second set of wires 150b through the holes 52b in the second thermal insulation layer 50b and passing a first set of wires 150a through the slots 54b in the second thermal insulation layer 50b. In other words, if a particular wire 150 extends through the slots 54a in the first thermal insulation layer 50a, the same wire 150 may extend through the holes 52b in the second thermal insulation layer (and vice versa). The holes 52 (preferably tightly sealed around the wire 150) provide better thermal insulation than the slots 54 (which leave the area uncovered), which means that all sides of the heater 100 are covered by at least one thermal insulation layer 50.

[0088] Preferably, as shown in Figure 9C, the third thermal insulation layer 50c is wrapped around the heater 100. As described above, the third thermal insulation layer 50c is wrapped so as to cover at least one of the openings in the first thermal insulation layer 50a or the second thermal insulation layer 50b. In particular, the slot 54b in the second thermal insulation layer 50b is covered by the third thermal insulation layer 50c. Thus, it should be understood that the third thermal insulation layer 50c is wrapped in a similar manner to the first thermal insulation layer 50a, but the third thermal insulation layer 50c may be wrapped in a different manner from either or both of the first thermal insulation layer 50a and the second thermal insulation layer 50b.

[0089] Figure 9D shows an enlarged view of Figure 9C. As shown, the wire 150 passes alternately through the slots 54 and holes 52. By winding the wire around the heater 100 in this manner, it is possible to cover substantially the entire heater 100 while still providing openings for the wire 150 to pass through and extend. A further advantage of having multiple thermal insulation layers 50 is that each layer can be made thinner and therefore can be wound more tightly around the 90-degree corners of the heater 100. For example, a total thickness of about 3 mm may be required to provide sufficient thermal insulation. By providing this thickness using three layers, each 1 mm thick, each thermal insulation layer 50 can be bent at a sharper angle (smaller bending radius) around the corners of the heater 100.

[0090] The aforementioned thermal insulation layer 50 provides thermal insulation to the substrate 110 and side walls 103, 104 of the heater 100, but the base 101 of the heater 100 is generally left uncovered. Typically, a separate piece of material may be used to thermally insulate the base 101. However, as will be explained here in relation to the cross-sectional views in Figures 10A to 10F, the thermal insulation layer (generally referred to as 50) is preferably bent to form a wrapping (generally referred to as 55) that substantially surrounds the heater 100. Such a wrapping 55 may be referred to as a thermal insulation pouch 55.

[0091] Figure 10A shows a heating assembly 10 in which the thermal insulation layer 50a is wrapped around the heater 100 in a manner similar to that already described. More specifically, the thermal insulation layer 50a is bent about a first axis to cover the first substrate 110a, the second substrate 110b on the opposite side, and the side walls 103, 104. The first axis corresponds to the longitudinal axis of the heater 100. As shown in Figure 10A, after bending about the first axis, the base 101 is initially not covered or wrapped by the thermal insulation layer 50a. The thermal insulation layer 50a has a greater height than the thermal insulation layer described above, and as a result, the bottom edge of the thermal insulation layer 50a extends beyond the base 101 (i.e., overhangs).

[0092] Subsequently, as shown in Figure 10B, the thermal insulation layer 50a is bent about a second axis perpendicular to the first axis to cover the base 101. The second axis corresponds to an axis perpendicular to the longitudinal axis, such as an axis passing through opposing surfaces of the cavity 105. Once bent to cover the base 101, the thermal insulation layer 50a is sealed over the base 101 to form a wrapping 55a having a sealing portion 56a. The sealing portion 56a is preferably a crimp sealing portion, but other types of sealing portions 56a may be used to connect the thermal insulation layer 50a to itself on the base 101, such as by using one or more folds in the thermal insulation layer 50a. The wrapping 55a has a main opening that aligns with the opening of the heating cavity 105. By forming the wrapping 55a in this way, the heater 100 can be more completely insulated using a single piece of thermal insulation material without requiring separate material pieces to insulate the base 101 or the side walls 103, 104. Furthermore, an air pocket 58 is formed between the base 101 and the sealing portion 56a. Due to the low specific heat capacity of air, this further reduces heat loss from the heater 100 via the base 101. Optionally, the air pocket 58 may be filled with a thermal insulating material.

[0093] It should be understood that the wrapping 55a has other openings (different from its main opening) through which the wire 150 extends, such as the hole 52 or slot 54 already described above. Also, it should be understood that the first axis and the second axis may be defined using different directions.

[0094] Preferably, the wrapping 55a is a first wrapping 55a, and one or more further additional thermal insulation layers are wrapped around the heater 100. As shown in Figure 10C, the second thermal insulation layer 50b is bent around the heater 100 about a first axis, leaving the bottom edge of the second thermal insulation layer 50b overhanging the base 101 of the heater 100. In Figure 10D, the second thermal insulation layer 50b is bent about a second axis to cover and seal the base 101, forming a second wrapping 55b with a sealing portion 56b. This provides a pair of nested wrappings 55a, 55b, thereby improving the thermal insulation of the heater 100.

[0095] As shown in Figure 10E, the third thermal insulation layer 50c is bent around the heater 100 about the first axis, leaving the bottom edge of the third thermal insulation layer 50c protruding over the base 101 of the heater 100. In Figure 10F, the third thermal insulation layer 50c is bent around the second axis to cover and seal the base 101, forming a third wrapping 55c with a sealing portion 56c. This provides multiple nested wrappings 55a, 55b, and 55c, thereby further improving the thermal insulation of the heater 100.

[0096] It should be understood that any number of wrappings 55 may be provided, using four or more corresponding thermal insulation layers 50. By using multiple wrappings 55, each may be formed from a thinner piece of material (e.g., about 1 mm or less), which means that each thermal insulation layer 50 can be bent more sharply around the corners of the heater 100. On the other hand, if only a single wrapping 55 is provided with a thickness of about 3 mm, the thermal insulation layer 50 cannot be folded sharply around the heater 100 due to the limited bending radius of the thicker piece of material.

[0097] Figure 10F shows that all thermal insulation layers 50 are sealed to form a wrapping 55, but it should be understood that not all thermal insulation layers 50 are necessarily sealed. In addition, sealing does not necessarily have to be done before the wrapping of further thermal insulation layers 50 is completed; for example, all three thermal insulation layers 50 may be sealed simultaneously. Furthermore, the wrapping 55 may be combined with other configurations of the thermal insulation layers 50 described above.

[0098] If multiple wrappings 55 are provided, the wire 150 passes through the layers in the same manner as already described above in relation to Figures 9A to 9D, where the openings alternate between holes 52 and slots 54. In addition, the wire 150 is bent parallel to the heater 100 to hold the heat insulating layer 50 in contact with the substrate 110 and connect to other components of device 1 such as a power supply or control circuit.

[0099] To further improve the thermal insulation properties of the heater assembly 10, an air layer is provided, with at least one of the thermal insulation layers 50 spaced apart from the heater 100. More specifically, adjacent pairs of thermal insulation layers 50 are spaced apart from each other, forming an air layer between them. Because air has a small specific heat capacity, the provision of the air layer further improves the thermal insulation properties around the heater 100. The air layer is provided in addition to the air pocket 58 described above.

[0100] As shown in Figure 10D, the air layer is provided by using a first wire 150-1 extending from the first substrate 110a to position the first thermal insulation layer 55a at a distance from the second thermal insulation layer 55b. The first wire 150-1 is bent in contact with the outer surface of the first wrapping 55a before the second thermal insulation layer 50b is wrapped around the first thermal insulation layer 50a. As a result, when the second thermal insulation layer 50b is bent around the heater 100, the air layer is provided adjacent to the first wire 150-1. Since the first wire 150-1 is bent parallel to the surface 118 of the substrate 110, the opening in the second thermal insulation layer 55b through which the first wire 150-1 passes is provided near the base of the second wrapping 55b adjacent to the sealing portion 56b.

[0101] As shown in Figure 10D, instead, the second wire 150-2 is bent over the outer surface of the second thermal insulation layer 50b. Thus, the second wire 150-2 extends through the opening in the second thermal insulation layer 50b in the manner described above in relation to Figures 9A to 9D. As shown in Figure 10F, the second wire 150-2 is also bent over the outer surface of the third (outermost) thermal insulation layer 50c, so that no air layer is provided between the second thermal insulation layer 50b and the third thermal insulation layer 50c. Alternatively, the second wire 150-2 may be positioned at a distance from the third thermal insulation layer 50c to provide an air layer.

[0102] The air layer was described above in relation to the first wire 150-1 and the second wire 150-2 extending from the first substrate 110a of the heater 100, but it should be understood that any other wire 150 extending from either substrate 110a or 110b may be used for this purpose. In other words, any adjacent pairs of thermal insulation layers 50 may be spaced apart using any of the wires 150. Since there are multiple wires 150 in the heating assembly 10, several air layers may be formed using different wires 150. In addition, although not described above, the wires 150 may be bent directly between the heater 100 and the first thermal insulation layer 50a.

[0103] While the foregoing describes exemplary embodiments of the present invention, it should be understood that the present invention is described merely as an example herein, and modifications of details can be made within the scope of the invention. Furthermore, those skilled in the art will understand that the present invention is not limited to the embodiments disclosed herein, nor to any details shown in the accompanying drawings that are not described in detail herein and are not defined in the claims. In fact, such non-essential features can be removed from the drawings without impairing the invention.

[0104] Furthermore, other embodiments and further embodiments of the present invention will become apparent to those skilled in the art by examining this specification and can be devised without departing from the basic scope of the invention as defined by the subsequent claims.

Claims

1. circuit board and A heating track formed on the substrate, A temperature sensor placed on the aforementioned substrate, At least one electrical contact disposed on the substrate at a position between a first point on the heating track and a second point on the heating track, wherein the at least one electrical contact includes at least one electrical contact that includes a pair of electrical contacts connected to the temperature sensor. A heater for a non-combustible heating device, equipped with the following features.

2. The substrate has a base portion arranged to provide the base of the heating cavity and an upper portion arranged to provide the upper part of the heating cavity, The heater according to claim 1, wherein the heating track has a first portion adjacent to the base portion of the substrate and a second portion adjacent to the upper portion of the substrate.

3. The substrate has a first side surface and a second side surface, each extending between the base portion and the upper portion of the substrate. The heater according to claim 2, wherein the heating track has a third portion adjacent to the first side surface of the substrate and a fourth portion adjacent to the second side surface of the substrate.

4. The heater according to any one of claims 1 to 3, wherein the at least one electrical contact is located in the central region of the substrate.

5. The heater according to any one of claims 1 to 4, wherein the substrate is substantially flat, thereby providing a planar surface on which the heating track is formed.

6. The heater according to any one of claims 1 to 5, wherein the at least one electrical contact includes a pair of electrical contacts for supplying power to the heating track.

7. The heater according to any one of claims 1 to 6, wherein the temperature sensor is located in the central region of the substrate.

8. The heater according to any one of claims 1 to 7, wherein the heater comprises at least one wire extending from the at least one electrical contact, preferably the wire further comprising at least one wire extending from the substrate in a direction substantially perpendicular to the substrate.

9. The heater according to claim 8, wherein a portion of at least one of the wires is bent in a direction parallel to the substrate.

10. The heater according to any one of claims 1 to 9, further comprising a heat insulating layer disposed on the surface of the substrate.

11. The heater according to any one of claims 1 to 10, wherein the substrate is a first substrate, and the heater further comprises a second substrate arranged parallel to the first substrate, wherein a heating cavity is provided between the first substrate and the second substrate.

12. A heating non-combustion device comprising a heater according to any one of claims 1 to 11.

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