Inhaler

Abstract

To provide an inhaler component for producing a steam-air mixture and / or condensation aerosol in an intermittent and inhalation- or intake-synchronous manner.SOLUTION: The inhaler component includes: a case (3); a chamber (21) arranged in the case (3); an air inlet (26) for the supply of air from the surroundings to the chamber (21); an electrical heating element for evaporating a constant amount of liquid material, where the vapor produced here is mixed in the chamber (21) with the air supplied through the air inlet (26), and the vapor-air mixture and / or condensation aerosol is produced; and a wick which has a capillary structure, forms a composite (22) with the heating element, and automatically supplies the heating element with the liquid material newly following one evaporation process.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 12

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present invention relates to an inhaler component for intermittently generating a vapor-air mixture and / or a condensed aerosol in synchronization with inhalation or suction, comprising one case, one chamber disposed within the case, one air inlet for supplying air from the periphery into the chamber, one electric heating element for vaporizing a certain amount of liquid material, wherein the vapor generated here is mixed with the air supplied from the air inlet within the chamber to generate the vapor-air mixture and / or the condensed aerosol, one wick having a capillary structure, the wick forming a composite with the heating element, and the wick being adapted such that a new liquid material is automatically supplied to the heating element when one vaporization process ends.

Background Art

[0002] Inhalers related to the present invention are inhalers that enable an operation performed intermittently in synchronization with inhalation or suction. Such an operation mode occurs when a liquid material is heated and vaporized only during inhalation or suction. The heating element is substantially deactivated between successive inhalations or suctions. Conventionally, the activation or energization of the heating element is performed manually, for example using a switch, simultaneously with the start of inhalation or suction. However, automatic activation by one suitable sensor and one electronic circuit is preferred. Among the inhalers that come up in the discussion, there are also inhalers of the type activated by inhalation or suction.

[0003] In this patent application specification, the concept of “inhaler” applies to both medical and non-medical inhalers. The concept further applies to inhalers for administering pharmaceuticals and substances not designated as pharmaceuticals. Beyond that, the concept also applies to smoking devices and tobacco substitutes, such as those included in European Patent Classification A24F47 / 00B, insofar as they are designated for administering vapor-air mixtures and / or condensed aerosols to a user. Furthermore, the concept of “inhaler” imposes no conditions on how the resulting vapor-air mixtures and / or condensed aerosols are supplied to the user or their body. The vapor-air mixtures and / or condensed aerosols may be inhaled into the lungs or supplied only to the oral cavity—without inhalation into the lungs. Finally, the concept of an "inhaler" includes both devices that allow direct inhalation into the lungs in a single step ("classical inhalers") and devices that require at least two steps—specifically, the first step of inhaling into the oral cavity (inhalation volume: approximately 20-80 mL), and the second step of inhaling into the lungs after placing the inhaler down ("inhalation-type inhalers"). In classical inhalers, the air mass flow rate through the inhaler is significantly higher than in inhalation-type inhalers, at approximately 100-750 mL per second compared to 10-40 mL per second in inhalation-type inhalers. Conversely, the flow resistance or inhalation resistance of inhalation-type inhalers is typically significantly greater than that of classical inhalers.

[0004] (Definition of the concept) Vaporization energy: The sum of sensible and latent heat transferred to the liquid material that actually vaporizes. Vaporization capacity: Vaporization energy converted to a unit time. Specific vaporization capacity: The vaporization capacity per unit mass of a liquid material that vaporizes. Vaporizer efficiency: The ratio of vaporization energy to the energy generated by the heat source. Numerous inhalers and electric smoking devices have long been proposed that utilize electrical energy to vaporize pharmaceuticals and / or fragrances, and prepare the resulting vapor and / or condensed aerosol for use in the user's inhalation, if necessary.

[0005] British Patent No. 25,575-1911 (Elwin Kendal Hill) describes an inhaler equipped with an electric vaporizer for vaporizing a drug. The vaporizer consists of a plate 38 and a perforated cover 39. In the space between the plate 38 and the cover 39, an absorbent material 40 for absorbing the drug is located on one side, and an electric heating element 41—for example, in the form of a resistance wire—is located on the other side. Liquid drug is automatically supplied from a reservoir 30 to the absorbent material 40 and the heating element 41 via a corresponding number of wicks 45. The air inhaled during inhalation flows through a conical passage 36, thereby converging this airflow into the vaporizer, so that the vaporized drug is taken into this airflow. The plate 38 of the vaporizer is held in place by a spacing sleeve 44.

[0006] In this type of configuration, a particular disadvantage is the complex structure of the vaporizer, its bracket, and the wick attachment point to the vaporizer. The large number of parts and the complex design structure drive up the manufacturing cost of this inhaler and make the assembly process cumbersome.

[0007] A significant drawback is found, for example, the relatively small ratio of the vapor outlet area to the volume of the vaporizer. This is partly due to the specific geometric dimensions of the vaporizer, but also because the absorbent material 40 and the electric heating element 41 are substantially covered by the plate 38 and the cover 39. These covers are necessary for the design to hold the absorbent material 40 and the electric heating element 41 in place. The vapor generated inside the vaporizer can escape to the outside only through holes in the cover 39. As a result, even if the vaporization capacity is not particularly large compared to others, the critical heat flux may already be reached inside the vaporizer. Therefore, this arrangement seems unsuitable for achieving intermittent operation synchronized with suction or intake, which fundamentally requires a larger specific vaporization capacity and high vaporizer efficiency as prerequisites.

[0008] Furthermore, despite various precautions taken to prevent the leakage of liquid chemicals from the reservoir 30, a drawback is that, in particular, it is impossible to completely eliminate the possibility of such leakage, especially if the reservoir 30 becomes overfilled due to misoperation. Finally, it can be considered dangerous that the liquid chemicals in the reservoir 30 are actually exposed to the ambient air without protection, which can lead to oxidation and / or changes in the composition of the chemicals based on the evaporation effect.

[0009] U.S. Patent No. 2,057,353 (Clinton L. Whittemore) describes a vaporization unit for a therapeutic device, comprising a container A for containing a liquid drug x, conductors 1 and 2 protruding from the bottom of the container, a heating element 3 connected to these conductors, and a core D extending from the heating element 3 to the bottom of the container, around which the heating element 3 is wound. The container has an air intake 4 and a vapor outlet 5, both of which are formed with a conical recess on the inside to prevent the drug from leaking out of the container.

[0010] A disadvantage of this configuration is the complex and costly process of joining the heating element to the core. Prior to assembly, the heating wire must be wound around the core. This procedure is particularly complex because the dimensions of the components being joined are usually exceptionally small. In addition, it is difficult to guarantee that all of the heating wire windings are in close contact with the core. Localized lifting can cause overheating of the heating wire in that area, accelerating the degradation of the resistive material. The same problem occurs in the areas where the heating wire is connected to conductors 1 and 2.

[0011] Another disadvantage is that the outer surface of the core D is partially covered by the heating element 3 being wrapped around it. To that extent, such wrapping is a kind of obstruction to the steam escaping from the core. When the steam flow is obstructed in this way, it can lead to the same results as already described in detail above with respect to British Patent No. 25,575-1911. In addition, the generated steam may come into contact with the high-temperature heating element, at least partially, upon release, thereby causing the thermal decomposition of the agent x.

[0012] Furthermore, another disadvantage is that the core D is held in place only by a relatively thin heating wire 3. Even slight shaking can change the position of the core D, significantly altering the flow and mixing ratio between the air drawn in through the hole 4 and the vapor flowing out from the core D, potentially hindering aerosol generation. Although this device is only operational in an upright or slightly inclined position, despite various design measures, the possibility of leakage of the agent x from the container A cannot be completely eliminated. Finally, the agent x inside the container A is essentially freely exposed to ambient air, which should also be considered an extremely unfavorable factor.

[0013] French Patent No. 960,469 (M. Eugene Vacheron) describes an inhalation device equipped with an electric vaporizer. This inhalation device has one electric cartridge heater 4, 5, 6 and one wick 16, which is permeated with a storage liquid stored in a container 1. The cartridge heater is located outside the container 1 and is therefore not directly connected to the wick. These special design conditions make the inhalation device inert to heat and suggest that it is probably suitable for continuous operation of the vaporizer, but it seems impossible to achieve intermittent inhalation or operation synchronized with inhalation.

[0014] Canadian Patent No. 2,309,376 (by Futoshi Matsuyama) describes a vaporizer or nebulizer for medical use, comprising a container 1 containing a liquid preparation and a rod-shaped porous material 3 installed inside the container 1 (Figure 3). One end of the rod-shaped porous material 3 is immersed in the liquid preparation, while the other end extends freely upward outside the container 1. The container 1 and the rod-shaped porous material 3 are arranged inside a barrel-shaped container 5. The barrel-shaped container 5 holds the container 1 in place on one end and contains an electric heater 6 on the other end, which surrounds the upper end of the rod-shaped porous material 3 at a certain distance, preferably within the range of 0.8 to 2.5 mm. Due to capillary attraction inside the rod-shaped porous material 3, the liquid preparation is drawn upward and finally vaporized by the electric heater 6. In this process, the active ingredient contained in the liquid preparation is sprayed and overflows from the barrel-shaped container 5 into the room through the hole 9, allowing the user to inhale it. The liquid preparation consists of an aqueous solution in which a concentrated solution of the active ingredient is dissolved or dispersed. This aqueous solution preferably consists of water or a mixture of water and ethanol. This concentrated solution of the active ingredient is obtained from the leaves of banaba (Lagerstroemia Speciosa) and contains up to 15% by mass of corosolic acid. This concentrated solution of the active ingredient is said to have the effect of lowering blood sugar levels. The content of this concentrated solution of the active ingredient in the aqueous solution (calculated as corosolic acid) is 0.5 to 3.0% by mass.

[0015] This vaporizer is designed for continuous operation. The electric heater 6 is positioned at a certain distance from the porous material 3 and therefore does not form a composite with the porous material 3. This gap between them indicates high thermal resistance. Unless heat is transferred by thermal radiation, it would be impossible to achieve intermittent operation with a sufficiently high specific vaporization capacity. To achieve this, the electric heater 6 would need to be heated very rapidly to a very high temperature. The liquid preparation would likely vaporize first from the peripheral region facing the electric heater, pass through the aforementioned gap, and flow out to the surrounding area. Regardless of the practical feasibility of this concept, the generated vapor could come into contact with the red-hot surface of the electric heater 6, thereby potentially causing thermal decomposition of at least a portion of the concentrated pharmacokinetic solution.

[0016] U.S. Patent No. 6,155,268 (by Manabu Takeuchi) describes an aroma generator. This aroma generator (Figure 1) consists of a chamber 121 with an air intake 18, a mouthpiece opening 22 or mouthpiece 16 with a through gas passage 20 formed inside, a liquid container 32 for holding a liquid fragrance 34, and finally a capillary tube 36. The first end of the capillary tube 36 is immersed in the liquid in the container 32, and the second end is connected to the gas passage 20. In addition, it has a heating element 42. The liquid fragrance 34 flows towards the heating element 42 due to capillary attraction acting inside the capillary tube 36, where it vaporizes and flows out as an upward airflow from the opening 36b into the gas passage 20. The airflow entering the chamber 121 from the outside through the intake port 18 is converged at the capillary opening 36b after passing through the opening slits 24 and 24a, which is said to provide favorable conditions for complete mixing between the vapor and the inhaled air, or for aerosol generation.

[0017] In each of the alternative embodiments (Figures 8-13), various panel-shaped heating elements are proposed. In yet another embodiment (Figures 14 and 15), the inside of the capillary tube is filled with a single porous structure 302, which in one modification can protrude from the capillary tube. In the latter case, the heating element 425 is preferably positioned at the end of the protruding porous structure.

[0018] Even in this configuration, the relatively complex structure of the vaporization unit—in this case, consisting of a capillary tube and a heating element—remains a disadvantage. Interconnection of these two microcomponents is required, as is connection of the heating element to a power source, which in specific cases is impossible without using multiple wires. Unfortunately, this specification provides no further precise information on this matter.

[0019] Regarding the arrangements shown in Figures 14 and 15, the same points as previously made in relation to British Patent No. 25,575.1911 apply, where the ratio of the vapor outlet area to the vaporizer volume is exceptionally small. This is due to the porous structure 302 being substantially covered by the sheath 301 and the heating element 425. As a result, the critical heat flux may be reached even when the vaporization capacity is not very large, and for this reason, the operational reliability of this arrangement can be questioned, especially when intermittent operation synchronized with suction or intake is required.

[0020] Two variations of the liquid container 32 have been proposed. In the first variation (Figure 1), the liquid container is a fixed component of the fragrance generator. This liquid container can be refilled through a single filling opening. However, such refilling poses an environmental risk, especially if the liquid fragrance contains pharmaceuticals or toxins such as nicotine, and if the refilling is performed by the user themselves. In the alternative variation (Figure 8), the liquid container is configured as a replaceable small container. The method of connecting them is not disclosed in detail. Replaceable small containers always carry the risk of accidental ingestion by infants, which could potentially lead to fatal consequences, especially if the liquid fragrance contains pharmaceuticals or toxins such as nicotine.

[0021] The arrangement shown in Figure 8 also includes a single replaceable mouthpiece 161, which has a hollow cylindrical projection that covers most of the inner wall of the chamber 121 like a lining and extends almost to the opening of the capillary 371. The condensate residue generated inside the chamber 121 mainly accumulates on the inner surface of this hollow cylindrical projection, which can be removed along with the mouthpiece. The problem is that this inner surface has a limited capacity to accept condensates. In particular, if the liquid fragrance contains a high concentration of low-boiling-point components with high vapor pressure—for example, ethanol and / or water—the mouthpiece must be replaced at short intervals. Otherwise, droplets will form on the inner surface of the mouthpiece under the influence of surface tension, their volume will steadily increase, and eventually the adhesive force will no longer be sufficient to hold the droplets, causing them to merge and form a large liquid pool. This liquid accumulation could not only impair the device's function, but as long as such accumulations contain residual pharmaceuticals or toxins such as nicotine, they could pose a risk to both users and the environment. However, the possibility of users removing the condensed material from the device themselves also inherently poses an environmental risk.

[0022] U.S. Patents No. 4,922,901, No. 4,947,874, and No. 4,947,875 (Johnny L. Brooks et al.) specify a minimum surface area of ​​1 m². 2 A product for releasing or administering pharmaceuticals and / or fragrances is described, comprising a replaceable unit 12 containing a single resistive heating element 18 with a concentration of 0.8 mg / g, wherein the resistive heating element 18 is supported with an aerosol-generating substance. Preferably, the resistive heating element 18 is made of a porous or fibrous material—for example, carbon fiber—and is impregnated with a liquid aerosol-generating agent. The product also has an electronically controlled unit 14, activated by inhalation, for controlling the current flowing through the resistive heating element 18, and is capable of administering at least 0.8 mg of aerosol or pharmaceutical per inhalation, where the replaceable unit 12, along with the resistive heating element 18, can be inhaled a total of at least 10 times before needing to be replaced with new ones.

[0023] In other words, in this product, the entire amount of liquid material to be vaporized is already stored inside the resistance heating element 18. Liquid supply using a wick is not planned. As a result, for example, the aerosol-generating substance, pharmaceutical, or / or added fragrance that will be released during inhalation will have already been heated multiple times beforehand, which has the disadvantage of promoting the thermal decomposition of the aerosol-generating substance. In addition, repeated heating in this manner is disadvantageous because it requires extra electrical energy that does not contribute to the actual vaporization or aerosol generation. As a result, the vaporizer efficiency is greatly reduced. Another disadvantage is that in the case of a mixture consisting of various aerosol-generating substances, pharmaceuticals, and fragrances with different boiling points, the chemical composition of the generated aerosol and its sensory and pharmacological effects change with each inhalation, with more low-boiling-point components vaporized during the first inhalation and more high-boiling-point substances released during the last inhalation. This replaceable unit 12, which has relatively high manufacturing costs, needs to be replaced after only about 10 uses, including its heating element 18, which makes the use of this product expensive.

[0024] U.S. Patents 5,060,671 and 5,095,921 (Mary E. Counts, D. Bruce Losee, et al.) describe a product 30 (Figure 4) in which a single fragrance-releasing medium 111 is heated internally by multiple electric heating elements 110 in order to administer an inhalable fragrance in the form of vapor or aerosol. This product contains fragrance-releasing medium 111 pre-divided into multiple doses, which are heated sequentially to allow for individual inhalations. The fragrance-releasing medium 111 is pre-divided into multiple doses and applied to the surface of each heating element 110, preferably as an outer coating, covering, or thin film, and may also include an aerosol-generating substance. The adhesion of the fragrance-releasing medium 111 to the surface of each heating element 110 can be improved by a fixing agent such as pectin. These electric heating elements 110, along with a single dose of the fragrance-releasing medium 111 applied to each of their surfaces, are preferably housed inside a single replaceable unit 11, which is connected via a number of electrical contact pins to a single reusable unit 31. This reusable unit 31 houses an electrical energy source 121 and an electronic control circuit 32. A similar product is described in U.S. Patent No. 5,322,075 (Seetharama C. Deevi et al.).

[0025] Although some of the disadvantages of the products described above (U.S. Patent Nos. 4,922,901, 4,947,874, and 4,947,875) have been removed, the structure of the replaceable unit 11 seems to be even more complex in a specific case because a large number of heating elements are provided together with their electrical contacts. Furthermore, considering that the number of suction operations allowed by this complex replaceable unit 11 is at most only 15 times (see FIGS. 7A to 7K), it is clear that the use of such a product would be costly. In addition, in this specific case, the fragrance-releasing medium 111 exists as a relatively large-area thin film, which is particularly exposed to various atmospheric influencing factors (such as oxidation) during the storage of the replaceable unit 11. To prevent those influences, it may be necessary to apply a costly packaging that protects the medium 111 from the atmosphere and keeps it from coming into contact with the atmosphere as much as possible. The specifications of U.S. Patent Nos. 5,060,671 and 5,095,921 do not delve into this aspect.

[0026] U.S. Patent No. 2005 / 0268911 (Steven D. Cross et al.) describes a device for generating and releasing multiple doses of condensed aerosol for inhalation purposes of high-purity drugs, which is very similar to the products described in U.S. Patents No. 5,060,671 and No. 5,095,921 mentioned above. In its simplest form (Figure 1a), the device consists of a single air passage 10 having one inlet and one outlet, several carriers 28 arranged inside the air passage, each carrying a specified dose of substance / drug, and a discrete device for vaporizing each dose. The airflow entering through the inlet is directed to these carriers 28, where condensed aerosols are ultimately generated. Each carrier 28 contains an electrical resistance heating element, preferably consisting of a stainless steel metal foil 78. These metal foil heating elements 78 are preferably mounted on a platinum surface (Figure 4). The disadvantages of products conforming to U.S. Patent Nos. 5,060,671 and 5,095,921 also apply to apparatus conforming to U.S. Patent No. 2005 / 0268911.

[0027] U.S. Patent Nos. 5,505,214 and 5,865,185 (Alfred L. Collins et al.) describe an electric smoking device comprising one replaceable unit 21 and one reusable component 20 (U.S. Patent No. 5,505,214: Fig. 4). The replaceable unit 21 contains a tobacco flavor 27 which is carried on the surface of a carrier 36. The reusable component 20 incorporates a plurality of heating elements 23 which are adapted to be supplied with current or energy from an electrical energy source, for example a rechargeable battery, via an electronic control circuit. When the replaceable unit 21 is inserted into the reusable component 20, the carrier 36 will be positioned above each heating element 23. During inhalation or suction, the individual heating elements are activated one by one by the control circuit so that the carrier 36 is heated in sections and the tobacco flavor 27 is vaporized and, in some cases, released as an aerosol. In the embodiment shown in Fig. 4, the reusable component 20 has eight heating elements 23, enabling eight inhalations or suctions, similar to the case of a single cigarette. The replaceable unit 21 is then replaced with a new unit.

[0028] For the products according to U.S. Patent Nos. 5,060,671 and 5,095,921, the smoking device according to U.S. Patent Nos. 5,505,214 and 5,865,185 has the advantage that each heating element 23 is fixedly arranged inside the reusable component 20 and thus can be used repeatedly many times. Electrical contact between the replaceable unit 21 and the reusable component 20 is not required. However, in addition to each heating element 23, it is necessary to further heat the carrier 36, and the heat required for this deteriorates the vaporizer efficiency, which is a disadvantage in comparison with the products according to U.S. Patent Nos. 5,060,671 and 5,095,921. Regarding the other disadvantages of the products described in U.S. Patent Nos. 5,060,671 and 5,095,921 already explained above, it can be said that they apply as such in the respective meanings.

[0029] U.S. Patent No. 4,735,217 (Donald L. Gerth et al.) describes a dosing unit for administering a vaporized drug in the form of aerosol particles that enter the lungs by inhalation. In one exemplary embodiment (Figures 4 and 5), the dosing unit consists of a foil-shaped Nichrome® heating element segment 72 (length × width × thickness: 1 × 1 / 8 × 0.001 inches) connected in series to a battery 65 and a switch (60, 69) that is activated by airflow or inhalation. The drug to be vaporized—for example, nicotine—exists as a solid pellet 40 and is in contact with the heating element 72. Alternatively, the drug to be vaporized may be applied directly to the surface of the heating element in the form of a coating or film.

[0030] Some of the shortcomings of this dosing unit have already been mentioned in U.S. Patent No. 4,922,901. Furthermore, the heat transfer from the heating element to the pellet is extremely unfavorable. Only a very small portion of the heat generated in the peripheral region of the heating element 72 can be utilized for the pellet, meaning that the majority of the heating element 72 remains unused even after being heated. The use of solid material to form the pellet is also a fundamental disadvantage, as this solid material generally must first be melted before it can vaporize, further worsening the energy balance.

[0031] European Patent No. 1,736,065 (Hon Lik) describes an "electronic cigarette" for spraying a nicotine solution, comprising substantially a container 11 for containing a liquid to be sprayed and a sprayer 9. Inside the sprayer 9 is a spray chamber 10 formed by a spray chamber wall 25. Inside the spray chamber 10 is an electric heating element 26, for example, in the form of an electric resistance heating wire or a PTC ceramic. In addition, the sprayer or the sprayer wall 25 is provided with a number of outlets 24, 30 directed toward the heating element 26. The container 11 contains a porous body 28—for example, made of synthetic fiber or foamed material—infused with the liquid to be sprayed. The spray chamber wall 25 is similarly surrounded by a porous body 27—for example, made of foamed nickel or metallic felt. This porous body 27 is in contact with the porous body 28 via a bulge 36. The porous material 27, which simultaneously forms the outer cylinder of the sprayer 9, is designed to allow the liquid to be sprayed to penetrate it by capillary attraction. The sprayer also has one piezoelectric element 23.

[0032] This "electronic cigarette" is activated and operates by inhalation. Because the atomizing chamber 10 is in communication with the mouthpiece 15, negative pressure is created inside the atomizing chamber 10 during inhalation. As a result, air flows into the atomizing chamber from the surroundings through the outlets 24 and 30. Due to the high flow velocity inside the outlets 24 and 30, the liquid is drawn out of the porous body 27 and torn into droplets by the airflow (Venturi effect). The nicotine-containing liquid enters the atomizing chamber 10 and is atomized there by ultrasonic waves using the piezoelectric element 23. The heating element 26 is said to provide auxiliary atomization or vaporization of the nicotine solution. In another alternative modification of this configuration, atomization is performed solely by the heating element 26.

[0033] The above-described arrangement is functionally similar to the smoking device disclosed in U.S. Patent No. 4,848,374 (Brian C. Chard et al.). In both cases, a disadvantage is that the amount of liquid to be sprayed or the aerosol produced depends on the user's inhalation at any given time, just as with cigarettes. This is undesirable when applied medically or therapeutically. Furthermore, ultrasonic spraying generally contains aerosol particles that are much larger than the normal size of condensed aerosols. These large-diameter particulate components do not reach the alveoli but are absorbed in the parts of the lung located before the alveoli. This has a very unfavorable effect on the absorption kinetics into the bloodstream and the efficiency of supplying the active ingredient to pharmaceuticals that act systematically, such as nicotine. Furthermore, in the case of alternative configurations where ultrasonic atomization is not performed, it is questionable whether an electric heating element with a structure similar to an incandescent light bulb filament has the ability to transfer the heating energy necessary for vaporization during suction to the liquid material. This can only be achieved through thermal radiation, which would require the heating element to reach a red-hot temperature, as is well known. Such high temperatures inherently come with various dangers and disadvantages—above all, the risk of thermal decomposition of the liquid being atomized or already atomized. Finally, the fact that the container holding the highly toxic nicotine solution is open on one end and detachable from the "e-cigarette" can be considered a high safety risk. Although this risk is already recognized, some aspects of it remain unresolved, such as the example configuration disclosed in German Utility Model Registration No. 202006013439, where the container consists of a single airtight cartridge, but this cartridge can still be removed from the "electronic cigarette," and there is still a risk of accidental ingestion by infants, for example.

[0034] Finally, I would like to add that although some of the documents I have just described do not belong to the technical fields listed at the beginning, they are included because they describe a wide range of background technologies and are therefore worth considering. [Overview of the Initiative] [Problems that the invention aims to solve]

[0035] The problem that this invention aims to solve is to eliminate the various shortcomings of the arrangements known from the prior art, as pointed out above. In particular, this invention aims to configure the type of inhaler component described at the beginning so that the high specific vaporization capacity required for intermittent inhalation or operation synchronized with suction can be achieved with high vaporizer efficiency. Furthermore, the required power and energy consumption can be covered by an energy storage device of roughly the size of an average mobile phone battery. The invention also aims to avoid the appearance of critical heat flux inside the wick and to handle the liquid material as carefully as possible, i.e., so that it can be vaporized without substantially thermal decomposition.

[0036] Furthermore, the vaporizer component's operating mechanism will be user-friendly and reliable, while still being manufactured at the lowest possible cost. Specifically, this means that the liquid material will penetrate the composite as quickly as possible, resulting in virtually zero waiting time between each inhalation or breath-in. The inhaler component will be designed to operate regardless of its orientation. The liquid material, including liquid condensate residue, will be designed to minimize the risk of entering the environment or interfering with the function of the inhaler component. The composite will be manufactured at the lowest possible cost. The inhaler component will have an ergonomic design that is easy to handle and operate.

[0037] In addition, the system is designed to influence, within certain limits, the properties of the resulting vapor-air mixture and / or condensed aerosol, particularly the particle size distribution of the condensed aerosol and its sensory stimulating effect.

[0038] Finally, the inhaler components shall be configured in two types with different basic specifications so that they can be used in both classical inhalers and suction-type inhalers. [Means for solving the problem]

[0039] The above-mentioned problems are solved by configuring the composite in a planar manner to form a planar composite, arranging at least one heated portion of the composite inside the chamber in a non-contact manner, and further substantially exposing the capillary structure of the core located in this heated portion on at least one side of the planar composite. In one example of the developed configuration of the present invention, the capillary structure of the core located in the heated portion is substantially exposed on both sides of the planar composite. Because the capillary structure of the core located in this heated portion is substantially exposed, the generated vapor flows out from the core without obstruction, thereby increasing the vaporization capacity or avoiding the critical heat flux within the core.

[0040] (Explanation of the concept) A "planar composite" means that the heating element and the core are arranged on the same plane or / or on planes parallel to each other, and are joined to each other. Capillary transport of the liquid material within the planar composite mainly occurs in a direction along the plane.

[0041] The "non-contact method" means that the inhaler component does not come into contact with the chamber wall or any other structural elements. By being placed in the chamber in a non-contact manner, the heat transfer loss in this part of the composite is greatly reduced, and the composite is heated until the liquid material stored inside the wick can vaporize.

[0042] The term "chamber" is to include various types of passages. Therefore, the concept of a "chamber" also includes tubular passages, in which case an air intake may be formed by an open end of the pipe.

[0043] The planar composite has a thickness of less than 0.6 mm in one preferred configuration and less than 0.3 mm in a very preferred configuration. By setting the thickness to these values, the heat introduced planarly can flow efficiently—i.e., with a small temperature gradient—towards the exposed core surface or capillary structure, which will cause vaporization of the liquid material by heat. In addition, vapor already generated inside the core can more easily reach the exposed core surface. These conditions enable a further increase in vaporization capacity and also contribute to the careful handling and vaporization of the liquid material. It should be noted that the issue here is not simply dimensional determination, but an important feature of the present invention. The inventor himself was surprised when he experimentally discovered that a planar core with a thickness of <300 μm and an exposed core surface still exhibits an suction effect in the direction along the surface.

[0044] Whether the composite is configured in the form of a sheet, foil, strip, or tape, they are all considered to conform to the present invention. Such planar arrangements make it possible to actually utilize a manufacturing method that enables highly economical mass production.

[0045] This planar composite includes one of the following structures according to the present invention: cloth, a fibrous structure with open holes, a sintered structure with open holes, a foam with open holes, or a precipitated structure with open holes. These structures are particularly suitable for realizing cores with high porosity. The high porosity ensures that most of the heat generated by the heat source is used to vaporize the liquid material in the pores, thereby achieving high vaporization efficiency. Specifically, these structures can achieve porosity exceeding 50%. The fibrous structure with open holes may consist of, for example, fleece, which may be optionally compacted and further sintered to improve its conjugation properties. The sintered structure with open holes may consist of granular, fibrous, or flake-shaped sintered composites manufactured, for example, by tape casting. The precipitated structure with open holes may be manufactured, for example, by CVD, PVD, or flame spraying. The foam with open holes is basically commercially available, and thin microporous versions are also available.

[0046] In one example of a modified configuration of the present invention, the planar composite has at least two layers, and these layers include at least one of the following structures: sheet, foil, paper, cloth, fibrous structure with open holes, sintered structure with open holes, foam with open holes, and precipitated structure with open holes. In this case, it is preferable to assign a specific layer to the heating element and the other layers to the core. For example, the heating element may be formed by a single electrical resistance heating element made of metal foil. However, it is also possible for one layer to perform both the function of the heating element and the function of the core. For example, such a layer may consist of a single metal wire cloth that contributes to heating by electrical resistance on the one hand and exerts capillary action on the other hand. It is advantageous for the individual layers to be joined to each other by heat treatment such as sintering or welding, but this is not necessarily required. For example, the composite may be configured as a sintered composite consisting of a layer of special steel foil and one or more layers of special steel wire cloth (e.g., steel materials such as AISI 304 or AISI 316). Instead of special steel, heat transfer alloys with even higher electrical resistivity than special steel—particularly NiCr alloys and CrFeAl alloys ("Kanthal")—can also be used. Heat treatment achieves material bonding between layers, thereby maintaining the mutual contact state of each layer—even under unfavorable conditions, such as between heating by a heating element and the resulting thermal expansion. If the contact state between layers is lost, voids will be created, which may hinder capillary bonding on the one hand, and heat transfer from the heating element to the liquid material on the other hand.

[0047] In another similar configuration of the present invention, the composite is configured linearly, and at least one heated portion of the composite is placed inside a chamber in a non-contact manner, substantially exposing the capillary structure of the core located in this heated portion. The exposure of the core's capillary structure in this heated portion allows the generated vapor to flow out of the core without obstruction, thereby increasing the vaporization capacity or avoiding the critical heat flux inside the core. Capillary transport of the liquid material within the linear composite occurs primarily along the longitudinal direction of the linear composite. The concepts of "non-contact method" and "chamber" have already been explained above.

[0048] This linear composite has a thickness defined by the following formula:

number

[0049] When defined as (where A represents the cross-sectional area of ​​the composite), it is preferable that the thickness be less than 1.0 mm. By setting the thickness to such a value, the heat introduced linearly can flow efficiently—that is, with a small temperature gradient—to the exposed core surface, causing vaporization of the liquid material by heat. In addition, vapor already generated inside the core can more easily reach the exposed core surface. These conditions make it possible to further increase the vaporization capacity.

[0050] This linear composite includes at least one of the following: a wire, a yarn, a sintered structure with open holes, a foam with open holes, or a precipitated structure composite with open holes. These structures are particularly suitable for embodying linear composites with high porosity and sufficient mechanical stability.

[0051] In a preferred configuration of the planar or linear composite, the heating element is incorporated at least partially inside the core. This arrangement has the advantage that heat is directly generated and released inside the core and directly transferred there to the liquid material to be vaporized. For example, the heating element may consist of a conductive thin film made of platinum, nickel, molybdenum, tungsten, or tantalum, which is applied to the core surface by PVD or CVD. In this case, the core is made of a non-conductive material—for example, quartz glass. In a configuration that is technically easier to manufacture, the core itself is made at least partially of an electrical resistance material, for example, carbon, conductive ceramics or semiconductor ceramics, or PTC (phenylthiocarbamide) material. It is very advantageous if the electrical resistance material is metallic. Metals have higher ductility compared to the aforementioned materials. This property has proven advantageous in that the composite is exposed to alternating thermal loads during operation, thereby inducing thermal expansion. Metals can better compensate for such thermal expansion. In addition, metals possess higher impact toughness compared to other materials. This property has proven advantageous when inhaler components are subjected to impact. Examples of suitable metallic resistance materials include special steels such as AISI 304 or AISI 316, as well as heat transfer alloys—in particular NiCr alloys and CrFeAl alloys ("Kanthal"), such as DIN material numbers 2.4658, 2.4867, 2.4869, 2.4872, 1.4843, 1.4860, 1.4725, 1.4765, and 1.4767.

[0052] In yet another preferred configuration of the planar or linear composite, the junction between the heating element and the core extends or spans the entire width or length of the core. In this case, it is not important whether the heating element is used as such—i.e., heated—over its entire width or length, or only in certain places. This depends on the location of each electrical contact of the heating element. Even if this contact occurs only at the outer end of the heating element, the heating element does not necessarily have to contribute to the vaporization of the liquid material over its entire width or length. For example, the heating element may be in contact in certain places with various structural components that substantially release the heat generated inside the heating element, thereby preventing the liquid material inside the core from being actually heated, at least in these parts. However, this heat loss may need to be evaluated as an energy loss in the energy balance. This configuration offers significant cost advantages over the prior art and allows for the application of various manufacturing methods that make mass production economical for the first time. For example, planar composites can be produced in large batches by separating them from a large planar blank using appropriate separation methods such as punching or laser cutting. Linear composites are advantageous if they can be obtained from endless materials. This concept of "endless material" includes finite-length materials as long as their length is several times the length of the linear composite.

[0053] As explained above, from the viewpoint of effectively utilizing the thermal energy introduced from the heating element, a higher porosity of the core or composite is desirable. This porosity can be further increased by etching the composite or the semi-finished product during the manufacturing process—for example, a large blank material. Specifically, a sintered composite consisting of one special steel foil and one or more layers of special steel wire cloth (for example, steel materials such as AISI 304 or AISI 316) can be appropriately treated in an aqueous pickling bath consisting of 50% nitric acid and 13% hydrofluoric acid. However, as a side effect, this can also affect the electrical resistance of the heating element or composite; specifically, it can increase the electrical resistance.

[0054] In addition, the surface of the composite or a semi-finished product in the process of its manufacture may be activated according to the present invention. This measure includes surface cleaning, which improves the wettability of the composite material wetted with the liquid material, and consequently leads to more rapid penetration into the core. For example, for a sintered composite consisting of one special steel foil and one or more layers of special steel wire cloth, as described in the specific examples above, treatment in 20% phosphoric acid is very suitable to achieve the effects mentioned above.

[0055] In one advantageous configuration of the present invention, the core is configured as a self-flowing arterial wick. This type of core is particularly used inside heat pipes and is described in detail in the relevant literature—see, for example, ISBN 0080419038. Such a core may consist of a bundle of passages or capillaries—so-called arteries, or "arteria"—surrounded by or formed from a very fine porous structure. The flow resistance of the bundle of passages or capillaries against the flow of liquid material is significantly lower than that of a homogeneous porous structure exhibiting equivalent capillary action or equivalent capillary force (capillary rise height), thereby significantly accelerating the penetration of liquid material into the core.

[0056] In one example of a modified configuration, the core is perforated in the thickness direction. This perforation can be performed, for example, using a laser, and has the following effects: on the one hand, the porosity is further increased; on the other hand, the flow resistance in the thickness direction is reduced. In particular, when using Arterial Wick, the pressure of the liquid material inside the core rises during vaporization, but the latter effect occurs because these perforations act as a means of releasing the pressure. This avoids the risk of the supply of liquid material being subtly hindered by the vapor generated inside the core pushing the liquid material back through Arterial to the liquid material source.

[0057] Furthermore, a configuration in which the planar composite is substantially flat, the intake port is configured as a slot-shaped passage, and this slot-shaped passage is oriented parallel to the flat surface of the composite is also considered to be in accordance with the present invention. Similarly, a configuration in which the linear composite is substantially straight, the intake port is configured as a slot-shaped passage, and this slot-shaped passage is oriented parallel to the linear composite is also considered to be in accordance with the present invention. Such a geometrically simple arrangement makes it possible to obtain very favorable mixing conditions between the incoming air and the vapor flowing out from the core, and these mixing conditions can be easily changed by changing the position and / or the height of the slot-shaped passage, thereby allowing some influence on the properties of the generated aerosol—particularly the size of the generated aerosol particles.

[0058] The composite extends through and bridging the chamber according to the present invention, and is supported at its two ends on two conductive plate-shaped contacts, to which the heating element is electrically contacted. Considering that this composite is particularly small, mechanically highly sensitive, and is also a component exposed to various forces acting as a result of thermal expansion, as well as the force of the airflow into the chamber, the arrangement described above clearly provides considerable stability while also enabling simple fixing and contact from a production technology standpoint for the composite. In one preferred configuration of the present invention, the electrical contact portion of the heating element consists of a welded or sintered portion. The welded portion may be manufactured by spot welding, resistance welding, ultrasonic welding, laser welding, bonding, or other appropriate welding method. It is very advantageous for welding or sintering if each plate-shaped contact is made of the same or similar material as the heating element. In another preferred configuration of the present invention, the electrical contact portion of the heating element consists of an adhesive portion using a conductive adhesive, for example, an epoxy compound-based silver-containing adhesive. In this case, in principle, plate-shaped contacts can be manufactured from any electrical contact material, provided that the material exhibits compatibility with the adhesive used. Alternatively, these plate-shaped contacts may be formed from multiple circuit boards or a single common circuit board. To improve heat dissipation, copper thick-film circuit boards with a copper film thickness in the range of 100 to 500 μm are preferred. Naturally, the present invention is not limited to the contact methods mentioned above. For example, electrical contact may instead be made by mechanically clamping. In one example of the deployed configuration of the present invention, the plate-shaped contacts protrude from the outer surface of the case in the form of two plug-in contacts. Both of these plug-in contacts are configured to supply the necessary electrical energy to the heating element.

[0059] In another preferred configuration of the present invention, one end of the composite protrudes into a capillary gap where the flow resistance is less than that of the core. Liquid material is supplied to the core from this capillary gap. Because the flow resistance of this capillary gap is less than that of the core, the liquid material reaches the vaporization zone inside the composite more rapidly. In addition, this also shortens the time required for the liquid material to completely permeate the core again after it has vaporized. This time corresponds to the minimum waiting time that must be observed between each inhalation or inhalation. Failure to observe this waiting time may result in a reduction in the amount of vapor released or the amount of drug administered. In addition, heating of the composite in areas where there is no liquid material may cause localized overheating, which may damage the composite or shorten its lifespan. In another developed configuration of the present invention, the cross-sectional area of ​​the capillary gap is larger than the cross-sectional area of ​​the composite. This has the effect of the liquid material partially bypassing the core, thereby reaching the vaporization zone inside the composite even more rapidly. In one preferred configuration of the present invention, the electrical contact of the heating element of the composite is made inside the capillary gap. This achieves a space-saving arrangement.

[0060] Another preferred embodiment of the present invention relates to an inhaler component having a liquid container with an openable seal containing a liquid material, which is placed within or connected to a case, but in this invention, the liquid container cannot be removed from or detached from the case, and the openable seal can be opened by hand to allow the liquid material inside the liquid container to connect with the capillary gaps. That is, the liquid container cannot be removed from the inhaler component by the user even when the liquid material has been used up, which can be considered a safety advantage, especially when the container contains a pharmaceutical or a poison such as nicotine. The case of the inhaler component is too large for a child to accidentally ingest. Refilling of the liquid container is not intended, and rather the inhaler component, together with the liquid container, forms a disposable product that must be properly disposed of after the liquid material has been used up. The liquid material is stored in a sealed environment inside the liquid container. The possibility of air or UV light entering is substantially eliminated. In addition, the liquid container should also contain a protective gas such as argon, nitrogen, or carbon dioxide to further protect the liquid material from oxidation. Wisely, the retractable seal of the liquid container should be opened only immediately before use of the inhaler component, allowing the liquid material to pass through the capillary gaps to the wick and permeate it. The retractable seal should be easily opened by hand without the need for special tools.

[0061] In the first modified configuration, the liquid container is rigidly and permanently joined to the case, or it forms part of the case itself. The liquid container may be configured as a separate component that is inseparably joined to the case, for example, by adhesive or welding. In the expanded configuration example of this first modified configuration, there is a reservoir adjacent to the liquid container, separated from the liquid container by an openable seal, and communicating with the capillary gap. When the seal is opened, this reservoir is used to receive at least a portion of the liquid material from the liquid container and to ensure capillary connection with the capillary gap. Preferably, the openable seal is opened by a pin, the first end of which is directed toward the openable seal, and the second end which protrudes protruding from the outer surface of the case when sealed, and the second end of which is supported so as to be axially displaceable inside the case when a pressing force is applied. This pressing force is transmitted from the pin to the openable seal, causing the seal to ultimately tear along a predetermined reference break point. This pressing force may be generated, for example, by pressing with a finger. Yet another highly advantageous configuration of the present invention relates to an inhaler having, alongside the inhaler component just described, a reusable inhaler component that can be connected to this inhaler component, wherein the pressing force described above is generated when the two are connected, by the second end of the pin being connected to the reusable inhaler component and cooperating with it like a kind of tappet. That is, the connection between the inhaler component and the reusable inhaler component and the opening of the liquid container are performed simultaneously in a single operation.

[0062] In accordance with the present invention, the reservoir communicates with the chamber via a single ventilation passage, allowing air to enter the reservoir and providing pressure compensation. This ensures that each time liquid material enters the capillary gap, an equal volume of air is drawn in to replace the amount of liquid material that has left. Importantly, the ventilation passage is connected to the chamber and not to the external atmosphere, because otherwise, the suction pressure during intake would overlap with the capillary flow, potentially causing the liquid material to be sucked out of the liquid container by the principle of a straw.

[0063] In the second modified configuration, the liquid container is positioned within the case so that it can be displaced between two stop positions along a single displacement axis by manual manipulation. The liquid container works in cooperation with a locking device that cannot be unlocked when in the first stop position, and with an opening means that opens a seal that can be opened when in the second stop position. Removal of the liquid container from the case is essentially prevented by this locking device. In other words, this liquid container cannot be removed from the case, just like in the first modified configuration—this is the same safety advantage already described above. In this deployed configuration example of the second modified configuration, the opening means has a first thorn-like portion made of capillary gaps, which penetrates the seal that can be opened when in the second stop position, thereby creating a capillary connection with the liquid material. In addition, a ventilation passage is also provided here, the first end of which communicates with the chamber, and the second end which is configured as a second spike that penetrates an openable seal in the second stop position. That is, the first and second spikes together form an opening mechanism. The effect of this arrangement is analogous to the effect of the connection between a fountain pen and an ink cartridge. Of course, the first and second spikes can be combined to form a single common spike. As for a locking device that cannot be unlocked, this can be easily constructed, for example, by a single projection made of a case or mouthpiece that the liquid container collides with in the first stop position. Finally, this second variant configuration also relates to an inhaler component having a mouthpiece with a mouthpiece passage through which the user receives a vapor-air mixture and / or condensed aerosol administered, wherein, in accordance with the present invention, the displacement axis is oriented at least substantially parallel to the central axis of the mouthpiece passage, and at least in the first stop position, one end portion of the liquid container protrudes outside the case and is positioned next to the mouthpiece.The user can easily displace the displaceable liquid container to a second stop position by pressing down on this protruding end of the liquid container. The mouthpiece and liquid container protrude from the case on the same end face side of the inhaler component, which facilitates handling of the inhaler component while also allowing it to be used in an ergonomic way.

[0064] In addition, according to the present invention, a buffer reservoir consisting of multiple capillaries, communicating with the capillary gap, may be provided. This buffer reservoir receives liquid material from the capillary gap and, when necessary and under any circumstances, releases the buffered liquid material back into the wick via the capillary gap. This makes it possible to operate the inhaler component in any and all circumstances, as long as at least liquid material is stored as a reserve in this buffer reservoir. These capillaries may consist of, for example, multiple slots, multiple holes, or a single porous material, in which case care must be taken to ensure that the capillary action or capillary attraction (height of capillary rise) of these capillaries is less than the capillary action of the wick, because otherwise capillary flow will not occur.

[0065] The inhaler component may, instead of the liquid container described above, incorporate a single liquid reservoir made of an elastic material with an open hole, impregnated with a liquid material. In this case, according to the present invention, the composite is sandwiched between one of the two plate-like contacts and the liquid reservoir, as already described above, so that the wick is capillarily connected to the liquid material inside the liquid reservoir. This elastic material with an open hole may be made of, for example, a fibrous material or a foamed material. The liquid material is automatically drawn from the liquid reservoir into the wick and permeates the wick. As a prerequisite, the capillary action or capillary attraction (height of capillary rise) of the wick must exceed the capillary action of the liquid reservoir. By sandwiching the components, a structurally simple and low-cost manufacturing arrangement is realized.

[0066] In one example of the developed configuration of the present invention, the inhaler component incorporates a condensate coupling device for receiving and storing condensate residue formed during the generation of a vapor-air mixture and / or condensed aerosol. A considerable amount of condensate residue can be generated, especially when the liquid material to be vaporized contains a high concentration of low-boiling-point components with high vapor pressure, such as ethanol and / or water. Such a high concentration of low-boiling-point components is advantageous for two reasons, and is also essential in the case of the inhaler component according to the present invention. On the one hand, such a concentration reduces the viscosity of the liquid material, allowing it to penetrate the wick more rapidly. This effect is particularly advantageous in the composite according to the present invention because the composite is thin and therefore the average pore diameter of the wick is exceptionally small. On the other hand, the low-boiling-point components facilitate the vaporization of pharmaceuticals and other additives contained in the liquid material, reducing the amount of evaporation residue and the thermal decomposition of the liquid material. To ensure that these positive effects are utilized to a satisfactory degree, the mass content of low-boiling-point components should be significantly higher than 50%. As a result, a considerable amount of condensate residue is expected to be generated during the operation of the inhaler component according to the present invention, but this must be properly bonded.

[0067] In this invention, the condensate binding device consists of a single suction body with open holes, positioned at a certain distance from, but very close to, the exposed capillary structure located in the aforementioned portion of the core. This suction body with open holes is designed to accept condensate deposits generated from the vapor phase into its pores, and in principle acts like a sponge to that extent. Large amounts of condensate can be bound without any problems. If freely moving condensate accumulates inside the inhaler component, especially inside the chamber, it may impair the function of the inhaler component. Furthermore, if the accumulated condensate contains residual pharmaceuticals or toxins such as nicotine, it poses a risk to the user and the environment. However, this suction body with open holes prevents the accumulation of such condensate. In particular, by placing a suction body with open holes in close proximity to the vapor generation zone—for example, in an area with high vapor density—the condensate residue is absorbed at an extremely high concentration and, consequently, very efficiently, without even having a chance to dissipate into the surrounding area. It is highly advantageous to have the suction body with open holes directly cover the exposed capillary structure located in the aforementioned part of the wick, because this is the zone where the highest vapor density is expected. In another advantageous configuration of the present invention, there are two members or parts, each having a suction body with open holes, positioned at a certain distance from each other, and the composite is positioned at least in places between these two members or parts. In addition, a configuration in which the suction body with open holes is placed inside the chamber, filling most of the chamber, is also considered to be in accordance with the present invention. This makes it possible to achieve a very large absorption capacity for liquid condensate residue in a compact structure. Furthermore, it is advantageous for a suction body with open pores to be made of a material that exhibits shape stability, so as to substantially maintain its shape even after condensate residue has permeated and it has reached a state of complete saturation.To determine which materials exhibit dimensional stability, it is sufficient to soak them in an ethanol aqueous solution, allow them to reside for three days, and then test their dimensional stability. This dimensional stability ensures that the flow ratio within the chamber, particularly around the composite, and consequently the conditions for the formation of the vapor-air mixture and / or condensed aerosol, remain constant. For example, a suction body with open holes and suction capacity may be made from rigid foaming materials such as metal foam or ceramic foam, from porous sintered molded bodies, from porous fillers or bulk materials that do not exhibit foaming tendencies, from, for example, desiccant-granule bulk materials, or from porous fiber composites made of natural or synthetic fibers joined together, for example, by heat or using a binder. In addition, it is important that the material exhibits sufficient chemical inertness to condensate residues.

[0068] According to one preferred embodiment of the present invention, a suction body with an open pore is substantially surrounded by a case and is bonded to the case in a manner that prevents it from being detached. This prevents the suction body with an open pore from direct contact with the environment and makes it impossible to remove it from the case unless excessive force is applied to destroy the inhaler component. This protective measure has proven particularly advantageous when the condensate contains residual pharmaceuticals and / or toxins such as nicotine. The inhaler component, together with the suction body with an open pore, forms a disposable product that must be properly disposed of after reaching its predetermined expiration date.

[0069] In an advantageous configuration of the present invention, a two-stage condensate deposition apparatus is provided, the first stage consisting of a suction body with an open hole and suction capacity, and the second stage consisting of a radiator through which the generated vapor-air mixture and / or condensed aerosol can flow. This configuration of the present invention is particularly suitable for use in suction inhalers. The radiator cools the vapor-air mixture and / or condensed aerosol flowing through it, and in the process removes further condensates from the vapor-air mixture and / or condensed aerosol. The radiator may be formed of a perforated body, for example, which allows for throughflow inside and substantially permeates the particles of the generated condensed aerosol. In addition to cooling, this perforated body brings about complete mixing of the vapor-air mixture or condensed aerosol flowing through it, thereby homogenizing the properties of the vapor-air mixture or condensed aerosol, for example, reducing the peak concentration value. These perforated bodies typically consist of materials with broad pores, such as foamed materials with open pores, porous fillers with coarse pores, or fleece-like fibrous materials. Examples of fleece-like fibrous materials include synthetic fiber fleece made from polyolefin fibers (PE, PP) or polyester fibers. The perforated body may also consist of heat exchanger materials. Heat exchanger materials can rapidly absorb large amounts of heat with virtually zero flow loss when they have a large surface area, i.e., a large heat exchange area. Typical heat exchanger materials are bulk materials consisting of metal wool, metal chips, metal cloth, wire knit, metal fiber fleece, metal foam with open pores, or metal or ceramic granules. Finally, the heat exchanger may be configured in a multi-stage manner by combining different porous materials. Of course, the present invention is not limited to the heat exchanger materials listed herein. By cooling and homogenizing in this way, the sensory stimulation properties of the vapor-air mixture and / or condensed aerosol inhaled by the user can be greatly improved.

[0070] In one highly preferred configuration of the present invention, the heat sink is formed by a single tobacco filler. This tobacco filler not only cools / condenses and homogenizes, but also flavors the vapor-air mixture or condensed aerosol flowing through it, which is particularly suitable when nicotine is contained as a pharmaceutical in the liquid material. Laboratory tests using prototypes operating on the principle of an inhaler and pharmaceutical formulations containing nicotine as the liquid material have revealed other beneficial effects. For example, the ease of inhaling nicotine-containing vapor-air mixtures and condensed aerosols was improved, which is undoubtedly partly due to the effects described above. However, there is also the hypothesis that other auxiliary mechanisms of action are involved—in particular, the diffusion and adsorption processes of aprotic free nicotine may require further investigation. On the one hand, the filler needs to allow as much aerosol particles as possible to pass through it, and on the other hand, the induced flow resistance must not exceed that of tobacco, thus setting an upper limit on the packing density of the tobacco filler. The tobacco filler may be formed from pipe tobacco, hand-rolling tobacco, or tobacco for filling filtered tobacco, or from tobacco rolled up like a cigarette, or tobacco of a comparable or similar shape. Particularly suitable tobaccos are dried and fermented tobacco, tobacco leaves reformed like paper, tobacco leaves rapidly vaporized with dry ice to increase their volume, or mixtures thereof. The tobacco may also be flavored with flavoring liquids, spices, aromas, and / or perfumes. In addition, using the tobacco filler as a heat sink makes the transition from tobacco products to inhaler components according to the present invention attractive and / or easy. In a preferred configuration of the present invention, the volume of the tobacco filler is 3 cm³. 3 The aim is to exceed this. In our own laboratory tests, it has been proven that the aforementioned effects of tobacco filler are only achieved to the user's satisfaction when the minimum volume exceeds this.

[0071] According to yet another embodiment of the present invention, the inhaler component has a mouthpiece opening formed by a mouthpiece, which communicates with a chamber, and the user receives a vapor-air mixture and / or condensed aerosol administered through this mouthpiece opening, during which a flow toward the mouthpiece opening is formed between the inhalation port and the mouthpiece opening during the inhalation process, and this flow passes through the complex at least in some places. In the present invention, at least one air bypass opening is provided downstream of the complex so that air is supplied into the flow from the surroundings through it, and the effective flow cross-sectional area of ​​this air bypass opening is at least 0.5 cm². 2 The aim is to achieve this. By arranging it in this way, the inhaler component can be used even in classical inhalers, which are required to have the lowest possible flow resistance as a prerequisite. The air that flows in additionally through this air bypass opening ("bypass air") does not pass through the complex itself and therefore does not directly affect the formation or properties of the vapor-air mixture and / or condensed aerosol. However, if a steady air intake rate is required as a prerequisite, this bypass air has an indirect effect in that it reduces the amount of air flowing in through the intake ("primary air"). This makes it possible to arbitrarily reduce the amount of primary air. Reducing the amount of primary air results in, above all, an increase in the size of the aerosol particles that are generated. In any case, at the same time, the amount of condensate residue generated will also increase, but this can be addressed by arranging a condensate coupling device, as described above. In accordance with the present invention, by configuring this air bypass opening with two bypass openings located in opposite sections of the case, a further reduction in the amount of primary air is achieved, along with a further reduction in flow resistance.

[0072] Furthermore, according to the present invention, two guide vanes are positioned adjacent to both bypass openings, and these guide vanes are directed toward the mouthpiece opening as well as toward each other, and their respective free ends form a single nozzle-shaped confluence opening, so that the generated vapor-air mixture and / or condensate aerosol flows out of the chamber through this confluence opening and continues to mix with the air flowing in from the bypass opening. Both guide vanes have the effect of substantially concealing the chamber from the outside, thereby significantly reducing the ingress of, for example, rainwater or saliva into the chamber. In addition, the exchange of air between the chamber and the surroundings is also limited, thereby reducing the natural evaporation of the liquid material components inside the wick. Such evaporation has been found to be disadvantageous in that the composition of the liquid material can change, especially when the inhaler component is not used for a long period of time, and in the case of pharmaceuticals, the dosage may deviate significantly from the target value.

[0073] In addition, it is also considered to be in accordance with the present invention to place a flow homogenizer downstream of the air bypass opening, having a flow resistance of less than 1 mbar when the air mass flow rate is 250 mL per second. The generated vapor-air mixture and / or condensed aerosol, as well as the bypass air flowing in through the air bypass opening, flow through this flow homogenizer, and both of these flow components are mixed and homogenized by the flow homogenizer. The peak concentration value is reduced, and the homogenized mixture flowing out from the mouthpiece opening becomes easier for the user to inhale. This flow homogenizer may be made of a fleece-like or foam-like material, such as a material that is also suitable for generating sufficient turbulence and vortices without exceeding the aforementioned limit of flow resistance. Only by doing so can the configuration of the present invention just described be made available for classical inhalers.

[0074] In one of the configuration options of the present invention, multiple composites with different heat capacities are arranged adjacent to each other. In another configuration option of the present invention, multiple composites equipped with heating elements with different properties are arranged adjacent to each other. In yet another configuration option of the present invention, multiple composites equipped with electric heating elements with different control methods are arranged adjacent to each other. In yet another configuration option of the present invention, multiple composites are arranged adjacent to each other, and the supply of liquid material to the core of each composite is provided from different sources, thereby assigning liquid materials of different compositions to each composite for vaporization. The above-described options of the configuration, which can be arbitrarily combined with each other, make it possible to configure the vaporization process to be variable both spatially and temporally. This variability makes it possible to approximately mimic even the complex conditions within the tobacco distillation zone.

[0075] In one example of a special configuration of the present invention, multiple composites, each consisting of an electrical resistance heating element, are arranged adjacent to each other, and these resistance heating elements are connected in series according to the present invention. When the resistance heating elements are made of a metallic resistance material such as special steel or a heat transfer alloy, the series connection, and the resulting increase in resistance, allows for limiting the heat flow to a degree that is still controllable by both electronic control and energy storage, making this special configuration highly advantageous. In addition, the increased resistance allows for limiting the power density inside the composite as needed, thereby ensuring stable vaporization in all cases.

[0076] The drawings illustrate several useful and advantageous embodiments of the present invention, which will be described in detail below. [Brief explanation of the drawing]

[0077] [Figure 1]This diagram shows a first embodiment of the inhaler according to the present invention, configured as an inhalation-type inhaler, viewed from various angles. [Figure 2] Figure 1 shows an inhaler with reusable inhaler parts and replaceable inhaler components separated. [Figure 3] This diagram shows reusable inhaler parts from various angles. [Figure 4] These are views of the reusable inhaler components from various angles, with the battery cover and circuit cover removed. [Figure 5] These are views of the reusable inhaler components from various angles, with the battery cover and circuit cover removed. [Figure 6] These are diagrams showing interchangeable inhaler components from various angles. [Figure 7] This diagram shows a replaceable inhaler component with the liquid container and mouthpiece detached from it. [Figure 8] Figure 1 shows the inhaler with the circuit cover removed. [Figure 9] Figure 8 is a longitudinal cross-sectional view of the inhaler, taken at the height of the surface complex, with the cut surface appropriately aligned for portions away from the complex. [Figure 10] This is a cross-sectional view of the inhaler with the circuit cover attached, taken along line AA in Figure 9. [Figure 11] Figure 1 is a cross-sectional view of the inhaler, taken at the height of the surface composite. [Figure 12] This is a magnified view of detail a in Figure 10. [Figure 12a] This is a magnified view of detail b in Figure 12. [Figure 13a] This figure shows an alternative embodiment regarding detail a. [Figure 13b] This figure shows an alternative embodiment regarding detail a. [Figure 14a] This is an enlarged cross-sectional view of a planar composite in various embodiments. [Figure 14b]This is an enlarged cross-sectional view of a planar composite in various embodiments. [Figure 15a] This is an enlarged cross-sectional view of a planar composite in various embodiments. [Figure 15b] This is an enlarged cross-sectional view of a planar composite in various embodiments. [Figure 15c] This is an enlarged cross-sectional view of a planar composite in various embodiments. [Figure 16] This is a diagram of a deformed configuration in detail b of Figure 12, where three linear composites are arranged adjacent to each other. [Figure 16a] Figure 16 is an enlarged view of the cross-section of each linear composite shown. [Figure 17] This is a magnified view of detail c in Figure 11. [Figure 18] This is a magnified view of detail d in Figure 9. [Figure 19] This is a cross-sectional view of the inhaler with the circuit cover attached, cut along line BB in Figure 9. [Figure 20] These are cross-sectional views of a replaceable inhaler component, where a liquid container is suggested, taken along line CC in Figures 7 and 11. [Figure 21] This is a view from the same angle as Figure 9 of a second embodiment of the inhaler according to the present invention, which is configured as a classic inhaler. [Figure 22] This is a cross-sectional view of the inhaler shown in Figure 21, with the circuit cover attached, cut along line DD in Figure 21. [Figure 23] Figure 21 shows the replaceable inhaler components of the inhaler shown, viewed from two different angles. [Figure 24a] This figure shows a replaceable inhaler component equipped with an alternative liquid container system. [Figure 24b] This diagram shows a replaceable inhaler component equipped with an alternative liquid container system, with the liquid container area shown in a cropped state. [Figure 25] This is a cross-sectional view of the inhaler taken along line EE in Figure 24b. [Figure 26]This figure shows a replaceable inhaler component equipped with yet another alternative liquid container system. [Figure 27] Figure 26 is a cross-sectional view of the inhaler component shown, cut at the height of the planar composite. [Figure 28] Figure 26 is a cross-sectional view of the liquid reservoir shown, taken perpendicular to the planar composite. [Figure 29] This is a cross-sectional view and a side view of an interchangeable inhaler component in which two planar composites are arranged adjacent to each other, when cut at the height of the planar composites. [Modes for carrying out the invention]

[0078] Figure 1 shows a first embodiment of an inhaler according to the present invention, which in this specific example is configured as an inhalation-type inhaler, and its shape and size are designed to allow the user to handle it easily and comfortably. The volume of this inhaler is approximately half the size of a cigarette pack. The inhaler shown as a specific example basically consists of two parts, specifically one inhaler part 1 and one inhaler component 2. The inhaler component 2 consists of one case 3 and, above all, has one liquid container 4 and one mouthpiece 5, which resembles a cigarette pipe. The liquid container 4 contains a liquid material, which is vaporized inside the inhaler component 2 and converted into an inhalable vapor-air mixture and / or condensed aerosol. The generated vapor-air mixture and / or condensed aerosol is administered to the user through the mouthpiece 5. As for the liquid material, basically any substance and preparation that can be vaporized substantially without residue under atmospheric conditions is considered. This condition is already met if each substance or preparation is diluted and exists dissolved in, for example, water and / or ethanol, and this solution vaporizes substantially without residue. By making the dilution ratio in easily volatile solvents such as ethanol and / or water sufficiently high, it becomes possible to satisfy the above condition even for substances that would otherwise be difficult to vaporize, thereby avoiding or significantly reducing the thermal decomposition of liquid materials.

[0079] The liquid material preferably contains a pharmaceutical product. The aerodynamic median mass diameter (MMAD) of the aerosol particles produced by condensation is typically less than 2 μm, allowing them to reach the alveoli. The inhaler according to the present invention is particularly suitable for administering systematically acting pharmaceuticals, such as those whose primary efficacy is exerted in the central nervous system. Nicotine, with a boiling point of 246°C, is one such example. The aerosol particles containing the pharmaceutical product mainly settle in the alveoli, where the pharmaceutical product is rapidly transferred to the circulatory system. In the case of nicotine, it is noted that within approximately 7-10 seconds after inhalation, nicotine reaches its target organ—the central nervous system—in a concentrated manner. Naturally, the inhaler of the present invention can also operate without the use of pharmaceuticals, for example, with only a fragrance—in a form of non-medical application.

[0080] The inhaler component 1 incorporates at least one energy storage device and one electrical circuit, as will be described in more detail below, where the energy storage device is protected by a battery cover 6 and the circuit is protected by a circuit cover 7.

[0081] As shown in Figure 2, the inhaler part 1 and the inhaler component 2 are designed to be detachable from each other in this specific embodiment. The detachable connection is made up of a snap-in connector consisting of two snap hooks 8 and two locking protrusions 9 that cooperate with them. This arrangement makes the inhaler part 1 reusable, which is fundamentally significant considering, firstly, that the inhaler part 1 does not come into contact with the liquid material, i.e., it is not contaminated by the liquid material, and secondly, that it contains various components that have a longer lifespan than the individual components of the inhaler component 2. After the liquid material in the liquid container 4 is used up, the user discards the entire inhaler component 2 and replaces it with a new inhaler component 2. To that extent, the inhaler component 2 is a replaceable, disposable product. Since condensate residue is always generated and accumulates inside the case 3 of the inhaler component 2 during the process of generating the vapor-air mixture and / or condensed aerosol, it is wise to ensure proper disposal, especially when the liquid material contains pharmaceuticals. There is always some leftover liquid material inside the liquid container 4. Naturally, it would be conceivable to design the inhaler part 1 and the inhaler component 2 as a single unit, that is, in a way that they cannot be separated from each other. However, in that case, all the parts and components of the inhaler, i.e., the entire inhaler, would be considered a disposable product for single use, and this embodiment would not be economical. Naturally, this embodiment is also included in the scope of the present invention, but in that case, the entire inhaler would be considered as an inhaler component.

[0082] Figures 3 to 5 show the reusable inhaler component 1 from various angles, both with and without its cover. The reusable inhaler component 1 is substantially composed of three case components: a battery cover 6, a circuit cover 7, and a carrier case 10 positioned between them. These three case components are preferably made of plastic for weight reasons. The carrier case 10 houses the electrical circuit 11 and the energy storage unit 12, and also has a partition wall 13 that separates the circuit 11 and the energy storage unit 12 from each other. In this embodiment, the electrical circuit 11 is configured as an integrated, pre-mounted circuit board and is attached to the surface of the partition wall 13, for example, by adhesive. The energy storage unit 12 is preferably a single flat-type rechargeable battery, such as a lithium-ion battery or a lithium polymer battery. Currently, this battery type offers the highest available energy density and energy flow and has long been used in a wide range of applications, primarily in mobile phones. Current is supplied from the battery 12 to the printed circuit board 11 via two flat contacts 14 wax-welded to the back surface of the printed circuit board 11—see also Figure 10. These flat contacts 14 protrude through two slightly larger windows 15 provided in the partition wall 13. The battery 12 has two corresponding contacts (not shown) which, when pressed against the flat contacts 14, allow for re-disconnection and thus electrical contact. The pressing force required for this purpose is preferably generated by a leaf spring (not shown) positioned between the battery 12 and the battery cover 6. The battery cover 6 is connected to the carrier case 10—in this embodiment, using bolt fastenings (see Figure 1)—so that it can be detached from there. Of course, the battery cover 6 may instead be configured as a lockable sliding cover. The circuit cover 7 is preferably connected to the carrier case 10 so that it cannot be detached from there, for example, by adhesive or welding. This would prevent unauthorized operation of the circuit 11.In rare cases where a circuit malfunction occurs, the entire inhaler component 1 must be replaced, except for the battery 12. The other components and characteristics of the reusable inhaler component 1 will be described in more detail later.

[0083] Figures 6 and 7 show the interchangeable inhaler component 2 viewed from different angles. As already mentioned, the interchangeable inhaler component 2 consists substantially of a case 3 and, above all, has a liquid container 4 and a mouthpiece 5 resembling a tobacco pipe. The liquid container 4 and mouthpiece 5 are connected to the case 3 in a way that prevents them from being separated. From a manufacturing perspective, it is advantageous to manufacture the liquid container 4 and mouthpiece 5 as separate parts and then join them to the case 3 in a later process, for example, by adhesive or welding—see Figure 7. Of course, it is also conceivable to basically construct the liquid container 4 and / or mouthpiece 5 as an integral part of the case 3. The case 3, liquid container 4, and mouthpiece 5 are preferably made of plastic for weight reasons, but in selecting the material for the liquid container 4, the properties of the liquid material 16 must be taken into consideration. If the liquid material 16 contains, for example, nicotine, then plastics as described in U.S. Patent No. 5,167,242 (James E. Turner et al.) and No. 6,790,496 (Gustav Levander et al.) may be used.

[0084] The liquid material 16 is preferably filled into the liquid container 4 through a single filling hole 17 under a protective gas atmosphere such as argon or nitrogen. The end face of the liquid container 4 is provided with a flap-shaped, openable seal portion 18, which is opened by the user by pushing it in before using the inhaler component 2. This openable seal portion 18 will be described in more detail later. The liquid container 4 is never completely filled with the liquid material 16. If it were completely filled, it would no longer be possible to push in and open the flap-shaped, openable seal portion 18, which always has some elasticity because the liquid material 16 is incompressible. The filling hole 17 is airtightly sealed with a seal cap 19 after filling. This seal cap 19 may be attached, for example, by adhesive or welding over the hole, in which case heat input to the liquid material 16 must be avoided as much as possible. Alternatively, the filling hole 17 may be configured as a capillary, and the liquid material 16 may be filled through a single injection needle. In this case, the seal cap 19 may be omitted, and the capillary itself may be made airtight. The other components and characteristics of the replaceable inhaler component 2 will be described in more detail later.

[0085] Figure 8 shows the inhaler shown in Figure 1 with the circuit cover 7 removed. Figure 8 particularly shows a snap-in connector consisting of two connected and locked snap hooks 8 and corresponding locking protrusions 9. The snap hooks 8 are configured as protrusions on the case 3, while the locking protrusions 9 are formed by contact elements 20. The contact elements 20 are adhesively attached to the carrier case 10 of the reusable inhaler component 1 and perform yet another function, which will be described in more detail later.

[0086] Figures 9 to 13 provide detailed information regarding the internal structure of the inhaler and its basic operating mechanism. As shown in these figures, a chamber 21 is formed inside the case 3 of the replaceable inhaler component 2. As best shown in Figure 11, a planar composite 22 according to the present invention extends through this chamber 21 in a bridging manner and in a non-contact manner. This planar composite 22 has a foil-like or strip-like flat shape and consists of a heating element and a wick. The capillary structure of the wick is suitable for drawing up the liquid material 16. The heating element and wick may be configured in a variety of ways and joined together. Specific examples of embodiments will be described in more detail later. The planar composite 22 is supported on two conductive plate-like contacts 23 at two of its ends, and is also electrically in contact with the surfaces of these contacts. This contact is preferably made by surface bonding using a conductive adhesive—for example, an adhesive from Epoxy Technology (www.epotek.com)—or by welding. In the case of welding, care must be taken to avoid damaging the core or its capillary structure as much as possible. If necessary, welding should be limited to spot welding. The materials to be selected for the plate-shaped contact 23 have already been mentioned above.

[0087] The region between the plate-like contacts 23 on both sides clearly defines the heated portion of the planar composite 22, which is positioned non-contact within the chamber 21 in this embodiment. This non-contact arrangement results in zero heat transfer loss in the thickness direction of the planar composite 22. This allows this portion to be heated until the liquid material 16 stored inside the core reaches its boiling point and vaporizes. The capillary structure of the core located in this portion is substantially exposed on at least one side of the planar composite according to the present invention. This surface is preferably the surface 24 of the planar composite 22 opposite to the plate-like contacts 23, as will become clearer later in the process of describing specific examples of embodiments of this composite. Thus, the vapor generated during the evaporation process of the liquid material can flow out from the exposed capillary structure of the core over a large area without substantially obstruction. Similarly, in the second configuration of the planar composite, which will be described later with reference to several examples, the capillary structure located in the aforementioned portion of the core is also substantially exposed on the surface 25 of the planar composite 22 opposite to this surface 24. As a result, the evaporation area is doubled compared to the first example described above, and consequently, the maximum achievable vaporization capacity is also doubled. This maximum achievable vaporization capacity is defined as the capacity until the critical heat flux first appears inside the core.

[0088] In addition, in this case 3, an air intake 26 is formed for supplying air from the periphery into the chamber 21. The supplied air is mixed with the vapor flowing out from the core-exposed capillary structure inside the chamber 21, in which case a vapor-air mixture and / or condensed aerosol is generated. This air intake 26 is configured as a slot-shaped passage. The slot-shaped passage is oriented parallel to the planar complex 22. In the embodiments shown in Figures 10 and 12, the slot-shaped passage is offset slightly laterally from the planar complex 22, specifically, it is located on the side of the planar complex where the core capillary structure is substantially exposed. This arrangement ensures that the core-exposed capillary structure is completely overflowed by the air flowing into the chamber 21 through the slot-shaped passage 26, thus achieving homogeneous mixing conditions. Assuming steady-state suction characteristics (suction volume, suction time), the flow velocity of the incoming air can be changed by altering the slot height of the slot-shaped passage 26. This allows for a certain degree of influence, within limits, on the dynamic characteristics of aerosol generation and, consequently, on the various characteristics of the generated aerosols. A decrease in flow velocity can increase the average size of aerosol particles. Furthermore, the geometric position of the slot-shaped passage 26 relative to the planar composite 22 also influences aerosol generation.

[0089] Figures 13a and 13b show alternative arrangements for the air intake 26. In the example shown in Figure 13a, the air intake 26 is formed by two slot-shaped passages 26 located on opposite sides of the planar composite 22. That is, the air flowing into the chamber 21 flows on both sides of the planar composite 22. In the example shown in Figure 13b, the slot-shaped passages 26 are positioned centered on the planar composite. In this case, the planar composite 22 is located in the same plane as the slot-shaped passages, and the incoming air directly hits the planar composite 22. However, this airflow is then divided into two parts by the planar composite, and as a result, it flows on both sides of the composite, similar to the previous example. The arrangements shown in Figures 13a and 13b are particularly suitable for modified embodiments of the planar composite 22 in which the core capillary structure is exposed on both sides, because in that case, steam flows out from both sides 24 and 25 of the planar composite 22. However, this configuration is also suitable for modified embodiments of the planar composite 22 in which the capillary structure is exposed on only one side, insofar as the first airflow portion that generates aerosols is weakened by the second airflow portion that flows passively around the composite, thereby influencing the properties of the generated aerosols again.

[0090] The intake port 26, configured as a slotted passage, draws air from a single plenum chamber 27. This plenum chamber 27 is used to uniformly distribute the air into the slotted passage 26, thereby ensuring substantially the same flow conditions throughout the passage. Upstream of the plenum chamber 27, a flow throttling section 28 is positioned. The purpose of this flow throttling section 28 is to generate a flow resistance similar to that of a cigarette, allowing the user to experience a sensation similar to taking a puff of a cigarette while inhaling. Specifically, this flow resistance must be within the range of 12 to 16 mbar at a mass flow rate of 1.05 L per minute and must have as linear characteristics as possible. The flow throttling section 28 may consist of a single sintered body, for example, made of metal or plastic, with open holes through which air flows. In prototypes, various porous plastic molded bodies from, for example, Porex (www.porex.com) have been demonstrated to be suitable. In the illustrated embodiment, the plenum chamber 27 is a component of the replaceable inhaler component 2, and the flow throttling section 28 is a component of the reusable inhaler component 1. Basically, the plenum chamber 27 and the flow throttling section 28 may be placed inside the replaceable inhaler component 2, or both may be placed inside the reusable inhaler component 1 instead.

[0091] Figure 10 shows how the air then flows upstream of the flow restriction section 28. Each arrow indicates this flow. As shown there, the flow restriction section 28 draws air from a lateral passage 29, which opens into the chamber between the printed circuit board 11 and the circuit cover 7. The original supply of air from the surroundings comes from a supply port 30 formed by the circuit cover 7. This supply port 30 is located on the end face opposite the mouthpiece 5 of the inhaler. This position helps to protect it from rainwater intrusion as much as possible.

[0092] Figures 14a, 14b, and 15a, 15b, and 15c show specific examples of the constituent features of the planar composite 22 in cross-sectional views, where "cross-section" is interpreted as a cross-section perpendicular to the longitudinal direction of the composite (see Figure 9). Specifically, Figures 14a and 14b show embodiments in which the capillary structure is exposed on only one side, while Figures 15a to 15c show embodiments in which the core capillary structure is exposed on both sides of the planar composite. In the embodiment shown in Figure 14a, the planar composite 22 consists of four layers, specifically one metal foil 31 and three metal wire cloths 32 fused thereon by sintering. The metal consists of special steel (e.g., AISI 304 or AISI 316) or a heat transfer alloy—particularly selected from the group of NiCr alloys or CrFeAl alloys ("Kanthal"). When using special steel, those with a low carbon content (e.g., AISI 304L or AISI 316L) are preferred because they are less prone to intergranular corrosion. Special steel versions of the metal foil 31 can be obtained, for example, from Record Metall-Folien GmbH (www.recordmetall.de). Wire cloth can be obtained, for example, from Haver & Boecker (www.haverboecker.com) or Sporl KG (www.spoerl.de). These four layers are joined together by sintering. This sintering process is preferably carried out in a vacuum or under a hydrogen-protected gas. Such sintering processes are considered to be within the realm of conventional technology and are routinely carried out, for example, by GKN Sinter Metal Filters GmbH (www.gkn-filters.com) and Sporl KG (www.spoerl.de). This sintering process is preferably carried out using large blank materials, that is, rather than sintering each planar composite individually, it is preferable to use large-area blank materials, for example, in a 200 x 200 mm format. After sintering, laser cutting or punching is performed from these large blank materials. Individual composites are obtained through processing, and subsequently, optionally, these are subjected to etching in an acid pickling bath.

[0093] Table 1 shows the specifications of the planar composite 22 used in the prototype as a specific example. [Table 1]

[0094] The span length of the composite corresponds to the length that the composite 22 extends within the chamber 21 without contacting anything, but in the specific embodiment shown, this length corresponds to the distance between the plate-shaped contacts 23 on both sides. The span length and width of the composite have opposite effects on the resistance of the resulting heating element. The etching rate is defined as the total mass loss achieved by etching. The first wire cloth layer is placed directly on the metal foil 31. The third wire cloth layer forms the uppermost layer and also forms the exposed capillary structure of the planar composite 22. The planar composite 22 is preferably supported on each plate-shaped contact 23 with the metal foil 31 side facing downwards. Electrical contact of the metal foil 31 is preferably made via the planar adhesive between the metal foil 31 and each conductive plate-shaped contact 23. Basically, this contact can also be made by welding. For a planar composite 22 having the specifications listed in Table 1, with a composite width of 2 mm and an etching rate of 35%, the resistance of the heating element will be approximately 310 m ohms. If a heat transfer alloy is used instead of special steel, the resistance of the heating element can be significantly increased. Specifically, using DIN material number 2.4872 (NiCr20AISi) results in a resistance 1.8 times greater than that of AISI 304 / AISI 316, and using DIN material number 1.4765 (CrAl255) results in a resistance 2.0 times greater. Therefore, for a planar composite with a composite width of 5 mm, using DIN material number 2.4872, and otherwise having the same specifications as above, the resistance of the heating element will be approximately 225 m ohms. If energy is supplied based on a lithium polymer battery with a rated voltage or open-circuit voltage of 3.7V and an effective voltage under load of approximately 3.1V, the current flowing through the planar composite, calculated according to Ohm's law, will be 10A (for 310m ohms) and 13.8A (for 225m ohms). Such amperages can be easily obtained from today's lithium polymer batteries. Furthermore, in the next calculation step, the rated electrical output, which simultaneously represents the maximum achievable thermal output, is calculated to be 31W (for 310m ohms) and 42.7W (for 225m ohms).As will be explained in more detail later, this output can be arbitrarily reduced by the electrical circuit 11.

[0095] Based on the specifications of the specific planar composite described above, where the composite width is 5 mm and the etching rate is 35%, calculations show that the pore volume located in the span width portion (evaporation portion) of the planar composite 22 is approximately 7.5 μL. This volume is filled with the liquid material 16 to be vaporized, and this is equal to the maximum amount of liquid material that can be vaporized per inhalation or breath (intermittent inhalation). If the liquid material contains, for example, nicotine as a pharmaceutical at a concentration of 1.5 volume%, then theoretically, the maximum dose of nicotine released per vaporization or inhalation is 110 μg, which, when converted to 10 inhalations, results in a total dose of 1.1 mg. In reality, for various reasons, the maximum achievable dose will be slightly less than this calculated value. However, the important point is that the inhaler according to the present invention can administer the nicotine content of today's cigarettes (0.1 to 1.0 mg) without any problems. Furthermore, it is important to note that the dosage of the active ingredient can be arbitrarily reduced, whether by lowering the concentration of the active ingredient in the liquid material, selecting a smaller width for the composite, or by limiting the supplied heat output using the electrical circuit 11. The last measure mentioned also functions as a countermeasure against the thermal decomposition of the liquid material 16, as it prevents the composite 22 from being heated to such high temperatures.

[0096] It should be added that both the metal foil 31 and the metal wire cloth 32 fused onto this foil by sintering contribute to the heat generation due to electrical resistance. In this sense, an electrical resistance heating element can be interpreted as a combination of these individual resistors connected in parallel. Similarly, the capillary action of the core is explained by the cooperative relationship between the wire cloth 32 and the metal foil 31, but even a single layer of wire cloth combined with the metal foil 31 can already produce a certain capillary effect. Of course, the present invention is not limited to the above specifications. It would also be possible to place other metal structures with open holes on the metal foil 31 instead of the metal wire cloth 32, or to place a cloth made of a non-conductive material such as quartz glass, or other structures with open holes, on the metal foil 31, or to frit it onto its surface.

[0097] Figure 14b shows a second exemplary embodiment of the planar composite 22 having an exposed capillary structure on only one side. This embodiment differs from the embodiment in Figure 14a only in that, instead of the two outer wire cloth layers, it comprises a single fiber composite in the form of a fleece 33 fused by sintering onto the first wire cloth layer 32. Such a fleece 33 can be manufactured in special steel specifications, for example, by GKN Sinter Metals Filter GmbH (www.gkn-filters.com), according to customer specifications. The fleece 33 preferably has a thickness of 100-300 μm and a porosity of >70%. The surface area of ​​this fleece 33, which forms an exposed capillary structure, is significantly larger than that of the wire cloth 32, and this significantly enlarged surface area is advantageous for the vaporization process. Naturally, the fleece 33 may be manufactured from a heat transfer alloy—particularly selected from the group of NiCr alloys or CrFeAl alloys ("Kanthal")—but for this purpose, it is only required that the coarse fibers forming the fleece 33 be made with the material specifications described above. The planar composite 22 may be optionally etched after sintering.

[0098] Figure 15a shows another embodiment of the planar composite 22 having exposed capillary structures on both sides. This planar composite consists of a sintered structure with open pores, formed from a single homogeneous granular, fibrous, or flake-like sintered composite 34, as shown therein. Methods for manufacturing thin-walled porous sintered composites have long been known. U.S. Patent No. 3,433,632 (Raymond J. Elbert) describes a method for manufacturing thin-walled porous metal sheets, for example, with a thickness of 75 μm or more and a pore diameter between 1 and 50 μm. The processed material was, above all, a powder consisting of nickel and special steel (AISI 304). A maximum porosity of 60% was achieved, but in another modification with a multilayer structure, a porosity of up to 90% was achieved (in any case only in the top layer). A similar method is described in U.S. Patent No. 6,652,804 (Peter Neumann et al.). Japanese Patent Publication No. 2004-332069 (Tetsushi Tsujimoto et al., Mitsubishi Materials Corporation) describes a further improved method for manufacturing thin-walled porous sintered composites of metal, preferably with a thickness in the range of 50 to 300 μm. This method is characterized by the addition of a removable filler, specifically acrylic resin beads, to the metal powder to be processed. These acrylic resin beads are used to create space and sublimate virtually without residue during a heat treatment process carried out in a vacuum at approximately 500°C prior to the actual sintering process, leaving behind voids. These voids are maintained during and after the sintering process. In this way, sheet-like composites made of special steel conforming to AISI 316L specifications, typically having a void ratio of 70 to 90%, were manufactured. Similarly, the Energy Research Institute (IEF, www.fz-juelich.de / ief / ief-1) at the Jülich Research Center also has the capability to manufacture thin-walled porous metal foils up to 500 μm thick. The manufacturing method is based on the so-called doctor blade tape casting method, similar to the method described in Japanese Patent Publication No. 2004-332069.

[0099] Basically, all of the above methods can be applied to manufacture the planar sintered composites 22 and 34 according to the present invention, but the method according to Japanese Patent Application Publication No. 2004-332069 is preferred because it achieves a high porosity. The only thing to be careful about is that the average pore size inside the homogeneous sintered composite should be as close to >10 μm as possible in order to ensure that the liquid material 16 penetrates the core sufficiently and rapidly. The particle size of the metal powder and acrylic resin beads to be processed is adjusted to meet this condition. The thickness range of 50 to 300 μm, which is given as an example in the method described in Japanese Patent Application Publication No. 2004-332069, covers a very preferable thickness range for the planar composite 22.

[0100] The method described above is suitable not only for processing special steels but also for processing powdered heat transfer alloys and powdered ceramic resistance materials.

[0101] Figure 15b shows an example or modification of a planar composite structure according to the embodiment shown in Figure 15a, in which multiple passages or Arteria 35 are arranged in a line along the longitudinal direction of the composite within the planar composite 22. The advantageous effects of these passages 35 have already been explained above. In order to create these passages 35, it is necessary to adapt the above manufacturing method by adding a filament that can be removed by oxidation, sublimation, or chemical decomposition, such as a sublimable acrylic resin filament, to the slurry obtained by the tape casting method. This filament is for securing space, and when it is removed, voids for forming the passages 35 are left behind. It is best to proceed in the following three stages: First, a first foil layer is poured in. On top of that, a layer consisting of filaments oriented parallel to each other, which will later form the Arteria 35, is placed. Finally, a second foil layer, which will simultaneously form the top layer, is poured in. To facilitate handling, the filaments are stretched in an auxiliary frame before being placed on top. In this modified embodiment, the particle size of the metal powder and, optionally, the acrylic resin beads to be processed is preferably in the range of 1 to 10 μm, while the preferred range for the filament diameter is 20 to 150 μm. After the tape casting and sintering processes, in an optional subsequent step, the planar sintered assemblies 22 and 34 are drilled in the thickness direction, thereby forming multiple holes 36. This drilling process may be performed, for example, using a laser. The drilling pattern should be as irregular as possible. That is, if a regular pattern is used, in the unfavorable case, all the holes 36 may be located between the Arteria 35 and not intersect with the Arteria 35. In that case, as already explained above, only a partial benefit of this drilling process will be realized.

[0102] To further increase porosity and electrical resistance, the composite according to the embodiments shown in Figures 15a and 15b may optionally undergo further etching after sintering. The attachment and contact of the planar sintered composites 22 and 34 onto the plate-shaped contact 23 is preferably performed by welding. Adhesion is possible only if the adhesive used is paste-like or semi-fluid with sufficient viscosity. Otherwise, the adhesive may penetrate the pore structure of the composite, potentially interfering with the capillary action of the core. In some cases, it may be advantageous to exclude the bonding area from drilling the composite.

[0103] Finally, Figure 15c shows yet another embodiment of the planar composite 22 having exposed capillary structures on both sides. As shown therein, this planar composite 22 consists of a single foam 37 having open pores formed from an electrical resistance material. Methods for manufacturing foam composites have long been known. For example, U.S. Patent No. 3,111,396 (Burton B. Ball) already describes methods for manufacturing metal foam, ceramic foam, and graphite foam. This method relies on impregnating a porous organic structure with a slurry containing a foaming material, followed by a heat treatment process to decompose the organic structure. This has produced foams, above all, from nickel and nickel-based alloys. For the planar composite 22 according to the present invention, a thin foil-like foam with a thickness in the range of 100 to 500 μm, a preferred pore diameter in the range of 20 to 150 μm, and a porosity of >70% is required. Such foaming materials can be obtained from Mitsubishi Materials Corporation (www.mmc.co.jp) in special steel specifications (e.g., AISI 316L). Here, we assume a standard foaming material with a thickness of 0.5 mm, a pore size in the range of 50 to 150 μm, and a porosity of approximately 90%. This material can be compressed to any thickness up to approximately 100 μm by rolling. The compressed material can optionally be further sintered. Naturally, compression reduces the porosity, but if necessary, the porosity can be increased again during the final etching process. While the manufacturing method for this standard foaming material does include a slurry processing step, this method differs from the method described above in accordance with U.S. Patent No. 3,111,396, in that the foaming is achieved by a foaming agent or foaming agent added to the slurry. Naturally, heat transfer alloys—particularly those selected from the group of NiCr alloys and CrFeAl alloys ("Kanthal")—can also be processed. The planar composite 22 may consist of only one foam layer or of multiple foam layers fused together by sintering.To improve the stability and strength of the planar composite 22, the form 37 may optionally be fused by sintering onto a thin support layer 38, for example, onto a wire cloth made of special steel or any heat-transferring alloy. The attachment and contact of the form 37 onto each plate-shaped contact 23 is the same as that already described in relation to the embodiments according to Figures 15a and 15b.

[0104] All of the above-described embodiments of the planar composite 22 are, if I may say so, merely examples. The present invention is by no means limited to these embodiments. For example, the planar foam material may be fused onto a metal foil by sintering. Alternatively, for example, in accordance with German Patent No. 1,950,439 (Peter Batzies et al.), a porous precipitate layer with open pores may be applied onto a metal foil. Finally, the planar composite may, of course, be formed from non-metallic materials such as carbon fiber or graphite fiber, for example in the form of cloth and fleece, or from quartz glass, for example in the form of a granular or fibrous sintered composite. In the latter case, it would be preferable to provide electrical resistance heating by applying a conductive thin film to the glass surface. Quartz glass is characterized by its excellent chemical resistance and thermal shock resistance.

[0105] Figures 16 and 16a show specific examples of embodiments of the linear composite 39. In this specific embodiment, three linear composites 39a, 39b, and 39c (reference numeral 39c is not shown) are arranged parallel to each other. By providing multiple linear composites compared to the case with only one linear composite, the vaporization area can be significantly increased even if the total cross-sectional area is the same. The characteristics of each composite do not necessarily have to be the same. For example, it is possible to assign different heat capacities and / or different heating element characteristics to each of the composites 39a, 39b, and 39c. The resulting effects have already been presented above.

[0106] Each linear composite in this specific example is configured as a wire-shaped sintered composite having a sintered structure 34 with open holes. The wire-shaped sintered composites 39a, 39b, and 39c are supported within recesses 108 on their respective plate-shaped contacts 23, thereby positioning the wire-shaped sintered composites. In this specific embodiment, electrical contact is made by a drop hammer-shaped plunger 40 that presses the wire-shaped sintered composites 39a, 39b, and 39c against the plate-shaped contacts 23 (see arrow in Figure 16a). The wire-shaped sintered composites 39a, 39b, and 39c are preferably manufactured using an extrusion method according to, for example, Austrian Patent No. 6,393,173 (Ralph E. Shackleford et al.). Austrian Patent No. 6,393,173 describes a method for manufacturing special steel wires with a wire diameter of 0.3 to 2.0 mm. In any case, this diameter range covers the preferred diameter range for linear composites according to the present invention. Specifically, this manufacturing method relies on the steps of extruding a mixture consisting of one type of metal powder, one binder, and one plasticizer, and the sintering of the extruded material. The metal powder may be in granular, fibrous, or flake form. To obtain a porous sintered composite with open pores, this method needs to be adapted. This adaptation is done by mixing a removable filler, such as sublimable acrylic resin beads, into the above mixture. These acrylic resin beads are there to make space and sublimate substantially without residue during a heat treatment performed at approximately 500°C prior to the original sintering process, leaving voids thereafter. In some cases, the type and amount of binder and plasticizer may need to be adapted to the filler added. The particle sizes of the metal powder and acrylic resin beads to be processed are adjusted so that the average pore size of the resulting homogeneous sintered composite is as close to >10 μm as possible, thereby ensuring that the liquid material 16 penetrates the core sufficiently rapidly.Naturally, instead of special steel powder, a powder made of a heat transfer alloy—particularly selected from the group of NiCr alloys and CrFeAl alloys ("Kanthal")—may be extruded and sintered according to this method.

[0107] Generally speaking, composites 22 and 39 should be cleaned and their capillary structures activated before assembly. These measures improve the wettability of the composite material with the liquid material 16, and consequently lead to more rapid penetration into the core. In the case of special steels, treatment with, for example, a 20% phosphoric acid solution is sufficient to achieve the above effects.

[0108] The following will describe in detail the method of supplying the liquid material 16 to the composites 22 and 39. The following description applies equally to both the linear composite 39 and the planar composite 22, even if only one embodiment is illustrated. As shown in Figures 12a and 17, and Figures 16 and 16a, one end of the composites 22 and 39 protrudes into a single capillary gap 41. The core of the composite is supplied with the liquid material 16 from this capillary gap 41, and as can be seen from these figures, the cross-sectional area of ​​the capillary gap 41 is larger than the cross-sectional area of ​​the composites 22 and 39. This has the effect that the liquid material 16 mainly flows through the effective opening cross-section of the capillary gap 41 toward the vaporization zone, which allows for faster penetration into the core and reduces the waiting time between each suction or inhalation. This effect extends at least as far as the capillary gap 41 opens into the chamber 21. Beyond this point, only the cores of the composites 22 and 39 are responsible for transporting the liquid. At its base, the capillary gap 41 is formed by creating corresponding recesses in one of the two plate-shaped contacts 23 and one upper member 42 that is placed planarly on top of it, respectively, which form the capillary gap 41—see Figures 12a and 17. It should be added that to form the capillary gap 41, only one recess may be sufficient, whether it is located on the upper member 42 or on the plate-shaped contact 23. In any case, when using the planar composite 22, it is advantageous to have this single recess located on the plate-shaped contact 23, because in that case, this recess can be simultaneously used as an auxiliary tool for positioning the composite 22.The upper member 42 is preferably joined to the plate-shaped contact 23 by adhesive. Alternatively, the upper member 42 may be made of a material with excellent wetting properties that can be well wetted by the liquid material 16, preferably a light metal, or a plastic that exhibits wetting properties. The wetting properties of plastics, including their adhesive properties, can be significantly improved by surface activation, for example, by plasma treatment using oxygen as a process gas.

[0109] Further upstream of the capillary gap 41 is formed by two thin plates 43 arranged parallel to each other at a certain distance apart (see Figure 17), where one plate is preferably bonded to the upper member 42 and the other to the plate-shaped contact 23, preferably by adhesive. These plates 43 may be punched out from, for example, a special steel strip. As best shown in Figures 18-20, these plates 43 forming the capillary gap 41 protrude into a reservoir 45 at the projection 44. This reservoir 45 is directly connected to the liquid container 4 and separated from the liquid container 4 only by a flap-shaped, openable seal 18. This openable seal 18 is designed to be opened with the help of a pin 46. This pin 46 is supported within the case 3 so as to be axially displaceable, and is preferably made of special steel. The first end 47 of this pin 46 is directed toward the openable seal 18. The second end 48 protrudes from the outer surface of the case 3 when the seal portion 18 is still sealed. This second end 48 of the pin 46 is connected to one of the two contact elements 20 of the inhaler component 1 and cooperates with it like a kind of tappet, so that when the inhaler component 2 is connected to the inhaler component 1, the contact element 20 is pressed against the second end 48 of the pin 46, thereby pushing the pin 46 into the case 3. This pressing force applied from the contact element 20 is transmitted from the pin 46 to the openable seal portion 18. The openable seal portion 18 has a weakened portion 49 at its periphery, which is sized such that when a pressing force is applied to it by the pin 46, it splits over a wide area of ​​the periphery as if it were a reference fracture point, while forming a hinge 50 at one location on one side. This allows the retractable seal portion 18 to open like a flap. The pin 46 has a portion 51 with an expanded cross-sectional area near the first end 47, which acts like a kind of stopper to prevent the pin from slipping out of or being removed from the case 3.

[0110] The method of supplying the liquid material 16 to the composites 22 and 39 will be described below. The flow is indicated by arrows in Figures 18 and 20. When the flap-shaped seal 18 is opened via the pin 46 during the process of connecting the inhaler component 2 to the reusable inhaler part 1, the liquid material 16 overflows into the reservoir 45 under the influence of gravity. Figure 19 shows the liquid levels before and after the flow. The capillary gap 41 draws up the liquid material 16 via the protrusions 44 and supplies it to the composites 22 and 39, thereby allowing the liquid material 16 to eventually completely permeate the core. These protrusions 44, formed by each plate 43, prevent air bubbles that could interfere with capillary connection from forming in the confluence region of the capillary gap 41. In addition, a ventilation passage 52 connecting the reservoir 45 to the chamber 21 is incorporated inside the plate-shaped contact 23. The function of the ventilation passage 52 has already been explained above. The ventilation passage 52 preferably merges with the chamber 21 at an upstream point of the complexes 22 and 39, because little condensation is expected in this region of the chamber 21. Such condensation could, so to speak, block the ventilation passage 52 or enter the reservoir 45 through the ventilation passage 52 and contaminate the liquid material 16 stored therein. Finally, a buffer reservoir 53 is incorporated inside the upper member 42—see also Figures 11 and 17—and its effect has also already been explained above. In this particular embodiment, the buffer reservoir 53 consists of a plurality of slots 54 arranged parallel to each other and built into the upper member 42. These slots 54 communicate with the capillary gap 41 on one side via holes 55, and with the chamber 21 on the other side via a ventilation gap 56. Due to the capillary action of these slots 54, the liquid material 16 flows from the reservoir 45 through the intercapillary gaps 41 and into the slots 54 via the holes 55. The liquid material 16 is temporarily stored there and can be drawn out again by the wick as needed.

[0111] Figures 9-12 further show a condensate coupling device, which consists of two suction bodies or sponges 57 having open holes and suction capabilities, positioned within the chamber 21. The effects of this condensate coupling device and its necessity for the inhaler component according to the present invention have already been explained in detail above. Both of these sponges 57 are plate-shaped and arranged parallel to each other at a certain distance apart, so that both sides of the composite 22 are covered by both sponges 57. A single channel 58 is formed between the two sponges 57, and within this channel, the vapor-air mixture and / or condensed aerosol is generated. The main components of the condensate residue precipitate on the respective wall portions 59 of the sponges 57 forming this channel 58 and are immediately sucked up by the microporous structure of the sponges with open holes. These sponges 57 are attached to the two opposing walls of the chamber 21, for example by adhesive, filling most of the chamber 21, and are preferably made of a material that exhibits high porosity shape stability and is as microporous as possible. In other words, if a material with coarse pores is used, and there is a sudden movement or acceleration in the inhaler component 2, the capillary force of the sponge material will be insufficient to retain the liquid condensate, and some of the condensate will be scattered from the sponge 57. As a sponge material, fiber composites formed from natural or synthetic fibers bonded together by heat or using some kind of binder have been found to be very suitable. Filtrona Richmond Inc. (www.filtronaporoustechnologies.com) is a company that specializes in the manufacture of such fiber composites, and it also processes cellulose acetate fibers bonded with triacetin, as well as polyolefin and polyester fibers bonded by heat.

[0112] Each sponge 57 is positioned at a slight distance from the upper member 42 and from the plate-shaped contact 23 connected to the upper member 42, such that a certain gap 60 is formed between them. This gap 60 ensures that the ventilation passage 52 and the ventilation gap 56 can communicate with the chamber 21 without any obstruction. The dimensions of each sponge 57 are determined so that they can accommodate the expected amount of condensate residue generated, based on the volume of their respective pores. The amount of condensate depends, firstly, on the content of low-boiling-point components with high vapor pressure contained in the liquid material 16, and secondly, on the mass flow rate of air passing through the intake port 26 or the flow path 58. The lower the mass flow rate of air passing through, the less vapor the air can absorb before reaching saturation.

[0113] As shown in Figures 9-10 and 12, a heat sink 61 is positioned downstream of the composite 22, behind these sponges 57. In this particular embodiment, this heat sink 61 consists of a porous packing material 61 through which the generated vapor-air mixture and / or condensed aerosol flows. The essential effect of this heat sink or packing material 61 has already been explained in detail above. The packing material 61 is located inside a packing chamber 62, which is limited on the inlet side by a perforated wall 63, on the outlet side by a mouthpiece 5, and on the sides by the walls of the case 3 and the liquid container 4. The perforated wall 63 supports the packing material 61 and reinforces the case 3. The perforated wall 63 is positioned at a slight distance from the sponges 57—see Figure 12. This ensures that the vapor-air mixture and / or condensed aerosol exiting the channel 58 is uniformly dispersed across the entire cross-section of the filler material 61 before it reaches the perforated wall 63, thereby achieving a uniform flow through the filler material 61. A first wire cloth 64 is placed between the filler material 61 and the perforated wall 63 to prevent the filler material 61 from escaping through the holes in the perforated wall 63. The filler material 61 is restricted on the mouthpiece side by a second wire cloth 65, which prevents the filler material from entering the mouthpiece passage 66, let alone the user's oral cavity. Between the second wire cloth 65 and the mouthpiece passage 66 of the mouthpiece, a pre-chamber 67 is formed to ensure that the flow through the filler material 61 is uniform even at its end. The second wire cloth 65 is preferably attached directly to the mouthpiece 5, for example, by fusion welding. In the assembly process, the first wire cloth 64 is first placed on the perforated wall 63. Then, a predetermined amount of filling material 61 is loaded into the filling chamber 62. It is preferable to carry out the filling in several stages, and the filling material 61 is compressed each time partial filling is performed. By doing so, a uniform filling density can be achieved.Alternatively, the filling material 61 may be pre-packed outside the inhaler component 2, for example, into a paper tube whose cross-sectional shape is adapted to the filling chamber 62, and this individual package may be fitted into the filling chamber 62. Such individual packages can be economically obtained from endless strands. Finally, the mouthpiece 5 is assembled to seal the filling chamber 62.

[0114] The filling material may consist of, for example, any of the heat exchanger materials. In particular, it has been found that using tobacco as the filling material 61 is very advantageous when the liquid material 16 contains nicotine. In the prototypes, shredded tobacco for hand-rolled cigarettes was used, with a filling volume of approximately 7 cm³. 3 These products achieved outstanding results in terms of the sensory stimulation effect of the administered vapor-air mixture or condensed aerosol. Tobacco may be further flavored by adding aromatic additives and essential oils, such as tobacco extract, tobacco aroma oil, menthol, coffee extract, condensed tobacco smoke, or volatile aromatic components of condensed tobacco smoke. Of course, the present invention is not limited to those selected herein.

[0115] The flow resistance of the packing material 61 against the flow of a vapor-air mixture or condensed aerosol is determined by the packing density of the packing material 61. This packing density is adjusted in relation to the flow resistance of the flow throttling section 28 so that the resulting flow resistance falls within the previously described range of 12 to 16 mbar at an air mass flow rate of 1.05 L per minute. Basically, it is also possible to completely abandon the flow throttling section 28 and have the desired flow resistance produced by the packing material 61 alone by appropriately increasing its packing density. However, it should be noted that it is generally undesirable for any filtering effect to occur as a result, and aerosol particles generated in the chamber 21 should pass through the packing material 61 with as little loss as possible. In addition, in this alternative modified embodiment where the flow throttling section 28 is not provided, the detection of the start of suction by the sensor is affected, but this effect will be explained in more detail later. If the filling material 61 contains tobacco and / or fragrance, the inhaler component 2 must be stored in an airtight package until it is used to prevent the fragrance from leaking out. Furthermore, even after connecting the inhaler component 2 to the inhaler part 1, it is still possible to substantially eliminate the possibility of the fragrance leaking out, as well as the possibility of the components of the liquid material 16 stored inside the wick evaporating and leaking out, by sealing the mouthpiece passage 66 with, for example, a cap or stopper (not shown).

[0116] Figures 21-22 show a second embodiment of an inhaler according to the present invention, and Figure 23 shows a replaceable inhaler component for this inhaler. In this specific example, the inhaler is configured as a classical inhaler, and most of its structure is based on the arrangement shown in Figures 9-10. However, it differs from the arrangement shown in Figures 9-10 in that it allows for a significantly larger volume of air to pass through, thereby enabling direct inhalation into the lungs in a single-stage inhalation method. Specifically, this inhaler differs from the arrangement shown in Figures 9-10 in that it omits both the flow restriction section 28 and the second porous body 61 with an open hole, and the cross-section of the mouthpiece passage 66 is significantly expanded. As a result, flow resistance is drastically reduced. Another important difference is that the main portion of the air passing through does not pass through the complexes 22 and 39, but rather enters the interior of the inhaler for the first time downstream of them. For this purpose, two bypass openings 68 are located downstream of the complexes 22 and 39, facing the case 3, and their combined opening cross-section is significantly larger than that of the intake port 26. Adjacent to both bypass openings 68 are two guide vanes 69, formed by the case 3. These guide vanes 69 are directed toward the mouthpiece passage 66 and also toward each other, and their respective free ends or tips 70 form a single nozzle-shaped confluence opening 71, through which the generated vapor-air mixture and / or condensate aerosol flows out of the chamber 21 through this confluence opening 71 and continues to mix with the air flowing in from each bypass opening 68. The effect of the guide vanes 69 has already been explained above. To improve the mixing state of the vapor-air mixture and / or condensate aerosol with the bypass air flowing in through both bypass openings 68, a flow homogenizer 72 may be optionally placed inside the mouthpiece passage 66—see Figure 22. This flow homogenizer 72 may be made from, for example, a fleece-like synthetic fiber material.Freudenberg Vliesstoffe KG (www.freudenberg-filter.com) sells such materials in the form of mats / panels under the name Viledon® filter mats. These materials are tailored according to customer specifications. In particular, the material properties are adjusted so that the final product exhibits sufficient permeability to fine particles of the condensed aerosol produced, while the flow resistance falls within the standard range already specified above. These mats / panels are made from polyolefin (PE, PP) fibers or polyester fibers and can be further processed by die-cutting.

[0117] Figures 24-25 show a replaceable inhaler component 2 of an inhaler according to the present invention, equipped with an alternative liquid container system. In this specific example, although the replaceable inhaler component 2 is an inhaler component used in a classic inhaler, the illustrated alternative liquid container system can be used in exactly the same way in the inhaler component of a suction-type inhaler as described above. As shown in these figures, the liquid container 4 is positioned within the case 3 so that it can be displaced by hand between two stop positions along a displacement axis Y. Figure 24b shows the liquid container 4 in the first stop position, which also defines the initial position of the liquid container. This first stop position is defined as the position in which a projection 73 formed by the mouthpiece 5 cooperates with a tenon 74 formed by the liquid container 4. This projection 73 prevents the liquid container 4, which may contain pharmaceuticals and / or poisons, from being removed from the inhaler component 2. The tenon portion 74 fits into a corresponding groove 75 provided in the case 3, simultaneously preventing the liquid container 4 from rotating. In the illustrated configuration, one end of the liquid container 4 protrudes outside the case 3 and is located next to the mouthpiece 5. The user can easily displace the displaceable liquid container 4 to a second stop position by pushing down this protruding end of the liquid container 4. At that time, the liquid container 4 is displaced by a stroke s. The second stopper is formed by an upper member 42 and a plate-shaped contact 23 connected thereto. The vent hole 76 and vent passage 77 are designed to prevent the formation of an obstructive air cushion during this displacement process. The liquid container 4 has two holes 78 and 79 on the end face opposite the second stopper, and these holes 78 and 79 are sealed inside the container using a foil seal 80. The arrangement of the capillary gap 41 is substantially the same as the arrangement already described above. Here too, each plate 43 forms a protruding portion as the first thorn-like portion 81.The first spine-like portion 81 is positioned to precisely overlap with the position of the first hole 78, and at the second stop position, it penetrates the hole 78. At the same time, the obliquely cut tip of the first spine-like portion 81 pierces the foil seal 80 and comes into contact with the liquid material 16, thereby ultimately creating a capillary connection with the capillary gap 41. Capillary connection with the ventilation passage 52 is also made in a similar manner. However, in this specific embodiment, unlike the arrangement method described above, the ventilation passage 52 is integrated with the upper member 42, and, similar to the capillary gap 41, a protrusion or second spine-like portion 82 is formed at the end facing the liquid container 4. This is positioned to precisely overlap with the position of the second hole 79 provided in the liquid container 4, and at the second stop position, it penetrates it. The second end of this ventilation passage is also in communication with the chamber 21 (not shown). The supply of liquid material 16 to the composites 22 and 39 functions in exactly the same way as described above. In the factory-shipped state of the inhaler component 2, the liquid container 4 is in its initial position, i.e., the first stop position. It is preferable that the liquid container 4 be displaced to the second stop position and connected to the capillary gap 41 immediately before using the inhaler component 2. To eliminate the possibility of premature and unintended connection, the liquid container 4 is fixed in its initial position. This fixing may be done, for example, using a single semicircular locking tab 109 which is joined to the liquid container 4 on one side and to the case 3 on the other, via a microjoint 83, as shown in Figure 24b. This rigidly connects the liquid container 4 and the case 3 by the locking tab 109. This fixed state of the liquid container 4 can be released by applying force to the locking tab 109 by hand—for example, by twisting it several times—which breaks the micro-joint 83. Alternatively, the liquid container 4 may be easily secured using adhesive tape (not shown). The materials to be selected for the liquid container 4 have already been noted above, and the same applies to this specific embodiment.

[0118] Figures 26-27 show a replaceable inhaler component 2 of an inhaler according to the present invention, further comprising an alternative example of a different liquid reservoir system. In this specific example, although the replaceable inhaler component 2 is an inhaler component used in a classic inhaler, the illustrated alternative liquid reservoir system can be used in exactly the same way in the inhaler component of the previously described inhalation inhaler. In this specific example, a single foamed material 84 with an open hole, impregnated with a liquid material 16, is housed inside the liquid reservoir. The composites 22 and 39 are sandwiched between the foamed material 84 and one of the two plate-shaped contacts 23, thereby causing the wick to be capillarily connected to the liquid material 16. The foamed material 84 is held in a cartridge case 85, together forming a replaceable cartridge 86. This cartridge 86 is fitted into a corresponding recess 87 provided in the case 3. This recess 87 is airtightly sealed to the outside by a cover 88.

[0119] The cover 88 is secured to the case 3 via a snap-in connector 89. In addition, this method of securing the cover 88 applies a pressing force to the cartridge 86 toward the composites 22 and 39. As shown in detail in Figure 28, the composites 22 and 39 lie on a single raised portion 90 of the plate-shaped contact 23. This raised portion 90, along with the pressing force acting on the cartridge, causes compression of the foam material 84—see compression stroke h. This compression effect causes a small amount of liquid material 16 to be pushed out from the foam material 84 into the composite in this contact area, an amount sufficient to ensure a capillary connection between the newly set cartridge 86 and the core. The side of the cartridge case 85 facing the cover 88 is perforated. These vents 91 communicate with the chamber 21 via a recess 92 in the cover 88, thereby providing pressure compensation between the liquid material 16 bound within the pores of the foam material 84 and the chamber 21. The foaming material 84 is preferably composed of a microporous polyether-PUR foaming material, which is further compacted. In the prototype, a foaming material called "Jet 6" from its manufacturer, Fritz Nauer AG (www.foampartner.com), which was compacted to two to three times its original volume, was successfully used. The liquid reservoir system described above has the disadvantage that the cartridge 86 can be removed from the inhaler component 2. Naturally, this comes with various risks, such as the risk of a child accidentally ingesting the relatively small cartridge 86. For this reason, this liquid reservoir system is not suitable for storing pharmaceuticals and / or poisons such as nicotine.

[0120] The following describes in detail other general components of the inhaler according to the present invention, which are provided in all embodiments. As shown in Figures 6, 9, and 19, each plate-shaped contact 23 of the interchangeable inhaler component 2 protrudes from the outer surface of the case 3 in the form of two plug-in contacts 93. In the process of connecting the inhaler component 2 to the inhaler component 1, these plug-in contacts 93 are electrically contacted with corresponding spring-loaded contacts 94, and through these contacts, electrical energy for vaporizing the liquid material 16 is supplied to the heating element. The spring-loaded contacts 94 are components of the contact element 20 and are preferably joined to the contact element 20 by welding—see also Figures 4-5. The contact element 20 is preferably made of any metal contact material, which may be manufactured, for example, by Ami Doduco GmbH (www.amidoduco.com). For each plate-shaped contact 23, if the same or similar material as the heating element—for example, special steel—is used for the plate-shaped contacts 23, for the reasons already mentioned, the conductivity of this material is insufficient. Therefore, it is necessary to coat at least the area of ​​the insertable contact 93 of the plate-shaped contact 23 with a conductive layer consisting of gold, silver, palladium, and / or nickel, for example by electroplating, so as to significantly reduce the electrical contact resistance. Each contact element 20 receives electrical energy from two wires 95 that connect the contact element 20 to the printed circuit board 11—see Figures 4-5. It is preferable that both wires 95 are attached by brazing. To summarize and reiterate, these contact elements 20 perform three types of functions. Firstly, as just explained, the contact elements 20 transmit electrical energy from the printed circuit board 11 to the plate-shaped contacts 23. Secondly, the contact element has a locking projection 9 on its side that cooperates with the snap hook 8 of the case 3, thereby realizing a snap-in connection between the inhaler component 2 and the inhaler part 1. Thirdly, one of the two contact elements 20 constitutes a stopper for the pin 46, so that the pin 46 connected to it cooperates with it like a kind of tappet, thereby opening the liquid container 4.However, the last responsibility applies only to specific modified embodiments of inhalers and their liquid container systems.

[0121] A positioning device is provided to connect the inhaler component 2 to the inhaler part 1, aligning their positions precisely. This device consists of a centering projection 96 located on the carrier case 10 and a cooperating centering recess 97 located on the case 3—see Figures 3, 6, 10, and 12. The centering projection 96 has two vent holes 98 that vent the centering recess 97 during the connection process.

[0122] Figure 29 shows a replaceable inhaler component 2 of an inhaler according to the present invention, which differs from the inhaler components shown in previous figures in that it comprises two adjacent planar composites 22a and 22b. Each planar composite 22a and 22b may have a structure as already described in detail in Figures 14-15, for example. These planar composites 22a and 22b, or their respective resistive heating elements, are electrically connected in series with each other. If the individual resistors used in each composite 22a and 22b are of the same magnitude, even if the span width of the composites is the same, connecting them in series in this way doubles the amount of heat generated by the resulting electrical resistance. The advantageous effect of this increased resistance has already been described in detail above. Basically, the amount of heat generated by the electrical resistance of the composite can also be increased by increasing the span width of the composite. However, this could negatively affect the penetration time, which is the time required for the liquid material 16 to completely penetrate the core again after vaporization, potentially leading to a dramatic increase in penetration time. For example, assuming the composite specifications listed in Table 1, and with a composite width of 4 mm and an etching rate of 25%, if two composites 22a and 22b are connected in series, the calculated resistance of the heating element will be approximately 275 mohms. Given this resistance, it is recommended to further reduce the span width of the composite to, for example, 12 mm, in order to shorten the penetration time, which would reduce the resistance of the heating element to approximately 235 mohms. As another option, both composites 22a and 22b can be given different resistance values, which can be most easily achieved by assigning different composite widths to each composite. This allows for spatial variability in the vaporization process. As yet another option, both composites 22a and 22b may be supplied with liquid material from different sources. The last two configuration examples listed as options allow for further precise influence on the properties of the condensed aerosol produced, as well as the aerosol generation process itself.For example, this would allow for a spatial and temporal approximation and imitation of the vaporization process in the tobacco distillation zone.

[0123] Here as well, composites 22a and 22b are supported on conductive plate-shaped contacts at their respective ends, and their respective heating elements are in electrical contact with the contacts. Unlike the embodiment described above, one side of these plate-shaped contacts is divided into two contact members 23a and 23b, but these contact members 23a and 23b are electrically insulated from each other. The first planar composite 22a is supported on contact member 23a at one end, and the second planar composite 22b is supported on contact member 23b at one end. On the opposite side, both composites 22a and 22b are supported on a single common plate-shaped contact 23c at their respective ends. Both composites 22a and 22b are electrically connected to each other by this plate-shaped contact 23c. While the original electrical series connection is provided by this plate-shaped contact 23c, the supply of electrical energy to the two complexes 22a and 22b is carried out via the respective contact members 23a and 23b. Electrical coupling to the reusable inhaler component 1 is also carried out by a plug-in contact 93, but its arrangement is the same as the coupling method in the embodiments shown in the figures so far (see Figures 6, 9, and 19). In order to maintain this coupling method, in the specific embodiment shown, the contact member 23a is configured to penetrate the case 3 laterally at one connection web 110 and extend to the opposite side of the inhaler component 2. As shown in Figure 29, this connection web 110 extends below the slot-shaped passage 26. Alternatively, the electrical connection may be made by a single wire instead of this connection web 110. Alternatively, both plug-in contacts 93 can be routed to exit the case on the same side of the case, but in that case, it would be recommended to do so on the side where the contact members 23a and 23b are located, as can be easily inferred. Finally, it should be mentioned that each plate-shaped contact or contact member 23a, 23b, and 23c may be formed from multiple circuit boards or a single common circuit board. To improve heat dissipation, copper thick-film circuit boards with a copper film thickness in the range of 100 to 500 μm are preferred.In particular, in the region of the capillary gap 41, good heat removal must be ensured in order to eliminate the possibility of the liquid material 16 boiling within the capillary gap 41.

[0124] Sensors 99 and 100 constitute important components of the inhaler according to the present invention—see Figures 8, 18, and 21-22. These sensors 99 and 100 are tasked with detecting the start of inhalation or suction, and upon receiving this detection, the electrical circuit 11 begins supplying electrical energy to the heating elements of the composites 22 and 39, causing the liquid material 16 to begin vaporizing. At least two types of sensors are preferably used. In the embodiment shown in Figure 8, the sensor consists of a single pressure sensor 99. This pressure sensor 99 is bonded inside the carrier case 10, and its electrical terminals or pins 101 are directly wax-welded onto the printed circuit board 11. This pressure sensor 99 communicates with the plenum chamber 27 via a bore 102 and is configured to measure or monitor the negative pressure within the plenum chamber 27—see Figure 18. As the pressure sensor 99, for example, the CPCL04GC model from its manufacturer, Honeywell Inc. (www.honeywell.com), with a measurement range of ±10 mbar, is suitable. This sensor essentially consists of a zero-calibrated and temperature-compensated Wheatstone bridge, which is preferably connected to the printed circuit board 11 as follows: The negative output of the sensor is grounded through a high-ohm resistor with a predefined resistance value—for example, 2.2 M ohms—which slightly distorts the output signal or measurement signal of the pressure sensor 99, or in other words, calibrates the Wheatstone bridge offset to a predefined value. This distortion, or this offset, presets a switching threshold corresponding to a specific pressure threshold. The measurement signal processed in this manner is applied to the input of a precision operational amplifier 103 connected to the circuit as a comparator—for example, a LTC1049CS8 precision operational amplifier from its manufacturer, Linear Technology Inc. (www.linear.com). By configuring the circuit in this way, an output signal is obtained that digitally and accurately depicts the start of sinking in an extremely rapid manner.This pressure sensor 99 is particularly suitable for use in suction-type inhalers, as long as a flow throttling section 28 is located upstream of the plenum chamber 27. In this configuration, during the suction process, a negative pressure typically ranging from 0 to 50 mbar is generated inside the plenum chamber 27 relative to the surrounding area. The pressure characteristic at this time approximates a bell-shaped curve. As described above, by presetting a pressure threshold and comparing it with the pressure actually measured at all times, the start of suction can be easily detected. The start of suction can be defined as the point at which this pressure threshold is first exceeded. It is preferable to select a value within the range of 0.2 to 5 mbar as this pressure threshold. The smaller the selected pressure threshold, the faster the suction detection system will respond. The lower limit is derived from the specifications of the pressure sensor and operational amplifier used at any given time.

[0125] If no flow throttling section 28 is provided inside the inhaler, negative pressure becomes dominant inside the plenum chamber 27. This condition is given in the embodiment shown in Figures 21-22. The illustrated classic inhaler operates under generally atmospheric pressure conditions and enables direct inhalation into the lungs using a single-stage inhalation method. In this case, it is advisable to use a flow sensor 100 to detect the start of inhalation. In the embodiment shown in Figures 21-22, this flow sensor 100 is located inside the lateral passage 29, and its terminals or pins 101 are directly soldered to the printed circuit board 11. The most suitable flow sensor 100 is, for example, the GR015 type thermistor 100 from its manufacturer, Betatherm Corporation (www.betatherm.com). This thermistor 100 is connected to a Wheatstone bridge (not shown) on the printed circuit board 11. This Wheatstone bridge has a second thermistor of the same type for temperature compensation, which is calibrated to a predefined offset threshold using a precision resistor. The output signal of this Wheatstone is then applied to the input of an operational amplifier 103, which is also connected to the circuit as a comparator. When in equilibrium, both thermistors are at the same temperature level—typically in the range of 80 to 200°C due to dissipative output. When the user begins inhaling, air immediately flows through the lateral passage 29. This air cools thermistor 100, increasing its resistance. This resistance change is processed by the Wheatstone bridge. At the moment the output signal of the Wheatstone bridge crosses zero, comparator 103 is switched and outputs a digital signal indicating the start of inhalation.

[0126] The signals output by these sensors 99, 100 and their respective circuits are preferably further processed in a single integrated circuit 104—see Figures 8 and 21. This integrated circuit 104 may be a microprocessor. The integrated circuit 104 performs calculations on most of the total electrical signals of the inhaler and executes various control functions that are important for the operation of the inhaler. These control functions will be explained in detail below. Supplying electrical energy to the heating elements of the complexes 22 and 39 is one of the central control functions. The electrical energy is supplied from the energy reservoir 12. Based on the current level of technology, lithium polymer batteries and lithium-ion batteries are particularly recommended as the energy reservoir 12 due to their high energy density and power density. If the heating elements are metallic, a single lithium polymer battery or lithium-ion battery with an open-circuit voltage or rated voltage of 3.7V will suffice. The energy supply and power supply to the heating elements of complexes 22 and 39 can be easily controlled by chopping the battery voltage with a variable current rate over the duration of energy supply, and applying the resulting effective voltage to the heating elements. The resulting effective voltage is a rectangular signal with a variable duty cycle. The amplitude of this rectangular signal corresponds to the battery voltage, assuming, for the time being, small voltage losses are overlooked. The chopping is preferably performed using a single power MOSFET 105, for example, the IRF6635 power MOSFET 105 from its manufacturer, International Rectifier (www.irf.com), which is suitable for carrying very high currents with minimal drain-source on-resistance. In this case, the gate of the power MOSFET 105 is controlled by the integrated circuit 104. Separately, in another very simple control strategy, which has also been demonstrated to be suitable in prototypes according to the present invention, the energy supply time is divided into two periods—a heating period and a subsequent vaporization period. In the operation of an inhaler, which is performed intermittently in sync with inhalation or breathing, the energy supply time is designed to correspond to the duration of one inhalation or one breathing stroke.For inhalation-type inhalers, the average inhalation time can be assumed to be approximately 2.1 seconds (±0.4 seconds). The inhalation time for cigarettes is also roughly this value. Considering that re-evaporation occurs to some extent due to the heat still stored in complexes 22 and 39 even after energy supply is stopped, it seems advisable to select an energy supply time slightly shorter, for example, within the range of 1.5 to 1.8 seconds. For classical inhalers, further shortening the energy supply time may be advantageous, primarily to increase the absorption rate of the drug in the alveoli. Specifically, inhalation-type inhalers have the advantage of positioning the drug at the forefront of the air column inhaled into the lungs, allowing the drug to penetrate the alveoli more easily. Conversely, in classical inhalers, the drug is absorbed into the interior of the inhaled air column. In this case, it must be considered that the end portion of the inhaled air column is used only to fill the so-called "functional dead space" (approximately 150-200 mL) of the respiratory system. In any case, the medicinal components in this dead space no longer reach the alveoli, and to that extent, this is a loss for rapid and systematic drug action. Furthermore, considering that there are significant individual differences in inhalation time, that is, that the inhalation time varies between approximately 1.5 and 3 seconds, it seems prudent to select an energy supply time of <1.5 seconds for classical inhalers. During the first of the two periods described above—the heating period—compounds 22 and 39, along with the liquid material 16 stored inside the wick, are heated by the heating element. When the temperature of compounds 22 and 39 reaches approximately the boiling point range of the low-boiling point component of the liquid material 16, the liquid material 16 begins to vaporize. Therefore, this heating period must be kept as short as possible. In this regard, it is natural that during this period, the battery voltage should be supplied to the heating element without chopping, that is, at 100% energization rate or duty cycle. The duration of the heating period is determined in particular by the specifications of the composites 22 and 39, and the amount and composition of the liquid material 16 to be vaporized, but it should be kept to <0.5 seconds as much as possible. In the subsequent second period—the vaporization period—this energization rate is effectively withdrawn, and the liquid material 16 undergoes its intended vaporization.During this second period, the supplied energy is used primarily for vaporizing the liquid material 16 and secondarily to cover energy losses. By appropriately selecting the current rate, the vaporization capacity, and consequently the amount of liquid material 16 vaporized per intake or suction, can be controlled within a certain limit range. The upper limits are set at the point when the critical heat flux is generated, as well as at the point when localized drying and overheating occur in the core. Conversely, by withdrawing or reducing the current rate, the thermal decomposition of the liquid material 16 can be counteracted.

[0127] The control strategy I just described can be arbitrarily extended and made more sophisticated. For example, it might be beneficial to consider the battery state in this control strategy, because the battery voltage drops significantly, especially under load, as the battery discharge increases and degradation progresses. This effect can be addressed by increasing the energization rate. In order to be able to implement such corrections even during the heating period, it is advisable to set the energization rate of a new, fully charged battery to, for example, only 80% rather than 100% as proposed above, so that there is still sufficient margin for adaptation.

[0128] To control the energy supply to the heating elements of the composites 22 and 39, various other auxiliary functions are necessary. For example, it is necessary to prevent the energy supply from being restarted immediately after the vaporization cycle ends. Rather, a certain waiting time should be maintained to give the liquid material 16 sufficient time to completely penetrate the wick. The minimum required waiting time is determined by the viscosity of the liquid material, as well as the specifications of the composite at that time. With an appropriate design, it was demonstrated with prototypes and confirmed by calculations that complete penetration of the wick can be achieved in less than 10 seconds. If the required waiting time is around this amount, most users should be able to tolerate it, especially in the case of cigarettes, where the interval between each puff is an average of 25 seconds. It is also advisable to maintain such a waiting time after connecting a new inhaler component 2 to the inhaler part 1. As another auxiliary function, if the user stops inhaling or breathing prematurely, the energy supply to the heating elements is immediately cut off. This prevents the generation of unwanted vapor in the chamber 21.

[0129] Another control function of the integrated circuit 104 relates to the user interface, that is, communication with the user. The sensors 99 and 100, which detect the start of inhalation or suction, are input interfaces and are indispensable as such. Furthermore, in one example of a very simple configuration of the user interface, the input interface does not have any other input interfaces, not even an on / off switch, making the inhaler extremely easy to use. Naturally, in order to omit the on / off switch, it is required that the internal current consumption of the electrical circuit 11 be reasonably small, and this must be taken into consideration when creating the wiring diagram. For example, the circuit 11 should be able to switch to an extremely energy-saving sleep mode unless the inhaler component 2 is connected to the inhaler part 1. As an output interface, two light-emitting diodes 106 should be used, for example, with the first light-emitting diode displaying the charge status of the battery 12 and the second light-emitting diode indicating that the inhaler component 2 is due for replacement soon. The timing for replacing the inhaler component 2 can be monitored using a counter that counts the number of inhalations or breaths. This counter is reset to zero during the replacement of the inhaler component 2, taking advantage of the fact that the resistance of the heating element momentarily becomes infinite. In one example of a slightly more complex configuration, a display (not shown) can be incorporated into the circuit cover 7 instead of the light-emitting diode 106. This display can show the battery charge status, the imminent replacement time for the inhaler component 2, and various other operating statuses and information, such as information on the total amount of medication supplied within a predetermined time. In the case of nicotine, this allows for a very objective assessment of the user's nicotine dependence and confirmation of the actual results achieved in the process of gradually quitting smoking. Finally, this display can be used to support the user in the form of a user guide when using the inhaler.As an output interface, it may also be equipped with audible, vibratory, and / or luminous alarms to assist the user in ensuring that each medication is supplied at the appropriate time and in the required dosage. Finally, it would be preferable to provide another data interface, for example in the form of a USB interface or a Bluetooth interface, through which it may be possible to import firmware or software update data, perform various diagnostic functions, and read information specifically about the dosage of the administered medication. The last function mentioned above will enable the treating physician to accurately and objectively record and evaluate the dosage of medication supplied over a long period and its changes over time, and to administer appropriate medical treatment.

[0130] Another optional control function is related to the identification of the inhaler component 2 being used, the identification of the user, and the verification of inhaler misuse in relation to them. Identification of the inhaler component 2 can be easily performed by measuring the resistance of the heating element, including the type of composite and liquid material 16 contained within it. However, this method has certain limitations, as it requires assigning a predetermined type of composite with a defined heating element resistance to each pharmaceutical dispensing. A slightly more complex method involves placing an ID chip (not shown) inside the inhaler component 2 to clearly identify that component. Using such a chip allows for the clear identification of every individual inhaler component 2 manufactured and sold. This chip is preferably placed on one of the two plate-shaped contacts 23, in which case it is highly advantageous if the plate-shaped contacts 23 are formed by a single circuit board. The information stored in the chip is read by an integrated circuit 104, which in this case preferably consists of a single microprocessor. Based on the read information, the microprocessor 104 selects appropriate operating parameters for the inhaler component 2 in use. Furthermore, the microprocessor 104 blocks or disables the inhaler component 2 by appropriate means when it reaches its replacement time, thereby preventing any further inhalation or breathing using that component. This measure is particularly useful in preventing the misuse of the inhaler component 2. Such misuse occurs, for example, when a user attempts to use the inhaler component 2 far beyond its replacement time by, for example, forcibly opening the liquid container 4 and refilling it with liquid material 16. In the case of nicotine, the lethal dose (LD50) is 0.5 to 1.0 mg per kg of body weight. It is easy to imagine how dangerous such misuse can be for both the user and the environment.The risks of such abuse, as well as the environmental crisis posed by discarded used inhaler components 2, can be further reduced by allowing the inhaler components 2 to be sold through a deposit system. User identification helps eliminate the possibility of the inhaler being used by an unauthorized third party, thereby also preventing theft. User identification can be performed, for example, by entering a code via a touchscreen, or by a biometric method using fingerprints.

[0131] Another control function that the integrated circuit 104 can perform relates to the cell management and charge management of the battery 12. Since integrated circuits for this purpose are already available on the market, this control function may be performed in a separate integrated circuit instead of integrated circuit 104. The charging current is supplied via a charging connector 107 located on the end face of the inhaler component 1 opposite the mouthpiece 5—see Figures 3 and 8. This charging connector 107 may also be a diagnostic connector, allowing the resistance of the electrical circuits 11 and heating elements of the complexes 22, 39 to be tested using an external analyzer to determine potential faults.

[0132] Any expert familiar with this field can apply known methods to transfer the various control functions described above into a single wiring diagram; therefore, this will not be explained further within the scope of this specification.

[0133] Finally, the functionality and operating method of the inhaler according to the present invention will be summarized once again. The user prepares the new inhaler component 2 for use by connecting it to the reusable inhaler component 1 via the snap-in connectors 8 and 9. In the embodiment shown in Figure 6, the liquid container 4 is opened using a pin 46 that cooperates with the contact element 20 in synchronization with the connection to the inhaler component 1 (see Figure 19). In contrast, in the embodiments shown in Figures 24a and 24b, the liquid container 4 is opened by the user pushing the liquid container 4 into the case 3 (see the direction of the arrow). In either case, the end of the capillary gap 41, which is configured as a protrusion 44 (Figure 19) or as a first spine-like portion 81 (Figure 25), becomes wet with the liquid material 16. The capillary gaps 41 exert capillary attraction on the liquid material 16 that wets them, causing the capillary gaps 41 to immediately overflow with the liquid material 16. This liquid material 16 reaches the complexes 22 and 39 (see Figure 11). Each complex 22 and 39 consists of a single wick and a single electric heating element. Due to the capillary attraction inside the wick, the liquid material 16 also immediately permeates the wick. At the same time, the buffer reservoir 53, which consists of multiple capillaries 54, also overflows with the liquid material 16. This buffer reservoir 53 allows the inhaler to operate regardless of its position. The time from opening the liquid container 4 until the wick is fully permeated is equal to the waiting time required for the user, and in any case, if the design is done properly, it will be less than 10 seconds. The inhaler is now in a ready state and can be operated at any time. The user inhales from the mouthpiece 5 in the same way as with a cigarette if it is an inhalation-type inhaler according to the present invention (Figures 9-10), or directly into the lungs if it is a classic inhaler according to the present invention (Figures 21-22). Sensors 99 and 100 (Figures 8 and 21) detect the start of inhalation or breathing, and the integrated circuit 104 receives this and supplies electrical energy to the heating elements of the composites 22 and 39 according to a predetermined control strategy. As a result, the composites 22 and 39 are heated instantaneously, and the liquid material 16 inside the core is vaporized.The generated vapor exits the complexes 22 and 39 from the core surface exposed over a wide area of ​​the complexes 22 and 39 and mixes with the air flowing into the chamber 21 from the intake port 26. This mixing with air cools the vapor and forms a condensed aerosol (Figures 9-10 and 21-22). Excess condensate that did not participate in the formation of the condensed aerosol or vapor-air mixture is absorbed into a sponge 57 located inside the chamber 21 and binds thereto. In the embodiment shown in Figures 9-10 (inhalation type inhaler), the generated vapor-air mixture and / or condensed aerosol flows through the filling material 61 before finally entering the user's oral cavity via the mouthpiece passage 66, in order to improve its sensory stimulation properties. In the embodiment shown in Figures 21-22 (classic inhaler), the generated vapor-air mixture and / or condensate aerosol exits the chamber 21 through a confluence opening 71, which is composed of guide vanes 69, and combines with bypass air flowing in through a bypass opening 68. It then flows through a single flow homogenizer 72, optionally located inside the mouthpiece passage 66, and finally enters the oral cavity. After a waiting period of a few seconds, the liquid material 16 is fully permeated into the cores of the new composites 22 and 39, and the inhaler enters a standby state for the next inhalation. If the liquid container 4 contains, for example, 2.5 mL of usable liquid material 16, and this liquid material contains nicotine as a pharmaceutical, typically at a concentration of 1.5%, then such an inhaler component can perform 380 inhalations, assuming that 100 μg of nicotine is vaporized per inhalation. 380 inhalations are equivalent to approximately 38 cigarettes. If only 50 μg of nicotine is vaporized per inhalation, the number of achievable inhalations increases to 760, which is equivalent to about four packs of cigarettes.

[0134] Finally, based on examples of nicotine's use as a pharmaceutical, a specific example of the formulation of the vaporized liquid material 16 in a prototype designed as an inhalation device according to the present invention is disclosed. The condensed aerosol produced and administered at this time is substantially equivalent to that of conventional tobacco smoke in terms of pharmacological, pharmacokinetic, and sensory stimulating effects. All the components listed in the table are also found in tobacco smoke. [Table 2]

[0135] To be absolutely certain, it should be added that inhalers according to the present invention can incorporate various additional functions that extend the inhaler beyond its original function into a multi-functional or hybrid device. Examples of such functions include, for example, a clock, a portable data storage device, an automatic music playback function (including a dictation function), a portable information terminal function, navigation assistance (GPS), a mobile phone, and a camera. [Explanation of symbols]

[0136] 1. Inhaler parts 2 Inhaler Components 3 cases 4 Liquid container 5 Mouthpiece 6. Battery cover 7 Circuit cover 8 snap hooks 9. Locking protrusions 10 Carry Cases 11. Electrical circuits, printed circuit boards 12. Energy storage devices; batteries 13 Bulkhead 14 Flat contacts 15 windows 16. Liquid materials; Pharmaceutical preparation 17 Filling holes 18. Removable seal 19 Seal cap 20 Contact elements 21 Chambers 22 Planar composite 23 Plate-shaped contact 24-sided composite, first face 25. Second face of the planar complex 26. Air intake; slot-shaped passage 27 Plenum Chamber 28 Flow constriction section 29 Sideways aisle 30 supply ports 31. Foil; Metallic foil 32 Cross; Metal Wire Cross 33. Fiber structure with open pores; fleece 34. Sintered structures having open pores; granular, fibrous, or flake-like sintered composites. 35. Passageway; Arteria 36 holes 37 Form with open holes 38. Carrier layer 39 Linear complex 40 plungers 41 Capillary gap 42 Upper member 43 board 44 Protrusion 45 Reservoir 46 pins 47 First end 48 Second end 49 Weakened parts of the material 50 Hinge 51 Cross-sectional expansion 52 Ventilation passage 53 Buffer Reservoir 54 capillaries; slots 55 holes 56 Ventilation gap 57. Suction body with open holes and suction capacity; sponge 58 Flow passage 59 Wall section 60 gap 61 Heat sink; Filling material; Tobacco filler 62 Filling room 63 Perforated wall 64. First Wire Cross 65. Second Wire Cross 66 Mouthpiece passage 67 Vestibule 68 Bypass opening 69 Guide vanes 70 Guide vane tip 71 Merging opening 72 Flow Homogenizer 73. Locking mechanism that cannot be unlocked; protrusion 74 mortise 75 Groove 76 vent holes 77 Vent Passage 78 Hole 1 79 Second hole 80 Foil Seals 81 First spinous part 82 Second spinous part 83 Micro Joint 84. Liquid reservoir; foam material with open holes. 85 Cartridge Case 86 cartridges 87 Recess 88 Cover 89 Snap-in connector 90 Ridge 91 ventilation holes 92 recess 93 Plug-in type contact 94 Spring-type contacts 95 Electric wire 96 Centering protrusions 97 Centering recess 98 vent holes 99 Pressure Sensor 100 flow sensors, thermistors 101 Electrical terminals; pins 102 Bore 103 Operational amplifier; comparator 104 Integrated circuits; microprocessors 105 Power MOSFET 106 Light-emitting diodes 107 Charging connector 108 recesses 109 Locking tabs 110 Connect to the Web [Note 1] An inhaler component for intermittently generating a vapor-air mixture or / or condensed aerosol in sync with inhalation or suction, One case (3), A chamber (21) is placed inside the case (3), The chamber (21) is provided with one air intake port (26) for supplying air from the surrounding area, An electric heating element for vaporizing a certain amount of liquid material (16), wherein the vapor generated is mixed in the chamber (21) with air supplied through the air intake (26) to produce the vapor-air mixture and / or condensed aerosol. In an inhaler component having a core with a capillary structure, the core together with the heating element forms a composite (22), and a new liquid material (16) is automatically supplied to the heating element when one vaporization process is completed, An inhaler component characterized in that the composite (22) is configured in a planar shape to form a planar composite, at least one heated portion of the composite (22) is arranged in a non-contact manner within the chamber (21), and the capillary structure of the core located in that portion is substantially exposed on at least one side (24) of the planar composite. [Note 2] In the inhaler components described in Appendix 1, An inhaler component characterized in that the capillary structure of the core located in the aforementioned portion is substantially exposed on both sides (24, 25) of the planar composite (22). [Note 3] In the inhaler components described in Appendix 1 or 2, An inhaler component characterized in that the thickness of the composite (22) is less than 0.6 mm. [Note 4] In the inhaler components described in Appendix 1 or 2, An inhaler component characterized in that the thickness of the composite (22) is less than 0.3 mm. [Note 5] In any of the inhaler components described in Appendix 1 to 4, An inhaler component characterized in that the composite (22) is configured in the form of a sheet, foil, strip, or tape. [Note 6] In any of the inhaler components described in Appendix 1 to 5, An inhaler component characterized in that the composite (22) has one of the following structures: a cross, a fibrous structure with open holes, a sintered structure with open holes, a foam with open holes, or a precipitated structure with open holes. [Note 7] In any of the inhaler components described in Appendix 1 to 5, An inhaler component characterized in that the composite (22) has at least two layers. [Note 8] In the inhaler components described in Appendix 7, An inhaler component characterized in that each of the aforementioned layers includes at least one of the following structures: a sheet, a foil (31), paper, a cloth (32), a fibrous structure with open holes (33), a sintered structure with open holes (34), a foam with open holes (37), and a precipitated structure with open holes. [Note 9] In the inhaler components described in Appendix 8, An inhaler component characterized in that each of the aforementioned layers is joined to each other by a heat treatment process. [Note 10] An inhaler component for intermittently generating a vapor-air mixture or / or condensed aerosol in sync with inhalation or suction, One case (3), A chamber (21) is placed inside the case (3), The chamber (21) is provided with one air intake port (26) for supplying air from the surrounding area, An electric heating element for vaporizing a certain amount of liquid material (16), wherein the vapor generated is mixed with air supplied through the air intake (26) in the chamber (21) to produce the vapor-air mixture and / or condensed aerosol, An inhaler component having a core with a capillary structure, the core forming a composite (39) together with the heating element, and the core being configured to automatically supply new liquid material (16) to the heating element after vaporization, An inhaler component characterized in that the composite (39) is linearly configured, at least one heated portion of the composite is arranged in a non-contact manner within the chamber (21), and the capillary structure of the core located in that portion is substantially exposed. [Note 11] An inhaler component as described in Appendix 10, characterized in that the thickness of the composite is less than 1.0 mm. [Note 12] In the inhaler component described in Appendix 10 or 11, An inhaler component characterized in that the composite has at least one of the following structures: a wire, a yarn, a sintered structure (34) having open holes, a foam having open holes, and a precipitated structure having open holes. [Note 13] In any of the inhaler components described in Appendix 1 to 12, An inhaler component characterized in that the heating element is at least partially incorporated inside the core. [Note 14] In the inhaler components described in Appendix 13, An inhaler component characterized in that the core is at least partially made of one electrical resistance material. [Note 15] In the inhaler components described in Appendix 14, An inhaler component characterized in that the electrical resistance material is metallic. [Note 16] In any of the inhaler components described in any one of the appendices 1 to 15, An inhaler component characterized in that the joint between the heating element and the wick extends and spans the entire width and length of the wick. [Note 17] In any of the inhaler components described in Appendix 1 to 16, An inhaler component characterized in that the composite (22, 39) is subjected to etching. [Note 18] In any of the inhaler components described in any one of the appendices 1 to 17, An inhaler component characterized in that the surface of the composite (22, 39) is activated. [Note 19] In any of the inhaler components described in any one of the appendices 1 to 18, An inhaler component characterized in that the wick is configured as a self-flowing artificial wick. [Note 20] In any of the inhaler components described in any one of the appendices 1 to 19, An inhaler component characterized in that a hole is drilled in the direction of the thickness of the aforementioned core. [Note 21] In any of the inhaler components described in Appendix 1 to 5, An inhaler component characterized in that the planar composite (22) is substantially flat, the air intake port is configured as a slot-shaped passage (26), and the slot-shaped passage (26) is oriented parallel to the flat surface of the composite. [Note 22] In the inhaler component described in Appendix 10 or 11, An inhaler component characterized in that the linear complex (39) is substantially linearly configured, the air intake port is configured as a slot-shaped passage (26), and the slot-shaped passage (26) is oriented parallel to the linear complex (39). [Note 23] In any of the inhaler components described in Appendix 1 to 22, An inhaler component characterized in that the composite (22, 39) extends through the chamber (21) and bridges it, and is supported at two end portions on two conductive plate-shaped contacts (23), and the heating element is further electrically contacted with each of the contacts (23). [Note 24] In the inhaler components described in Appendix 23, An inhaler component characterized in that the electrical contact portion of the heating element consists of a welded portion or a sintered portion. [Note 25] In the inhaler components described in Appendix 23, An inhaler component characterized in that the electrical contact portion of the heating element is made of an adhesive portion using a conductive adhesive. [Note 26] In any of the inhaler components described in any one of the appendices 23 to 25, An inhaler component characterized in that each of the plate-shaped contacts (23) protrudes from the outer surface of the case (3) in the form of two plug-in contacts (93). [Note 27] In any of the inhaler components described in Appendix 1 to 25, An inhaler component characterized in that one end of the composite (22, 39) protrudes into a capillary gap (41) having a flow resistance smaller than that of the core. [Note 28] In the inhaler components described in Appendix 27, An inhaler component characterized in that the cross-sectional area of ​​the capillary gap (41) is larger than the cross-sectional area of ​​the composite (22, 39). [Note 29] In the inhaler components described in Appendix 27 or 28, An inhaler component characterized in that the heating element of the composite (22, 39) located inside the capillary gap (41) is electrically contacted. [Note 30] An inhaler component according to any one of the appendices 27 to 29, comprising a liquid container (4) containing the liquid material (16), which is disposed inside or connected to the case (3), together with a resealable seal (18), An inhaler component characterized in that the liquid container (4) cannot be removed from the case (3) or detached from the case (3), and the liquid material (16) inside the liquid container (4) can be connected to the capillary gap (41) by manually opening the openable seal portion (18). [Note 31] In the inhaler components described in Appendix 30, An inhaler component characterized in that the liquid container (4) is rigidly and permanently joined to the case (3), or that it itself forms a part of the case (3). [Note 32] In the inhaler component described in Appendix 31, An inhaler component comprising a reservoir (45) adjacent to the liquid container (4), separated from the liquid container (4) by the openable sealing portion (18), and communicating with the capillary gap (41). [Note 33] In the inhaler component described in Appendix 32, An inhaler component characterized by a pin (46) supported within the case (3) so as to be axially displaceable, the first end (47) of which is directed toward the openable seal portion (18), and the second end (48) of which protrudes like a projection from the outer surface of the case (3) when the seal portion (18) is sealed. [Note 34] In an inhaler having one inhaler component as described in Appendix 33, and one reusable inhaler part (1) that can be connected to the inhaler component (2), An inhaler characterized in that, during the connection, the second end (48) of the pin is connected to the reusable inhaler component (1) and cooperates with it like a kind of tappet. [Note 35] In the inhaler components described in Appendix 33, An inhaler component characterized in that the reservoir (45) communicates with the chamber (21) via a single ventilation passage (52). [Note 36] In the inhaler components described in Appendix 30, An inhaler component characterized in that the liquid container (4) is positioned inside the case (3) such that it can be displaced by hand between two stop positions along a displacement axis Y, the liquid container (4) cooperates with a locking device (73) that cannot be unlocked in the first stop position, and the liquid container (4) cooperates with an opening means (81, 82) that opens the openable seal (18) in the second stop position. [Note 37] In the inhaler components described in Appendix 36, An inhaler component characterized in that the opening means (81, 82) has a first spine-like portion (81) formed by the capillary gap (41), and the spine-like portion (81) penetrates the openable sealing portion (18) at the second stop position, thereby forming a capillary connection with the liquid material (16). [Note 38] In the inhaler components described in Appendix 37, An inhaler component characterized by a single ventilation passage (52), the first end of which is in communication with the chamber (21), and the second end of which is configured as a second spiky portion (82) that penetrates the openable sealing portion (18) in the second stop position. [Note 39] In the inhaler components described in Appendix 36, An inhaler component characterized in that the locking device, which cannot be unlocked, consists of a single projection (73), and in the first stop position, the liquid container (4) collides with the projection (73). [Note 40] An inhaler component according to any one of the appendices 36 to 39, having a mouthpiece (5) provided with a mouthpiece passage (66), wherein the user receives a vapor-air mixture and / or condensed aerosol administered through the mouthpiece passage (66), An inhaler component characterized in that the displacement axis Y is oriented generally parallel to the central axis of the mouthpiece passage (66), and one end of the liquid container (4) protrudes outside the case (3) and is positioned next to the mouthpiece (5) at least at the first stop position. [Note 41] In any one of the inhaler components described in Appendix 27-33 and 35-40, An inhaler component characterized by a buffer reservoir (53) that communicates with the capillary gap (41) and is itself composed of multiple capillaries (54). [Note 42] In the inhaler component described in Appendix 23, comprising a liquid reservoir (84) made of an elastic material having an open hole and impregnated with the liquid material (16), An inhaler component characterized in that the composite (22, 39) is sandwiched between one of the two plate-shaped contacts (23) and the liquid reservoir (84), thereby capillarily connecting the wick to the liquid material (16) in the liquid reservoir (84). [Note 43] An inhaler component according to any one of the appendices 1 to 23, comprising a condensate coupling device for receiving and storing condensate residue formed during the generation process of a vapor-air mixture or / or condensed aerosol, The condensate coupling device comprises a single suction body (57) having an open hole and suction capacity, wherein the suction body (57) is positioned at a certain distance from, but in close proximity to, the exposed capillary structure located in the portion of the core, and is an inhaler component. [Note 44] In the inhaler components described in Appendix 43, An inhaler component characterized in that a suction body (57) having the aforementioned open hole and suction capacity covers the exposed capillary structure located in the aforementioned portion of the core. [Note 45] In the inhaler component described in Appendix 43 or 44, An inhaler component characterized in that a suction body (57) having an opening hole and suction capacity has two members or parts arranged at a certain distance from each other, and the composite (22, 39) is arranged at least at some points between the two members or parts. [Note 46] In any of the inhaler components described in any one of the appendices 43 to 45, An inhaler component characterized in that a suction body (57) having the aforementioned opening and suction capacity is placed inside the chamber (21) and fills most of the chamber (21). [Note 47] In any of the inhaler components described in any one of the appendices 43 to 46, An inhaler component characterized in that the suction body (57) having the aforementioned open hole and suction capacity is made of a single material exhibiting shape stability such that it substantially maintains its shape even after the condensate residue has permeated it and it has reached a state of complete saturation. [Note 48] In any of the inhaler components described in any one of the appendices 43 to 47, An inhaler component characterized in that a suction body (57) having the aforementioned opening hole and suction capacity is substantially surrounded by the case (3) and is joined to the case (3) in a manner that prevents it from being detached. [Note 49] In any of the inhaler components described in any one of the appendices 43 to 48, An inhaler component characterized by a two-stage condensate deposition apparatus, the first stage comprising a suction body (57) having the aforementioned openings and possessing suction capacity, and the second stage comprising a heat sink through which the generated vapor-air mixture and / or condensed aerosol can flow. [Note 50] In the inhaler components described in Appendix 49, An inhaler component characterized in that the heat sink (61) is formed from a single tobacco filler (61). [Note 51] In the inhaler components described in Appendix 50, The volume of the tobacco filler (61) is 3 cm³ 3 An inhaler component characterized by exceeding [a certain standard]. [Note 52] In an inhaler component according to any one of the appendices 1 to 23, having a mouthpiece opening formed by a single mouthpiece (5), the mouthpiece opening being in communication with the chamber (21), the user receiving a vapor-air mixture and / or condensed aerosol administered through the mouthpiece opening, in which case, during the inhalation process, a flow toward the mouthpiece opening is formed between the inhalation port (26) and the mouthpiece opening, and the flow passes through the complex (22, 39) at least in places, Downstream of the composite (22, 39), at least one air bypass opening (68) is provided, through which air is supplied to the flow from the surroundings, and the effective flow cross-sectional area of ​​the air bypass opening (68) is at least 0.5 cm². 2 An inhaler component characterized by the following: [Note 53] In the inhaler component described in Appendix 52, An inhaler component characterized in that the air bypass opening consists of two bypass openings (68) located on opposite sides of the case. [Note 54] In the inhaler components described in Appendix 53, An inhaler component characterized in that two guide vanes (69) are positioned adjacent to the two bypass openings (68), the two guide vanes (69) are directed toward the mouthpiece opening and also toward each other, and the free ends of each form a nozzle-shaped confluence opening (71), and the generated vapor-air mixture and / or condensate aerosol flows out of the chamber (21) through the confluence opening (71) and subsequently mixes with the air flowing in from the two bypass openings (68). [Note 55] In the inhaler component described in Appendix 52, An inhaler component characterized in that a flow homogenizer (72) having a flow resistance of less than 1 mbar when the air mass flow is 250 mL per second is positioned downstream of the air bypass opening (68). [Note 56] In any of the inhaler components described in any one of the appendices 1 to 23, An inhaler component characterized by multiple adjacent complexes (39a, 39b, 39c) with different heat capacities. [Note 57] In any of the inhaler components described in any one of the appendices 1 to 23, An inhaler component characterized by multiple complexes (39a, 39b, 39c) with different heating element properties, arranged adjacent to each other. [Note 58] In any of the inhaler components described in any one of the appendices 1 to 23, An inhaler component characterized by multiple complexes of electrically heated elements arranged adjacent to each other, each with a different operational control mechanism. [Note 59] In any of the inhaler components described in any one of the appendices 1 to 23, An inhaler component characterized by comprising multiple adjacent composites, each of which is assigned a liquid material of a different composition for vaporizing them. [Note 60] An inhaler component according to any one of the appendices 1 to 23, comprising a plurality of composites (22a, 22b) arranged adjacent to each other, each of which consists of an electrical resistance type heating element, characterized in that each of the resistance type heating elements is connected in series with respect to the others. [Note 61] An inhaler having one inhaler component (2) as described in any one of the appendices 1-33 and 35-60.

Claims

1. An inhaler that intermittently generates a vapor-air mixture and / or condensed aerosol in sync with inhalation or breathing, wherein the inhaler comprises reusable inhaler components used together with the inhaler components, the inhaler components are One case and A chamber is placed inside the aforementioned case, The chamber has one air intake port for supplying air from the surroundings, An electric heating element for vaporizing a certain amount of liquid material, wherein the vapor generated is mixed in the chamber with air supplied through the air intake to produce the vapor-air mixture and / or condensed aerosol, Furthermore, the inhaler component includes a data interface through which firmware and software updates and diagnostic functions are completed, and usage information of the inhaler is communicated. The charging connector is a diagnostic connector that allows for testing the resistance of the aforementioned electric heating element using an external analysis device to determine potential malfunctions. An inhaler characterized by the following features.

2. In the inhaler according to claim 1, An inhaler characterized in that the data interface consists of a Bluetooth interface or a USB interface.

3. The energy supply to the electric heating element can be controlled so that the restart of the electric heating element immediately after the end of the vaporization cycle is instantaneously prevented. An inhaler according to claim 1 or 2, characterized in that

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