Heating tube and aerosol generation device

Abstract

The present application relates to a heating tube and an atomizer. The heating tube comprises: a metal base (110), having a hollow cylindrical structure with two open ends; a first infrared layer (130), at least partially covering an inner side wall of the metal base (110); a second infrared layer (150), at least partially covering an outer side wall of the metal base (110); and a heating film, arranged on the surface of the side of the second infrared layer (150) facing away from the metal base (110), wherein the heating film is configured to generate heat when energized and heat the second infrared layer (150), the metal base (110), and the first infrared layer (130).

Description

Heating element and aerosol generating device

[0001] Related applications

[0002] This application claims priority to Chinese patent application filed on July 24, 2024, application number 202421772303.0, entitled “Heating tube and aerosol generating device”, the entire contents of which are incorporated herein by reference. Technical Field

[0003] This application relates to the field of atomization technology, and in particular to a heating tube and an aerosol generating device. Background Technology

[0004] Aerosols are colloidal dispersion systems formed by solid or liquid particles dispersed and suspended in a gaseous medium. Because aerosols can be absorbed by the human body through the respiratory system, they provide users with a novel alternative absorption method. An aerosol generating device is a device that heats stored atomizable media to form aerosols. Atomizable media include liquid, gel, paste, or solid aerosol generating matrices. Heating and atomizing these media delivers inhalable aerosols to users, replacing conventional product forms and absorption methods.

[0005] Existing aerosol generation devices typically include heating elements for heating the aerosol generation matrix. These heating elements generally come in different shapes, such as plate heating elements, needle heating elements, and tubular heating elements. Among them, tubular heating elements, which use a circumferential heating method, have the advantages of a large heating area, high heating uniformity, and no need for cleaning, and are widely used in aerosol generation devices. However, the film layer process on the tube substrate of existing tubular heating elements is complex; in addition, since the tube substrate is made of metal, it is susceptible to corrosion and rust after long-term use, and there is a risk of short circuits between the metal substrate and the circuitry on the tube substrate's periphery. This increases the failure rate of the aerosol generation device and shortens its service life. Summary of the Invention

[0006] According to various embodiments of this application, a heating tube and an aerosol generating apparatus are provided.

[0007] A heating element, the heating element comprising:

[0008] The metal matrix has a hollow cylindrical structure with openings at both ends;

[0009] A first infrared layer at least partially covers the inner wall of the metal substrate;

[0010] A second infrared layer, at least partially covering the outer wall of the metal substrate; and

[0011] A heating film is disposed on the surface of the second infrared layer away from the metal substrate. The heating film is used to generate heat when electricity is applied, thereby heating the second infrared layer, the metal substrate, and the first infrared layer.

[0012] In one embodiment, the heating element further includes:

[0013] A first insulating layer is disposed on the inner sidewall of the metal substrate and located between the metal substrate and the first infrared layer;

[0014] The second insulating layer is disposed on the outer wall of the metal substrate and located between the metal substrate and the second infrared layer.

[0015] In one embodiment, the first insulating layer and the second insulating layer are formed of the same material.

[0016] In one embodiment, at least one end face of the metal substrate is covered with the first insulating layer and the second insulating layer.

[0017] In one embodiment, at least one end face of the metal substrate is covered with the first infrared layer or the second infrared layer.

[0018] In one embodiment, the heating film includes:

[0019] The base layer is set on the second infrared layer;

[0020] The heating circuit is formed on the substrate and located between the substrate and the second infrared layer.

[0021] In one embodiment, the heating film further includes conductive lines formed on the substrate and electrically connected to the heating lines.

[0022] In one embodiment, the conductive lines are at least partially located between the base layer and the second infrared layer.

[0023] In one embodiment, the substrate has an electrical connection hole, the conductive line passes through the electrical connection hole, and an electrical connection point is formed on the side of the substrate away from the second infrared layer.

[0024] In one embodiment, the first infrared layer and the second infrared layer are made of the same material, and at least one end face of the metal substrate is covered with the first infrared layer or the second infrared layer.

[0025] An aerosol generating apparatus includes the aforementioned heating tube. Attached Figure Description

[0026] To more clearly illustrate the technical solutions in the embodiments of this application or the conventional technology, the drawings used in the description of the embodiments or the conventional technology will be briefly introduced below. Obviously, the drawings described below are only embodiments of this application. For those skilled in the art, other drawings can be obtained based on the disclosed drawings without creative effort.

[0027] Figure 1 is a schematic diagram of the structure of a heating tube according to an embodiment of this application.

[0028] Figure 2 is a cross-sectional view of the heating tube shown in Figure 1.

[0029] Figure 3 is a magnified view of part A of the heating tube shown in Figure 2.

[0030] Figure 4 is a schematic diagram of the heating circuit of the heating tube shown in Figure 1.

[0031] Explanation of reference numerals in the attached drawings: 100, heating element; 110, metal substrate; 120, first insulating layer; 130, first infrared layer; 140, second insulating layer; 150, second infrared layer; 161, base layer; 162, heating circuit; 1631, first conductive circuit; 1632, second conductive circuit; 170, wire. Detailed Implementation

[0032] The technical solutions of the embodiments of this application will be clearly and completely described below with reference to the accompanying drawings. Obviously, the described embodiments are only some embodiments of this application, and not all embodiments. Based on the embodiments of this application, all other embodiments obtained by those skilled in the art without creative effort are within the scope of protection of this application.

[0033] To make the above-mentioned objectives, features, and advantages of this application more apparent and understandable, the specific embodiments of this application are described in detail below with reference to the accompanying drawings. Many specific details are set forth in the following description to provide a thorough understanding of this application. However, this application can be implemented in many other ways different from those described herein, and those skilled in the art can make similar modifications without departing from the spirit of this application. Therefore, this application is not limited to the specific embodiments disclosed below.

[0034] In the description of this application, it should be understood that if terms such as "center", "longitudinal", "lateral", "length", "width", "thickness", "upper", "lower", "front", "rear", "left", "right", "vertical", "horizontal", "top", "bottom", "inner", "outer", "clockwise", "counterclockwise", "axial", "radial", "circumferential" appear, these terms indicate the orientation or positional relationship based on the orientation or positional relationship shown in the accompanying drawings, and are only for the convenience of describing this application and simplifying the description, and do not indicate or imply that the device or element referred to must have a specific orientation, or be constructed and operated in a specific orientation, and therefore should not be construed as a limitation of this application.

[0035] Furthermore, where the terms "first" and "second" appear, these terms are for descriptive purposes only and should not be construed as indicating or implying relative importance or implicitly specifying the number of technical features indicated. Thus, a feature defined with "first" or "second" may explicitly or implicitly include at least one of that feature. In the description of this application, where the term "multiple" appears, "multiple" means at least two, such as two, three, etc., unless otherwise explicitly specified.

[0036] In this application, unless otherwise expressly specified and limited, the terms "installation," "connection," "joining," and "fixing," etc., should be interpreted broadly. For example, they can refer to a fixed connection, a detachable connection, or an integral part; they can refer to a mechanical connection or an electrical connection; they can refer to a direct connection or an indirect connection through an intermediate medium; they can refer to the internal communication of two components or the interaction between two components, unless otherwise expressly limited. Those skilled in the art can understand the specific meaning of the above terms in this application based on the specific circumstances.

[0037] In this application, unless otherwise expressly specified and limited, the use of descriptions such as "above" or "below" the second feature indicates that the first and second features are in direct contact or indirect contact via an intermediate medium. Furthermore, "above," "on top of," and "over" the second feature can mean that the first feature is directly above or diagonally above the second feature, or simply that the first feature is at a higher horizontal level than the second feature. Similarly, "below," "below," and "under" the second feature can mean that the first feature is directly below or diagonally below the second feature, or simply that the first feature is at a lower horizontal level than the second feature.

[0038] It should be noted that if an element is referred to as being "fixed to" or "set on" another element, it can be directly on the other element or there may be an intervening element. If an element is considered to be "connected to" another element, it can be directly connected to the other element or there may be an intervening element. If so, the terms "vertical," "horizontal," "upper," "lower," "left," "right," and similar expressions used in this application are for illustrative purposes only and do not represent the only possible implementation.

[0039] An embodiment of this application provides an aerosol generating device for heating an aerosol generating matrix to generate aerosols for user use. The aerosol generating matrix can be formed from solid materials in the form of powder, granules, strips, or flakes, including but not limited to solid materials used for medical, health, and beauty purposes, such as plant roots, stems, leaves, flowers, buds, and seeds.

[0040] As shown in Figure 1, the aerosol generating device includes a heating tube 100 and a battery assembly disposed on one side of the heating tube 100. The aerosol generating matrix can be inserted into the heating tube 100. The battery assembly is electrically connected to the heating tube 100. The heating tube 100 can generate heat under the action of the electrical energy of the battery assembly. The heat generated by the heating tube 100 can be conducted to the aerosol generating matrix, and the aerosol generating matrix generates aerosols when heated.

[0041] In some embodiments, the heating tube 100 has a multi-layer structure, including a metal substrate 110, a first infrared layer 130, a second infrared layer 150, and a heating film stacked together.

[0042] The metal substrate 110 has a hollow cylindrical structure with openings at both ends. The first infrared layer 130 at least partially covers the inner wall of the metal substrate 110, and the second infrared layer 150 at least partially covers the outer wall of the metal substrate 110. A heating film is disposed on the surface of the second infrared layer 150 facing away from the metal substrate 110. The heating film is used to generate heat by electricity and sequentially heats the second infrared layer 150, the metal substrate 110, and the first infrared layer 130, and finally heats the aerosol to form a matrix.

[0043] Thus, on the one hand, the infrared layers on both the inner and outer walls of the metal substrate 110 can protect the metal substrate 110, prevent short circuits in the heating tube 100, and simplify the forming process of the heating tube 100. When coating one side wall of the metal substrate 110, especially in the dip coating process, there is no need to provide additional protection for the other side wall. On the other hand, the infrared layers covering both sides of the metal substrate 110 can also effectively prevent corrosion and rust during long-term use, thereby extending the service life of the aerosol generating device equipped with the heating tube 100 and improving the safety performance of the aerosol generating device.

[0044] As a preferred embodiment, the first infrared layer 130 and the second infrared layer 150 are made of the same material, which facilitates the use of dip coating process for molding. In addition, at least one end face of the metal substrate 110 can also be covered with the first infrared layer 130 or the second infrared layer 150, thereby further simplifying the molding process of the heating tube 100 and providing more comprehensive protection for the metal substrate 110.

[0045] In some embodiments, the heating tube 100 further includes a first insulating layer 120 and a second insulating layer 140. The first insulating layer 120 is disposed on the inner sidewall of the metal substrate 110 and located between the metal substrate 110 and the first infrared layer 130. The second insulating layer 120 is disposed on the outer sidewall of the metal substrate 110 and located between the metal substrate 110 and the second infrared layer 150. Thus, the first insulating layer 120 and the second insulating layer 140 are respectively disposed on the inner and outer sidewalls of the metal substrate 110, thereby further protecting the metal substrate 110.

[0046] In a preferred embodiment, the first insulating layer 120 and the second insulating layer 140 are formed of the same material, and at least one end face of the metal substrate 110 is covered with the first insulating layer 120 and the second insulating layer 140, thus providing more comprehensive insulation protection. The presence of insulating layers on both sides also further simplifies the molding process.

[0047] Please refer to Figures 1 and 2. The metal substrate 110 is a circular tubular structure with a circular cross-section, and the metal substrate 110 can be formed of metal material. It is understood that the shape of the metal substrate 110 is not limited to this and can be set as needed to meet different requirements.

[0048] In some embodiments, the metal substrate 110 may be formed of stainless steel, which has high corrosion resistance, heat resistance, good mechanical properties, and is easy to process. As a preferred embodiment, the metal substrate 110 is formed of 430 stainless steel or 316L stainless steel. It is understood that the material forming the metal substrate 110 is not limited to these, and the material forming the metal substrate 110 may be only one type or a mixture of multiple materials; different materials can be used as needed to meet different requirements.

[0049] The first insulating layer 120 completely covers the inner wall of the metal substrate 110. The first insulating layer 120 is formed of glass material and has a thickness of 10μm-50μm (including endpoints), preferably 20μm-30μm (including endpoints). In one embodiment, the first insulating layer 120 is formed by dip coating with a slurry of viscosity of 20 Pa·s-120 Pa·s prepared from a Si-Al-Ca-Ba-Zn-B-Zr system onto the inner wall of the metal substrate 110 and sintered at a temperature of 800℃-860℃. It is understood that the material and the method of forming the first insulating layer 120 are not limited to these, so as to meet different insulation requirements.

[0050] The first infrared layer 130 completely covers the surface of the first insulating layer 120 facing away from the metal substrate 110 to form the inner wall of the entire heating tube 100. The first infrared layer 130 is formed of a high-emissivity infrared material with an infrared emissivity of greater than or equal to 50% in the 2μm-11μm band. The thickness of the first infrared layer 130 is 10µm-200µm (including endpoint values), preferably 15µm-30µm (including endpoint values). In one embodiment, the first infrared layer 130 is prepared on the first insulating layer 120 by dip-coating sintering with a high-emissivity infrared material. The high-emissivity infrared material includes any one or more of Fe2O3, MnO2, Co2O3, ZrO2, SiO2, SiC, TiO2, Al2O3, CeO2, La2O3, MgO, cordierite, and perovskite. It is understood that the material forming the first infrared layer 130 and the method of forming the first infrared layer 130 are not limited to these and can be set as needed.

[0051] The second insulating layer 140 completely covers the outer wall of the metal substrate 110. The second insulating layer 140 is formed of glass material and has a thickness of 10 μm-50 μm (inclusive), preferably 20 μm-30 μm (inclusive). In one embodiment, the second insulating layer 140 is formed by adhering a slurry with a viscosity of 20 Pa·s-120 Pa·s prepared from a Si-Al-Ca-Ba-Zn-B-Zr system to the outer wall of the metal substrate 110 via a dip-coating process and then sintering at a temperature of 800°C-860°C. It is understood that the material used to form the second insulating layer 140 and the method of forming the second insulating layer 140 are not limited to these, thus meeting different insulation requirements.

[0052] The second infrared layer 150 completely covers the side of the second insulating layer 140 facing away from the metal substrate 110. The second infrared layer 150 is formed of a high-emissivity infrared material, and its thickness is 10µm-200µm (including endpoints), preferably 15µm-30µm (including endpoints). In one embodiment, the second infrared layer 150 is prepared on the second insulating layer 140 by dip-coating and sintering with a high-emissivity infrared material. The high-emissivity infrared material includes any one or more of Fe2O3, MnO2, Co2O3, ZrO2, SiO2, SiC, TiO2, Al2O3, CeO2, La2O3, MgO, cordierite, and perovskite. It is understood that the material forming the second infrared layer 150 and the method of forming the second infrared layer 150 are not limited to these and can be set as needed.

[0053] It is understandable that the first insulating layer 120 and the second insulating layer 140 can be simultaneously formed on the inner and outer walls of the metal substrate 110 by dip coating process, and the first infrared layer 130 and the second infrared layer 150 can be simultaneously formed on the outer surface of the first insulating layer 120 and the second insulating layer 140 by dip coating process, which simplifies the forming process and can also form comprehensive protection for the metal substrate 110.

[0054] The heating film is wound around the outer surface of the second infrared layer 150 on the side opposite to the second insulating layer 140. The heating film is electrically connected to the battery module. The heating film can generate heat under the action of the battery module's electrical energy. The heat generated by the heating film is sequentially conducted through the second infrared layer 150, the second insulating layer 140, the metal substrate 110, the first insulating layer 120, and the second infrared layer 150 to the aerosol generation matrix inside the heating tube 100.

[0055] In some embodiments, the heating film includes a base layer 161 and a heating circuit 162. The base layer 161 is disposed on the second infrared layer 150, and the heating circuit 162 is formed on the base layer 161 and located between the base layer 161 and the second infrared layer 150.

[0056] In some embodiments, the base layer 161 is a cast film formed from glass or ceramic material using a casting process, and the thickness of the base layer 161 is preferably 100 μm-120 μm (inclusive of endpoints). In one embodiment, the base layer 161 is formed from a Si-Al-Ca-Na-KB system material using a casting process. It is understood that the material and thickness of the base layer 161 are not limited to these and can be set as needed to meet different requirements.

[0057] The heating circuit 162 is formed on the surface of the base layer 161 near the second infrared layer 150 by printing or other methods. The heating circuit 162 bends and extends on the base layer 161 to form a preset pattern. The material forming the heating circuit 162 includes one or more of silver, silver-palladium alloy, platinum, nickel, and tungsten. Preferably, the heating circuit 162 is formed of silver-palladium alloy. It is understood that the material forming the heating circuit 162 and the pattern of the heating circuit 162 are not limited and can be set as needed to meet different atomization requirements.

[0058] In some embodiments, the heating circuit 162 has multiple heating segments arranged sequentially along the axial direction of the heating tube 100, thereby heating different positions of the aerosol generation matrix separately to achieve a better atomization effect.

[0059] In some embodiments, the heating film further includes conductive lines formed on the base layer 161, at least partially located between the base layer 161 and the second infrared layer 150, for electrically connecting the heating line 162 to the battery assembly. Further, the base layer 161 has an electrical connection hole extending through its thickness direction, the conductive lines pass through the electrical connection hole, and an electrical connection point is formed on the side of the base layer 161 away from the second infrared layer 150.

[0060] In some embodiments, the conductive circuit includes a first conductive circuit 1631 and a second conductive circuit 1632. The first conductive circuit 1631 is formed on the surface of the base layer 161 near the second infrared layer 150 and is electrically connected to the heating circuit 162. The first conductive circuit 1631 is formed using an Ag-based material, and its thickness is 8 μm-20 μm (including endpoints), preferably 10 μm-15 μm (including endpoints). It is understood that the material used to form the first conductive circuit 1631 and its shape are not limited and can be configured as needed to meet different electrical connection requirements.

[0061] One end of the second conductive line 1632 is connected to the first conductive line 1631, and the other end of the second conductive line 1632 passes through an electrical connection hole to form an electrical connection point on the surface of the base layer 161 away from the second infrared layer 150. The second conductive line 1632 is formed of Ag-based material, and its thickness is 8μm-20μm (including the endpoint value), preferably 10μm-15μm (including the endpoint value). It is understood that the material used to form the second conductive line 1632 and its shape are not limited, and can be set as needed to meet different electrical connection requirements.

[0062] In a preferred embodiment, the first conductive line 1631 is longer than the second conductive line 1632 to facilitate connection to the heating line 162, and the pattern of the first conductive line 1631 is adapted to the shape of the heating line 162. The second conductive line 1632 is formed into a rectangular or circular pattern as an electrical connection point, and the area of ​​the electrical connection point is 1 mm². 2 -10mm 2 (Including endpoint values), preferably 2mm 2 -4mm 2 (Including endpoint values).

[0063] In some embodiments, the preparation process of the heating film is as follows:

[0064] First, a cast film is formed using a Si-Al-Ca-Na-KB system material through a casting process. Then, electrical connection holes are opened at corresponding positions on the cast film. Next, a first conductive line 1631 and a heating line 162 are printed on one side of the cast film, and a second conductive line 1632 and a heating line 162 are printed on the other side of the cast film.

[0065] Next, the cast film printed with the first conductive line 1631, the heating line 162 and the second conductive line 1632 is cut into a rectangle to form a heating film. The length of the cut cast film is the same as the height of the heating tube 100, and the width of the cast film is longer than the perimeter of the heating tube 100, with a difference of 0.2mm-2mm (including the endpoint value), preferably 0.5mm-1mm (including the endpoint value).

[0066] Finally, the heating film is wound circumferentially onto a metal substrate 110 having a first infrared layer 130, a second infrared layer 150, a first insulating layer 120, and a second insulating layer 140, and then sintered at a temperature of 800°C-860°C.

[0067] In some embodiments, the heating tube 100 further includes a wire 170, one end of which is electrically connected to an electrical connection point formed by the second conductive line 1632 by soldering, brazing, or sintering with conductive paste, and the other end of which is electrically connected to the battery assembly. It is understood that the connection method between the wire 170 and the second conductive line 1632 is not limited to this and can be configured as needed to meet different connection requirements.

[0068] The aforementioned heating tube 100 and the aerosol generating device equipped with it have a first infrared layer 130 and a second infrared layer 150 respectively provided on the inner and outer sidewalls of the heating tube 100. This not only increases the insulation performance between the heating circuit 162 and the metal substrate 110, but also prevents the metal substrate 110 from corroding and rusting during long-term use. Moreover, by providing a first insulating layer 120 between the first infrared layer 130 and the metal substrate 110, and a second insulating layer 140 between the second infrared layer 150 and the metal substrate 110, the insulation performance between the heating circuit 162 and the metal substrate 110 can be further increased, further preventing the metal substrate 110 from corroding and rusting during long-term use. This significantly improves the service life of the aerosol generating device and is conducive to its further promotion and application.

[0069] The technical features of the above embodiments can be combined in any way. For the sake of brevity, not all possible combinations of the technical features in the above embodiments are described. However, as long as there is no contradiction in the combination of these technical features, they should be considered to be within the scope of this specification.

[0070] The embodiments described above are merely illustrative of several implementation methods of this application, and while the descriptions are relatively specific and detailed, they should not be construed as limiting the scope of the patent application. It should be noted that those skilled in the art can make various modifications and improvements without departing from the concept of this application, and these all fall within the protection scope of this application. Therefore, the protection scope of this patent application should be determined by the appended claims.

Claims

1. A heating tube, characterized by, The heating tube comprises: a metal base in a hollow cylindrical structure with both ends open; a first infrared layer at least partially covering an inner sidewall of the metal base; a second infrared layer at least partially covering an outer sidewall of the metal base; and a heating film arranged on a side surface of the second infrared layer away from the metal base, the heating film being used for heating by electricity and heating the second infrared layer, the metal base and the first infrared layer.

2. The heating tube according to claim 1, characterized in that The heating tube further comprises: a first insulation layer arranged on the inner sidewall of the metal base and between the metal base and the first infrared layer; a second insulation layer arranged on the outer sidewall of the metal base and between the metal base and the second infrared layer.

3. The heating tube of claim 2, wherein The first insulation layer and the second insulation layer are formed of the same material.

4. The heating tube of claim 2 wherein, At least one end surface of the metal base is covered by the first insulation layer and the second insulation layer.

5. The heating tube according to claim 2 or 4, characterized in that At least one end surface of the metal base is covered by the first infrared layer or the second infrared layer.

6. The heating tube of claim 1 wherein, The heating film comprises: a base layer arranged on the second infrared layer; a heating circuit formed on the base layer and between the base layer and the second infrared layer.

7. The heating tube of claim 6 wherein, The heating film further comprises a conductive circuit formed on the base layer and electrically connected to the heating circuit.

8. The heating tube of claim 7, wherein The conductive circuit is at least partially between the base layer and the second infrared layer.

9. The heating tube of claim 8, wherein The base layer is provided with an electric connection hole, the conductive circuit passes through the electric connection hole and forms an electric connection point on a side of the base layer away from the second infrared layer.

10. The heating tube of claim 1 wherein, The first infrared layer and the second infrared layer are made of the same material, and at least one end surface of the metal base is covered by the first infrared layer or the second infrared layer.

11. An aerosol-generating device comprising: The heating tube comprises the heating tube according to any one of claims 1 to 9.

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