Aerosol Dispensing Device Baffle Absorbent Pad

Resolve Bottlenecks,
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions

Solution Overview

Problem

Existing aerosol dispensing devices for nicotine inhalation lack the smoke flavor experience of conventional cigarettes, and larger droplets can drain from the device as a liquid stream, reducing user acceptance.

Innovation Solution

An aerosol dispensing device with a baffle arrangement that separates large and small droplets, using an absorbent pad with a tobacco flavorant to capture larger droplets and enhance the nicotine aerosol's acceptability, and a valve mechanism that mimics the smoking experience by allowing pressurized fluid to be inhaled through a mouthpiece.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Manufacturing precision

If a baffle arrangement is used to block large droplets, then droplet separation is improved, but large droplets may drain from the device in a liquid stream

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvedroplet separationVSAvoidliquid stream drainage

Core Design Contradiction:

Manufacturing precisionVSObject-generated harmful factors

Solution Approach 1:

An absorbent pad is introduced as an intermediary element between the baffle arrangement and the mouthpiece. This pad captures the large droplets that are blocked by the baffle, preventing them from draining as a liquid stream while allowing the baffle structure to maintain its droplet separation function.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

Solution Approach 2:

The harmful effect of large droplet accumulation behind the baffle is converted into a benefit by using the pad to absorb these droplets. The absorbed droplets then serve as a reservoir that can be utilized to provide tobacco flavor to the aerosol, transforming a potential problem into a useful feature.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #22Blessing in disguise (Convert harm into benefit)

2Quantity of substance

If only nicotine aerosol is provided, then nicotine delivery is achieved, but smoke flavor experience is lost

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvenicotine deliveryVSAvoiduser acceptance

Core Design Contradiction:

Quantity of substanceVSEase of operation

Solution Approach 1:

The invention merges nicotine delivery with tobacco flavor provision by incorporating a tobacco flavorant into the absorbent pad. This combination allows the device to deliver both nicotine and authentic tobacco flavor through the aerosol, maintaining user acceptance while achieving nicotine delivery.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #5Merging (Combining)

Solution Approach 2:

The absorbent pad is pre-loaded with tobacco flavorant before use. This preliminary action ensures that when large droplets are captured by the pad, they are already infused with tobacco flavor, which then transfers to the aerosol stream, providing immediate flavor enhancement without requiring separate flavor delivery mechanisms.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #10Preliminary action

3Manufacturing precision

If the second passageway is closed to block large droplets, then droplet size control is improved, but device complexity increases

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvedroplet size controlVSAvoidpassageway configuration

Core Design Contradiction:

Manufacturing precisionVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The absorbent pad acts as a flexible, porous element that can be integrated into the closed second passageway. This thin, absorbent structure provides droplet capture functionality without requiring complex rigid structures or multiple separate components, thereby maintaining relatively simple device architecture while achieving improved droplet size control.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #30Flexible shells and thin films

Applied Scientific Principles

This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.

Function Achieved in This Case

The device effectively prevents larger droplets from reaching the user, providing a more acceptable nicotine aerosol experience by incorporating tobacco flavor and replicating the resistance and sensation of smoking a conventional cigarette.

Implementation Method 1

an absorbent pad may be located at the other end of the second passageway to capture the large size droplets

Methodology Applied

Scientific EffectAbsorption: Absorption (physical)

Implementation Method 2

a pressure reduction caused by a user puffing on the mouthpiece causes the valve member to move away from the valve seat to release pressurised fluid through the orifice

Methodology Applied

Scientific EffectPressure reduction: Pressure Drop

Implementation Method 3

a baffle arrangement that provides first and second passageways each coupled at one end to the plenum and so configured to receive relatively small and large droplets in the aerosol respectively

Methodology Applied

Scientific EffectGravitational settling: Gravitation

Data Source

PatentUS9750904B2Aerosol dispensing device

Publication Date: 2017.09.05 NICOVENTURES TRADING LTD

AI summary

An aerosol dispensing device comprises a tubular body that provides a plenum, a mouthpiece having an outlet, a valve for dispensing fluid from a canister as an aerosol with relatively large and small droplet sizes into the plenum for supply to a user through the mouthpiece, and a baffle arrangement that provides first and second passageways each coupled at one end to the plenum and so configured in the mouthpiece to supply the small size droplets to the user, and the other end of the second passageway being closed to inhibit passage of the large size droplets to the mouthpiece outlet, and containing an absorbent pad to prevent leakage of liquid from the canister. The pad may be pre-loaded with a flavorant.