Aerosol Generator Monitoring Using Power and Airflow
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing aerosol delivery devices face limitations in accurately determining the amount of aerosol precursor material used during user puffs, which affects the tracking of remaining material in cartridges.
Innovation Solution
An electronic aerosol delivery device that monitors power supplied to the aerosol generator and airflow parameters during each puff, using an equation to estimate the amount of aerosol generated as a sum of terms involving power and airflow functions.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Measurement precision
If existing approaches are used to determine aerosol precursor material amount, then the device complexity is reduced, but the measurement precision is insufficient
Solution Approach 1:
The patent replaces direct mechanical measurement of aerosol precursor material with an electrical measurement system. By monitoring power consumption (electrical parameter) and airflow (fluid dynamic parameter) and using these in a mathematical model, the system calculates aerosol precursor material amount without direct physical measurement, thereby improving precision while avoiding complex mechanical sensing mechanisms
Solution Approach 2:
The patent introduces power consumption and airflow as intermediary parameters to indirectly measure aerosol precursor material amount. Instead of directly measuring the material itself, the system uses these intermediate measurements combined with a mathematical model to derive the material amount, achieving better measurement precision through indirect observation
2Measurement precision
If power and airflow monitoring is implemented, then the measurement precision of aerosol generation is improved, but the device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent makes the controller perform multiple functions: it not only controls the aerosol generation process but also simultaneously monitors power consumption and airflow parameters and calculates aerosol precursor material amount. By combining these functions into a single controller, the system achieves precise measurement without adding separate dedicated monitoring hardware, thus limiting the increase in device complexity
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
Accurately estimates aerosol generation, enabling precise tracking of aerosol precursor material usage and providing real-time feedback on remaining amounts.
Implementation Method 1
an aerosol generation chamber containing an aerosol/vapour generator (e.g. a heating element) arranged to vaporise or aerosolise a portion of precursor material
Implementation Method 2
air is drawn into the device through one or more inlets and along an inlet air channel connecting to the aerosol generation chamber, where the air mixes with vaporised precursor material to form a condensation aerosol
Data Source
AI summary
The disclosure is directed to an electronic aerosol delivery device comprising: an aerosol generator configured to generate aerosol from an aerosol generating material, and a controller; wherein the controller is configured to monitor a level of power, P, supplied to the aerosol generator for each of a plurality of user puffs, and a first airflow parameter, A, associated with each of the plurality of user puffs, wherein the controller is further configured to estimate an amount of aerosol generated during each one of the plurality of puffs by using an equation wherein the amount of aerosol generated during each puff is expressed as a sum of a plurality of terms, the plurality of terms comprising: a first term, comprising a function of P and A, a second term, comprising a function of at least one of P and A.