Aerosol Heater Control With Internal Consumable Temperature Sensing

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Solution Overview

Problem

Existing aerosol-generating apparatuses face challenges in efficiently controlling the temperature of consumables for optimal aerosol production, leading to uneven heating and potential overheating, which affects user experience and consumable longevity.

Innovation Solution

The apparatus incorporates an outside-in heater with a temperature detector inside the consumable to measure and control temperature accurately, combined with an inside-out heater for uniform heating, ensuring precise temperature regulation and efficient aerosolization.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Productivity

If an outside-in heater is used to heat the consumable, then the heating efficiency is improved, but the temperature control precision deteriorates due to difficulty in measuring internal temperature

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveheating efficiencyVSAvoidtemperature control precision
Core Design Contradiction:
ProductivityVSMeasurement precision

Solution Approach 1:

The temperature detector is nested inside the consumable (rod penetrates the consumable to measure internal temperature), allowing the outside-in heater to heat the consumable from the outside while the internal detector accurately monitors the temperature, thus maintaining both heating efficiency and temperature control precision

Inventive Principle:
Principle #7Nested doll (Nesting)

Solution Approach 2:

The rod acts as an intermediary element that penetrates the consumable to provide thermal contact between the outside-in heater and the consumable interior, enabling efficient heat transfer while allowing temperature measurement without compromising the heating effectiveness

Inventive Principle:
Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

2Device complexity

If temperature is measured externally to the consumable, then the device complexity is reduced, but the temperature measurement reliability deteriorates

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvedevice complexityVSAvoidtemperature measurement reliability
Core Design Contradiction:
Device complexityVSReliability

Solution Approach 1:

The temperature detector is placed inside the consumable rather than externally, providing direct measurement of the actual temperature where aerosolization occurs, thereby improving measurement reliability while the overall device complexity remains manageable through integrated design

Inventive Principle:
Principle #7Nested doll (Nesting)

3Device complexity

If heating is applied without internal temperature feedback, then the device complexity is reduced, but the temperature control accuracy deteriorates leading to overheating

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvedevice complexityVSAvoidtemperature control accuracy
Core Design Contradiction:
Device complexityVSManufacturing precision

Solution Approach 1:

The temperature detector inside the consumable provides real-time feedback on the internal temperature to the control system, which adjusts the outside-in heater power accordingly, ensuring accurate temperature control and preventing overheating while maintaining reasonable device complexity

Inventive Principle:
Principle #23Feedback

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

This approach allows for uniform heating and efficient aerosolization of the aerosol, extending consumable life and enhancing user experience.

Implementation Method 1

applying heat to an outer surface of the consumable by powering an outside-in heater arranged outside the consumable

Methodology Applied
Scientific EffectJoule heating: Joule Heating

Implementation Method 2

measuring a temperature inside the consumable using a temperature detector arranged inside the consumable

Methodology Applied
Scientific EffectThermal detection: Thermocouple

Implementation Method 3

The arrangement of the temperature sensor inside the consumable provides a more reliable result of the temperature inside the consumable compared with scenarios in which the temperature is measured external to the consumable

Methodology Applied
Scientific EffectThermal conduction: Conduction (thermal)

Data Source

PatentEP4663050A1Aerosol-generating apparatus and method for generating aerosol using an aerosol-generating apparatus
Publication Date: 2025.12.17 IMPERIAL TOBACCO LTD
  • EP4663050A1 patent drawingFigure 1
  • EP4663050A1 patent drawingFigure 2~3
  • EP4663050A1 patent drawingFigure 4~5

AI summary

This invention refers to an aerosol-generating apparatus configured to generate an aerosol from a consumable (70), comprising a device body (50) including a cavity (64) configured to for insertion of the consumable (70) thereinto, an aerosol-generating unit (4) configured to heat the consumable (70) when inserted into the cavity (64), a rod (66) which protrudes into the cavity (64), the rod (66) being configured to penetrate the consumable (70) when the consumable (70) is inserted into the cavity (64), and electrical circuitry (56) coupled to the aerosol-generating unit (4), wherein the rod (66) includes a temperature detector (68) coupled to the electrical circuitry (56) and configured to measure a temperature inside the consumable (70) when inserted into the cavity (64), wherein the aerosol-generating unit (4) includes an outside-in heater (54b) which is arranged in or on a wall of the cavity (64) for heating the consumable (70) when inserted into the cavity (64)penetrated by the rod (66), and wherein the electrical circuitry (56) is configured to control the outside-in heater (54b) based on the temperature measured by the temperature detector (68).