Aerosol Generating Device With Removable Susceptor for Clean Induction Heating
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
Existing aerosol generating devices using induction heating systems face challenges in optimizing aerosol characteristics and ensuring efficient, contamination-free heating of aerosol forming materials, particularly due to integrated susceptors that can contaminate during storage and require complex manufacturing processes.
Innovation Solution
The device incorporates a removably mounted, reusable projecting element acting as an inductively heatable susceptor, which is easily replaceable and detected by a controller to ensure optimal heating, along with a system that includes sensors to monitor consumption and power usage, ensuring consistent aerosol generation.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If an integrated susceptor is incorporated into the aerosol generating article at manufacture, then the heating function is built-in and reliable, but the manufacturing process becomes more complex and contamination risk increases during storage
Solution Approach 1:
The susceptor is separated from the aerosol generating article into a distinct component. The article contains only the aerosol forming material without an integrated susceptor, while the susceptor is provided as a separate element that is temporarily introduced during use. This segmentation simplifies the manufacturing of the article itself while ensuring the heating function is available through the separate susceptor component.
Solution Approach 2:
The susceptor function is extracted from the aerosol generating article and provided as a separate reusable component. This allows the article to be manufactured without the complexity of integrating a susceptor, while the heating capability is maintained through the separately provided susceptor that couples with the induction coil.
2Temperature
If a reusable susceptor is integrated into the aerosol generating article, then the heating performance is optimized, but the risk of contamination during storage and handling increases
Solution Approach 1:
The system is divided into separate components: the aerosol generating article containing the aerosol forming material, and a separate reusable susceptor. This segmentation ensures that the susceptor does not come into contact with the aerosol forming material during storage and transport, eliminating the risk of contamination while preserving the heating performance when the susceptor is in use.
Solution Approach 2:
The susceptor is extracted from the article structure and provided as a separate component that is temporarily introduced during the heating process. This extraction eliminates the contamination risk associated with integrated susceptors that would be in constant contact with the aerosol forming material during storage.
3Ease of operation
If the susceptor is removably mounted on the device, then ease of replacement and cleaning is improved, but the device complexity increases due to additional mounting mechanisms
Solution Approach 1:
The mounting mechanism is designed to be simple and universal, allowing the susceptor to be easily attached and detached without complex fastening systems. The same mounting structure serves both the attachment function and provides a simple interface for removal and cleaning, achieving ease of operation without excessive complexity.
Solution Approach 2:
A simple mounting interface acts as an intermediary between the susceptor and the device body, enabling easy attachment and detachment. This intermediary mechanism provides a balance between secure mounting for effective heating and simple removal for cleaning or replacement, without requiring complex fastening or locking systems.
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 design provides improved aerosol generation with reduced contamination risk, easier manufacturing, and user-friendly replacement of susceptors, enhancing the overall user experience and efficiency of the device.
Implementation Method 1
an induction coil is provided with the device and an induction heatable susceptor is also provided. Electrical energy is provided to the induction coil when a user activates the device which in turn generates an alternating electromagnetic field. The susceptor couples with the electromagnetic field and generates heat
Implementation Method 2
The susceptor couples with the electromagnetic field and generates heat which is transferred, for example by conduction, to the aerosol forming material
Implementation Method 3
at least part of the projecting element is inductively heatable in the presence of a time varying electromagnetic field
Implementation Method 4
The projecting element acts as a reusable susceptor and is a separate component to the aerosol generating article rather than being integrated into the aerosol generating article at the time of manufacture
Implementation Method 5
The susceptor couples with the electromagnetic field and generates heat which is transferred, for example by conduction, to the aerosol forming material and an aerosol is generated as the aerosol forming material is heated
Implementation Method 6
the aerosol generating device further comprises a device body including a controller that is configured to detect the mounting of a projecting element on the aerosol generating device
Data Source
Figure 1
Figure 2
Figure 3
AI summary
An aerosol generating device (10) for heating an aerosol generating article (24) to generate an aerosol for inhalation by a user comprises an induction coil (30) and a heating compartment (22) arranged to receive an aerosol generating article (24). The device (10) further comprises a projecting element (34) which projects into the heating compartment (22) so that at least part of the projecting element (24) is positioned inside an aerosol generating article (24) received in the heating compartment (22), and at least part of the projecting element (34) is inductively heatable in the presence of a time varying electromagnetic field.