Aerosol Device Tilt Sensor for Depletion Accuracy
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing electrically operated aerosol-generating systems face challenges in accurately determining the depletion of liquid aerosol-forming substrate, leading to inconsistent aerosol properties and user experience, as they rely on power consumption and temperature changes which are not always reliable indicators.
Innovation Solution
Incorporating a tilt sensor to monitor the orientation of the liquid storage portion and adjust depletion calculations based on capillary wick orientation, using electric circuitry with a processor and memory to determine the remaining liquid aerosol-forming substrate by accounting for variations in wicking rate and orientation, thereby improving accuracy.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Measurement precision
If depletion determination is based on power consumption and temperature changes, then the system can detect substrate depletion, but the measurement precision is insufficient leading to inconsistent aerosol properties
Solution Approach 1:
The patent replaces electrical measurement methods (power consumption and temperature monitoring) with a mechanical sensing approach using a tilt sensor to detect the orientation of the liquid storage portion. This mechanical substitution provides more reliable depletion determination because the tilt sensor directly measures the physical position of the liquid meniscus relative to the capillary wick, eliminating the indirect and less precise electrical measurement methods.
Solution Approach 2:
The tilt sensor acts as an intermediary device that translates the physical state of liquid depletion into measurable orientation data. Instead of directly measuring power consumption or temperature changes, the system uses the tilt sensor to detect the angle of the liquid storage portion, which correlates with the liquid level and depletion state. This intermediary measurement provides a more accurate basis for determining substrate depletion.
2Measurement precision
If the system does not account for orientation-dependent wicking rates, then the device structure remains simple, but the measurement precision of depletion determination deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The patent introduces a tilt sensor to mechanically detect the orientation of the liquid storage portion, replacing the need for complex computational models to account for wicking rate variations. The mechanical measurement of orientation directly provides the data needed to adjust depletion calculations for different orientations, simplifying the overall system architecture while improving precision.
Solution Approach 2:
The system dynamically adjusts depletion determination based on the real-time orientation data from the tilt sensor. As the device orientation changes during use, the processor uses the current tilt angle to select appropriate wicking rate corrections, making the depletion measurement adaptive to varying gravitational effects on capillary action without requiring a completely redesigned system.
3Loss of information
If depletion is determined without considering liquid storage portion orientation, then the device complexity is reduced, but the loss of information about actual liquid availability increases
Solution Approach 1:
The tilt sensor serves as an intermediary that captures orientation information without requiring complex processing. By measuring the angle of the liquid storage portion, it provides direct information about liquid availability that complements the depletion data, reducing information loss while keeping the added complexity minimal.
Solution Approach 2:
The system performs preliminary measurement of the liquid storage portion orientation using the tilt sensor before making depletion determinations. This preliminary action of capturing orientation data allows the processor to pre-adjust depletion calculations based on gravitational effects, ensuring more accurate liquid availability information is available for user notification and system control.
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 enhances the accuracy of determining liquid aerosol-forming substrate depletion, allowing for timely replacement or refilling, reducing waste and costs, and providing a more reliable user experience by accounting for orientation-dependent wicking rates.
Implementation Method 1
a tilt sensor arranged to sense the orientation of the liquid storage portion
Implementation Method 2
one or more capillary wicks arranged to transfer liquid aerosol-forming substrate from the liquid storage portion to the aerosol generator
Data Source
AI summary
The aerosol-generating device includes a reservoir configured to hold an aerosol-forming substrate, an aerosol generator configured to receive the aerosol-forming substrate from the reservoir, a wick configured to transfer the aerosol-forming substrate from the reservoir to the aerosol generator, a tilt sensor configured to sense an angle of orientation value of the reservoir, and electric circuitry including at least one processor configured to determine a depletion value of the aerosol-forming substrate in the reservoir based on the angle of orientation value, while the aerosol generator is in operational use.