Atomiser Enclosure Cartridge for Sealed Non-Refillable Aerosol Flow
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing electronic vapor provision systems, such as e-cigarettes, face challenges in efficiently manufacturing disposable cartomisers with minimal parts and low waste while ensuring ease of assembly and preventing refilling for safety reasons.
Innovation Solution
A cartridge design featuring an atomiser enclosure that surrounds the atomiser, defining an aerosol chamber, with openings for substrate material and air flow, and a sealing mechanism to prevent refilling, coupled to a reservoir via adhesive or welding, facilitating easy assembly and induction heating.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of operation
If the reservoir is sealed and designed not to be easily refilled for safety and convenience, then user safety and ease of operation are improved, but the device complexity increases due to additional sealing mechanisms
Solution Approach 1:
The cartridge is divided into separate components: a removable enclosure containing the atomiser and a sealed reservoir. This segmentation allows the reservoir to be sealed for safety while the enclosure can be independently manufactured and assembled, reducing overall device complexity
Solution Approach 2:
The enclosure merges multiple functions: it houses the atomiser, provides structural support, and integrates with the sealed reservoir through adhesive bonding. This consolidation reduces the number of separate parts needed while maintaining safety features
2Ease of manufacture
If cartomisers are designed with few parts for straightforward manufacturing and low cost, then manufacturing efficiency and cost are improved, but the reliability of sealing and preventing refilling may worsen
Solution Approach 1:
The reservoir is pre-sealed during manufacturing before the enclosure is attached. This preliminary sealing action ensures reliability of the seal while keeping the final assembly simple and easy to manufacture
Solution Approach 2:
Adhesive is used as an intermediary bonding agent to join the enclosure to the sealed reservoir. This simple intermediary provides reliable sealing without requiring complex mechanical fastening systems, maintaining both ease of manufacture and reliability
3Productivity
If the atomiser is located externally to the reservoir dimensions to define an aerosol chamber, then the vaporization function is improved, but the device complexity and manufacturing difficulty increase
Solution Approach 1:
The atomiser is nested within the enclosure which itself is attached to the reservoir. This nested arrangement creates the aerosol chamber volume without requiring separate external components, improving vaporization function while managing device complexity
Solution Approach 2:
The enclosure extends in the longitudinal dimension from the reservoir to create the aerosol chamber. This dimensional extension provides the necessary vaporization space without increasing radial complexity, facilitating easier manufacturing
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 design allows for efficient, low-cost manufacturing of cartomisers with reduced waste and enhanced safety by preventing refilling, while enabling effective vaporization through induction heating.
Implementation Method 1
an atomiser for vaporising the liquid
Implementation Method 2
it may be implemented as an electrical heater, which may be a resistive wire formed into a coil or other shape for resistive (Joule) heating
Implementation Method 3
a porous element with capillary or wicking capability in proximity to the heater which absorbs liquid from the reservoir and carries it to the heater
Implementation Method 4
US 2017/0202266 A1 discloses an aerosol delivery device that includes a substrate configured to carry an aerosol precursor composition, and includes an induction transmitter, induction receiver and control component
Data Source
Figure 1~2
Figure 3
Figure 4(A)~6
AI summary
An enclosure (80) is provided for at least partially surrounding an atomiser (70) of a vapour provision system to define an aerosol chamber around the atomiser, where the atomiser is located at least partially externally to outer dimensions of a reservoir (50) for aerosolisable substrate material to be aerosolised by the atomiser, where the enclosure comprises at least one wall (81) defining the aerosol chamber (82); a joining portion (84) by which the enclosure is enabled to extend outwardly from a housing (42) defining the reservoir; one or more openings (86) in the at least one wall to allow aerosolisable substrate material to enter the aerosol chamber from the reservoir and aerosol to exit the aerosol chamber; and one or more apertures (85) in the at least one wall to allow air to enter the aerosol chamber.