Atomizer With Variable Coil Spacing For Aerosol Delivery
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing aerosol delivery devices, such as electronic cigarettes, face challenges in providing the sensations of smoking without combusting tobacco, while minimizing the delivery of incomplete combustion and pyrolysis products, and improving manufacturing efficiency in producing aerosol delivery articles.
Innovation Solution
The development of an aerosol delivery device with a liquid transport element and a wire continuously extending along its length, forming a heating element with varying pitches of coils, which is wound about the liquid transport element to define distinct heating and contact portions, allowing for efficient heat generation and aerosol production without significant combustion.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Productivity
If a wire is wound about a liquid transport element to form heating elements, then aerosol production efficiency is improved, but manufacturing complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The continuous wire is segmented into multiple heating elements along its length, with each segment capable of independent or coordinated operation. This segmentation allows the system to process multiple liquid transport elements simultaneously, improving aerosol production efficiency while maintaining a relatively simple continuous winding process
Solution Approach 2:
The wire is pre-formed with varying pitch patterns before being wound onto the liquid transport elements. This preliminary configuration of the wire geometry allows for optimized heating zones to be established in advance, improving aerosol generation efficiency without adding complexity to the actual winding operation
2Productivity
If a continuous wire is used to define multiple heating elements, then manufacturing efficiency is improved, but precision in controlling heating zones deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The wire is designed with varying pitch along its length, creating different heating characteristics in different zones. Contact portions have tighter spacing for stable electrical connection, while heating portions have optimized spacing for efficient aerosol generation. This local differentiation of wire geometry provides precise heating zone control while maintaining continuous wire construction for manufacturing efficiency
Solution Approach 2:
The pitch parameter of the wire winding is varied along the length of the wire to create distinct functional zones. By changing the winding density from contact portions to heating portions, the system achieves precise control over heat distribution and aerosol generation characteristics while using a single continuous wire construction method
3Reliability
If wire ends extend through the liquid transport element, then electrical connection reliability is improved, but device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
Instead of bringing electrical connections to the exterior through complex routing, the wire ends are extended through the liquid transport element itself, using the element's existing structure as the pathway. This inverted approach simplifies the overall device architecture while ensuring reliable electrical contact between the heating elements and power source
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 configuration enables the device to produce aerosol efficiently without significant combustion, enhancing the smoking experience and improving manufacturing efficiency by allowing continuous production of atomizers with reduced material costs and complexity.
Implementation Method 1
a heating element formed from a wire coil... configured to heat a material, which may be made or derived from tobacco or otherwise incorporate tobacco, to form an inhalable substance
Implementation Method 2
a liquid transport element... extending between a first liquid transport element end and a second liquid transport element end
Data Source
AI summary
The present disclosure relates to atomizers for an aerosol delivery device such as a smoking article. The atomizer may include a liquid transport element and a wire extending along at least a portion of a longitudinal length thereof. The wire may define contact portions configured to engage heater terminals and a heating portion configured to produce heat. The heating portion may include a variable coil spacing. In other atomizers, the wire may extend at least partially through the liquid transport element proximate the contact portions. Related inputs, cartridges, aerosol production assemblies, and methods of forming atomizers are also provided.