Flammable Fire-Resistant Carbonaceous Heat Source

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Solution Overview

Problem

Existing carbon heat sources for heat-not-burn smoking products lack a balance between flammability and fire resistance, and often contain harmful combustion accelerants, which can compromise user safety and experience.

Innovation Solution

A flammable and fire-resistant carbonaceous heat source is developed, comprising flammable carbon, flame-retardant carbon, and a binder, where graphite is used as the flame-retardant carbon and glutinous rice glue as the binder, with specific weight ratios to ensure high strength, compactness, and environmental safety.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Ease of operation

If carbon rods contain combustion accelerants to improve ignition ease, then ignition ease is improved, but harmful factors are increased

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveignition easeVSAvoidharmful combustion accelerants

Core Design Contradiction:

Ease of operationVSObject-generated harmful factors

Solution Approach 1:

The patent removes harmful combustion accelerants from the carbon rod composition entirely, extracting the problematic substances while maintaining ignition functionality through alternative means (graphite-based flame-retardant carbon and binder composition)

Inventive Principle:

Principle #2Taking out (Extraction)

Solution Approach 2:

The patent changes the chemical composition parameters by using specific ratios of flammable carbon (40-75 wt%), flame-retardant carbon (10-45 wt%), and binder (3-15 wt%), where the binder contains natural polymers that facilitate ignition without requiring harmful accelerants

Inventive Principle:

Principle #35Parameter changes

2Ease of operation

If carbon rods use flammable materials to ensure easy ignition, then ignition ease is improved, but fire resistance deteriorates

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveignition easeVSAvoidfire resistance

Core Design Contradiction:

Ease of operationVSReliability

Solution Approach 1:

The patent applies different material properties to different functional zones: flammable carbon provides ignition ease in the initial combustion phase, while graphite-based flame-retardant carbon provides fire resistance and structural stability during sustained combustion, creating localized functional zones within the composite material

Inventive Principle:

Principle #3Local quality

Solution Approach 2:

The patent creates a composite material system combining flammable carbon, graphite-based flame-retardant carbon, and binder in specific proportions, where the synergistic interaction between components achieves both easy ignition and fire resistance simultaneously

Inventive Principle:

Principle #40Composite materials

3Strength

If carbon rods use conventional binders to ensure structural integrity, then strength is improved, but harmful factors are increased

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvestructural integrityVSAvoidharmful additives

Core Design Contradiction:

StrengthVSObject-generated harmful factors

Solution Approach 1:

The patent converts naturally occurring substances (starch, cellulose, natural rubber) that were previously considered simple binders into beneficial flame-retardant components through controlled pyrolysis, transforming them into carbonized structures that provide both binding strength and fire resistance without harmful additives

Inventive Principle:

Principle #22Blessing in disguise (Convert harm into benefit)

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 carbonaceous heat source achieves a balance between easy ignition and sustained combustion, reducing physical health risks and improving the smoking experience by shortening smoke emission time and enhancing consumer satisfaction.

Implementation Method 1

After the carbon rod is ignited, the heat generated by the combustion of the carbon rod is transferred to the tobacco behind, and the tobacco releases smoke after being heated

Methodology Applied

Scientific EffectCombustion: Combustion

Data Source

PatentUS12331259B2Flammable and fire-resistant carbonaceous heat source, method for preparing same and use thereof

Publication Date: 2025.06.17 HUBEI CHINA TOBACCO INDUSTRY CO LTD

AI summary

Embodiments provide a flammable and fire-resistant carbonaceous heat source and a method and a use for the same. In the embodiments, the flammable and fire-resistant carbonaceous heat source of the present disclosure includes flammable carbon, flame-retardant carbon and a binder, wherein, the flame-retardant carbon includes graphite, the binder includes glutinous rice glue, and based on a total weight of the flammable and fire-resistant carbon heat source, a content of the flammable carbon, the flame-retardant carbon and the binder is 40-75 wt %, 10-45 wt % and 3-15 wt %, respectively. The method for preparing the flammable and fire-resistant carbonaceous heat source of the present disclosure includes the following steps: mixing the flammable carbon, the flame-retardant carbon, and the binder in a content ratio; extruding and shaping a resulting mixture; and drying a resulting mixture.