Cartridge Sealing via Plasma-Treated Surface Adhesion

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Solution Overview

Problem

Cartridges containing liquid aerosol generating materials face challenges in maintaining effective sealing to prevent leakage, and there is a need for cost-effective manufacturing methods, especially for disposable cartridges used in aerosol generating devices.

Innovation Solution

A method involving plasma treatment of the storage region, followed by adhesive application and sealing with a cover, enhances the adhesion and sealing efficiency while ensuring the cartridge's safety and cost-effectiveness.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Reliability

If conventional sealing methods are used for cartridges, then manufacturing cost is reduced, but sealing performance deteriorates causing liquid aerosol generating material leakage

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvesealing performanceVSAvoidmanufacturing cost

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSEase of manufacture

Solution Approach 1:

The patent applies plasma treatment to change the surface parameters of the storage container, specifically increasing surface energy and roughness. This modification enables better adhesive bonding without requiring additional sealing structures, thus improving sealing performance while maintaining cost-effectiveness

Inventive Principle:

Principle #35Parameter changes

Solution Approach 2:

The patent replaces conventional mechanical sealing methods (such as threaded connections or O-rings) with a chemical bonding approach using plasma-enhanced adhesion. The plasma treatment creates a chemically active surface that forms strong bonds with sealing materials, eliminating the need for complex mechanical sealing components

Inventive Principle:

Principle #28Mechanics substitution (Replace mechanical system)

2Reliability

If plasma treatment is applied to the storage region, then adhesion and sealing are improved, but manufacturing process complexity increases

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvesealing performanceVSAvoidmanufacturing process complexity

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The patent performs plasma treatment as a preliminary step on the storage container surface before applying adhesive and assembling the cover. This preliminary surface modification ensures that subsequent bonding operations will be successful, simplifying the overall manufacturing process by preventing bonding failures before they occur

Inventive Principle:

Principle #10Preliminary action

Solution Approach 2:

The plasma treatment process serves multiple functions simultaneously: it cleans the surface, increases surface energy, creates micro-roughness, and activates the surface for adhesion. This multi-functionality reduces the need for multiple separate processing steps, thereby reducing overall process complexity

Inventive Principle:

Principle #6Universality (Multi-functionality)

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 method improves the sealing of cartridges, ensuring aerosol safety and user inhalation safety, while also enhancing workability and cost-effectiveness by using plasma treatment to modify the surface for better adhesion and reducing material costs.

Implementation Method 1

plasma-treating at least a portion of a region of a storage

Methodology Applied

Scientific EffectPlasma treatment: Plasma

Data Source

PatentUS20250089812A1Method of manufacturing cartridge, cartridge manufactured by the manufacturing method, and aerosol generating device comprising the cartridge

Publication Date: 2025.03.20 KT&G CO LTD

AI summary

A method of manufacturing a cartridge includes plasma-treating at least a portion of a region of a storage of a cartridge, applying an adhesive to the region of the storage which is plasma-treated, and sealing the storage by coupling a cover to the region of the storage to which the adhesive is applied.