Ceramic Aerosol Heater with Thick-Film Resistive Layer Assembly
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing electronic cigarettes face challenges such as increased production time and cost due to the complexity of mounting resistance wire heating elements, carbon deposits leading to inefficiency and failure, and high costs associated with metallic resistors like stainless steel, which are difficult to process and prone to short circuits.
Innovation Solution
A ceramic-based heating element with a resistive layer applied via thick-film technology, featuring a dielectric substrate with straight-line patterns, eliminates the need for complex electrical connections and allows for easier assembly and maintenance, reducing production costs and enhancing durability.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of manufacture
If a resistance wire heating element is used, then the heating function is achieved, but the production time increases and mounting becomes difficult
Solution Approach 1:
The heating element is segmented into a separate, pre-fabricated module that can be independently manufactured and then easily assembled into the device. This modular approach eliminates the time-consuming process of winding resistance wire during final assembly, while maintaining the heating functionality.
2Reliability
If a resistance wire heating element is used, then heating is achieved, but carbon deposits form causing inefficiency and failure
Solution Approach 1:
The heating function is extracted from the traditional resistance wire configuration and implemented through a different physical mechanism - using a ceramic heater with resistive coating that generates heat without the carbonization issues associated with wire-based elements. This eliminates the source of carbon deposits while maintaining effective heating.
3Ease of manufacture
If a metallic resistor like stainless steel is used, then heating is achieved, but the cost increases due to difficult processing
Solution Approach 1:
The heating element uses a composite structure combining a ceramic substrate with a thin resistive coating layer. This composite approach leverages the advantages of both materials: the ceramic provides structural stability and ease of fabrication, while the resistive coating provides the heating function. This eliminates the need to process difficult-to-work metallic resistors like stainless steel.
4Reliability
If MMH heating resistor with metal substrate is used, then heating is achieved, but production cost increases due to complex production process
Solution Approach 1:
The complex mechanical processes of MMH resistor fabrication - including metal substrate preparation, resistive layer deposition, and insulating layer application - are replaced with a simplified ceramic-based process. The ceramic substrate inherently provides the necessary structural and electrical properties, eliminating multiple manufacturing steps and quality control requirements.
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 ceramic heating element facilitates easier cleaning and replacement, reduces production costs, and increases the lifespan by minimizing carbon deposits, providing a more efficient and cost-effective aerosol generation process.
Implementation Method 1
the heating element consists of a dielectric substrate with at least one resistive layer area applied thereon
Implementation Method 2
Nicotine liquid is supplied to the surface of the resistor element by using capillary force
Implementation Method 3
heating the material to a temperature of evaporation... forming an aerosol which is subsequently inhaled
Data Source
Figure 1~2
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Figure 6~8
AI summary
An electronic device for generating an aerosol comprising a power unit and an evaporator unit, wherein the evaporator unit comprises a heating system with a heating element (11), wherein the heating element comprises a dielectric substrate (11a) with at least one resistive layer (11b) area applied thereon, wherein the substrate is made of ceramic.