Electronic Cigarette Illuminator with Selectable LED Colors
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
Electronic cigarettes resemble tobacco cigarettes, causing confusion and unwanted attention in non-smoking areas, as they often feature a single amber lamp that mimics the glow of a tobacco cigarette, which is problematic for users in designated non-smoking environments.
Innovation Solution
An electronic cigarette with a translucent tip and a lamp circuit that allows users to select between two color lamps (amber and another color) or turn off the illumination, using a draw pressure sensor and actuator to control the lamp's operation, enabling customizable lighting modes based on user preference.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Adaptability or versatility
If a single amber lamp is used to mimic tobacco cigarette glow, then the user experience of emulating a tobacco cigarette is improved, but the device becomes problematic in non-smoking areas due to unwanted attention and confusion
Solution Approach 1:
The lamp circuit is made dynamically controllable, allowing the user to switch between different illumination states (amber lamp on, amber lamp off, or no illumination). This dynamic control enables the device to adapt its appearance based on the user's needs and the surrounding environment, resolving the contradiction between maintaining tobacco-like appearance and avoiding unwanted attention in non-smoking areas.
Solution Approach 2:
The illumination parameter (lamp color and visibility) is made changeable through user control. The system can change from a fixed amber illumination to variable states including different colors or no illumination at all. This parameter change capability allows the device to maintain versatility while eliminating harmful effects in specific contexts.
2Reliability
If the lamp is always illuminated to provide continuous feedback, then user feedback is improved, but energy consumption increases
Solution Approach 1:
Instead of continuous illumination, the lamp operates periodically or on-demand based on user interaction. The lamp illuminates when the user needs feedback (e.g., when drawing through the device) and remains off otherwise. This periodic action maintains reliable user feedback while significantly reducing overall energy consumption compared to continuous illumination.
Solution Approach 2:
The lamp circuit automatically responds to user actions (such as drawing through the device) without requiring separate manual activation. The system serves itself by detecting user interaction and automatically providing visual feedback through the lamp, eliminating the need for additional user input while maintaining reliable feedback and optimizing energy usage.
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 solution provides a user-selectable illuminated function indicator that enhances the tobacco-like experience while allowing users to distinguish their electronic cigarette from a tobacco cigarette, reducing unwanted attention and providing a 'stealth' mode for non-smoking environments.
Implementation Method 1
A draw pressure sensor is pneumatically coupled to generate a draw signal in response to detection of a pressure change induced while air is drawn out of the aerosol outlet
Implementation Method 2
an atomizer assembly that receive the fluid from the fluid reservoir, and that selectively generates an aerosol of the fluid
Implementation Method 3
The lamp circuit operates to selectively, and alternatively in response to subsequent actuations of the actuator, select between illuminating the first color lamp and the second color lamp in response to the lamp signal
Data Source
AI summary
An electronic cigarette with an illumination function, and that generates an aerosol of a fluid when air is drawn through it, includes a housing with a translucent tip, a mouthpiece, and a battery. A fluid reservoir and an atomizer assembly selectively generate an aerosol of the fluid. A draw pressure sensor generates a draw signal in response to a pressure change induced while air is drawn out of the mouthpiece. A draw control circuit activates the atomizer assembly in response to the draw signal. The draw circuit also outputs a lamp signal in response to the draw signal. A lamp circuit with an actuator, a first color lamp, and a second color lamp that are both aligned to illuminate the tip. The lamp circuit selectively, and alternatively in response to subsequent actuations of the actuator, selects between illuminating the first color lamp and the second color lamp in response to the lamp signal.