Flexible Heating Coil for Reusable Aerosol Material Articles

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Solution Overview

Problem

Existing aerosol provision devices require frequent replacement of aerosol-generating materials and lack efficient heating mechanisms that allow for flexible and efficient production of aerosols without combustion.

Innovation Solution

Aerosol provision devices featuring a flexible coil configuration with a flexible support and electrically conductive path, including a helical coil, which can be formed from a blank to extend around a heating zone, utilizing both resistive and inductive heating assemblies, allowing for efficient and continuous aerosol generation.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Loss of substance

If conventional heating mechanisms are used in aerosol provision devices, then aerosol generation is achieved, but frequent replacement of aerosol-generating materials is required and material waste increases

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveaerosol-generating material wasteVSAvoidaerosol generation efficiency
Core Design Contradiction:
Loss of substanceVSProductivity

Solution Approach 1:

The patent enables recovery and reuse of aerosol-generating materials by implementing a heating system that can be detached and reused with different material articles. The flexible coil configuration on the removable support allows the heating mechanism to be separated from the consumable material, enabling users to replace only the material article while retaining the expensive heating component, thus reducing material waste and cost.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #34Discarding and recovering

2Adaptability or versatility

If resistive heating systems are used to create aerosol, then heating function is achieved, but the system lacks flexibility and efficiency in material utilization

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveheating system flexibilityVSAvoidsystem complexity
Core Design Contradiction:
Adaptability or versatilityVSEase of manufacture

Solution Approach 1:

The patent divides the aerosol provision device into separate functional modules: a reusable heating assembly with flexible coil configuration on a removable support, and a detachable material article. This segmentation allows the heating system to be manufactured separately and paired with different material types, enhancing versatility without requiring complex integration of heating and material components into a single unit.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

The flexible coil configuration on the removable support provides dynamic adaptability, allowing the heating system to accommodate different material articles and be repositioned or reconfigured as needed. The flexible support enables the coil to conform to different geometries and maintain electrical connection while allowing mechanical movement and detachment, providing both flexibility and ease of manufacture.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #15Dynamics

3Power

If a flexible coil configuration with multiple parallel conductive tracks is implemented, then heating efficiency is improved, but device complexity increases

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveheating powerVSAvoidcoil configuration complexity
Core Design Contradiction:
PowerVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The patent merges multiple parallel conductive tracks onto a single flexible support structure, combining their heating functions into one integrated component. This merging approach increases heating power by providing multiple current paths simultaneously while avoiding the complexity of assembling separate coil components, as all tracks are formed together on the flexible support in a single manufacturing process.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #5Merging (Combining)

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 flexible coil configuration enables efficient and continuous aerosol production with reduced material waste by allowing for the reuse of aerosol-generating materials and improved heating efficiency through resistive and inductive heating methods.

Implementation Method 1

The aerosol provision device may comprise a resistive heating assembly comprising the coil

Methodology Applied
Scientific EffectResistive heating: Joule Heating

Implementation Method 2

The coil may be an inductive coil. The aerosol provision device may comprise a magnetic field generating assembly comprising the coil

Methodology Applied
Scientific EffectInductive heating: Electromagnetic Induction

Data Source

PatentEP4681560A1Aerosol provision device
Publication Date: 2026.01.21 NICOVENTURES TRADING LTD
  • EP4681560A1 patent drawingFigure 1
  • EP4681560A1 patent drawingFigure 2~3
  • EP4681560A1 patent drawingFigure 4~5

AI summary

There is discloses an aerosol provision device (100) for generating an aerosol from aerosol generating material. The device (100) comprises a receptacle (116) defining a heating zone (120) for receiving at least a portion of an article (104) comprising aerosol generating material; and a flexible coil configuration (130). The flexible coil configuration (130) comprises comprising a flexible support (132) and an electrically conductive path (134) formed on the flexible support (132) extending between a first type of connection (136a) and a second type of connection (136b). The electrically conductive path (134) comprises a plurality of electrically parallel conductive tracks (150).