Flexible Smell Generating Device with Active Cooling
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
Existing wearable olfactory VR devices are bulky, non-flexible, and require replaceable cartridges, limiting their use in immersive environments and direct application on human skin, and lack independent operation.
Innovation Solution
A flexible, multi-layered smell generating device using thermal stimulation of phase change materials and active cooling elements, integrated with electronic circuits and a flexible substrate for skin application, eliminating the need for tubes or liquid delivery mechanisms.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of operation
If conventional olfactory VR devices use replaceable cartridges with odorant capsules, liquid atomizers, and tiny fans, then odor delivery function is achieved, but device size becomes bulky and flexibility is lost
Solution Approach 1:
The patent extracts and eliminates the bulky components (cartridges, liquid atomizers, tiny fans) from the conventional olfactory VR devices, retaining only the essential odor delivery function through a simplified multi-layered structure with phase change materials and thermal stimulation elements.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent employs flexible substrates and thin-film structures in the multi-layered device architecture, enabling the device to be stretched and bent while maintaining functionality, thus achieving both miniaturization and flexibility.
2Adaptability or versatility
If conventional olfactory VR devices are designed for immersive environments, then VR integration is achieved, but independence from visual VR devices is lost
Solution Approach 1:
The patent designs the olfactory device as an independent unit with self-contained odor generation capabilities, eliminating the requirement for integration with visual VR devices while maintaining compatibility through wireless communication interfaces.
3Ease of operation
If tubes are used to deliver odor to user's nose, then odor delivery control is improved, but device complexity increases and multiple tubes are required
Solution Approach 1:
The patent removes the tube-based odor delivery system entirely, replacing it with a multi-layered structure that directly releases odor through phase change materials and thermal stimulation, eliminating the need for separate delivery tubes.
Solution Approach 2:
The multi-layered structure integrates both odor storage (phase change materials) and delivery functions into a single unit, allowing one structure to serve multiple purposes without requiring separate tubes for each odor.
4Ease of operation
If heating elements are used to vaporize odorants, then odor release control is achieved, but device size and complexity increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent uses thin-film heating elements integrated into the multi-layered structure, enabling precise thermal control for odor vaporization while maintaining a compact and flexible device form factor.
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
Enables a compact, flexible, and independently operable device for immersive environments, providing controlled scent release and inhalable content, enhancing user experience and therapeutic applications.
Implementation Method 1
when the corresponding smell generating module is heated to a temperature at or above a melting temperature of the at least one phase change material, the scent, odors and/or inhalable content is/are released from the at least open channel to the surroundings
Implementation Method 2
when the corresponding smell generating module is cooled to a temperature below the melting temperature of the at least one phase change material, the at least one phase change material returns to solid state and the release of the scent, odors and/or inhalable content from the at least one open channel to the surroundings ceases
Implementation Method 3
the one or more active cooling elements is/are controlled by the plurality of electronic circuits and configured to actively cool the corresponding smell generating module upon activation by the electronic circuits
Implementation Method 4
each of the smell generating modules further includes at least one heating element for heating the at least one phase change material
Data Source
AI summary
The present invention provides a thermo-controlled smell generating device with an active cooling mechanism to allow a user thereof to control on/off of the device in a relatively short response time absent any temperature fluctuations even after a significant number of heating and cooling cycles. The present invention is ideal for generating olfaction in highly interactive or fast-changing environments such as virtual immersive environments.