Fluid-Permeable Heater Assembly With Planar Filaments for Aerosol Vaporization
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing electrically operated smoking systems face challenges in manufacturing a heater assembly that is both cost-effective and robust, as conventional wick and coil arrangements are fragile and difficult to handle, and inefficient in producing aerosol.
Innovation Solution
A fluid-permeable electric heater assembly comprising an electrically insulating substrate with a heater element made of a mesh or array of electrically conductive filaments, connected to conductive contact portions, allowing for easy handling and efficient vaporization of liquid aerosol-forming substrate.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If a conventional wick and coil heater assembly is used, then aerosol vaporization can be achieved, but the assembly is fragile and difficult to handle during manufacture
Solution Approach 1:
The heater element is segmented into a planar array of conductive filaments distributed across an insulating substrate, replacing the single coil structure. This segmentation makes the heater more robust and easier to handle during manufacture while maintaining vaporization functionality.
Solution Approach 2:
The mechanical coil-wrapping process is replaced by fixing a pre-formed planar array of conductive filaments to an insulating substrate. This substitution eliminates the fragile coil structure and simplifies the manufacturing process, making the heater assembly more robust and easier to handle.
2Ease of manufacture
If a conventional wick and coil heater assembly is used, then aerosol vaporization can be achieved, but manufacturing cost is high and repeatability is difficult
Solution Approach 1:
The heater is segmented into multiple conductive filaments arranged in a planar array on an insulating substrate. This structure enables standardized manufacturing processes and improves repeatability while reducing costs, as the planar array can be more easily fabricated and assembled than traditional coil-wrapping methods.
Solution Approach 2:
The manual or automated coil-wrapping mechanical process is replaced by fixing a pre-formed planar array of conductive filaments to an insulating substrate. This substitution simplifies manufacturing, improves repeatability, and reduces production costs while ensuring consistent heater performance.
3Productivity
If a conventional wick and coil heater assembly is used, then aerosol production is achieved, but the heater is inefficient in aerosol generation
Solution Approach 1:
The heater is segmented into multiple conductive filaments distributed across an insulating substrate with an aperture. This segmentation increases the surface area in contact with the liquid aerosol-forming substrate, improving vaporization efficiency and aerosol generation productivity while reducing energy loss.
Solution Approach 2:
The heater transitions from a one-dimensional coil structure to a two-dimensional planar array of conductive filaments. This dimensional change increases the effective heating surface area in contact with the liquid substrate, improving aerosol generation efficiency and reducing energy loss per unit of aerosol produced.
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 heater assembly is inexpensive to produce, robust, and efficient in aerosol production, with improved contact area and reliability in connecting to a power supply, facilitating a handheld aerosol-generating system.
Implementation Method 1
Electric current passing through the wire causes resistive heating of the wire which vaporises the liquid in the capillary material
Implementation Method 2
heating to form an aerosol... vaporises the liquid in the capillary material... The vapour subsequently cools to form an aerosol
Data Source
AI summary
An aerosol-generating system is provided, including a main component and a cartridge that is removably coupled to the main component, the cartridge including a liquid storage portion containing a liquid aerosol-forming substrate and a fluid-permeable electric heater assembly, and the main component includes a power supply, the heater assembly including: an electrically insulating substrate, an aperture being formed in the substrate, and a heater element fixed to the substrate, the heater element spanning the aperture and including a plurality of electrically conductive filaments connected to first and second electrically conductive contact portions, the first and the second contact portions being disposed on opposite sides of the aperture to one another, the first and the second contact portions being configured to allow contact with the power supply, and the heater assembly being provided at an end of the cartridge that is opposite to a mouthpiece portion of the system.