Heater Assembly with Segmented Susceptors for Aerosol Devices
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Solution Overview
Problem
Aerosol-generating devices face challenges in reducing energy consumption, minimizing thermal transfer between heating zones, and securely holding aerosol-generating articles, while allowing for easy insertion and removal.
Innovation Solution
The use of a heater assembly with multiple sets of susceptors for each heating zone, arranged alternately and with flexible configurations, reduces thermal mass and allows for selective heating, intimate thermal contact, and secure article retention.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Temperature
If a single large susceptor is used for the entire heating chamber, then thermal contact with the aerosol-forming substrate is improved, but thermal mass increases and energy consumption increases
Solution Approach 1:
The single large susceptor is divided into multiple separate susceptors (first susceptor, second susceptor, third susceptor, fourth susceptor) positioned at different locations within the heating chamber. Each susceptor is independently heated by corresponding inductor coils, reducing the thermal mass that requires heating at any given time while maintaining effective thermal contact with the aerosol-forming substrate through distributed heating zones.
2Adaptability or versatility
If multiple heating zones are implemented, then selective heating capability is improved, but thermal transfer between zones increases
Solution Approach 1:
The inductor coils are extracted and positioned separately for each heating zone, with each coil dedicated to heating a specific susceptor in its respective zone. This isolation prevents thermal coupling between zones, allowing selective heating of individual zones without energy loss to adjacent zones, thereby enabling precise control over which portion of the aerosol-generating article is heated.
Solution Approach 2:
A thermal insulator is introduced as an intermediary material positioned between adjacent heating zones and susceptors. This insulator acts as a thermal barrier that minimizes heat transfer between different heating zones while allowing each zone to be independently controlled, thus preventing energy loss and maintaining selective heating capability.
3Manufacturing precision
If rigid susceptor structure is used, then manufacturing precision is improved, but ease of article insertion and removal deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The susceptors are designed with flexible portions that can dynamically adjust their position and shape. The flexible susceptors can be elastically deformed to facilitate the insertion of the aerosol-generating article into the heating chamber, then return to their original shape to securely hold the article during heating. This dynamic behavior enables both easy operation and effective heating contact.
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
This configuration reduces energy consumption, minimizes heat transfer between zones, and enables efficient and secure aerosol generation with improved mechanical flexibility and ease of article handling.
Implementation Method 1
inductive heating whereby an alternating electrical current in an inductor coil induces an alternating magnetic field. This alternating magnetic field is referred to as an induction field, because it can induce alternating ring currents (eddy currents) in a susceptor if the susceptor is conductive
Implementation Method 2
induce alternating ring currents (eddy currents) in a susceptor if the susceptor is conductive
Implementation Method 3
Heat generated in this manner is then propagated to the aerosol-generating substrate causing it to heat and therefore generate an aerosol
Implementation Method 4
If the susceptor is magnetic, then hysteresis losses would occur in the susceptor. In a susceptor which is both electrically conductive and magnetic, both effects (eddy currents and hysteresis losses) will cause the susceptor to heat
Implementation Method 5
Heat generated in this manner is then propagated to the aerosol-generating substrate causing it to heat and therefore generate an aerosol
Data Source
Figure 1a~1b
Figure 2a~2f
Figure 3
AI summary
A heater assembly for an aerosol-generating device comprises a heating chamber (14) for heating an aerosol-forming substrate, a first set of susceptors (16) configured for heating a first heating zone (20) of the heating chamber and a second set of susceptors (18) configured for heating a second heating zone (22) of the heating chamber. The first heating zone and the second heating zone are arranged at different longitudinal positions of the heating chamber. The susceptors may be mounted on a ridged common support base (30) and do not physically contact one another. The susceptors of the second set (18) may be longer than those of the first set (16) and are paddle-shaped with a stem (46) and a heating surface (50).