Heating Assembly Power Control for Vaporizable Substance Depletion

Resolve Bottlenecks,
Find Innovative Solutions
Generate Solutions

Solution Overview

Problem

Vaporizable substance depletion in heating devices leads to overheating and potential damage, as existing solutions either cap heat output, reducing vapor generation reliability or fail to track substance levels effectively.

Innovation Solution

A heating assembly with a controller that monitors and adjusts power based on the remaining vaporizable substance quantity, preventing overheating by reducing heat when levels are low and optimizing heating for the device's usage history, allowing intermittent use and efficient energy use.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Object-affected harmful factors

If heat output is capped to prevent overheating when vaporizable substance is depleted, then device damage is prevented, but vapor generation reliability deteriorates

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveoverheating damageVSAvoidvapor generation reliability
Core Design Contradiction:
Object-affected harmful factorsVSReliability

Solution Approach 1:

The system performs preliminary monitoring of vaporizable substance levels and predicts depletion before it occurs. By tracking usage patterns and substance consumption rates, the system proactively adjusts heating parameters or alerts the user, preventing overheating damage while maintaining optimal vapor generation during the substance's usable life.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #10Preliminary action

Solution Approach 2:

The system continuously monitors temperature, heating element resistance, and usage patterns to detect changes indicating substance depletion. This feedback loop allows the system to dynamically adjust heating power or shut down the heater, preventing damage while ensuring reliable vapor generation during normal operation through real-time condition assessment.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #23Feedback

2Productivity

If heating power is increased to ensure reliable vapor generation, then vapor production is improved, but risk of overheating and damage increases

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvevapor generation efficiencyVSAvoidoverheating risk
Core Design Contradiction:
ProductivityVSObject-affected harmful factors

Solution Approach 1:

The system dynamically adjusts heating power based on real-time monitoring of temperature, substance levels, and usage patterns. During normal operation with sufficient vaporizable substance, higher power is applied for efficient vapor generation. As substance depletes or temperature rises, power is automatically reduced, maintaining productivity while preventing overheating damage through continuous adaptation.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #15Dynamics

Solution Approach 2:

The system changes operational parameters including heating power, temperature thresholds, and timing based on detected substance levels and thermal conditions. By modifying these parameters dynamically, the system optimizes vapor generation efficiency when substance is abundant while preventing overheating when substance is depleted, resolving the contradiction between productivity and safety.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #35Parameter changes

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 solution minimizes the risk of damage by providing appropriate heat based on substance levels, ensuring reliable vapor generation and extending the device's lifespan while reducing energy consumption.

Implementation Method 1

a heating element configured to heat the liquid to a point of vaporization to generate a vaporized form of the liquid

Methodology Applied
Scientific EffectVaporization: Evaporation

Implementation Method 2

the element in turn heating the substance to generate vapour

Methodology Applied
Scientific EffectVolatilization: Evaporation

Data Source

PatentEP3731677B1Heating assembly for a vapour generating device
Publication Date: 2022.11.30 JT INTERNATIONAL SA
  • EP3731677B1 patent drawingFigure 1
  • EP3731677B1 patent drawingFigure 2
  • EP3731677B1 patent drawingFigure 3

AI summary

There is provided a heating assembly (10) for a vapour generating device (1), the heating assembly comprising: a heating device arranged in use to heat a body, the body comprising a vaporisable substance (22), the heating assembly being arranged in use to supply power to the heating device to heat the body, the vaporisable substance volatilising on heating, the quantity of vaporisable substance in the body thereby reducing on heating; a passage arranged in use to allow gas to be drawn over the body; and a controller (13) arranged in use to monitor and store vaporisable substance quantity information of vaporisable substance quantity in the body by determining the amount of previous usage of the body based on stored time the body has been heated for and/or the stored number of times gas has been drawn over the body during heating, the controller being further arranged in use to set a maximum amount of power suppliable to the heating device based on the stored vaporisable substance quantity in the body.