Induction Heating Front-End Cigarette Apparatus

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Solution Overview

Problem

Existing cigarette heating methods, such as contact electric heating and charcoal heating, suffer from uneven heating, difficulty in temperature control, and issues like tobacco residue adhesion and inefficient production due to direct contact or complex ignition processes.

Innovation Solution

A smoke generating device with induction heating at the front end, utilizing a hollow heating cup with a ferromagnetic heating element and induction coil, which includes airflow channels for efficient air heating and a heat equalizer to ensure even tobacco baking, avoiding direct contact and residue issues.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Power

If contact electric heating is used to heat tobacco shreds, then heating efficiency is improved, but heating uniformity deteriorates due to uneven heat distribution across the cigarette cross section

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveheating efficiencyVSAvoidheating uniformity
Core Design Contradiction:
PowerVSManufacturing precision

Solution Approach 1:

The patent introduces air as an intermediary heat transfer medium. The heating element heats the air, and the hot air flows through the cigarette to heat the tobacco shreds uniformly, avoiding direct contact between the heating element and tobacco while achieving even heating across the entire cigarette cross section

Inventive Principle:
Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

Solution Approach 2:

The patent replaces direct thermal conduction (mechanical contact heating) with convective heat transfer through heated air. This substitution allows heat to be distributed more uniformly throughout the cigarette by air flow rather than through direct contact with a limited surface area heating element

Inventive Principle:
Principle #28Mechanics substitution (Replace mechanical system)

2Temperature

If heating element temperature is increased to ensure adequate heating of distant tobacco shreds, then heating adequacy is improved, but residue adhesion to the heating element worsens

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveheating adequacyVSAvoidresidue adhesion
Core Design Contradiction:
TemperatureVSObject-generated harmful factors

Solution Approach 1:

The patent uses air as a mediator to transfer heat from the heating element to the tobacco shreds. The heating element heats the air to a moderate temperature, and this hot air then flows through the cigarette to heat the tobacco uniformly. This eliminates the need for the heating element surface to be excessively hot, preventing tobacco residue from sticking to the heating element while still achieving adequate heating of all tobacco shreds

Inventive Principle:
Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

Solution Approach 2:

The patent extracts the heating function from direct contact between the heating element and tobacco. By taking out the direct thermal conduction path and replacing it with convective heating through air, the system achieves adequate heating without the harmful side effect of residue adhesion to the heating element surface

Inventive Principle:
Principle #2Taking out (Extraction)

3Object-affected harmful factors

If charcoal rod is attached to the front end of tobacco for heating, then non-combustion heating is achieved, but device complexity increases due to manufacturing difficulties

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveharmful substance reductionVSAvoidmanufacturing complexity
Core Design Contradiction:
Object-affected harmful factorsVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The patent replaces the mechanical charcoal rod ignition system with an electric heating element that heats air. This substitution eliminates the need for attaching charcoal rods to cigarette ends, simplifying the manufacturing process while maintaining the non-combustion heating principle that reduces harmful substances

Inventive Principle:
Principle #28Mechanics substitution (Replace mechanical system)

Solution Approach 2:

The patent uses heated air as an intermediary to transfer thermal energy to the tobacco, replacing the direct contact method used with charcoal rods. This approach achieves non-combustion heating without requiring complex attachment mechanisms, reducing device complexity while maintaining the health benefits of avoiding combustion

Inventive Principle:
Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

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 device achieves uniform and efficient heating of tobacco, reducing residue adhesion and improving production efficiency by using induction heating and airflow channels to homogenize heat and pressure, providing a better smoking experience compared to traditional methods.

Implementation Method 1

induction coil surrounds the outer wall of the heating element accommodating cavity of the hollow heating cup and is connected to a power source

Methodology Applied
Scientific EffectElectromagnetic induction: Electromagnetic Induction

Implementation Method 2

smoke generating device with induction heating at the front end of the cigarette

Methodology Applied
Scientific EffectInduction heating: Induction Heating

Implementation Method 3

ferromagnetic heating element has a structure that air can pass through, and the ferromagnetic heating element is disposed in the heating element accommodating cavity

Methodology Applied
Scientific EffectEddy currents: Eddy Currents

Implementation Method 4

airflow channels for efficient air heating

Methodology Applied
Scientific EffectConvection: Convection

Data Source

PatentEP3932231B1Smoking apparatus for induction heating at front end of cigarette
Publication Date: 2023.09.06 CHINA TOBACCO YUNNAN IND
  • EP3932231B1 patent drawingFigure 1~2
  • EP3932231B1 patent drawingFigure 3

AI summary

The present disclosure relates to the field of novel cigarette smoking utensil, and in particular, to a smoke generating device with induction heating at the front end of the cigarette. The smoke generating device includes: a hollow heating cup (2), a heating element (5), and an induction coil (4); the hollow heating cup (2) includes an upper hollow structure, a lower hollow structure and a baffle between them, the heating element (5) is disposed in the lower hollow structure, and an induction coil (4) is on the periphery; the heating element (5) is made of a ferromagnetic metal, which has a structure that can pass through the air. The present disclosure designs for the first time a smoke generating device with induction heating at the front end of the cigarette. The inside and/or surface of the heating element has/forms a plurality of airflow channels, which can quickly and fully heat the air flowing through the surface, so as to effectively solve the problem of uneven heating of electric heating cigarettes, as well as flammable, uncontrollable charcoal-heated cigarettes with insufficient aroma components and poor smoking sensation.