Induction Heating Evaporator with Removable Susceptor Refill
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing devices for evaporating volatile materials, such as fragrances or pesticides, face issues with high power consumption and slow response times due to residual heat, which can degrade the quality of the material and pose safety concerns.
Innovation Solution
The use of a refill with a gas-permeable membrane and a pierceable film, combined with a magnetic susceptor embedded within a volatile material transport means, allows for efficient and controlled evaporation, reducing power consumption and minimizing residual heat, while ensuring safe operation and interchangeable refills.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Productivity
If an electrical heater is used to heat the volatile liquid, then the evaporation rate increases, but power consumption increases and residual heat persists
Solution Approach 1:
The patent replaces the electrical heating system with a magnetic induction heating system. An induction coil generates a magnetic field that induces eddy currents in a magnetic susceptor, which then heats the volatile liquid through resistive heating. This substitution eliminates the need for direct electrical contact and reduces power consumption while maintaining evaporation effectiveness.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent extracts the heating function from the main device body by using a removable refill containing the magnetic susceptor. The susceptor is taken out as a separate component that can be easily replaced, allowing the heating process to be decoupled from the permanent structure and reducing overall power requirements.
2Temperature
If the heater operates at high temperature, then sufficient heating of volatile liquid is achieved, but response time increases due to residual heat
Solution Approach 1:
The patent segments the heating system into a removable refill containing the magnetic susceptor and the permanent induction coil. This allows the heating function to be separated from the main device, enabling rapid replacement of the susceptor when heating is no longer needed, thus eliminating residual heat issues and improving response time.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent introduces dynamic control through the removable refill design. The magnetic susceptor can be quickly inserted and removed based on operational requirements, allowing the system to dynamically adjust between active heating and cool-down states, thereby reducing residual heat accumulation and improving response time.
3Productivity
If the entire reservoir is heated, then complete evaporation is achieved, but fragrance quality degrades over time
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies local heating by concentrating the magnetic field and heating effect specifically at the wick-reservoir interface where the volatile liquid is needed. The magnetic susceptor is positioned to heat only the immediate vicinity of the wick, rather than the entire reservoir, thus maintaining fragrance quality while achieving sufficient evaporation at the emission point.
4Adaptability or versatility
If a pierceable film is used to seal the reservoir, then refill interchangeability is improved, but device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies preliminary action by pre-sealing the refill reservoir with a pierceable film before the refill is inserted into the device. The sealing is performed in advance during refill manufacturing, simplifying the device design. The device only needs to provide a simple piercing mechanism to access the pre-sealed refill, rather than incorporating complex sealing systems.
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 enables efficient, controlled evaporation of volatile materials with reduced power consumption and rapid response times, maintaining the quality of the material and enhancing safety by minimizing accessible hot components.
Implementation Method 1
The susceptor(s) therefrom is arranged, in use with a device according to the third aspect of the present invention, to heat up in response to the induced magnetic field from the device
Implementation Method 2
to heat up in response to the induced magnetic field from the device to heat the volatile material
Implementation Method 3
heats up in response to the induced magnetic field
Implementation Method 4
The refill is provided with a membrane to substantially liquid-tight seal the reservoir. The membrane may be a gas-permeable membrane
Implementation Method 5
a volatile material transport means for transporting and storing some of the volatile liquid
Data Source
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AI summary
An assembly for evaporating a volatile material is described, the assembly comprising a device (1) and a refill (2) which are detachable from one another: wherein the device comprises a magnetic induction coil (103) configured to operate with an alternating current passed therethrough; and wherein the refill comprises at least one susceptor (204) and a substantially liquid-tight sealed reservoir (201) containing the volatile material; wherein, in use, the susceptor(s) is arranged to heat the material when the susceptor(s) is at least partially positioned in the induced magnetic field generated, in use, when said alternating current is passed through the induction coil. Refills, devices and methods of use are also described.