Inductive Aerosol Heating Assembly for Contact-Free Cartomisers
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing e-cigarettes face challenges in reducing the cost and complexity of disposable components, particularly the cartomiser, while ensuring safe and reliable operation, as conventional approaches either increase complexity or pose risks with refillable options.
Innovation Solution
An e-cigarette design utilizing inductive heating with a coil and a magnetic susceptor heater, allowing for a mechanical connection between the control unit and cartridge, eliminating the need for electrical contacts and simplifying manufacturing, and using a porous heater element that acts as both a wick and heating element to manage liquid vaporization efficiently.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If conventional electrical contacts and connectors are used between control unit and cartomiser, then reliable electrical connectivity is achieved, but device complexity and manufacturing cost increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent extracts the electrical contact function from the mechanical connector by using inductive coupling. The control unit contains a transmitter coil that wirelessly transmits power and signals to the cartomiser, eliminating the need for physical electrical contacts and simplifying the connector design to mechanical engagement only.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent replaces the mechanical-electrical contact system with an electromagnetic field-based inductive coupling system. This substitution eliminates wear and contact reliability issues while reducing mechanical complexity, as the connector only needs to provide mechanical alignment and housing engagement without complex electrical contact mechanisms.
2Adaptability or versatility
If refillable cartomiser options are provided to reduce cost, then user flexibility improves, but safety risks from improper liquid filling increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent employs disposable cartomisers that are pre-filled with e-liquid at the factory. This approach eliminates safety risks associated with user refilling while maintaining cost-effectiveness, as the low-cost disposable unit absorbs the liquid containment and delivery function, allowing the control unit to be reused.
Solution Approach 2:
The cartomisers are pre-filled with the appropriate e-liquid formulation during manufacturing before reaching the user. This preliminary action ensures proper liquid quantity and composition, eliminating the possibility of user error in filling and ensuring safe operation from the outset.
3Temperature
If traditional resistive heating elements are used in the cartomiser, then heating function is achieved, but electrical contact points and soldering increase manufacturing complexity
Solution Approach 1:
The patent replaces the resistive heating element with an inductive heating system. The control unit contains a transmitter coil that generates an electromagnetic field, which induces eddy currents in a metallic heater within the cartomiser, heating it without direct electrical contact. This eliminates soldering and electrical contact points in the cartomiser, simplifying manufacturing.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent introduces an electromagnetic field as an intermediary between the control unit's power source and the heating element. The transmitter coil in the control unit and the receiver coil with heater in the cartomiser are coupled through this electromagnetic field, enabling power transfer and heating without physical electrical connections.
4Ease of manufacture
If disposable cartomisers are used to simplify design, then manufacturing cost is reduced, but waste generation increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent segments the e-cigarette system into a reusable control unit and a disposable cartomiser. This segmentation allows the complex, expensive control unit with battery and electronics to be reused, while only the consumable liquid reservoir and heater portion is discarded, minimizing waste compared to disposing of the entire device.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent implements a system where the control unit is recovered and reused after the cartomiser is depleted. The disposable cartomiser is discarded after use, but the valuable control unit components (battery, circuit board, processor) are retained and can be recharged and reused with a new cartomiser, reducing overall waste.
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 design reduces production costs, enhances safety by eliminating solder-related risks, and simplifies user operation, while maintaining reliable vapor production and user flexibility through selective coil activation.
Implementation Method 1
a drive coil arranged to induce current flow in the heating element to heat the heating element and vaporise liquid formulation
Implementation Method 2
The wicking material is surrounded by liquid formulation in the reservoir and is arranged to wick the liquid formulation to the heating element
Data Source
Figure 1~2
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AI summary
An inductive heating assembly for generating an aerosol from an aerosol precursor material in an aerosol provision system, the inductive heating assembly comprising: a susceptor; and a drive coil arranged to induce current flow in the susceptor to heat the susceptor and vaporise aerosol precursor material in proximity with a surface of the susceptor, and wherein the susceptor comprises regions of different susceptibility to induced current flow from the drive coil, such that when in use the surface of the susceptor in the regions of different susceptibility are heated to different temperatures by the current flow induced by the drive coil.