Inhaler Evaporator Seal Structure for Leak and Heat Isolation
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional inhaler evaporator devices face issues with liquid leakage and untargeted heat transport due to uneven surface finishes between the heating body and the carrier, leading to potential overheating and mechanical property degradation.
Innovation Solution
A sealing device is arranged between the heating body and the carrier to enclose passage openings, preventing leakage and reducing thermal coupling by using a softer material with a lower modulus of elasticity, which can deform to compensate for unevenness and form a labyrinth seal for enhanced sealing.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Strength
If the heating body is directly retained by the carrier, then mechanical connection is achieved, but heat dissipation into the carrier occurs and liquid leakage may happen due to surface unevenness
Solution Approach 1:
A sealing device is introduced as an intermediary component between the heating body and the carrier. This sealing device serves dual functions: it prevents liquid leakage by compensating for surface unevenness through its elastic deformation, and it reduces heat dissipation by creating a thermal barrier that interrupts direct heat conduction path to the carrier.
2Strength
If the heating body is directly retained by the carrier, then mechanical connection is achieved, but liquid leakage occurs due to surface unevenness
Solution Approach 1:
The sealing device utilizes parameter changes through elastic deformation. The sealing material is selected with appropriate elastic modulus that allows it to deform under compression between the heating body and carrier, filling surface irregularities and creating a reliable liquid seal. The elastic properties enable the sealing device to adapt to surface variations while maintaining contact pressure for effective sealing.
3Reliability
If a sealing device is added between heating body and carrier, then liquid sealing is improved, but device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The sealing device is designed to perform multiple functions simultaneously: it provides liquid sealing by compensating for surface unevenness, reduces heat dissipation by creating a thermal barrier, and maintains mechanical retention of the heating body. This multi-functionality approach consolidates several required functions into a single component, thereby limiting the increase in device complexity while achieving multiple objectives.
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 solution effectively prevents liquid leakage and reduces heat dissipation from the heating body to the carrier, improving the mechanical properties and user experience by ensuring a liquid-sealed and thermally decoupled evaporator device.
Implementation Method 1
The sealing device is softer, in particular has a lower modulus of elasticity than the heating body (60) and/or the carrier (4), in order to be able to compensate for unevenness, in particular by a deformation of the sealing device
Implementation Method 2
an electrically heatable heating body (60) having at least one passage opening (62) for evaporating liquid contained in the passage opening (62)
Implementation Method 3
electrically heatable heating body
Implementation Method 4
Capillary forces transport the liquid from a liquid store along a wick
Data Source
AI summary
An evaporator device for an inhaler, in particular for an electronic cigarette product comprises an electrically heatable heating body having at least one passage opening for evaporating liquid contained in the passage opening and a carrier for retaining the heating body. The evaporator device has a sealing device, and the sealing device is arranged between the heating body and the carrier and encloses the at least one passage opening in a sealing manner.