Oral Nicotine Product With Variable-Current Taste Stimulation

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Solution Overview

Problem

Existing oral nicotine products lack the ability for users to individually adjust flavor perception and often rely on chemical flavorings, leading to potential negative consumer experiences due to changing tastes during consumption.

Innovation Solution

An oral nicotine product with electrode areas and an ingestible battery that stimulates taste perception through variable electrical currents, allowing users to alter their experience by adjusting current magnitude and frequency.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Adaptability or versatility

If chemical flavorings are added to oral nicotine products to enhance taste perception, then flavor variety is improved, but health safety deteriorates due to potential negative consumer experiences and changing tastes during consumption

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveflavor varietyVSAvoidhealth safety
Core Design Contradiction:
Adaptability or versatilityVSObject-affected harmful factors

Solution Approach 1:

The patent replaces chemical flavoring systems with an electrical stimulation system. Electrode areas deliver controlled electrical currents to stimulate taste buds, substituting chemical flavorants with electrical signals to create taste perceptions without introducing chemical additives that may cause adverse reactions or taste degradation over time

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

Solution Approach 2:

The patent utilizes variable electrical current parameters (magnitude and frequency) to dynamically adjust taste perception. By changing these electrical parameters, different taste sensations can be achieved without altering the chemical composition, allowing flexible flavor customization while maintaining safety

Inventive Principle:
Principle #35Parameter changes

2Ease of manufacture

If fixed flavor ingredients are used in oral nicotine products, then manufacturing simplicity is improved, but user adaptability deteriorates as users cannot adjust flavor perception to their preferences

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvemanufacturing simplicityVSAvoiduser adaptability
Core Design Contradiction:
Ease of manufactureVSAdaptability or versatility

Solution Approach 1:

The patent transforms a static flavor delivery system into a dynamic one by incorporating controllable electrode areas with variable current output. The system can dynamically adjust electrical stimulation parameters in response to user preferences or consumption stage, enabling real-time flavor adaptation while maintaining a relatively simple product structure

Inventive Principle:
Principle #15Dynamics

Solution Approach 2:

The electrode areas serve multiple functions: they can deliver different current magnitudes and frequencies to create various taste perceptions, and they can be controlled through different modes (manual or automated). This multi-functionality allows a single component to replace multiple fixed flavor formulations

Inventive Principle:
Principle #6Universality (Multi-functionality)

3Device complexity

If oral nicotine products rely on natural flavor degradation during consumption, then no additional control systems are needed, but flavor consistency deteriorates leading to negative consumer experiences

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvecontrol system complexityVSAvoidflavor consistency
Core Design Contradiction:
Device complexityVSStability of the object's composition

Solution Approach 1:

The patent incorporates feedback mechanisms where the system monitors consumption stage and user responses, then adjusts electrical current parameters accordingly. This feedback loop maintains consistent and pleasant taste perception by compensating for changes that occur during consumption, such as product degradation or user adaptation

Inventive Principle:
Principle #23Feedback

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

Enables users to prolong pleasant flavor perception and adjust taste preferences remotely, providing customizable flavor experiences without chemical additives.

Implementation Method 1

The oral nicotine product may comprise an ingestible battery. The ingestible battery may be configured for providing a current to the first and second electrode area

Methodology Applied
Scientific EffectBattery (electricity): Battery (electricity)

Implementation Method 2

The first and second electrode area may be configured for providing a current to a user's oral cavity. The current may stimulate the user's taste perception

Methodology Applied
Scientific EffectElectrical taste stimulation: Electrical Impedance Tomography

Data Source

PatentEP4398745B1Oral nicotine product and system for providing oral nicotine flavor including the oral nicotine product
Publication Date: 2025.10.29 PHILIP MORRIS PRODUCTS SA
  • EP4398745B1 patent drawingFigure 1A~1B
  • EP4398745B1 patent drawingFigure 1C
  • EP4398745B1 patent drawingFigure 2

AI summary

The invention relates to oral nicotine product comprising: - a first electrode area and a second electrode area, - an ingestible battery configured for providing a current to the first and second electrode area, and - a flavor material containing nicotine. Such an oral nicotine product allows the user to change the taste perception of the flavor material containing nicotine depending on the current applied to the first and second electrode area.