Planar Wick-Heater Inhaler for Intermittent Evaporation
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing inhalators face challenges in achieving high specific evaporative capacity for intermittent operation synchronous with inhalation or drawing, while maintaining high evaporator efficiency, and are prone to boiling crises, thermal decomposition, and complex construction, which increases production costs and safety risks.
Innovation Solution
A planar or linear composite design with a contact-free arrangement of the heating element and a capillary structure exposed on one or both sides, using materials like stainless steel or NiCr alloys, allows efficient heat conduction and evaporation without substantial thermal decomposition, and includes structures such as open-pored fiber, sintered, or foam materials for enhanced porosity and evaporation capacity.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Productivity
If a conventional evaporator design is used, then the structure is simple, but the specific evaporative capacity is insufficient for intermittent operation synchronous with inhalation
Solution Approach 1:
The patent employs a porous wick material with capillary structures to enable efficient liquid transport to the heating element. The porous structure provides large surface area for evaporation while maintaining compact dimensions, achieving high specific evaporative capacity without proportionally increasing device complexity
Solution Approach 2:
The evaporator is constructed as a composite assembly combining the wick material with the heating element in a integrated composite structure. This composite design optimizes the interaction between liquid supply and heating functions, achieving high evaporative capacity while controlling overall complexity through unified construction
2Productivity
If high evaporative capacity is achieved through conventional means, then productivity increases, but boiling crises and thermal decomposition occur
Solution Approach 1:
The porous wick acts as an intermediary between the liquid reservoir and the heating element, providing controlled liquid delivery through capillary action. This intermediary structure prevents direct contact between excessive heat and liquid, distributing thermal load and preventing boiling crises and thermal decomposition while maintaining high evaporative capacity
Solution Approach 2:
The patent utilizes capillary pressure parameters to control liquid flow rate to the heating element, adjusting the physical state and delivery parameters of the liquid material. This parameter control ensures optimal liquid supply rate that matches heating capacity, preventing thermal decomposition while maximizing evaporative efficiency
3Productivity
If the wick capillary structure is covered, then the composite is compact, but vapor flow is restricted reducing evaporative efficiency
Solution Approach 1:
The patent designs the composite structure to expose the wick capillary structure on outer surfaces, utilizing three-dimensional spatial arrangement to maintain vapor flow paths. The capillary structures are positioned on the exterior or side surfaces of the composite, allowing vapor to escape in multiple directions without increasing the footprint volume significantly
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 design achieves high evaporative capacity and efficiency, reduces boiling crises, minimizes thermal decomposition, and allows cost-effective, user-friendly, and safe operation, suitable for both classic and drawing inhalators.
Implementation Method 1
an electric heating element for evaporating a portion of a liquid material, wherein the vapor which is formed is mixed in the chamber with the air supplied through the air admission opening
Implementation Method 2
The heating element is activated or energized generally right at the beginning of drawing or inhalation
Implementation Method 3
a wick with a capillary structure, which wick forms a composite with the heating element and automatically resupplies the heating element with the liquid material following evaporation
Implementation Method 4
the vapor which is formed is mixed in the chamber with the air supplied through the air admission opening, and the vapor-air mixture or/and condensation aerosol is formed
Data Source
AI summary
The present disclosure relates to an inhaler component for producing a steam/air mixture or/and condensation aerosol in an intermittent and inhalation- or pull-synchronous manner, the inhaler component including: a housing; a chamber arranged in the housing; an air inlet opening for the supply of air from the surroundings to the chamber; an electrical heating element for evaporating a portion of a liquid material; and a wick having a capillary structure, which wick forms a composite structure with the heating element and automatically supplies the heating element with fresh liquid material after evaporation.