PTC Ceramic Preheating for Viscous E-Liquid Flow

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Solution Overview

Problem

Electronic cigarettes face issues with insufficient vapor production due to e-liquid with high viscosity and poor penetrability, often resulting in less or no vapor during initial inhalation, leading to a poor user experience.

Innovation Solution

A heating assembly with a preheating portion made of porous ceramic and positive temperature coefficient (PTC) thermosensitive material, which preheats the e-liquid to improve flowability and ensure sufficient vaporization, connected in parallel with a vaporization portion to efficiently transition from preheating to vaporization.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Reliability

If e-liquid concentration is increased to improve vapor quality and taste, then vaporization effect is improved, but viscosity increases and penetrability deteriorates, resulting in insufficient e-liquid supply to heating body

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvevaporization effectVSAvoidpenetrability
Core Design Contradiction:
ReliabilityVSEase of operation

Solution Approach 1:

The preheating portion is positioned near the liquid outlet to perform preliminary heating of e-liquid before it reaches the vaporization portion. This preliminary action reduces viscosity and improves flowability, enabling high-concentration e-liquid to penetrate effectively to the heating body without compromising vaporization quality

Inventive Principle:
Principle #10Preliminary action

2Reliability

If e-liquid concentration is increased to improve vapor quality and taste, then vaporization effect is improved, but flowability deteriorates, resulting in less vapor during initial inhalation

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvevaporization effectVSAvoidflowability
Core Design Contradiction:
ReliabilityVSSpeed

Solution Approach 1:

The preheating portion performs preliminary heating of e-liquid before it reaches the vaporization portion, improving flowability and enabling sufficient e-liquid supply during initial inhalation while maintaining high concentration for quality vaporization

Inventive Principle:
Principle #10Preliminary action

Solution Approach 2:

The preheating portion changes the temperature parameter of e-liquid, transforming it from a cold, high-viscosity state to a warm, low-viscosity state, thereby improving flowability and penetrability without changing the chemical composition or concentration

Inventive Principle:
Principle #35Parameter changes

3Ease of operation

If preheating function is added to improve e-liquid flowability, then penetrability is improved, but device complexity increases

Engineering Contradiction:
ImprovepenetrabilityVSAvoidstructure
Core Design Contradiction:
Ease of operationVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The preheating portion and vaporization portion are merged into a single integrated heating assembly structure, where the preheating portion serves as an extension of the vaporization portion, reducing device complexity while maintaining the preheating function

Inventive Principle:
Principle #5Merging (Combining)

Solution Approach 2:

The heating assembly serves dual functions: the preheating portion improves e-liquid flowability while the vaporization portion performs vaporization, allowing a single component to fulfill multiple functions and avoid adding separate complex subsystems

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

4Productivity

If parallel circuit connection is used for preheating and vaporization portions, then preheating efficiency is improved, but energy consumption increases

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvepreheating efficiencyVSAvoidenergy consumption
Core Design Contradiction:
ProductivityVSUse of energy by moving object

Solution Approach 1:

The parallel circuit connection ensures continuous useful action by allowing simultaneous preheating and vaporization operations, maintaining efficient e-liquid flow and vaporization throughout the device's operation cycle

Inventive Principle:
Principle #20Continuity of useful action

Solution Approach 2:

The preheating portion performs preliminary heating before e-liquid reaches the vaporization portion, ensuring optimal flow conditions are established in advance, which improves overall system efficiency and reduces energy waste from inefficient vaporization

Inventive Principle:
Principle #10Preliminary action

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 ensures consistent vapor production by preheating the e-liquid, reducing energy consumption, and maintaining efficient vaporization, even with high viscosity e-liquids, thereby enhancing user experience and device performance.

Implementation Method 1

the preheating portion is made of a positive temperature coefficient thermosensitive material

Methodology Applied
Scientific EffectPositive temperature coefficient (PTC) thermosensitive material: Thermistor

Implementation Method 2

The preheating portion is made of a porous ceramic

Methodology Applied
Scientific EffectPorous material: Porosity

Implementation Method 3

a vaporizer configured to vaporize the e-liquid, and a battery component configured to supply power to the vaporizer. The vaporizer includes a heating body, and the e-liquid in the e-liquid storage cavity penetrates or is guided to the heating body to be vaporized

Methodology Applied
Scientific EffectVaporization: Evaporation

Data Source

PatentEP4136992B1Heating assembly, atomizer and electronic atomization device
Publication Date: 2024.11.13 SHENZHEN SMOORE TECH LTD
  • EP4136992B1 patent drawingFigure 1
  • EP4136992B1 patent drawingFigure 2
  • EP4136992B1 patent drawingFigure 3A~4B

AI summary

Disclosed are a heating assembly (130), an atomizer (100) and an electronic atomization device (10). The heating assembly (130) comprises a preheating part (131) and an atomization part (133) located on the preheating part (131), wherein the preheating part (131) is made of a porous ceramic, moreover, the preheating part (131) is made of a positive temperature coefficient thermosensitive material, and a circuit where the preheating part (131) is located is connected in parallel to a circuit where the atomization part (133) is located.