Pulp-Based Cup Member for Flavor Inhaler
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional cup members for flavor inhalers made of heat conduction materials are heavy and costly, necessitating a solution for weight reduction and cost reduction while maintaining performance.
Innovation Solution
A cup member made of a material comprising pulp, a binder, and metal soap, which is integrally molded to form a cup shape with specific structural features for holding a flavor source, including a side wall, bottom plate, and ribs, providing improved heat resistance and aerosol delivery efficiency.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If a cup member is made of heat conduction material such as metal, then heat resistance and aerosol delivery are maintained, but weight and production cost increase
Solution Approach 1:
The cup member is made from a composite material comprising pulp fibers, binder, and metal soap. The pulp provides structural framework, the binder holds fibers together, and the metal soap (such as calcium stearate or zinc stearate) imparts heat resistance and prevents deformation. This composite approach achieves the thermal stability of metal while maintaining the weight advantages of organic materials.
2Reliability
If a cup member is made of heat conduction material such as metal, then heat resistance and aerosol delivery are maintained, but production cost increases
Solution Approach 1:
The invention employs inexpensive, readily available materials (pulp, binder, and metal soap) that can be processed through simple molding techniques. This disposable cup member design eliminates the need for expensive metal manufacturing processes while achieving adequate performance for single-use flavor inhalers, thereby significantly reducing production costs.
3Weight of moving object
If a pulp-based material is used for the cup member, then weight and cost are reduced, but heat resistance and structural stability deteriorate
Solution Approach 1:
The cup member utilizes a composite formulation where pulp fibers provide the basic structure, binder maintains fiber cohesion, and metal soap (1-10% by weight) specifically enhances heat resistance and prevents softening. This synergistic combination maintains structural integrity at elevated temperatures while preserving the lightweight characteristics of pulp-based materials.
Solution Approach 2:
The invention optimizes the composition parameters by controlling the ratios of pulp, binder, and metal soap content. By adjusting these parameters—specifically incorporating 1-10% metal soap by weight—the material achieves sufficient heat resistance and structural stability for its intended application while maintaining low weight.
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 use of a pulp-based cup member with metal soap and binder reduces the weight and production cost of flavor inhalers while maintaining performance and preventing softening or deformation from aerosol adsorption, ensuring efficient aerosol delivery and heat resistance.
Implementation Method 1
it can be expected that the presence of the metal soap in the material of the cup member prevents softening or deforming of the cup member which could be caused by the adsorption of aerosol generated from the flavor source to the cup member
Data Source
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AI summary
The purpose of the present invention is to provide a technique which, while avoiding excessive conduction of heat to the flavor source, reduces variance of heat conduction, and which makes it possible to reduce the weight and the cost of the flavor inhaler. This purpose is met by a cup-shape cup member which holds the flavor source and has a side wall and a bottom plate, wherein at least the side wall and the bottom plate of the cup member are made from a material containing pulp, a binder and a metal soap.