Removable Heater Assembly With Calibration Data for Cleanable Aerosol Devices
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing aerosol-generating devices face issues with heater contamination, making cleaning difficult and necessitating device disposal when the heater cannot be adequately cleaned.
Innovation Solution
A removable heater assembly with a data storage device for calibration data, allowing for easy cleaning and replacement, and a connector system for secure attachment to the device, ensuring reliable heating and extended device life.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of manufacture
If a heater assembly is provided in a separate replaceable cartridge, then cleaning and maintenance become easier, but the device complexity increases due to additional components and assembly requirements
Solution Approach 1:
The heater assembly is divided into a separate replaceable cartridge that can be independently removed and cleaned. This segmentation allows the heating element to be accessed and maintained without disassembling the entire vaporizer device, resolving the contradiction by making maintenance easier while the modular design actually reduces overall complexity through standardized interfaces.
Solution Approach 2:
The replaceable cartridge serves multiple functions: it holds the heating element, provides a seal interface with the main body, and acts as a removable container for cleaning. This multi-functionality consolidates several components into one unit, reducing the number of separate parts and thereby reducing device complexity while maintaining ease of maintenance.
2Device complexity
If the heater assembly is made as a single integrated component, then the device complexity is reduced, but cleaning and maintenance become more difficult
Solution Approach 1:
The heater assembly is segmented into a removable cartridge portion that can be separated from the main vaporizer body. This allows users to access the heating element for cleaning by simply removing the cartridge, making maintenance easier without requiring complex disassembly procedures.
Solution Approach 2:
The cartridge acts as an intermediary component between the user and the heating element. By providing this intermediate removable layer, users can easily access and clean the heating element without directly manipulating the integrated heating components, thus easing maintenance while maintaining a relatively simple overall device structure.
3Reliability
If the heater assembly includes a seal interface with the main body, then the reliability of the connection is improved, but the device complexity increases due to additional sealing components
Solution Approach 1:
The seal interface is merged into the cartridge assembly itself, forming an integrated sealing solution that combines the gasket, connector, and housing elements into a single replaceable unit. This merging ensures reliable sealing and connection while actually reducing complexity by eliminating the need for separate sealing components in the main body.
Solution Approach 2:
The cartridge with integrated seal serves multiple functions: it provides the sealing interface, structural connection, and removable mounting for the heating element. This multi-functionality reduces the number of separate components needed, thereby reducing device complexity while maintaining reliable connections through the integrated sealing mechanism.
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
Facilitates easy cleaning and replacement of the heater, extends the device's lifespan, and ensures consistent heating performance by using calibration data to manage power supply effectively.
Implementation Method 1
The heater assembly may comprise a heating element, such as an axial heater, a radial heater, or a coil heater... the heater assembly may be used in an aerosol-generating device to heat a nebulizing fluid to a controlled temperature
Implementation Method 2
The heater assembly may comprise a heating element, such as an axial heater, a radial heater, or a coil heater... designed to heat the nebulizing fluid evenly and efficiently
Data Source
Figure 1~3
Figure 4~5
AI summary
There is provided a removable heater assembly (10) for an aerosol-generating device (200), the removable heater assembly (10) for heating a tobacco plug and comprising an electrical heater (14), a data storage device (26), and data stored on the data storage device (26), the data comprising calibration data for the electrical heater (14). There is also provided an aerosol- generating device (200) comprising the heater assembly (10), a housing (202) defining a cavity (204) for receiving an aerosol-generating article (302) and configured to removably receive the heater assembly (10), a power supply (210), and a controller (212). The controller (212) is configured to receive data from the data storage device (26) of the heater assembly (10) and to control a supply of electrical power from the power supply (210) to the electrical heater (14) of the heater assembly (10) based on the received data.