Reservoir Moveable Component Prevents Aerosol Refill Misuse

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Solution Overview

Problem

Existing aerosol provision systems, such as e-cigarettes, face challenges in ensuring that refillable articles are filled with suitable aerosol-generating material, as users may inadvertently or maliciously refill them with unsuitable materials, potentially causing damage or harm.

Innovation Solution

A reservoir system designed for refilling aerosol provision system articles, featuring a reservoir body with a moveable component that interacts with an internal surface to prevent refilling once the aerosol-generating material has been depleted, ensuring that only the original material is used.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Adaptability or versatility

If the article is made refillable, then the user can reuse the article with different aerosol-generating material, but the risk of misuse or abuse increases since it is easier to refill with unsuitable materials

Engineering Contradiction:

ImproverefillabilityVSAvoidmisuse or abuse

Core Design Contradiction:

Adaptability or versatilityVSObject-affected harmful factors

Solution Approach 1:

The reservoir incorporates a moveable component with a ridge that proactively prevents refilling by blocking the refilling path. This preliminary anti-action stops the harmful effect (misuse with unsuitable materials) before it can occur, while still allowing legitimate refilling operations to proceed normally.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #9Preliminary anti-action

Solution Approach 2:

The moveable component acts as an intermediary element between the reservoir body and the refilling process. It mediates the interaction by allowing controlled material transfer while blocking unauthorized refilling, thus managing the contradiction between refillability and misuse prevention.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

2Reliability

If a moveable component is added to prevent refilling, then the safety against misuse is improved, but the device complexity increases

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveprevention of misuseVSAvoidreservoir structure

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The reservoir employs a dynamic moveable component that changes position based on the refilling state. This dynamic element provides the necessary safety function while maintaining relatively simple structure, as the component's movement is driven by the refilling process itself rather than requiring complex actuation mechanisms.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #15Dynamics

Data Source

PatentUS20250194675A1Reservoir for refilling an article of an aerosol provision system

Publication Date: 2025.06.19 NICOVENTURES TRADING LTD

AI summary

A reservoir for refilling an article of an aerosol provision system includes a reservoir body configured to store aerosol-generating material, and a moveable component within the reservoir body. The moveable component is configured to move within the reservoir body as aerosol generating material is transferred from the reservoir. The moveable component co-operates with an internal surface of the reservoir body to prevent the reservoir from being refilled with aerosol-generating material.