Surface Acoustic Wave Atomization for Combustion-Free Aerosol Delivery
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing aerosol delivery devices lack enhanced functionality and fail to effectively replicate the sensations of smoking without significant combustion or pyrolysis, while also providing a means for delivering inhalable substances like flavors and medicinal components.
Innovation Solution
An aerosol delivery device with a housing, power source, control component, reservoir, and atomization assembly using a piezoelectric component with an interdigital transducer to generate surface acoustic waves for vaporizing a liquid composition, combined with a liquid transport element featuring fibrous materials and perforated disks for efficient aerosol production.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Object-affected harmful factors
If traditional combustion methods are used to deliver inhalable substances, then the sensation of smoking is replicated, but harmful combustion and pyrolysis products are generated
Solution Approach 1:
The patent replaces the thermal combustion system with a surface acoustic wave (SAW) based atomization system. The interdigital transducer generates SAWs that mechanically disrupt liquid composition to form aerosols, eliminating the need for combustion while delivering inhalable substances. This substitution resolves the contradiction by removing harmful combustion products while maintaining aerosol delivery functionality.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent changes the physical state and delivery parameters from combustion-based thermal processing to acoustic wave-based atomization. By using SAWs to vaporize and aerosolize the liquid composition at lower temperatures, the system delivers inhalable substances without generating combustion byproducts, thus resolving the harmful factors while preserving the desired sensory experience.
2Productivity
If surface acoustic waves are used to vaporize liquid composition, then aerosol production efficiency is improved, but device complexity increases due to piezoelectric components
Solution Approach 1:
The piezoelectric component serves multiple functions: it generates surface acoustic waves for atomization, and the same component structure can be integrated with existing aerosol delivery architectures. The interdigital transducer design allows a single component to perform both the acoustic wave generation and the aerosol formation functions, reducing overall system complexity despite the advanced technology used.
3Productivity
If fibrous materials with multi-lobal cross-section are used in liquid transport element, then liquid transport efficiency is improved, but manufacturing precision requirements increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent employs fibrous materials with controlled porosity and multi-lobal cross-sections in the liquid transport element. These porous fibrous structures facilitate capillary action and efficient liquid transport to the atomization zone. The multi-lobal geometry increases surface area and transport pathways, improving liquid delivery efficiency while the porous nature allows for manufacturing through established fibrous material fabrication techniques.
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 device efficiently produces inhalable aerosols that mimic smoking sensations without combustion, delivering flavors and medicinal components in a form suitable for human consumption, enhancing user experience and functionality.
Implementation Method 1
a piezoelectric component that includes an interdigital transducer configured to generate surface acoustic waves that vaporize the portion of the liquid composition to generate an aerosol
Implementation Method 2
the atomization assembly is configured to be controlled by the control component and comprises a piezoelectric component
Implementation Method 3
the liquid transport element comprises one or more of a fibrous material that includes fibers having a multi-lobal cross-section
Data Source
AI summary
The present disclosure provides an aerosol delivery device and a liquid delivery and atomization assembly for use with an aerosol delivery device. In one implementation, the liquid delivery and atomization assembly may comprise a liquid composition, an atomization assembly, and a liquid transport element configured to transport at least a portion of the liquid composition to the atomization assembly. The atomization assembly may comprise a piezoelectric component that includes an interdigital transducer configured to generate surface acoustic waves that vaporize the portion of the liquid composition to generate an aerosol. The liquid transport element may comprise one or more of a fibrous material that includes fibers having a multi-lobal cross-section, a perforated disk, or a combination thereof. The perforated disk may include a plurality of openings and a plurality of microchannels that extend from a periphery of the disk to the plurality of openings.