Sealed Cartridge Piercing Mechanism for E-Cigarette Leakage Prevention

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Solution Overview

Problem

Electronic cigarettes face issues with liquid leakage and environmental exposure during storage and handling due to vibration and temperature variations, leading to potential evaporation and contamination of the nicotine solution.

Innovation Solution

The design separates the electronic cigarette into a cartridge unit with a sealed liquid compartment and a vaporizer unit with a piercer and heater, where the vaporizer unit's movable front engages with the cartridge to pierce the seal only when ready for use, minimizing leakage and exposure during storage and allowing for reusable vaporizer components.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Reliability

If the liquid storage element is sealed during storage, then liquid leakage and environmental exposure are prevented, but the liquid cannot be accessed for vaporization until the seal is pierced

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveprevention of liquid leakage and contaminationVSAvoidstructure with separate sealed cartridge and vaporizer units

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The electronic cigarette is divided into two separate units: a sealed cartridge unit containing the liquid storage element and a separate vaporizer unit. This segmentation allows the liquid to remain protected in the cartridge while the vaporizer components are kept apart, eliminating the need for complex sealing mechanisms within an integrated structure.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

The cartridge unit is pre-sealed during manufacturing to protect the liquid from leakage and environmental exposure during storage and transport. The seal is pierced only when the vaporizer unit is brought into engagement with the cartridge unit, just before use, ensuring the liquid remains protected until needed.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #10Preliminary action

2Ease of repair

If the cartridge and vaporizer are separate units, then the vaporizer can be reused, but the device requires assembly and engagement of multiple components

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvereusability of vaporizer unitVSAvoidassembly and engagement of cartridge and vaporizer

Core Design Contradiction:

Ease of repairVSEase of operation

Solution Approach 1:

The vaporizer unit's front is made movable to engage with the cartridge unit dynamically. The front of the vaporizer unit moves into engagement with the cartridge unit, causing the piercer to pierce the seal automatically during the engagement process, simplifying the user action to a single motion.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #15Dynamics

Solution Approach 2:

The piercing action and the engagement of the vaporizer with the cartridge are combined into a single motion. As the vaporizer unit's front moves into engagement with the cartridge unit, the piercer automatically pierces the seal, merging two functions (piercing and engagement) into one user action.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #5Merging (Combining)

3Productivity

If the seal is pierced during engagement, then liquid access is enabled, but there is a potential risk of leakage during the piercing process

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvequick activation of liquid flowVSAvoidpotential liquid leakage during piercing

Core Design Contradiction:

ProductivityVSObject-affected harmful factors

Solution Approach 1:

The cartridge unit is designed with a closed front end and the liquid storage element is pre-sealed to counteract any potential leakage during the piercing process. The seal prevents liquid from escaping during storage and handling, and the controlled piercing mechanism ensures that liquid access is enabled only when needed.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #9Preliminary anti-action

Solution Approach 2:

The piercer acts as an intermediary element between the vaporizer unit and the sealed cartridge. It is specifically designed to pierce the seal in a controlled manner, enabling liquid access while minimizing the risk of leakage during the transition from sealed to open state.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

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

This design effectively prevents liquid leakage and contamination during storage and handling, extends the storage life of the nicotine solution, and allows for cost-effective reuse of the vaporizer unit while replacing consumable cartridge units as needed.

Implementation Method 1

Electronic cigarettes or vapor inhalers generally use a heater to vaporize liquid nicotine

Methodology Applied

Scientific EffectVaporization: Evaporation

Data Source

PatentEP2840913B1Electronic cigarette with sealed cartridge

Publication Date: 2018.02.14 FONTEM HOLDINGS 1 BV

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AI summary

An electronic cigarette (20) comprises separate cartridge unit (22) and vaporizer unit (24). The cartridge unit (22) may have a cartridge tube (34) containing a liquid with a seal (38) sealing the liquid within the cartridge tube (34). The vaporizer unit (24) may have a piercer (64) and a heater (66), with the front side of the vaporizer unit (24) moveable into engagement with the cartridge unit (22), causing the piercer (64) to pierce the seal (38) in preparation for use of the electronic cigarette (20). A battery may be connected to a back side of the vaporizer unit (24). The vaporizer unit (24) may also have an electronic circuit (62) electrically connected to the heater (66) and to an inhalation sensor (78).