Segmented Power Supply for Compact Heated Smoking System
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
Existing electrically operated smoking systems are not compact enough to be held like a lit-end cigarette, and they lack efficient power management for maintaining aerosol-forming substrate temperature during smoking.
Innovation Solution
An electrically heated smoking system with a secondary unit containing a heating element, a secondary power supply, and secondary circuitry that connects to a primary power supply for pre-heating and maintaining the aerosol-forming substrate temperature, allowing for compact design and user-friendly operation.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Power
If a single power supply is used in the smoking system, then the system can provide sufficient power for heating, but the device size becomes too large to be held like a lit-end cigarette
Solution Approach 1:
The power supply is divided into two separate units: a primary power supply unit that remains stationary and a secondary power supply unit that is portable and held by the user. This segmentation allows the portable unit to be compact (similar size to a lit-end cigarette) while the stationary unit provides the bulk power capacity needed for heating operations.
2Duration of action of moving object
If the heating element operates continuously to maintain temperature, then the smoking experience is uninterrupted, but the power consumption increases beyond what a compact battery can provide
Solution Approach 1:
The heating element operates in periodic cycles rather than continuously. The control circuit activates the heating element only when the aerosol-forming substrate temperature drops below a threshold, allowing the temperature to be maintained through periodic heating bursts rather than continuous power consumption.
Solution Approach 2:
The system pre-heats the aerosol-forming substrate to the required operating temperature before the user begins smoking. This preliminary action ensures that the substrate is ready for immediate use, reducing the need for continuous heating during the smoking session and thereby conserving battery power.
3Ease of operation
If the secondary unit is made compact for portability, then it can be held like a lit-end cigarette, but the battery capacity becomes insufficient for prolonged smoking sessions
Solution Approach 1:
The power supply system is segmented into a compact secondary unit for portability and a larger primary unit for extended power capacity. The secondary unit contains a smaller battery optimized for portability, while the primary unit provides additional power capacity that can replenish the secondary unit when needed.
Solution Approach 2:
The system maintains continuous availability of power through the combination of the secondary unit's battery and the primary unit's power source. When the secondary unit's battery begins to deplete, the system can automatically or manually switch to drawing power from the primary unit, ensuring uninterrupted smoking sessions.
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 system achieves a compact size similar to a lit-end cigarette while maintaining aerosol-forming substrate temperature efficiently, enabling prolonged smoking sessions with minimal disruption.
Implementation Method 1
at least one heating element... during a pre-heating mode, the temperature of the aerosol-forming substrate is increased to an operating temperature
Implementation Method 2
a secondary power supply for supplying electrical power to the at least one heating element... to control supply of electrical power from the secondary power supply to the at least one heating element in a smoking mode
Data Source
AI summary
An electrically heated smoking system is provided, including a secondary unit configured to receive a smoking article having an aerosol-forming substrate. The secondary unit includes at least one heating element, an interface configured to connect to a primary power supply, a secondary power supply, and secondary circuitry. The secondary circuitry is configured to control supply of electrical power from the secondary supply to the heating element (a) in a pre-heating mode, during which a substrate temperature is increased to an operating temperature, and (b) in a smoking mode, during which a substrate temperature is maintained at substantially the operating temperature; and to control charging of the secondary supply by the primary supply in a charging mode, to have sufficient charge to increase a substrate temperature to the operating temperature in the pre-heating mode and to maintain the substrate temperature at substantially the operating temperature during the smoking mode.