Segmented Smokable Material Heating for Custom Inhalable Aerosols
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing smoking alternatives, such as heat-not-burn products and e-cigarettes, do not effectively replicate the flavor profiles and user experience of traditional smoking methods, and there is a need for a more efficient and safe method to volatilize smokable materials without burning.
Innovation Solution
An article and apparatus combination using an irradiative light source to selectively heat different regions of smokable material, allowing for the generation of inhalable mediums with varying flavors and compositions, utilizing a removable layer of smokable material and control circuitry to manage light direction and sequence.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Object-affected harmful factors
If heat-not-burn products are used to release compounds without burning tobacco, then health safety is improved by avoiding combustion, but flavor variety is limited due to uniform heating requirements
Solution Approach 1:
The smokable material is divided into multiple discrete regions (first region, second region, third region) with different compositions and flavors. Each region can be independently heated by the light source to deliver different flavor profiles, resolving the contradiction between avoiding combustion and providing flavor variety.
Solution Approach 2:
Different regions of the smokable material are assigned different local qualities (compositions and flavors). The first region contains one composition, the second region contains another composition, and the third region contains a third composition, allowing selective heating to provide varied flavors without burning.
2Object-affected harmful factors
If e-cigarettes vaporize liquid to provide alternative to burning tobacco, then combustion is avoided, but the smoking experience is not effectively replicated
Solution Approach 1:
The invention replaces the liquid vaporization mechanism of e-cigarettes with a solid smokable material heating mechanism using an irradiative light source. This substitution allows the material to be heated to a temperature sufficient for volatilization but controlled to prevent combustion, thereby replicating the smoking experience more effectively while avoiding combustion.
3Adaptability or versatility
If multiple regions with different compositions are heated selectively, then flavor customization is improved, but device complexity increases due to need for selective heating control
Solution Approach 1:
The system employs dynamic control of the irradiative light source to selectively heat different regions of the smokable material. The light source can be directed to different regions (first, second, or third region) depending on the desired flavor profile, providing adaptability without requiring multiple static heating elements.
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
Enables the creation of inhalable aerosols with customizable flavor profiles and efficient volatilization of smokable materials, ensuring safety and ease of use by preventing accidental disengagement during heating.
Implementation Method 1
heating a smokable material to volatilise at least one component of the smokable material, wherein the smokable material is a layer on at least one surface of the article
Implementation Method 2
heating a smokable material to volatilise at least one component of the smokable material
Data Source
Figure 1~10B
Figure 2
Figure 3
AI summary
An article (110) for generating an inhalable medium using an irradiative light source (122). The article (110) comprises smokable material (112) comprising at least two regions having a different composition from each other. The article (110) being arranged such that the at least two regions of smokable material (112) can be heated by light emitted by an irradiative light source (122) of an apparatus (120) with which the article (110) can be engaged in use.