Aerosol-Generating System Using Stable Delivery Enhancer
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
Existing aerosol-generating systems for nicotine delivery face challenges in achieving efficient reaction stoichiometry and consistent nicotine delivery due to differences in vapor concentrations, leading to unfavorable reaction stoichiometry and increased complexity and cost, especially when using volatile delivery enhancing compounds like pyruvic acid.
Innovation Solution
The system employs a delivery enhancing compound source comprising reaction products of alpha-keto carboxylic acids or alpha-hydroxy acids with specific compounds, allowing for in situ generation of nicotine salt particles with improved stability and reduced volatility, enabling heating of both sources to the same temperature for efficient stoichiometry and simplified manufacturing.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If different temperatures are used to heat the nicotine source and pyruvic acid source to balance vapor concentrations, then efficient reaction stoichiometry is achieved, but device complexity and manufacturing cost increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent changes the chemical parameters of the delivery enhancing compound from pyruvic acid to a derivative with lower vapor pressure (such as 2,4-dimethyl-1,3-dioxolane-2-carboxylic acid). This parameter change allows both the nicotine source and delivery enhancing compound source to be heated at the same temperature while maintaining efficient reaction stoichiometry, eliminating the need for complex dual-temperature control systems
Solution Approach 2:
The patent uses a derivative compound that copies the essential functionality of pyruvic acid (delivering nicotine in salt form) but with improved vapor pressure characteristics. The derivative maintains the core mechanism of nicotine delivery while modifying the physical properties to enable simplified single-temperature operation
2Reliability
If pyruvic acid is used as the delivery enhancing compound, then nicotine delivery is achieved, but the compound polymerizes or decomposes over time altering its properties
Solution Approach 1:
The patent employs a more stable derivative compound that resists polymerization and decomposition during storage. While the specific stability mechanism isn't detailed, the choice of derivative (such as 2,4-dimethyl-1,3-dioxolane-2-carboxylic acid) inherently provides longer shelf life and compositional stability compared to pyruvic acid, maintaining consistent nicotine delivery properties over time
Solution Approach 2:
The patent uses a derivative compound that combines the desirable nicotine-delivery properties of pyruvic acid with enhanced stability characteristics. The derivative structure integrates functional groups that maintain reactivity with nicotine while providing greater resistance to degradation during storage
3Reliability
If pyruvic acid source is heated to lower temperature to balance vapor concentration, then reaction stoichiometry improves, but nicotine vapor generation becomes insufficient
Solution Approach 1:
The patent changes the vapor pressure parameter of the delivery enhancing compound by selecting a derivative with lower volatility than pyruvic acid. This allows both nicotine and delivery enhancing compound to be vaporized at the same elevated temperature in sufficient quantities, maintaining stoichiometric balance without compromising nicotine vapor generation
Solution Approach 2:
The patent creates equipotential heating conditions by enabling both the nicotine source and delivery enhancing compound source to be heated to the same temperature. The derivative compound's adjusted vapor pressure characteristics ensure that this single-temperature approach produces sufficient vapor from both sources for efficient reaction
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 approach simplifies the manufacturing process, reduces costs, and ensures consistent nicotine delivery by stabilizing the reaction products and balancing vapor concentrations, thereby improving the efficiency and consistency of nicotine salt particle formation.
Implementation Method 1
heating the nicotine source and the delivery enhancing compound source to different temperatures... heat the nicotine source to a higher temperature than the pyruvic acid source
Implementation Method 2
nicotine and a volatile delivery enhancing compound... are reacted with one another in the gas phase to form an aerosol of nicotine salt particles
Implementation Method 3
heating the nicotine source and the delivery enhancing compound source to substantially the same temperature
Data Source
AI summary
An aerosol-generating system is provided, including a nicotine source; and a delivery enhancing compound source, which includes a reaction product of one or both of:(i) an alpha-keto carboxylic acid and a compound of formula (I)where R1 is selected from alkyl, phenyl, or substituted phenyl, and(ii) an alpha-hydroxy acid and a compound of formula (II)where X is a halogen and R2 is selected from H, alkyl, phenyl, or substituted phenyl.