Filamentary Wick Support Plate for E-Vaping Electrical Connection
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing electronic smoking articles face challenges in efficiently delivering and volatilizing liquid aerosol formulations to form aerosols, particularly in creating a stable and efficient electrical connection between the heater and power supply.
Innovation Solution
The electronic smoking article incorporates a support plate with a conductive circuit and pins to securely support and electrically connect a filamentary wick and heater, allowing for effective voltage application across the heater to volatilize the liquid aerosol formulation, with configurations including coil heaters and various wick shapes.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If a support plate with pins and printed circuit elements is used to connect the heater to the power supply, then the electrical connection stability is improved, but the device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The support plate merges multiple functions into a single component: it provides mechanical support for the heater and wick, establishes electrical connections through integrated pins and printed circuit elements, and maintains spatial relationships between components. This consolidation improves electrical connection stability while avoiding the need for separate mounting structures and wiring harnesses.
Solution Approach 2:
The support plate acts as an intermediary component between the power supply and the heater element. It provides a stable electrical interface through its pin and printed circuit element configuration, ensuring reliable power delivery while isolating the complexity of the connection system from both the power supply and heater components.
2Productivity
If the heater is positioned upstream or downstream of the reservoir with flexible wick configurations, then the aerosol formation efficiency is improved, but the manufacturing precision requirements increase
Solution Approach 1:
The wick is configured as a flexible element that can adapt its shape (T-shape, U-shape, or other configurations) to optimize liquid delivery to the heater. This flexibility allows the system to accommodate variations in assembly while maintaining effective liquid transport, improving aerosol formation efficiency without requiring extremely tight manufacturing tolerances.
Solution Approach 2:
The heater and wick assembly is designed with specific local configurations (such as the wick extending into the reservoir and positioning relative to the heater element) that optimize performance at critical locations. This allows efficient aerosol formation through targeted design features rather than requiring high precision across the entire component.
3Use of energy by moving object
If a coil heater wrapped about the filamentary wick is used, then the volatilization efficiency is improved, but the device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The coil heater is wrapped around the filamentary wick, creating a nested configuration where one component (heater) envelops another (wick). This nesting arrangement maximizes the surface area contact between the heating element and the liquid-delivering wick, significantly improving volatilization efficiency. The compact nested structure also avoids the need for separate mounting arrangements, offsetting the increased configurational complexity.
Solution Approach 2:
The system combines different material properties effectively: the filamentary wick material is selected for capillary action and liquid transport, while the coil heater material provides efficient resistive heating. This composite approach optimizes energy conversion and heat transfer, improving volatilization efficiency through material synergy rather than complex mechanical arrangements.
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 configuration ensures reliable aerosol production by maintaining a stable electrical connection, enhancing the efficiency of aerosol formation and delivery, and allowing for a compact and user-friendly design.
Implementation Method 1
at least one heater operable to at least partially volatilize the liquid aerosol formulation and form an aerosol
Implementation Method 2
a support plate operable to support the at least one heater and the filamentary wick and to form an electrical connection between the at least one heater and the power supply. The support plate includes a conductive circuit printed thereon
Implementation Method 3
at least one filamentary wick operable to transfer the liquid aerosol formulation
Data Source
Figure 1~3
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Figure 7~8
AI summary
The e-vaping section and the e-vaping device include at least one first wick configured to transfer a pre-vapor formulation, the at least one first wick being a filamentary wick that is U-shaped with opposing ends each extending into a reservoir. At least one first heater is operable upon at least one portion of the at least one first wick to at least partially volatilize the pre-vapor formulation and form a vapor. A support plate is operable to support the at least one first heater and at least partially support the at least one first wick, the support plate being operable to form an electrical connection between the at least one first heater and a power supply.