Wire Harness Member With Apertures And Slits For Heat Not Burn Devices

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Solution Overview

Problem

There is a need for improved design of smoking substitute systems, particularly heat-not-burn (HT) systems, to enhance user experience and functionality, as existing systems may not fully address the reduction of harmful compounds and odour associated with traditional tobacco smoking.

Innovation Solution

A wire harness member with apertures and slits is used to support wires in a smoking substitute device, preventing short circuits and heat transfer, while allowing for easy assembly and sealing, and is integrated with a heater and power source to facilitate efficient heating of aerosol-forming articles.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Reliability

If wires are routed through the device body without a wire harness member, then device complexity is reduced, but reliability deteriorates due to increased risk of short circuits and heat transfer

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveshort circuit preventionVSAvoidwire harness structure
Core Design Contradiction:
ReliabilityVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

A wire harness member is introduced as an intermediary component between the wires and the device housing. This member includes apertures for wire passage and slits that extend to the edge, creating a protective barrier that prevents direct contact between wires and conductive surfaces, thereby preventing short circuits while maintaining organized wire routing.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

Solution Approach 2:

The wire harness member is designed with slits extending to the edge of the body, creating a preliminary protective structure that prevents heat transfer and short circuits before they can occur. The slits allow wires to pass through while the surrounding material provides immediate protection against harmful thermal and electrical contact.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #9Preliminary anti-action

2Reliability

If a wire harness member with slits extending to the edge is used, then reliability improves by preventing short circuits, but ease of manufacture deteriorates due to additional manufacturing steps

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveelectrical isolationVSAvoidwire harness fabrication
Core Design Contradiction:
ReliabilityVSEase of manufacture

Solution Approach 1:

The wire harness member is formed from a flexible material that can be molded or fabricated with precise aperture and slit geometries. By changing the physical parameters of the material and its formation process, the component achieves both electrical isolation functionality and manufacturability through standard flexible circuit or grommet fabrication techniques.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #35Parameter changes

3Object-affected harmful factors

If wires are supported in apertures with slits, then harmful factors are reduced by preventing heat transfer, but device complexity increases due to the wire harness component

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveheat transfer preventionVSAvoidwire support structure
Core Design Contradiction:
Object-affected harmful factorsVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The wire harness member serves as a thermal barrier intermediary between the wires and the device housing. The material of the wire harness member has thermal insulating properties that prevent heat transfer from heating elements to surrounding components, while the aperture and slit design maintains electrical isolation simultaneously.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

Data Source

PatentEP3941258B1Smoking substitute system
Publication Date: 2024.04.24 IMPERIAL TOBACCO LTD
  • EP3941258B1 patent drawingFigure 1A~1B
  • EP3941258B1 patent drawingFigure 2A
  • EP3941258B1 patent drawingFigure 2B

AI summary

A smoking substitute system comprising a heat not burn device and an aerosol forming article is disclosed. The heat not burn device comprises a wire harness member comprising a body, one or more apertures extending through the body, and a slit extending from each aperture of the one or more apertures to an edge of the body, for receipt of a wire of the heat not burn device in the one or more apertures.