CN220458602U - Gas mist generating device and heater for gas mist generating device - Google Patents

Abstract

The present application proposes an aerosol-generating device and a heater for an aerosol-generating device; wherein the aerosol-generating device comprises: a heater comprising opposed free front and rear ends, and: a heating portion extending at least partially between the free front end and the distal end for insertion into an aerosol-generating article for heating; the heating portion includes a first section, a second section, and a third section arranged in order in the longitudinal direction; the first section and the second section are tapered in shape, and the apex angle of the first section is greater than the apex angle of the second section; the third section is columnar in shape; a flange coupled to the third section; the aerosol-generating device provides retention to the heater by the flange. The above aerosol-generating device, wherein the substrate of the aerosol-generating article is prevented from adhering and depositing on the heater surface by the conical side surfaces of the first section and the second section of the heating portion, and wherein a flange is disposed on the columnar third section to retain the heater within the aerosol-generating device.

Description

Gas mist generating device and heater for gas mist generating device

Technical Field

Embodiments of the present application relate to the field of heating non-combustion aerosol generation technology, and in particular, to an aerosol generating device and a heater for the aerosol generating device.

Background

Smoking articles (e.g., cigarettes, cigars, etc.) burn tobacco during use to produce tobacco smoke. Attempts have been made to replace these tobacco-burning products by making products that release the compounds without burning.

An example of such a product is a heating device that releases a compound by heating rather than burning a material. For example, the material may be tobacco or other non-tobacco products that may or may not contain nicotine. Known heating devices, which heat by insertion of a needle heater into tobacco or other non-tobacco products; the front end of the needle-shaped heater for insertion is in a tapered tip shape to facilitate insertion; when the tobacco or other non-tobacco product is removed after the heat-up puff is completed, organic residue or condensate within the tobacco or other non-tobacco product promotes adhesion to the heater surface, resulting in contamination of the heater surface with residue deposits after removal of the tobacco or other non-tobacco product.

Disclosure of Invention

One embodiment of the present application provides an aerosol-generating device configured to heat an aerosol-generating article to generate an aerosol; comprising the following steps:

a heater for heating the aerosol-generating article; the heater includes opposed free front and ends, and:

a heating portion extending at least partially between the free front end and the distal end for insertion into an aerosol-generating article for heating; the heating portion includes a first section, a second section, and a third section arranged in order in a longitudinal direction; wherein the first section is proximate the free front end and the third section is proximate the end; and the first section and the second section are tapered in shape, and a vertex angle of the first section is greater than a vertex angle of the second section; the third section is columnar in shape;

a flange at least partially surrounding or bonded to the third section; the aerosol-generating device provides retention of the heater by the flange.

In some embodiments, the apex angle of the second section is between 1.5 ° and 8 °.

In some embodiments, the apex angle of the first section is between 10 ° and 45 °.

In some embodiments, the apex angle of the first section is greater than three times the apex angle of the second section.

In some embodiments, the second section has a length that is greater than a length of the third section, which is greater than a length of the first section.

In some embodiments, the heated portion has a surface finish grade greater than 8.

In some embodiments, the heating portion comprises:

a housing extending at least partially between the free front end and the terminal end and defining the first, second and third sections by the housing;

the heating coil is positioned in the shell and avoids the first section.

In some embodiments, further comprising:

a heat conducting medium is located between the heating coil and the housing for providing heat conduction therebetween.

In some embodiments, the flange is molded around a portion of the third section from a moldable material, thereby being coupled to the third section.

In some embodiments, the heating portion comprises:

a housing extending between the free front end and the terminal end and defining the first, second and third sections therewith; a cavity is formed in the shell;

a heating coil disposed in the cavity of the housing and having a gap with the housing; a gap between a portion of the heating coil and the housing gradually increases in a direction away from the free front end;

and a heat-conducting medium filling a gap between the heating coil and the housing.

Yet another embodiment of the present application also proposes a heater for an aerosol-generating device comprising opposed free front and rear ends, and:

a heating portion extending at least partially between the free front end and the distal end for insertion into an aerosol-generating article for heating; the heating portion includes a first section, a second section, and a third section arranged in order in a longitudinal direction; wherein the first section is proximate the free front end and the third section is proximate the end; and the first section and the second section are tapered in shape, and a vertex angle of the first section is greater than a vertex angle of the second section; the third section is columnar in shape;

a flange at least partially surrounding or bonded to the third section.

The above aerosol-generating device, wherein the substrate of the aerosol-generating article is prevented from adhering and depositing on the heater surface by the conical side surfaces of the first section and the second section of the heating portion, and wherein a flange is disposed on the columnar third section to retain the heater within the aerosol-generating device.

Drawings

One or more embodiments are illustrated by way of example and not limitation in the figures of the accompanying drawings, in which like references indicate similar elements, and in which the figures of the drawings are not to be taken in a limiting sense, unless otherwise indicated.

FIG. 1 is a schematic diagram of an aerosol-generating device according to an embodiment;

FIG. 2 is a schematic cross-sectional view of the heater of FIG. 1 from one perspective;

FIG. 3 is a schematic view of the heater of FIG. 2 from another perspective;

fig. 4 is a schematic cross-sectional view of a heater according to yet another embodiment from one perspective.

Detailed Description

In order to facilitate an understanding of the present application, the present application will be described in more detail below with reference to the accompanying drawings and detailed description.

An embodiment of the present application proposes an aerosol-generating device, the configuration of which may be seen in fig. 1, comprising:

a chamber having an opening 40; in use, the aerosol-generating article 1000 is removably receivable within the chamber through the opening 40 of the chamber;

a heater 30 extending at least partially within the chamber, inserted into the aerosol-generating article 1000 when the aerosol-generating article 1000 is received within the chamber, for heating, such that the aerosol-generating article 1000 releases a plurality of volatile compounds, and such volatile compounds are formed by a heat treatment alone;

a battery cell 10 for supplying power;

a circuit 20 for conducting current between the cell 10 and the heater 30.

In a preferred embodiment, the DC supply voltage provided by the battery cell 10 is in the range of about 2.5V to about 9.0V, and the amperage of the DC current that the battery cell 10 can provide is in the range of about 2.5A to about 20A.

In a preferred embodiment, the heater 30 is generally in the shape of a pin or rod or column or sheet or plate, which is further advantageous for insertion into the aerosol-generating article 1000; meanwhile, the heater 30 may have a length of about 12 to 20mm and an outer diameter size of about 2 to 4 mm.

Further in an alternative implementation, the aerosol-generating article 1000 preferably employs tobacco-containing materials that release volatile compounds from a matrix upon heating; or may be a non-tobacco material capable of being heated and thereafter adapted for electrical heating for smoking. The aerosol-generating article 1000 preferably employs a solid matrix, which may comprise one or more of powders, granules, shredded strips, ribbons or flakes of one or more of vanilla leaves, tobacco leaves, homogenized tobacco, expanded tobacco; alternatively, the solid substrate may contain additional volatile flavour compounds, either tobacco or non-tobacco, to be released when the substrate is heated.

In practice, heater 30 may generally include a resistive heating element, an auxiliary substrate to assist in resistive heating element fixation preparation, and the like. For example, in some implementations, the resistive heating element is in the shape or form of a helical coil. Or in yet other implementations, the resistive heating element is in the form of a conductive trace bonded to the substrate. Or in yet other implementations the resistive heating element is in the shape of a sheet.

Or in still other alternative embodiments, the heater 30 is an electromagnetic induction heater that is capable of being penetrated by a varying magnetic field to generate heat. Or in still other variations, the heater 30 is an infrared heater that generates an aerosol by radiating infrared light toward the aerosol-generating article 1000 to heat the aerosol-generating article 1000.

FIGS. 2 and 3 show schematic views of a heater 30 of one embodiment; the heater 30 of this embodiment includes a free front end 310 and a rear end 320 opposite in the longitudinal direction; wherein the free front end 310 is tapered tip for insertion into the aerosol-generating article 1000; specifically, the heater 30 includes:

a housing 31 configured in the shape of a pin or a needle or a column or a bar; and the opposite ends of the housing 31 in the longitudinal direction define a free front end 310 and a rear end 320, respectively, forming the heater 30; and, a cavity 314 is provided in the housing 31 extending between the free front end 310 and the distal end 320. Wherein cavity 314 forms an opening or mouth at end 320 to facilitate assembly of the functional components therein.

In some embodiments, the housing 31 is thermally conductive; the housing 31 is made of a heat conductive material, and may be made of ceramics such as alumina ceramics, zirconia ceramics, or glass, or may be made of metals or alloys such as iron-aluminum alloys, stainless steel, or the like. In some alternative embodiments, the housing 31 comprises a metal or alloy having a thermal conductivity greater than at least 20W/m.k, such as stainless steel or aluminum alloy, titanium alloy, or the like.

In some embodiments, a surface protective coating is also formed on the surface of the housing 31 by spraying or deposition or the like for forming a protection on the surface of the housing 31 to prevent or reduce adhesion of residues or aerosol condensate originating from the aerosol-generating article 1000 to the surface of the housing 31. In some specific embodiments, the surface protective coating may include a glass glaze layer, a ceramic film, and the like.

In this embodiment, the cavity 314 of the housing 31 is provided with:

a heating element 32, such as a helical solenoid coil;

and, a conductive pin 331 and a conductive pin 332 respectively connected to two ends of the heating element 32 for supplying power to the heating element 32; conductive pin 331 and conductive pin 332 extend at least partially from within cavity 314 to outside of end 320, which is advantageous for connection to circuit 20. And, the conductive pin 331 is connected with the upper end of the heating element 32 by welding or the like, and penetrates the heating element 32 to the outside of the tail end 320; the conductive pins 332 are directly connected to the lower end of the heating element 32 by soldering or the like. Conductive pin 331 and conductive pin 332 have diameters of approximately 0.1-0.5 mm. Or in some specific embodiments conductive pins 331 and 332 have a diameter of 0.3 mm.

In practice, the heating portion for insertion into the aerosol-generating article 1000 for heating is constituted by the housing 31 and the heating element 32 held within the housing 31. In use, the heating element 32 is used to generate resistive joule heat and the housing 31 heats up by receiving heat from the heating element 32, which in turn heats the aerosol-generating article 1000. And in some embodiments the gap between the heating element 32 of the spiral coil and the housing 31 is filled with a heat conducting medium for enhancing their heat conduction. The heat-conducting medium may generally include at least one of water glass cement, heat-conducting inorganic powder or curable paste, heat-conducting glaze or curable paste, diamond powder or curable paste, heat-conducting oxide powder or curable paste, and the like.

Or in yet other variations, the heating portion for insertion into the aerosol-generating article 1000 for heating is defined by a rod-shaped heating element; for example, the heating element may further comprise: a rod-like electrically insulating substrate such as ceramic, polymer, etc., and a resistive heating track formed or bonded to the electrically insulating substrate, etc.

In some implementations, the housing 31 has a length of about 12-20 mm, an outer diameter of 2.0-2.8 mm, and a wall thickness of about 0.1-0.3 mm; the inner diameter of the cavity 314 of the housing 31 is about 1.5-2.1 mm and the length of the cavity 314 is about 12-18 mm.

In an alternative implementation, the heating element 32 is made of a metallic material, a metallic alloy, graphite, carbon, a conductive ceramic, or a composite of other ceramic and metallic materials with suitable resistance. Suitable metals or alloy materials include at least one of nickel, cobalt, zirconium, titanium, nickel alloys, cobalt alloys, zirconium alloys, titanium alloys, nichrome, nickel-iron alloys, iron-chromium-aluminum alloys, iron-manganese-aluminum alloys, or stainless steel, among others. Of course, after assembly, the heating element 32 and the inner wall of the cavity 314 of the housing 31 are insulated from each other. And in use, the housing 31 heats the aerosol-generating article 1000 by receiving or transmitting heat from the heating element 32.

And in some embodiments, conductive pin 331 and/or conductive pin 332 have a diameter of approximately 0.1-0.5 mm; and conductive pin 331 and/or conductive pin 332 have a length of about 20-40 mm. And, conductive pin 331 and/or conductive pin 332 are made from a low resistivity metal or alloy, such as gold, silver, copper, or alloys containing the same; or in yet other embodiments conductive pin 331 and/or conductive pin 332 is a copper wire or copper wire with a plating such as a nickel layer on the surface. Or in still other embodiments conductive pins 331 and/or 332 may also be sprayed or coated with an insulating layer, such as a ceramic layer, a glaze layer, an organic layer, etc., to advantage for insulation. For example, in some embodiments, it may be advantageous to provide insulation by having conductive pins 331 and/or 332 sheathed with an insulating tube of teflon.

And, the heating element 32 is not in contact with the aerosol-generating article 1000.

According to the embodiment shown in fig. 2 and 3, the cross-sectional shape of the wire material of the heating element 32 configured in the form of a solenoid coil is a shape other than a conventional circular shape. In the embodiment shown in fig. 2 and 4, the cross-section of the wire material of the heating element 32 has a dimension extending in the axial direction that is greater than a dimension extending in the radial direction perpendicular to the axial direction, so that the cross-section of the wire material of the heating element 32 takes on a flat rectangular shape.

Briefly, the heating element 32 of the above construction is in the form of a wire material that is completely or at least flattened in comparison to a conventional helical heating coil formed from a circular cross-section wire. Thus, the wire material extends in the radial direction to a lesser extent. By this measure, the energy loss in the heating element 32 can be reduced. In particular, the transfer of heat generated by the heating element 32 radially towards the housing 31 may be facilitated.

Or in still other variations, the wire material of the heating element 32 may be circular in cross-section.

Referring to fig. 2 and 3, the heater 30 further includes:

a flange 34 at least partially surrounding or bonded to the housing 31; the flange 34 is disposed substantially adjacent the end 320 and the aerosol-generating device allows the heater 30 to be stably mounted and secured within the device by clamping or retaining the flange 34. Or in still other embodiments, the flange 34 is closer to the end 320 than the heating element 32; or in still other embodiments, the flange 34 is offset from the resistive heating coil 32 along the length of the heater 30; or in still other embodiments, the flange 34 is spaced more than 1mm from the heating element 32 along the length of the heater 30.

As shown in fig. 2 and 3, the flange 34 has a non-centrosymmetric shape. In an embodiment, flange 34 has an approximately D-shape. The flange 34 has an asymmetry that rotates 180 ° around the central axis of the housing 31.

As shown in fig. 2 and 3, a portion of the housing 31 is configured in a conical shape; specifically, the housing 31 includes, in order along the longitudinal direction: a first section 311, a second section 312, and a third section 313; wherein the first section 311 is adjacent to and defines the free front end 310 and the third section 313 is adjacent to and defines the end 320.

Wherein the first section 311 has a length of about 1-4 mm; the second section 312 has a length of about 8-12 mm; the third section 313 has a length of about 3-6 mm. The second section 312 has a length greater than the length of the third section 313, and the third section 313 has a length greater than the length of the first section 311.

As shown in fig. 2 and 3, the first section 311 and the second section 312 are configured to be conical in shape; specifically, the outer diameters of the first section 311 and the second section 312 increase in a direction away from the free front end 310, such that the first section 311 and the second section 312 have a conical profile. And, the third section 313 is a cylindrical shape with a constant outer diameter.

In more detail, the housing 31 having the conical first section 311 and the second section 312 allows for easy insertion when the heater 30 is inserted into the aerosol-generating article 1000, because less friction occurs on the conical side surface when the heater 30 is inserted and pushed into the aerosol-generating article 1000, thereby reducing the friction of the outer surface of the housing 31 with the aerosol-generating article 1000. And when the aerosol-generating article 1000 is removed from the heater 30, is advantageous for preventing adhesion and deposition of a substrate within the aerosol-generating article 1000 to the surface of the heater 30.

In use, the first section 311 and the second section 312 are for insertion into the aerosol-generating article 1000 for heating; the third section 313 provides for the assembly of the heater 30. The flange 34 surrounds and is coupled to the third section 313 for holding or securing the heater 30. In some embodiments, flange 34 is molded around housing 31 from a moldable material that is heat resistant. Moldable materials are made from materials such as organic polymers, for example PEEK or ceramics. The molding may be in-mold injection molding or the like. Or in yet other conventional embodiments, the flange 34 is separately prepared and then joined to the third section 313 of the housing 31 by riveting, threading, mechanical connection, or the like.

As shown in fig. 2 and 3, the first section 311 has a vertex angle α of about 10 ° to 45 °; wherein the apex angle α of the first section 311 is the angle between the outer side surface of the first section 311 and its central axis. And, the second section 312 has a top angle β of about 1.5 ° to 8 °; the apex angle β of the second section 312 is the angle between the outer surface of the second section 312 and its central axis.

As shown in fig. 2 and 3, the first section 311 has a vertex angle α that is greater than a vertex angle β of the second section 312, or the first section 311 has a greater taper than the second section 312. And the apex angle a of the first section 311 is greater than three times the apex angle β of the second section 312, which is more advantageous for insertion.

According to the figures 2 and 3, the shape of the portions of the cavity 314 inside the first section 311 and the second section 312 is adapted to the shape of the first section 311 and the second section 312.

Accordingly, in the illustration of fig. 2, the heating element 32 of the spiral coil is substantially clear of the first section 311 to avoid compression deformation or damage, etc. of the assembly of the heating element 32 of the spiral coil into the first section 311.

Accordingly, in the illustration of fig. 2, the portion of the heating element 32 of the spiral coil within the second section 312 may also be substantially conical in shape; the outer diameter of the portion of the heating element 32 of the spiral coil located in the second section 312 is gradually changing, in particular increasing in a direction away from the free front end 310. So that the outer diameter shape of the heating element 32 of the spiral coil substantially matches the shape of the second section 312, is advantageous for assembly. And after assembly, the gap between the heating element 32 of the spiral coil and the second section 312 is filled with a heat conducting medium.

Or fig. 4 shows a schematic view of a heater 30a of yet another embodiment for facilitating mass production, in which the heater 30a includes:

a housing 31a having opposed free front and rear ends 310a, 320a, and a cavity 314a extending between the free front and rear ends 310a, 320 a; the housing 31a includes a first section 311a, a second section 312a, and a third section 313a arranged in this order; the first section 311a and the second section 312a are tapered in shape and have different tapers; and flange 34a surrounds and is bonded to third section 313a;

a heating element 32a of the spiral coil is positioned within the cavity 314a; and in this embodiment the outer diameter r3 of the heating element 32a is constant, there is a greater advantage in mass production than if a tapered heating element 32 is prepared. Accordingly, the gap between the heating element 32a and the housing 31a is varied in the longitudinal direction after assembly. For example, in fig. 4, the gap between the heating element 32a and the housing 31a, where the outer diameter r3 is constant, is gradually increasing in a direction away from the free front end 310 a. And after assembly, the gap between them is filled with a heat-conducting medium.

In some embodiments, the surface of the shell 31/31a of a machined metal or alloy material, such as stainless steel, has a higher finish grade, thereby preventing or inhibiting adhesion or deposition of organics, such as herbal crop residues or aerosol condensate, etc., originating from the aerosol-generating article 1000, on the surface of the shell 31/31 a. In some embodiments, the surface finish of the housing 31/31a is greater than grade 8; wherein the term "surface finish" is a physical term that characterizes the roughness of the surface of the device, expressed in terms of Ra in μm; a higher surface finish grade corresponds to a lower roughness, indicating a better surface quality. For example, surface finish grade 8 = Ra 0.8 μm, surface finish grade 9 = Ra 0.4 μm, surface finish grade 10 = Ra 0.2 μm, and so on.

Or in still other variations, the heater includes:

needle-like substrates, for example, made of ceramic materials; the substrate is for insertion into the aerosol-generating article 1000 for heating;

and by printing, depositing or forming resistive heating tracks or coatings or films on the substrate, etc.

Wherein the needle-like substrate comprises a first section, a second section and a third section arranged in sequence in the longitudinal direction between the free front end and the terminal end; wherein the first and second sections are tapered in shape, e.g. the first section has a top angle α as described above, and the second section has a top angle β; and the third section is a cylindrical shape with a constant outer diameter and surrounds or incorporates a flange for mounting and securing the heater within the aerosol-generating device.

It should be noted that the description and drawings of the present application show preferred embodiments of the present application, but are not limited to the embodiments described in the present application, and further, those skilled in the art can make modifications or changes according to the above description, and all such modifications and changes should fall within the scope of the appended claims.

Claims (10)

1. An aerosol-generating device configured to heat an aerosol-generating article to generate an aerosol; characterized by comprising the following steps:

a heater for heating the aerosol-generating article; the heater includes opposed free front and ends, and:

a heating portion extending at least partially between the free front end and the distal end for insertion into an aerosol-generating article for heating; the heating portion includes a first section, a second section, and a third section arranged in order in a longitudinal direction; wherein the first section is proximate the free front end and the third section is proximate the end; and the first section and the second section are tapered in shape, and a vertex angle of the first section is greater than a vertex angle of the second section; the third section is columnar in shape;

a flange at least partially surrounding or bonded to the third section; the aerosol-generating device provides retention of the heater by the flange.

2. The aerosol-generating device according to claim 1, wherein the apex angle of the second section is between 1.5 ° and 8 °.

3. The aerosol-generating device according to claim 1, wherein the apex angle of the first section is between 10 ° and 45 °.

4. An aerosol-generating device according to any of claims 1 to 3, wherein the apex angle of the first section is greater than three times the apex angle of the second section.

5. An aerosol-generating device according to any of claims 1 to 3, wherein the length of the second section is greater than the length of the third section, which is greater than the length of the first section.

6. An aerosol-generating device according to any one of claims 1 to 3, wherein the surface finish grade of the heating portion is greater than 8.

7. An aerosol-generating device according to any one of claims 1 to 3, wherein the heating portion comprises:

a housing extending at least partially between the free front end and the terminal end and defining the first, second and third sections by the housing;

the heating coil is positioned in the shell and avoids the first section.

8. An aerosol-generating device according to any of claims 1 to 3, wherein the flange is moulded from a mouldable material around a part of the third section, thereby being coupled to the third section.

9. An aerosol-generating device according to any one of claims 1 to 3, wherein the heating portion comprises:

a housing extending between the free front end and the terminal end and defining the first, second and third sections therewith; a cavity is formed in the shell;

a heating coil disposed in the cavity of the housing and having a gap with the housing; a gap between a portion of the heating coil and the housing gradually increases in a direction away from the free front end;

and a heat-conducting medium filling a gap between the heating coil and the housing.

10. A heater for an aerosol-generating device, comprising opposed free front and rear ends, and:

a heating portion extending at least partially between the free front end and the distal end for insertion into an aerosol-generating article for heating; the heating portion includes a first section, a second section, and a third section arranged in order in a longitudinal direction; wherein the first section is proximate the free front end and the third section is proximate the end; and the first section and the second section are tapered in shape, and a vertex angle of the first section is greater than a vertex angle of the second section; the third section is columnar in shape;

a flange at least partially surrounding or bonded to the third section.