KR20230153227A - Atomizer using porous absorbent material - Google Patents

Abstract

The atomizer using a porous hygroscopic material as an example includes a porous hygroscopic block made of three-dimensional porous granules, a heater unit including a heating element mounted on or adjacent to the first surface of the porous hygroscopic block, and porous characteristics, It includes a porous moisture absorbent cover layer that covers the heating element and is mounted on the first side of the porous moisture absorbent block.

Description

Atomizer using porous moisture absorber {ATOMIZER USING POROUS ABSORBENT MATERIAL}

The embodiment relates to an atomizer using a porous moisture absorbent, and in particular, to an atomizer using a porous moisture absorbent so that the heating wire between electrical terminals is covered with a porous moisture absorbent.

In general, an electronic cigarette refers to an electronic device made to inhale a solution containing nicotine filled in a replaceable cartridge into an aerosol or gaseous state (atomized state).

Such electronic cigarettes can satisfy the desire to smoke in place of regular cigarettes, and do not contain harmful ingredients such as tar, thereby reducing the harmful effects on the human body caused by cigarettes. At the same time, they do not cause the indirect damage of smoking. Due to its advantages, the number of users is increasing explosively. In other words, electronic cigarettes allow smoking indoors and have the same effect as smoking cigarettes while preventing the damage caused by cigarettes that cause various diseases.

In particular, in recent years, electronic cigarettes have been released that allow users to enjoy a variety of flavors by adding other flavors, such as fruit, to the taste of cigarettes.

In these electronic cigarettes, when an atomizer containing liquid nicotine is connected to the battery unit, the heating element of the atomizer generates heat and creates a haze that vaporizes the liquid nicotine.

Figure 1 is a perspective view of a ceramic atomizer according to the prior art.

A ceramic atomizer is equipped with a ceramic block body that has a liquid moisture absorption surface on at least one side that is in contact with the liquid to absorb and transport the liquid, and is exposed to the outside on one side (non-screen surface) other than the liquid moisture absorption surface of the ceramic block body. It consists of first and second terminals spaced apart from each other at a predetermined interval, electrically connecting the first and second terminals, and a heating wire mounted on the screen so that at least a portion of the screen is exposed to the outside.

The heat wire is made of a conductive material, and may be configured in a curved or zigzag shape, such as a square wave shape, as shown in FIG. 1.

The bottom and sides of the ceramic atomizer become liquid moisture absorption surfaces and are in contact with the liquid.

Figure 2 shows atomization when power is applied to the ceramic atomizer of Figure 1.

For power supply, atomization occurs when power is applied with the first and second supply parts electrically contacted to each of the first and second terminals of the ceramic atomizer. There is also a phenomenon in which the liquid is atomized by the heating of the heating wire to the upper side of the ceramic atomizer and the aerosol rises. However, as shown in the red dotted circle on the right, the temperature of the liquid rises rapidly when it comes in contact with the heated heating wire, causing it to splash outward ( There is a problem in which liquid splash phenomenon occurs.

The purpose of the embodiment is to provide an atomizer using a porous moisture absorbent in which a heating wire between electric terminals is inserted or covered with a porous moisture absorbent to prevent liquid splashing in a conventional ceramic atomizer.

The atomizer using a porous hygroscopic material as an example includes a porous hygroscopic block made of three-dimensional porous granules, a heater unit including a heating element mounted on or adjacent to the first surface of the porous hygroscopic block, and porous characteristics, It includes a porous moisture absorbent cover layer that covers the heating element and is mounted on the first side of the porous moisture absorbent block.

In addition, it is preferable that the porous moisture absorbent block and the porous moisture absorbent cover layer are made of a hydrophilic material.

In addition, the porous granules of the porous hygroscopic block include magnesium silicate, aluminum silicate, silicate silicate, zeolite, titanium oxide, titanium carbide, zirconia, silica, silicon carbide, silicon nitride, mullite, cordierite, tungsten carbide, zirconium carbide, and aluminum nitride. It is preferably composed of one or more materials selected from the group containing.

Additionally, the porous grains are preferably in the form of beads or spherical powders.

In addition, the diameter or size of the porous grains is preferably in the range of 10 to 300㎛, and the pore size of the porous absorbent block is preferably in the range of 1 to 130㎛.

In addition, the thickness of the porous moisture absorbent cover layer is preferably in the range of 10 to 500㎛, and the thickness of the heating wire portion is preferably smaller than the thickness of the porous moisture absorbent cover layer.

In addition, a groove into which the heating element is inserted is formed on the first surface of the porous moisture absorbent block, and the porous moisture absorbent cover layer preferably covers the groove to bury the heating element.

In the embodiment, the heating element formed on one side of the porous moisture absorbent is inserted (embedded) or covered by the porous moisture absorbent, so that the amount of atomization can be increased according to the increase in the amount of liquid conveyed, and a leakage prevention function can be provided, It has the effect of preventing the burnt taste from the liquid carbonization process from being discharged to the outside.

In addition, the unit grains of the porous moisture absorbent according to the embodiment are composed of porous grains or porous spherical grains in which the Bernard cell phenomenon occurs, so that defects are induced on the surface of the particles by the Bernard cell phenomenon, resulting in the specific surface area of the porous grains. This has the effect of increasing the moisture absorption of the liquid phase and ultimately increasing the amount of aerosol generated.

Figure 1 is a perspective view of a ceramic atomizer according to the prior art.
Figure 2 shows atomization when power is applied to the ceramic atomizer of Figure 1.
Figure 3 is a scanning microscope photograph of porous grains constituting a porous moisture absorbent for using the Barnard cell phenomenon according to an embodiment.
Figure 4 is a conceptual perspective view of an atomizer using a porous moisture absorbent according to the first and second embodiments.

Hereinafter, embodiments are described in detail through the drawings. However, this is not intended to be limiting to specific embodiments, and the described embodiments should be understood to include various modifications, equivalents, and/or alternatives of the embodiments. In connection with the description of the drawings, similar reference numbers may be used for similar components.

In this document, expressions such as “have,” “may have,” “includes,” or “may include” refer to the existence of the corresponding feature (e.g., a numerical value, function, operation, or component such as a part). , and does not rule out the existence of additional features.

In this document, expressions such as “A or B,” “at least one of A or/and B,” or “one or more of A or/and B” may include all possible combinations of the items listed together. . For example, “A or B”, “at least one of A and B”, or “at least one of A or B” (1) includes at least one A, (2) includes at least one B, or (3) it may refer to all cases including both at least one A and at least one B.

As used herein, expressions such as "first", "second", "first", or "second" may describe various elements in any order and/or importance, and may refer to one element as another. It is only used to distinguish from components and does not limit the components. For example, a first user device and a second user device may represent different user devices regardless of order or importance. For example, a first component may be renamed a second component without departing from the scope of rights described in this document, and similarly, the second component may also be renamed to the first component.

A component (e.g., a first component) is “(operatively or communicatively) coupled with/to” another component (e.g., a second component). When referred to as being “connected to,” it should be understood that any component may be directly connected to the other component or may be connected through another component (e.g., a third component). On the other hand, when a component (e.g., a first component) is said to be “directly connected” or “directly connected” to another component (e.g., a second component), It may be understood that no other component (e.g., a third component) exists between other components.

The expression “configured to” used in this document may mean, for example, “suitable for,” “having the capacity to,” or “having the capacity to.” It can be used interchangeably with ", "designed to," "adapted to," "made to," or "capable of." The term “configured (or set) to” may not necessarily mean “specifically designed to” in hardware. Instead, in some contexts, the expression “a device configured to” may mean that the device is “capable of” working with other devices or components.

Terms used in this document are merely used to describe specific embodiments and may not be intended to limit the scope of other embodiments. Singular expressions may include plural expressions, unless the context clearly indicates otherwise. Terms used herein, including technical or scientific terms, may have the same meaning as commonly understood by a person of ordinary skill in the technical field described in this document. Among the terms used in this document, terms defined in general dictionaries may be interpreted to have the same or similar meaning as the meaning they have in the context of related technology, and unless clearly defined in this document, they may be interpreted in an ideal or excessively formal sense. It is not interpreted. In some cases, even terms defined in this document cannot be interpreted to exclude embodiments of this document.

In an embodiment, the liquid or liquid aerosol cartridge contains a liquid or gel-type aerosol-forming base (e.g., flavoring, nicotine, VG (vegetable glycerin), PG (propylene glycol), medicine, clove, etc. in the internal receiving space. contains one or more substances).

The liquid cartridge is configured to include an atomizer made of a porous moisture absorbent so that the aerosol-forming substrate can be transported by capillary action in contact with the aerosol-forming substrate.

In an embodiment, the porous hygroscopic body atomizer is configured to include a porous hygroscopic body consisting of a liquid suction surface in contact with the aerosol-forming substrate, and an atomizing surface formed on a side not adjacent to the liquid suction surface or a discharge surface from which the atomized aerosol is discharged. . In an embodiment, the heating element is mounted adjacent to the screen or discharge surface.

The aerosol generating device according to the embodiment includes a case in which a liquid cartridge is mounted, a power supply unit (control device) that supplies power to the liquid cartridge, and an airflow path that communicates the external space with the screen or discharge surface. Alternatively, the aerosol generating device according to the embodiment includes an accommodating space for accommodating an aerosol-forming substrate, a porous desiccant atomizer whose liquid suction surface is in contact with the accommodating space, and an atomizing surface or discharge surface of the porous desiccant atomizer that communicates with an external space. This may be configured to include an abutting airflow path.

Figure 3 is a scanning microscope photograph of porous grains constituting a porous moisture absorbent for using the Barnard cell phenomenon according to an embodiment.

The unit grains of the porous hygroscopic material or porous hygroscopic block in this embodiment are porous grains or porous spherical grains formed using the Bernard cell phenomenon, and defects are induced on the surface of the particles by the Bernard cell phenomenon, resulting in the formation of porous grains. The specific surface area can be increased, thereby increasing the moisture absorption of the liquid or gel-phase aerosol-forming substrate, and ultimately increasing the amount of aerosol generation.

The above porous grains are porous three-dimensional (or spherical) particles with numerous grooves or pores formed on the surface due to surface defects (cracks), and their specific surface area is significantly increased.

The material of the porous grains is from the group including magnesium silicate, aluminum silicate, silicate silicate, zeolite, titanium oxide, titanium carbide, zirconia, silica, silicon carbide, silicon nitride, mullite, cordierite, tungsten carbide, zirconium carbide, and aluminum nitride. It consists of one or more selected substances.

The porous granules may be in the form of beads or a spherical powder. The diameter or size of porous grains ranges from 10 to 300 ㎛, and the pore size of the porous hygroscopic body or porous hygroscopic block falls within the range of 1 to 130 ㎛.

The porous granules have hydrophilic properties for moisture absorption in liquid or gel-like aerosol-forming substrates.

Figure 4 is a conceptual perspective view of an atomizer using a porous moisture absorbent according to the first and second embodiments.

In Figure 4 (a), the atomizer using a porous hygroscopic body has a three-dimensional shape and a porous hygroscopic block 10 made of the above-described porous granules, and an atomizing surface 10a which is one side of the porous hygroscopic block 10. A heater unit including a heating wire unit (2) mounted on or in contact with, first and second electrical terminals (3a, 3b) respectively connected to both ends of the heating wire unit (2), and a heater unit (2) of the heating wire unit (2). It is comprised of a porous moisture absorbent cover layer 12 that covers the upper and outer surfaces and is mounted on the screen 10a of the porous moisture absorbent 10.

The porous moisture absorbent block 10 includes a non-screen surface 10a that faces opposite directions or is not adjacent to each other, and a moisture absorption surface. When the atomizer is mounted on a liquid cartridge or aerosol generating device, the moisture-absorbing surface is a liquid moisture-absorbing surface that contacts the liquid or is supplied with the liquid, and the atomizing surface 10a corresponds to the atomizing surface or discharge surface. The screen 10a is inserted into or comes into contact with the inside of the airflow path.

In addition, the porous moisture absorbent 10 transports the liquid phase by capillary action, and the liquid phase is transferred from the moisture absorption surface to the screenless surface 10b.

Additionally, the above-described material of the porous moisture absorbent block 10 may be sintered in a mold to have a three-dimensional shape.

The heater unit is connected to both ends of the heating element 2 and has first and second electrical terminals 3a and 3b that are connected to a control device (not shown) to receive and apply power, thereby generating heat energy. It is then transferred, diffused, or applied to the screen (10a) of the porous moisture absorbent block (10).

The heating element 2 of the heater unit has a sine wave shape or a mesh shape, and is mounted or attached to the screen 10a in a solid state of a metal material or a paste of a metal material. The metal material of the heating element (2) is made of one of nickel-chromium, SUS, kanthal, tungsten, titanium, copper, and graphene.

The porous moisture absorbent cover layer 12 has hydrophilic characteristics and covers a portion of the heating element 22 and the surrounding screen 10a, and the first and second electrode terminals 3a and 3b are exposed to the outside. It is formed to be exposed. The porous hygroscopic body cover layer 12 is made of the same material as the porous hygroscopic block 10 and may be made of porous granules.

The thickness of the porous moisture absorbent cover layer 12 is in the range of 10 to 500㎛, and the heating element 2 is mounted on the surface of the screen 10a and is embedded in the porous moisture absorbent cover layer 12. The thickness of the portion 2 is smaller than the thickness of the porous moisture absorbent cover layer 12.

The above-described porous moisture absorbent cover layer 12 covers the heating unit 2 and is mounted or attached to the screen 10a, so that the heating unit 2 is in close contact with the porous moisture absorbent block 10 and is directly connected to the airflow path. By preventing contact with the liquid aerosol-forming substrate, even if the liquid aerosol-forming substrate is carbonized in the heating element 2, the burnt taste is not discharged along with the aerosol discharged through the airflow pass. In addition, the porous moisture absorbent cover layer 12 prevents the aerosol-forming base material from leaking through the screen 10a of the porous moisture absorbent block 10.

In Figure 4 (b), the atomizer using a porous moisture absorbent has a three-dimensional shape and a porous moisture absorbent block 20 made of the above-described porous granules, and an atomizing surface 20a which is one side of the porous moisture absorbent block 20. A heating wire unit (2) inserted and mounted in the groove (20b) formed in, and first and second electrical terminals (3a, 3b) respectively connected to both ends of the heating wire unit (2) and inserted and mounted in the groove (20b). ) and a porous moisture absorbent cover layer (22) covering the groove (20b) so that each of the first and second electrical terminals (3a, 3b) is exposed to the outside and the heating element (2) is covered. It is composed including.

The groove 20b has the same shape as the heater unit and has a depth that allows the heating element 2 to be completely inserted into the groove 20b. The depth of the groove 20b is in the range of 10 to 500㎛, and the heating wire portion 2 has a thickness smaller than the depth of the groove 20b. The thickness of the porous moisture absorbent cover layer 22 is equal to or smaller than the depth of the groove 20b.

The porous moisture absorbent cover layer 22 is formed to completely cover the upper side of the heating element 2 and the groove 20b.

The action of the porous moisture absorbent cover layer 22 in FIG. 4(b) is the same as the action of the porous moisture absorbent cover layer 12 in FIG. 4(a).

As explained above, it is not limited to the specific preferred embodiments described above, and various modifications can be made by anyone skilled in the art without departing from the gist of the claims. Of course, such changes are within the scope of the claims.

10: Porous moisture absorbent block 12: Porous moisture absorbent cover layer

Claims (7)

A porous moisture absorbent block made of three-dimensional porous granules;
a heater unit including a heating element mounted on or adjacent to the first surface of the porous moisture absorbent block;
An atomizer using a porous moisture absorbent, which has porous characteristics and includes a porous moisture absorbent cover layer that covers the heating element and is mounted on the first side of the porous moisture absorbent block. According to claim 1,
An atomizer using a porous moisture absorbent, wherein the porous moisture absorbent block and the porous moisture absorbent cover layer are made of a hydrophilic material. According to claim 1,
The porous granules of the porous absorbent block include magnesium silicate, aluminum silicate, silicate silicate, zeolite, titanium oxide, titanium carbide, zirconia, silica, silicon carbide, silicon nitride, mullite, cordierite, tungsten carbide, zirconium carbide, and aluminum nitride. An atomizer using a porous moisture absorbent, characterized in that it includes one or more materials selected from the group. According to claim 1,
An atomizer using a porous moisture absorbent, wherein the porous granules are in the form of beads or spherical powder. According to claim 1,
An atomizer using a porous absorbent, characterized in that the diameter or size of the porous grains is in the range of 10 to 300㎛, and the pore size of the porous absorbent block is in the range of 1 to 130㎛. According to claim 1,
The thickness of the porous moisture absorbent cover layer is in the range of 10 to 500㎛,
An atomizer using a porous moisture absorbent, characterized in that the thickness of the heating element is smaller than the thickness of the porous moisture absorbent cover layer. The method according to any one of claims 1 to 6,
An atomizer using a porous moisture absorbent, characterized in that a groove into which the heating element is inserted is formed on the first surface of the porous moisture absorbent block, and the porous moisture absorbent cover layer covers the groove to bury the heating element.