Patent Application
20230363463
This application claims priority to Chinese Patent Application No. 202011047354.3, filed with the China National Intellectual Property Administration on Sep. 29, 2020 and entitled “SUSCEPTOR FOR VAPOR GENERATION APPARATUS, VAPOR GENERATION APPARATUS, AND TEMPERATURE MEASUREMENT APPARATUS”, which is incorporated herein by reference in its entirety.
Embodiments of this application relate to the field of heat-not-burn cigarette devices of an electromagnetic induction type, and in particular, to a susceptor for a vapor generation apparatus, a vapor generation apparatus, and a temperature measurement apparatus.
Tobacco products (such as cigarettes and cigars) burn tobacco during use to produce tobacco smoke. Attempts are made to replace these tobacco-burning products by manufacturing products that release compounds without burning.
An example of such a product is a heating apparatus that releases compounds by heating rather than burning materials. For example, the materials may be tobacco or other non-tobacco products. These non-tobacco products may or may not include nicotine. In a known apparatus, temperature monitoring is required in a process of heating a tobacco product. In an example, such a product is attached to a heating component through a temperature sensor, to obtain a temperature of the heating component.
An embodiment of this application provides a vapor generation apparatus, configured to heat an aerosol-forming article to generate an aerosol, and including:
a chamber, configured to receive at least a part of the aerosol-forming article;
a magnetic field generator, configured to generate a variable magnetic field; and
a susceptor, configured to be penetrated by the variable magnetic field to generate heat, to heat the aerosol-forming article, where the susceptor includes:
a sensing part, constructed to at least partially extend in the chamber and including a hollow extending along an axial direction; and
a metal base body, located in the hollow of the sensing part and abutting against the sensing part, where a first metal material and a second metal material are connected to the metal base body, and the first metal material and the second metal material are made of different materials, to cause a thermocouple configured to sense a temperature of the sensing part to be formed between the first metal material and the second metal material.
In a preferred implementation, the metal base body is substantially constructed to be coaxial with the sensing part and in a shape of a sheet or a column.
In a preferred implementation, the susceptor further includes:
a support member, located in the hollow of the sensing part and providing support for the metal base body, to cause the metal base body to abut against the sensing part.
In a preferred implementation, the sensing part includes a pointed end configured to be inserted into the aerosol-forming article and a far end facing away from the pointed end; and
the metal base body includes a first surface close to the pointed end along the axial direction and a second surface facing away from the first surface; and the support member supports the metal base body on the second surface, to cause the first surface to abut against the sensing part.
In a preferred implementation, the second surface is a flat surface extending along a cross-sectional direction of the susceptor.
In a preferred implementation, the sensing part includes a pointed end configured to be inserted into the aerosol-forming article; and the metal base body includes a first surface close to the pointed end along the axial direction, where the first surface is a flat surface extending along the cross-sectional direction of the susceptor.
In a preferred implementation, the first metal material and/or the second metal material run through the metal base body along the axial direction.
In a preferred implementation, the first metal material and/or the second metal material are connected to the first surface of the metal base body.
In a preferred implementation, the first metal material and/or the second metal material do not protrude from the first surface of the metal base body.
In a preferred implementation, the support member is constructed to be coaxial with the sensing part and in a shape of a column or a tube.
In a preferred implementation, a first through hole and a second through hole that are arranged along the axial direction of the susceptor are provided on the support member; and
the first metal material at least partially extends in the first through hole, and the second metal material at least partially extends in the second through hole.
In a preferred implementation, a base part extending to the outside along a radial direction is further arranged in the sensing part, and the susceptor is held in the vapor generation apparatus through the base part.
In a preferred implementation, the first metal material and/or the second metal material are constructed to be in shapes of elongated filaments and at least partially run through the sensing part.
In a preferred implementation, the sensing part and the metal base body are made of the same material.
An embodiment of this application further provides a susceptor for a vapor generation apparatus, including: a sensing part, constructed to include a hollow extending along a length direction of the susceptor; and
a metal base body, located in the hollow of the sensing part and abutting against the sensing part, where a first metal material and a second metal material are connected to the metal base body, and the first metal material and the second metal material are made of different materials, to cause a thermocouple configured to sense a temperature of the sensing part to be formed between the first metal material and the second metal material.
An embodiment of this application further provides a temperature measurement apparatus, including a metal base body, where a first metal material and a second metal material are connected to the metal base body, and the first metal material and the second metal material are made of different materials, to cause a thermocouple configured to sense a temperature to be formed between the first metal material and the second metal material.
In the foregoing vapor generation apparatus and susceptor, a thermocouple that can be configured to measure a temperature is formed by simultaneously connecting the first metal material and the second metal material that are made of different materials to the metal base body, thereby achieving a more accurate temperature measurement effect.
One or more embodiments are exemplarily described with reference to the corresponding figures in the accompanying drawings, and the descriptions are not to be construed as limiting the embodiments. Elements in the accompanying drawings that have same reference numerals are represented as similar elements, and unless otherwise particularly stated, the figures in the accompanying drawings are not drawn to scale.
For ease of understanding of this application, this application is described in further detail below with reference to the accompanying drawings and specific implementations.
An embodiment of this application provides a vapor generation apparatus and a structure thereof may refer to
a chamber, where an aerosol-forming article A is removably received in the chamber;
an induction coil L, configured to generate a variable magnetic field under an alternating current;
a susceptor 30, at least partially extending in the chamber, and configured to be inductively coupled to the induction coil L and be penetrated by the variable magnetic field to generate heat, to heat the aerosol-forming article A such as a cigarette, so that at least one component of the aerosol-forming article A is evaporated, thereby forming an aerosol for inhaling;
a cell 10, being a rechargeable direct-current cell and capable of outputting a direct current; and
a circuit 20, being connected to the rechargeable cell 10 through a suitable current, and configured to convert the direct current outputted by the cell 10 into an alternating current with a suitable frequency and then supply the alternating current to the induction coil L.
According to settings during use of a product, the induction coil L may be a cylindrical induction coil wound into a helical shape, as shown in
In a more preferred implementation, the frequency of the alternating current supplied by the circuit 20 to the induction coil L ranges from 80 KHz to 400 KHz; and more specifically, the frequency may range from about 200 KHz to 300 KHz.
In a preferred embodiment, a direct-current supply voltage provided by the cell 10 ranges from about 2.5 V to about 9.0 V, and an amperage of the direct current that the cell 10 can provide ranges from about 2.5 A to about 20 A.
In a preferred embodiment, the susceptor 30 is substantially in a shape of a pin or a blade, which is beneficial for the susceptor to be inserted into the aerosol-forming article A. In addition, the susceptor 30 may be defined with a length of about 12 mm, a width of about 4 mm, and a thickness of about 0.5 mm, and may be made of stainless steel of level 430 (SS430). As an alternative embodiment, the susceptor 30 may be defined with a length of about 12 mm, a width of about 5 mm, and a thickness of about 0.5 mm, and may be made of stainless steel of level 430 (SS430). In other variant embodiments, the susceptor 30 may alternatively be constructed to be in a shape of a cylinder. During use, an internal space of the susceptor is used for receiving the aerosol-forming article A and generating the aerosol for inhaling in a manner of heating an outer periphery of the aerosol-forming article A. These susceptors may also be made of stainless steel of level 420 (SS420) and alloy materials (such as permalloy) containing iron and nickel.
In the embodiment shown in
In a preferred implementation, to accurately monitor a temperature of the susceptor 30, a detailed structure of the susceptor 30 is shown in
a sensing part 31, constructed to include a hollow 312 and in a shape of a pin, and configured to be penetrated by the variable magnetic field to generate heat, where an external diameter of the sensing part may generally range from about 1.5 mm to about 3 mm, and the hollow 312 forms an opening at a lower end of the sensing part 31. In an implementation, an extension length of the hollow 312 in the sensing part 31 approximately ranges from one-half to two-thirds of a length of the sensing part 31. An internal diameter of the hollow 312 ranges from 1.0 mm to 2.0 mm, and preferably ranges from 1.2 mm to 1.8 mm.
In an optional implementation, the sensing part 31 is prepared by using the sensing metal material described above. In a variable implementation, the sensing part 31 is obtained by forming a sensing material coating through electroplating, deposition, and the like on an outer surface of a heat-resistant base material such as ceramic that is in a shape of a pin or in a shape similar to the pin.
The hollow 312 of the sensing part 31 is arranged with:
a metal base body 32, being substantially in a shape of a ring and being coaxially positioned in the hollow 312 of the sensing part 31, where a first metal material 331 and a second metal material 332 are connected to the metal base body 32 in a welding manner or the like. In the implementation, the first metal material 331 and the second metal material 332 are made of different galvanic materials and are in shapes of elongated filaments or pins, so that a thermocouple configured to measure a temperature can be formed between the first metal material 331 and the second metal material 332 through the metal base body 32. In an optional implementation, the first metal material 331 and the second metal material 332 are respectively used as a positive electrode and a negative electrode of the thermocouple, where the positive electrode may be made of a nickel-chromium alloy wire and the negative electrode may be made of a nickel-silicon alloy wire, to form a K-type thermocouple.
According to the preferred implementations shown in
Further, in a preferred implementation, the metal base body 32 is prepared by using a material the same as that of the sensing part 31. In addition, a thickness of the metal base body 32 preferably ranges from 1 mm to 2 mm, so that the metal base body is substantially constructed to be in a shape of a relatively small sheet or a thin sheet. Therefore, heat can be transferred more quickly between the metal base body and the sensing part 31, thereby sensing a temperature of a high-temperature region of the sensing part 31 more accurately. In an optional implementation, the thickness of the metal base body may be increased, so that the metal base body is coaxial with the sensing part and in a shape of a column.
To enable the thermocouple configured to measure the temperature and formed by using the metal base body 32, the first metal material 331, and the second metal material 332 to detect the temperature of the sensing part 31 conveniently and accurately and to be arranged in the sensing part 31 stably, the susceptor 30 further includes:
a tubular support member 34, where an upper end of the tubular support member is configured to support the metal base body 32, so that the metal base body can be stably held on or abut against a top inner wall of the hollow 312 of the sensing part 31.
Further, the tubular support member 34 is made of temperature-resistant ceramic such as zirconia ceramic, alumina ceramic, PEEK, or the like. After being assembled into the hollow 312 of the sensing part 31, the tubular support member 34 is connected and fixed to the sensing part 31 by applying ceramic glue to a gap between the tubular support member and the hollow or arranging a mechanical connection structure such as screw threads or a buckle. In an optional implementation, an external diameter of the tubular support member 34 ranges from 1.0 mm to 2.0 mm, slightly less than the internal diameter of the hollow 312 of the sensing part 31, to enable the tubular support member to be inserted into the hollow. The external diameter of the tubular support member preferably ranges from 1.2 mm to 1.8 mm. A diameter of the ceramic rod is less than a diameter of a center hole of an electromagnetic heating rod, to enable a ceramic rod core to be inserted into the center core of the heating rod. An internal diameter of the annular middle hole 321 of the tubular support member 34 ranges from 0.5 mm to 1.2 mm and preferably ranges from 0.6 mm to 1.0 mm, to enable the first metal material 331 and the second metal material 332 to run through the annular middle hole.
Further, in a preferred implementation, a base part 311 extending to the outside along the radial direction is further arranged at the lower end of the sensing part 31. The susceptor 30 can be supported and fixed through the base part 311, so that the susceptor is stably held in the vapor generation apparatus.
Further, in a more preferred implementation, as shown in
In the preferred implementation shown in the figure, cross sections of the hollow 312 of the sensing part 31, the metal base body 32/32a, and the tubular support member 34 are in shapes of circles, and may also be in shapes of triangles, squares or polygons in other optional implementations.
Surfaces of the first metal material 331 and the second metal material 332 are sprayed with insulating material layers such as polyimide, to cause the first metal material and the second metal material to be insulated from each other. Alternatively,
Based on the same or similar implementation, the metal base body 32/32a may further be constructed to include two holes respectively for the first metal material 331 and the second metal material 332 to run through.
In the foregoing vapor generation apparatus and susceptor, a thermocouple that can be configured to measure a temperature is formed by simultaneously connecting the first metal material and the second metal material that are made of different materials to the metal base body, thereby achieving a more accurate temperature measurement effect and enabling production and preparation to be more convenient.
An embodiment of this application further provides a temperature measurement apparatus that may be configured to measure a temperature, and a structure thereof is shown in
It should be noted that, the specification of this application and the accompanying drawings thereof illustrate preferred embodiments of the present invention, but this application is not limited to the embodiments described in the specification. Further, a person of ordinary skill in the art may make improvements or variations according to the foregoing description, and such improvements and variations shall all fall within the protection scope of the appended claims of the present invention.
| Number | Date | Country | Kind |
|---|---|---|---|
| 202011047354.3 | Sep 2020 | CN | national |
| Filing Document | Filing Date | Country | Kind |
|---|---|---|---|
| PCT/CN2021/121782 | 9/29/2021 | WO |
