Inductive heating device and system for aerosol generation

Abstract

The inductive heating device (1) for aerosol-generation comprises a device housing (10) comprising a cavity (13) having an internal surface for receiving at least a portion of an aerosol-forming insert (2) comprising an aerosol-forming substrate and a susceptor. The device housing (10) further comprises a pin (14) extending into the cavity (13). The device (1) further comprises an induction coil (15) arranged along the pin (14) and a power source (11) connected to the induction coil (15) and configured to provide a high frequency current to the induction coil (15).

Claims

1. Inductive heating device for aerosol-generation, the device comprising: a device housing comprising a cavity having an internal surface configured to receive at least a portion of an aerosol-forming insert, the aerosol-forming insert comprising an aerosol-forming substrate and a susceptor, the device housing further comprising a pin extending into the cavity; an induction coil arranged along the pin, wherein the induction coil is arranged within the pin and is not in contact with the cavity; an internal power source connected to the induction coil a control unit operably connected to the internal power source; wherein at least a portion of the pin and the induction coil are arranged to be circumferentially surrounded by the aerosol-forming insert when the aerosol-forming insert is accommodated in the cavity; and wherein the internal power source is configured to provide a high frequency current to the induction coil to generate electromagnetic fields for inductively heating the susceptor of the aerosol-forming insert.

2. Device according to claim 1, wherein the induction coil is moulded into the pin.

3. Device according to claim 2, wherein the pin and the induction coil are arranged along a central longitudinal axis of the cavity.

4. Device according to claim 3, wherein a circumferential portion of the internal surface of the cavity and the pin are of cylindrical shape.

5. Device according to claim 2, wherein a circumferential portion of the internal surface of the cavity and the pin are of cylindrical shape.

6. Device according to claim 1, wherein the pin and the induction coil are arranged along a central longitudinal axis of the cavity.

7. Device according to claim 6, wherein a circumferential portion of the internal surface of the cavity and the pin are of cylindrical shape.

8. Device according to claim 1, wherein a circumferential portion of the internal surface of the cavity and the pin are of cylindrical shape.

9. Device according to claim 8, wherein the pin and the induction coil are arranged along a central longitudinal axis of the cavity.

10. Device according to claim 1, wherein two or more induction coils are arranged along the pin and next to each other.

11. Device according to claim 1, wherein the pin is integrally formed with the device housing.

12. Device according to claim 1, wherein the device housing comprises retaining protrusions constructed to hold the aerosol-forming insert in the cavity when the aerosol-forming insert is accommodated in the cavity.

13. Device according to claim 1, wherein a circumferential portion of the internal surface of the cavity and the pin are of cylindrical shape.

14. Inductive heating and aerosol-generating system comprising: an aerosol-forming insert comprising: an aerosol-forming substrate; and a susceptor, and an inductive heating device comprising: a device housing comprising a cavity having an internal surface configured to receive at least a portion of the aerosol-forming insert, the device housing further comprising a pin extending into the cavity, an induction coil arranged along the pin, wherein the induction coil is arranged within the pin and is not in contact with the cavity, an internal power source connected to the induction coil and configured to provide a high frequency current to the induction coil, and a control unit operably connected to the internal power source; wherein the aerosol-forming substrate of the aerosol-forming insert is accommodated in the cavity of the device and arranged therein such that the susceptor of the aerosol-forming insert is inductively heated by electromagnetic fields generated by the induction coil, and wherein at least a portion of the pin and the induction coil are arranged to be circumferentially surrounded by the aerosol-forming insert.

15. System according to claim 14, wherein the aerosol-forming insert is one of a cartridge comprising the susceptor and containing a liquid, and a tobacco material containing unit comprising the susceptor.

Description

(1) The invention is further described with regard to embodiments, which are illustrated by means of the following drawings, wherein

(2) FIG. 1 is a schematic drawing of an inductive heating device comprising a cavity for accommodating an aerosol-forming insert, wherein a central pin extends into the cavity;

(3) FIG. 2 shows a cross-section section of an excerpt of an inductive heating device for example as shown in FIG. 1 with a central pin having an integrated induction coil;

(4) FIG. 3 shows a cross-section of an excerpt of an inductive heating device with a central pin having an induction coil wound around the pin.

(5) FIG. 1 schematically shows an inductive heating device 1 and an aerosol-forming insert 2 that in the mounted state of the aerosol-forming insert 2 form an inductive heating system. The inductive heating device 1 comprises a device housing 10 with a distal end having electrical contacts 101, for example a docking port comprising a pin, for connecting an internal electric power source 11 to an external power source (not shown), for example a charging device. The internal power source 11, for example a rechargeable battery 11, is provided inside the device housing in a distal region of the housing 10.

(6) The proximal end of the device housing has an insertion opening 102 for inserting the aerosol-forming insert 2 into a cavity 13. The cavity 13 is formed inside the device housing in the proximal region thereof. The cavity 13 is configured to removably receive the aerosol-forming insert 2 inside the cavity 13. A pin 14 enclosing an induction coil 15 (indicated with dotted lines) extends into the cavity coaxially to a longitudinal axis of the cavity 400, which axis in this embodiment corresponds to the longitudinal axis of the device housing. Embodiments of the cavity and proximal region of the device housing will further be described in more detail in FIG. 2 and FIG. 3 below.

(7) The device housing 10 further comprises electronics 12, for example a printed circuit board with circuitry. The electronics 12 as well as the induction coil receive the required power from the internal power source 11. The elements are interconnected accordingly. Proximal and distal region of the device housing are separated by at least a bottom wall 131 of the cavity 13 or further separating housing walls. By arranging the induction coil inside the pin, any electric components may be kept separate from elements or processes in the cavity. This may be the unit itself but especially also residues emerging from the heating of the unit or of parts thereof and from an aerosol generating process. Preferably, the separation of the proximal region with the cavity and the distal region with electronics 12 and power source is fluid-tight. However, ventilation openings for allowing an airflow into the proximal direction of the device 1 may be provided in cavity walls 130,131 and in the device housing or both.

(8) The aerosol-forming insert 2 may for example comprise an aerosol-forming substrate 20, for example a tobacco material and an aerosol former containing plug. The insert 2 comprises a susceptor 201 for inductively heating the aerosol-forming substrate and may comprise a cigarette filter 21. Electromagnetic fields generated by the induction coil 15 inductively heat the susceptor in the aerosol-forming insert. The heat of the susceptor is transferred to the aerosol-forming substrate 20 thus evaporating components that may form an aerosol for inhalation by a user.

(9) FIG. 2 shows an enlarged view onto a cross section of a cavity 13 with centrally arranged pin 14, for example the cavity of the inductive heating device of FIG. 1. The cavity 13 has an internal surface, which is formed by cavity walls 130, 131, which may also be device housing walls (as shown in FIG. 1). One open end of the cavity 13 forms the insertion opening 102. The pin 14 extends from the bottom wall 131 of the cavity 13 along a central longitudinal axis 400 of the cavity. The induction coil 15 is arranged inside the pin and embedded therein (indicated by dotted lines). By this, the induction coil 15 and electrical connections 150 to the induction coil have no contact to the cavity 13 or to a unit 2 accommodated in the cavity.

(10) The induction coil 15 extends along substantially the entire length of the pin 14. The induction coil is a helical coil and is preferably made of a copper wire. The pin 14 has a length of about two third of the length of the cavity 13 and is arranged inside the cavity in its entirety. Through the insertion opening 102, an aerosol-forming unit 2, for example a tobacco plug or an aerosol-containing cartridge, may be inserted into the cavity 13. The aerosol-forming unit 2 is arrangeable in the cavity 13 such that a susceptor of the unit when the unit is accommodated in the cavity is positioned such that the susceptor is inductively heatable by electromagnetic fields generated in the induction coil 15 and currents are induced in the susceptor. The bottom wall 131 of the cavity 13 may serve as mechanical stop when introducing unit 2.

(11) The pin 14 may be pointed at the distal tip to facilitate an alignment and insertion of the unit 2 in and into the cavity. Outer surface of pin 14 or cavity 13 may in addition be provided with retentions 132 for holding the aerosol-forming unit 2 in the cavity.

(12) Preferably, pin 14 and cavity 13 are of cylindrical or tubular shape and are arranged concentrically. Cavity walls 131 and pin 14 and preferably also the device housing 10 may be made of the same material and are preferably made of plastics material. Preferably, cavity walls and pin are formed in one piece, for example by injection moulding.

(13) FIG. 3 shows an enlarged view onto a cross section of a cavity 13 of an inductive heating device for example as described in FIG. 1. The same reference numerals as in FIG. 2 are used for the same or similar elements. The cavity 13 of FIG. 3 has a centrally arranged pin 14 extending into the cavity 13. The induction coil 15 is wound around the pin and in contact with the cavity. The induction coil 15 extends along the distal half of the pin 14.

(14) Also in this embodiment pin 14 and cavity walls 130, 131, which may also be device walls, may be manufactured in one piece. Preferably, electric connections 150 from the induction coil 15 are led through the bottom wall 131 of the cavity 13 to a power supply in the inductive heating device. Preferably, feedthroughs are manufactured in an air-tight manner such as to not influence an airstream through or along an inserted aerosol-forming unit. Preferably, feedthroughs are manufactured such as to prevent components or substances generated in the cavity to reach the electronics 12 of the device 1.

(15) By the central arrangement of the pin 14 in the cavity 13 as shown in FIGS. 2 and 3, basically a same amount of aerosol-forming substrate of an aerosol-forming unit 2 accommodated in the cavity 13 is to be heated in radial direction of the pin. Thus, a uniform heating is possible with the induction coil arrangement according to the invention. In addition, by a centrally arranged induction coil 15, the aerosol-forming unit or rather the susceptor provided in the unit serves as magnetic shield such that additional shielding may be omitted.

(16) Pin and induction coil arrangements as well as the inductive heating device are shown by way of example only. Variations, for example, length, number, location or thickness of an induction coil or pin, may be applied depending on a user's need or on an aerosol-forming unit to be heated and used together with a device.