Abstract
An aerosol-generating device is provided, including: an induction heater configured to heat an aerosol-forming substrate and including an induction coil and a heating element, the heating element being arrangeable within the induction coil, the induction coil including a first side opening along a longitudinal length of the induction coil, and the first side opening being configured to enable access to the heating element; and a housing, the induction coil being arranged within the housing, and the housing including a second side opening, which corresponds to the first side opening of the induction coil within the housing. A method for manufacturing the aerosol-generating device is also provided.
Claims
1. An aerosol-generating device, comprising: an induction heater configured to heat an aerosol-forming substrate and comprising an induction coil and a heating element, the heating element being arrangeable within the induction coil, the induction coil comprising a first side opening along a longitudinal length of the induction coil, and the first side opening being configured to enable access to the heating element; and a housing, wherein the induction coil is arranged within the housing, and wherein the housing comprises a second side opening, which corresponds to the first side opening of the induction coil within the housing.
2. The aerosol-generating device according to claim 1, wherein the first side opening and the second side opening each have a width that is larger than a diameter of the heating element.
3. The aerosol-generating device according to claim 1, wherein the first side opening and the second side opening are configured to enable air to be drawn through the aerosol-generating device.
4. The aerosol-generating device according to claim 1, wherein the first side opening and the second side opening each have a shape configured to allow a cleaning tool to be inserted into the first side opening and the second side opening.
5. The aerosol-generating device according to claim 1, wherein the heating element is removably insertable through the first side opening and the second side opening.
6. The aerosol-generating device according to claim 1, wherein the second side opening of the housing has an inverted T-shape.
7. The aerosol-generating device according to claim 6, wherein the heating element comprises a heating section and a base section, perpendicular to the heating section, and wherein the heating element is configured to be slidably insertable through the second side opening of the housing.
8. The aerosol-generating device according to claim 7, wherein the base section of the heating element comprises a tab that remains visible after the heating element is disposed within the induction coil.
9. The aerosol-generating device according to claim 7, wherein the housing further comprises a guiding element disposed adjacent to the second side opening of the housing and being configured to guide the base section of the heating element into the housing.
10. The aerosol-generating device according to claim 7, wherein the base section is made from a thermally insulating material.
11. The aerosol-generating device according to claim 7, wherein the base section is made from an electrically non-conductive material.
12. The aerosol-generating device according to claim 1, wherein the induction coil has a C-shaped cross-section.
13. A method for manufacturing an aerosol-generating device, comprising: providing an induction heater for heating an aerosol-forming substrate, the induction heater comprising an induction coil and a heating element, wherein the heating element is arrangeable within the induction coil, wherein the induction coil comprises a first side opening along a longitudinal length of the induction coil, wherein the first side opening is configured to enable access to the heating element; and providing a housing, wherein the induction coil is arranged within the housing, and wherein the housing comprises a second side opening, which corresponds to the first side opening of the induction coil within the housing.
14. An aerosol-generating device, comprising an induction heater configured to heat an aerosol-forming substrate, the induction heater comprising an induction coil configured to receive a heating element, the induction coil comprising a first side opening along a longitudinal length of the induction coil, wherein the first side opening is configured to enable access to the heating element received within the induction coil; and a housing, wherein the induction coil is arranged within the housing, and wherein the housing comprises a second side opening, which corresponds to the first side opening of the induction coil within the housing.
Description
(1) The invention will be further described, by way of example only, with reference to the accompanying drawings in which:
(2) FIG. 1 shows a conventional induction heater;
(3) FIG. 2 shows induction heater with an induction coil with a side opening along the longitudinal length according to the invention;
(4) FIG. 3 shows the induction heater of FIG. 2 in an aerosol-generating device;
(5) FIG. 4 shows the aerosol-generating device with an inserted consumable;
(6) FIG. 5 shows the aerosol-generating device with different air inlets;
(7) FIG. 6 shows the aerosol-generating device together with a cleaning tool;
(8) FIG. 7 shows the aerosol-generating device with the heating element comprising a sliding base section insertable into the device; and
(9) FIG. 8 shows heating elements with different lengths.
(10) FIG. 1 shows a conventional induction heater 10 with an elongate heating element 12 that is arranged within an induction coil 14. The elongate heating element 12 has a tapered tip for facilitating the insertion of a consumable.
(11) FIG. 2 shows an induction heater 16 according to the invention comprising an induction coil 18 and a heating element 20. The induction coil 18 has been modified with respect to a conventional induction coil as depicted in FIG. 1 such that a side opening 22 is provided along the full longitudinal length of the induction coil 18. FIG. 2c shows the heating element 20 being arranged within the induction coil 18. The width of the side opening 22 is larger than the diameter of the heating element 20, so that the heating element 20 can be inserted through the side opening 22 into the induction coil 18.
(12) Through the side opening 22, a cleaning tool can be inserted for cleaning the heating element 20. The heating element 20 can be removed from within the induction coil 18. The side opening 22 is relatively narrow such that the generation of a magnetic field by the induction coil 18 is not significantly deteriorated. The side opening 22 has a width which is slightly larger than the diameter of the heating element 20. As can be seen in FIG. 2, the windings of the induction coil 18 are U-shaped to facilitate that a single wire can be used for forming the induction coil 18 with a side opening 22. The ends of the wire can be contacted for directing an AC current through the induction coil 18.
(13) FIG. 3 shows the induction heater 16 as depicted in FIG. 2 arranged in an aerosol-generating device 24. The aerosol-generating device 24 comprises a first housing portion 26 which comprises a power source such as a battery and a controller for controlling the flow of electrical energy from the power source to the induction coil 18 of the induction heater 16. At a proximal end 30 of the aerosol-generating device 24, a second housing portion 28 is arranged and the induction coil 18 is arranged within the second housing portion 28. The consumable is inserted into a recess 38 at the proximal end 30 of the device 24. The second housing portion 28 is provided for protecting the induction coil 18 from being contaminated or damaged. FIG. 3 shows a side opening 32 in the second housing portion 28. The side opening 32 in the second housing portion 28 corresponds to the side opening 22 in the induction coil 18. In this way, the heating element 20 within the induction coil 18 and within the second housing portion 28 can be assessed through the side opening 32. FIG. 3 also shows a button 34 for activating the induction heater 16.
(14) In FIG. 3, the second housing portion 28 is depicted transparent such that the arrangement of the induction coil 18 within the the second housing portion 28 can be seen.
(15) FIG. 4 shows a consumable 36 being inserted at the proximal end 30 into a recess 38 in the second housing portion 28. In FIG. 4a, the consumable 36 is not yet being inserted into the recess 38, while in FIG. 4b, the consumable 36 is inserted into the recess 38.
(16) FIG. 5 shows an illustrative sectional view of the aerosol-generating device 24, wherein a battery 42 as well as a controller 44 are depicted in the first housing portion 26. In FIGS. 5b and 5c, an air inlet 44 is depicted, wherein the air inlet 44 is realized by the side opening 22, 32. Ambient air can be drawn into the device through the side opening 22, 32 and expelled through the consumable 36 next to the heating element 20 as indicated by the arrows in FIG. 5c.
(17) FIG. 6 shows a cleaning tool 46, which can be inserted into the side opening 22, 32 for cleaning the heating element 20. In this regard, FIG. 6a shows the cleaning tool 46 being arranged to be inserted into the side opening 22, 32 and FIG. 6b, shows the cleaning tool 46 being inserted into the side opening 22, 32.
(18) FIG. 7 shows a further embodiment, in which the side opening 32 in the second housing portion 28 does not extend along the full length of the second housing portion 28 such that the second housing portion 28 is fully closed at the proximal end 30. Also, at a distal section of the side opening 32, a further slit 48 is provided which extends perpendicular to the longitudinal axis of the side opening 32. The slit 48 is provided such that a modified heating element 20 comprising a base section 50 can be inserted into the second housing portion 28 through the side opening 32 comprising the slit 48. The base section 50 is made from a thermally and electrically non-conductive material such that it can be gripped directly after operating the induction heater 16. The base section 50 is configured as a sliding element. The base section 15 is provided with a colored tab 52. The colored tab 52 enables the identification that the heating element 20 is provided inside of the second housing portion 28 and which kind of heating element 20 is provided inside of the second housing portion 28. The heating element 20 comprises an elongate solid heating section 54 made from an electrically conductive material.
(19) In FIG. 7, a guiding element 56 is provided at a base portion 58 of the second housing portion 28 for facilitating the insertion of the heating element 20 with the base section 50 through the side opening 32. The guiding element 56 and the base section 50 may have a corresponding shape such as a groove and tongue shape.
(20) FIG. 8 shows different heating elements 20, wherein the heating elements 20 comprise heating sections 54 of different length. The different heating elements 20 can be color-coded, so that a user may identify the different heating elements by different colors of the tabs 52. The side opening 32 in the second housing portion 28 and the side opening 22 in the induction coil 18 have a sufficient length such that the different heating elements 20 can be inserted into the side openings 22, 32.
(21) The invention is not limited to the described embodiments. The skilled person understands that the features which are described in the context of the different embodiments can be combined with each other within the scope of the invention.
