Aerosol Generation Device with Ceramic Heater Base

Abstract

The present invention relates to an aerosol generation device. In particular, the invention relates to an aerosol generation device with heating elements provided between a ceramic heater base and a heating chamber. An aerosol generation device comprises a heating chamber for heating and receiving at least part of a consumable, a ceramic heater base, and one or more heating elements arranged between the ceramic heater base and the heating chamber and configured to heat at least parts of the heating chamber.

Claims

1. An aerosol generation device comprising: a heating chamber for heating and receiving at least part of a consumable; a ceramic heater base; and one or more heating elements arranged between the ceramic heater base and the heating chamber and configured to heat at least parts of the heating chamber.

2. The aerosol generation device according to claim 1, wherein an interior surface of the heating chamber comprises one or more interior chamber protrusions for compressing at least part of the consumable received by the heating chamber.

3. The aerosol generation device according to claim 2, wherein an exterior surface of the heating chamber comprises one or more exterior chamber indentations corresponding to the one or more interior chamber protrusions.

4. The aerosol generation device according to claim 3, wherein an interior surface of the ceramic heater base comprises one or more interior base protrusions.

5. The aerosol generation device according to claim 4, wherein the one or more interior base protrusions correspond to the one or more exterior chamber indentations.

6. The aerosol generation device according to claim 4, wherein one or more of the one or more heating elements are arranged in the one or more exterior chamber indentations.

7. The aerosol generation device according to claim 6, wherein the one or more heating elements arranged in the exterior chamber indentations substantially abut respective exterior chamber indentations so that there is no gap therebetween.

8. The aerosol generation device according to claim 6, wherein the one or more of the one or more heating elements are provided on the interior base protrusions of the ceramic heater base.

9. The aerosol generation device according to claim 8, wherein at least one temperature sensor is provided between the heating chamber and the ceramic heater base.

10. The aerosol generation device according to claim 9, wherein the at least one temperature sensor is provided on one of the one or more interior base protrusions that are provided with one or more heating elements.

11. The aerosol generation device according to claim 1, wherein the one or more heating elements comprise metal heating elements that are printed on a surface of the ceramic heater base or embedded in a sintered ceramic material of the ceramic heater base.

12. The aerosol generation device according to claim 1, wherein the ceramic heater base comprises at least two ceramic heater base elements that divide the ceramic heater base in a circumferential direction of the heating chamber and along a longitudinal direction corresponding to an insertion/removal direction of the consumable into/from the aerosol generation device.

13. The aerosol generation device according to claim 1, wherein the ceramic heater base elements have a maximum thickness of 0.5 to 1.5 mm.

14. The aerosol generation device according to claim 1, wherein the ceramic heater base has a polygonal cross-section.

15. The aerosol generation device according to claim 1, wherein the ceramic heater base extends at least partially along a length of the heating chamber in a longitudinal direction and is provided circumferentially around the heating chamber.

16. The aerosol generation device according to claim 1, wherein the ceramic heater base comprises a porous ceramic material.

17. The aerosol generation device according to claim 1, wherein an insulating member is provided between the ceramic heater base and an outside of the aerosol generation device and at least partially envelops the heating chamber and the ceramic heater base.

18. The aerosol generation device according to claim 17, wherein the insulating member comprises an aerogel layer, a vacuum layer or a tube and/or a heat reflective metal coating.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0026] FIG. 1 shows an illustrated exploded view of a portion of an aerosol generation device according to embodiments of the invention;

[0027] FIGS. 2A and 2B show an illustrated cross-sectional view and an illustrated top view, respectively, of an aerosol generation device according to embodiments of the invention;

[0028] FIG. 3A shows a perspective view of a ceramic heater base according to embodiments of the invention;

[0029] FIG. 3B shows an illustrated perspective view of an interior side of a portion of the ceramic heater base shown in FIG. 3A.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

[0030] Preferred embodiments of the present invention are described hereinafter and in conjunction with the accompanying drawings.

[0031] As shown in FIG. 1, FIG. 2A and FIG. 2B, an aerosol generation device comprises a heating chamber 200 that comprises a heating chamber wall 210 that may be provided with one or more interior chamber protrusions 220 that may extend in axial direction of the chamber for squeezing an aerosol generating substrate, in particular a tubular tobacco stick, that is at least partially inserted into the heating chamber 200. The chamber protrusions enable to manage airflow between the substrate and the chamber outside the protrusions. The heating chamber 200 may further be provided with one or more exterior chamber indentations 230. Some or preferably all of the indentations may correspond to protrusions of the one or more interior chamber protrusions 220.

[0032] As a result, the heat transfer through the wall of the chamber is not significantly hindered by the thickness of the protrusion. Heating elements 330 may be provided in such indentations. Hence, the heat can advantageously be focused in the area of the protrusions. Additionally, or alternatively, the heating elements may be provided on the ceramic heater base 300. Hence, the precise positioning of the heating elements can be guaranteed. The ceramic heater base 300 may extend at least partially along the length of the heating chamber 200 and may further be provided circumferentially around the heating chamber 200. The ceramic heater base 300 may be provided with one or more interior base protrusions 320. The number of interior base protrusions 320 may match the number of exterior chamber indentations, and the one or more base protrusions 320 preferably correspond to indentations 230 of the heating chamber 200. The heating elements 330 may be provided on protrusions of the one or more interior base protrusions 320. Hence, the heat is also advantageously focused in the area of the protrusions and heat transfer is improved as a perfect fit between of the protrusions and indentations can be obtained removing undesired air pockets or voids. Additionally, they may be provided in exterior chamber indentations 230 and/or on interior base protrusions 320. The heating elements 330 may be configured and arranged such that the heating elements abut indentations of the exterior chamber indentations 230 to ensure an optimal thermal contact to the heating chamber 200. The ceramic heater base 300 may consist of or comprise a porous ceramic material. Hence, the ceramic heater further provides heat insulation properties to reduce heat loss outwardly. The aerosol generation device may further be provided with an insulating member between the ceramic heater base 300 and an exterior or housing of the aerosol generation device 100, which preferably at least partially envelops the ceramic heater base 300 and the heating chamber 200 to provide a thermal insulation. The insulating member 400 may comprise any one of an aerogel layer, a vacuum layer or tube, a heat reflective metal coating and/or any combination thereof. For example, the insulating member 400 may comprise an annular element and an end disc-shaped element covering the bottom of the heating chamber 200. The aerosol generation device 100 may further be provided with a spacer element 120 and a connection element 130 that form a connection between the casing 11o and the heating chamber with the insulation 400 in-between. The connection element 130 may hold the upper flange of the heating chamber 200. The spacer ensures that the heating chamber does not directly contact the outer casing 11o such that the surface of the casing remains preferably below 50° C. The spacer and connection element 130 can be made of a heat resistant and rigid material such as PEEK.

[0033] As shown in FIG. 2B, the ceramic heater base 300 may comprise a first ceramic heater base element 310a and a second ceramic heater base element 310b. The ceramic heater base 300 may in general comprise any suitable number of ceramic heater base elements of the same or different sizes. The first element 310a and the second element 310b may be separate from each other along the direction of the length of the heating chamber and may be separated by a gap.

[0034] FIG. 3A illustrates a ceramic heater base 300 of an aerosol generation device 100 as described in the context of FIGS. 1, 2A and 2B. While the ceramic heater base 300 is shown to comprise two ceramic heater base elements 310a and 310b of the same size, that are separate from each other along the direction of the length of the ceramic heater base 300, the ceramic heater base 300 may comprise any suitable number of ceramic heater base elements of different sizes and/or the same size. FIG. 3B illustrates an interior side of one ceramic heater base element 310a and/or 310b. The base element 310a/310b is provided two interior base protrusions 320 on its interior surface. While the protrusions 320 are shown to be of the same size and shape and to be positioned at the same position along the length of the base element 310a/310b, the protrusions 320 may be of any suitable size and shape. Also, they may be the same or different, and be provided at different positions along the length of the base element 310a/310b. A heating element 330 is preferably provided on each protrusion 320. Alternatively, one and/or both protrusions may be provided with more than one or with no heating element 330. The heating elements 330 may be provided on the protrusions 320 by means of sintering and/or printing onto the protrusions 320. The heating elements may preferably be resistive heaters. They may be printed on the ceramic surface.

[0035] Alternatively, the heating element can be a heater track embedded in the ceramic material of the ceramic heater base during the ceramic sintering process. An electrically insulating layer may need to be applied to the inner surface of the ceramic base or the outer surface of the heating chamber. Alternatively, the heating elements 330 may be film heaters, which are typically thin. Additionally, a temperature sensor 340 may be provided on one or both of the interior protrusions 320 of the base element 310a/310b, preferably in close proximity to the heating element 330 on the protrusions 320, to ensure a more accurate and faster determination of the temperature of the heating elements and/or the heater base 300 and/or the heating chamber 200 at which the heater base is provided. The temperature sensor may be a thermistor such as NTC, a resistance thermometer (RTD), thermocouple or semi-conductor-based sensor. The skilled person appreciates that while the ceramic heater base 300 is shown to include two heater base elements 310a and 310b, the ceramic heater base may comprise any suitable number of base elements, and each base element may be configured as described above.

[0036] While this disclosure has described certain embodiments and generally associated methods, alterations and permutations of these embodiments and methods will be apparent to those skilled in the art. Accordingly, the above description of example embodiments does not define or constrain this disclosure. Other changes, substitutions, and alterations are also possible without departing from the scope of this disclosure, as defined by the independent and dependent claims.

LIST OF REFERENCE SIGNS USED IN THE DRAWINGS

[0037] 100: aerosol generation device [0038] 110: device casing [0039] 120: spacer element [0040] 130: connection element [0041] 200: heating chamber [0042] 210: heating chamber wall [0043] 220: interior chamber protrusions [0044] 230: exterior chamber indentations [0045] 300: ceramic heater base [0046] 310/310a/310b: ceramic heater base elements [0047] 320: interior base protrusions [0048] 330: heating element [0049] 340: temperature sensor [0050] 400: insulating member