阅读说明：本技术 雾化装置、雾化系统及其控制方法 (Atomization device, atomization system and control method thereof ) 是由 段红星 杨廷旺 罗文� 于 2021-10-12 设计创作，主要内容包括：一种雾化装置、雾化系统及其控制方法,其中雾化装置包括：具有开口的壳体；结合到壳体并用于加热可雾化材料的主加热器；结合到壳体并与主加热器间隔开的一个或多个辅助加热器；位于主加热器和一个或多个辅助加热器中距离最近的辅助加热器之间的第一导油介质,以及至少部分地围绕距离最近的辅助加热器的第二导油介质。(An atomizing device, an atomizing system and a control method thereof, wherein the atomizing device comprises: a housing having an opening; a primary heater coupled to the housing for heating the nebulizable material; one or more auxiliary heaters coupled to the housing and spaced apart from the main heater; a first oil guiding medium located between the main heater and the closest one of the one or more auxiliary heaters, and a second oil guiding medium at least partially surrounding the closest auxiliary heater.)

1. An atomizing device, comprising:

a housing having an opening;

a primary heater coupled to the housing for heating an aerosolizable material;

one or more auxiliary heaters coupled to the housing and spaced apart from the main heater;

a first oil guiding medium disposed between the main heater and a closest auxiliary heater of the one or more auxiliary heaters; and

a second oil guiding medium at least partially surrounding the closest auxiliary heater.

2. The atomizing device of claim 1, having at least one of the following characteristics:

(a) the primary heater and the one or more secondary heaters comprise a grid structure;

(b) the one or more auxiliary heaters surround the main heater in a horizontal direction of the atomizing device, and the main heater and the one or more auxiliary heaters are disposed in parallel in a vertical direction of the atomizing device;

(c) each pair of adjacent main heaters and one or more auxiliary heaters are separated by a distance of not less than 0.5 mm;

(d) at least one shape of the primary heater or the one or more secondary heaters comprises a hollow cylinder or a hollow C-shaped structure;

(e) at least one of the first oil guiding medium and the second oil guiding medium comprises cotton or microporous ceramic.

3. The atomizing device according to claim 1 or 2, further comprising:

an outer oil guiding medium at least partially surrounding said second oil guiding medium, and/or,

an aperture formed in the housing for the ingress of nebulizable material into the housing, the nebulizable material being nebulized within the housing as an aerosol for inhalation by a user through the opening.

4. Atomising device according to any of the claims 1-3, characterised in that the primary heater and the one or more secondary heaters have different resistance values, or,

the resistance value of the one or more auxiliary heaters is higher than the resistance value of the main heater, or,

the ratio of the resistance value of the primary heater to the resistance value of any one of the one or more secondary heaters is from 1:3 to 1:15, or,

the resistance value of the main heater is between 0.15 Ω and 0.25 Ω and the resistance value of the one or more auxiliary heaters is between 0.5 Ω and 3.75 Ω.

5. The atomizing device of any one of claims 1 to 4, characterized by at least one of the following features: (f) one of the one or more auxiliary heaters is electrically connected in parallel with the main heater;

(g) one of the one or more supplemental heaters is disposed in a quarter position, a two-quarter position, a three-quarter position, or a four-quarter position in a spatial range between the primary heater and an inner surface of the housing;

(h) the one or more supplemental heaters include nine supplemental heaters that at least partially surround the primary heater in a sequential manner.

6. An atomization system, comprising:

a housing;

a primary heater coupled to the housing for heating an aerosolizable material;

one or more auxiliary heaters coupled to the housing and spaced apart from the main heater; and

a power source electrically connected to the primary heater and the one or more supplemental heaters and configured to provide power to the primary heater and the one or more supplemental heaters.

7. The atomizing system of claim 6, further comprising a microcontroller configured to control each resistance value of the primary heater and the one or more secondary heaters.

8. An atomisation system according to claim 6 or 7, wherein the primary heater and the one or more secondary heaters have different resistance values, or,

the resistance value of the one or more auxiliary heaters is higher than the resistance value of the main heater, or,

the ratio of the resistance value of the main heater to the resistance value of any one of the one or more auxiliary heaters is 1:3 to 1: 15.

9. The atomizing system of any one of claims 6-8, wherein one of the one or more secondary heaters is electrically connected in parallel with the primary heater.

10. A control method of an atomizing device is characterized in that,

the atomizing device includes:

a housing;

a primary heater coupled to the housing for heating an aerosolizable material;

one or more auxiliary heaters coupled to the housing and spaced apart from the main heater;

a first oil guiding medium arranged between the main heater and the auxiliary heater closest to the main heater or the auxiliary heaters; and

a second oil guiding medium at least partially surrounding the closest auxiliary heater,

the method comprises the following steps:

heating the primary heater to a first temperature; and

heating at least one of the one or more supplemental heaters to a second temperature, wherein the first temperature is higher than the second temperature.

11. The method of claim 10, wherein a flow velocity of the nebulizable material through the first and second oil conducting media is determined by a temperature difference between the first and second temperatures.

12. The method of claim 11, wherein a flow velocity of the nebulizable material through the first and second oil conducting media is further determined by a composition of the nebulizable material.

13. The method of any one of claims 10 to 12, wherein when the nebulizable material comprises more than 70% weight percent (wt%) Vegetable Glycerol (VG), the power to heat the primary heater and the one or more secondary heaters is at least 70W, or,

when the nebulizable material comprises less than 50wt% of the VG, the power to heat the primary heater and the one or more secondary heaters is between 50W and 70W.

Technical Field

The invention relates to an atomization device, an atomization system and a control method thereof.

Electronic aerosolization devices (e.g., electronic inhalable aerosol devices, electronic cigarette devices, electronic cigarettes, aerosol generating devices, etc.) are electronic devices used to heat and aerosolize a substance and generate an inhaled aerosol. The substance comprises ingredients such as cannabis, tobacco or other herbs, or nicotine, mixed with propylene glycol, glycerin or other functional agents or additives (i.e., thickeners, humectants, flavoring agents, etc.) as a liquid solution called an E-liquid or oil.

Disclosure of Invention

According to one aspect of the invention, an atomizing device includes: a housing having an opening; a primary heater coupled to the housing and used to heat the nebulizable material; one or more auxiliary heaters coupled to the housing and spaced apart from the main heater; a first oil guiding medium arranged between the main heater and the auxiliary heater closest to the main heater and the one or more auxiliary heaters; and a second oil guiding medium at least partially surrounding the auxiliary heater closest thereto.

Optionally, the primary heater and the one or more secondary heaters comprise a mesh structure.

Alternatively, the one or more sub-heaters surround the main heater in the horizontal direction of the atomizing device, and the main heater and the one or more sub-heaters are disposed in parallel in the vertical direction of the atomizing device.

Optionally, each pair of adjacent primary heaters and one or more secondary heaters are separated by a distance of no less than 0.5 mm.

Optionally, at least one shape of the primary heater or the one or more secondary heaters comprises a hollow cylinder or a hollow C-shaped structure.

Optionally, at least one of the first oil conducting medium and the second oil conducting medium comprises cotton or a microporous ceramic.

Optionally, the atomization device further comprises: an outer oil conducting medium at least partially surrounding the second oil conducting medium.

Optionally, the atomization device further comprises: an aperture is formed in the housing for the aerosolizable material to enter the housing where it is aerosolized into an aerosol for inhalation by a user through the opening.

Alternatively, the main heater and one or more auxiliary heaters may have different resistance values, or,

the resistance value of the one or more auxiliary heaters is higher than the resistance value of the main heater, or,

the ratio of the resistance of the primary heater to the resistance of any one of the one or more secondary heaters is from 1:3 to 1:15, or,

the resistance value of the main heater is between 0.15 Ω and 0.25 Ω and the resistance value of the one or more auxiliary heaters is between 0.5 Ω and 3.75 Ω.

Optionally, one of the one or more auxiliary heaters is electrically connected in parallel with the main heater.

Optionally, one of the one or more auxiliary heaters is disposed at a quarter position, a two-quarter position, a three-quarter position, or a four-quarter position in a spatial range between the main heater and the inner surface of the housing.

Optionally, the one or more secondary heaters comprise nine secondary heaters at least partially surrounding the primary heater in a sequential manner.

According to another aspect of the invention, an atomization system comprises: a housing; a primary heater coupled to the housing and used to heat the nebulizable material; one or more auxiliary heaters coupled to the housing and spaced apart from the main heater; and a power supply electrically connected to the main heater and the one or more auxiliary heaters and used to supply power to the main heater and the one or more auxiliary heaters.

Optionally, a microcontroller is also included, configured to control each resistance value of the primary heater and the one or more secondary heaters.

Alternatively, the main heater and one or more auxiliary heaters may have different resistance values, or,

the resistance value of the one or more auxiliary heaters is higher than the resistance value of the main heater, or,

the ratio of the resistance value of the main heater to the resistance value of any one of the one or more auxiliary heaters is 1:3 to 1: 15.

Optionally, one of the one or more auxiliary heaters is electrically connected in parallel with the main heater.

According to yet another aspect of the present invention, a method for controlling an atomization device is disclosed. The atomizing device includes: a housing; a primary heater coupled to the housing and used to heat the nebulizable material; one or more auxiliary heaters coupled to the housing and spaced apart from the main heater; a first oil guiding medium arranged between the main heater and the auxiliary heater closest to the main heater or the auxiliary heaters; and a second oil guiding medium at least partially surrounding the auxiliary heater closest to the auxiliary heater. The method comprises the following steps: the primary heater is heated to a first temperature and at least one of the one or more secondary heaters is heated to a second temperature. The first temperature is higher than the second temperature.

Optionally, the flow velocity of the nebulizable material through the first and second oil guiding medium is determined by the temperature difference between the first and second temperature.

Optionally, the flow velocity of the nebulizable material through the first and second oil guiding media is further determined by the composition of the nebulizable material.

When the nebulizable material contains more than 70% by weight (wt%) Vegetable Glycerol (VG), the power for heating the main heater and the one or more auxiliary heaters is at least 70W, or,

when the nebulizable material contains less than 50wt% VG, the power to heat the main heater and the one or more auxiliary heaters is between 50W and 70W.

Drawings

The accompanying drawings, which are incorporated herein and form a part of the specification, illustrate various aspects of the present disclosure and, together with the description, further serve to explain the principles of the disclosure and to enable a person skilled in the pertinent art to make and use the disclosure.

Fig. 1 illustrates a perspective view of an exemplary aerosolization device in accordance with aspects of the present disclosure.

Fig. 2 illustrates a perspective view of an exemplary aerosolization device in accordance with aspects of the present disclosure.

Fig. 3A-3C illustrate block diagrams of exemplary atomization systems according to some aspects of the present disclosure.

4A-4D show tables and graphs of viscosity versus temperature for water and E-liquid.

Fig. 5A-5B illustrate cross-sectional views and corresponding temperature gradients of exemplary atomization devices according to aspects of the present disclosure.

Fig. 6A-6B illustrate cross-sectional views and corresponding temperature gradients of exemplary atomization devices according to aspects of the present disclosure.

Fig. 7A illustrates an enlarged, partial perspective view of an exemplary aerosolization device in accordance with aspects of the present disclosure.

FIG. 7B illustrates a heat profile of an exemplary atomization device relative to various locations of a heater in the atomization device, in accordance with aspects of the present disclosure.

Fig. 8 illustrates a flow chart of an example method for controlling an example aerosolization apparatus in accordance with some aspects of the present disclosure.

The present disclosure will be described below with reference to the accompanying drawings.

Detailed Description

While specific configurations and arrangements are discussed, it should be understood that this is done for illustrative purposes only. A person skilled in the relevant art will recognize that other configurations and arrangements can be used without parting from the spirit and scope of the disclosure. It will be apparent to those skilled in the relevant art that the present disclosure may be used in a variety of other applications as well.

It should be noted that references in the specification to "one embodiment," "an example embodiment," "some embodiments," etc., indicate that the embodiment described may include a particular feature, structure, or characteristic, but every embodiment may not necessarily include the particular feature, structure, or characteristic. Moreover, such phrases are not necessarily referring to the same embodiment. Further, when a particular feature, structure, or characteristic is described in connection with an embodiment, it is submitted that it is within the knowledge of one skilled in the relevant art to affect such feature, structure, or characteristic in connection with other embodiments whether or not explicitly described.

In general, terms may be understood at least in part from the context of usage. For example, the term "one or more" as used herein may be used in a singular sense to describe any feature, structure, or characteristic, or may be used in a plural sense depending, at least in part, on the context. Similarly, terms such as "a," "an," or "the" may be understood to convey a singular use or to convey a plural use, depending, at least in part, on the context. Moreover, the term "based on" may be understood as not necessarily intended to convey an exclusive set of factors, but may allow for the presence of additional factors not necessarily expressly described, again depending at least in part on the context.

It should be readily understood that the meaning of "on … …", "above" and "above" in this disclosure should be interpreted in the broadest manner, such that "on … …" means not only "directly on" something "but also includes the meaning of" on "something with an intermediate feature or layer, and" above "or" over "means not only" above "or" over "something, but also includes the meaning of" above "or" over "something without an intermediate feature or layer (i.e., directly on something).

Furthermore, spatially relative terms, such as "below … …," "below … …," "below," "above," "higher" and the like, may be used herein to describe one element(s) or feature's relationship to another element(s) or feature(s) as illustrated for ease of description. Spatially relative terms are intended to encompass different orientations of the device in use or operation in addition to the orientation depicted in the figures. The device may be otherwise oriented (rotated 90 degrees or at other orientations) and the spatially relative descriptors used herein interpreted accordingly. Furthermore, the terms "coupled," "coupled to," or "coupled between … …" may be understood as not necessarily intended to be "physically connected or attached," i.e., directly attached, but may also be construed as indirectly connected through intermediate components.

Fig. 1 illustrates a perspective view of an exemplary aerosolization device 100 in accordance with aspects of the present disclosure. As shown in fig. 1, the atomizing device 100 includes a housing 153 having an opening 151. An opening 151 may be provided at one end of the housing 153 or other portion of the housing 153 to allow an aerosol (e.g., an inhalable aerosol) to be delivered in and out through the housing 153 by a user of the aerosolization device 100. The atomization device 100 may also include a chamber 155 formed in the housing 153 and connected to the opening 151. Chamber 155 provides a conduit for drawing aerosol through opening 151. In some embodiments, an aerosol may be formed within chamber 155 when the nebulizable material is heated. As aerosol is drawn from chamber 155, for example, by inhalation by a user, the aerosol may be released and transported out through opening 151. In some embodiments, chamber 155 or opening 151 may also include a cover (not shown) to prevent dust or other matter from entering the interior of chamber 155, which would otherwise reduce atomization efficiency.

The atomizing device 100 may further include a heater 101 coupled to the chamber 155. In some embodiments, heater 101 is an electric heater for converting electrical current into heat. In particular, the heater 101 may comprise a heating element, which may be a resistor, for example. It works under the joule heating principle, where current is passed through a resistor and electrical energy is converted into thermal energy. For example, nebulizable material entering chamber 155 can be converted to an aerosol by nebulization when heater 101 is turned "on" and generating heat. And when the heater 101 is "off, it stops generating heat and the nebulizable material remains in liquid form. In some embodiments, heater 101 comprises a grid structure consisting of a series of intersecting straight lines (vertical, horizontal, and angled) or curves. In some embodiments, heater 101 comprises a hexagonal grid structure having a plurality of hexagonal voids. It should be noted that the mesh structure is only one of examples for illustration, and the heater 101 may also include a mesh structure, any structure having solid or solid edges with discrete voids therein, or any structure having symmetric voids in a solid or concrete structure. Because the mesh structure has a plurality of voids, heated nebulizable material or aerosol produced therefrom may flow into the chamber 155 via the voids.

As shown in fig. 1, the chamber 155 may include an elongated hollow channel extending in a vertical direction (e.g., in the y-direction) of the atomizing device 100, and the heater 101 may be an elongated hollow structure (e.g., an elongated hollow cylinder or an elongated C-shaped hollow structure) extending in the vertical direction (e.g., in the y-direction) of the atomizing device 100. In some embodiments, heater 101 may surround at least a portion of the outer surface of chamber 155. This configuration increases the transfer of thermal energy to the interior of chamber 155 so that the nebulizable material can be heated more efficiently. In some embodiments, the heater 101, if not bent to form an elongated hollow structure, may be a rectangular grid structure with two contacts (not shown) at two respective corners or opposite sides of the rectangle. The power supply can be introduced via two contacts. In some embodiments, the material of the heater 101 may be any suitable conductive material, such as metals, alloys, conductive ceramics, and conductive polymers. In some embodiments, the material of the heater 101 may be a thermally conductive material coated on an electrically conductive material, such that heat generated from the electrically conductive material by joule heating can be transferred to the thermally conductive material and provide heat to the nebulizable material.

The atomization device 100 may also include an oil-conducting medium 111 bonded to an inner surface of the housing 153. In some embodiments, the oil-directing medium 111 at least partially surrounds the heater 101 in the horizontal direction (i.e., in the x-direction). The oil-directing medium 111 serves to absorb, retain, and/or allow the aerosolizable material to flow therein. When heater 101 is "on," the nebulizable material in the vicinity of heater 101 may be heated and vaporized by heater 101. This heating and atomization process provides a negative pressure at the end of the heater 101 in the oil-conducting medium 111, thereby drawing more of the aerosolizable material to one side of the heater 101. In some embodiments, the material of the oil conducting medium 111 may be any suitable oil conducting material, such as microporous ceramic, cotton, and the like. The cotton material may comprise organic cotton, absorbent cotton, long staple cotton, or a combination thereof. The microporous ceramic material may include alumina, silicon carbide, silicon, diatomaceous earth, glass, or combinations thereof. In some embodiments, the oil conducting medium 111 may be removable and may be changed by the user. For example, if the cotton is burned and damaged, the user may periodically (e.g., daily or weekly) change the cotton based on different misting devices. Further, as shown in fig. 1, the oil guide medium 111 may be sandwiched and fixed between the case 153 and the heater 101. The oil-guiding medium 111 may also be an elongated hollow structure extending in the vertical direction (e.g., in the y-direction) of the atomizing device 100 and at least partially surrounding the heater 101 in the horizontal direction (i.e., in the x-direction).

The atomization device 100 may further include: an external oil guide medium 121 coupled to an inner surface of the case 153; and one or more holes 123 (i.e., oil holes) formed on the case 153 and coupled to the external oil guide medium 121. In some embodiments, the outer oil guiding medium 121 at least partially surrounds the oil guiding medium 111 in the horizontal direction (i.e. in the x-direction). The oil-conducting medium 121 not only serves to absorb, retain and/or allow the nebulizable material to flow therein, but also serves as a bridge between the aperture 123 and the oil-conducting medium 111. The aperture 123 is used to allow the nebulizable material to enter the housing 153 by, for example, capillary effect. For example, the nebulizable material may enter housing 153 through aperture 123 and flow and diffuse to external oil-conducting medium 121, oil-conducting medium 111, and then into heater 101 to evaporate into an aerosol in chamber 155 and be inhaled by the user through opening 151.

The atomization device 100 may further include: a holder 141 and an electrode switch 143 coupled to the case 153, and an insulator 145 formed between the holder 141 and the electrode switch 143. The holder 141 serves as a support base for the heater 101 and other components such as the oil guide medium 111 or the external oil guide medium 121. In some embodiments, the bracket 141 is also configured to be electrically connected to the heater 101 at one end and to one terminal (e.g., a positive terminal) of a battery (not shown) or any other suitable power source at the other end. In some embodiments, electrode switch 143 can be electrically connected to heater 101 at one end and to another terminal (e.g., a negative terminal) of a battery (not shown) or any other suitable power source at the other end. In some embodiments, electrode switch 143 may include a spring electrode or a button electrode, such that a user may toggle electrode switch 143 to "turn on" the power and activate heater 101 by pressing the spring electrode or button electrode. An insulator 145 may be provided to separate the holder 141 and the electrode switch 143 and prevent leakage of electricity. As shown in fig. 1, an insulator 145 may be at least partially disposed between the holder 141 and the electrode switch 143.

The atomizing device 100 can also include one or more insulating rings 131 coupled to the housing 153. The material of the insulating ring 131 may include rubber, silicone, or any suitable insulating material. The insulating ring 131 serves to seal all of the various parts of the aerosolization apparatus 100 and prevent oil or e-liquid leakage. In some embodiments, the insulating ring 131 may be used to attach to a lanyard or neck lanyard so that a user may hang the aerosolization apparatus 100 around their neck.

Fig. 2 illustrates a perspective view of an exemplary aerosolization device 200 in accordance with aspects of the present disclosure. As shown in fig. 2, the atomizing device 200 includes a housing 253 having an opening 251. The opening 251 may be provided at one end of the housing 253 or other portion of the housing 253 to allow a user of the aerosol apparatus 200 to draw or feed an aerosol (e.g., an inhalable aerosol) into the housing. The atomization device 200 can also include a chamber 255 formed in the housing 253 and connected to the opening 251. The chamber 255 provides a conduit for drawing aerosol through the opening 251. In some embodiments, an aerosol is formed within the chamber 255 when the nebulizable material is heated. As the aerosol is drawn from the chamber 255, for example by inhalation by a user, the aerosol may be released and transported out through the opening 251. In some embodiments, the chamber 255 or opening 251 may also include a cover (not shown) to prevent dust or other substances from entering the interior of the chamber 255 that would otherwise reduce atomization efficiency.

The atomization device 200 may further include: a main heater 201, and one or more sub-heaters (e.g., a first sub-heater 203) coupled to the housing 253 and spaced apart from the main heater 201. In some embodiments, one or both of the primary heater 201 and the first supplemental heater 203 are electric heaters for converting electric current into heat. In particular, one or both of the main heater 201 and the first auxiliary heater 203 may include a heating element, which may be, for example, a resistor. It works under the joule heating principle, where current is passed through a resistor and electrical energy is converted into thermal energy. For example, nebulizable material entering the chamber 255 may be converted to an aerosol by nebulization when the primary heater 201 is "on" and generating heat. And when the primary heater 201 is "off, it stops generating heat and the nebulizable material remains in liquid form.

In accordance with the present disclosure, the first supplemental heater 203 is described herein as one example of one or more supplemental heaters. In some embodiments, the first supplemental heater 203 is used to heat the nebulizable material and thereby accelerate the flow rate of the nebulizable material in the oil conducting medium. This design actively increases the flow rate rather than passively waiting for the nebulizable material to flow, which can be more challenging as the viscosity of the nebulizable material increases. Furthermore, the first auxiliary heater 203 may only heat the nebulizable material to a temperature at which it does not vaporize, in contrast to the primary heater 201, which may be used to heat and nebulize nebulizable material. Therefore, the temperature or heat supplied from the first auxiliary heater 203 cannot be higher than the temperature or heat supplied from the main heater 201.

In some embodiments, the primary heater 201 and the first supplemental heater 203 comprise a grid structure consisting of a series of intersecting straight lines (vertical, horizontal, and angled) or curves. In some embodiments, the primary heater 201 and the first supplemental heater 203 comprise a hexagonal grid structure having a plurality of hexagonal voids. It should be noted that the mesh structure is only an example for illustration, and the main heater 201 and the first auxiliary heater 203 may also include a mesh structure, any structure having a solid or solid edge and having discrete voids therein, or any structure having symmetric voids in a solid or concrete structure. Because the mesh structure has a plurality of voids, heated nebulizable material or aerosol generated therefrom may flow into the chamber 255 via the voids.

As shown in fig. 2, the chamber 255 may include an elongated hollow channel extending in a vertical direction (e.g., in the y-direction) of the atomizing device 200, and the primary heater 201 and the first auxiliary heater 203 may be elongated hollow structures (e.g., elongated hollow cylinders or elongated C-shaped hollow structures) extending in the vertical direction (e.g., in the y-direction) of the atomizing device 200. In some embodiments, the primary heater 201 may surround at least a portion of the outer surface of the chamber 255. This configuration increases the transfer of thermal energy to the interior of the chamber 255, thereby allowing for more efficient heating of the nebulizable material. In some embodiments, the primary heater 201 and the first auxiliary heater 203 may be arranged in parallel (or at least partially in parallel) along a vertical direction (e.g., in the y-direction) of the atomization device 200, so that the heat and temperature in the heat transfer medium can be uniformly distributed. Further, according to certain embodiments, each pair of adjacent primary heaters 201 and one or more secondary heaters (exemplified by the first secondary heater 203) are spaced apart by a distance of not less than 0.5 mm. Therefore, the oil guiding medium can be inserted into the space between every two adjacent heaters. In some embodiments, the primary heater 201 and the first supplemental heater 203, if not bent to form an elongated hollow structure, may be a rectangular grid structure with two contacts (not shown) at two respective corners or opposite sides of the rectangle. The power supply can be introduced via two corresponding contacts. In some embodiments, the material of the primary heater 201 and the first supplemental heater 203 may be any suitable conductive material, such as metals, alloys, conductive ceramics, and conductive polymers. In some embodiments, the material of the primary heater 201 and the first auxiliary heater 203 may be a thermally conductive material coated on an electrically conductive material such that heat generated by joule heating from the electrically conductive material may be transferred to the thermally conductive material and provide heat to the nebulizable material.

The atomization device 200 may further include a first oil guiding medium 211 and a second oil guiding medium 213 coupled to an inner surface of the housing 253. In some embodiments, the first oil guiding medium 211 at least partially surrounds the main heater 201 in a horizontal direction (i.e., in the x-direction). And the second oil guiding medium 213 at least partially surrounds the closest (i.e., closest distance) auxiliary heater (e.g., the first auxiliary heater 203) among the one or more auxiliary heaters toward the side of the chamber 255 in the horizontal direction (i.e., in the x-direction). The first oil-conducting medium 211 and the second oil-conducting medium 213 serve to absorb, retain and/or allow the nebulizable material to flow therein. The first supplemental heater 203 may increase the temperature of the nebulizable material when the primary heater 201 and the first supplemental heater 203 are "on" as it passes from the second oil guiding medium 213 to the first oil guiding medium 211 through the first supplemental heater 203, thereby increasing the flow rate of the nebulizable material in the oil guiding medium. The nebulizable material then flows more easily to the side of the main heater 201 that is attracted by the negative pressure at the end of the main heater 201. In some embodiments, the material of the first oil guiding medium 211 and the second oil guiding medium 213 may be any suitable oil guiding material, such as microporous ceramic or cotton. The cotton material may comprise organic cotton, absorbent cotton, long staple cotton, or a combination thereof. The microporous ceramic material may include alumina, silicon carbide, silicon, diatomaceous earth, glass, or combinations thereof. In some embodiments, the first oil guiding medium 211 and the second oil guiding medium 213 may be detachable and may be changed by a user. For example, if the cotton is burned and damaged, the user may periodically (e.g., daily or weekly) change the cotton based on different misting devices. Further, as shown in fig. 2, according to some embodiments, the first oil guiding medium 211 may be sandwiched and fixed between the main heater 201 and the first auxiliary heater 203, and the second oil guiding medium 213 may be sandwiched and fixed between the housing 253 and the first auxiliary heater 203. The first oil guiding medium 211 and the second oil guiding medium 213 may also be elongated hollow structures extending in the y-direction and at least partially surrounding the main heater 201 and the first auxiliary heater 203, respectively, in the horizontal direction (i.e., the x-direction).

The atomization device 200 may further include an outer oil guide medium 221 coupled to an inner surface of the housing 253, and one or more holes 223 (i.e., oil holes) formed on the housing 253 and coupled to the outer oil guide medium 221. The outer oil-conducting medium 221 not only serves to absorb, retain and/or allow the atomized material to flow therein, but also serves as a bridge between the aperture 223 and the second oil-conducting medium 213. The aperture 223 is used to allow the atomized material to enter the housing 253 by, for example, capillary effect. For example, the nebulizable material may enter the housing 253 through the aperture 223 and flow and diffuse to the external oil-conducting medium 221, the second oil-conducting medium 213, the first auxiliary heater 203, the first oil-conducting medium 211, and then flow to the main heater 201 to be nebulized into the aerosol in the chamber 255 and inhaled by the user through the opening 251.

The atomization device 200 may further include a holder 241 and an electrode switch 243 coupled to the housing 253, and an insulator 245 formed between the holder 241 and the electrode switch 243. The supporter 241 serves as a support base for the main heater 201 and the first auxiliary heater 203, as well as other components (e.g., the first oil guiding medium 211, the second oil guiding medium 213, or the external oil guiding medium 221). In some embodiments, the support 241 is also electrically connected at one end to the primary heater 201 and the first auxiliary heater 203, and at the other end to a terminal (e.g., a positive terminal) of a battery (not shown) or any other suitable power source. The electrode switch 243 may be electrically connected to the primary heater 201 and the first auxiliary heater 203 at one end, and to another terminal (e.g., a negative terminal) of a battery (not shown) or any other suitable power source at the other end. In some embodiments, the electrode switch 243 may include a spring electrode or a button electrode, such that a user may switch the electrode switch 243 by pressing the spring electrode or the button electrode to "turn on" the power and activate the main heater 201 and the first auxiliary heater 203. An insulator 245 may be provided to separate the holder 241 and the electrode switch 243 and prevent leakage of electricity. As shown in fig. 2, an insulator 245 may be at least partially disposed between the holder 241 and the electrode switch 243.

The atomization device 200 can also include one or more insulating rings 231 bonded to an outer surface of the housing 253. The material of insulating ring 231 may include rubber, silicone, or any suitable insulating material. The insulating ring 231 serves to seal all of the various parts of the atomizing device 200 and prevent oil or E-liquid leakage. In some embodiments, the insulating ring 231 may be used to attach to a lanyard or neck lanyard so that a user can hang the aerosolization apparatus 200 around their neck.

Fig. 3A illustrates a block diagram of an exemplary nebulizing system 300 in accordance with aspects of the present disclosure. As shown in fig. 1, heater 101 may be electrically connected to a battery (not shown) or any other suitable power source. The atomizing system 300 may include a primary heater 301 (corresponding to the heater 101) and a battery 361 electrically connected to the primary heater 301. The atomization system 300 can also include a first electrical connection node 341 (e.g., corresponding to the support 141 in fig. 1), and a second electrical connection node 343 (e.g., corresponding to the electrode switch 143 in fig. 1). In some embodiments, both the first electrical connection node 341 and the second electrical connection node 343 may include switches for "opening" and "closing" the connection between the primary heater 301 and the battery 361. Note that "battery" refers to any suitable power source for providing power to the atomization system 300. In some embodiments, battery 361 comprises a rechargeable battery or a non-rechargeable battery. In some embodiments, battery 361 comprises a built-in rechargeable battery that can be charged by USB charging or wireless charging.

Fig. 3B illustrates a block diagram of another example atomization system 310 in accordance with some aspects of the present disclosure. The atomizing system 310 can include a primary heater 301 (i.e., corresponding to the primary heater 201 in fig. 2), one or more supplemental heaters (e.g., a first supplemental heater 303, which can correspond to the first supplemental heater 203 in fig. 2) electrically connected in parallel to the primary heater 301, and a battery 361 electrically connected to the primary heater 301 and the one or more supplemental heaters. In some embodiments, as described above, the primary heater is used for heating and atomizing the nebulizable material, while the secondary heater is used for heating only. Accordingly, the main heater 301 and the one or more auxiliary heaters may have different resistance values. In some embodiments, the resistance value of the one or more auxiliary heaters is higher than the resistance value of the main heater 301. Since the one or more auxiliary heaters and the main heater 301 may be connected in parallel, the current and power on the one or more auxiliary heaters is lower than the current and power of the main heater 301. In some embodiments, when the atomizing device is provided with between 50W and 80W (and inclusive), the resistance value of the primary heater 301 can be any value between 0.15 Ω and 0.25 Ω (and inclusive), and any of the one or more secondary heaters can be any value between 0.5 Ω and 3.75 Ω (and inclusive). It should be noted that the resistance value of each of the one or more supplemental heaters need not be the same. In some embodiments, the resistance value of the primary heater 301 is 0.2 Ω, and the resistance value of any of the one or more secondary heaters is between 0.6 Ω and 3 Ω. In some embodiments, the ratio between the resistance value of the primary heater and the resistance value of any one of the one or more secondary heaters is in the range of 1:3 to 1: 15. These resistance devices can provide a suitable flow rate of the nebulizable material within the oil-conducting medium and prevent the oil-conducting medium, such as cotton, from being burned or producing a scorched smell due to inefficient burning of the nebulizable material. The flow rate and viscosity of the nebulizable material with respect to temperature in different configurations will be discussed later.

Fig. 3C illustrates a block diagram of yet another example atomization system 320 in accordance with aspects of the present disclosure. The atomizing system 320 can include a primary heater 301 (i.e., corresponding to the primary heater 201 in fig. 2), one or more secondary heaters electrically connected to the primary heater 301 (e.g., a first secondary heater 303, which can correspond to the first secondary heater 203 in fig. 2), a battery 361 electrically connected to the primary heater 301 and the one or more secondary heaters, and a microcontroller 371 connected to the battery 361, the primary heater 301, and the one or more secondary heaters. In this example, the primary heater 301 and the one or more secondary heaters need not be electrically connected in parallel. Rather, the microcontroller 371 is configured to independently control each resistance value of the primary heater 301 and the one or more secondary heaters. In this case, the resistance values of the main heater 301 and the one or more auxiliary heaters may be determined by a user or may be set in advance as a plurality of sets of resistance values, respectively.

The composition of the nebulizable material is one of the important factors relating to the flow rate of the nebulizable material in the oil-conducting medium. The main components of the nebulizable material include thickeners or smoke agents, medicaments or flavourings. The thickener or fumigant may include Vegetable Glycerin (VG), Propylene Glycol (PG), polyethylene glycol, polypropylene glycol, butylene glycol, triacetin, diacetin, propylene carbonate, dipropylene glycol, or any combination of two or more of the foregoing. The medicament may include nicotine or other compounds present in tobacco plant components.

Temperature is another important factor related to the flow rate of the nebulizable material in the oil conducting medium. Fig. 4A and 4B show a table and respective graphs of the viscosity of water versus temperature. The viscosity of water gradually decreases with increasing temperature. In contrast, as shown in fig. 4C and 4D, the viscosity of the nebulizable material, i.e., the tobacco tar, decreases rapidly with temperature. That is, if the temperature of all the nebulizable material in the nebulizing device can be raised uniformly to a certain extent, the flow rate of the nebulizable material can be increased significantly. In particular, the primary heater (e.g., the primary heater 201 or 301) and the secondary heater (e.g., the secondary heater 203 or 303) may control the operating temperature of the oil-conducting medium (e.g., the first oil-conducting medium 211, or the second oil-conducting medium 213) and the nebulizable material therein to be between about 100 ℃ and 200 ℃ to reduce the viscosity of the nebulizable material to less than 6mm²As shown in fig. 4C, the flow rate of the nebulizable material in the oil conducting medium increases. In contrast, without a supplemental heater (e.g., supplemental heater 203 or 303), a portion of the oil-directing medium (e.g., first oil-directing medium 211 or second oil-directing medium 213) and the nebulizable material therein may be less than 100 ℃, e.g., between 60 ℃ and 90 ℃, which significantly increases the viscosity to, e.g., between 9 and 40mm²S, as shown in fig. 4C, thereby reducing the flow rate of the nebulizable material in the oil conducting medium. In addition, the percentage of thickener or smoke agent (e.g., VG) in the nebulizable material can also affect the viscosity of the nebulizable material. In some embodiments in which the nebulizable material has VG in excess of 70 weight percent (wt%), the nebulizing device may be provided with a power of between (and including) 70W and 80W, taking into accountTo the viscosity of the nebulizable material, which may facilitate higher operating temperatures to keep the viscosity of the nebulizable material below a certain level, for example 6mm²And s. In other embodiments where the nebulizable material has a VG of less than 50wt%, the nebulizing means may be provided with a power of between 50W and 70W (and inclusive), which may facilitate a lower operating temperature to maintain the viscosity of the nebulizable material below a certain level, for example 6mm, taking into account the viscosity of the nebulizable material²/s。

Fig. 5A illustrates a cross-sectional view and corresponding temperature gradients of an exemplary atomization device 500 (e.g., corresponding to the atomization device 100 of fig. 1) in accordance with aspects of the present disclosure. The atomizing device 500 includes: a housing (not shown), a chamber 555 (e.g., corresponding to chamber 155 in fig. 1), a heater 501 (e.g., corresponding to heater 101 in fig. 1) coupled to the chamber 555, an oil guiding medium 511 (e.g., corresponding to oil conducting medium 111 in fig. 1) at least partially surrounding the heater 501, and an external oil conducting medium 521 (e.g., corresponding to external oil conducting medium 121 in fig. 1) at least partially surrounding the oil guiding medium 511 in a horizontal direction (i.e., in the x-direction). Fig. 5A shows that the temperature gradient around the main heater 501 is darkest, which means that the area around the main heater 501 has the highest temperature. However, away from the main heater 501, the temperature decreases rapidly. Without the auxiliary heater, most of the areas in the oil guiding medium 511 are white, and thus the temperature of these areas is relatively low. As can also be seen from fig. 5B, the temperature away from the main heater 501 decreases rapidly.

Fig. 6A illustrates a cross-sectional view and corresponding temperature gradient of an exemplary atomization device 600 (e.g., corresponding to the atomization device 200 of fig. 2) in accordance with some aspects of the present disclosure. The atomizing device 600 includes a housing (not shown), a chamber 655 (e.g., corresponding to the chamber 255 in fig. 2), a main heater 601 (e.g., corresponding to the main heater 201 in fig. 2) coupled to the chamber 655, a first oil guiding medium 611 (e.g., corresponding to the first oil guiding medium 211 in fig. 2) at least partially surrounding the main heater 601, a first auxiliary heater 603 (e.g., corresponding to the first auxiliary heater 203 in fig. 2) at least partially surrounding the first oil guiding medium 611, a second oil guiding medium 613 (e.g., corresponding to the second oil guiding medium 213 in fig. 2) at least partially surrounding the first auxiliary heater 603, a second auxiliary heater 605 at least partially surrounding the second oil guiding medium 613, a third oil guiding medium 615 at least partially surrounding the second auxiliary heater 605, and an external oil guiding medium 621 (e.g., corresponding to the outer oil guiding medium 221 in fig. 2). Fig. 6A shows that the temperature gradient around the main heater 601 is darkest, which means that the area around the main heater 601 has the highest temperature. And the temperature gradually decreases as it goes away from the main heater 601. Most of the areas of the oil guiding media 611, 613 and 615 in fig. 6 are darker than most of the areas of the oil guiding media 511 in fig. 5A by one or more auxiliary heaters, and thus the temperatures in these areas are increased compared to the temperatures of the corresponding areas in fig. 5A. As can be seen from fig. 6B, the temperature gradually decreases away from the main heater 601, the first sub-heater 603, and the second sub-heater 605, but to a much lesser extent than shown in fig. 5B. This shows that embodiments with one or more auxiliary heaters can at least increase the operating temperature of the oil-conducting medium within the atomizing device, thereby increasing the flow rate of the nebulizable material towards the chamber side, even if the nebulizable material is highly viscous.

Fig. 7A illustrates an enlarged, partial perspective view of an exemplary aerosolization device 700 in accordance with aspects of the present disclosure. The oil guiding medium of the atomizing device can be divided into ten spatial positions (SP 1 to SP 10) from a to a' (i.e. from the inner side of the oil guiding medium to the outer side of the oil guiding medium) so that one of the one or more auxiliary heaters can be inserted in each position. Embodiments of the example atomizing device 700 may be referred to as variations of the atomizing device 200 or 600 in which the primary heater and the one or more secondary heaters are disposed at different locations.

Fig. 7B shows a thermal profile of the example atomizing device of fig. 7A with respect to various locations of a heater in the atomizing device, in accordance with aspects of the present disclosure. In some embodiments, one or more secondary heaters may be disposed in one-quarter positions (25%), two-quarter positions (50%), three-quarter positions (75%), or four-quarter positions (100%) in a range from the primary heater to the inner surface of the housing. In some embodiments, in addition to the primary heater disposed at the first spatial location (SP 1), the atomizing device can include nine secondary heaters disposed sequentially at the second spatial location (SP 2) through the tenth spatial location (SP 10) that at least partially surround the primary heater. This may have a better temperature profile than those with less than nine supplemental heaters. Other combinations between the location of each heater and the respective resistance value may exist. For example, when the resistance value ratio of the main heater and the first sub-heater is 1:2, the first sub-heater located at the three-quarter position has a better temperature distribution than the first sub-heater located at the two-quarter position or the one-quarter position. In another example, when the first sub-heater is located at a two-quarter position (50%), the resistance value ratio between the main heater and the first sub-heater is 1:2, better than 1:4 or 1: 8. In yet another example, a first supplemental heater located at two-quarters (50%) and a second supplemental heater located at three-quarters (75%) may be optimally positioned therein.

Fig. 8 illustrates a flow chart of an example method 800 for controlling an example aerosolization apparatus in accordance with some aspects of the present disclosure. It should be understood that the operations shown in method 800 are not exhaustive, and that other operations may be performed before, after, or between any of the shown operations. Further, some operations may be performed concurrently or in a different order than that shown in FIG. 8. The atomization device in fig. 8 may refer to the atomization device 200 in fig. 2, the atomization device 600 or 610 in fig. 6A-6B, or the atomization device 700 in fig. 7.

Referring to fig. 8, a method 800 begins with operation 802 in which a primary heater is heated to a first temperature. That is, a primary heater (e.g., primary heater 201 in fig. 2) may be heated to a first temperature, such as 200 ℃. For example, the main heater may be arranged as the main heater 201 in fig. 2, or placed in a position in the first spatial position (SP 1) as discussed in connection with fig. 7B.

The method 800 proceeds to operation 804, shown in FIG. 8, where the supplemental heater is heated to a second temperature. That is, the supplemental heater (e.g., first supplemental heater 203 in fig. 2) may be heated to a second temperature, such as 130 ℃. For example, the supplemental heater may be arranged as the first supplemental heater 203 in fig. 2, or placed in a position in two-quarters of the positions (50%) as discussed in connection with fig. 7B. The first temperature is higher than the second temperature because the flow velocity of the nebulizable material through the oil conducting media (e.g., first oil conducting medium 211 and second oil conducting medium 213) is determined by the temperature difference between the first temperature and the second temperature. Furthermore, as described above, the flow velocity of the nebulizable material through the oil-conducting media (e.g., the first oil-conducting medium 211 and the second oil-conducting medium 213) may also be determined by the composition of the nebulizable material. For example, when the nebulizable material comprises more than 70wt% VG, the power to heat the primary heater and the one or more secondary heaters may be at least 70W. On the other hand, when the nebulizable material comprises less than 50wt% VG, the power to heat the primary heater and the one or more secondary heaters may be between 50W and 70W.

According to one aspect of the present disclosure, an atomization device includes: a housing having an opening; a primary heater coupled to the housing for heating the nebulizable material; one or more auxiliary heaters coupled to the housing and spaced apart from the main heater; a first oil guiding medium disposed between the main heater and a nearest one of the one or more sub-heaters, and a second oil guiding medium at least partially surrounding the nearest sub-heater.

In some embodiments, the primary heater and the one or more secondary heaters comprise a grid structure.

In some embodiments, the one or more secondary heaters surround the primary heater in the horizontal direction of the atomizing device. The main heater and the one or more auxiliary heaters are disposed in parallel in the vertical direction of the atomizing device.

In some embodiments, each pair of adjacent primary and one or more secondary heaters are spaced apart by a distance of no less than 0.5 mm.

In some embodiments, at least one shape of the primary heater or the one or more secondary heaters comprises a hollow cylinder or a hollow C-shaped structure.

In some embodiments, at least one of the first oil conducting medium and the second oil conducting medium comprises cotton or a microporous ceramic.

In some embodiments, the atomization device further includes an outer oil-conducting medium at least partially surrounding the second oil-conducting medium.

In some embodiments, the aerosolization device forms an aperture in the housing from which the aerosolizable material enters the housing. The nebulizable material is nebulized within the housing to become an aerosol that is inhaled by a user through the opening.

In some embodiments, the primary heater and the one or more secondary heaters have different resistance values.

In some embodiments, the resistance value of the one or more auxiliary heaters is higher than the resistance value of the main heater.

In some embodiments, the ratio of the resistance value of the primary heater to any resistance value of the one or more secondary heaters ranges from 1:3 to 1: 15.

In some embodiments, the resistance value of the primary heater is 0.2 Ω and the resistance value of the one or more secondary heaters is between 0.6 Ω and 3 Ω.

In some embodiments, one of the one or more auxiliary heaters is electrically connected in parallel with the primary heater.

In some embodiments, one of the one or more supplemental heaters is disposed in a quarter position, a two-quarter position, a three-quarter position, or a four-quarter position, wherein the quarter position, the two-quarter position, the three-quarter, and the four-quarter position are located in a space between the primary heater and the inner surface of the housing.

In some embodiments, the one or more supplemental heaters include nine supplemental heaters that at least partially surround the primary heater in a sequential manner.

According to another aspect of the present disclosure, an atomization system includes: a housing; a primary heater coupled to the housing for heating the nebulizable material; one or more auxiliary heaters coupled to the housing and spaced apart from the main heater; a power supply electrically connected to the primary heater and the one or more supplemental heaters and used to provide power to the primary heater and the one or more supplemental heaters.

In some embodiments, the misting system further comprises a microcontroller configured to control each resistance value of the primary heater and the one or more secondary heaters.

In some embodiments, the primary heater and the one or more secondary heaters have different resistance values.

In some embodiments, the resistance value of the one or more auxiliary heaters is higher than the resistance value of the main heater.

In some embodiments, the ratio between the resistance value of the primary heater and any resistance value of the one or more secondary heaters is in the range of 1:3 to 1: 15.

In some embodiments, one of the one or more auxiliary heaters is electrically connected in parallel with the primary heater.

In accordance with yet another aspect of the present disclosure, a method for controlling an atomization device is disclosed. The atomizing device includes: a housing; a primary heater coupled to the housing for heating the nebulizable material; one or more auxiliary heaters coupled to the housing and spaced apart from the main heater; a first oil guiding medium disposed between the main heater and a closest one of the one or more sub-heaters, and a second oil guiding medium at least partially surrounding the closest sub-heater. The method includes heating a primary heater to a first temperature and heating at least one of one or more secondary heaters to a second temperature. The first temperature is higher than the second temperature.

In some embodiments, the flow velocity of the nebulizable material through the first and second oil conducting media is determined by the temperature difference of the first and second temperatures.

In some embodiments, the flow velocity of the nebulizable material through the first and second oil conducting media is further determined by the composition of the nebulizable material.

In some embodiments, when the nebulizable material comprises more than 70% weight percent (wt%) Vegetable Glycerin (VG), the power to heat the primary heater and the one or more secondary heaters is at least 70W.

In some embodiments, when the nebulizable material comprises less than 50wt% VG, the power to heat the primary heater and the one or more secondary heaters is between 50W and 70W.

The foregoing description of the specific embodiments will so reveal the general nature of the present disclosure that others can, by applying knowledge within the skill of the art, readily modify and/or adapt for various applications such specific embodiments, without undue experimentation, and without departing from the general concept of the present disclosure. Therefore, such adaptations and modifications are intended to be within the meaning and range of equivalents of the disclosed embodiments, based on the teaching and guidance presented herein. It is to be understood that the phraseology or terminology herein is for the purpose of description and not of limitation, such that the terminology or phraseology of the present specification is to be interpreted by the skilled artisan in light of the teachings and guidance.

The embodiments of the present disclosure have been described above with the aid of functional building blocks illustrating the implementation of specific functions and relationships thereof. Boundaries of these functional building blocks have been arbitrarily defined herein for the convenience of the description. Alternate boundaries can be defined so long as the specified functions and relationships thereof are appropriately performed.

The summary and abstract sections may set forth one or more, but not all exemplary embodiments of the present disclosure as contemplated by the inventors, and are therefore not intended to limit the present disclosure and the appended claims in any way.

The breadth and scope of the present disclosure should not be limited by any of the above-described exemplary embodiments, but should be defined only in accordance with the following claims and their equivalents.