Aerosol-generating devices incorporating an intertwined wick and heating element

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-11700889-B2
Application number	US-201916684416-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Nov 14, 2019
Priority date	Mar 19, 2014
Publication date	Jul 18, 2023
Grant date	Jul 18, 2023

Abstract

An aerosol-generating system is provided, including a heating element including a plurality of wires that are twisted together; and a capillary body, the capillary body being wound around the heating element. A method of manufacturing an aerosol-generating device is also provided, including providing a capillary body; twisting a plurality of wires together to form a heating element; and winding the capillary body around the heating element. The aerosol-generating system is advantageous in that the manufacturing process can be a fast and robust. The heater can be formed with high precision and consistency. Further, the heater and wick assembly are mechanically robust, allowing manual or automatic handling without affecting its dimensions. This allows for a consistent quality of production.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. An aerosol-generating system, comprising:
a heating element comprising a plurality of wires that are twisted together, the heating element having a longitudinal axis and a plurality of turns; and
a capillary body,
wherein the capillary body is wound around an interior and an exterior of the heating element, and
wherein the plurality of turns of the heating element define a central passage extending substantially parallel to the longitudinal axis of the heating element.

2. The aerosol-generating system according to claim 1 , wherein the heating element and the capillary body are intertwined with one another.

3. The aerosol-generating system according to claim 1 , wherein the heating element is helical.

4. The aerosol generating system according claim 1 , wherein the capillary body is helical.

5. The aerosol-generating system according to claim 1 , further comprising a liquid storage portion containing liquid aerosol-forming substrate, wherein the capillary body is in contact with the liquid aerosol-forming substrate.

6. The aerosol-generating system according to claim 5 , wherein the capillary body has two ends, and wherein the two ends of the capillary body are in contact with the liquid aerosol-forming substrate.

7. The aerosol-generating system according to claim 5 , wherein the liquid aerosol-forming substrate contains nicotine.

8. The aerosol-generating system according to claim 1 , wherein the system is an electrically heated smoking system.

9. The aerosol-generating system according claim 1 , wherein the capillary body comprises a fibre comprising a plurality of strands.

10. The aerosol-generating system according to claim 9 , wherein the plurality of strands comprise one or more first fibres having a longitudinally extending core section and a plurality of transverse sections extending transversely from the core section.

11. The aerosol-generating system according to claim 10 , wherein the capillary body further comprises one or more second fibres comprising a longitudinally extending core section but no transverse sections.

12. The aerosol-generating device according to claim 1 , further comprising an airflow passage within the heating element and the capillary body.

13. A method of manufacturing an aerosol-generating device, comprising:
providing a capillary body;
twisting a plurality of wires together to form a heating element, the heating element having a longitudinal axis and a plurality of turns; and
winding the capillary body around an interior and an exterior of the heating element,
wherein the plurality of turns of the heating element define a central passage extending substantially parallel to the longitudinal axis of the heating element.

14. The method according to claim 13 , wherein the winding comprises winding the capillary body and the heating element together to intertwine the capillary body and the heating element.

Assignees

• Philip Morris Products Sa

Inventors

• Buehler Frederic
• Batista Rui

Classifications

• A24F40/44 Primary

  Wicks · CPC title

• A24B15/167 Primary

  in liquid or vaporisable form, e.g. liquid compositions for electronic cigarettes · CPC title

• A24F40/46

  Shape or structure of electric heating means · CPC title

• A24F40/70

  Manufacture · CPC title

• A61L9/037

  comprising a wick · CPC title