US-12616246-B2 - Heater assembly having fluid permeable heater with directly deposited transport material

US12616246B2US 12616246 B2US12616246 B2US 12616246B2US-12616246-B2

Abstract

A heater assembly is provided for an aerosol-generating system, the heater assembly including: a fluid permeable heating element configured to heat a liquid aerosol-forming substrate to form an aerosol, the fluid permeable heating element including a plurality of apertures configured to allow fluid to permeate through the fluid permeable heating element; and a transport material including a plurality of channels configured to convey a liquid aerosol-forming substrate to the plurality of apertures of the fluid permeable heating element, the transport material including a ceramic, which is deposited directly on to a fluid permeable surface of the fluid permeable heating element, and for over 50 percent of the apertures of the fluid permeable heating element, the transport material further includes a corresponding channel configured to convey liquid aerosol-forming substrate to its respective aperture.

Inventors

Irene Taurino

Assignees

PHILIP MORRIS PRODUCTS S.A.

Dates

Publication Date: 20260505
Application Date: 20210617
Priority Date: 20200618

Claims (15)

1 . A heater assembly for an aerosol-generating system, the heater assembly comprising: a fluid permeable heating element configured to heat a liquid aerosol-forming substrate to form an aerosol, the fluid permeable heating element comprising a plurality of apertures configured to allow fluid to permeate through the fluid permeable heating element; and a transport material comprising a plurality of channels configured to convey a liquid aerosol-forming substrate to the plurality of apertures of the fluid permeable heating element, wherein the transport material comprises a ceramic, which is deposited directly on to a fluid permeable surface of the fluid permeable heating element, and wherein, for over 50 percent of the apertures of the fluid permeable heating element, the transport material further comprises a corresponding channel configured to convey liquid aerosol-forming substrate to its respective aperture.
2 . The heater assembly according to claim 1 , wherein, for each of the apertures of the fluid permeable heating element, the transport material further comprises a corresponding channel configured to convey the liquid aerosol-forming substrate to its respective aperture.
3 . The heater assembly according to claim 1 , wherein the transport material has a thickness defined between a first surface of the transport material and an opposing second surface of the transport material, wherein the fluid permeable heating element is arranged at the first surface and the second surface is arranged to receive liquid aerosol-forming substrate, and wherein the plurality of channels extend through the thickness of the transport material between the first and the second surfaces of the transport material.
4 . The heater assembly according to claim 3 , wherein the plurality of channels are arranged to permit flow of the liquid aerosol-forming substrate in a single direction between the first and the second surfaces of the transport material.
5 . The heater assembly according to claim 3 , wherein the plurality of channels extend substantially linearly in a direction substantially orthogonal to the first surface of the transport material.
6 . The heater assembly according to claim 1 , wherein each of the plurality of apertures of the fluid permeable heating element has a cross-sectional dimension between 20 microns and 300 microns.
7 . The heater assembly according to claim 1 , wherein transverse cross-sectional dimensions of each of the plurality of channels along a length of the channels are substantially the same as cross-sectional dimensions of the apertures of the fluid permeable heating element.
8 . The heater assembly according to claim 1 , further comprising electrical contacts configured to supply electrical power to the fluid permeable heating element, wherein the electrical contacts are directly connected to the fluid permeable heating element.
9 . The heater assembly according to claim 1 , wherein the fluid permeable heating element is substantially flat.
10 . The heater assembly according to claim 1 , wherein the fluid permeable heating element further comprises a mesh heater comprising a plurality of intersecting heating filaments.
11 . A cartridge for an aerosol-generating system, the cartridge comprising a heater assembly according to claim 1 and a liquid storage portion configured to hold a liquid aerosol-forming substrate.
12 . An aerosol-generating system, comprising: a cartridge according to claim 11 ; and an aerosol-generating device, wherein the cartridge is removably coupled to the aerosol-generating device, and wherein the aerosol-generating device comprises a power supply for the heater assembly.
13 . A method of manufacturing a heater assembly for an aerosol-generating system, the method comprising: providing a fluid permeable heating element, and providing a transport material for transporting liquid aerosol-forming substrate to the fluid permeable heating element, wherein the transport material is provided by depositing a ceramic directly on the fluid permeable heating element, and wherein the transport material is directly deposited on to the fluid permeable heating element by electrophoretic deposition.
14 . The method according to claim 13 , wherein the transport material is deposited by depositing ceramic particles on to the fluid permeable heating element, and wherein an average particle size of the ceramic particles is between 0.05 microns and 0.7 microns.
15 . The method according to claim 13 , further comprising sintering the heater assembly after the transport material has been deposited.

Description

The present invention relates to a heater assembly for an aerosol-generating system. In particular, but not exclusively, the present invention relates to a heater assembly for a handheld electrically operated aerosol-generating system for heating an aerosol-forming substrate to generate an aerosol and for delivering the aerosol into the mouth of a user. The present invention also relates to a cartridge for an aerosol-generating system comprising the heater assembly, an aerosol-generating system and a method of manufacturing the heater assembly. Handheld electrically operated aerosol-generating devices and systems are known that consist of a device portion comprising a battery and control electronics, a portion for containing or receiving a liquid aerosol-forming substrate and an electrically operated heater for heating the aerosol-forming substrate to generate an aerosol. The heater typically comprises a coil of wire which is wound around an elongate wick which transfers liquid aerosol-forming substrate from the liquid storage portion to the heater. An electric current can be passed through the coil of wire to heat the heater and thereby generate an aerosol from the aerosol-forming substrate. A mouthpiece portion is also included on which a user may puff to draw aerosol into their mouth. In addition to the wick, the liquid storage portion may comprise an absorbent material for holding the liquid aerosol-forming substrate. Therefore, manufacturing a heater assembly for known aerosol-generating devices and providing a means of transporting liquid aerosol-forming substrate to the heating wire can involve the assembly of at least three components. This increases the complexity of the assembly line and the number of manufacturing steps involved. Another problem with known aerosol-generating devices arises if a user continues to use an aerosol-generating device after the liquid aerosol-forming substrate has been depleted. In this situation, some materials used to form wicking materials have been known to degrade when they are heated in a dry condition and to release unwanted by-products which can be potentially harmful. Furthermore, some fibrous wicking materials have been known to release fibres when heated in a dry condition. It would be desirable to provide a heater assembly for an aerosol-generating system which has fewer parts that need to be assembled. It would be desirable to provide a heater assembly for an aerosol-generating system which is simpler to manufacture. It would also be desirable to provide a heater assembly which reduces the risk of unwanted by-products being produced. According to an example of the present disclosure, there is provided a heater assembly for an aerosol-generating system. The heater assembly may comprise a fluid permeable heating element for heating a liquid aerosol-forming substrate to form an aerosol. The heater assembly may comprise a transport material for conveying a liquid aerosol-forming substrate to the fluid permeable heating element. The transport material may comprise a ceramic. The ceramic may be deposited on to a fluid permeable surface of the fluid permeable heating element. The ceramic may be deposited directly on to a fluid permeable surface of the fluid permeable heating element. According to an example of the present disclosure, there is provided a heater assembly for an aerosol-generating system, the heater assembly comprising: a fluid permeable heating element for heating a liquid aerosol-forming substrate to form an aerosol; and a transport material for conveying a liquid aerosol-forming substrate to the fluid permeable heating element, wherein the transport material comprises a ceramic which is deposited directly on to a fluid permeable surface of the fluid permeable heating element. As used herein, the term “deposited” in intended to mean that the transport material is formed by some form of physical, chemical or electro-deposition process on a surface of the fluid permeable heating element. The term “deposited” is not intended to encompass forming the transport material as a separate discrete part which is merely attached to, or placed in contact with, the fluid permeable heating element. For the avoidance of doubt, the term “deposited” includes electrophoretic deposition. As used herein, the term “deposited directly” means that the transport material is deposited on a surface of the fluid permeable heating element in direct contact with the fluid permeable heating element with no intervening components arranged between the transport material and the fluid permeable heating element. Advantageously, by depositing the transport material directly on the fluid permeable heating element, the transport material is integrally formed with the fluid permeable heating element. In other words, the transport material and the fluid permeable heating element are formed as a single piece or part. Instead of two components, i.e. a separate transport material and a heat