Patent Publication Number: US-2023134640-A1

Title: Heating assembly and vaping device comprising the same

Description:
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS 
     Pursuant to 35 U.S.C. § 119 and the Paris Convention Treaty, this application claims foreign priority to Chinese Patent Application No. 202111282506.2 filed Nov. 1, 2021, and to Chinese Patent Application No. 202122645578.0 filed Nov. 1, 2021. The contents of all of the aforementioned applications, including any intervening amendments thereto, are incorporated herein by reference. Inquiries from the public to applicants or assignees concerning this document or the related applications should be directed to: Matthias Scholl P.C., Attn.: Dr. Matthias Scholl Esq., 245 First Street, 18th Floor, Cambridge, Mass. 02142. 
     BACKGROUND 
     The disclosure relates to a heating assembly and a vaping device comprising the same. 
     Conventionally, a heating assembly is disposed in the tobacco material. When the heating assembly is energized, the tobacco material is unevenly heated, which may affect the taste of the tobacco smoke. 
     SUMMARY 
     To solve the aforesaid problems, the first objective of the disclosure is to provide a heating assembly for heating tobacco material. 
     The second objective of the disclosure is to provide a vaping device comprising the heating assembly. 
     The following advantages are associated with the heating assembly and the vaping device of the disclosure: the heating assembly allows the hot air to pass through the tobacco material and enables uniform heat transfer. Heating components are evenly disposed on a bottom wall of a base to give the maximum heating area which allows the heat to be conducted rapidly through the bottom wall of the base. Then the heat is transferred rapidly to the tobacco material to maintain the taste of the tobacco smoke. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         FIG.  1    is a cross-sectional view of a vaping device according to one example of the disclosure; 
         FIG.  2    is an exploded view of a heating assembly according to one example of the disclosure; 
         FIG.  3    is a perspective view of a heating assembly according to one example of the disclosure; 
         FIG.  4    is a cross-sectional view of a heating assembly according to one example of the disclosure; 
         FIG.  5    is a bottom perspective view of a heating assembly according to one example of the disclosure; 
         FIG.  6    is a perspective view of a base assembled with a heating element according to one example of the disclosure; 
         FIG.  7    is a top view of a base according to one example of the disclosure; and 
         FIG.  8    is a cross-sectional view including arrows showing the direction of air flow in a heating element according to one example of the disclosure. 
     
    
    
     In the drawings, the following reference numbers are used:  1 . Tobacco chamber;  2 . Heating assembly;  3 . Control assembly;  24 . Cover;  25 . Heating element;  26 . Base;  260 . Partition;  2401 . Air inlet;  2604 . Air outlet;  2601 . Separate space;  2603 . Side wall;  2605 . Space;  2606 . Opening;  2607 . Main partition;  2609 . Bottom wall;  2610 . Flange;  2611 . Protruding part;  2607   a.  First main partition;  2607   b.  Second main partition;  2607   c.  Third main partition;  2608   a.  First auxiliary partition; and  2608   a.  Second auxiliary partition. 
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION 
     To further illustrate the disclosure, embodiments detailing a heating assembly and a vaping device are described below. It should be noted that the following embodiments are intended to describe and not to limit the disclosure. 
     As shown in  FIG.  1   , a vaping device comprises a tobacco chamber  1  for holding tobacco material, a heating assembly  2  for heating the tobacco material, and a control assembly  3  for regulating the operation of the heating assembly  2 . The control assembly  3  is disposed on the heating assembly  2 , and the heating assembly  2  is disposed on the tobacco chamber  1 . The control assembly comprises a circuit control board, and optionally further comprises a battery. 
     As shown in  FIGS.  2 - 6   , the heating assembly  2  comprises a heating element  25  and a base  26 . The base  26  comprises a bottom wall  2609  and a side wall  2603 . A space  2605  is surrounded by the bottom wall  2609  and the side wall  2603 . The heating element  25  is distributed on the bottom wall  2609  and configured to heat air in the space  2605 . The bottom wall  2609  comprises at least one air outlet  2604  through which the heat flows out of the space  2605 . The tobacco chamber  1  comprises an open top through which the tobacco material is inserted into the tobacco chamber  1 . The bottom wall  2609  is disposed on the tobacco chamber  1  to cover the open top. The focused stream of hot air in the space  2605  flows down through the at least one air outlet  2604  into the tobacco chamber  1 , thus warming up evenly throughout the tobacco material. The heating element  25  is distributed on the bottom wall  2609  so as to quickly transfer heat to the bottom wall  2609  and raise the temperature in the tobacco material, thus maintaining the taste of the tobacco smoke. The heating element  25  comprises conductive materials including but not limited to, conductive metals, graphene, and carbon nanomaterials. The heating element is energized to produce the heat; optionally, an electromagnetic field is produced in a coil and causes heat generation in the heating element  25 . 
     In certain examples, the bottom wall  2609  comprises a plurality of partitions  260  dividing the space  2605  into a plurality of separate spaces  2601 . The heating element  25  is disposed in the plurality of separate spaces  2601 . The plurality of partitions  260  is erected on the bottom wall  2609  using any desired method, such as integral formation or assembly. The plurality of partitions  260  is configured to prevent changes in the position of the heating element  25 , thus preventing short circuit. The plurality of partitions  260  is configured to reduce heat loss in the plurality of separate spaces  2601 . 
     In certain examples, the plurality of separate spaces  2601  communicates with one another to form a passage; two ends of the heating element  25  extend in the passage so that the heating element stretches in each separate space. In certain examples, the vaping device comprises only one heating element  25  provided with two pins; the heating element  25  extends along the passage to have a maximum length, and is soldered to the two pins for electricity conducting. The maximum length of the heating element  25  causes a rise in voltage and maximizes the amount of heat produced. In certain examples, the plurality of separate spaces  2601  need not communicate with one another; a plurality of heating elements  25  is inserted through plurality of partitions  260  and disposed on the bottom wall  2609 ; the plurality of partitions  260  is formed integrally with or connected to one another. 
     In certain examples, as shown in  FIG.  6   , the plurality of partitions  260  comprises a plurality of main partitions  2607  with different sizes. The separate space  2601  is formed between every two adjacent main partitions  2607 . Each of the plurality of main partitions  2607  is in the shape of a ring with an opening  2606 . A smaller main partition  2607  is disposed in an adjacent larger main partition, and the openings of the smaller main partition  2607  and the adjacent larger main partition  2607  are disposed in two opposite directions. Understandably, the plurality of main partitions  2607  can be any shape or form including a circular shape, an elliptical shape, and a polygonal shape (for examples, a rectangular shape, a triangular shape, and a diamond shape). Referring to  FIG.  2   , in certain examples, the plurality of main partitions  2607  comprises a first main partition  2607   a,  a second main partition  2607   b,  and a third main partition  2607   c,  which are disposed in turn outward from the same center point; the first main partition  2607   a  comprises a first opening; the second main partition  2607   b  comprises a second opening; and the third main partition  2607   c  comprises a third opening; the first main partition  2607  is surrounded by the second main partition  2607   b,  and the first opening and the second opening are disposed in two opposite directions; the second main partition  2607   b  is surrounded by the third main partition  2607   c,  and the second opening and the third opening are disposed in two opposite directions; the first opening and the third opening are disposed in the same direction. In certain examples, each of the plurality of main partitions  2607  is in the form of a sheet with a flat surface (as shown in  FIG.  7   ), and need not comprises any opening  2606 . In certain examples, the plurality of main partitions  2607  is spirally disposed on the bottom wall  2609  and need not comprise any opening  2606 ; and the heating element  25  is matched with the plurality of separate spaces  2601  in shape and size to ensure that it can be disposed therein. 
     In certain examples, each of the plurality of partitions  260  further comprises a joint and an auxiliary partition  2608 ; the joint is disposed opposite to the opening; and the auxiliary partition extends from the joint through the opening of adjacent larger main partition. In certain examples, the plurality of main partitions  2607  comprises a first main partition  2607   a,  a second main partition  2607   b,  and a third main partition  2607   c,  which are disposed in turn outward from the same center point; the first main partition  2607   a  comprises a first opening and a first joint disposed opposite to the first opening; the second main partition  2607   b  comprises a second opening and a second joint disposed opposite to the second opening; and the third main partition  2607   c  comprises a third opening and a third joint disposed opposite to the third opening; the first main partition  2607  is surrounded by the second main partition  2607   b,  and the first opening and the second opening are disposed in two opposite directions; the second main partition  2607   b  is surrounded by the third main partition  2607   c,  and the second opening and the third opening are disposed in two opposite directions; the first auxiliary partition  2608   a  extends from the first joint to the third joint through the second opening; the second auxiliary partition  2608   b  extends from the second joint to the side wall  2603  through the second opening. The plurality of auxiliary partitions  2608  is configured to prevent short circuit caused by the heating element  25 . 
     In certain examples, the base  26  comprises a plurality of air outlets  2604  evenly distributed on the bottom wall  2609 ; preferably, the plurality of air outlets  2604  is evenly distributed, thus allowing the hot air to pass through the tobacco material and enabling uniform heat transfer. 
     In certain examples, the base  26  further comprises at least one protruding part  2611  disposed on the outer surface of the bottom wall  2609 ; and a gap is formed between the at least one protruding part  2611  and the tobacco material. Since the tobacco material may burn and stick to the surface of the heating element  25 , the gap reduces contact between the tobacco material and the heating element  25 , which leads to an increased service life of the heating element  25 . 
     In certain examples, the side wall  2603  comprises a distal end away from the bottom wall  2609 ; the distal end extends radially to form a flange  2610 ; the flange  2610  is disposed on the open top of the tobacco chamber to prevent the base  26  from moving. 
     In certain examples, the heating assembly further comprises a cover  24  disposed on the distal end of the side wall  2603  to cover the space  2605 . The cover  24  comprises at least one air inlet  2401  through which the air is conducted into the space  2605 . The projection of the at least one air inlet  2401  does not overlap with the at least one air outlet  2604 . The at least one air inlet  2401  communicates with the at least one air outlet  2604  through the space  2605 . The number of the at least one air inlet  2401  is determined by demand. Since the projection of the at least one air inlet  2401  does not overlap with the at least one air outlet  2604 , a vortex is formed as a result of the heat flow, which allows the hot air to flow along the space  2605 , reduces heat loss, and improves heat utilization. Optionally, the cover  25  is disposed on the flange  2610 . 
     In certain examples, the cover  24  is made of a thermal insulating material including not limited to mica, agate, jade, and crystal. Preferably, the thermal insulating material is made of mica which helps to minimize heat loss. The base  26  and the plurality of partitions  260  are separately made of a thermally-conductive electrically-insulating material including but not limited to, ceramic, glass, and quartz. Preferably, the base  26  and the plurality of partitions  260  are separately made of ceramic. 
     In certain examples, the heating element  25  comprises a heating wire and/or a heating tube in a spiral shape that maximizes the heating area. Preferably, the heating wire is in the shape of a spiral which gives the maximum length, offering advantages such as low electrical resistivity, high heat generation, and low power consumption. The heat is transferred rapidly to the tobacco material to make an improvement on the tobacco smoke. 
     In certain examples, the tobacco chamber  1  comprises the open top; the heating assembly  2  is disposed on the open top; the bottom wall  2609  covers the open top, and the at least one air outlet is oriented toward the tobacco material; almost all the heat flows to the tobacco material to achieve a good heating efficiency. 
       FIG.  8    is a cross-sectional view including arrows showing the direction of the heat flow in the vaping device of the disclosure. The heating element  25  is energized to produce the heat, and allows the heat to be conducted through the plurality of separate spaces  2601 . External air flows through the at least one air inlet  2401  into the plurality of separate spaces  2601 , and forces the heat through the at least one air outlet  2604  to heat the tobacco material. 
     It will be obvious to those skilled in the art that changes and modifications may be made, and therefore, the aim in the appended claims is to cover all such changes and modifications.