Aerosol generating device for nebulizing a liquid and a method of temperature control of a liquid to be nebulized
AssigneeKoninklijke Philips N.V.
InventorsPetrus Henricus Cornelius Bentvelsen, Hendrik Huijgen
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Abstract
An aerosol generating device (20) comprises a reservoir (1) for containing a liquid to be atomized and a nebulization chamber (3) for nebulizing a portion of the liquid received from the reservoir. The aerosol device further comprises liquid exchange means (7,8) for exchanging in use a further portion of the liquid received in the nebulization chamber with liquid from the reservoir to reduce a temperature increase of liquid in the nebulization chamber caused by heat produced by the piezo (4).
Claims26
An aerosol generating device for nebulizing a liquid, the device comprising:
- a reservoir;
- a nebulization chamber being arranged for receiving in use a portion of a liquid from the reservoir;
- a vibration means coupled to the nebulization chamber and arranged for bringing the portion of the liquid in vibration;
- liquid exchange means for exchanging in use a further portion of the liquid received in the nebulization chamber with liquid from the reservoir, wherein the liquid exchange means comprises at least one channel providing fluid communication between the reservoir and the nebulization chamber;
- and
- temperature sensing means arranged for measuring a temperature of the liquid contained in the nebulization chamber and/or the reservoir;
- wherein the device is further configured, responsive to the temperature sensing means indicating the measured temperature is above a predetermined threshold, to operate at least one of:
- (i) an active component in the liquid exchange means based on the measured temperature;
- or
- (ii) the vibration means at a decreased power level determined based on the measured temperature.
A method of temperature control of a liquid to be nebulized in an aerosol generating device, the aerosol generating device comprising a nebulization chamber for nebulizing a portion of the liquid received from a reservoir, the method comprising:
- filling the reservoir with the liquid;
- receiving the portion of the liquid in the nebulization chamber;
- controlling a vibration means to control the nebulizing of the portion of the liquid;
- exchanging a further portion of the liquid received in the nebulization chamber between the reservoir and the nebulization chamber, and
- measuring a temperature of the liquid contained in the nebulization chamber and/or the reservoir;
- wherein, responsive to the measured temperature being above a predetermined threshold, the method further comprises:
- (i) exchanging the further portion, through at least one channel, based on the measured temperature;
- and/or
- (ii) controlling the vibration means at a decreased power level determined based on the measured temperature.
An aerosol generating device for nebulizing a liquid, the device comprising:
- a reservoir;
- a nebulization chamber arranged for receiving in use a portion of a liquid from the reservoir;
- a piezoelectric element coupled to the nebulization chamber and arranged for bringing the portion of the liquid in vibration;
- channels and a pump configured to exchange, in use, a further portion of the liquid received in the nebulization chamber with liquid from the reservoir;
- and
- one or more temperature sensors arranged to measure a temperature of the liquid contained in the nebulization chamber and/or the reservoir;
- wherein the device is further configured, responsive to the one or more temperature sensors indicating the measured temperature is above a predetermined threshold, to operate at least one of:
- (i) the pump based on the measured temperature;
- or
- (ii) the piezoelectric element at a decreased power level determined based on the measured temperature.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.