Tobaqos

Introduction

Iqos, or Heated Tobacco Products (HTP), is one of the newest inventions from the tobacco industry. Instead of burning the tobacco, HTP heats the product up, and the industry claims it to be a healthier alternative to traditional ways of tobacco consumption, as it does not produce tar and other harmful chemicals that are released through burning the product.

To use the product, the user inserts heatsticks, which look like shorter versions of traditional cigarettes, into a device that has a heat plate that heats the heatsticks to just below the combustion point.

The Problem

Legality – Although HTP has become a popular alternative in many countries, some governments have decided to ban it.

‍Limited Choices – Users have to purchase heatsticks from these companies, and thus are limited in their choices.

Proposal

Back in 2017 I had the idea I named Tobaqos. Tobaqos is a container that you can fill with loose tobacco, so you don’t have to buy heatsticks. It is similar to a reusable Nespresso pod or refillable printer ink cartridges.

Here are the requirements for this product:

1. Portability
2. Easy filling and emptying of the cartridges
3. Easy cleaning
4. Can hold 10 cartridges at a time

Disassembling an iQos

The first step was to purchase an iQos and then disassemble it. I got help from a talented jewellery designer, Ronald from Devil Claw Jewellery, and made measurements of both the machine and the heatsticks. This helped us make initial assumptions for the design of a device that could fit properly.

Prototyping

The first step was to purchase an iQos and then disassemble it. I got help from a talented jewellery designer, Ronald from Devil Claw Jewellery, and made measurements of both the machine and the heatsticks. This helped us make initial assumptions for the design of a device that could fit properly.

Main Device

The main device consists of two parts: one part carries a standard slim filter, and the other holds the loose tobacco leaves. During the prototyping phase, I considered using a magnetic hold or a screw-tight design. However, after reading about heat-weakening magnets, I decided to use the screw design.

Additional Components

1. A box that holds 10 cartridges, allowing users to pre-fill them for use throughout the day.
2. Tweezers for easily filling and removing used tobacco leaves.

Testing

To test whether it works, I manually made a prototype (which I should have done before disassembling a device and paying a friend to model and 3D print a prototype). I found a bolt with roughly the diameter of a heatstick, drilled a hole through it, put some loose tobacco in, shoved it into my iQos device, heated it up, took a drag, tasted the tobacco, and felt successful! Then I exhaled, but there was no smoke. One of the keys to success in HTP and even vape pens is the fact that you can exhale the smoke. This is a sensation only smokers can describe, and it is the reason why nicotine gums and patches are not as popular.

According to the good ol' reliable Wikipedia, the use of humectants (water and glycerin) can encourage aerosol formation. This means that the heatsticks themselves have an embedded layer of humectants to simulate the sensation of smoke.

Reflection

The project was paused in 2018 when I realized that the heatsticks were spiked with glycerin. Maybe I should continue to create this product, or maybe it was the right decision to cut my losses. Either way, this was a fun project and I certainly learned a little bit about physical product prototyping.

EGON