Cover member

Abstract

The cover member is attachable to and detachable from an electronic device that is operated by a built-in first battery, and a second battery that is charged by power supplied from the electronic device is provided in the cover member.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present disclosure relates to a cover member. Background Art

[0002] Most portable electronic devices operate using batteries built into the main body. The batteries used may be primary batteries or secondary batteries. In electronic devices that operate using primary batteries, covers or other cover components that can be loaded and unloaded by users are installed. In addition, in electronic devices that operate using secondary batteries, USB terminals and other power supply terminals for charging the secondary batteries from the outside are provided. Recently, there are also electronic devices that do not provide power supply terminals and can charge secondary batteries wirelessly.

[0003] Prior art literature

[0004] Patent Literature

[0005] Patent Document 1: Japanese Patent No. 6116039 Summary of the invention

[0006] Problems to be solved by the invention

[0007] Therefore, recent portable electronic devices consume a lot of power, but are also required to be used for a long time. As a countermeasure to this reverse requirement, the built-in battery is being increased in capacity and the electronic device is being made more power-efficient. However, each measure has its limitations.

[0008] In view of the above-mentioned problems, the present disclosure provides a technology for increasing the amount of electric power (electric power) that can be used by the entire electronic device equipped with a cover member.

[0009] Means for solving problems

[0010] As one aspect of the present disclosure, there is provided a cover member that is detachable from an electronic device that operates with a built-in first battery, the cover member having a second battery that is charged by power supply from the electronic device.

[0011] The cover member may further include a charging circuit for charging the second battery by power supply from the electronic device.

[0012] The cover member may further include a power supply circuit for supplying electric power to the electronic device.

[0013] The power supply circuit may charge the first battery when the remaining power of the first battery is equal to or less than a predetermined reference.

[0014] The supply of electric power by the power supply circuit may be performed in response to an instruction from the electronic device.

[0015] The power supply circuit may supply power to a communication unit of the electronic device.

[0016] The cover member may further include a notification unit that receives power supply from the second battery and notifies information.

[0017] The electronic device may be an aerosol generating device including a heating unit that heats the aerosol source, and the power supply circuit may supply electric power to the heating unit.

[0018] The electronic device may be an aerosol generating device having a heating unit that heats an aerosol source, and the main body portion attached to the aerosol generating device may cover a portion of a surface of the aerosol generating device in an operable state.

[0019] Attachment of the main body to the aerosol generating device may be one of the conditions for enabling heating of the aerosol source by the heating unit.

[0020] The main body may be capable of operating a switch on the electronic device by being pressed by a user when the main body is mounted on the electronic device.

[0021] The device may further include an operation unit that receives an operation by a user and notifies the electronic device.

[0022] The main body part mounted in the electronic device and the part of the electronic device that is in an operable state and not covered by the main body part may form an integrated appearance.

[0023] Effects of the Invention

[0024] According to one aspect of the present disclosure, it is possible to increase the amount of power that can be used by the entire electronic device equipped with the cover member. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0025] Figure 1 This is a diagram showing the front side of the aerosol generating device as viewed diagonally from above.

[0026] Figure 2 This is a diagram showing the front side of the aerosol generating device as viewed diagonally from below.

[0027] Figure 3 This is a diagram showing the aerosol generating device with a shutter removed, as viewed from above.

[0028] Figure 4 This is a front view of the main device with the front panel removed.

[0029] Figure 5 This is a diagram showing the back side of the front panel removed from the main device.

[0030] Figure 6 It is a diagram schematically showing the internal structure of an aerosol generating device.

[0031] Figure 7 This is a diagram schematically showing the connection relationship between the front panel and the power system circuit in the main device.

[0032] Figure 8 This is a flowchart for explaining an example of the front panel attachment detection operation executed by the control unit.

[0033] Fig. 9 This is a flowchart illustrating an example of the USB charging operation executed by the control unit.

[0034] Fig.10 This is a diagram for explaining the USB charging operation.

[0035] Fig.11 This is a diagram for explaining the operation of charging the secondary battery of the main device via the secondary battery of the front panel.

[0036] Fig.12 This is a diagram for explaining auxiliary charging using the front panel as an external power source.

[0037] Fig.13 This is a diagram for explaining the amount of electricity that can be used by the aerosol generating device as a whole.

[0038] Fig.14 This is a diagram schematically showing the connection relationship between the front panel used in the second embodiment and the power supply system circuit in the main device.

[0039] Fig.15 This is a diagram schematically showing the connection relationship between the front panel used in the second embodiment and the power supply system circuit in the main device.

[0040] Fig.16 This is a diagram for explaining an example of the appearance of an aerosol generating device equipped with a front panel having a notification portion.

[0041] Fig.17 This is a diagram schematically showing the internal structure of an aerosol generating device used in Embodiment 4.

[0042] Fig.18 This is a diagram schematically showing the connection relationship between the front panel used in the fourth embodiment and the power supply system circuit in the main device.

[0043] Fig.19 This is a diagram showing the back side of the front panel used in Embodiment 5.

[0044] Fig. 20 This is a diagram schematically showing the internal structure of the aerosol generating device used in Embodiment 5.

[0045] Fig.21 This is a diagram schematically showing the connection relationship between the front panel used in Embodiment 5 and the power supply system circuit in the main device. DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0046] Hereinafter, embodiments of the present disclosure will be described with reference to the accompanying drawings. In each of the drawings, the same parts are denoted by the same reference numerals.

[0047] <Terms>

[0048] The aerosol generating device according to each embodiment is one form of an electronic cigarette.

[0049] In the following description, the substance generated by the aerosol generating device is referred to as an aerosol. Aerosol refers to a mixture of fine liquid or solid particles suspended in a gas, air, or other gases.

[0050] In each embodiment, an aerosol generating device that generates aerosol without combustion is described.

[0051] In the following description, the process in which a user inhales the aerosol generated by the aerosol generating device is referred to as “inhalation” or “puff”.

[0052] In each embodiment, an aerosol generating device capable of installing a solid aerosol source is described. In addition, depending on the product form, the container for accommodating the solid aerosol source is also called a "capsule" or a "rod-type substrate". The capsule and the rod-type substrate are consumables. Therefore, the capsule and the rod-type substrate are determined to be replaced.

[0053] <Implementation method 1>

[0054] <External appearance>

[0055] First, an example of the appearance of the aerosol generating device used in Embodiment 1 will be described.

[0056] Figure 1 This is a diagram showing the front side of the aerosol generating device 1 as viewed diagonally from above.

[0057] Figure 2 This is a diagram showing the front side of the aerosol generating device 1 as viewed diagonally from below.

[0058] Figure 3 This is a diagram showing the aerosol generating device 1 with the shield plate 30 removed, as seen from above.

[0059] Figure 4 This is a diagram showing the main device 20 from the front, with the front panel 10 removed.

[0060] Figure 5 This is a diagram showing the back side of the front panel 10 removed from the main device 20.

[0061] The aerosol generating device 1 used in the present embodiment has a size that can be held by a user with one hand.

[0062] The aerosol generating device 1 includes a main body device 20 , a front panel 10 attached to the front surface of the main body device 20 , and a shutter 30 disposed on the upper surface of the main body device 20 and capable of sliding along the upper surface.

[0063] The front panel 10 is a member that can be attached to and detached from the main device 20. The front panel 10 is attached and detached by the user.

[0064] like Figure 1 as well as Figure 2 As shown, the front panel 10 installed on the main device 20 covers the front part of the main device 20. In other words, after the front panel 10 is installed, the main device 20 other than the front part can also be observed from the outside. For example, the side, back, top and bottom of the main device 20 can also be observed from the outside after the front panel 10 is installed.

[0065] like Figure 1 as well as Figure 2 As shown, the front panel 10 installed on the main body device 20 is continuously connected to the side surface, top surface and bottom surface of the main body device 20 without any step difference, forming an integrated appearance.

[0066] Thus, one of the functions of the front panel 10 is decoration. In addition, the side surface, the upper surface, and the bottom surface of the main body device 20 are examples of portions that are not covered by the front panel 10.

[0067] The front panel 10 is provided with a window 10B. The window 10B is provided at a position facing the light emitting element on the main device 20 side. In the case of the first embodiment, an LED (=Light Emitting Diode) 20A (see Figure 4 ).

[0068] The window 10B in the first embodiment is made of a material that allows light to pass through. However, the window 10B may also be a slit that passes through from the front to the back. In addition, the lighting and flashing of the light emitting element indicate the state of the operation of the aerosol generating device 1, etc. The state of the operation also includes errors. The lighting and flashing of the light emitting element are controlled by the control unit 206 (see Figure 6 ) and be controlled.

[0069] In addition to the decorative function, the front panel 10 also has the function of buffering the transfer of heat released from the main device 20. Therefore, in the case of this embodiment, the generation of aerosol is allowed only when the front panel 10 is installed in the main device 20. In other words, the front panel 10 installed in the main device 20 forms an integrated appearance with the main device 20 in a state where aerosol can be generated.

[0070] The front panel 10 has a function of protecting the main device 20 from dirt, damage, etc. The secondary battery-mounted front panel 10 described later has a function of increasing the amount of electricity that can be used by the aerosol generating device 1 as a whole.

[0071] The front panel 10 used in the present embodiment is deformed when a user presses a position below the window 10B with a fingertip, and returns to its original shape when the pressing stops.

[0072] The inner side of the front panel 10 used in this embodiment is installed with: a power supply unit 101 capable of charging and discharging electricity; a charging circuit 102 that charges the power supply unit 101 using power supplied from the main device 20; and a power supply circuit 103 that supplies the power accumulated in the power supply unit 101 to the main device 20.

[0073] In the present embodiment, for example, a thin-film lithium-ion secondary battery or a capacitor is used in the power supply unit 101. Figure 5 The arrangement of the power supply unit 101 , the charging circuit 102 , and the power supply circuit 103 in FIG. 1 is an example. In addition, a plurality of power supply units 101 may be mounted on the front panel 10 .

[0074] The front panel 10 in this embodiment is an example of a cover member. Figure 1 as well as Figure 2 The main body panel 10A of the outer appearance of the front panel 10 shown is an example of the main body portion.

[0075] A USB (=Universal Serial Bus) connector 21 of type C is provided on the bottom surface of the main device 20. The shape and type of the USB connector 21 are examples. In other words, the USB connector 21 may be a USB other than type C. In the case of the first embodiment, the USB connector 21 may be used, for example, in the power supply unit 201 (see Figure 6 ) for charging.

[0076] A rod-shaped substrate 210 (see FIG. 2 ) containing an aerosol source is provided on the upper surface of the main body device 20. Figure 6) hole 22. The rod-shaped substrate 210 used in this embodiment contains a solid aerosol source in a paper tube formed into a substantially cylindrical shape. The hole 22 is exposed by sliding the shield 30 to the open position and is hidden by sliding the shield 30 to the closed position.

[0077] In the case of Embodiment 1, the hole 22 is a cylindrical shape substantially the same as the rod-shaped substrate 210. The diameter of the opening of the hole 22 is a size that allows the rod-shaped substrate 210 to be inserted. In other words, the diameter of the rod-shaped substrate 210 is a size that allows the rod-shaped substrate 210 to be inserted into the hole 22.

[0078] For example, a magnet is mounted on the back surface of the shutter 30. On the other hand, a Hall IC is mounted on the main device 20 within the movable range of the shutter 30.

[0079] A Hall IC is a magnetic sensor composed of a Hall element and an operational amplifier, and outputs a voltage corresponding to the strength of a magnetic field that crosses the Hall element.

[0080] In the present embodiment, the opening and closing of the shutter 30 is detected (detected) based on the change in voltage output from the Hall IC accompanying the sliding of the shutter 30. In other words, whether the shutter 30 is in the open position or the closed position is detected.

[0081] The button 20B is arranged substantially at the center of the front surface of the main body device 20. As described above, the button 20B can be operated while the front panel 10 is attached.

[0082] The button 20B is used, for example, to turn on (ON) and off (OFF) the power of the main device, to turn on the heating unit 207 (see Figure 6 )'s power supply on / off, Bluetooth (registered trademark) pairing instructions, etc.

[0083] Furthermore, if the button 20B is pressed for a long time (for example, for 5 seconds or more) in a state where the front panel 10 is detached from the main device 20 , the reset function is activated.

[0084] In this embodiment, BLE (=Bluetooth Low Energy) is used as Bluetooth.

[0085] Magnets 20C used for mounting the front panel 10 are arranged at the upper and lower parts of the front surface of the main device 20. The magnets 20C are arranged at positions opposite to the magnets 10C arranged on the inner side of the front panel 10. For example, if the magnet 10C of the front panel 10 is an N pole, the magnet 20C on the main device 20 side is an S pole. The front panel 10 is assembled to the main device 20 in a detachable manner by the attraction between the magnets.

[0086] At least one of the magnets 10C and 20C may be iron or other magnetic metal pieces. Incidentally, the attachment of the front panel 10 to the main device 20 is detected by the Hall IC provided on the main device 20 side.

[0087] In addition, various electronic components required for the generation of aerosol are built into the main body device 20. In this sense, the main body device 20 is an example of an electronic device dedicated to the generation of aerosol. In a narrow sense, the main body device 20 is called an aerosol generating device.

[0088] <Internal structure>

[0089] Figure 6 Schematically shows the internal structure of the aerosol generating device 1. Figure 6 2 shows a state where the rod-shaped substrate 210 is installed in the main device 20. Figure 6 The purpose of the internal structure shown is to explain the components provided on the front panel 10 and the main device 20 and their positional relationship. Figure 6 The appearance of the components shown in the figure may not necessarily be the same as the appearance described above. Figure 1 To.

[0090] Figure 7 1 is a diagram schematically showing the connection relationship between the front panel 10 and the power system circuit in the main device 20.

[0091] like Figure 6 As shown, the front panel 10 is provided with: a power supply unit 101 for storing power; a charging circuit 102 for charging the power supply unit 101 with power supplied from the main device 20 side; and a power supply circuit 103 for supplying power from the power supply unit 101 to the main device 20 and the like.

[0092] exist Figure 7 1 shows a case where the power supply unit 101 is a secondary battery 101A. The secondary battery 101A here is, for example, a lithium ion secondary battery. The secondary battery 101A is an example of a second battery. In addition, the secondary battery 101A functions as a sub-battery or auxiliary battery for the secondary battery 201A on the main device 20 side.

[0093] The charging circuit 102 is constituted by, for example, a step-up DC / DC circuit. The charging circuit 102 in this embodiment is a circuit that supplies, for example, 4.2 V to the secondary battery 101A when power is supplied from the main device 20. The charging circuit 102 is provided with a circuit for preventing a reverse flow of current.

[0094] The power supply circuit 103 is composed of, for example, a step-up DC / DC circuit and supplies a fixed voltage (for example, 5V) to the main device 20 regardless of the output voltage of the power supply unit 101. The power supply circuit 103 is provided with a circuit for preventing a reverse flow of current.

[0095] Incidentally, the power supply from the main device 20 to the charging circuit 102 and the power supply from the power supply circuit 103 to the main device 20 may be either contact power supply or contactless power supply.

[0096] For the contact-point power supply, for example, a method using mechanical contact with electrodes, a method using mechanical contact with electrode pins with springs (pogo pins), or a method using connection with connectors is used.

[0097] For contactless power supply, for example, power supply based on an electromagnetic induction method or power supply based on an electric field induction method such as the Qi standard or the NFC (Near field communication) standard is used.

[0098] On the other hand, the main device 20 includes a power supply unit 201 , a sensor unit 202 , a notification unit 203 , a storage unit 204 , a communication unit 205 , a control unit 206 , a heating unit 207 , a heat insulating unit 208 , and a holding unit 209 .

[0099] As mentioned above, Figure 6 The figure shows a state where the rod-shaped substrate 210 is held by the holding portion 209. In this state, the user inhales the aerosol.

[0100] The power supply unit 201 is a unit that supplies power to the front panel 10 and the main device 20. The power supply unit 201 stores power using, for example, a lithium-ion secondary battery or a capacitor. Figure 7 An example of storing electric power in the secondary battery 201A is shown in FIG. The secondary battery 201A is an example of a first battery.

[0101] The secondary battery 201A can be charged from an external power source. In the present embodiment, as the external power source, for example, a commercial power source, a mobile storage battery, or the secondary battery 101A of the front panel 10 is assumed.

[0102] In addition, a power supply unit 201B is provided in the power supply section 201 .

[0103] The power supply unit 201B switches the power supply path and converts the voltage level according to the operation mode.

[0104] The power supply unit 201B outputs, for example, 3.3 V (hereinafter also referred to as “system power”) to power supply lines connected to the sensor unit 202 , the notification unit 203 (excluding the LED 20A), the storage unit 204 , the communication unit 205 , and the control unit 206 .

[0105] The power supply unit 201B outputs, for example, 5 V to the power supply line connected to the LED 20A, and outputs, for example, 4.2 V to the power supply line connected to the heating unit 207 .

[0106] Furthermore, when the secondary battery 201A is charged by the external power source, the power supply unit 201B outputs, for example, 4.2 V to the power supply line connected to the secondary battery 201A.

[0107] The external power source here includes the secondary battery 101A of the front panel 10 in addition to the commercial power source and the mobile storage battery.

[0108] When using a USB cable to power a commercial power source or a mobile battery, Figure 7 VUSB is used to represent the power supply terminals corresponding to them.

[0109] The sensor unit 202 is an electronic component that detects various information related to the main device 20 .

[0110] The sensor unit 202 includes, for example, a pressure sensor such as a microphone capacitor and a flow sensor. The sensor unit 202 as a sensor outputs the detected information to the control unit 206. For example, when a change in air pressure or air flow accompanying suction is detected, the sensor unit 202 outputs a numerical value indicating the user's suction to the control unit 206.

[0111] The sensor unit 202 includes an input device for receiving input from a user. The input device includes, for example, a button or a switch. In this embodiment, a button 20B (see Figure 4 ).

[0112] The button 20B is used for switching the main power supply on and off, switching the start and stop of power supply to the heating unit 207 (that is, the start and stop of aerosol generation), and the like.

[0113] The contents of the user's instruction are output from the sensor unit 202 to the control unit 206. In addition, the button 20B is not only an example of a button but also an example of a switch.

[0114] In addition, the sensor unit 202 includes a temperature sensor for detecting the temperature of the heating unit 207. The temperature sensor detects the temperature of the heating unit 207 based on, for example, the resistance value of the conductive track of the heating unit 207. The detected resistance value is output from the sensor unit 202 to the control unit 206. In addition, the control unit 206 calculates the temperature of the heating unit 207 based on the resistance value. In other words, the control unit 206 calculates the temperature of the rod-shaped substrate 210 held in the holding unit 209.

[0115] The sensor section 202 also includes a capacitance sensor, an optical sensor, a pressure sensor, and the like for detecting the insertion of the rod-shaped substrate 210 into the holding section 209 .

[0116] The sensor unit 202 includes an optical color sensor, an RFID (Radio Frequency Identification) reader, and the like for individually identifying the rod-shaped substrates 210 .

[0117] The sensor unit 202 also includes a biometric sensor for measuring the user's heart rate, etc., a fingerprint sensor for unlocking, and the like.

[0118] Furthermore, the sensor unit 202 includes an acceleration sensor, a gyro sensor, and the like that detect the motion of the user.

[0119] The notification unit 203 is an electronic component that notifies the user of various information related to the main device 20. The notification unit 203 includes an LED 20A and other light-emitting devices. For example, the LED 20A emits light in different patterns when the power supply unit 201 needs to be charged, when the power supply unit 201 is charging, or when an abnormality occurs in the main device 20.

[0120] The modes here include different colors, different lighting / extinguishing timings, etc.

[0121] The notification unit 203 may also be composed of a display device that displays an image, a sound output device that outputs sound, a vibration device that vibrates the main device 20, etc., together with the aforementioned light-emitting device or in place of the light-emitting device. The light-emitting device, the display device, the sound output device, the vibration device, etc. are also examples of the notification unit for notifying information.

[0122] The notification unit 203 may also notify the user that the aerosol can be sucked when the temperature of the rod-shaped substrate 210 heated by the heating unit 207 reaches a predetermined temperature.

[0123] The storage unit 204 stores various information related to the operation of the main device 20. The storage unit 204 is composed of a non-volatile storage medium such as a flash memory.

[0124] The information stored in the storage unit 204 includes, for example, OS (=Operating System), FW (=FirmWare), and other programs.

[0125] In addition, the information stored in the storage unit 204 includes, for example, information related to the control of the electronic components. The information related to the control includes information related to the user's suction, such as the number of suctions, suction times, and suction time accumulation.

[0126] The communication unit 205 is a communication interface for realizing communication between the main device 20 and other devices. The communication unit 205 communicates with other devices in a manner based on any communication standard, whether wired or wireless. Examples of the communication standards include wireless LAN (=Local Area Network), serial signal line, Wi-Fi (registered trademark), and Bluetooth (registered trademark).

[0127] For example, the communication unit 205 transmits information related to the user's suction to the smartphone. In addition, the communication unit 205 downloads an update program and a heating profile for specifying the temperature change of the heating unit 207 in the heating mode from the server. In addition, the communication unit 205 transmits the start and stop of power supply to the power supply circuit 103.

[0128] The control unit 206 functions as a processing unit and a control unit, and controls the operation of the main device 20 according to various programs. The control unit 206 may also control the operation of the charging circuit 102 and the power supply circuit 103 provided in the front panel 10.

[0129] The control signal is sent through a signal line different from the power line. For example, in the communication within the main device 20, serial communication methods such as I2C (=Inter-Integrated Circuit) communication method, SPI (=Serial Peripheral Interface) communication method, and UART (=Universal Asynchronous Receiver Transmitter) communication method are used. In the communication with the charging circuit 102 and the power supply circuit 103 of the front panel 10, the SPI communication method and the UART communication method are used. In addition, BLE, for example, is used in the communication line.

[0130] The control unit 206 is implemented by electronic circuits such as CPU (=Central Processing Unit), MPU (=Micro Processing Unit), GPU (=Graphical Processing Unit), ASIC (=application specific integrated circuit), FPGA (=Field Programmable Gate Array), DSP (=Digital Signal Processor), etc.

[0131] The control unit 206 may include a ROM (=Read Only Memory) for storing programs, operation parameters, etc., and a RAM (=Random Access Memory) for temporarily storing parameters that change as appropriate.

[0132] The control unit 206 performs various processes and controls by executing programs.

[0133] The processing and control here include, for example, power supply from the power supply unit 201 to other electronic components, charging of the power supply unit 201, detection of information by the sensor unit 202, notification of information by the notification unit 203, storage and reading of information by the storage unit 204, and transmission and reception of information by the communication unit 205. In addition, the communication by the communication unit 205 also includes communication with the front panel 10.

[0134] In addition, input of information to the electronic components, processing based on information output from the electronic components, and the like are also controlled by the control unit 206 .

[0135] The holding part 209 is a substantially cylindrical container. In the present embodiment, the space inside the holding part 209 defined by the inner wall and the bottom surface is referred to as an internal space 209A. The internal space 209A is substantially columnar.

[0136] The holding portion 209 is provided with an opening 209B that connects the internal space 209A to the outside. The rod-shaped substrate 210 is inserted into the internal space 209A from the opening 209B. The rod-shaped substrate 210 is inserted until its front end abuts against the bottom 209C.

[0137] Only a part of the rod-shaped substrate 210 is accommodated in the internal space 209A. The state where the rod-shaped substrate 210 is accommodated in the internal space 209A is referred to as holding the rod-shaped substrate 210 in the internal space 209A.

[0138] The inner diameter of at least a portion of the holding portion 209 in the axial direction is formed to be smaller than the outer diameter of the rod-shaped base material 210 .

[0139] Therefore, the outer peripheral surface of the rod-shaped base material 210 inserted into the internal space 209A is pressed by the inner wall of the holding portion 209. The rod-shaped base material 210 is held in the internal space 209A by this pressure.

[0140] The holding portion 209 also has a function of defining a flow path of air passing through the rod-shaped substrate 210. The air inlet to the flow path, i.e., the air inlet hole, is arranged at the bottom 209C, for example. The opening 209B corresponds to the air outlet, i.e., the air outlet hole.

[0141] In this embodiment, only a portion of the rod-shaped substrate 210 is held in the holding portion 209, and the rest protrudes outward from the frame. Hereinafter, the portion held in the holding portion 209 is referred to as the substrate portion 210A, and the portion protruding from the frame is referred to as the mouthpiece portion 210B.

[0142] An aerosol source is accommodated at least in the base portion 210A. The aerosol source is a substance that is atomized by heating and generates an aerosol.

[0143] The aerosol source includes, in addition to shredded tobacco, processed products obtained by shaping tobacco raw materials into granular, flake, or powder forms, and other tobacco-derived substances.

[0144] Furthermore, the aerosol source may include a substance not derived from tobacco, such as mint, vanilla, or the like. For example, the aerosol source may include a flavoring component such as menthol.

[0145] When the main device 20 is a medical inhaler, the aerosol source may also include a medicine for the patient to inhale. In addition, the aerosol source is not limited to a solid, and may be, for example, a polyol such as glycerin or propylene glycol, or a liquid such as water.

[0146] At least a portion of the mouthpiece 210B is held by the user during suction.

[0147] When the user holds the mouthpiece 210B in his mouth and inhales, air flows into the internal space 209A from the air inlet hole. The inflowing air passes through the internal space 209A and the base portion 210A and reaches the user's mouth. The air reaching the user's mouth contains aerosol generated in the base portion 210A.

[0148] The heating unit 207 is composed of a heater or other heat radiator. The heating unit 207 is composed of any material such as metal or polyimide. The heating unit 207 is, for example, configured in a film shape and attached to the outer peripheral surface of the holding unit 209.

[0149] The aerosol source contained in the rod-shaped substrate 210 is heated and atomized by heat generated by the heating unit 207. The atomized aerosol source is mixed with air or the like to generate an aerosol.

[0150] exist Figure 6 In the case of , the periphery of the rod-shaped substrate 210 is heated first, and the heated range gradually moves toward the center.

[0151] Therefore, the aerosol source is atomized starting from the vicinity of the outer periphery of the rod-shaped substrate 210 and gradually moves toward the vicinity of the center.

[0152] The heating unit 207 generates heat due to the power supplied from the power supply unit 201. For example, when a predetermined user input is detected by the sensor unit 202, the power supply to the heating unit 207 is permitted. The user input here includes a request for the shutter 30 (see Figure 1 )、Button 20B (refer to Figure 4 However, regarding the power supply to the heating unit 207, the front panel 10 (see Figure 1 ) is installed on the main device 20. By installing the front panel 10, the temperature transmitted to the user's hand can be reduced compared to the case where the front panel 10 is not installed.

[0153] When the temperature of the rod-shaped substrate 210 heated by the heating unit 207 reaches a predetermined temperature, the user can inhale the aerosol. The inhalation of the aerosol by the user is detected by the flow sensor of the sensor unit 202 and stored in the storage unit 204.

[0154] Thereafter, when a predetermined user input is detected by the sensor unit 202, the power supply to the heating unit 207 is stopped. Alternatively, when the suction by the user is detected by the sensor unit 202, the power supply to the heating unit 207 is stopped while the suction by the user is detected by the sensor unit 202.

[0155] In addition, Figure 6 In the example of the embodiment, the heating unit 207 is arranged outside the rod-shaped substrate 210, but the heating unit 207 may be a blade-shaped metal sheet inserted into the rod-shaped substrate 210 for use, or may be a metal sheet built into the rod-shaped substrate 210. When the metal sheet functioning as the heating unit 207 is built into the rod-shaped substrate 210, a coil for induction heating may be arranged around the holding unit 209.

[0156] The heat insulating part 208 is a member for reducing the transfer of heat generated in the heating part 207 to the surroundings. Therefore, the heat insulating part 208 is arranged so as to cover at least the outer peripheral surface of the heating part 207.

[0157] The heat insulating part 208 is composed of, for example, vacuum insulation material, aerogel insulation material, etc. Vacuum insulation material refers to insulation material that wraps glass wool and silica (silicon powder) with a resin film to form a high vacuum state, thereby making the heat conduction based on gas infinitely close to zero.

[0158] <Processing Action Example>

[0159] Next, the control unit 206 (see Figure 6 ) is an example of a processing action performed.

[0160] <Assembly detection operation>

[0161] Figure 8 This is a flowchart for explaining an example of the installation detection operation of the front panel 10 executed by the control unit 206. This operation is not only performed by the heating unit 207 (see Figure 6 ) before the heating starts, and also after the heating starts, and this action is always executed in the background. In addition, the label S shown in the figure means a step.

[0162] First, the control unit 206 determines the front panel 10 (refer to Figure 1 ) is mounted on the main device 20 (refer to Figure 1 )(Step 1).

[0163] When the front panel 10 is attached to the main device 20, a positive result is obtained in step 1. On the other hand, when the front panel 10 is removed from the front of the main device 20, a negative result is obtained in step 1. Whether the front panel 10 is attached or detached is determined based on the output signal of the Hall IC.

[0164] When a positive result is obtained in step 1, the control unit 206 cancels the prohibition state of heating the aerosol source by the heating unit 207 (step 2).

[0165] However, releasing the prohibited state of heating is different from starting heating. Figure 4 ) from the top of the front panel 10 for more than 1 second, thereby starting the rod-shaped substrate 210 (refer to Figure 6 ) heating.

[0166] When a negative result is obtained in step 1, the control unit 206 controls the heating of the aerosol source by the heating unit 207 to be prohibited (step 3).

[0167] When step 2 or step 3 is executed, the control unit 206 returns to step 1 and repeatedly determines whether the front panel 10 is attached to the main device 20.

[0168] Through this assembly detection action, the user will not directly contact the main device 20 during the heating action.

[0169] <USB charging operation>

[0170] Fig. 9 2 is a flowchart for explaining an example of the USB charging operation executed by the control unit 206. The USB charging operation is also always executed in the background.

[0171] First, the control unit 206 determines whether a USB connection is detected (step 11).

[0172] When the USB connector 21 (refer to Figure 2 ) is connected to the USB cable, a positive result is obtained in step 11. On the other hand, when the USB connector 21 is not connected to the USB cable, a negative result is obtained in step 11.

[0173] When a negative result is obtained in step 11 , the control unit 206 repeatedly executes the determination in step 11 .

[0174] On the other hand, if a positive result is obtained in step 11, the control unit 206 starts charging the secondary battery 201A of the main device 20 and the secondary battery 101A of the front panel 10 (step 12). In addition, the actual charging can also be performed by the following method: first, either the secondary battery 201A of the main device 20 or the secondary battery 101A of the front panel 10 is charged to full capacity, and then the other is charged to full capacity. However, the charging of the secondary battery 201A of the main device 20 and the secondary battery 101A of the front panel 10 can also be performed in parallel.

[0175] Then, the control unit 206 determines whether or not both of the two secondary batteries 101A and 201A are at full charge voltage (step 13 ).

[0176] If neither of them has reached the full charge voltage, a negative result is obtained in step 13. On the other hand, if both of them have reached the full charge voltage, a positive result is obtained in step 13.

[0177] When a negative result is obtained in step 13, the control unit 206 determines whether to remove the USB cable (step 14).

[0178] If the USB cable remains attached, a negative result is obtained in step 14. On the other hand, if the USB cable is removed during charging, a positive result is obtained in step 14.

[0179] When a negative result is obtained in step 14 , the control unit 206 returns to step 13 and repeats the determination in step 13 .

[0180] When a positive result is obtained in step 13 or a positive result is obtained in step 14, the control unit 206 stops charging of the secondary battery 201A of the main device 20 and the secondary battery 101A of the front panel 10 (step 15).

[0181] After that, the control unit 206 ends the USB charging operation.

[0182] Fig.10 This is a diagram for explaining the USB charging operation.

[0183] The horizontal axis in the figure represents time, the upper half of the vertical axis represents the remaining capacity of the secondary battery 201A in the main device 20 , and the lower half of the vertical axis represents the remaining capacity of the secondary battery 101A in the front panel 10 .

[0184] exist Fig.10 In the case of , both the secondary batteries 101A and 201A in the initial state T1 are fully charged.

[0185] At time point T2, the remaining levels of the secondary battery 201A of the main device 20 and the secondary battery 101A of the front panel 10 are both reduced from fully charged.

[0186] If the USB cable is connected in this state, USB charging starts.

[0187] As a result, at the end of USB charging T3, both the secondary batteries 101A and 201A are returned to full charge.

[0188] <Assisted charging operation>

[0189] Fig.11 The diagram is for explaining an operation of charging the secondary battery 201A of the main device 20 via the secondary battery 101A of the front panel 10 (ie, auxiliary charging).

[0190] The control unit 206 determines whether the remaining amount of the secondary battery 201A of the main device 20 is less than a threshold value V1 (step 21). The threshold value V1 here is an example of a predetermined reference.

[0191] When the remaining amount is greater than or equal to the threshold value V1, a negative result is obtained in step 21. On the other hand, when the remaining amount is less than the threshold value V1, a positive result is obtained in step 21.

[0192] When a negative result is obtained in step 21 , the control unit 206 repeats the determination in step 21 .

[0193] On the other hand, when a positive result is obtained in step 21, the control unit 206 starts supplying power from the secondary battery 101A of the front panel 10 to the secondary battery 201A of the main device 20 (step 22).

[0194] In the present embodiment, the control unit 206 instructs the power supply circuit 103 of the front panel 10 to start power supply. As a result, the output terminal of the power supply circuit 103 supplies power to the power supply unit 201B (see FIG. 20 ) of the main device 20. Figure 7 ) supplies a voltage boosted to, for example, 5 V. In addition, the power supply unit 201B performs DC / DC conversion on a 5 V voltage supplied from the secondary battery 101A as an external power source to 4.2 V, and supplies the voltage to a power supply line connected to the secondary battery 201A.

[0195] Thus, charging of the secondary battery 201A of the main device 20 starts.

[0196] Next, the control unit 206 determines whether the remaining amount of the secondary battery 201A of the main device 20 is larger than the threshold value V2 (> V1) (step 23).

[0197] When the remaining amount of the secondary battery 201A is less than or equal to the threshold value V2, a negative result is obtained in step 23. On the other hand, when the remaining amount of the secondary battery 201A is greater than the threshold value V2, a positive result is obtained in step 23.

[0198] If a negative result is obtained in step 23, control unit 206 determines whether the remaining amount of secondary battery 101A in front panel 10 is less than threshold value V3 (step 24). Threshold value V3 here specifies the timing of stopping the power supply from front panel 10 to main device 20.

[0199] If the remaining amount of secondary battery 101A in front panel 10 is greater than threshold value V3, a negative result is obtained in step 24. On the other hand, if the remaining amount of secondary battery 101A in front panel 10 is less than threshold value V3, a positive result is obtained in step 24.

[0200] When a negative result is obtained in step 24 , the control unit 206 returns to step 23 and repeats the determination in step 23 .

[0201] If a positive result is obtained in step 23 or a positive result is obtained in step 24, the control unit 206 stops the supply of power from the secondary battery 101A of the front panel 10 to the secondary battery 201A of the main device 20 (step 25).

[0202] A positive result in step 23 means that the remaining amount of secondary battery 201A in main device 20 has returned to the target level. On the other hand, a positive result in step 24 means that the remaining amount of secondary battery 101A in front panel 10 has decreased.

[0203] Thereafter, the control unit 206 ends charging of the secondary battery 201A of the main device 20 using the secondary battery 101A of the front panel 10 as an external power source.

[0204] Fig.12 The diagram is for explaining auxiliary charging using front panel 10 as an external power source.

[0205] The horizontal axis in the figure represents time, the upper half of the vertical axis represents the remaining capacity of the secondary battery 201A in the main device 20 , and the lower half of the vertical axis represents the remaining capacity of the secondary battery 101A in the front panel 10 .

[0206] exist Fig.12 In the case of , both the secondary batteries 101A and 201A in the initial state T11 are fully charged.

[0207] Fig.12 The time point T12 indicates that the remaining amount of the secondary battery 201A of the main device 20 is lower than the threshold value V1. In addition, the secondary battery 101A of the front panel 10 remains fully charged. Fig.10 Similarly, at time point T2, the remaining amount of secondary battery 101A of front panel 10 may also decrease.

[0208] The auxiliary charging starts at this time point T12. As the auxiliary charging is executed, the remaining amount of the secondary battery 101A of the front panel 10 decreases, while the remaining amount of the secondary battery 201A of the main device 20 increases.

[0209] exist Fig.12 In this case, the remaining amount of the secondary battery 201A of the main device 20 does not reach the threshold value V2, but the remaining amount of the secondary battery 101A of the front panel 10 as the external power source becomes less than the threshold value V3, so the charging is stopped.

[0210] Summary

[0211] As described above, the main device 20 (see Figure 1 ), the front panel 10 with the built-in secondary battery 101A can be assembled. In addition, when the front panel 10 with the built-in secondary battery 101A is assembled to the main device 20, the secondary battery 101A can be used as an external power source to charge the secondary battery 101A of the main device 20. As a result, the usage time of the main device 20 becomes longer than when the front panel 10 without the built-in secondary battery 101A is assembled.

[0212] Fig.13 It is a diagram for explaining the amount of electricity that can be used by the aerosol generating device 1 as a whole.

[0213] The vertical axis in the figure represents the amount of electricity that can be used by the aerosol generating device 1 as a whole.

[0214] like Fig.13 As shown, it can be seen that when the front panel 10 with the secondary battery 101A built in is attached to the main device 20, the amount of power that can be used increases compared to the case where only the secondary battery 201A is attached to the main device 20.

[0215] <Implementation method 2>

[0216] In this embodiment, a case where the electric power stored in the secondary battery 101A of the front panel 10 is also used for a purpose other than charging the secondary battery 201A of the main device 20 will be described.

[0217] In addition, the internal structure and external appearance structure of the aerosol generating device 1 are the same as those of the first embodiment.

[0218] Fig.14 Schematically shows the connection relationship between the front panel 10 and the power system circuit in the main device 20 used in the second embodiment. Fig.14 In the Figure 7 The corresponding parts are indicated with corresponding symbols.

[0219] exist Fig.14 In the case of , power is supplied from the front panel 10 to the communication unit 205, which is connected to the power line that supplies the system power Vsys. However, power is supplied to other electronic circuits connected to the power line that supplies the system power Vsys, such as the sensor unit 202 (see Figure 6 ), a portion of the notification unit 203 (refer to Figure 6 )、control unit 206 (refer to Figure 6 ), are also supplied with electricity.

[0220] exist Fig.14 In the embodiment, the power supply unit 201B generates the system power Vsys by stepping down the voltage supplied from the secondary battery 101A of the front panel 10. The power supply unit 201B in this embodiment generates the system power Vsys in addition to the charging power for the secondary battery 201A of the main device 20.

[0221] Therefore, in the present embodiment, even if the remaining power of the secondary battery 201A of the main device 20 decreases, the power stored in the secondary battery 101A of the front panel 10 can be used to maintain the communication function of the main device 20. Thus, the information stored in the storage unit 204 of the main device 20 can be uploaded to a smartphone, a server, etc.

[0222] In addition, if the power stored in the secondary battery 101A of the front panel 10 is supplied to the notification unit 203, the user can also be notified of the low remaining power of the secondary battery 201A of the main device 20. Of course, the low remaining power of the secondary battery 201A of the main device 20 can also be uploaded to a smartphone, a server, etc. through the communication unit 205.

[0223] In addition, when the system power supply Vsys is generated from the secondary battery 101A of the front panel 10 , the supply of charging power to the secondary battery 201A of the main device 20 may be stopped.

[0224] In addition, Fig.14 In the example, the communication unit 205 is directly connected to the power line supplied with system power, but a power switch may be provided between the power line and each electronic circuit, and an electronic circuit may be selected to be supplied with power by a dedicated power line prepared in each electronic circuit.

[0225] <Implementation method 3>

[0226] In the present embodiment, another example is described in which the electric power stored in the secondary battery 101A of the front panel 10 is also used for charging the secondary battery 201A of the main device 20 .

[0227] In this embodiment, a case where the electric power stored in the secondary battery 101A of the front panel 10 is used to supply electric power to the heating unit 207 will be described.

[0228] Fig.15 Schematically shows the connection relationship between the front panel 10 and the power system circuit in the main device 20 used in the second embodiment. Fig.15 In the Figure 7 The corresponding parts are indicated with corresponding symbols.

[0229] exist Fig.15 In the case of switching, the power from the secondary battery 201A of the main device 20 and the power from the secondary battery 101A of the front panel 10 are selectively supplied to the step-up DC / DC circuit 212 through the switch 211. In the present embodiment, the following method is adopted: the switch 211 is used to selectively switch the power supply source for the heating unit 207. In addition, when power is supplied from two power sources at the same time, the step-up and step-down DC / DC circuit is connected to the two power sources, and after the voltages of the two power sources are made consistent, they are connected to the power line.

[0230] Fig.15 The step-up DC / DC circuit 212 is a circuit for generating a voltage required by the heating unit 207 .

[0231] As in this embodiment, by supplying power to the heating unit 207 from the secondary battery 101A of the front panel 10, the amount of aerosol that can be generated in one charge can be increased. In addition, the number of rod-shaped substrates 210 (see FIG. 1 ) that can be used to generate aerosol in one charge can be increased. Figure 6 )'s root number.

[0232] Furthermore, by using the power of the secondary battery 101A of the front panel 10 in combination, the usage time of the aerosol generating device 1 based on one charge can be extended.

[0233] <Implementation method 4>

[0234] In this embodiment, the front panel 10 with a notification portion will be described.

[0235] Fig.16 1 is a diagram for explaining an example of the appearance of the aerosol generating device 1 equipped with a front panel 10 having a notification portion. Fig.16 In the Figure 1 The corresponding parts are indicated with corresponding symbols. Fig.16 The external appearance shown is an example of the front side of the aerosol generating device 1 viewed from obliquely above.

[0236] Fig.16 The notification unit 104 is, for example, a liquid crystal display, an organic EL (=Electro Luminescence) display, a micro LED (=Light Emitting Diode) display, or other display device, which displays the status information of the main device 20, the remaining capacity of the secondary battery 201A, etc. as text or images.

[0237] However, as the notification unit 104 , an LED of the same type as that of the main device 2 may be used.

[0238] exist Fig.16 In the case of, the window 10B is not provided on the front panel 10. Therefore, when the Fig.16 In the case of the front panel 10 shown in FIG. 1 , the LED 20A on the main device 20 side is always controlled to be turned off (OFF). This is because when the Fig.16 In the case of the front panel 10 shown, the lighting state of the LED 20A cannot be visually recognized from the outside.

[0239] In addition, by controlling the LED 20A of the main device 20 to be always off, power consumption can be reduced compared to the case of controlling on / off. Accordingly, the reduction in the capacity of the secondary battery 201A is reduced, and if the aerosol suction method is the same, the usable time of the main device 20 can be extended.

[0240] In addition, a 5V power supply is connected to the LED 20A, and then Fig.16 In the case of the front panel 10 shown in the figure, the generation of 5V power can also be stopped. If the control unit 206 can detect the installation of the front panel 10 in which the lighting state of the LED 20A cannot be visually recognized from the outside, the generation of 5V power can be stopped. In addition, regarding the installation of such a front panel 10, it is set that the control unit 206 of the main device 20 can detect it by detecting the presence or absence of protrusions and depressions set on the installation surface, reading a bar code or QR code (registered trademark) indicating the type of the front panel 10 based on a camera unit not shown, and communicating with the front panel 10 or a smart phone, etc.

[0241] In addition, if Fig.16 The arrangement position of the notification unit 104 shown is an example, and it can also be used in conjunction with the window 10B. When the window 10B is used in conjunction, the lighting control of the LED 20A can also be stopped. However, the notification of information based on the notification unit 104 and the notification of information based on the lighting control of the LED 20A can also be used in conjunction.

[0242] The content of the information notified by the notification unit 104 of the front panel 10 may overlap with the content of the information notified by the LED 20A, or may be in a complementary relationship. For example, the remaining amount of the secondary battery 201A may be notified by both the notification unit 104 of the front panel 10 and the LED 20A of the main device 20. In addition, for example, the remaining amount of the secondary battery 201A may be notified by the LED 20A of the main device 20, and the time, error information, the current operation mode of the main device 20 (a mode with more aerosol generation, a mode with less aerosol generation), the history of aerosol suction, etc. may be notified by the notification unit 104 of the front panel 10.

[0243] Fig.17 Schematically shows the internal structure of the aerosol generating device 1 used in Embodiment 4. Fig.17 In the Figure 6 The corresponding parts are indicated with corresponding symbols.

[0244] In such Fig.17 The front panel 10 shown is provided with: a power supply unit 101 for storing electric power; a charging circuit 102 for charging the power supply unit 101 by electric power supplied from the main device 20 side; a power supply circuit 103 for supplying power from the power supply unit 101 to the main device 20, etc.; a notification unit 104 for notifying information; and a communication unit 105.

[0245] The communication unit 105 can communicate with the communication unit 205 of the main device 20 , obtain status information from the main device 20 , and provide the status information to the notification unit 104 .

[0246] Fig.18 1 is a diagram schematically showing a connection relationship between the front panel 10 used in the fourth embodiment and a power supply system circuit in the main device 20.

[0247] In such Fig.18 The power supply unit 101 shown is provided with a step-up / step-down DC / DC circuit 101B, which generates a 3.3V system power Vsys from the output voltage of the secondary battery 101A and supplies it to the notification unit 104. Therefore, the power of the secondary battery 201A of the main device 20 is not used for the notification of information by the notification unit 104.

[0248] In the fourth embodiment, an example in which the notification unit 104 and the communication unit 105 are provided on the front panel 10 is described; however, a sensor unit and a storage unit may be provided.

[0249] <Implementation method 5>

[0250] In this embodiment, the front panel 10 with a control unit will be described.

[0251] Fig.19 1 is a diagram showing the back side of the front panel 10 used in Embodiment 5. Fig.19 In the Figure 5 The corresponding parts are indicated with corresponding symbols.

[0252] exist Fig.19 In this case, the secondary battery 101A, the charging circuit 102 , the power supply circuit 103 , the communication unit 105 , and the control unit 106 are mounted on the back surface of the front panel 10 .

[0253] The control unit 106 functions as a calculation processing device or a control device for executing various programs.

[0254] The control unit 106 in this embodiment controls, for example, the supply of power from the secondary battery 101A of the front panel 10 to the main device 20 by communicating with the control unit 206 of the main device 20. In addition, for example, the control unit 106 controls the charging of the secondary battery 101A based on the power supply from the main device 20. In the charging of the secondary battery 101A, charging from a USB cable is assumed. However, the secondary battery 201A can also be charged from the main device 20.

[0255] Fig. 20 Schematically shows the internal structure of the aerosol generating device 1 used in Embodiment 5. Fig. 20 In the Fig.17 The corresponding parts are indicated with corresponding symbols.

[0256] The control unit 106 communicates with the communication unit 205 of the main device 20 , a smartphone, and the like through the communication unit 105 .

[0257] Fig.21 Schematically shows the connection relationship between the front panel 10 used in Embodiment 5 and the power system circuit in the main device 20. Fig.21 In the Fig.18 The corresponding parts are indicated with corresponding symbols.

[0258] like Fig.21 As shown, the system power Vsys is supplied from the secondary battery 101A of the front panel 10 to the control unit 106 via the step-up / step-down DC / DC circuit 101B. Therefore, even when the control unit 106 is provided on the front panel 10, the power of the secondary battery 201A of the main device 20 is not consumed.

[0259] The front panel 10 of this embodiment includes the secondary battery 101A, the communication unit 105, and the control unit 106, and can therefore operate autonomously even when removed from the main device 20. The control unit 106 is provided with a semiconductor memory necessary for executing functions.

[0260] <Other embodiments>

[0261] (1) The embodiments of the present disclosure are described above, but the technical scope of the present disclosure is not limited to the scope described in the aforementioned embodiments. Various changes or improvements to the aforementioned embodiments are also included in the technical scope of the present disclosure, which is clear from the description of the claims.

[0262] (2) In the aforementioned embodiment, the connection portion between the front panel 10 and the main unit 20 is described as being continuously connected without a step difference to form an integrated appearance. However, if the connection portion has an appearance of being integrated with the main unit 20, a step difference, a cutout, etc. may also be provided in the connection portion.

[0263] (3) In the above-mentioned embodiment, the aerosol source is described as a solid state, but the aerosol source may also be a liquid. When the aerosol source is a liquid, the following method is adopted: the aerosol source is guided to a thin tube called a core by utilizing the capillary phenomenon, and the coil wound on the core is heated, thereby evaporating the aerosol source.

[0264] (4) In the above-mentioned embodiment, an aerosol generating device is described in which a solid aerosol source is heated to generate an aerosol, but an aerosol generating device may also be used in which a solid aerosol source and a liquid aerosol source are heated separately to generate an aerosol. Such an aerosol generating device is also called a hybrid aerosol generating device.

[0265] (5) In the aforementioned embodiment, the secondary battery 101A of the front panel 10 supplies power to the main device 20, but the power supply from the secondary battery 101A may be limited to the front panel 10. For example, when the front panel 10 is provided with a notification unit 104, a communication unit 105, a control unit 106, a sensor unit, etc., the power supply object may be limited to these electronic components. In this case, the secondary battery 201A of the main device 20 is not used in the power supply to the electronic components provided on the front panel 10. Therefore, even when the multifunctional front panel 10 is installed on the main device 20, the usable time of the secondary battery 201A of the main device 20 will not be shortened. In other words, when the multifunctional front panel 10 is installed on the main device 20, it is sufficient not to affect the generation of aerosol. In addition, in this case, the power supply circuit 103 (refer to Figure 6 , Figure 7 ) can be set on the front panel 10.

[0266] (6) In the above-mentioned embodiment, the power from the secondary battery 101A of the front panel 10 and the power from the secondary battery 201A of the main device 20 are transmitted through the power supply unit 201B (see Fig.14 ) and output to a common power line, the power supplied from the secondary battery 101A of the front panel 10 to the main device 20 can also be supplied to various parts of the main device 20 through a dedicated power line.

[0267] When power is supplied through a dedicated power line, a step-up / step-down DC / DC circuit for generating a voltage suitable for each power line is provided in the front panel 10 and the main device 20 .

[0268] Furthermore, when power is supplied from the front panel 10 only to a designated electronic component, a power supply line dedicated only to the designated electronic component may be provided.

[0269] (7) In the above-mentioned embodiment, the charging circuit 102 is provided in the front panel 10 , but a configuration may be adopted in which the charging circuit 102 is not provided. In this case, the power supply unit 201B of the main device 20 functions as the charging circuit 102 .

[0270] (8) In the aforementioned embodiment, the case where the secondary battery 101A is provided on the front panel 10 of the main device 20 that generates the aerosol is described, but the electronic device using the panel with the secondary battery is not limited to the aerosol generating device 1 (main device 20). That is, the installation object of the panel with the secondary battery may also be a remote controller, a game console, a music player, a navigation system, a video camera, a digital camera, an electronic dictionary, a calculator, or other electronic devices. The panel with the secondary battery here is an example of a cover member. In addition, the panel with the secondary battery here is not limited to the front panel.

[0271] (9) In the above-mentioned embodiment, a thin-film lithium ion secondary battery or a capacitor is assumed as the secondary battery 101A provided in the front panel 10 , but a button-shaped or chip-shaped secondary battery may also be used.

[0272] (10) In the above embodiment, the example in which aerosol generation is permitted only when the front panel 10 is attached to the main device 20 is described, but the main device 20 can also generate aerosol when the front panel 10 is not attached.

[0273] In this case, the front panel 10 is attached to the main device 20 to expand the functions that can be performed by the main device 20. For example, the main device 20 with the front panel 10 removed only uses the built-in secondary battery 201A (see Figure 7 ) and operates, in the main device 20 equipped with the front panel 10 with the secondary battery, the secondary battery 101A (refer to Figure 7 )'s electric power function becomes effective.

[0274] (11) In the above-mentioned embodiment, as an example of the aerosol generating device 1 (main device 20) in a state capable of operating, the state capable of generating aerosol is described, but the present invention is not limited to this. For example, if aerosol cannot be generated due to insufficient power, but other functions are operating, the aerosol generating device 1 (main device 20) is in a state capable of operating. Among the other functions here, there are, for example, a function of checking the remaining amount of the secondary battery 201A and prompting, a function of obtaining aspiration history and prompting, and a function of communicating with an external terminal.

[0275] (12) In the aforementioned embodiment, an example is described in which the front panel 10 assembled on the main device 20 is pressed down and deformed to operate the button 20B provided on the main device 20. However, the input of instructions to the main device 20 may also be performed by methods other than deformation of the front panel 10.

[0276] For example, the notification unit 104 (see Fig.16) uses a touch panel, and transmits information indicating the user's operation on the touch panel via the communication unit 105 (refer to Fig.17 ), notifies the control unit 206 of the main device 20 (refer to Fig.17 ).

[0277] In addition, for example, switches and buttons may be arranged on the front panel 10, and the presence or absence of operation of these switches and buttons may be communicated via the communication unit 105 (see Fig.17 ) notifies the control unit 206 of the main device 20 (refer to Fig.17 ). The touch panel, switch, etc. here are examples of the operating unit.

[0278] In addition, a heat insulating structure is adopted for the surface member and the inner side of the main body device 20.

[0279] Summary

[0280] In addition, the present disclosure includes the following structures.

[0281] (1) A cover member is detachable from an electronic device that operates with a built-in first battery, the cover member including a second battery that is charged by power supply from the electronic device.

[0282] (2) The cover member according to (1), further comprising a charging circuit configured to charge the second battery by power supply from the electronic device.

[0283] (3) The cover member according to (1) or (2), further comprising a power supply circuit for supplying electric power to the electronic device.

[0284] (4) According to the cover member described in (3), when the remaining amount of the first battery is equal to or less than a predetermined reference, the power supply circuit charges the first battery.

[0285] (5) According to the cover member described in (3), the supply of electric power by the power supply circuit is performed by an instruction from the electronic device.

[0286] (6) According to the cover member described in (3), the power supply circuit supplies power to a communication unit of the electronic device.

[0287] (7) The cover member according to any one of (1) to (6), further comprising a notification unit that receives power supply from the second battery and notifies information.

[0288] (8) The cover member according to any one of (3) to (6), wherein the electronic device is an aerosol generating device having a heating unit that heats an aerosol source, and the power supply circuit supplies power to the heating unit.

[0289] (9) According to the cover member described in any one of (1) to (8), the electronic device is an aerosol generating device having a heating part for heating an aerosol source, and the main body part assembled on the aerosol generating device covers a part of the surface of the aerosol generating device in a state capable of performing an operation.

[0290] (10) According to the cover member described in (8) or (9), mounting of the main body to the aerosol generating device is one of the conditions for enabling heating of the aerosol source by the heating unit.

[0291] (11) In the cover member according to any one of (1) to (10), the main body can be pressed by a user when the main body is mounted on the electronic device, so that a switch on the electronic device can be operated.

[0292] (12) The cover member according to any one of (1) to (10), further comprising an operation unit that receives an operation by a user and notifies the electronic device.

[0293] (13) According to any one of (1) to (11), the cover member includes a main body portion mounted in the electronic device and a portion of the electronic device that is in an operable state and not covered by the main body portion, forming an integrated appearance.

[0294] Description of Reference Numerals

[0295] 1…aerosol generating device, 10…front panel, 104, 203…notification unit, 10A…main body panel, 10B…window, 10C, 20C…magnet, 20…main body device, 101A, 201A…secondary battery, 20A…LED, 20B…button, 21…USB connector, 22…hole, 30…shutter, 101, 201…power supply unit, 101B…step-up / step-down DC / DC circuit, 102…charging circuit, 103…power supply circuit, 105, 205…communication unit, 106, 206…control unit, 201B…power supply unit, 202…sensor unit, 203…notification unit, 204…storage unit, 207…heating unit, 208…insulating unit, 209…holding unit, 210…rod-type substrate, 211…switch, 212…step-up DC / DC circuit.

Claims

1. A cover member that can be attached to and detached from an electronic device that is operated by a built-in first battery, The cover member has a second battery that is charged by power supply from the electronic device.

2. The cover member according to claim 1, wherein The device further comprises a charging circuit for charging the second battery by power supply from the electronic device.

3. The cover member according to claim 1 or 2, wherein: A power supply circuit is further provided, and the power supply circuit supplies power to the electronic device.

4. The cover member according to claim 3, wherein: The power supply circuit charges the first battery when the remaining amount of the first battery is equal to or less than a predetermined reference.

5. The cover member according to claim 3, wherein The supply of electric power by the power supply circuit is performed by an instruction from the electronic device.

6. The cover member according to claim 3, wherein The power supply circuit supplies power to a communication unit of the electronic device.

7. The cover member according to any one of claims 1 to 6, wherein The device further includes a notification unit configured to receive power supply from the second battery and to notify information.

8. The cover member according to any one of claims 3 to 6, wherein The electronic device is an aerosol generating device having a heating unit for heating an aerosol source. The power supply circuit supplies electric power to the heating unit.

9. The cover member according to any one of claims 1 to 8, wherein The electronic device is an aerosol generating device having a heating unit for heating an aerosol source. The main body portion mounted on the aerosol generating device covers a portion of the surface of the aerosol generating device in an operable state.

10. The cover member according to claim 8 or 9, wherein: Attachment of the main body to the aerosol generating device is one of the conditions for enabling heating of the aerosol source by the heating unit.

11. The cover member according to any one of claims 1 to 10, wherein The main body can operate switches on the electronic device side by being pressed by a user when the main body is mounted on the electronic device.

12. The cover member according to any one of claims 1 to 10, wherein The electronic device further includes an operation unit that receives an operation by a user and notifies the electronic device of the operation.

13. The cover member according to any one of claims 1 to 11, wherein The main body part assembled in the electronic device and the part of the electronic device that is in an operable state and not covered by the main body part form an integrated appearance.

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