Power supply unit for aerosol-generating device and aerosol-generating device

Abstract

A power supply unit (110) of an inhalation device (100) comprises: a power supply unit (111C) capable of supplying power to a heating unit (121C) for heating at least one of a rod-type substrate (150) and a flavor source (131); and a sensor FPC (73) on which the rod detection sensor (12), the suction sensor (13), the housing temperature sensor (14), the signal wiring (733), and the ground wiring (734) are mounted. The sensor FPC (73) has a first region (A1) close to the heating unit (121C) and a second region (A2) farther from the heating unit (121C) than the first region (A1). The wiring density in the first region (A1) of the sensor FPC (73) is lower than the wiring density in the second region (A2).

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present disclosure relates to a power supply unit for an aerosol generating device and to an aerosol generating device. Background Art

[0002] An aerosol generating device has a housing that houses a power source, a heating unit, a plurality of sensors, and a circuit board, etc., and the sensors and control devices are mounted on the circuit board. The aerosol generating device may further employ a flexible printed circuit board in order to achieve a reduction in size. For example, PTL 1 describes an aerosol generating device that includes a rigid board and a flexible printed circuit board.

[0003] Citation List

[0004] Patent Documents

[0005] PTL 1: JP 2021-083383 A Summary of the Invention

[0006] Technical Problem

[0007] An aerosol generating device needs to heat an aerosol source with high energy efficiency. Printed wirings (such as signal wirings and ground wirings) are formed on a flexible printed circuit board, and such printed wirings generally employ materials having high thermal conductivity, such as copper and gold. Therefore, when the printed wirings of the flexible printed circuit board are formed at a position close to the heating unit in the aerosol generating device, the printed wirings may dissipate the heat generated by the heating unit, resulting in a decrease in energy efficiency.

[0008] The present disclosure provides a power supply unit for an aerosol generating device having high energy efficiency, and also provides an aerosol generating device.

[0009] Solution to the Problem

[0010] A power supply unit for an aerosol generating device according to the present disclosure includes:

[0011] A power source that can supply power to a heating unit for heating at least one of an aerosol source and a flavor source; and

[0012] A flexible printed wiring board on which at least one component and / or wiring is mounted,

[0013] And

[0014] The flexible printed wiring board has a first region close to the heating unit and a second region farther from the heating unit than the first region, and

[0015] The wiring density in the first region of the flexible printed wiring board is lower than that in the second region.

[0016] An aerosol generating device according to the present disclosure includes:

[0017] A heating unit configured to heat at least one of an aerosol source and a flavor source;

[0018] A power source capable of supplying power to the heating unit; and

[0019] A flexible printed wiring board on which at least one component and / or wiring is mounted,

[0020] And

[0021] The flexible printed wiring board has a first region close to the heating unit and a second region farther from the heating unit than the first region, and

[0022] The wiring density in the first region of the flexible printed wiring board is lower than that in the second region.

[0023] Advantageous effects of the present invention

[0024] The present disclosure enables high energy efficiency to be achieved. Description of the drawings

[0025] Figure 1 is a schematic diagram schematically showing a first configuration example of an inhalation device (inhalation device 100A).

[0026] Figure 2 is a schematic diagram schematically showing a second configuration example of an inhalation device (inhalation device 100B).

[0027] Figure 3 is an overall perspective view of an inhalation device 100 constituting an embodiment of an inhalation device according to the present disclosure.

[0028] Figure 4 is a perspective view of the internal unit 10 as seen from the right front side.

[0029] Figure 5 is a perspective view of the internal unit 10 as seen from the left front side.

[0030] Figure 6 is an exploded perspective view of the internal unit 10.

[0031] Figure 7 is a cross-sectional perspective view of the heater assembly 30.

[0032] Figure 8 is a block diagram simply showing the electrical connection of the main components of the internal unit 10.

[0033] Figure 9 It is an exploded view of the front surface of the sensor FPC 73.

[0034] Figure 10 It is an exploded view of the back surface of the sensor FPC 73.

[0035] Figure 11 It is a cross-sectional view of the first wiring layer 73L1 as viewed from the front surface side of the sensor FPC 73.

[0036] Figure 12 It is a cross-sectional view of the second wiring layer 73L2 as viewed from the front surface side of the sensor FPC 73.

[0037] Figure 13 It is a perspective view of the main part near the sensor FPC 73 as viewed obliquely from above and from the right front.

[0038] Figure 14 It is a perspective view of the main part near the sensor FPC 73 as viewed obliquely from above and from the left rear. Detailed implementation manners

[0039] The inhalation device, control method, and program according to the embodiments of the present disclosure will be described below with reference to the drawings. First, two configuration examples (the first configuration example and the second configuration example) to which the configuration of the inhalation device according to the present disclosure can be applied will be described. It should be noted that, hereinafter, the same or similar reference numerals may be assigned to the same or similar elements, and the description of these elements may be appropriately omitted or simplified.

[0040] <<1. Configuration example of the inhalation device>>

[0041] An inhalation device is a device for generating a substance to be inhaled by a user. Hereinafter, the substance generated by the inhalation device will be described as an aerosol. Additionally, the substance generated by the inhalation device may be a gas.

[0042] (1) The first configuration example

[0043] Figure 1 It is a schematic diagram schematically showing the first configuration example of the inhalation device. As Figure 1As shown in the figure, the inhalation device 100A according to this configuration example includes a power supply unit 110, a cartridge 120, and a flavored cartridge 130. The power supply unit 110 includes a power unit 111A, a sensor unit 112A, a notification unit 113A, a memory unit 114A, a communication unit 115A, and a control unit 116A. The cartridge 120 includes a heating unit 121A, a liquid guiding portion 122, and a liquid storage portion 123. The flavored cartridge 130 includes a flavor source 131 and a mouthpiece 124. An air flow passage 180 is formed in the cartridge 120 and the flavored cartridge 130.

[0044] The power unit 111A stores electric power. The power unit 111A then supplies electric power to each component of the inhalation device 100A according to the control executed by the control unit 116A. The power unit 111A can be configured, for example, by a rechargeable battery (such as a lithium-ion secondary battery).

[0045] The sensor unit 112A acquires various types of information related to the inhalation device 100A. As an example, the sensor unit 112A is configured by a pressure sensor (such as a condenser microphone, a flow rate sensor, or a temperature sensor, etc.), and acquires values associated with user inhalation. As another example, the sensor unit 112A is configured by an input device (such as a button or a switch) for receiving information input from the user.

[0046] The notification unit 113A notifies the user of information. The information notified to the user by the notification unit 113A includes, for example, the state of charge (SOC) indicating the state of charge of the power unit 111A, the preheating time during inhalation, and the possible inhalation period, etc. For example, the notification unit 113A can be configured by a light-emitting device that emits light, a display device that displays an image, a sound output device that outputs sound, or a vibration device that can vibrate, etc.

[0047] The memory unit 114A stores various types of information for operating the inhalation device 100A. The memory unit 114A can be configured, for example, by a non-volatile storage medium (such as a flash memory).

[0048] The communication unit 115A is a communication interface capable of performing communication conforming to any wired or wireless communication standard. For example, examples of communication standards that can be used include standards adopting Wi-Fi (registered trademark), Bluetooth (registered trademark), BLE (Bluetooth Low Energy) (registered trademark), NFC (Near Field Communication), or LPWA (Low Power Wide Area).

[0049] The control unit 116A serves as an arithmetic processing device and a control device, and controls the overall operation within the inhalation device 100A according to various programs. For example, the control unit 116A is implemented by a central processing unit (CPU) or an electronic circuit such as a microprocessor, etc.

[0050] The liquid storage part 123 stores an aerosol source. The aerosol source is atomized to generate an aerosol. For example, the aerosol source is a polyol (such as glycerol or propylene glycol) or a liquid (such as water). The aerosol source may include tobacco-derived or non-tobacco-derived flavor components. If the inhalation device 100A is a medical inhaler (such as a nebulizer), the aerosol source may include a drug.

[0051] The liquid guiding part 122 guides the aerosol source from the liquid storage part 123 and holds the aerosol source, which is the liquid stored in the liquid storage part 123. The liquid guiding part 122 is a wicking member formed, for example, by twisting fibrous materials (such as fiberglass) or porous materials (such as porous ceramics). In this case, the aerosol source stored in the liquid storage part 123 is guided by the capillary action of the wicking member.

[0052] The heating unit 121A heats the aerosol source to atomize the aerosol source, thereby generating an aerosol. In Figure 1 the example shown, the heating unit 121A is configured as a coil wound around the liquid guiding part 122. When the heating unit 121A generates heat, the aerosol source held in the liquid guiding part 122 is heated and atomized, thereby generating an aerosol. The heating unit 121A generates heat when supplied with power from the power supply unit 111A. As an example, when the sensor unit 112A has detected that the user has started inhaling and / or has input a predetermined information, power may be supplied to the heating unit 121A. Then, when the sensor unit 112A has detected that the user has completed inhaling and / or has input a predetermined information, the supply of power to the heating unit 121A may be stopped. Note that the inhalation action of the user on the inhalation device 100A can be detected, for example, based on the pressure (internal pressure) exceeding a predetermined threshold in the inhalation device 100A detected by an inhalation sensor.

[0053] The flavor source 131 is a component for imparting flavor components to the aerosol. The flavor source 131 may include tobacco-derived or non-tobacco-derived flavor components.

[0054] The air flow passage 180 is a flow passage for air to be inhaled by a user. The air flow passage 180 has a tubular structure with an air inlet hole 181 and an air outlet hole 182 at both ends thereof. The air inlet hole is an entrance for air to enter the air flow passage 180, and the air outlet hole is an exit for air to leave the air flow passage 180. Along the air flow passage 180, a liquid guiding portion 122 is provided on the upstream side (the side closer to the air inlet hole 181), and a flavor source 131 is provided on the downstream side (the side closer to the air outlet hole 182). The air flowing in through the air inlet hole 181 during user inhalation is mixed with the aerosol generated by the heating unit 121A and is conveyed through the flavor source 131 to the air outlet hole 182, as indicated by the arrow 190. When the mixed fluid of aerosol and air passes through the flavor source 131, the flavor components contained in the flavor source 131 are added to the aerosol.

[0055] The mouthpiece 124 is a component that is held in the user's mouth during inhalation. The air outlet hole 182 is provided in the mouthpiece 124. The user holds the mouthpiece 124 in their mouth so that the mixed fluid of aerosol and air can be sucked into the oral cavity.

[0056] The configuration example of the inhalation device 100A has been described above. Of course, the inhalation device 100A is not limited to the configuration described above, and various configurations can be adopted, such as those shown by way of example below.

[0057] As an example, the inhalation device 100A does not need to include a flavored cartridge 130. In this case, the cartridge 120 is provided with a mouthpiece 124.

[0058] As another example, the inhalation device 100A can include multiple types of aerosol sources. Multiple types of aerosols generated from multiple types of aerosol sources can be mixed within the air flow path 180 to cause a chemical reaction, thereby generating more other types of aerosols.

[0059] In addition, the means for atomizing the aerosol source is not limited to the heating provided by the heating unit 121A. For example, the means for atomizing the aerosol source can be vibration atomization or induction heating.

[0060] (2) Second configuration example

[0061] Figure 2 is a schematic diagram schematically showing a second configuration example of the inhalation device. As Figure 2As shown, the inhalation device 100B according to this configuration example includes a power supply unit 111B, a sensor unit 112B, a notification unit 113B, a memory unit 114B, a communication unit 115B, a control unit 116B, a heating unit 121B, a housing portion 140, and a heat insulation portion 144. The power supply unit 110 that houses the power supply unit 111A and the heating unit 121A are separate components in the inhalation device 100A of the first configuration example, but the power supply unit 111B and the heating unit 121B form a single piece in the inhalation device 100B of the second configuration example. That is to say, the inhalation device 100B of the second configuration example can also be said to have a power supply unit with a built-in heating unit.

[0062] The power supply unit 111B, the sensor unit 112B, the notification unit 113B, the memory unit 114B, the communication unit 115B, and the control unit 116B are each substantially the same as the corresponding components included in the inhalation device 100A of the first configuration example.

[0063] The housing portion 140 has an internal space 141 and holds the rod-shaped substrate 150 while housing a part of the rod-shaped substrate 150 in the internal space 141. The housing portion 140 has an opening 142 to allow the internal space 141 to communicate with the outside, and the housing portion houses the rod-shaped substrate 150 that has been inserted into the internal space 141 from the opening 142. For example, the housing portion 140 is a cylindrical body that includes the opening 142 and a bottom portion 143 serving as a bottom surface, and defines a columnar internal space 141. An air flow path for supplying air to the internal space 141 is connected to the housing portion 140. For example, an air inlet hole is provided in the side surface of the inhalation device 100, and this air inlet hole is the entrance for air to enter the air flow path. For example, an air outlet hole is provided in the bottom portion 143, and this air outlet hole is the exit for air to flow from the air flow channel to the internal space 141.

[0064] The rod-shaped substrate 150 includes a substrate portion 151 and a mouthpiece portion 152. The substrate portion 151 contains an aerosol source. The aerosol source includes tobacco-derived or non-tobacco-derived flavor components. If the inhalation device 100B is a medical inhaler (such as a nebulizer), the aerosol source may include a drug. The aerosol source may be, for example, a liquid containing tobacco-derived or non-tobacco-derived flavor components, such as water or a polyol (e.g., glycerol or propylene glycol), or alternatively may be a solid including tobacco-derived or non-tobacco-derived flavor components. With the rod-shaped substrate 150 held in the receiving portion 140, at least a part of the substrate portion 151 is received in the internal space 141, and at least a part of the mouthpiece portion 152 protrudes from the opening 142. Then, when the user holds the mouthpiece portion 152 protruding from the opening 142 in their mouth and inhales, air flows into the internal space 141 via an air flow channel not shown in the drawing and reaches the user's mouth together with the aerosol generated from the substrate portion 151.

[0065] In Figure 2 the example shown, the heating unit 121B has a membranous form and is arranged to cover the outer circumference of the receiving portion 140. Thus, when the heating unit 121B generates heat, the substrate portion 151 of the rod-shaped substrate 150 is heated from the outer circumference, thereby generating an aerosol.

[0066] The heat insulation portion 144 prevents heat from being transferred from the heating unit 121B to other components. For example, the heat insulation portion 144 is configured of a vacuum insulation material or an aerogel insulation material, etc.

[0067] The configuration examples of the inhalation device 100B have been described above. Of course, the inhalation device 100B is not limited to the configurations described above and may adopt various configurations, such as those shown as examples below.

[0068] As an example, the heating unit 121B may have a blade-like form and may be arranged to protrude from the bottom portion 143 of the receiving portion 140 into the internal space 141. In this case, the blade-like heating unit 121B is inserted into the substrate portion 151 of the rod-shaped substrate 150 and heats the substrate portion from the inside of the substrate portion 151 of the rod-shaped substrate 150. As another example, the heating unit 121B may be arranged to cover the bottom portion 143 of the receiving portion 140. In addition, the heating unit 121B may be configured by a combination of two or more of a first heating unit covering the outer circumference of the receiving portion 140, a blade-like second heating unit, and a third heating unit covering the bottom portion 143 of the receiving portion 140.

[0069] As another example, the accommodating part 140 may include an opening / closing mechanism (such as a hinge) for opening / closing a part of the housing that forms the internal space 141. By opening / closing the housing, the accommodating part 140 can then receive and hold the rod-shaped substrate 150 that has been inserted into the internal space 141. In this case, the heating unit 121B may be provided on the holding part of the accommodating part 140, and may heat the rod-shaped substrate while pressing it.

[0070] In addition, the means for atomizing the aerosol source is not limited to the heating provided by the heating unit 121B. For example, the means for atomizing the aerosol source may be inductive heating. In this case, the inhalation device 100B includes at least an electromagnetic induction source (such as a coil) for generating a magnetic field instead of the heating unit 121B. A receptor that generates heat by inductive heating may be provided in the inhalation device 100B or may be included in the rod-shaped substrate 150.

[0071] In addition, the inhalation device 100B may further include the heating unit 121A, the liquid guiding part 122, the liquid storage part 123, and the air flow channel 180 according to the first configuration example, and the air flow channel 180 may supply air to the internal space 141. In this case, the mixed fluid of the aerosol and air generated by the heating unit 121A flows into the internal space 141, and further mixes with the aerosol generated by the heating unit 121B and reaches the user's mouth.

[0072] <<2. Configuration examples of the inhalation device according to the present disclosure>>

[0073] Next, an embodiment of an inhalation device (hereinafter referred to as the inhalation device 100) applying the configuration of the inhalation device of the present disclosure is described with respect to the inhalation device 100B of the second configuration example described previously. Note that, although specific descriptions are omitted, some configurations of the inhalation device 100 described below can also be applied to the inhalation device 100A of the first configuration example.

[0074] Figure 3 is an overall perspective view of the inhalation device 100. Hereinafter, in the inhalation device 100, the insertion and removal direction of the rod-shaped substrate 150 with respect to the inhalation device 100 is defined as the vertical direction, the sliding movement direction of the shutter 23 described below is defined as the front-rear direction, and the direction perpendicular to the vertical direction and the front-rear direction is defined as the left-right direction. In addition, as shown in the respective figures, Fr is the front, Rr is the rear, L is the left side, R is the right side, U is upward, and D is downward.

[0075] The inhalation device 100 is preferably sized to be held in a hand, for example having a rod shape. For example, the user holds the inhalation device 100 in one hand with the fingertips in contact with the surface of the inhalation device 100. Note that the shape of the inhalation device 100 is not limited to a rod shape but can be any shape (e.g., a rounded substantially cubic shape or an oval shape).

[0076] The inhalation device 100 includes an internal unit 10 (see Figures 4 to 6 ), and a housing 20 that forms the exterior of the inhalation device 100. The housing 20 has a lower housing 21 and an upper housing 22. A part of the internal unit 10 is housed in the lower housing 21, and the entire internal unit 10 is housed in the housing 20 by covering the lower housing 21 with the upper housing 22 from above.

[0077] On the top surface of the inhalation device 100 are provided: an opening 27 (see Figures 4 to 6 ), which is for inserting and removing the rod-shaped substrate 150; and a shutter 23 that can slide in the front-rear direction. The opening 27 is arranged on the rear side of the top surface of the inhalation device 100. The shutter 23 selectively assumes an open state (front side position) and a closed state (rear side position), the open state allowing the insertion and removal of the rod-shaped substrate 150 by opening the opening 27, and the closed state closing the opening 27 by positioning the shutter 23 above the opening 27. When inserting the rod-shaped substrate 150 into the opening 27, the user sets the shutter 23 to the open state.

[0078] A shutter detection sensor 11 (see Figure 4 ) is provided near the shutter 23. The shutter detection sensor 11 detects whether the shutter 23 is in the open state. The shutter detection sensor 11 is an example of the sensor unit 112B of the inhalation device 100B Figure 2 .

[0079] In addition, a USB (Universal Serial Bus) port 26 (see Figure 4 ) is provided on the upper surface of the inhalation device 100, which is arranged adjacent to the opening 27. In the open state described above, the shutter 23 blocks the USB port 26. On the other hand, in the closed state described above, the shutter 23 does not block the USB port 26 and the USB port 26 is open. The USB port 26 is configured to be electrically connectable to an external power source (not shown in the drawings) capable of supplying power to charge the power supply unit 111C (see Figure 4 ). The USB port 26 is, for example, a socket into which a mating plug can be inserted. As an example, in this embodiment, the USB port 26 is a USB Type-C socket.

[0080] The operation unit 24 and the light-emitting unit 25 are provided on the front surface of the inhalation device 100. The operation unit 24 is arranged below the light-emitting unit 25. More specifically, the operation unit 24 and the light-emitting unit 25 are components of the internal unit 10 housed in the housing 20, and a part of the operation unit 24 and the light-emitting unit 25 is configured to be exposed from an opening formed in the front surface of the housing 20. The light-emitting unit 25 is Figure 2 an example of the notification unit 113B of the inhalation device 100B shown in

[0081] The operation unit 24 is a button-type switch that can be operated by the user and is an input device for receiving information input from the user. The operation unit 24 is connected to the main board 50, which will be described later (see Figures 4 to 6 ). When the user presses the operation unit 24, for example, the microcontroller unit (MCU) 1 is activated (see Figures 4 to 6 ) or the heating unit 121C (see Figure 7 ). Note that the MCU 1 serves as the control unit 116B in the inhalation device 100B. In addition to the function of the control unit 116B in the inhalation device 100B, the MCU 1 may also incorporate the function of the communication unit 115B. Furthermore, the MCU 1 may be composed of a single IC or two or more ICs. For example, the control of the discharge of the heating unit 121C and the control of the charging of the power supply unit 111C may be performed by a single IC or by separate ICs.

[0082] For example, the light-emitting unit 25 is configured by a light-emitting device such as a light-emitting diode (LED). More specifically, the light-emitting unit 25 includes: a plurality of LEDs 251 (see Figure 6 ) provided on the main board 50; and a transparent cover member 250 that covers the plurality of LEDs 251 and transmits the light of the plurality of LEDs 251. A part of the transparent cover member 250 is exposed through an opening formed in the front surface of the housing 20. In this embodiment, for example, it is assumed that the plurality of LEDs 251 are configured to be capable of emitting light in a plurality of colors including blue, yellow, and red. Note that any number of light-emitting elements can be set. For example, there may be one light-emitting element in the light-emitting unit 25.

[0083] The light-emitting unit 25 emits light in a predetermined light-emitting pattern by a command from the MCU 1 to notify the user of predetermined information. Here, the light-emitting pattern may be, for example, the light-emitting color, but this is not restrictive, and the light-emitting pattern may be, for example, the intensity of irradiation (in other words, luminance) or the irradiation pattern (e.g., blinking at a predetermined time interval), etc. In addition, the predetermined information is, for example, operation information indicating whether the inhalation device 100 is powered on.

[0084] Next, reference will be made to Figures 4 to 8Describe the internal unit 10 of the inhalation device 100 according to this embodiment. Figure 4 is a perspective view of the internal unit 10 as seen from the right front side; Figure 5 is a perspective view of the internal unit 10 as seen from the left front side; Figure 6 is an exploded perspective view of the internal unit 10; Figure 7 is a cross-sectional perspective view of the heater assembly 30; and Figure 8 is a block diagram showing the electrical connection of the main elements of the internal unit 10 in a simplified manner. Note that the internal unit 10 constitutes the inhalation device 100 from which the outer shell 20 and the shutter 23 have been removed.

[0085] The internal unit 10 includes a chassis 40, a main board 50, a vibration device 60, a heater assembly 30, a power supply unit 111C, a power board 71, a peripheral FPC 72, a sensor FPC 73, and various sensors. The peripheral FPC 72 and the sensor FPC 73 are flexible circuit boards. A flexible circuit board is flexible and includes conductive wiring and / or signal wiring, and allows the mounting of electronic components (elements) such as resistors and chips. The thickness of a flexible circuit board is typically set to 100 µm to 600 µm. In addition, the power board 71 may be a flexible circuit board, a rigid board as described below, or a combination of a flexible board and a rigid board, but an example of a flexible circuit board is described herein.

[0086] (Chassis)

[0087] As Figure 6 shown in the exploded perspective view, the chassis 40 includes: a power holding portion 41 for holding the power supply unit 111C; a board holding portion 42 for holding the main board 50; and a heater holding portion 43 for holding the heater assembly 30. The power holding portion 41 is positioned at the lower part of the chassis 40, and the board holding portion 42 and the heater holding portion 43 are positioned on the upper part of the chassis 40.

[0088] The power holding portion 41 has a cylindrical shape with a part of the side cut off, in other words, has a substantially semi-cylindrical shape. The power holding portion 41 has a bottom wall portion 401, a side wall portion 402 having an arc shape and standing vertically from the bottom wall portion 401, and an upper wall portion 403 provided at the upper end of the side wall portion 402. The power supply unit 111C is arranged in the space surrounded by the bottom wall portion 401, the side wall portion 402, and the upper wall portion 403.

[0089] The board holding portion 42 is provided on a vertical wall portion 404 that extends upward from the upper wall portion 403 of the power holding portion 41. The board holding portion 42 is provided on one side (here provided on the front side) of the vertical wall portion 404 in the front-rear direction, and holds the main board 50.

[0090] The heater holding portion 43 is provided on the side of the vertical wall portion 404 opposite to the plate holding portion 42 in the front-rear direction (here, provided on the rear side). The heater holding portion 43 has a space surrounded by the vertical wall portion 404, a pair of left and right wall portions 405 extending from the vertical wall portion 404 in the front-rear direction, and the top surface of the upper wall portion 403 of the power supply holding portion 41, and the heater assembly 30 is arranged in this space.

[0091] (Main board)

[0092] The main board 50 is a rigid board with a plurality of electronic components (elements) mounted on both sides. The rigid board is not flexible, and the thickness is generally set to 300 µm to 1600 µm. The MCU 1, LED 251, charging IC (integrated circuit) 81, boost DC / DC converter 82, etc. are mounted on the main board 50. The main board 50 is held in the board holding portion 42 of the chassis 40 such that the component mounting surface is oriented in the front-rear direction. Figure 6 Only the front surface 501 (here, the front) of the main board 50 is shown. Therefore, the charging IC 81 and the boost DC / DC converter 82 mounted on the rear surface 502 (here, mounted on the rear side) are not shown.

[0093] The power connection portion 51 electrically connected to the power supply unit 111C is provided in the lower region on the front surface 501 of the main board 50. The power connection portion 51 is electrically connected to the power supply unit 111C via the board connection portion 710 of the power supply board 71. The power supply unit 111C is a cylindrical lithium-ion secondary battery and is Figure 2 an example of the power supply unit 111B of the suction device 100B.

[0094] As Figure 6 shown, the power supply unit 111C is provided with a positive electrode tab 111a and a negative electrode tab 111b. The power supply unit 111C is arranged in the power supply holding portion 41 of the chassis 40 such that the positive electrode tab 111a and the negative electrode tab 111b are arranged to the front. The power supply board 71 is arranged in front of the power supply unit 111C and the main board 50 and extends in the vertical direction. Also refer to Figure 8, the positive electrode tab connection portion 711a and the negative electrode tab connection portion 711b of the power supply board 71 are respectively connected to the positive electrode tab 111a and the negative electrode tab 111b of the power supply unit 111C, and the board connection portion 710 is electrically connected to the power supply connection portion 51 of the main board 50. The power from the power supply unit 111C is transmitted to the main board 50 through the conductive tracks formed on the power supply board 71 and is supplied to each electronic component, such as the boost DC / DC converter 82, for example. The power supply board 71 is also provided with a power supply temperature sensor 16. The power supply temperature sensor 16 is a temperature sensor for detecting the temperature of the power supply unit 111C. The power supply temperature sensor 16 is, for example, a thermistor. The power supply temperature sensor 16 is Figure 2 an example of the sensor unit 112B of the inhalation device 100B.

[0095] The USB port 26 is provided in the upper region of the rear surface 502 of the main board 50. The USB port 26 is electrically connected to the charging IC 81 through the wiring formed on the main board 50.

[0096] As Figure 8 shown, in addition to the charging IC 81 and the boost DC / DC converter 82, heater connection portions 57a, 57b are also provided on the rear surface 502 of the main board 50. The charging IC 81 performs charging control to supply the power input from the USB port 26 to the power supply unit 111C (charge the power supply unit). The boost DC / DC converter 82 boosts the voltage of the power supplied from the power supply unit 111C to generate power to be supplied to the heating unit 121C via the heating switch 85. For example, the heating switch 85 is an FET (field effect transistor).

[0097] The board connection portion 121a extending from below the heater assembly 30 is connected to the heater connection portions 57a, 57b to supply power to the heating unit 121C of the heater assembly 30. As a result, the power from the power supply unit 111C is supplied to the heating unit 121C of the heater assembly 30 via the main board 50.

[0098] (Vibration device)

[0099] For example, the vibration device 60 is configured by a vibration element (such as a vibration motor). As Figure 6 shown, the vibration device 60 is arranged in the power supply holding portion 41 of the chassis 40, between the top surface of the power supply unit 111C and the upper wall portion 403. The lead 61 of the vibration device 60 is connected to the peripheral FPC 72. The vibration device 60 vibrates in a predetermined vibration mode by a command from the MCU 1 to notify the user of predetermined information. For example, at the start or end of the heating of the rod-shaped substrate 150, the vibration device 60 vibrates in a predetermined vibration mode to notify the user of the start or end of heating. The vibration device 60 isFigure 2 An example of the notification unit 113B of the inhalation device 100B.

[0100] (Heater assembly)

[0101] As Figure 7 shown, the heater assembly 30 includes a heating unit 121C, a housing portion 140C, and a heat insulating portion 144C. The heating unit 121C is, for example, a film heater and is wound around the outer circumference of the housing portion 140C. In addition, the heating unit 121C and the plate connection portion 121a may be configured by a single heater FPC.

[0102] The heater assembly 30 is further provided with a rod guide 31. The rod guide 31 is provided on the upper portion of the heater assembly 30 and guides the rod-shaped substrate 150 to be inserted into / removed from the housing portion 140C. The rod guide 31 is a cylindrical member having an opening 27 and forms a part of the housing portion 140C.

[0103] In addition, the heater assembly 30 is provided with a heater temperature sensor 15 that can detect the temperature of the heating unit 121C. More specifically, the heater temperature sensor 15 is provided to be in contact with or close to the heating unit 121C between the heating unit 121C and the heat insulating portion 144C. The heater temperature sensor 15 is, for example, a thermistor.

[0104] (Sensor FPC)

[0105] As Figure 6 shown, the sensor FPC 73 is disposed in the heater holding portion 43, between the vertical wall portion 404 and the heater assembly 30. At least one element and / or wiring is mounted on the sensor FPC 73. In this embodiment, the sensor FPC 73 is equipped with a rod detection sensor 12, an inhalation sensor 13, and a housing temperature sensor 14. The rod detection sensor 12, the inhalation sensor 13, and the housing temperature sensor 14 are Figure 2 examples of the sensor unit 112B of the inhalation device 100B.

[0106] The rod detection sensor 12 is a sensor that can detect the rod-shaped substrate 150 accommodated in the accommodation portion 140. In this embodiment, the rod detection sensor 12 is an optical sensor that can detect the rod-shaped substrate 150 based on the amount of reflected light from the light irradiated onto the accommodation portion 140. Here, the light amount is a concept including luminous flux, illuminance, luminous emittance, brightness, luminance, and the like. For example, the optical sensor is an infrared (IR) sensor.

[0107] The inhalation sensor 13 is a sensor that detects the user's sucking action (inhalation action). The inhalation sensor 13 includes, for example, a condenser microphone, a pressure sensor, a smoking thermistor, etc. The inhalation sensor 13 is provided near the rod guide 31 in the sensor FPC 73.

[0108] The housing temperature sensor 14 is a sensor that detects the temperature of the housing 20. The housing temperature sensor 14 is, for example, a thermistor. The housing temperature sensor 14 is arranged adjacent to the inner surface of the housing 20 in the sensor FPC 73.

[0109] The sensor FPC 73 is also provided with a heater temperature sensor connection portion 731 that is connected to the heater temperature sensor 15 of the heater assembly 30. The heater temperature sensor connection portion 731 is provided on the lower portion of the sensor FPC 73. More specifically, the lead 15a is connected to the heater temperature sensor 15, and the heater temperature sensor connection portion 731 is connected to the lead 15a extending from below the heater assembly 30.

[0110] The rod detection sensor 12, the inhalation sensor 13, the housing temperature sensor 14, and the heater temperature sensor connection portion 731 are connected to the board connection portion 730 via signal wirings formed on the sensor FPC 73. The board connection portion 730 is connected to the sensor FPC connection portion 55 provided in the central region of the front surface 501 of the main board 50. As a result, the detection results of the sensors are output to the MCU 1 and other components mounted on the main board 50. The sensor FPC 73 will be described in more detail later.

[0111] In the inhalation device 100 configured in this way, when the shutter detection sensor 11 detects the open state of the shutter 23 and the rod detection sensor 12 detects the rod-shaped substrate 150, the MCU 1 starts heating via the heating unit 121C. When the user holds the mouthpiece portion 152 of the rod-shaped substrate 150 in their mouth and inhales, aerosol is supplied from the aerosol source of the rod-shaped substrate 150 heated by the heating unit 121C to the user's mouth. The inhalation sensor 13 detects the number of inhalations, and the MCU 1 stops heating after a predetermined number of inhalations or after a predetermined time has elapsed. During the heating of the inhalation device 100, the housing temperature sensor 14, the heater temperature sensor 15, and the power supply temperature sensor 16 measure the temperature, and if it is determined that there is abnormal heating, the MCU 1 stops or inhibits the heating by the heating unit 121C. In addition, the user can check the SOC of, for example, the power supply unit 111C by operating the operation unit 24. The light-emitting unit 25 (LED 251) and the vibration device 60 notify the user of various information, such as the SOC of the power supply unit 111C, error display, and so on. If the SOC of the power supply unit 111C decreases, the user can connect an external power supply to the USB port 26 to charge the power supply unit 111C.

[0112] Next, reference will be made to Figure 9 and Figure 10 describe the sensor FPC 73 in more detail. Figure 9 is a developed view of the front surface of the sensor FPC 73, and Figure 10 is a developed view of the back surface of the sensor FPC 73. Note that Figure 9 and Figure 10 The single-dashed lines and double-dashed lines in are fold lines.

[0113] The sensor FPC 73 includes: a substantially rectangular body portion 751 that is longer in the vertical direction than in the horizontal direction; an upper-right extension portion 752 that extends rightward from the upper portion of the body portion 751; a lower-right extension portion 753 that extends rightward from the lower portion of the body portion 751 and then bends upward; a lower extension portion 754 that extends further downward from the lower portion of the body portion 751; an upper extension portion 755 that extends further upward from the upper portion of the body portion 751; an upper-right extension portion 756 that extends rightward from the upper extension portion 755; and a upper-left extension portion 757 that extends leftward from the upper extension portion 755. The upper-left extension portion 757 is longer than the upper-right extension portion 756, and as Figure 6As shown in the figure, in a state where the sensor FPC 73 is folded and accommodated in the housing 20 (hereinafter, the accommodation state), the end (left end) of the upper left extension portion 757 is configured to face the main body portion 751.

[0114] As described above, the rod detection sensor 12, the inhalation sensor 13, and the housing temperature sensor 14 are mounted on the sensor FPC 73 and are connected to the sensor FPC connection portion 55 of the main board 50 through the board connection portion 730. More specifically, the rod detection sensor 12, the inhalation sensor 13, and the housing temperature sensor 14 are mounted on the front surface of the sensor FPC 73 (the surface forming the back of the main body portion 751), as Figure 9 shown in the figure.

[0115] A rod detection sensor 12 is provided on each of the upper right extension portion 756 and the upper left extension portion 757. The rod detection sensors 12 are provided at substantially symmetric positions, and the upper extension portion 755 is interposed between these positions. The rod detection sensor 12 is provided on the outer circumferential portion of the rod guide 31 in the accommodation state and detects the rod-shaped substrate 150 accommodated in the accommodation portion 140.

[0116] The inhalation sensor 13 is provided at the end (left end) of the upper left extension portion 757. The inhalation sensor 13 is provided on the outer circumferential portion of the rod guide 31 in the accommodation state and detects a pressure change or a temperature change of the air flowing from near the opening 27 to the accommodation portion 140 according to the suction action (inhalation action).

[0117] The housing temperature sensor 14 is provided at the end (upper end) of the lower right extension portion 753. The housing temperature sensor 14 is close to the wall surface of the housing 20 in the accommodation state and detects the temperature of the housing 20. The two rod detection sensors 12 and the inhalation sensor 13 are arranged at substantially the same positions in the vertical direction (the longitudinal direction of the sensor FPC), while the housing temperature sensor 14 is arranged at a position different from these positions in the vertical direction (in this embodiment, this position is below).

[0118] The board connection portion 730 is mounted on the back surface of the sensor FPC 73 (the surface forming the front of the main body portion 751), as Figure 10 shown in the figure. The board connection portion 730 is provided at the end (right end) of the upper right extension portion 752, that is, at a position between the vertical direction positions of the two rod detection sensors 12 and the inhalation sensor 13 and the vertical direction position of the housing temperature sensor 14.

[0119] By mounting the rod detection sensor 12, the suction sensor 13, and the housing temperature sensor 14 on the sensor FPC 73 (which is a flexible circuit board thinner and more flexible than a rigid board) in this way, the size of the main board 50 as a rigid board can be reduced. Further, these sensors 12 to 14 are electrically connected to the sensor FPC connection portion 55 of the main board 50 together by the board connection portion 730 through signal wirings 738, 739 formed on the sensor FPC 73. Therefore, the connection of each of the sensors 12 to 14 to the main board 50 can be shared, enabling the reduction of the size of the main board 50 as a rigid board.

[0120] The board connection portion 730 of the sensor FPC 73 and the sensor FPC connection portion 55 of the main board 50 are preferably a connector 19 formed by a plug (male connector) and a socket (female connector). This simplifies the connection work. As Figure 8 shown, the sensor FPC connection portion 55 is connected to the MCU 1 via a signal wiring formed on the main board 50.

[0121] Note that in this embodiment, three sensors (i.e., the rod detection sensor 12, the suction sensor 13, and the housing temperature sensor 14) are mounted on the sensor FPC 73, but as long as at least one component and / or wiring is mounted, other components can be mounted instead of or together with these sensors. Examples of other components can be the power temperature sensor 16 or components other than sensors. That is, regardless of the type of sensor, at least one component and / or wiring can be mounted on the sensor FPC 73, and the connection to the main board 50 can be shared.

[0122] Furthermore, even if the arrangement positions of the sensors (the longitudinal direction of the sensor FPC) are different, it is preferably to share the connection to the main board 50. In this embodiment, the housing temperature sensor 14 provided at a position different from the two rod detection sensors 12 and the suction sensor 13 in the vertical direction (the longitudinal direction of the sensor FPC) is also connected to the sensor FPC connection portion 55 of the main board 50 via the board connection portion 730.

[0123] In this case, the connection position to the main board 50 is preferably set between the sensor positioned at one end side and the sensor positioned at the other end side in the longitudinal direction of the sensor FPC. In this embodiment, the board connection portion 730 is provided between the positions in the vertical direction (the longitudinal direction of the sensor FPC) of the two rod detection sensors 12 and the suction sensor 13 and the position in the vertical direction (the longitudinal direction of the sensor FPC) of the housing temperature sensor 14. Therefore, the lengths of the signal wirings from each sensor to the board connection portion 730 can be balanced.

[0124] In addition, as Figure 8 shown in Figure 8 , the inhalation sensor 13 and the housing temperature sensor 14 are supplied with an input voltage VCC1, which is an input voltage having the same potential. Accordingly, the inhalation sensor 13 and the housing temperature sensor 14 can be connected to the signal wiring 738 having the same potential and are connected to the main board 50 at the same electrical contact 55a. By mounting the sensors connected to the signal wiring having the same potential on the sensor FPC 73 in this way, the same electrical contact 55a can be used at the sensor FPC connection portion 55. Therefore, it is not necessary to provide a plurality of electrical contacts for each sensor on the sensor FPC connection portion 55, and the main board 50 can be made compact.

[0125] In addition, in this embodiment, the heater temperature sensor 15 connected to the sensor FPC 73 via the lead 15a is also supplied with the same input voltage VCC1 as the inhalation sensor 13 and the housing temperature sensor 14, is connected to the signal wiring having the same potential, and is connected to the main board 50 at the same electrical contact 55a. Therefore, the main board 50 can be made even more compact.

[0126] The input voltage VCC2 is supplied to the two rod detection sensors 12. Accordingly, the two rod detection sensors 12 can be connected to the signal wiring 739 having the same potential and are connected to the main board 50 at the same electrical contact 55b. The input voltage VCC2 of the two rod detection sensors 12 and the input voltage VCC1 of the inhalation sensor 13 and the housing temperature sensor 14 can be the same or different. If the input voltage VCC1 and the input voltage VCC2 are the same, the electrical contact 55a and the electrical contact 55b can be shared or different. On the other hand, if the input voltage VCC1 and the input voltage VCC2 are different, the electrical contact 55a and the electrical contact 55b must be different. Therefore, even if the sensors have different input voltages, the sensors can be mounted on the sensor FPC 73 and the connection to the main board 50 can be shared by using different electrical contacts.

[0127] The sensor FPC 73 is a stacked wiring board in which a first wiring layer 73L1 and a second wiring layer 73L2 are stacked. Figure 11 is a cross-sectional view of the first wiring layer 73L1 viewed from the front surface side of the sensor FPC 73, and Figure 12 is a cross-sectional view of the second wiring layer 73L2 viewed from the front surface side of the sensor FPC 73.

[0128] The first wiring layer 73L1 and the second wiring layer 73L2 are stacked in the sensor FPC 73 such that the first wiring layer 73L1 is closer to the rear surface side (the front side of the main body portion 751) than the second wiring layer 73L2, and such that the second wiring layer 73L2 is closer to the front surface side (the rear side of the main body portion 751).

[0129] As Figure 6 and Figures 11 to 14 shown in, the sensor FPC 73 has a first region A1 close to the heating unit 121C and a second region A2 farther from the heating unit 121C than the first region A1. In this embodiment, the first region A1 constitutes the main body portion 751, and the second region A2 constitutes the upper extension portion 755, the upper right extension portion 756, and the upper left extension portion 757.

[0130] As Figure 6 , Figure 13 and Figure 14 shown in, the first region A1 of the sensor FPC 73 is disposed between the heating unit 121C and the main board 50 (the main board is a rigid board), and the first region A1 is arranged to face the heating unit 121C.

[0131] Then, the first region A1 of the sensor FPC 73 forms a flat surface facing the main board 50.

[0132] In addition, the sensor FPC 73 is arranged such that the second region A2 is located at a position closer to the nozzle portion 152 than the heating unit 121C.

[0133] As Figure 11 and Figure 12 shown in, a printed wiring 732 including a signal wiring 733 and a ground wiring 734 is formed on the first wiring layer 73L1 and the second wiring layer 73L2. The printed wiring 732 is formed of a metal thin film of a conductive material. In this embodiment, the printed wiring 732 is formed of a copper thin film. Metals including copper used as conductive materials generally have a higher thermal conductivity than resins and the like.

[0134] The signal wirings 733 formed on the first wiring layer 73L1 and the second wiring layer 73L2 constitute the signal wirings 738 and 739 described above. The signal wirings 733 formed on the first wiring layer 73L1 and the second wiring layer 73L2 include: a first signal wiring 733a that connects the board connection portion 730 and the rod detection sensor 12; a second signal wiring 733b that connects the board connection portion 730 and the suction sensor 13; a third signal wiring 733c that connects the board connection portion 730 and the housing temperature sensor 14; and a fourth signal wiring 733d that connects the board connection portion 730 and the heater temperature sensor connection portion 731.

[0135] The first signal wiring 733a passes through the upper right extension portion 752, the main body portion 751, and the upper extension portion 755 from the board connection portion 730, and then is connected to each of the two rod detection sensors 12 through the upper right extension portion 756 or the upper left extension portion 757.

[0136] The second signal wiring 733b passes through the upper right extension portion 752, the main body portion 751, the upper extension portion 755, and the upper left extension portion 757 from the board connection portion 730, and then is connected to the suction sensor 13.

[0137] The third signal wiring 733c passes through the upper right extension portion 752, the right end near the main body portion 751, and the lower right extension portion 753 from the board connection portion 730, and then is connected to the housing temperature sensor 14.

[0138] The fourth signal wiring 733d passes through the upper right extension portion 752, the right end near the main body portion 751, and the lower extension portion 754 from the board connection portion 730, and then is connected to the heater temperature sensor connection portion 731.

[0139] The first signal wiring 733a to the fourth signal wiring 733d are formed on the first wiring layer 73L1 and the second wiring layer 73L2, and the first signal wiring 733a to the fourth signal wiring 733d on the first wiring layer 73L1 and the first signal wiring 733a to the fourth signal wiring 733d on the second wiring layer 73L2 are connected through vias.

[0140] The wiring density (including the signal wiring 733 and the ground wiring 734) in the first area A1 of the sensor FPC 73 is lower than that in the second area A2.

[0141] More specifically, the wiring density in the first area A1 of each of the first wiring layer 73L1 and the second wiring layer 73L2 is lower than that in the second area A2.

[0142] Therefore, the wiring density in the first region A1 of the sensor FPC 73 close to the heating unit 121C is lower than that in the second region A2 farther from the heating unit 121C than the first region A1, so that the dissipation of the heat generated by the heating unit 121C from the sensor FPC 73 can be reduced, and thus high energy efficiency can be achieved.

[0143] In addition, the wiring density in the first region A1 of each of the first wiring layer 73L1 and the second wiring layer 73L2 is lower than that in the second region A2, so that the dissipation of the heat generated by the heating unit 121C from the sensor FPC 73 can be further reduced, and even higher energy efficiency can be achieved.

[0144] As described above, the first region A1 of the sensor FPC 73 is provided between the heating unit 121C and the main board 50 (the main board is a rigid board), and the first region A1 is arranged to face the heating unit 121C. By this means, the heat generated by the heating unit 121C is shielded by the sensor FPC 73 provided between the heating unit 121C and the main board 50, and the heat transfer to the main board 50 and components such as the MCU 1 mounted on the main board 50 can be suppressed.

[0145] In addition, the low-wiring-density first region A1 of the sensor FPC 73 is arranged to face the heating unit 121C, and thus the heat generated by the heating unit 121C is better shielded by the sensor FPC 73, so that higher energy efficiency can be achieved.

[0146] The first region A1 of the sensor FPC 73 forms a flat surface facing the main board 50, so that the sizes of the suction device 100 and the power supply unit 110 can be reduced.

[0147] In contrast, the high-wiring-density second region A2 of the sensor FPC 73 is arranged at a position closer to the nozzle portion 152 than the heating unit 121C, and thus the integration degree of the sensor FPC 73 can be improved while suppressing the heat transfer from the heating unit 121C to the main board 50 and components such as the MCU 1 mounted on the main board 50.

[0148] The rod detection sensor 12 is mounted on the front surface of the sensor FPC 73, that is, on the surface on the second wiring layer 73L2 side in the stacking direction of the first wiring layer 73L1 and the second wiring layer 73L2. When viewed from the stacking direction of the first wiring layer 73L1 and the second wiring layer 73L2, the wiring density in the area of the first wiring layer 73L1 that overlaps with the rod detection sensor 12 is higher than that in the first area A1. In this embodiment, the ground wiring 734 in the area of the first wiring layer 73L1 that overlaps with the rod detection sensor 12 forms a solid pattern, in which a wiring material film is formed over the entire ground area instead of a grid.

[0149] Therefore, the area of the first wiring layer 73L1 that overlaps with the rod detection sensor 12 has higher rigidity and is less likely to bend due to the wiring material. This makes it possible to suppress the sagging of the sensor FPC 73 under the self-weight of the rod detection sensor 12.

[0150] In addition, the ground wiring 734 is formed in the first area A1 and the second area A2 of the first wiring layer 73L1, and is formed in the first area A1 and the second area A2 of the second wiring layer 73L2.

[0151] By forming the ground wiring 734 in the first area A1 and the second area A2 of the first wiring layer 73L1 and in the first area A1 and the second area A2 of the second wiring layer 73L2 in this way, even if the sensors 12 to 14 are mounted on both the front surface and the back surface of the sensor FPC 73, the sensors 12 to 14 can be easily connected to the ground wiring 734, thus improving the degree of freedom in arranging the sensors 12 to 14 on the sensor FPC 73.

[0152] The ground wiring 734 formed in the first area A1 and the second area A2 of the first wiring layer 73L1 and formed in the first area A1 and the second area A2 of the second wiring layer 73L2 is at least partially formed as a grid. In this embodiment, the ground wiring 734 is formed as a diagonal grid. It should be noted that the mesh shape of the ground wiring 734 can also be a hexagonal honeycomb grid, a rectangular grid, or a grid with a plurality of circular cutouts.

[0153] This allows the wiring density of the ground wiring 734 to be easily set with greater freedom by changing the coarseness of the grid of the ground wiring 734 in the grid form.

[0154] A solid region 734a is formed in the grid portion of the ground wiring 734, and at least one mesh-shaped net portion in the grid form is enclosed in the solid region. The solid region 734a in the grid portion of the ground wiring 734 formed in the first wiring layer 73L1 and the solid region 734a in the grid portion of the ground wiring 734 formed in the second wiring layer 73L2 are formed in the overlapping region in the stacking direction of the first wiring layer 73L1 and the second wiring layer 73L2. Then, a via 734b is provided in the solid region 734a, and this via connects the ground wiring 734 in the first wiring layer 73L1 and the ground wiring 734 in the second wiring layer.

[0155] By this means, the ground wiring 734 in the first wiring layer 73L1 and the ground wiring 734 in the second wiring layer 73L2 are formed to face each other, but since the via 734b enables conduction, the capacitance generated by the ground wiring 734 in the first wiring layer 73L1 and the ground wiring 734 in the second wiring layer 73L2, which face each other, can be reduced.

[0156] In addition, the solid region 734a is formed in the grid portion of the ground wiring 734 in the first wiring layer 73L1 and the grid portion of the ground wiring 734 in the second wiring layer 73L2, and the via 734b is provided in this solid region 734a, so that the via 734b can be easily provided. Therefore, the wiring density in the grid portion of the ground wiring 734 in the first wiring layer 73L1 and the grid portion of the ground wiring 734 in the second wiring layer 73L2 can be set with greater freedom.

[0157] A plurality of solid regions 734a are provided in each of the first wiring layer 73L1 and the second wiring layer 73L2, and vias 734b are provided in the plurality of solid regions 734a. Therefore, a plurality of vias 734b are formed in the first wiring layer 73L1 and the second wiring layer 73L2.

[0158] By this means, the capacitance generated by the ground wiring 734 in the first wiring layer 73L1 and the ground wiring 734 in the second wiring layer 73L2, which face each other, can be further reduced.

[0159] In this embodiment, the signal wiring 733 and the ground wiring 734 are formed in the lower right extension portion 753. Then, the wiring density (including the signal wiring 733 and the ground wiring 734) in the first region A1 of the sensor FPC 73 is lower than the wiring density in the lower right extension portion 753. More specifically, the wiring density in the first region A1 of each of the first wiring layer 73L1 and the second wiring layer 73L2 is lower than the wiring density in the lower right extension portion 753.

[0160] In addition, a signal wiring 733 and a ground wiring 734 are formed in the upper right extension portion 752. Accordingly, the wiring density (including the signal wiring 733 and the ground wiring 734) in the first region A1 of the sensor FPC 73 is lower than that in the upper right extension portion 752. More specifically, the wiring density in the first region A1 of each of the first wiring layer 73L1 and the second wiring layer 73L2 is lower than that in the upper right extension portion 752.

[0161] Although the different embodiments have been described above with reference to the accompanying drawings, it goes without saying that the present invention is not limited to such examples. Obviously, those skilled in the art will be able to conceive of several variant examples or modified examples within the scope disclosed in the claims, and any such variant examples or modified examples are naturally understood to fall within the technical scope of this disclosure. In addition, the components in the embodiments described above can be combined in any way without departing from the essential points of the present invention.

[0162] For example, the positions of the rod detection sensor 12, the inhalation sensor 13, and the housing temperature sensor 14 on the sensor FPC 73 are not limited to the described positions and can be appropriately modified.

[0163] In addition, for example, in addition to the heating unit 121A, the inhalation device 100A may further include a heating unit for heating the flavor source 131, and the first region A1 may be a region close to the heating unit for heating the flavor source 131.

[0164] This specification sets forth at least the following features. Note that the corresponding components, etc. in the embodiments described above are shown in parentheses, but are not limited thereto.

[0165] (1) A power supply unit (power supply unit 110) for an aerosol generating device (inhalation devices 100, 100A, 100B), the power supply unit including: a power source (power source units 111A to 111C) capable of supplying power to a heating unit (heating units 121A to 121C) for heating at least one of an aerosol source (rod-shaped substrate 150) and a flavor source (flavor source 131); and

[0166] a flexible printed wiring board (sensor FPC 73) on which at least one element (rod detection sensor 12, inhalation sensor 13, housing temperature sensor 14) and / or wiring (signal wiring 733, ground wiring 734) is mounted,

[0167] wherein,

[0168] The flexible printed wiring board has a first region (first region A1) close to the heating unit and a second region (second region A2) farther from the heating unit than the first region, and

[0169] the wiring density in the first region of the flexible printed wiring board is lower than the wiring density in the second region.

[0170] According to (1), the wiring density in the first region of the flexible printed wiring board close to the heating unit is made lower than the wiring density in the second region farther from the heating unit than the first region, so that heat dissipation from the flexible printed wiring board generated by the heating unit can be reduced, and thus high energy efficiency can be achieved.

[0171] (2) The power supply unit for an aerosol generating device as disclosed in (1), wherein,

[0172] a first wiring layer (first wiring layer 73L1) and a second wiring layer (second wiring layer 73L2) are stacked in the flexible printed wiring board, and

[0173] the wiring density in the first region of each of the first wiring layer and the second wiring layer is lower than the wiring density in the second region.

[0174] According to (2), the wiring density in the first region of each of the first wiring layer and the second wiring layer is lower than the wiring density in the second region, thus enabling further reduction of heat dissipation from the flexible printed wiring board generated by the heating unit and achieving even higher energy efficiency.

[0175] (3) The power supply unit for an aerosol generating device as disclosed in (2), wherein,

[0176] sensors (rod detection sensor 12, inhalation sensor 13, housing temperature sensor 14) are mounted on the surface of the flexible printed wiring board on the second wiring layer side in the stacking direction of the first wiring layer and the second wiring layer, and

[0177] when viewed from the stacking direction, the wiring density in the region of the first wiring layer overlapping with the sensor is higher than the wiring density in the first region.

[0178] According to (3), the region of the first wiring layer overlapping with the sensor in the stacking direction has higher stiffness and is less likely to bend due to the wiring material. This enables suppression of sagging of the flexible printed wiring board under the self-weight of the sensor.

[0179] (4) The power supply unit for an aerosol generating device as disclosed in (2) or (3), wherein,

[0180] Ground wirings (ground wiring 734) are formed in the first region and the second region of the first wiring layer, and in the first region and the second region of the second wiring layer.

[0181] According to (4), by forming ground wirings in the first region and the second region of the first wiring layer and in the first region and the second region of the second wiring layer, even if sensors are mounted on both the front surface and the back surface of the flexible printed wiring board, the sensors can be easily connected to the ground wirings, thus improving the degree of freedom in arranging the sensors on the flexible printed wiring board.

[0182] (5) The power supply unit for an aerosol generating device as disclosed in (4), wherein

[0183] Via holes (via hole 734b) are formed in the first region of the first wiring layer and the second wiring layer and / or in the second region of the first wiring layer and the second wiring layer, and the via holes connect the ground wiring in the first wiring layer and the ground wiring in the second wiring layer.

[0184] According to (5), the ground wiring in the first wiring layer and the ground wiring in the second wiring layer are formed to face each other, but since the via holes enable conduction, the capacitance generated by the ground wiring in the first wiring layer and the ground wiring in the second wiring layer, which face each other, can be reduced.

[0185] (6) The power supply unit for an aerosol generating device as disclosed in (5), wherein

[0186] A plurality of via holes are formed in the first wiring layer and the second wiring layer.

[0187] According to (6), since a plurality of via holes are formed in the first wiring layer and the second wiring layer, the capacitance generated by the ground wiring in the first wiring layer and the ground wiring in the second wiring layer, which face each other, can be further reduced.

[0188] (7) The power supply unit for an aerosol generating device as disclosed in (4), wherein

[0189] At least a part of the ground wiring is formed in a grid.

[0190] According to (7), since at least a part of the ground wiring is formed in a grid, the wiring density of the ground wiring can be easily set with greater freedom by changing the coarseness of the grid of the ground wiring in the grid form.

[0191] (8) The power supply unit for an aerosol generating device as disclosed in (7), wherein

[0192] Solid regions (solid region 734a) are formed in the first region of the first wiring layer and the second wiring layer and / or in the second region of the first wiring layer and the second wiring layer, and at least one mesh-shaped network portion is enclosed in the solid region, and

[0193] vias (via 734b) are formed in the solid region, and the vias connect the ground wiring in the first wiring layer and the ground wiring in the second wiring layer.

[0194] According to (8), the ground wiring in the first wiring layer and the ground wiring in the second wiring layer are formed to face each other, but due to the vias enabling conduction, the capacitance generated by the ground wiring in the first wiring layer and the ground wiring in the second wiring layer can be reduced. These ground wirings face each other. In addition, solid regions are formed in the mesh portions of the ground wiring in the first wiring layer and the mesh portions of the ground wiring in the second wiring layer, and vias are provided in the solid regions, so that the vias can be easily provided. Therefore, the wiring density in the mesh portions of the ground wiring in the first wiring layer and the mesh portions of the ground wiring in the second wiring layer can be set with greater freedom.

[0195] (9) The power supply unit for an aerosol generating device as disclosed in (8), wherein,

[0196] a plurality of vias are formed in the first wiring layer and the second wiring layer.

[0197] According to (9), a plurality of vias are formed in the first wiring layer and the second wiring layer, so that the capacitance generated by the ground wiring in the first wiring layer and the ground wiring in the second wiring layer can be further reduced. These ground wirings face each other.

[0198] (10) The power supply unit for an aerosol generating device as disclosed in any one of (1) to (9), wherein,

[0199] the flexible printed wiring board

[0200] is arranged such that the first region faces the heating unit.

[0201] According to (10), the first region with a low wiring density of the flexible printed wiring board is arranged to face the heating unit, and thus the heat generated by the heating unit is better shielded by the flexible printed wiring board, enabling higher energy efficiency to be achieved.

[0202] (11) The power supply unit for an aerosol generating device as disclosed in (10), wherein,

[0203] the flexible printed wiring board

[0204] is arranged such that the second region is located closer to the mouthpiece portion (mouthpiece portion 152) of the aerosol generating device than the heating unit.

[0205] According to (11), the second region with a high wiring density of the flexible printed wiring board is arranged closer to the mouthpiece portion of the aerosol generating device than the heating unit, and thus the integration degree of the flexible printed wiring board can be improved while suppressing the dissipation of heat generated by the heating unit from the flexible printed wiring board.

[0206] (12) A power supply unit for an aerosol generating device as disclosed in any one of (1) to (11),

[0207] further includes a rigid board (main board 50), and a controller (MCU 1) for controlling the aerosol generating device is mounted on the rigid board, wherein,

[0208] the flexible printed wiring board

[0209] is arranged such that the first region is positioned between the heating unit and the rigid board.

[0210] According to (12), the heat generated by the heating unit is shielded by the flexible printed wiring board arranged between the heating unit and the rigid board, and the heat transfer to the rigid board and components such as the controller mounted on the rigid board can be suppressed.

[0211] (13) A power supply unit for an aerosol generating device as disclosed in (12), wherein,

[0212] the first region forms a flat surface facing the rigid board.

[0213] According to (13), the first region of the flexible printed wiring board forms a flat surface facing the rigid board, and thus the size of the power supply unit of the aerosol generating device can be reduced.

[0214] (14) An aerosol generating device (inhalation device 100, 100A, 100B), comprising: a heating unit (heating units 121A to 121C) for heating at least one of an aerosol source (rod-shaped substrate 150) and a flavor source (flavor source 131);

[0215] a power supply (power supply units 111A to 111C) capable of supplying power to the heating unit; and

[0216] A flexible printed wiring board (sensor FPC 73) has at least one component (rod detection sensor 12, suction sensor 13, housing temperature sensor 14) and / or wiring (signal wiring 733, ground wiring 734) mounted thereon.

[0217] Wherein,

[0218] the flexible printed wiring board has a first region (first region A1) close to the heating unit and a second region (second region A2) farther from the heating unit than the first region, and

[0219] the wiring density in the first region of the flexible printed wiring board is lower than the wiring density in the second region.

[0220] According to (14), the wiring density in the first region of the flexible printed wiring board close to the heating unit is made lower than the wiring density in the second region farther from the heating unit than the first region, so that heat dissipation from the flexible printed wiring board generated by the heating unit can be reduced, and thus high energy efficiency can be achieved.

[0221] List of reference numerals

[0222] 1 MCU (controller)

[0223] 12 Rod detection sensor (component, sensor)

[0224] 13 Suction sensor (component, sensor)

[0225] 14 Housing temperature sensor (component, sensor)

[0226] 50 Main board (rigid board)

[0227] 73 Sensor FPC (flexible printed wiring board)

[0228] 73L1 First wiring layer

[0229] 73L2 Second wiring layer

[0230] 733 Signal wiring (wiring)

[0231] 734 Ground wiring (wiring)

[0232] 734a Solid area

[0233] 734b Via hole

[0234] 100, 100A, 100B Suction device (aerosol generating device)

[0235] 110 Power supply unit

[0236] Power supply units (power supplies) 111A to 111C

[0237] Heating units 121A to 121C

[0238] Flavor source 131

[0239] Rod-shaped substrate (aerosol source) 150

[0240] Mouthpiece portion 152

[0241] First region A1

[0242] Second region A2

Claims

1. A power supply unit for an aerosol generating device, the power supply unit comprising: A power source that can supply power to a heating unit for heating at least one of an aerosol source and a flavor source; and A flexible printed wiring board on which at least one component and / or wiring is mounted, wherein the flexible printed wiring board has a first region close to the heating unit and a second region farther from the heating unit than the first region, and the wiring density in the first region of the flexible printed wiring board is lower than that in the second region.

2. The power supply unit for an aerosol generating device according to claim 1, wherein a first wiring layer and a second wiring layer are stacked in the flexible printed wiring board, and the wiring density in the first region of each of the first wiring layer and the second wiring layer is lower than that in the second region.

3. The power supply unit for an aerosol generating device according to claim 2, wherein a sensor is mounted on a surface of the flexible printed wiring board on the side of the second wiring layer in the stacking direction of the first wiring layer and the second wiring layer, and when viewed from the stacking direction, the wiring density in the region of the first wiring layer overlapping with the sensor is higher than that in the first region.

4. The power supply unit for an aerosol generating device according to claim 2 or 3, wherein ground wirings are formed in the first region and the second region of the first wiring layer and in the first region and the second region of the second wiring layer.

5. The power supply unit for an aerosol generating device according to claim 4, wherein vias are formed in the first region of the first wiring layer and the second wiring layer and / or in the second region of the first wiring layer and the second wiring layer, and the vias connect the ground wiring in the first wiring layer and the ground wiring in the second wiring layer.

6. The power supply unit for an aerosol generating device according to claim 5, wherein a plurality of vias are formed in the first wiring layer and the second wiring layer.

7. The power supply unit for an aerosol generating device according to claim 4, wherein at least a part of the ground wiring is formed in a grid.

8. The power supply unit for an aerosol generating device according to claim 7, wherein solid regions are formed in the first region of the first wiring layer and the second wiring layer and / or in the second region of the first wiring layer and the second wiring layer, and at least one mesh-shaped network part is enclosed in the solid region, and vias are formed in the solid region, and the vias connect the ground wiring in the first wiring layer and the ground wiring in the second wiring layer.

9. The power supply unit for an aerosol generating device according to claim 8, wherein a plurality of vias are formed in the first wiring layer and the second wiring layer.

10. The power supply unit for an aerosol generating device according to any one of claims 1 to 9, wherein the flexible printed wiring board is arranged such that the first region faces the heating unit.

11. The power supply unit for an aerosol generating device according to claim 10, wherein the flexible printed wiring board is arranged such that the second region is located closer to the mouthpiece portion of the aerosol generating device than the heating unit.

12. The power supply unit for an aerosol generating device according to any one of claims 1 to 11, further comprising a rigid plate on which a controller for controlling the aerosol generating device is mounted, wherein, the flexible printed wiring board is arranged such that the first region is positioned between the heating unit and the rigid plate.

13. The power supply unit for an aerosol generating device according to claim 12, wherein, the first region forms a flat surface facing the rigid plate.

14. An aerosol generating device, the aerosol generating device comprising: a heating unit for heating at least one of an aerosol source and a flavor source; a power source capable of supplying power to the heating unit; and a flexible printed wiring board on which at least one component and / or wiring is mounted, wherein, the flexible printed wiring board has a first region close to the heating unit and a second region farther from the heating unit than the first region, and the wiring density in the first region of the flexible printed wiring board is lower than the wiring density in the second region.

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