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

Abstract

An inhalation device (100) includes: a power supply unit (111C) that supplies power to a heating unit (121C); a rod detection sensor (12), a suction sensor (13), and a housing temperature sensor (14); a sensor FPC (73) which is a flexible circuit board on which the sensor is mounted; a main board (50) which is a rigid board fixed to the sensor FPC (73) via a sensor FPC connection part (55); and a housing (20). The rod detection sensors (12), the suction sensor (13), and the housing temperature sensor (14) are electrically connected to the main board (50) via the sensor FPC connection part (55).

Description

Technical Field

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

[0002] An aerosol generating device includes a power supply, a heating unit, a plurality of sensors, a circuit board on which a sensor or a control device is mounted, etc. housed in a housing (for example, PTL 1). The aerosol generating device (such as a heat-not-burn device) is preferably sized to fit in a user's hand.

[0003] Citation List

[0004] Patent Documents

[0005] [PTL 1] Published Japanese translation of PCT international publication of Patent Application 2022-534652 Summary of the Invention

[0006] Technical Problem

[0007] However, due to size constraints depending on requirements such as usage time and heating temperature, it is difficult to reduce the size of the power supply and the heating unit. At the same time, the circuit board is for mounting a sensor or a control device and there is room for improvement.

[0008] This disclosure provides a power supply unit for an aerosol generating device and an aerosol generating device that can be manufactured compactly.

[0009] Solution to the Problem

[0010] The power supply unit for an aerosol generating device according to this disclosure includes:

[0011] A power supply that supplies power to a heating unit for heating an aerosol source;

[0012] At least two or more sensors;

[0013] A flexible circuit board on which the at least two or more sensors are mounted;

[0014] A rigid board that is fixed to the flexible circuit board via a connecting portion; and

[0015] A housing that houses the power supply, the at least two or more sensors, the flexible circuit board, and the rigid board, wherein

[0016] The at least two or more sensors are electrically connected to the rigid board via the connecting portion.

[0017] The aerosol generating device of this disclosure includes:

[0018] A power supply;

[0019] A heating unit that consumes electric power supplied from the power source to heat an aerosol source;

[0020] At least two or more sensors;

[0021] A flexible circuit board on which the at least two or more sensors are mounted;

[0022] A rigid board that is fixed to the flexible circuit board via a connecting portion; and

[0023] A housing that houses the power source, the at least two or more sensors, the flexible circuit board, and the rigid board, wherein

[0024] The at least two or more sensors are electrically connected to the rigid board via the connecting portion.

[0025] Advantageous effects of the present invention

[0026] According to the present disclosure, the power supply unit and / or the aerosol generating device or the aerosol generating device can be made compact. Brief description of the drawings

[0027] Figure 1 Is a schematic diagram schematically showing a first configuration example (inhaler 100A) of an inhaler.

[0028] Figure 2 Is a schematic diagram schematically showing a second configuration example (inhaler 100B) of an inhaler.

[0029] Figure 3 Is an overall perspective view of an inhaler 100 according to an embodiment of the present disclosure.

[0030] Figure 4 Is a perspective view seen from the right front side of the internal unit 10.

[0031] Figure 5 Is a perspective view of the internal unit 10 seen from the left front side.

[0032] Figure 6 Is an exploded perspective view of the internal unit 10.

[0033] Figure 7 Is a cross-sectional perspective view of the heater assembly 30.

[0034] Figure 8 Is a block diagram briefly showing the electrical connection of the main components of the internal unit 10.

[0035] Figure 9 Is a developed view of the front surface of the sensor FPC 73.

[0036] Figure 10 It is an exploded view of the rear surface of the sensor FPC 73.

[0037] Figure 11 It is a cross-sectional view of the sensor FPC 73. Detailed Implementation Manner

[0038] Now, an inhalation device, a control method, and a program according to an embodiment of the present disclosure will be described with reference to the accompanying drawings. Two configuration examples (a first configuration example and a second configuration example) to which the configuration of the inhalation device according to the present disclosure can be applied are described. It should be noted that hereinafter, the same or similar reference numerals may be provided for the same or similar elements, and the description of the same or similar elements may be appropriately omitted or simplified.

[0039] <<1. Configuration Example of Inhalation Device>>

[0040] An inhalation device is a device for generating a substance to be inhaled by a user. Hereinafter, the substance generated by the inhalation device is described as an aerosol. Alternatively, the substance generated by the inhalation device may be a gas.

[0041] (1) First Configuration Example

[0042] Figure 1 is a schematic diagram schematically showing the first configuration example of the inhalation device. As Figure 1 shown, the inhalation device 100A according to this configuration example includes a power supply unit 110, a cartridge 120, and a flavor cartridge 130. The power supply unit 110 includes a power supply part 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 part 122, and a liquid storage part 123. The flavor cartridge 130 includes a flavor source 131 and a mouthpiece 124. An air flow path 180 is formed in the cartridge 120 and the flavor cartridge 130.

[0043] The power supply part 111A stores electric power. The power supply part 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 supply part 111A may be configured by, for example, a rechargeable battery (such as a lithium-ion secondary battery).

[0044] 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, 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.

[0045] The notification unit 113A notifies the user of information. The information notified to the user by the notification unit 113A includes, for example, the SOC (state of charge) indicating the charge state of the power supply unit 111A, the preheating time during inhalation, the inhalation period, and so on. The notification unit 113A can be configured by, for example, a light-emitting device that emits light, a display device that displays an image, a sound output device that outputs sound, a vibration device that vibrates, and so on.

[0046] The memory unit 114A stores various types of information for operating the inhalation device 100A. For example, the memory unit 114A can be configured by a non-volatile storage medium (such as a flash memory).

[0047] The communication unit 115A is a communication interface capable of performing communication according to any wired or wireless communication standard. Examples of communication standards that can be used include standards employing Wi-Fi (registered trademark), Bluetooth (registered trademark), Bluetooth Low Energy (BLE) (registered trademark), Near Field Communication (NFC), or Low Power Wide Area (LPWA), and so on.

[0048] 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.

[0049] The liquid storage section 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 can 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 can include a drug.

[0050] The liquid guiding section 122 guides the aerosol source from the liquid storage section 123 and holds the aerosol source, which is the liquid stored in the liquid storage section 123. The liquid guiding section 122 is, for example, a wick formed by twisting a fibrous material (such as fiberglass) or a porous material (such as porous ceramics). In such a case, the aerosol source stored in the liquid storage section 123 is guided by the capillary action of the wick.

[0051] The heating unit 121A heats the aerosol source to atomize the aerosol source, thereby generating an aerosol. In Figure 1 the example shown in, the heating unit 121A is configured as a coil wound around the liquid guiding portion 122. When the heating unit 121A generates heat, the aerosol source held in the liquid guiding portion 122 is then heated and atomized, thereby generating an aerosol. The heating unit 121A generates heat when supplied with power from the power supply unit 111A. For example, power may be supplied when the sensor unit 112A detects that the user has started inhaling and / or has input a predetermined message. Then, when the sensor unit 112A detects that the user has completed inhaling and / or has input a predetermined message, 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 the inhalation sensor.

[0052] 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.

[0053] The air flow path 180 is a flow path for the air to be inhaled by the user. The air flow path 180 has a tubular structure having an air inlet hole 181 and an air outlet hole 182. The air inlet hole is an entrance for air to enter the air flow path 180, and the air outlet hole is an exit for air to leave the air flow path 180. In the middle of the air flow path 180, the liquid guiding portion 122 is disposed upstream (closer to the air inlet hole 181), while the flavor source 131 is disposed downstream (closer to the air outlet hole 182). The air flowing in through the air inlet hole 181 when the user inhales is mixed with the aerosol generated by the heating unit 121A and is transported through the flavor source 131 to the air outlet hole 182, as indicated by the arrow 190. When the mixed fluid of the aerosol and air passes through the flavor source 131, the flavor components contained in the flavor source 131 are applied to the aerosol.

[0054] The mouthpiece 124 is a member 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 the aerosol and air can be sucked into the oral cavity.

[0055] 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, such as those shown as examples below, may be adopted.

[0056] 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.

[0057] As another example, the inhalation device 100A may include multiple types of aerosol sources. By mixing multiple types of aerosols generated from multiple types of aerosol sources in the air flow path 180 to cause a chemical reaction, other types of aerosols can be generated.

[0058] 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.

[0059] (2) Second configuration example

[0060] Figure 2 is a schematic diagram showing a second configuration example of the inhalation device. As Figure 2 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. Although the inhalation device 100A of the first configuration example has a separate power supply unit 110 including a power supply section 111A and a heating unit 121A, the inhalation device 100B of the second configuration example has an integrated power supply section 111B and a heating unit 121B. That is to say, the inhalation device 100B of the second configuration example can also be referred to as a power supply unit with a built-in heating unit.

[0061] The power supply section 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 according to the first configuration example.

[0062] The accommodation portion 140 has an internal space 141 and holds the rod-shaped substrate 150 while accommodating a part of the rod-shaped substrate 150 in the internal space 141. The accommodation portion 140 has an opening 142 that allows the internal space 141 to communicate with the outside, and accommodates the rod-shaped substrate 150 inserted into the internal space 141 from the opening 142. For example, the accommodation 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 accommodation portion 140. For example, an air inlet hole is provided in the side surface of the inhalation device 100, and the air inlet hole is an entrance for air to enter the air flow path. For example, an air outlet hole is provided in the bottom portion 143, and the air outlet hole serves as an outlet for air to flow from the air flow path to the internal space 141.

[0063] 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 (such as water and polyols (such as glycerol and propylene glycol)) including tobacco-derived or non-tobacco-derived flavor components, or else may be a solid including tobacco-derived or non-tobacco-derived flavor components. In a state where the rod-shaped substrate 150 is held in the accommodation portion 140, at least a part of the substrate portion 151 is accommodated 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 path not shown in the drawings and reaches the user's mouth together with the aerosol generated from the substrate portion 151.

[0064] In Figure 2 the example shown, the heating unit 121B is configured in a film shape and is provided to cover the outer periphery of the accommodation 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 periphery, thereby generating an aerosol.

[0065] 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.

[0066] The configuration example of the inhalation device 100B has been described above. Of course, the inhalation device 100B is not limited to the configuration described above, and various configurations can be adopted, such as the examples shown below.

[0067] 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 accommodation part 140 into the internal space 141. In this case, the blade-like heating unit 121B is inserted into the matrix portion 151 of the rod-shaped matrix 150 and heats the rod-shaped matrix 150 from the inside of the matrix portion 151 of the rod-shaped matrix 150. As another example, the heating unit 121B may be arranged to cover the bottom portion 143 of the accommodation part 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 accommodation part 140, a second blade-like heating unit, and a third heating unit covering the bottom portion 143 of the accommodation part 140.

[0068] As another example, the accommodation part 140 may include an opening / closing mechanism (such as a hinge) for opening / closing a part of the outer shell forming the internal space 141. By opening / closing the outer shell, the accommodation part 140 can then receive and hold the rod-shaped matrix 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 accommodation part 140 and may heat the rod-shaped matrix 150 while pressing it.

[0069] 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 induction 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 for generating heat by induction heating may be provided in the inhalation device 100B or may be included in the rod-shaped matrix 150.

[0070] 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 path 180 according to the first configuration example, and the air flow path 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.

[0071] <<2. Configuration Examples of the Inhalation Device of the Present Disclosure>>

[0072] Next, an embodiment of an inhalation device (hereinafter referred to as inhalation device 100) that applies 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. It should be noted 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.

[0073] 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. Additionally, 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.

[0074] The inhalation device 100 is preferably sized to fit in the 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 front 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).

[0075] The inhalation device 100 includes an internal unit 10 (see Figures 4 to 6 ), and a housing 20 that forms the appearance 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 accommodated in the lower housing 21, and the entire internal unit 10 is accommodated in the housing 20 by covering the lower housing 21 with the upper housing 22 from above.

[0076] On the upper surface of the inhalation device 100 are provided: an opening 27 (see Figures 4 to 6 ), through which the rod-shaped substrate 150 is inserted and removed; and a shutter 23 that can slide in the front-rear direction. The opening 27 is arranged at the rear of the upper surface of the inhalation device 100. The shutter 23 selectively takes an open state (front position) and a closed state (rear position), in the open state the opening 27 is open to allow insertion and removal of the rod-shaped substrate 150, and in the closed state the shutter 23 is positioned above the opening 27 to block the opening 27. When inserting the rod-shaped substrate 150 into the opening 27, the user places the shutter 23 in the open state.

[0077] 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 Figure 2 an example of the sensor unit 112B of the inhalation device 100B.

[0078] In addition, a USB (Universal Serial Bus) port 26 is provided on the upper surface of the inhalation device 100 (see Figure 4 ), and the USB port is arranged adjacent to the opening 27. In the open state described above, the shutter 23 shields 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 connected 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 the present embodiment, the USB port 26 is a USB Type-C socket.

[0079] The operation unit 24 and the light emitting unit 25 are provided on the front side 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 are configured such that a part of the operation unit 24 and the light emitting unit 25 is exposed through 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.

[0080] 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 described above (see Figures 4 to 6 ). When the user presses the operation unit 24, for example, the microcontroller unit (MCU) 1 (see Figures 4 to 6 ) or the heating unit 121C (see Figure 7 ) is activated. Note that the MCU 1 serves as the control unit 116B in the inhalation device 100B. In addition, in addition to the function of the control unit 116B in the inhalation device 100B, the MCU 1 may also be integrally provided with the function of the communication unit 115B. Furthermore, the MCU 1 may be configured by one IC or may be configured by two or more ICs. For example, the discharge control for the heating unit 121C and the charging control for the power supply unit 111C may be performed in one IC or may be performed in separate ICs.

[0081] As an 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 provided on the main board 50 (see Figure 6), and a transparent cover member 250 that covers the plurality of LEDs 251 and allows light from the LEDs 251 to pass therethrough. A part of the transparent cover member 250 is exposed through an opening formed in the front surface of the housing 20. In the present embodiment, for example, it is assumed that the plurality of LEDs 251 are configured to emit light in a plurality of colors, including blue, yellow, and red. Note that the number of light-emitting elements can be arbitrarily set. For example, one light-emitting element may be present in the light-emitting unit 25.

[0082] The light-emitting unit 25 emits light in a predetermined light-emitting mode in response to a command from the MCU 1 to notify a user of predetermined information. Here, the light-emitting mode may be, for example, a light-emitting color, but this is not a limitation. For example, the light-emitting mode may be an irradiation intensity (in other words, luminance) or an irradiation pattern (for example, blinking at a predetermined time interval). In addition, the predetermined information is, for example, operation information indicating whether the inhalation device 100 is powered on.

[0083] Next, refer to Figures 4 to 8 to describe the internal unit 10 of the inhalation device 100 of the present embodiment. Figure 4 is a perspective view seen from the right front side of the internal unit 10, Figure 5 is a perspective view seen from the left front side of the internal unit 10, 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 briefly showing the electrical connection of the main components of the internal unit 10. Note that the internal unit 10 is the inhalation device 100 from which the housing 20 and the shutter 23 have been removed.

[0084] 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 (flexible printed circuit) 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 can mount electronic components (elements) such as resistors and chips. The thickness of the flexible circuit board is typically set to 100 µm to 600 µm. 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 as an example.

[0085] (Chassis)

[0086] As Figure 6As shown in the exploded perspective view, the chassis 40 includes a power holding portion 41 that holds the power supply unit 111C, a board holding portion 42 that holds the main board 50, and a heater holding portion 43 that holds the heater assembly 30. The power holding portion 41 is located at the lower part of the chassis 40, and the board holding portion 42 and the heater holding portion 43 are located at the upper part of the chassis 40.

[0087] The power holding portion 41 has a cylindrical shape with a part of the side surface cut off, in other words, it has a substantially semi-cylindrical shape. The power holding portion 41 has a bottom wall portion 401, a side wall portion 402 that has an arc shape and stands upright from the bottom wall portion 401, and a top 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 top wall portion 403.

[0088] The board holding portion 42 is provided in a vertical wall portion 404 that extends upward from the top wall portion 403 of the power holding portion 41. The board holding portion 42 is provided on one side (here, the front side) of the vertical wall portion 404 in the front-rear direction and holds the main board 50.

[0089] The heater holding portion 43 is provided on the side of the vertical wall portion 404 in the front-rear direction opposite to the board holding portion 42 (here, 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 that extend in the front-rear direction from the vertical wall portion 404, and the upper surface of the top wall portion 403 of the power holding portion 41, and the heater assembly 30 is arranged in this space.

[0090] (Main board)

[0091] 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. An MCU 1, an LED 251, a charging IC (integrated circuit) 81, a 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. In Figure 6 only the surface 501 (here, the front surface) of the main board 50 is shown. Therefore, the charging IC 81 and the boost DC / DC converter 82 mounted on the back side 502 (here, the rear side) are not shown.

[0092] In the lower region of the surface 501 of the main board 50, a power connection portion 51 is provided for electrically connecting to the power supply portion 111C. The power connection portion 51 is electrically connected to the power supply portion 111C via the board connection portion 710 of the power board 71. The power supply portion 111C is a cylindrical lithium ion secondary battery and is Figure 2 an example of the power supply portion 111B of the suction device 100B.

[0093] As Figure 6 shown, the power supply portion 111C is provided with a positive electrode tab 111a and a negative electrode tab 111b. The power supply portion 111C is arranged in the power 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 board 71 is arranged in front of the power supply portion 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 board 71 are respectively connected to the positive electrode tab 111a and the negative electrode tab 111b of the power supply portion 111C, and the board connection portion 710 is electrically connected to the power connection portion 51 of the main board 50. The power of the power supply portion 111C is transmitted to the main board 50 through the conductive tracks formed in the power board 71 and is supplied to each electronic component, such as the boost DC / DC converter 82. The power board 71 is also provided with a power temperature sensor 16. The power temperature sensor 16 is a temperature sensor for measuring the temperature of the power supply portion 111C. The power temperature sensor 16 is, for example, a thermistor. The power temperature sensor 16 is Figure 2 an example of the sensor unit 112B of the suction device 100B.

[0094] A USB port 26 is provided in the upper region of the back side 502 of the main board 50. The USB port 26 is electrically connected to the charging IC 81 through a wire formed in the main board 50.

[0095] As Figure 8 shown, in addition to the charging IC 81 and the boost DC / DC converter 82, heater connection parts 57a, 57b are also provided on the back side 502 of the main board 50. The charging IC 81 performs charging control to supply (charge) the power input from the USB port 26 to the power supply portion 111C. The boost DC / DC converter 82 boosts the voltage of the power supplied from the power supply portion 111C to generate power to be supplied to the heating portion 121C via the heating switch 85. For example, the heating switch 85 is a FET (field effect transistor).

[0096] The plate connection part 121a extending from below the heater assembly 30 is connected to the heater connection parts 57a, 57b to supply power to the heating unit 121C of the heater assembly 30. Thus, the heating unit 121C of the heater assembly 30 is supplied with power from the power supply unit 111C via the main board 50.

[0097] (Vibration device)

[0098] The vibration device 60 is configured with a vibration element, such as a vibration motor. As Figure 6 shown, the vibration device 60 is arranged in the power supply holding part 41 of the chassis 40, between the top surface of the power supply unit 111C and the top wall part 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, when the heating of the rod-shaped substrate 150 starts or ends, 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 is Figure 2 an example of the notification unit 113B of the suction device 100B.

[0099] (Heater assembly)

[0100] The heater assembly 30 includes a heating unit 121C, a housing part 140C, and a heat insulation part 144C. The heating unit 121C is, for example, a film heater and is wound around the outer circumference of the housing part 140C. In addition, the heating unit 121C and the plate connection part 121a may be configured with a single heater FPC.

[0101] The heater assembly 30 is further provided with a rod guide 31. The rod guide 31 is provided at the top of the heater assembly 30 and guides the rod-shaped substrate 150 to be inserted into and removed from the housing part 140C. The rod guide 31 is a cylindrical member having an opening 27 and forms a part of the housing part 140C.

[0102] The heater assembly 30 is further provided with a heater temperature sensor 15 that can measure the temperature of the heating unit 121C. More specifically, the heater temperature sensor 15 is provided between the heating unit 121C and the heat insulation part 144C, in contact with or close to the heating unit 121C. The heater temperature sensor 15 is, for example, a thermistor.

[0103] (Sensor FPC)

[0104] As Figure 6As shown, the sensor FPC 73 is arranged in the heater holding part 43, between the vertical wall part 404 and the heater assembly 30. The sensor FPC 73 is equipped with a rod detection sensor 12, a suction sensor 13, and a housing temperature sensor 14. The rod detection sensor 12, the suction sensor 13, and the housing temperature sensor 14 are Figure 2 examples of the sensor unit 112B of the suction device 100B.

[0105] The rod detection sensor 12 is a sensor capable of detecting the rod-shaped substrate 150 accommodated in the accommodating part 140. In the present embodiment, the rod detection sensor 12 is an optical sensor capable of detecting the rod-shaped substrate 150 based on the amount of light reflected from the light emitted to the accommodating part 140. Here, the amount of light is a concept including luminous flux, illuminance, luminous emittance, brightness, luminance, and the like. The optical sensor is, for example, an infrared (IR) sensor.

[0106] The suction sensor 13 is a sensor that detects the suction action (inhaling action) of the user. The suction sensor 13 includes, for example, a condenser microphone, a pressure sensor, a suction thermistor, etc. The suction sensor 13 is provided near the rod guide 31 in the sensor FPC 73.

[0107] The housing temperature sensor 14 is a sensor for measuring 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.

[0108] The sensor FPC 73 is also provided with a heater temperature sensor connection part 731 that connects to the heater temperature sensor 15 of the heater assembly 30. The heater temperature sensor connection part 731 is provided in the lower part of the sensor FPC 73. More specifically, the lead 15a is connected to the heater temperature sensor 15, and the heater temperature sensor connection part 731 is connected to the lead 15a extending from below the heater assembly 30.

[0109] The rod detection sensor 12, the suction sensor 13, the housing temperature sensor 14, and the heater temperature sensor connection part 731 are connected to the board connection part 730 via signal wirings formed in the sensor FPC 73. The substrate connection part 730 is connected to the sensor FPC connection part 55 provided in the central area of the surface 501 of the main board 50. In this way, the detection results of each sensor are output to the MCU 1 etc. mounted on the main board 50. The sensor FPC 73 will be described in more detail later.

[0110] In the inhalation device 100 configured as such, 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 inhales on the mouthpiece portion 152 of the rod-shaped substrate 150, aerosol is supplied from the aerosol source of the rod-shaped substrate 150 heated by the heating unit 121C into 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 their respective temperatures, and if it is determined that there is abnormal heating, the MCU 1 stops or reduces the heating performed by the heating unit 121C. The user can also operate the operation unit 24 to check, for example, the SOC of the power supply unit 111C. 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 indications, and the like. When the SOC of the power supply unit 111C drops, the user can connect an external power supply to the USB port 26 to charge the power supply unit 111C.

[0111] Next, the sensor FPC 73 will be described in detail with reference to Figures 9 to 11 FIGs. Figure 9 is an exploded view of the front surface of the sensor FPC 73, and Figure 10 is an exploded view of the back surface of the sensor FPC 73. Figure 11 is a cross-sectional view of the sensor FPC 73. Note that Figure 9 and Figure 10 the single-dot chain lines and the double-dot chain lines in

[0112] The sensor FPC 73 has a multilayer structure. Specifically, as shown in Figure 11 FIG.

[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; 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 an 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 6 shown in, in a state where the sensor FPC 73 is folded and housed in the housing 20 (hereinafter, the housed state), the end (left end) of the upper left extension portion 757 is configured to face the body portion 751.

[0114] As described above, the rod detection sensor 12, the suction 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 suction sensor 13, and the housing temperature sensor 14 are configured to be mounted on the front surface of the sensor FPC 73, as Figure 9 shown in.

[0115] The rod detection sensors 12 are provided at substantially symmetric positions, with the upper extension portion 755 interposed therebetween, and each of the upper right extension portion 756 and the upper left extension portion 757 corresponds to one position. The rod detection sensor 12 is provided on the outer peripheral portion of the rod guide 31 in the housed state and can detect the rod-shaped substrate 150 housed in the housing portion 140.

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

[0117] The case temperature sensor 14 is provided at the end (upper end) of the lower right extension 753. The case temperature sensor 14 is close to the wall surface of the case 20 in the accommodated state and detects the temperature of the case 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 case 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 substrate connection portion 730 is mounted on the back surface of the sensor FPC 73, as Figure 10 shown. The substrate connection portion 730 is provided at a position between the vertical positions of the end (right end) of the upper right extension 752 (i.e., the two rod detection sensors 12 and the inhalation sensor 13) and the vertical position of the case temperature sensor 14.

[0119] By mounting the rod detection sensor 12, the inhalation sensor 13, and the case temperature sensor 14 on the sensor FPC 73 in this way (the sensor FPC is a flexible circuit board that is thinner and more flexible than a rigid board), the main board 50 as a rigid board can be made compact. Further, these sensors 12 to 14 are electrically connected together to the sensor FPC connection portion 55 of the main board 50 at the board connection portion 730 through signal lines 738 and 739 formed on the sensor FPC 73. Accordingly, the connection portions of the corresponding sensors 12 and 14 to the main board 50 can be made common, and the main board 50 as a rigid board can be made compact.

[0120] The substrate 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 composed of a plug (male connector) and a socket (female connector). Thus, the connection work is facilitated. As Figure 8 shown, the sensor FPC connection portion 55 is connected to the MCU 1 via signal wirings formed on the main board 50.

[0121] Note that in this embodiment, three sensors (i.e., the rod detection sensor 12, the inhalation sensor 13, and the case temperature sensor 14) are mounted on the sensor FPC 73, but as long as two or more sensors are mounted, other sensors can replace these sensors or be mounted together with these sensors. Other sensors are, for example, the power temperature sensor 16. That is, regardless of the type of the sensors, at least two sensors can be mounted on the sensor FPC 73, and the connection portions to the main board 50 can be made common.

[0122] In addition, even if the arrangement positions of the sensors (the longitudinal direction of the sensor FPC) are different, the connection portions to the main board 50 are preferably made common. In the present embodiment, the housing temperature sensor 14 provided at different positions in the vertical direction (the longitudinal direction of the sensor FPC) with respect to the two rod detection sensors 12 and the inhalation sensor 13 is also connected to the sensor FPC connection portion 55 of the main board 50 via the board connection portion 730. By making the connection portions of the sensors to the main board 50 at separate positions common in this way, the main board 50, which is a rigid board, can be made compact.

[0123] In this case, the positions of the connection portions to the main board 50 are preferably set between the sensors positioned on one end side and the sensors positioned on the other end side in the longitudinal direction of the sensor FPC. In the present 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 inhalation 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 lines from each sensor to the board connection portion 730 can be made equal.

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

[0125] In addition, in the present 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 line 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 a signal line 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 voltages 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 contacts 55a and 55b can be manufactured to be common or different. On the other hand, if the input voltage VCC1 and the input voltage VCC2 are different, the electrical contacts 55a and 55b must be different. Even if the sensors have different input voltages in this way, by making the electrical contacts different, the sensors can be mounted on the sensor FPC 73 and the connection portion with the main board 50 can be manufactured to be common.

[0127] Although the different embodiments of the present disclosure have been described above with reference to the accompanying drawings, it goes without saying that the present disclosure 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 the present disclosure. In addition, the components in the above-described embodiments can be arbitrarily combined without departing from the spirit of the present invention.

[0128] Although the sensor FPC 73 has been shown as a flexible circuit board in the above embodiments, the present disclosure can be applied to the power board 71, or to the peripheral FPC 72, or to other flexible circuit boards used in the aerosol generating device.

[0129] This specification at least elaborates the following features. Note that the corresponding components, etc. in the above-described embodiments are shown in parentheses, but are not limited thereto.

[0130] (1) A power unit (power unit 110, inhalation devices 100B, 100) for an aerosol generating device, the power unit comprising: a power source (power supply parts 111A to 111C), the power source supplying power to a heating unit (heating units 121A to 121C) for heating an aerosol source (rod-shaped substrate 150);

[0131] At least two or more sensors (rod detection sensors 12, inhalation sensor 13, and housing temperature sensor 14);

[0132] A flexible circuit board (sensor FPC 73) on which the at least two or more sensors are mounted;

[0133] A rigid board (main board 50), the rigid board being fixed to the flexible circuit board via a connection portion (sensor FPC connection portion 55); and

[0134] A housing (housing 20) that houses the power supply, the at least two or more sensors, the flexible circuit board, and the rigid board, wherein,

[0135] The at least two or more sensors are electrically connected to the rigid board via the connection portion.

[0136] According to (1), the rigid board and the flexible circuit board that is thinner and more flexible than the rigid board are combined together, thereby enabling the saving of space inside the housing. In addition, by mounting at least two or more sensors on the flexible circuit board and manufacturing the corresponding connection portions of these sensors and the rigid board to be shared, the rigid board can be manufactured to be compact.

[0137] (2) The power supply unit for an aerosol generating device according to (1), wherein,

[0138] The at least two or more sensors include thermistors (inhalation sensor 13, housing temperature sensor 14).

[0139] According to (2), the sensor including the thermistor is mounted on the flexible circuit board, thereby allowing the rigid board to be manufactured more compactly compared to mounting the sensor on the rigid board.

[0140] (3) The power supply unit for an aerosol generating device according to (2), wherein,

[0141] The at least two or more sensors include a suction thermistor (inhalation sensor 13) that detects inhaled air.

[0142] According to (3), the suction thermistor is mounted on the flexible circuit board, thereby allowing the rigid board to be manufactured more compactly compared to mounting the suction thermistor on the rigid board.

[0143] (4) The power supply unit for an aerosol generating device according to (2) or (3), wherein,

[0144] The at least two or more sensors include thermistors (housing temperature sensor 14, power supply temperature sensor 16) that detect at least one of the temperature of the power supply and the temperature of the housing.

[0145] According to (4), the thermistor for detecting the temperature of the power supply or the temperature of the housing is mounted on the flexible circuit board, thereby allowing the rigid board to be manufactured more compactly compared to mounting the thermistor on the rigid board.

[0146] (5) The power supply unit for an aerosol generating device according to any one of (1) to (4), wherein,

[0147] The at least two or more sensors include a sensor (rod detection sensor 12) for detecting insertion of the aerosol source into the heating unit.

[0148] According to (5), the sensor for detecting insertion into the heating unit is mounted on the flexible circuit board, thereby allowing the rigid board to be manufactured more compactly compared to mounting the sensor on the rigid board.

[0149] (6) The power supply unit for an aerosol generating device according to any one of (1) to (5), wherein,

[0150] The at least two or more sensors are connected to signal lines (signal line 738) having the same potential and are connected to the same electrical contact (electrical contact 55a) at the connection portion.

[0151] According to (6), by mounting these sensors connected to the signal lines having the same potential on the sensor flexible circuit board, the same electrical contact can be used at the connection portion, so that it is not necessary to provide multiple electrical contacts for each sensor, and the rigid board can be manufactured compactly.

[0152] (7) The power supply unit for an aerosol generating device according to any one of (1) to (6), wherein,

[0153] The at least two or more sensors are connected to different electrical contacts (electrical contacts 55a, 55b) at the connection portion.

[0154] According to (7), not only when only mounting these sensors connected to the signal lines having the same potential, but also when mounting these sensors on the flexible circuit board, sensors connected to signal lines having different potentials can be mounted on the flexible circuit board, thereby manufacturing the rigid board compactly.

[0155] (8) The power supply unit for an aerosol generating device according to any one of (1) to (7), wherein,

[0156] Elements different from the at least two or more sensors are connected to the flexible circuit board by leads, and

[0157] The element is electrically connected to the rigid board via the connection portion.

[0158] According to (8), compared with directly connecting the element to the rigid board, the connection portion can be made common, and the rigid board can be manufactured compactly.

[0159] (9) The power supply unit for an aerosol generating device according to any one of (1) to (8), wherein,

[0160] The at least two or more sensors are mounted at different positions in the longitudinal direction of the flexible circuit board.

[0161] According to (9), a connection portion that is also shared by the sensors connected at separate positions can be connected to the rigid board.

[0162] (10) The power supply unit for an aerosol generating device according to (9), wherein,

[0163] The connection portion is provided between a sensor positioned on one end side and a sensor positioned on the other end side in the longitudinal direction.

[0164] According to (10), the lengths of the signal lines from the sensors to the connection portion can be made equal.

[0165] (11) The power supply unit for an aerosol generating device according to any one of (1) to (10), comprising:

[0166] A control device (control unit 116A, control unit 116B, MCU 1), the control device being mounted on the rigid board and controlling the discharge to the heating unit and / or the charging of the power supply, wherein,

[0167] The at least two or more sensors are electrically connected to the control device via the connection portion.

[0168] According to (11), the control device is mounted on the rigid board, thereby enabling the control device to be reliably held.

[0169] (12) The power supply unit for an aerosol generating device according to any one of (1) to (11), wherein,

[0170] The connection portion is a connector (connector 19) composed of a plug and a socket.

[0171] According to (12), the connection work between the rigid board and the flexible circuit board is facilitated.

[0172] (13) An aerosol generating device (inhalation device 100B, 100), comprising: a power supply (power supply units 111A to 111C);

[0173] A heating unit (heating units 121A to 121C), the heating unit consuming electric power supplied from the power supply to heat an aerosol source;

[0174] At least two or more sensors (rod detection sensor 12, inhalation sensor 13, and housing temperature sensor 14);

[0175] A flexible circuit board (sensor FPC 73) on which the at least two or more sensors are mounted;

[0176] A rigid board (main board 50) that is fixed to the flexible circuit board via a connection part (sensor FPC connection part 55); and

[0177] A housing (housing 20) that houses the power supply, the at least two or more sensors, the flexible circuit board, and the rigid board, wherein

[0178] The at least two or more sensors are electrically connected to the rigid board via the connection part.

[0179] According to (13), by mounting at least two or more sensors on a flexible circuit board and making the corresponding connection parts of these sensors and the rigid board common, the rigid board can be manufactured to be compact.

[0180] List of reference numerals

[0181] 1 MCU (control device)

[0182] 19 Connector

[0183] 12 Rod detection sensor (sensor)

[0184] 13 Inhalation sensor (sensor, suction thermistor)

[0185] 14 Housing temperature sensor (sensor)

[0186] 16 Power supply temperature sensor (sensor)

[0187] 20 Housing

[0188] 50 Main board (rigid board)

[0189] 55 Sensor FPC connection part (connection part)

[0190] 55a Electrical contact

[0191] 55b Electrical contact

[0192] 73 Sensor FPC (flexible circuit board)

[0193] 100A Inhalation device (aerosol generating device)

[0194] 100 Inhalation device (aerosol generating device, power supply unit)

[0195] 100B Inhalation device (aerosol generating device, power supply unit)

[0196] 110 Power supply unit

[0197] 111A Power supply unit (power supply)

[0198] 111B Power supply unit (power supply)

[0199] 111C Power supply unit (power supply)

[0200] 116A Control unit (control device)

[0201] 116B Control unit (control device)

[0202] 121A Heating unit

[0203] 121B Heating unit

[0204] 121C Heating unit

[0205] 150 Rod-shaped matrix (aerosol source)

[0206] 738 Signal line

Claims

1. A power supply unit for an aerosol generating device, the power supply unit comprising: A power supply that supplies power to a heating unit for heating an aerosol source; At least two or more sensors; A flexible circuit board on which the at least two or more sensors are mounted; A rigid board that is fixed to the flexible circuit board via a connection part; And A housing that houses the power supply, the at least two or more sensors, the flexible circuit board, and the rigid board, wherein The at least two or more sensors are electrically connected to the rigid board via the connection part.

2. The power supply unit for an aerosol generating device according to claim 1, wherein The at least two or more sensors include a thermistor.

3. The power supply unit for an aerosol generating device according to claim 2, wherein The at least two or more sensors include a suction thermistor for detecting inhaled air.

4. The power supply unit for an aerosol generating device according to claim 2 or 3, wherein The at least two or more sensors include a thermistor that detects at least one of the temperature of the power supply and the temperature of the housing.

5. The power supply unit for an aerosol generating device according to any one of claims 1 to 4, wherein The at least two or more sensors include a sensor for detecting the insertion of the aerosol source into the heating unit.

6. The power supply unit for an aerosol generating device according to any one of claims 1 to 5, wherein The at least two or more sensors are connected to signal lines having the same potential and are connected to the same electrical contact at the connection part.

7. The power supply unit for an aerosol generating device according to any one of claims 1 to 6, wherein The at least two or more sensors are connected to different electrical contacts at the connection part.

8. The power supply unit for an aerosol generating device according to any one of claims 1 to 7, wherein Elements different from the at least two or more sensors are connected to the flexible circuit board by leads, and The elements are electrically connected to the rigid board via the connection part.

9. The power supply unit for an aerosol generating device according to any one of claims 1 to 8, wherein The at least two or more sensors are mounted at different positions in the longitudinal direction of the flexible circuit board.

10. The power supply unit for an aerosol generating device according to claim 9, wherein The connection part is provided between a sensor positioned on one end side and a sensor positioned on the other end side in the longitudinal direction.

11. The power supply unit for an aerosol generating device according to any one of claims 1 to 10, comprising: A control device that is mounted on the rigid board and controls discharging to the heating unit and / or charging of the power supply, wherein The at least two or more sensors are electrically connected to the control device via the connection part.

12. The power supply unit for an aerosol generating device according to any one of claims 1 to 11, wherein The connection part is a connector composed of a plug and a socket.

13. An aerosol generating device, comprising: A power supply; A heating unit that consumes power supplied from the power supply to heat an aerosol source; At least two or more sensors; A flexible circuit board on which the at least two or more sensors are mounted; A rigid board that is fixed to the flexible circuit board via a connecting portion; And A housing that houses the power supply, the at least two or more sensors, the flexible circuit board, and the rigid board, wherein the at least two or more sensors are electrically connected to the rigid board via the connecting portion.

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