Power supply unit for aerosol aspirator, aerosol aspirator, power control method for aerosol aspirator, and power control program for aerosol aspirator

Abstract

This invention provides a power supply unit for an aerosol aspirator that can suppress performance degradation of the power supply, a power control method for an aerosol aspirator, and a power control program for an aerosol aspirator. [Solution] The aerosol aspirator 1 includes a power supply 12 that can discharge to a load 21 for generating aerosols from an aerosol source, and an MCU 50 that controls at least one of the charging and discharging of the power supply 12 so that the power supply 12 does not become fully charged or discharged, or both.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present invention relates to a power supply unit for an aerosol inhaler, an aerosol inhaler, a power supply control method for an aerosol inhaler, and a power supply control program for an aerosol inhaler.

Background Art

[0002] An aerosol inhaler including an aerosol generation source, a load for generating an aerosol from the aerosol generation source, a power supply capable of discharging to the load, and a control unit for controlling the power supply is known (see, for example, Patent Documents 1 to 3).

Prior Art Documents

Patent Documents

[0003]

Patent Document 1

Patent Document 2

Patent Document 3

Summary of the Invention

Problems to be Solved by the Invention

[0004] Since an aerosol inhaler can be frequently used, the charging and discharging of its power supply can be frequently performed. Therefore, it is required to suppress the performance deterioration of the power supply as much as possible.

[0005] An object of the present invention is to provide a power supply unit for an aerosol inhaler, a power supply control method for an aerosol inhaler, and a power supply control program for an aerosol inhaler that can suppress the performance deterioration of the power supply.

Means for Solving the Problems

[0006] The power supply unit for an aerosol aspirator of the present invention comprises a power supply capable of discharging to a load for generating aerosols from an aerosol source, and a control unit that controls at least one of the charging and discharging of the power supply so that the power supply does not reach either a fully charged state or a discharge termination state or both, The amount of power that can be discharged is the remaining amount obtained by subtracting the amount of power stored in the power supply that makes it impossible to discharge from the amount of power stored in the power supply when the power supply has completed charging. The control unit controls at least one of the charging and discharging of the power supply so that the amount of dischargeable power in the first state, when the power supply is fully charged and a numerical indicator of the power supply's degradation state is above a threshold or a numerical indicator of the power supply's healthy state is below a threshold, is equal to or greater than the amount of power that needs to be supplied to the load to empty the remaining unused aerosol source.

[0007] The aerosol inhaler of the present invention comprises a power supply unit, the aerosol generation source comprising a first unit containing a medium atomized by the load, and a second unit containing a flavor source for imparting flavor to the atomized medium, the dischargeable power amount being the amount remaining after subtracting the amount of power stored in the power supply that makes it impossible to discharge from the amount of power stored in the power supply when the power supply has been fully charged, the control unit controls at least one of the charging and discharging of the power supply so that the dischargeable power amount is equal to or greater than the amount of power that needs to be supplied to the load to empty the remaining capacity of one or more predetermined first units or second units, and further comprises the first unit and the second unit which, when discharged to the load when not in use, will have its remaining capacity emptied faster than the unused first unit.

[0008] The present invention relates to a power control method for an aerosol aspirator having a power supply capable of discharging to a load for generating aerosols from an aerosol source, and is a power control method for an aerosol aspirator having a power supply capable of discharging to a load for generating aerosols from an aerosol source, The system includes a control step of controlling the charging and discharging of the power supply so that the power supply does not enter either a fully charged state or a discharged state, or both; a control step of controlling the charging and discharging of the power supply so that the amount of dischargeable power is the remainder obtained by subtracting the amount of power stored in the power supply that makes it impossible to discharge from the amount of power stored in the power supply when the power supply is fully charged, and the amount of dischargeable power in the first state, when the power supply is fully charged and a numerical index indicating the deterioration state of the power supply is above a threshold or a numerical index indicating the healthy state of the power supply is below a threshold, is above the amount of power that needs to be supplied to the load in order to empty the remaining unused aerosol generation source.

[0009] The power control program for the aerosol aspirator of the present invention is a power control program for an aerosol aspirator having a power supply capable of discharging to a load for generating aerosols from an aerosol source, A control step that controls at least one of the charging and discharging of the power supply so that the power supply does not reach either a fully charged state or a discharged state, or both; The amount of power that can be discharged is the remaining amount obtained by subtracting the amount of power stored in the power supply that makes it impossible to discharge from the amount of power stored in the power supply when the power supply has completed charging. The method involves causing a computer to perform a control step that controls at least one of the charging and discharging of the power supply such that, in a first state in which the power supply is fully charged and a numerical indicator of the power supply's degradation state is above a threshold or a numerical indicator of the power supply's healthy state is below a threshold, the amount of dischargeable power is greater than or equal to the amount of power that needs to be supplied to the load to empty the remaining unused aerosol source. [Effects of the Invention]

[0010] According to the present invention, it is possible to suppress the performance degradation of the power supply. [Brief explanation of the drawing]

[0011] [Figure 1]Perspective view of an aerosol inhaler with a power unit according to an embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 2] Another perspective view of the aerosol inhaler of FIG. 1. [Figure 3] Cross-sectional view of the aerosol inhaler of FIG. 1. [Figure 4] Perspective view of the power unit in the aerosol inhaler of FIG. 1. [Figure 5] Block diagram showing the main configuration of the power unit in the aerosol inhaler of FIG. 1. [Figure 6] Schematic diagram showing the circuit configuration of the power unit in the aerosol inhaler of FIG. 1. [Figure 7] FIG. showing an example of the relationship between the full charge capacity of the power source at the time of new product of the power source of FIG. 6 and the stored power at the time of completion of charging of the power source. [Figure 8] FIG. showing an example of the relationship between the full charge capacity of the power source and the stored power at the time of completion of charging of the power source when the deterioration of the power source of FIG. 6 has progressed. [Figure 9] FIG. showing an example of the relationship between the full charge capacity of the power source and the stored power at the time of completion of charging of the power source when the deterioration of the power source of FIG. 6 has further progressed. [Figure 10] FIG. showing an example of the relationship between the full charge capacity of the power source at the time of new product of the power source of FIG. 6 and the stored power at the time of non-discharge of the power source. [Figure 11] FIG. showing an example of the relationship between the full charge capacity of the power source and the stored power at the time of non-discharge of the power source when the deterioration of the power source of FIG. 6 has progressed. [Figure 12] FIG. showing an example of the relationship between the full charge capacity of the power source and the stored power at the time of non-discharge of the power source when the deterioration of the power source of FIG. 6 has further progressed.

Embodiments for Carrying Out the Invention

[0012] Hereinafter, a power unit for an aerosol inhaler according to an embodiment of the present invention will be described. First, the aerosol inhaler with the power unit will be described with reference to FIGS. 1 and 2.

[0013] (Aerosol inhaler) The aerosol inhaler 1 is a device for inhaling a flavored aerosol without combustion, and has a rod shape extending along a predetermined direction (hereinafter referred to as longitudinal direction A). The aerosol inhaler 1 has a power unit 10, a first cartridge 20, and a second cartridge 30 arranged in this order along longitudinal direction A. The first cartridge 20 is detachable from the power unit 10. The second cartridge 30 is detachable from the first cartridge 20. In other words, the first cartridge 20 and the second cartridge 30 are interchangeable.

[0014] (Power supply unit) As shown in Figures 3, 4, and 6, the power supply unit 10 of this embodiment houses a power supply 12, a charging IC 55, an MCU 50, a switch 19, a voltage sensor 16, and various sensors inside a cylindrical power supply unit case 11. The power supply 12 is a rechargeable secondary battery, an electric double-layer capacitor, etc., and is preferably a lithium-ion battery.

[0015] A discharge terminal 41 is provided on the top portion 11a located at one end (the first cartridge 20 side) in the longitudinal direction A of the power supply unit case 11. The discharge terminal 41 is provided so as to protrude from the upper surface of the top portion 11a toward the first cartridge 20 and is configured to be electrically connectable to the load 21 of the first cartridge 20.

[0016] Furthermore, an air supply unit 42 is provided on the upper surface of the top portion 11a, near the discharge terminal 41, to supply air to the load 21 of the first cartridge 20.

[0017] The bottom portion 11b of the power supply unit case 11, located on the other end of the longitudinal direction A (opposite side from the first cartridge 20), is provided with a charging terminal 43 that can be electrically connected to an external power supply 60 (see Figure 6) capable of charging the power supply 12. The charging terminal 43 is located on the side of the bottom portion 11b and can be connected to, for example, at least one of a USB terminal, a microUSB terminal, and a Lightning terminal.

[0018] The charging terminal 43 may also be a power receiving unit capable of receiving power from an external power source 60 in a non-contact manner. In such a case, the charging terminal 43 (power receiving unit) may be composed of a power receiving coil. The wireless power transfer method may be electromagnetic induction or magnetic resonance. The charging terminal 43 may also be a power receiving unit capable of receiving power from an external power source 60 in a non-contact manner. As another example, the charging terminal 43 may be capable of connecting at least one of a USB terminal, a microUSB terminal, or a Lightning terminal, and may also have the power receiving unit described above.

[0019] The power supply unit case 11 is provided with a user-operable control panel 14 on the side of the top section 11a, facing away from the charging terminal 43. More specifically, the control panel 14 and the charging terminal 43 are point-symmetric with respect to the intersection of the line connecting the control panel 14 and the charging terminal 43 and the center line of the power supply unit 10 in the longitudinal direction A. The control panel 14 consists of a button-type switch, a touch panel, etc. An intake sensor 15 for detecting puffing is provided near the control panel 14.

[0020] The charging IC 55 is positioned close to the charging terminal 43 and controls the charging of power to the power supply 12 from the power input from the charging terminal 43. The charging IC 55 is a converter that converts DC from an inverter 61 or the like mounted on the charging cable connected to the charging terminal 43 to DC with different parameters, and the charging voltage V supplied from this converter to the power supply 12. CHG A voltmeter for measuring the charging current I supplied from this converter to power supply 12. CHGThis includes an ammeter for measuring current and a processor for controlling them. More specifically, a processor in this specification is an electrical circuit that combines circuit elements such as semiconductor elements.

[0021] The charging IC55 has a charging current of I CHG Constant current charging (CC charging) is performed by controlling the charging voltage V to a constant level to charge the power supply 12, and the charging voltage V CHG Constant voltage charging (CV charging) is performed by controlling the power supply 12 to a constant value, and other methods are performed selectively. The charging IC 55 controls the power supply voltage V, which corresponds to the amount of energy stored in the power supply 12. Batt When the voltage is below a predetermined CV switching voltage, the power supply 12 is charged by CC charging, and the power supply voltage V Batt When the voltage is above the CV switching voltage mentioned above, the power supply 12 is charged by CV charging.

[0022] As shown in Figure 5, the MCU50 includes an intake sensor 15 that detects puffing (intake) motion, and a power supply voltage V of the power supply 12. Batt The MCU 50 is connected to various sensor devices such as a voltage sensor 16 for measuring voltage and a temperature sensor 17 for measuring the temperature of the power supply 12, an operation unit 14, a notification unit 45 (described later), and a memory 18 that stores the number of puff operations or the energizing time to the load 21, and performs various controls on the aerosol aspirator 1. Specifically, the MCU 50 is a processor.

[0023] Furthermore, the power supply unit case 11 is provided with an air intake (not shown) for drawing in outside air. The air intake may be located around the operating section 14 or around the charging terminal 43.

[0024] (First cartridge) As shown in Figure 3, the first cartridge 20 includes a reservoir 23 for storing an aerosol source 22 inside a cylindrical cartridge case 27, an electrical load 21 for atomizing the aerosol source 22, a wick 24 for drawing the aerosol source from the reservoir 23 to the load 21, an aerosol channel 25 through which the aerosol generated by the atomization of the aerosol source 22 flows toward the second cartridge 30, and an end cap 26 for housing a portion of the second cartridge 30.

[0025] The reservoir 23 is partitioned to surround the aerosol channel 25 and stores the aerosol source 22. The reservoir 23 may contain a porous material such as a resin web or cotton, and the aerosol source 22 may be impregnated into the porous material. The aerosol source 22 contains a liquid such as glycerin, propylene glycol, or water.

[0026] The wick 24 is a liquid-holding member that draws the aerosol source 22 from the reservoir 23 to the load 21 using capillary action, and is made of, for example, glass fiber or porous ceramic.

[0027] The load 21 atomizes the aerosol source 22 without combustion using power supplied from the power supply 12 via the discharge terminal 41. The load 21 is composed of a heating wire (coil) wound at a predetermined pitch. The load 21 can be any element capable of atomizing the aerosol source 22 and generating aerosols, such as a heating element or an ultrasonic generator. Examples of heating elements include heating resistors, ceramic heaters, and induction heating heaters.

[0028] The aerosol channel 25 is located downstream of the load 21 and is situated on the centerline L of the power supply unit 10.

[0029] The end cap 26 includes a cartridge housing section 26a that houses a portion of the second cartridge 30, and a communication passage 26b that connects the aerosol flow path 25 and the cartridge housing section 26a.

[0030] (Second cartridge) The second cartridge 30 stores the flavor source 31. The end of the second cartridge 30 facing the first cartridge 20 is detachably housed in a cartridge housing section 26a provided in the end cap 26 of the first cartridge 20. The end of the second cartridge 30 opposite to the first cartridge 20 is the user's mouthpiece 32. The mouthpiece 32 is not limited to being integrally and inseparably configured with the second cartridge 30, but may also be detachably configured from the second cartridge 30. By configuring the mouthpiece 32 separately from the power supply unit 10 and the first cartridge 20 in this way, the mouthpiece 32 can be kept hygienic.

[0031] The second cartridge 30 imparts flavor to the aerosol generated when the aerosol source 22 is atomized by the load 21 by passing the aerosol through the flavor source 31. The raw material pieces constituting the flavor source 31 can be shredded tobacco or molded bodies formed from tobacco raw materials into granules. The flavor source 31 may also be composed of plants other than tobacco (e.g., mint, herbs, etc.). The flavor source 31 may be imparted with flavorings such as menthol.

[0032] In the aerosol aspirator 1 of this embodiment, aerosols with added flavor can be generated by the aerosol source 22, the flavor source 31, and the load 21. In other words, the aerosol source 22 and the flavor source 31 constitute an aerosol generating source that generates aerosols.

[0033] The aerosol source in the aerosol aspirator 1 is a part that the user replaces and uses. This part is provided to the user as a set, for example, one first cartridge 20 and one or more (e.g., five) second cartridges 30.

[0034] The aerosol source used in the aerosol inhaler 1 may be configured such that the aerosol source 22 and the flavor source 31 are separate, or that the aerosol source 22 and the flavor source 31 are integrally formed, or that the flavor source 31 is omitted and substances that may be included in the flavor source 31 are added to the aerosol source 22, or that drugs or the like are added to the aerosol source 22 instead of the flavor source 31.

[0035] If the aerosol inhaler 1 includes an aerosol generating source in which an aerosol source 22 and a flavor source 31 are integrally formed, then, for example, one or more (e.g., 20) aerosol generating sources are provided to the user as one set.

[0036] If the aerosol aspirator 1 contains only the aerosol source 22 as an aerosol generating source, then, for example, one or more (e.g., 20) aerosol generating sources are provided to the user as one set.

[0037] In the aerosol inhaler 1 configured in this way, as shown by arrow B in Figure 3, air flows in from an intake port (not shown) provided in the power supply unit case 11 and passes from the air supply unit 42 to the vicinity of the load 21 of the first cartridge 20. The load 21 atomizes the aerosol source 22 drawn in from the reservoir 23 by the wick 24. The atomized aerosol flows through the aerosol channel 25 together with the air flowing in from the intake port and is supplied to the second cartridge 30 via the communication passage 26b. The aerosol supplied to the second cartridge 30 is flavored by passing through the flavor source 31 and is supplied to the mouthpiece 32.

[0038] Furthermore, the aerosol aspirator 1 is provided with a notification unit 45 that notifies various information (see Figure 5). The notification unit 45 may be composed of a light-emitting element, a vibration element, or a sound output element. The notification unit 45 may also be a combination of two or more elements from among the light-emitting element, vibration element, and sound output element. The notification unit 45 may be provided in the power supply unit 10, the first cartridge 20, or the second cartridge 30, but it is preferable that it be provided in the power supply unit 10. For example, the area around the operating unit 14 is translucent and configured to emit light from a light-emitting element such as an LED.

[0039] (Electrical circuits) Next, we will explain the details of the electrical circuit of the power supply unit 10 with reference to Figure 6. The power supply unit 10 comprises a power supply 12, a positive-side discharge terminal 41a and a negative-side discharge terminal 41b constituting a discharge terminal 41, a positive-side charging terminal 43a and a negative-side charging terminal 43b constituting a charging terminal 43, an MCU (Micro Controller Unit) 50 connected between the positive side of the power supply 12 and the positive-side discharge terminal 41a and between the negative side of the power supply 12 and the negative-side discharge terminal 41b, a charging IC 55 positioned on the power transmission path between the charging terminal 43 and the power supply 12, and a switch 19 positioned on the power transmission path between the power supply 12 and the discharge terminal 41.

[0040] The switch 19 is composed of a semiconductor element such as a MOSFET and is controlled to open and close by the MCU 50. The MCU 50 has a function to detect when an external power supply 60 is connected to the charging terminals 43 by voltage fluctuations between the charging terminals 43.

[0041] In the electrical circuit of the power supply unit 10 shown in Figure 6, the switch 19 is located between the positive terminal of the power supply 12 and the positive terminal discharge terminal 41a. Instead of this so-called positive control, the switch 19 may be a negative control located between the negative terminal discharge terminal 41b and the negative terminal of the power supply 12.

[0042] (MCU) Next, I will explain the configuration of the MCU50 in more detail. As shown in Figure 5, the MCU50 includes an aerosol generation request detection unit 51, an operation detection unit 52, a power control unit 53, and a notification control unit 54 as functional blocks realized by executing a program.

[0043] The aerosol generation request detection unit 51 detects a request for aerosol generation based on the output result of the intake sensor 15. The intake sensor 15 is configured to output a value of the pressure (internal pressure) change inside the power supply unit 10 caused by the user's inhalation through the intake port 32. The intake sensor 15 is a pressure sensor that outputs an output value (e.g., a voltage value or current value) corresponding to the internal pressure which changes according to the flow rate of air drawn in from an intake port (not shown) toward the intake port 32 (i.e., the user's puffing action). The intake sensor 15 may be composed of a condenser microphone or the like.

[0044] The operation detection unit 52 detects operations performed by the user on the operation unit 14.

[0045] The notification control unit 54 controls the notification unit 45 to notify various types of information. For example, the notification control unit 54 controls the notification unit 45 to notify the replacement timing of the second cartridge 30 in response to the detection of the replacement timing of the second cartridge 30. The notification control unit 54 detects and notifies the replacement timing of the second cartridge 30 based on the number of puff operations or the cumulative energizing time to the load 21 stored in the memory 18. The notification control unit 54 is not limited to notifying the replacement timing of the second cartridge 30, but may also notify the replacement timing of the first cartridge 20, the replacement timing of the power supply 12, the charging timing of the power supply 12, etc.

[0046] The notification control unit 54 determines that the second cartridge 30 is used (i.e., the remaining amount is zero or empty) when a puff operation is performed a predetermined number of times with one unused second cartridge 30 set in place, or when the cumulative energization time to the load 21 due to the puff operation reaches a predetermined value (for example, 120 seconds), and notifies the user of the timing to replace the second cartridge 30.

[0047] Furthermore, the notification control unit 54 may, when it determines that all of the second cartridges 30 included in the set have been used, determine that one of the first cartridges 20 included in the set has been used (i.e., the remaining amount is zero or empty) and notify the system of the timing to replace the first cartridge 20.

[0048] Furthermore, the notification control unit 54 calculates the State of Charge (SOC), which is a numerical indicator of the charging status of the power supply 12, representing the ratio (in units of %) of the amount of energy stored in the power supply 12 to the capacity (full charge capacity) of the power supply 12, and notifies the calculated SOC from the notification unit 45.

[0049] The notification control unit 54 determines, for example, which range the SOC belongs to: a first range of 0% or more and less than 33%, a second range of 33% or more and less than 66%, or a third range of 66% or more and less than 100%. The notification control unit 54 then controls the notification unit 45 by changing the light emission color of the light-emitting elements included in the notification unit 45 to light up or blink, changing the light emission pattern of the light-emitting elements included in the notification unit 45 to light up or blink, changing the number of light-emitting elements among the multiple light-emitting elements included in the notification unit 45 to light up or blink, changing the output sound of the sound output element of the notification unit 45, or changing the vibration pattern of the vibration element of the notification unit 45, depending on whether the SOC is in the first range, the second range, or the third range.

[0050] If the notification control unit 54 notifies the SOC in this manner, even if the charging stop control described later is performed, the discomfort the user may feel can be effectively reduced compared to when the SOC value is displayed directly.

[0051] The power control unit 53 controls the discharge of the power supply 12 via the discharge terminal 41 by turning the switch 19 ON or OFF when the aerosol generation request detection unit 51 detects a request for aerosol generation.

[0052] The power control unit 53 controls the amount of aerosol generated when the aerosol source is atomized by the load 21 so that it falls within a desired range, or in other words, so that the amount of power supplied from the power supply 12 to the load 21 stays within a certain range. Specifically, the power control unit 53 controls the ON / OFF state of the switch 19 by, for example, PWM (Pulse Width Modulation) control. Alternatively, the power control unit 53 may control the ON / OFF state of the switch 19 by PFM (Pulse Frequency Modulation) control.

[0053] The power control unit 53 stops supplying power from the power supply 12 to the load 21 when a predetermined period has elapsed since the start of power supply to the load 21. In other words, even if the user is actually performing a puff operation within the puff period, the power control unit 53 stops supplying power from the power supply 12 to the load 21 if the puff period exceeds the predetermined period. The predetermined period is set to suppress variations in the user's puff period.

[0054] Under the control of the power control unit 53, the current flowing to the load 21 during a single puff operation is a substantially constant value determined by the substantially constant effective voltage supplied to the load 21 by PWM control and the resistance value between the discharge terminal 41 and the load 21. In the aerosol inhaler 1 of this embodiment, when a user uses one unused second cartridge 30 to inhale an aerosol, the cumulative energizing time to the load 21 is controlled to a maximum of, for example, 120 seconds. Therefore, if one first cartridge 20 and five second cartridges 30 are considered as one set, the maximum amount of power required to empty (use up) this set can be determined in advance.

[0055] Furthermore, the power control unit 53 detects the electrical connection between the charging terminal 43 and the external power supply 60. The power control unit 53 also controls the power supply 12 to stop charging when its State of Charge (SOC) falls below 100% (for example, to any value below 95% or 90%), preventing the power supply 12 from becoming fully charged while the power supply 12 is being charged by the charging IC 55. This control helps maintain the power supply 12 in a state where it is less prone to degradation.

[0056] When a lithium-ion secondary battery or similar is used for power supply 12, the State of Charge (SOC) value of power supply 12 when left unused affects its degradation. This degradation effect increases as the SOC approaches 100% or 0%. On the other hand, this degradation effect is minimized when the SOC is around 30-70%. Therefore, by maintaining the SOC of power supply 12 at a value lower than 100%, it is possible to maintain a state in which power supply 12 is less prone to degradation.

[0057] Furthermore, the power control unit 53 controls the stopping of charging of the power supply 12 so that the power stored in the power supply 12 is greater than the amount of power required to supply to the load 21 in order to empty one or more sets (hereinafter referred to as two sets) of unused aerosol generators provided to the user. This makes it possible to consume one or two sets of aerosol generators to the end, even if the power supply 12 is fully charged before reaching a full charge state. In other words, it is possible to achieve both the suppression of power supply 12 degradation and the improvement of user convenience.

[0058] In the following, the amount of electricity required to supply load 21 to empty one unused set of aerosol sources is referred to as the required electricity for one set, and the amount of electricity required to supply load 21 to empty two unused sets of aerosol sources is referred to as the required electricity for two sets.

[0059] (Power supply charging stop control) In this control system, when the MCU 50 performs discharge control to discharge the power supply 12 to the load 21, it stops the discharge (in other words, disables discharge) when the State of Charge (SOC) of the power supply 12 reaches 0%, and the notification unit 45 notifies the charging timing of the power supply 12. On the other hand, the MCU 50 has predetermined an arbitrary upper range (for example, 90% to 95%) of the SOC range in which the power supply 12 is less likely to degrade, and when the charging IC 55 is charging the power supply 12, it controls the charging IC 55 to complete the charging of the power supply 12 when the SOC of the power supply 12 reaches a specific value within this range. Hereinafter, the SOC of the power supply 12 when the MCU 50 completes the charging of the power supply 12 will be referred to as the charging stop SOC.

[0060] Power supply 12 is of a large capacity so that the amount of stored energy at the minimum value of the State of Charge (SOC) within the above arbitrary range (=90%) is greater than or equal to the required power for two sets. As a result, when power supply 12 is in a state of minimal degradation, even if the charging of power supply 12 is controlled to stop at a SOC of 90%, it is still possible to discharge the two sets of aerosol generation sources to empty them. Therefore, user convenience is not compromised even if power supply 12 is not charged to a fully charged state (SOC=100%).

[0061] Figures 7, 8, and 9 show examples of the relationship between the full charge capacity of power supply 12 and the amount of stored energy when power supply 12 is fully charged, under different health conditions of power supply 12.

[0062] In the following, the numerical indicator of the healthy state of power supply 12 will be described as SOH (State of Health). SOH is a value obtained by dividing the full charge capacity of power supply 12 when it is degraded by the full charge capacity of power supply 12 when it is new, and multiplying the result by 100, with the unit being %. In other words, if SOH is the numerical indicator of the healthy state of power supply 12, the higher the SOH, the closer the power supply 12 is to a new condition, and the lower the SOH, the more the power supply 12 has deteriorated. SOH can be measured or estimated by various methods.

[0063] Furthermore, SOH can also be defined as a value obtained by dividing the internal resistance value of the power supply 12 when it is degraded by the internal resistance value of the power supply 12 when it is new, and then multiplying the result by 100. In this case, SOH becomes a numerical index indicating the degradation state of the power supply 12. When SOH is a numerical index indicating the degradation state of the power supply 12, the higher the SOH, the more advanced the degradation of the power supply 12, and the lower the SOH, the closer the power supply 12 is to a new condition.

[0064] The following explanation will use the case where SOH is a numerical indicator of the healthy state of power supply 12 as an example. Those skilled in the art will understand that even when SOH is a numerical indicator of the degraded state of power supply 12, the relationship between the full charge capacity of power supply 12 and the amount of stored energy at the time of complete charging of power supply 12 can be defined.

[0065] Figure 7 shows an example of the full charge capacity and the amount of stored energy when the power supply 12 is in a new state, i.e., when the SOH is 100%. As mentioned above, when the SOH is 100%, 90% of the full charge capacity of the power supply 12 is greater than the amount of power required for two sets. Therefore, in this state, the MCU 50 sets the charge stop SOC to 90%, which is the lower limit at which degradation of the power supply 12 is suppressed, and completes charging when the SOC of the power supply 12 reaches 90%.

[0066] Figure 8 shows the state when the SOH is below the threshold TH1, which is lower than 100%. In other words, Figure 8 shows a state where the degradation of the power supply 12 has progressed further than in the example in Figure 7. In the example in Figure 8, the capacity of the power supply 12 at 90% of its full charge capacity is less than the amount of power required for two sets. In this state, the MCU 50 may set the charge stop SOC to a value greater than 90%, for example, 93%, so that the amount of stored energy in the power supply 12 at the time of charge completion is sufficient to provide the amount of power required for two sets, and complete the charge when the SOC of the power supply 12 reaches 93%. This ensures that even if the SOH decreases somewhat, enough power will be available to empty two sets of aerosol sources at the time of charge completion.

[0067] Figure 9 shows the state when SOH is below threshold TH2, which is lower than threshold TH1. In other words, Figure 9 shows a state where the degradation of power supply 12 has progressed further than in the example in Figure 8. In the example in Figure 9, the full charge capacity of power supply 12 is less than the amount of power required for two sets. In this state, the MCU 50 sets the charge stop SOC to a value between 90% and 95% so that the amount of stored power in power supply 12 at the time of charge completion is sufficient to provide the amount of power required for one set, and completes charging when the SOC of power supply 12 reaches this value. As a result, even if SOH drops significantly, enough power to empty one set of aerosol generation sources will be secured at the time of charge completion.

[0068] Furthermore, the MCU 50 may detect the degradation of the power supply 12 when the SOH falls below the threshold TH2 and notify the user via the notification unit 45 that the power supply 12 has degraded. Alternatively, the MCU 50 may initiate the above-mentioned power supply 12 charging stop control when the SOH falls below the threshold TH2. This can suppress further degradation of the degraded power supply 12. In addition, until the degradation of the power supply 12 is detected or the power supply 12 charging stop control is initiated, the power supply 12 will have enough power to empty one set of aerosol generation sources. This further improves user convenience.

[0069] The following will provide a detailed explanation of the charging stop control performed by the MCU50.

[0070] First, the MCU50 measures or estimates the State of Health (SOH), and from this SOH, it estimates the full charge capacity of the power supply 12. The internal resistance of the power supply 12 or the integrated value of the power charged and discharged may be used to measure or estimate the SOH. Specifically, the current full charge capacity is estimated by multiplying the known full charge capacity of the power supply 12 when new by the SOH.

[0071] If the MCU50 determines that the value obtained by multiplying the estimated full charge capacity by the lower limit of the charge stop SOC (90%) is greater than or equal to the power required for two sets (case shown in Figure 7), it sets the charge stop SOC to 90% of the lower limit. This allows the power supply 12 to be used to consume two sets in a single charge while effectively suppressing its degradation, provided that the degradation of the power supply 12 is minimal.

[0072] If the MCU50 determines that the value obtained by multiplying the estimated full charge capacity by the lower limit of the charge stop SOC (90%) is less than the required power for two sets, and the value obtained by multiplying the estimated full charge capacity by the upper limit of the charge stop SOC (95%) is equal to or greater than the required power for two sets (case shown in Figure 8), it sets the charge stop SOC to a value higher than 90% that allows the amount of stored energy in power supply 12 at the end of charging to be the required power for two sets. Even in this case, since it does not reach a fully charged state, it is possible to secure the power needed to consume two sets while suppressing degradation.

[0073] If the MCU50 multiplies the estimated full charge capacity by the lower limit (90%) and upper limit (95%) of the charge stop SOC, respectively, to less than the required power for two sets, it will determine a charge stop SOC between 90% and 95% such that the amount of stored energy at the time of charge stop is equal to or greater than the required power for one set. This ensures that power for one set is secured while suppressing the degradation of the power supply 12.

[0074] If the MCU50 determines that the value obtained by multiplying the estimated full charge capacity by the upper limit of the charge stop SOC (95%) falls below the required power for one set, it will notify the user via the notification unit 45 that it is time to replace the power supply 12.

[0075] If we define the dischargeable charge as the amount of charge stored in power supply 12 when it is no longer able to discharge (when the SOC is 0%), then the control of MCU 50 as described above can make this dischargeable charge amount equal to or greater than the required power for one or two sets. Therefore, whether power supply 12 is new or deteriorated, it is possible to consume at least one set's worth of aerosol generation source, thereby improving convenience. In addition, since power supply 12 never reaches a fully charged state, deterioration can be suppressed.

[0076] In the embodiment described above, the MCU50 determines the charge stop SOC based on the required power amount for two sets. Alternatively, the MCU50 may determine the charge stop SOC based on the required power amount for one set. In this case, the charge stop SOC is set to the lower limit (90%) in any degraded (healthy) state.

[0077] Furthermore, please note that the lower limit (90%) and upper limit (95%) of the charge stop SOC described in the above-described embodiment are merely examples. Since these values ​​will differ depending on the power supply 12 used, it is preferable to determine them through experiments for each individual power supply 12.

[0078] (First modified example of power supply charging stop control) In this control system, when charging the power supply 12, the MCU 50 completes the charging when the State of Charge (SOC) of the power supply 12 reaches 100%. On the other hand, the MCU 50 has predetermined an arbitrary lower limit range (for example, 10% to 5%) of the SOC range in which the power supply 12 is less likely to degrade. If the SOC of the power supply 12 reaches a specific value within this range during discharge from the power supply 12 to the load 21, the MCU 50 stops further discharge from the power supply 12 to the load 21 (in other words, disables discharge) and notifies the charging timing of the power supply 12 via the notification unit 45. Hereinafter, the SOC of the power supply 12 at which the MCU 50 disables discharge of the power supply 12 will be referred to as the "discharge-disabled SOC".

[0079] Power supply 12 is of a large capacity such that the capacity obtained by subtracting the maximum value of the State of Charge (=10%) within the above arbitrary range from the full charge capacity is equal to or greater than the required power for two sets (in other words, 90% of the full charge capacity of power supply 12 is equal to or greater than the required power for two sets). As a result, when power supply 12 is in a state of minimal degradation, even if the power supply 12 is controlled to prevent discharge at a State of Charge of 10%, it is still possible to discharge the aerosol sources of the two sets.

[0080] Figures 10, 11, and 12 show examples of the relationship between the full charge capacity of power supply 12 and the amount of stored energy when power supply 12 is unable to discharge, under different health conditions of power supply 12.

[0081] Figure 10 shows an example of the full charge capacity and stored energy when the power supply 12 is in a new condition, i.e., when the SOH is 100%. As mentioned above, when the SOH is 100%, 90% of the full charge capacity of the power supply 12 is greater than the required power for two sets. Therefore, in this state, the MCU 50 sets the discharge-prohibited SOC to 10%, which is the upper limit that minimizes the degradation of the power supply 12, and disables discharge when the SOC of the power supply 12 reaches 10%.

[0082] Figure 11 shows the state when the SOH is below the threshold TH1, which is lower than 100%. In other words, Figure 11 shows a state where the degradation of the power supply 12 has progressed further than in the example in Figure 10. In the example in Figure 11, the capacity of power supply 12 at 90% of its full charge capacity is less than the amount of power required for two sets. In this state, the discharge-prohibited SOC is set to a value less than 10%, for example, 7%, so that the difference between the full charge capacity and the amount of power stored in power supply 12 when discharge is stopped equals the amount of power required for two sets. When the SOC of power supply 12 reaches 7%, discharge of power supply 12 is disabled. As a result, even if the SOH decreases somewhat, enough power will be secured to empty two sets of aerosol sources when charging is complete.

[0083] Figure 12 shows the state when SOH is below threshold TH2, which is lower than threshold TH1. In other words, Figure 12 shows a state where the degradation of power supply 12 has progressed further than in the example in Figure 11. In the example in Figure 12, the full charge capacity of power supply 12 is less than or equal to the required power for two sets. In this state, MCU 50 sets the discharge-disabled SOC to a value between 10% and 5% so that the difference between the full charge capacity and the amount of stored power supply 12 when discharge is stopped is greater than or equal to the required power for one set. When the SOC of power supply 12 reaches this value, discharge is disabled. As a result, even if SOH drops significantly, enough power to empty one set of aerosol generation sources is secured when charging is complete.

[0084] Furthermore, the MCU 50 may detect the degradation of the power supply 12 when the SOH falls below the threshold TH2 and notify the user via the notification unit 45 that the power supply 12 has degraded. Alternatively, the MCU 50 may initiate the discharge stop control of the power supply 12 as described above when the SOH falls below the threshold TH2. This can suppress further degradation of the degraded power supply 12. In addition, until the degradation of the power supply 12 is detected or until the discharge stop control of the power supply 12 is initiated, the power supply 12 will have enough power to empty one set of aerosol generation sources. This further improves user convenience.

[0085] The following will provide a detailed explanation of the discharge stop control performed by the MCU50.

[0086] First, the MCU50 measures or estimates the State of Health (SOH), and from this SOH, it estimates the full charge capacity of the power supply 12. The internal resistance of the power supply 12 or the integrated value of the power charged and discharged may be used to measure or estimate the SOH. Specifically, the current full charge capacity is estimated by multiplying the known full charge capacity of the power supply 12 when new by the SOH.

[0087] If the capacity obtained by subtracting the value obtained by multiplying the estimated full charge capacity by the upper limit of the non-dischargeable SOC (10%) from the estimated full charge capacity is greater than or equal to the power required for two sets (case in Figure 10), the MCU50 sets the non-dischargeable SOC to 10% of the upper limit. This allows the power supply 12 to be used to consume two sets in a single charge while effectively suppressing the degradation of the power supply 12, provided that the degradation of the power supply 12 is minimal.

[0088] If the capacity obtained by subtracting the value obtained by multiplying the estimated full charge capacity by the lower limit of the non-dischargeable SOC (5%) from the estimated full charge capacity is equal to or greater than the required power for two sets, and the capacity obtained by subtracting the value obtained by multiplying the estimated full charge capacity by the upper limit of the non-dischargeable SOC (10%) from the estimated full charge capacity is less than the required power for two sets (case in Figure 11), then the MCU50 sets the non-dischargeable SOC to a value (lower than 10%) that makes the capacity obtained by subtracting the amount of stored power in the power supply 12 when discharge is not possible from the full charge capacity equal to the required power for two sets. Even in this case, the discharge is not terminated, so power to consume two sets can be secured while suppressing degradation.

[0089] If the capacity obtained by subtracting the value obtained by multiplying the estimated full charge capacity by the lower limit of the non-dischargeable SOC (5%) from the estimated full charge capacity, and the capacity obtained by subtracting the value obtained by multiplying the estimated full charge capacity by the upper limit of the non-dischargeable SOC (10%) from the estimated full charge capacity, are both less than the required power for two sets (case in Figure 12), then the MCU50 determines a non-dischargeable SOC between 10% and 5% so that the capacity obtained by subtracting the amount of stored power in the power supply 12 when it cannot be discharged from the full charge capacity becomes the required power for one set. This makes it possible to secure the power needed to consume one set while suppressing the degradation of the power supply 12.

[0090] If the capacity obtained by subtracting the value obtained by multiplying the estimated full charge capacity by the lower limit of the non-dischargeable SOC (5%) falls below the required power for one set, the MCU50 will notify the user via the notification unit 45 that it is time to replace the power supply 12.

[0091] If we define the dischargeable charge as the amount of charge stored in the power supply 12 when it is deemed impossible to discharge, then the discharge stop control of the MCU 50 described above can make this dischargeable charge amount equal to or greater than the required power for one or two sets. Therefore, whether the power supply 12 is new or deteriorated, it is possible to consume at least one set's worth of aerosol generation source, thereby improving convenience. Furthermore, since the power supply 12 never enters a discharge termination state, deterioration can be suppressed.

[0092] In the embodiment described above, the MCU50 determines the non-dischargeable SOC based on the required power for two sets. Alternatively, the MCU50 may determine the non-dischargeable SOC based on the required power for one set. In this case, the non-dischargeable SOC is set to the upper limit (10%) in all degraded (healthy) states.

[0093] Furthermore, please note that the lower limit (5%) and upper limit (10%) of the discharge-prone State of Charge (SOC) described in the above-described embodiment are merely examples. Since these values ​​will differ depending on the power supply 12 used, it is preferable to determine them through experiments for each individual power supply 12.

[0094] (Second variation of power supply charging stop control) The MCU50 may control the charging of the power supply 12 to complete when the State of Charge (SOC) of the power supply 12 reaches a specific value within the upper limit range mentioned above, and may also control the discharging of the power supply 12 to stop when the SOC of the power supply 12 reaches a specific value within the lower limit range mentioned above. In other words, the MCU50 may control the charging and discharging of the power supply 12 so that the power supply 12 never reaches either a fully charged state or a discharged state.

[0095] If we define the dischargeable charge as the amount of charge stored in power supply 12 when it can no longer discharge, subtracting the amount of charge stored in power supply 12 when it can no longer discharge from the amount of charge stored in power supply 12 when it is fully charged, then the MCU 50 can set the charging stop SOC and the discharge non-SOC so that this dischargeable charge is equal to or greater than the required power for one or two sets. This makes it possible to consume at least one set of aerosol generation sources whether power supply 12 is new or deteriorated, thereby improving convenience. Furthermore, since power supply 12 never enters either a fully charged state or a discharge termination state, deterioration can be further suppressed.

[0096] (Third modified example of power supply charging stop control) The following details the charging stop control when the aerosol generation source is provided to the user as a set consisting of one first cartridge 20 and multiple (e.g., five) second cartridges 30. In this case, to empty the remaining charge of one new (unused) first cartridge 20, it is necessary to empty the remaining charge of five new (unused) second cartridges 30. The required power may be set based on the amount of power required to consume one new (unused) first cartridge 20, or it may be set based on the amount of power required to consume one new (unused) second cartridge 30.

[0097] If the required power is set based on the amount of power required to consume one new (unused) first cartridge 20, the power supply 12 will have enough power to consume one set. This suppresses the degradation of the power supply 12 while preventing excessive charging frequency.

[0098] If the required power is set based on the amount of power needed to consume one new (unused) second cartridge 30, the size, weight, and cost of the power supply 12 can be reduced.

[0099] In the above explanation, it was assumed that the MCU50 controls at least one of the charge-stop SOC and the discharge-non-SOC, but the control of the charge-stop SOC may be performed by the charging IC55.

[0100] This specification contains at least the following information. Note that the components etc. in parentheses indicate those corresponding to the embodiments described above, but are not limited thereto.

[0101] (1) A power supply (power supply 12) capable of discharging to a load (load 21) for generating aerosols from aerosol sources (aerosol source 22 and flavor source 31), A power supply unit (power supply unit 10) for an aerosol aspirator (aerosol aspirator 1) comprising: a control unit (MCU 50) that controls charging and discharging of the power supply so that the power supply does not enter either a fully charged state or a discharged state or both; and a control unit (MCU 50) that controls charging and discharging of the power supply.

[0102] According to (1), the power supply is controlled so that it does not enter either a fully charged state or a discharged state, or both, thus suppressing power supply degradation. In particular, by implementing such control in equipment that is frequently used and subject to charging and discharging, such as aerosol aspirators, power supply degradation can be suppressed and the lifespan of the equipment can be extended. At the same time, energy savings can be obtained.

[0103] (2) (1) A power supply unit for the aerosol aspirator described above, The amount of power that can be discharged is the remaining amount obtained by subtracting the amount of power stored in the power supply that makes it impossible to discharge from the amount of power stored in the power supply when the power supply has completed charging. The control unit controls the charging and discharging of the power supply such that the amount of dischargeable power is greater than or equal to the amount of power required to supply the load in order to empty the remaining unused aerosol generation source.

[0104] According to (2), when the power supply is fully charged, unused aerosol sources can be consumed by the aerosol aspirator. This prevents a situation where aerosols cannot be generated while there is still a remaining amount of aerosol source, thus preventing frequent charging of the power supply and suppressing power supply degradation. In other words, it is possible to achieve both suppression of power supply degradation and improvement of user convenience.

[0105] (3) (2) A power supply unit for the aerosol aspirator described above, The aerosol generating source includes a first unit (first cartridge 20) containing a medium to be atomized by the load, and a second unit (second cartridge 30) containing a flavor source for imparting flavor to the atomized medium. The control unit controls the charging and discharging of the power supply such that the dischargeable power is greater than or equal to the amount of power required to supply the load in order to empty the remaining capacity of one or more predetermined first units.

[0106] According to (3), when the power supply is fully charged, a predetermined number of first units can be consumed by the aerosol aspirator. For example, if one first unit enables the use of multiple second units, then many second units can be consumed with a single charge. This prevents frequent charging of the power supply and suppresses power supply degradation.

[0107] (4) (2) A power supply unit for the aerosol aspirator described above, The aerosol generating source includes a first unit (first cartridge 20) containing a medium to be atomized by the load, and a second unit (second cartridge 30) containing a flavor source for imparting flavor to the atomized medium. The control unit controls the charging and discharging of the power supply such that the dischargeable power is greater than or equal to the amount of power required to supply the load in order to empty the remaining capacity of one or more predetermined second units.

[0108] According to (4), when the power supply is fully charged, a predetermined number of second units can be consumed by the aerosol aspirator. For example, by configuring the power supply so that its dischargeable power is greater than or equal to the amount of power required to empty multiple second units, many second units can be consumed in a single charge. This prevents frequent charging of the power supply and suppresses power supply degradation. Furthermore, by configuring the power supply so that its dischargeable power is greater than, for example, the power required to empty one second unit, the power supply capacity can be reduced, enabling miniaturization, weight reduction, and cost reduction of the aerosol aspirator. Also, since the power required to consume one second unit can be less than the power required to consume one first unit, the power supply capacity can be reduced, enabling miniaturization, weight reduction, and cost reduction of the aerosol aspirator.

[0109] (3) or (4) A power supply unit for an aerosol aspirator, The aforementioned first unit, An aerosol aspirator comprising: a second unit whose remaining charge becomes depleted faster than the unused first unit when discharged to the load while not in use.

[0110] (6) (1) A power supply unit for the aerosol aspirator described above, The amount of power that can be discharged is the remaining amount obtained by subtracting the amount of power stored in the power supply that makes it impossible to discharge from the amount of power stored in the power supply when the power supply has completed charging. A power supply unit for an aerosol aspirator, wherein the control unit controls at least one of the charging and discharging of the power supply so that the amount of dischargeable power in a first state, where the power supply is fully charged and the numerical index (SOH) indicating the state of degradation of the power supply is below a threshold or the numerical index (SOH) indicating the state of health of the power supply is above a threshold, is equal to or greater than the amount of power that needs to be supplied to the load to empty the remaining unused aerosol generation source.

[0111] According to (5), when the power supply has not deteriorated, there is enough dischargeable power to supply more power to the load to empty unused aerosol sources. Therefore, even when the power supply deteriorates, it is possible to secure enough power to empty unused aerosol sources. Furthermore, by reducing the amount of dischargeable power in the above state, the capacity of the power supply can be reduced, making the aerosol aspirator smaller, lighter, and less expensive.

[0112] (7) (6) A power supply unit for an aerosol aspirator as described above, The first state is the power supply unit for the aerosol aspirator, which is the state of the power supply when it is new.

[0113] (8) A power supply unit for an aerosol aspirator as described in (1), (6), or (7), The amount of power that can be discharged is the remaining amount obtained by subtracting the amount of power stored in the power supply that makes it impossible to discharge from the amount of power stored in the power supply when the power supply has completed charging. A power supply unit for an aerosol aspirator, wherein the control unit controls charging and discharging of the power supply in a second state in which the power supply is fully charged and a numerical index (SOH) indicating the state of degradation of the power supply is above a threshold or a numerical index indicating the state of health of the power supply is below a threshold, such that the amount of dischargeable power is above the amount of power that needs to be supplied to the load to empty the remaining unused aerosol generation source.

[0114] According to (8), even if the power supply deteriorates and its full charge capacity decreases, a dischargeable power amount greater than the amount of power required to supply to the load in order to empty the unused aerosol generation source is secured, making it possible to consume the unused aerosol generation source to the very end. Furthermore, by reducing the dischargeable power amount in the above state, it is possible to reduce the capacity of the power supply, which makes it possible to miniaturize, lighten, and reduce the cost of the aerosol aspirator.

[0115] (9) (8) A power supply unit for an aerosol aspirator as described above, The second state is a power supply unit for an aerosol aspirator in which the control unit detects deterioration of the power supply or suppresses charging and discharging of the power supply.

[0116] (10) A power supply unit for an aerosol aspirator as described in any one of (1) to (9), The control unit is a power supply unit for an aerosol aspirator that charges the power supply so that it does not become at least fully charged.

[0117] According to (10), the time required to fully charge the power supply can be reduced.

[0118] (11) (10) A power supply unit for an aerosol aspirator, The control unit is a power supply unit for an aerosol aspirator that charges the power supply such that the upper limit of the State of Charge (SOC), which is the ratio of the amount of charge stored in the power supply to the full charge capacity of the power supply, is 95% or less.

[0119] According to (11), by increasing the power supply capacity so that it can supply more power to the load than is needed to empty the aerosol source when the SOC is at 95%, even if the power supply deteriorates and its capacity decreases, it is possible to secure the power needed to consume the aerosol source, thereby extending the lifespan of the aerosol aspirator.

[0120] (12) (11) A power supply unit for an aerosol aspirator as described above, The control unit is a power supply unit for an aerosol aspirator that charges the power supply such that the upper limit of the State of Charge (SOC), which is the ratio of the amount of charge stored in the power supply to the full charge capacity of the power supply, is 90% or less.

[0121] According to (12), by increasing the power supply capacity so that it can supply more power to the load than is needed to empty the aerosol source when the SOC is at 90%, even if the power supply deteriorates and its capacity decreases, it is possible to secure the power needed to consume the aerosol source, thereby extending the lifespan of the aerosol aspirator.

[0122] (13) A power control method for an aerosol aspirator having a power supply capable of discharging to a load for generating aerosols from an aerosol source, A power supply control method comprising a control step of controlling at least one of the charging and discharging of the power supply so that the power supply does not enter either a fully charged state or a discharge termination state, or both.

[0123] (14) A power control program for an aerosol aspirator having a power supply capable of discharging to a load for generating aerosols from an aerosol source, A power supply control program that causes a computer to perform a control step of controlling at least one of the charging and discharging of the power supply so that the power supply does not enter either a fully charged state or a discharge termination state, or both.

[0124] According to (13) and (14), the power supply is controlled so that it does not enter either a fully charged state or a discharged state, or both, thereby suppressing power supply degradation. In particular, by implementing such control in equipment that is frequently used and subject to charging and discharging, such as aerosol aspirators, power supply degradation can be suppressed and the lifespan of the equipment can be extended. At the same time, energy savings can be obtained.

[0125] According to (1), (13), and (14), the power supply is controlled so that it does not enter either a fully charged state or a discharged state, or both, thereby suppressing power supply degradation. In particular, by implementing such control in equipment that is frequently used and subject to charging and discharging, such as aerosol aspirators, power supply degradation can be suppressed and the lifespan of the equipment can be extended. Therefore, it has the energy-saving effect of being able to use the power supply for a long period of time without having to replace it with a new one. [Explanation of Symbols]

[0126] 1. Aerosol aspirator 10 Power supply units 12 Power supply 20 First Cartridge 21 load 22 Aerosol Sources 31 Flavor source 30 Second cartridge 50 MCU

Claims

[Claim 1] A power supply capable of discharging to a load for generating aerosols from an aerosol source, A power supply unit for an aerosol aspirator, comprising: a control unit that controls at least one of the charging and discharging of the power supply so that the power supply does not reach either a fully charged state or a discharged state, or both; The amount of power that can be discharged is the remaining amount obtained by subtracting the amount of power stored in the power supply that makes it impossible to discharge from the amount of power stored in the power supply when the power supply has completed charging. The control unit controls charging and discharging of the power supply in a first state in which the power supply is fully charged and a numerical index indicating the degradation state of the power supply is above a threshold or a numerical index indicating the healthy state of the power supply is below a threshold, such that the amount of dischargeable power is greater than or equal to the amount of power that needs to be supplied to the load to empty the remaining unused aerosol generation source.

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