Suction device

Abstract

An inhalation device (100B) comprises a body (30) which is a body portion, and a panel (10) attachable to and removable from the body (30). The panel (10) comprises a sensor. The sensor comprises a light-emitting element which irradiates a user's body with light, and a light-receiving element which receives light that has passed through the user's body. The sensor outputs information relating to the light received by the light-receiving unit. The body (30) comprises a control unit that controls the operation of the inhalation device (100B) on the basis of an output from the sensor.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present invention relates to a suction device including a main body portion and a panel detachable from the main body portion.

Background Art

[0002] Conventionally, for example, a suction device that enables suction of an aerosol containing a fragrance component is known. Further, Patent Document 1 below discloses a technique in which a controller provides health data to a user based on biological characteristics of the user detected by a biosensor provided in a main cigarette holder of an aerosol generator.

Prior Art Documents

Patent Documents

[0003]

Patent Document 1

Summary of the Invention

Problems to be Solved by the Invention

[0004] However, in the prior art, there is room for improvement from the viewpoint of improving the convenience of the user in the suction device.

[0005] The present invention provides a suction device with further improved user convenience.

Means for Solving the Problems

[0006] The present invention is a suction device including a main body portion and a panel detachable from the main body portion, wherein the panel includes a sensor and a storage unit that stores information regarding the panel and the sensor includes a light-emitting element that irradiates light onto a user's body and a light-receiving element that receives the light through the body, and outputs information regarding the light received by the light-receiving element. The main body includes a control unit that controls the operation of the suction device based on the output of the sensor. It is a suction device.

Advantages of the Invention

[0007] According to the present invention, it is possible to provide a suction device that further improves the convenience for the user.

Brief Description of the Drawings

[0008]

Figure 1A

Figure 1B

Figure 2

Figure 3

Figure 4A

Figure 4B

Figure 5A

Figure 5B

Figure 6

Figure 7

Figure 8

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Figure 10

Figure 11

Figure 12

[0009] Hereinafter, with reference to the drawings, a suction device according to an embodiment of the present invention will be described. In the following, the same or similar elements may be denoted by the same or similar reference numerals, and the description thereof may be omitted or simplified as appropriate. In the following description, the suction device is a device that generates a substance to be suctioned by a user, and includes, but is not limited to, an electronic cigarette and a nebulizer.

[0010] <<1. Configuration Example of Suction Device>> First, with reference to FIGS. 1A and 1B, a suction device 100 (100A, 100B) according to an embodiment will be described. Hereinafter, it will be described on the assumption that the substance generated by the suction device 100 is an aerosol and the suction component source to be heated is an aerosol source, but the present invention is not limited thereto.

[0011] (1.1) First Configuration Example of Suction Device Figure 1A is a schematic diagram schematically showing a first configuration example of a suction device. As shown in Figure 1A, the suction device 100A according to this configuration example includes a power supply unit 110A, a cartridge 120, and a fragrance-imparting cartridge 130. The power supply unit 110A can be referred to as the main body of the suction device 100A and includes a power supply unit 111A, a sensor unit 112A, a notification unit 113A, a storage unit 114A, a communication unit 115A, a power supply unit 119A, and a control unit 116A. The cartridge 120 includes a heating unit 121A, a liquid guiding unit 122, and a liquid storage unit 123. The fragrance-imparting cartridge 130 includes a fragrance source 131 and a mouthpiece 124. An air flow path 180 is formed in the cartridge 120 and the fragrance-imparting cartridge 130. Note that the cartridge 120 is detachable from the power supply unit 110A, and the fragrance-imparting cartridge 130 is detachable from the cartridge 120. In other words, the cartridge 120 and the fragrance-imparting cartridge 130 are each replaceable.

[0012] The power supply unit 111A accumulates electric power. Then, based on the control by the control unit 116A, the power supply unit 111A supplies electric power to each component of the suction device 100A. The power supply unit 111A can be configured by a rechargeable battery such as a lithium-ion secondary battery, for example.

[0013] The sensor unit 112A acquires various information regarding the suction device 100A. As an example, the sensor unit 112A is configured by a pressure sensor such as a microphone condenser, a flow rate sensor, a temperature sensor, etc., and acquires values associated with suction by the user. As another example, the sensor unit 112A is configured by an input device such as a button or a switch that receives input of information from the user.

[0014] The notification unit 113A notifies the user of various information. The notification unit 113A is configured by, for example, a light-emitting device (e.g., LED) that emits light, a display device that displays an image, a sound output device that outputs sound, or a vibration device that vibrates.

[0015] The storage unit 114A stores various types of information (such as data and programs) for operating the suction device 100A. The storage unit 114A is constituted by a non-volatile storage medium such as a flash memory, for example. As an example, the storage unit 114A stores the heating profiles of the heating unit 121A (such as the first heating profile Pr1 and the second heating profile Pr2 described later). Here, the heating profile is information that defines the time-series transition of the target temperature of the heating unit 121A when heating the heating unit 121A. Further, data received by the power supply unit 110A from the panel 10 described later may be stored in the storage unit 114A.

[0016] The communication unit 115A is a communication interface capable of performing communication compliant with any wired or wireless communication standard. As such a communication standard, in the case of wireless communication, for example, Wi-Fi (registered trademark), Bluetooth (registered trademark), or near-field communication (NFC: Near Field Communication) etc. may be adopted. In the case of wired communication, it can be connected by, for example, an external connection terminal such as USB (Universal Serial Bus) and a data communication cable etc. Through the communication unit 115A, input and output of data related to the operation of the suction device 100A can be performed between the power supply unit 110A and an external device.

[0017] An example of the external device that is the communication destination of the communication unit 115A (that is, the power supply unit 110A) is the panel 10 described later. The communication unit 115A communicates with the panel 10 by, for example, near-field communication. Thereby, communication between the power supply unit 110A and the panel 10 can be realized with a simple configuration. In this case, the communication unit 115A may be configured to include, for example, an NFC reader / writer module and an NFC antenna etc.

[0018] In addition, the communication unit 115A may communicate with a user's terminal device (e.g., a smartphone) or a predetermined server device (e.g., a server device managed by the manufacturer of the suction device 100A). Further, the communication unit 115 may communicate using different communication standards according to the communication destination. For example, it may communicate with the panel 10 by short-range wireless communication and communicate with the user's terminal device by Bluetooth (registered trademark). In this way, communication can be performed with each communication destination using an appropriate communication standard, and communication with each communication destination can be efficiently performed.

[0019] The power supply unit 119A supplies the power of the power supply unit 111A to an external device of the power supply unit 110A based on the control by the control unit 116A. An example of the external device to which the power supply by the power supply unit 119A is performed is the panel 10 described later. The power supply unit 119A supplies power to the panel 10 by, for example, non-contact power transmission. An example of non-contact power transmission is power transmission by short-range wireless communication. This enables power supply from the power supply unit 110A to the panel 10 with a simple configuration.

[0020] Also, as described above, by configuring the communication unit 115A to communicate with the panel 10 by short-range wireless communication and the power supply unit 119A to supply power to the panel 10 by power transmission by short-range wireless communication, communication and power transmission between the power supply unit 110A and the panel 10 can be efficiently realized. Thereby, the configurations of the power supply unit 110A and the panel 10 can be simplified compared to the case where communication and power transmission between the power supply unit 110A and the panel 10 are each performed using different mechanisms. More specifically, in this case, the power supply unit 119A can be realized by the same NFC reader / writer module and NFC antenna as the communication unit 115A described above.

[0021] Note that the power supply unit 119A is not limited to power transmission by short-range wireless communication, and may supply power to the panel 10 by other non-contact power transmission methods. As other non-contact power transmission methods, various non-radiative non-contact power transmissions such as electromagnetic induction method, magnetic field resonance method, or electric field coupling method, or various radiative non-contact power transmissions such as radio wave method or laser method can be adopted. As a specific example of non-contact power transmission by the electromagnetic induction method, Qi (registered trademark) can be mentioned.

[0022] Alternatively, the power supply unit 110A and the panel 10 may be connected via a physical power supply interface, and the power supply unit 119A may supply power to the panel 10 via this power supply interface. Examples of the physical power supply interface include pogo pins, leaf springs, various connectors, cables, and the like. Further, the power supply unit 119A may be configured to be able to supply the power of the power supply unit 111A to external devices other than the panel 10 (for example, a user's terminal device). In this way, the power supply unit 110A can be utilized as a so-called "mobile battery", improving the convenience for the user.

[0023] The control unit 116A functions as an arithmetic processing device and a control device, and controls the overall operation in the suction device 100A according to various programs. The control unit 116A is realized by an electronic circuit including, for example, a CPU (Central Processing Unit) or a microprocessor. Specific control examples by the control unit 116A will be described later.

[0024] The liquid storage unit 123 stores an aerosol source. When the aerosol source is atomized and / or vaporized (hereinafter, also simply referred to as "atomized"), an aerosol is generated. The aerosol source is, for example, a polyhydric alcohol such as glycerin and propylene glycol, and a liquid such as water. The aerosol source may contain a flavor component derived from tobacco or non-tobacco. When the suction device 100A is a medical inhaler such as a nebulizer, the aerosol source may contain a drug.

[0025] The liquid guiding part 122 guides and holds an aerosol source, which is a liquid stored in the liquid storage part 123, from the liquid storage part 123. The liquid guiding part 122 is, for example, a wick formed by twisting a fiber material such as glass fiber or a porous material such as porous ceramic. When the liquid guiding part 122 is a wick, the aerosol source stored in the liquid storage part 123 is guided by the capillary action of the wick.

[0026] The heating part 121A atomizes the aerosol source by heating it to generate an aerosol. In the example shown in FIG. 1A, the heating part 121A is configured as a coil and wound around the liquid guiding part 122. When the heating part 121A generates heat, the aerosol source held by the liquid guiding part 122 is heated and atomized to generate an aerosol. The heating part 121A generates heat when powered by the power supply part 111A.

[0027] As an example, when it is detected by the sensor part 112A that the user has started suction, received a predetermined user input operation, and / or input a predetermined piece of information, power supply to the heating part 121A may be performed. And when it is detected by the sensor part 112A that the user has ended suction, received a predetermined user input operation, and / or input a predetermined piece of information, the supply of power to the heating part 121A may be stopped.

[0028] Also, the control part 116A may, for example, set the operation mode of the suction device 100A to the suction mode and make it possible to supply power to the heating part 121A as the power of the suction device 100A is turned on in response to a predetermined user input operation. That is, the control part 116A may allow power supply to the heating part 121A only when the operation mode of the suction device 100A is the suction mode. In this case, the aerosol generated by heating the aerosol source is delivered to the user only when the operation mode of the suction device 100A is the suction mode.

[0029] The fragrance source 131 is a component for imparting a fragrance component to the aerosol. The fragrance source 131 may contain a fragrance component derived from tobacco or non-tobacco.

[0030] The air flow path 180 is a flow path for air inhaled by the user. The air flow path 180 has a tubular structure with both ends being an air inlet hole 181 which is an inlet of air into the air flow path 180 and an air outlet hole 182 which is an outlet of air from the air flow path 180. In the middle of the air flow path 180, a liquid guiding part 122 is arranged on the upstream side (the side close to the air inlet hole 181), and a fragrance source 131 is arranged on the downstream side (the side close to the air outlet hole 182). The air flowing in from the air inlet hole 181 due to the user's inhalation is mixed with the aerosol generated by the heating part 121A and is transported through the fragrance source 131 to the air outlet hole 182 as shown by the arrow 190A. When the mixed fluid of the aerosol and air passes through the fragrance source 131, the fragrance component contained in the fragrance source 131 is imparted to the aerosol.

[0031] The mouthpiece 124 is a member that the user holds in the mouth during inhalation. The air outlet hole 182 is arranged in the mouthpiece 124. The user can take in the mixed fluid of the aerosol and air into the oral cavity by holding the mouthpiece 124 and inhaling.

[0032] The configuration example of the suction device 100A has been described above. Of course, the configuration of the suction device 100A is not limited to the above, and it can take various configurations exemplified below.

[0033] As an example, the suction device 100A may not include the fragrance-imparting cartridge 130. In that case, the mouthpiece 124 is provided on the cartridge 120.

[0034] As another example, the suction device 100A may include a plurality of types of aerosol sources. A plurality of types of aerosols generated from the plurality of types of aerosol sources may be mixed in the air flow path 180 to cause a chemical reaction, and thus another type of aerosol may be generated.

[0035] In addition, the means for atomizing the aerosol source is not limited to heating by the heating unit 121A. For example, the means for atomizing the aerosol source may be vibration atomization or induction heating.

[0036] (1.2) Second Configuration Example of the Suction Device FIG. 1B is a schematic diagram schematically showing a second configuration example of the suction device. In the suction device 100B, for example, a stick-shaped base material 150 having a fragrance generating base material such as a filler containing an aerosol source and a fragrance source, which are suction component sources, is inserted. In this configuration example, the aerosol source is not limited to a liquid and may be a solid. The inserted stick-shaped base material 150 generates an aerosol containing a fragrance component by being heated from its outer periphery.

[0037] As shown in FIG. 1B, the suction device 100B according to this configuration example includes a power supply unit 110B. The power supply unit 110B can be referred to as the main body of the suction device 100B and includes a power supply unit 111B, a sensor unit 112B, a notification unit 113B, a storage unit 114B, a communication unit 115B, a power supply unit 119B, a control unit 116B, a heating unit 121B, a holding unit 140, and a heat insulation unit 144.

[0038] Each of the power supply unit 111B, the sensor unit 112B, the notification unit 113B, the storage unit 114B, the communication unit 115B, the power supply unit 119B, and the control unit 116B is substantially the same as the corresponding component included in the suction device 100A according to the first configuration example.

[0039] The holding unit 140 has an internal space 141 and holds the stick-shaped base material 150 while accommodating a part of the stick-shaped base material 150 in the internal space 141. The holding unit 140 has an opening 142 that communicates the internal space 141 to the outside and holds the stick-shaped base material 150 inserted into the internal space 141 from the opening 142. For example, the holding unit 140 is a cylindrical body having the opening 142 and the bottom 143 as the bottom surface and defines a columnar internal space 141. In this specification, the direction in which the stick-shaped base material 150 is inserted into the base material portion 151 is defined as the longitudinal direction of the suction device 100B.

[0040] The holding part 140 includes a shutter (not shown) that opens and closes the opening 142. More specifically, the shutter has a slide mechanism and is movable along the surface of the outer shell between a first position where the opening 142 is closed and a second position where the opening 142 is opened. The stick-shaped base material 150 is inserted into the base material part 151 through the opening 142 in a state where the opening 142 is opened and is received in the internal space 141. Note that the opening and closing of the opening 142 can be detected by the sensor part 112B by providing a sensor (not shown) in the vicinity of the first position and / or the second position. For example, a magnet is arranged on the shutter, and the opening and closing of the opening 142 are detected by a magnetic sensor.

[0041] In addition, the communication part 113B may activate the communication function upon the opening 142 of the shutter being opened and start communication with an external device (for example, the panel 10). Also, upon the opening 142 of the shutter being closed, the communication with the external device during communication may be terminated. In this way, communication with an external device (for example, the panel 10) can be performed during the suction period in which the user sucks the aerosol.

[0042] In the holding part 140, a pressing part and a non-pressing part (both not shown) are formed along the longitudinal direction on the inner wall of the internal space 141. When the internal space 141 receives the stick-shaped base material 150, the pressing part presses the stick-shaped base material 150 in a direction perpendicular to the longitudinal direction. Then, the stick-shaped base material 150 is pressed by the pressing part and deformed while being clamped by the holding part 140. As a result, the stick-shaped base material 150 is heated from the outer periphery by the heating part 121B while being pressed.

[0043] On the other hand, a gap (not shown) is formed between the non-pressing part and the stick-shaped base material 150. Thereby, the opening 142 and the bottom 143 are communicated through the gap.

[0044] The holding part 140 also has a function of defining a flow path for the air supplied to the stick-shaped base material 150. The air inlet hole 191, which is the inlet of the air into such a flow path, is the opening 142. More precisely, the air inlet hole 191 is a gap between the non-pressing part and the stick-shaped base material 150. The air flowing in from the air inlet hole 191 due to the user's suction is transported through the stick-shaped base material 150 along the arrow 190B shown by the dotted line to the air outlet hole 192, which is the outlet of the air from the flow path.

[0045] The stick-shaped base material 150 includes a base material part 151 and a suction port part 152. The base material part 151 includes an aerosol source. In a state where the stick-shaped base material 150 is held by the holding part 140, at least a part of the base material part 151 is accommodated in the internal space 141, and at least a part of the suction port part 152 protrudes from the opening 142. When the user holds and sucks the suction port part 152 protruding from the opening 142, air flows into the internal space 141 from the air inlet hole 191 and is transported along the arrow 190B shown by the dotted line to the air outlet hole 192 of the suction port part 152 through the bottom 143 and reaches the user's oral cavity together with the aerosol generated from the base material part 151.

[0046] The heating part 121B has the same configuration as the heating part 121A according to the first configuration example. However, in the example shown in FIG. 1B, the heating part 121B is configured in a film shape and is arranged to cover the outer periphery of the holding part 140. When the heating part 121B generates heat, the base material part 151 of the stick-shaped base material 150 is heated from the outer periphery, and an aerosol is generated.

[0047] The heat insulation part 144 prevents heat transfer from the heating part 121B to other components. For example, the heat insulation part 144 is composed of a vacuum heat insulation material, an aerogel heat insulation material, or the like.

[0048] The configuration example of the suction device 100B has been described above. Of course, the configuration of the suction device 100B is not limited to the above, and it can take various configurations exemplified below.

[0049] As an example, the heating unit 121B may be configured in a blade shape and arranged to protrude from the bottom 143 of the holding unit 140 into the internal space 141. In that case, the blade-shaped heating unit 121B is inserted into the base material portion 151 of the stick-shaped base material 150, and heats the base material portion 151 of the stick-shaped base material 150 from the inside. As another example, the heating unit 121B may be arranged to cover the bottom 143 of the holding unit 140. Further, the heating unit 121B may be configured as a combination of two or more of a first heating unit that covers the outer periphery of the holding unit 140, a blade-shaped second heating unit, and a third heating unit that covers the bottom 143 of the holding unit 140.

[0050] Also, the means for atomizing the aerosol source is not limited to heating by the heating unit 121B. For example, the means for atomizing the aerosol source may be induction heating.

[0051] Further, the suction device 100B may further include the heating unit 121A, the liquid guiding unit 122, the liquid storage unit 123, and the air flow path 180 according to the first configuration example, and the air outflow hole 182 of the air flow path 180 may also serve as an air inflow hole into 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 is further mixed with the aerosol generated by the heating unit 121B, and reaches the user's oral cavity.

[0052] <<2. One Configuration Example of the Panel>> Next, with reference to FIG. 2, a configuration example of the panel 10 included in the suction device 100 (100A, 100B) according to an embodiment will be described. Here, the panel 10 is mainly composed of a member that forms at least a part of the outermost housing of the suction device 100. Further, the panel 10 is configured to be detachable from the power supply unit 110 (110A, 110B) which is the main body of the suction device 100. In other words, the panel 10 is replaceable.

[0053] By making the panel 10 replaceable, the user can easily replace the sensor unit 12 (described later) provided on the panel 10 by replacing the panel 10. Thereby, for example, even if the sensor unit 12 malfunctions, the user can replace it with a new panel 10 by himself / herself and reuse the functions of the suction device 100 realized by the sensor unit 12. Therefore, even if the sensor unit 12 malfunctions, the user does not need to send the suction device 100 to its manufacturer or the like for repair, which improves the convenience for the user.

[0054] Also, by making the panel 10 replaceable, it becomes possible to change the appearance of the suction device 100 or change the functions of the suction device 100 realized by using the panel 10 (for example, the sensor unit 12) through the replacement of the panel 10. Therefore, the user can customize the appearance and functions of the suction device 100 according to his / her preferences, etc. Thereby, the marketability of the suction device 100 can be improved.

[0055] FIG. 2 is a schematic diagram schematically showing a configuration example of the panel. As shown in FIG. 2, the panel 10 includes a power supply unit 11, a sensor unit 12, a storage unit 13, a communication unit 14, and a control unit 15.

[0056] Based on the control by the control unit 15, the power supply unit 11 supplies power to each component of the panel 10. The power supply unit 11 includes, for example, a power receiving unit 11a. The power receiving unit 11a receives the power supplied from the power supply unit 110 to the panel 10 (in other words, the power supplied to the panel 10 by the power feeding units 119A and 119B). Then, the power supply unit 11 supplies the power received by the power receiving unit 11a to each component of the panel 10. Thereby, it becomes possible to operate each component of the panel 10 including the sensor unit 12 with the power supplied from the power supply unit 110 to the panel 10.

[0057] As described above, the power supply unit 110 (power feeding units 119A and 119B) can supply power to the panel 10 by non-contact power transmission such as short-range wireless communication. When the power supply unit 110 supplies power to the panel 10 by short-range wireless communication, the power receiving unit 11a can be configured to include, for example, an NFC reader / writer module and an NFC antenna.

[0058] Further, the power supply unit 11 may further include, for example, a battery 11b that stores power, and may be configured to be able to supply the power of the battery 11b to each component of the panel 10. The battery 11b is configured by a rechargeable battery such as a lithium-ion secondary battery, for example. Also, the battery 11b may be charged by the power supplied from the power supply unit 110 to the panel 10. By providing the battery 11b in the panel 10 in this way, even if the power supply from the power supply unit 110 to the panel 10 becomes unstable due to some factor, stable power can be supplied from the battery 11b to each component of the panel 10, so that the stability of these operations can be achieved.

[0059] Also, when power is supplied from the power supply unit 110 to the panel 10 by non-contact power transmission such as short-range wireless communication, the upper limit value of the power that can be supplied to the panel 10 per unit time may be somewhat small. And due to this, the components (for example, the sensors of the sensor unit 12) that can be mounted on the panel 10 may be limited to those with low power consumption. In that regard, if the battery 11b is provided in the panel 10, it becomes possible to provide a component on the panel 10 that has a higher power consumption than the power that can be supplied from the power supply unit 110 to the panel 10 in real time, and the degree of freedom of the components that can be mounted on the panel 10 can be improved.

[0060] Note that the battery 11b is preferably a rechargeable battery formed in a film shape. By making the battery 11b such a thin type, it becomes possible to provide the battery 11b in the panel 10 while suppressing an increase in the thickness of the panel 10 (that is, an increase in the size of the suction device 100).

[0061] The sensor unit 12 is a sensor that acquires information about the user. More specifically, the sensor unit 12 includes a light-emitting element 12a that irradiates light onto the user's body, and a light-receiving element 12b that receives the light irradiated by the light-emitting element 12a through the user's body, and includes a photosensor that outputs information about the light received by the light-receiving element 12b. The light-emitting element 12a is a light source and is realized by, for example, an LED or the like. Also, the light-receiving element 12b is realized by, for example, a photodiode or the like.

[0062] The light received by the light-receiving element 12b is, for example, reflected light from the human body. This reflected light includes light that has scattered and reflected within the human body (i.e., scattered light). Also, the light received by the light-receiving element 12b may be transmitted light that has passed through the human body.

[0063] The output of the sensor unit 12 including information about the light received by the light-receiving element 12b is, for example, sent to the control unit 15 and then sent from the control unit 15 to the control unit 116 of the power supply unit 110 via the communication unit 14, and is used for the control of the suction device 100 by the control unit 116 (described later). Also, here, the information about the light received by the light-receiving element 12b can be, for example, information indicating the intensity, wavelength, etc. of the light received by the light-receiving element 12b.

[0064] In addition to the above-mentioned optical sensor, the sensor unit 12 may include other sensors. For example, the sensor unit 12 may include a biosensor that acquires predetermined biological information such as the user's body temperature, pulse rate, or sweating amount. Further, the sensor unit 12 may include a pressure sensor capable of detecting the external air pressure (e.g., atmospheric pressure) of the suction device 100, a temperature sensor capable of detecting the external air temperature (e.g., room temperature) of the suction device 100, an acceleration sensor capable of detecting the acceleration generated in the suction device 100, or a pressure sensor capable of detecting the pressure externally applied to the suction device 100. As another example, the sensor unit 12 may include a touch sensor capable of detecting the user's contact with the suction device 100, a distance sensor capable of detecting the distance between the suction device 100 and an object, a color sensor capable of detecting the color of the object, a proximity sensor capable of detecting the proximity of the object to the suction device 100, an azimuth sensor capable of detecting north as an azimuth, or a biometric authentication sensor capable of recognizing the user's fingerprint, iris, etc.

[0065] Also, as described above, when the battery 11b is provided in the panel 10, the sensor unit 12 may further include a battery sensor that detects the output voltage and input / output current of the battery 11b. Based on the detection results of such a battery sensor, by controlling the charging of the battery 11b, it becomes possible to appropriately charge the battery 11b.

[0066] Further, for example, the types of sensors included in the sensor unit 12 may be different for each type of panel 10. And functions corresponding to the sensors included in the sensor unit 12 of the panel 10 mounted on the power supply unit 110 may be provided to the user. In this way, the user can change the functions provided by the suction device 100 through the replacement of the panel 10, and can customize the suction device 100 so that functions suitable for their preferences are provided. Thereby, the convenience and marketability of the suction device 100 are improved.

[0067] The storage unit 13 stores various information regarding the panel 10. The storage unit 13 is constituted by a non-volatile storage medium such as a flash memory, for example. As an example, information received by the control unit 15 from the sensor unit 12 can be stored in the storage unit 13.

[0068] The communication unit 14 is a communication interface that performs communication with the power supply unit 110 (communication unit 115A or communication unit 115B) based on the control by the control unit 15. The communication unit 14 communicates with the power supply unit 110 by, for example, short-range wireless communication. As described above, power is supplied from the power supply unit 110 to the panel 10 by short-range wireless communication, and the communication unit 14 communicates with the power supply unit 110 by short-range wireless communication, so that communication and power transmission between the power supply unit 110 and the panel 10 can be efficiently realized, and the configurations of the power supply unit 110 and the panel 10 can be simplified. Note that when power is supplied from the power supply unit 110 to the panel 10 by short-range wireless communication and the communication unit 14 communicates with the power supply unit 110 by short-range wireless communication, the communication unit 14 can be realized by the same NFC reader / writer module and NFC antenna as the power receiving unit 11a.

[0069] Note that the communication unit 14 is not limited to short-range wireless communication, and may communicate with the power supply unit 110 by, for example, Wi-Fi (registered trademark) or Bluetooth (registered trademark). Also, as described above, when the power supply unit 110 and the panel 10 are connected via a physical power supply interface, the communication unit 14 may communicate with the power supply unit 110 via this power supply interface.

[0070] The control unit 15 functions as an arithmetic processing device and a control device, and controls the overall operation within the panel 10 according to various programs. The control unit 15 is realized by an electronic circuit such as a CPU (Central Processing Unit) or a microprocessor, for example.

[0071] <<3. Example of the external configuration of the suction device>> Next, with reference to FIGS. 3, 4A, and 4B, a specific external appearance configuration example of the suction device 100 according to an embodiment will be described. In the following description of the external appearance configuration example, the suction device 100 will be described as being the suction device 100B shown in FIG. 1B, but it is not limited thereto, and the same applies when the suction device 100 is the suction device 100A shown in FIG. 1A.

[0072] FIG. 3 is an overall perspective view of the suction device 100B. The suction device 100B includes a panel 10, a main body housing 20 detachably attached to the panel 10, and a shutter 50. The panel 10 and the main body housing 20 are configured as separate members. The panel 10 includes a display unit 18 and an operation unit 19 formed of a transparent material on its surface (outer surface).

[0073] Further, the operation unit 19 is configured to form a recess, for example, toward the main body housing 20. Thereby, the position of the operation unit 19 can be guided to the user. Further, for example, a predetermined mark (guide mark) may be printed on the surface of the panel 10 to guide the position of the operation unit 19 to the user.

[0074] The main body housing 20 houses the main body 30 of the suction device 100B. Each component of the suction device 100B shown in FIG. 1B is stored in the main body 30. The main body housing 20 and the main body 30 can constitute the power supply unit 110B described above.

[0075] By attaching the panel 10 to the main body housing 20, the outermost housing 40 of the suction device 100B is constituted. For example, by attaching a panel 10 with a design that suits the user's preference, the fashionability of the suction device 100B can be improved. Further, since the suction device 100B includes the panel 10, even if the main body 30 generates heat, the heat released to the outside can be buffered. That is, the panel 10 functions to insulate the heat generated from the heating unit 121B. Furthermore, the panel 10 is formed such that its surface is substantially a curved surface. When attached to the main body housing 20, the panel 10 defines an internal space together with the surface of the main body housing 20.

[0076] The housing 40 is preferably sized to fit in the user's hand. The user holds the suction device 100B with one hand while bringing the fingertips into contact with the surface of the panel 10. Further, when the user pushes in the operation unit 19 with a fingertip, the panel 10 deforms so that the operation unit 19 further recesses toward the main body housing 20. As a result of such deformation of the panel 10, the bottom of the operation unit 19 comes into contact with an operation button provided on the surface of the main body housing 20, and the operation button is pressed (described later).

[0077] In addition, in FIG. 3, the shutter 50 is shown as closing the opening 142. When the user hooks a finger and slides the shutter 50 along the side surface, the opening 142 is opened. As a result of the opening 142 being opened, the user can insert the stick-shaped base material 150. Then, after the user inserts the stick-shaped base material 150, the user can turn on the power of the suction device 100B by pushing in the above-described operation unit 19 with a finger to press the operation button.

[0078] (3.1) Example of the external appearance configuration of the panel FIG. 4A is an external view of the inner surface of the panel 10. Further, FIG. 4B is an external view of the outer surface of the main body housing 20. In a state where the panel 10 is attached to the main body housing 20, the inner surface of the panel 10 shown in FIG. 4A and the outer surface of the main body housing 20 shown in FIG. 4B face each other.

[0079] As shown in FIG. 4A, on the inner surface of the panel 10, a magnet 16a, a magnet 16b, and a protrusion 17 are provided. The magnets 16a and 16b adsorb the panel 10 to the main body housing 20 by magnetic force (magnetic attraction). Thereby, the panel 10 is held by the main body housing 20.

[0080] The protrusion 17 is a portion corresponding to the operation unit 19 described above on the inner surface of the panel 10. That is, the upper surface portion 17a of the protrusion 17 corresponds to the bottom of the operation unit 19 described above. For example, when the sensor unit 12 is a reflection type optical sensor, the light emitting element 12a of the sensor unit 12 is provided on the upper surface portion 17a with the light emitting portion facing the outer surface of the panel 10. Further, the light receiving element 12b of the sensor unit 12 is provided on the upper surface portion 17a with the light receiving portion facing the outer surface of the panel 10.

[0081] In addition, a panel circuit unit (not shown) is provided on the inner surface of the panel 10. The panel circuit unit is composed of, for example, an electronic circuit provided with various electronic components for realizing the power supply unit 11, the sensor unit 12, the storage unit 13, the communication unit 14, and the control unit 15 described above. Further, the panel circuit unit is connected to the sensor unit 12 (the light emitting element 12a and the light receiving element 12b) by, for example, an FPC (Flexible Printed Circuits) (not shown).

[0082] (3.2) Example of the external configuration of the main body housing 20 As shown in FIG. 4B, on the outer surface of the main body housing 20, a magnet 21a, a magnet 21b, an operation button 22, and a display window 23 are provided. The magnet 21a, the magnet 21b, and the operation button 22 of the main body housing 20 respectively correspond to the magnet 16a, the magnet 16b, and the protrusion 17 of the panel 10. That is, when the panel 10 is attached to the main body housing 20, they are aligned with each other and face each other.

[0083] Magnets 21a and 21b are attracted to magnets 16a and 16b of panel 10 respectively by magnetic force (magnetic attraction). That is, the panel 10 is attached to the main body housing 20 by the mutual attraction between magnets 16a and 21a and between magnets 16b and 21b. Note that magnets 16a and 16b of panel 10 and magnets 21a and 21b of the main body housing 20 are preferably constituted by permanent magnets.

[0084] The operation button 22 is provided on the surface to which the panel 10 is attached. That is, the operation button 22 is covered by the panel 10 when the panel 10 is attached to the main body housing 20. The display window 23 is an opening aligned with one or more LEDs arranged in the main body 30, and allows the light from the LEDs to pass through to the display portion 18 of the panel 10. Thereby, the user can visually recognize the light from the outer surface of the panel 10. Note that the LEDs are configured as the notification unit 113B and perform predetermined notifications. For example, the LEDs notify the operation information of the suction device 100B in a predetermined light emission mode. Specifically, the LEDs emit light to present to the user the state of whether the suction device 100B is powered on, the progress of preheating, the suction status (remaining time until suction is possible, etc.), and which operation mode the suction device 100B is currently in (e.g., suction mode, etc.). Further, as will be described later, when the heating of the aerosol source by the heating unit 121 is restricted, the LEDs may light up or blink in a predetermined light emission mode to notify the user that the heating of the aerosol source by the heating unit 121 is restricted.

[0085] Further, electronic components (not shown) for realizing the power supply unit 119 described above may be provided on the outer surface of the main body housing 20. Alternatively, electronic components (for example, an NFC antenna) for realizing the power supply unit 119 may be provided inside the main body housing 20, and a power supply area for performing non-contact power transmission to the panel 10 may be formed by these electronic components. Further, this power supply area may also serve as a communication area where communication by the communication unit 115 is possible. Furthermore, a sensor or the like for detecting the attachment of the panel 10 to the main body housing 20 may be provided on the outer surface of the main body housing 20.

[0086] According to the suction device 100B configured as described above, as shown in FIG. 5A, when the user turns on the power of the suction device 100, the user deforms the panel 10 so as to be recessed toward the main body housing 20 by pushing the operation unit 19 with the fingertip f and presses the operation button 22 (see the white arrow of reference numeral 500 in FIG. 5A). When the operation button 22 is thus pressed, the control unit 116B of the power supply unit 110B notifies the control unit 15 of the panel 10 that the operation button 22 has been pressed, for example, via the communication unit 115B.

[0087] Then, the control unit 15 of the panel 10 activates the sensor unit 12 in response to the pressing of the operation button 22. As a result, the light emitting element 12a of the sensor unit 12 irradiates light toward the fingertip f as shown by the arrow 501. Then, the light receiving element 12b of the sensor unit 12 receives the reflected light (including scattered light) of the light irradiated from the light emitting element 12a by the fingertip f as shown by the arrow 502.

[0088] By providing the light emitting element 12a and the light receiving element 12b at positions corresponding to the operation unit 19 in this way, the user can simultaneously perform an operation of turning on the power of the suction device 100B (in other words, an operation for starting the generation of aerosol) and an operation for causing the sensor unit 12 to acquire information about the user. As a result, compared with the case where these operations are performed separately, the number of user operations can be reduced, and the convenience for the user can be improved.

[0089] In the above-described example, the example in which the light-emitting element 12a and the light-receiving element 12b are provided on the upper surface portion 17a of the protrusion 17 corresponding to the bottom portion of the operation unit 19 has been described, but the present invention is not limited thereto. For example, when the sensor unit 12 is a transmissive optical sensor, as shown in FIG. 5B, the light-emitting element 12a and the light-receiving element 12b may be provided on the wall portions 17b and 17c on both sides of the protrusion 17 so as to face each other. In such a case, the light-emitting element 12a of the sensor unit 12 irradiates light to the fingertip f as indicated by the arrow 511 in response to the pressing of the operation button 22. Then, the light-receiving element 12b of the sensor unit 12 receives the light transmitted through the fingertip f (i.e., transmitted light).

[0090] <<4. Operation Example of Suction Device>> Next, an operation example of the suction device 100 (100A, 100B) according to an embodiment will be described. The suction device 100 (100A, 100B) operates based on control by the control unit 116 (116A, 116B). The control unit 116 controls the operation of the suction device 100 based on the output of the sensor unit 12, which is an optical sensor that acquires information about the user. Thereby, it becomes possible to appropriately operate the suction device 100 according to the state of the user.

[0091] For example, the quality of the suction experience (smoking experience) that a user can feel by using the suction device 100 can be affected by the user's own physical condition. For this reason, even if the aerosol source and the flavor source are the same as usual (in other words, even if they match the user's preference), if the user's physical condition is poor, the user may not be able to obtain a high-quality suction experience. Thus, it is not preferable that the suction device 100 generates aerosol even though the user is in a state where a high-quality suction experience cannot be obtained, as this leads to waste of the aerosol source and the flavor source.

[0092] Incidentally, human blood contains multiple types of hemoglobin, such as carboxyhemoglobin and methemoglobin. The amount of each hemoglobin contained in the user's blood per unit quantity (hereinafter, also simply referred to as "content") varies depending on the user's physical condition. For example, when the content of a predetermined hemoglobin (hereinafter also referred to as "first hemoglobin", for example, carboxyhemoglobin) is equal to or greater than a predetermined value, it is highly likely that the user's physical condition is poor, in other words, the user cannot obtain a high-quality inhalation experience. Additionally, regarding carboxyhemoglobin, the relationship between carboxyhemoglobin and smoking behavior has been known conventionally (for example, refer to page 138 of URL "http: / / www.tohoku-kyoritz.jp / jstc2020 / pdf / jstc2020.pdf").

[0093] Therefore, in one embodiment, based on the output of the sensor unit 12 (that is, the light received by the light receiving element 12b), the control unit 116 determines whether the amount of the first hemoglobin (in other words, the content of the first hemoglobin) contained in the user's blood is equal to or greater than a predetermined value, and based on the result of this determination, restricts the heating of the aerosol source by the heating unit 121. As a result, it becomes possible to appropriately operate the suction device 100 according to the content of the first hemoglobin. Hereinafter, a specific control example by the control unit 116 will be described in more detail.

[0094] (4.1) Characteristics of the absorbance of each hemoglobin Each hemoglobin has different absorbance characteristics regarding which wavelength of light has a high absorbance and which has a low absorbance. Here, absorbance represents how much the intensity of light decreases when light passes through an object serving as a sample substance, and the larger the value, the more the intensity of light decreases. Also, it has been conventionally known that the absorbance characteristics differ for each hemoglobin (see, for example, Figure 4 in the URL "https: / / www.sysmex.co.jp / products_solutions / library / journal / vol4_no1 / bfvlfm000000dq8o-att / vol04_1_09.pdf").

[0095] Figure 6 is a diagram showing an example of the absorbance characteristics of the first hemoglobin and another hemoglobin different from the first hemoglobin (hereinafter also referred to as "the second hemoglobin", for example, oxyhemoglobin). In Figure 6, the vertical axis represents absorbance, and the horizontal axis represents the wavelength of light.

[0096] In Figure 6, the characteristic 601 shown by the solid line is an example of the absorbance characteristic of the first hemoglobin. Also, the characteristic 602 shown by the dashed line is an example of the absorbance characteristic of the second hemoglobin. As shown in the characteristic 601 and the characteristic 602, the absorbance characteristics of the first hemoglobin and the absorbance characteristics of the second hemoglobin are different from each other.

[0097] For example, the absorbance of the first hemoglobin with respect to light of wavelength λ1, which is purple visible light, is Aλ1 (where 0 < Aλ1). On the other hand, the absorbance of the second hemoglobin with respect to light of wavelength λ1 is Bλ1 (where Aλ1 < Bλ1). Also, the absorbance of the first hemoglobin with respect to light of wavelength λ2, which is blue visible light, is Aλ2 (where 0 < Aλ2). On the other hand, the absorbance of the second hemoglobin with respect to light of wavelength λ2 is Bλ2 (where 0 < Bλ2 < Aλ2).

[0098] The absorbance characteristic of the user's blood approaches the absorbance characteristic of the first hemoglobin as the content of the first hemoglobin increases. Therefore, when the content of the first hemoglobin is equal to or greater than a predetermined value and the light-emitting element 12a of the sensor unit 12 irradiates light onto the user's body, the light received by the light-receiving element 12b is such that the absorbance characteristic of the first hemoglobin is strongly reflected.

[0099] Utilizing such a characteristic of the light received by the light-receiving element 12b, the control unit 116 determines whether the content of the first hemoglobin is equal to or greater than a predetermined value based on the output of the sensor unit 12. More specifically, first, the control unit 116 derives the absorbance of the user's blood based on the light irradiated by the light-emitting element 12a and the output of the sensor unit 12. Information indicating the details (e.g., intensity and wavelength) of the light irradiated by the light-emitting element 12a is stored in advance in the control unit 116, for example. And the absorbance of the blood can be derived based on, for example, the intensity of the light irradiated by the light-emitting element 12a and the intensity of the light received by the light-receiving element 12b.

[0100] Then, when the difference between the absorbance of the blood and the absorbance of the first hemoglobin is less than the first threshold value, the control unit 116 determines that the content of the first hemoglobin is equal to or greater than a predetermined value. In other words, when the absorbance of the blood does not deviate from the absorbance of the first hemoglobin by more than the first threshold value, the control unit 116 determines that the content of the first hemoglobin is equal to or greater than a predetermined value.

[0101] That is, as described above, the greater the content of the first hemoglobin, the closer the absorbance of the blood approaches the absorbance of the first hemoglobin. Utilizing such a relationship between the content of the first hemoglobin and the absorbance of the blood, when the difference (i.e., the degree of deviation) between the absorbance of the blood and the absorbance of the first hemoglobin is small, the control unit 116 determines that the content of the first hemoglobin is equal to or greater than a predetermined value. Thereby, it becomes possible to accurately determine whether the content of the first hemoglobin is equal to or greater than a predetermined value from the output of the sensor unit 12. Note that information indicating the absorbance of the first hemoglobin and the first threshold value are, for example, stored in advance in the control unit 116. Also, the information indicating the absorbance of the first hemoglobin may be appropriately updated or stored by the control unit 116.

[0102] FIG. 7 is a diagram showing a first example of control based on the output of the sensor unit by the control unit of the suction device according to an embodiment. Here, as an example, it is assumed that the light emitting element 12a irradiates the user's body with light of the wavelength λ2 (i.e., blue visible light) described above. In this example, when the derived absorbance of the blood does not deviate by more than the first threshold Th1 from Aλ2, which is the absorbance of the first hemoglobin with respect to the light of the wavelength λ2, the control unit 116 determines that the content of the first hemoglobin is equal to or greater than a predetermined value.

[0103] More specifically, as shown in FIG. 7, when the absorbance of the blood is greater than Ax1 obtained by subtracting the first threshold Th1 from Aλ2 and less than Ax2 obtained by adding the first threshold Th1 to Aλ2, the control unit 116 determines that the content of the first hemoglobin is equal to or greater than a predetermined value. On the other hand, when the absorbance of the blood is less than or equal to Ax1 or greater than or equal to Ax2, the control unit 116 determines that the content of the first hemoglobin is not equal to or greater than a predetermined value (in other words, the content of the first hemoglobin is less than a predetermined value).

[0104] When the control unit 116 determines that the content of the first hemoglobin is equal to or greater than a predetermined value, for example, it prohibits the heating of the aerosol source by the heating unit 121 by not supplying power to the heating unit 121. As a result, in this case, the generation of the aerosol will not be performed. Therefore, it is possible to suppress the occurrence of a situation where the aerosol is generated and the aerosol source and the flavor source are wasted even though the user cannot experience a high-quality suction experience.

[0105] On the other hand, when the control unit 116 determines that the content of the first hemoglobin is less than the predetermined value, it does not prohibit the heating of the aerosol source by the heating unit 121. That is, in this case, the control unit 116 heats the heating unit 121 by supplying power to the heating unit 121, and causes the heating unit 121 to generate the aerosol. As a result, when the user can experience a high-quality suction experience, it is possible to allow the user to inhale the aerosol and let the user experience a high-quality suction experience.

[0106] Further, when the control unit 116 determines that the content of the first hemoglobin is equal to or greater than a predetermined value, for example, even if the above-described operation button 22 is pressed, the suction device 100 may not be turned on (in other words, the suction device 100 may not be activated). Even in this way, it is possible to prevent the generation of the aerosol. Therefore, it is possible to suppress the occurrence of a situation where the aerosol is generated and the aerosol source and the flavor source are wasted even though the user cannot experience a high-quality suction experience.

[0107] Further, when the control unit 116 prohibits the heating of the aerosol source by the heating unit 121 or prevents the suction device 100 from being powered on based on the determination that the content of the first hemoglobin is equal to or greater than a predetermined value, the notification unit 113 (113A, 113B) may give a predetermined notification. As an example, the control unit 116 may notify the user that the heating of the aerosol source by the heating unit 121 is restricted by lighting or flashing the above-described LED disposed in the main body 30 in a predetermined light emission mode. Thereby, even when the heating of the aerosol source by the heating unit 121 is restricted, it is possible to prevent the user from mistakenly thinking that the suction device 100 has failed due to the fact that the heating of the aerosol source is not performed.

[0108] In the example described here, the light emitting element 12a irradiates light having a wavelength λ2, but the present invention is not limited to this. For example, the light emitting element 12a may sequentially irradiate the user's body with a plurality of types of light having different wavelengths. Then, the control unit 116 derives the absorbance of blood for each wavelength based on the output of the sensor unit 12 corresponding to each of the plurality of types of light irradiated by the light emitting element 12a, and based on the absorbance of blood for each wavelength thus derived and the absorbance of the first hemoglobin for each wavelength, it may be determined whether the content of the first hemoglobin is equal to or greater than a predetermined value. By doing so, it becomes possible to more accurately determine whether the content of the first hemoglobin is equal to or greater than a predetermined value from the output of the sensor unit 12.

[0109] Also, here, the light emitting element 12a irradiates light having a wavelength λ2 which is visible light, but the present invention is not limited to this. For example, the light irradiated by the light emitting element 12a may be non-visible light such as ultraviolet light or infrared light. Further, as described above, when the light emitting element 12a sequentially irradiates a plurality of types of light having different wavelengths, these plurality of types of light may be a combination of visible light and non-visible light.

[0110] Incidentally, it is conceivable that the content of the first hemoglobin increases as the user inhales the aerosol. Therefore, even if the content of the first hemoglobin is less than a predetermined value before the start of aerosol inhalation, a situation is assumed in which the content of the first hemoglobin becomes equal to or greater than the predetermined value as the subsequent aerosol is inhaled. When such a situation occurs, after the content of the first hemoglobin becomes equal to or greater than the predetermined value, the user cannot obtain a high-quality inhalation experience.

[0111] Therefore, when the difference between the absorbance of the blood and the absorbance of the first hemoglobin is equal to or greater than a first threshold value and less than a second threshold value that is greater than the first threshold value, the control unit 116 may lower the temperature at which the aerosol source is heated by the heating unit 121 compared to the case where the difference between the absorbance of the blood and the absorbance of the first hemoglobin is equal to or greater than the second threshold value (hereinafter also referred to as "normal time"). In other words, when the absorbance of the blood deviates from the absorbance of the first hemoglobin by equal to or greater than the first threshold value and not by equal to or greater than the second threshold value, the control unit 116 may lower the temperature at which the aerosol source is heated by the heating unit 121 compared to the case where the absorbance of the blood deviates from the absorbance of the first hemoglobin by equal to or greater than the second threshold value. The lower the temperature at which the aerosol source is heated by the heating unit 121, the smaller the amount of aerosol generated and the amount of flavor component added to the aerosol.

[0112] That is, when the difference between the absorbance of the blood and the absorbance of the first hemoglobin is equal to or greater than the first threshold value but less than the second threshold value, the content of the first hemoglobin is not equal to or greater than a predetermined value before the start of aerosol inhalation (for example, at present), but due to the increase in the content of the first hemoglobin accompanying the subsequent aerosol inhalation, the content of the first hemoglobin may become equal to or greater than the predetermined value. Therefore, in such a case, the control unit 116 reduces the temperature when heating the aerosol source by the heating unit 121 compared to the normal time, thereby reducing the amount of the generated aerosol and the amount of the flavor component added to the aerosol. As a result, an increase in the content of the first hemoglobin accompanying the aerosol inhalation can be suppressed, and it becomes possible to suppress the occurrence of a situation where the content of the first hemoglobin becomes equal to or greater than the predetermined value.

[0113] FIG. 8 is a diagram showing a second example of control based on the output of the sensor unit by the control unit of the inhalation device according to an embodiment. FIG. 9 is a diagram showing an example of the heating profile of the heating unit in the second example. In the following description of the second example, the description of the same parts as those in the description of the first example described above will be omitted or simplified as appropriate. Further, in the following description of the second example, the inhalation device 100 will be described as being the inhalation device 100B shown in FIG. 1B, but the present invention is not limited thereto, and the same applies when the inhalation device 100 is the inhalation device 100A shown in FIG. 1A.

[0114] In this example, when the absorbance of the blood deviates from the absorbance Aλ2 of the first hemoglobin with respect to the light of the wavelength λ2 by equal to or greater than the second threshold value Th2, that is, normally, the control unit 116B heats the heating unit 121B according to the first heating profile Pr1 shown in FIG. 9. More specifically, as shown in FIG. 8, when the absorbance of the blood is equal to or less than Ax3 obtained by subtracting the second threshold value Th2 from Aλ2, or equal to or greater than Ax4 obtained by adding the second threshold value Th2 to Aλ2, the control unit 116B heats the heating unit 121B according to the first heating profile Pr1.

[0115] On the other hand, when the absorbance of the blood deviates from the absorbance of the first hemoglobin by not less than the first threshold Th1 and not more than the second threshold Th2, the control unit 116B heats the heating unit 121B according to the second heating profile Pr2 shown in FIG. 9. More specifically, as shown in FIG. 8, when the absorbance of the blood is greater than Ax3 and not more than Ax1, or when it is not less than Ax2 and less than Ax4, the control unit 116B heats the heating unit 121B according to the second heating profile Pr2. Here, as shown in FIG. 9, the second heating profile Pr2 is, for example, a heating profile in which a temperature lower than that of the first heating profile Pr1 is defined as the target temperature of the heating unit 121B at each time period.

[0116] By controlling the temperature of the heating unit 121B according to such a second heating profile Pr2, the amount of aerosol generated and the amount of flavor component added to the aerosol can be reduced compared to the case where the temperature of the heating unit 121B is controlled according to the first heating profile Pr1. As a result, an increase in the content of the first hemoglobin accompanying the inhalation of the generated aerosol can be suppressed, and it is possible to suppress the occurrence of a situation where the content of the first hemoglobin becomes not less than a predetermined value accompanying the inhalation of the generated aerosol.

[0117] Note that in the second example, the amount of generated aerosol is reduced by lowering the temperature when heating the aerosol source by the heating unit 121, but the present invention is not limited to this. For example, the control unit 116 may reduce the amount of generated aerosol by reducing the power supplied to the heating unit 121 when generating the aerosol.

[0118] More specifically, when the difference between the absorbance of the blood and the absorbance of the first hemoglobin is equal to or greater than the first threshold value and less than the second threshold value that is greater than the first threshold value, the control unit 116 may reduce the power supplied to the heating unit 121 when generating the aerosol as compared with the case where the difference between the absorbance of the blood and the absorbance of the first hemoglobin is equal to or greater than the second threshold value (i.e., during normal times). In other words, when the absorbance of the blood deviates from the absorbance of the first hemoglobin by equal to or greater than the first threshold value and does not deviate by equal to or greater than the second threshold value, the control unit 116 may reduce the power supplied to the heating unit 121 when generating the aerosol as compared with the case where the absorbance of the blood deviates from the absorbance of the first hemoglobin by equal to or greater than the second threshold value. As a method for reducing the power supplied to the heating unit 121, for example, methods such as shortening the supply time for supplying power to the heating unit 121 and / or lowering the applied voltage to the heating unit 121 when supplying power to the heating unit 121 can be considered.

[0119] FIG. 10 is a diagram showing a third example of control based on the output of the sensor unit by the control unit of the suction device according to an embodiment. In the following description of the third example, the description of the same parts as in the above-described first and second examples will be omitted or simplified as appropriate. In the following description of the third example, the suction device 100 will be described as being the suction device 100A shown in FIG. 1A, but the present invention is not limited thereto, and the same applies when the suction device 100 is the suction device 100B shown in FIG. 1B.

[0120] In this example, when the absorbance of the blood deviates from Aλ2, which is the absorbance of the first hemoglobin with respect to the light of wavelength λ2, by equal to or greater than the second threshold value Th2, that is, during normal times, the control unit 116A supplies the first power Pw1 to the heating unit 121A when generating the aerosol (for example, when detecting the suction of the user). More specifically, as shown in FIG. 10, when the absorbance of the blood is equal to or less than Ax3 obtained by subtracting the second threshold value Th2 from Aλ2, or equal to or greater than Ax4 obtained by adding the second threshold value Th2 to Aλ2, the control unit 116A supplies the first power Pw1 to the heating unit 121A when generating the aerosol.

[0121] On the one hand, when the absorbance of the blood deviates from the absorbance of the first hemoglobin by not less than the first threshold value Th1 and not more than the second threshold value Th2, the control unit 116A supplies the second power Pw2 to the heating unit 121A when generating the aerosol (specifically, when detecting the user's suction). More specifically, as shown in FIG. 10, when the absorbance of the blood is greater than Ax3 and not more than Ax1, or when it is not less than Ax2 and less than Ax4, the control unit 116A supplies the second power Pw2 to the heating unit 121A when generating the aerosol.

[0122] Here, the second power Pw2 is a power smaller than the first power Pw1. For example, when supplying the second power Pw2 to the heating unit 121A, the control unit 116A shortens the supply time for supplying power to the heating unit 121A or reduces the applied voltage to the heating unit 121A compared to the case of supplying the first power Pw1 to the heating unit 121A.

[0123] In this way, by setting the power supplied to the heating unit 121 when generating the aerosol to the second power Pw2, the amount of aerosol generated can be reduced compared to the case where the power supplied to the heating unit 121 when generating the aerosol is the first power Pw1. As a result, it is possible to suppress an increase in the content of the first hemoglobin accompanying the suction of the generated aerosol, and it is possible to suppress the occurrence of a situation where the content of the first hemoglobin becomes not less than a predetermined value accompanying the suction of the generated aerosol.

[0124] As described above, according to the suction device 100 of one embodiment, since the panel 10 detachably attached to the power supply unit 110 includes the sensor unit 12, it is easy for the user to replace the sensor unit 12, and the convenience can be improved.

[0125] Further, according to the suction device 100 of one embodiment, it is determined from the output of the sensor unit 12 whether the content of the first hemoglobin is equal to or greater than a predetermined value, and based on the result of the determination, the heating of the aerosol source by the heating unit 121 is restricted. Thereby, it becomes possible to appropriately operate the suction device 100 according to the content of the first hemoglobin.

[0126] Further, according to the suction device 100 of one embodiment, when it is determined that the content of the first hemoglobin is equal to or greater than a predetermined value, in order to prohibit the heating of the aerosol source by the heating unit 121, even though the user is in a physical condition where they cannot experience a high-quality suction experience, it is possible to suppress the occurrence of a situation where aerosol is generated and the aerosol source is wasted.

[0127] Further, according to the suction device 100 of one embodiment, when the heating of the aerosol source by the heating unit 121 is restricted, in order to cause the notification unit 113 to perform a predetermined notification, even when the heating of the aerosol source by the heating unit 121 is restricted, it is possible to prevent the user from misinterpreting that the suction device 100 has failed.

[0128] Further, according to the suction device 100 of one embodiment, the control unit 116 derives the absorbance of the user's blood based on the light irradiated by the light emitting element 12a and the output of the sensor unit 12 (that is, the light received by the light receiving element 12b), and when the difference between the absorbance of the blood and the absorbance of the first hemoglobin is less than the first threshold value Th1, it is determined that the content of the first hemoglobin is equal to or greater than a predetermined value. Thereby, it becomes possible to accurately determine from the output of the sensor unit 12 whether the content of the first hemoglobin is equal to or greater than a predetermined value.

[0129] Further, according to the suction device 100 of one embodiment, when the difference between the absorbance of the derived blood and the absorbance of the first hemoglobin is equal to or greater than the first threshold value Th1 and less than the second threshold value Th2 that is greater than the first threshold value Th1, the temperature at which the aerosol source is heated by the heating unit 121 is set lower than when the difference is equal to or greater than the second threshold value Th2. As a result, when there is a possibility that the content of the first hemoglobin becomes equal to or greater than a predetermined value due to an increase in the first hemoglobin accompanying the suction of the aerosol, the temperature at which the aerosol source is heated by the heating unit 121 can be lowered. Therefore, an increase in the first hemoglobin accompanying the suction of the aerosol can be suppressed, and it is possible to suppress the occurrence of a situation where the content of the first hemoglobin becomes equal to or greater than a predetermined value.

[0130] Further, according to the suction device 100 of one embodiment, when there is a possibility that the content of the first hemoglobin becomes equal to or greater than a predetermined value due to an increase in the first hemoglobin accompanying the suction of the aerosol, the temperature of the heating unit 121 is controlled according to a second heating profile Pr2 that is lower than a first heating profile Pr1 used during normal times, so that an increase in the first hemoglobin accompanying the suction of the aerosol can be suppressed, and it is possible to suppress the occurrence of a situation where the content of the first hemoglobin becomes equal to or greater than a predetermined value.

[0131] Further, according to the suction device 100 of one embodiment, when the difference between the absorbance of the derived blood and the absorbance of the first hemoglobin is equal to or greater than the first threshold value Th1 and less than the second threshold value Th2 that is greater than the first threshold value Th1, the power supplied to the heating unit 121 when generating the aerosol is made smaller than when the difference is equal to or greater than the second threshold value Th2. As a result, when there is a possibility that the content of the first hemoglobin becomes equal to or greater than a predetermined value due to an increase in a predetermined hemoglobin accompanying the suction of the aerosol, the power supplied to the heating unit 121 when generating the aerosol can be made smaller. Therefore, an increase in the first hemoglobin accompanying the suction of the aerosol can be suppressed, and it is possible to suppress the occurrence of a situation where the content of the first hemoglobin becomes equal to or greater than a predetermined value.

[0132] Further, according to the suction device 100 of one embodiment, when the content of the first hemoglobin may become equal to or greater than a predetermined value due to an increase in the first hemoglobin accompanying the suction of the aerosol, the power supply time for supplying power to the heating unit 121 is shortened or the applied voltage to the heating unit 121 is lowered compared to normal times, so that an increase in the first hemoglobin accompanying the suction of the aerosol can be suppressed, and it is possible to suppress the occurrence of a situation where the content of the first hemoglobin becomes equal to or greater than a predetermined value.

[0133] Further, according to the suction device 100 of one embodiment, since the sensor unit 12 is provided at a position corresponding to the operation unit 19 that the user operates when turning on the power of the suction device 100 on the panel 10, the user can simultaneously perform the operation of turning on the power of the suction device 100 (i.e., the operation for starting the generation of the aerosol) and the operation for causing the sensor unit 12 to acquire information about the user. As a result, compared to the case where these operations are performed separately, the number of user operations can be reduced, and the convenience can be improved.

[0134] As described above, each embodiment of the present invention has been described with reference to the accompanying drawings. Needless to say, the present invention is not limited to such embodiments. It is obvious that those skilled in the art can conceive of various modification examples or correction examples within the scope described in the claims, and it is naturally understood that those also belong to the technical scope of the present invention. Further, within the scope not departing from the gist of the invention, the components in the above-described embodiments may be arbitrarily combined.

[0135] For example, in the above-described embodiment, the operation unit 19, the light-emitting element 12a, and the light-receiving element 12b are provided on the panel 10, but the present invention is not limited thereto. For example, the operation unit 19, the light-emitting element 12a, and the light-receiving element 12b may be provided in the power supply unit 110 (for example, the main body housing 20 or the main body 30) which is the main body of the suction device 100. That is, the sensor unit 12 including the light-emitting element 12a and the light-receiving element 12b may be included in the sensor units 112 (112A, 112B). Hereinafter, a modified example in the case where the operation unit 19, the light-emitting element 12a, and the light-receiving element 12b are provided in the power supply unit 110 which is the main body of the suction device 100 will be described. In the description of the following modified example, the description of the same parts as in the description of the above-described embodiment will be omitted or simplified as appropriate.

[0136] FIG. 11 is an overall perspective view of a suction device according to a modified example of an embodiment. FIG. 12 is a diagram showing an example of the positional relationship between the operation unit, the light-emitting element, and the light-receiving element in the suction device according to the modified example. As shown in FIG. 11, in this example, the operation unit 19 is provided on one surface of the main body housing 20 that is not covered by the panel 10. And in this example, as shown in FIG. 12, the light-emitting element 12a, the light-receiving element 12b, and the operation button 22 are provided at positions corresponding to the operation unit 19 inside the main body housing 20.

[0137] Also in the suction device 100 of the modified example configured as described above, the user can simultaneously perform an operation of turning on the power of the suction device 100B (in other words, an operation for starting the generation of the aerosol) and an operation for causing the sensor unit 12 to acquire information about the user. Thereby, compared with the case where these operations are performed separately, the number of user operations can be reduced, and the convenience of the user can be improved.

[0138] Here, an example in which the light-emitting element 12a and the light-receiving element 12b are provided on the upper surface portion 17a of the protrusion 17 corresponding to the bottom portion of the operation unit 19 has been described, but the present invention is not limited thereto. For example, when the sensor unit 12 is a transmissive optical sensor, the light-emitting element 12a and the light-receiving element 12b may be provided on the wall portions 17b and 17c on both sides of the protrusion 17 so as to face each other, as in the example shown in FIG. 5B.

[0139] Further, the control unit 116 may acquire information indicating the content of the first hemoglobin based on the output of the sensor unit 12, and transmit health data including the information to an external device (for example, the user's terminal device) by the communication unit 115. Thereby, the user can grasp the transition of his / her own health state by checking the health data with the terminal device. Further, when the sensor unit 12 includes a biosensor that acquires the user's biological information such as the user's body temperature, pulse rate, or sweating amount, the above health data may include the biological information acquired by this biosensor.

[0140] Further, when the control unit 116 restricts the heating of the aerosol source by the heating unit 121 based on the output of the sensor unit 12, a signal indicating that the heating of the aerosol source has been restricted may be transmitted to an external device (for example, the user's terminal device) by the communication unit 115, and the external device may be caused to notify that the heating of the aerosol source has been restricted.

[0141] This specification describes at least the following matters. In parentheses, corresponding components and the like in the above-described embodiments are shown as examples, but the present invention is not limited thereto.

[0142] (1) A suction device including a main body portion (power supply units 110A and 110B) and a panel (panel 10) detachable from the main body portion, wherein the panel includes a sensor (sensor unit 12), The sensor includes a light-emitting element (light-emitting element 12a) that irradiates light onto the user's body, and a light-receiving element (light-receiving element 12b) that receives the light through the body, and outputs information regarding the light received by the light-receiving element. The main body unit includes a control unit (control units 116A and 116B) that controls the operation of the suction device based on the output of the sensor. Suction device.

[0143] According to (1), since the panel that is detachable from the main body unit, that is, the replaceable panel, includes the sensor, the convenience for the user in the suction device can be improved.

[0144] (2) The suction device according to (1), The suction device further includes a heating unit (heating units 121A and 121B), and can deliver the aerosol generated by heating the aerosol source by the heating unit to the user. The control unit, based on the output of the sensor, determines whether the amount of a predetermined hemoglobin contained in the user's blood is equal to or greater than a predetermined value, and restricts the heating of the aerosol source by the heating unit based on the result of the determination. Suction device.

[0145] According to (2), it is determined from the output of the sensor whether the amount of a predetermined hemoglobin contained in the user's blood is equal to or greater than a predetermined value, and based on the result of the determination, the heating of the aerosol source by the heating unit is restricted. Thereby, it becomes possible to appropriately operate the suction device according to the amount of a predetermined hemoglobin contained in the user's blood.

[0146] (3) The suction device according to (2), when the control unit determines that the amount of the predetermined hemoglobin contained in the blood is equal to or greater than the predetermined value, the control unit prohibits the heating of the aerosol source by the heating unit. Suction device.

[0147] According to (3), when it is determined that the amount of a predetermined hemoglobin contained in the user's blood is equal to or greater than a predetermined value, heating of the aerosol source by the heating unit is prohibited. Thus, even when the user is in a condition where they cannot experience a high-quality suction experience, it is possible to suppress the occurrence of a situation where aerosol is generated and the aerosol source is wasted.

[0148] (4) The suction device according to (2) or (3), wherein the main body further includes a notification unit (notification units 113A, 113B) capable of giving a predetermined notification to the user, and when the control unit restricts heating of the aerosol source by the heating unit, the control unit causes the notification unit to give the predetermined notification. Suction device.

[0149] (4) According to this, when heating of the aerosol source by the heating unit is restricted, since a predetermined notification is given to the notification unit, even when heating of the aerosol source by the heating unit is restricted, it is possible to prevent the user from misinterpreting that the suction device has malfunctioned.

[0150] (5) The suction device according to any one of (2) to (4), wherein the control unit derives the absorbance of the user's blood based on the light irradiated by the light-emitting element and the output of the sensor, and when the difference between the derived absorbance of the blood and the absorbance of the predetermined hemoglobin is less than a first threshold value (first threshold value Th1), determines that the amount of the predetermined hemoglobin contained in the blood is equal to or greater than the predetermined value. Suction device.

[0151] (5) According to this, it becomes possible to accurately determine whether or not the amount of a predetermined hemoglobin contained in the user's blood is equal to or greater than a predetermined value from the output of the sensor.

[0152] (6) The suction device according to (5), When the difference between the absorbance of the blood and the absorbance of the predetermined hemoglobin is equal to or greater than the first threshold value and less than a second threshold value (second threshold value Th2) that is greater than the first threshold value, the control unit lowers the temperature at which the aerosol source is heated by the heating unit compared to the case where the difference is equal to or greater than the second threshold value. Suction device.

[0153] As the user inhales the aerosol, it is conceivable that the amount of a predetermined hemoglobin contained in the user's blood increases. According to (6), when the increase in the predetermined hemoglobin accompanying the inhalation of the aerosol may cause the amount of the predetermined hemoglobin contained in the user's blood to be equal to or greater than a predetermined value, the temperature at which the aerosol source is heated by the heating unit can be lowered. Thereby, an increase in the predetermined hemoglobin accompanying the inhalation of the aerosol can be suppressed, and it is possible to suppress the occurrence of a situation where the amount of the predetermined hemoglobin contained in the user's blood becomes equal to or greater than the predetermined value.

[0154] (7) The suction device according to (6), The control unit, can control the temperature of the heating unit according to a heating profile, which is information defining the time-series transition of the target temperature of the heating unit when heating the heating unit, when the difference is equal to or greater than the second threshold value, controls the temperature of the heating unit according to a first heating profile (first heating profile Pr1), when the difference is equal to or greater than the first threshold value and less than the second threshold value, controls the temperature of the heating unit according to a second heating profile (second heating profile Pr2) in which the target temperature of the heating unit at each time is lower than the first heating profile. Suction device.

[0155] According to (7), when the amount of a predetermined hemoglobin contained in the user's blood may become equal to or greater than a predetermined value due to an increase in the predetermined hemoglobin accompanying the inhalation of the aerosol, the target temperature of the heating unit at each time is controlled according to a second heating profile that is lower than the first heating profile used during normal times. Therefore, an increase in the predetermined hemoglobin accompanying the inhalation of the aerosol can be suppressed, and it becomes possible to suppress the occurrence of a situation where the amount of the predetermined hemoglobin contained in the user's blood becomes equal to or greater than the predetermined value.

[0156] (8) The suction device according to (5), when the difference between the absorbance of the blood and the absorbance of the predetermined hemoglobin is equal to or greater than the first threshold value and less than a second threshold value that is greater than the first threshold value, the control unit reduces the power supplied to the heating unit when generating the aerosol compared to the case where the difference is equal to or greater than the second threshold value. Suction device.

[0157] It is also conceivable that the amount of a predetermined hemoglobin contained in the user's blood increases as the user inhales the aerosol. According to (8), when the amount of the predetermined hemoglobin contained in the user's blood may become equal to or greater than a predetermined value due to an increase in the predetermined hemoglobin accompanying the inhalation of the aerosol, the power supplied to the heating unit when generating the aerosol can be reduced. Thereby, an increase in the predetermined hemoglobin accompanying the inhalation of the aerosol can be suppressed, and it becomes possible to suppress the occurrence of a situation where the amount of the predetermined hemoglobin contained in the user's blood becomes equal to or greater than the predetermined value.

[0158] (9) The suction device according to (8), when the difference between the absorbance of the blood and the absorbance of the predetermined hemoglobin is equal to or greater than the first threshold value and less than the second threshold value, the control unit shortens the supply time for supplying power to the heating unit or reduces the applied voltage to the heating unit compared to the case where the difference is equal to or greater than the second threshold value. Suction device.

[0159] According to (9), when there is a possibility that the amount of a predetermined hemoglobin contained in the user's blood becomes equal to or more than a predetermined value due to an increase in a predetermined hemoglobin accompanying the inhalation of the aerosol, the supply time for supplying power to the heating unit is shortened or the applied voltage to the heating unit is lowered, compared to the normal time. Therefore, an increase in the predetermined hemoglobin accompanying the inhalation of the aerosol can be suppressed, and it becomes possible to suppress the occurrence of a situation where the amount of the predetermined hemoglobin contained in the user's blood becomes equal to or more than the predetermined value.

[0160] (10) The suction device according to any one of (1) to (9), The sensor is provided at a position corresponding to an operation unit (operation unit 19) that the user operates when turning on the power of the suction device on the panel. Suction device.

[0161] (10) According to this, since the sensor is provided at a position corresponding to the operation unit that the user operates when turning on the power of the suction device, the user can simultaneously perform the operation of turning on the power of the suction device (that is, the operation for starting the generation of the aerosol) and the operation for causing the sensor to acquire information about the user. As a result, compared to the case where these operations are performed separately, the number of operations by the user can be reduced, and the convenience can be improved.

Description of reference numerals

[0162] 10 Panel 12 Sensor unit (sensor) 12a Light emitting element 12b Light receiving element 19 Operation unit 100A, 100B Suction device 110A, 110B Power supply unit (main body unit) 113A, 113B Notification unit 116A, 116B Control unit 121A, 121B Heating unit Pr1 First heating profile Pr2 Second heating profile

Claims

1. A suction device comprising a main body and a panel detachably attached to the main body, wherein the panel includes a sensor and a storage unit for storing information regarding the panel, the sensor includes a light emitting element that irradiates light onto a user's body and a light receiving element that receives the light via the body, and outputs information regarding the light received by the light receiving element, and the main body includes a control unit that controls the operation of the suction device based on the output of the sensor. Suction device.

2. The suction device according to claim 1, wherein the suction device further includes a heating unit capable of delivering to the user an aerosol generated by heating an aerosol source by the heating unit, and the control unit determines whether or not a predetermined amount of hemoglobin contained in the user's blood is equal to or greater than a predetermined value based on the output of the sensor, and restricts heating of the aerosol source by the heating unit based on the result of the determination. Suction device.

3. The suction device according to claim 2, wherein the control unit prohibits heating of the aerosol source by the heating unit when it is determined that the predetermined amount of hemoglobin contained in the blood is equal to or greater than the predetermined value. Suction device.

4. The suction device according to claim 2 or 3, wherein the main body further includes a notification unit capable of giving a predetermined notification to the user, and the control unit causes the notification unit to give the predetermined notification when heating of the aerosol source by the heating unit is restricted. Suction device.

5. The suction device according to any one of claims 2 to 4, wherein the control unit derives the absorbance of the user's blood based on the light irradiated by the light emitting element and the output of the sensor, and determines that the predetermined amount of hemoglobin contained in the blood is equal to or greater than the predetermined value when a difference between the derived absorbance of the blood and the absorbance of the predetermined hemoglobin is less than a first threshold value. Suction device.

6. The suction device according to claim 5, wherein the control unit lowers the temperature at which the aerosol source is heated by the heating unit when the difference between the absorbance of the blood and the absorbance of the predetermined hemoglobin is equal to or greater than the first threshold value and less than a second threshold value greater than the first threshold value, compared to when the difference is equal to or greater than the second threshold value. Suction device.

7. The suction device according to claim 6, wherein the control unit The temperature of the heating unit can be controlled according to a heating profile, which is information defining the time-series change of the target temperature of the heating unit when heating the heating unit. When the difference is greater than or equal to the second threshold value, the temperature of the heating unit is controlled according to the first heating profile. When the difference is greater than or equal to the first threshold value and less than the second threshold value, the temperature of the heating unit is controlled according to a second heating profile in which the target temperature of the heating unit at each time is lower than that of the first heating profile. Suction device.

8. The suction device according to claim 5, When the difference between the absorbance of the blood and the absorbance of the predetermined hemoglobin is greater than or equal to the first threshold value and less than a second threshold value greater than the first threshold value, the control unit reduces the power supplied to the heating unit when generating the aerosol, compared to the case where the difference is greater than or equal to the second threshold value. Suction device.

9. The suction device according to claim 8, When the difference between the absorbance of the blood and the absorbance of the predetermined hemoglobin is greater than or equal to the first threshold value and less than the second threshold value, the control unit shortens the supply time for supplying power to the heating unit or reduces the applied voltage to the heating unit, compared to the case where the difference is greater than or equal to the second threshold value. Suction device.

10. The suction device according to any one of claims 1 to 9, The sensor is provided at a position on the panel corresponding to an operation unit that the user operates when turning on the power of the suction device. Suction device.

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