Tobacco industry products and methods relating to tobacco industry products

Abstract

To provide a method of determining a condition of a connection interface of a tobacco industry product, a method of manufacturing an apparatus for heating an aerosolizable material, and a tobacco industry product.SOLUTION: An apparatus comprises: a first connection interface for connecting to a power source for supplying power for heating an aerosolizable material; a second connection interface for connecting to an external power source to supply power to the first connection interface to replenish the power source; and a temperature-sensitive element positioned in thermal contact with the second connection interface so as to be responsive to changes in the temperature of the second connection interface. The supply of power to the first connection interface from the second connection interface is inhibited on the basis of the temperature-sensitive element responding to increase in the temperature of the second connection interface.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 4

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present invention relates to an apparatus for heating an aerosolizable material, a method for determining the state of a component of a tobacco industry product, a method for manufacturing the apparatus, and a tobacco industry product.

Background Art

[0002] Articles such as cigarettes and cigars generate smoke by burning tobacco during use. Attempts have been made to create products that release compounds without burning, as an alternative to these products that burn tobacco. Examples of such products include so-called non-combustion heating products, such as tobacco heating products or tobacco heating devices that release compounds by heating a material without burning it. The material may be, for example, a combination such as tobacco or other non-tobacco products or a blend mix, which may or may not contain tobacco.

[0003] Such products typically include a rechargeable battery and means for supplying power to this battery. Such means include a charging port into which a connector can be inserted to supply power.

Summary of the Invention

[0004] In a first aspect of the present invention, there is provided an apparatus for heating an aerosolizable material to volatilize at least one component of the aerosolizable material, the apparatus comprising a first connection interface for connecting to a power source to supply power for heating the aerosolizable material, a second connection interface for connecting to an external power source to supply power to the first connection interface to recharge the power source, and a temperature sensing element disposed in thermal contact with the second connection interface so as to react to a temperature change of the second connection interface, wherein the supply of power from the second connection interface to the first connection interface is suppressed based on the temperature sensing element that reacts to an increase in the temperature of the second connection interface.

[0005] A second aspect of the present invention provides a method for determining the condition of a connection interface of a tobacco industry product, the method comprising: monitoring a temperature sensing element placed in thermal contact with the connection interface; determining, based on the monitoring of the temperature sensing element, how many times the operation of the connection interface has been suppressed due to an increase in the temperature of the connection interface; and determining, based on the determined number of times the operation of the connection interface has been suppressed, whether the connection interface is in a first condition or a second condition, the first condition indicating that the connection interface is functioning normally, and the second condition indicating that the connection interface is in a faulty state.

[0006] A third aspect of the present invention provides a method for manufacturing an apparatus for heating an aerosolizable material to volatilize at least one component of the aerosolizable material, the method comprising providing a temperature sensing element adjacent to the connection interface of the apparatus such that the temperature sensing element is in thermal contact with the connection interface of the apparatus, and providing a controller, the controller configured to monitor whether the temperature sensing element is in a first state or a second state, the first state being a state of the temperature sensing element that responds to temperatures below a temperature threshold, and the second state being a state of the temperature sensing element that responds to temperatures above a temperature threshold, and determining a fault state of the connection interface based on the history of the state of the temperature sensing element.

[0007] A fourth aspect of the present invention provides a tobacco industry product comprising a charging port for supplying power to the tobacco industry product and a temperature sensor disposed in thermal contact with the charging port so as to exchange heat with the charging port, wherein the operation of the charging port is suppressed in response to the temperature sensor detecting that the temperature of the charging port exceeds a temperature threshold.

[0008] Embodiments of the present invention will be described for illustrative purposes only with reference to the attached drawings. [Brief explanation of the drawing]

[0009] [Figure 1]This is a schematic diagram of a device for heating aerosolizable materials. [Figure 2] Figure 1 is a schematic side view of the components of the device. [Figure 3] This graph shows the temperature-dependent behavior of the components of the device shown in Figure 1. [Figure 4] This block diagram shows a method for determining the condition of the components of the device shown in Figure 1. [Modes for carrying out the invention]

[0010] To address various problems and advance the technology, this entire disclosure illustrates various embodiments in which the claimed invention can be put into practice and provide an excellent system configured to generate an aspirable medium. The advantages and features of this disclosure are merely representative examples of the embodiments and are neither comprehensive nor exclusive. They are provided solely to aid in understanding and teaching the claimed features. Naturally, the advantages, embodiments, examples, functions, features, structures, and / or other aspects of this disclosure should not be considered to limit this disclosure as defined in the claims or to equivalents thereof, but rather to be considered to be able to utilize or modify other embodiments without deviating from the scope and / or idea of ​​this disclosure. Various embodiments may appropriately consist of, or be composed of, or basically consist of, the disclosed components, components, features, parts, processes, means, and other combinations. This disclosure also includes other inventions that are not currently claimed but may be claimed in the future.

[0011] In this specification, the term “aerosolizable material” includes materials that, when heated, release volatile components, typically in the form of an aerosol. “Aerosolizable material” includes any tobacco-containing material, which may include, for example, one or more tobacco, tobacco, tobacco derivatives, expanded tobacco, re-tobacco, or tobacco substitutes. “Aerosolizable material” may also include other non-tobacco products, depending on the product, and may or may not contain nicotine. “Aerosolizable material” may be in the form of, for example, a solid, liquid, gel, or wax. “Aerosolizable material” may be a combination or blend of materials. In some examples, the aerosolizable material is a gel. In some examples, the aerosolizable material is a liquid and may be provided, for example, in a suitable container for use with a device for heating the aerosolizable material.

[0012] Devices are known that heat an aerosolizable material to vaporize at least one component of the aerosolizable material in order to form a typically inhalable aerosol without burning or combustion the material. Such devices may be described as “non-combustion heating” devices, “tobacco heating products,” or “tobacco heating devices,” or similar. Similarly, there are also devices called e-cigarettes that vaporize a liquid aerosolizable material, typically containing or not containing nicotine. The aerosolizable material may be in the form of a rod, cartridge, or cassette that can be inserted into the device, or provided as part of such. In some examples, the heater that heats and vaporizes the aerosolizable material may be provided as a “permanent” part of the device, or may be provided as part of an article or consumable containing the aerosolizable material that is discarded or replaced after use. In this context, “article containing aerosolizable material” or “consumable” means an apparatus, article, or other component that contains or houses aerosolizable material and optionally other components during use, and heats the aerosolizable material to volatilize it, thereby generating an aerosol flow for the user's inhalation.

[0013] Figure 1 schematically shows an apparatus 100 for heating an aerosolizable material to volatilize at least one component of the aerosolizable material. The apparatus 100 may be, for example, a portable device that provides an aerosol for inhalation by a user. The device 100 may be, for example, a tobacco industry product. The apparatus 100 (hereinafter, "device" 100) includes a first connection interface 102 that connects to a power source for supplying power to heat the aerosolizable material. For example, the first connection interface may connect to a battery 104, such as a lithium-ion battery 104 suitable for a portable miniature device, or another type of rechargeable battery 104. The battery 104 may be inserted into the device 100 so that it engages with the first connection interface 102 (hereinafter, "battery interface" 102). The device 100 may be configured so that, for example, a user can insert and / or remove the battery 104. In other examples, the device 100 may be provided with a battery 104 that is already included in or engaged with the battery interface 102 and / or cannot be removed by the user.

[0014] The battery interface 102 may include electrical components positioned to extract power from and / or supply power to the battery 104. For example, the battery interface 102 may include electrical contacts that engage with one or more terminals of the battery 104 to electrically connect to the battery 104. Naturally, various forms of the battery interface may be used in a portable device such as device 100. The battery interface 102 assists in supplying power from the battery 104 to other components of device 100 that require power. For example, the battery interface 102 assists in supplying power from the battery 104 to a heating device configured to heat an aerosolizable material to generate an aerosol. Alternatively, for example, the battery interface 102 assists in supplying power to the battery 104 for recharging, in other words, to replenish the battery 104.

[0015] Device 100 includes a second connection interface 106 for connecting to an external power source to supply power to the battery interface 102 and replenish the battery 104. The second connection interface 106 may be a port into which a connector can be inserted or a connector can be engaged. The second connection interface 106 is a charging port for supplying power to device 100. The second connection interface 106 may therefore also be called the charging port 106. The charging port 106 connects to an external power source via a connector that is connected to (or engages with) the charging port 106. For example, the charging port 106 may be a USB port for housing a male USB connector. Naturally, various different types of USB ports for housing the corresponding connectors may be used in portable devices such as device 100. For example, the charging port may be a USB Type A port, a USB Type Mini B port, a USB Type Micro B port, a USB Type C port, etc. In other examples, the charging port 106 may be a type of port other than a USB port that is suitable for being provided in a small portable device for connecting to an external power source.

[0016] The external power source may be, for example, a commercial power supply (e.g., a charging port connected to a commercial power supply via a connector and wall plug), a laptop, a portable battery pack, or other electronic device capable of supplying power.

[0017] In the example in Figure 1, device 100 includes a printed circuit board (PCB) 108. In this example, the battery interface 102 and the charging port 106 are mounted on PCB 108. In this example, both the battery interface 102 and the charging port 106 are mounted on the same PCB 108, but in some examples, the battery interface 102 and the charging port 106 may be mounted on separate PCBs. In this example, PCB 108 assists in the electrical connection between the battery interface 102 and the charging port 106 as shown in the figure by the power supply track 110. The PCB also assists in the electrical connection between the battery interface 102 of device 100 and various other components (not shown), and between the charging port 106 of device 100 and various other components. In this example, the battery interface 102 is electrically connected to other components of device 100 via the battery interface track 112 on PCB 108, and the charging port 106 is electrically connected to other components of device 100 via the charging port track on PCB 108.

[0018] In some examples, the charging port 106 is configured for data communication. Device 100 may include a controller (not shown) for controlling various operations of device 100. Device 100 may also include a data storage component (not shown) for data communication with the controller. For example, the charging port 106 can communicate data with the data storage component of device 100, the controller of device 100, and external devices (external computers / smart devices, such as smartphones and laptops). For example, data communication may occur between the data storage component of device 100 and the charging port 106 via the charging port track 114, and between the charging port 106 and the external device via a connector inserted into (or engaged with) the charging port 106.

[0019] Device 100 includes a temperature sensing element 116 positioned in thermal contact with the charging port 106 to respond to temperature changes in the charging port 106. In other words, the temperature sensing element 116 is a temperature sensor positioned in thermal contact with the charging port 106 so that heat is exchanged between the temperature sensor and the charging port 106. For example, the temperature sensing element 116 may respond to temperature changes in the charging port 106 in the sense that the properties of the temperature sensing element 116 change as a function of the temperature of the charging port 106. The temperature sensing element 116 may be any type of temperature sensor suitable for a portable device, such as a sensor including a bimetallic plate, a thermistor, a resistive temperature sensor, a thermocouple, or a resettable fuse.

[0020] In device 100, the power supply from the charging port 106 to the battery interface 102 is suppressed based on a temperature sensing element 116 that reacts to a rise in the temperature of the charging port 106. In other words, the operation of the charging port 106 is suppressed by a temperature sensing element 116 that reacts to a rise in the temperature of the charging port 106. For example, the power supply from the charging port 106 to the battery interface 102 is suppressed based on a temperature sensing element 116 that reacts when the temperature of the charging port 106 exceeds a temperature threshold (i.e., the operation of the charging port is suppressed in response to a temperature sensor that detects that the temperature of the charging port 106 has exceeded a temperature threshold). The term "suppressed" is used here to mean that the power supply (or current flow, etc.) is reduced / decreased and / or stopped.

[0021] The temperature threshold may be set higher than the normal operating temperature of the charging port 106. The normal operating temperature may be within a predetermined temperature range that is expected to be reached while the charging port 106 is supplying power to the battery interface 102 when the charging port 106 is functioning normally. For example, the upper limit of this predetermined range may be defined by the maximum operating temperature that the charging port 106 is expected to reach when the charging port 106 is functioning normally and is receiving the maximum current that device 100 is configured to receive through the charging port 106. In some examples, the temperature threshold may be set higher than the maximum operating temperature. In other words, the temperature threshold is set so that the power supply from the charging port 106 to the battery interface 102 is not suppressed at a temperature that the charging port 106 reaches with its maximum current when it is functioning normally or below that temperature (the causes of the charging port 106 not functioning normally are described below).

[0022] The following explanation relates to an example where the temperature sensing element 116 is a resettable fuse 116 (a resettable fuse is sometimes called a polyfuse or polyswitch).

[0023] The resettable fuse 116 may be positioned in thermal contact with the charging port 106, for example, by being positioned very close to the charging port 106 on the PCB 108. For example, the resettable fuse 116 may be provided adjacent to the charging port 106 of the device 100 so that the resettable fuse 116 is in thermal contact with the charging port 106. In some examples, the thermal contact between the resettable fuse 116 and the charging port 106 may be provided by a heat conductive member that is in physical contact with the resettable fuse 116 and the charging port 106.

[0024] Figure 2 shows a side view of the PCB 108 with the charging port 106 and the resettable fuse 116 shown in Figure 1 (note that some of the members shown in Figure 1 are omitted from Figure 2 for clarity). In this example, the charging port 106 is provided on the first surface 202 of the PCB 108, and the resettable fuse 116 is provided on the second surface 204 of the PCB 108. In such an example, at least a part of the internal structure of the PCB 108 facilitates heat transfer between the charging port 106 and the resettable fuse 116. In the example of Figure 2, the resettable fuse 116 is provided on the second surface 204 directly opposite the charging port 106 on the first surface 202. In the example of Figure 2, the portion of the PCB 108 between the charging port 106 and the resettable fuse 116 is configured to facilitate heat transfer. In this example, the portion of the PCB 108 between the charging port 106 and the resettable fuse 116 is provided with thermal vias 206 that provide thermal contact between the charging port 106 and the resettable fuse 116.

[0025] The thermal vias 206 may be hollow cylinders made of a metal having good thermal conductivity. For example, the thermal vias 206 may be hollow cylinders made of copper or the like.

[0026] The resettable fuse 116 may transition from the first state to the second state in response to an increase in the temperature of the charging port 106 that exceeds the temperature threshold. As described above, the resettable fuse 116 is in thermal contact with the charging port 106. Therefore, when the temperature of the charging port 106 increases, the temperature of the resettable fuse 116 also increases. The resettable fuse 116 transitions from the first state to the second state when the resettable fuse reaches its switching temperature. The first state may be a conductive state where the electrical resistance of the resettable fuse 116 is below a predetermined amount of electrical resistance. The second state may be a non-conductive state where the electrical resistance of the resettable fuse 116 is above a predetermined amount of electrical resistance. When the resettable fuse 116 is in the non-conductive state, the current flowing through it is suppressed. The electrical resistance values of the resettable fuse 116 in the conductive and non-conductive states (and thus the predetermined amount of electrical resistance) depend on specific characteristics of the resettable fuse 116, such as the relative amount of conductive particles included in the polymer matrix of the resettable fuse 116.

[0027] As described above, the temperature threshold may be above the maximum operating temperature. The resettable fuse 116 is selected such that it reaches its switching temperature when the charging port 106 reaches the temperature threshold. The thermal contact between the charging port 106 and the resettable fuse 116 is sufficient if it is determined that the resettable fuse 116 and the charging port 106 are at the same temperature. In such a case (for example, when the resettable fuse 116 and the charging port 106 are in very good thermal contact), the resettable fuse 116 is selected such that its switching temperature is the same as the temperature threshold. If it is not determined that the temperature of the resettable fuse  116 is the same as the temperature of the charging port 106, the resettable fuse 116 may be selected such that its switching temperature is its predicted arrival temperature when the charging port 106 is at the temperature threshold.

[0028] When the resettable fuse 116 is in a non-conductive state, it cools down and transitions from a non-conductive state to a conductive state, that is, it cools down so that the polymer matrix transitions from amorphous to crystalline. In this example, the resettable fuse 116 transitions from a non-conductive state to a conductive state in response to the temperature of the charging port 106 falling below a temperature threshold. Once the resettable fuse 116 transitions from a non-conductive state to a conductive state, the power supply from the charging port 106 to the battery interface 102 is no longer suppressed.

[0029] Therefore, in this example, the resettable fuse 116 changes its state depending on whether the temperature of the charging port 106 is above or below the temperature threshold. As described above, the power supply between the battery interface 102 and the charging port 106 is suppressed based on the resettable fuse 116, which reacts when the temperature of the charging port 106 exceeds the temperature threshold.

[0030] Therefore, when in operation, the resettable fuse 116 suppresses the power supply if the temperature of the charging port 106 exceeds the temperature threshold, but stops suppressing the power supply when the temperature of the charging port 106 drops below the temperature threshold.

[0031] One way in which the power supply is suppressed is as follows: A resettable fuse is electrically connected in series between the battery interface 102 and the charging port 106. The series connection means that when power is transferred from the charging port 106 to the battery interface 102, the current passes through the resettable fuse 116. In this case, when the temperature of the charging port 106 exceeds a temperature threshold and the resettable fuse 116 transitions from a conductive state to a non-conductive state, the resettable fuse 116 suppresses the flow of current through the resettable fuse 116 (by its resistance exceeding a predetermined electrical resistance in the non-conductive state), which means that the transfer of power from the charging port 106 to the battery interface 102 is suppressed.

[0032] Naturally, the current flowing through the resettable fuse 116 also increases the temperature of the resettable fuse 116. If the resettable fuse 116 is positioned in the device 100 so that current flows through it, the temperature of the resettable fuse 116 will rise due to the current flowing through it as well as heat transfer from the charging port 106. Therefore, the resettable fuse 116 can transition from a conductive state to a non-conductive state not only due to heat transfer from the charging port 106, but also depending on how much current flows through it.

[0033] The holding current of the resettable fuse 116 may be defined as the maximum current flow that the resettable fuse 116 can support before it reaches its switching temperature, i.e., before it transitions from a conductive state to a non-conductive state. Naturally, the resettable fuse 116 will transition from a conductive state to a non-conductive state once it reaches its switching temperature, regardless of the cause of the temperature rise. The holding current may vary with the temperature of the resettable fuse 116. This is because the hotter the resettable fuse 116 is, the less current flow is required to further raise its temperature until it reaches its switching temperature. Figure 3 shows a graph 300 illustrating an exemplary relationship between the holding current of the resettable fuse 116 and the temperature of the resettable fuse 116. In graph 300, the vertical axis represents the holding current Ih of the resettable fuse 116, and the horizontal axis represents the temperature T of the resettable fuse 116. Graph 300 shows that the holding current Ih decreases linearly as the temperature T of the resettable fuse 116 increases.

[0034] In the scenario described, the higher the temperature of the charging port 106, the higher the temperature of the resettable fuse 116, and therefore the lower the holding current of the resettable fuse 116. The charging port 106 receives a current flow within a range between a minimum current and a maximum current for transferring power to the battery interface 102. The resettable fuse 116 is selected such that its holding current is less than the minimum current when the temperature of the charging port 106 is at the temperature threshold. This means that when the temperature of the charging port 106 is at or above the temperature threshold, any amount of current to supply power (within the range described above) will result in the resettable fuse 116 reaching its switching temperature, and therefore the power supply will be suppressed.

[0035] In the example above (i.e., when the resettable fuse 116 is electrically connected in series as described above), the resettable fuse 116 is positioned with respect to the charging port 106 and the battery interface 102 such that the movement of power is directly suppressed by the resettable fuse 116.

[0036] In this example, when the temperature of the charging port 106 falls below the temperature threshold, and as a result the temperature of the resettable fuse 116 falls below the switching temperature, the resettable fuse 116 transitions from a non-conductive state to a conductive state, and the current flow through it is no longer suppressed, and therefore the current flow between the charging port 106 and the battery interface 102 is no longer suppressed. Thus, in an example where the resettable fuse 116 is electrically connected in series between the charging port 106 and the battery interface 102, the power supply from the charging port 106 to the battery interface 102 stops being directly suppressed by the resettable fuse 116 when the temperature of the charging port 106 falls below the temperature threshold.

[0037] In other examples, the resettable fuse 116 does not have to be arranged in a manner that directly suppresses the transfer of power under desired conditions (as described above). For example, the resettable fuse 116 does not have to be electrically connected in series as described above. As described above, the resettable fuse 116 is an example of a temperature sensing element. In some examples, a different temperature sensing element that does not directly suppress the power supply as described above may be used.

[0038] In cases where the temperature sensing element does not directly suppress the power supply, the power supply may be suppressed by other components of the device 100. For example, the controller may receive an indication based on a resettable fuse 116 that responds to changes in the temperature of the charging port 106 via the charging port track 114. For example, the controller may receive a first indication that the temperature of the charging port 106 is higher than a temperature threshold. The first indication may be received as a result of a transition of the resettable fuse 116 from a conductive state to a non-conductive state. Obtaining the first indication may include, for example, measuring the resistance of the resettable fuse 116 to indicate that the resistance of the resettable fuse 116 has moved from below a predetermined electrical resistance to above that amount.

[0039] In response to the first indication, the controller may suppress the supply of power from the charging port 106 to the battery interface 102. The controller may suppress this by, for example, interrupting the electrical connection between the charging port 106 and the battery interface 102 by opening a switch or the like.

[0040] The controller may receive a second indication that the temperature of the charging port 106 is below a temperature threshold. The second indication may be received when the resettable fuse transitions from a non-conductive state to a first state due to the charging port 106 cooling down to below the temperature threshold. Similar to the first indication, the second indication may be received as a result of the resettable fuse transitioning from a non-conductive state to a conductive state, and obtaining the second indication may involve measuring the resistance of the resettable fuse 116, indicating that the resistance of the resettable fuse 116 has fallen from above a predetermined electrical resistance to below that amount. In response to the second indication, the controller may enable the supply of power from the charging port 106 to the battery interface 102, for example, by closing a switch that electrically connects the two.

[0041] The temperature of the charging port 106 rises due to the current flowing through it. If there is a fault in the charging port 106, the temperature of the charging port 106 will exceed the temperature threshold during the transfer of power from the charging port 106 to the battery interface 102. Faults in the charging port 106 include mechanical faults, such as physical damage to the charging port 106 that causes its temperature to exceed the temperature threshold during power transfer. Another example of a fault is contamination of the charging port 106 by debris, for example. Debris enters the charging port 106 and affects the electrical contact area of ​​the charging port 106, which can freely receive the supplied current, causing its temperature to exceed the temperature threshold during power transfer. In some cases, liquid may enter the charging port 106, solidify, and form debris, resulting in heat generation in the charging port 106 during power transfer.

[0042] When the temperature of the charging port 106 exceeds the temperature threshold, the power supply from the charging port 106 to the battery interface 102 is suppressed as described above. When the power supply is suppressed by the current flow through the charging port 106 being suppressed, the charging port 106 cools down as a result. When the charging port 106 has cooled down sufficiently (to the point where a transition from a non-conductive state to a conductive state occurs), the power supply is no longer suppressed as described above. The fault in the charging port 106 that initially caused the temperature of the charging port 106 to exceed the temperature threshold is cleared (i.e., no longer exists) when the charging port 106 has cooled down and the power supply is no longer suppressed. Of course, this is not the case for a specific mechanical fault, but other faults such as debris are cleared. In this case, power may continue to be supplied to the battery interface 102.

[0043] In some cases, a failure in charging port 106 persists to the point where the temperature of charging port 106 repeatedly exceeds a temperature threshold. Charging port 106 is in either a first condition where it is functioning normally, or a second condition where it has a persistent failure that causes its temperature to repeatedly exceed the temperature threshold. In this context, "functioning normally" means that the temperature of charging port 106 does not repeatedly exceed the temperature threshold in a short period of time. The first condition can also be called the normal functioning condition. The second condition can also be called the failure condition.

[0044] The controller may be configured to monitor the resettable fuse 116 and determine whether the charging port is in a fault condition based on the history of the resettable fuse 116. The controller of device 100 may employ a method such as method 400 illustrated in the block diagram of Figure 4.

[0045] In block 402 of method 400, a temperature sensing element positioned in thermal contact with the connection interface is monitored. For example, a resettable fuse 116 is monitored in thermal contact with the charging port 106 (e.g., using a thermal via 206). The controller monitors block 402, for example, via the charging port track 114. In block 404 of method 400, the number of times the operation of the connection interface is suppressed due to an increase in the temperature of the connection interface is determined based on the monitoring of the temperature sensing element. In relation to block 404, the operation of the connection interface is suppressed by a temperature sensing element that reacts to an increase in the temperature of the connection interface. For example, the resettable fuse 116 reacts to an increase in the temperature of the charging port 106 due to a transition from a conductive state to a non-conductive state. The operation of the charging port 106 is suppressed by the suppression of power supply from the charging port 106 to the battery interface 102 in response to an increase in the temperature of the charging port 106. For example, the controller makes this determination based on block 404.

[0046] In block 406, whether a connection interface is in a first or second condition is determined based on the number of suppressed operation counts of the connection interface, where the first condition indicates normal functioning of the connection interface and the second condition indicates a fault condition of the connection interface. For example, based on the number of suppressed operation counts of power supply from the charging port 106 to the battery interface 102, the controller determines whether the charging port 106 is in a first condition (normal functioning condition) or a second condition (fault condition - the charging port 106 has a persistent fault).

[0047] Block 406 may include determining whether the charging port 106 is in a normal functional condition or a fault condition based on how often the operation of the charging port 106 is suppressed at predetermined time intervals. For example, this predetermined time interval may be the time or multiple thereof required for the battery 104 of device 100 to move from a first charging state to a second charging state. The first charging state may be selected to be the charging state when a user of device 100 attempts to start charging (for example, by plugging a suitable connector into the charging port 106 for power supply). For example, the first charging state may be when 20% of the battery remains. The second charging state may be when 100% of the battery remains or another value which the user would normally consider to be when charging stops (e.g., 80%). Naturally, the exact charging state is not important to the manner in which method 400 is performed.

[0048] For example, if the operation of the charging port 106 is suppressed as described above three or more times at predetermined time intervals, it is determined to be in a fault condition, where the predetermined time interval is the time required for the battery to progress from 20% to 80% battery level. Such a history of the charging port 106 is due to a persistent fault.

[0049] In some examples, device 100 includes an indicator configured to send information about the condition of the charging port 106 to be received by a server, for use by the user of device 100 to indicate a fault condition of the charging port 106. For example, device 100 may include a visual indicator, an auditory indicator, and a tactile indicator. For example, a visual indicator may include a light such as an LED or a more complex indicator such as a display screen that displays information (such as text or graphics). Device 100 may also send information about when device 100 is connected to a smart device, such as a laptop. For example, the controller may send information via the charging port track 114 about when a smart device was connected to device 100 by the charging port 106. The smart device may send this information to the server. Separately or in addition, device 100 may include a wireless transmitter for sending information. Device 100 may wirelessly transmit the information over a network (e.g., a cellular network) for the server to receive, and / or wirelessly transmit the information to a smart device (e.g., via Bluetooth®, WiFi, etc.) for the server to finally receive. Smart devices may send information to a server.

[0050] The server may collect information regarding the condition of the charging port. The manufacturer of device 100 may access this information and offer the user a replacement or repair of device 100. It is advantageous for the manufacturer to obtain information regarding the performance and reliability of the charging port 106 of device 100. The information collected by the server may be used to diagnose problems with device 100, for example, to determine whether a problem reported by the user is due to a persistent failure of the charging port 106.

[0051] A method for manufacturing an apparatus for heating an aerosolizable material, such as device 100, is carried out according to some of the examples described above. Such a method includes providing a temperature sensing element (e.g., a resettable fuse 116) adjacent to the connection interface of the apparatus (e.g., a charging port 106) such that the temperature sensing element is in thermal contact with the connection interface. Such a method also includes providing a controller, such as the controller described above, which is configured to monitor whether the temperature sensing element is in a first state or a second state, where the first state is a state of the temperature sensing element that responds to temperatures below a temperature threshold, and the second state is a state of the temperature sensing element that responds to temperatures above a temperature threshold. The controller provided in such a method is configured to determine a fault state of the connection interface based on the history of the temperature sensing element's state.

[0052] The various examples described herein are provided solely to aid in understanding and teaching the claimed features. These embodiments are merely representative examples and are neither comprehensive nor exclusive. Naturally, the merits, embodiments, examples, functions, features, structures, and / or other aspects of this disclosure should not be considered to limit this disclosure to the claims or to equivalents thereof, but rather to be considered to be able to utilize or modify other embodiments without deviating from the scope and / or idea of ​​this disclosure. Various embodiments may appropriately comprise, consist of, or be essentially composed of, the disclosed components, components, features, parts, processes, means, and other combinations. This disclosure also includes other inventions that are not currently claimed but may be claimed in the future.

Claims

1. A first connection interface for connecting to a power source to supply power for heating an aerosolizable material, A second connection interface for connecting to an external power source to supply power to the first connection interface and replenish the power supply, An apparatus for heating an aerosolizable material, which includes a temperature sensing element positioned in thermal contact with a second connection interface so as to react to a temperature change of the second connection interface, to volatilize at least one component of the aerosolizable material, A device in which the supply of power from the second connection interface to the first connection interface is suppressed based on a temperature sensing element that responds to a rise in the temperature of the second connection interface.

2. The apparatus according to claim 1, characterized in that the supply of power from the second connection interface to the first connection interface is suppressed based on a temperature sensing element that responds to the temperature of the second connection interface which is higher than a temperature threshold, and the temperature threshold is set to a temperature value higher than the normal operating temperature of the second connection interface.

3. The apparatus according to claim 1 or 2, comprising a printed circuit board, wherein the second connection interface is provided on the first surface of the printed circuit board, and the temperature sensing element is provided on the second surface of the printed circuit board.

4. The apparatus according to claim 3, characterized in that at least a portion of the internal structure of the printed circuit board is configured to facilitate heat transfer between the second connection interface and the temperature sensing element.

5. The apparatus according to claim 4, characterized by including a thermal via that brings a second connection interface and a temperature sensing element into thermal contact.

6. The temperature sensing element is a resettable fuse. The apparatus according to any one of claims 1 to 5, characterized in that the resettable fuse transitions from a first state to a second state in response to a rise in the temperature of the second connection interface that exceeds a temperature threshold, the first state being a state in which the electrical resistance of the resettable fuse is below a predetermined amount of electrical resistance, and the second state being a state in which the electrical resistance of the resettable fuse is above a predetermined amount of electrical resistance.

7. The apparatus according to claim 6, characterized in that the resettable fuse transitions to the first state in response to the temperature of the connection interface which has dropped below a temperature threshold from the second state.

8. The apparatus according to any one of claims 1 to 7, characterized in that the temperature sensing element is electrically connected in series between the first connection interface and the second connection interface.

9. The apparatus according to any one of claims 1 to 8, characterized in that it includes a controller configured to monitor a temperature sensing element and determine whether the second connection interface is in a faulty state based on the history of the temperature sensing element.

10. The apparatus according to claim 9, further comprising an indicator configured to indicate to the user of the apparatus a failure status of the second connection interface and / or transmit information regarding the condition of the second connection interface for the server to receive.

11. A method for determining the condition of a connection interface of a tobacco industry product, wherein the connection interface is a connection interface for connecting to an external power source to supply power and replenish the power supply of the tobacco industry product, and the method is The connection interface and the temperature sensing element positioned in thermal contact with it are monitored. The number of times the operation of the connection interface was suppressed due to a rise in the temperature of the connection interface is determined based on monitoring of the temperature sensing element, This includes determining whether the connection interface is in a first condition or a second condition based on the number of times the operation of the determined connection interface has been suppressed, A method in which the first condition indicates that the connection interface is functioning normally, and the second condition indicates that the connection interface is in a faulty state.

12. The temperature sensing element is a resettable fuse. The method according to claim 11, characterized in that the resettable fuse transitions from a first state to a second state in response to a rise in the temperature of the connection interface that exceeds a temperature threshold, the first state being a state in which the electrical resistance of the resettable fuse is below a predetermined amount of electrical resistance, and the second state being a state in which the electrical resistance of the resettable fuse is above a predetermined amount of electrical resistance.

13. The method according to claim 11 or 12, characterized in that it includes determining whether the connection interface is in a first condition or a second condition based on the frequency with which the operation of the connection interface has been suppressed within a predetermined time interval.

14. The method according to claim 12 or 13, characterized in that it includes sending a display to be shown to the user of the device and / or to be received by the server based on the determined state of the connection interface.

15. A method for manufacturing an apparatus for heating an aerosolizable material to volatilize at least one component of the aerosolizable material, The temperature sensing element is provided adjacent to the connection interface of the device so that the temperature sensing element is in thermal contact with the connection interface of the device, and the connection interface is a connection interface for connecting to an external power source in order to supply power and replenish the power supply of the device. This includes providing a controller, and the controller is The temperature sensing element is monitored to determine whether it is in a first state or a second state. The first state is the state in which the temperature sensing element responds to temperatures below a temperature threshold, and the second state is the state in which the temperature sensing element responds to temperatures above a temperature threshold. A method for manufacturing a device, configured to determine the fault state of a connection interface based on the history of the state of a temperature sensing element.

16. A charging port for supplying power to tobacco industry products, A tobacco industry product comprising a charging port and a temperature sensor positioned in thermal contact with the charging port so as to exchange heat with the charging port, Tobacco industry products in which the operation of the charging port is suppressed in response to a temperature sensor that detects when the temperature of the charging port exceeds a temperature threshold.

Images