Cover member

Abstract

In the present invention, a cover member detachable from an electronic device that operates using a built-in first battery is provided with a second battery that is charged by power supplied from the electronic device.

Description

Cover material

[0001] The present disclosure relates to a cover member.

[0002] Many portable electronic devices run on batteries built into the device itself. The batteries used may be primary or secondary batteries. Electronic devices that run on primary batteries are equipped with a lid or other cover that can be attached or removed by the user. Electronic devices that run on secondary batteries are equipped with a USB terminal or other power supply terminal for externally charging the secondary battery. Recently, some electronic devices have been developed that do not have a power supply terminal and can wirelessly charge the secondary battery.

[0003] Patent No. 6116039

[0004] Recently, portable electronic devices consume a lot of power, but they are also required to be usable for long periods of time. To address these conflicting demands, efforts have been made to increase the capacity of built-in batteries and to make electronic devices more energy-efficient. However, there are limits to each of these efforts.

[0005] In view of the above-described problems, the present disclosure provides a technique for increasing the amount of power available to the entire electronic device to which a cover member is attached.

[0006] One aspect of the present disclosure provides a cover member that can be attached and detached to an electronic device that operates using a built-in first battery, and that has a second battery that is charged by power supplied from the electronic device.

[0007] The cover member may further include a charging circuit for charging the second battery with power supplied from the electronic device.

[0008] The cover member may further include a power supply circuit for supplying power to the electronic device.

[0009] The cover member may be configured so that the power supply circuit charges the first battery when the remaining charge of the first battery is equal to or less than a predetermined standard.

[0010] The power supply circuit may supply power in response to an instruction from the electronic device.

[0011] The power supply circuit may supply power to a communication unit of the electronic device.

[0012] The cover member may further be provided with a notification section that receives power from the second battery and notifies information.

[0013] When the electronic device is an aerosol generating device having a heating unit that heats the aerosol source, the power supply circuit may supply power to the heating unit.

[0014] When the electronic device is an aerosol generating device having a heating unit that heats the aerosol source, the main body unit attached to the aerosol generating device may cover a portion of the surface of the aerosol generating device when in an operational state.

[0015] Attaching the main body to the aerosol generation device may be one of the conditions that allows the heating unit to heat the aerosol source.

[0016] The main body may be configured so that when the main body is attached to the electronic device, the user can press the main body to operate a switch on the electronic device.

[0017] The cover member may further include an operation unit that receives a user operation and notifies the electronic device of the operation.

[0018] The body attached to the electronic device may form an integrated appearance with the portion of the electronic device that is not covered by the body when in an operational state.

[0019] According to one embodiment of the present disclosure, the amount of power available to the entire electronic device to which the cover member is attached can be increased.

[0020] 1 is a diagram of the front side of the aerosol generation device observed from diagonally above. FIG. 2 is a diagram of the front side of the aerosol generation device observed from diagonally below. FIG. 3 is a diagram of the aerosol generation device observed from above with the shutter removed. FIG. 4 is a diagram of the main device observed from the front with the front panel removed. FIG. 5 is a diagram of the back side of the front panel removed from the main device. FIG. 6 is a diagram schematically showing the internal configuration of the aerosol generation device. FIG. 7 is a diagram schematically showing the connection relationship between the front panel and the power supply circuit in the main device. FIG. 8 is a flowchart explaining an example of the attachment detection operation of the front panel performed by the control unit. FIG. 9 is a flowchart explaining an example of the USB charging operation performed by the control unit. FIG. 10 is a diagram explaining the USB charging operation. FIG. 11 is a diagram explaining the operation of charging the secondary battery of the main device using the secondary battery in the front panel. FIG. 12 is a diagram explaining auxiliary charging using the front panel as an external power source. FIG. 13 is a diagram explaining the amount of power usable by the entire aerosol generation device. FIG. 14 is a diagram schematically showing the connection relationship between the power supply circuit in the front panel and the main device employed in embodiment 2. FIG. 15 is a diagram schematically showing the connection relationship between the power supply circuit in the front panel and the main device employed in embodiment 2. FIG. 1 is a diagram illustrating an example of the appearance of an aerosol generating device equipped with a front panel with a notification unit. FIG. 2 is a diagram schematically illustrating the internal configuration of an aerosol generating device used in embodiment 4. FIG. 3 is a diagram schematically illustrating the connection relationship between the front panel used in embodiment 4 and the power supply circuit in the main device. FIG. 4 is a diagram observing the back side of the front panel used in embodiment 5. FIG. 5 is a diagram schematically illustrating the internal configuration of an aerosol generating device used in embodiment 5. FIG. 6 is a diagram schematically illustrating the connection relationship between the front panel used in embodiment 5 and the power supply circuit in the main device.

[0021] Hereinafter, embodiments of the present disclosure will be described with reference to the drawings. In each drawing, the same parts are denoted by the same reference numerals.

[0022] <Terminology> The aerosol generating device according to each embodiment is a form of electronic cigarette. In the following description, the substance generated by the aerosol generating device is referred to as aerosol. Aerosol refers to a mixture of tiny liquid or solid particles suspended in a gas and air or other gases. In each embodiment, an aerosol generating device that generates aerosol without combustion is described. In the following description, the user's inhalation of the aerosol generated by the aerosol generating device is referred to as "inhalation" or "puffing." In each embodiment, an aerosol generating device to which a solid aerosol source can be attached is described. Note that the container that stores the solid aerosol source is referred to as either a "capsule" or a "stick-type substrate" depending on the product form. Capsules and stick-type substrates are consumables. For this reason, guidelines for replacement are set for capsules and stick-type substrates.

[0023] <Embodiment 1> <External Appearance> First, an external appearance example of the aerosol generation device used in embodiment 1 will be described. Fig. 1 is a view of the front side of the aerosol generation device 1 observed from diagonally above. Fig. 2 is a view of the front side of the aerosol generation device 1 observed from diagonally below. Fig. 3 is a view of the aerosol generation device 1 with the shutter 30 removed observed from above. Fig. 4 is a view of the main device 20 with the front panel 10 removed observed from the front. Fig. 5 is a view of the back side of the front panel 10 removed from the main device 20.

[0024] The aerosol generation device 1 used in this embodiment has a size that allows the user to hold it in one hand. The aerosol generation device 1 has a main body device 20, a front panel 10 attached to the front of the main body device 20, and a shutter 30 that is arranged on the top surface of the main body device 20 and can be slid along the top surface. The front panel 10 is a member that can be attached to and detached from the main body device 20. The front panel 10 is attached and detached by the user.

[0025] The front panel 10 attached to the main unit 20 covers the front portion of the main unit 20, as shown in FIGS. 1 and 2. In other words, even after the front panel 10 is attached, the main unit 20 can be observed from the outside except for the front portion. For example, the side, back, top, and bottom surfaces of the main unit 20 can be observed from the outside even after the front panel 10 is attached. As shown in FIGS. 1 and 2, the front panel 10 attached to the main unit 20 is continuously connected to the side, top, and bottom surfaces of the main unit 20 without any steps, forming a unified appearance. Thus, one of the roles of the front panel 10 is decoration. Note that the side, top, and bottom surfaces of the main unit 20 are examples of parts not covered by the front panel 10.

[0026] The front panel 10 is provided with a window 10B. The window 10B is provided in a position facing the light-emitting element on the main device 20 side. In the case of embodiment 1, an LED (Light Emitting Diode) 20A (see Figure 4) is used as the light-emitting element. The window 10B in embodiment 1 is made of a light-transmitting material. However, the window 10B may also be a slit that penetrates from the front to the back. The lighting and blinking of the light-emitting element represent the operating status of the aerosol generation device 1, etc. The operating status also includes errors. The lighting and blinking of the light-emitting element is controlled by the control unit 206 (see Figure 6), which will be described later.

[0027] In addition to its decorative role, the front panel 10 also serves to buffer the propagation of heat emitted from the main unit 20. Therefore, in this embodiment, aerosol generation is permitted only when the front panel 10 is attached to the main unit 20. In other words, the front panel 10 attached to the main unit 20 forms an integrated appearance with the main unit 20 in a state where aerosol generation is possible. Furthermore, the front panel 10 serves to protect the main unit 20 from dirt, scratches, and the like. The secondary battery-equipped front panel 10, which will be described later, serves to increase the amount of power available to the entire aerosol generation device 1. The front panel 10 used in this embodiment is deformed when the user presses a position below the window 10B with their fingertip, and restores its original shape when the user stops pressing.

[0028] The front panel 10 used in this embodiment is provided on its inside with a power supply unit 101 capable of charging and discharging electricity, a charging circuit 102 that charges the power supply unit 101 with power supplied from the main device 20, and a power supply circuit 103 that supplies the power stored in the power supply unit 101 to the main device 20. In this embodiment, the power supply unit 101 is, for example, a film-type lithium-ion secondary battery or a capacitor. Note that the arrangement of the power supply unit 101, charging circuit 102, and power supply circuit 103 in FIG. 5 is merely an example. Furthermore, multiple power supply units 101 may be attached to the front panel 10. The front panel 10 in this embodiment is an example of a cover member. Note that the main body panel 10A that forms the exterior of the front panel 10 shown in FIGS. 1 and 2 is an example of a main body.

[0029] A Type C USB (Universal Serial Bus) connector 21 is provided on the bottom side of the main device 20. The shape and type of the USB connector 21 are merely examples. In other words, the USB connector 21 may be a USB connector other than Type C. In the case of the first embodiment, the USB connector 21 is used, for example, to charge a power supply unit 201 (see FIG. 6 ) built into the main device 20.

[0030] A hole 22 is provided on the top surface of the main device 20 for inserting a stick-shaped substrate 210 (see FIG. 6 ) that houses an aerosol source. The stick-shaped substrate 210 used in this embodiment houses a solid aerosol source in a paper tube formed into a substantially cylindrical shape. The hole 22 is exposed by sliding the shutter 30 to the open position, and is concealed by sliding the shutter 30 to the closed position. In the case of embodiment 1, the hole 22 has substantially the same cylindrical shape as the stick-shaped substrate 210. The diameter of the opening of the hole 22 is a dimension that allows the stick-shaped substrate 210 to be inserted. In other words, the diameter of the stick-shaped substrate 210 is a dimension that allows it to be inserted into the hole 22.

[0031] A magnet, for example, is attached to the back surface of the shutter 30. Meanwhile, a Hall IC is attached to the main device 20 within the movable range of the shutter 30. The Hall IC is a magnetic sensor comprised of a Hall element and an operational amplifier, etc., and outputs a voltage according to the strength of the magnetic field that crosses the Hall element. In this embodiment, the opening and closing of the shutter 30 is detected from the change in voltage output from the Hall IC as the shutter 30 slides. In other words, it is detected whether the shutter 30 is in the open or closed position.

[0032] A button 20B is located approximately in the center of the front of the main device 20. As described above, the button 20B can be operated with the front panel 10 attached. The button 20B is used, for example, to turn the power of the main device on and off, turn on and off the power supply to the heating unit 207 (see FIG. 6 ) that heats the aerosol source, and issue a Bluetooth (registered trademark) pairing command. Note that if the button 20B is pressed and held (for example, pressed for 5 seconds or more) with the front panel 10 detached from the main device 20, a reset function is activated. In this embodiment, BLE (Bluetooth Low Energy) is used as Bluetooth.

[0033] Magnets 20C used to attach the front panel 10 are located at the top and bottom of the front of the main device 20. The magnets 20C are positioned opposite the magnets 10C provided inside the front panel 10. For example, if the magnet 10C on the front panel 10 has a north pole, the magnet 20C on the main device 20 has a south pole. The front panel 10 is detachably attached to the main device 20 by the attractive force between the magnets. Note that either the magnets 10C or 20C may be a piece of iron or other magnetic metal. Attachment of the front panel 10 to the main device 20 is detected by a Hall IC provided on the main device 20. Additionally, the main device 20 incorporates various electronic components necessary for aerosol generation. In this sense, the main device 20 is an example of an electronic device specialized for aerosol generation. In a narrower sense, the main device 20 is referred to as an aerosol generating device.

[0034] <Internal Configuration> Fig. 6 is a diagram schematically illustrating the internal configuration of the aerosol generating device 1. Fig. 6 also illustrates a state in which the stick-shaped substrate 210 is attached to the main device 20. The internal configuration shown in Fig. 6 is intended to explain the components provided on the front panel 10 and the main device 20 and their positional relationship. For this reason, the appearance of the components, etc. shown in Fig. 6 does not necessarily match the appearance diagram described above. Fig. 7 is a diagram schematically illustrating the connection relationship of the power supply circuits in the front panel 10 and the main device 20.

[0035] As shown in Fig. 6, the front panel 10 is provided with a power supply unit 101 that stores electricity, a charging circuit 102 that charges the power supply unit 101 with power supplied from the main unit 20, and a power supply circuit 103 that supplies power from the power supply unit 101 to the main unit 20 and other devices. Fig. 7 shows a case where the power supply unit 101 is a secondary battery 101A. The secondary battery 101A here is, for example, a lithium-ion secondary battery. The secondary battery 101A is an example of a second battery. The secondary battery 101A functions as a secondary battery or auxiliary battery for the secondary battery 201A on the main unit 20 side.

[0036] Charging circuit 102 is configured, for example, by a step-up DC / DC circuit. Charging circuit 102 in this embodiment is a circuit that supplies a voltage of, for example, 4.2 V to secondary battery 101A when power is supplied from main device 20. Charging circuit 102 is provided with a circuit that prevents backflow of current. Power supply circuit 103 is configured, for example, by a step-up DC / DC circuit. Power supply circuit 103 is a circuit that supplies a constant voltage (for example, 5 V) to main device 20 regardless of the output voltage of power supply unit 101. Power supply circuit 103 is provided with a circuit that prevents backflow of current.

[0037] Incidentally, power supply from the main device 20 to the charging circuit 102 and power supply from the power supply circuit 103 to the main device 20 may be contact or non-contact. Contact power supply uses, for example, a method based on mechanical contact of electrodes, a method based on mechanical contact using spring-loaded electrode pins (pogo pins), or a method based on connector coupling. Contactless power supply uses, for example, electromagnetic induction methods such as the Qi standard and NFC (Near Field Communication) standard, or electric field induction methods.

[0038] Meanwhile, the main device 20 has a power supply unit 201, a sensor unit 202, a notification unit 203, a memory unit 204, a communication unit 205, a control unit 206, a heating unit 207, a heat insulating unit 208, and a holding unit 209. As described above, Fig. 6 shows a state in which the stick-shaped substrate 210 is held by the holding unit 209. In this state, the user inhales the aerosol.

[0039] The power supply unit 201 is a unit that supplies power to the front panel 10 and the main unit 20. The power supply unit 201 stores power using, for example, a lithium-ion secondary battery or a capacitor. FIG. 7 shows an example in which power is stored in a secondary battery 201A. The secondary battery 201A is an example of a first battery. The secondary battery 201A can be charged from an external power source. In the present embodiment, the external power source may be, for example, a commercial power source, a mobile battery, or the secondary battery 101A of the front panel 10.

[0040] In addition, the power supply section 201 is provided with a power supply unit 201B. The power supply unit 201B switches the power supply path and converts the voltage level depending on the operating mode. The power supply unit 201B outputs, for example, 3.3 V (hereinafter also referred to as "system power") to a power supply line to which the sensor section 202, the notification section 203 (excluding the LED 20A), the storage section 204, the communication section 205, and the control section 206 are connected. The power supply unit 201B also outputs, for example, 5 V to the power supply line to which the LED 20A is connected and 4.2 V to the power supply line to which the heating section 207 is connected.

[0041] Furthermore, when charging the secondary battery 201A with an external power supply, the power supply unit 201B outputs, for example, 4.2 V to the power supply line to which the secondary battery 201A is connected. The external power supply here includes a commercial power supply, a mobile battery, and also the secondary battery 101A in the front panel 10. A USB cable is used to supply power from the commercial power supply or the mobile battery, and therefore in Figure 7, the power supply terminal corresponding to these is represented by VUSB.

[0042] The sensor unit 202 is an electronic component that detects various types of information related to the main device 20. The sensor unit 202 includes, for example, a pressure sensor such as a microphone capacitor and a flow rate sensor. The sensor unit 202 as a sensor outputs the detected information to the control unit 206. For example, when the sensor unit 202 detects a change in air pressure or air flow caused by inhalation, it outputs a numerical value representing the user's inhalation to the control unit 206.

[0043] The sensor unit 202 has an input device that accepts input from, for example, a user. The input device may be, for example, a button or a switch. In this embodiment, a button 20B (see FIG. 4) is used as the input device. The button 20B is used to switch the main power supply on and off, and to start and stop the supply of power to the heating unit 207 (i.e., start and stop the generation of aerosol), etc. The content of the user's instruction is output from the sensor unit 202 to the control unit 206. Note that the button 20B is not only an example of a button, but also an example of a switch.

[0044] In addition, the sensor unit 202 has a temperature sensor that detects the temperature of the heating unit 207. The temperature sensor detects the temperature of the heating unit 207 based on, for example, the electrical resistance value of the conductive track of the heating unit 207. The detected electrical resistance value is output from the sensor unit 202 to the control unit 206. The control unit 206 calculates the temperature of the heating unit 207 based on the electrical resistance value. In other words, the control unit 206 calculates the temperature of the stick-shaped substrate 210 held by the holding unit 209.

[0045] The sensor unit 202 also includes a capacitance sensor, an optical sensor, a pressure sensor, etc. that detect the insertion of the stick-shaped substrate 210 into the holding unit 209. The sensor unit 202 also includes an optical color sensor and an RFID (Radio Frequency Identification) reader, etc. that identify the individual stick-shaped substrate 210. The sensor unit 202 also includes a biosensor that measures the user's heart rate, etc., and a fingerprint sensor used for unlocking. The sensor unit 202 also includes an acceleration sensor, a gyro sensor, etc. that detect the user's movement.

[0046] Notification unit 203 is an electronic component that notifies the user of various types of information related to main device 20. Notification unit 203 includes LED 20A and other light-emitting devices. For example, LED 20A emits light in different patterns when power supply unit 201 needs to be charged, when power supply unit 201 is being charged, and when an abnormality has occurred in main device 20. The patterns here include different colors, different timings for turning on and off, etc.

[0047] The notification unit 203 may be configured with a display device that displays images, a sound output device that outputs sound, a vibration device that vibrates the main body device 20, or the like, in addition to or instead of the light-emitting device described above. The light-emitting device, display device, sound output device, vibration device, etc. are also examples of a notification unit that notifies information. In addition, the notification unit 203 may notify the user that it is now possible to inhale the aerosol. This notification is given when the temperature of the stick-shaped substrate 210 heated by the heating unit 207 reaches a predetermined temperature.

[0048] The storage unit 204 stores various information related to the operation of the main device 20. The storage unit 204 is configured with a non-volatile storage medium such as a flash memory. The information stored in the storage unit 204 includes, for example, an operating system (OS), firmware (FW), and other programs. The information stored in the storage unit 204 also includes, for example, information related to the control of electronic components. The control information includes information related to the user's suction, such as the number of suctions, the time of suction, and the cumulative suction time.

[0049] The communication unit 205 is a communication interface for realizing communication between the main device 20 and other devices. The communication unit 205 communicates with other devices using a method conforming to any wired or wireless communication standard. Examples of communication standards include wireless LAN (Local Area Network), serial signal line, Wi-Fi (registered trademark), and Bluetooth (registered trademark). For example, the communication unit 205 transmits information about the user's inhalation to a smartphone. The communication unit 205 also downloads update programs and profiles that define the temperature change of the heating unit 207 in heating mode from a server. The communication unit 205 also transmits signals to the power supply circuit 103 to start or stop power supply.

[0050] The control unit 206 functions as an arithmetic processing unit or control device, and controls the operation of the main unit 20 according to various programs. The control unit 206 may also control the operation of the charging circuit 102 and the power supply circuit 103 provided in the front panel 10. Control signals are transmitted via a signal line different from the power supply line. For example, serial communication methods such as I2C (Inter-Integrated Circuit) communication, SPI (Serial Peripheral Interface) communication, and UART (Universal Asynchronous Receiver Transmitter) communication are used for communication within the main unit 20. The SPI communication method or UART communication method is used for communication with the charging circuit 102 and the power supply circuit 103 of the front panel 10. For example, BLE is used as the communication line.

[0051] The control unit 206 is realized by electronic circuits such as a CPU (Central Processing Unit), an MPU (Micro Processing Unit), a GPU (Graphical Processing Unit), an ASIC (Application Specific Integrated Circuit), an FPGA (Field Programmable Gate Array), a DSP (Digital Signal Processor), etc. The control unit 206 may include a ROM (Read Only Memory) that stores programs, calculation parameters, etc., and a RAM (Random Access Memory) that temporarily stores parameters that change as appropriate.

[0052] The control unit 206 executes various processes and controls through the execution of programs. The processes and controls here include, for example, power supply from the power supply unit 201 to other electronic components, charging of the power supply unit 201, detection of information by the sensor unit 202, notification of information by the notification unit 203, storage and reading of information by the memory unit 204, and transmission and reception of information by the communication unit 205. Note that communication by the communication unit 205 also includes communication with the front panel 10. In addition, the control unit 206 also controls input of information to electronic components, processing based on information output from electronic components, and the like.

[0053] The holding part 209 is a roughly cylindrical container. In this embodiment, the space inside the holding part 209, which is defined by the inner wall and the bottom surface, is referred to as the internal space 209A. The internal space 209A is roughly columnar. The holding part 209 is provided with an opening 209B that connects the internal space 209A to the outside. The stick-shaped substrate 210 is inserted into the internal space 209A from this opening 209B. The stick-shaped substrate 210 is inserted until its tip hits the bottom 209C. Only a portion of the stick-shaped substrate 210 is accommodated in the internal space 209A. A state in which the stick-shaped substrate 210 is accommodated in the internal space 209A is referred to as the stick-shaped substrate 210 being held in the internal space 209A.

[0054] The holding part 209 is formed so that the inner diameter of at least a portion of its axial direction is smaller than the outer diameter of the stick-shaped substrate 210. For this reason, the outer peripheral surface of the stick-shaped substrate 210 inserted into the internal space 209A is subjected to pressure from the inner wall of the holding part 209. This pressure holds the stick-shaped substrate 210 in the internal space 209A. The holding part 209 also has the function of defining the flow path of air passing through the stick-shaped substrate 210. An air inlet, which is the entrance of air to the flow path, is located, for example, in the bottom part 209C. Note that the opening 209B corresponds to an air outlet, which is the air outlet.

[0055] In the present embodiment, only a portion of the stick-shaped substrate 210 is held in the holding portion 209, with the remainder protruding from the housing. Hereinafter, the portion held in the holding portion 209 will be referred to as the substrate portion 210A, and the portion protruding from the housing will be referred to as the mouthpiece portion 210B. At least the substrate portion 210A houses an aerosol source. The aerosol source is a substance that is atomized by heating to generate an aerosol. Aerosol sources include shredded tobacco, as well as processed products in which tobacco raw materials are formed into granules, sheets, or powder, and other tobacco-derived substances.

[0056] Furthermore, the aerosol source may include non-tobacco-derived substances made from plants other than tobacco, such as mint or herbs. For example, the aerosol source may include a flavoring component such as menthol. If the main device 20 is a medical inhaler, the aerosol source may include a medication for inhalation by the patient. Note that the aerosol source is not limited to solids and may be, for example, a polyhydric alcohol such as glycerin or propylene glycol, or a liquid such as water.

[0057] At least a portion of suction mouth portion 210B is held in the user's mouth when inhaling. When the user holds suction mouth portion 210B in their mouth and inhales, air flows into internal space 209A through the air inlet hole. The inflowing air passes through internal space 209A and base portion 210A and reaches the user's mouth. The air that reaches the user's mouth contains aerosol generated in base portion 210A.

[0058] The heating unit 207 is composed of a heater or other heat generating element. The heating unit 207 is composed of any material such as metal or polyimide. The heating unit 207 is, for example, in the form of a film, and is attached to the outer circumferential surface of the holding unit 209. The aerosol source contained in the stick-shaped substrate 210 is heated and atomized by the heat generated by the heating unit 207. The atomized aerosol source is mixed with air or the like to generate an aerosol. In the case of FIG. 6 , the area near the periphery of the stick-shaped substrate 210 is heated first, and the heated range gradually moves toward the center.

[0059] Therefore, atomization of the aerosol source begins near the periphery of the stick-shaped substrate 210 and gradually moves toward the center. The heating unit 207 generates heat when power is supplied from the power supply unit 201. For example, when a predetermined user input is detected via the sensor unit 202, power supply to the heating unit 207 is permitted. The user input here includes operation of the shutter 30 (see FIG. 1) or button 20B (see FIG. 4). However, power supply to the heating unit 207 is premised on the front panel 10 (see FIG. 1) being attached to the main device 20. By attaching the front panel 10, it is possible to reduce the temperature transmitted to the user's hand compared to when the front panel 10 is not attached.

[0060] When the temperature of the stick-shaped substrate 210 heated by the heating unit 207 reaches a predetermined temperature, the user becomes able to inhale. The inhalation of the aerosol by the user is detected by a flow rate sensor or the like of the sensor unit 202 and stored in the storage unit 204. Thereafter, when a predetermined user input is detected by the sensor unit 202, power supply to the heating unit 207 is stopped. It is also possible to employ a system in which power is supplied to the heating unit 207 while the sensor unit 202 detects inhalation by the user, and power supply to the heating unit 207 is stopped when inhalation by the user is no longer detected by the sensor unit 202.

[0061] 6, the heating unit 207 is disposed outside the stick-shaped substrate 210, but the heating unit 207 may be a blade-shaped metal piece that is inserted into the stick-shaped substrate 210, or a metal piece that is built into the stick-shaped substrate 210. When a metal piece that functions as the heating unit 207 is built into the stick-shaped substrate 210, a coil for induction heating may be disposed around the holding unit 209.

[0062] The heat insulating section 208 is a member that reduces the propagation of heat generated in the heating section 207 to the surrounding area. For this reason, the heat insulating section 208 is arranged so as to cover at least the outer peripheral surface of the heating section 207. The heat insulating section 208 is made of, for example, a vacuum insulation material, an aerogel insulation material, or the like. A vacuum insulation material is an insulation material in which, for example, glass wool and silica (silicon powder) are wrapped in a resin film and placed in a high vacuum state, thereby reducing the thermal conduction of gases to as close to zero as possible.

[0063] <Example of Processing Operation> An example of processing operation executed by the control unit 206 (see FIG. 6) will be described below. <Attachment Detection Operation> FIG. 8 is a flowchart illustrating an example of the attachment detection operation of the front panel 10 executed by the control unit 206. This operation is executed not only before heating by the heating unit 207 (see FIG. 6) starts but also after heating starts, and is always executed in the background. Note that the symbol S shown in the figure denotes a step. First, the control unit 206 determines whether the front panel 10 (see FIG. 1) is attached to the main unit 20 (see FIG. 1) (step 1).

[0064] If the front panel 10 is attached to the main device 20, a positive result is obtained in step 1. On the other hand, if the front panel 10 is detached from the front of the main device 20, a negative result is obtained in step 1. Attachment and detachment of the front panel 10 is determined based on the output signal of the Hall IC. If a positive result is obtained in step 1, the control unit 206 cancels the prohibition on heating the aerosol source by the heating unit 207 (step 2).

[0065] However, lifting the prohibition on heating is different from starting heating. Heating of the stick-shaped substrate 210 (see FIG. 6), which is the aerosol source, is started by pressing and holding the button 20B (see FIG. 4) from above the front panel 10 for at least one second. If a negative result is obtained in step 1, the control unit 206 controls the heating unit 207 to prohibit heating of the aerosol source (step 3). After step 2 or step 3 is executed, the control unit 206 returns to step 1 and repeatedly determines whether the front panel 10 is attached to the main device 20. This attachment detection operation prevents the user from directly touching the main device 20 during the heating operation.

[0066] <USB Charging Operation> Figure 9 is a flowchart illustrating an example of the USB charging operation executed by the control unit 206. The USB charging operation is also constantly executed in the background. First, the control unit 206 determines whether a USB connection has been detected (step 11). If a USB cable is connected to the USB connector 21 (see Figure 2), a positive result is obtained in step 11. On the other hand, if a USB cable is not connected to the USB connector 21, a negative result is obtained in step 11.

[0067] If a negative result is obtained in step 11, the control unit 206 repeats the determination in step 11. On the other hand, if a positive result is obtained in step 11, the control unit 206 starts charging the secondary battery 201A in the main unit 20 and the secondary battery 101A in the front panel 10 (step 12). Note that the actual charging may be performed by first charging one of the secondary battery 201A in the main unit 20 or the secondary battery 101A in the front panel 10 to full capacity, and then charging the other to full capacity. However, the secondary battery 201A in the main unit 20 and the secondary battery 101A in the front panel 10 may be charged in parallel. Next, the control unit 206 determines whether both secondary batteries 101A, 201A are at full charge voltage (step 13).

[0068] If either one of them has not reached the full charge voltage, a negative result is obtained in step 13. On the other hand, if both have reached the full charge voltage, a positive result is obtained in step 13. If a negative result is obtained in step 13, the control unit 206 determines whether the USB cable has been removed (step 14). If the USB cable remains connected, a negative result is obtained in step 14. On the other hand, if the USB cable is removed during charging, a positive result is obtained in step 14. If a negative result is obtained in step 14, the control unit 206 returns to step 13 and repeats the determination in step 13.

[0069] If a positive result is obtained in step 13 or if a positive result is obtained in step 14, the control unit 206 stops charging the secondary battery 201A in the main device 20 and the secondary battery 101A in the front panel 10 (step 15). The control unit 206 then terminates the USB charging operation. FIG. 10 is a diagram illustrating the USB charging operation. The horizontal axis in the diagram represents time, the upper half of the vertical axis represents the remaining charge of the secondary battery 201A in the main device 20, and the lower half of the vertical axis represents the remaining charge of the secondary battery 101A in the front panel 10.

[0070] In Figure 10, in the initial state T1, both secondary batteries 101A and 201A are fully charged. At time T2, the remaining power levels of both secondary battery 201A in main unit 20 and secondary battery 101A in front panel 10 have dropped from full charge. When a USB cable is connected in this state, USB charging begins. As a result, by the time USB charging finishes at T3, both secondary batteries 101A and 201A have returned to full charge.

[0071] <Auxiliary Charging Operation> Figure 11 is a diagram illustrating the operation of charging the secondary battery 201A of the main device 20 using the secondary battery 101A of the front panel 10 (i.e., auxiliary charging). The control unit 206 determines whether the remaining charge of the secondary battery 201A of the main device 20 is less than a threshold V1 (step 21). The threshold V1 here is an example of a predetermined criterion. If the remaining charge is equal to or greater than the threshold V1, a negative result is obtained in step 21. On the other hand, if the remaining charge is less than the threshold V1, a positive result is obtained in step 21. If a negative result is obtained in step 21, the control unit 206 repeats the determination in step 21. On the other hand, if a positive result is obtained in step 21, the control unit 206 starts supplying power from the secondary battery 101A of the front panel 10 to the secondary battery 201A of the main device 20 (step 22).

[0072] In this embodiment, the control unit 206 instructs the power supply circuit 103 of the front panel 10 to start supplying power. As a result, a boosted voltage, for example, 5V, is supplied from the output terminal of the power supply circuit 103 to the power supply unit 201B (see FIG. 7) of the main unit 20. The power supply unit 201B also converts the 5V voltage supplied from the secondary battery 101A (as an external power source) to 4.2V DC / DC and supplies the 4.2V voltage to the power line to which the secondary battery 201A is connected. This starts charging the secondary battery 201A of the main unit 20. Next, the control unit 206 determines whether the remaining charge of the secondary battery 201A of the main unit 20 is greater than a threshold V2 (>V1) (step 23). If the remaining charge of the secondary battery 201A is equal to or less than the threshold V2, a negative result is obtained in step 23. On the other hand, if the remaining charge of the secondary battery 201A is greater than the threshold V2, a positive result is obtained in step 23.

[0073] If a negative result is obtained in step 23, the control unit 206 determines whether the remaining charge of the secondary battery 101A in the front panel 10 is less than a threshold V3 (step 24). The threshold V3 here defines the timing for stopping power supply from the front panel 10 to the main unit 20. If the remaining charge of the secondary battery 101A in the front panel 10 is equal to or greater than the threshold V3, a negative result is obtained in step 24. On the other hand, if the remaining charge of the secondary battery 101A in the front panel 10 is less than the threshold V3, a positive result is obtained in step 24. If a negative result is obtained in step 24, the control unit 206 returns to step 23 and repeats the determination in step 23. Note that if a positive result is obtained in step 23 or if a positive result is obtained in step 24, the control unit 206 stops power supply from the secondary battery 101A in the front panel 10 to the secondary battery 201A in the main unit 20 (step 25).

[0074] A positive result in step 23 means that the remaining charge of secondary battery 201A in main device 20 has recovered to the target level. On the other hand, a positive result in step 24 means that the remaining charge of secondary battery 101A in front panel 10 is low. Subsequently, control unit 206 terminates charging of secondary battery 201A in main device 20 using secondary battery 101A in front panel 10 as an external power source. FIG. 12 is a diagram illustrating auxiliary charging using front panel 10 as an external power source. The horizontal axis in the diagram represents time, the upper half of the vertical axis represents the remaining charge of secondary battery 201A in main device 20, and the lower half of the vertical axis represents the remaining charge of secondary battery 101A in front panel 10.

[0075] In the example shown in Figure 12, both secondary batteries 101A and 201A are fully charged in the initial state T11. At time T12 in Figure 12, the remaining charge of secondary battery 201A in main unit 20 falls below threshold V1. Note that secondary battery 101A in front panel 10 remains fully charged. However, as with time T2 in Figure 10, the remaining charge of secondary battery 101A in front panel 10 may also be low. Auxiliary charging begins at time T12. As a result of auxiliary charging, the remaining charge of secondary battery 101A in front panel 10 decreases, while the remaining charge of secondary battery 201A in main unit 20 increases. In the example shown in Figure 12, the remaining charge of secondary battery 201A in main unit 20 has not reached threshold V2, but charging of secondary battery 101A in front panel 10, which serves as an external power source, has stopped because its remaining charge has fallen below threshold V3.

[0076] <Summary> As described above, the main device 20 (see FIG. 1) described in this embodiment can be fitted with a front panel 10 incorporating a secondary battery 101A. Furthermore, when the front panel 10 incorporating the secondary battery 101A is fitted to the main device 20, the secondary battery 101A of the main device 20 can be charged using the secondary battery 101A as an external power source. As a result, the operating time of the main device 20 is longer than when a front panel 10 without a secondary battery 101A is fitted. FIG. 13 is a diagram illustrating the amount of power available to the entire aerosol generation device 1. The vertical axis in the diagram represents the amount of power available to the entire aerosol generation device 1. As shown in FIG. 13, the amount of available power is greater when the front panel 10 incorporating the secondary battery 101A is fitted to the main device 20 compared to when only the secondary battery 201A is fitted to the main device 20.

[0077] <Embodiment 2> In this embodiment, a case will be described in which the power stored in the secondary battery 101A of the front panel 10 is used for purposes other than charging the secondary battery 201A of the main device 20. The internal and external configurations of the aerosol generation device 1 are the same as those of embodiment 1. Fig. 14 is a diagram schematically showing the connection relationship between the power supply circuits in the front panel 10 and the main device 20 employed in embodiment 2. In Fig. 14, parts corresponding to those in Fig. 7 are assigned the same reference numerals.

[0078] 14 shows an example in which power is supplied from the front panel 10 to the communication unit 205, which is connected to a power line through which the system power supply Vsys is supplied. However, power is also supplied to other electronic circuits connected to the power line through which the system power supply Vsys is supplied, such as the sensor unit 202 (see FIG. 6), part of the notification unit 203 (see FIG. 6), and the control unit 206 (see FIG. 6). In FIG. 14, the power supply unit 201B steps down the voltage supplied from the secondary battery 101A of the front panel 10 to generate the system power supply Vsys. The power supply unit 201B in this embodiment not only charges the secondary battery 201A of the main unit 20, but also generates the system power supply Vsys.

[0079] Therefore, in the present embodiment, even if the remaining charge of the secondary battery 201A of the main device 20 becomes low, the communication function of the main device 20 can be maintained by using the power stored in the secondary battery 101A of the front panel 10. This makes it possible to upload information stored in the memory unit 204 of the main device 20 to a smartphone, a server, or the like. Furthermore, by supplying the power stored in the secondary battery 101A of the front panel 10 to the notification unit 203, it is also possible to notify the user of a low remaining charge of the secondary battery 201A of the main device 20, for example. Of course, the low remaining charge of the secondary battery 201A of the main device 20 may also be uploaded to a smartphone, a server, or the like via the communication unit 205.

[0080] When generating the system power supply Vsys from the secondary battery 101A of the front panel 10, the supply of charging power to the secondary battery 201A of the main unit 20 may be stopped. In the example of Fig. 14, the communication unit 205 is directly connected to the power line through which the system power is supplied, but a power switch may be provided between the power line and each electronic circuit, or a dedicated power line may be provided for each electronic circuit, making it possible to select the electronic circuit to which power is supplied.

[0081] Third Embodiment In this embodiment, another example will be described in which the power stored in the secondary battery 101A of the front panel 10 is used for purposes other than charging the secondary battery 201A of the main unit 20. In this embodiment, the case will be described in which the power stored in the secondary battery 101A of the front panel 10 is used to supply power to the heating unit 207. Fig. 15 is a diagram schematically showing the connection relationship between the power supply circuits in the front panel 10 and the main unit 20 employed in the second embodiment. In Fig. 15, parts corresponding to those in Fig. 7 are assigned the same reference numerals.

[0082] In the case of Fig. 15, power supplied from the secondary battery 201A of the main unit 20 and power supplied from the secondary battery 101A of the front panel 10 are selectively supplied to a step-up DC / DC circuit 212 by a switch 211. In this embodiment, a method is adopted in which the switch 211 is used to selectively switch the power supply source for the heating unit 207. When power is supplied from two power sources simultaneously, step-up / step-down DC / DC circuits are connected to the two power sources and the voltages of the two power sources are made equal before being connected to the power supply line. The step-up DC / DC circuit 212 in Fig. 15 is a circuit that generates the voltage required by the heating unit 207.

[0083] As in this embodiment, by supplying power to the heating unit 207 from the secondary battery 101A of the front panel 10, the amount of aerosol that can be generated per charge can be increased. Also, the number of stick-shaped substrates 210 (see FIG. 6) that can be used to generate aerosol per charge can be increased. Furthermore, by also using the power of the secondary battery 101A of the front panel 10, it is possible to extend the usage time of the aerosol generation device 1 per charge.

[0084] <Embodiment 4> In this embodiment, a front panel 10 with a notification unit will be described. Fig. 16 is a diagram illustrating an example of the appearance of an aerosol generation device 1 equipped with a front panel 10 with a notification unit. In Fig. 16, parts corresponding to those in Fig. 1 are assigned the same reference numerals. The appearance shown in Fig. 16 is an example of the front side of the aerosol generation device 1 observed from diagonally above.

[0085] 16 is, for example, a liquid crystal display, an organic EL (electroluminescence) display, a micro LED (light emitting diode) display, or other display device, and displays information such as the status of main device 20 and the remaining charge of secondary battery 201A as characters or images. However, an LED of the same type as that used in main device 20 may also be used as notification unit 104.

[0086] In the case of Fig. 16, the front panel 10 does not have a window 10B. Therefore, when the front panel 10 shown in Fig. 16 is attached, the LED 20A on the main device 20 side is always controlled to be off. This is because, when the front panel 10 shown in Fig. 16 is attached, the lit state of the LED 20A cannot be seen from the outside. Note that by always keeping the LED 20A of the main device 20 off, power consumption can be reduced compared to when the LED is controlled to be on and off. This reduces the rate at which the capacity of the secondary battery 201A decreases, and the usable time of the main device 20 can be extended if the aerosol is inhaled in the same way.

[0087] Furthermore, while a 5V power supply, for example, is connected to the LED 20A, the generation of the 5V power supply may be stopped when the front panel 10 shown in FIG. 16 is attached. If the control unit 206 is able to detect the attachment of a front panel 10 that does not allow the lighting state of the LED 20A to be visually confirmed from the outside, the generation of the 5V power supply can be stopped. Note that the attachment of this type of front panel 10 can be detected by the control unit 206 of the main unit 20 through detection of the presence or absence of protrusions or recesses on the attachment surface, reading of a barcode or QR code (registered trademark) indicating the type of front panel 10 using a camera unit (not shown), or communication with the front panel 10, a smartphone, or the like.

[0088] The placement of the notification unit 104 shown in FIG. 16 is an example, and it can be used in conjunction with the window 10B. Even when the window 10B is used in conjunction with the notification unit 104, the illumination control of the LED 20A may be stopped. However, the notification of information by the notification unit 104 and the illumination control of the LED 20A may be used in conjunction with each other. The content of the information notified by the notification unit 104 of the front panel 10 may overlap with the content of the information notified by the LED 20A, or they may be complementary. For example, the remaining charge of the secondary battery 201A may be notified by both the notification unit 104 of the front panel 10 and the LED 20A of the main device 20. Alternatively, for example, the LED 20A of the main device 20 may notify the remaining charge of the secondary battery 201A, and the notification unit 104 of the front panel 10 may notify the time, error information, the current operating mode of the main device 20 (high aerosol generation mode, low aerosol generation mode), aerosol inhalation history, etc.

[0089] Fig. 17 is a diagram schematically showing the internal configuration of the aerosol generating device 1 used in embodiment 4. In Fig. 17, parts corresponding to those in Fig. 6 are denoted by the same reference numerals. The front panel 10 shown in Fig. 17 is provided with a power supply unit 101 that stores electricity, a charging circuit 102 that charges the power supply unit 101 with power supplied from the main device 20, a power supply circuit 103 that supplies power from the power supply unit 101 to the main device 20 and the like, a notification unit 104 that notifies information, and a communication unit 105. The communication unit 105 is capable of communicating with a communication unit 205 of the main device 20, acquires status information from the main device 20, and provides the status information to the notification unit 104.

[0090] 18 is a diagram schematically illustrating the connection relationship between the power supply circuits in the front panel 10 and the main unit 20 used in the fourth embodiment. The power supply unit 101 shown in FIG. 18 is provided with a step-up / step-down DC / DC circuit 101B, which generates a 3.3 V system power supply Vsys from the output voltage of the secondary battery 101A and supplies it to the notification unit 104. This eliminates the need to use power from the secondary battery 201A of the main unit 20 for the notification of information by the notification unit 104. In the fourth embodiment, an example has been described in which the notification unit 104 and the communication unit 105 are provided on the front panel 10, but a sensor unit and a memory unit may also be provided.

[0091] Fifth Embodiment In this embodiment, a front panel 10 with a control unit will be described. Fig. 19 is a view of the back surface of the front panel 10 used in the fifth embodiment. In Fig. 19, parts corresponding to those in Fig. 5 are assigned the same reference numerals. In Fig. 19, a secondary battery 101A, a charging circuit 102, a power supply circuit 103, a communication unit 105, and a control unit 106 are attached to the back surface of the front panel 10. The control unit 106 functions as an arithmetic processing unit or control device that executes various programs.

[0092] The control unit 106 in this embodiment controls the supply of power from, for example, the secondary battery 101A in the front panel 10 to the main body device 20 through communication with the control unit 206 of the main body device 20. Furthermore, for example, the control unit 106 controls charging of the secondary battery 101A by power supply from the main body device 20. It is assumed that the secondary battery 101A is charged via a USB cable. However, charging from the secondary battery 201A of the main body device 20 is also possible. Figure 20 is a diagram schematically showing the internal configuration of the aerosol generation device 1 used in embodiment 5. In Figure 20, parts corresponding to those in Figure 17 are assigned the same reference numerals. The control unit 106 communicates with the communication unit 205 of the main body device 20, a smartphone, etc., via the communication unit 105.

[0093] FIG. 21 is a diagram schematically illustrating the connection relationship between the power supply circuits in the front panel 10 and the main unit 20 used in the fifth embodiment. In FIG. 21, parts corresponding to those in FIG. 18 are denoted by the same reference numerals. As shown in FIG. 21, the control unit 106 is supplied with the system power supply Vsys from the secondary battery 101A of the front panel 10 via the step-up / step-down DC / DC circuit 101B. Therefore, even if the control unit 106 is provided in the front panel 10, power from the secondary battery 201A of the main unit 20 is not consumed. The front panel 10 in this embodiment includes the secondary battery 101A, the communication unit 105, and the control unit 106, and therefore can operate autonomously even when detached from the main unit 20. The control unit 106 is provided with semiconductor memory required for executing its functions.

[0094] <Other Embodiments> (1) Although the embodiments of the present disclosure have been described above, the technical scope of the present disclosure is not limited to the scope described in the above-described embodiments. It is clear from the claims that various modifications or improvements to the above-described embodiments are also included in the technical scope of the present disclosure.

[0095] (2) In the above-described embodiment, the joint between the front panel 10 and the main device 20 is continuously connected without any steps, forming a unified appearance. However, the joint may have steps or notches as long as the appearance is unified with the main device 20.

[0096] (3) In the above embodiment, the aerosol source is described as a solid, but the aerosol source may be a liquid. In the case where the aerosol source is a liquid, a method is adopted in which the aerosol source is guided into a thin tube called a wick by using capillary action, and the aerosol source is evaporated by heating a coil wound around the wick.

[0097] (4) In the above embodiment, the aerosol generator generates an aerosol by heating a solid aerosol source. However, the aerosol generator may generate an aerosol by separately heating a solid aerosol source and a liquid aerosol source. This type of aerosol generator is also called a hybrid aerosol generator.

[0098] (5) In the above-described embodiment, the secondary battery 101A in the front panel 10 supplies power to the main device 20. However, power supply from the secondary battery 101A may be limited to the front panel 10. For example, if the front panel 10 includes a notification unit 104, a communication unit 105, a control unit 106, a sensor unit, and the like, the power supply may be limited to these electronic components. In this case, the secondary battery 201A in the main device 20 does not need to be used to supply power to the electronic components in the front panel 10. Therefore, even when a multi-functional front panel 10 is attached to the main device 20, the usable time of the secondary battery 201A in the main device 20 is not shortened. In other words, even when a multi-functional front panel 10 is attached to the main device 20, aerosol generation is not affected. In this case, the power supply circuit 103 (see Figures 6 and 7) does not need to be provided in the front panel 10.

[0099] (6) In the above embodiment, the case where power from the secondary battery 101A of the front panel 10 and power from the secondary battery 201A of the main unit 20 are output to a common power line via the power supply unit 201B (see FIG. 14 ) has been described. However, the power supplied from the secondary battery 101A of the front panel 10 to the main unit 20 may be supplied to each component of the main unit 20 via dedicated power lines. When supplying power via dedicated power lines, a step-up / step-down DC / DC circuit for generating a voltage suitable for each power line is provided in the front panel 10 or the main unit 20. When supplying power from the front panel 10 only to specific electronic components, a dedicated power line may be provided only for the specific electronic components.

[0100] (7) In the above-described embodiment, the charging circuit 102 is provided on the front panel 10. However, a configuration may be adopted in which the charging circuit 102 is not provided. In this case, the power supply unit 201B of the main device 20 functions as the charging circuit 102.

[0101] (8) In the above-described embodiment, a secondary battery 101A is provided on the front panel 10 of the aerosol-generating main unit 20. However, the electronic device using a panel with a secondary battery is not limited to the aerosol-generating device 1 (main unit 20). That is, the panel with a secondary battery may be attached to a remote control, a game console, a music player, a car navigation system, a video camera, a digital camera, an electronic dictionary, a calculator, or other electronic device. The panel with a secondary battery here is an example of a cover member. Furthermore, the panel with a secondary battery here is not limited to a front panel.

[0102] (9) In the above embodiment, the secondary battery 101A provided on the front panel 10 is assumed to be a film-type lithium ion secondary battery or a capacitor, but it may also be coin-shaped or chip-shaped.

[0103] (10) In the above embodiment, an example was described in which aerosol generation was permitted only when the front panel 10 was attached to the main device 20. However, the main device 20 may be capable of generating aerosol even when the front panel 10 is not attached. In this case, attaching the front panel 10 to the main device 20 is used to expand the functions executable by the main device 20. For example, when the front panel 10 is removed, the main device 20 operates solely on the built-in secondary battery 201A (see FIG. 7 ), and when a front panel 10 with a secondary battery is attached to the main device 20, functions that use power from the secondary battery 101A (see FIG. 7 ) of the front panel 10 are enabled.

[0104] (11) In the above-described embodiment, a state in which aerosol generation is possible has been described as an example of an operable aerosol generation device 1 (main unit 20). However, this is not limited to this. For example, even if aerosol generation is not possible due to a power shortage, the aerosol generation device 1 (main unit 20) is operable as long as other functions are operating. Examples of other functions include a function to check and display the remaining charge of the secondary battery 201A, etc., a function to acquire and display the inhalation history, and a function to communicate with an external terminal.

[0105] (12) In the above-described embodiment, an example was described in which the front panel 10 attached to the main device 20 was pressed and deformed to operate the buttons 20B provided on the main device 20. However, instructions to the main device 20 may be input using methods other than deformation of the front panel 10. For example, a touch panel may be used as the notification unit 104 (see FIG. 16 ), and information indicating a user's operation on the touch panel may be notified to the control unit 206 (see FIG. 17 ) of the main device 20 via the communication unit 105 (see FIG. 17 ). Alternatively, for example, switches or buttons may be arranged on the front panel 10, and the presence or absence of an operation on these may be notified to the control unit 206 (see FIG. 17 ) of the main device 20 via the communication unit 105 (see FIG. 17 ). The touch panel, switches, etc. are examples of an operation unit. Note that a heat-shielding structure may be employed on the surface and interior of this type of main device 20.

[0106] <Summary> The present disclosure includes the following configurations. (1) A cover member detachable from an electronic device powered by a built-in first battery, the cover member having a second battery that is charged by power supplied from the electronic device. (2) The cover member according to (1), further including a charging circuit that charges the second battery by power supplied from the electronic device. (3) The cover member according to (1) or (2), further including a power supply circuit that supplies power to the electronic device. (4) The cover member according to (3), in which the power supply circuit charges the first battery when the remaining charge of the first battery is equal to or less than a predetermined standard. (5) The cover member according to (3), in which the power supply circuit supplies power in response to an instruction from the electronic device. (6) The cover member according to (3), in which the power supply circuit supplies power to a communication unit of the electronic device. (7) The cover member according to any one of (1) to (6), further including a notification unit that receives power from the second battery and notifies information. (8) The cover member according to any one of (3) to (6), wherein the electronic device is an aerosol generation device having a heating unit that heats the aerosol source, and the power supply circuit supplies power to the heating unit. (9) The cover member according to any one of (1) to (8), wherein the electronic device is an aerosol generation device having a heating unit that heats the aerosol source, and the main body unit attached to the aerosol generation device covers a part of the surface of the aerosol generation device in an operable state. (10) The cover member according to (8) or (9), wherein attachment of the main body unit to the aerosol generation device is one of the conditions that enables heating of the aerosol source by the heating unit. (11) The cover member according to any one of (1) to (10), wherein the main body unit, when attached to the electronic device, allows a user to operate a switch on the electronic device by pressing it. (12) The cover member according to any one of (1) to (10), further comprising an operation unit that receives a user's operation and notifies the electronic device. (13) A cover member described in any one of (1) to (11), wherein the main body attached to the electronic device forms an integrated appearance with the part of the electronic device that is not covered by the main body when in an operational state.

[0107] DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1...Aerosol generating device, 10...Front panel, 104, 203...Notification unit, 10A...Main body panel, 10B...Window, 10C, 20C...Magnet, 20...Main body device, 101A, 201A...Secondary battery, 20A...LED, 20B...Button, 21...USB connector, 22...Hole, 30...Shutter, 101, 201...Power supply unit, 101B...Step-up / step-down DC / DC circuit, 102...Charging circuit, 103...Power supply circuit, 105, 205...Communication unit, 106, 206...Control unit, 201B...Power supply unit, 202...Sensor unit, 203...Notification unit, 204...Memory unit, 207...Heating unit, 208...Insulation unit, 209...Holding unit, 210...Stick-shaped substrate, 211...Switch, 212...Step-up DC / DC circuit

Claims

1. A cover member that is detachable from an electronic device operated by a built-in first battery, a second battery that is charged by power supplied from the electronic device, The cover member having.

2. A charging circuit that charges the second battery by power supplied from the electronic device, The cover member according to claim 1, further comprising.

3. A power supply circuit that supplies power to the electronic device The cover member according to claim 1 or 2, further comprising.

4. When the remaining amount of the first battery is below a predetermined reference, the power supply circuit charges the first battery, The cover member according to claim 3.

5. The supply of power by the power supply circuit is executed according to an instruction from the electronic device, The cover member according to claim 3.

6. The power supply circuit supplies power to the communication unit of the electronic device, The cover member according to claim 3.

7. A notification unit that receives power supply from the second battery and notifies information The cover member according to claim 1, further comprising.

8. The electronic device is an aerosol generating device having a heating unit that heats an aerosol source, The power supply circuit supplies power to the heating unit, The cover member according to claim 3.

9. The electronic device is an aerosol generating device having a heating unit that heats an aerosol source, The main body portion attached to the aerosol generating device covers a part of the surface of the aerosol generating device in an operable state, The cover member according to claim 1.

10. The attachment of the main body portion to the aerosol generating device is one of the conditions that enables the heating of the aerosol source by the heating unit, The cover member according to claim 8.

11. The main body portion can operate a switch on the electronic device side by being pressed by the user while attached to the electronic device, The cover member according to claim 1.

12. An operation unit that receives a user's operation and notifies the electronic device, The cover member according to claim 1, further comprising.

13. The main body portion attached to the electronic device forms an integrated appearance with a portion of the electronic device that is not covered by the main body portion in an operable state, The cover member according to claim 1.