Aerosol generation device

Abstract

Provided is an inhalation device for generating an aerosol by heating an aerosol source, the inhalation device comprising: a power supply section (111) configured to be able to supply power to a heating section (121) for heating the aerosol source and be chargeable with power received from an external power supply; a body-side substrate unit (90) on which an MCU (1161) for controlling the supply of power to the heating section (121) is mounted; and a case that includes a power supply accommodating section accommodating the power supply section (111) and a substrate accommodating section accommodating the body-side substrate unit (90). The power supply section (111) comprises: a battery (1111); a charging terminal (1117) configured to be able to receive power from the external power supply; and a charging IC (1116) that controls the charging of the battery (1111) with the power received by the charging terminal (1117). The power supply section (111) is detachably disposed in the power supply accommodating section of the case.

Description

Aerosol Generator

[0001] The present disclosure relates to an aerosol generating device.

[0002] Conventionally, there have been known aerosol generating devices that generate aerosols containing, for example, flavor components and allow a user to inhale the generated aerosols. Typically, such aerosol generating devices generate the aerosol by heating an aerosol source with a heating unit that is an electric resistance heater or an induction heater.

[0003] The battery of an aerosol generating device deteriorates over time and with use. Patent Document 1 below discloses an electronic cigarette device with a replaceable battery. Patent Document 2 below also describes a battery supported by a battery support that is positioned facing a substrate exposed inside the case.

[0004] Chinese Patent Application Publication No. 107373765 Japanese Patent Publication No. 2022-524791

[0005] However, the history of research and development into aerosol generating devices is still short, and there is still room for improvement in terms of improving user convenience.

[0006] The present disclosure provides an aerosol generating device that improves user convenience.

[0007] The present disclosure provides an aerosol generating device that generates an aerosol by heating an aerosol source, comprising: a power supply unit that is capable of supplying power to a heating unit that heats the aerosol source and is configured to be chargeable with power received from an external power source; a board on which a plurality of electronic components are mounted, including a first control element that controls the supply of power to the heating unit; and a case having a power supply housing that houses the power supply unit, a connection unit that electrically connects the power supply unit housed in the power supply housing to the electronic components, and a board housing unit that houses the board, wherein the power supply unit is configured by fixing together a battery, a power receiving unit configured to be able to receive power from the external power source, and a connection terminal that can be electrically connected to the connection unit, and is arranged in a detachable state in the power supply housing.

[0008] According to the present disclosure, an aerosol generating device with improved user convenience can be provided.

[0009] FIG. 1 is a schematic diagram showing a first configuration example of a suction device. FIG. 2 is a schematic diagram showing a second configuration example of a suction device. FIG. 3 is a diagram showing an example of the external configuration of the suction device 100. FIG. 4 is a diagram showing a first example of a detachable mode of the power supply unit 111. FIG. 5 is a diagram showing a second example of a detachable mode of the power supply unit 111. FIG. 6 is a diagram showing a third example of a detachable mode of the power supply unit 111. FIG. 7 is a diagram showing a fourth example of a detachable mode of the power supply unit 111. FIG. 8 is a diagram showing one configuration example of the power supply unit 111. FIG. 9 is a diagram showing another configuration example of the power supply unit 111.

[0010] An embodiment of the aerosol generating device of the present disclosure will be described in detail below with reference to the drawings. The drawings should be viewed in the direction indicated by the reference numerals. The embodiment described below is an example in which the aerosol generating device of the present disclosure is applied to an inhalation device. Note that not all of the features described in the following embodiment are necessarily essential for the aerosol generating device of the present disclosure. Furthermore, two or more of the features described in the following embodiment can be arbitrarily combined. Hereinafter, identical or similar elements will be denoted by identical or similar reference numerals, and their description may be omitted or simplified as appropriate.

[0011] [1. Configuration Example of Inhalation Device] An inhalation device, which is an example of an aerosol generating device according to the present disclosure, is a device that generates a substance to be inhaled by a user. In the following description, the substance generated by the inhalation device is described as an aerosol. Alternatively, the substance generated by the inhalation device may be a gas.

[0012] <1-1. First Configuration Example of Inhalation Device> Fig. 1 is a schematic diagram illustrating a first configuration example of an inhalation device. As shown in Fig. 1, an inhalation device 100A of this configuration example includes a power supply unit 110A, a cartridge 120, and a flavor imparting cartridge 130. The power supply unit 110A includes a power supply section 111A, a sensor section 112A, a notification section 113A, a memory section 114A, a communication section 115A, and a control section 116A. The cartridge 120 includes a heating section 121A, a liquid guiding section 122, and a liquid storage section 123. The flavor imparting cartridge 130 includes a flavor source 131 and a mouthpiece 124. An air flow path 180 is formed in the cartridge 120 and the flavor imparting cartridge 130.

[0013] The power supply unit 111A stores electric power. The power supply unit 111A supplies electric power to each component of the suction device 100A under the control of the control unit 116A. The power supply unit 111A is configured to be rechargeable with electric power received from an external power source. The external power source may be, for example, an AC (Alternating Current) adapter, a mobile charger, or a PC (Personal Computer). The power supply unit 111A may be, for example, a rechargeable battery such as a lithium-ion secondary battery.

[0014] Furthermore, the power supply unit 111A is configured to be detachable from the power supply unit 110A. That is, in the suction device 100A, the user can replace the power supply unit 111A by removing an old power supply unit 111A and installing a new power supply unit 111A. Specific configuration examples of the power supply unit 111 including the power supply unit 111A will be described later, and therefore will not be described here.

[0015] The sensor unit 112A acquires various types of information related to the suction device 100A. The sensor unit 112A is configured with, for example, a pressure sensor such as a condenser microphone, a flow rate sensor, or a temperature sensor, and acquires values ​​associated with the suction by the user.

[0016] As one example, the sensor unit 112A may include a pressure sensor (also referred to as a "puff sensor") that detects changes in the pressure (hereinafter also referred to as "internal pressure") inside the inhalation device 100A caused by the user's inhalation. As another example, the sensor unit 112A may include a flow rate sensor that detects the flow rate (hereinafter also simply referred to as "flow rate") caused by the user's inhalation. As another example, the sensor unit 112A may include a temperature sensor (also referred to as a "puff thermistor") that detects the temperature of the heating unit 121A or the area around the heating unit 121A. Furthermore, the sensor unit 112A may include a voltage sensor that detects the terminal voltage of the power supply unit 111A, a temperature sensor that detects the temperature of the power supply unit 111A, etc.

[0017] The sensor unit 112A may also include an operation detection unit that detects user operations. In other words, the sensor unit 112A may also function as an input unit that accepts information input from the user. In this case, the sensor unit 112A may be configured to include an operation button, an operation switch, a motion sensor, a hall sensor, or the like.

[0018] The notification unit 113A notifies the user of information. The notification unit 113A may be configured, for example, by a light-emitting device that emits light, a display device that displays images, a sound output device that outputs sound, or a vibration device that vibrates. Here, the light-emitting device may be realized, for example, by a light-emitting element such as an LED (Light-Emitting Diode) and a drive circuit that causes the light-emitting element to emit light. The display device may be, for example, a liquid crystal display or an OLED display (OLED: Organic Light Emitting Diode). The sound output device may be, for example, a speaker. The vibration device may be, for example, a vibrator that includes a motor and an eccentric weight attached to the rotation shaft of the motor.

[0019] The storage unit 114A stores various types of information (for example, programs and data) for the operation of the suction device 100 A. The storage unit 114A can be configured, for example, by a non-volatile storage medium such as a flash memory.

[0020] The communication unit 115A is a communication interface capable of performing communication in accordance with any wired or wireless communication standard, such as Wi-Fi (registered trademark), Bluetooth (registered trademark), BLE (Bluetooth Low Energy (registered trademark)), NFC (Near Field Communication), or LPWA (Low Power Wide Area).

[0021] The control unit 116A functions as an arithmetic processing unit and a control unit, and controls the overall operation of the suction device 100A in accordance with programs stored in the memory unit 114A, etc. For example, the control unit 116A controls the power supply (electrical power supply) from the power supply unit 111A to each component (e.g., the heating unit 121A described below) and the charging of the power supply unit 111A using power received from an external power source. The control unit 116A is realized by an electronic circuit including an integrated circuit (IC), such as a central processing unit (CPU) or a microprocessor (also referred to as a microcontroller unit (MCU)). The control unit 116A may be configured by a single IC or two or more ICs.

[0022] The liquid reservoir 123 stores an aerosol source. The aerosol source is atomized to generate an aerosol. The aerosol source is a liquid, such as a polyhydric alcohol, such as glycerin or propylene glycol, or water. The aerosol source may contain a tobacco-derived or non-tobacco-derived flavor component. When the inhalation device 100A is a medical inhaler, such as a nebulizer, the aerosol source may contain a drug.

[0023] The liquid guide portion 122 guides and holds the aerosol source, which is a liquid stored in the liquid storage portion 123, from the liquid storage portion 123. The liquid guide portion 122 is, for example, a wick formed by twisting a fiber material such as glass fiber or a porous material such as porous ceramic. In this case, the aerosol source stored in the liquid storage portion 123 is guided by the capillary effect of the wick.

[0024] The heating unit 121A generates an aerosol by, for example, heating the aerosol source to atomize the aerosol source. The heating unit 121A is configured in any shape, such as a coil, film, or blade, and is made of any material, such as metal or polyimide. In the example shown in FIG. 1 , the heating unit 121A is configured as a coil wound with a heating resistor, such as nichrome or stainless steel, and is wound around the liquid guiding unit 122. When the heating unit 121A generates heat, the aerosol source held in the liquid guiding unit 122 is heated and atomized, generating an aerosol. The heating unit 121A generates heat when power is supplied from the power supply unit 111A.

[0025] As an example, power supply from power supply unit 111A to heating unit 121A may be performed when sensor unit 112A detects that the user has started inhaling and / or that predetermined information has been input. Then, when sensor unit 112A detects that the user has stopped inhaling and / or that predetermined information has been input, power supply to heating unit 121A may be stopped.

[0026] The heating unit 121A may be configured to generate aerosol by vibration or induction heating. When the aerosol is generated by vibration, the suction device 100A includes a vibration unit as the heating unit 121A. The vibration unit is configured, for example, by a plate-shaped member including piezoelectric ceramics that functions as an ultrasonic vibrator. When the vibration unit vibrates, the aerosol source guided to the surface of the vibration unit by the liquid guide unit 122 is atomized by ultrasonic waves generated by the vibration of the vibration unit, thereby generating the aerosol.

[0027] Furthermore, when aerosol generation is performed by induction heating, the suction device 100A includes a susceptor and an electromagnetic induction source as the heating unit 121A. The susceptor is made of a conductive material such as metal and generates heat through electromagnetic induction. The susceptor is disposed adjacent to the liquid guide unit 122. As an example, the susceptor is made of a metal conductor and is wound around the liquid guide unit 122. The electromagnetic induction source heats the susceptor through electromagnetic induction. The electromagnetic induction source is made of, for example, a coiled conductor and generates a magnetic field when an alternating current is supplied from the power supply unit 111A. When the magnetic field is generated, an eddy current is generated in the susceptor, generating Joule heat. The aerosol source held in the liquid guide unit 122 is heated and atomized by this Joule heat, generating the aerosol.

[0028] The flavor source 131 is a component for imparting flavor components to the aerosol. The flavor source 131 includes tobacco-derived or non-tobacco-derived flavor components. For example, the flavor source 131 may be a tobacco-derived product, such as a processed product obtained by molding shredded tobacco or tobacco raw materials into granules, sheets, or powder. The flavor source 131 may also include a non-tobacco-derived product made from plants other than tobacco (e.g., mint and herbs). For example, the flavor source 131 may include a flavor component such as menthol. The flavor source 131 may also be a stick-shaped member. When the inhalation device 100A is a medical inhaler, the flavor source 131 may include a medication for inhalation by the patient. Note that the flavor source 131 is not limited to a solid, but may also be a liquid containing flavor components such as polyhydric alcohols such as glycerin and propylene glycol, and water. The flavor source 131 may also be disposed inside a container such as a capsule.

[0029] The air flow path 180 is a path for air inhaled by the user. The air flow path 180 has a tubular structure with an air inlet 181, which is an entrance for air into the air flow path 180, and an air outlet 182, which is an exit for air from the air flow path 180, at both ends. A liquid guide section 122 is disposed on the upstream side (closer to the air inlet 181) of the air flow path 180, and a flavor source 131 is disposed on the downstream side (closer to the air outlet 182). Air flowing in through the air inlet 181 as the user inhales is mixed with the aerosol generated by the heating section 121A and, as shown by arrow 190, is transported through the flavor source 131 to the air outlet 182. When the mixed fluid of the aerosol and air passes through the flavor source 131, flavor components contained in the flavor source 131 are imparted to the aerosol.

[0030] Mouthpiece 124 is a member that is held in the mouth by the user when inhaling. Air outlet holes 182 are arranged in mouthpiece 124. By holding mouthpiece 124 in the mouth and inhaling, the user can take in the mixed fluid of the aerosol and air into the oral cavity.

[0031] The above describes an example of the configuration of the suction device 100A. Of course, the configuration of the suction device 100A is not limited to the above, and various configurations such as those exemplified below may be used.

[0032] As an example, the inhalation device 100A may not include the flavoring cartridge 130. In that case, the cartridge 120 is provided with the mouthpiece 124.

[0033] As another example, the inhalation device 100A may further include a flavor source heating unit (not shown) that heats the flavor source 131. The flavor source heating unit may be, for example, in the form of a film and arranged to cover the outer periphery of the flavor source 131. The flavor source heating unit generates heat when power is supplied from the power supply unit 111A, thereby heating the flavor source 131 from the outer periphery. The flavor source heating unit may be, for example, in the form of a blade that pierces the flavor source 131 and heats the flavor source 131 from the inside. The flavor source heating unit may also be configured to heat the flavor source 131 by vibration or induction heating. By providing such a flavor source heating unit, the temperature of the flavor source 131 can be increased compared to when a flavor source heating unit is not provided, thereby enabling an increase in the amount of flavor components imparted to the aerosol.

[0034] As another example, the inhalation device 100A may include multiple types of aerosol sources. Multiple types of aerosols generated from the multiple types of aerosol sources may be mixed in the air flow path 180 and undergo a chemical reaction to generate additional types of aerosols.

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

[0036] 2 is a schematic diagram showing a second configuration example of the suction device. As shown in FIG. 2, the suction device 100B of this configuration example includes a power supply unit 111B, a sensor unit 112B, a notification unit 113B, a storage unit 114B, a communication unit 115B, a control unit 116B, a heating unit 121B, a storage unit 140, and a heat insulating unit 144.

[0037] Each of the power supply unit 111B, sensor unit 112B, notification unit 113B, storage unit 114B, communication unit 115B, and control unit 116B is substantially the same as the corresponding component included in the suction device 100A described above. In the case of the suction device 100B shown in Fig. 2, the suction device 100B itself can also be considered as a power supply unit 110B. That is, the power supply unit 111B is detachably provided with respect to the power supply unit 110B (in other words, the suction device 100B), allowing the user to replace the power supply unit 111B as needed.

[0038] The storage unit 140 has an internal space 141 and holds the stick-shaped substrate 150 while accommodating a portion of the stick-shaped substrate 150 in the internal space 141. The storage unit 140 has an opening 142 that connects the internal space 141 to the outside and accommodates the stick-shaped substrate 150 inserted into the internal space 141 through the opening 142. For example, the storage unit 140 is a cylindrical body with the opening 142 and a bottom 143 as its bottom surface, and defines a columnar internal space 141. An air flow path that supplies air to the internal space 141 is connected to the storage unit 140. An air inlet, which is an air inlet to the air flow path, is arranged, for example, on a side surface of the suction device 100. An air outlet, which is an air outlet from the air flow path to the internal space 141, is arranged, for example, on the bottom 143.

[0039] The stick-shaped substrate 150 includes a substrate portion 151 and a mouthpiece portion 152. The substrate portion 151 includes an aerosol source. The aerosol source includes a tobacco-derived or non-tobacco-derived flavor component. When the inhalation device 100B is a medical inhaler such as a nebulizer, the aerosol source may include a medicament. The aerosol source may be, for example, a liquid such as a polyhydric alcohol, such as glycerin or propylene glycol, or water, containing a tobacco-derived or non-tobacco-derived flavor component, or a solid containing a tobacco-derived or non-tobacco-derived flavor component. When the stick-shaped substrate 150 is held in the storage portion 140, at least a portion of the substrate portion 151 is housed in the internal space 141, and at least a portion of the mouthpiece portion 152 protrudes from the opening 142. When a user holds the mouthpiece portion 152 protruding from the opening 142 in their mouth and inhales, air flows into the internal space 141 via an air flow path (not shown) and reaches the user's mouth along with the aerosol generated from the substrate portion 151.

[0040] 2, the heating unit 121B is configured as a film heater with conductive tracks made of heating resistors whose electrical resistance value correlates with temperature, and is arranged to cover the outer periphery of the housing unit 140. When the heating unit 121B generates heat, the substrate unit 151 of the stick-shaped substrate 150 is heated from the outer periphery, generating an aerosol. Note that the heating resistor of the heating unit 121B can be the same as the heating resistor of the heating unit 121A described above.

[0041] The heat insulating section 144 prevents heat transfer from the heating section 121B to other components. For example, the heat insulating section 144 is made of a vacuum heat insulating material, an aerogel heat insulating material, or the like.

[0042] The above is a description of an example of the configuration of the suction device 100B. Of course, the configuration of the suction device 100B is not limited to the above, and various configurations such as those exemplified below may be used.

[0043] As one example, the heating unit 121B may be configured in a blade shape and disposed so as to protrude from the bottom 143 of the storage unit 140 into the internal space 141. In this case, the blade-shaped heating unit 121B is inserted into the substrate 151 of the stick-shaped substrate 150 and heats the substrate 151 of the stick-shaped substrate 150 from the inside. As another example, the heating unit 121B may be disposed so as to cover the bottom 143 of the storage unit 140. Furthermore, the heating unit 121B may be configured as a combination of two or more of a first heating unit covering the outer periphery of the storage unit 140, a blade-shaped second heating unit, and a third heating unit covering the bottom 143 of the storage unit 140.

[0044] As another example, the accommodation unit 140 may include an opening / closing mechanism such as a hinge that opens and closes a portion of the outer shell that forms the internal space 141. The accommodation unit 140 may then open and close the outer shell to accommodate the stick-shaped substrate 150 inserted into the internal space 141 while clamping it. In this case, the heating unit 121B may be provided at the clamping location in the accommodation unit 140 and heat the stick-shaped substrate 150 while pressing it.

[0045] Furthermore, the means for atomizing the aerosol source is not limited to heating by the heating unit 121B. For example, the means for atomizing the aerosol source may be induction heating. In that case, the suction device 100B has at least an electromagnetic induction source such as a coil that generates a magnetic field, instead of the heating unit 121B. A susceptor that generates heat by induction heating may be provided in the suction device 100B, or may be included in the stick-shaped substrate 150.

[0046] Furthermore, the suction device 100B may further include the heating unit 121A, the liquid guide unit 122, the liquid storage unit 123, and the air flow path 180 according to the first configuration example, and the air flow path 180 may supply air to the internal space 141. In this case, the mixed fluid of the aerosol and air generated by the heating unit 121A flows into the internal space 141 and is further mixed with the aerosol generated by the heating unit 121B, and reaches the oral cavity of the user.

[0047] In the following description, the suction device 100A and the suction device 100B will be referred to as the "suction device 100" without distinction, and the power supply unit 110A and the power supply unit 110B will be referred to as the "power supply unit 110" without distinction. Similarly, the power supply unit 111A and the power supply unit 111B will be referred to as the "power supply unit 111," the sensor unit 112A and the sensor unit 112B as the "sensor unit 112," the notification unit 113A and the notification unit 113B as the "notification unit 113," the memory unit 114A and the memory unit 114B as the "memory unit 114," the communication unit 115A and the communication unit 115B as the "communication unit 115," the control unit 116A and the control unit 116B as the "control unit 116," and the heating unit 121A and the heating unit 121B as the "heating unit 121."

[0048] 3 is a diagram showing an example of the external configuration of the suction device 100. As shown in Fig. 3, the suction device 100 includes, for example, a case 20 and a shutter 50. The case 20 houses, for example, a power supply unit 111 and a main body side board unit 90 (see, for example, Figs. 4 to 7) attached to the suction device 100.

[0049] The main body side board unit 90 housed in the case 20 is configured by mounting various elements (i.e., electronic components) on a board, such as a printed wiring board (PWB). The main body side board unit 90 may be configured from a single board, or may be configured from two or more boards connected by wiring or cables. Furthermore, the boards that make up the main body side board unit 90 may be rigid boards, flexible boards, or a combination of these.

[0050] Furthermore, a panel 30 is attached to the case 20. The panel 30 attached to the case 20 constitutes the outermost housing 40 of the suction device 100. By including the panel 30, the suction device 100 can buffer heat released to the outside even when heat is generated inside the case 20. In other words, the panel 30 functions to insulate heat generated inside the case 20. Furthermore, the panel 30 is formed so that its surface is approximately curved, and when attached to the case 20, it defines an interior space together with the surface of the case 20.

[0051] When a user presses the surface of panel 30 with their fingertip, panel 30 deforms to form a recess toward case 20. As a result of this deformation of panel 30, a protrusion on panel 30 comes into contact with an operation button (not shown) on the surface of case 20, causing the operation button to be pressed. In other words, the portion of the surface of panel 30 that is pressed with the fingertip constitutes operation unit 15 that accepts user operations. Note that the portion indicated by reference numeral 113 in FIG. 3 is, for example, a portion that emits light when light from a light-emitting device provided within case 20 passes through it, and is an example of the notification unit 113 described above.

[0052] [3. Attachment and Detachment of Power Supply Unit] As described above, the power supply unit 111 is detachably attached to the case 20 of the inhalation device 100. Examples of attachment and detachment modes of the power supply unit 111 will be specifically described below. In the following description, the insertion and removal direction of the flavor source 131 or the stick-type substrate 150 into and from the inhalation device 100 is defined as the up-down direction, and the side of the inhalation device 100 into which the flavor source 131 or the stick-type substrate 150 is inserted is defined as the upper side. In other words, the flavor source 131 or the stick-type substrate 150 is inserted into the inhalation device 100 from above. Furthermore, a direction perpendicular to the up-down direction may be referred to as the horizontal direction, and a surface facing the horizontal direction may be referred to as a side.

[0053] In addition, the following describes first to fourth examples of the detachable manner of the power supply unit 111. However, the present invention is not limited to these. That is, the power supply unit 111 may be detachably provided to the suction device 100 in a manner other than the first to fourth examples described below.

[0054] <3-1. First Example of How the Power Supply Unit is Attached / Detached> Fig. 4 is a diagram showing a first example of how the power supply unit 111 is attached / detached. As shown in Fig. 4, the case 20 has a bottom wall 21 that constitutes at least a part of the lower surface of the case 20. The bottom wall 21 is provided on the case 20 so as to be openable and closable around a hinge 21a that extends laterally. In other words, an opening 24 is provided on the lower surface of the case 20, and the opening 24 is configured to be openable and closable by the bottom wall 21.

[0055] A power supply housing 200 capable of housing the power supply unit 111 is formed in the lower region of the case 20. When the bottom wall 21 is opened, the power supply housing 200 communicates with the outside of the case 20, and the power supply unit 111 can be inserted into the power supply housing 200 through the opening 24.

[0056] Furthermore, a board accommodating section 210 is formed in the upper region of the case 20. Therefore, in the insertion direction of the power supply section 111 inserted from the opening 24, the power supply accommodating section 200 and the board accommodating section 210 are provided in this order from the opening 24.

[0057] The board housing section 210 houses a main body side board unit 90 including ICs and the like that make up the control section 116. The main body side board unit 90 is electrically connected to the power supply section 111 housed in the power supply housing section 200 via, for example, a flexible cable 250. This allows power to be supplied from the power supply section 111 housed in the power supply housing section 200 to the main body side board unit 90.

[0058] The case 20 is provided with a connection section 26 that is connected to a terminal 1119 of the power supply section 111 housed in the power supply housing section 200. The connection section 26 is electrically connected to the main body side board unit 90 via, for example, a flexible cable 250.

[0059] 4, the power supply unit 111 has a plurality of terminals 1119, and a connection portion 26 corresponding to each terminal 1119 is provided on the case 20. In the example shown in Fig. 4, all of the terminals 1119 of the power supply unit 111 are provided on the top surface of the power supply unit 111, and therefore all of the connection portions 26 of the case 20 are also provided on the top wall portion 22 of the power supply accommodating portion 200. The plurality of terminals 1119 provided on the power supply unit 111 may include, for example, a first output terminal 1119a and a second output terminal 1119b, which will be described later.

[0060] When the power supply unit 111 is accommodated in the power supply accommodating portion 200, it is held by the bottom wall portion 21 and the upper wall portion 22 of the power supply accommodating portion 200. At this time, the terminals 1119 of the power supply unit 111 are held in a state in which they are electrically connected to the corresponding connecting portions 26 provided on the case 20.

[0061] The upper wall 22 is a partition wall disposed between the power supply accommodating section 200 and the board accommodating section 210 in the insertion direction of the power supply unit 111. Because the upper wall 22 is disposed between the power supply accommodating section 200 and the board accommodating section 210 in the insertion direction of the power supply unit 111, the power supply unit 111 is prevented from entering the board accommodating section 210 and coming into contact with elements disposed on the main body side board unit 90.

[0062] Therefore, in this example, the upper wall portion 22 functions as a restricting portion 29 that restricts the power supply portion 111 from entering the board accommodating portion 210. In particular, it is preferable that the restricting portion 29 cover at least the electrical connection portion between the main body side board unit 90 and the elements arranged on the main body side board unit 90 as seen from the power supply accommodating portion 200, it is more preferable that the restricting portion 29 cover the elements arranged on the main body side board unit 90, and it is even more preferable that the restricting portion 29 cover the entire main body side board unit 90.

[0063] In this example, a communication section 25 that communicates between the power supply accommodating section 200 and the board accommodating section 210 is formed in the upper wall section 22, and a flexible cable 250 is inserted through the communication section 25. The upper wall section 22 may be provided with a communication section 25 that communicates between the power supply accommodating section 200 and the board accommodating section 210, but the area of ​​the communication section 25 perpendicular to the insertion direction of the power supply section 111 is smaller than the area of ​​the power supply section 111 perpendicular to the insertion direction of the power supply section 111. This prevents the power supply section 111 from entering the board accommodating section 210 through the communication section 25 and coming into contact with elements arranged on the main body side board unit 90.

[0064] As an example, the main body side board unit 90 has a first surface 90a on which multiple elements and electrical connection portions for the flexible cable 250 are mounted, and the first surface 90a is disposed perpendicular to the insertion direction of the power supply unit 111. Furthermore, by disposing the board in a position that does not overlap with the communication portion 25 when viewed from the insertion direction of the power supply unit 111, the mounting portions of the elements mounted on the board (i.e., electrical connection portions) are disposed so as not to be exposed to the power supply accommodating portion 200. In other words, when viewed from the insertion direction of the power supply unit 111, at least a portion of the restricting portion 29 is disposed between the power supply accommodating portion 200 and the mounting portions of the elements. In particular, it is preferable that the mounting portion of a control element (e.g., MCU 1161 described below) that controls the supply of power to the heating unit 121 among the mounted elements is disposed so as not to be exposed to the power supply accommodating portion 200. This prevents the power supply unit 111 from coming into contact with the control element that controls the supply of power to the heating unit 121, thereby improving safety. Furthermore, it is preferable that not only the mounting portion of the element mounted on the board, but the entire element is not exposed to the power supply accommodating section 200. In this case, when attempting to accommodate the power supply section 111, the main body side board unit 90 is not exposed to the user, but the connection section 26 is exposed.

[0065] In the example shown in Figure 4, when the bottom wall portion 21 is opened while the power supply unit 111 is housed in the power supply accommodating portion 200, the power supply accommodating portion 200 communicates with the outside of the case 20, making it possible to remove the power supply unit 111 from the power supply accommodating portion 200.

[0066] <3-2. Second Example of Attachment / Detachment Mode of Power Supply Unit> Fig. 5 is a diagram showing a second example of the attachment / detachment mode of the power supply unit 111. Note that the following description will focus on the parts that are different from the description of Fig. 4, and the description of the parts that are common to the description of Fig. 4 will be omitted or simplified as appropriate.

[0067] 5 , when the above-mentioned panel 30 is removed from the case 20, the power supply accommodating section 200 communicates with the outside of the case 20, and it becomes possible to insert the power supply section 111 into the power supply accommodating section 200 from the side of the case 20. In other words, an opening 24 is provided on the side of the case 20, and the opening 24 is configured to be openable and closable by the panel 30.

[0068] Since the opening 24 is provided on the side of the case 20 , the board accommodating section 210 is not positioned in the insertion direction of the power supply section 111 inserted through the opening 24 .

[0069] 5, terminals 1119 of the power supply unit 111 are provided on each of the top, bottom, and side surfaces of the power supply unit 111. Therefore, the connection portions 26 of the case 20 are also provided on each of the top wall portion 22, bottom wall portion 21, and side wall portion 23. Note that the terminals 1119 of the power supply unit 111 may be concentrated in one location on the power supply unit 111 as shown in FIG. 4, and correspondingly, the connection portions 26 of the case 20 may also be concentrated in one location on the case 20.

[0070] Since the board accommodating portion 210 is not positioned in the insertion direction of the power supply unit 111 inserted through the opening 24, the power supply unit 111 normally does not enter the board accommodating portion 210. However, if the power supply unit 111 is inserted at an angle through the opening 24, a portion of the power supply unit 111 may enter the board accommodating portion 210. However, the upper wall portion 22, which is disposed between the power supply accommodating portion 200 and the board accommodating portion 210 as viewed from the power supply accommodating portion 200, prevents the power supply unit 111 from coming into contact with the electrical connection portions of the elements disposed on the main body-side board unit 90 and the main body-side board unit 90. In this example, the upper wall portion 22 functions as a restriction portion 29 that restricts the power supply unit 111 from entering the board accommodating portion 210.

[0071] 5, when the panel 30 is removed from the case 20 with the power supply unit 111 housed in the power supply housing 200, the power supply housing 200 communicates with the outside of the case 20, making it possible to remove the power supply unit 111 from the power supply housing 200. Note that the panel 30 may be openable and closable around a hinge portion as an axis, as described in FIG.

[0072] <3-3. Third Example of Attachment / Detachment Mode of Power Supply Unit> Fig. 6 is a diagram showing a third example of the attachment / detachment mode of the power supply unit 111. Note that the following description will focus on parts that are different from the description of Fig. 4 or Fig. 5, and descriptions of parts that are common to the description of Fig. 4 or Fig. 5 will be omitted or simplified as appropriate.

[0073] 6, similar to the example shown in Fig. 5, an opening 24 is provided on the side of the case 20, and the opening 24 is configured to be openable and closable by a panel 30. However, unlike the example shown in Fig. 5, a power supply accommodating section 200 and a board accommodating section 210 are provided in this order from the opening 24 in the insertion direction of the power supply unit 111 inserted through the opening 24. A partition section 27 is arranged between the power supply accommodating section 200 and the board accommodating section 210 in the insertion direction of the power supply unit 111.

[0074] 6, terminals 1119 of the power supply unit 111 are provided on each of the top, bottom, and side surfaces of the power supply unit 111. Therefore, the connection portions 26 of the case 20 are also provided on each of the top wall portion 22, bottom wall portion 21, and partition wall portion 27. Note that the terminals 1119 of the power supply unit 111 may be concentrated in one location on the power supply unit 111 as shown in FIG. 4, and correspondingly, the connection portions 26 of the case 20 may also be concentrated in one location on the case 20.

[0075] The partition wall 27 may be provided integrally with the case 20, or may be provided separately from the case 20 and attached to the case 20, but is arranged in a fixed state to the case 20 when replacing the power supply unit 111. When replacing the power supply unit 111, the partition wall 27 is prevented from entering the board accommodating portion 210 and coming into contact with elements arranged on the main body side board unit 90. In this example, the partition wall 27 functions as a restricting portion 29 that restricts the power supply unit 111 from entering the board accommodating portion 210.

[0076] A flexible cable 250 extending from the connection portion 26 and connected to the main body side board unit 90 passes through the partition portion 27, and a communication portion 25 is formed to communicate between the power supply accommodating portion 200 and the board accommodating portion 210. The communication portion 25 may be a through hole, a gap, a notch, or the like other than the through hole through which the flexible cable 250 passes. However, the area of ​​the communication portion 25 perpendicular to the insertion direction of the power supply unit 111 is smaller than the area of ​​the power supply unit 111 perpendicular to the insertion direction of the power supply unit 111. This prevents the power supply unit 111 from entering the board accommodating portion 210 through the communication portion 25 and coming into contact with elements arranged on the main body side board unit 90.

[0077] The partition wall 27 preferably covers at least the electrical connection portions between the main body side substrate unit 90 and the elements arranged on the first surface 90a of the main body side substrate unit 90 as seen from the opening 24, more preferably covers the elements arranged on the main body side substrate unit 90, and even more preferably covers the entire main body side substrate unit 90. By covering at least the connection portions between the elements arranged on the main body side substrate unit 90 and the substrate, the occurrence of a short circuit when the power supply unit 111 is replaced is suppressed.

[0078] 6, when the panel 30 is removed from the case 20 with the power supply unit 111 housed in the power supply housing 200, the power supply housing 200 communicates with the outside of the case 20, making it possible to remove the power supply unit 111 from the power supply housing 200. Note that the panel 30 may be openable and closable around a hinge portion as an axis, as described in FIG.

[0079] <3-4. Fourth Example of Attachment / Detachment Mode of Power Supply Unit> Figure 7 is a diagram showing a fourth example of the attachment / detachment mode of the power supply unit 111. Note that the following description will focus on the parts that are different from the description in Figures 4 to 6, and the description of the parts that are common to the description in Figures 4 to 6 will be omitted or simplified as appropriate.

[0080] In the example shown in FIG. 7 , the case 20 includes an upper case 201 that constitutes the exterior of the upper region of the suction device 100 , and a lower case 202 that constitutes the exterior of the lower region of the suction device 100 .

[0081] The lower case 202 has an opening 24 on the top surface, and the power supply unit 111 is housed in the internal power supply housing 200. In this way, in the example shown in Fig. 7, the power supply unit 111 and the lower case 202 are modularized to form the power supply unit 10.

[0082] The power supply unit 10 is attached to the upper case 201 from below. As an example, both the upper case 201 and the lower case 202 have a generally cylindrical shape extending in the vertical direction, and thread grooves are machined on the outer peripheral surface of one of the lower end of the upper case 201 and the upper end of the lower case 202 and the inner peripheral surface of the other of the lower end of the upper case 201 and the upper end of the lower case 202, and the power supply unit 10 is attached to the upper case 201 by screwing the lower end of the upper case 201 and the upper end of the lower case 202 together.

[0083] As another example, a magnet may be provided at one of the lower end of upper case 201 or the upper end of lower case 202, and the other of the lower end of upper case 201 or the upper end of lower case 202 may be formed from a ferromagnetic material, and the lower end of upper case 201 and the upper end of lower case 202 may be attracted to each other by the magnetic force of the magnet, thereby attaching power supply unit 10 to upper case 201. As yet another example, lower case 202 may have a hook-shaped or other locking portion, and the locking portion may be locked onto upper case 201, thereby attaching power supply unit 10 to upper case 201.

[0084] When the power supply unit 10 is attached to the upper case 201 , the power supply section 111 is held in a state in which the terminal 1119 is electrically connected to the connection section 26 of the case 20 .

[0085] When the lower end of the upper case 201 and the upper end of the lower case 202 are screwed together, the power supply unit 111 modularized in the lower case 202 is prevented from entering the board accommodating portion 210 of the upper case 201. In this case, the assembly structure of the upper case 201 and the lower case 202 prevents the power supply unit 111 from entering the board accommodating portion 210 and coming into contact with elements arranged on the main body side board unit 90, so the assembly structure of the upper case 201 and the lower case 202 serves as a restricting portion 29 that restricts the power supply unit 111 from entering the board accommodating portion 210. On the other hand, even when the lower end of the upper case 201 and the upper end of the lower case 202 are screwed together, if movement of the power supply unit 111 is permitted, the upper wall portion 22 functions as a restricting portion 29 that restricts the power supply unit 111 from entering the board accommodating portion 210.

[0086] The upper wall 22 may be provided with a communication section 25 connecting the power supply accommodating section 200 and the board accommodating section 210, but the area of ​​the communication section 25 perpendicular to the insertion direction of the power supply unit 111 is smaller than the area of ​​the power supply unit 111 perpendicular to the insertion direction of the power supply unit 111. This prevents the power supply unit 111 from entering the board accommodating section 210 through the communication section 25 and coming into contact with elements arranged on the main body side board unit 90.

[0087] In the example shown in Figure 7, when the power supply unit 111 is housed in the power supply unit 10 and the lower end of the upper case 201 is unscrewed from the upper end of the lower case 202, the power supply housing 200 is connected to the outside of the case 20, and the power supply unit 111 can be removed from the power supply housing 200.

[0088] [4. Configuration Example of Power Supply Unit] Fig. 8 is a diagram showing an example of the configuration of the power supply unit 111. The power line Ln shown in Fig. 8 is a power line to which a reference potential (hereinafter also referred to as "ground potential") is applied. Hereinafter, this power line Ln will also be referred to as a "ground line Ln," and being electrically connected to the ground line Ln will also be referred to as being "grounded." Furthermore, hereinafter, unless otherwise specified, the ground potential will be set to 0 [V], and each voltage will refer to a potential difference from the ground potential.

[0089] As shown in FIG. 8, the power supply unit 111 includes a battery 1111 , a fuse 1112 , a switch circuit 1113 , a protection IC 1114 , a battery temperature sensor 1115 , and a charging IC 1116 .

[0090] Furthermore, the power supply unit 111 includes terminals 1119 (connection terminals) that electrically connect the inside and outside of the power supply unit 111. The terminal 1119c is connected to ground.

[0091] In addition, in the example shown in Figure 8, the power supply unit 111 is formed by electrically connecting multiple components such as a battery 1111, a fuse 1112, a switch circuit 1113, a protection IC 1114, a battery temperature sensor 1115, and a charging IC 1116 and packaging them together.

[0092] Here, packing means, for example, assembling a plurality of components into a single package and fixing the components so that their relative positions do not change. Packing can be achieved, for example, by covering the contained components as a single unit with an insulator (insulating material) such as resin.

[0093] 8 , multiple components such as the battery 1111 and charging IC 1116 are covered as a single unit by an insulator In, and are not exposed to the outside of the power supply unit 111. This makes it possible to protect the multiple components contained in the power supply unit 111, such as the battery 1111 and charging IC 1116, from static electricity, external noise, and the like. Furthermore, by configuring the power supply unit 111 as a single unit consisting of multiple components such as the battery 1111 and charging IC 1116, it becomes possible to replace these multiple components collectively by replacing the power supply unit 111, thereby improving user convenience.

[0094] The battery 1111 is a secondary battery having a positive terminal 1111a and a negative terminal 1111b, and configured to be able to output, for example, a terminal voltage of about 4 V between the positive terminal 1111a and the negative terminal 1111b. Hereinafter, the output voltage of the battery 1111 (i.e., the terminal voltage between the positive terminal 1111a and the negative terminal 1111b) will also be referred to as the "power supply voltage Vbat." Note that various types of secondary batteries, such as a lithium-ion secondary battery or a nickel-metal hydride battery, can be used as the battery 1111.

[0095] The positive terminal 1111a of the battery 1111 is connected to the first output terminal 1119a of the power supply unit 111 and the charging IC 1116 via the fuse 1112. In other words, the first output terminal 1119a is connected to the positive terminal 1111a of the battery 1111. This allows the power supply unit 111 to output power having a power supply voltage Vbat from the first output terminal 1119a, as indicated by the arrow α in Figure 8. In addition, the negative terminal 1111b of the battery 1111 is connected to the ground line Ln.

[0096] The fuse 1112 is a protective element that melts when a current equal to or greater than a predetermined value flows. By providing such a fuse 1112 between the positive terminal 1111a of the battery 1111 and the first output terminal 1119a of the power supply unit 111, even if an overcurrent equal to or greater than a predetermined value is output from the battery 1111, the overcurrent can be prevented from being output to the outside of the power supply unit 111 via the first output terminal 1119a. Furthermore, as shown in Figure 8, by connecting the positive terminal 1111a of the battery 1111 to the charging IC 1116 via the fuse 1112, the charging IC 1116 can also be protected from an overcurrent.

[0097] The switch circuit 1113 is a circuit that functions as a switch that turns on and off the charging and discharging of the power supply unit 111 (more specifically, the battery 1111). In the example shown in Fig. 8, the switch circuit 1113 is configured by connecting a first FET 1113a and a second FET 1113b in series, and is provided on the ground line Ln.

[0098] Each of the first FET 1113a and the second FET 1113b may be, for example, an N-channel metal-oxide-semiconductor field effect transistor (MOSFET). In this case, the source terminal of the first FET 1113a is connected to the negative terminal 1111b, the drain terminal of the first FET 1113a is connected to the drain terminal of the second FET 1113b, and the gate terminal of the first FET 1113a is connected to the protection IC 1114. The source terminal of the second FET 1113b is connected to the ground terminal 1119c, and the gate terminal of the second FET 1113b is connected to the protection IC 1114.

[0099] The protection IC 1114 is an IC that functions as a control element (in other words, a controller) that controls the switch circuit 1113. More specifically, the protection IC 1114 is connected to each of the positive terminal 1111a and the negative terminal 1111b of the battery 1111, and is configured to be able to acquire the power supply voltage Vbat, which is the output voltage of the battery 1111. The protection IC 1114 then controls the switch circuit 1113 based on the power supply voltage Vbat.

[0100] The protection IC 1114 controls the gate voltage of the first FET 1113a to turn the first FET 1113a on (in other words, conductive state) or off (in other words, cut-off state).Similarly, the protection IC 1114 controls the gate voltage of the second FET 1113b to turn the second FET 1113b on or off.

[0101] As an example, when the power supply voltage Vbat reaches a predetermined upper limit while the power supply unit 111 (i.e., the battery 1111) is being charged, the protection IC 1114 turns off the second FET 1113b to stop charging of the power supply unit 111. This makes it possible to prevent overcharging, which occurs when charging continues even though the power supply voltage Vbat has become higher than the predetermined upper limit.

[0102] As another example, when the power supply voltage Vbat reaches a predetermined lower limit during discharge from the power supply unit 111, the protection IC 1114 turns off the first FET 1113a to stop discharge from the power supply unit 111. This makes it possible to prevent overdischarge, which occurs when discharge continues even though the power supply voltage Vbat has fallen below the predetermined lower limit.

[0103] Furthermore, the protection IC 1114 may control the switch circuit 1113 based on the current value of the current flowing through the ground line Ln. As an example, if an overcurrent (i.e., a current equal to or greater than a predetermined value) flows through the ground line Ln while the power supply unit 111 is being charged, the protection IC 1114 may stop charging of the power supply unit 111 by turning off the second FET 1113b. In this way, even if an overcurrent occurs while the power supply unit 111 is being charged, it is possible to protect the battery 1111 and the like from the overcurrent.

[0104] As another example, when an overcurrent flows through the ground line Ln during discharge from the power supply unit 111, the protection IC 1114 may stop the discharge from the power supply unit 111 by turning off the first FET 1113a. In this way, even if an overcurrent occurs during discharge from the power supply unit 111, it is possible to protect the main body side board unit 90 and the like from the overcurrent.

[0105] The protection IC 1114 is also connected to, for example, a battery temperature sensor 1115. Here, the battery temperature sensor 1115 is a temperature element that can detect the battery temperature Tbat by outputting a parameter (e.g., an electrical resistance value) or a signal related to the temperature of the power supply unit 111 (hereinafter also referred to as "battery temperature Tbat"). For example, the battery temperature sensor 1115 is an NTC thermistor formed by a resistor having NTC characteristics or a PTC thermistor formed by a resistor having PTC characteristics, and is disposed in close proximity to the battery 1111. In this case, the protection IC 1114 acquires the battery temperature Tbat based on the output value of the battery temperature sensor 1115.

[0106] The protection IC 1114 can then control the switch circuit 1113 based on the battery temperature Tbat. For example, if the battery temperature sensor 1115 outputs a parameter indicating that the battery temperature Tbat is equal to or higher than a predetermined temperature while the power supply unit 111 is being charged, the protection IC 1114 turns off the second FET 1113b to stop charging the power supply unit 111. This makes it possible to stop charging if the power supply unit 111 becomes too hot during charging, thereby improving safety.

[0107] Furthermore, if the battery temperature sensor 1115 outputs a parameter indicating that the battery temperature Tbat is equal to or higher than a predetermined temperature during discharge from the power supply unit 111, the protection IC 1114 turns off the first FET 1113a to stop discharge from the power supply unit 111. This makes it possible to stop discharge if the power supply unit 111 becomes too hot during discharge, thereby improving safety.

[0108] In this way, the switch circuit 1113 and the protection IC 1114 function as a protection circuit configured to be able to stop charging and discharging of the battery 1111 .

[0109] The charging IC 1116 is connected to both the charging terminal 1117, which functions as a power receiving unit configured to be able to receive power from an external power source, and the battery 1111, and is an IC that functions as a charging control element that controls the charging of the battery 1111 (i.e., the power supply unit 111) with the power received by the charging terminal 1117. The charging IC 1116 is an example of a second control element in the present disclosure.

[0110] The charging terminal 1117 can be realized by, for example, a receptacle configured to allow a USB Type-C (registered trademark) plug to be inserted. By configuring the charging terminal 1117 as a receptacle configured to allow a USB Type-C plug to be inserted, it becomes possible to connect a widely used charger as an external power source to the power supply unit 111. This makes it possible to easily charge the power supply unit 111 in various locations, improving user convenience.

[0111] Note that charging terminal 1117 is not limited to a receptacle compatible with USB Type-C, and may be a receptacle compatible with other standards such as microUSB or Lightning (registered trademark). Also, here, charging terminal 1117, which is a receptacle, is used as the power receiving unit, but the power receiving unit may also be configured with a power receiving coil or the like configured to be able to contactlessly receive power transmitted from an external power source.

[0112] When the charging IC 1116 detects that the power supply unit 111 is connected to an external power supply, it supplies the power received from the external power supply to the battery 1111, as shown by the arrow β in Fig. 8, thereby charging the power supply unit 111. At this time, the power supply unit 111 does not need to be attached to the suction device 100.

[0113] In other words, because the power supply unit 111 includes a charging terminal 1117 in addition to the battery 1111, it can be charged independently even when removed from the suction device 100 (more specifically, the case 20). Therefore, if a user owns two or more power supply units 111, it is possible to detach one power supply unit 111 from the suction device 100 and charge it, while attaching another power supply unit 111 to the suction device 100 and using it. Therefore, the suction device 100 can be used as usual even while one power supply unit 111 is charging, thereby improving user convenience. Furthermore, if the power supply unit 111 is configured to also include a charging IC 1116, it can be properly charged independently even when removed from the suction device 100.

[0114] Furthermore, charging terminal 1117 is configured to be connectable to an external power source from the outside when power supply unit 111 is housed in power supply housing 200. More specifically, for example, case 20 is configured to have an opening at a location corresponding to charging terminal 1117 of power supply unit 111 housed in power supply housing 200, and a plug can be inserted into charging terminal 1117 through this opening. In this manner, power supply unit 111 can be charged without removing it from case 20. This improves convenience for users who wish to charge power supply unit 111 while it is attached to suction device 100.

[0115] Furthermore, the charging IC 1116 preferably controls the value of the charging current (hereinafter also simply referred to as "charging current") supplied to the battery 1111 during charging. As one example, the charging IC 1116 preferably changes the charging current in accordance with the power supply voltage Vbat, and for example, preferably reduces (i.e., throttles) the charging current as the power supply voltage Vbat increases. As another example, the charging IC 1116 preferably changes the charging current in accordance with the battery temperature Tbat, and for example, preferably reduces the charging current as the battery temperature Tbat increases.

[0116] Furthermore, the charging IC 1116 is connected to the second output terminal 1119b in addition to the battery 1111. In other words, the second output terminal 1119b is connected to the positive terminal 1111a of the battery 1111 via the charging IC 1116. The charging IC 1116 is configured to be able to output from the second output terminal 1119b. More specifically, as indicated by the arrow γ in FIG. 8 , the charging IC 1116 outputs the power input from the battery 1111 (in other words, the power of the power supply voltage Vbat) as the first system voltage Vsys1 from the second output terminal 1119b. This allows the power supply unit 111 to output the power of the battery 1111 directly from the first output terminal 1119a and to output the power output from the charging IC 1116 from the second output terminal 1119b. This makes it possible to supply the power of battery 1111 and the power controlled by charging IC 1116 separately to suction device 100. Note that charging IC 1116 may output the voltage input from battery 1111 directly from second output terminal 1119b, or may step up or step down the voltage within charging IC 1116 and then output it.

[0117] Here, the first system voltage Vsys1 is a voltage greater than 0. The first system voltage Vsys1 may be a voltage different from the power supply voltage Vbat, or may be the same voltage as the power supply voltage Vbat.

[0118] Furthermore, when the power supply unit 111 is accommodated in the power supply accommodation unit 200, the first output terminal 1119a of the power supply unit 111 is connected to, for example, the first connection unit 26a, of the connection units 26 provided in the case 20, which is connected to the first power system 91 that supplies power to the heating unit 121.

[0119] More specifically, for example, the first power system 91 includes a first DC / DC converter 91a mounted on a board that constitutes the main body side board unit 90, and the first connection unit 26a is connected to the first DC / DC converter 91a. As a result, the first DC / DC converter 91a is supplied with power output from the first output terminal 1119a (i.e., power of the power supply voltage Vbat). The first DC / DC converter 91a then generates, from the supplied power, power of the heater voltage Vheat that is suitable for heating by the heating unit 121.

[0120] The heater voltage Vheat generated by the first DC / DC converter 91a is supplied to the heating unit 121 (e.g., a heating resistor constituting the heating unit 121), thereby causing the heating unit 121 to perform heating. The heater voltage Vheat is, for example, a voltage higher than the power supply voltage Vbat, and can be set to 5 V, for example. This allows the heating unit 121 to perform heating efficiently. In addition to the first DC / DC converter 91a, the first power system 91 may further include various elements such as a switch (e.g., an FET). As an example, the first power system 91 may include a switch that turns on and off the power supply from the first DC / DC converter 91a to the heating unit 121.

[0121] Furthermore, when the power supply unit 111 is housed in the power supply housing 200, the second output terminal 1119b of the power supply unit 111 is connected to, for example, the second connection part 26b of the connection part 26 provided in the case 20, which is connected to the second power system 92 that supplies power to the MCU 1161, which is one of the ICs that make up the control part 116 mentioned above.

[0122] Here, the MCU 1161 is an IC mainly composed of a processor that performs various calculations, and is a control element that performs overall control of the suction device 100 by the processor executing a pre-prepared program. The MCU 1161 is an example of a first control element that controls the supply of power to the heating unit 121.

[0123] More specifically, for example, the second power system 92 includes a second DC / DC converter 92a mounted on a board constituting the main body side board unit 90, and the second connection part 26b is connected to the second DC / DC converter 92a. As a result, the second DC / DC converter 92a is supplied with power output from the second output terminal 1119b (i.e., power of the first system voltage Vsys1). The second DC / DC converter 92a then generates power of the second system voltage Vsys2 required to operate the MCU 1161 from the supplied power.

[0124] The second system voltage Vsys2 generated by the second DC / DC converter 92a is supplied to the MCU 1161, thereby operating the MCU 1161. The second system voltage Vsys2 is, for example, a constant voltage, and may be set to 3.5 V, for example. By keeping the voltage of the power supplied to the MCU 1161 constant at the second system voltage Vsys2, the MCU 1161 can operate stably. Similar to the first power system 91, the second power system 92 may also include various elements such as switches in addition to the first DC / DC converter 91a.

[0125] As described above, by providing first connection portion 26a connected to first output terminal 1119a and second connection portion 26b connected to second output terminal 1119b, it is possible to separately receive the power output from first output terminal 1119a (in other words, the power of battery 1111) and the power output from second output terminal 1119b (in other words, the power controlled by charging IC 1116). Therefore, in suction device 100, it is possible to utilize the power output from first output terminal 1119a and the power output from second output terminal 1119b for different purposes.

[0126] However, if the power supply unit 111 simultaneously supplies power to the heating unit 121 and charges the power supply unit 111, the power supply unit 111 may be placed in a high-load state. If the power supply unit 111 is placed in a high-load state, the battery temperature Tbat increases, which is undesirable from the viewpoint of suppressing deterioration of the battery 1111.

[0127] Therefore, the charging IC 1116 may start charging the battery 1111 (i.e., the power supply unit 111) when the power supply unit 111 is electrically connected to the external power supply and power is not being supplied from the power supply unit 111 to the heating unit 121, and may not start charging the battery 1111 when the power supply unit 111 is electrically connected to the external power supply and power is being supplied from the power supply unit 111 to the heating unit 121. In this way, charging of the battery 1111 can be prevented from starting when power is being supplied from the power supply unit 111 to the heating unit 121, and it is possible to prevent the power supply unit 111 from being put into a high-load state due to both power supply and charging to the heating unit 121 being performed at the same time.

[0128] Alternatively, the MCU 1161 may instruct the charging IC 1116 to start charging the battery 1111 when the power supply unit 111 housed in the power supply accommodating unit 200 is electrically connected to an external power source and power is not being supplied from the power supply unit 111 to the heating unit 121, but may not instruct the charging IC 1116 to start charging the battery 1111 when power is being supplied from the power supply unit 111 housed in the power supply accommodating unit 200 to an external power source and power is being supplied from the power supply unit 111 to the heating unit 121. The charging IC 1116 may start charging the battery 1111 in response to receiving an instruction from the MCU 1161 to start charging the battery 1111. This also makes it possible to prevent charging of the battery 1111 from being started when power is being supplied from the power supply unit 111 to the heating unit 121, thereby preventing the power supply unit 111 from being put into a high-load state due to both power supply and charging to the heating unit 121 being performed at the same time.

[0129] Alternatively, the charging IC 1116 may be configured to detect the output from the first output terminal 1119a (in other words, the output of power at the power supply voltage Vbat), and when there is an output from the first output terminal 1119a, not charge the battery 1111. Even in this way, when there is an output from the first output terminal 1119a (in other words, the output of power at the power supply voltage Vbat), charging of the battery 1111 can be prevented, and it is possible to prevent the power supply unit 111 from being put into a high load state due to both the supply of power to the heating unit 121 and charging being performed at the same time.

[0130] Furthermore, the MCU 1161 may control the charging IC 1116 to charge or not charge the battery 1111 depending on the state of the battery 1111 when the power supply unit 111 housed in the power supply accommodating unit 200 is electrically connected to an external power source. As an example, when the power supply unit 111 housed in the power supply accommodating unit 200 is electrically connected to an external power source, the MCU 1161 may control the charging IC 1116 so that the battery 1111 is not charged if the battery 1111 is in a predetermined state, such as over-discharged or deep-discharged, but charges the battery 1111 if the battery is in any other state. In other words, when the power supply unit 111 is not attached to the power supply unit 110 (i.e., the suction device 100), the charging IC 1116 may independently control the charging of the battery 1111, whereas when the power supply unit 111 is attached to the power supply unit 110, the charging IC 1116 may control the charging of the battery 1111 according to instructions from the MCU 1161.

[0131] The MCU 1161 can determine whether the battery 1111 is in a predetermined state, for example, based on the power supply voltage Vbat received by the main body side board unit 90 from the power supply unit 111. Alternatively, a fuel gauge IC that acquires the remaining capacity of the battery 1111 from the power supply voltage Vbat or the like may be provided in the main body side board unit 90, and the MCU 1161 may determine whether the battery 1111 is in a predetermined state based on input from this fuel gauge IC (for example, the measured value of the power supply voltage Vbat or the like itself, or an error signal that may be output from the fuel gauge IC based on the measured value).

[0132] Furthermore, the power supply unit 111 is separated into a first output terminal 1119a that outputs power from the battery 1111 (in other words, power of the power supply voltage Vbat) and a second output terminal 1119b that outputs power from the charging IC 1116 (in other words, power of the first system voltage Vsys1). Therefore, it is not necessary to design the specifications to assume that large power such as the power of the power supply voltage Vbat will flow through the charging IC 1116 and / or the power line from the charging IC 1116 to the second output terminal 1119b. Furthermore, by directly connecting the first output terminal 1119a and the battery 1111, large power such as the power of the power supply voltage Vbat can be output directly from the first output terminal 1119a. Furthermore, even if, for example, the battery 1111 is in an over-discharge state and discharging only from the battery 1111 would cause insufficient voltage to prevent the MCU 1161 from operating, as long as the power supply unit 111 is connected to an external power supply, power is supplied from the external power supply to the MCU 1161 via the charging IC 1116, allowing the MCU 1161 to operate and maintain various controls by the MCU 1161. This makes it possible, for example, even if the battery 1111 is in an over-discharge state, as long as the power supply unit 111 is connected to an external power supply, for example, for the MCU 1161 to control the charging IC 1116 so that the battery 1111 is not charged, as described above.

[0133] As described above, according to this embodiment, it is possible to provide the suction device 100 that is more convenient for the user.

[0134] Although one embodiment of the aerosol generating device of the present disclosure has been described above, it goes without saying that the present disclosure is not limited to such an embodiment. It is clear that a person skilled in the art can conceive of various modifications or alterations within the scope of the claims, and it is understood that these also naturally fall within the technical scope of the present disclosure. Furthermore, the components of the above-described embodiment may be combined in any manner without departing from the spirit of the invention.

[0135] For example, in the above-described embodiment, the power supply unit 111 is provided with a first output terminal 1119a that outputs the power of the battery 1111 (in other words, the power of the power supply voltage Vbat) and a second output terminal 1119b that outputs the power of the charging IC 1116 (in other words, the power of the first system voltage Vsys1), but this is not limited to this. Instead, for example, of the first output terminal 1119a and the second output terminal 1119b, only the first output terminal 1119a may be provided, and the power of the power supply voltage Vbat and the power of the first system voltage Vsys1 may be separated within the main body side board unit 90 and flow through separate power lines.

[0136] Furthermore, in the above-described embodiment, the power supply unit 111 is provided with a charging IC 1116, but this is not limiting. Fig. 9 is a diagram showing another example of the configuration of the power supply unit 111. Note that the following description will focus on the parts that are different from the description of Fig. 8, and the description of the parts that are common to the description of Fig. 8 will be omitted or simplified as appropriate. Note also that Fig. 9 does not show the main body side board unit 90 and the like.

[0137] As shown in FIG. 9 , the charging IC 1116 may be provided in, for example, a charger 900. In this case, the charger 900 includes, in addition to the charging IC 1116, an input terminal (not shown) connected to an external power source (e.g., a commercial power source), and an output terminal 901 and a ground terminal 902 connected to a charging terminal 1117 of the power supply unit 111. In this case, power from the external power source is input to the charging IC 1116 via the input terminal of the charger 900. The charging IC 1116 then generates, from the input power, power that the power supply unit 111 can accept in terms of hardware (e.g., DC power having a predetermined voltage), and outputs the power to the charging terminal 1117 of the power supply unit 111 via the output terminal 901. The power output from the charger 900 in this manner is supplied to the battery 1111 of the power supply unit 111, thereby charging the battery 1111. With this configuration, even when the power supply unit 111 is detached from the suction device 100 (more specifically, the case 20), the power supply unit 111 can be charged independently.

[0138] This specification and the like describes at least the following: In parentheses, components corresponding to those in the above-described embodiments are shown as examples, but the present invention is not limited to these.

[0139] (1) An aerosol generating device (inhalation device 100, 100A, 100B) that generates an aerosol by heating an aerosol source (cartridge 120, flavor source 131, stick-shaped substrate 150), comprising: a power supply unit (power supply unit 111, 111A, 111B) that can supply power to a heating unit (heating unit 121, 121A, 121B) that heats the aerosol source and that is configured to be rechargeable by power received from an external power source; a board (main body side board unit 90) on which a plurality of electronic components are mounted, including a first control element (MCU 1161) that controls the supply of power to the heating unit; and a case (case 20) that has a power supply housing (power supply housing 200) that houses the power supply unit, connection units (first connection unit 26a, second connection unit 26b) that electrically connect the power supply unit and the electronic components housed in the power supply housing unit, and a board housing unit (board housing unit 210) that houses the board, wherein the power supply unit An aerosol generating device comprising a battery, a power receiving unit (charging terminal 1117) configured to receive power from the external power source, and connection terminals (first output terminal 1119a, second output terminal 1119b) that can be electrically connected to the connection unit, all of which are fixed together and are detachably arranged in the power supply accommodating unit while fixed together.

[0140] According to (1), since the power supply unit includes a battery and a power receiving unit, it can be charged independently even when removed from the case of the aerosol generator. Therefore, if a user owns two or more power supply units, it is possible to remove one power supply unit from the aerosol generator and charge it, while attaching another power supply unit to the aerosol generator and using it. Therefore, the aerosol generator can be used as usual even while one power supply unit is charging, improving user convenience.

[0141] (2) The aerosol generating device according to (1), wherein the power supply unit further includes a second control element (charging IC 1116) that controls charging of the battery using the power received by the power receiving unit.

[0142] According to (2), the power supply unit includes a second control element, so that the power supply unit can be properly charged independently even when removed from the case of the aerosol generating device.

[0143] (3) An aerosol generating device according to (2), wherein the connection terminals include a first output terminal (first output terminal 1119a) connected to the battery, and a second output terminal (second output terminal 1119b) connected to the battery via the second control element, and the second control element is further configured to be able to control the output from the second output terminal.

[0144] According to (3), the first output terminal can output the battery power as is, and the second output terminal can output the power controlled by the second control element, which makes it possible to supply the battery power and the power controlled by the second control element separately to the aerosol generating device.

[0145] (4) The aerosol generating device according to (2), wherein the connection portion includes: a first connection portion (first connection portion 26a) connected to the first output terminal of the power supply portion housed in the power supply housing portion; and a second connection portion (second connection portion 26b) connected to the second output terminal of the power supply portion housed in the power supply housing portion.

[0146] According to (4), the aerosol generating device can separately receive the power output from the first output terminal (in other words, the power of the battery) and the power output from the second output terminal (in other words, the power controlled by the second control element).

[0147] (5) The aerosol generating device according to (4), wherein the first connection part is connected to a first power system (first power system 91) that supplies power to the heating part, and the second connection part is connected to a second power system (second power system 92) that supplies power to the first control element.

[0148] According to (5), the first power system that supplies power to the heating section can be supplied with the battery's power as is, and the second power system that supplies power to the first control element can be supplied with power controlled by the second control element.

[0149] (6) An aerosol generating device described in any one of (1) to (5), wherein the power supply unit further includes a temperature element (battery temperature sensor 1115) that outputs a parameter or signal related to the temperature of the power supply unit, and a protection circuit (switch circuit 1113, protection IC 1114) configured to be able to stop charging of the battery, and the protection circuit stops charging of the battery when the parameter or signal indicating that the temperature of the power supply unit is equal to or higher than a predetermined temperature is output from the temperature element while the battery is being charged.

[0150] According to (6), even when the power supply unit is being charged independently, the power supply unit can be prevented from becoming too hot, and deterioration of the battery can be prevented.

[0151] (7) The aerosol generating device according to (6), wherein the protection circuit further stops charging of the battery when the terminal voltage of the battery reaches a predetermined upper limit value during charging of the battery.

[0152] According to (7), even when the power supply unit is being charged independently, overcharging of the battery can be prevented, and deterioration of the battery can be prevented.

[0153] (8) An aerosol generating device according to (6) or (7), wherein the protection circuit is further configured to be able to stop discharging from the battery, and stops discharging from the battery when the parameter or the signal indicating that the temperature of the power supply unit is equal to or higher than a predetermined temperature is output from the temperature element during discharging from the battery.

[0154] According to (8), the power supply unit can be prevented from becoming too hot during discharge, and deterioration of the battery can be suppressed.

[0155] (9) The aerosol generating device according to (8), wherein the protection circuit further stops discharging the battery when the terminal voltage of the battery reaches a predetermined lower limit value during discharging of the battery.

[0156] According to (9), over-discharge of the battery can be suppressed, and deterioration of the battery due to over-discharge can be suppressed.

[0157] (10) The aerosol generating device according to any one of (2) to (5), wherein the second control element starts charging the battery in response to the power supply unit being electrically connected to the external power supply.

[0158] According to (10), the user can start charging the battery when he or she connects the power supply unit to an external power source, which improves user convenience compared to when other operations are required to charge the battery in addition to connecting the power supply unit to an external power source.

[0159] (11) The aerosol generating device according to (10), wherein the second control element starts charging the battery when the power supply unit is electrically connected to the external power source and power is not being supplied from the power supply unit to the heating unit, and does not start charging the battery when power supply unit is electrically connected to the external power source and power is being supplied from the power supply unit to the heating unit.

[0160] According to (11), when power is being supplied from the power supply unit to the heating unit, charging of the battery can be prevented from starting, and it is possible to prevent the power supply unit from being placed in a high load state due to both power supply to the heating unit and charging being performed at the same time.

[0161] (12) An aerosol generating device according to any one of (2) to (5), wherein the first control element instructs the second control element to start charging the battery when the power supply unit housed in the power supply accommodating section is electrically connected to the external power supply and power is not being supplied from the power supply unit to the heating section, and does not instruct the second control element to start charging the battery when the power supply unit housed in the power supply accommodating section is electrically connected to the external power supply and power is being supplied from the power supply unit to the heating section, and the second control element starts charging the battery in response to receiving an instruction to start charging the battery from the first control element.

[0162] According to (12), when power is being supplied from the power supply unit to the heating unit, charging of the battery can be prevented from starting, and it is possible to prevent the power supply unit from being placed in a high load state due to both power supply to the heating unit and charging being performed at the same time.

[0163] (13) The aerosol generating device according to any one of (3) to (5), wherein the second control element detects an output from the first output terminal, and does not charge the battery when there is an output from the first output terminal.

[0164] According to (13), when there is an output from the first output terminal, the battery is prevented from being charged, and it is possible to prevent the power supply unit from being placed under a high load due to both power supply to the heating unit and charging being performed at the same time.

[0165] (14) The aerosol generating device according to any one of (1) to (13), wherein the power receiving unit is configured to be connectable to the external power source from outside when the power source unit is housed in the power source housing unit.

[0166] According to (14), the power supply unit can be charged without removing it from the case of the aerosol generator, which improves convenience for users who want to charge the aerosol generator while the power supply unit is attached.

[0167] (15) The aerosol generating device according to any one of (1) to (14), wherein the power receiving unit is a receptacle configured to allow insertion of a plug that supplies power from the external power supply.

[0168] According to (15), it is possible to connect a widely used charger to the power supply unit as an external power source, which makes it possible to easily charge the power supply unit in various locations, thereby improving user convenience.

[0169] DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 20 Case 26a First connection portion (connection portion) 26b Second connection portion (connection portion) 90 Main body side board unit (board) 100, 100A, 100B Suction device (aerosol generating device) 111, 111A, 111B Power supply portion 121, 121A, 121B Heating portion 200 Power supply accommodating portion 210 Board accommodating portion 1111 Battery 1113 Switch circuit (protection circuit) 1114 Protection IC (protection circuit) 1115 Battery temperature sensor (temperature element) 1116 Charging IC (second control element) 1119a First output terminal (connection terminal) 1119b Second output terminal (connection terminal) 1161 MCU (first control element)

Claims

1. An aerosol generating apparatus that generates aerosols by heating an aerosol source, A power supply unit is configured to be able to supply power to a heating unit that heats the aerosol source, and to be charged by power received from an external power source, A substrate on which multiple electronic components are mounted, including a first control element that controls the supply of power to the heating section, A case having a power supply housing for housing the power supply unit, a connection part for electrically connecting the power supply unit housed in the power supply housing and the electronic components, and a circuit board housing for housing the circuit board, Equipped with, The aforementioned power supply unit is The battery, a power receiving unit configured to receive power from the external power source, and a connection terminal electrically connectable to the connection unit are fixed together as a single unit, and are detachably arranged in the power supply housing while fixed together as a single unit. Aerosol generator.

2. An aerosol generating apparatus according to claim 1, The aerosol generating apparatus further comprises a second control element that controls the charging of the battery using the power received by the power receiving unit.

3. An aerosol generating apparatus according to claim 2, The aforementioned connection terminal is A first output terminal connected to the aforementioned battery, A second output terminal connected to the battery via the second control element, Includes, The second control element is further configured to control the output from the second output terminal. Aerosol generator.

4. An aerosol generating apparatus according to claim 3, The aforementioned connection part is A first connection part is housed in the power supply housing and connected to the first output terminal of the power supply unit, A second connection part is housed in the power supply housing and connected to the second output terminal of the power supply unit, including, Aerosol generator.

5. The aerosol generating apparatus according to claim 4, The first connection part is connected to a first power system that supplies power to the heating part. The second connection is connected to a second power system that supplies power to the first control element. Aerosol generator.

6. An aerosol generating apparatus according to any one of claims 1 to 5, The aforementioned power supply unit is A temperature element that outputs a parameter or signal related to the temperature of the power supply unit, A protection circuit configured to stop charging the aforementioned battery, Furthermore, The protection circuit stops charging the battery when the temperature element outputs the parameter or signal indicating that the temperature of the power supply unit is above a predetermined temperature during battery charging. Aerosol generator.

7. An aerosol generating apparatus according to claim 6, The protection circuit further stops charging the battery if the terminal voltage of the battery reaches a predetermined upper limit during charging. Aerosol generator.

8. An aerosol generating apparatus according to claim 6, The aforementioned protection circuit further, The battery is configured to stop discharging, If the temperature element outputs the parameter or signal indicating that the temperature of the power supply unit is above a predetermined temperature during discharge from the battery, the discharge from the battery is stopped. Aerosol generator.

9. An aerosol generating apparatus according to claim 8, The protection circuit further stops the discharge of the battery if the terminal voltage of the battery reaches a predetermined lower limit during the discharge of the battery. Aerosol generator.

10. An aerosol generating apparatus according to any one of claims 2 to 5, The second control element starts charging the battery in response to the power supply unit being electrically connected to the external power supply. Aerosol generator.

11. An aerosol generating apparatus according to claim 10, The second control element is, If power is not being supplied from the power supply unit to the heating unit when the power supply unit is electrically connected to the external power supply unit, then the battery charging will be started. When the power supply unit is electrically connected to the external power supply and power is being supplied from the power supply unit to the heating unit, the charging of the battery will not begin. Aerosol generator.

12. An aerosol generating apparatus according to any one of claims 2 to 5, The first control element is, If, when the power supply unit housed in the power supply housing is electrically connected to the external power supply, power is not being supplied from the power supply unit to the heating unit, the second control element is instructed to start charging the battery. When the power supply unit housed in the power supply housing is electrically connected to the external power supply and power is being supplied from the power supply unit to the heating unit, the instruction to start charging the battery is not given. The second control element, upon receiving an instruction from the first control element to start charging the battery, starts charging the battery. Aerosol generator.

13. An aerosol generating apparatus according to any one of claims 3 to 5, The second control element detects the output from the first output terminal, If there is an output from the first output terminal, the battery will not be charged. Aerosol generator.

14. An aerosol generating apparatus according to any one of claims 1 to 5, The power receiving unit is configured to be connectable to an external power source from the outside while the power supply unit is housed in the power supply housing unit. Aerosol generator.

15. An aerosol generating apparatus according to any one of claims 1 to 5, The power receiving unit is a receptacle configured to allow insertion of a plug that supplies power from the external power source. Aerosol generator.