Aerosol generation device

Abstract

This aerosol generation device comprises: a heating unit that heats a substrate including an aerosol source; a first substrate that is connected to the heating unit; a control unit that controls heating performed by the heating unit; a second substrate on which the control unit is mounted, the second substrate being disposed facing the first substrate; and an electroconductive member that is provided between the first substrate and the second substrate, the electroconductive member connecting the ground of the first substrate and the ground of the second substrate. At least one of the first substrate, the second substrate, and the electroconductive member is provided with an elastically deformable portion.

Description

Aerosol Generator

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

[0002] Patent document 1 describes an aerosol generating device comprising an aerosol generator, a power source, a circuit board, and a thermally conductive assembly having a first end in thermal contact with the circuit board and a second end spaced apart from the circuit board, wherein the circuit board is a first circuit board, the aerosol generating device further comprises a second circuit board, and the first end of the thermally conductive assembly is in thermal contact with the second circuit board, the second circuit board is at least partially on the first circuit board, the second circuit board is spaced apart from the first circuit board, and the first end of the thermally conductive assembly is positioned between the first circuit board and the second circuit board.

[0003] Special Publication No. 2022-535831

[0004] In an aerosol generating device having a plurality of substrates, it is common to electrically connect the different substrates, but there is room for further study on the method of connection.

[0005] An object of the present disclosure is to increase the reliability of electrical connections between different substrates included in an aerosol generating device.

[0006] The present disclosure provides an aerosol generating device comprising: a heating unit that heats a substrate including an aerosol source; a first substrate connected to the heating unit; a control unit that controls heating by the heating unit; a second substrate arranged opposite the first substrate and carrying the control unit; and a conductive member provided between the first substrate and the second substrate for connecting the ground of the first substrate to the ground of the second substrate, wherein at least one of the first substrate, the second substrate, and the conductive member comprises an elastically deformable portion.

[0007] The aerosol generating device may be one in which the conductive member has an elastically deformable portion. In this case, the tip portion of the conductive member may be more elastically deformable than the portion of the conductive member connected to the first substrate or the second substrate, and may be deformed so as to contract when pressed. The conductive member may be provided on the first substrate. The conductive member may be provided on the second substrate. In this case, the first substrate has a receptacle into which a plug is inserted, and the exterior of the receptacle is connected to the ground of the first substrate. In this case, the receptacle may be a USB connector. In this case, the conductive member may be in contact with the exterior of the USB connector. In this case, the conductive member may be in contact with a surface of the exterior of the USB connector facing the second substrate. In this case, the aerosol generating device may include a connecting member that connects the first substrate and the second substrate and is bent so that the USB connector of the first substrate faces the conductive member of the second substrate. In this case, the connecting member may connect the surface of the first substrate opposite the surface on which the USB connector is mounted to the surface of the second substrate opposite the surface on which the conductive member is provided. In this case, the connecting member may be connected to one end of the first substrate and one end of the second substrate. In this case, the first substrate may have a shape including long sides and short sides, and the second substrate may have a shape including long sides and short sides, and one end of the first substrate may be one end on the long side of the first substrate, and one end of the second substrate may be one end on the long side of the second substrate. Furthermore, in this case, the first substrate may have a USB connector mounted in an area on one end side, a heater connector for connecting the heating unit mounted in an area on the other end side, and a circuit related to control of heating by the heating unit mounted in an area closer to the heater connector than the USB connector. In this case, the circuit related to control of heating by the heating unit may include a power supply and a switch for heating the heating unit.

[0008] According to the present disclosure, the reliability of electrical connections between different substrates included in an aerosol generating device is increased.

[0009] 1 is a diagram of the front side of the aerosol generation device observed from diagonally above. FIG. 2 is a diagram of the front side of the aerosol generation device observed from diagonally below. FIG. 3 is a diagram of the main device observed from the front with the front panel removed. FIG. 4 is a diagram of an example of the internal configuration of the main device that appears when the front panel is removed. FIG. 5 is a diagram of a schematic configuration of the electronic circuit of the main device. FIG. 6 is a diagram of a first example of connection between an MCU board and a USB connector board. FIG. 7 is a diagram of a second example of connection between an MCU board and a USB connector board. FIG. 8 is a diagram of an example of connection between an MCU board, a USB connector board, etc. observed from the main surface side. FIG. 9 is a diagram of an example of connection between an MCU board, a USB connector board, etc. observed from the sub-surface side. FIG. 10 is a diagram of a first example of a state when the MCU board and the USB connector board are arranged opposite each other. FIG. 11 is a diagram of a second example of a state when the MCU board and the USB connector board are arranged opposite each other. FIG. 12 is a diagram of the USB connector board observed from the main surface side. FIG. 13 is a diagram of the USB connector board observed from the sub-surface side.

[0010] Hereinafter, embodiments of the present disclosure will be described with reference to the drawings. In each drawing, the same parts are denoted by the same reference numerals.

[0011] Terminology: The aerosol generating device according to each embodiment is a form of electronic cigarette. In the following description, the substance generated by the aerosol generating device is referred to as aerosol. Aerosol refers to a mixture of tiny liquid or solid particles suspended in a gas and air or other gases. Each embodiment describes an aerosol generating device that generates aerosol without combustion. Note that inhaling aerosol generated by the aerosol generating device is also called "puffing." Each embodiment describes an aerosol generating device that can be fitted with a solid aerosol source. Note that the container that stores the solid aerosol source is referred to as either a "capsule" or a "stick-type substrate" depending on the product form. Capsules and stick-type substrates are consumables. For this reason, guidelines for replacement are set for capsules and stick-type substrates.

[0012] First Embodiment <External Appearance Example> First, an external appearance example of the aerosol generation device used in the first embodiment will be described. Fig. 1 is a view of the front side of the aerosol generation device 1 observed from diagonally above. Fig. 2 is a view of the front side of the aerosol generation device 1 observed from diagonally below. Fig. 3 is a view of the main device 20 observed from the front with the front panel 10 removed.

[0013] The aerosol generation device 1 used in this embodiment has a size that allows the user to hold it in one hand. The aerosol generation device 1 has a main body device 20, a front panel 10 attached to the front of the main body device 20, and a shutter 30 that is arranged on the top surface of the main body device 20 and can be slid along the top surface. The front panel 10 is a member that can be attached to and detached from the main body device 20. The front panel 10 is attached and detached by the user.

[0014] 1 and 2, the front panel 10 attached to the main device 20 covers the front portion of the main device 20. In other words, even after the front panel 10 is attached, the main device 20 can be observed from the outside except for the front portion. For example, the side, back, top, and bottom surfaces of the main device 20 can be observed from the outside even after the front panel 10 is attached.

[0015] A window 10A is provided in the front panel 10. The window 10A is provided in a position facing the light-emitting element on the main device 20 side. In the case of the first embodiment, the light-emitting element is an LED (=Light Emitting Diode) 20A shown in FIG. 3 . In the case of the first embodiment, eight LEDs 20A are provided in the main device 20. The window 10A in the first embodiment is made of a light-transmitting material. However, the window 10A may be a slit that penetrates from the front surface to the back surface.

[0016] The lighting and blinking patterns of the LED 20A are assigned to indicate the operating status of the aerosol generation device. For example, lighting and blinking of the LED 20A are assigned to indicate a status related to the heating of the aerosol source. Status related to the heating of the aerosol source include, for example, the completion of preparation for heating the aerosol source, the start of heating, the completion or end of heating, the number of aerosol sources available for inhalation, the remaining time available for inhalation, and an abnormality in the temperature of the main unit. In addition, lighting and blinking of the LED 20A are assigned to indicate a malfunction or failure of the main unit 20, the remaining battery level, charging or completion of charging, the pairing status, and the like. Malfunctions here include abnormalities related to the ambient temperature. The lighting and blinking of the light-emitting element are controlled by the MCU 101 (see FIG. 5 ), which will be described later.

[0017] The front panel 10 also serves to buffer the propagation of heat emitted from the main device 20. In this embodiment, aerosol generation is permitted only when the front panel 10 is attached to the main device 20. The front panel 10 used in this embodiment deforms when a user presses a position below the window 10A with their fingertip, and returns to its original shape when the user stops pressing. This deformation makes it possible to operate the power button 20B provided on the main device 20 while the front panel 10 is attached to the main device 20.

[0018] A Type C USB (Universal Serial Bus) connector 21 is provided on the bottom side of the main device 20. The shape and type of the USB connector 21 are merely examples. In the first embodiment, the USB connector 21 is used to charge a battery 50 (see FIG. 4 ) built into the main device 20. The USB is also merely an example. Receptacles and plugs conforming to other standards may also be used, but the following description will be given taking the case where a USB connector 21 and a USB plug are used as an example.

[0019] An insertion hole 22 (see FIG. 4) for inserting a stick-shaped substrate containing an aerosol source is provided on the top surface of main device 20. Insertion hole 22 is exposed by sliding shutter 30 to the open position, and is concealed by sliding shutter 30 to the closed position. The stick-shaped substrate used in this embodiment has a structure in which a solid aerosol source is stored in a substantially cylindrical paper tube.

[0020] A magnet, for example, is attached to the back surface of the shutter 30. Meanwhile, a Hall IC is attached to the main device 20 within the movable range of the shutter 30. The Hall IC is a magnetic sensor comprised of a Hall element and an operational amplifier, etc., and outputs a voltage according to the strength of the magnetic field that crosses the Hall element. In this embodiment, the opening and closing of the shutter 30 is detected from the change in voltage output from the Hall IC as the shutter 30 slides. In other words, it is detected whether the shutter 30 is in the open or closed position.

[0021] As shown in FIG. 3 , a power button 20B is located approximately in the center of the front of the main device 20. As described above, the power button 20B can be operated with the front panel 10 attached. The power button 20B is used, for example, to turn the power of the main device 20 on and off, turn on and off the power supply to the heater unit 40 (see FIG. 4 ) that heats the aerosol source, and issue a Bluetooth (registered trademark) pairing command. Note that if the power button 20B is pressed and held (for example, for 5 seconds or more) with the front panel 10 detached from the main device 20, a reset function is activated. In this embodiment, BLE (Bluetooth Low Energy) is used as Bluetooth.

[0022] 3, magnets 20C used to attach the front panel 10 are disposed at the top and bottom of the front of the main unit 20. The magnets 20C are disposed in positions facing a magnet (not shown) disposed inside the front panel 10. For example, if the magnet on the front panel 10 has a north pole, the magnet 20C on the main unit 20 side has a south pole. The front panel 10 is detachably attached to the main unit 20 by the attractive force between the magnets.

[0023] Either the magnet on the front panel 10 side or the magnet 20C on the main device 20 side may be a piece of iron or other magnetic metal. Attachment of the front panel 10 to the main device 20 is detected by a Hall IC provided on the main device 20 side. The main device 20 also incorporates various electronic components necessary for generating aerosol. In the first embodiment, the device configuration in which the front panel 10 is attached to the main device 20 is referred to as the aerosol generation device 1, but in a narrower sense, the main device 20 is referred to as the aerosol generation device.

[0024] <Internal Configuration Example> FIG. 4 is a diagram showing an internal configuration example of the main unit 20 that appears when the front panel 10 is removed.

[0025] The main device 20 in the first embodiment includes a heater unit 40, a battery 50, an MCU (Micro Control Unit) board 100, a USB connector board 200, an LED board 300, a Hall IC board 400, a vibrator 60, and a chassis 500 to which these components are attached. That is, the main device 20 includes four separate boards. The four boards are spaced apart from one another.

[0026] The heater unit 40 is a unit that heats the stick-shaped substrate inserted into the insertion hole 22. The insertion hole 22 is defined as a space surrounded by the inner wall of a cylindrical container 22A. The container 22A used in embodiment 1 has a bottom. However, a container 22A without a bottom may also be used. In the case of the container 22A used in embodiment 1, a flat portion is provided on the side wall. In other words, a flat portion is provided on the cross section when the container 22A is broken along a plane perpendicular to the axis of the container 22A.

[0027] The flat portion compresses and deforms the side surface of the stick-shaped substrate inserted into the opening of the insertion hole 22, improving heating efficiency. The cross-sectional shape may be approximately circular, approximately elliptical, or approximately polygonal. The cross-sectional shape may be the same from the opening side to the bottom surface, or it may change from the opening side to the bottom surface.

[0028] The container 22A is preferably made of a metal with high thermal conductivity. In the first embodiment, the container 22A is made of, for example, stainless steel. A film-like heater HTR (see FIG. 5) is arranged around the outer periphery of the container 22A, covering the outer periphery. The heater HTR generates heat by consuming power supplied from a battery 50. When the heater HTR generates heat, the stick-shaped substrate is heated from the periphery, and an aerosol is generated.

[0029] The heater unit 40 is connected to a heater connector Cn (see FIG. 5) provided on the USB connector board 200 and receives a supply of power. The heater unit 40 is an example of a heating section that heats a substrate including an aerosol source.

[0030] The battery 50 is a power source that supplies the power necessary for the operation of the circuit units built into the main device 20. In the first embodiment, a rechargeable lithium ion secondary battery or the like is used as the battery 50. The power of the battery 50 is supplied to each component through a power supply line connected to the negative and positive electrodes (not shown).

[0031] The MCU board 100 is a board on which the MCU 101, which controls the operation of the entire device, and other components are mounted. The MCU 101 is a so-called controller. The operation of the MCU 101 is determined through the execution of firmware and programs that run on the firmware. In particular, the MCU 101 controls heating by the heater unit 40. The MCU 101 is an example of a control unit that controls heating by the heating unit, and the MCU board 100 is an example of a second board on which a control unit is mounted.

[0032] The USB connector board 200 is a board on which a USB connector 21 is mounted. The USB connector 21 in this embodiment is used to receive power from an external power supply via a USB cable. The USB connector board 200 also has a heater connector Cn and the like mounted thereon. The heater connector Cn is used to supply power to the heater unit 40. The USB connector board 200 is an example of a first board connected to a heating unit. The USB connector board 200 is also an example of a first board on which a receptacle into which a plug is inserted is mounted, and is an example of a first board on which a USB connector is mounted.

[0033] The LED board 300 is a board on which the LEDs 20A are mounted. The LEDs 20A are arranged in a row on the LED board 300. In the first embodiment, the number of LEDs 20A is eight, but this number is not explicitly shown in FIG. 4. The number of LEDs 20A and their arrangement on the LED board 300 can be changed as desired. The Hall IC board 400 is a board on which a Hall IC that detects the opening and closing of the shutter 30 is mounted. The vibrator 60 is a device that vibrates to notify the user of various information related to the aerosol generation device 1 through the case of the main device 20.

[0034] <Outline of Electronic Circuit> Fig. 5 is a diagram showing a schematic configuration of the electronic circuit of the main device 20. Note that Fig. 5 shows only the main electronic components of the MCU board 100 and the USB connector board 200, and omits the LED board 300 and the Hall IC board 400.

[0035] The wiring indicated by the thick solid line in FIG. 5 is wiring (wiring connected to a ground provided in the main device 20) that has the same potential as the reference potential (ground potential) of the main device 20, and this wiring will be referred to as a ground line hereinafter. In FIG. 5, an electronic component in which multiple circuit elements are integrated into a chip is shown as a rectangle, with the symbols of various terminals written inside the rectangle. The power supply terminals VCC and VDD mounted on the chip each indicate a high-potential power supply terminal. The power supply terminals VSS and ground terminals GND mounted on the chip each indicate a low-potential (reference potential) power supply terminal. For a chip-integrated electronic component, the difference between the potential of the high-potential power supply terminal and the potential of the low-potential power supply terminal is the power supply voltage. The chip-integrated electronic component uses this power supply voltage to perform various functions.

[0036] The MCU board 100 is equipped with the following main electronic components: an MCU 101 that controls the entire aerosol generation device 1; a charging IC 102 that controls the charging of the battery 50; a load switch (hereinafter referred to as LSW) 103 that is composed of a combination of capacitors, resistors, transistors, etc.; a step-up / step-down DC / DC converter 104 (shown in the figure as step-up / step-down DC / DC 104); and a voltage divider circuit Pc for detecting USB connection.

[0037] The ground terminals GND of the charging IC 102, the LSW 103, and the step-up / step-down DC / DC converter 104 are connected to the ground line.

[0038] The USB connector board 200 is provided with, as main electronic components, a power connector electrically connected to the battery 50 (the battery 50 connected to this power connector is shown in the figure), a step-up DC / DC converter 201 (shown as step-up DC / DC 201 in the figure), a protection IC 202, an overvoltage protection IC 203, a USB connector 21, switches S3 to S5 formed of MOSFETs, an operational amplifier OP1, and a pair of heater connectors Cn (positive and negative sides) electrically connected to the heater HTR.

[0039] The two ground terminals GND of the USB connector 21, the ground terminal GND of the step-up DC / DC converter 201, the ground terminal GND of the overvoltage protection IC 203, and the negative power supply terminal of the operational amplifier OP1 are each connected to a ground line.

[0040] <Details of Electronic Circuit> Hereinafter, the connection relationships of the electronic components will be described with reference to FIG.

[0041] Two power input terminals V of the USB connector 21 ＢＵＳ is connected to the input terminal IN of the overvoltage protection IC 203 via a protection element such as a fuse Fs. When a USB plug is connected to the USB connector 21 and a USB cable including the USB plug is connected to an external power supply, the two power supply input terminals V ＢＵＳ USB voltage V ＵＳＢ is supplied.

[0042] One end of a voltage divider circuit Pa, which is made up of a series circuit of two resistors, is connected to the input terminal IN of the overvoltage protection IC 203. The other end of the voltage divider circuit Pa is connected to the ground line. The junction of the two resistors that make up the voltage divider circuit Pa is connected to the voltage detection terminal OVLo of the overvoltage protection IC 203. When the voltage input to the voltage detection terminal OVLo is below a threshold, the overvoltage protection IC 203 outputs the voltage input to the input terminal IN from the output terminal OUT. When the voltage input to the voltage detection terminal OVLo becomes equal to or greater than the threshold (overvoltage), the overvoltage protection IC 203 stops the voltage output from the output terminal OUT (cuts off the electrical connection between the LSW 103 and the USB connector 21), thereby protecting electronic components downstream of the overvoltage protection IC 203. The output terminal OUT of the overvoltage protection IC 203 is connected to the input terminal VIN of the LSW 103 and one end of a voltage divider circuit Pc (a series circuit of two resistors) connected to the MCU 101. The other end of the voltage divider circuit Pc is connected to the ground line. The connection point of the two resistors that make up the voltage divider circuit Pc is connected to the MCU 101.

[0043] One end of a voltage divider circuit Pf, which is composed of two series resistors, is connected to the input terminal VIN of the LSW 103. The other end of the voltage divider circuit Pf is connected to the ground line. The junction point of the two resistors that make up the voltage divider circuit Pf is connected to the control terminal ON of the LSW 103. The collector terminal of the bipolar transistor S2 is connected to the control terminal ON of the LSW 103. The emitter terminal of the bipolar transistor S2 is connected to the ground line. The base terminal of the bipolar transistor S2 is connected to the MCU 101. When the signal input to the control terminal ON of the LSW 103 becomes high level, the LSW 103 outputs the voltage input to the input terminal VIN from the output terminal VOUT. The output terminal VOUT of the LSW 103 is connected to the input terminal VBUS of the charging IC 102. The MCU 101 turns on the bipolar transistor S2 while there is no USB connection. As a result, the control terminal ON of the LSW 103 is connected to the ground line via the bipolar transistor S2, and a low-level signal is input to the control terminal ON of the LSW 103.

[0044] When a USB connection is made, the bipolar transistor S2 connected to the LSW 103 is turned off by the MCU 101. When the bipolar transistor S2 is turned off, the USB voltage V divided by the voltage divider circuit Pf is ＵＳＢ is input to the control terminal ON of the LSW 103. Therefore, when the USB connection is made and the bipolar transistor S2 is turned off, a high-level signal is input to the control terminal ON of the LSW 103. As a result, the LSW 103 receives the USB voltage V supplied from the USB cable. ＵＳＢ Even if a USB connection is made with the bipolar transistor S2 turned off, the control terminal ON of the LSW 103 is connected to the ground line via the bipolar transistor S2, and therefore a low-level signal continues to be input to the control terminal ON of the LSW 103 unless the MCU 101 turns off the bipolar transistor S2.

[0045] The positive terminal of the battery 50 is connected to the power supply terminal VDD of the protection IC 202, the input terminal VIN of the step-up DC / DC converter 201, and the charging terminal bat of the charging IC 102. Therefore, the power supply voltage V ＢＡＴ is supplied to the protection IC 202, the charging IC 102, and the step-up DC / DC converter 201. A resistor Ra, a switch Sa configured with a MOSFET, and a switch Sb configured with a MOSFET are connected in series to the negative terminal of the battery 50 in this order. A current detection terminal CS of the protection IC 202 is connected to the connection point between the resistor Ra and the switch Sa. The control terminals of the switches Sa and Sb are connected to the protection IC 202.

[0046] The protection IC 202 obtains the value of the current flowing through the resistor Ra during charging or discharging of the battery 50 from the voltage input to the current detection terminal CS, and if this current value becomes excessive (in the case of an overcurrent), it controls the opening and closing of the switches Sa and Sb to stop charging or discharging of the battery 50, thereby protecting the battery 50. More specifically, if the protection IC 202 obtains an excessively large current value during charging of the battery 50, it turns off the switch Sb to stop charging of the battery 50. If the protection IC 202 obtains an excessively large current value during discharging of the battery 50, it turns off the switch Sa to stop discharging of the battery 50. Furthermore, if the voltage value of the battery 50 becomes abnormal based on the voltage input to the power supply terminal VDD (in the case of a charging overcurrent or a discharging overcurrent), the protection IC 202 controls the opening and closing of the switches Sa and Sb to stop charging or discharging of the battery 50, thereby protecting the battery 50. More specifically, when the protection IC 202 detects a charging overcurrent of the battery 50, it turns off the switch Sb to stop charging the battery 50. When the protection IC 202 detects a discharging overcurrent of the battery 50, it turns off the switch Sa to stop discharging the battery 50.

[0047] One end of a reactor Lc is connected to the switching terminal SW of the step-up DC / DC converter 201. The other end of this reactor Lc is connected to the input terminal VIN of the step-up DC / DC converter 201. The step-up DC / DC converter 201 controls the on / off of an internal transistor connected to the switching terminal SW to boost the input voltage and output it from the output terminal VOUT. The input terminal VIN of the step-up DC / DC converter 201 constitutes the high-potential power supply terminal of the step-up DC / DC converter 201. The step-up DC / DC converter 201 performs a boost operation when a signal input to an enable terminal EN is at a high level. When connected via USB, the signal input to the enable terminal EN of the step-up DC / DC converter 201 may be controlled to a low level by the MCU 101. Alternatively, in the state where the USB is connected, the MCU 101 may not control the signal input to the enable terminal EN of the step-up DC / DC converter 201, thereby making the potential of the enable terminal EN indefinite.

[0048] The output terminal VOUT of the step-up DC / DC converter 201 is connected to the source terminal of a switch S4 configured by a P-channel MOSFET. The gate terminal of the switch S4 is connected to the MCU 101. One end of a resistor Rs is connected to the drain terminal of the switch S4. The other end of the resistor Rs is connected to a positive heater connector Cn connected to one end of the heater HTR. A voltage divider circuit Pb consisting of two resistors is connected to the connection point between the switch S4 and the resistor Rs. The connection point of the two resistors that make up the voltage divider circuit Pb is connected to the MCU 101.

[0049] The source terminal of switch S3, which is configured by a P-channel MOSFET, is connected to the connection line between the output terminal VOUT of the step-up DC / DC converter 201 and the source terminal of switch S4. The gate terminal of switch S3 is connected to the MCU 101. The drain terminal of switch S3 is connected to the connection line between resistor Rs and the positive electrode side heater connector Cn. In this way, a circuit including switch S3 and a circuit including switch S4 and resistor Rs are connected in parallel between the output terminal VOUT of step-up DC / DC converter 201 and the positive electrode side of heater connector Cn. Because the circuit including switch S3 does not have a resistor, it has lower resistance than the circuit including switch S4 and resistor Rs.

[0050] The non-inverting input terminal of the operational amplifier OP1 is connected to the connection line between the resistor Rs and the positive heater connector Cn. The inverting input terminal of the operational amplifier OP1 is connected to the negative heater connector Cn, which is connected to the other end of the heater HTR, and to the drain terminal of a switch S5 composed of an N-channel MOSFET. The source terminal of the switch S5 is connected to the ground line. The gate terminal of the switch S5 is connected to the MCU 101, the anode of a diode D4, and the enable terminal EN of the step-up DC / DC converter 201. The cathode of the diode D4 is connected to a flip-flop (not shown) that outputs a low-level signal when the temperature of the heater HTR becomes excessive. One end of a resistor R4 is connected to the output terminal of the operational amplifier OP1. The other end of the resistor R4 is connected to the MCU 101.

[0051] The charging IC 102 receives the USB voltage V ＵＳＢ The charging IC 102 acquires the charging current and charging voltage of the battery 50 from terminals and wiring (not shown), and controls charging of the battery 50 (controls the power supply from the charging terminal bat to the battery 50) based on these.

[0052] The charging IC 102 further ＢＡＴ Equipped with power pass function and OTG function. ＢＡＴThe power path function is to protect the power supply voltage V ＢＡＴ The OTG function is a function that outputs a system power supply voltage Vcc0 from the output terminal SYS that is approximately equal to the power supply voltage V ＢＡＴ The OTG function of the charging IC 102 is controlled by the MCU 101 through serial communication using the communication line LN. ＢＡＴ may be output directly from the input terminal VBUS. ＢＡＴ and the system power supply voltage Vcc4 are approximately equal. Note that, although serial communication requires multiple signal lines, such as a data line for data transmission and a clock line for synchronization, only one signal line is shown for simplicity.

[0053] The output terminal SYS of the charging IC 102 is connected to the input terminal VIN of the step-up / step-down DC / DC converter 104. One end of a reactor La is connected to a switching terminal SW of the charging IC 102. The other end of the reactor La is connected to the output terminal SYS of the charging IC 102. A charging enable terminal CE( ) of the charging IC 102 is connected to the MCU 101 via a resistor.

[0054] A resistor is connected between the input terminal VIN and enable terminal EN of the step-up / step-down DC / DC converter 104. When the system power supply voltage Vcc0 is input from the output terminal SYS of the charging IC 102 to the input terminal VIN of the step-up / step-down DC / DC converter 104, the signal input to the enable terminal EN of the step-up / step-down DC / DC converter 104 becomes high level, and the step-up / step-down DC / DC converter 104 starts step-up or step-down operation. The step-up / step-down DC / DC converter 104 generates a system power supply voltage Vcc1 by controlling the switching of an internal transistor connected to the reactor Lb, and outputs the system power supply voltage Vcc1 from the output terminal VOUT. The output terminal VOUT of the step-up / step-down DC / DC converter 104 is connected to the feedback terminal FB of the step-up / step-down DC / DC converter 104 and the power supply terminal VDD of the MCU 101. A power supply line PL1 is a wiring line through which the system power supply voltage Vcc1 output from the output terminal VOUT of the step-up / step-down DC / DC converter 104 is supplied. A positive power supply terminal of an operational amplifier OP1 is connected to the power supply line PL1.

[0055] <Connection between MCU board 100 and USB connector board 200> Fig. 6 is a diagram showing a first connection example between MCU board 100 and USB connector board 200. Fig. 7 is a diagram showing a second connection example between MCU board 100 and USB connector board 200. Figs. 6 and 7 are enlarged views of a portion of the internal configuration of main unit 20 shown in Fig. 4, including MCU board 100 and USB connector board 200, rotated 90° clockwise.

[0056] 6 and 7, the MCU substrate 100 and the USB connector substrate 200 are arranged opposite each other. The MCU substrate 100 is mounted with an MCU 101. The USB connector substrate 200 is mounted with a USB connector 21 and a protection IC 202. The exterior of the USB connector 21 is connected to the ground of the USB connector substrate 200 by, for example, soldering, and is at ground potential. In addition to the MCU 101, USB connector 21, and protection IC 202, the MCU substrate 100 and the USB connector substrate 200 also have the electronic components shown in FIG. 5 mounted thereon, but these are not shown.

[0057] 6, a conductive member 150 is provided between the MCU substrate 100 and the USB connector substrate 200. The conductive member 150 is a member for connecting the ground of the MCU substrate 100 to the ground of the USB connector substrate 200. In Fig. 6, the conductive member 150 is connected to the MCU substrate 100 by, for example, soldering.

[0058] The conductive member 150 has an elastically deformable portion. Here, it is assumed that a tip portion 152 of the conductive member 150 opposite a connection portion 151 that connects to the MCU substrate 100 is elastically deformable. In other words, the tip portion 152 of the conductive member 150 is more elastically deformable than the connection portion 151 of the conductive member 150, and is deformed so as to contract when pressed from the MCU substrate 100 side toward the USB connector substrate 200 side. When the MCU substrate 100 and the USB connector substrate 200 are connected using the conductive member 150 having an elastically deformable portion, the contact area is larger than when connecting using lead wires, and therefore the strength of the connection is higher. Furthermore, the conductive member 150 having an elastically deformable portion can absorb even slight size errors in the distance between the MCU substrate 100 and the USB connector substrate 200 during implementation, allowing these substrates to be reliably connected by pressing them together. More specifically, it is possible to reliably connect the contact points of conductive member 150 and conductive member 150 provided on USB connector board 200, and to reliably connect the ground of MCU board 100 and the ground of USB connector board 200. Furthermore, when conductive member 150 having an elastically deformable portion is used, there is also the advantage that MCU board 100 and USB connector board 200 can be reliably separated from each other, compared to when lead wires are used.

[0059] In particular, in FIG. 6 , the conductive member 150 is in contact with the exterior of the USB connector 21. The conductive member 150 may be in contact with any position on the exterior of the USB connector 21, but in FIG. 6 , the conductive member 150 is in contact with the surface of the exterior of the USB connector 21 facing the MCU substrate 100. Because the exterior of the USB connector 21 has a large surface area, it can be easily connected to the ground of the MCU substrate 100 without having to provide a separate ground area for connection contacts on the USB connector substrate 200. Furthermore, the conductive member 150 preferably contacts an electronic component that is taller than the other electronic components mounted on the USB connector substrate 200. Furthermore, the conductive member 150 preferably contacts the tallest electronic component among the electronic components mounted on the USB connector substrate 200. Here, the height refers to the width of the electronic component measured from the surface of the USB connector substrate 200 facing the MCU substrate 100 toward the MCU substrate 100. 6, the conductive member 150 is in contact with the exterior of the USB connector 21, which is the tallest electronic component mounted on the USB connector board 200. This configuration makes it possible to shorten the height of the conductive member 150, i.e., the distance from the MCU board 100 to the contact point.

[0060] Although Figure 6 shows a case where the MCU board 100 and the USB connector board 200 are connected by one conductive member 150, the MCU board 100 and the USB connector board 200 may also be connected by multiple conductive members 150.

[0061] 7, a conductive member 250 is provided between the MCU substrate 100 and the USB connector substrate 200. The conductive member 250 is a member for connecting the ground of the MCU substrate 100 to the ground of the USB connector substrate 200. In Fig. 7, the conductive member 250 is connected to the exterior of the USB connector 21 of the USB connector substrate 200 by, for example, soldering.

[0062] The conductive member 250 also has an elastically deformable portion. Here, it is assumed that a tip portion 252 of the conductive member 250 opposite a connection portion 251 that connects to the USB connector 21 is elastically deformable. In other words, the tip portion 252 of the conductive member 250 is more elastically deformable than the connection portion 251 of the conductive member 250, and is deformed so as to contract when pressed from the USB connector board 200 side toward the MCU board 100 side. When the MCU board 100 and the USB connector board 200 are connected using the conductive member 250 having an elastically deformable portion, the contact area is larger than when connecting using lead wires, and therefore the strength of the connection is higher. Furthermore, the conductive member 250 having an elastically deformable portion can absorb even slight size errors in the distance between the MCU board 100 and the USB connector board 200 during implementation, allowing these boards to be reliably connected by pressing them together. Furthermore, when the conductive member 250 having an elastically deformable portion is used, there is an advantage that the MCU board 100 and the USB connector board 200 can be reliably separated from each other, compared to when lead wires are used.

[0063] 7, the conductive member 250 is mounted on the exterior of the USB connector 21 of the USB connector board 200, but it may be mounted in an area other than the USB connector 21 of the USB connector board 200. Also, while Fig. 7 shows the case where the MCU board 100 and the USB connector board 200 are connected by one conductive member 250, the MCU board 100 and the USB connector board 200 may be connected by a plurality of conductive members 250.

[0064] 6 and 7 show examples in which the conductive members 150 and 250 have elastically deformable portions, but this is not limiting. The MCU substrate 100 or the USB connector substrate 200 may also have elastically deformable portions. In other words, it is sufficient that at least one of the conductive members 150 and 250, the MCU substrate 100, and the USB connector substrate 200 has an elastically deformable portion.

[0065] In the following, an example will be described in which the MCU board 100 and the USB connector board 200 are connected as shown in FIG.

[0066] <Connection between MCU substrate 100 and USB connector substrate 200> Fig. 8 is a view showing an example of connection between the MCU substrate 100, the USB connector substrate 200, etc., as viewed from the main surface side. Fig. 8 shows the main surface 100A of the MCU substrate 100 and the main surface 200A of the USB connector substrate 200. Fig. 9 is a view showing an example of connection between the MCU substrate 100, the USB connector substrate 200, etc., as viewed from the sub-surface side. Fig. 9 shows the sub-surface 100B of the MCU substrate 100 and the sub-surface 200B of the USB connector substrate 200.

[0067] 8 and 9 , the MCU substrate 100 and the USB connector substrate 200 are connected by a connecting member 600. The connecting member 600 is made of a bendable, flexible material. Here, the MCU substrate 100 is assumed to have short sides 100C and 100D and long sides 100E and 100F. The USB connector substrate 200 is assumed to have short sides 200C and 200D and long sides 200E and 200F. In this case, the connecting member 600 is connected to the long side 100F of the MCU substrate 100 and the long side 200E of the USB connector substrate 200. In other words, the connecting member 600 is connected to one end of the long side of the MCU substrate 100 and one end of the long side of the USB connector substrate 200. When the connecting member 600 is connected to the long sides of the MCU board 100 and the USB connector board 200 in this manner, it is easier to face them (position them) than when the connecting member 600 is connected to the short sides of the MCU board 100 and the USB connector board 200.

[0068] However, the connecting member 600 does not necessarily have to be connected to the long side of the MCU substrate 100 and the long side of the USB connector substrate 200. For example, the connecting member 600 may be connected to the short side of the MCU substrate 100 and the short side of the USB connector substrate 200. Alternatively, the connecting member 600 may be connected to the long side of the MCU substrate 100 and the short side of the USB connector substrate 200, or may be connected to the short side of the MCU substrate 100 and the long side of the USB connector substrate 200. In other words, the connecting member 600 may be connected to one end of the MCU substrate 100 and one end of the USB connector substrate 200. When the connecting member 600 is connected to only one end of the MCU substrate 100 and the USB connector substrate 200 in this manner, it becomes possible to manufacture the MCU substrate 100 and the USB connector substrate 200 so that they can be bent to face each other, compared to when the connecting member 600 is connected to both ends of the MCU substrate 100 and the USB connector substrate 200. Furthermore, by configuring the connecting member 600 so that it is connected to only one end of the MCU board 100 and the USB connector board 200, the distance between the MCU board 100 and the USB connector board 200 can be determined by the width of the connecting member. This allows the conductive members 150, 250 to contact at appropriate positions when folded and faced each other.

[0069] 8 and 9, the MCU board 100 is also connected to the LED board 300 and the Hall IC board 400 by connecting members 610.

[0070] <Arrangement of MCU substrate 100 and USB connector substrate 200 facing each other> Fig. 10 is a diagram showing a first example of a state when the MCU substrate 100 and the USB connector substrate 200 are arranged facing each other. Fig. 11 is a diagram showing a second example of a state when the MCU substrate 100 and the USB connector substrate 200 are arranged facing each other. Figs. 10 and 11 are views of the portion including the MCU substrate 100 and the USB connector substrate 200 shown in Fig. 6, observed from the left side of Fig. 6, with the top and bottom left unchanged.

[0071] 10 and 11 , the connecting member 600, which was hidden in the background in Fig. 6 , is shown on the left side of the MCU board 100 and the USB connector board 200. The connecting member 600 connects the sub-surface 100B opposite the main surface 100A on which the conductive member 150 of the MCU board 100 is provided, to the sub-surface 200B opposite the main surface 200A on which the USB connector 21 of the USB connector board 200 is mounted.

[0072] However, the present invention is not limited to this, and the connecting member 600 may connect the main surface 100A of the MCU substrate 100 on which the conductive member 150 is provided to the main surface 200A on which the USB connector 21 of the USB connector substrate 200 is mounted or the sub-surface 200B on the opposite side thereof. Alternatively, the connecting member 600 may connect the main surface 100A of the MCU substrate 100 on which the conductive member 150 is provided or the sub-surface 100B on the opposite side thereof to the main surface 200A on which the USB connector 21 of the USB connector substrate 200 is mounted.

[0073] 10 and 11, the connecting member 600 is bent and positioned so that the MCU board 100 and the USB connector board 200 are substantially opposed to each other. In other words, the connecting member 600 that connects the MCU board 100 and the USB connector board 200 is bent so that the conductive member 150 of the MCU board 100 and the USB connector 21 of the USB connector board 200 are opposed to each other.

[0074] Fig. 10 shows a state in which conductive member 150 is not pressed against USB connector 21. In this state, tip portion 152 of conductive member 150 is not deformed. Fig. 11 shows a state in which conductive member 150 is pressed against USB connector 21. In this state, tip portion 152 of conductive member 150 is deformed and contracted due to the pressure. In other words, by mounting conductive member 150 on MCU board 100 and assembling it so as to face USB connector board 200 on which USB connector 21 is mounted, conductive member 150 comes into contact with the exterior of USB connector 21, and a ground connection is established.

[0075] <Arrangement of Electronic Components on USB Connector Board 200> Fig. 12 is a view of the USB connector board 200 as viewed from the main surface 200A side. Fig. 13 is a view of the USB connector board 200 as viewed from the sub-surface 200B side.

[0076] As shown in Fig. 12, the reactor Lc, resistor Rs, switch S4, switch S5, and heater connector Cn, which are among the electronic components shown in Fig. 5, are provided on the main surface 200A of the USB connector board 200. As shown in Fig. 13, the step-up DC / DC converter 201 and switch S3, which are among the electronic components shown in Fig. 5, are provided on the sub-surface 200B of the USB connector board 200.

[0077] That is, the USB connector board 200 has the USB connector 21 mounted in an area on one end side and the heater connector Cn for connecting the heater unit 40 (see FIG. 4 ) mounted in an area on the other end side. As can be seen from the figure, the USB connector board 200 has circuits related to controlling heating by the heater unit 40 mounted in an area closer to the heater connector Cn than the USB connector 21. Here, the circuits related to controlling heating by the heater unit 40 may include a power supply and a switch for heating the heater unit 40. The power supply for heating the heater unit 40 is, for example, a step-up DC / DC converter 201. The switch is, for example, switches S3, S4, and S5.

[0078] In this way, by mounting the circuitry related to the control of heating by the heater unit 40 in an area close to the heater connector Cn, heating efficiency is improved. Furthermore, static electricity is easily introduced into the USB connector 21, and if static electricity is carried over to signals that control the heater unit 40, it may affect heating control, etc. Therefore, the heater connector Cn and the circuitry related to the control of heating by the heater unit 40, and the USB connector 21 are located on different end sides of the USB connector board 200. In other words, by taking measures against static electricity based on the position of the USB connector 21, static electricity is less likely to be carried over to signals for heating control, etc.

[0079] <Effects> In the aerosol generation device 1 according to this embodiment, at least one of the MCU substrate 100, the USB connector substrate 200, and the conductive member 150 or the conductive member 250 for connecting the ground of the MCU substrate 100 to the ground of the USB connector substrate 200 is provided with an elastically deformable portion. This makes it possible in this embodiment to strengthen the connection between the ground of the MCU substrate 100 and the ground of the USB connector substrate 200. Furthermore, in this embodiment, an assembly in which the MCU substrate 100 and the USB connector substrate 200 are arranged opposite each other can be manufactured more easily than in the case where lead wires are used.

[0080] Other Embodiments (1) Although the embodiments of the present disclosure have been described above, the technical scope of the present disclosure is not limited to the scope of the above-described embodiments. It is clear from the claims that various modifications or improvements to the above-described embodiments are also included within the technical scope of the present disclosure. (2) In the above-described embodiments, the aerosol source is solid, but the aerosol source may be liquid. When the aerosol source is liquid, a method is adopted in which the aerosol source is guided into a thin tube called a wick using capillary action and evaporated by heating a coil wrapped around the wick. (3) In the above-described embodiments, an aerosol generator that generates aerosol by heating a solid aerosol source is described. However, an aerosol generator that generates aerosol by separately heating a solid aerosol source and a liquid aerosol source may also be used. This type of aerosol generator is also called a hybrid aerosol generator.

[0081] Summary The present disclosure includes the following configurations: (1) An aerosol generating device including a heating unit that heats a substrate including an aerosol source, a first substrate connected to the heating unit, a control unit that controls heating by the heating unit, a second substrate that is disposed opposite the first substrate and that carries the control unit, and a conductive member that is provided between the first substrate and the second substrate and that connects the ground of the first substrate to the ground of the second substrate, wherein at least one of the first substrate, the second substrate, and the conductive member has an elastically deformable portion. (2) The aerosol generating device described in (1), in which the conductive member has an elastically deformable portion. (3) The aerosol generating device described in (2), in which a tip portion of the conductive member is more elastically deformable than a portion of the conductive member connected to the first substrate or the second substrate and deforms so as to contract when pressed. (4) The aerosol generating device described in (1), in which the conductive member is provided on the first substrate. (5) The aerosol generation device according to (1), wherein the conductive member is provided on the second substrate. (6) The aerosol generation device according to (5), wherein the first substrate is equipped with a receptacle into which a plug is inserted, and the exterior of the receptacle is connected to the ground of the first substrate. (7) The aerosol generation device according to (6), wherein the receptacle is a USB connector. (8) The aerosol generation device according to (7), wherein the conductive member is in contact with the exterior of the USB connector. (9) The aerosol generation device according to (8), wherein the conductive member is in contact with a surface of the exterior of the USB connector that faces the second substrate. (10) The aerosol generation device according to (7), wherein the aerosol generation device includes a connecting member that connects the first substrate and the second substrate and is bent so that the USB connector of the first substrate and the conductive member of the second substrate face each other. (11) The aerosol generating device according to (10), wherein the connecting member connects the surface of the first substrate opposite to the surface on which the USB connector is mounted and the surface of the second substrate opposite to the surface on which the conductive member is provided. (12) The aerosol generating device according to (10), wherein the connecting member is connected to one end of the first substrate and one end of the second substrate.(13) The aerosol generating device according to (12), wherein the first substrate has a shape including long and short sides, the second substrate has a shape including long and short sides, one end of the first substrate is an end on the long side of the first substrate, and one end of the second substrate is an end on the long side of the second substrate. (14) The aerosol generating device according to (7), wherein the first substrate has a USB connector mounted in an area on one end side, a heater connector for connecting the heating unit mounted in an area on the other end side, and a circuit related to control of heating by the heating unit mounted in an area closer to the heater connector than the USB connector. (15) The aerosol generating device according to (14), wherein the circuit related to control of heating by the heating unit includes a power supply and a switch for heating the heating unit.

[0082] DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1... aerosol generating device, 10... front panel, 20... main body device, 21... USB connector, 22... insertion hole, 24... LED, 30... shutter, 40... heater unit, 50... battery, 60... vibrator, 100... MCU board, 101... MCU, 150... conductive member, 200... USB connector board, 250... conductive member, 300... LED board, 400... Hall IC board, 500... chassis, 600... connecting member

Claims

1. An aerosol generating device comprising: a heating unit that heats a substrate including an aerosol source; a first substrate connected to the heating unit; a control unit that controls heating by the heating unit; a second substrate arranged opposite the first substrate and mounting the control unit; and a conductive member provided between the first substrate and the second substrate for connecting the ground of the first substrate to the ground of the second substrate, wherein at least one of the first substrate, the second substrate, and the conductive member has an elastically deformable portion.

2. The aerosol generating device according to claim 1, wherein the conductive member has an elastically deformable portion.

3. An aerosol generating device as described in claim 2, wherein the tip portion of the conductive member is more elastically deformable than the portion of the conductive member connected to the first substrate or the second substrate, and deforms so as to shrink when pressed.

4. The aerosol generating device according to claim 1, wherein the conductive member is provided on the first substrate.

5. The aerosol generating device according to claim 1, wherein the conductive member is provided on the second substrate.

6. The aerosol generating device according to claim 5, wherein the first substrate is equipped with a receptacle into which a plug is inserted, and the exterior of the receptacle is connected to the ground of the first substrate.

7. The aerosol generating device according to claim 6, wherein the receptacle is a USB connector.

8. The aerosol generating device according to claim 7, wherein the conductive member is in contact with the exterior of the USB connector.

9. The aerosol generating device according to claim 8, wherein the conductive member is in contact with a surface of the exterior of the USB connector that faces the second substrate.

10. The aerosol generating device described in claim 7, further comprising a connecting member that connects the first substrate and the second substrate and is bent so that the USB connector of the first substrate and the conductive member of the second substrate face each other.

11. The aerosol generating device described in claim 10, wherein the connecting member connects the surface of the first substrate opposite the surface on which the USB connector is mounted to the surface of the second substrate opposite the surface on which the conductive member is provided.

12. The aerosol generating device according to claim 10, wherein the connecting member is connected to one end of the first substrate and one end of the second substrate.

13. The aerosol generating device described in claim 12, wherein the first substrate has a shape including a long side and a short side, the second substrate has a shape including a long side and a short side, one end of the first substrate is one end on the long side of the first substrate, and one end of the second substrate is one end on the long side of the second substrate.

14. The aerosol generating device described in claim 7, wherein the first substrate is equipped with the USB connector in an area on one end side, a heater connector for connecting the heating unit in an area on the other end side, and a circuit related to controlling heating by the heating unit in an area closer to the heater connector than the USB connector.

15. The aerosol generating device according to claim 14, wherein a circuit associated with controlling heating by the heating unit includes a power source and a switch for heating the heating unit.

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