Flavor inhaler and method for manufacturing flavor inhaler

Abstract

This flavor inhaler comprises: a battery having a battery tab; a flexible printed circuit board having a soldering portion to be soldered to the battery tab, the soldering portion disposed so as to at least partially overlap the battery; and at least one of a heat insulation member and a heat diffusion member disposed between the flexible printed circuit board and the battery.

Description

Flavor inhaler and method for manufacturing flavor inhaler

[0001] The present invention relates to a flavor inhaler and a method for manufacturing a flavor inhaler.

[0002] Conventionally, non-combustion heating type flavor inhalers are known that generate aerosols by heating a material containing a flavor source without burning the material. One example of such a flavor inhaler is known, which includes a heating unit that heats the flavor-generating product, a battery that supplies power to the heating unit, and a control circuit (see, for example, Patent Document 1).

[0003] Patent No. 6737902

[0004] In flavor inhalers, in order to connect the battery and the circuit, the circuit may be soldered to the battery tab of the battery. At this time, the soldering temperature may exceed, for example, 230° C. Therefore, if the battery and the circuit are positioned such that they at least partially overlap, the heat generated during soldering may adversely affect the battery.

[0005] One of the objects of the present invention is to prevent the heat generated by soldering from adversely affecting the battery.

[0006] According to a first aspect, there is provided a flavor inhaler comprising: a battery having a battery tab; a flexible printed circuit board having a soldering portion to be soldered to the battery tab and disposed so as to overlap at least a portion of the battery; and at least one of a heat insulating member and a heat diffusion member disposed between the flexible printed circuit board and the battery.

[0007] According to the first aspect, at least one of the insulating member and the heat diffusion member can prevent heat generated at the soldering portion from being transferred to the battery or from being transferred locally to the battery, thereby preventing heat from soldering from adversely affecting the battery.

[0008] At least one of the heat insulating member and the heat diffusion member may be disposed between the soldered portion and the battery.

[0009] The soldered portion becomes hotter than other portions of the flexible printed circuit board when soldered to the battery tab, so by placing at least one of a heat insulating member and a heat diffusion member between the soldered portion and the battery, the transfer of heat generated at the soldered portion can be efficiently suppressed.

[0010] The heat insulating member or the heat diffusion member may be in direct or indirect contact with the flexible printed circuit board and the battery.

[0011] In this case, it is possible to prevent gaps from forming between the heat insulating member or heat diffusion member and the flexible printed circuit board and the battery, and therefore to prevent deformation of the flexible printed circuit board caused by pressing the soldering iron when soldering the battery tab and the soldering portion.In addition, it is possible to make the flavor inhaler compact.

[0012] The battery may have the heat insulating member and the heat diffusion member, and the heat diffusion member may be positioned closer to the battery than the heat insulating member, and the heat insulating member may be positioned closer to the flexible printed circuit board than the heat diffusion member.

[0013] In this case, the heat transfer can be suppressed by the heat insulating member located relatively close to the soldered portion of the flexible printed circuit board, and the heat from the heat insulating member can be diffused by the heat diffusing member located relatively close to the battery. Therefore, the heat insulating member and the heat diffusing member can efficiently suppress the transfer of heat generated at the soldered portion.

[0014] The flexible printed circuit board may have a first surface on which the soldering portion is provided, and a second surface facing at least one of the heat insulating member and the heat diffusion member.

[0015] If the soldering portion is provided on the second surface, at least one of an insulating member and a heat diffusion member must be disposed between the flexible printed circuit board and the battery after soldering the battery tab to the soldering portion. On the other hand, if the soldering portion is provided on the first surface, soldering can be performed at the soldering portion on the first surface after assembling the battery so that the second surface of the flexible printed circuit board faces at least one of the insulating member and the heat diffusion member. Therefore, assembly and soldering of the battery, at least one of the insulating member and the heat diffusion member, and the flexible printed circuit board can be performed more easily than when the soldering portion is provided on the second surface.

[0016] The flavor inhaler may have a heating unit configured to heat a flavor-generating article and a circuit board configured to control the heating of the heating unit, and the flexible printed circuit board may be connected to the circuit board.

[0017] In this case, the battery can supply power to the circuit board and the heating element via the flexible printed circuit board to properly heat the flavor-generating article.

[0018] The heating unit may be arranged adjacent to the battery in the longitudinal direction, and the circuit board may be arranged adjacent to the flexible printed circuit board in the longitudinal direction and adjacent to the heating unit in a direction perpendicular to the longitudinal direction.

[0019] In this case, the heating unit and the circuit board are arranged adjacent to the battery and the flexible printed circuit board in the longitudinal direction, and the battery tab and the flexible printed circuit board are soldered at the soldering portion, so that the flavor inhaler can be made smaller.

[0020] The distance between the soldered portion and the battery may be 1.5 mm or less.

[0021] In this case, since the soldering portion and the battery are close to each other, the heat generated by soldering is easily transferred to the battery, but at least one of the insulating material and the heat diffusion material can prevent the heat generated at the soldering portion from being transferred to the battery or from being transferred locally to the battery.

[0022] The insulating member may comprise nylon or Nomex.

[0023] In this case, the heat insulating member can be made of inexpensive and easily available materials.

[0024] The heat diffusion member may include a graphite sheet.

[0025] In this case, the heat diffusion member can be made of an inexpensive and easily available material.

[0026] According to a second aspect, there is provided a method for manufacturing a flavor inhaler, the method comprising: a first step of arranging at least one of a heat insulating member and a heat diffusion member between a battery and a flexible printed circuit board; and a second step of soldering a battery tab of the battery to the flexible printed circuit board after the first step.

[0027] In this case, at least one of the insulating material and the heat diffusion material can prevent the heat generated during soldering in the second step from being transferred to the battery or from being transferred locally to the battery, thereby preventing the heat from soldering from adversely affecting the battery.

[0028] The method may further include, after the second step, removing at least one of the heat insulating member and the heat diffusion member from between the battery and the flexible printed circuit board.

[0029] In this case, at least one of the heat insulating member and the heat diffusion member can be reused in the manufacture of another flavor inhaler, thereby suppressing an increase in manufacturing costs.

[0030] 1 is a perspective view showing a flavor generating system according to one embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 2 is a perspective view showing a flavor inhaler according to one embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 3 is a cross-sectional view showing the flavor inhaler taken along line 3-3 in FIG. 2. FIG. 4 is an exploded perspective view of the flavor inhaler. FIG. 5 is a cross-sectional view of the chamber taken along line 6-6 in FIG. 5. FIG. 6 is a cross-sectional view of the chamber taken along line 7A-7A in FIG. 6. FIG. 7 is a cross-sectional view of the chamber taken along line 7B-7B ...8 is an exploded perspective view of the flavor generating article when the flavor generating article is placed at a desired position in the chamber 50. FIG. 9 is an exploded perspective view of the flavor generating article. FIG. 10 is a schematic side cross-sectional view of the flavor generating article. FIG. 11 is an exploded perspective view of a flavor generating assembly. FIG. 12 is an exploded perspective view of the battery and

[0031] Hereinafter, an embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings. In the drawings described below, the same or corresponding components are designated by the same reference numerals, and duplicate explanations will be omitted. In the following drawings, the dimensions of each part have been changed appropriately for easy understanding.

[0032] Fig. 1 is a perspective view showing a flavor generating system 1000 according to one embodiment of the present invention. Fig. 2 is a perspective view showing a flavor inhaler 200 according to one embodiment of the present invention. The flavor generating system 1000 is configured by applying a flavor generating article 100 to a flavor inhaler 200 having a heating unit 40, which will be described later. At least a portion of the flavor generating article 100 is accommodated in the flavor inhaler 200 through an insertion opening 210.

[0033] In the drawings described in this specification, an X-Y-Z Cartesian coordinate system may be used for convenience of explanation. In this coordinate system, the Z-axis faces vertically upward, the X-Y plane is positioned so as to cut the flavor inhaler 200 horizontally, and the Y-axis is positioned so as to extend from the side surface of the flavor inhaler 200 to its rear surface. The Z-axis direction can also be referred to as the insertion direction of the flavor generating article 100 housed in the chamber 50 described below. The X-axis direction can also be referred to as the longitudinal direction of the device in a plane perpendicular to the insertion direction of the flavor generating article 100. The Y-axis direction can also be referred to as the lateral direction of the device in a plane perpendicular to the insertion direction of the flavor generating article 100.

[0034] The flavor inhaler 200 is configured to generate a flavor-containing aerosol by, for example, heating a stick-shaped flavor generating article 100 having a flavor source containing an aerosol source. The flavor generating article 100 is configured, for example, to include a smokable article containing a flavor source such as tobacco and an aerosol source at its tip end in the negative Z-axis direction, and a filter at another location. Examples of aerosol sources include glycerin, propylene glycol, triacetin, 1,3-butanediol, and mixtures thereof. The flavor generating article 100 is configured to generate a flavor by being heated by the non-combustion heating flavor inhaler 200. The flavor inhaler 200 is preferably a non-combustion heating tobacco product.

[0035] In this embodiment, the flavor generating article 100 is described as being stick-shaped, but the flavor generating article used in the flavor inhaler 200 is not limited to this. For example, the flavor generating article may be configured to include a cartridge containing a liquid aerosol source. The cartridge may also have a heater.

[0036] 1 and 2, the flavor inhaler 200 has an upper member 204, an outer case 410, an outer panel 520, and a lid 208. The movable lid 208 is disposed on the upper member 204. The lid 208 is preferably a sliding cover. The outer case 410 defines a portion of the outer surface of the flavor inhaler 200 and is sized to fit in a user's hand. When using the flavor inhaler 200, the user can hold the flavor inhaler 200 in their hand and inhale the aerosol.

[0037] From the viewpoint of efficiently dissipating heat from the heating unit 40 to the outside, the outer case 410 is preferably formed from a metal such as aluminum, magnesium, or titanium, or an alloy containing aluminum, magnesium, or titanium, etc. However, the material of the outer case 410 is not limited to these, and can be made of resin, for example, and in particular, any suitable material can be selected, such as polycarbonate (PC), ABS (Acrylonitrile-Butadiene-Styrene) resin, PEEK (Polyether Ether Ketone), or a polymer alloy containing multiple types of polymers.

[0038] The upper member 204 has an insertion opening 210 for receiving the flavor-generating article 100, and the lid 208 is slidably attached to the upper member 204 to close the insertion opening 210. Specifically, the lid 208 is configured to be movable along the outer surface of the upper member 204 between a closed position, at which the insertion opening 210 of the upper member 204 is closed, and an open position (the position shown in FIGS. 1 and 2 ), at which the insertion opening 210 is opened. For example, a user can manually operate the lid 208 to move the lid 208 between the closed position and the open position. In this way, the lid 208 can permit or restrict access of the flavor-generating article 100 to the interior of the flavor inhaler 200.

[0039] The upper member 204 preferably includes at least one of metal and resin such as PC. The metal included in the upper member 204 may be aluminum, magnesium, titanium, or an alloy containing aluminum, magnesium, or titanium. However, the material of the upper member 204 is not limited to these and may be any suitable material, such as ABS resin, PEEK, or a polymer alloy containing multiple types of polymers. From the viewpoint of achieving a unified aesthetic, the material of the upper member 204 is preferably the same as the material of the outer case 410. On the other hand, from the viewpoint of making the insertion port 210 stand out, the material of the upper member 204 is preferably different from the material of the outer case 410.

[0040] In the flavor generating system 1000, air inhaled by a user is introduced into the flavor inhaler 200 through the insertion port 210, flows through the chamber 50 in the negative direction of the Z axis, and is supplied to the upstream end face of the flavor generating article 100. That is, the flavor generating system 1000 shown in Fig. 1 has a so-called counterflow type air flow path. Note that the air flow path is not limited to the counterflow type, and may have a so-called bottom flow type air flow path in which air is introduced into the chamber 50 through a vent hole formed in the bottom of the chamber 50 and supplied to the upstream end face of the flavor generating article 100.

[0041] Next, the internal structure of the flavor inhaler 200 according to one embodiment of the present invention will be described. Figure 3 is a cross-sectional view showing the flavor inhaler 200 taken along the arrow 3-3 in Figure 2. As shown in Figure 3, the internal space of the flavor inhaler 200 is provided with a power supply unit 20, an atomization unit 30, and a control unit 80. The inner case 420 and the inner panel 510 will be described later.

[0042] The control unit 80 includes a circuit board 81. The circuit board 81 includes, for example, a microprocessor, and can control the supply of power from the power supply unit 20 to the atomization unit 30. This allows the circuit board 81 to control the heating of the flavor-generating article 100 by the atomization unit 30 (heating unit 40). The control unit 80 also includes a communication element 82 such as a Bluetooth (registered trademark) interface. The control unit 80 can communicate with external devices via the communication element 82.

[0043] The power supply unit 20 has a battery 21 electrically connected to a circuit board 81 of the control unit 80. The battery 21 is, for example, a rechargeable battery such as a lithium ion secondary battery or a non-rechargeable battery. The battery 21 is electrically connected to the atomization unit 30 via the circuit board 81. This allows the battery 21 to supply power to the atomization unit 30 so as to appropriately heat the flavor-generating article 100.

[0044] The atomization unit 30 has a chamber 50 extending in the longitudinal direction of the flavor generating article 100, a heating unit 40 surrounding a portion of the chamber 50, a heat insulating unit 32, and a substantially cylindrical insertion guide member 34. The chamber 50 has a cylindrical shape that accommodates the flavor generating article 100. The chamber 50 may have a so-called elliptical shape having a major axis and a minor axis in a cross section perpendicular to the longitudinal direction of the flavor inhaler 200. The chamber 50 is preferably formed from a material that is heat resistant and has a small coefficient of thermal expansion, and may be formed from, for example, a metal such as stainless steel, a resin such as PEEK, glass, ceramic, or the like.

[0045] The heating unit 40 is configured to heat the flavor-generating article 100. Specifically, the heating unit 40 is configured to contact the outer peripheral surface of the chamber 50 and heat the flavor-generating article 100 contained in the chamber 50. The heating unit 40 may be a heating element that generates heat, i.e., its temperature increases, due to power from the power supply unit 20. The heating unit 40 may be a sheet-like heater such as a film heater. The heating unit 40 may be provided so as to contact the outer peripheral surface of the chamber 50, or may be provided on the inner surface of the chamber 50. Here, the longitudinal length of the heating unit 40 is, for example, 10 mm. The heater constituting the heating unit 40 may include an electric heating wire. The heater is disposed outside the chamber 50, which functions as a container for containing the flavor-generating article 100, and is configured to heat the flavor-generating article 100 contained in the chamber 50 from outside the flavor-generating article 100. As such, the flavor inhaler 200 is preferably an externally heated flavor inhaler. The heating unit 40 may be an induction coil arranged in the flavor inhaler 200, and configured to inductively heat a susceptor arranged in the flavor generating article 100. Alternatively, the heating unit 40 may be a microwave radiation source arranged in the flavor inhaler 200, and configured to use microwaves to heat a microwave absorber such as water or glycerin contained in the flavor generating article 100. The flavor inhaler 200 may also be an internal heating type, in which case the heating unit 40 may be a pin-type or blade-type heater.

[0046] The heat insulating section 32 is disposed to surround the chamber 50 and the heating section 40 and suppresses heat dissipation to the outside of the chamber 50. The heat insulating section 32 may be made of, for example, aerogel. A heat diffusion member such as a graphite sheet may be disposed between the heat insulating section 32 and the chamber 50. The graphite sheet is preferably formed of a material that has high diffusion in the plane direction of the sheet and low diffusion in the thickness direction. This heat diffusion member may be disposed between the heat insulating section 32 and the heating section 40 such as a film heater, or between the heating section 40 such as a film heater and the chamber 50. The insertion guide member 34 is formed of a resin material such as PEEK, PC, or ABS, and is disposed between the lid 208 in the closed position and the chamber 50. When the lid 208 is in the open position, the insertion guide member 34 communicates with the outside of the flavor inhaler 200 and guides the insertion of the flavor generating article 100 into the chamber 50 by inserting the flavor generating article 100 into the insertion guide member 34.

[0047] The flavor inhaler 200 may further include a terminal 90. The terminal 90 may be an interface for connecting the flavor inhaler 200 to, for example, an external power source. If the battery 21 is a rechargeable battery, connecting the external power source to the terminal 90 allows current to flow from the external power source to the battery 21, thereby charging the battery 21. In addition, connecting a data transmission cable to the terminal 90 may allow data related to the operation of the flavor inhaler 200 to be transmitted to an external device.

[0048] 4 is an exploded perspective view of the flavor inhaler 200. The flavor inhaler 200 includes a flavor generating assembly 300, a case unit 400, and a panel unit 500. The case unit 400 includes an outer case 410 and an inner case 420. The panel unit 500 includes an inner panel 510 and an outer panel 520. The inner case 420 may be configured as part of the flavor generating assembly 300. In the illustrated example, the case unit 400 includes two cases, the outer case 410 and the inner case 420, but the number of cases in the case unit 400 is not particularly limited and may be one, three, or more. In the illustrated example, the panel unit 500 includes two panels, but the number of panels in the panel unit 500 is not particularly limited and may be one, three, or more.

[0049] The flavor generating assembly 300 is an assembly including a heating unit 40 (FIG. 3) and a control unit 80. The flavor generating assembly 300 preferably further includes a chamber 50 or a power supply unit 20. The flavor generating assembly 300 has a chassis 310. The flavor generating assembly 300 has the power supply unit 20, the atomizing unit 30, a circuit board 81, a flexible printed circuit board (FPC, FIG. 12), etc. arranged on the chassis 310 as a support or base. The flavor generating assembly 300 is configured to stably support each component while ensuring electrical connection between the components. The flavor generating assembly 300 is preferably stick-shaped to facilitate insertion into the case 400.

[0050] The outer case 410 extends in its longitudinal direction and has a first end 414, a second end 416 opposite the first end 414 in the longitudinal direction, and a side surface 415 extending from the first end 414 to the second end 416. A first opening 411 is formed in the end surface of the first end 414, and a second opening 412 is formed in the side surface 415. The first opening 411 and the second opening 412 are connected to form a single opening. The outer case 410 houses the inner case 420 and the flavor generating assembly 300.

[0051] The inner case 420 is a case disposed inside the outer case 410 and houses the flavor generating assembly 300. The inner case 420 is disposed to facilitate insertion of the flavor generating assembly 300 and to more stably support the flavor generating assembly 300. As shown in FIG. 4 , the inner case 420 has a bottom member 421. The bottom member 421 has an upper surface 422 that supports the flavor generating assembly 300 and is configured to receive the terminal 90. The upper surface 422 preferably extends substantially horizontally. The second end 416 of the outer case 410 is curved for aesthetic reasons or ease of holding, but the presence of the bottom member 421 allows for more stable support of the flavor generating assembly 300.

[0052] The material of the inner case 420 is not particularly limited and may include, for example, a resin material such as PC, PEEK, or ABS, or a metal. The metal contained in the inner case 420 may be aluminum, magnesium, titanium, or an alloy containing aluminum, magnesium, or titanium. The flavor inhaler 200 may not have the inner case 420, and the outer case 410 may be a single case that houses the flavor generating assembly 300.

[0053] The flavor generating assembly 300 is housed in the case 400 such that the circuit board 81 is positioned on the second opening 412 side. The circuit board 81 preferably defines a portion of the surface of the flavor generating assembly 300 on the second opening 412 side. This prevents the circuit board 81 or elements near the circuit board 81 from coming into contact with the case 400 or other components and being damaged when the flavor generating assembly 300 is inserted into the case 400. Furthermore, even if a communication element 82 ( FIG. 3 ) is located near the circuit board 81, communication is less likely to be obstructed by the case 400 or other components, allowing the flavor inhaler 200 to be configured compactly. Furthermore, the circuit board 81 can be accessed after the flavor generating assembly 300 is inserted into the case 400. For example, the circuit board 81 can be attached or detached to or from the flavor generating assembly 300 housed in the case 400, and elements can be added or removed from the circuit board 81 by soldering or the like.

[0054] In the flavor generating assembly 300, the atomizing unit 30 including the heating unit 40 is preferably disposed on the opposite side of the circuit board 81 from the second opening 412. The heating unit 40 is preferably disposed on the opposite side of the central axis Ax2 ( FIG. 12 ) extending in the longitudinal direction of the flavor generating assembly 300 from the second opening 412. This allows efficient heat dissipation from the heating unit 40 via the case 400. It is more preferable that at least one of the outer case 410 and the inner case 420 contains a metal such as aluminum, magnesium, or titanium, or an alloy containing aluminum, magnesium, or titanium, etc., since this promotes heat dissipation.

[0055] An upper member 204 is disposed on the first opening 411 side of the flavor generating assembly 300. The lid 208 disposed on the upper member 204 is preferably movable, in coordinates on a plane perpendicular to the longitudinal direction, between a position corresponding to the insertion opening 210 through which the flavor generating article 100 is inserted and a position corresponding to the circuit board 81. When a magnet that moves integrally with the lid 208 is disposed on the lid 208, a magnetic sensor can be disposed on the circuit board 81, thereby enabling a compact configuration of a mechanism for detecting the position of the lid 208.

[0056] The panel unit 500 is configured to cover the second opening 412. The inner panel 510 corresponds to the shape of the second opening 412 and is a panel extending in the longitudinal direction of the outer case 410 so as to cover the second opening 412. The inner panel 510 is disposed inside the outer panel 520. The outer panel 520 is configured to cover at least a portion of the inner panel 510. The outer panel 520 is preferably detachably attached to the inner panel 510 or the like. In the illustrated example, the outer panel 520 is attracted to the inner panel 510 by magnetic force, as described below. The outer panel 520 also has a protrusion 524 that is configured to be inserted into a recess (not shown) in the upper member 204 to more stably hold the outer panel 520 and facilitate attachment of the outer panel 520.

[0057] The inner panel 510 and the outer panel 520 may be made of resin, metal, or the like. Each of the inner panel 510 and the outer panel 520 may be made partially of resin and partially of metal. The resin included in the inner panel 510 or the outer panel 520 may be, for example, PC, ABS resin, PEEK, or a polymer alloy. The metal included in the inner panel 510 or the outer panel 520 may be aluminum, magnesium, titanium, an alloy containing aluminum, magnesium, or titanium, stainless steel, or the like.

[0058] The upper member 204 has a first connecting portion 91 for connecting to at least one panel of the outer case 410, the inner case 420, the flavor generating assembly 300, or the panel unit 500. The first connecting portion 91 may have an engaging portion such as a claw portion to engage with another member, a fastening portion such as a screw hole to connect to another member by fastening, a fitting portion such as a protrusion or recess to connect to another member by fitting, or an adhesive-coated surface to connect to another member by adhesion. Alternatively, the first connecting portion 91 may have a magnetic member or a magnet and be attracted to another member by magnetic force. In FIG. 4 , the first connecting portion 91 is a claw portion configured to engage with the outer case 410 or the inner case 420. The first connecting portion 91 more reliably facilitates assembly of the flavor inhaler 200.

[0059] At least one panel included in the panel unit 500 may have a second connecting portion 514, 526. The inner panel 510 has a second connecting portion 514 for connecting to the upper member 204, the outer case 410, the inner case 420, the flavor generating assembly 300, or the outer panel 520, which is another panel among the at least one panel. The second connecting portion 514 may have an engaging portion such as a claw portion to engage with another member, a fastening portion such as a hole through which a screw passes and connect to another member by fastening, a fitting portion such as a protrusion or recess to connect to another member by fitting, or an adhesive-coated surface to connect to another member by adhesion. Alternatively, the second connecting portion 514 may have a magnetic member or a magnet and be attracted to another member by magnetic force. In FIG. 4, the second connecting portion 514A is a hole through which a screw passes, and the inner panel 510 is fastened to the flavor generating assembly 300 by the screw. The second connecting portion 514B is a magnetic member and is configured to be attracted to the second connecting portion 526, which is a magnet, on the outer panel 520. The second connecting portion 514 makes it easier to assemble the flavor inhaler 200 with more certainty.

[0060] The outer panel 520 has a second connecting portion 526 for detachably connecting to the upper member 204, the outer case 410, the inner case 420, the flavor generating assembly 300, or the inner panel 510, which is another panel among the at least one of the above panels. The second connecting portion 526 may have an engaging portion such as a claw portion to engage with the other member, a fastening portion such as a hole through which a screw passes and connect to the other member by fastening, a fitting portion such as a protrusion or recess to connect to the other member by fitting, or an adhesive-coated surface to connect to the other member by adhesion. Alternatively, the second connecting portion 526 may have a magnetic member or a magnet and be attracted to the other member by magnetic force. In FIG. 4, the second connecting portion 526 is a magnet and is configured to be attracted to the magnetic member 514B of the inner panel 510. In FIG. 4, the second connecting portion 526 provided on the surface of the outer panel 520 facing the inner panel 510 is schematically shown by a dotted line. The magnet may be disposed on the inner panel 510, but is preferably disposed on the outer panel 520 to reduce the risk of adversely affecting elements near the circuit board 81. The second connecting portion 526 makes it possible to more reliably and easily assemble the flavor inhaler 200.

[0061] The outer case 410 has a third connecting portion 417 for connecting to at least one panel of the upper member 204, the inner case 420, the flavor generating assembly 300, or the panel unit 500. The third connecting portion 417 may have an engaging portion such as a claw portion for engaging with another member, a fastening portion such as a hole through which a screw passes for connecting to another member by fastening, a fitting portion such as a protrusion or recess for connecting to another member by fitting, or an adhesive-coated surface for connecting to another member by adhesion. Alternatively, the third connecting portion 417 may have a magnetic member or a magnet and be attracted to another member by magnetic force. In FIG. 4 , the third connecting portion 417 is a recess configured to be connected to a protrusion of the inner case 420 by fitting. The third connecting portion 417 more reliably facilitates assembly of the flavor inhaler 200.

[0062] The inner case 420 has a fourth connecting portion 423 for connecting to at least one panel of the upper member 204, the outer case 410, the flavor generating assembly 300, or the panel unit 500. The fourth connecting portion 423 may have an engaging portion such as a claw portion for engaging with another member, a fastening portion such as a hole through which a screw passes for fastening connection to another member, a fitting portion such as a protrusion or recess for fitting connection to another member, or an adhesive-coated surface for adhesive connection to another member. Alternatively, the fourth connecting portion 423 may have a magnetic member or a magnet that is attracted to another member by magnetic force. In FIG. 4 , the fourth connecting portion 423 is a protrusion configured to be fitted into a recess of the outer case 410 for connection. The fourth connecting portion 423 more reliably facilitates assembly of the flavor inhaler 200.

[0063] As described above, the flavor inhaler 200 may have at least one panel of the panel unit 500 arranged on the second opening 412 side of the flavor inhaler 200, and at least one upper member 204 located on the first end 414 side and having a movable lid 208 arranged thereon, so that the first opening 411 or the second opening 412 can be covered and the portion of the flavor generating assembly 300 exposed at the first opening 411 or the second opening 412 can be protected.

[0064] 4, the flavor inhaler 200 may include a tactile switch 380 and a display unit 390. The tactile switch 380 has an ON state when pressed and an OFF state when not pressed, and is configured to generate different electrical signals in a circuit on the circuit board 81 in the ON state and the OFF state. For example, the tactile switch 380 is configured to energize the circuit in the ON state and not energize the circuit in the OFF state. The tactile switch 380 functions as an input unit that accepts user input.

[0065] The display unit 390 has at least one of a light source such as a light-emitting diode and a screen made up of a plurality of pixels. In the illustrated example, the inner panel 510 has a through-hole 512 penetrating through it in its thickness direction, and the outer panel 520 has a window 522 at a position facing the through-hole 512 in its thickness direction. The display unit 390 is configured so that a translucent display window that forms an optical path is inserted into the through-hole 512, and is configured to emit light to the outside of the flavor inhaler 200 through the translucent window 522 of the outer panel 520.

[0066] In this embodiment, at least a portion of the inner panel 510 near the through-hole 512 and at least a portion of the outer panel 520 near the window 522 are configured to be elastically deformable by a user's pressure. Furthermore, the tactile switch 380 is disposed opposite the display unit 390 in the thickness direction of the inner panel 510, and is configured so that the tactile switch 380 switches between an ON state and an OFF state by a user's pressure.

[0067] Note that the flavor inhaler 200 may have any interface, such as a button or a touch panel, that accepts input from a user, instead of or in addition to the tactile switch 380. Furthermore, the configuration of the display unit 390 and the optical path is not particularly limited to the above example, as long as the user can obtain information via the display unit 390.

[0068] Fig. 5 is a perspective view of the chamber 50. Fig. 6 is a cross-sectional view of the chamber 50 taken along line 6-6 in Fig. 5. Fig. 7A is a cross-sectional view of the chamber 50 taken along line 7A-7A in Fig. 6. Fig. 7B is a cross-sectional view of the chamber 50 taken along line 7B-7B in Fig. 6. Fig. 8 is a cross-sectional view taken along line 7B-7B in a state in which the flavor-generating article 100 has been placed at a desired position in the chamber 50.

[0069] As shown in FIGS. 5 and 6, the chamber 50 may be a tubular member including a chamber opening 52 through which the flavor generating article 100 is inserted and a tubular sidewall 60 that houses the flavor generating article 100.

[0070] As shown in Figures 6 and 7B, the side wall portion 60 includes a contact portion 62 and a separation portion 66. When the flavor-generating article 100 is placed at a desired position in the chamber 50, the contact portion 62 contacts or presses against a portion of the flavor-generating article 100, and the separation portion 66 is separated from the flavor-generating article 100. In this disclosure, the "desired position in the chamber 50" refers to a position where the flavor-generating article 100 is appropriately heated, or the position of the flavor-generating article 100 when the user inhales the flavor. The contact portion 62 has an inner surface 62a and an outer surface 62b. The separation portion 66 has an inner surface 66a and an outer surface 66b. The heating portion 40 is placed on the outer surface 62b of the contact portion 62. It is preferable that the heating portion 40 be placed on the outer surface 62b of the contact portion 62 without any gaps. The heating portion 40 may include an adhesive layer. In this case, it is preferable that the heating portion 40 including the adhesive layer is disposed on the outer surface 62b of the contact portion 62 without any gaps.

[0071] As shown in Figures 5 and 6, the outer surface 62b of the contact portion 62 is flat. Because the outer surface 62b of the contact portion 62 is flat, when a strip-shaped electrode connected to the heating unit 40 is disposed on the outer surface 62b of the contact portion 62, bending of the electrode can be suppressed. As shown in Figures 6 and 7B, the inner surface 62a of the contact portion 62 is flat. Furthermore, as shown in Figures 6 and 7B, the thickness of the contact portion 62 is uniform.

[0072] 5 and 6, the chamber 50 preferably has a cylindrical non-retaining portion 54 between the chamber opening 52 and the side wall portion 60. When the flavor-generating article 100 is positioned at a desired position in the chamber 50, a gap may be formed between the non-retaining portion 54 and the flavor-generating article 100. Furthermore, as shown in FIGS. 5 and 6, the chamber 50 preferably has a chamber guide portion 58 having a tapered surface 58a connecting the inner surface of the non-retaining portion 54 and the inner surface 62a of the contact portion 62.

[0073] 5, 6, and 7B, the chamber 50 has two contact portions 62 arranged in the circumferential direction of the chamber 50, and the two contact portions 62 face each other so as to be parallel to each other. It is preferable that at least a part of the distance between the inner surfaces 62a of the two contact portions 62 is smaller than the width of the portion of the flavor-generating article 100 inserted into the chamber 50 that is disposed between the contact portions 62.

[0074] 7B , the inner surface 66a of the separation portion 66 may have an overall arc-shaped cross section in a plane perpendicular to the longitudinal direction (Z-axis direction) of the chamber 50. In addition, the separation portion 66 is disposed so as to be adjacent to the contact portion 62 in the circumferential direction.

[0075] 6 and 7A, a step 560 is formed on the bottom 56 of the chamber 50. The step 560 is configured to expose at least a portion of the end surface of the flavor-generating article 100. The bottom 56 can support a portion of the flavor-generating article 100 so that the exposed end surface of the flavor-generating article 100 communicates with a void 67 (see FIG. 8), which will be described later. The shape of the step 560 is not limited to the shape shown in the drawings, as long as it is possible to introduce air into the flavor-generating article 100.

[0076] Figure 8 is a cross-sectional view taken at the same position as Figure 7B with the flavor-generating article 100 placed at a desired position in the chamber 50. As shown in Figure 8, when the flavor-generating article 100 is placed at a desired position in the chamber 50, the flavor-generating article 100 can be pressed into contact with the contact portion 62 of the chamber 50. Meanwhile, a gap 67 is formed between the flavor-generating article 100 and the separation portion 66. The gap 67 can communicate with the chamber opening 52 and an end face of the flavor-generating article 100 positioned in the chamber 50. This allows air flowing in from the chamber opening 52 to pass through the gap 67 and enter the interior of the flavor-generating article 100. In other words, an air flow path (gap 67) is formed between the flavor-generating article 100 and the separation portion 66.

[0077] Fig. 9 is an exploded perspective view of the flavor generating article 100. Fig. 10 is a schematic side cross-sectional view of the flavor generating article 100. As shown in Figs. 9 and 10 , the flavor generating article 100 includes a flavor source 221 that generates a flavor, and a tip plug 112 arranged upstream of the flavor source 221. More specifically, in the illustrated example, the flavor generating article 100 includes, in order from the tip side (i.e., the side opposite the mouthpiece), the tip plug 112, a flavor generating section 220, a hollow tube section 132, a hollow filter 240, and a filter plug 250. These five components are connected using an outer plug wrap 280, an outer plug wrap 260, and tipping paper 270.

[0078] The flavor generating section 220 is disposed adjacent to and downstream of the tip plug 112. The flavor generating section 220 includes a flavor source 221 and a wrapping paper 222 around which the flavor source 221 is wrapped. The form of the flavor generating section 220 is not particularly limited as long as it is a known form, but typically, the flavor source 221 is wrapped in the wrapping paper 222. The flavor source 221 is wrapped in the wrapping paper 222 so that the flavor source 221 faces inward to form the flavor generating section 220.

[0079] The flavor source 221 may include at least one of a flavoring such as menthol and a natural material such as tobacco. The flavor source 221 may include a tobacco filler. The tobacco filler is not particularly limited and may include at least one of tobacco shreds and a tobacco sheet formed by processing tobacco shreds into a sheet. The flavor generating unit 220 may include an aerosol source. The type of aerosol source is not particularly limited, and extracts from various natural products and / or their constituent components may be selected depending on the application.

[0080] The configuration of the cigarette paper 222 used in the flavor-generating article 100 is not particularly limited and can be any common configuration. Specifically, for example, the cigarette paper can be primarily made of pulp. Pulp can be wood pulp such as softwood pulp or hardwood pulp, flax pulp, hemp pulp, sisal pulp, esparto, or other pulps commonly used in cigarette papers for tobacco products. The cigarette paper can be obtained by papermaking using one or more of these pulps. These pulps can be used alone or in combination of multiple types in any ratio. Pulp configurations that can be used include chemical pulp obtained by kraft cooking, acidic, neutral, or alkaline sulfite cooking, soda cooking, etc., ground pulp, chemi-ground pulp, and thermomechanical pulp.

[0081] 9 and 10 , the tip plug 112 is located at the tip of the flavor-generating article 100 and is configured to cover the end of the flavor source 221. This prevents the flavor source 221 from falling out of the flavor-generating article 100. Specifically, the tip plug 112 includes a first filler material 211 and a first inner plug wrap 212 that wraps around the first filler material 211. The tip plug 112 may further include an aerosol source supported by the first filler material 211.

[0082] The material of the first inner plug wrap 212 is not particularly limited, and known materials can be used. The first inner plug wrap 212 may contain a filler such as calcium carbonate. The thickness of the first inner plug wrap 212 is not particularly limited, and is typically 20 μm to 140 μm, preferably 30 μm to 130 μm, and more preferably 30 μm to 120 μm. The basis weight of the first inner plug wrap 212 is not particularly limited, and is typically 20 gsm to 100 gsm, preferably 22 gsm to 95 gsm, and more preferably 23 gsm to 90 gsm. The first inner plug wrap 212 may be coated or uncoated, but is preferably coated with a desired material to provide functions other than strength and structural rigidity.

[0083] 9 , the flavor-generating article 100 preferably has a downstream section 130 arranged downstream of the flavor source 221. In this case, the downstream section 130 can cool and filter the vapor or aerosol generated in the flavor source 221. Specifically, the downstream section 130 preferably includes a filter plug 250. This allows the filter plug 250 to cool and filter the vapor or aerosol generated in the flavor source 221.

[0084] The filter plug 250 is located at the end of the flavor-generating article 100 on the mouthpiece side. The filter plug 250 includes a second filler material 251 and a second inner plug wrap 252 around which the second filler material 251 is wound. The filter material used in the second filler material 251 is not particularly limited as long as it has a general filter function. Typical filter functions include, for example, adjusting the amount of air mixed in when inhaling aerosols, reducing flavors, and reducing nicotine and tar. However, the filter material used in the second filler material 251 does not need to have all of these functions. Furthermore, in electrically heated tobacco products, which tend to produce fewer components and have a lower tobacco filler filling rate than cigarette products, one important function is to suppress filtering while preventing the tobacco filler from falling out.

[0085] The filter medium constituting the second filler 251 of the filter plug 250 may be, for example, one manufactured by the manufacturing method described below, or a commercially available product. The form of the filter plug 250 is not particularly limited, and may be a plain filter including a single filter segment, or a multi-segment filter including multiple filter segments, such as a dual filter or triple filter.

[0086] The second filler 251 constituting the filter plug 250 may be formed in any suitable form, and any known form may be used. For example, cellulose acetate tow processed into a cylindrical shape may be used as the second filler 251. In the case of a filter filled with cellulose acetate tow, triacetin may be added in an amount of 5% by weight or more and 10% by weight or less relative to the weight of the cellulose acetate tow to improve the filter hardness. Alternatively, a paper filter filled with sheet-shaped pulp paper may be used instead of the acetate filter.

[0087] To improve strength and structural rigidity, the filter plug 250 may include a second inner plug wrap 252 (wrap) around which the second filler 251 (described below) is wrapped. The second inner plug wrap 252 may include one or more rows of adhesive-containing seams. The adhesive may include, but is not limited to, a vinyl acetate adhesive or a hot melt adhesive, and the hot melt adhesive may include polyvinyl alcohol. When the filter segment is made up of two or more segments, the second inner plug wrap 252 is preferably wound around these two or more segments.

[0088] The material of the second inner plug wrap 252 is not particularly limited, and known materials can be used. The material may contain a filler such as calcium carbonate. The thickness of the second inner plug wrap 252 is not particularly limited, and is typically 20 μm to 140 μm, preferably 30 μm to 130 μm, and more preferably 30 μm to 120 μm. The basis weight of the second inner plug wrap 252 is not particularly limited, and is typically 20 gsm to 100 gsm, preferably 22 gsm to 95 gsm, and more preferably 23 gsm to 90 gsm. The second inner plug wrap 252 may be coated or uncoated, but is preferably coated with a desired material to provide functions other than strength and structural rigidity.

[0089] 9 and 10, the hollow filter 240 and the filter plug 250 may be connected by, for example, an outer plug wrap 260. The outer plug wrap 260 may be, for example, a cylindrical piece of paper.

[0090] The downstream section 130 may further include a hollow tube section 132 and a hollow filter 240. The hollow filter 240 is disposed adjacent to and downstream of the hollow tube section 132. The hollow filter 240 includes a filter medium 241 having one or more hollow sections, and a third inner plug wrap 242 around which the filter medium 241 is wound. The third inner plug wrap 242 is not particularly limited, and may be the same as the plug wrap used in cigarettes, for example. The third inner plug wrap 242 may be omitted. The hollow filter 240 may also be omitted.

[0091] The hollow tube portion 132 is sandwiched adjacent to the flavor generating portion 220 and the hollow filter 240 or the filter plug 250 (if the hollow filter 240 is not present), and is typically a rod-shaped member having a cavity in a circumferential cross section of a cylinder or the like that is hollow (hollow). The longitudinal length of the hollow tube portion 132 can be appropriately changed according to the size of the product, but is typically 15 mm or more, preferably 20 mm or more, and typically 40 mm or less, preferably 35 mm or less, and more preferably 30 mm or less. By setting the longitudinal length of the hollow tube portion 132 at or above the lower limit, a sufficient cooling effect can be ensured to obtain a good flavor, while by setting it at or below the upper limit, loss due to adhesion of the generated steam and aerosol to the inner wall of the hollow tube portion 132 can be suppressed.

[0092] As shown in Figures 9 and 10, the hollow tube portion 132 may be provided with circumferential and concentric air vents (vf) (also referred to in the art as ventilation filters). The presence of the air vents (vf) allows air to flow into the hollow tube portion 132 from the outside during use, lowering the temperature of the components and air flowing in from the flavor generating section 220. The air vents (vf) may be provided in a region 4 mm or more toward the hollow tube portion 132 from the boundary between the hollow tube portion 132 and the hollow filter 240 or the filter plug 250 (if the hollow filter 240 is not present). In this case, the air vents (vf) not only improve the cooling capacity of the hollow tube portion 132 but also suppress the retention of components generated by heating within the hollow tube portion 132, thereby improving the delivery amount of the components. In addition, when an aerosol source is used in the flavor generating section 220, the vapor containing the aerosol source and tobacco flavor components generated when the flavor generating article 100 is heated comes into contact with air from the outside, lowers in temperature, and liquefies, thereby facilitating the generation of the aerosol.

[0093] The configuration of the outer plug wrap 280 is not particularly limited and can be any common configuration. Specifically, for example, the outer plug wrap 280 can be primarily made of pulp. Pulp can be wood pulp, such as softwood pulp or hardwood pulp, or pulp commonly used in cigarette paper for tobacco products, such as flax pulp, hemp pulp, sisal pulp, and esparto. The outer plug wrap 280 can be obtained by papermaking one or more of these pulps. These pulps can be used alone or in any combination of two or more types. Pulp types that can be used include chemical pulp obtained by kraft cooking, acidic, neutral, or alkaline sulfite cooking, and soda cooking, ground pulp, chemi-ground pulp, and thermomechanical pulp. Commercially available products may be used for the outer plug wrap 280. The shape of the outer plug wrap 280 is not particularly limited and can be, for example, square or rectangular. The outer plug wrap 280 may include at least one of fillers, additives, and coatings.

[0094] The configuration of the tipping paper 270 is not particularly limited and can be any common configuration. Specifically, for example, the tipping paper 270 can be primarily composed of pulp. Pulp can be wood pulp, such as softwood pulp or hardwood pulp, or pulp commonly used in cigarette paper for tobacco products, such as flax pulp, hemp pulp, sisal pulp, and esparto. The tipping paper 270 can be obtained by papermaking one or more of these pulps. These pulps can be used alone or in any combination of multiple types in any ratio. Pulp types that can be used include chemical pulps produced by kraft cooking, acidic, neutral, or alkaline sulfite cooking, and soda cooking, ground pulp, chemi-ground pulp, and thermomechanical pulp. Commercially available tipping paper 270 may be used. The shape of the tipping paper 270 is not particularly limited and can be, for example, square or rectangular. Furthermore, flavor generating article 100 may have one sheet of tipping paper 270, or may have multiple sheets of tipping paper 270. Tipping paper 270 may contain at least one of a filler, an auxiliary agent, a coating agent, and a lip release material that helps a user to easily separate tipping paper 270 from their lips without substantial adhesion when they hold the mouthpiece of flavor generating article 100 between their mouths.

[0095] Next, the connection manner of each element constituting the flavor generating article 100 will be described. In FIG. 9 , gaps are provided between the elements to make the connection easier to see. However, in an actual flavor generating article 100, the elements are adjacent to each other without any gaps, as shown in FIG. 10 . In the flavor generating article 100 shown in FIG. 9 , the five elements are connected using an outer plug wrap 280, an outer plug wrap 260, and tipping paper 270. Specifically, as shown in FIG. 9 , the outer plug wrap 280 connects the tip plug 112, the flavor generating section 220, and the hollow tube section 132. Here, the outer plug wrap 280 is wrapped around the tip plug 112, the flavor generating section 220, and a portion of the hollow tube section 132 to cover them entirely. This connected body is referred to as a first connected body 285. Furthermore, the outer plug wrap 260 connects the hollow filter 240 and the filter plug 250 by wrapping around them to cover them entirely. This connected body is referred to as a second connected body 265. Furthermore, tipping paper 270 connects the first connector 285 and the second connector 265. Here, the tipping paper 270 covers the entire second connector 265 and a portion of the first connector 285, leaving the first connector 285 exposed at the upstream end. Note that in the example shown in FIG. 9 , the outer plug wrap 280 does not cover the hollow tube portion 132 to the downstream end, leaving the hollow tube portion 132 exposed at the downstream end. However, the outer plug wrap 280 may cover the hollow tube portion 132 to the downstream end. In this case, it is preferable that the outer plug wrap 280 and the tipping paper 270 have an opening located directly above the ventilation hole vf provided in the hollow tube portion 132. As a result, it is preferable that the ventilation hole vf be provided so as to penetrate the tipping paper 270, the outer plug wrap 280, and the hollow tube portion 132.

[0096] FIG. 11 is an exploded perspective view of a flavor generating article 100 according to another embodiment. The flavor generating article 100 shown in FIG. 11 differs from the flavor generating article 100 shown in FIGS. 9 and 10 only in the manner of connection. In the flavor generating article 100 shown in FIG. 11, five components are connected using an outer plug wrap 280, an outer plug wrap 260, and tipping paper 270. Specifically, as shown in FIG. 11, the outer plug wrap 280 connects the tip plug 112 and the flavor generating section 220 by wrapping them together so as to cover their entirety. This connected body is referred to as a first connected body 285. In the example shown in FIG. 11, the outer plug wrap 260 connects the hollow filter 240 and the filter plug 250 by wrapping them together so as to cover their entirety. This connected body is referred to as a second connected body 265. Furthermore, the tipping paper 270 connects the first connected body 285, the hollow tube section 132, and the second connected body 265. Here, the tipping paper 270 covers the entire hollow tube portion 132 and the second connecting body 265 and a portion of the first connecting body 285, leaving the first connecting body 285 exposed at the upstream end. Five components may be connected in the form shown in Fig. 11. Note that, in Fig. 11, the outer plug wrap 280 covers the flavor generating section 220 up to the downstream end, but the flavor generating section 220 may not be covered all the way to the downstream end, leaving the flavor generating section 220 exposed at the downstream end.

[0097] The form of the flavor generating article 100 is not particularly limited to the above-described example, as long as the flavor generating article 100 inserted into the flavor inhaler 200 can be heated by the heating unit 40 and can generate a flavor. For example, the flavor generating article 100 does not need to have a tip plug 112.

[0098] As shown in Fig. 1 , when the flavor generating article 100 is properly inserted into the chamber 50 of the flavor inhaler 200, a portion of the flavor generating article 100 may be exposed to the outside of the flavor inhaler 200. Specifically, in the state shown in Fig. 1 , all or a portion of the second connecting body 265 shown in Fig. 9 or 11 may be exposed to the outside of the flavor inhaler 200. Furthermore, in the state shown in Fig. 1 , a portion of the hollow tube portion 132 shown in Fig. 9 or 11 may be exposed to the outside of the flavor inhaler 200. In this case, the vent hole vf formed in the hollow tube portion 132 may be exposed to the outside of the flavor inhaler 200, or may be located inside the flavor inhaler 200 (upstream of the insertion port 210 through which the flavor generating article 100 is inserted). It is preferable that the vent hole vf formed in the hollow tube portion 132 be located inside the flavor inhaler 200, since this makes it less likely for the user to block the vent hole vf.

[0099] 12 is a perspective view showing the flavor generating assembly 300. As shown in FIG. 12, the flavor generating assembly 300 includes a battery 21, an atomizing unit 30, a control unit 80, terminals 90, a chassis 310, a bracket 320, a flexible printed circuit (FPC) 330, and a flexible printed circuit (FPC) 340. The FPC 330 electrically connects, for example, the terminals 90 to a circuit board 81. The FPC 340 electrically connects the battery 21 to the circuit board 81. This allows the battery 21 to supply power to the circuit board 81 and the heating unit 40 via the FPC 340 so that the battery 21 appropriately heats the flavor generating article 100. The flavor generating assembly 300 compactly integrates multiple components of the flavor inhaler 200, thereby making the flavor inhaler 200 more compact and facilitating assembly of the flavor inhaler 200. There is no particular limitation on which parts of the flavor inhaler 200 should be included in the flavor generating assembly 300, but it is preferable that the flavor generating assembly 300 include the heating unit 40 and the control unit 80, and more preferably, at least one of the battery 21 and the chamber 50. Since the battery 21 and the chamber 50 are components that are relatively large in volume in the flavor inhaler 200, integrating them into the flavor generating assembly 300 allows the flavor inhaler 200 to be configured more compactly.

[0100] 12, the flavor generating assembly 300 has a central axis Ax2 extending in the longitudinal direction. As can be seen from Fig. 3 and Fig. 12, the communication element 82 is located closer to the second opening 412 than the central axis Ax2. This allows electromagnetic waves from the communication element 82 to easily pass through the second opening 412, further reducing the risk of communication being interrupted by the case 400 or the like.

[0101] The chassis 310 functions as a support for each part of the flavor generating assembly 300. The material constituting the chassis 310 is not particularly limited, but the chassis 310 may include resin such as PC, metal, or the like.

[0102] The bracket 320 is configured to hold components such as the circuit board 81 and prevent them from falling off. In the illustrated example, the bracket 320 is attached to the chassis 310. The material constituting the bracket 320 is not particularly limited, but the bracket 320 may include a metal such as stainless steel. The bracket 320 may be configured to cover a portion of the circuit board 81.

[0103] In the illustrated example, the leads from the heating unit 40, the circuit board 81, and the terminals 90 are electrically connected via the FPC 330. By using the FPC 330, the flavor generating assembly 300 can be made lighter and more compact. The FPC 330 can be electrically connected to any electrical and electronic components of the flavor generating assembly 300.

[0104] As shown in FIG. 12 , the battery 21 has a pair of battery tabs 23. The battery tabs 23 extend from the positive and negative electrodes of the battery 21, respectively. The FPC 340 is electrically connected to the battery tabs 23. The heating unit 40 is disposed adjacent to the battery 21 in the longitudinal direction. The circuit board 81 is disposed adjacent to the FPC 340 in the longitudinal direction and adjacent to the heating unit 40 in the direction perpendicular to the longitudinal direction (X direction). In this case, the heating unit 40 and the circuit board 81 are disposed adjacent to the battery 21 and the FPC 340 in the longitudinal direction, and the FPC 340 is electrically connected to the battery tabs 23, so that the flavor inhaler 200 can be made smaller.

[0105] FIG. 13 is an exploded perspective view of the battery 21 and the FPC 340. As shown in FIG. 13 , the FPC 340 has soldering portions 342 soldered to the battery tabs 23. The soldering portions 342 are electrical contacts that connect to the battery tabs 23. In the illustrated example, the FPC 340 has a pair of soldering portions 342 soldered to a pair of battery tabs 23. As shown in FIGS. 12 and 13 , the soldering portions 342 are arranged so as to at least partially overlap the battery 21. In the illustrated example, the soldering portions 342 are arranged so as to at least partially overlap the battery 21 when viewed from a direction perpendicular to the longitudinal direction (X direction). In other words, the soldering portions 342 are arranged so as to at least partially overlap the battery 21 when viewed from the thickness direction of the FPC 340. Here, when the battery tabs 23 and the soldering portions 342 are soldered, heat due to soldering can be transferred to the battery 21. Therefore, in this embodiment, a first member 350 is disposed between the FPC 340 and the battery 21. The first member 350 may include at least one of a thermal insulating member and a heat diffusion member. That is, the first member 350 may be composed of only a thermal insulating member, only a heat diffusion member, or both a thermal insulating member and a heat diffusion member. The use of at least one of a thermal insulating member and a heat diffusion member can prevent heat generated at the soldered portion 342 from being transferred to the battery 21 or from being locally transferred to the battery 21, thereby preventing heat generated by soldering from adversely affecting the battery 21. In the example shown in FIG. 13 , the first member 350 has a sheet shape and is disposed so as to be sandwiched between the battery 21 and the FPC 340. The first member 350 may have any shape. When the first member 350 includes a thermal insulating member and a heat diffusion member, the first member 350 may be formed by overlapping a sheet-shaped thermal insulating member and a sheet-shaped heat diffusion member.

[0106] If the first member 350 includes a thermal insulating member, the thermal insulating member may include nylon or Nomex. In this case, the thermal insulating member can be made of an inexpensive and easily available material. Alternatively, the thermal insulating member may include any known thermal insulating material. Furthermore, if the first member 350 includes a heat diffusion member, the heat diffusion member may include a graphite sheet. In this case, the heat diffusion member can be made of an inexpensive and easily available material. Alternatively, the heat diffusion member may include any known heat diffusion material.

[0107] The first member 350 is preferably disposed between the soldering portion 342 and the battery 21. The soldering portion 342 becomes hotter than other portions of the FPC 340 when soldered to the battery tab 23. Therefore, by disposing the first member 350 between the soldering portion 342 and the battery 21, the transfer of heat generated in the soldering portion 342 can be efficiently suppressed. In the example shown in FIG. 12 , the first member 350 can be disposed over substantially the entire area between the FPC 340 and the battery 21. In this case, the transfer of heat generated in the soldering portion 342 can be further suppressed.

[0108] The heat insulating member or heat diffusion member of the first member 350 preferably contacts the FPC 340 and the battery 21 directly or indirectly. This prevents gaps from forming between the heat insulating member or heat diffusion member and the FPC 340 and battery 21, thereby preventing deformation of the FPC 340 caused by pressing the soldering iron when soldering the battery tab 23 and the soldering portion 342. Furthermore, the flavor inhaler 200 can be made compact. Specifically, when the first member 350 includes only a heat insulating member or heat diffusion member, the heat insulating member or heat diffusion member may be in direct contact with both the FPC 340 and the battery 21. When the first member 350 includes a heat insulating member and a heat diffusion member, one of the heat insulating member or heat diffusion member may be in direct contact with the FPC 340, and the other may be in direct contact with the battery 21. In this case, it can be said that one of the heat insulating member or heat diffusion member is in indirect contact with the battery 21, and the other is in indirect contact with the FPC 340. The first member 350 can be attached to the surface of the FPC 340 facing the battery 21, or to the surface of the battery 21 facing the FPC 340. Furthermore, a member other than a heat insulating member or a heat diffusion member may be disposed between the FPC 340 and the battery 21.

[0109] The first member 350 preferably includes both a heat insulating member and a heat diffusion member. In this case, the heat diffusion member is preferably disposed closer to the FPC 340 than the heat insulating member, and the heat insulating member is preferably disposed closer to the battery 21 than the heat diffusion member. This allows the heat insulating member, which is relatively close to the soldered portion 342 of the FPC 340, to suppress heat transfer, and the heat from the heat insulating member to be diffused by the heat diffusion member, which is relatively close to the battery 21. Therefore, the heat insulating member and the heat diffusion member can efficiently suppress the transfer of heat generated at the soldered portion 342. Specifically, for example, the first member 350 can be configured by disposing a sheet-shaped heat insulating member on the FPC 340 side and a sheet-shaped heat diffusion member on the battery 21 side.

[0110] As shown in FIG. 13 , the FPC 340 preferably has a first surface 340a on which the soldering portion 342 is provided and a second surface 340b facing the first member 350. If the soldering portion 342 were provided on the second surface 340b, the battery tab 23 and the soldering portion 342 would have to be soldered together before the first member 350 is placed between the FPC 340 and the battery 21. On the other hand, if the soldering portion 342 is provided on the first surface 340a, soldering can be performed on the soldering portion 342 on the first surface 340a after assembling the FPC 340 with the battery 21 so that the second surface 340b of the FPC 340 faces the first member 350. Therefore, assembly and soldering of the battery 21, the first member 350, and the FPC 340 can be performed more easily than when the soldering portion 342 is provided on the second surface 340b.

[0111] 12 , when the FPC 340 and the battery tab 23 are connected, the distance between the soldering portion 342 and the battery 21 can be, for example, 1.5 mm or less, and preferably 0.9 mm or less. In this way, when the soldering portion 342 and the battery 21 are close to each other, heat generated by soldering is easily transferred to the battery 21. However, at least one of the heat insulating material and the heat diffusion material of the first member 350 can prevent the heat generated at the soldering portion 342 from being transferred to the battery 21 or from being transferred locally to the battery 21.

[0112] Next, a method for manufacturing the flavor inhaler 200 will be described. This manufacturing method includes a process of soldering the battery 21 and the FPC 340, as shown in Figures 12 and 13. Specifically, this manufacturing method includes a first step of arranging a first member 350 between the battery 21 and the FPC 340, and a second step of soldering the battery tab 23 of the battery 21 to the FPC 340 after the first step. In this case, the first member 350 can prevent heat generated during soldering in the second step from being transferred to the battery 21 or from being transferred locally to the battery 21, thereby preventing heat generated during soldering from adversely affecting the battery 21.

[0113] Furthermore, the method for manufacturing the flavor inhaler 200 may include, after the second step, a step of removing the first member 350 from between the battery 21 and the FPC 340. In this case, the first member 350 can be reused in the manufacture of another flavor inhaler 200, thereby suppressing an increase in manufacturing costs.

[0114] Although the embodiments of the present invention have been described above, the above-described embodiments of the invention are intended to facilitate understanding of the present invention and are not intended to limit the present invention. The present invention may be modified or improved without departing from the spirit thereof, and the present invention includes equivalents thereof. Furthermore, the components described in the claims and specification may be combined or omitted to the extent that at least part of the above-described problems can be solved or at least part of the effects can be achieved.

[0115] Some of the aspects disclosed in this specification are described below. (1) A flavor inhaler comprising: a battery having a battery tab; a flexible printed circuit board having a soldering portion to be soldered to the battery tab and arranged so as to overlap at least a portion of the battery; and at least one of a heat insulating member and a heat diffusion member arranged between the flexible printed circuit board and the battery. (2) The flavor inhaler described in (1), wherein at least one of the heat insulating member and the heat diffusion member is arranged between the soldering portion and the battery. (3) The flavor inhaler described in (1) or (2), wherein the heat insulating member or the heat diffusion member directly or indirectly contacts the flexible printed circuit board and the battery. (4) The flavor inhaler according to any one of (1) to (3), comprising the heat insulating member and the heat diffusion member, wherein the heat diffusion member is disposed closer to the battery than the heat insulating member, and the heat insulating member is disposed closer to the flexible printed circuit board than the heat diffusion member. (5) The flavor inhaler according to any one of (1) to (4), wherein the flexible printed circuit board has a first surface on which the soldering portion is provided and a second surface facing at least one of the heat insulating member and the heat diffusion member. (6) The flavor inhaler according to any one of (1) to (5), comprising: a heating unit configured to heat a flavor-generating article; and a circuit board configured to control heating of the heating unit, wherein the flexible printed circuit board is connected to the circuit board. (7) The flavor inhaler according to (6), wherein the heating unit is disposed adjacent to the battery in the longitudinal direction, and the circuit board is disposed adjacent to the flexible printed circuit board in the longitudinal direction and adjacent to the heating unit in a direction perpendicular to the longitudinal direction. (8) The flavor inhaler according to any one of (1) to (7), wherein the distance between the soldered portion and the battery is 1.5 mm or less.(9) The flavor inhaler according to any one of (1) to (8), wherein the heat insulating member comprises nylon or Nomex. (10) The flavor inhaler according to any one of (1) to (9), wherein the heat diffusion member is a graphite sheet. (11) A method for manufacturing a flavor inhaler, comprising: a first step of arranging at least one of a heat insulating member and a heat diffusion member between a battery and a flexible printed circuit board; and a second step of soldering a battery tab of the battery to the flexible printed circuit board after the first step. (12) A method for manufacturing a flavor inhaler according to (11), comprising: a step of removing at least one of the heat insulating member and the heat diffusion member from between the battery and the flexible printed circuit board after the second step.

[0116] 21: Battery 23: Battery tab 32: Heat insulating portion 40: Heating portion 81: Circuit board 100: Flavor-generating product 200: Flavor inhaler 340: FPC 340a: First surface 340b: Second surface 342: Soldering portion 350: First member

Claims

1. A fragrance diffuser having a battery with a battery tab, a flexible printed circuit board having a soldering portion soldered to the battery tab and arranged so as to overlap at least a part of the battery, and at least one of a heat insulating member and a heat dissipation member arranged between the flexible printed circuit board and the battery.

2. The fragrance diffuser according to claim 1, wherein at least one of the heat insulating member and the heat dissipation member is arranged between the soldering portion and the battery.

3. The fragrance diffuser according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the heat insulating member or the heat dissipation member is in direct or indirect contact with the flexible printed circuit board and the battery.

4. The fragrance diffuser according to any one of claims 1 to 3, having the heat insulating member and the heat dissipation member, wherein the heat dissipation member is arranged closer to the flexible printed circuit board than the heat insulating member, and the heat insulating member is arranged closer to the battery than the heat dissipation member.

5. The fragrance diffuser according to any one of claims 1 to 4, wherein the flexible printed circuit board has a first surface provided with the soldering portion and a second surface facing at least one of the heat insulating member and the heat dissipation member.

6. The fragrance diffuser according to any one of claims 1 to 5, having a heating portion configured to heat a fragrance-emitting article and a circuit board configured to perform heating control of the heating portion, wherein the flexible printed circuit board is connected to the circuit board.

7. The fragrance diffuser according to claim 6, wherein the heating portion is arranged adjacent to the battery in the longitudinal direction, and the circuit board is adjacent to the flexible printed circuit board in the longitudinal direction and adjacent to the heating portion in a direction orthogonal to the longitudinal direction.

8. The fragrance diffuser according to any one of claims 1 to 7, wherein the distance between the soldering portion and the battery is 1.5 mm or less.

9. The fragrance attractor according to any one of claims 1 to 8, wherein the heat insulating member includes nylon or nomex.

10. The fragrance attractor according to any one of claims 1 to 9, wherein the heat diffusion member is a graphite sheet.

11. A method for manufacturing a fragrance attractor, comprising: a first step of disposing at least one of a heat insulating member and a heat diffusion member between a battery and a flexible printed circuit board; and a second step of soldering a battery tab of the battery to the flexible printed circuit board after the first step.

12. The method for manufacturing a fragrance attractor according to claim 11, further comprising a step of removing at least one of the heat insulating member and the heat diffusion member from between the battery and the flexible printed circuit board after the second step.

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