Aerosol generation device

Abstract

This inhalation device for generating an aerosol by heating an aerosol source is provided with: a heating unit (121) for heating the aerosol source; a power supply unit (110) having a battery (1111) serving as a power supply unit configured to be capable of supplying power to the heating unit (121); and a case having a power-supply-accommodating part for accommodating the power supply unit (110). The power supply unit (110) is configured by collectively fixing a plurality of constituent components including an MCU (1161) serving as a control element for controlling the supply of power from the battery (1111) to the heating unit (121) and is detachably disposed in the power-supply-accommodating part of the case in a state of being fixed as a collective.

Description

Aerosol Generator

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

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

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

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

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

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

[0007] The present disclosure provides an aerosol generating device that generates an aerosol by heating an aerosol source, comprising: a heating section that heats the aerosol source; a power supply unit having a power supply section configured to be able to supply power to the heating section; and a case having a power supply housing section that houses the power supply unit, wherein the power supply unit is configured by fixing together a plurality of components including a control element that controls the supply of power from the power supply section to the heating section, and is detachably arranged in the power supply housing section while fixed together.

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

[0009] FIG. 1 is a schematic diagram showing an example of the configuration of a suction device. FIG. 2 is a diagram showing an example of the external configuration of a suction device 100. FIG. 3 is a diagram showing a first example of a detachable mode of a power supply unit 110. FIG. 4 is a diagram showing a second example of a detachable mode of a power supply unit 110. FIG. 5 is a diagram showing a third example of a detachable mode of a power supply unit 110. FIG. 6 is a diagram showing an example of the configuration of the power supply unit 110. FIG. 7 is a diagram showing an example of a heater circuit 95 for acquiring the electrical resistance value of a heating unit 121. FIG. 8 is a diagram showing another example of the configuration of the power supply unit 110.

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

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

[0012] 1 is a schematic diagram showing an example of the configuration of a suction device. As shown in Fig. 1, the suction device 100 includes, for example, a power supply unit 111, a sensor unit 112, a notification unit 113, a storage unit 114, a communication unit 115, a control unit 116, a heating unit 121, a storage unit 140, and a heat insulating unit 144.

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

[0014] Although details will be described later, the suction device 100 has a detachable power supply unit 110 (described later) that includes a power supply section 111. That is, the suction device 100 allows the user to replace the power supply unit 110 by removing an old power supply unit 110 and installing a new power supply unit 110.

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

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

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

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

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

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

[0021] The control unit 116 functions as an arithmetic processing unit and a control unit, and controls the overall operation of the suction device 100 in accordance with programs stored in the memory unit 114 or the like. For example, the control unit 116 controls the power supply (electrical power supply) from the power supply unit 111 to each component, and the charging of the power supply unit 111 using power received from an external power source. The control unit 116 is realized by an electronic circuit including an IC (Integrated Circuit), such as a CPU (Central Processing Unit) or a microprocessor (also referred to as an MCU (Micro Controller Unit)). Furthermore, the control unit 116 may be configured by one IC or two or more ICs.

[0022] The storage unit 140 has an internal space 141 and holds the stick-shaped substrate 150 while accommodating a portion of the stick-shaped substrate 150 in the internal space 141. The storage unit 140 has an opening 142 that connects the internal space 141 to the outside and accommodates the stick-shaped substrate 150 inserted into the internal space 141 through the opening 142. For example, the storage unit 140 is a cylindrical body with the opening 142 and a bottom 143 as its bottom surface, and defines a columnar internal space 141. An air flow path that supplies air to the internal space 141 is connected to the storage unit 140. An air inlet, which is an air inlet to the air flow path, is arranged, for example, on a side surface of the suction device 100. An air outlet, which is an air outlet from the air flow path to the internal space 141, is arranged, for example, on the bottom 143.

[0023] The stick-shaped substrate 150 includes a substrate portion 151 and a mouthpiece portion 152. The substrate portion 151 includes an aerosol source. The aerosol source includes a tobacco-derived or non-tobacco-derived flavor component. When the inhalation device 100 is a medical inhaler such as a nebulizer, the aerosol source may include a medicament. The aerosol source may be, for example, a liquid such as a polyhydric alcohol, such as glycerin or propylene glycol, or water, containing a tobacco-derived or non-tobacco-derived flavor component, or a solid containing a tobacco-derived or non-tobacco-derived flavor component. When the stick-shaped substrate 150 is held in the storage portion 140, at least a portion of the substrate portion 151 is housed in the internal space 141, and at least a portion of the mouthpiece portion 152 protrudes from the opening 142. When a user holds the mouthpiece portion 152 protruding from the opening 142 in their mouth and inhales, air flows into the internal space 141 via an air flow path (not shown) and reaches the user's mouth along with the aerosol generated from the substrate portion 151.

[0024] 1 , the heating unit 121 is configured as a film heater with conductive tracks made of a heating resistor whose electrical resistance value correlates with temperature, and is arranged to cover the outer periphery of the housing unit 140. When the heating unit 121 generates heat, the substrate unit 151 of the stick-shaped substrate 150 is heated from the outer periphery, generating an aerosol. Note that the heating resistor of the heating unit 121 can be made of, for example, nichrome or stainless steel.

[0025] The heat insulating section 144 prevents heat transfer from the heating section 121 to other components. For example, the heat insulating section 144 is made of a vacuum heat insulating material, an aerogel heat insulating material, or the like.

[0026] The above describes an example of the configuration of the suction device 100. Of course, the configuration of the suction device 100 is not limited to the above, and various configurations such as those exemplified below may be used.

[0027] As one example, the heating unit 121 may be configured in a blade shape and disposed so as to protrude from the bottom 143 of the storage unit 140 into the internal space 141. In this case, the blade-shaped heating unit 121 is inserted into the substrate 151 of the stick-shaped substrate 150 and heats the substrate 151 of the stick-shaped substrate 150 from the inside. As another example, the heating unit 121 may be disposed so as to cover the bottom 143 of the storage unit 140. Furthermore, the heating unit 121 may be configured as a combination of two or more of a first heating unit covering the outer periphery of the storage unit 140, a blade-shaped second heating unit, and a third heating unit covering the bottom 143 of the storage unit 140.

[0028] As another example, the storage unit 140 may include an opening / closing mechanism such as a hinge that opens and closes a portion of the outer shell that forms the internal space 141. The storage unit 140 may then open and close the outer shell to hold and store the stick-shaped substrate 150 inserted into the internal space 141. In this case, the heating unit 121 may be provided at the holding location in the storage unit 140, and may heat the stick-shaped substrate 150 while pressing it.

[0029] Furthermore, the means for atomizing the aerosol source is not limited to heating by the heating unit 121. For example, the means for atomizing the aerosol source may be induction heating. In that case, the suction device 100 has at least an electromagnetic induction source such as a coil that generates a magnetic field, instead of the heating unit 121. A susceptor that generates heat by induction heating may be provided in the suction device 100 or may be included in the stick-shaped substrate 150.

[0030] 2. Example of External Configuration of Suction Device Fig. 2 is a diagram showing an example of the external configuration of suction device 100. As shown in Fig. 2, suction device 100 includes, for example, a case 20 and a shutter 50. Case 20 houses, for example, a power supply unit 110 and a main body side board unit 90 (see, for example, Figs. 3 to 5) attached to suction device 100.

[0031] The case 20 also has an opening 142 for receiving the stick-shaped substrate 150, and the shutter 50 is slidably provided relative to the case 20 so as to close the opening 142. Specifically, the shutter 50 is configured to be movable along the outer surface of the case 20 between a closed position (position shown in FIG. 2 ) in which the opening 142 is closed and an open position (not shown) in which the opening 142 is open (see arrow 50a in FIG. 2 ). When the shutter 50 is in the closed position, access of the stick-shaped substrate 150 to the storage section 140 (internal space 141) provided within the case 20 is restricted. On the other hand, when the shutter 50 is in the open position, access of the stick-shaped substrate 150 to the storage section 140 is permitted. For example, a user can manually operate the shutter 50 to move the shutter 50 between the closed position and the open position.

[0032] The main body side board unit 90 housed in the case 20 is configured by mounting various elements (i.e., electronic components) on a board, such as a printed wiring board (PWB). The main body side board unit 90 may be configured from a single board, or may be configured from two or more boards connected by wiring or cables. Furthermore, the boards that make up the main body side board unit 90 may be rigid boards, flexible boards, or a combination of these.

[0033] Furthermore, a panel 30 is attached to the case 20. The panel 30 attached to the case 20 constitutes the outermost housing 40 of the suction device 100. By including the panel 30, the suction device 100 can buffer heat released to the outside even when heat is generated inside the case 20 (for example, from the heating unit 121 provided inside the case 20). In other words, the panel 30 functions to insulate heat generated inside the case 20. Furthermore, the panel 30 is formed so that its surface is approximately curved, and when attached to the case 20, it defines an interior space together with the surface of the case 20.

[0034] When a user presses a predetermined portion of the surface of panel 30 with their fingertip, panel 30 deforms to form a recess toward case 20. As a result of this deformation of panel 30, a protrusion (not shown) on the surface of panel 30 facing case 20 comes into contact with operation button 28 on the surface of case 20, causing operation button 28 to be pressed. In other words, the portion of the surface of panel 30 that is pressed with the fingertip constitutes operation unit 15 that accepts user operations. Also, in FIG. 2 , the portion designated by reference numeral 113 is, for example, a portion that emits light when light from a light-emitting device provided in case 20 passes through it, and is an example of the notification unit 113 described above.

[0035] [3. Attaching and Detaching the Power Supply Unit] As described above, the power supply unit 110 is detachably attached to the case 20 of the suction device 100. Examples of how the power supply unit 110 can be attached and detached will be described in detail below. In the following description, the insertion and removal direction of the stick-shaped substrate 150 into and from the suction device 100 is defined as the up-down direction, and the side of the suction device 100 into which the stick-shaped substrate 150 is inserted is defined as the top. In other words, the stick-shaped substrate 150 is inserted into the suction device 100 from above. Furthermore, the direction perpendicular to the up-down direction may be referred to as the lateral direction, and the surface facing the lateral direction may be referred to as the side.

[0036] In addition, the following describes first to third examples of attachment and detachment of the power supply unit 110, but is not limited to these. That is, the power supply unit 110 may be provided detachably with respect to the suction device 100 in a manner other than the first to third examples described below.

[0037] In each of Figures 3 to 5, the heating unit 121 and other components are omitted from the illustration in order to make the drawings easier to understand. However, for example, the heating unit 121 is provided inside the case 20 while covering the outer periphery of the storage unit 140, and is fixed to the case 20.

[0038] <3-1. First Example of How the Power Supply Unit is Attached / Detached> Figure 3 is a diagram showing a first example of how the power supply unit 110 is attached / detached. As shown in Figure 3, the case 20 has a bottom wall 21 that forms at least a part of the lower surface of the case 20. The bottom wall 21 is provided on the case 20 so as to be openable and closable around a hinge 21a that extends laterally. In other words, an opening 24 is provided on the lower surface of the case 20, and the opening 24 is configured to be openable and closable by the bottom wall 21.

[0039] A power supply housing 200 capable of housing the power supply unit 110 is formed in the lower region of the case 20. When the bottom wall 21 is opened, the power supply housing 200 communicates with the outside of the case 20, and the power supply unit 110 can be inserted into the power supply housing 200 through the opening 24.

[0040] A circuit board accommodating section 210 is formed in the upper region of the case 20. Therefore, in the insertion direction of the power supply unit 110 inserted from the opening 24, the power supply accommodating section 200 and the circuit board accommodating section 210 are provided in this order from the opening 24.

[0041] The main body side board unit 90 is accommodated in the board accommodation section 210 of the case 20. The case 20 also has a connection section 26 that connects to a terminal 1119 of the power supply unit 110 accommodated in the power supply accommodation section 200. The power supply unit 110 accommodated in the power supply accommodation section 200 and the main body side board unit 90 are electrically connected via the terminal 1119, the connection section 26, and a flexible cable 250 that connects the connection section 26 and the main body side board unit 90. This makes it possible to supply power from the power supply unit 110 accommodated in the power supply accommodation section 200 (in other words, the power supply section 111) to the main body side board unit 90.

[0042] 3, the power supply unit 110 has a plurality of terminals 1119, and a connection portion 26 corresponding to each terminal 1119 is provided on the case 20. Also, in the example shown in Fig. 3, all of the terminals 1119 of the power supply unit 110 are provided on the top surface of the power supply unit 110. Therefore, all of the connection portions 26 of the case 20 are also provided on the top wall portion 22 of the power supply accommodating portion 200.

[0043] When the power supply unit 110 is accommodated in the power supply accommodation section 200, it is held by the bottom wall section 21 and the top wall section 22 of the power supply accommodation section 200. At this time, the terminals 1119 of the power supply unit 110 are held in a state in which they are electrically connected to the corresponding connection sections 26 provided on the case 20.

[0044] The upper wall 22 is a partition wall disposed between the power supply accommodating section 200 and the board accommodating section 210 in the insertion direction of the power supply unit 110. Because the upper wall 22 is disposed between the power supply accommodating section 200 and the board accommodating section 210 in the insertion direction of the power supply unit 110, the power supply unit 110 is prevented from entering the board accommodating section 210 and coming into contact with elements disposed on the main body side board unit 90.

[0045] Therefore, in this example, the upper wall portion 22 functions as a restricting portion 29 that restricts the power supply unit 110 from entering the board accommodating portion 210. In particular, it is preferable that the restricting portion 29 cover at least the electrical connection portions between the main body side board unit 90 and the elements arranged on the main body side board unit 90 as seen from the power supply accommodating portion 200, it is more preferable that the restricting portion 29 cover the elements arranged on the main body side board unit 90, and it is even more preferable that the restricting portion 29 cover the entire main body side board unit 90.

[0046] In this example, a communication section 25 that communicates between the power supply accommodating section 200 and the board accommodating section 210 is formed in the upper wall section 22, and a flexible cable 250 is inserted into the communication section 25. The upper wall section 22 may be provided with a communication section 25 that communicates between the power supply accommodating section 200 and the board accommodating section 210, but the area of ​​the communication section 25 perpendicular to the insertion direction of the power supply unit 110 is smaller than the area of ​​the power supply unit 110 perpendicular to the insertion direction of the power supply unit 110. This prevents the power supply unit 110 from entering the board accommodating section 210 through the communication section 25 and coming into contact with elements arranged on the main body-side board unit 90.

[0047] As an example, the main body side board unit 90 has a first surface 90a on which multiple elements and electrical connection portions for the flexible cable 250 are mounted, and the first surface 90a is disposed perpendicular to the insertion direction of the power supply unit 110. Furthermore, by disposing the board in a position that does not overlap with the communication portion 25 when viewed from the insertion direction of the power supply unit 110, the mounting portions of the elements mounted on the board (i.e., electrical connection portions) are arranged so as not to be exposed to the power supply accommodating portion 200. In other words, when viewed from the insertion direction of the power supply unit 110, at least a portion of the restricting portion 29 is disposed between the power supply accommodating portion 200 and the mounting portions of the elements. In particular, it is preferable that the mounting portion of a control element (e.g., MCU 1161 described below) that controls the supply of power to the heating portion 121 among the mounted elements is arranged so as not to be exposed to the power supply accommodating portion 200. This prevents the power supply unit 110 from coming into contact with the control element that controls the supply of power to the heating portion 121, thereby improving safety. Furthermore, it is preferable that not only the mounting portion of the element mounted on the board, but the entire element is not exposed to the power supply accommodating section 200. In this case, when attempting to accommodate the power supply section 111, the main body side board unit 90 is not exposed to the user, but the connection section 26 is exposed.

[0048] In the example shown in Figure 3, when the bottom wall portion 21 is opened while the power supply unit 110 is housed in the power supply housing portion 200, the power supply housing portion 200 communicates with the outside of the case 20, making it possible to remove the power supply unit 110 from the power supply housing portion 200.

[0049] 4 is a diagram showing a second example of how the power supply unit 110 can be attached or detached. Note that the following description will focus on the differences from the description of FIG. 3, and descriptions of the parts that are common to the description of FIG. 3 will be omitted or simplified as appropriate.

[0050] 4 , when the above-mentioned panel 30 is removed from the case 20, the power supply accommodating section 200 communicates with the outside of the case 20, and it becomes possible to insert the power supply section 111 into the power supply accommodating section 200 from the side of the case 20. In other words, an opening 24 is provided on the side of the case 20, and the opening 24 is configured to be openable and closable by the panel 30.

[0051] Since the opening 24 is provided on the side of the case 20 , the board accommodating portion 210 is not positioned in the insertion direction of the power supply unit 110 inserted through the opening 24 .

[0052] 4, terminals 1119 of the power supply unit 110 are provided on each of the top, bottom, and side surfaces of the power supply section 111. Therefore, the connection sections 26 of the case 20 are also provided on each of the top wall section 22, bottom wall section 21, and side wall section 23. Note that the terminals 1119 of the power supply unit 110 may be concentrated in one location on the power supply unit 110 as shown in FIG. 3, and correspondingly, the connection sections 26 of the case 20 may also be concentrated in one location on the case 20.

[0053] Because the board accommodating portion 210 is not positioned in the insertion direction of the power supply unit 110 inserted through the opening 24, the power supply unit 111 normally does not enter the board accommodating portion 210. However, if the power supply unit 111 is inserted at an angle through the opening 24, a portion of the power supply unit 110 may enter the board accommodating portion 210. However, the upper wall portion 22, which is positioned between the power supply accommodating portion 200 and the board accommodating portion 210 as viewed from the power supply accommodating portion 200, prevents the power supply unit 111 from coming into contact with the electrical connection portions of the elements arranged on the main body-side board unit 90 and the main body-side board unit 90. In this example, the upper wall portion 22 functions as a restriction portion 29 that restricts the power supply unit 110 from entering the board accommodating portion 210.

[0054] 4, when the panel 30 is removed from the case 20 with the power supply unit 111 housed in the power supply housing 200, the power supply housing 200 communicates with the outside of the case 20, making it possible to remove the power supply unit 111 from the power supply housing 200. Note that the panel 30 may be openable and closable around a hinge portion as an axis, as described in FIG.

[0055] <3-3. Third Example of Attachment / Detachment Mode of Power Supply Unit> Figure 5 is a diagram showing a third example of attachment / detachment mode of the power supply unit 110. Note that the following description will focus on parts that are different from the description of Figure 3 or Figure 4, and descriptions of parts that are common to the description of Figure 3 or Figure 4 will be omitted or simplified as appropriate.

[0056] 5, similar to the example shown in Fig. 4, an opening 24 is provided on the side of the case 20, and the opening 24 is configured to be openable and closable by a panel 30. However, unlike the example shown in Fig. 4, a power supply accommodating section 200 and a board accommodating section 210 are provided in this order from the opening 24 in the insertion direction of the power supply unit 110 inserted through the opening 24. A partition section 27 is arranged between the power supply accommodating section 200 and the board accommodating section 210 in the insertion direction of the power supply unit 110.

[0057] 5, terminals 1119 of the power supply unit 110 are provided on each of the top, bottom, and side surfaces of the power supply unit 110. Therefore, the connection portions 26 of the case 20 are also provided on each of the top wall portion 22, bottom wall portion 21, and partition wall portion 27. Note that the terminals 1119 of the power supply unit 110 may be concentrated in one location on the power supply unit 110 as shown in FIG. 3, and correspondingly, the connection portions 26 of the case 20 may also be concentrated in one location on the case 20.

[0058] The partition wall 27 may be provided integrally with the case 20, or may be provided separately from the case 20 and attached to the case 20, but is arranged in a fixed state to the case 20 when replacing the power supply unit 110. When replacing the power supply unit 110, the partition wall 27 prevents the power supply unit 111 from entering the board housing portion 210 and coming into contact with elements arranged on the main body side board unit 90. In this example, the partition wall 27 functions as a restricting portion 29 that restricts the power supply unit 110 from entering the board housing portion 210.

[0059] A flexible cable 250 extending from the connection portion 26 and connected to the main body side board unit 90 passes through the partition portion 27, and a communication portion 25 is formed to communicate between the power supply accommodating portion 200 and the board accommodating portion 210. The communication portion 25 may be a through hole, a gap, a notch, or the like other than a through hole through which the flexible cable 250 passes, but the area of ​​the communication portion 25 perpendicular to the insertion direction of the power supply unit 110 is smaller than the area of ​​the power supply unit 110 perpendicular to the insertion direction of the power supply unit 110. This prevents the power supply unit 111 from entering the board accommodating portion 210 through the communication portion 25 and coming into contact with elements arranged on the main body side board unit 90.

[0060] The partition wall 27 preferably covers at least the electrical connection portions between the main body side substrate unit 90 and the elements arranged on the first surface 90a of the main body side substrate unit 90 as seen from the opening 24, more preferably covers the elements arranged on the main body side substrate unit 90, and even more preferably covers the entire main body side substrate unit 90. By covering at least the connection portions between the elements arranged on the main body side substrate unit 90 and the substrate, the occurrence of a short circuit when replacing the power supply unit 110 is suppressed.

[0061] 5, when the panel 30 is removed from the case 20 with the power supply unit 111 housed in the power supply housing 200, the power supply housing 200 communicates with the outside of the case 20, making it possible to remove the power supply unit 111 from the power supply housing 200. Note that the panel 30 may be openable and closable around a hinge portion as an axis, as described in FIG.

[0062] [4. Configuration Example of Power Supply Unit] Fig. 6 is a diagram showing an example of the configuration of the power supply unit 110. The power line Ln shown in Fig. 6 is a power line to which a reference potential (hereinafter also referred to as "ground potential") is applied. Hereinafter, this power line Ln will also be referred to as a "ground line Ln," and being electrically connected to the ground line Ln will also be referred to as being "grounded." Furthermore, hereinafter, unless otherwise specified, the ground potential will be set to 0 [V], and each voltage will refer to a potential difference from the ground potential.

[0063] As shown in Figure 6, the power supply unit 110 is composed of, for example, a battery 1111, a fuse 1112, a switch circuit 1113, a protection IC 1114, a battery temperature sensor 1115, a charging IC 1116, a fuel gauge IC 1117, a first DC / DC converter 1118a, a second DC / DC converter 1118b, and an MCU 1161.

[0064] Furthermore, the power supply unit 110 includes a plurality of terminals 1119 that electrically connect the inside and outside of the power supply unit 110. Although three terminals 1119 are illustrated in Fig. 6 as the plurality of terminals 1119, the number of terminals 1119 is not limited to three and may be, for example, four or more.

[0065] In the example shown in Figure 6, the power supply unit 110 is formed by electrically connecting and packaging multiple components such as a battery 1111, a fuse 1112, a switch circuit 1113, a protection IC 1114, a battery temperature sensor 1115, a charging IC 1116, a remaining capacity meter IC 1117, a first DC / DC converter 1118a, a second DC / DC converter 1118b, and an MCU 1161.

[0066] Here, packing means, for example, assembling a plurality of components into a single package and fixing the components so that their relative positions do not change. Packing can be achieved, for example, by covering the contained components as a single unit with an insulator (insulating material) such as resin.

[0067] 6 , multiple components such as the battery 1111 and the MCU 1161 are covered as a single unit by an insulator In, and are not exposed to the outside of the power supply unit 110. This makes it possible to protect the multiple components contained in the power supply unit 110, such as the battery 1111 and the MCU 1161, from static electricity, external noise, and the like. Furthermore, by configuring the power supply unit 110 as a single unit consisting of multiple components such as the battery 1111 and the MCU 1161, it becomes possible to replace these multiple components collectively by replacing the power supply unit 110, thereby improving user convenience.

[0068] The battery 1111 is, for example, a rechargeable battery that constitutes the power supply unit 111, and includes a positive terminal 1111a and a negative terminal 1111b, and is configured to be able to output a terminal voltage of approximately 4 V. Hereinafter, the output voltage (i.e., terminal voltage) of the battery 1111 will also be referred to as the "power supply voltage Vbat." Note that various types of secondary batteries, such as a lithium-ion secondary battery or a nickel-metal hydride battery, can be used as the battery 1111.

[0069] The positive terminal 1111a of the battery 1111 is connected to the charging IC 1116 and the first DC / DC converter 1118a via the fuse 1112. This allows the power supply voltage Vbat to be supplied to each of the charging IC 1116 and the first DC / DC converter 1118a. The negative terminal 1111b of the battery 1111 is grounded.

[0070] The fuse 1112 is a protective element that melts when a current equal to or greater than a predetermined value flows. By providing such a fuse 1112 between the charging IC 1116 and the first DC / DC converter 1118a and the battery 1111, even if an overcurrent equal to or greater than a predetermined value is output from the battery 1111, the overcurrent can be prevented from flowing to the charging IC 1116 and the first DC / DC converter 1118a. Therefore, the charging IC 1116 and the first DC / DC converter 1118a can be protected from the overcurrent.

[0071] The switch circuit 1113 is a circuit that functions as a switch that turns on and off the charging and discharging of the battery 1111 (in other words, the power supply unit 111). In the example shown in Fig. 6, the switch circuit 1113 is configured by connecting a first FET 1113a and a second FET 1113b in series, and is provided on the ground line Ln.

[0072] Each of the first FET 1113a and the second FET 1113b may be, for example, an N-channel MOSFET (Metal-Oxide-Semiconductor Field Effect Transistor). In this case, the source terminal of the first FET 1113a is connected to the negative terminal 1111b, the drain terminal of the first FET 1113a is connected to the drain terminal of the second FET 1113b, and the gate terminal of the first FET 1113a is connected to the protection IC 1114. The source terminal of the second FET 1113b is grounded, and the gate terminal of the second FET 1113b is connected to the protection IC 1114.

[0073] The protection IC 1114 is an IC that functions as a control element (in other words, a controller) that controls the switch circuit 1113. More specifically, the protection IC 1114 is connected to each of the positive terminal 1111a and negative terminal 1111b of the battery 1111, and is configured to be able to acquire the power supply voltage Vbat, which is the output voltage of the battery 1111. The protection IC 1114 then controls the switch circuit 1113 based on the power supply voltage Vbat.

[0074] The protection IC 1114 can, for example, control the gate voltage of the first FET 1113a to turn the first FET 1113a on (in other words, conductive state) or off (in other words, cut-off state) and, similarly, can control the gate voltage of the second FET 1113b to turn the second FET 1113b on or off.

[0075] As an example, when the power supply voltage Vbat reaches a predetermined upper limit while the battery 1111 is being charged, the protection IC 1114 turns off the second FET 1113b to stop charging the battery 1111. This makes it possible to prevent overcharging, which occurs when charging continues even though the power supply voltage Vbat has become higher than the predetermined upper limit.

[0076] As another example, when the power supply voltage Vbat reaches a predetermined lower limit during discharge from the battery 1111, the protection IC 1114 turns off the first FET 1113a to stop discharge from the battery 1111. This makes it possible to prevent overdischarge, which occurs when discharge continues even though the power supply voltage Vbat has fallen below the predetermined lower limit.

[0077] Furthermore, the protection IC 1114 may control the switch circuit 1113 based on the current value of the current flowing through the ground line Ln. As an example, if an overcurrent (i.e., a current equal to or greater than a predetermined value) flows through the ground line Ln while the battery 1111 is being charged, the protection IC 1114 may stop charging of the battery 1111 by turning off the second FET 1113b. In this way, even if an overcurrent occurs while the battery 1111 is being charged, it is possible to protect the battery 1111 and the like from the overcurrent.

[0078] As another example, if an overcurrent flows through the ground line Ln during discharge from the battery 1111, the protection IC 1114 may stop the discharge from the battery 1111 by turning off the first FET 1113a. In this way, even if an overcurrent occurs during discharge from the battery 1111, it is possible to protect the main body side board unit 90 and the like from the overcurrent.

[0079] The protection IC 1114 may also be connected to a battery temperature sensor 1115 so as to acquire the temperature (hereinafter also referred to as "battery temperature Tbat") of the battery 1111 (i.e., the power supply unit 111). Here, the battery temperature sensor 1115 is a temperature element that can detect the battery temperature Tbat by outputting a parameter (e.g., an electrical resistance value) or a signal related to the battery temperature Tbat. For example, the battery temperature sensor 1115 is an NTC thermistor formed by a resistor having NTC characteristics or a PTC thermistor formed by a resistor having PTC characteristics, and is disposed in close proximity to the battery 1111. In this case, the protection IC 1114 acquires the battery temperature Tbat based on the output value of the battery temperature sensor 1115.

[0080] The protection IC 1114 may then control the switch circuit 1113 based on the battery temperature Tbat. As an example, if the battery temperature sensor 1115 outputs a parameter indicating that the battery temperature Tbat is equal to or higher than a predetermined temperature while the battery 1111 is being charged, the protection IC 1114 may stop charging the battery 1111 by turning off the second FET 1113b. This makes it possible to stop charging if the battery 1111 becomes too hot during charging, thereby improving safety.

[0081] As another example, when a parameter indicating that the battery temperature Tbat is equal to or higher than a predetermined temperature is output from the battery temperature sensor 1115 during discharge from the battery 1111, the protection IC 1114 may stop discharge from the battery 1111 by turning off the first FET 1113a. This makes it possible to stop discharge if the battery 1111 becomes too hot during discharge, thereby improving safety.

[0082] The charging IC 1116 is an IC that is provided between a power receiving unit (not shown) configured to receive power from an external power source and the battery 1111, and functions as a charging control element that controls the charging of the battery 1111 (i.e., the power supply unit 111) using the power received by the power receiving unit.

[0083] Here, the power receiving unit may be, for example, a receptacle compatible with standards such as USB Type-C (registered trademark), microUSB, or Lightning (registered trademark). Furthermore, the power receiving unit is not limited to such a receptacle, and may be, for example, a power receiving coil configured to be able to contactlessly receive power transmitted from an external power source. Note that the power receiving unit may be electrically connected to the charging IC 1116, and its location is not particularly limited. That is, the power receiving unit may be provided in the power supply unit 110, the case 20, or another location in the suction device 100.

[0084] The charging IC 1116 is also connected to the second DC / DC converter 1118b. The charging IC 1116 generates a first system voltage Vsys1 from the power of the battery 1111 (in other words, the power of the power supply voltage Vbat) and supplies the first system voltage Vsys1 to the second DC / DC converter 1118b. Here, the first system voltage Vsys1 is a voltage greater than 0 (i.e., ground potential). Note that the first system voltage Vsys1 may be a voltage different from or the same as the power supply voltage Vbat.

[0085] The fuel gauge IC 1117 is an IC that functions as a fuel gauge element that acquires the remaining capacity of the battery 1111 (hereinafter also referred to as "remaining battery capacity Cbat"). More specifically, the fuel gauge IC 1117 is connected to the battery 1111, for example, and is configured to be able to acquire the power supply voltage Vbat. In the example shown in FIG. 6 , the fuel gauge IC 1117 is also connected to a battery temperature sensor 1115 and is configured to be able to acquire the battery temperature Tbat. The fuel gauge IC 1117 then derives the remaining battery capacity Cbat based on the power supply voltage Vbat and the battery temperature Tbat, and outputs information indicating the derived remaining battery capacity Cbat (hereinafter also referred to as "remaining battery capacity information") to the MCU 1161.

[0086] As an example, the fuel gauge IC 1117 derives the remaining battery capacity Cbat corresponding to the current combination of power supply voltage Vbat and battery temperature Tbat using a table or a formula that defines the relationship between the combination of power supply voltage Vbat and battery temperature Tbat and the remaining battery capacity Cbat. In this way, by deriving the remaining battery capacity Cbat taking into consideration not only the power supply voltage Vbat but also the battery temperature Tbat, it is possible to derive the remaining battery capacity Cbat with higher accuracy than when the remaining battery capacity Cbat is derived only from the power supply voltage Vbat.

[0087] Furthermore, the fuel gauge IC 1117 may, for example, count a cycle count based on the remaining battery charge Cbat and derive the remaining battery charge Cbat using the counted cycle count value. Here, the cycle count is, for example, the number of times the battery 1111 is charged to a total of 100% SOC (State Of Charge), and is also referred to as a "full charge cycle." Alternatively, the cycle count may be the number of times the battery 1111 is discharged to a total of 100% SOC, which is counted as one cycle.

[0088] Furthermore, the fuel gauge IC 1117 may derive a state of health (SOH) of the power supply unit 111 based on the power supply voltage Vbat and the cycle count value, and may also use the derived SOH to derive the remaining battery charge Cbat. In this way, it is possible to derive the remaining battery charge Cbat with higher accuracy.

[0089] The first DC / DC converter 1118a is an IC that is used in combination with, for example, a power inductor (not shown) and functions as a voltage converter that converts an input DC voltage into a predetermined DC voltage. In the example shown in Fig. 6, the first DC / DC converter 1118a may be supplied with power of a power supply voltage Vbat. The first DC / DC converter 1118a then generates, from the supplied power, power of a heater voltage Vheat suitable for heating by the heating unit 121.

[0090] The power of the heater voltage Vheat generated by the first DC / DC converter 1118a is output to the outside of the power supply unit 110 via a predetermined terminal 1119. When the power supply unit 110 is attached to the case 20, the terminal 1119 from which the power of the heater voltage Vheat is output is connected to the heating unit 121 via the connection portion 26 corresponding to the terminal 1119, a circuit provided in the main body side board unit 90 (board), or the like.

[0091] In other words, when the power supply unit 110 is attached to the case 20, the first DC / DC converter 1118a is connected to the heating unit 121 via a predetermined terminal 1119, the connection portion 26 corresponding to the terminal 1119, and a circuit or the like provided on the main body side board unit 90. This allows the power of the heater voltage Vheat generated by the first DC / DC converter 1118a to be supplied to the heating unit 121.

[0092] The heater voltage Vheat is, for example, a voltage higher than the power supply voltage Vbat, and can be set to, for example, 5 V. This allows the heating unit 121 to efficiently perform heating.

[0093] The second DC / DC converter 1118b is an IC that is used in combination with, for example, a power inductor (not shown) and functions as a voltage converter that converts an input DC voltage into a predetermined DC voltage. In the example shown in Fig. 6, the second DC / DC converter 1118b can be supplied with power of the first system voltage Vsys1 from the charging IC 1116. Then, the second DC / DC converter 1118b generates power of the second system voltage Vsys2 required to operate the MCU 1161 from the supplied power.

[0094] The power of the second system voltage Vsys2 generated by the second DC / DC converter 1118b is supplied to the MCU 1161. The power of the second system voltage Vsys2 may also be supplied to elements other than the MCU 1161. The second system voltage Vsys2 is, for example, a constant voltage, for example, 3.5 V. By keeping the voltage of the power supplied to the MCU 1161 constant at the second system voltage Vsys2, the MCU 1161 can operate stably.

[0095] The MCU 1161 is an IC mainly composed of a processor that performs various calculations, and is a control element that controls the entire power supply unit 110 by the processor executing a program prepared in advance.

[0096] As an example, the MCU 1161 controls the first DC / DC converter 1118 a that generates the power of the heater voltage Vheat, thereby starting and stopping the power supply from the power supply unit 110 to the heating unit 121 .

[0097] Furthermore, when the power supply unit 110 is attached to the case 20, the MCU 1161 is connected to the heating section 121 via, for example, a predetermined terminal 1119, a connection section 26 corresponding to the terminal 1119, a circuit (for example, a heater circuit 95 described later) provided on the main body side board unit 90, etc., as shown in FIG. 6, and is able to acquire the electrical resistance value of the heating resistor (for example, a heating resistor Rheat described later) that constitutes the heating section 121.

[0098] Furthermore, when the power supply unit 110 is attached to the case 20, the MCU 1161 is also connected to the notification unit 113 and operation buttons 28 provided on the case 20 via, for example, a predetermined terminal 1119, the connection unit 26 corresponding to the terminal 1119, a circuit provided on the main body side board unit 90, etc. This enables the MCU 1161 to cause the notification unit 113 to issue a predetermined notification and to accept operations performed on the operation buttons 28.

[0099] Furthermore, when the power supply unit 110 is attached to the case 20, the MCU 1161 is also connected to the memory 91 provided on the main body side board unit 90 via a predetermined terminal 1119, the connection portion 26 corresponding to the terminal 1119, a circuit provided on the main body side board unit 90, etc. This allows the MCU 1161 to access the memory 91 as needed and obtain information stored in the memory 91.

[0100] The memory 91 is configured by a nonvolatile memory such as an EPROM (Erasable Programmable Read Only Memory) or a flash memory, and stores information related to the heating unit 121. As an example, in this embodiment, the memory 91 stores information (hereinafter also referred to as "calibration information") that associates the temperature of the heating unit 121 (hereinafter also referred to as "heater temperature Thea") with the electrical resistance value of the heating resistor that constitutes the heating unit 121 when the temperature is the heater temperature Thea.

[0101] 6 shows the heating unit 121, the notification unit 113, the operation button 28, and the memory 91 as if they were connected to the MCU 1161 via a single terminal 1119 and a single connection unit 26, but it should be noted that this is a schematic diagram to avoid complicating the drawing. Typically, a dedicated terminal 1119 and a connection unit 26 are provided between the heating unit 121, the notification unit 113, the operation button 28, and the memory 91 and the MCU 1161, respectively. The heating unit 121, the notification unit 113, the operation button 28, and the memory 91 are individually connected to the MCU 1161 via the dedicated terminal 1119 and connection unit 26, respectively.

[0102] 7 is a diagram showing an example of a heater circuit 95 for acquiring the electrical resistance value of the heating unit 121. The heater circuit 95 shown in Fig. 7 is provided, for example, on the main body side board unit 90, and is configured to include a switch SW1, a switch SW2, a switch SW3, a reference resistor Rref, and an operational amplifier OP.

[0103] The switches SW1, SW2, and SW3 are connected to the MCU 1161 when the power supply unit 110 is attached to the case 20, and are opened and closed under the control of the MCU 1161.

[0104] 7, each of the switches SW1, SW2, and SW3 may be, for example, an N-channel MOSFET. In this case, the gate terminals of these switches are connected to the MCU 1161 when the power supply unit 110 is attached to the case 20.

[0105] One end (e.g., source terminal) of the switch SW1 is connected to the first DC / DC converter 1118a when the power supply unit 110 is attached to the case 20. The other end (e.g., drain terminal) of the switch SW1 is connected to one end of the heating resistor Rheat that constitutes the heating section 121.

[0106] One end (e.g., source terminal) of the switch SW2 is connected to the first DC / DC converter 1118a when the power supply unit 110 is attached to the case 20. The other end (e.g., drain terminal) of the switch SW2 is connected to one end of the heating resistor Rheat via a reference resistor Rref having a predetermined electrical resistance value.

[0107] One end (e.g., drain terminal) of the switch SW3 is connected to the other end of the heating resistor Rheat. The other end (e.g., source terminal) of the switch SW3 is grounded. That is, the switch SW3 functions as a low-side switch of the heating unit 121.

[0108] The operational amplifier OP is an element that has a non-inverting input terminal, an inverting input terminal, and an output terminal, and outputs a voltage signal from the output terminal that is an amplified difference between the inputs to the non-inverting input terminal and the inverting input terminal, and is configured, for example, by an IC.

[0109] The non-inverting input terminal of the operational amplifier OP is connected to one end of the heating resistor Rheat, and the inverting input terminal is connected to the other end of the heating resistor Rheat. In addition, when the power supply unit 110 is attached to the case 20, the output terminal of the operational amplifier OP is connected to the MCU 1161.

[0110] When the power supply unit 110 is attached to the case 20, and the switches SW1 and SW3 are on and the switch SW2 is off, the power of the heater voltage Vheat generated by the first DC / DC converter 1118a is supplied to the heating resistor Rheat (i.e., the heating section 121) via the switch SW1.

[0111] Furthermore, when the power supply unit 110 is attached to the case 20, and the switches SW2 and SW3 are on and the switch SW1 is off, the power of the heater voltage Vheat generated by the first DC / DC converter 1118a is supplied to the heating resistor Rheat via the switch SW2 and the reference resistor Rref.

[0112] In this case, the voltage divided by the reference resistor Rref and the heating resistor Rheat is input to the non-inverting input terminal of the operational amplifier OP, which then outputs a voltage signal (hereinafter also referred to as the "HEAT_TEMP signal") obtained by amplifying this divided voltage to the MCU 1161. This HEAT_TEMP signal varies depending on the electrical resistance value of the heating unit 121 (more specifically, the heating resistor Rheat), i.e., the heater temperature Theat. Therefore, the MCU 1161 can obtain the heater temperature Theat based on the HEAT_TEMP signal.

[0113] In the example described here, the switch SW2 and the reference resistor Rref are also supplied with the heater voltage Vheat, similar to that of the switch SW1, but this is not limiting. For example, a voltage lower than the heater voltage Vheat may be supplied to the switch SW2 and the reference resistor Rref. By making the voltage supplied to the switch SW2 and the reference resistor Rref lower than the heater voltage Vheat, it is possible to reduce the power consumption required to obtain the heater temperature Theheat.

[0114] Furthermore, in the example described here, the heater circuit 95 is provided in the main body side substrate unit 90, but this is not limited to this. Some or all of the components included in the heater circuit 95 may be provided in the power supply unit 110. In this case, the manufacturer of the suction device 100 may appropriately determine which components are provided in the power supply unit 110 and which components are provided in the main body side substrate unit 90. As an example, the components of the heater circuit 95 other than the switch SW3 may be provided in the power supply unit 110.

[0115] 6. Examples of Control by MCU Next, examples of control by the MCU 1161 will be described in detail.

[0116] In response to a request for aerosol generation from the user, the MCU 1161 causes the heating unit 121 to generate aerosol. The request for aerosol generation can be, for example, but is not limited to, pressing the operation button 28. For example, instead of or in addition to pressing the operation button 28, the request for aerosol generation can be the opening of the shutter 50. The opening of the shutter 50 can be detected, for example, by providing a hall sensor in the case 20 that detects the position of the shutter 50.

[0117] The MCU 1161 generates aerosol by controlling the heater temperature The based on, for example, a pre-prepared heating profile. Here, the heating profile is information that defines the time series transition of a target temperature, which is a target value of the heater temperature The. The heating profile is typically designed to optimize the flavor experienced by the user when the user inhales the aerosol generated from the stick-shaped substrate 150. Therefore, by controlling the heater temperature The based on the heating profile, the flavor experienced by the user can be optimized, providing the user with a high-quality smoking experience.

[0118] In controlling the heater temperature The Heat based on the heating profile (hereinafter also referred to simply as "heating control"), the MCU 1161 acquires the heater temperature The Heat at a predetermined interval (for example, every 5 ms) and controls the heater temperature The Heat so that its time series progression is similar to the time series progression of the target temperature specified in the heating profile.

[0119] The heater temperature Theat can be obtained based on the electrical resistance value of the heating unit 121 (specifically, the heating resistor Rheat). This is because the electrical resistance value of the heating resistor Rheat changes depending on the temperature. As described above, the electrical resistance value of the heating resistor Rheat can be obtained via the heater circuit 95.

[0120] In this embodiment, when acquiring the heater temperature Theat, the MCU 1161 refers to the calibration information stored in the memory 91 of the main body side board unit 90. For example, if the electrical resistance value of the heating unit 121 is α [Ω], the MCU 1161 acquires β [°C] associated with α [Ω] in the calibration information as the heater temperature Theat.

[0121] The characteristics of the heating unit 121 (specifically, the relationship between the electrical resistance value and the heater temperature Theat) vary due to individual differences. Therefore, in order to obtain an accurate heater temperature Theat, it is necessary to take into consideration the individual differences in the heating unit 121. However, in the suction device 100 in which the power supply unit 110 is replaceable, it is not predetermined what type of heating unit 121 will be combined with the MCU 1161. For this reason, it is difficult to store calibration information in advance in the MCU 1161 that takes into consideration the individual differences in the heating unit 121 to be combined with the MCU 1161.

[0122] Therefore, in this embodiment, calibration information that takes into account individual differences in the heating unit 121 is stored in the memory 91 of the main body side board unit 90, which is not separated from the heating unit 121. The MCU 1161 then references this calibration information to acquire the heater temperature Theat. This makes it possible to acquire an accurate heater temperature Theat even if the characteristics of the heating unit 121 combined with the MCU 1161 vary due to individual differences. This makes it possible to perform appropriate heating control, providing the user with a high-quality smoking experience. This improves user convenience.

[0123] The temperature control of the heating unit 121 (i.e., the control of the heater temperature The) can be achieved, for example, by known feedback control. For example, the MCU 1161 supplies power from the power supply unit 110 (more specifically, the first DC / DC converter 1118a) to the heating unit 121 in the form of pulses obtained by pulse width modulation (PWM) or pulse frequency modulation (PFM). In this case, the MCU 1161 can control the temperature of the heating unit 121 by adjusting the duty ratio of the power pulses.

[0124] In the feedback control, the MCU 1161 controls the power supplied to the heating unit 121, for example, the duty ratio, based on the difference between the actual heater temperature Thea and the target temperature, etc. This duty ratio can be controlled, for example, via the switch SW1 shown in FIG.

[0125] Furthermore, the feedback control may be a proportional-integral-differential controller (PID) control. Alternatively, the MCU 1161 may perform simple ON-OFF control. For example, the MCU 1161 may perform heating by the heating unit 121 (in other words, supplying power to the heating unit 121) until the actual temperature reaches the target temperature, stop heating by the heating unit 121 when the actual temperature reaches the target temperature, and start heating by the heating unit 121 again when the actual temperature falls below the target temperature.

[0126] Furthermore, when a user requests the generation of an aerosol, the MCU 1161 may determine whether the remaining battery charge Cbat at that time is equal to or greater than a predetermined heating permission threshold, and perform heating control based on the determination that the remaining battery charge Cbat is equal to or greater than the heating permission threshold. This allows heating control to be performed only when the remaining battery charge Cbat is equal to or greater than the heating permission threshold, in other words, only when there is sufficient remaining battery charge Cbat to complete heating control. This makes it possible to prevent heating control from being interrupted due to insufficient remaining battery charge Cbat, resulting in unnecessary consumption of the stick-shaped substrate 150.

[0127] Furthermore, when the MCU 1161 detects a predetermined abnormality during heating control, such as the heater temperature Theat exceeding a predetermined upper limit, the MCU 1161 may stop the power supply from the power supply unit 110 to the heating unit 121. For example, the MCU 1161 can stop the power supply from the power supply unit 110 to the heating unit 121 by stopping the first DC / DC converter 1118a or turning off the switch SW3 on the low side of the heating unit 121.

[0128] Furthermore, during heating control, MCU 1161 may notify the user that heating control is in progress via notification unit 113. As an example, MCU 1161 may notify the user that heating control is in progress by causing a light-emitting device constituting notification unit 113 to emit light in a predetermined light-emitting mode. In this way, the user can know that heating control is in progress, improving user convenience.

[0129] Furthermore, the MCU 1161 may notify the user of the remaining battery power Cbat via the notification unit 113. As an example, the MCU 1161 may notify the user of the remaining battery power Cbat by causing a light-emitting device constituting the notification unit 113 to emit light in a light-emitting mode that corresponds to the remaining battery power Cbat at that time. In this way, the user can grasp the remaining battery power Cbat, thereby improving user convenience.

[0130] 7. Effects of the Present Embodiment As described above, the power supply unit 110 of the present embodiment includes the battery 1111 constituting the power supply unit 111 and the MCU 1161, which is a control element that controls the supply of power from the power supply unit 111 (in other words, the battery 1111) to the heating unit 121. The power supply unit 110 is configured by fixing multiple components, including the MCU 1161, together, and these multiple components, fixed together, are detachably disposed in the power supply housing 200 of the case 20. This allows the user to replace the power supply unit 110. For example, if the battery 1111 deteriorates due to repeated charging and discharging and its performance decreases, the user can replace it with a new power supply unit 110, thereby enabling the suction device 100 to be fully usable again. This improves user convenience.

[0131] Furthermore, because the MCU 1161 that controls the power supply to the heating unit 121 is provided in the power supply unit 110, even if the user is allowed to replace the power supply unit 110, it is possible to prevent the MCU 1161 from combining with a battery 1111 that is not intended for the MCU 1161. Therefore, the MCU 1161 can appropriately control the power supply from the power supply unit 110 to the heating unit 121, making it possible to provide the user with a high-quality smoking experience. This improves user convenience. Furthermore, because the MCU 1161 can appropriately control the power supply from the power supply unit 110 to the heating unit 121, the safety of the inhalation device 100 is also improved.

[0132] The power supply unit 110 further includes a first DC / DC converter 1118a, which is a power conversion unit that generates power for the heater voltage Vheat by boosting the power supply voltage Vbat (i.e., the power of the battery 1111), and is configured to be able to supply the power for the heater voltage Vheat generated by the first DC / DC converter 1118a to the heating unit 121. This makes it possible to reduce the current value of the power output from the power supply unit 110 compared to when power for the power supply voltage Vbat is output from the power supply unit 110. This makes it possible to reduce the size of the terminal 1119 of the power supply unit 110 that is used to supply power to the heating unit 121, and the connection unit 26 corresponding to the terminal 1119.

[0133] The case 20 also has a board accommodation section 210 that accommodates the main body side board unit 90 (in other words, a board), a connection section 26 to which the power supply unit 110 is connected, and a restriction section 29 that restricts the power supply unit 110 from entering the board accommodation section 210. The restriction section 29 is disposed at least between the power supply accommodation section 200 and the main body side board unit 90 as viewed from the power supply accommodation section 200. This makes it possible to prevent the power supply unit 110 from entering the board accommodation section 210 when replacing the power supply unit 110. Therefore, when replacing the power supply unit 110, the power supply unit 110 is prevented from coming into contact with the main body side board unit 90 (e.g., electronic components provided on the main body side board unit 90) disposed in the board accommodation section 210, allowing the user to safely replace the power supply unit 110.

[0134] Furthermore, the suction device 100 includes a memory 91 that stores information about the heating unit 121 and is located inside the case 20 and outside the power supply unit 110 (for example, in the main body side board unit 90 that is located inside the case 20). When the power supply unit 110 is housed in the power supply housing 200, the MCU 1161 controls the supply of power from the power supply unit 111 to the heating unit 121 based on the information about the heating unit 121 that is stored in the memory 91 of the main body side board unit 90. This allows the MCU 1161 to appropriately control the power supply from the power supply unit 110 to the heating unit 121, even if the characteristics of the heating unit 121 combined with the MCU 1161 vary due to individual differences.

[0135] More specifically, the memory 91 stores calibration information relating to the heating unit 121, which associates the electrical resistance value of the heating unit 121 with the temperature. The MCU 1161 then references the calibration information stored in the memory 91, obtains the temperature of the heating unit 121 based on the electrical resistance value of the heating unit 121, and controls the supply of power from the power supply unit 111 to the heating unit 121 based on the temperature. This makes it possible to obtain an accurate heater temperature Theat even if the characteristics of the heating unit 121 combined with the MCU 1161 vary due to individual differences. This allows the MCU 1161 to appropriately control the power supply from the power supply unit 110 to the heating unit 121.

[0136] The suction device 100 also includes a heater circuit 95 inside the case 20 and outside the power supply unit 110, for acquiring the electrical resistance value of the heating unit 121. When the power supply unit 110 is housed in the power supply housing 200, the MCU 1161 acquires the electrical resistance value of the heating unit 121 via the heater circuit 95. By providing the heater circuit 95 outside the power supply unit 110 in this way, the MCU 1161 can acquire the electrical resistance value of the heating unit 121 by using the heater circuit 95 as is even after the power supply unit 110 is replaced.

[0137] Furthermore, the heater circuit 95 is provided, for example, in the main body side board unit 90, which is not separated from the heating unit 121. By providing the heater circuit 95 in the main body side board unit 90, which is not separated from the heating unit 121, it is possible to store calibration information in the memory 91 that takes into account not only the characteristics of the heating unit 121 but also the characteristics of the heater circuit 95.

[0138] The power supply unit 110 also includes a protection circuit, such as a switch circuit 1113 and a protection IC 1114, that is configured to be able to stop charging and / or discharging the battery 1111. By combining the battery 1111 with the protection circuit in advance in this way, it is possible to provide an appropriate protection circuit that takes into account the characteristics of the battery 1111. This makes it possible to provide appropriate protection using the protection circuit.

[0139] The power supply unit 110 also includes a battery temperature sensor 1115 as a temperature element that detects the temperature of the battery 1111 (i.e., battery temperature Tbat). By combining the battery 1111 with the battery temperature sensor 1115 in advance, it is possible to provide an appropriate battery temperature sensor 1115 that takes into account the characteristics of the battery 1111. This makes it possible to detect the temperature of the battery 1111 with high accuracy.

[0140] The power supply unit 110 also includes a charging IC 1116 as a charge control element that controls the charging of the battery 1111. By combining the battery 1111 with the charging IC 1116 that controls the charging of the battery 1111 in this way, the charging IC 1116 can perform appropriate charging that takes into account the characteristics of the battery 1111. This makes it possible to charge the battery 1111 efficiently and safely.

[0141] The power supply unit 110 further includes a fuel gauge IC 1117 as a fuel gauge element that acquires the remaining capacity of the battery 1111 (i.e., the remaining battery capacity Cbat). By combining the battery 1111 with the fuel gauge IC 1117 that acquires the remaining capacity in advance in this manner, the fuel gauge IC 1117 can acquire the remaining capacity of the battery 1111 taking into account the characteristics of the battery 1111. This makes it possible to acquire the remaining capacity of the battery 1111 with high accuracy.

[0142] Furthermore, in the suction device 100 of this embodiment, by providing the notification unit 113 in the case 20 instead of the power supply unit 110, it is possible to notify the user by continuing to use the notification unit 113 of the case 20 even after replacing the power supply unit 110. In this way, by providing the notification unit 113 in the case 20 instead of the power supply unit 110, it is possible to notify the user, while simplifying the configuration of the power supply unit 110 and achieving a smaller size and / or lower cost of the power supply unit 110 compared to when the notification unit 113 is also provided in the power supply unit 110. Furthermore, since it is possible to replace the power supply unit 110 without replacing the notification unit 113, it is possible to replace the power supply unit 110 in an environmentally friendly manner.

[0143] Furthermore, in the suction device 100, the operation button 28, which serves as an operation detection unit that detects user operations, is provided on the case 20 rather than the power supply unit 110. This makes it possible to continue accepting user operations by using the operation button 28 on the case 20 even after replacing the power supply unit 110. By providing the operation button 28 on the case 20 rather than the power supply unit 110 in this way, it is possible to accept user operations, while simplifying the configuration of the power supply unit 110 compared to when the operation button 28 is provided on the power supply unit 110, thereby enabling the power supply unit 110 to be made smaller and / or less expensive. This also makes it possible to replace the power supply unit 110 in an environmentally friendly manner.

[0144] [7. Modification of this embodiment] Next, a modification of this embodiment will be described. Fig. 8 is a diagram showing another example of the configuration of the power supply unit 110. Note that the following description will focus on points that differ from the description of Fig. 6 above, and descriptions of points that are common to the description of Fig. 6 will be omitted or simplified as appropriate.

[0145] 8 , the first DC / DC converter 1118a may be provided on the main body side board unit 90. In this case, the power supply unit 110 outputs power of the power supply voltage Vbat from a predetermined terminal 1119 connected to the battery 1111. The power of the power supply voltage Vbat output from the power supply unit 110 is input to the main body side board unit 90 via the connection part 26 corresponding to the predetermined terminal 1119, and is supplied to the first DC / DC converter 1118a. The first DC / DC converter 1118a then generates power of the heater voltage Vheat from the supplied power and supplies the generated power to the heating unit 121.

[0146] In this way, by providing the first DC / DC converter 1118a on the main body side board unit 90, it is possible to reduce power loss due to contact resistance between a specified terminal 1119 connected to the battery 1111 of the power supply unit 110 and the connection part 26 of the main body side board unit 90.

[0147] For example, in the configuration shown in Fig. 6, the voltage supplied to the heating unit 121 may be lower than the heater voltage Vheat due to a voltage drop caused by contact resistance between the terminal 1119 and the connection unit 26. In contrast, in the configuration shown in Fig. 8, the power of the heater voltage Vheat can be generated closer to the heating unit 121 than in the configuration shown in Fig. 6, which makes it possible to reduce power loss at the terminal 1119 and the connection unit 26. This makes it possible to supply appropriate power to the heating unit 121 and provide the user with a high-quality smoking experience.

[0148] As described above, according to this embodiment, it is possible to provide the inhalation device 100, which is an aerosol generation device that improves user convenience.

[0149] Although one embodiment of the aerosol generating device of the present disclosure has been described above, it goes without saying that the present disclosure is not limited to such an embodiment. It is clear that a person skilled in the art can conceive of various modifications or alterations within the scope of the claims, and it is understood that these also naturally fall within the technical scope of the present disclosure. Furthermore, the components of the above-described embodiment may be combined in any manner without departing from the spirit of the invention.

[0150] This specification and the like describes at least the following: In parentheses, components corresponding to those in the above-described embodiments are shown as examples, but the present invention is not limited to these.

[0151] (1) An aerosol generating device (inhalation device 100) that generates an aerosol by heating an aerosol source (stick-shaped substrate 150), comprising: a heating section (heating section 121) that heats the aerosol source; a power supply unit (power supply unit 110) having a power supply section (power supply section 111, battery 1111) configured to be able to supply power to the heating section; and a case (case 20) having a power supply housing section (power supply housing section 200) that houses the power supply unit, wherein the power supply unit is configured by fixing together a plurality of components including a control element (MCU 1161) that controls the supply of power from the power supply section to the heating section, and is detachably arranged in the fixed together state in the power supply housing section.

[0152] According to (1), the power supply unit is detachably disposed in the power supply housing of the case, allowing the user to replace the power supply unit. For example, if the power supply unit deteriorates due to repeated charging and discharging, resulting in a decrease in performance, the user can replace it with a new power supply unit and fully utilize the aerosol generating device again. This improves user convenience. Furthermore, since the power supply unit includes a control element that controls the supply of power from the power supply unit to the heating unit, even if the power supply unit can be replaced by the user, it is possible to prevent the control element from combining with a power supply unit that is not intended for the control element. Therefore, the control element can appropriately control the power supply from the power supply unit (power supply unit) to the heating unit, making it possible to provide the user with a high-quality smoking experience. This improves user convenience.

[0153] (2) The aerosol generating device according to (1), further comprising a memory (memory 91) inside the case and outside the power supply unit that stores information about the heating unit, and when the power supply unit is housed in the power supply housing, the control element controls the supply of power from the power supply unit to the heating unit based on the information about the heating unit stored in the memory.

[0154] According to (2), even if the characteristics of the heating section combined with the control element vary due to individual differences, the control element can appropriately control the power supply from the power supply unit to the heating section.

[0155] (3) An aerosol generating device according to (2), wherein the memory stores information relating to the heating unit that associates the electrical resistance value of the heating unit with a temperature, and the control element refers to the information relating to the heating unit stored in the memory, acquires the temperature of the heating unit based on the electrical resistance value of the heating unit, and controls the supply of power from the power supply unit to the heating unit based on the temperature.

[0156] According to (3), even if the characteristics of the heating unit combined with the control element vary due to individual differences, it is possible to obtain the temperature of the heating unit with high accuracy. Therefore, it becomes possible for the control element to appropriately control the power supply from the power supply unit to the heating unit.

[0157] (4) The aerosol generating device according to (3), further comprising a heater circuit (heater circuit 95) for acquiring the electrical resistance value of the heating section, located inside the case and outside the power supply unit, and the control element acquires the electrical resistance value of the heating section via the heater circuit when the power supply unit is housed in the power supply housing.

[0158] According to (4), by providing the heater circuit outside the power supply unit, the heater circuit can be used as is even after the power supply unit is replaced, and the control element can obtain the electrical resistance value of the heating section.

[0159] (5) An aerosol generating device according to any one of (1) to (4), wherein the power supply unit further includes a power conversion section (first DC / DC converter 1118a) that generates power of a predetermined voltage by boosting the power of the power supply section, and is configured to be able to supply the power generated by the power conversion section to the heating section.

[0160] According to (5), it is possible to reduce the current value of the power output from the power supply unit compared to when the power of the power supply unit is output directly from the power supply unit, thereby enabling the size of the terminals of the power supply unit used to supply power to the heating unit to be reduced.

[0161] (6) An aerosol generating device according to any one of (1) to (4), further comprising a power conversion unit (first DC / DC converter 1118a) that generates power of a predetermined voltage by boosting the power of the power supply unit, the heating unit being provided within the case, the case further housing a substrate, and the power conversion unit being provided on the substrate and configured to be able to supply the generated power of the predetermined voltage to the heating unit.

[0162] According to (6), compared to when a power conversion unit is provided in the power supply unit, power of a predetermined voltage can be generated near the heating unit, which reduces power loss when supplying power of a predetermined voltage to the heating unit. This allows appropriate power to be supplied to the heating unit, making it possible to provide users with a high-quality smoking experience.

[0163] (7) An aerosol generating device according to (5) or (6), wherein the case has a substrate accommodating section for accommodating a substrate, a connection section to which the power supply unit is connected, and a regulating section for regulating the power supply unit from entering the substrate accommodating section, and the regulating section is positioned at least between the power supply accommodating section and the substrate as viewed from the power supply accommodating section.

[0164] According to (7), it is possible to prevent the power supply unit from entering the board housing portion when replacing the power supply unit, thereby preventing the power supply unit from coming into contact with the board placed in the board housing portion when replacing the power supply unit, allowing the user to replace the power supply unit safely.

[0165] (8) An aerosol generating device according to any one of (1) to (7), wherein the power supply unit further includes a protection circuit (switch circuit 1113, protection IC 1114) configured to be able to stop charging and / or discharging the power supply unit.

[0166] According to (8), by combining the power supply unit and the protection circuit in advance, it is possible to provide an appropriate protection circuit that takes into account the characteristics of the power supply unit, thereby making it possible to provide appropriate protection using the protection circuit.

[0167] (9) The aerosol generating device according to any one of (1) to (8), wherein the power supply unit further includes a temperature element (battery temperature sensor 1115) that detects the temperature of the power supply unit.

[0168] According to (9), by combining the power supply unit and the temperature element in advance, it is possible to provide an appropriate temperature element taking into consideration the characteristics of the power supply unit, thereby making it possible to detect the temperature of the power supply unit with high accuracy.

[0169] (10) The aerosol generating device according to any one of (1) to (9), wherein the power supply unit further includes a charge control element (charging IC 1116) that controls charging of the power supply unit.

[0170] According to (10), by combining the power supply unit and the charge control element in advance, it is possible to provide an appropriate charge control element that takes into account the characteristics of the power supply unit, thereby enabling the power supply unit to be charged efficiently and safely.

[0171] (11) The aerosol generating device according to any one of (1) to (10), wherein the power supply unit further includes a remaining amount meter element (remaining amount meter IC1117) that acquires the remaining amount of the power supply unit.

[0172] According to (11), by combining the power supply unit and the fuel gauge element in advance, it is possible to provide an appropriate fuel gauge element that takes into account the characteristics of the power supply unit, thereby making it possible to accurately obtain the remaining power of the power supply unit.

[0173] (12) The aerosol generating device according to any one of (1) to (11), wherein the case is provided with a notification unit (notification unit 113) that notifies a user of information.

[0174] According to (12), while it is possible to notify the user, the configuration of the power supply unit can be simplified compared to when the notification unit is provided in the power supply unit, and the power supply unit can be made smaller and / or less expensive.

[0175] (13) The aerosol generating device according to any one of (1) to (12), wherein the case is provided with an operation detection unit (operation button 28) that detects an operation by a user.

[0176] According to (13), while it is possible to accept user operations, the configuration of the power supply unit can be simplified compared to when the operation detection unit is provided in the power supply unit, and the power supply unit can be made smaller and / or less expensive.

[0177] 20 Case 90 Main body side board unit (board) 100, 100A, 100B Suction device (aerosol generating device) 110 Power supply unit 111, 111A, 111B Power supply section 121, 121A, 121B Heating section 200 Power supply accommodating section 1113 Switch circuit (protection circuit) 1114 Protection IC (protection circuit) 1115 Battery temperature sensor (temperature element) 1116 Charging IC (charging control element) 1117 Fuel gauge IC (fuel gauge element) 1118a First DC / DC converter (power conversion section) 1161 MCU (control element)

Claims

1. An aerosol generating device that generates an aerosol by heating an aerosol source, the aerosol generating device comprising: a heating unit that heats the aerosol source; a power supply unit having a power source configured to be able to supply power to the heating unit; and a case having a power supply housing unit that houses the power supply unit, wherein the power supply unit is configured by fixing a plurality of components including a control element that controls the supply of power from the power source unit to the heating unit together, and is detachably disposed in the power supply housing unit in a fixed state as a unit. An aerosol generating device.

2. The aerosol generating device according to claim 1, wherein the aerosol generating device further comprises a memory that stores information regarding the heating unit outside the power supply unit within the case, and the control element controls the supply of power from the power source unit to the heating unit based on the information regarding the heating unit stored in the memory when the power supply unit is housed in the power supply housing unit. An aerosol generating device.

3. The aerosol generating device according to claim 2, wherein the memory stores information associating the electrical resistance value and temperature of the heating unit as information regarding the heating unit, and the control element refers to the information regarding the heating unit stored in the memory, obtains the temperature of the heating unit based on the electrical resistance value of the heating unit, and controls the supply of power from the power source unit to the heating unit based on the temperature. An aerosol generating device.

4. The aerosol generating device according to claim 3, wherein the aerosol generating device further comprises a heater circuit for obtaining the electrical resistance value of the heating unit outside the power supply unit within the case, and the control element obtains the electrical resistance value of the heating unit via the heater circuit when the power supply unit is housed in the power supply housing unit. An aerosol generating device.

5. The aerosol generating device according to any one of claims 1 to 4, wherein the power supply unit further comprises a power conversion unit that generates power of a predetermined voltage by boosting the power of the power source unit, and is configured to supply the power generated by the power conversion unit to the heating unit. An aerosol generating device.

6. The aerosol generating device according to any one of claims 1 to 4, wherein the aerosol generating device further comprises a power conversion unit that generates power of a predetermined voltage by boosting the power of the power supply unit, the heating unit is provided in the case, the case further houses a substrate, the power conversion unit is provided on the substrate and is configured to supply the generated power of the predetermined voltage to the heating unit.

7. The aerosol generating device according to claim 5 or 6, wherein the case has a substrate housing portion that houses a substrate, a connection portion to which the power supply unit is connected, and a restricting portion that restricts entry of the power supply unit into the substrate housing portion, and the restricting portion is disposed at least between the power supply housing portion and the substrate when viewed from the power supply housing portion.

8. The aerosol generating device according to any one of claims 1 to 7, wherein the power supply unit further comprises a protection circuit configured to be able to stop charging and / or discharging of the power supply unit.

9. The aerosol generating device according to any one of claims 1 to 8, wherein the power supply unit further comprises a temperature element that detects the temperature of the power supply unit.

10. The aerosol generating device according to any one of claims 1 to 9, wherein the power supply unit further comprises a charge control element that controls charging of the power supply unit.

11. The aerosol generating device according to any one of claims 1 to 10, wherein the power supply unit further comprises a remaining amount measuring element that acquires the remaining amount of the power supply unit.

12. The aerosol generating device according to any one of claims 1 to 11, wherein a notification unit for notifying a user of information is provided on the case.

13. The aerosol generating device according to any one of claims 1 to 12, wherein an operation detection unit for detecting a user's operation is provided on the case.

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