Aerosol generation device

Abstract

An inhalation device (100) comprises a power supply unit (111), a control unit (116) that controls the power supply unit (111), and a case (20) that has a power supply accommodation portion (200) in which the power supply unit (111) is accommodated. The inhalation device (100) heats an aerosol source to generate an aerosol. The power supply accommodation portion (200) has an opening (201) which the power supply unit (111) can be inserted into and removed from. The power supply unit (111) is detachably mounted to the power supply accommodation portion (200). The inhalation device (100) further comprises a panel (30) that opens and closes the opening (201) of the power supply accommodation portion (200), and an open / closed detection sensor (20d) that detects the open / closed state of the opening (201) caused by the panel (30). The control unit (116) controls the power supply unit (111) on the basis of the detection result from the open / closed detection sensor (20d).

Description

Aerosol Generator

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

[0002] As one type of aerosol generating device, an inhalation device that generates an aerosol containing a flavor component and allows a user to inhale the generated aerosol is known. Typically, such an inhalation device generates the aerosol by supplying power from a power source to a heating unit, which is an electric resistance or induction heater, and heating an aerosol source with the heating unit.

[0003] Among this type of suction device, there are known ones in which the battery can be replaced by the user, such as the suction devices described in Patent Documents 1 and 2.

[0004] Chinese Patent Application Publication No. 107373765 Chinese Utility Model Publication No. 206507325

[0005] In an inhalation device whose battery is replaceable by the user, if the battery is replaced while the battery is in operation (for example, while the battery is supplying power to the heating unit or while the battery is being charged), there is a risk of malfunctioning of the inhalation device and the battery.

[0006] The present disclosure discloses an aerosol generation device that can suppress the occurrence of failures in the aerosol generation device and power supply unit.

[0007] The aerosol generating device of the present disclosure comprises: a power supply unit; a control unit that controls the power supply unit; and a housing having a power supply storage unit that stores the power supply unit, and generates an aerosol by heating an aerosol source, wherein the power supply storage unit has an opening into which the power supply unit can be inserted and removed, and the power supply unit is removably attached to the power supply storage unit, and the aerosol generating device further comprises: a cover member that opens and closes the opening of the power supply storage unit; and a detection unit that detects the open / closed state of the opening by the cover member, and the control unit controls the power supply unit based on the detection result of the detection unit.

[0008] According to the aerosol generation device of the present disclosure, it is possible to prevent failures from occurring in the aerosol generation device and the power supply unit.

[0009] FIG. 1 is a schematic diagram showing a first configuration example of a suction device of the present disclosure. FIG. 2 is a schematic diagram showing a second configuration example of a suction device of the present disclosure. FIG. 3 is an overall perspective view of a suction device of the present disclosure. FIG. 4 is a schematic diagram for explaining an operation mode of a suction device of the present disclosure. FIG. 5 is a schematic diagram for explaining a first example of a detachable mode of a power supply unit in a suction device of the present disclosure. FIG. 6 is a schematic diagram for explaining a second example of a detachable mode of a power supply unit in a suction device of the present disclosure. FIG. 7 is a schematic diagram showing a configuration example of a part related to charging and discharging of a power supply unit in a suction device of the present disclosure. FIG. 8 is a flowchart showing an example of charging control of a power supply unit in a suction device of the present disclosure. FIG. 9 is a diagram showing an example of transition of battery voltage of a power supply unit when charging control of a power supply unit is performed in a suction device of the present disclosure. FIG. 10 is a flowchart showing an example of heating control in a suction device of the present disclosure.

[0010] An embodiment of the aerosol generating device of the present disclosure will be described in detail below with reference to the drawings. The embodiment described below is an example in which the aerosol generating device of the present disclosure is applied to an inhalation device. The drawings should be viewed in the direction indicated by the reference numerals. In the following description, identical or similar elements will be denoted by identical or similar reference numerals, and their description may be omitted or simplified as appropriate.

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

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

[0013] The power supply unit 111A stores power. The power supply unit 111A supplies power to each component of the suction device 100A under the control of the control unit 116A. The power supply unit 111A is configured to be rechargeable with power received from an external power supply 1000 (see FIG. 7 ). The predetermined power is power that the suction device 100A can accept in terms of hardware, and may be, for example, DC power having a predetermined voltage (e.g., 5 to 20 V). The external power supply 1000 may be, for example, an AC (Alternating Current) adapter configured to output the predetermined power. The external power supply 1000 is not limited to an AC adapter, and may be, for example, a mobile charger (also referred to as a mobile battery), a PC (Personal Computer), a smartphone, a tablet terminal, or the like. The power supply unit 111A may be, for example, a rechargeable battery such as a lithium-ion secondary battery. In this embodiment, the power supply unit 111A is detachably attached to the power supply unit 110 by the user.

[0014] The sensor unit 112A acquires various types of information related to the suction device 100A. The sensor unit 112A is configured with, for example, a pressure sensor such as a condenser microphone, a flow rate sensor, or a temperature sensor, and acquires values ​​associated with the suction by the user.

[0015] As one example, sensor unit 112A may include a pressure sensor (also referred to as a "puff sensor") capable of detecting a change in pressure (hereinafter also referred to as an "internal pressure") inside suction device 100A caused by the user's inhalation. As another example, sensor unit 112A may include a flow rate sensor capable of detecting a flow rate (hereinafter also simply referred to as a "flow rate") caused by the user's inhalation. As another example, sensor unit 112A may include a temperature sensor (also referred to as a "puff thermistor") capable of detecting the temperature of heating unit 121A or the vicinity of heating unit 121A.

[0016] The sensor unit 112A may also include a voltage sensor that can detect the terminal voltage of the power supply unit 111A. Furthermore, the sensor unit 112A may also include a temperature sensor that can detect the temperature of the power supply unit 111A.

[0017] The sensor unit 112A may also be configured to include an input device that accepts information input from a user, such as an operation button or a switch. As an example, the sensor unit 112A may include an operation button as an input device that accepts a mode change request, which will be described later.

[0018] The notification unit 113A notifies the user of information. The notification unit 113A may be configured, for example, by a light emitting device that emits light, a display device that displays an image, a sound output device that outputs sound, or a vibration device that vibrates.

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

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

[0021] The control unit 116A functions as an arithmetic processing unit and a control unit, and controls the overall operation of the suction device 100A in accordance with various programs stored in the memory unit 114A, etc. For example, the control unit 116A controls the power supply (electrical power supply) from the power supply unit 111A to each component (e.g., the heating unit 121A described later) and the charging of the power supply unit 111A using power received from the external power supply 1000. The control unit 116A is realized by an electronic circuit such as a CPU (Central Processing Unit) or a microprocessor. As an example, the control unit 116A can be realized by the MCU 104 (Micro Controller Unit) described later, etc.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

[0037] The power supply unit 111B, the sensor unit 112B, the notification unit 113B, the storage unit 114B, the communication unit 115B, and the control unit 116B are substantially the same as the corresponding components included in the suction device 100A described above. In the case of the suction device 100B shown in Fig. 2, the suction device 100B itself can also be considered a power supply unit. In this embodiment, the power supply unit 111B is detachably attached to the suction device 100B by the user.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

[0048] 3 is an overall perspective view of the suction device 100 of this embodiment. As shown in Fig. 3, the suction device 100 includes a case 20 and a shutter 50. The case 20 houses a power supply unit 110 of the suction device 100.

[0049] A panel 30 is also attached to the case 20. Attaching the panel 30 to the case 20 forms the outermost housing 40 of the suction device 100. Furthermore, by including the panel 30, the suction device 100 can buffer heat released to the outside even when the power supply unit 110 generates heat. In other words, the panel 30 functions to insulate heat generated from the heating portion of the power supply unit 110. Furthermore, the panel 30 is formed so that its surface is approximately curved. When attached to the case 20, the panel 30, together with the surface of the case 20, defines an interior space.

[0050] When a user presses the surface of panel 30 with a fingertip, panel 30 deforms to form a recess toward case 20. As a result of this deformation of panel 30, a protrusion on panel 30 comes into contact with an operation button on the surface of case 20, thereby pressing the operation button. In other words, the portion of the surface of panel 30 that is pressed with a fingertip forms operation unit 15. Note that operation unit 15 may be a touch sensor provided on panel 30, and may be operable by the user touching this touch sensor with a fingertip.

[0051] 3. Examples of operation modes of the suction device

[0052] 4 is a schematic diagram illustrating the operation modes of the suction device 100 of this embodiment. As shown in FIG. 4, the control unit 116 has a plurality of operation modes for operating the suction device 100. In this example, the control unit 116 has the following operation modes for operating the suction device 100: a suction mode, a standby mode, a sleep mode, and a shipping mode. The control unit 116 controls the discharge from the power supply unit 111 to operate the suction device 100 in the suction mode, the standby mode, the sleep mode, and the shipping mode.

[0053] The suction mode is a mode in which heating control is performed by the heating unit 121. The control unit 116 performs heating control by the heating unit 121 when the operation mode is switched to the suction mode.

[0054] In the standby mode, almost all functions are enabled except for the heating control of the heating unit 121. When a predetermined operation such as a suction operation is performed by the user, the control unit 116 switches the operation mode from the standby mode to the suction mode. In addition, in the suction mode, when the heating control of the heating unit 121 ends because the power supply time to the heating unit 121 or the number of suctions by the user reaches an upper limit, the control unit 116 switches the operation mode from the suction mode to the standby mode.

[0055] The sleep mode consumes less power than the standby mode and allows for direct transition to the standby mode. Therefore, by transitioning the suction device 100 to the sleep mode, the control unit 116 can reduce the power consumption of the power supply unit 111 while maintaining the ability to return to another mode as needed. When the suction device 100 is operating in the sleep mode, the sensor unit 112 can detect the opening of the shutter 50, the connection of a USB cable, the operation of the operation unit 15, etc., and can monitor the remaining battery level, but the heating unit 121 cannot be immediately activated. The control unit 116 switches the operating mode from the sleep mode to the standby mode when a predetermined operation, such as a user operation of the operation unit 15, is performed. Furthermore, the control unit 116 switches the operating mode from the standby mode to the sleep mode when a predetermined condition is met, such as a predetermined period of no operation in the standby mode.

[0056] The shipping mode is a mode in which the suction device 100 consumes less power than the sleep mode, shuts off the main power supply path from the power supply unit 111, significantly reduces dark current, and minimizes power consumption by the power supply unit 111. In the shipping mode, discharge from the power supply unit 111 is limited to a minimum, for example, only to the part of the sensor unit 112 that detects the connection of a USB cable, the part that detects operation of the operation unit 15, and the part of the control unit 116 that changes the operating mode of the suction device 100 based on the function of detecting the connection of a USB cable, the function of detecting operation of the operation unit 15, etc. The shipping mode is used, for example, during transportation of the suction device 100 after manufacturing and shipping, or during long-term storage in a warehouse, and transports and stores the suction device 100 while reducing power consumption by the power supply unit 111. In this example, the shipping mode is also used when replacing the power supply unit 111, as described below. The control unit 116 switches the operation mode from the shipping mode to the standby mode when a predetermined operation is performed, such as when the user operates the operation unit 15 or when the external power supply 1000 is connected to the suction device 100. Note that the control unit 116 may switch the operation mode from the shipping mode to the sleep mode when a predetermined operation is performed, such as when the user operates the operation unit 15 or when the external power supply 1000 is connected to the suction device 100.

[0057] When in shipping mode, the control unit 116 transitions the device to standby mode in response to a predetermined user operation. Furthermore, when in sleep mode, the control unit 116 transitions the device to standby mode in response to a predetermined user operation, and transitions the device to shipping mode in response to a predetermined user operation (different from the operation that transitions the device to standby mode). When in standby mode, the control unit 116 transitions the device to suction mode in response to a predetermined user operation, and transitions the device to sleep mode in response to a predetermined user operation (different from the operation that transitions the device to suction mode). When in suction mode, the control unit 116 transitions the device to standby mode when a predetermined user operation is performed or when a predetermined condition is satisfied. Note that when in standby mode, the control unit 116 may transition the device to shipping mode in response to a predetermined user operation. In this case, the predetermined user operation for transitioning from sleep mode to shipping mode and the predetermined user operation for transitioning from standby mode to shipping mode may be the same operation.

[0058] [4. Attaching and Removing Power Supply Unit] The power supply unit 111 is attached to the power supply unit 110 so as to be attachable and detachable by the user. In the following description, the direction in which the flavor source 131 or the stick-type substrate 150 is inserted into and removed from the inhalation device 100 is defined as the up-down direction, and the side of the inhalation device 100 into which the flavor source 131 or the stick-type substrate 150 is inserted is defined as the top. In other words, the flavor source 131 or the stick-type substrate 150 is inserted into the inhalation device 100 from above. Furthermore, a direction perpendicular to the up-down direction may be referred to as the lateral direction, and a surface facing the lateral direction may be referred to as a side.

[0059] Note that, below, the first and second examples are described as examples of how the power supply unit 111 can be attached and detached; however, the power supply unit 111 may also be attached to the power supply unit 110 in a manner other than the first and second examples so that it can be attached and detached by the user.

[0060] <4-1. First example of how to attach / detach the power supply unit>

[0061] 5 is a schematic diagram illustrating a first example of a detachable mode of the power supply unit 111 in the suction device 100 of this embodiment. As shown in FIG. 5 , a power supply housing 200 capable of housing the power supply unit 111 is formed in a lower region of the case 20. In this example, an opening 201 through which the power supply unit 111 can be inserted and removed is provided on a side surface of the power supply housing 200. When the above-described panel 30 is removed from the case 20, the opening 201 of the power supply housing 200 opens and communicates with the outside of the case 20, allowing the power supply unit 111 to be inserted into the power supply housing 200 from the side of the case 20. In other words, the panel 30 functions as a cover member that opens and closes the opening 201 of the power supply housing 200.

[0062] The power supply unit 111 includes a positive terminal 111c, a negative terminal 111d, and a temperature terminal 111e through which an electrical signal related to the temperature of the power supply unit 111 flows. The case 20 includes a positive terminal connector 20a electrically connected to the positive terminal 111c of the power supply unit 111, a negative terminal connector 20b electrically connected to the negative terminal 111d of the power supply unit 111, and a temperature terminal connector 20c electrically connected to the temperature terminal 111e of the power supply unit 111. The power supply unit 111 is also provided with a battery temperature sensor (not shown). The battery temperature sensor is, for example, a thermistor. If the battery temperature sensor is, for example, a thermistor, its resistance value changes depending on the temperature. This resistance value may be electrically converted and output to the temperature terminal 111e, thereby detecting the temperature of the power supply unit 111.

[0063] When the power supply unit 111 is accommodated in the power supply accommodating portion 200, it is held in the power supply accommodating portion 200. When accommodated in the power supply accommodating portion 200, the power supply unit 111 is held in a state in which the positive electrode terminal 111c is electrically connected to the positive electrode terminal connecting portion 20a, the negative electrode terminal 111d is electrically connected to the negative electrode terminal connecting portion 20b, and the temperature terminal 111e is electrically connected to the temperature terminal connecting portion 20c.

[0064] In this example, the positive electrode terminal 111c is provided on the top surface of the power supply unit 111, the negative electrode terminal 111d is provided on the bottom surface of the power supply unit 111, and the temperature terminal 111e is provided on a side surface of the power supply unit 111. The positive electrode terminal connection portion 20a is provided on the top wall portion 22 of the power supply accommodating portion 200, the negative electrode terminal connection portion 20b is provided on the bottom wall portion 21 of the power supply accommodating portion 200, and the temperature terminal connection portion 20c is provided on the side wall portion 23 of the power supply accommodating portion 200. Note that the positions at which the positive electrode terminal 111c, the negative electrode terminal 111d, and the temperature terminal 111e are provided are not limited to these, and they may be provided on any surface of the power supply unit 111.

[0065] When the panel 30 is removed from the case 20 with the power supply unit 111 housed in the power supply housing 200, the opening 201 of the power supply housing 200 opens and communicates with the outside of the case 20, making it possible to remove the power supply unit 111 from the power supply housing 200. The panel 30 may be attached to the case 20 via one or more hinges and may be provided so as to rotate around the hinges so as to open and close the opening 201 of the power supply housing 200.

[0066] In this way, the power supply section 111 is attached to the power supply unit 110 in a manner that allows the user to attach and detach it.

[0067] Furthermore, the power supply unit 110 is capable of detecting whether the panel 30 is attached to the case 20 or whether the panel 30 is detached from the case 20 .

[0068] For example, the case 20 is equipped with an open / close detection sensor 20d that detects whether the panel 30 is attached to the case 20 or whether the panel 30 is detached from the case 20. In this example, the open / close detection sensor 20d is a Hall IC. A Hall IC is an IC (Integrated Circuit) that converts magnetic field strength into an electric signal using a semiconductor sensor. Specifically, it is an IC (Integrated Circuit) that detects the approach of a magnet, outputs a signal, and returns to its original state when the magnet moves away.

[0069] Meanwhile, the panel 30 is provided with a detection target 30a at a position facing the open / close detection sensor 20d when the panel 30 is properly attached to the case 20. In this example, the detection target 30a is a permanent magnet.

[0070] Therefore, when the panel 30 is properly attached to the case 20, the open / close detection sensor 20d detects the approach of the detectable part 30a, which is a permanent magnet, and outputs a signal to the control unit 116, but when the panel 30 is not properly attached to the case 20 or when the panel 30 is removed from the case 20, the detectable part 30a, which is a permanent magnet, is not approaching, so the open / close detection sensor 20d does not output a signal.

[0071] As a result, when the control unit 116 receives a signal from the open / close detection sensor 20d, it determines that the panel 30 is correctly attached to the case 20 and the opening 201 of the power supply storage unit 200 is closed, and when it does not receive a signal from the open / close detection sensor 20d, it determines that the panel 30 is detached from the case 20 and the opening 201 of the power supply storage unit 200 is open.

[0072] <4-2. Second example of how to attach / detach the power supply unit>

[0073] 6 is a schematic diagram for explaining a second example of the attachment / detachment mode of the power supply unit 111 in the suction device 100 of this embodiment. As shown in Fig. 6, the case 20 has a bottom wall 21 that forms at least a part of the lower surface, and the bottom wall 21 is provided on the case 20 so as to be openable and closable around a hinge 21a extending laterally.

[0074] A power supply accommodating section 200 capable of accommodating the power supply unit 111 is formed in a lower region of the case 20. When the bottom wall section 21 is opened, the power supply accommodating section 200 communicates with the outside of the case 20, and the power supply unit 111 can be inserted into the power supply accommodating section 200 from below the case 20. In other words, the bottom wall section 21 functions as an opening and closing member for the power supply accommodating section 200. Note that the bottom wall section 21 may be detachable from the case 20, and when the bottom wall section 21 is removed from the case 20, the power supply accommodating section 200 communicates with the outside of the case 20, and the power supply unit 111 can be inserted into the power supply accommodating section 200 from below the case 20.

[0075] The power supply unit 111 includes a positive terminal 111c, a negative terminal 111d, and a temperature terminal 111e through which an electrical signal related to the temperature of the power supply unit 111 flows. The case 20 includes a positive terminal connector 20a electrically connected to the positive terminal 111c of the power supply unit 111, a negative terminal connector 20b electrically connected to the negative terminal 111d of the power supply unit 111, and a temperature terminal connector 20c electrically connected to the temperature terminal 111e of the power supply unit 111. The power supply unit 111 is also provided with a battery temperature sensor (not shown). If the battery temperature sensor is, for example, a thermistor, its resistance value changes depending on the temperature. This resistance value may be electrically converted and output to the temperature terminal 111e, thereby detecting the temperature of the power supply unit 111.

[0076] When the power supply unit 111 is accommodated in the power supply accommodating portion 200, it is held by the bottom wall portion 21 and the upper wall portion 22 of the power supply accommodating portion 200. When accommodated in the power supply accommodating portion 200, the power supply unit 111 is held in a state in which the positive terminal 111c is electrically connected to the positive terminal connecting portion 20a, the negative terminal 111d is electrically connected to the negative terminal connecting portion 20b, and the temperature terminal 111e is electrically connected to the temperature terminal connecting portion 20c.

[0077] In this example, the positive terminal 111c, the negative terminal 111d, and the temperature terminal 111e are all provided on the upper surface of the power supply unit 111, and the positive terminal connection portion 20a, the negative terminal connection portion 20b, and the temperature terminal connection portion 20c are all provided on the upper wall portion 22 of the power supply accommodating portion 200.

[0078] When the bottom wall 21 is opened 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 , and the power supply unit 111 can be removed from the power supply housing 200 .

[0079] In this way, the power supply section 111 is attached to the power supply unit 110 in a manner that allows the user to attach and detach it.

[0080] The power supply unit 110 is also capable of detecting whether the bottom wall portion 21 is in a closed state or an open state.

[0081] For example, the case 20 is equipped with an open / close detection sensor 20d that detects whether the bottom wall 21 is in the open or closed state. In this example, the open / close detection sensor 20d is a Hall IC. A Hall IC is an integrated circuit (IC) that converts magnetic field strength into an electrical signal using a semiconductor sensor. Specifically, it is an integrated circuit (IC) that detects the approach of a magnet, outputs a signal, and returns to its original state when the magnet moves away.

[0082] Meanwhile, a detection target portion 21b is provided on the bottom wall portion 21 at a position facing the open / close detection sensor 20d when the bottom wall portion 21 is in the closed state. In this example, the detection target portion 21b is a permanent magnet.

[0083] Therefore, when the bottom wall portion 21 is in the closed state, the open / close detection sensor 20d detects the approach of the detectable portion 21b, which is a permanent magnet, and outputs a signal to the control unit 116, and when the bottom wall portion 21 is in the open state, the detectable portion 21b, which is a permanent magnet, is not approaching, so no signal is output.

[0084] As a result, when the control unit 116 receives a signal from the open / close detection sensor 20d, it determines that the bottom wall portion 21 is in a closed state and the opening 201 of the power supply storage portion 200 is in a closed state, and when it does not receive a signal from the open / close detection sensor 20d, it determines that the bottom wall portion 21 is in an open state and the opening 201 of the power supply storage portion 200 is in an open state.

[0085] 7 is a schematic diagram showing an example of the configuration of a portion related to charging and discharging of power supply unit 111 in suction device 100. In Fig. 7, thick solid lines represent electrical wiring, and solid arrows represent control signals or detection signals.

[0086] 7, the suction device 100 is configured to further include, for example, a power receiving unit 101, a charging IC 102, a battery remaining capacity meter 103, an MCU 104, and a protection IC 105 in addition to a power supply unit 111. The control unit 116 described above is configured, for example, by the charging IC 102, the battery remaining capacity meter 103, the MCU 104, etc. shown in FIG.

[0087] The power supply unit 111 is configured to be rechargeable by power received from an external power supply 1000. Here, the external power supply 1000 is a device configured to be able to output a predetermined amount of power. The predetermined amount of power is power that the suction device 100 can receive in terms of hardware, and may be, for example, DC power having a predetermined voltage (e.g., 5 to 20 V). The external power supply 1000 may be, for example, an AC (Alternating Current) adapter configured to be able to output the predetermined amount of power. The external power supply 1000 is not limited to an AC adapter, and may be, for example, a mobile charger (also called a mobile battery), a PC (Personal Computer), a smartphone, a tablet terminal, or the like.

[0088] The power supply unit 111 is configured to be able to supply the stored power to each component of the suction device 100, such as the charging IC 102, the battery remaining capacity meter 103, the MCU 104, and the heating unit 121 (not shown in FIG. 7 ). Note that, although an example in which power is directly supplied from the power supply unit 111 to the MCU 104 is illustrated in FIG. 7 , this is not limiting. For example, power may be supplied from the power supply unit 111 to the MCU 104 via the charging IC 102.

[0089] The power receiving unit 101 is configured to be able to receive power output from the external power supply 1000. As an example, the power receiving unit 101 may be an external connection terminal provided in the case 20 and electrically connectable to the external power supply 1000. The external connection terminal is, for example, a receptacle to which a connector such as a USB (Universal Serial Bus) can be connected. The power receiving unit 101 may also be a power receiving coil or the like configured to be able to contactlessly receive power transmitted from the external power supply 1000. In this case, the method of contactless power transfer (WPT: Wireless Power Transfer) may be an electromagnetic induction type, a magnetic resonance type, or a combination of the electromagnetic induction type and the magnetic resonance type.

[0090] The charging IC 102 is an IC (Integrated Circuit) that is electrically arranged between the power receiving unit 101 and the power supply unit 111 and is configured to be able to control the charging of the power supply unit 111 using power received from the external power supply 1000 via the power receiving unit 101.

[0091] As an example, when a user requests to start charging, the charging IC 102 starts charging the power supply unit 111 with power received from the external power supply 1000 based on a signal input from the MCU 104. Here, the request to start charging may be, for example, establishment of an electrical connection between the suction device 100 and the external power supply 1000. The request to start charging may also be a predetermined operation performed after the electrical connection between the suction device 100 and the external power supply 1000 has been established. An example of this operation may be operation of the operation unit 15 provided on the suction device 100. This operation is not limited to a direct operation on the suction device 100, and may be, for example, an operation on another device, such as a smartphone, that can communicate with the suction device 100. When a user requests to start charging, a signal indicating that the user has requested to start charging is input to MCU 104 via charging IC 102, and MCU 104 outputs a signal to charging IC 102 instructing it to start charging power supply unit 111 using the power received from external power source 1000.When the signal instructing it to start charging power supply unit 111 is input from MCU 104, charging IC 102 starts charging power supply unit 111 using the power received from external power source 1000.

[0092] The charging IC 102 controls the power used to charge the power supply unit 111 when charging the power supply unit 111. A constant current charging current value Icc [A], a constant voltage charging voltage value Vcv [V], a charging switching voltage Vc [V], and a charging end voltage Ve [V] are set in the charging IC 102 and stored in memory. The charging IC 102 controls the power used to charge the power supply unit 111 based on the constant current charging current value Icc [A], the constant voltage charging voltage value Vcv [V], the charging switching voltage Vc [V], and the charging end voltage Ve [V] stored in the memory. Details of charging control of the power supply unit 111 by the charging IC 102 will be described later.

[0093] The battery fuel gauge 103 is an integrated circuit (IC) that measures the remaining charge (SOC: State Of Charge) of the power supply unit 111. The battery fuel gauge 103 periodically measures the open circuit voltage between the terminals of the power supply unit 111 and calculates the remaining charge of the power supply unit 111 based on the measured open circuit voltage of the power supply unit 111.

[0094] Battery fuel gauge 103 integrates the amount of current flowing into power supply unit 111 during charging using a current detection resistor and measures the amount of current flowing out of power supply unit 111 during discharging, thereby periodically calculating the remaining charge of power supply unit 111 based on the amount of current flowing into power supply unit 111 during charging and the amount of current flowing out of power supply unit 111 during discharging, and stores and accumulates this information in memory of battery fuel gauge 103. Note that battery fuel gauge 103 may also store measurement data such as the discharge characteristics (no load) and temperature characteristics of power supply unit 111 in memory, and periodically measure the voltage, current, and temperature of power supply unit 111 while it is operating to calculate the impedance of power supply unit 111, thereby periodically calculating the remaining charge of power supply unit 111 based on the calculated impedance of power supply unit 111.

[0095] Here, due to deterioration over time or the like, a discrepancy may occur between the remaining charge of the power supply unit 111 calculated based on the open circuit voltage of the power supply unit 111 and the actual remaining charge of the power supply unit 111.

[0096] Therefore, when the operating mode of the suction device 100 is the sleep mode, the battery fuel gauge 103 measures the open circuit voltage of the power supply unit 111 and calculates the remaining charge of the power supply unit 111 based on the open circuit voltage. The battery fuel gauge 103 then calculates a correction value from the difference between the remaining charge of the power supply unit 111 calculated based on the open circuit voltage and the previous remaining charge of the power supply unit 111 stored in the memory of the battery fuel gauge 103. The calculation of the correction value is performed periodically, and the correction value is overwritten and stored in the memory of the battery fuel gauge 103.

[0097] Then, battery fuel gauge 103 calculates a corrected remaining charge of power supply unit 111, which is corrected to a more accurate remaining charge, based on the remaining charge of power supply unit 111 calculated based on the amount of current flowing into power supply unit 111 during charging and the amount of current flowing out of power supply unit 111 during discharging, and on a correction value stored in the memory of battery fuel gauge 103. The calculated corrected remaining charge of power supply unit 111 may be notified to notification unit 113.

[0098] Furthermore, when the user replaces power supply unit 111 and attaches the new power supply unit 111 to power supply unit 110, battery level meter 103 measures the open-circuit voltage of power supply unit 111 and calculates the remaining charge of power supply unit 111 based on the open-circuit voltage in response to an instruction from MCU 104. Then, battery level meter 103 uses the remaining charge of power supply unit 111 calculated based on the open-circuit voltage as a starting point to calculate the remaining charge of power supply unit 111 based on the amount of current that flowed into power supply unit 111 during charging and the amount of current that flowed out of power supply unit 111 during discharging.

[0099] Furthermore, battery level meter 103 is set with an upper limit current Imax [A] for determining whether or not the current when power supply unit 111 is discharging is an overcurrent, and an upper limit voltage Vmax [V] for determining whether or not the voltage when power supply unit 111 is discharging is an overvoltage, and these are stored in memory. Battery level meter 103 cuts off discharge from power supply unit 111 when the current when power supply unit 111 is discharging exceeds upper limit current Imax [A] and when the voltage when power supply unit 111 is discharging exceeds upper limit voltage Vmax [V].

[0100] Furthermore, the battery remaining capacity meter 103 stores the nominal voltage Vn [V] and charge capacity CC [Ah] of the power supply unit 111. The nominal voltage Vn [V] is a voltage value determined as a guideline for the terminal voltage obtained when the power supply unit 111 is used under normal conditions. The charge capacity CC [Ah] is the maximum amount of electricity that can be discharged from the power supply unit 111 when it is fully charged.

[0101] The MCU 104 is a computer that is mainly composed of a processor that performs various calculations and that controls the entire suction device 100 in accordance with a pre-prepared program. Control targets controlled by the MCU 104 include the charging IC 102, the battery remaining capacity meter 103, etc.

[0102] The protection IC 105 is an integrated circuit (IC) that protects the power supply unit 111 from overcharging, overdischarging, overvoltage, overcurrent, short circuit, etc. The protection IC 105 operates independently of the control unit 116.

[0103] A forced shutdown current Ifs [A] and a forced shutdown voltage Vfs [V] are set in the protection IC 105 and stored in memory. The forced shutdown current Ifs [A] is set to a value greater than the upper limit current Imax [A] set in the battery fuel gauge 103. The protection IC 105 forcibly stops discharging from the power supply unit 111 when the current during discharging from the power supply unit 111 becomes equal to or greater than the forced shutdown current Ifs [A]. The forced shutdown voltage Vfs [V] is set to a value greater than the upper limit voltage Vmax [V] set in the battery fuel gauge 103. The protection IC 105 forcibly stops discharging from the power supply unit 111 when the voltage during discharging from the power supply unit 111 becomes equal to or greater than the forced shutdown voltage Vfs [V].

[0104] In this way, the power supply unit 111 is doubly protected from overcurrent and overvoltage by the battery fuel gauge 103 and the protection IC 105. Under normal circumstances, the battery fuel gauge 103 controls the current when the power supply unit 111 is discharging so that it is equal to or less than the upper limit current Imax [A] and the voltage when the power supply unit 111 is discharging so that it is equal to or less than the upper limit voltage Vmax [V]. Even if an abnormality occurs in the battery fuel gauge 103, the protection IC 105 controls the current when the power supply unit 111 is discharging so that it is equal to or less than the forced shutdown current Ifs [A] and the voltage when the power supply unit 111 is discharging so that it is equal to or less than the forced shutdown voltage Vfs [V].

[0105] 6. Charging Control of Power Supply Unit Next, charging control of the power supply unit 111 in the suction device 100 will be described with reference to Fig. 8 and Fig. 9. Fig. 8 is a flowchart showing an example of charging control of the power supply unit 111 in the suction device 100 of this embodiment. Fig. 9 is a diagram showing an example of transition of the battery voltage Vbat of the power supply unit 111 when charging control of the power supply unit 111 is performed in the suction device 100 of this embodiment.

[0106] In the suction device 100, when a signal instructing the start of charging is input from the MCU 104, the charging IC 102 controls charging of the power supply unit 111 based on a control value set in the charging IC 102.

[0107] The control unit 116 first determines whether the opening 201 of the power supply housing 200 is in the closed state (step S101). As described above, the determination of whether the opening 201 of the power supply housing 200 is in the closed state is made based on whether a signal is received from the open / close detection sensor 20d.

[0108] If the control unit 116 determines in step S101 that the opening 201 of the power supply accommodating unit 200 is not closed, i.e., that the opening 201 of the power supply accommodating unit 200 is open, it prohibits charging of the power supply unit 111 and waits until the opening 201 of the power supply accommodating unit 200 is closed (step S101: NO loop).

[0109] In this way, when the opening 201 of the power supply storage section 200 is in an open state when the power supply section 111 is not being charged, charging of the power supply section 111 is prohibited, thereby preventing the power supply section 111 from being removed from the suction device 100 while the power supply section 111 is being charged, thereby suppressing malfunctions in the suction device 100 and the power supply section 111.

[0110] If the control unit 116 determines in step S101 that the opening 201 of the power supply housing 200 is closed (step S101: YES), the process proceeds to step S102.

[0111] In step S102, the control unit 116 determines whether the battery voltage Vbat [V] of the power supply unit 111 is lower than the charge switching voltage Vc [V].

[0112] If the control unit 116 determines in step S102 that the battery voltage Vbat [V] of the power supply unit 111 is less than the charge switching voltage Vc [V] (step S102: YES), the control unit 116 proceeds to step S103, where it executes constant current charging and charges the power supply unit 111 with the constant current charging current value Icc [A] stored in memory, and then proceeds to step S105.

[0113] On the other hand, if the control unit 116 determines in step S102 that the battery voltage Vbat [V] of the power supply unit 111 is not less than the charge switching voltage Vc [V], that is, that the battery voltage Vbat [V] of the power supply unit 111 is equal to or greater than the charge switching voltage Vc [V] (step S102: NO), the control unit 116 proceeds to step S104, where it executes constant-voltage charging and charges the power supply unit 111 at the constant-voltage charging voltage value Vcv [V] stored in memory. Then, the control unit 116 proceeds to step S105.

[0114] In step S105, the control unit 116 determines whether or not the opening 201 of the power supply accommodating unit 200 is in the closed state. As described above, the determination of whether or not the opening 201 of the power supply accommodating unit 200 is in the closed state is made based on whether or not a signal is received from the open / close detection sensor 20d.

[0115] If the control unit 116 determines in step S105 that the opening 201 of the power supply accommodating unit 200 is not closed, i.e., that the opening 201 of the power supply accommodating unit 200 is open (step S105: NO), the control unit 116 proceeds to step S106, stops charging the power supply unit 111, and ends the series of charging controls.

[0116] In this way, if the opening 201 of the power supply storage section 200 is opened while the power supply section 111 is charging, charging of the power supply section 111 is stopped, thereby preventing the power supply section 111 from being removed from the suction device 100 while the power supply section 111 is charging, thereby suppressing malfunctions in the suction device 100 and the power supply section 111.

[0117] If the control unit 116 determines in step S105 that the opening 201 of the power supply housing 200 is closed (step S105: YES), the process proceeds to step S107.

[0118] In step S107, the control unit 116 determines whether the battery voltage Vbat [V] of the power supply unit 111 is less than the end-of-charge voltage Ve [V].

[0119] If the battery voltage Vbat [V] of the power supply unit 111 is less than the end-of-charge voltage Ve [V] in step S107 (step S107: YES), the control unit 116 returns to step S102 and continues charging the power supply unit 111.

[0120] If the control unit 116 determines in step S107 that the battery voltage Vbat [V] of the power supply unit 111 is equal to or greater than the end-of-charge voltage Ve [V] (step S107: NO), the control unit 116 proceeds to step S108, terminates charging of the power supply unit 111, and ends the series of charging controls.

[0121] In this way, when the control unit 116 detects that the opening 201 of the power supply housing unit 200 is in the open state, it prohibits charging of the power supply unit 111 .

[0122] This prevents the power supply unit 111 from being removed from the suction device 100 while the power supply unit 111 is being charged, thereby preventing malfunctions in the suction device 100 and the power supply unit 111.

[0123] In addition, constant current charging may be performed until the battery voltage Vbat [V] of the power supply unit 111 reaches a predetermined value, and then switched to constant voltage charging when the predetermined value is reached.When the output current of the power supply unit 111 falls below the predetermined current value, charging of the power supply unit 111 may be terminated, thereby terminating the series of charging controls.

[0124] 7. Heating Control of Suction Device Next, the heating control of the suction device 100 will be described with reference to Fig. 10. Fig. 10 is a flowchart showing an example of heating control in the suction device 100 of this embodiment. The heating control of the suction device 100 starts when the operation mode of the suction device 100 transitions to the standby mode.

[0125] The control unit 116 first determines whether the opening 201 of the power supply housing 200 is in the closed state (step S201). As described above, the determination of whether the opening 201 of the power supply housing 200 is in the closed state is made based on whether a signal is received from the open / close detection sensor 20d.

[0126] If control unit 116 determines in step S201 that opening 201 of power supply housing 200 is not closed, i.e., that opening 201 of power supply housing 200 is open (step S201: NO), control unit 116 proceeds to step S202, where it prohibits the operation mode of inhalation device 100 from transitioning to the inhalation mode, and then proceeds to step S204. When the operation mode of inhalation device 100 is prohibited from transitioning to the inhalation mode, the supply of power from power supply unit 111 to heating unit 121 for heating the aerosol source is prohibited.

[0127] In this way, when the opening 201 of the power supply accommodating section 200 is in an open state and power is not being supplied from the power supply section 111 to the heating section 121 for heating the aerosol source, the supply of power from the power supply section 111 to the heating section 121 for heating the aerosol source is prohibited, thereby preventing the power supply section 111 from being removed from the suction device 100 while power is being supplied from the power supply section 111 to the heating section 121 for heating the aerosol source, thereby suppressing malfunctions in the suction device 100 and the power supply section 111.

[0128] If the control unit 116 determines in step S201 that the opening 201 of the power supply housing 200 is closed (step S201: YES), the process proceeds to step S203.

[0129] In step S203, the control unit 116 determines whether the user has made a request for aerosol generation. The control unit 116 determines whether the user has made a request for aerosol generation, for example, when the sensor unit 112 of the inhalation device 100 has an inhalation sensor and the output value of the inhalation sensor is equal to or greater than a threshold value. The control unit 116 may also determine whether the user has made a request for aerosol generation based on the user's operation of the operation unit 15 instead of the inhalation sensor. For example, the control unit 116 may determine whether the user has made a request for aerosol generation based on the user's operation of the operation unit 15 to start inhaling aerosol. The control unit 116 may also determine whether the user has made a request for aerosol generation based on the user's operation of the operation unit 15, for example, when the stick-shaped substrate 150 is inserted into the internal space 141 of the power supply unit 110.

[0130] If the control unit 116 determines in step S203 that the user has not requested aerosol generation (step S203: NO), it proceeds to step S204 and determines whether the elapsed time since the operating mode of the suction device 100 transitioned to standby mode is greater than or equal to a predetermined time.

[0131] If control unit 116 determines in step S204 that the elapsed time since the operation mode of suction device 100 transitioned to the standby mode is equal to or greater than a predetermined time (step S204: YES), control unit 116 proceeds to step S207, transitions the operation mode of suction device 100 to the sleep mode, and ends the series of control operations. On the other hand, if control unit 116 determines in step S204 that the elapsed time since the operation mode of suction device 100 transitioned to the standby mode is not equal to or greater than the predetermined time, i.e., the elapsed time since the operation mode of suction device 100 transitioned to the standby mode is less than the predetermined time (step S204: NO), control unit 116 returns to step S201.

[0132] When the control unit 116 determines in step S203 that the user has requested aerosol generation (step S203: YES), the control unit 116 proceeds to step S205, where it transitions the operation mode of the inhalation device 100 to the inhalation mode and starts supplying power from the power supply unit 111 to the heating unit 121 to heat the aerosol source. Then, the control unit 116 proceeds to step S206.

[0133] In step S206, the control unit 116 determines whether or not the opening 201 of the power supply accommodating unit 200 is in the closed state. As described above, the determination of whether or not the opening 201 of the power supply accommodating unit 200 is in the closed state is made based on whether or not a signal is received from the open / close detection sensor 20d.

[0134] If the control unit 116 determines in step S206 that the opening 201 of the power supply storage unit 200 is not closed, i.e., that the opening 201 of the power supply storage unit 200 is open (step S206: NO), it proceeds to step S207, transitions the operating mode of the suction device 100 to sleep mode, stops the supply of power from the power supply unit 111 to the heating unit 121 for heating the aerosol source, and terminates the series of controls.

[0135] In this way, if the opening 201 of the power supply accommodating section 200 is opened while power for heating the aerosol source is being supplied from the power supply section 111 to the heating section 121, the supply of power from the power supply section 111 for heating the aerosol source to the heating section 121 is stopped, thereby preventing the power supply section 111 from being removed from the suction device 100 while power for heating the aerosol source is being supplied from the power supply section 111 to the heating section 121, thereby preventing malfunctions from occurring in the suction device 100 and the power supply section 111 and also preventing the user from touching the power supply section 111 when it is under load, such as charging or discharging.

[0136] If the control unit 116 determines in step S206 that the opening 201 of the power supply housing 200 is closed (step S206: YES), the process proceeds to step S208.

[0137] In step S208, the control unit 116 determines whether the user's aerosol generation request has ended. The end of the user's aerosol generation request is determined, for example, when the sensor unit 112 of the inhalation device 100 has an inhalation sensor and the output value of the inhalation sensor exceeds a threshold and then falls below the threshold. Additionally, the end of the aerosol generation request may be determined when a predetermined time has elapsed since the aerosol generation request was made, regardless of the output value of the inhalation sensor. Furthermore, the end of the aerosol generation request may be determined when the stick-shaped substrate 150 is removed from the power supply unit 110, regardless of the output value of the inhalation sensor.

[0138] If the control unit 116 determines in step S208 that the user's aerosol generation request has not ended (step S208: NO), it returns to step S206 and continues supplying power from the power supply unit 111 to the heating unit 121 to heat the aerosol source.

[0139] On the other hand, if the control unit 116 determines in step S208 that the user's aerosol generation request has ended (step S208: YES), it proceeds to step S209, transitions the operating mode of the inhalation device 100 to standby mode, terminates the supply of power from the power supply unit 111 to the heating unit 121 for heating the aerosol source, and terminates the series of controls.

[0140] In this way, when the control unit 116 detects that the opening 201 of the power supply storage unit 200 is in the open state, it prohibits the supply of power from the power supply unit 111 to the heating unit 121 for heating the aerosol source.

[0141] This prevents the power supply unit 111 from being removed from the suction device 100 while power for heating the aerosol source is being supplied from the power supply unit 111 to the heating unit 121, thereby preventing malfunctions from occurring in the suction device 100 and the power supply unit 111.

[0142] As described above, in the suction device 100 of the present disclosure, the control unit 116 controls the power supply unit 111 based on the detection result of the open / close detection sensor 20d that can detect the open / closed state of the opening 201 of the power supply housing unit 200.

[0143] This prevents the power supply unit 111 from being removed from the suction device 100 while the power supply unit 111 is being charged or discharged, thereby preventing malfunctions in the suction device 100 and the power supply unit 111.

[0144] Although the embodiments of the present invention have been described above, the present invention is not limited to the above-described embodiments, and modifications, improvements, etc. are possible as appropriate.

[0145] For example, in the present disclosure, charging control of the power supply unit 111 and heating control of the suction device 100 have been described as examples of controlling the power supply unit 111 based on the detection results of the open / close detection sensor 20d, but charging control of the power supply unit 111 and control of the power supply unit 111 for controls other than heating control of the suction device 100 may also be performed based on the detection results of the open / close detection sensor 20d.

[0146] This specification 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.

[0147] (1) An aerosol generating device (inhalation device 100) that generates an aerosol by heating an aerosol source, comprising: a power supply unit (power supply unit 111); a control unit (control unit 116) that controls the power supply unit; and a housing (case 20) having a power supply storage unit (power supply storage unit 200) that stores the power supply unit, wherein the power supply storage unit has an opening (opening 201) through which the power supply unit can be inserted and removed, and the power supply unit is removably attached to the power supply storage unit, and the aerosol generating device further comprises: a cover member (panel 30, bottom wall portion 21) that opens and closes the opening of the power supply storage unit; and a detection unit (opening / closing detection sensor 20d) that detects the open / closed state of the opening by the cover member, and the control unit controls the power supply unit based on the detection result of the detection unit.

[0148] According to (1), the power supply unit can be prevented from being removed from the aerosol generation device while the power supply unit is being charged or discharged, thereby suppressing the occurrence of malfunctions in the aerosol generation device and the power supply unit.

[0149] (2) The aerosol generating device according to (1), further comprising a heating unit (heating unit 121) that heats the aerosol source, and the control unit prohibits the power supply unit from supplying power to the heating unit to heat the aerosol source when the detection unit detects that the opening is in an open state.

[0150] According to (2), it is possible to prevent the power supply unit from being removed from the aerosol generating device while power for heating the aerosol source is being supplied from the power supply unit to the heating unit, thereby suppressing malfunctions in the aerosol generating device and the power supply unit.

[0151] (3) The aerosol generating device according to (1), further comprising a heating unit (heating unit 121) that heats the aerosol source, and the control unit stops the supply of power from the power supply unit to the heating unit for heating the aerosol source when the detection unit detects that the opening is in an open state while the power supply unit is supplying power to the heating unit for heating the aerosol source.

[0152] According to (3), it is possible to prevent the power supply unit from being removed from the aerosol generating device while power for heating the aerosol source is being supplied from the power supply unit to the heating unit, thereby suppressing malfunctions in the aerosol generating device and the power supply unit.

[0153] (4) The aerosol generating device according to (1), further comprising a heating unit (heating unit 121) that heats the aerosol source, and the control unit prohibits the power supply unit from supplying power to the heating unit for heating the aerosol source when the detection unit detects that the opening is in an open state while the power supply unit is not supplying power to the heating unit for heating the aerosol source.

[0154] According to (4), it is possible to prevent the power supply unit from being removed from the aerosol generating device while power for heating the aerosol source is being supplied from the power supply unit to the heating unit, thereby suppressing malfunctions in the aerosol generating device and the power supply unit, and also preventing the user from touching the power supply unit when it is under load, such as charging or discharging.

[0155] (5) The aerosol generating device according to (1), wherein the control unit prohibits charging of the power supply unit when the detection unit detects that the opening is in an open state.

[0156] According to (5), the power supply unit can be prevented from being removed from the aerosol generation device while being charged, thereby suppressing malfunctions in the aerosol generation device and the power supply unit.

[0157] (6) The aerosol generating device according to (1), wherein the control unit stops charging the power supply unit when the detection unit detects that the opening is in an open state while the power supply unit is being charged.

[0158] According to (6), the power supply unit can be prevented from being removed from the aerosol generation device while it is being charged, thereby suppressing malfunctions in the aerosol generation device and the power supply unit.

[0159] (7) The aerosol generating device according to (1), wherein the control unit prohibits charging of the power supply unit when the detection unit detects that the opening is open when the power supply unit is not being charged.

[0160] According to (7), the power supply unit can be prevented from being removed from the aerosol generation device while it is being charged, thereby suppressing malfunctions in the aerosol generation device and the power supply unit.

[0161] REFERENCE SIGNS LIST 100 suction device (aerosol generating device) 111 power supply unit 116 control unit 121 heating unit 20 case (housing) 20d open / close detection sensor (detection unit) 200 power supply housing unit 201 opening

Claims

1. An aerosol generating device comprising a power supply unit, a control unit for controlling the power supply unit, and a housing having a power supply accommodating unit for accommodating the power supply unit, the aerosol generating device heating an aerosol source to generate an aerosol, wherein the power supply accommodating unit has an opening through which the power supply unit can be inserted and removed, the power supply unit is detachably mounted in the power supply accommodating unit, the aerosol generating device further comprises a cover member for opening and closing the opening of the power supply accommodating unit, and a detection unit for detecting an open / closed state of the opening by the cover member, and the control unit controls the power supply unit based on a detection result of the detection unit.

2. The aerosol generating device according to claim 1, further comprising a heating unit for heating the aerosol source, wherein when the detection unit detects that the opening is in an open state, the control unit prohibits power supply from the power supply unit for heating the aerosol source to the heating unit.

3. The aerosol generating device according to claim 1, further comprising a heating unit for heating the aerosol source, wherein when the detection unit detects that the opening is in an open state while the power supply unit is supplying power for heating the aerosol source to the heating unit, the control unit stops the power supply from the power supply unit for heating the aerosol source to the heating unit.

4. The aerosol generating device according to claim 1, further comprising a heating unit for heating the aerosol source, wherein when the detection unit detects that the opening is in an open state while the power supply unit is not supplying power for heating the aerosol source to the heating unit, the control unit prohibits power supply from the power supply unit for heating the aerosol source to the heating unit.

5. The aerosol generating device according to claim 1, wherein when the detection unit detects that the opening is in an open state, the control unit prohibits charging of the power supply unit.

6. The aerosol generating device according to claim 1, wherein when the detection unit detects that the opening is in an open state during charging of the power supply unit, the control unit stops charging of the power supply unit. An aerosol generating device.

7. The aerosol generating device according to claim 1, wherein when the detection unit detects that the opening is in an open state when the power supply unit is not being charged, the control unit prohibits charging of the power supply unit. An aerosol generating device.

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