Power supply unit for aerosol generating device

Abstract

A power supply unit (110) for an inhalation device (100) that heats an aerosol source to generate an aerosol comprises: a power supply section (111) that supplies power to a heating section (121) that heats the aerosol source; a main substrate (50) on which a control section (1) for controlling the heating section (121) is mounted; a communication unit (115) that has an antenna (5) provided on the main substrate (50) and can wirelessly communicate with an external device; a main FPC (70) connected to the main substrate (50); and a housing (10) housing the above components. The antenna (5) is electrically connected to ground patterns (55, 700) formed on the main substrate (50) and the main FPC (70). The main FPC (70) is disposed in a position where the main substrate (50) is not disposed between the main FPC (70) and the antenna (5), and extends in the longitudinal direction of the housing (10).

Description

Aerosol generator power supply unit

[0001] The present disclosure relates to a power supply unit for an aerosol generating device that heats an aerosol source to generate an aerosol.

[0002] Conventionally, there have been known aerosol generating devices that generate aerosols containing flavor components and allow users to inhale the generated aerosols. Such aerosol generating devices include a heater for heating an aerosol source, a battery, a control unit for controlling the heating, a communication unit for communicating with an external device such as a smartphone, and the like, all of which are housed in a portable housing.

[0003] For example, Patent Document 1 describes an aerosol transmission device comprising a control component that controls the operation of at least one functional element of the aerosol delivery device based on a detected air flow through at least a portion of at least one storage section, and a communication interface that is coupled to the control component and configured to enable wireless communication.

[0004] Japan Special Table No. 2018-514188

[0005] In such aerosol generating devices, there is a demand for miniaturization to make them easier for users to carry, while maintaining or improving the performance of various functions, and there is still room for improvement.

[0006] The present disclosure provides a power supply unit for an aerosol generating device that can be made smaller while maintaining or improving the performance of various functions.

[0007] The present disclosure provides a power supply unit of an aerosol generating device that generates an aerosol by heating an aerosol source, comprising: a power supply that supplies power to a heating section that heats the aerosol source; a rigid substrate on which a control section that controls the heating section is mounted; a communication section that has an antenna provided on the rigid substrate and is capable of wireless communication with an external device; a flexible substrate connected to the rigid substrate; and a housing that accommodates the power supply, the rigid substrate, the communication section, and the flexible substrate, wherein the antenna is electrically connected to grounds formed on the rigid substrate and the flexible substrate, and the flexible substrate is positioned in a position where the rigid substrate is not positioned between it and the antenna, and extends in the longitudinal direction of the housing.

[0008] According to the present disclosure, by using a flexible substrate connected to a rigid substrate as an antenna, it is possible to improve the antenna efficiency of the antenna while achieving miniaturization.

[0009] FIG. 1 is a schematic diagram showing a first configuration example of a suction device (suction device 100A). FIG. 2 is a schematic diagram showing a second configuration example of a suction device (suction device 100B). FIG. 3 is a front view of the exterior of the suction device 100. FIG. 4 is an exploded perspective view of the internal unit 20 of the suction device 100. FIG. 5 is a schematic view of the front surface 501 of the main board 50. FIG. 6 is a schematic view of the back surface 502 of the main board 50. FIG. 7 is a front view of the L1 layer of the main FPC 70. FIG. 8 is a front view of the L2 layer of the main FPC 70. FIG. 9 is a perspective view of the heater temperature sensor connection portion 75 and the vibration device connection portion 76 of the main FPC 70 with the main board 50 removed. FIG. 10 is a perspective view of the main board 50 attached to the chassis 21. FIG. 11 is a perspective view showing the positional relationship between the antenna 5 and the main FPC 70.

[0010] An embodiment of a power supply unit for an aerosol generating device according to 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 according to 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 designated 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 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 assumed to be an aerosol. Alternatively, the substance generated by the inhalation device may be a gas.

[0012] 1-1. First Configuration Example FIG. 1 is a schematic diagram illustrating a first configuration example of an inhalation device. As shown in FIG. 1, an inhalation device 100A according to 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 electric power. The power supply unit 111A supplies electric power to each component of the suction device 100A under the control of the control unit 116A. The power supply unit 111A may be configured by, for example, a rechargeable battery such as a lithium ion secondary battery.

[0014] The sensor unit 112A acquires various types of information related to the suction device 100A. As one example, the sensor unit 112A is configured with a pressure sensor such as a condenser microphone, a flow rate sensor, a temperature sensor, or the like, and acquires values ​​associated with suction by the user. As another example, the sensor unit 112A is configured with an input device such as a button or a switch that accepts information input from the user.

[0015] The notification unit 113A notifies the user of information. The information notified to the user by the notification unit 113A includes, for example, various information such as the SOC (State Of Charge) indicating the charge state of the power supply unit 111A, the preheating time for suction, the period during which suction is possible, etc. The notification unit 113A is 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.

[0016] The storage unit 114A stores various types of information for the operation of the suction device 100 A. The storage unit 114A is configured by a non-volatile storage medium such as a flash memory, for example.

[0017] 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).

[0018] 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. The control unit 116A is realized by an electronic circuit such as a CPU (Central Processing Unit) or a microprocessor.

[0019] 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.

[0020] 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.

[0021] The heating unit 121A generates aerosol by heating the aerosol source and atomizing the aerosol source. In the example shown in FIG. 1 , the heating unit 121A is configured as a coil and wound around the liquid guide unit 122. When the heating unit 121A generates heat, the aerosol source held in the liquid guide unit 122 is heated and atomized, generating aerosol. The heating unit 121A generates heat when power is supplied from the power supply unit 111A. For example, power may be supplied to the heating unit 121A when the sensor unit 112A detects that the user has started inhaling and / or that predetermined information has been input. Then, power supply to the heating unit 121A may be stopped when the sensor unit 112A detects that the user has stopped inhaling and / or that predetermined information has been input. Note that the user's inhalation operation on the inhalation device 100A can be detected, for example, based on the pressure (internal pressure) within the inhalation device 100A detected by a puff sensor exceeding a predetermined threshold.

[0022] The flavor source 131 is a component for imparting flavor components to the aerosol. The flavor source 131 may include tobacco-derived or non-tobacco-derived flavor components.

[0023] 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.

[0024] 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.

[0025] 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.

[0026] 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.

[0027] 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.

[0028] 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.

[0029] 1-2. Second Configuration Example FIG. 2 is a schematic diagram illustrating a second configuration example of a suction device. As shown in FIG. 2, a suction device 100B according to this configuration example includes a power supply unit 111B, a sensor unit 112B, a notification unit 113B, a memory unit 114B, a communication unit 115B, a control unit 116B, a heating unit 121B, a housing unit 140, and a heat insulating unit 144. In the suction device 100A according to the first configuration example, the power supply unit 110 housing the power supply unit 111A and the heating unit 121A are separate entities. However, in the suction device 100B according to the second configuration example, the power supply unit 111B and the heating unit 121B are integrated. In other words, the suction device 100B according to the second configuration example can also be described as a power supply unit 110B with a built-in heating unit.

[0030] Each of the power supply unit 111B, sensor unit 112B, notification unit 113B, memory unit 114B, communication unit 115B, and control unit 116B is substantially identical to the corresponding components included in the suction device 100A according to the first configuration example.

[0031] 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.

[0032] 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.

[0033] 2, the heating unit 121B is configured in a film shape and is arranged to cover the outer periphery of the storage 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, and an aerosol is generated.

[0034] 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.

[0035] 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.

[0036] 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.

[0037] 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.

[0038] 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.

[0039] 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.

[0040] In the following description, the suction device 100A and the suction device 100B will be referred to as the "suction device 100" without distinction, and the power supply unit 110A and the power supply unit 110B will be referred to as the "power supply unit 110" without distinction. Similarly, the power supply units 111A and 111B will be referred to as the "power supply unit 111," the sensor units 112A and 112B as the "sensor unit 112," the notification units 113A and 113B as the "notification unit 113," the memory units 114A and 114B as the "memory unit 114," the communication units 115A and 115B as the "communication unit 115," the control units 116A and 116B as the "control unit 116," and the heating units 121A and 121B as the "heating unit 121."

[0041] 2. Structural Configuration Example of Suction Device Next, a structural configuration example of the suction device 100 (power supply unit 110) will be described. For ease of explanation, the following description will be given by defining the insertion / removal direction of the stick-shaped substrate 150 into / from the suction device 100 as the up-down direction, the sliding movement direction of the shutter 12 (described later) as the front-to-rear direction, and the direction perpendicular to the up-down direction and the front-to-rear direction as the left-to-right direction. As shown in the figure, the front is defined as Fr, the rear as Rr, the left side as L, the right side as R, the top as U, and the bottom as D.

[0042] 3 is a front view of the appearance of the suction device 100. The suction device 100 has an overall rounded rectangular parallelepiped shape and is elongated in the vertical direction. For example, a user holds the suction device 100 in one hand while touching the surface of the suction device 100 with their fingertips. Note that the shape of the suction device 100 is not limited to a rectangular parallelepiped shape and can be any shape.

[0043] The suction device 100 includes a housing 10 that forms the exterior of the suction device 100 , and an internal unit 20 housed in the housing 10 .

[0044] An opening 11 through which the stick-shaped substrate 150 (see FIG. 2) is inserted and removed, and a shutter 12 that can slide back and forth are provided on the top surface of the housing 10. The opening 11 communicates with a storage section 140 that stores the stick-shaped substrate 150. The shutter 12 selectively takes an open state in which the opening 11 is open to allow the stick-shaped substrate 150 to be inserted and removed, and a closed state in which the opening 11 is closed.

[0045] A USB (Universal Serial Bus) connector 13 is provided on the bottom surface of the housing 10. The USB connector 13 has a terminal (e.g., a VBUS terminal) that receives power from an external power source. The USB connector 13 is a receptacle into which a mating plug can be inserted, such as a USB Type-C receptacle.

[0046] An operation unit 14 and a light emitting unit 15, each connected to a main board 50 (described later), are provided on the front surface of the housing 10. The operation unit 14 is disposed below the light emitting unit 15.

[0047] The operation unit 14 is a button-type switch that can be operated by the user, and is an input device that accepts information input from the user. For example, when the user presses the operation unit 14, an MCU (Micro Controller Unit) 1 and a heating unit 121, which will be described later, are activated.

[0048] The light-emitting unit 15 has a light-emitting element such as an LED (Light Emitting Diode). A plurality of light-emitting elements are provided, and the light-emitting unit 15 is configured to emit light in a plurality of colors. The light-emitting unit 15 is an example of the notification unit 113, and emits light in a predetermined light-emitting pattern in response to a command from the MCU 1 to notify the user of predetermined information. The predetermined light-emitting pattern can be, for example, a pattern in which light is emitted in different colors depending on the predetermined information, but is not limited to this. For example, the predetermined information can be, for example, varying lighting intensity or a lighting pattern (e.g., blinking at a predetermined time interval). Furthermore, the predetermined information is, for example, operational information indicating whether the suction device 100 is powered on.

[0049] Next, the internal unit 20 will be described with reference to FIGS.

[0050] As shown in FIG. 4, the internal unit 20 includes a chassis 21, a main board 50, a power supply unit 111, a power supply FPC (Flexible printed circuits) 101, a heater assembly 30, a vibration device 60, a main FPC 70, and a plurality of temperature sensors 66 to 68.

[0051] The chassis 21 has a power supply arrangement section 22 in which the power supply section 111 is arranged, a board arrangement section 23 in which the main board 50 is arranged, a heater arrangement section 24 in which the heater assembly 30 is arranged, and a USB connector arrangement section 25 in which the USB connector 13 is arranged.

[0052] The power supply arrangement section 22 has a cylindrical shape with a portion of the side cut out, in other words, a roughly semi-cylindrical shape. The power supply arrangement section 22 has a bottom wall section 21 a, a side wall section 21 b having an arc shape and extending upward from the bottom wall section 21 a, and an upper wall section 21 c provided at the upper end of the side wall section 21 b. The power supply section 111 is disposed in a space surrounded by the bottom wall section 21 a, the side wall section 21 b, and the lower surface of the upper wall section 21 c.

[0053] The board placement section 23 is provided on a standing wall section 21d that stands upward from the upper wall section 21c of the power supply placement section 22. The board placement section 23 is provided on one side of the standing wall section 21d in the front-rear direction, and the main board 50 is fixed to the board placement section 23 by a bracket 27.

[0054] The heater arrangement section 24 is provided on the opposite side of the standing wall section 21d in the front-rear direction from the substrate arrangement section 23. The heater arrangement section 24 has a space surrounded by the standing wall section 21d, a pair of left and right wall sections 21e extending in the front-rear direction from the standing wall section 21d, and the upper surface of the upper wall section 21c, and the heater assembly 30 is disposed in this space.

[0055] The USB connector placement section 25 extends downward from the bottom wall section 21 a of the power supply placement section 22 .

[0056] The main board 50 is a rigid circuit board with multiple electronic components (elements) mounted on both sides. Rigid circuit boards are not flexible and generally have a thickness of 300 μm to 1600 μm. For example, the main board 50 is mounted with an MCU 1, a communication unit 115, a charging integrated circuit (IC) 81, a heating element 82, and a light-emitting element (not shown). In the following description, the surface of the main board 50 facing the standing wall portion 21d is referred to as the back surface 502, and the surface opposite the back surface 502 is referred to as the front surface 501.

[0057] As shown in FIG. 5, a surface 501 of the main substrate 50 is provided with, for example, a power supply connection portion 51 to which the power supply FPC 101 is connected, and a main FPC connection portion 52 to which the main FPC 70 is connected.

[0058] The power supply connector 51 is provided at the right end in the lower region of the main board 50, and has a positive electrode side connector 51 a and a negative electrode side connector 51 b. The power supply connector 51 is electrically connected to the power supply unit 111 via the power supply FPC 101.

[0059] The main FPC connection portion 52 is provided at the left end portion in the approximate center region in the up-down direction of the main board 50. The main FPC 70 is connected to the main FPC connection portion 52 from the front.

[0060] As shown in FIG. 6 , for example, an MCU 1, a charging IC 81, and a heating element 82 are mounted on the back surface 502 of the main board 50. The MCU 1 functions as the control unit 116 described above and controls the heating of the heating unit 121. The charging IC 81 controls charging by supplying power from an external power source (not shown) input via the USB connector 13 to the power supply unit 111, and supplies power from the power supply unit 111 to electronic components and the like on the main board 50. The heating element 82 includes a step-up DC / DC converter, a switching element, and the like, and boosts the power supplied from the power supply unit 111 to generate power to be supplied to the heating unit 121. The MCU 1 is provided in an upper region of the main board 50. The charging IC 81 and the heating element 82 are provided in an approximately central region in the up-down direction of the main board 50.

[0061] Furthermore, a communication unit 115, which is a communication interface capable of wireless communication with external devices such as a smartphone, is mounted on the rear surface 502 of the main board 50. The communication unit 115 is configured by incorporating some components, such as the antenna 5, inside the MCU 1, but is not limited to this and may be provided independently of the MCU 1. The structure of the antenna 5 and the vicinity of the antenna 5 will be described later.

[0062] Further, a heater connection portion 57 to which the heating portion 121 of the heater assembly 30 is connected is provided on the rear surface 502 of the main substrate 50. The heater connection portion 57 is provided in the lower region of the main substrate 50.

[0063] Returning to Fig. 4, the power supply unit 111 is, for example, a lithium-ion secondary battery and has a cylindrical shape. The power supply unit 111 is electrically connected to the power supply connection unit 51 of the main board 50 via the power supply FPC 101. The power supply unit 111 is provided with a positive electrode tab 111a and a negative electrode tab 111b. The power supply FPC 101 is connected to the positive electrode tab 111a and the negative electrode tab 111b of the power supply unit 111, and is also connected to the power supply connection unit 51 of the main board 50. Power supplied from the power supply unit 111 is transmitted to the main board 50 through the conductive pattern formed on the power supply FPC 101 and supplied to each component.

[0064] The heater assembly 30 includes a heating section 121, a housing section 140, and a heat insulating section 144. The heating section 121 is, for example, a film heater, and is wound around the outer periphery of the housing section 140. The heating section 121 is provided with a connection section 32 that extends from the bottom and is connected to the heater connection section 57 of the main board 50. As shown in Figure 10, the connection section 32 is connected to the heater connection section 57 through a through hole 26 provided in the bottom of the standing wall section 21d.

[0065] 4 , the heater assembly 30 is provided with a stick guide 31. The stick guide 31 is provided on the upper part of the heater assembly 30 and guides the stick-shaped substrate 150 into the housing part 140. The stick guide 31 is a cylindrical member and constitutes a part of the housing part 140.

[0066] The heater assembly 30 is also provided with a heater temperature sensor 66 that can detect the temperature of the heating portion 121. The heater temperature sensor 66 is, for example, a thermistor, and an output corresponding to the electrical resistance value is input to the MCU 1.

[0067] The vibration device 60 includes a vibration element such as a vibration motor. The vibration device 60 is disposed between the upper surface of the power supply unit 111 and the upper wall portion 21c, and a lead wire 61 of the vibration device 60 extends upward and is connected to the main FPC 70 (see FIG. 9 ). The vibration device 60 is an example of the notification unit 113, and vibrates in a predetermined vibration pattern in response to a command from the MCU 1 to notify the user of predetermined information. For example, when heating of the stick-shaped substrate 150 begins or ends, the vibration device 60 vibrates in a predetermined vibration pattern to notify the user of the start or end of heating.

[0068] The main FPC 70 is a flexible circuit board that is elongated in the vertical direction and connects various components of the power supply unit 110 to the main board 50. The main FPC 70 has a higher degree of freedom in placement within the housing 10 compared to a rigid circuit board, allowing the power supply unit 110 to be made smaller.

[0069] In this embodiment, the main FPC 70 extends in the vertical direction, which is the longitudinal direction of the housing 10, from a position where the main board 50 and the heater assembly 30 are arranged to a position where the power supply unit 111 and the USB connector 13 are arranged. With this configuration, the main FPC 70 is formed long in the longitudinal direction of the housing 10.

[0070] The main FPC 70 is provided on the left side of the chassis 21 and has a long main body portion 71 extending in the vertical direction, a board connection portion 72 connected to the main board 50, a USB connector connection portion 73 to which the USB connector 13 is connected, a housing temperature sensor connection portion 74 to which a housing temperature sensor 67 that detects the temperature of the housing 10 is connected, a heater temperature sensor connection portion 75 to which a heater temperature sensor 66 is connected, a vibration device connection portion 76 to which the vibration device 60 is connected, and a power supply temperature sensor connection portion 77 to which a power supply temperature sensor 68 is connected. Note that the target components may be directly connected to each of the connections 72 to 77, or may be indirectly connected via, for example, lead wires.

[0071] As shown in Figures 7 and 8, the main FPC 70 is composed of two layers, with the layer exposed on the front surface (the layer closest to the housing 10) being the first conductive layer L1 (also referred to as the L1 layer) and the layer exposed on the back surface being the second conductive layer L2 (also referred to as the L2 layer).

[0072] A plurality of conductive patterns 703 to 707 are formed on the main FPC 70, and a USB connector connection portion 73, a housing temperature sensor connection portion 74, a heater temperature sensor connection portion 75, a vibration device connection portion 76, and a power supply temperature sensor connection portion 77 are electrically connected to the board connection portion 72 via the conductive patterns 703 to 707. The conductive patterns 703 to 707 are formed, for example, by etching the conductive foil (e.g., copper foil) of the main FPC 70 while leaving necessary portions, or by applying necessary conductive foil.

[0073] Furthermore, the main FPC 70 is formed with a ground pattern 700 (also indicated as "GND" in the drawing) that is connected to a ground provided in the power supply unit 110 and has the same potential as the reference potential (ground potential) of the power supply unit 110. The ground pattern 700 is formed over a wide area across the entire area of ​​the main FPC 70 in the vertical direction, which is the longitudinal direction of the housing 10.

[0074] The board connection portion 72 is provided at the upper end of the main FPC 70 and is connected to the main FPC connection portion 52 of the main board 50. Specifically, the board connection portion 72 is a portion that extends forward from the upper end of the main body portion 71 and is configured by being bent along the left side and surface 501 of the main board 50 (see FIGS. 4 and 10 ).

[0075] The USB connector connection portion 73 is provided at the lower end of the main FPC 70, and is equipped with the USB connector 13. Specifically, the USB connector connection portion 73 is formed at the lower end portion of the main body portion 71, and is configured by being bent along the bottom wall portion 21a of the chassis 21 and the USB connector arrangement portion 25.

[0076] The USB connector connection portion 73 is connected to the board connection portion 72 via conductive patterns 703 formed on the L1 and L2 layers of the main FPC 70. The conductive patterns 703 include a power supply wiring 703a that transmits power from an external power supply to the main board 50 when the external power supply is connected to the USB connector 13, and a signal line 703b that transmits a signal when the external power supply is connected. The power supply wiring 703a is formed to be the widest among the multiple conductive patterns 703 to 707 and the signal line 703b, and by reducing its resistance value, it suppresses the amount of heat generated by the current flowing from the USB connector connection portion 73.

[0077] The housing temperature sensor connection portion 74 is provided at the upper end of the main FPC 70, and is equipped with a housing temperature sensor 67. The housing temperature sensor 67 is, for example, a thermistor, and an output corresponding to its electrical resistance value is input to the MCU 1. The housing temperature sensor 67 is provided close to the inner surface of the housing 10 and detects the temperature of the housing 10. The housing temperature sensor connection portion 74 is provided on the opposite side of the main body portion 71 from the board connection portion 72.

[0078] The housing temperature sensor connection portion 74 is connected to the board connection portion 72 via a conductive pattern 704 formed on the L2 layer of the main FPC 70 .

[0079] The heater temperature sensor connection portion 75 is provided on a branch portion 78 that branches off from the main body portion 71 at a position below the board connection portion 72. As shown in Figures 4 and 9, the branch portion 78 is configured by bending from the main body portion 71 along the standing wall portion 21d from the left side of the chassis 21, and is disposed between the standing wall portion 21d and the main board 50 when the main board 50 is attached to the chassis 21 (see Figure 10). The branch portion 78 is disposed at a position where the heater assembly 30 and the main board 50 are disposed in the vertical direction, that is, at a position that overlaps with the heater assembly 30 and the main board 50 when the power supply unit 110 is viewed from the front.

[0080] The lead wire 66a of the heater temperature sensor 66 is connected to the heater temperature sensor connection portion 75. The lead wire 66a of the heater temperature sensor 66 extends from the heater assembly 30 and passes through a through hole 26 provided in the standing wall portion 21d to be connected to the heater temperature sensor connection portion 75. The heater temperature sensor connection portion 75 is provided at a position where the heater assembly 30 is disposed in the vertical direction, so that the lead wire 66a extending from the heater assembly 30 can be shortened.

[0081] The heater temperature sensor connection portion 75 is connected to the board connection portion 72 via a conductive pattern 705 formed on the L1 layer of the main FPC 70 .

[0082] The vibration device connection portion 76, like the heater temperature sensor connection portion 75, is provided in the branch portion 78 and is connected to the lead wire 61 of the vibration device 60. The vibration device connection portion 76 is located above the heater temperature sensor connection portion 75 in the branch portion 78.

[0083] The vibration device connection portion 76 is connected to the board connection portion 72 via conductive patterns 706 formed on the L1 and L2 layers of the main FPC 70 .

[0084] The power supply temperature sensor connection section 77 is provided at a position where the power supply section 111 is disposed in the vertical direction, and is equipped with a power supply temperature sensor 68. The power supply temperature sensor 68 is, for example, a thermistor, and an output corresponding to the electrical resistance value is input to the MCU 1.

[0085] The power supply temperature sensor connection portion 77 is connected to the board connection portion 72 via a conductive pattern 707 formed on the L2 layer of the main FPC 70 .

[0086] The power supply temperature sensor 68 is provided to the power supply temperature sensor connection portion 77 with its longitudinal direction aligned along the axial direction (up-down direction) of the cylindrical power supply unit 111. Specifically, the power supply temperature sensor 68 is provided to the power supply temperature sensor connection portion 77 with its positive and negative terminals (not shown) aligned along the axial direction of the power supply unit 111. This allows the power supply temperature sensor 68 and the power supply unit 111 to be positioned close to each other regardless of the curvature of the power supply unit 111, thereby improving the temperature detection accuracy of the power supply unit 111.

[0087] Thus, the main FPC 70 is provided with a USB connector connection portion 73, a housing temperature sensor connection portion 74, a heater temperature sensor connection portion 75, a vibration device connection portion 76, and a power supply temperature sensor connection portion 77, and these are connected to the main board 50 at one location (i.e., board connection portion 72). By providing the main FPC 70, the power supply unit 110 can be made smaller than when the temperature sensors 66-68 and the vibration device 60 are each connected individually to the main board 50.

[0088] 7, a reinforcing plate 79a is provided at the USB connector connection portion 73, the housing temperature sensor connection portion 74, the heater temperature sensor connection portion 75, the vibration device connection portion 76, and the power supply temperature sensor connection portion 77 of the main FPC 70. The reinforcing plate 79a is provided on the L1 layer or the L2 layer of the main FPC 70. The reinforcing plate 79a is formed of, for example, polyimide. By providing the reinforcing plate 79a, the strength of each of the connection portions 73 to 77 can be increased.

[0089] A reinforcing plate 79b is provided at the board connection portion 72 of the main FPC 70. The reinforcing plate 79b is provided on the L1 layer or the L2 layer of the main FPC 70. The reinforcing plate 79b is made of, for example, stainless steel, and is stronger than the reinforcing plate 79a. This is because, when assembling the power supply unit 110, the board connection portion 72 is pressed against the main FPC connection portion 52 to connect the main FPC 70 to the main board 50, and therefore, the board connection portion 72 needs to be strong enough to support this.

[0090] Furthermore, the main FPC 70 also contributes to improving the communication function of the communication unit 115. The communication unit 115 will be described in detail below with reference to FIGS.

[0091] As described above, the communication unit 115 is a communication interface capable of wireless communication with external devices. As shown in Fig. 6, the communication unit 115 has an antenna 5. The antenna 5 is, for example, a monopole antenna, and is electrically connected to a ground pattern 55 formed on the main board 50 and a ground pattern 700 formed on the main FPC 70 and connected to the ground pattern 55. Due to the image effect of the ground patterns 55 and 700, the length of the antenna 5 can be set to about 1 / 4 of the resonant wavelength, allowing the power supply unit 110 to be made smaller.

[0092] The antenna 5 is a conductor provided on the main board 50, through which a current supplied from a signal generator (not shown) flows and which radiates radio waves to the outside. The antenna 5 is, for example, a pattern antenna, a chip antenna, or a wire antenna. The antenna 5 may be provided on the main board 50 in a state where it is incorporated into the MCU 1, or may be provided on the main board 50 separately from the MCU 1.

[0093] The antenna 5 is provided on the rear surface 502 of the main board 50, at the left end portion which is closer to the main FPC 70 in the left-right direction. The antenna 5 is also located above the main FPC connection portion 52 in the up-down direction.

[0094] The ground pattern 55 is a portion of the ground pattern formed over a wide area on the main substrate 50, which is provided in the vicinity of the antenna 5. The ground pattern 55 is provided, for example, at a position overlapping the antenna 5. The ground pattern 55 extends from the upper region of the main substrate 50 to the main FPC connection portion 52.

[0095] The ground pattern 700 of the main FPC 70 is connected to the ground pattern 55 of the main board 50 at the main FPC connection portion 52 and the board connection portion 72 .

[0096] A non-metal region 56 (region surrounded by a two-dot chain line in FIG. 6 ) where no metal is formed is provided near the antenna 5 on the main substrate 50. In this embodiment, the non-metal region 56 is provided along the left edge of the upper region of the main substrate 50. No metal components such as electronic components are provided in the non-metal region 56, and no conductive patterns are formed either. Providing the non-metal region 56 can prevent radio wave interference between the antenna 5 and metal, which would otherwise cause a decrease in the performance of the antenna 5.

[0097] 11 , the main FPC 70 is disposed in a position where the main board 50 is not disposed between it and the antenna 5. To explain in more detail, the main FPC 70 is disposed on the back surface 502 (rear side) of the main board 50 except for the board connection portion 72, and the antenna 5 is also disposed on the back surface 502 side of the main board 50. Furthermore, no electronic components mounted on the main board 50 are disposed between the main FPC 70 and the antenna 5.

[0098] Since the main board 50 is not disposed between the main FPC 70 and the antenna 5, the main FPC 70 is disposed in close proximity to the antenna 5. Therefore, the ground pattern 700 formed on the main FPC 70 can be used as the ground for the antenna 5.

[0099] Furthermore, as described above, the main FPC 70 extends in the longitudinal direction of the housing 10, so that a sufficient area can be secured for the ground pattern 700. Therefore, the antenna efficiency of the antenna 5 can be improved.

[0100] In this embodiment, the main substrate 50 has the antenna 5 provided on the back surface 502 and the main FPC connection portion 52 provided on the front surface 501, i.e., the main FPC connection portion 52 and the antenna 5 are provided on different surfaces of the main substrate 50. However, the main FPC 70 is configured to bend from the substrate connection portion 72 connected to the main FPC connection portion 52 toward the back surface 502 side (here, the rear side) of the main substrate 50, so that the main substrate 50 can be positioned so that it is not located between the main FPC 70 and the antenna 5. Note that, unlike this embodiment, the antenna 5 and the main FPC connection portion 52 may be provided on the same surface (e.g., the back surface 502) of the main substrate 50, and even in this case, it is sufficient that the main substrate 50 is not located between the antenna 5 and the portion of the main FPC 70 near the antenna 5.

[0101] Furthermore, since the antenna 5 and the main FPC connection portion 52 of the main board 50 are provided on one end side (here, the left side) of the main board 50 in the left-right direction, the antenna 5 and the main FPC 70 provided along the left side of the chassis 21 are positioned closer to each other, thereby further improving the antenna efficiency of the antenna 5.

[0102] Furthermore, the antenna 5 and the main FPC connection portion 52 of the main substrate 50 are provided offset from each other in the up-down direction, and the antenna 5 is provided above the main FPC connection portion 52, on the opposite side to the downward direction in which the main FPC 70 extends from the main FPC connection portion 52. This allows a sufficient area for the ground pattern 700 to be secured.

[0103] Furthermore, inside the housing 10, the heater assembly 30 and the main board 50 are arranged on the upper side in the vertical direction, and the power supply unit 111 is arranged on the lower side, so that the housing 10 is formed long in the vertical direction.

[0104] The main FPC 70 extends in the longitudinal direction (vertical direction) of the housing 10 from the position where the heater assembly 30 is disposed to the position where the power supply unit 111 is disposed. This allows the main FPC 70 to be formed long, and the area of ​​the ground pattern 700 to be increased, which contributes to improving the antenna efficiency of the antenna 5.

[0105] Although one embodiment of the present invention has been described above with reference to the drawings, it goes without saying that the present invention 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 invention. Furthermore, the components of the above-described embodiment may be combined in any manner as long as they do not deviate from the spirit of the invention.

[0106] For example, in the above-described embodiment, the main FPC 70 is configured to include, in addition to the board connection portion 72, the USB connector connection portion 73, the housing temperature sensor connection portion 74, the heater temperature sensor connection portion 75, the vibration device connection portion 76, and the power supply temperature sensor connection portion 77. However, some of these connection portions may be omitted. Specifically, the main FPC 70 may be configured to include the board connection portion 72 and at least one of the connection portions 73 to 77. In particular, when the main FPC 70 is used as the ground for the antenna 5, as long as the main FPC 70 is formed to extend in the longitudinal direction of the housing 10, as described above, some of the connection portions 73 to 77 may be omitted. For example, the main FPC 70 may not include the USB connector connection portion 73.

[0107] Furthermore, for example, the main FPC 70 may have connections to which other electronic components are connected, in addition to the aforementioned USB connector connection portion 73, housing temperature sensor connection portion 74, heater temperature sensor connection portion 75, vibration device connection portion 76, and power supply temperature sensor connection portion 77. For example, the main FPC 70 may have a connection portion to which a light-emitting element such as an LED is connected, or a connection portion to which a switch serving as the operation unit 14 is connected. Furthermore, when a panel (not shown) is detachably attached to the housing 10 by a magnet, the main FPC 70 may have a connection portion to which a magnetic sensor that detects the panel is connected.

[0108] 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.

[0109] (1) A power supply unit (power supply unit 110) of an aerosol generation device (inhalation device 100) that generates an aerosol by heating an aerosol source, comprising: a power supply (power supply section 111) that supplies power to a heating section (heating section 121) that heats the aerosol source; a rigid substrate (main substrate 50) on which a control section (MCU1) that controls the heating section is mounted; a communication section (communication section 115) that has an antenna (antenna 5) provided on the rigid substrate and is capable of wireless communication with an external device; a flexible substrate (main FPC 70) connected to the rigid substrate; and a housing (housing 10) that accommodates the power supply, the rigid substrate, the communication section, and the flexible substrate, wherein the antenna is electrically connected to grounds (ground patterns 55, 700) formed on the rigid substrate and the flexible substrate, and the flexible substrate is positioned so that the rigid substrate is not positioned between the flexible substrate and the antenna, and extends in the longitudinal direction of the housing.

[0110] According to (1), the flexible substrate is disposed in a position where no rigid substrate is disposed between the antenna and the flexible substrate, so the antenna and the flexible substrate can be disposed close to each other. Since the antenna and the flexible substrate are disposed close to each other and a ground pattern to which the antenna is electrically connected is formed on the flexible substrate, the flexible substrate can be used as an antenna, which contributes to miniaturization of the power supply unit. Furthermore, since the flexible substrate extends in the longitudinal direction of the housing, a sufficient area for the ground pattern can be secured, thereby improving the antenna efficiency of the antenna.

[0111] (2) A power supply unit for the aerosol generating device described in (1), wherein the rigid substrate has the antenna on a first surface (back surface 502) and a substrate connection portion (main FPC connection portion 52) between the flexible substrate and the rigid substrate on a second surface (front surface 501) opposite the first surface, and the flexible substrate is configured to be bent from the substrate connection portion toward the first surface.

[0112] According to (2), even if the substrate connection portion and the antenna are provided on different surfaces of the rigid substrate, the flexible substrate is configured to bend from the substrate connection portion toward the first surface, so the antenna and the flexible substrate can be positioned close to each other.

[0113] (3) A power supply unit for the aerosol generating device described in (2), wherein the antenna and the substrate connection portion are provided on one end side of the rigid substrate in a direction perpendicular to the longitudinal direction of the housing.

[0114] According to (3), the antenna and the flexible substrate are arranged closer to each other, so that the antenna efficiency of the antenna can be further improved.

[0115] (4) A power supply unit for an aerosol generating device described in (3), wherein the antenna and the substrate connection portion are arranged offset from each other in the longitudinal direction of the housing, and the antenna is arranged on the opposite side of the substrate connection portion to the direction in which the flexible substrate extends from the substrate connection portion.

[0116] According to (4), the antenna is provided on the opposite side of the substrate connection portion from the direction in which the flexible substrate extends, so that a sufficient area for the ground pattern can be secured.

[0117] (5) A power supply unit for an aerosol generating device according to any one of (1) to (4), wherein the heating unit and the rigid substrate are arranged at one end side in the longitudinal direction inside the housing, and the power supply is arranged at the other end side.

[0118] According to (5), the heating unit and the power source, which occupy a large volume within the housing, are provided along the longitudinal direction, so that the housing can be made longer in the longitudinal direction.

[0119] (6) A power supply unit for the aerosol generating device according to (5), wherein the flexible substrate extends in the longitudinal direction from a position where the heating unit is disposed to a position where the power supply is disposed.

[0120] According to (6), the flexible substrate can be formed long, and the antenna efficiency of the antenna can be further improved.

[0121] (7) A power supply unit for the aerosol generating device described in (6), further comprising a first temperature sensor (heater temperature sensor 66) that detects the temperature of the heating unit, and a first sensor connection portion (heater temperature sensor connection portion 75) to which the first temperature sensor is connected is provided on the flexible substrate at a position in the longitudinal direction where the heating unit is located.

[0122] According to (7), the temperature information of the heating unit can be transmitted to the rigid substrate via the flexible substrate.

[0123] (8) A power supply unit for an aerosol generating device described in (6) or (7), further comprising a second temperature sensor (power supply temperature sensor 68) that detects the temperature of the power supply, and a second sensor connection portion (power supply temperature sensor connection portion 77) to which the second temperature sensor is connected is provided on the flexible substrate at a position where the power supply is arranged in the longitudinal direction.

[0124] According to (8), the temperature information of the power supply can be transmitted to the rigid substrate via the flexible substrate.

[0125] (9) A power supply unit for an aerosol generating device according to any one of (1) to (8), further comprising a charging connector (USB connector 13) capable of supplying power from an external power source to the power supply, and the flexible substrate is provided with a connector connection portion (USB connector connection portion 73) to be connected to the charging connector.

[0126] According to (9), power can be supplied from an external power source to the power supply via the flexible substrate.

[0127] (10) A power supply unit for an aerosol generating device according to any one of (1) to (9), wherein the flexible substrate is provided with a plurality of sensor connection parts (a housing temperature sensor connection part 74, a heater temperature sensor connection part 75, a power supply temperature sensor connection part 77) to which all temperature sensors provided in the power supply unit are connected.

[0128] According to (10), the temperature information from all the temperature sensors provided in the power supply unit can be transmitted to the rigid board via one flexible board.

[0129] (11) A power supply unit for an aerosol generating device according to any one of (1) to (10), further comprising a vibration device (vibration device 60) that notifies the outside of the state of the power supply unit by vibration, and the flexible substrate is provided with a connection portion (vibration device connection portion 76) that connects to the vibration device.

[0130] According to (11), an operation command can be transmitted from the main board to the vibration device via the flexible board.

[0131] (12) A power supply unit for an aerosol generating device described in any one of (1) to (11), wherein the flexible substrate has a first reinforcing member (reinforcing plate 79b) at a position where a connection portion with the rigid substrate is provided, and a second reinforcing member (reinforcing plate 79a) at a position where a connection portion with other components provided on the power supply unit is provided, and the first reinforcing member has a strength greater than that of the second reinforcing member.

[0132] According to (12), the flexible substrate is provided with a first reinforcing member having high strength at the connection portion with the rigid substrate, so that the connection portion between the substrates, which is likely to be subjected to pressure during assembly, can be sufficiently reinforced.

[0133] DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 MCU (control unit) 5 Antenna 10 Housing 13 USB connector (charging connector) 50 Main board (rigid board) 501 Front surface (second surface) 502 Back surface (first surface) 52 Main FPC connection portion (board connection portion) 60 Vibration device 66 Heater temperature sensor (first temperature sensor) 68 Power supply temperature sensor (second temperature sensor) 70 Main FPC (flexible board) 73 USB connector connection portion (connector connection portion) 74 Housing temperature sensor connection portion (sensor connection portion) 75 Heater temperature sensor connection portion (first sensor connection portion, sensor connection portion) 76 Vibration device connection portion (connection portion) 77 Power supply temperature sensor connection portion (second sensor connection portion, sensor connection portion) 79a Reinforcement plate (second reinforcing member) 79b Reinforcement plate (first reinforcing member) 100 Suction device (aerosol generating device) 110 Power supply unit 111 Power supply section (power supply) 115 Communication section 121 Heating section

Claims

1. A power supply unit for an aerosol generating device that heats an aerosol source to generate an aerosol, comprising: a power supply that supplies power to a heating unit that heats the aerosol source; a rigid substrate on which a control unit that controls the heating unit is mounted; a communication unit having an antenna provided on the rigid substrate and capable of wireless communication with an external device; a flexible substrate connected to the rigid substrate; and a housing that houses the power supply, the rigid substrate, the communication unit, and the flexible substrate, wherein the antenna is electrically connected to a ground formed on the rigid substrate and the flexible substrate, and the flexible substrate is disposed at a position where the rigid substrate is not disposed between the flexible substrate and the antenna and extends in the longitudinal direction of the housing. A power supply unit for an aerosol generating device.

2. The power supply unit for an aerosol generating device according to claim 1, wherein the antenna is provided on a first surface of the rigid substrate, and a substrate connection portion between the flexible substrate and the rigid substrate is provided on a second surface opposite to the first surface, and the flexible substrate is configured to bend from the substrate connection portion toward the first surface. A power supply unit for an aerosol generating device.

3. The power supply unit for an aerosol generating device according to claim 2, wherein the antenna and the substrate connection portion are provided on one end side of the rigid substrate in a direction orthogonal to the longitudinal direction of the housing. A power supply unit for an aerosol generating device.

4. The power supply unit for an aerosol generating device according to claim 3, wherein the antenna and the substrate connection portion are provided offset from each other in the longitudinal direction of the housing, and the antenna is provided on a side opposite to the direction in which the flexible substrate extends from the substrate connection portion with respect to the substrate connection portion. A power supply unit for an aerosol generating device.

5. The power supply unit for an aerosol generating device according to any one of claims 1 to 4, wherein the heating unit and the rigid substrate are disposed on one end side in the longitudinal direction inside the housing, and the power supply is disposed on the other end side. A power supply unit for an aerosol generating device.

6. The power supply unit of the aerosol generating device according to claim 5, wherein the flexible substrate extends in the longitudinal direction from the position where the heating unit is disposed to the position where the power supply is disposed. The power supply unit of the aerosol generating device.

7. The power supply unit of the aerosol generating device according to claim 6, further comprising a first temperature sensor for detecting the temperature of the heating unit, and a first sensor connection portion to which the first temperature sensor is connected is provided on the flexible substrate at the position where the heating unit is disposed in the longitudinal direction. The power supply unit of the aerosol generating device.

8. The power supply unit of the aerosol generating device according to claim 6 or 7, further comprising a second temperature sensor for detecting the temperature of the power supply, and a second sensor connection portion to which the second temperature sensor is connected is provided on the flexible substrate at the position where the power supply is disposed in the longitudinal direction. The power supply unit of the aerosol generating device.

9. The power supply unit of the aerosol generating device according to any one of claims 1 to 8, further comprising a charging connector capable of supplying power from an external power supply to the power supply, and a connector connection portion connected to the charging connector is provided on the flexible substrate. The power supply unit of the aerosol generating device.

10. The power supply unit of the aerosol generating device according to any one of claims 1 to 9, wherein a plurality of sensor connection portions to which all the temperature sensors provided in the power supply unit are connected are provided on the flexible substrate. The power supply unit of the aerosol generating device.

11. The power supply unit of the aerosol generating device according to any one of claims 1 to 10, further comprising a vibration device for notifying the state of the power supply unit to the outside by vibration, and a connection portion connected to the vibration device is provided on the flexible substrate. The power supply unit of the aerosol generating device.

12. A power supply unit of the aerosol generating device according to any one of claims 1 to 11, wherein a first reinforcing member is provided at a position on the flexible substrate where a connection portion with the rigid substrate is provided, and a second reinforcing member is provided at a position where a connection portion with other components provided in the power supply unit is provided, and the first reinforcing member has a higher strength than the second reinforcing member. A power supply unit of an aerosol generating device.

Images