Aerosol generation device

Abstract

An inhalation device (100) generates an aerosol by heating an aerosol source. The inhalation device 100 comprises: a power reception circuit (20) having a secondary coil (21) that receives, in a contactless manner, power output from a power transmission circuit (10) having a primary coil (11) which generates a magnetic field through AC power applied from an AC power source (5), the secondary coil (21) generating an induced current according to the magnetic field generated by the primary coil (11); and a heating unit (121) that heats an aerosol source and / or a flavor source by using the power received by at least the power reception circuit (20).

Description

Aerosol Generator

[0001] The present disclosure relates to an aerosol generating device that generates an aerosol by heating an aerosol source.

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

[0003] Patent Document 1 describes an apparatus for heating smokable material by generating a varying magnetic field using two inductor coils (a first inductor coil and a second inductor coil) to heat a susceptor. According to the apparatus described in Patent Document 1, when the first inductor coil is operated, a first portion of the susceptor is substantially locally heated, and when the second inductor coil is operated, a second portion of the susceptor is substantially locally heated.

[0004] Japanese Patent No. 6953598

[0005] The device of Patent Document 1 has two inductor coils for heating the susceptor connected to a DC power supply by wire, and has a problem in that the degree of freedom in circuit layout is low from the viewpoint of wiring space, etc.

[0006] The present disclosure provides an aerosol generating device that allows for greater freedom in circuit layout.

[0007] The present disclosure provides an aerosol generating device that generates an aerosol by heating an aerosol source, comprising: a power receiving circuit that receives power output from a power transmitting circuit having a primary coil that generates a magnetic field by AC power applied from an AC power source in a contactless manner, and that has a secondary coil that generates an induced current in response to the magnetic field generated by the primary coil; and a heating unit that heats at least one of the aerosol source or a flavor source using the power received by at least the power receiving circuit.

[0008] According to the present disclosure, the degree of freedom in circuit layout can be increased.

[0009] FIG. 1 is a schematic diagram showing a first configuration example of the suction device 100. FIG. 2 is a schematic diagram showing a second configuration example of the suction device 100. FIG. 3 is a schematic diagram showing the circuit configuration of the suction device 100 of the first embodiment. FIG. 4 is a schematic diagram showing the circuit configuration of the suction device 100 of a modified example of the first embodiment. FIG. 5 is a schematic diagram showing the circuit configuration of the suction device 100 of a second embodiment. FIG. 6 is a schematic diagram showing the circuit configuration of the suction device 100 of a modified example of the second embodiment. FIG. 7 is a schematic diagram showing the circuit configuration of the suction device 100 of a third embodiment. FIG. 8 is a schematic diagram showing the circuit configuration of the suction device 100 of a fourth embodiment. FIG. 9 is a schematic diagram showing the circuit configuration of the suction device 100 of a modified example 1 of the fourth embodiment. FIG. 10 is a schematic diagram showing the circuit configuration of the suction device 100 of a modified example 2 of the fourth embodiment. Fig. 11 is a schematic diagram showing a state in which a plurality of secondary coils 21 are arranged in a matrix in the fourth embodiment. Fig. 12 is a schematic diagram showing the circuit configuration of the suction device 100 of Modification 3 of the fourth embodiment. Fig. 13 is a schematic diagram showing another circuit configuration of the suction device 100 of Modification 3 of the fourth embodiment. Fig. 14 is a schematic diagram showing the circuit configuration of the suction device 100 of the fifth embodiment. Fig. 15 is a schematic diagram showing the circuit configuration of the suction device 100 of the sixth embodiment.

[0010] Hereinafter, each embodiment of the aerosol generating device of the present disclosure will be described in detail with reference to the drawings. The drawings should be read in the direction of the reference symbols. Note that not all of the features described in the following embodiments are necessarily essential. Furthermore, two or more of the features described in the following embodiments can be arbitrarily combined. Hereinafter, identical or similar elements will be denoted by identical or similar reference symbols, 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 100. As shown in FIG. 1, the 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 may be configured to be rechargeable with power received from an external power source. Examples of the external power source include an AC (Alternating Current) adapter, a mobile charger, and a PC (Personal Computer). The power supply unit 111A is implemented by 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. 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") that detects 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 that detects 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") that detects the temperature of heating unit 121A or the vicinity of heating unit 121A.

[0016] The sensor unit 112A may also include an operation detection unit that detects user operations. In other words, the sensor unit 112A may also function as an input unit that accepts information input from the user. In this case, the sensor unit 112A may be configured to include an operation button, an operation switch, a motion sensor, a hall sensor, or the like.

[0017] 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 images, a sound output device that outputs sound, or a vibration device that vibrates. Here, the light-emitting device may be realized, for example, by a light-emitting element such as an LED (Light-Emitting Diode). The display device may be, for example, a liquid crystal display or an OLED display (OLED: Organic Light Emitting Diode). The sound output device may be, for example, a speaker. The vibration device may be, for example, a vibrator configured to include a motor and an eccentric weight attached to the rotation shaft of the motor.

[0018] 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.

[0019] 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), NFC (Near Field Communication), or LPWA (Low Power Wide Area).

[0020] 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 programs stored in the storage unit 114A, etc. For example, the control unit 116A controls the supply of power from the power supply unit 111A to each component (e.g., the heating unit 121A described below) and the charging of the power supply unit 111A with power received from an external power source. The control unit 116A is realized by, for example, an electronic circuit including a CPU (Central Processing Unit) or a microprocessor (also referred to as an MCU (Micro Controller Unit)).

[0021] 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.

[0022] 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.

[0023] 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.

[0024] As an example, power supply from power supply unit 111A 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, when sensor unit 112A detects that the user has stopped inhaling and / or that predetermined information has been input, power supply to heating unit 121A may be stopped.

[0025] 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.

[0026] 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.

[0027] 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.

[0028] 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.

[0029] 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.

[0030] 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.

[0031] 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.

[0032] 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.

[0033] 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.

[0034] 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.

[0035] (1-2. Second Configuration Example of Suction Device) Fig. 2 is a schematic diagram showing a second configuration example of the suction device 100. 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 memory unit 114B, a communication unit 115B, a control unit 116B, a heating unit 121B, a storage unit 140, and a heat insulating unit 144.

[0036] 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 the same as the corresponding component included in the suction device 100A described above.

[0037] 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.

[0038] 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.

[0039] 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.

[0040] 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.

[0041] 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.

[0042] 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.

[0043] 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.

[0044] 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.

[0045] 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.

[0046] 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 may be referred to as the "power supply unit 111," the sensor unit 112A and the sensor unit 112B as the "sensor unit 112," the notification unit 113A and the notification unit 113B as the "notification unit 113," the memory unit 114A and the memory unit 114B as the "memory unit 114," the communication unit 115A and the communication unit 115B as the "communication unit 115," the control unit 116A and the control unit 116B as the "control unit 116," and the heating unit 121A and the heating unit 121B as the "heating unit 121."

[0047] 2. Circuit Configuration of Suction Device Next, each embodiment of the circuit configuration of the aerosol generation device of the present disclosure will be described. As an example of the circuit configuration of the aerosol generation device, the description will be given based on the suction device 100A of the first configuration example and the suction device 100B of the second configuration example described above.

[0048] 3 is a schematic diagram showing the circuit configuration of the inhalation device 100 of the first embodiment. In the first embodiment, power is transmitted contactlessly from a power transmission circuit 10 to a power reception circuit 20 (described later) using a magnetic field resonance method, and the aerosol source and / or flavor source are heated by the transmitted power.

[0049] The inhalation device 100 includes an AC power supply 5, a power transmission circuit 10 connected to the AC power supply 5, a power receiving circuit 20 that contactlessly receives power output from the power transmission circuit 10, and a heater 27 that heats the aerosol source and / or the flavor source with the power received by the power receiving circuit 20. The heater 27 is an example of the heating unit 121 described above.

[0050] The AC power supply 5 includes the power supply unit 111 described above and an inverter circuit 6 that converts DC power supplied from the power supply unit 111 into AC power. The inverter circuit 6 has at least one switching element, and converts the DC power supplied from the power supply unit 111 into AC power by turning the switching element on and off based on a control command from a control unit 116 (see FIGS. 1 and 2 ), and applies the AC power to the power transmission circuit 10. In the drawings, the AC power supply 5 is also referred to as "AC."

[0051] The power transmitting circuit 10 includes a primary coil 11 that generates a magnetic field when AC power is applied from an AC power source 5, and a capacitor 12 connected to the primary coil 11. The primary coil 11 is made of a conductor wound multiple times and is formed, for example, in a spiral or vortex shape. The power transmitting circuit 10 is configured as an LC series resonant circuit in which the primary coil 11 and the capacitor 12 are connected in series, and outputs (transmits) AC power to the power receiving circuit 20 in a contactless manner through magnetic field resonance. Although not shown, the power transmitting circuit 10 may also be configured as an LC parallel resonant circuit in which the primary coil 11 and the capacitor 12 are connected in parallel.

[0052] The power receiving circuit 20 includes a secondary coil 21 that generates an induced current in response to the magnetic field generated by the primary coil 11, and a capacitor 22 connected to the secondary coil 21. The secondary coil 21 is made of a conductor wound multiple times and is formed, for example, in a spiral or vortex shape. The power receiving circuit 20 is configured as an LC series resonant circuit in which the secondary coil 21 and the capacitor 22 are connected in series, and receives power output from the primary coil 11 by magnetic field resonance in a wireless manner. As shown in FIG. 4 , the power receiving circuit 20 may also be configured as an LC parallel resonant circuit in which the secondary coil 21 and the capacitor 22 are connected in parallel. Unlike the power transmitting circuit 10, the power receiving circuit 20 is not connected to the AC power source 5.

[0053] The heater 27 is connected to the power receiving circuit 20 and heats the aerosol source and / or the flavor source with the power received by the secondary coil 21. The heater 27 is an example of the heating unit 121 described above and is configured as, for example, a heating resistor. In the drawings, the heater 27 is also referred to as "HTR."

[0054] The primary coil 11 and the secondary coil 21 are wound around cores 13 and 23, respectively. By providing the cores 13 and 23, the efficiency of contactless power transmission can be improved. The cores 13 and 23 are preferably made of a material that does not easily generate heat, such as ferrite. Alternatively, one or both of the cores 13 and 23 may be omitted.

[0055] In this way, the power transmitting circuit 10 and the power receiving circuit 20 are provided without contact, and the power used to heat the aerosol source and / or the flavor source is transmitted contactlessly from the power transmitting circuit 10 to the power receiving circuit 20. This configuration increases the degree of freedom in the layout of the circuits included in the inhalation device 100. As a result, the inhalation device 100 can be made more compact. Furthermore, power transmission using magnetic field resonance can achieve high transmission efficiency even when the distance between the power transmitting circuit 10 and the power receiving circuit 20 is large.

[0056] Here, a specific description will be given of the circuit configuration of the inhalation device 100 of the first embodiment when applied to the inhalation device 100A of the first configuration example or the inhalation device 100B of the second configuration example. First, a description will be given of the case where the inhalation device 100 is the inhalation device 100A. In this case, the heater 27 corresponds to the heating unit 121A of the cartridge 120 and heats and atomizes the aerosol source held in the liquid guide unit 122. The heater 27 may also be a flavor source heating unit that heats the flavor source 131. In this case, a heating unit 121A that heats the aerosol source is separately provided.

[0057] The power receiving circuit 20 and the heater 27 may be configured to be housed inside the cartridge 120. Such a configuration eliminates the need to provide electrodes on the cartridge 120. Furthermore, the heater 27 can be easily replaced.

[0058] Alternatively, the primary coil 11 may be configured as a heating element by being formed from a highly resistive material such as nichrome wire. In this case, the primary coil 11 functions as an example of the heating unit 121A. In other words, the heating unit 121A may further include the primary coil 11 in addition to the heater 27, and the aerosol source and / or the flavor source may be heated by the heat generated by the primary coil 11. For example, the primary coil 11 may heat the flavor source of the flavor imparting cartridge 130 as a flavor source heating unit, and the heater 27 connected to the secondary coil 21 may heat the aerosol source of the cartridge 120. Conversely, the primary coil 11 may heat the aerosol source, and the heater 27 connected to the secondary coil 21 may heat the flavor source.

[0059] Next, a case where the suction device 100 is a suction device 100B will be described. In this case, the heater 27 corresponds to the heating section 121B that heats the substrate section 151 of the stick-shaped substrate 150.

[0060] Furthermore, the primary coil 11 may be configured as a heating element by being formed from a highly resistive material such as nichrome wire. In other words, the heating unit 121B may further include the primary coil 11 in addition to the heater 27, and the aerosol source may be heated by the heat generated by the primary coil 11. For example, the primary coil 11 and the heater 27 connected to the secondary coil 21 may be provided at different positions in the longitudinal direction of the stick-shaped substrate 150, and each may heat a different region of the stick-shaped substrate 150.

[0061] (2-2. Circuit Configuration of Suction Device of Second Embodiment) Figure 5 is a schematic diagram showing the circuit configuration of the suction device 100 of the second embodiment. In the second embodiment, power is transmitted contactlessly from the power transmitting circuit 10 to the power receiving circuit 20 by magnetic field resonance, and the susceptor Su provided on the power receiving circuit 20 side is inductively heated. In the following description, the same components as those of the suction device 100 of the first embodiment are denoted by the same reference numerals, and description thereof will be omitted as appropriate.

[0062] The inhalation device 100 includes a power transmission circuit 10, a power receiving circuit 20, and a heating unit 121. In the second embodiment, the heating unit 121 includes a secondary coil 21 of the power receiving circuit 20 and inductively heats a susceptor Su that is configured to heat an aerosol source and / or a flavor source. More specifically, the secondary coil 21 receives power output from the primary coil 11 of the power transmission circuit 10 through magnetic field resonance. An eddy current is generated in the susceptor Su due to a magnetic field generated by an induced current generated by the secondary coil 21, generating Joule heat. The aerosol source and / or flavor source are heated by this Joule heat.

[0063] In the second embodiment, similar to the first embodiment, the power transmitting circuit 10 and the power receiving circuit 20 are provided without contact, and the power used to heat the aerosol source and / or the flavor source is transmitted contactlessly from the power transmitting circuit 10 to the power receiving circuit 20. This increases the degree of freedom in the layout of the circuits provided in the inhalation device 100. As a result, the inhalation device 100 can be made more compact. Furthermore, in the second embodiment, the heater 27 is not provided, and the aerosol source and / or the flavor source are heated by the secondary coil 21 and the susceptor Su, so the inhalation device 100 can be made even more compact.

[0064] Here, a specific description will be given of a case where the circuit configuration of the inhalation device 100 of the second embodiment is applied to the inhalation device 100A of the first configuration example or the inhalation device 100B of the second configuration example. First, a description will be given of a case where the inhalation device 100 is the inhalation device 100A. In this case, the susceptor Su may be configured to heat the aerosol source of the cartridge 120, or may be configured to heat the flavor source of the flavor imparting cartridge 130. For example, the susceptor Su may be disposed inside the cartridge 120, or may be disposed so as to cover at least a portion of the outer periphery of the cartridge 120. Furthermore, the susceptor Su may be disposed inside the flavor imparting cartridge 130, or may be disposed so as to cover at least a portion of the outer periphery of the flavor imparting cartridge 130.

[0065] Next, a case where the suction device 100 is a suction device 100B will be described. In this case, the susceptor Su is realized, for example, by a plate- or rod-shaped metal that extends along the longitudinal direction of the stick-shaped substrate 150 and is disposed inside the stick-shaped substrate 150. The susceptor Su may also be realized by a metal that is disposed so as to cover at least a portion of the outer periphery of the accommodation section 140. The secondary coil 21 is realized, for example, by a coil-shaped (e.g., spiral) conducting wire wound around the outer periphery of the accommodation section 140.

[0066] As in the first embodiment described above, the heating unit 121 (121A, 121B) may further include a primary coil 11 configured as a heating element. That is, in addition to the secondary coil 21 and the susceptor Su, the aerosol source and / or the flavor source may also be heated by the heat generated by the primary coil 11.

[0067] Fig. 6 is a schematic diagram showing the circuit configuration of the suction device 100 according to a modified example of the second embodiment. As shown in Fig. 6, the susceptor Su may also be provided on the power transmitting circuit 10 side. That is, the heating unit 121 may further include the primary coil 11 of the power transmitting circuit 10 and inductively heat the susceptor Su that is provided to heat the aerosol source and / or the flavor source. In the example shown in Fig. 6, the susceptor Su provided on the power receiving circuit 20 side and the susceptor Su provided on the power transmitting circuit 10 side are separate bodies, but the susceptor Su provided on the power receiving circuit 20 side and the power transmitting circuit 10 side may be the same body.

[0068] According to this configuration, when the inhalation device 100 is the inhalation device 100A, for example, the susceptor Su provided on the power receiving circuit 20 side can heat the aerosol source held in the liquid guide portion 122 of the cartridge 120, and the susceptor Su provided on the power transmitting circuit 10 side can heat the flavor source of the flavor imparting cartridge 130. Conversely, the susceptor Su provided on the power receiving circuit 20 side can heat the flavor source, and the susceptor Su provided on the power transmitting circuit 10 side can heat the aerosol source.

[0069] Furthermore, when the suction device 100 is the suction device 100B, for example, the susceptor Su provided on the power receiving circuit 20 side and the susceptor Su provided on the power transmitting circuit 10 side can each heat different regions of the stick-shaped substrate 150.

[0070] 7 is a schematic diagram showing the circuit configuration of the inhalation device 100 according to the third embodiment. In the third embodiment, power is transmitted contactlessly from the power transmitting circuit 10 to the power receiving circuit 20 by magnetic field resonance, and the aerosol source and / or flavor source are heated by heat generated by the secondary coil 21 configured as a heating element.

[0071] The secondary coil 21 is configured as a heating element by being formed from a material with high resistance, such as nichrome wire. In the third embodiment, the heating unit 121 includes the secondary coil 21, and the aerosol source and / or flavor source are heated by the heat generated by the secondary coil 21. More specifically, the secondary coil 21 receives power output from the primary coil 11 of the power transmission circuit 10 through magnetic field resonance, and Joule heat is generated from the secondary coil 21. The aerosol source and / or flavor source are heated by this Joule heat.

[0072] Although not shown, in the third embodiment, a susceptor Su may be provided on the power receiving circuit 20 side and / or the power transmitting circuit 10 side as in the second embodiment. Furthermore, cores 13, 23 may be provided on the power receiving circuit 20 side and / or the power transmitting circuit 10 side.

[0073] Here, a specific description will be given of the circuit configuration of the inhalation device 100 of the third embodiment when applied to the inhalation device 100A of the first configuration example or the inhalation device 100B of the second configuration example. First, a description will be given of the case where the inhalation device 100 is the inhalation device 100A. In this case, the secondary coil 21 corresponds to the heating unit 121A of the cartridge 120 and heats the aerosol source held in the liquid guide unit 122. The secondary coil 21 may also be a flavor source heating unit that heats the flavor source.

[0074] The power receiving circuit 20 (secondary coil 21 and capacitor 22) may be configured to be housed inside the cartridge 120. With this configuration, it is not necessary to provide the cartridge 120 with electrodes.

[0075] Next, a case where the suction device 100 is a suction device 100B will be described. In this case, the secondary coil 21 corresponds to a heating section 121B that heats the stick-shaped substrate 150.

[0076] As in the first and second embodiments described above, the heating unit 121 (121A, 121B) may further include a primary coil 11 configured as a heating element. That is, in addition to the heat generated by the secondary coil 21, the aerosol source and / or the flavor source may also be heated by the heat generated by the primary coil 11.

[0077] (2-4. Circuit Configuration of Suction Device of Fourth Embodiment) Next, the circuit configuration of the suction device 100 of the fourth embodiment will be described, including modified examples. The suction device 100 of the fourth embodiment includes a plurality of power receiving circuits 20. Each power receiving circuit 20 may have any of the configurations of the first to third embodiments described above, but the following description will be given of an example in which the configuration of the second embodiment (i.e., the configuration for inductively heating the susceptor Su) is applied.

[0078] Fig. 8 is a schematic diagram showing the circuit configuration of the suction device 100 of the fourth embodiment. As shown in Fig. 8, a plurality of (here, two) power receiving circuits 20 are provided. The secondary coils 21 of each power receiving circuit 20 are disposed on one side of the primary coil 11 in the axial direction. The two secondary coils 21 are disposed side by side along the axial direction of the primary coil 11. It should be noted that three or more power receiving circuits 20 may be provided.

[0079] A plurality of heating units 121 are provided corresponding to the plurality of power receiving circuits 20. Specifically, a plurality of susceptors Su are provided corresponding to the plurality of power receiving circuits 20, and each of the plurality of heating units 121 (i.e., secondary coils 21) inductively heats the corresponding susceptor Su. Thus, the aerosol source and / or flavor source can be heated in various ways.

[0080] The multiple power receiving circuits 20 may be configured to have different resonant frequencies. The resonant frequency of each power receiving circuit 20 may be adjusted, for example, by the number of turns of the secondary coil 21 or by the capacitance of the capacitor 22. With this configuration, the control unit 116 can selectively switch the power receiving circuit 20 that magnetically resonates by controlling the inverter circuit 6 of the AC power supply 5 to adjust the frequency of the power output from the primary coil 11 to one of the resonant frequencies.

[0081] When the inhalation device 100 is the inhalation device 100A, for example, a power receiving circuit 20 that heats the aerosol source held in the liquid guide section 122 of the cartridge 120 and a power receiving circuit 20 that heats the flavor source of the flavor imparting cartridge 130 can be provided separately. Specifically, the multiple heating sections 121 may include a first heating section that heats one of the aerosol source and the flavor source with power received by the power receiving circuit 20 having a first resonant frequency, and a second heating section that heats the other of the aerosol source and the flavor source with power received by the power receiving circuit 20 having a second resonant frequency different from the first resonant frequency.

[0082] Furthermore, when the suction device 100 is the suction device 100B, for example, different regions of the stick-shaped substrate 150 can be heated by the respective heating units 121. Specifically, the multiple heating units 121 may include a first heating unit that heats a first region of the stick-shaped substrate 150 with power received by a power receiving circuit 20 having a first resonant frequency, and a second heating unit that heats a second region of the stick-shaped substrate 150, different from the first region, with power received by a power receiving circuit 20 having a second resonant frequency different from the first resonant frequency.

[0083] As described above, according to the inhalation device 100 of the fourth embodiment, it is possible to selectively heat the aerosol source and the flavor source, and to selectively control the heated portion of the stick-shaped substrate 150 .

[0084] 8, a susceptor Su is also provided on the power transmission circuit 10 side, but a core 13 around which the primary coil 11 is wound may be provided instead of the susceptor Su. Such a configuration can improve the efficiency of power transmission from the power transmission circuit 10 to the power receiving circuit 20.

[0085] (2-4-1. Modification 1 of Fourth Embodiment) Fig. 9 is a schematic diagram showing the circuit configuration of the suction device 100 of Modification 1 of the fourth embodiment. As shown in Fig. 9, the secondary coils 21 of each power receiving circuit 20 are arranged on both sides of the primary coil 11 in the axial direction. This arrangement allows both of the two secondary coils 21 to be close to the primary coil 11. This improves the efficiency of contactless power transmission.

[0086] (2-4-2. Modification 2 of Fourth Embodiment) FIG. 10 is a schematic diagram showing the circuit configuration of the suction device 100 of Modification 2 of the fourth embodiment. As shown in FIG. 10 , the primary coil 11 of the power transmission circuit 10 has a shape that is radially larger than each of the secondary coils 21. In Modification 2, the multiple secondary coils 21 are arranged side by side in the radial direction of the primary coil 11, rather than lined up along the axial direction of the primary coil 11. Even with this configuration, both of the two secondary coils 21 can be brought close to the primary coil 11.

[0087] 11 is a schematic diagram showing a state in which multiple secondary coils 21 are arranged in a matrix. Here, nine secondary coils 21 are arranged in a 3 x 3 matrix in the radial direction of the primary coil 11. The nine power receiving circuits 20, each having a secondary coil 21, are configured to have different resonance frequencies. With this configuration, the control unit 116 can selectively control the heating locations of, for example, a sheet-like aerosol source and / or a flavor source having susceptors Su arranged in a matrix. The number of secondary coils 21 arranged in a matrix can be determined arbitrarily.

[0088] (2-4-3. Modification 3 of Fourth Embodiment) Fig. 12 is a schematic diagram showing the circuit configuration of the suction device 100 according to Modification 3 of the fourth embodiment. In Modification 3, a plurality of primary coils 11 are provided in the power transmission circuit 10. In the example shown in Fig. 12, two primary coils 11 are provided in parallel with the AC power supply 5, and two power receiving circuits 20 are provided corresponding to the two primary coils 11, respectively.

[0089] 13 , two primary coils 11 may be provided in series with the AC power supply 5. In this case, the resonant frequency of the power transmission circuit 10 is determined by the sum of the inductances of the two primary coils 11 and the capacitance of the capacitor 12.

[0090] (2-5. Circuit Configuration of Inhalation Device of Fifth Embodiment) Figure 14 is a schematic diagram showing the circuit configuration of an inhalation device 100 of a fifth embodiment. While the first to fourth embodiments described above utilize a magnetic field resonance method, the fifth embodiment utilizes an electromagnetic induction method. That is, power is transmitted contactlessly from the power transmitting circuit 10 to the power receiving circuit 20 by electromagnetic induction, and the aerosol source and / or flavor source is heated by the transmitted power.

[0091] According to the fifth embodiment using the electromagnetic induction method, the power receiving circuit 20 does not need to include a capacitor. In the example shown in Fig. 14, a heater 27 (an example of a heating unit 121) is connected to the power receiving circuit 20, and the aerosol source and / or flavor source is heated by power received by the secondary coil 21 in a contactless manner via electromagnetic induction. Even when using the electromagnetic induction method in this way, the power transmitting circuit 10 and the power receiving circuit 20 can be provided without contact, which increases the flexibility of the circuit layout of the inhalation device 100. This in turn allows for the miniaturization of the inhalation device 100.

[0092] The configurations described in the second and third embodiments may be applied to the suction device 100 of the fifth embodiment, which uses an electromagnetic induction system. Specifically, the heating unit 121 may include a secondary coil 21 that induction heats the susceptor Su, or may include a secondary coil 21 configured as a heating element. Furthermore, the primary coil 11 and the secondary coil 21 may be wound around the cores 13 and 23, respectively.

[0093] The configuration described in the fourth embodiment may also be applied to the suction device 100 of the fifth embodiment, which uses an electromagnetic induction system. Specifically, the suction device 100 may include a plurality of power receiving circuits 20 (secondary coils 21) and a plurality of power transmitting circuits 10 (primary coils 11). The arrangement and number of the secondary coils 21 and primary coils 11 may also be the same as those described in the fourth embodiment, and may be applied to the suction device 100 of the fifth embodiment.

[0094] (2-6. Circuit Configuration of Suction Apparatus of Sixth Embodiment) FIG. 15 is a diagram showing the circuit configuration of a suction apparatus 100 of a sixth embodiment. The example shown in FIG. 15 is an example in which the suction apparatus 100 is the suction apparatus 100B shown in FIG. 2, and aerosol is generated by induction heating a susceptor Su that is provided so as to be able to heat an aerosol source. Here, the susceptor Su is realized, for example, by a plate- or rod-shaped metal that extends along the longitudinal direction of the stick-shaped substrate 150 and is arranged inside the stick-shaped substrate 150 (more specifically, inside the substrate portion 151). Furthermore, the susceptor Su may be realized, for example, by a metal that is arranged so as to cover at least a portion of the outer periphery of the accommodation portion 140.

[0095] 15 , the suction device 100 includes, for example, a battery BATT which is an example of a power supply unit 111, an LDO2 (Low Drop Out), an MCU 30 which is an example of a control unit 116, a first DC / DC converter 40 (DC: Direct Current), a second DC / DC converter 50, a gate driver 60, a drive circuit 70, and a resonance circuit 80. As will be described in detail later, two gate drivers 60, two drive circuits 70, and two resonance circuits 80 are provided.

[0096] Here, the MCU 30, the first DC / DC converter 40, the second DC / DC converter 50, and the gate driver 60 are each realized by an integrated circuit (IC) that integrates a plurality of electronic components, such as resistors, capacitors, and transistors. Furthermore, the ground terminals (e.g., low-potential power supply terminals) of the ICs that realize the MCU 30, the first DC / DC converter 40, the second DC / DC converter 50, and the gate driver 60 are electrically connected (hereinafter simply referred to as "connected") to a ground GND having a predetermined reference potential. This allows the MCU 30, the first DC / DC converter 40, the second DC / DC converter 50, and the gate driver 60 to operate based on the reference potential of the ground GND (in other words, a common reference potential), and the reference potential of the ground GND can be treated as 0 V, for example.

[0097] The battery BATT is a DC power supply that outputs a predetermined voltage, and is realized by, for example, a lithium-ion secondary battery. Hereinafter, the output voltage of the battery BATT will also be referred to as the "battery voltage Vbat." The battery voltage Vbat can be set to, for example, 3.5 to 4.0 V. The battery BATT is connected to each of the LDO2, the first DC / DC converter 40, and the second DC / DC converter 50, and supplies the battery voltage Vbat to them.

[0098] The LDO2 is a linear regulator that receives the battery voltage Vbat, generates a constant voltage lower than the battery voltage Vbat, and outputs the generated constant voltage. Hereinafter, the output voltage of the LDO2 is also referred to as the "first system voltage Vsys1." The first system voltage Vsys1 may be, for example, 3.3 V, which is suitable as a power supply voltage for the MCU 30. The LDO2 is connected to the MCU 30 and supplies the first system voltage Vsys1 to the MCU 30. This allows a stable first system voltage Vsys1 to be supplied to the MCU 30, thereby stabilizing the operation of the MCU 30.

[0099] Note that a step-up / step-down circuit (e.g., a step-up / step-down DC / DC converter) may be provided instead of the LDO 2. In this case, the step-up / step-down circuit generates the first system voltage Vsys1 by boosting the battery voltage Vbat if the supplied battery voltage Vbat is lower than a voltage (e.g., 3.3 V) suitable for use as a power supply voltage for the MCU 30. On the other hand, the step-up / step-down circuit generates the first system voltage Vsys1 by lowering the battery voltage Vbat if the battery voltage Vbat is higher than the suitable power supply voltage for the MCU 30. In this way, an appropriate first system voltage Vsys1 can be supplied to the MCU 30, regardless of whether the battery voltage Vbat is higher or lower than the suitable power supply voltage for the MCU 30, thereby stabilizing the operation of the MCU 30.

[0100] The MCU 30 is a controller (i.e., a computer) that operates when the first system voltage Vsys1 is supplied as a power supply voltage and performs predetermined processing. As will be described in detail later, the MCU 30 can perform processing such as outputting a predetermined control signal (i.e., an instruction) to a gate driver 60 that drives a switch included in a drive circuit 70, which will be described later, as an example of processing for controlling the power supplied to the resonant circuit 80.

[0101] The first DC / DC converter 40 is a switching regulator that receives the battery voltage Vbat, generates a predetermined voltage different from the battery voltage Vbat, and outputs the generated predetermined voltage. The first DC / DC converter 40 may be used in combination with a power inductor (not shown). Hereinafter, the output voltage of the first DC / DC converter 40 is also referred to as the "power system voltage Vheat."

[0102] The first DC / DC converter 40 is connected to a drive circuit 70 that supplies power to a resonant circuit 80, and supplies a power system voltage Vheat to the connected drive circuit 70 or the resonant circuit 80. For example, as shown in FIG. 15 , when the first DC / DC converter 40 is connected to the drive circuit 70, the first DC / DC converter 40 supplies the power system voltage Vheat to the drive circuit 70.

[0103] The first DC / DC converter 40 generates a stable (for example, constant) power system voltage Vheat from the battery voltage Vbat, which may fluctuate depending on the remaining charge of the battery BATT, and outputs the power system voltage Vheat. As a result, even if the battery voltage Vbat fluctuates, the stable power system voltage Vheat can be supplied to the resonant circuit 80, and the resonant circuit 80 can appropriately perform induction heating of the susceptor Su.

[0104] As an example, the first DC / DC converter 40 generates a power system voltage Vheat having a voltage value higher than the battery voltage Vbat by boosting the supplied battery voltage Vbat. In this case, the power system voltage Vheat may be set to, for example, 5.0 V. In this way, when the power system voltage Vheat is set higher than the battery voltage Vbat, the temperature of the susceptor Su can be increased more quickly than when the power system voltage Vheat is set lower than the battery voltage Vbat.

[0105] As another example, the first DC / DC converter 40 may generate a power system voltage Vheat having a voltage value lower than the battery voltage Vbat by stepping down the supplied battery voltage Vbat. In this case, the power system voltage Vheat may be set to, for example, 3.0 V. In this manner, when the power system voltage Vheat is set lower than the battery voltage Vbat, it is possible to reduce the power consumption by the resonant circuit 80 when inductively heating the susceptor Su compared to when the power system voltage Vheat is set higher than the battery voltage Vbat.

[0106] The second DC / DC converter 50 is a switching regulator that receives the battery voltage Vbat, generates a predetermined voltage different from the battery voltage Vbat, and outputs the generated predetermined voltage. The second DC / DC converter 50 may be used in combination with a power inductor (not shown). Hereinafter, the output voltage of the second DC / DC converter 50 will also be referred to as a "second system voltage Vsys2." The second DC / DC converter 50 is connected to the gate driver 60, and supplies the second system voltage Vsys2 to the gate driver 60.

[0107] The second DC / DC converter 50 generates a stable second system voltage Vsys2 from the fluctuating battery voltage Vbat, similar to the first DC / DC converter 40, and outputs the second system voltage Vsys2. As a result, even if the battery voltage Vbat fluctuates, the stable second system voltage Vsys2 can be supplied to the gate driver 60, allowing the gate driver 60 to operate appropriately.

[0108] As an example, the second DC / DC converter 50 boosts the supplied battery voltage Vbat to generate a second system voltage Vsys2 having a voltage value higher than the battery voltage Vbat. In this case, the second system voltage Vsys2 may be set to, for example, 5.8 V, which is suitable as a power supply voltage for the gate driver 60. However, the present invention is not limited to this, and the second DC / DC converter 50 may also generate a second system voltage Vsys2 having a voltage value lower than the battery voltage Vbat.

[0109] The gate driver 60 is an IC that drives a switch included in the drive circuit 70 based on an instruction (in other words, a control signal) from the MCU 30. Here, the switch included in the drive circuit 70 is a switch that turns on and off the power supply to the resonant circuit 80. In other words, the drive circuit 70 is a circuit that has a switch that turns on and off the power supply to the resonant circuit 80 based on an instruction from the MCU 30.

[0110] 15, the drive circuit 70 is configured as a half-bridge inverter circuit having a first FET 71 (FET: Field Effect Transistor) as a high-side switch and a second FET 72 as a low-side switch. Here, the first FET 71 and the second FET 72 are described as N-channel MOSFETs (Metal-Oxide-Semiconductor Field-Effect Transistors), but they may be other types of switching elements (for example, P-channel MOSFETs).

[0111] The first FET 71, which is a high-side switch, has a drain terminal connected to the first DC / DC converter 40 and a source terminal connected to the drain terminal of the second FET 72. The source terminal of the second FET 72, which is a low-side switch, is connected to ground GND. The gate terminals of the first FET 71 and the second FET 72 are each connected to the gate driver 60. In addition, a connection point 70a, which is connected to the resonant circuit 80, is provided between the first FET 71 (more specifically, the source terminal of the first FET 71) and the second FET 72 (more specifically, the drain terminal of the second FET 72) in the drive circuit 70.

[0112] 15 , the MCU 30 is configured to be able to independently output to the gate driver 60, for example, a control signal as an instruction regarding the switching of the first FET 71 and a control signal as an instruction regarding the switching of the second FET 72. The MCU 30 then instructs the gate driver 60 to, for example, alternately place the first FET 71 and the second FET 72 in a conductive state. In accordance with this instruction, the gate driver 60 controls the gate voltages applied to the gate terminals of the first FET 71 and the second FET 72, thereby driving the first FET 71 and the second FET 72 so that the first FET 71 and the second FET 72 alternately place the first FET 71 and the second FET 72 in a conductive state. As a result, in the example shown in FIG. 15 , the drive circuit 70, configured as an inverter circuit, converts DC power supplied from the battery BATT and the first DC / DC converter 40 into AC power, and the AC power can be supplied to the resonant circuit 80.

[0113] The resonant circuit 80 is a circuit that inductively heats the susceptor Su when power is supplied to it. That is, when power is supplied to the resonant circuit 80, it functions as an electromagnetic induction source and causes the susceptor Su to generate heat through electromagnetic induction.

[0114] 15, the resonant circuit 80 includes a resonant coil 81 and a resonant capacitor 82, which are connected in series to form an LC series resonant circuit. In this case, the resonant coil 81 is realized by, for example, a coil-shaped (e.g., spiral) conductor wound around the outer periphery of the housing 140, and generates a magnetic field when an alternating current is supplied. When the magnetic field is generated, an eddy current is generated in the susceptor Su, generating Joule heat. This Joule heat heats the aerosol source of the stick-shaped substrate 150, generating an aerosol.

[0115] The resonant capacitor 82 has one end connected to the resonant coil 81 and the other end connected to the ground GND. The resonant frequency varies depending on the inductance of the resonant coil 81 and the capacitance of the resonant capacitor 82, which constitute the resonant circuit 80.

[0116] In this embodiment, two gate drivers 60, two drive circuits 70, and two resonant circuits 80 are provided. The two resonant circuits 80 are provided in parallel with each other relative to the battery BATT and the first DC / DC converter 40. The two drive circuits 70 are provided corresponding to the two resonant circuits 80, respectively. The two gate drivers 60 are provided in parallel with each other relative to the second DC / DC converter 50, and are provided corresponding to the two drive circuits 70, respectively.

[0117] In the following description, the two gate drivers 60, the two drive circuits 70, and the two resonant circuits 80 may be distinguished and referred to as gate drivers 60A, 60B, drive circuits 70A, 70B, and resonant circuits 80A, 80B, respectively.

[0118] The resonant coils 81A and 81B of the resonant circuits 80A and 80B are wound, for example, at different positions on the outer periphery of the accommodation portion 140, and the susceptor Su is induction heated by the two resonant circuits 80A and 80B. In the example shown in Fig. 15, the susceptor Su is common to the resonant coils 81A and 81B, but separate susceptors Su may be provided for the resonant coils 81A and 81B, respectively.

[0119] The MCU 30 is configured to control the drive circuits 70A, 70B to selectively switch one of the two resonant circuits 80A, 80B to a heating operation state. Here, the "heating operation state" refers to a state in which AC power generated by driving the drive circuit 70 is supplied to the resonant circuit 80, and the resonant circuit 80 inductively heats the susceptor Su. Furthermore, a "non-heating operation state" described later refers to a state in which the drive circuit 70 is not driven and no power is supplied to the resonant circuit 80 from the battery BATT.

[0120] Specifically, when induction heating the susceptor Su using the resonant circuit 80A, the MCU 30 drives the drive circuit 70A via the gate driver 60A, switching the resonant circuit 80A to a heating operation state. The MCU 30 also does not drive the drive circuit 70B, switching the resonant circuit 80B to a non-heating operation state. Conversely, when induction heating the susceptor Su using the resonant circuit 80B, the MCU 30 drives the drive circuit 70B via the gate driver 60B, switching the resonant circuit 80B to a heating operation state. The MCU 30 also does not drive the drive circuit 70A, switching the resonant circuit 80A to a non-heating operation state. When induction heating the susceptor Su using both the resonant circuit 80A and the resonant circuit 80B, the MCU 30 alternately switches the drive circuits 70A and 70B to be driven at predetermined time intervals, thereby alternately switching the resonant circuits 80A and 80B to be in a heating operation state at predetermined time intervals.

[0121] In this way, the inhalation device 100 includes two resonant circuits 80A and 80B, and therefore, different positions on the stick-shaped substrate 150, which is the aerosol source, can be selectively heated.

[0122] When the drive circuit 70A is driven to inductively heat the susceptor Su using the resonant circuit 80A, an induced current is generated in the resonant coil 81B of the resonant circuit 80B in response to the magnetic field generated by the resonant coil 81A. The magnetic field generated by this induced current also generates eddy currents in the susceptor Su, generating Joule heat. In this way, the resonant circuit 80B in a non-heating operating state, in which the drive circuit 70B is not driven, also inductively heats the susceptor Su, so that the resonant circuit 80B in a non-heating operating state can also be utilized to heat the aerosol source. In particular, when the drive circuit 70A is driven so as to magnetically resonate the resonant circuits 80A and 80B, the efficiency of heating by the resonant circuit 80B can be improved.

[0123] In the circuit configuration of the suction device 100 of the sixth embodiment, the resonant circuit 80A in the heating operation state corresponds to the “power transmitting circuit” in each of the above-mentioned embodiments, and the resonant circuit 80B in the non-heating operation state corresponds to the “power receiving circuit.” In addition, the battery BATT, the first DC / DC converter 40, and the drive circuit 70 correspond to the “AC power supply.”

[0124] The resonant circuit 80B in the non-heating operating state, corresponding to the "power receiving circuit," is preferably configured to pass sufficient induced current to significantly heat the aerosol source and / or flavor source.

[0125] To specifically explain "significantly heating" by way of an example, resonant circuit 80B in a non-heating operating state may be configured to allow an induced current to flow therethrough that is large enough to increase the temperature of the aerosol source and / or the flavor source. In other words, heating unit 121, which is configured by resonant coil 81B and susceptor Su, may be configured to be heatable so as to increase the temperature of the aerosol source and / or the flavor source.

[0126] To be more specific, resonant circuit 80B in the non-heating operating state may be configured to generate an induced current of a magnitude that heats the aerosol source and / or flavor source while maintaining or gradually decreasing the temperature of the aerosol source and / or flavor source at a predetermined temperature. In other words, the heating by resonant circuit 80B in the non-heating operating state does not necessarily increase the temperature of the aerosol source and / or flavor source.

[0127] To explain this in more detail using another example, the resonant circuit 80B in the non-heated operating state may be configured to pass an induced current of a magnitude capable of maintaining the temperature of the aerosol source and / or flavor source in a temperature range higher than the ambient temperature of the inhalation device 100 (e.g., room temperature).

[0128] To explain this in more detail using another example, the resonant circuit 80B in the non-heating operating state may be configured to pass an induced current of a magnitude sufficient to maintain the temperature of the aerosol source within a temperature range in which aerosol can be generated.

[0129] Next, the heating control of the suction device 100 of the sixth embodiment will be specifically described. As described above, in the sixth embodiment, when heating the susceptor Su, not only the resonant circuit 80A in the heating operation state but also the resonant circuit 80B in the non-heating operation state are utilized. It is preferable that the MCU 30 heats the susceptor Su by appropriately controlling not only the resonant circuit 80A in the heating operation state but also the resonant circuit 80B in the non-heating operation state.

[0130] When the MCU 30 drives the drive circuit 70A, the power supplied from the resonant coil 81A of the resonant circuit 80A to the resonant circuit 80B in the non-heating operating state can be adjusted, for example, by the capacitance value of the resonant capacitor 82 of the resonant circuit 80B. By setting the resonant capacitor 82 of the resonant circuit 80B to an appropriate capacitance value in advance, for example, when the MCU 30 drives the drive circuit 70A to supply a predetermined first power (e.g., 10 W) to the resonant circuit 80A in the heating operating state, it is possible to adjust the power so that a predetermined second power (e.g., 5 W) is supplied to the resonant circuit 80B in the non-heating operating state.

[0131] Next, several other examples of how the power supplied to the resonant circuit 80B in the non-heating operating state can be adjusted will be described. Instead of or in addition to the capacitance value, the power supplied to the resonant circuit 80B can be adjusted by changing the number of turns and / or the diameter of the turns of the resonant coil 81B of the resonant circuit 80B. Furthermore, the power supplied to the resonant circuit 80B can be adjusted by utilizing the characteristic that the induced current in the resonant circuit 80B increases when the second FET 72 of the drive circuit 70B is turned on and decreases when the second FET 72 is turned off. The power supplied to the resonant circuit 80B can also be adjusted by changing the switching duty ratio of the first FET 71 and the second FET 72 of the drive circuit 70A.

[0132] The MCU 30 controls the power supplied to the resonant circuit 80A based on a physical quantity correlated with the temperature of the susceptor Su, thereby controlling the temperature of a first portion of the susceptor Su heated by the resonant circuit 80A. The MCU 30 also estimates the temperature of a second portion (a portion different from the first portion) of the susceptor Su heated by the resonant circuit 80B based on the temperature of the first portion of the susceptor Su heated by the resonant circuit 80A. Here, the physical quantity correlated with the temperature of the susceptor Su includes, for example, the voltage across the resonant capacitor 82 of the resonant circuit 80A and the voltage across the resonant coil 81A of the resonant circuit 80A.

[0133] When estimating the temperature of the second part of the susceptor Su heated by the resonant circuit 80B, the MCU 30 may estimate the temperature based on the voltage across the resonant capacitor 82 of the resonant circuit 80A and the voltage across the resonant coil 81A of the resonant circuit 80A as described above, as well as the voltage across the resonant capacitor 82 of the resonant circuit 80B and the voltage across the resonant coil 81B.

[0134] When a susceptor Su is provided separately for each of the resonant circuits 80A and 80B, the MCU 30 estimates the temperature of the other susceptor Su heated by the resonant circuit 80B based on the temperature of the susceptor Su heated by the resonant circuit 80A.

[0135] In the sixth embodiment, the heating of the aerosol source and / or the flavor source is not limited to that using the susceptor Su, but may be performed by heat generation from a resonant coil 81 configured as a heating element, or may be configured to include a heater 27. Furthermore, three or more drive circuits 70 and resonant circuits 80 may be provided.

[0136] Although the above describes various embodiments of the aerosol generating device of the present disclosure, it goes without saying that the present disclosure is not limited to such embodiments. 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 naturally fall within the technical scope of the present disclosure. Furthermore, the components of the above-described embodiments may be combined in any manner without departing from the spirit of the invention.

[0137] For example, in each of the above-described embodiments, contactless power transmission from the power transmitting circuit 10 to the power receiving circuit 20 was performed using a magnetic field resonance method or an electromagnetic induction method, but this is not limited to this and may also be performed using an electric field coupling method.

[0138] In addition, in each of the above-described embodiments, the AC power supply 5 and the power transmission circuit 10 are provided in the suction device 100 , but this is not limitative and the AC power supply 5 and the power transmission circuit 10 may be provided outside the suction device 100 .

[0139] 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.

[0140] (1) An aerosol generating device (inhalation device 100) that generates an aerosol by heating an aerosol source, comprising: a power receiving circuit (power receiving circuit 20) that receives power output from a power transmitting circuit (power transmitting circuit 10) having a primary coil (primary coil 11) that generates a magnetic field by AC power applied from an AC power source (AC power source 5) in a contactless manner, and that has a secondary coil (secondary coil 21) that generates an induced current in response to the magnetic field generated by the primary coil; and a heating unit (heating unit 121, heater 27, primary coil 11, secondary coil 21) that heats at least one of the aerosol source or a flavor source by at least the power received by the power receiving circuit.

[0141] According to (1), the power transmitting circuit and the power receiving circuit are provided without contact, and the power used to heat the aerosol source and / or the flavor source can be transmitted from the power transmitting circuit to the power receiving circuit without contact. This configuration increases the degree of freedom in the layout of the circuits in the aerosol generating device, thereby enabling the aerosol generating device to be made smaller.

[0142] (2) The aerosol generating device according to (1), wherein the heating unit (heater 27) is connected to the power receiving circuit.

[0143] According to (2), the aerosol source and / or the flavor source can be heated by a heating unit connected to the power receiving circuit.

[0144] (3) The aerosol generating device according to (2), wherein the secondary coil is wound around a core (core 23).

[0145] According to (3), the efficiency of contactless power transmission can be improved.

[0146] (4) The aerosol generating device according to (1), wherein the heating unit includes the secondary coil and inductively heats a susceptor (susceptor Su) that is configured to be able to heat at least one of the aerosol source and the flavor source.

[0147] According to (4), since the aerosol source and / or flavor source is heated via the susceptor, there is no need to provide a separate heater or the like, and the aerosol generating device can be made smaller.

[0148] (5) The aerosol generating device according to (1), wherein the heating unit includes the secondary coil, and heats at least one of the aerosol source and the flavor source by heat generated by the secondary coil.

[0149] According to (5), the aerosol source and / or flavor source are heated by the heat generated by the secondary coil, so there is no need to provide a separate heater or the like, and the aerosol generating device can be made smaller.

[0150] (6) The aerosol generating device according to any one of (1) to (5), wherein the heating unit includes the primary coil and inductively heats a susceptor (susceptor Su) that is configured to be able to heat at least one of the aerosol source or the flavor source, or heats at least one of the aerosol source or the flavor source by heat generated by the primary coil.

[0151] According to (6), the primary coil can be used to heat the aerosol source and / or the flavor source.

[0152] (7) The aerosol generating device according to any one of (1) to (6), wherein the power receiving circuit is a resonant circuit further having a capacitor (capacitor 22) connected to the secondary coil, and receives power output from the primary coil by magnetic field resonance.

[0153] According to (7), power is transmitted by magnetic resonance, so that high power transmission efficiency can be achieved even when the distance between the power transmitting circuit and the power receiving circuit is large.

[0154] (8) The aerosol generating device according to (7), wherein a plurality of the power receiving circuits are provided, and a plurality of the heating units are provided corresponding to the plurality of power receiving circuits, respectively.

[0155] According to (8), since a plurality of heating units are provided corresponding to a plurality of power receiving circuits, the aerosol source and / or the flavor source can be heated in various ways. For example, the plurality of heating units can separately heat the aerosol source and the flavor source, or can separately heat different positions on the aerosol source.

[0156] (9) The aerosol generating device according to (8), wherein the plurality of power receiving circuits have mutually different resonance frequencies.

[0157] According to (9), the aerosol source and the flavor source can be selectively heated, and the heated locations of the aerosol source and / or the flavor source can be selectively controlled.

[0158] (10) The aerosol generating device according to (9), wherein the plurality of heating units include a first heating unit that heats one of the aerosol source and the flavor source with power received by the power receiving circuit having a first resonant frequency, and a second heating unit that heats the other of the aerosol source and the flavor source with power received by the power receiving circuit having a second resonant frequency different from the first resonant frequency.

[0159] According to (10), the aerosol source and the flavor source can be selectively heated.

[0160] (11) The aerosol generating device according to (9), wherein the aerosol source is included in a stick-shaped substrate, and the plurality of heating units include a first heating unit that heats a first region of the substrate with power received by the power receiving circuit having a first resonant frequency, and a second heating unit that heats a second region of the substrate different from the first region with power received by the power receiving circuit having a second resonant frequency different from the first resonant frequency.

[0161] According to (11), the heating location of the aerosol source and / or flavor source can be selectively controlled.

[0162] (12) The aerosol generating device according to any one of (8) to (11), wherein the secondary coils of the plurality of power receiving circuits are arranged on both sides of the primary coil.

[0163] According to (12), multiple secondary coils can be arranged close to the primary coil, thereby improving the efficiency of contactless power transmission.

[0164] (13) The aerosol generation device according to any one of (1) to (6), wherein the power receiving circuit receives power from the primary coil by electromagnetic induction.

[0165] According to (13), power can be transmitted contactlessly with a simple configuration using an electromagnetic induction system.

[0166] (14) The aerosol generating device according to any one of (1) to (13), wherein the heating unit is configured to be heatable so as to increase the temperature of at least one of the aerosol source and the flavor source.

[0167] According to (14), the heating unit can use the power received by the power receiving circuit to perform heating so as to increase the temperature of the aerosol source and / or the flavor source.

[0168] (15) The aerosol generating device according to any one of (1) to (14), wherein the AC power supply is not connected to the power receiving circuit.

[0169] According to (15), the power receiving circuit can be provided independently of the AC power source. Note that, among the above-described embodiments, the first to fifth embodiments correspond to configurations in which the AC power source is not connected to the power receiving circuit.

[0170] 5 AC power supply 10 Power transmission circuit 11 Primary coil (heating section) 20 Power receiving circuit 21 Secondary coil (heating section) 22 Capacitor 23 Core 27 Heater (heating section) 100 Suction device (aerosol generating device) 121 Heating section Su Susceptor

Claims

1. An aerosol generating device that generates an aerosol by heating an aerosol source, comprising: a power receiving circuit that receives power output from a power transmitting circuit having a primary coil that generates a magnetic field by AC power applied from an AC power source in a contactless manner, and that has a secondary coil that generates an induced current in response to the magnetic field generated by the primary coil; and a heating unit that heats at least one of the aerosol source or a flavor source using the power received by at least the power receiving circuit.

2. An aerosol generating device according to claim 1, wherein the heating unit is connected to the power receiving circuit.

3. An aerosol generating device according to claim 2, wherein the secondary coil is wound around a core.

4. An aerosol generating device according to claim 1, wherein the heating unit includes the secondary coil and inductively heats a susceptor that is configured to be able to heat at least one of the aerosol source or the flavor source.

5. An aerosol generating device according to claim 1, wherein the heating unit includes the secondary coil, and heats at least one of the aerosol source and the flavor source by heat generated by the secondary coil.

6. An aerosol generating device according to any one of claims 1 to 5, wherein the heating unit includes the primary coil and inductively heats a susceptor that is configured to be able to heat at least one of the aerosol source or the flavor source, or heats at least one of the aerosol source or the flavor source by heat generated by the primary coil.

7. An aerosol generating device according to any one of claims 1 to 6, wherein the power receiving circuit is a resonant circuit further having a capacitor connected to the secondary coil, and receives power output from the primary coil by magnetic field resonance.

8. An aerosol generating device according to claim 7, wherein a plurality of the power receiving circuits are provided, and a plurality of the heating units are provided corresponding to the plurality of power receiving circuits, respectively.

9. An aerosol generating device according to claim 8, wherein the plurality of power receiving circuits have mutually different resonance frequencies.

10. An aerosol generating device as described in claim 9, wherein the plurality of heating units include a first heating unit that heats one of the aerosol source and the flavor source with power received by the power receiving circuit having a first resonant frequency, and a second heating unit that heats the other of the aerosol source and the flavor source with power received by the power receiving circuit having a second resonant frequency different from the first resonant frequency.

11. An aerosol generating device according to claim 9, wherein the aerosol source is included in a stick-shaped substrate, and the plurality of heating units include a first heating unit that heats a first region of the substrate with power received by the power receiving circuit having a first resonant frequency, and a second heating unit that heats a second region of the substrate different from the first region with power received by the power receiving circuit having a second resonant frequency different from the first resonant frequency.

12. An aerosol generating device according to any one of claims 8 to 11, wherein the secondary coils of the plurality of power receiving circuits are arranged on both sides of the primary coil.

13. An aerosol generating device according to any one of claims 1 to 6, wherein the power receiving circuit receives power from the primary coil by electromagnetic induction.

14. An aerosol generating device according to any one of claims 1 to 13, wherein the heating unit is configured to be heatable so as to increase the temperature of at least one of the aerosol source and the flavor source.

15. An aerosol generating device according to any one of claims 1 to 14, wherein the AC power source is not connected to the power receiving circuit.

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