WO2022230430A1

WO2022230430A1 - Inhaler power source unit

Info

Publication number: WO2022230430A1
Application number: PCT/JP2022/012249
Authority: WO
Inventors: 亮吉田; 達也青山; 拓嗣川中子; 徹長浜; 貴司藤木
Original assignee: 日本たばこ産業株式会社
Priority date: 2021-04-28
Filing date: 2022-03-17
Publication date: 2022-11-03
Also published as: KR20230170945A; US20240041129A1; EP4331404A1; CN117222335A; JPWO2022230430A1

Abstract

Provided is an inhaler power source unit for supplying power from a power source to a heater for heating an aerosol source. The power source unit has a control unit for controlling operation of the power source unit, a housing for housing the power source and the control unit, a panel which is detachably mounted to the surface of the housing, and a detection unit for detecting the attachment or detachment of the panel to and from the housing. The control unit is configured so as to perform a function restriction on a plurality of functions controlled by the control unit when the detection unit detects that the panel has been detached. The control unit has a plurality of operation modes, and the details of the function restriction differ according to each operation mode.

Description

power supply unit for aspirator

The present invention relates to a power supply unit for an aspirator.

An inhaler such as a heated cigarette may include a substrate containing an aerosol source and a flavor source, and a power supply unit that houses the substrate and supplies power from the power source to the heater to heat the substrate. The power supply unit is the part that the user holds when using, and may also include an operation unit and a display unit. Patent Literature 1 discloses an aerosol delivery system in which a removable member (panel) is attached to the surface of the assembly corresponding to the power supply unit.

Japanese Patent Publication No. 2021-500032

It is common practice to restrict functions from the perspective of device safety when specific parts such as exterior components are removed.

However, if the function restrictions are not controlled according to the contents of the functions of the device, there is a risk of impairing the user's convenience.

Therefore, the present invention provides, for example, a power supply unit for an aspirator that is advantageous in achieving both safety and user convenience.

According to one aspect of the present invention, there is provided a power supply unit for an inhaler that supplies power from a power supply to a heater for heating an aerosol source, comprising: a control unit that controls operation of the power supply unit; A housing that houses the control unit, a panel detachably attached to the surface of the housing, and a detection unit that detects attachment or detachment of the panel from the housing, wherein the control unit is configured to restrict a plurality of functions controlled by the control unit when the removal of the panel is detected by the detection unit; the control unit has a plurality of operation modes; There is provided a power supply unit characterized in that the contents of the functional restrictions differ depending on the operation mode.

According to one embodiment, an operation button arranged on the housing is further provided, and the control unit, in any of the plurality of operation modes, in a state in which the panel is removed, as the functional restrictions, Disabling the operation of the operation button.

According to one embodiment, a display unit is further provided, and the plurality of operation modes include a standby mode in which the display unit performs display and waits for detection of an unlocking operation using the operation button, and an aerosol generation mode. and an aerosol generation mode in which power is supplied to the heater for the above purpose, and when the unlocking operation is detected in the standby mode with the panel removed, the function is restricted. , does not transition to the aerosol generation mode.

According to one embodiment, in the aerosol generation mode, when the detection unit detects the removal of the panel, the control unit prohibits power supply to the heater as the function restriction.

According to one embodiment, after prohibiting power supply to the heater, the control unit stops power supply to the heater when the detection unit detects attachment of the panel within a predetermined time. remove the prohibition;

According to one embodiment, the plurality of operation modes are a sleep state in which display by the display unit is stopped and standby is performed in a power saving state when a non-operation state in which no user operation is performed on the power supply unit continues for a predetermined time in the standby mode. mode, and a pairing mode capable of executing pairing for associating the power supply unit and the external communication device, wherein the control unit uses the operation button while the panel is removed in the sleep mode. When the pairing operation is detected, as the function restriction, the pairing mode is not entered.

According to one embodiment, in the pairing mode, when the detection unit detects the removal of the panel, the control unit prohibits execution of the pairing as the function restriction.

According to one embodiment, the plurality of operation modes further include an unlock setting mode capable of setting the unlock operation in response to the unlock setting operation using the operation button. The control unit does not shift to the unlock setting mode as the function restriction when an unlock setting operation using the operation button is detected in a state where the panel is removed.

According to one embodiment, in the unlock setting mode, when the detection unit detects removal of the panel, the control unit prohibits execution of setting of the unlock operation as the function restriction. do.

According to one embodiment, the plurality of operation modes further includes a charging mode in which the power supply is charged using an external power supply, and the control unit detects removal of the panel by the detection unit in the charging mode. continue to charge the power source even if the

According to one embodiment, in an operation mode other than a sleep mode in which the display unit stops displaying and waits in a power saving state, the control unit detects that the panel has been removed by the detection unit. continues to be displayed by the display unit.

According to one embodiment, it further has a setting unit that sets the content of functional restrictions for the plurality of functions.

According to the present invention, for example, it is possible to provide a power supply unit for an aspirator that is advantageous in achieving both safety and user convenience.

Other features and advantages of the present invention will become apparent from the following description with reference to the accompanying drawings. In the accompanying drawings, the same or similar configurations are given the same reference numerals.

[Correction under Rule 91 28.03.2022]
The accompanying drawings, which are incorporated in and constitute a part of the specification, illustrate embodiments of the invention and, together with the description, serve to explain the principles of the invention.
The appearance perspective view of an aspirator. The appearance perspective view of an aspirator. The internal configuration diagram of the aspirator. The figure which shows the structural example for outer panel attachment. The figure which shows the structural example for outer panel attachment. The figure which shows the structural example for outer panel attachment. The figure which shows the structural example for outer panel attachment. FIG. 2 is a block diagram showing the functional configuration of a power supply unit; FIG. 4 is a diagram showing an example of state transition of a power supply unit; 4 is a flowchart showing an operation example of the power supply unit in sleep mode; 4 is a flowchart showing an operation example of the power supply unit in active mode; 4 is a flowchart showing an operation example of the power supply unit in an aerosol generation mode; 4 is a flowchart showing an operation example of the power supply unit in pairing mode; 4 is a flowchart showing an operation example of the power supply unit in charging mode; 4 is a flowchart showing an operation example of the power supply unit in the lock release setting mode; The figure which shows the example of the setting screen which can select the operation|movement of each function at the time of outer panel removal.

Hereinafter, embodiments will be described in detail with reference to the accompanying drawings. It should be noted that the following embodiments do not limit the invention according to the claims, and not all combinations of features described in the embodiments are essential to the invention. Two or more of the features described in the embodiments may be combined arbitrarily. Also, the same or similar configurations are denoted by the same reference numerals, and redundant explanations are omitted.

<Configuration of aspirator>
1A-B show an example of the external appearance of the suction device 100 according to the embodiment. The inhaler 100 generates a flavored aerosol, a gas containing an aerosol and a flavoring substance, or an aerosol in response to an operation that requests an aerosol, such as an inhalation operation by a user (hereinafter also referred to as an “aerosol generation request”). , or provide an aerosol containing flavorants to the user through the stick 110 . The inhaler 100 may thus be understood as an aerosol generating device.

The suction device 100 can be composed of a power supply unit 101 and a stick 110. Stick 110 is a substrate that includes, for example, an aerosol source and a flavor source. The aerosol source can be a liquid such as, for example, a polyhydric alcohol such as glycerin or propylene glycol. Alternatively, the aerosol source may contain a medicament. The aerosol source can be liquid, solid, or a mixture of liquid and solid. Instead of an aerosol source, a vapor source such as water may be used. The flavor source may be, for example, a shaped body of tobacco material. Alternatively, the flavor source may be composed of plants other than tobacco (for example, mint, herbs, Chinese medicine, coffee beans, etc.). Flavor sources such as menthol may be added to the flavor source. A flavor source may be added to the aerosol source.

The power supply unit 101 has, for example, a rounded rectangular parallelepiped shape that is elongated in the vertical direction of the paper surface of FIGS. The power supply unit 101 may include an outer panel (panel) 102 , action buttons B, and a slider 105 .

The outer panel 102 is a flexible panel member that covers at least part of the front surface of the power supply unit 101 . The outer panel 102 is a removable exterior member of the power supply unit 101 for replacement, and may be understood as a decorative panel. For example, a plurality of outer panels with different colors and patterns are prepared, and the user can replace the outer panel with a favorite outer panel. In addition, the outer panel 102 may be understood as a heat insulating panel that blocks heat generated inside the power supply unit 101, and furthermore, it is understood as a protection panel that protects the inside of the power supply unit 101 from impact and pressure when dropped. may be

A display window 103 is formed in the outer panel 102 . The display window 103 can be a strip-shaped window that extends along the longitudinal direction (vertical direction in the plane of the paper) at substantially the center of the outer panel 102 . The power supply unit 101 has a display D (display section) (see FIG. 2). The display D may include, for example, one or more LEDs (Light-Emitting Diodes). Light emitted by the LED passes through the display window 103 . The display D can display, for example, the remaining battery power in a bar graph format.

Action button B is an operation button composed of physical push buttons. The action button B is covered with the outer panel 102, but the user can operate the action button B through the outer panel 102 because the outer panel 102 has flexibility. When the user presses the action button B via the outer panel 102, a corresponding signal is transmitted to the control unit, which will be described later. In this embodiment, the case where the action button B, which is a physical button, is covered with the outer panel 102 will be described as an example. For example, instead of action button B, any other type of input device may be provided, such as a touch-sensitive surface exposed from outer panel 102 or a switch.

Note that the outer panel 102 may have such rigidity that the user needs to push the outer panel 102 with a plurality of fingers in order to operate the action button B through the outer panel 102 . As a result, for example, it is possible to prevent the action button B from being erroneously pressed while in the bag, or an unintentional erroneous operation by the user. It is also advantageous in terms of preventing mischief by children (child resistance).

The slider 105 is a cover member (shutter) slidably disposed on the upper surface of the power supply unit 101 along the direction 105a indicated by the arrow. Slider 105 is configured to open and close an opening into which stick 110 is inserted. FIG. 1A shows the opening 106 covered by the slider 105 . This state is hereinafter also referred to as "shutter closed". FIG. 1B shows a state where the opening 106 is exposed by sliding the slider 105 forward. This state is hereinafter also referred to as "shutter open".

When the user inhales the aerosol using the inhaler 100, the user operates the slider 105 to open the shutter. The user then inserts stick 110 into opening 106 . The inserted stick 110 is held by a tubular holding portion 107 communicating with the opening 106 . A cross section perpendicular to the longitudinal direction of the holding part 107 may be circular, elliptical, or polygonal, for example, and the cross sectional area may be configured to gradually decrease toward the bottom surface. With this configuration, the outer surface of the stick 110 inserted into the holding portion 107 is pressed from the inner surface of the holding portion 107, and the stick 110 can be prevented from falling off by the frictional force. The user can then perform an unlocking operation using the action button B. FIG. When the unlocking operation is performed, the lock of the power supply unit 101 is released and the heating of the stick 110 is started, so that the stick 110 can be sucked. When the stick 110 is ready for suction, the user can suck the flavored aerosol by holding the mouthpiece formed at the tip of the stick 110 with the mouth. After finishing sucking the aerosol, the user pulls out the stick 110 from the holder 107 and closes the slider 105 (shutter close).

An internal configuration diagram of the aspirator 100 is shown in FIG. Note that the outer panel 102 is omitted in FIG. The power supply unit 101 has the holding portion 107 communicating with the opening 106 and holding the stick 110 as described above. The power supply unit 101 may also include a heater H, electrical components E, and a user interface 116 . User interface 116 may be understood to be included in electrical component E. FIG. The heater H constitutes a heating section that heats the stick 110 . Heater H may include, for example, a resistive heating component that heats an aerosol source within stick 110 to generate an aerosol. A mixture of one or more of copper, nickel alloy, chromium alloy, stainless steel, and platinum-rhodium, for example, can be used as the resistance heating material of the resistance heating component. The heater H is arranged so as to cover the periphery of the holding portion 107 and generates heat by electric power supplied from the electric component E. As shown in FIG. The heat of the heater H is transmitted to the stick 110 through the holding portion 107, and the stick 110 is heated. An aerosol may be generated from the stick 110 by heating the stick 110 . User interface 116 may include action buttons B, display D, and vibration generator V. FIG. The vibration generator V can be configured with a vibration motor (vibrator) for vibrating the housing of the power supply unit 101 . By vibrating the housing with the vibration motor, the user holding the power supply unit 101 can be notified of the state.

When the user sucks the suction port at the tip of the stick 110 with his or her mouth, air flows into the stick through an opening (not shown) as illustrated by the dashed arrow A, and the heater H heats the stick 110. The vaporized and/or aerosolized aerosol source is transported by the air towards the mouthpiece. Aerosolization may be facilitated by cooling the vaporized and/or aerosolized aerosol source to form fine droplets during the process of transporting the aerosol source toward the mouthpiece. In a configuration in which the stick 110 also includes a flavor source, the flavor substance generated from the flavor source is added to the aerosol, thereby transporting the flavored aerosol to the mouthpiece and sucking it into the user's mouth. .

In the above example, the heater H is built in the power supply unit 101, but instead of the stick 110, the heater (atomizer), aerosol source, and flavor source are provided in the form of cartridges. configuration may be used.

A configuration example for attaching the outer panel 102 to the power supply unit 101 will be described with reference to FIGS. 3A-B and 4A-B.

3A is a diagram showing the inner surface of the outer panel 102. FIG. FIG. 3B is a diagram showing the portion exposed on the front surface of power supply unit 101 when outer panel 102 is removed. The power supply unit 101 has an inner panel 202 and a housing 101a that houses a power supply and electrical components (including a control unit, which will be described later). In FIG. 3B, the inner panel 202 is arranged around the action button B so that the action button B is exposed, and is arranged so as to cover the front surface of the housing 101a. When the outer panel 102 is attached to the power supply unit 101, the inner surface of the outer panel 102 and the outer surface of the inner panel 202 face each other.

As shown in FIG. 3A, the inner surface of the outer panel 102 has a magnet 11 above the display window 103, a projection 12 below the display window 103, and

magnets

13A and 14 below it. are placed. When the outer panel 102 and the inner panel 202 are brought close to each other to attach the outer panel 102 and the inner panel 202 , the outer panel 102 is attracted to the inner panel 202 by the magnetic force (magnetic attraction) of the

magnets

11 and 14 . The outer panel 102 is thereby held by the inner panel 202 . When the outer panel 102 is held by the inner panel 202, the protrusion 12 faces the action button B and is positioned so that the action button B can be pressed. A magnetic sensor 23A is arranged on the back side of the inner panel 202 . The magnet 13A is configured as a magnetic field applying section for the magnetic sensor 23A. The attachment of the outer panel 102 can be detected by the magnetic sensor 23A detecting the magnetic force generated by the magnetic field applied from the magnet 13A.

As shown in FIG. 3B, a display window 25 is formed on the outer surface of the inner panel 202 above the action button B, a magnet 21A is arranged above the display window 25, and a magnet 21A is arranged below the action button B. A magnet 24 is arranged. Further, the magnetic sensor 23A is arranged at a position between the action button B and the magnet 24 on the inner surface of the inner panel 202 (more precisely, on the substrate which is substantially zero distance from the inner surface). A magnetic force detection area 26A indicated by a broken line is formed on the outer surface of the inner panel 202 by the magnetic sensor 23A. Magnet 21A, display window 25, action button B, magnetic sensor 23A, and magnet 24 on inner panel 202 side correspond to magnet 11, display window 103, protrusion 12, magnet 13A, and magnet 14 on outer panel 102 side, respectively. That is, when the outer panel 102 is attached to the inner panel 202, they are aligned with each other and face each other.

The

magnets

21A and 24 of the inner panel 202 can be attracted to the

magnets

11 and 14 of the outer panel 102 by their magnetic force (magnetic attraction). In other words, the inner panel 202 can hold the outer panel 102 by attracting the

magnets

11 and 21A and the

magnets

14 and 24 to each other. The

magnets

11 and 14 of the outer panel 102 and the

magnets

21A and 24 of the inner panel 202 can be made of permanent magnets.

The action button B arranged in the central part of the inner panel 202 is covered with the outer panel 102 when the outer panel 102 is attached to the inner panel 202 . The user can press the action button B through the projection 12 of the outer panel 102 by pressing near the center of the outer panel 102 . Thereby, for example, power on/off of the aspirator 100 can be switched.

The magnetic sensor 23A detects magnetic force based on the magnetic field applied from the magnet 13A in the outer panel 102. For example, the magnetic sensor 23A can be a Hall sensor configured using a Hall element. Thereby, attachment of the outer panel 102 to the inner panel 202 can be detected. With the outer panel 102 attached to the inner panel 202 , light from the display D passes through the display window 25 of the inner panel 202 and the display window 103 of the outer panel 102 .

The magnetic sensor 23A of the inner panel 202 is arranged to face the magnet 13A of the outer panel 102 via the inner surface of the inner panel 202 when the outer panel 102 is attached to the inner panel 202. That is, when the outer panel 102 is attached to the inner panel 202, the distance between the magnetic sensor 23A of the inner panel 202 and the magnet 13A of the outer panel 102 is minimized.

Also, the magnetic sensor 23A of the inner panel 202 is configured so as not to detect the magnetic fields generated by the two

magnets

21A and 24 of the inner panel 202, respectively. For example, a magnetic sensor 23A is arranged on the inner surface of the inner panel 202 at a position spaced apart from the two

magnets

21A and 24 on the outer surface of the inner panel 202 . As a result, the influence of the magnetic fields from these two

magnets

21A and 24 can be made substantially zero in the magnetic sensor 23A.

The distance between the magnetic sensor 23A and the magnet 24 (or the magnet 21A) on the inner panel 202 can be configured to be greater than the distance between the magnet 13A and the magnetic sensor 23A when the outer panel 102 is attached to the inner panel 202. . Accordingly, when detecting attachment of the outer panel 102 to the inner panel 202, the magnetic sensor 23A appropriately considers only the influence of the magnetic field applied from the magnet 13A without considering the influence of the magnetic field of the magnet 24. be able to.

In one example, when the outer panel 102 is attached to the inner panel 202, the data measured by the magnetic sensor 23A may differ depending on the type of the outer panel 102. More specifically, the outer panel 102 is configured such that the magnitude of the magnetic force with respect to the magnet 13A of the magnetic field applying section, which is detected by the magnetic sensor 23A of the inner panel 202, differs according to the panel type.

For example, when the outer panel 102 is attached to the inner panel 202, the outer panel 102 is configured so that the distance between the magnet 13A, which is the magnetic field applying section, and the opposing magnetic sensor 23A varies depending on the type of the outer panel. can be In other words, the shape of the curved surface may be adjusted for each type of outer panel so that the height of the inner surface of the outer panel 102 differs depending on the type. It should be understood by those skilled in the art that the magnitude of the magnetic force generally varies according to the distance from the magnet (specifically, it is inversely proportional to the square of the distance). This allows the common magnet 13A to be used for any type of outer panel 102, which is advantageous in terms of manufacturing.

In another example, along the inner surface of the facing outer panel 102, the positions of the magnets 13A may be shifted differently depending on the type of outer panel. Thereby, the distance between the magnet 13A and the magnetic sensor 23A can be varied according to the type of the outer panel. That is, the magnitude of the magnetic force detected by the magnetic sensor 23A can be made different according to the panel type.

In yet another example, the outer panel 102 can be configured such that the type of the magnet 13A, which is the magnetic field applying section, differs according to the type of the outer panel. The magnet 13A is composed of, for example, a permanent magnet. More specifically, one of ferrite magnets, alnico magnets, cobalt magnets, neodymium magnets, etc. is selected according to the type of the outer panel. Thereby, the magnitude of the magnetic force detected by the magnetic sensor 23A can be made different according to the type of the outer panel.

　Figures 4A and 4B show a configuration example different from Figures 3A and 3B. 4A is a view showing the inner surface of outer panel 102. FIG. FIG. 4B is a diagram showing the portion exposed on the front surface of power supply unit 101 when outer panel 102 is removed. 4 is an external view of the outer surface of the inner panel 202. FIG. When the outer panel 102 is attached to the power supply unit 101, the inner surface of the outer panel 102 and the outer surface of the inner panel 202 face each other.

As shown in FIG. 4A, on the inner surface of the outer panel 102, a magnetic body 13B is arranged above the display window 103, a projection 12 is arranged below the display window 103, and a magnet 15 is arranged below it. It is Further, the magnetic body 13B includes a circular base portion 11B and leg portions 12B linearly extending from the base portion 11B in a substantially longitudinal direction. The magnetic body 13B is composed of a material that becomes magnetized by the action of the magnetic field and applies a magnetic field when a magnetic field is applied from the outside. The magnetic body 13B is configured as a magnetic field applying section for a magnetic sensor 23B (described later) of the inner panel 202 . The magnetic body 13B can be made of metal, for example. More specifically, the magnetic body 13B can be composed of a non-permanent ferromagnetic or paramagnetic body. Here, ferromagnetism refers to the property that when a magnetic field is applied from the outside, it takes on strong magnetism in the same direction as the magnetic field, and remains strong magnetism even if the magnetic field from the outside is zero. Examples of ferromagnetic materials are iron, cobalt and nickel. Paramagnetism is a property that when a magnetic field is applied from the outside, it takes on weak magnetism in the same direction as the magnetic field, and when the magnetic field from the outside is reduced to zero, it does not take on magnetism. A paramagnetic example is aluminum.

The magnetic body 13B is configured as an acted portion whose state changes (that is, is magnetized) according to the action of a magnetic field applied from the outside. In addition, the magnetic body 13B is configured as a magnetic field applying section that applies a magnetic field to the inner panel 202 . Specifically, when the outer panel 102 is attached to the inner panel 202, the magnetic body 13B functions as a portion to be acted upon by the magnet 21B of the inner panel 202. As shown in FIG. As a result, the magnetic body 13B is magnetized, and this time it functions as a magnetic field applying section for the magnet 21B of the inner panel 202 and the magnetic sensor 23B. More specifically, the outer panel 102 can be attracted to and held by the inner panel 202 by the magnetic force generated by the magnetic body 13B (especially the base portion 11B) and based on the applied magnetic field. In addition, the magnetic sensor 23B of the inner panel 202 detects the state of the leg portion 12B (that is, the magnetic force based on the magnetic field from the leg portion 12B) with respect to the magnetic field generated and applied by the magnetic body 13B (especially the leg portion 12B). can be detected. This allows the power supply unit 101 to detect attachment of the outer panel 102 .

As shown in FIG. 4B, a display window 25 is formed on the outer surface of the inner panel 202 above the action button B, a magnet 21B is arranged above the display window 25, and a magnet 21B is arranged below the action button B. A magnet 27 is arranged. Further, a magnetic sensor 23B is arranged on the side of the display window 25 on the inner surface of the inner panel 202 (more precisely, on the substrate that is substantially zero distance from the inner surface). A magnetic force detection area 26B indicated by a broken line is formed on the outer surface of the inner panel 202 by the magnetic sensor 23B. The magnet 21B, the magnetic sensor 23B, the display window 25, the action button B, and the magnet 27 on the inner panel 202 side are respectively the base portion 11B of the magnetic body 13B on the outer panel 102 side, the leg portion 12B of the magnetic body 13B, the display window 103, and the projection. 12, and magnet 15, respectively. That is, when the outer panel 102 is attached to the inner panel 202, they are aligned with each other and face each other. When the outer panel 102 is attached to the inner panel 202, the magnetic bodies 13B of the outer panel 102 are arranged so as to be aligned with both the magnet 21B of the inner panel 202 and the magnetic sensor 23B. More specifically, the base portion 11B of the magnetic body 13B of the outer panel 102 is aligned with the magnet 21B of the inner panel 202, and the leg portion 12B of the magnetic body 13B of the outer panel 102 is aligned with the magnetic sensor 23B of the inner panel 202. arranged to be aligned. In particular, when the outer panel 102 is attached to the inner panel 202, the magnetic sensor 23B faces the leg portion 12B of the magnetic body 13B through the inner surface of the inner panel 202, so that the magnetic sensor 23B and the leg of the magnetic body 13B are aligned. The distance to the portion 12B is minimized.

The magnet 21B of the inner panel 202 is configured as an action section that generates a magnetic field. Then, the magnetic force based on the magnetic field acts to magnetize the magnetic body 13B in the outer panel 102, thereby attracting the base portion 11B of the magnetic body. That is, the inner panel 202 can hold the outer panel 102 by the magnetic attraction of the base 11B of the magnetic body 13B and the magnet 21B.

The magnetic sensor 23B detects the magnetic force of the leg 12B of the magnetized magnetic body 13B in the outer panel 102. For example, the magnetic sensor 23B can be a Hall sensor configured using a Hall element, like the magnetic sensor 23A. Thereby, attachment of the outer panel 102 to the inner panel 202 can be detected.

The magnetic sensor 23B of the inner panel 202 is configured so as not to detect magnetic fields generated by the two

magnets

21B and 27 of the inner panel 202 respectively. For example, a magnetic sensor 23B is arranged on the inner surface of the inner panel 202 at a position spaced apart from the two

magnets

21B and 27 on the outer surface of the inner panel 202 . As a result, the influence of the magnetic field from these two

magnets

21B and 27 can be made substantially zero in the magnetic sensor 23B.

The distance between the magnetic sensor 23B and the magnet 21B (or the magnet 27) on the inner panel 202 is larger than the distance between the magnetic body 13B and the magnetic sensor 23B when the outer panel 102 is attached to the inner panel 202. sell. As a result, when detecting attachment of the outer panel 102 to the inner panel 202, the magnetic field applied from the leg 12B of the magnetic body 13B is not considered in the magnetic sensor 23B, without considering the influence of the magnetic fields of the two

magnets

21B and 27. Only magnetic fields that

In one example, when the outer panel 102 is attached to the inner panel 202, the data measured by the magnetic sensor 23B may differ depending on the type of the outer panel 102. More specifically, in the outer panel 102, the data regarding the magnetized magnetic body 13B detected by the magnetic sensor 23B of the inner panel 202 (that is, the magnitude of the magnetic force detected by the magnetic sensor 23B) is stored in accordance with the panel type. are configured differently.

For example, the outer panel 102 is configured such that when the outer panel 102 is attached to the inner panel 202, the distance between the leg portion 12B of the magnetic body 13B and the opposing magnetic sensor 23B varies depending on the type of the outer panel 102. be done. In other words, the shape of the curved surface may be adjusted for each type of panel so that the height of the inner surface of the outer panel 102 differs depending on the type. Thus, the magnetic material 13B may be used in common for any type of outer panel 102, which is advantageous in terms of manufacturing.

In another example, along the inner surface of the facing outer panel 102, the positions of the magnetic bodies 13B may be shifted differently depending on the panel type. Thereby, the distance between the magnetic body 13B and the magnetic sensor 23B can be made different according to the panel type. That is, the magnitude of the magnetic force detected by the magnetic sensor 23B can be made different according to the panel type.

Although the configuration example for attaching the outer panel 102 to the inner panel 202 using magnets has been described above, the present invention is not limited to this. Other configurations may be employed as long as the outer panel 102 can be removably attached to the inner panel 202 and the removal/attachment status can be detected.

Next, a functional configuration example of the power supply unit 101 will be described with reference to FIG. Note that each of the functional blocks to be described may be integrated or separated, and the functions to be described may be realized by separate blocks. Also, what is described as hardware may be implemented in software, and vice versa.

The control unit 120 controls the operation of the power supply unit 101 . The control unit 120 includes one or more processors and volatile memory, and the processor may be, for example, a CPU (Central Processing Unit) or a microcontroller. The control unit 120 loads a computer program (also referred to as software or firmware) stored in the storage unit 121 into a memory and executes it, thereby controlling all functions of the aspirator 100 . The storage unit 121 may be, for example, a nonvolatile memory. The storage unit 121 stores one or more computer programs, data describing a control sequence (heating profile) for controlling the heating unit 130, and the like. Note that the heating unit 130 is a functional unit that heats the stick 110 and is configured by the heater H described above.

The control unit 120 can control communication (pairing and normal connection) with an external communication device. In addition, the control unit 120 can control the state transition of the aspirator 100, which will be described later, according to the user's operation on the action button B or the slider 105, or the like. Control unit 120 controls the supply of electric power from battery 132 to heating unit 130 . The control unit 120 can start supplying power from the battery 132, which is a power source, to the heating unit 130 in response to the aerosol generation request. The control unit 120 adjusts the duty ratio of control pulses by pulse width modulation (PWM), for example, for temperature control of the heating unit 130 . Note that the control unit 120 may use pulse frequency modulation (PFM) instead of PWM.

The input detection unit 122 detects an operation input to the action button B, for example. The input detection unit 122 detects, for example, a user operation through pressing of the outer panel 102 and outputs an input signal indicating the user operation to the control unit 120 . Instead of detecting pressing of the action button B, the aspirator 100 may detect pressing of the outer panel 102 itself.

The state detection unit 123 detects whether the slider 105 is opened or closed. The state detection unit 123 can be configured by, for example, a Hall sensor including a Hall element. State detection unit 123 outputs a state detection signal indicating whether slider 105 is open or closed to control unit 120 . Furthermore, the state detection unit 123 can also detect the attachment/detachment state of the outer panel 102 . Accordingly, the state detection unit 123 can include, for example, the

magnetic sensor

23A or 23B described above. State detection portion 123 may output a state detection signal indicating the attachment/detachment state of outer panel 102 to control portion 120 .

The suction detection unit 124 (puff sensor) can detect suction (puff) of the stick 110 by the user. For example, suction detection unit 124 may include a thermistor disposed near opening 106 . In this case, the suction detection unit 124 can detect suction based on a change in the resistance value of the thermistor caused by a temperature change caused by the user's suction. As another example, the suction detection section 124 may include a pressure sensor arranged at the bottom of the holding section 107 . In this case, the suction detection unit 124 can detect suction based on a decrease in air pressure caused by airflow caused by suction. The suction detection unit 124 outputs, for example, a suction detection signal indicating whether or not suction is being performed to the control unit 120 .

The light emitting unit 125 includes one or more LEDs and a driver for driving the LEDs, and constitutes the display D. Light emitting unit 125 causes each of the LEDs to emit light according to an instruction signal input from control unit 120 . The vibrating portion 126 constitutes the vibration generating portion V described above. Vibrating portion 126 may include a vibrator (eg, an eccentric motor) and a driver for driving the vibrator. Vibrating section 126 vibrates the vibrator according to an instruction signal input from control section 120 . For example, the control unit 120 controls at least one of the light emitting unit 125 and the vibrating unit 126 in an arbitrary pattern in order to notify the user of some status of the aspirator 100 (for example, pairing status or removal of the outer panel 102). You can For example, the light emission pattern of the light emitting unit 125 can be distinguished by factors such as the light emission state of each LED (constant light emission/blinking/non-light emission), blinking period, and emission color. The vibration pattern of the vibrating section 126 can be distinguished by factors such as the vibration state (vibration/stop) of the vibrator and the strength of the vibration.

The communication I/F 127 includes, for example, a communication circuit and an antenna, and is a communication interface for the aspirator 100 to wirelessly communicate with an external communication device (for example, a smartphone, personal computer, tablet terminal, etc. owned by the user). The communication I/F 127 is an interface conforming to any wireless communication protocol such as short-range wireless communication such as Bluetooth (registered trademark), near-field wireless communication such as NFC (Near Field Communication), or wireless LAN (Local Area Network). It's okay.

The connection I/F 128 is a wired interface having terminals for connecting the aspirator 100 to other external devices. The connection I/F 128 may be a chargeable interface such as a USB (Universal Serial Bus) interface. The connection I/F 128 may be used to charge the battery 132 from an external power source (charger) (via a power supply line not shown).

The battery 132 is a rechargeable battery (secondary battery) such as a lithium ion battery. Alternatively, battery 132 may be composed of an electric double layer capacitor such as a lithium ion capacitor. Fuel gauge 133 may include an IC chip for monitoring the remaining power of battery 132 and other statuses. The fuel gauge 133 periodically measures the status values of the battery 132, for example, the state of charge (SOC), the state of health (SOH), the relative state of charge (RSOC), and the power supply voltage, A measurement result can be output to the control unit 120 .

<About operation mode>
An example of state transition of the power supply unit 101 will be described with reference to FIG. Control unit 120 has a plurality of operation modes. Multiple operational modes may include sleep mode 61, active mode 62, aerosol generation mode 63, charging mode 64, unlock setting mode 65, and pairing mode 66, for example.

The sleep mode 61 is a state in which the operation of the control unit 120 is temporarily stopped to wait in a power saving state with reduced power consumption. Sleep mode is a state in which the inhaler 100 suspends its main operations and no power is supplied to the heater H. Display by the display D is also not performed. In other words, in sleep mode 61, power supply unit 101 is locked and the user cannot inhale aerosols. In the sleep mode 61, the control unit 120 can accept a predetermined user input, and upon accepting the corresponding user input, can transition to another mode according to the user input. Note that in the following description, the sleep mode may also be referred to as a standby state. In this embodiment, the sleep mode 61 may be entered by a method of "suspend" or "standby" while maintaining the contents of the memory of the control unit 120, or the contents of the memory of the control unit 120 may be stored in the storage unit. 121 and enter a standby state by way of "hibernation". In the sleep mode 61, functions other than the function of detecting user operations on the slider 105 or the action button B and the function of monitoring the remaining battery level may be inactive.

In the sleep mode 61, for example, when an operation to open the slider 105 (an operation to open the shutter) is performed, the control unit 120 can transition to the active mode 62. The active mode 62 can be a standby mode in which at least display D is performed and detection of an unlocking operation using the action button B is waited. In the active mode 62, when an operation to close the slider 105 (an operation to close the shutter) is performed, or when a state in which no user operation is performed on the power supply unit 101 continues for a predetermined period of time, the control unit 120 causes the display D to display and return to sleep mode 61 to wait in a power saving state.

In the active mode 62, when an unlocking operation is detected, the control unit 120 can unlock the power supply unit 101 and transition to the aerosol generation mode 63 in which aerosol is generated. The unlocking operation can be, for example, pressing the action button B once. However, as will be described later, the unlocking operation can be changed by setting. For example, the unlocking operation is an operation of repeatedly pressing the action button B a predetermined number of times (for example, three times) within a predetermined time, an operation of long-pressing the action button B for a predetermined time (for example, three seconds), or a combination thereof. can do. In the aerosol generation mode 63, heating is performed by the heating unit 130 (that is, power is supplied to the heater H), and the user can inhale the aerosol. Alternatively, the setting of the unlocking operation may be disabled, and the aerosol generation mode 63 may be entered in response to the user's suction (puff) being detected by the suction detection unit 124 (puff sensor). The control unit 120 can return to the active mode 62 when the aspiration ends or when the aspiration time reaches a defined maximum time (MaxLoadingTime).

When an external power supply (charger) is connected to the connection I/F 128 in sleep mode 61 or active mode 62 (or aerosol generation mode 63), control unit 120 transitions to charge mode 64, and battery 132 is charged. . When the external power supply is removed from the connection I/F 128 or when the battery 132 is fully charged, the control unit 120 transitions to the sleep mode 61 .

In the charging mode 64, for example, when a predetermined operation is performed on the action button B, the control unit 120 can transition to the unlock setting mode 65. In the unlock setting mode 65, setting of the unlock operation is performed. For example, the unlocking operation in the default state can be, for example, pressing the action button B once. In unlock setting mode 65, the user can change this unlock operation to another operation. For example, the unlocking operation can be set to an arbitrary pattern such as an operation of repeatedly pressing the action button B for a predetermined number of times within a predetermined time period, an operation of long-pressing the action button B for a predetermined time period, or a combination thereof. This makes it possible to improve the security performance of the power supply unit 101 . After completing the setting, the control unit 120 returns to the charging mode 64 . In the present embodiment, transition to the unlock setting mode 65 is performed from the charging mode 64, but it may be configured to allow transition to the unlock setting mode 65 from an operation mode other than the charging mode 64.

When a predetermined pairing operation is performed in sleep mode 61, control unit 120 can transition to pairing mode 66 for executing pairing with an external communication device. Pairing is a process of associating the power supply unit 101 and an external communication device, and can be performed, for example, in compliance with Bluetooth (registered trademark) with the external communication device. Also, the pairing operation can be, for example, an operation of pressing the action button B while the slider 105 is closed. In the pairing mode 66 , when the pairing with the external communication device is successful, the control unit 120 registers the identification information of the paired device in the whitelist stored in the storage unit 121 . The control unit 120 can transition from the pairing mode 66 to the sleep mode 61 when registration to the whitelist is successful or when pairing fails.

<Operation of the power supply unit in each operation mode>
An operation example of the power supply unit 101 will be described with reference to FIGS. This operation is controlled by the control unit 120 .

FIG. 7 shows the control flow in sleep mode 61. In sleep mode 61, power supply unit 101 is in a standby state. In step S101, control unit 120 determines whether an external power source (charger) is connected to connection I/F 128 and charging of battery 132 is started. If charging is detected here, the control unit 120 advances to step S104 , leaves the sleep mode 61 and transitions to the active mode 62 .

In step S<b>102 , the control unit 120 determines the open/closed state of the slider 105 based on the state detection signal from the state detection unit 123 . If the shutter opening is detected here, the control unit 120 advances to step S103, exits the sleep mode 61, and transitions to the active mode 62. FIG.

In step S105, the control unit 120 determines whether a pairing operation has been performed by pressing the action button B while the shutter is closed (NO in S102). If the pairing operation is not detected here, the process returns to step S101. On the other hand, when the pairing operation is detected here, the control unit 120 transitions to the pairing mode (step S107). However, in the present embodiment, after confirming that the outer panel 102 is attached to the power supply unit 101 based on the output signal of the state detection unit 123 in step S106, the process proceeds to step S107 and transitions to the pairing mode. In step S106, when the outer panel 102 is removed from the power supply unit 101, the function is restricted and the pairing mode is not entered, and the process returns to step S101. The pairing operation at this time may be disabled.

FIG. 8 shows the control flow in active mode 62. After entering active mode 62, control unit 120 acquires the remaining battery level in step S201. For example, the control unit 120 can acquire the remaining battery level based on the output voltage of the battery 132 . Alternatively, the control unit 120 can acquire the remaining battery level based on the number of puffs after charging is completed, which is acquired from the suction detection unit 124 . Alternatively, if the power supply unit 101 includes a management circuit that manages the battery 132, the controller 120 can acquire the remaining battery level based on the output from the management circuit.

In step S202, the control unit 120 determines whether the remaining battery level exceeds a predetermined threshold. The predetermined threshold is a threshold for determining whether or not operation in the active mode 62 is permitted with respect to remaining battery power. More specifically, the predetermined threshold is set as the lower limit value of the remaining battery charge, which is determined in advance so that even generation of an aerosol corresponding to N puff operations (for example, N=1) is impossible. sell. When the remaining battery level is equal to or less than the predetermined threshold, it is not possible to operate in the active mode 62. Therefore, in step S203, the control unit 120 notifies the display D and/or the vibration generating unit V, and then In step S204, it returns to the sleep mode 61. FIG.

If the remaining battery level exceeds the predetermined threshold, the process proceeds to step S205. In step S205, the control unit 120 causes the display D to display the remaining battery level. Thereafter, in step S206, control unit 120 determines whether or not the condition for returning to sleep mode 61 is satisfied. The condition for returning to the sleep mode 61 can be, for example, that the slider 105 has been operated to close the shutter, or that the non-operating period has exceeded a predetermined time. When this condition is satisfied, the control unit 120 transitions to the sleep mode 61 in step S204.

If the conditions for returning to the sleep mode 61 are not satisfied in step S206, the control unit 120 determines whether or not the unlocking operation has been performed in step S207. If an unlocking operation is detected here, the control unit 120 determines whether the outer panel 102 is attached to the power supply unit 101 in step S208. If the outer panel 102 is attached to the power supply unit 101, the controller 120 transitions to the aerosol generation mode 63 in step S209.

On the other hand, when it is determined that the outer panel 102 has been removed from the power supply unit 101, in step S210, the control unit 120 notifies the display D and/or the vibration generating unit V, and the process returns to step S201. . That is, even if an unlocking operation is detected while the outer panel 102 is removed, the aerosol generation mode 63 is not entered as a function limitation. The unlock operation at this time may be invalidated. In this case, the process may transition to the sleep mode 61 instead of returning to step S201.

The above is the outline of the operation in the active mode 62. According to the control flow of FIG. 8, when the outer panel 102 is removed, the transition to the aerosol generation mode 63 cannot be made even if the lock release operation is input. The unlock operation at this time may be invalidated. However, even if the removal of the outer panel 102 is detected in step S208, the active mode 62 is maintained and the display of the remaining battery level in step S205 can be continued.

Note that the transition to the charging mode 64 is omitted in the flow of FIG. As described above, even in the active mode 62, the connection of the external power supply (charger) to the connection I/F 128 is monitored. When an external power supply (charger) is connected to the connection I/F 128 in the active mode 62, the battery 132 can also be charged.

FIG. 9 shows the control flow in the aerosol generation mode 63. After transitioning to the aerosol generation mode 63, the controller 120 first confirms in step S301 that the outer panel 102 is attached to the power supply unit 101 (attached to the inner panel 202). When the outer panel 102 is attached to the power supply unit 101, the control unit 120 starts power supply to the heater H by the heating unit 130 in step S302. Power supply to the heater H can be controlled according to a predetermined control sequence (heating profile). After the preheating period in the heating profile, the suction device 100 is ready for suction.

In step S303, the control unit 120 determines whether or not the aerosol generation end condition is satisfied. The aerosol generation end condition is, for example, that the number of puffs obtained from the suction detection unit 124 has reached a predetermined number of times after the suction enabled state has been reached, or that a predetermined time has passed since the transition to the aerosol generation mode 63. etc. If the aerosol generation end condition is satisfied, the process proceeds to S304, and the control unit 120 stops power supply to the heater H. After that, in S<b>305 , the control unit 120 transitions to the active mode 62 .

If it is determined in step S301 that the outer panel 102 has been removed from the power supply unit 101, then in step S306 the control unit 120 notifies the display D and/or the vibration generating unit V, and in step S307 the function Power supply to the heater H is prohibited as a restriction. Thereafter, in step S308, control unit 120 may determine whether outer panel 102 is attached to power supply unit 101 or not. While the outer panel 102 is not attached to the power supply unit 101, the determination in step S308 may be repeated for a predetermined period of time. When the predetermined period of time has elapsed (YES in step S310), the controller 120 switches to the active mode 62 in S311. Transition. If it is detected that the outer panel 102 has been attached to the power supply unit 101 within the predetermined time, the controller 120 cancels the prohibition of power supply to the heater H as the function restriction in step S309. After that, the process returns to step S301.

Although not shown, in the aerosol generation mode 63 as well as in the active mode 62, acquisition and display of the remaining battery level can be performed in a timely manner. Even when the outer panel 102 is removed, the display of the remaining battery level may be continued without being prohibited.

FIG. 10 shows the control flow in pairing mode 66. After entering pairing mode 66, control unit 120 acquires the remaining battery level in step S401. For example, the control unit 120 can acquire the remaining battery level based on the output voltage of the battery 132 . Alternatively, the control unit 120 can acquire the remaining battery level based on the number of puffs after charging is completed, which is acquired from the suction detection unit 124 . Alternatively, if the power supply unit 101 includes a management circuit that manages the battery 132, the controller 120 can acquire the remaining battery level based on the output from the management circuit.

In step S402, the control unit 120 determines whether the remaining battery level exceeds a predetermined threshold. The predetermined threshold is a threshold for determining whether or not operation in the pairing mode 66 is permitted with respect to remaining battery power. More specifically, the predetermined threshold value can be set as the lower limit value of the remaining battery level that is predetermined so as not to cause a power shortage during the pairing process. When the remaining battery level is equal to or less than a predetermined threshold, the pairing mode 66 cannot be operated. Therefore, in step S403, the control unit 120 notifies the display D and/or the vibration generating unit V, and performs step S403. Proceeding to S413, the sleep mode 61 is returned to.

If the remaining battery level exceeds the predetermined threshold, the process proceeds to step S404. In step S404, control unit 120 causes display D to display the remaining battery level. Thereafter, in step S405, control unit 120 determines whether outer panel 102 is attached to power supply unit 101 or not. When it is determined that the outer panel 102 has been removed from the power supply unit 101, in step S406, the control unit 120 notifies the display D and/or the vibration generating unit V, proceeds to step S413, and enters the sleep mode 61. back to As described above, in the present embodiment, when the removal of the outer panel 102 is detected in the pairing mode 66, the control unit 120 prohibits execution of pairing as function restriction. In this case, the control unit 120 leaves the pairing mode 66 and transitions to the sleep mode 61 . Further, when it is determined in the pairing mode 66 that the outer panel 102 has been removed from the power supply unit 101, the pairing operation performed so far may be cancelled.

When it is determined in step S405 that the outer panel 102 is attached to the power supply unit 101, in step S407, the control unit 120 executes a pairing process conforming to Bluetooth (registered trademark) with the external communication device. . In step S408, control unit 120 determines whether the pairing has succeeded or failed. For example, the control unit 120 can determine that pairing has failed when a timeout occurs before pairing is completed, an error is notified from an external communication device, or a pairing cancel operation is detected. . Further, when it is detected that the outer panel 102 has been removed from the power supply unit 101 during the pairing process, the control unit 120 may interrupt the pairing and determine that the pairing has failed.

If it is determined in step S408 that the pairing has succeeded, the control unit 120 notifies that the pairing has succeeded through the display D and/or the vibration generating unit V in step S409. Thereafter, in step S410, control unit 120 determines whether or not the pairing cancellation condition is satisfied. The pairing cancellation condition is, for example, that the slider 105 has been operated to open the shutter, that the action button B has been pressed, that a pairing cancellation request has been received from an external communication device, and that a non-operation period has been specified. It may be that time has passed. If the pairing cancellation condition is satisfied, the control unit 120 performs a process of disconnecting the Bluetooth connection with the external communication device in step S411, and transitions to the sleep mode 61 in step S413.

If it is determined in step S408 that the pairing has failed, the control unit 120 notifies that the pairing has failed through the display D and/or the vibration generating unit V in step S412. After that, in step S413, the control unit 120 transitions to the sleep mode 61. FIG.

FIG. 11 shows the control flow in the charging mode 64. After entering charging mode 64, control unit 120 acquires the remaining battery level in step S501. For example, the control unit 120 can acquire the remaining battery level based on the output voltage of the battery 132 . Alternatively, the control unit 120 can acquire the remaining battery level based on the number of puffs after charging is completed, which is acquired from the suction detection unit 124 . Alternatively, if the power supply unit 101 includes a management circuit that manages the battery 132, the controller 120 can acquire the remaining battery level based on the output from the management circuit. Thereafter, in step S502, control unit 120 causes display D to display the remaining battery level.

In step S503, the control unit 120 determines whether or not an unlock setting operation has been performed. The lock release setting operation can be, for example, a combination of opening and closing the slider 105 and continuously pressing the action button B a predetermined number of times. If the lock release setting operation is not detected, control unit 120 determines in step S504 whether or not charging has ended. For example, when the external power supply (charger) is removed from the connection I/F 128, or when the battery 132 reaches a fully charged state, it can be determined that charging has ended. If it is determined here that charging has not ended, the process returns to step S501. If it is determined that charging has ended, control unit 120 transitions to sleep mode 61 in step S507.

If the lock release setting operation is detected in step S503, the control unit 120 determines whether the outer panel 102 is attached to the power supply unit 101 in step S505. When the outer panel 102 is attached to the power supply unit 101, the controller 120 transitions to the unlock setting mode 65 in step S506. If the outer panel 102 is not attached to the power supply unit 101, the control unit 120 does not transition to the lock release setting mode 65, and the process proceeds to step S504. That is, even if the lock release setting operation is detected while the outer panel 102 is removed, the control unit 120 does not transition to the lock release setting mode 65 as a function restriction. The unlock setting operation may be disabled. In addition, when the outer panel 102 is not attached to the power supply unit 101, notification to that effect may be performed.

As described above, in the present embodiment, charging of the battery 132 is continued even when removal of the outer panel 102 is detected in the charging mode 64 . However, the transition to the lock release setting mode 65 is not allowed while the outer panel 102 is removed. In other embodiments, the charging process may also be disallowed while the outer panel 102 is removed.

FIG. 12 shows the control flow in the unlock setting mode 65. Upon entering unlock setting mode 65, control unit 120 accepts input of an unlock operation pattern in step S601. The unlocking operation is an operation for transitioning from the active mode 62 to the aerosol generation mode 63, as described above. In step S601, for example, an unlocking operation pattern input within a predetermined time (for example, 20 seconds) after transitioning to the unlocking setting mode 65 is accepted.

In step S602, the control unit 120 determines whether the outer panel 102 is attached to the power supply unit 101 or not. When the outer panel 102 is attached to the power supply unit 101, the control unit 120 stores the unlocking operation pattern received in step S601 in the storage unit 121 in step S603. Thereafter, control unit 120 returns to charge mode 64 in step S605.

If it is determined in step S602 that the outer panel 102 is not attached to the power supply unit 101, the control unit 120 discards the unlocking operation pattern data input in step S601 in step S604. Thereafter, control unit 120 returns to charge mode 64 in step S605. As described above, in the present embodiment, when removal of the outer panel 102 is detected in the lock release setting mode 65, the control unit 120 prohibits execution of the setting of the unlock operation as a functional limitation, and The unlocking operation pattern that has been executed is cancelled.

Although not shown, in the unlock setting mode 65 as well as in the active mode 62 and the like, the remaining battery level can be obtained and displayed in a timely manner. Even when the outer panel 102 is removed, the display of the remaining battery level may be continued without being prohibited. In this way, in operation modes other than sleep mode 61, control unit 120 can continue display on display D even when removal of outer panel 102 is detected.

The operation of the power supply unit 101 in each operation mode has been described above. In the above embodiment, in any of the plurality of operation modes, operation of action button B can be disabled when outer panel 102 is removed. However, in each operation mode, when the removal of the outer panel 102 is detected, only the functions related to that operation mode are restricted, and the operation of the other functions can be continued. For example, in active mode 62 (FIG. 8), battery level indication is not stopped even if outer panel 102 is removed. Also, in charging mode 64 (FIG. 11), charging is not stopped even if outer panel 102 is removed.

Also, for functions that can be left to the user's choice, a tool may be provided that allows the user to select. At this time, the control unit 120 can function as a setting unit that sets the content of functional restrictions for a plurality of functions. For example, in pairing mode 66, a setting screen such as that shown in FIG. The user may be allowed to select whether or not to prohibit the operation of . In FIG. 13, shaded areas indicate selection results by the user. A selection result of each function is stored in the storage unit 121 . Control unit 120 can perform control when outer panel 102 is removed according to the selection information stored in storage unit 121 .

According to the embodiment described above, the control unit 120 is configured to restrict the functions controlled by the control unit 120 when removal of the outer panel 102 is detected. The control unit 120 has a plurality of operation modes, and the contents of functional restrictions differ according to each operation mode. Thereby, user convenience can be maintained. Among these, safety is ensured because heating by electric power supply to the heater H is prohibited when the outer panel 102 is removed. Therefore, according to this embodiment, there is provided a power supply unit for an aspirator that is advantageous in achieving both safety and user convenience.

The invention is not limited to the above embodiments, and various modifications and changes are possible within the scope of the invention.

This application claims priority based on Japanese Patent Application No. 2021-076014 submitted on April 28, 2021, and the entire contents of the description are incorporated herein.

Claims

A power supply unit for an inhaler that supplies power from a power supply to a heater for heating an aerosol source, comprising:
a control unit that controls the operation of the power supply unit;
a housing that houses the power supply and the control unit;
a panel removably attached to the surface of the housing;
a detection unit that detects attachment or detachment of the panel from the housing;
has
The control unit is configured to perform functional restrictions on a plurality of functions controlled by the control unit when the removal of the panel is detected by the detection unit,
The control unit has a plurality of operation modes, and the content of the functional restrictions differs depending on each operation mode.
A power supply unit characterized by:
Further comprising an operation button arranged on the housing,
In any of the plurality of operation modes, the control unit disables operation of the operation button as the function restriction when the panel is removed.
The power supply unit according to claim 1, characterized in that:
further comprising a display,
The plurality of operation modes include a standby mode in which display is performed by the display unit and standby for detection of an unlocking operation using the operation button, and an aerosol generation mode in which power is supplied to the heater to generate aerosol. and
When the unlocking operation is detected while the panel is removed in the standby mode, the control unit does not transition to the aerosol generation mode as the functional limitation.
3. The power supply unit according to claim 2, characterized in that:
4. The control unit prohibits power supply to the heater as the function restriction when the detection unit detects removal of the panel in the aerosol generation mode. power supply unit described in .
After prohibiting power supply to the heater, the control unit cancels the prohibition of power supply to the heater when the detection unit detects that the panel is attached within a predetermined time. 5. The power supply unit according to claim 4, characterized by:
The plurality of operation modes include a sleep mode in which display by the display unit is stopped and standby is performed in a power saving state when no user operation on the power supply unit continues for a predetermined period of time in the standby mode; further including a pairing mode capable of executing pairing for associating with an external communication device;
When a pairing operation using the operation button is detected in the sleep mode with the panel removed, the control unit does not transition to the pairing mode as the function restriction.
The power supply unit according to any one of claims 3 to 5, characterized in that:
7. The control unit according to claim 6, wherein, in the pairing mode, when the detection unit detects removal of the panel, the control unit prohibits execution of the pairing as the function restriction. Power supply unit as described.
The plurality of operation modes further include an unlock setting mode capable of setting the unlock operation in response to an unlock setting operation using the operation button,
When an unlock setting operation using the operation button is detected in a state in which the panel is removed, the control unit does not transition to the unlock setting mode as the function restriction.
The power supply unit according to any one of claims 3 to 7, characterized in that:
In the lock release setting mode, when the detection unit detects removal of the panel, the control unit prohibits execution of setting of the unlock operation as the function restriction. A power supply unit according to claim 8 .
The plurality of operating modes further includes a charging mode for charging the power source using an external power source;
The control unit continues charging the power source even when the detection unit detects removal of the panel in the charging mode.
The power supply unit according to any one of claims 3 to 9, characterized in that:
In an operation mode other than a sleep mode in which display by the display unit is stopped and standby in a power saving state, the control unit prevents display by the display unit even when removal of the panel is detected by the detection unit. 11. The power supply unit of claim 10, characterized in that it continues.
The power supply unit according to any one of claims 1 to 11, further comprising a setting unit for setting contents of functional restrictions for the plurality of functions.