WO2023281679A1

WO2023281679A1 - Power supply unit for aerosol generation device, body unit for aerosol generation device, aerosol generation device, and non-combustion-type aspirator

Info

Publication number: WO2023281679A1
Application number: PCT/JP2021/025712
Authority: WO
Inventors: 俊司春山; 猛横溝
Original assignee: 日本たばこ産業株式会社
Priority date: 2021-07-08
Filing date: 2021-07-08
Publication date: 2023-01-12

Abstract

This power supply unit for an aerosol generation device comprises a power supply, a substrate electrically connected to the power supply, a switch provided on the substrate, a button for pressing the switch, an outer case provided with a button hole in which the button is disposed, and a button housing member housing the button and covering the button hole from the inside of the outer case. The button housing member comprises an elastic member interposed between the button and the switch.

Description

Power supply unit of aerosol generator, body unit of aerosol generator, aerosol generator, and non-combustion inhaler

The present invention relates to a power supply unit of an aerosol generator, a body unit of an aerosol generator, an aerosol generator, and a non-combustion inhaler.

Conventionally, non-combustion inhalers that inhale aerosols and enjoy flavors have been known. This type of non-combustion type inhaler includes, for example, a cartridge containing an aerosol source, a body unit of an aerosol generator containing the cartridge in a detachable manner, and a flavor imparting flavor to the aerosol atomized by the body unit. and a source container.

For example, Patent Document 1 below discloses that a board on which a switch is mounted is housed inside the exterior case of a power supply unit of an aerosol generator, and the switch is directly pressed by a button provided on the outer surface of the exterior case. there is

JP-A-2020-65538

In the above conventional technology, there is room for improvement in protecting the substrate when liquid droplets enter through the gap between the outer case and the button.

The purpose of the present invention is to protect the substrate by suppressing the infiltration of liquid droplets through the gap between the outer case and the button.

To achieve the above object, a power supply unit of an aerosol generator according to an aspect of the present invention includes a power supply, a substrate electrically connected to the power supply, a switch provided on the substrate, and the switch. a button to be pressed, an exterior case provided with a button hole for arranging the button, and a button housing member for housing the button and covering the button hole from the inside of the exterior case, wherein the button housing is provided. The member includes an elastic member interposed between the button and the switch.
According to this aspect, by arranging the button accommodating member inside the exterior case provided with the button hole and interposing the elastic member between the button and the switch, the exterior in the button hole can be pressed while the button can be pressed. Communication between the inside and outside of the case can be cut off. For this reason, it is possible to suppress the entry of liquid droplets through the gap between the button and the button hole, thereby protecting the substrate from the liquid droplets.

In the power supply unit of the aerosol generating device, the button housing member may include a hard member joined to the elastic member.
According to this aspect, since the hard member is joined to the elastic member, the arrangement and positioning of the button accommodating member are facilitated compared to the case where only the elastic member is used.

In the power supply unit of the aerosol generating device, the hard member may be integrated with the elastic member by two-color molding.
According to this aspect, it is possible to suppress penetration of liquid droplets at the interface between the elastic member and the hard member by two-color molding.

In the power supply unit of the aerosol generating device, the hard member has a cylindrical portion communicating with the button hole, and the inner wall surface of the cylindrical portion is provided with a fitting groove for fitting the button. good.
According to this aspect, by fitting the button to the hard member, the button can be positioned and the rotation of the button can be suppressed.

In the power supply unit of the aerosol generating device, the elastic member includes a bottom portion that closes the open end of the cylindrical portion opposite to the button hole, and a peripheral edge portion of the bottom portion that extends from the bottom portion to cover the outer peripheral surface of the cylindrical portion. and a peripheral wall portion.
According to this aspect, since the boundary surface between the elastic member and the hard member is curved, it is possible to suppress the infiltration of liquid droplets from the boundary surface.

In the power supply unit of the aerosol generating device described above, the periphery of the cylindrical portion of the hard member may have a shape along the inner wall surface of the exterior case.
According to this aspect, since the periphery of the cylindrical portion of the hard member is in close contact with the inner wall surface of the exterior case, it is possible to suppress the infiltration of liquid droplets from between the hard member and the exterior case.

In the power supply unit of the aerosol generating device, the hard member may consist of two or more members.
According to this aspect, it becomes easy to form a fitting groove or the like for fitting the button to the hard member.

The power supply unit of the aerosol generating device may include an electrical holder that supports the power supply and the substrate, and the button accommodating member may be assembled to the electrical holder.
According to this aspect, since the button accommodating member is attached to the electrical equipment holder together with the power supply and the board, the assembling efficiency of the power supply unit is improved.

A main unit of an aerosol generating device according to an aspect of the present invention includes the power supply unit described above, a cartridge housing part capable of housing a cartridge electrically connected to the power supply unit, and a cartridge housing part mounted on the cartridge housing part. and a suction port formed with a suction port for sucking the aerosol.
According to this aspect, since the above-described power supply unit is incorporated, it is possible to suppress penetration of liquid droplets into the device.

An aerosol generating device according to an aspect of the present invention includes the main unit described above, and a cartridge containing an aerosol source and removably inserted into the cartridge housing portion of the main unit.
According to this aspect, it is possible to generate aerosol by supplying power from the power supply unit to the cartridge removably inserted into the cartridge housing portion.

A non-combustion type inhaler according to an aspect of the present invention comprises the above-described aerosol generating device and a flavor source container attached to the mouthpiece of the aerosol generating device.
According to this aspect, a flavor can be added to the aerosol.

According to one aspect of the present invention, it is possible to prevent droplets from entering through the gap between the exterior case and the button, thereby protecting the substrate.

1 is a perspective view of an aspirator according to one embodiment; FIG. 1 is an exploded perspective view of an aspirator according to one embodiment; FIG. 1 is a front view of an aspirator according to one embodiment; FIG. It is a right view of the aspirator which concerns on one Embodiment. FIG. 5 is a cross-sectional view taken along the line VV shown in FIG. 4; 1 is an exploded perspective view of a mouthpiece according to one embodiment; FIG. It is a right view of the mouthpiece part which concerns on one Embodiment. FIG. 8 is a cross-sectional view along line VIII-VIII shown in FIG. 7; 4 is a cross-sectional view taken along line IX-IX shown in FIG. 3; FIG. FIG. 3 is an exploded perspective view of a power supply unit and a cartridge accommodating portion according to one embodiment; FIG. 4 is an exploded perspective view of a cartridge housing portion according to one embodiment; 1 is an exploded perspective view of a holder assembly according to one embodiment; FIG. 4 is a diagram XIII-XIII shown in FIG. 3; FIG. FIG. 4 is a cross-sectional view of the vicinity of the center holder of the body unit according to one embodiment; It is the top view which looked the center holder which concerns on one Embodiment from the axial direction. FIG. 4 is a plan view of the spacer according to one embodiment as viewed from the rear side (−X side); It is the bottom view which looked the spacer which concerns on one Embodiment from the front side (+X side). FIG. 4 is a side view of the spacer according to one embodiment viewed from the left side (−Y side); FIG. 4 is a cross-sectional view showing the positional relationship between a spacer and peripheral electronic components according to one embodiment; 4 is a cross-sectional view of the vicinity of a button of the body unit according to one embodiment; FIG. 4 is an exploded perspective view of a button housing member according to one embodiment; FIG. It is a front view of the button accommodation member which concerns on one Embodiment. It is a rear view of the button accommodation member which concerns on one Embodiment. 4 is a cross-sectional view of the vicinity of a cartridge insertion/removal hole of the main unit according to one embodiment; FIG. FIG. 4 is a perspective view of a cartridge insertion/removal hole of the cartridge housing portion according to one embodiment; It is a perspective view of the 1st inner cylinder member which concerns on one Embodiment. It is a perspective view of the 2nd inner cylinder member which concerns on one Embodiment. 1 is a perspective view of a sealing member according to one embodiment; FIG. It is the top view which looked at the sealing member which concerns on one Embodiment from the axial direction. FIG. 4 is a perspective view showing a state in which a seal member according to one embodiment is incorporated between a first inner cylinder member and a second inner cylinder member; FIG. 4 is an explanatory diagram showing how a suction port is connected to a cartridge housing according to one embodiment;

A non-combustion type inhaler (hereinafter simply referred to as an inhaler) according to one embodiment of the present invention will be described below with reference to the drawings.

[Aspirator]
FIG. 1 is a perspective view of an aspirator 1 according to one embodiment. FIG. 2 is an exploded perspective view of the suction device 1 according to one embodiment.
The inhaler 1 is a so-called non-combustion type inhaler, and obtains flavor by inhaling an aerosol atomized by heating through a flavor source.

As shown in FIGS. 1 and 2, the inhaler 1 includes a main unit 2, a cartridge 3 (also referred to as an atomization unit), and a flavor source container 4. The cartridge 3 is removably housed in the cartridge housing portion 11 of the main unit 2 . The flavor source container 4 is detachably attached to the suction port of the mouthpiece portion 12 (also referred to as a mouthpiece) of the main unit 2 .

<Body unit>
The body unit 2 includes a power supply unit 10 , a cartridge housing section 11 and a mouthpiece section 12 . The main unit 2 includes a cylindrical exterior case 2A. The power supply unit 10, the cartridge housing portion 11, and the mouthpiece portion 12 are arranged side by side on a straight line along the central axis O of the exterior case 2A.

In the following explanation, the positional relationship of each member may be explained with reference to the central axis O described above. A direction along the central axis O is called an axial direction. A direction orthogonal to the central axis O is called a radial direction. Also, the direction in which the center axis O is circulated is called the circumferential direction.

Also, in the following description, an XYZ orthogonal coordinate system is set, and the positional relationship of each member may be described with reference to this XYZ orthogonal coordinate system. The X-axis direction is the radial direction described above, and is the front-back direction of the suction device 1 with the button 20 (+X side) provided on the power supply unit 10 on the front side and the opposite side (−X side) on the back side. .

The Y-axis direction is the radial direction described above, and is the left-right direction of the aspirator 1 orthogonal to the X-axis direction. The Z-axis direction is the axial direction described above, and is the vertical direction of the suction device 1 with the power supply unit 10 (−Z side) on the bottom side and the suction mouth portion 12 (+Z side) on the opposite side of the power supply unit 10 on the top side.

FIG. 3 is a front view of the suction device 1 according to one embodiment. FIG. 4 is a right side view of the suction device 1 according to one embodiment.
As shown in FIG. 3, the external case 2A includes a lower case 10A on the side of the power supply unit 10, an upper case 11A on the side of the cartridge housing section 11, and a ring shape interposed between the lower case 10A and the upper case 11A. and an interposed member 13A. The upper case 11A and the lower case 10A are, for example, tubular members made of metal such as stainless steel. The interposed member 13A is, for example, a tubular member made of metal such as aluminum whose surface is anodized.

A window 21 is provided in the upper case 11A. As shown in FIG. 4, the windows 21 are provided on the front side and the back side of the upper case 11A. Through the window portion 21, the liquid remaining amount of the aerosol source in the cartridge 3 housed inside the cartridge housing portion 11 can be checked. As shown in FIG. 3, the window 21 is formed by an opening 11a provided in the upper case 11A and a cover member 17 covering the opening 11a.

An air inlet 18 is formed in the gap between the cover member 17 and the opening 11a to take outside air into the exterior case 2A. Also, an air hole 19 is formed in a portion of the cover member 17 located inside the upper case 11A to allow fluid communication between the air inlet 18 and the inside of the cartridge housing portion 11 (see FIG. 13 described later).

As shown in FIG. 4, a charging terminal 22 is provided on the back side of the lower case 10A. The charging terminal 22 is arranged at the lower end of the lower case 10A. An opening 10a for exposing the charging terminal 22 is formed at the lower end of the lower case 10A.

Also, as shown in FIG. 3, a button 20 is provided on the front side of the lower case 10A. The button 20 is arranged at the upper end of the lower case 10A. A button hole 10b for exposing the button 20 is formed in the upper end of the lower case 10A.

<Cartridge>
The cartridge 3 stores a liquid aerosol source and atomizes the liquid aerosol source. As shown in FIG. 2, the cartridge 3 is formed in a columnar shape and is housed inside the cartridge housing portion 11 through a cartridge insertion/removal hole 11b at the upper end of the cartridge housing portion 11. As shown in FIG.

5 is a cross-sectional view taken along the line VV shown in FIG. 4. FIG.
As shown in FIG. 5, the cartridge 3 includes a tank 31, a gasket 32, a mesh body 33, an atomization container 34, a heating section 35, and a heater holder . A tank 31 stores an aerosol source. The tank 31 is translucent so that the remaining amount of liquid in the aerosol source can be checked.

Here, "translucency" refers to the property of a substance through which light passes, which has an extremely high transmittance and allows the other side to be seen through the substance. However, because the transmitted light is diffused or the transmittance is low, unlike "transparent", it includes a state in which the shape of the other side cannot be clearly recognized through the material. In other words, even frosted glass, opalescent plastic, etc. have translucency.

The tank 31 is formed in a capped tubular shape. A top wall 31a of the tank 31 is formed with a through hole 31b. A flow pipe 31c (also referred to as an inner peripheral wall) connected to the through hole 31b is vertically provided on the top wall 31a. The channel tube 31c serves as a channel for the atomized aerosol. The flow pipe 31c is connected to the outer peripheral wall 31d of the tank 31 via a plurality of ribs 31e. The ribs 31e are arranged at equal intervals in the circumferential direction so as to be radial when viewed from the axial direction (see FIG. 13 described later).

As shown in FIG. 5, the outer peripheral wall 31d of the tank 31 extends downward (-Z side) from the lower end of the flow pipe 31c. Two engagement holes 31f are formed near the lower end of the outer peripheral wall 31d. The two engaging holes 31 f are for fixing the heater holder 36 to the tank 31 . The two engaging holes 31f are arranged opposite to each other on both sides of the outer peripheral wall 31d with the central axis O interposed therebetween. Note that the central axis of the cartridge 3 coincides with the central axis O of the cartridge accommodating portion 11 when the cartridge 3 is accommodated in the cartridge accommodating portion 11 .

The gasket 32 is an annular plate member that covers the bottom of an annular space (liquid storage chamber 31g) formed between the outer peripheral wall 31d of the tank 31 and the channel pipe 31c. The gasket 32 positions the mesh body 33 and holds the posture of the mesh body 33 . A plurality of openings 32 a are formed in the gasket 32 . The openings 32a are arranged at regular intervals in the circumferential direction. The mesh body 33 is in contact with the liquid storage chamber 31g through the opening 32a of the gasket 32 and wetted.

The mesh body 33 is a member that is porous and has liquid absorption properties. The mesh body 33 is made of, for example, cotton-based fiber material, glass-based fiber, or the like. The mesh body 33 is also formed in substantially the same annular shape as the gasket 32 . That is, the channel tube 31c can be inserted into the center of the mesh body 33 in the radial direction. The opening 32 a of the gasket 32 is closed by the mesh body 33 to form a liquid storage chamber 31 g inside the tank 31 . A liquid aerosol source is stored in the liquid storage chamber 31g.

The atomization container 34 is made of an elastic member, for example, a resin material such as silicone resin. The atomization container 34 is formed in a cylindrical shape with a bottom. The upper opening edge of the peripheral wall 34a of the atomization container 34 is in contact with the outer peripheral edge of the mesh body 33 in the axial direction. That is, the mesh body 33 is sandwiched between the gasket 32 and the atomization container 34 . A fitting portion 34b is formed on the outer surface of the peripheral wall 34a of the atomization container 34 so as to fit into the inner surface of the outer peripheral wall 31d of the tank 31 .

Inside the peripheral wall 34a of the atomization container 34, an atomization chamber 34c is formed. The atomization chamber 34 c communicates with the flow pipe 31 c of the tank 31 . A bottom wall 34d of the atomization container 34 is formed with an opening 34e. A heating unit 35 is arranged in the atomization chamber 34c.
The heating section 35 is for atomizing the liquid aerosol source. The heating unit 35 includes a wick 35a connected to the mesh body 33 and a heating wire 35b for heating the wick 35a.

The wick 35a is a substantially cylindrical member that is porous and has liquid absorption properties. The wick 35a is curved and deformed into a substantially U shape. More specifically, the wick 35a has two axially extending portions extending in the axial direction and a radially extending portion connecting the two axially extending portions. The two axial extensions are arranged to overlap in the X-axis direction and are connected to the mesh body 33 respectively. As a result, the aerosol source absorbed by the mesh body 33 is sucked up by the wick 35a.

The heating wire 35b is spirally wound around the radially extending portion of the wick 35a. Both ends of the heating wire 35b extend toward the heater holder 36 along the axial direction. Both ends of the heating wire 35b are electrically connected to two flat electrodes 36h provided on the lower surface of the bottom wall 36d of the heater holder 36, respectively. When the heating wire 35b is energized through the two plane electrodes 36h, the wick 35a is heated. As the wick 35a is heated, the aerosol source absorbed by the wick 35a is atomized.

The heater holder 36 is formed in a cylindrical shape with a bottom. The peripheral wall 36 a of the heater holder 36 is inserted outside the peripheral wall 34 a of the atomization container 34 and inside the outer peripheral wall 31 d of the tank 31 . The top opening edge of the peripheral wall 36a abuts on the fitting portion 34b of the atomization container 34 in the axial direction. Two engaging pieces 36b that engage with two engaging holes 31f of the outer peripheral wall 31d of the tank 31 are formed at the upper end of the peripheral wall 36a. Between the tank 31 and the heater holder 36, the gasket 32, the mesh body 33, and the atomization container 34 are installed in this order in the axial direction.

The lower side of the peripheral wall 36a of the heater holder 36 is exposed from the tank 31. The lower side of this peripheral wall 36 a has substantially the same outer diameter as the outer peripheral wall 31 d of the tank 31 . Two intake holes 36c are formed through the peripheral wall 36a in the radial direction. The two air intake holes 36c are arranged opposite to each other on both sides of the peripheral wall 36a with the central axis O interposed therebetween. The two intake holes 36c communicate the outside of the cartridge 3 (the inside of the cartridge accommodating portion 11) and the atomization chamber 34c. The bottom wall 36d of the heater holder 36 is also formed with an air intake hole 36e penetrating in the axial direction. The intake hole 36e also communicates the outside of the cartridge 3 (the inside of the cartridge accommodating portion 11) with the atomization chamber 34c.

A plate-like isolation wall 36f is erected in the axial direction on the bottom wall 36d of the heater holder 36. The isolation wall 36f extends in the radial direction, and both ends thereof are connected to the inner surface of the peripheral wall 36a. Two slits are formed through the bottom wall 36d in the axial direction. The two slits are arranged with the isolation wall 36f interposed therebetween, and the bent portions of the two plane electrodes 36h are inserted. The isolation wall 36f prevents the two flat electrodes 36h and both ends of the heating wire 35b connected to the two flat electrodes 36h from being short-circuited.

Returning to FIG. 2, the bottom wall 36d of the heater holder 36 is formed with three engaging grooves 36i. The three engaging grooves 36i are arranged at equal intervals in the circumferential direction (at intervals of 120° in the circumferential direction). The engagement groove portion 36i is formed so that the radially outer side and the axially lower side are opened. The engaging groove portion 36i is formed in an isosceles trapezoidal shape when viewed from the radial direction, and has tapered legs (inclined surfaces) whose width in the circumferential direction gradually increases toward the axially lower side. The number of engagement grooves 25i is not limited to three as long as it is two or more. For example, the number of engagement grooves 25i may be six.

<Flavor source container>
The flavor source container 4 contains a flavor source and adds flavor to the aerosol atomized by the cartridge 3 . As raw material pieces constituting the flavor source, shredded tobacco and a molded body obtained by forming tobacco raw materials into granules can be used. Also, the flavor source may be composed of plants other than tobacco (for example, mint, Chinese medicine, herbs, etc.). Further, the flavor source may be provided with a flavor such as menthol. Further, the flavor source may be a plant-derived carrier (cellulose or the like) or other carrier (including an inorganic carrier) carrying a fragrance. The flavor source container 4 is attached to the mouthpiece 12 of the main unit 2 .

As shown in FIG. 5 , the flavor source container 4 includes a bottomed cylindrical container body 41 and a filter 42 that covers the opening of the container body 41 . The peripheral wall 41 a of the container body 41 is inserted inside the peripheral wall 12 a of the mouthpiece 12 . The upper side of the peripheral wall 41 a of the container body 41 is exposed from the peripheral wall 12 a of the mouthpiece 12 . The upper side of the peripheral wall 41 a has substantially the same outer diameter as the peripheral wall 12 a of the mouthpiece 12 . A step 41b is formed on the outer surface of the peripheral wall 41a so as to contact the upper edge of the peripheral wall 12a of the mouthpiece 12 .

A flavor source storage chamber 41 c is formed inside the peripheral wall 41 a of the container body 41 . A bottom wall 41d of the container body 41 is formed with a plurality of fine holes 41e penetrating in the axial direction.
The filter 42 is made of non-woven fabric, for example. The filter 42 is arranged inside the peripheral wall 41 a of the container body 41 . The filter 42 closes the opening of the container body 41 to form a flavor source storage chamber 41 c inside the flavor source container 4 . The flavor source described above is accommodated in the flavor source accommodation chamber 41c.

<Mouthpiece>
FIG. 6 is an exploded perspective view of the mouthpiece 12 according to one embodiment. FIG. 7 is a right side view of the mouthpiece 12 according to one embodiment. FIG. 8 is a cross-sectional view taken along line VIII-VIII shown in FIG.
As shown in FIG. 6, the mouthpiece 12 includes a mouthpiece main body 12A made of resin, a metal cylinder 12B having two projections 12B1, and a cartridge contact portion 60. As shown in FIG.

As shown in FIG. 8, the mouthpiece main body 12A is formed in a cylindrical shape with a bottom. The above-described flavor source container 4 (see FIG. 5) is inserted into the inner side (suction port) of the peripheral wall 12a of the mouthpiece main body 12A. A flange portion 12b extending radially outward is provided in an annular shape on the outer surface of the peripheral wall 12a. As shown in FIG. 5, the flange portion 12b abuts on the upper end opening edge of the cartridge accommodating portion 11 (the opening edge of the cartridge insertion/removal hole 11b) in the axial direction (Z-axis direction).

A through hole 12d is formed through the bottom wall 12c of the mouthpiece main body 12A in the axial direction. A cartridge contact portion 60 is fitted in the through hole 12d (see FIG. 5). The cartridge contact portion 60 is an elastic body made of, for example, a resin material such as silicone resin. The cartridge contact portion 60 includes a first ring portion 60a, a cylindrical portion 60b, and a second ring portion 60c.

The first ring portion 60a is arranged axially above (+Z side) the bottom wall 12c of the mouthpiece main body 12A. The first ring portion 60a has an outer diameter larger than that of the through hole 12d and extends to the inner wall surface of the peripheral wall 12a of the mouthpiece main body 12A. The first ring portion 60a contacts the bottom wall 41d of the flavor source container 4 inside the peripheral wall 12a. The surface of the first ring portion 60a facing the bottom wall 41d of the flavor source container 4 may be a flat surface, or may have a groove formed in accordance with the shape of the leg portion of the bottom wall 41d.

The first ring portion 60a serves as a circumferential slip stopper for the flavor source container 4 and a sealing chamber for the fine holes 41e of the flavor source container 4. It should be noted that the first ring portion 60a may not come into contact with the bottom wall 41d of the flavor source container 4. In this case, the contact portion between the flavor source container 4 and the mouthpiece portion 12 at the step 41b can form a seal portion that prevents the introduction of outside air. The cylindrical portion 60b is arranged to pass through the through hole 12d of the bottom wall 12c. The cylindrical portion 60b axially connects the inner diameter side of the first ring portion 60a and the inner diameter side of the second ring portion 60c.

The second ring portion 60c is arranged axially lower (-Z side) than the bottom wall 12c of the mouthpiece main body 12A. The second ring portion 60c has an outer diameter larger than that of the through hole 12d and extends to the inner wall surface of the cylinder 12B. The second ring portion 60c is formed with an annular projection 61 projecting axially downward toward the cartridge 3. As shown in FIG. Due to the annular projection 61, the contact of the second ring portion 60c with the cartridge 3 is no longer planar contact, the contact pressure against the cartridge 3 is increased, and the frictional force in the circumferential direction and the pressing force in the axial direction, which will be described later, are likely to occur.

A communication hole 62 is formed in the center of the first ring portion 60a, the cylindrical portion 60b, and the second ring portion 60c. The communication hole 62 allows the through hole 21b of the tank 31 of the cartridge 3 and the fine hole 41e of the flavor source container 4 to communicate with each other. The annular projection 61 of the second ring portion 60c is formed in a double annular shape. This annular protrusion 61 abuts against the top wall 21a of the tank 31 around the through hole 21b of the cartridge 3, thereby forming a highly airtight double seal.

As shown in FIG. 8, the cylindrical body 12B is press-fitted onto the peripheral wall 12a below the flange portion 12b of the mouthpiece main body 12A. Two protrusions 12B1 are arranged at equal intervals (180°) in the circumferential direction on the peripheral surface of the cylindrical body 12B. The cylindrical body 12B extends axially downward (-Z side) from the peripheral wall 12a of the mouthpiece main body 12A. The above-described second ring portion 60c is arranged in the space below the bottom wall 12c surrounded by the cylindrical body 12B. Note that the inner diameter of the cylinder 12B is larger than the outer diameter of the cartridge 3, as shown in FIG. As a result, even if the mouthpiece portion 12 is strongly pushed toward the cartridge 3 and the second ring portion 60c is elastically deformed so as to be crushed in the axial direction, the cylindrical body 12B does not interfere with the cartridge 3.

<Power supply unit and cartridge housing>
FIG. 9 is a cross-sectional view taken along line IX-IX shown in FIG. FIG. 10 is an exploded perspective view of the power supply unit 10 and the cartridge housing section 11 according to one embodiment.
As shown in FIGS. 9 and 10, the power supply unit 10 includes a cylindrical lower case 10A and a holder assembly 10B housed in the lower case 10A. The cartridge housing portion 11 includes a cylindrical upper case 11A axially connected to the lower case 10A and the holder assembly 10B.

FIG. 11 is an exploded perspective view of the cartridge housing portion 11 according to one embodiment. FIG. 12 is an exploded perspective view of holder assembly 10B according to one embodiment. FIG. 13 is a cross-sectional view taken along line XIII-XIII shown in FIG.
As shown in FIG. 11, the cartridge accommodating portion 11 includes an upper case 11A, a cover member 17, a center holder 70, a connection cylinder 80, a seal member 90, a first inner cylinder member 100, and a second inner cylinder. a member 110; A connection mechanism 101 that connects the mouthpiece 12 is provided in the first inner tubular member 100 .

The upper case 11A is formed in a cylindrical shape extending in the axial direction. An opening 11a is formed in the peripheral surface of the upper case 11A. The opening 11a radially penetrates the upper case 11A. The opening 11a is formed in an elongated hole shape extending in the axial direction (Z-axis direction). A pair of openings 11a are formed in diametrically opposed portions of the upper case 11A.

The cover member 17 is formed in a cylindrical shape extending in the axial direction. The cover member 17 is inserted into the upper case 11A. The cover member 17 covers the opening 11a from the inside in the radial direction. A peripheral surface 17a of the cover member 17 is in close contact with the inner wall surface of the upper case 11A at least around the opening 11a. The cover member 17 has a cover projection 17b that protrudes radially outward to engage with the opening 11a. A pair of cover protrusions 17b are formed on the portions of the cover member 17 that face each other in the radial direction.

The cover projection 17b is formed on a translucent transparent member 17A of the cover member 17. As shown in FIG. The transparent member 17A is formed with a slit that allows the cover projection 17b and its peripheral portion to be elastically displaced inward in the radial direction, and an elastomer 17B is formed on the slit and the peripheral edge of the transparent member 17A. As a result, the cover member 17 can be inserted into the upper case 11A, and the cover projection 17b is restored and deformed in the opening 11a, thereby engaging the cover member 17 with the upper case 11A. A protective film or the like that suppresses friction with the upper case 11A during insertion may be applied to the surface of the cover projection 17b.

The user can check the remaining liquid amount of the aerosol source in the cartridge 3 housed in the cartridge housing portion 11 through the opening 11a and the cover projection 17b. Like the opening 11a of the upper case 11A, the cover projection 17b is formed in the shape of an elongated hole extending in the axial direction (Z-axis direction). The cover projection 17b is slightly smaller than the opening 11a.

As shown in FIG. 13, an air inlet 18 is formed between the cover protrusion 17b and the opening 11a. Part of the cover projection 17b may be in contact with the inner wall surface of the opening 11a. The air inlet 18 is an inlet of an air intake passage for taking outside air into the outer case 2A by user's suction.

The air inlet 18 is annularly formed along the edge of the opening 11a of the upper case 11A (also referred to as the peripheral edge of the cover projection 17b). The size of the air inlet 18 may be such that it cannot be completely blocked by a user's finger. For example, as shown in FIG. 3, the dimension of the air inlet 18 in the axial direction (Z-axis direction) is preferably equal to or greater than the width between the first fingers of an average adult thumb (for example, 2.0 cm or greater). Also, the distance in the X-axis direction between the two slits extending parallel to the axial direction of the air inlet 18 may be equal to or greater than the width of the first finger-to-toe of an average adult thumb.

It should be noted that the air inlet 18 may have only one or two slits extending parallel to the axial direction as long as it is large enough not to be blocked by a user's finger. That is, the air inlet 18 may be formed in a slit shape along the edge of the opening 11a of the upper case 11A.

As shown in FIG. 13, the cover member 17 is formed with an annular groove portion 17c and an air groove 17d. The annular groove portion 17 c and the air groove 17 d form a space that connects the air inlet 18 and the air hole 19 . As shown in FIG. 11, the annular groove 17c is annularly formed around the cover projection 17b. The annular groove portion 17 c is recessed radially inward from the peripheral surface 17 a of the cover member 17 . The width of the annular groove 17c is preferably larger than the width of the air inlet 18 (the distance from the inner peripheral edge to the outer peripheral edge).

As shown in FIG. 13, the air groove 17d extends in the circumferential direction from the annular groove portion 17c. The air groove 17 d is recessed radially inward from the peripheral surface 17 a of the cover member 17 . An air hole 19 is formed in the air groove 17d. The air hole 19 provides fluid communication between the air inlet 18 and the interior of the cartridge housing portion 11 . The air hole 19 is the main flow path of the air intake flow path for taking outside air into the exterior case 2A. A mesh sheet 19 a is attached to the air holes 19 .

The mesh sheet 19a is preferably made of a material that is both waterproof and breathable. The material of the mesh sheet 19a is formed with a large number of fine holes which are large enough to allow air to pass through but not to water droplets. This mesh sheet 19 a partitions the space between the air inlet 18 and the inside of the cartridge housing portion 11 . In other words, the mesh sheet 19a does not allow liquid to pass from the air inlet 18 to the inside of the cartridge housing portion 11, but allows only air to pass.

The air hole 19 is arranged at a location where the cover member 17 and the upper case 11A overlap. That is, the air holes 19 are arranged inside the upper case 11A and are covered with the upper case 11A. Therefore, the air holes 19 cannot be visually recognized from the outside of the upper case 11A. Also, the air hole 19 cannot be closed directly with a finger unless the upper case 11A is removed.

Returning to FIG. 11, the center holder 70 has a cylindrical peripheral wall 70a extending in the axial direction. An engaging groove portion 71 is formed in the axial upper end portion of the peripheral wall 70a. The engagement groove portion 71 engages with an engagement protrusion 17e formed at the axially lower end portion of the cover member 17 . The center holder 70 is press-fitted into the upper case 11A below the cover member 17 in the axial direction.

A reduced-diameter portion 72 having a smaller diameter than the outer diameter of the peripheral wall 70a that is press-fitted into the upper case 11A is formed on the lower side of the center holder 70 in the axial direction. The reduced diameter portion 72 is inserted inside the connecting tube 80 by press fitting. A positioning protrusion 72a is formed on the reduced diameter portion 72 to position the connecting tube 80 in the circumferential direction. A positioning groove 81 with which the positioning protrusion 72a engages is formed in the axial upper end of the connection tube 80 .

The connection cylinder 80 is formed in a cylindrical shape extending in the axial direction. An opening 82 is formed in the peripheral surface of the connection tube 80 . The opening 82 is provided on one side of the connecting tube 80 in the radial direction. As shown in FIG. 10 , the connection tube 80 projects axially downward from the upper case 11A while being attached to the upper case 11A together with the center holder 70 .

The holder assembly 10B is inserted inside the connecting tube 80. An interposed member 13A is interposed on the outer circumference of a portion of the connection tube 80 that protrudes axially downward from the upper case 11A. The interposed member 13A has a different color and luster from those of the lower case 10A and the upper case 11A, thereby improving the design. The connecting cylinder 80 is inserted by press-fitting inside the lower case 10A in a state in which the holder assembly 10B is inserted inside. Then, the opening 82 of the connecting tube 80 and the button hole 10b of the lower case 10A communicate in the radial direction.

The button 20 has a button body 20a and a button case 20b, and is assembled to the button housing member 140 of the holder assembly 10B through the button hole 10b. An end cap 10B2 is attached to the axial lower end of the holder assembly 10B via an adhesive sheet 10B1. The end cap 10B2 closes the lower end opening of the lower case 10A.

As shown in FIG. 12, the holder assembly 10B includes an electrical holder 150, a power source 151, a main board 152, a sub-board 153, a flexible cable 154, a sensor holder 155, a cap member 156, a stopper 157, A sponge 158 , an adhesive sheet 159 , a protective tape 120 , a spacer 130 and a button housing member 140 are provided.

The "main board" refers to the largest board among the boards housed inside the exterior case 2A. The main board 152 is larger than the sub board 153 . If only one board is housed inside the exterior case 2A, that board is the "main board". Further, when two boards of the same size are housed inside the outer case 2A, the board provided with an electronically controlled arithmetic unit such as a CPU or a microcomputer is referred to as a "main board".

The electrical equipment holder 150 is made of, for example, a resin material. The electrical equipment holder 150 is formed in a semi-cylindrical shape extending in the axial direction. A semicircular end wall 150 a is provided at the upper end portion of the electrical equipment holder 150 in the axial direction. The end wall 150a is formed with a groove portion 150a1 in which the projecting electrode 50 provided on the main substrate 152 is arranged, and a projection portion 150a2 that engages with the button housing member 140. As shown in FIG.

A disk-shaped end wall 150b is provided at the axial lower end of the electrical equipment holder 150 . A slot 150h for accommodating the sub-board 153 is provided near the end wall 150b. Further, a stopper 157 for fixing the sub-board 153 can be attached to the slot 150h. A charging terminal 22 is mounted on the sub-board 153 .

The charging terminal 22 is, for example, a USB connector (Universal Serial Bus). However, the charging terminal 22 is not limited to a USB connector. Moreover, the charging terminal 22 does not necessarily have to be used for charging, and may be used for communication, for example. As shown in FIG. 9, the charging terminal 22 is exposed to the outside through an opening 150i provided in the electrical equipment holder 150 and an opening 10a provided in the lower case 10A. The charging terminal 22 is retracted radially inward from the opening 10a provided in the lower case 10A.

As shown in FIG. 12, a partition wall 150c is provided at substantially the central portion of the electrical equipment holder 150 in the axial direction. A power source 151 is accommodated between the partition wall 150c and the end wall 150b of the electrical equipment holder 150 with an adhesive sheet 159 interposed therebetween. The power source 151 is formed in a cylindrical shape extending in the axial direction. A sponge 158 is arranged between the power supply 151 and the slot 150h.

The power supply 151 is a storage battery (secondary battery) and can be charged via the charging terminal 22 . Note that the power source 151 is not limited to a rechargeable secondary battery, and may be a supercapacitor or the like. Also, the power source 151 may be a primary battery. Note that the charging terminal 22 is not necessary when the power source 151 is a primary battery.

The power supply 151 is electrically connected to the sub-board 153 and the main board 152 via flexible cables 154 . The flexible cable 154 extends axially along the peripheral surface of the power source 151 . The protective tape 120 fixes the flexible cable 154 to the peripheral surface of the power supply 151 . A tongue portion 121 is provided at the axially lower end portion of the protective tape 120 . The tongue 121 extends axially to the slot 150h and covers the sub-board 153, the stopper 157, and the like.

A main substrate 152 is accommodated in the electrical equipment holder 150 between the partition wall 150c and the end wall 150a. The main board 152 includes a board 152a, a pair of projecting electrodes 50, a switch 51, and a sensor 52. As shown in FIG. The substrate 152a is formed in a substantially rectangular shape extending in the axial direction. The substrate 152a has a plate surface 152a1 facing the front side (−X side) and a plate surface 152a2 facing the back side.

The pair of projecting electrodes 50 are mounted on each of the plate surface 152a1 and the plate surface 152a2 of the substrate 152a so as to protrude axially upward from the substrate 152a. The switch 51 is mounted on the plate surface 152a1 of the substrate 152a at a position overlapping the button accommodating member 140 and the button hole 10b when viewed from the radial direction. The electrical equipment holder 150 is provided with a post portion 150d that supports the switch 51 portion of the substrate 152a from the plate surface 152a2 side.

The sensor 52 is mounted on the plate surface 152a2 of the substrate 152a with spacers 130 interposed therebetween. The sensor 52 is a so-called puff sensor that detects user's suction. Examples of the sensor 52 include a pressure sensor that detects pressure, an airflow sensor that detects airflow, and a temperature sensor that detects temperature. The sensor 52 of the present embodiment is, for example, a capacitive sensor, and detects the behavior of a diaphragm that deforms according to pressure fluctuations as a change in capacitance.

An opening 150e into which the sensor holder 155 can be inserted in the X-axis direction is formed between the partition wall 150c and the end wall 150a of the electrical equipment holder 150. An arch portion 150f is formed at the axial upper edge of the opening 150e of the electrical equipment holder 150 to avoid interference with the ventilation nozzle 74 (see FIG. 11). An engaging piece 150g is provided on the axially lower side of the opening 150e of the electrical equipment holder 150. As shown in FIG. The engagement piece 150g engages with an engagement groove 83 provided on the peripheral surface of the connection tube 80 shown in FIG.

The sensor holder 155 is made of an elastic member, for example, a resin material such as silicone resin. The sensor holder 155 is formed with a housing groove 155a for housing the sensor 52 and a communication hole 155b communicating with the housing groove 155a. The communication hole 155b penetrates from the accommodation groove 155a to the upper surface of the sensor holder 155 in the axial direction, and the ventilation nozzle 74 (see FIG. 11) is inserted in the axial direction.

The cap member 156 is made of an elastic member, for example, a resin material such as silicone resin. The cap member 156 is formed in a truncated tubular shape and is attached to the axial upper end portion of the electrical equipment holder 150 and the button housing member 140 that are combined in a cylindrical shape. The top wall of the cap member 156 is formed with an insertion hole (not shown) through which the projecting electrode 50 is inserted. A peripheral wall of the cap member 156 is formed with a convex portion 156a that protrudes radially inward and comes into close contact with the electrical equipment holder 150 having the arch portion 150f.

FIG. 14 is a cross-sectional view of the vicinity of the center holder 70 of the body unit 2 according to one embodiment. FIG. 15 is an axial plan view of the center holder 70 according to one embodiment.
As shown in FIG. 14, inside the peripheral wall 70a of the center holder 70, a bottom wall 70b is formed to separate the inside of the cartridge accommodating portion 11 and the inside of the power supply unit 10 from each other. As shown in FIG. 15, the bottom wall 70b is axially formed with two through holes 70b1 for arranging the ends 50a of the two projecting electrodes 50 inside the cartridge accommodating portion 11. As shown in FIG. .

On the upper surface of the bottom wall 70b of the center holder 70, an engagement protrusion 76 is formed that engages with the engagement groove 36i (see FIG. 2) of the cartridge 3 described above. The engaging protrusion 76 positions the cartridge 3 in the circumferential direction and the radial direction. Three engaging protrusions 76 are formed at equal intervals in the circumferential direction (at intervals of 120° in the circumferential direction). In addition, the number of the engaging protrusions 76 is not limited to the same number as the engaging grooves 36i. The number of engaging projections 76 may be equal to or less than the number of engaging grooves 36i.

As shown in FIG. 14, the engaging protrusion 76 has a curved shape protruding axially upward (+Z side). In other words, the width of the engaging protrusion 76 in the circumferential direction decreases toward the upper side in the axial direction. The engaging protrusion 76 may have an isosceles trapezoidal shape similar to the engaging groove 36i or an isosceles triangle, as long as the width in the circumferential direction decreases toward the upper side in the axial direction. .

Also, the engaging protrusion 76 may have an asymmetric shape such as a right-angled triangle. For example, when the engaging protrusion 76 is a right-angled triangle, when connecting the mouthpiece 12 to the cartridge housing part 11, the side facing the mouthpiece 12 in the rotational direction is preferably the right-angled side. This makes it difficult for the cartridge housing portion 11 to climb over the engaging protrusion 76 when connecting the mouthpiece portion 12 to the cartridge housing portion 11 .

As shown in FIG. 14, a peripheral wall 70a above the bottom wall 70b of the center holder 70 is formed with a through hole 70a1 penetrating in the radial direction. A mesh sheet 75 is attached to the through-hole 70a1 from the outside in the radial direction. The mesh sheet 75 is also preferably made of a material having both waterproofness and air permeability. A slit groove 70c recessed radially inward is formed in the outer peripheral surface of the peripheral wall 70a. The slit groove 70c is formed so as to become deeper radially inward as it goes axially downward (-Z side).

The center holder 70 is provided with a mounting cylinder portion 73 communicating with the lower end portion of the slit groove 70c. A ventilation nozzle 74 is attached to the attachment cylinder portion 73 . The ventilation nozzle 74 is inserted into the communication hole 155b of the sensor holder 155. As shown in FIG. As a result, an air flow path is formed from the inside of the cartridge housing portion 11 to the sensor 52 via the through hole 70a1, the slit groove 70c, and the ventilation nozzle 74, and pressure is generated inside the sensor holder 155 according to the suction of the aerosol. A fluctuating pressure fluctuation space S1 is formed. That is, part of the sensor 52 is located in the pressure fluctuation space S1. Note that the mounting cylinder portion 73 and the ventilation nozzle 74 may be integrated.

<Spacer>
As shown in FIG. 14, the main board 152 includes a board 152a, electronic components 55 (electronic components other than the above-described projecting electrodes 50, switches 51, and sensors 52) mounted on the board 152a, and mounted on the board 152a. and a sensor 52 mounted on the substrate 152a with the spacer 130 interposed therebetween.

FIG. 17 is a bottom view of the spacer 130 according to one embodiment viewed from the front side (+X side). FIG. 18 is a side view of the spacer 130 according to one embodiment viewed from the left side (-Y side).
As shown in FIG. 16, the spacer 130 has a circular outer shape. In addition, the outer shape of the spacer 130 is not limited to a circle, and may be, for example, a quadrangle, other polygons, an ellipse, or other irregular shapes.

A housing groove 131 for housing the sensor 52 is formed on the upper surface 130A (surface facing the -X side) of the spacer 130 . The housing groove 131 is formed with three through holes 133 into which the three terminals of the sensor 52 are inserted. The through-hole 133 penetrates from the bottom surface of the accommodation groove 131 to the lower surface 130B (the surface facing the +X side) of the spacer 130 in the X-axis direction. Three terminals of the sensor 52 are connected to the substrate 152a through the three through holes 133. As shown in FIG.

As shown in FIG. 18, the spacer 130 has a recess 132 recessed inwardly from the outer contour of the spacer 130 on the side of the lower surface 130B (the side of the substrate 152a). The recessed portion 132 is annularly constricted radially inward from the outermost peripheral surface of the spacer 130 . The recess 132 is formed in an arc shape when viewed from the side as shown in FIG. The shape of the recessed portion 132 is not particularly limited as long as it is recessed inside the contour of the spacer 130, and may be a rectangular groove or a slope.

As shown in FIG. 14, the spacer 130 is formed with a communication hole 134 for spatially communicating the sensor 52 and the space S2 other than the pressure fluctuation space S1 inside the exterior case 2A. The space S2 is an internal space of the power supply unit 10, communicates with the outside through the opening 10a of the charging terminal 22, etc., and is a normal pressure space. The communication hole 134 opens into the recess 132 . Specifically, the communication hole 134 has a communication hole portion 134a and a communication groove portion 134b.

The communication hole portion 134a penetrates from the bottom surface of the accommodation groove 131 to the lower surface 130B of the spacer 130 in the X-axis direction. The communication groove portion 134b is a groove formed in the lower surface 130B of the spacer 130, extends linearly from the communication hole portion 134a to the recess portion 132, and has a rectangular opening at the recess portion 132 (see FIG. 18). .

As shown in FIG. 17, the spacer 130 has a plurality of communication holes 134 formed therein. Three communication holes 134 of this embodiment are formed, and are opened at intervals of 90 degrees with respect to the recess 132 . The number of communication holes 134 is not limited to three, and may be singular, two, or four or more.

FIG. 19 is a cross-sectional view showing the positional relationship between the spacer 130 and peripheral electronic components 55 according to one embodiment.
As shown in FIG. 19 , at least part of the electronic component 55 around the spacer 130 is arranged inside the contour of the spacer 130 . That is, at least part of the electronic component 55 is arranged in the space S3 formed between the recess 132 and the substrate 152a. A portion of the electronic component 55 arranged in the space S3 is arranged to overlap the spacer 130 in the X-axis direction.

Also, the electronic component 55 is arranged apart from the opening of the communication hole 134 of the recess 132 . It is preferable to arrange the electronic component 55 so as not to be positioned on an extension line of the opening of the communication hole 134 of the recess 132 . This prevents the electronic component 55 from interfering with the communication state between the sensor 52 and the space S2 other than the pressure fluctuation space S1.

<Button housing member>
FIG. 20 is a cross-sectional view of the vicinity of the button 20 of the body unit 2 according to one embodiment. FIG. 21 is an exploded perspective view of the button receiving member 140 according to one embodiment. FIG. 22 is a front view of a button receiving member 140 according to one embodiment. FIG. 23 is a rear view of the button receiving member 140 according to one embodiment.
As shown in FIG. 20, the button accommodating member 140 accommodates the button 20 and covers the button hole 10b from the inside of the exterior case 2A (more specifically, the connecting tube 80).

As shown in FIG. 21, the button housing member 140 includes a hard member 141 and an elastic member 142. The elastic member 142 is interposed between the button 20 and the switch 51, as shown in FIG. The elastic member 142 is made of, for example, a soft resin material such as elastomer. Moreover, the hard member 141 is made of, for example, a hard resin material such as polycarbonate.

The hard member 141 is joined with the elastic member 142 . The hard member 141 of this embodiment is integrated with the elastic member 142 by two-color molding. As a result, the interface between the hard member 141 and the elastic member 142 is liquid-tightly joined. Note that the hard member 141 and the elastic member 142 may be joined with an adhesive or the like.

As shown in FIG. 21, the hard member 141 is formed in a semi-cylindrical shape extending in the axial direction. A semicircular end wall 141A is provided at the upper end portion of the hard member 141 in the axial direction. The end wall 141A is formed with a groove portion 141A1 in which the projecting electrode 50 provided on the main substrate 152 is arranged, and a projection portion 141A2 that engages with the groove portion 150a1 of the electrical equipment holder 150 (see FIG. 12).

The hard member 141 has a first peripheral surface 141a, a second peripheral surface 141b, and a third peripheral surface 141c. The peripheral surface of the hard member 141 gradually decreases in diameter from the first peripheral surface 141a to the second peripheral surface 141b and then to the third peripheral surface 141c from the first peripheral surface 141a toward the upper side in the axial direction. The first peripheral surface 141a has a shape that follows the inner wall surface of the outer case 2A (more specifically, the inner wall surface of the connecting tube 80), and is in close contact with the inner wall surface of the outer case 2A. The second peripheral surface 141b is inserted inside the center holder 70 described above. The cap member 156 described above is attached to the third peripheral surface 141c.

The first peripheral surface 141a of the hard member 141 is formed with a cylindrical portion 141e communicating with the buttonhole 10b. The cylindrical portion 141e extends radially inward (−X side) from the first peripheral surface 141a. As shown in FIG. 20, the elastic member 142 includes a bottom portion 142a that closes the open end of the tubular portion 141e on the side opposite to the button hole 10b (−X side), and extends from the peripheral portion of the bottom portion 142a. and a peripheral wall portion 142b covering the surface. A boundary surface between the hard member 141 and the elastic member 142 is formed to be bent at a connecting portion between the bottom portion 142a and the peripheral wall portion 142b.

As shown in FIG. 21, an annular groove 141d is formed in the peripheral portion of the open end of the tubular portion 141e on the buttonhole 10b side (+X side). A ring member 140a, which is a hard member similar to the hard member 141, engages with the annular groove 141d. That is, the hard member 141 is formed from two or more members. The surface of the ring member 140a is continuous with the first peripheral surface 141a and adheres to the inner wall surface of the exterior case 2A. Note that the hard member 141 may be formed from one member.

A fitting groove 141f for fitting the button 20 is provided on the inner wall surface of the cylindrical portion 141e. As shown in FIG. 20, a fitting piece 20b1 provided on the button case 20b of the button 20 is fitted into the fitting groove 141f. A pair of fitting pieces 20b1 are provided corresponding to the fitting groove 141f. The ring member 140a restricts the fitting piece 20b1 from coming off from the fitting groove 141f.

As shown in FIG. 21, the elastic member 142 has a holding portion 142c that holds the ring member 140a in the annular groove 141d. A pair of holding portions 142c are provided at portions of the inner wall surface of the annular groove 141d facing each other in the axial direction, and slightly protrude toward the inside of the annular groove 141d. The pair of holding portions 142c are elastically deformed to hold the ring member 140a so as to sandwich the ring member 140a in the axial direction. A through hole 141g penetrating the hard member 141 in the radial direction is formed at the position where the holding portion 142c is formed.

<Connection mechanism>
FIG. 24 is a cross-sectional view of the vicinity of the cartridge insertion/removal hole 11b of the main unit 2 according to one embodiment. FIG. 25 is a perspective view of the cartridge insertion/removal hole 11b of the cartridge housing portion 11 according to one embodiment. 25, the mouthpiece 12 is removed.
As shown in FIG. 24, the cartridge housing portion 11 includes an upper case 11A, a seal member 90, a first inner cylinder member 100, and a second inner cylinder member 110. As shown in FIG. As shown in FIG. 25, the upper case 11A, the seal member 90, the first inner cylindrical member 100, and the second inner cylindrical member 110 form the cartridge insertion/removal hole 11b of the cartridge accommodating portion 11. As shown in FIG.

By the way, regarding the sealing performance in the radial direction between the cartridge accommodating portion 11 and the suction port portion 12, there is no problem if, for example, the contact surface between the upper case 11A and the flange portion 12b is large. For this reason, if the upper case 11A is made thin, sealing becomes difficult.
On the other hand, it is conceivable to dispose an elastic member such as an O-ring on the periphery of the opening of the upper case 11A. As a result, the inner diameter of the cartridge accommodating portion 11 is reduced due to the thickness of the elastic member itself, and the accommodating volume is reduced. In addition, since the elastic member is arranged at a position where it is exposed to the peripheral edge of the opening of the cartridge accommodating portion 11, it must be strong enough not to be broken by the user.
Therefore, the seal member 90, the first inner cylinder member 100, and the second inner cylinder member 110 have the following configurations.

FIG. 26 is a perspective view of the first inner cylinder member 100 according to one embodiment.
The first inner tubular member 100 is a tubular member made of metal such as stainless steel. The first inner cylindrical member 100 is provided with a connection mechanism 101 for connecting the mouthpiece 12 to the cartridge insertion/removal hole 11b. The connection mechanism 101 is two grooves (notches) formed at equal intervals (180°) in the circumferential direction of the first inner cylindrical member 100 . Note that the connection mechanism 101 is not limited to the method of fitting grooves and protrusions, and may be, for example, a screw connection method or a magnetic attachment method using a magnet.

The connection mechanism 101 has a first groove portion 101a and a second groove portion 101b. The first groove portion 101a extends axially downward (−Z side) from the axial upper end portion of the first inner cylindrical member 100 . The axial upper end portion of the first groove portion 101a increases in width in the circumferential direction toward the axial upper side (+Z side). The second groove portion 101b extends in the circumferential direction from the lower end of the second groove portion 101b and extends around the first inner cylindrical member 100 by approximately 1/4.

One of the two grooves of the connection mechanism 101 has a fitting hole 101c in addition to the first groove 101a and the second groove 101b. The fitting hole 101c is arranged on an extension line of the second groove portion 101b. The fitting hole 101c and the second groove portion 101b are formed apart from each other. That is, a portion 101d of the first inner cylindrical member 100 is interposed between the fitting hole 101c and the second groove portion 101b.

When the above-described projection 12B1 of the mouthpiece 12 is attached to the connection mechanism 101, it goes over the part 101d of the first inner cylindrical member 100 from the end of the second groove 101b and fits into the fitting hole 101c ( (see FIG. 31, which will be described later). As a result, the mouthpiece 12 is held by the connection mechanism 101 .

An engagement hole 102 is formed in the first inner cylindrical member 100 above the second groove portion 101b in the axial direction. A pair of engaging holes 102 are formed in portions of the first inner cylinder member 100 that face each other in the radial direction. An engagement projection 93 (see FIG. 28) provided on a seal member 90 to be described later is inserted into the engagement hole 102 .

Further, the first inner cylindrical member 100 is formed with an engaging piece 103 at the lower end of the first groove portion 101a. The engaging piece 103 is bent radially outward. A pair of the engaging pieces 103 are formed at portions of the first inner cylindrical member 100 that face each other in the radial direction. The engaging piece 103 is inserted into an engaging groove 113 (see FIG. 27) provided in a second inner tubular member 110, which will be described later.

FIG. 27 is a perspective view of the second inner cylinder member 110 according to one embodiment.
The second inner tubular member 110 is a tubular member made of metal such as aluminum. The second inner cylindrical member 110 includes a first portion 111, a second portion 112 provided axially inward (−Z side) of the first portion 111 and having a smaller diameter on the inner diameter side than the first portion 111, have. The outer peripheral surface of the second inner cylindrical member 110 has an outer diameter that allows it to be press-fitted into the upper case 11A.

As shown in FIG. 24 , the first portion 111 is interposed between the upper case 11A and the seal member 90 and contacts the upper case 11A and the seal member 90 . Also, the second portion 112 is interposed between the upper case 11A and the first inner cylinder member 100 and contacts the upper case 11A and the first inner cylinder member 100 .

As shown in FIG. 27, an engagement groove 113 is formed in the second portion 112 . A pair of engaging grooves 113 are formed in the second portion 112 at portions facing each other in the radial direction. The engaging piece 103 of the first inner cylindrical member 100 described above engages with the engaging piece 103 . A third portion 114 having a reduced diameter on the outer diameter side is provided below the engaging groove 113 in the axial direction (−Z side). The third portion 114 is inserted inside the cover member 17 described above, as shown in FIG.

FIG. 28 is a perspective view of a seal member 90 according to one embodiment. FIG. 29 is an axial plan view of the seal member 90 according to one embodiment.
The seal member 90 is a tubular member made of a member having elasticity, for example, a resin material such as an elastomer. The seal member 90 is provided with an annular projecting portion 91 , an extending portion 92 and an engaging projection 93 .

As shown in FIG. 24, the annular protrusion 91 protrudes axially outward (+Z side) from the end of the upper case 11A toward the mouthpiece 12 (indicated by a dotted line in FIG. 24). The annular protruding portion 91 has a curved shape that protrudes axially upward (+Z side) in the cross-sectional view shown in FIG. 24 . In other words, the radial width of the annular projecting portion 91 decreases toward the upper side in the axial direction.

The annular projecting portion 91 extends radially outward so as to cover the axial upper end portion of the second inner cylindrical member 110 . That is, the sealing member 90 has an inverted L shape in the cross-sectional view shown in FIG. A radially outer end of the annular projecting portion 91 is in contact with the inner wall surface of the upper case 11A. The annular projecting portion 91 is arranged with a space S4 in the axial direction with respect to the end portion of the second inner cylindrical member 110 . The space S4 allows the annular projecting portion 91 to escape to the side opposite to the mouthpiece portion 12 so that the annular projecting portion 91 is not plastically deformed beyond the elastic region when the annular projecting portion 91 is crushed in the axial direction by the mouthpiece portion 12. It is a space for

The extending portion 92 extends axially inward (-Z side) from the annular projecting portion 91 along the inner wall surface of the upper case 11A. A first portion 111 of a second inner tubular member 110 is interposed between the extension portion 92 and the upper case 11A. As shown in FIG. 28, the extending portion 92 extends in a cylindrical shape axially inward (-Z side) from the radially inner edge of the annular projecting portion 91 . The extending portion 92 is not limited to a cylindrical shape as long as it extends axially inward (−Z side). .

An engaging projection 93 is formed on the inner wall surface of the extending portion 92 . A pair of engaging protrusions 93 are formed on the inner wall surface of the extending portion 92 at portions facing each other in the radial direction. A recess is formed in the outer wall surface of the extension portion 92 at a position corresponding to the engaging projection 93 . The engagement protrusion 93 engages with the engagement hole 102 of the first inner cylindrical member 100 described above. As shown in FIG. 29 , the tip surface of the engaging protrusion 93 is curved so as to be continuous with the inner wall surface of the first inner cylindrical member 100 .

FIG. 30 is a perspective view showing a state in which the seal member 90 according to one embodiment is incorporated between the first inner cylinder member 100 and the second inner cylinder member 110. FIG.
As shown in FIG. 30, the engagement projection 93 of the seal member 90 is engaged with the engagement hole 102 of the first inner cylindrical member 100 from the radially outer side, and further, the first inner cylindrical member 100 and the seal member 90 are engaged. The second inner cylindrical member 110 is mounted on the radially outer side, and the engaging piece 103 of the first inner cylindrical member 100 is inserted into the engaging groove 113 of the second inner cylindrical member 110 from the radially inner side. Thereby, the seal member 90, the first inner cylinder member 100, and the second inner cylinder member 110 can be combined in a ring shape.

<How to assemble the main unit>
In order to assemble the main unit 2, first, as shown in FIG. 10, the upper case 11A and the holder assembly 10B are assembled.

To assemble the upper case 11A, the cover member 17 is inserted inside the upper case 11A as shown in FIG. Next, a ring-shaped unit combining the seal member 90, the first inner cylindrical member 100, and the second inner cylindrical member 110 shown in FIG. 30 is press-fitted into the upper case 11A from the upper end opening of the upper case 11A. Further, as shown in FIG. 11, the center holder 70, to which the ventilation nozzle 74 and the mesh sheet 75 are attached, and further to which the connecting tube 80 is attached, is press-fitted into the upper case 11A from the lower end opening of the upper case 11A.

As shown in FIG. 12, the holder assembly 10B is assembled by attaching a power supply 151, a main board 152, a sub-board 153, a flexible cable 154, a sensor holder 155, a cap member 156, a stopper 157, a sponge 158, and an adhesive to the electrical equipment holder 150. The sheet 159, the protective tape 120, the spacer 130, and the button accommodating member 140 are assembled.

Next, as shown in FIG. 10, the interposed member 13A is attached to the connection tube 80 assembled to the upper case 11A, and the assembled holder assembly 10B is inserted inside the connection tube 80. As shown in FIG. At this time, the engaging piece 110g of the holder assembly 10B engages with the engaging groove 83 of the connecting tube 80. As shown in FIG.

The tip of the holder assembly 10B is inserted into the inside of the sensor holder 155, and as shown in FIG. 15, the projecting electrode 50 at the tip of the holder assembly 10B is inserted into the inside of the cartridge accommodating portion 11 through the through hole 70b1. Also, the ventilation nozzle 74 of the center holder 70 is inserted into the communication hole 155b of the sensor holder 155 (see FIG. 14).

Next, as shown in FIG. 10, the lower case 10A is inserted from the axial lower end side of the holder assembly 10B and press-fitted until it abuts against the interposition member 13A of the connection cylinder 80. As shown in FIG. Next, the button 20 is attached to the button hole 10b, and the end cap 10B2 is attached via the adhesive sheet 10B1 to the holder assembly 10B exposed from the lower end opening of the lower case 10A.
As described above, the power supply unit 10 and the cartridge accommodating portion 11 of the main unit 2 are completed.

FIG. 31 is an explanatory diagram showing how the mouthpiece 12 is connected to the cartridge housing 11 according to one embodiment.
As shown in FIG. 31, the cartridge housing portion 11 is provided with a connection mechanism 101 . The protrusion 12B1 of the mouthpiece 12 is inserted axially downward (−Z side) from the first groove 101a and turns about 90° in the circumferential direction from the lower end of the first groove 101a along the second groove 101b. One of the protruding portions 12B1 of the mouthpiece portion 12 climbs over a portion 101d of the first inner cylindrical member 100 from the end of the second groove portion 101b and fits into the fitting hole 101c. As a result, the mouthpiece 12 is held by the connection mechanism 101 .
As described above, the mouthpiece portion 12 is connected to the cartridge housing portion 11, and the main unit 2 is assembled.

<How to assemble the aspirator>
As shown in FIG. 2, when assembling the aspirator 1, the cartridge 3 is accommodated in the cartridge accommodating portion 11 of the main unit 2. As shown in FIG. The cartridge 3 is inserted through the cartridge inserting/removing hole 11b of the cartridge accommodating portion 11 with the bottom wall 36d provided with the planar electrode 36h directed toward the main unit 2 side.

When the cartridge 3 is inserted, there is nothing around the cartridge 3 that hinders the movement of the cartridge 3 in the rotational direction. Even if the circumferential position of the cartridge 3 and the engaging groove portion 36i of the cartridge 3 do not coincide with each other, the collision with the engaging protrusion 76 causes the cartridge 3 to bounce and rotate, or to rotate along the curved surface of the engaging protrusion 76. When the cartridge 3 slides down, the engagement protrusion 76 enters the engagement groove 36i. As a result, the planar electrode 36h of the cartridge 3 comes into contact with the projecting electrode 50. As shown in FIG.

It should be noted that, when inserting the cartridge 3 described above, the cartridge 3 may not be assembled in the correct position. In this case, the cartridge 3 rides on the engaging protrusion 76 (hereinafter simply referred to as "running state"). In the riding state of the cartridge 3, the downward movement of the cartridge 3 in the axial direction (-Z side) is restricted. Therefore, the planar electrode 36h and the protruding electrode 50 are spaced apart in the axial direction, and electrical continuity between the cartridge 3 and the main unit 2 is not ensured.

When the suction mouth portion 12 is attached to the cartridge accommodating portion 11 while the cartridge 3 is in the state of riding on it, the cartridge contact portion 60 contacts the cartridge 3 before the attachment of the suction mouth portion 12 is completed. Specifically, the cartridge contact portion 60 contacts the cartridge 3 while the projection portion 12B1 of the mouthpiece portion 12 is passing through the first groove portion 101a of the connection mechanism 101 . As a result, the cartridge abutting portion 60 is axially compressed, and the cartridge 3 is pressed against the engaging protrusion 76 . Since the engaging projection 76 has a curved surface shape, even if the circumferential positions of the center of the engaging projection 76 and the center of the engaging groove 36i do not match, the tip of the engaging projection 76 can be engaged. When the matching groove portion 36i is engaged, the cartridge 3 slides down obliquely along the curved surface of the engaging protrusion 76, and the cartridge 3 is assembled at the proper position.

Further, when the cartridge 3 is still in a riding state even when the cartridge 3 is pressed, the suction mouth portion 12 is rotated while the cartridge contact portion 60 is in contact with the cartridge 3 . Then, while the projection 12B1 is passing through the second groove 101b of the connection mechanism 101, the cartridge 3 rotates together. The cartridge 3 rotates due to the frictional force generated between it and the cartridge contact portion 60 . When the tip (apex) of the engaging protrusion 76 faces the engaging groove 36i due to the rotation of the cartridge 3, the cartridge 3 slides down along the curved surface of the engaging protrusion 76, and the engaging protrusion 76 moves to the engaging groove. Go into 36i. As described above, in the present embodiment, the cartridge 3 can be assembled at the proper position in three stages: free fall of the cartridge 3, pressing of the cartridge 3, and rotation of the cartridge 3. FIG.

When the mouthpiece portion 12 is rotated to the end and the mouthpiece portion 12 is attached to the cartridge housing portion 11, the cartridge contact portion 60 is compressed in the axial direction, and the flat electrode 36h is pressed against the projecting electrode 50, and the cartridge 3 is positioned. Thus, by attaching the mouthpiece 12, the positioning of the cartridge 3 and the electrical connection between the cartridge 3 and the main unit 2 are performed. In addition, the gap between the cartridge 3 and the suction port 12 is sealed by compressing the annular projection 61 of the cartridge contact portion 60 in the axial direction.
As described above, the assembly of the aspirator 1 is completed. As shown in FIG. 5, the flavor source container 4 may be inserted into the mouthpiece 12 in advance. By inserting the container 4, the assembly of the suction device 1 is completed.

<How to use the aspirator>
When using the aspirator 1 described above, the user first presses the button 20 shown in FIG. At this time, for example, the main unit 2 may be programmed to be activated by pressing the button 20 multiple times.

Subsequently, the user sucks while holding the mouthpiece 12 or the flavor source container 4 in his/her mouth. Then, the air inside the cartridge accommodating portion 11 flows, and as shown in FIG. and the sensor 52 detects the puff. When the sensor 52 detects the puff, the heating wire 35b of the cartridge 3 shown in FIG. 5 is energized and the heating wire 35b generates heat. When the heating wire 35b generates heat, the liquid aerosol source impregnated in the wick 35a is heated and atomized. The atomized aerosol is inhaled together with air (outside air) taken in by inhalation.

Air (outside air) is taken in from an air inlet 18 in a gap between the upper case 11A and the cover member 17, as shown in FIG. The air taken in from the air inlet 18 flows into the inside of the cartridge accommodating portion 11 through the annular groove 17c around the cover projection 17b, the air groove 17d, and the air hole 19. As shown in FIG. The air that has flowed into the cartridge housing portion 11 flows into the atomization chamber 34c through the intake hole 36c and the opening 34e of the cartridge 3, as shown in FIG.

The atomized aerosol fills the atomization chamber 34c, and along with the air that has flowed into the atomization chamber 34c, passes through the flow path pipe 21c, the through hole 21b, and the communication hole 62 of the cartridge contact portion 60, and then flows into the mouthpiece. It is sucked up to the part 12 side. Thereafter, the atomized aerosol-air mixture enters the user's mouth through the flavor source container 4 attached to the mouthpiece 12 . This allows the user to enjoy the flavor.

[Effect]
The power supply unit 10 of the present embodiment described above includes a power supply 151, a main board 152 (electronic board) electrically connected to the power supply 151, and an exterior case 2A that houses at least the power supply 151 and the main board 152. . As shown in FIG. 14, the main board 152 includes a board 152a, electronic components 55 (first electronic components) mounted on the board 152a, spacers 130 mounted on the board 152a, and spacers 130. and a sensor 52 (second electronic component) mounted on the substrate 152a. The spacer 130 has a recess 132 on the side of the substrate 152a that is recessed inward from the outer contour of the spacer 130, and at least part of the electronic component 55 is a space formed between the recess 132 and the substrate 152a. It is located in S3.
According to this configuration, the sensor 52 is arranged on the spacer 130, and at least part of the electronic component 55 is arranged in the space S3 formed between the recess 132 of the spacer 130 and the substrate 152a. The electronic component 55 and the sensor 52 can be arranged not two-dimensionally but three-dimensionally with respect to 152a. Therefore, the outer shape of the substrate 152a can be reduced, and the device can be miniaturized.

Further, in the present embodiment, the sensor 52 detects the inhalation of aerosol.
According to this configuration, the sensor 52 for detecting suction of aerosol can be mounted separately from the substrate 152a via the spacer 130. FIG. Since the sensor 52 is a relatively large electronic component among the electronic components mounted on the substrate 152a, by separating the sensor 52 from the substrate 152a, the mounting area of the substrate 152a can be secured widely.

Further, in the present embodiment, a pressure fluctuation space S1 in which the pressure fluctuates according to the suction of the aerosol is provided inside the exterior case 2A, and a part of the sensor 52 is positioned in the pressure fluctuation space S1, and the spacer 130 is formed with a communication hole 134 that allows spatial communication between the sensor 52 and the space S2 other than the pressure fluctuation space S1 inside the exterior case 2A.
According to this configuration, the sensor 52 is arranged on the spacer 130 and a part of the sensor 52 is positioned in the pressure fluctuation space S1, and the sensor 52 and the space other than the pressure fluctuation space S1 are detected through the communication hole 134 of the spacer 130. By spatially communicating with S2, the sensor 52 can detect suction of the aerosol from the differential pressure between the pressure fluctuation space S1 and the other space S2.

Further, in the present embodiment, the communication hole 134 opens into the recess 132 .
This configuration facilitates formation of the communication hole 134 with respect to the spacer 130 . Moreover, the sensor 52 and the space S2 other than the pressure fluctuation space S1 can be communicated with each other without making a hole in the substrate 152a. As shown in FIG. 14, a through hole 152b may be formed in the substrate 152a to communicate with one of the communication holes 134, thereby spatially communicating the sensor 52 and the space on the +X side of the substrate 152a.

Further, in this embodiment, the electronic component 55 is arranged apart from the opening of the communication hole 134 of the recess 132 as shown in FIG. 19 .
According to this configuration, it is possible to prevent the electronic component 55 from interfering with the communication state between the sensor 52 and the space S2 other than the pressure fluctuation space S1.

The main unit 2 of the present embodiment includes the power supply unit 10 described above, a cartridge housing section 11 that can accommodate the cartridge 3 electrically connected to the power supply unit 10, and is attached to the cartridge housing section 11 to suck aerosol. and a suction port 12 having a suction port.
According to this configuration, since the power supply unit 10 described above is incorporated, the size of the entire device can be reduced.

The aerosol generating device of the present embodiment includes the main unit 2 described above, and the cartridge 3 that accommodates the aerosol source and is removably inserted into the cartridge accommodating portion 11 of the main unit 2 .
According to this configuration, it is possible to supply power from the power supply unit 10 to the cartridge 3 removably inserted into the cartridge housing portion 11 to generate aerosol.

The inhaler 1 of this embodiment includes the aerosol generator described above and the flavor source container 4 attached to the mouthpiece 12 of the aerosol generator.
According to this configuration, flavor can be added to the aerosol.

In addition, in this embodiment, the following effects are also obtained.

The power supply unit 10 of the present embodiment described above includes a power supply 151, a substrate 152a electrically connected to the power supply 151, a switch 51 provided on the substrate 152a, a button 20 for pressing the switch 51, and a button 20. and an exterior case 2A provided with a button hole 10b to be arranged. 20, the power supply unit 10 includes a button accommodating member 140 that accommodates the button 20 and covers the button hole 10b from the inside of the exterior case 2A. It has an elastic member 142 interposed between.
According to this configuration, the button accommodating member 140 is arranged inside the exterior case 2A provided with the button hole 10b, and the elastic member 142 is interposed between the button 20 and the switch 51, so that the pressing of the button 20 can be suppressed. The communication between the inside and the outside of the exterior case 2A at the button hole 10b can be cut off. For this reason, it is possible to prevent droplets from entering through the gap between the button 20 and the buttonhole 10b, and protect the substrate 152a from the droplets.

Further, in this embodiment, as shown in FIG. 21, the button housing member 140 has a rigid member 141 joined to an elastic member 142 .
According to this configuration, since the hard member 141 is joined to the elastic member 142, the arrangement and positioning of the button accommodating member 140 are facilitated compared to the case where only the elastic member 142 is used.

Further, in this embodiment, the hard member 141 is integrated with the elastic member 142 by two-color molding.
According to this configuration, it is possible to suppress penetration of liquid droplets at the interface between the elastic member 142 and the hard member 141 by two-color molding.

In this embodiment, the hard member 141 has a cylindrical portion 141e communicating with the button hole 10b, and a fitting groove 141f into which the button 20 is fitted is provided on the inner wall surface of the cylindrical portion 141e.
According to this configuration, by fitting the button 20 to the hard member 141, the button 20 can be positioned and the rotation of the button 20 can be suppressed.

In this embodiment, as shown in FIG. 20, the elastic member 142 extends from a bottom portion 142a that closes the open end of the cylindrical portion 141e opposite to the button hole 10b and from the peripheral portion of the bottom portion 142a. and a peripheral wall portion 142b that covers the outer peripheral surface of 141e.
According to this configuration, since the boundary surface between the elastic member 142 and the hard member 141 is curved, it is possible to suppress the infiltration of liquid droplets from the boundary surface.

Further, in this embodiment, the periphery (first peripheral surface 141a) of the cylindrical portion 141e of the hard member 141 has a shape along the inner wall surface of the exterior case 2A, as shown in FIG.
According to this configuration, since the periphery of the cylindrical portion 141e of the hard member 141 is in close contact with the inner wall surface of the outer case 2A, it is possible to suppress the penetration of liquid droplets from between the hard member 141 and the outer case 2A.

Further, in this embodiment, the hard member 141 is composed of two or more members (ring member 140a).
According to this configuration, the fitting groove 141f for fitting the button 20 into the hard member 141 can be easily formed.

Further, in this embodiment, as shown in FIG. 12, an electrical equipment holder 150 that supports a power source 151 and a substrate 152a is provided, and the button housing member 140 is assembled to the electrical equipment holder 150. As shown in FIG.
According to this configuration, since the button housing member 140 is assembled to the electrical equipment holder 150 together with the power source 151 and the substrate 152a, the assemblability of the power supply unit 10 is improved.

The main unit 2 of the aerosol generating apparatus of the present embodiment is mounted on the power supply unit 10 described above, the cartridge housing section 11 capable of housing the cartridge 3 electrically connected to the power supply unit 10, and the cartridge housing section 11, and a suction port 12 formed with a suction port for sucking aerosol.
According to this configuration, since the power supply unit 10 described above is incorporated, it is possible to suppress the penetration of liquid droplets into the apparatus.

In addition, in this embodiment, the following effects are also obtained.

The body unit 2 of the aerosol generation device of the present embodiment described above is a body unit 2 of the aerosol generation device that can be separated into at least the cartridge housing portion 11 (first unit) and the mouthpiece portion 12 (second unit). As shown in 24 , the cartridge accommodating portion 11 is disposed radially inside the upper case 11A (outer cylinder member) and the upper case 11A, and is axially positioned toward the mouthpiece 12 from the end of the upper case 11A. A sealing member 90 (elastic member) having an annular projecting portion 91 projecting outward and an extending portion 92 extending axially inward from the annular projecting portion 91 along the inner wall surface of the upper case 11A; and a first inner cylindrical member 100 that is arranged radially inward of the upper case 11A and fixes the extension portion 92 to the upper case 11A.
According to this configuration, the cartridge housing portion 11 and the mouthpiece portion 12 are connected by crushing the annular projection portion 91 of the seal member 90 projecting axially outward from the end portion of the upper case 11A with the mouthpiece portion 12. Axial tightness between the can be ensured. The seal member 90 has an extension portion 92 extending axially inward along the inner wall surface of the upper case 11A from the annular projecting portion 91, and is fixed within a predetermined range in the axial direction by the first inner cylindrical member 100. Therefore, it is difficult for the user to touch the first inner cylindrical member 100 , and even if the annular projecting portion 91 is pulled by the user, it is possible to prevent the seal member 90 from being removed from the cartridge housing portion 11 .
The structure corresponding to the upper case 11A, the seal member 90, and the first inner cylindrical member 100 described above (the same applies to the structure corresponding to the second inner cylindrical member 110, which will be described later) is not the cartridge accommodating portion 11, but the mouthpiece. 12 may be provided. That is, one unit of the cartridge accommodating portion 11 and the mouthpiece portion 12 corresponds to the upper case 11A, the sealing member 90, and the first inner tubular member 100 (the same applies to the configuration corresponding to the second inner tubular member 110 described later). should be provided.
Moreover, the first unit and the second unit may be any of the power supply unit 10, the cartridge housing portion 11, and the mouthpiece portion 12 as long as they are detachable. It may be divided into a plurality of units.

Further, in the present embodiment, the cartridge housing portion 11 (replacement member housing portion) includes the cartridge housing portion 11 for housing the cartridge 3 (replacement member) so as to be insertable and removable in the axial direction. The peripheral edge of the cartridge insertion/removal hole 11b) is formed by the end of the upper case 11A, the annular protrusion 91 of the seal member 90, and the end of the first inner cylindrical member 100. As shown in FIG.
According to this configuration, it is possible to reduce the thickness of the peripheral portion of the opening end of the cartridge housing portion 11 , and it is possible to increase the degree of freedom in design while ensuring the housing capacity of the cartridge housing portion 11 . Further, by fixing the sealing member 90 with the first inner cylindrical member 100, the insertion and removal of the cartridge 3 can be facilitated.

Further, in the present embodiment, the first inner cylinder member 100 is provided with a connection mechanism 101 that connects the mouthpiece 12 .
According to this configuration, the first content member not only fixes the seal member 90 but also serves as the connection mechanism 101 for connecting the units, so the number of parts can be reduced and the thickness of the cartridge accommodating portion 11 can be reduced.

Further, in this embodiment, the cartridge accommodating portion 11 further includes a second inner cylinder member 110 interposed between the upper case 11A and the seal member 90. As shown in FIG.
According to this configuration, the sealing member 90 can be stably fixed by sandwiching the sealing member 90 between the upper case 11A and the first inner cylindrical member 100 via the second inner cylindrical member 110. .

In addition, in the present embodiment, the annular projecting portion 91 extends radially outward so as to cover the end portion of the second inner cylinder member 110 .
According to this configuration, the width in the radial direction of the annular projecting portion 91 is ensured while the end portion of the second inner cylindrical member 110 is not exposed to the outside, and the gap between the cartridge accommodating portion 11 and the mouthpiece portion 12 is sealed. can enhance sexuality.

In addition, in the present embodiment, the annular projecting portion 91 is arranged with a space S4 in the axial direction with respect to the end portion of the second inner tubular member 110 .
According to this configuration, when the annular projecting portion 91 is crushed between the units, part of the annular projecting portion 91 escapes into the space S4 in the axial direction between the end portion of the second inner cylinder member 110. Plastic deformation of the projecting portion 91 can be suppressed. Therefore, even if the suction port 12 is repeatedly attached and detached, the elastic force of the annular projecting portion 91 can be maintained for a long period of time, and the airtightness between the cartridge accommodating portion 11 and the suction port 12 can be ensured.

Further, in the present embodiment, the second inner cylinder member 110 is provided with a first portion 111 in contact with the upper case 11A and the seal member 90, and axially inwardly of the first portion 111. 11A and a second portion 112 in contact with the first inner cylinder member 100 .
According to this configuration, the seal member 90 can be positioned with respect to the upper case 11A by the first portion 111 of the second inner cylindrical member 110, and the second portion 112 of the second inner cylindrical member 110 can be positioned with respect to the upper case 11A. can be used to position the first inner cylinder member 100 .

Moreover, in this embodiment, the annular projecting portion 91 is in contact with the inner wall surface of the upper case 11A.
According to this configuration, it is possible to suppress the outside air from entering along the inner wall surface of the upper case 11A, thereby improving the airtightness.

In this embodiment, as shown in FIG. 30, the first inner cylinder member 100 is provided with an engaging hole 102, and the sealing member 90 is provided with an engaging protrusion 93 that engages with the engaging hole 102. is provided.
According to this configuration, the seal member 90 and the first inner cylindrical member 100 can be assembled, so that the assembling efficiency of the main unit 2 is improved. Note that the engagement hole 102 may be provided on the seal member 90 side instead of the first inner cylinder member 100 side. Further, the engagement protrusion 93 may be provided on the first inner cylinder member 100 side instead of the seal member 90 side. That is, if one member of the sealing member 90 and the first inner cylindrical member 100 is provided with the engaging hole 102 and the other member of the sealing member 90 and the first inner cylindrical member 100 is provided with the engaging projection 93 good.

The aerosol generating device of the present embodiment includes the above-described main unit 2 and a cartridge 3 containing an aerosol source and removably inserted into the main unit.
According to this configuration, since the main unit 2 described above is incorporated, sealing between the units can be ensured, and removal of the seal member 90 can be suppressed.

<Other Modifications>
Although preferred embodiments of the present invention have been described above, the present invention is not limited to these embodiments. Additions, omissions, substitutions, and other changes in configuration are possible without departing from the scope of the present invention. The present invention is not limited by the foregoing description, but only by the scope of the appended claims.

For example, in the above-described embodiment, as an example of an aerosol generating device that generates an aerosol without combustion, the inhaler 1 in which the flavor source container 4 is configured to be detachable has been described as an example, but only this configuration is described. is not limited to As another example of the aerosol generating device, it may have a configuration without the flavor source container 4 (a configuration with only a mouthpiece that does not contain a flavor source) like an electronic cigarette. In this case, a flavored aerosol source is housed in the cartridge 3, and the flavored aerosol is generated by the aerosol generator.
That is, in the above-described embodiment, an aerosol generator that does not include the flavor source container 4 but includes the main unit 2 and the cartridge 3 may be called an aerosol generator. Moreover, the main body unit of the aerosol generating device may be defined as the main body unit 2 without the flavor source container 4 and the cartridge 3 .
Note that the aerosol source is not limited to liquid, and may be solid.

In the above-described embodiment, the main unit 2 is separable from the mouthpiece 12, but the configuration is not limited to this. For example, the power supply unit 10 may be separable from the cartridge housing section 11 . Also, the mouthpiece 12 and the flavor source container 4 may be integrated into a unit.

In the above-described embodiment, the configuration in which the cartridge accommodating portion 11 is formed in a tubular shape surrounding the periphery of the cartridge 3 has been described, but it is not limited to this configuration. The cartridge housing portion 11 may have any configuration as long as it can hold the cartridge 3 . In other words, the cartridge accommodating portion 11 is not limited to a cylindrical shape, and may have a triangular tubular shape, a square tubular shape, a polygonal tubular shape, or an irregular shape other than the polygonal tubular shape.

In the above-described embodiment, the configuration in which the main unit 2 is activated by pressing the button 20 has been described. .

In addition, it is possible to appropriately replace the components in the above-described embodiment with well-known components within the scope of the present invention, and the modifications described above may be combined as appropriate.

TECHNICAL FIELD The present invention relates to a power supply unit of an aerosol generator, a main unit of an aerosol generator, an aerosol generator, and a non-combustion type inhaler, which suppresses the infiltration of liquid droplets through the gap between the exterior case and the button to protect the substrate. can do.

1 suction device 2 main unit 2A outer case 3 cartridge 4 flavor source container 10 power supply unit 10a opening 10A lower case 10b buttonhole 10B holder assembly 10b1 first groove 10B1 adhesive sheet 10B2 end cap 11 cartridge housing 11a opening 11A upper case 11b Cartridge insertion/extraction hole 12 Mouthpiece 12a Peripheral wall 12A Mouthpiece main body 12b Flange 12B Cylindrical body 12B1 Projection 12c Bottom wall 12d Through hole 13A Interposed member 17 Cover member 17a Peripheral surface 17A Transparent member 17b Cover projection 17B Elastomer 17c Annular groove 17d Air groove 17e Engagement projection 18 Air inlet 19 Air hole 19a Mesh sheet 20 Button 20a Button body 20b Button case 20b1 Fitting piece 21 Window 21a Top wall 21b Through hole 21c Channel pipe 22 Charging terminal 25i Engagement groove 31 Tank 31a Top wall 31b Through hole 31c Channel pipe 31d Outer wall 31e Rib 31f Engagement hole 31g Liquid storage chamber 32 Gasket 32a Opening 33 Mesh body 34 Atomization container 34a Peripheral wall 34b Fitting portion 34c Atomization chamber 34d Bottom wall 34e Opening 35 Heating part 35a Wick 35b Heating wire 36 Heater holder 36a Peripheral wall 36b Engagement piece 36c Intake hole 36d Bottom wall 36e Intake hole 36f Separation wall 36h Flat electrode 36i Engagement groove 41 Container body 41a Peripheral wall 41b Step 41c Flavor source storage chamber 41d Bottom Wall 41e Fine hole 42 Filter 50 Protruding electrode 50a End 51 Switch 52 Sensor 55 Electronic component 60 Cartridge contact portion 60a First ring portion 60b Cylindrical portion 60c Second ring portion 61 Annular projection 62 Communication hole 70 Center holder 70a Peripheral wall 70a1 Through Hole 70b Bottom wall 70b1 Through hole 70c Slit groove 71 Engagement groove 72 Reduced diameter portion 72a Projection 73 Mounting cylinder 74 Ventilation nozzle 75 Mesh sheet 76 Engagement projection 80 Connection cylinder 81 Groove 82 Opening 83 Engagement groove 90 Almost 90 seal member 91 annular projection 92 extension 93 engagement projection 100 first inner cylindrical member 101 connection mechanism 101a first groove 101b second groove 101c fitting hole 101d part 102 engagement hole 103 engagement piece 110 second Inner cylindrical member 110g Engaging piece 111 First part 112 Second part 113 Engaging groove 114 Third part 120 Protective tape 121 tongue portion 130 spacer 130A upper surface 130B lower surface 131 accommodation groove 132 recess 133 through hole 134 communication hole 134a communication hole portion 134b communication groove portion 140 button accommodation member 140a ring member 141 hard member 141a first peripheral surface 141A end wall 141A1 groove portion 141A2 protrusion Part 141b Second peripheral surface 141c Third peripheral surface 141d Annular groove 141e Cylindrical portion 141f Fitting groove 141g Through hole 142 Elastic member 142a Bottom portion 142b Peripheral wall portion 142c Holding portion 150 Electrical equipment holder 150a End wall 150a1 Groove portion 150a2 Protruding portion 150b End wall 150c Partition wall 150d Column 150e Opening 150f Arch 150g Engaging piece 150h Slot 150i Opening 151 Power source 152 Main board 152a Board 152a1 Board surface 152a2 Board surface 152b Penetration hole 153 Sub board 154 Flexible cable 155 Sensor holder 155a Accommodating groove 155b Communication hole 156 Cap member 156a Convex portion 157 Stopper 158 Sponge 159 Adhesive sheet O Central axis S1 Pressure fluctuation space S2 Space S3 Space S4 Space

Claims

a power supply;
a substrate electrically connected to the power source;
a switch provided on the substrate;
a button for pressing the switch;
an exterior case provided with a button hole in which the button is arranged;
a button accommodating member that accommodates the button and covers the button hole from the inside of the exterior case;
The power supply unit of the aerosol generating device, wherein the button housing member includes an elastic member interposed between the button and the switch.
The power supply unit of the aerosol generating device according to claim 1, wherein the button housing member comprises a rigid member joined to the elastic member.
The power unit of the aerosol generator according to claim 2, wherein the hard member is integrated with the elastic member by two-color molding.
The hard member has a cylindrical portion communicating with the buttonhole,
4. The power supply unit for an aerosol generator according to claim 2, wherein an inner wall surface of said cylindrical portion is provided with a fitting groove for fitting said button.
The elastic member is
a bottom portion that closes the open end of the cylindrical portion opposite to the button hole;
5. The power supply unit for an aerosol generator according to claim 4, further comprising: a peripheral wall portion extending from a peripheral edge portion of said bottom portion and covering an outer peripheral surface of said cylindrical portion.
The power supply unit of the aerosol generating device according to claim 4 or 5, wherein the periphery of the cylindrical portion of the hard member has a shape along the inner wall surface of the exterior case.
The power supply unit of the aerosol generator according to any one of claims 2 to 6, wherein the hard member is composed of two or more members.
An electrical equipment holder that supports the power supply and the substrate,
The power supply unit for an aerosol generator according to any one of Claims 1 to 7, wherein the button accommodating member is attached to the electrical holder.
A power supply unit according to any one of claims 1 to 8;
a cartridge accommodating portion capable of accommodating a cartridge electrically connected to the power supply unit;
A main unit of an aerosol generating device, comprising: a suction port attached to the cartridge housing and formed with a suction port for sucking aerosol.
a main unit according to claim 9;
an aerosol generator, comprising: a cartridge containing an aerosol source and removably inserted into the cartridge containing portion of the main unit.
an aerosol generator according to claim 10;
and a flavor source container attached to the mouthpiece of the aerosol generator.