JP7717183B2 - Power supply unit for aerosol generator, aerosol generator, and film heater - Google Patents

Description

The present invention relates to a power supply unit for an aerosol generating device, an aerosol generating device, and a film heater.

The power supply units of aerosol generating devices such as heated tobacco products are known to be equipped with heaters that heat capsules or sticks containing a flavor source.

Patent Document 1 discloses a film heater for heating an aerosol-forming substrate, which includes an electrically insulating substrate and a conductive track disposed on the electrically insulating substrate. The conductive track in Patent Document 1 has a high temperature coefficient of resistance and can function as both a heater and a temperature sensor.

International Publication No. 2011/050964

If the conductive track of the film heater itself is used as a temperature sensor, the resistance value of the conductive track must be calibrated, which increases costs. Furthermore, if a temperature detection unit (e.g., a thermistor) is installed on the outer surface of the film heater using separate lead wires, the assembly of the temperature detection unit is time-consuming and requires consideration of its placement relative to other components inside the power supply unit housing.

The present invention provides a power supply unit for an aerosol generating device, an aerosol generating device, and a film heater that can be provided with a temperature detection unit on the film heater without the need for additional lead wires.

The power supply unit of the aerosol generating device of the present invention comprises:
Power supply and
a film heater including a pair of electrically insulating substrates and a conductive foil disposed between the pair of electrically insulating substrates;
a temperature detection unit that detects the temperature of the film heater;
a cylindrical housing that houses at least one of an aerosol source and a flavor source,
the film heater includes a heater unit configured to be able to heat at least one of the aerosol source and the flavor source, and a mounting unit on which the temperature detection unit is mounted;
a first conductive track provided on the heater portion and a second conductive track provided on the mounting portion and connected to the temperature detection portion are formed on the conductive foil of the film heater;
the heater portion is wound around the outer periphery of the cylindrical housing portion,
The mounting portion is disposed so as to overlap the outer periphery of the heater portion .

The aerosol generating device of the present invention further comprises:
The power supply unit described above,
a first cartridge for storing the aerosol source;
and a second cartridge for storing the flavor source.

The film heater of the present invention further comprises:
A film heater including a pair of electrically insulating substrates and a conductive foil disposed between the pair of electrically insulating substrates,
A heater unit;
a mounting portion that mounts a temperature detection portion that detects the temperature of the heater portion,
the conductive foil is formed with a first conductive track provided on the heater section and a second conductive track provided on the mounting section and connected to the temperature detection section ;
The heater portion and the flexible wiring board connected to the mounting portion are integrally formed,
The heater section and the mounting section are disposed on opposite sides of the flexible wiring board .

According to the present invention, a temperature detection unit can be provided on a film heater without the need for separate lead wires.

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of an aerosol generating device 10. FIG. 2 is another perspective view of the aerosol generating device 10. FIG. 1 is an exploded perspective view of the aerosol generating device 10. FIG. 2 is a left side view of the internal unit 2. FIG. 2 is a right side view of the internal unit 2. FIG. 2 is a perspective view showing the configuration of a heating section 60 and a circuit section 70 of the internal unit 2. FIG. 2 is a diagram showing a surface 201 of a main board 20. FIG. 2 is a diagram showing the rear surface 202 of the main board 20. FIG. 7 is an exploded perspective view of the heating unit 60 and the flow path forming body 19 shown in FIG. 6. FIG. 10 is a development view of a heater FPC 24 with a seat heater HTR integrally formed thereon. 10 is a cross-sectional schematic diagram of a heater FPC 24 and a seat heater HTR. FIG. 11 is a cross-sectional view taken along the line AA in FIG. 10.

Below, we will explain the power supply unit of an aerosol generating device, which is one embodiment of the present invention, with reference to the drawings.

(Aerosol generating device)
The aerosol generating device 10 is a device for generating a flavored aerosol without combustion and for inhaling the generated aerosol. The aerosol generating device 10 is preferably hand-sized and has, for example, a rounded, approximately rectangular parallelepiped shape as shown in FIGS. 1 and 2 . The shape of the aerosol generating device 10 is not limited to this, and it may also be rod-shaped, egg-shaped, or the like. In the following description, the three orthogonal directions of the aerosol generating device 10 are referred to in descending order of length as the up-down direction, the front-rear direction, and the left-right direction. For convenience, the following description defines the front, rear, left, right, upper, and lower directions as shown in FIGS. 1 to 9 , and indicates the front as Fr, the rear as Rr, the left as L, the right as R, the upper as U, and the lower as D.

Referring also to Figure 3, the aerosol generating device 10 comprises a power supply unit 100, a first cartridge 110, and a second cartridge 120. The first cartridge 110 and the second cartridge 120 are detachable from the power supply unit 100. In other words, the first cartridge 110 and the second cartridge 120 are each replaceable.

(Power supply unit)
The power supply unit 100 includes an internal unit 2 and a case 3 , and at least a portion of the internal unit 2 is housed in the case 3 .

The case 3 is composed of a first case 3A and a second case 3B that are detachable in the left-right direction (thickness direction). The first case 3A and the second case 3B are assembled in the left-right direction (thickness direction) to form the front, rear, left, and right sides of the power supply unit 100. Specifically, the first case 3A is supported on the left side of a chassis 50 (described below) included in the internal unit 2, and the second case 3B is supported on the right side of the chassis 50, thereby housing the internal unit 2 in the case 3. A capsule holder 4 is provided at the front of the top surface of the power supply unit 100. The capsule holder 4 has an opening 4a that opens upward. The capsule holder 4 is configured so that the second cartridge 120 can be inserted through the opening 4a. A mouthpiece 130 is detachably provided on the second cartridge 120.

The upper surface of the power supply unit 100 is formed by an OLED (Organic Light-Emitting Diode) cover 5 arranged behind the opening 4a, and the lower surface of the power supply unit 100 is formed by a lower cover 8 provided with a charging terminal 1 and a rotatable lower lid 7.

Between the top and rear surfaces of the power supply unit 100, there is provided an inclined surface that slopes downward toward the rear. An operation unit that can be operated by the user is provided on the inclined surface. In this embodiment, the operation unit is a button-type switch BT, but it may also be composed of a touch panel or the like. The operation unit is used to start/shut off/operate the MCU (Micro Controller Unit) 6 (described below) and various sensors, reflecting the user's intentions.

The charging terminal 1, accessible from the bottom cover 8, is configured to be electrically connectable to an external power source (not shown) that can supply power to the power supply unit 100 to charge the power source ba included in the battery pack BP. The charging terminal 1 is, for example, a receptacle into which a mating plug can be inserted. The charging terminal 1 can be a receptacle into which various USB terminals can be inserted. As an example, in this embodiment, the charging terminal 1 is a USB Type-C shaped receptacle.

The charging terminal 1 may also be equipped with, for example, a receiving coil and configured to be able to contactlessly receive power transmitted from an external power source. In this case, the power transmission (Wireless Power Transfer) method may be electromagnetic induction, magnetic resonance, or a combination of electromagnetic induction and magnetic resonance. As another example, the charging terminal 1 may be connectable to various USB terminals, etc., and may also have the above-mentioned receiving coil.

As shown in Figures 3 to 6, the internal unit 2 includes a battery pack BP, a chassis 50, a heating unit 60, a circuit unit 70, a notification unit, and various sensors.

As shown in Figures 4 and 5, the chassis 50 comprises a cylindrical cartridge holding portion 51 located at the front, a semi-cylindrical battery holding portion 52 located at the rear with the left side cut out, a plate-shaped connecting portion 53 connecting the cartridge holding portion 51 and the battery holding portion 52, a motor holding portion 54 located below and to the right of the connecting portion 53 and spanning the cartridge holding portion 51 and the battery holding portion 52, and a sensor holding portion 55 located to the left rear of the cartridge holding portion 51.

With the lower lid 7 open, the first cartridge 110 is inserted into the cartridge holding section 51 from below. Furthermore, by closing the lower lid 7 with the first cartridge 110 inserted, the first cartridge 110 is housed in the cartridge holding section 51. A capsule holder 4 is attached to the top of the cartridge holding section 51. A vertically long through-hole is provided at the front of the cartridge holding section 51, and the remaining amount of the aerosol source in the first cartridge 110 and the light from an LED (Light Emitting Diode) (not shown) can be visually observed through a remaining amount confirmation window 3w provided at the joint between the first case 3A and the second case 3B. The LED is provided on the puff sensor substrate 21, which will be described later. The first cartridge 110 will be described later.

A battery pack BP is placed in the battery holding section 52. The battery pack BP includes a power source ba and a power source thermistor for detecting the temperature of the power source ba. The power source ba is a rechargeable secondary battery, an electric double layer capacitor, or the like, and is preferably a lithium-ion secondary battery. The electrolyte of the power source ba may be one or a combination of a gel electrolyte, an electrolytic solution, a solid electrolyte, and an ionic liquid.

The vibration motor 13 is arranged in the motor holding section 54. The sensor holding section 55 is arranged with the suction sensor 15 (described below) that outputs in response to the user's inhalation action (puffing action).

As shown in FIG. 6 , the heating unit 60 includes a cylindrical heat transfer tube 61 and a seat heater HTR wound around the heat transfer tube 61. The capsule holder 4 described above is spaced apart from the seat heater HTR. The air layer between the capsule holder 4 and the seat heater HTR functions as a heat insulator. The heat transfer tube 61 accommodates the lower part of the second cartridge 120, which is inserted through the opening 4a of the capsule holder 4, and the lower part of the second cartridge 120 is heated by the seat heater HTR. This makes it easier for the flavor source stored in the second cartridge 120 to release the flavor compared to a case where the heating unit 60 is not present, thereby making it easier to impart flavor to the aerosol. Here, the heat transfer tube 61 corresponds to the "cylindrical accommodation unit" in this invention, and the seat heater HTR corresponds to the "film heater" in this invention.

The heating unit 60 may be any element capable of heating the second cartridge 120. Examples of elements include a resistive heating element. A resistive heating element having, for example, a PTC (Positive Temperature Coefficient) characteristic, in which the resistance value increases as the temperature increases, is preferably used. Alternatively, an NTC (Negative Temperature Coefficient) characteristic, in which the resistance value decreases as the temperature increases, may be used. The heating unit 60 has the function of defining a flow path for air supplied to the second cartridge 120, and the function of heating the second cartridge 120.

The notification unit notifies various information such as the charging status of the power source ba, the remaining charge in the first cartridge 110, and the remaining charge in the second cartridge 120. In this embodiment, the notification unit includes an LED and a vibration motor 13. The notification unit may be composed of a light-emitting element such as an LED, a vibration element such as the vibration motor 13, or a sound output element. The notification unit may be a combination of two or more elements selected from the light-emitting element, the vibration element, and the sound output element.

The various sensors include a suction sensor 15 that detects the user's puffing action (inhalation action), a heater temperature sensor that detects the temperature of the seat heater HTR, and the like.

The suction sensor 15 may be composed of, for example, a condenser microphone, a pressure sensor, or a flow sensor. Multiple suction sensors 15 may be spaced apart, and the puffing action may be detected from the difference in their output values. The heater temperature sensor may include, for example, a first thermistor th1 and a second thermistor th2. The first thermistor th1 and the second thermistor th2 are in contact with the seat heater HTR. While the heater temperature sensor is described as being composed of two thermistors, it may also be composed of a single thermistor. Hereinafter, the first thermistor th1 and the second thermistor th2 may be collectively referred to as thermistor th. Note that the heater temperature sensor is not limited to thermistor th, and may be any sensor that detects the temperature of the seat heater HTR. Herein, the thermistor th corresponds to the "temperature detection unit" in this invention.

The circuit section 70 comprises four rigid circuit boards, three FPCs (Flexible Printed Circuits), multiple ICs (Integrated Circuits), and multiple elements. The four circuit boards consist of a main board 20, a puff sensor board 21, a pogo pin board 22, and an OLED board 26. The three FPCs consist of a main FPC 23, a heater FPC 24, and an OLED FPC 25.

The main board 20 is arranged between the battery pack BP and the rear surface of the case 3 (the rear surface of the power supply unit 100) with the element mounting surface facing forward and backward. The main board 20 is also arranged on the opposite side of the power supply ba from the heating unit 60. The main board 20 is constructed by stacking multiple layers (six layers in this embodiment) of boards, and is equipped with electronic components (elements) such as the MCU 6 and charging IC 3. Here, the main board 20 corresponds to the "circuit board" in this invention.

The MCU 6 is a control device that controls various aspects of the aerosol generating device 10 and is connected to various sensor devices such as the suction sensor 15, an operation unit, a notification unit, and memory that stores information such as the number or load of puffing operations and the duration of power supply to the seat heater HTR. Specifically, the MCU 6 is primarily composed of a processor and further includes storage media such as RAM (Random Access Memory) required for processor operation and ROM (Read Only Memory) that stores various information. In this specification, a processor refers to an electrical circuit that combines circuit elements such as semiconductor devices. Note that some of the elements connected to the MCU 6 (e.g., the suction sensor 15 and memory) may be provided within the MCU 6 as functions of the MCU 6 itself. Here, the MCU 6 corresponds to the "control unit" in this invention.

In addition, the charging IC 3 is an IC that controls the charging of the power supply ba using power input from the charging terminal 1 and supplies power from the power supply ba to electronic components on the main board 20.

The main board 20 will be described in more detail with reference to Figures 7 and 8. Hereinafter, for convenience, the rear-facing surface of the main board 20 will be referred to as the front surface 201, and the front-facing surface of the main board 20 will be referred to as the back surface 202. Figure 7 is a diagram showing the front surface 201 of the main board 20, and Figure 8 is a diagram showing the back surface 202 of the main board 20.

As shown in FIG. 8, the MCU 6 and charging IC 3 are mounted on the back surface 202 of the main board 20, along with the charging terminal 1. A debug connector 20E is also mounted on the back surface 202. The debug connector 20E is an interface for rewriting the MCU 6 program from an external device such as a personal computer, and is compliant with the SWD (Serial Wire Debug) standard, for example. On the other hand, as shown in FIG. 7, the front surface 201 of the main board 20 is mounted with an OLED connector 20C, a heater connector 20B, a main connector 20A, and a battery connector 20D that connects to the battery pack BP via lead wires 16 (see FIG. 6).

As shown in Figures 4 and 6, the puff sensor board 21 is placed in the sensor holding portion 55 of the chassis 50 so that the element mounting surface faces the right front and left rear. The suction sensor 15 is mounted on the puff sensor board 21.

As shown in Figure 6, the OLED board 26 is placed between the battery pack BP and the OLED cover 5 with the element mounting surface facing up and down. The OLED panel 17 is mounted on the OLED board 26.

As shown in FIG. 6, the pogo pin board 22 is arranged on the lower lid 7 with the element mounting surface facing up and down when the lower lid 7 is closed. The pogo pin board 22 is provided with input contacts P1-P3 to which power is supplied from the main board 20 via the main FPC 23, and pogo pins p1-p3, which are connectors electrically connected to a load provided in the first cartridge 110. The input contacts P1-P3 are electrically connected to the main FPC 23 only when the lower lid 7 is closed. Three pogo pins p1-p3 are arranged at equal intervals around the circumference, and at least two pogo pins are configured to be electrically connected to the + terminal and - terminal of the first cartridge 110 housed in the cartridge holding portion 51.

The left side of the battery pack BP held in the battery holding portion 52 is exposed by the semi-cylindrical battery holding portion 52. In the space between the left side of the battery pack BP and the first case 3A, formed by cutting out the battery holding portion 52, the main FPC 23, heater FPC 24, and OLED FPC 25 are arranged so as to overlap each other, as shown in Figures 3, 4, and 6.

Of the three FPCs, the main FPC 23 is routed closest to the battery pack BP, the OLED FPC 25 is routed so that it partially overlaps the main FPC 23, and the heater FPC 24 is routed so that it further overlaps the OLED FPC 25. In other words, of the three FPCs, the heater FPC 24, which receives the greatest power, is routed the farthest from the battery pack BP.

One end of the OLED FPC 25 is connected to the OLED connector 20C on the main board 20, and the other end is connected to the OLED board 26.

The main FPC 23 connects the main connector 20A of the main board 20, the switch BT of the operation unit, the connector 21B of the puff sensor board 21, and the input side contacts P1 to P3 of the pogo pin board 22.

As shown in Figures 9 and 10, one end of the heater FPC 24 is a connector area 24B that connects to the heater connector 20B on the main board 20, and the other end is integrally formed with the seat heater HTR. Here, the heater FPC 24 corresponds to the "flexible wiring board" of the present invention. Details of the heater FPC 24 and the seat heater HTR will be described later.

(First cartridge)
The first cartridge 110 includes, inside a cylindrical cartridge case 111, a reservoir that stores an aerosol source, an electrical load that atomizes the aerosol source, a wick that draws the aerosol source from the reservoir to the load, and an aerosol flow path through which the aerosol generated by atomizing the aerosol source flows toward the second cartridge 120. The aerosol source contains a liquid such as glycerin, propylene glycol, or water.

The load is a heating element that heats the aerosol source without combustion using power supplied from the power source ba via pogo pins p1 to p3 on the pogo pin board 22, and is composed of, for example, an electric heating wire (coil) wound at a predetermined pitch. The load atomizes the aerosol source by heating it. The load can be a heating resistor, ceramic heater, induction heater, etc.

The aerosol flow path is connected to the second cartridge 120 via a flow path forming body 19 (see Figures 6 and 9) housed in the cartridge holding portion 51 of the chassis 50. The flow path forming body 19 functions as a base against which the bottom of the second cartridge 120 abuts when the second cartridge 120 is housed inside the heat transfer tube 61. The flow path forming body 19 is made of a material with high thermal insulation properties, such as silicone.

(Second cartridge)
The second cartridge 120 stores a flavor source. The second cartridge 120 is heated by the sheet heater HTR, thereby heating the flavor source. The second cartridge 120 imparts flavor to the aerosol by passing the aerosol generated by atomizing the aerosol source under load through the flavor source. The raw material pieces constituting the flavor source can be cut tobacco or a molded product obtained by molding tobacco raw material into particles. The flavor source may be composed of plants other than tobacco (e.g., mint, Chinese medicine, herbs, etc.). The flavor source may be imparted with a flavoring such as menthol. Here, the second cartridge 120 corresponds to the "flavor source storage section" in this invention.

The aerosol generating device 10 can generate a flavored aerosol using the aerosol source and the flavor source. In other words, the aerosol source and the flavor source constitute an aerosol generating source that generates a flavored aerosol.

The aerosol generation source in the aerosol generation device 10 is a part that can be replaced by the user. This part is provided to the user as a set, for example, consisting of one first cartridge 110 and one or more (e.g., five) second cartridges 120. The battery pack BP can be repeatedly charged and discharged as long as the power source ba does not deteriorate significantly. Therefore, in the aerosol generation device 10, the power supply unit 100 or battery pack BP is replaced least frequently, the first cartridge 110 is replaced next least frequently, and the second cartridge 120 is replaced most frequently. The first cartridge 110 and the second cartridge 120 may be integrated into a single cartridge. A configuration in which a medicinal agent or the like is added to the aerosol source instead of a flavor source may also be used.

In the aerosol generating device 10 configured in this manner, air flowing in from an air intake port (not shown) provided in the case 3 or internal unit 2 passes near the load in the first cartridge 110. The load atomizes the aerosol source drawn in from the reservoir by the wick. The atomized aerosol flows through the aerosol flow path together with the air flowing in from the intake port and is supplied to the second cartridge 120 via the flow path forming body 19. The aerosol supplied to the second cartridge 120 is flavored by passing through the flavor source, and is then supplied to the mouthpiece 131 of the mouthpiece 130.

(Heater FPC, seat heater HTR)
The heater FPC 24 and the seat heater HTR will be described in detail below with reference to Figures 6 and 9 to 12. Note that Figures 11 and 12 are schematic cross-sectional views and may differ from the actual dimensions.

The heater FPC 24 is a flexible wiring board, and as shown in Figure 11, is composed of a pair of film-like electrical insulators 31 and a conductive foil 32 placed between them. The electrical insulators 31 are preferably made from a material with excellent heat resistance and electrical insulation properties, such as polyimide. The conductive foil 32 is preferably made from one or more metal materials such as copper, nickel alloy, chromium alloy, stainless steel, platinum-rhodium, etc., such as copper foil.

The heater FPC 24 is composed of a winding region 24A that is wound around and fixed to the outer periphery 61S of the heat transfer tube 61, which is composed of a cylindrical body, a connector region 24B that is inserted into the heater connector 20B of the main board 20, and a connecting region 24C that connects the winding region 24A and the connector region 24B.

Terminals T1, T2, T3, T4, and T5 are arranged in this order in the connector area 24B of the heater FPC 24. Terminals T1 and T5 are connected to a first conductive track 241 (described below), and terminals T2, T3, and T4 are connected to a second conductive track 242 (described below). Terminal T1 is connected via a seat heater terminal provided on the heater connector 20B to a DC/DC converter 11 mounted on the main board 20, which converts power supplied from the power supply ba to the desired power. The DC/DC converter 11 corresponds to the "power conversion unit" in this invention. Terminal T5 is connected to ground or a conductive pattern (ground line) connected to ground (denoted by GND in Figure 10). Terminal T2 is connected to a first thermistor terminal provided on the heater connector 20B, and an output corresponding to the electrical resistance value (i.e., temperature) of the first thermistor th1 is input to the MCU 6. Terminal T4 is connected to a second thermistor terminal provided on heater connector 20B, and an output corresponding to the electrical resistance value of second thermistor th2 is input to MCU 6. Terminal T3 is connected to ground or a ground line (denoted by GND in FIG. 10).

As described above, the seat heater HTR is integrally formed at the other end of the heater FPC 24 and coincides with the winding area 24A. In other words, the seat heater HTR is the same flexible wiring board as the heater FPC 24. The seat heater HTR includes a thermistor mounting portion 240A and a heater portion 240B.

First, we will explain the heater section 240B and the first conductive track 241 formed on the heater FPC 24 and the conductive foil 32 of the sheet heater HTR.

As shown in FIG. 9, the heater section 240B is wound around the outer periphery 61S of the heat transfer tube 61 and is configured to heat the second cartridge 120 via the heat transfer tube 61. Power to the heater section 240B is supplied from the power source ba and transmitted by the first conductive track 241.

The first conductive track 241 is formed by etching the conductive foil 32 while leaving the necessary areas. Note that the first conductive track 241 may also be formed by applying the necessary conductive foil 32 instead of etching.

The first conductive track 241 is provided continuously from the connector region 24B to the heater section 240B. Specifically, the first conductive track 241 extends from terminal T1 to the heater section 240B and returns from the heater section 240B to terminal T5. This allows the first conductive track 241 to transmit power supplied from the power source ba to the heater section 240B.

In the region between the main board 20 and the heater section 240B, the first conductive track 241 has a region R1 near the heater section 240B and a region R2 located between region R1 and the main board 20. When the power supply unit 100 is assembled as shown in FIG. 6, region R1 is located in front of the power supply ba and is separated from the power supply ba. The heater FPC 24 is folded back near the boundary between regions R1 and R2, and region R2 is located to the left of the power supply ba and is arranged near the power supply ba. The heater FPC 24 is folded back near the boundary between region R2 and the connector region 24B, and the connector region 24B is located behind the power supply ba and is connected to the heater connector 20B.

The first conductive track 241 in the heater section 240B is formed in a serpentine pattern consisting of multiple straight line segments extending in parallel and multiple arc segments connecting adjacent straight line segments. The first conductive track 241 in regions R1 and R2 connects the main board 20 and the heater section 240B and transmits power supplied from the power supply ba to the heater section 240B.

The width of the first conductive track 241 varies depending on the region in which it is provided. Here, the width of the first conductive track 241 refers to the length in the direction perpendicular to the direction of current flow. Specifically, as shown in FIG. 10, the width of the first conductive track 241 in region R2 is formed to be larger than the width of the first conductive track 241 in region R1. Furthermore, the width of the first conductive track 241 in region R1 is formed to be larger than the width of the first conductive track 241 in heater section 240B. Note that the heater FPC 24 in region R2 is wider than the heater FPC 24 in region R1 so that the width of the first conductive track 241 in region R2 can be formed to be larger.

Generally, when the thickness of a conductive track is constant, the wider the conductive track, the easier it is for current to flow and the lower the resistance value. Therefore, the resistance value of the first conductive track 241 in each region is, in order from smallest to largest, region R2, region R1, and heater section 240B. Because the amount of heat generated is small when the resistance value is small, the amount of heat generated by the first conductive track 241 in each region is, in order from smallest to largest, region R2, region R1, and heater section 240B. Therefore, the resistance value and heat generation amount are large in heater section 240B, allowing sufficient heat generation in heater section 240B. On the other hand, the resistance value and heat generation amount are small in regions R1 and R2, so heat loss can be suppressed.

When the power supply unit 100 is assembled, the heater FPC 24 is closest to the power supply ba in region R2. In other words, the shortest distance between region R2 and the power supply ba is shorter than the shortest distance between region R1 and the power supply ba. In this embodiment, the width of the first conductive track 241 in region R2, which is closest to the power supply ba, is made larger than the width of the first conductive track 241 in region R1, thereby reducing the amount of heat generated in region R2. This reduces the impact of heat generated by the heater FPC 24 on the power supply ba, improving safety.

Next, we will explain the thermistor mounting portion 240A of the seat heater HTR, the heater FPC 24, and the second conductive track 242 formed on the conductive foil 32 of the seat heater HTR.

A thermistor th is mounted on the thermistor mounting portion 240A. In addition, a second conductive track 242 is provided on the thermistor mounting portion 240A and the heater FPC 24. Here, the thermistor mounting portion 240A corresponds to the "mounting portion" in this invention.

Like the first conductive track 241, the second conductive track 242 is formed by etching, coating, or the like of the conductive foil 32. The second conductive track 242 is provided continuously from the connector region 24B to the thermistor mounting portion 240A. In addition, the second conductive track 242 is formed adjacent to the first conductive track 241 on the heater FPC 24.

The second conductive track 242 has terminals T11 to T14 in the thermistor mounting portion 240A to which the first thermistor th1 and the second thermistor th2 are connected. The positive terminal of the first thermistor th1 is connected to terminal T11, and the negative terminal of the first thermistor th1 is connected to terminal T12. The negative terminal of the second thermistor th2 is connected to terminal T13, and the positive terminal of the second thermistor th2 is connected to terminal T14. In this embodiment, the second conductive track 242 is composed of a conductive track having one end connected to terminal T2 and the other end connected to terminal T11, a conductive track having one end connected to terminal T4 and the other end connected to terminal T14, and a conductive track having one end connected to terminal T3 and the other end connected in parallel to terminals T12 and T13. With this configuration, the second conductive track 242 is connected to the MCU 6 via terminals T2 and T4, and the MCU 6 can control the heater section 240B based on the temperature of the heater section 240B detected by the thermistor th.

Furthermore, the width of the second conductive track 242 is constant and smaller than the width of the first conductive track 241. This is because the power flowing through the second conductive track 242 is smaller than the heating power flowing through the first conductive track 241, and so even if the width of the second conductive track 242 is made smaller than the width of the first conductive track 241, the amount of heat generated in the second conductive track 242 is small. Because the width of the second conductive track 242 is made smaller than the width of the first conductive track 241, the first conductive track 241 can be made wider.

As described above, in this embodiment, the second conductive track 242 for mounting the thermistor is formed on the heater FPC 24 and the conductive foil 32 of the sheet heater HTR, and the thermistor th is connected to the second conductive track 242 in the thermistor mounting portion 240A. This simplifies assembly of the power supply unit 100 compared to when a separate lead wire is run from the main board 20 to provide the thermistor th, thereby reducing the cost and size of the power supply unit 100. Furthermore, because the second conductive track 242 is formed separately from the first conductive track 241 for transmitting power to the heater portion 240B, fluctuations in the potential of the first conductive track 241 connected to the heater portion 240B can be prevented from affecting the thermistor th. This improves the accuracy of control using the thermistor th and enhances the safety of the power supply unit 100.

When the seat heater HTR is in an unfolded state as shown in Figure 10, the heater section 240B and thermistor mounting section 240A are located on opposite sides of the heater FPC 24. As shown in Figure 6, after the heater section 240B is wrapped around the outer periphery 61S of the heat transfer tube 61, the thermistor mounting section 240A is arranged to overlap the outer periphery of the heater section 240B. After the seat heater HTR is wrapped around the outer periphery 61S of the heat transfer tube 61, a shrink film (not shown) is wrapped around the outer periphery of the seat heater HTR to secure the seat heater HTR to the outer periphery 61S of the heat transfer tube 61.

As shown in FIG. 12, the electrical insulator 31 on the surface of the thermistor mounting portion 240A has been removed, and the surface is insulated by applying a resist 33. The first thermistor th1 is connected to the second conductive track 242 by soldering at both longitudinal ends (portions connected to terminals T11 and T12). The solder portions 36 of the second conductive track 242 where soldering is performed are gold-plated 34. The first thermistor th1 is positioned so that its longitudinal direction aligns with the axial direction (vertical direction) of the heat transfer tube 61 when the seat heater HTR is wound around the outer periphery 61S of the heat transfer tube 61. The second thermistor th2 is connected to the second conductive track 242 in a similar configuration.

If the thermistor th were positioned with its longitudinal direction aligned with the circumferential direction, the thermistor th would be affected by the curvature when the seat heater HTR was secured with shrink film, potentially resulting in localized large stress acting on the solder portion 36 and causing damage. In this embodiment, the thermistor th is positioned so that its longitudinal direction is aligned with the axial direction (vertical direction) of the heat transfer tube 61, thereby minimizing the effects of the thermistor th's curvature and preventing localized large stress acting on the solder portion 36 due to deflection when the shrink film is attached.

In this manner, the thermistor th is disposed on the surface of the thermistor mounting portion 240A. In this embodiment, the surface of the thermistor mounting portion 240A is configured such that the surface-side electrical insulator 31 is removed, but any configuration is possible as long as the second conductive track 242 and the thermistor th are directly connected. For example, the surface-side electrical insulator 31 may not be removed, and a through-hole may be provided in the surface-side electrical insulator 31 to connect the second conductive track 242 and thermistor th. Furthermore, directly connecting the thermistor th to the surface of the thermistor mounting portion 240A means that the thermistor th is connected without using wiring such as lead wires, and other layers or films may be laminated on the surface-side electrical insulator 31.

As shown in Figure 12, a reinforcing plate 35 is provided on the thermistor mounting portion 240A. The reinforcing plate 35 is made of a material with higher rigidity than the electrical insulator 31 and the conductive foil 32, such as aluminum or stainless steel. The reinforcing plate 35 is provided on the back side of the electrical insulator 31. By providing the reinforcing plate 35 on the thermistor mounting portion 240A, damage to the solder portion 36 due to the binding force from the shrink film can be suppressed.

The reinforcing plate 35 is a rectangle with long and short sides, and is arranged so that the long sides are aligned with the axial direction of the heat transfer tube 61. This reduces the effects of the curvature of the reinforcing plate 35 and prevents large localized stresses from acting on the solder portion 36 due to deflection when the shrink film is attached. However, the shape of the reinforcing plate 35 is arbitrary, and it may even have a shape that does not have long or short sides.

As shown in Figure 9, the flow path forming body 19 is located upstream (below) the heater section 240B. Furthermore, since it is made of a material with high insulating properties, heat from the heater section 240B is easily absorbed by the flow path forming body 19. Therefore, in order to accurately detect the temperature of the heater section 240B, it is desirable to position the thermistor th away from the flow path forming body 19. Therefore, the thermistor th mounted on the thermistor mounting section 240A is positioned downstream (above) the center of the heater section 240B in the flow direction (vertical direction) of the aerosol from the first cartridge 110 toward the second cartridge 120.

The above embodiments can be freely combined. The above embodiments are illustrative and are not intended to limit the scope of the invention. The above embodiments can be implemented in a variety of other forms, and various omissions, substitutions, and modifications can be made without departing from the spirit of the invention. The above embodiments and their variations are included within the scope and spirit of the invention, as well as within the scope of the invention and its equivalents as set forth in the claims.

For example, in this embodiment, the seat heater HTR is configured to be able to heat the second cartridge 120 that stores the flavor source, but it may also be configured to be able to heat the first cartridge 110 that stores the aerosol source. Furthermore, the seat heater HTR may also be configured to be able to heat both the first cartridge 110 and the second cartridge 120.

This specification describes at least the following items. Note that the parentheses indicate corresponding components in the above-mentioned embodiments, but are not limited to these.

(1) a power supply (power supply ba);
a film heater (seat heater HTR) including a pair of electrically insulating substrates (electrical insulators 31) and a conductive foil (conductive foil 32) disposed between the pair of electrically insulating substrates;
a temperature detection unit (thermistor th) that detects the temperature of the film heater,
the film heater includes a heater section (heater section 240B) configured to be able to heat at least one of the aerosol source (first cartridge 110) and the flavor source (second cartridge 120), and a mounting section (thermistor mounting section 240A) on which the temperature detection section is mounted,
A power supply unit for an aerosol generating device, in which the conductive foil of the film heater is formed with a first conductive track (first conductive track 241) provided in the heater section and a second conductive track (second conductive track 242) provided in the mounting section and connected to the temperature detection section.

According to (1), the conductive foil of the film heater is provided with a second conductive track that is attached to the mounting section and connected to the temperature detection section, eliminating the need for a separate lead wire to provide the temperature detection section. This simplifies the assembly of the power supply unit compared to when a separate lead wire is required to provide the temperature detection section.

(2) A power supply unit for the aerosol generating device according to (1),
A power supply unit for an aerosol generating device, wherein the temperature detection unit is arranged on the surface of the mounting unit.

According to (2), since the temperature detection unit is arranged on the surface of the mounting portion, the temperature detection unit can be mounted directly on the film heater without using a separate lead wire.

(3) A power supply unit for the aerosol generating device according to (1) or (2),
The device further includes a cylindrical housing (heat transfer tube 61) that houses at least one of the aerosol source and the flavor source,
the heater portion is wound around the outer periphery of the cylindrical housing portion,
The mounting portion is arranged to overlap the outer periphery of the heater portion, in a power supply unit of an aerosol generating device.

According to (3), the mounting portion is arranged so as to overlap the outer periphery of the heater portion, so that the temperature of the heater portion can be detected with high accuracy.

(4) A power supply unit for the aerosol generating device according to (3),
A power supply unit for an aerosol generating device, wherein the temperature detection unit is arranged so that its longitudinal direction is along the axial direction of the cylindrical storage unit.

According to (4), the temperature detection unit is arranged so that its longitudinal direction is along the axial direction of the cylindrical accommodating unit. This prevents the temperature detection unit from bending along the circumferential direction compared to when the temperature detection unit is arranged along the circumferential direction, and prevents damage to the joint between the temperature detection unit and the second conductive track.

(5) A power supply unit for the aerosol generating device according to (4),
A reinforcing plate (reinforcing plate 35) is provided on the mounting portion,
A power supply unit for an aerosol generating device, wherein the reinforcing plate is arranged so that its longitudinal direction is along the axial direction of the cylindrical storage portion.

According to (5), a reinforcing plate is provided on the mounting portion, ensuring the rigidity of the mounting portion and preventing damage to the joint between the temperature detection portion and the second conductive track. Furthermore, because the reinforcing plate is arranged so that its longitudinal direction is aligned with the axial direction of the cylindrical housing portion, the effects of the curvature of the reinforcing plate can be reduced, preventing large localized stresses from acting on the joint due to circumferential deflection.

(6) A power supply unit for the aerosol generating device according to any one of (3) to (5),
The cylindrical storage portion stores a flavor source storage portion (second cartridge 120) that stores the flavor source,
the flavor source container is positioned so that the atomized aerosol passes through it;
A power supply unit for an aerosol generation device, wherein the temperature detection unit is arranged downstream of the center of the heater unit in the flow direction of the aerosol.

Heat from the heater unit may be absorbed in the aerosol flow path located upstream of the heater unit in the aerosol flow direction. According to (6), the temperature detection unit is positioned downstream of the center of the heater unit in the aerosol flow direction, allowing the temperature of the heater unit to be detected with high accuracy.

(7) A power supply unit for the aerosol generating device according to any one of (1) to (6),
The film heater is a power supply unit for the aerosol generation device, which is formed integrally with the heater portion and a flexible wiring board (heater FPC24) connected to the mounting portion.

According to (7), the film heater is integrally formed on the flexible wiring board, thereby reducing the number of parts.

(8) A power supply unit for the aerosol generating device according to (7),
Further provided with a circuit board (main board 20),
The circuit board is mounted with a power conversion unit (a step-up DC/DC converter 11) that converts the power supplied from the power supply, and a control unit (MCU 6) that controls the heater unit based on the temperature of the temperature detection unit,
the first conductive track is connected to the power conversion unit via the flexible wiring board;
A power supply unit of an aerosol generating device, wherein the second conductive track is connected to the control unit via the flexible wiring board.

According to (8), the power conversion unit mounted on the circuit board is connected to the first conductive track, so the first conductive track can appropriately transmit the power supplied from the power source to the heater unit. Furthermore, the control unit mounted on the circuit board is connected to the second conductive track, so the temperature of the heater unit can be appropriately controlled based on the temperature information obtained from the temperature detection unit.

(9) A power supply unit according to any one of (1) to (8),
a first cartridge (first cartridge 110) for storing the aerosol source;
and a second cartridge (second cartridge 120) for storing the flavor source.

According to (9), the conductive foil of the film heater is provided with a second conductive track that is attached to the mounting section and connected to the temperature detection section, eliminating the need for a separate lead wire to provide the temperature detection section. This simplifies the assembly of the power supply unit compared to when a separate lead wire is required to provide the temperature detection section.

(10) A film heater (seat heater HTR) including a pair of electrically insulating substrates (electrical insulators 31) and a conductive foil (conductive foil 32) disposed between the pair of electrically insulating substrates,
a heater section (heater section 240B);
a mounting portion (thermistor mounting portion 240A) on which a temperature detection portion (thermistor th) for detecting the temperature of the heater portion is mounted,
A film heater in which the conductive foil is formed with a first conductive track (first conductive track 241) provided in the heater section and a second conductive track (second conductive track 242) provided in the mounting section and connected to the temperature detection section.

According to (10), a second conductive track is formed on the conductive foil of the film heater, which is provided on the mounting section and connected to the temperature detection section, eliminating the need for a separate lead wire to provide the temperature detection section. This simplifies the assembly of the power supply unit compared to when a separate lead wire is required to provide the temperature detection section.

(11) The film heater according to (10),
The film heater has a reinforcing plate (reinforcing plate 35) provided on the mounting portion.

According to (11), a reinforcing plate is provided on the mounting portion, thereby ensuring the rigidity of the mounting portion and preventing damage to the joint between the temperature detection portion and the second conductive track.

(12) The film heater according to (10) or (11),
The heater is integrally formed with a flexible wiring board (heater FPC 24) connected to the heater portion and the mounting portion,
A film heater, wherein the heater section and the mounting section are arranged on opposite sides of the flexible wiring board.

According to (12), the heater section and the mounting section are positioned on opposite sides of the flexible wiring board, so when the film heater is wrapped around the heating target, the mounting section can be positioned so that it overlaps the outer periphery of the heater section. This allows the temperature detection section mounted on the mounting section to accurately detect the temperature of the heater section.

ba Power supply HTR Seat heater (film heater)
th Thermistor (temperature detection part)
6 MCU (control unit)
10 Aerosol generating device 100 Power supply unit 110 First cartridge 120 Second cartridge (flavor source storage section)
11 DC/DC converter (power conversion section)
20 Main board (circuit board)
24 Heater FPC (flexible printed circuit board)
240A Thermistor mounting part (mounting part)
240B heater portion 241 first conductive track 242 second conductive track 31 electrical insulator 32 conductive foil 35 reinforcing plate 61 heat transfer tube

Claims (10)

Power supply and
a film heater including a pair of electrically insulating substrates and a conductive foil disposed between the pair of electrically insulating substrates;
a temperature detection unit that detects the temperature of the film heater;
a cylindrical housing that houses at least one of an aerosol source and a flavor source,
the film heater includes a heater unit configured to be able to heat at least one of the aerosol source and the flavor source, and a mounting unit on which the temperature detection unit is mounted;
a first conductive track provided on the heater portion and a second conductive track provided on the mounting portion and connected to the temperature detection portion are formed on the conductive foil of the film heater;
the heater portion is wound around the outer periphery of the cylindrical housing portion,
The mounting portion is arranged to overlap the outer periphery of the heater portion, in a power supply unit of an aerosol generating device. A power supply unit for the aerosol generating device according to claim 1,
A power supply unit for an aerosol generating device, wherein the temperature detection unit is arranged on the surface of the mounting unit. A power supply unit for the aerosol generating device according to claim 1 or 2,
A power supply unit for an aerosol generating device, wherein the temperature detection unit is arranged so that its longitudinal direction is along the axial direction of the cylindrical storage unit. A power supply unit for the aerosol generating device according to claim 3,
a reinforcing plate is provided on the mounting portion;
A power supply unit for an aerosol generating device, wherein the reinforcing plate is arranged so that its longitudinal direction is along the axial direction of the cylindrical storage portion. A power supply unit for the aerosol generating device according to any one of claims 1 to 4,
The cylindrical container contains a flavor source container that contains the flavor source,
the flavor source container is positioned so that the atomized aerosol passes through it;
A power supply unit for an aerosol generation device, wherein the temperature detection unit is arranged downstream of the center of the heater unit in the flow direction of the aerosol. A power supply unit for the aerosol generating device according to any one of claims 1 to 5,
The film heater is a power supply unit for an aerosol generation device, wherein the film heater is integrally formed with the heater portion and a flexible wiring board connected to the mounting portion. A power supply unit for the aerosol generating device according to claim 6,
Further comprising a circuit board;
a power conversion unit that converts power supplied from the power supply and a control unit that controls the heater unit based on the temperature of the temperature detection unit are mounted on the circuit board;
the first conductive track is connected to the power conversion unit via the flexible wiring board;
A power supply unit of an aerosol generating device, wherein the second conductive track is connected to the control unit via the flexible wiring board. A power supply unit according to any one of claims 1 to 7;
a first cartridge for storing the aerosol source;
and a second cartridge for storing the flavor source. A film heater including a pair of electrically insulating substrates and a conductive foil disposed between the pair of electrically insulating substrates,
A heater unit;
a mounting portion that mounts a temperature detection portion that detects the temperature of the heater portion,
the conductive foil is formed with a first conductive track provided on the heater section and a second conductive track provided on the mounting section and connected to the temperature detection section;
The heater portion and the flexible wiring board connected to the mounting portion are integrally formed,
A film heater, wherein the heater section and the mounting section are arranged on opposite sides of the flexible wiring board. 10. The film heater according to claim 9,
The film heater has a reinforcing plate provided on the mounting portion.