CN117222335A

CN117222335A - Power supply unit for aspirator

Info

Publication number: CN117222335A
Application number: CN202280031324.4A
Authority: CN
Inventors: 吉田亮; 青山达也; 川中子拓嗣; 长浜彻; 藤木贵司
Original assignee: Japan Tobacco Inc
Current assignee: Japan Tobacco Inc
Priority date: 2021-04-28
Filing date: 2022-03-17
Publication date: 2023-12-12
Also published as: KR20230170945A; JPWO2022230430A1; WO2022230430A1; EP4331404A1; US20240041129A1

Abstract

The invention provides a power supply unit for supplying power from a power supply to a heater for heating an aerosol source. The power supply unit includes: a control unit for controlling the operation of the power supply unit; a housing for accommodating the power supply and the control unit; a panel removably attached to a surface of the housing; and a detection unit configured to detect that the panel is attached to the housing or that the panel is detached from the housing. The control unit is configured to limit functions of the plurality of functions controlled by the control unit when the detection unit detects the removal of the panel. The control unit has a plurality of operation modes, and the content of the function restriction is different for each operation mode.

Description

Power supply unit for aspirator

Technical Field

The present invention relates to a power supply unit for a suction device.

Background

The heated tobacco and like aspirator may include: a substrate comprising an aerosol source and a fragrance source; and a power supply unit that accommodates the substrate and supplies power from the power supply to the heater to heat the substrate. The power supply unit may be a part held by a user during use, and may include an operation unit and a display unit. Patent document 1 discloses an aerosol supply system in which a removable component (panel) is mounted on a surface of a module corresponding to a power supply unit.

Prior art literature

Patent literature

Patent document 1: japanese patent application laid-open No. 2021-500032

Disclosure of Invention

Problems to be solved by the invention

When a specific component such as an exterior component is removed, the function is generally limited from the viewpoint of safety of the device.

However, if the function restriction is not controlled according to the content of the function of the device, there is a possibility that the convenience of the user is impaired.

Means for solving the problems

Accordingly, the present invention provides a power supply unit for a vacuum cleaner that is advantageous in terms of both safety and user convenience.

According to one aspect of the present invention, there is provided a power supply unit for supplying power from a power supply to a heater for heating an aerosol source, comprising: a control unit for controlling the operation of the power supply unit; a housing for accommodating the power supply and the control unit; a panel removably attached to a surface of the housing; and a detection unit configured to detect that the panel is attached to or detached from the housing, wherein the control unit is configured to perform function restrictions on a plurality of functions controlled by the control unit when the detection unit detects the detachment of the panel, wherein the control unit has a plurality of operation modes, and the content of the function restrictions differs according to each operation mode.

According to one embodiment, the control unit is further provided with an operation button disposed in the case, and the control unit invalidates an operation of the operation button as the function restriction in a state where the panel is removed in any one of the plurality of operation modes.

According to one embodiment, the display unit is further provided, and the plurality of operation modes include: a standby mode in which display by the display unit is performed and detection of a lock release operation using the operation button is standby; and an aerosol generating mode in which power is supplied to the heater to generate an aerosol, wherein the control unit does not shift to the aerosol generating mode when the unlocking operation is detected in a state in which the panel is removed in the standby mode, as the function restriction.

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

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

According to an embodiment, the plurality of operation modes further includes: a sleep mode for stopping the display by the display unit and waiting in a power saving state when no user operation state of the power supply unit continues for a predetermined time in the standby mode; and a pairing mode in which pairing is performed to associate the power supply unit with an external communication device, wherein the control unit does not shift to the pairing mode as the function restriction when a pairing operation using the operation button is detected in a state in which the panel is removed in the sleep mode.

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

According to one embodiment, the plurality of operation modes further include a lock release setting mode in which the lock release operation is set in response to a lock release setting operation using the operation button, and the control unit does not shift to the lock release setting mode as the function restriction when the lock release setting operation using the operation button is detected in a state in which the panel is removed.

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

According to an embodiment, the plurality of operation modes further includes: in a charging mode in which the power supply is charged by using an external power supply, the control unit continues the charging of the power supply even when the detection unit detects the removal of the panel in the charging mode.

According to one embodiment, in an operation mode other than a sleep mode in which the display by the display unit is stopped and the standby is performed in the power saving state, the control unit continues the display by the display unit even when the removal of the panel is detected by the detection unit.

According to one embodiment, the portable terminal further includes a setting unit that sets contents of function restrictions on the plurality of functions.

Effects of the invention

According to the present invention, for example, a power supply unit for a vacuum cleaner that is advantageous in both safety and user convenience can be improved.

Other features and advantages of the present invention will become apparent from the following description taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings. In the drawings, the same or similar structures are denoted by the same reference numerals.

Drawings

The accompanying drawings, which are incorporated in and constitute a part of this specification, illustrate embodiments of the invention and together with the description, serve to explain the principles of the invention.

Fig. 1A is an external perspective view of the aspirator.

Fig. 1B is an external perspective view of the aspirator.

Fig. 2 is an internal configuration diagram of the aspirator.

Fig. 3A is a diagram showing an example of a structure for mounting an external panel.

Fig. 3B is a diagram showing an example of a structure for mounting an external panel.

Fig. 4A is a diagram showing an example of a structure for mounting an external panel.

Fig. 4B is a diagram showing an example of a structure for mounting an external panel.

Fig. 5 is a block diagram showing a functional configuration of the power supply unit.

Fig. 6 is a diagram showing an example of state transition of the power supply unit.

Fig. 7 is a flowchart showing an example of the operation of the power supply unit in the sleep mode.

Fig. 8 is a flowchart showing an example of the operation of the power supply unit in the active mode.

Fig. 9 is a flowchart showing an example of the operation of the power supply unit in the aerosol-generating mode.

Fig. 10 is a flowchart showing an example of the operation of the power supply unit in the pairing mode.

Fig. 11 is a flowchart showing an example of the operation of the power supply unit in the charging mode.

Fig. 12 is a flowchart showing an example of the operation of the power supply unit in the lock release setting mode.

Fig. 13 is a diagram showing an example of a setting screen on which operations of the respective functions can be selected when the external panel is removed.

Detailed Description

Hereinafter, embodiments will be described in detail with reference to the drawings. The following embodiments do not limit the invention of the claims, and all combinations of the features described in the embodiments are not necessarily essential to the invention. Two or more of the features described in the embodiments may be combined arbitrarily. The same reference numerals are given to the same or similar structures, and redundant description thereof is omitted.

Structure of aspirator

Fig. 1A to B show an example of the appearance of the aspirator 100 according to the embodiment. The aspirator 100 provides an aerosol having a fragrance, or a gas containing the aerosol and a fragrance substance, or an aerosol containing the aerosol or the fragrance substance to a user through the stem 110 in response to an action (hereinafter, also referred to as an "aerosol generation request") such as a user requesting an aerosol to be aspirated. Thus, the aspirator 100 can be understood as an aerosol-generating device.

The aspirator 100 may be constructed of a power supply unit 101 and a stem 110. The stem 110 is, for example, a substrate that includes an aerosol source and a fragrance source. The aerosol source may be, for example, a liquid such as a polyol such as glycerin or propylene glycol. Alternatively, the aerosol source may also contain a medicament. The aerosol source may be a liquid, a solid, or a mixture of liquids and solids. Instead of an aerosol source, a vapor source such as water may be used. The flavor source may be, for example, a molded body obtained by molding a tobacco material. Alternatively, the flavor source may be made of plants other than tobacco (e.g., peppermint, herb, coffee beans, etc.). A flavoring such as menthol may be added to the flavoring source. A flavour source may also be added to the aerosol source.

The power supply unit 101 has a substantially rectangular parallelepiped shape having a circular shape, for example, which is long in the up-down direction of the paper surface of fig. 1A to B, and may be configured to have a size such that the user can hold the power supply unit with one hand. The power supply unit 101 may include: an outer panel (panel) 102, an operation button B, and a slider 105.

The outer panel 102 is a flexible panel member covering at least a part of the front face of the power supply unit 101. The exterior panel 102 is an exterior member of the power supply unit 101 that can be removed for replacement, and can be understood as a decorative panel. For example, a plurality of exterior panels having different colors and patterns are prepared, and the user can change the exterior panel to a preferred exterior panel. The outer panel 102 may be understood as a heat-insulating panel that blocks heat generated in the power supply unit 101, and may be understood as a protective panel that protects the interior of the power supply unit 101 from impact or pressure when dropped.

A display window 103 is formed in the outer panel 102. The display window 103 may be a strip-shaped window extending in the longitudinal direction (up-down direction in the paper surface) at the substantially center of the outer panel 102. The power supply unit 101 has a display D (display section) (see fig. 2). The display D may for example comprise more than one LED (Light-Emitting Diode). The light emitted by the LED is transmitted through the display window 103. The display D can display the remaining battery level in the form of a bar graph, for example.

The operation button B is an operation button constituted by a physical button. The operation button B is covered with the outer panel 102, but since the outer panel 102 has flexibility, the user can operate the operation button B via the outer panel 102. When the user presses the operation button B via the external panel 102, a signal corresponding to the operation button B is transmitted to a control unit described later. In the present embodiment, the case where the operation button B constituted by a physical button is covered by the outer panel 102 is described as an example, but other configurations are also possible as long as the operation by the user can be accepted. For example, any other type of input device such as a touch-sensitive surface exposed from the outer panel 102 and a switch may be provided instead of the operation button B.

Further, the outer panel 102 may have such rigidity that the user needs to press the outer panel 102 with a plurality of fingers to operate the operation buttons B through the outer panel 102. This can prevent, for example, erroneous pressing of the operation button B in the package or unintentional erroneous operation by the user. In addition, it is also advantageous in preventing child from getting angry (child safety).

The slider 105 is a cover member (shutter) slidably disposed on the upper surface of the power supply unit 101 in a direction 105a indicated by an arrow. The slider 105 is configured to open and close an opening of the insertion rod 110. Fig. 1A shows a state in which the opening 106 is covered by the slider 105. Hereinafter, this state is also referred to as "gate closing". Fig. 1B shows a state in which the opening 106 is exposed by sliding the slider 105 toward the front side. Hereinafter, this state is also referred to as "gate open".

When the user attracts the aerosol using the aspirator 100, the slider 105 is operated to open the shutter. Thereafter, the user inserts the rod 110 into the opening 106. The inserted rod 110 is held by a tubular holding portion 107 communicating with the opening 106. The cross section of the holding portion 107 perpendicular to the longitudinal direction may be, for example, circular, elliptical, or polygonal, and the cross section area thereof is gradually reduced as approaching the bottom surface. With this configuration, the outer surface of the rod 110 inserted into the holding portion 107 is pressed from the inner surface of the holding portion 107, and the rod 110 can be prevented from falling off by friction. The user can then perform a lock release operation using the operation button B. When the lock release operation is performed, the lock of the power supply unit 101 is released, and the heating of the lever 110 is started, so that the suction-enabled state can be achieved. When the suction-enabled state is thus established, the user can bite the mouthpiece formed at the distal end of the lever 110 with his/her mouth, and suck the aerosol having the fragrance. When the user finishes the suction of the aerosol, the lever 110 is pulled out from the holding portion 107, and the slider 105 is closed (shutter is closed).

Fig. 2 shows an internal configuration of the aspirator 100. In fig. 2, the outer panel 102 is omitted. As described above, the power supply unit 101 communicates with the opening 106, and has the holding portion 107 for holding the lever 110. In addition, the power supply unit 101 may include a heater H, an electrical component E, and a user interface 116. The user interface 116 may be understood as an interface comprised by the electrical component E. The heater H constitutes a heating portion that heats the lever 110. The heater H may include, for example, a member for heating the aerosol source in the rod 110 to generate heat by resistance of the aerosol. As the resistance heat generating material of the resistance heat generating member, for example, a mixture of one or more of copper, nickel alloy, chromium alloy, stainless steel, and platinum rhodium is used. The heater H is disposed so as to cover the periphery of the holding portion 107, and generates heat by electric power supplied from the electric component E. The heat of the heater H is transmitted to the rod 110 via the holding portion 107, and heats the rod 110. By heating the rod 110, an aerosol may be generated from the rod 110. The user interface 116 may include an action button B, a display D, and a vibration generating portion V. The vibration generating portion V may be constituted by a vibration motor (vibrator) for vibrating the housing of the power supply unit 101. By vibrating the housing with the vibration motor, the state can be reported to the user holding the power supply unit 101.

When the user bites the suction port portion of the front end of the lever 110 with his/her mouth and performs a suction operation, air flows into the lever through an opening, not shown, as illustrated by a broken line arrow a, and the heater H heats the lever 110, so that the vaporized and/or atomized aerosol source is delivered toward the suction port portion through the air. During the transport of the aerosol source towards the mouthpiece portion, the vaporised and/or atomised aerosol source is cooled to form tiny droplets which may promote atomisation. In the structure in which the lever 110 also includes a fragrance source, a fragrance substance generated from the fragrance source is added to the aerosol, and thereby the aerosol having fragrance is delivered to the mouthpiece portion and inhaled by the user's mouth.

In the above example, the heater H is incorporated in the power supply unit 101, and the heater (atomizer), the aerosol source, and the fragrance source may be provided in the form of a cartridge instead of the lever 110.

A structural example for mounting the outer panel 102 to the power supply unit 101 will be described with reference to fig. 3A-B and fig. 4A-B.

Fig. 3A is a view showing the inner side surface of the outer panel 102. Fig. 3B is a view showing a portion exposed at the front face of the power supply unit 101 when the outer panel 102 is removed. The power supply unit 101 includes a case 101a that accommodates a power supply and electrical components (including a control unit described later), and an inner panel 202. In fig. 3B, the inner panel 202 is disposed around the operation button B so that the operation button B is exposed and is disposed to cover the front surface of the case 101 a. In a state where the outer panel 102 is mounted to the power supply unit 101, the inner side surface of the outer panel 102 opposes the outer side surface of the inner panel 202.

As shown in fig. 3A, the magnet 11 is disposed above the display window 103, the projection 12 is disposed below the display window 103, and the magnet 13A and the magnet 14 are disposed below the display window 103 on the inner surface of the outer panel 102. When the outer panel 102 is attached to the inner panel 202 so that the two are brought close to each other, the outer panel 102 is attracted to the inner panel 202 by the magnetic force (attractive force of magnetism) of the magnets 11 and 14. The outer panel 102 is held by the inner panel 202. When the outer panel 102 is held by the inner panel 202, the projection 12 is positioned so as to be able to press the operation button B in opposition to the operation button B. The magnetic sensor 23A is disposed on the back surface side of the inner panel 202. The magnet 13A is configured as a magnetic field applying unit for the magnetic sensor 23A. The magnetic sensor 23A detects the magnetic force generated by the magnetic field applied from the magnet 13A, and thus the attachment of the outer panel 102 can be detected.

As shown in fig. 3B, a display window 25 is formed above the operation button B on the outer surface of the inner panel 202, a magnet 21A is disposed above the display window 25, and a magnet 24 is disposed below the operation button B. The magnetic sensor 23A is disposed at a position between the operation button B and the magnet 24 on the inner surface of the inner panel 202 (more precisely, on the substrate having a substantially zero distance from the inner surface). A magnetometric detection area 26A shown by a broken line is formed on the outer side surface of the inner panel 202 by the magnetic sensor 23A. The magnet 21A, the display window 25, the operation button B, the magnetic sensor 23A, and the magnet 24 on the inner panel 202 side correspond to the magnet 11, the display window 103, the protrusion 12, the magnet 13A, and the magnet 14 on the outer panel 102 side, respectively. In other words, when the outer panel 102 is attached to the inner panel 202, they are aligned and opposed.

The magnets 21A and 24 of the inner panel 202 can be attracted to the magnets 11 and 14 of the outer panel 102 by their magnetic forces (attractive magnetic forces), respectively. In other words, the magnets 11 and 21A attract each other with the magnets 14 and 24, so that the inner panel 202 can hold the outer panel 102. The magnets 11 and 14 of the outer panel 102 and the magnets 21A and 24 of the inner panel 202 may be made of permanent magnets.

The operation button B disposed in the center of the inner panel 202 is covered by the outer panel 102 when the outer panel 102 is attached to the inner panel 202. The user can press the operation button B via the projection 12 of the outer panel 102 by pressing the vicinity of the central portion of the outer panel 102. Thus, for example, the power on/off of the aspirator 100 can be switched.

The magnetic sensor 23A detects a magnetic force based on a magnetic field applied from the magnet 13A in the outer panel 102. For example, the magnetic sensor 23A may be a hall sensor configured using a hall element. This enables detection of the attachment of the outer panel 102 to the inner panel 202. In a state where the outer panel 102 is attached to the inner panel 202, light from the display D passes through the display window 25 of the inner panel 202 and the display window 103 of the outer panel 102.

The magnetic sensor 23A of the inner panel 202 is disposed so as to face the magnet 13A of the outer panel 102 via the inner surface of the inner panel 202 in a state where the outer panel 102 is attached to the inner panel 202. In other words, when the outer panel 102 is mounted to the inner panel 202, the distance between the magnetic sensor 23A of the inner panel 202 and the magnet 13A of the outer panel 102 is minimized.

The magnetic sensor 23A of the inner panel 202 is configured to not detect the magnetic fields generated by the two magnets 21A and the magnet 24 of the inner panel 202. For example, the magnetic sensor 23A is disposed on the inner surface of the inner panel 202 at a position separated from the two magnets 21A and the magnet 24 on the outer surface of the inner panel 202. As a result, the influence of the magnetic fields from the two magnets 21A and the magnet 24 can be made substantially zero in the magnetic sensor 23A.

The distance between the magnetic sensor 23A and the magnet 24 (or the magnet 21A) in the inner panel 202 may be larger than the distance between the magnet 13A and the magnetic sensor 23A in the state where the outer panel 102 is attached to the inner panel 202. Accordingly, when the attachment of the outer panel 102 to the inner panel 202 is detected, the influence of the magnetic field of the magnet 24 is not taken into consideration in the magnetic sensor 23A, but only the influence of the magnetic field applied from the magnet 13A can be appropriately taken into consideration.

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

For example, the outer panel 102 may be configured such that the distance between the magnet 13A as the magnetic field applying unit and the opposing magnetic sensor 23A differs depending on the type of the outer panel in a state where the outer panel 102 is attached to the inner panel 202. In other words, the shape of the curved surface may be adjusted for each kind of the outer panel so that the height of the inner side surface of the outer panel 102 varies according to the kind. In addition, in general, it will be appreciated by those skilled in the art that the magnitude of the magnetic force varies with distance from the magnet (in particular, inversely proportional to the square of the distance). Thus, the common magnet 13A can be used for any kind of outer panel 102, and is advantageous in terms of manufacturing.

In other examples, the magnets 13A may be arranged so as to be offset along the inner side surface of the outer panel 102 facing each other, so that the positions of the magnets may be different depending on the type of outer panel. Thereby, the distance between the magnet 13A and the magnetic sensor 23A can be made different depending on the kind of the outer panel. That is, the magnitude of the magnetic force detected by the magnetic sensor 23A can be made different depending on the kind of the panel.

In another example, the outer panel 102 may be configured such that the type of the magnet 13A as the magnetic field applying portion is different depending on the type of the outer panel. The magnet 13A is constituted by a permanent magnet, for example. More specifically, any one of ferrite magnet, alnico magnet, cobalt magnet, neodymium magnet, and the like is selected according to the type of the outer panel. Thereby, the magnitude of the magnetic force detected by the magnetic sensor 23A can be made different depending on the kind of the outer panel.

Fig. 4A and 4B show a different configuration example from fig. 3A and 3B. Fig. 4A is a view showing the inner side surface of the outer panel 102. Fig. 4B is a view showing a portion exposed at the front face of the power supply unit 101 when the outer panel 102 is removed. Is an external view of the outer surface of the inner panel 202. In a state where the outer panel 102 is mounted to the power supply unit 101, the inner side surface of the outer panel 102 opposes the outer side surface of the inner panel 202.

As shown in fig. 4A, the magnetic body 13B is disposed above the display window 103, the projection 12 is disposed below the display window 103, and the magnet 15 is disposed below the projection on the inner surface of the outer panel 102. The magnetic body 13B includes a circular base 11B and a leg 12B extending substantially linearly in the longitudinal direction from the base 11B. The magnetic body 13B is composed of a substance that magnetically exerts a magnetic field by the action of the magnetic field when the magnetic field is externally exerted. The magnetic body 13B is configured as a magnetic field applying portion to a magnetic sensor 23B (described later) of the inner panel 202. The magnetic body 13B may be made of metal, for example. More specifically, the magnetic body 13B may be made of a ferromagnetic body or a normal magnetic body that is a non-permanent magnet. Here, the ferromagnetic means a property that when a magnetic field is applied from the outside, the magnetic field is applied in the same direction as the magnetic field, and the magnetic field from the outside is made zero, so that the magnetic field remains. Examples of ferromagnetic materials are iron, cobalt, nickel. In addition, paramagnetic properties are such that when a magnetic field is applied from the outside, the magnetic field is weak in the same direction as the magnetic field, and when the magnetic field from the outside is zero, the magnetic properties are not exhibited. An example of paramagnetic properties is aluminum.

The magnetic body 13B is configured as an acted portion whose state changes (in other words, magnetization) according to the action of a magnetic field applied from the outside. The magnetic body 13B is configured as a magnetic field applying portion that applies a magnetic field to the inner panel 202. Specifically, when the outer panel 102 is attached to the inner panel 202, the magnetic body 13B functions as a portion to be acted upon by the magnet 21B from the inner panel 202. As a result, the magnetic body 13B is magnetized, and functions as a magnetic field applying unit with respect to the magnet 21B and the magnetic sensor 23B of the inner panel 202. More specifically, the outer panel 102 can be attracted to the inner panel 202 by a magnetic force based on a magnetic field generated and applied by the magnetic body 13B (particularly, the base 11B). The magnetic sensor 23B of the inner panel 202 can be made to detect the state of the leg 12B (in other words, the magnetic force based on the magnetic field from the leg 12B) with respect to the magnetic field generated and applied by the magnetic body 13B (in particular, the leg 12B). This enables the power supply unit 101 to detect the attachment of the outer panel 102.

As shown in fig. 4B, a display window 25 is formed above the operation button B on the outer surface of the inner panel 202, a magnet 21B is disposed above the display window 25, and a magnet 27 is disposed below the operation button B. The magnetic sensor 23B is disposed on the inner surface of the inner panel 202 (more precisely, on the substrate having a substantially zero distance from the inner surface) on the side of the display window 25. By the magnetic sensor 23B, a magnetometric detection region 26B shown by a broken line is formed on the outer side surface of the inner panel 202. The magnet 21B, the magnetic sensor 23B, the display window 25, the operation button B, and the magnet 27 on the inner panel 202 side correspond to the base 11B of the magnetic body 13B, the leg 12B of the magnetic body 13B, the display window 103, the protrusion 12, and the magnet 15 on the outer panel 102 side, respectively. In other words, when the outer panel 102 is attached to the inner panel 202, they are aligned and opposed. When the outer panel 102 is attached to the inner panel 202, the magnetic body 13B of the outer panel 102 is aligned with respect to both the magnet 21B and the magnetic sensor 23B of the inner panel 202. More specifically, the base 11B of the magnetic body 13B of the outer panel 102 is aligned with respect to the magnet 21B of the inner panel 202, and the leg 12B of the magnetic body 13B of the outer panel 102 is aligned with respect to the magnetic sensor 23B of the inner panel 202. In particular, when the outer panel 102 is attached to the inner panel 202, the magnetic sensor 23B faces the leg 12B of the magnetic body 13B via the inner surface of the inner panel 202, so that the distance between the magnetic sensor 23B and the leg 12B of the magnetic body 13B is minimized.

The magnet 21B of the inner panel 202 is configured as an acting portion for generating a magnetic field. The magnetic body 13B is magnetized and acted on the outer panel 102 by the magnetic force of the magnetic field, thereby attracting the magnetic body base 11B. In other words, the base 11B of the magnetic body 13B and the magnet 21B are attracted to each other by the attractive force of magnetism, so that the inner panel 202 can hold the outer panel 102.

The magnetic sensor 23B detects the magnetic force of the leg 12B of the magnetized magnetic body 13B in the outer panel 102. For example, the magnetic sensor 23B may be a hall sensor configured by using a hall element in the same manner as the magnetic sensor 23A. This enables detection of the attachment of the outer panel 102 to the inner panel 202.

The magnetic sensor 23B of the inner panel 202 is configured to not detect the magnetic fields generated by the two magnets 21B and the magnet 27 of the inner panel 202. For example, the magnetic sensor 23B is disposed on the inner surface of the inner panel 202 at a position separated from the two magnets 21B and the magnet 27 on the outer surface of the inner panel 202. As a result, the influence of the magnetic fields from the two magnets 21B and the magnet 27 can be made substantially zero in the magnetic sensor 23B.

The distance between the magnetic sensor 23B and the magnet 21B (or the magnet 27) in the inner panel 202 may be larger than the distance between the magnetic body 13B and the magnetic sensor 23B in the state where the outer panel 102 is attached to the inner panel 202. Accordingly, when the attachment of the outer panel 102 to the inner panel 202 is detected, only the magnetic field applied from the leg 12B of the magnetic body 13B can be appropriately considered in the magnetic sensor 23B without considering the influence of the magnetic fields of the two magnets 21B and the magnet 27.

In one example, the outer panel 102 may be configured such that data measured by the magnetic sensor 23B differs depending on the type of the outer panel 102 when the outer panel is attached to the inner panel 202. More specifically, the outer panel 102 is configured such that data on the magnetized magnetic body 13B detected by the magnetic sensor 23B of the inner panel 202 (in other words, the magnitude of magnetic force detected by the magnetic sensor 23B) differs depending on the type of panel.

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

In other examples, the magnets 13B may be arranged so as to be offset along the inner surface of the outer panel 102 facing each other, so that the positions of the magnets may be different depending on the types of panels. This makes it possible to make the distance between the magnetic body 13B and the magnetic sensor 23B different depending on the type of panel. That is, the magnitude of the magnetic force detected by the magnetic sensor 23B can be made different depending on the kind of the panel.

In the above, the configuration example for attaching the outer panel 102 to the inner panel 202 using the magnets has been described, but the present invention is not limited thereto. Other configurations may be employed as long as the outer panel 102 can be removably attached to the inner panel 202 and the removed/attached state can be detected.

Next, a functional configuration example of the power supply unit 101 will be described with reference to fig. 5. In addition, each of the described functional modules may be integrated or separated, and the described functions may be implemented by other modules. The hardware description may be implemented in software, or the contrary may be made.

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

The control unit 120 can control communication (pairing, connection in normal times) with an external communication device. The control unit 120 may control the state transition of the aspirator 100 described later in response to a user operation of the operation button B or the slider 105. Control unit 120 controls the supply of electric power from battery 132 to heating unit 130. The control unit 120 can start the supply of electric power from the battery 132 as a power source to the heating unit 130 in response to the aerosol-generating request. The control unit 120 adjusts the duty ratio of the control pulse by, for example, pulse Width Modulation (PWM) for temperature control of the heating unit 130. The control unit 120 may use Pulse Frequency Modulation (PFM) instead of PWM.

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

The state detecting section 123 detects the open/close state of the slider 105. The state detecting section 123 may be constituted by, for example, a hall sensor including a hall element. The state detection unit 123 outputs a state detection signal indicating opening or closing of the slider 105 to the control unit 120. The state detecting unit 123 may detect the attachment/detachment state of the outer panel 102. Accordingly, the state detection section 123 may include, for example, the aforementioned magnetic sensor 23A or 23B. The state detection unit 123 may output a state detection signal indicating the attachment/detachment state of the outer panel 102 to the control unit 120.

The attraction detecting unit 124 (attraction sensor) can detect attraction (attraction) of the lever 110 by the user. For example, the attraction detecting unit 124 may include a thermistor disposed near the opening 106. In this case, the attraction detecting unit 124 may detect the attraction based on a change in the resistance value of the thermistor due to a change in temperature caused by the attraction of the user. As another example, the suction detection portion 124 may include a pressure sensor disposed at the bottom of the holding portion 107. In this case, the suction detection unit 124 may detect suction based on a decrease in air pressure caused by the air flow due to suction. The suction detection unit 124 outputs a suction detection signal indicating whether suction is being performed to the control unit 120, for example.

The light emitting section 125 includes one or more LEDs and a driver for driving the LEDs, and constitutes a display D. The light emitting unit 125 emits light from each LED in accordance with the instruction signal input from the control unit 120. The vibration part 126 constitutes the vibration generating part V described above. The vibration part 126 may include a vibrator (e.g., an eccentric motor) and a driver for driving the vibrator. The vibration unit 126 vibrates the vibrator in accordance with the instruction signal input from the control unit 120. The control unit 120 may control at least one of the light emitting unit 125 and the vibration unit 126 in an arbitrary mode, for example, to report any state of the aspirator 100 (for example, a state of pairing, removal of the outer panel 102) to the user. For example, the light emission pattern of the light emitting unit 125 can be distinguished by the light emission state (constant light emission/blinking/non-light emission), the blinking period, and the light emission color of each LED. The vibration mode of the vibration portion 126 can be distinguished by the vibration state (vibration/stop) of the vibrator and the intensity of the vibration.

The communication I/F127 includes, for example, a communication circuit and an antenna, and is a communication interface for the aspirator 100 to communicate with an external communication device (for example, a smart phone, a personal computer, a tablet terminal, or the like held by a user) by wireless. The communication I/F127 may be an interface of any wireless communication protocol such as Near Field Communication (NFC) (Near Field Communication ) or wireless LAN (Local Area Network, local area network) in accordance with near field communication such as Bluetooth (registered trademark).

The connection I/F128 is a wired interface having terminals for connecting the aspirator 100 with other external devices. The connection I/F128 may be a chargeable interface such as a USB (Universal Serial Bus ) interface, for example. The connection I/F128 can be used to charge the battery 132 from an external power source (charger) (via a power supply line not shown).

The storage battery 132 is a rechargeable battery (secondary battery) such as a lithium ion battery. Alternatively, battery 132 may be constituted by an electric double layer capacitor such as a lithium ion capacitor. The residual amount meter 133 may include an IC chip for monitoring other states of the residual amount of the electric power of the storage battery 132. The residual amount meter 133 may periodically measure State values Of the battery 132 such as a State Of Charge (SOC), a degree Of degradation (SOH), a Relative State Of Charge (RSOC), and a power supply voltage, for example, and output the measurement results to the control unit 120.

< action mode >)

An example of state transition of the power supply unit 101 will be described with reference to fig. 6. The control unit 120 has a plurality of operation modes. The plurality of action modes may include, for example: sleep mode 61, active mode 62, aerosol generation mode 63, charging mode 64, unlock setting mode 65, and pairing mode 66.

The sleep mode 61 is a state in which the control unit 120 temporarily stops the operation and stands by in a power saving state in which the power consumption is reduced. The sleep mode is a state in which the aspirator 100 is deactivated to perform a main operation, and no power is supplied to the heater H. Nor is display based on display D. In other words, in the sleep mode 61, the power supply unit 101 is locked, and the user cannot perform suction of aerosol. In the sleep mode 61, the control unit 120 can accept a predetermined user input, and when a user input matching the user input is accepted, can shift to another mode corresponding to the user input. In the following description, the sleep mode may be referred to as a standby mode. In the present embodiment, the sleep mode 61 may be set by a method of "suspending" or "standby" in which the content of the memory of the control unit 120 is maintained and the standby state is entered, or the sleep mode may be set by a method of "suspending" in which the content of the memory of the control unit 120 is copied to the storage unit 121 and the standby state is entered. In the sleep mode 61, other functions than the detection function of the user operation of the slider 105 or the operation button B and the monitor function of the remaining battery level may be disabled.

In the sleep mode 61, for example, when an operation of opening the slider 105 (operation of opening the shutter) is performed, the control section 120 may shift to the active mode 62. The activation mode 62 may be a standby mode in which at least display based on the display D is performed and detection of the lock release operation using the action button B is waited for. In the active mode 62, when an operation to close the slider 105 (operation to close the shutter) is performed or when no operation state of the user operation of the power supply unit 101 continues for a predetermined time, the control unit 120 may stop the display by the display D and return to the sleep mode 61 standing by in the power saving state.

In the active mode 62, when the unlocking operation is detected, the control unit 120 may unlock the power supply unit 101 and transition to the aerosol generating mode 63 in which an aerosol is generated. The unlocking operation may be, for example, one press of the operation button B. However, as will be described later, the lock release operation may be changed by setting. For example, the lock release operation may be an operation of repeatedly pressing the operation button B a predetermined number of times (for example, three times) within a predetermined time, an operation of pressing the operation button B for a predetermined length of time (for example, 3 seconds), or a combination thereof. In the aerosol-generating mode 63, the heating by the heating unit 130 (i.e., the supply of electric power to the heater H) is performed, and the user can perform suction of the aerosol. Alternatively, the setting of the lock release operation is invalidated, and the operation may be shifted to the aerosol-generating mode 63 in accordance with the detection of the suction (suction) of the user by the suction detection section 124 (suction sensor). At the end of the suction or when the suction time reaches a predetermined upper limit time (MaxLoadingTime), the control unit 120 may return to the active mode 62.

When an external power source (charger) is connected to the connection I/F128 in the sleep mode 61 or the active mode 62 (or the aerosol generating mode 63), the control unit 120 shifts to the charging mode 64 to charge the battery 132. When the external power supply is removed from the connection I/F128 or when the battery 132 is in a fully charged state, the control unit 120 shifts to the sleep mode 61.

When a predetermined operation is performed on the operation button B in the charging mode 64, for example, the control unit 120 can shift to the lock release setting mode 65. In the lock release setting mode 65, setting of the lock release operation is performed. For example, the lock release operation in the default state may be, for example, one press of the operation button B. In the unlocking setting mode 65, the user can change the unlocking operation to another operation. For example, the unlocking operation may be in any mode such as repeatedly pressing the operation button B a predetermined number of times within a predetermined time, pressing the operation button B for a predetermined length of time, or a combination thereof. Thereby, the safety performance of the power supply unit 101 can be improved. When the setting is completed, the control unit 120 returns to the charging mode 64. In the present embodiment, the transition to the unlock setting mode 65 is performed from the charge mode 64, but the transition to the unlock setting mode 65 from an operation mode other than the charge mode 64 may be performed.

When a prescribed pairing operation is performed in the sleep mode 61, the control section 120 may shift to a pairing mode 66 for performing pairing with an external communication device. The pairing is a process of associating the power supply unit 101 with an external communication apparatus, and may be performed in accordance with Bluetooth (registered trademark) with the external communication apparatus, for example. The pairing operation may be, for example, an operation of pressing the operation button B in a state where the slider 105 is always closed. In the pairing mode 66, when pairing between the control unit 120 and the external communication device is successful, the identification information of the paired device is registered in the white list stored in the storage unit 121. When registration with the white list is successful, or when pairing fails, the control section 120 may shift from the pairing mode 66 to the sleep mode 61.

< action of Power supply Unit in Each action mode >)

An operation example of the power supply unit 101 will be described with reference to fig. 7 to 12. This operation is controlled by the control unit 120.

Fig. 7 shows a control flow in the sleep mode 61. In the sleep mode 61, the power supply unit 01 is in a standby state. In step S101, control unit 120 determines whether or not an external power source (charger) is connected to connection I/F128, and starts charging of battery 132. Here, when the charging is detected, the control unit 120 proceeds to step S104, and the sleep mode 61 is disengaged and the mode is shifted to the active mode 62.

In step S102, the control unit 120 determines the open/close state of the slider 105 based on the state detection signal from the state detection unit 123. Here, when detecting that the shutter is open, the control unit 120 proceeds to step S103, and leaves the sleep mode 61 and shifts to the active mode 62.

In step S105, the control unit 120 determines whether or not the pairing operation of pressing the operation button B is performed in a state where the shutter is closed (S102: NO). Here, if no pairing operation is detected, the process returns to step S101. On the other hand, here, when the pairing operation is detected, the control section 120 shifts to the pairing mode (step S107). However, in the present embodiment, in step S106, after confirming that the external panel 102 is mounted to the power supply unit 101 based on the output signal of the state detection unit 123, the flow proceeds to step S107, and the shift is made to the pairing mode. In step S106, when the external panel 102 is removed from the power supply unit 101, the process returns to step S101 without shifting to the pairing mode as a function restriction. The pairing operation at this time may be set to be invalid.

Fig. 8 shows a control flow in the active mode 62. When the active mode 62 is entered, the control section 120 acquires the remaining battery level in step S201. For example, control unit 120 can obtain a battery margin based on the output voltage of battery 132. Alternatively, the control unit 120 may acquire the remaining battery level based on the number of times of suction after completion of charging acquired from the suction detection unit 124. Alternatively, in the case where the power supply unit 101 includes a management circuit that manages the battery 132, the control unit 120 can obtain the remaining battery level based on an output from the management circuit.

In step S202, the control unit 120 determines whether or not the remaining battery power exceeds a predetermined threshold. The predetermined threshold is an operation threshold for determining whether or not to permit the activation mode 62 with respect to the remaining battery power. More specifically, the predetermined threshold may be set to, for example, a lower limit value of the battery remaining amount that is predetermined so that it is not even possible to generate aerosol corresponding to N (for example, n=1) suction operations. When the remaining battery level is equal to or less than the predetermined threshold, the operation in the active mode 62 is not possible, so that the control unit 120 reports on the basis of the display D and/or the vibration generating unit V in step S203, and thereafter returns to the sleep mode 61 in step S204.

When the remaining battery power exceeds the predetermined threshold, the process advances to step S205. In step S205, the control unit 120 causes the display D to display the remaining battery level. Thereafter, in step S206, the control unit 120 determines whether or not the condition for returning to the sleep mode 61 is satisfied. The condition for returning to the sleep mode 61 may be, for example, that the shutter is closed by operating the slider 105, or that the period of no operation exceeds a predetermined time. When this condition is satisfied, the control unit 120 shifts to the sleep mode 61 in step S204.

If the condition for returning to the sleep mode 61 is not satisfied in step S206, the control unit 120 determines whether or not the lock release operation is performed in step S207. In the case where the lock release operation is detected here, the control section 120 determines in step S208 that the external panel 102 is attached to the power supply unit 101. If the outer panel 102 is not mounted to the power supply unit 101, the control section 120 shifts to the aerosol-generating mode 63 in step S209.

On the other hand, when it is determined that the external panel 102 is removed from the power supply unit 101, in step S210, the control unit 120 reports on the basis of the display D and/or the vibration generating unit V, and the process returns to step S201. That is, even if the lock release operation is detected in a state where the outer panel 102 is removed, the transition to the aerosol-generating mode 63 is not made as a function restriction. The lock release operation at this time may be set to be invalid. In this case, instead of the process returning to step S201, the process may be shifted to the sleep mode 61.

The above is an outline of the operation in the active mode 62. According to the control flow of fig. 8, in the case where the outer panel 102 is removed, even if the unlocking operation is input, transition to the aerosol-generating mode 63 is not possible. The lock release operation at this time may be set to be invalid. However, even if the removal of the outer panel 102 is detected recently in step S208, the active mode 62 is maintained, and the display of the battery remaining amount in step S205 may be continued.

In the flow of fig. 8, transition to the charging mode 64 is omitted. As described above, in the active mode 62, the external power supply (charger) is also monitored for connection to the connection I/F128. In the case where an external power source (charger) is connected to the connection I/F128 in the active mode 62, the battery 132 is charged as well.

A control flow in the aerosol-generating mode 63 is shown in fig. 9. When shifting to the aerosol-generating mode 63, the control section 120 first confirms that the outer panel 102 is mounted to the power supply unit 101 (mounted to the inner panel 202) in step S301. In the case where the outer panel 102 is mounted to the power supply unit 101, in step S302, the control section 120 starts power supply to the heater H based on the heating section 130. The power supply to the heater H may be controlled in accordance with a prescribed control sequence (heating profile). During the preliminary heating in the heating profile, the aspirator 100 becomes in an attractable state.

In step S303, the control unit 120 determines whether or not the aerosol-generating end condition is satisfied. The aerosol-generating end condition may be, for example, the number of times of suction after the suction detector 124 has reached the suction state, the predetermined time has elapsed after the transition to the aerosol-generating mode 63, or the like. When the aerosol-generating end condition is satisfied, the process advances to S304, and the control unit 120 stops the power supply to the heater H. Thereafter, in S305, the control unit 120 shifts to the active mode 62.

When it is determined in step S301 that the external panel 102 is removed from the power supply unit 101, the control unit 120 performs a report based on the display D and/or the vibration generating unit V in step S306, and prohibits the power supply to the heater H as a function restriction in step S307. After that, in step S308, the control section 120 may determine whether the external panel 102 is mounted to the power supply unit 101. When the determination in step S308 is repeated for a predetermined time while the outer panel 102 is not attached to the power supply unit 101 and the predetermined time has elapsed (yes in step S310), the control unit 120 may shift to the active mode 62 in step S311. When it is detected that the outer panel 102 is mounted to the power supply unit 101 within a predetermined time, the control unit 120 releases the power supply prohibition to the heater H as a function restriction in step S309. After that, the process returns to step S301.

Although not shown, in the aerosol-generating mode 63, the battery remaining amount may be acquired and displayed at the same timing as in the active mode 62. In a state where the outer panel 102 is removed, the display of the remaining battery level may be continued without prohibiting the display of the remaining battery level.

Fig. 10 shows a control flow in the pairing mode 66. When the pairing mode 66 is entered, the control section 120 acquires the battery remaining amount in step S401. For example, control unit 120 can obtain a battery margin based on the output voltage of battery 132. Alternatively, the control unit 120 may acquire the remaining battery level based on the number of times of suction after completion of charging acquired from the suction detection unit 124. Alternatively, in the case where the power supply unit 101 includes a management circuit that manages the battery 132, the control unit 120 can obtain the remaining battery level based on an output from the management circuit.

In step S402, the control unit 120 determines whether or not the remaining battery power exceeds a predetermined threshold. The predetermined threshold is a threshold for determining whether or not to permit operation in the pairing mode 66 with respect to the remaining battery power. More specifically, the predetermined threshold may be set to a lower limit value that decides in advance a remaining battery level that does not fall short of power in the pairing process. If the remaining battery level is equal to or less than the predetermined threshold, the operation in the pairing mode 66 is not possible, so in step S403, the control unit 120 reports based on the display D and/or the vibration generating unit V, and the routine advances to step S413 to return to the sleep mode 61.

When the remaining battery power exceeds the predetermined threshold, the process advances to step S404. In step S404, the control unit 120 causes the display D to display the remaining battery level. After that, in step S405, the control section 120 determines whether or not the external panel 102 is attached to the power supply unit 101. When it is determined that the external panel 102 is removed from the power supply unit 101, the control unit 120 reports based on the display D and/or the vibration generating unit V in step S406, and the routine proceeds to step S413, where the routine returns to the sleep mode 61. As described above, in the present embodiment, when the removal of the outer panel 102 is detected in the pairing mode 66, the control unit 120 prohibits execution of pairing as a function restriction. In this case, the control unit 120 goes out of the pairing mode 66 and shifts to the sleep mode 61. In the pairing mode 66, when it is determined that the external panel 102 is removed from the power supply unit 101, the pairing operation performed thus far may be canceled.

In step S405, when it is determined that the external panel 102 is attached to the power supply unit 101, in step S407, pairing processing according to Bluetooth (registered trademark) is performed between the control section 120 and the external communication device. In step S408, the control unit 120 determines whether pairing succeeded or failed. For example, when an error is notified from the external communication device or a cancel operation of pairing is detected, which is timed out before pairing is completed, the control unit 120 may determine that pairing has failed. In addition, when it is detected that the external panel 102 is removed from the power supply unit 101 in the pairing process, the control unit 120 may interrupt pairing and determine that pairing has failed.

When it is determined in step S408 that pairing is successful, in step S409, the control unit 120 reports that pairing is successful through the display D and/or the vibration generating unit V. Thereafter, in step S410, the control unit 120 determines whether or not the pairing release condition is satisfied. The pairing release condition may be, for example, when the slider 105 is operated to open a shutter, the operation button B is pressed, a pairing release request is received from an external communication device, a period of no operation exceeds a predetermined time, or the like. When the pairing release condition is satisfied, the control unit 120 performs processing to disconnect the Bluetooth connection with the external communication device in step S411, and transitions to the sleep mode 61 in step S413.

When it is determined in step S408 that pairing has failed, the control unit 120 reports the pairing failure via the display D and/or the vibration generating unit V in step S412. Thereafter, in step S413, the control unit 120 shifts to the sleep mode 61.

Fig. 11 shows a control flow in the charging mode 64. When the charging mode 64 is entered, the control section 120 acquires the battery remaining amount in step S501. For example, control unit 120 can obtain a battery margin based on the output voltage of battery 132. Alternatively, the control unit 120 may acquire the remaining battery level based on the number of times of suction after completion of charging acquired from the suction detection unit 124. Alternatively, in the case where the power supply unit 101 includes a management circuit that manages the battery 132, the control unit 120 can obtain the remaining battery level based on an output from the management circuit. Thereafter, in step S502, the control unit 120 causes the display D to display the remaining battery level.

In step S503, the control unit 120 determines whether or not the lock release setting operation is performed. The lock release setting operation may be, for example, a combination of a predetermined number of successive presses of the operation button B in response to an opening/closing operation of the slider 105. If the lock release setting operation is not detected, the control section 120 determines in step S504 whether or not the charging is ended. For example, when the external power supply (charger) is removed from the connection I/F128, or when the battery 132 is in a full charge state, it may be determined that the charging is completed. When it is determined that the charging is not completed, the process returns to step S501. When it is determined that the charging is completed, the control unit 120 shifts to the sleep mode 61 in step S507.

In step S503, when the lock release setting operation is detected, in step S505, the control section 120 determines whether or not the external panel 102 is attached to the power supply unit 101. When the outer panel 102 is attached to the power supply unit 101, the control unit 120 shifts to the unlock setting mode 65 in step S506. When the outer panel 102 is not attached to the power supply unit 101, the control unit 120 does not shift to the unlocking-setting mode 65, and the process advances to step S504. That is, even if the lock release setting operation is detected in a state where the outer panel 102 is removed, the control section 120 does not shift to the lock release setting mode 65 as a function restriction. The lock release setting operation may be invalidated. Further, in the case where the outer panel 102 is not attached to the power supply unit 101, a report of this condition may be made.

In this way, in the present embodiment, even when removal of the outer panel 102 is detected in the charging mode 64, charging of the storage battery 132 is continued. However, the transition to the unlock setting mode 65 in the state where the outer panel 102 is removed is not permitted. In other embodiments, the charging process may not be allowed in a state where the outer panel 102 is removed.

Fig. 12 shows a control flow in the lock release setting mode 65. When the lock release setting mode 65 is entered, the control unit 120 accepts input of a lock release operation mode in step S601. The unlocking operation is an operation for shifting from the activation mode 62 to the aerosol-generating mode 63 as described above. In step S601, for example, the lock release operation mode input within a predetermined time (for example, 20 seconds) after the shift to the lock release setting mode 65 is accepted.

In step S602, the control section 120 determines whether or not the external panel 102 is attached to the power supply unit 101. When the outer panel 102 is attached to the power supply unit 101, the control unit 120 stores the lock release operation mode received in step S601 in the storage unit 121 in step S603. After that, the control unit 120 returns to the charging mode 64 in step S605.

If it is determined in step S602 that the external board 102 is not attached to the power supply unit 101, the control unit 120 discards the data of the lock release operation mode input in step S601 in step S604. After that, the control unit 120 returns to the charging mode 64 in step S605. As described above, in the present embodiment, when removal of the outer panel 102 is detected in the lock release setting mode 65, the control unit 120 prohibits execution of the setting of the lock release operation as a function restriction, and cancels the lock release operation mode input thus far.

Although not shown, in the unlocking setting mode 65, the battery remaining amount may be acquired and displayed at the same time as in the activation mode 62. The display of the remaining battery level may be continued without prohibition even in a state where the outer panel 102 is removed. In this way, in the operation mode other than the sleep mode 61, even when the removal of the outer panel 102 is detected, the control unit 120 can continue the display by the display D.

The operation of the power supply unit 101 in each operation mode is described above. In the above-described embodiment, the operation of the operation button B may be disabled in any of the plurality of operation modes in a state where the outer panel 102 is removed. However, in the case where removal of the outer panel 102 is detected in each operation mode, only the relevant function may be restricted in the operation mode, and the operation of the other functions may be continued. For example, in the active mode 62 (fig. 8), the battery margin display is not stopped even if the outer panel 102 is removed. In addition, in the charging mode 64 (fig. 11), even if the outer panel 102 is removed, the charging is not stopped.

In addition, for functions that can be delegated to user selection, tools for user selection can be provided. In this case, the control unit 120 may function as a setting unit that sets the content of the function restrictions on the plurality of functions. For example, in the pairing mode 66, the setting screen shown in fig. 13 may be displayed on the display unit of the paired external communication device, and the user may select to prohibit or not prohibit the operation of the function when the external panel 102 is removed for each of the plurality of functions. In fig. 13, the diagonal line portion shows the result of selection by the user. The selection result of each function is stored in the storage unit 121. The control unit 120 can execute control when the outer panel 102 is removed according to the selection information stored in the storage unit 121.

According to the embodiment described above, the control unit 120 is configured to restrict the functions of the plurality of functions controlled by the control unit 120 when the removal of the outer panel 102 is detected. The control unit 120 has a plurality of operation modes, and the content of the function restrictions is different for each operation mode. Thereby, convenience of the user can be ensured. In the state where the outer panel 102 is removed, the heating by the power supply to the heater H is prohibited, so that the safety is also ensured. Therefore, according to the present embodiment, a power supply unit for a suction device that is advantageous in both safety and user convenience is provided.

The present application is not limited to the above-described embodiments, and various modifications and changes can be made within the scope of the gist of the present application.

The present application claims priority based on japanese patent application publication No. 2021-076014, 28, 4 of 2021, and the entire contents of which are incorporated herein by reference.

Claims

1. A power supply unit for supplying power from a power supply to a heater for heating an aerosol source, comprising:

a control unit that controls the operation of the power supply unit;

A housing that accommodates the power supply and the control unit;

a panel removably attached to a surface of the housing; and

a detection unit for detecting whether the panel is mounted on the housing or the panel is removed from the housing,

the control unit is configured to perform function restriction for a plurality of functions controlled by the control unit when the removal of the panel is detected by the detection unit,

the control unit has a plurality of operation modes, and the content of the function restriction is different for each operation mode.

2. The power supply unit according to claim 1, wherein,

further comprises an operation button arranged on the shell,

in any one of the plurality of operation modes, the control unit invalidates the operation of the operation button as the function restriction in a state where the panel is removed.

3. The power supply unit according to claim 2, wherein,

the display device is also provided with a display part,

the plurality of action modes include: a standby mode in which display by the display unit is performed and detection of a lock release operation using the operation button is standby; and an aerosol-generating mode in which power is supplied to the heater to generate an aerosol,

When the lock release operation is detected in a state where the panel is removed in the standby mode, the control section does not shift to the aerosol generation mode as the function restriction.

4. A power supply unit according to claim 3, characterized in that,

in the aerosol-generating mode, the control unit may prohibit, as the function restriction, supply of electric power to the heater when the removal of the panel is detected by the detection unit.

5. The power supply unit according to claim 4, wherein,

the control unit releases the prohibition of power supply to the heater when the detection unit detects the attachment of the panel within a predetermined time after the prohibition of power supply to the heater.

6. A power supply unit according to any one of claims 3 to 5, characterized in that,

the plurality of action modes further include: a sleep mode in which display by the display section is stopped and standby is performed in a power-saving state when no operation state of a user operation of the power supply unit continues for a prescribed time in the standby mode; and a pairing mode capable of performing pairing to establish association of the power supply unit with an external communication device,

When a pairing operation using the operation button is detected in a state where the panel is removed in the sleep mode, the control section does not shift to the pairing mode as the function restriction.

7. The power supply unit according to claim 6, wherein,

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

8. A power supply unit according to any one of claims 3 to 7, characterized in that,

the plurality of operation modes further include a lock release setting mode capable of performing setting of the lock release operation in accordance with the lock release setting operation using the operation button,

when a lock release setting operation using the operation button is detected in a state where the panel is removed, the control section does not shift to the lock release setting mode as the function restriction.

9. The power supply unit according to claim 8, wherein,

in the lock release setting mode, the control unit prohibits execution of setting of the lock release operation as the function restriction when the detection unit detects removal of the panel.

10. A power supply unit according to any one of claims 3 to 9, characterized in that,

the plurality of action modes further include: a charging mode in which charging of the power supply is performed using an external power supply,

the control section continues charging of the power supply even in the case where the removal of the panel is detected by the detection section in the charging mode.

11. The power supply unit according to claim 10, wherein,

in an operation mode other than a sleep mode in which display by the display unit is stopped and standby in a power saving state, the control unit continues display by the display unit even when removal of the panel is detected by the detection unit.

12. The power supply unit according to any one of claims 1 to 11, characterized in that,

the device further includes a setting unit that sets contents of function restrictions on the plurality of functions.