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EP-4736687-A1 - AEROSOL GENERATION DEVICE

EP4736687A1EP 4736687 A1EP4736687 A1EP 4736687A1EP-4736687-A1

Abstract

An aerosol-generating device is provided with: a heating unit for heating an aerosol source; a notification unit for notifying a user of information relating to heating of the aerosol source; a control unit for controlling operation of the notification unit; a control element which is controlled by the control unit and opens/closes an electrical connection of the notification unit; a first power supply for supplying power to the control unit; a second power supply for supplying power to the notification unit; and a first switch which controls power supply from the second power supply to the notification unit by using power supplied from the first power supply as an enable signal.

Inventors

  • AOYAMA, Tatsunari
  • MINATO, JUNJI
  • UCHIBORI, Tomoya

Assignees

  • Japan Tobacco Inc.

Dates

Publication Date
20260506
Application Date
20230629

Claims (11)

  1. An aerosol-generating device comprising: a heating unit for heating an aerosol source; a notification unit for notifying a user of information relating to heating of the aerosol source; a control unit for controlling operation of the notification unit; a control element which is controlled by the control unit and opens/closes an electrical connection of the notification unit; a first power supply for supplying power to the control unit; a second power supply for supplying power to the notification unit; and a first switch which controls power supply from the second power supply to the notification unit by using power supplied from the first power supply as an enable signal.
  2. The aerosol-generating device as claimed in claim 1, wherein the notification unit comprises a light-emitting element.
  3. The aerosol-generating device as claimed in claim 1 or 2, further comprising a voltage divider circuit for dividing a voltage of the first power supply, wherein a voltage divided by the voltage divider circuit is used as the enable signal.
  4. The aerosol-generating device as claimed in any one of claims 1 to 3, wherein the first switch is configured so that the enable signal is turned off by a higher voltage than a lower-limit operating voltage of the control unit.
  5. The aerosol-generating device as claimed in any one of claims 1 to 4, wherein a threshold voltage of the control element is lower than a lower-limit operating voltage of the control unit.
  6. The aerosol-generating device as claimed in any one of claims 1 to 5, comprising a third power supply, different from the second power supply, for supplying power to the heating unit.
  7. The aerosol-generating device as claimed in claim 6, wherein supply of power from the third power supply to the heating unit is controlled by means of a second control element, and a switch for controlling power supply from the third power supply to the heating unit by using power supplied from the first power supply as an enable signal is not included between the third power supply and the heating unit.
  8. The aerosol-generating device as claimed in any one of claims 1 to 5, wherein the heating unit is supplied with power from the second power supply.
  9. The aerosol-generating device as claimed in claim 8, wherein a switch for controlling power supply from the second power supply to the heating unit by using power supplied from the first power supply as an enable signal is not included between the second power supply and the heating unit.
  10. The aerosol-generating device as claimed in claim 6 or 8, wherein the aerosol source is a solid.
  11. The aerosol-generating device as claimed in claim 6 or 8, wherein the aerosol source is a liquid.

Description

TECHNICAL FIELD The present disclosure relates to an aerosol-generating device. BACKGROUND ART Aerosol-generating devices which heat an aerosol source to generate an aerosol are fitted with user interface circuitry for LEDs (= light-emitting diodes) and vibrators, etc. (this circuitry will be referred to below as a "notification unit"). Operations of these notification units are controlled by means of an MCU (= microcontroller unit). CITATION LIST PATENT LITERATURE PTL 1: JP 2021-526007 APTL2: JP 2021-528084 A SUMMARY OF INVENTION TECHNICAL PROBLEM The MCU (referred to below as a "control unit") has a defined lower-limit operating voltage, and the control unit controls the notification unit in a normal manner provided that the MCU is supplied with a driving power supply at or above the lower-limit operating voltage. However, the driving power supply supplied to the control unit sometimes falls below the lower-limit operating voltage. This may happen when the aerosol-generating device is reset, for example. The control unit ceases control in this case, but operations other than those originally intended may be implemented because a transistor threshold voltage is lower than the lower-limit operating voltage. In light of this problem, the present disclosure provides technology for preventing unintended operation of a notification unit when a driving power supply supplied to a control unit is lower than a lower-limit operating voltage. SOLUTION TO PROBLEM One aspect of the present disclosure provides an aerosol-generating device comprising: a heating unit for heating an aerosol source; a notification unit for notifying a user of information relating to heating of the aerosol source; a control unit for controlling operation of the notification unit; a control element which is controlled by the control unit and opens/closes an electrical connection of the notification unit; a first power supply for supplying power to the control unit; a second power supply for supplying power to the notification unit; and a first switch which controls power supply from the second power supply to the notification unit by using power supplied from the first power supply as an enable signal. The notification unit may comprise a light-emitting element. Furthermore, the aerosol-generating device may also be provided with a voltage divider circuit for dividing a potential of the first power supply, and a voltage divided by the voltage divider circuit may be used as the enable signal. The first switch in this case may be configured so that the enable signal is turned off by a higher voltage than a lower-limit operating voltage of the control unit. Moreover, a threshold voltage of the control element is lower than the lower-limit operating voltage of the control unit. The aerosol-generating device may comprise a third power supply, different from the second power supply, for supplying power to the heating unit. Supply of power from the third power supply to the heating unit may be controlled by means of a second control element, and a switch for controlling power supply from the third power supply to the heating unit by using power supplied from the first power supply as an enable signal should not be included between the third power supply and the heating unit. The heating unit may be supplied with power from the second power supply. A switch for controlling power supply from the second power supply to the heating unit by using power supplied from the first power supply as an enable signal should not be included between the second power supply and the heating unit. The aerosol source may be a solid. The aerosol source may be a liquid. ADVANTAGEOUS EFFECTS OF INVENTION One aspect of the present disclosure makes it possible to prevent unintended operation of a notification unit when a driving power supply supplied to a control unit is lower than a lower-limit operating voltage. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF DRAWINGS Fig. 1 is a diagram in which a front face side of an aerosol-generating device is viewed from diagonally above.Fig. 2 is a diagram in which the front face side of the aerosol-generating device is viewed from diagonally below.Fig. 3 is a diagram in which a main body device with a front panel removed is viewed from the front.Fig. 4 is a diagram schematically showing the internal configuration of the main body device.Fig. 5 is a diagram schematically showing an electronic circuit used in Embodiment 1.Fig. 6 is a circuit diagram illustrating an internal configuration example of a load switch used in Embodiment 1.Fig. 7 is a diagram to illustrate power supply to an LED when a reset operation is performed in the electronic circuit used in Embodiment 1.Fig. 8 is a diagram to illustrate power supply to an LED when a reset operation is performed in an electronic circuit which is not provided with a load switch.Fig. 9 is a diagram schematically showing an electronic circuit used in Embodiment 2.Fig. 10 is a circuit diagram illustrating an inter