IP Library › Granted Patent US 12702163

Granted Patent B2

US 12702163 · App. 18/502,039 · Granted Aug 11, 2026

Power supply unit for aerosol generation device

Inventors: Tatsunari Aoyama (Tokyo, JP); Hiroshi Kawanago (Tokyo, JP); Toru Nagahama (Tokyo, JP); Takashi Fujiki (Tokyo, JP); Ryo Yoshida (Tokyo, JP)

Assignee: JAPAN TOBACCO INC.

A24F40/46 A24F40/50 H02J7/855

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Quick Facts

Patent No.: US 12702163
App. No.: 18/502,039
Granted: Aug 11, 2026
Kind: B2

External Links

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Abstract

A power supply unit for an aerosol generating device, includes a power supply, a heater connector, a first plus-side circuit, a second plus-side circuit having one end connected to the positive electrode, including a second plus-side switch, and connected in parallel with the first plus-side circuit, a minus-side switch connected to the negative electrode, and a controller configured to execute predetermined control based on a voltage applied to the fixed resistor or the heater connector when the first plus-side switch and the minus-side switch are ON. One or both of a first condition in which the first plus-side switch is different from at least one of the second plus-side switch and the minus-side switch and a second condition in which the second plus-side switch is different from the minus-side switch is satisfied.

Claims (77)

1 . A power supply apparatus for an aerosol generating device, comprising:

a power supply;

an electric connector including a positive electrode and a negative electrode, by which a heater configured to heat an aerosol source by consuming power supplied from the power supply is connected to the positive electrode and the negative electrode;

a first plus-side circuit having one end connected to the positive electrode and including a first plus-side switch and a fixed resistor;

a second plus-side circuit having one end connected to the positive electrode, including a second plus-side switch, and connected in parallel with the first plus-side circuit;

a minus-side switch connected to the negative electrode; and

control circuitry configured to execute predetermined control based on a voltage applied to the fixed resistor or the electric connector when the first plus-side switch and the minus-side switch are ON, wherein

one or both of a first condition in which the first plus-side switch is different from at least one of the second plus-side switch and the minus-side switch and a second condition in which the second plus-side switch is different from the minus-side switch is satisfied.

2 . The power supply apparatus for an aerosol generating device according to claim 1 , wherein:

the first plus-side switch includes a P-channel MOSFET;

the second plus-side switch includes a P-channel MOSFET; and

the minus-side switch includes an N-channel MOSFET.

3 . The power supply apparatus for an aerosol generating device according to claim 2 , further comprising:

wherein the control circuitry is connected to a gate terminal of the P-channel MOSFET included in the first plus-side switch and a gate terminal of the P-channel MOSFET included in the second plus-side switch, wherein

a voltage input to a power supply terminal of the control circuitry is lower than a voltage output from the output terminal of the step-up converter.

4 . The power supply apparatus for an aerosol generating device according to claim 2 , further comprising:

a step-up converter having an output terminal connected to a source terminal of the P-channel MOSFET included in the first plus-side switch and a source terminal of the P-channel MOSFET included in the second plus-side switch, and including an activation terminal configured to output a voltage from the output terminal when a signal of a predetermined level is input, wherein

the activation terminal of the step-up converter is connected to a gate terminal of the N-channel MOSFET included in the minus-side switch.

5 . The power supply apparatus for an aerosol generating device according to claim 4 , wherein

the predetermined level is a high level.

6 . The power supply apparatus for an aerosol generating device according to claim 1 , wherein:

the second plus-side switch includes a transistor;

the minus-side switch includes a transistor; and

the transistor included in the second plus-side switch has a difference from the transistor included in the minus-side switch other than a channel type.

7 . The power supply apparatus for an aerosol generating device according to claim 6 , wherein

a maximum current value that the transistor included in the minus-side switch is capable of continuously outputting is larger than a maximum current value that the transistor included in the second plus-side switch is capable of continuously outputting.

8 . The power supply apparatus for an aerosol generating device according to claim 6 , wherein:

the control circuitry is configured to repeatedly switch ON and OFF of the transistor included in the second plus-side switch while the transistor included in the minus-side switch is ON; and

a maximum current value that the transistor included in the minus-side switch is capable of outputting in a pulse shape is smaller than a maximum current value that the transistor included in the second plus-side switch is capable of outputting in a pulse shape.

9 . The power supply apparatus for an aerosol generating device according to claim 6 , wherein:

a turn-off delay time of the transistor included in the second plus-side switch is longer than a turn-off delay time of the transistor included in the minus-side switch; and/or

a fall time of the transistor included in the second plus-side switch is longer than a fall time of the transistor included in the minus-side switch.

10 . The power supply apparatus for an aerosol generating device according to claim 6 , wherein:

a turn-on delay time of the transistor included in the second plus-side switch is longer than a turn-on delay time of the transistor included in the minus-side switch; and/or

a rise time of the transistor included in the second plus-side switch is longer than a rise time of the transistor included in the minus-side switch.

11 . The power supply apparatus for an aerosol generating device according to claim 1 , wherein:

the first plus-side switch includes a P-channel MOSFET;

the second plus-side switch includes a P-channel MOSFET; and

the P-channel MOSFET included in the first plus-side switch is different from the P-channel MOSFET included in the second plus-side switch.

12 . The power supply apparatus for an aerosol generating device according to claim 11 , wherein

a maximum current value that the P-channel MOSFET included in the second plus-side switch is capable of continuously outputting is larger than a maximum current value that the P-channel MOSFET included in the first plus-side switch is capable of continuously outputting.

13 . The power supply apparatus for an aerosol generating device according to claim 11 , wherein

an ON resistance value of the P-channel MOSFET included in the second plus-side switch is lower than an ON resistance value of the P-channel MOSFET included in the first plus-side switch.

14 . The power supply apparatus for an aerosol generating device according to claim 13 , wherein

an ON resistance value of the P-channel MOSFET included in the first plus-side switch is lower than an electric resistance value of the fixed resistor.

15 . The power supply apparatus for an aerosol generating device according to claim 11 , wherein:

a turn-on delay time of the P-channel MOSFET included in the first plus-side switch is shorter than a turn-on delay time of the P-channel MOSFET included in the second plus-side switch; and/or

a rise time of the P-channel MOSFET included in the first plus-side switch is shorter than a rise time of the P-channel MOSFET included in the second plus-side switch.

16 . The power supply apparatus for an aerosol generating device according to claim 1 , wherein:

the first plus-side switch includes a transistor;

the minus-side switch includes a transistor; and

the transistor included in the first plus-side switch has a difference from the transistor included in the minus-side switch other than a channel type.

17 . The power supply apparatus for an aerosol generating device according to claim 16 , wherein:

a turn-on delay time of the transistor included in the first plus-side switch is shorter than a turn-on delay time of the transistor included in the minus-side switch; and/or

a rise time of the transistor included in the first plus-side switch is shorter than a rise time of the transistor included in the minus-side switch.

18 . A power supply apparatus for an aerosol generating device, comprising:

a power supply;

a heater connector including a positive electrode and a negative electrode, by which a heater configured to heat an aerosol source by consuming power supplied from the power supply is connected to the positive electrode and the negative electrode;

a first plus-side circuit having one end connected to the positive electrode and including a first plus-side switch and a fixed resistor;

a second plus-side circuit having one end connected to the positive electrode, including a second plus-side switch, and connected in parallel with the first plus-side circuit; and

a controller configured to execute predetermined control based on a voltage applied to the fixed resistor or the heater connector when the first plus-side switch is ON, wherein

the first plus-side switch is different from the second plus-side switch.

19 . The power supply apparatus for an aerosol generating device according to claim 18 , wherein:

the first plus-side switch includes a P-channel MOSFET;

the second plus-side switch includes a P-channel MOSFET; and

the P-channel MOSFET included in the first plus-side switch is different from the P-channel MOSFET included in the second plus-side switch.

20 . A power supply apparatus for an aerosol generating device, comprising:

a battery;

an electric connector by which a heater configured to heat an aerosol source by consuming power supplied from the power supply is connected to a positive electrode and a negative electrode of the electric connector;

a first plus-side circuit having one end connected to the positive electrode and including a first plus-side switch and a fixed resistor, wherein the first plus side switch includes a P-channel MOSFET;

a second plus-side circuit having one end connected to the positive electrode, including a second plus-side switch, and connected in parallel with the first plus-side circuit, wherein the second plus-side switch includes a P-channel MOSFET;

a minus-side switch connected to the negative electrode, wherein the minus-side switch includes an N-channel MOSFET;

the activation terminal of the step-up converter is connected to a gate terminal of the N-channel MOSFET included in the minus-side switch.