CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION(S)

This application claims priority to and the benefit of Japanese Patent Application No. 2020-150104 filed on Sep. 7, 2020, the entire disclosure of which is incorporated herein by reference. This application is also related to U.S. Ser. No. 17/464,724, entitled: “POWER SUPPLY UNIT FOR AEROSOL GENERATION DEVICE” and U.S. Ser. No. 17/464,702, entitled: “POWER SUPPLY UNIT FOR AEROSOL GENERATION DEVICE” filed on the same day as this application and hereby incorporated by reference.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

Field of the Invention

The present disclosure relates to a power supply unit for an aerosol generation device.

Description of the Related Art

An aerosol generation device such as an electronic cigarette includes an internal power supply such as a battery, and power is supplied from this internal power supply to a heater. Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 2019-521739 proposes a technique of using an H bridge circuit to attach a cartridge to a vaporizer in a plurality of directions. The power supply unit of the aerosol generation device is connected to an external power supply to charge the internal power supply. If the number of directions which allow connection of the power supply unit to the external power supply is one, the convenience of a user becomes poor.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

An aspect of the present disclosure proposes a technique capable of connecting a power supply unit of an aerosol generation device to an external power supply in a plurality of directions when charging an internal power supply.

According to an embodiment, a power supply unit for an aerosol generation device is provided. The power supply unit includes an internal power supply configured to hold power supplied to a heater configured to heat an aerosol source, a first connector connectable to an external power supply including a second connector including a first power supply terminal and a second power supply terminal, the first connector including a third power supply terminal and a fourth power supply terminal, and a polarity unification circuit. The polarity unification circuit includes a first diode, a second diode, a third diode, and a fourth diode, a first node connected to a cathode of the first diode and a cathode of the second diode, a second node connected to an anode of the third diode and an anode of the fourth diode, a third node connected to the third power supply terminal of the first connector, an anode of the first diode, and a cathode of the third diode, and a fourth node connected to the fourth power supply terminal of the first connector, an anode of the second diode, and a cathode of the fourth diode. In a case in which the first connector is connected to the second connector of the external power supply in a first direction, the third power supply terminal of the first connector is connected to the first power supply terminal of the second connector, and the fourth power supply terminal of the first connector is connected to the second power supply terminal of the second connector. In a case in which the first connector is connected to the second connector of the external power supply in a second direction different from the first direction, the fourth power supply terminal of the first connector is connected to the first power supply terminal of the second connector, and the third power supply terminal of the first connector is connected to the second power supply terminal of the second connector. A current flows from the first power supply terminal of the external power supply to a positive electrode of the internal power supply via the first node, and a current flows from a negative electrode of the internal power supply to the second power supply terminal of the external power supply via the second node. The power supply unit further includes a transistor including a parasitic diode arranged on a path between the first node of the polarity unification circuit and the positive electrode of the internal power supply, a reverse direction of the parasitic diode being a direction from the first node of the polarity unification circuit to the positive electrode of the internal power supply.

According to another embodiment, a power supply unit for an aerosol generation device is provided. The power supply unit includes an internal power supply configured to hold power supplied to a heater configured to heat an aerosol source, a first connector connectable to an external power supply including a second connector including a first power supply terminal and a second power supply terminal, the first connector including a third power supply terminal and a fourth power supply terminal, and a polarity unification circuit. The polarity unification circuit includes a first diode, a second diode, a third diode, and a fourth diode, a first node connected to a cathode of the first diode and a cathode of the second diode, a second node connected to an anode of the third diode and an anode of the fourth diode, a third node connected to the third power supply terminal of the first connector, an anode of the first diode, and a cathode of the third diode, and a fourth node connected to the fourth power supply terminal of the first connector, an anode of the second diode, and a cathode of the fourth diode. In a case in which the first connector is connected to the second connector of the external power supply in a first direction, the third power supply terminal of the first connector is connected to the first power supply terminal of the second connector, and the fourth power supply terminal of the first connector is connected to the second power supply terminal of the second connector. In a case in which the first connector is connected to the second connector of the external power supply in a second direction different from the first direction, the fourth power supply terminal of the first connector is connected to the first power supply terminal of the second connector, and the third power supply terminal of the first connector is connected to the second power supply terminal of the second connector. A current flows from the first power supply terminal of the external power supply to a positive electrode of the internal power supply via the first node, and a current flows from a negative electrode of the internal power supply to the second power supply terminal of the external power supply via the second node. The power supply unit further includes a first resistor arranged on a path between the second node of the polarity unification circuit and the negative electrode of the internal power supply, a second resistor arranged on a path between the second node of the polarity unification circuit and the negative electrode of the internal power supply, the second resistor being connected to the first resistor in series, a second protection integrated circuit configured to measure a voltage across the first resistor, and a controller configured to control power supply from the internal power supply to the heater. The second protection integrated circuit determines a value of a current flowing through the first resistor based on the voltage across the first resistor and stops supply of power from the external power supply to the internal power supply based on the value of the current flowing through the first resistor. The controller measures a voltage across the second resistor, determines a value of a current flowing through the second resistor based on the voltage across the second resistor, and stops power supply from the external power supply to the internal power supply based on the value of the current flowing through the second resistor.

According to still another embodiment, a power supply unit for an aerosol generation device is provided. The power supply unit includes an internal power supply configured to hold power supplied to a heater configured to heat an aerosol source, a first connector connectable to an external power supply including a second connector including a first power supply terminal and a second power supply terminal, the first connector including a third power supply terminal and a fourth power supply terminal, and a polarity unification circuit. The polarity unification circuit includes a first diode, a second diode, a third diode, and a fourth diode, a first node connected to a cathode of the first diode and a cathode of the second diode, a second node connected to an anode of the third diode and an anode of the fourth diode, a third node connected to the third power supply terminal of the first connector, an anode of the first diode, and a cathode of the third diode, and a fourth node connected to the fourth power supply terminal of the first connector, an anode of the second diode, and a cathode of the fourth diode. In a case in which the first connector is connected to the second connector of the external power supply in a first direction, the third power supply terminal of the first connector is connected to the first power supply terminal of the second connector, and the fourth power supply terminal of the first connector is connected to the second power supply terminal of the second connector. In a case in which the first connector is connected to the second connector of the external power supply in a second direction different from the first direction, the fourth power supply terminal of the first connector is connected to the first power supply terminal of the second connector, and the third power supply terminal of the first connector is connected to the second power supply terminal of the second connector. A current flows from the first power supply terminal of the external power supply to a positive electrode of the internal power supply via the first node, and a current flows from a negative electrode of the internal power supply to the second power supply terminal of the external power supply via the second node. The power supply unit further comprises, on a path between the first node of the polarity unification circuit and the positive electrode of the internal power supply a first protection integrated circuit configured to stop supply of power to the internal power supply, a diode whose forward direction is a direction from the first node of the polarity unification circuit to the positive electrode of the internal power supply, and a transistor including a parasitic diode whose reverse direction is a direction from the first node of the polarity unification circuit to the positive electrode of the internal power supply. In the named order from the first node of the polarity unification circuit to the positive electrode of the internal power supply.

Further features of the present disclosure will become apparent from the following description of exemplary embodiments with reference to the attached drawings.

