WO2025083187A1

WO2025083187A1 - Aerosol-generating system including an aerosol-generating device and a separate power unit

Info

Publication number: WO2025083187A1
Application number: PCT/EP2024/079441
Authority: WO
Inventors: Rui Nuno Rodrigues Alves BATISTA; Ezequiel Martin Valdez Rojas
Original assignee: Philip Morris Products SA
Current assignee: Philip Morris Products SA
Priority date: 2023-10-18
Filing date: 2024-10-18
Publication date: 2025-04-24
Anticipated expiration: 2026-04-18

Abstract

An aerosol-generating system comprises a main device 2, a control unit 13 and a power unit (18). The power unit is configured to be electrically connected to and electrically disconnected from the main device. The main device comprises a battery assembly (30) and a power consumer (14). The aerosol-generating system operates in a first operating mode, in which the battery assembly supplies power to the power consumer when the power unit is electrically disconnected from the main device, and in a second operating mode, in which the power unit supplies power to the power consumer when the power unit is electrically connected to the main device. The power unit and/or the battery assembly comprise multiple power sources (19, 20, 21; 10, 11, 12), and the control unit is configured to supply power to the power consumer by selecting from any of the multiple power sources.

Description

Aerosol-generating system including an aerosol-generating device and a separate power unit

The present disclosure relates to an aerosol-generating device including a separate power unit, and an aerosol-generating system.

Conventional aerosol-generating systems or devices are configured to release an aerosol or vapor by heating a solid, a liquid, or an amorphous form of an aerosol-forming substance.

Particularly, some aerosol-generating systems are designed to operate by heating a tobacco article. For this purpose, aerosol-generating systems typically include a handheld electronic device that integrates a heating unit. Once a tobacco article is inserted within the device, the heating unit provides the necessary heat output to release the active ingredients from the tobacco article.

Another type of the aerosol-generating system according to a vaporizer type heats an aerosol-generating liquid from a cartridge to provide aerosol for consumption by a user.

Aerosol-generating devices are also used as pharmaceutical-type atomizers or aerosolgenerators for generating inhalable pharmaceutical ingredients.

In general, portability of such systems is offered to a consumer by integrating a power source that satisfies the electrical demands of electronic components within the handheld electronic device. In some of the known systems, the power source includes a rechargeable battery mounted within the housing of the handheld electronic device. Alternatively, in other designs, an aerosol-generating system may integrate a main device and a detachable power source, for example, a rechargeable lithium-ion battery or a conventional removable battery.

During usage, a user may experience power interruptions due to a limited battery capacity, and frequent battery replacements or frequent recharging may be required.

According to a first aspect of the present invention, there is provided an aerosol-generating system. The aerosol-generating system comprises a main device, a control unit and a power unit. The power unit is configured to be electrically connected to and electrically disconnected from the main device. The main device comprises a battery assembly and a power consumer. The control unit is configured to control the aerosol-generating system to operate in a first operating mode, in which the battery assembly supplies power to the power consumer when the power unit is electrically disconnected from the main device. The control unit is configured to control the aerosolgenerating system to operate in a second operating mode, in which the power unit supplies power to the power consumer when the power unit is electrically connected to the main device. In the second operating mode, the power unit may directly supply power to the power consumer. The power unit may be a portable power unit. The main device may comprise the control unit.

Therefore, in case of depletion of the battery assembly of the main device, it is not necessary to first at least partially recharge the battery assembly of the main device, before the main device can be used again. Thus, a user or consumer is enabled to keep using the main device without any time delay, even in the case of battery depletion of the batter assembly, and/or while charging it. Hence, in case of power interruptions or failures, especially in situations where access to electrical outlets or charging options is limited, any waiting time for battery charging is eliminated. This considerably extends the interval for the consumption of consumables between battery charging events in a convenient and flexible manner.

In the second operating mode, the power unit may supply power to the power consumer without charging the battery assembly of the main device. Thus, the power supply line from the battery assembly to the power consumer may be bypassed by directly using the power of the power unit for supplying the power demand of the power consumer.

In the second operating mode, the control unit may disconnect the battery assembly from operative interconnection with the power consumer. This may enable charging the battery assembly while keeping on using the main device without any waiting time.

The control unit may be configured to verify a depletion level of the battery assembly. In case the depletion level is below a predefined threshold and the power unit is electrically connected to the main device, the control unit may control the aerosol-generating system to operate in the second operating mode, in which the power unit supplies power to the power consumer without charging the battery assembly of the main device. Additionally or alternatively, in case the depletion level is below the predefined threshold and the power unit is electrically connected to the main device, the control unit may control the aerosol-generating system to operate in the second operating mode, in which the control unit disconnects the battery assembly from operative interconnection with the power consumer.

The predefined threshold may be equal to or lower than 50%, 40%, 30%, 20% or 10% of a battery capacity of the battery assembly. The threshold may be equal to or lower than the battery capacity of the battery assembly that is required for at least one utilization cycle, user session, or user experience of the main device. This may enable a user to start and complete a full utilization cycle, user session, or user experience of the main device without risking any power outage. For example, the utilization cycle, user session, or user experience can be defined as a time duration during which a certain number of puffs can be taken by the user from the aerosol-generating device, or a certain amount of aerosol can be consumed.

The control unit may be configured to verify whether the aerosol-generating system is operating in the first operation mode. In case the first operation mode is not operating, the control unit may be configured to enable the second operation mode.

The main device may include a user interface. In the second operation mode, the control unit may provide a notification via the user interface to indicate operation in the second operation mode. The main device may include a first power supply interface and a second power supply interface. The first power supply interface and the second power supply interface may be separate power supply interfaces. The first power supply interface and the second power supply interface may be different types of power supply interfaces. Any of the first power supply interface and the second power supply interface may be a charging port. Any of the first power supply interface and the second power supply interface may be a standardized charging port, for example a USB charging port, preferably a USB-C charging port. Any of the first power supply interface and the second power supply interface may be a wireless charging port.

Any of the first power supply interface and the second power supply interface may be configured to be electrically connected to and electrically disconnected from the charging device. Any of the first power supply interface and the second power supply interface may be configured to be electrically connected to and electrically disconnected from the charging device for charging the battery assembly. The power unit may be configured to be electrically connected to and electrically disconnected from the main device via at least one of the first and second power supply interfaces. Thus, the battery assembly may be charged while the power demand of the power consumer of the main device may be supplied from the power unit.

The power unit may include a battery compartment for holding commercially available battery cells. For example, the battery cells may be battery cells that can be purchased at retail level, for example, of a type A, AA, AAA, C, D, PP3, 18650, CR2032, or a combination thereof. Commercially available battery cells are easily available everyday products. Hence, even in situations where access to electrical outlets or charging options is limited, a user may be enabled to continue using the main device by using the power unit and powering it with the easily available everyday products.

The control unit may be configured to control the aerosol-generating system to operate in a third operating mode, in which the power unit supplies power to the battery assembly when the power unit is electrically connected to the main device.

The power consumer may include a heater. The heater may be configured to heat a consumable article. The consumable article may have an aerosol-forming substrate with an aerosolforming material that aerosolizes upon heating by the heater. The aerosol-forming substrate may be a tobacco article, or may include tobacco. The consumable article may include a cartridge with a vaporizable liquid, for example, a nicotine-containing liquid.

The power unit may be configured to be reversibly attached to the main device. The power unit may be configured to be reversibly attached to the main device by a snap-fit structure, a button snap structure, a press-fit structure, hook-and-loop fasteners, magnets, metallic structures that are susceptible to magnetic interaction, slide and lock structure, or a combination thereof. This may allow to mechanically attach the power unit to the main device in an easy and reversible manner. Hence, an electric connection between the power unit and the main device may be mechanically stabilized and secured.

The power unit may be configured to enable wireless power transfer. The power unit may be configured to enable wireless power transfer by inductively coupling to the main device. The power unit may be configured to enable wireless power transfer for supplying a power demand of the power consumer. Additionally or alternatively, the power unit may be configured to enable wireless power transfer for charging the battery assembly. Thus, water tightness of the main device might not be affected by the power unit, as it may not be necessary to provide any opening in the main device for electrical connection between the power unit and the main device. This may improve water tightness, safety and long life of the main device.

The power unit may comprise one power source. Preferably, the power unit may comprise multiple power sources. The battery assembly may comprise one power source. Preferably, the battery assembly may comprise multiple power sources. The power unit and/or the battery assembly may comprise multiple power sources, and the control unit may be configured to supply power to the power consumer by selecting from any of the multiple power sources. The power unit and/or the battery assembly may comprise multiple power sources of at least two different types. By incorporating multiple types of power sources and a portable power unit, continuous power supply may be ensured to the main device. In particular, it may be possible to appropriately supply different power demands that are required during operation of the main device. During an initial phase of operation, the power consumer of the main device may demand a surge of power. For example, during the initial phase of operation, a heating unit of an aerosol-generating device often demands a surge of power to reach a required temperature. This energy peak may place a significant strain on a power source, potentially leading to an accelerated degradation and a reduced overall lifespan of the power source. By employing multiple power sources, preferably multiple power sources of different types, it may be possible to employ a specific type of power source for peak power demands, and another specific type of power source for transitioning to a larger capacity battery for regular operation of the main device. Hence, efficient energy allocation and optimal power utilization may be ensured throughout the operation of the main device. Thus, it may be possible to suppress the accelerated degradation and reduced overall battery lifespan of the battery assembly and/or the power unit.

The at least one power source may comprise a thin battery, a removable battery, a supercapacitor, a rechargeable battery, a discardable battery or a combination thereof. As explained above, the integration of various batteries may allow for efficient energy management and may extend the overall battery life of the main device and/or the power unit. The incorporation of the thin battery within the main device and/or the power unit may optimize the utilization of internal space. Thin batteries are designed to be compact and occupy minimal space while providing sufficient power capacity. This efficient use of internal space may allow for a compact and portable device design without compromising on the performance or power requirements.

The thin battery may comprise a flexible battery and/or a planar battery. The thin battery may comprise a single cell or multiple cell battery. The thin battery may comprise a Lithium Polymer (Li-Po) battery, solid-state battery, printed battery, or thin-film battery.

The inclusion of a replaceable, rechargeable, discardable and/or detachable battery may offer users flexibility in power management. This may solve the problem of relying solely on a single power source and may allow the users to choose the most suitable option based on their specific needs and available resources.

The removable battery may comprise an alkaline battery, lithium battery, zinc-carbon battery, silver oxide battery, zinc-air battery or mercury battery.

A supercapacitor may be provided for supplying peak power demands, and thus, for avoiding an accelerated degradation of the remaining power sources.

The supercapacitor may comprise an electrochemical double-layer capacitor, pseudo capacitor, or a hybrid capacitor.

The power unit may comprise a supercapacitor and a battery. The battery may be a removable battery, a rechargeable battery, a discardable battery, or a combination thereof. Thus, the power unit comprises the supercapacitor as one of at least two power sources. This may eliminate any drawbacks on power supply performance when the aerosol-generating system operates in the second operating mode. For example, in case of the usage scenario described above, the heater may be quickly brought to operation temperature without the need for waiting for the limited power (current) that can be provided by the other cell-based battery. This may speed up the startup and user session/experience with the power unit, and provide for extravalues of the power unit as a separate accessory.

The battery assembly may be accommodated in a housing. The material of the housing may comprise plastics, metals, composite materials or a combination thereof. The material of the housing may comprise ABS, polycarbonate, polypropylene, PET, aluminum, stainless steel, metal alloys or a combination thereof.

The battery assembly and/or the power unit may be supported by a printed circuit board (PCB). The at least one power source of the battery assembly may be supported by a PCB. The at least one power source of the power unit may be supported by a PCB. The PCB may be a single-sided, double-sided, multilayer, flexible, rigid-flex, HDI, metal core PCB, or a combination thereof. The main device may be an aerosol-generating device. The main device may be a charging or holding case for an aerosol-generating device.

According to a second aspect of the present invention, there is provided a power supply method for the aerosol-generating system according to the first aspect. The method comprises operating the aerosol-generating system in the first operating mode, in which the battery assembly supplies power to the power consumer when the power unit is electrically disconnected from the main device. The method further comprises operating the aerosol-generating system in the second operating mode, in which the power unit supplies power to the power consumer when the power unit is electrically connected to the main device.

According to a third aspect of the present invention, there is provided a use of the aerosolgenerating system according to the first aspect for supplying power to the power consumer.

The present disclosure comprises various aspects, embodiments, and examples. Features, advantages, and explanations disclosed with reference to any one of these aspects, embodiments, and examples may be combined with, or transferred to, any one of the other aspects, embodiments, and examples described herein.

The invention is defined in the claims. However, below there is provided a non-exhaustive list of non-limiting examples. Any one or more of the features of these examples may be combined with any one or more features of another example, embodiment, or aspect described herein.

Example Ex1 : An aerosol-generating system, comprising a main device, a control unit and a power unit, wherein the power unit is configured to be electrically connected to and electrically disconnected from the main device, wherein the main device comprises a battery assembly and a power consumer, wherein the control unit is configured to control the aerosol-generating system to operate in a first operating mode, in which the battery assembly supplies power to the power consumer when the power unit is electrically disconnected from the main device, and to operate in a second operating mode, in which the power unit supplies power to the power consumer when the power unit is electrically connected to the main device.

Example Ex2: The aerosol-generating system according to Example Ex1 , wherein in the second operating mode, the power unit supplies power to the power consumer without charging the battery assembly of the main device.

Example Ex3: The aerosol-generating system according to Example Ex1 or Ex2, wherein in the second operating mode, the control unit disconnects the battery assembly from operative interconnection with the power consumer.

Example Ex4: The aerosol-generating system according to any of Examples Ex1 to Ex3, wherein the control unit is configured to verify a depletion level of the battery assembly, and in case the depletion level is below a predefined threshold and the power unit is electrically connected to the main device, the control unit is configured to control the aerosol-generating system to operate in the second operating mode, in which the power unit supplies power to the power consumer without charging the battery assembly of the main device, and/or in which the control unit disconnects the battery assembly from operative interconnection with the power consumer.

Example Ex5: The aerosol-generating system according to any of Examples Ex1 to Ex4, wherein the control unit is configured to verify whether the aerosol-generating system is operating in the first operation mode, and in case the first operation mode is not operating, to enable the second operation mode.

Example Ex6: The aerosol-generating system according to any of Examples Ex1 to Ex5, wherein the main unit includes a user interface, and in the second operation mode, the control unit provides a notification via the user interface to indicate operation in the second operation mode.

Example Ex7: The aerosol-generating system according to any of Examples Ex1 to Ex6, wherein the main device includes a first power supply interface, preferably a LISB-C or wireless charging port, and a second power supply interface, preferably a LISB-C or wireless charging port.

Example Ex8: The aerosol-generating system according to preceding Example Ex7, wherein the first power supply interface is configured to be electrically connected to and electrically disconnected from a charging device, preferably for charging the battery assembly, and wherein the power unit is configured to be electrically connected to and electrically disconnected from the main device via the second power supply interface.

Example Ex9: The aerosol-generating system according to any of Examples Ex1 to Ex8, wherein the power unit includes a battery compartment for holding commercially available battery cells, preferably battery cells of a type A, AA, AAA, C, D, PP3, 18650, CR2032, or a combination thereof.

Example Ex10: The aerosol-generating system according to any of Examples Ex1 to Ex9, wherein the control unit is configured to control the aerosol-generating system to operate in a third operating mode, in which the power unit supplies power to the battery assembly when the power unit is electrically connected to the main device.

Example Ex11 : The aerosol-generating system according to any of Examples Ex1 to Ex10, wherein the main device comprises the control unit.

Example Ex12: The aerosol-generating system according to any of Examples Ex1 to Ex11 , wherein the power consumer includes a heater.

Example Ex13: The aerosol-generating system according to preceding Example Ex12, wherein the heater is configured to heat a consumable article having an aerosol-forming substrate with an aerosol-forming material that aerosolizes upon heating by the heater, wherein, preferably, the aerosol-forming substrate is a tobacco article or includes tobacco.

Example Ex14: The aerosol-generating system according to Example Ex12, wherein the heater is configured to heat a consumable article, wherein the consumable article includes a cartridge with a vaporizable liquid, preferably a nicotine-containing liquid.

Example Ex15: The aerosol-generating system according to any of Examples Ex1 to Ex14, wherein the power unit is configured to be reversibly attached to the main device, preferably by a snap-fit structure, a button snap structure, a press-fit structure, hook-and-loop fasteners, a slide and lock structure, magnets and/or metallic structures that are susceptible to magnetic interaction.

Example Ex16: The aerosol-generating system according to any of Examples Ex1 to Ex15, wherein the power unit is configured to enable wireless power transfer, preferably by inductively coupling to the main device, particularly preferable for charging the battery assembly.

Example Ex17: The aerosol-generating system according to any of Examples Ex1 to Ex16, wherein the power unit comprises at least one power source, preferably multiple power sources.

Example Ex18: The aerosol-generating system according to any of Examples Ex1 to Ex17, wherein the battery assembly comprises at least one power source, preferably multiple power sources.

Example Ex19: The aerosol-generating system according to Example Ex17 or Ex18, wherein the power unit and/or the battery assembly comprise multiple power sources, and the control unit is configured to supply power to the power consumer by selecting from any of the multiple power sources.

Example Ex20: The aerosol-generating system according to any of Examples Ex17 to Ex19, wherein the power unit and/or the battery assembly comprises multiple power sources of at least two different types.

Example Ex21 : The aerosol-generating system according to any of Examples Ex17 to Ex20, wherein the at least one power source comprises a thin battery, a removable battery, a supercapacitor, a rechargeable battery, a discardable battery or a combination thereof.

Example Ex22: The aerosol-generating system according to Example Ex21 , wherein the thin battery comprises a flexible battery, a planar battery, preferably a single cell or multiple cell battery, particularly preferable a Lithium Polymer (Li-Po) battery, solid-state battery, printed battery, or thin-film battery.

Example Ex23: The aerosol-generating system according to Example Ex21 , wherein the removable battery comprises an alkaline battery, lithium battery, zinc-carbon battery, silver oxide battery, zinc-air battery, or mercury battery. Example Ex24: The aerosol-generating system according to Example Ex21 , wherein the supercapacitor comprises an electrochemical double-layer capacitor, pseudo capacitor, or a hybrid capacitor.

Example Ex25: The aerosol-generating system according to any of Examples Ex1 to Ex24, wherein the battery assembly is accommodated in a housing.

Example Ex26: The aerosol-generating system according to Example Ex25, wherein the material of the housing comprises plastics, preferably ABS, polycarbonate, polypropylene, or PET, metals, preferably aluminum or stainless steel, metal alloys, composite materials or a combination thereof.

Example Ex27: The aerosol-generating system according to any of Examples Ex1 to Ex26, wherein the battery assembly and/or the power unit are/is supported by a printed circuit board (PCB), preferably by a single-sided, double-sided, multilayer, flexible, rigid-flex, HDI, or metal core PCB.

Example Ex28: The aerosol-generating system according to any of Examples Ex1 to Ex27, wherein the main device is an aerosol-generating device.

Example Ex29: The aerosol-generating system according to any of Examples Ex1 to Ex27, wherein the main device is a charging or holding case for an aerosol-generating device.

Example Ex30: A power supply method for an aerosol-generating system according to any of Examples Ex1 to Ex29, the method comprising: operating the aerosol-generating system in the first operating mode, in which the battery assembly supplies power to the power consumer when the power unit is electrically disconnected from the main device, and operating the aerosol-generating system in the second operating mode, in which the power unit supplies power to the power consumer when the power unit is electrically connected to the main device.

Example Ex31 : Use of an aerosol-generating system according to any of Examples Ex1 to Ex29 for supplying power to the power consumer.

Examples will now be further described with reference to the figures in which:

Figure 1 shows a perspective view of an aerosol generating system according to a first embodiment, wherein a main device and a power unit are uncoupled;

Figure 2 shows a perspective view of the aerosol generating system according to the first embodiment, wherein the main device and the power unit are coupled;

Figure 3 shows a perspective view of the main device;

Figure 4 shows a sectional view of the main device, taken along a plane B-B in Figure 3;

Figure 5 shows a sectional view of the aerosol generating system, taken along a plane A-A in Figure 1 ; Figure 6 shows a block diagram, illustrating a first operation mode of the aerosol generating system;

Figure 7 shows a block diagram, illustrating a second operation mode of the aerosol generating system;

Figure 8 shows a perspective view of the main device and a charging adaptor according to a modification of the first embodiment;

Figure 9 shows a perspective view of the aerosol generating system according to a second embodiment, wherein the main device and the power unit are uncoupled;

Figure 10 shows a sectional view of the power unit, taken along a plane C-C in Figure 9.

Like features are indicated with like reference numerals throughout the description.

Figure 1 shows an aerosol generating system 1 in an uncoupled state. Figure 2 shows the aerosol generating system 1 in a coupled state. The aerosol generating system 1 comprises a main device 2 and a power unit 18. Figure 1 further shows a consumable article 100. As a nonlimiting example, the consumable article 100 has an aerosol-forming substrate with an aerosolforming material that aerosolizes upon heating. The aerosol-forming substrate may be a tobacco article, or may include tobacco.

The main device 2 is an aerosol-generating device, and is enabled to perform a heating operation to release an aerosol from the consumable article 100. Figure 3 shows a perspective view of the main device 2, and Figure 4 shows a sectional view of the main device 2, resulting from the intersection of a horizontal plane B-B in Figure 3.

The main device 2 includes an elongated housing 3 that extends longitudinally along a vertical axis. The housing 3 defines a top 6, a bottom 7, and a lateral wall 8. The lateral wall 8 is formed by a concave-convex cross-section 4 defining a curved outline 5. The curved outline 5 initiates with a constricted edge 51 that gradually widens and curves towards a rounded edge 52. As a result, the lateral wall 8 defines a concave side 81 and a convex side 82. The resulting characteristic curved geometry of the housing 3 provides an ergonomic grip for a user holding the main device 2.

As illustrated in Figures 3 and 4, the housing 3 accommodates a tubular heating cavity 15. Preferably, the heating cavity 15 is adapted to removably receive the consumable article 100. As a non-limiting exemplary embodiment of a heating unit 14, for example, an induction coil, can be disposed concentric to the heating cavity 15 to generate an electromagnetic field that inductively couples and heats an inner susceptor within the consumable article 100. The heating cavity 15 and the induction coil configure the heating unit 14. The heating unit 14 may further incorporate other components for an effective heating operation of the consumable article 100, such as a control circuitry and a temperature sensor.Also, different heater types can be part of the main device 2 as the heating unit 14, for example resistive heating, dielectric heating, puff-based heating, radiation-type heating, or a combination thereof. In addition, the heating cavity 15 can comprise a heat shielding structure 16 to provide thermal confinement and to prevent electromagnetic interference with surrounding electronic components.

In addition, the housing 3 accommodates a control unit 13 and a battery assembly 30. The battery assembly 30 comprises multiple power sources 10, 11 and 12. For example, the battery assembly 30 comprises a thin battery 10, a removable battery 11 and a supercapacitor 12. The control unit 13 is electrically connected with the thin battery 10, the removable battery 11 , and the supercapacitor 12.

The electronic components accommodated in the housing 3 may be independently mounted in the housing 3 by conventional fixation means, while being electrically interconnected with appropriate wiring. Alternatively, the electronic components may also compactly integrate with a supporting PCB Printed Circuit Board to form a PCB assembly. The PCB assembly may be arranged within the housing 3 to efficiently occupy its available internal space.

Additionally or alternatively, a rigid or flexible PCB may be employed to enable an efficient electrical integration across the PCB assembly.

As illustrated in Figure 4, the control unit 13, the battery assembly 30 and the heating cavity 15 are arranged in the housing 3 in an asymmetrical layout. In particular, the control unit 13 is positioned towards the constricted edge 51 of the housing 3, the thin battery 10 extends alongside the convex side 82 of the housing 3, the removable battery 11 is positioned within a middle section of the housing 3, and the supercapacitor 12 is positioned towards the rounded edge 52.

Preferably, the supercapacitor 12 is located proximal to the heating cavity 15 to establish an efficient electrical connection with the heating unit 14, for example but not limited to an induction coil. This may address the requirement of repeated heating operations over short periods of time. Unlike common battery cells, which may not be able to satisfy the high-power demands or may experience excessive strain leading to a reduced usage life, the implementation of the supercapacitor 12 enables the delivery of instantaneous power loads to the heating unit 14. Particularly, during a pre-heating phase where the induction coil of the heating unit 14 requires a surge of power, the supercapacitor 12 can charge and discharge rapidly, providing an instantaneous supply of the required current. As a result, the supercapacitor 12 not only ensures efficient heating but also significantly reduces heating time, enhancing the overall performance of the aerosol generation by ensuring that the consumable article 100 can reach a desired temperature quickly and effectively. The supercapacitor 12 employed in this configuration can be selected from various suitable types, including electrochemical double-layer capacitors, pseudo capacitors, or hybrid capacitors, depending on the specific design considerations and desired performance characteristics of the heating unit. Preferably, by positioning the supercapacitor 12 adjacent to or directly below the heating cavity 15, optimal power delivery and efficiency may be achieved.

In the first embodiment depicted in Figure 4, the thin battery 10 is a curved battery of a rechargeable type. The form of the thin battery 10 conforms to the curved outline of the convex side 82. Suitable examples of thin batteries for this purpose are also known as “flexible batteries” or “planar batteries”. This type of battery can efficiently occupy the available space within devices while providing a stable and consistent power supply. This may be ideal for sustaining a power demand over extended periods. The thin battery 10 has a large area that ensures prolonged operation of the main device 2 without frequent recharging or replacement.

A further advantageous effect of incorporating a thin battery 10 is that, after the initial peak where power demands are met by the supercapacitor 12, energy consumption can switch to the thin rechargeable battery 10 for regular operation to optimize power usage. In comparison to the supercapacitor 12, a thin rechargeable battery 10 has a higher stored energy that makes it better suited to satisfy continuous power demands after the initial surge of power, such as during the pre-heating phase. Generally, thin rechargeable batteries exhibit a lower voltage than supercapacitors, but they are adapted to deliver this voltage more consistently for prolonged periods. The thin rechargeable battery 10 is therefore enabled to provide a stable and consistent power supply, ideal for sustaining the heating unit operation over extended consumption periods.

Furthermore, the rechargeable battery 10 may act as a primary electricity source for the general operation of the main device 2, including the operation of any additional or complementary electronics. Examples of additional or complementary electronics comprise a user interface such as buttons or LED indicators. Examples of thin batteries include single cell or multiple cell batteries such as Lithium Polymer (Li-Po) batteries, solid-state batteries, printed batteries, orthin- film batteries.

Preferably, the housing 3 defines a hollowed-out column along its longitudinal axis to define a battery compartment 26. The battery compartment 26 may accept the removable battery 11 . The battery compartment 26 may incorporate a removable cover to provide a user with access to the removable battery 11. In this case, the battery compartment 26 may incorporate an electric terminal to electrically couple the removable battery 11 with the control unit 13. Suitable removable batteries include commonly available types, typically known as “consumer batteries” or “commercial batteries”. These types include both disposable batteries (i.e., primary type) and rechargeable batteries (i.e., secondary type). Examples of such batteries include single cell or multiple cell alkaline batteries, lithium batteries, zinc-carbon batteries, silver oxide batteries, zinc-air batteries, and mercury batteries. Incorporating a removable battery 11 , such as the commercially available AA battery type, may enhance versatility. The incorporation of the removable battery 11 provides an alternative power source option, allowing users to easily replace it when needed. This may offer convenience and flexibility, especially in situations where recharging or accessing other power sources may be restricted. By utilizing commonly found consumer or commercial batteries, the device becomes compatible with widely available power sources, enabling users to extend its usage without reliance on specific charging infrastructure or time-consuming recharging processes. Additionally, the incorporation of the removable battery 11 ensures that the device can quickly resume operation by replacing the depleted battery with a fully charged one, reducing downtime and enhancing the user experience.

The control unit 13 may comprise a load management circuit designed to control the distribution of power from the battery assembly 30, i.e. the distribution of power from the thin battery 10, the removable battery 11 , and the supercapacitor 12. The load management circuit may incorporate a switching arrangement that operates according to a specific operation mode of the main device 2. For instance, a switching arrangement may enable the supercapacitor 12, the thin battery 10, or the removable battery 11 to supply the demand from the heating unit depending on the parameters relating to a specific heating profile during a heating operation. Depending on a state of charge for each battery, the switching arrangement may enable the rechargeable battery 10, the removable battery 11 , or their combination to become a primary power source for the main device 2. The switching arrangement may selectively enable the thin battery 10 and the removable battery 11 to become a primary power source for supplying a charging load to the supercapacitor 12 or for electrically sustaining the general operation of the main device 2. Moreover, the switching arrangement may control a charging operation of the rechargeable batteries. In this case, to ensure safe charging operation and prevent dangerous charging of non-rechargeable batteries, the switching arrangement may incorporate a battery detection circuit that permits a charging procedure only after detecting a suitable rechargeable battery in the battery compartment 26.

In general, a load management circuit that controls multiple (types of) batteries may incorporate sub-system electronics to manage the charging, discharging, and switching operations. For example, the load management circuit may include a monitoring circuit that measures the battery voltages, currents, and states of charge. The load management circuit may then make decisions based on predefined algorithms to determine which batteries should be charged, discharged, or connected to the load. The load management circuit may also include relays or solid- state devices to control the flow of current between the batteries and the load (e.g., the heating unit). These components ensure proper battery management, balancing, and efficient utilization of the available energy. Additionally, safety features such as overvoltage protection, overcurrent protection, and short-circuit protection may be incorporated to safeguard the batteries and the overall system. The design and implementation of the load management circuit can vary depending on factors such as the number and capacity of batteries, the desired switching speed, or the power requirements of specific components within the main device 2.

As is apparent from the above, the main device 2 is configured to operate independently from the power unit 18, by obtaining a current supply from its own power sources 10, 11 and 12, i.e. from the battery assembly 30. Additionally, the main device 2 is configured to couple with the power unit 18 to obtain supplementary power. The power unit 18 is configured to supplement the power requirements of the main device 2. This supplementary power may be used to maintain an operable condition, to recharge the battery assembly 30 or to increase the battery capacity of the battery assembly 30.

In this regard, Figures 6 and 7 schematically show a first operating mode and a second operating mode, respectively, of the aerosol generating system 1. Solid lines between components indicate an electrically connected state, and broken lines between the components indicate an electrically disconnected state. Dotted lines indicate an interconnection for the control purposes between the control unit 13, the heating unit 14, the battery assembly 30 and the power unit 18. As schematically shown in Figure 6, the control unit 13 may control the aerosol generating system 1 to operate in a first operating mode when the power unit 18 is electrically disconnected from the main device 2. In this first operating mode, the battery assembly 30 supplies power to the power consumer for example, to the heating unit 14, i.e. the induction coil or other heating device, of the main device 2.

As schematically shown in Figure 7, the control unit 13 may control the aerosol generating system 1 to operate in a second operating mode when the power unit 18 is electrically connected to the main device 2. In this second operating mode, the power unit 18 directly supplies power to the power consumer (for example, to the heating unit 14, i.e. the induction coil or other heating device) of the main device 2. In particular, the power unit 18 directly supplies power to the power consumer of the main device 2, without charging the battery assembly 30. Furthermore, in the second operating mode, the control unit 13 may disconnect the battery assembly 30 from operative interconnection with the power consumer, i.e. the heating unit 14.

As depicted in Figures 1 , 2 and 5, the main device 2 and the power unit 18 may be shaped reciprocally to provide an ergonomic and relatively smooth transition between their respective surfaces when joined together. In this case, the curved geometry may provide a matching profile that enables the main device 2 to seamlessly integrate with the reciprocally shaped power unit 18 to form a tubular body, as illustrated in Figure 2.

The power unit 18 may be adapted to be magnetically attached to the main device 2. For example, a first set of embedded magnets 9 may be positioned over a mating side of the main device 2. A corresponding second set of magnets 24 may be positioned over a corresponding mating side of the power unit 18. This may enable a secure magnetic engagement to the main device 2.

Additionally or alternatively, the power unit 18 and the main device 2 may be mechanically and reversibly coupled by other means. Examples thereof include a snap-fit structure, a button snap structure, a press-fit structure or hook-and-loop fasteners.

As illustrated in Figure 5, the power unit 18 comprises multiple power sources 19, 20 and 21. In particular, the power unit 18 comprises a thin power source 19, a first battery 20 and a second battery 21 . The first battery 20 and the second battery 21 may be removable batteries. In particular, similar to the battery compartment 26 described above with respect to the main device 2, the power unit 18 may comprise at least one battery compartment for receiving a removable battery. The thin power source 19 may be a supercapacitor. Additionally or alternatively, the thin power source 19 may be a rechargeable battery. The first and second batteries 20, 21 may be non-removable and rechargeable.

Preferably, one of the power sources 19, 20, 21 of the power unit 18 is a supercapacitor. Any of the remaining power sources 19, 20, 21 of the power unit 18 may be a removable battery, a rechargeable battery, a discardable battery, or a combination thereof. Specifically, the power unit 18 comprises the supercapacitor as one of the multiple power sources 19, 20 and 21. Besides, the number of power sources of the power unit 18 is not limited to three. For example, the number of power sources of the power unit 18 may be two, four, five, etc. As a preferred but not limiting example, the power unit 18 comprises two different power sources. One of the two power sources is a supercapacitor and the other is a removable battery, a rechargeable battery, a discardable battery, or a combination thereof.

The advantages of the multi-battery type configuration of the main device 2 described above also apply to the power unit 18.

Once attached, the power unit 18 may be configured to perform a wireless power transfer to the main device 2. In particular, the power unit 18 may comprise a power transfer circuit 22. The power transfer circuit 22 may be connected to a transmitter 23. The transmitter 23 may be a transmitting coil antenna, and may be arranged alongside the mating side of the power unit 18. The transmitter 23 is then enabled to inductively couple with a receiver 17, which is provided to the main device 2. The receiver 17 may be a receiving coil antenna, and may be arranged alongside the mating side of the main device 2. The transmitter 23 is responsible for generating an alternating electromagnetic field to enable a charge transfer from the power unit 18 to the main device 2. In particular, the power transfer circuit 22 may be enabled to perform a wireless power transfer from the power unit 18 to the main device 2 in response to a power demand signalled from the main device 2.

For instance, the control unit 13 of the main device 2 may be configured to verify a depletion level of the battery assembly 30. In case the depletion level is lower than a predefined threshold, the control unit 13 of the main device 2 may switch the aerosol generating system 1 to the second operating mode by signalling the power transfer circuit 22 to begin a power transfer. In this sense, the wireless power transfer may enable the power unit 18 to become the primary power source for the main device 2 to prevent the main device 2 from draining its own batteries. For example, the load management system within the main device 2 may incorporate a method that determines and performs the most optimal power source usage to increase autonomy.

In general, a wireless power transfer system may incorporate subsystems to rectify, regulate, and store the transmitted charge. For example, the receiver 17 may connect to a rectifier circuit to convert an alternating current received from the transmitter 23 into a direct current (DC). This rectified DC power may then be regulated by a voltage regulation circuitry to ensure stable and consistent voltage levels.

Apart from the above described wireless power transfer, electric power may also be transferred between the power unit 18 and the main device 2 via other known power supply interfaces. Examples thereof include standardized charging ports, such as USB charging ports, particularly USB-C charging ports.

Figure 8 shows a perspective view of the main device 2 and a charging adaptor 25 according to a modification of the first embodiment. In particular, the aerosol generating system 1 may additionally comprise the charging adaptor 25. The charging adaptor 25 may incorporate a base 27 that is configured to connect and wirelessly charge the main device 2 and the power unit 18. The charging adaptor 25 further comprises a power cord 28 that may connect to an electrical outlet to receive an external energy supply. By incorporating the charging adaptor 25, the aerosol generating system 1 allows a main device 2 and a power unit 18 to connect to an electrical outlet, enabling both of them to receive electricity to recharge their internal rechargeable batteries.

Alternatively, the charging adapter 25 may be configured to connect and wirelessly charge only one of the main device 2 and the power unit 18. Furthermore, the charging adapter 25 does not necessarily have to be able to connect and charge the main device 2 and/or the power unit 18 in a wireless manner. Instead, the charging adapter 25 may be adapted to connect and charge the main device 2 and/or the power unit 18 by means of other charging ports, such as USB charging ports.

Figure 9 shows a perspective view of the aerosol generating system 1 according to the second embodiment, wherein the main device 2 and the power unit 18 are uncoupled. Figure 10 shows a sectional view of the power unit 18, obtained by sectioning the power unit 18 along a plane C-C in Figure 9. Apart from the difference described below, the same explanations provided with respect to the first embodiment described above also apply to the second embodiment.

According to the second embodiment, the main device 2 and the power unit 18 may be formed such as to show U-shaped cross sections. As illustrated in Figure 10, similar to the first embodiment, the power unit 18 comprises multiple power sources, i.e. the thin power source 19, the first battery 20 and the second battery 21. Due to the outer shape of the power unit 18, the thin power source 19 is arranged such as to extend along the U-shaped wall of the power unit 18. Furthermore, the first battery 20, the second battery 21 and the power transfer circuit 22 are arranged along the longitudinal axis of the power unit 18. In addition, the first battery 20, the second battery 21 and the power transfer circuit 22 are at least partially surrounded by the thin power source 19. A set of magnetic retainers 24 may be additionally provided for enabling a secure attachment of the power unit 18 to the main device 2. For this purpose, a corresponding set of magnets 9 may be embedded in the main device 2.

Claims

1. An aerosol-generating system, comprising a main device, a control unit and a power unit, wherein the power unit is configured to be electrically connected to and electrically disconnected from the main device, wherein the main device comprises a battery assembly and a power consumer, wherein the control unit is configured to control the aerosol-generating system to operate in a first operating mode, in which the battery assembly supplies power to the power consumer when the power unit is electrically disconnected from the main device, and to operate in a second operating mode, in which the power unit supplies power to the power consumer when the power unit is electrically connected to the main device, and wherein the power unit and/or the battery assembly comprise multiple power sources, and the control unit is configured to supply power to the power consumer by selecting from any of the multiple power sources.

2. The aerosol-generating system according to claim 1 , wherein in the second operating mode, the power unit supplies power to the power consumer without charging the battery assembly of the main device.

3. The aerosol-generating system according to any of the preceding claims, wherein in the second operating mode, the control unit disconnects the battery assembly from operative interconnection with the power consumer.

4. The aerosol-generating system according to any of the preceding claims, wherein the control unit is configured to verify a depletion level of the battery assembly, and in case the depletion level is below a predefined threshold and the power unit is electrically connected to the main device, the control unit is configured to control the aerosol-generating system to operate in the second operating mode, in which the power unit supplies power to the power consumer without charging the battery assembly of the main device, and/or in which the control unit disconnects the battery assembly from operative interconnection with the power consumer.

5. The aerosol-generating system according to any of the preceding claims, wherein the control unit is configured to verify whether the aerosol-generating system is operating in the first operation mode, and in case the first operation mode is not operating, to enable the second operation mode.

6. The aerosol-generating system according to any of the preceding claims, wherein the main device includes a first power supply interface and a second power supply interface, wherein the first power supply interface is configured to be electrically connected to and electrically disconnected from a charging device, preferably for charging the battery assembly, and wherein the power unit is configured to be electrically connected to and electrically disconnected from the main device via the second power supply interface.

7. The aerosol-generating system according to any of the preceding claims, wherein the power unit includes a battery compartment for holding commercially available battery cells, preferably battery cells of a type A, AA, AAA, C, D, PP3, 18650, CR2032, or a combination thereof.

8. The aerosol-generating system according to any of the preceding claims, wherein the power unit is configured to enable wireless power transfer, preferably by inductively coupling to the main device, particularly preferably for charging the battery assembly.

9. The aerosol-generating system according to any of the preceding claims, wherein the power unit comprises at least one power source, preferably multiple power sources.

10. The aerosol-generating system according to any of the preceding claims, wherein the battery assembly comprises at least one power source, preferably multiple power sources.

11. The aerosol-generating system according to any of the preceding claims, wherein the power unit and/or the battery assembly comprises multiple power sources of at least two different types.

12. The aerosol-generating system according to any of the preceding three claims, wherein the at least one power source comprises a thin battery, a removable battery, a supercapacitor, a rechargeable battery, a discardable battery or a combination thereof.

13. A power supply method for an aerosol-generating system according to any of the preceding claims, the method comprising: operating the aerosol-generating system in the first operating mode, in which the battery assembly supplies power to the power consumer when the power unit is electrically disconnected from the main device, and operating the aerosol-generating system in the second operating mode, in which the power unit supplies power to the power consumer when the power unit is electrically connected to the main device.

14. Use of an aerosol-generating system according to any of claims 1 to 12 for supplying power to the power consumer.