# US 12,004,571 B2 · Inhalation device with a controller capable of exchanging an atomizer > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 12,004,571 B2 - Document ID: US12004571B2 - Status: Granted - Kind: B2 - Application number: 17/189,673 - Filed: 2021-03-02 - Published: 2021-09-09 - Granted: 2024-06-11 - Earliest claimed: 2020-03-05 - Assignees: Japan Tobacco Inc. - Applicants: Japan Tobacco Inc. - Inventors: Keiji Marubashi - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US12004571B2 ## CPC - A24F 40/53: Monitoring, e.g. fault detection - A24F 40/46: Shape or structure of electric heating means - A24F 40/57: Temperature control - A61M 11/042: {electrical} - A61M 15/0063: {Storages for pre-packed dosages} - A61M 15/06: Inhaling appliances shaped like cigars, cigarettes or pipes - G05B 1/01: electric - H05B 3/0014: {Devices wherein the heating current flows through particular resistances} - A24F 40/10: Devices using liquid inhalable precursors - A24F 40/20: Devices using solid inhalable precursors - A24F 40/30: Devices using two or more structurally separated inhalable precursors, e.g. using two liquid precursors in two cartridges - A24F 40/50: Control or monitoring - A61M 15/0021: {Mouthpieces therefor} - A61M 2205/121: interface between cassette and base - A61M 2205/123: with incorporated reservoirs - A61M 2205/127: with provisions for heating or cooling - A61M 2205/3331: Pressure; Flow - A61M 2205/3368: Temperature - A61M 2205/3653: by Joule effect, i.e. electric resistance - A61M 2205/505: Touch-screens; Virtual keyboard or keypads; Virtual buttons; Soft keys; Mouse touches - A61M 2205/52: with memories providing a history of measured variating parameters of apparatus or patient - A61M 2205/8206: battery-operated - H02J 7/855: {with circuits adapted for supplying loads from the battery} - A24F: SMOKERS' REQUISITES; MATCH BOXES; SIMULATED SMOKING DEVICES (inhaling appliances for medical purposes, shaped like cigars, cigarettes or pipes A61M15/06) - A61M: DEVICES FOR INTRODUCING MEDIA INTO, OR ONTO, THE BODY (introducing media into or onto the bodies of animals A61D7/00; means for inserting tampons A61F13/26; devices for administering food or medicines orally A61J; containers for collecting, storing or administering blood or medical fluids A61J1/05); DEVICES FOR TRANSDUCING BODY MEDIA OR FOR TAKING MEDIA FROM THE BODY (surgery A61B; chemical aspects of surgical articles A61L); DEVICES FOR PRODUCING OR ENDING SLEEP OR STUPOR {(Electrotherapy, e.g. producing anaesthesia by the use of alternating or intermittent currents A61N1/36021)} - G05B: CONTROL OR REGULATING SYSTEMS IN GENERAL; FUNCTIONAL ELEMENTS OF SUCH SYSTEMS; MONITORING OR TESTING ARRANGEMENTS FOR SUCH SYSTEMS OR ELEMENTS (systems for controlling or regulating non-electric variables G05D; systems for regulating electric or magnetic variables G05F; control devices or systems insofar as characterised by mechanical features only G05G) - H05B: ELECTRIC HEATING; ELECTRIC LIGHT SOURCES NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR; CIRCUIT ARRANGEMENTS FOR ELECTRIC LIGHT SOURCES, IN GENERAL - H02J: ELECTRIC POWER NETWORKS; CIRCUIT ARRANGEMENTS OR SYSTEMS FOR SUPPLYING OR DISTRIBUTING ELECTRIC POWER; SYSTEMS FOR STORING ELECTRIC ENERGY ## Abstract An inhalation device controller includes a holding portion configured to hold an atomizer including a heater configured to heat an aerosol source, a power supply unit configured to supply power to the heater of the atomizer attached to the holding portion, an amplifier to which a voltage according to a voltage of a node on a current path configured to supply the power to the heater is input, and a processor configured to acquire information from the amplifier and execute control according to the information. A first range that a value of the information takes in a holding state in which the holding portion holds the atomizer and a second range that the value of the information takes in a non-holding state in which the holding portion does not hold the atomizer do not include ranges overlapping each other. ## Claims ### Claim 1 An inhalation device comprising: a holding portion configured to hold an atomizer including a heater configured to heat an aerosol source; a power supply configured to supply power to the heater of the atomizer attached to the holding portion; an amplifier to which a voltage according to a voltage of a node on a current path configured to supply the power to the heater is input; and a processor configured to acquire information from the amplifier and execute control according to the information, wherein the information takes a voltage value in a first range in a holding state in which the holding portion holds the atomizer, and takes a voltage value in a second range in a non-holding state in which the holding portion does not hold the atomizer, and the first range and the second range do not include ranges overlapping each other, an upper limit of the first range is smaller than a power supply voltage supplied to a power supply terminal of the amplifier, and a lower limit of the second range is larger than the upper limit of the first range, and the processor determines, based on the voltage value of the information, whether a state of the holding portion is in the holding state or the non-holding state. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The inhalation device according to claim 1, wherein the processor executes processing of acquiring the resistance value of the heater as a reference resistance value based on the voltage value of the information in accordance with transition from the non-holding state to the holding state. ### Claim 3 (depends on 2) The inhalation device according to claim 2, wherein the processor calculates the temperature of the heater based on the value of the information and the reference resistance value. ### Claim 4 (depends on 2) The inhalation device according to claim 2, wherein if the value of the information that was in the second range continuously falls within the first range, the processor is determine that the transition from the non-holding state to the holding state is completed. ### Claim 5 (depends on 4) The inhalation device according to claim 4, wherein upon determining that the transition from the non-holding state to the holding state is completed, the processor acquires and stores the reference resistance value of the heater. ### Claim 6 (depends on 5) The inhalation device according to claim 5, wherein in the holding state and in a state in which a request for operating the atomizer exists, the processor controls the power supply based on the reference resistance value and the resistance value of the heater, which is obtained based on the information, such that the heater obtains a target temperature. ### Claim 7 (depends on 2) The inhalation device according to claim 2, wherein if the value of the information that was in the first range continuously falls within the second range, the processor determines that the transition from the holding state to the non-holding state is completed. ### Claim 8 (depends on 1) The inhalation device according to claim 1, wherein if the value of the information belongs to a third range in the first range in the holding state, the processor controls the power supply not to supply power to the heater. ### Claim 9 (depends on 8) The inhalation device according to claim 8, wherein in the holding state and in a state in which a request for operating the atomizer exists, if the value of the information belongs to a fourth range in the first range, the processor controls the power supply based on the information, and wherein the third range and the fourth range do not include ranges overlapping each other. ### Claim 10 (depends on 1) The inhalation device according to claim 1, wherein the second range is a variation range of the power supply voltage. ### Claim 11 (depends on 1) The inhalation device according to claim 1, wherein in the non-holding state, a voltage equal to the power supply voltage supplied to the power supply terminal of the amplifier is input to the input terminal of the amplifier. ### Claim 12 (depends on 1) The inhalation device according to claim 1, wherein the holding portion includes a first electrical contact and a second electrical contact, the first electrical contact is electrically connected to the output terminal of the power supply via a first resistive element and contacts a third electrical contact provided in the atomizer, the second electrical contact is electrically connected to a ground line and contacts a fourth electrical contact provided in the atomizer, and wherein the amplifier includes a noninverting input terminal electrically connected to the first electrical contact, and an inverting input terminal electrically connected to the second electrical contact. ### Claim 13 (depends on 12) The inhalation device according to claim 12, wherein the first electrical contact and the second electrical contact is electrically connected by a second resistive element. ### Claim 14 (depends on 13) The inhalation device according to claim 13, wherein letting Rshunt1 be the resistance value of the first resistive element, Rshunt2 be the resistance value of the second resistive element, Vout be the voltage supplied to the first resistive element by the power supply, and VM be the power supply voltage supplied to the power supply terminal of the amplifier, (Rshunt2/(Rshunt1+Rshunt2))Vout>VM is satisfied in the non-holding state. ### Claim 15 (depends on 12) The inhalation device according to claim 12, wherein the inverting input terminal is grounded via a third resistive element, and the inverting input, terminal and the output terminal of the amplifier is connected via a fourth resistive element.