Abstract: An aerosol-generating article is provided for producing an inhalable aerosol when heated, the aerosol-generating article including: a hollow cylindrical rod of aerosol-generating substrate; a wrapper circumscribing the hollow cylindrical rod; and a hollow tube extending along a longitudinal axis of the hollow cylindrical rod and defining a central airflow channel of the aerosol-generating article, the hollow tube including a plurality of openings extending through a wall of the hollow tube, such that the aerosol-generating substrate in the hollow cylindrical rod is in fluid communication with the central airflow channel through the plurality of openings, and such that a ratio between a cumulative cross-sectional area of the plurality of openings and a cross-sectional area of the central airflow channel is from about 0.042 to about 0.672.

Abstract: A method for supplying products for electrically operated smoking systems is provided, including: delivering to a remote user device from a central server over a network connection order option information associated with a vending machine; receiving an order from the remote user device, the order including an indication of a product available from the vending machine, and user identification information; retrieving registered user information, including user authentication information associated with user identification information; receiving user authentication information from a user; and if the received user authentication information matches the retrieved user authentication information, delivering the product to the user at the vending machine.

Abstract: A method of providing maintenance services to at least one user of an electrically operated smoking device using an automatic testing apparatus is provided, the method including: making the automatic testing apparatus publicly accessible; determining a connection of the electrically operated smoking device to the automatic testing apparatus; performing automatic electrical testing of the electrically operated smoking device; automatically extracting usage data from the electrically operated smoking device; and performing a software update or a software reset of the electrically operated smoking device; and/or automatically generating an electrical test report based on the performed automatic electrical testing, automatically providing the electrical test report together with a recommended action to the at least one user, and automatically sending or saving the electrical test report together with the automatically extracted usage data to a data store.

Abstract: The aerosol-generating device comprises a device housing (2), a mouthpiece (3) associated to the device housing, a receiving chamber (4) configured to receive from external to the device at least a portion of a sheet of aerosol-forming substrate in a non-rolled form and configured to accommodate a cylindrically shaped of aerosol-forming substrate and a holder (6) for holding the sheet of aerosol-forming substrate. The device further comprises a rolling device (7) for receiving a flat or non-rolled sheet of aerosol-forming substrate and for rolling the sheet of aerosol-forming substrate around the holder from the non-rolled form into a cylindrically shaped aerosol-forming substrate.

Abstract: A cartridge for use in an aerosol-generating system is provided, including a liquid storage portion including a housing configured to hold a liquid aerosol-forming substrate, the liquid storage portion including at least two parts in fluid communication with each other; a first part of the liquid storage portion including a heater assembly, a first capillary material, provided in contact with the heater assembly, and a second capillary material in contact with the first capillary material and spaced apart from the heater assembly by the first capillary material; and a second part of the liquid storage portion including a container configured to hold the liquid aerosol-forming substrate in liquid form to supply the liquid to the second capillary material.

Abstract: An aerosol-generating article is provided for producing an inhalable aerosol when heated, the aerosol-generating article including: a hollow cylindrical rod of aerosol-generating substrate; a wrapper circumscribing the hollow cylindrical rod; and a hollow tube extending along a longitudinal axis of the hollow cylindrical rod and defining a central airflow channel of the aerosol-generating article, the hollow tube including a plurality of openings extending through a wall of the hollow tube, such that the aerosol-generating substrate in the hollow cylindrical rod is in fluid communication with the central airflow channel through the plurality of openings, and such that a ratio between a cumulative cross-sectional area of the plurality of openings and a cross-sectional area of the central airflow channel is from about 0.042 to about 0.672.

Abstract: A sachet of aerosol-forming substrate for electrically heated aerosol-generating device is provided, including a porous container; and an aerosol-forming substrate within the container, the substrate having a porosity of between about 0.2 and about 0.35, the porosity being the volume fraction of void space within the container. An electrically heated aerosol-generating system is also provided, including a sachet of aerosol-forming substrate; and an aerosol-generating device, the device including an outer housing having a cavity configured to receive the sachet, and an electrical heater including at least one heating element configured to heat the sachet in the cavity to generate an aerosol from the aerosol-forming substrate for inhalation by a user.

Abstract: A heater assembly for an aerosol-generating system is provided, including: an electrically insulating support having an aperture; an electrical heating element disposed across the aperture in the electrically insulating support, being configured to heat a liquid aerosol-forming substrate to form an aerosol, and being substantially flat; capillary material, wherein a portion of the capillary material is in contact with the electrical heating element, and the capillary material is configured to convey the liquid aerosol-forming substrate to the electrical heating element; and two electrical contacts respectively connected to ends of the electrical heating element, the two electrical contacts supported by the electrically insulating support. An aerosol-generating system including an aerosol-generating device and a cartridge is also provided.

Abstract: A method of providing maintenance services to at least one user of an electrically operated smoking device using an automatic testing apparatus is provided, the method including: making the automatic testing apparatus publicly accessible; determining a connection of the electrically operated smoking device to the automatic testing apparatus; performing automatic electrical testing of the electrically operated smoking device; automatically extracting usage data from the electrically operated smoking device; and performing a software update or a software reset of the electrically operated smoking device; and/or automatically generating an electrical test report based on the performed automatic electrical testing, automatically providing the electrical test report together with a recommended action to the at least one user, and automatically sending or saving the electrical test report together with the automatically extracted usage data to a data store.

Abstract: There is provided an apparatus for providing maintenance services for an electrically operated smoking device, the apparatus including an input including an electrical connector configured to engage electrical contacts on the electrically operated smoking device; and a controller connected to the input and being configured to automatically perform electrical testing of the electrically operated smoking device and to provide a test report based on an outcome of the electrical testing, or to perform a software update or a software reset of the electrically operated smoking device, or to provide both a test report and perform a software update or a software reset of the electrically operated smoking device, when the electrically operated smoking device is connected to the input. There is also provided a system and a method of providing maintenance services to a user of an electrically operated smoking device using a publically accessible automatic testing apparatus.

Abstract: The aerosol-generating device comprises a device housing (2), a mouthpiece (3) associated to the device housing, a receiving chamber (4) configured to receive from external to the device at least a portion of a sheet of aerosol-forming substrate in a non-rolled form and configured to accommodate a cylindrically shaped of aerosol-forming substrate and a holder (6) for holding the sheet of aerosol-forming substrate. The device further comprises a rolling device (7) for receiving a flat or non-rolled sheet of aerosol-forming substrate and for rolling the sheet of aerosol-forming substrate around the holder from the non-rolled form into a cylindrically shaped aerosol-forming substrate.

Abstract: A cartridge for use in an aerosol-generating system is provided, including a liquid storage portion including a housing configured to hold a liquid aerosol-forming substrate, the liquid storage portion including at least two parts in fluid communication with each other; a first part of the liquid storage portion including a heater assembly, a first capillary material, provided in contact with the heater assembly, and a second capillary material in contact with the first capillary material and spaced apart from the heater assembly by the first capillary material; and a second part of the liquid storage portion including a container configured to hold the liquid aerosol-forming substrate in liquid form to supply the liquid to the second capillary material.

Abstract: A cartridge for an aerosol-generating system, the cartridge including a housing, a storage compartment, an air flow passage, a fluid permeable aerosol-generating element, and a removavle seal. The housing having a mouth end opening and an air inlet. The storage compartment is within the housing. The storage compartment is configured to contain a liquid aerosol-forming substrate. The air flow passage extending from the air inlet to the mouth end opening. The fluid permeable aerosol-generating element is within the housing. The fluid permeable aerosol-generating element has a first surface and a second surface opposing the first surface, the second surface being in fluid communication with the storage compartment. The removable seal has a seal portion and a tab portion, the seal portion in the air flow passage over the first surface of the fluid permeable aerosol-generating element, and the tab portion extending outwardly from the housing through the air inlet.

Abstract: There is provided an apparatus for providing maintenance services for an electrically operated smoking device, the apparatus including an input including an electrical connector configured to engage electrical contacts on the electrically operated smoking device; and a controller connected to the input and being configured to automatically perform electrical testing of the electrically operated smoking device and to provide a test report based on an outcome of the electrical testing, or to perform a software update or a software reset of the electrically operated smoking device, or to provide both a test report and perform a software update or a software reset of the electrically operated smoking device, when the electrically operated smoking device is connected to the input. There is also provided a system and a method of providing maintenance services to a user of an electrically operated smoking device using a publically accessible automatic testing apparatus.

Abstract: A sachet of aerosol-forming substrate for electrically heated aerosol-generating device is provided, including a porous container; and an aerosol-forming substrate within the container, the substrate having a porosity of between about 0.2 and about 0.35, the porosity being the volume fraction of void space within the container. An electrically heated aerosol-generating system is also provided, including a sachet of aerosol-forming substrate; and an aerosol-generating device, the device including an outer housing having a cavity configured to receive the sachet, and an electrical heater including at least one heating element configured to heat the sachet in the cavity to generate an aerosol from the aerosol-forming substrate for inhalation by a user.

Abstract: A cartridge for use in an aerosol-generating system is provided, including a liquid storage portion including a housing configured to hold a liquid aerosol-forming substrate, the liquid storage portion including at least two parts in fluid communication with each other; a first part of the liquid storage portion including a heater assembly, a first capillary material, provided in contact with the heater assembly, and a second capillary material in contact with the first capillary material and spaced apart from the heater assembly by the first capillary material; and a second part of the liquid storage portion including a container configured to hold the liquid aerosol-forming substrate in liquid form to supply the liquid to the second capillary material.