Abstract: A split airflow system for an electrically heatable smoking system for generating aerosol is provided, the system having a downstream end, the system including: a first channel defining a first flow route; and a second Channel defining a second flow route, the first flow route directing ambient air from outside the split airflow system to the downstream end of the split airflow system, the second flow route directs ambient air from outside the split airflow system towards a substantially flat, fluid-permeable heating element before conveying the ambient air to the downstream end, and the first channel and the second channel define a total volume of ambient air passing through the split airflow system and the first channel provides at least 50 percent of the total volume of ambient air passing through the split airflow system.

Abstract: An aerosol-generating article for generating an inhalable aerosol upon heating is provided, the article having proximal and distal ends and including: a first aerosol-generating substrate located between the distal end and the proximal end of the article; a first air inlet configured to admit air into the article; a second aerosol-generating substrate located between the first aerosol-generating substrate and the proximal end of the article; a second air inlet configured to admit air into the article; a first airflow pathway extending from the first air inlet through the first aerosol-generating substrate towards the proximal end of the article; and a second airflow pathway extending from the second air inlet through the second aerosol-generating substrate towards the proximal end of the article, the first airflow pathway and the second airflow pathway being isolated from one another. An aerosol-generating system including the article and an aerosol-generating device is also provided.

Abstract: An electrically heatable aerosol-generating system is provided, including: a heater element including a thermally conductive substrate including a non-stick coating applied over at least a portion of an outer surface of the thermally conductive substrate, the non-stick coating including a superhydrophobic material. A heater element for an electrically heated aerosol-generating system is also provided, the heater element including: a thermally conductive substrate including a non-stick coating applied over at least a portion of an outer surface of the thermally conductive substrate, the non-stick coating including a superhydrophobic material.

Abstract: A container for consumer goods is provided, including: an outer sleeve including outer sleeve front and back walls, and first and second opposed outer sleeve side walls; an inner slide mounted within the outer sleeve and including inner slide bottom, front, and back walls; and a sleeve cover including sleeve cover first and second panels, the first panel detachably depending from the outer sleeve along a first line of weakness and extending between the outer sleeve back and front walls, the sleeve cover second panel detachably depending from the sleeve cover first panel along a second line of weakness and permanently affixed to an inner surface of the outer sleeve, such that upon separation of the sleeve cover first panel and the sleeve cover second panel: a first outer sleeve opening is revealed, and the inner slide becomes movable between fully inserted and protruding positions.

Abstract: A cartridge for an aerosol-generating system is provided, the cartridge including: a reservoir configured for liquid aerosol-forming substrate; a heating element configured to heat the liquid aerosol-forming substrate from the reservoir; and a wall including a porous material, such that: a first space adjacent to the heating element and between the wall and the heating element forms a hot zone, a second space adjacent to the heating element forms a feed zone, the reservoir is in fluid communication with the feed zone and the hot zone, at least a portion of the wall is positioned between the hot zone and the reservoir, the wall is in contact with the hot zone and the reservoir, and a portion of the wall in contact with the feed zone is thinner than a portion of the wall in contact with the hot zone.

Abstract: An aerosol-generating article (10) comprising: an aerosol generating substrate (12); and a mouthpiece (14) disposed downstream of the aerosol-generating substrate (12). The mouthpiece (14) comprises a hollow tubular segment (24) at its downstream end defining a mouth end cavity (40). The hollow tubular segment (24) comprises a hollow tube (31) of crimped fibrous material, and a plurality of non-crimped fibers (35) extending along and affixed to the inner surface (311) of the hollow tube (31).

Abstract: This disclosure relates to nicotine powder inhalers where the nicotine powder is delivered at air flow rates that mimic a smoking regime.

Abstract: A heater assembly for an aerosol-generating system is provided, including: a heating element including a mesh having first and second filaments respectively extending in perpendicular first and second directions, and respectively including first and second materials respectively having first and second electrical conductivities, the first conductivity being greater than the second conductivity, each of the first filaments including a core and an overlying coating including the first material, and the core of each of the first filaments being formed from a material having a lower electrical conductivity than the first material; and at least two electrical terminals to supply electrical power to the heating element, each of the terminals being connected to at least one of the first filaments, the electrical terminals including first and second electrical terminals, and, during use, electrical current is conducted between the first and the second electrical terminals via the second filaments.

Abstract: A tubular element for an aerosol-generating article is provided, the tubular element including: a tubular body defining a cavity extending from a first end of the tubular body to a second end of the tubular body; a folded end portion forming a first end wall at the first end of the tubular body, the first end wall delimiting an opening for airflow between the cavity and an exterior of the tubular element; and a ventilation zone at a location along the tubular body of the tubular element, the ventilation zone being located between about 5 millimetres and about 15 millimetres from the folded end portion of the tubular element.

Abstract: A method of producing a liquid tobacco extract, the method including the steps of: preparing a tobacco material; applying an alkaline solution to the tobacco material to produce an alkalised tobacco material; heating the alkalised tobacco material at an extraction temperature of between 100 degrees Celsius and 160 degrees Celsius for at least 30 minutes, the alkalised tobacco material being heated in a flow of inert gas or in a flow of a combination of an inert gas with water or steam, and a water content of the alkalised tobacco material, prior to the heating step, being between 10 percent by weight and 20 percent by weight; condensing volatile compounds released from the alkalised tobacco material during the heating step and collecting condensate of the volatile compounds; and forming a liquid tobacco extract comprising the condensate of the volatile compounds.

Abstract: An aerosol-generating device is provided, including: a housing having a chamber, an induction coil around at least part of the chamber; a heating compartment to receive an aerosol-generating article, being detachably insertable into the chamber, and including a cavity to receive the article; and a heating element arrangeable within and extending into the cavity in a longitudinal direction, configured to penetrate an aerosol-forming substrate included in the article and received in the cavity, the compartment further including a first open end to receive the article, and a second, base end opposite the first open end, the first open end and the base end connected by side surfaces including openings and locking elements, and the chamber including recesses corresponding to the locking elements to facilitate a snap-fit when the compartment is inserted into the chamber, the compartment further including a press button to allow release of the snap-fit connection.

Abstract: An aerosol-generating device is provided, including a storage container containing a liquid aerosol-forming substrate; a heating element spaced from the container for vaporising the substrate to form an aerosol; a transfer element between the container and the heating element to receive and retain the substrate, and to be coupled with the heating element to supply the received substrate to the heating element, at least one of the transfer element and the heating element being movable between a loading position and a heating position, such that when the movable element is in the loading position, the transfer element is in fluid communication with the outlet of the container and/or with the heating element, and such that when the movable element is in the heating position, the transfer element is in fluid communication with the heating element and the heating element is activated to vaporise the substrate retained in the transfer element.

Abstract: The invention relates to an inspection station for crimped sheet material. The station comprises a light source to illuminate crimped sheet material in an inspection location, a vibrating device to vibrate crimped sheet material in the inspection location. The vibrating device comprises a vibrating element, wherein crimped sheet material is guidable along or over the vibrating element for the crimped sheet material to be vibrated by the vibrating element. The inspection station further comprises a detector for detecting light received from the vibrated crimped sheet material, thereby providing images of the crimped sheet material, and a controller to determine loose material on the crimped surface of the sheet material. The invention also relates to an inspection method and an apparatus comprising an inspection station.

Abstract: A cartridge for an aerosol-generating system is provided, the cartridge including: a first compartment containing an alkaloid source, the alkaloid source including a liquid alkaloid formulation having a polyhydric alcohol content of at least about 10 percent by weight and an alkaloid content of at least about 10 percent by weight; and a second compartment containing an acid source. An aerosol-generating system is also provided, including: the cartridge; and an aerosol-generating device including a housing defining a device cavity configured to receive at least a portion of the cartridge, and a heating element configured to heat the first compartment and the second compartment of the cartridge.

Abstract: An aerosol-generating device is provided, including: an induction heater configured to heat an aerosol-forming substrate, the induction heater including an induction coil and a heating element, the heating element being arrangeable within the induction coil, and the induction coil having a varying pitch. An aerosol generating system is also provided, including the aerosol generating device and an aerosol generating article including an aerosol-forming substrate.

Abstract: A method for filling a package with a group of pairs of packs, comprising supplying a group of pairs of packs simultaneously from a transport device to a package, vertically spacing the two packs of each pair of packs of the group of pairs of packs from each other in the package, and horizontally spacing each pair of packs from each other in the package. The method further comprises maintaining a horizontal spacing between each pair of packs of the group of pairs of packs while supplying the group of pairs of packs to the package by guiding the pairs of packs of the group of pairs of packs along space bars provided in the transport device.

Abstract: A cartridge for a stick-shaped aerosol-generating article is provided, the article being for an inductively heating aerosol-generating device, the cartridge including: a vaporization chamber at a distal end portion of the cartridge for vaporizing aerosol-forming liquid therein; a reservoir chamber proximal the vaporization chamber to store aerosol-forming liquid; a liquid-conveying susceptor arrangement to convey liquid from the reservoir chamber into the vaporization chamber and to be inductively heated in use with the device in order to vaporize liquid within the vaporization chamber; a vapor-conveying conduit providing a fluid communication for vaporized liquid from the vaporization chamber to a region proximal the reservoir chamber; and a proximal end cap forming at last a proximal end wall member of the reservoir chamber and including a through hole in which a proximal end portion of the vapor-conveying conduit is supported.

Abstract: A heater assembly for an aerosol-generating device is provided, including a heating chamber configured to heat an aerosol-forming substrate; an evacuated air-tight hollow pin arranged centrally within the heating chamber; and a susceptor layer on an outer surface of the evacuated air-tight hollow pin. An aerosol-generating device including the heater assembly, and an aerosol-generating system including the aerosol-generating device and an aerosol-generating article, are also provided.

Abstract: An aerosol-generating device is provided, including: a cavity configured to receive an aerosol-generating article including an aerosol-forming substrate, the aerosol-forming substrate being a solid aerosol-forming substrate; and a flexible membrane arranged at an upstream end of the cavity, the flexible membrane including an opening in fluid communication with the cavity, the flexible membrane being provided at an upstream end of the aerosol-generating device, the opening being configured to serve as an air inlet for the aerosol-generating device, at least two openings being formed in the flexible membrane, the at least two openings including slits that intersect, and the at least two intersecting slits forming a central portion. A kit, an aerosol-generating system, and a method of cleaning the aerosol-generating device are also provided.

Abstract: An electrically operated aerosol-generating system is provided, including: an aerosol-generating device; a charging unit to receive the device; and first and second connector parts, the device having one of the first and the second connector parts and the charging unit having the other one of the first and the second parts, in which the first part includes a first electrical contact, a second electrical contact circumscribing the first contact, and a third electrical contact circumscribing the second contact, the second part includes a face and a projection arranged centrally in the face, the projection being defined by an end face, and a sidewall extending between the face and the end face of the projection. An electrically operated aerosol-generating device, a charging unit for charging an aerosol-generating device, and an electrical connector for an electrically operated aerosol-generating system, are also provided.