Abstract: An aerosol delivery device is provided that comprises a housing equipped with a heating element, a resistance temperature detector (RTD) and a control component. The housing may contain an aerosol precursor composition, and the heating element may be controllable to activate and vaporize components of the aerosol precursor composition. The RTD may have a resistance that is variable and proportional to a temperature of the heating element, and may also have a temperature coefficient of resistance that is suitably large enough and invariable with respect to the temperature of the heating element. The control component may be configured to measure the resistance of the RTD and therefrom determine the temperature of the heating element, and control at least one functional element in real time based on the temperature so determined, including output of the temperature for presentation by a display, or adjustment of the power to the heating element.

Abstract: An aerosol delivery device is provided that comprises a control body and an aerosol source member. The aerosol delivery device includes a resonant transformer comprising a resonant transmitter and a resonant receiver. The aerosol source member includes an inhalable substance medium at least a portion of which is positioned proximate the resonant transmitter. The resonant transmitter is configured to generate an oscillating magnetic field and induce an alternating voltage in the resonant receiver when exposed to the oscillating magnetic field, such that the alternating voltage causes the resonant receiver to generate heat and thereby vaporize components of the inhalable substance medium to produce an aerosol. In some implementations, the resonant receiver comprises part of the control body. In other implementations, the resonant receiver comprises part of the aerosol source member.

Abstract: A system for portioning a beaded substrate in a rod. The system includes a suction conveyor belt. The suction conveyor belt includes a belt suction chamber, a first belt end, and a second belt end, the second belt end opposite and downstream of the first belt end. The system also includes a metering device configured to provide the beaded substrate to the suction conveyor belt, and more specifically to the first belt end. The metering device includes a reach and a hopper. The metering device may provide the beaded substrate to the first belt end prior to the suction conveyor belt biasing a filler material onto the first belt end. The system may further includes a cutting mechanism that cooperates with the metering device to position the beaded substrate a first distance away from a first cut end.

Abstract: The present disclosure relates to an electronic smoking article that provides for improved aerosol delivery. Particularly, the article provides for separate delivery of two or more components of an aerosol precursor composition to one or more heaters so as to control the rate of delivery or the rate of heating of the separate components of the aerosol precursor composition.

Abstract: An aerosol delivery device is provided that comprises a control body and an aerosol source member. The aerosol delivery device includes a resonant transformer comprising a resonant transmitter and a resonant receiver. The aerosol source member includes an inhalable substance medium at least a portion of which is positioned proximate the resonant transmitter. The resonant transmitter is configured to generate an oscillating magnetic field and induce an alternating voltage in the resonant receiver when exposed to the oscillating magnetic field, such that the alternating voltage causes the resonant receiver to generate heat and thereby vaporize components of the inhalable substance medium to produce an aerosol. In some implementations, the resonant receiver comprises part of the control body. In other implementations, the resonant receiver comprises part of the aerosol source member.

Abstract: The present invention describes articles, such as smoking articles, that can provide an inhalable substance in a form suitable for inhalation by a consumer. The article comprises a cartridge with an inhalable substance medium therein, control housing that includes an electrical energy source and an electrical power source, and a heating member that may be located in either the cartridge or the control housing. The control housing further may include puff-actuated current actuation components and current regulation components.

Abstract: The present invention describes articles, such as smoking articles, that can provide an inhalable substance in a form suitable for inhalation by a consumer. The article comprises a cartridge with an inhalable substance medium therein, control housing that includes an electrical energy source and an electrical power source, and a heating member that may be located in either the cartridge or the control housing. The control housing further may include puff-actuated current actuation components and current regulation components.

Abstract: An apparatus and method for recovering tobacco material from tobacco rod sections is provided, each tobacco rod section including a wrapping paper wrapped about the tobacco material. The apparatus includes a centrifugal object-orienting device including a disc disposed at an incline within a cylindrical container, the cylindrical container and the disc being rotatable about a rotation axis such that the rotating cylindrical container and disc impart centrifugal force to the tobacco rod sections, the tobacco rod sections being responsive to the centrifugal force to orient lengthwise. A first conveyor device is configured to receive and convey in a conveyor direction the tobacco rod sections, with the tobacco rod sections being oriented lengthwise relative to the conveyor direction. A slitting device is operably engaged with the first conveyor device and configured to lengthwise slit the wrapping paper wrapped about the tobacco material of each of the tobacco rod sections.

Abstract: A smoking article is provided and has opposed lighting and mouth ends. A mouth end portion is disposed at the mouth end and a heat generation portion is disposed about the lighting end. An outer wrapping material is wrapped at least about the heat generation portion and extends toward the mouth end portion, to define a cylindrical rod. An aerosol-generating portion is disposed within the outer wrapping material and between the heat generation and mouth end portions. The aerosol-generating portion is configured to generate an aerosol in response to heat received from the heat generation portion. Heat from the heat generation portion for aerosol formation is provided by igniting a combustible fuel element (e.g., a plurality of parts or pieces of clean burning carbonaceous material) located within an enclosed heat generation cartridge.

Abstract: The present invention describes articles, such as smoking articles, that can provide an inhalable substance in a form suitable for inhalation by a consumer. The article comprises a cartridge with an inhalable substance medium therein, control housing that includes an electrical energy source and an electrical power source, and a heating member that may be located in either the cartridge or the control housing. The control housing further may include puff-actuated current actuation components and current regulation components.

Abstract: An apparatus and method for recovering tobacco material from tobacco rod sections is provided, each tobacco rod section including a wrapping paper wrapped about the tobacco material. The apparatus includes a centrifugal object-orienting device including a disc disposed at an incline within a cylindrical container, the cylindrical container and the disc being rotatable about a rotation axis such that the rotating cylindrical container and disc impart centrifugal force to the tobacco rod sections, the tobacco rod sections being responsive to the centrifugal force to orient lengthwise. A first conveyor device is configured to receive and convey in a conveyor direction the tobacco rod sections, with the tobacco rod sections being oriented lengthwise relative to the conveyor direction. A slitting device is operably engaged with the first conveyor device and configured to lengthwise slit the wrapping paper wrapped about the tobacco material of each of the tobacco rod sections.

Abstract: An apparatus arranged to form a continuous tobacco rod of a smoking article, comprises a conveyor conveying a tobacco material stream in a conveyance direction, and a wrapping material supply arrangement advancing a web of wrapping material in the conveyance direction adjacent to the tobacco material stream. A constriction member receives the tobacco material stream at an inlet end and reduces a cross-sectional area of the tobacco material stream. The reduced-area tobacco material stream exits the constriction member at an exit end, and the wrapping material web wraps about the reduced-area tobacco material stream exiting the exit end. An additive source supplies an additive material to the reduced-area tobacco material stream through a dispensing port disposed about the exit end of the constriction member, prior to the reduced-area tobacco material stream being wrapped by the wrapping material web to form the continuous tobacco rod.

Abstract: A smoking article is provided and has opposed lighting and mouth ends. A mouth end portion is disposed at the mouth end and a heat generation portion is disposed about the lighting end. An outer wrapping material is wrapped at least about the heat generation portion and extends toward the mouth end portion, to define a cylindrical rod. An aerosol-generating portion is disposed within the outer wrapping material and between the heat generation and mouth end portions. The aerosol-generating portion is configured to generate an aerosol in response to heat received from the heat generation portion. Heat from the heat generation portion for aerosol formation is provided by igniting a combustible fuel element (e.g., a plurality of parts or pieces of clean burning carbonaceous material) located within an enclosed heat generation cartridge.

Abstract: An aerosol delivery device is provided that comprises a control body and an aerosol source member. The aerosol delivery device includes a resonant transformer comprising a resonant transmitter and a resonant receiver. The aerosol source member includes an inhalable substance medium at least a portion of which is positioned proximate the resonant transmitter. The resonant transmitter is configured to generate an oscillating magnetic field and induce an alternating voltage in the resonant receiver when exposed to the oscillating magnetic field, such that the alternating voltage causes the resonant receiver to generate heat and thereby vaporize components of the inhalable substance medium to produce an aerosol. In some implementations, the resonant receiver comprises part of the control body. In other implementations, the resonant receiver comprises part of the aerosol source member.

Abstract: Smoking-related article inspection systems and associated methods are disclosed herein. In some aspects, the systems include an x-ray imaging device configured to capture at least one image of the smoking-related articles, a smoking-related article transporting device configured to sequentially introduce the smoking-related articles into the imaging zone; and an analysis unit in communication with the x-ray imaging device and configured to analyze the at least one image captured by the x-ray imaging device for each of the smoking-related articles, the analysis unit being configured to execute: an inspection tool to determine values for one or more parameters of each of the smoking-related articles based on the analysis of the at least one image; and a comparison tool to determine an acceptability of the smoking-related articles for further processing based on comparing the determined values for the one or more parameters to ideal values for the one or more parameters.

Abstract: The present invention provides a conductive substrate useful for Joule heating, such as in an electronic smoking article. Particularly, the invention provides a resistive heating element formed of a conductive substrate. The conductive substrate comprises an electrically conductive material and a carbonaceous additive, such as a binder material. The conductive substrate is carbonized in that it is subjected to calcining conditions to effectively reduce the carbonaceous additive to its carbon skeleton. It has been found that such carbonized substrate has surprisingly improved resistance properties in relation a substrate of the same formulation that is not carbonized. The carbonized substrate can include an aerosol precursor material. The formed resistive heating element can be included in an electronic smoking article to simultaneously provide resistive heating and aerosol formation with a single, unitary component.

Abstract: An aerosol delivery device is provided that comprises a control body and an aerosol source member. The aerosol delivery device includes a resonant transformer comprising a resonant transmitter and a resonant receiver. The aerosol source member includes an inhalable substance medium at least a portion of which is positioned proximate the resonant transmitter. The resonant transmitter is configured to generate an oscillating magnetic field and induce an alternating voltage in the resonant receiver when exposed to the oscillating magnetic field, such that the alternating voltage causes the resonant receiver to generate heat and thereby vaporize components of the inhalable substance medium to produce an aerosol. In some implementations, the resonant receiver comprises part of the control body. In other implementations, the resonant receiver comprises part of the aerosol source member.

Abstract: Testing systems and methods are provided for a smoking article to determine a characteristic of the smoking article, such as density of a material used therewith. The testing system may include a test fixture and an electromagnetic energy generating device The testing methods may be carried out by subjecting the material to the electromagnetic energy and determining the amount of energy absorbed by the material.

Abstract: A system for portioning a beaded substrate in a rod. The system includes a suction conveyor belt. The suction conveyor belt includes a belt suction chamber, a first belt end, and a second belt end, the second belt end opposite and downstream of the first belt end. The system also includes a metering device configured to provide the beaded substrate to the suction conveyor belt, and more specifically to the first belt end. The metering device includes a reach and a hopper. The metering device may provide the beaded substrate to the first belt end prior to the suction conveyor belt biasing a filler material onto the first belt end. The system may further includes a cutting mechanism that cooperates with the metering device to position the beaded substrate a first distance away from a first cut end.

Abstract: An apparatus arranged to form a continuous tobacco rod of a smoking article, comprises a conveyor conveying a tobacco material stream in a conveyance direction, and a wrapping material supply arrangement advancing a web of wrapping material in the conveyance direction adjacent to the tobacco material stream. A constriction member receives the tobacco material stream at an inlet end and reduces a cross-sectional area of the tobacco material stream. The reduced-area tobacco material stream exits the constriction member at an exit end, and the wrapping material web wraps about the reduced-area tobacco material stream exiting the exit end. An additive source supplies an additive material to the reduced-area tobacco material stream through a dispensing port disposed about the exit end of the constriction member, prior to the reduced-area tobacco material stream being wrapped by the wrapping material web to form the continuous tobacco rod.