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: 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: 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 filter element for use in a smoking article includes a filter material comprised of paper sheet having a crimped three-dimensional structure. Polyethylene glycol, triethyl citrate, or triacetin is interacted with the filter material to increase the selective removal of semi-volatile compounds from mainstream smoke being drawn through the filter element, over the filter material alone. An associated method of making a filter element for use in a smoking article is also provided.

Abstract: The present disclosure provides an aerosol source member and an aerosol delivery device that includes an aerosol source member. The aerosol source member includes a segmented substrate portion that includes a first substrate segment and a second substrate segment. The first substrate segment includes a first aerosol former, the second substrate segment includes a second aerosol former different from the first aerosol former, and the second substrate segment is positioned between the first substrate segment and a downstream end of the aerosol source member. The first substrate segment and the second substrate segment are configured such that when heated by a heat source, the first substrate segment is heated to a first temperature and the second substrate segment is heated to a second temperature that is less than the first temperature.

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: 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: 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 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 adapted to examine a paper web includes a rotatable first bobbin, a rotatable second bobbin, and a first testing device. The first bobbin has a paper we wound thereabout that has transverse bands spaced apart along a length thereof. The second bobbin is arranged to receive the paper web from the first bobbin with a paper web path defined between the first and second bobbins. The first testing device is disposed along the paper web path and is arranged to nondestructively measure a diffusivity of one of the transverse bands of the paper web.

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: 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: 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: 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: 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: 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: Provided herein are systems and methods for testing a heat-not-burn tobacco product. A heater carrier may be movable with respect to a tobacco product placement region and configured to heat a first end of a tobacco product located in the tobacco product placement region. A puffing simulator is configured to fluidically couple to a second end of the tobacco product. The puffing simulator is configured to draw air through the tobacco product thereby simulating a puff of the tobacco product. A thermocouple placement right is configured to selectively position one or more thermocouples in or along the tobacco product. A drill is configured to selectively drill one or more holes at positions within the tobacco product. The thermocouple(s) are positioned on or within the tobacco product and generate data corresponding to detected temperatures of the tobacco product as the puffing simulator simulates one or more puffs.

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: The present disclosure provides components useful in heating, particularly heating of an aerosol precursor solution so as to vaporize the solution and form an aerosol. The disclosure particularly provides an electrically conductive, porous carbon heater. The heater may be combined with an aerosol precursor transport element that also is formed of carbon. The heater and transport element may form an atomizer that can be useful in an electronic smoking article, such as in a cartridge that is adapted for attachment to a control body. In some embodiments, the disclosure provides a cartridge of an electronic smoking article, the cartridge being formed substantially completely of carbon.

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.