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 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: Provided herein is a tobacco recovery machine that automatically removes and separates a tobacco rod from formed cigarettes and slits the tipping paper surrounding the tobacco rod. The tobacco recovery machine includes a hopper that receives cigarettes. A feed mechanism individually feeds the cigarettes from the hopper and through a chopping mechanism that removes the filter rod from each cigarette leaving the cylindrical tobacco rod wrapped in the tipping paper. The tobacco recovery machine next feeds the tobacco rod of the cigarette through a slitting mechanism that slits the tipping paper wrapping surrounding the tobacco. The slitting mechanism axially slits the tipping paper along the tobacco rod such that the tobacco product can separate from the tipping paper.

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: A testing system is provided for an article wrapped with an overwrap. The testing system includes first and second receptacle portions cooperating to define a test receptacle having a test fixture therein. The test receptacle is configured to receive the wrapped article. The test fixture is configured to form a seal with the test fixture about a perimeter thereof and to draw a portion of the overwrap away from the article in response to a suction applied in association with the test fixture. A piercing device is configured to form an orifice in the overwrap, within the perimeter, and a fluid between the overwrap and the article, through the orifice, from a fluid source. A pressure and/or a fluid flow change within the test receptacle, externally to the overwrap, is measured with a measuring device to determine whether there is leakage in the overwrap. An associated method is also provided.

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 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: A system for simulating ash removal from a smoking article and a related method are provided. The system includes a support arrangement supporting at least a portion of a smoking article to form a cantilever with respect to the support arrangement. The system also includes a suction device in fluid communication with the first longitudinal end of the smoking article, the suction device being configured to apply suction to the first longitudinal end to simulate a draw or puff on the smoking article. The system further includes an ignition device configured to ignite an ignitable material of the smoking article about the second longitudinal end thereof, the ignited ignitable material being transformed to an ash in response to successive draws or puffs applied by the suction device. The system still further including an ash-dislodging mechanism configured to selectively impact the cantilevered smoking article to periodically remove the ash.

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: 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: A testing device is provided which can provide a testing force to smoking articles of various types, in order to determine if ash breakage is appropriate or if the heating element of a heat not burn smoking article becomes loose under normal working conditions.

Abstract: Apparatuses, systems, and methods employing ultrasonic bonding to form filter elements for smoking articles are provided. Ultrasonic bonding can be employed to bond the fibers of filter material defining bloomed tow. Use of a plasticizer may not be necessary. Further, filter materials such as polylactic acid, which may not be bonded via a plasticizer, may be employed. However, triacetin or other additional components may be employed to provide the filter element with a desirable sensory attribute in some embodiments. Ultrasonic bonding may be conducted by an ultrasonic bonder that includes an anvil defining a pattern thereon that is selected to define a desired degree of bonding, and thereby a resulting desired firmness and/or pressure drop associated with the filter element.

Abstract: An inspection system and associated method are provided for inspecting a smoking article having a smokable rod and a filter element serially secured together by a tipping material circumscribing a longitudinal periphery of the filter element and a portion of a longitudinal periphery of the smokable rod adjacent to the filter element. A transport device is configured to transport individual as-formed smoking articles from a first to a second position such that the tipping material associated with each smoking article is accessible at least about the portion of the longitudinal periphery of the smoking article. An inspection device is configured to optically inspect each smoking article, at least about the portion of the longitudinal periphery of the smoking article having the tipping material, as the smoking article is transported between the first and second positions, and to automatically determine from the optical inspection whether the inspected smoking article is defective.

Abstract: An inspection system configured to inspect a plurality of capsule objects is provided. The system includes an imaging device for capturing an image of the capsule object's exterior and a weighing device for measuring the capsule object's weight. The system also includes an analysis unit configured to analyze the captured images and the measured weights of the capsule objects. The analysis unit is configured to execute an edge detection tool that determines the capsule object's dimensions and whether the capsule object is defective based at least in part on the measured dimensions. The analysis unit is also configured to execute a weight analysis tool configured to determine whether the capsule object is defective based on the capsule object's weight. An associated method and a non-transitory, computer-readable storage medium having computer-readable program code portions stored therein that are executable by a processor are also provided.

Abstract: A capsule rupture testing system includes a positioning channel configured to receive one or more smoking article filters therein. The smoking article filters include a filter material and a capsule object disposed therein. The system includes a smoking article positioning device configured to position the smoking article filter elements at a testing position within the positioning channel. The system includes a rupturing device that includes an actuating element configured to operably engage at least one smoking article filter element at the testing position. The testing position aligns the actuating element with an expected position of the capsule object. The rupturing device also includes a measuring element configured to determine a deformation measurement associated with deforming the filter element. The system also includes an analysis unit configured to analyze the deformation measurement and configured to determine a rupture point of the capsule object. An associated method is also provided.

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 system and associated method for analyzing a smoking article filter is provided. An emitter emits an initial signal toward a smoking article filter. The initial signal may have a frequency between about 0.1 teraHertz and about 10 teraHertz. A sensor may detect a resultant signal resulting from interaction of the initial signal with the smoking article filter. An analysis unit may receive the resultant signal from the sensor, determine a filter status based on the resultant signal, and output an indicium indicative of the filter status. The filter status may include a capsule presence within the smoking article filter, a capsule absence from the smoking article filter, a proper insertion of a capsule into the smoking article filter, a defective insertion of a capsule into the smoking article filter, a proper capsule within the smoking article filter, and a defective capsule within the smoking article filter.

Abstract: Provided herein is a tobacco recovery machine that automatically removes and separates a tobacco rod from formed cigarettes and slits the tipping paper surrounding the tobacco rod. The tobacco recovery machine includes a hopper that receives cigarettes. A feed mechanism individually feeds the cigarettes from the hopper and through a chopping mechanism that removes the filter rod from each cigarette leaving the cylindrical tobacco rod wrapped in the tipping paper. The tobacco recovery machine next feeds the tobacco rod of the cigarette through a slitting mechanism that slits the tipping paper wrapping surrounding the tobacco. The slitting mechanism axially slits the tipping paper along the tobacco rod such that the tobacco product can separate from the tipping paper.

Abstract: An aerosol delivery system is provided, comprising a control body portion including a first elongate tubular member having a power source disposed therein. A cartridge body portion includes a second tubular member having opposed first and second ends. One of the first and second ends is removably engaged with one end of the control body portion. The cartridge body portion further comprises a first aerosol generation arrangement disposed within the second tubular member and configured to operably engage the power source upon engagement between the control body portion and the cartridge body portion. A second aerosol generation arrangement is disposed between the first aerosol generation arrangement and a mouth-engaging end of the aerosol delivery system, the second aerosol generation arrangement being either removably engaged with the cartridge body portion or housed within the second tubular member of the cartridge body portion. An associated method is also provided.

Abstract: An inspection system configured to inspect a plurality of capsule objects is provided. The system includes an imaging device for capturing an image of the capsule object's exterior and a weighing device for measuring the capsule object's weight. The system also includes an analysis unit configured to analyze the captured images and the measured weights of the capsule objects. The analysis unit is configured to execute an edge detection tool that determines the capsule object's dimensions and whether the capsule object is defective based at least in part on the measured dimensions. The analysis unit is also configured to execute a weight analysis tool configured to determine whether the capsule object is defective based on the capsule object's weight. An associated method and a non-transitory, computer-readable storage medium having computer-readable program code portions stored therein that are executable by a processor are also provided.