Abstract: An aerosol-generating system may include a liquid storage portion, a vaporizer, and a pump. The liquid storage portion may be configured to store a liquid aerosol-forming substrate. The vaporizer may be configured to volatilize the liquid aerosol-forming substrate. The pump may be configured to pump air into the liquid storage portion so as to push out a volume of the liquid aerosol-forming substrate from the liquid storage portion and to supply the volume of the liquid aerosol-forming substrate to the vaporizer. A method for generating an aerosol may be performed with the system.

Abstract: An aerosol-generating system may include a liquid storage portion configured to hold aerosol-forming substrate, a vaporizer, and a pump. The liquid storage portion includes a movable wall and an outlet. The vaporizer includes a heating element having a structure that at least partially defines an internal passage. The pump may deliver liquid aerosol-forming substrate from the outlet of the liquid storage portion to the internal passage of the heating element. The pump may include a micro stepper motor with a drive shaft that is configured to rotate a particular amount based on performing an individual step, a piston connected to the movable wall, and a lead screw connecting the drive shaft to the piston and configured to translate rotation of the drive shaft into axial movement of the piston and the movable wall. The vaporizer may at least partially vaporize the delivered liquid aerosol-forming substrate.

Abstract: An electrically operated aerosol-generating system may include a reservoir configured to hold a liquid aerosol-forming substrate, an atomizer assembly configured to vaporize the liquid aerosol-forming substrate to form an aerosol, and a pump configured to convey the liquid aerosol-forming substrate from the reservoir to the atomizer assembly. The reservoir may include a substantially rigid housing and an inlet valve that is configured to allow air into the reservoir based on a pressure difference between an interior of the housing and an exterior of the housing exceeding a threshold pressure difference. This improves the reliability and efficiency of delivery of liquid to the wick. The system may further include a robust reservoir that is configured to at least partially mitigate liquid leakage between the reservoir interior and the reservoir exterior.

Abstract: An aerosol-generating system may include a liquid storage portion configured to hold liquid aerosol-forming substrate, a vaporizer including a heating element with an internal passage at least partially defined by a surface of the heating element, and a micro pump configured to deliver liquid aerosol-forming substrate from the liquid storage portion to the internal passage of the heating element, such that the vaporizer is configured to heat the delivered liquid aerosol-forming substrate at the internal passage to a temperature sufficient to volatilize at least a part of the delivered liquid aerosol-forming substrate. The micro pump may be configured to deliver a particular amount of liquid aerosol-forming substrate to the internal passage based on the micro pump performing an individual pump cycle.

Abstract: An electrically operated aerosol-generating system may include a reservoir configured to hold a liquid aerosol-forming substrate, an atomizer assembly configured to vaporize the liquid aerosol-forming substrate to form an aerosol, and a pump configured to convey the liquid aerosol-forming substrate from the reservoir to the atomizer assembly. The reservoir may include a substantially rigid housing and an inlet valve that is configured to allow air into the reservoir based on a pressure difference between an interior of the housing and an exterior of the housing exceeding a threshold pressure difference. This improves the reliability and efficiency of delivery of liquid to the wick. The system may further include a robust reservoir that is configured to at least partially mitigate liquid leakage between the reservoir interior and the reservoir exterior.

Abstract: An aerosol-generating system may include a liquid storage portion configured to hold liquid aerosol-forming substrate, a vaporizer including a heating element with an internal passage at least partially defined by a surface of the heating element, and a micro pump configured to deliver liquid aerosol-forming substrate from the liquid storage portion to the internal passage of the heating element, such that the vaporizer is configured to heat the delivered liquid aerosol-forming substrate at the internal passage to a temperature sufficient to volatilize at least a part of the delivered liquid aerosol-forming substrate. The micro pump may be configured to deliver a particular amount of liquid aerosol-forming substrate to the internal passage based on the micro pump performing an individual pump cycle.

Abstract: An aerosol-generating device includes a pump. The pump includes a first pump chamber and a second pump chamber on opposing sides of a separation element. Each of the first pump chamber and the second pump chamber have an inlet valve and an outlet valve configured to establish a pumping direction. The pump also includes a first actuator and a second actuator. The first actuator is associated with the first pump chamber and the second actuator is associated with the second pump chamber. The first actuator and the second actuator are each configured to change a chamber volume of the respective pump chamber. The pump further includes a common inlet, and a common outlet. The common inlet and common outlet are in fluid communication with the first pump chamber and the second pump chamber and are configured to establish a flow direction. The pumping direction is aligned with the flow direction.

Abstract: A device and method for drying a substance applied to a surface as it is being applied to the surface. The device is designed to apply a form of energy including air movement, heat, or light and can be designed to apply combinations of energy forms. The energy form is applied to the surface during or after the substance has been applied to the surface. A design for the shape of the enclosure and features included in the enclosure for the device are disclosed which enhances the drying efficiency.

Abstract: An aerosol-generating device includes a reservoir configured to hold an aerosol-forming substrate, an atomizer configured to atomize the aerosol-forming substrate, and a micropump configured to deliver a fluid. The micropump is between the reservoir and the atomizer, and in fluid connection with the reservoir and the atomizer. The micropump is configured to supply the aerosol-forming substrate from the reservoir to the atomizer. The micropump includes two pump chambers having two separate chamber volumes and two actuators. Each is actuator assigned to one of the two pump chambers for changing a respective chamber volume. The two pump chambers are arranged in parallel and are in fluid connection with a common inlet and a common outlet. The actuators are configured to operate in parallel such that a volume change in each of the two pump chambers occurs simultaneously.

Abstract: A device and method for drying a substance applied to a surface as it is being applied to the surface. The device is designed to apply a form of energy including air movement, heat, or light and can be designed to apply combinations of energy forms. The energy form is applied to the surface during or after the substance has been applied to the surface. A design for the shape of the enclosure and features included in the enclosure for the device are disclosed which enhances the drying efficiency.

Abstract: A vapor-generating system includes a pump having an inlet and an outlet, the inlet configured to be connected to a liquid storage portion. The system includes a fluid channel fluidly connected to the pump and a fluid sensor. The fluid sensor is configured to determine a presence of liquid vapor-forming substrate in the fluid channel based on measuring an electrical property of the fluid in the fluid channel.

Abstract: An aerosol-generating system may include a liquid storage portion, a vaporizer, and a pump. The liquid storage portion may be configured to store a liquid aerosol-forming substrate. The vaporizer may be configured to volatilize the liquid aerosol-forming substrate. The pump may be configured to pump air into the liquid storage portion so as to push out a volume of the liquid aerosol-forming substrate from the liquid storage portion and to supply the volume of the liquid aerosol-forming substrate to the vaporizer. A method for generating an aerosol may be performed with the system.

Abstract: A method of generating an aerosol in an aerosol-generating system includes storing liquid aerosol-forming substrate in a liquid storage portion and delivering via a pump a liquid aerosol-forming substrate from the liquid storage portion to an atomizer. The method also includes sensing a puff via a a puff sensor in an airflow path of the aerosol-generating system and determining a puff intensity during the puff via a controller. The delivery flow rate of the liquid aerosol-forming substrate to the atomizer is adjusted in response to the determined puff intensity.

Abstract: An aerosol-generating device includes a reservoir configured to hold an aerosol-forming substrate, an atomizer configured to atomize the aerosol-forming substrate, and a micropump configured to deliver a fluid. The micropump is between the reservoir and the atomizer, and in fluid connection with the reservoir and the atomizer. The micropump is configured to supply the aerosol-forming substrate from the reservoir to the atomizer. The micropump includes two pump chambers having two separate chamber volumes and two actuators. Each is actuator assigned to one of the two pump chambers for changing a respective chamber volume. The two pump chambers are arranged in parallel and are in fluid connection with a common inlet and a common outlet. The actuators are configured to operate in parallel such that a volume change in each of the two pump chambers occurs simultaneously.

Abstract: A device and method for drying a substance applied to a surface as it is being applied to the surface. The device is designed to apply a form of energy including air movement, heat, or light and can be designed to apply combinations of energy forms. The energy form is applied to the surface during or after the substance has been applied to the surface. A design for the shape of the enclosure and features included in the enclosure for the device are disclosed which enhances the drying efficiency.

Abstract: A device and method for drying a substance applied to a surface as it is being applied to the surface. The device is designed to apply a form of energy including air movement, heat, or light and can be designed to apply combinations of energy forms. The energy form is applied to the surface during or after the substance has been applied to the surface. A design for the shape of the enclosure and features included in the enclosure for the device are disclosed which enhances the drying efficiency.

Abstract: An aerosol-generating system may include a liquid storage portion configured to hold liquid aerosol-forming substrate, a vaporizer including a heating element with an internal passage at least partially defined by a surface of the heating element, and a micro pump configured to deliver liquid aerosol-forming substrate from the liquid storage portion to the internal passage of the heating element, such that the vaporizer is configured to heat the delivered liquid aerosol-forming substrate at the internal passage to a temperature sufficient to volatilize at least a part of the delivered liquid aerosol-forming substrate. The micro pump may be configured to deliver a particular amount of liquid aerosol-forming substrate to the internal passage based on the micro pump performing an individual pump cycle.

Abstract: An electrically operated aerosol-generating system may include a reservoir configured to hold a liquid aerosol-forming substrate, an atomizer assembly configured to vaporize the liquid aerosol-forming substrate to form an aerosol, and a pump configured to convey the liquid aerosol-forming substrate from the reservoir to the atomizer assembly. The reservoir may include a substantially rigid housing and an inlet valve that is configured to allow air into the reservoir based on a pressure difference between an interior of the housing and an exterior of the housing exceeding a threshold pressure difference. This improves the reliability and efficiency of delivery of liquid to the wick. The system may further include a robust reservoir that is configured to at least partially mitigate liquid leakage between the reservoir interior and the reservoir exterior.

Abstract: An aerosol-generating system may include a liquid storage portion configured to hold aerosol-forming substrate, a vaporizer, and a pump. The liquid storage portion includes a movable wall and an outlet. The vaporizer includes a heating element having a structure that at least partially defines an internal passage. The pump may deliver liquid aerosol-forming substrate from the outlet of the liquid storage portion to the internal passage of the heating element. The pump may include a micro stepper motor with a drive shaft that is configured to rotate a particular amount based on performing an individual step, a piston connected to the movable wall, and a lead screw connecting the drive shaft to the piston and configured to translate rotation of the drive shaft into axial movement of the piston and the movable wall. The vaporizer may at least partially vaporize the delivered liquid aerosol-forming substrate.

Abstract: A device and method for drying a substance applied to a surface as it is being applied to the surface. The device is designed to apply a form of energy including air movement, heat, or light and can be designed to apply combinations of energy forms. The energy form is applied to the surface during or after the substance has been applied to the surface. A design for the shape of the enclosure and features included in the enclosure for the device are disclosed which enhances the drying efficiency.