Abstract: There is disclosed a fluid-transfer article which is suitable for use as part of an aerosol-generating system of a type which may be used as a smoking substitute. The fluid-transfer article comprises a first region for holding an aerosol precursor and for transferring said aerosol precursor to an activation surface of a second region of said article, said activation surface being disposed at an end of said article. The activation surface has at least one channel therein, with the or each channel opening outwardly of the activation surface. Heater elements are formed on the activation surface between the or each channel, to enable the fluid-transfer article to be heated to release the aerosol precursor as vapour or a mixture of vapour and aerosol. The heater elements are of a dried conductive fluid, with suitable electrical connections.

Abstract: A smoking substitute system is provided. The apparatus comprises a housing having an air inlet; an outlet communicating with the air inlet through a flow passage; a liquid reservoir to store an aerosol precursor; and a vaporization chamber to generate an aerosol from the aerosol precursor. The vaporization chamber delivers aerosol and is in communication with the flow passage. A wick extends from the liquid reservoir into the vaporization chamber. The wick comprises a heatable portion disposed outside of an air flow path along the flow passage, such that air flowing through the flow passage bypasses the heatable portion of the wick. A base is in contact with the heatable portion of the wick to receive a heater configured to heat the heatable portion of the wick to generate the aerosol. The device comprises a heater and removably engages with the apparatus via the base.

Abstract: An aerosol delivery device has a main body and a consumable part, each with their own casings. The consumable part has a first casing containing a reservoir for holding an aerosol precursor, the first casing also supporting a wick arranged to receive aerosol precursor from a reservoir in the consumable part of the device. The casing of the main body supports a heater, which heater makes abutting and bonded contact with an activation surface of the wick, so as to interact thermally with that activation surface. When the heater is active, aerosol precursor which has reached the activation surface of the wick is heated to form an aerosol, or a mixture of aerosol and vapour, which may then pass in an air flow to the user. The heater is supported in the second casing by a resilient sealing body, which seals to the second casing to be held thereby, and also releasably seals to the first casing.

Abstract: An aerosol delivery system (10) has a fluid transfer article (34) which holds an aerosol precursor, and which is arranged to transfer the aerosol precursor to a second region (36) of the fluid-transfer article. The second region has a first part (36a) adjacent to a first region (35) of said article, the first part being of a first material and having holes (37) therein which receive aerosol precursor from the first region. The second region also has a second part (36b) of a second material, which second part is adjacent to the first part, is of porous material and extends across the holes in the first part. The second material is resistant to higher temperatures than the first material. Since the second part of the second region is porous, aerosol precursor will pass therethrough from the holes to an activation surface (41) of the fluid-transfer article. A heater (24) contacts that activation surface to heat it to release aerosol precursor in the form of a vapour therefrom.

Abstract: There is disclosed an aerosol-generation apparatus which is suitable for use as part of an aerosol-delivery system of a type which may be used as a smoking substitute. The fluid-transfer article comprises a first region for holding an aerosol precursor and for transferring said aerosol precursor to an activation surface of a second region of said article, said activation surface being disposed at an end of said article configured for thermal interaction with a heater of an aerosol-generation apparatus. The heating surface has at least one channel therein and is configured such that, the or each channel opposes said activation surface and opens towards said activation surface.

Abstract: A fluid transfer article has a first region having an aerosol precursor and for transferring said aerosol precursor to an activation surface of a second region of said article, said activation surface being disposed at an end of said article configured for thermal interaction with a heater of an aerosol-generation apparatus, and the aerosol precursor having a first dynamic viscosity in an unheated state and a lower second dynamic viscosity in a heated state, wherein in the unheated state the aerosol precursor is substantially retained in the fluid transfer article, both at atmospheric pressure and when a pressure below atmospheric pressure is applied; and in the heated state the aerosol precursor is substantially drawn from the activation surface of said article when a pressure below atmospheric pressure is applied. Advantageously, this combination of features provides a fluid transfer article that does not substantially leak excess aerosol precursor when heated by a heating element.

Abstract: A smoking substitute apparatus comprises: a vaporization chamber having a longitudinal axis, the vaporization chamber having an inlet at a first end and an outlet at a second end opposite the first end. The inlet is configured to be in fluid communication with an outlet though a flow channel extending along the longitudinal axis of the vaporization chamber. A heater is located in the vaporization chamber at a position along the flow channel. The heater is configured to generate an aerosol from an aerosol precursor. The heater is spaced from the inlet by a distance of at least 5 mm.

Abstract: A smoking substitute apparatus for generating an aerosol, comprising: an air inlet and an outlet; a passage extending between the air inlet and the outlet, air flowing in use along the passage for inhalation by a user drawing on the apparatus; and an aerosol generation chamber containing an aerosol generator being operable to generate an aerosol from an aerosol precursor; wherein the aerosol generation chamber comprises at least one chamber outlet in fluid communication with the passage at a junction, the at least one chamber outlet permitting, in use, aerosol generated by the aerosol generator to be entrained into an air flow along the passage; and wherein the passage has a constriction configured to induce, in use, a localized reduced pressure in the air flow at the junction for drawing out the aerosol from the aerosol generation chamber.

Abstract: A smoking substitute apparatus for generating an aerosol, comprising: an air inlet and an outlet; a passage extending between the air inlet and the outlet, air flowing in use along the passage for inhalation by a user drawing on the apparatus; and an aerosol generation chamber containing an aerosol generator being operable to generate an aerosol from an aerosol precursor; wherein the aerosol generation chamber comprises at least one chamber outlet in fluid communication with the passage at a junction, the at least one chamber outlet permitting, in use, aerosol generated by the aerosol generator to be entrained into an air flow along the passage; and wherein the passage has a constriction configured to induce, in use, a localized reduced pressure in the air flow at the junction for drawing out the aerosol from the aerosol generation chamber.

Abstract: A smoking substitute system is provided. The apparatus comprises a housing having an air inlet; an outlet communicating with the air inlet through a flow passage; a liquid reservoir to store an aerosol precursor; and a vaporization chamber to generate an aerosol from the aerosol precursor. The vaporization chamber delivers aerosol and is in communication with the flow passage. A wick extends from the liquid reservoir into the vaporization chamber. The wick comprises a heatable portion disposed outside of an air flow path along the flow passage, such that air flowing through the flow passage bypasses the heatable portion of the wick. A base is in contact with the heatable portion of the wick to receive a heater configured to heat the heatable portion of the wick to generate the aerosol. The device comprises a heater and removably engages with the apparatus via the base.

Abstract: A smoking substitute apparatus comprises: a vaporization chamber having a longitudinal axis, the vaporization chamber having an inlet at a first end and an outlet at a second end opposite the first end. The inlet is configured to be in fluid communication with an outlet though a flow channel extending along the longitudinal axis of the vaporization chamber. A heater is located in the vaporization chamber at a position along the flow channel. The heater is configured to generate an aerosol from an aerosol precursor. The heater is spaced from the inlet by a distance of at least 5 mm.

Abstract: A smoking substitute apparatus comprises: a housing having a longitudinal axis; an air outlet provided at a first end of the housing; an air inlet provided at a second end of the housing opposite to the first end; an air flow channel extending through the housing between the air inlet and the air outlet; a heater in fluid communication with the air flow channel. The heater is configured to generate an aerosol from an aerosol precursor. Electrical contacts are provided on a sidewall of the housing and are electrically connected with the heater. The electrical contacts are configured to engage with corresponding electrical terminals on a main body of a smoking substitute system.

Abstract: A smoking substitute apparatus. The smoking substitute apparatus comprising: an air inlet, and a vapor outlet; a vaporization chamber the vaporization chamber including: a first vaporizer, for vaporizing aerosol precursor and providing vaporized precursor; and a second vaporizer, located downstream of the first vaporizer, for vaporizing aerosol precursor and providing vaporized precursor; wherein the smoking substitute apparatus also includes a bypass airflow path, which bypasses the vaporization chamber.

Abstract: A smoking substitute apparatus comprises: a housing having a longitudinal axis; an air outlet provided at a first end of the housing; an air inlet provided at a second end of the housing opposite to the first end; an air flow channel extending through the housing between the air inlet and the air outlet; a heater in fluid communication with the air flow channel. The heater is configured to generate an aerosol from an aerosol precursor. Electrical contacts are provided on a sidewall of the housing and are electrically connected with the heater. The electrical contacts are configured to engage with corresponding electrical terminals on a main body of a smoking substitute system.

Abstract: A smoking substitute apparatus comprises: a housing having a longitudinal axis; an air inlet and an air outlet; a vaporization chamber having a vaporization chamber inlet and a heater. The air inlet and air outlet are in fluid communication through an airflow channel. The airflow channel passes through the vaporization chamber inlet and the vaporization chamber. The heater extends across the airflow channel. The vaporization chamber inlet receives airflow from a radial direction and changes an airflow direction to an axial direction into the vaporization chamber. The vaporization chamber inlet reduces a rate of airflow direction change from the substantially radial direction to the axial direction. The housing comprises a radially-extending wall and the vaporization chamber inlet comprises an axial aperture through the wall. A part of a perimeter of an upstream edge of the axial aperture is filleted to reduce the rate of change of airflow direction.

Abstract: A smoking substitute apparatus for generating an aerosol, comprising: a housing; an air inlet and an outlet formed at the housing; a passage extending between the air inlet and outlet, air flowing in use along the passage for inhalation by a user drawing on the apparatus; and an aerosol generation chamber containing an aerosol generator being operable to generate an aerosol from an aerosol precursor; wherein the aerosol generator is in fluid communication with a downstream portion of the passage for allowing the aerosol to entrain into an air flow along the passage; wherein the downstream portion of the passage comprises a flow converging section having a curved sidewall tapered towards the outlet, and wherein an upstream end of the flow converging section substantially conforms to a cross sectional profile of the aerosol generation chamber.

Abstract: A smoking substitute apparatus comprises: a housing having a longitudinal axis; an air inlet and an air outlet; a vaporization chamber having a vaporization chamber inlet and a heater. The air inlet and air outlet are in fluid communication through an airflow channel. The airflow channel passes through the vaporization chamber inlet and the vaporization chamber. The heater extends across the airflow channel. The vaporization chamber inlet receives airflow from a radial direction and changes an airflow direction to an axial direction into the vaporization chamber. The vaporization chamber inlet reduces a rate of airflow direction change from the substantially radial direction to the axial direction. The housing comprises a radially-extending wall and the vaporization chamber inlet comprises an axial aperture through the wall. A part of a perimeter of an upstream edge of the axial aperture is filleted to reduce the rate of change of airflow direction.

Abstract: Provided is a vapour generating system with a heatable ceramic wick (300) for vaporizing a liquid. The wick (300) has an aerofoil shape to provide laminar air flow over the wick (300).

Abstract: A smoking substitute apparatus is disclosed, having: an air inlet; an outlet; and a flow passage formed between the air inlet and the outlet. A vaporization chamber is in communication with the flow passage, the vaporization chamber having an aerosol generator configured to generate an aerosol from an aerosol precursor by heating. The aerosol generator comprises a vaporizer element loaded with aerosol precursor, the vaporizer element being heatable by a heater and presenting a vaporizer element surface to air in the vaporization chamber. The air inlet, flow passage, outlet and the vaporization chamber are configured so that the cooling rate of the vapor is such that the time taken to cool to 50° C. is not less than 16 ms under certain conditions.

Abstract: Provided is vapour generating system having a wick (162) comprising a first wicking material (162a) in contact with a second wicking material (162b). The first wicking material (162a) has a greater porosity than the second wicking material (162b), such that liquid is transported preferentially through the first wicking material (162a).