Abstract: A smoking substitute apparatus comprises: an air inlet; an outlet; an aerosol generator for generating an aerosol from an aerosol precursor for inhalation by a user, the aerosol generator comprising a heating element; an air flow path between the air inlet and the outlet for conveying the aerosol to the user. An upstream portion of the air flow path is disposed between the air inlet and the aerosol generator. The upstream portion is defined at least in part by an inner wall of the apparatus, the inner wall being formed from plastics material by moulding. Electrical connectors are provided for electrically connecting the heating element to a power source. The electrical connectors are at least partially moulded into, and extend along, the inner wall of the upstream portion of the air flow path, thereby increasing the available cross sectional area for air flow and reducing the flow velocity in the upstream portion.

Abstract: A smoking substitute apparatus is disclosed, comprising a housing comprising a base portion, a mouthpiece portion, and one or more walls extending longitudinally from the base portion towards the mouthpiece portion. An air inlet is formed in a wall of the housing and spaced longitudinally from the base portion. An outlet is formed in the mouthpiece portion. An airflow path extends from the air inlet to the outlet, the airflow path comprising a first portion downstream of the air inlet and extending longitudinally towards the base portion of the housing, and a transversely extending second portion that is downstream of the first portion. The apparatus has a vaporizer comprising a wick and a heating element for heating a heatable portion of the wick. The heatable portion of the wick is elongated in a direction substantially parallel to the direction of airflow in the second portion of the airflow path.

Abstract: A smoking substitute apparatus for generating an aerosol, comprising: an aerosol generation chamber containing an aerosol generator being operable to generate an aerosol from an aerosol precursor, the aerosol generation chamber having a chamber outlet and at least one chamber inlet, air flowing in use from said at least one chamber inlet into the aerosol generation chamber towards the chamber outlet to entrain generated aerosol for inhalation by a user drawing on the apparatus; wherein, when the apparatus is oriented upright, said at least one chamber inlet is positioned higher than the position of the aerosol generator and configured so that substantially all of the airflow entering the aerosol generation chamber is directed away from the aerosol generator.

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 comprising: a housing; an air inlet and an air outlet formed in the housing, wherein the air inlet is in fluid communication with the air outlet through an air flow passage; and a heater located in the air flow passage configured to generate an aerosol from an aerosol precursor. There is also provided a flow modifying device which extends across the air flow passage at a position between the air inlet and the heater. The flow modifying device is configured to incite a laminar property to the air flow to the heater.

Abstract: A smoking substitute apparatus is disclosed, having: an air inlet; an outlet; and a flow passage formed therebetween. A vaporization chamber is in communication with the flow passage and has 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. A vaporizer element region is defined as a volume extending outwardly from the vaporizer element surface to a distance of 1 mm from the vaporizer element surface. The air inlet, flow passage, outlet and the vaporization chamber are configured so that, when the air flow rate inhaled by the user through the apparatus is 1.3 L min?1, the maximum magnitude of velocity of air in the vaporizer element region is in the range 0-2.0 ms?1.

Abstract: A smoking substitute apparatus for generating an aerosol for inhalation by a user. The smoking substitute apparatus comprising: an air inlet and an outlet; a passage between the air inlet and the outlet. Air flows, in use, along the passage for inhalation by a user drawing air through the apparatus. An aerosol generation chamber contains an aerosol generator to generate an aerosol from an aerosol precursor. The aerosol generation chamber communicates with the passage having a downstream portion. Wherein, in use, aerosol is entrained in airflow in the downstream portion of the passage. The downstream portion of the passage and the aerosol generation chamber may have at least one inner-facing wall having a drop guidance drain, such that, in use, when the apparatus is held upright, drops of condensate formed on the inner-facing wall flow downwards and are guided by the drop guidance drain to the aerosol generator.

Abstract: A smoking substitute apparatus. The smoking substitute apparatus comprising at least one air inlet and an air inlet passage, an aerosol generator and an outlet, the aerosol generator comprising a heater and being operable to generate an aerosol by vaporizing a liquid aerosol precursor, air flowing in use through said at least one air inlet and air inlet passage, entraining the aerosol and flowing to the outlet when a user draws on the apparatus. A partition wall is provided between the aerosol generator and air inlet passage, in use the partition wall being heated by the heater of the aerosol generator and thereby heating the air in the air inlet passage before entraining the aerosol. The partition wall is formed at least in part by an electrical contact for the heater.

Abstract: A smoking substitute system comprises: a main body and a smoking substitute apparatus. The smoking substitute apparatus comprises: a housing; an air inlet at a first end of the housing and an air outlet; an air flow channel between the air inlet and the air outlet through the housing; and an aerosol generator to generate an aerosol, the aerosol generator located in the air flow channel downstream of the air inlet. The main body comprises: a main body housing configured to couple to the housing of the smoking substitute apparatus; a main body air inlet to the housing; a plenum chamber within the main body housing to receive airflow from the main body air inlet; wherein the plenum chamber is within the main body housing at a position upstream of the air inlet of the smoking substitute apparatus when the main body housing is coupled to the smoking substitute apparatus.

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: 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 is disclosed, having: an air inlet; an outlet; and a flow passage formed therebetween. 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. A vaporizer element region is defined as a volume extending outwardly from the vaporizer element surface to a distance of 1 mm from the vaporizer element surface. The air inlet, flow passage, outlet and the vaporization chamber are configured so that, when the air flow rate inhaled by the user through the apparatus is 1.3 L min?1, the turbulence intensity in the vaporizer element region is not more than 1%.

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: Provided is a smoking substitute apparatus comprising an enclosure and an aerosol generator, the enclosure at least partially enclosing the aerosol generator, the aerosol generator comprising a heater and being operable to generate an aerosol by vaporizing an aerosol precursor, wherein at least part of the enclosure adjacent the heater is formed from plastics material, there being provided a heat shield between said part of the enclosure and the heater and there being a heat insulating gap between said part of the enclosure and the heat shield. Also provided is: a smoking substitute system comprising a base unit, and the smoking substitute apparatus, wherein the smoking substitute apparatus is removably engageable with the base unit; and a method of using the smoking substitute apparatus to generate an aerosol.

Abstract: A smoking substitute apparatus comprising an air inlet, a first passage leading from the air inlet to a first outlet, and an aerosol generator arranged in fluid communication with the first passage, the aerosol generator being operable to generate an aerosol from an aerosol precursor, to flow in use along the first passage downstream of the aerosol generator for inhalation by a user drawing on the outlet. The smoking substitute apparatus further comprises a second passage leading from the air inlet to a second outlet, separate from the first outlet, wherein the second passage bypasses the first passage downstream of the aerosol generator.

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. 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 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: 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: Various embodiments provide a charging device for a smoking substitute system, the charging device comprising: a first battery operable to charge a second battery in a smoking substitute system connected to the charging device, and control circuitry operable to: control charging of the second battery, monitor an output current of the first battery, and if the output current of the first battery is substantially non-constant, stop charging of the second battery. Some other embodiments provide a smoking substitute kit comprising the charging device and the smoking substitute system. Some further embodiments provide a method of charging a smoking substitute system.