Abstract: An inductive heating device heats an aerosol-forming substrate including a susceptor. The device includes a device housing, a DC power source for providing a DC supply voltage and a DC current, power supply electronics including a DC/AC converter, the DC/AC converter including an LC load network including a series connection of a capacitor and an inductor having an ohmic resistance, a cavity in the device housing for accommodating a portion of the aerosol-forming substrate to inductively couple the inductor of the LC load network to the susceptor. The inductor is embedded in the device housing at a proximal end of the device housing to surround the cavity which is also arranged at the proximal end of the device housing. A microcontroller determines from the DC supply voltage and the DC current an apparent ohmic resistance, and from the apparent ohmic resistance the temperature of the susceptor.

Abstract: An aerosol-generating system is provided, including: a liquid reservoir; a susceptor assembly including a susceptor element in fluid communication with the liquid reservoir such that liquid from the liquid reservoir is conveyed to the susceptor element in use, the susceptor element being substantially planar and extending parallel to a first plane; first and second inductor coil, the first coil positioned on a first side of the susceptor assembly and extending parallel to the first plane, the second coil positioned on a second side of the susceptor assembly opposite the first side and extending parallel to the first plane, in which the susceptor element is positioned between, and substantially equidistant from, the first and the second coils; and control circuitry connected to the first and the second coils and configured to provide alternating current to the first and the second coils.

Abstract: An aerosol-generating article is provided, including a plurality of elements assembled in the form of a rod having a mouth end and a distal end upstream from the mouth end. The plurality of elements includes an aerosol-forming substrate disposed at or towards the distal end of the rod, and an elongate susceptor is disposed substantially longitudinally within the rod and in thermal contact with the aerosol-forming substrate, the susceptor be configured to allow the article to be consumed by an electrically-operated aerosol-generating device having an inductor.

Abstract: An electrically heatable aerosol-generating system is provided, including: at least one inductor coil; a power supply connected to the coil and configured to provide an alternating current to the coil to generate an alternating magnetic field; a housing containing a reservoir of aerosol-forming substrate; and a substantially planar susceptor assembly configured to be heated by the alternating magnetic field and including a first susceptor element, a second susceptor element, and a wicking element in fluid communication with the reservoir, the first and the second susceptor elements being integral with or fixed to the wicking element, a space being defined between the first and the second susceptor elements, the wicking element occupying the space and the reservoir being positioned outside the space, and the first and the second susceptor elements being fluid permeable.

Abstract: A cartridge for an aerosol-generating system is provided, the cartridge including: a liquid reservoir configured to hold a liquid aerosol-forming substrate; a susceptor assembly in fluid communication with the liquid reservoir, the susceptor assembly including a susceptor element having: a heating region including a first material, the first material being a magnetic material heatable by penetration with an alternating magnetic field, and at least one mounting region including the first material and a second material, the second material being a non-magnetic material; and a susceptor holder, the at least one mounting region of the susceptor element being in contact with the susceptor holder, and a proportion by weight of the first material in the heating region being greater than a proportion by weight of the first material in the at least one mounting region.

Abstract: A cartridge for an aerosol-generating system, the cartridge including: a liquid reservoir configured to hold a liquid aerosol-forming substrate; a susceptor assembly in fluid communication with the liquid reservoir, the susceptor assembly including a susceptor element heatable by penetration with a varying magnetic field, the susceptor element including: a heating region having a length and a width, and at least one mounting region having a length and a width, the at least one mounting region being located adjacent a periphery of the heating region; and a susceptor holder in contact with the at least one mounting region of the susceptor element, the length of the at least one mounting region being less than the length of the heating region, and the width of the at least one mounting region being less than the width of the heating region.

Abstract: A cartridge system is provided, including a liquid storage portion including a housing to hold a liquid aerosol-forming substrate; a mouthpiece having an outlet opening removably connected to a first end of the storage portion; and a heater assembly including an electrical heating element to heat the substrate to form an aerosol, and a porous capillary material having a first face contacting part of the heating element and to convey the substrate to the heating element by capillary action, the heating element disposed across the first face of the material, the liquid storage portion disposed at a first side of the heater assembly and a first airflow channel disposed at a second side of the assembly and defining an airflow path directed at a center of the heating element, and part of a second airflow channel extending to the outlet opening via a central channel of the housing.

Abstract: An aerosol-generating system includes a liquid-storage portion configured to hold a liquid aerosol-forming substrate, a first electrode, a second electrode, and a control system. The second electrode is spaced from the first electrode. At least a portion of the liquid storage portion is arranged between the first electrode and the second electrode. The control system is configured to measure an electrical quantity between the first electrode and the second electrode, and detect a draw on the aerosol-generating system based on the measured electrical quantity information.

Abstract: An electrically conductive flat filament arrangement for a fluid permeable heater assembly for aerosol-generating systems includes a center portion and two side portions. The two side portions are on opposite sides of the center portion. The center portion defines a heating region of the filament arrangement and the side portions define electrical contact regions of the filament arrangement. The center portion and the two side portions each include a plurality of openings. Each plurality of openings defines an open area of the center portion and an open area of each of the two side portions. A percentage of the total area of the center portion including the open area of the center portion is greater than the percentage of the total area of one of the side portions including the open area of the side portion.

Abstract: An aerosol-generating device includes a housing having a first end defining a mouthpiece, a second end, and a cavity defined between the first end and the second end. The device also includes a reservoir within the cavity. The reservoir is configured to store a liquid aerosol-forming substrate. The device also includes an atomizer and a valve within the mouthpiece of the housing. The valve has a first side and an second side. The second side of the valve includes a hydrophilic coating, a hydrophobic coating, or both a hydrophilic coating and a hydrophobic coating.

Abstract: A cartridge for an electrically heatable aerosol-generating system is provided, the system including an aerosol-generating device, the cartridge configured to be used with the device, the device including a device housing defining a cavity to receive the cartridge, an inductor coil around or adjacent to the cavity, and a power supply connected to the coil and to provide a high-frequency oscillating current; the cartridge including: a cartridge housing to engage the device housing and containing an aerosol-forming substrate, the cartridge housing having an external surface, at least part of which is formed by a fluid permeable susceptor element that is electrically isolated from any other electrically conductive components; a first capillary material in the cartridge housing in contact with the susceptor element; and a second capillary material in the cartridge housing in contact with the first material, the first material having a higher thermal decomposition temperature than the second material.

Abstract: An electrically conductive flat filament arrangement for a fluid permeable heater assembly for aerosol-generating systems includes a center portion and two side portions. The two side portions are on opposite sides of the center portion. The center portion defines a heating region of the filament arrangement and the side portions define electrical contact regions of the filament arrangement. The center portion and the two side portions each include a plurality of openings. Each plurality of openings defines an open area of the center portion and an open area of each of the two side portions. A percentage of the total area of the center portion including the open area of the center portion is greater than the percentage of the total area of one of the side portions including the open area of the side portion.

Abstract: A cartridge assembly for an aerosol-generating system including a housing having an air outlet and an air inlet upstream of the housing air outlet; and a cartridge disposed within the housing. The cartridge includes a fluid-permeable heating element within a cartridge body; a cartridge air inlet; a cartridge air outlet; and an airflow path extending from the cartridge air inlet to the cartridge air outlet, via the fluid-permeable heating element. At least a portion of the cartridge may move between a first position, in which air from the housing air inlet is blocked from flowing to the housing air outlet, via the cartridge air inlet, the fluid-permeable heating element, and the cartridge air outlet; and a second position, in which an unrestricted airflow path exists from the housing air inlet to the housing air outlet, via the cartridge air inlet, the fluid-permeable heating element, and the cartridge air outlet.

Abstract: An aerosol-generating system is provided, including: a liquid storage portion including a container to hold a liquid aerosol-forming substrate and defining an opening at an end thereof; a fluid-permeable heater assembly extending across a first pair of opposite side portions of the opening along a plane transverse to a longitudinal axis of the liquid storage portion and including an arrangement of one or more filaments, and a capillary material between the liquid storage portion and the arrangement and being configured to convey the substrate to the filaments; and conductive contacts in a main housing and making electrical contact with corresponding contacts of the heater assembly, the liquid storage portion being at a first side of the heater assembly, and a portion of a first airflow channel being at a second side of the heater assembly, and the first airflow channel including several channel portions upstream of the heater assembly.

Abstract: A cartridge for an aerosol-generating system includes a storage container containing a supply of an aerosol-forming substrate, a fluid permeable heating element positioned across an opening in the storage container, a protective cover coupled to the storage container and covering the fluid permeable heating element, at least one air inlet, at least one air outlet, and an airflow path from the at least one air inlet to the at least one air outlet. The protective cover is configured such that a portion of the airflow path is between the protective cover and the fluid permeable heating element.

Abstract: An aerosol-forming substrate is provided for use with an inductive heating device, including: a solid material to release volatile compounds to form an aerosol upon heating of the substrate, a first susceptor material to heat the substrate and having a first Curie-temperature and being arranged in thermal proximity of the solid material, and a second susceptor material having a second Curie-temperature and being arranged in thermal proximity of the solid material, the first Curie-temperature being lower than the second Curie-temperature, and the second Curie-temperature defining a maximum heating temperature of the first and second materials, the first and second materials being arranged in heaped formation at different locations within the substrate, one of the first and second susceptor materials being arranged in a central region of the substrate and the respective other one of the first and second susceptor materials is arranged in peripheral regions of the substrate.

Abstract: The method includes first defining at least one channel within a first housing of a heater assembly, the at least one channel extending from a first end to a second end of the first housing, second defining a cavity in the first end of the first housing, third defining a first reservoir in the second end of the first housing, the at least one channel being in fluid communication with the first reservoir, and fourth defining an opening within a first wall within the first housing, the opening causing the first reservoir and the cavity to be in communication with each other.

Abstract: The cartridge includes a storage compartment configured to contain a liquid, the storage compartment having a first portion and a second portion connected to one another by a liquid channel. The cartridge includes an airflow passage passing between the first portion and the second portion of the storage compartment, and an aerosol-generating element that is fluid permeable and is positioned between the first portion and the second portion of the storage compartment, the aerosol-generating element having a first side and a second side that oppose each other, the first side of the aerosol-generating element forming part of the airflow passage and the second side of the aerosol-generating element being in contact with the liquid from the second portion of the storage compartment.

Abstract: A cartridge is provided for an aerosol-generating system, the aerosol-generating system including an aerosol-generating device, the cartridge configured to be used with the device, the aerosol-generating device including: a device housing, an inductor coil positioned on or within the housing, and a power supply connected to the inductor coil and configured to provide a high-frequency oscillating current to the inductor coil; and the cartridge including: a cartridge housing containing an aerosol-forming substrate and a fluid-permeable susceptor element positioned to heat the aerosol-forming substrate, the aerosol-forming substrate being a liquid at room temperature and being configured to form a meniscus across a surface of the fluid-permeable susceptor element, and a mouthpiece portion having an outlet through which aerosol generated by the system can be drawn into a user's mouth.

Abstract: An aerosol-generating device includes a housing having a first end defining a mouthpiece, a second end, and a cavity defined between the first end and the second end. The device also includes a reservoir within the cavity. The reservoir is configured to store a liquid aerosol-forming substrate. The device also includes an atomizer and a valve within the mouthpiece of the housing. The valve has a first side and an second side. The second side of the valve includes a hydrophilic coating, a hydrophobic coating, or both a hydrophilic coating and a hydrophobic coating.