Abstract: An aerosol-generating device is provided, including: a membrane having an aerosol-generation zone, in which the aerosol-generation zone includes a plurality of nozzles, the plurality of nozzles being the only nozzles in the aerosol-generation zone; and an actuator coupled to the membrane, in which the actuator is configured to excite the membrane to induce a vibration of the membrane at one or more predetermined modal frequencies of the membrane such that a liquid aerosol-forming substrate passing through the plurality of nozzles is aerosolised, in which more than 50% of the plurality of nozzles are located closer to antinodes than to nodes of the membrane, where the antinodes and the nodes correspond to the membrane being excited at the one or more predetermined modal frequencies of the membrane, and in which the membrane progressively changes in thickness from a centre of the membrane to a peripheral edge of the membrane.

Abstract: An aerosol-generating system is provided, including: a heater assembly including a heating element to vaporise a liquid aerosol-forming substrate, and a porous body to convey the substrate to the heating element, the porous body having a liquid absorption surface and a heating surface, the heating element being located on the heating surface and being fluid-permeable such that vapour is emitted from the heater assembly in an average vapour emission direction; and an air inlet and an aerosol outlet, the air inlet in fluid communication with the aerosol outlet to define an airflow pathway through the system, the heater assembly being arranged in fluid communication with the pathway such that air flows past the heater assembly in an average airflow direction, and the heater assembly and airflow pathway being arranged such that an angle between the average vapour emission direction and the average airflow direction is less than 90 degrees.

Abstract: A ceramic heating member for an aerosol-generating system is provided, the ceramic heating member including: a heating portion configured to vaporise a liquid aerosol-forming substrate; and a porous portion configured to convey the liquid aerosol-forming substrate to the heating portion, the heating portion and the porous portion being integrally formed. A method of manufacturing the ceramic heating member is also provided, the method including: forming a porous ceramic body for conveying a liquid aerosol-forming substrate; and doping a portion of the porous ceramic body to form a heating portion for vaporising the liquid aerosol-generating substrate.

Abstract: A heater assembly for an aerosol-generating system, the heater assembly including: a heating element configured to vaporise a liquid aerosol-forming substrate; and a porous ceramic body configured to convey the liquid aerosol-forming substrate to the heating element, the porous ceramic body having a liquid absorption surface and a heating surface, the heating element being located on and bonded to the heating surface of the porous ceramic body.

Abstract: A heater assembly for an aerosol-generating system, the heater assembly including: a heating element configured to vaporise a liquid aerosol-forming substrate; and a porous body configured to convey the liquid aerosol-forming substrate to the heating element, the porous body having a liquid absorption surface and a heating surface, the heating element being located on the heating surface of the porous body, the liquid absorption surface of the porous body having an area that is different from an area of the heating surface of the porous body, the porous body including a shape that tapers from the liquid absorption surface of the porous body towards the heating surface of the porous body, and the porous body further including a porous ceramic body or a porous glass body.

Abstract: A heater assembly for an aerosol-generating system is provided, the heater assembly including: a heating element to vaporise a liquid aerosol-forming substrate; and a porous body to convey the substrate to the heating element, the porous body having a liquid absorption surface, a heating surface, and at least one side surface extending from the liquid absorption surface to the heating surface, the heating element being located on the heating surface, the heating surface being convex in one or both of a first transverse direction and a second transverse direction, the first transverse direction being orthogonal to the second transverse direction, the heating surface having a width that is different from a width of the liquid absorption surface in a same transverse direction, the porous body having a shape that tapers along the entire length thereof, and the porous body including a porous ceramic body or a porous glass body.

Abstract: A heater assembly for an aerosol-generating device is provided, the heater assembly including: a heating element configured to vaporise a liquid aerosol-forming substrate; a porous body configured to convey the liquid aerosol-forming substrate to the heating element; and a thermally insulating layer having a lower thermal conductivity than the porous body, the thermally insulating layer being disposed between and being in contact with each of the porous body and the heating element, and the thermally insulating layer being configured to reduce heat transfer from the heating element to the porous body, the porous body including a porous ceramic body or a porous glass body, and the heating element forming a film across the thermally insulating layer.

Abstract: An aerosol-generating device is provided, including: a vibratable transducer configured to aerosolise a liquid aerosol-forming substrate; and a controller coupled to the transducer, the controller being configured to provide a driving signal for vibrating the transducer, in which all or part of the driving signal defines a sensory output of the transducer detectable by at least one of an auditory sense of a user and a touch sense of a user, and adjust the driving signal such that the sensory output is indicative of a state of the aerosol-generating device. An aerosol-delivery system, and a method of operating an aerosol-generating device having a vibratable transducer, are also provided.

Abstract: A membrane for a vibrating mesh module for an aerosol-generating device is provided, the membrane including: a plurality of recesses defining portions of the membrane having reduced thickness, the portions of the membrane having reduced thickness being provided with one or more through-holes defining perforations of the membrane; and one or more piezo elements integrally formed therewith, the through-holes having an aspect ratio of below 1, and the through-holes having a diameter of between 0.2 micrometer and 3 micrometers.

Abstract: An aerosol-generating device including a vibrating mesh module for an aerosol-generating device is provided, the vibrating mesh module including: a MEMS membrane with a plurality of through-holes defining perforations of the MEMS membrane; a flow chamber located adjacent to the MEMS membrane, the flow chamber defining a volume configured to hold an aerosol-forming substrate and to feed the aerosol-forming substrate to the MEMS membrane, the flow chamber being configured to include an inlet through which the aerosol-forming substrate flows into the volume of flow chamber, and an outlet through which the aerosol-forming substrate may exit the volume of the flow chamber, the flow chamber being manufactured using MEMS techniques; a liquid storage portion in fluid communication with the inlet and the outlet of the flow chamber of the vibrating mesh module; and a pumping device configured to generate a liquid flow through the integrated cavity.

Abstract: An aerosol generator for an aerosol-generating device is provided, including: a surface acoustic wave atomiser including a substrate including an active surface defining an atomisation region, first and second transducers on the active surface, the region positioned between the transducers; a supply element to supply a liquid aerosol-forming substrate; a controller to operate the transducers, the first transducer as an input transducer to generate surface acoustic waves, the second transducer positioned to receive the waves, and the controller is further to operate the second transducer as an output transducer to sense the waves, such that the second transducer provides an output signal; an amplifier, the atomiser arranged as a feedback line for the amplifier, such that the amplifier is to receive the output signal for the second transducer and to provide an amplifier output signal; and an analyser arranged to receive the output signal and provide an analyser output signal.

Abstract: An aerosol-generator for an aerosol-generating device is provided, including: a surface acoustic wave atomiser including: a substrate including an active surface defining an atomisation region, first and second transducers positioned on the active surface; first and second supply elements to respectively supply first and second liquid aerosol-forming substrates to the atomisation region; a controller to provide first and second drive signals respectively to the first and the second transducers to generate surface acoustic waves on the active surface, provide the first drive signal only when the first substrate is supplied to the atomisation region by the first supply element, and provide the second drive signal only when the second substrate is supplied to the atomisation region by the second supply element. An aerosol-generating device including the aerosol-generator is also provided.

Abstract: An aerosol-generator for an aerosol-generating device is provided, including: a surface acoustic wave atomiser including: a substrate including an active surface defining an atomisation region, and at least one transducer positioned on the active surface to generate surface acoustic waves for defining an acoustic wavefront on the active surface; and a supply element arranged to supply a liquid aerosol-forming substrate to the atomisation region so that liquid aerosol-forming substrate in the atomisation region defines an interface between the active surface, the liquid aerosol-forming substrate, and the atmosphere, in which the at least one transducer and the supply element are configured so that a shape of the acoustic wavefront at the interface corresponds to a shape of at least part of the interface. An aerosol-generating device including the aerosol-generator is also provided.

Abstract: An aerosol-generator for an aerosol-generating device is provided, the aerosol-generator including: a surface acoustic wave atomiser including a substrate including an active surface defining an atomisation region, and a transducer positioned on the active surface of the substrate configured to generate surface acoustic waves on the active surface of the substrate; a portion of the active surface of the substrate underlying at least a portion of the transducer including a surface treatment; and a supply element arranged to supply a liquid aerosol-forming substrate to the atomisation region.

Abstract: An aerosol-generating article is provided, including: an atomiser configured to atomise a liquid aerosol-forming substrate to generate an aerosol, the atomiser including: a piezoelectric component including: an actuator, and a porous element, the actuator being arranged to vibrate the porous element to generate an aerosol, and the porous element being a freeze-cast porous element. An aerosol-generating system including an aerosol-generating device and the aerosol-generating article is also provided.

Abstract: An aerosol-generator for an aerosol-generating device is provided, the aerosol-generator including: a surface acoustic wave atomiser including a substrate including an active surface defining an atomisation region, and a transducer disposed on the active surface of the substrate; a supply element arranged to supply a liquid aerosol-forming substrate to the atomisation region; and a controller configured to operate the transducer as an input transducer to generate surface acoustic waves on the active surface of the substrate, operate the transducer as an output transducer to sense surface acoustic waves on the active surface of the substrate, and receive an output signal from the transducer when the transducer is operated as the output transducer. An aerosol-generating device including the aerosol-generator is also provided.

Abstract: An aerosol-generator for an aerosol-generating device is provided, the aerosol-generator including: a surface acoustic wave atomiser including a substrate including an active surface defining at least one atomisation region, and at least one transducer positioned on the active surface to generate surface acoustic waves on the active surface; and a supply element arranged to supply a liquid aerosol-forming substrate to the atomisation region, the supply element including a channel extending through the substrate between an inlet to receive a supply of the liquid aerosol-forming substrate and an outlet positioned within the atomisation region of the active surface, in which the channel has at least one of a cross-sectional area that varies in a direction from the inlet to the outlet and a portion that extends in a non-perpendicular direction with respect to the active surface. An aerosol-generating device including the aerosol-generator is also provided.

Abstract: An aerosol-generator for an aerosol-generating device is provided, the aerosol-generator including: a surface acoustic wave atomiser including a substrate including an active surface defining at least one atomisation region, and at least one transducer positioned on the active surface of the substrate configured to generate surface acoustic waves on the active surface of the substrate; and a supply element arranged to supply a liquid aerosol-forming substrate to the at least one atomisation region, the supply element including a plurality of interconnected channels extending through the substrate between at least one inlet configured to receive a supply of the at least one liquid aerosol-forming substrate and at least one outlet positioned within the at least one atomisation region of the active surface of the substrate.

Abstract: An aerosol-generator for an aerosol-generating device is provided, the aerosol-generator including: a plurality of surface acoustic wave atomisers, each surface acoustic wave atomiser including: a substrate including an active surface, and at least one transducer disposed on the active surface of the substrate to generate surface acoustic waves on the active surface; an atomisation region defined between the substrates of the plurality of surface acoustic wave atomisers; and a supply element arranged to supply a liquid aerosol-forming substrate to the atomisation region. An aerosol-generating device including the aerosol-generator is also provided.

Abstract: An aerosol-generating device is provided, including: a reservoir containing a liquid aerosol-forming substrate; an aerosol-generating element configured to generate an aerosol from the liquid aerosol-forming substrate, the aerosol-generating element including an electrically operated, vibrating transducer; an electrically operated pump configured to deliver the liquid aerosol-forming substrate from the reservoir to the aerosol-generating element; and control circuitry connected to the pump and the transducer, the control circuitry being configured to control operation of the pump in dependence on one or more operating parameters of the transducer. A method of operating the aerosol-generating device is also provided.