Abstract: A printed circuit board mechanically supports electrical and/or electronic components for an electronic smoking article. The board includes at least one flexible portion and at least one rigidized portion, wherein the flexible portion and the rigidized portion include a common flexible layer stack including at least one structured metal layer. The rigidized portion further includes at least one rigidizing layer stack including at least one structured metal layer, wherein the rigidizing layer stack is arranged on at least one surface of the common flexible layer stack. At least a part of the structured metal layer of the common flexible layer stack in the flexible portion is structured as an electromagnetic coil forming an NFC-antenna and at least a part of the respective structured metal layers of the common flexible layer stack and the rigidizing layer are structured for acting together as an electromagnetic induction coil suitable for wireless charging.

Abstract: An electronic cigarette includes a vaporizing unit configured to generate a vapor from a substrate; an air flow inlet; a vapor outlet configured for a user to inhale the vapor; a main vapor flow channel extending past the vaporizing unit from the air flow inlet to the vapor outlet; a pressure sensor arranged to measure a pressure at the main vapor flow channel; and control circuitry configured to monitor user inhalation by: obtaining pressure measurements from the pressure sensor at a sampling frequency; calculating a background pressure as a moving average of the pressure measurements obtained within a moving sampling period; and calculating a current pressure difference as a difference between a current pressure measurement and the background pressure. The control circuitry is configured to select an operation state depending upon the current pressure difference. The operation state is one of: at least a sleep state; and an active state.

Abstract: A method for excluding humidity and/or oxygen and/or other fluids from an inner cavity of an electronic smoking device surrounded by an outer hull, the cavity being fluid tight to its environment by at least one seal and having at least one input and at least one output having at least one hole through the hull and into the cavity through which fluids can pass and which can be closed with a closure, the method includes first filling an inert gas through the input into the cavity, displacing fluids inside the cavity by flushing them out with the inert gas through the output and afterwards the input and the output are permanently closed with its closure.

Abstract: An aerosol generation device includes a device NFC antenna; and a device communication module connected to the device NFC antenna and configured to communicate with an external device using the device NFC antenna. The device communication module is configured to transmit output data to the external device by encoding this output data into a carrier wave using the device NFC antenna and receive input data from the external device by decoding this input data from an electromagnetic wave received by the device NFC antenna.

Abstract: The present disclosure concerns an aerosol generation device including a housing having a non-electrically conductive touch panel arranged on an external surface and a plurality of touch sensors, each touch sensor being associated to an operational function carried out by a controller and configured to be activated further to a user interaction with the touch sensor based on an activation sensitivity of this touch sensor. The activation sensitivity of each touch sensor is based on the operational function associated to the touch sensor, at least two touch sensors having different activation sensitivities.

Abstract: An aerosol generation device for consuming an aerosol generation substrate includes a housing and a control unit, the housing having an outer layer having an elastically deformable area, and the control unit including: a printed circuit board having a plurality of electrical transmission lines for electrically connecting components thereon, and a capacitive sensor component arranged on the printed circuit board.

Abstract: An aerosol generating device extending along a longitudinal axis (X) and including an outside casing delimiting an inside part of the device, the inside part including a power supply device and a receiving cavity for receiving a cartridge. The outside casing includes a frame and an outer wall attached to the frame. The outer wall extends along the longitudinal axis (X). The outer wall is configured to rupture and/or at least a portion of the outer wall is configured to bend and/or to be detached from the frame when the pressure inside the device is greater than a predetermined threshold pressure.

Abstract: A heater device for an electronic cigarette includes: a heater unit arranged to vaporise a liquid received from a liquid reservoir to generate a vapour; and a vapour flow path extending from the heater unit arranged to fluidly communicate with a mouthpiece of an electronic cigarette to allow the generated vapour to flow from the heater unit to the mouthpiece. The heater unit includes a first heating portion and a second heating portion, and the first and second heating portions are integrally formed such that the first and second heating portions form a single heater unit.

Abstract: A handheld aerosol generating device for delivering an aerosol upon heating a liquid includes an outer casing having a receiving cavity arranged for receiving a cartomizer; an electrical power supply device; an electrical connector arrangement being connected to the electrical power supply device and extending at least in part into the receiving cavity for supplying electrical power to an inserted cartomizer; and a deformable and energy absorbing element arranged to hold the electrical power supply device relative to the outer casing, wherein the deformable and energy absorbing element is electrically insulated from the electrical connector arrangement.

Abstract: An aerosol generating device extending along a longitudinal axis (X) includes an outside casing defining an internal volume, the internal volume including a payload compartment; and a power supply block arranged in the internal volume of the outside casing. The outside casing includes a frame delimiting at least a first opening and a first screen arranged in the first opening, the first screen being made of a dielectric material. The at least first opening of the frame is delimited by an edge, the edge includes a protruding part retaining the corresponding screen in the corresponding opening.

Abstract: A cartridge for an aerosol generating device includes a reservoir for containing an aerosol generating liquid, an inductively heatable susceptor for heating the aerosol generating liquid, and a liquid transfer element configured to convey aerosol generating liquid from the reservoir towards the inductively heatable susceptor. The inductively heatable susceptor includes a susceptor ring extending around the liquid transfer element. The cartridge includes a recess configured for receiving, in a releasable connection a coil support having an induction coil of an aerosol generating device. An aerosol generating device, and an aerosol generating system including the aerosol generating device and a cartridge releasably connected to the aerosol generating device, are also described.

Abstract: A printed circuit board is configured to mechanically support a plurality of electrical and/or electronic components which are electrically connected via conductive tracks. At least some of the conductive tracks are arranged on a common flexible carrier. A first rigidizing layer including a first rigidizing material is located at a first portion of a surface of the common flexible carrier to form a first rigidized zone. A second rigidizing layer including a second rigidizing material is located at a second portion of the surface of the common flexible carrier to form a second rigidized zone. The first portion of the surface and the second portion of the surface are spaced apart from each other. The first rigidizing material and the second rigidizing material support electrical and/or electronic components. The electrical, electronical components and/or conductor tracks are attached between the rigidizing layers.

Abstract: A vaporisation component of a vapour generation device is provided. The vaporisation component comprises an evaporator component configured to generate a vapour flow by vaporising a vaporisable substance. The evaporator component has a first surface over which air flows in an airflow channel of a vapour generation device in a direction toward a mouthpiece. At least a portion of the first surface is non-flat with respect to the airflow channel so as to interfere with an airflow in the airflow channel and affect a distribution of droplets in the generated vapour flow.

Abstract: An aerosol generation assembly includes an aerosol generation device and a cartridge The device includes a cavity defining an operation position of the cartridge wherein the cartridge is received in the cavity and is able to operate with the device, and a tag reader arranged on the cavity surface and extending along an offset axis (A-A?). The cartridge includes an electronic communication tag configured to store data and communicate this data to the tag reader when the cartridge is in the operation position. The tag is arranged on the cartridge surface so as when the cartridge is in the operation position, the tag and the tag reader are offset along the offset axis (A-A?).

Abstract: An aerosol generation device with a flexible PCB improves the efficient use of interior space inside the aerosol generation device. An aerosol generation device includes a first rigid printed circuit board (PCB) arranged in a first plane, and a first flexible printed circuit (FPC). The first rigid PCB is attached to a first portion of the first FPC, the first FPC having a first portion of the first FPC is arranged in a second plane that is substantially parallel to and different from the first plane, and a second portion of the first FPC connects the first portion of the first FPC to the first rigid PCB.

Abstract: A vaporisation component of a vapour generation device includes an evaporator component configured to generate a vapour flow by vaporising a vaporisable substance. The evaporator component has a first surface over which air flows in an airflow channel of a vapour generation device in a direction toward a mouthpiece. The first surface includes a plurality of recessed portions configured to interfere with an airflow in the airflow channel and affect a distribution of droplets in the generated vapour flow. The evaporator component further includes one or more evaporator channels arranged therethrough to connect the first surface to a reservoir configured to store the vaporisable substance. The evaporator channels are configured to transport the vaporisable substance from the reservoir to openings in the first surface.

Abstract: A heater device for an electronic cigarette comprises: a heater unit arranged to vaporise a liquid received from a liquid reservoir and generate a vapour; and a vapour flow path extending from the heater unit and arranged to fluidly communicate with a mouthpiece of an electronic cigarette to allow the generated vapour to flow from the heater unit to the mouthpiece. The heater unit comprises a plurality of through-channels arranged to allow the generated vapour to flow from the heater unit to the vapour flow path. The plurality of through-channels comprises at least two primary through-channels and at least two secondary through-channels, where a diameter of a primary through-channel is different than a diameter of a secondary through-channel. The plurality of through-channels are arranged such that the at least two primary through-channels are alternately arranged with the secondary through-channels.

Abstract: A heater device for an electronic cigarette includes: a heater unit housing a vaporising chamber and arranged to vaporise a liquid received from a liquid reservoir and generate a vapour; and a vapour flow path extending from the vaporising chamber arranged to fluidly communicate with a mouthpiece of an electronic cigarette to allow the generated vapour to flow from the vaporising chamber to the mouthpiece. The heater unit includes a plurality of through-channels arranged to allow the generated vapour to flow from the vaporising chamber to the vapour flow path.

Abstract: An evaporator assembly for an aerosol generating device is described. The evaporator assembly comprises a first body having a first plurality of through-channels, a second body having a second plurality of through-channels, wherein the first body and the second body are arranged such that the first and second plurality of through-channels overlap to allow the passage of a liquid from an inlet end to an outlet end of the evaporator assembly through the through-channels; and a heater arranged to heat the liquid as it passes through the through-channels, wherein the second body is moveable with respect to the first body such that the area of overlap is adjustable.

Abstract: An evaporator for an aerosol generating device is described. The evaporator comprises a heating body (101) comprising a plurality of channels (102) arranged through the heating body between an inlet surface (103) and an outlet surface (104). The channels are configured to transport liquid from the inlet surface through the heating body by capillary action. The heating body comprises electrically conductive material (120) and the evaporator further comprises circuitry (116) for providing a current through the electrically conductive material to provide resistive heating of the heating body to evaporate a liquid passing through the channels. The heating body and circuitry are configured to provide a positive temperature gradient across the heating body from the inlet surface to the outlet surface.