Abstract: A heater assembly for an aerosol-generating system is provided, the heater assembly including: a liquid aerosol-forming substrate including at least two compounds, the first compound having a first boiling point and the second compound having a second boiling point; a retention material containing the liquid aerosol-forming substrate; and a heating element configured to heat the retention material by passing a current along a length of the heating element, the heating element being formed from a band of material, and a cross-sectional area of the band of material progressively decreasing along a length of the band of material from a maximum cross-sectional area of the band of material at a first end of the band of material to a minimum cross-sectional area of the band of material at a second end of the band of material, to provide a temperature gradient along a surface of the retention material.

Abstract: An aerosol-generating device (3) comprises an axially extending heating space (21). The heating space (21) is configured to at least partially receive an aerosol-generating article (5). The aerosol-generating device (3) comprises a heat receiving surface (25) provided outside of the heating space (21). The aerosol-generating device (3) comprises a heat storage body (31) and an inner heat conduction body (33). The heat storage body (31) is provided between the heat receiving surface (25) and the heating space (21). The inner heat conduction body (33) is provided between the heat storage body (31) and the heating space (21). A material of the heat storage body (31) has a higher specific heat capacity than a material of the inner heat conduction body (33). The material of the inner heat conduction body (33) has a higher thermal conductivity than the material of the heat storage body (31).

Abstract: An aerosol-generating device (3) comprises an axially extending heating chamber (15) configured to at least partially receive an aerosol-generating article (5). The aerosol-generating device (3) further comprises a heater actuation mechanism (47) configured to move between an engaging configuration and a non-engaging configuration. The heater actuation mechanism (47) is configured to act on a heater (7) in the engaging configuration to operate the heater (7) to generate heat. The heater actuation mechanism (47) is configured to not act on the heater (7) in the non-engaging configuration to stop generation of the heat by the heater (7). The heater actuation mechanism (47) comprises an operating element (57). The operating element (57) is configured to be moved to move the heater actuation mechanism (47) from the non-engaging configuration into the engaging configuration. The aerosol-generating device (3) further comprises a blocking mechanism (59).

Abstract: A heater assembly for an aerosol-generating system is provided, the heater assembly including: a liquid aerosol-forming substrate storage component; a reservoir of free-flowing liquid aerosol-forming substrate, the reservoir being in fluid communication with the liquid aerosol-forming substrate storage component; and a heating element including a first portion, a second portion, and a further portion, in which the first portion of the heating element is embedded in the liquid aerosol-forming substrate storage component, the second portion of the heating element is not embedded in the liquid aerosol-forming substrate storage component, and the further portion of the heating element is located in the reservoir. An aerosol-generating system including the heater assembly is also provided.

Abstract: A shisha device comprises a cooling element (13) disposed along an airflow channel to cool an aerosol. The cooling element unit utilizes active cooling and may additionally utilize passive cooling. The cooling element may comprise a conduit (21) comprising a thermally conductive material. The cooling element may be integrally formed with an accelerating element (14) disposed along the airflow channel. Cooling may occur before or during acceleration of the aerosol by the accelerating element. The cooling may contribute to the condensation in the aerosol.

Abstract: A heater assembly for an aerosol-generating system is provided, the heater assembly including: a retention material containing an aerosol-forming substrate in condensed form, the aerosol-forming substrate including first and second compounds, the second compound having a higher boiling point than the first compound; at least one airflow path defined through the retention material; and at least one heating element shaped to define an interior volume filled with the retention material and having a cross-sectional area that decreases along a longitudinal axis, the at least one airflow path passes through a first central region of the interior volume and a second central region of the interior volume, the first and the second central regions being spaced-apart along the longitudinal axis, and a resistance of the at least one heating element increasing along the longitudinal axis in a same direction that the cross-sectional area of the interior volume decreases.

Abstract: Intraluminal ultrasound devices, systems and methods are provided. In one embodiment, an intravascular ultrasound device includes a flexible elongate member configured to be positioned within a body lumen of a patient, the flexible elongate member including a distal portion and a longitudinal axis; a first ultrasound transducer array configured to obtain ultrasound imaging data of the body lumen; and a second ultrasound transducer array configured to apply an ultrasound therapy within the body lumen. Both the first and second ultrasound transducer arrays are disposed at the distal portion of the flexible elongate member and circumferentially positioned around the longitudinal axis of the flexible elongate member.

Abstract: A cartridge for an aerosol-generating system is provided, the cartridge including: a reservoir configured for liquid aerosol-forming substrate; a heating element configured to heat the liquid aerosol-forming substrate from the reservoir; and a wall including a porous material, such that: a first space adjacent to the heating element and between the wall and the heating element forms a hot zone, a second space adjacent to the heating element forms a feed zone, the reservoir is in fluid communication with the feed zone and the hot zone, at least a portion of the wall is positioned between the hot zone and the reservoir, the wall is in contact with the hot zone and the reservoir, and a portion of the wall in contact with the feed zone is thinner than a portion of the wall in contact with the hot zone.

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: An aerosol-generating system has a biosensor configured to detect a biological characteristic of the user. A controller provides health data based on the at least one biological characteristic detected by the biosensor. The health data may be provided to the user, used to modify an aerosol delivery profile of an aerosolizer, stored for later use, or may be communicated to other devices.

Abstract: An ultrasound system includes an ultrasound device configured to be positioned within a body lumen of a patient. The ultrasound device includes a rotatable, flexible elongate drive cable comprising a proximal portion and a distal portion, a first ultrasound element disposed at the distal portion of the drive cable and configured to obtain imaging data of the body lumen while rotating, and a second ultrasound element disposed at the distal portion of the drive cable and configured to apply an ultrasound therapy to the body lumen while rotating. Associated devices, systems, and methods are also provided.

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: A reinforced heat source (4) for an aerosol-generating article (2), the reinforced heat source comprising: a blind combustible heat source (38) having a length L; and a non-combustible support (40) embedded in the combustible heat source, wherein the non-combustible support does not protrude outwardly from the combustible heat source.

Abstract: An atmospheric pressure plasma system includes an atmospheric pressure plasma source that generates a glow discharge-type plasma. The atmospheric pressure plasma source comprises a plasma head and a gas sensor system. The plasma head includes a gas inlet, a gas passage surrounded by a dielectric liner, a radio frequency (RF) electrode and a ground electrode. The RF electrode and the ground electrode are arranged at opposite sides of an outer surface of a segment of the gas passage. The gas sensor system comprises a first pellistor that is exposed to a process gas entering the gas inlet and provides real-time monitoring of the presence and concentration of helium in the process gas entering the gas inlet during plasma operation.

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-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: A shisha system comprising an aerosol-generating article (90) and a shisha device (50). The aerosol-generating article (90) comprises an aerosol-forming substrate (92). The shisha system further comprises a first electrode (15) and a second electrode (16). The shisha device (50) comprises a liquid cavity (54) configured to contain a volume of liquid, the liquid cavity (54) having a head space outlet (60); an article cavity (14) configured to receive an aerosol-forming substrate (92), the article cavity (14) being in fluid communication with the liquid cavity (54). The shisha device further comprises an oscillation circuit (10) configured for connection to the first electrode (15) and the second electrode (16).

Abstract: Intraluminal ultrasound devices, systems and methods are provided. In one embodiment, an intraluminal ultrasound device includes a flexible elongate member configured to be positioned within a body lumen of a patient, the flexible elongate member including a distal portion and a longitudinal axis; and a transducer array disposed at the distal portion of the flexible elongate member and circumferentially positioned around the longitudinal axis of the flexible elongate member. The transducer array includes a plurality of micromachined ultrasound transducers (MUTs). In addition, the transducer array is configured to obtain ultrasound imaging data of the body lumen in response to a first electrical signal, and apply an ultrasound therapy within the body lumen in response to a second electrical signal.