A sensor apparatus may include a channel structure configured to couple with an external element and a fluid conduit, such that the channel structure may receive a fluid, at least partially drawn through the external element from an ambient environment, and direct the fluid through the fluid conduit. A sensor may generate sensor data indicating a flow rate of the fluid through the fluid conduit based on monitoring a variation in a pressure at a location in hydrodynamic contact with the fluid conduit and in relation to an ambient pressure of the ambient environment. The sensor apparatus may enable generation of improved topography information associated with flows of fluid drawn from the external element based on measuring a local pressure at the location in hydrodynamic contact with the fluid conduit and determining the ambient pressure based on monitoring the local pressure over time.

An apparatus for testing vaporizers of electronic cigarettes is disclosed. Each vaporizer comprises a heating element, and electric terminals for electrically powering the heating element. The testing apparatus comprises a holding construction part with multiple movable vaporizer holding units. A contact construction part is provided with multiple electric contact members each associated with a respective holding unit, and electrically contacting at least one electric terminal of a vaporizer in the associated holding unit. A supply construction part conducts electric power to each contact member. A measuring part measures at least one electric quantity representative of an electric resistance and/or inductance of the heating element, compares the measured quantity with a pre determined range and, if the measured quantity is outside the range, outputs a rejection signal.

In order to reliably ensure the association of smoking products and the results of analysis with the tobacco products and guard against mistakes or data losses, there is provided a smoking machine whose structural components such as the smoke trap, a smoke trap component and/or a tobacco product magazine that is being used are provided with respective identity elements in which items of information specific to the structural component are contained and from which items of information are readable and/or into which items of information are insertible. A method of smoking tobacco products in a smoking machine comprises the storage of information about the respective structural components of the smoking machine and/or the processes of writing-into and reading-out the results of measurements and/or analysis into these identity elements as well as the process of linking to a database.

Provided herein are systems and methods for testing a heat-not-burn tobacco product. A heater carrier may be movable with respect to a tobacco product placement region and configured to heat a first end of a tobacco product located in the tobacco product placement region. A puffing simulator is configured to fluidically couple to a second end of the tobacco product. The puffing simulator is configured to draw air through the tobacco product thereby simulating a puff of the tobacco product. A thermocouple placement right is configured to selectively position one or more thermocouples in or along the tobacco product. A drill is configured to selectively drill one or more holes at positions within the tobacco product. The thermocouple(s) are positioned on or within the tobacco product and generate data corresponding to detected temperatures of the tobacco product as the puffing simulator simulates one or more puffs.

The present disclosure has provided an automatic multichannel apparatus for assessing hot coal fallout propensity of burning cigarettes and an assessing method thereof. The apparatus comprises a multichannel rotary plate unit, an automatic supplying unit for cigarette samples, an automatic ignition and burning line detection unit for cigarette samples, a cigarette holding and force applying unit, an automatic hot coal fallout detection and removal unit, a smoke collecting unit during suction, a suction unit, a gas exhaust unit arranged in a main frame, and an electric circuit and air path control unit for controlling actions and processes of the above units. The apparatus operates based on certain steps and performs automatic ignition and burning line detection on cigarette samples inserted into a rotary plate in sequence. A controllable external force is applied to the cigarettes during burning and suction, and hot coal fallout propensity of this kind of cigarette is detected by hot coal fallout occurrence of multiple cigarettes. The apparatus according to the present disclosure can improve test repeatability and working efficiency.

A sensor apparatus may include a conduit structure including an inner surface defining a conduit extending through an interior of the conduit structure, an inlet structure coupled to an end of the conduit structure, and a plurality of sensor devices in hydrodynamic contact with the conduit. The inlet structure may couple with an outlet end of an external tobacco element to hold the outlet end of the external tobacco element in fluid communication with an inlet opening of the conduit structure, such that the conduit structure may receive a generated aerosol from the external tobacco element at the inlet opening, and draw an instance of aerosol through the conduit towards an outlet opening. The instance of aerosol may include at least a portion of the generated aerosol. Each sensor device may generate sensor data indicating a pressure of the instance of aerosol through a separate portion of the conduit.

There is described herein a system for determining the interaction between a test atmosphere and a simulated respiratory tract, said system comprising: (a) a first pump comprising: (i) a chamber configured for containing a first volume of gas comprising a test atmosphere; (ii) a first port adapted for receiving and outputting gas and comprising a valve for regulating the flow of gas through the first port, said valve being moveable between open and closed positions, wherein in the open position said valve is openable towards a test atmosphere or surrounding air; (iii) a second port adapted for outputting and receiving gas and comprising a valve for regulating the flow of gas through the second port, said valve being moveable between open and closed positions; (iv) a piston plate in the chamber, said piston plate comprising one or more apertures for the uptake or inflow of gas into the chamber wherein one or more, or each, of the apertures include a valve that is movable between open and closed positions and is capable of regulating the uptake or inflow of gas; (b) a second pump comprising: (i) a chamber configured for containing a second volume of gas, wherein the first and second volumes of gas are different; (ii) a port adapted for receiving and outputting gas; and (iii) a motor for controlling the operation of the second pump; (c) a connecting structure operable to transmit the gas from the first pump into the second pump; and (d) one or more openings in the first pump or the second pump or the walls of the connecting structure or a combination of two or more thereof, said openings being capable of receiving a module for containing a cell culture medium or for monitoring conditions in the chamber or for gas sampling or for gas characterisation.

The present disclosure provides a method for assessing hot coal fallout propensity of burning cigarettes based on human behavior features of ash-tapping action. The method is characterized in that the method is accomplished through an apparatus for detecting hot coal fallout propensity based on human behavior features of ash-tapping action, which include behavior features of human action of tapping cigarette ash, features of holding a cigarette, and features of force applying process and other aspects. This method can provide objective and accurate test basis for evaluation of cigarette fallout performance.

The present disclosure provides a method for assessing hot coal fallout propensity of burning cigarettes based on human behavior features of ash-flicking action. The method is characterized in that the method is accomplished through an apparatus for detecting hot coal fallout propensity based on human behavior features of ash-flicking action, which include behavior features of human action of flicking cigarette ash, features of holding a cigarette, and features of force applying process and other aspects. This method can provide objective and accurate test basis for evaluation of cigarette fallout performance.

A product use and behavior instrument includes a housing defining a central compartment therein. The housing includes a first housing end, a second housing end, and a housing wall. The first housing end defines a combustible smoking article holder configured to receive a combustible smoking article. The second housing end includes a hollow flow member extending from the second housing end in a direction axially away from the first housing end. The controller is positioned within the central compartment of the housing. The controller includes a sensor circuit structured to collect at least one use data characteristic of a smoking action. The smoking action is associated with the use of the combustible smoking article. Local memory is structured to buffer the at least one use data characteristic of the smoking action. A communication interface is structured to communicate to a remote computing device.