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 collecting emissions from a device, the apparatus includes an inlet which receives emissions from a device; an outlet for a collecting assembly; and a pump assembly which includes a pump, the pump being in fluid communication with the inlet and operable to draw emissions from the inlet to the outlet for the collecting assembly. The pump assembly is configured such that, in use, emissions are drawn from the inlet intermittently. A collecting assembly may collect and condense the emissions by employing low temperatures.

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.

A system for simulating ash removal from a smoking article and a related method are provided. The system includes a support arrangement supporting at least a portion of a smoking article to form a cantilever with respect to the support arrangement. The system also includes a suction device in fluid communication with the first longitudinal end of the smoking article, the suction device being configured to apply suction to the first longitudinal end to simulate a draw or puff on the smoking article. The system further includes an ignition device configured to ignite an ignitable material of the smoking article about the second longitudinal end thereof, the ignited ignitable material being transformed to an ash in response to successive draws or puffs applied by the suction device. The system still further including an ash-dislodging mechanism configured to selectively impact the cantilevered smoking article to periodically remove the ash.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

A smoking machine adaptor device including a base configured to couple to a smoking machine, the base defining a central axis and a base cavity, a cap including a cap flange defining a cap aperture, and a cap actuator coupled to the base and configured to move the cap flange relative to the base along the central axis between a first position to a second position, and a resiliently deformable ferrule sized to be received within the base cavity and defining a ferrule aperture aligned axially with the cap aperture along the central axis. The ferrule aperture defines a. first ferrule area in a plane perpendicular to the central axis when the cap flange is in the first position, a. second, smaller ferrule area in the plane perpendicular to the central axis when the cap flange is in the second position.