A method for functional testing of aerosol provision devices may include performing a functional state transition test of a power unit. The functional state transition test of the power unit may include extracting a unique identifier from the power unit of an aerosol provision device responsive to operable coupling of the power unit to a test fixture, determining a transition code based on the unique identifier, providing the transition code to the power unit via the test fixture to transition the power unit from an initial state to a transitioned state, and transitioning the power unit to the initial state.

A test fixture for testing aerosol provision devices may include a housing, a plurality of testing modules disposed at the housing where each of the testing modules includes a cavity configured to receive a portion of an aerosol provision device, and processing circuitry operably coupled to the testing modules. Each of the testing modules may be configured to interface with an assembly of a respective one of the aerosol provision devices to transition the assembly between an initial state and a transitioned state during a functional test controlled by the processing circuitry. The processing circuitry may be configured to conduct the functional test of at least two of the testing modules simultaneously.

A test fixture for testing aerosol provision devices may include a housing, a plurality of testing modules disposed at the housing where each of the testing modules includes a cavity configured to receive a portion of an aerosol provision device, and processing circuitry operably coupled to the testing modules. Each of the testing modules may be configured to interface with an assembly of a respective one of the aerosol provision devices to transition the assembly between an initial state and a transitioned state during a functional test controlled by the processing circuitry. The processing circuitry may be configured to conduct the functional test of at least two of the testing modules simultaneously.

The present invention provides a connector for push-connecting a cartridge containing vaporizable material, such as a 510-cartridge, to a power-supplying device. The connector includes a housing containing electrical contacts, a cartridge-receiving end for receiving a conductive end of the cartridge, and a flexible, preferably silicone, ring connected to the cartridge receiving end of the housing for retaining the conductive end of the cartridge inserted therethrough against the electrical contacts. The ring is preferably part of a silicon boot that houses the housing.

A non-combustible aerosol-generating device includes a capsule, a memory and a controller. The capsule includes an aerosol-forming substrate and a heater configured to heat the aerosol-forming substrate. The controller is configured to execute computer-readable instructions stored in the memory to cause the non-combustible aerosol-generating device to: apply power to the heater during a preheat interval, record one or more heating characteristic waveforms resulting from application of the power to the heater during at least a portion of the preheat interval, and determine whether the capsule is valid based on one or more of the heating characteristic waveforms.

A non-combustible aerosol-generating device includes a capsule, a memory and a controller. The capsule includes an aerosol-forming substrate and a heater configured to heat the aerosol-forming substrate. The controller is configured to execute computer-readable instructions stored in the memory to cause the non-combustible aerosol-generating device to: apply power to the heater during a preheat interval, record one or more heating characteristic waveforms resulting from application of the power to the heater during at least a portion of the preheat interval, and determine whether the capsule is valid based on one or more of the heating characteristic waveforms.

A heater for a vaporizer with air preheating element includes a casing, a tunnel with a perforated bottom, which is a cylindrical heating chamber for placing a cigarette, a heating element of a resistive type, a heat exchanger, including air channels for circulation and preheating of air by a heater, a top end and a bottom end, an air intake hole made in the top end. Outlet holes are communicated with exits of air channels of the heat exchanger for intake of air preheated by the heater in the tunnel. The casing is made in the form of a tape of a thin-film dielectric heat-resistant material, on which a thin layer of resistive material with contacts is applied on the end of one side, forming the heating element, and on the other side a top and bottom spacers are fixed and inclined toward the middle, as well as the edging, which are made of flexible heat-resistant material. The above mentioned tape with a heating element, located on its external side, is rolled into a cylinder and forms a tunnel, and is additionally coiled into several interconnected spiral coils, and forms a spiral casing with the top and bottom ends so that the top and bottom spacers and the edging located on the inside form a spiral heat exchanger comprising the top and bottom and the middle spiral air ducts for spiral and labyrinth circulation and preheating of air, and at the bottom there is an additional inlet hole for air intake.

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 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 aerosol vaporization device includes: a trigger signal receiving unit for receiving a trigger signal; a detection unit for detecting an operating parameter, the operating parameter including at least one measured parameter of the aerosol vaporization device; a control unit for obtaining the operating parameter fed back by the detection unit when receiving the trigger signal transmitted by the trigger signal receiving unit and outputting a pulse signal after encoding the operating parameter; and a light-emitting diode (LED) unit for modulating a display level according to the pulse signal transmitted by the control unit and output a pulse display level, the display level representing an operating state of the aerosol vaporization device, the pulse display level being provided to a test device for detection and to obtain the operating parameter according to the pulse display level.