Methods and apparatus for vaporizing liquid into the surrounding environment, including directing liquid from a liquid source through an inverse-opal wicking structure to a vaporization port where the vaporization port is formed by a through-hole in a structure connecting a first side of the structure to a second side, with all dimensions ranging from 10 um to 300 um, that is in fluid communication with the liquid source and the surrounding environment so that fluid is transported through the vaporization port between the first and the second side. The methods and apparatus includes plurality of heating elements that may be individually and/or selectively addressable by at least three electrode leads.

An electric heater includes a substrate, an outer pattern part disposed on one surface of the substrate, an inner pattern part disposed on the one surface of the substrate so as to be located such that the outer pattern part surrounds the inner pattern part, and to be spaced apart from the outer pattern part. A pair of first electrodes is connected to the outer pattern part and a pair of second electrodes is connected to the inner pattern part and spaced apart from the pair of first electrodes, and the pair of second electrodes are located inside the outer pattern part.

An electric heater includes a substrate, an outer pattern part disposed on one surface of the substrate, an inner pattern part disposed on the one surface of the substrate so as to be located such that the outer pattern part surrounds the inner pattern part, and to be spaced apart from the outer pattern part. A pair of first electrodes is connected to the outer pattern part and a pair of second electrodes is connected to the inner pattern part and spaced apart from the pair of first electrodes, and the pair of second electrodes are located inside the outer pattern part.

Provided is a smoking member supporting device which is placed in an arrangement region with or without a smoking member mounted thereon, the smoking member supporting device including a base unit including an arrangement surface corresponding to the arrangement region; an accommodating unit formed adjacent to the base unit and configured to accommodate at least one region of the smoking member; a hook unit formed at an edge of the accommodating unit to define the accommodating unit and to maintain a state that the smoking member is accommodated in the accommodating unit and mounted; and a connecting unit formed to face the smoking member when the smoking member is accommodated in the accommodating unit and to supply electrical energy to the smoking member.

Provided is a smoking member supporting device which is placed in an arrangement region with or without a smoking member mounted thereon, the smoking member supporting device including a base unit including an arrangement surface corresponding to the arrangement region; an accommodating unit formed adjacent to the base unit and configured to accommodate at least one region of the smoking member; a hook unit formed at an edge of the accommodating unit to define the accommodating unit and to maintain a state that the smoking member is accommodated in the accommodating unit and mounted; and a connecting unit formed to face the smoking member when the smoking member is accommodated in the accommodating unit and to supply electrical energy to the smoking member.

A heater system includes a current source configured to generate an input current and to receive a return current. The system also includes a heater configured to generate heat in response to the input current. The system further includes a plurality of current lead wires interconnecting the current source and the heater and being configured to provide the input current to the heater and to conduct the return current from the heater. Each of the plurality of current lead wires is arranged on a separate substrate layer such that each of the plurality of current lead wires are each spaced apart from each other. At least one of the input current and the return current is divided to be conducted on two or more of the plurality of current lead wires.

A heater system includes a current source configured to generate an input current and to receive a return current. The system also includes a heater configured to generate heat in response to the input current. The system further includes a plurality of current lead wires interconnecting the current source and the heater and being configured to provide the input current to the heater and to conduct the return current from the heater. Each of the plurality of current lead wires is arranged on a separate substrate layer such that each of the plurality of current lead wires are each spaced apart from each other. At least one of the input current and the return current is divided to be conducted on two or more of the plurality of current lead wires.

Described herein are methods for forming resistive heaters and force sensing elements on a flexible substrate, and devices that include these elements to provide a force responsive conductive heater, such as a seat heater in a vehicle. The methods include printing a conductive ink on a flexible substrate that is heated to 30° C. to 90° C. before and/or during the printing process and curing the substrate to produce a conductive pattern thereon. The conductive inks generally include a particle-free metal-complex composition formulated from at least one metal complex and a solvent, and optionally, a conductive filler material.

Described herein are methods for forming resistive heaters and force sensing elements on a flexible substrate, and devices that include these elements to provide a force responsive conductive heater, such as a seat heater in a vehicle. The methods include printing a conductive ink on a flexible substrate that is heated to 30° C. to 90° C. before and/or during the printing process and curing the substrate to produce a conductive pattern thereon. The conductive inks generally include a particle-free metal-complex composition formulated from at least one metal complex and a solvent, and optionally, a conductive filler material.

A system includes a laminated glass comprising a protective layer disposed between two sheets of glass. The system includes a resistive conductive coating made of a first electrically conducting material disposed on a surface of one of the two sheets of glass facing the protective layer. The system includes a first set of electrodes made of a second electrically conducting material disposed on the resistive conductive coating. The system includes a second set of electrodes made of a third electrically conducting material disposed on the first set of electrodes. The second set of electrodes is electrically connected to the first set of electrodes, respectively. The third electrically conducting material of the second set of electrodes is more ductile than the second electrically conducting material of the first set of electrodes.