Patents Assigned to R. J. Reynolds Tobacco Company
  • Patent number: 10463074
    Abstract: A product including a package is provided. One or more tobacco-containing articles may be received in the package. A power producer may be configured to produce an electrical current. An output mechanism may be configured to receive the electrical current from the power producer and output a perceptible effect. The perceptible effect may, for example, increase a consumer's interest in the product. A related method is also provided.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 6, 2018
    Date of Patent: November 5, 2019
    Assignee: R.J. Reynolds Tobacco Company
    Inventors: Andries Don Sebastian, Percy D. Phillips, Pankaj Patel, Stephanie Whittington, Bruce Alan Bengtsson, Wesley Steven Jones, Ercilia Hernandez Garcia
  • Publication number: 20190322443
    Abstract: Provided herein is a cigarette pack formed of a moisture barrier coated paper material. The paper material includes a base substrate, a first polymer coating, a second polymer coating, and a third polymer coating. The first polymer coating, the second polymer coating, and the third polymer coating provide a barrier for moisture and air exchange through the paper material. The first polymer coating, the second polymer coating, and the third polymer coating also provide heat and pressure sealability capabilities to the paper material.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 3, 2019
    Publication date: October 24, 2019
    Applicant: R.J. REYNOLDS TOBACCO COMPANY
    Inventors: Andries D. SEBASTIAN, Craig T. DEMAREST, Percy D. PHILLIPS, Michael F. DAVIS, Pankaj C. PATEL
  • Patent number: 10417942
    Abstract: A promotional product including an emitter is provided. One or more tobacco-containing articles may be received in the package. The promotional product may include an actuator for facilitating delivery of power from a power source to the emitter to provide a visual, audio, and/or haptic effect to the promotional product. The emitter specifically can be a visual emitter, such as an electroluminescent emitter. A related method is also provided.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 7, 2017
    Date of Patent: September 17, 2019
    Assignee: R.J. Reynolds Tobacco Company
    Inventors: Andries Don Sebastian, Rajesh Sur, Friedrich Karl Eibensteiner
  • Publication number: 20190276834
    Abstract: Methods and compositions are provided for expressing an endolysin in a bacterium or in a tobacco plant or plant part. Expression of the endolysin can reduce the total bacterial load on the plant and in tobacco products produced from the plant. Accordingly, the level of tobacco specific nitrosamines (TSNA) in a cured tobacco product can be decreased when the tobacco leaves used in the product were harvested from a plant expressing endolysin or when bacteria modified to express endolysin is used to treat the tobacco. Thus, bacteria and tobacco plants and plant parts are provided that express an endolysin. Further provided are methods for decreasing the microbial load on a tobacco plant and in a tobacco product by applying a solution of bacteria modified to express an endolysin or by modifying a tobacco plant to express endolysins. Smokeless tobacco products including such modified tobacco plant parts are also provided.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 6, 2019
    Publication date: September 12, 2019
    Applicant: R.J. Reynolds Tobacco Company
    Inventors: Jerry Wayne MARSHALL, Anthony Richard GERARDI
  • Patent number: 10384862
    Abstract: Provided herein is a cigarette pack formed of a moisture barrier coated paper material. The paper material includes a base substrate, a first polymer coating, a second polymer coating, and a third polymer coating. The first polymer coating, the second polymer coating, and the third polymer coating provide a barrier for moisture and air exchange through the paper material. The first polymer coating, the second polymer coating, and the third polymer coating also provide heat and pressure sealability capabilities to the paper material.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 24, 2015
    Date of Patent: August 20, 2019
    Assignee: R.J. REYNOLDS TOBACCO COMPANY
    Inventors: Andries D. Sebastian, Craig T. Demarest, Percy D. Phillips, Michael F. Davis, Pankaj C. Patel
  • Patent number: 10383359
    Abstract: Apparatuses are provided for manufacturing a rod member for a cigarette filter element. Each rod member defines a longitudinal axis and includes a generally longitudinally-extending filter material and a plurality of objects disposed therein along the longitudinal axis. Such an apparatus comprises a rod-forming unit configured to form a continuous supply of a filter material into a continuous cylindrical rod member. An object insertion unit is configured to introduce a plurality of objects into engagement with the rod member. A rod-dividing unit is configured to divide the rod member into a plurality of rod portions such that each rod portion includes a plurality of the objects. Associated methods are also provided.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 2, 2015
    Date of Patent: August 20, 2019
    Assignee: R.J. Reynolds Tobacco Company
    Inventors: Cynthia Stewart Stokes, John Larkin Nelson, Vernon Brent Barnes, Michael Francis Dube
  • Patent number: 10375984
    Abstract: A smokeless tobacco product for insertion into the mouth of a user is provided herein. The smokeless tobacco product can be prepared by impregnating a tobacco-containing nonwoven fabric with a second tobacco material, e.g., using at least one alternating electric field. The obtained impregnated tobacco-containing fabric is subsequently bonded to form a composite, which can be further modified in order to obtain desired properties such as moisture content and flavor profile.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 18, 2016
    Date of Patent: August 13, 2019
    Assignee: R.J. Reynolds Tobacco Company
    Inventors: Ercilia Hernandez Garcia, Andries Sebastian, Randolph Taylor
  • Patent number: 10366641
    Abstract: Product display systems are provided. The product display system may include a product display assembly. The product display system may also include a retail product positioned in proximity to the product display assembly. The product display system may further include a power source configured to output electrical current. At least one of the product display assembly and the retail product may include a shape-memory alloy. The shape-memory alloy may be configured to change from a first shape to a second shape in response to heat produced from electrical current provided by the power source.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 21, 2016
    Date of Patent: July 30, 2019
    Assignee: R.J. Reynolds Tobacco Company
    Inventors: Andries Don Sebastian, Michael F. Davis
  • Patent number: 10357054
    Abstract: A smokeless tobacco pastille configured for insertion into the mouth of a user is provided. The smokeless tobacco pastille can include (i) a tobacco material present in an amount of less than about 40 dry weight percent, based on the total dry weight of the pastille; (ii) at least one natural gum binder present in an amount of at least about 25 dry weight percent; and (iii) a plurality of sugar alcohols present in a total amount of at least about 40 dry weight percent, the predominant component of the plurality of sugar alcohols being isomalt or erythritol, wherein the shape of the smokeless tobacco pastille is moldable in the oral cavity.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 16, 2013
    Date of Patent: July 23, 2019
    Assignee: R.J. Reynolds Tobacco Company
    Inventors: Jerry Wayne Marshall, Daniel Verdin Cantrell, Serban C. Moldoveanu
  • Patent number: 10342251
    Abstract: A smokeless tobacco product is configured for insertion into the mouth of a user and incorporates materials from Nicotiana species (e.g., tobacco-derived materials) and plant materials from non-Nicotiana species (e.g., non-tobacco plant materials). The tobacco material can have the form of processed tobacco material (e.g., granulated, reconstituted, heat treated, or otherwise processed tobacco laminae and/or stem), tobacco extract (e.g., an extract of water soluble tobacco components obtained by extracting tobacco with water), or a combination thereof. The non-tobacco material can have the form of vegetable pulp (e.g., sugar beet pulp), pulp obtained after removal of water soluble components as a result of water extraction treatment, or a combination thereof.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 17, 2015
    Date of Patent: July 9, 2019
    Assignee: R.J. Reynolds Tobacco Company
    Inventors: Dwayne William Beeson, Jack Gray Flinchum, Jr., Huamin Gan
  • Patent number: 10342743
    Abstract: A container is provided that includes a top cover, a bottom cover, a body portion configured to engage the top cover and the bottom cover to substantially enclose an internal space defined by the body portion, wherein the body portion includes an intermediate wall that divides the internal space into a first compartment and a second compartment, and a spittoon disposed within the second compartment.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 18, 2018
    Date of Patent: July 9, 2019
    Assignee: R.J. Reynolds Tobacco Company
    Inventors: Matthew E. Lampe, Pankaj C. Patel, Michael F. Davis, Yan Pu, Karen W. Wallace, Nicholas H. Watson, Samantha S. White, Karter R. Yutzy
  • Patent number: 10334874
    Abstract: Methods for producing dissolving grade pulp and microcrystalline cellulose from tobacco are provided. The methods include chemical pulping a tobacco input to form a tobacco pulp. Chemical pulping the tobacco input includes combining the tobacco input with a strong base defining a weight from about 5% to about 50% of the tobacco input, and heating the tobacco input and the strong base with an H-factor from about 500 to about 3,300. Further, the methods include bleaching the tobacco pulp to produce a dissolving grade pulp. Bleaching the tobacco pulp may include chlorination of the tobacco pulp with a chlorine dioxide solution, and caustic extraction of the tobacco pulp with a second strong base. A related tobacco-derived microcrystalline cellulose product is also provided, which can be used as a binder, a filler, and/or a texturizer in a tobacco product, such as a smokeless tobacco product.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 15, 2016
    Date of Patent: July 2, 2019
    Assignees: R. J. Reynolds Tobacco Company, North Carolina State University
    Inventors: Medwick Vaughan Byrd, Jr., Paul Stuart Chapman, Samuel Mark Debusk, Grady Lance Dooly, Anthony Richard Gerardi, David Neil McClanahan
  • Publication number: 20190191760
    Abstract: An aerosol-generation system for a smoking article comprises an aerosol-generating segment and a heat generation segment. The heat generation segment has a length and includes a heat source. The aerosol-generation system for a smoking article also comprises an insulator disposed between the aerosol-generating segment and the heat source of the heat generation segment. Each segment is physically separate and in a heat exchange relationship. The heat source comprises a carbonaceous material.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 4, 2019
    Publication date: June 27, 2019
    Applicant: R.J. Reynolds Tobacco Company
    Inventors: Chandra Kumar Banerjee, Stephen Benson Sears, Joanne Naomi Taylor
  • Patent number: 10329068
    Abstract: A container configured to store a tobacco-related material is provided herein. The container may include a top cover and a body portion. The body portion is configured to operably engage the top cover to substantially enclose an internal space defined by the top cover. The internal space is configured to retain a substrate material therein. The container includes a sensory precursor delivery device configured to retain a sensory precursor composition and provide the sensory precursor composition, on demand, to the internal space.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 23, 2016
    Date of Patent: June 25, 2019
    Assignee: R.J. Reynolds Tobacco Company
    Inventor: Matthew William Benford
  • Patent number: 10321709
    Abstract: Filter rods for use in the manufacture of cigarette filter elements are provided, with each rod having a longitudinal axis and incorporating a generally longitudinally extending filter material and a generally longitudinally extending strand within that filter material. A filter making unit receives a continuous supply of a filter material, and forms the filter material into a gathered composite having a continuous cylindrical shape. A continuous supply of a strand (e.g., colored thread) is provided and is introduced into the filter material gathered composite in the tongue of the filter making unit. The filter material and continuous strand positioned therein are formed into a continuous rod having the strand material laterally positioned within that rod, and the continuous rod is subdivided at pre-determined longitudinal intervals to provide a plurality of rod portions.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 13, 2018
    Date of Patent: June 18, 2019
    Assignee: R.J. Reynolds Tobacco Company
    Inventors: John Larkin Nelson, Vernon Brent Barnes, Louis John Read, Jr., Brent Walker Carter
  • Patent number: 10321708
    Abstract: Methods of modifying the tobacco-specific nitrosamine content of a tobacco material are described herein. One exemplary method comprises contacting a tobacco material with a composition comprising salt, sugar, enzyme, lactic acid bacteria, yeast, or a combination thereof to reduce the total bacterial content; curing the tobacco material; and fermenting the tobacco material in the presence of one or more microorganisms. The method can provide a fermented tobacco material having a tobacco-specific nitrosamine content that is reduced relative to a fermented tobacco material that has not been subjected to the disclosed method steps. In certain embodiments, the tobacco-specific nitrosamine content of the fermented tobacco material is no more than that of the cured tobacco material. Tobacco-containing products including such treated tobacco materials are also provided.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 22, 2018
    Date of Patent: June 18, 2019
    Assignee: R.J. Reynolds Tobacco Company
    Inventors: Jerry Wayne Marshall, Anthony Richard Gerardi, Luis Monsalud, Jr., Alton Busbee, Jo Ann Hill Hart, Annett Milling
  • Patent number: 10314334
    Abstract: A smoking article is provided and has opposed lighting and mouth ends. A mouth end portion is disposed at the mouth end and a heat generation portion is disposed about the lighting end. An outer wrapping material is wrapped at least about the heat generation portion and extends toward the mouth end portion, to define a cylindrical rod. An aerosol-generating portion is disposed within the outer wrapping material and between the heat generation and mouth end portions. The aerosol-generating portion is configured to generate an aerosol in response to heat received from the heat generation portion. Heat from the heat generation portion for aerosol formation is provided by igniting a combustible fuel element (e.g., a plurality of parts or pieces of clean burning carbonaceous material) located within an enclosed heat generation cartridge.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 10, 2015
    Date of Patent: June 11, 2019
    Assignee: R.J. Reynolds Tobacco Company
    Inventor: Balager Ademe
  • Patent number: 10314330
    Abstract: A smoking article is provided, having opposed lighting and mouth ends, and including a mouth end portion at the mouth end. A tobacco portion is between the lighting end and the mouth end portion. An aerosol-generation system is between the lighting end and the tobacco portion. The aerosol-generation system includes a heat generation portion, comprising an elongate fluted member actuated by ignition of the lighting end. The fluted member defines grooves extending longitudinally between opposed first and second ends, with the first end being at the lighting end and the grooves being equidistantly spaced apart about the fluted member. Each groove has a maximum depth. The depth maxima of the grooves define a circle having a radius. The maximum depth of each groove is no more than the radius of the circle. A heat generation apparatus for an aerosol-generation system of a smoking article is also provided.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 3, 2017
    Date of Patent: June 11, 2019
    Assignee: R.J. Reynolds Tobacco Company
    Inventors: Billy Tyrone Conner, Timothy Franklin Tilley
  • Patent number: D862230
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 19, 2017
    Date of Patent: October 8, 2019
    Assignee: R.J. Reynolds Tobacco Company
    Inventors: Mark Shane Hatcher, Wesley Steven Jones, Laya Katina Palmer Horton, Jared Aller, Joseph Dominique, Adam Richardson, Christopher George Palmer, Jeremiah Robert Etchison
  • Patent number: D862231
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 19, 2017
    Date of Patent: October 8, 2019
    Assignee: R.J. Reynolds Tobacco Company
    Inventors: Mark Shane Hatcher, Wesley Steven Jones, Laya Katina Palmer Horton, Jared Aller, Joseph Dominique, Adam Richardson, Christopher George Palmer, Jeremiah Robert Etchison