Patents Assigned to RAI Strategic Holdings, Inc.
  • Patent number: 11607759
    Abstract: The present disclosure relates to systems, apparatuses, and methods for assembling cartridges for aerosol delivery devices. The cartridges may be assembled by coupling a base of the cartridge to a carriage that is transported via a track. The track transports the carriages between various substations at which one or more parts are added to the base. The carriage may be lifted from the track by a lifter mechanism at each substation in order to perform assembly operations on the base. An inspection system may inspect the cartridges at various stages of completion at or between the various substations.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 15, 2021
    Date of Patent: March 21, 2023
    Assignee: RAI Strategic Holdings, Inc.
    Inventors: Quentin Paul Guenther, Jr., Johnny Keith Cagigas, William Robert Collett, Lawrence P. Balash, Scott Lee Brady, Ronnie Dean Dover, John Scott Gerow, Don Edward Green, John Matthew Odel, Christopher M. Spencer, Vernon L. Steiner, David James Thierauf, Louis Wade Wacker, Byron Joseph Williams
  • Patent number: 11606971
    Abstract: An aerosol delivery device includes a cartridge of aerosol precursor composition, and a control body coupled or coupleable to the cartridge. The control body includes a control component to control delivery of components of the aerosol precursor composition in response to detection of airflow through at least a portion of the cartridge or control body, and includes a camera system with a digital camera to capture video imagery of a scene in a field of view thereof. The camera system or the control component is configured to perform video content analytics on the video imagery to detect a temporal or spatial event in the scene, and transfer at least one of the video imagery or information indicative of the temporal or spatial event externally to a computing device configured to store or display the video imagery or information, or perform at least one control operation based on the information.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 27, 2022
    Date of Patent: March 21, 2023
    Assignee: RAI Strategic Holdings, Inc.
    Inventor: Rajesh Sur
  • Patent number: 11602175
    Abstract: The present invention provides a conductive substrate useful for Joule heating, such as in an electronic smoking article. Particularly, the invention provides a resistive heating element formed of a conductive substrate. The conductive substrate comprises an electrically conductive material and a carbonaceous additive, such as a binder material. The conductive substrate is carbonized in that it is subjected to calcining conditions to effectively reduce the carbonaceous additive to its carbon skeleton. It has been found that such carbonized substrate has surprisingly improved resistance properties in relation a substrate of the same formulation that is not carbonized. The carbonized substrate can include an aerosol precursor material. The formed resistive heating element can be included in an electronic smoking article to simultaneously provide resistive heating and aerosol formation with a single, unitary component.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 4, 2020
    Date of Patent: March 14, 2023
    Assignee: RAI Strategic Holdings, Inc.
    Inventors: David William Griffith, Jr., Yi-Ping Chang, Calvin W. Henderson, Ricky Lee Montgomery, Walter Charles Liebscher, II, Chandra Kumar Banerjee, Paul E. Braxton, Stephen Benson Sears, Kenneth Allen Beard, Timothy Brian Nestor, Balager Ademe, Frederic Philippe Ampolini, Dennis Lee Potter
  • Patent number: 11603223
    Abstract: A machine for dispensing an aerosol precursor composition for use with aerosol delivery devices. The machine may include a plurality of sources of dispensable, liquid aerosol precursor components. The plurality of sources may differ in the liquid aerosol precursor components being dispensable therefrom. The machine may include a user interface configured to allow a user to select an amount of the liquid aerosol precursor components for dispensing. The machine may also include a dispenser for dispensing the aerosol precursor components in response to the selection made on the user interface.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 11, 2020
    Date of Patent: March 14, 2023
    Assignee: RAI Strategic Holdings, Inc.
    Inventors: Frederic Philippe Ampolini, James Demopoulos
  • Patent number: 11602164
    Abstract: The present disclosure relates to a flavor delivery article, a mouthpiece, a cartridge, and/or an aerosol delivery device that includes such flavor delivery article. The flavor delivery article includes a hollow elongate unit formed of a substantially continuous wall extending between a first end and a second end and defining an interior storage volume, the substantially continuous wall being formed of a porous material having a graded porosity across a thickness of the substantially continuous wall. The flavor delivery article further includes a flavor liquid contained with the interior storage volume of the hollow elongate unit. The flavor delivery article may be positioned anywhere within an aerosol delivery device (or a mouthpiece or a cartridge of an aerosol delivery device) wherein the flavor liquid may pass through the substantially continuous wall to be entrained in an air stream and/or vapor stream and/or aerosol stream passing through the aerosol delivery device.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 14, 2019
    Date of Patent: March 14, 2023
    Assignee: RAI Strategic Holdings, Inc.
    Inventor: Vahid Hejazi
  • Patent number: 11596749
    Abstract: The present disclosure relates to an aerosol delivery device filling system. The system includes multiple source containers each respectively including a differing aerosol precursor composition. The system further includes a mixing container configured to engage the source containers to receive and mix the aerosol precursor compositions to form a mixed aerosol precursor composition. An aerosol delivery device may engage the mixing container to receive at least a portion of the mixed aerosol precursor composition. A related method for customizing an aerosol precursor composition is also provided.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 28, 2022
    Date of Patent: March 7, 2023
    Assignee: RAI Strategic Holdings, Inc.
    Inventors: Andries Sebastian, Percy Phillips, James Rogers, Michael Davis
  • Patent number: 11592793
    Abstract: An aerosol delivery device is provided. The aerosol delivery device includes a power source, an aerosol production component, a sensor to produce measurements of atmospheric air pressure in an air flow path through at least one housing, and a switch coupled to and between the power source and the aerosol production component. The aerosol delivery device also includes processing circuitry that determines a difference between the measurements of atmospheric air pressure and a reference atmospheric air pressure. Only when the difference is at least a threshold difference, the processing circuitry outputs a signal to cause the switch to switchably connect and disconnect an output voltage from the power source to the aerosol production component to adjust power provided to the aerosol production component to a power target that is variable according to a predetermined relationship between the difference and the power target.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 30, 2019
    Date of Patent: February 28, 2023
    Assignee: RAI Strategic Holdings, Inc.
    Inventors: Charles Jacob Novak, III, Sean A. Daugherty, Michael Ryan Galloway, Jason L. Wood, Matthew Ferguson, Austin Carpenter, Wilson Christopher Lamb, Raymond Charles Henry, Jr.
  • Patent number: 11589621
    Abstract: An aerosol delivery device is provided that includes at least one housing structured to retain an aerosol precursor composition. The device includes an atomizer, and a microprocessor configured to operate in an active mode in which the control body is configured to control the atomizer to activate and produce an aerosol from the aerosol precursor composition. And the device includes a heart rate monitor including a plurality of biopotential electrodes affixed to the housing and configured to obtain biopotential measurements from a user, and including signal conditioning circuitry configured to produce an electrocardiogram signal from the biopotential measurements. The microprocessor is coupled to the signal conditioning circuitry and further configured to control operation of at least one functional element of the aerosol delivery device based on the electrocardiogram signal or a heart rate of the user calculated therefrom.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 30, 2019
    Date of Patent: February 28, 2023
    Assignee: RAI Strategic Holdings, Inc.
    Inventors: Rajesh Sur, Sawyer A. Hubbard, Kyung Soo Hong, Stephen B. Sears
  • Patent number: 11583003
    Abstract: The present disclosure relates to aerosol delivery devices. In various implementations, the aerosol delivery devices comprise a control device that includes a battery, a control component, and an outer housing that defines receiving chamber, and a cartridge that includes a mouthpiece portion, a tank that contains a liquid composition, and a heater configured to heat the liquid composition. The cartridge and the control device each include at least one connector configured to provide a magnetic and an electrical connection between the cartridge and the control device such that the cartridge can be removably and operatively received into the cartridge receiving chamber of the control body, wherein the at least one connector of the cartridge is located on the mouthpiece portion.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 11, 2022
    Date of Patent: February 21, 2023
    Assignee: RAI Strategic Holdings, Inc.
    Inventors: Charles Jacob Novak, III, Matthew Joel Nettenstrom, Steven Michael Schennum, Thomas Michael McKeon, Zachary Hy Burchman
  • Patent number: 11588287
    Abstract: The present disclosure provides an aerosol delivery device and a cartridge for an aerosol delivery device. In various implementations, the aerosol delivery device comprises a control device that includes an outer housing defining a cartridge receiving chamber, and further includes a power source and a control component, and a cartridge that includes a mouthpiece, a tank, a heating assembly, and a bottom cap. The mouthpiece defines an exit portal in an end thereof, and the tank is configured to contain a liquid composition therein. The cartridge is configured to be removably coupled with the receiving chamber of the control device, and the heating assembly defines a vaporization chamber and is configured to heat the liquid composition to generate an aerosol. An inlet airflow is defined by a gap between the cartridge and the control device that originates at an interface between an outer peripheral surface the mouthpiece and control device.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 10, 2019
    Date of Patent: February 21, 2023
    Assignee: RAI Strategic Holdings, Inc.
    Inventors: Charles Jacob Novak, III, Sean A. Daugherty, Jared Aller, Michael Ryan Galloway, Justin Holt, Matthew Joel Nettenstrom, Steven Michael Schennum
  • Patent number: 11589421
    Abstract: An aerosol delivery device having a detachable power source is provided. A control body may be coupleable with a cartridge to form an aerosol delivery device. The cartridge may contain an aerosol precursor composition and be equipped with a heating element configured to activate and vaporize components of the aerosol precursor composition. The control body may comprise a housing and a power source detachably coupled to an outer surface of the housing. A control component may be contained within the housing and configured to operate in an active mode in which the control body is coupled with the cartridge. The control component in the active mode may be configured to direct power from the power source to the heating element to activate and vaporize components of the aerosol precursor composition.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 25, 2021
    Date of Patent: February 21, 2023
    Assignee: RAI Strategic Holdings, Inc.
    Inventors: Michael F. Davis, Percy D. Phillips, James W. Rogers, Lisa E. Brown, James Demopoulos
  • Patent number: 11588350
    Abstract: An aerosol delivery device includes a receptacle configured to receive a substrate configured to carry an aerosol precursor composition, and a resonant transformer including a transmitter coupling device and a resonant receiver coupling device that is positioned in proximity to the substrate when received in the receptacle. The aerosol delivery device also includes a pulse width modulation (PWM) inverter configured to drive the resonant transformer. The PWM inverter includes a bridge circuit coupled to the transmitter coupling device, and a PWM controller embodied as an integrated circuit and configured to output a PWM signal to the bridge circuit configured to drive the transmitter coupling device to generate an oscillating magnetic field and induce an alternating voltage in the resonant receiver coupling device when exposed to the oscillating magnetic field.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 5, 2019
    Date of Patent: February 21, 2023
    Assignee: RAI STRATEGIC HOLDINGS, INC.
    Inventors: Rajesh Sur, James W. Rogers, Stephen B. Sears, Eric T. Hunt
  • Patent number: 11589425
    Abstract: The present disclosure provides an aerosol delivery device and a cartridge for an aerosol delivery device. In various implementations, the cartridge may comprise a housing defining a liquid reservoir, an atomizer configured to produce an aerosol, the atomizer comprising a first liquid transport element, a second liquid transport element, and a microvalve located between the liquid reservoir and the second liquid transport element. The microvalve may comprise a base member including at least one channel, and an actuating member at least a portion of which comprises a shape-memory material, and which is configured to move between a first position and a second position, wherein in the first position, the actuating member substantially blocks fluid flow from the liquid reservoir through the channel, and in the second position, the actuating member allows fluid flow from the liquid reservoir through the channel and to the second liquid transport element.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 24, 2019
    Date of Patent: February 21, 2023
    Assignee: RAI STRATEGIC HOLDINGS, INC.
    Inventors: Vahid Hejazi, Stephen B. Sears, Eric T. Hunt, Karen V. Taluskie
  • Patent number: 11547816
    Abstract: An aerosol delivery device is provided that includes power-source terminals to connect a power source to the aerosol delivery device, and a heating element to vaporize components of the aerosol precursor composition. The device includes a micro pump to deliver aerosol precursor composition from the reservoir to the heating element, and a driver circuit to drive the micro pump. The driver circuit includes a boost converter to step up voltage from the power source to the micro pump to thereby power the micro pump. And the device includes a control component with processing circuitry to control the driver circuit to switchably drive the micro pump to deliver the aerosol precursor composition to the heating element. The processing circuitry is also to switchably connect the power source to the heating element independent of the boost converter and thereby power the heating element to vaporize components of the aerosol precursor composition.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 28, 2018
    Date of Patent: January 10, 2023
    Assignee: RAI Strategic Holdings, Inc.
    Inventor: Rajesh Sur
  • Patent number: 11553562
    Abstract: An aerosol delivery device is provided that comprises a control body and an aerosol source member. The aerosol delivery device includes a resonant transformer comprising a resonant transmitter and a resonant receiver. The aerosol source member includes an inhalable substance medium at least a portion of which is positioned proximate the resonant transmitter. The resonant transmitter is configured to generate an oscillating magnetic field and induce an alternating voltage in the resonant receiver when exposed to the oscillating magnetic field, such that the alternating voltage causes the resonant receiver to generate heat and thereby vaporize components of the inhalable substance medium to produce an aerosol. In some implementations, the resonant receiver comprises part of the control body. In other implementations, the resonant receiver comprises part of the aerosol source member.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 19, 2022
    Date of Patent: January 10, 2023
    Assignee: RAI Strategic Holdings, Inc.
    Inventors: Andries Sebastian, Rajesh Sur, Stephen Benson Sears, Kathryn Lynn Wilberding, Timothy Frederick Thomas, Curtis Foster Doe, Billy Tyrone Conner, Balager Ademe, Thaddeus Jude Jackson
  • Publication number: 20230000153
    Abstract: A connector in an electronic nicotine delivery systems (“ENDS”) device, including aerosol delivery devices such as smoking articles that produce aerosol, may include multiple concentric pins, which each have multiple contact points for providing a more reliable connection and for preventing disruptions that may be caused from improper contacts. The connection may be between a cartridge and a battery portion of the aerosol delivery device or with a product use and behavior (“PUB”) instrument that can be attached to an aerosol delivery device.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 30, 2021
    Publication date: January 5, 2023
    Applicant: RAI Strategic Holdings, Inc.
    Inventors: Robert Underly, Jeffrey S. Smith, Bradley Brown
  • Publication number: 20220401669
    Abstract: The present disclosure relates to aerosol delivery devices. The aerosol delivery devices include mechanisms configured to deliver an aerosol precursor composition from a reservoir to an atomizer including a vaporization heating element to produce a vapor. For example, a bubble jet head may be configured to dispense the aerosol precursor composition to the atomizer. The bubble jet head may be fixedly coupled to the atomizer. The bubble jet head may include a precursor inlet, an ejection heating element, and a precursor nozzle. The atomizer may include a vaporization heating element.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 25, 2022
    Publication date: December 22, 2022
    Applicant: RAI Strategic Holdings, Inc.
    Inventors: David Allan Brammer, David Jackson, Nigel Flynn, Eric T. Hunt, Stephen Benson Sears, Dennis Lee Potter
  • Patent number: 11517688
    Abstract: The present disclosure relates to a flavor delivery article, a cartridge, and/or an aerosol delivery device that includes such flavor delivery article or a component thereof. The flavor delivery article includes a flavor substrate that can be formed of a porous material optionally having a graded porosity across at least a portion thereof. The flavor substrate further includes a flavor material retained thereby. The flavor substrate may be positioned within an outer shell of the flavor delivery article, and the flavor delivery article may be positioned anywhere within an aerosol delivery device (or a mouthpiece or a cartridge of an aerosol delivery device) wherein the flavor substrate retaining the flavor material may be contacted by a gaseous stream, such as a vapor stream and/or aerosol stream formed in the aerosol delivery device so that the flavor material may become entrained in the vapor stream and/or aerosol stream.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 10, 2019
    Date of Patent: December 6, 2022
    Assignee: RAI Strategic Holdings, Inc.
    Inventors: Vahid Hejazi, Rebecca H. Reynolds
  • Patent number: 11517053
    Abstract: An aerosol delivery device is provided. The aerosol delivery device comprises a control component and a digital pressure sensor. The digital pressure sensor is configured to measure a pressure imposed thereon, and generate a corresponding signal that indicates the pressure so measured. The control component or the digital pressure sensor is further configured to control at least one functional element of the aerosol delivery device based on the pressure indicated by the corresponding signal, or a condition of the aerosol delivery device or a user thereof determined from the corresponding signal. Control of the at least one functional element includes output of the pressure or the condition for presentation by a display.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 20, 2019
    Date of Patent: December 6, 2022
    Assignee: RAI Strategic Holdings, Inc.
    Inventors: Rajesh Sur, Eric T. Hunt, Stephen B. Sears
  • Patent number: 11504489
    Abstract: A contained liquid system for use with a refillable aerosol delivery device is provided. The contained liquid system includes an aerosol delivery device having an adapter therein for receiving aerosol precursor composition within a reservoir of the aerosol delivery device, and a container of aerosol precursor composition having a corresponding adapter therein for transferring aerosol precursor composition from the container. The adapter and the corresponding adapter are removably, sealably connectable for refilling the aerosol delivery device with aerosol precursor composition. The adapter engages a valve of the corresponding adapter and includes a body defining separate and distinct filling airflow ports. The filling port transfers aerosol precursor composition from the container into the aerosol delivery device. The airflow port enables a flow of air through at least the portion of the aerosol delivery device when the adapter and valve are disengaged.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 17, 2015
    Date of Patent: November 22, 2022
    Assignee: RAI STRATEGIC HOLDINGS, INC.
    Inventors: John Brice O'Brien, Frederic Philippe Ampolini, James William Rogers