Patents Examined by Eric Yaary
  • Patent number: 11547149
    Abstract: An electronic cigarette and a control method thereof are provided. The electronic cigarette includes a power supply device, a control device, a tobacco heating device and an e-liquid atomizing device. The power supply device is configured to provide electric power to the control device, the tobacco heating device and the e-liquid atomizing device. The tobacco heating device and the e-liquid atomizing device have a common smoke outlet. The control device is electrically connected to each of the tobacco heating device and the e-liquid atomizing device. The control device is configured to control the tobacco in the tobacco heating device to be heated when receiving an instruction for heating the tobacco and control the e-liquid in the e-liquid atomizing device to be atomized when a condition for atomizing the e-liquid is satisfied.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 29, 2018
    Date of Patent: January 10, 2023
    Assignee: JOYETECH EUROPE HOLDING GMBH
    Inventors: Weihua Qiu, Neng Hua
  • Patent number: 11540554
    Abstract: An oral tobacco product includes a body that is wholly receivable in an oral cavity. The body includes a mouth-stable polymer matrix and tobacco fibers embedded in the mouth-stable polymer matrix. The oral tobacco product can be formed by extruding a mixture of mouth-stable polymer and tobacco fibers.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 4, 2020
    Date of Patent: January 3, 2023
    Assignee: Altria Client Services LLC
    Inventors: Feng Gao, Frank Scott Atchley, Gregory James Griscik, Christopher Joseph Dinovi, Phillip M. Hulan, Diane L. Gee, Munmaya K. Mishra, James Arthur Strickland
  • Patent number: 11540563
    Abstract: An electronic smoking article, a method of manufacturing an electronic smoking article, and a method of achieving a smoking experience without combusting tobacco are disclosed. The electronic smoking article includes an authenticated first section, which includes an aerosol generation unit having at least one heater; an authenticated second section, which includes a power supply operable to apply voltage to the at least one heater for heating a liquid in at least a portion of the aerosol generation unit to form an aerosol; and a conductive ink circuit embedded within the first and second sections, and wherein the power supply and the aerosol generation unit are electrically connected upon joining the first and second sections, and wherein each of the first and second sections has a portion of the conductive ink circuit.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 3, 2020
    Date of Patent: January 3, 2023
    Assignee: ALTRIA CLIENT SERVICES LLC
    Inventor: Eric Hawes
  • Patent number: 11541001
    Abstract: An oral product includes a body that is wholly receivable in an oral cavity. The body includes a mouth-stable polymer matrix, cellulosic fibers embedded in the mouth-stable polymer matrix, and an additive dispersed in the mouth-stable polymer matrix. The oral product is adapted to release the additive from the body when the body is received within the oral cavity and exposed to saliva.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 6, 2020
    Date of Patent: January 3, 2023
    Assignee: Altria Client Services LLC
    Inventors: Feng Gao, Frank Scott Atchley, Gregory James Griscik, Christopher Joseph Dinovi, Phillip M. Hulan, Diane L. Gee, Gerd Kobal
  • Patent number: 11528931
    Abstract: The invention relates to an apparatus (1) for the production of a rod component (100) of an aerosol generating article, said apparatus comprising: ? a first mover (4) adapted to transport a first sheet (2) along a first direction; ? a second mover (5) adapted to transport a second sheet (3) along a second direction; ? a third mover (6) adapted to transport a susceptor strip (10) along a third direction, said third mover being adapted to position said susceptor strip between the first and the second sheet during transport; and a rod forming device (20) being adapted to form a rod from the first and the second sheets and the susceptor strip and having an inlet (21) and an outlet (22), wherein said first and second sheets and said susceptor strip are introduced in said inlet and said rod is outputted from said outlet.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 28, 2017
    Date of Patent: December 20, 2022
    Assignee: Philip Morris Products S.A.
    Inventors: Daniele Sanna, Johann Schmidt
  • Patent number: 11523631
    Abstract: Methods and apparatuses for detecting the fill height of a pre-filled cone and closing the cone are disclosed. A height detector, such as a laser rangefinder, detects the height of a pre-filled cone. A gripper then grips the pre-filled cone at the height plus a predetermined offset, the offset calculated to result in an optimum packing of cone fill material. The gripper then closes the cone by rotating to form a twist, which is then trimmed to the height plus the predetermined offset. Other embodiments may be described and/or claimed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 25, 2020
    Date of Patent: December 13, 2022
    Assignee: ISLAND PACKAGING AND IMPORT, LLC
    Inventors: Irvine Alcaraz Manalang, Felix La Pietra, William Cabusao Serafica, Daniel Anthony Grachico
  • Patent number: 11523635
    Abstract: An electronic aerosol-generating smoking device includes a main body having a heating region for heating aerosol-forming substrate. The main body includes a front housing defining a cavity configured to receive an aerosol-forming substrate, and a heater in the main body and configured to heat the aerosol-forming substrate in the cavity. At least a portion of an internal surface of the main body is at least one of a hydrophobic and super-hydrophobic surface.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 28, 2020
    Date of Patent: December 13, 2022
    Assignee: ALTRIA CLIENT SERVICES LLC
    Inventors: Michel Bessant, Fabien Duc
  • Patent number: 11517566
    Abstract: An oral product includes a body that is wholly receivable in an oral cavity. The body includes a mouth-stable polymer matrix, cellulosic fibers embedded in the mouth-stable polymer matrix, and a mouth-soluble binder dispersed in the mouth-stable polymer matrix.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 29, 2020
    Date of Patent: December 6, 2022
    Assignee: Altria Client Services LLC
    Inventors: Feng Gao, Frank Scott Atchley, Gregory James Griscik, Christopher Joseph Dinovi, Phillip M. Hulan, Diane L. Gee, Jason Flora, Shuzhong Zhuang
  • Patent number: 11517684
    Abstract: A capsule for a heat-not-burn (HNB) aerosol-generating device may include a first heater, a second heater, and a frame sandwiched between the first heater and the second heater, and a cannabinoid-containing material. The frame may define open spaces therein and have a rigidity that is adequate to support the first heater and the second heater. The open spaces within the frame may be interconnected and sized for aerosol-permeability and capillary action.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 21, 2019
    Date of Patent: December 6, 2022
    Assignee: Altria Client Services LLC
    Inventors: Gregory Griscik, Raymond W. Lau, Eric Hawes
  • Patent number: 11523470
    Abstract: A non-combustible aerosol system includes a heater configured to supply heat to a heating chamber and a housing configured to be inserted into the heating chamber. The housing defines an internal volume for containing a solid substrate. The housing includes a plurality of internal structures extending from a first end of the housing to a second end of the housing, the plurality of internal structures extending through the internal volume, the plurality of internal structures being configured to heat the solid substrate to generate an aerosol by conducting the heat supplied by the heater to the internal volume.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 18, 2019
    Date of Patent: December 6, 2022
    Assignee: ALTRIA CLIENT SERVICES LLC
    Inventors: Jason Flora, Eric Hawes, San Li
  • Patent number: 11506193
    Abstract: An aerosol-generating device includes a pump. The pump includes a first pump chamber and a second pump chamber on opposing sides of a separation element. Each of the first pump chamber and the second pump chamber have an inlet valve and an outlet valve configured to establish a pumping direction. The pump also includes a first actuator and a second actuator. The first actuator is associated with the first pump chamber and the second actuator is associated with the second pump chamber. The first actuator and the second actuator are each configured to change a chamber volume of the respective pump chamber. The pump further includes a common inlet, and a common outlet. The common inlet and common outlet are in fluid communication with the first pump chamber and the second pump chamber and are configured to establish a flow direction. The pumping direction is aligned with the flow direction.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 14, 2020
    Date of Patent: November 22, 2022
    Assignee: Altria Client Services LLC
    Inventor: Ben Mazur
  • Patent number: 11503855
    Abstract: A technique which, while avoiding excessive conduction of heat to the flavor source, reduces variance of heat conduction, and which makes it possible to reduce the weight and the cost of the flavor inhaler is disclosed. A flavor inhaler which, provided with a cylindrical holding member extending along a prescribed direction from a lighting end to a non-lighting end, includes a combustion-type heat source disposed at the lighting end, a flavor source which, in the prescribed direction, is arranged towards the non-lighting end with respect to the combustion-type heat source, and a cup-shape cup member which holds the flavor source and has a side wall and a bottom plate.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 3, 2020
    Date of Patent: November 22, 2022
    Assignee: JAPAN TOBACCO INC.
    Inventors: Takeshi Akiyama, Takashi Oda
  • Patent number: 11503857
    Abstract: A smoking apparatus is provided. The smoking apparatus includes an outer casing, a grinder housed within the outer casing, configured to grind a raw material into a ground material, an oven housed within the outer casing, configured to heat the ground material, releasing smoke, and a ventilation compartment housed within the outer casing, configured to transport the smoke to an opening on the outer casing, enabling the smoke to exit the outer casing.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 18, 2019
    Date of Patent: November 22, 2022
    Inventor: David Estrella
  • Patent number: 11497254
    Abstract: A system and method for authenticating an electronic vaping delivery unit. The system comprises: a double-sided insert disposable onto a container, a device operatively configured with a data network, and a user interface operatively linked to the device. The double sided insert comprises a front side and a reverse side. The front side comprises a first identifier and the reverse side comprises a second identifier. The reverse side and the second identifier are concealed when the double sided insert is deposed against the container. The front side and the second identifier are exposed when the double-sided insert is removed from the container. The user interface is configured to allow access to a user upon a successful recognition of the first identifier. The user interface is further configured to generate an authenticating confirmation upon a successful recognition of the second identifier.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 18, 2019
    Date of Patent: November 15, 2022
    Inventor: Rasheed Ali
  • Patent number: 11497250
    Abstract: An electronic cigarette (10) includes an atomizer (26) having a coil-less heating element (4) with a heating section (6) connected to an electrical power source and two end sections in contact with a liquid supply (34). The heating element (4) is made of one or more woven fiber tubes (2) having a hollow interior such that the liquid can be transported from the liquid supply (34) to the heating section (6) through the hollow interior along the woven fiber tubes (2) or through the fiber materials via capillary action.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 6, 2020
    Date of Patent: November 15, 2022
    Assignee: Fontem Holdings 1 B.V.
    Inventors: Stefan Biel, Vaclav Borkovec
  • Patent number: 11484056
    Abstract: The object of the application is an apparatus for processing rod-like articles of the tobacco industry wherein the rod-like articles are conveyed in flutes of a conveyor along a path of movement transverse to the axis of the rod-like article with a pair (6) of circular knives (6A, 6B) adjacent to each other, whereas the axes of rotation (Z, Z?) of the circular knives are situated on two sides of the path of movement (P), characterized in that the path of movement (P) passes through an area (6C) of overlapping of the adjacent circular knives (6A, 6B), whereas in the pair (6) of the adjacent circular knives (6A, 6B) one circular knife (6A) is situated above the carrier surface (2A, 2A?) of the conveyor (2, 2?), whereas the other circular knife (6B) is situated beneath the carrier surface (2A, 2A?) of the conveyor (2, 2?). The object of the application is also a method for processing rod-like articles (1) of the tobacco industry.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 21, 2020
    Date of Patent: November 1, 2022
    Assignee: International Tobacco Machinery Poland Sp. z o. o.
    Inventors: Bartosz Cieslikowski, Leszek Sikora
  • Patent number: 11478593
    Abstract: In one embodiment, the electronic vaping device includes a cartridge and a battery section. The cartridge and the battery section are connectable so as to define an air inlet between a portion of the cartridge and a portion of the battery section.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 29, 2020
    Date of Patent: October 25, 2022
    Assignee: Altria Client Services LLC
    Inventors: Christopher S. Tucker, Geoffrey Brandon Jordan, Barry S. Smith, Ali A. Rostami, Michael J. Mullins
  • Patent number: 11470874
    Abstract: A feeding apparatus for feeding a tobacco industry segment (C) comprising a hopper (12) for rods (10C) with a length being a multiple length of the segment (C), a cutting a conveying unit (13), situated underneath the hopper (12) for the rods (10C), for cutting the rods (10C) into individual segments (C), whereas from the rod (10C), after cutting the rod (10C), a group (G) of the segments (C) is formed, a transferring unit (15) situated underneath the cutting and conveying unit (13), adapted to receive the groups (G) of the segments (C) and to form of them a stream (SF) of the segments (C), whereas the gaps (U) between the groups (G) of the segments (C) in the stream (SF) are retained, and the transferring unit (15) is adapted to reduce the gaps (U) between the groups (G) so that at the outlet (23) of the transferring unit (15) the segments (C) are conveyed without gaps.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 6, 2020
    Date of Patent: October 18, 2022
    Assignee: International Tobacco Machinery Poland Sp. z o. o.
    Inventor: Bartosz Cieslikowski
  • Patent number: 11458262
    Abstract: A capsule for a heat-not-burn (HNB) aerosol-generating device may include a first frame, a second frame, a first heater, a second heater, and/or an aerosol-forming substrate. The first frame has a first interior face and a first exterior face. In addition, the first frame defines a first opening. The first heater may be secured to the first frame so as to cover the first opening. The second frame is connected to the first frame. The second frame has a second interior face and a second exterior face. Furthermore, the second frame defines a second opening. The second heater may be secured to the second frame so as to cover the second opening. The aerosol-forming substrate may be between the first heater and the second heater.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 25, 2019
    Date of Patent: October 4, 2022
    Assignee: Altria Client Services LLC
    Inventors: Gregory Griscik, Thien Nguyen, Carl Kite, David Alvarez, Terrance Bache, Zack Blackmon, Patrick Good, Raymond Lau, Eric Hawes, Cristian Popa, James Yorkshades, Adam Parrott
  • Patent number: 11445744
    Abstract: A smokeless tobacco product described herein includes at least one tobacco bead. Tobacco beads described herein include a core and at least one tobacco-containing layer surrounding the core. Each tobacco-containing layer can include less than 10 weight percent tobacco. Tobacco bead described herein can have a diameter of at least 1 millimeters. Tobacco bead described herein can have at least 5 mg tobacco. Tobacco bead described herein can have an oven volatiles content of between 2 weight percent and 10 weight percent. Tobacco bead described herein can have an outer shell.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 28, 2020
    Date of Patent: September 20, 2022
    Assignee: Altria Client Services LLC
    Inventors: Andrew Nathan Carroll, Yan Helen Sun