Patents by Inventor Jay A Fournier

Jay A Fournier has filed for patents to protect the following inventions. This listing includes patent applications that are pending as well as patents that have already been granted by the United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO).

  • Publication number: 20090065161
    Abstract: Processes for producing the monohydrate form of magnesium ammonium phosphate in slurry from use of environmentally friendly reactants are described. Slurry containing the monohydrate form of magnesium ammonium phosphate can be fed directly to, and mixed with, paper making feedstock, such as feedstock for cigarette paper, without transformation of the monohydrate form to the hexahydrate form of magnesium ammonium phosphate.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 10, 2008
    Publication date: March 12, 2009
    Inventors: Jay A. Fournier, Joshua Powell, John F. Cunningham, Warren D. Winterson, Ulrike Becker
  • Patent number: 7448392
    Abstract: Smoking articles and filters, which involve the use of carbon-coated molecular sieve sorbents are provided. The carbon-coated molecular sieve sorbent has a carbon coating within pores of a mesoporous molecular sieve. The carbon-coated molecular sieve sorbent provides selective adsorption of one or more constituents from mainstream smoke, such as acrolein or 1,3-butadiene. Thus, certain constituents from cigarette smoke will be selectively removed, while maintaining other constituents, such as those that contribute to flavor. Methods for making cigarette filters and smoking articles using the carbon-coated molecular sieve sorbent, as well as methods for smoking a cigarette comprising the carbon-coated molecular sieve sorbent, are also provided.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 22, 2003
    Date of Patent: November 11, 2008
    Assignee: Philip Morris USA Inc.
    Inventors: Jay A Fournier, Zhaohua Luan
  • Patent number: 7370657
    Abstract: An activated carbon-containing sorbent is capable of selectively removing one or more selected gaseous components from a gas. The activated carbon-containing sorbent can be incorporated in a smoking article to remove one or more selected components from mainstream smoke. The activated carbon-containing sorbent can be a composite including one or more molecular sieve materials. Methods of making the activated carbon-containing sorbent, cigarette filters and smoking articles including the activated carbon-containing sorbent, as well as methods for smoking a cigarette comprising the activated carbon-containing sorbent, are provided.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 2, 2003
    Date of Patent: May 13, 2008
    Assignee: Philip Morris USA Inc.
    Inventors: Shuzhong Zhuang, Jay A Fournier, John B. Paine, III, Lixin Xue
  • Publication number: 20080053469
    Abstract: A smoking article such as a cigarette comprises a tobacco rod and a filter component having a cavity filled with spherical beaded carbon. As mainstream tobacco smoke is drawn through the filter component, targeted gas phase smoke constituents are removed as the smoke passes through the carbon. During the filter manufacturing process the spherical beaded carbon flows like a liquid and substantially completely fills the cavity. Point-to-point contact between the spherical beads together with substantially complete filling of the cavity produces minimal channeling of ambulatory gas phase as well as maximum contact between the gas phase and the carbon surface of the spherical beads during smoking.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 31, 2007
    Publication date: March 6, 2008
    Applicant: Philip Morris USA Inc.
    Inventors: John Paine, Zuyin Yang, Kent Koller, Jay Fournier, Charles Thomas, Timothy Sherwood, Zhaohua Luan, Shuzhong Zhuang, Jose Nepomuceno, Diane Gee, Georgios Karles
  • Publication number: 20080029106
    Abstract: Delivery of additives in a smoking article is provided through thermally degradable, robust immobilized additive inserts. Additives can be immobilized in an elongated device or an insert, wherein the elongated device or the insert is sufficiently robust to allow the elongated device or the insert to be manually or machine inserted into a smoking article while maintaining the structure of the elongated device or the insert. By providing additives in the form of thermally degradable immobilized additive inserts, migration and/or loss of the additives in a smoking article prior to smoking can be reduced.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 14, 2007
    Publication date: February 7, 2008
    Applicant: Philip Morris USA Inc.
    Inventors: Munmaya Mishra, Jay Fournier, Marc Krauss, Douglas Fernandez, Peter Lipowicz
  • Publication number: 20080017206
    Abstract: Cigarettes are provided which contain a filtering system and flavorants encapsulated with polyvinyl acetate, wherein deactivation of a sorbent by the flavorant is reduced through the encapsulation of the flavorant within the polyvinyl acetate. A preferred flavorant is menthol. The encapsulated flavorants are prepared by mixing at least one flavorant with polyvinyl acetate and a solvent, such as ethanol, and forming the encapsulated flavorants. Methods of making cigarettes and smoking the articles are also provided.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 26, 2006
    Publication date: January 24, 2008
    Applicant: Philip Morris USA Inc.
    Inventors: Ulrike Becker, Tony Howell, Lixin Xue, Georgios Karles, Jay Fournier
  • Publication number: 20070295347
    Abstract: The surfaces of porous sorbent materials are chemically modified to specifically target the adsorption of select gas phase constituents. More specifically, a functionalized cobalt (II) phthalocyanine-modified porous substrate capable of nitric oxide adsorption from a gas stream is provided. A soluble cobalt (II) phthalocyanine compound can be incorporated in a porous substrate by grafting soluble cobalt (II) phthalocyanine molecules onto a functionalized substrate. In an exemplary case, a cigarette filter element comprises the substrate, which can be an imidazole-functionalized silica gel or an activated carbon of high surface area and permeability, and the gas stream is the mainstream smoke of a cigarette.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 16, 2007
    Publication date: December 27, 2007
    Applicant: Philip Morris USA Inc.
    Inventors: John Paine, Jay Fournier, William DeSisto, Robert Cashon, David Cassidy
  • Publication number: 20070267033
    Abstract: Electrically heated cigarettes used in an electrical smoking system include a flavoring-release additive and sorbent effective to remove one or more gas-phase constituents of mainstream tobacco smoke. The flavoring-release additive includes gamma cyclodextrin and at least one flavoring. Flavoring is released in a cigarette upon the flavoring-release additive reaching at least a minimum temperature during smoking. The flavoring-release additive can have various forms including, for example, powder and films.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 6, 2007
    Publication date: November 22, 2007
    Applicant: Philip Morris USA Inc.
    Inventors: Munmaya Mishra, Susan Wrenn, Jay Fournier
  • Publication number: 20070163611
    Abstract: Cut filler compositions, smoking articles such as cigarettes, methods for making cigarettes and methods for treating cigarette smoke are provided, which involve the use of metal-containing nanowires. The metal-containing nanowires are capable of removing at least one constituent from tobacco smoke, preferably in a selective manner. The metal-containing nanowires may comprise any suitable metal, metal oxide or mixtures thereof. For example, the metal-containing nanowires comprise at least one transition or lanthanide metal or metal oxide thereof. Exemplary metals or metal oxides thereof include, but are not limited to, iron, copper, zinc, titanium, vanadium, palladium, cobalt, molybdenum and manganese.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 13, 2006
    Publication date: July 19, 2007
    Applicant: Philip Morris USA Inc.
    Inventors: Zhaohua Luan, Jay Fournier
  • Patent number: 7216652
    Abstract: The invention relates to a tobacco smoking article wrapper which selectively reduces the content of gaseous components in the smoke delivered during the use of the smoking article. The gaseous components can be low molecular weight aldehydes in the smoke produced during combustion/pyrolysis of the smoking article. The wrapper can comprise cigarette paper having an ammonium-containing compound filler therein for reducing the aldehyde content in the smoke. The ammonium-containing compound filler evolves ammonia upon combustion/pyrolysis of the smoking article which can chemically react with aldehydes in tobacco smoke and/or modify the combustion/pyrolysis reactions thereby reducing the initial formation of aldehydes to selectively reduce such aldehydes from the smoke inhaled by a smoker. The ammonium-containing compound can be magnesium ammonium phosphate used alone or in combination with one or more other fillers such as calcium carbonate.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 21, 2000
    Date of Patent: May 15, 2007
    Assignee: Philip Morris USA Inc.
    Inventors: Jay A. Fournier, John B. Paine, III
  • Patent number: 7165553
    Abstract: A smoking article composition and a method of making a smoking article composition comprising tobacco cut filler, cigarette paper and/or cigarette filter material further comprising a catalyst capable of converting carbon monoxide to carbon dioxide, wherein the catalyst comprises nanoscale catalyst particles dispersed within a porous aluminosilicate matrix. The catalyst can be formed by combining nanoscale catalyst particles or a metal precursor solution thereof with an alumina-silica sol mixture to form a slurry, gelling the slurry to form the co-gel, heating the co-gel to form a catalyst comprising nanoscale catalyst particles dispersed within a porous aluminosilicate matrix. The catalyst can be incorporated in tobacco cut filler, cigarette paper and/or cigarette filter material by spraying, dusting and/or immersion.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 13, 2003
    Date of Patent: January 23, 2007
    Assignee: Philip Morris USA Inc.
    Inventors: Zhaohua Luan, Jay A Fournier, Sarojini Deevi, Ila Skinner, Kent B. Koller, Diane L. Gee
  • Publication number: 20060260626
    Abstract: A composite for use in smoking articles such as cigarettes is described comprising a zeolite membrane coated upon an activated carbon-containing substrate. The substrate may be a fiber, fabric, particle, granule or monolith. The composite is prepared by contacting zeolite precursors with the substrate and hydrothermally synthesizing the membrane upon the substrate. The substrate may be pretreated to provide activation sites for adhesion and growth of the membrane. By selection of the zeolite components, the composite may be tailored to selectively remove constituents of tobacco smoke while simultaneously controlling access to the substrate thereby prolonging the shelf life of the activated carbons.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 20, 2005
    Publication date: November 23, 2006
    Inventors: Zhaohua Luan, Jay Fournier, Shuzhong Zhuang, Timothy Sherwood, John Paine
  • Publication number: 20060180164
    Abstract: A smoking article such as a cigarette comprises a tobacco rod and a filter component having a cavity filled with spherical beaded carbon. As mainstream tobacco smoke is drawn through the filter component, targeted gas phase smoke constituents are removed as the smoke passes through the carbon. During the filter manufacturing process the spherical beaded carbon flows like a liquid and substantially completely fills the cavity. Point-to-point contact between the spherical beads together with substantially complete filling of the cavity produces minimal channeling of ambulatory gas phase as well as maximum contact between the gas phase and the carbon surface of the spherical beads during smoking.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 11, 2006
    Publication date: August 17, 2006
    Applicant: Philip Morris USA Inc.
    Inventors: John Paine, Zuyin Yang, Kent Koller, Jay Fournier, Charles Thomas, Timothy Sherwood, Zhaohua Luan, Shuzhong Zhuang, Jose Nepomuceno, Diane Gee, Georgios Karles
  • Publication number: 20060174901
    Abstract: Improved delivery of additive materials to cigarettes is provided through the use of one or more capsules containing additive materials, such as flavor components, in the filter section of a cigarette. The sealed capsule or capsules are subjected to an external force, such as squeezing, by a smoker prior to or during smoking of the cigarette in order to release at least a portion of the additive material from the one or more capsules and expose the additive material to mainstream smoke passing through the filter. The sealed capsules provide a barrier between the additive materials and other cigarettes components, such as sorbents or filter materials, in order to reduce additive material migration into the other cigarette components prior to desired use.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 4, 2005
    Publication date: August 10, 2006
    Inventors: Georgios Karles, Martin Garthaffner, Richard Jupe, Diane Kellogg, Ila Skinner, Jose Nepomuceno, John Layman, Constance Morgan, Jay Fournier
  • Publication number: 20060174899
    Abstract: Smoking articles, filters, and methods for selectively removing selected components from tobacco smoke are disclosed. The smoking articles and filters include composites composed of a porous alumina and/or aluminosilicate matrix containing particles of activated carbon and zeolite molecular sieve adsorbents distributed throughout the matrix which can selectively remove selected components of tobacco smoke. The composites may be made by admixing the adsorbent mixture and a binder such as aluminum hydroxide or montmorillonite clay, adding an aqueous mineral acid to gel the mixture and drying and firing the gel paste. The proportions and adsorption capacities of the components can be selected to tailor the adsorption characteristics of the composites to selectively remove targeted constituents such as acrolein and 1,3-butadiene in tobacco smoke. Methods for making filters and smoking articles using the composites, as well as methods for smoking products comprising the composites, are also provided.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 22, 2003
    Publication date: August 10, 2006
    Inventors: Zhaohua Luan, Diane Gee, Jose Nepomuceno, Shuzhong Zhuang, Jay Fournier
  • Publication number: 20060144412
    Abstract: Improved delivery of additives is provided through encapsulation. The encapsulated additives can be formed by encapsulating additives using co-ionic cross-linking, in-situ overcoating, and/or step-growth overcoating. By encapsulating additives, additives can be made heat and moisture stable and migration and/or loss of the additives within a cigarette, such as an activated carbon containing cigarette, can be reduced.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 30, 2004
    Publication date: July 6, 2006
    Inventors: Munmaya Mishra, Jay Fournier, Kathy Paine
  • Publication number: 20060144410
    Abstract: A surface-modified activated carbon is provided to reduce the amount of free fine carbon particles among the activated carbon. By surface-modifying the activated carbon with a layer, the activated carbon can have increased mechanical strength and the fine carbon particles among the activated carbon can be fastened to the layer. Therefore, the layer allows for the level of free fine carbon particles among the activated carbon to be reduced. Surface-modified activated carbon can be used in smoking articles so as to allow for adsorption by the activated carbon with reduced free fine carbon particles in the smoking article and the smoke produced.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 30, 2004
    Publication date: July 6, 2006
    Inventors: Zhaohua Luan, Jay Fournier, Peter Lipowicz, Mohammad Hajaligol, Shuzhong Zhuang, John Paine
  • Publication number: 20060130861
    Abstract: Flavor carriers, smoking articles, method of making flavor carriers, methods of making smoking articles, methods of flavoring gas streams such as mainstream tobacco smoke and methods of smoking are provided. The flavor carriers and smoking articles comprise a mesoporous molecular sieve and a flavor releasably disposed within the sieve.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 22, 2004
    Publication date: June 22, 2006
    Inventors: Zhaohua Luan, Diane Gee, Jay Fournier, Kent Koller, Jose Nepomuceno
  • Publication number: 20060130855
    Abstract: Mercaptopropyl functionalized molecular sieves such as mesoporous SBA-15 silica molecular sieves can be prepared via incipient-wetness impregnation of (3-mercaptopropyl)triethoxysilane of up to a loading of about 15 mole %. The functionalized materials are more hydrophobic than parent material, and can be used as adsorbents to reduce the concentration of heavy metal (mercury and/or cadmium-containing) constituents in mainstream smoke. For example, SBA-15 silica comprising a 1% molar loading of mercaptopropyl groups has an adsorption capacity for mercury that is approximately seven to eight times that of un-functionalized parent SBA-15 silica.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 16, 2005
    Publication date: June 22, 2006
    Inventors: Zhaohua Luan, Jay Fournier
  • Publication number: 20060090768
    Abstract: A tobacco smoking mixture and/or a cigarette wrapper with high-temperature ammonia-release agents therein are provided, wherein the high-temperature ammonia-release agents are present in an amount effective to reduce the cytotoxicity of gas phase or particulate matter formed during smoking of the cigarette. The high-temperature ammonia-release agents are capable of reducing the cyotoxicity of gas phase or particulate matter by evolving ammonia at temperatures greater than about 200° C., wherein the ammonia can interact with the particulate matter. Additionally, the high-temperature ammonia-release agents can be formed by heating an aqueous mixture of an iron precursor compound, an ammonia source compound and an acid.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 21, 2005
    Publication date: May 4, 2006
    Inventors: Jay Fournier, John Paine, Douglas Fernandez