Patents by Inventor MEDWICK VAUGHAN BYRD, JR.

MEDWICK VAUGHAN BYRD, JR. 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).

  • 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
  • Patent number: 9950858
    Abstract: A paper material is provided herein, wherein the paper material includes a fibrous material including at least 5 dry weight percent of fibers derived from a plant of the Nicotiana species; wherein the paper material has a basis weight ranging from about 5 g/m2 to about 450 g/m2; and wherein the paper material has a caliper ranging from about 0.01 mils to about 200 mils. The paper material can be suitable for use in a smoking article in the form of at least one of a tipping material, a plug wrap and a wrapping material. The paper material can be suitable for use in at least one of a soft carton container suitable to house smoking articles, a label, a paper substrate of a barrier layer, a hard carton suitable to house smoking articles and a container suitable to house smokeless tobacco products.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 16, 2015
    Date of Patent: April 24, 2018
    Assignees: R.J. Reynolds Tobacco Company, North Carolina State University
    Inventors: Medwick Vaughan Byrd, Jr., David Neil McClanahan, Samuel Mark Debusk
  • Publication number: 20160227834
    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: Application
    Filed: April 15, 2016
    Publication date: August 11, 2016
    Inventors: Medwick Vaughan Byrd, JR., Paul Stuart Chapman, Samuel Mark Debusk, Grady Lance Dooly, Anthony Richard Gerardi, David Neil McClanahan
  • Publication number: 20160208440
    Abstract: A paper material is provided herein, wherein the paper material includes a fibrous material including at least 5 dry weight percent of fibers derived from a plant of the Nicotiana species; wherein the paper material has a basis weight ranging from about 5 g/m2 to about 450 g/m2; and wherein the paper material has a caliper ranging from about 0.01 mils to about 200 mils. The paper material can be suitable for use in a smoking article in the form of at least one of a tipping material, a plug wrap and a wrapping material. The paper material can be suitable for use in at least one of a soft carton container suitable to house smoking articles, a label, a paper substrate of a barrier layer, a hard carton suitable to house smoking articles and a container suitable to house smokeless tobacco products.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 16, 2015
    Publication date: July 21, 2016
    Inventors: Medwick Vaughan Byrd, JR., David Neil McClanahan, Samuel Mark Debusk
  • Patent number: 9339058
    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 19, 2012
    Date of Patent: May 17, 2016
    Assignee: R. J. Reynolds Tobacco Company
    Inventors: Medwick Vaughan Byrd, Jr., Paul Stuart Chapman, Samuel Mark Debusk, Grady Lance Dooly, Anthony Richard Gerardi, David Neil McClanahan
  • Publication number: 20130276801
    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: Application
    Filed: April 19, 2012
    Publication date: October 24, 2013
    Inventors: Medwick Vaughan Byrd, JR., Paul Stuart Chapman, Samuel Mark Debusk, Grady Lance Dooly, Anthony Richard Gerardi, Daivd Neil McClanahan
  • Publication number: 20120211016
    Abstract: A tobacco bioplastic composition for use in, on or around a smoking article or a smokeless tobacco composition is provided, the tobacco bioplastic composition being derived from the Nicotiana species. The tobacco bioplastic composition can be derived from Nicotiana species biomass or from reconstituted tobacco. In certain embodiments, the tobacco bioplastic composition is derived by one or more chemical transformation steps, the one or more chemical transformation steps including acid chlorite treatment and optionally including alkali treatment. The invention also provides articles and compositions including smoking articles and smokeless tobacco compositions that include a tobacco bioplastic composition, and methods for preparing a tobacco bioplastic composition from Nicotiana species biomass or from reconstituted tobacco.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 18, 2011
    Publication date: August 23, 2012
    Inventors: MEDWICK VAUGHAN BYRD, JR., Carlton Wesley Johnson