Patents by Inventor Rory FRASER

Rory FRASER 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: 11413410
    Abstract: An aerosol provision system comprises a heating element for generating an aerosol from a source liquid and control circuitry for controlling a supply of electrical power from a power supply to the heating element. The control circuitry is configured to measure an indication of a derivative of an electrical characteristic of the heating element with respect to time. Based on the measured time derivative, the control circuitry is configured to determine whether or not a fault condition has arisen for the electronic aerosol provision system. The overall change in the electrical characteristic for the heating element caused by the localized heating may be small and so difficult to reliably identify, but the rate at which the change occurs can be expected to be relatively high, such that the time derivative of the local characteristic is a more reliable indicator of occurrence of the fault condition.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 7, 2015
    Date of Patent: August 16, 2022
    Assignee: NICOVENTURES TRADING LIMITED
    Inventors: Helmut Buchberger, Colin Dickens, Rory Fraser
  • Publication number: 20220211114
    Abstract: An electronic aerosol provision system, comprising an air pathway between an air inlet and an air outlet; and a vaporiser for generating vapour into the air pathway; wherein the air pathway between the air inlet and the vaporiser is configured to support laminar airflow.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 14, 2020
    Publication date: July 7, 2022
    Inventors: Rory FRASER, Oriol STROPHAIR, Hanting QIN
  • Publication number: 20220176047
    Abstract: A component of an electronic vapor provision device with a reservoir for storing source liquid, an atomizer for vaporizing source liquid from the reservoir and delivering vapor into an air flow path through the device, and an electrical power supply for providing electrical power to the atomizer comprises an absorbent element to collect source liquid escaped from the reservoir and located so as to be upstream of the atomizer with respect to an air flow direction along the air flow path when the component is assembled into the electronic vapor provision device.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 23, 2022
    Publication date: June 9, 2022
    Inventors: Rory FRASER, Howard ROTHWELL, Marina TRANI, Carolyn GARNETT
  • Publication number: 20220176048
    Abstract: A component of an electronic vapor provision device with a reservoir for storing source liquid, an atomizer for vaporizing source liquid from the reservoir and delivering vapor into an air flow path through the device, and an electrical power supply for providing electrical power to the atomizer comprises an absorbent element to collect source liquid escaped from the reservoir and located so as to be upstream of the atomizer with respect to an air flow direction along the air flow path when the component is assembled into the electronic vapor provision device.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 23, 2022
    Publication date: June 9, 2022
    Inventors: Rory FRASER, Howard ROTHWELL, Marina TRANI, Carolyn GARNETT
  • Patent number: 11298479
    Abstract: An aerosol delivery device including a mouthpiece end; an aerosol generation chamber in fluid communication with the mouthpiece end via a primary air channel, wherein the aerosol generation chamber comprises an aerosol source for generating an aerosol from a source material for inhalation by a user through the mouthpiece end during use; and a sensor for detecting when a user inhales on the mouthpiece end, wherein the sensor is in fluid communication with the mouthpiece end via a secondary air channel, and wherein the sensor is located further from the mouthpiece end than the aerosol source, and the secondary air channel bypasses the aerosol generation chamber.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 19, 2017
    Date of Patent: April 12, 2022
    Assignee: Nicoventures Trading Limited
    Inventors: Rory Fraser, Siddhartha Jain
  • Patent number: 11291783
    Abstract: A component of an electronic vapor provision device with a reservoir for storing source liquid, an atomizer for vaporizing source liquid from the reservoir and delivering vapor into an air flow path through the device, and an electrical power supply for providing electrical power to the atomizer comprises an absorbent element to collect source liquid escaped from the reservoir and located so as to be upstream of the atomizer with respect to an air flow direction along the air flow path when the component is assembled into the electronic vapor provision device.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 9, 2017
    Date of Patent: April 5, 2022
    Assignee: NICOVENTURES TRADING LIMITED
    Inventors: Rory Fraser, Howard Rothwell, Marina Trani, Carolyn Garnett
  • Publication number: 20220088326
    Abstract: A component of an electronic vapor provision device with a reservoir for storing source liquid, an atomizer for vaporizing source liquid from the reservoir and delivering vapor into an air flow path through the device, and an electrical power supply for providing electrical power to the atomizer comprises an absorbent element to collect source liquid escaped from the reservoir and located so as to be upstream of the atomizer with respect to an air flow direction along the air flow path when the component is assembled into the electronic vapor provision device.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 6, 2021
    Publication date: March 24, 2022
    Inventors: Rory FRASER, Howard ROTHWELL, Marina TRANI, Carolyn GARNETT
  • Publication number: 20220079230
    Abstract: An electronic vapor provision system includes a control unit and a cartridge configured to engage with and disengage from one another substantially along a longitudinal axis. The cartridge includes a reservoir of liquid to be vaporized, and the control unit includes a battery and a tube portion disposed along said longitudinal axis. The system further includes an induction heating assembly comprising a drive coil and a heater element. The heater element is located in the cartridge for vaporizing the liquid. The cartridge is configured to feed liquid from the reservoir onto the heater element for vaporization. The drive coil is located in the tube portion of the control unit and disposed about the longitudinal axis. The cartridge is located at least partly within the tube portion when engaged with the control unit, such that the heater element is within the drive coil.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 24, 2021
    Publication date: March 17, 2022
    Inventors: Rory FRASER, Colin DICKENS, Siddhartha JAIN
  • Patent number: 11185110
    Abstract: An electronic vapor provision system includes a control unit and a cartridge configured to engage with and disengage from one another substantially along a longitudinal axis. The cartridge includes a reservoir of liquid to be vaporized, and the control unit includes a battery and a tube portion disposed along said longitudinal axis. The system further includes an induction heating assembly comprising a drive coil and a heater element. The heater element is located in the cartridge for vaporizing the liquid. The cartridge is configured to feed liquid from the reservoir onto the heater element for vaporization. The drive coil is located in the tube portion of the control unit and disposed about the longitudinal axis. The cartridge is located at least partly within the tube portion when engaged with the control unit, such that the heater element is within the drive coil.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 15, 2016
    Date of Patent: November 30, 2021
    Assignee: Nicoventures Trading Limited
    Inventors: Rory Fraser, Colin Dickens, Siddhartha Jain
  • Publication number: 20210315278
    Abstract: An inductive heating assembly for generating an aerosol from an aerosol precursor material in an aerosol provision system, the inductive heating assembly including: a susceptor; and a drive coil arranged to induce current flow in the susceptor to heat the susceptor and vaporize aerosol precursor material in proximity with a surface of the susceptor, and wherein the susceptor includes regions of different susceptibility to induced current flow from the drive coil, such that when in use the surface of the susceptor in the regions of different susceptibility are heated to different temperatures by the current flow induced by the drive coil.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 26, 2021
    Publication date: October 14, 2021
    Inventors: Rory FRASER, Colin DICKENS, Siddhartha JAIN
  • Publication number: 20210244101
    Abstract: An aerosol provision system for generating an aerosol from a source liquid, the aerosol provision system including: a reservoir of source liquid; a planar vaporizer comprising a planar heating element, wherein the vaporizer is configured to draw source liquid from the reservoir to the vicinity of a vaporizing surface of the vaporizer through capillary action; and an induction heater coil operable to induce current flow in the heating element to inductively heat the heating element and so vaporize a portion of the source liquid in the vicinity of the vaporizing surface of the vaporizer. In some example the vaporizer further comprises a porous wadding/wicking material, e.g. an electrically non-conducting fibrous material at least partially surrounding the planar heating element (susceptor) and in contact with source liquid from the reservoir to provide, or at least contribute to, the function of drawing source liquid from the reservoir to the vicinity of the vaporizing surface of the vaporizer.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 29, 2020
    Publication date: August 12, 2021
    Inventors: Rory FRASER, Colin DICKENS, Siddhartha JAIN
  • Patent number: 11071327
    Abstract: A device for controlling electrical power supply in response to air pressure measurement includes an airflow path, a chamber having an aperture, a liquid flow restrictor configured to inhibit ingress of liquid into the chamber via the aperture, a pressure sensor located in the chamber and operable to detect, in the presence of the liquid flow restrictor, air pressure changes caused by air flow in the airflow path, and a circuit for converting air pressure changes detected by the pressure sensor to control signals for controlling output of power from a battery.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 11, 2017
    Date of Patent: July 27, 2021
    Assignee: Nicoventures Trading Limited
    Inventors: Siddhartha Jain, Wade Tipton, Rupert Barton, William Harris, Rory Fraser
  • Patent number: 11033055
    Abstract: An inductive heating assembly for generating an aerosol from an aerosol precursor material in an aerosol provision system, the inductive heating assembly including: a susceptor; and a drive coil arranged to induce current flow in the susceptor to heat the susceptor and vaporize aerosol precursor material in proximity with a surface of the susceptor, and wherein the susceptor includes regions of different susceptibility to induced current flow from the drive coil, such that when in use the surface of the susceptor in the regions of different susceptibility are heated to different temperatures by the current flow induced by the drive coil.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 10, 2016
    Date of Patent: June 15, 2021
    Assignee: NICOVENTURES TRADING LIMITED
    Inventors: Rory Fraser, Colin Dickens, Siddhartha Jain
  • Publication number: 20210162150
    Abstract: An aerosol delivery device including: control circuitry for controlling an operating mode of the device; a motion sensor arranged to detect motion of the device and to output corresponding motion detection signals to the control circuitry; and an airflow sensor arranged to detect a flow of air in the device and to output corresponding airflow detection signals to the control circuitry; wherein the control circuitry is configured to determine from the motion detection signals when there is a tapping event corresponding to the device being tapped by a user and to determine from the airflow detection signals when there is an airflow event corresponding a flow of air in the device, and wherein the control circuitry is configured to control the device to switch from a first operating mode to a second operating mode in response to the detection of a predefined sequence of events comprising at least one tapping event and at least one airflow event.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 16, 2021
    Publication date: June 3, 2021
    Inventors: Colin DICKENS, Rory FRASER
  • Patent number: 10945463
    Abstract: Aerosol delivery devices disclosed herein seek to help address or reduce some of the issues associated with accidental/unintended activation of an aerosol delivery device. This is done in some example implementations by control circuitry controlling when an aerosol delivery device switches between different modes based on signaling received from a motion sensor and an airflow sensor. The control circuitry can determine from motion detection signals when there is a tapping event corresponding to the device being tapped by a user and to determine from airflow detection signals when there is an airflow event corresponding a flow of air in the device.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 10, 2016
    Date of Patent: March 16, 2021
    Assignee: NICOVENTURES HOLDINGS LIMITED
    Inventors: Colin Dickens, Rory Fraser
  • Publication number: 20210052005
    Abstract: An aerosol forming component for volatilizing a liquid in an aerosol delivery device is disclosed. The aerosol forming component includes a first aerosol-forming member configured to be heated up to a first operating temperature and thereafter to a second higher operating temperature, and a second aerosol-forming member configured to be heated up to at least the first operating temperature as the first aerosol-forming member reaches the second higher operating temperature so that liquid volatilized from the two aerosol-forming members mix with one another.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 3, 2020
    Publication date: February 25, 2021
    Applicant: BATMARK LIMITED
    Inventors: Helmut BUCHBERGER, Colin John DICKENS, Rory FRASER
  • Patent number: 10881141
    Abstract: An aerosol provision system for generating an aerosol from a source liquid, the aerosol provision system including: a reservoir of source liquid; a planar vaporizer comprising a planar heating element, wherein the vaporizer is configured to draw source liquid from the reservoir to the vicinity of a vaporizing surface of the vaporizer through capillary action; and an induction heater coil operable to induce current flow in the heating element to inductively heat the heating element and so vaporize a portion of the source liquid in the vicinity of the vaporizing surface of the vaporizer. In some example the vaporizer further comprises a porous wadding/wicking material, e.g. an electrically non-conducting fibrous material at least partially surrounding the planar heating element (susceptor) and in contact with source liquid from the reservoir to provide, or at least contribute to, the function of drawing source liquid from the reservoir to the vicinity of the vaporizing surface of the vaporizer.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 10, 2016
    Date of Patent: January 5, 2021
    Assignee: Nicoventures Holdings Limited
    Inventors: Rory Fraser, Colin Dickens, Siddhartha Jain
  • Patent number: 10765147
    Abstract: An aerosol forming component for volatilizing a liquid in an aerosol delivery device is disclosed. The aerosol forming component includes a first aerosol-forming member configured to be heated up to a first operating temperature and thereafter to a second higher operating temperature, and a second aerosol-forming member configured to be heated up to at least the first operating temperature as the first aerosol-forming member reaches the second higher operating temperature so that liquid volatilized from the two aerosol-forming members mix with one another.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 27, 2015
    Date of Patent: September 8, 2020
    Assignee: BATMARK LIMITED
    Inventors: Helmut Buchberger, Colin John Dickens, Rory Fraser
  • Publication number: 20200029618
    Abstract: Embodiments of an electronic vapor provision system having a longitudinal axis are disclosed. The electronic vapor provision system includes a control unit and at least one cartridge configured to engage with and disengage from the control unit substantially along the longitudinal axis. The at least one cartridge includes a reservoir of liquid to be vaporized. The electronic vapor provision system further includes an induction heating assembly including at least one drive coil and a plurality of heater elements. The heaters elements are located in the at least one cartridge for vaporizing the liquid. The at least one cartridge is configured to feed liquid from the reservoir onto the heater elements for vaporization. The at least one cartridge is located, when engaged with the control unit, such that the heater elements are within the at least one drive coil. The electronic vapor provision system is configured to support selective energization of different heater elements from the plurality of heater elements.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 15, 2016
    Publication date: January 30, 2020
    Inventors: Rory FRASER, Colin DICKENS, Siddhartha JAIN
  • Publication number: 20200000151
    Abstract: An assembly for a vapor provision device comprises includes a vapor generator for vaporizing source liquid, a liquid conduit for delivering source liquid from a reservoir to the vapor generator, and a liquid capture element in liquid transfer contact with at least a portion of the liquid conduit between the vapor generator and a part of the liquid conduit that receives liquid from the reservoir, and including an absorbent structure providing a lower capillary force than a capillary force of the liquid conduit.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 27, 2018
    Publication date: January 2, 2020
    Inventors: Rory FRASER, Howard ROTHWELL, Jeremy WRIGHT