Patents by Inventor Stephen Benson Sears
Stephen Benson Sears 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).
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Publication number: 20230248056Abstract: A vapor-enhancing apparatus is provided for an electronic vapor smoking article. Such an apparatus includes a filter material and a tubular housing defining a lumen. The lumen has a mouth-engaging end and a longitudinally-opposed component-engaging end, and is configured to receive the filter material therein. The component-engaging end is adapted to operably engage a control body portion associated with the electronic vapor smoking article and to receive a vapor therethrough. A vapor-enhancing element is operably engaged with the filter material and is configured to enhance the vapor drawn through the filter material within the lumen, and through the mouth-engaging end, by application of suction to the mouth-engaging end of the housing. An associated method is also provided.Type: ApplicationFiled: April 17, 2023Publication date: August 10, 2023Inventors: Dennis Lee Potter, Stephen Benson Sears
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Publication number: 20230232898Abstract: Smoking articles are disclosed herein. In one aspect, a smoking article includes a heat source configured to generate heat upon ignition thereof, a first substrate material having an aerosol precursor composition associated therewith and a first end being fixedly engaged with the heat source, and an aerosol delivery component having opposed first and second ends, the first end of the aerosol delivery component being engaged with the second end of the first substrate material. In some aspects, the aerosol delivery component includes a second substrate material having the aerosol precursor composition associated therewith and being disposed about the first end of the aerosol delivery component and a tobacco material disposed between the second substrate material and the mouthpiece, the aerosol precursor composition associated with the first and second substrate materials being configured to produce an aerosol in response to the heat generated by the ignited heat source.Type: ApplicationFiled: March 28, 2023Publication date: July 27, 2023Inventors: Percy D. Phillips, Michael F. Davis, Karen V. Taluskie, Stephen Benson Sears
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Patent number: 11684087Abstract: A smoking article and a method for making a smoking article are provided.Type: GrantFiled: October 12, 2020Date of Patent: June 27, 2023Assignee: RAI Strategic Holdings, Inc.Inventors: Alfred Charles Bless, Rajesh Sur, Stephen Benson Sears, Tim Williams
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Patent number: 11684731Abstract: The present disclosure relates to an aerosol delivery device that includes a reservoir housing that defines a mouthpiece channel. The aerosol delivery device includes a sealing member configured to be received within the reservoir housing to define a reservoir chamber configured to retain an aerosol precursor composition therein. The aerosol delivery device also includes a substrate member that is configured to be received within the reservoir housing and to be directly engaged with a vaporizing assembly for forming an aerosol. The reservoir housing, sealing member, substrate member, and/or vaporizing assembly can be used for forming aerosols with precise and reproducible compositions.Type: GrantFiled: September 28, 2020Date of Patent: June 27, 2023Assignee: RAI Strategic Holdings, Inc.Inventors: Eric Taylor Hunt, Timothy Brian Nestor, Paul Andrew Brinkley, Stephen Benson Sears, John DePiano, Matthew C. Ebbs, Kristen Dodds Weight, Michael F. Davis
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Patent number: 11682946Abstract: The present disclosure relates to aerosol delivery devices. The aerosol delivery devices may include an atomizer, a reservoir configured to contain an aerosol precursor composition and an electrical circuit coupled to the atomizer. The electrical circuit may include an electrical generator assembly including a moveable input member and an electrical generator configured to produce an electrical current from movement of the moveable input member. The electrical circuit may be configured to direct the electrical current to the atomizer to produce an aerosol from the aerosol precursor composition. A related aerosol production method is also provided.Type: GrantFiled: February 25, 2021Date of Patent: June 20, 2023Assignee: RAI Strategic Holdings, Inc.Inventors: Alfred C. Bless, Rajesh Sur, Stephen Benson Sears
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Patent number: 11672930Abstract: The present disclosure relates to aerosol delivery devices, methods of forming such devices, and elements of such devices. In some embodiments, the present disclosure provides atomizers and elements thereof, such as a combined wick and heater configured to improve vaporization response time, particularly on porous, monolithic wicks. The wick can have a tapered end that engages the interior of a substantially basket-shaped wire heater coil. The heater also may be in the form of a conductive mesh that is present on a portion of the wick.Type: GrantFiled: May 13, 2020Date of Patent: June 13, 2023Assignee: RAI Strategic Holdings, Inc.Inventors: Michael F. Davis, Noah Mark Minskoff, Stephen Benson Sears
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Patent number: 11641877Abstract: Smoking articles are disclosed herein. In one aspect, a smoking article includes a heat source configured to generate heat upon ignition thereof, a first substrate material having an aerosol precursor composition associated therewith and a first end being fixedly engaged with the heat source, and an aerosol delivery component having opposed first and second ends, the first end of the aerosol delivery component being engaged with the second end of the first substrate material. In some aspects, the aerosol delivery component includes a second substrate material having the aerosol precursor composition associated therewith and being disposed about the first end of the aerosol delivery component and a tobacco material disposed between the second substrate material and the mouthpiece, the aerosol precursor composition associated with the first and second substrate materials being configured to produce an aerosol in response to the heat generated by the ignited heat source.Type: GrantFiled: January 17, 2020Date of Patent: May 9, 2023Assignee: RAI Strategic Holdings, Inc.Inventors: Percy D. Phillips, Michael F. Davis, Karen V. Taluskie, Stephen Benson Sears
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Publication number: 20230099271Abstract: 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: ApplicationFiled: December 8, 2022Publication date: March 30, 2023Inventors: Andries Sebastian, Rajesh Sur, Stephen Benson Sears, Kathryn Lynn Wilberding, Timothy Frederick Thomas, Curtis Foster Doe, Billy Tyrone Conner, Balager Ademe, Thaddeus Jude Jackson
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Patent number: 11602175Abstract: 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: GrantFiled: May 4, 2020Date of Patent: March 14, 2023Assignee: 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
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Patent number: 11553562Abstract: 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: GrantFiled: January 19, 2022Date of Patent: January 10, 2023Assignee: 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
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Publication number: 20220401669Abstract: 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: ApplicationFiled: August 25, 2022Publication date: December 22, 2022Applicant: RAI Strategic Holdings, Inc.Inventors: David Allan Brammer, David Jackson, Nigel Flynn, Eric T. Hunt, Stephen Benson Sears, Dennis Lee Potter
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Publication number: 20220313928Abstract: The present disclosure relates to an aerosol delivery device that includes a reservoir housing that defines a mouthpiece channel. The aerosol delivery device includes a sealing member configured to be received within the reservoir housing to define a reservoir chamber configured to retain an aerosol precursor composition therein. The aerosol delivery device also includes a substrate member that is configured to be received within the reservoir housing and to be directly engaged with a vaporizing assembly for forming an aerosol. The reservoir housing, sealing member, substrate member, and/or vaporizing assembly can be used for forming aerosols with precise and reproducible compositions.Type: ApplicationFiled: June 17, 2022Publication date: October 6, 2022Inventors: Eric Taylor Hunt, Timothy Brian Nestor, Paul Andrew Brinkley, Stephen Benson Sears, John DePiano, Matthew C. Ebbs, Kristen Dodds Weight, Michael F. Davis
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Publication number: 20220322495Abstract: The present disclosure relates to an electronic smoking article that provides for improved aerosol delivery. Particularly, the article comprises one or more microheaters. In various embodiments, the microheaters provide for improved control of vaporization of an aerosol precursor composition and provide for reduced power requirements to achieve consistent aerosolization. The present disclosure further relates to methods of forming an aerosol in a smoking article.Type: ApplicationFiled: June 17, 2022Publication date: October 6, 2022Inventors: William Robert Collett, Stephen Benson Sears, Dennis Lee Potter, Steven Lee Alderman, Mo Kebaili
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Patent number: 11458265Abstract: Aerosol delivery devices including mechanisms configured to deliver an aerosol precursor composition from a reservoir to an atomizer including a vaporization heating element to produce a vapor are disclosed. 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: GrantFiled: December 20, 2019Date of Patent: October 4, 2022Assignee: RAI Strategic Holdings, Inc.Inventors: David Allan Brammer, David Jackson, Nigel John Flynn, Eric T. Hunt, Stephen Benson Sears, Dennis Lee Potter
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Publication number: 20220226303Abstract: The present disclosure relates to compositions that are useful in the delivery of various materials. In particular, the compositions comprise a suspension wherein an internal phase material is surrounded by an external phase material. The internal phase specifically can be a hydrophilic material, and the external phase specifically can be a hydrophobic material. The materials are combined so that the internal phase is substantially encapsulated by the external phase such that release can be controlled in relation to osmotic pressure differentials. The suspension can be combined with a carrier, and various systems and products can be formed with the suspension and optional carrier, such as oral strips, spray delivery systems, smokeless tobacco products, aerosol delivery devices, cigarettes, and packaging.Type: ApplicationFiled: April 7, 2022Publication date: July 21, 2022Inventors: James William Rogers, Michael F. Davis, Percy D. Phillips, Karen V. Taluskie, Stephen Benson Sears, Ercilia Hernandez Garcia
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Publication number: 20220183389Abstract: The present disclosure provides temperature regulating sleeves for use with smoking articles. In some embodiments, temperature regulating sleeves may include various components including an outer shell, an inner chamber at least partially defined within the outer shell and configured to receive at least a portion of a smoking article, an opening through the outer shell configured for egress of an aerosol therethrough, a power source positioned within the outer shell, at least one control component positioned within the outer shell, one or more sensors positioned in communication with the inner chamber, and one or more ventilation components positioned in communication with the inner chamber. In some embodiments, temperature regulating sleeves according to the disclosure may be capable of effecting an automatic adjustment of at least a temperature of at least a portion of a smoking article used therewith.Type: ApplicationFiled: December 11, 2020Publication date: June 16, 2022Inventors: Misti Jones Carmichael, Stephen Benson Sears
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Patent number: 11357260Abstract: The present disclosure relates to electronic smoking articles exhibiting improved moisture control of a reservoir contained therein. The reservoir can be formed of fibrous materials, such as cellulose acetate fiber, thermoplastic fiber, non-thermoplastic fiber, or a combination thereof. The disclosure further provides methods for forming electronic smoking articles and methods of packaging electronic smoking articles (including cartridges thereof) so as to improve moisture control of the reservoir.Type: GrantFiled: April 27, 2018Date of Patent: June 14, 2022Assignee: RAI Srategic Holdings, Inc.Inventors: Grady Lance Dooly, Stephen Benson Sears, Karen V. Williams, Gary M. Dull, Steven L. Worm, Wesley Steven Jones, Steven Lee Alderman, Paul A. Brinkley, Jack Gray Flinchum, Jr.
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Publication number: 20220167669Abstract: An aerosol delivery system is provided, comprising a control body portion including a first elongate tubular member having a power source disposed therein. A cartridge body portion includes a second tubular member having opposed first and second ends. One of the first and second ends is removably engaged with one end of the control body portion. The cartridge body portion further comprises a first aerosol generation arrangement disposed within the second tubular member and configured to operably engage the power source upon engagement between the control body portion and the cartridge body portion. The other of the first and second ends of the cartridge body portion is configured as a mouth-engaging end. The cartridge body portion further includes a second aerosol generation arrangement disposed within the second tubular member between the first aerosol generation arrangement and the mouth-engaging end. An associated method is also provided.Type: ApplicationFiled: December 15, 2021Publication date: June 2, 2022Inventors: Stephen Benson Sears, Karen V. Taluskie, Michael F. Davis, Balager Ademe
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Patent number: 11324249Abstract: The present disclosure provides an aerosol delivery device comprising an aerosol source member. In an example embodiment, an aerosol source member of the present disclosure may comprise a substrate portion comprising a nanocellulose material impregnated with an aerosol precursor composition, a heat source configured to heat the aerosol precursor composition from the substrate portion forming an aerosol, and an aerosol pathway extending from the substrate portion to a mouth-end of the aerosol delivery device.Type: GrantFiled: March 6, 2019Date of Patent: May 10, 2022Assignee: R.J. Reynolds Tobacco CompanyInventors: Andries Don Sebastian, John-Paul Mua, Luis Monsalud, Stephen Benson Sears, Jennifer Rowe, Cynthia Stokes
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Publication number: 20220141922Abstract: 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: ApplicationFiled: January 19, 2022Publication date: May 5, 2022Inventors: Andries Sebastian, Rajesh Sur, Stephen Benson Sears, Kathryn Lynn Wilberding, Timothy Frederick Thomas, Curtis Foster Doe, Billy Tyrone Conner, Balager Ademe, Thaddeus Jude Jackson