Patents Assigned to ALTRIA CLIENT SERVICES LLC
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Patent number: 12685332Abstract: A exhausted-tobacco tablet that includes a solid solution of soluble fiber and one or more sugar alcohols, the solid solution having a glass transition temperature of less than 40° C., and exhausted-tobacco is dispersed in the solid solution, and one or more additives dispersed in the solid solution such that at least one additive is released from the tablet when the tablet is chewed or dissolved within an adult tobacco consumer's oral cavity.Type: GrantFiled: August 25, 2023Date of Patent: July 21, 2026Assignee: Altria Client Services LLCInventors: Feng Gao, Diane L. Gee, Shuzhong Zhuang, Phillip M. Hulan, William J. Burke
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Patent number: 12685340Abstract: The nicotine electronic vaping device includes a nicotine reservoir, a heater and processing circuitry. The processing circuitry is configured to: determine a plurality of resistance values for the heater during a time window; calculate a percent change in resistance of the heater between a first of the plurality of resistance values and a second of the plurality of resistance values; decide whether the percent change in resistance of the heater exceeds a percent change in resistance threshold; and disable power to the heater in response to deciding that the percent change in resistance of the heater exceeds the percent change in resistance threshold.Type: GrantFiled: July 15, 2020Date of Patent: July 21, 2026Assignee: Altria Client Services LLCInventors: Niall Gallagher, Terrance Theodore Bache, Rangaraj S. Sundar, Jarrett Keen, Raymond W. Lau, Eric Hawes
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Patent number: 12685336Abstract: The method includes establishing a housing defining chambers, the chambers including a first chamber and a second chamber, each of the chambers being configured to accept a consumable, and configuring a mouthpiece to be selectively connected to the housing on an end of the chambers in at least a first position or a second position, the first position aligning an inlet opening of the mouthpiece to direct at least one first airflow in a first direction through the first chamber and in a second direction through the second chamber, the second position aligning the inlet opening of the mouthpiece to direct the at least one first airflow in the first direction through the second chamber and in the second direction through the first chamber, the first direction and the second direction being substantially opposite directions.Type: GrantFiled: October 11, 2023Date of Patent: July 21, 2026Assignee: Altria Client Services LLCInventor: Tony Reevell
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Patent number: 12686512Abstract: An apparatus configured to provide portioned instances of a compressible material includes a channel assembly, a gas source, a cutting assembly, and a discharge assembly. The channel assembly holds a bulk instance of the material extending through upper and lower channels of a continuous channel. The gas source supplies gas to compress the bulk instance. The cutting assembly moves in relation to the channel assembly to isolate the upper and lower channels, severing upper and lower material portions of the bulk instance. The discharge assembly directs gas to impinge on a lower face of the cutting assembly to discharge the lower material portion as a portioned instance. The channel assembly may be moveable, where operation of the gas source, cutting assembly, and/or discharge assembly are based on moving the channel assembly between various positions. The gas supply may be controlled based on a determined property of the portioned instance.Type: GrantFiled: March 7, 2025Date of Patent: July 21, 2026Assignee: Altria Client Services LLCInventors: Dwight David Williams, James David Evans, Patrick Sean Mcelhinney, Jarrod Wayne Chalkley
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Publication number: 20260198544Abstract: A cartridge may include a housing, a liquid supply reservoir in the housing and configured to store a pre-vapor formulation, a vaporizer, and a porous plug. The vaporizer may be in liquid communication with the liquid supply reservoir. The vaporizer may be configured to generate a vapor from heating a portion of the pre-vapor formulation. The porous plug may be connected to the housing and separated from the liquid supply reservoir. The porous plug may be permeable to the vapor. The porous plug may enclose a flavoring additive contacting a storage material. The flavoring additive may be configured to at least partially elute from the storage material or at least partially volatilize from the storage material if the vapor flows through the porous plug. An e-vaping device may include the cartridge.Type: ApplicationFiled: October 10, 2025Publication date: July 16, 2026Applicant: Altria Client Services LLCInventors: Gerd KOBAL, San LI, Peter LIPOWICZ
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Patent number: 12677881Abstract: An element for an aerosol-generating system, a cartridge for an aerosol-generating system, and an aerosol-generating system, wherein the element, the cartridge and the aerosol-generating system each include a storage portion for storing an aerosol-forming substrate and a manually operated disabling mechanism for rendering the element, the cartridge, or the aerosol-generating system irreversibly inoperable. The element, the cartridge, and the aerosol-generating system may include an aerosol generator and one or more air passages. The disabling mechanism may be configured to render at least one of the storage portion, the aerosol generator, and the one or more air passages irreversibly inoperable.Type: GrantFiled: December 27, 2023Date of Patent: July 14, 2026Assignee: Altria Client Services LLCInventor: Tony Reevell
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Patent number: 12678441Abstract: The method includes forming encapsulated caffeine from a caffeine complex that includes caffeine and an organic acid in a 1:1 molar ratio, dispersing the encapsulated caffeine throughout at least a portion of a base composition, the encapsulated caffeine being included in an amount sufficient to release 50 mg to 200 mg of caffeine when consumed, and adding at least one pH adjusting agent to the base composition to maintain a pH of the base composition within a range between 2 and 5.Type: GrantFiled: May 27, 2021Date of Patent: July 14, 2026Assignee: Altria Client Services LLCInventors: Munmaya K. Mishra, Gerd Kobal
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Patent number: 12677868Abstract: A smoking article has a burn portion and a mouth portion. The burn portion includes a smoking rod filled with a smokeable filler material formed almost exclusively of cellulose material. The mouth portion includes either a filter portion with or without an interface or a tip with an interface. The mouth end may include an orthonasal property and the interface may store an additive.Type: GrantFiled: August 23, 2024Date of Patent: July 14, 2026Assignee: Altria Client Services LLCInventors: Munmaya K. Mishra, Shaoyong Yu
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Patent number: 12677876Abstract: A nicotine e-vaping device may include a nicotine pod assembly and a device body. The nicotine pod assembly has upstream and downstream ends and is configured to hold a nicotine pre-vapor formulation. The upstream end may define at least one upstream recess, and the downstream end may define at least one downstream recess. The device body defines a through hole configured to receive the nicotine pod assembly. The through hole includes an upstream sidewall and a downstream sidewall. The upstream sidewall may include at least one upstream protrusion, and the downstream sidewall may include at least one downstream protrusion. The at least one upstream protrusion and the at least one downstream protrusion may be configured to engage with the at least one upstream recess and the at least one downstream recess, respectively, so as to retain the nicotine pod assembly within the through hole of the device body.Type: GrantFiled: December 6, 2024Date of Patent: July 14, 2026Assignee: Altria Client Services LLCInventors: Dean Twite, Yannick Hourmand, Charles Dendy, Bipin Patil, Rangaraj S. Sundar, Christopher Newcomb, Niall Gallagher, Raymond W. Lau, Eric Hawes
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Publication number: 20260191277Abstract: An aerosol generating device including a heater configured to generate heat for heating an aerosol generating product; and processing circuitry configured to cause the aerosol generating device to use at least one inductive coil to monitor a magnetic permeability of a temperature sensing element, determine a temperature of the aerosol generating product based on the monitored magnetic permeability, and control the heating of the aerosol generating product based on the determined temperature.Type: ApplicationFiled: January 7, 2026Publication date: July 9, 2026Applicant: Altria Client Services LLCInventors: James YORKSHADES, Tristan HUGHES, Callum FRANKS, Katherine WEILBACHER, Rangaraj S. SUNDAR, Raymond W. LAU, Eric HAWES
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Publication number: 20260191262Abstract: A capsule for a heat-not-burn (HNB) aerosol-generating device may include a base portion, a first cover, a second cover, an aerosol-forming substrate, and a heater. The base portion includes an engagement assembly configured to couple with the first cover and the second cover. The first cover defines a first recess, and the second cover defines a second recess. When assembled, the first cover is aligned with the second cover such that the first recess and the second recess collectively form a chamber. The aerosol-forming substrate is within the chamber. The heater is configured to heat the aerosol-forming substrate to generate an aerosol. The heater includes a first end section, an intermediate section, and a second end section. The heater extends through the base portion such that the intermediate section is in the chamber, while the first end section and the second end section are external segments.Type: ApplicationFiled: March 2, 2026Publication date: July 9, 2026Applicant: Altria Client Services LLCInventor: Zack W. BLACKMON
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Publication number: 20260192952Abstract: Systems and methods for manufacturing and inserting a predetermined number of material-filled pouches into containers are disclosed. A system includes a pouch providing system comprising a plurality of lanes, wherein each one of the plurality of lanes includes a pouch making machine and a hold-back structure. The system also includes a conveyor system structured and arranged to move a plurality of containers into alignment with the plurality of lanes. The system further includes a controller structured and arranged to control the hold-back structure in each one of the plurality of lanes such that the pre-determined pouches are inserted into the plurality of containers when the plurality of containers are aligned with the plurality of lanes.Type: ApplicationFiled: January 30, 2026Publication date: July 9, 2026Applicant: Altria Client Services LLCInventors: James D. EVANS, Herbert Cary LONGEST, Tamika S. MURRELL, Robert V. POWELL JR., Jeremy STRAIGHT, Jarrod CHALKLEY
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Publication number: 20260193665Abstract: The present disclosure includes methods and compositions for improving leaf quality in low-alkaloid tobacco plants, e.g., by combining inducible promoters and non-coding RNAs for suppression of an ornithine decarboxylase (ODC) gene. Also provided are low alkaloid tobacco plants with normal, suppressed, or otherwise altered polyamine levels. Further provided are tobacco plants with altered total alkaloid, nicotine levels, commercially acceptable leaf grade, their development via breeding or transgenic approaches, and production of tobacco products from these tobacco plants.Type: ApplicationFiled: February 4, 2026Publication date: July 9, 2026Applicant: Altria Client Services LLCInventors: Marcos Fernando de Godoy Lusso, James A. Strickland, Jesse Frederick, Dongmei Xu, Chengalrayan Kudithipudi
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Patent number: 12672676Abstract: An aerosol-generating system may include a liquid storage portion, a vaporizer, and a pump. The liquid storage portion may be configured to store a liquid aerosol-forming substrate. The vaporizer may be configured to volatilize the liquid aerosol-forming substrate. The pump may be configured to pump air into the liquid storage portion so as to push out a volume of the liquid aerosol-forming substrate from the liquid storage portion and to supply the volume of the liquid aerosol-forming substrate to the vaporizer. A method for generating an aerosol may be performed with the system.Type: GrantFiled: April 29, 2024Date of Patent: July 7, 2026Assignee: Altria Client Services LLCInventors: Ben Mazur, Eva Saade Latorre, Alain Tabasso
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Patent number: 12673797Abstract: A system for use in manufacturing vapor-generating articles may include a rotatable drum that is configured to hold a plurality of the vapor-generating articles. The system may also include a tagging drum that is configured to tag a respective label to a housing of each of the vapor-generating articles. The system may also include a pressing roller that is configured to press a leading edge of the label against the housing after the tagging. The system may further include a rolling drum that is configured to roll the label around the housing after the pressing.Type: GrantFiled: February 8, 2024Date of Patent: July 7, 2026Assignee: Altria Client Services LLCInventor: Martin Garthaffner
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Publication number: 20260182635Abstract: A capsule for an aerosol-generating device may include a housing defining inlet openings, outlet openings, and internal channels between the inlet openings and the outlet openings. The internal channels are configured to hold an aerosol-forming substrate. The housing is configured to facilitate a heating of the aerosol-forming substrate via conduction and/or convection so as to generate an aerosol.Type: ApplicationFiled: February 23, 2026Publication date: July 2, 2026Applicant: Altria Client Services LLCInventors: Zack BLACKMON, III, Patrick GOOD, Rangaraj S. SUNDAR, Jarrett KEEN, Eric HAWES, Yannick HOURMAND, Niall GALLAGHER
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Publication number: 20260185863Abstract: An aerosol-generating system includes a liquid storage portion for holding a liquid aerosol-forming substrate; a pair of electrodes arranged adjacent to or in the liquid storage portion; a sensor configured to sense an orientation of the liquid storage portion; and a control system configured to, measure an electrical quantity between the pair of electrodes, receive orientation information from the sensor, and determine an amount of liquid aerosol-forming substrate held in the liquid storage portion based on electrical quantity information measured between the pair of electrodes and the orientation information received from the sensor, wherein the liquid storage portion has a length and the pair of electrodes extend substantially the length of the liquid storage portion.Type: ApplicationFiled: February 18, 2026Publication date: July 2, 2026Applicant: Altria Client Services LLCInventors: Michel BESSANT, Jacques ROBERT, Tony REEVELL
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Patent number: 12668438Abstract: A dosing apparatus includes a doser mechanism that discharges an index amount of a granular material based on drawing the granular material from an intake hopper. A drop-down device is coupled between the intake hopper and a supply hopper and enables enable a flow of the granular material from the supply hopper to the intake hopper through a conduit. The drop-down device restricts a flow rate of the flow of granular material through the conduit based on directing the flow around a slat extending into the conduit. The slat has an upper slat surface that is angled downwards at an inclination angle that may correspond to an angle of repose of the granular material.Type: GrantFiled: August 1, 2024Date of Patent: June 30, 2026Assignee: Altria Client Services LLCInventors: Dwight David Williams, Dremere Kevon Woods
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Patent number: D1133894Type: GrantFiled: October 20, 2023Date of Patent: July 14, 2026Assignee: Altria Client Services LLCInventors: Christopher J. Hession, William J. Bogdziewicz, Bipin Patil
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Patent number: RE50963Abstract: An aerosol-generating system includes a liquid-storage portion configured to hold a liquid aerosol-forming substrate, a first electrode, a second electrode, and a control system. The second electrode is spaced from the first electrode. At least a portion of the liquid storage portion is arranged between the first electrode and the second electrode. The control system is configured to measure an electrical quantity between the first electrode and the second electrode, and detect a draw on the aerosol-generating system based on the measured electrical quantity information.Type: GrantFiled: August 29, 2022Date of Patent: July 21, 2026Assignee: Altria Client Services LLCInventors: Oleg Mironov, Ihar Nikolaevich Zinovik, Jerome Christian Courbat, Tony Reevell