Patents Assigned to Philip Morris USA Inc.
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Publication number: 20240081422Abstract: An electrically heated aerosol generating system for receiving an aerosol-forming substrate includes at least one heating element for heating the substrate to form the aerosol and a power supply for supplying power to the at least one heating element. The power supply includes a voltage source, two or more supercapacitors, and switches between the voltage source and the two or more supercapacitors. The switches are arranged so that, during a charging mode, the supercapacitors are connected so as to be charged by the voltage source and, during a heating mode, the supercapacitors are connected so as to discharge through the at least one heating element.Type: ApplicationFiled: November 16, 2023Publication date: March 14, 2024Applicant: Philip Morris USA Inc.Inventors: Felix FERNANDO, Franck POURRAT, Jean-Pierre CORDEY
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Publication number: 20240083693Abstract: A bead feeder serially delivering beads to a downstream location comprises a bead supply wheel connected to rotate about a vertical axis. The bead supply wheel includes a bead supply bowl and a plurality of radially and outwardly extending bead passageway connected to rotate with the bowl and dimensioned to receive a single line of beads. A plurality of openings in the bead supply bowl is spaced around a lower portion thereof with the openings in alignment with the radially and outwardly extending passageways each of which has an outer exit end. A metering plate is connected to rotate about the same vertical axis as the bead supply wheel, and metering plate has a plurality of equally spaced apart openings directly below the outer ends of the passageways for receiving the lowermost beads in the passageways.Type: ApplicationFiled: November 27, 2023Publication date: March 14, 2024Applicant: Philip Morris USA Inc.Inventors: Martin T. GARTHAFFNER, Dwight D. WILLIAMS
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Publication number: 20240081429Abstract: An electrically heated smoking system includes a secondary unit capable of receiving a smoking article having an aerosol-forming substrate. The secondary unit includes at least one heating element and an interface for connection to a primary power supply for supplying electrical power to the at least one heating element during a pre-heating mode, to increase the temperature of the aerosol-forming substrate to an operating temperature. The secondary unit further includes a secondary power supply arranged to supply electrical power to the at least one heating element during a smoking mode, to maintain the temperature of the aerosol-forming substrate at substantially the operating temperature. The secondary unit also includes secondary circuitry. The electrically heated smoking system optionally includes a primary unit.Type: ApplicationFiled: November 16, 2023Publication date: March 14, 2024Applicant: Philip Morris USA Inc.Inventors: Felix FERNANDO, Marc-Robert CHEMLA, Fredrik STAHLE
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Publication number: 20240076098Abstract: A reclosable container for consumer items includes a box, a lid hingedly connected to the box, an inner liner wrapped around the consumer items, the inner liner including a section defining an opening for allowing access to the consumer items, means to open and reclose the opening, and an inner frame attached to the box. The inner frame includes a free inner frame portion protruding from the box towards the opening in the inner liner. The free inner frame portion includes a cut out and the inner frame is attached to the inner liner proximate to the cut out.Type: ApplicationFiled: November 10, 2023Publication date: March 7, 2024Applicant: Philip Morris USA Inc.Inventor: Bodo-Werner LUTZIG
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Patent number: 11918030Abstract: Certain embodiments include a screen assembly of a vessel, where the screen assembly includes a plurality of fixed elements and a retainer, and the retainer includes a ring, a plurality of wedges disposed about the ring, and a plurality of keyholes at spaced locations about the ring. Each keyhole includes a bore and a slot extending from the bore into an adjacent wedge of the plurality of wedges, the slots have a width less than the bores, and the retainer may receive the fixed elements through the bores and may be rotated in a relation with the plurality of fixed elements to bring the plurality of fixed elements into simultaneous engagement with the wedges.Type: GrantFiled: December 10, 2021Date of Patent: March 5, 2024Assignee: Philip Morris USA Inc.Inventors: Nathaniel Hull, Adam Lisbeth, William Sammler, John Tilley
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Patent number: 11922449Abstract: A system and method for providing model-based promotion and price computation is described in which promotional offers in the form of promotion information from a manufacturer are combined with price determination parameters from the retailer to calculate a final retail price. The system prevents fraud by eliminating the heavy dependence on unverifiable trust between the retailer and manufacturer and by assuring that the consumer will receive the benefit of the promotions intended by the manufacturer.Type: GrantFiled: August 4, 2021Date of Patent: March 5, 2024Assignee: PHILIP MORRIS USA INC.Inventor: William R. Sweeney
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Publication number: 20240065343Abstract: The method includes forming an elongated array by first connecting first distal ends of first heating elements to each other to form a first end of the elongated array, and second connecting second distal ends of the first heating elements to each other to form a second end of the elongated array, a midsection of the first heating elements of the elongated array bowing concentrically outward from a radial centerline running longitudinally through the first end and the second end.Type: ApplicationFiled: November 7, 2023Publication date: February 29, 2024Applicant: Philip Morris USA Inc.Inventors: Olivier GREIM, Felix FERNANDO, Charles HIGGINS
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Publication number: 20240057648Abstract: An oral product includes a matrix including a mixture of a plurality of capsules, a powdered component, a viscous component and a binder and wherein the matrix is molded into a shape. In a preferred embodiment, the capsules provide functional and flavorful ingredients. In an embodiment, the matrix is enclosed in a porous material that forms a pouch.Type: ApplicationFiled: October 16, 2023Publication date: February 22, 2024Applicant: Philip Morris USA Inc.Inventors: Danielle R. CRAWFORD, Shon GEDEVANI, William R. SWEENEY, Chris IRVING
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Publication number: 20240028578Abstract: Exemplary embodiments are directed to a method and apparatus for storing data for a batch of manufactured items. The method comprises defining in a processor, using a lower limit identifier and an upper limit identifier, a range of unique item identifiers for the batch, wherein each manufactured item in the batch is allocated a unique item identifier falling within the range. The item identifiers are stored in allocated storage space. If an upper limit identifier is specified for each time interval, an amount of storage specified for all manufactured items during a production time period is calculated as a sum of a first product and a second product, the first product being a product of a production time and a size allocated to each upper limit identifier, and the second product being a product of the production time, a total number of manufactured items, and a percentage of unused identifiers.Type: ApplicationFiled: October 5, 2023Publication date: January 25, 2024Applicant: Philip Morris USA Inc.Inventors: Erwan FRADET, Alain SAGER, Patrick MAUROUX, Patrick CHANEZ, Philippe CHATELAIN
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Publication number: 20240017304Abstract: A smoking article includes identification information encoded on the smoking article. The smoking article can be used with an electrically heated smoking system having a detector for detecting the smoking article and distinguishing the smoking article from other articles based on the identification information. A cleaning article includes identification information encoded on the cleaning article. The cleaning article cleans an electrically heated smoking system having a detector for detecting the cleaning article and distinguishing the cleaning article from other articles based on the identification information.Type: ApplicationFiled: July 31, 2023Publication date: January 18, 2024Applicant: Philip Morris USA Inc.Inventors: Felix FERNANDO, Jean-Pierre CORDEY
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Patent number: 11871780Abstract: A smoking article has an outer surface and a plurality of frangible microcapsules provided on the outer surface, wherein the microcapsules are capable of being manually ruptured by a consumer to release an odorant encapsulated therein. The smoking article preferably comprises a wrapped tobacco rod; and a filter attached to the wrapped tobacco rod by tipping paper, a mouth end portion of which is “over tipped” with a band or strip of “Peel and Sniff” microcapsules and/or a band or strip of “Scratch and Sniff” microcapsules.Type: GrantFiled: April 23, 2021Date of Patent: January 16, 2024Assignee: PHILIP MORRIS USA INC.Inventors: Clement Besso, Anne Wyss-Peters, Charles Kuersteiner
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Patent number: 11871788Abstract: An electrically heated aerosol-generating system for receiving an aerosol-forming substrate includes a heating element including a first electrically conductive element electrically insulated from a second electrically conductive element by an electrically insulating portion. The first and second elements are elongate and are electrically connected to each other by an electrically resistive portion. At least one electrically conductive element and the electrically resistive portion are arranged such that they are at least partially in contact with the aerosol-forming substrate.Type: GrantFiled: August 16, 2022Date of Patent: January 16, 2024Assignee: Philip Morris USA Inc.Inventors: Olivier Greim, Julien Plojoux, Dani Ruscio
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Publication number: 20240000133Abstract: Wrapper for cigarette manufacture includes transversely extending band regions applied by a printing technique, such as gravure printing. The band regions comprise starch, an anti-wrinkling agent such as 1,2 propylene glycol or glycerin, and optionally calcium carbonate. Any suitable printing technique can be used to apply the aqueous solution to the banded regions. The pattern of banded regions may be bands, stripes, two-dimensional arrays, undulated regions, and the like along and/or around the tobacco rod. The pattern can be applied in one or more layers. The pattern may be configured so that when a smoking article is placed on a substrate, at least two longitudinal locations along the length of the tobacco rod have film-forming compound located only on sides of the smoking article not in contact with the substrate.Type: ApplicationFiled: September 14, 2023Publication date: January 4, 2024Applicant: Philip Morris USA Inc.Inventors: Ping LI, Firooz RASOULI, Rajesh GARG, Randall E. BAREN, Marc W. ROSE, Peter J. LIPOWICZ, Tony A. PHAN, Timothy S. SHERWOOD, Szu-Sung YANG, Donald E. MISER, Milton E. PARRISH
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Patent number: 11851285Abstract: A bead feeder serially delivering beads to a downstream location comprises a bead supply wheel connected to rotate about a vertical axis. The bead supply wheel includes a bead supply bowl and a plurality of radially and outwardly extending bead passageway connected to rotate with the bowl and dimensioned to receive a single line of beads. A plurality of openings in the bead supply bowl is spaced around a lower portion thereof with the openings in alignment with the radially and outwardly extending passageways each of which has an outer exit end. A metering plate is connected to rotate about the same vertical axis as the bead supply wheel, and metering plate has a plurality of equally spaced apart openings directly below the outer ends of the passageways for receiving the lowermost beads in the passageways.Type: GrantFiled: January 23, 2020Date of Patent: December 26, 2023Assignee: Philip Morris USA Inc.Inventors: Martin T. Garthaffner, Dwight D. Williams
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Patent number: 11832655Abstract: The heating array includes first heating elements arranged in an elongated array, the first heating elements spanning from a first end to a second end of the elongated array, a midsection of each one of the first heating elements bowing concentrically outward from a radial centerline running longitudinally through the first end and the second end, the first heating elements being configured to flex concentrically inward when a hoop force is applied to sides of the elongated array.Type: GrantFiled: September 1, 2022Date of Patent: December 5, 2023Assignee: Philip Morris USA Inc.Inventors: Olivier Greim, Felix Fernando, Charles Higgins
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Patent number: 11832654Abstract: An electrically heated aerosol generating system for receiving an aerosol-forming substrate includes at least one heating element for heating the substrate to form the aerosol and a power supply for supplying power to the at least one healing element. The power supply includes a voltage source, two or more supercapacitors, and switches between the voltage source and the two or more supercapacitors. The switches are arranged so that, during a charging mode, the supercapacitors are connected so as to be charged by the voltage source and, during a heating mode, the supercapacitors are connected so as to discharge through the at least one heating element.Type: GrantFiled: January 4, 2022Date of Patent: December 5, 2023Assignee: Philip Morris USA Inc.Inventors: Felix Fernando, Franck Pourrat, Jean-Pierre Cordey
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Publication number: 20230371575Abstract: Immobilized diluents in a smoking article are provided, wherein diluents can be immobilized through absorption and/or adsorption of the diluents into immobilizing materials, such as sorbents like silica gels. By immobilizing diluents, the diluents can be available for vaporization, while still being protected from migration and/or loss of the diluents in a smoking article.Type: ApplicationFiled: July 31, 2023Publication date: November 23, 2023Applicant: Philip Morris USA Inc.Inventors: Shuzhong ZHUANG, Georgios D. KARLES
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Patent number: 11819063Abstract: An electrically heated smoking system includes a secondary unit capable of receiving a smoking article having an aerosol-forming substrate. The secondary unit includes at least one heating element and an interface for connection to a primary power supply for supplying electrical power to the at least one heating element during a pre-heating mode, to increase the temperature of the aerosol-forming substrate to an operating temperature. The secondary unit further includes a secondary power supply arranged to supply electrical power to the at least one heating element during a smoking mode, to maintain the temperature of the aerosol-forming substrate at substantially the operating temperature. The secondary unit also includes secondary circuitry. The electrically heated smoking system optionally includes a primary unit.Type: GrantFiled: December 13, 2021Date of Patent: November 21, 2023Assignee: PHILIP MORRIS USA INC.Inventors: Felix Fernando, Marc-Robert Chemla, Fredrik Stahle
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Publication number: 20230345996Abstract: 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: ApplicationFiled: May 23, 2023Publication date: November 2, 2023Applicant: Philip Morris USA Inc.Inventors: Munmaya K. MISHRA, Susan E. Wrenn, Jay A. Fournier
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Publication number: 20230348849Abstract: Various embodiments are directed to consumable products incorporating a matrix of cultured tobacco cells. Any tobacco variety may be utilized for establishing in vitro tobacco cultures, including native tobacco varieties and genetically modified tobacco varieties derived from any tobacco variety. Various embodiments are directed to methods for producing tobacco products incorporating cellular material and/or extracts derived from tobacco cells cultured in vitro.Type: ApplicationFiled: July 5, 2023Publication date: November 2, 2023Applicant: Philip Morris USA Inc.Inventors: Alec J. HAYES, Maria SHULLEETA, Jason W. FLORA