Patents Assigned to RAI Strategic Holdings, Inc.
-
Patent number: 12285042Abstract: 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: GrantFiled: April 17, 2023Date of Patent: April 29, 2025Assignee: RAI STRATEGIC HOLDINGS, INC.Inventors: Dennis Lee Potter, Stephen Benson Sears
-
Patent number: 12283148Abstract: An aerosol delivery or electronic nicotine delivery systems (“ENDS”) device may include smoking articles that produce aerosol. The device may operate upon authentication. The authentication may first include an age verification before an authentication allows for operation of the device. The authentication may include a control signal communication to the device. The control signal communication may include an audio signal, such as an authentication tone that is detected by a microphone or pressure sensor on the device. The control signal communication may include a visual, optical, or light signal that is detected by a light sensor or photodiode on the device.Type: GrantFiled: October 18, 2023Date of Patent: April 22, 2025Assignee: RAI STRATEGIC HOLDINGS, INC.Inventors: Sawyer Hubbard, Charles A. Leyes, Vince Ireland, Sean Daugherty, Sean Lukan, Jared Aller
-
Patent number: 12279648Abstract: The present invention includes an aerosol delivery device including a cartridge, an atomizer assembly arranged about a connecting end of the cartridge, and a control body operably engaged with the cartridge about the connecting end. The atomizer assembly includes a base defining a first surface engageable with the connecting end to define a reservoir chamber containing an aerosol precursor composition, an atomizer arranged about the first surface of the base, a liquid transport element defining opposing first and second ends with exposed end surfaces that are in fluid communication with the reservoir chamber, and a reservoir chamber sealing arrangement comprising a first sealing member to circumferentially seal the opposing first and second ends of the liquid transport element and expose the end surfaces thereof, such that the reservoir chamber is sealed by the reservoir chamber sealing arrangement except at the exposed end surfaces of the liquid transport element.Type: GrantFiled: December 20, 2021Date of Patent: April 22, 2025Assignee: RAI Strategic Holdings, Inc.Inventor: Jason M. Short
-
Patent number: 12279641Abstract: The present disclosure provides aerosol generating substrates and aerosol source members comprising aerosol generating substrates, as well as methods of manufacturing thereof. In an example implementation, an aerosol generating substrate may comprise a fibrous filler material, an aerosol forming material, and a plurality of heat conducting constituents, wherein the substrate is formed as a sheet, and wherein the heat conducting constituents are part of the sheet. The heat conducting constituents may be incorporated within the sheet, or may be formed on a surface of the sheet. In another example implementation, an aerosol source member may comprise a substrate portion formed of a collection of intermingled pieces cut from an aerosol substrate sheet. In addition, or alternatively, a substrate portion may be formed of a series of overlapping layers of an aerosol substrate sheet.Type: GrantFiled: April 29, 2021Date of Patent: April 22, 2025Assignee: RAI STRATEGIC HOLDINGS, INC.Inventors: Andries Sebastian, Stephen Benson Sears, Billy Tyrone Conner, Rajesh Sur, S. Keith Cole, Thaddeus Jackson, Timothy Frederick Thomas, Paul E. Braxton, Curtis Foster Doe, Vahid Hejazi, Kathryn Lynn Wilberding
-
Patent number: 12263301Abstract: A control body is coupleable with a cartridge to form an aerosol delivery device, with the cartridge being equipped with an electrical load. The control body includes first and second positive conductors connectable with respectively a power supply and the electrical load. The control body includes a series pull-up resistor and switch connected to and between the first and second positive conductors. A microprocessor is configured to operate the switch in a closed state in a standby mode in which the pull-up resistor causes a logical high level of voltage at the second positive conductor when the control body and cartridge are uncoupled, and in which the electrical load is unpowered causes a logical low level of the voltage when the control body and cartridge are coupled. The microprocessor is configured to measure the voltage and control operation of functional element(s) of the aerosol delivery device based thereon.Type: GrantFiled: May 19, 2023Date of Patent: April 1, 2025Assignee: RAI Strategic Holdings, Inc.Inventors: Mark Frisbee, Paul Stapleton, Milton G. Carawan, Frederic Philippe Ampolini
-
Patent number: 12262729Abstract: The present disclosure provides aerosol generating substrates and aerosol source members comprising aerosol generating substrates, as well as methods of manufacturing thereof. In an example implementation, an aerosol generating substrate may comprise a fibrous filler material, an aerosol forming material, and a plurality of heat conducting constituents, wherein the substrate is formed as a sheet, and wherein the heat conducting constituents are part of the sheet. The heat conducting constituents may be incorporated within the sheet, or may be formed on a surface of the sheet. In another example implementation, an aerosol source member may comprise a substrate portion formed of a collection of intermingled pieces cut from an aerosol substrate sheet. In addition, or alternatively, a substrate portion may be formed of a series of overlapping layers of an aerosol substrate sheet.Type: GrantFiled: December 18, 2023Date of Patent: April 1, 2025Assignee: RAI STRATEGIC HOLDINGS, INC.Inventors: Andries Sebastian, Stephen Benson Sears, Billy Tyrone Conner, Rajesh Sur, S. Keith Cole, Thaddeus Jackson, Timothy Frederick Thomas, Paul E. Braxton, Curtis Foster Doe, Vahid Hejazi, Kathryn Lynn Wilberding
-
Patent number: 12261534Abstract: An aerosol delivery device is provided that includes an aerosol precursor composition and a quasi-resonant flyback converter configured to cause components of the aerosol precursor composition to vaporize to produce an aerosol. The quasi-resonant flyback converter includes a transformer including an induction transmitter and an induction receiver, a capacitor that with the induction transmitter forms a tank circuit. The quasi-resonant flyback converter also includes a transistor that is switchable in cycles to cause the induction transmitter to generate an oscillating magnetic field and induce an alternating voltage in the induction receiver when exposed to the oscillating magnetic field, the alternating voltage causing the induction receiver to generate heat and thereby vaporize components of the aerosol precursor composition.Type: GrantFiled: August 22, 2023Date of Patent: March 25, 2025Assignee: RAI Strategic Holdings, Inc.Inventor: Rajesh Sur
-
Patent number: 12250973Abstract: An aerosol provision device includes a housing; a consumable including aerosol-generating material. The aerosol provision device or the consumable includes an aerosol generator to generate an aerosol from the aerosol-generating material. The device includes a pressure sensor, a temperature sensor, and a high-side load switch coupled to or coupleable with the aerosol generator, and processing circuitry coupled to the high-side load switch, the pressure sensor, and the temperature sensor. The processing circuitry is configured to output a modulated signal with an adjustable duty cycle to cause the high-side load switch to connect and disconnect power to the aerosol generator. The processing circuitry is configured to implement a proportional-integral-derivative (PID) algorithm to adjust the duty cycle based on the processing circuitry determining whether the measurements of temperature or the measurements of pressure take precedence for implementing the PID algorithm to adjust the duty cycle.Type: GrantFiled: December 21, 2023Date of Patent: March 18, 2025Assignee: RAI Strategic Holdings, Inc.Inventor: Sky Carman
-
Patent number: 12251507Abstract: An aerosol delivery device having condensing and non-condensing vaporization functionality is provided. The aerosol delivery device may comprise at least one housing, and a first element and second element contained within the at least one housing. The first and second element may be configured to activate and vaporize components of an aerosol precursor composition, and thereby form respectively a condensing vapor and non-condensing vapor. In response to a flow of air through at least a portion of the at least one housing, the condensing vapor or non-condensing vapor may be combinable with the air to form an aerosol.Type: GrantFiled: October 1, 2019Date of Patent: March 18, 2025Assignee: RAI Strategic Holdings, Inc.Inventors: Michael F. Davis, James Rogers, Percy Philips, Ercilia Hernandez Garcia
-
Patent number: 12245629Abstract: A product use and behavior instrument includes a housing defining a central compartment therein. The housing includes a first housing end, a second housing end, and a housing wall. The first housing end defines a combustible smoking article holder configured to receive a combustible smoking article. The second housing end includes a hollow flow member extending from the second housing end in a direction axially away from the first housing end. The controller is positioned within the central compartment of the housing. The controller includes a sensor circuit structured to collect at least one use data characteristic of a smoking action. The smoking action is associated with the use of the combustible smoking article. Local memory is structured to buffer the at least one use data characteristic of the smoking action. A communication interface is structured to communicate to a remote computing device.Type: GrantFiled: September 14, 2018Date of Patent: March 11, 2025Assignee: RAI STRATEGIC HOLDINGS, INC.Inventors: Jeffrey Sean Smith, Paul R. Nelson
-
Patent number: 12246129Abstract: A personal vapor inhaling unit is disclosed. An electronic flameless vapor inhaler unit that may simulate a cigarette has a cavity that receives a cartridge in the distal end of the inhaler unit. The cartridge brings a substance to be vaporized in contact with a wick. When the unit is activated, and the user provides suction, the substance to be vaporized is drawn out of the cartridge, through the wick, and is atomized by the wick into a cavity containing a heating element. The heating element vaporizes the atomized substance. The vapors then continue to be pulled by the user through a mouthpiece and mouthpiece cover where they may be inhaled.Type: GrantFiled: February 2, 2023Date of Patent: March 11, 2025Assignee: RAI Strategic Holdings, Inc.Inventors: Nathan Andrew Terry, Noah Mark Minskoff
-
Patent number: 12245639Abstract: A test fixture for testing aerosol provision devices includes a housing, a plurality of testing modules disposed at the housing where each of the testing modules includes a cavity configured to receive a portion of an aerosol provision device, and processing circuitry operably coupled to the testing modules. Each of the testing modules is configured to interface with an assembly of a respective one of the aerosol provision devices to transition the assembly between an initial state and a transitioned state during a functional test controlled by the processing circuitry. The processing circuitry is configured to conduct the functional test of at least two of the testing modules simultaneously.Type: GrantFiled: September 30, 2021Date of Patent: March 11, 2025Assignee: RAI STRATEGIC HOLDINGS, INC.Inventor: Sean Daugherty
-
Patent number: 12246128Abstract: A personal vapor inhaling unit is disclosed. An electronic flameless vapor inhaler unit that may simulate a cigarette has a cavity that receives a cartridge in the distal end of the inhaler unit. The cartridge brings a substance to be vaporized in contact with a wick. When the unit is activated, and the user provides suction, the substance to be vaporized is drawn out of the cartridge, through the wick, and is atomized by the wick into a cavity containing a heating element. The heating element vaporizes the atomized substance. The vapors then continue to be pulled by the user through a mouthpiece and mouthpiece cover where they may be inhaled.Type: GrantFiled: September 13, 2022Date of Patent: March 11, 2025Assignee: RAI STRATEGIC HOLDINGS, INC.Inventors: Nathan Andrew Terry, Noah Mark Minskoff
-
Patent number: 12239164Abstract: The present disclosure relates to aerosol delivery devices and cartridges for aerosol delivery devices. The cartridge comprises a mouthpiece having a proximal end and a distal end, the proximal end of the mouthpiece having an exit portal defined therethrough, a tank defining a proximal end and a closed distal end, the tank being configured to contain a liquid composition that includes a distinctive characteristic, and a heater configured to heat the liquid composition. The distal end of the mouthpiece is configured to engage the proximal end of the tank, and when the cartridge is coupled with the aerosol delivery device at least one feature of the cartridge, or at least one feature of the control device, or at least one feature of both the cartridge and the control device, provides a visual indication of a color associated with the distinctive characteristic.Type: GrantFiled: March 27, 2024Date of Patent: March 4, 2025Assignee: RAI STRATEGIC HOLDINGS, INC.Inventors: Jared Aller, Charles Jacob Novak, III, Sean A. Daugherty, Michael Ryan Galloway, Matthew Joel Nettenstrom, Thomas Michael McKeon
-
Patent number: 12232543Abstract: An electronic nicotine delivery systems (“ENDS”) device may include aerosol delivery devices such as smoking articles that produce aerosol. The device may include a cartridge for the aerosol production. The cartridge is assigned a unique identifier that is approved for a user or that user's device such that the cartridge and/or the device only operate when approved. The unique identifiers help with user identification, tracking, and age verification.Type: GrantFiled: May 17, 2019Date of Patent: February 25, 2025Assignee: RAI STRATEGIC HOLDINGS, INC.Inventor: Sean Daugherty
-
Patent number: 12233208Abstract: A control body and cartridge that are coupleable with one another to form an aerosol delivery device are provided. The control body comprises a control component and an RFID reader contained within at least one housing. The cartridge comprises at least one heating element and an RFID tag contained within at least one housing. The RFID reader of the control body is coupled to the control component of the control body and configured to communicate with the RFID tag of the cartridge upon coupling of the control body with the cartridge. The control component of the control body is configured to authorize the cartridge for use with the control body based at least in part on communication between the RFID reader and the RFID tag.Type: GrantFiled: April 20, 2021Date of Patent: February 25, 2025Assignee: RAI STRATEGIC HOLDINGS, INC.Inventors: Wilson Christopher Lamb, Raymond Charles Henry, Jr., Terrence E. Rogers, Frederic Philippe Ampolini
-
Patent number: 12232524Abstract: The present disclosure provides an aerosol precursor consumable, and an aerosol delivery device that comprises a control unit that defines a receiving chamber, and a removable and replaceable aerosol precursor consumable, at least a portion of the consumable configured to be received into the receiving chamber. The aerosol precursor consumable comprises a housing defining an outer wall, an aerosol precursor composition reservoir located in the housing and configured to contain an aerosol precursor composition, an atomizer located in the housing, and at least one aroma diffuser. The atomizer is configured to vaporize the aerosol precursor composition to generate an aerosol for oral delivery to a user, and the at least one aroma diffuser is configured to diffuse an aroma composition for olfactory delivery to the user.Type: GrantFiled: June 8, 2023Date of Patent: February 25, 2025Assignee: RAI STRATEGIC HOLDINGS, INC.Inventor: Vahid Hejazi
-
Patent number: 12233202Abstract: A personal vapor inhaling unit is disclosed. An electronic flameless vapor inhaler unit that may simulate a cigarette has a cavity that receives a cartridge in the distal end of the inhaler unit. The cartridge brings a substance to be vaporized in contact with a wick. When the unit is activated, and the user provides suction, the substance to be vaporized is drawn out of the cartridge, through the wick, and is atomized by the wick into a cavity containing a heating element. The heating element vaporizes the atomized substance. The vapors then continue to be pulled by the user through a mouthpiece and mouthpiece cover where they may be inhaled.Type: GrantFiled: February 1, 2023Date of Patent: February 25, 2025Assignee: RAI STRATEGIC HOLDINGS, INC.Inventors: Nathan Andrew Terry, Noah Mark Minskoff
-
Patent number: 12232538Abstract: An aerosol delivery device is provided that includes sensor(s) to produce measurements of properties during use of the device, and processing circuitry to record data for a plurality of uses of the device, for each use of which the data includes the measurements of the properties. The processing circuitry is configured to build a machine learning model to predict a target variable, using a machine learning algorithm, at least one feature selected from the properties, and a training set produced from the measurements of the properties. The processing circuitry is configured to then deploy the machine learning model to predict the target variable, and control at least one functional element of the device based thereon. The device may also verify authorization of an attempted user to alter a locked state of the device based on the verifying of the attempted user.Type: GrantFiled: May 19, 2023Date of Patent: February 25, 2025Assignee: RAI STRATEGIC HOLDINGS, INC.Inventor: Rajesh Sur
-
Patent number: 12232526Abstract: The present disclosure relates to aerosol delivery devices. In various implementations, the aerosol delivery devices comprise a control device that includes a battery, a control component, and an outer housing that defines receiving chamber, and a cartridge that includes a mouthpiece portion, a tank that contains a liquid composition, and a heater configured to heat the liquid composition. The cartridge and the control device each include at least one connector configured to provide a magnetic and an electrical connection between the cartridge and the control device such that the cartridge can be removably and operatively received into the cartridge receiving chamber of the control body, wherein the at least one connector of the cartridge is located on the mouthpiece portion.Type: GrantFiled: November 20, 2023Date of Patent: February 25, 2025Assignee: RAI Strategic Holdings, Inc.Inventors: Charles Jacob Novak, III, Matthew Joel Nettenstrom, Steven Michael Schennum, Thomas Michael Mckeon, Zachary Hy Burchman