Patents Examined by Cynthia Szewczyk
  • Patent number: 11745914
    Abstract: In a fabricating method for a quartz vial having a body part for containing a substance, a bottom part closing a lower end of the body part, a cylindrical neck part disposed at an upper end of the body part, a cylindrical mouth part disposed above the neck part and having an outer diameter larger than that of the neck part, and a tapered portion connecting the mouth part and the neck part to each other, outer peripheral surfaces of the tapered portion and the neck part are formed by shaving, and the body part that is separately fabricated is welded to the neck part. Thus, quartz vials having a predetermined shape can be mass-fabricated.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 10, 2022
    Date of Patent: September 5, 2023
    Assignee: NEXUS COMPANY INC.
    Inventors: Kenji Iwata, Toshihito Kashiwagi
  • Patent number: 11746035
    Abstract: In a manufacturing method of a glass roll, a transport device transports a glass film coupled to lead films via coupling portions. The transport device separates the lead films and/or the coupling portions from a heating roller when the lead films and/or the coupling portions pass by the heating roller.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 25, 2020
    Date of Patent: September 5, 2023
    Assignee: NIPPON ELECTRIC GLASS CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Takayoshi Saito, Hiroki Mori, Riku Yamashiro, Naotoshi Inayama
  • Patent number: 11739292
    Abstract: 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: Grant
    Filed: May 23, 2022
    Date of Patent: August 29, 2023
    Assignee: Philip Morris USA Inc.
    Inventors: Alec J. Hayes, Maria Shulleeta, Jason W. Flora
  • Patent number: 11737487
    Abstract: A method of forming a wrapped article, comprising the steps of: forming a continuous stream of material such as an agricultural product; moving the continuous stream of material along an elongated path; compressing the continuous stream of material to reduce the cross-sectional area thereof until a predetermined cross-sectional dimension is achieved; drawing the compressed continuous stream of material through a rod-forming arrangement, the rod-forming arrangement having a non-contact displacement transducer associated therewith; folding at least one web longitudinally around the compressed continuous stream of material to form a continuous rod of material; and detecting variations in rod density within the rod-forming arrangement from a signal obtained from the non-contact displacement transducer.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 20, 2020
    Date of Patent: August 29, 2023
    Assignee: Altria Client Services LLC
    Inventors: Dwight David Williams, Rosana C. Altoveros
  • Patent number: 11733459
    Abstract: The present disclosure provides a method for modification of surface of an initial optical fiber preform. The initial optical fiber preform is manufactured using at least one preform manufacturing process. The surface of the initial optical fiber preform is treated with 50-70 liters of chlorine per square meter of the surface of the initial optical fiber preform. The surface of the initial optical fiber preform is flame polished using a flame polishing module. The treatment of the surface of the initial optical fiber preform with chlorine and flame polishing of the surface of the initial optical fiber preform collectively converts the initial optical fiber preform into a modified optical fiber preform.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 26, 2019
    Date of Patent: August 22, 2023
    Inventors: Pramod Watekar, Annesha Maity, Manoj Mittal, Sandeep Gaikwad, Sham Nagarkar, Bhalchandra Pathak, Sathis Ram
  • Patent number: 11719891
    Abstract: The present disclosure relates to a method of making a lensed connector in which a glass ferrule has holes within the body of the glass ferrule, and the glass ferrule is subsequently processed to form lens structures along the ferrule.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 7, 2021
    Date of Patent: August 8, 2023
    Assignee: Corning Research & Development Corporation
    Inventors: Nicholas Francis Borrelli, Davide Domenico Fortusini, Yu-Yen Huang, Shawn Michael O'Malley, Georges Roussos, Joseph Francis Schroeder, III, Jun Yang, Lei Yuan
  • Patent number: 11708300
    Abstract: System for providing marked containers comprising a computerised control system storing at least one unique identifier for each container, to be applied to a respective container, a printing unit comprising an ink delivery station, operatively connected with said computerised control system, able to print said identifier on each container, comprising a printing head filled with ink and having a plurality of nozzles configured for spraying said ink on an external surface of each container, displacement means able to perform a relative rotation, translation or rotary translation between each container and the printing head during the printing of the identifier on the container, said displacement means being operatively connected with said computerised control system.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 17, 2018
    Date of Patent: July 25, 2023
    Assignee: NUOVA OMPI S.R.L.
    Inventors: Tod Urquhart, Mauro Longo
  • Patent number: 11707083
    Abstract: A smoking article is provided, having opposed lighting and mouth ends, and including a mouth end portion at the mouth end. A tobacco portion is between the lighting end and the mouth end portion. An aerosol-generation system is between the lighting end and the tobacco portion. The aerosol-generation system includes a heat generation portion, comprising an elongate fluted member actuated by ignition of the lighting end. The fluted member defines grooves extending longitudinally between opposed first and second ends, with the first end being at the lighting end and the grooves being equidistantly spaced apart about the fluted member. Each groove has a maximum depth. The depth maxima of the grooves define a circle having a radius. The maximum depth of each groove is no more than the radius of the circle. A heat generation apparatus for an aerosol-generation system of a smoking article is also provided.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 16, 2022
    Date of Patent: July 25, 2023
    Assignee: R.J. Reynolds Tobacco Company
    Inventors: Billy Tyrone Conner, Timothy Franklin Tilley
  • Patent number: 11696602
    Abstract: An aerosol-generating device includes a heating chamber structure, a heater coupled to the heating chamber structure, and a compression assembly. The heating chamber structure defines a fixed-volume enclosure and is configured to hold an aerosol-forming substrate within a first region of the enclosure. The heater is proximate to a first surface that at least partly defines the first region and is configured to generate heat that is transmitted into the first region to cause the aerosol-forming substrate to form an aerosol without any combustion. The compression assembly includes a compression plate and a compression actuator. The compression plate and the first surface define opposing boundaries of the first region. The compression actuator moves the compression plate through the enclosure to adjustably compress the aerosol-forming substrate in the first region against the first surface.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 4, 2020
    Date of Patent: July 11, 2023
    Assignee: Altria Client Services LLC
    Inventor: Jason Flora
  • Patent number: 11685683
    Abstract: A high-strength geopolymer hollow microsphere, a preparation method thereof and a phase change energy storage microsphere are provided, including: dissolving sodium hydroxide, sodium silicate and spheroidizing aid in water to form a solution A, and adding active powder to the solution A, stirring and uniformly mixing to form a slurry B, adding the slurry B to an oil phase, stirring and dispersing into balls, filtering to obtain geopolymer microspheres I, washing the geopolymer microspheres I, and then carrying out a high-temperature calcination to obtain the high-strength geopolymer hollow microspheres II; using the high-strength geopolymer hollow microsphere as a carrier, absorbing a phase change material into the carrier, and mixing a microsphere carrying the phase change material with an epoxy resin, adding a powder dispersant and stirring to disperse the microsphere, after the epoxy resin is solidified, screening the superfluous powder dispersant to obtain the phase energy storage microsphere.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 25, 2018
    Date of Patent: June 27, 2023
    Assignee: CHINA UNIVERSITY OF PETROLEUM (EAST CHINA)
    Inventors: Huajie Liu, Yuhuan Bu, Rui Ma, Shenglai Guo, Longlong An
  • Patent number: 11684082
    Abstract: An aerosol-generating device includes a housing having a first end defining a mouthpiece, a second end, and a cavity defined between the first end and the second end. The device also includes a reservoir within the cavity. The reservoir is configured to store a liquid aerosol-forming substrate. The device also includes an atomizer and a valve within the mouthpiece of the housing. The valve has a first side and an second side. The second side of the valve includes a hydrophilic coating, a hydrophobic coating, or both a hydrophilic coating and a hydrophobic coating.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 14, 2022
    Date of Patent: June 27, 2023
    Assignee: Altria Client Sendees LLC
    Inventors: Ihar Nikolaevich Zinovik, Guillaume Frederick, Irene Taurino
  • Patent number: 11680012
    Abstract: Methods for manufacturing a carbon-containing glass material are disclosed. The method includes flowing a hydrocarbon gas and silane into a reactor, and providing an additive to the reactor. The method includes generating a non-thermal equilibrium plasma based on excitement of the hydrocarbon gas and the silane by a microwave energy, where the non-thermal equilibrium plasma includes a plurality of methyl radicals. The method includes ion-bombarding the glass material with at least the methyl radicals to create an interphase region. The method includes forming a plurality of FLG nanoplatelets within the interphase region based on recombination or self-nucleation of the methyl radicals. The FLG nanoplatelets may be dispersed throughout the interphase region in a non-periodic orientation that at least partially inhibits formation of cracks in the glass material.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 30, 2020
    Date of Patent: June 20, 2023
    Assignee: Lyten, Inc.
    Inventors: Michael W. Stowell, Bruce Lanning
  • Patent number: 11672271
    Abstract: An aerosol generating material is disclosed containing a reconstituted cannabis material. The reconstituted material can contain extracted cannabis fibers in combination with web building fibers, such as softwood fibers. The reconstituted cannabis material is capable of generating an aerosol, such as a smoke, that can have a conventional cannabis taste with reduced amounts of irritants and harsh components. In one embodiment, the reconstituted cannabis material is formed from plants that are low in cannabinoids, such as THC. Cannabinoids, such as THC and/or CBD, can then be topically applied to the reconstituted plant material for not only controlling the amount of cannabinoids contained in an aerosol generated by the material but also for producing consistent and uniform deliveries.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 11, 2020
    Date of Patent: June 13, 2023
    Assignee: Mativ Holdings, Inc.
    Inventors: Cedric Rousseau, Cedric Jardin, Doriane Bigot
  • Patent number: 11672273
    Abstract: An aerosol-generating article (10) comprising: an aerosol generating substrate (12); and a mouthpiece (14) disposed downstream of the aerosol-generating substrate (12). The mouthpiece (14) comprises a hollow tubular segment (24) at its downstream end defining a mouth end cavity (40), and the hollow tubular segment (24) comprises a hollow tube (31) of fibrous material, and a polymeric film (35) secured to the inner surface (311) of the hollow tube (31).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 28, 2018
    Date of Patent: June 13, 2023
    Assignee: Philip Morris Products S.A.
    Inventors: Yves Jordil, Leonardo Nappi
  • Patent number: 11661375
    Abstract: Apparatus, systems, and methods that provide coats on a glass optical fiber including of an inner layer and an outer layer. The method includes two steps. First, a conductive polymer coating is applied to the optical fiber as it is being produced. Second, a protective coating is applied to that conductive polymer coating. The conductive polymer coating is applied immediately after the fiber is drawn from preform to fiber.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 26, 2021
    Date of Patent: May 30, 2023
    Assignee: Lawrence Livermore National Security, LLC
    Inventors: Nicholas P. Calta, Michael J. Messerly, Corie A. Horwood
  • Patent number: 11659861
    Abstract: The embodiments disclose a method including creating a dual product vaporizer for use in vaping two different types of products at the same time, atomizing the two different types of products using two heaters for allowance of different burn temperatures for each of the two different types of products, wherein the two heaters are configured to operate at two different temperatures, wherein the two heaters are configured to operate at the same temperature, wherein the dual product vaporizer is configured to operate with only one product cartridge inserted, using at least one rechargeable battery to power the two heaters and an LED light battery indicator, and using two individual draw holes for drawing atomized product vapors from two individual product cartridges at the same time.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 14, 2022
    Date of Patent: May 30, 2023
    Inventors: Emma S. Glaser, Judith Cotton
  • Patent number: 11655183
    Abstract: The present disclosure relates to a method for forming a glass, ceramic or composite material. The method may involve initially forming a plurality of tubes and then performing a coating operation to coat the plurality of tubes with materials containing metal or metalloid elements, including inorganic compounds, organometallic compounds, or coordination complexes to form coated tubes. The method may further include performing at least one of a thermal operation or a thermochemical operation on the coated tubes to form a solid glass, ceramic, or composite structure with dimensions representing at least one of a rod or fiber.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 11, 2020
    Date of Patent: May 23, 2023
    Assignee: Lawrence Livermore National Security, LLC
    Inventors: Andrew Lange, Jay W. Dawson, Rebecca Dylla-Spears, Cody Wren Mart, Michael J. Messerly, Koroush Sasan, Nick Schenkel, Tayyab I. Suratwala
  • Patent number: 11653703
    Abstract: A vaporizer system has a cartridge section. The cartridge section has a cartridge connector connecting to a resistance heater formed as a coil, a resistance temperature detector, and a cartridge section cryptography chip. A battery section connects to the cartridge section at the cartridge connector. A battery is mounted within the battery section. The battery section further includes a microcontroller unit with a memory. The microcontroller unit is electrically connected to a resistance temperature detector converter. The resistance temperature detector converter is electrically connected to the resistance temperature detector when the battery section is connected to the cartridge section at the cartridge connector. A power board includes a coil power MOSFET.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 1, 2020
    Date of Patent: May 23, 2023
    Inventor: Alexander Huf
  • Patent number: 11655185
    Abstract: A method is disclosed of making a coated optical fiber. The method may involve drawing a preform through a furnace to create a fiber having a desired diameter and cross sectional shape. The fiber is then drawn through a slurry, wherein the slurry includes elements including at least one of metallic elements, alloy elements or dielectric elements, and the slurry wets an outer surface of the fiber. As the fiber is drawn through the slurry, it is then drawn through a forming die to impart a wet coating having a desired thickness on an outer surface of the fiber. The wet fiber is then drawn through an oven or ovens configured to heat the wet coating sufficiently to produce a consolidated surface coating on the fiber as the fiber exits the oven or ovens.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 3, 2020
    Date of Patent: May 23, 2023
    Assignee: Lawrence Livermore National Security, LLC
    Inventors: Michael Messerly, Nicholas Calta, Selim Elhadj, Andrew Lange, Cody Wren Mart, Robert Mellors, Nick Schenkel, Charles Xiao Yu
  • Patent number: 11649184
    Abstract: Described herein are glass forming apparatuses with cooled muffle assemblies and methods for using the same to form glass ribbons. According to one embodiment, a muffle assembly for a fusion forming apparatus may include a muffle frame comprising a back wall, a front wall opposite the back wall, and a pair of sidewalls joining the front wall to the back wall in a closed-loop. At least one first cooling tube may extend through the back wall and the front wall across the closed-loop. At least one second cooling tube may extend through the back wall and the front wall across the closed loop such that the at least one second cooling tube is spaced apart from and parallel with the at least one first cooling tube.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 17, 2020
    Date of Patent: May 16, 2023
    Assignee: CORNING INCORPORATED
    Inventors: John Michael Feenaughty, Vladislav Yuryevich Golyatin, Bulent Kocatulum, Jeremy Walter Turner