Patents Examined by Eric Yaary
  • Aerosol production assembly including surface with micro-pattern
    Patent number: 11207478
    Abstract: The present disclosure relates to an aerosol production assembly. The aerosol production assembly may include a reservoir that contains an aerosol precursor composition and an atomizer that receives the aerosol precursor composition from the reservoir and heats the aerosol precursor composition to produce an aerosol. The aerosol production assembly may additionally include a body that directs the aerosol through an outlet. The body may include a surface including a micro-pattern that defines at least one of hydrophobic and anti-microbial properties. The surface including the micro-pattern may not include a chemical coating that provides these properties. Rather, the surface may define a three-dimensional structure that provides hydrophobic and/or anti-microbial properties. A related assembly method is also provided.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 25, 2016
    Date of Patent: December 28, 2021
    Assignee: RAI Strategic Holdings, Inc.
    Inventors: Andries Don Sebastian, Michael F. Davis, Ercilia Hernandez Garcia
  • Vegetable based tobacco alternatives and articles comprising same
    Patent number: 11206863
    Abstract: Disclosed are compositions suitable for use as alternatives or substitutes for natural tobacco. Disclosed compositions include combustible products comprising leafy material from one or more plants classified in the brassicaceae or spinnacia plant family. Also disclosed are methods for the manufacture and use of the disclosed compositions.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 6, 2011
    Date of Patent: December 28, 2021
    Inventor: Steven R. Freeman
  • Method for manufacturing inductively heatable tobacco rods
    Patent number: 11202466
    Abstract: The method for manufacturing inductively heatable tobacco rods comprises the steps of providing a continuous profile of a susceptor, guiding an aerosol-forming tobacco substrate along a tobacco substrate converging device, positioning the continuous profile of susceptor in the aerosol-forming tobacco substrate and converging the aerosol-forming tobacco substrate to a final rod shape. Therein, the step of positioning the continuous profile of susceptor in the aerosol-forming tobacco substrate is performed before performing the step of converging the aerosol-forming tobacco substrate to its final rod shape.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 18, 2020
    Date of Patent: December 21, 2021
    Assignee: Philip Morris Products S.A.
    Inventors: Ivan Prestia, Daniele Sanna, Christian Agostini, Alessandro Balboni
  • Electronic smoking device and process of manufacturing thereof
    Patent number: 11202471
    Abstract: An electronic smoking device includes an elongate housing sleeve accommodating at least part of the following components: a battery as an electric power source powering an electrically activatable atomizer including an electric heater adapted to atomize a liquid supplied from a reservoir to provide an aerosol exiting from the atomizer; a puff detector adapted to indicate an aerosol inhaling puff; and control electronics connected to the puff detector and adapted to control the heater of the atomizer. At least part of the battery, the puff detector, the control electronics and/or the atomizer is mounted on an elongate insert permitting lateral access and fitting into the housing sleeve via one of the ends of the housing sleeve.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 28, 2019
    Date of Patent: December 21, 2021
    Assignee: FONTEM HOLDINGS 1 B.V.
    Inventors: Vaclav Borkovec, Thorben Rehders
  • Rolling apparatus to form different sized cigarettes with enhanced efficiency
    Patent number: 11197495
    Abstract: A cigarette rolling apparatus designed to form a cigarette by rolling a paper around a smoking material is provided. The apparatus includes a base, a ramp coupled to the base, a handle with arms pivotably mounted to the base and having rollers rotatably mounted to the arms, and a belt with first and second ends coupled to the base so that the belt extends along the ramp and around the rollers mounted to the handle. The handle in a load position forms a U-shaped pocket in the belt between the ramp and rollers to receive the smoking material and a portion of the belt on the ramp to receive the paper. Pivotal movement of the handle from the load position toward the front end of the base allows the rollers to apply compression forces on portions of the belt to roll the paper around the smoking material.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 19, 2019
    Date of Patent: December 14, 2021
    Inventor: Trent Alan Bohl, Sr.
  • Cartridge for an aerosol-generating system and an aerosol-generating system comprising a cartridge
    Patent number: 11197498
    Abstract: There is provided a cartridge for an aerosol-generating system, the cartridge including: a first compartment having a first air inlet and a first air outlet, the first compartment containing a nicotine source including a first carrier material impregnated with between about 1 milligram and about 40 milligrams of nicotine; and a second compartment having a second air inlet and a second air outlet, the second compartment containing a lactic acid source including a second carrier material impregnated with between about 2 milligrams and about 60 milligrams of lactic acid. An aerosol-generating system is also provided, including the cartridge and an aerosol-generating device including a housing defining a cavity configured to receive at least a portion of the cartridge; and a heater configured to heat the first compartment and the second compartment of the cartridge.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 21, 2016
    Date of Patent: December 14, 2021
    Assignee: Philip Morris Products S.A.
    Inventors: Judith Waller, Marie Farine, Patrick Charles Silvestrini
  • Cigar ventilation implement
    Patent number: 11191301
    Abstract: A cigar ventilating implement includes both a cylindrical punch and a piercing member such as a needle or spike. The cylindrical punch and piercing member are each is extendable from an outer housing of the implement by gripping laterally extending flanges and pressing on an actuator in a manner similar to that used to operate a medical syringe. The cylindrical punch is extendable to a predetermined distance when pushing the actuator over a first section of its total range of movement after which the piercing member may be extended from the cylindrical punch by a further distance upon pushing the actuator over a second section of its total range against the bias provided by a coil spring. The restoring force of the coil spring causes the elongated piercing member to retract back into the cylindrical punch when pressure on the actuator is released.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 6, 2019
    Date of Patent: December 7, 2021
    Assignee: SYNGE LLC
    Inventors: Todd Zabaglo, Frank Meyers, Mansoor Riaz
  • Aerosol source member having combined susceptor and aerosol precursor material
    Patent number: 11191298
    Abstract: An aerosol delivery device and an aerosol source member for use with an inductive heating aerosol delivery device are provided. The aerosol delivery device comprises a control body having a housing with an opening defined in one end thereof, a resonant transmitter located in the control body, a control component configured to drive the resonant transmitter, and an aerosol source member, at least a portion of which is configured to be positioned proximate the resonant transmitter. The aerosol source member may comprise a tobacco substrate and a plurality of porous susceptor particles, and the susceptor particles may be infused with an aerosol precursor composition.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 22, 2018
    Date of Patent: December 7, 2021
    Assignee: RAI Strategic Holdings, Inc.
    Inventor: Vahid Hejazi
  • Smoking article comprising an isolated combustible heat source
    Patent number: 11191299
    Abstract: A smoking article is provided, including a combustible heat source with opposed front and rear faces; an aerosol-forming substrate downstream of the rear face of the combustible heat source; an outer wrapper circumscribing the aerosol-forming substrate and at least a rear portion of the combustible heat source; and one or more airflow pathways along which air may be drawn through the smoking article for inhalation by a user. The combustible heat source is isolated from the one or more airflow pathways such that air drawn through the smoking article along the one or more airflow pathways does not directly contact the combustible heat source.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 12, 2013
    Date of Patent: December 7, 2021
    Assignee: Philip Morris Products S.A.
    Inventors: Oleg Mironov, Laurent Edouard Poget
  • Smoking article assembly
    Patent number: 11185106
    Abstract: A modular apparatus is configured to cause received rods of smokeable material to undergo a first sequence of operations. The modular apparatus can be reconfigured so as to cause received rods of smokeable material to undergo a second sequence of operations, different to the first sequence of operations. The first and second sequences of operations respectively form at least part of first and second processes for assembling smoking articles, each smoking article comprising one of said rods of smokeable material, which is smoked in use.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 15, 2020
    Date of Patent: November 30, 2021
    Assignee: TOBACCO RESEARCH AND DEVELOPMENT INSTITUTE (PROPRIETARY) LIMITED
    Inventor: Gerhard Malan Le Roux
  • Electronic vapor provision device
    Patent number: 11185649
    Abstract: An electronic vapor provision device comprises a body and a vaporizer. The body comprises a power cell and a processor, and the vaporizer is releasably connectable to the body. The processor is configured to enter a sleep mode when the vaporizer is connected to the body and the device is inactive for an inactive time. Furthermore, the processor is configured to leave the sleep mode and enter a usable mode when the vaporizer is disconnected from the body then reconnected to the body.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 7, 2019
    Date of Patent: November 30, 2021
    Assignee: NICOVENTURES TRADING LIMITED
    Inventor: Christopher Lord
  • Electronic cigarette with rotatable mouthpiece
    Patent number: 11185108
    Abstract: The present disclosure discloses an electronic cigarette with a rotatable mouthpiece. The electronic cigarette comprises a battery assembly and an atomizing assembly. The battery assembly comprises a battery and a casing. The atomizing assembly comprises a mouthpiece, an outer sleeve, and a cartridge. The outer sleeve is hinged to casing through a cardinal axis. The cardinal axis is accommodated in a guide rail groove, and is slidable along the guide rail groove. The sliding direction of the cardinal axis is the same as the axial direction of the casing. After using the electronic cigarette, the mouthpiece could be rotated and stored in the casing conveniently, and keep cleaning.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 15, 2018
    Date of Patent: November 30, 2021
    Assignee: Shenzhen First Union Technology Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Zhi Ouyang, Meng Li, Huiyun Chen, Zhongli Xu, Yonghai Li
  • Smoking article having a filter including a capsule
    Patent number: 11178907
    Abstract: There is provided a smoking article having an aerosol generating substrate and a mouthpiece. The mouthpiece includes a cavity at least partially filled with a particulate material, such as activated carbon,and contains at least one breakable capsule of a liquid flavourant at least partially surrounded by the particulate material, such that the force required to break the capsule within the mouthpiece to release the liquid flavourant is less than three times the inherent burst strength of the capsule.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 18, 2014
    Date of Patent: November 23, 2021
    Assignee: Philip Morris Products S.A.
    Inventors: Yves Jordil, Charles Kuersteiner
  • Heated aerosol generating article with thermal spreading endpiece
    Patent number: 11178898
    Abstract: A heated aerosol-generating article for use with an aerosol-generating device is provided, in the form of a rod having a mouth end and a distal end upstream from the mouth end. An aerosol-forming substrate is located upstream of the mouth end within the rod and the distal end of the heated aerosol-generating article is spanned by a non-flammable thermally-conductive material to reduce the propensity for ignition of the article.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 4, 2014
    Date of Patent: November 23, 2021
    Assignee: Philip Morris Products S.A.
    Inventors: Alexandre Malgat, Stephane Roudier, Ana Carolina Borges De Couraca, Frederic Lavanchy, Cedric Meyer
  • Tongue and tongue assembly for rod forming apparatus, rod forming apparatus with tongue assembly and method of installing tongue assembly on rod forming apparatus
    Patent number: 11172703
    Abstract: The tongue includes a shaft, the shaft being hollow. The tongue includes an upper plate connected to the shaft. The upper plate includes a first protrusion on a first side of the upper plate, and a second protrusion on the first side of the upper plate. The first protrusion and the second protrusion define a notch. The first protrusion runs along at least part of an upper portion of a longitudinal length of the shaft. The rod forming apparatus includes the tongue. The method installs the tongue on the rod forming apparatus.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 25, 2019
    Date of Patent: November 16, 2021
    Assignee: Altria Client Services LLC
    Inventors: Dwight D. Williams, Charles David Howe
  • Smoking assemblies and methods of smoking
    Patent number: 11172707
    Abstract: Disclosed herein are methods of smoking combustible material(s) including methods that may include: providing any of the smoking assemblies disclosed herein, and utilizing such smoking assemblies for smoking, wherein such smoking assemblies may each include, for example: a housing that may include an intake aperture and an exhaust aperture; a fan disposed inside the housing; and a valve coupled to the housing, inside the housing; moving air in the housing and out through the exhaust aperture, preferably utilizing the circular movement of the fan; and partially or fully inhibiting air flow from the intake aperture to the exhaust aperture, preferably using the valve, e.g., by partially closing and/or opening the fan.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 23, 2020
    Date of Patent: November 16, 2021
    Inventor: Claude Harper
  • Aerosol generating systems
    Patent number: 11172708
    Abstract: A cartridge (30) for use with an aerosol generating system (10) includes a reservoir (32) for storing an aerosol-forming liquid (34) and an induction heatable element (36). The cartridge (30) employs a capillary element (38) to convey the aerosol-forming liquid (34) from the reservoir (32) to the induction heatable element (36) and the induction heatable element (36) is arranged to heat the conveyed aerosol-forming liquid to vaporise it.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 3, 2017
    Date of Patent: November 16, 2021
    Inventors: Mark Gill, Lubos Brvenik
  • Filter unit for electronic cigarettes
    Patent number: 11166489
    Abstract: A filtering unit for use with an electronic cigarette which includes a hollow housing and a filter pad located inside the housing. The housing has a first end, a second end, a front wall, and a rear wall. The front wall and the rear wall extend from the first end to the second end of the housing. The hollow housing also including a throughgoing opening formed at the second end and at least one pair of first internally extending prongs, these first prongs forming an internal chamber. The filter pad is positioned inside the internal chamber of the hollow housing. The second end of the hollow chamber is positionable over a portion of the electronic cigarette so as to filter out undesired particles in vapors of the electronic cigarette.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 20, 2019
    Date of Patent: November 9, 2021
    Inventor: Isaac Sutton
  • Electrically operated smoking device including a compact system for identifying smoking articles in the device
    Patent number: 11166494
    Abstract: There is provided an electrically operated smoking device configured to receive a smoking article, the device including a housing defining a cavity configured to at least partially receive the smoking article; and a sensing system configured to detect indicia on the smoking article, the sensing system being disposed on a periphery of the cavity and including a light source, an image detector, and a plurality of microlenses disposed on the image detector.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 27, 2016
    Date of Patent: November 9, 2021
    Assignee: Philip Morris Products S.A.
    Inventors: Christiane Gimkiewicz, Rolf Eckert, Edoardo Franzi, David Hasler, Ross Stanley
  • Additive releasing materials
    Patent number: 11160305
    Abstract: The invention relates to an additive releasing material comprising a carrier material having on its surface one or more additives, the additive releasing material having a desorption temperature selected to allow controlled temperature-dependent release of the additive(s). The invention further relates to filters and smoking articles including such additive releasing materials, and to methods for preparing the additive releasing materials.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 10, 2014
    Date of Patent: November 2, 2021
    Assignee: BRITISH AMERICAN TOBACCO (INVESTMENTS) LIMITED
    Inventor: Peter Branton