Patents Examined by Eric Yaary
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Patent number: 11856996Abstract: An electronic cigarette and its host device and cartridge detachably attached to the host device, and a method of operating the same. When the cartridge is detachably attached to the host device a communication magnet provides a connecting force between the host device and the cartridge and at the same time establishes and electrically conducting connection between the host device and the cartridge allowing the transmission of data through the communication magnet to authenticate the cartridge and read operating parameter from the cartridge for optimized controlling.Type: GrantFiled: March 1, 2021Date of Patent: January 2, 2024Assignee: Red Coral IP Holding Company, Inc.Inventors: Xingchen Guo, Yong Fu
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Patent number: 11856997Abstract: Smoking articles, and methods for forming such smoking articles, such as an electronic smoking article, are provided. An exemplary smoking article comprises a control body portion having a control body engagement end, and having a first control component therein. A cartridge body portion includes a cartridge body engagement end configured to removably engage the control body engagement end of the control body portion. The cartridge body portion further includes a consumable arrangement comprising at least an aerosol precursor composition and at least one heating element operably engaged therewith, and a second control component. At least the consumable arrangement is configured to be in communication with the first control component upon engagement between the cartridge body and control body portions.Type: GrantFiled: January 13, 2020Date of Patent: January 2, 2024Assignee: RAI STRATEGIC HOLDINGS, INC.Inventors: Stephen Benson Sears, Timothy Brian Nestor, Charles Jacob Novak, III, Steven Lee Alderman, Michael Ryan Galloway, Quentin Paul Guenther, Jr., Frederic Philippe Ampolini, Raymond C. Henry, Jr., Allen Michael East
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Patent number: 11856990Abstract: The disclosure provides a capillary liquid conducting and atomizing unit and an atomizing device. The capillary liquid conducting and atomizing unit includes a housing and an atomization assembly arranged in the housing; at least one liquid inlet is provided in a side of the atomization assembly, a capillary liquid absorbing channel communicating with the liquid inlet is provided between an inner side of the housing and the side where the liquid inlet is located; a length direction of the capillary liquid absorbing channel extends along a height direction of the side where the liquid inlet is located, and two opposite ends of the capillary liquid absorbing channel respectively extend towards an upper side and a lower side of the liquid inlet, to absorb liquid into the liquid inlet by capillary action. Thus, the liquid inlet is not required to be arranged at a bottom of the liquid storage reservoir.Type: GrantFiled: July 24, 2020Date of Patent: January 2, 2024Assignee: Shenzhen Huachengda Precision Industry Co. Ltd.Inventor: Ping Chen
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Patent number: 11849756Abstract: A capsule for use in a smoking article includes a liquid sensory enhancing material; and a shell surrounding the liquid sensory enhancing material. The shell has an outer surface rendered hydrophobic by hydrophobic groups covalently bond to the outer surface of the shell. The shell may be rendered hydrophobic by reacting hydroxyl groups at outer surface of the shell with fatty acid halides to covalently attach fatty acid moieties to the surface of the capsule.Type: GrantFiled: July 6, 2021Date of Patent: December 26, 2023Assignee: Philip Morris Products S.A.Inventors: Aurélien Guyard, Laurent Lavanant, Yves Jordil
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Patent number: 11849769Abstract: An apparatus is provided for enabling smokable material to be heated to volatize at least one component of the smokable material. In one example, the apparatus has a capacitive sensor arranged to sense a change in capacitance when an article of smokable material is associated with a housing of the apparatus in use. In another example, the apparatus has a resistive sensor arranged to provide a measure of electrical resistance when an article of smokable material is associated with a housing of the apparatus in use. A combination of capacitive and resistive sensing may be used in some examples. In another example, a sensor makes use of at least two different sensing techniques. There is also provided an article of smokable material having a non-metallic electrically conductive region for detection by a sensor of an apparatus arranged to cause heating of the smokable material.Type: GrantFiled: May 6, 2020Date of Patent: December 26, 2023Assignee: Nicoventures Trading LimitedInventors: Duane Anthony Kaufman, Jesse Eugene Robinson
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Patent number: 11839236Abstract: Provided is an aerosol generation device including a first housing, a plurality of shutters, and a second housing. The first housing includes a first aperture into which a cigarette is inserted. The plurality of shutters are provided on the first housing to be rotatable about a virtual line extending in a lengthwise direction of the cigarette, and open and close the first aperture. The second housing includes a second aperture that communicates with the first aperture, surrounds an outer circumferential surface of the first housing to be rotatable with respect to the first housing, and slidably contacts the plurality of shutters and rotates the plurality of shutters according to a rotating manipulation by a user.Type: GrantFiled: January 22, 2019Date of Patent: December 12, 2023Assignee: KT&G CORPORATIONInventor: Hwi Kyeong An
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Patent number: 11832652Abstract: An electronic smoking article includes a liquid supply region including liquid material and a heater-wick element operable to wick liquid material and heat the liquid material to a temperature sufficient to vaporize the liquid material and form an aerosol. The heater-wick element is formed of a carbon or graphite foam.Type: GrantFiled: October 15, 2021Date of Patent: December 5, 2023Assignee: Altria Client Services LLCInventors: Susan E. Plunkett, David B. Kane
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Patent number: 11833293Abstract: A system, a method, a device, and a computer program for detecting, monitoring and logging smoking activity related data. The device can comprise a housing, a power supply located within the housing, an atomizer electrically coupled to the power supply, a liquid solution fluidly coupled to the atomizer, and a data logging device configured to be located within the housing and that can comprise a microcontroller, a memory, and a data interface. The data logging device can be configured to detect, monitor, and log smoking activity data, and a data logging device that can comprise a microcontroller, a memory, and a data interface. The data logging device can be configured to detect, monitor, and log smoking activity data.Type: GrantFiled: March 17, 2021Date of Patent: December 5, 2023Assignee: Fontem Ventures B.V.Inventors: Ramon Alarcon, Chris Kepner, Michael Starman, Dennis Christopher Howard
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Patent number: 11825876Abstract: The suction ashtray device is portable and is preferably battery powered with an electric motor. The suction ashtray device can include a rechargeable battery that can be charged using a power cable such as a Universal Serial Bus cable. A pipe bowl can be placed on or above an inverted cone-shaped top. When the suction ashtray is powered on, ash and any other particles are vacuumed through the top into a catch compartment. Some embodiments can include an ashtray attachment. The ashtray attachment connects to the cyclone top. The ashtray attachment includes a plurality of grooves able to hold a cigarette or similarly sized smoking apparatus. A user can place a cigarette in a groove so that the ash can fall into the cyclone top.Type: GrantFiled: October 20, 2021Date of Patent: November 28, 2023Inventor: Miguel Fernando Murillo
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Patent number: 11825567Abstract: The present disclosure relates to an electronic smoking article that provides for improved aerosol delivery. Particularly, the article comprises one or more microheaters. In various embodiments, the microheaters provide for improved control of vaporization of an aerosol precursor composition and provide for reduced power requirements to achieve consistent aerosolization. The present disclosure further relates to methods of forming an aerosol in a smoking article.Type: GrantFiled: May 21, 2021Date of Patent: November 21, 2023Assignee: RAI Strategic Holdings, Inc.Inventors: William Robert Collett, Stephen Benson Sears, Dennis Lee Potter, Steven Lee Alderman, Mo Kebaili
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Patent number: 11819059Abstract: An electronic smoking article includes a liquid supply region including liquid material and a heater-wick element operable to wick liquid material and heat the liquid material to a temperature sufficient to vaporize the liquid material and form an aerosol. The heater-wick element comprises a plurality of fused metal beads or particles.Type: GrantFiled: March 25, 2021Date of Patent: November 21, 2023Assignee: ALTRIA CLIENT SERVICES LLCInventors: Jason Andrew Macko, James Anthony Skapars
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Patent number: 11800890Abstract: Disclosed are systems and methods for automatic infusion of concentrate and distillate material into cigarettes or other containers. In one embodiment, a thermally-controlled infusion system is provided. The system can maintain a selected temperature of the concentrate material throughout the infusion process, using a two-stage approach. In a first stage, the concentrate material is pressure-fed to a dosing chamber. In the second stage, the concentrate material is pumped into an insertion cannula and into a cigarette or container. A revolver houses the cigarettes or containers and vertically transitions them to an insertion position, where the insertion cannula can infuse the cigarettes or containers.Type: GrantFiled: February 19, 2021Date of Patent: October 31, 2023Assignee: Sorting Robotics, Inc.Inventors: Nohtal Partansky, Paul Skaar
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Patent number: 11793955Abstract: A vapor provision system includes a reservoir defining a storage volume to hold aerosolizable substrate material; and an aerosolizable substrate material detection system including an optical source located externally of the reservoir and operable to emit light into the storage volume; an optical detector located externally of the reservoir and operable to detect light emitted by the optical source that has traversed an optical path through the storage volume; and a controller configured to determine a characteristic of light detected by the optical detector and deduce information regarding a depth of aerosolizable substrate material in the storage volume from the determined characteristic of the light.Type: GrantFiled: November 20, 2018Date of Patent: October 24, 2023Assignee: Nicoventures Trading LimitedInventors: Kenny Otiaba, David Leadley
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Patent number: 11793230Abstract: The disclosure provides products configured for oral use, the products including compositions comprising a filler component including negatively charged groups and an active ingredient including positively charged groups. The active ingredient can be retained by the filler component at least in part through bonding between the negatively charged groups and the positively charged groups such that active ingredient may be release from the product when positioned within an oral cavity of a consumer.Type: GrantFiled: December 9, 2019Date of Patent: October 24, 2023Assignee: NICOVENTURES TRADING LIMITEDInventors: Anthony Richard Gerardi, Dwayne William Beeson, Ronald K. Hutchens, Christopher Keller, Thomas H. Poole, Andries Don Sebastian, Frank Kelley St. Charles
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Patent number: 11785980Abstract: In one embodiment is provided an apparatus which forms conically shaped smoking shells having blocking tips, the apparatus including: (i) a conical form mandrel having an exterior surface, an interior section, and a vacuum opening fluidly connecting the interior section with the exterior surface; (ii) a motor operably connected to the conical form mandrel which can rotate the conical form mandrel; (iii) a conical form mandrel vacuum system operably connected to the interior section of conical form mandrel; (iv) a vacuum table having an upper surface, a vertical elevation system operably connected to the upper surface, which vertical elevation system vertically positions the upper surface, and table heater supported by the vacuum table, and a table vacuum system operably connected to the upper surface; and (v) a garage system located next to the conical form mandrel, the garage system including a base and a garage carriage slidingly connected to the base, the garage carriage including first and second ends witType: GrantFiled: August 10, 2021Date of Patent: October 17, 2023Assignee: LSR HC LLCInventors: Michael Niehaus, Randall Bachtel, John Hersman, Trent Warncke, Joseph Bullard
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Patent number: 11779052Abstract: In an illustrative embodiment, a heat-not-burn tobacco aerosolization device aerosolizes a high viscosity, wet tobacco product at a very low temperature and reduces harmful and potentially harmful carcinogen (HPHC) emissions by six times or more relative to conventional heat-not-burn products while also providing substantially improved taste and user experience. Embodiments exemplified herein provide a compelling and healthier substitute for cigarette smoking that avoids the HPHC emissions of conventional heat-not-burn products while also avoiding the increased risk of addiction and short-term health effects reported in connection with conventional vaping devices.Type: GrantFiled: May 6, 2021Date of Patent: October 10, 2023Assignee: HZAT, LLCInventor: Thomas O'Connell
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Patent number: 11771130Abstract: An apparatus and method for recovering tobacco material from tobacco rod sections is provided, each tobacco rod section including a wrapping paper wrapped about the tobacco material. The apparatus includes a centrifugal object-orienting device including a disc disposed at an incline within a cylindrical container, the cylindrical container and the disc being rotatable about a rotation axis such that the rotating cylindrical container and disc impart centrifugal force to the tobacco rod sections, the tobacco rod sections being responsive to the centrifugal force to orient lengthwise. A first conveyor device is configured to receive and convey in a conveyor direction the tobacco rod sections, with the tobacco rod sections being oriented lengthwise relative to the conveyor direction. A slitting device is operably engaged with the first conveyor device and configured to lengthwise slit the wrapping paper wrapped about the tobacco material of each of the tobacco rod sections.Type: GrantFiled: May 4, 2021Date of Patent: October 3, 2023Assignee: R.J. Reynolds Tobacco CompanyInventor: Balager Ademe
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Patent number: 11771849Abstract: In the non-nicotine electronic vaping device, a saturation sensor measures at least one electrical characteristic of the wick between the heating element and the probe wire at a first time and a second time, wherein the at least one electrical characteristic includes a resistance, a capacitance, or both a resistance and a capacitance. Control circuitry is configured to cause the non-nicotine e-vaping device to: calculate a refill rate at which the non-nicotine pre-vapor formulation flows onto the wick based on the at least one electrical characteristic at the first time and the at least one electrical characteristic at the second time; determine that the refill rate is less than a threshold refill rate; and output a low non-nicotine pre-vapor formulation alert in response to determining that the refill rate is less than the threshold refill rate.Type: GrantFiled: July 15, 2020Date of Patent: October 3, 2023Assignee: Altria Client Services LLCInventors: Robert C. Lacovara, Phillip Diana, Nam Tran
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Patent number: 11766069Abstract: A pre-roll cone folding system for use in folding top portions of pre-roll cones, including at least (A) one or more pre-roll cone holders, a given one of the one or more pre-roll cone holders including at least a sloped cavity for supporting a pre-roll cone with a top portion of the pre-roll cone protruding from the sloped cavity; (B) one or more pre-roll cone folders for engaging the one or more pre-roll cone holders, a given pre-roll cone folder of the one or more pre-roll cone folders including at least (1) a receptacle to receive at least a portion of the protruding top portion of the pre-roll cone, and (2) a slot; and (C) a pre-roll cone plunger with a shaft for insertion through the slot of the given pre-roll cone folder and with a shaper for shaping at least the top portion of the pre-roll cone.Type: GrantFiled: July 9, 2021Date of Patent: September 26, 2023Assignee: FOLD N GO LLCInventors: Tyler D. Hauth, Samual C. Walker
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Patent number: 11758939Abstract: Disclosed are cellulose acetate tows, bales, and filter rods having from greater than 9 to less than 12.5 denier per filament and from 20,000 to 40,000 total denier, for use in smoking devices, including aerosol-generating devices such as an electrically heated cigarette.Type: GrantFiled: March 24, 2021Date of Patent: September 19, 2023Assignee: ACETATE INTERNATIONAL LLCInventors: Christopher M. Bundren, Austin Banks, William Sanderson, Philip Caenen, Christophe Loix