Patents Examined by Jennifer A Kessie
  • Patent number: 11672272
    Abstract: An aerosol-generating component for an aerosol-generating article is provided, the aerosol-generating component including: a combustible heat source; an aerosol-forming substrate; and a heat-transfer element disposed between the combustible heat source and the aerosol-forming substrate, the heat-transfer element including a cup-shaped receptacle defining a cavity, and the aerosol-forming substrate forms a coating on at least a portion of an inner surface of the cup-shaped receptacle. An aerosol-generating article including the aerosol-generating component, and a method of manufacturing the aerosol-generating component are also provided.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 21, 2016
    Date of Patent: June 13, 2023
    Assignee: Philip Morris Products S.A.
    Inventors: Noelia Rojo-Calderon, Rui Batista
  • Patent number: 11632980
    Abstract: An aerosol-generating article is provided, including a combustible heat source; an aerosol-generating substrate adjacent the heat source; a freshener segment upstream of the heat source and at least partially covering an upstream end of the heat source, the freshener segment including a segment of support material having an annular shape defining a channel extending through at least a part of the segment between upstream and downstream ends thereof, and at least one freshener delivery element contained within the channel and being detachable from the heat source to expose the heat source prior to use of the article; and a wrapper circumscribing at least the freshener segment and the heat source, including a line of weakness extending around the wrapper and overlying an upstream edge of the heat source so that the freshener segment is detachable from the heat source by breaking the wrapper along the line of weakness.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 18, 2018
    Date of Patent: April 25, 2023
    Assignee: Philip Morris Products S.A.
    Inventor: Clement Besso
  • Patent number: 11617389
    Abstract: A device for grinding, loading and forming smoking articles has a grinding unit. A holding chamber is removably coupled to the grinding unit. A cone holding section is positioned within the holding chamber. A rotational device is coupled to the grinding unit and the cone holding section, wherein the rotational device rotates the grinding device and moves the cone holding section in an up and down manner within the holding chamber.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 13, 2020
    Date of Patent: April 4, 2023
    Assignee: BBK Tobacco & Foods, LLP
    Inventors: Kai Zhou, Ian Kobe
  • Patent number: 11621570
    Abstract: An aerosol-generating system includes an electric heater, a battery and control circuitry. The electric heater is configured to vaporize an aerosol-forming substance. The battery is configured to power the electric heater. The control circuitry is configured to: prevent charging of the battery in response to detecting that the electric heater is in an operation state; or prevent operation of the electric heater in response to detecting that the battery is in a charging state.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 18, 2018
    Date of Patent: April 4, 2023
    Assignee: Altria Client Services LLC
    Inventors: Guillaume Colotte, Stephane Bilat
  • Patent number: 11617228
    Abstract: The cartridge includes a storage compartment configured to contain a liquid, the storage compartment having a first portion and a second portion connected to one another by a liquid channel. The cartridge includes an airflow passage passing between the first portion and the second portion of the storage compartment, and an aerosol-generating element that is fluid permeable and is positioned between the first portion and the second portion of the storage compartment, the aerosol-generating element having a first side and a second side that oppose each other, the first side of the aerosol-generating element forming part of the airflow passage and the second side of the aerosol-generating element being in contact with the liquid from the second portion of the storage compartment.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 23, 2018
    Date of Patent: March 28, 2023
    Assignee: Altria Client Services LLC
    Inventors: Patrick Charles Silvesstrini, Ihar Nikolaevich Zinovik, Guillaume Frederick
  • Patent number: 11528932
    Abstract: A flavor-containing sheet for a smoking article, the sheet comprising a thickening polysaccharide, a flavor, an emulsifier, and a filler.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 30, 2019
    Date of Patent: December 20, 2022
    Assignee: JAPAN TOBACCO INC.
    Inventors: Mitsuharu Sugyo, Yasuo Tanaka
  • Patent number: 11529477
    Abstract: An electronic smoking device is provided including a power supply portion comprising a power supply, an atomizer/liquid reservoir portion comprising a liquid reservoir storing a liquid, and an atomizer adapted to atomize the liquid stored in the liquid reservoir when operated by the power supply. The atomizer extends away from the liquid reservoir in a first direction (L). The atomizer comprises first atomizer sections, wherein each of the first atomizer sections defines an opening that is at least partly encircled by the first atomizer section. The sizes of the openings defined by the first atomizer sections decrease with increasing distance of the first atomizer sections from the liquid reservoir in the first direction.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 5, 2016
    Date of Patent: December 20, 2022
    Assignee: Fontem Ventures B.V.
    Inventor: Muneeb Rashid
  • Patent number: 11457659
    Abstract: A stabilizing process for tobacco and tobacco products includes sterilizing the tobacco by applying an electron beam treatment to the tobacco. The process may also include treating the tobacco. The treating the tobacco includes pre-conditioning the tobacco, pasteurizing the tobacco, curing the tobacco, fermenting the tobacco, or combinations thereof. The method may also include forming a smokeless tobacco product containing the tobacco.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 3, 2018
    Date of Patent: October 4, 2022
    Assignee: Altria Client Services LLC
    Inventors: Yahya Karga, James Powell, Dongmei Xu, James A. Strickland, Ujwala Warek
  • Patent number: 11432584
    Abstract: The present invention relates to a method to form a rod for an aerosol generating article from a sheet of material (11), the method comprising the steps of: crimping the sheet of material (11); flattening the crimped sheet of material (11) by forcing it to contact a sliding edge, transversally arranged with respect to a feed direction of the sheet of material (11); giving a substantially tubular shape to the flattened sheet of material (11); and forming the rod with the so-shaped sheet of material (11). The present invention also relates to an apparatus to form a rod for an aerosol generating article from a sheet of material (11).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 18, 2018
    Date of Patent: September 6, 2022
    Assignee: Philip Morris Products S.A.
    Inventors: Jonas Conrady, Rainer Dangers, Peter Reuschel, Frank Syrzisko
  • Patent number: 11406127
    Abstract: The invention relates to a smoking article (120) comprising a smoking article rod portion (2) having a recess (13) and a mouthpiece (110) arranged to be attached to the smoking article. The mouthpiece comprises an elongate cylindrical element (20) having adjacent first and second portions each extending partially along the length of the cylindrical element, the first portion being arranged to be inserted into a smoking article recess by a user. The mouthpiece also comprises an annular element (111) arranged around the second portion of the cylindrical element, the annular element having a larger external diameter than the cylindrical element such that the annular element is larger than the diameter of the recess.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 26, 2016
    Date of Patent: August 9, 2022
    Assignee: NICOVENTURES TRADING LIMITED
    Inventor: Karl Kaljura
  • Patent number: 11369133
    Abstract: A cone filling apparatus for production of smoking articles includes: (a) a cone pallet including a plurality of cavities, each cavity for holding a respective cone; (b) a delivery chute having a load end for receiving a smokeable product from a source and an unload end downstream of the load end for unloading the smokeable product from the chute; and (c) a dosing tray disposed above the pallet. The dosing tray includes a plurality of transfer sleeves. Each sleeve has an upper sleeve end for receiving smokeable product unloaded from the unload end of the chute, and a lower sleeve end for dispensing the smokeable product into a cone held in a respective cavity aligned beneath the lower sleeve end.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 23, 2019
    Date of Patent: June 28, 2022
    Assignee: CANOPY GROWTH CORPORATION
    Inventors: Luc Boucher, Torrin Mullins, John Tutton, Robert Watters
  • Patent number: 11351032
    Abstract: The present invention provides a method for treating a polymer workpiece (1) for use in a joint implant. It comprises the steps of placing the polymer workpiece in an explosion chamber, introducing a combustible gas mixture into the explosion chamber and igniting the combustible gas mixture. Igniting the gas mixture in the explosion chamber produces a temperature that lies above the melting point of a polymer of the polymer workpiece.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 27, 2016
    Date of Patent: June 7, 2022
    Assignee: Waldemar Link GmbH & Co. KG
    Inventors: Helmut D. Link, Carsten Schöttler
  • Patent number: 11330835
    Abstract: An aerosol generating article is provided, including a combustible carbonaceous heat source; an aerosol-forming substrate; and a thermal indicator provided on an outer surface of the aerosol-generating article downstream of the combustible carbonaceous heat source. The thermal indicator includes at least one reversible thermochromic material that undergoes a first reversible visible colour change when a temperature of the thermal indicator rises to a first switching temperature and a second reversible visible colour change when a temperature of the thermal indicator falls to a second switching temperature. The first switching temperature is below about 80° C. and the second switching temperature is lower than or equal to the first switching temperature.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 29, 2016
    Date of Patent: May 17, 2022
    Assignee: Philip Morris Products S.A.
    Inventor: Frederic Lavanchy
  • Patent number: 11330834
    Abstract: A method of manufacturing a flavor source includes: a step A of adding a basic substance to a tobacco raw material; a step B of heating the tobacco raw material added with the basic substance and releasing an inhaling flavor component into a vapor phase from the tobacco raw material; a step C of collecting the inhaling flavor component released into the vapor phase in the step B; a step D of washing a tobacco residue being the tobacco raw material obtained after the inhaling flavor component is released in the step B, with a washing solvent; a step E of pulverizing or cutting the tobacco residue obtained after being washed in the step D; and a step F of adding the inhaling flavor component collected in the step C to the tobacco residue obtained after pulverized or cut in the step E.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 19, 2018
    Date of Patent: May 17, 2022
    Assignee: JAPAN TOBACCO INC.
    Inventors: Shinya Osuga, Kimitaka Uchii, Takuma Nakano, Morio Yajima, Yusuke Nanasaki
  • Patent number: 11331726
    Abstract: The invention relates to a device (1) for the generative production of a three-dimensional object (2) by means of successive layer-by-layer selective solidification of construction material layers consisting of a solidifiable construction material (3), by means of at least one laser beam (5), comprising at least one device (4) for generating at least one laser beam (5) for layer-by-layer selective solidification of individual construction material layers consisting of solidifiable construction material (3), a flow device (9) for generating a fluid flow (10) that flows at least partially through a processing chamber (8) of said device (1), and a detection device (12) for detecting an item of flow information describing at least one physical parameter and/or at least one chemical parameter of the fluid flow (10).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 2, 2016
    Date of Patent: May 17, 2022
    Assignee: CONCEPT LASER GMBH
    Inventor: Frank Herzog
  • Patent number: 11324249
    Abstract: The present disclosure provides an aerosol delivery device comprising an aerosol source member. In an example embodiment, an aerosol source member of the present disclosure may comprise a substrate portion comprising a nanocellulose material impregnated with an aerosol precursor composition, a heat source configured to heat the aerosol precursor composition from the substrate portion forming an aerosol, and an aerosol pathway extending from the substrate portion to a mouth-end of the aerosol delivery device.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 6, 2019
    Date of Patent: May 10, 2022
    Assignee: R.J. Reynolds Tobacco Company
    Inventors: Andries Don Sebastian, John-Paul Mua, Luis Monsalud, Stephen Benson Sears, Jennifer Rowe, Cynthia Stokes
  • Patent number: 11311047
    Abstract: The aerosol-generating device includes a housing, a mouthpiece on an end of the housing, a first and second receiving chamber defined within the housing, where the first and second receiving chambers receive and accommodate a first and second consumable. A selection member is arrangeable in a first position and a second position, where the first position establishes a first airflow passageway that traverses through the first receiving chamber while circumventing the second receiving chamber, and the second position establishes a second airflow passageway that traverses through the second receiving chamber while circumventing the first receiving chamber. The method includes providing at least two consumables in a housing, establishing an airflow through a selected one of the at least two consumables while circumventing the airflow from passing through a non-selected one of the at least two consumables, and guiding the airflow to an outlet opening of a mouthpiece.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 31, 2018
    Date of Patent: April 26, 2022
    Assignee: Altria Client Services LLC
    Inventor: Tony Reevell
  • Patent number: 11312070
    Abstract: The object of the invention is a print head for three-dimensional printing comprising an extrusion assembly (1) functionally coupled to a drive assembly (3), and a nozzle assembly (2), functionally coupled to the extrusion assembly (1), providing filament (10) transfer, wherein there is a cooling assembly (18) disposed between the extrusion assembly (1) and the drive assembly (2), containing a fluid cooling system, comprising an inlet (15), an outlet (17) and a system of cooling ducts (14) disposed inside the cooling assembly (18), distributing the cooling medium (11), providing maintenance of the preset temperature of the extrusion assembly (1) and the drive assembly (3). The object of the invention is also a print head assembly.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 3, 2017
    Date of Patent: April 26, 2022
    Assignee: OMNI3D SP. Z.O.O.
    Inventors: Piotr Sydow, Tomasz Michalski, Piotr Maslej, Piotr Nawrocki, Kamil Wojtko, Krzysztof Kardach, Konrad Sierzputowski
  • Patent number: 11311049
    Abstract: A vapor generator assembly for an e-vaping device may include a reservoir configured to hold a pre-vapor formulation, a vaporizer assembly configured to heat pre-vapor formulation drawn from the reservoir to form a vapor, and an air intake assembly configured to direct ambient air into the vaporizer assembly. The air intake assembly may at least partially define an air inlet that extends at least partially around an outer surface of the vapor generator assembly. The air inlet may be an arcuate air inlet or an annular air inlet. The air intake assembly may at least partially define an inlet channel extending from the air inlet into an interior of the vapor generator assembly to at least partially establish fluid communication between the arcuate air inlet and the vaporizer assembly. The inlet channel may extend coaxially in relation to a longitudinal axis of the vapor generator assembly.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 20, 2018
    Date of Patent: April 26, 2022
    Assignee: Altria Client Services LLC
    Inventors: Eric Hawes, Raymond W. Lau, Mik Dahl, Jon Jarantilla, Galen Salvador, Jose Jesus Paolo Montalvan, Jeroen Kok
  • Patent number: 11304439
    Abstract: The present invention relates to a method to fold a sheet (11) of material into a rod for an aerosol generating article, the method comprising: providing a central element and plurality of spaced apart walls (14), the spaced apart walls radially extending outwardly from the central element (12) following one another in a circumferential direction, each spaced apart wall defining an end surface (15) separated from the end surfaces of the adjacent walls; transporting the sheet of material and putting it in contact with the end surfaces of the plurality of spaced apart walls so that the sheet of material can partly fold within spaces defined between the spaced apart walls; and inserting the sheet of material into a funnel (16) to form a rod. The present invention also relates to an apparatus (10) to fold a sheet of material into a rod for an aerosol generating article.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 18, 2018
    Date of Patent: April 19, 2022
    Assignee: Philip Morris Products S.A.
    Inventors: Jonas Conrady, Rainer Dangers, Peter Reuschel, Frank Syrzisko