Patents Examined by Phu H Nguyen
  • Patent number: 11974596
    Abstract: A rolling system including a measuring station. The measuring station includes a hopper for receiving a smokable product, a vibratory bowl for receiving the smokable product from the hopper, a weigh bowl for receiving the smokable product from the vibratory bowl, a weigh module attached to the weigh bowl for measuring the smokable product in the weigh bowl, and a puck defining a plurality of cavities for receiving the smokable product therein. Each cavity of the plurality of cavities is configured to receive a predetermined amount of smokable product within a predetermined tolerance of the predetermined amount.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 14, 2022
    Date of Patent: May 7, 2024
    Assignee: Coastal Counting & Industrial Scale Company, Inc.
    Inventors: John Dishion, Jason Satnick, Roberto Santos, Hasala Senevirathne, Christopher Dawley, Bryan Chandler, Sergio Rivera
  • Patent number: 11969023
    Abstract: Control device for aerosol inhalation device, includes operational amplifier including output terminal configured to generate voltage according to voltage applied to load configured to heat aerosol source and having correlation between temperature and electrical resistance value, control unit including input terminal and configured to perform processing based on voltage applied to the input terminal, and voltage dividing circuit configured to electrically connect the output terminal of the operational amplifier and the input terminal of the control unit. Power supply voltage of the operational amplifier is higher than power supply voltage of the control unit, and equals voltage applied to aerosol generation circuit including the load, and one of inverting input terminal and noninverting input terminal of the operational amplifier is electrically connected to the aerosol generation circuit.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 7, 2022
    Date of Patent: April 30, 2024
    Assignee: JAPAN TOBACCO INC.
    Inventors: Kazuma Mizuguchi, Takeshi Akao
  • Patent number: 11963545
    Abstract: An oral pouched product comprising a pouch containing moist botanical beads comprising compacted loose, fibrous moist botanical material and method of manufacture thereof. The loose, fibrous moist botanical material can comprise moist smokeless tobacco. The pouch comprises a porous outer web, and the beads comprise a majority amount of loose, fibrous moist botanical material having a moisture content of at least about 50% OV.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 25, 2019
    Date of Patent: April 23, 2024
    Assignee: Philip Morris USA Inc.
    Inventors: Diane L. Gee, David R. Golob, Stephen G. Zimmermann
  • Patent number: 11957158
    Abstract: A modular centrifuge apparatus for use in preparing and packing ready-made smokable products is disclosed including a drive assembly with a motor and a drive shaft rotatably coupled to the motor, the drive shaft defining a vertical direction, an axial direction, and a radial direction. The drive shaft extends along the vertical direction out of the motor. A sandwich hub having a notched portion is coupled to the drive shaft. The initiation of the motor rotates the drive shaft assembly along the axial direction. Each of a plurality of dynamic positioning talon assemblies includes a talon frame member and a binary linkage. Each talon frame member is fixedly attached to the sandwich hub using the notched portion and an upper plate, and extends outwardly therefrom along the radial direction. Each talon frame member includes at least one guide slot and at least one alignment post. The binary linkage is slidably coupled to the at least one guide slot of the talon frame member.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 2, 2021
    Date of Patent: April 16, 2024
    Assignee: KüngTech LLC
    Inventor: Eric Grigsby
  • Patent number: 11957161
    Abstract: The present invention provides a rolling device and method for forming a natural leaf smoking product comprising the steps of providing a Diospyros melanoxylon leaf body, which may be a recycled reconstituted Diospyros melanoxylon paper, acting as a binder material, having an inner body surface with pubescent straight trichomes disposed thereon; providing a hemp component acting as a filler material; disposing the Diospyros melanoxylon leaf body in an operative configuration with the outer body surface on a support surface and the inner body surface facing upwardly for receiving the hemp component; applying the hemp component over the pubescent straight trichomes; and wrapping the Diospyros melanoxylon leaf body, which may be a recycled reconstituted Diospyros melanoxylon paper, around the hemp component to form an encased smoking product.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 6, 2021
    Date of Patent: April 16, 2024
    Inventor: Sharon Moore Bode
  • Patent number: 11957155
    Abstract: There is described an aerosol-forming substrate for use in combination with an inductive heating device. The aerosol-forming substrate comprises a solid material which is capable of releasing volatile compounds that can form an aerosol upon heating of the aerosol-forming substrate and at least a first susceptor material for heating the aerosol-forming substrate. The at least first susceptor material is arranged in thermal proximity of the solid material. The aerosol-forming substrate further comprises at least a second susceptor material which has a second Curie-temperature which is lower than a first Curie-temperature of the first susceptor material. The second Curie-temperature of the second susceptor material corresponds to a predefined maximum heating temperature of the first susceptor material. There is also described an aerosol-delivery system.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 6, 2019
    Date of Patent: April 16, 2024
    Assignee: Philip Morris Products S.A.
    Inventors: Oleg Mironov, Ihar Nikolaevich Zinovik
  • Patent number: 11957154
    Abstract: A tobacco article may include tobacco disposed in a porous matrix. The tobacco article may provide tobacco, tobacco constituents, or both tobacco and tobacco constituents to the consumer's mouth in the form of particles, liquid, or vapor so as to provide tobacco satisfaction to the consumer. The tobacco may be integrally molded with a plastic material so that at least a portion of the tobacco is disposed in pores of the matrix.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 18, 2022
    Date of Patent: April 16, 2024
    Assignee: U.S. Smokeless Tobacco Company LLC
    Inventors: James Arthur Strickland, Frank Scott Atchley
  • Patent number: 11950622
    Abstract: The method includes providing a filler material that is water insoluble, the providing provides the filler material with more than 98% alpha-cellulose, 0.01% to less than 2% ash and a remainder hemicellulose, infusing at least one first consumable within the filler material and inserting a matrix within at least one first containing structure to form a capsule, the matrix including the filler material.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 2, 2022
    Date of Patent: April 9, 2024
    Assignee: Altria Client Services LLC
    Inventors: Munmaya K. Mishra, Danielle Crawford, Dwight David Williams, Eric Hawes, Terry Bache, Raymond W. Lau, Shaoyong Yu
  • Patent number: 11944116
    Abstract: A device for removing unwanted objects from cut tobacco in a cut tobacco production line is disclosed, which includes: a raw cut tobacco feeding and conveying unit (N1), a heavy unwanted object removal unit (N2), a cut tobacco dispersion and recovery unit (N3), a moderate unwanted object removal unit (N4), a cut tobacco humidification unit (N5) and a light unwanted object removal unit (N6). An unwanted object removal method using the cut tobacco unwanted object removal device is also disclosed. The device and method of the disclosure can effectively remove unwanted objects from cut tobacco.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 3, 2023
    Date of Patent: April 2, 2024
    Assignee: CHINA TOBACCO YUNNAN INDUSTRIAL CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Jun Tang, Banghua He, Bin Yi, Bing Zhou, Wenqiang Lin, Bo Cai, Hao Wang, Xiaohua Gao, Ze Liu, Ning Ma, Guozhi Tan, Wenqi Li, Li Tang, Huitian Li
  • Patent number: 11944126
    Abstract: An inhalation component generation device includes a load configured to vaporize or atomize an inhalation component source with electric power from a power supply, and a control unit configured to be capable of acquiring a voltage value of the power supply. The control unit is configured to be capable of estimating or detecting at least one of degradation and failure of the power supply based on a time period required for the voltage value of the power supply to reach an upper limit from a lower limit of a predetermined voltage range during charging of the power supply.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 17, 2020
    Date of Patent: April 2, 2024
    Assignee: JAPAN TOBACCO INC.
    Inventors: Takeshi Akao, Hajime Fujita, Manabu Yamada
  • Patent number: 11937640
    Abstract: An electrically heated smoking system for receiving an aerosol forming substrate includes a heater for heating the substrate to form the aerosol. The heater includes a heating element. The electrically heated smoking system and the heating element are arranged such that, when the aerosol forming substrate is received in the electrically heated smoking system, the heating element extends a distance only partially along the length of the aerosol forming-substrate, and the heating element is positioned towards the downstream end of the aerosol forming substrate.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 5, 2022
    Date of Patent: March 26, 2024
    Assignee: PHILIP MORRIS USA INC.
    Inventors: Gerard Zuber, Olivier Greim, Julien Plojoux, Dani Ruscio
  • Patent number: 11930839
    Abstract: An apparatus can manufacture cigarettes of the type having a frustoconical rolled paper with a proximal end thereof and open at a distal end thereof. A smokable material can be filled within the rolled paper. The apparatus includes an elongated, retractable rod extendable through either the open distal end or the proximal end of the rolled paper. With the retractable rod extended through the open distal end of the rolled paper, the rolled paper may be filled with the smokable material by the apparatus, compacted, and the retractable rod then retracted to leave an air channel through the smokable material in the cigarette. An adhesive may be sprayed on the smokable materials proximate the air channel to maintain the coherence of the air channel.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 29, 2023
    Date of Patent: March 19, 2024
    Inventor: Dimitry Boss
  • Patent number: 11925202
    Abstract: A smoking article may include a cigarette incorporated within an electrically powered aerosol generating device that acts as a holder for that cigarette. The smoking article possesses at least one form of tobacco. The smoking article also possesses a mouth-end piece that is used by the smoker to inhale components of tobacco that are generated by the action of heat upon components of the cigarette. A representative smoking article possesses an outer housing incorporating a source of electrical power (e.g., a battery), a sensing mechanism for powering the device at least during periods of draw, and a heating device (e.g., at least one electrical resistance heating element) for forming a thermally generated aerosol that incorporates components of tobacco. During use, the cigarette is positioned within the device, and after use, the used cigarette is removed from the device and replaced with another cigarette.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 31, 2023
    Date of Patent: March 12, 2024
    Assignee: RAI Strategic Holdings, Inc.
    Inventors: John Howard Robinson, David William Griffith, Jr., Billy Tyrone Conner, Evon Llewellyn Crooks, Dempsey Bailey Brewer, Jr.
  • Patent number: 11903407
    Abstract: The inductively heatable tobacco product for aerosol-generation comprises an aerosol-forming substrate containing a susceptor in the form of a plurality of particles. The aerosol-forming substrate is a crimped tobacco sheet comprising tobacco material, fibers, binder, aerosol-former and the susceptor in the form of the plurality of particles.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 22, 2021
    Date of Patent: February 20, 2024
    Assignee: Philip Morris Products S.A.
    Inventor: Oleg Mironov
  • Patent number: 11904089
    Abstract: Devices for generating and releasing vapor. In particular, described herein are portable devices for generating a low-temperature inhalable vapor having an elongated tubular body containing a vaporization chamber and a battery-powered heater, a removable mouthpiece covering the vaporization chamber, a display configured to indicate the temperature of the vaporization chamber; a microcontroller configured to regulate the temperature of the vaporization chamber, and a control to select from among a variety of temperature settings.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 1, 2019
    Date of Patent: February 20, 2024
    Assignee: JUUL Labs, Inc.
    Inventors: Adam Bowen, Krista Hunter, James Monsees, Patrick A. Myall
  • Patent number: 11903408
    Abstract: A method of constructing a cigar includes the providing of a plurality of frusto-conically shaped tubes, each tube being of a smokable material such as a spirally wrapped layer of tobacco material. The tubes are nested, one tube inside the other tube. The nested tubes are then attached to a mouthpiece having a socket that is internally threaded. The nested tubes and mouthpiece are packaged either filled with tobacco filler material, partially filled, or unfilled in a container.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 6, 2023
    Date of Patent: February 20, 2024
    Inventor: Daniel S. Sinclair, Jr.
  • Patent number: 11901747
    Abstract: An electronic cigarette (“e-Cig”) may include improved charging of the battery. A more accurate battery voltage can be detected for the connectors with the chargers that can provide for an optimized evaluation of the charging process. Various battery properties may be detected based on resistance measurements from within the e-Cig. The battery charging can be controlled and optimized based on a slow control of the current and voltage.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 21, 2014
    Date of Patent: February 13, 2024
    Assignee: Altria Client Services LLC
    Inventor: Nehemia Amir
  • Patent number: 11882872
    Abstract: A capsule for a heat-not-burn (HNB) aerosol-generating device may include a base of a thermally-conductive material, the base defining a first cavity therein, the base including a first surface, the first surface defining an opening to a second cavity, the first surface including a first plurality of apertures through the first surface. The capsule may further include a cover coupled to the base and on the base, the cover including a second plurality of apertures in a middle portion of the cover, the first plurality of apertures and the second plurality of apertures defining an air flow path through the base and the cover.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 2, 2020
    Date of Patent: January 30, 2024
    Assignee: ALTRIA CLIENT SERVICES LLC
    Inventors: Yannick Hourmand, Niall Gallagher, Zack Blackmon, Patrick M. Good, Jarrett Keen, Rangaraj S. Sundar, Eric Hawes
  • Patent number: 11849754
    Abstract: There is described an aerosol-forming substrate for use in combination with an inductive heating device. The aerosol-forming substrate comprises a solid material capable of releasing volatile compounds that can form an aerosol upon heating of the aerosol-forming substrate and at least a first susceptor material for heating of the aerosol-forming substrate. The first susceptor material is arranged in thermal proximity of the solid material. The aerosol-forming substrate further comprises at least a second susceptor material having a second Curie-temperature which is lower than a predefined maximum heating temperature of the first susceptor material. There is also described an aerosol-delivery system.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 16, 2021
    Date of Patent: December 26, 2023
    Assignee: Philip Morris Products S.A.
    Inventor: Oleg Mironov
  • Patent number: 11832369
    Abstract: An aerosol-generating article is provided, including a plurality of elements assembled in the form of a rod having a mouth end and a distal end upstream from the mouth end. The plurality of elements includes an aerosol-forming substrate disposed at or towards the distal end of the rod, and an elongate susceptor is disposed substantially longitudinally within the rod and in thermal contact with the aerosol-forming substrate, the susceptor be configured to allow the article to be consumed by an electrically-operated aerosol-generating device having an inductor.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 21, 2015
    Date of Patent: November 28, 2023
    Assignee: Philip Morris Products S.A.
    Inventors: Oleg Mironov, Ihar Nikolaevich Zinovik