Patents Examined by Russell E Sparks
  • Patent number: 10882243
    Abstract: Disclosed herein is an apparatus for adjusting membrane height for hot drape forming. The apparatus includes a frame including an enclosable interior space and sidewalls defining a perimeter of the interior space. The apparatus further includes an adjustable collar within the interior space of the frame. The adjustable collar extends about the perimeter of the interior space and is configured to move translationally within the interior space of the frame along the sidewalls in a first direction. The apparatus further includes a membrane extending across the interior space in a second direction, perpendicular to the first direction, and co-movably coupled with the adjustable collar, wherein a position of the membrane within the interior space is adjustable in the first direction as the adjustable collar moves translationally within the interior space.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 28, 2017
    Date of Patent: January 5, 2021
    Assignee: The Boeing Company
    Inventors: Jordan S. Erickson, P. Chace Wilcoxson
  • Patent number: 10881138
    Abstract: An apparatus including a film heater configured to heat smokeable material to volatilize at least one component of the smokeable material for inhalation. The film heater including a plurality of independently operable heating regions aligned with each other along a longitudinal axis of the film heater to provide a plurality of independent heating zones along the length of the film heater.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 11, 2013
    Date of Patent: January 5, 2021
    Assignee: BRITISH AMERICAN TOBACCO (INVESTMENTS) LIMITED
    Inventors: Fozia Saleem, Thomas Woodman
  • Patent number: 10874135
    Abstract: An apparatus for manufacturing a flavor capsule of tobacco according to an embodiment of the present disclosure may comprise: a membrane tank for storing a membrane; a flavored liquid tank for storing a flavored liquid; and a nozzle to which the membrane is supplied from the membrane tank, to which the flavored liquid is supplied from the flavored liquid tank, and through which the flavored liquid is discharged while being enveloped in the membrane, so as to form the initial shape of a flavor capsule, wherein the membrane tank is equipped with a temperature adjustment unit for lowering the temperature of the membrane tank over time in order to preserve the viscosity of the membrane.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 4, 2016
    Date of Patent: December 29, 2020
    Assignee: KT & G Corporation
    Inventors: Ick Joong Kim, Jung Seop Hwang, Chang Gook Lee, Mi Jeong Bang, Jae Gon Lee, Han Joo Chung
  • Patent number: 10874140
    Abstract: A smoking article is provided and has opposed lighting and mouth ends. A mouth end portion is disposed at the mouth end and a heat generation portion is disposed about the lighting end. An outer wrapping material is wrapped at least about the heat generation portion and extends toward the mouth end portion, to define a cylindrical rod. An aerosol-generating portion is disposed within the outer wrapping material and between the heat generation and mouth end portions. The aerosol-generating portion is configured to generate an aerosol in response to heat received from the heat generation portion. Heat from the heat generation portion for aerosol formation is provided by igniting a combustible fuel element (e.g., a plurality of parts or pieces of clean burning carbonaceous material) located within an enclosed heat generation cartridge.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 2, 2019
    Date of Patent: December 29, 2020
    Assignee: R.J. Reynolds Tobacco Company
    Inventor: Balager Ademe
  • Patent number: 10834961
    Abstract: There is provided a smoking article comprising a tobacco rod, a filter and tipping material attaching the tobacco rod and the filter. The filter comprises a plug of filtration material that defines a downstream end segment of the smoking article, the plug being surrounded by one or more filter wrappers. The hardness of the smoking article at the downstream end segment is at least about 90%, and the filtration material extends to the furthest downstream end of the filter.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 13, 2014
    Date of Patent: November 17, 2020
    Assignee: Philip Morris Products S.A.
    Inventors: Charles Kuersteiner, Alen Kadiric, Martha Martha, Nicolas Cusnir
  • Patent number: 10827779
    Abstract: A method for making smokers' articles by subdividing a semifinished item which includes least five sticks aligned with each other along a main axis, at least two of the sticks are of a type different from the others; the method includes a step of forming the semifinished item by aligning the five sticks in a predetermined succession along the main axis and a step of subdividing a single rod into at least three sticks, followed by a step of aligning along the main axis each of the three sticks obtained from the rod alternating them with each of the sticks of different type, so as to form the semifinished item.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 24, 2014
    Date of Patent: November 10, 2020
    Assignee: G.D S.P.A.
    Inventors: Marco Esposti, Ivan Eusepi, Massimo Sartoni
  • Patent number: 10820622
    Abstract: A smokeless tobacco product includes a plurality of orally disintegrable granules. Each granule has a core and at least one layer surrounding the core. The at least one layer includes tobacco particles and a binder. Also disclosed are methods of making tobacco granules that comprise a core and at least one layer having tobacco particles and a binder.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 12, 2016
    Date of Patent: November 3, 2020
    Assignee: U.S. Smokeless Tobacco Company LLC
    Inventors: Yan Helen Sun, Frank Scott Atchley
  • Patent number: 10786951
    Abstract: A method of making a fiber reinforced hoop includes forming two plates having a face opposing one another and defining an outer periphery with a recessed groove to define a channel between the two plates. Fibrous strands coated with an adhesive are wrapped around the two plates within the channel a plurality of times. The adhesive is allowed to cure so that the fibrous strands form a rigid hoop. In a particular embodiment, the two plates are connected to a rotary spindle to rotate the two plates a plurality of times as the fibrous strands are fed into the channel. In a still further embodiment, multiple plate sets can be mounted to rotate with the spindle and fibrous strands can be wound into the channels in each of the plate sets so that multiple hoops can be formed and cured simultaneously.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 12, 2017
    Date of Patent: September 29, 2020
    Inventor: Donald E. Wheatley
  • Patent number: 10786011
    Abstract: An electronic cigarette includes a power supply device, an atomizer, a liquid storage structure, a fluid transportation device, a casing and a mouthpiece. The atomizer includes an electric heater and a liquid conduit. The electric heater is disposed around liquid conduit. The liquid storage structure includes a liquid container for storing cigarette liquid. The fluid transportation device includes an input channel in communication with the liquid container and an output channel in communication with the liquid conduit. The cigarette liquid is transferred to the liquid conduit through the fluid transportation device at a certain amount. Consequently, an atomized vapor is generated. The casing has an inlet in communication with the atomizer through an airflow chamber. The inlet and the airflow chamber form an airflow path for an airflow to pass through. The mouthpiece is located at an end of the casing and in communication with the airflow path.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 2, 2018
    Date of Patent: September 29, 2020
    Assignee: MICROJET TECHNOLOGY CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Li-Pang Mo, Shih-Chang Chen, Chi-Feng Huang, Yung-Lung Han, Wei-Ming Lee, Chia-Hao Chang
  • Patent number: 10773471
    Abstract: A composite manufacturing system has a tool having a substantially planar first portion and a substantially planar second portion, a first carriage configured to carry a first roller that is configured to selectively apply pressure to the first portion, a second carriage configured to carry a second roller that is configured to selectively apply pressure to the second portion, and the first carriage and the second carriage are movable relative to the tool.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 21, 2016
    Date of Patent: September 15, 2020
    Assignee: Textron Innovations Inc.
    Inventors: Russell S. Cole, Billy Joe Benda, Pin-Lin Chiou, William Russell Cleary, Jr., Mark A. Wiinikka
  • Patent number: 10759128
    Abstract: A fully formed, freestanding, curvilinear geometric shaped, hashish cigarette product. A method of making the product consisting, substantially of hashish, the method comprising applying pressure to a collection of kief via a press for a period of time sufficient to form a pliable sheet of hashish having a thickness of 0.5 to 1 mm, cutting or trimming the pliable sheet into a substantially rectangular section, rolling the section of pliable sheet around an object having a curvilinear geometric shape at least one full rotation, and separating the rolled section of pliable sheet from the object, leaving only the fully formed, freestanding, curvilinear geometric shaped, hashish cigarette product.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 6, 2017
    Date of Patent: September 1, 2020
    Assignee: Squishy Scientific, LLC
    Inventor: Adam Dunn
  • Patent number: 10757967
    Abstract: A method of manufacturing flavorant particles includes melting a food grade wax and a flavorant into a molten wax; solidifying the molten wax; and grinding the solidified molten wax into a plurality of flavorant particles. Another method of manufacturing flavorant particles includes melting a food grade wax and a flavorant into a molten wax, the molten wax having a melting temperature between about 50° C. to about 70° C.; and spray-chilling the molten wax into at least one solid flavorant particle, the solid flavorant particle having a diameter of between about 0.1 mm to about 2.0 mm.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 22, 2017
    Date of Patent: September 1, 2020
    Assignee: Altria Client Services LLC
    Inventor: Munmaya K. Mishra
  • Patent number: 10730688
    Abstract: A particulate material dispenser including a longitudinally extending body having a longitudinally extending base element; a tubular element extending longitudinally from the base element such that an inner wall of the tubular element defines a first cavity; a capping element which is distanced longitudinally from an end of the tubular element; a common outer wrapper which is engaged around the base element, the tubular element and the capping element, the inner wall of the common outer wrapper defining a second cavity between the tubular element and the capping element; and snuff within both the first cavity and the second cavity. The base element and/or the tubular element is porous.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 2, 2014
    Date of Patent: August 4, 2020
    Assignee: ESSENTRA FILTER PRODUCTS DEVELOPMENT CO. PTE. LTD
    Inventors: James Reed, Paul Clarke, Evgenia Menon, Gary Fulcher, Lee O'Donovan
  • Patent number: 10717263
    Abstract: An apparatus for producing a three-dimensional object includes a support assembly having a build platform, a track extending through a build area, and a deposition mechanism mounted on the track and configured for producing the three-dimensional object in a layer-by-layer technique. The deposition mechanism includes a carriage moveable along the track, a supply of a flowable material mounted on the carriage, a roller in communication with the flowable material, where the roller is rotatably mounted on the carriage and configured for rotating to carry the flowable resin to an application for application to produce the object, and an exposure device mounted on the carriage. The exposure device emits electromagnetic waves to an exposure site to solidify the applied flowable material to produce the object. The roller is permeable to the electromagnetic waves, such that the waves pass through the roller in traveling from the exposure device to the exposure site.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 8, 2017
    Date of Patent: July 21, 2020
    Assignee: PAXIS LLC
    Inventors: Frederick Knecht, Michael G. Littrell
  • Patent number: 10709165
    Abstract: The invention relates to tobacco wax compositions suitable for use in a vaporizer. The tobacco wax may comprise additional excipients including vapor agents, penetration agents, buffer agents, and rheological agents. The composition contains nicotine. The tobacco wax composition leaves a minimum of residue in the vaporizer when used.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 27, 2016
    Date of Patent: July 14, 2020
    Assignee: BOND STREET MANUFACTURING LLC
    Inventors: Joseph Fuisz, Seamus Henry
  • Patent number: 10701971
    Abstract: An electronic cigarette comprises a battery portion which is operable to provide power to a heating element of the electronic cigarette, and a cartomizer coupled with the battery portion. The cartomizer comprises a liquid container which provides a liquid toward the heating element wherein the liquid is used for producing and flavoring a vapor of the electronic cigarette when the liquid is heated by the heating element, and a memory which is operable to record and store an amount of the liquid remaining in the liquid container.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 27, 2016
    Date of Patent: July 7, 2020
    Assignee: Altria Client Services LLC
    Inventor: Nehemia Amir
  • Patent number: 10681936
    Abstract: An electronic cigarette includes a power supply device, an atomizer, a liquid storage structure, a fluid transportation device and a sensing unit. The atomizer includes an electric heater. The liquid storage structure includes a passageway and a liquid container for storing cigarette liquid. The fluid transportation device is in communication with the liquid container and the atomizer for transferring the cigarette liquid to the atomizer at a certain amount. Consequently, an atomized vapor is generated. The sensing unit includes an airflow sensor and an air pressure sensor. The power supply device is selectively enabled or disabled according to a result of detecting the airflow by the airflow sensor, and the air pressure sensor issues a detection signal to the control module according to a result of detecting a pressure of the airflow so as to adjust a speed of atomizing the cigarette liquid and the speed of providing the cigarette liquid.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 2, 2018
    Date of Patent: June 16, 2020
    Assignee: MICROJET TECHNOLOGY CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Jia-Yu Liao, Li-Pang Mo, Shih-Chang Chen, Chi-Feng Huang, Yung-Lung Han, Chang-Yen Tsai
  • Patent number: 10674769
    Abstract: An electronic cigarette includes a power supply device, a sensing unit, an atomizer, a liquid storage structure and a fluid transportation device. The atomizer includes an electric heater and a liquid conduit. The liquid conduit has an input port at one end and plural perforations at the other end, and the electric heater is disposed around the liquid conduit. The liquid storage structure includes a passageway and a liquid container. A cigarette liquid is stored in the liquid container. The fluid transportation device includes an input channel and an output channel. The input channel is in communication with the liquid container. The output channel is in communication with the liquid conduit of the atomizer. The cigarette liquid is transferred to the atomizer at a certain amount. Consequently, an atomized vapor is generated.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 2, 2018
    Date of Patent: June 9, 2020
    Assignee: MICROJET TECHNOLOGY CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Shih-Chang Chen, Li-Pang Mo, Shou-Hung Chen, Mei-Yen Chen, Chi-Feng Huang, Yung-Lung Han
  • Patent number: 10669437
    Abstract: A method comprising: providing a powder composition including at least one ultrafine, spherical thermoplastic polymer powder having a glass transition temperature (Tg) of at least 150 degrees C.; and powder bed fusing the powder composition to form a three-dimensional article.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 6, 2015
    Date of Patent: June 2, 2020
    Assignee: SABIC GLOBAL TECHNOLOGIES B.V.
    Inventors: Keith E. Cox, Franciscus Maria Huijs, Viswanathan Kalyanaraman
  • Patent number: 10660364
    Abstract: A heated aerosol-generating article is provided, including an aerosol-generating substrate including a rod, the rod including a gathered sheet of homogenised tobacco material circumscribed by a wrapper. The gathered sheet of homogenised tobacco material includes one or more plasticisers and at least about 5 percent by weight triethyl citrate on a dry weight basis. The one or more plasticisers may be selected from the group consisting of propylene glycol, sugars, and polyhydric alcohols. The sheet of homogenised tobacco material may be crimped or otherwise textured.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 13, 2014
    Date of Patent: May 26, 2020
    Assignee: Philip Morris Products S.A.
    Inventors: Anu Ajithkumar, Irene Chetschik, Jean-Pierre Schaller