Patents by Inventor Crystal D. Hege Byrd

Crystal D. Hege Byrd has filed for patents to protect the following inventions. This listing includes patent applications that are pending as well as patents that have already been granted by the United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO).

  • Patent number: 9867393
    Abstract: A system for a tobacco curing barn is capable of collecting tobacco-derived moisture from tobacco while that tobacco is cured. The system incorporates a tobacco curing barn or other type of curing enclosure, such as bulk curing barn used for the flue-curing of tobacco. The curing barn is equipped with at least one reclamation element configured to condense and collect moisture released from tobacco cured within the barn. The reclamation element is disposed in proximity with the enclosure in a manner and location providing passage of moist air released from the tobacco across a surface of the reclamation element. The system also includes at least one storage container disposed in fluid communication with the reclamation element surface and configured to store moisture and moisture-borne material collected by the reclamation element. The resulting tobacco-derived components can be blended with other tobacco materials, such as is common practice during tobacco reordering.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 9, 2014
    Date of Patent: January 16, 2018
    Assignee: R.J. REYNOLDS TOBACCO COMPANY
    Inventors: August J. Borschke, Michael F. Dube, Paul A. Brinkley, Anthony R. Gerardi, Crystal D. Hege Byrd
  • Publication number: 20140318555
    Abstract: A system for a tobacco curing barn is capable of collecting tobacco-derived moisture from tobacco while that tobacco is cured. The system incorporates a tobacco curing barn or other type of curing enclosure, such as bulk curing barn used for the flue-curing of tobacco. The curing barn is equipped with at least one reclamation element configured to condense and collect moisture released from tobacco cured within the barn. The reclamation element is disposed in proximity with the enclosure in a manner and location providing passage of moist air released from the tobacco across a surface of the reclamation element. The system also includes at least one storage container disposed in fluid communication with the reclamation element surface and configured to store moisture and moisture-borne material collected by the reclamation element. The resulting tobacco-derived components can be blended with other tobacco materials, such as is common practice during tobacco reordering.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 9, 2014
    Publication date: October 30, 2014
    Inventors: August J. Borschke, Michael F. Dube, Paul A. Brinkley, Anthony R. Gerardi, Crystal D. Hege Byrd