Patents by Inventor Eric T. Hunt
Eric T. Hunt 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).
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Patent number: 12128179Abstract: The present disclosure relates to aerosol delivery devices. The aerosol delivery devices include mechanisms configured to deliver an aerosol precursor composition from a reservoir to an atomizer including a vaporization heating element to produce a vapor. For example, a bubble jet head may be configured to dispense the aerosol precursor composition to the atomizer. The bubble jet head may be fixedly coupled to the atomizer. The bubble jet head may include a precursor inlet, an ejection heating element, and a precursor nozzle. The atomizer may include a vaporization heating element.Type: GrantFiled: August 25, 2022Date of Patent: October 29, 2024Assignee: RAI Strategic Holdings, Inc.Inventors: David Allan Brammer, David Jackson, Nigel Flynn, Eric T. Hunt, Stephen Benson Sears, Dennis Lee Potter
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Publication number: 20240322604Abstract: An aerosol delivery device includes a receptacle configured to receive a substrate configured to carry an aerosol precursor composition, and a resonant transformer including a transmitter coupling device and a resonant receiver coupling device that is positioned in proximity to the substrate when received in the receptacle. The aerosol delivery device also includes a pulse width modulation (PWM) inverter configured to drive the resonant transformer. The PWM inverter includes a bridge circuit coupled to the transmitter coupling device, and a PWM controller embodied as an integrated circuit and configured to output a PWM signal to the bridge circuit configured to drive the transmitter coupling device to generate an oscillating magnetic field and induce an alternating voltage in the resonant receiver coupling device when exposed to the oscillating magnetic field.Type: ApplicationFiled: May 31, 2024Publication date: September 26, 2024Inventors: Rajesh Sur, James W. Rogers, Stephen B. Sears, Eric T. Hunt
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Publication number: 20240225121Abstract: An aerosol delivery device is provided that includes a reservoir configured to retain aerosol precursor composition, a valve configured to control a flow of aerosol precursor composition from the reservoir to a heating element controllable to activate and vaporize components of the aerosol precursor composition, a sensor configured to measure reflectance or temperature at the heating element and generate a signal corresponding to the reflectance or temperature so measured, and a control component. The control component controls operation of the valve including receiving the signal and based thereon determining a volume of aerosol precursor composition at the heating element, and causing the valve to decrease or increase a rate of the flow of aerosol precursor composition in response to the volume being respectively above or below a predetermined threshold volume.Type: ApplicationFiled: February 16, 2024Publication date: July 11, 2024Inventors: Rajesh Sur, Stephen B. Sears, Eric T. Hunt
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Patent number: 12027879Abstract: An aerosol delivery device includes a receptacle configured to receive a substrate configured to carry an aerosol precursor composition, and a resonant transformer including a transmitter coupling device and a resonant receiver coupling device that is positioned in proximity to the substrate when received in the receptacle. The aerosol delivery device also includes a pulse width modulation (PWM) inverter configured to drive the resonant transformer. The PWM inverter includes a bridge circuit coupled to the transmitter coupling device, and a PWM controller embodied as an integrated circuit and configured to output a PWM signal to the bridge circuit configured to drive the transmitter coupling device to generate an oscillating magnetic field and induce an alternating voltage in the resonant receiver coupling device when exposed to the oscillating magnetic field.Type: GrantFiled: January 13, 2023Date of Patent: July 2, 2024Assignee: RAI Strategic Holdings, Inc.Inventors: Rajesh Sur, James W. Rogers, Stephen B. Sears, Eric T. Hunt
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Publication number: 20240188190Abstract: The present disclosure provides an aerosol delivery device and a cartridge for an aerosol delivery device. In various implementations, the cartridge may comprise a housing defining a liquid reservoir, an atomizer configured to produce an aerosol, the atomizer comprising a first liquid transport element, a second liquid transport element, and a microvalve located between the liquid reservoir and the second liquid transport element. The microvalve may comprise a base member including at least one channel, and an actuating member at least a portion of which comprises a shape-memory material, and which is configured to move between a first position and a second position, wherein in the first position, the actuating member substantially blocks fluid flow from the liquid reservoir through the channel, and in the second position, the actuating member allows fluid flow from the liquid reservoir through the channel and to the second liquid transport element.Type: ApplicationFiled: February 14, 2024Publication date: June 6, 2024Inventors: Vahid Hejazi, Stephen B. Sears, Eric T. Hunt, Karen V. Taluskie
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Patent number: 11937647Abstract: An aerosol delivery device is provided that includes a reservoir configured to retain aerosol precursor composition, a valve configured to control a flow of aerosol precursor composition from the reservoir to a heating element controllable to activate and vaporize components of the aerosol precursor composition, a sensor configured to measure reflectance or temperature at the heating element and generate a signal corresponding to the reflectance or temperature so measured, and a control component. The control component controls operation of the valve including receiving the signal and based thereon determining a volume of aerosol precursor composition at the heating element, and causing the valve to decrease or increase a rate of the flow of aerosol precursor composition in response to the volume being respectively above or below a predetermined threshold volume.Type: GrantFiled: September 9, 2016Date of Patent: March 26, 2024Assignee: RAI Strategic Holdings, Inc.Inventors: Rajesh Sur, Stephen B. Sears, Eric T. Hunt
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Patent number: 11937344Abstract: The present disclosure provides an aerosol delivery device and a cartridge for an aerosol delivery device. In various implementations, the cartridge may comprise a housing defining a liquid reservoir, an atomizer configured to produce an aerosol, the atomizer comprising a first liquid transport element, a second liquid transport element, and a microvalve located between the liquid reservoir and the second liquid transport element. The microvalve may comprise a base member including at least one channel, and an actuating member at least a portion of which comprises a shape-memory material, and which is configured to move between a first position and a second position, wherein in the first position, the actuating member substantially blocks fluid flow from the liquid reservoir through the channel, and in the second position, the actuating member allows fluid flow from the liquid reservoir through the channel and to the second liquid transport element.Type: GrantFiled: January 18, 2023Date of Patent: March 19, 2024Assignee: RAI Strategic Holdings, Inc.Inventors: Vahid Hejazi, Stephen B. Sears, Eric T. Hunt, Karen V. Taluskie
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Publication number: 20230156867Abstract: The present disclosure provides an aerosol delivery device and a cartridge for an aerosol delivery device. In various implementations, the cartridge may comprise a housing defining a liquid reservoir, an atomizer configured to produce an aerosol, the atomizer comprising a first liquid transport element, a second liquid transport element, and a microvalve located between the liquid reservoir and the second liquid transport element. The microvalve may comprise a base member including at least one channel, and an actuating member at least a portion of which comprises a shape-memory material, and which is configured to move between a first position and a second position, wherein in the first position, the actuating member substantially blocks fluid flow from the liquid reservoir through the channel, and in the second position, the actuating member allows fluid flow from the liquid reservoir through the channel and to the second liquid transport element.Type: ApplicationFiled: January 18, 2023Publication date: May 18, 2023Inventors: Vahid Hejazi, Stephen B. Sears, Eric T. Hunt, Karen V. Taluskie
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Publication number: 20230155417Abstract: An aerosol delivery device includes a receptacle configured to receive a substrate configured to carry an aerosol precursor composition, and a resonant transformer including a transmitter coupling device and a resonant receiver coupling device that is positioned in proximity to the substrate when received in the receptacle. The aerosol delivery device also includes a pulse width modulation (PWM) inverter configured to drive the resonant transformer. The PWM inverter includes a bridge circuit coupled to the transmitter coupling device, and a PWM controller embodied as an integrated circuit and configured to output a PWM signal to the bridge circuit configured to drive the transmitter coupling device to generate an oscillating magnetic field and induce an alternating voltage in the resonant receiver coupling device when exposed to the oscillating magnetic field.Type: ApplicationFiled: January 13, 2023Publication date: May 18, 2023Inventors: Rajesh Sur, James W. Rogers, Stephen B. Sears, Eric T. Hunt
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Patent number: 11589425Abstract: The present disclosure provides an aerosol delivery device and a cartridge for an aerosol delivery device. In various implementations, the cartridge may comprise a housing defining a liquid reservoir, an atomizer configured to produce an aerosol, the atomizer comprising a first liquid transport element, a second liquid transport element, and a microvalve located between the liquid reservoir and the second liquid transport element. The microvalve may comprise a base member including at least one channel, and an actuating member at least a portion of which comprises a shape-memory material, and which is configured to move between a first position and a second position, wherein in the first position, the actuating member substantially blocks fluid flow from the liquid reservoir through the channel, and in the second position, the actuating member allows fluid flow from the liquid reservoir through the channel and to the second liquid transport element.Type: GrantFiled: May 24, 2019Date of Patent: February 21, 2023Assignee: RAI STRATEGIC HOLDINGS, INC.Inventors: Vahid Hejazi, Stephen B. Sears, Eric T. Hunt, Karen V. Taluskie
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Patent number: 11588350Abstract: An aerosol delivery device includes a receptacle configured to receive a substrate configured to carry an aerosol precursor composition, and a resonant transformer including a transmitter coupling device and a resonant receiver coupling device that is positioned in proximity to the substrate when received in the receptacle. The aerosol delivery device also includes a pulse width modulation (PWM) inverter configured to drive the resonant transformer. The PWM inverter includes a bridge circuit coupled to the transmitter coupling device, and a PWM controller embodied as an integrated circuit and configured to output a PWM signal to the bridge circuit configured to drive the transmitter coupling device to generate an oscillating magnetic field and induce an alternating voltage in the resonant receiver coupling device when exposed to the oscillating magnetic field.Type: GrantFiled: December 5, 2019Date of Patent: February 21, 2023Assignee: RAI STRATEGIC HOLDINGS, INC.Inventors: Rajesh Sur, James W. Rogers, Stephen B. Sears, Eric T. Hunt
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Publication number: 20220401669Abstract: The present disclosure relates to aerosol delivery devices. The aerosol delivery devices include mechanisms configured to deliver an aerosol precursor composition from a reservoir to an atomizer including a vaporization heating element to produce a vapor. For example, a bubble jet head may be configured to dispense the aerosol precursor composition to the atomizer. The bubble jet head may be fixedly coupled to the atomizer. The bubble jet head may include a precursor inlet, an ejection heating element, and a precursor nozzle. The atomizer may include a vaporization heating element.Type: ApplicationFiled: August 25, 2022Publication date: December 22, 2022Applicant: RAI Strategic Holdings, Inc.Inventors: David Allan Brammer, David Jackson, Nigel Flynn, Eric T. Hunt, Stephen Benson Sears, Dennis Lee Potter
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Patent number: 11517053Abstract: An aerosol delivery device is provided. The aerosol delivery device comprises a control component and a digital pressure sensor. The digital pressure sensor is configured to measure a pressure imposed thereon, and generate a corresponding signal that indicates the pressure so measured. The control component or the digital pressure sensor is further configured to control at least one functional element of the aerosol delivery device based on the pressure indicated by the corresponding signal, or a condition of the aerosol delivery device or a user thereof determined from the corresponding signal. Control of the at least one functional element includes output of the pressure or the condition for presentation by a display.Type: GrantFiled: December 20, 2019Date of Patent: December 6, 2022Assignee: RAI Strategic Holdings, Inc.Inventors: Rajesh Sur, Eric T. Hunt, Stephen B. Sears
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Patent number: 11458265Abstract: Aerosol delivery devices including mechanisms configured to deliver an aerosol precursor composition from a reservoir to an atomizer including a vaporization heating element to produce a vapor are disclosed. For example, a bubble jet head may be configured to dispense the aerosol precursor composition to the atomizer. The bubble jet head may be fixedly coupled to the atomizer. The bubble jet head may include a precursor inlet, an ejection heating element, and a precursor nozzle. The atomizer may include a vaporization heating element.Type: GrantFiled: December 20, 2019Date of Patent: October 4, 2022Assignee: RAI Strategic Holdings, Inc.Inventors: David Allan Brammer, David Jackson, Nigel John Flynn, Eric T. Hunt, Stephen Benson Sears, Dennis Lee Potter
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Patent number: 11103012Abstract: An aerosol delivery device is provided that includes at least one housing enclosing a reservoir configured to retain an aerosol precursor composition and a heating element controllable to activate and vaporize components of the aerosol precursor composition. The aerosol delivery device also includes an antenna configured to receive radio signals from satellites of a satellite navigation system, and convert the radio signals to corresponding electronic signals and a satellite navigation receiver module configured to receive the corresponding electronic signals and determine a position of the aerosol delivery device based thereon, and output a message that indicates the position so determined. And the aerosol delivery device includes a microprocessor configured to receive the message and control operation of at least one functional element of the aerosol delivery device based on the position indicated thereby.Type: GrantFiled: November 17, 2016Date of Patent: August 31, 2021Assignee: RAI STRATEGIC HOLDINGS, INC.Inventors: Rajesh Sur, Eric T. Hunt, Stephen B. Sears
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Publication number: 20210168911Abstract: An aerosol delivery device is described that includes an aerosol precursor staged within a reservoir and an atomizer configured to generate heat through induction. The atomizer has an induction transmitter and an induction receiver. The induction receiver is in operational contact with the aerosol precursor within the reservoir and is configured to wick the aerosol precursor into range of the induction transmitter to be heated and vaporized.Type: ApplicationFiled: February 15, 2021Publication date: June 3, 2021Inventors: Vahid Hejazi, Steven L. Alderman, Eric T. Hunt
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Patent number: 10945465Abstract: An aerosol delivery device is described that includes an aerosol precursor staged within a reservoir and an atomizer configured to generate heat through induction. The atomizer has an induction transmitter and an induction receiver. The induction receiver is in operational contact with the aerosol precursor within the reservoir and is configured to wick the aerosol precursor into range of the induction transmitter to be heated and vaporized.Type: GrantFiled: March 15, 2018Date of Patent: March 16, 2021Assignee: RAI Strategic Holdings, Inc.Inventors: Vahid Hejazi, Steven L. Alderman, Eric T. Hunt
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Publication number: 20200367572Abstract: The present disclosure provides an aerosol delivery device and a cartridge for an aerosol delivery device. In various implementations, the cartridge may comprise a housing defining a liquid reservoir, an atomizer configured to produce an aerosol, the atomizer comprising a first liquid transport element, a second liquid transport element, and a microvalve located between the liquid reservoir and the second liquid transport element. The microvalve may comprise a base member including at least one channel, and an actuating member at least a portion of which comprises a shape-memory material, and which is configured to move between a first position and a second position, wherein in the first position, the actuating member substantially blocks fluid flow from the liquid reservoir through the channel, and in the second position, the actuating member allows fluid flow from the liquid reservoir through the channel and to the second liquid transport element.Type: ApplicationFiled: May 24, 2019Publication date: November 26, 2020Inventors: Vahid Hejazi, Stephen B. Sears, Eric T. Hunt, Karen V. Taluskie
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Publication number: 20200288783Abstract: An aerosol delivery device includes a receptacle configured to receive a substrate configured to carry an aerosol precursor composition, and a resonant transformer including a transmitter coupling device and a resonant receiver coupling device that is positioned in proximity to the substrate when received in the receptacle. The aerosol delivery device also includes a pulse width modulation (PWM) inverter configured to drive the resonant transformer. The PWM inverter includes a bridge circuit coupled to the transmitter coupling device, and a PWM controller embodied as an integrated circuit and configured to output a PWM signal to the bridge circuit configured to drive the transmitter coupling device to generate an oscillating magnetic field and induce an alternating voltage in the resonant receiver coupling device when exposed to the oscillating magnetic field.Type: ApplicationFiled: December 5, 2019Publication date: September 17, 2020Inventors: Rajesh Sur, James W. Rogers, Stephen B. Sears, Eric T. Hunt
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Patent number: 10653183Abstract: An aerosol delivery device is provided. The aerosol delivery device comprises at least one housing that defines a reservoir configured to retain aerosol precursor composition, and contains a heating element and power source within the at least one housing. The heating element is controllable to activate and vaporize components of the aerosol precursor composition. The power source is configured to power to heating element to activate and vaporize components of the aerosol precursor composition. The power source comprises a supercapacitor having a corrugated graphene-based structure.Type: GrantFiled: November 18, 2016Date of Patent: May 19, 2020Assignee: RAI STRATEGIC HOLDINGS, INC.Inventors: Rajesh Sur, Eric T. Hunt, Stephen B. Sears