Patents by Inventor Firooz Rasouli

Firooz Rasouli 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).

  • Publication number: 20050263164
    Abstract: Smoking article components, cigarettes, methods for making cigarettes and methods for smoking cigarettes are provided that use transition metal oxide clusters capable of catalyzing and/or oxidizing the conversion of carbon monoxide to carbon dioxide and/or adsorbing carbon monoxide. Cut filler compositions, cigarette paper and cigarette filter material can comprise transition metal oxide clusters.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 11, 2005
    Publication date: December 1, 2005
    Inventors: Budda Reddy, Firooz Rasouli, Mohammad Hajaligol, Shiv Khanna
  • Publication number: 20050166935
    Abstract: Smoking article components, cigarettes, methods for making cigarettes and methods for smoking cigarettes are provided that use transition metal oxide clusters capable of catalyzing and/or oxidizing the conversion of carbon monoxide to carbon dioxide and/or adsorbing carbon monoxide. Cut filler compositions, cigarette paper and cigarette filter material can comprise transition metal oxide clusters.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 25, 2004
    Publication date: August 4, 2005
    Inventors: Budda Reddy, Firooz Rasouli, Mohammad Hajaligol, S. Khanna
  • Publication number: 20050155616
    Abstract: Cigarette paper, methods for making cigarettes and methods for smoking cigarettes are provided, which involve the use of an oxyhydroxide compound that is capable of decomposing to form at least one product capable of acting as an oxidant for the conversion of carbon monoxide to carbon dioxide and/or as a catalyst for the conversion of carbon monoxide to carbon dioxide. The oxyhydroxide compound and/or the product formed from the decomposition of the oxyhydroxide can be in the form of nanoparticles. The oxyhydroxide compounds can be represented by MOOH where M is a metal selected from the group consisting of transition metals, rare earth metals, and mixtures thereof.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 25, 2004
    Publication date: July 21, 2005
    Inventors: Firooz Rasouli, Ping Li, Wei-Jun Zhang, Shalva Gedevanishvili
  • Publication number: 20050126583
    Abstract: A smoking article composition and a method of making a smoking article composition and an additive, wherein the additive comprises particles anchored to the cut filler by a metal oxide support. The additive can be formed by combining particles and a metal oxide precursor solution with the smoking article composition. The smoking article composition can comprise tobacco cut filler, cigarette paper and/or cigarette filter material.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 25, 2004
    Publication date: June 16, 2005
    Inventors: Shahryar Rabiei, Firooz Rasouli, Mohammad Hajaligol
  • Publication number: 20050121047
    Abstract: Cigarettes and cigarette components such as tobacco cut filler and cigarette paper, and methods for making cigarette components are provided that comprise nanostructured fibrils. The nanostructured fibrils, which can be formed and deposited in situ on tobacco cut filler and/or cigarette paper by laser vaporization controlled condensation or chemical reaction, are capable of acting as an oxidant for the conversion of carbon monoxide carbon dioxide and/or as a catalyst for the conversion of carbon monoxide to carbon dioxide. Cigarettes are provided that comprise tobacco cut filler and cigarette paper, wherein nanostructured fibrils are deposited on, or incorporated in, at least one of the tobacco cut filler and cigarette paper.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 25, 2004
    Publication date: June 9, 2005
    Inventors: Khaled Saoud, Firooz Rasouli, Shahryar Rabiei, Shalva Gedevanishvili, Mohammad Hajaligol
  • Publication number: 20050109356
    Abstract: Smoking article components, cigarettes, methods for making cigarettes and methods for smoking cigarettes are provided that use nitrided transition metal oxide nanoscale particles and/or nitrided transition metal oxide clusters capable of catalyzing and/or oxidizing carbon monoxide to carbon dioxide and/or adsorbing carbon monoxide and catalyzing and/or reducing nitric oxide to nitrogen and/or adsorbing nitric oxide. Cut filler compositions, cigarette paper and cigarette filter material can comprise nitrided transition metal oxide nanoscale particles and/or nitrided transition metal oxide clusters.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 25, 2004
    Publication date: May 26, 2005
    Inventors: Budda Reddy, Firooz Rasouli
  • Publication number: 20050051185
    Abstract: A wrapper for a smoking article includes a web including cellulosic fibers and a catalyst modified web-filler incorporated into the web. The catalyst modified web-filler includes a web-filler supporting a nanoparticle carbon monoxide catalyst. The nanoparticle carbon monoxide catalyst can be a nanoparticle iron oxide catalyst. Also provided is a smoking article including a cigarette tobacco rod having a wrapper including a web, a web-filler, and a nanoparticle carbon monoxide catalyst, the web-filler supporting the nanoparticle catalyst. A method of making the wrapper and a method of making a smoking article utilizing the wrapper are also provided.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 14, 2004
    Publication date: March 10, 2005
    Inventors: Firooz Rasouli, Ping Li, Susan Tafur, Jeffrey Allen, Shalva Gedevanishvili, Mohammad Hajaligol, Roland Dwyer, Charles Glenn
  • Patent number: 6863862
    Abstract: Methods of producing atomized intermetallic aluminide powders with a controlled oxygen content, and articles made from the powders by powder metallurgical techniques are disclosed. Gas atomized intermetallic aluminide powders can be oxidized to increase their oxygen content. Water atomized intermetallic aluminide powders can be milled to change their size, shape and/or oxygen content. Blends or mixtures of modified gas and water atomized intermetallic aluminide powders can be processed into articles by powder metallurgical techniques.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 4, 2002
    Date of Patent: March 8, 2005
    Assignee: Philip Morris USA Inc.
    Inventors: Firooz Rasouli, Clive Scorey, John McKernan, John F. Cunningham
  • Publication number: 20050022833
    Abstract: A filler composition of a tobacco rod for a smoking article includes a tobacco cut filler and a catalytic paper containing a nanoparticle carbon monoxide catalyst. The nanoparticle carbon monoxide catalyst is incorporated into a web-filler material utilized in production of the catalytic paper. The nanoparticle carbon monoxide catalyst includes a nanoparticle iron oxide catalytic particle. Also provided is a smoking article including the tobacco rod having a paper wrapper encasing a tobacco column containing a catalytic paper.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 14, 2004
    Publication date: February 3, 2005
    Inventors: Shalva Gedevanishvili, Firooz Rasouli, Mohammad Hajaligol
  • Publication number: 20040250826
    Abstract: Cut filler compositions, cigarettes, methods for making cigarettes and methods for smoking cigarettes are provided, which involve the use of a catalyst capable converting carbon monoxide to carbon dioxide and/or nitric oxide to nitrogen. Cut filler compositions comprise tobacco and at least one catalyst. Cigarettes are provided, which comprise a cut filler having at least one catalyst. The catalyst comprises nanoscale metal and/or metal oxide particles supported on a fibrous support. The catalyst can be prepared by combining a dispersion of nanoscale particles with a fibrous support, or by combining a metal precursor solution with a fibrous support and then heat treating the fibrous support.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 13, 2003
    Publication date: December 16, 2004
    Inventors: Ping Li, Firooz Rasouli, Mohammad Hajaligol
  • Patent number: 6782892
    Abstract: Cut filler compositions, cigarettes, methods for making cigarettes and methods for smoking cigarettes which involve the use of manganese oxide mixtures that include nanoparticle manganese oxide and other nanoparticle additive(s) capable of converting carbon monoxide to carbon dioxide and/or converting nitric oxide to nitrogen. The compositions, articles and methods of the invention can be used to reduce the amount of carbon monoxide and/or nitric oxide present in mainstream smoke reaching the smoker and/or given off in secondhand smoke. The manganese oxide can be co-precipitated with the additive(s), or mechanically mixed with the additive(s) to form the manganese oxide mixture. The manganese oxide may have a lower light-off temperature than the additive, such that during smoking of the cigarette, the heat generated from the oxidation of carbon monoxide by manganese oxide is capable of activating the additive. The additive may include iron oxide (Fe2O3) nanoparticles.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 30, 2002
    Date of Patent: August 31, 2004
    Assignee: Philip Morris USA Inc.
    Inventors: Ping Li, Firooz Rasouli, Mohammad Hajaligol
  • Publication number: 20040040566
    Abstract: Cut filler compositions, cigarettes, methods for making cigarettes and methods for smoking cigarettes which involve the use of manganese oxide mixtures that include nanoparticle manganese oxide and other nanoparticle additive(s) capable of converting carbon monoxide to carbon dioxide and/or converting nitric oxide to nitrogen. The compositions, articles and methods of the invention can be used to reduce the amount of carbon monoxide and/or nitric oxide present in mainstream smoke reaching the smoker and/or given off in secondhand smoke. The manganese oxide can be co-precipitated with the additive(s), or mechanically mixed with the additive(s) to form the manganese oxide mixture. The manganese oxide may have a lower light-off temperature than the additive, such that during smoking of the cigarette, the heat generated from the oxidation of carbon monoxide by manganese oxide is capable of activating the additive. The additive may include iron oxide (Fe2O3) nanoparticles.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 30, 2002
    Publication date: March 4, 2004
    Inventors: Ping Li, Firooz Rasouli, Mohammad Hajaligol
  • Publication number: 20040042922
    Abstract: Methods of producing atomized intermetallic aluminide powders with a controlled oxygen content, and articles made from the powders by powder metallurgical techniques are disclosed. Gas atomized intermetallic aluminide powders can be oxidized to increase their oxygen content. Water atomized intermetallic aluminide powders can be milled to change their size, shape and/or oxygen content. Blends or mixtures of modified gas and water atomized intermetallic aluminide powders can be processed into articles by powder metallurgical techniques.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 4, 2002
    Publication date: March 4, 2004
    Inventors: Firooz Rasouli, Clive Scorey, John McKernan, John F. Cunningham
  • Publication number: 20040025895
    Abstract: Cut filler compositions, cigarettes, methods for making cigarettes and methods for smoking cigarettes are provided, which involve the use of nanoparticle additives capable of reducing amounts of at least one constituent from mainstream and/or sidestream tobacco smoke, the at least one constituent being selected from the group consisting of aldehyde, carbon monoxide, 1,3-butadiene, isoprene, acrolein, acrylonitrile, hydrogen cyanide, o-toluidine, 2-naphtylamine, nitrogen oxide, benzene, N-nitrosonornicotine, phenol, catechol, benz(a)anthracene, benzo(a)pyrene, and mixtures thereof. Preferably, the nanoparticle additives are effective as an oxidant for the conversion of carbon monoxide to carbon dioxide and/or as a catalyst for the conversion of carbon monoxide to carbon dioxide and/or catalyst for conversion of aldehydes such as acetaldehyde and acrolein, hydrocarbons such as isoprene and/or phenolic compounds such as catechol to carbon dioxide and water vapor.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 13, 2003
    Publication date: February 12, 2004
    Inventors: Ping Li, Mohammad Hajaligol, Eun-Jae Shin, Firooz Rasouli
  • Publication number: 20040016478
    Abstract: An apparatus for rolling of a powder metallurgical metallic workpiece is provided having a feeding device, a first induction heating apparatus in operable communication with a first RF generator and at least a first hot rolling mill. A process control device monitors at least one parameter of the first RF generator and outputs a signal. A method for continuous rolling of a metallic workpiece is also provided using the apparatus for rolling. The process control device signal can be used to monitor metallurgical properties of the workpiece and provide in-line evaluation of the workpiece.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 25, 2002
    Publication date: January 29, 2004
    Inventors: David Sharpe, Firooz Rasouli, John F. Cunningham
  • Publication number: 20040007241
    Abstract: Cut filler compositions, cigarettes, methods for making cigarettes and methods for smoking cigarettes which involve the use of partially reduced nanoparticle additives capable of acting as an oxidant for the conversion of carbon monoxide to carbon dioxide and/or as a catalyst for the conversion of carbon monoxide to carbon dioxide are provided. The compositions, articles and methods of the invention can be used to reduce the amount of carbon monoxide and/or nitric oxide present in mainstream smoke. The partially reduced additive can be formed by partially reducing Fe2O3, to produce a mixture of various reduced forms such as Fe3O4, FeO and/or Fe, along with unreduced Fe2O3.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 7, 2003
    Publication date: January 15, 2004
    Inventors: Ping Li, Firooz Rasouli, Mohammad R. Hajaligol
  • Patent number: 6673164
    Abstract: A method of cold fabricating an intermetallic alloy composition, comprising steps of coating an article of an intermetallic alloy composition with a viscous medium which provides a moisture resistant barrier on the surface of the article, fabricating the coated article into a desired shape, and optionally removing the coating from the shaped article. The coating step can be carried out by applying oil to the surface of the article or immersing the article in oil. The intermetallic article can be an iron aluminide and the fabrication step can include stamping, bending, drawing, forming, cutting, shearing or punching. During the fabrication step a surface oxide film is cracked and metal surfaces exposed by the cracked oxide film are protected from exposure to moisture in the air by the viscous medium.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 14, 2001
    Date of Patent: January 6, 2004
    Assignee: Philip Morris Incorporated
    Inventors: Firooz Rasouli, Clive R. Scorey
  • Patent number: 6548025
    Abstract: An apparatus for generating odor including a disk having a substrate with a dispersing material retaining at least one releasable aroma positioned with respect to the substrate. The dispersing material includes a structure, such as a plurality of openable pores, that is physically responsive to a stimulus such as heat or light. A device provides the stimulus to the dispersing material upon demand as a function of a signal, wherein the plurality of pores within the dispersing material are reversibly enlarged as a result of the stimulus.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 8, 2000
    Date of Patent: April 15, 2003
    Assignee: Illinois Institute of Technology
    Inventors: Firooz Rasouli, Hamid Arastoopour, Ali Oskouie
  • Publication number: 20020191011
    Abstract: A virtual remote touching system, for enabling a broadcasting user to transmit tactile characteristic information to a receiving user. The virtual remote touching system comprises an at least one sensing broadcasting unit capable of sensing a broadcasting user's tactile characteristic data and creating an electronic simulation data of said characteristics.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 4, 2001
    Publication date: December 19, 2002
    Inventor: Firooz Rasouli
  • Publication number: 20020057983
    Abstract: A method of cold fabricating an intermetallic alloy composition, comprising steps of coating an article of an intermetallic alloy composition with a viscous medium which provides a moisture resistant barrier on the surface of the article, fabricating the coated article into a desired shape, and optionally removing the coating from the shaped article. The coating step can be carried out by applying oil to the surface of the article or immersing the article in oil. The intermetallic article can be an iron aluminide and the fabrication step can include stamping, bending, drawing, forming, cutting, shearing or punching. During the fabrication step a surface oxide film is cracked and metal surfaces exposed by the cracked oxide film are protected from exposure to moisture in the air by the viscous medium.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 14, 2001
    Publication date: May 16, 2002
    Inventors: Firooz Rasouli, Clive R. Scorey