Patents by Inventor Frederic Philippe Ampolini

Frederic Philippe Ampolini 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: 10524511
    Abstract: The present disclosure provides a control body adapted for use in an electronic smoking article. The control body includes a shell and a coupler that is adapted to connect the control body to a cartridge of an electronic smoking article. The coupler further is adapted to communicate a pressure reduction within the coupler to a pressure reduction space in the shell. Also positioned within the shell is an electronic circuit board having a pressure sensor attached thereto. The electronic circuit board can be positioned to be parallel to a central axis of the shell. A first end of the pressure sensor can be isolated within the pressure reduction space, and a second end of the pressure sensor can be in communication with a normal pressure space within the shell. One or more light emitting diodes can be attached to the electronic circuit board. At least a portion of the coupler can be light transmissive so that light from the LED is visible through the coupler.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 16, 2017
    Date of Patent: January 7, 2020
    Assignee: RAI Strategic Holdings, Inc.
    Inventors: Steven L. Worm, Michael Ryan Galloway, Frederic Philippe Ampolini, Randy Lee McKnight, David Glen Christopherson
  • Publication number: 20190387807
    Abstract: The present invention describes articles, such as smoking articles, that can provide an inhalable substance in a form suitable for inhalation by a consumer. The article comprises a cartridge with an inhalable substance medium therein, control housing that includes an electrical energy source and an electrical power source, and a heating member that may be located in either the cartridge or the control housing. The control housing further may include puff-actuated current actuation components and current regulation components.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 9, 2019
    Publication date: December 26, 2019
    Inventors: Steven L. Worm, David Glen Christopherson, Stephen Benson Sears, Dennis Lee Potter, Frederic Philippe Ampolini, Balager Ademe
  • Patent number: 10500600
    Abstract: An aerosol delivery device is provided that includes a housing, motion sensor and microprocessor. The motion sensor is within the housing and configured to detect a defined motion of the aerosol delivery device caused by user interaction with the housing to perform a gesture. The motion sensor may be configured to convert the defined motion to an electrical signal. The microprocessor or motion sensor, then, may be configured to receive the electrical signal, recognize the gesture and an operation associated with the gesture based on the electrical signal, and control at least one functional element of the aerosol delivery device to perform the operation.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 9, 2014
    Date of Patent: December 10, 2019
    Assignee: RAI Strategic Holdings, Inc.
    Inventors: Raymond Charles Henry, Jr., Wilson Christopher Lamb, Mark Randall Stone, Glen Joseph Kimsey, Frederic Philippe Ampolini
  • Publication number: 20190364976
    Abstract: The present disclosure relates to a cartridge for an aerosol delivery device such as a smoking article. The cartridge may include a base, a reservoir substrate, and an atomizer. The reservoir substrate may define a cavity therethrough. The atomizer may comprise a liquid transport element and a heating element extending at least partially about the liquid transport element. The atomizer may extend through the cavity through the reservoir substrate such that the heating element is positioned proximate an end of the reservoir substrate. Ends of the liquid transport element may extend to an opposing end of the reservoir substrate. A related method for assembling a cartridge for a smoking article is also provided.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 20, 2019
    Publication date: December 5, 2019
    Inventors: John DePiano, David Smith, Charles Jacob Novak, III, Frank S. Silveira, Steven Lee Alderman, Grady Lance Dooly, Frederic Philippe Ampolini, Timothy Brian Nestor, Quentin Paul Guenther, Jr., Stephen Benson Sears, John William Wolber, Michael Laine
  • Patent number: 10492542
    Abstract: The present invention describes articles, such as smoking articles, that can provide an inhalable substance in a form suitable for inhalation by a consumer. The article comprises a cartridge with an inhalable substance medium therein, control housing that includes an electrical energy source and an electrical power source, and a heating member that may be located in either the cartridge or the control housing. The control housing further may include puff-actuated current actuation components and current regulation components.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 9, 2019
    Date of Patent: December 3, 2019
    Assignee: RAI Strategic Holdings, Inc.
    Inventors: Steven L. Worm, David Glen Christopherson, Stephen Benson Sears, Dennis Lee Potter, Frederic Philippe Ampolini, Balager Ademe
  • Patent number: 10492532
    Abstract: The present disclosure relates to aerosol delivery devices including a cartridge and a control body. The control body may include a coupler and the cartridge may include a base. The base may be configured to releasably engage the cartridge. Further the base and the coupler may include anti-rotation mechanisms configured to prevent rotation of the cartridge relative to the base when engaged with one another. The anti-rotation mechanisms may include alternating protrusions and recesses in some embodiments. Related methods are also provided.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 16, 2017
    Date of Patent: December 3, 2019
    Assignee: RAI Strategic Holdings, Inc.
    Inventors: Charles Jacob Novak, III, Michael Ryan Galloway, John DePiano, Frank S. Silveira, Frederic Philippe Ampolini, Michael Laine, Raymond Charles Henry, Jr.
  • Publication number: 20190350265
    Abstract: The present disclosure provides a control body adapted for use in an electronic smoking article. The control body includes a shell and a coupler that is adapted to connect the control body to a cartridge of an electronic smoking article. The coupler further is adapted to communicate a pressure reduction within the coupler to a pressure reduction space in the shell. Also positioned within the shell is an electronic circuit board having a pressure sensor attached thereto. The electronic circuit board can be positioned to be parallel to a central axis of the shell. A first end of the pressure sensor can be isolated within the pressure reduction space, and a second end of the pressure sensor can be in communication with a normal pressure space within the shell. One or more light emitting diodes can be attached to the electronic circuit board. At least a portion of the coupler can be light transmissive so that light from the LED is visible through the coupler.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 30, 2019
    Publication date: November 21, 2019
    Inventors: Steven L. Worm, Michael Ryan Galloway, Frederic Philippe Ampolini, Randy Lee McKnight, David Glen Christopherson
  • Patent number: 10470497
    Abstract: The present disclosure relates to systems, apparatuses, and methods for assembling cartridges for aerosol delivery devices. The cartridges may be assembled by transporting carriages between various substations at which parts are added to a base. In another assembly method, the base may be moved between a plurality of robots which direct the base downwardly into contact with components to couple the components therewith. An inspection system may inspect the cartridges at various stages of completion.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 1, 2017
    Date of Patent: November 12, 2019
    Assignee: RAI Strategic Holdings, Inc.
    Inventors: Frederic Philippe Ampolini, Timothy Brian Nestor, Jack Gray Flinchum, Jr., Wayne Douglas Brown, Nicholas Harrison Watson, Charles Jacob Novak, III, Paul Andrew Brinkley, James Robert Covino, John DePiano, Edward Louis Dickinson, Eugene R. Harris, Kevin Edward Keough, David Jay Smith, John Hook, Michael LaCourse, Robert Metcalf, Steven Hart, David Pelletier, Marc Bourque, Nathaniel Cambray, John William Wolber, James William McClellan, Steven R. Mongillo, Frank S. Silveira, Michael Laine, Quentin Paul Guenther, Jr.
  • Patent number: 10426200
    Abstract: The present disclosure relates to a cartridge for an aerosol delivery device such as a smoking article. The cartridge may include a base, a reservoir substrate, and an atomizer. The reservoir substrate may define a cavity therethrough. The atomizer may comprise a liquid transport element and a heating element extending at least partially about the liquid transport element. The atomizer may extend through the cavity through the reservoir substrate such that the heating element is positioned proximate an end of the reservoir substrate. Ends of the liquid transport element may extend to an opposing end of the reservoir substrate. A related method for assembling a cartridge for a smoking article is also provided.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 27, 2018
    Date of Patent: October 1, 2019
    Assignee: RAI Strategic Holdings, Inc.
    Inventors: John DePiano, David Smith, Charles Jacob Novak, III, Frank S. Silveira, Steven Lee Alderman, Grady Lance Dooly, Frederic Philippe Ampolini, Timothy Brian Nestor, Quentin Paul Guenther, Jr., Stephen Benson Sears, John William Wolber, Michael Laine
  • Publication number: 20190255266
    Abstract: The present disclosure relates to charging accessory device for the aerosol delivery device and related systems, methods, apparatuses, and computer program products for providing interactive services for aerosol delivery devices. For example, a method may include a computing device establishing communication with a charging accessory device for an aerosol delivery device; receiving usage data for the aerosol delivery device provided by the charging accessory device; generating social data based on the usage data; and sending the social data to a social networking service including a community of aerosol delivery device users.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 30, 2019
    Publication date: August 22, 2019
    Inventors: Raymond Charles Henry, JR., Michael Ryan Galloway, Frederic Philippe Ampolini
  • Publication number: 20190230995
    Abstract: The present disclosure relates to an aerosol delivery device. The aerosol delivery device may include a control body and a cartridge. The cartridge may include a base, a flow director, an outer body, a reservoir substrate, an outer body, and a mouthpiece. Heating elements may be molded into the flow director. The flow director may be welded to the base and the outer body, or the base and the flow director may include deformable ribs that engage the outer body. The flow director and the outer body may cooperatively define a reservoir compartment in which the reservoir substrate and the atomizer are received. The flow director and the base may define an electronics compartment in which an electronic control component is received. A related assembly method is also provided.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 9, 2019
    Publication date: August 1, 2019
    Inventors: Paul Andrew Brinkley, Jack Gray Flinchum, JR., Timothy Brian Nestor, Grady Lance Dooly, Steven Lee Alderman, Frederic Philippe Ampolini, John DePiano, David Smith, Frank S. Silveira
  • Patent number: 10362809
    Abstract: The present invention describes articles, such as smoking articles, that can provide an inhalable substance in a form suitable for inhalation by a consumer. The article comprises a cartridge with an inhalable substance medium therein, control housing that includes an electrical energy source and an electrical power source, and a heating member that may be located in either the cartridge or the control housing. The control housing further may include puff-actuated current actuation components and current regulation components.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 7, 2018
    Date of Patent: July 30, 2019
    Assignee: RAI Strategic Holdings, Inc.
    Inventors: Steven L. Worm, David Glen Christopherson, Stephen Benson Sears, Dennis Lee Potter, Frederic Philippe Ampolini, Balager Ademe
  • Publication number: 20190212389
    Abstract: The present disclosure relates to articles (and the manufacture thereof) that use electrical energy to heat a material to form an inhalable substance, the articles being sufficiently compact to be considered “hand-held” devices. In certain embodiments, the articles can particularly be characterized as smoking articles. The smoking article can be adapted to detect the status of a cartridge portion of the smoking article. The smoking article includes a control body portion having a control body engagement end, wherein the control body portion houses a control component and a power source therein. The article further includes a cartridge body portion that has a cartridge body engagement end configured to removably engage the control body engagement end of the control body portion. The cartridge body portion houses a consumable arrangement and a heating connection operably engaged therewith comprising at least one heating element and a fusible link.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 14, 2019
    Publication date: July 11, 2019
    Inventors: Charles Jacob Novak, III, Frederic Philippe Ampolini, Allen Michael East, Raymond C. Henry, William Robert Collett
  • Patent number: 10292434
    Abstract: The present disclosure relates to an aerosol delivery device. The aerosol delivery device may include a control body and a cartridge. The cartridge may include a base, a flow director, an outer body, a reservoir substrate, an outer body, and a mouthpiece. Heating elements may be molded into the flow director. The flow director may be welded to the base and the outer body, or the base and the flow director may include deformable ribs that engage the outer body. The flow director and the outer body may cooperatively define a reservoir compartment in which the reservoir substrate and the atomizer are received. The flow director and the base may define an electronics compartment in which an electronic control component is received. A related assembly method is also provided.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 28, 2018
    Date of Patent: May 21, 2019
    Assignee: RAI Strategic Holdings, Inc.
    Inventors: Paul Andrew Brinkley, Jack Gray Flinchum, Jr., Timothy Brian Nestor, Grady Lance Dooly, Steven Lee Alderman, Frederic Philippe Ampolini, John DePiano, David Smith, Frank S. Silveira
  • Publication number: 20190124995
    Abstract: An aerosol delivery device is provided that includes a user interface including a pushbutton and a display. A control component contained coupled to the user interface controls operation of at least one functional element of the aerosol delivery device. The control component controls the display to present a menu including a plurality of menu items selectable using only the pushbutton. Each menu item of the plurality of menu items is associated with a respective functional element of the aerosol delivery device, and the control component is configured to navigate the plurality of menu items, and select a currently-presented menu item of the plurality of menu items for control of the respective functional element, in response to respective first and second types of presses of the pushbutton, the first and second types of presses being of different durations.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 27, 2018
    Publication date: May 2, 2019
    Inventors: Raymond Charles Henry, JR., Glen Joseph Kimsey, Frederic Philippe Ampolini, James William Rogers
  • Patent number: 10274539
    Abstract: The present disclosure relates to articles (and the manufacture thereof) that use electrical energy to heat a material to form an inhalable substance, the articles being sufficiently compact to be considered “hand-held” devices. In certain embodiments, the articles can particularly be characterized as smoking articles. The smoking article can be adapted to detect the status of a cartridge portion of the smoking article. The smoking article includes a control body portion having a control body engagement end, wherein the control body portion houses a control component and a power source therein. The article further includes a cartridge body portion that has a cartridge body engagement end configured to removably engage the control body engagement end of the control body portion. The cartridge body portion houses a consumable arrangement and a heating connection operably engaged therewith comprising at least one heating element and a fusible link.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 26, 2018
    Date of Patent: April 30, 2019
    Assignee: RAI Strategic Holdings, Inc.
    Inventors: Charles Jacob Novak, III, Frederic Philippe Ampolini, Allen Michael East, Raymond C. Henry, William Robert Collett
  • Publication number: 20190098938
    Abstract: The present invention provides a conductive substrate useful for Joule heating, such as in an electronic smoking article. Particularly, the invention provides a resistive heating element formed of a conductive substrate. The conductive substrate comprises an electrically conductive material and a carbonaceous additive, such as a binder material. The conductive substrate is carbonized in that it is subjected to calcining conditions to effectively reduce the carbonaceous additive to its carbon skeleton. It has been found that such carbonized substrate has surprisingly improved resistance properties in relation a substrate of the same formulation that is not carbonized. The carbonized substrate can include an aerosol precursor material. The formed resistive heating element can be included in an electronic smoking article to simultaneously provide resistive heating and aerosol formation with a single, unitary component.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 3, 2018
    Publication date: April 4, 2019
    Inventors: David William Griffith, JR., Yi-Ping Chang, Calvin W. Henderson, Ricky Lee Montgomery, Walter Charles Liebscher, II, Chandra Kumar Banerjee, Paul E. Braxton, Stephen Benson Sears, Kenneth Allen Beard, Timothy Brian Nestor, Balager Ademe, Frederic Philippe Ampolini, Dennis Lee Potter
  • Publication number: 20190075848
    Abstract: The present invention describes articles, such as smoking articles, that can provide an inhalable substance in a form suitable for inhalation by a consumer. The article comprises a cartridge with an inhalable substance medium therein, control housing that includes an electrical energy source and an electrical power source, and a heating member that may be located in either the cartridge or the control housing. The control housing further may include puff-actuated current actuation components and current regulation components.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 7, 2018
    Publication date: March 14, 2019
    Inventors: Steven L. Worm, David Glen Christopherson, Stephen Benson Sears, Dennis Lee Potter, Frederic Philippe Ampolini, Balager Ademe
  • Publication number: 20190053539
    Abstract: The present disclosure relates to aerosol delivery devices. The aerosol delivery devices may include a reservoir containing a liquid aerosol precursor composition and an atomizer including an electrical resistance heating element and a nonfibrous liquid transport element having a microtextured surface adapted for surface wicking of the liquid aerosol precursor composition across the microtextured surface, the microtextured surface of the liquid transport element being in fluid communication with the reservoir and in fluid communication with the electric resistance heating element.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 17, 2017
    Publication date: February 21, 2019
    Inventors: Michael F. Davis, Frederic Philippe Ampolini, James William Rogers, Andries Don Sebastian, Eric Taylor Hunt, Sawyer Hubbard, David Allan Brammer
  • Patent number: 10201187
    Abstract: An aerosol delivery device is provided that includes a user interface including a pushbutton and a display. A control component contained coupled to the user interface controls operation of at least one functional element of the aerosol delivery device. The control component controls the display to present a menu including a plurality of menu items selectable using only the pushbutton. Each menu item of the plurality of menu items is associated with a respective functional element of the aerosol delivery device, and the control component is configured to navigate the plurality of menu items, and select a currently-presented menu item of the plurality of menu items for control of the respective functional element, in response to respective first and second types of presses of the pushbutton, the first and second types of presses being of different durations.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 2, 2015
    Date of Patent: February 12, 2019
    Assignee: RAI Strategic Holdings, Inc.
    Inventors: Raymond Charles Henry, Jr., Glen Joseph Kimsey, Frederic Philippe Ampolini, James William Rogers