Patents by Inventor Gerald Schmekel
Gerald Schmekel 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: 11484055Abstract: A tobacco preparation method, where a tobacco material is prepared through at least one extrusion process including compressing the material with an increase in pressure and temperature and mechanically processing and abruptly flash drying the material at an extruder outlet, where the tobacco material includes a tobacco lamina material, where a tobacco preparation device includes a dosing conveyor and an extruder which compresses a tobacco material with an increase in pressure and temperature and mechanically process and abruptly flash dries the material at the extruder outlet, where the components are designated as a unit which can be modularly delimited for processing a tobacco material including a tobacco lamina material, where an arrangement of several tobacco preparation devices and a smoking article or cigarette manufacturing device includes such a device or such a device arrangement which is connected upstream of a cigarette maker or a secondary unit as a tobacco preparation module.Type: GrantFiled: August 12, 2019Date of Patent: November 1, 2022Assignee: BRITISH AMERICAN TOBACCO (GERMANY) GMBHInventors: Dietmar Franke, Gerald Schmekel
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Publication number: 20190357588Abstract: A tobacco preparation method, where a tobacco material is prepared through at least one extrusion process including compressing the material with an increase in pressure and temperature and mechanically processing and abruptly flash drying the material at an extruder outlet, where the tobacco material includes a tobacco lamina material, where a tobacco preparation device includes a dosing conveyor and an extruder which compresses a tobacco material with an increase in pressure and temperature and mechanically process and abruptly flash dries the material at the extruder outlet, where the components are designated as a unit which can be modularly delimited for processing a tobacco material including a tobacco lamina material, where an arrangement of several tobacco preparation devices and a smoking article or cigarette manufacturing device inlcudes such a device or such a device arrangement which is connected upstream of a cigarette maker or a secondary unit as a tobacco preparation module.Type: ApplicationFiled: August 12, 2019Publication date: November 28, 2019Inventors: Dietmar FRANKE, Gerald SCHMEKEL
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Patent number: 10398166Abstract: A tobacco preparation method, where a tobacco material is prepared through at least one extrusion process including compressing the material with an increase in pressure and temperature and mechanically processing and abruptly flash drying the material at an extruder outlet, wherein the tobacco material includes a tobacco lamina material, where a tobacco preparation device includes a dosing conveyor and an extruder which compresses a tobacco material with an increase in pressure and temperature and mechanically process and abruptly flash dries the material at the extruder outlet, where the components are designated as a unit which can be modularly delimited for processing a tobacco material including a tobacco lamina material, where an arrangement of several tobacco preparation devices and a smoking article or cigarette manufacturing device includes such a device or such a device arrangement which is connected upstream of a cigarette maker or a secondary unit as a tobacco preparation module.Type: GrantFiled: May 9, 2016Date of Patent: September 3, 2019Assignee: BRITISH AMERICAN TOBACCO (GERMANY) GMBHInventors: Dietmar Franke, Gerald Schmekel
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Publication number: 20170035097Abstract: A tobacco preparation method, where a tobacco material is prepared through at least one extrusion process including compressing the material with an increase in pressure and temperature and mechanically processing and abruptly flash drying the material at an extruder outlet, wherein the tobacco material includes a tobacco lamina material, where a tobacco preparation device includes a dosing conveyor and an extruder which compresses a tobacco material with an increase in pressure and temperature and mechanically process and abruptly flash dries the material at the extruder outlet, wherein the components are designated as a unit which can be modularly delimited for processing a tobacco material including a tobacco lamina material, where an arrangement of several tobacco preparation devices and a smoking article or cigarette manufacturing device includes such a device or such a device arrangement which is connected upstream of a cigarette maker or a secondary unit as a tobacco preparation module.Type: ApplicationFiled: May 9, 2016Publication date: February 9, 2017Inventors: Dietmar Franke, Gerald Schmekel
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Patent number: 9351519Abstract: The invention relates to a tobacco preparation method, wherein a tobacco material is prepared through at least one extrusion process comprising compressing the material with an increase in pressure and temperature and mechanically processing and abruptly flash drying the material of an extruder outlet, wherein the tobacco material comprises a tobacco lamina material. The invention further relates to a tobacco preparation device comprising a dosing conveyor (2) and an extruder (3) which compresses a tobacco material with an increase in pressure and temperature and mechanically process and abruptly flash dries the material at the extruder outlet, wherein the components (3, 4) are designated as a unit which can be modularly delimited for processing a tobacco material comprising a tobacco lamina material.Type: GrantFiled: September 22, 2009Date of Patent: May 31, 2016Assignee: BRITISH AMERICAN TOBACCO (GERMANY) GMBHInventors: Dietmar Franke, Gerald Schmekel
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Patent number: 9173433Abstract: The invention relates to a tobacco shredding device with a heatable pressure chamber (3), which has a tobacco material inlet (5) at the low-pressure end, an expansion gap outlet at the pressure end and a shaft-mounted conveyor screw (1) for conveying the tobacco material from the inlet to the outlet, and the conveyor screw shaft (19) is supported at the inlet end, and the shaft (19) extends on behind the outlet, where it is supported again by a counter bearing (17). It further relates to a method of shredding tobacco, whereby the tobacco material is introduced at the low-pressure end of a pressure chamber and is expanded and discharged at the pressure end of the chamber at a gap outlet, and the tobacco material is conveyed from the inlet to the outlet by means of a conveyor screw shaft-mounted at both end portions, and the conveyor screw is operated in a speed range of up to 600 min?1.Type: GrantFiled: August 29, 2007Date of Patent: November 3, 2015Assignee: British American Tobacco (Germany) GMBHInventors: Volker Kuhl, Gerald Schmekel, Dietmar Franke
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Patent number: 9101164Abstract: The invention relates to a method for extracting agents from a tobacco material, wherein the tobacco material is conveyed through a housing to which an extraction agent is fed and from which the extraction agent is again discharge, wherein the extraction occurs in an extruder under increased extrusion pressure by way of contacting the tobacco material with the extraction agent during a tobacco material extrusion process. The invention further relates to an extraction device for tobacco material, having a housing and a conveyor unit in the housing, and having an extraction agent inlet and an extract outlet, wherein the housing is associated with a screw extruder, wherein the extract is separated from the extruder to the outside environment by means of the pressure generated therein across the drop of pressure.Type: GrantFiled: November 21, 2014Date of Patent: August 11, 2015Assignee: British American Tobacco (Germany) GmbHInventors: Gerald Schmekel, Dietmar Franke
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Publication number: 20150136151Abstract: The invention relates to a method for extracting agents from a tobacco material, wherein the tobacco material is conveyed through a housing to which an extraction agent is fed and from which the extraction agent is again discharge, wherein the extraction occurs in an extruder under increased extrusion pressure by way of contacting the tobacco material with the extraction agent during a tobacco material extrusion process. The invention further relates to an extraction device for tobacco material, having a housing and a conveyor unit in the housing, and having an extraction agent inlet and an extract outlet, wherein the housing is associated with a screw extruder, wherein the extract is separated from the extruder to the outside environment by means of the pressure generated therein across the drop of pressure.Type: ApplicationFiled: November 21, 2014Publication date: May 21, 2015Applicant: BRITISH AMERICAN TOBACCO (GERMANY) GMBHInventors: Gerald SCHMEKEL, Dietmar FRANKE
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Patent number: 8931491Abstract: The invention relates to a method for extracting agents from a tobacco material, wherein the tobacco material is conveyed through a housing to which an extraction agent (14, 24) is fed and from which the extraction agent is again discharged, wherein the extraction occurs in an extruder (10, 20) under increased extrusion pressure by way of contacting the tobacco material with the extraction agent during a tobacco material extrusion process. The invention further relates to an extraction device for tobacco material, having a housing (13, 23) and a conveyor unit (5) in the housing, and having an extraction agent inlet (3) and an extract outlet (7), wherein the housing is associated with a screw extruder (10, 20), wherein the extract is separated from the extruder (10, 20) to the outside environment by means of the pressure generated therein across the drop of pressure.Type: GrantFiled: September 24, 2009Date of Patent: January 13, 2015Assignee: British American Tobacco (Germany) GmbHInventors: Gerald Schmekel, Dietmar Franke
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Patent number: 8857075Abstract: The invention relates to a method for producing a smoking product from a tobacco material, wherein the tobacco material is treated using at least one extrusion process, which comprises compaction with an increase in pressure and temperature and a mechanical treatment and sudden flash drying of the material at an outlet of an extruder (1), wherein a heated process fluid (7) is supplied as a heat transfer medium to the tobacco material in the extruder (1) to supply process heat. The invention further relates to a device for producing a smoking product from a tobacco material using an extruder (1) which performs a compaction of a tobacco material with an increase in pressure and temperature and a mechanical treatment and sudden flash drying of the material at the extruder outlet, wherein the extruder (1) is associated with a heater (11), which heats a process fluid (7) that is supplied to the extruder (1) for supplying process heat as a heat transfer medium.Type: GrantFiled: September 17, 2009Date of Patent: October 14, 2014Assignee: British American Tobacco (Germany) GmbHInventors: Dietmar Franke, Gerald Schmekel
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Patent number: 8820328Abstract: The invention relates to a method of producing cut tobacco material, whereby a tobacco initial material is heated and placed under pressure and once heated and placed under pressure, the material is fed through a shearing gap and expanded and defibrated. It further relates to a device for producing cut tobacco material with a pressure chamber, which has a tobacco material inlet at the low-pressure end and a tobacco material outlet at the pressure end and a conveyor system for conveying the tobacco material from the inlet to the outlet, and the tobacco material outlet has a gap through which the material passes and expands, and the gap has walls which can be moved towards one another. It further relates to a smoking article containing such a cut, defibrated tobacco material product and the use of a plug screw feeder-extruder with a shearing gap outlet for defibrating tobacco material.Type: GrantFiled: December 23, 2010Date of Patent: September 2, 2014Assignee: British American Tobacco (Germany) GmbHInventors: Uwe Werner Ehling, Gerald Schmekel, Dietmar Franke, Matthias Link
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Patent number: 8418697Abstract: The invention relates to a method of producing cut tobacco material, whereby a tobacco starting material is heated and brought to a first increased pressure in one method stage; whereby the tobacco material is pumped to a second increased pressure in the second method stage which is higher than the first increased pressure; and whereby the tobacco material, heated and placed under pressure, is expanded and fed through a forming tool (23).Type: GrantFiled: December 12, 2007Date of Patent: April 16, 2013Assignee: British American Tobacco (Germany) GmbHInventors: Uwe Werner Ehling, Dietmar Franke, Gerald Schmekel
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Publication number: 20120006341Abstract: The invention relates to a method for extracting agents from a tobacco material, wherein the tobacco material is conveyed through a housing to which an extraction agent (14, 24) is fed and from which the extraction agent is again discharged, wherein the extraction occurs in an extruder (10, 20) under increased extrusion pressure by way of contacting the tobacco material with the extraction agent during a tobacco material extrusion process. The invention further relates to an extraction device for tobacco material, having a housing (13, 23) and a conveyor unit (5) in the housing, and having an extraction agent inlet (3) and an extract outlet (7), wherein the housing is associated with a screw extruder (10, 20), wherein the extract is separated from the extruder (10, 20) to the outside environment by means of the pressure generated therein across the drop of pressure.Type: ApplicationFiled: September 24, 2009Publication date: January 12, 2012Inventors: Gerald Schmekel, Dietmar Franke
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Publication number: 20110309559Abstract: The invention relates to a method for shaping and dimensioning plant material containing cellulose, according to which the plant material is prepared by at least one extrusion process involving a compression by means of a pressure and temperature increase as well as mechanical processing of the material at an outlet of an extruder (1). The invention also relates to the use of an extrusion process involving a compression by means of a pressure and temperature increase as well as mechanical processing of the material at an outlet of an extruder (1) for preparing plant material containing cellulose and for shaping and dimensioning said material and to the use of a screw conveyor (1) with a screw clearance for preparing plant material containing cellulose and for shaping and dimensioning the plant material.Type: ApplicationFiled: November 16, 2009Publication date: December 22, 2011Inventors: Dietmar Franke, Gerald Schmekel, Frank Plueckhahn
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Publication number: 20110283556Abstract: The invention relates to a method for producing a smoking product from a tobacco material, wherein the tobacco material is treated using at least one extrusion process, which comprises compaction with an increase in pressure and temperature and a mechanical treatment and sudden flash drying of the material at an outlet of an extruder (1), wherein a heated process fluid (7) is supplied as a heat transfer medium to the tobacco material in the extruder (1) to supply process heat. The invention further relates to a device for producing a smoking product from a tobacco material using an extruder (1) which performs a compaction of a tobacco material with an increase in pressure and temperature and a mechanical treatment and sudden flash drying of the material at the extruder outlet, wherein the extruder (1) is associated with a heater (11), which heats a process fluid (7) that is supplied to the extruder (1) for supplying process heat as a heat transfer medium.Type: ApplicationFiled: September 17, 2009Publication date: November 24, 2011Inventors: Dietmar Franke, Gerald Schmekel
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Publication number: 20110284015Abstract: The invention relates to a tobacco preparation method, wherein a tobacco material is prepared through at least one extrusion process comprising compressing the material with an increase in pressure and temperature and mechanically processing and abruptly flash drying the material of an extruder outlet, wherein the tobacco material comprises a tobacco lamina material. The invention further relates to a tobacco preparation device comprising a dosing conveyor (2) and an extruder (3) which compresses a tobacco material with an increase in pressure and temperature and mechanically process and abruptly flash dries the material at the extruder outlet, wherein the components (3, 4) are designated as a unit which can be modularly delimited for processing a tobacco material comprising a tobacco lamina material.Type: ApplicationFiled: September 22, 2009Publication date: November 24, 2011Inventors: Dietmar Franke, Gerald Schmekel
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Patent number: 7934511Abstract: The invention relates to a method of processing tobacco fines, whereby the tobacco preparation for producing smoking articles from an initial material to be processed, which contains tobacco fines and tobacco material, is subjected to an increased mechanical pressure in order to bind the tobacco fines permanently to the tobacco material, and no extra or external binding agents are added the material to be processed in order to bind the tobacco fines to the tobacco material. It further relates to smoking articles containing smoking material produced on the basis of one of the methods proposed by the invention.Type: GrantFiled: February 2, 2006Date of Patent: May 3, 2011Assignee: British American Tobacco (Germany) GmbHInventors: Uwe Ehling, Matthias Link, Gerald Schmekel
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Patent number: 7934509Abstract: The invention relates to a method of producing cut tobacco material, whereby a tobacco initial material is heated and placed under pressure and once heated and placed under pressure, the material is fed through a shearing gap and expanded and defibrated. It further relates to a device for producing cut tobacco material with a pressure chamber, which has a tobacco material inlet at the low-pressure end and a tobacco material outlet at the pressure end and a conveyor system for conveying the tobacco material from the inlet to the outlet, and the tobacco material outlet has a gap through which the material passes and expands, and the gap has walls which can be moved towards one another. It further relates to a smoking article containing such a cut, defibrated tobacco material product and the use of a plug screw feeder-extruder with a shearing gap outlet for defibrating tobacco material.Type: GrantFiled: November 28, 2005Date of Patent: May 3, 2011Assignee: British American Tobacco (Germany) GmbHInventors: Uwe Werner Ehling, Gerald Schmekel, Dietmar Franke, Matthias Link
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Publication number: 20110088705Abstract: The invention relates to a method of producing cut tobacco material, whereby a tobacco initial material is heated and placed under pressure and once heated and placed under pressure, the material is fed through a shearing gap and expanded and defibrated. It further relates to a device for producing cut tobacco material with a pressure chamber, which has a tobacco material inlet at the low-pressure end and a tobacco material outlet at the pressure end and a conveyor system for conveying the tobacco material from the inlet to the outlet, and the tobacco material outlet has a gap through which the material passes and expands, and the gap has walls which can be moved towards one another. It further relates to a smoking article containing such a cut, defibrated tobacco material product and the use of a plug screw feeder-extruder with a shearing gap outlet for defibrating tobacco material.Type: ApplicationFiled: December 23, 2010Publication date: April 21, 2011Inventors: Uwe Werner Ehling, Gerald Schmekel, Dietmar Franke, Matthias Link
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Publication number: 20100139674Abstract: The invention relates to a tobacco shredding device with a heatable pressure chamber (3), which has a tobacco material inlet (5) at the low-pressure end, an expansion gap outlet at the pressure end and a shaft-mounted conveyor screw (1) for conveying the tobacco material from the inlet to the outlet, and the conveyor screw shaft (19) is supported at the inlet end, and the shaft (19) extends on behind the outlet, where it is supported again by a counter bearing (17). It further relates to a method of shredding tobacco, whereby the tobacco material is introduced at the low-pressure end of a pressure chamber and is expanded and discharged at the pressure end of the chamber at a gap outlet, and the tobacco material is conveyed from the inlet to the outlet by means of a conveyor screw shaft-mounted at both end portions, and the conveyor screw is operated in a speed range of up to 600 min?1.Type: ApplicationFiled: August 29, 2007Publication date: June 10, 2010Inventors: Volker Kuhl, Gerald Schmekel, Dietmar Franke