Patents by Inventor Kent Koller

Kent Koller 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: 20080053469
    Abstract: A smoking article such as a cigarette comprises a tobacco rod and a filter component having a cavity filled with spherical beaded carbon. As mainstream tobacco smoke is drawn through the filter component, targeted gas phase smoke constituents are removed as the smoke passes through the carbon. During the filter manufacturing process the spherical beaded carbon flows like a liquid and substantially completely fills the cavity. Point-to-point contact between the spherical beads together with substantially complete filling of the cavity produces minimal channeling of ambulatory gas phase as well as maximum contact between the gas phase and the carbon surface of the spherical beads during smoking.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 31, 2007
    Publication date: March 6, 2008
    Applicant: Philip Morris USA Inc.
    Inventors: John Paine, Zuyin Yang, Kent Koller, Jay Fournier, Charles Thomas, Timothy Sherwood, Zhaohua Luan, Shuzhong Zhuang, Jose Nepomuceno, Diane Gee, Georgios Karles
  • Publication number: 20070181140
    Abstract: A smoking article includes a cylinder of smoking material having at least one hollow tube having a heat conductive wall within the cylinder of smoking material and a filter system attached to the cylinder of smoking material. The filter system includes an adsorbent material therein. The at least one hollow tube extends from within the cylinder of smoking material through the adsorbent material. At least one flavorant material is retained within the at least one hollow tube, and upon exposure to heat from the heat conductive wall of the hollow tube the flavorant material releases a flavorant.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 19, 2006
    Publication date: August 9, 2007
    Applicant: Philip Morris USA Inc
    Inventors: Lixin Xue, Liqun Yu, Shuzhong Zhuang, Georgios Karles, Kent Koller
  • Publication number: 20060180164
    Abstract: A smoking article such as a cigarette comprises a tobacco rod and a filter component having a cavity filled with spherical beaded carbon. As mainstream tobacco smoke is drawn through the filter component, targeted gas phase smoke constituents are removed as the smoke passes through the carbon. During the filter manufacturing process the spherical beaded carbon flows like a liquid and substantially completely fills the cavity. Point-to-point contact between the spherical beads together with substantially complete filling of the cavity produces minimal channeling of ambulatory gas phase as well as maximum contact between the gas phase and the carbon surface of the spherical beads during smoking.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 11, 2006
    Publication date: August 17, 2006
    Applicant: Philip Morris USA Inc.
    Inventors: John Paine, Zuyin Yang, Kent Koller, Jay Fournier, Charles Thomas, Timothy Sherwood, Zhaohua Luan, Shuzhong Zhuang, Jose Nepomuceno, Diane Gee, Georgios Karles
  • Publication number: 20060130861
    Abstract: Flavor carriers, smoking articles, method of making flavor carriers, methods of making smoking articles, methods of flavoring gas streams such as mainstream tobacco smoke and methods of smoking are provided. The flavor carriers and smoking articles comprise a mesoporous molecular sieve and a flavor releasably disposed within the sieve.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 22, 2004
    Publication date: June 22, 2006
    Inventors: Zhaohua Luan, Diane Gee, Jay Fournier, Kent Koller, Jose Nepomuceno
  • Publication number: 20060086366
    Abstract: A surface-modified adsorbent comprises a reagent on a porous carrier. Preferred porous carriers are adsorbent carbons such as activated carbon, silica gels, aluminas, polyester resins, zeolites or zeolite-like materials, and mixtures thereof. An exemplary porous carrier is activated carbon comprising at least about 80% micropores and having an average particle size from about 6 mesh to about 300 mesh or an average particle size from about 0.2 mm to about 1 mm. The reagent preferably comprises 1 to 80% or 3 to 10% by weight of the adsorbent. Preferred reagents are 2-hydroxymethylpiperidine (2-HMP) or a 2-HMP analogues such as 2-(2-piperidine)ethanol (2-PE), N-piperidineethanol (N-PE), 2-(4-piperidine)ethanol (4-PE), 3-hydroxypiperidine hydrochloride (3-HPH), 4-hydroxypiperidine (4-HP), 3-N-piperidinyl-1,2-propanediol (3-PDP), 2-amino-1-phenylethanol (2-APE), 2-(N-anilino)ethanol (2-AE), and S-(?)2-phenylglycinol (2-PG).
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 19, 2005
    Publication date: April 27, 2006
    Inventors: Lixin Xue, Kent Koller
  • Publication number: 20050161053
    Abstract: A process of impregnating fine adsorbent particles such as carbon dust or APS silica gel powder into the micro-cavities of shaped fibers comprises the steps of continuously conveying shaped fibers with micro-cavities to a reservoir of the fine adsorbent particles. The fibers pass through the reservoir to thereby produce relative motion between the fibers and the particles. Additionally, impact forces are created between the shaped fibers and the fine particles to assist in impregnating the particles into the micro-cavities of the fibers. Any excess particles are removed from the fibers outside the reservoir, and subsequently the shaped fibers impregnated with fine adsorbent particles are collected for later use in filter applications such as cigarette filter and air filter applications, for example.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 18, 2005
    Publication date: July 28, 2005
    Inventors: Lixin Xue, Kent Koller, Qiong Gao, Tim Sherwood, Charles Thomas, George Scott, Liqun Yu
  • Publication number: 20050133049
    Abstract: Filters, smoking articles, and methods for selectively removing one or more selected constituents from mainstream smoke are provided. The filters comprise zeolite BETA. Methods for making cigarette filters and smoking articles, as well as methods for smoking a cigarette, are also provided.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 22, 2003
    Publication date: June 23, 2005
    Inventors: Jay Fournier, Kent Koller
  • Publication number: 20050126481
    Abstract: A process of retaining fine adsorbent particles such as carbon material or APS silica gel in the micro-cavities of a shaped fiber comprises the steps of continuously conveying a shaped fiber with micro-cavities to a charging arrangement where the fiber is electrostatically charged. The electrostatically charged fiber is then drawn through a reservoir of the fine adsorbent particles. As the fiber passes through the reservoir the fine particles adhere to the fiber and the micro-cavities thereof. Any excess particles are removed from the fiber outside the reservoir. Subsequently the shaped fiber loaded with fine adsorbent particles is collected for use in filter applications of one type or another such as cigarette filters, for example.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 27, 2005
    Publication date: June 16, 2005
    Inventors: Lixin Xue, Kent Koller, Qiong Gao