Patents by Inventor Matthias Link

Matthias Link 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: 20230371573
    Abstract: A method of processing tobacco fines into a non-continuous tobacco material includes providing a pre-sized tobacco stem material that has a Dp90 particle size of less than 2.5 mm and a Dp50 particle size of between 0.7 mm and 1.5 mm, combining the pre-sized tobacco stem material with tobacco fines to provide a tobacco initial material, wherein the tobacco initial material includes between 40% and 60% pre-sized tobacco stem material (by mass). The method can include processing the initial material by setting the initial material to a predefined increased moisture content, subjecting the initial material to an increase in temperature and subjecting the initial material an increased pressure in order to bind the tobacco fines to the tobacco stem material, and conveying the initial material through a conveyor. The method can include feeding the processed tobacco material through a shearing gap such that the processed tobacco material is defibrated by expansion.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 14, 2021
    Publication date: November 23, 2023
    Inventors: Matthias LINK, Dietmar FRANKE, Frank PLÜCKHAHN
  • Publication number: 20230354876
    Abstract: A method of processing tobacco fines into a non-continuous tobacco material, the method including providing a pre-sized tobacco stem material that has a Dp90 particle size of less than 3 mm and a Dp50 particle size of less than 2 mm. The method also includes combining the pre-sized tobacco stem material with tobacco fines to provide a tobacco initial material, and processing the initial material by setting the initial material to a predefined increased moisture content, subjecting the initial material to an increase in temperature and subjecting the initial material an increased pressure in order to bind the tobacco fines to the tobacco stem material. There is also provided a non-continuous tobacco material produced by the method, a component for a delivery system including non-continuous tobacco material produced by the method, a product and a smoking article including the component.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 14, 2021
    Publication date: November 9, 2023
    Inventors: Matthias LINK, Dietmar FRANKE, Frank PLÜCKHAHN
  • Publication number: 20230085597
    Abstract: A method of treating tobacco material with superheated steam to reduce the nicotine content of the tobacco material after the treatment compared to the nicotine content of the tobacco material before the treatment. Also provided is treated tobacco material which has been contacted with superheated steam to reduce its nicotine content, as well as the use of superheated steam to treat tobacco and tobacco industry products that include the treated tobacco material.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 25, 2021
    Publication date: March 16, 2023
    Inventors: Matthias Link, Josef Knothe, Frank Plueckhahn
  • Publication number: 20230082455
    Abstract: A method of treating tobacco material including combining pre-cut and/or pre-expanded stem with lamina to form an initial combination of stem and lamina; cutting the initial combination of stem and lamina; expanding the combination of stem and lamina; and intermittently contacting the expanded combination of stem and lamina with a heated surface to produce a treated tobacco material. An apparatus is also provided for treating tobacco material. Also provided is a treated tobacco material, as well as products including the same.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 25, 2021
    Publication date: March 16, 2023
    Inventors: Dietmar Franke, Josef Knothe, Frank Plueckhahn, Matthias Link
  • Publication number: 20220110361
    Abstract: Tobacco constituent releasing components comprising an agglomerated structure formed from a precursor composition comprising tobacco particles and one or more aerosol forming agents, processes for preparing tobacco constituent releasing components, and various tobacco industry products including the tobacco constituent releasing components.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 16, 2020
    Publication date: April 14, 2022
    Inventors: Matthias LINK, Ugurhan YILMAZ, Dietmar FRANKE, Frank PLÜCKHAHN
  • Publication number: 20210274829
    Abstract: A method of treating cut stem tobacco material by expanding the cut stem to provide a first expanded tobacco material having a fill value at least about 10% greater than the fill value of the untreated cut stem tobacco material; intermittently contacting the first expanded tobacco material with a heated surface to provide a second expanded tobacco material with a moisture content of from 0 to about 10% OV and a fill value at least 5% greater than the fill value of the first expanded tobacco material; and (c) adjusting the moisture content of the second expanded tobacco material from about 5% to about 30% OV to provide an expanded product, wherein the fill value of the expanded product is at least 50% greater than the fill value of the untreated cut stem tobacco material when measured at a normalized moisture content of 14.5% OV.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 10, 2019
    Publication date: September 9, 2021
    Inventors: Dietmar FRANKE, Frank PLUECKHAHN, Matthias LINK, Horst GRZONKA, Thomas LINDNER
  • Patent number: 10966451
    Abstract: A process is provided for the treatment of tobacco. The process comprises securing the tobacco within a moisture-retaining material and exposing the tobacco material to an ambient processing temperature of above 55° C., with the tobacco having a packing density of at least 200 kg/m3 on a dry matter weight base at the start of the process and a moisture content of between about 10% and 23%. The treated tobacco may have desirable organoleptic properties.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 18, 2019
    Date of Patent: April 6, 2021
    Assignee: BRITISH AMERICAN TOBACCO (INVESTMENTS) LIMITED
    Inventors: Denis Benjak, Pedro Field, Alcindo Glesse, Matthias Link
  • Publication number: 20210068443
    Abstract: The present invention provides a method of treating tobacco material comprising intermittently contacting a tobacco starting material with a heated surface to produce a dried treated tobacco material. Also provided is an apparatus for treating tobacco material. The invention also provides treated tobacco material that is seared and dried, as well as products comprising the same.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 11, 2019
    Publication date: March 11, 2021
    Inventors: Dietmar FRANKE, Oliver GRÜNER, Josef KNOTHE, Thorsten KÖNIG, Volker KUHL, Matthias LINK, Frank PLÜCKHAHN, Ruediger HARTMAN
  • Publication number: 20200163377
    Abstract: The invention relates to tobacco constituent releasing components for inclusion in an aerosol provision device, the tobacco constituent releasing component including tobacco particles, optionally in an agglomerated structure. The invention also relates to apparatus including the tobacco constituent releasing components and to methods of manufacturing the tobacco constituent releasing components.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 17, 2018
    Publication date: May 28, 2020
    Inventors: Dietmar FRANKE, Oliver GRÜNER, Josef KNOTHE, Thorsten KÖNIG, Volker KUHL, Matthias LINK, Frank PLÜCKHAHN
  • Publication number: 20190174813
    Abstract: A process is provided for the treatment of tobacco. The process comprises securing the tobacco within a moisture-retaining material and exposing the tobacco material to an ambient processing temperature of above 55° C., with the tobacco having a packing density of at least 200 kg/m3 on a dry matter weight base at the start of the process and a moisture content of between about 10% and 23%. The treated tobacco may have desirable organoleptic properties.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 18, 2019
    Publication date: June 13, 2019
    Inventors: DENIS BENJAK, PEDRO FIELD, ALCINDO GLESSE, MATTHIAS LINK
  • Patent number: 10264813
    Abstract: A process is provided for the treatment of tobacco. The process comprises securing the tobacco within a moisture-retaining material and exposing the tobacco material to an ambient processing temperature of above 55° C., with the tobacco having a packing density of at least 200 kg/m3 on a dry matter weight base at the start of the process and a moisture content of between about 10% and 23%. The treated tobacco may have desirable organoleptic properties.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 30, 2014
    Date of Patent: April 23, 2019
    Assignee: British American Tobacco (Investments) Limited
    Inventors: Denis Benjak, Pedro Field, Alcindo Glesse, Matthias Link
  • Patent number: 10111457
    Abstract: A tobacco material and a process for the treatment of tobacco are provided. The process comprises securing the tobacco material within a moisture-retaining material and exposing the tobacco material to an ambient processing temperature of at least about 45° C., with the tobacco having a packing density of at least 200 kg/m3 on a dry matter weight base at the start of the process and a moisture content of between about 10% and 15.5%. The treated tobacco material has an aerobic plate count of up to about 1000 CFU/g.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 30, 2014
    Date of Patent: October 30, 2018
    Assignee: British American Tobacco (Investments) Limited
    Inventors: Denis Benjak, Pedro Field, Alcindo Glesse, Matthias Link
  • Patent number: 10080383
    Abstract: A tobacco material and a process for the treatment of tobacco are provided. The process comprises securing the tobacco within a moisture-retaining material and exposing the tobacco material to an ambient processing temperature of at least about 45° C., with the tobacco having a packing density of at least 200 kg/m3 on a dry matter weight base at the start of the process and a moisture content of between about 10% and 23%. The TSNA content of the tobacco material is maintained at a relatively constant level during the process.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 30, 2014
    Date of Patent: September 25, 2018
    Assignee: British American Tobacco (Investments) Limited
    Inventors: Denis Benjak, Pedro Field, Alcindo Glesse, Matthias Link
  • Publication number: 20160270435
    Abstract: A process is provided for the treatment of tobacco. The process comprises securing the tobacco within a moisture-retaining material and exposing the tobacco material to an ambient processing temperature of above 55° C., with the tobacco having a packing density of at least 200 kg/m3 on a dry matter weight base at the start of the process and a moisture content of between about 10% and 23%. The treated tobacco may have desirable organoleptic properties.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 30, 2014
    Publication date: September 22, 2016
    Inventors: Denis Benjak, Pedro Field, Alcindo Glesse, Matthias Link
  • Publication number: 20160262445
    Abstract: A tobacco material and a process for the treatment of tobacco are provided. The process comprises securing the tobacco material within a moisture-retaining material and exposing the tobacco material to an ambient processing temperature of at least about 45° C., with the tobacco having a packing density of at least 200 kg/m3 on a dry matter weight base at the start of the process and a moisture content of between about 10% and 15.5%. The treated tobacco material has an aerobic plate count of up to about 1000 CFU/g.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 30, 2014
    Publication date: September 15, 2016
    Inventors: Denis Benjak, Pedro Field, Alcindo Glesse, Matthias Link
  • Publication number: 20160249674
    Abstract: A tobacco material and a process for the treatment of tobacco are provided. The process comprises securing the tobacco within a moisture-retaining material and exposing the tobacco material to an ambient processing temperature of at least about 45° C., with the tobacco having a packing density of at least 200 kg/m3 on a dry matter weight base at the start of the process and a moisture content of between about 10% and 23%. The TSNA content of the tobacco material is maintained at a relatively constant level during the process.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 30, 2014
    Publication date: September 1, 2016
    Inventors: Denis BENJAK, Pedro FIELD, Alcindo GLESSE, Matthias LINK
  • Patent number: 8820328
    Abstract: 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: Grant
    Filed: December 23, 2010
    Date of Patent: September 2, 2014
    Assignee: British American Tobacco (Germany) GmbH
    Inventors: Uwe Werner Ehling, Gerald Schmekel, Dietmar Franke, Matthias Link
  • Patent number: 7934511
    Abstract: 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: Grant
    Filed: February 2, 2006
    Date of Patent: May 3, 2011
    Assignee: British American Tobacco (Germany) GmbH
    Inventors: Uwe Ehling, Matthias Link, Gerald Schmekel
  • Patent number: 7934509
    Abstract: 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: Grant
    Filed: November 28, 2005
    Date of Patent: May 3, 2011
    Assignee: British American Tobacco (Germany) GmbH
    Inventors: Uwe Werner Ehling, Gerald Schmekel, Dietmar Franke, Matthias Link
  • Publication number: 20110088705
    Abstract: 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: Application
    Filed: December 23, 2010
    Publication date: April 21, 2011
    Inventors: Uwe Werner Ehling, Gerald Schmekel, Dietmar Franke, Matthias Link