Patents by Inventor Robert E. Lee, III

Robert E. Lee, III 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).

  • Cleaning unit for the heater fixture of a smoking device
    Patent number: 6116247
    Abstract: A cleaning unit used to clean condensates formed during use of a component of a smoking system. The component can be a heating fixture having a cigarette receiving section and a plurality of longitudinally extending circumferentially spaced apart heating elements located within a can which accumulates the condensates. During a cleaning operation, the heating fixture is fitted within a cavity in the cleaning unit such that the cigarette receiving end of the heating fixture engages an O-ring and the terminal base portion abuts against an indented stop in an interior sidewall of a removable portion of the housing. The cleaning unit includes a water inlet connected to a source of pressurized water such as a faucet and a spray member extends into the cigarette receiving section to spray jets of water against the interior of the can.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 21, 1998
    Date of Patent: September 12, 2000
    Assignee: Philip Morris Incorporated
    Inventors: Joseph Leslie Banyasz, Aubry T. Burton, John M. Campbell, Woontung Geoffrey Chan, Mary Ellen Counts, William James Crowe, Jay A Fournier, Patrick H. Hayes, Willie Gray Houck, Jr., Robert E. Lee, III, Donald Bruce Losee, John B. Paine, III, Robert L. Ripley, Charles Edwin Thomas, Jr.
  • Flavor generating article
    Patent number: 5865185
    Abstract: A smoking article is provided in which a replaceable tobacco flavor unit containing tobacco flavor material is electrically heated by a set of permanent reusable heaters to evolve flavors or other components in vapor or aerosol form for delivery to a smoker. Each heater heats only a portion of the available tobacco flavor material so that a plurality of individual puffs of tobacco flavor substance can be delivered sequentially to the smoker. The replaceable tobacco flavor unit can also include a filter to reduce the effect of residual aerosol which settles or condenses on the permanent portions of the article and which can result in undesirable flavor generation when reheated. A method and apparatus for manufacturing the replaceable tobacco flavor unit is also provided.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 24, 1995
    Date of Patent: February 2, 1999
    Assignee: Philip Morris Incorporated
    Inventors: Alfred L. Collins, Mary Ellen Counts, Amitabh Das, Seetharama C. Deevi, Grier S. Fleischhauer, Charles T. Higgins, Willie G. Houck, Jr., Billy J. Keen, Jr., Robert E. Lee, III, A. Clifton Lilly, Jr., D. Bruce Losee, Jr., Hugh J. McCafferty, Constance H. Nichols, Wynn R. Raymond, Robert L. Ripley, Renzer R. Ritt, Sr., G. Robert Scott, F. Murphy Sprinkel, Michael L. Watkins, Susan E. Wrenn, Francis V. Utsch
  • Flavor generating article and method for making same
    Patent number: 5613504
    Abstract: A smoking article is provided in which a replaceable tobacco flavor unit containing tobacco flavor material is electrically heated by a set of permanent reusable heaters to evolve flavors or other components in vapor or aerosol form for delivery to a smoker. Each heater heats only a portion of the available tobacco flavor material so that a plurality of individual puffs of tobacco flavor substance can be delivered sequentially to the smoker. The replaceable tobacco flavor unit can also include a filter to reduce the effect of residual aerosol which settles or condenses on the permanent portions of the article and which can result in off-tastes when reheated. A method and apparatus for manufacturing the replaceable tobacco flavor unit is also provided.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 24, 1995
    Date of Patent: March 25, 1997
    Assignee: Philip Morris Incorporated
    Inventors: Alfred L. Collins, Mary E. Counts, Amitabh Das, Seetharama C. Deevi, Grier S. Fleischhauer, Charles T. Higgins, Willie G. Houck, Jr., Billy J. Keen, Jr., Robert E. Lee, III, A. Clifton Lilly, Jr., D. Bruce Losee, Jr., Hugh J. McCafferty, Constance H. Nichols, Wynn R. Raymond, Robert L. Ripley, Renzer R. Ritt, Sr., G. Robert Scott, F. Murphy Sprinkel, Michael L. Watkins, Susan E. Wrenn, Francis V. Utsch