Patents by Inventor Shuzhong Zhuang

Shuzhong Zhuang 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: 7784470
    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: Grant
    Filed: January 9, 2003
    Date of Patent: August 31, 2010
    Assignee: Philip Morris USA Inc.
    Inventors: John B. Paine, III, Zuyin Yang, Kent B. Koller, Jay A. Fournier, Charles E. Thomas, Jr., Timothy S. Sherwood, Zhaohua Luan, Shuzhong Zhuang, Jose M. G. Nepomuceno, Diane L. Gee, Georgios D. Karles
  • Patent number: 7767134
    Abstract: Disclosed is a method for forming an article with template shaped channels by (a) mixing a precursor with a fibrous template, (b) forming the mixture into a pre-determined shape, (c) curing the mixture to form a precursor composite, (d) carbonizing the precursor composite, and (e) decomposing the fibrous template to yield a shaped carbon article with template shaped channels.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 29, 2005
    Date of Patent: August 3, 2010
    Assignee: Philip Morris USA Inc.
    Inventors: Lixin Luke Xue, Shuzhong Zhuang, Liqun Yu, John B. Paine, III
  • Publication number: 20100163064
    Abstract: Disclosed is a method for forming an article with template shaped channels by (a) mixing a precursor with a fibrous template, (b) forming the mixture into a pre-determined shape, (c) curing the mixture to form a precursor composite, (d) carbonizing the precursor composite, and (e) decomposing the fibrous template to yield a shaped carbon article with template shaped channels.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 12, 2010
    Publication date: July 1, 2010
    Applicant: Philip Morris USA Inc.
    Inventors: Lixin Luke Xue, Shuzhong Zhuang, Liqun Yu, John B. Paine, III
  • Publication number: 20100152040
    Abstract: A method of producing a multi-modal pore distribution activated carbon is provided herein by preparing a solution comprising a polymer precursor, mixing an additional material with the polymer precursor in the solution, cross-linking the polymer precursor with the additional material mixed therein, carbonizing the mixture of the polymer precursor and the additional material, and activating the carbonized mixture to form a multi-modal pore distribution activated carbon. The multi-modal pore distribution activated carbon can include pores less than 20 ? and greater than 30 ? or 500 ? depending upon the sorption properties desired, wherein the pore distribution of the activated carbon can be tailored to provide predetermined kinetics and/or gaseous constituent equilibrium isotherms.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 1, 2010
    Publication date: June 17, 2010
    Applicant: Philip Morris USA Inc.
    Inventors: Georgios D. Karles, Gunaranjan Viswanathan, John Layman, Shuzhong Zhuang
  • Patent number: 7552735
    Abstract: A cigarette filter for removing gas phase constituents from mainstream cigarette smoke as the smoke is drawn through the filter primarily comprises an activated carbon fiber filter section including a bundle of activated carbon fibers. Particulate adsorbent materials such as granules, beads or course powders may be dispersed amongst the activated carbon fibers to aid in removal of the gas phase constituents. Additionally, the activated carbon fiber filter section may be used in combination with a separate bed or beds of particulate adsorbent material. In one embodiment, the activated carbon fibers are positioned within a helical groove on the outside of a threaded rod within the activated carbon fiber filter section. Relatively smaller amounts of activated carbon fibers produce the same smoke constituent reduction as larger amounts of particulate adsorbent material.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 11, 2003
    Date of Patent: June 30, 2009
    Assignee: Philip Morris USA Inc.
    Inventors: Lixin Xue, Jose G. Nepomuceno, Shuzhong Zhuang, Timothy Scott Sherwood, John Bryant Paine, III, Jay A Fournier, Charles Edwin Thomas, Jr., Kent Brian Koller, Liqun Yu
  • Publication number: 20090159091
    Abstract: A method of forming activated carbon from microcrystalline cellulose comprises converting the microcrystalline cellulose powder into microcrystalline cellulose beads using extrusion and spheronization, carbonizing microcrystalline cellulose to form carbonized microcrystalline cellulose and activating the carbonized microcrystalline cellulose to form activated carbon. The final size of the activated carbon beads, which preferably are of practically spherical shape, can be controlled through the process of making microcrystalline cellulose beads.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 19, 2007
    Publication date: June 25, 2009
    Applicant: Philip Morris USA Inc.
    Inventors: Georgios D. Karles, Shuzhong Zhuang
  • Publication number: 20090004337
    Abstract: Provided is a method for cooling wax after coextrusion to create wax capsules. The method includes immersing a concentric nozzle of a coextruder in a container of heated alcohol. The container of heated alcohol sits in a water-ice bath to create a temperature gradient. A core material having a wax coating is extruded through a concentric nozzle to form a capsule. The capsule enters the container of hot alcohol where the wax coating is solidified. In an embodiment, the method is a continuous method including a capsule and solvent transfer system.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 29, 2008
    Publication date: January 1, 2009
    Applicant: Philip Morris USA Inc.
    Inventors: Hongwei Liu, Georgios D. Karles, Shuzhong Zhuang
  • Publication number: 20080302376
    Abstract: Provided are smoking articles with a controlled flavor release product. The controlled flavor release product includes a first time-release flavorant and a second time-release flavorant. The controlled flavor release product is a film or a lip balm type formulation that is applied to the downstream end of a smoking article.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 5, 2008
    Publication date: December 11, 2008
    Applicant: Philip Morris USA Inc.
    Inventors: Georgios D. Karles, Jose Nepomuceno, Shuzhong Zhuang, Jeff Allen, Richard Jupe
  • Publication number: 20080286408
    Abstract: Provided is a method of encapsulating a hydrophilic substance with wax. Also provided, is a method of encapsulating honey with an edible wax to create honey capsules. The method includes ejecting a droplet of the hydrophilic substance into a stream of molten wax and allowing the droplet to pass through the molten wax to enter a container of water. The wax capsule forms an oral product that may be placed in the mouth or used in conjunction with other edible or oral products.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 11, 2007
    Publication date: November 20, 2008
    Applicant: Philip Morris USA Inc.
    Inventors: Georgios D. Karles, Shuzhong Zhuang, Hongwei Liu
  • Publication number: 20080163877
    Abstract: A smoking article having a cylinder of smoking material and a central tube within the cylinder of the smoking material wherein heat is convectively transferred with smoke from a lit end of the cylinder of smoking material through the central tube to a mouth end of the cylinder of smoking material in each puff. A filter system is attached to the cylinder of smoking material, and includes a plurality of segments, wherein at least one of the plurality of segments contains flavorant and aerosol forming agents encapsulated in at least one breakable capsule.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 18, 2007
    Publication date: July 10, 2008
    Applicant: Philip Morris USA Inc.
    Inventors: Shuzhong Zhuang, Georgios D. Karles, Raquel M. Olegario
  • Publication number: 20080110470
    Abstract: Immobilized diluents in a smoking article are provided, wherein diluents can be immobilized through absorption and/or adsorption of the diluents into immobilizing materials, such as sorbents like silica gels. By immobilizing diluents, the diluents can be available for vaporization, while still being protected from migration and/or loss of the diluents in a smoking article.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 14, 2007
    Publication date: May 15, 2008
    Applicant: Philip Morris USA Inc.
    Inventors: Shuzhong Zhuang, Georgios D. Karles
  • Patent number: 7370657
    Abstract: An activated carbon-containing sorbent is capable of selectively removing one or more selected gaseous components from a gas. The activated carbon-containing sorbent can be incorporated in a smoking article to remove one or more selected components from mainstream smoke. The activated carbon-containing sorbent can be a composite including one or more molecular sieve materials. Methods of making the activated carbon-containing sorbent, cigarette filters and smoking articles including the activated carbon-containing sorbent, as well as methods for smoking a cigarette comprising the activated carbon-containing sorbent, are provided.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 2, 2003
    Date of Patent: May 13, 2008
    Assignee: Philip Morris USA Inc.
    Inventors: Shuzhong Zhuang, Jay A Fournier, John B. Paine, III, Lixin Xue
  • 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: 20070258879
    Abstract: A method of producing a multi-modal pore distribution activated carbon is provided herein by preparing a solution comprising a polymer precursor, mixing an additional material with the polymer precursor in the solution, cross-linking the polymer precursor with the additional material mixed therein, carbonizing the mixture of the polymer precursor and the additional material, and activating the carbonized mixture to form a multi-modal pore distribution activated carbon. The multi-modal pore distribution activated carbon can include pores less than 20 ? and greater than 30 ? or 500 ? depending upon the sorption properties desired, wherein the pore distribution of the activated carbon can be tailored to provide predetermined kinetics and/or gaseous constituent equilibrium isotherms.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 12, 2006
    Publication date: November 8, 2007
    Applicant: Philip Morris USA Inc.
    Inventors: Georgios Karles, Gunaranjan Viswanathan, John Layman, Shuzhong Zhuang
  • 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: 20070137667
    Abstract: A smoking article having a cylindrical tube of smokable material having an outer wrapper, a concentric rod of smokable material coaxially positioned within the cylindrical tube of a smokable material, and an inner wrapper separating the cylindrical tube and the concentric rod. A filter attaches to the tobacco rod with an annular film positioned between the filter and the tobacco rod. The annular film increases the resistance-to-draw of the cylindrical tube during smoking.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 11, 2006
    Publication date: June 21, 2007
    Applicant: Philip Morris USA Inc.
    Inventors: Shuzhong Zhuang, Georgios Karles, Raquel Olegario
  • Publication number: 20070000507
    Abstract: Disclosed is a carbon fiber with a template derived shape and method for making the same by (a) mixing a precursor with a fibrous template, (b) forming the mixture into a pre-determined shape, (c) curing the mixture to form a precursor composite, (d) carbonizing the precursor composite, and (e) decomposing the fibrous template.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 29, 2005
    Publication date: January 4, 2007
    Inventors: Lixin Xue, Shuzhong Zhuang, Liqun Yu, John Paine
  • Publication number: 20070000508
    Abstract: Disclosed is a method for forming an article with template shaped channels by (a) mixing a precursor with a fibrous template, (b) forming the mixture into a pre-determined shape, (c) curing the mixture to form a precursor composite, (d) carbonizing the precursor composite, and (e) decomposing the fibrous template to yield a shaped carbon article with template shaped channels.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 29, 2005
    Publication date: January 4, 2007
    Inventors: Lixin Xue, Shuzhong Zhuang, Liqun Yu, John Paine
  • Publication number: 20070000505
    Abstract: A component of a smoking article having tobacco beads. The tobacco beads can be located in a filter and/or a tobacco rod. The filter can be a multi-component filter, wherein an sorbent (preferably upstream) removes at least one constituent from mainstream tobacco smoke passing through the filter and downstream tobacco beads compensates for taste lost to the sorbent. The tobacco beads optionally include flavorants in addition to tobacco particulates. The tobacco beads can be located within a cavity in the filter or within the tow. This component can comprise additional flavors, which are released into the mainstream smoke under ambient conditions. The tobacco beads optionally include binders such as microcrystalline cellulose or other cellulosic material, which can be formed into a paste with tobacco powder and optionally with additional flavors. The paste can be extruded and spheronized to form the tobacco beads.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 22, 2006
    Publication date: January 4, 2007
    Inventors: Shuzhong Zhuang, Georgios Karles, Jose Nepomuceno, Richard Jupe, Gerson Assmann, Stephen Zimmermann, Benjamin Lewis, James Sherron, Vivian Willis
  • Publication number: 20060260626
    Abstract: A composite for use in smoking articles such as cigarettes is described comprising a zeolite membrane coated upon an activated carbon-containing substrate. The substrate may be a fiber, fabric, particle, granule or monolith. The composite is prepared by contacting zeolite precursors with the substrate and hydrothermally synthesizing the membrane upon the substrate. The substrate may be pretreated to provide activation sites for adhesion and growth of the membrane. By selection of the zeolite components, the composite may be tailored to selectively remove constituents of tobacco smoke while simultaneously controlling access to the substrate thereby prolonging the shelf life of the activated carbons.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 20, 2005
    Publication date: November 23, 2006
    Inventors: Zhaohua Luan, Jay Fournier, Shuzhong Zhuang, Timothy Sherwood, John Paine