Patents by Inventor Stephen B. Sears

Stephen B. Sears 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: 20190200673
    Abstract: The present disclosure relates to a cartridge for an aerosol delivery device, an aerosol delivery device that includes the cartridge, and an aerosol device operation method. In various implementations the cartridge comprises a reservoir tank configured to contain an aerosol precursor composition, a masking disc proximate the aerosol precursor composition, and a flavor disc proximate the masking disc. At least one of the masking disc or the flavor disc is configured to be rotated relative to the other to align an opening of the masking disc with a selected section of the flavor disc so as to allow the aerosol precursor composition to flow from the reservoir tank through the opening of the masking disc and the selected section of the flavor disc, such that, when the flavor section is selected, the flavorant is imparted to the aerosol precursor composition.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 29, 2017
    Publication date: July 4, 2019
    Inventors: Alfred C. Bless, Jason M. Short, Stephen B. Sears
  • Publication number: 20190087302
    Abstract: A product use and behavior instrument includes a housing defining a central compartment therein. A controller is positioned within the central compartment. The controller includes a connector. The connector is configured to operatively and removably couple the product use and behavior instrument to an electronic smoking article. The electronic smoking article includes a heating element to heat a tobacco product. The electronic smoking article includes a battery. A sensor circuit is structured to collect at least one use data characteristic of a smoking action. The smoking action is associated with use of at least one of the heating element and battery. Local memory is structured to store the at least one use data characteristic of the smoking action. A communication interface is structured to communicate the stored at least one use data characteristic of the smoking action to a remote computing device.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 8, 2018
    Publication date: March 21, 2019
    Inventors: Jeffrey Sean Smith, Steven L. ALDERMAN, Paul A. BRINKLEY, Sarah A. BAXTER-WRIGHT, Kyung Soo (Jason) HONG, Paul R. NELSON, Stephen B. SEARS, Rajesh SUR
  • Publication number: 20190082737
    Abstract: A product use and behavior instrument includes a housing defining a central compartment therein. A controller is positioned within the central compartment. The controller includes a first connector. The first connector is configured to operatively and removably couple the product use and behavior instrument to a battery element. A second connector is configured to operatively and removably couple the product use and behavior instrument to a tank element. A sensor circuit is structured to collect at least one use data characteristic of a smoking action. The smoking action is associated with use of at least one of the tank and battery element. Local memory is structured to store the at least one use data characteristic of the smoking action. A communication interface is structured to communicate the stored at least one use data characteristic of the smoking action to a remote computing device.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 20, 2017
    Publication date: March 21, 2019
    Inventors: Jeffrey Sean Smith, Steven L. Alderman, Sarah A. Baxter-Wright, John Darnell, Kyung Soo (Jason) Hong, Paul R. Nelson, Elaine K. Round, Stephen B. Sears, Rajesh Sur
  • Patent number: 10206431
    Abstract: A charger for an aerosol delivery device is provided. The aerosol delivery device includes a control body equipped with a power source, and a cartridge equipped with a heating element and containing an aerosol precursor composition. The control body is coupled or coupleable with the cartridge to form the aerosol delivery device. The charger comprises a housing, a connector and a power supply from which the power source is rechargeable when the charger is engaged with the control body. The connector is coupled to the housing and configured to engage the charger with the control body. The power supply comprises a photovoltaic cell configured to convert light energy to electrical energy and generate a corresponding voltage output, and a buck converter configured to step down the corresponding voltage output to a lower voltage from which the power source is rechargeable.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 18, 2016
    Date of Patent: February 19, 2019
    Assignee: RAI Strategic Holdings, Inc.
    Inventors: Rajesh Sur, Stephen B. Sears, Eric T. Hunt
  • Publication number: 20190014822
    Abstract: A cartridge coupled or coupleable with a control body to form an aerosol delivery device is provided that includes a container of aerosol precursor composition and an atomizer enclosing a reservoir configured to receive and carry aerosol precursor composition. The container and the atomizer are removably coupleable with one another, and include respectively a septum and a connector including a cannula that are engaged when the container and the atomizer are coupled to enable passage of aerosol precursor composition from the container to the reservoir. The atomizer further includes a heating element controllable to activate and vaporize components of the aerosol precursor composition in the reservoir.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 12, 2017
    Publication date: January 17, 2019
    Inventors: Alfred C. Bless, Charles J. Novak, III, Stephen B. Sears
  • Patent number: 10172392
    Abstract: An aerosol delivery device is provided. The aerosol delivery device comprises a control component and a humidity sensor. The humidity sensor is configured to measure a property thereof that is variable with relative humidity in an environment of the aerosol delivery device to which the humidity sensor is exposed. The humidity sensor is also configured to generate a corresponding signal that indicates a value of the property from which the relative humidity is calculable. The control component, or the humidity sensor, is configured to calculate the relative humidity from the value indicated by the corresponding signal, and control operation of at least one functional element of the aerosol delivery device based on the relative humidity so calculated, including output of the relative humidity for presentation by a display.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 18, 2016
    Date of Patent: January 8, 2019
    Assignee: RAI Strategic Holdings, Inc.
    Inventors: Rajesh Sur, Eric T. Hunt, Stephen B. Sears
  • Publication number: 20180213844
    Abstract: An aerosol delivery device is provided that includes a reservoir configured to retain an aerosol precursor composition, a heating element, and a power source connected to an electrical load that includes the heating element. The power source includes a rechargeable primary battery and a rechargeable secondary battery in a parallel combination, with the rechargeable secondary battery having a lower nominal voltage than the rechargeable primary battery. The aerosol delivery device also includes a microprocessor configured to operate in an active mode in which the microprocessor is configured to direct power from the power source to the heating element and thereby control the heating element to activate and vaporize components of the aerosol precursor composition.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 27, 2017
    Publication date: August 2, 2018
    Inventors: Rajesh Sur, Eric T. Hunt, Stephen B. Sears
  • Publication number: 20180160730
    Abstract: An aerosol delivery device sensory system is provided. The system may include an outer body, an atomizer, and an infrared sensor. The atomizer, which may be received in the outer body, may include a heating element. The infrared sensor may be configured to measure infrared radiation produced by the atomizer. The infrared sensor may be located inside or outside of the outer body. In this regard, by way of example, the infrared sensor may be configured to provide feedback for control purposes, or the infrared sensor may be employed for testing purposes. A fiber optic cable may extend from the infrared sensor to a component to sense the radiation being emitted therefrom.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 9, 2016
    Publication date: June 14, 2018
    Inventors: Alfred Bless, Stephen B. Sears
  • Publication number: 20180140011
    Abstract: An aerosol delivery device is provided. The aerosol delivery device comprises at least one housing that defines a reservoir configured to retain aerosol precursor composition, and contains a heating element and power source within the at least one housing. The heating element is controllable to activate and vaporize components of the aerosol precursor composition. The power source is configured to power to heating element to activate and vaporize components of the aerosol precursor composition. The power source comprises a supercapacitor having a corrugated graphene-based structure.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 18, 2016
    Publication date: May 24, 2018
    Inventors: Rajesh Sur, Eric T. Hunt, Stephen B. Sears
  • Publication number: 20180140010
    Abstract: A charger for an aerosol delivery device is provided. The aerosol delivery device includes a control body equipped with a power source, and a cartridge equipped with a heating element and containing an aerosol precursor composition. The control body is coupled or coupleable with the cartridge to form the aerosol delivery device. The charger comprises a housing, a connector and a power supply from which the power source is rechargeable when the charger is engaged with the control body. The connector is coupled to the housing and configured to engage the charger with the control body. The power supply comprises a photovoltaic cell configured to convert light energy to electrical energy and generate a corresponding voltage output, and a buck converter configured to step down the corresponding voltage output to a lower voltage from which the power source is rechargeable.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 18, 2016
    Publication date: May 24, 2018
    Inventors: Rajesh Sur, Stephen B. Sears, Eric T. Hunt
  • Publication number: 20180140013
    Abstract: An aerosol delivery device is provided that includes a reservoir configured to retain an aerosol precursor composition, a heating element, and a power source connected to an electrical load that includes the heating element. The power source includes a rechargeable lithium-ion battery having a carbon-based anode, an electrochemically-active cathode, and a non-aqueous electrolyte in contact with the anode and the cathode, with the non-aqueous electrolyte including a lithium salt in a carbonate solvent or solvent mixture. The aerosol delivery device also includes a microprocessor configured to operate in an active mode in which the microprocessor is configured to direct power from the power source to the heating element and thereby control the heating element to activate and vaporize components of the aerosol precursor composition.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 22, 2016
    Publication date: May 24, 2018
    Inventors: Rajesh Sur, Eric T. Hunt, Stephen B. Sears
  • Publication number: 20180140008
    Abstract: An aerosol delivery device is provided. The aerosol delivery device comprises a control component and a humidity sensor. The humidity sensor is configured to measure a property thereof that is variable with relative humidity in an environment of the aerosol delivery device to which the humidity sensor is exposed. The humidity sensor is also configured to generate a corresponding signal that indicates a value of the property from which the relative humidity is calculable. The control component, or the humidity sensor, is configured to calculate the relative humidity from the value indicated by the corresponding signal, and control operation of at least one functional element of the aerosol delivery device based on the relative humidity so calculated, including output of the relative humidity for presentation by a display.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 18, 2016
    Publication date: May 24, 2018
    Inventors: Rajesh Sur, Eric T. Hunt, Stephen B. Sears
  • Publication number: 20180140009
    Abstract: An aerosol delivery device is provided. The aerosol delivery device comprises a control component and a digital pressure sensor. The digital pressure sensor is configured to measure a pressure imposed thereon, and generate a corresponding signal that indicates the pressure so measured. The he control component or the digital pressure sensor is further configured to control at least one functional element of the aerosol delivery device based on the pressure indicated by the corresponding signal, or a condition of the aerosol delivery device or a user thereof determined from the corresponding signal. Control of the at least one functional element includes output of the pressure or the condition for presentation by a display.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 18, 2016
    Publication date: May 24, 2018
    Inventors: Rajesh Sur, Eric T. Hunt, Stephen B. Sears
  • Publication number: 20180132529
    Abstract: An aerosol delivery device is provided that includes a heating element controllable to activate and vaporize components of an aerosol precursor composition, and a temperature sensor configured to measure a temperature of the heating element, or measure a property of the temperature sensor from which the temperature of the heating element is determinable. The aerosol delivery device also includes a microcontroller unit (MCU) coupled to the temperature sensor and including a built-in communication interface configured to enable connection to a wireless local area network (WLAN), and communication with a service platform over at least one network including the WLAN, the MCU being configured communicate with the service platform to enable a computing device in communication with the service platform to remotely receive and provide a user-perceptible feedback that indicates the temperature of the heating element measured or determined from the property measured by the temperature sensor.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 14, 2016
    Publication date: May 17, 2018
    Inventors: Rajesh Sur, Stephen B. Sears, Eric T. Hunt
  • Publication number: 20180132528
    Abstract: An aerosol delivery device is provided that includes at least one housing, a heating element, a photoelectric proximity sensor and a control component. The at least one housing encloses a reservoir configured to retain an aerosol precursor composition. The heating element is controllable to activate and vaporize components of the aerosol precursor composition. The photoelectric proximity sensor is configured to detect a motion of an object that defines a gesture, and without requiring any physical contact with the object. The photoelectric proximity sensor is also configured to convert the defined motion to an electrical signal. And the control component is configured to receive the electrical signal, recognize the gesture and an operation associated with the gesture based on the electrical signal, and control at least one functional element of the aerosol delivery device to perform the operation.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 14, 2016
    Publication date: May 17, 2018
    Inventors: Rajesh Sur, Eric T. Hunt, Stephen B. Sears
  • Publication number: 20180132531
    Abstract: An aerosol delivery device is provided that includes a substrate configured to carry an aerosol precursor composition, and a resonant transformer including a transmitter coupling device and a resonant receiver coupling device that is positioned in proximity to the substrate. The aerosol delivery device also includes a pulse width modulation (PWM) inverter configured to drive the resonant transformer. The PWM inverter includes a bridge circuit coupled to the transmitter coupling device, and a PWM controller embodied as an integrated circuit and configured to output a PWM signal to the bridge circuit configured to drive the transmitter coupling device to generate an oscillating magnetic field and induce an alternating voltage in the resonant receiver coupling device when exposed to the oscillating magnetic field. The alternating voltage causes the resonant receiver coupling device to generate heat and thereby vaporize components of the aerosol precursor composition.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 15, 2016
    Publication date: May 17, 2018
    Inventors: Rajesh Sur, James W. Rogers, Stephen B. Sears, Eric T. Hunt
  • Publication number: 20180136338
    Abstract: An aerosol delivery device is provided that includes at least one housing enclosing a reservoir configured to retain an aerosol precursor composition and a heating element controllable to activate and vaporize components of the aerosol precursor composition. The aerosol delivery device also includes an antenna configured to receive radio signals from satellites of a satellite navigation system, and convert the radio signals to corresponding electronic signals and a satellite navigation receiver module configured to receive the corresponding electronic signals and determine a position of the aerosol delivery device based thereon, and output a message that indicates the position so determined. And the aerosol delivery device includes a microprocessor configured to receive the message and control operation of at least one functional element of the aerosol delivery device based on the position indicated thereby.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 17, 2016
    Publication date: May 17, 2018
    Inventors: Rajesh Sur, Eric T. Hunt, Stephen B. Sears
  • Patent number: 9955733
    Abstract: An aerosol delivery device includes a housing, a cartridge coupled to the housing, a control component contained within the housing, and a camera system including a digital camera on the housing. The control component is configured to control operation of the aerosol delivery device in response to detection of airflow through at least a portion of the housing or cartridge. The digital camera is configured to capture images of an object or scene in a field of view thereof, with the images being transferrable locally to a memory configured to store the images, or externally to a computing device configured to store or display the images.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 7, 2015
    Date of Patent: May 1, 2018
    Assignee: RAI STRATEGIC HOLDINGS, INC.
    Inventors: Rajesh Sur, Stephen B. Sears, Michael F. Davis
  • Publication number: 20180106784
    Abstract: A synthetic organ includes one or more airways and a first opening in communication with the one or more airways configured to introduce a vapor, aerosol, or other airborne material into the one or more airways; an organ-on-chip microfluidic device having respiratory tract or lung tissue or cells; and one or more mounting positions within the one or more airways configured to accept the organ-on-chip microfluidic device, the mounting position(s) configured to accept the organ-on-chip microfluidic device are at a position relative to the first opening to replicate specific portions of a lung.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 19, 2016
    Publication date: April 19, 2018
    Applicant: R.J. Reynolds Tobacco Company
    Inventors: Stephen B. Sears, Wayne Spoo, Wanda Fields
  • Publication number: 20180098574
    Abstract: An aerosol delivery device is provided that includes at least one housing enclosing a reservoir configured to retain an aerosol precursor composition, and a heating element controllable to activate and vaporize components of the aerosol precursor composition. The aerosol delivery device includes a light source configured to emit light into the reservoir, and a photodetector configured to detect a reflection of the light, and that indicates an amount of aerosol precursor composition retained in the reservoir. And the aerosol delivery device includes a control component coupled to the photodetector and configured to control operation of at least one functional element of the aerosol delivery device based on the reflection, and thereby the amount of aerosol precursor composition.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 12, 2016
    Publication date: April 12, 2018
    Inventors: Rajesh Sur, Eric T. Hunt, Stephen B. Sears