Patents by Inventor Stephen Benson Sears

Stephen Benson 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: 20190274354
    Abstract: Aerosol delivery devices are disclosed herein. In one aspect, an aerosol delivery device may comprise a control body, a heating member, a control component, a power source, and a removable aerosol source member that includes an inhalable substance medium, the aerosol source member being configured to be inserted into the control body and defining a heated end and a mouth end, the heated end configured, when inserted into the control body, to be positioned proximate the heating member. In some implementations, the heating member may comprise a base heating member and a substrate heating member, wherein the base heating member is located in the control body and the substrate heating member is located in the aerosol source member. In some implementations, the heating member may comprise a flexible heating member that surrounds a heating cylinder located within a portion of the engaging end of the control body.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 9, 2018
    Publication date: September 12, 2019
    Inventors: Rajesh Sur, Kathryn Lynn Wilberding, Andries Sebastian, Stephen Benson Sears, Timothy Frederick Thomas, Sawyer Hubbard, Billy Tyrone Conner
  • Patent number: 10405575
    Abstract: The present disclosure relates to an aerosol delivery device and a related method. The aerosol delivery device includes a heating chamber having an aerosol precursor composition disposed therein. A microwave radiation emitting device is operably engaged with the heating chamber and is configured to heat the aerosol precursor composition therein with the microwave radiation to form an aerosol from the aerosol precursor composition. An outlet port is formed in a housing of the aerosol delivery device and is in fluid communication with the heating chamber. The heating chamber is responsive to a suction applied to the outlet port for the aerosol to be drawn through the outlet port outwardly from the housing.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 24, 2019
    Date of Patent: September 10, 2019
    Assignee: RAI Strategic Holdings, Inc.
    Inventors: Eric M. Sparklin, Sawyer A. Hubbard, Karen V. Taluskie, Stephen Benson Sears
  • Publication number: 20190261685
    Abstract: The present disclosure provides aerosol generating substrates and aerosol source members comprising aerosol generating substrates, as well as methods of manufacturing thereof. In an example implementation, an aerosol generating substrate may comprise a fibrous filler material, an aerosol forming material, and a plurality of heat conducting constituents, wherein the substrate is formed as a sheet, and wherein the heat conducting constituents are part of the sheet. The heat conducting constituents may be incorporated within the sheet, or may be formed on a surface of the sheet. In another example implementation, an aerosol source member may comprise a substrate portion formed of a collection of intermingled pieces cut from an aerosol substrate sheet. In addition, or alternatively, a substrate portion may be formed of a series of overlapping layers of an aerosol substrate sheet.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 26, 2018
    Publication date: August 29, 2019
    Inventors: Andries Sebastian, Stephen Benson Sears, Billy Tyrone Conner, Rajesh Sur, S. Keith Cole, Thaddeus Jackson, Timothy Frederick Thomas, Paul E. Braxton, Curtis Foster Doe, Vahid Hejazi, Kathryn Lynn Wilberding
  • Publication number: 20190230996
    Abstract: The present disclosure relates to aerosol delivery devices. The aerosol delivery devices include mechanisms configured to deliver an aerosol precursor composition from a reservoir to an atomizer including a heating element to produce a vapor. A pressure controller may control dispensing of the aerosol precursor composition from the reservoir based on a pressure differential between a first pressure within the reservoir and a second pressure proximate the atomizer. The first pressure within the reservoir may be substantially equal to atmospheric pressure. Alternatively, the first pressure within the reservoir may be greater than atmospheric pressure.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 9, 2019
    Publication date: August 1, 2019
    Inventors: David Allan Brammer, David Jackson, Nigel John Flynn, Eric T. Hunt, Stephen Benson Sears, Dennis Lee Potter
  • Publication number: 20190230994
    Abstract: A smoking article for on-demand delivery of an increased quantity of an aerosol precursor composition, a cartridge, and a method are disclosed. In some aspects, the cartridge includes a housing, and a reservoir disposed within the housing and defining two or more chambers each having an aerosol precursor composition therein. The reservoir is in fluid communication with an aerosol forming arrangement configured to form an aerosol from any of the aerosol precursor compositions, with the respective aerosol precursor compositions of the two or more chambers being directed to the aerosol forming arrangement in substantially equal normal quantities. The cartridge further includes an actuator configured to selectively and operably engage any one of the chambers and to direct an increased quantity of the aerosol precursor composition from the chamber engaged therewith to the aerosol forming arrangement, the increased quantity being greater than the normal quantity of the aerosol precursor compositions.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 8, 2019
    Publication date: August 1, 2019
    Inventors: Alfred Charles Bless, Charles Jacob Novak, III, Stephen Benson Sears, Joseph Dominique, Jared Aller
  • Patent number: 10362809
    Abstract: The present invention describes articles, such as smoking articles, that can provide an inhalable substance in a form suitable for inhalation by a consumer. The article comprises a cartridge with an inhalable substance medium therein, control housing that includes an electrical energy source and an electrical power source, and a heating member that may be located in either the cartridge or the control housing. The control housing further may include puff-actuated current actuation components and current regulation components.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 7, 2018
    Date of Patent: July 30, 2019
    Assignee: RAI Strategic Holdings, Inc.
    Inventors: Steven L. Worm, David Glen Christopherson, Stephen Benson Sears, Dennis Lee Potter, Frederic Philippe Ampolini, Balager Ademe
  • Publication number: 20190208818
    Abstract: The present disclosure relates to an aerosol delivery device and a related method. The aerosol delivery device includes a heating chamber having an aerosol precursor composition disposed therein. A microwave radiation emitting device is operably engaged with the heating chamber and is configured to heat the aerosol precursor composition therein with the microwave radiation to form an aerosol from the aerosol precursor composition. An outlet port is formed in a housing of the aerosol delivery device and is in fluid communication with the heating chamber. The heating chamber is responsive to a suction applied to the outlet port for the aerosol to be drawn through the outlet port outwardly from the housing.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 24, 2019
    Publication date: July 11, 2019
    Inventors: Eric M. Sparklin, Sawyer A. Hubbard, Karen V. Taluskie, Stephen Benson Sears
  • Publication number: 20190191760
    Abstract: An aerosol-generation system for a smoking article comprises an aerosol-generating segment and a heat generation segment. The heat generation segment has a length and includes a heat source. The aerosol-generation system for a smoking article also comprises an insulator disposed between the aerosol-generating segment and the heat source of the heat generation segment. Each segment is physically separate and in a heat exchange relationship. The heat source comprises a carbonaceous material.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 4, 2019
    Publication date: June 27, 2019
    Applicant: R.J. Reynolds Tobacco Company
    Inventors: Chandra Kumar Banerjee, Stephen Benson Sears, Joanne Naomi Taylor
  • Publication number: 20190183177
    Abstract: The present disclosure relates to aerosol delivery devices and related methods of delivering aerosol to a user. The aerosol delivery devices may include a housing providing multiple aerosol pathways having a mouth-end opening through which aerosol can be inhaled by a user, the housing defining a first aerosol delivery pathway in fluid communication with the mouth-end opening and a second aerosol delivery pathway separate from the first aerosol delivery pathway and in fluid communication with the mouth-end opening. An atomizer including a heating element or piezoelectric element and a liquid transport element in fluid communication with an aerosol precursor composition is provided in fluid communication with the first aerosol delivery pathway. A flavorant-infused material is positioned within the second aerosol delivery pathway and adapted to produce a second aerosol upon contact between the flavorant-infused material and flowing air.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 15, 2017
    Publication date: June 20, 2019
    Inventors: Sawyer Hubbard, Eric Taylor Hunt, Karen V. Taluskie, Stephen Benson Sears, Donna Walker Duggins, Michael F. Davis
  • Publication number: 20190159522
    Abstract: A smoking article is provided, having a component housing including a power source, and a tubular housing having a first end and a longitudinally-opposed second end, wherein the first or second end is configured to receive the component housing. The tubular housing includes an outer wall defining a cylindrical cavity. An aerosol-generating element is configured to be received within the cylindrical cavity, wherein the aerosol-generating element is configured to produce an aerosol in response to heat. An associated aerosol-generating element and related production methods are also provided.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 30, 2019
    Publication date: May 30, 2019
    Inventors: Alfred Charles Bless, Michael Andrew Liberti, Stephen Benson Sears
  • Patent number: 10292424
    Abstract: The present disclosure relates to aerosol delivery devices. The aerosol delivery devices include mechanisms configured to deliver an aerosol precursor composition from a reservoir to an atomizer including a heating element to produce a vapor. A pressure controller may control dispensing of the aerosol precursor composition from the reservoir based on a pressure differential between a first pressure within the reservoir and a second pressure proximate the atomizer. The first pressure within the reservoir may be substantially equal to atmospheric pressure. Alternatively, the first pressure within the reservoir may be greater than atmospheric pressure.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 28, 2014
    Date of Patent: May 21, 2019
    Assignee: RAI Strategic Holdings, Inc.
    Inventors: David Allan Brammer, David Jackson, Nigel John Flynn, Eric T. Hunt, Stephen Benson Sears, Dennis Lee Potter
  • Patent number: 10285451
    Abstract: A smoking article for on-demand delivery of an increased quantity of an aerosol precursor composition, a cartridge, and a method are disclosed. In some aspects, the cartridge includes a housing, and a reservoir disposed within the housing and defining two or more chambers each having an aerosol precursor composition therein. The reservoir is in fluid communication with an aerosol forming arrangement configured to form an aerosol from any of the aerosol precursor compositions, with the respective aerosol precursor compositions of the two or more chambers being directed to the aerosol forming arrangement in substantially equal normal quantities. The cartridge further includes an actuator configured to selectively and operably engage any one of the chambers and to direct an increased quantity of the aerosol precursor composition from the chamber engaged therewith to the aerosol forming arrangement, the increased quantity being greater than the normal quantity of the aerosol precursor compositions.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 21, 2018
    Date of Patent: May 14, 2019
    Assignee: RAI Strategic Holdings, Inc.
    Inventors: Alfred Charles Bless, Charles Jacob Novak, III, Stephen Benson Sears, Joseph Dominique, Jared Aller
  • Publication number: 20190124991
    Abstract: The present disclosure relates to aerosol delivery devices, methods of forming such devices, and elements of such devices. In some embodiments, the present disclosure provides devices configured for vaporization of an aerosol precursor composition that is stored in and/or transported to a heater by a porous monolith, which can be, for example, a porous glass or a porous ceramic. A heater can be in a heating arrangement with an external portion of the porous monolith or can be substantially internal to the porous monolith.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 20, 2018
    Publication date: May 2, 2019
    Inventors: Michael F. Davis, Ercilia Hernandez Garcia, Sawyer Hubbard, Percy D. Phillips, James William Rogers, Stephen Benson Sears, Andries Don Sebastian, Karen V. Taluskie
  • Publication number: 20190124979
    Abstract: An aerosol delivery device is provided that comprises a control body and an aerosol source member. In various implementations, the control body includes a housing with an opening defined in one end thereof. The aerosol delivery device also includes a resonant transformer comprising a resonant transmitter and a resonant receiver, and a driver circuit configured to drive the resonant transformer. The aerosol source member includes an inhalable substance medium, and defines a heated end and a mouth end, the heated end configured, when inserted into the opening of the housing, to be positioned proximate the resonant transmitter. The driver circuit is configured to drive the resonant transmitter to generate an oscillating magnetic field and induce an alternating voltage in the resonant receiver when exposed to the oscillating magnetic field, such that the alternating voltage causes the resonant receiver to generate heat and thereby vaporize components of the inhalable substance medium to produce an aerosol.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 31, 2017
    Publication date: May 2, 2019
    Inventors: Andries Sebastian, Rajesh Sur, Stephen Benson Sears, Kathryn Lynn Wilberding, Timothy Frederick Thomas, Curtis Foster Doe, JR., Billy Tyrone Conner, Balager Ademe, Thaddeus Jude Jackson
  • Publication number: 20190110521
    Abstract: The present disclosure relates to a microfluidic vaporizer, an aerosol delivery device that may include such vaporizer, and methods for forming an aerosol. A microfluidic vaporizer can comprise a substrate that defines: a reservoir configured to hold a liquid; a heater adapted to vaporize the liquid; and a capillary channel configured for movement of the liquid from the reservoir to the heater. An aerosol delivery device can comprise a shell and a microfluidic vaporizer. The microfluidic vaporizer and aerosol delivery device can be used for forming aerosols with precise and reproducible compositions.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 12, 2018
    Publication date: April 18, 2019
    Inventors: Stephen Benson Sears, Michael F. Davis, Karen V. Taluskie, Yi-ping Chang, Eric Taylor Hunt, Andries Don Sebastian
  • Patent number: 10258089
    Abstract: The present disclosure relates to an electronic smoking article that provides for improved aerosol delivery. Particularly, the article comprises a wicking element useful for improving delivery of aerosol precursor to a heating element. In particular, the wick can take on a brush-like configuration. The present disclosure further relates to methods of forming an aerosol in a smoking article.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 14, 2017
    Date of Patent: April 16, 2019
    Assignee: RAI Strategic Holdings, Inc.
    Inventors: Stephen Benson Sears, Grady Lance Dooly, David William Griffith, Jr., Andries Don Sebastian, Yi-Ping Chang
  • Patent number: 10258079
    Abstract: A smoking article, such as a cigarette, includes a carbonaceous heat source. A mouth end piece segment is located at the mouth end of the smoking article, and the mouth end piece segment allows the smoking article to be placed in the mouth of the smoker to be drawn upon. The smoking article further incorporates an aerosol-generating segment located between the heat generation segment and the mouth end piece segment. The aerosol-generating segment incorporates an aerosol-forming material (e.g., glycerin and flavors). The heat generation segment is in a heat exchange relationship with the aerosol-generating region such that heat generated by the burning fuel element acts to volatilize aerosol-forming material for aerosol formation. The carbonaceous heat source is in intimate contact with coarse, fine or ultrafine particles of materials such as cerium oxide, or mixtures of cerium oxide and palladium chloride.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 20, 2015
    Date of Patent: April 16, 2019
    Assignee: R.J. REYNOLDS TOBACCO COMPANY
    Inventors: Chandra Kumar Banerjee, Stephen Benson Sears, Joanne Naomi Taylor
  • Publication number: 20190098938
    Abstract: The present invention provides a conductive substrate useful for Joule heating, such as in an electronic smoking article. Particularly, the invention provides a resistive heating element formed of a conductive substrate. The conductive substrate comprises an electrically conductive material and a carbonaceous additive, such as a binder material. The conductive substrate is carbonized in that it is subjected to calcining conditions to effectively reduce the carbonaceous additive to its carbon skeleton. It has been found that such carbonized substrate has surprisingly improved resistance properties in relation a substrate of the same formulation that is not carbonized. The carbonized substrate can include an aerosol precursor material. The formed resistive heating element can be included in an electronic smoking article to simultaneously provide resistive heating and aerosol formation with a single, unitary component.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 3, 2018
    Publication date: April 4, 2019
    Inventors: David William Griffith, JR., Yi-Ping Chang, Calvin W. Henderson, Ricky Lee Montgomery, Walter Charles Liebscher, II, Chandra Kumar Banerjee, Paul E. Braxton, Stephen Benson Sears, Kenneth Allen Beard, Timothy Brian Nestor, Balager Ademe, Frederic Philippe Ampolini, Dennis Lee Potter
  • Publication number: 20190082735
    Abstract: Smoking articles are disclosed herein. In one aspect, a smoking article includes a heat source configured to generate heat upon ignition thereof, a first substrate material having an aerosol precursor composition associated therewith and a first end being fixedly engaged with the heat source, and an aerosol delivery component having opposed first and second ends, the first end of the aerosol delivery component being engaged with the second end of the first substrate material. In some aspects, the aerosol delivery component includes a second substrate material having the aerosol precursor composition associated therewith and being disposed about the first end of the aerosol delivery component and a tobacco material disposed between the second substrate material and the mouthpiece, the aerosol precursor composition associated with the first and second substrate materials being configured to produce an aerosol in response to the heat generated by the ignited heat source.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 18, 2017
    Publication date: March 21, 2019
    Inventors: Percy D. Phillips, Michael F. Davis, Karen V. Taluskie, Stephen Benson Sears
  • Publication number: 20190075848
    Abstract: The present invention describes articles, such as smoking articles, that can provide an inhalable substance in a form suitable for inhalation by a consumer. The article comprises a cartridge with an inhalable substance medium therein, control housing that includes an electrical energy source and an electrical power source, and a heating member that may be located in either the cartridge or the control housing. The control housing further may include puff-actuated current actuation components and current regulation components.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 7, 2018
    Publication date: March 14, 2019
    Inventors: Steven L. Worm, David Glen Christopherson, Stephen Benson Sears, Dennis Lee Potter, Frederic Philippe Ampolini, Balager Ademe