Patents by Inventor Steven Benson Sears

Steven 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).

  • Patent number: 11957163
    Abstract: The invention provides an article, such as an aerosol-generating smoking article that does not combust tobacco, that includes a tobacco rod and a filter element connected to the tobacco rod, the filter element having an end proximal to the tobacco rod and an end distal from the tobacco rod, wherein the filter element includes a first section of filter material and a second section of filter material, and further includes a smoke-altering flavorant.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 15, 2020
    Date of Patent: April 16, 2024
    Assignee: R.J. Reynolds Tobacco Company
    Inventors: Steven Lee Alderman, Leigh Ann Blevins Joyce, Stephen Benson Sears, Kenneth Allen Beard, Timothy Brian Nestor
  • Publication number: 20240108076
    Abstract: Smoking articles, and methods for forming such smoking articles, such as an electronic smoking article, are provided. An exemplary smoking article comprises a control body portion having a control body engagement end, and having a first control component therein. A cartridge body portion includes a cartridge body engagement end configured to removably engage the control body engagement end of the control body portion. The cartridge body portion further includes a consumable arrangement comprising at least an aerosol precursor composition and at least one heating element operably engaged therewith, and a second control component. At least the consumable arrangement is configured to be in communication with the first control component upon engagement between the cartridge body and control body portions.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 2, 2023
    Publication date: April 4, 2024
    Inventors: Stephen Benson Sears, Timothy Brian Nestor, Charles Jacob Novak, III, Steven Lee Alderman, Michael Ryan Galloway, Quentin Paul Guenther, JR., Frederic Philippe Ampolini, Raymond C. Henry, JR., Allen Michael East
  • Publication number: 20240090086
    Abstract: The present disclosure relates to a cartridge for an aerosol delivery device such as a smoking article. The cartridge may include a base, a reservoir substrate, and an atomizer. The reservoir substrate may define a cavity therethrough. The atomizer may comprise a liquid transport element and a heating element extending at least partially about the liquid transport element. The atomizer may extend through the cavity through the reservoir substrate such that the heating element is positioned proximate an end of the reservoir substrate. Ends of the liquid transport element may extend to an opposing end of the reservoir substrate. A related method for assembling a cartridge for a smoking article is also provided.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 17, 2023
    Publication date: March 14, 2024
    Inventors: John DePiano, David Smith, Charles Jacob Novak, III, Frank S. Silveira, Steven Lee Alderman, Grady Lance Dooly, Frederic Philippe Ampolini, Timothy Brian Nestor, Quentin Paul Guenther, JR., Stephen Benson Sears, John William Wolber, Michael Laine
  • Patent number: 10667562
    Abstract: The present disclosure provides components useful in heating, particularly heating of an aerosol precursor solution so as to vaporize the solution and form an aerosol. The disclosure particularly provides an electrically conductive, porous carbon heater. The heater may be combined with an aerosol precursor transport element that also is formed of carbon. The heater and transport element may form an atomizer that can be useful in an electronic smoking article, such as in a cartridge that is adapted for attachment to a control body. In some embodiments, the disclosure provides a cartridge of an electronic smoking article, the cartridge being formed substantially completely of carbon.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 30, 2018
    Date of Patent: June 2, 2020
    Assignee: RAI Strategic Holdings, Inc.
    Inventors: Michael F. Davis, Balager Ademe, Chandra Kumar Banerjee, Susan K. Pike, David William Griffith, Jr., Steven Benson Sears, Evon L. Crooks, Karen V. Williams, Timothy Brian Nestor, David Bovender
  • Publication number: 20190090549
    Abstract: The present disclosure provides components useful in heating, particularly heating of an aerosol precursor solution so as to vaporize the solution and form an aerosol. The disclosure particularly provides an electrically conductive, porous carbon heater. The heater may be combined with an aerosol precursor transport element that also is formed of carbon. The heater and transport element may form an atomizer that can be useful in an electronic smoking article, such as in a cartridge that is adapted for attachment to a control body. In some embodiments, the disclosure provides a cartridge of an electronic smoking article, the cartridge being formed substantially completely of carbon.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 30, 2018
    Publication date: March 28, 2019
    Inventors: Michael F. Davis, Balager Ademe, Chandra Kumar Banerjee, Susan K. Pike, David William Griffith, JR., Steven Benson Sears, Evon L. Crooks, Karen V. Williams, Timothy Brian Nestor, David Bovender
  • Publication number: 20190090548
    Abstract: The present disclosure provides components useful in heating, particularly heating of an aerosol precursor solution so as to vaporize the solution and form an aerosol. The disclosure particularly provides an electrically conductive, porous carbon heater. The heater may be combined with an aerosol precursor transport element that also is formed of carbon. The heater and transport element may form an atomizer that can be useful in an electronic smoking article, such as in a cartridge that is adapted for attachment to a control body. In some embodiments, the disclosure provides a cartridge of an electronic smoking article, the cartridge being formed substantially completely of carbon.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 30, 2018
    Publication date: March 28, 2019
    Inventors: Michael F. Davis, Balager Ademe, Chandra Kumar Banerjee, Susan K. Pike, David William Griffith, JR., Steven Benson Sears, Evon L. Crooks, Karen V. Williams, Timothy Brian Nestor, David Bovender
  • Patent number: 8910640
    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: January 30, 2013
    Date of Patent: December 16, 2014
    Assignee: R.J. Reynolds Tobacco Company
    Inventors: Steven Benson Sears, Grady Lance Dooly, David William Griffith, Jr., Andries Don Sebastian, Yi-Ping Chang