Patents by Inventor Thomas Albert Perfetti

Thomas Albert Perfetti 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: 11219244
    Abstract: A method of forming a carbon material from the stalk or roots of a plant of the Nicotiana species is provided herein, wherein the method includes i) receiving a tobacco material comprising at least one of a stalk material and a root material of a harvested plant of the Nicotiana species; and ii) pyrolyzing the tobacco material to remove volatiles and to form a tobacco-derived carbon material. Optionally, the method can further include activating the tobacco-derived carbon material. The tobacco-derived carbon material can be incorporated into a tobacco product. A carbon material derived from pyrolyzing a tobacco material in the form of at least one of a tobacco stalk material and a tobacco root material of a harvested plant of the Nicotiana species is also provided herein.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 22, 2014
    Date of Patent: January 11, 2022
    Assignee: R.J. Reynolds Tobacco Company
    Inventors: Michael Francis Dube, Thomas Albert Perfetti, Rick Lehman, Bob Horvath
  • Publication number: 20160174605
    Abstract: A method of forming a carbon material from the stalk or roots of a plant of the Nicotiana species is provided herein, wherein the method includes i) receiving a tobacco material comprising at least one of a stalk material and a root material of a harvested plant of the Nicotiana species; and ii) pyrolyzing the tobacco material to remove volatiles and to form a tobacco-derived carbon material. Optionally, the method can further include activating the tobacco-derived carbon material. The tobacco-derived carbon material can be incorporated into a tobacco product. A carbon material derived from pyrolyzing a tobacco material in the form of at least one of a tobacco stalk material and a tobacco root material of a harvested plant of the Nicotiana species is also provided herein.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 22, 2014
    Publication date: June 23, 2016
    Inventors: Michael Francis Dube, Thomas Albert Perfetti, Rick Lehman, Bob Horvath
  • Patent number: 7900639
    Abstract: A reconstituted tobacco material incorporates an exogenous tocopherol or derivative thereof, such as in the amount of at least about 0.1 weight percent. A tobacco blend can be formed by combining reconstituted tobacco material incorporating such an additive with one or more additional tobacco materials, such as burley tobacco, Oriental tobacco, and flue-cured tobacco. A smoking article, such as a cigarette, contains such a reconstituted tobacco, as part of the smokable material, as part of tobacco paper wrapping material, or as part of a reconstituted tobacco-containing filter element. The invention also provides a method of forming reconstituted tobacco material wherein a tocopherol or derivative thereof is added to the tobacco material, either by adding the tocopherol to an aqueous extract or water insoluble pulp formed during the reconstituted tobacco process or by adding the tocopherol to the solid reconstituted tobacco sheet after the aqueous extract and pulp are recombined.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 17, 2007
    Date of Patent: March 8, 2011
    Assignee: R. J. Reynolds Tobacco Company
    Inventors: Thomas Albert Perfetti, Curtis Dillard McGee, Jr., James Fitzgerald Best, Jr., Paul Andrew Brinkley, Sharon Pitts Dunlap, Charles Hugh Risner
  • Patent number: 7753056
    Abstract: A smokable rod for a smoking article, such as a cigarette, possesses a co-axial or concentric construction. The outer material that circumscribes the inner core in an annular fashion is composed of a tobacco material treated with a burn suppressing agent, and the outer material acts as a substrate for an aerosol forming material. A preferred aerosol forming material is glycerin. An outer paper wrapper circumscribes the length of the smokable rod, and another paper wrapping material also can circumscribe the inner core material. In use, one end of the smokable rod is lit, and the tobacco cut filler of the inner core burns to yield tobacco smoke. The outer material smolders, and hence thermal decomposition products of the outer tobacco material and volatilized aerosol forming material are produced.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 24, 2009
    Date of Patent: July 13, 2010
    Assignee: R. J. Reynolds Tobacco Company
    Inventors: August Joseph Borschke, Dwayne William Beeson, Sharon Pitts Dunlap, Thomas Albert Perfetti
  • Publication number: 20090151739
    Abstract: A smokable rod for a smoking article, such as a cigarette, possesses a co-axial or concentric construction. The outer material that circumscribes the inner core in an annular fashion is composed of a tobacco material treated with a burn suppressing agent, and the outer material acts as a substrate for an aerosol forming material. A preferred aerosol forming material is glycerin. An outer paper wrapper circumscribes the length of the smokable rod, and another paper wrapping material also can circumscribe the inner core material. In use, one end of the smokable rod is lit, and the tobacco cut filler of the inner core burns to yield tobacco smoke. The outer material smolders, and hence thermal decomposition products of the outer tobacco material and volatilized aerosol forming material are produced.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 24, 2009
    Publication date: June 18, 2009
    Inventors: August Joseph Borschke, Dwayne William Beeson, Sharon Pitts Dunlap, Thomas Albert Perfetti
  • Patent number: 7503330
    Abstract: A smokable rod for a smoking article, such as a cigarette, possesses a co-axial or concentric construction. A longitudinally extending inner core of tobacco cut filler is positioned within a smokable rod. The outer material that circumscribes the inner core in an annular fashion is composed of a tobacco material treated with a burn suppressing agent, and the outer material acts as a substrate for an aerosol forming material. In use, one end of the smokable rod is lit, and the tobacco cut filler of the inner core burns to yield tobacco smoke. The outer material smolders, and hence thermal decomposition products of the outer tobacco material and volatilized aerosol forming material are produced. When the opposite end of the smokable rod is drawn upon, an aerosol composed of tobacco smoke, thermal decomposition products of tobacco, and volatilized aerosol forming material, is provided.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 30, 2003
    Date of Patent: March 17, 2009
    Assignee: R.J. Reynolds Tobacco Company
    Inventors: August Joseph Borschke, Dwayne William Beeson, Sharon Pitts Dunlap, Thomas Albert Perfetti
  • Patent number: 7293564
    Abstract: A method for chemically modifying a tobacco material during a curing process involves treating the tobacco material in a curing enclosure at a temperature and for a time sufficient to produce cured tobacco. The method also involves contacting the tobacco material with a chemical reagent before and/or during the time period that the tobacco material is cured so that the chemical reagent can interact with the tobacco material, thus resulting in further change in the chemical nature of the cured tobacco material. An exemplary chemical reagent is an ammonia source, which can be applied to a tobacco material in a variety of ways, including by spraying an aqueous ammonia source onto the tobacco or by introducing gaseous ammonia into the curing enclosure during the curing process.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 11, 2003
    Date of Patent: November 13, 2007
    Assignee: R. J. Reynolds Tobacco Company
    Inventors: Thomas Albert Perfetti, Watson Minyard Dufour, Stephen Keith Cole, William Monroe Coleman, III, Marvin Glenn Riddick, Wennuan Liu, Paul Andrew Brinkley
  • Publication number: 20040255965
    Abstract: A reconstituted tobacco material incorporates an exogenous tocopherol or derivative thereof, such as in the amount of at least about 0.1 weight percent. A tobacco blend can be formed by combining reconstituted tobacco material incorporating such an additive with one or more additional tobacco materials, such as burley tobacco, Oriental tobacco, and flue-cured tobacco. A smoking article, such as a cigarette, contains such a reconstituted tobacco, as part of the smokable material, as part of tobacco paper wrapping material, or as part of a reconstituted tobacco-containing filter element. The invention also provides a method of forming reconstituted tobacco material wherein a tocopherol or derivative thereof is added to the tobacco material, either by adding the tocopherol to an aqueous extract or water insoluble pulp formed during the reconstituted tobacco process or by adding the tocopherol to the solid reconstituted tobacco sheet after the aqueous extract and pulp are recombined.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 17, 2003
    Publication date: December 23, 2004
    Applicant: R. J. Reynolds Tobacco Company
    Inventors: Thomas Albert Perfetti, Curtis Dillard McGee, James Fitzgerald Best, Paul Andrew Brinkley, Sharon Pitts Dunlap, Charles Hugh Risner
  • Publication number: 20040250821
    Abstract: A method for chemically modifying a tobacco material during a curing process involves treating the tobacco material in a curing enclosure at a temperature and for a time sufficient to produce cured tobacco. The method also involves contacting the tobacco material with a chemical reagent before and/or during the time period that the tobacco material is cured so that the chemical reagent can interact with the tobacco material, thus resulting in further change in the chemical nature of the cured tobacco material. An exemplary chemical reagent is an ammonia source, which can be applied to a tobacco material in a variety of ways, including by spraying an aqueous ammonia source onto the tobacco or by introducing gaseous ammonia into the curing enclosure during the curing process.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 11, 2003
    Publication date: December 16, 2004
    Applicant: R. J. Reynolds Tobacco Company
    Inventors: Thomas Albert Perfetti, Watson Minyard Dufour, Stephen Keith Cole, William Monroe Coleman, Marvin Glenn Riddick, Wennuan Liu, Paul Andrew Brinkley
  • Patent number: 6591841
    Abstract: Processes for producing flavorful and aromatic compounds from tobacco material are provided. The processes involve providing a tobacco suspension comprising finely ground tobacco material, and subjecting the tobacco suspension to heat treatment in an enclosed, pressure controlled, and generally inert environment at a temperature of at least 140° C.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 14, 2001
    Date of Patent: July 15, 2003
    Inventors: Jackie Lee White, William Monroe Coleman, III, Thomas Albert Perfetti
  • Patent number: 6298858
    Abstract: Improved flavorful and aromatic tobacco materials and a method for producing flavorful and aromatic components from all natural tobacco materials are provided. A first tobacco material is contacted with a second tobacco material to form a tobacco blend. The first tobacco material has a higher content of nitrogen source and a lower content of sugar source than the second tobacco material. The moisture content in the first and second materials of the tobacco blend is increased to at least about 20%. The tobacco blend having an increased moisture content is then subjected to heat treatment in a substantially atmospheric environment for a time and under conditions sufficient to generate flavorful and aromatic substances in said first and second tobacco materials.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 18, 1998
    Date of Patent: October 9, 2001
    Assignee: R. J. Reynolds Tobacco Company
    Inventors: William Monroe Coleman, III, Thomas Albert Perfetti, Ronald Lewis Parks, Michael Francis Dube, Luis Mayan Dominguez
  • Patent number: 6182670
    Abstract: A low-density filler material for cigarettes from either a low-density tobacco composition or an extruded grain or starch composition. The low-density tobacco composition and a method of making the low-density tobacco composition by extruding a mixture of tobacco and flour or tobacco and starch under conditions whereby the solvent in the extruded mixture flashes into vapor upon release from the extrusion head. The low-density tobacco composition is formed without the aid of an added binder. The low-density flour or starch material and a method of making it by extruding flour or starch with a filler material such as calcium carbonate under conditions whereby the solvent in the extruded mixture flashes into vapor upon extrusion through the orifice die. The extruded composition can then be cut and used in place of cut tobacco filler.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 21, 1998
    Date of Patent: February 6, 2001
    Assignee: R.J. Reynolds Tobacco Company
    Inventors: Jackie Lee White, Thomas Albert Perfetti
  • Patent number: 5829453
    Abstract: A low-density filler material for cigarettes from either a low-density tobacco composition or an extruded grain or starch composition. The low-density tobacco composition and a method of making the low-density tobacco composition by extruding a mixture of tobacco and flour or tobacco and starch under conditions whereby the solvent in the extruded mixture flashes into vapor upon release from the extrusion head. The low-density tobacco composition is formed without the aid of an added binder. The low-density flour or starch material and a method of making it by extruding flour or starch with a filler material such as calcium carbonate under conditions whereby the solvent in the extruded mixture flashes into vapor upon extrusion through the orifice die. The extruded composition can then be cut and used in place of cut tobacco filler.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 9, 1995
    Date of Patent: November 3, 1998
    Assignee: R. J. Reynolds Tobacco Company
    Inventors: Jackie Lee White, Barry Lynn Saintsing, Thomas Albert Perfetti, Curtis Dillard McGee, Jr., Milly Mee Lee Wong
  • Patent number: 5715844
    Abstract: The process of the present invention involves extracting components from a tobacco material or other plant material using a solvent having an aqueous character to provide separately an aqueous tobacco extract and a water insoluble tobacco portion. The insoluble tobacco portion is refined and a slurry is produced. The slurry is formed into a predetermined shape, e.g., a formed web. The formed web can be pressed to reduce the moisture content. The tobacco material preferably has a moisture content of at least about 50 percent by weight. The material is contacted with an aqueous mixture of an aerosol precursor material. The ratio of liquid having an aqueous character to aerosol precursor material is typically from about 25 to 75 percent by weight. Immediately after the introduction of the aerosol precursor material, the web is dried at a preselected temperature so that the aerosol precursor material is dispersed evenly throughout the web.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 21, 1995
    Date of Patent: February 10, 1998
    Assignee: R. J. Reynolds Tobacco Company
    Inventors: Harvey James Young, Thomas Wayne Brown, Sara Williams Devine, Thomas Albert Perfetti