Patents by Inventor Thomas E. Ackerman, JR.

Thomas E. Ackerman, JR. 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: 11845052
    Abstract: Disclosed is an electrostatic spray drying process for encapsulating a core material, such as a volatile flavor oil, within a carrier or wall material. The process is achieved by atomizing a liquid emulsion comprising the core material and the wall material, applying an electrostatic charge at the site of atomization, and drying the atomized emulsion into an encapsulated, free-flowing powder. Applying an electrostatic charge at the site of atomization allows the spray drying to be accomplished at significantly reduced temperatures, in particular, inlet temperatures in the range of 25° C. to 110° C., and outlet temperatures in the range of 25° C. to 80° C. The low drying temperatures impart improvements in the resulting encapsulated powdered product, including better retention of volatile flavor components, a flavor profile comparable to that of the starting liquid formulation, and better hydration and dissolution in water-based applications.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 15, 2021
    Date of Patent: December 19, 2023
    Assignee: FONA TECHNOLOGIES, LLC
    Inventors: Robert M. Sobel, Benjamin Bunchean, Chin-Ping Su, Michael Gundlach, Thomas E. Ackerman, Jr., Glenn R. St. Peter
  • Publication number: 20220105485
    Abstract: Disclosed is an electrostatic spray drying process for encapsulating a core material, such as a volatile flavor oil, within a carrier or wall material. The process is achieved by atomizing a liquid emulsion comprising the core material and the wall material, applying an electrostatic charge at the site of atomization, and drying the atomized emulsion into an encapsulated, free-flowing powder. Applying an electrostatic charge at the site of atomization allows the spray drying to be accomplished at significantly reduced temperatures, in particular, inlet temperatures in the range of 25° C. to 110° C., and outlet temperatures in the range of 25° C. to 80° C. The low drying temperatures impart improvements in the resulting encapsulated powdered product, including better retention of volatile flavor components, a flavor profile comparable to that of the starting liquid formulation, and better hydration and dissolution in water-based applications.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 15, 2021
    Publication date: April 7, 2022
    Inventors: Robert M. Sobel, Benjamin Bunchean, Chin-Ping Su, Michael Gundlach, Thomas E. Ackerman, JR., Glenn R. St. Peter
  • Patent number: 11235303
    Abstract: Disclosed is an electrostatic spray drying process for encapsulating a core material, such as a volatile flavor oil, within a carrier or wall material. The process is achieved by atomizing a liquid emulsion comprising the core material and the wall material, applying an electrostatic charge at the site of atomization, and drying the atomized emulsion into an encapsulated, free-flowing powder. Applying an electrostatic charge at the site of atomization allows the spray drying to be accomplished at significantly reduced temperatures, in particular, inlet temperatures in the range of 25° C. to 110° C., and outlet temperatures in the range of 25° C. to 80° C. The low drying temperatures impart improvements in the resulting encapsulated powdered product, including better retention of volatile flavor components, a flavor profile comparable to that of the starting liquid formulation, and better hydration and dissolution in water-based applications.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 18, 2017
    Date of Patent: February 1, 2022
    Assignee: FONA TECHNOLOGIES, LLC
    Inventors: Robert M. Sobel, Benjamin Bunchean, Chin-Ping Su, Michael Gundlach, Thomas E. Ackerman, Jr., Glenn R. St. Peter
  • Publication number: 20170312726
    Abstract: Disclosed is an electrostatic spray drying process for encapsulating a core material, such as a volatile flavor oil, within a carrier or wall material. The process is achieved by atomizing a liquid emulsion comprising the core material and the wall material, applying an electrostatic charge at the site of atomization, and drying the atomized emulsion into an encapsulated, free-flowing powder. Applying an electrostatic charge at the site of atomization allows the spray drying to be accomplished at significantly reduced temperatures, in particular, inlet temperatures in the range of 25° C. to 110° C., and outlet temperatures in the range of 25° C. to 80° C. The low drying temperatures impart improvements in the resulting encapsulated powdered product, including better retention of volatile flavor components, a flavor profile comparable to that of the starting liquid formulation, and better hydration and dissolution in water-based applications.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 18, 2017
    Publication date: November 2, 2017
    Inventors: Robert M. Sobel, Benjamin Bunchean, Chin-Ping Su, Michael Gundlach, Thomas E. Ackerman, JR., Glenn R. St. Peter