Patents by Inventor Vivian E. Willis

Vivian E. Willis 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: 8960199
    Abstract: A component of a smoking article having tobacco beads. The tobacco beads can be located in a filter and/or a tobacco rod. The filter can be a multi-component filter, wherein an sorbent (preferably upstream) removes at least one constituent from mainstream tobacco smoke passing through the filter and downstream tobacco beads compensates for taste lost to the sorbent. The tobacco beads optionally include flavorants in addition to tobacco particulates. The tobacco beads can be located within a cavity in the filter or within the tow. This component can comprise additional flavors, which are released into the mainstream smoke under ambient conditions. The tobacco beads optionally include binders such as microcrystalline cellulose or other cellulosic material, which can be formed into a paste with tobacco powder and optionally with additional flavors. The paste can be extruded and spheronized to form the tobacco beads.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 7, 2011
    Date of Patent: February 24, 2015
    Assignee: Philip Morris USA Inc.
    Inventors: Shuzhong Zhuang, Georgios D. Karles, Jose Nepomuceno, Richard Jupe, Gerson Assmann, Stephen Zimmermann, Benjamin Lewis, James Sherron, Vivian E. Willis
  • Publication number: 20110155154
    Abstract: A component of a smoking article having tobacco beads. The tobacco beads can be located in a filter and/or a tobacco rod. The filter can be a multi-component filter, wherein an sorbent (preferably upstream) removes at least one constituent from mainstream tobacco smoke passing through the filter and downstream tobacco beads compensates for taste lost to the sorbent. The tobacco beads optionally include flavorants in addition to tobacco particulates. The tobacco beads can be located within a cavity in the filter or within the tow. This component can comprise additional flavors, which are released into the mainstream smoke under ambient conditions. The tobacco beads optionally include binders such as microcrystalline cellulose or other cellulosic material, which can be formed into a paste with tobacco powder and optionally with additional flavors. The paste can be extruded and spheronized to form the tobacco beads.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 7, 2011
    Publication date: June 30, 2011
    Inventors: Shuzhong Zhuang, Georgios D. Karles, Jose Nepomuceno, Richard Jupe, Gerson Assmann, Stephen Zimmermann, Benjamin Lewis, James Sherron, Vivian E. Willis
  • Patent number: 7866324
    Abstract: A cigarette having a multi-component filter wherein an upstream sorbent removes at least one constituent from mainstream tobacco smoke passing through the filter and a downstream flavor segment compensates for taste lost to the sorbent. The flavor component includes cellulosic flavor bearing granules which release volatile flavor constituents into the mainstream smoke under ambient conditions. The cellulosic granules include microcrystalline cellulose or other cellulosic material which can be formed into a paste with the flavor additive, extruded and spheronized to form the flavor granules.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 3, 2006
    Date of Patent: January 11, 2011
    Assignee: Philip Morris USA Inc.
    Inventors: Richard Jupe, Rowland W. Dwyer, Donald E. Laslie, Arlington L. Finley, Barbara G. Taylor, Cecil M. Smith, Vivian E. Willis
  • Patent number: 7484511
    Abstract: A cigarette comprises a tobacco rod and a multi-component filter comprising a bed of adsorbent and a flavor-releasing filter segment located downstream of the bed of adsorbent. In the preferred embodiment, the adsorbent is also flavor-bearing and comprises high surface area, activated carbon. As mainstream smoke is drawn through the upstream portion of the filter, gas phase smoke constituents are removed and flavor is released from the adsorbent bed. Thereafter additional flavor is released into the mainstream smoke as it passes through the flavor-releasing filter segment. Ventilation is provided to limit the amount of tobacco being combusted during each puff and is arranged at a location spaced downstream from the adsorbent bed to lower mainstream smoke velocity through the adsorbent bed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 16, 2004
    Date of Patent: February 3, 2009
    Assignee: Philip Morris USA Inc.
    Inventors: Richard Jupe, Ronald William Dwyer, Don Earl Laslie, Arlington L. Finley, Barbara G. Taylor, Cecil M. Smith, Vivian E. Willis
  • Publication number: 20040187881
    Abstract: A cigarette comprises a tobacco rod and a multi-component filter comprising a bed of adsorbent and a flavor-releasing filter segment located downstream of the bed of adsorbent. In the preferred embodiment, the adsorbent is also flavor-bearing and comprises high surface area, activated carbon. As mainstream smoke is drawn through the upstream portion of the filter, gas phase smoke constituents are removed and flavor is released from the adsorbent bed. Thereafter additional flavor is released into the mainstream smoke as it passes through the flavor-releasing filter segment. Ventilation is provided to limit the amount of tobacco being combusted during each puff and is arranged at a location spaced downstream from the adsorbent bed to lower mainstream smoke velocity through the adsorbent bed.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 16, 2004
    Publication date: September 30, 2004
    Inventors: Richard Jupe, Ronald William Dwyer, Don Earl Laslie, Arlington L. Finley, Barbara G. Taylor, Cecil M. Smith, Vivian E. Willis
  • Patent number: 6761174
    Abstract: A cigarette comprises a tobacco rod and a multi-component filter comprising a bed of adsorbent and a flavor-releasing filter segment located downstream of the bed of adsorbent. In the preferred embodiment, the adsorbent is also flavor-bearing and comprises high surface area, activated carbon. As mainstream smoke is drawn through the upstream portion of the filter, gas phase smoke constituents are removed and flavor is released from the adsorbent bed. Thereafter additional flavor is released into the mainstream smoke as it passes through the flavor-releasing filter segment. Ventilation is provided to limit the amount of tobacco being combusted during each puff and is arranged at a location spaced downstream from the adsorbent bed to lower mainstream smoke velocity through the adsorbent bed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 22, 2002
    Date of Patent: July 13, 2004
    Assignee: Philip Morris Incorporated
    Inventors: Richard Jupe, Ronald William Dwyer, Don Earl Laslie, Arlington L. Finley, Barbara G. Taylor, Cecil M. Smith, Vivian E. Willis
  • Publication number: 20020166563
    Abstract: A cigarette comprises a tobacco rod and a multi-component filter comprising a bed of adsorbent and a flavor-releasing filter segment located downstream of the bed of adsorbent. In the preferred embodiment, the adsorbent is also flavor-bearing and comprises high surface area, activated carbon. As mainstream smoke is drawn through the upstream portion of the filter, gas phase smoke constituents are removed and flavor is released from the adsorbent bed. Thereafter additional flavor is released into the mainstream smoke as it passes through the flavor-releasing filter segment. Ventilation is provided to limit the amount of tobacco being combusted during each puff and is arranged at a location spaced downstream from the adsorbent bed to lower mainstream smoke velocity through the adsorbent bed.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 22, 2002
    Publication date: November 14, 2002
    Inventors: Richard Jupe, Ronald William Dwyer, Don Earl Laslie, Arlington L. Finley, Barbara G. Taylor, Cecil M. Smith, Vivian E. Willis