Patents by Inventor Zack W. BLACKMON

Zack W. BLACKMON 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: 12201148
    Abstract: A capsule for an aerosol-generating device includes a housing. The housing includes an inner frame defining an opening. The housing defines at least one air inlet and at least one air outlet. The capsule also includes an aerosol-forming substrate at least partially within the opening, and a heater supported by the inner frame and extending across at least a portion of the opening. The at least one air inlet, the opening, and the at least one air outlet collectively form at least one airflow pathway through the capsule. The airflow pathway is longer than a thickness of the capsule.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 18, 2021
    Date of Patent: January 21, 2025
    Assignee: Altria Client Services LLC
    Inventor: Zack W. Blackmon
  • Publication number: 20250017274
    Abstract: A heater system for a non-combustible aerosol-generating device includes a heater element and a fuse element. The heater element has a heating region, a first terminal and a second terminal. The fuse element is electrically connected between the first terminal and the second terminal in parallel with the heater element. The fuse element has a region configured to induce a localized hot spot to cause the fuse element to open circuit in response to power applied between the first terminal and the second terminal.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 27, 2024
    Publication date: January 16, 2025
    Applicant: Altria Client Services LLC
    Inventors: Eric HAWES, Zack W. BLACKMON, Jarrett KEEN, Rangaraj S. SUNDAR, Raymond W. LAU, Niall GALLAGHER
  • Publication number: 20240398038
    Abstract: An aerosol-generating device includes a sensor configured to detect puffs; and processing circuitry configured to cause the aerosol-generating device to increase a temperature of a heater to a preheat temperature, decrease the temperature of the heater to a first heating temperature before a first detected puff of the detected puffs, the first heating temperature being below the preheat temperature, and increase the temperature of the heater based on a number of the detected puffs.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 4, 2024
    Publication date: December 5, 2024
    Applicant: Altria Client Services LLC
    Inventors: Nam TRAN, Eric HAWES, Zack W. BLACKMON, Terrance T. BACHE, Rangaraj S. SUNDAR, Raymond W. LAU, Niall GALLAGHER
  • Patent number: 12127592
    Abstract: A heater system for a non-combustible aerosol-generating device includes a heater element and a fuse element. The heater element has a heating region, a first terminal and a second terminal. The fuse element is electrically connected between the first terminal and the second terminal in parallel with the heater element. The fuse element has a region configured to induce a localized hot spot to cause the fuse element to open circuit in response to power applied between the first terminal and the second terminal.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 20, 2021
    Date of Patent: October 29, 2024
    Assignee: ALTRIA CLIENT SERVICES LLC
    Inventors: Eric Hawes, Zack W. Blackmon, Jarrett Keen, Rangaraj S. Sundar, Raymond W. Lau, Niall Gallagher
  • Publication number: 20240349794
    Abstract: A capsule for a heat-not-burn (HNB) aerosol-generating device may include a base portion, a first cover, a second cover, an aerosol-forming substrate, and a heater. The base portion includes an engagement assembly configured to couple with the first cover and the second cover. The first cover defines a first recess, and the second cover defines a second recess. When assembled, the first cover is aligned with the second cover such that the first recess and the second recess collectively form a chamber. The aerosol-forming substrate is within the chamber. The heater is configured to heat the aerosol-forming substrate to generate an aerosol. The heater includes a first end section, an intermediate section, and a second end section. The heater extends through the base portion such that the intermediate section is in the chamber, while the first end section and the second end section are external segments.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 27, 2024
    Publication date: October 24, 2024
    Applicant: Altria Client Services LLC
    Inventor: Zack W. BLACKMON
  • Publication number: 20240277047
    Abstract: A capsule for an aerosol-generating device may include a housing defining inlet openings, outlet openings, and a chamber between the inlet openings and the outlet openings. The chamber may have a longest dimension extending from at least one of the inlet openings to a corresponding one of the outlet openings. An aerosol-forming substrate may be disposed within the chamber of the housing. A heater may extend into the housing from an exterior thereof. The heater includes a first end section, an intermediate section, and a second end section. The intermediate section may be disposed within the aerosol-forming substrate in the chamber. An aerosol-generating device may include the capsule, a mouthpiece, and a device body, wherein the mouthpiece is configured to engage with the capsule, and the device body is configured to receive and retain the capsule and the mouthpiece.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 29, 2024
    Publication date: August 22, 2024
    Applicant: Altria Client Services LLC
    Inventors: Zack W. BLACKMON, Eric HAWES, Rangaraj S. SUNDAR, Raymond W. LAU, Jarrett KEEN, Yannick HOURMAND
  • Patent number: 12053022
    Abstract: A capsule for a heat-not-burn (HNB) aerosol-generating device may include a base portion, a first cover, a second cover, an aerosol-forming substrate, and a heater. The base portion includes an engagement assembly configured to couple with the first cover and the second cover. The first cover defines a first recess, and the second cover defines a second recess. When assembled, the first cover is aligned with the second cover such that the first recess and the second recess collectively form a chamber. The aerosol-forming substrate is within the chamber. The heater is configured to heat the aerosol-forming substrate to generate an aerosol. The heater includes a first end section, an intermediate section, and a second end section. The heater extends through the base portion such that the intermediate section is in the chamber, while the first end section and the second end section are external segments.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 4, 2021
    Date of Patent: August 6, 2024
    Assignee: Altria Client Services LLC
    Inventor: Zack W. Blackmon
  • Patent number: 12011034
    Abstract: A capsule for an aerosol-generating device may include a housing defining inlet openings, outlet openings, and a chamber between the inlet openings and the outlet openings. The chamber may have a longest dimension extending from at least one of the inlet openings to a corresponding one of the outlet openings. An aerosol-forming substrate may be disposed within the chamber of the housing. A heater may extend into the housing from an exterior thereof. The heater includes a first end section, an intermediate section, and a second end section. The intermediate section may be disposed within the aerosol-forming substrate in the chamber. An aerosol-generating device may include the capsule, a mouthpiece, and a device body, wherein the mouthpiece is configured to engage with the capsule, and the device body is configured to receive and retain the capsule and the mouthpiece.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 18, 2021
    Date of Patent: June 18, 2024
    Assignee: ALTRIA CLIENT SERVICES LLC
    Inventors: Zack W. Blackmon, Eric Hawes, Rangaraj S. Sundar, Raymond W. Lau, Jarrett Keen, Yannick Hourmand
  • Publication number: 20240180243
    Abstract: A capsule may include a housing, an aerosol-forming substrate, and a heater. The housing defines inlet openings, outlet openings, and a chamber between the inlet openings and the outlet openings. The chamber may have a longest dimension extending from at least one of the inlet openings to a corresponding one of the outlet openings. The aerosol-forming substrate is within the chamber of the housing. The heater is embedded in the housing. The heater includes a first end section, an intermediate section, and a second end section. The intermediate section is disposed within the aerosol-forming substrate in the chamber. An aerosol-generating device may include a device body with a lid configured to open to permit an insertion of the capsule and configured to close to engage the capsule within the device body.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 13, 2024
    Publication date: June 6, 2024
    Applicant: Altria Client Services LLC
    Inventors: Zack W. BLACKMON, Eric HAWES, Dean TWITE, Rangaraj S. SUNDAR, Nicolas D. CASTRO, Raymond W. LAU
  • Patent number: D1038506
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 10, 2023
    Date of Patent: August 6, 2024
    Assignee: Altria Client Services LLC
    Inventors: Gregory Griscik, Carl Kite, Thien Nguyen, David Alvarez, Terrance Bache, Zack W. Blackmon, Patrick Good, Raymond W. Lau, Eric Hawes, Cristian Popa
  • Patent number: D1040848
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 1, 2022
    Date of Patent: September 3, 2024
    Assignee: Altria Client Services LLC
    Inventors: Terry Bache, Ryan McGinley, Nicola Westgarth-Flynn, Eric Hawes, Raymond W. Lau, Zack W. Blackmon
  • Patent number: D1040849
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 1, 2022
    Date of Patent: September 3, 2024
    Assignee: Altria Client Services LLC
    Inventors: Terry Bache, Ryan McGinley, Nicola Westgarth-Flynn, Eric Hawes, Raymond W. Lau, Zack W. Blackmon
  • Patent number: D1040850
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 1, 2022
    Date of Patent: September 3, 2024
    Assignee: Altria Client Services LLC
    Inventors: Terry Bache, Ryan McGinley, Nicola Westgarth-Flynn, Eric Hawes, Raymond W. Lau, Zack W. Blackmon
  • Patent number: D1040851
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 1, 2022
    Date of Patent: September 3, 2024
    Assignee: Altria Client Services LLC
    Inventors: Terry Bache, Ryan McGinley, Nicola Westgarth-Flynn, Eric Hawes, Raymond W. Lau, Zack W. Blackmon
  • Patent number: D1040852
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 1, 2022
    Date of Patent: September 3, 2024
    Assignee: Altria Client Services LLC
    Inventors: Terry Bache, Ryan McGinley, Nicola Westgarth-Flynn, Eric Hawes, Raymond W. Lau, Zack W. Blackmon
  • Patent number: D1055097
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 19, 2022
    Date of Patent: December 24, 2024
    Assignee: Altria Client Services LLC
    Inventors: Terry Bache, Ryan McGinley, Nicola Westgarth-Flynn, Eric Hawes, Raymond W. Lau, Zack W. Blackmon
  • Patent number: D1059378
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 1, 2022
    Date of Patent: January 28, 2025
    Assignee: Altria Client Services LLC
    Inventors: Terry Bache, Ryan McGinley, Nicola Westgarth-Flynn, Eric Hawes, Raymond W. Lau, Zack W. Blackmon
  • Patent number: D1059417
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 19, 2022
    Date of Patent: January 28, 2025
    Assignee: Altria Client Services LLC
    Inventors: Terry Bache, Ryan McGinley, Nicola Westgarth-Flynn, Eric Hawes, Raymond W. Lau, Zack W. Blackmon
  • Patent number: D1059419
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 19, 2022
    Date of Patent: January 28, 2025
    Assignee: Altria Client Services LLC
    Inventors: Terry Bache, Ryan McGinley, Nicola Westgarth-Flynn, Eric Hawes, Raymond W. Lau, Zack W. Blackmon
  • Patent number: D1059677
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 24, 2024
    Date of Patent: January 28, 2025
    Assignee: Altria Client Services LLC
    Inventors: Gregory Griscik, Carl Kite, Thien Nguyen, David Alvarez, Terrance Bache, Zack W. Blackmon, Patrick Good, Raymond W. Lau, Eric Hawes, Cristian Popa