Philip Morris Inc.

Chrysalis Technologies Incorporated

Grier S Fleischhauer

Seetharama C Deevi

Mohammad R Hajaligol

A Clifton Lilly, Jr

Michael L Watkins

Willie G Houck, Jr

Billy J Keen, Jr

Mary Ellen Counts

Charles T Higgins

Susan E Wrenn

Patrick H Hayes

Vinod Kumar Sikka

Constance H Nichols

Robert L Ripley

Peter J Lipowicz

D Bruce Losee

Bernard C LaRoy

F Murphy Sprinkel, Jr

Alfred L Collins

Wynn R Raymond

Mantharam Subbiah

Mohammad R Hajalogol

Martin T Garthaffner

Francis V Utsch

William J Crowe

Randall M German

David E Sharpe

William H Stevens

Amitabh Das

Brett W Stevenson

Donald E Miser

John Mathew Adams

G Robert Scott

Charles Gary Atwell

Constance H Morgan

Robert E Lee

John M Campbell

Kenneth S Houghton

Renzer R Ritt, Sr

Clive Scorey

Joseph F Budjinski, Ii

H Neal Nunnally

Hugh J McCafferty, Ii

Larry E Stevens

J Robert Nelson, Jr

Richard E Jones

Walter Allen Nichols

Jay A Fournier

John Bryant Paine, Iii

Everett C Grollimund

Edward B Sanders

Herbert Herman

Jeffrey I Seeman

Harry V Lanzillotti

John R Hearn

Francis M Sprinkel

Wesley G Sanderson

James M Washington

Masato Sano

Ulysses Smith

Ronald D Honaker

Charles R Hayward

John Louis Felter

Robert Pandorf

Mark A Serrano

Donald B Losee, Jr

John D Naworal

Wendy Marin Weiner

Robert V Gansert

T Paul Beane

Ronald D Horaker

Christopher O'Brien Wheeler

Shodo Minagawa

A method and apparatus for detecting, locating, isolating and controlling variations in the manufacturing process by transient thermography. A heat source ( ) imparts heat to a surface which is radiated in the infrared region. Infrared sensors ( ) are coupled to a processor which tracks the physical characteristics of the sample, and provides feedback to a central process controller to make adjustments to the manufacturing process. The sample can be a continuous product such as a green powder metal sheet or tobacco product.

Process control by transient thermography

The invention relates generally to aluminum containing iron-base alloys useful as electrical resistance heating elements. The aluminum containing iron-base alloys have improved room temperature ductility, electrical resistivity, cyclic fatigue resistance, high temperature oxidation resistance, low and high temperature strength, and/or resistance to high temperature sagging. The alloy has an entirely ferritic microstructure which is free of austenite and includes, in weight %, over 4% Al, &lE;1% Cr and either &gE;0.05% Zr or Zro stringers extending perpendicular to an exposed surface of the heating element or &gE;0.1% oxide dispersoid particles. The alloy can contain 14-32% Al, &lE;2% Ti, &lE;2% Mo, &lE;1% Zr, &lE;1% C, &lE;0.1% B. &lE;30% oxide dispersoid and/or electrically insulating or electrically conductive covalent ceramic particles, &lE;1% rare earth metal, &lE;1% oxygen, &lE;3% Cu, balance Fe.

Oxidation, carburization and/or sulfidation resistant iron aluminide alloy

Brush cleaning unit

A brush cleaning unit for a heater fixture of a smoking device includes a holder such as a tube wherein the heater fixture can be washed with a liquid by a movable brush. The tube can include first and second ends, a portion of a key for cooperating with a corresponding portion of the key on the heater fixture for orienting the heater fixture, and an arrangement for preventing the brush from rotating. The brush can be arranged to be axially movable relative to the tube and the heater fixture attached thereto.

Brush cleaning unit for the heater fixture of a smoking device

A powder metallurgical process of preparing a sheet from a powder having an intermetallic alloy composition such as an iron, nickel or titanium aluminide. The sheet can be manufactured into electrical resistance heating elements having improved room temperature ductility, electrical resistivity, cyclic fatigue resistance, high temperature oxidation resistance, low and high temperature strength, and/or resistance to high temperature sagging. The iron aluminide has an entirely ferritic microstructure which is free of austenite and can include, in weight %, 4 to 32% Al, and optional additions such as &lE;1% Cr, &gE;0.05% Zr &lE;2% Ti, &lE;2% Mo, &lE;1% Ni, &lE;0.75% C, &lE;0.1% B, &lE;1% submicron oxide particles and/or electrically insulating or electrically conductive covalent ceramic particles, &lE;1% rare earth metal, and/or &lE;3% Cu. The process includes forming a non-densified metal sheet by consolidating a powder having an intermetallic alloy composition such as by roll compaction, tape casting or plasma spraying, forming a cold rolled sheet by cold rolling the non-densified metal sheet so as to increase the density and reduce the thickness thereof and annealing the cold rolled sheet. The powder can be a water, polymer or gas atomized powder which is subjecting to sieving and/or blending with a binder prior to the consolidation step. After the consolidation step, the sheet can be partially sintered. The cold rolling and/or annealing steps can be repeated to achieve the desired sheet thickness and properties. The annealing can be carried out in a vacuum furnace with a vacuum or inert atmosphere. During final annealing, the cold rolled sheet recrystallizes to an average grain size of about 10 to 30 &mgr;m. Final stress relief annealing can be carried out in the B2 phase temperature range.

Thermomechanical processing of plasma sprayed intermetallic sheets

A powder metallurgical process of preparing a sheet from a powder having an intermetallic alloy composition such as an iron, nickel or titanium aluminide. The sheet can be manufactured into electrical resistance heating elements having improved room temperature ductility, electrical resistivity, cyclic fatigue resistance, high temperature oxidation resistance, low and high temperature strength, and/or resistance to high temperature sagging. The iron aluminide has an entirely ferritic microstructure which is free of austenite and can include, in weight %, 4 to 32% Al, and optional additions such as &lE;1% Cr, &gE;0.05% Zr &lE;2% Ti, &lE;2% Mo, &lE;1% Ni, &lE;0.75% C, &lE;0.1% B, &lE;1% submicron oxide particles and/or electrically insulating or electrically conductive covalent ceramic particles, &lE;1% rare earth metal, and/or &lE;3 % Cu. The process includes forming a non-densified metal sheet by consolidating a powder having an intermetallic alloy composition such as by roll compaction, tape casting or plasma spraying, forming a cold rolled sheet by cold rolling the non-densified metal sheet so as to increase the density and reduce the thickness thereof and annealing the cold rolled sheet. The powder can be a water, polymer or gas atomized powder which is subjecting to sieving and/or blending with a binder prior to the consolidation step. After the consolidation step, the sheet can be partially sintered. The cold rolling and/or annealing steps can be repeated to achieve the desired sheet thickness and properties. The annealing can be carried out in a vacuum furnace with a vacuum or inert atmosphere. During final annealing, the cold rolled sheet recrystallizes to an average grain size of about 10 to 30 &mgr;m. Final stress relief annealing can be carried out in the B2 phase temperature range.

Polymer quenched prealloyed metal powder

The invention relates generally to aluminum containing iron-base alloys useful as electrical resistance heating elements. The aluminum containing iron-base alloys have improved room temperature ductility, electrical resistivity, cyclic fatigue resistance, high temperature oxidation resistance, low and high temperature strength, and/or resistance to high temperature sagging. The alloy has an entirely ferritic microstructure which is free of austenite and includes, in weight %, over 4% Al, &lE;1% Cr and either &gE;0.05% Zr or ZrO,stringers extending perpendicular to an exposed surface of the heating element or &gE;0.1% oxide dispersoid particles. The alloy can contain 14-32% Al, &lE;2% Ti, &lE;2% Mo, &lE;1% Zr, &lE;1% C, &lE;0.1% B, &lE;30% oxide dispersoid and/or electrically insulating or electrically conductive covalent ceramic particles, &lE;1% rare earth metal, &lE;1% oxygen, &lE;3% Cu, balance Fe.

Iron aluminide useful as electrical resistance heating elements

A brush cleaning unit for a heater fixture of a smoking device includes a tube having a first end and a second end, the tube including a portion of a key for cooperating with a corresponding portion of the key on a heater fixture for attaching and orienting the heater fixture relative to the tube. The brush cleaning unit also includes a brush attached to the tube. The brush is axially movable relative to the tube and the heater fixture attached thereto. The brush is non-rotatable relative to the tube. A method for cleaning a heater fixture is also disclosed.

A novel controller in an electrical smoking system and method, wherein the method includes the steps of: establishing a preferred thermal pathway to be executed with each heater activation responsively to a puff on an electrically heated cigarette; configuring a power cycle in accordance with the desired thermal pathway; dividing the power cycle into at least first and second phases each having a respective, predetermined time period and total energy input for each phase; and adjusting a respective duty cycle (or other power-adjusting factor) in each phase of the power cycle responsively to a voltage reading of the power source such that the established, respective total energy input of each phase is achieved during the time period of each power cycle.

Power controller and method of operating an electrical smoking system

A powder metallurgical process of preparing a sheet from a powder having an intermetallic alloy composition such as an iron, nickel or titanium aluminide. The sheet can be manufactured into electrical resistance heating elements having improved room temperature ductility, electrical resistivity, cyclic fatigue resistance, high temperature oxidation resistance, low and high temperature strength, and/or resistance to high temperature sagging. The iron aluminide has an entirely ferritic microstructure which is free of austenite and can include, in weight %, 4 to 32% Al, and optional additions such as .ltoreq.1% Cr, .gtoreq.0.05% Zr.ltoreq.2% Ti, .ltoreq.2% Mo, .ltoreq.1% Ni, .ltoreq.0.75% C, .ltoreq.0.1% B, .ltoreq.1% submicron oxide particles and/or electrically insulating or electrically conductive covalent ceramic particles, .ltoreq.1% rare earth metal, and/or .ltoreq.3% Cu. The process includes forming a non-densified metal sheet by consolidating a powder having an intermetallic alloy composition such as by roll compaction, tape casting or plasma spraying, forming a cold rolled sheet by cold rolling the non-densified metal sheet so as to increase the density and reduce the thickness thereof and annealing the cold rolled sheet. The powder can be a water, polymer or gas atomized powder which is subjecting to sieving and/or blending with a binder prior to the consolidation step. After the consolidation step, the sheet can be partially sintered. The cold rolling and/or annealing steps can be repeated to achieve the desired sheet thickness and properties. The annealing can be carried out in a vacuum furnace with a vacuum or inert atmosphere. During final annealing, the cold rolled sheet recrystallizes to an average grain size of about 10 to 30 .mu.m. Final stress relief annealing can be carried out in the B2 phase temperature range.

Method of manufacturing aluminide sheet by thermomechanical processing

The invention relates generally to aluminum containing iron-base alloys useful as electrical resistance heating elements. The aluminum containing iron-base alloys have improved room temperature ductility, electrical resistivity, cyclic fatigue resistance, high temperature oxidation resistance, low and high temperature strength, and/or resistance to high temperature sagging. The alloy has an entirely ferritic microstructure which is free of austenite and includes, in weight %, over 4% Al, .ltoreq.1% Cr and either .gtoreq.0.05% Zr or ZrO.sub.2 stringers extending perpendicular to an exposed surface of the heating element or .gtoreq.0.1% oxide dispersoid particles. The alloy can contain 14-32% Al, .ltoreq.2% Ti, .ltoreq.2% Mo, .ltoreq.1% Zr, .ltoreq.1% C, .ltoreq.0.1% B, .ltoreq.30% oxide dispersoid and/or electrically insulating or electrically conductive covalent ceramic particles, .ltoreq.1% rare earth metal, .ltoreq.1% oxygen, .ltoreq.3% Cu, balance Fe.

A novel electrical smoking system and method of establishing resistance to draw upon a cigarette while smoking a cigarette in an electrical smoking system comprising the step of operatively interposing a frit between a source of ambient air and the cigarette.

Heater fixture of an electrical smoking system

Methods and apparatuses for cleaning an electrical lighter are provided. A sleeve, e.g., ceramic or metal, surrounds the heater fixture, and a resistive heating element is in thermal proximity with the sleeve. The resistive heating element is either a dedicated element or the cigarette heating elements. The sleeve serves as a aerosol barrier and condensate accumulator to protect other components. Periodically, e.g., substantially contemporaneously with a battery recharge, the heating element is activated to thermally liberate condensates deposited on the sleeve during smoking and also heats, and thereby cleans, other components. Also, a cleaning element is optionally inserted into the cigarette receptacle of the electrical lighter or placed at the exit thereof to absorb, attract and/or catalytically break down the thermally liberated condensates. The sleeve also directs a desired flow path for drawn air within an electrical lighter toward the cigarette.

Method and apparatus for using, cleaning, and maintaining electrical

A smoking article is provided in which a replaceable tobacco flavor unit containing tobacco flavor material is electrically heated by a set of permanent reusable heaters to evolve flavors or other components in vapor or aerosol form for delivery to a smoker. Each heater heats only a portion of the available tobacco flavor material so that a plurality of individual puffs of tobacco flavor substance can be delivered sequentially to the smoker. The replaceable tobacco flavor unit can also include a filter to reduce the effect of residual aerosol which settles or condenses on the permanent portions of the article and which can result in undesirable flavor generation when reheated. A method and apparatus for manufacturing the replaceable tobacco flavor unit is also provided.

Flavor generating article

Removable heater for tobacco user's appliance

Growing community of inventors

Midlothian, VA, United States of America

Grier S Fleischhauer