The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document.
The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge covers the following: Patent number, Date patent was issued, Date patent was filed, Title of the patent, Applicant, Inventor, Assignee, Attorney firm, Primary examiner, Assistant examiner, CPCs, and Abstract. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document (in Adobe Acrobat format, aka pdf). To download or print any patent click here.
Patent No.:
Date of Patent:
Oct. 13, 1998
Filed:
Dec. 29, 1995
Lucas Jones Conrad, Winston-Salem, NC (US);
Hoyt Sturdivant Beard, Winston-Salem, NC (US);
Franklin Allan Strump, Jr, Winston-Salem, NC (US);
R. J. Reynolds Tobacco Company, Winston-Salem, NC (US);
Abstract
An apparatus for impregnating tobacco with an expansion agent includes a chamber for confining a charge of tobacco under elevated pressure conditions. An accumulator connected to the chamber maintains a supply of an expansion agent in fluid form under conditions of elevated temperature and pressure but less than the desired tobacco impregnation temperature and pressure. The expansion agent is forcibly and rapidly moved from the accumulator and introduced into the chamber under conditions such that the pressure and temperature of the expansion agent are increased to the desired impregnation temperature and pressure, preferably including a pressure approaching or above the supercritical pressure thereof.