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:
Mar. 09, 1999
Filed:
Nov. 25, 1996
John M Adams, Mechanicsville, VA (US);
William J Crowe, Chester, VA (US);
Grier S Fleischhauer, Midlothian, VA (US);
Jay A Fournier, Richmond, VA (US);
Mohammad R Hajaligol, Richmond, VA (US);
Willie G Houck, Jr, Richmond, VA (US);
Donald B Losee, Richmond, VA (US);
Constance H Morgan, Richmond, VA (US);
John D Naworal, Midlothian, VA (US);
H Neal Nunnally, Richmond, VA (US);
John B Paine, III, Midlothian, VA (US);
Wynn R Raymond, Chesterfield, VA (US);
Robert L Ripley, Midlothian, VA (US);
Jeffrey I Seeman, Richmond, VA (US);
Francis M Sprinkel, Glen Allen, VA (US);
Michael L Watkins, Chester, VA (US);
Philip Morris Incorporated, New York, NY (US);
Abstract
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.