Inventor · Siler City, NC, US

Stephen Benson Sears

162Patents
17h-index
106Co-inventors
89Inventor score

Filing activity: Nov 16, 1987 → Jan 17, 2025

Most-cited inventions

PatentTitleAreaCited byStatus
US8881737B2 Electronic smoking article comprising one or more microheaters Electricity 207 Active
US9078473B2 Smoking articles and use thereof for yielding inhalation materials Human Necessities 182 Active
US9220302B2 Cartridge for an aerosol delivery device and method for assembling a cartridge for a smoking article Emerging Cross-Sectional Technologies 132 Active
US9717276B2 Aerosol delivery device including a positive displacement aerosol delivery mechanism Human Necessities 84 Active
US9930915B2 Smoking articles and use thereof for yielding inhalation materials Human Necessities 60 Active
US10492542B1 Smoking articles and use thereof for yielding inhalation materials Human Necessities 56 Active
US9220301B2 Smoking article Human Necessities 40 Active
US10206429B2 Aerosol delivery device with radiant heating Electricity 33 Active
US8469035B2 Method for preparing fuel element for smoking article Human Necessities 33 Active
US10004259B2 Reservoir and heater system for controllable delivery of multiple aerosolizable materials in an electronic smoking article Human Necessities 31 Active
US10524508B2 Induction-based aerosol delivery device Emerging Cross-Sectional Technologies 28 Active
US10085485B2 Aerosol delivery device with a reservoir housing and a vaporizer assembly Electricity 27 Active
US9974334B2 Electronic smoking article with improved storage of aerosol precursor compositions Performing Operations; Transporting 27 Active
US10117460B2 Electronic smoking article and associated method Human Necessities 26 Active
US9451791B2 Aerosol delivery device with an illuminated outer surface and related method Mechanical Engineering; Lighting; Heating 25 Active
US9332784B2 Method for preparing fuel element for smoking article Chemistry; Metallurgy 24 Active
US10532046B2 Multi-phase delivery compositions and products incorporating such compositions Performing Operations; Transporting 21 Active
US10609955B2 Filtered cigarette comprising a tubular element in filter Human Necessities 16 Active
US8617263B2 Method for preparing fuel element for smoking article Chemistry; Metallurgy 15 Active
US8119555B2 Carbonaceous material having modified pore structure Human Necessities 13 Active
US9864947B1 Near field communication for a tobacco-based article or package therefor Human Necessities 13 Active
US10172388B2 Aerosol delivery device with microfluidic delivery component Human Necessities 12 Active
US9980512B2 Electronic smoking article comprising one or more microheaters Electricity 11 Active
US10285451B2 Smoking article for selective delivery of an aerosol precursor composition, a cartridge, and a related method Electricity 10 Active
US10786010B2 Aerosol delivery device with multiple aerosol delivery pathways Electricity 10 Active

Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Inventor disambiguation is heuristic; counts are objective bibliographic measures.