Patent Application
20130167850
The present invention relates to cigarette holders and protectors, and, more particularly, to a new and improved cigarette holder with various beneficial features.
A substantial number of the world's population engages in the use of tobacco products. Tobacco comes in many forms, but cigarettes are frequently the tobacco product of choice. Trillions of cigarettes are produced and smoked annually. Recent statistics have shown that almost twenty percent (20%) of the United States population currently smokes.
In order to smoke a cigarette, one end of the cigarette is initially ignited and the burning cigarette generates smoke which is inhaled by the smoker. Since the cigarette is burning or smoldering while lit, it presents a potential fire hazard if ever placed on a flammable surface or item. Indeed, cigarettes are a frequent source of fires in homes. A need therefore exists for a cigarette protective device which minimizes or reduces this fire risk.
A further inconvenience caused by a burning or smoldering cigarette is the presence of ash. A cigarette produces a steady stream of ash which must be deposited somewhere. A need therefore also exists to limit or control the distribution of such ash.
Finally, the cigarette must continue to burn or smolder in order to be smoked. Smoking is often difficult in locations where a moderate to high wind is present, e.g., in a moving automobile with open windows. A need therefore also exists for a device to facilitate smoking in windy environments.
Most cigarettes are of one of two generally uniform diameters, either standard or thin. A need therefore exists for a cigarette holder which provides the aforementioned benefits for users of both standard and thin cigarettes.
The prior art includes numerous cigarette holder designs. For instance, U.S. Pat. No. 3,921,645 (Hagman) discloses a safety cigarette holder. The Hagman device purportedly offers a safety feature such that if the holder is dropped on the ground the holder will not roll and the tip of the cigarette will remain off of the ground. The Hagman device, however, still leaves the tip exposed. Therefore, this exposed tip can still come into contact with exposed skin or flammable substances if the holder is dropped. Another example in the art is U.S. Pat. No. 2,884,930 which encloses the entire cigarette in a protective enclosure; however, this enclosure is of a wire or mesh nature. The wire enclosure fails to provide adequate heat resistance, ash containment, and fire prevention properties.
It is an object of the invention to provide a cigarette holder device which provides several advantages to a smoker, including, but not limited to, reduction of fire risk in cases where the cigarette is dropped, placed, or falls on flammable matter and substantial containment of ash while the cigarette is being smoked.
The present invention discloses a cigarette holder device composed of a first portion, or encapsulating tubular portion, and a second portion, or holder body. The first portion is a double-walled cylindrical tube having a plurality of holes. The second portion includes an end to secure a cigarette, a passageway for the transmission of smoke, and an opening to allow the smoke to pass into the mouth of the smoker. In operation, the first portion is removably engaged with the second portion and a cigarette is contained in the cylinder while being smoked. The device offers several benefits over simply holding a cigarette by hand.
The invention disclosed herein is cigarette holder device which holds or encases a cigarette. The device is designed to accommodate a single cigarette, of varying proportions, at a time. The device provides several benefits to a smoker, including greater control of ash distribution, reduction of fire risk, the ability to smoke in drafty or windy environments, and aesthetic appeal.
As shown in
It will be noted, however, that the total number of holes and the placement of the holes may vary so long as the function of the holes is maintained.
In a preferred embodiment, a circular ventilation plug 50 is positioned in the aperture in the first end 25 as seen in
The plug 50 may be secured by a variety of conventional means, e.g., adhesives, interference fit, or a snap-like mechanism or, alternatively, the plug structure may be of unitary construction with the tube 15. In an alternate embodiment shown in
The interior of the cylindrical tube 15 is circumscribed by a projection or lip or a depression or notch at a point proximal to the second end 30. This projection or depression is designed to engage an appropriate projection or depression on the second portion in order to secure the first and second portions together.
The second portion or holder body 20 comprises a seating portion 80 and a mouthpiece portion 85 and includes a central passageway 90 which runs the length of the body 20. More specifically, the second portion 20 comprises a body having a generally circular inbound end including an entrance aperture 95, and an outbound end including an exit aperture 100. The passageway 90 is centrally disposed within said body between said entrance aperture 95 and said exit aperture 100. The seating portion 80 includes a broad section having a first set of shoulders 110 and a narrow section having a second set of shoulders 115 which effectively reduce the size of the passageway 90 as it extends from the entrance aperture 95 to the exit aperture 100. The shape of the passageway 90 may vary as it progresses from the second set of shoulders to the exit aperture 100. Commensurately, the exterior of the mouthpiece section 85 may be of a variety of shapes. The passageway 90 and breathing portion 85 can, for instance, be of an elongated/flattened nature as shown in
In a preferred embodiment, the first 15 and second 20 portions include a locking depression disposed to receive a locking projection so that the first portion and second portion can be removably secured. In the embodiment shown in
The entrance aperture 95 is of such size so as to accommodate a standard cigarette. Further, the broad section of the passageway in the body 20 has a circumference sufficient to accommodate a standard cigarette and the narrow section of the passageway is of a diameter smaller than the broad section and is sufficient to accommodate a narrow cigarette.
In operation, the user unsnaps the holder and separates the first portion 15 from the second portion 20. The user then inserts a cigarette into the entrance aperture 95. The cigarette travels down the passageway and, depending on the size, ultimately rests on either the first set of shoulders 110 or the second set of shoulders 115. The cigarette is held firmly in place via an interference fit or frictional engagement of the filter portion of the cigarette with the walls of the passageway 90. The broad section is of such dimensions so as to permit frictional engagement of the walls of the broad section with the filter portion of a standard cigarette. The narrow section is of such dimensions so as to permit frictional engagement of the walls of the narrow section with the filter portion of a narrow cigarette.
The mouthpiece side 85 is placed or held in the user's mouth and permits the user to inhale the smoke from the cigarette. The selection of heat-resistant or non-heat conductive materials, e.g., glass or ceramic, and the use of a double-walled cylinder helps to insure that the holder remains cool while in use. As noted supra, the entire cigarette, including the tip, is completely enclosed within the device.
Ash normally falls from a cigarette as it burns. Further, miscellaneous burning particulate matter may be expelled from the cigarette while it is burning. The enclosure is designed to retain a substantial portion of such ash or other matter so that it does not hit the user and is not ejected into the user's environment. Rather, the ash 125 falls from the cigarette and is deposited around the length of the cigarette on the walls of the cylinder as seen in
The ventilation hole 75 is the principal exit for the ash from the cylinder. Since the ventilation hole 75 is of limited diameter, only a small portion of the ash will exit the cylinder via the hole, even if the holder is oriented such that the ventilation hole is facing the ground (i.e., down). Even when the holder is so oriented, a majority of the ash 125 or other matter will simply be distributed within the collection cavity and, therefore, retained within the holder.
The heat-resistant nature of the cylinder, the enclosure of the cigarette tip, and the retention of the ash, all serve to improve smoking safety. That is, the design serves to reduce the risk of a burn or burns from the tip of the cigarette or ash and also serves to reduce the likelihood of igniting any flammable material by preventing contact with the tip of the cigarette and by reducing the likelihood that such material will come into contact with ash or other burning particulate matter.
When the user has finished smoking the cigarette, due to the fact that cigarette has burned to the maximal extent possible, the user can simply put down the holder or place the holder in a storage location. When the user is prepared to smoke another cigarette, the user unsnaps the enclosure from the mouthpiece and removes the butt of the cigarette. The user would typically dump the ash or other matter in the enclosure at the same time. The user then inserts a fresh cigarette into the mouthpiece and snaps the mouthpiece, including the new cigarette, back into the enclosure.
The device as a whole 10, or simply the cylinder 15, may also be stylized or designed to increase the aesthetic appeal of the item. For instance, the device may be painted a variety of colors or include specific graphics or drawings.
While the invention has been described in reference to certain preferred embodiments, it will be readily apparent to one of ordinary skill in the art that certain modifications or variations may be made to the system without departing from the scope of invention claimed below and described in the foregoing specification.
