Patent Application
20240148056
The present disclosure relates generally to a device for extinguishing smokable or flammable materials and items, as well as retaining such items, material, or their byproducts, and related methods of use. More particularly, the present disclosure relates to a reusable device which may be used to suffocate or otherwise aid in putting out a burning item, such as a cigarette, cigar, cigarillo, or other similar smoking implement, as well as retaining the item and optionally having a location for ash or other byproducts from the item or similar items.
Smokable or otherwise flammable or partially flammable or combustible materials may be formed into cylindrical, substantially cylindrical, or otherwise elongated shapes. These may be commercially available items, such as cigarettes, cigars, or cigarillos, or may be individually made or made for personal use, such as with items that are commonly known as “joints”. A variety of wrapping materials, including paper, tobacco leaves, other types of leave, paper, or similar items, or other flammable materials, may be used. Additionally, a variety of materials may be wrapped or rolled in the item, including, but not limited to, tobacco as well as, separately or jointly, materials of a medicinal or pharmacological nature. This disclosure is intended to include and apply to all such combinations, which, for the sake of simplicity, are referred to as “cigarettes”, “cigars”, or “joints”, in this disclosure, though this disclosure should be understood to apply to all similar and related items.
When smoking a cigar or cigarette, one may wish to put it down or to put it out so as to be able to enjoy it later, whether such time be brief moments later or a more substantial amount of time. In such instances, it is desirable to be able to expedite having the cigar or cigarette become extinguished, so that one does not burn through it while not using or enjoying it. Additionally, one does not wish the process of extinguishing the cigar or cigarette to negatively affect the future flavor, when re-lit, of the cigar or cigarette or to waste an excessive amount of the yet-to-be-smoked cigar or cigarette. The traditional means of accomplishing this are to break or “flick” off the burning end, thus losing a portion of the cigar or cigarette, or to “snub” it out, pressing it down to remove any burning portion or to otherwise extinguish the portion, which can damage the remaining portion of the cigar or cigarette while also potentially leading to a burned or otherwise undesirable flavor to the cigar or cigarette when later relit.
Attempts have been made to offer tubes or other disposable means for storing cigars or cigarettes, though such means are costly when needing to be repeatedly purchased and are also inconvenient to use and keep around for use. Such means do not offer receptacles or storage for ash, waste, or byproducts, and also often require that the cigar or cigarette be already at least partially extinguished. Furthermore, such means are not aesthetically pleasing, and thus do not present consumers with options which a consumer may use in a public setting or in social situations, such as where the image of cigar or cigarette use, extinguishing, and relighting can be an important factor.
Current devices and methods of use for being able to put out a cigar or cigarette, such as extinguishing it, while preserving it for later use, are not effective or convenient. Current devices are also not aesthetically pleasing for social situations or degrade the use of the cigar or cigarette prior to later re-use. Current devices and methods of use do not provide a pleasing and effective means of extinguishing a cigar or cigarette while preserving it for later use. Current devices and methods of use also do not provide a receptacle for ash or other byproducts of cigars or cigarettes or for temporary storage of a cigar or cigarette.
The present disclosure relates generally to a device for extinguishing smokable or flammable materials and items, as well as retaining such items, material, or their byproducts, and related methods of use. More particularly, the present disclosure relates to a reusable device which may be used to suffocate, extinguish, or otherwise aid in putting out a burning item, such as a cigarette, cigar, cigarillo, or other similar smoking implement, as well as retaining the item and optionally having a location for ash or other byproducts from the item, or similar items herein described, implied, known in the art, or reasonably extrapolated from this disclosure.
Smokable or otherwise flammable or partially flammable or combustible materials may be formed into cylindrical, substantially cylindrical, or otherwise elongated shapes. These may be commercially available items, such as cigarettes, cigars, or cigarillos, or may be individually made, or may be made for individual or personal use, such as what are commonly known as “joints”. A variety of wrapping materials, including paper or tobacco leaves, among others, may be used. Additionally, a variety of materials may be wrapped or rolled in the item, including, but not limited to, tobacco, medicinal materials, or substances with pharmacological effects, whether separately or jointly. This disclosure is intended to include and apply to all such combinations, which, for the sake of simplicity, are referred to as “cigarettes”, “cigars”, or “joints”, in this disclosure, though this disclosure should be understood to apply to all similar and related items.
A device for extinguishing and retaining cigars or cigarettes is disclosed, as well as related methods of use. The device may be made in a range of sizes and shapes, including sizes which may fit in a user's pocket and be easily transportable. Shapes, designs, patterns, materials, and colors of the device may be used which may be aesthetically pleasing to users. The device is intended to be able to extinguish a cigar or cigarette quickly, thus preserving the cigar or cigarette maximally for later use while also minimizing the amount of smoke in the air or near the device. As many cigars or cigarettes are prized or otherwise desirable based on flavors of the smoked materials, including at times very subtle or intricate flavors, which may be easily affected by the process of extinguishing the cigar or cigarette, it is desirable to have a device which can put out a cigar or cigarette without creating a burnt taste, or which may otherwise minimally affect the flavour of the cigar or cigarette.
A device is disclosed which includes a feature which defines an at least partial opening configured to receive at least a portion of a cigar or cigarette. The opening may be closed at one end, thus creating an area to receive smoke from a burning or otherwise smoking cigar or cigarette, or to minimize oxygen retention, enabling the cigar or cigarette to be extinguished due to a lack of oxygen after a period of time, such as shortly after insertion of a burning end of a cigar or cigarette into the opening. In some embodiments, the opening may be substantially cylindrical or otherwise comprise an elongated at least partially open area. In other embodiments, the device may include a hood configured to retain smoke or to limit oxygen being supplied to a burning or smoldering cigar or cigarette, wherein the opening may be less cylindrical in natural but rather provide a partially enclosed volume which, upon insertion or appropriate location of a cigar or cigarette, may restrict or hinder flow of air to the burning portion of the cigar or cigarette.
The device may include a tray or other feature for receiving the cigar or cigarette, and the device may also optionally include an ashtray or other feature configured to receive ash or other byproducts from smoking a cigar or cigarette. The device may optionally include an indent or other feature on an optional rim, such as to aid in retaining a cigar or cigarette when not in use by a user.
In some embodiments, the hood or opening may be unitary with the ashtray. In some embodiments, there may be no need for a cover or separate removable component to cover the ashtray or to limit oxygen being supplied to a cigar or cigarette which is intended to be extinguished.
During one method of use, a user may use the ashtray feature of the device to receive ash or other byproducts of a cigar or cigarette. In a method of use, when a user wishes to extinguish or otherwise preserve a cigar or cigarette, the user may place the cigar or cigarette at least partially within an at least partial opening in the device or at least partially under a hood of the device. In another method of use, a user may place an extinguished or lit cigar or cigarette at least partially within the ashtray or along an optional rim or at least partially in an indent configured to receive and aid in retaining the cigar or cigarette when not in use.
The disclosure relates to a device and method of use, such as through the use of the described invention. The method may include the use of a device which may include one or more of the features or components described herein. Any number of components or features may be used in conjunction with and incorporated into the device described. Various materials, including metals, plastics, glass, epoxy, resin, wood, ceramics, clay, and composites, may be used for the described components and features.
It is to be understood that the above mentioned features and the features yet to be explained hereinafter can be used not only in the respectively mentioned combinations but also in other combinations or alone without departing from the context of the present invention.
The invention is now disclosed in detail with reference to exemplary embodiments shown in the accompanying drawings, where:
Exemplary embodiments of the disclosure are illustrated in the Figures and are explained in the following description in more detail, wherein identical, or similar, reference numbers refer to identical, or similar, or functionally identical or similar components.
Various aspects of the illustrative embodiments will be described using terms commonly employed by those skilled in the art to convey the substance of their work to others skilled in the art. However, it will be apparent to those skilled in the art that the present invention may be practiced with only some of the described aspects. For purposes of explanation, specific numbers, materials and configurations are set forth in order to provide a thorough understanding of the illustrative embodiments. However, it will be apparent to one skilled in the art that the present invention may be practiced without some specific details. In other instances, well-known features or those previously described are omitted or simplified in order not to obscure the illustrative embodiments.
Various operations may be described as multiple discrete operations, in turn, in a manner that is most helpful in understanding the present invention, however the order of description should not be construed as to imply that these operations are necessarily order dependent. In particular, these operations need not be performed in the order of presentation. In some instances, structures and devices may be shown in block diagram or flow chart form in order to facilitate describing the disclosed subject matter.
An embodiment of a device for extinguishing and optionally retaining smokable materials 100 is shown in
The device 100 may be made through a variety of means known in the art, including, but not limited to, machining, molding, 3d printing or other additive manufacturing, glass blowing, clay molding or sculpting, resin pouring, ceramics, cutting, or other means known in the art. In one embodiment, the device 100 may be made by pouring resin into a mold, such as a silicon mold.
In the embodiment shown in
The exterior wall 120 is shown as sloping inwards as it extends upwards and away from the base 110, such as when viewed from the front. It should be understood that, in other embodiments, the exterior wall 120 could be substantially perpendicular to the base 110, could slope outwards, could have prominences, could have recesses, could slope in in some areas and out in other areas, or could have other shapes, features, or profiles without deviating from the scope or intent of this disclosure.
The device 100 may include a hood 130. The hood 130 may be unitary with the base 110, or the hood 130 may be a separate component from the base 110. In the embodiment shown, the device 100 is entirely unitary. The hood 130 may extend above a receptacle feature 140 of the device, may be adjacent to a receptacle feature 140 of the device, or may be located elsewhere on the device 100. The hood 130 may define an at least partially open receiving volume 135, which may be configured to at least partially receive a cigar or cigarette. When at least a burning or smoking portion of a cigar or cigarette is placed at least partially within the receiving volume 135, oxygen may be depleted so as to extinguish the cigar or cigarette.
In the embodiment shown, the receiving volume 135 is substantially cylindrical in side cross-section, configured to approximate or closely match the shape and dimensions of a cigar or cigarette. It should be understood, however, that the receiving volume 135 may be other elongated shapes. Additionally, or alternatively, the receiving volume 135 may be a shape which is not elongated, such as being a wider open volume. The receiving volume 135 may also alternatively be shaped to mimic the shape of the hood 130, such as being an offset cross-sectional shape partially or substantially maintaining the wall thickness of the hood 130. The receiving volume 135 may be any shape or size, configured to receive one or more cigars or cigarettes and configured to aid in extinguishing the one or more cigars or cigarettes by depriving them of oxygen to maintain burning, such as by closely fitting around the shape of the cigar or cigarette or by filling with and at least partially retaining smoke instead of or displacing oxygen.
As shown in
The device 100 may optionally include a receptacle feature 140, which may optionally include or define a rim 145. Though not shown in this embodiment, the rim may optionally include an indent or other retention feature to aid in retention of a cigar or cigarette. The retention feature may be on the rim, or may be located on another surface or feature of the device. The receptacle feature 140, where present, may be an at least partial opening, may be concave, may be substantially flat or planar, or may be otherwise configured to aid in receiving or retaining ash or other byproducts of smoking. Though the receptacle feature 140 is shown as being substantially circular when viewed from above in this embodiment, it should be understood that other shapes, including rectangular, square, triangular, pentagonal, hexagonal, octagonal, elliptical, teardrop, compound or hybrid shapes, as well as others, may be used without deviating from the scope or intent of this disclosure.
Though the opening 136 to the receiving volume 135 is shown in
Though not depicted in the embodiments shown, the receiving volume 135 may optionally include an access feature, such as an opening with a removable plug or cover, to aid in cleaning the receiving volume 135, providing access for cleaning tools or providing drainage as needed.
Another embodiment of the device 200 is shown in
As shown in
The opening 336 of the receiving volume 335 may also be offset from the middle of the device, such as when viewed relative to a front view of the device 300 as seen in
In some embodiments, such as the one shown in
The device 400 may optionally include an indent or retention feature 445, configured to aid in retention of a cigar or cigarette, such as when one might be rests on or at least partially within the device 400, or if the cigar or cigarette is placed partially within the receiving volume 435. In the embodiment shown, the retention feature 447 is shown as an indent in an optional rim 445, such as one surrounding the receptacle feature 440. It should be understood, however, that the optional retention feature 447 may be located elsewhere on the device 400 without deviating from the scope or intent of this disclosure.
As shown, the retention feature 447 partially matches to contour and profile of the receiving volume 435, and is shown as optionally co-planar with the receiving volume 435 when viewed from a side cross-section, allowing a user to rest a cigar or cigarette on the retention feature 447 while a portion of that cigar or cigarette is optionally inserted into the receiving volume 435. It should be understood, however, that the retention feature 447 may partially or entirely not align with a portion or all of the receiving volume 436 without deviating from the scope or intent of this disclosure.
In the embodiment shown in
An alternate embodiment of the device 500 is shown in
While the present invention has been related in terms of the foregoing embodiments, those skilled in the art will recognize that the invention is not limited to the embodiments described. The present invention can be practiced with modification and alteration within the spirit and scope of the appended claims. Thus, the description is to be regarded as illustrative instead of restrictive on the present invention. Accordingly, various modifications, adaptations, combinations, and alternatives may occur to one skilled in the art without departing from the spirit of the invention and scope of the claimed coverage.
This application claims the priority of U.S. Provisional Patent Application No. 63/424,078 filed on Nov. 9, 2022, the disclosure of which is incorporated herein in its entirety.
| Number | Date | Country | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 63424078 | Nov 2022 | US |
