Filtering Component for a Smoking Pipe System

Abstract

A filtering component for a smoking pipe system having at least a receiving portion with a bore formed from a smoke-receiving first end to an second end, and a filter holder portion which receives at least one filter with one or more side apertures in the filter holder portion. Air flow is directed from the smoke-receiving first end, through the bore, into and through a filter, out the filter and through the side aperture, on its way to a mouthpiece.

Description

FIELD OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to certain improvements of devices and systems for smoking various products including, but not limited to, tobacco and herbs.

BACKGROUND OF INVENTION

Many people smoke various products for leisure and for medicinal purposes. However, smoke and fumes from burning products such as tobacco, herbs and other substances can be rather harsh tasting and can contain certain components which the user wishes to avoid, and the smoke and fumes may be too hot for a user's preferences. According to one popular website devoted to tobacco and pipe smoking, there are three types of filters used in known pipes, including pass-through filters, absorption filters and condensers. Pass-through filters are often constructed of a thick cotton tub with a hollow center or a carbon filled canister, both of which reduce nicotine and tar from the smoke as it travels from the burning product to the pipe mouthpiece. Absorption filters can be made of various porous woods, such as balsa, and are used in pipes which control the flow of the smoke between the pipe bore and the filter surface, which exposes the smoke to a greater surface area of the filter and can remove both heat and impurities. Condenser filters operate differently from both pass-through and absorption types of filters, mostly designed to letting moisture reach the stem of a pipe.

SUMMARY OF THE EXEMPLARY

Embodiments of the Invention

A filtering component and method of manufacture for the same for a smoking pipe system having at least a receiving portion with a bore formed from a smoke-receiving first end to an second end, and a filter holder portion which receives at least one filter with one or more side apertures in the filter holder portion. Air flow is directed from the smoke-receiving first end, through the bore, into and through a filter, out the filter and through the side aperture, on its way to a mouthpiece.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

The figures presented herein, when considered in light of this description, form a complete disclosure of one or more embodiments of the invention, wherein like reference numbers in the figures represent similar or same elements or steps.

FIG. 1 depicts a filtering component of a smoking pipe system according to at least one embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 2 illustrates installation of and removal of a filter from the filtering component of FIG. 1.

FIG. 3 illustrates a fully-installed filter in the filtering component of FIG. 1.

FIG. 4 shows a fully-assembled smoking pipe system with internal details relative to the example embodiment of FIG. 1.

FIG. 5 provides example air flow relative to the example embodiment of FIG. 4.

FIG. 6 shows a fully-assembled smoking pipe system without internal details relative to the example embodiment of FIG. 1.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF ONE OR MORE

Exemplary Embodiment(s) of the Invention

The present inventor(s) have recognized an unmet need in the arts for a compact pipe system which incorporates a disposable filter. Filters are well known in the tobacco pipe and pre-rolled cigarette arts for providing cooler and cleaner smoking experiences for the user, however, pipe systems for smoking other products remain relatively undeveloped in this manner.

At least one embodiment of the present invention provides a user-installable and user-removable filter cartridge to an improved smoking pipe system. At least another embodiment of the present invention allows a user to select from a wide variety of readily-available filters currently on the market for tobacco pipes and self-rolled cigarettes in the new improved pipe system. Still another embodiment of the present invention provides for a variety of smoking vessel and vessel interconnects which allow a user to select their preferred manner of smoking loose leaf product, pre-rolled products, and self-blended products. Other advantages of the improvements disclosed herein will be evident to the reader, and those ordinarily skilled in the art will recognize that not all embodiments must provide all advantages to fit within the spirit and the scope of the present invention.

Referring now to FIG. 1, an example embodiment according to the present invention is shown for a main body portion 100. The main body portion 100 of a smoking pipe system is shown which is of a generally cylindrical cross-sectional shape with a bore formed through a receiving section 101 and a filter holder section 103. The bore has a first opening 108 in the receiving section 101 at a smoke-receiving end, and preferably an accessory fitting 105, such as an annular ring with internal threads, disposed near, around or in the first opening 108. On an end opposite the first end 108 is, in this example embodiment, disposed a filter holder 103, which communicates with the bore formed through the receiving section 101 to the first opening 108.

The filter holder 103 preferably has one or more side apertures 104 formed to allow additional air flow from the first opening into the internal cavity of the rest of the pipe system. A generally-cylindrical disposable filter 102, preferably of the type readily available for the tobacco pipe and cigarette rolling market, may be received into and removed from (motion shown by the double-headed arrow) into the bore of the filter holder 103 such that smoke and fumes received from the first end 108 are drawn, by user inhale, into the first end (rightmost) of the filter 102 and through the filter material until it exits through the one or more apertures 104 or the second end (leftmost) of the filter 102 into the internal cavity of the rest of the pipe system.

In some embodiments, the receiving section 101 and the filter holder 103 may be integrated, co-formed, or combined, when the proximity of the burning material at the receiving end is insufficient to pose a hazard to combusting the filter material.

FIG. 2 depicts a filter 102 partially installed into or partially removed from the filter holder 103 of the main body 100. Further, according to at least one embodiment, a mating shoulder 106 is provided to allow a mouthpiece portion to be received onto the main body 100, as will be discussed in further detail in the following paragraphs. Such a shoulder may provide a friction fit, a threaded fit, or a twist-lock fit, in various embodiments. Additionally, according to this example embodiment, a flow control surface 107 may enhance the flow of filtered smoke and fumes as the streams from the side apertures 104 recombine with the stream which has passed end-to-end through the filter 104 towards a mouthpiece. FIG. 3 depicts a filter 102 fully installed into the filter holder 103 of the main body 100.

Turning to FIG. 4, an example smoking pipe system 400 is shown which includes the example main body portion 100, a mouthpiece section 402 with a mouthpiece 403, and in this system configuration, a metal bowl 401 for holding a combustible smoking material. The metal bowl 401 may be received into the accessory fitting 105, such as by threads, and removed for cleaning or attachment of other accessories. The previously-described filter holder 103, filter 102, and holder aperture(s) 104 are encased in the mouthpiece section 402, and therefore are shown in dashed lines in this drawing. Further, the internal bore 404 (shown with wavy fill) through the receiving portion 101 of the main body portion 100 illustrated to provide a reference for the path of the inhaled smoke and fumes as they travel from the bowl (or other accessory) towards the first ends (rightmost) of the filter 102.

FIG. 5 illustrates the complete flow path 500, 502 and 503, of the inhaled fumes and smoke from the accessory into the receiving portion 101, through the bore 500, into the filter's 102 first end (rightmost), and existing 502 the filter 102 via the second end (left most) and the one or more apertures 104 of the filter holder 103, and combining 503 with a portion of flow which is drawn through the full length of the filter from the first end (rightmost) to the second end (leftmost) for presentation to the mouth of the user. This diagram illustrates a significant advantage of this embodiment according to the invention in which the one or more apertures in the filter holder allow for less restricted flow (e.g., less resistance to the inhaled breath) while maintaining more filtering of the smoke and fumes by being exposed to more of the filter material. It should also be noted that, although this example embodiment shows one or more oval-shaped apertures, other embodiments may use other numbers and shapes of aperture(s) such as vents, slots, grooves, perforations, and screens, as well as any combination of vents, slots, grooves, perforations, and screens.

FIG. 6 shows a view of an assembled example smoking pipe system 400 without the internal details being illustrated. In at least one embodiment, the components 100, 401, 403 and 403 are easily disassembled by a user without tools, such as by hand loosening threaded components and/or pulling apart friction fitted components. According to another example pipe system, the bowl is replaced with a portion of a tube leading to another smoking accessory, such as a water pipe. According to another example pipe system, the bowl and perhaps the accessory ring are replaced with a cone holder to receive a pre-rolled cone.

In practice, the components of the smoking pipe system may be fabricated from suitable materials for comfort, low toxicity, and heat resiliency, such as but not limited to various plastics, metals, glass and woods. Fabrication methods many include, but are not limited to, injection molding, investment casting, three-dimensional additive processes (“3D printing”), machining, hand shaping, drilling, lathing, shaping, and compressing.

The terminology used herein is for the purpose of describing particular exemplary embodiments only and is not intended to be limiting of the invention. As used herein, the singular forms “a”, “an” and “the” are intended to include the plural forms as well, unless the context clearly indicates otherwise. It will be further understood that the terms “comprises” and/or “comprising,” when used in this specification, specify the presence of stated features, steps, operations, elements, and/or components, but do not preclude the presence or addition of one or more other features, steps, operations, elements, components, and/or groups thereof, unless specifically stated otherwise.

The corresponding structures, materials, acts, and equivalents of all means or step plus function elements in the claims below are intended to include any structure, material, or act for performing the function in combination with other claimed elements as specifically claimed. The description of the present invention has been presented for purposes of illustration and description, but is not intended to be exhaustive or limited to the invention in the form disclosed. Many modifications and variations will be apparent to those of ordinary skill in the art without departing from the scope and spirit of the invention. The embodiment was chosen and described in order to best explain the principles of the invention and the practical application, and to enable others of ordinary skill in the art to understand the invention for various embodiments with various modifications as are suited to the particular use contemplated. The foregoing example embodiments do not define the extent or scope of the present invention, but instead are provided as illustrations of how to make and use at least one embodiment of the invention.

Claims

1. A filtering component for a smoking pipe system comprising: a receiving portion having a smoke-receiving first end to an second end;a bore formed through the receiving portion from the first end to the second end; anda filter holder portion configured to receive one or more filters such that the one or more filters are in air-flow communication with the bore of the receiving portion, and having one or more side apertures in the filter holder portion configured to direct the air-flow from the receiving portion second end through the one or more filters and out of the one or more side apertures.

2. The filtering component as set forth in claim 1 wherein the filter holder portion is further configured to allow the air-flow to additionally flow from the second end of the receiving portion through the one or more filters to exit an end of at least one filter.

3. The filtering component as set forth in claim 1 wherein the receiving portion comprises an accessory connector at the smoke-receiving first end.

4. The filtering component as set forth in claim 3 wherein the accessory connector comprises a threaded ring.

5. The filtering component as set forth in claim 3 wherein the accessory connector is configured to receive a bowl for holding a combustible smoking material.

6. The filtering component as set forth in claim 3 wherein the accessory connector is configured to receive a tube for connecting to a water pipe.

7. The filtering component as set forth in claim 3 wherein the accessory connector is configured to receive a pre-rolled cone for smoking material.

8. The filtering component as set forth in claim 1 wherein the receiving portion and the filter holder portion are configured to receive a mouthpiece portion over and around at least the filter holder portion such that the air-flow from the one or more apertures are combined and presented to a mouthpiece.

9. The filtering component as set forth in claim 2 wherein the receiving portion and the filter holder portion are configured to receive a mouthpiece portion over and around at least the filter holder portion such that the air-flow from the one or more apertures and the end of at least one filter are combined and presented to a mouthpiece.

10. A method of manufacture for a filtering component for a smoking pipe system comprising: forming a bore through a receiving portion, wherein the bore extends from a smoke-receiving first end to an second end of the receiving portion of a smoking pipe system; anddisposing a filter holder portion at or near the second end of the receiving portion, wherein the filter holder is configured to receive one or more filters such that the one or more filters are in air-flow communication with the bore of the receiving portion, and wherein one or more side apertures are provided in the filter holder portion, thereby configured to direct the air-flow from the receiving portion second end through the one or more filters and out of the one or more side apertures.

11. The method of manufacture as set forth in claim 10 wherein the filter holder portion is further configured to allow the air-flow to additionally flow from the second end of the receiving portion through the one or more filters to exit an end of at least one filter.

12. The method of manufacture as set forth in claim 10 wherein the forming of a receiving portion comprises providing an accessory connector at the smoke-receiving first end.

13. The method of manufacture as set forth in claim 13 wherein the accessory connector comprises a threaded ring.

14. The method of manufacture as set forth in claim 12 wherein the accessory connector is configured to receive a bowl for holding a combustible smoking material.

15. The method of manufacture as set forth in claim 12 wherein the accessory connector is configured to receive a tube for connecting to a water pipe.

16. The method of manufacture as set forth in claim 12 wherein the accessory connector is configured to receive a pre-rolled cone for smoking material.

17. The method of manufacture as set forth in claim 10 wherein the receiving portion and the filter holder portion are further configured to receive a mouthpiece portion over and around at least the filter holder portion such that the air-flow from the one or more apertures are combined and presented to a mouthpiece.

18. The method of manufacture as set forth in claim 11 wherein the receiving portion and the filter holder portion are configured to receive a mouthpiece portion over and around at least the filter holder portion such that the air-flow from the one or more apertures and the end of at least one filter are combined and presented to a mouthpiece.