Patent Grant
7798152
N/A
N/A
A portion of the disclosure of this patent document contains material that is subject to copyright protection. The copyright owner has no objection to the facsimile reproduction by anyone of the patent document or patent disclosure as it appears in the Patent and Trademark Office patent file or records, but otherwise reserves all copyrights whatsoever.
1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates generally to a water pipe accessory, and more particularly, to a hookah perforator device that simultaneously creates a plurality of apertures in the tobacco/shisha bowl foil or other overlay, while aerating the underlying tobacco/shisha.
2. Description of the Background Art
Hookah water pipes, also known as shisha water pipes because of the tobacco typically used, and restaurants providing hookahs are well known worldwide. A hookah is a water pipe having a tobacco reservoir/bowl in fluid/pneumatic communication with a tobacco smoke feed tube that depends into a smoke chamber. The hookah is started by igniting a piece of coal placed over the tobacco on an aluminum foil sheet or similar overlay. To facilitate more efficient lighting of the hookah, holes are individually poked into the foil/overlay and into the tobacco to aerate it, which is time consuming and results in an uneven distribution of holes and heat. While this method may be tolerable, although annoying, to the individual, it can be unacceptably time consuming, unreliable and costly to hookah restaurant owners, as they typically light the hookah for patrons. If there existed a water pipe accessory that could automatically and simultaneously perforate a hookah bowl foil/overlay with a plurality of uniformly distributed apertures while also aerating the underlying tobacco/shisha it would address the above noted problems and be well received. However, there are no known devices that uniformly perforate hookah foil overlays, or similar overlays, while affording the dual benefit of aerating the underlying tobacco, as contemplated by the instant invention disclosed herein.
Although various cigar and cigarette perforating devices axe shown in the prior art, they fail to disclose a device or system that adequately addresses or resolves the above-noted gaps in the prior art. The perforating devices known are not structurally configured for perforating a hookah bowl foil while perforating/aerating the tobacco in a manner that adequately addresses the problems noted in the background art. The devices known are not structurally compatible or adaptable for perforating hookah foil while aerating the tobacco, and, or are only designed for piercing an individual cigar or cigarette. For instance, U.S. Pat. No. 2,407,931, issued to Lindsay; U.S. Pat. No. 2,440,156, issued to Reso; U.S. Pat. No. 4,148,324, issued to Muller and U.S. Pat. No. 5,218,976, issued to Gutman disclose spring-loaded cigar punching machines that can only punch cigars, or cigarettes placed in the machine and are structurally inoperable with hookah bowls. Meanwhile, U.S. Pat. No. 2,854,010, issued to Stamm, and U.S. Pat. No. 4,263,923, issued to Landuydt, disclose a perforator designed for use with only one cigar or cigarette.
Based on the foregoing, the prior art fails to disclose a perforator device that can automatically and simultaneously perforate a hookah bowl foil/overlay with a plurality of uniformly distributed apertures while aerating the underlying tobacco/shisha in a practical and effective manner. Accordingly, there exists a need for such an accessory. The instant invention addresses this unfulfilled need in the prior art by providing a foil/overlay perforating and tobacco aerating hookah accessory as contemplated by the instant invention disclosed herein.
In light of the foregoing, it is an object of the present invention to provide a hookah accessory that accelerates the ignition of tobacco and starting a hookah.
It is also an object of the instant invention to provide a hookah accessory that perforates hookah foil while perforating/aerating tobacco below the foil.
It is another object of the instant invention to provide a hookah accessory that is hand-held and portable.
It is an additional object of the instant invention to provide a hookah accessory design for safety.
It is a further object of the instant invention to provide a hookah accessory that is designed for mass production.
It is yet a further object of the instant invention to provide a hookah accessory is cost-effective.
It is yet an additional object of the instant invention to provide a hookah accessory that is easy and convenient to use.
In light of these and other objects, the instant invention comprises a hookah accessory, generally referenced herein as a perforator, for perforating hookah foil and perforating/aerating tobacco below the foil, preferably simultaneously. The perforator generally comprises a hollow housing, plurality of spikes on a spike platform, guide plate having a plurality of spike receiving apertures, and at least one and preferably a plurality of springs, disposed between the guide plate and spike platform. The housing may also include a removable, fixed or integrally formed end cap. In one embodiment, the guide plate is slidably secured in the top end of the housing and the spikes, springs and platform fit in tie housing below the guide plate, which is concealed therein by the end cap. The springs are disposed between the platform and guide plate and may be attached to the guide plate and, or platform or positioned therebetween without attachment. The guide plate comprises a plurality of apertures for passing the spikes, which are positioned on the platform in alignment with corresponding guide plate apertures. Each spring is preferably secured to the platform over a corresponding spike and engages the interior 15 surface of the guide plate. When the guide plate is pressed inward, the springs are compressed and the spikes extend out through the guide plate apertures. The guide plate is depressed when it is placed and pressed against the hookah bowl rim. Accordingly, the guide plate and, or housing comprise a rim that is at least the same size or slightly bigger then the hookah bowl rim. The perforator is preferably hand-held, but may be used as a fixture by resting it on a support surface and engaging the hookah bowl and foil with the guide plate and pressing inward. In an alternative embodiment, the guide plate may be fixed and the end plate slidably secured in the lower end of the housing, such that the spikes are urged out through the guide plate apertures when end cap is depressed.
In accordance with these and other objects, which will become apparent hereinafter, the instant invention will now be described with particular reference to the accompanying drawings.
With reference to the drawings,
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The instant invention has been shown and described herein in what is considered to be the most practical and preferred embodiment. It is recognized, however, that departures may be made therefrom within the scope of the invention and that obvious structural and/or functional modifications will occur to a person skilled in the art.
| Number | Name | Date | Kind |
|---|---|---|---|
| 925158 | Cragg | Jun 1909 | A |
| 4148324 | Muller et al. | Apr 1979 | A |
