BACKGROUND
To enhance the functionality and usability of a device used for smoking, for example, a cigarette, cigar, smoking pipe, etc., an accessory called a mouth tip is often attached to the mouth piece end of the device prior to smoking. Existing mouth tips provide protection to the user from burns to the mouth and fingers when a user smokes, and minimize the flow of saliva from the mouth into the smoking device, for example, to the bowl of a pipe through the pipe stem channel. Hereafter, a device used for smoking, for example, a cigarette, cigar, smoking pipe, etc. will be referred to as a smoking device, and materials that are smoked for example, tobacco, marijuana, etc. will be referred to as smoking materials.
Not all smokers smoke because they are addicted to nicotine, marijuana, etc. Users smoke as an ice breaker to start a conversation, especially at places where others smoke, for example, bars, clubs, social functions, etc. Users also smoke to merely enjoy the process of lighting up the smoking device, holding the smoking device in the mouth, savoring the smoke from the device used for smoking, sucking on the smoking device, and inhaling a little smoke from smoking material contained in the smoking device and exhaling the inhaled smoke. However, since most mouth tips are simple hollow tubes with a substantially uniform cross-section, the smoke from the smoking device flows directly into the smoker's mouth. Therefore, the smoker may not be able to experience the aroma and flavors of the smoking material till the smoker inhales the smoke.
Furthermore, when a user smokes a smoking product wrapped in paper or a leaf, the portion of the wrapper that contacts the smoker's mouth gets damp and wet with the saliva seeps that seeps from the user's mouth and contacts the paper or leaf. Thereafter, the smoker cannot grip the wrapper as well as the smoker could prior to the wrapper becoming wet. The smoker also cannot pass around the smoking product to other users for smoking, as efficiently or effectively as the use could before the wrapper got wet. Furthermore, the airflow through existing smoking devices is substantially linear, i.e., the smoke flows only along direction in which it is inhaled, and due to warping of the wrapper after the wrapper becomes wet, the direction of flow of the smoke inhaled is often compromised.
Furthermore, filters used in existing smoking devices comprise a grid like filtration. Smoking products often seep through the grids. Furthermore, when the smoking device is used with existing filters, the dampness of the filter and/or the smoking device can deposit dried smoking product particles on the smoker's fingers, and eventually transfer the dried smoking product particles to the filter and ultimately to the lips. This leads to an unpleasant and unhygienic experience when the dried smoking product particles from one smoker's finger ends up on the lips of another smoker when the smoking device is being shared with another user.
Hence, there is a long felt but unresolved need for a smoking device that prevents the smoke from the smoking material contained in the smoking device from being directly and forcefully drawn into a smoker's mouth. There also exists a need to allow the smoker to smoke the entire smoking material in the smoking device and not require the remaining smoking material to be discarded when the lit end of the smoking device is in proximity to the smoker's fingers or lips.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
This summary is provided to introduce a selection of concepts in a simplified form that are further disclosed in the detailed description of the invention. This summary is not intended to determine the scope of the claimed subject matter.
The mouth tip disclosed herein addresses the above recited need for a smoking device that precludes smoking material contained in a smoking device from being directly and forcefully drawn from the smoking material contained in the smoking device into a user's mouth when the user is smoking from the smoking device. The mouth tip disclosed herein also addresses the above recited need for a smoking device that allows the smoker to smoke the entire smoking material in the smoking device instead of prompting the user to discard the remaining smoking device when the lit end of the smoking device is in proximity to the smoker's fingers or lips. The mouth tip for a smoking device comprises a tubular structure comprising a first end and a second end. The mouth tip further comprises an abutment disposed on an interior surface of the tubular structure, the abutment defining an orifice concentric to the abutment. The abutment and the orifice are substantially coaxial to the tubular structure.
In an embodiment, the mouth tip for the smoking device comprises a protuberance disposed on the interior surface of the tubular structure. The protuberance is, for example, a rounded protuberance. The protuberance is disposed proximal to the first end of the tubular structure. The rounded protuberance extends from the interior surface towards the internal channel of the tubular structure.
In an embodiment, the tubular structure is a conical tubular structure. A diameter of a first end of the tubular conical structure is smaller than a diameter of the second end of the tubular conical structure.
In another embodiment, the tubular structure is a cylindrical tubular structure. A diameter of the first end of the tubular cylindrical structure is substantially equal to a diameter of the second end of the tubular conical structure.
The tubular structure of the mouth tip further comprises an internal channel. The internal channel extends along an axis from a first end of the tubular conical structure to a second end opposite to the first end of the tubular conical structure. The tubular conical structure further comprises an abutment disposed on an interior surface of the tubular structure. The internal surface is, for example, the surface of the internal channel proximal to the first end. A diameter of the first end of the tubular conical structure is smaller than a diameter of the second end of the tubular conical structure. The smoking device where a cross-section of the internal channel of the tubular conical structure is a conical cross-section, wherein the cross-section of the internal channel of the tubular conical structure tapers from the second end towards the first end. The tubular conical structure is made from one or more pre-rolled tubes of glass. The mouth tip comprises a conical shaped, tubular wrapper, wherein the conical shaped tubular wrapper is a hollow, conical shaped structure.
In another embodiment, the shape of the mouth tip is cylindrical without tapering.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
The foregoing summary, as well as the following detailed description of the invention, is better understood when read in conjunction with the appended drawings. For illustrating the invention, exemplary constructions of the invention are shown in the drawings. However, the invention is not limited to the specific methods and components disclosed herein. The description of a method step or a component referenced by a numeral in a drawing is applicable to the description of that method step or component shown by that same numeral in any subsequent drawing herein.
FIG. 1A illustrates a front view of a mouth tip for a smoking device, wherein the rear view is a mirror image of the front view of the tubular conical structure of the mouth tip.
FIG. 1B is a left side view of the mouth tip illustrated in FIG. 1A, wherein the right side view is a mirror image of the left side view of the tubular conical structure of the mouth tip.
FIG. 2 illustrates a top cross-sectional view of the mouth tip shown in FIG. 1A.
FIG. 3 illustrates a longitudinal cross-sectional view of the mouth tip shown in FIG. 1A.
FIG. 4 illustrates a top view of the mouth tip shown in FIG. 1A.
FIG. 5 illustrates a bottom view of the mouth tip shown in FIG. 1A.
FIG. 6A illustrates a perspective view of the mouth tip shown in FIG. 1A and a tubular wrapper aligned with the mouth tip.
FIG. 6B exemplarily illustrates a spinning motion induced by an abutment defining an orifice on one or more of smoke and air flowing through the mouth tip shown in FIG. 1A.
FIG. 6C illustrates a perspective view of the mouth tip shown in FIG. 1A attached to the tubular wrapper shown in FIG. 6A.
FIG. 7 illustrates a front view of an alternative embodiment of the mouth tip comprising a circular protuberance.
FIG. 8 illustrates a top cross-sectional view of the mouth tip shown in FIG. 7.
FIG. 9 illustrates a top view of the mouth tip shown in FIG. 7.
FIG. 10 illustrates a longitudinal cross-sectional view of the mouth tip shown in FIG. 7.
FIG. 11 illustrates a bottom view of the mouth tip shown in FIG. 7.
FIG. 12 illustrates a front view of an embodiment of the mouth tip with a tubular cylindrical cross-section, wherein the rear view, left side view and right side view are mirror images of the front view.
FIG. 13 illustrates a top cross-sectional view of the mouth tip shown in FIG. 12.
FIG. 14 illustrates a longitudinal cross-sectional view of the mouth tip shown in FIG. 12.
FIG. 15 illustrates a top view of the mouth tip shown in FIG. 12.
FIG. 16 illustrates a bottom view of the mouth tip shown in FIG. 12.
FIG. 17A illustrates a perspective view of the mouth tip shown in FIG. 12 and a tubular wrapper attached to the mouth tip.
FIG. 17B illustrates a perspective view of the mouth tip shown in FIG. 17A with the tubular wrapper filled with smoking material.
FIG. 18 illustrates a front view of an embodiment of the mouth tip illustrated in FIGS. 12-17B.
FIG. 19 illustrates a top cross-sectional view of the mouth tip illustrated in FIG. 18.
FIG. 20 illustrates a longitudinal cross-sectional view of the mouth tip illustrated in FIG. 18.
FIG. 21 illustrates a top view of the mouth tip illustrated in FIG. 18.
FIG. 22 illustrates a bottom view of the mouth tip illustrated in FIG. 18.
FIG. 23 illustrates a front view of a mouth tip made of a single pre-rolled tube of glass.
FIG. 24 illustrates a cross-sectional view of the mouth tip illustrated in FIG. 23.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION
FIG. 1A illustrates a front view of a mouth tip 100 for a smoking device 1701, exemplarily illustrated in FIG. 17B. The rear view of the mouth tip 100 is a mirror image of the front view illustrated in FIG. 1A. FIG. 1B is a left side view of the mouth tip 100 illustrated in FIG. 1A. The right side view is a mirror image of the left side view of the mouth tip 100. The mouth tip 100 comprises a tubular structure 101 comprising a first end 104a and a second end 104b. The mouth tip 100 further comprises an abutment 105 disposed on an interior surface 301 of the tubular structure 101. The abutment 105 defines an orifice 105a concentric to the abutment 105, as illustrated in FIGS. 2, 4 and 5. In an embodiment, the abutment 105 and the orifice 105a are substantially coaxial with the tubular structure 101. The orifice 105a decreases the cross-section of the internal channel 102 at the orifice 105a. The abutment 105 is proximal to the first end 104a of the tubular structure 101. The tubular structure 101 defines an internal channel 102. The internal channel 102 extends along an axis 103 from the first end 104a of the tubular structure 101 to the second end 104b distal to the first end 104a of the tubular structure 101. In an embodiment, the orifice is substantially annular within the tubular structure.
In an embodiment, the tubular structure 101 is a conical, tubular structure 101, as illustrated in FIGS. 1-10. The diameter of the first end 104a of the tubular conical structure 101 is smaller than the diameter of the second end 104b of the tubular conical structure 101. The tubular conical structure 101 tapers from the second end 104b towards the first end 104a. The internal channel 102 of the conical tubular structure 101 is a conical cross-section, i.e., the internal channel 102 of the conical tubular structure tapers from the second end 104b towards the first end 104a, as shown in FIG. 3. FIG. 2 illustrates a top cross-sectional view of the mouth tip 100 along the horizontal line 2-2′ shown in FIG. 1A. FIG. 3 illustrates a longitudinal cross-sectional view of the mouth tip 100 along the vertical line 3-3′ shown in FIG. 1A.
FIG. 4 illustrates a top view of the mouth tip 100 shown in FIG. 1A. FIG. 4 also illustrates the first end 104a of the tubular conical structure 101. FIG. 5 illustrates a bottom view of the mouth tip 100 shown in FIG. 1A. FIG. 5 also illustrates the second end 104b of the tubular conical structure 101 of the mouth tip 100.
In an embodiment, the length of the mouth tip 100 is about 2 cm to about 15 cm, the diameter of the mouth tip 100 is about 0.5 to about 1.5 cm at the first end 104a of the mouth tip 101, and about 1 cm to about 2 cm at the second end 104b. In an embodiment, the diameter of the internal channel 102 in the portion of the mouth piece 101 at the orifice 105a is about 0.2 cm to about 1 cm. In an embodiment, the diameter of the internal channel 102 above and below the orifice 105a is about 0.3 cm to about 1.8 cm.
As illustrated in FIGS. 2, 4 and 5, in an embodiment, the orifice 105a defined by the abutment 105 is circular in shape. The abutment 105 and the orifice 105a provide the user a fresh and marinated effect when the user smokes the smoking device 1701 shown in FIG. 17B using the mouth tip 100. The fresh and concentrated smoking material effect enhances the user's smoking experience.
FIG. 6A illustrates a perspective view of the mouth tip 100 and a tubular wrapper 601. The tubular wrapper 601 is a hollow, conical cylinder comprising a top end 601a and a bottom end 601b. The tubular wrapper 601 extends axially from the top end 601a of the tubular wrapper 601 to the bottom end 601b of the tubular wrapper 601. The second end 104b of the mouth tip 100 has a larger diameter than the bottom end 601b of the tubular wrapper 601. The first end 104a of the mouth tip 100 is slidably inserted into the top end 601a of the tubular wrapper 601. The mouth tip 101 slides into the tubular wrapper 601 and the second end 104b of the mouth tip 101 slidably engages with the bottom end 601b to define a coaxial connection between the tubular wrapper 601 and the mouth tip 100. As illustrated in FIG. 6C, since the diameter of the second end 104b of the mouth tip 101 is larger than the diameter of the bottom end 601b of the tubular wrapper 601, the second end 104b of the mouth tip 101 is retained within the bottom end 601b of the tubular wrapper 601 while the first end 104a slides out. The tubular wrapper 601 is used to contain a smoking material 1702, as exemplarily illustrated in FIG. 17B. The diameter of the top end 601a of the tubular wrapper 601 is greater than the diameter of the bottom end 601b of the tubular wrapper 601 for allowing a smoker to fill the smoking material 1702 into the tubular wrapper 601 through the top end 601a.
FIG. 6B exemplarily illustrates the spinning motion induced by the abutment 105 and the orifice 105a defined by the abutment 105 on one or more of smoke and air flowing through the mouth tip 100. The abutment 105 and the orifice 105a provide a fresh and concentrated smoking material effect to the user when the user smokes the smoking material 1701 shown in FIG. 17B. To smoke the smoking material 1701, the user affixes the top end 601a of the tubular wrapper 601 containing the smoking material 1701 to the second end 104b of the mouth tip 100 and lights the bottom end 601b of the tubular wrapper 601 containing the smoking device 1701. The user then draws air and smoke through the open end 104b of the wrapper. An airflow is created as ambient air is drawn through the open end 601b of the tubular wrapper 601 containing the smoking device 1701. The ambient air mixes with the smoke created by the lit smoking device 1701 as the ambient air and smoke pass through the tubular wrapper 601 containing the smoking device 1701. The ambient air and smoke thereafter enters the user's mouth through the second end 104b of the mouth tip 100. The abutment 105 and the orifice 105a increase the velocity of the smoke and air flowing through the mouth tip 100 when the user draws air and smoke through the second end 104b, thereby providing a fresh and concentrated smoking material effect to the user. The abutment 105 and the orifice 105a induce a spinning motion to the air and smoke passing through the mouth tip 100 as illustrated by arrows in FIG. 6B. The spinning motion induced creates a vortex region inside the mouth tip 100, where the flow of air and smoke revolves around an axis line G-G′. The spinning motion of the air and smoke passing through the mouth tip 100 allows for a smoother draw of smoke for the user.
As illustrated in FIGS. 1-6B, the diameter of the internal channel 102 is smaller at the orifice 105a defined by the abutment 105 compared to the reminder of the mouth tip 100. In an embodiment, the circular orifice 105a acts as a filter to block non-combusted plant matter in the smoking material 1701 from entering the user's mouth. In an embodiment, the mouth tip 100 is made of glass, for example, borosilicate glass. Since glass is more durable, chemically and thermally resistant, it is more hygienic compared to other materials. In an embodiment, the mouth tip 100 is made of ceramic, metal, stone or other material that are thermally and chemically resistant.
In an embodiment, the mouth tip 100 is made from a single pre-rolled tube of glass 2401, as illustrated in FIGS. 23 and 24. FIG. 23 illustrates a front view of the tubular conical structure 101 of the mouth tip 100 made of a single pre-rolled tube of glass 2401. FIG. 24 illustrates a cross-sectional view of the tubular conical structure 101 of the mouth tip 100 made of the single pre-rolled tube of glass 2401. The pre-rolled tube of glass 2401 is softened using heat and/or a flame and then fed into a metal casting mold to compress the pre-rolled tube of glass 2401 into the desired tubular conical structure 101 of the mouth tip 100.
In an embodiment, the mouth tip 100 is made from two pre-rolled tubes of glass 302 and 303, as illustrated in FIGS. 3, 10, 14 and 20. In this embodiment, the mouth tip 100 comprises a first pre-rolled tube of glass 302 and a second pre-rolled tube of glass 303 to provide a stable support to the smoking material 1701 shown in FIG. 17B. The first pre-rolled tube of glass 302 and the second pre-rolled tube of glass 303 are substantially of the same length. In an embodiment, the cross-sectional diameter of the first pre-rolled tube of glass 302 is greater than a cross-sectional diameter of the second pre-rolled tube of glass 303. A first end 303a of the second pre-rolled tube of glass 303 is inserted into a second end 302b of the first pre-rolled tube of glass 302. The first end 302a of the first pre-rolled tube of glass 302 and a first end 303a of the second pre-rolled tube of glass 303 are softened using heat and/or flame and fused together. Similarly, a second end 302b of the first pre-rolled tube of glass 302 and the second end 303b of the second pre-rolled tube of glass 303 are softened using heat and/or flame and fused together to create the mouth tip 100.
The mouth tip 100 made from a single, or in an embodiment a plurality of pre-rolled tubes of glass is antibacterial and antimicrobial. The mouth tip 100 is also resistant to water and moisture, and is resistant to contamination by saliva of the smokers. The mouth tip 102 does not absorb saliva, water or bacteria thereby providing a bacteria free smoking experience to the smoker.
FIG. 7 illustrates another embodiment of the mouth tip 100. In this embodiment, the mouth tip 100 for the smoking device 1701 comprises a protuberance 705 disposed on an interior surface 301 of the tubular structure 101, proximal to the first end 104a of the tubular structure 101. FIG. 8 illustrates a top cross-sectional view of the mouth tip 100 shown in FIG. 7, where the cross section is obtained along the line 8-8′ shown in FIG. 7.
FIG. 9 illustrates a top view of the mouth tip 100 shown in FIG. 7. FIG. 10 illustrates a longitudinal cross-sectional view of the mouth tip 100 shown in FIG. 7, where the cross section is obtained along the line 10-10′ shown in FIG. 9. FIG. 11 illustrates a bottom view of the mouth tip 100 shown in FIG. 7.
FIG. 12 illustrates a front view of an embodiment of the mouth tip 100 with a tubular, cylindrical cross-section. The rear view, left side view and right side view are mirror images of the front view shown in FIG. 12. FIG. 13 illustrates a top cross-sectional view of the mouth tip 100 shown in FIG. 12, where the cross-section is obtained along the line 13-13′. FIG. 14 illustrates a longitudinal cross-sectional view of the mouth tip 100 shown in FIG. 12. The diameter of the tubular cylindrical structure 101 at the first end 104a is substantially the same as the diameter of the tubular cylindrical structure 101 at the second end 104b, i.e., the diameter of the tubular cylindrical structure 101 of the mouth tip 100 is uniform throughout the length of the tubular cylindrical structure 101 of the mouth tip 100. The internal channel 102 of the tubular cylindrical structure 101 has a cylindrical cross-section.
In an embodiment, the length of the mouth tip 100 illustrated in FIGS. 12-17B is about 2 cm to about 15 cm. The diameter of the mouth tip 100 is about 0.5 to about 2 cm. The diameter of the internal channel 102 in the portion of the mouth piece 101 surrounded by the orifice 105a is about 0.2 cm to about 1 cm. The diameter of the internal channel 102 above and below the orifice 105a is about 0.3 cm to about 1.8 cm.
FIG. 15 illustrates a top view of the mouth tip 100 shown in FIG. 12. FIG. 16 illustrates a bottom view of the mouth tip 100 shown in FIG. 12. As shown in FIGS. 15 and 16, the cross-section of the tubular cylindrical structure 101 of mouth tip 100 is uniform across the length of the mouth tip 100.
FIG. 17A illustrates a perspective view of the mouth tip 100 shown in FIG. 12 and a tubular wrapper 601 attached to the mouth tip 100. The tubular wrapper 601 comprises smoking material, for example, a medicinal smoking material, tobacco, herbal smoking blends, etc., as illustrated in FIG. 17B. The tubular wrapper 601 comprises a sheet rolled in the shape of the tubular wrapper 601 illustrated in FIGS. 6A and 6C. The sheet is made from a material comprising one or more of paper, hemp, rice, and tobacco. In an embodiment, the mouth tip 100 is configured to be slideably inserted into and engage with the tubular wrapper 601, to define a coaxial connection between the tubular wrapper 601 and the mouth tip 100. The second end 104b of the mouth tip 100 slidably engages with the top end 601a of the tubular wrapper 601. In an embodiment, the mouth tip 100 is affixed to the bottom end 601b of the tubular wrapper 601 using, for example, adhesive, adhesive tape, etc.
FIG. 18 illustrates a front view of an embodiment of the mouth tip 100 illustrated in FIGS. 12-17B. The mouth tip 100 illustrated in FIG. 18 comprises a protuberance 705 instead of an orifice 105a defined by an abutment 105 illustrated in FIGS. 1-6B and 12-17B. The protuberance 705 is disposed on an interior surface 301 of the tubular structure 101, proximal to the first end 104a of the tubular structure 101. FIG. 19 illustrates a top cross-sectional view of the mouth tip 100 illustrated in FIG. 18. FIG. 20 illustrates a longitudinal cross-sectional view of the mouth tip 100 illustrated in FIG. 18. FIG. 21 illustrates a top view of the mouth tip 100 illustrated in FIG. 18. FIG. 22 illustrates a bottom view of the mouth tip 100 illustrated in FIG. 18.
In an embodiment, the length of the mouth tip 100 illustrated in FIGS. 18-22 is about 2 cm to about 15 cm, the diameter of the mouth tip 100 is about 0.5 to about 2 cm, the diameter of the internal channel 102 above and below the protuberance 705 is about 0.3 cm to about 1.8 cm, and the protuberance 705 extends by about 0.1 cm to about 1 cm from the interior surface 301 of the tubular structure 101.
The foregoing examples have been provided merely for explanation and are in no way to be construed as limiting of the mouth tip 100 disclosed herein. While the mouth tip 100 have been described with reference to various embodiments, it is understood that the words, which have been used herein, are words of description and illustration, rather than words of limitation. Furthermore, although the mouth tip 100 have been described herein with reference to particular means, materials, and embodiments, the mouth tip 100 are not intended to be limited to the particulars disclosed herein; rather, the mouth tip 100 extend to all functionally equivalent structures, methods and uses, such as are within the scope of the appended claims. While multiple embodiments are disclosed, it will be understood by those skilled in the art, having the benefit of the teachings of this specification, that the mouth tip 100 disclosed herein are capable of modifications and other embodiments may be effected and changes may be made thereto, without departing from the scope and spirit of the mouth tip 100 disclosed herein.