The present invention relates, in general, to cigar humidors which improve the qualities imparted to cigars contained therein, and in particular to a new and useful humidor which is conveniently personalizable to be especially useful for such purposes as a gift or an award.
Although an important function of a humidor is to safely store and enhance cigars, an ancillary function of the typical humidor is to serve as a decorative furnishing and to impressively present cigars to guests and such.
Humidors are generally in the form of a generally rectangular wooden box with a wooden lining. The wooden lining has only a relatively small surface area exposed to the interior volume of the box. The job of a conventional humidor is to maintain a relative humidity of about 65 to 75 percent within the humidor. Another objective is to impart a woody seasoned taste to the tobacco products in the humidor. This is achieved both by establishing the moist interior environment and by selecting the appropriate wood for the humidor lining which has a sap that evaporates to add flavor to the cigars. This serves to preserve, age and add flavor to the cigars or other tobacco products stored within the humidor.
The exterior designs of such wooden humidors range from most basic and functional to the most detailed and fanciful. Many cigar aficionados take as much pride in their humidors as in the cigars that they hold. As such, humidors often employ artful styles and craftsmanship, and are finished to compliment or rival the appearance of the finest furnishings.
Like the cigars they are intended to hold, humidors are often awarded as prizes in such events as golf and poker tournaments, and are often given as gifts to the more sophisticated cigar smokers.
It is an object of the present invention to further enhance the experience of receiving a humidor as an award or a gift, and such is a feature of the present invention. It is an object of the present invention to personalize the experience of receiving a humidor as an award or a gift, and such is a feature of the present invention. It is an object of the present invention to personalize a humidor, and such is a feature of the present invention. It is an object of the present invention to allow for the convenient personalization of a humidor, and such is a feature of the present invention. It is an object of the present invention to allow for the convenient re-personalization of a humidor for second and future owners, and such is a feature of the present invention. Further objects and features of the invention will become apparent upon review of the included description and drawings of a representative embodiment of the invention.
The present invention utilizes a convenient arrangement for incorporating a photograph, an award certificate, or another personal document in a prominent disposition on a humidor. While shown in conjunction with a simple rectilinear wooden humidor, the invention may be simply and obviously adapted to most any other type and style of humidor, with the invention.
The invention allows for the almost instantaneous incorporation of such a personal artifact into the humidor without the use of tools or complicated assembly steps. The invention allows for the simple and convenient changing of the personal artifact to reflect a second or future owner. The invention allows for such personalization without compromising the quality or craftsmanship of the humidor. The invention allows for such personalization in compliment with other personalization techniques, such as engraving or etching.
The invention enables an event to be depicted on the humidor virtually within the moment that an event has occurred. For instance, the giving of a humidor as an award to a golf tournament winner immediately after the recipient has completed the last hole, which humidor includes a photo of a golf tournament winner sinking his last putt on that hole just seconds before, is made possible by the invention.
The invention enables convenient changing of the display on the humidor, without tools or complicated assembly techniques. For instance, the humidor may display the present month's calendar page or the day's schedule, which may be instantly changed the following month or day.
The invention may be embodied in a humidor having a base having a hollow interior for containing cigars, a lid cooperating with the base for either covering or exposing the interior, the lid having an outside surface, and a frame removably affixable to the outside surface and having a transparent window there-through. The window may include a glass pane. The frame may have a first fastening portion for removable affixation to the outside surface. The outside surface may have a second fastening portion for affixation to the first fastening portion. One of the first or second fastening portions may be a magnetic element and the other of the first or second fastening portions may be magnetically attractable thereto. The one of the first or second fastening portions may be the first fastening portion. The second fastening portion may be steel or iron.
The invention may also be embodied in a humidor having a base having a hollow interior for containing cigars, a lid hingedly affixed to the base and positionable relative thereto for either covering or exposing the interior, the lid having an outside upper surface, a graphic or textual sheet positionable atop the outside surface, and a frame removably affixable to the outside surface of the lid and having a transparent window there-through for allowing view of a graphic sheet when the frame is affixed to the outside surface. The window may include a glass pane. The frame may have a first fastening portion for removable affixation to the outside surface. The outside surface may have a second fastening portion for affixation to the first fastening portion. One of the first or second fastening portions may be a magnetic element and the other of the first or second fastening portions may be magnetically attractable thereto. The one of the first or second fastening portions may be the first fastening portion. The second fastening portion may be steel or iron.
The invention may also be embodied in a humidor having a base having a hollow wood-lined interior for containing cigars, a lid hingedly affixed to the base and positionable relative thereto for either covering or exposing the interior, the lid having an outside upper surface having a plurality of first portions of fastening elements disposed thereon, a graphic or textual sheet positionable atop the outside surface inboard of the first portions, and a frame removably affixable to the outside upper surface of the lid and having a transparent window there-through for allowing view of a graphic sheet when the frame is affixed to the outside upper surface, the frame having a plurality of second portions of fastening elements surround the window, each aligned with, affixable to, and removable from one of the first portions to removably affix the frame to the outside upper surface. The window may include a glass pane. One of the first or second fastening portions may be a magnetic element and the other of the first or second fastening portions may be magnetically attractable thereto. The one of the first or second fastening portions may be the second fastening portion. The first fastening portion may be steel or iron. The outside upper surface and the frame may both have substantially equal rectangular peripheries, and the plurality of first portions and the plurality of second portions may both be four, each portion being disposed adjacent a corner of the frame or outside upper surface.
Further features and aspects of the invention are disclosed in the accompanying Detailed Description and Drawings, or will be inherently understood by those skilled in the relevant arts.
Many aspects of the invention can be better understood with reference to the following drawings showing the representative embodiment of the accompanying Detailed Description. The components in the drawings are not necessarily to scale, emphasis instead being placed upon clearly illustrating the principles of the invention. Moreover, in the drawings, like reference numerals designate corresponding parts throughout the several views.
Referring now to
The frame is separable from the lid as seen in
The magnetic attraction of the steel discs to the magnets is sufficiently strong enough to assure that the frame and lid are forced into proper alignment and held sufficiently rigidly together as the frame is positioned adjacent the lid, thereby trapping the photograph under the window and viewable there-through. The magnetic attraction is sufficiently is sufficiently weak enough to allow for easy removal of the frame form the lid by simply wedging a fingernail of such into the peripheral seam between the lid and frame.
The steel disks could alternatively be any other magnetically attractable material, including an oppositely-poled magnet. Less preferably, the frame could affix to the lid by other temporary fastening means such as “hook and loop” pads, thumb screws, snap fasteners, or stick tack. Even less preferably, the frame could affix to the lid by less temporary fastening means, such as threaded screws or glue.
While the invention has been shown and described with reference to a specific exemplary embodiment, it should be understood by those skilled in the art that various changes in form and detail may be made without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention, and that the invention should therefore only be limited according to the following claims, including all equivalent interpretation to which they are entitled.