Portable Ecological Article for Extinguishing a Cigarette and for Containing Residues of the Cigarette

Abstract

A portable ecological article (1) for extinguishing a cigarette (9) and for containing residues of the cigarette (9), comprising: a body (2) comprising in turn a first chamber (3) for receiving internally thereof at least a lit cigarette butt (9), the first chamber (3) being accessible from outside via a first opening (4); a closing element (7), constrained to the body (2), for occluding the first opening (4) of the first chamber (3), which closing element (7) can assume at least two positions, a first position in which the first chamber (3) is accessible from outside and a second position in which the closing element (7) occludes the first opening (4), making the first chamber (3) inaccessible from outside; and wherein the body (2) comprises a housing (5) conformed such as to receive an accessory (6) for smokers; the article (1) exhibiting first means (81) for hermetically occluding the first opening (4) when the closing element (7) is arranged in the second position thereof; the first chamber (3) being dimensioned such that after having inserted a lit cigarette butt (9) internally of the first chamber (3) and having hermetically closed the first chamber (3), the cigarette butt (9) is rapidly extinguished as a consequence of a progressive exhausting of oxygen present internally of the first chamber (3).

Description

FIELD OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to the technical sector concerning articles for extinguishing a cigarette; in particular the invention relates to a portable ecological article for extinguishing a cigarette and containing residues thereof (i.e. ashes and butt), in order to enable relative management thereof up to final disposal thereof.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PRIOR ART

A basic consideration is that all smokers, in order to indulge their habit, obviously require a cigarette and a lighter.

Therefore all smokers, once having lit the cigarette, require somewhere to discard the ash and when the cigarette is finished need to eliminate the lit cigarette, possibly in total safety and with respect for the environment.

However, throughout the world today, in outside environments such as urban areas, and in particular extra-urban areas such as roads, parks, beaches, coastal locations, mountains etc., ash trays for disposal of cigarette butts are rare or almost entirely absent. Even where present, ash trays are often not accessible to the smoker, as they are not nearby when needed; in particular, the smoker not only has to be able to stub out a cigarette after having smoked it, but also has to dispose of the ash safely while the cigarette is being smoked.

In fact throughout the world cigarette butts are disposed-of entirely carelessly, or in ways that can be dangerous for and damaging to the environment (on the ground, in water etc).

Consider that this undesirable behaviour is at present cause of an immense environmental problem, and is recognised as such by very many world-level authorities.

Only some statistical data, problems, new regulations and community sanctions are briefly listed here, connected to this grave worldwide problem.

• • Estimated number of smokers in the world: 1.5 billion people.
  • Average number of cigarettes per day: 15.
  • Number of cigarettes and relative butts annually disposed into the environment: 4500 billion, which produce a quantity of 845,000 tonnes of refuse (of which 3,600 tonnes in Italy alone).
  • Each cigarette and in particular the butt/filter produces beyond 4,500 different chemical compounds and toxic and cancerogenous substances, which are dispersed into the environment.
  • The cigarettes/butts are in first place in the classification of refuse present in the Mediterranean Sea (i.e. they constitute 40% of all rubbish present).
  • In the USA in 2005 the residues of cigarettes caused numerous residential fires, with more than 800 people dead.
  • In Italy in 2008 more than 6,300 forest fires were caused by cigarette butts that had not been completely extinguished.
  • Legislation in Canada, and in some states of the USA and the EU, has already introduced the obligatory sale of “fire-safe” cigarettes, i.e. self-extinguishing.
  • An exponential increase throughout the EU and the rest of the World has taken place in relation to sanctions and restrictions regarding improper disposal of cigarette butts.
  • Various amendments have been proposed by the EU (and various other foreign states) in order to induce an increase in costs of cigarettes, with the aim of financing the operations and collection and disposal of cigarette butts, required for civil and environmental safety.

With the aim of limiting the above problems, portable articles for smokers are known which are essentially constituted by a box container for extinguishing and conserving cigarette butts. A box container of this type is provided with an opening through which a cigarette butt to be extinguished is inserted, and a closing element, for example a cap, for closing the container.

Once a cigarette has been finished, the smoker then removes the cap from the container, inserts the lit cigarette butt into the container and rubs the butt against a wall or against the bottom of the container up to extinguishing it, releases the spent butt internally of the container and finally closes the container using the cap.

Consequently the opening of the container is of such a size not only to enable insertion of a lit cigarette butt internally thereof, but also to enable the smoker to rub the butt against a wall of the container up to extinguishing it; to perform this operation, in particular, the smoker has to be able to partially insert her or his fingers internally of the container.

For this purpose the container generally has a convex form and exhibits a certain size.

The dimensions of the container are however such as to make it not very practical and therefore hardly used at all; furthermore, the smoker has to carry a lighter and a packet of cigarettes as well as the container as a supplementary accessory.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The aim of the present invention is therefore to provide an ecological article for extinguishing a cigarette and for containing residues of the cigarette (i.e. ashes and butt) able to obviate the above-mentioned drawbacks.

The aim is attained by providing an ecological article for extinguishing a cigarette and for containing residues of the cigarette, according to claim 1, comprising: a body comprising in turn a first chamber for receiving internally thereof at least a lit cigarette butt, the first chamber being accessible from outside via a first opening; a closing element, constrained to the body, for occluding the first opening of the first chamber, which closing element can assume at least two positions, a first position in which the first chamber is accessible from outside and a second position in which the closing element occludes the first opening, making the first chamber inaccessible from outside; and wherein the body comprises a housing conformed such as to receive an accessory for smokers; the article exhibiting first means for hermetically occluding the first opening when the closing element is arranged in the second position thereof; the first chamber being dimensioned such that after having inserted a lit cigarette butt internally of the first chamber and having hermetically closed the first chamber, the cigarette butt is rapidly extinguished as a consequence of a progressive exhausting of oxygen present internally of the first chamber.

The cigarette butt is advantageously “automatically” extinguished following progressive exhaustion of the oxygen contained in the first chamber, and thanks to the fact that the first chamber is hermetically closed. For this purpose, the first chamber has to have suitable dimensions for containing, apart from the cigarette butt and possibly other already-extinguished cigarette butts, a small volume of oxygen to guarantee rapid exhaustion thereof and thus extinguishing of the butt. The dimensions of the first chamber, therefore, can be very small, i.e. certainly smaller than the dimensions of the known-type box containers described above.

This necessary reduction in the internal volume of the first chamber is not limited by the dimensions of the opening: the opening can indeed be designed to allow only the insertion of the lit cigarette butt. In the prior art, on the other hand, the dimensions of the opening have also to enable partial insertion of the smoker's fingers in order to perform the rubbing action of the butt against a wall (or against the bottom) of the box container. A further characteristic is that also the internal volume of the known articles was such as not to allow immediate extinguishing of a cigarette. On the contrary, the first chamber of the article of the invention can have a cylindrical conformation, with a volume slightly greater than that of a cigarette.

The considerable reduction of size of the article of the present invention is therefore clear; it can be made in a pocketable size.

A further advantage relates to the fact that the article of the invention exhibits a housing for receiving an accessory for smokers; this accessory can be for example a lighter. The smoker, therefore, only needs to carry a single portable object, which enables him or her to carry a light which also functions as a container element for collecting cigarette butts.

The article advantageously enables, after the lit cigarette has been extinguished, containing the article and eventual residual substances with maximum practicality of use, hygiene and in total safety, while guaranteeing full respect for the environment.

Thanks to the hermetic closure, the smoke and unpleasant smells created during extinguishing of the cigarette butt are avoided (for example when the article is temporarily placed in the pocket); this dispersion of the smoke and ash occurs during use of known-type articles.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

Specific embodiments of the invention, and advantageous technical-functional characteristics thereof correlated to the described embodiments only partially derivable from the above description, will be described in the following of the present invention, according to what is set out in the claims and with the aid of the appended tables of drawings, in which:

FIG. 1A is a schematic view in longitudinal section of an article of the invention according to a first embodiment;

FIG. 1B is an enlarged view of detail X of FIG. 1A;

FIG. 1C is a partial view of the article of FIG. 1A, in a different operating situation;

FIG. 1D is a cross section view of the article of FIG. 1A;

FIG. 1E is an enlarged and partial view of section I-I of FIG. 1D;

FIG. 2A is a schematic view in longitudinal section of an article of the present invention in a second embodiment;

FIGS. 2B and 2C are two partial views of the article of FIG. 2A in two different operating situations;

FIG. 2D is a cross section view of the article of FIG. 2A;

FIGS. 3A, 3B and 3C are respectively a partial and perspective view, a longitudinal section view and a cross section view of an article according to a third embodiment of the invention;

FIGS. 4A, 4B and 4C are the same views as in FIGS. 3A, 3B, 3C, according to a fourth embodiment;

FIGS. 5A and 5B are respectively a perspective view and a section view of an article according to a fifth embodiment;

FIGS. 6, 7 and 8 are a perspective view of three embodiments of the invention;

FIG. 9A is a perspective view of a further different embodiment of the invention;

FIGS. 9B, 9C and 9D are three schematic views in plan view of the embodiment of FIG. 9A, in three different operating situations;

FIG. 9E is an enlarged view of detail K of FIG. 9D;

FIG. 10 is a perspective view of an article of the invention according to a variant.

DESCRIPTION OF PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

With reference to the accompanying figures, reference numeral 1 denotes a portable ecological article for extinguishing a cigarette 9 and for containing the residues thereof, object of the present invention.

As can be seen for example in FIGS. 1A-1E, the article 1 comprises: a body 2 comprising in turn a first chamber 3 for receiving internally thereof at least a lit cigarette butt 9, the first chamber 3 being accessible from outside via a first opening 4; a closing element 7, constrained to the body 2, for occluding the first opening 4 of the first chamber 3, which closing element 7 can assume at least two positions, a first position in which the first chamber 3 is accessible from outside and a second position in which the closing element 7 occludes the first opening 3, making the first chamber 3 inaccessible from outside; and wherein the body 2 comprises a housing 5 conformed such as to receive an accessory 6 for smokers; the article 1 exhibiting first means 81 for hermetically occluding the first opening 4 when the closing element 7 is arranged in the second position thereof; the first chamber 3 being dimensioned such that after having inserted a lit cigarette butt internally of the first chamber 3 and having hermetically closed the first chamber 3, the cigarette butt 9 is rapidly extinguished as a consequence of a progressive exhausting of oxygen present internally of the first chamber 3.

The above-mentioned first means 81 for ensuring the hermetic closing of the first opening 4 (once the closing element 7 is in the second position thereof), may for example include a first seal 8 arranged at the first opening 4 of the first chamber 3. The first seal 8 can be fixed to the body 2 at the edge of the first opening 4, or may be fixed to the closing element 7 at the said first opening 4.

Alternatively, the first means 81 may be constituted by the special conformation of the complementary profiles respectively of the body 2 and the closing element 7, to which they are reciprocally constrained: for example, this particular conformation can be obtained by a dove-tail profile and a further profile complementary thereto, such as to hermetically close the first opening 4 when the closing element 7 is in the second position thereof.

The first chamber 3 is suitably obtained from or coated with fireproof material (e.g. delrin); the smoking accessory 6 internally of the housing 5 is for example a lighter, arranged with its head protruding from the housing 5 in order to be used.

With reference to the second embodiment shown in FIGS. 2A-2D, the body 2 of the article 1 further comprises a second chamber 14, adjacent to the first chamber 3, for internally receiving the ashes of at least a cigarette 9 (not illustrated); the second chamber 14 is accessible from the outside through a second opening 15 and is also appropriately coated with fireproof material.

The closing element 7 can for example be configured so that when it is in the first position the second chamber 14 is also made accessible from the outside, as shown for example in FIG. 5A; when it is in the second position, however, it occludes also the second opening 15, making the second chamber 14 inaccessible from outside.

The first opening 4 and the second opening 15 are afforded at a side L of the body 2 and are adjacent to one another.

The closing element 7, in the embodiment of FIGS. 2A-2D, is configured such as to be slidable along the side L of the body 2 along a first direction, and such that when in the first position and in the second position the second chamber 14 is accessible from the outside (as shown in FIGS. 2B and 2C); the closing element 7 can assume a third position in which it occludes the first chamber 3 and the second chamber 14 (see in particular FIG. 2A), making respectively the first chamber 3 and the second chamber 14 inaccessible from the outside. In other words, therefore, the second chamber 14 is interposed between the first chamber 3 and the housing 5, and the closing element 7 can slide (from the position in which it occludes both openings 4, 15) with respect to the side L of the body 2 (see the arrow in FIG. 2B) making initially the second chamber 14 and subsequently the first chamber 3 accessible.

The embodiment just described is particularly advantageous in that if, for example, the first chamber 3 contains already-used cigarette butts 9, the smoker can store the ash of a cigarette 9 which is being smoked in the second chamber 14 without necessarily opening the first chamber 3, which would lead to the dispersion of an unpleasant odour. The first chamber 3 can then be made accessible once the cigarette 9 has been smoked, so that the cigarette can be transferred into it (see FIG. 2C).

In detail, the closing element 7 is provided with an internal groove 10, which faces the side L, and which comprises a first wall 11 and a second wall 12; further, second means 13 are provided (which for example comprise a pin) that are arranged and conformed such as to project from the side L of the body 2 and insert into the groove 10 of the closing element 7, such as to abut against the first wall 11 when the closing element 7 occludes the first opening 4 and the second opening 15, and to abut against the second wall 12 when the closing element 7 makes the first chamber 3 and the second chamber 14 accessible.

Note that also the first embodiment of FIGS. 1A-1E, which includes only the first chamber 3, exhibits a coupling mode of the closing element 7 to the body 2 that is entirely similar to that what has been described herein above.

To ensure the hermetic closing of the second chamber 14 when the closing element 7 occludes the second opening 15, the article 1 further comprises a second seal 80 positioned at the second opening 15 of the second chamber 14 such as to ensure the hermetic closing of the second chamber 14. Alternatively, the first seal 8 can be conformed such as to be arranged at both the first opening 4 and the second opening 15, as in the case of FIG. 4A, in which the first seal 8, in detail, is fixed to the closing element 7 at a relative portion thereof facing the side L of the body 2.

As can be noted from the enclosed figures, when the article 1 is in use the first 3 and second 14 chamber exhibit prevalently longitudinal developments; in other words, the smoker uses the article 1 in a substantially vertical position.

With reference to FIGS. 3A-3C and 7, the closing element 7 is hinged to the body 2 via a hinge axis 16 which is parallel to the development of the first 3 and the second chamber 15. In the embodiment of FIG. 7, in particular, the closing element 7 is liftable and lowerable with respect to the body 2, as if it were a lid.

Alternatively, according to the embodiment of FIGS. 4A-4C, the closing element 7 is hinged to the body 2 via a hinge axis 16 which is perpendicular to the development of the first 3 and the second chamber 15.

It can also be noted that when the article 1 is in a substantially vertical position, for example as in FIGS. 2A, 3B, the first opening 4 and the second opening 15 are directed upwards, while the head of the lighter 6, arranged in the housing 5, is facing down (and vice versa if the smoker is using the lighter 6). This solution enables a particularly compact solution to be obtained which is also more practical than the prior art.

Additionally, the body 2 of the article 1 can be provided with a seating 17 (or a plurality of seatings 17) conformed such as to internally receive the terminal part of a lit cigarette butt 9 (see FIG. 8) and to enable it to be extinguished by rubbing the end internally of the seating 17. The seating 17 is adjacent to the first chamber 4 and the second chamber 14, such that the closing element 7, suitably sized and shaped, can occlude it and open it for use as needed. The presence of the seating 17 thus offers the smoker an alternative way of extinguishing a lit cigarette butt 9.

Again with reference to FIG. 8, two first chambers 3 are present, each provided with a U-profile, so as to be able to easily receive a cigarette butt 9.

With reference to FIGS. 5A-7, as in FIG. 8 there are two first chambers 3 having a U-profile (clearly visible, in FIG. 5B) which can also be used as seatings 17 for extinguishing a cigarette butt 9. Alternatively, the second chamber 14 can be used as the seating 17 for extinguishing a cigarette butt 9.

With reference to FIG. 8, the closing element 7 can further be used to cut off the end part of a lit cigarette 9, which can subsequently be relit and smoked. In fact it is possible to position the end part of a cigarette 9 for example in the seating 17 when the article is in the configuration of FIG. 8 and slide the closing element 7 from right to left (see the arrow in FIG. 8) up until the lit part is cut off. The remaining part of the cigarette 9 can then be stored for example in the article 1 (in the first chamber 3 or in the second 15), for smoking at a later time.

The closing element 7 can further comprise a first part 70 and a second part 71 independently constrained to the body 2, respectively, such as to occlude the first 4 and the second 15 opening and to make respectively the first 3 and the second chamber 14 accessible (see in particular FIG. 7).

With reference to the embodiment shown in FIGS. 9A-9E, the first opening 4 and the second opening 15 are provided at a side C of the body 2; the closing element 7 is also configured such as to face the side C of the body 2 and is rotatable with respect to the body 2 itself.

Further, the closing element 7 is shaped such that when in the first position the second chamber 14 is inaccessible from the outside, while when it is in the second position the second chamber 14 is accessible from the outside; the closing element 7 may take on a third position in which it occludes both the first opening 4 and the second opening 15, making respectively the first chamber 3 and the second chamber 14 inaccessible from the outside.

In detail, the body 2 of the article 1 of FIGS. 9A-9E exhibits a substantially cylindrical shape and the side C in which the first opening 4 and the second opening 15 are afforded in a base of the cylinder conformed by the body 2. The closing element 7 comprises a cylindrical cap, in particular a internally hollow and not provided with a base, such as to define a passage. The cap 7 is fixed to the body 2 via the said passage at a peripheral undercut 25 in the body 2 itself.

The cap 7 also comprises inner seatings 22 arranged radially in its internal surface at the position of the undercut 25, and exhibits a recess 23, i.e. the plug 7 lacks a part thereof of an appropriate size, as will be clarified in the following.

At the peripheral undercut 25, the body 2 comprises elastic means 21 for removable blocking, conformed such as to engage the inner seatings 22 of the cap 7 (see FIG. 9E) and arranged such as to be aligned with respect thereto following the rotation of the cap 7 with respect to the body 2, in order to removably block the plug 7 in different positions (see FIGS. 9B-9D).

The recess 23 is of such dimensions as to make alternately the first 3 and the second chamber 14 accessible from the outside and possibly to allow the remaining part of the closing element 7 to occlude both openings 4, 15. The smoker can then access the first chamber 3 and the second chamber 14 by turning the cap 7 as needed (for example in the direction of the arrow FIG. 9A), up until the recess 23 is located at the first 4 or second opening 15 and the elastic means 21 simultaneously engage one of the internal seatings 22, stabilizing the position of the cap 7 itself (or it could even occlude the two openings, the first 4 and second 15, proceeding in a like way).

At the housing 5, the body 2 further comprises a compartment 24 conformed so that the head 6 can protrude from the lighter body 2, such as to enable easy use of the lighter 6 when the recess 23 is located at the housing 5.

For example, as shown in FIG. 9D, internal seatings 22 of the cap 7 can be four in number, arranged radially with respect to the axis (not shown) of the cylinder conformed by the body 2, reciprocally angled at 90 degrees to one another.

In a variant represented in FIG. 10, the article 1 comprises a container 19 conformed such as to receive, via an access zone 20, at least an unsmoked cigarette 9: the container 19 is constrained in translation with respect to the body 2 so as to be “retractable” relative to the body 2 itself. In other words, the container 19 may be accessible from the outside or the access zone 20 can be occluded by the body 2 of the article 1.

This variant is particularly advantageous in that the smoker can easily carry with him or her the article for extinguishing a cigarette 1 and for containing the residues 9 thereof, for example in a pocket, which article also contains the cigarettes 9 and the lighter 6. The smoker can then, with equal availability, simplicity and speed, light up and extinguish the cigarette and dispose of the residues thereof using the same object.

Note that the article of the invention may also be conceived, in a variant that is not shown, in table-top version, or a ground-standing version, a version for use in an automobile, and in combination with any accessory for smokers.

Furthermore, the proposed article can be further conceived for use with any type of cigarette (standard, slim, midi, 100s, etc . . . ) as well as cigars, cigarillos or whatever else.

It is understood that the above has been described by way of non-limiting example, and that therefore possible constructional variants are deemed to fall within the ambit of protection of the present technical solution, as described above and claimed herein below.

Claims

1. An ecological article for extinguishing a cigarette and for containing residues of the cigarette, comprising: a body comprising in turn a first chamber for receiving internally thereof at least a lit cigarette butt, the first chamber being accessible from outside via a first opening; a closing element, constrained to the body, for occluding the first opening of the first chamber, which closing element can assume at least two positions, a first position in which the first chamber is accessible from outside and a second position in which the closing element occludes the first opening, making the first chamber inaccessible from outside; wherein the body comprises a housing conformed such as to receive an accessory for smokers; and wherein the article exhibits first means for hermetically occluding the first opening when the closing element is arranged in the second position thereof; the first chamber being dimensioned such that after having inserted a lit cigarette butt internally of the first chamber and having hermetically closed the first chamber, the cigarette butt is rapidly extinguished as a consequence of a progressive exhausting of oxygen present internally of the first chamber.

2. The article of claim 1, wherein the first means comprise a first seal arranged at the first opening of the first chamber such as to guarantee hermetic closure of the first chamber when the closing element occludes the first opening.

3. The article of claim 2, wherein the body comprises a second chamber, adjacent to the first chamber, for internally receiving ash from at least a cigarette, the second chamber being accessible from outside via a second opening.

4. The article of claim 3, wherein the closing element is configured such that: when the closing element is in the first position the second chamber is also accessible from outside; when the closing element is in the second position it also occludes the second opening, making the second chamber inaccessible from outside.

5. The article of claim 3, wherein the first opening and the second opening are provided at a side of the body and are adjacent to one another, and wherein the closing element is configured such that: it is slidable along the side of the body along a first direction; when it is in the first position and in the second position the second chamber is accessible from outside; it can assume a third position in which it occludes the first chamber and the second chamber, respectively making the first chamber and the second chamber inaccessible from outside.

6. The article of claim 4, comprising a second seal arranged at the second opening of the second chamber such as to guarantee hermetic closing of the second chamber when the closing element occludes the second opening.

7. The article of claim 5, wherein the closing element is provided with an internal groove comprising a first wall and a second wall and wherein second means are provided, arranged and conformed such as to project from the body and insert in the groove of the closing element, such as to abut against the first wall when the closing element occludes the first opening and the second opening, and to abut against the second wall when the closing element makes the first chamber and the second chamber accessible.

8. The article of claim 3, wherein when the article is in use, the first chamber and the second chamber exhibit a prevalently longitudinal development, and wherein the closing element is hinged to the body by means of a hinge axis which is parallel to the development of the first chamber and the second chamber.

9. The article of claim 3, wherein when the article is in use the first chamber and the second chamber exhibit a prevalently longitudinal development, and wherein the closing element is hinged to the body by a hinge axis which is perpendicular to the development of the first chamber and the second chamber.

10. The article of claim 3, wherein when the closing element comprises a first part and a second part, the first part and the second part being independently constrained to the body for respectively occluding the first opening and the second opening and for making respectively the first chamber and the second chamber accessible.

11. The article of claim 3, wherein the first opening and the second opening are provided at a side of the body, and wherein the closing element is configured such that: it faces the side of the body and is rotatable with respect to the body; when it is in the first position the second chamber is inaccessible from outside; when it is in the second position the second chamber is accessible from outside; it can assume a third position in which it occludes the first opening and the second opening, making the first chamber and the second chamber respectively inaccessible from outside.

12. The article of claim 1, further comprising a container conformed such as to receive, through an access zone, at least a cigarette to be smoked.

13. The article of claim 5, comprising a second seal arranged at the second opening of the second chamber such as to guarantee hermetic closing of the second chamber when the closing element occludes the second opening.