Patent Application
20220039463
The following includes information that may be useful in understanding the present disclosure. It is not an admission that any of the information provided herein is prior art nor material to the presently described or claimed inventions, nor that any publication or document that is specifically or implicitly referenced is prior art.
The present invention relates generally to the field of glass smoking apparatuses of existing art and more specifically relates to smoking apparatus protectors.
Many smokers enjoy using a glass pipe but worry that it will break if dropped or otherwise impacted. Often, the pipe becomes hot and causes the individual to lose their grip. The glass may also be slippery, which often causes the user to inadvertently drop the pipe. The impact from a fall, even a short one, can cause the pipe to crack or even shatter. This will render the pipe unusable and force the user to pay for a replacement smoking apparatus (e.g., bong, pipe, etc.). A suitable solution is desired.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,400,807 to Mark R. Newman relates to a water pipe smoking apparatus having impact collars and base storage compartment. The described water pipe smoking apparatus having impact collars and base storage compartment includes a liquid pipe smoking apparatus having impact collars formed to be carried by the body of the base member, and or, the vessel body of the apparatus. The impact collars are detachable and are intended to absorb shock encountered by the apparatus during use to avoid fracture of the vessel body, and or to avoid tipping of the pipe apparatus. The cylindrical base member is also modified such that the underside portion provides a storage compartment covered with a threaded or friction retained bottom cap member. Various embodiments may be configured utilizing the impact collars and the modified base structure.
In view of the foregoing disadvantages inherent in the known smoking apparatus protector art, the present disclosure provides a novel device and method for protecting a smoking apparatus. The general purpose of the present disclosure, which will be described subsequently in greater detail is to provide an effective and convertible device for protecting a smoking apparatus.
The smoking apparatus may include a mouth interface, at least one air inlet, and a glass body between the mouth interface and the at least one air inlet. The glass body has an outer surface defining an internal cavity. The device for protecting the smoking apparatus comprises a jacket constructed of a semirigid and/or shock absorbent material configured to receive the glass body and may cover at least 50% of the outer surface of the glass body when on an open state. The jacket further may be configured to protect at least 80% of the outer surface of the glass body against impacts against the outer surface of the glass body while in the closed state. Additionally, a fastener may be fixed to the jacket, and configured to secure the jacket to the glass smoking apparatus.
The device further includes an embodiment with a jacket that can be divided into a plurality of sub jackets and each sub jacket can be configured to receive a predefined portion of the glass body individually or in combination. With the present embodiment, each sub-jacket may comprise a sub jacket divided into two halves and may further be configured to be releasably couplable one to the other around the outer surface of the smoking apparatus and/or a predefined portion of the smoking apparatus.
A method of using a device for protecting a smoking apparatus is also disclosed herein. The method comprises the steps of providing a device for protecting a smoking apparatus; the smoking apparatus including a mouth interface, at least one air inlet, and a glass body between the mouth interface and the at least one air inlet, the glass body having an outer surface defining an internal volume; the device comprising: a jacket configured receive the glass body, and to cover at least 50% of the outer surface of the glass body; the jacket further configured to protect against impacts against the outer surface of the glass body; and a fastener fixed to the jacket, and configured to secure the jacket to the glass smoking apparatus; positioning the jacket in an open state; inserting the smoking apparatus; closing the jacket; coupling the fastener to secure the jacket in the closed state; releasing the fastener; and removing the smoking apparatus.
For purposes of summarizing the invention, certain aspects, advantages, and novel features of the invention have been described herein. It is to be understood that not necessarily all such advantages may be achieved in accordance with any one particular embodiment of the invention. Thus, the invention may be embodied or carried out in a manner that achieves or optimizes one advantage or group of advantages as taught herein without necessarily achieving other advantages as may be taught or suggested herein. The features of the invention which are believed to be novel are particularly pointed out and distinctly claimed in the concluding portion of the specification. These and other features, aspects, and advantages of the present invention will become better understood with reference to the following drawings and detailed description.
The figures which accompany the written portion of this specification illustrate embodiments and methods of use for the present disclosure, a device for protecting a glass smoking apparatus, constructed and operative according to the teachings of the present disclosure.
The present invention will hereinafter be described in conjunction with the appended drawings, wherein like designations denote like elements.
As discussed above, embodiments of the present disclosure relate to a smoking apparatus protector and more particularly to a device for protecting a smoking apparatus from potential impact damage as used to improve the longevity of the smoking apparatus.
Generally, modern smoking apparatuses are constructed with fragile material such as glass and ceramic and as a result can be very expensive and delicate. Furthermore, because they are often fragile, smoking apparatuses are unable to sustain impacts if dropped. The present invention provides a device useful for protecting the smoking apparatus against such impacts. The device may look like a sleeve or a koozie that the smoking apparatus can slide into and surrounds the bottom half of the bowl with a bridge over the stem top to hold it in place.
The device may further be envisioned in other configurations or embodiments that can include a device comprising a protector that could be like an outer box on a phone that is 2 pieces that click in place on both sides and the bottom, while the stem is a separate protector that the stem slides into similar to a koozie. It can also be manufactured similarly to a phone case by lining the inside with silicone with the outside being wood, plastic, or the like. The retaining strap may vary as well. There can be a permanent strap, a snap strap, or a buckle strap with the initial one being made from an RTV rubber mold that the bowl can be set into with the bridge added later. It may be able to be made from semi-flex to flexible filament from a 3D printer. 3D printing can be one way to make the device. Other suitable options may be used such as with a clay molding and silicone. The measurements can be minimally the same throughout. An example may include a device being between ⅛ of an inch and one inch thick in all areas including the retaining strap but can be thicker and modeled special if the user prefers for example finger ridges for gripping or other unique designs. Preferably, the device can be about a quarter of an inch away from the bowl piece and the mouth piece sticks out about a quarter of an inch past the protector in order to still be able put mouth on the smoking apparatus.
Referring now more specifically to the drawings by numerals of reference,
Although it is clearly apparent that the device 100 of the of the present disclosure may have advantages for protecting the smoking apparatus 180, it should be noted that the smoking apparatus 180 does not require a glass element for the device 100 to be effective in the protection of the smoking apparatus 180. Examples of the smoking apparatus 180 may include wood, carved stone, porcelain, molded glass, blown glass and water pipes commonly referred to as bongs or hookahs.
The device 100 comprises a jacket 110 configured to receive the body 181 of the smoking apparatus 180 (e.g., a glass body), while in an open state (e.g., open state 212, as illustrated in
The at least one air inlet 187, jacket 110 and/or internal liner 148 may be sized and dimensioned to provide a thermal separation 160 between the at least one air inlet 187 and one or both of jacket 110 and internal liner 148, such as to prevent melting or undue heating of jacket 110 and/or internal liner 148 (e.g., where excessive heat may be produced at or near the at least one air inlet 187). Thermal separation 160 may be formed as a gap of at least 1/32 of an inch between the at least one air inlet 187 and either or both of jacket 110 and internal liner 148. A second air inlet 188 may be formed on the smoking apparatus 180, which may help regulate flow of material (e.g., flavored smoke). Jacket 110 and/or internal liner 148 may have at least one inlet aperture 114 (e.g., a slot) which may be configured to enable material to escape smoking apparatus 180. Thus, jacket 110 and/or internal liner 148 may be separated from second air inlet 188 by a thermal separation 161. The device 100 for protecting the smoking apparatus 180 may be arranged as a kit. In particular, the kit may further include one or more of jacket 110, smoking apparatus 180, and/or a set of instructions 107. The instructions 107 may detail functional relationships in relation to the structure of the device 100 such that the device 100 may be used, maintained, or the like, in a preferred manner.
It should be noted and obvious to one skilled in the art that the impact resistant material may be constructed to provide elastomeric properties allowing for a biasing deformation such that the jacket 210 and/or fastener 220 may be deformed to the open state 212 to receive the smoking apparatus and return to the closed state to retain the smoking apparatus. Shell 240 may be configured for protecting the smoking apparatus and may be formed of a shock absorbent skin (e.g., constructed of a neoprene shock absorbent material), and may be configured to slip over the smoking apparatus in a sock-like fashion.
Shell 240 may be formed with an exterior wall 242 and an interior wall 244. Internal liner 248 may be secured to interior wall 244. Shell 240 may cover at least 50% of the outer surface of the smoking apparatus. The interior wall 244 may be defined by the internal cavity 246 and may be configured to receive the smoking apparatus. The outlet aperture 216 may be sized and dimensioned to provide a gap (e.g., as represented in
As shown in
The plurality of sub jackets 350 may be divided into two halves that can be releasably coupled together (e.g., the two halves 350A, and the two halves 350B). Each of the plurality of sub-jackets 350 may further include the fastener 320 fixed to one or more of the plurality of sub-jackets 350 and may be configured to secure one or more of the plurality of sub-jackets 350 to the smoking apparatus 380. The fastener 320 may be made of an impact resistant material and may be an affixed feature of one or more of the plurality of sub-jacket 350 (e.g., sub-jacket 350A). Preferably, the fastener 320 is releasably couplable, and is further configured to secure at least one of the sub jackets 350 in the closed state. As stated above, fastener 320 may be selected from any number of suitable fasteners. The fastener 320 can be divided into a plurality of sub-fasteners 362 fixed to the plurality of the sub-jackets 350. Each sub-fastener 362 may be configured to secure its respective sub jacket 350 to its respective predefined portion of the smoking apparatus 380 (e.g., sub-jackets 350B to base portion 354, and/or sub-jackets 350A to neck 381). Each sub-fastener 362 may be biased in its respective closed state.
Device 300 may include the plurality of sub-jackets 350 configured to receive the predefined portion of the smoking apparatus 380, individually or in combination and to cover at least 50% of an outer surface 382 of smoking apparatus 380. Device 300 may cover between 50% and 97% of the glass body. Each of the plurality of sub jackets 350 may be formed of shock absorbent, semirigid material. Each of the plurality of sub jackets 350 may have an exterior wall 342 and an interior wall 344. The interior wall 344 may be defined by an internal cavity 346 configured to receive the smoking apparatus 380. Each of the plurality of sub jackets 350 may further include an internal liner 348 coupled to the interior wall 344 within the internal cavity 346. Internal liner 348 may be made of a shock absorbent material. The internal liner 348 is configured to nest at least a portion of the smoking apparatus's 380 within the internal cavity 346.
Each of the plurality of sub-jackets 350 may further include the at least one inlet aperture 314 configured to align and permit air to flow into at least one air inlet 387 of smoking apparatus 380. Thus, sub-jackets 350B may each have a slot along a perimeter thereof, such that when joined as provided for herein, the slots in each sub jacket 350B combine to form the at least one inlet aperture 314 extending through the combined jacket 350. The at least one inlet aperture 314 may be structured and arranged to align with the at least one air inlet 387 when the corresponding jacket 350 is in the closed state (e.g., as represented in
Moreover, the plurality of jackets 350 include an outlet aperture 316 configured to align and permit air to flow out of the mouth interface 385. Thus, sub jackets 350A may each have a slot along a perimeter thereof, such that when joined as provided for herein, the slots in each sub-jacket 350A combine to form the outlet aperture 316. The outlet aperture 316 may be sized and dimensioned to provide the gap 318 between outlet aperture 316 and mouth interface 385. Outlet aperture 316 may form a gap of at least ⅛ of an inch between the outlet aperture 316 and the mouth interface 385. Further, each corresponding sub jacket 350 may include a second inlet aperture 315 configured to align with and permit air to flow into or out of a second air inlet 388 of smoking apparatus 380. The second inlet aperture 315 may be sized and dimensioned to provide a thermal separation (not shown) between the second inlet aperture 315 and the second air inlet 388. This thermal separation may be represented by a gap of at least 1/32 of an inch between the second inlet aperture 315 and the second air inlet 388.
One or more of the plurality of sub jackets 350 may be configured with one or more feet 399. The one or more feet 399 may be configured to allow device 300 and/or smoking apparatus 380 to be placed on a surface and be retained in a specific geometrical relationship with respect to that surface (e.g., upright, inclined, and so forth). At least one of the plurality of sub-jackets 350 may include a sub jacket 350C configured to be retained over or around bowl portion 352.
Some embodiments of the device 400 may include the sub jackets 450 made of a shock absorbent skin comprising soft and/or compliant material, or may further have an internal liner. Sub jackets 450 and/or the internal liner may separately or in combination have a thickness between ⅛ of an inch and one inch. The shock absorbent material may be an elastomer material.
Step one, 501, providing a device for protecting a smoking apparatus, the smoking apparatus including a mouth interface, at least one air inlet, and a body between the mouth interface and the at least one air inlet. The device may further include a body having an outer surface, defining an internal volume. The device may further include a jacket or a plurality of sub-jackets configured to receive the body of the smoking apparatus. The jacket(s) may cover at least 50% of the outer surface of the body. The jacket(s) may be configured to protect against impacts to the outer surface of the body. The jacket(s) may further include a fastener fixed to the jacket, and configured to secure the jacket(s) to each other and/or to the smoking apparatus.
Step two, 502, positioning the jacket or sub-jackets in an open state on a table or stable surface.
Step three, 503, inserting the smoking apparatus into the device and/or the jacket(s). It may be preferable to hold the device in one hand while inserting the smoking apparatus or portion thereof using the other hand.
Step four, 504, closing the jacket(s), if appropriate. It may be preferrable that the device be configured to include a jacket comprising a fastener (e.g., as an integral part of the jacket) or to form the device of shock absorbent skin, soft or compliant material, or of a neoprene shock absorbent material configured to slip over the smoking apparatus in a sock-like fashion.
Step five 505, coupling the fastener to secure the jacket in the closed state.
In general, once the smoking apparatus is secured within the device, it is preferable to leave the smoking apparatus in the enclosed configuration. However, it may be necessary, on occasion, to clean or otherwise maintain the smoking apparatus. Where such cleaning or maintenance mandates the removal of the smoking apparatus from the device, additional steps may be necessary, such as:
Step six, 506, releasing the fastener.
Step seven, 507, removing the smoking apparatus.
It should be noted that steps six, 506, and seven, 507, are an optional step and may not be implemented in all cases. Optional steps of method of use 500 are illustrated using dotted lines in
The embodiments of the invention described herein are exemplary and numerous modifications, variations and rearrangements can be readily envisioned to achieve substantially equivalent results, all of which are intended to be embraced within the spirit and scope of the invention. Further, the purpose of the foregoing abstract is to enable the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office and the public generally, and especially the scientist, engineers and practitioners in the art who are not familiar with patent or legal terms or phraseology, to determine quickly from a cursory inspection the nature and essence of the technical disclosure of the application.
The present application is related to and claims priority to U.S. patent application Ser. No. 16/398,140 filed 29 Apr. 2019, which is incorporated by reference herein in its entirety.
| Number | Date | Country | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 62663981 | Apr 2018 | US |
| Number | Date | Country | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Parent | 16398140 | Apr 2019 | US |
| Child | 17510026 | US |
