Patent Application
20070277299
Embodiments of the present invention are described in detail below with reference to the following drawings:
This invention relates generally to smokeless tobacco, and more specifically, to systems and methods for the use and storage of smokeless tobacco. Specific details of certain embodiments of the invention are set forth in the following description and in
In one embodiment, the cap cavity 165 is defined by, among other elements, the first cap lip 155, the second cap lip 160 and one or more cap wing 150. The elements defining the cap cavity 165 can be configured such that the cap cavity 165 can receive and hold and receive a smokeless tobacco can 500. To achieve the reception and holding of the smokeless tobacco can 500, in one embodiment, there is a first and second cap wing 150, which can be configured such that the distance between the first and second wing 150 is less than the diameter of the smokeless tobacco can 500.
To place the smokeless tobacco can 500 in the cap cavity 165, a user first places the smokeless tobacco can 500 between the first cap lip 155 and the second cap lip 160, thereby inserting the smokeless tobacco can 500 partially into cap cavity 165. The user then presses on the smokeless tobacco can such that a force is applied to the first and second cap wing 150, the force pushes the first and second cap wing 150 away from each other such that the distance between the first and second cap wing 150 is equal or greater than the diameter of the smokeless tobacco can 500. The user finally pushes the on the smokeless tobacco can 500 such that the smokeless tobacco 500 can is fully inserted into the cap cavity 165. The tobacco can 500 is held in the cap cavity 165 by the first and second cap wing 150.
In this embodiment, the first and second cap wing 150 are configured to be semi-elastic or are made of a material that makes them semi-elastic. The semi-elastic property of the first and second cap wing 150 allows the first and second cap wing 150 to flex or bend when force is applied to the first and second cap wing 150, but allows the first and second cap wing 150 to return to their original shape or position when force is removed.
In a further embodiment the there can be one or more cap wing 150 and the one or more cap wing 150 can be made of any material such as plastic, metal, glass, wood, rubber textile, or ceramic. In a still further embodiment the one or more cap wing 150 can be in any shape. In another embodiment, the one or more cap wing 150 can comprise springs, rods, or other mechanical means that allow the one or more cap wing 150 to be configured such that the cap cavity 165 can accept and hold a smokeless tobacco can 500.
In one embodiment, the first cap lip 155 and the second cap lip 160 are configured such that a smokeless tobacco can 500 is capable of being inserted into the cap cavity 165 and held within the cap cavity 165. The distance between the first cap lip 155 and the second cap lip 160 can be equal of less than the height of a smokeless tobacco can 500. To insert the tobacco can 500 into the cap cavity 165, the user can increase the distance between the first cap lip 155 and the second cap lip 160 by prying, pulling or lifting one or both of the first cap lip 155 and the second cap lip 160 such that the smokeless tobacco can is capable of being inserted into the cap cavity 165. Once the can is inserted, the first cap lip 155 and/or the second cap lip 160 can be released so that smokeless tobacco can 500 is held within the cap cavity 165. The first cap lip 155 and the second cap lip 160 can be made of an elastic or semi-elastic material such that the first cap lip 155 and the second cap lip 160 will exert a force on the smokeless tobacco can 500 in the cap cavity 165 and thereby hold the smokeless tobacco can 500 in the cap cavity 165.
In a further embodiment, the first cap lip 155 and the second cap lip 160 can be any shape or size and can be any distance apart. In a still further embodiment, the first cap lip 155 and the second cap lip 160 can be made of any material, including, but not limited to plastic, metal, glass, wood, rubber textile, or ceramic.
In one embodiment of the invention a user can expectorate or spit into tube orifice 110 of the tube 105, which can be configured to allow the expectorant or spit to flow into and be held within the spittoon bucket 200. A user can expectorate or spit any fluid into the tube orifice 110 of the tube 105, which can comprise one or more of the following materials: saliva, water, or smokeless tobacco.
In a further embodiment, a user may expectorate, spit or place any material into the tube orifice 110 of the tube 105, so that it can be held in the spittoon bucket 200. These materials include, but are not limited to cigarettes, cigarette butts, smokeless tobacco, or paper.
In a still further embodiment a user may place any fluid, material, or object into the tube orifice 110 of the tube 105 so that this material can be held within the spittoon bucket. The user can then drink, ingest, imbibe, pour or remove said fluid, material or object though the tube orifice 110 of the tube 105. Such fluid, material, or object can be, but is not limited to water, juice, sports drink, beer, candy, peanuts, paper clips or coins.
In one embodiment of the present invention, the spittoon cap plug 300 can be inserted into the tube orifice 110 (not shown in
In one embodiment of the invention, the spittoon cap plug 300 is secured or coupled to the spittoon cap 100 by the plug extension member 340, and the plug coupling member 350, which interact with the plug coupling aperture 175 (not shown in
Once the plug coupling member 350 has passed through the plug coupling aperture 175 (not shown in
In a still further embodiment, the spittoon orifice 105 may be plugged by any means, including, but not limited to, a cap that is placed around the tube, a valve, a clasp, or Velcro®. In another embodiment, the spittoon cap plug 300 can be attached or coupled to the spittoon in any way, including, but not limited to, a clasp, welding, ball and socket, tape, hinge, string tether, rope tether, glue, or it can be formed as an integral member of the spittoon cap 100.
On the interior of the outer cap rim 115 there is one or more first cap coupling member 130 and one or more second cap member 135, which can be configured to couple the spittoon cap 100 to the spittoon bucket 200 (not shown in
As described herein, the tube 105 is configured to provide a tube orifice 110 from a first end to a second end of the spittoon cap 100, which can facilitate the passage of fluids, solids or gasses through the tube orifice 110. In one embodiment of the invention, the tube 105 can be any shape, such as a square, rectangle, oval, circle, or any other regular or irregular shape and the length of the tube 105 may be regularly or irregularly shaped at different points along the tube 105. In a further embodiment, there can be one or more tube 110.
In one embodiment, there is a first and a second cap hole 170, which is positioned symmetrically near the edge of the first cap lip 155. The first and second cap hole 170 are defined by a hole in the first cap lip 155 and provide a passage into the cap cavity 165 (not shown in
When a smokeless tobacco can 500 resides or is held in the cap cavity 165 (not shown in
In another embodiment, there can be one or more cap hole 170, which can be any size or shape and can be located anywhere on the first cap lip 155. In a further embodiment, there may be one or more indentation 145, which can be accessed through the one or more cap hole 170 on the first cap lip 155. In a still further embodiment, there can be one or more indentation, which can be in any shape or configuration.
As described herein, the plug coupling aperture 175 facilitates the coupling or attachment of the spittoon cap plug 300 to the spittoon cap 100. In one embodiment, the cap coupling aperture 175 can be any shape or size.
In one embodiment of the invention, the bucket body 225 can be any size or shape, either regular or irregular. In a further embodiment, the bucket rim 205 can be any shape or size, either regular or irregular. In a still further embodiment, there may be one or more bucket handle 220, which may be configured to allow a user to grasp or hold the bucket handle 220. In a still further embodiment, there may be one or more bucket handle 220, which may be configured to accept a strap, clip, rope, string, band or other coupling means. The strap, clip, rope, string, band, or other coupling means can be connected to one or more bucket handle 220.
In another embodiment of the invention, the first cap coupling member 130 and the second cap coupling member 135 can be any size or shape. In a still further embodiment, there may be a material on the bucket shelf and/or the outer cap rim 115 that facilitates a seal, such as rubber, plastic or textile. In a still further embodiment of the invention, coupling of the spittoon cap 100 to the spittoon bucket 200 can be achieved through any means of coupling known in the art, including, but not limited to complementary screw, pin and slot, ball and socket, latch, or friction.
While preferred and alternate embodiments of the invention have been illustrated and described, as noted above, many changes can be made without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention. Accordingly, the scope of the invention is not limited by the disclosure of these preferred and alternate embodiments. Instead, the invention should be determined by reference to the claims that follow.
