Patent Application
20210244089
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The disclosure relates to timed storage devices and more particularly pertains to a new timed storage device for restricting access to cigarettes.
The prior art relates to timed storage devices. The prior art discloses a cigarette box that includes a timer and a belt with dispensing holes therein for sequentially exposing cigarettes. The prior art discloses a variety of cigarette boxes that have a timed release which range between mechanical timers and programmable electronic timers. Additionally, the prior art discloses a variety of cigarette boxes that have mechanisms for vending a single cigarette at predetermined durations of time. In one instance the cigarette box has a storage compartment for storing a cigarette lighter. The most relevant prior art disclose a cigarette case that includes an electronic timer and a lighter that is integrated into the cigarette case. In none of the disclosures is the combination of a timed release, a lighter and a light emitter claimed.
An embodiment of the disclosure meets the needs presented above by generally comprising a box that has dimensions sufficient to receive a pack of cigarettes. A lid is hingedly coupled to the box and the lid is positionable between an open position to restrict access to the pack of cigarettes in the box. The locking unit disengages the lid when the locking unit is in an unlocked condition at predetermined intervals of time. A lighter is coupled to the box and the lighter produces heat when the lighter is ignited to light cigarettes for smoking. A light emitter is coupled to the box to emit light outwardly therefrom.
There has thus been outlined, rather broadly, the more important features of the disclosure in order that the detailed description thereof that follows may be better understood, and in order that the present contribution to the art may be better appreciated. There are additional features of the disclosure that will be described hereinafter and which will form the subject matter of the claims appended hereto.
The objects of the disclosure, along with the various features of novelty which characterize the disclosure, are pointed out with particularity in the claims annexed to and forming a part of this disclosure.
The disclosure will be better understood and objects other than those set forth above will become apparent when consideration is given to the following detailed description thereof. Such description makes reference to the annexed drawings wherein:
With reference now to the drawings, and in particular to
As best illustrated in
A locking unit 20 is provided and the locking unit 20 is coupled to the box 12. The locking unit 20 engages the lid 18 when the locking unit 20 is in a locked condition to restrict access to the pack of cigarettes in the box 12. The locking unit 20 disengages the lid 18 when the locking unit 20 is in an unlocked condition. The locking unit 20 is actuated into the unlocked condition at predetermined intervals of time.
The locking unit 20 comprises a control circuit 22 that is coupled to the box 12, and the control circuit 22 receives an unlock input. A lock 24 is coupled to the box 12 and the lock 24 is electrically coupled to the control circuit 22. The lock 24 is in a normally locked condition thereby locking the lid 18. Moreover, the lock 24 is actuated to release the lid 18 when the control circuit 22 receives the unlock input. The lock 24 may comprise an electronic lock of any conventional design.
An electronic timer 26 is coupled to the box 12 and the electronic timer 26 is electrically coupled to the control circuit 22. The electronic timer 26 tracks the time of day. A display 28 is coupled to the outer wall 16 of the box 12 and the display 28 is electrically coupled to the control circuit 22. The display 28 displays numeric indicia 30 for indicating the time of day. The display 28 may be an LCD or other similar type of electronic display.
A plurality of control buttons 32 is each movably coupled to the outer wall 16 of the box 12. Each of the control buttons 32 is electrically coupled to the control circuit 22. The control buttons 32 are manipulated to program the time of day at which the control circuit 22 should receive the unlock input. The control circuit 22 may be programmed to receive the unlock input at regularly scheduled intervals throughout the day, at specific hours of the day or any combination thereof. An override button 34 is movably coupled to the box 12 and the override button 34 is electrically coupled to the control circuit 22. The lock 24 is actuated to release the lid 18 when the override button 34 is depressed thereby facilitating the box 12 to be opened at any time.
A power supply 36 is coupled to the box 12 and the power supply 36 is electrically coupled to the control circuit 22. The power supply 36 comprises at least one battery 38 that is electrically coupled to the control circuit 22. A charge port 40 is recessed into the outer wall 16 of the box 12 and the charge port 40 is electrically coupled to the at least one battery 38. The charge port 40 is electrically coupled to a power source for charging the at least one battery 38.
A lighter 42 is provided and the lighter 42 is coupled to the box 12. The lighter 42 produces heat when the lighter 42 is turned on to light cigarettes for smoking. An igniter 48 is slidably coupled to the box 12 and the igniter 48 is operationally coupled to the lighter 42. The igniter 48 turns on the lighter 42 when the igniter 48 is manipulated into an igniting position. The lighter 42 may comprise a heating coil or other type of electronic device that can produce heat sufficient to ignite tobacco.
A light emitter 50 is coupled to the box 12 to emit light outwardly therefrom. The light emitter 50 is electrically coupled to the control circuit 22. A light button 52 is movably coupled to the box 12 and the light button 52 is electrically coupled to the light emitter 50. The light button 52 turns the light emitter 50 on and off. The light emitter 50 may comprise an LED or the like.
In use, the pack of cigarettes is positioned in the box 12 and the lid 18 is closed. The control buttons 32 are manipulated to program the time of day, or duration of time, at which the lock 24 is actuated into the unlocked condition. In this way the user can regulate their consumption of cigarettes by imposing a predetermined schedule on their access to the cigarettes in the box 12. Additionally, the lighter 42 on the box 12 can be manipulated to light the cigarettes for smoking.
With respect to the above description then, it is to be realized that the optimum dimensional relationships for the parts of an embodiment enabled by the disclosure, to include variations in size, materials, shape, form, function and manner of operation, assembly and use, are deemed readily apparent and obvious to one skilled in the art, and all equivalent relationships to those illustrated in the drawings and described in the specification are intended to be encompassed by an embodiment of the disclosure.
Therefore, the foregoing is considered as illustrative only of the principles of the disclosure. Further, since numerous modifications and changes will readily occur to those skilled in the art, it is not desired to limit the disclosure to the exact construction and operation shown and described, and accordingly, all suitable modifications and equivalents may be resorted to, falling within the scope of the disclosure. In this patent document, the word “comprising” is used in its non-limiting sense to mean that items following the word are included, but items not specifically mentioned are not excluded. A reference to an element by the indefinite article “a” does not exclude the possibility that more than one of the element is present, unless the context clearly requires that there be only one of the elements.
