Patent Application
20220378089
A hookah is a device used to smoke tobacco. The device has its origins in the Middle East and Near East regions. A typical hookah 10 as shown in
Hookah tobacco, if often referred to as “massell.” Massell is a mixture of tobacco, molasses, and often a flavor or fruit extract, The molasses and fruit extract add a substantial amount of moisture to the massell that is missing in conventional tobacco. This added moisture makes massell more sensitive to the elements relative to conventional tobacco. To smoke the hookah, the massell or tobacco is placed within the tobacco support 34 of the bowl. The coal plate 36 is then mounted on top of the bowl covering the massell. Typically, there is a space between the upper surface of the massell and the coal plate as it is often desirable that the coal does not contact the massell. Lit coals 37 are placed on top of the coal plate. The heat from the coals ignites the massell. Smoke generated by the ignited massell travels through the conduit and the first end of the stem and exits in the water through the second end of the stem. The water cooled the smoke exits the reservoir through each hose 22 and corresponding mouth piece as the user inhales through the mouth piece.
Hookah bowls often have a narrow-width base and may be unstable when placed on a surface so a user can fill them with the appropriate tobacco. As a result they often topple over.
In an example embodiment, a tobacco bowl stand for supporting a tobacco bowl having an opening for receiving a hookah stem includes a base, and a protrusion extending from the base configured for being received in the tobacco bowl opening for holding the tobacco bowl in an upright position. In another example embodiment, the base is adjacent to an inner surface of a cap of a canister having a body. The canister body may be used for holding tobacco. In a further example embodiment, the base is the cap of a cannister. In yet a further example embodiment, the protrusion is conical. In another example embodiment, the protrusion is frustum conical. In yet another example embodiment, the base extends along a plane and a dimension of the base along the plane is greater than any dimension of the protrusion along any plane parallel to the plane. In one example embodiment, the base is polygonal in plan view. In a further example embodiment, the base includes a peripheral edge and at least a portion of the peripheral edge is serrated. In yet a further example embodiment, the base extends along a plane and has a dimension along the plane of at least 2 inches. In another example embodiment, the base extends along a plane and has a dimension along the plane of at least 3 inches. In yet another example embodiment, the base extends along a plane and has a dimension along the plane of at least 3.5 inches.
In another example embodiment, a canister includes a body and a cap for capping the body. The cap has an outer surface opposite an inner surface and includes a protrusion extending relative to the inner surface in a direction opposite the outer surface and toward the body when the cap is capping the body. The protrusion is also for being inserted into a rear opening of a tobacco bowl for supporting the tobacco bowl in an upright position when the cap is resting on its outer surface. In yet another example embodiment, the canister also includes a base extending from the protrusion and the base is mated to the inner surface of the cap. In one example embodiment, the base includes a peripheral edge, the cap includes a peripheral wall extending in the same direction as the protrusion, and the base is friction or interference fitted within the peripheral wall. In another example embodiment, the base peripheral edge is serrated. In yet another example embodiment, the protrusion is removably coupled with the cap. In one example embodiment, the base is wider than the tobacco bowl. In a further example embodiment, the base extends along a plane and has a dimension along the plane of at least 2 inches. In another example embodiment, the base extends along a plane and has a dimension along the plane of at least 3 inches. In yet another example embodiment, the base extends along a plane and has a dimension along the plane of at least 3.5 inches. With any of the aforementioned embodiments, the canister is tobacco canister for holding tobacco.
In an example embodiment, a tobacco bowl stand 50 (referred as “stand” herein) is provided that fits in cap 52 of a canister for tobacco 54 (
When a user wants to fill the tobacco bowl with massell, the user takes the cannister cap 52 with the stand and places it on a surface 80 such that the protrusion 60 extends upward, as for example shown in
In the example embodiment where the protrusion 60 is conical or frustum conical, with its outer surface 61 tapering to a smaller diameter in a direction away from the base 58. In an example embodiment, the tapering diameter of the protrusion outer surface is such that when sufficiently received into the opening 30 of the bowl it engages the inner surface 31 of the bowl opening as shown in
In other example embodiments, the protrusion may have other shapes than conical or frustum conical. For example, it may be cylindrical, or may be in the shape of a cube or may have any other shape that is sized to be received within the opening 30 of the tobacco bowl for supporting the tobacco bowl. The protrusion outer surface in one example embodiment has a dimension such that it fits and engages the inner surface 31 of the opening 30 providing for a tight fit. In another example embodiment, the protrusion outer surface is dimensioned to provide for a looser fit within the inner surface 31 of the opening 30.
In an example embodiment, the base 58 can have a geometric shape in plan view (i.e. a peripheral shape) that will allow it to fit within the peripheral wall of the cap. In an example embodiment, the shape of the base in plan view is complementary to the shape of the peripheral wall of the cap. For example, if the peripheral wall 64 of the cap extends along a circular path defining a cylinder, the base of the stand has a circular peripheral shape. Similarly, if the peripheral wall of the cap extends along a rectangular or square path, the base will have a complementary rectangular or peripheral shape. In other example embodiments, the peripheral shape of the base is not complementary to the shape defined by the peripheral wall of the cap. In example embodiments, only portions of the periphery (i.e., the peripheral edge) of the stand base engage the cap peripheral wall to form a friction or interference fit with the peripheral wall such that the stand can be retained by such friction or fit within the cap. In another example embodiment, the periphery of the of the base is such that when fitted within the cap it does not engage the peripheral wall.
In an example embodiment the base has a dimension such that it is wider than the base of the bowl. In an example embodiment, when the bowl is supported by the stand, the base of the stand extends beyond opposite sides of the base 84 of the bowl, as for example shown in
In another example embodiment the stand or the base of the stand may be adhered to the cap. In a further example embodiment, the stand or the protrusion may be integrally formed with the cap such the protrusion extends from the inner surface of the top wall of the cap.
While this invention has been described in detail with particular references to exemplary embodiments thereof, the exemplary embodiments described herein are not intended to be exhaustive or to limit the scope of the invention to the exact forms disclosed. Persons skilled in the art and technology to which this invention pertains will appreciate that alterations and changes in the described structures and methods of assembly and operation can be practiced without meaningfully departing from the principles, spirit, and scope of this invention, as set forth in the following claims. Although relative terms such as “outer,” “inner,” “upper,” “lower,” “below,” “above,” and similar terms have been used herein to describe a spatial relationship of one element to another, it is understood that these terms are intended to encompass different orientations of the various elements and components of the invention in addition to the orientation depicted in the figures. Furthermore, as used herein, when a component is referred to as being “on” another component, it can be directly on the other component or components may also be present therebetween. Moreover, when a component is component is referred to as being “coupled” to another component, it can be directly attached to the other component or intervening components may be present therebetween.
