Receptacles – Smoking stand
Reexamination Certificate
2000-11-21
2002-09-24
Moy, Joseph M. (Department: 3727)
Receptacles
Smoking stand
C220S676000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06454122
ABSTRACT:
FIELD OF THE INVENTION
The present invention relates in general to the disposal of combustible debris. In particular, the present invention. relates to a collection device for the collection and disposal of cigarettes, cigars and other small combustible debris in and around smoking areas, which enables the debris to be easily collected and substantially completely extinguished to prevent the debris from smoldering and reduce risk of fire.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
In response to new laws on air quality and increasing health concerns over the dangers of inhaling secondhand smoke, many public and private buildings are now “smoke free”, thus requiring all smoking materials to be extinguished prior to entering the building. To accommodate smokers, many buildings have designated “smoking areas”, typically located outside the building, where smoking of cigarettes and cigars is freely permitted. Accordingly, most buildings generally have ash trays or other containers at the building entrances and designated smoking areas, in which smokers can dispose of their used smoking materials. Without such containers to hold discarded materials, the ground around the smoking area becomes littered with cigarette butts, matches, wrappers, and empty cigarette packs. The resulting debris is unsightly, and to the extent that it can pose a risk of fire, dangerous. However, the design and use of the ashtrays or garbage cans typically used by most buildings for disposing of smoker's debris has failed to adequately solve these problems and has led to additional problems.
For example, one of the most commonly used ash/trash designs comprises a trash can having a top with a shallow sand-filled depression. Cigarette butts are urged into the sand to stub out or smother them. Such ash/trash containers tend to become unsightly as the sand filled depressions become filled with cigarette butts and ash and invite the placement of other trash and debris therein. As a result, maintenance of these containers is difficult and undesirable. The sand must either be raked and the cigarette butts and other debris removed by hand, or dumped out and replaced, thereby wasting any clean sand that might remain. Additionally, the depression collects rainwater and other debris that mixes with the sand, hastening the degradation of the container and contributing to its smell and unsightly appearance. Consequently, more frequent cleaning/replacement of the sand is required.
The trash can below the sand filled depression also contributes to the problems of conventional ash/trash containers. As the top becomes filled, people tend to deposit smoking debris into the trash can, which typically is filled with combustible materials such as paper and plastic, causing a serious risk of fire. Additionally, people often leave debris destined for the trash can on top of the sand filled depression. The accumulated pile up of debris is unsightly and requires more clean up than trash neatly deposited inside the trash can.
Another conventional design for a smoking waste receptacle includes a device marketed under the brand name “Cease-Fire”. This device comprises a steel waste container with a central circular opening in its top that directs smoke and gas back into the container so as to extinguish combustible material deposited therein. Unfortunately, people often try to insert other trash into the receptacle, clogging the opening and causing debris to pile on and around the receptacle. Also, the top opening enables ingress and collection of rainwater, making maintenance more difficult and frequent replacement necessary.
Another problem with most conventional ash/trash receptacle designs, as discussed above, is that they can easily spill collected debris when blown or knocked over by the wind, etc. Such spillage spreads the debris and requires quick cleanup.
Another cigarette receptacle design now being marketed under the name “Eagle® Butt Can” is designed solely for collection of cigarette butts. This design consists of a five gallon container with a narrow tube extending vertically from the container. The tube has an open end for depositing cigarette butts. The main problem with such a design is that the tube can easily become clogged when debris other than cigarette butts is inserted into its narrow throat. Also, because the opening is at the top of the tube, rainwater can still enter the container, making the can heavier and making cleanup messy and more difficult. The collection of rainwater in the base also causes the metal container to corrode and rust.
Therefore, it would be desirable to provide a receptacle or collection device for collecting cigar butts, cigarette butts, and other combustible debris that will resist becoming blocked as other debris is placed therein and which will extinguish smoking debris, without collecting rainwater and other debris, and which is easy to use and maintain.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
Briefly described, the present invention comprises a low maintenance, decorative, indoor-outdoor receptacle or collection device for receiving and collecting smoking debris and other combustible material. The collection device of the present invention comprises a structural body which defines therewithin a first cavity, herein also referred to as the receptacle chamber, and an elongated, inner passage (also referred to herein as the “throat” or “throat passage”) which passage tapers from a lower portal in communication with the receptacle chamber of the base to an upper portal open to the environment. Preferably, the throat passage is funnel-shaped. Preferably, the throat passage is positioned in the body structure directly over the receptacle chamber and the funnel-shaped passage narrows in a continual taper from the lower portal to the upper portal. Preferably, the characteristic dimensions of the throat passage are such that it promotes a “smothering effect” by remaining sufficiently long and narrow throughout its length and are also such that clogging of the throat passage is resisted. The smothering effect is an effect by which smoldering or smoking material within the receptacle chamber is extinguished. The smothering effect of the collection device is believed to be promoted by the fact that the elongated, narrow throat passage channels rising smoke into a continually narrowing space and the narrow upper portal is the only ingress and egress to/from the receptacle chamber. Thus, by promoting a Venturi effect, this configuration is believed to impede the ingress of oxygen to the receptacle chamber. The continually narrowing taper extending from the lower portal to the upper portal, among other effects, assists to prevent the inadvertent clogging by disposed foreign materials in the throat passage. In preferred embodiments, a shield member is provided positioned over and displaced from the upper portal. Preferably, access is provided to the receptacle chamber by which, through the use of one of numerous techniques and assemblies, collected material is removed from the receptacle chamber. Preferably, all entryways by which access is had to the receptacle chamber, except the throat passage, can be made substantially airtight to prevent excess oxygen from entering the receptacle chamber. By way of example, alternate embodiments include techniques/assemblies such as: an access port formed in the side of the body structure through which access is had to the receptacle chamber and a hinged door to selectively close off the access portal, the collected materials being removed with the aid of a small shovel; a rigidly formed liner or basket inserted like a drawer through the access portal into which the collected material falls, which drawer is inserted and removed through the access panel after opening the hinged door; the receptacle chamber with or without the rigid liner is defined in a separate base member of the structural body and a cover member through which the throat passage is defined is removable from the base member or is connected to the base member by a hinge such that, in either or any event, access to
DCI Marketing Inc.
Foley & Lardner
Moy Joseph M.
LandOfFree
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