Tobacco – Tobacco users' appliance – Supports
Reexamination Certificate
1997-12-03
2001-02-06
Silverman, Stanley S. (Department: 1731)
Tobacco
Tobacco users' appliance
Supports
C131S187000, C131S256000, C131S338000, C131S329000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06182669
ABSTRACT:
This invention relates to a requisite for smokers for reducing the amount of smoke emitted by a cigarette, in particular reducing the amount of so-called “side-stream smoke”.
This latter smoke is the smoke emitted by the smoldering tip of the cigarette. It is particularly visible between two inhalations of the smoker, for example when the cigarette lies in an ashtray.
Different systems have already been put forward to this end. They are often complicated, cumbersome and not very effective. To the knowledge of the applicant no requisite of this type has been marketed.
Recently (WO95/10200), requisites were put forward that are capable of retaining in a chamber (“wrap up”) the smoke emitted by the tip of the cigarette which is then filtered prior to reaching the outside. The supply of air is provided in a passive manner and the chamber can be a cardboard box capable of being manipulated with one hand and also fulfilling the function of ashtray. These requisites are effective and constitute a significant progress. They nevertheless remain relatively cumbersome and have psychological disadvantages for the smoker, e.g. the partial non-visibility of the cigarette.
According to the document of patent GB 2.157.541, it has also be established that it is possible to reduce the side-stream smoke produced during the smoldering of a cigarette, by fitting a simple sleeve to this that surrounds it, sleeve or ring capable of friction sliding, and whose position can be regulated at any time by the smoker.
The sleeve is in the form of a pipe segment, preferably rigid, of internal diameter approximately equal to the diameter of a cigarette. This sleeve is in metal, plastic or in the form of a thin layer of rolled-up inorganic paper.
When the extremity of the sleeve covers the smoldering tip or the boundary between this latter and the unburned paper, the relatively quick smoldering of the cigarette is greatly reduced and the visible smoke emitted from it almost disappears. The side supply of oxygen is indeed cut off. The cigarette only goes out after a lapse of time of the order of 1 to 2 minutes.
This system comprises certain disadvantages, for example the difficulty of utilization which has to become instinctive, the traces of condensation which appear on the outer and inner walls, fouling and an alteration of the flavor due to the material used.
To the knowledge of the applicant, no device of this type has yet been marketed.
This invention consists in providing considerable improvements to this type of device by facilitating its handling by the smoker who utilizes it and by facilitating a daily and hygienic utilization.
According to one aspect of the invention, a device is indeed put forward comprising at least one part covering or close to the smoldering tip of the cigarette (distal part) and a distinct gripping part which serves for handling (proximal part).
According to the invention, the part covering or close to the smoldering tip of the cigarette is imperforate and is made of a material utilized for traditional pipe bowls, more especially briar wood or meerschaum.
The above mentioned parts are preferentially in the form of distinct longitudinal segments made to form one piece by friction, screwing or gluing.
These latter materials are nevertheless not very dimensionally stable and are relatively costly. According to another aspect of the invention, the requisite consequently comprises a gripping part in a more stable and more economical material, for example another wood or a plastic. This aspect of the invention enables industrial manufacturing.
The sleeve according to the invention operates like a controlled effect extinguisher. It can be pushed toward the smoldering tip and returned to a more proximal position, generally with the fingers of the free hand of the smoker. Handling can also, advantageously, be done with the fingers of the hand that holds the cigarette, for example with the thumb for pushing the cigarette on the one hand and the thumb and the ring finger for withdrawing the cigarette. In order to slide a very light sleeve, just the index finger can be used.
The movement of the sleeve along the cigarette can also be effected by holding the cigarette between the lips, the index finger and the middle finger taking hold of the requisite as they would take hold of a cigarette conventionally and sliding it.
When the smoker wishes to inhale smoke, he moves the sleeve as mentioned above freeing the smoldering tip. Inhalation can then take place normally. After inhalation, the sleeve is returned and the process is advantageously repeated for each inhalation. The unburned part of the paper of the cigarette is thus returned inside the sleeve between each inhalation.
Other techniques for smoking with this device can be adopted. The cigarette can thus be moved forward in the sleeve by a distance that depends on the manner of inhaling of the smoker so that the burned part of the cigarette essentially corresponds to the emergent part of the extremity. According to other variants inhalation with the lighted tip in the sleeve is possible.
The user can easily acquire a certain dexterity for moving the sleeve along the cigarette and thus controlling the secondary emission of smoke. If at the beginning accidental extinctions can occur, this dexterity very quickly becomes effective and natural and even instinctive.
The duration of smoldering of the cigarette is generally increased. In normal use, and depending on the length of the sleeve, the presence of this latter nevertheless stops the cigarettes from being smoked right up to the filter tip which constitutes an advantage insofar as it is this last part that is recognized as being the most harmful (tar, nicotine, heat). If the user so wishes, the sleeve can be retracted at any time and the remainder of the cigarette smoked as usual.
In economic terms, the invention can also procure numerous advantages due to slower smoldering. Furthermore the requisite enables the extinction and relighting of a cigarette as desired without an ashtray being necessary, and without substantial alteration to flavor, unaesthetic stubbing out of the cigarette end, or moreover emission of smoke when extinguishing.
Irrespective of the beneficial effect on the emission of smoke, the slowing down of the smoldering can be desired in environments where this is too fast, e.g. in open air and when it is windy.
Advantageously, given that the wall of the sleeve near the distal part is relatively thick (over 2 mm), the requisite according to the invention can be placed horizontally on a table with the lit cigarette inserted in it. The distance between the supporting surface and the smoldering tip prevents all burning of the aforesaid surface and if the cigarette is forgotten, it will go out automatically.
According to the invention, the sleeve is a short sleeve of a material non-inflammable at the temperature of the smoldering tip of the cigarette. The sleeve comprises at least two functionally different parts namely a gripping proximal part and a distal part forming a controlled ventilation combustion chamber.
Preferably, the device according to the invention will be made from a wood, more preferentially a wood able to serve for manufacturing traditional pipes, in particular pipe bowls. This could for example be briar or boxwood.
These woods constitute a particularly advantageous material, among others because the flavor of the smoke inhaled is not or hardly altered.
The sleeve can be formed by turnery. For products according to the invention only to be used a limited number of times, e.g. so-called “throw-away” products, more readily available woods can be utilized (e.g. so-called alimentary woods such as beech) or economical materials known for making pipes (corn-cob).
Heat stability, in particular for the top of the range products, is important in order to enable a constant friction between the cigarette and the device according to the invention. If the diameter of the sleeve increases too significantly under the effect of the heat, this risks sliding and falling away f
Bloom Leonard
Colens Alain
Silverman Stanley S.
Walls Dionne A.
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