Tobacco – Tobacco users' appliance – Device used for smoking
Reexamination Certificate
2000-04-20
2002-07-16
Fortuna, Jose (Department: 1731)
Tobacco
Tobacco users' appliance
Device used for smoking
C131S216000, C131S227000, C131S199000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06418937
ABSTRACT:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
1. Field of the Invention
The subject invention relates to a tobacco pipe configured to accommodate any of several types of filters.
2. Description of the Related Art
A prior art tobacco pipe typically includes a bowl having an open-topped cavity for receiving a small volume of tobacco. A stem extends from the bowl and includes a passage that communicates with the bottom end of the cavity formed in the bowl. A cylindrical mounting aperture extends into the end of the stem opposite the bowl and communicates with the passage between the stem and the tobacco cavity in the bowl. The bowl and the stem of most prior art pipes are of unitary construction.
The typical prior art pipe also includes a mouthpiece having a flattened proximal end configured for engagement in the mouth of a smoker and a cylindrical distal end configured to be frictionally retained in the cylindrical mounting aperture at the end of the stem remote from the bowl. The mouthpiece includes its own passage extending axially therethrough to provide smoke communication from the bowl to the proximal end of the mouthpiece.
The bowl and the stem of prior art pipes typically are made from wood, ceramic or an ivory-like material. This part of the pipe will last virtually forever with reasonable care. The mouthpieces of most prior art pipes currently are made of plastic, and can become worn or cracked. Mouthpieces, therefore are made separable from the stem by slightly pulling and twisting the mouthpiece relative to the stem and bowl.
Pipes vary widely in price, and there are many manufacturers of pipes in each price range. Most pipe smokers have a collection of pipes, and the pipe purchasing decision is dictated largely by the price of the pipe and the aesthetic appeal of the pipe to the smoker. Pipe collections of most smokers will include pipes from several different manufacturers.
Many prior art pipes include a hollow receptacle in the stem, in the mouth piece or partly in the stem and the mouthpiece for accommodating a filter. The filter is positioned in the pipe by first separating the mouthpiece from the stem and then slidably inserting the filter into the filter receptacle. The mouthpiece and the stem then are re-engaged frictionally with one another. Filters are changed periodically by merely separating the mouthpiece from the stem, sliding the used filter from the pipe, inserting a new filter and reconnecting the mouthpiece to the stem.
Pipe filters are of many different internal constructions that reflect the various design theories and proprietary positions assumed by the filter manufacturers. For example, some prior art filters comprise helically wound arrays of filter paper through which the smoke must pass. Other filters include a cylindrical outer tube of hard paperboard or plastic with perforated end caps. An array of loose filtering crystals then are trapped in the outer tube. Smoke must pass through the end caps, and into communication with the filtering crystals. Still other filters are formed from an elongate piece of a soft absorbent wood with sides having longitudinally extending grooves to maximize surface area.
In addition to different constructions, pipe filters are of different dimensions. For example, some filters are relatively short wide cylinders, while others are relative long narrow cylinders, and still others have dimensions between these extremes.
FIGS. 1-8
illustrate several prior art filters. For example, a first prior art filter is identified generally by the numeral
11
in
FIGS. 1 and 2
. The first prior art filter
11
is formed from a generally cylindrical roll of wound filter paper having a plastic outer layer applied thereto. The first prior art filter
11
is substantially cylindrical, and defines a length L
1
, and a width W
1
that typically is about 9 mm.
A second prior art filter is identified generally by the numeral
12
in
FIGS. 3 and 4
. The second prior art filter
12
also is substantially cylindrical and comprises a substantially rigid outer tube with opposed end caps. As shown most clearly in
FIG. 4
, the end caps are perforated to permit air and smoke to flow therethrough. Interior portions of the second prior art filter
12
are filled with a plurality of filtering crystals. The second prior art filter
12
defines a length L
2
substantially equal to the length L
1
of the first prior art filter
11
. The second prior art filter
12
further defines a width W
2
substantially equal to the width W
1
of the first prior art filter
11
.
A third prior art filter is identified by the numeral
13
in
FIGS. 5 and 6
. The third prior art filter
13
has a construction similar to the first prior art filter
11
. However, the third prior art filter
13
has a length L
3
, as shown in
FIG. 5
, that is substantially greater than the length L
1
of the first filter
11
. As shown in
FIG. 6
, the third prior art filter
13
has a width W
3
that is substantially less than the width W
1
of the first prior art filter
11
. The width W
3
typically is about 6 mm.
A fourth prior art filter is identified by the numeral
14
in
FIGS. 7 and 8
. The fourth prior art filter
14
is formed, from a soft wood, such as balsa wood, and has a length L
4
which typically is equal to or slightly less than the length L
3
of the third prior art filter
13
but greater than the length L
1
of the first prior art filter
11
. The fourth prior art filter is not cylindrical as in the first through third prior art filters
11
-
13
. Rather, as shown most clearly in
FIG. 8
, the fourth prior art filter has a substantially cross-shape and defines a maximum width W
4
which is approximately equal to the width W
3
of the third prior art filter
13
.
The different dimensions of pipe filters evolved over time to match the dimensions of filter receptacles employed by the different manufacturers of pipes. The dimensions of the pipe cavities used by different manufacturers are dictated by several parameters, including the tooling used by each manufacture, theories regarding the effectiveness of different filter sizes and the tendency of manufacturers to adhere to customs developed and used over a long time. Some pipe manufacturers produce their own filters to dimensionally match filter receptacles in their pipes. In these situations, there is no incentive for the pipe manufacturer to dimensionally change their filter receptacle to accommodate the filter of another company. In other situations, pipe manufacturers and filter manufacturers are separate, but have longstanding business relationships and are supportive of one another. In these situations, there is no incentive for either the pipe manufacturer or the filter manufacturer to change the filter dimensions.
In view of the above, no prior art pipes can accept all commercially available filters. However, as noted above, most pipe smokers have a collection of pipes from different manufacturers. Thus, most pipe smokers will need a corresponding collection of pipe filters. This creates various inventory management and control problems for the pipe smoker. Specifically, most pipe smokers will have to keep a collection of pipe filter types equal in number to the number of different pipe brands in the pipe smokers collection.
Many pipe smokers develop a preference for a particular type of filter. For example, some pipe smokers prefer wound paper filters, others prefer filters with filtering crystals, while still other prefer a soft wood filter. Other pipe smokers perceive a difference in draw between a long narrow filter and a short wide filter. Thus, a pipe smoker's filter preference often is compromised by the physical dimensions of the filter receptacle in various pipes. A smoker may have to choose a less preferable filter to smoke a more preferable pipe, or a less preferable pipe to utilize a more preferable filter.
Some pipe filter cavities are of roughly equal length but different cross-sectional sizes. In these situations, a smaller filter can be placed in the larger cavity. However, the effectiveness of the
Casella Anthony J.
Cristom Import & Export, Inc.
Fortuna Jose
Hespos Gerald E.
Lopez Carlos
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