U.S. patent application number 10/896136 was filed with the patent office on 2006-01-26 for cigarette substitute device.
Invention is credited to In Yong Kim.
Application Number | 20060016453 10/896136 |
Document ID | / |
Family ID | 35655830 |
Filed Date | 2006-01-26 |
United States Patent
Application |
20060016453 |
Kind Code |
A1 |
Kim; In Yong |
January 26, 2006 |
Cigarette substitute device
Abstract
A spot-heating cigarette substitute device, which, in response
to an electric power supplies and suction by a user, evaporates
nicotine mixture and delivers them to the user. The device has a
porous solid chip; an electric circuit is embedded therein for
providing heat necessary for evaporating the nicotinic compound. A
solution of a nicotine in an amount effective for its released
vapors to satisfy the physiological needs for nicotine of the user,
and volatile palatability enhancing agents in an amounts effective
for their released vapors to impart a cigarette-like taste and
aroma to the released vapor mixture are absorbed in the chip. The
cigarette substitute is in custody in a case when not in use.
Inventors: |
Kim; In Yong; (Torrence,
CA) |
Correspondence
Address: |
Eugene Oak, Ph.D., J.D.;Patent Attorney
610 S. Van Ness Ave.
Los Angeles
CA
90005
US
|
Family ID: |
35655830 |
Appl. No.: |
10/896136 |
Filed: |
July 22, 2004 |
Current U.S.
Class: |
131/194 |
Current CPC
Class: |
A24F 40/42 20200101;
A24F 40/10 20200101 |
Class at
Publication: |
131/194 |
International
Class: |
A24F 1/32 20060101
A24F001/32 |
Claims
1. A cigarette substitute device for spot-heating use is comprised
of; a) an elongated plastic tube defining a passageway for air
drawn through said device; b) a porous polymeric chip in a plate
shape slidably disposed within the tube and absorbing the mixture
of Nicotine and volatile palatability enhancing agents, c) a
sliding knob connected to the porous plastic chip in a plate shape
to slide the plate along the groove developed on the plastic tube
d) a red color LED (Light Emitting Diode) positioned at the front
of the tube, e) three 3V mini batteries connected in series, f) a
mouth tip made of transparent flexible plastic and holding two
metal plates of an on/off electric connector on each upper and
lower portion of the flexible mouth tip, and g) an electric wire
connected to the LED, batteries, the metal plates of the on/off
electric wire and forming a shortening circuit in the porous
polymeric chip.
2. The cigarette substitute device of claim 1, wherein the porous
polymer chip is in a cylinder form of 3 mm in diameter.
3. A cigarette substitute device for spot-heating use is comprised
of; a) an elongated plastic tube defining a passageway for air
drawn through said device; b) a porous polymeric chip in a plate
shape slidably disposed within the tube and absorbing the mixture
of Nicotine and volatile palatability enhancing agents, c) a
sliding knob connected to the porous plastic chip in a plate shape
to slide the plate along the groove developed on the plastic tube
d) a red color LED (Light Emitting Diode) positioned at the front
of the tube, e) three 3V mini batteries connected in series, f) a
mouth tip made of transparent flexible plastic and holding two
metal plates of an on/off electric connector on each upper and
lower portion of the flexible mouth tip, and g) an electric wire
connected to the LED, batteries, the metal plates of the on/off
electric wire and a heating coil in the porous polymeric chip.
Description
FIELD OF THE INVENTION
[0001] This invention relates to a cigarette substitute device for
spot-heating use and, more particularly, to such a device adapted
to deliver to a user nicotine and volatile palatability enhancing
agent's mixture having a cigarette-like taste and aroma.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
[0002] The hazardous effect of second-hand smoke is known as the
same as a direct smoke. Smoking is prohibited even on open public
space such as U.S. Californian beaches. Such social pressures make
habitual smokers unpleasant. Not only for the addictive effect of
the Nicotine, there are several psychological factors, which are
known to contribute to the habitual smoker's cigarette cravings.
These include holding the cigarette, placing it between the user's
lips, puffing on it, and experiencing the taste and aroma of the
smoke. It is a purpose of the current application to provide a
cigarette substitute device to minimize the hazardous of
second-smoke, meanwhile satisfying the habitual smoker's cigarette
cravings without breaking the public requirement.
DESCRIPTION OF THE PRIOR ARTS
[0003] The growing public unacceptability of smoking cigarette,
encouraged to provide cigarette substitute devices for use which
simulate the look, feel and taste of combustible cigarettes and
delivers nicotine vapor to the user through inhalation. U.S. Pat.
Nos. 4,284,089 and 4,813,437 to Ray, and U.S. Pat. No. 4,793,366 to
Hill illustrate devices which are consist of an elongated tube
having the approximate dimensions of an ordinary cigarette and
housing a porous polymer plug serving as a reservoir for a source
of vaporizable nicotine. The nicotine vapors are delivered to the
user's lungs by the air drawn through the device by suction
supplied by the user. These devices have failed to gain wide
acceptance as a cigarette substitute due to their inability to
deliver sufficient and uniform amounts of nicotine to the user's
lungs, an unpleasant taste, and an unsatisfactory shelf life. Most
of these problems are due to the instability of the volatile liquid
nicotine employed in these devices, which decompose in the presence
of oxygen and very rapidly dissipate from the system. U.S. Pat. No.
5,893,371 to Rose et al., U.S. Pat. No. 6,041,789 to Bankert et
al., and U.S. Pat. No. 6,041,790 to Smith et al. illustrate
non-pyrolytic, non-Nicotine cigarette substitute devices which
contains a nicotine-simulating vapor mixture having a
cigarette-like taste and aroma. None of the prior arts provide
cigarette substitute device satisfying all the requirement of
smokers and non-smokers at the same time.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
[0004] The present invention overcomes the deficiencies of the
above-described prior art non-heating cigarette substitute devices,
by providing a cigarette substitute device for spot-heating use
which, in response to suction supplied by a user, delivers to the
user's lungs nicotine vapor mixture having a cigarette-like taste
and aroma. The cigarette substitute device of the current
application has a porous solid chip, an electric circuit is
embedded therein for providing heat necessary for evaporating the
nicotinic compound and turn on a light installed at the tip of the
cigarette substitute to simulate the burning of the cigarette. And
a solution of a nicotine in an amount effective for its released
vapors to satisfy the physiological needs for nicotine of the user,
and volatile palatability enhancing agents in amounts effective for
their released vapors to impart a cigarette-like taste and aroma to
the released vapor mixture are absorbed in the chip. The chips
contains Nicotine amount equivalent to about two weeks needs for
average smokers who smokes a pack of 20 cigarettes a day. The
cigarette substitute of the current application is in custody in a
case, when not in use, to reserve the aroma of the cigarette in the
substitute.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
[0005] FIG. 1 is a side elevation in longitudinal section
illustrating the preferred embodiment of the cigarette substitute
device utilizing the features of the present invention.
[0006] FIG. 2 is an enlarged perspective view of the portion `A` in
FIG. 1, showing the front tip of the cigarette substitute
device.
[0007] FIG. 3 is an enlarged perspective view of the portion `B` in
FIG. 1, showing the middle part of the cigarette substitute device
of the current application.
[0008] FIG. 4 is a cross-sectional view of the portion `B` along
the line "A-A'" in FIG. 1.
[0009] FIG. 5 is an enlarged cross-sectional view of the portion
`C` in FIG. 1, showing the electric shorting connector embedded in
the porous chip.
[0010] FIG. 6 is an enlarged perspective view of the portion `D` in
FIG. 1, showing the mouth tip of the cigarette substitute
device.
[0011] FIG. 7 is a schematic drawing of the cigarette substitute in
a holding case.
DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS
[0012] FIG. 1 is a side elevation in longitudinal section
illustrating the preferred embodiment of the cigarette substitute
device (1) utilizing the features of the current application. The
cigarette substitute device (1) of the present invention is
comprised of a housing (2) in the form of an elongated tube, a
mouth tip (3), an LED (Light Emitting Diode) (4), a porous chip
(5), three 3 Volt mini-battiest (6) with 7 mm diameter, two
electric wires (7-U) and (7-L), an electric shorting connector (8),
an on/off electric connector (9), and a sliding knob (10). The
housing (2) is preferably manufactured of a stiff plastic sheet
with a diameter, length and weight which approximate the size of a
conventional combustible cigarette, and with the appropriate color
and texture, a white paper like look with proper commercial trade
mark on it, to present the same appearance as a conventional
combustible cigarette.
[0013] FIG. 2 is an enlarged perspective view of the portion `A` in
FIG. 1, showing the front tip of the cigarette substitute device
(1). The tip is comprised of a red color LED (4), whose front face
is partially covered with white gray color wrinkles (4-1),
resembling cigarette fire covered with ash. Just behind the LED
(4), a porous hemi-circle (11) for air inlet is developed.
[0014] FIG. 3 is an enlarged perspective view of the portion `B` in
FIG. 1, showing the middle part of the cigarette substitute device
(1) of the current application (1). A groove (12) is developed for
sliding of the knob (10). And FIG. 4 is a cross-sectional view of
the portion `B` along the line "A-A'" in FIG. 1. The porous chip
(5) is manufactured as a thin plate of 3 mm thickness to allow the
evaporated Nicotine mixture come out of the chip (5) easily.
[0015] FIG. 5 is an enlarged cross-sectional view of the portion
`C` in FIG. 1, showing the electric shortening connector (8)
embedded in the porous chip (5). An electric heating coil (8-3) may
be installed instead of the shorting connector. Mixtures of
Nicotine and volatile palatability enhancing agents are absorbed in
the pores (5-1) of the porous chip (5). A cylindrical hole (5-2) is
developed at the center of the chip (5) throughout the whole length
of the chip (5) for allowing the chip (5) move front and back
according to the sliding knob (10)' movement. This porous chip (5)
may be manufactured as a slim plate or a rod with a porous
polymeric material, preferably in the form of polymeric fibers, and
having absorbed therein the volatile liquid composition of mixture
of nicotine and volatile palatability enhancing agents. Disposed
within the porous chip (5) is an electric shortening connector (8).
This electric shortening connector is comprised of two electric
wires (7-U) whose ends are spaced 0.01 mm part (8-1) on a
non-conductive ceramic support (8-2) plate of 1.0 mm thickness, 1.0
mm width and 5 mm length. If an electric heating coil (8-3) is
installed inspite of the electric shortening (8) connector, the
ceramic support may not be necessary.
[0016] FIG. 6 is an enlarged perspective view of the portion `D` in
FIG. 1, showing the lipping tip (3) of the cigarette substitute
device (1). An on/off electric connector (9) is located between the
two lips of the lipping tip (3). The on/off electric connector (9)
is comprised of two metal chips of (9-U) and (9-L) which are
connected to the electric wires (7-U) and (7-L), respectively)
[0017] The cigarette substitute device (1) of the current
application operates as follows. Aqueous mixture of Nicotine and
volatile palatability enhancing agents are absorbed in the pores of
the porous chip (5). The porous chip (5) is made of porous
polymer.
[0018] When a habitual smoker put the cigarette substitute device
(1) of the current application between his lips and presses the
lipping tip (3) of the device, the two metal plates (9-U) and (9-L)
of the on/off electric connector (9) is connected. Then the
electric circuit is connected through the electric wires (7-U) and
(7-L), three batteries (6), and the red color LED (4). However, as
described before, the upper electric wire (7-U) is a 0.01 mm spaced
apart. As the electric circuit is connected, an electric fire
sparks on this spot (8). At the same time the red color LED (4)
blinks as the spark takes place. Then the red color of the LED (4)
combined with the white gray color wrinkles (4-1) resembles a
smoking fire under an ash.
[0019] The heat from the spark evaporates the mixture of the
Nicotine and volatile palatability enhancing agents out of the
porous chip (5) from the pores (5-1) therein. As the smoker puffs,
the evaporated mixture is delivered to the smokers mouth by the air
stream which comes from the out side through the porous hemi circle
(11) developed just behind the red color LED (4). When a smoker
purchases the cigarette substitute device (1) from a market, the
porous chip (5) is placed at the most rearward of the device.
Therefore, the nicotine mixtures absorbed at the most front side of
the porous chip evaporates and is consumed first. As the Nicotine
mixture is consumed, slide the knob (10) to the front side of the
device (2) to make the unevaporized Nicotine mixture with the
sparking spot (8). FIG. 7 is a schematic drawing of the cigarette
substitute (1) in a holding case (13). The holding case is made of,
including but not limited to, a metal, plastic, and wood. Places
for spare porous chips (5-1) and spare batteries (6-1).
[0020] By utilizing the device of the current application, the
smoker can satisfy his or her cigarette carvings without facing the
public resistance.
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