U.S. patent application number 10/957267 was filed with the patent office on 2006-04-06 for smoking article holder.
Invention is credited to David Brunkow.
Application Number | 20060070634 10/957267 |
Document ID | / |
Family ID | 36124334 |
Filed Date | 2006-04-06 |
United States Patent
Application |
20060070634 |
Kind Code |
A1 |
Brunkow; David |
April 6, 2006 |
Smoking article holder
Abstract
A smoking article holder for cigars or cigarettes and the like
includes an elongate curved tray member for placement of the
smoking article therein, and a snap fastener socket member to
enable the holder to be snapped to a corresponding snap fastener
stud, such as on a golf bag or the like.
Inventors: |
Brunkow; David; (Lake
Oswego, OR) |
Correspondence
Address: |
DELLETT & WALTERS
P. O. BOX 82788
PORTLAND
OR
97282-0788
US
|
Family ID: |
36124334 |
Appl. No.: |
10/957267 |
Filed: |
September 30, 2004 |
Current U.S.
Class: |
131/259 ;
131/257 |
Current CPC
Class: |
A24F 19/0092
20130101 |
Class at
Publication: |
131/259 ;
131/257 |
International
Class: |
A24F 13/22 20060101
A24F013/22 |
Claims
1. A smoker's article holder, comprising: a support portion for
receiving a smoker's article therein; and a press snap fastener
socket portion associated with said support portion for enabling
removable attachment of said support portion to a press snap
fastener stud.
2. The smoker's article holder according to claim 1, wherein said
support portion comprises a tray member.
3. The smoker's article holder according to claim 2, wherein said
tray portion is curved.
4. The smoker's article holder according to claim 1, wherein said
support portion receives the smoker's article along an inner face
portion thereof and wherein said press snap fastener socket portion
is formed on an outer face of said support portion.
5. The smoker's article holder according to claim 1, further
comprising a shaft member in association with said support portion
for enabling insertion of said shaft member into the ground.
6. A cigar holder, comprising a cigar receiving tray for receiving
and supporting a cigar; and a press snap fastener socket member
attached to said cigar receiving tray, for receiving a press snap
fastener stud in removable engagement for mounting said cigar
holder to a support.
7. The cigar holder according to claim 6, wherein said support
comprises a golf club bag.
8. The cigar holder according to claim 6, wherein said support
comprises a golf cart.
9. The cigar holder according to claim 6, further comprising an
elongate shaft member mounted in association with said cigar
receiving tray support portion for enabling insertion of said shaft
member into the ground.
10. The cigar holder according to claim 9, wherein said shaft
member comprises a pointed end member for easier insertion into the
ground.
11. The cigar holder according to claim 6, wherein said cigar
receiving tray further comprises a portion adapted for placing text
or graphics thereon.
12. The cigar holder according to claim 6, wherein said tray
comprises a plastic.
13. A method of providing a smoking article holder, comprising:
providing a cradle member for receiving a smoking article therein
in a supporting orientation that supports the smoking article
substantially along an elongate axis thereof; and providing a press
snap fastener member in relation to said cradle member for enabling
attachment of said smoking article holder to a corresponding snap
fastener member on another object.
14. The method according to claim 13, wherein said snap fastener
member comprises a snap fastener socket.
15. The method according to claim 13, wherein said another object
comprise a golf bag.
16. The method according to claim 13, wherein said press snap
fastener member comprises a snap fastener socket and said
corresponding snap fastener member comprises a press snap fastener
stud.
Description
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
[0001] This invention relates to smoking and sports, and more
particularly to a smoking article holder that is adapted for use in
certain sports or situations.
[0002] Some participants in certain sports, such as golf, for
example, enjoy smoking while taking part in the sport. Cigar
smoking is currently popular for golfers. However, when the golfer
is ready to take his turn to hit the ball, it is necessary to take
the cigar out of his mouth, and temporarily set it aside, as
keeping the cigar in the mouth while swinging the golf club would
likely interfere with the golfer's shot and might also lead to the
cigar being dropped or damaged. Some golfers have been known to set
their cigars on the ground while taking the shot, but this can be
unsanitary to place the cigar portion that will be put back in the
golfer's mouth onto the ground. Also, the hot, lit end of the cigar
might damage the grass on the course.
[0003] To alleviate these concerns, various solutions have been
devised. U.S. Pat. No. 3,001,529 shows a golf smoke tee, wherein a
tray to hold a cigarette or the like is provided with a vertical
shank terminating in a point, to allow the device to be inserted
into the ground as a golf tee would be, providing a horizontal
resting tray for the cigarette. However, the golfer may not always
wish to have the cigarette placed close to the ground.
[0004] Others have devised clip on holders, such as in U.S. Pat.
No. 5,868,143 where the holder clips over the top lip of a golf
bag, or U.S. Pat. No. 5,842,481, wherein a spring biased clip
attaches to the golf bag, with a holding tray attached to the clip.
These types of holders typically extend above the top of the golf
bag, which places the cigar or cigarette in a position where it can
be easy to knock off when removing or replacing clubs into the bag.
Further, sometimes the golfer will set the golf bag in an upright
position, but other times the bag might be placed horizontally on
the ground. Some of the clip on type holders cannot accommodate the
bag in a horizontal position, or would need to be removed and
re-clipped in a different manner in order to maintain the holding
portion in a substantially horizontal configuration so as to
adequately support the cigar or cigarette. Also, these types of
holders may not be compatible for attachment to a golf cart, should
the golfer be employing a cart.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
[0005] In accordance with the invention, a smoking article holder
is provided with an engagement member adapted to snap onto a snap
button, for removable attachment to a variety of devices. A
vertical shank with pointed end is also provided, to allow the
option of inserting the holder into the ground, or into a golf tee
holder on a pull cart or the like, if desired.
[0006] Accordingly, it is an object of the present invention to
provide an improved smoking article holder.
[0007] It is a further object of the present invention to provide
an improved cigar holder for easy attachment to a golf club
bag.
[0008] It is yet another object of the present invention to provide
an improved holder for holding a cigar, cigarette, or the like,
wherein the holder is removably attachable to a standard size snap
attachment.
[0009] The subject matter of the present invention is particularly
pointed out and distinctly claimed in the concluding portion of
this specification. However, both the organization and method of
operation, together with further advantages and objects thereof,
may best be understood by reference to the following description
taken in connection with accompanying drawings wherein like
reference characters refer to like elements.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
[0010] FIG. 1 is a perspective view of the smoking article
holder;
[0011] FIG. 2 is a perspective view of the smoking article holder
taken from the reverse side of the view of FIG. 1;
[0012] FIG. 3 is a top view of the smoking article holder;
[0013] FIG. 4 is a side view of the smoking article holder; and
[0014] FIG. 5 is an end view of the smoking article holder.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION
[0015] According to a preferred embodiment of the present invention
comprises a smoking article holder for use in golfing. Referring to
FIG. 1, a perspective view of the smoking article holder 10, an
elongate curved concave up tray portion 12 with open ends is
provided, adapted to receive therein a cigar 14 or cigarette (for
example), illustrated in phantom (FIG. 5). The holder is mounted
(suitably formed as a unitary body in the preferred embodiment) to
an elongate shaft portion 16, positioned substantially centrally of
the tray 12, attached to the convex face of the tray. Plural
members 18 may be provided to strengthen the area of attachment
between the shaft and the tray. The end of the shaft distal from
the tray is suitably provided with a pointed portion 20, to enable
easier insertion of the shaft into the ground.
[0016] On one side face of the tray portion, a snap extension
member 22 extends outwardly away from the face of the tray,
suitably configured as a hollow cylinder portion. The diameter 24
of the opening is suitably chosen to be a standard press snap
fastener "button" size, for example, to engagingly fit a 10.5 mm,
11 mm, 12.5 mm, 13.5 mm or 14 mm press snap fastener stud portion
within the opening, these being typical sizes in use. Other sizes
are accommodated by modification of the diameter 24 of the socket
22, which may be accomplished in manufacture or by inclusion of a
diameter reducing insert for making the inner diameter 24 smaller
to accommodate a smaller size stud. The extension member 22 thereby
functions as a socket portion 22 of a press snap fastener.
[0017] The holder 10 is suitably made of an injection molded
plastic in the preferred embodiment.
[0018] FIG. 4, a side view of the holder, illustrates that text or
graphics 26 may be suitable placed on the face of the holder on the
side opposed the 22. The text or graphics may comprise advertising
or promotional material, making the holder 10 suitable for use as a
marketing or promotional item.
[0019] FIG. 5, an end view of the holder 10, illustrates the
interface with a press snap fastener stud portion 28, which in the
preferred embodiment comprises a snap faster stud on a golf bag or
golf cart. Golf bags and some golf carts typically include snap
press fasteners for attaching covers or other items thereto. Golf
bags in particular will have one or more such fastener studs
positioned in various locations on the outside of the bag. The
holder portion 22 suitably snaps onto the fastener stud 28, to
removably mount the holder to the fastener stud. The interrelation
of the holder and stud is such that the holder may be rotated
easily, so that no matter the orientation of the golf bag, the
holder can be easily positioned to maintain the cigar 14 in a
substantially horizontal orientation. Thus, if the bag is
positioned substantially vertically, the holder may be positioned
such that the longitudinal axis of the tray portion is at
approximately 90 degrees to the longitudinal axis of the golf bag.
If the bag is position at an angle to the ground (some bags include
legs for setting at an angle, or are mounted at an angle on a
wheeled carrier), the holder can be rotated to still be parallel to
the ground. Similarly, if the bag is positioned with its
longitudinal axis parallel to the ground, the holder can be rotated
such that its longitudinal axis is parallel to the bag and thus to
the ground, ensuring the cigar or cigarette will rest in the
holder.
[0020] The inclusion of the shaft 16 with pointed end 20 enables
the device to also be used by pressing it into the ground, if
desired. Thus, in the case where the golf bag is not nearby or not
being used or if for some reason a snap fastener stud is not
available, the holder can still be employed to hold the smoking
article.
[0021] A further advantage of the shaft and pointed end, which
correspond to the configuration of a golf tee, is that the smoking
article holder can be inserted into a golf tee holder such as would
be present on a pull cart, for example. Thus, the user has the
option of attaching to a press snap stud or securing in a tee
holder.
[0022] Therefore, in accordance with the invention, an improved
holder for smoking articles, such as cigars or cigarettes, is
provided that can be easily attached to a snap fastener stud and is
rotatable to maintain the holder substantially horizontal so that
the smoking article will rest in the holder tray. A golf-tee-like
pointed shaft portion may also be mounted to the holder, to enable
the holder to be placed in the ground when not attached to a snap
fastener stud, or to enable insertion into a tee holder as an
alternative to placement on a press snap stud.
[0023] While a preferred embodiment of the present invention has
been shown and described, it will be apparent to those skilled in
the art that many changes and modifications may be made without
departing from the invention in its broader aspects. The appended
claims are therefore intended to cover all such changes and
modifications as fall within the true spirit and scope of the
invention.
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