U.S. patent application number 11/145385 was filed with the patent office on 2006-12-07 for portable holder for smoking article.
Invention is credited to Richard D. Lopez, Frank Monteleone.
Application Number | 20060272661 11/145385 |
Document ID | / |
Family ID | 37492926 |
Filed Date | 2006-12-07 |
United States Patent
Application |
20060272661 |
Kind Code |
A1 |
Monteleone; Frank ; et
al. |
December 7, 2006 |
Portable holder for smoking article
Abstract
A portable apparatus for holding smoking articles is disclosed.
The apparatus comprises a semi-circular member formed from a metal
comprising a first melting point, and a coating disposed on that
semi-circular member, where that coating comprises a second melting
point, where the second melting point is greater than the first
melting point. The apparatus further comprises a shaft having a
first end and an opposing second end, where the semi-circular
member is attached to the first end, and where the second end
tapers to a point.
Inventors: |
Monteleone; Frank; (Santa
Clarita, CA) ; Lopez; Richard D.; (Westlake Village,
CA) |
Correspondence
Address: |
DALE F. REGELMAN
LAW OFFICE OF DALE F. REGELMAN, P.C.
4231 SOUTH FREMONT AVENUE
TUCSON
AZ
85714
US
|
Family ID: |
37492926 |
Appl. No.: |
11/145385 |
Filed: |
June 3, 2005 |
Current U.S.
Class: |
131/259 |
Current CPC
Class: |
A24F 13/22 20130101 |
Class at
Publication: |
131/259 |
International
Class: |
A24F 13/22 20060101
A24F013/22 |
Claims
1. A portable apparatus for holding smoking articles, comprising: a
semi-circular member formed from a metal comprising a first melting
point; a coating disposed on said semi-circular member, wherein
said coating comprises a second melting point, wherein said second
melting point is greater than said first melting point; a shaft
having a first end and an opposing second end, wherein said
semi-circular member is attached to said first end, and wherein
said second end tapers to a point.
2. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein said metal comprises
aluminum.
3. The apparatus of claim 2, wherein said coating comprises
aluminum oxide.
4. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein said coating comprises a
plurality of struts separated by a plurality of open cells.
5. The apparatus of claim 4, wherein said metal comprises a first
thermal conductivity and said coating comprises a second thermal
conductivity, wherein said first thermal conductivity is greater
than said second thermal conductivity.
6. The apparatus of claim 5, wherein said first melting point is
greater than 600.degree. C.
7. The apparatus of claim 6, wherein said semi-circular member is
formed to include an aperture, and wherein said shaft comprises a
tubular member having a first open end and a second open end, and
wherein said first open end communicates with said aperture.
8. The apparatus of claim 7, further comprising a tapering end
removeably attached to said second open end of said tubular
member.
9. The apparatus of claim 8, wherein said tapering end can be
threadedly engaged with said second open end of said tubular
member.
Description
FIELD OF THE INVENTION
[0001] The invention relates generally to a portable holder for
smoking articles, and more particularly to a portable apparatus for
use on a golf course.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
[0002] Occasionally, golfers smoke cigarettes, and/or cigars,
and/or a pipe, while playing their game. The time spent waiting for
their partners or traveling to the next hole provides ample
opportunity to enjoy a smoke. Generally, it is not practical to
bring along an ashtray or other retaining means because of the bulk
involved with such a device.
[0003] There are few if any places on a golf course, however, for
the golfer to rest his smoking article, when necessary. As such,
the golfer is typically forced to place his lit smoking article on
the grass. As a result, the end of the cigar that is placed in the
mouth comes into contact with, inter alia, chemicals, such as
herbicides, dirt and insects.
[0004] As an alternative, the golfer may elect to extinguish and
discard the lit article. As a result, the golfer partially smokes,
and then discards, a plurality of smoking articles. Depending on
the disposal practices of the golfer, such a practice may lead to
debris being scattered on the course.
[0005] Similar problems can be encountered by sports spectators.
For example, the popularity of youth football, little league
baseball, and youth soccer in this country has meant that
spectators spend a great deal of time sitting in chairs on the edge
of a field.
[0006] There is a continuing need for a portable holder for smoking
articles, where that portable apparatus manages the heat released
from the lit cigarette, cigar, and/or pipe, such that the apparatus
can be conveniently and safely handled and carried.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
[0007] Applicant's invention comprises a portable apparatus for
holding smoking articles. Applicant's apparatus comprises a
semi-circular member formed from a metal comprising a first melting
point, and a coating disposed on that semi-circular member, where
that coating comprises a second melting point, where the second
melting point is greater than the first melting point. Applicant's
apparatus further comprises a shaft having a first end and an
opposing second end, where the semi-circular member is attached to
the first end, and where the second end tapers to a point.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
[0008] The invention will be better understood from a reading of
the following detailed description taken in conjunction with the
drawings in which like reference designators are used to designate
like elements, and in which:
[0009] FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a first embodiment of
Applicants' portable holder for smoking articles;
[0010] FIG. 2 is a perspective view of a second embodiment of
Applicants' portable holder for smoking articles;
[0011] FIG. 3 is a perspective view of a third embodiment of
Applicants' portable holder for smoking articles;
[0012] FIG. 4 is a top view of a portion of the apparatus of FIG.
3; and
[0013] FIG. 5 is a side view of a portion of the apparatus of FIG.
3.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS
[0014] This invention is described in preferred embodiments in the
following description with reference to the Figures, in which like
numbers represent the same or similar elements. Referring to FIG.
1, Applicants' apparatus 100 comprises a semi-circular smoking
article holder 110, vertical shaft 120, and tapering point 130,
wherein holder 110 is attached to a first end of shaft 120 and
tapering point 130 is attached to the second, i.e. opposite end of
shaft 120. Apparatus 100 may be conveniently carried by golfers as
they move over a golf course. Using smoking article holder 110 as a
handle, tapering end 130 is placed on the surface of the course,
and downward pressure is exerted on holder 110 to drive end 130
into the soil thereby fixturing apparatus 100 in an upright
orientation. A smoking article, such as for example a cigarette, a
cigar, or a pipe, may be placed within holder 110.
[0015] The temperature of a lit cigarette or cigar at the side of
the lit portion is about 400.degree. C., or about 752.degree. F.
The temperature of a lit cigarette or cigar at the middle of the
lit portion is approximately 580.degree. C., or about 1112.degree.
F. Prior art smoking article holders are formed from materials such
as wood and/or plastic. As those skilled in the art will
appreciate, a smoking article holder 110 made from wood and/or
plastic cannot withstand temperatures of 400.degree. C. or higher
without, at the very least, discoloring. In additional to
discoloration, such a wood and/or plastic smoking article holder
will likely also suffer degradation of its mechanical properties
evidenced by warping, crazing, and the like. Moreover, there exists
a significant likelihood that such a wood and/or plastic article
might actually ignite and burn.
[0016] Applicants' smoking article holder 110 is formed from a
material which can withstand temperatures of 580.degree. C. without
discoloring, warping, crazing, igniting, and/or burning. In certain
embodiments, Applicants' smoking article holder 110 is formed from
aluminum. As those skilled in the art will appreciate, aluminum has
a melting point of about 660.degree. C., or about 1221.degree.
F.
[0017] As those skilled in the art will further appreciate,
aluminum is a good conductor of heat. If a lit cigarette/cigar is
placed on Applicants' smoking article holder 110, heat will be
transferred from the cigarette/cigar, and that heat will be
conducted throughout the element 110. Raising the temperature of
holder portion 110 could present a number of problems. An attempt
to grasp apparatus 100 by element 110 to remove the apparatus from
the ground might lead to a burn injury. In addition, if a heated
smoking article holder 110 is placed in a golf bag containing one
or more golf clubs, damage to both the bag and the clubs could
result.
[0018] Referring now to FIG. 2, to avoid such personal injury
and/or property damage resulting from contact with a heated holder
element 110, Applicants' apparatus 200 comprises smoking article
holder 210, shaft 120, and tapering point 130. In certain
embodiments, smoking article holder 210 comprises a semi-circular
element 110 formed from aluminum, with coating 220 disposed over
the entire interior surface of holder 210. Coating 220 has a
thermal conductivity less than the thermal conductivity of
aluminum. In certain embodiments, coating 220 comprises aluminum
oxide. Aluminum has a thermal conductivity at 200.degree. C. of 237
W/mK, and a melting point of about 660.degree. C.
[0019] Aluminum oxide on the other hand has a thermal conductivity
at 200.degree. C. of 17.9 W/mK, and a melting point greater than
1200.degree. C.
[0020] In certain embodiments, coating 220 comprises a foam
structure comprising struts formed of aluminum oxide and open cells
wherein those cells are filled with air. As those skilled in the
art will appreciate, a cellular aluminum oxide structure has a heat
capacity and thermal conductivity less than full density aluminum
oxide, and much less than aluminum. Therefore, disposing a porous
aluminum oxide coating 220 over the aluminum smoking article holder
110 thermally insulates the aluminum structure from the heat of a
burning cigarette or cigar.
[0021] In certain embodiments, aluminum oxide coating 220 is formed
over aluminum structure 110 using an anodization process. Anodizing
is a type of electrolysis used to place a protective oxide coating
on metal. The metal acts as the anode (positive pole) of an
electrolytic cell. Negatively charged oxide ions pass through a
solution called an electrolyte, and oxidize the surface of the
metal. In certain embodiments, the resulting oxide coating
comprises a porous outside layer, i.e. a cellular coating.
[0022] In certain embodiments, Applicants' portable apparatus
further comprises an ash repository. In the illustrated embodiment
of FIG. 3, shaft 320 comprises a tubular member which encloses
lumen 330. Referring now to FIG. 5, in these embodiments tapering
end 340 comprises tapering point 130 in combination with
cylindrical member 352 comprising threads 354. In these
embodiments, distal end 322 (FIG. 3) of tubular member 320 (FIG. 3)
is threaded, and the diameter of lumen 330 (FIG. 3) and the
diameter of cylindrical member 352 (FIG. 4) are adjusted, such that
end portion 340 can be threadedly attached to the distal end 322 of
shaft 320.
[0023] FIG. 4 is a top view of apparatus 300. Smoking article
holder 410, comprising a coating 220 comprising aluminum oxide, is
formed to include aperture 430. Aperture 430 communicates with
lumen 330. The lit portion of a cigarette or cigar comprising an
ash component can be inserted into and/or scraped against aperture
430 to remove the ash from the lit cigarette/cigar. That removed
ash then falls into lumen 330 for storage. Subsequently, tapering
end 340 can be unscrewed from shaft 320 and the ash removed from
lumen 330. In addition, lumen 330 may be rinsed with water, with
that water flowing into one end of shaft 320 and flowing out of the
opposite end. Tapering end 340 can them be reattached to distal end
322, and the cleansed apparatus 300 is again ready for use.
[0024] While the preferred embodiments of the present invention
have been illustrated in detail, it should be apparent that
modifications and adaptations to those embodiments may occur to one
skilled in the art without departing from the scope of the present
invention as set forth in the following claims.
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