Cigarette filter

Abstract

Cigarette filter with an outer housing, an inner smoke channel member, the outer housing being approximately cylindrical in shape, the outer housing having an aperture on its first end that is equivalent to the diameter of a standard cigarette, the outer housing having an aperture on the second end that is approximately one tenth of an inch in diameter, the second end also being flattened so that the end view of the second end is approximately rectangular, the interior of the outer housing capable of frictionally retaining the inner smoke channel member, the inner smoke channel member including a quarter of an inch diameter disk that is frictionally retained by the inner diameter of the outer housing, the disk including six evenly spaced radially placed apertures, the smoke channel member disk apertures being approximately three thousandths of an inch in diameter.

Description

CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

[0001] Not Applicable

STATEMENT REGARDING FEDERALLY SPONSORED RESEARCH OR DEVELOPMENT

[0002] Not Applicable

DESCRIPTION OF ATTACHED APPENDIX

[0003] Not Applicable

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

[0004] This invention relates generally to the field of gas filtering devices and more specifically to a cigarette filter.

[0005] Cigarettes have been in use for over one hundred years. They consist of dried and shredded tobacco leaves wrapped in a paper cylinder and are smoked by millions of people worldwide.

[0006] In recent years, it has been proven beyond a doubt that the tar and nicotine contained in cigarette smoke is very harmful to the smoker's health. Cigarette companies have placed filters on some cigarette brands, but they do little to remove the bulk of tar and nicotine.

[0007] Since the desire for nicotine is habit forming, it is difficult for smokers to quite smoking. Various ways to cut down on smoking have been introduced into the market place in recent years, including the wearing of a nicotine patch that can be worn on the user's skin so that the user can retain access to the habit forming nicotine without inhaling harmful cigarette smoke.

[0008] However, there is a deficiency in the prior technology in that many smokers also find the act of smoking itself to be habit forming. Therefore many smokers continue to smoke due to the relaxing effect associated with the ritual of lighting up a cigarette.

BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

[0009] The primary object of the invention is to provide a cigarette filter that easily attaches to most standard cigarettes.

[0010] Another object of the invention is to provide a cigarette filter that removes over ninety percent of tar and nicotine from cigarette smoke.

[0011] Another object of the invention is to provide a cigarette filter that can be used up to five times on five cigarettes before needing to be replaced.

[0012] A further object of the invention is to provide a cigarette filter that is easy and economical to manufacture.

[0013] Yet another object of the invention is to provide a cigarette filter that allows the user to see the tar and nicotine that has been removed from cigarette smoke.

[0014] Still yet another object of the invention is to provide a cigarette filter that removes tar and nicotine but does not affect the taste of the cigarette being smoked.

[0015] Other objects and advantages of the present invention will become apparent from the following descriptions, taken in connection with the accompanying drawings, wherein, by way of illustration and example, an embodiment of the present invention is disclosed.

[0016] In accordance with a preferred embodiment of the invention, there is disclosed cigarette filter comprising: an outer housing, an inner smoke channel member, said outer housing being approximately cylindrical in shape, said outer housing having an aperture on its first end that is equivalent to the diameter of a standard cigarette, said outer housing having an aperture on the second end that is approximately one tenth of an inch in diameter, said second end also being flattened so that the end view of said second end is approximately rectangular, said interior of said outer housing capable of frictionally retaining said inner smoke channel member, said inner smoke channel member including a quarter of an inch diameter disk that is frictionally retained by the inner diameter of said outer housing, said disk including six evenly spaced radially placed apertures, said smoke channel member disk apertures being approximately three thousandths of an inch in diameter, said inner smoke channel member disk including a first centrally located post attached to said disk and directed toward the said first end of said outer housing, said first post being approximately one hundred an twenty thousandths of an inch in diameter and seventy thousandths of an inch long, said inner smoke channel member disk including a second centrally located post attached to said disk and directed toward the said second end of said outer housing, said second post * being approximately one hundred thousandths of an inch in diameter and two hundred thousandths of an inch long, and said radially placed apertures being placed evenly along the surface of said disk on a two tenths of an inch diameter.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0017] The drawings constitute a part of this specification and include exemplary embodiments to the invention, which may be embodied in various forms. It is to be understood that in some instances various aspects of the invention may be shown exaggerated or enlarged to facilitate an understanding of the invention.

[0018] FIG. 1 is a perspective view of the invention.

[0019] FIG. 2 is a side section view of the invention.

[0020] FIG. 3 is a first end view of the invention.

[0021] FIG. 4 is a second end view of the invention.

[0022] FIG. 5 is a side section view of an alternate embodiment of the invention.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

[0023] Detailed descriptions of the preferred embodiment are provided herein. It is to be understood, however, that the present invention may be embodied in various forms. Therefore, specific details disclosed herein are not to be interpreted as limiting, but rather as a basis for the claims and as a representative basis for teaching one skilled in the art to employ the present invention in virtually any appropriately detailed system, structure or manner.

[0024] Referring now to FIG. 1 we see a perspective view of the cigarette filter of the present invention. The invention is comprised of an outer housing 2 and an inner smoke channeling member 4 shown internally as represented by dotted line outline. The outer housing 2 is made of injection molded plastic such as polycarbonate. It is comprised of a first end 18 that whose inner diameter 8 is equivalent to the diameter of a standard cigarette, and a second end 20 which interfaces with the users mouth and whose inner diameter 10 is approximately one tenth of an inch in diameter. The second end 20 is flattened 21, 23 to allow for easier holding in a user's lips and teeth. The inner smoke channeling member 4 is made of injection molded plastic such as polypropylene. It includes a disk shape approximately one quarter of an inch in diameter having six radially placed apertures 6 that channel the inhaled smoke from the cigarette to the opposite side of the disk 4 and finally into the user's mouth and lungs.

[0025] FIG. 2 shows a side section view of the outer housing 2 and the inner smoke channeling member 6 as indicated by section line 40 shown in FIG. 3. The apertures 6 in disk 4 are funnel shaped. The disk 4 thickness is approximately forty thousandths of an inch. The funnel shaped apertures have approximately a forty thousandths of an inch diameter on the wide side and a three thousandths of an inch diameter on the narrow side. My experiments have shown that the six apertures 6 each having a three thousandths of an inch diameter produce the ideal amount of smoke compression effect and smoke flow that causes the channeled smoke to rapidly cool thereby causing tar and nicotine to be displaced from the smoke stream and to be deposited on the inner walls of outer housing 2. The result is that over ninety percent of tar and nicotine is trapped within the filter of the present invention and does not travel into the user's mouth, throat and lungs thereby dramatically reducing the health risks of smoking. The user still receives the physiological relaxing benefits and the normal cigarette taste associated with the act of smoking, while minimizing the health dangers associated with smoking. The filter of the present invention is intended to be used as a tool to help a person on his or her way to quite smoking. My experiments have shown that the filter of the present invention can be used up to five times on five different cigarettes before it becomes so saturated with tar and nicotine that it needs to be replaced. Because of the simple design and easy molding process of the outer housing 2 and the inner smoke channel member 4, the filter of the present invention is inexpensive to manufacture and therefore economical for the end user to purchase. In the preferred embodiment, the outer housing 2 is molded of transparent plastic so that the user can easily see the brown colored tar and nicotine that is being trapped within the filter.

[0026] Continuing to refer to the inner smoke channel member in FIG. 2, a first post 14 is centrally attached to the disk 4 and points towards the first end 18 of the outer housing. Its diameter is approximately one hundred and twenty thousandths of an inch and its length is approximately seventy thousandths of an inch. A second post 12 points towards the second end 20 of the outer housing. Its diameter is approximately one hundred thousandths of an inch and its length is approximately two hundred thousandths of an inch. These posts 14, 12 help direct the flow of inhaled smoke and increase the compression and displacement effect of removing tar and nicotine from the smoke stream. The funnel shaped apertures 6 are spaced evenly on the disk 4 along a two tenths of an inch diameter ark. The distance from the smoke channeling disk member 4 and the tip of first end 18 is approximately three hundred and eighty thousandths of an inch as shown by dimension line 52. The overall length of outer housing 2 is approximately one inch as shown by dimension line 54. The chamfer 19 located on the inner diameter 8 of the outer housing 2 allows the user to easily insert a standard cigarette into aperture 8

[0027] FIG. 3 is an end view of first end 18. The six equally spaced apertures 6 in disk 4 can be clearly seen. FIG. 4 shows an end view of the second end 20 of outer housing 2. Flattened portions 16 can be clearly seen as well as smoke exit aperture 10.

[0028] FIG. 5 shows an alternate embodiment of the cigarette filter of the present invention 200 where the outer housing is lengthened to accommodate a space for activated charcoal granules 208. The granules are retained by perforated disks 204, 206. The addition of activated charcoal into the filter can further remove unwanted particulate matter from the smoke stream as the user inhales the cigarette smoke.

[0029] While the invention has been described in connection with a preferred embodiment, it is not intended to limit the scope of the invention to the particular form set forth, but on the contrary, it is intended to cover such alternatives, modifications, and equivalents as may be included within the spirit and scope of the invention as defined by the appended claims.

Claims

1. Cigarette filter comprising: an outer housing; an inner smoke channel member; said outer housing being approximately cylindrical in shape; said outer housing having an aperture on its first end that is equivalent to the diameter of a standard cigarette; said outer housing having an aperture on the second end that is approximately one tenth of an inch in diameter; said second end also being flattened so that the end view of said second end is approximately rectangular; said interior of said outer housing capable of frictionally retaining said inner smoke channel member; said inner smoke channel member including a quarter of an inch diameter disk that is frictionally retained by the inner diameter of said outer housing; said disk including six evenly spaced radially placed apertures; said smoke channel member disk apertures being approximately three thousandths of an inch in diameter; said inner smoke channel member disk including a first centrally located post attached to said disk and directed toward the said first end of said outer housing, said first post being approximately one hundred an twenty thousandths of an inch in diameter and seventy thousandths of an inch long; said inner smoke channel member disk including a second centrally located post attached to said disk and directed toward the said second end of said outer housing, said second post being approximately one hundred thousandths of an inch in diameter and two hundred thousandths of an inch long; and said radially placed apertures being placed evenly along a two tenths of an inch diameter.

2. Cigarette filter as claimed in claim 1 wherein said outer housing is constructed of molded transparent plastic.

3. Cigarette filter as claimed in claim 1 wherein said smoke channel member disk is approximately forty thousandths of an inch thick.

4. Cigarette filter as claimed in claim 1 wherein said disk apertures are each funnel shaped in cross section and where the wide side of the said funnel shape is approximately forty thousandths of an inch in diameter and the narrow side is approximately three thousandths of an inch in diameter.

5. Cigarette filter as claimed in claim 1 wherein said disk is placed approximately three hundred and eighty thousandths of an inch from the said first end aperture of said outer housing.

6. Cigarette filter as claimed in claim 1 wherein said outer housing is approximately one inch in overall length.

7. Cigarette filter as claimed in claim 1 wherein when a user inhales and draws smoke from a cigarette into said outer housing and through said six disk apertures, the action of pulling said smoke through said small apertures compresses said smoke and thereby decreases the temperature of said expelled smoke causing suspended tar and nicotine residing in said smoke to be forced out of said smoke and to be deposited on the inner walls of said outer housing thereby preventing ninety percent of said tar and nicotine of said smoke from entering said user's lungs.