U.S. patent application number 13/405157 was filed with the patent office on 2013-08-29 for hookah mouthpiece holder.
The applicant listed for this patent is Elie Zakayan. Invention is credited to Elie Zakayan.
Application Number | 20130220350 13/405157 |
Document ID | / |
Family ID | 49001514 |
Filed Date | 2013-08-29 |
United States Patent
Application |
20130220350 |
Kind Code |
A1 |
Zakayan; Elie |
August 29, 2013 |
Hookah Mouthpiece Holder
Abstract
A multifunctional device for measuring fluorescence,
luminescence and light transmission for diagnostics comprises a
first and second group of screens mounted behind the rear surface
of a sample solid carrier. A sample carrier is designed in the form
of a biochip, cell, pan or microplate. The sample carrier's light
sources are provided with light-absorbing elements for suppressing
light reflected from the front surface of the sample carrier and
from screen surfaces. Screen holders allow for alternatively
mounting light reflective/retroreflective screens to maximize
fluorescent or luminescent signal. A diffusing screen measures
light transmission through the sample. Light-absorbing screens
behind the rear surface of the sample and light-absorbing elements
on light sources from the sample's top surface, increase
signal-to-noise ratio. The device permits measuring signals on
biochip surfaces and in solutions during hybridization or
amplification reactions. The device and diagnostic method are
suitable for mass screening of biological material samples.
Inventors: |
Zakayan; Elie; (Glendale,
CA) |
|
Applicant: |
Name |
City |
State |
Country |
Type |
Zakayan; Elie |
Glendale |
CA |
US |
|
|
Family ID: |
49001514 |
Appl. No.: |
13/405157 |
Filed: |
February 24, 2012 |
Current U.S.
Class: |
131/257 |
Current CPC
Class: |
A24F 1/30 20130101; A24F
9/00 20130101 |
Class at
Publication: |
131/257 |
International
Class: |
A24F 9/00 20060101
A24F009/00 |
Claims
1. A device for measuring fluorescence, luminescence, scattering
and transmission of light for diagnostics comprising at least two
light illuminators that form illumination of a working field, an
optical system, a detector, an attachment point for a specimen, a
solid carrier of a specimen for analysis, wherein a first group of
screens and a second group of screens are present, the first group
having at least two screens and the second group having at least
two screens, where the screens are placed behind a rear surface of
the specimen solid carrier, and said at least one light
illuminators contain absorbents for suppressing reflected
illumination from a front surface of the specimen solid carrier and
surfaces of the screens, where the screens of the first group are
positioned perpendicularly to an optical axis of a recording system
and the screens of the second group are positioned perpendicularly
to optical axes of said at least two light illuminators.
2. The device of claim 1, wherein a first screen from the first
group is made so that it can reflect or retroreflect light fluxes
of first and second illuminators and is positioned at a minimal
distance from 0.01 mm through 10.00 mm from a rear surface of an
object solid carrier, where a front surface of the first screen has
a reflective or retroreflective layer.
3. The device of claim 2, wherein an attachment point of a holder
for the object solid carrier provides a possibility to position the
first screen of the first group behind a rear surface of the object
solid carrier and to remove the object solid carrier from a field
of view.
4. The device of claim 1, wherein a second screen of the first
group of screens is positioned relative to a rear surface of the
object solid carrier at a distance exceeding a distance from a
point of intersection of lower flux boundaries and side boundaries
of an optical cone of the recording system, where a front surface
of the second screen of the first group of screens has a
light-absorbing layer.
5. The device of claim 1, wherein a third screen of the first group
of screens is placed behind a second screen of the first group,
where a front surface of the third screen is made as a
light-scattering surface.
6. The device of claim 1, wherein there is an additional attachment
point for second and third screens of the first groups of screens
and it is possible to remove the second screen from an area of an
optical cone of the recording system.
7. The device of claim 1, wherein there is at least one additional
third light source, where the at least one additional third light
source illuminates a front surface of a third screen, butt-end
surfaces of the third screen, or a rear surface of the third
screen.
8. The device of claim 1, wherein there are additional attachment
points for a first and second screen of the second group of screens
which make it possible to move in and remove the screens from the
trajectory of the optical axes of the illuminators, where an
attachment point of first and second screens of the second group is
made using a hinge joint between the attachment point and the
screens, and it is possible to turn the screens relative to the
optical axes of the illuminators.
9. The device of claim 1, wherein the first screen of the second
group has a light-reflective layer, and the second screen of the
second group has a retroreflective surface.
10. The device of claim 1, wherein there is an additional third
screen of the second group which is positioned behind first and
second screens of the second group, a front surface of the third
screen having an absorbing layer.
11. The device of claim 1, wherein the screens are a planar,
angular, cylindrical or parabolic element with a reflective,
light-absorbing or retroreflective surface.
12. The device of claim 1, wherein a light from the light sources
is incident upon a working surface of an object for analysis at an
angle .alpha. to an optical axis of the recording system in the
range from 40 to 60 degrees.
13. The device of claim 12, wherein the light sources have an
additional light-absorbing coating layered onto a surface of
holders with cylindrical apertures, within which light diodes and
light-absorbing elements are fixed, that are positioned on the
surface of the illuminator casing, where light-absorbing elements
have a planar, concave, cylindrical or parabolic shape and where
the light sources emits illumination in the range from 300 through
800 nm.
14. The device of claim 1, wherein the specimen solid carrier for
analysis is made as a biochip, a cell, or a microplate, said
specimen solid carrier for analysis being a biological sample
immobilized on a solid planar substrate, a biological sample placed
within a flow-through cell, a biological sample placed within a
hybridization solution, a biological sample layered on a flexible
substrate pasted to a solid planar substrate, a sample immobilized
on a gel substrate, or a biological sample fixed on a
chromatographic carrier; said biological sample chosen from a group
consisting of DNA, proteins, enzymes, antibodies, antigens, and
cells.
15. The method for performing diagnostic tests by illuminating a
specimen immobilized on a solid carrier or placed in a reaction
solution, wherein: a) The mode of diagnostics is chosen from a
group including measurements of light fluorescence, luminescence,
scattering or transmission; b) One or several screens are in turn
introduced into the trajectory of optical axes of illuminators
and/or in the trajectory of the optical axis of the recording
system; c) The object for analysis is placed in the object holder
and it is introduced into the trajectory of optical axes of
illuminators and the recording system; d) Based on the preliminary
image on the display, shooting conditions are chosen and the first
image is saved; e) The object is removed from the trajectories of
the optical axes of the illuminators and the recording system; f)
The second image is saved; g) A differential image of the first and
second images is formed; h) The differential image is multiplied
pixel-by-pixel by the normalized coefficients and the processing of
the obtained image is started.
16. The method of claim 15, wherein the first screen of the first
group placed in the sample holder is used for measuring
fluorescence or luminescence.
17. The method of claim 15, wherein the second screen of the first
group combined with the first or second screens of the second group
is used for measuring fluorescence or luminescence.
18. The method of claim 15, wherein the second screen of the first
group combined with the third screens of the second group is used
for measuring fluorescence and luminescence.
19. The method of claim 15, wherein the third screen of the first
group combined with the third screens of the second group is used
for measuring transmission or scattering.
20. The method of claim 15, wherein a transparent layer uniformly
fluorescing over the area is used as a reference object for
estimating the normalized coefficient, where the fluorescing layer
is a film fixed on a plastic, optical glass or quartz carrier.
Description
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION
[0001] This application claims priority to provisional patent
application No. 61/446,000 filed on Feb. 23, 2012.
FEDERALLY SPONSORED RESEARCH
[0002] Not Applicable
SEQUENCE LISTING OR PROGRAM
[0003] Not Applicable
STATEMENT REGARDING COPYRIGHTED MATERIAL
[0004] Portions of the disclosure of this patent document contain
material that is subject to copyright protection. The copyright
owner has no objection to the facsimile reproduction by anyone of
the patent document or the patent disclosure as it appears in the
Patent and Trademark Office file or records, but otherwise reserves
all copyright rights whatsoever.
BACKGROUND
[0005] The invention relates to a hook for holding the mouthpiece
of a hookah.
[0006] A hookah is a tobacco pipe of Near Eastern origin with a
long, flexible tube by which smoke is drawn through a jar of water
and thus cooled. They are commonly used by consumers for smoking
tobacco while socializing, having dinner or drinks, enjoying a
night out in public, or at home.
[0007] A hookah has a mouthpiece at the tip of a long, flexible
hose from which a user smokes. The average smoker disengages the
hookah mouth piece from his or her mouth for an estimated 45
minutes in a 60 minute period. During this time, a user must either
hold onto the mouthpiece while seated, or put it down if he or she
wishes'to walk away. Some users roll the long, flexible hose and
mouthpiece around the hookah or place it on a non-sanitized
surface, including the floor.
[0008] This presents several problems. First, placing the tube and
mouthpiece around the hookah can cause the hookah to tip over if
the mouthpiece is loose, thereby posing a fire hazard or injury if
the charcoal within the hookah were exposed to furniture or a
user's body. Second, placing the mouthpiece on an unsanitary
surface creates a risk of exposure to germs and bacteria. Third, it
is burdensome for a user to hold a mouthpiece connected to a long,
flexible hose while socializing or dining during the 45 minutes he
or she is not drawing smoke from the mouthpiece.
[0009] While the hookah has existed for hundreds of years (1763),
there has been a long felt need to address these concerns by
creating a means for holding a hookah mouthpiece while the user is
not drawing smoke from the mouthpiece. Thus, the objective of the
present invention is to create a means for safely holding a hookah
mouthpiece for a user while he or she is not drawing smoke from the
mouthpiece, in a manner that does not cause a fire hazard or injury
to the user, and in a sanitary manner.
SUMMARY
[0010] The invention consists of a hookah mouthpiece holder
designed to hold a hookah mouthpiece while smoke is not being drawn
by a user. The invention maintains a hookah mouthpiece in a safe
and germ-free environment because the user need no longer place the
hookah mouthpiece on a table or wrap the hose around the hookah to
keep the mouthpiece from falling to the ground. The invention
comprises a first part attached to the hookah and a second part
attached to the hookah mouthpiece; however, it is conceivable that
one piece attached to the hookah can be used to hold the hookah
mouthpiece when not in use. The hookah mouthpiece can be held in an
upright manner by utilizing a hook and loop-type fastener, a
magnet, a two arm holder with ring, or a clamp.
FIGURES
[0011] FIG. 1 illustrates a hook and loop type fastener with a
first part attached to the body of the hookah and a second part
wrapped around the mouthpiece.
[0012] FIG. 2 shows a magnet-type fastener with a strap around the
body and a metal ring with a magnet around the mouthpiece.
[0013] FIG. 3A shows a two-armed fastener with a cut opening
between the two arms
[0014] FIG. 3B shows a two-armed fastener with two arms in the form
of a clamp.
[0015] FIG. 4 shows a fastener in the form of a strap, connecting
piece, and clamp.
[0016] 100 . . . hookah
[0017] 200 . . . hose
[0018] 210 . . . mouthpiece
[0019] 220 . . . stem
[0020] 300 . . . hook and loop type fastener first part
[0021] 310 . . . hook and loop type fastener second part
[0022] 400 . . . strap
[0023] 410 . . . metal piece
[0024] 420 . . . magnet
[0025] 430 . . . metal ring
[0026] 500 . . . arms
[0027] 510 . . . holder ring
[0028] 520 . . . cut opening
[0029] 530 . . . mouthpiece ring
[0030] 600 . . . clamp with two arms
[0031] 610 . . . connecting piece
DETAILED DESCRIPTION
[0032] FIG. 1 generally illustrates a preferred embodiment of a
hookah mouthpiece 210 holder comprised of hook and loop-type
fasteners in which a first part 300 is in the form of a round piece
with an adhesive backing that adheres to the surface of a hookah
100. Preferably, the first part 300 would be disposed somewhere
along the stem 220 of the hookah. A hook and loop-type fastener
second part 310 should be in the form of a strip that wraps around
the mouthpiece 210, but could also be wrapped around the hose 200
just below the mouthpiece 210. When the hook and loop-type fastener
first part 300 is adhered to the stem 220 of the hookah, a user can
then attach the mouthpiece 210 to the hook and loop-type fastener
first part 300 by way of the hook and loop-type fastener second
part 310 wrapped around the mouthpiece 210 or just below the
mouthpiece. In this way, the mouthpiece 210 does not touch any
surface and the hose 200 need not be wrapped around the hookah
100.
[0033] FIG. 2 is an alternate embodiment in which a first part a
strap 400 wrapped the stem 220 of the hookah 100. A metal piece 410
is attached to the strap 410, which could be in the form of a
buckle. The second part is a metal ring 430 attached to the
mouthpiece 210 or to the hose 200 just below the mouthpiece 210. A
magnet 420 is permanently attached to the metal ring 430. In this
way, when a user does not draw smoke from the mouthpiece 210, the
user may attach the mouthpiece 210 to the strap 400 wrapped around
the stem 220 of the hookah 100 by joining the magnet 420 to the
metal piece 410.
[0034] FIGS. 3A and 3B show the same invention, but with a
difference in the location of a cut opening 520. FIGS. 3A and 3B
both show a first part with two arms 500 joined to a joined to a
holder ring 510. A cut opening 520 can be placed in between the two
arms 500 (FIG. 3A). In this way, a user may spread apart the two
arms 500 so that the holder ring 510 spreads open to allow
insertion of the stem 220 inside the holder ring 510.
Alternatively, the cut opening 520 can be placed opposite the two
arms 500, so that when a user squeezes the two arms 500 together,
the cut opening 520 on the opposite end of the holder ring opens up
to allow insertion of the stem 220 (FIG. 3B). A second part is a
mouthpiece ring 530 placed around the mouthpiece 210. The
mouthpiece ring 530 must have an outer circumference sufficiently
wide so that when the mouthpiece 210 and mouthpiece ring 530 is
placed between the two arms 500, the mouthpiece 210 would be held
in an upright position. That is, the mouthpiece ring 530 would keep
the mouthpiece 210 from slipping between the two arms 500. For
added security, the two arms 500 should have tips that bend in an
upwardly position to prevent the mouthpiece from accidentally
sliding off the two arms 500.
[0035] FIG. 4 illustrates another alternate embodiment comprised of
a strap 400 wrapped around the stem 220 of a hookah, with a
connecting piece 610 that connects the strap 400 to a clamp 600
with two arms tensioned toward each other. A user opens the clamp
600 and inserts the mouthpiece 210 between the two arms to hold the
mouthpiece 210 upright.
[0036] Although preferred embodiments of the present invention have
been shown and described, various modifications and substitutions
may be made thereto without departing from the spirit and scope of
the invention. Accordingly, it is to be understood that the present
invention has been described by way of illustration and not
limitation.
[0037] All features disclosed in this specification, including any
accompanying claims, abstract, and drawings, may be replaced by
alternative features serving the same, equivalent or similar
purpose, unless expressly stated otherwise. Thus, unless expressly
stated otherwise, each feature disclosed is one example only of a
generic series of equivalent or similar features.
[0038] Any element in a claim that does not explicitly state "means
for" performing a specified function, or "step for" performing a
specific function, is not to be interpreted as a "means" or "step"
clause as specified in 35 U.S.C. .sctn.112, paragraph 6. In
particular, the use of "step of" in the claims herein is not
intended to invoke the provisions of 35 U.S.C. .sctn.112, paragraph
6.
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