U.S. patent number 3,669,128 [Application Number 05/087,969] was granted by the patent office on 1972-06-13 for device for filtering tobacco smoke.
Invention is credited to Joseph H. Cohen.
United States Patent |
3,669,128 |
Cohen |
June 13, 1972 |
DEVICE FOR FILTERING TOBACCO SMOKE
Abstract
A device for filtering tobacco smoke, comprising a filter
assembly that includes a chamber in which a measured quantity of
liquid is contained, the front and the rear wall of the chamber
each having an opening formed therein through which smoke is drawn
and a plug of filter material located in and extending through the
opening in the rear wall, the body of the article on which the
device is secured being manipulated prior to the smoking thereof to
saturate the material in the opening with the liquid as contained
in the chamber, wherein smoke as drawn through the chamber and
saturated material is filtered and cooled prior to being inhaled by
the smoker. The compartments forward and rearwardly of the chamber
may house filters, such as cotton pads, which function to remove
additional impurities.
Inventors: |
Cohen; Joseph H. (Miami,
FL) |
Family
ID: |
22208338 |
Appl.
No.: |
05/087,969 |
Filed: |
November 9, 1970 |
Current U.S.
Class: |
131/344;
131/173 |
Current CPC
Class: |
A24D
3/045 (20130101); A24F 7/04 (20130101) |
Current International
Class: |
A24D
3/00 (20060101); A24D 3/04 (20060101); A24F
7/04 (20060101); A24F 7/00 (20060101); A24f
001/30 (); A24f 001/04 () |
Field of
Search: |
;131/10.1,173,15,10.3,10.5,10.7,10.9,261 |
References Cited
[Referenced By]
U.S. Patent Documents
Foreign Patent Documents
Primary Examiner: Rein; Melvin D.
Claims
What is claimed is:
1. A device for filtering tobacco smoke, comprising a filter
assembly for attachment to a tobacco containing body from which the
smoke is drawn by the smoker, said filter assembly including an
enclosed chamber having front and rear apertured walls, said
chamber containing a small amount of liquid, a rear compartment
separated from said chamber by said rear wall an absorbent material
inserted in and extending through said opening into said rear
compartment and being saturated by said liquid by movement of said
body, wherein smoke drawn through said chamber and absorbent
material is filtered and cooled prior to being inhaled by the
smoker.
2. A device for filtering tobacco smoke as set forth in claim 1,
said filter assembly further including a forward compartment
located in close proximity to the body from which the smoke is
drawn, said front wall separating said forward compartment from
said enclosed chamber and filter means located in said forward
compartment and through which the smoke is drawn from said
body.
3. A device for filtering tobacco smoke as set forth in claim 1,
said absorbent material comprising a cotton plug that is located in
said opening.
4. A device for filtering tobacco smoke as set forth in claim 2,
the front wall of said enclosed chamber including a rearwardly
extending projection that projects inwardly into said chamber, the
opening in said front wall extending through said projection and
said projection defining an overhang in said chamber and preventing
escape of the water through the opening therein.
Description
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
The present invention relates to a filter for tobacco smoke and has
particular application as a filter for cigars and cigarettes.
Prior to the instant invention, a great number of filters have been
proposed for use with tobacco products, and most cigarettes sold
commercially include some form of a filter that presumably filters
impurities from the tobacco smoke prior to being inhaled by the
smoker. Notwithstanding the intended purpose of the heretofore
known filters, it has been proved statistically that these filters
have not been successful in removing harmful ingredients from the
tobacco smoke prior to being inhaled. Numerous proposals have been
suggested for altering the commercial variations of the present-day
filters for removing the harmful ingredients from the smoke, and
these have included the concept of introducing water or other
liquids into a tobacco smoke filter. Most of these heretofore known
filters that have suggested the use of a liquid for trapping the
harmful ingredients of tobacco smoke have included some form of a
fibrous filter body and an enclosed water chamber of frangible
construction that was penetrated by mannual breaking or by the use
of a rip cord or the like so as to free the liquid for saturation
of the fibrous body. Such filter constructions have not been
satisfactory in use since they have not properly saturated the
filter body upon release of the liquid from the liquid chamber, and
furthermore have been relatively complicated in construction that
materially increased the overall cost of the tobacco article.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
The present invention relates to a device for filtering tobacco
smoke and comprises a filter assembly that is adapted to be
attached to the smoking article from which the smoke is drawn by
the smoker. In this connection it is contemplated that the
filtering device can be used in the filtering of smoke from
cigarettes, cigars, and may furthermore be used to filter pipe
smoke, wherein the filter is inserted into the pipe stem. The
filter assembly as embodied in the present invention includes an
enclosed chamber in which a small amount of liquid is contained, a
rear compartment being separated from the chamber by a wall in
which an opening is formed. An absorbent material such as a cotton
plug is located in the opening and is adapted to be saturated by
the liquid just prior to the smoking of the article in which the
filter is used. Since the saturated plug is located in the opening
through which smoke is drawn, the smoke is filtered and cooled
prior to being inhaled by the smoker. The invention as conceived
also includes a forward compartment formed as part of the filter
assembly, the forward and rear compartments having filter material
located therein and cooperating with the saturated filter plug to
prevent impurities as contained in the smoke from being inhaled by
the smoker. It is also contemplated that the filter in the rear
compartment will absorb some of the water from the saturated plug
and will add to the cooling and filtering of the smoke.
Accordingly, it is an object of the present invention to provide a
filtering device for tobacco smoke that incorporates an absorbent
material in the smoke channel, the absorbent material being
saturated with a liquid for filtering and cooling the tobacco smoke
prior to being inhaled by the smoker.
Another object is to provide a filter device for tobacco smoke,
including a filter assembly that is attachable as a unit to a
tobacco article the filter assembly including a chamber in which a
liquid material is contained the liquid being adapted to saturate
an absorbent filter material prior to use of the tobacco
article.
Another object is to provide a filter assembly for use in a tobacco
article that includes a central chamber in which a liquid is
located, and forward and rear compartment in which a filter
material is located, the liquid being used to saturate an absorbent
filter and cooperating with the filter material in the compartments
to effectively filter the smoke from the tobacco article prior to
being inhaled by the smoker.
Still another object is to provide a filter assembly for use with a
tobacco article in which a cotton plug is located in the channel
through which the smoke is drawn, the cotton plug being saturated
with a liquid material prior to the smoking of the article for
filtering and cooling the smoke prior to the inhaling thereof by
the smoker.
Other objects, features and advantages of the invention shall
become apparent as the description thereof proceeds when considered
in connection with the accompanying illustrative drawings.
DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
In the drawings which illustrate the best mode presently
contemplated for carrying out the present invention:
FIG. 1 is an elevational view of a tobacco article such as a
cigarette showing the filter device of the present invention as
attached to the cigarette;
FIG. 2 is a vertical sectional view of the filtering device as
embodied in the present invention;
FIG. 3 is an enlarged sectional view of the filter device as
illustrated in FIG. 1 as attached to a cigarette and in the
vertical position thereof such as when contained in a cigarette;
and
FIG. 4 is a view similar to FIG. 3 showing the filter device
located in the horizontal position thereof as attached to a
cigarette and in that position that it is normally located during
the smoking of the cigarette and after saturation of the filter
plug with the liquid in the central chamber;
FIG. 5 is a sectional view taken along line 5--5 in FIG. 4.
DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION
Referring now to the drawing and particularly to FIG. 1, a tobacco
article with which subject invention is utilized is illustrated and
is shown in the form of a filter-tip cigarette generally indicated
at 10. The body of the cigarette is generally indicated at 12 and
the filter device embodied in the subject invention is generally
indicated at 14 and is attached to the rear end of the cigarette 12
as will be described.
Although the filter device 14 is illustrated in the drawing as
being utilized with a conventional style cigarette 12, it is
understood that the concept of the invention as will be described
hereinafter, may be incorporated in other tobacco articles such as
cigars and pipes. In this connection, the filter device 14 may be
attached to the rear end of a cigar or in a cigar holder, and it is
further contemplated that the filter device 14 be inserted as a
unit into a pipe stem and as such will constitute a filter for
tobacco smoke drawn through the bowl of the pipe by the smoker. As
illustrated in FIG. 1, the cigarette 12 is of conventional
construction as formed by the usual automatic machinery and
includes a tube of paper 16 in which tobacco 18 is packed, the
paper tube 16 and tobacco 18 defining the body of the
cigarette.
Referring now to FIG. 2, the filter device 14 embodied in the
present invention is illustrated in detail and as shown includes an
assembly defined by a tubular plastic body 20 that is preferably
formed by molded half sections that are joined together. The
plastic body 20 has a central chamber 22 formed therein that is
defined by spaced walls 24 and 26. The wall 24 is spaced inwardly
from the forwardmost end of the body 20 and defines a forward
compartment 28, the outermost end of the annular wall that defines
the compartment 28 being reduced at 30 to define an annular notch
32. The annular notch 32 provides for attachment of the end of the
cigarette body to the filter device 14 wherein the annular reduced
section 30 overlaps the rearmost end of the cigarette as
illustrated in FIGS. 3 and 4. As further shown in FIG. 2 the rear
wall 26 of the chamber 22 has a central opening 32 formed therein,
a compartment 44 being located rearwardly of the wall 26, as will
be described.
In the filtering of the smoke drawn through the cigarette 12, the
present invention further provides for the cooling of the smoke
prior to inhaling by the smoker. In order to accomplish this
purpose, the central chamber 22 as formed in the filter device 14
has a measured quantity of liquid such as water introduced therein
through the opening 32 during the assembly of the device. As will
be described, an absorbent plug 34 is located in the opening 32 and
upon use of the cigarette is saturated by the water 36 located in
the chamber 22. The water 36 located in the chamber 22 is normally
maintained in an inactive position therein after the cigarette has
been assembled and packaged. Since only a small quantity of the
water is introduced into the chamber 22 it is prevented from
draining therefrom and as will be described, it will not saturate
the absorbent plug 34 until the smoker withdraws the cigarette from
a package and purposely produces a tilting action of the cigarette
that will cause the water to come in contact with the pad 34.
Since the cigarette is oftentimes disposed in a vertical position
as illustrated in FIG. 3, it is desirable to form an opening in the
wall 24 in such a manner that the water will be prevented from
draining from the chamber 22. In this connection a transversely
extending projection 38 is formed inwardly of the wall 24, a
transversely extending slit or opening 40 extending through the
projection 38 and providing for passage of the smoke from the
cigarette into the chamber 22 during the use thereof. It is seen
that the inwardly extending projection 38 is of sufficient
dimension to prevent the liquid from reaching the opening 40 when
the cigarette is located in a vertical position as illustrated in
FIG. 3. Thus, the liquid will remain safely within the chamber 22
and will be utilized to saturate the plug 34 as required, after the
cigarette has been withdrawn from its package.
In order to further produce a filtering of the smoke as drawn from
the cigarette 12, the forward compartment 28 has a cotton filter 42
located therein, while the rear compartment 44 defined by the wall
26 and the rear end of the filter body 20 is also provided with a
filter 46, that may also be of a cotton material or the like.
In the assembly of the filter device 14 to the cigarette 12, the
water is introduced into the chamber 22 through the opening 32
prior to the insertion of the pad 34 into the opening 32.
Thereafter the pad 34 which may be formed of a cotton material is
inserted into the opening 32 following which the cotton filter 46
is placed in the compartment 44 to complete the assembly. The
completed cigarette is then placed in a conventional package and
the package is sealed with a cellophane material or the like as is
known in the art. It is understood that upon sealing of the
cigarette 10 in a package as indicated, evaporation of the liquid
located in the chamber 22 will be effectively prevented.
When the smoker extracts a cigarette from the package after the
opening thereof, the cigarette is tilted and moved in such a manner
to cause the liquid in chamber 22 to come in contact with the
cotton pad 34. The cotton pad 34 is saturated with the liquid
material and since the pad is located in close proximity to the
filter 46 in the compartment 44, saturation of some or all of this
filter will also occur. Upon smoking of the cigarette the smoke as
drawn from the cigarette through the opening 40 and the opening 32
contacts the saturated cotton pad 34. The cotton pad 34 thus not
only acts to cool the smoke as drawn therethrough but also filters
the smoke in the well-known manner. As the smoke is drawn through
the cotton pad 34, it passes through the additional cotton filter
46 prior to entering the smoker's mouth.
It is understood that impurities that are known to be present in
cigarette or tobacco smoke, such as nicotine and tar will be
trapped in the maze of filters as contained in the filter device 10
of the present invention. Thus the cotton filter 42 tends to filter
out a portion of the impurities in the tobacco smoke. As the smoke
passes through the opening 40 and into the chamber 22, additional
impurities will be filtered from the smoke as it is swirled and
circulated in the chamber. As the smoke is then drawn through the
opening 32 and the saturated cotton pad 34, additional impurities
will be removed, and the final cotton filter 46 then acts to
finally remove residual impurities prior to the smoke being drawn
into the mouth of the smoker. It is further understood that not
only does the liquid as contained in the chamber 22 and used to
saturate the pad 34 act as a filter for the smoke but it further
cools the filter device which adds to the pleasure of smoking the
cigarette.
* * * * *