DEVICE FOR ENABLING A USER TO SMOKE A CIGARETTE INSIDE IN AN ENCLOSED VEHICLE AND DISCHARGE THE SMOKE OUTSIDE THE VEHICLE

Abstract

A device for enabling a user to smoke a cigarette inside in an enclosed vehicle and discharge cigarette smoke outside the enclosed vehicle includes a housing configured for mounting on an enclosed vehicle. A cigarette holder is provided for holding a cigarette inside the housing and a mouth piece is provided for being held in a user's mouth. A tube extends between the mouth piece and cigarette holder, and a passage fluidly connects the mouth piece and cigarette holder, so that the smoker can breathe smoke-filled air in from the cigarette in the housing and breathe out smoke from the user's mouth into the housing. A valve fluidly connects to the passage, so that smoke-filled air can be drawn in and blown out, so that the user can inhale and exhale cigarette smoke from the cigarette in the housing without exhaling smoke into the enclosed vehicle.

Description

FIELD OF THE INVENTION

[0001] The invention relates to a device for enabling a user to smoke a cigarette inside in an enclosed vehicle and discharge the smoke outside the vehicle. More particularly, the invention relates to a device for enabling a user to smoke a cigarette inside a vehicle and discharge the cigarette smoke through a housing to the outside of the vehicle. Even more particularly, the invention relates to a device including a housing which encloses a lighted cigarette, the housing being connected by a tube to the smoker's mouth, so that the smoker can smoke the lighted cigarette inside the housing and the cigarette smoke is discharged outside the housing to the exterior of the vehicle.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

[0002] Smoking devices are known by which a smoker can smoke tobacco at a distance from the user.

[0003] Vented vehicle ashtrays which have a motorized fan for drawing cigarette smoke away from the ashtray are known. However, none of the known devices allow a user to smoke inside a vehicle, and discharge all the cigarette smoke outside the vehicle. See for example, U.S. Pat. No. 4,061,149 to Raczkowski, entitled "Ashtray with Smoke Exhauster."

OBJECTS AND SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

[0004] It is an object of the invention to overcome the drawbacks of the prior art.

[0005] It is a further object of the invention to provide a device by which the smoker can smoke in an enclosed space, such as a vehicle, and discharge substantially all the cigarette smoke outside of the enclosed vehicle.

[0006] It is a further object of the invention to provide a cost-effective, user-friendly, environmentally friendly, and functional device for discharging substantially 100% of cigarette smoke from a user inside an enclosed vehicle to the exterior of the vehicle.

[0007] It is a further object of the invention to provide a device by which a smoker can be in a vehicle with a non-smoker and no cigarette smoke is allowed to be present in the vehicle so that the non-smoker suffers no ill effects from the cigarette smoke discharged by the smoker.

[0008] These and other objects of the invention have been achieved as will be readily apparent from the invention as described below.

[0009] In summary, the invention is directed to a device for enabling a user to smoke a cigarette inside in an enclosed vehicle and discharge cigarette smoke outside the enclosed vehicle, including a housing configured for mounting on an enclosed vehicle. There is a cigarette holder configured for holding a cigarette inside the housing, and a mouth piece configured for being held in a user's mouth with a tube provided between the mouth piece and the cigarette holder. The tube includes a passage fluidly connecting the mouth piece and the cigarette holder, so that the smoker can breathe smoke-filled air in and out from the user's mouth and the cigarette in the housing. A valve fluidly connects to the passage, and is configured so that the user can inhale and exhale cigarette smoke from the cigarette in the housing without exhaling smoke into the enclosed vehicle, and without releasing smoke into the vehicle.

[0010] The invention includes that the housing is configured for being mounted outside the enclosed vehicle. The invention further includes that a clip is provided for attaching the housing to a window of the enclosed vehicle. The invention includes a vent hole provided in the housing and fluidly connected with an interior of the housing for venting cigarette smoke out of the housing to the exterior of the enclosed vehicle.

[0011] Further aspects of the invention will be understood from the description herein.

[0012] Relative terms such as up, down, left, and right are for convenience only and are not intended to be limiting.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0013] FIG. 1 is a partially cut away view of an embodiment of a device according to the invention for enabling a user to smoke a cigarette inside in an enclosed vehicle and discharge the cigarette smoke outside the enclosed vehicle;

[0014] FIG. 2 is a side view of the device for enabling a user to smoke a cigarette inside an enclosed vehicle according to the embodiment of FIG. 1, as viewed from the upper side of the drawing of FIG. 1;

[0015] FIG. 3 is an end view of the embodiment of the invention of FIG. 1 as viewed from the left in FIG. 1;

[0016] FIG. 4 is a further embodiment of the invention showing a device for enabling a user to smoke a cigarette inside an enclosed vehicle in which a housing of the device is provided in a portion of the vehicle, such as a door of the vehicle; and

[0017] FIG. 5 is a still further embodiment of the invention showing a device for enabling a user to smoke a cigarette inside an enclosed vehicle in which a housing of the device is provided in a portion of the vehicle, such as a console of the vehicle.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0018] FIGS. 1-3 illustrate an embodiment of a device 100 for smoking a tobacco product inside an enclosed space according to the invention. Device 100 enables a user; i.e., a smoker to smoke a cigarette inside a closed vehicle. Device 100 may include a housing 120 including one or more vent holes 124, 128, as shown. A cover 132 may be provided on the housing and attached by a hinge 136 for ease of moving cover 132 toward and away from the remainder of the housing, as shown by a moved position 134 of cover 132. A clip 144 having an outer free and 146, which may be curved, as shown, may be provided on housing 120. Clip 144 may be used for attaching or securing the housing to a window W of the enclosed vehicle.

[0019] As shown, housing 120 may be configured for being mounted outside the enclosed vehicle, such as outside of window W of a driver's door, as will be readily appreciated by a person having ordinary skill in the art. Further, a tube 150 may be provided and fluidly connected with the interior of housing 120. As will be appreciated, tube 150 may include a single passage, or a first passage 154 and a second passage 156, as shown, and which may be referred to as an intake passage 154 and an exhaust passage 156.

[0020] A mouth piece 170 suitable for being held by a smoker's mouth, with or without clinching between a smoker's teeth, as will be understood, may be provided on a free end of tube 150 at a distance from housing 120, as shown. Between mouth piece 170 and intake tube 154 a valve 174 may be provided for controlling the flow of air between mouth piece 170 and intake passage 154. Valve 174 may be a one-way valve, a normally closed valve, or a two-way valve, depending on the intended use, as will be described further below. In a similar fashion, a second valve 176 may be provided adjacent mouth piece 170 and fluidly connecting passage 156 thereto. Valve 176 may be a one-way valve, a normally closed valve, or a two-way valve, as will be described below.

[0021] A cigarette holder or other tobacco product holder 180 may be provided adjacent housing 120, such as partially inside and partially outside of housing 120, as shown. Cigarette holder 180 may be sized to receive and secure a cigarette 190, or a cigar, such as will be readily appreciated.

[0022] As shown, a connector 184, which may be a connector or a valve, depending on the construction of holder 180 and tube 150, may be provided between one or both of passages 154 and 156, respectively, for securing tube 150 and for venting passages 154 and 156 to holder 180 and, hence, to cigarette 190.

[0023] Further, there may be a space or gap 190 defined between a free end 192 of window W and a free portion 196 of housing 120. In that manner, housing 120 may be secured to window W of a car by opening window W sufficiently so that clip 144 may be secured to window W and when the window is subsequently rolled up to its closed position, there will be the gap 190 so that the device may be secured to the window without crushing of housing 120 or the tube 150.

[0024] Given that most vehicles have a flexible seal between the unillustrated window frame or body of the car and the window W, window W may be substantially closed and sufficiently closed while securing housing 120 between the window frame and the window or between the car frame and the window so that the housing 120 is secured in place and stays in place during driving of the vehicle. It will be appreciated that while driving forward, namely to the right as shown in FIG. 1, a direction of air flow will be in the direction of arrow A. Thus, housing and cover 132 may be curved, as shown, so as to provide the desired air flow around the housing. The desired air flow may be guided so as to enhance the venting of smoke 194 through vent holes 124, 128. As better seen in FIG. 3, a number of vent holes 124, 128 may be provided.

[0025] In use, when the smoker smokes cigarette 190 by use of mouth piece 170, a quantity 194 of smoke will be generated by and exhausted through cigarette 190 if only passage 154 is used. Smoke 194 will be exhausted through passage 156 and directly into the interior of housing 120 when both passages 154,156 are used, as passage 154 may be intake passage 154 and passage 156 may be exhaust passage 156, as will be readily understood.

[0026] In use, a smoker will move cover 132 by rotating cover 132 clockwise around hinge 136 to open housing 120, as shown. The user will then be able to access the interior of the housing, and insert a cigarette 190 into holder 180 by inserting cigarette 190 into the left end of holder 180 so that cigarette 190 is in its received position secured by holder 180, as shown in FIG. 1. Cigarette 190 may be lighted in advance by the user or left unlighted, depending on whether the user intends to smoke the cigarette shortly after insertion.

[0027] The user then closes cover 132 by moving it from its moved position 134 to its solid line use position, as shown. In the case of a lighted cigarette, smoke 194 will be generated by the burning cigarette 190, as shown. The user will then get into his or her vehicle, close the driver's door, and be ready to drive. Alternatively, the user may sit in her car with the door closed, lower the window, put housing 120 in place, raise window W, and securing housing 120 with clip 144, window W can then be closed completely or substantially completely. The user may then put mouth piece 170 into her mouth before or after she begins driving. If the user wants to wait to begin smoking, thanks to valves 174 and 176, the mouth piece 170 may be left unattended and no smoke will exit from the passage in free end 178 of the mouth piece. When the user decides it is time to smoke, then he picks up mouth piece 170 and tube 150 by grabbing one or both of mouth piece 170 and tube 150, and inserts mouth piece 170 into his mouth so that he may breathe through the cigarette smoke passage at free end 178. In order to smoke, the smoker draws in air through the passage in mouth piece 170 and the drawing in of air through intake passage 154 draws in smoke-filled air including smoke 194 through the length of intake passage 154 into mouth piece 170 and then into the smoker's mouth from which it is drawn into the smoker's lungs. After the smoker has held the smoke in his lungs a desired length of time, the smoker exhausts any smoke 194 remaining in his lungs from his lungs by exhaling from his lungs through his mouth, through the mouth piece, and, thanks to exhaust valve 176, out through exhaust passage 156 and from there into the interior of the housing. If the user wants to draw in more smoke-filled air, the user will again inhale through mouth piece 170 and the process of drawing in smoke through intake passage 154 is repeated. New and/or previously drawn in smoke 194 will again be drawn into the user's lungs, as described above. When the smoker wants to talk, or is done smoking the cigarette 190 in use, then the smoker exhausts smoke-filled air a final time through exhaust passage 156 back out into the interior of the housing 120.

[0028] FIG. 4 illustrates a further embodiment of a device 200 for enabling a user to smoke a cigarette 190 inside a vehicle while exhausting the smoke outside the vehicle.

[0029] A car door D is shown on which window W is provided. In this embodiment device 200 may be provided adjacent to or inside of door D. A tube 250 is provided which extends between cigarette 190 and the user, and may be the same as or substantially the same as tube 150 of the FIG. 1 embodiment. It will be appreciated that depending on the location of device 200 relative to a smoker inside the vehicle, tube 250 may be the same as or may have a different length from the length of tube 150 of FIG. 1, and may have a different configuration or construction, as needed, in order to run from device 200 to the smoker's mouth. Cigarette 190 may be put in place in housing 220 from inside or outside the vehicle.

[0030] As shown, depending on the location of device 200, a vent hose 260 may be provided between the housing 220 and the exterior of the vehicle.

[0031] FIG. 5 shows a still further embodiment of a device 300 according to the invention for enabling a user to smoke a cigarette 190 inside a vehicle. As shown, device 300 may include a housing 320 which is located inside or adjacent a console C of a vehicle.

[0032] In a manner analogous to the device 200 of FIG. 4, smoking device 300 may be provided with a housing 320 configured for being located in the car console C, and there may be a vent hose 360 which is constructed so as to extend from housing 320 to the exterior of the vehicle. Depending on the location, size, and configuration of device 300, vent hose 360 may differ from vent hose 260 of the FIG. 4 embodiment. Cigarette 190 may be put in and removed from housing 320 as described herein.

[0033] While this invention has been described as having a preferred design, it is understood that it is capable of further modifications, and uses and/or adaptations of the invention and following in general the principle of the invention and including such departures from the present disclosure as come within the known or customary practice in the art to which the invention pertains, and as may be applied to the central features hereinbefore set forth, and fall within the scope of the invention.

Claims

1. A device for enabling a user to smoke a cigarette inside in an enclosed vehicle and discharge cigarette smoke outside the enclosed vehicle, comprising: a) a housing, the housing being configured for mounting on an enclosed vehicle; b) a cigarette holder configured for holding a cigarette inside the housing; c) a mouth piece configured for being held in a user's mouth; d) a tube provided between the mouth piece and the cigarette holder, the tube including a passage fluidly connecting the mouth piece and the cigarette holder, so that the smoker can breathe smoke-filled air in from the cigarette in the housing and breathe out smoke from the user's mouth into the housing; and e) a valve fluidly connecting to the passage, the valve being configured so that a smoke-filled fluid can be drawn into and blown out of a user's mouth so that the user can inhale and exhale cigarette smoke from the cigarette in the housing without exhaling smoke into the enclosed vehicle.

2. Device as in claim 1, wherein: a) the housing is configured for being mounted outside the enclosed vehicle.

3. Device as in claim 2, wherein: a) a clip is provided for attaching the housing to a window of the enclosed vehicle.

4. A device as in claim 3, wherein: a) a vent hole is provided in the housing, the vent hole being fluidly connected with an interior of the housing for venting cigarette smoke out of the housing to the exterior of the enclosed vehicle.

5. Device as in claim 1, wherein: a) the housing is configured for being mounted inside the enclosed vehicle.

6. Device as in claim 5, wherein: a) the housing is mountable inside a door of the vehicle; and b) a vent is provided on the housing for venting cigarette smoke from the housing to outside the door of the vehicle.

7. Device as in claim 5, wherein: a) the housing is mountable inside a console of the vehicle; and b) a vent is provided on the housing for venting cigarette smoke from the housing to outside the console of the vehicle.

8. Device as in claim 1, wherein: a) the valve includes a normally closed valve.

9. Device as in claim 1, wherein: a) the passage in the tube includes an intake passage and an exhaust passage; and b) the valve includes a first valve in the intake passage and a second valve in the exhaust passage, the two valves being normally closed valves for closing the intake and exhaust passages so that cigarette smoke is prevented from exiting from the housing through the passages in the tube.