CA2246886A1 - Assembly for use in relighting a cigarette - Google Patents

Abstract

An assembly for use in re-lighting and smoking a cigarette multiple times. The assembly comprising:
i) a cigarette holder having a tubular receiver for receiving and supporting a filter tipped end of a cigarette and a secondary filter provided at a first end of the tubular receiver;
ii) a tubular enclosure for a tobacco rod portion of a cigarette, the enclosure having an internal length sufficient to accommodate a tobacco rod portion and a sorptive member disposed in a closed end of the tubular enclosure to sorb off-taste and off-odor constituents from an extinguished cigarette and thereby freshen an extinguished cigarette for subsequent re-light;
iii) the receiver and the enclosure having open end portions which co-operate in a telescopic manner to enclose an entire cigarette which has been partially smoked and extinguished.

Description

ASSEMBLY FOR USE IN RELIGHTING A CIGARETTE

FIELD OF THE INVENTION

s The present invention relates to a novel cigarette system which permits individual cigarettes to be partially smoked, extinguished and then re-smoked, or completely smoked as a long cigarette, in a unique manner.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

Normally, cigarettes are manufactured to be wholly consumed by the smoker once lit. When smoking such cigarettes, the smoker takes a number of puffs on the cigarette each of which draws the mainstream cigarette smoke into the smoker's mouth. For most smokers, smoking of a single cigarette with around 7 to 13 puffs provides the desired smoking pleasure. Normally such cigarettes are not extinguished and later relit because of off-tastes on re-lighting.
However, a smoker might prefer that option.
Efforts in providing cigarettes which may be readily extinguished or self-extinguished have been available for many years as demonstrated in U.S. patents

2,666,437; 3,702,177 and 4,739,775. These patents describe various self-extinguishing components which may be provided in the cigarette wrapper or in the cigarette tobacco to halt combustion of the cigarette at a desired point along the tobacco rod. Normally the purpose for the self-extinguishing feature is to ensure that the cigarette does not burn for an extended period of time and perhaps cause fires or the like.
Other approaches which relate to safety aspects and which involve mechanical devices are, for example, described in U. S. Patents 3,827,444 and 4.570,645. These patents describe well known types of holders for cigarettes which contain the cigarette in a fire proof enclosure thereby preventing the burning cigarette from setting off fires. The enclosures for the cigarette are tubular in nature and have several ventilation holes to permit the necessary air to reach the cigarette and support burning of the cigarette particularly during the idle phase. In U.S. Patent 4,682,661 telescopic members are provided for a cigarette where the inner telescopic member is porous to allow air to reach the cigarette and support its combustion. The cigarette may be extinguished by advancing the inner tube with a cone shape bladed scratcher to contact the cigarette member and extinguish it. International application W097/20477 describes telescopic sleeves5 which may be rotated, one relative to the other, to vary the amount of air reaching the burning cigarette and as desired extinguish the cigarette by blocking air flow.
The extinguished cigarette may be pushed out of the holder by inserting a new cigarette.
Selective extinguishment of a cigarette is also contemplated in U.S. Patent lO 4,121,597. A paper pipe is provided which includes an additional filter whichworks in combination with the cigarette filter although the two are spaced apartby a considerable gap. The cigarette may be extended beyond the paper tube to the desired extent to allow a smoker to smoke that portion of the cigarette. When the burning ember reaches the paper tube it is extinguished. The cigarette may be 15 re-lit by pushing the cigarette again beyond the tube end to allow another portion to be smoked. In this manner the smoker can smoke, effectively and economically, fractional segments of the cigarette during several different timeperiods. A similar concept, although involving innner digitated telescopic members, is described in U.S. Patent 4,164,231. The respective telescopic 20 members may be retracted to a desired extent to allow the smoking of the exposed portion of the tobacco rod. In this manner, the smoker controls the amount of cigarette smoking and does not waste the unused portion of the tobacco.
In accordance with this invention an assembly for use in re-lighting and 25 smoking a cigarette multiple times, a re-lightable cigarette smoking kit and a method of smoking a self-extinguishing cigarette is provided which have a number of features and advantages over the prior art devices.

SIJMMARY OF THE INVENTION
In accordance with an aspect of the invention, an assembly for use in re-lighting and smoking a cigarette multiple times comprises:

i) a cigarette holder having a tubular receiver for receiving and supporting a filter tipped end of a cigarette and a secondary filter provided at a first end of said tubular receiver;
ii) a tubular enclosure for a tobacco rod portion of a cigarette, said enclosure having an internal length sufficient to accommodate a tobacco rod portion and a sorptive member disposed in a closed end of said tubular enclosure to sorb off-taste and off-odor constituents from an extinguished cigarette and thereby freshen an extinguished cigarette for subsequent re-light;iii) said receiver and said enclosure having open end portions which co-o operate in a telescopic manner to enclose an entire cigarette which has been partially smoked and extinguished.
In accordance with another aspect of the invention a relightable cigarette kit comprises:
i) a cigarette holder having a tubular receiver for receiving and 15 supporting a filter tipped end of a cigarette and a secondary filter provided at a first end of said tubular receiver;
ii) a tubular enclosure for a tobacco rod portion of a cigarette, said enclosure having an internal length sufficient to accommodate a tobacco rod portion and a sorptive member disposed in a closed end of said tubular 20 enclosure to sorb off-taste and off-odor constituents from an extinguished cigarette and thereby freshen an extinguished cigarette for re-lit; and iii) a cigarette having at least one self-exting~ hing component to self-extinguish said cigarette at a predetermined position along its tobacco rod.
In accordance with yet another aspect of the invention a method of 25 smoking a self-extinguishing cigarette having a self-extinguishing component adapted to extinguish the cigarette about half way along the tobacco rod of the cigarette comprises:
i) lighting said cigarette and smoking said cigarette down to said self-extinguishing component and allowing said cigarette to self-extinguish;
ii) placing said cigarette filter tip in a cigarette holder having a tubular receiver for receiving and supporting said cigarette filter tip and a secondary filter provided at a first end of said tubular receiver;
iii) placing said tobacco rod portion in a tubular enclosure, said enclosure having an internal length sufficient to accommodate said tobacco rod, portion and a sorptive member disposed in a closed end of said tubular enclosure to sorb off-taste and off-odor constituents from an extinguished cigarette and thereby freshen said extinguished cigarette for re-light; and iv) telescoping said receiver and said enclosure having open end 5 portions which co-operate in a telescopic manner to enclose said extinguished cigarette.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

Preferred embodiments of the invention are described with respect to the drawings wherein:
Figure lA is a side-elevation of a cigarette which has been partially smoked.
Figure lB is a section through the cigarette holder in accordance with a 15 preferred aspect ofthe invention.
Figure lC is a section through a tubular enclosure for a tobacco rod portion of the cigarette.
Figure lD is a section through the assembly of the kit comprising the cigarette of Figure lA, the holder of Figure lB and the enclosure of Figure lC.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

The assembly in accordance with this invention may be used with normal cigarettes or, in accordance with an aspect of the present invention, a novel 25 cigarette structure may be used which provides a greater-than-normal number of puffs to the smoker when lit than a conventional cigarette and yet comprises a tobacco filler rod of the same physical dimensions as a conventional cigarette.
By increasing the number of puffs a smoker can take from a cigarette, the smokeris provided with a greater overall smoking time, and hence smoking pleasure, 30 from a single cigarette.
In a preferred embodiment of the invention, the number of puffs is approximately doubled with respect to a conventional cigarette containing a filler rod of the same physical dimensions. This cigarette arrangement permits the smoker to take the normal number of puffs that would be obtained from a conventional cigarette, extinguish the cigarette and then re-light the cigarette at a later time to smoke the cigarette, again for the number of puffs that would be obtained from a conventional cigarette. In this embodiment, it is preferred thatthe smoking characteristics of the cigarette be substantially identical during both the first and second smoking of the cigarette. The cigarette also may be smoked as a cigarette having double the number of puffs than normal.
In general, a cigarette of the invention, when smoked according to the industry standard definition I.S.O. #3308 consumes about 4 mm or less of the tobacco rod per minute. The resulting higher-than-normal number of puffs which o is achieved in accordance with the invention is determined by comparison on atobacco industry standard smoking machine with a conventional cigarette.
Examples of these types of cigarettes are described in applicant's C~n~ n patent2,081,749 and U.S. patent 5,379,788.
The provision of a cigarette con~un~ g about 4 mm or less of the 15 tobacco rod per minute may be achieved by significantly increasing the density of the tobacco contained in the filler rod of the cigarette.
A higher density of tobacco to achieve a higher-than-normal puff cigarette may be employed in conjunction with conventional cigarette paper or, preferably,with a wl~ing which retards the normal burn rate of a cigarette and thereby 20 produces less side-stream smoke. Such a wl~ing may be provided by a single wrapping of a slow-burning cigarette paper or by multiple paper wla~illgs, one or more of which may be a slow burning paper. Examples of this type of cigarette is described in applicant's U.S. patent 5,374, 869 and PCT applicationW093/08708.
An advantage that the provision of a slow burning wl~pillg which retards the normal burn rate of a cigarette provides, is that the quantity of tobacco consumed by burning between puffs is decreased in comparison to a conventional cigarette, even though substantially the same quantity of tobacco is consumed ineach puff as in the conventional cigarette. This effect further enhances the ability 30 to provide more puffs from the cigarette, as compared to a conventional cigarette.
Another feature which may be employed in the provision of a higher-than-normal number of puffs cigarette is that of a wider-than-normal width of cut of tobacco in filler rod blend, which results in a retardation of the overall burn rate of the tobacco.

Retardation of the burn rate of the tobacco also may be achieved by employing a blend of tobacco which is slow burning, thereby consequentially providing a higher-than-normal number of puffs, either separately or in conjunction with employment of a wider-than-normal cut width tobacco in the 5 blend.
In addition, the blend of tobacco which is employed to provide the filler rod for the cigarette may be one from which tobacco stem has been elimin~ted or at least the proportion of tobacco stem decreased with respect to a conventionalblend. Processed tobacco stem tends to have a lower density than cut tobacco l O leaf and hence tends to burn at a faster rate. Such processed tobacco stem may comprise shredded enhanced stem or expanded stem. Removal of the tobacco stem component from the tobacco blend, therefore, decreases the overall burn rate. In addition, the burn rate of tobacco may be retarded by decreasing the proportion of or elimin~ting expanded tobacco in the tobacco blend.
In accordance with an aspect of the present invention, a cigarette having unique smoking characteristics is provided, namely one having a greater number of puffs, preferably at least about 16 puffs for 56 mm length of filler rod consumed, than a conventional cigarette having a filler rod of the same dimensions. Such smoking characteristics may be achieved in any convenient 20 manner by employing one or a combination of features, such as those describedabove, namely high density tobacco, slow burning cigarette paper, double paper wl~pillg, wide tobacco cut width, slow burning tobacco blend, and/or reduction or elimin:~tion of enhanced or expanded tobacco stem or cut tobacco filler in the blend.
In accordance with another aspect of the invention, at least one self-extingl~ hing component may be incorporated in the cigarette such as one of those described in the aforementioned U.S. Patents '437;'117 or '775. Preferablyonly one component is used which is located about half way along the tobacco rod.
In a conventional cigarette, the amount of tar, nicotine and flavour increases in subsequent puffs. This effect is decreased when a cigarette as described above, with a higher-than-normal number of puffs, and in particular one having approximately twice as many puffs, is provided.
In accordance with a further aspect of the invention, the smoke delivery profile of the cigarette may be altered to provide a more uniform delivery of tar, nicotine and flavour to the smoker from the cigarette. A variety of techniques may be employed to achieve this result. One technique which may be employed is to adjust the ventilation of the smoke by adjusting the amount of air mixed with 5 the smoke as smoking of the cigarette progresses. Increased ventilation results in increased dilution of the tobacco smoke and hence of the components of the smoke, entering the smoker's mouth.
Increased ventilation may be achieved by employing a manually-adjustable ventilation filter, so that the smoker can adjust the ventilation during smoking of the cigarette to compensate for changes in smoking characteristics, for example as described in Phillip Morris US patent 4,435,696 and later US
patents4,532,943; 4,526,183; 4,570,649; 4,600,027; 4,601,298; 4,646,763;
4,677,995; 4,687,008; 4,600,158and4,700,725. Alternatively,aventilated filter which is constructed so as to be self-adjusting with respect to ventilation 15 during smoking may be employed.
A further technique which may be employed to alter the constitution of the smoke is adjustment to the blend of tobaccos in the cigarette cross-section along the length of the cigarette, to provide a milder blend of tobacco in later puffs, as described in U.S. Patent No. 4,896,681 ("Vari-Blend"), assigned to the applicant20 herein and the disclosure of which is incorporated herein by reference.
Another technique to alter the constitution of the smoke is adjustment of filtration as smoking progresses. This result may be achieved by replacing a conventional filter with a more highly efficient filter or by adding an additional filter element. A self-adjusting filter, such as described in C~n~ n Patent 25 2,049,573 ("Vari-Filter") may be employed, as using a manually-adjustable filter.
These techniques, namely adjustment of filtration, adjustment of ventilation, increasing levels of filtration and blend variation, may be combined, as desired, to provide the desired delivery of tar, nicotine and flavour to the smoker. Using such techniques, it is possible to achieve an approximately 30 uniform delivery (flat profile) for tar, nicotine and flavour within a first cigarette, as well as a reduced increase in the tar, nicotine and flavour in subsequent puffs in a second cigarette.
When a cigarette constructed as described herein is smoked, extinguished and then smoked again, after the first segment has been smoked, the mouth end of the filter may be stained with smoke deposits, which may be considered undesirable by the smoker and inhibitory to smoking the cigarette again. In another aspect of the invention, means are provided to obscure, fully or partially, the stain from the smoker. This result may be achieved by employing a filter s which is recessed at the mouth end of the filter, optionally with baffles and vanes positioned in the recess.
A partially-smoked and extinguished cigarette possesses a burnt odour, charred tobacco and ash, which may adversely affect other cigarettes in a package, if a partially-smoked and extinguished cigarette is placed in the pack for 10 later smoking. In a further aspect of the invention, means are provided to elimin~te or obscure the effects of the partially-smoked and extinguished cigarette from the remainder of the unsmoked cigarettes in the pack.
One construction provides a separate compartment in the cigarette package col~ g a rack into which lighted cigarettes can be inserted, 15 extinguished, held and stored for subsequent reuse. Alternatively, a cap may be provided, which slips over the lit end of the cigarette and locks into place to enclose fully and extinguish the lit end of the cigarette. Such tubular cap may have a charcoal liner to facilitate extinguishing of the lit cigarette. A charcoal filter or sorptive material may be provided at the end of the tube to permit 20 combustion products to be vented and to prevent CO~ in~tion of the cigarette by condensation. A further alternative is to provide an enclosure which wholly encloses the partially-smoked cigarette, to snuff out the burning coal and hold the partially-smoked cigarette until the smoker wishes to re-light the cigarette. Again such enclosure may optionally have a charcoal liner to facilitate extinguishing of 25 the lit cigarette. A charcoal filter or sorptive material may be provided in the end of the tube, as described above.
In one particular embodiment of this aspect of the invention, the enclosure is provided in the form of an assembly of two elements, the first, a shorter cigarette holder element comprising a normal or specially designed cigarette filter 30 and a tubular extension, which permits the partially-smoked cigarette to be held and, the second, a longer tubular enclosure element to envelop the lit end of the partially-smoked cigarette and telescope onto the tubular extension of the firstpart to enclose the partially-smoked cigarette. It is understood that in certainapplications and package configurations, it may be desirable to have one enclosure for use with several cigarette holders. The enclosure may optionally be used to extinguish the cigarette as well as store an extinguished cigarette.
As part of the smoking process, when the smoker is ready to smoke the second half of the cigarette, the longer tubular element is removed and the cigarette is smoked using the first element as a holder for the cigarette. The secondary smoke filter of the shorter element then serves to filter smoke from the cigarette. This arrangement avoids having to employ a variable ventilation of tobacco smoke for the cigarette, to provide a more uniform delivery of tar, nicotine and flavour. The secondary filter serves to remove tar, nicotine and 10 flavour, so as to provide the same smoke delivery profile for the second smoking of the cigarette as for the first. Ventilation also may be provided to the secondary filter, as desired.
When a partially-smoked cigarette is re-lit, a burnt tobacco taste and/or odour may be detected by the smoker, which may be undesirable. In an 15 additional aspect of the invention, means are provided to minimi~e this effect.
A variety of means may be adapted for this purpose. One manner of proceeding is to provide charcoal or other odour sorptive material which absorbsor adsorbs the odours in a storage container in which the partially-smoked cigarette may be stored between smoking sessions.
In addition, a device may be provided which has the means to snuffout a lit cigarette and to cut-off and/or store the charred tobacco tip of the cigarette.
This cutting device also may be associated with a cigarette lighter to facilitate the smoker relighting the partially-smoked cigarette.
In general, a snuffing device provided in accordance with one aspect of 25 the present invention for extinguishing a lit cigarette and storing the same until it is to be relit, comprises a tubular device having a diameter sufficiently small as to snuff out a cigarette and which may be made of single or multiple layers of paper, in which one or more layers comprises an activated charcoal coating. The tube may be provided in linear form with overlap seal or may be spiral wound.
The holder may be diagonally cut to facilitate lead-in of the cigarette. An inner layer of tissue may be provided to prevent the formation of a charcoal stain.
An activated charcoal filter may be employed in conjunction with the device.
In general, a cutting device or snipper used to remove charred cigarette end prior to relighting may take any convenient form. The device may be provided with an enclosed scissor action and may be constructed from plastic or metal materials, with blades being smooth, serrated or both. Particular curvature may be provided to the blades to ensure the best quality of cut. The blades may be provided with spring action to return to a rest position after use. The snipper 5 may include a suitable holding device into which the cigarette is inserting to hold and support the cigarette through the cutting action. A safety lock may be builtinto the device to guard against accidental use.
The unique cigarette provided in combination with the present invention may be packaged in a unique form of cigarette package, which also houses, 10 preferably in the form of a kit, accessories required for use with the cigarettes, such as snuffers. The package should be large enough to hold the smoking accessories in addition to the cigarettes, whether manufacturer or consumer inserted. It is appreciated, however, that the package may be smaller than normal size packages because the package need hold fewer cigarettes when the cigarettesare of special design. Dividers or compartments may be provided within the package to hold the cigarette bundle and accessories in separate compartments within the package. The packaging also may be designed as a dual pack, to separate cigarette and the accessories.
One embodiment of the enclosure for a partially-smoked cigarette, 20 described above and provided in accordance with another aspect of the invention, is illustrated in Figures lA to lD. As seen therein, a partially-smoked cigarette 10, having the desired low burn rate, has a tobacco smoke filter 12 at the unlitend, ash and burning ember 11 and tobacco rod portion 13.
A tubular assembly 14 for the partially-smoked cigarette 10 comprises a 25 holder element 16 (Fig. lB) and an elongate tubular enclosurel8 (Fig. lC). The holder element 16 comprises a tobacco smoke filter 20, an elongate tubular receiver 22 and an outer wrapping 24 in the region of the receiver 22 which is preferably of white paper and th~wl~pillg 24 over secondary filter 20 is preferably of filter tipping so that when cigarette 10 is in place, it still resembles a 30 normal looking cigarette. The elongate tube 22 has an inner diameter such to receive a cigarette in sliding-fit relation therein. Inside the element 16, i.e. on the inner layer of the elongate tube 22, a glue coating may be provided. In this case, the smoker moistens the original cigarette tipping paper before insertion of thecigarette into element 16. With this arrangement, the telescoping friction fit between the cigarette filter and the inner diameter of the element 16 is not essential.
The tubular element 18 comprises a tube 26 having an inside diameter such that the tube 26 is received in telescoping relation therein, as seen in Figure 5 lD. The tube 26 has a charcoal filter or sorptive plug 28 closing one end and an inner charcoal liner 30. It is appreciated that the liner 30 or the sorptive plug 28 is optional.
When the cigarette 10 has been smoked to the desired extent, the filter end 12 is placed into elongate tube 22 to be held therein and then the tubular element 10 is slid over the lighted portion of the cigarette and into telescoping relation with the elongate tube 22 and abutment with the outer w~ lg 24 (see Fig. lD).
The cigarette becomes rapidly extinguished in the enclosure. The charcoal filter 28 and charcoal liner 30 ensure that any combustion products areremoved and any condensates are absorbed in plug 28 so that they do not 15 cont:~min~te the cigarette. The charcoal filter and liner may be made from charcoal paper, activated charcoal matt or activated charcoal fibre. The enclosure assembly 14 afforded by the telescoping elements 16 and 18 provides a convenient storage structure for the partially-smoked cigarette until the smokerdesires to smoke the other half. The enclosure 14, which conveniently has the 20 same length as an unsmoked cigarette, may be conveniently stored in a packageof unsmoked cigarettes without the latter becoming co~t~ ted by combustion products of the partially-smoked cigarette.
The cigarette 10 may include a self-extingllishing component generally designated 32. It is understood that a multiple of these components may be 25 provided in the tobacco rod 13. In accordance with a preferred embodiment of the invention a single self-extinguishing component is located about half way along the tobacco rod. This allows the smoker to achieve the equivalent of two cigarettes from a single tobacco stick. The self-extinguishing device is provided to preferably extinguish the cigarette when half of it has been smoked so that the 30 smoker realizes two cigarette smokings from a single stick. This is particularly important should the cigarette be left in the idle position so that the entire tobacco stick is not totallyconsumed while the cigarette is left in the idle position. The self-extinguishing component may be incorporated in the tobacco of the stick in the manner previously noted with respect to U.S. patent 3,702,117 or may be incorporated in the cigarette paper or wl~ping such as described in respect of U.S. patents 2,666,437 and 4,739,775. The multiple bands for self extinguishing the cigarette may be designed to extinguish the cigarette should it be left idle, but the smoker can puff through each band so that the smoker can select the extent of the cigarette to be smoked.
It is appreciated that the tubular enclosure 18 may be a component of a cigarette package into which a lit cigarette may be inserted or into which an extinguished cigarette may be inserted depending on whether or not the cigaretteincludes a self extinguishing feature. It is also understood that the device for10 clipping the extinguished cigarette end may also be incorporated on the cigarette package or may be formed as an integral component in the tubular enclosure 18.
When the smoker desires to smoke the second half of the cigarette, the elongate tubular element 18 is withdrawn from the holder element 16 to expose the extinguished, partly-smoked cigarette. The ash may be cut from the end of 15 the cigarette to expose fresh tobacco for relighting. With the cigarette retained in the holder element 16, the cigarette is smoked, with the filter element 20 then providing additional filtration to the cigarette smoke, to compensate for the higher tar, nicotine and flavour levels experienced during smoking of the secondhalf of the cigarette. In this way, proper filtration for the second half of the20 cigarette is achieved without change in pressure drop or ventilation. Ventilation of the filter element 20 may be provided if desired.
The holder element 16 may be constructed such that, when the smoker prepares to light the second half of the cigarette, the distance from the smoker's mouth to the end of the cigarette to be lit is approximately the same as when 25 smoking the first half of the cigarette with the filter 12.
In addition to providing the required filtration for the second half of the cigarette, the holder element also provides a clean mouthpiece for relighting the cigarette. Since the filter employed for the smoking of the first half of the cigarette is hidden from view by the elongate tube 16, the staining ofthe filter 12 30 by the initial smoking is not evident.
An advantage of the telescoping enclosure structure described and illustrated herein is that the elements thereof may be assembled using existing filter-tipping equipment to achieve the required close tolerances. This is a significant advantage over the prior art devices and cigarettes. In this regard, two conventional smoke filters may be spaced apart double the length of one element 16 and wrapped with paper of the required thickness to provide a tube with filters at each end with a hollow space therebetween. Cork tipping paper then may be provided adjacent the filters at each end. The element then is severed into two, to provide two holder elements 16.
One of these holder elements and a charcoal filter element then are positioned in spaced-apart relation in the filter-tipper and the paper tube 26 is wrapped around the charcoal filter and the elongate tube 22, thereby providing the tubular element 18.
A further manner of assembly of the structure using existing filter tipping equipment involves wl~pillg the conventional filter of length equal to double the length of filter element 20, with paper of the required thickness and length equal to double the length of the filter element 16.
This assembly along with two charcoal filter elements 28 are positioned in 15 spaced-apart relationship in the filter tipping equipment and wrapped simultaneously with (two) paper tube(s) 26, on each side of the assembly as wellas on the outer wl~pillg of the double length of element 24, to create a unit which can be severed into two, by cutting through the middle of the outer wrapping 24, to provide two complete enclosures, as shown in Fig. lD.
In summary of this disclosure, the present invention provides a novel cigarette structure having more than the normal number of puffs, preferably double, and al~plopliate accessories in the form of a kit which, individually ortogether, permit the novel cigarettes to be partially smoked, extinguished and then re-smoked, or smoked as one long cigarette, providing the effect of two 25 cigarette smokings from a single cigarette, while minimi7ing the adverse effects of extinguishing and then re-lighting a cigarette. A further advantage of this invention is that the smoker may choose to light for the first time several of the cigarettes in the package and individually extinguish each of those cigarettes and store them in a respective assembly of the cigarette holder and enclosure. This 30 allows the smoker to then smoke the extinguished cigarettes at another time, particularly when the filter in the holder is designed to give perhaps a milder smoke than the first lit cigarette. In addition, by use of a second filter in the cigarette holder one is given much greater latitude in providing smoking characteristics of the re-lit cigarette relative to the first cigarette. The systems as described for example with respect to applicants C~n~ n patent 2,049,573 or the dilution filters of the aforementioned Phillip Morris patents are limited inrespect of the changes they can produce in the characteristics of the re-lit cigarette. However, in accordance with this invention the second filter may be 5 designed to achieve smoking characteristics in the re-lit cigarette which are as good as the cigarette when first lit and may be as good as if not better than a normal cigarette when first lit. The use of a second filter avoids problems associated with ventilation type filters which on re-smoking tend to give an "airy"
feel for each puff of mainstream smoke. A further advantage with the assembly o of this invention is that it allows the smoker to use a normal cigarette in combination with the assembly. A smoker may desire to use their own particular brand of cigarette instead of a specially designed cigarette. The normal cigarette may be extinguished several times and re-lit to satisfy the smoker's particular needs.
Although Lrefelled embodiments of the invention have been described herein in detail, it will be understood by those skilled in the art that variations may be made thereto without departing from the spirit of the invention or the scope of the appended claims.

Claims (20)

CLAIMS:

1. An assembly for use in relighting and smoking a cigarette multiple times, said assembly comprising:
i) a cigarette holder having a tubular receiver for receiving and supporting a filter tipped end of an extinguished cigarette and a secondary filter provided at a first end of said tubular receiver;
ii) a tubular enclosure for a tobacco rod portion of a cigarette, said enclosure having an internal length sufficient to accommodate a tobacco rod portion and a sorptive member disposed in a closed end of said tubular enclosure to sorb off-taste and off-odor constituents from an extinguished cigarette and thereby freshen an extinguished cigarette for subsequent re-light;iii) said receiver and said enclosure having open end portions which co-operate in a telescopic manner to enclose an entire cigarette which has been partially smoked and extinguished.

2. An assembly of claim 1 wherein said receiver extends at least over a filter portion of a cigarette.

3. An assembly of claim 1 wherein said secondary filter of said receiver is adapted to remove tar from mainstream smoke of a stronger re-lit cigarette toprovide a flavour and taste comparable to a freshly lit cigarette.

4. An assembly of claim 1 wherein said tubular receiver has an outer layer of white wrapper in combination with filter tipping over said secondary filter.

5. An assembly of claim 1 wherein said enclosure has an inner lining of charcoal paper, activated charcoal matting or activated carbon fibre.

6. An assembly of claim 1 wherein said sorptive member is an activated carbon fibre.

7. An assembly of claim 1 wherein said enclosure is provided for telescoping over a selected said receiver, said enclosure being used to extinguish a lit cigarette.

8. An assembly of claim 1 in combination with an extinguished filter tipped cigarette, said cigarette filter being positioned in said receiver, and the extinguished portion of said cigarette tobacco rod being positioned in said enclosure.

9. An assembly of claim 8 wherein said cigarette includes at least one self-extinguishing component to self extinguish said cigarette at a predetermined position along its tobacco rod.

An assembly of claim 9 wherein said self-extinguishing component is located to permit smoking of a first portion of said cigarette to leave thereby a second portion to be smoked later.

11. An assembly of claim 10 wherein said first and second portions are about equal.

12. A relightable cigarette smoking kit comprising:
i) a cigarette holder having a tubular receiver for receiving and supporting a filter tipped end of a cigarette and a secondary filter provided at a first end of said tubular receiver;
ii) a tubular enclosure for a tobacco rod portion of a cigarette, said enclosure having an internal length sufficient to accommodate a tobacco rod portion and a sorptive member disposed in a closed end of said tubular enclosure to sorb off-taste and off-odor constituents from an extinguished cigarette and thereby freshen an extinguished cigarette for re-light;
iii) a cigarette having at least one self-extinguishing component to self-extinguish said cigarette at a corresponding predetermined position along its tobacco rod.

13. A kit of claim 12 wherein said receiver extends at least over a filter portion of a cigarette.

14. A kit of claim 12 wherein said secondary filter of said receiver is adapted to remove tar from mainstream smoke of a stronger re-lit cigarette to provide a flavour and taste comparable to such cigarette when first lit.

15. A kit of claim 12 wherein said tubular receiver has an outer layer of white wrapper in combination with filter tipping over said secondary filter.

16. A kit of claim 12 wherein said enclosure has an inner lining of charcoal paper.

17. A kit of claim 12 wherein said sorptive member is an activated carbon.

18. A kit of claim 12 wherein said enclosure telescopes over said receiver when assembled to enclose an extinguished cigarette.

19. A method of smoking a self-extinguishing cigarette having a self-extinguishing component adapted to extinguish said cigarette at a predetermined point along a tobacco rod of said cigarette, said method comprising:
i) lighting said cigarette and smoking said cigarette down to said self-extinguishing component and allowing said cigarette to self-extinguish;
ii) placing said cigarette filter tip in a cigarette holder having a tubular receiver for receiving and supporting a filter tipped end of a cigarette and a secondary filter provided at an end of said tubular receiver;
iii) placing said tobacco rod portion in a tubular enclosure, said enclosure having an internal length sufficient to accommodate said tobacco rod portion and a sorptive member disposed in a closed end of said tubular enclosure to sorb off-taste and off-odor constituents from said extinguished cigarette and thereby freshen an extinguished cigarette for re-light;

iv) telescoping said receiver and said enclosure having open end portions which co-operate in a telescopic manner to enclose said extinguished cigarette.

20. The method of claim 19 wherein said self-extinguishing componented is located about half way along said tobacco rod.