DE102014103771A1 - Ashtray - Google Patents

Abstract

The present invention relates to an ashtray for use in motor vehicles or otherwise with a container for ash and / or waste of tobacco products, which is associated with a suction device by means of which the ash and / or waste can be sucked via a connection in a reservoir, wherein According to the invention, the entire device comprising the container for ash and / or waste and the functionally essential components including the suction motor in a compact mobile housing (10) is housed, which can be parked in a motor vehicle at a suitable location and which with an electrical supply line (23) and a plug-in device (24) is provided for connection to a low-voltage supply of the motor vehicle. The ashtray according to the invention is compact and built to save space and its use in a motor vehicle requires no structural changes in the interior trim of the vehicle.

Description

The present invention relates to an ashtray for use in motor vehicles or otherwise, with a container for ash and / or waste of tobacco products, which is associated with a suction device by means of which the ash and / or waste can be sucked through a connection in a reservoir.

Various ashtrays with suction device are known from the prior art and it is also known to install this type of ashtray in a motor vehicle. For example, this describes DE 100 35 502 A1 such an ashtray, although in this known device it is primarily a matter of sucking the flue gases while ashes and cigarette butts fall into an ashtray, as in a conventional ashtray.

The DE 92 10 884 U1 describes a tilting destroyer for motor vehicles, in which also ash and tilting are sucked through a metal pipe system and passed through a crusher. Here, not only the smoke nuisance is removed by the suction, but it is also prevented that ash enters the vehicle compartment, which can be dangerous if, for example, the attention of the driver of the vehicle is disturbed. This known device should be arranged as an opening on the transmission tunnel, which releases a slot after opening.

The DE 296 06 118 U1 also describes a built-in ashtray with suction device for installation in cars or other vehicles in which ash and cigarette remains are sucked into a sump. The ashtray is designed as a box with pull-out container with a cuboid basic shape, so that the device is suitable as a conventional ashtray for installation in the center console of the vehicle and takes comparatively much installation space to complete.

An ashtray suction system for the disposal of cigarette smoke, ashes and cigarette residues is in the DE 101 02 565 C2 described. There, a funnel is provided for receiving the residues, which is connected to a pipe system through which is sucked into a collecting container inside. This device is technically quite complex, because for the electrical control of the suction motor, a light barrier is provided and it can be switched on various suction levels. The document contains no information about where exactly the hopper can be installed in a motor vehicle.

An ash gully, which is also suitable for vehicles, is used in the DE 26 00 881 A1 described. There, a valve, pipe and filter system is provided, via which the tobacco vapor is sucked off, wherein the suction takes place either via a fan or via an injector system which is actuated by the wind of the vehicle. Also in this document is not described in detail, where the ash drains exactly in the vehicle is housed. It is merely stated that a housing with conical constriction is mounted in a horizontal dashboard or table top.

Devices for extinguishing incandescent cigarette residues for use in ashtrays of vehicles are also known from the prior art and are described, for example, in US Pat DE 74 32 931 U1 described. In this case, for example, a water-drenchable insert made of foam in a rectangular in plan container or a water tank we used in the DE 28 08 956 A1 described.

A disadvantage of all previously known ashtrays with suction is that they, if they are intended for motor vehicles, are permanently installed in the motor vehicle. For this purpose, piping necessary to be laid, cables for the electrical supply of the engine and the like, so that the installation is relatively expensive. In addition, the device takes up much space, which is often not present in the dashboard or center console of a vehicle. The long pipes for the extraction lead to the need for correspondingly powerful suction motors, which in turn require more space and also have a high energy requirement. The entire device becomes costly as well as their installation.

This is where the present invention begins. The object of the invention is to provide an ashtray with the features of the type mentioned is available, which is self-sufficient with all functionally essential components and is mobile, so that the entire device with the container for ash and waste of tobacco products space saving and easily accessible to the user accommodated in the vehicle and if necessary also taken by the driver and thus otherwise, eg in the household, can be used.

The solution to this problem provides an ashtray of the aforementioned type with the characterizing features of the main claim.

According to the invention it is provided that the entire device comprising the container for ash and / or waste and the functionally essential components including the suction motor in a compact mobile housing is housed, which can be parked in a motor vehicle at a suitable location and which is provided with an electrical supply line and a plug-in device for connection to a low-voltage supply of the motor vehicle.

Thus, the solution according to the invention is based initially on the fact that all components of the ashtray with suction device are housed in a compact housing to save space. This solution thus requires no installation of components that interfere with the construction of the vehicle such as the installation of suction lines, hoses, electrical connection lines or the like. It must be made to use the device according to the invention also no changes in the interior trim of the vehicle such as the introduction of mounting holes, which can usually only be performed by the manufacturer or a specialist workshop. Finally, the user is not limited to an application of the ashtray in a vehicle, but he can, since it is mobile and thus not firmly connected to the vehicle, use it anywhere else such as in the home.

It when according to a preferred embodiment of the invention, the compact mobile housing has a substantially conical or cylindrical outer basic shape and is dimensioned so that it can be taken in a receptacle of the motor vehicle for a drinking cup (cupholder). This makes it easier for the user to park the device since most vehicles have one or more such "cupholders", for example in the area of the center console or in the door panels. For the electrical supply of the device, it is possible to use a low-voltage connection (for example 12 V or 24 V), which is usually present in the vehicles, which is often located in the vicinity of a cupholder and provides the device with a correspondingly adapted plug. Since you have such short distances there are no disturbing lines in the vehicle. Structural changes to the interior components of the vehicle are not necessary for the use of the device, unlike most of the devices known from the prior art.

Preferably, furthermore, the compact mobile housing has a substantially flat lower standing surface, by means of which it can be stably set down on a flat surface. Preferably, the compact mobile housing is not or not much larger than a conventional drinking vessel so that it fits into a conventional cupholder. However, if necessary, the device can also be set up freely, in particular outside of a vehicle, for example on a table or another suitable standing surface, due to the essentially flat lower standing surface.

According to a preferred embodiment of the present invention, an extinguishing liquid is contained in the interior of the compact mobile housing and at least one first partition wall is provided, by means of which the interior of the housing is divided into a first suction chamber, which is located in the flow path of the extracted gases before the extinguishing liquid and in a second suction chamber, which is located in the flow path after the extinguishing liquid, such that the extracted gases pass through the extinguishing liquid. By the extinguishing liquid is sucked from the cigarette still smoldering ash extinguished as well as burning cigarette butts, which are sucked, deleted and can be disposed of in the housing of the device.

Furthermore, a filter chamber with at least one filter device is preferably arranged in the housing, which is preferably arranged in the flow path of the extracted gases after the extinguishing liquid. The extracted flue gases are thus first sucked through the extinguishing liquid and then through the filter device and are cleaned in this way, so that they can then be discharged filtered back into the environment at the outlet side of the device. The filter chamber may comprise, for example, activated carbon or the like as filter material.

For example, the suction device may comprise a motor-driven suction fan, which is connected downstream in the flow path of an extinguishing liquid and / or a filter device and on the outlet side of this suction fan then exit the cooled and filtered flue gases.

In order to allow a particularly compact design of the housing despite accommodation of the various aforementioned functional elements, at least one second partition is arranged according to a preferred embodiment of the task solution according to the invention in the compact mobile housing in the second suction chamber, the first in the flow path of the second suction of the this downstream in the flow path filter device separates. By such an arrangement with a second partition wall and optionally the above-mentioned first partition wall, one can virtually achieve a nested (zig-zag) path of the extracted flue gases through the interior of the housing of the device. The path of the flue gases is thus comparatively long in yet compact housing with comparatively small external dimensions.

In this case, the first partition at a distance above a housing bottom ends and the liquid level of the extinguishing liquid in the housing in the filled initial state above the lower end of the first partition, while the second partition, for example, at a distance adjacent to the first partition and at its lower end to the housing bottom enough. The filter chamber in turn is preferably open towards the suction device at its lower end, so that it can be sucked off directly there, only against the flow resistance of the filter material through which it has flowed.

According to a preferred embodiment of the invention, the ashtray may have a removable lid with at least one opening for the passage of flue gases and / or ash and / or smoke. The burning cigarette can thus be placed on the lid, for example, whereby the flue gases are sucked through the opening. The opening can either be so large that even a butt can be sucked through, or you open to insert the smoked cigarette lid and throws the butt into the housing with the extinguishing liquid. In either case, the lid may be opened or removed to deflate the housing as needed from the debris accumulated therein.

The features mentioned in the dependent claims relate to preferred developments of the task solution according to the invention. Further advantages of the invention will become apparent from the following detailed description.

Hereinafter, the present invention will be described in more detail by way of embodiments with reference to the accompanying drawings.

Showing:

1 a schematically simplified perspective view of an exemplary ashtray according to the invention;

2 an exploded perspective view of the ashtray of 1 ;

3 a longitudinal sectional view through an ashtray according to the invention;

4 a side view of the lid of the ashtray;

4a a perspective view of a lid of the ashtray according to an alternative variant of the invention;

5 a view from above into the interior of the housing with the cover removed.

The following is first on the 1 Referenced. 1 shows an exemplary embodiment of an ashtray according to the invention, which is a cup-shaped outer housing slightly tapering from top to bottom 10 has, which may be made of plastic, for example. Upper side is this case 10 through a removable lid 11 locked. This cover has an example slot-like or otherwise shaped opening 12 on, so that can be sucked through this opening flue gases, for example, if a burning cigarette in the vicinity of this opening 12 or, for example, even if you have a burning cigarette on the lid 11 of the ashtray. The cigarette smoke is then sucked off via a suction motor arranged in the lower region of the housing, which will be explained in more detail later. For example, this naturally aspirated engine may be a small suction-mode fan driven by an electric motor. The flue gases flowing over the opening 12 be sucked in the lid, get into the interior of the housing 10 ,

In this case 10 there is a first partition 13 , which in the embodiment on the underside of the lid 11 is attached, wherein in this variant, one or two guide rails 14 may be mounted inside the housing, when placing the lid 11 on the case 10 as a guide for the partition wall attached to the lid 13 serve. The flue gases, with the lid on 11 in the interior of the case 10 arrive, therefore, first flow along the example, axially parallel to something eccentrically arranged partition 13 in the housing down, where they only in the housing space of the first suction chamber 10a can flow beyond the dividing wall. In this area has the housing 10 a caseback 15 , so that the flue gases are deflected there and, as the partition wall 13 with some distance in front of the case back 15 ends, the flue gases then flow under the partition forth in the suction direction and thus get out of the first suction chamber 10a in a second suction chamber 10b that are beyond the first suction chamber 10a in the case 10 located. This results in a reversal of direction for the flowing flue gases, thus providing a zig-zag path through the housing 10 and therefore travel a correspondingly longer way. The flue gases now flow in the second suction chamber 10b first upwards, in a room that is on one side by the first partition wall 13 is bounded on the other side by a second partition wall 16 is limited in the housing 10 at a distance parallel or approximately parallel to the first partition 13 runs, wherein the second partition wall 16 unlike the first partition 13 down to the caseback 15 extends, but at its upper end at a distance in front of the housing cover 11 Ends, leaving the flue gases above over the second bulkhead 16 can flow and then according to the suction in a third chamber, namely a filter chamber 17 pass, extending from the second suction chamber 10b seen beyond the second partition 16 located.

In this filter chamber 17 there is a filter device 18 with a suitable filter material, such as activated carbon or the like. The flue gases are now after another turnaround in the housing 10 from top to bottom through this filter chamber 17 and the filter material sucked through and reach the lower end of the filter chamber 17 , Where this is open, in the intake of the suction motor 19 from which these filtered after filtering flue gases are sucked to its exit side via the downstream of the suction motor 19 open bottom 20 of the housing 10 emanate.

The filter chamber 17 is thus limited on the radially inner side by the second partition 16 and on the radially outer side through a peripheral portion of the inside of the curved housing wall 21 , Seen in the transverse direction, the interior of the housing is subdivided into the respectively juxtaposed areas: first suction chamber 10a , second suction chamber 10b and filter chamber 17 , The over the opening 12 in the housing cover 11 entering flue gases experience a total of two times the direction reversal in the flow path through the three chambers of the housing, before they at the outlet side of the suction motor 19 exit from the housing.

In the first chamber 10a can be an extinguishing liquid 22 be filled, for example, water, creating beneficial effects. On the one hand, any smoldering components such as cigarette ash, which are sucked into the housing, in the extinguishing liquid 22 deleted. In addition, you can also throw smoked cigarette butts (tilting) either through the lid or after removing the lid into the housing, where they are also deleted in the extinguishing liquid. Furthermore, you can also the extinguishing liquid in the first suction chamber 10a fill so high that the extracted flue gases are sucked through this extinguishing liquid, whereby they are cooled and prevents any smoldering components, such as small solid particles are further sucked and get into the downstream chambers in the flow path. These hot particles remain behind in the extinguishing liquid.

The lid 11 is advantageous simply clamping on the upper edge of the housing 10 placed so that it can be easily removed to clean the housing from the smoke. For this purpose, the lid, for example, on the underside an axially parallel protruding collar 11a have, which is dimensioned so that it can be inserted into the upper end of the housing and received there by clamping. By this clamping action, the lid is in use on the housing 10 held, but can be easily removed after overcoming the clamping force manually from the housing.

To ensure the electrical supply of the suction motor, which can be operated with low voltage usually is an electrical supply line 23 provided, for example, at the lower end of the housing by the suction motor 19 goes out and in a plug-in device 24 ends. This plug-in device 24 is advantageously a standard plug as it serves for example for the connection of external devices to a low-voltage power supply in a motor vehicle, so that a present in most vehicles socket for the power connection of the ashtray according to the invention can be used with suction. The device according to the invention is nevertheless mobile and self-sufficient and can therefore also be used outside of motor vehicles, for example in the household as an ashtray and suction device.

In 4a is a possible alternative embodiment of a lid 11 shown for the ashtray according to the invention, in which this cover is slightly modified. It's just the lid here 11 shown alone, but this is placed as well as in the previously described variant of the invention on serving as an ashtray vessel.

In use, for example, when used in a vehicle, therefore sits this cover 11 on the vessel, which receives the waste of the tobacco products. The advantage with in 4a shown variant of the lid 11 is that this preferably in its edge region one or more wells 112 has, so that there, for example, a cigarette 115 can be stuck. This has the advantage that the cigarette is held thereby, which can be more convenient for the driver, so that he has his hands free to operate the vehicle while driving. Unlike conventional ashtrays in vehicles here is the further advantage of that of the cigarette 115 discharged smoke then directly into the opening 12 in the lid 11 is sucked off the ashtray and thus, for example, the smoke load for passengers is eliminated. In addition, the cigarette 115 so sure on the lid 11 of the ashtray held and can not fall, for example, in the footwell of the vehicle, which would bring a significant risk of accidents.

LIST OF REFERENCE NUMBERS

10

 casing

10a

first suction chamber

10b

second suction chamber

11

 cover

11a

collar

12

 opening

13

 partition wall

14

 guide rail

15

 caseback

16

 second partition

17

 filter chamber

18

 filter means

19

 Aspirated engine / exhaust fan

20

 open bottom

21

 housing wall

22

 extinguishing liquid

23

 Electrical supply

24

 plug-in device

QUOTES INCLUDE IN THE DESCRIPTION

This list of the documents listed by the applicant has been generated automatically and is included solely for the better information of the reader. The list is not part of the German patent or utility model application. The DPMA assumes no liability for any errors or omissions.

Cited patent literature

• DE 10035502 A1 [0002]
• DE 9210884 U1 [0003]
• DE 29606118 U1 [0004]
• DE 10102565 C2 [0005]
• DE 2600881 A1 [0006]
• DE 7432931 U1 [0007]
• DE 2808956 A1 [0007]

Claims (12)

Ashtray for use in motor vehicles or otherwise with a container for ashes and / or waste of tobacco products, to which a suction device is assigned, by means of which the ash and / or waste can be extracted via a connection in a reservoir, characterized in that the entire Device comprising the ash and / or waste container and the essential components including the suction motor in a compact mobile casing ( 10 ) is housed, which can be parked in a motor vehicle at a suitable location and which with an electrical supply line ( 23 ) and a plug-in device ( 24 ) is provided for connection to a low-voltage supply of the motor vehicle. Ashtray according to claim 1, characterized in that the compact mobile housing ( 10 ) has a substantially conical or cylindrical outer basic shape and is dimensioned so that it can be received in a receptacle of the motor vehicle for a drinking cup (cupholder). Ashtray according to claim 1 or 2, characterized in that the compact mobile housing ( 10 ) has a substantially flat bottom surface, by means of which it is stably deposited on a flat surface. Ashtray according to one of claims 1 to 3, characterized in that inside the compact mobile housing an extinguishing liquid ( 22 ) and at least one first partition wall ( 13 ) is provided, by means of which the interior of the housing in a first suction chamber ( 10a ), which is located in the flow path of the extracted gases in front of the extinguishing liquid and in a second suction chamber ( 10b ) located in the flow path after the extinguishing liquid ( 22 ) is located, such that the extracted gases pass through the extinguishing liquid. Ashtray according to claim 4, characterized in that in the housing a filter chamber ( 17 ) with at least one filter device ( 18 ) arranged in the flow path of the extracted gases after the extinguishing liquid ( 22 ) is arranged. Ashtray according to claim 5, characterized in that the filter device ( 18 ) Contains activated carbon. Ashtray according to one of claims 4 to 6, characterized in that in the compact mobile housing ( 10 ) in the second suction chamber ( 10b ) at least one second partition wall ( 16 ), which has a first portion of the second suction chamber in the flow path ( 10b ) of the downstream in the flow path filter device ( 18 ) separates. Ashtray according to one of claims 1 to 7, characterized in that the suction device has a motor-driven suction fan ( 19 ), which in the flow path of an extinguishing liquid ( 22 ) and / or a filter device ( 18 ) is connected downstream. Ashtray according to one of claims 4 to 8, characterized in that the first partition wall ( 13 ) at a distance above a housing bottom ( 15 ) and the liquid level of the extinguishing liquid ( 22 ) in the housing in the filled initial state above the lower end of the first partition ( 13 ) lies. Ashtray according to one of claims 7 to 9, characterized in that the second partition wall ( 16 ) at a distance next to the first partition ( 13 ) and at its lower end to the housing bottom ( 15 ) enough. Ashtray according to one of claims 5 to 10, characterized in that the filter chamber ( 17 ) at its lower end to the suction device ( 19 ) is open. Ashtray according to one of claims 1 to 11, characterized in that it has a removable lid ( 11 ) with at least one opening ( 12 ) for the passage of flue gases and / or ash and / or smoke.

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