EP1453391A1

EP1453391A1 - An ash handling system

Info

Publication number: EP1453391A1
Application number: EP02783927A
Authority: EP
Inventors: Peter Bjersten
Original assignee: Smoke Free Systems AB
Current assignee: Smoke Free Systems AB
Priority date: 2001-11-16
Filing date: 2002-11-06
Publication date: 2004-09-08
Anticipated expiration: 2022-11-06
Also published as: SE0103825D0; EP1453391B1; WO2003041523A1; SE0103825L; SE523271C2; DE60230913D1; ATE420566T1

Abstract

In an ash handling system comprising ash receiving channel (11), an ash receptacle (18) and a valve (13) between the channel and the ash receptacle, the ash receiving channel (11) includes a vertical tube (15) opening into the receptacle (12) and having its lower end chamfered (38). The valve includes a balance lever swingable about a fulcrum (42') and having at least one arm (39a) having a surface abutting and sealing the chamfered end (38) of the tubular member in a normal rest position of the balance lever. The balance lever is swingable upon loading said surface by an object introduced into the tube (15) towards a position opening the tube to the receptacle (18), and being swingable back towards a position of equilibrium and the rest position upon discharge of the object from said surface.

Description

AN ASH HANDLING SYSTEM

The present invention concerns an ash handling system primarily but not exclusively intended for use in public premises, such as airfield terminals, railway stations, hotel lobbies, etc., as well as in offices and other environments where it is a desire to collect not only the smoke produced by smokers, but also ash and cigarette ends resulting from smoking.

It is an international trend that public smoking is more and more restricted and that smokers have to go outside to smoke, or, occasionally, into specially designed rooms having forced ventilation etc., so as to prevent smoke from escaping. There are also special smoker' s booths having smoke exhaust means and ashtrays, but these ashtrays are conventional as far as their capacity and, fire resistance are concerned. Thus, they need frequent emptying and cleaning, and between emptying, their contents of cigarette ends, paper pieces and matches frequently start glowing or even burning. Even if such extreme incidents do not occur, it is well known that old cigarette ends generate an intense and disgusting odour.

There is a desire, thus, to provide an ash handling system allowing longer emptying intervals, that is fireproof and that does not diffuse odours from its contents.

In complying with this desire, the present invention provides an ash handling system comprising ash receiving channel means, ash receptacle means and valve means between the channel means and the ash receptacle means.

Unless stated otherwise, the term ash as used herein shall be interpreted as including all items that may be put into an ordinary ash tray, i.e. - in addition to ash and cigarette (cigar) ends - matches, paper scraps, etc.

An embodiment of the present invention will be described hereinafter, reference being made to the accompanying drawings, wherein:

Fig. 1 is a perspective view from above of a complete ash handling system according to the present invention;

Fig. 2 is a cross section at an enlarged scale through the receptacle, the ash receiving channel and the valve mechanism;

Fig. 3 is a similar cross section seen from the right of Fig. 2;

Fig. 4 is an enlarged view of a portion of Fig. 2;

Fig. 5 is a partly sectioned side view of the valve mechanism at a further enlarged scale;

Fig. 6 is a perspective view from below of the valve mechanism seen in a first direction;

Fig. 7 is a perspective view from below of the valve mechanism seen in a second direction;

Fig. 8 is a perspective view from above of the valve mechanism seen in a first direction;

Fig. 9 is a perspective view from above of the valve mechanism seen in a second direction;

Fig. 10 is a perspective view of the valve mechanism corresponding to Fig. 7, but showing the valve in an open position; Fig. 11 is a side view of the valve mechanism showing the valve in an open position; and

Fig. 12 is a view from above of the valve mechanism.

The ash handling system shown in Fig. 1 and at a larger scale cross section in Fig. 2 includes an ash receiving channel 11, an ash receptacle 12 and between them a valve mechanism 13. Parts of the ash receiving channel and the valve mechanism are more clearly shown in further enlarged view of Fig. 4.

The ash receiving channel is shown to comprise a bell-like funnel 14 connected to a vertically extending tube 15. This mutual connection is sealed by means of an O-ring 16 carried in an exterior groove 17 provided in a lower, vertically directed, substantially cylindrical end portion 18 of the funnel 14.

Although the tube is shown here to have a circular, annular cross section, it is equally possible to make it with a rectangular cross section.

The tube 15 opens into the ash receptacle 12 being in this example a cylindrical container 18 having a circular, substantially flat bottom 19 allowing it to rest on, e.g., a non-shown table. Its vertical cylinder wall 20 upwardly merges with a horizontal upper wall 21 having a recessed portion 22, including a first annular, step-like shoulder 23 and a lower, likewise annular shelf 24.

The shoulder 23 is adapted to receive and support a circumferential rim 25 of the funnel 14, thereby supporting the latter. A non-shown O-ring seals between the shoulder 23 and the rim 25.

The annular shelf 24 supports an annular circumferential portion 26 of a circular disc 27. A non-shown annular sealing strip seals between the shelf 24 and the annular portion 26. The disc 26 has in its centre a circular aperture 28 receiving the upper end 15' of the tube 15 into which the lower portion 18 of the funnel 14 is inserted and sealed by the O-ring 16. It is noted particularly in Fig. 4, that a portion of the funnel adjacent to the end portion 18 is exteriorly conical and that the corresponding end portion of the interior of the upper end 15' of the tube 15 is internally conical at 15", but that there still exists a space between the funnel and the tube. Consequently, the position of the funnel 14 relative to the tube 15 is defined only by the shoulder 23 and the rim 25. When mounting the funnel 14, the conical end portion 15" guides and compresses the O-ring 16 which, in the mounted position shown, firmly keeps the funnel in position.

In the embodiment shown, the tube 15 is carried by a rectangular plate 29 best seen in Figs. 4 - 12. The exterior surface of the upper end 15' of the tube has a plane portion 30, and the plate 29 has a correspondingly shaped aperture 31 (Figs. 5 and 9) . The tube has a snug fit in the aperture, and these two parts are preferably soldered together when made in solderable materials. Alternatively, both parts are made integral by injection-moulding of a suitable synthetic material .

Two bores 32 and 33 are provided in the plate 29 so as to position it in a defined position relative to the disc 27 by means of screws 34, 35 extending through bores 36, 37 in the disc (Fig. 3) . The lower end of the tube opening into the container 18 has a chamfer 38 located in a plane having a preferred angle of slightly more than 135° with the vertical longitudinal axis A of the tube 15, preferably 137° as indicated in Fig. 5. The free edge of the chamfer is preferably bevelled so as to leave a relatively sharp edge 38' located in the plane mentioned.

The valve mechanism 13 comprises a valve element 39 operable to open passage between the tube 15 and the container 18 upon loading by an object received in the tube, and when unloaded to resume, or maintain, a normal, closed position in which a surface thereof facing the edge 38' effectively seals the container 18 from the tube 15 and the connecting funnel 14, thereby preventing odours from within the container to escape to the environment outside the ash handling system.

The valve element is designed to be extremely sensitive, i.e. to open when loaded by very small loads, and to close very rapidly after having discharged an object into the container. Of course, this function could be achieved by means of a spring, but it is preferred to realise the valve element as a balance lever pivoting about a fulcrum and striving to occupy a position of equilibrium. Such balance lever could include a first arm including a valve surface adapted to seal against the edge 38' , and a second arm of any shape providing the momentum necessary to counterbalance the first arm.

It is preferred, however, to provide a symmetric valve element having two alternative valve surfaces. The embodiment shown comprises two equal, downwardly sloping, rectangular valve element parts 39a, 39b. These parts may be interconnected along facing edges to a common valve element, but it is preferred to make them as an integral angled body having a fold portion 40 joining the rectangular valve element parts. It is preferred that the angle between the parts 39a, 39b is 90°. Due to the fact that the parts 39a, 39b are equal, the overall valve element may be turned after some use to present a fresh surface to seal against the tube edge 38' .

The overall valve element 39 may be made from thin metal plate, but it is preferred to make it from a carbon fibre reinforced synthetic material. Furthermore, it is preferred to coat it with a friction reducing material, such as Teflon^®.

The overall valve element 39 is freely supported along the fold portion by a fulcrum member, such as a fulcrum edge bearing extended along at least a portion of the fold portion 40, or, as preferred and shown, two spaced, vertical fulcrum pins or needles 41, 42 each having an upwardly turned, sharp point 41', 42', respectively, supporting the fold portion. Thus, an imaginary line through these points defines a swinging axis of the valve member.

The fulcrum pins are threadedly engaged in the horizontal web portion 43a of a substantially U-shaped bracket 43 having its upwardly directed flange portions 43b, 43c attached to an edge of the rectangular plate 29 such as by means of screws 44, 45. By screwing the fulcrum pins 41, 42 in either direction, the horizontal position of the valve member 39 may be adjusted, and possible inclination thereof compensated for.

Freely supported by the fulcrum pins, the valve body would assume its position of equilibrium striven after, wherein the free ends of its rectangular parts would be located in a common, horizontal plane, and the overall valve element would be at rest . This situation would result in an insufficient sealing force between the active valve element part 39a and the edge 38' . To ensure such sufficient sealing force, the tube has a chamfer of more than 135°, preferably 137°, to match the 90° angle of the overall valve element 39 resulting in that this latter will never reach its position of equilibrium and, thus, will always exert a pressure against the edge 38' . It is realised, that an increased angle of the chamfer, while maintaining the angle of the valve element 39, would result in an increased sealing force.

Theoretically, any angle between one approaching 90° and one approaching 180° could provide sealing. However, an angle of 90° would result in a random distribution of objects over the exposed surface of the active valve element part 39a and a too uncertain discharge of objects due a likely moderate opening angle and, thus, insufficient slope of the active valve element part. On the other hand, an angle approaching 180° would involve a much larger overall valve element 39 resulting in a larger mass and hence greater inertia.

The 90° angle of the overall valve element 39 in combination with the 137° chamfer of the tube 15 is believed to be optimal, since the resulting initial slope of the active valve element part 39a ensures that even the lightest and smallest ash particles cumulate at the bottom of the substantially V-shaped space defined by the internal wall of the tube 15 at the lowermost end of its chamfer 38 and the upwardly turned surface of the active valve element part 39a in its closed state. Just some cigarette ash may not be heavy enough to open the valve, which is not always desirable due to possible escape of odour. However, a typical cigarette smoking session ends with dropping the cigarette end into an ash tray, and in the present case the relatively heavy cigarette end will land on top of the ash, accumulated where the momentum is the largest, and effectively open the valve, and, furthermore, bring along the ash into the container.

In order to laterally guide the valve member freely supported by the fulcrum pins 41, 42, lateral guide abutments are provided. These take the shape of screws 46, 47 threaded through holes in the flange portions 43b, 43c, respectively, of the bracket 43. The inner ends of the screws facing one another are machined to provide smooth, flat, circular abutment and guide surfaces 46', 47', respectively, providing the slightest possible friction when abutted by an end of the valve member adjacent its fold portion 40. The axial position of the valve member along its swinging axis as well as axial play between the valve member and the screws is adjustable by corresponding screwing in either direction of the screws 46, 47.

In order to prevent excessive swinging of the valve member 39 due to, e.g., a relative heavy object being dropped into the tube 15, a swing restricting bar 48 protrudes vertically from the lower surface of the disc 27.

Claims

1. An ash handling system comprising ash receiving channel means (11) , ash receptacle means (12) and valve means (39) between the channel means and the ash receptacle means, c h a r a c t e r i z e d i n

- that the ash receiving channel means (11) includes a substantially vertically directed tubular member (15) opening in operation into the receptacle means (12) and having its lower end chamfered (38) , and

- that the valve means includes a balance lever swingable about a fulcrum (41', 42') and having at least one arm (39a) having a surface abutting and sealing the chamfered end (37) of the tubular member in a normal rest position of the balance lever, said balance lever being swingable upon loading said surface by an object introduced into said tubular member (15) towards a position opening the tubular member to the receptacle means (12) and being swingable back towards a position of equilibrium and the rest position upon discharge of the object from said surface.

2. The ash handling system according to claim 1, c h a r a c t e r i z e d i n that the balance lever is a valve element body being symmetric about a swinging axis (40) .

3. The ash handling system according to claim 2, c h a r a c t e r i z e d i n that the valve element body (39) includes two equal, mutually angled, rectangular valve element parts (39a, 39b) joined in a common fold portion (40) .

4. The ash handling system according to claim 3 , c h a r a c t e r i z e d i n that each valve element part (39a, 39b) has a surface for abutting and sealing the chamfered end (38) of the tubular member.

5. The ash handling system according to claim 3 or 4, c h a r a c t e r i z e d i n that the fulcrum is constituted by respective upwardly directed points (41', 42') of two substantially vertical pins (41, 42) .

6. The ash handling system according to claim 5, c h a r a c t e r i z e d i n that the pins (41, 42) are threadedly engaged in a supporting structure (43) for individual axial adjustment of their points (41', 42').

7. The ash handling system according to claim 6, c h a r a c t e r i z e d by lateral guide abutments (46', 47') for the valve element body (39) carried by the supporting structure (43) .

8. The ash handling system according to claim 7, c h a r a c t e r i z e d i n that the lateral guide abutments (46', 47') comprise facing ends of screws (46, 47) threaded into the supporting structure (43) .

9. The ash handling system according to claim 8, c h a r a c t e r i z e d i n that the facing ends are machined to provide smooth abutment surfaces (46', 47').

10. The ash handling system according to claims 6 or 7, c h a r a c t e r i z e d i n that the tubular member (15) is carried by a mounting member (29) in a defined rotational position relative thereto and that the supporting structure (43) is joined to the mounting member in a defined position relative thereto.

11. The ash handling system according to any one of the preceding claims, c h a r a c t e r i z e d i n that the ash receiving channel means further includes a funnel-like ash receiver (14) connected to an upper end (15') of the tubular member (15) .