FR2846521A1 - Noise suppressor and toxin reducer for nargileh has lower end of stem immersed in water made with lateral holes to divide smoke flow - Google Patents

Abstract

The noise suppressor and toxin reducer for a nargileh (or hookah), from which tobacco smoke is inhaled after it has passed through water via a hollow stem (5) consists of a series of small holes (20) in the side wall of the stem above its lower end (22), which is blocked by a cap (21), to divide the smoke flow and act as a filter. In a variant of the design the filter is made from a spherical chamber in two halves (21a, 21b) that are fitted over the lower end of the stem and have holes (20) in the sides aligned with lateral holes in the stem. The diameter (d) of the holes is preferably 0.1 - 0.3 cm.

Description

PROCESS AND DEVICE TO REDUCE NOISE

  CONTENT OF HARMFUL MATERIALS IN A NARGUILE

FIELD OF THE INVENTION

  The present invention relates to an improvement concerning hookahs. It relates more particularly to a method and a device for reducing, in a hookah, the noise produced by bubbling (ie the passage of smoke through a thickness of water), on the one hand, and the content of

  harmful substances present in smoke, on the other hand.

PRIOR ART

  A hookah is an oriental pipe in which the smoke produced by the combustion of tobacco in the home travels a long way, which notably includes a passage through a certain height of water, before

to reach the smoker's mouth.

  Briefly, as shown schematically in Figure 1, a hookah comprises three parts: a body 1, a container 2 containing water, and a flexible pipe 3 terminated by a mouthpiece for the smoker's lips. The body 1 comprises: * a hearth disposed in the vicinity of its upper end, * a hollow tube 4, generally disposed along its axis, e a hollow rod 5, arranged in the extension of the hollow tube and intended to be immersed in the of the container 2 at a certain height, and * an ascending channel 6 substantially parallel to the hollow tube assembly

  4 / rod 5 and intended to be connected, by a lateral outlet 7, to the flexible pipe 35 3.

  The container 2 is generally transparent. It is generally designed in glass to be easily cleaned, if necessary it can be made of plastic. Said container 2 is made integral with the body 1 by means of a plug 8. Said plug 8 adapts to the neck of the container 2 and is crossed by the rod 5 and the ascending channel 6. The water

  contained in said container can be scented.

  The flexible hose is intended to be tightly mounted at the outlet

side 7 of body 1.

  When the smoker sucks in through the nozzle 9, the tobacco smoke coming from the hearth descends through the hollow tube 4 and the rod 5, passes through a height of water H extending in the container 2 between the orifice of the end io lower of the rod and the upper surface of the body of water, passes in the volume between said upper surface of the body of water and the plug, rises through the ascending channel 6 to the lateral outlet 7, and East

  driven by the flexible pipe 3 then the nozzle 9 to the mouth of the smoker.

  It turns out that the passage of smoke bubbles in the water depth 15 H is (i) particularly noisy and (ii) insufficient to eliminate all

  or most of the harmful materials from the smoke. Attempts to incorporate at the nozzle 9 a cigarette filter of the tampon or fibrous web type have been unsuccessful since they involve a stronger suction capable of causing greater contamination of the lungs.

PURPOSE OF THE INVENTION

  According to the invention, it is proposed (i) to reduce noise (smoking a hookah is a social act, if several people each smoke their hookah in the same room, we no longer hear each other speak), and (ii) 25 d '' improve smoke leaching when bubbling at height

of water H from container 2.

OBJECT OF THE INVENTION

  The aforementioned double aim has been achieved, according to the present invention by dividing, at the outlet orifice 22 of the rod 5, the flow of smoke 30 having to pass through said height H. According to a first aspect of the invention, recommends a method for simultaneously reducing in a hookah (i) the noise, and (ii) the content of harmful materials contained in the smoke, said method being characterized in that it comprises the division of the flow of smoke which must bubble through the water from container 2, to decrease volume

  bubbles from the hollow rod 5 which plunges into the water of said container 2.

  According to a second aspect of the invention, a filter system for hookahs is recommended, said filter system being characterized in that it comprises: * a means for collecting the ash and the tobacco liable to fall from the hearth through the tube hollow 4 and the rod 5, and * a plurality of lateral orifices 20 each having a diameter (d) 10 less than the diameter (D) of the orifice of the rod 5, the assembly formed by said means and said plurality of orifices ensuring the

  division of the flow of smoke leaving said rod 5.

  According to another aspect of the invention, it is recommended, as

  new industrial product, a hookah fitted with said filter system. 15 BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

  In the accompanying drawings, - Figure i is a schematic representation of a hookah of the prior art described above; and, - Figures 2 and 3 are schematic sections of the lower end 20 of the rod and each illustrate a particular embodiment of the invention.

  DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

  For the implementation of the method of the invention, the following is divided:

  advantageous, the smoke flow in the vicinity of the lower end of the rod 5.

  In particular, the division of the smoke flow is obtained by replacing, for the entry of the smoke into the water, the single orifice 22 (of diameter D) of the lower end of the rod 5 in a conventional hookah according to the Figure 1 by a plurality of orifices 20 (diameter d less than D, 30 ie d <D). In practice, the diameter d of each orifice 20 will be much smaller than the diameter D of the orifice 22 of the lower end of the rod 5

(d "D).

  It is important that said single orifice 22 at the end of the rod 5 is the subject of a direct or indirect closure during operation. 35 Indeed, this sealing is required to collect the ash and tobacco which may fall from the hookah hearth, and to ensure the entry into the water and the flow of smoke in the form of small bubbles by the plurality

orifices 20.

  By obturation here is meant the fact that the orifice 22 situated at the lower end of the rod 5 is substantially separated from the water in the container 2. This obturation is direct when said orifice 22 is closed in leaktight manner by a capsule or cap 21; in this case the side wall of the rod 5 is advantageously perforated to provide the orifices 20 in the vicinity and

  (more advantageously) above said orifice 22.

  This closure is indirect when said orifice 22 is housed in a

  enclosure which is mounted in leaktight manner on the external wall of the rod 5 and is provided (in particular by perforation) with said plurality of orifices 20.

  Such an enclosure advantageously comprises two parts (referenced 21a and 21b in FIG. 3) which, in service, adapt to each other in a sealed manner according to a mode known per se (not shown here), in particular by screwing, snap-fastening or even through a hinge / hook type assembly. From a practical point of view, the diameter D of the orifice 22 of the rod 5 is of the order of 0.8-1.2 cm, and the diameter d of the orifices 20 according to the invention will advantageously be in the range of 0.1 to 0.3 cm. Furthermore, experience shows that the orifices 20 must not be too close to each other. Advantageously, said orifices 20 will be arranged with respect to each other so that two of them are separated

  a distance greater than or equal to d.

  Indeed, if d is less than about 0.1 cm and if the distance between

  two neighboring orifices 20 is less than d, the small smoke bubbles which exit from said orifices 20 are capable of coming together to form bubbles of a volume equivalent or similar to those which normally exit from orifice 22 of a conventional hookah when the latter is open and in direct contact with the water in container 2.

  According to the invention, the technical solution which is recommended for the filter system consists in using a filter which comprises: the collection of the ash and the tobacco falling from the hearth, and

  a plurality of orifices 20 each having a diameter d less than the diameter D of the orifice 22 of the lower end of the rod 5.

  Other advantages and characteristics of the invention will be better understood on reading the following examples of embodiments.

  limiting but given by way of illustration.

  In FIGS. 2 and 3, only a limited number of orifices 22 have been shown for convenience, arranged in a single row. It is clear that each row can have a larger number of orifices 20 and that it is advantageous to use several rows of said rows.

holes 20.

  According to Figure 2, the filter system comprises a capsule or cap 1o 21 intended to close the orifice 22 of the rod 5, and a plurality of orifices 20

  formed in the wall of the rod 5 in the vicinity and above the orifice 22.

  The capsule 21, when it is put in place (in particular by snap-fastening, friction or screwing) ensures, by its vertical wall facing the external wall of said rod 5, the sealed closure of the lower end 15 of said rod 5.

  According to Figure 3, the filter system is disposed at the bottom of the rod 5 to substantially isolate the orifice 22 from the water of the container 2 (indirect closure). Here this filter system is an enclosure of the tea ball type comprising: * two substantially hemispherical portions 21a and 21b (designated here "hemispheres" for convenience even if they may have an ovode or ellipsode shape) capable of (i) being secured to each other in a sealed manner in operation, and (ii) to be separated from each other for cleaning, on the one hand, and

  a plurality of orifices 20 in its side wall, on the other hand.

  According to the embodiment of FIG. 3, the lateral orifices 20 can be arranged on the hemisphere 21b (as shown), on the lower hemisphere 21a (preferably in its upper part) or on both. Advantageously, the upper hemisphere 21b will be mounted in leaktight fashion around the outer wall of the rod 5. If necessary, said hemisphere 21b may be secured to said outer wall of the rod 5, either temporarily before smoking the hookah (preferred solution according to

  the invention), or even definitively by welding.

  The rod 5 is advantageously secured to the hollow tube 4 by welding at its upper end. As a variant, said hollow tube 4 and said rod 5 can be produced in one piece. Without departing from the scope of the invention, provision may be made for the assembly of rod 5 / hemisphere 21b, or tube 4 / rod 5 / hemisphere 21b

in one piece.

  When comparing the hookah, which includes the filter system according to the invention, with a hookah lacking said filter system, 1o observes a considerable reduction in noise and a decrease in the content of harmful substances in the smoke arriving end piece 9. With the filter system according to the invention, it can be seen in particular that the water in container 2 contains, and this is a very pleasant surprise, more pollutants than water from

  container 2 of a hookah not equipped with said filter system.

  Compared to the classic hookah according to FIG. 1, the addition of a filter system according to FIG. 2 and better still FIG. 3 makes it possible to obtain numerous advantages, namely: * retaining, by means of the capsule 21 or the enclosure comprising the hemisphere 21 a, the ash and the tobacco which may come from the hearth and which would normally fall to the bottom of the container 2 with the hookah of FIG. 1, * retain on said capsule 21 or in said enclosure tars which have flocculated and do not pass through the orifices 20, and * retain more harmful substances in the water of the container 2 than that of the conventional hookah, thanks to a more extensive leaching carried out on

  smoke bubbles with a smaller diameter.

Claims (10)

  1. Method for simultaneously reducing in a hookah (i) the noise, and (ii) the content of harmful substances contained in the smoke,   said method being characterized in that it comprises dividing the flow of smoke which must bubble through the water in the container (2) of the hookah, in order to reduce the volume of the bubbles issuing from the hollow rod (5) which plunges into 1o l water from said container (2).   2. Method according to claim 1, characterized in that said division of the smoke flow is carried out at the lower end of the rod (5).   3. Method according to claim 1 or 2, characterized in that said division of the smoke flow is obtained by replacing, for the entry of smoke into water, the orifice (22) of the lower end of the rod (5) by a plurality of lateral orifices (20) each having a smaller diameter d to the diameter D of said orifice (22).   4. Method according to any one of claims 1 to 3, characterized in that it comprises the direct or indirect obturation of   the orifice (22) of the lower end of the rod (5).   5. Device for implementing the method according to any one of claims 1 to 4, characterized in that it comprises a system of   component filter: * a means for collecting the ash and tobacco liable to fall from the hearth by the hollow tube (4) and the rod (5) of the hookah, and * a plurality of lateral orifices (20) each having a diameter ( d) less than the diameter (D) of the orifice of the rod (5),   the assembly constituted by said means and said plurality of orifices ensuring the division of the flow of smoke leaving said rod (5).   6. Device according to claim 5, characterized in that said   filter system is mounted at the lower end of the rod (5).   7. Device according to claim 5 or 6, characterized in that said filter system directly or indirectly blocks the orifice (22) of the lower end of the rod (5).   8. Device according to any one of claims 5 to 7, characterized in that said filter system consists of an assembly comprising a capsule (21) sealingly sealing said orifice (22), and   a plurality of holes (20) in the wall of the rod (5).   9. Device according to any one of claims 5 to 7,   characterized in that said filter system consists of an enclosure surrounding the lower end of the rod (5), comprising two separable parts (2 1a, 21 b) and a plurality of orifices (20) formed in the wall of said enclosure.   1o 10. Hookah characterized in that it comprises the device according to one   any of claims 5 to 9.