GB2060349A - Cigarette extinguisher - Google Patents

Abstract

The extinguisher is formed by a block (5) of material comprising at least one cavity (6) for the insertion of a lit cigarette. The depth of the cavity is greater than the length of the ember portion of the cigarette. The cross-sectional shape and dimensions of the cavity are such as to substantially prevent access of air to the ember portion of a cigarette. The shape may be cylindrical or frusto-conical. <IMAGE>

Description

SPECIFICATION Cigarette extinguisher The term "cigarette" used herein is intended to mean a cigarette, cigar or other substantially rodshaped tobacco or tobacco substitute product of the type in which one end is lit and the smoke is inhaled through the other end.

The invention also includes an ashtray including or incorporating said cigarette extinguisher.

As all smokers know perfectly well, in order to completely extinguish a cigarette, it is usually necessary to crush the cigarette in the ashtray and shatter completely the embers in order to stop further burning of the cigarette.

This operation, although extremely simple, is not without difficulties. It usually leads to the unpleasant result that the smoker soils his fingers with the ash and also requires a certain effort or skill to extinguish the cigarette safely and completely.

It is well known that cigarettes are rarely extinguished completely, so that they continue to burn thus developing bad odour, especially when the filter of the cigarette starts to burn. A further inconvenience is also caused by the fact that this traditional way of extinguishing a cigarette results in the destruction of the remaining part of the cigarette. It is much more difficult to extinguish a cigarette if someone wishes to interrupt the smoking of a cigarette, for any reason whatsoever, with the intention of relighting it later.

To avoid the above mentioned inconveniences many kinds of ashtrays have been produced having some sort of device for extinguishing the cigarette.

Of these the best known is an ashtray equipped with a pestle for crushing the cigarette. A smoker unfamiliar with the use of a pestle does not always safely extinguish his cigarette, and also the use of a separate piece, e.g. the pestle, is required.

The aim of the present invention is to avoid or at least to mitigate the above disadvantages and to provide a cigarette extinguisher which may be used in connection with or incorporated with an ashtray.

The invention provides a cigarette extinguisher formed by a block of material comprising at least one cavity for the insertion of a lit cigarette, the depth of the cavity being greater than the length of the ember portion of the cigarette, the crosssectional shape and dimensions of the cavity being such as to substantially prevent access of air to the ember portion of a cigarette inserted in the cavity.

One embodiment of the invention will now be described, by way of example, with reference to the accompanying diagrammatic drawing showing a perspective view of an ashtray incorporating an extinguisher according to the invention.

The ashtray 1 has an annular wall 2 provided with several notches 3 of the type, known per se, for receiving a cigarette. The ashtray 1 has a bottom 4 and in the central part thereof a cigarette extinguisher formed by a discS with three cylindrical cavities 6 having an axis substantially perpendicular to the bottom 4. The ashtray and also the extinguisher may be made of any material usually used to make ashtrays, e.g. glass, metal or heat-resistant plastics, and there is no limitation to its shape or size.

The extinguisher may be made in one piece with the ashtray, or may be permanently, e.g. by gluing, or removably, e.g. by at least one projection extending into a hole, connected to the ashtray, or else it may be simply loosely positioned on the bottom 4.

The extinguisher has at least one cavity, in the illustrnted example three cavities, the diameter of which corresponds to or is slightly larger than the diameter of a cigarette. The axes of the cavities 6 need not be perpendicular to the bottom 4, i.e. need not extend vertically in the normal horizontal position of the ashtray and consequently of the extinguisher, but may be inclined to the vertical. The cavities 6 may be of different diameters to suit different sizes of cigarettes. If the extinguisher is in one piece with the ashtray the cavities 6 must, of course, be in the form of blind holes, but if the extinguisher is attached permanently or removably to the ashtray, or if it is intended to be used loosely positioned in the ashtray, the cavities 6 may be in the form of through holes.The through holes have the advantage of easier manufacture, and, of course, if combined with a removably attached extinguisher, or loosely situated extinguisher, they simplify cleaning of the cavities 6.

It is to be understood that while the extinguisher was shown and described as projecting above the bottom floor of the ashtray, the ashtray may be made with a base which is so thick that suitably long blind holes may be made in it which serve as cigarette extinguishing cavities. Also if the base is sufficiently thick it may contain a recess for accommodating an extinguisher with cavities 6.

If the cavity 6 is in the form of a blind hole the bottom of the hole may either be planar or shaped, depending on the manner in which the cavities 6 are made.

As the diameter of each cavity 6 is practically equal to the diameter of the cigarette 10 inserted in it with the lit end with embers 11 on it, the cavity is practically airtight so that no air can reach the embers 11 of the cigarette 10 which is on the bottom of the cavity. Due to lack of air the cigarette is extinguished and stops burning almost instantly without bad odours being generated.

The extinguisher can also have at least one cavity which is substantially frusto-conical and the inlet end of which is formed by the wider end of the frusto-conical shape. This cavity can also be either in the form of a blind hole or in the form of a through hole. The advantage of this cavity is that it is of varying diameters along its axis so that it is more likely that at least one ofthose diameters will correspond to the diameter of the cigarette to be extinguished therewith. Irrespective of its diameter each cigarette will drop up to that portion of the cavity the diameter of which corresponds to the diameter of that cigarette. This arrangement may avoid in most cases the provision of cavities of a different diameter.

The only movement a smoker has to make when he wants to put out his cigarette is to insert it by the end with the embers into one of the cavities 6 and ieave it there for a few seconds, after which the cigarette or stub can be pulled out completely extinguished and without any bad odours being produced. The smoker can also instantly put out his cigarette at any time he needs his hands free, should he be interrupted for any reason whatsoever, e.g. to answer a teiephone call when a cigarette, cithe smoke from an incompletely extinguished cigarette, can be a nuisance.

It is advantageous that the extinction of the cigarette takes place naturally for want of oxygen and therefore the cigarette is not damaged and can be relit without being wasted or without its aroma being less pleasant to the smoker.

The advantage of an extinguisher having more than one cavity is, that it may be used by several smokers simultaneously, and the advantage of an extinguisher which is either removably connected to an ashtray or just loosely positioned on its bottom is that the cavities may be quickly and simply emptied and re-used.

Claims (6)

1. Acigarette extinguisherformed bya block of material comprising at least one cavity for the insertion of a lit cigarette, the depth of the cavity being greater than the length of the ember portion of the cigarette, the cross-sectional shape and dimensions of the cavity being such as to substantially prevent access of air to the ember portion of a cigarette inserted in the cavity.

2. An extinguisher according to Claim 1 wherein the cavity is substantially cylindrical.

3. An extinguisher according to Claim 1 wherein the cavity is frusto-conical, the wider end being the inlet end of the cavity.

4. An extinguisher according to any one of the preceding claims comprising a plurality of cavities, the area of the inlet end of at least one of the cavities being greater than that of at least another of the cavities.

5. A cigarette extinguisher constructed, arranged and adapted to operate substantially as herein described.

6. An ashtray comprising a cigarette extinguisher according to any one of the preceding claims.