JP2002051761A - Cigarette dispenser - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide a cigarette dispenser capable of promoting no smoking of a smoker. SOLUTION: This cigarette dispenser is characterized in that the dispenser comprises a main body member 12 storing cigarettes 20, a shutter member 26 movable between a first position to reject access to the main body member 12 and a second position to allow access to the main body member 12, a lock means constituted to lock the shutter member in the first position and to prevent movements related to the main body member until a first preset time is completed, a means for setting the first preset time and a means for outputting a signal in response to the lock release of the lock means.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to tobacco dispensers and, more particularly, to a dispenser effective to encourage a user to reduce the frequency of smoking for the purpose of gradual smoking cessation.

[0002]

The dangers and disadvantages of human health, especially with regard to smoking, are publicly known. Therefore, there are ways to encourage smokers to quit, or at least reduce the frequency of quitting. For example, UK Patent No. 2
No. 184 870 A discloses a cigarette box which regulates the number of cigarettes to be smoked and is disclosed in U.S. Pat.
No. 2 discloses a cigarette dispenser that encourages quitting smoking.

A tobacco dispenser constructed in accordance with any of these specifications allows a user to remove a cigarette contained in a tobacco dispenser only after the expiration of a period predetermined by the user. . However, if you have a habit of smoking, it is difficult to acquire a habit of quitting smoking. Thus, even if cigarettes can be obtained from the dispenser (e.g. at the expiration of a predetermined time), the smoker may be encouraged not to smoke, or if the cigarette is not available, the smoker may remove the cigarette from the dispenser. If the smoker is prevented from smoking when attempting to remove it, the smoker can be encouraged to quit. .

[0004]

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION It is therefore an object of the present invention to overcome the disadvantages of the prior art cigarette dispensers mentioned above or to provide a cigarette dispenser which at least provides an effective alternative.

[0005]

According to a first aspect of the present invention, a body member including at least one cigarette, a first location to deny access to the body member, and access to the body member. A shutter member movable between a second position where access is enabled and locking the shutter member in the first position until expiration of a predetermined time and preventing movement with respect to the body member Means for setting the predetermined time, and means for outputting a signal in response to the operation of the shutter member after expiration of the predetermined time. A tobacco dispenser is provided.

According to a second aspect of the present invention, a body member including at least one cigarette, a first location that denies access to the body member, and access to the body member is enabled. A shutter member movable between a second position and a shutter member configured to lock the shutter member at the first position and to prevent movement with respect to the body member until a predetermined time expires. Means for setting the predetermined time; and at least one button operable to permit movement of the shutter member relative to the body member upon expiration of the predetermined time. A cigarette dispenser is provided that includes a member and means for outputting a signal in response to actuation of the button member prior to expiration of the predetermined time.

[0007]

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS Preferred embodiments of the invention will now be described, by way of example only, with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which: FIG. 1 to 6 show the structure of a tobacco dispenser according to the invention, indicated generally at 10. The dispenser 10 is in the form of a substantially rectangular box, the outer wall 12 and the front cover 13 of which collectively define an inner cavity 14. The interior cavity 14 has an upper chamber 18 for containing a plurality of cigarettes 20 (only one of which is shown in FIG. 6) by a board 16, as described below.
And a lower chamber 22 for containing an electric circuit.

The dispenser 10 is powered by two batteries 24 contained in a room that can be closed by a cover 25. Battery 24 is an electrical connection (not shown for clarity)
Are connected to the electric circuit. Behind the front cover 13 are the positions shown in FIGS. 2a and 2b, 3 and 7a in which the holes 28 on the inner cover 29 are covered, and the cigarettes contained in the chamber 18. A shutter movable between the position shown in FIG. 7b where the hole 28 on the inner cover 29 is exposed to allow the 20 to be removed by the user through the opening 31. A plate 26 is provided.

The dispenser 10 has two solenoids 30, 32
Which are connected to and controlled by an electrical circuit as described below. Referring first to the solenoid 30, it includes a spindle 34 that is movable between an external position and an internal position. In the external position, the spindle 34 extends through the aperture in the inner cover 29 and contacts the recessed area of the shutter plate 26, as shown in FIG.
The rotation about the pivot 36 in the direction indicated by the arrow M indicated by a is prevented. Therefore, access to the hole 28 of the inner cover 29 is denied. When the spindle 34 is retracted into the internal position along the direction indicated by the arrow P shown in FIG. The user then moves the knob 37 to move the connected pin 38, thus moving the pin 38 along the slot 40 from the position shown in FIG. 7a along the direction indicated by the arrow S in FIG. 7b, thereby rotating the shutter plate 26 to the position shown in FIG. 7b, allowing access to the holes 28 in the inner cover 29 and tobacco 20 in the chamber 18. You.

[0010] As shown in FIG.
Is a platelet 44 extending inward of the front cover 13.
And includes a spindle 42 extending through the hole. With such an arrangement, the front cover 13 is locked against movement with respect to the rest of the dispenser 10, so that it is usually not possible to open the front cover 13. However, when the dispenser 10 is empty of all its contents, the solenoid 32 will retract the spindle 42 from the position shown in FIG. 4 along the direction indicated by the arrow V shown in FIG. Allowed to be biased, thereby releasing from front cover 13. The front cover 13 can be rotated about a pivot 46 in the direction indicated by the arrow T shown in FIG.

In general, the dispenser 10 can be represented by the block diagram shown in FIG. The dispenser includes a microprocessor 50 connected to and receiving commands from an input mechanism 52, which includes three buttons, further described below in embodiments of the present invention. Microcontroller 50 is also connected to a programmable read-only memory 54 where instructions and data may be stored. The signal is sent by the microcontroller 50 to an audio output device 56, whereby the audio signal is output or sent to a visual display device 58, whereby information and / or messages are sent visually, or the solenoid 30, Sent to 32 to operate dispenser 10.

FIG. 9 shows an electrical schematic that may be used in the dispenser 10 of the present invention. Micro controller
50 may be a product from Fujitsu Limited, Japan, sold under the serial number Fujitsu MB89131. The instruction is “EJEC
"T" button 52a, "MODE" button 52b, "SET"
Operation of button 52c can be transmitted to microcontroller 50 to operate dispenser 10. Dispenser 10 may be programmed by using an electrically erasable and programmable read only memory (EEPROM). An EEPROM suitable for use with the dispenser 10 of the present invention is serial number BR93LC46 / F / R.
It may be a product from Rohm Electronic in Japan, which is sold by F / FV.

An audio output device suitable for use with the dispenser 10 of the present invention may be a piezo-electric sound generator 56 from AVX, USA. For the visual display 58, a liquid crystal display (LCD) device from Wintec, Taiwan, model number WM-C1203V-1GNNb, may be used. The circuit shown in FIG. 9 also includes a 4.19 MHz crystal oscillator 60 and a 32.768 kHz oscillator 62. Also, a jumper 64 connected to the battery 24 is included. As will be appreciated, solenoids 30, 32 are also included in the electrical circuit. A positive voltage regulator in the form of an integrated circuit 70 is also included. Such an integrated circuit has the serial number XC62FP
Goods from Torex Semiconductor Co., Ltd., traded in Japan.

Two smoking cessation programs are preprogrammed into the dispenser 10. The first program allows the user to set the maximum number of cigarettes that will be dispensed from the dispenser 10 daily. For example, if the user sets the maximum number of cigarettes allowed to be dispensed from the dispenser to 20, the dispenser will cause the solenoid 30 to retract more than 20 times within one day.
Do not allow to be energized.

A second program allows the user to set a smoking cessation period, for example, 2 hours. Once such a smoking cessation period has been set, the dispenser 10 does not allow the solenoid 30 spindle 34 to be retracted during this period. Once the preset period has expired, the user presses the "EJECT" button 52a to urge the solenoid 30 to retract the spindle 34, thereby unlocking the shutter plate 26. User is a knob
Moving pin 37 moves pin 38 to the position shown in FIG. 7b, thus allowing access to cigarette 20 in dispenser 10.

In order to make the user refrain from smoking even if cigarettes are available, an "EJECT" button 52 is provided when a preset period expires, for example, in the second program.
Pressing a causes an encouraging message to be displayed on the LCD device 58. Such messages are "Let's stop smoking! It's good for family!", "Let's continue because it's good!"
“Stop smoking!” “Smoking is good for your health!” Or “Save money!” On the other hand, in the second program, if the user presses the “EJECT” button 52a while the smoking cessation period is about to expire,
A “bee” sound is emitted by the piezo electric sound generator 56,
Warning. Further, an interference message is displayed on the LCD device 58. Such a message may be "tobacco shortens life!", "Tobacco causes cancer!", Or "let's stop!" Such outside encouragement or obstruction causes the smoker to reduce the frequency of smoking and, preferably, gradually quit smoking.

With respect to the "MODE" button 52b and the "SET" button 52c, they are operated to select the mode in which the tobacco dispenser is operated, thereby saving the time of the two programs described above and other general time. Set the time of the basic operation function.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is a front and rear perspective view of a tobacco dispenser according to the present invention.

2 is a front view of the tobacco dispenser shown in FIG. 1 with the front cover removed to show the structure, and a front view with a portion of the tobacco dispenser partially removed.

FIG. 3 is a cross-sectional view of the tobacco dispenser along the line AA in FIG. 2 (b).

FIG. 4 is a cross-sectional view of the tobacco dispenser along the line BB in FIG. 2 (b).

FIG. 5 is a cross-sectional view of the tobacco dispenser along the line CC in FIG. 2 (b).

FIG. 6 is a cross-sectional view of the tobacco dispenser along the line DD in FIG. 5;

FIG. 7 is a partial front view of the tobacco dispenser shown in FIG. 1 with the shutter in a closed position and an open position.

FIG. 8 is a schematic block diagram of the structure of the tobacco dispenser shown in FIG. 1;

FIG. 9 is a circuit diagram of the tobacco dispenser shown in FIG. 1;

Claims (20)

[Claims] 1. A body member that includes at least one cigarette and moves between a first position that denies access to the body member and a second position where access to the body member is enabled. A possible shutter member; locking means configured to lock the shutter member in the first position and prevent movement with respect to the body member until expiration of a first predetermined time; A dispenser comprising: means for setting a predetermined time of said tobacco; and means for outputting a signal in response to unlocking of said locking means. 2. The locking device according to claim 1, wherein the locking unit is configured to:
The dispenser of claim 1, further comprising a first solenoid member having a locking member movable between a second position in which movement of the shaft member with respect to the body member is enabled. 3. The dispenser according to claim 1, further comprising a cover member lockable by a lock member of a second solenoid member against an operation related to the main body member. 4. The locking member of the second solenoid member unlocks the cover member when all of the cigarettes on the body member are emptied to enable re-packing of cigarettes. 4. The dispenser according to claim 3, wherein the dispenser is configured to be movable. 5. The dispenser of claim 1, wherein said output means comprises at least one visual display device. 6. The dispenser of claim 5, wherein said visual display device comprises at least one liquid crystal display (LCD) device. 7. The dispenser of claim 1, wherein said output means comprises at least one audio output device. 8. The audio output device has at least one
The dispenser of claim 7, comprising two buzzers. 9. The dispenser of claim 1, further comprising means for setting a maximum number of cigarettes allowed to be dispensed within a second predetermined time period. 10. The second predetermined time period is 24 hours.
10. The dispenser of claim 9, which is time. 11. A body member including at least one cigarette and moving between a first position denying access to the body member and a second position allowing access to the body member. A possible shutter member; locking means configured to lock the shutter member in the first position until expiration of a predetermined time and to prevent movement with respect to the body member; Means for setting a predetermined time; at least one button member operable to allow movement of the shutter member relative to the body member upon expiration of the predetermined time; and Means for outputting a signal in response to actuation of said button member prior to the expiration of said predetermined time. 12. The locking means according to claim 1, wherein the locking means is located between a first position where the operation of the shutter member with respect to the main body member is prevented and a second position where the operation of the shaft member with respect to the main body member is enabled. And a first solenoid member having a lock member movable in the first direction.
Dispenser as described. 13. The dispenser according to claim 11, further comprising a cover member lockable by a lock member of a second solenoid member against an operation related to the main body member. 14. The locking member of the second solenoid member is configured to unlock the cover member when all of the cigarettes on the body member are emptied to allow re-packing of cigarettes. 14. The dispenser of claim 13, which is movable to. 15. The dispenser according to claim 11, wherein said output means comprises at least one visual display device. 16. The dispenser of claim 15, wherein said visual display device comprises at least one liquid crystal display (LCD) device. 17. The dispenser of claim 11, wherein said output means comprises at least one audio output device. 18. The dispenser of claim 17, wherein said audio output device comprises at least one buzzer. 19. The dispenser of claim 11, further comprising means for setting a maximum number of cigarettes that can be dispensed within a second predetermined time period. 20. The method according to claim 19, wherein the second predetermined time period is 24.
20. The dispenser of claim 19, which is time.