JP2012517800A - Cigarette butts disposable containers - Google Patents

Abstract

  A cigarette butt disposable container (2) having an inlet orifice (6) with a conical mouth (8) facing outwards. The inner diameter of the orifice (6) is such that when the first cigarette butt is introduced into the container, the first cigarette butt is gripped in place to prevent it from retracting. It is set to grab a butt. This orifice (6) is connected to the container (4) and the only outlet of the container (4) is the inlet orifice (6). The container (4) extends substantially along the axis of the inlet orifice (6) and the minimum length of the closed container (4) corresponds to the length of a standard cigarette along this axis.

Description

  The present invention relates to a disposable container intended for cigarette butts.

  In particular, the present invention relates to personal containers that smokers can carry in their pockets, as well as fixed containers that can be used by the community.

  Consideration for the impact of pollution on the human environment is a struggle and is becoming increasingly important. Consumers are in the process of understanding that the most common and harmless materials constitute powerful pollutants due to their resistance to degradation. Thus, it is estimated that a cigarette butt with a filter can be expected to have a “lifetime” of 1 to 15 years.

  The perception of the rights of non-smokers is that this particular type of waste, deliberately depriving bins and ashtrays, is countered by influence. Smokers still tend to scatter these cigarette butts in the environment. The only current countermeasure is a mandatory measure that imposes an increasingly high fine (tens of euros) for throwing away cigarette butts. In California, the fines for throwing out cigarette butts for national fires can reach thousands of dollars if caught.

  Therefore, the only real solution is the education of smokers.

  A "cigarette butt extinguishing device" formed by a cylinder narrowed at its central part is known from WO 93/09686, DE 10106449, DE 1290754, DE 3920192, GB407243 and JP 8056638. These devices formed from non-flammable materials (generally metals) are used for operations different from the recovery of cigarette butts, in this case for extinguishing the cigarette butts. However, when the smoker's cigarette butt is extinguished and, in theory, “harmless”, the smoker will then throw away the cigarette butt, possibly in the countryside. US-4497329 describes such a fire extinguishing device in combination with a conventional (not closed) ashtray. This clearly indicates the existence of two problems: the extinction and disposal of tobacco butts.

  US 2006/0191944 describes an ashtray intended to remove smoke and tobacco odors.

  WO 2008/088274 describes an ashtray combined with a fire extinguishing device and a container for a lighter.

  US7380553, JP2001-327277 and DE19901527U1 also describe an ashtray type container in combination with a fire extinguishing device. The container can be provided with a lid to prevent dispersion of the contents of the container. Obviously, these devices, which can be of a precise design, can be reused indefinitely if they are periodically emptied. In fact, unfortunately, many smokers have somehow trained themselves to use such ashtrays, but have shown that they rarely go to empty these ashtrays in the right places. ing. Therefore, the results are almost the same from a contamination perspective.

  The primary object of the present invention is to prevent the distribution of tobacco butts in the environment.

  Another object of the present invention is to make available to smokers a hygienic and simple means to use to remove these cigarette butts.

  Another object of the present invention is to promote a cycle for the disposal of cigarette butts that respects workers responsible for the maintenance of the environment as well as public spaces.

  Another object of the present invention is to promote the public mind of smokers.

  The subject of the present invention is a cigarette butt disposable container having an inlet orifice. The orifice has a conical mouth, with the wide portion of the orifice turning outward. The axial length is less than the diameter of a standard cigarette, and the inner diameter is such that when the first cigarette butt is introduced, the first cigarette butt is held in place, In order to prevent the removal of one cigarette butt, it is set to calibrate the first cigarette butt (calibrate). Therefore, the cigarette butt functions as a stopper for the container. However, the holding force on the cigarette butt is such that the thrust exerted by the second cigarette butt moves the first cigarette butt toward the interior of the container and drops it into the container. Small enough.

  The container has a container and the only outlet of the container is the inlet orifice. The closed container extends substantially along the axis of the inlet orifice, and its minimum length corresponds to the length of standard tobacco along this axis.

  According to an advantageous embodiment, the inner surface of the inlet orifice is in the form of two conical surfaces facing each other, narrowing towards the center.

  According to another advantageous embodiment, a check knob is provided on the inner surface of the inlet orifice. This check tab can be in the form of a conical skirt.

  According to one preferred embodiment, the container is formed from a polymeric material.

  According to one preferred embodiment, the polymeric material is formed by stretch molding.

  According to one advantageous embodiment, the container is formed from a heat-collapseable material that can be preferentially formed from recycled material. One advantage of this embodiment is that the use of valuable raw materials is limited and, moreover, the containers can be recovered in more dedicated environmental systems.

  According to one advantageous embodiment, the cigarette butt container has an attachment member for securing the container to the support. This support can be, for example, a wall support or a base fixed to the ground (floor surface). It is possible to provide multiple supports to support several different containers, which allows several smokers to clear their cigarette butts at the same time.

  One advantage of this embodiment is that such containers can be made available to the general public (in offices, water bottles, etc.), such containers can be removed and reused. It is regularly replaced and keeps the clean and clean appearance of its location.

  According to a preferred embodiment, the container has an outer surface that can be decorated by molded embossing, by direct printing, or by applying a label or sleeve thereon. Therefore, this container can be covered with various slogans for clean campaigns, various advertisements, etc.

  The container material is advantageously composed of a material impregnated at least partially with a fragrance. Also, the container can be impregnated with a substance that has increased resistance to ignition.

  According to one advantageous embodiment, the axial length of the inlet orifice is about 5 mm.

  The effect of this variant of the invention is that the resistance to forward movement of the already introduced tobacco butt is reduced, facilitating the incorporation of the next tobacco butt.

  According to one preferred embodiment, the capacity of the container is proportional to the capacity of the tobacco pocket so as to facilitate counting of its contents.

  According to another preferred embodiment, the body of the container has at least one transparent zone that makes it possible to assess the degree of filling of the container.

  These and other aspects of the invention will be clearly described in the detailed description of specific embodiments of the invention with reference to the drawings.

FIG. 1 is an elevational view of a first embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 2 is a side view of the embodiment shown in FIG. FIG. 3 is a perspective view of the embodiment of FIGS. 1 and 2 (not scaled). 4a is a cross-sectional view along the plane IV-IV of the details of the embodiment of FIG. 4b is a cross-sectional view along the plane IV-IV of the details of the embodiment of FIG. 4c is a cross-sectional view along the plane IV-IV of the details of the embodiment of FIG. FIG. 5 is a perspective view of another embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 6 is a perspective view of the third embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 7 is an elevation view of another embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 8 is a perspective view of another embodiment of the present invention.

  The figures are not necessarily drawn to scale. In general, identical components are denoted by the same reference numerals in the figures.

  1 to 3 show a first embodiment of the invention, in this case a “pocket” container.

  This container 2 consists essentially of a closed container 4, the only outlet of which is an inlet orifice 6. This inlet orifice 6 (shown in more detail in FIGS. 4a-4c) has a standard tobacco diameter (ie 7-8 mm). The inlet orifice is flared to the outside with a conical mouth 8 to facilitate the incorporation of tobacco butts into the container. This slope 8 continues to a short narrow part forming the neck 10. As can be seen in FIGS. 4a to 4c, the cross-section along the longitudinal plane of the neck 10 is cylindrical (FIG. 4a) or narrowed / divergent. Various contour shapes (profiles) can be employed, such as (Figure 4b) or simple narrowed shapes (Figure 4c). Whatever profile is employed, the inner diameter of the neck 10 is set to grab the cigarette butt and hold the cigarette butt in place. Therefore, the cigarette butt functions as a stopper for the container.

The principle of operation of the present invention is as follows.
The still lit cigarette butts introduced into the cylindrical orifice 6, exiting the container 4, are “suspended” there at the neck 10 at the axis of the orifice 6. If it is held and the volume of the container is small, it will extinguish spontaneously due to lack of oxygen. When the smoker finishes smoking another cigarette, the smoked tobacco is sufficient for the smoker to introduce a new cigarette butt into the orifice 6, thus dropping the first cigarette into the container. Thus, the thrust which presses the cigarette butt of the first cigarette is applied. The holding power of each cigarette butt is such that it is not necessary to exert excessive force on the first cigarette butt in order to move the first cigarette into the container and drop it into the container. It must be small enough for the person.

  Therefore, special attention must be paid to the shape of the orifice 6, in particular the shape and length of the neck 10 holding the cigarette butts. This should be short enough (in the order of a few millimeters) (preferentially about a few millimeters) for the insertion of a lit cigarette butt that pushes the previous cigarette butt so as not to give resistance. 5mm), which causes the cigarette butts that are lit to bend, making it difficult to insert the cigarette butts into the pipe. The present invention is in this respect quite distinct from the prior art, which generally shows certain long pipes, and therefore shows that it does not add itself to the proposed application.

  On the other hand, the neck must be long enough for the cigarette butt to stay in place and to perform its function of the plug even in the case of a sudden movement of the carrier carrying the pocket cigarette butt container. Don't be. Surprising and unexpected results are known in practice. That is, the resistance of the cigarette butts on the wall of the neck 10 to the friction of a few millimeters (typically about 3 to 5 mm) falls on the cigarette butts to the container or the cigarette butts from the pipe. Enough to prevent release. One explanation for this phenomenon relates to the weight of the cigarette butt being very small compared to its size. As a result, the use of tobacco butts as plugs ensures complete hygiene for the container of the present invention. Also, the smoker does not have to worry about the ash and container contents being scattered in the pocket. Furthermore, by providing a protrusion inside the orifice 6, it is possible to ensure a further improved retention of the cigarette butt forming the plug. In addition, this allows tobacco butts of various diameters (typically 7.8 mm to 8.5 mm) to be inserted therein.

  Another point that is emphasized is the importance of the shape of the mouth 8 (top and width and length angles). The mouth 8 can have a concave shape or a convex shape. However, the mouth is not long enough for an elongate object, or an object having a relatively small radius of curvature, such as one end of a finger, to move the cigarette butts and “drop” the cigarette butts inside the container 4. The contour must be set so that the proximal end of the cigarette butt forming the plug cannot be touched.

  The plug formed by the cigarette butts, to the radiated odor, is sufficient by the container 2 to significantly reduce the invisible emissions from the consumed cigarette without requiring any other ingenuity. It forms a barrier (the cigarette butt container is also short-lived). However, mainly for marketing reasons, it is possible to add one or other fragrance substances (perfumes or substances that absorb odors) into the materials used to manufacture tobacco butt containers.

  The “philosophy” of the container of the present invention is a systematic recovery that can end in a specific recycling circuit. This suggests that the container is disposable, and once it is full, the container must be disposed of. Therefore, the capacity of the “pocket” container is roughly matched to the number of cigarette butts corresponding to one pack of cigarettes (typically about 20 cigarettes). As shown in FIGS. 5-8, it is also possible to envision the production of larger containers available to the general public of smokers (500 ml capacity is 100-150 cigarette butts) Can be accommodated).

  One point to be taken into account is that it is necessary to prevent the end of the cigarette that is still lit from coming into contact with the bottom of the container 4, which is in principle Is made of heat sensitive material. Accordingly, the length of the container 4 measured along the axis of the orifice 6 should preferably be at least equal to the length of a standard cigarette.

  As shown in FIG. 5, according to a first variant, the container is a quick-fixing device 12 (which allows the container to be fixed to a support fixed by fixing means 14. Here, it has a simple ring with a counter-rotating notch. This can also be provided with a base intended to be pressed against loose soil (see FIGS. 7 and 8), allowing the container to be used in parks and gardens. In another variant shown in FIG. 6, a wide base is provided, which makes it possible to use the container on a table or in a car (in this case its diameter is equal to the diameter of the beverage bottle). Identical and all modern cars are equipped with bottle support). With regard to the “table” cigarette butt container, the latter also helps prevent odor dispersal in the car, apart from the fact that this container can also change the aesthetic shape, and just Like the wall container, it contributes to the cleanliness and hygiene of the space still reserved for nicotine addicts at the entrances of bars, cafes and restaurants.

  It is clear that the diameter and length of the neck 10 is basic. In the case of a pocket container, a slightly narrower diameter is selected than the table or wall variant.

  The difference is that the pocket variant must make the stopper better hold, while the table, car or wall variant should make the cigarette butt incorporation much easier. Related to the facts.

  The use of disposable containers seems to be useless in principle. In practice, however, the use of disposable containers results in much more systematic waste, so there is no such waste. Furthermore, the disposable container ensures the cleanliness and hygiene of the container. Anyone who faces the smelly and dirty very unpleasant appearance of street ashtrays when entering a building, especially when the cigarette butts are not completely burned and the filter is consumed, Understand that it seems to be a security person responsible for cleaning the ashtray. In fact, it is particularly difficult to protect public ashtrays from rain and moisture. However, the combination of moisture, nicotine and tar from tobacco burning is a particularly odorous substance, especially when these cigarette butts contain sand on a grid-like surface, these street ashtrays Brings difficulties in cleansing. The adoption of the container of the present invention is sufficient to replace with a new container, simplifying this work and constituting a guarantee of cleanliness and hygiene. Even if the latter (pipe) is open, the small opening in the cigarette butt container restricts the ingress of rain into the pipe and completely prevents the ingress of rain if the cigarette is inserted as a plug.

  Clearly, the success of marketing such a disposable container depends on a fairly low cost price, more than anything else. In this regard, the part can be molded in a particularly economical manner by stretch molding (in particular extrusion stretch molding or injection stretch molding) of various economical polymers such as polyethylene or polypropylene. Furthermore, there is no need to use raw material. Inexpensive recycled materials find here a particularly welcome spread of their life cycle.

  Therefore, a complete tobacco butt container is preferably made of recycled polyethylene. This material, the cellulose and tobacco residues that make up the filter, are all completely flammable and can therefore become ash in an incinerator without much energy consumption. The presence of a combustion retarder (combustion inhibitor) can be indicated according to specific safety standards (when publicly available) without all the factors that impair product reuse.

  Furthermore, single piece manufacturing is much more economically effective.

  However, this does not exclude the possibility of forming the container from two different materials, one for the orifice and the other for the container. The fact that the container is formed of a single piece with a conduit or two pieces is of second importance compared to the functionality of the product.

  Since recycled material is used, the container is preferably opaque. However, it is preferred to provide an axially extending translucent zone so that the degree of filling of the container can be evaluated.

  Obviously, the use of the cigarette butt container of the present invention, whether "pocketed" or public, is our pavement, our streets, our coast, our ski run slopes and our Contributes to the cleanliness of the forest. In the latter case, this also helps reduce the risk of wildfires.

  Finally, cigarette butt containers can constitute a fully usable advertising medium. It's not as easy as sticking an advertising label to the container body. Hence, this can generate revenue that helps reduce its original selling costs.

  It will be apparent to those skilled in the art that the present invention is not limited to the examples shown and described above. The present invention includes each of the novel features, as well as combinations of these novel features. The presence of a reference sign cannot be considered limiting. Use of the term “comprising” does not exclude the presence of components other than those mentioned herein. Also, the use of the definite article term “one” to incorporate a component does not exclude the presence of a plurality of such components. The present invention has been described with reference to particular embodiments, which are purely illustrative and should not be considered limiting.

Claims (15)

A disposable container (2) of cigarette butts,
A cylindrical inlet orifice (6) having a diameter less than that of standard tobacco;
A container (4) with said inlet orifice (6) as only one outlet,
The inlet orifice (6) has a conical mouth (8), and the wide portion of the inlet orifice is deflected outwardly and has an axial length less than the diameter of a standard tobacco. The inner diameter of the orifice (6) is such that when the first cigarette butt is introduced, the first cigarette butt is held in place to prevent the first cigarette butt from retracting. The cigarette butt is configured to grip the first cigarette butt, and the cigarette butt functions as a plug of the container (2), and the holding force against the cigarette butt is the thrust exerted by the second cigarette butt. , Small enough to move this first cigarette butt towards the inside of the container (2),
The container (4) extends substantially along the axis of the inlet orifice (6), and the minimum length of the closed container (4) corresponds to the length of a standard cigarette along this axis. A disposable container for cigarette butts (2) characterized in that:   The disposable container (1) of cigarette butts according to claim 1, characterized in that the inner surface of the inlet orifice (6) is in the form of two facing cones narrowing towards the central part. 2).   The disposable container (2) for cigarette butts according to claim 1 or 2, characterized in that a check knob is provided on the inner surface of the inlet orifice (6).   The disposable container (2) of cigarette butts according to claim 3, characterized in that these check tabs are in the form of a conical skirt.   A disposable container (2) of cigarette butts according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that it is formed from a polymer material.   6. A disposable container (2) of cigarette butts according to any one of claims 1 to 5, characterized in that it is all formed in a single piece.   The disposable container (2) for cigarette butts according to claim 5, characterized in that it is formed by stretch molding.   A disposable container (2) of cigarette butts according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that it is made of a heated injection material.   9. A disposable container (2) of cigarette butts according to any one of claims 1 to 8, characterized in that it is made of reusable material.   10. A cigarette butt disposable container (2) according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that it has an attachment member configured to fix the container to the support.   11. A cigarette butt disposable container (2) according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that it has a printable outer surface.   12. A disposable container (2) of cigarette butts according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that it is made of a material impregnated at least partly with an aromatic substance.   13. A disposable cigarette butt container (2) according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the axial length of the inlet orifice (6) is about 5 mm.   14. Disposable container (2) for cigarette butts according to any one of claims 1 to 13, characterized in that it is made of a material impregnated with a substance with increased resistance to ignition.   15. A disposable container (2) of cigarette butts according to any one of claims 1 to 14, characterized in that the body of the container has at least part of a transparent zone for assessing the degree of filling of the container.

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