WO1997020477A1

WO1997020477A1 - Cigarette-related sleeve including arrangement

Info

Publication number: WO1997020477A1
Application number: PCT/SE1996/001429
Authority: WO
Inventors: Lars TÄNGERSTAD
Original assignee: Taengerstad Lars
Priority date: 1995-11-09
Filing date: 1996-11-07
Publication date: 1997-06-12
Also published as: SE9503982L; AU7592996A; SE9503982D0

Abstract

The invention relates to a cigarette-related sleeve arrangement (1) that includes a first sleeve (2) having an internal through penetrating bore (2a) of which at least a part has a cross-sectional shape adapted to receive a cigarette (4), and a second sleeve (3) having an internal bore (3a) adapted to embrace the first sleeve (2) either totally or partially. The first sleeve (2) of said arrangement includes a number of slots (21) which extend parallel with or generally parallel with a first sleeve center line (1'). The second sleeve (3) includes a number of slots (31) which are also parallel with or generally parallel with a second sleeve center line (1'). The first and the second sleeves can be rotated relative to one another about their longitudinal axes, such as to bring the slots to a first position, a mutually coacting and open position, and a second position, a side-related and closed position.

Description

TITLE OF INVENTION: CIGARETTE-RELATED SLEEVE INCLUDING ARRANGEMENT

TECHNICAL FIELD

The present invention pertains to a cigarette-related sleeve arrangement and then particularly to such a sleeve arrange¬ ment that includes a first sleeve means having an internal through penetrating bore of which at least a part has a cross-sectional shape adapted to receive a cigarette with adapted tolerances, and a second sleeve means having an internal bore adapted to embrace the first sleeve means at least totally or partially.

DESCRIPTION OF THE BACKGROUND ART Several different designs of cigarette-related sleeve arrangements of the aforesaid kind are known to the art.

Foi instance, Bniisn Patent Publication GB-A-2 174 286 teaches a cigarette ash collecting tube arrangement which comprises an inner tube and an outer tube which are mutually connected telescopically, with the tubes arranged movably m a direction that concurs with a tube center line. The outer tube is provided with a cigarette holder and the inner tube includes a plurality of ventilation holes.

A conical scraper is provided at one end of the inner tube at a distance from a mouthpiece, such that a burning ciga¬ rette can be extinguished by pushing the inner tube axially into the outer tube.

The inner tube can be inserted fully into the outer tube so as to fully block the ventilation holes and therewith prevent the ingress of oxygen to an extent which causes the cigarette to be extinguished, especially when the cigarette is too short to come into contact with the scraper. German Published Specification DE-A1-34 13 618 teaches a smoking apparatus which comprises an elongated, somewhat cylindrical unit which includes a mouthpiece and a tobacco tube having mutually coincidental center axes and wherewith the tobacco space can be refilled with tobacco.

The tobacco space is provided with a lid or cover member to this end. A filter provided at the opposite end of a tobacco space mouthpiece prevents tobacco and ash from falling out.

In the case of this smoking apparatus, air openings can be closed by and during the suction process so that a subpres- sure generated by the suction process pushes back a plate which seals the apparatus.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

TECHNICAL PROBLEMS

When considering tne stare of the prior art aε described above it will be seen that a technical problem resides in providing a cigarette-related sleeve arrangement with which the cigarette air supply can be regulated in a simple fashion via a rotary movement by which the air supply can be readily cut-off and therewith extinguish the cigarette at any selected time as the cigarette is smoked.

It will also be seen that a technical problem resides in realizing the significance and use of a first sleeve means and a second sleeve means which are rotatable in relation to one another around their longitudinal axes and therewith create conditions for obtaining a closed casing around a partially smoked cigarette or the stub end of a cigarette with the exception of the mouth-related surface thereof.

It will also be seen that a technical problem is one of realizing the significance of providing the first sleeve means with a number of slots that extend parallel, or at least essentially parallel, with the center line of said sleeve means.

Another technical problem resides m realizing the signifi- cance of also providing the second sleeve means with a number of slots that are also disposed parallel with, or at least essentially parallel, with the center line of said means.

It will also be seen that a further technical problem is one of realizing the significance of dimensioning the slots of respective means so that the slots are able to adopt a first position, a mutually coacting and open position, and a second position, a side-related and fully closed position, in response to said rotation.

A technical problem also resides in the ability to realize the significance of causing the slots tn pxtend m a slightly helical line and to allocate to the slots a decreasing width in their longitudinal extension with a largest opening positioned adjacent a cigarette section that lies distal from the mouth-related surface of the cigarette or its filter section.

A further technical problem is one of realizing that said sleeve means shall have mutually facing, circular surfaces and that the slots shall include a total angle corresponding to 180° or slightly therebelow.

Another technical problem is one of realizing the signifi- cance of providing three slots which are uniformly spaced with an initial angle of 60° or thereabouts.

Another technical problem is one of realizing the signifi¬ cance of constructing the cigarette-related sleeve arrange- ment from two separate sleeve means and to provide the second sleeve means with an end-related flange or covering. It will also be seen that a technical problem resides in realizing the significance of providing the first sleeve means with an inner through-penetrating bore whose diameter conforms to or is slightly smaller than the diameter of a standard cigarette.

Another technical problem is one of realizing the signifi¬ cance of spacing the slots so that a cigarette paper section placed adjacent thereto will remain intact during the smoking period.

Another technical problem is one of creating conditions in which a filter section for a smoked cigarette can function as an arrangement cleaning unit.

Another technical problem is one of providing a cigarette- related sleeve arrangement with which the insertion of a new cigarette will cause the filter-containing cleaning unit to be pushed through the arrangement, and therewith provide conditions for keeping the arrangement clean.

Another technical problem is one of realizing the steps required in utilizing intact cigarette paper sections to "pack" the filter section to form a wad or plug as a new cigarette is inserted into the arrangement.

S_OLUTION With the intention of solving one or more of the aforesaid technical problems, the present invention is based on a cigarette-related sleeve arrangement comprising a first sleeve member having an internal through-penetrating bore, wherein at least a part of the bore has a cross-section which will enable a cigarette to be inserted therein, and a second sleeve member provided with an internal or an inner bore adapted to fully or partially surround said first sleeve member. In accordance with the invention, the first sleeve member of said arrangement includes a number of slots which are parallel with or essentially parallel with the center line of said member; in that the second sleeve member includes a number of slots which are also parallel with or essentially parallel with the center line of said member; in that said first and said second members can be rotated relative to one another about their longitudinal axes, such as to bring said slots to a first position, a mutually coacting and open position, and a second position, a side-related and closed position.

According to proposed embodiments lying within the scope of the inventive concept, the slots extend in a slightly helical path. Each of the slots will conveniently have a width which decreases in the longitudinal direction of the slots towards a mouth-related surface of the cigarette.

The sleeve members will also conveniently have mutually facing surfaces of circular cross-section, with the slots enclosing an angle corresponding to or slightly smaller than 180° .

In one development of the invention, the slots are three m number and are uniformly disposed with an initial angle of 60° or thereabouts.

The second sleeve member will also conveniently include an end-related flange or covering.

It is also proposed that the first sleeve member will have an inner through-penetrating bore whose diameter conforms to the diameter of a standard cigarette.

It is also proposed that the slot spacing shall be adapted so that a cigarette paper section placed m register with the slots will remain intact as the cigarette is smoked, and that the cigarette paper section can be moved towards a filter section by a new cigarette and therewith form a plug or wad which can be ejected from the arrangement by the action of inserting a new cigarette into the second sleeve member.

ADVANTAGES Those advantages primarily afforded by a cigarette-related sleeve arrangement in accordance with the invention reside in the provision of conditions whereby the air supply can be readily regulated after a cigarette has been smoked to the extent desired, and to create conditions whereby the ciga¬ rette is self-extmguishmg while, at the same time, having taken steps to ensure that the cigarette paper section will remain intact even during a smoking period, said cigarette paper sections being able to function in packing together a residual filter section of a smoked cigarette, thereby to form a plug when inserting a new cigarette into the first sleeve memoer.

The primary characteristic features of an inventive ciga¬ rette-related sleeve arrangement are set forth m the characterizing clause of the following Claim 1.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWING

The invention will now be described in more detail with reference to an exemplifying embodiment thereof and also with reference to the accompanying drawing, in which Figure 1 is a perspective view of a cigarette-related sleeve arrangement and shows a partially smoked cigarette held m the arrangement;

Figure 2 is a cross-sectional view of the arrangement shown in Figure 1, taken on the line II-II; and Figure 3 is a longitudinal section view of the sleeve arrangement, wherein a first sleeve member and a second sleeve member coact with one another and with a residual cigarette paper section of a consumed cigarette.

DESCRIPTION OF EMBODIMENTS AT PRESENT PROPOSED Figure 1 is a perspective view of a cigarette-related sleeve arrangement which comprises a first sleeve member 2 having an internal through-penetrating bore 2a of which at least a part has a cross-section adapted to receive a cigarette 4, and a second sleeve member 3 having an internal bore 3a which surrounds the first sleeve member 2 either completely or partially.

In the Figure 1 embodiment, the bore 2a has a constant diameter conforming to the diameter of an inserted cigarette 4.

The inner diameter of the bore 2a and the outer diameter of the cigarette 4 shall be in su h relationship as to enable the cigarette to be inserted into the bore 2a with a slight clamping force.

The outer surface 2b of the sleeve member 2 has a circular cross-section and is only slightly smaller than the diameter of the inner surface 3a of the second sleeve member 3, the outer surface 3b of said member 3 also having a circular cross-sectional shape.

As evident from the Figure 1 illustration, the first sleeve member 2 is provided with a number of slots, m the present case three slots, of which one slot 21 is shown in Figure 1. The slots 21, 22 and 23 are positioned parallel with, or at least essentially parallel with a center line 1' m the member 1.

The second sleeve member 3 is also provided with a number of slots 31, 32, 33 which are also positioned parallel with, or at least essentially parallel with a center line 1' on the sleeve member 1.

The first and second sleeve members 2, 3 are rotatable in relation to one another about the center line 1 , whereby the slots can be brought to a first position, a mutually coacting and open position shown in Figure 1, by relative rotation of the members, or to a second position in which the slots of respective members are located by the side of one another and the apparatus thus fully closed.

As indicated by reference numeral 35, the slot 31 may be extended in a helical line of large pitch, or some other suitable shape.

The slots will preferably have a width which decreases in the longitudinal extension of the slots, with the largest slot opening facing away from tne mouui-related surface of the cigarette .

This configuration can also be applied to the remaining slots.

The members 2, 3 have mutually facing surfaces of circular cross-section, and the slots have a total encompassing angle of 180° or slightly therebelow.

The slots included in the illustrated arrangement are three in number and are uniformly disposed with an initial angle of 60° or thereabouts, although it will be understood that the slots may be one or two in number or may in exceptional circumstances be four m number within the concept of the invention.

It is important that the slots 21, 22 and 23 in the second sleeve member 3 can be fully covered and fully exposed to cut-off the air supply and allow the ingress of air respec- tively, and it shall be ensured that the air supply will be sufficient to smoke a newly lighted cigarette.

The second sleeve member 3 is provided with an end flange or cover 36.

Figure 1 shows a covering paper sheet 41 of a smoked ciga¬ rette, said sheet enclosing a tobacco string 42 and a filter section 43.

As the cigarette is smoked, only a part of the paper sheet will be consumed together with the tobacco string and in the illustrated case three elongated cigarette paper sections 41a, 41b and 41c remain between the slots 21, 22 and 23.

Figure 3 illustrates the arrangement with a smoked cigarette and with solely the filter section 43 and the cigarette paper sections 41a, 41b and 41c.

When the arrangement 1 haε the operational state shown m Figure 3, the filter section 43 can be pushed to the left with the aid of a fresh cigarette inserted into the bore 2a in direction of arrow "P".

As the fresh cigarette is pushed into the bore, the cigarette paper sections 41a, 41b and 41c will be moved against the flange 36 and there form a "plug" together with the filter sections .

The sleeve member 3 is then removed and the plug taken out.

Alternatively, the first sleeve member 3 can be removed and solely the filter section 43 and the cigarette paper sections ejected from the second sleeve member 2.

It will be observed that displacement of the filter section 43 serves to clean the arrangement after each use occasion. In the arrangement shown in Figure 3, the sleeve 2 snaps into engagement with the sleeve 3.

It is significant to the present invention that the distance 25 between the slots 21 and 23 and a corresponding distance between remaining slots in the first sleeve member 2 are so adapted that a cigarette paper section 41a located in register therewith will remain intact as the cigarette is smoked, and that the cigarette paper sections can be moved towards and against a filter section by a fresh cigarette inserted into the apparatus, and therewith form a wad or plug whose size conforms to the size of the filter section.

It will be understood that the invention is not restricted to the aforedescπbed and illustrated embodiment thereof and that modifications can be made within the scope of the inventive concept as illustrated in the following claims.

Claims

1. A cigarette-related sleeve arrangement that includes a first sleeve having an internal through penetrating bore of which at least a part has a cross-sectional shape adapted to receive a cigarette, and a second sleeve having an internal bore adapted to embrace the first sleeve either totally or partially, characterized in that the first sleeve of said arrangement includes a number of slots which are parallel with or essentially parallel with a first sleeve center line; in that the second sleeve includes a number of slots which are also parallel with or essentially parallel with a second sleeve center line; in that said first and said second sleeves can be rotated relative to one another about their longitudinal axes, such as to bring said slots to a first position, a mutually coacting and open position, and a second position, a side-related and closed position.

2. An arrangement according to Claim 1, characterized in that the slots extend in a slightly helical path or some like path.

3. An arrangement according to Claim 1 or 2 , characterized in that the slots have a width which decreases in the longitudinal direction of the slots.

4. An arrangement according to Claim 1, characterized m that the sleeves have mutually facing surfaces of circular cross- section; and in that the slots have a total encompassing angle of 180° or slightly therebelow.

5. An arrangement according to Claim 1, characterized in that the slots are three m number and uniformly distributed with an initial angle of 60° or thereabouts.

6. An arrangement according to Claim 1, characterized m that the second sleeve includes a flange on one end thereof.

7. An arrangement according to Claim 1, characterized m that the first sleeve has an inner through-penetrating bore whose diameter conforms to the diameter of a cigarette.

8. An arrangement according to Claim 1, characterized in that the distance between the slots is such that cigarette paper sections located in register with said slots will remain intact as the cigarette is smoked; and in that the cigarette paper sections can be moved towards and against a filter by insertion of a fresh cigarette, therewith to form a wad or plug.