WO2007134474A1

WO2007134474A1 - Receptacle for storing cigars

Info

Publication number: WO2007134474A1
Application number: PCT/CH2007/000254
Authority: WO
Inventors: Walter Alberti; Johnny Dell'orto
Original assignee: Dellos Stone Umidor Gmbh
Priority date: 2006-05-18
Filing date: 2007-05-18
Publication date: 2007-11-29
Also published as: HK1116013A1; DE502006003663D1; RU2008149602A; EP1856992A1; EP1856992B1; ATE430495T1

Abstract

The receptacle for storing cigars has, in a manner which is known per se, a base part and a lid which can be moved relative to one another into a position in which an interior is closed off. The receptacle according to the invention, then, has an outer wall (1) made of stone and a lining made of wood, the wooden lining being fitted at least on the base part, on an inner side of the outer wall. The lid and base part of the receptacle may be provided with impact dampers (4) in order to make it easier to open and close the receptacle. The receptacle may be provided with an active humidifying system.

Description

CONTAINER FOR STORING CIGARS

The present invention relates to a container ("humidor") for storing cigars according to the preamble of the independent claim.

The proper storage of cigars is often understood as a separate science. As a matter of fact, storage must be done at the right temperature and humidity. This is to prevent mildew or dehydration of cigars at too high or too low humidity and optimal storage conditions are created. These allow the cigar to burn even after prolonged storage and the aroma can fully develop. Cigars are stored in containers often called "Humidor." Humidors are containers made of wood, preferably Spanish cedar wood, which compensate for the evaporation of the wood, usually a passive or even an active humidifier.Examples of passive humectants are soaked sponges. Active electronic humectants are available on the market as Hydrocase.

Known containers for storing cigars are often not optimal for controlling relative humidity. In addition, the humidity must be constantly monitored and, if necessary, water replenished or batteries of an active humectant replaced, since control means must be constantly active. It would thus be desirable to have a container for the storage of cigars available, which allows optimal air conditioning at the lowest possible maintenance costs and expenses.

It is therefore an object of the invention to provide such a container for storing cigars, which allows constant storage conditions as possible, with the lowest possible maintenance costs.

The object is achieved by the container as defined in independent claim 1. Also subject of the use of such a container for the storage of cigars.

The inventive container for storing cigars has, in a manner known per se, a bottom part and a lid, which can be brought into a position relative to one another, in which an interior is closed. The container according to the invention now has an outer wall made of stone, and an insert made of wood, wherein the wood insert is mounted at least on the bottom part on an inner side of the outer wall. The term "stone" refers primarily to a rock, ie a solid mineral mass produced in the course of geological history Preferred rocks are marble or granite Particular embodiments of the container according to the invention are based on materials composed of different rocks from which the outer wall is made becomes.

The outer, preferably the interior completely enclosing and thus also final wall of stone has the effect that in the container prevailing storage conditions are well shielded from external climatic conditions. A wood humidor according to the state of the art absorbs moisture and releases it, heats up at high temperatures and cools at cool temperatures and releases these fluctuations to the goods to be stored in the humidor. This interaction is greatly attenuated by the outer wall of stone. It will thus avoid the tobacco possibly straining rapid temperature fluctuations and temporary changes in relative humidity. Also, it is easier possible to keep the relative humidity, which is crucial for optimal storage of tobacco products, especially cigars, essentially constant. A preferably present active and / or passive moistening requires less maintenance (power, water).

An advantage of the outer wall of stone is not only that it moderates fluctuations of the moisture content inside and variations in temperature and relative humidity, but also that the temperature can be kept low for a long time. This is possible, for example, even with temporarily higher ambient temperatures and solar radiation and is therefore advantageous, since an optimum storage temperature of cigars is about 18 ° C. At and below this temperature, the larvae of the tobacco beetle can not develop. If a conventional humidor exposed to higher ambient temperatures or sunlight, it is not possible or only with high cooling and humidification performance to keep these low temperatures. An outer wall of stone, on the other hand, already has an air-conditioning and temperature-equalizing effect on its own.

The wood insert is preferably formed as a complete container with bottom part and lid. This container made of wood can be designed as a known as such wooden container for storing cigars. Particularly preferred as a material for the wood insert Spanish cedar wood is combined with suitable for the construction of humidors wood. Cedar wood has known advantages in terms - A -

on preserving and developing the aroma of tobacco products. The wooden insert combines the advantages of well-known humidors with those of the outer stone wall. For example, wood can exert a balancing effect on freshly put into a container very moist goods, by temporary local absorption of moisture.

Since certain types of wood, especially cedar wood, to harden after many years, the cigars are preferably not stored in direct contact with such wood. The cigars are preferably placed in or on a separate insert element in the container. This can be flat-drawer or frame-like with one or more trays and is preferably dimensioned and designed so that the exchange of air inside the container is not hindered too much. The insert element may have wooden and / or metallic components or consist entirely of metal or wood.

Cedar wood is also a very soft wood and is therefore preferably combined with other types of wood for reasons of stability. If, for example, a floor of an inner wall of a floor part is not made of cedar wood, for example of a hardwood, it is also possible to dispense with an insert element for the cigars.

The container, preferably the wall of stone and the wood insert, has a lid and a bottom part. Lid and bottom part are preferably sealed off from each other via a seal, in particular a seal made of wood or possibly of plastic or rubber. Does the container an internal

Container made of wood or at least a wooden inner wall, so a seal is preferably formed directly through the edges of the inner container or the wooden wall. Such a seal may also allow limited air circulation between the interior and the environment.

In a preferred embodiment of the container lid and bottom part via at least one shock absorber and / or locking element, preferably via two shock absorbers, connected to each other. If the container is large and heavy, such a lifting and closing the lid is facilitated. The shock absorbers can be of a special type, which facilitates both the opening and the closing and closes the almost closed lid completely when closing or opposes no or only a reduced resistance to the last millimeters of the closing movement.

Instead of shock absorbers, other means can be used to facilitate the opening and closing of the lid. For example. the closing mechanism may comprise a gas pressure spring or other spring with which a lever arm leading the lid or at most the lid is directly actuated.

In order to control and / or monitor temperature and humidity conditions in the container, means for measuring the humidity and / or the temperature in the container are preferably present. Since the critical size of an optimal storage is the moisture of the cigars, and thus the prevailing inside the container relative humidity, preferably active or passive means for wetting in the container are attached. Passive humectants are typically sponges or other storage media for moisture that are placed in the interior and wetted regularly and from which moisture evaporates. Active humectants include electronic moisture control regulators. Active regulation of the release of moisture takes place, for example, by setting an evaporation surface and controlling it by measuring the temperature and / or humidity. An additional distribution of moisture can be done via a fan, which also ensures good ventilation of the goods stored in the container. If a regulation of the temperature desired, a heating and / or cooling element in the container, for. B. a Peltier element, be introduced. Air conditioners are also possible for cooling, but dehumidify at the same time, which is not desirable in the rule.

Active control elements can be powered by an internal or external power supply. In order to make a container independent of external infrastructure, batteries or accumulators are preferably used.

Since the container according to the invention is subject to only very small temperature and humidity fluctuations and thus only low regulatory power is needed, a power consumption of any moisture and temperature measuring and control means is very low. Also, the moisture consumption is kept low and the maintenance of the container, in particular the maintenance associated with maintenance, kept to a minimum.

In the following, the container according to the invention will be explained with reference to a preferred embodiment of the container.

Figures Ia and Ib show a front and a side view of the opened container; Figure 2 shows an inner container made of wood;

FIG. 3 shows a lateral cross section through a further container;

Figure 4 shows a plan view of a bottom part of the container of Fig. 3; and

FIG. 5 shows an alternative closing mechanism.

Figures Ia and Ib show the opened container with an outer wall of stone 1, for example, granite or marble. This is a most accurate inner container made of wood 2. In the illustrated embodiment, the inner container is removable. Both the outer wall and the inner container each have a bottom part and a lid. In the illustrated embodiment, the bottom part and the lid of the inner container are fastened to each other via hinges 3. Alternatively or possibly in addition to hinges could be attached to the outer wall.

Lid and bottom part are further connected via two laterally inside the inner container mounted shock absorber 4, for example, a gas spring. This measure facilitates the controlled opening and lowering of the lid.

The inner container made of wood has edges 5, which protrude beyond the edges of the outer wall and thus provide a wooden seal the humidor.

Preferably, these edges 5 are only a few millimeters, for example, 0.5- 20 mm before. Edges in a lid are preferably less prominent than edges in a bottom part, wherein lid and bottom part edges preferably at least partially engage with each other. Edges in the lid are preferably 1-8 mm, for example, 1.5 - 5mm, for example 2mm before. Edges in a bottom part are preferably at 2-15, for example at 4-12, z. B. 8mm ago. Of course, conversely, it is also possible that the edges protrude more in the lid than in the bottom part, that the edges of a part do not protrude at all, or that both edges protrude equally far.

In order to avoid a stone-to-stone seal, it is also possible to create only one seal on one side or, if an entire inner container of wood is to be dispensed with, the outer wall on the contact surfaces with a circumferential seal, for example made of wood , Plastic or rubber.

Figures Ia and Ib show the container in a simple embodiment, which can be provided with additional, not subscribed components, such as moisture meter, humectant, in particular a self-regulating humidification etc., and possibly a thermometer.

In the figures, the outer wall on different stone layers. However, bottom part and lid of the outer wall can also be made in one piece and / or from the same stone. Optically different layers can have a decorative effect. However, they can also be chosen in terms of technical optimization of the container. For example, the outer wall may consist of other stone types inside or outside or be of multilayer construction. For example, a type of stone on an inner side of the outer wall may be light and porous. An outer layer of stone is preferably rather hard, resistant and as little as possible by external Conditions (mechanical, temperature, humidity, etc.) can be influenced. An internal stone layer can complement the properties of the wood by their nature and optionally have a balancing effect moisture to some extent. The at least partial use of porous stone also makes the entire container easier. As light stones are usually less hot than dark stones, light stones are preferred.

Inserted or inserted into the inner wall, the container may still have at least one (not shown) insert element for receiving the cigars. Such is, for example, in the form of one or more shelves available and can be made of wood, but not made of cedar. It may have compartments which, for example, are tuned to the size of the cigars.

Figure 2 shows an inner container made of wood 2 before it is introduced into the outer wall. This inner container could be designed as a conventional humidor. It is preferably made at least in part from Spanish cedar (cedrela odorata). Lid and bottom part are each in one piece or composed of individual parts. Typically harder wood than cedar wood is used for the bottom of the bottom part and the lid. Cedarwood is preferably used as walls of the inner wall. It goes without saying that all types of wood, which, for example, are also used for the construction of conventional humidors, can be used.

The inner container can be removably placed in the outer housing. It may alternatively be fixed in this, for example. By gluing or a positive connection. As a further alternative, the wood insert must not form an entire inner container, but can be incorporated as a cladding of the outer wall in this and form an inner wall in this way. The bottom part of the inner container has openings here. In the openings, the shock absorbers 4 are mounted on the wall side. On the cover, the shock absorbers are each screwed on the inside laterally.

FIG. 3 shows a cross section through a further embodiment of the container according to the invention. The outer wall 1 of stone is lined with an inner wall 2 made of wood. The inner wall 2 is composed of individual elements. Typically, these are a floor and the

Walls of the inner wall of the bottom part, as well as a lid lining, which also has individual walls depending on the design of the lid. The edges 5 of the inner wall are chamfered so that they in the closed state of the

Container intertwine. These are the edges of the bottom part on their

Beveled inside and the edges of the lid on its outside.

The shock absorbers 4 are each pivotally mounted about a mounting pin, so that the necessary slight pivotal movement of the shock absorber when opening and closing the lid is possible. This is particularly evident in Figure 4, which shows a plan view of a bottom part. Also in Figure 4 it can be seen that in a lateral area the wood inlay, i. the inner wall may have two side walls, between which the mentioned opening for the shock absorber attachment is formed. It may be one of the two side walls, or it may be both or neither of the two side walls of cedar wood.

As already mentioned, instead of the illustrated opening and closing mechanism, another mechanism may also be present. An example of such a mechanism 11 is shown schematically in FIG. It has an example metallic mounting plate 12 which may be fixed in or on a side wall. The mounting plate can, for example, inside on the inner Wall or between the inner and the outer wall, or it may be embedded in the inner wall. On the mounting plate 12, a gas spring 13 is pivotally mounted (mounting pin 14) which engages a lever arm 16. This transmits the force on a (not shown) slide, which is mounted in or on the lid. The gas pressure spring 13 is positioned so that the force exerted on the lever arm 16 due to trigonometric laws in the closed state is small, which allows an optimal closure of the lid. By slightly lifting the lid approx. 10-20mm by the user, you will come to an area where the spring force will lift or exceed the weight of the lid, and the mechanism will automatically open the lid opening.

In the last section of the opening process - for example, before the queuing of the lever arm 16 at a stop 19 - the lid can also be damped by means of a not further drawn in the figure further spring mechanism and finally brought to a standstill.

The connection between the lever arm 16 and the slide rail can be done in a manner known per se, for example by the projecting of a slide pin 18 between two guide walls of the slide, the rolling of a guide wheel on the rail, etc.

Claims

First container for storing cigars with a bottom part and a lid, which are relative to each other in a position can be brought in which an interior is completed, comprising an outer wall (1) made of stone, and an insert made of wood, wherein the wood insert at least is attached to the bottom part on an inner side of the outer wall.

2. Container according to claim 1, wherein the wood insert is formed as an inner wall of the container and completely covered at least the bottom part on the inside.

3. Container according to claim 2, wherein the entire inner side of the outer wall is covered by the wood insert.

4. Container according to claim 3, wherein the wood insert forms an inner container (2).

5. Container according to one of the preceding claims, wherein between the lid and the bottom part, a seal is present.

6. Container according to claim 5 based on claim 4, wherein the seal by an edge (5) of the inner container (2) is formed.

7. Container according to one of the preceding claims, wherein the lid and bottom part via at least one hinge (3) are interconnected and wherein at least one shock absorber (4), a lever arm and / or a locking element between the lid and the bottom part is mounted.

8. Container according to claim 7 based on claim 4 or 6, wherein the hinge (3) and preferably also the shock absorber (4), the lever arm (16) and / or the locking element are mounted on the inner container and being directly on the outer wall preferably no hinges are present.

9. Container according to one of the preceding claims, wherein the outer wall has an outer bottom part and an outer lid and completely encloses the interior in a closed state of the container.

10. Container according to one of the preceding claims, comprising a means for measuring the humidity and / or the temperature.

11. Container according to one of the preceding claims, comprising an active and / or passive humectant.

12. Container according to one of the preceding claims, wherein the outer wall (1) made of natural stone and the wood insert is at least partially made of Spanish cedar.

13. Use of a container according to one of the preceding claims for the storage and storage of tobacco products, in particular cigars.