CIGARETTE BUTT EXTINGUISHING AND DISPOSING APPARATUS

A cigarette butt extinguishing and disposing apparatus including a cutting arrangement for receiving a cigarette butt from a slot to cut the cigarette butt into cut pieces while extinguishing fire and a container configured to collect the cut pieces. The cutting arrangement includes a pair of cutting rollers having peripheral faces engaging with each other, the peripheral faces each having a plurality of cutting edges. The cigarette butt extinguishing and disposing apparatus further includes a pressing arrangement for receiving and pressing the cut pieces. As a result, a cigarette is reliably extinguished.

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Description
TECHNICAL FIELD

The present invention relates to a cigarette butt extinguishing and disposing apparatus.

BACKGROUND ART

There is a cigarette butt extinguishing and disposing apparatus adopting a technology of fire extinction without using water. The apparatus is used as an ashtray for collecting cigarette ashes and butts as disclosed in Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2008-283898 (see Paragraphs [0007] and [0008], and FIGS. 6 and 8), Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2009-119090 (see paragraphs [0007] and [0008], and FIGS. 6 and 8), and the like.

The cigarette butt extinguishing and disposing apparatus includes a cylindrical container configured to receive cigarette butts coming from an upper side, shelf members of a plurality of stages configured to receive in stages the cigarette butts received into the cylindrical container, and extrusion means movably provided on each of the shelf members of the plurality of stages to extrude the cigarette butts present in each of the shelf members to the shelf members of lower stages.

In such a cigarette butt extinguishing and disposing apparatus, a cigarette butt received into the cylindrical container lands on one of the shelf members. The cigarette butt is then extruded from the shelf member and lands on the shelf member of a lower stage. By repeating this processing in each stage, the cigarette butt comes into friction-contact with the shelf members, and fire is thereby separated. As a result, the cigarette butt is extinguished.

Thus, according to the aforementioned cigarette butt extinguishing and disposing apparatus, the cigarette butts accumulate in a dry condition since water is not used. This makes it possible to discard the cigarette butts as general refuse, so that easy and sanitary disposal of the cigarette butts is conducted. The apparatus not only reduces the load of cigarette butt disposal operation but also discharges no waste water containing nicotine, which makes the apparatus user-friendly and environment-friendly. Under these circumstances, the apparatus is being introduced to the places where people gather, such as public facilities and commercial facilities.

SUMMARY OF INVENTION Technical Problem

Cigarettes generally have a thickness of about 8 mm, but some super thin (super slim) cigarettes have a thickness of about 5.5 mm, indicating that the cigarettes do not have a fixed thickness. However, the aforementioned cigarette butt extinguishing and disposing apparatus does not take into consideration the cigarettes of various thickness. Accordingly, while the apparatus may be able to extinguish the butts of the cigarettes having general thickness, it may fail to extinguish the butts of super-thin cigarettes.

Since demands for the super-thin cigarettes are increasing mainly from female smokers, there is an increasing possibility that the collected cigarette butts include inextinguishable butts. According to an experiment conducted by the inventor of the present invention, one out of 3,000 cigarette butts was inextinguishable.

Even in the case of the butts of the cigarettes having general thickness, it is hard to separate fire if the cigarettes are smoked up to the vicinity of the filter, i.e., if the cigarettes are thoroughly smoked, and this may cause failure of extinction.

The present invention has been made in view of the aforementioned problem, and it is therefore an object of the present invention to provide a cigarette butt extinguishing and disposing apparatus which can achieve reliable extinction.

Solution to Problem

(1) The present invention is a cigarette butt extinguishing and disposing apparatus, including: cutting means for receiving a cigarette butt from a slot and cutting the cigarette butt into cut pieces; and a container for collecting the cut pieces.

According to the present invention, when a cigarette butt is cut, fire is separated, so that reliable extinction can be achieved. If fire should not be separated from some of the cut pieces, only the burning cut pieces are burned since the cigarette butt is cut into cut pieces, and therefore the spread of the fire can be prevented. As a result, reliable extinction can be achieved. Within the limits of the capacity of the cutting means, a large amount of cigarette butts can be extinguished at a stroke.

(2) The present invention is the cigarette butt extinguishing and disposing apparatus according to the above-described (1), wherein the cutting means is a pair of cutting rollers having peripheral faces engaging with each other, the peripheral faces each having a plurality of cutting edges.

According to the above-described invention, the cigarette butt can reliably be cut with a simple structure.

(3) The present invention is the cigarette butt extinguishing and disposing apparatus according to the above-described (2), wherein the slot has an inclined surface for causing the cigarette butt to roll down toward the pair of cutting rollers.

According to the above-described invention, the cigarette butt can be fed to the cutting rollers while being laid sideways (see FIG. 4(A)). This makes it possible to cut the cigarette butt while the cigarette butt is parallel to the cutting rollers (see FIG. 4(B)). As a result, fire can reliably be separated, and the cigarette butt can reliably be extinguished.

(4) The present invention is also the cigarette butt extinguishing and disposing apparatus according to the above-described (3), wherein the inclined surface is provided so as to cover an engagement portion formed by engagement between the pair of cutting rollers.

According to the above-described invention, it becomes possible to prevent the cigarette butt from directly been fed to the engagement portion. This increases the possibility that the cigarette butt is fed to the cutting rollers while being laid sideways.

(5) The present invention is also the cigarette butt extinguishing and disposing apparatus according to any one of the above-described (1) to (4), including pressing means for receiving and pressing the cut pieces.

According to the above-described invention, the cut pieces of the cigarette are further pressed, so that more reliable extinction can be achieved.

(6) In the cigarette butt extinguishing and disposing apparatus according to the above-described (5), the pressing means presses the cut pieces to shield the cut pieces from air.

According to the above-described invention, fire is shielded from air when the cut pieces are pressed, so that reliable extinction can be achieved. More specifically, even if fire should not be separated from the cut pieces by the cutting means, reliable extinction can still be achieved.

(7) The present invention is also the cigarette butt extinguishing and disposing apparatus according to the above-described (5) or (6), wherein the pressing means is a pressing roller having an elastically deformable peripheral face, the peripheral face being pressed to a counterpart member so as to be in face contact with the counterpart member.

According to the above-described invention, the cut pieces can reliably be pressed and extinguished with a simple structure. The cut pieces are dragged into the pair of pressing rollers and are gradually pressed from one end side toward the other end side. Accordingly, even when the cut pieces are large, they can uniformly and reliably be pressed.

(8) The present invention is also the cigarette butt extinguishing and disposing apparatus according to the above-described (7), wherein a portion of the peripheral face of the pressing roller in face contact with the counterpart member has a length in a circumferential direction that is a conveyance direction of the cut pieces, the length being larger than a length of the cut pieces.

According to the above-described invention, the cut pieces can be shielded from air to achieve reliable extinction.

(9) The present invention is also the cigarette butt extinguishing and disposing apparatus according to one of the above-described (7) and (8), including a brush having bristle ends in contact with the peripheral face of the pressing roller to brush away ashes adhering to the peripheral face of the pressing roller.

According to the above-described invention, it becomes possible to prevent the ashes from sticking to the peripheral face of the pressing roller.

(10) The present invention is also the cigarette butt extinguishing and disposing apparatus according to any one of the above-described (7) to (9), including: support means for supporting the pressing roller slidably in a direction distancing from the counterpart member; and an elastic member configured to apply an elastic force to the pressing roller slidably supported by the support means in a direction approaching the counterpart member.

According to the above-described invention, it becomes possible to prevent unnecessary load from being applied to the pressing rollers when the cut pieces of cigarette butts and foreign substances are pressed.

(11) The present invention is also the cigarette butt extinguishing and disposing apparatus according to any one of the above-described (5) to (10), including guiding means for guiding the cut pieces from the cutting means to the pressing means.

According to the above-described invention, the cut pieces generated by the cutting means can reliably be guided to the pressing means even when the cut pieces are dispersed.

(12) The present invention is also the cigarette butt extinguishing and disposing apparatus according to the above-described (11), wherein the guiding means is a funnel configured to receive the cut pieces falling from the cutting means and to cause the cut pieces to fall toward the pressing means.

According to the above-described invention, the cut pieces can reliably be guided to the pressing means with a simple structure.

(13) The present invention is also the cigarette butt extinguishing and disposing apparatus according to any one of the above-described (1) to (12), wherein the cutting means cuts the cigarette butt so that the cut pieces generated from cigarette paper constituting the cigarette butt have a size of 100 mm2 or less.

(14) The present invention is also the cigarette butt extinguishing and disposing apparatus according to any one of the above-described (1) to (13), wherein the cutting means cuts the cigarette butt so that the cut pieces generated from the cigarette paper constituting the cigarette butt have a long side of 15 mm or less.

In the invention according to the above-described (13) and (14), the cut pieces are burned out in a short time if the fire should not be separated from the cut pieces. Accordingly, it becomes possible to prevent the fire from spreading to other cut pieces.

Advantageous Effects of Invention

According to the cigarette butt extinguishing and disposing apparatus according to the above-described (1) to (14) of the present invention, reliable extinction can be achieved.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is an external perspective view illustrating a table including a cigarette butt extinguishing and disposing apparatus according to the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a longitudinal cross-sectional view illustrating an internal structure of the table.

FIG. 3 is a side view of cutting rollers.

FIG. 4(A) is an enlarged view illustrating the vicinity of a slot, and FIG. 4(B) is a perspective view of the cutting rollers.

FIG. 5 is an enlarged view of pressing means.

 DESCRIPTION OF EMBODIMENTS

Hereinafter, a cigarette butt extinguishing and disposing apparatus according to an embodiment of the present invention will be described in detail with reference to the drawings.

First, the configuration of a cigarette butt extinguishing and disposing apparatus 1 will be described with reference to FIGS. 1 to 3. FIG. 1 is an external perspective view illustrating a table 10 including the cigarette butt extinguishing and disposing apparatus 1. FIG. 2 is a longitudinal cross-sectional view illustrating an internal structure of the table 10. FIG. 3 is a side view of cutting rollers. In each of the drawings, part of the configuration is appropriately omitted to simplify the drawings.

The cigarette butt extinguishing and disposing apparatus 1 illustrated in FIG. 1 is an apparatus built into the table 10. The apparatus is adopted in places where long tables and/or counter tables are provided, such as counter tables of coffee stands and self-service coffee shops, restaurants, and bars, and smoking corners of standing bars (where customers drink while standing), rest stations, and waiting areas. The cigarette butt extinguishing and disposing apparatus 1 collects cigarette butts XA1 fed into a plurality of ashtrays 13 to one spot while extinguishing the cigarette butts XA1 without using water.

Specifically, the table 10 includes, in addition to the cigarette butt extinguishing and disposing apparatus 1, a top panel 11, four legs 12 provided at four corners of the top panel 11, a plurality of ashtrays 13 embedded in the top panel 11, and a cigarette butt conveying machine 14 fixed to the lower side of the top panel 11.

The cigarette butt extinguishing and disposing apparatus 1 and the cigarette butt conveying machine 14 are integrally controlled by a control unit. The control unit is constituted by a CPU, a RAM, a ROM, and the like to execute various control operations. The CPU is what is called a central processing unit, which executes various programs to implement various functions. The RAM is used as a work area of the CPU. The ROM stores programs executed by the CPU.

The top panel 11 has a length, a width, and a shape (such as a square shape, a rectangle shape, a circular shape, an elliptical shape, and a shape made from a free-form curve) which can freely be designed. In the present embodiment, the top panel 11 is designed into a long shape so that many people can use the apparatus 1 in a narrow space. The top panel 11 has through-holes (reference characters omitted) provided at desired positions where the ashtrays 13 are embedded, to enable the cigarette butts XA1 to fall therethrough.

The lengths of the four legs 12 can freely be designed. In the present embodiment, the four legs 12 are designed to have a height that enables an adult (for example, a person with an extension of 170 cm) to use the apparatus 1 while standing.

As for the plurality of ashtrays 13, their positions on the top panel 11, their intervals, and their number (one or more) can freely be designed. In the present embodiment, four ashtrays are linearly arranged at equal intervals. The plurality of ashtrays 13 have holes (reference characters omitted) communicating with the holes (reference characters omitted) of the top panel 11, respectively. Accordingly, the cigarette butts XA1 fed into the ashtrays 13 fall into a casing 17 of the cigarette butt conveying machine 14. The plurality of ashtrays 13 each include a lids (reference characters omitted) attached with a hinge. As a consequence, the unused ashtrays 13 may be covered with the lids to prevent diffusion of odor.

In the lower part of the top panel 11, the cigarette butt conveying machine 14 conveys the cigarette butts XA1 from one side to the other side (from the lower left to the upper right in FIG. 1, from the left to the right in FIG. 2).

As illustrated in FIG. 2, the cigarette butt conveying machine 14 includes a screw shaft 15 arranged in a conveying direction, an electric motor 16 used as a power source of the screw shaft 15, and the casing 17 housing these components.

The screw shaft 15 is rotated by driving the electric motor 16. The screw shaft 15 is rotated to convey the cigarette butts inside the casing 17.

The electric motor 16 has a rotating shaft (illustration omitted) connected to the screw shaft 15. The electric motor 16 converts electric power into rotation power used to rotate the screw shaft 15. While the electric motor 16 may be put in a driving state at all times, it may be configured to drive in an intermittent manner. The electric motor 16 may also be controlled to drive at desired optimum speeds by manual operation, by detecting the presence of the cigarette butts XA1, or by other operations.

The casing 17 is in a rectangular parallelepiped shape with an upper side (reference sign omitted) being opened. The casing 17 is fixed to a lower surface of the top panel 11 so that the opening is covered. The casing 17 has a slot (reference sign omitted) directly below the screw shaft 15 on a downstream side in the conveying direction, the slot communicating with the cigarette butt extinguishing and disposing apparatus 1. Accordingly, the cigarette butts XA1 conveyed with the screw shaft 15 are fed into the cigarette butt extinguishing and disposing apparatus 1 through the slot 18. The slot 18 has what is called a hopper shape having an inclined surface 18a. The inclined surface 18a has a magnet (illustration omitted) that attracts metal foreign substances fed together with the cigarette butts XA1. This prevents such accidents as metal foreign substances with high rigidity, such as metal screws and clips, being erroneously fed and causing clogging inside the cigarette butt extinguishing and disposing apparatus 1. The inclined surface 18a constitutes a surface that causes the cigarette butts XA1 to roll down toward a pair of cutting rollers 30. The inclined surface 18a is provided so as to cover an engagement portion 30b formed by engagement between the pair of cutting rollers 30.

The cigarette butt extinguishing and disposing apparatus 1 includes cutting means 20, guiding means 21, pressing means 22, a container 23, and a casing 24 for housing these elements.

The component members of the cigarette butt extinguishing and disposing apparatus 1 are each formed of metal materials, such as iron, aluminum and stainless steel, or flame-retardant synthetic resin materials and the like.

The cutting means 20 receives a cigarette butt XA1 from the slot 18 to cut the cigarette butt XA1 into cut pieces XA2 while extinguishing fire. As a result, the cigarette butt XA1 is broken down into pieces of tobacco (tobacco leaves), cigarette paper wrapping the tobacco, a filter for filtering smoke, and tip paper for wrapping the tobacco and the filter together. Specifically, the cutting means 20 includes the pair of cutting rollers 30 and an electric motor (illustration omitted) used as a power source of the pair of cutting rollers 30.

The pair of cutting rollers 30 illustrated in FIG. 3, which is made of a material having specified strength or more, can cut not only the cigarette butts XA1 but also foreign substances (for example, matches, muddlers made of plastics, and the like). The pair of cutting rollers 30 has a plurality of cutting edges 30a on their respective peripheral faces. The pair of cutting rollers 30 is arranged so that their peripheral faces engage with each other. The pair of cutting rollers 30 holds the cigarette butt XA1 between their peripheral faces, which have the plurality of cutting edges 30a, so that the cigarette butt XA1 is cut into cut pieces XA2. The pair of cutting rollers 30 may be configured so that both the rollers actively rotate, or one roller actively rotate and the other roller passively rotates by following after the rotation of the former roller. The thickness t of the plurality of cutting edges 30a is preferably 0.5 mm or more and 3.0 mm or less. The thickness t is more preferably 1.8 mm or more and 3.0 mm or less if a high priority is given to the strength of the cutting edges.

The electric motor has a rotating shaft directly or indirectly connected to the rotating shafts of the cutting rollers 30. The electric motor converts electric power into rotation power used to rotate the cutting rollers 30. While the electric motor may be put in a driving state at all times, it may be configured to drive in an intermittent manner. The electric motor may also be controlled to drive at desired optimum speeds by manual operation, by detecting the presence of the cigarette butts XA1, or by other operations.

It is preferable that the cutting means 20 cut the cigarette butt XA1 so that the cut pieces XA2 generated from the cigarette paper constituting the cigarette butt XA1 has a size of 100 mm2 or less. It is more preferable that the cutting means 20 cut the cigarette butt XA1 so that the cut pieces XA2 generated from the cigarette paper has a size of 30 mm2 or less. Or it is preferable that the cutting means 20 cut the cigarette butt XA1 so that the cut pieces XA2 generated from the cigarette paper have a long side of 15 mm or less. It is more preferable that the cutting means 20 cut the cigarette butt XA1 so that the cut pieces XA2 generated from the cigarette paper have a long side of 10 mm or less. It is still more preferable that the cutting means 20 cut the cigarette butt XA1 so that the cut pieces XA2 generated from the cigarette paper have a longer side of 5 mm or less.

A description will be given with reference to FIG. 2 again. The guiding means 21 guides the cut pieces XA2 from the cutting means 20 to the pressing means 22. Specifically, the guiding means 21 is a funnel configured to receive the cut pieces XA2 falling from the cutting means 20 and to cause the cut pieces XA2 to fall toward the pressing means 22.

The pressing means 22 receives the cut pieces XA2 to press and thereby extinguish the cut pieces XA2. The pressing means 22 has a capacity to press the amount of the cut pieces XA2 equal to or more than the amount of the cut pieces XA2 generated in the cutting means 20. Specifically, the pressing means 22 includes a pair of pressing rollers 31 and an electric motor (illustration omitted) used as a power source of the pair of pressing rollers 31.

The pair of pressing rollers 31 is made of an elastically deformable material (for example, hard rubber). The material preferably has a hardness value of 30 or more and 70 or less, the value being measured by a durometer in accordance with JIS K 6253. The pair of pressing rollers 31 is arranged so that elastically deformable peripheral faces are pressed to each other so as to come into face contact with each other. More specifically, one pressing roller 31 is pressed to a counterpart member that is the other pressing roller 31. As a result, the peripheral face of one pressing roller 31 is in face contact with the counterpart member. Then, the pair of pressing rollers 31 holds the cut pieces XA2 between their peripheral faces to press and extinguish the cut pieces XA2. The pair of pressing rollers 31 may be configured so that both the rollers actively rotate, or one roller actively rotates and the other roller passively rotates by following after the rotation of the former roller.

At least one roller in the pair of pressing rollers 31 is supported slidably in a direction distancing from the counterpart member. Specifically, a shaft of at least one roller in the pair of pressing rollers 31 is supported by a long hole (support means) 32. Moreover, an elastic force is applied to the slidably supported pressing roller 31 by an elastic member 33 (see FIG. 5) in a direction approaching the counterpart member. Furthermore, brushes 34 are provided below the pair of pressing rollers 31, so that bristle ends 34a (see FIG. 5) of the brushes 34 are in contact with the peripheral faces of the pressing rollers 31, respectively. The brushes 34 brush away the ashes adhering to the peripheral faces of the pressing rollers 31. The brushes 34 are provided in parallel with a sliding direction of the pressing rollers 31, so that sliding of the pressing rollers 31 is not hindered. The brushed-away ashes fall toward the collecting container 23.

The electric motor has a rotating shaft directly or indirectly connected to the rotating shafts of the pressing rollers 31. The electric motor converts electric power into rotation power used to rotate the pressing rollers 31. Specifically, the electric motor rotates the pressing rollers 31 at a speed that provides the capacity of pressing the amount of the cut pieces XA2 equal to or more than the amount of the cut pieces XA2 generated in the cutting means 20. While the electric motor may be put in a driving state at all times, it may be configured to drive in an intermittent manner. The electric motor may also be controlled to drive at desired optimum speeds by manual operation, by detecting the presence of the cigarette butts XA1 and/or the cut pieces XA2, or by other operations.

A description will now be given of extinction procedures of the cigarette butt XA1 according to the cigarette butt extinguishing and disposing apparatus 1 with reference to FIG. 2.

A cigarette butt XA1 fed from the ashtray 13 is conveyed with the screw shaft 15 which is rotated by the electric motor 16. The cigarette butt XA1 is then fed to the cigarette butt extinguishing and disposing apparatus 1 through a slot (reference sign omitted) formed directly below the screw shaft 15. The fed cigarette butt XA1 is received into the cutting means 20.

The cigarette butt XA1 received into the cutting means 20 is held between the pair of cutting rollers 30 so as to be cut into cut pieces XA2 and to fall down. The cut pieces XA2 which fell from the cutting means 20 are received into the pressing means 22 via the guiding means 21.

The cut pieces XA2 received into the pressing means 22 are held between the pair of pressing rollers 31 so as to be pressed and then fall down. The cut pieces XA2 which fell from the pressing means 22 are collected into the container 23.

The extinction processing is performed as follows. First, the processing is performed in the stage of conveying the cigarette butt with the cigarette butt conveying machine 14, i.e., the processing is performed prior to the stage of feeding the cigarette butt to the cigarette butt extinguishing and disposing apparatus 1. The extinction processing is actively executed in the stage of cutting the cigarette butt with the cutting means 20. The extinction processing is also executed by giving the cut pieces XA2 time for naturally burning out in the stage where the cut pieces XA2 generated by the cutting means 20 fall from the cutting means 20 toward the pressing means 22. The extinction processing is further executed actively in the stage of pressing the cut pieces XA2 with the pressing means 22.

Thus, according to the cigarette butt extinguishing and disposing apparatus 1, fire is separated from the cigarette butt XA1 when the cigarette butt XA1 is cut, so that reliable extinction can be achieved. If fire should not be separated from the cut pieces XA2, only the burning cut pieces XA2 are burned since the cigarette butt XA1 is cut into cut pieces XA2, and therefore the spread of the fire can be prevented. As a result, reliable extinction can be achieved. Within the limits of the capacity of the cutting means 20, a large amount of cigarette butts XA1 can be extinguished at a stroke.

Furthermore, since the cutting means 20 is the pair of cutting rollers 30 having peripheral faces engaging with each other and the peripheral faces each have a plurality of cutting edges 30a, the cigarette butt XA1 can reliably be cut with a simple structure.

Since the slot 18 has the inclined surface 18a causing the cigarette butt XA1 to roll down toward the pair of cutting rollers 30, the cigarette butt XA1 can be fed to the cutting rollers 30 while being laid sideways as illustrated in FIG. 4(A). This makes it possible to cut the cigarette butt XA1 while the cigarette butt XA1 is parallel to the cutting rollers 30 as illustrated in FIG. 4(B). As a result, fire can reliably be separated, and the cigarette butt XA1 can reliably be extinguished.

Since the inclined surface 18a is provided so as to cover the engagement portion 30b formed by engagement between the pair of cutting rollers 30, it becomes possible to prevent the cigarette butt XA1 from being directly fed to the engagement portion 30b. This increases the possibility that the cigarette butt XA1 is fed to the cutting rollers 30 while being laid sideways. Since the pressing means 22 for pressing and thereby extinguishing the cut pieces XA2 is provided, and fire is shielded from air when the cut pieces XA2 are pressed, reliable extinction can be achieved. More specifically, even if the fire should not be separated from the cut pieces XA2 by the cutting means 20, reliable extinction can still be achieved.

Moreover, the pressing means 22 is the pair of pressing rollers 31 having elastically deformable peripheral faces, the peripheral faces being pressed to each other so as to be in face contact with each other. Accordingly, the cut pieces XA2 can reliably be pressed and extinguished with a simple structure. Furthermore, each of the cut pieces XA2s is dragged into the pair of pressing rollers 31 and is gradually pressed from one end side toward the other end side. Accordingly, even when the cut pieces XA2 are large, they can uniformly and reliably be pressed.

As illustrated in FIG. 5, a portion of the peripheral faces of the pressing rollers 31 in face contact with each other has a length L in a circumferential direction that is a conveyance direction of the cut pieces XA2, and the length L is larger than a size P of the cut pieces XA2. This makes it possible to shield the cut pieces XA2 from air and to thereby achieve reliable extinction.

Moreover, the pressing means 22 has a capacity of pressing the amount of the cut pieces XA2 equal to or more than the amount of the cut pieces XA2 generated in the cutting means 20, which makes it possible to prevent accumulation of unpressed cut pieces XA2. Accordingly, even if fire should remain, it becomes possible to prevent the fire from spreading to the unpressed cut pieces XA2.

The apparatus 1 further includes the guiding means 21 for guiding the cut pieces XA2 from the cutting means 20 to the pressing means 22. Accordingly, the cut pieces XA2 generated by the cutting means 20 can reliably be guided to the pressing means 22 even when the cut pieces XA2 are dispersed.

Since the guiding means 21 is a funnel configured to receive the cut pieces XA2 falling from the cutting means 20 and to cause the cut pieces XA2 to fall toward the pressing means 22, the cut pieces XA2 can reliably be guided to the pressing means 22 with a simple structure.

Moreover, the cigarette butt XA1 is cut so that the cut pieces XA2 generated from the cigarette paper constituting the cigarette butt XA1 have a size of 100 mm2 or less, or the cigarette butt XA1 is cut so that the cut pieces XA2 generated from the cigarette paper have a long side of 15 mm or less. Accordingly, when the fire should not be separated from the cut pieces XA2, the cut pieces XA2 are burned out in a short time, which makes it possible to prevent the fire from spreading to other cut pieces XA2.

The present invention is not limited to the embodiment described above, and various modifications are possible without departing from the spirit and technical concept of the invention.

More specifically, in the above embodiment, each component is properly changed in terms of the position, the size, the shape, the material, the number, and the like. For example, the number of the cutting rollers 30 and the number of the pressing rollers 31 can be changed.

Specifically, in the above description of the embodiment, a pair of cutting rollers 30 is provided. However, the present invention may include two or more pairs of cutting rollers 30. In that case, a pair of cutting rollers 30 may be arranged below another pair of cutting rollers 30 to repeat cutting operation.

Also in the above description of the embodiment, a pair of pressing rollers 31 is provided. However, the present invention may include two or more pairs of pressing rollers 31. In that case, a pair of pressing rollers 31 may be arranged below another pair of pressing rollers 31 to repeat pressing operation.

Alternatively, two or more pairs of cutting rollers 30 and two or more pairs of pressing rollers 31 may be provided, and a combination of a pair of pressing rollers 31 and a pair of cutting rollers 30 which are arranged therebelow may be repeated.

Alternatively, in the above embodiment, the pressing rollers 31 may be so configured that only the peripheral faces are made of a hard material. More specifically, the pressing rollers 31 may each be constituted by a roller body and a tube body fitted around the roller body. In that case, materials of the pressing rollers 31 are selected so that the roller body has a relatively low hardness and the tube body has a relatively high hardness.

In the description of the above embodiment, the cigarette butt extinguishing and disposing apparatus 1 is built into the table 10. However, the present invention is not limited thereto. The cigarette butt extinguishing and disposing apparatus 1 may be incorporated into an island of a game parlor, or is used as an independent stand ashtray. When the apparatus 1 is incorporated in the island of the game parlor, the cigarette butts XA1 fed from the ashtray arranged besides each game machine are collected to one place while being extinguished without the use of water.

REFERENCE SIGNS LIST

    • 1 cigarette butt extinguishing and disposing apparatus
    • 18 slot
    • 18a inclined surface
    • 20 cutting means
    • 21 guiding means (funnel)
    • 22 pressing means
    • 23 container
    • 30 cutting roller
    • 30a edge
    • 31 pressing roller
    • 32 long hole (support means)
    • 33 elastic member
    • 34 brush
    • 34a bristle end
    • XA1 cigarette butt
    • XA2 cut piece

Claims

1. A cigarette butt extinguishing and disposing apparatus, comprising:

cutting means for receiving a cigarette butt from a slot, and cutting the cigarette butt into cut pieces and extinguishing fire; and
a container for collecting the cut pieces.

2. The cigarette butt extinguishing and disposing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the cutting means is a pair of cutting rollers having peripheral faces engaging with each other, the peripheral faces each having a plurality of cutting edges.

3. The cigarette butt extinguishing and disposing apparatus according to claim 2, wherein the slot has an inclined surface for causing the cigarette butt to roll down toward the pair of cutting rollers.

4. The cigarette butt extinguishing and disposing apparatus according to claim 3, wherein the inclined surface is provided so as to cover an engagement portion formed by engagement between the pair of cutting rollers.

5. The cigarette butt extinguishing and disposing apparatus according to claim 1, comprising pressing means for receiving and pressing the cut pieces.

6. The cigarette butt extinguishing and disposing apparatus according to claim 5, wherein the pressing means presses the cut pieces to shield the cut pieces from air.

7. The cigarette butt extinguishing and disposing apparatus according to claim 5, wherein the pressing means is a pressing roller having an elastically deformable peripheral face, the peripheral face being pressed to a counterpart member so as to be in face contact with the counterpart member.

8. The cigarette butt extinguishing and disposing apparatus according to claim 7, wherein a portion of the peripheral face of the pressing roller in face contact with the counterpart member has a length in a circumferential direction that is a conveyance direction of the cut pieces, the length being larger than a length of the cut pieces.

9. The cigarette butt extinguishing and disposing apparatus according to claim 7, comprising a brush having bristle ends in contact with the peripheral face of the pressing roller to brush away ashes adhering to the peripheral face of the pressing roller.

10. The cigarette butt extinguishing and disposing apparatus according to claim 7, comprising:

support means for supporting the pressing roller slidably in a direction distancing from the counterpart member; and
an elastic member configured to apply an elastic force to the pressing roller slidably supported by the support means in a direction approaching the counterpart member.

11. The cigarette butt extinguishing and disposing apparatus according to claim 5, comprising guiding means for guiding the cut pieces from the cutting means to the pressing means.

12. The cigarette butt extinguishing and disposing apparatus according to claim 11, wherein the guiding means is a funnel configured to receive the cut pieces falling from the cutting means and to cause the cut pieces to fall toward the pressing means.

13. The cigarette butt extinguishing and disposing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the cutting means cuts the cigarette butt so that the cut pieces generated from cigarette paper constituting the cigarette butt have a size of 100 mm2 or less.

14. The cigarette butt extinguishing and disposing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the cutting means cuts the cigarette butt so that the cut pieces generated from the cigarette paper constituting the cigarette butt have a long side of 15 mm or less.

Patent History
Publication number: 20160088873
Type: Application
Filed: Aug 7, 2014
Publication Date: Mar 31, 2016
Inventor: Yukio IYAMA (Saitama-shi, Saitama)
Application Number: 14/787,919
Classifications
International Classification: A24F 19/14 (20060101); A24F 19/09 (20060101);