Rolling tray for herbs for smoking

Abstract

This invention discloses a Rolling Tray for Herbs for Smoking. The tray includes one or more grooves that may allow the user to easily sort and temporarily store materials on the tray. At least one of these grooves may be semi-cylindrical in shape in order to allow the user to place rolling papers into the grove, place herbs onto the rolling paper, and easily roll a cigarette into a cylindrical shape. Other grooves within the tray surface allow for temporary storage or sorting of materials during the cigarette rolling process. The tray is attached to a pad that allows the Rolling Tray for Herbs for Smoking to rest comfortably on the user's lap, a table, or any other surface, and remain roughly perpendicular relative to the plane of gravity.

Description

FIELD OF INVENTION

This invention relates, generally, to apparatuses for rolling herbs for smoking; more particularly to apparatuses that aid in the rolling of cigarettes, cigars, and the like, by hand and are shaped as trays that can be placed on the users lap with a soft flexible bottom to stabilize the upper surface, and remain roughly perpendicular relative to the plane of gravity.

BACKGROUND

The field of hand-rolled herbs for smoking allows the smoker to customize his or her cigarettes, cigars, and the like to his or her individual taste. Thus, despite the abundance of mass produced cigarettes, smokers continue to enjoy rolling their own cigarettes because the cigarettes can be individualized to the smoker's taste. The size, length, thickness, and density of the cigarette can be varied for each cigarette rolled. What is more, the smoker can vary the mixture of tobacco, herbs, or other combustible vegetable substance used in the cigarette in order change the taste or effect of the smoke. (The term “herbs” is used herein to refer to any combustible vegetable substance used for smoking; the term “cigarette” is used herein to refer to any tube-like collection of rolled and packed herbs for smoking; and the term “rolling paper” is used herein to refer to any type of plant leaf or paper that can be used to hold herbs).

Due to the difficulties in grinding, separating, rolling, and packing cigarettes by hand, a variety of implements and devices have been developed in order to aid in the rolling process. Some relatively simple devices, commonly referred to as “rolling mats,” allow the user to lay a cigarette paper flat, add herbs, and roll the cigarette and herbs into a cylindrical shape. Other, more elaborate devices, commonly referring to as “rolling machines” perform the function of the rolling mat by providing a wide belt onto which herbs and rolling papers are placed, and allowing rolling of the material inside the belt as the belt is run across two cylindrical rollers.

A more intricate apparatus is disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 4,832,056 to Bryant et al. that discloses a mechanical means of rolling cigarettes by feeding the herbs and rolling papers into a device that mechanically rolls them into a cylindrical shape. Because this device relies on fixed mechanical means, however, it does not allow the user to individualize his cigarettes. Further, the gears and levers used to form the cigarette are a departure from traditional hand-rolling and are thus, disfavored by many smoking enthusiasts.

Other devices for filling herbs into a cigarette tube are disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 6,571,800 to Yu and U.S. Pat. No. 6,206,006 to Schutze et al. Both devices disclose a tobacco filling device that assists in hand-rolling of cigarettes by packing and funneling tobacco such that it can be easily placed into a cigarette. U.S. Pat. No. 6,571,800 includes a stepped funnel that facilitates tobacco packing by limiting the area through which it passes as it is pushed through the device. U.S. Pat. No. 6,206,006 relies upon a lever to tamp and pack the tobacco before it is rolled into a cigarette. Both devices, however, limit the extent to which the user can individualize his cigarettes. Further, while both devices aid in the filling of tobacco, neither provides an effective means to roll tobacco or to roll the cigarette paper.

A cigarette paper with an additional strip to aid in the rolling of cigarettes is disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 5,657,773. This invention discloses a cigarette paper that includes an additional strip of material on its inside that is rolled prior to placing tobacco within the paper and rolling the paper. By rolling the strip first, a form is created around which the tobacco and cigarette paper can more easily be rolled, thus, providing an easier means for tobacco rolling that convention rolling papers. This device, however, is limited because it does not work with conventional rolling papers or provide a means of sorting and packing tobacco. Further, the cigarettes produced include an additional appurtenance that is undesirable to many smokers.

Four other cigarette packing apparatuses can be found described on the Internet. Three of these, the Rolling and Storage Tray, the Rolling Mat, and the Rolling Machine are disclosed at http://www.cascadecigar.com/smokeshopcoop/ryo_accessories.htm. The Rolling and Storage Tray has two side compartments and a central section. However, this device is limited because the tray cannot conform to the lap of the person rolling the cigarettes, and is therefore more likely to be dislodged. The Rolling Mat consists solely of a bamboo surface to roll the cigarettes and does not have compartments to store either the herbs or the cigarettes. The Rolling Machine consists essentially of a roller rod, a volumetric tray, and a blanket section. However, this apparatus does not permit the user to individualize his or her cigarettes. The fourth apparatus is a Weed Rolling Tray shown at http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAP.dll?ViewItem&category=133&item=6168696707&r. This apparatus is limited, however, because the tray cannot conform to the lap of the person rolling the cigarettes.

Therefore, there has been a long felt need in the art for a rolling tray for herbs for smoking that facilitates the easy hand-rolling of cigarettes while providing a space for sorting the herbaceous material, allows the user to customize the cigarettes to a variety of sizes and shapes, and includes a means for resting the rolling tray on the user's lap or on a table.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

This invention is directed towards overcoming the above shortcomings by disclosing a cigarette rolling tray that allows the user to easily roll customized cigarettes in a variety of sizes and shapes while also providing a surface for sorting and separating the herbs from any impurities that might be contained in the bulk starting product.

The Rolling Tray for Herbs for Smoking is comprised of two primary assemblies, a rolling tray and a support pad. The rolling tray serves as a smooth tray for sorting and rolling herbs. The edges of the rolling tray include an upwards protruding molding that serves to prevent the herbs from inadvertently falling or sliding off of the tray surface. One or more grooves that are indented into the surface of the rolling tray facilitate the sorting and rolling of cigarettes more easily. One or more of the grooves may serve as a receptacle for temporarily storing and sorting one class of materials, for example seeds, stems, skeins, or herbs that will not be used in the cigarette. Another groove(s) may be configured as a base for rolling the cigarette itself. These cigarette rolling grooves are shaped half-cylinders or half-cones that allow the user to place a rolling paper at the base of the cigarette rolling groove, slide the herbs over the rolling paper from the tray or from one of the sorting grooves, and roll the cigarette in a cylinder or cone shape, as desired. Thus, the rolling tray serves as a compact, effective, and efficient surface for sorting and rolling herbs.

The second primary assembly of the Rolling Tray for Herbs for Smoking is a pad that serves to support the tray while the Rolling Tray for Herbs for Smoking sits on one's lap, a table, or other support surface. The pad may be manufactured from compressible materials, such as a bean bag material or pillow materials, to allow the pad to rest comfortably upon the users lap or other surface.

Variations on the design of the Rolling Tray for Herbs for Smoking include different configurations of the tray or the pad. The tray, for example, can include any number of grooves that allow for further sorting or to allow for different sizes and shapes of cigarettes to be rolled. The tray can also be manufactured from wood, plastic, acrylic, metal, or several other suitable materials.

The design and manufacture of the pad can also be extensively varied. In one embodiment of the invention, for example, the pad includes one or more pockets for storing herbs, rolling papers, or other materials used in rolling cigarettes. Other embodiments of the invention include varied materials for constructing the pad. The pillow filling materials can include beads, feathers, padding, or any other suitable material for compressible filling. The compressible material may be compressible itself, for example memory foam, or the like. The pad preferably is configured to enable the surface of the tray to be roughly perpendicular relative to the plane of gravity to assist in preventing the herbs, rolling papers, or other materials used in rolling cigarettes from inadvertently falling or slipping off the surface of the tray. The outer covering of the pad can be manufactured from a variety of materials in order to allow varied aesthetic and design configurations. Such materials include leather, suede, faux-leather, faux-suede, vinyl, flannel, cotton fabric, denim, or any of a number of other fabrics.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is an illustration in perspective view of one embodiment of the invention.

FIG. 2A is a top view of the tray in one embodiment of the invention.

FIG. 2B is a side view of the tray in one embodiment of the invention.

FIG. 3A is a cross-sectional view of the cigarette rolling tray in one embodiment of the invention.

FIG. 3B is a cross-sectional view of the cigarette rolling tray in one embodiment of the invention.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

In the following detailed description of various embodiments of the invention, numerous specific details are set forth in order to provide a thorough understanding of various aspects of one or more embodiments of the invention, however, one or more embodiments of the invention may be practiced without these specific details. In other instances, well-known methods, procedures, and/or components have not been described in detail so as not to unnecessarily obscure aspects of embodiments of the invention.

In the following description, certain terminology is used to describe certain features of one or more embodiments of the invention. For instance, the term “herbs” refers to any one of the combustible materials that may be rolled and smoked; “cigarette” refers to any one of the configurations of smoking material wrapped in rolling paper that is generally cylindrical or conical in shape; and the term “rolling paper” is used herein to refer to any type of plant leaf or paper that can be used to hold the rolled herbs).

FIG. 1 is an illustration in perspective view of one embodiment of the invention. A Rolling Tray for Herbs for Smoking is shown along with its constituent parts, including a tray 105 and a pad 110. The tray 105 is used as a surface on which to lay a rolling paper, place herbs onto the paper, and roll the cigarette. The tray 105 includes moldings 115 along its edges in order to prevent herbs from inadvertently falling or slipping off the surface of the tray 105. The tray 105 also includes two grooves that aid in the rolling of cigarettes. The first such groove is a sorting groove 120 that serves as a receptacle for temporarily storing materials that will not be rolled into the cigarette. The second groove is a rolling groove 125 and is used to roll the cigarette, to hold the herbs that will be rolled into the cigarette, to hold the rolling paper, or to hold the cigarette. The pad 110 includes a pouch 130 that allows the user to store materials used in hand rolling cigarettes.

FIG. 2A is a top view of the tray in one embodiment of the invention. The tray 205 of the Rolling Tray for Herbs for Smoking 200 is shown along with its constituent parts: the edge-moldings 215, the sorting groove 220, and the rolling groove 225. Additionally, this illustration also diagrams the cross sectional illustration that are FIGS. 3A and 3B.

FIG. 2B is a side view of the tray in one embodiment of the invention. A Rolling Tray for Herbs for Smoking 200 is shown along with its constituent parts: the tray 205, the pad 210, and the pouch 230.

FIG. 3A is a cross-sectional view of the Rolling Tray for Herbs for Smoking in one embodiment of the invention. (See FIG. 2A for the location of the cross sections). A Rolling Tray for Herbs for Smoking 300 is shown along with its constituent parts, the tray 305 and the pad 310. The parts of the tray 305 include the edge moldings 315 and the sorting groove 320. The pad 310 includes the following parts: the pouch 330, filling material 335, and the outer covering 340.

FIG. 3B is a cross-sectional view of the Rolling Tray for Herbs for Smoking in one embodiment of the invention. (See FIG. 2A for the location of the cross sections). A Rolling Tray for Herbs for Smoking 300 is shown along with its constituent parts, the tray 305 and the pad 310. The parts of the tray 305 include the edge moldings 315 and the rolling groove 320. The pad 310 includes a filling material 335 and an outer covering 340.

Claims

1. A rolling tray for herbs for smoking, comprising,

a tray and a pad,

said tray including one or more grooves within the surface of said tray,

one or more of said grooves being semi-cylindrical in shape to allow the rolling of cigarettes by the user,

said pad being manufactured from a compressible material,

said tray and said pad being fixedly or re-attachably connected to one another.

2. A rolling tray for herbs for smoking as defined in claim 1 wherein said tray includes a molding at its edges in order to prevent herbs or other materials on the tray surface from falling or sliding off the tray surface.

3. A rolling tray for herbs for smoking as defined in claim 1 wherein said tray includes two grooves,

the first said groove being generally semi-cylindrical in shape for the placement of rolling papers and herbs for the rolling of cigarettes by the user,

the second said groove being any shape and used to temporarily store materials.

4. A rolling tray for herbs for smoking as defined in claim 1 wherein said tray is fixedly connected to said pad by nails, brads, glue, or any other suitable attachment means.

5. A rolling tray for herbs for smoking as defined in claim 1 wherein said tray is re-attachably connected to said pad by a mechanical connection such that said tray can be removed and re-attached to said pad.

6. A rolling tray for herbs for smoking as defined in claim 1 wherein said tray includes one or more grooves that are semi-conic in shape, such that cigarettes in the shape of cones can be rolled within said groove.

7. A rolling tray for herbs for smoking as defined in claim 2 wherein said tray includes two grooves,

the first said groove being generally semi-cylindrical in shape for the placement of rolling papers and herbs for the rolling of cigarettes by the user,

the second said groove being any shape and used in order to temporarily store materials.

8. A rolling tray for herbs for smoking as defined in claim 2 wherein said pad includes one or more pockets.

9. A rolling tray for herbs for smoking as defined in claim 2 wherein said tray is fixedly connected to said pad by nails, brads, glue, or any other suitable attachment means.

10. A rolling tray for herbs for smoking as defined in claim 2 wherein said tray is re-attachably connected to said pad by a mechanical connection such that said tray can be removed and re-attached to said pad.

11. A rolling tray for herbs for smoking as defined in claim 2 wherein said tray includes one or more grooves that are semi-conic in shape, such that cigarettes in the shape of cones can be rolled within said groove.

12. A rolling tray for herbs for smoking as defined in claim 3 wherein said pad includes one or more pockets for the storage of the implements or products of cigarette rolling.

13. A rolling tray for herbs for smoking as defined in claim 3 wherein said tray is fixedly connected to said pad by nails, brads, glue, or any other suitable attachment means.

14. A rolling tray for herbs for smoking as defined in claim 3 wherein said tray is re-attachably connected to said pad by a mechanical connection such that said tray can be removed and re-attached to said pad.

15. A rolling tray for herbs for smoking as defined in claim 3 wherein said tray includes a second said groove that is semi-conic in shape, such that cigarettes in the shape of cones can be rolled within said second said groove.

16. A rolling tray for herbs for smoking as defined in claim 5 wherein said tray includes one or more grooves that are semi-conic in shape, such that cigarettes in the shape of cones can be rolled within said groove.

17. A rolling tray for herbs for smoking as defined in claim 6 wherein said tray includes one or more grooves that are semi-conic in shape, such that cigarettes in the shape of cones can be rolled within said groove.

18. A rolling tray for herbs for smoking, comprising,

a tray and a pad,

said tray including a molding at its edges in order to prevent herbs or other materials on said tray surface from falling or sliding off said tray surface,

said tray further including one or more grooves within the surface of said tray,

said pad being configured to enable said tray to rest on an uneven surface, yet said pad being configured to enable said tray surface to be roughly perpendicular relative to the plane of gravity,

said tray and said pad being fixedly or re-attachably connected to one another.

19. A rolling tray for herbs for smoking as defined in claim 18 wherein one or more of said grooves is semi-cylindrical in shape to allow the rolling of cigarettes by the user.

20. A rolling tray for herbs for smoking as defined in claim 18 wherein one or more of said grooves is semi-conic in shape, such that cigarettes in the shape of cones can be rolled within said groove.