Portable holder for smoking article
A portable apparatus for holding smoking articles is disclosed. The apparatus comprises a semi-circular member formed from a metal comprising a first melting point, and a coating disposed on that semi-circular member, where that coating comprises a second melting point, where the second melting point is greater than the first melting point. The apparatus further comprises a shaft having a first end and an opposing second end, where the semi-circular member is attached to the first end, and where the second end tapers to a point.
The invention relates generally to a portable holder for smoking articles, and more particularly to a portable apparatus for use on a golf course.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTIONOccasionally, golfers smoke cigarettes, and/or cigars, and/or a pipe, while playing their game. The time spent waiting for their partners or traveling to the next hole provides ample opportunity to enjoy a smoke. Generally, it is not practical to bring along an ashtray or other retaining means because of the bulk involved with such a device.
There are few if any places on a golf course, however, for the golfer to rest his smoking article, when necessary. As such, the golfer is typically forced to place his lit smoking article on the grass. As a result, the end of the cigar that is placed in the mouth comes into contact with, inter alia, chemicals, such as herbicides, dirt and insects.
As an alternative, the golfer may elect to extinguish and discard the lit article. As a result, the golfer partially smokes, and then discards, a plurality of smoking articles. Depending on the disposal practices of the golfer, such a practice may lead to debris being scattered on the course.
Similar problems can be encountered by sports spectators. For example, the popularity of youth football, little league baseball, and youth soccer in this country has meant that spectators spend a great deal of time sitting in chairs on the edge of a field.
There is a continuing need for a portable holder for smoking articles, where that portable apparatus manages the heat released from the lit cigarette, cigar, and/or pipe, such that the apparatus can be conveniently and safely handled and carried.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTIONApplicant's invention comprises a portable apparatus for holding smoking articles. Applicant's apparatus comprises a semi-circular member formed from a metal comprising a first melting point, and a coating disposed on that semi-circular member, where that coating comprises a second melting point, where the second melting point is greater than the first melting point. Applicant's apparatus further comprises a shaft having a first end and an opposing second end, where the semi-circular member is attached to the first end, and where the second end tapers to a point.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGSThe invention will be better understood from a reading of the following detailed description taken in conjunction with the drawings in which like reference designators are used to designate like elements, and in which:
This invention is described in preferred embodiments in the following description with reference to the Figures, in which like numbers represent the same or similar elements. Referring to
The temperature of a lit cigarette or cigar at the side of the lit portion is about 400° C., or about 752° F. The temperature of a lit cigarette or cigar at the middle of the lit portion is approximately 580° C., or about 1112° F. Prior art smoking article holders are formed from materials such as wood and/or plastic. As those skilled in the art will appreciate, a smoking article holder 110 made from wood and/or plastic cannot withstand temperatures of 400° C. or higher without, at the very least, discoloring. In additional to discoloration, such a wood and/or plastic smoking article holder will likely also suffer degradation of its mechanical properties evidenced by warping, crazing, and the like. Moreover, there exists a significant likelihood that such a wood and/or plastic article might actually ignite and burn.
Applicants' smoking article holder 110 is formed from a material which can withstand temperatures of 580° C. without discoloring, warping, crazing, igniting, and/or burning. In certain embodiments, Applicants' smoking article holder 110 is formed from aluminum. As those skilled in the art will appreciate, aluminum has a melting point of about 660° C., or about 1221° F.
As those skilled in the art will further appreciate, aluminum is a good conductor of heat. If a lit cigarette/cigar is placed on Applicants' smoking article holder 110, heat will be transferred from the cigarette/cigar, and that heat will be conducted throughout the element 110. Raising the temperature of holder portion 110 could present a number of problems. An attempt to grasp apparatus 100 by element 110 to remove the apparatus from the ground might lead to a burn injury. In addition, if a heated smoking article holder 110 is placed in a golf bag containing one or more golf clubs, damage to both the bag and the clubs could result.
Referring now to
Aluminum oxide on the other hand has a thermal conductivity at 200° C. of 17.9 W/mK, and a melting point greater than 1200° C.
In certain embodiments, coating 220 comprises a foam structure comprising struts formed of aluminum oxide and open cells wherein those cells are filled with air. As those skilled in the art will appreciate, a cellular aluminum oxide structure has a heat capacity and thermal conductivity less than full density aluminum oxide, and much less than aluminum. Therefore, disposing a porous aluminum oxide coating 220 over the aluminum smoking article holder 110 thermally insulates the aluminum structure from the heat of a burning cigarette or cigar.
In certain embodiments, aluminum oxide coating 220 is formed over aluminum structure 110 using an anodization process. Anodizing is a type of electrolysis used to place a protective oxide coating on metal. The metal acts as the anode (positive pole) of an electrolytic cell. Negatively charged oxide ions pass through a solution called an electrolyte, and oxidize the surface of the metal. In certain embodiments, the resulting oxide coating comprises a porous outside layer, i.e. a cellular coating.
In certain embodiments, Applicants' portable apparatus further comprises an ash repository. In the illustrated embodiment of
While the preferred embodiments of the present invention have been illustrated in detail, it should be apparent that modifications and adaptations to those embodiments may occur to one skilled in the art without departing from the scope of the present invention as set forth in the following claims.
Claims
1. A portable apparatus for holding smoking articles, comprising:
- a semi-circular member formed from a metal comprising a first melting point;
- a coating disposed on said semi-circular member, wherein said coating comprises a second melting point, wherein said second melting point is greater than said first melting point;
- a shaft having a first end and an opposing second end, wherein said semi-circular member is attached to said first end, and wherein said second end tapers to a point.
2. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein said metal comprises aluminum.
3. The apparatus of claim 2, wherein said coating comprises aluminum oxide.
4. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein said coating comprises a plurality of struts separated by a plurality of open cells.
5. The apparatus of claim 4, wherein said metal comprises a first thermal conductivity and said coating comprises a second thermal conductivity, wherein said first thermal conductivity is greater than said second thermal conductivity.
6. The apparatus of claim 5, wherein said first melting point is greater than 600° C.
7. The apparatus of claim 6, wherein said semi-circular member is formed to include an aperture, and wherein said shaft comprises a tubular member having a first open end and a second open end, and wherein said first open end communicates with said aperture.
8. The apparatus of claim 7, further comprising a tapering end removeably attached to said second open end of said tubular member.
9. The apparatus of claim 8, wherein said tapering end can be threadedly engaged with said second open end of said tubular member.
Type: Application
Filed: Jun 3, 2005
Publication Date: Dec 7, 2006
Inventors: Frank Monteleone (Santa Clarita, CA), Richard Lopez (Westlake Village, CA)
Application Number: 11/145,385
International Classification: A24F 13/22 (20060101);