Cigarette-making machine
In one embodiment, a cigarette-making machine of the tobacco-injecting type includes an improvement being a handgrip that provides improved ergonomics to a user of the machine. The handgrip is configured to project upward from a top surface of the housing of the machine to position the user's hand distal from the compacting chamber and the hollow nipple, thereby preventing potential user injuries. Furthermore, the handgrip is configured on the top surface to provide the user with a convenient location to apply a downward force to the machine to prevent the machine from sliding on a surface without damaging components of the machine. In another embodiment, a cigarette-making machine of the tobacco-injecting type includes an improvement being an adjustable volume compacting chamber. The cigarette-making machine may include a volume-adjusting member that is configured to axially partition the compacting chamber into a tobacco-receiving portion and a vacant portion.
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This invention pertains generally to an injector-type cigarette-making machine, and, more particularly, to an improved injector-type cigarette-making machine and method of using the same.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTIONInjector-type cigarette-making machines are well known. U.S. Pat. No. 2,731,971, to Kastner for “Cigarette Making Machine,” issued Jan. 24, 1956, discloses a cigarette-making machine for domestic use which compresses a portion of loose tobacco equivalent to one cigarette and then injects the compressed tobacco into a pre-formed cigarette tube by means of a plunger. The pre-formed empty cigarette tube is held at one end of a hollow nipple of the cigarette-making machine during the injection of the portion of tobacco. Once the compressed tobacco is fully injected into the pre-formed cigarette tube, it is released from the cigarette-making machine to be smoked or stored for later smoking thereof.
U.S. Pat. No. 3,127,900 to Kastner for “Cigarette Machine,” issued Apr. 7, 1964, U.S. Pat. No. 4,411,278 to Kastner for “Cigarette Making Machine,” issued Oct. 25, 1983, and U.S. Pat. No. 6,557,560 to Kastner for “Cigarette Making Machine,” issued May 6, 2003 provide various improvements to the cigarette-making machine described in U.S. Pat. No. 2,731,971. For instance, U.S. Pat. No. 3,127,900 discloses modifications to the above-described cigarette-making machine to adapt it for making cigarettes with pre-formed cigarette tubes having a filter. U.S. Pat. No. 4,411,278 discloses a cigarette-making machine of the same general type as discussed above, but providing a new manufacturing method for substantially reducing the cost of production of the prior devices. All of the foregoing patents are expired. While the aforementioned patents provide various useful improvements for injector-type machines, which have achieved substantial commercial success, such machines still have problems that have remained unsolved until now.
One problem with the aforementioned machines is that none provides improved safety of operation and ergonomics for the user. As is well known, use of cigarette-making machines of the foregoing type sometimes occasionally results in injury to a user of the machine, particularly inexperienced users that are unfamiliar with operation of the machine and have failed to read operating instructions and heed warnings provided therein. Referring now to
While warnings have been generally effective in substantially reducing user injuries, the warnings have caused many users to operate the machines improperly, resulting in broken or otherwise malfunctioning machines. In particular, many users noticing the warnings tend to overcautiously operate the machine—solely with a hand on the ejector handle 16. These overcautious users typically rotate the handle 16 clockwise while exerting a downward force on the handle 16 to prevent the machine 10 from sliding on a surface during clockwise rotation of the ejector handle 16. While exerting the downward force on the handle 16 does prevent the machine 10 from sliding, the downward force undesirably causes additional wear and tear on the machine components (e.g., rotating shaft, shaft bushing, linkage assembly, etc.) that couple the handle 16 with the compacting member 14. Many manufacturers of cigarette-making machines offer a warranty for repairing/replacing damaged machines at no cost to the user, which results in lost revenue. To this end, it would be desirable to provide a machine with improved ergonomics for maximizing user safety and minimizing improper machine operation.
Another well known challenge with injector-type cigarette-making machines is adjustability for making cigarettes of different sizes. Prefabricated paper tubes are available in myriad sizes and styles. For example, “100 mm” size, “king” size and “regular” size paper tubes are available in filter tip and “straight” (i.e., unfiltered) styles, each tube differing slightly in length and/or diameter from another tube. As can be appreciated, if the injector-type cigarette-making machine is unable to adapt to paper tubes of various sizes, a user is faced with the problems of either injecting too much or too little tobacco into a tube, resulting in an unsuitable cigarette. In an attempt to adapt injector-type cigarette-making machines for filling paper tubes of two or more sizes, such machines have been provided with an adjustment lever 20, as shown in
In one aspect, a cigarette-making machine that overcomes the foregoing problems is provided. In one embodiment, a cigarette-making machine of the tobacco-injecting type includes an improvement being a handgrip that provides improved ergonomics to a user of the machine. The handgrip is configured to project upward from a top surface of the housing of the machine to position the user's hand distal from the compacting chamber and the hollow nipple. Furthermore, the handgrip is configured on the top surface to provide the user with a convenient location to apply a downward force to the machine to prevent the machine from sliding on a surface without damaging components of the machine. In another embodiment, a cigarette-making machine of the tobacco-injecting type includes an improvement being an adjustable volume compacting chamber. The cigarette-making machine may include a volume-adjusting member that is configured to axially partition the compacting chamber into a tobacco-receiving portion and a vacant portion. To cooperate with the volume-adjusting member for axially partitioning the compacting chamber, the compacting member may include at least one slot that is substantially parallel to a direction along which the compacting member moves. In another aspect, a method of using an improved cigarette-making machine is provided.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
FIGS. 6A-C respectively show a top plan view, a side elevation view and a front elevation view of the volume-adjusting member shown in
Referring now to the Figures, an improved cigarette-making machine is provided. As shown in
As further shown in
As shown, the actuator 150 is moved in an arcuate path from its starting orientation (i.e., projecting generally rearward and rightward), which is indicated in
One can appreciate that, despite the presence of the optional slip-minimizing (e.g., rubber) base 102, the machine 100 may still undesirably move on a surface during rotation of the actuator 150. To this end, the handgrip 160 is provided so that a user can apply a downward force to the machine 100 to obviate movement of the machine 100 during cigarette-making without causing damage to the machine 100 (e.g., the shaft bushing 152, the internal component parts, etc.), which generally occurs when a downward force is applied to the actuator 150. Furthermore, the handgrip 160 is configured on the top surface 112 to provide improved ergonomics to a user of the machine 100. Moreover, the handgrip provides a convenient means to carry and transport the machine 100.
As best illustrated in
Referring now to
As best shown in
As best illustrated in FIGS. 6A-C, the volume-adjusting member 170 may be formed or machined of a suitable rigid material such as metal, plastic or the like. For example, the volume-adjusting member 170 may be formed as a one-piece member from a steel plate or sheet. As shown, the volume-adjusting member 170 includes a generally planar top surface 172 (
As shown in
Referring now to
In another aspect, a method of using the improved injector-type cigarette-making machine is provided. Initially, the machine should be prepared or readied by the user to accept a portion of tobacco, for example, by rotating the actuator to be at the starting orientation. A paper cigarette tube is disposed on the hollow nipple and a portion of tobacco is disposed in the compacting chamber. A user places a first hand (e.g., the user's right hand) on the actuator and places a second hand (e.g., the user's left hand) on the handgrip. The user may apply a downward force on the handgrip and rotate (e.g. in a horizontal plane in a clockwise direction) the actuator with the user's other hand. During rotation of the actuator, the user may intermittently or substantially continuously apply the downward force on the handgrip to prevent slipping of the machine until the paper cigarette tube is filled with tobacco, making a completed cigarette.
In some instances, the user may desire to make cigarettes of various sizes. In these instances, the user first determines a size of the paper cigarette tube that is disposed on the hollow nipple. Next, the user selects or otherwise adjusts, according to the determined size of the paper cigarette tube, a volume for the compacting chamber, and fills the selected or otherwise adjusted volume with tobacco. The user then may follow the above-described process of: placing his or her hands on the actuator and the handgrip; applying a downward force to the handgrip; and rotating the actuator. To select a volume for the compacting chamber, the user may dispose or otherwise configure a volume-adjusting member in the compacting chamber to axially partition the chamber, thereby creating a tobacco-receiving volume and a vacant volume. In some embodiments of the machine, to maximize the tobacco-receiving volume, the user may remove the volume-adjusting member from the compacting chamber.
Various embodiments of the invention are described herein. It should be understood that the illustrated embodiments are exemplary only, and should not be taken as limiting the scope of the invention.
Claims
1. A cigarette-making machine comprising:
- a housing including a top surface having an aperture;
- an actuator that moves in an arcuate path above the top surface;
- a compacting chamber within the housing, the compacting chamber in communication with the aperture;
- a compacting member disposed in the compacting chamber and coupled with the actuator, the compacting member translating according to movement of the actuator;
- a hollow nipple configured on the housing proximate the aperture, the hollow nipple in communication with the compacting chamber; and
- a handgrip affixed to the housing, the handgrip configured distal from the arcuate path, the compacting chamber and the hollow nipple.
2. The cigarette-making machine of claim 1 wherein the handgrip is configured on a left, rear portion of the top surface.
3. The cigarette-making machine of claim 1 wherein the handgrip projects upward from the top surface.
4. The cigarette-making machine of claim 1 wherein the handgrip comprises a generally D-shaped handle.
5. The cigarette-making machine of claim 1 further comprising a volume-adjusting member insertable into the compacting chamber, the volume-adjusting member configured to partition the compacting chamber into a vacant volume and a tobacco-receiving volume proximate the hollow nipple.
6. The cigarette-making machine of claim 5 further comprising a securing mechanism configured to retain the volume-adjusting member at a position along a length of the compacting chamber.
7. The cigarette-making machine of claim 6 wherein the compacting member comprises:
- a compacting surface extending along a length of the compacting chamber; and
- at least one slot extending generally perpendicular from the compacting surface, wherein the volume-adjusting member includes a partition portion configured to be received in the at least one slot.
8. The cigarette-making machine of claim 7 wherein the volume-adjusting member includes at least one notch configured to cooperate with the securing mechanism to align the partition portion in the at least one slot.
9. The cigarette-making machine of claim 6 wherein the securing mechanism comprises:
- a fastener configured to project through the housing proximate an end of the aperture, the fastener including a threaded portion and a head at one end of the threaded portion within the housing; and
- a nut disposed on the threaded portion, the nut configured to clamp the volume-adjusting member to the housing.
10. A cigarette-making machine comprising:
- a housing including a top surface having an aperture;
- an actuator that moves in an arcuate path above the top surface;
- a compacting chamber within in the housing, the compacting chamber in communication with the aperture;
- a compacting member disposed in the compacting chamber and coupled with the actuator, the compacting member translating according to movement of the actuator;
- a hollow nipple configured on the housing proximate the aperture, the hollow nipple in communication with the compacting chamber; and
- a volume-adjusting member insertable into the compacting chamber, the volume-adjusting member configured to partition the compacting chamber into a vacant volume and a tobacco-receiving volume proximate the hollow nipple.
11. The cigarette-making machine of claim 10 further comprising a securing mechanism configured to retain the volume-adjusting member at a position along a length of the compacting chamber.
12. The cigarette-making machine of claim 11 wherein the compacting member comprises:
- a compacting surface extending along a length of the compacting chamber; and
- at least one slot extending generally perpendicular from the compacting surface, wherein the volume-adjusting member includes a partition portion configured to be received in the at least one slot.
13. The cigarette-making machine of claim 12 wherein the volume-adjusting member includes at least one notch configured to cooperate with the securing mechanism to align the partition portion in the at least one slot.
14. The cigarette-making machine of claim 11 wherein the securing mechanism comprises:
- a fastener configured to project through the housing proximate an end of the aperture, the fastener including a threaded portion and a head at one end of the threaded portion within the housing; and
- a nut disposed on the threaded portion, the nut configured to clamp the volume-adjusting member to the housing.
15. The cigarette-making machine of claim 14 wherein the head is configured to provide a stop to prevent movement of the actuator past an end of the arcuate path.
16. The cigarette-making machine of claim 10 further comprising a handgrip affixed to the housing, the handgrip configured distal from the arcuate path, the compacting chamber and the hollow nipple.
17. The cigarette-making machine of claim 16 wherein the handgrip is configured on a left, rear portion of the top surface.
18. A method of making a cigarette with an injector-type cigarette-making machine including a housing including a top surface having an aperture, an actuator that rotates in an arcuate path above the top surface, a compacting chamber within in the housing and in communication with the aperture, a compacting member disposed in the compacting chamber and coupled with the actuator for translating movement relative to rotation of the actuator, a hollow nipple in communication with the compacting chamber and configured on a side of the housing proximate the aperture, and a handgrip affixed to the housing, the handgrip configured distal from the arcuate path, the compacting chamber and the hollow nipple, the method comprising:
- preparing the machine to accept a portion of tobacco;
- disposing a portion of tobacco in the compacting chamber;
- disposing a paper cigarette tube on the hollow nipple;
- grasping the actuator with a first hand;
- grasping the handgrip with a second hand;
- applying a downward force to the handgrip with the second hand; and
- moving the actuator with the first hand.
19. The method of claim 18 further comprising the steps of:
- determining a size of the paper cigarette tube that is disposed on the hollow nipple;
- adjusting a volume of the compacting chamber relative to the size of the paper cigarette tube determined from the determining step; and
- filling the adjusted volume with tobacco.
20. The method of claim 19 wherein the adjusting step comprises:
- disposing a volume-adjusting member in the compacting chamber; and
- moving the volume-adjusting member along a length of the compacting chamber to partition the compacting chamber into a vacant volume and a tobacco-receiving volume proximate the hollow nipple.
Type: Application
Filed: Apr 10, 2006
Publication Date: Oct 11, 2007
Applicant: Republic Tobacco L.P. (Glenview, IL)
Inventor: Mei Lin (Glenview, IL)
Application Number: 11/401,126
International Classification: A24C 1/08 (20060101);