RING FOR RELIEVING THE URGE TO SMOKE
A device adapted to be worn on a human finger and used to relieve the wearer of the urge to smoke by addressing some of the mentally addictive aspects of smoking. The device has first and second portions that cooperate to define an opening having an axis and sized to receive a human finger. A cylindrical-shaped feature is disposed at the second portion and oriented so that an axis thereof is perpendicular to the axis of the opening. The cylindrical-shaped feature is configured so as not to be capable of securing a cigarette.
This application claims the benefit of U.S. Provisional Application No. 60/885,762, filed Jan. 19, 2007, the contents of which are incorporated herein by reference.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTIONThe present invention generally relates to articles that can be worn on a finger, and more particularly to a device that when worn helps to alleviate the wearer's urge to smoke.
Various types of medications and therapies have been proposed to help curb a smoker's urge to smoke. Most are rather expensive and often don't address some of the habits of smokers that, to some extent, contribute to the perceived satisfaction or mentally addictive aspects of smoking. For example, the act of smoking involves the use of the fingers, including holding, rolling, and flicking the ashes from a cigarette, all of which can serve to occupy and calm the smoker and in any event often contribute to the mental addiction that smokers develop over time.
BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTIONThe present invention provides a device adapted to be worn on a human finger and used to relieve the wearer of the urge to smoke by addressing some of the mentally addictive aspects of smoking.
The device has first and second portions that cooperate to define an opening having an axis and sized to axially receive a human finger. A cylindrical-shaped feature is disposed at the second portion and oriented so that an axis thereof is perpendicular to the axis of the opening. The cylindrical-shaped feature is configured so as not to be capable of securing a cigarette.
In view of the above, it can be seen that the device can be very simple in its construction. When worn, the first portion partial surrounds the wearer's finger and the cylindrical-shaped feature is positioned and oriented to simulate a cigarette located between the finger on which the device is worn and a second finger of the wearer. The cylindrical-shaped feature preferably defines a protrusion that the wearer can manipulate in a manner similar to a cigarette. As such, the wearer can use the device to perform habitual acts associated with smoking, for example, holding the cylindrical-shaped feature between two fingers and flicking one end of the cylindrical-shaped feature to simulate flicking the ashes from a cigarette. Such acts tend to occupy and calm the smoker, relieving at least in part the urge to smoke.
Other objects and advantages of this invention will be better appreciated from the following detailed description.
The device 10 of each embodiment is fashioned similarly to a ring. In
The opening 18 is sized to receive a human finger, and preferably any finger of a given user, in the direction of its axis 14. Because the size of human fingers vary widely, the device 10 is preferably produced in a wide variety of sizes. Generally, a maximum width (diameter) of the opening 18 will typically be less than one inch (about 2.5 cm), for example, about 0.75 to about 0.85 inch (about 1.9 to 2.2 cm). The cross-sectional shape and thickness of the arcuate portion 12 can also vary widely, though will typically be chosen with consideration for the comfort of the wearer. A round cross-sectional shape is suitable, resulting in the arcuate portion 12 being a partial toroid. A suitable cross-sectional thickness for the arcuate section is about 1/16 inch (about 1.5 mm).
The cross-sectional thickness and shape of the cylindrical portion 16 preferably simulate that of a cigarette. The cross-sectional shape of the cylindrical portion 16 is therefore preferably circular and constant along its entire length between first and second ends 20 and 22 thereof, and the diameter of the cylindrical portion 16 is preferably about 5/16 inch (about 8 mm). The length of the cylindrical portion 16 is not critical to the extent that the portion 16 is not required to simulate the full length of a cigarette. However, a sufficient length ensures that the portion 16 will provide for an adequate simulation. In practice, a length greater than the maximum outer diameter of the arcuate portion 12 is preferred, for example, about 1⅛ inch (about 2.7 cm) is believed suitable. In
As seen in
The embodiments of the device 10 shown in
The arcuate and cylindrical portions 12 and 16 can be formed from a variety of materials, including thermoplastic elastomers (TPE) such as Santoprene. If formed separately, such as for the embodiments of
While the invention has been described in terms of specific embodiments, it is apparent that other forms could be adopted by one skilled in the art. For example, the physical configuration of the device 10 could differ from that shown, and materials, dimensions, and processes other than those noted could be used. Therefore, the scope of the invention is to be limited only by the following claims.
Claims
1. A device adapted to be worn on a human finger to relieve the wearer of the urge to smoke, the device comprising:
- a first portion and a second portion that cooperate to define an opening having an axis and sized to receive a human finger;
- a cylindrical-shaped feature at the second portion, the cylindrical-shaped feature being oriented so that an axis thereof is perpendicular to the axis of the opening, the cylindrical-shaped feature being configured so as not to be capable of securing a cigarette.
2. The device according to claim 1, wherein the opening has an arcuate boundary portion defined by the first portion and a straight boundary portion defined by the cylindrical-shaped feature.
3. The device according to claim 1, wherein the cylindrical-shaped feature is immovable on the second portion.
4. The device according to claim 1, wherein the cylindrical-shaped feature is a solid cylinder.
5. The device according to claim 1, wherein the cylindrical-shaped feature comprises a tube surrounding the second portion such that a portion of the cylindrical-shaped feature defines a straight boundary portion of the opening.
6. The device according to claim 1, wherein the cylindrical-shaped feature has a cross-sectional diameter larger than the maximum cross-sectional thickness of the first portion of the device and smaller than the maximum width of the opening.
7. The device according to claim 1, wherein the cylindrical-shaped feature has oppositely-disposed first and second ends that define a length therebetween, and the length of the cylindrical-shaped feature is longer than a maximum outer diameter of the first portion.
8. The device according to claim 7, wherein the first end of the cylindrical-shaped feature defines a protrusion that extends beyond an outer boundary of the first portion.
9. The device according to claim 1, wherein the first portion defines a partial toroid adjoining the second portion at first and second locations.
10. The device according to claim 9, wherein the second portion is arcuate and entirely enclosed by the cylindrical-shaped feature.
11. The device according to claim 9, wherein the second portion is entirely defined by the cylindrical-shaped feature.
12. The device according to claim 11, wherein the cylindrical-shaped feature has oppositely-disposed first and second ends and a midportion therebetween, and the partial toroid adjoins the second end and the midportion of the cylindrical-shaped feature.
13. The device according to claim 1, wherein the first portion is defined at least in part by an axis of curvature that coincides with the axis of the opening.
14. The device according to claim 1, wherein the device has a d-shaped cross-section in a plane perpendicular to the axis of the opening.
15. A device adapted to be worn on a human finger to relieve the wearer of the urge to smoke, the device comprising:
- an arcuate portion; and
- a solid cylindrical portion immovable relative to the arcuate portion and cooperating with the arcuate portion to define an opening having an axis and sized to receive a human finger, the cylindrical portion being oriented so that an axis thereof is perpendicular to the axis of the opening, the cylindrical portion having oppositely-disposed first and second ends that define a length therebetween, the length of the cylindrical portion being longer than a maximum outer diameter of the arcuate portion such that the first end of the cylindrical portion defines a protrusion that extends beyond an outer boundary of the arcuate portion;
- wherein the cylindrical portion is configured so as not to be capable of securing a cigarette.
16. The device according to claim 15, wherein the opening has an arcuate boundary portion defined by the arcuate portion and a straight boundary portion defined by the cylindrical portion.
17. The device according to claim 15, wherein the cylindrical portion has a cross-sectional diameter larger than the maximum cross-sectional thickness of the arcuate portion and smaller than the maximum width of the opening.
18. The device according to claim 15, wherein the arcuate portion defines a partial toroid adjoining the second end of the cylindrical portion and adjoining a midportion of the cylindrical portion between the first and second ends thereof.
19. The device according to claim 15, wherein the arcuate portion is defined at least in part by an axis of curvature that coincides with the axis of the opening.
20. The device according to claim 15, wherein the device has a d-shaped cross-section in a plane perpendicular to the axis of the opening.
Type: Application
Filed: Jan 18, 2008
Publication Date: Jul 24, 2008
Inventor: Michael Alan Bean (Wheatfield, IN)
Application Number: 12/016,378
International Classification: A24F 47/00 (20060101);