Cigar accessory tray

Abstract

The present invention comprises a cigar accessory tray that comprises a candle, a candle holder, a plurality of wooden sticks, a wooden stick holder, and a cutting tool. In some embodiments, the cigar accessory tray further comprises an ashtray with which the cigar accessory tray may nest.

Description

PRIORITY CLAIM

This application claims priority to provisional patent application No. 60/921,364, filed 2 Apr. 2007.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

Mechanical prior art methods including butane lighters exhibiting both erratic and unreliable lighting performance. Such prior art methods are known to run out of fuel without visible warning and certain fuels, including butane, are not easily available or easily transported in today's security conscious age. Moreover, those prior art methods have high failure rate due to clogging, for example, they are known to frequently clog due to pocket lint in gas exit aperature or the piezo wearing out and failing to spark.

Prior art methods include butane lighters and sulfur based matches. Butane lighters introduce butane combustion products including methane, ethane, propane, and cyclopropane in sufficient quantities to introduce impurities into the cigar. Sulfur based matches release sulfur oxidize derivatives which are toxic; they further react with ambient humidity to acidify to impurities such as hydrosulfuric acid, sulfurous acid, and sulfuric acid. Both butane and sulfur derived impurities reside in the cigar for sufficient time to degrade the taste of the cigar even after the flame source is removed. The aromatic wood strips of the present invention allow a cigar to be light without the introduction of butane of sulfur derived impurities into the cigar.

Sulfur tipped matches not only introduce noxious fumes into the cigar, but are made from softwoods which burn quickly. Furthermore, matches do not burn for sufficient time to light a cigar with a single match; often 3-6 matches are required. The use of multiple matches.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 depicts top & side views of an embodiment of the invention.

FIG. 2 depicts a top view of an embodiment of the invention including a candle, and a plurality of aromatic wooden sticks.

FIG. 3 depicts a view of a preferred embodiment of the invention.

FIGS. 4A and 4B depict a top view of an embodiment of the invention including specific measurements of a preferred embodiment.

FIG. 5 depicts top & side views of an embodiment of the invention including specific measurements of a preferred embodiment.

FIG. 6 depicts a top view of an embodiment of the invention where the cigar tray, which comprises detents for a candle holder, wooden stick holder and matchbox holder, is capable of nesting with an ashtray.

FIG. 7 depicts a top view of an embodiment of the invention where the cigar tray, which comprises a detent for a matchbox holder, is capable of nesting with an ashtray.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

The present invention provides a device comprising a cigar tray (1), a candle (2), and a plurality of aromatic wooden sticks (4).

The cigar tray is a portable apparatus having means for carrying a candle (2) and a plurality of aromatic wooden sticks (4). In some embodiments, the cigar tray is substantially elliptical or rectangular in shape. In some embodiments, the top surface of the cigar tray is about 30 square inches to about 120 square inches. In some embodiments, the top surface of the cigar tray is about 40 square inches to about 80 square inches. In some embodiments, the top surface of the cigar tray is about 60 square inches. In some embodiments, the cigar tray further comprises a means for carrying a candle and a plurality of aromatic wooden sticks, such as depressions (5) in the cigar tray suitable for holding a candle holder (5) and a wooden stick holder (3). In some embodiments, the cigar tray further comprises a depression suitable for holding a book of matches (7) which can be used to light the candle or for advertising. Such depressions are about 1/16 inches to about ¼ inches deep, or more preferably, about ⅛ inch deep. In some embodiments the candle holder (3) and the wooden stick holder (4) are integrated or permanently affixed to the tray. In some embodiments the candle holder and the wooden stick holder are independent and detachable from the tray.

In some embodiments, the cigar tray further comprises from 1 to 4 grooves (5) on the edge of the tray, each groove suitable for presentation, thus preventing a cigar from rolling off the tray. In some embodiments, the grooves are each about ½ inch deep and correspond to the circumference of a circle having about up to 1 inch diameter.

In some embodiments of the present invention, a slow-burning wooden stick (4), for example a cedar stick, is provided that can be used to light a cigar. This represents an advance in the art by coupling a dependable flame source (a candle) with a natural combustion material (wooden sticks).

The candle (2) of the present invention provides a reliable flame source which can be used to light a wooden stick (4). Additionally, as the height of the candle or the amount of oil remaining (an easily monitored variable) determines the duration of flame available, the duration of flame available from the candle is more reliable than mechanical devices. In some embodiments a 2 hour candle is employed. In some embodiments a 5 hour candle is employed. In some embodiments a 10 hour candle is employed.

In some embodiments, the wooden stick (4) is made of an aromatic wood. Preferably, the wooden sticks are made from an aromatic wood that does not introduce foul smelling combustion materials into the cigar. In some embodiments, the wooden stick is cedar. When lit, a cedar stick acts as a long, slow-burning, aromatic match. The burn rate of the wooden stick is in part due to the angle that the stick is held. If the flame is held lower than the majority of the wooden stick, the burn rate will increase. In some embodiments, the wooden stick is of sufficient length to burn for about 30 seconds to about 90 seconds when held horizontally. In some embodiments, the wooden stick is of sufficient length to burn for about 60 seconds when held horizontally. In some embodiments, the wooden stick is about 2 inches to about 8 inches long. In some embodiments, the wooden stick is about 4 inches to about 7 inches long. In some embodiments, the wooden stick is about 6 inches long. Some wooden sticks of the present invention are hardwood wooden sticks that burn slowly relative to softwood matchsticks.

Some embodiments of the present invention further comprise a cutting tool (6) suitable for cutting the end of a cigar so that smoke can be drawn through the resulting hole. In some embodiments the cutting tool is a pair of scissors, for example surgical grade stainless steel scissors. In some embodiments the cutting tool is a bullet cigar cutter. In some embodiments the cutting tool is a guillotine cigar cutter.

In some embodiments the cutting tool is flexibly attached to the cigar tray. As used in the present application “flexibly attached” in reference to any 2 items means that the items are attached by any manner allowing spatial separation of the 2 items while the 2 items remain tethered together by a flexible means; examples include a fabric cord and a metal chain having a diameter of less than about ½ inches, or preferably, less than about ¼ inches. In some embodiments, the length of the fabric cord or metal chain is about 3 inches, about 6 inches, about 9 inches, about 12 inches, about 15 inches, about 18 inches, about 21 inches, about 24 inches, about 27 or about 30 inches. In some embodiments, the cigar tray further comprises a cutting tool flexibly attached to the cigar tray by a metal chain. Preferably, the cutting tool is flexibly attached to the tray near the candle holder; this placement allows for use of the cutting tool without the flexible attachment becoming tangled with the wooden stick.

In some embodiments the cigar tray further comprises a cutting tool retainer capable of temporarily stabilizing the cutting tool on the cigar tray such that, for example, the cigar tray could be carried upright without the cutting tool becoming unsecured or falling from the cigar tray. In some embodiments, the cutting tool retainer is a protrusion slightly smaller than the inside diameter or profile of a finger hole in the cutting tool. In some embodiments the cutting tool is a pair of scissors comprising a first and second generally flat rigid, blade portion each sharpened on one edge to provide two cutting edges, wherein the blade portions are pivotally connected to one another and each blade portion includes a handle portion on one end, and wherein the first handle portion is adapted to fit the thumb of the user while the second handle portion adapted to fit one or more fingers of the same hand in the normal fashion of scissors use. In some embodiments the protrusion is slightly smaller than the inside diameter of the first handle portion. In some embodiments the protrusion is slightly smaller than the inside diameter of the second handle portion. In some embodiments the circumference of the protrusion is about 0.25 inches, about 0.5 inches, about 0.75 inches, about 1 inch, about 1.5 inches, or about 2 inches. In some embodiments the cutting tool is temporarily stabilized on the cigar tray with a hole in the cigar tray slightly larger than the circumference of the combined circumference of the first and second blade portions when closed together. In some embodiments, the circumference of the hole is about 0.25 inches, about 0.33 inches, about 0.5 inches, about 0.66 inches, about 0.75 inches, about 1 inch, about 1.5 inches, about 2 inches, or about inches. In some embodiments, the cutting tool retainer is a magnet. In some embodiments, the magnet is embedded. In some embodiments, the magnet is attached to the underside of the cigar tray in sufficient proximity to retain the scissors. In some embodiments, the cutting tool retainer comprises two generally linear arms pivotally attached to each other where the pivotal attachment is biased to close one end of each linear arm together; for example, a spring biased clip.

Some embodiments of the present invention further comprise a detachable base. In some embodiments, the detachable base is an ashtray. In some embodiments, the detachable base may be temporarily fixed to the cigar tray, for example by a spring loaded detent.

In some embodiments, the detachable base may be temporarily fixed to the cigar tray, for example by both the detachable base and the cigar tray being of compatible size so that they nest together, for example, where the cigar tray and the detachable base are substantially concentric circles or ellipses where the circumference of the cigar tray is ⅛ of an inch larger than the circumference of the detachable base.

Claims

1. A smoking accessory device comprising a cigar tray, a candle, and a plurality of aromatic wooden sticks.

2. The device of claim 1 wherein the cigar tray comprises a candle holder for said candle and a wooden stick holder for said wooden sticks.

3. The device of claim 1 wherein the wooden sticks are about 4 inches to about 7 inches long.

4. The device of claim 3 wherein the wooden sticks are cedar.

5. The device of claim 1 further comprising a cutting tool flexibly attached to said tray.

6. The device of claim 5 wherein the cutting tool is selected from the group consisting of scissors, bullet cutters and guillotine cutters.

7. The device of claim 1 further comprising a detachable base.

8. The device of claim 7 wherein the detachable base is an ashtray.

9. The device of claim 1 further comprising from 1 to 4 grooves each, groove being about ½ inch deep and corresponding to the circumference of a circle having a 1 inch diameter.

10. A method of lighting a cigar without introducing butane of sulfur derived impurities into the cigar comprising the steps of: providing a flame source, providing a flammable material that does not produce noxious combustion products, lighting said flammable material with said flame source, lighting a cigar with said flammable material.

11. The method of claim 18 wherein the flammable material that does not produce noxious combustion products is a wooden stick.

12. The method of claim 19 wherein the wooden stick is cedar.

13. The device of claim 1 further comprising a protrusion for temporarily stabilizing the cutting tool on the cigar tray.

14. The device of claim 1 further comprising a hole for temporarily stabilizing the cutting tool on the cigar tray.