Smoking Article Warning Device

Abstract

A user engageable device disposed within the tobacco burning path of a smoking article's ember at a pre-selected point. The device may include a visual and/or audible and/or olfactory warning component which alerts the user in response to a proximate ember that the ember has reached a predetermined point. The device is preferably in the form of a translatable sleeve frictionally engageable around the smoking article, but can also may be engaged upon or impregnated into a wrapper of the article's cylinder. Alternatively, the sleeve type device may be disposed within the wrapper or provided in the form of selectively placed integrated or stick-on patches.

Description

This application is a Continuation-in-Part of U.S. application Ser. No. 12/861,210 filed Aug. 23, 2010, which is a Continuation-in-Part to application Ser. No. 11/308,444 filed on Mar. 25, 2006 and are incorporated in their entirety by this reference. This disclosed device relates in general to devices for warning a smoker of a smoking article (as defined below) that the article's tobacco ember has reached a pre-selected point on the article's tobacco cylinder, e.g. in close proximity to a filter of the article. More particularly, the disclosed device provides the user a translatabley positionable warning or measuring component which is user-positionable to a pre-selected point between the distal end of the smoking article which burns and the proximal end which may have a filter.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

Smoking of tobacco and herbs and other plant material has been popular for centuries. Conventionally, a cigarette is formed of compacted tobacco held in a cylindrical shape by a combustible wrapper. Cigars are similarly formed and employ a combustible wrapper of tobacco leaf to hold the compacted inner cylindrical core of tobacco in place. Tobacco is known to be extremely addictive as is the nicotine component thereof.

In use, the smoker lights the distal end of the smoking article and draws or inhales from the proximal end. The proximal end may or may not have a filter component. The user will generally hold the smoking article between two fingers adjacent to the proximal end during use. As the tobacco core burns from the distal end toward the proximal end, a burning ember formed of the tobacco or other material advances toward the proximal end. Smoke drawn through the tobacco core leaves deposits on the remaining tobacco making it stronger when burned. The burning ember if allowed to advance too close to the proximal end of the smoking article, can burn the user's fingers or can ignite the non-tobacco filter material and produce a distasteful and possibly hazardous smoke which can be drawn into the mouth and lungs of a user. Still further, such a burning ember can fall from the cigarette and cause a dangerous fire or fatal injuries.

Besides this health risk from smoking the filter, allowing the smoking article to burn too close to the filter or proximal end is an extreme fire danger. Smokers who fall asleep or become distracted are in danger of starting a fire, especially if the reason for the smoking article having advanced so far toward the proximal end is that they are asleep or have set the smoking article down and forgotten it. In such a common scenario, the ember can easily dislodge from the cigarette and start a fire which can seriously or fatally injure the smoker.

One embodiment of the device herein significantly reduces the danger of fire as it will extinguish the flame on the smoking article. For both fire danger reasons and health reasons, it would be advantageous if the user were warned or alerted to the burning distal end of smoking article advancing too close to the proximal end or filter where it may burn them, or fall from the cigarette and ignite a fire. Increased utility is provided with a mode of the device which will also extinguish the advancing flame before reaching a predetermined point on the smoking article.

U.S. Pat. No. 5,154,192 by Sprinkel, et al. discloses thermal indicators for non-combustion smoking articles. Such devices feature a sidewall which does not burn and an axial core which is packed with tobacco or other plant matter that is to be smoked. Because the sidewall defining the axial core housing the compacted tobacco does not burn on such devices and the user is unable to see the flame or burning ember, Sprinkel permanently positions visually discernable indicators at positions along the noncombustible sidewall. As the sidewall heats from the flame of combusting tobacco inside the axial core, the permanent indicators chemically react to provide visual indications of temperature changes. However, Sprinkel does not provide any means to provide a visible indicator on a combustible sidewall of a cigar or cigarette since it employs markers deposited on a permanent sidewall. Further, Sprinkel does not allow the user to adjust the position of the visual indicator to various positions between the distal and proximal end but instead simply provides fixed indicators on the noncombustible sidewall.

As such, there is an unmet need for a visual indicator device which is engageable upon a conventional smoking article such as a cigarette or cigar and which may be purchased separately therefrom and employed by users on a plurality of such smoking articles. Or be provided at a one to one ratio within the packaging of the smoking article. Such a device should be slidably engageable about the exterior circumference of the smoking article to any point between the distal or burning end and the proximal end where the filter is located and the user grips the smoking article with their fingers. Still further, such a device should be repositionable to allow smoking in sections and for different sequential sittings for a duration of smoking. Additionally, in addition to providing the user a warning, visually or otherwise, that the flame has advanced too close to the proximal end, such a device should provide a means to extinguish the smoking article should the burning tobacco approach too close to a determined point such as the filter or a gripping position for the user's fingers.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The above noted shortcomings and problems are overcome by the herein disclosed translatabley positionable warning device which is configured for user engagement and positioning on one or a plurality of smoking articles.

In a particularly preferred embodiment the warning device is configured in the form of a frictionally engaged, slidable or movable ember-reactive sleeve. The sleeve is configured to frictionally engage around the tobacco cylinder formed by a combustible sidewall of a smoking article such as a cigarette or cigar. Once so engaged, the sleeve is translatable in its slidable engagement about the circumference of the smoking article to any position chosen by the user, between the burning end and the proximal end which is placed in the user's mouth to draw the smoke therein.

So positioned the device is configured to provide a warning to the user before the burning ember combusts the filter or gets too close to the proximal end and burns the user. Still further as the size of the ember and ash grow, it is ever more easy to fall from the cigarette and start a fire. The warning provides a means to alert the user that they are in danger of starting a fire should they become complacent.

Further, in another mode, the device provides the user with the ability to designate and mark a predetermined point on the smoking article at which they would like to cease smoking. A user who wishes to discontinue smoking could use this feature to smoke only sequentially smaller portions of a cigarette at a given time during a cessation period. This allows the user to translate the device to shorter burn segments over a duration of time, allowing the user to slowly reduce the amount of nicotine consumed. Further, the user is able to pick the amount of cigarette to smoke at any sitting and set their own goal. Using this sequentially shortening smoking of the cigarettes dictated by the positioning of the device by the user, the user thus avoids or minimizes unpleasant nicotine withdrawal symptoms while further avoiding the financial cost and unpleasant physical side effects of smoking cessation medications.

As used herein above and below, the term “smoking article” refers to conventional cigarettes which are formed by a combustible sidewall encircling a tobacco or other plant core and is either filtered or unfiltered, or conventional cigars also having a combustible sidewall conventionally formed of tobacco leaf. Or, the smoking article may be any product having a smokeable cylindrical core of tobacco of any length or girth, either wrapped in a conventional combustible sidewall of paper or otherwise held in a compacted configuration which allows the core of tobacco to burn from the distal end toward the proximal end engageable with the user's mouth.

A particularly advantageous function of this invention is to pre-select an interface point for translating the slidable device to the position of choice, along the path of a burning ember from a starting point at a distal end which is will be lit to burn first, and the proximal end which is placed in contact with the smoker's body either in their hand or mouth where the smoking article is drawn upon by the user as the ember burns toward the proximal end. Or the position may be preset to prevent a dislodgement of the burning ember which could start a fire.

As noted, some such smoking articles are unfiltered wherein the danger to the smoker is burning their lips or hand. Also, some smoking articles have a filter and due to the material forming the filter should a communication between the filter and the heat or the flame of the ember occur, it can combust materials in the filter. Due to the nature of the material forming a filter, it is especially unhealthy for a person to inhale smoke from a burning cigarette filter.

However, this burning of the skin of the user and/or exposure to toxic smoke, or ember dislodgement and fire ignition, can easily occur when a cigarette smoker does not notice that a cigarette ember is burning in close proximity to the cigarette's filter. Often a smoker only notices that the cigarette filter is burning, by the acrid taste of the smoke in their mouth after the user has already inhaled a significant amount of filter smoke into their lungs. Also, due to the nature of the filter materials, frequently the ember of a cigarette falls off when it reaches the filter since the ember burns on after surrounding paper is gone. This creates a dangerous situation because the still burning ember can start a fire if it falls into or onto combustible material.

By slidably engaging the disclosed device to translate to any position along the path of the ember, between the filter and distal end of the cigarette or smoking article, the disclosed device provides a means to intercept and prevent the accidental burning of the user and/or the inhaling of the noxious filter material by the smoker and/or accidental dislodgement of the ember and a resulting fire ignition.

Instead, as the burning tobacco or other material forming an ember approaches the filter or proximal end along the path from the distal end, the disclosed device prevents such situations by alarming to alerting a smoker that the ember is at or very close to a combusting of the filter or a burning of their hand, or falling from the cigarette and starting a fire. Further, the device in a particularly preferred mode, the device will retain the burning ember inside its non combustible wall and will act as a heat sink thereby providing means to extinguish the burning ember when the device and the ember communicate along the path. A smoker an thus be alerted and can extinguish the cigarette before such occurrences happen or in the mode where the device causes an extinguishment, the device serves to prevent both fire and toxic smoke exposure by surrounding the burning ember with a non combustible wall surface until it extinguishes.

As another advantage of the disclosed device it allows a smoker to safely smoke in the dark, for the purpose of, for example, relaxation or to save electricity or for better viewing of a television. As will be seen, certain embodiments of this invention will alarm to provide a warning or indication, that the combusting tobacco or herb or other ember material, is approaching the proximal end or filter, as described herein. This alarm and warning is giving in a lit room or even in the dark. Another preferred mode of the device will act to extinguish the smoking article and maintain the ember safely surrounded, thereby preventing potential fire should the ember fall to a chair, rug, or other combustible material.

An additional advantage of the translatable or slidable mode of the device herein is to warn and allow a user to extinguish the smoking article prior to the flame or burning material reaching a point between the distal and proximal end where excessively strong smoke containing nicotine and other carcinogens may be inhaled, their fingers burned, or a fire ignited from a dislodged ember. This is because as a cigarette or cigar burns from the distal end toward the proximal end, smoke drawn through the unburned tobacco deposits carcinogens, nicotine, and other materials in the smoke therein in addition which adds to what already exists in the un-smoked material. Consequently, the longer the burning end advances toward the proximal end, the stronger and more hazardous the remaining tobacco or herb becomes. Since tobacco is extremely addicting to many individuals, smoking this stronger smoke can also make it more difficult to break their addiction.

If the user extinguishes the cigarette or cigar at a point before the flame advances too close to the filter or proximal end or employs the mode of the device which does so automatically, the user avoids burning and inhaling excessively strong smoke from the remaining tobacco which has become even more potent and hazardous from the smoke communicated therethrough from the distal end. Further the risk of dislodgement of the burning ember is substantially eliminated. The slidable mode of the device allowing translation to a user-positioning thereof, provides the user with a means to self adjust with a visual means, or target, to ascertain how far the flame has advanced along the smoking article to the point where the device will extinguish the smoking article.

In all modes of the device, the body of the device should be of material which is non-toxic when heated, and one or a combination of a visual, audible, or olfactory warning or alarm should be provided indicating to the user that the ember is approaching too closely to the proximal end of the smoking article or the position of the device. Further, this warning is user-discernable, by one or more senses, even in dim light or darkness.

With the smoker so alerted, the device can be employed in a self-extinguishing mode to extinguish the smoking article by contact or proximity with the ember, or the user may extinguish the smoking article once they discern the alarm or warning and significantly, before they inhale the stronger smoke from the tobacco adjacent to the filter or proximal end.

In the mode of the device adapted to close the aperture from which the distal end of the cigarette extends when the ember enters the passage through the body, the device provides the noted automatic closure and means to extinguish the smoking article once the distal end burns into the axial passage formed by a sidewall and behind one or a pair of closing members. Additionally, metal, thermally stable wood, paper, plastic, glass, or a ceramic mode of the device, without a closure, may be configured to extinguish the burning ember by absorbing sufficient heat and thereby lowering the temperature of the ember below that where combustion may continue.

As another advantage, a sleeve or slidably engageable mode of this invention can be translated in either direction and to an infinite number of positions along the tobacco cylinder of a smoking article, allowing a smoker to selectively place the sleeve to provided notification of ember proximity when a desired fraction (e.g. ½ or ⅓ or ¼) of the article has been consumed. This can be done in order to minimize smoking or to save some of the smoking article for later smoking, or during a smoking cessation regimen which requires the user to sequentially reduce the length of each cigarette consumed over time.

In this manner a smoking article can be smoked in selected portions for health reasons or economical or for other reasons. For example, when the smoker is on a plan to eliminate their habit and is allowed to smoke in ever decreasing, but user-chosen sequential amounts, translation of the device to different positions allows a visual discerning of fractional portion of the cigarette to smoke. This translation ability will help the user choose sequentially less, or on occasion a little more, of the smoking article to consume.

In another mode of the disclosed device, the body forming the sleeve is adapted to slide in a translational engagement upon an area of the circumference of a smoking article and is formed of one or a combination of substantially non flammable materials during ember contact, from a group including metal, glass, ceramic material, thermally stable plastic or wood, which will absorb heat but not ignite when encountering the ember. In this mode of the device, the sleeve on encountering a proximate ember, will absorb sufficient heat from the communicating ember, and/or block sufficient oxygen thereto, to cause extinguishment of the smoking article. This mode of the device thus will provide a means to extinguish the smoking article before the flame reaches the filter or the fingers of the user at the proximal end. Further, because the wall forming the body of the sleeve continues to surround the ember, it not only provided means to extinguish the ember, it provides a means to prevent dislodgement of the ember from the cigarette both of which can prevent a fire which a dislodged ember can easily cause. Additionally, as noted above, a biased cap may be provided which is adapted to close upon the ember upon reaching the inside of the sleeve and to extinguish it additionally by deprivation of oxygen.

The device can be formed with one or a plurality of ember-activated adapted to alert the user of ember proximity whether they are awake or asleep and whether they are proximate to the smoking article or a distance away such as across the room.

In one mode, the sleeve may be formed of substantially inflammable transparent or translucent material such as glass or a plastic which is heat resistant. The sleeve may be filled with chemiluminescent liquid which glows and which is reactive to heat and glows or glows brighter in proximity to a heat source. In this mode, the sleeve may be pre-activated to glow before lighting the cigarette and also used for illumination, or in some cases such as in a restaurant smoking area, pre-authorization to smoke when the establishment gives the smoker the sleeve which is activated to glow a color to show authorization from a distance.

Such chemical glowing components for example can use the liquid employed in glow sticks which is a mixture of a fluorophore and peroxide which combine to light through chemiluminescence. Other chemiluminescent mixtures include Phenyl Oxalate, Fluorescent dye solution, and Hydrogen peroxide solution. In most instances of such chemiluminescent fluids, heating the hydrogen peroxide will excite the molecules causing a significant reaction with the other materials in the mixture and cause a significant increase in the brightness of the glowing material.

Alternatively, glowing liquid material within the sleeve component, such as with glow sticks, can be made to change color over time from a first color to a second. This is a result of a first less stable dye reacting with the peroxide being consumed leaving a second longer lasting dye of a different color once the first is consumed. The acceleration of the reaction with peroxide caused by the heat, can be employed to react do dissipate the dye in the first color, and cause a color change to that of a more stable and longer lasting dye of a second color. When activated in advance such as noted above, this color change can indicate such as when smoking in a restaurant or bar, that time is up, and is a viewable signal to the establishment and smoker that it is time to leave.

In this manner by forming the device with a hollow translucent or transparent body, having a passage or aperture sized to slide to position on the outside of the smoking article, and made of heat resistant material filled with a chemiluminescent mix, will allow the user to have a glowing ring to locate the cigarette which will emit light or glow significantly brighter in proximity to the ember, and/or a color change thereby providing a visually discerned alarm to the user locally or across the room, and whether the room is illuminated or dark. Of course this glowing ring or sleeve as noted can be pre-activated to provide illumination and a viewable sleeve to slide on the cigarette to the point in advance where the smoker wishes to stop.

In another particularly preferred mode, the sleeve is formed of substantially non flammable material when contacted by the ember of a cigarette which can be one or a combination of substantially non flammable materials from a group including metal, wood, glass, or ceramic material which has one or a plurality of heat-activated components positioned on an exterior circumference opposite an interior aperture sized to slidably engage with the smoking article. These heat activated components, can report by illuminating, becoming luminescent or combusting to broadcast light and/or sound, preferably in series to provide the user a plurality of sequential alarms.

If the device is to be employed as a translating or frictionally engaged marker component for a smoking cessation regimen, it can have a body formed of paper, plastic, metal, wood, glass or ceramic material, however paper would provide an inexpensive mode which might just be used for a distance marker. The device in this engageable mode using an aperture or other means for retention which may translate upon the smoking article, and could be sold separately. Alternatively, the device formed as engageable marker components can be provided already engaged on, or provided as engageable with, smoking articles such as cigarettes in a pack. In the alternative the device can be provided in packs including a plurality of the devices which have a body which is adapted for operative positionable engagement along the length of a smoking article.

Still further, in an economical mode, the device can be formed of a body adapted to engage in a user-chosen position on the exterior surface of a smoking article using a body covering a portion of that surface and adhered thereto. The body would thus be formed of a patch which can be enabled with any of the warning characteristics herein. A plurality of the adherable patches may be sold separately are provided with the smoking articles. This can include a plurality in a multiple of the total of the smoking articles in the pack so as to allow the user multiple applications.

Finally, all modes of the device can be formed to have one or a combination of alarms to alert the user, from a group of alarms including a visually discernable, auditory discernable, or olfactory discernable means which is sensed by the user for alarming the user of the ember being proximate to the position of the device.

A visually discernable and audibly discernable alarm can be provided for example by adhering mixture having one or both of phosphorous or magnesium to the body of the device in a manner where heat from the ember or direct contact from the ember, will cause a combustion of the mixture. Such will then both illuminate as well as generate a smell and noise to provide doubly discernable alarm to the user of the proximity of the ember to the device. Such would be especially useful to wake a dozing smoker who may be in bed, or a driving smoker who is falling asleep.

Employed with the chemiluminescent mix engaged within a chamber of the body of the device, will upon proximity of the ember or flame to the device, produce a bright or colorful glowing of the warning sleeve formed by the body according to this invention. Such a glowing of the sleeve may be of a color and brightness which is easily distinguishable from the ember. Should the body formed as a sleeve include the noted materials for sparkling or sizzling, from chemicals such as phosphorous or magnesium being activated by the ember, both a visually discernable and audibly discernable set of alarms are provided.

It should be noted that the device herein in its various modes noted and configurations adapted for translatable and/or positionable contact with smoking articles, can be used advantageously on any smoking article whether filtered or unfiltered. Other advantages and attributes of the disclosed invention will be readily discernible to those skilled in the art upon a reading of the specification hereinafter.

OBJECTS OF THE INVENTION

A particularly preferred object of this invention is the provision of a device having a body which is non-toxic which will prevent fires due to the embers of smoking articles.

An additional object of the disclosed device is the provision of one or a combination of user alerts or warnings including a visual, and/or audible, and/or olfactory warning to the user which may be communicated in a darkened room.

An object of this invention is to provide a device that visually and/or audibly alerts a smoking article smoker when the article's tobacco ember is at a pre-selected point along the tobacco cylinder of the article.

Another object of this invention is the provision of a device which will alert the user to the ember proximity to the proximal end using an olfactory alert means.

An object of this invention is to provide a device that visually and/or audibly and or by olfactory means, alerts a smoking article smoker when the cigarette ember is in unsafe proximity to the article's filter, before the ember reaches the filter.

A further object of this invention is to provide a sleeve on a smoking article's tobacco cylinder that visually and/or audibly and/or by olfactory means, reacts to the article's tobacco ember, and in response alerts the smoker of said article that the ember is in unsafe proximity to the article's filter.

Yet another object of this invention is to provide a warning device embodied as a preceding sleeve extending from a filter of a smoking article, the sleeve alerting a smoker of the article when the article's tobacco ember is at or in close proximity to the filter.

Yet another object of the present invention is the provision of a warning device for a smoking article which has a body positionable to provide a user means for adjustment of the amount of the smoking article which is allowed to burn.

A still further object of the invention is the provision of such a warning device which also provides means to extinguish the ember or flame on the smoking article.

These objects, and other objects expressed or implied in this document, are accomplished by a device herein operatively disposed in the tobacco burning path of the ember of a smoking article wherein the device produces an a sensory-discernable indication in response to encountering the ember thereby alerting the smoker that the ember has reached the device. The device preferably comprises a body formed of non-toxic material when heated which may be disposed at a pre-selected point in the tobacco burning path of the smoking article by the user. Included as part of or positioned on the body of the device is material producing an indication or alarm in response to a proximity of the ember for thereby alerting the smoker that the ember is at the pre-selected point. The material forming the body of the device, is preferably in the form of a sleeve having an aperture or passage adapted for slidably positionable engagement with the circumference of a smoking article.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is a side view of a typical filtered smoking article.

FIG. 2 is a side view of a filtered smoking article incorporating the device formed in a body functioning as a warning sleeve according to this invention.

FIG. 3 is a side view of a freshly lit filtered smoking article incorporating a body formed as a warning sleeve according to this invention.

FIG. 4 is a side view of a filtered smoking article incorporating a warning sleeve according to this invention, depicting the ember approaching the filter.

FIG. 5 is a side view of a filtered smoking article incorporating a warning sleeve according to this invention, from which the ember has broken off after reaching the warning sleeve.

FIG. 6 is a side view of a filtered smoking article incorporating another mode of a warning sleeve according to this invention.

FIG. 7 is a side view of a filtered smoking article incorporating an additional mode of a warning sleeve according to this invention.

FIG. 8 is a side view of an unfiltered smoking article having thereon a slidable sleeve according to this invention.

FIG. 9 is a side view of a smoking article incorporating an additional mode of this invention.

FIG. 10 is a side view of a smoking article incorporating a further mode this invention.

FIG. 11 depicts a mode of the device herein having one or a plurality of biased members acting to extinguish the smoking article such as a cigarette.

FIG. 12 depicts the device of FIG. 11 initiating closure once the ember on the smoking article passes a position wherein supports for the biased members are removed.

FIG. 13 depicts a mode of the slidably positionable device formed of metal, wood, glass, ceramic, plastic or even treated paper, adapted to as a heat sink to absorb sufficient heat from the ember to extinguish it.

FIG. 14 depicts the mode of the device employable for smoking cessation or to determine a maximum smoking distance along the cigarette.

FIG. 15 depicts a mode of the device wherein one or a plurality of ember proximity activated visually and/or audibly and/or olfactory means for alarming the user, are positioned on the body to provide warnings sequentially.

FIG. 16 depicts a mode of the device having a body with a translucent or transparent sidewall housing a chemiluminescent liquid in an interior cavity which brightens or changes color form ember heat and can also be pre-activated by breaking an enclosed catalyst which starts the glowing reaction.

FIG. 17 depicts a mode of the device with the body having a coating on the exterior which will provide a visual and or other alarm to the user upon proximity of the heat of the ember.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

Referring now to FIGS. 1-17, as can be seen in FIG. 1, a typical filtered smoking article includes a cylinder of tobacco 2 which is wrapped in combustible paper. The tobacco cylinder is followed immediately by a filter 4.

FIG. 2 illustrates a smoking article, such as in FIG. 1 where at an end proximal to the user's hand and mouth, there is included the device herein having a body formed to a warning sleeve 6 according to this invention. The sleeve 6 is substantially disposed around the part or all of the circumference of the tobacco cylinder 2 immediately preceding the filter 4. This positioning point for the sleeve 6, may be pre-selected by a user or smoker, by translating the sleeve 6 between the proximal end and the opposing distal end, to a position, for the purpose of alerting the smoker when the ember has reached the sleeve 6, or has reached the tobacco-filter interface as depicted.

The device is shown in the as-used position of FIGS. 3 and 4 which illustrates the smoking article of FIG. 2 having been lit and burning with an ember 8 which generates an ash 10. In operation, with the body of the device formed to a sleeve 6, in the as-used position, when the ember 8 reaches the sleeve 6, the sleeve 6 is configured to provide a visual means for warning, for example by changing color due to the heat, and/or also an auditory alarm, and/or an olfactory alarm as it sparkles or sizzles due to burning of positioned material adapted to do so. One or any combination of these user-discernable alarms or warnings may be employed an all modes of the device herein.

According to this invention, in any of the modes of the sleeve device disclosed, the body forming the warning sleeve 6 is formed from non-toxic material and may be impregnated with or coated with or otherwise have operatively-engaged a non-toxic material 11, which will distinctively change color when heated significantly above ambient temperatures. An example of such material are polymers recently developed by chemists B. Lucht, R. Euler, and O. Gregory at the University of Rhode Island that change color when heated. One such polymer changes from red to yellow at 180″ Fahrenheit—the temperature at which a person would suffer a burn or the ember could unite a fire. These polymers can be added to a variety of products, even to paints and ink. Also preferably, the material forming the body configured to the sleeve 6 according to this invention is noncombustible relative to the other components of a conventional smoking article.

Alternately or in combination, a visual means for warning may be provided where the sleeve 6 can be made from or impregnated, or coated, or otherwise engaged with non-toxic material which sparkles or sizzles when it is in contact with or proximate to the heat of an ember 8. An example of such material are the chemical mixtures used to make conventional sparklers, which typically consists of an oxidizer such as a nitrates, perchlorates or chlorates; a metal powder for example iron or aluminum; a reducing agent for example charcoal; and a combustible binder for example dextrin. Also, alternatively, the sleeve 6 may be incorporated into the leading end of the filter 4 opposite the end which is placed in the mouth.

Alternately, the body forming the sleeve 6 or an ember-reactive material, can comprise such non-toxic color-changing, sparkling and/or sizzling compounds or mixtures integral with a wrapper of a smoking article. For example, they can be painted on or impregnated into a small band around the tobacco cylinder or on spots on the cylinder's paper wrapper spaced around the tobacco cylinder so as to be visible no matter which way the cylinder is rotated.

Referring to FIG. 6, alternately a smoking article can be manufactured with a body formed to an internal warning sleeve 12. As illustrated, the warning sleeve 12 is positioned around the tobacco cylinder but sandwiched between the tobacco and the paper wrapper 16.

Referring to FIG. 7, alternately a smoking article can be manufactured with a warning sleeve 15 being a hollow extension of the leading end of the filter, in which case the color-changing, sparkling and/or sizzling compounds or mixtures are preferably painted on or impregnated into the filter extension. As illustrated, the filter 14 includes the integral hollow sleeve 14 immediately following the tobacco paper wrapper 16.

Referring to FIG. 8, the disclosed device may employ a body formed to a slidable warning sleeve 20 in another preferred mode of the device according to this invention and is shown to be disposed around the tobacco cylinder 18 of a smoking article such as a cigarette. The warning sleeve 20 can be selectively translated up and down the length of the cylinder by the user, as indicated by the arrows. The translatable warning sleeve 20 is preferably held in any user-selected position by frictional engagement or all or a portion of an interior wall forming a passage, with the paper wrapper 16.

The body formed to a translatable sleeve 20 allows the user to slide the warning sleeve 20 to a position wherein the ember contacting it will act on material 11 upon or within the body configured to a warning sleeve 20 to initiate the visual, and/or olfactory and/or audible warning and/or extinguish the ember 8 if the warning sleeve 20 if formed of ceramic, or metal, or plastic, or paper, or glass, or wood, combinations thereof or other materials adapted to absorb sufficient heat from the ember 8, to cease combustion of the smoking article.

Projecting fins as a heat sink might be added to the warning sleeve 20 to allow it dissipate heat to the surrounding air. Further, the warning sleeve 20 as noted, may be operatively engaged with the material 11 which provides an olfactory warning to the user that the ember 8 is in contact or proximate to the warning sleeve 20. There are many types of olfactory agents which may be included in the material 11 and ignite to alert a user upon a proximity to the ember 8. The odor may be pungent such as that of a skunk, or may be pleasant such as pachouli oil. Of course those skilled in the art will realize that the material 11 on the warning sleeve 20 may be applied to yield virtually any odor and all odorous agents which may be included in material 11 on the warning sleeve 20 or other modes of the sleeve 6 as would occur to those skilled in the art are anticipated within the scope of this patent. Of course material yielding the audible and visual alarms may also be engaged to the sleeve 20.

Referring to FIG. 9, it depicts a mode of the sleeve 6 device having a body configured as a warning patch 24 according to this invention instead of a sleeve 6 as illustrated in the various modes of the sleeve 6 in other drawings. The patch 24 may be impregnated in or deposited on the paper wrapper or skin of the tobacco cylinder 22 proximate a filter 4 of a smoking article. The patch 24 may also have a sticky backing (not shown) so that a smoker can selectively adhere it anywhere along the smoking article. The body formed in this fashion may have any one, combination, or all of the noted visual, audible, or olfactory warnings which are ember-activated as can all other modes of the device herein.

In FIG. 9 the body formed in a patch configuration is in a positioned to warn a smoker if the ember is very near the filter 4. The patch 24 can be impregnated with material 11 to provide an olfactory warning, or visual warning, or an audible warning, which as noted provides the user an alert even in a darkened room or outside in the evening such as when camping.

Referring to FIG. 10, a body configured as a warning patch 28 according to this invention is illustrated to be disposed midway along the tobacco cylinder 26 of a smoking article. This disposition provides a warning to a smoker when the smoking article is halfway consumed.

This warning patch may be impregnated in or deposited on the paper wrapper, or may be stick-on patch. The material 11 included in or upon the body defining the patch 28 may provide the visual and or olfactory or audible warning to the user. A halfway warning can be advantageous when a smoker who is trying to quit wants to smoke only half a cigarette at a time, or when a person of limited financial resources is trying to conserve his or her smokes.

In FIG. 11 there is shown, a mode of the device 10 herein having a body including one or a plurality of biased members 32 engaged to the sleeve 20. The members are biased toward the center axis of the sleeve 20 using means for biasing means such as a hinge-engaged spring 34, or other means to bias the members 32 toward the center axis of the sleeve 20 which also coaxial through the axis of the smoking article.

The members 20 so biased will contact the exterior of the smoking article which holds them open, only until the ember becomes proximate to the sleeve 20 which removes this contact resisting the closure bias. When the ember is sufficiently close to the side of the sleeve 20 where support for the members 32 is reduced or removed, the members 32 act to close and provide a means to extinguish the smoking article such as a cigarette by contacting the ember and subsequently covering the aperture communicating with the axial cavity of the sleeve 32 and depriving the ember of oxygen and/or absorbing sufficient heat to extinguish the ember as in other modes of extinguishment herein.

An interior wall 36 surface shown in the sectional view of FIG. 12, forms an axial cavity 37 or passage adapted to frictionally engage upon a portion of the circumference of the smoking article, yet allow a translation thereover of the sleeve 20 for a pre-positioning to any position along the burning path between the distal end having the ember 8 and ash 10, and the proximal end having the filter 4.

The body defining a sleeve 20 in this fashion, or in other modes of the basic sleeve 6, may be formed of metal, wood, glass, plastic, ceramic, or fire retardant coated or infused paper, which will allow for reuse on a plurality of smoking articles.

Additionally, all modes of the device and method herein, the body forming a sleeve 20 herein my be formed of metal or glass, or ceramic material or thermally stable and fire-resistant plastic or wood or polymers such as thermally stable Nanocomposites, or of treated paper, which have excellent fire-retardancy to the ember by inclusion of one or a combination of a group of additives including nanodispersed montmorillonite clay, TiO2 nanoparticles, silica nanoparticles, layered double hydroxides, carbon nanotubes and polyhedral silsesquioxanes in the polymer matrix. By thermally stable is meant that the material during an encounter with the burning ember, will not ignite and will cause the ember to extinguish from lack of oxygen or due to heat absorption or both.

So-configured the body defining a sleeve 20 in any mode of the device herein, also provides a means to passively extinguish the ember 8. This is because the sleeve 32 acts as a heat sink and oxygen blocker which combines to suffocate the flame and leach sufficient heat to cause an extinguishment of the ember 8. As noted above the material 11, may be coated to, or form, or otherwise be positioned on the sleeve 20 in any of the aforementioned manners.

FIG. 12 depicts the device of FIG. 11 wherein the body of the device defining the sleeve 20 is in an as-used position and the biased members 32 are biased closed or toward the center axis of the sleeve 20 interior cavity depicted in FIG. 11 due to the ember burning past the distal ends of the members 32 toward the sleeve 20. If full burning of the ember into the cavity 37 is desirable, a shoulder 38 may be positioned on the members 32 to communicate a spacing-support from the surface of the smoking article and thereby maintain them out of contact with the exterior of the smoking article.

The shoulders 38 act to hold the members 32 substantially parallel to the sidewall and axis of the smoking article but out of a contact with it. This positioning allows the ember 8 to burn toward the aperture defined by the leading edge 39 of the sleeve 20. Once the ember 8 burns to a position adjacent to the leading edge 39, it burns the paper and underlying tobacco which both provide support for the shoulder 38 to resist the bias inward. Removal of this communicated support when the ember passes, allows the biased member or members 32 to close over the aperture in front edge of the sleeve 20 and extinguish the ember by absorbing heat and/or preventing oxygen from reaching the ember 8.

FIG. 13 depicts a mode of the device herein having the body of the sleeve 20 formed of metal, glass, or burn-resistant plastic or wood, or paper or ceramic material, glass, or other substantially non combustible material when encountering an ember, such as the noted thermally stable polymers, or other material which absorb heat as would occur to those skilled in the art. As noted, any of the modes of the device with a sleeve 6 herein may employ such material which is preferred since it acts as a heat sink to absorb sufficient heat from the ember 8 to extinguish it, or remains upon the smoker article and starves sufficient oxygen from the ember 8 burning past the leading edge 39 thereby having the same effect. The sleeve 20 so formed is rendered translatable to a user-chosen position as it has an interior wall sized to provide a frictional engagement upon the surface of the circumference of the smoking article such as a cigarette.

FIG. 14 depicts the mode of the device 10 as shown in FIG. 13, employable for smoking cessation programs, or allowing the user to translate the sleeve 20 to any point between the distal and proximal ends of for instance a cigarette, to thereby enable the user to determine a maximum smoking distance along the cigarette. As noted, the user would take the sleeve 20 and engage it upon a cigarette, and then translate it to a position thereon which the user decides is appropriate to either reduce the intake of heavier laden smoke and/or make it one position in a sequence of positions over a duration of time. Alternatively, the package could be provided with a gauge or chart for the user to mark their progress.

FIG. 15 depicts a mode of the device 10 wherein the body is formed as a sleeve 20, and a plurality of heat activated visually and/or audibly and/or olfactory means for alarming the user, are positioned on the circumference of the sleeve 20 to provide warnings sequentially. Shown as rings 41, 43, and 45, the material is reactive to heat from the proximity of the ember and they are positioned to sequentially alarm. Communication apertures 47 may be provided with material therein to ignite the rest of the ring upon proximity or contact with the ember. The material on each ring would sequentially burn or otherwise alarm giving the user multiple warnings. 2

FIG. 16 depicts a mode of the device 10 having a translucent sidewall forming the forming the body defining the sleeve 20, and having a chemiluminescent liquid 50 positioned in an interior cavity of the sleeve 20 which brightens with heat once activated by breaking an activator 51 to mix holding a catalyst causing a mixing thereof with the two liquid 50. The sidewall of the body forming the sleeve 20 would be sufficiently pliable to allow breakage of the activator 51, and sufficiently translucent to allow the generated colored light, to emit. The activator 51 can be broken while the sleeve 20 is engaged on the cigarette or smoking article by pinching the sleeve 20 and cracking the activator 51 wall in a conventional fashion like a glow stick. The illumination from the sleeve 20 can also be activated by breaking the activator 51 wall before engaging the sleeve 20 on the cigarette and provide illumination therefrom which can be used to keep visual track of the cigarette such as in a dark room or vehicle, and to illuminate the area around where the cigarette with the engaged sleeve 20 is placed.

As noted above, the pre-activation can also be used for providing a visual signal such as in a smoking area of a bar or restaurant that the smoker is authorized by the establishment to smoke. The sleeve 20 can be activated first, and then given to the smoker as a timer of sorts in addition to showing the smoker having a cigarette with a glowing sleeve 20 has been authorized to smoke in the area, and for the duration it glows. Smokers without a glowing sleeve 20 would be identified as unauthorized, and smokers with a sleeve 20 which stops glowing would know their time is up.

Further, when the sleeve 20 is activated in advance, it can also be used to illuminate the surroundings of the cigarette, and to keep track of it, and to pre-position along the path of the ember in advance using the light from the sleeve 20 to illuminate the cigarette to determine proper placement.

Because of the heat from the ember, the colored light emitted from the sleeve 20 will become much brighter when the heat of the ember is proximate providing a visually discernable warning. This occurs because the hydrogen peroxide which is included in most such glowing liquids becomes more chemically active when heated causing the increase in light output.

Additionally, as noted earlier, using a long lasting and short lasting dye in the glowing liquid, the emitted colored light, can be made to change color by dissipating the short lasting dye such as green, when the heat enhances the peroxide reaction with it in a short amount of time, say 3-5 seconds, leaving a second dye and second emitted color such as red.

FIG. 17 depicts a mode of the device having a body formed to a sleeve 20 and having a material 47 as noted above, which is positioned on the exterior surface which will provide one or a combination of alarms to the user from a group including a visual alarm, an audible alarm and an olfactory alarm, upon proximity of the heat of the ember to the sleeve 20 initiating the reaction.

It should be noted that the figures and the descriptions referencing the figures focuses primarily on a filtered smoking article and the provision of one or a combination of a visual, auditory, or olfactory alarm, but, as previously explained, this invention is equally applicable to any smoking article whether filtered or unfiltered and the alarms can be employed in singular mode or in combinations.

The foregoing description and drawings were given for illustrative purposes only, it being understood that the invention is not limited to the embodiments disclosed, but is intended to embrace any and all alternatives, equivalents, modifications and rearrangements of elements falling within the scope of the invention as defined by the following claims. For example, the above specification addresses warning material only in the form of a sleeve, but this invention and the appended claims also encompass warning material in other forms. For another example, the warning material can be in the form of one or more individual spots of material strategically placed in the tobacco burning path of a smoking article's ember at a pre-selected point, such as ember-reactive material integral with a wrapper of a smoking article—the material is painted-on or impregnated in the wrapper.

Further, while all of the fundamental characteristics and features of the safety device for smoking articles been shown and described herein, with reference to particular embodiments thereof, a latitude of modification, various changes and substitutions are intended in the foregoing disclosure and it will be apparent that in some instances, some features of the invention may be employed without a corresponding use of other features without departing from the scope of the invention as set forth. It should also be understood that various substitutions, modifications, and variations may be made by those skilled in the art without departing from the spirit or scope of the invention. Consequently, all such modifications and variations and substitutions are included within the scope of the invention as defined by the following claims.

Claims

1. An apparatus providing an alert to a smoker of a smoking article when an ember burning on a path from a distal end toward a proximal end of said smoking article reaches a user preselected point upon the path, comprising:

a sleeve having an interior wall defining a passage communicating between a leading edge and second edge;

said interior wall dimensioning said passage to a frictional engagement upon an exterior circumference of said smoking article;

said frictional engagement providing means for translation to a frictionally stable position of said sleeve at a user-selected interception point along said path between said distal end and said proximal end;

material operatively positioned with said sleeve, said material producing a human-detectable alert in response to a proximity of the ember to said sleeve, said human-discernable alert providing means for alerting the smoker that the ember has reached the intercepting point, whether said user is positioned in lighted or darkened surroundings.

2. The device according to claim 1 wherein said sleeve is formed of non-toxic and noncombustible material whereby said sleeve is employable on multiple smoking articles configured for said frictional engagement.

3. The device according to claim 1 wherein said material produces one or a combination of said alerts, from a group of alerts, including an audible noise, a visually perceivable change in appearance, and a smell.

4. The device according to claim 2 wherein said material produces one or a combination of said alerts from a group of alerts including an audible noise, a visually perceivable change in appearance, and a smell.

5. The device according to claim 3 wherein said visually perceivable change is provided by said material which sparkles in reaction to a proximity to said ember.

6. The device according to claim 4 wherein said visually perceivable change is provided by said material which sparkles in reaction to a proximity to said ember.

7. The device according to claim 3 wherein said audible noise is provided by said material which audibly sizzles in reaction to heat communicated from said ember.

8. The device according to claim 4 wherein said audible noise is provided by said material which audibly sizzles in reaction to heat communicated from said ember.

9. An apparatus providing an alert to a smoker of a cigarette having a filter at a proximal end, when a cigarette ember of burning tobacco is in proximity to said filter, comprising:

material disposed along a burning path of an ember of said tobacco adjacent said filter;

said burning path of said ember being toward said filter from a starting point at a distal end of said cigarette opposite said filter;

said material producing an indication in a response to a communication with said ember; and

said indication providing means for alerting the smoker that the ember is in a proximity to said ember.

10. The device according to claim 9 wherein the material exhibits a visually discernible change in reaction induced by said communication with said ember.

11. The device of claim 10 additionally comprising:

said material disposed within a cavity of a translucent sleeve slidably engaged around a circumference of said cigarette;

said material being a liquid activated to emit light from said cavity; and

said visually discernable change being one or a combination of said visually discernable changes from a group including, an increase in a brightness of said light and a change in color of said light, whereby said user is provided visual warning of a proximity of said ember to the position of said sleeve.

12. The device according to claim 10 wherein said material is a chemiluminescent liquid, said chemiluminescent liquid emitting light, which increases in brightness in a reaction to heat communicated thereto from said proximity of said ember.

13. The device according to claim 10 wherein said material is a chemiluminescent liquid which changes color in a reaction to heat communicated from said ember when in proximity of said ember thereto.

14. The device according to claim 12 wherein said chemiluminescent liquid also changes color in a reaction to heat communicated from said proximity of said ember.

15. The device according to claim 10 wherein the material sparkles in a reaction to said communication with said ember.

16. The device according to claim 12 wherein said material additionally audibly sizzles in a reaction to said communication with heat communicated from said ember.

17. An apparatus providing an alert to a smoker of a smoking article having a path of a burning ember progressing from a distal end, toward a proximal end of said smoking article held by said smoker, comprising:

a sleeve disposed about the article at a pre-selected point along said path;

said smoking article extending through an axial passage communicating from a first aperture to a second aperture;

a closure rotationally engaged at said first aperture;

said closure having a first position said first position substantially parallel to an axis running through both said smoking article and said axial passage;

said closure having a second position, substantially covering said first aperture;

means to bias said closure toward said second position;

a communication between said exterior surface of said smoking article and said closure providing a support, said support forming a means to maintain said closure in said first position;

a positioning of said ember in or adjacent to said first aperture combusting said exterior surface resulting in a removal of said support; and

said removal of said support causing a rotation of said closure to said second position whereby an extinguishment of said ember results.

18. The device according to claim 17 additionally comprising:

said sleeve having a sliding engagement with said smoking article; and

said sliding engagement providing means for said user to adjust a position of said pre-selected point along said path.

19. The device according to claim 17 additionally comprising:

said sleeve having a material in combination therewith, said material producing an indication discernable by a smoker of said smoking article, that said ember is proximate to said pre-selected point.

20. The device according to claim 19 additionally comprising:

said indication discernable by said smoker, includes one or a combination of indications from a group including, a visible color change of said material, a sparkling of said material, and an audible sizzle of said material.

21. The device according to claim 4 additionally comprising:

said sleeve formed of one or a combination of materials including ceramic, glass, plastic, thermally stable paper, thermally stable wood, and metal;

said sleeve defining a heat sink for communicated heat radiating from said ember; and

said heat sink causing a lowering of a temperature of said ember below a combustion point of said tobacco thereby providing means for extinguishment of said ember.

22. The device of claim 9 wherein said material is positioned on or in a patch which is adherable to said smoking article.

23. The device of claim 20 wherein said material is a chemiluminescent liquid emitting light which also changes color of said light in a reaction to heat communicated from said ember when in proximity thereto.

24. The device of claim 23 wherein said material may be pre-activated to cause said chemiluminescent liquid to emit said light, prior to engagement with smoking article.