HOOKAH APPENDAGE, KIT, AND SYSTEM

Abstract

The present invention includes an appendage for controlling the pressure of a hookah while supporting a hookah hose. The appendage includes a connector, housing, and impediment. The housing bears the impediment and holds a hookah hose. Various kits and systems may utilize the appendage.

Description

FIELD OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to the field tobacco smoking devices and more specifically to the field of hookahs.

BACKGROUND

Of the many proud traditions of Ottoman culture, few have achieved the world-wide fame of hookah smoking. Once confined to the Middle East and Near East regions, the hookah's notoriety was invigorated by Napoleon's invasion of Egypt and the stream of curious Westerners which followed thereafter. Painters, such as Eugene Delacroix and Jean-Leon Gerome, when depicting Oriental styles typically included a hookah as a symbol of the depicted culture. The hookah was elevated from a regional curiosity to a universal symbol of sophistication.

The hookah, which has maintained a constant popularity in the Middle East, presently enjoys in American culture a unique, niched function. Hookah smoking combines community and relaxation into a single event. Rarely does one witness a group smokers crowded about a single cigarette, cigar, or pipe. Though hookahs are often designed with a single smoke outlet; the presence of multiple hoses, each capable of simultaneous use, emanating from a single smoking instrument is unique to the hookah. Multiple hose hookahs form the centerpieces of hookah clubs in which hookah smokers gather to unwind and converse with other community members. A hookah combines fashion, art, and function into a single device.

A basic hookah includes a base, a pipe, at least one hose with a mouthpiece, and a bowl. The hookah bowl holds the hookah tobacco, frequently “massell.” Massell is a mixture of tobacco, molasses, and often a flavor or fruit extract. The molasses and fruit extract add a substantial amount of moisture to the massell that is missing in conventional tobacco. This added moisture makes massell more sensitive to the elements relative to conventional tobacco; prolonged exposure to air evaporates much of the moisture of massell and reduces its flavor. When properly protected, massell allows a smoker a more recreational, flavored smoke than the tobacco of cigars, cigarettes, pipes, and the like. An experienced hookah smoker will know to loosely distribute massell into a pile within the hookah bowl to allow heat to evenly circulate through the pile.

The heat that ignites the massell derives from coals positioned above the hookah bowl. The coals and massell preferably never contact one to the other. A common method of placing coals proximate to the massell involves spreading a foil upon the top of a hookah bowl, punching holes in the foil, and then placing the coals onto the foil. The heat from the lighted coals travels through the holes in the foil to ignite portions of the massell. Particulates from the massell travel in the smoke created by the ignition down through the hookah bowl into the hookah pipe.

The hookah pipe is the body of a hookah and is usually fabricated from brass, tin, or stainless steel. The pipe transports the massell smoke from the bowl to the hookah base, which is a cavern containing water. The base of the hookah is typically fabricated of glass or plastic and tends to be the most expressive portion of the hookah, ranging from translucent to wildly-colored. Within the cavern of the hookah base, the massell smoke is cooled by the water within. The cooled massell smoke then returns to the back to the pipe, though not through the same entrance by which the massell smoke enters the base. From the pipe, the massell smoke travels through the hose and out of the mouthpiece.

There are presently two prominent versions of hookah structures: the Lebanese style and the Egyptian style. Although the aficionado will explain that there are many differences between the two styles, the practical layman would quickly note the obvious difference: the connection point between the pipe and the hookah bowl. The Egyptian style hookah pipe tapers upward into what is generally referred to as a male connection. The Egyptian style hookah bowl includes a female connection which receives the pipe's male connection. In the Lebanese style hookah the bowl has the tapered male connection and the pipe has the female connection to accept the Lebanese style hookah bowl. In both styles, to allow a more airtight connection a collar is generally added to fit around the male connection.

Unfortunately, a hookah continues to be a niche instrument outside of its longtime centers of popularity. One of its impediments to popularity is portability; a hookah in use, and even setup but unused, is a gangly, awkward instrument. Mya Saray has spent a significant amount of resources in solving problems related to transport of a hookah generally, transport with coals, but there has not been a solution to the transport of an assembled hookah with one of more hoses. The present invention solves this deficiency.

SUMMARY

The present invention is directed to an appendage for use with a hookah and other hookah components, as well as systems and kits containing the same. The appendage both relieves pressure within the hookah and is capable of retaining a hookah hose in non-use. The appendage includes a connector for releasable affixation to a hookah stem and includes an ingress aperture. The appendage includes a housing that includes two portions, a central housing and a peripheral housing. The central housing includes an interior cavity in fluid communication with the ingress aperture, and the central housing further defines a pressure aperture in fluid communication with the interior cavity. There is an impediment for controlling pressure within the central housing. A peripheral housing defines a peripheral cavity co-linear or askew with the interior cavity and sealed from direct fluid communication with both the ingress aperture and the interior cavity. The appendage may also include an elastic sleeve, positioned within the peripheral cavity, adapted to compress in response to lateral force to a greater degree than the rigid peripheral housing.

Kits and systems of the present invention may include an appendage as well as another hookah component, such as a hose adapter, hookah hose, hookah, etc. Premier hookahs may include appendages that are substantially similar to other hookah components, particularly hose adapters.

These aspects of the invention are not meant to be exclusive. Furthermore, some features may apply to certain versions of the invention, but not others. Other features, aspects, and advantages of the present invention will be readily apparent to those of ordinary skill in the art when read in conjunction with the following description, and accompanying drawings.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is a plan view of an embodiment of the appendage of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a revealed plan view of an embodiment of the appendage of the present invention.

FIG. 3 is a perspective, revealed view of an embodiment of the appendage of the present invention.

FIG. 4 is a perspective, exploded view of an embodiment of the appendage of the present invention.

FIG. 5 is a perspective, revealed, exploded view of an embodiment of the appendage of the present invention.

FIG. 6 is a perspective view of an embodiment of the appendage of the present invention.

FIG. 7 is a revealed plan view of an embodiment of the appendage of the present invention.

FIG. 8 is a perspective, exploded view of an embodiment of the appendage of the present invention.

FIG. 9 is a plan, exploded view of an embodiment of the appendage of the present invention.

FIG. 10 is a plan, revealed view of an embodiment of the appendage of the present invention.

FIG. 11 is a view of the kit of the present invention.

FIG. 12 is a plan view of the hose adapter of the present invention.

FIG. 13 is a revealed, plan view of the hose adapter of the present invention.

FIG. 14 is a revealed, perspective view of the hose adapter of the present invention.

FIG. 15 is a perspective, exploded view of an embodiment of the hose adapter of the present invention.

FIG. 16 is a perspective, exploded, revealed view of an embodiment of the hose adapter of the present invention.

FIG. 17 is a block diagram view of the kit of the present invention.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

Referring first to FIG. 1-5, a basic embodiment of the hookah port appendage 100 is shown. A hookah port is a term commonly used to describe the aperture in a hookah stem to which a hookah wet smoke component may attach. By wet smoke component, it is meant a component that affixes to a hookah that interacts with wetted smoke, including hookah hoses, hookah valves, hookah impediments, filters, etc. The present invention includes a connector 110 to affix the appendage to a hookah. The connector includes some form of affixation means 112 that attaches the appendage 100 to the hookah, whether such attachment is to a dedicated port (in other words, a port that is dimensioned to accept a single type of component, e.g., a hookah hose only) or a universal port (in other words, a port that is dimensioned to accept one or more component types interchangeably). The specific mode 112 of affixation is not pertinent to the present invention, except to the extent that the affixation reliably holds the appendage 100 to the hookah to permit the appendage to perform one or more of its functions as identified herein. Examples of affixation means may include threading, pressure fit retainers, male/female notching, etc.

The connector 110 may be integrated into the appendage 100 or removable to permit interchangeable attachment with other components. The connector 110 includes an ingress aperture 196 surrounded by a connector wall 118. When the connector is removable, the connector can be removable both as to the hookah as well as the remainder of the appendage. In such cases, the connector may include affixation means 112b for both a hookah as well as affixation means 112a for the housing 102 of the appendage (or other interchangeable component). In such circumstances, the connector can form a universal fit with a hookah hose adapter or other component of the kit or system of the present invention. When the connector is wholly removable from both the hookah and appendage, it is preferred that the connector includes a retainer wall 192 for the accurate positioning of the housing 102.

The housing 102 of the present invention serves two purposes, a repository for fluid flow control components and a portion for hookah hose storage. The fluid flow control occurs in the central housing 102b, while the hose storage occurs in the peripheral housing 102a. The central housing defines an interior cavity 198 in direct fluid communication with the ingress aperture 196. The ingress aperture 196 allows wetted smoke from a hookah while the interior cavity 198 accepts the wetted smoke from the ingress aperture 196. The interior cavity 198 may include an impediment 170 adapted to selectively obstruct the interior cavity from fluid flow from the ingress aperture. The impediment 170 acts as a seal during a “closed position” achieved when pressure from the hookah pulls the impediment toward the ingress aperture. Additionally, the closed position may be achieved due to a gravity-based impediment system, although such is not necessary for purposes of the present invention. Seals of a hookah may include any of the mechanisms as disclosed in U.S. patent application Ser. No. 15/063,503 titled Hookah filed on Mar. 8, 2016, the disclosure of which is hereby incorporated by reference. The impediment also occupies an “open position” when there is a pressure event in the hookah that urges the impediment away from the ingress aperture and into the cavity aperture.

The interior cavity 198 preferably includes dimensions that increase in the distal direction to permit any impediment to float freely therein when in the open position. The connector sidewall 118 may include a taper 114 of significant length that supports the impediment 170 during the closed position and guides the impediment to the closed position as it transitions from the open position. The impediment taper 114 may be formed upon any feature, e.g., the barrier wall 116, capable of contacting the impediment. During the “open position” the impediment may be forced into the interior cavity 198 to allow a direct fluid path between the pressure aperture(s) 104 and the ingress aperture 196 through the interior cavity 198. The pressure aperture(s) 104 can be any point of exit for fluid to escape to an environment exterior to a hookah. The size, quantity, and location of the pressure aperture(s) 104 can include any characteristics suitable to achieve the purpose of the aperture 104. The preferred aperture network includes multiple holes in the base 102 that lead from the interior cavity 198 to the external environment. The holes are significantly smaller than the impediment, arranged symmetrically and are spaced distal to the impediment in the closed position.

A barrier wall 116 shields the interior cavity 198 from a peripheral cavity 194. The peripheral cavity 194 is an aperture in the base 102 that accepts a portion of a hookah hose for intermediate storage. The peripheral cavity is sealed from the interior cavity by the barrier wall 116 or some other contrivance. The peripheral cavity 194 preferably accommodates an interior sleeve 130 that may make direct contact with a hookah hose portion the preferred embodiment of the appendage 100. The peripheral cavity 194 is preferably tapered 134 to allow a hookah hose portion to be inserted until an interference fit is achieved with the sleeve. To ensure a suitable interference fit that compresses the hookah hose portion to achieve a fit that locks the hookah hose in place during periods of substantial turbulence and user locomotion, the sleeve 130 is preferably constructed of an elastic material. The preferred sleeve material is a deformable rubber. To hold the rubber in place, the present invention may rely on the inherently significant coefficient of static friction inherent in such rubbers, or the sleeve 130 may include a protrusion 134 that fits within a cavity recess 108. It is preferred that the sleeve 130 be entirely removable from the cavity 194 because hookah hoses can house remnants of smoke debris, including contaminated fluids.

In the housing embodiment 100 of FIGS. 1-5, the peripheral housing 102a includes a floor such that a hookah hose cannot pass entirely through the peripheral cavity 194. Turning now to FIGS. 6-10, the present invention may feature a peripheral housing 102a with a peripheral cavity 194 that is not co-linear with the interior cavity 198. By co-linear, it is meant that if the volumes of the spaces contained center-lines, the center-lines of two or more spaces would point in roughly the same direction. The embodiment of FIGS. 6-10 features an askew peripheral cavity 198, in that it is not pointing in roughly the same direction as the interior cavity 194. The preferred askew embodiment includes a peripheral housing 102a that points ninety degrees from the central housing 102b. The orientation may include any that satisfies the purposes of the present invention; however, the more compelling idea is whether the arc is significant enough to form a floor or permit the hose to pass through the peripheral cavity.

The connector 110 of the askew embodiment 100 is similar to the connector 110 of the co-linear embodiment. Indeed, it is a central theme of the present invention 100 that a general connect may permit union between the appendage 100 and a hookah, as well as other more general component of a hookah. The connector 110 includes the hookah affixation means 112b as well as the appendage 100 (or general component) affixation means 112a. The central housing 102b shares the attributes of the housing of the earlier embodiment; however, at the barrier wall 116, the peripheral housing 102a includes a different orientation and structure.

The peripheral housing 102a is ninety-degrees to the central housing 102b, and accordingly, the interior cavity 194 and peripheral cavity 198 are similarly differently oriented. Such an orientation permits a hookah hose to pass not only into, but through the peripheral cavity 194. In such embodiments the sleeve 130 may occupy a different structure commensurate with the peripheral cavity 198. The sleeve 130 may include a structure that mimics the peripheral cavity 198, here a cylinder with two sleeve lips 132 that wrap about the exterior of the peripheral cavity. The lip 132 of the sleeve 130 may be utilized to indicate a stopping point in certain embodiments of the present invention, or otherwise retain the sleeve in a preferred orientation. Here, because the lip 132 may be constructed of the same compressible rubber as the sleeve, the lip 132 may contort (i.e., bend over) to permit the insertion of the sleeve 130 into the peripheral cavity 198.

Turning now to FIGS. 11-17, kits and systems 200 of the present invention may be utilized. By kit 200, it is meant a series of multiple components that operate together to create an interoperable synergy. A system 500 is the kit 200 as assembled. The kit 200 may include two or more appendages 100, one or more appendages 100 and one or more hose adapters 300, one or more appendages 100 and one or more hookah hoses 400, or one or more hookahs 600 and one or more appendages 100. A system 500 may include any of these kits 200 assembled.

A first kit 200 may include a hookah hose 400 and the appendage 100. The hookah hose 400 includes three general components: a mouthpiece 410, a hose connector 430, and flexible hose body 430. The hose connector 430 permits the releasable affixation to a hookah stem, and defines a hose ingress aperture 432. There is a flexible hookah hose body 420, affixed to the connector 430, that defines a wet smoke conduit 422 in fluid communication with said hose ingress aperture 432. There is a longitudinally-rigid hose mouthpiece 410, in fluid communication with the wet smoke conduit 422, defining a wet smoke outlet 412. Although the sleeve 130 of the present invention may include an elastic body, in other embodiments, the hookah hose mouthpiece 410 may include a body that is elastic and deforms in response to the more rigid peripheral cavity of the appendage.

The mouthpiece 410 include a outlet diameter Dt that is significantly smaller than the mouthpiece diameter Dm. A hookah hose of the kit of the present invention preferably may include a mouthpiece diameter Dm that fits within the diameter D1 of the more distal portions of the peripheral cavity, wherein the diameter D2 of the more proximal portions of the peripheral cavity, preferably when tapered. For the hookah hoses interoperating with the askew embodiments of the appendage 100, there may even be a single diameter D1 utilized with the peripheral outlet. In such instances, Dt and Dm may be smaller than D1 such that they hookah hose 400 is allowed to pass through the peripheral outlet entirely and the hose may hang in the peripheral outlet. In such embodiments, no sleeves are necessary. Alternatively, Dt may pass through D1, yet Dm may be larger than D1 at some point such that an interference fit is formed between the peripheral housing and the mouthpiece 410.

In a second kit 200 of the present invention, the appendage 100 of the present invention is paired with a hose adapter 300. The hose adapter 300 includes physical characteristics that mimic the physical characteristics of the appendage 100, particularly the co-linear embodiments of the appendage. A user should upon casual viewing should not be able to differentiate between the appendage 100 and hose adapter 300. Accordingly the outer diameters of the hose adapter 300 and appendage should be closely matched, as well as the lengths thereof. Preferred lengths include a match of +/−twenty percent, and more preferably +/−ten percent. Preferred widths include a match of +/−twenty percent, and more preferably +/−ten percent. It is preferred that the components be manufactured of identical materials, preferably stainless steel.

Interchangeability is an important feature of certain kits 200 of the present invention. The appendage 100 and hose adapter 300 can all utilize the same connector 110. The hose adapter 300 can include a housing 302 defining a central channel 320 running longitudinally therethrough. The housing 302 can include a sleeve 310 that forms an interference fit between the diameter D3 of the channel 320 and the diameter Da of the hose connector 430.

A hookah 600 can include one or more of the components 100, 300, 400 of the present invention to form a new system 500. Examples of hookahs 600 and other components 100, 300, 400 of the present invention can include the following Mya Saray patents, all of which are hereby incorporated by reference: U.S. Pat. Nos. 9,247,772; 9,107,456; 8,826,915; 8,590,541; 8,573,229; 8,001,978; 7,806,123; 7,404,405.

Although the present invention has been described in considerable detail with reference to certain preferred versions thereof, other versions would be readily apparent to those of ordinary skill in the art. Therefore, the spirit and scope of the appended claims should not be limited to the description of the preferred versions contained herein.

Claims

1. A hookah port appendage comprising:

a connector, for the releasable affixation to a hookah stem, defining an ingress aperture;

a central housing, defining an interior cavity in fluid communication with said ingress aperture, and defining a pressure aperture in fluid communication with said interior cavity;

an impediment, adapted to selectively obstruct said interior cavity from fluid flow from said ingress aperture in a closed position and selectively allow fluid flow from said ingress aperture in an open position;

a rigid peripheral housing, defining a peripheral cavity co-linear with said interior cavity and sealed from direct fluid communication with both said ingress aperture and said interior cavity; and

an elastic sleeve, positioned within said peripheral cavity, adapted to compress in response to lateral force to a greater degree than said rigid peripheral housing.

2. The appendage of claim 1 wherein said peripheral cavity tapers toward said interior cavity.

3. The appendage of claim 2 wherein said sleeve tapers to conform to said interior cavity.

4. The appendage of claim 3 wherein said peripheral cavity includes a position recess submerged below an inner surface of said peripheral cavity, and said sleeve includes a position protrusion dimensioned to occupy said recess.

5. The appendage of claim 4 wherein said connector is releasably affixed to said central housing.

6. The appendage of claim 5 wherein said impediment includes a floating spherical stopper.

7. A hookah symmetry kit comprising the appendage of claim 1 further comprising a hose adapter having an adapter housing, defining a central channel running longitudinally therethrough, having a housing adapter girth within +/−10% of a central housing girth of said central housing.

8. The kit of claim 7 wherein said hose adapter includes said connector.

9. The kit of claim 7 wherein said hose adapter includes an adapter length within +/−10% of an appendage length of said appendage.

10. A hookah port appendage comprising:

a connector, for the releasable affixation to a hookah stem, defining an ingress aperture;

a central housing, defining an interior cavity in fluid communication with said ingress aperture, and defining a pressure aperture in fluid communication with said interior cavity;

an impediment, adapted to selectively obstruct said interior cavity from fluid flow from said ingress aperture in a sealed position and selectively; and

a rigid peripheral housing, defining a peripheral cavity positioned askew to said interior cavity and sealed from direct fluid communication with both said ingress aperture and said interior cavity.

11. The appendage of claim 10 wherein said peripheral cavity permits passage beyond said peripheral housing.

12. The appendage of claim 10 wherein said peripheral cavity is positioned at least 30 degrees divergent from said interior cavity.

13. The appendage of claim 10 further comprising an elastic sleeve, positioned within said peripheral cavity, adapted to compress in response to lateral force to a greater degree than said rigid peripheral housing.

14. The appendage of claim 13 wherein said peripheral cavity tapers.

15. The appendage of claim 14 wherein said sleeve tapers to conform to said interior cavity.

16. A hookah system kit comprising:

a hookah hose comprising: a hose connector, for the releasable affixation to a hookah stem, defining a hose ingress aperture a flexible hookah hose body, affixed to said connector, defining a wet smoke conduit in fluid communication with said hose ingress aperture; a longitudinally-rigid hose mouthpiece, in fluid communication with said wet smoke conduit, defining a wet smoke outlet;

and

a hookah appendage comprising: an appendage connector, for the releasable affixation to a hookah stem, defining an appendage ingress aperture; a central housing, defining an interior cavity in fluid communication with said appendage ingress aperture, and defining a pressure aperture in fluid communication with said interior cavity; an impediment, adapted to selectively obstruct said interior cavity from fluid flow from said appendage ingress aperture in a sealed position and selectively; and a peripheral housing, defining a peripheral cavity sealed from direct fluid communication with both said ingress aperture and said interior cavity, having a peripheral housing interior dimensioned to accept said hookah hose mouthpiece,

wherein at least one of said mouthpiece and said peripheral housing interior is laterally elastically deformable to maintain a stable affixation relationship between said peripheral housing and said mouthpiece.

17. The kit of claim 16 wherein said peripheral cavity includes a cavity inner diameter: (i) greater than a first mouthpiece outer diameter of said mouthpiece, and (ii) smaller than a maximum mouthpiece outer diameter distally positioned relative to said first mouthpiece diameter.

18. The kit of claim 16 wherein said peripheral housing includes a unitary sidewall.

19. The kit of claim 16 wherein said peripheral cavity includes a depth less than a mouthpiece length of said mouthpiece.

20. The kit of claim 16 further comprising an elastic sleeve, positioned within said peripheral housing, adapted to maintain a stable affixation relationship between said peripheral housing and said mouthpiece.