ASH BOX

Abstract

An ash box for safely collecting smoking ash having a top and bottom surface that are substantially parallel. The top surface of the ash box has an aperture which is covered by a grating to permit smoking waste to enter the ash box, but also preventing children and pets from accessing the smoking waste. The ash box has an openable drawer collects the smoking waste that enters via the aperture, and the collected smoking waste can be removed by opening the drawer.

Description

FIELD OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to a smoking-waste receptacle and, more particularly, to a smoking-waste receptacle adapted for a residence.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

Smoking-waste receptacles are often provided in residential and public spaces so that smokers can dispose of smoking waste, e.g., cigarette ash, cigar ash, lit cigarettes or cigars, and cigarette or cigar butts. However, conventional smoking-waste receptacles have numerous shortcomings.

For instance, the smoking-waste receptacles commonly found in public spaces are generally too large for residential use.

The typical smoking-waste receptacles found in homes are generally a variation of a plate, i.e., the conventional ashtray. Such ashtrays are prone to being accidentally tipped or flipped over, dispersing the smoking-waste where it is not desired. Additionally, such conventional ashtrays permit one to inadvertently put one hand or fingers into the ashes. If the residence has a pet such as a dog or cat, the animal might eat or play with the ashes. Additionally, young children may also disperse smoking-waste from a conventional ashtray.

Furthermore, conventional ashtrays may not add to the decor of the smoker's residence.

BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

In one embodiment of the present invention, a receptacle for a smoker's ashes is formed from a hollow prism. The hollow prism can have any shape, such as a rectangular prism, a square prism, a circular prism, an elliptical prism, a pentagonal prism, a hexagonal prism, and an octagonal prism.

The hollow prism has a top surface joined to a first edge of a side wall, and a second edge of said side wall is joined to a bottom surface. The top and bottom surfaces are substantially parallel. Additionally, to prevent the hollow prism from being inadvertently tipped over, the shortest distance separating a point on said top surface from a point on said bottom surfaces (i.e., the height of the side wall) is less than the greatest distance separating a first point on said side wall from a second point on said side wall (e.g., the longest diagonal of the top surface).

In preferred embodiments, the hollow prism is made of a material that is fire retardant under the conditions found in a fire that is burning paper and tobacco. For instance, preferred materials for the manufacturer of the hollow prism include metals, such as iron, copper, aluminium, stainless steel; and thermoplastics having a fire retardant component such as antimony trioxide dispersed throughout.

The top surface of said prism having an aperture connecting the exterior of said hollow prism to its interior. The aperture can have any shape and has an area of between about 0.5 square inches and about 16 square inches. Joined to the top surface (either above or below the top surface), and positioned adjacent to the aperture, is a grating or mesh.

The grating or mesh has a plurality of openings. These openings may be uniformly sized, or they may multiple different sizes. The openings in said grating or mesh are sized from about 0.01 [⅛×⅛ inch] square inches to about 0.15 [⅜×⅜ inch] square inches.

The grating or mesh is joined to said top surface of said prism in a manner effective to limit access to the interior of said prism via the top surface aperture to objects having a cross-sectional area of less than about 0.15 square inches. This sizing is to prevent fingers or other parts of small children and pets from acing the smoking waste in the ash box.

The side wall includes a drawer that can slide in, and out, of the interior of said hollow prism. This drawer is configured so that when it is closed, it is positioned below said aperture in said top surface to collect anything that passes through said aperture. When the drawer is closed, the exterior surface of said drawer is preferably substantially flush with the exterior of said side wall. The drawer opens substantially perpendicular to a side wall to permit access to, and removal of, the smoking waste that has accumulated in said drawer.

In a further preferred embodiment, the drawer holds a removable tray to collect the smoking waste and make remove of the smoking waste easier.

In another preferred embodiment, the interior of the hollow prism has an inclined surface attached to an interior surface of said side wall that terminates above said drawer, and removable tray if any, to guide the smoking waste to the center of the drawer.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE SEVERAL VIEWS OF THE DRAWING(S)

The accompanying drawings, which are not necessarily drawn to scale, illustrate a preferred embodiment of the invention.

FIG. 1 is a front view of an embodiment of the ash box of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a front elevational view of the embodiment of FIG. 1.

FIG. 3 is a side elevational view of the embodiment of FIG. 1.

FIG. 4 is a view of a side and the front of the embodiment of FIG. 1 with the drawer opened.

FIG. 5 is a view of a side and the front of the embodiment of FIG. 1 with the drawer fully removed.

FIG. 6 shows a drawer and a removable tray.

FIG. 7 is a front view of the embodiment of the ash box of FIG. 1 showing where cross-sectional view 8 is taken.

FIG. 8 is a cross-sectional view of the embodiment of the ash box of FIG. 1 taken along line 7-7 of FIG. 7.

FIG. 9 shows an embodiment of the ash box with an external container for storage.

FIG. 10 illustrates a removable grating.

FIG. 11 illustrates an alternative removable grating.

FIG. 12 illustrates a tilt sensor and flap for preventing the smoking-waste from spilling out if the smoking-waste receptacle is tipped over.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

The present inventions now will be described more fully hereinafter with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which some, but not all embodiments of the inventions are shown. Indeed, these inventions may be embodied in many different forms and should not be construed as limited to the embodiments set forth herein; rather, these embodiments are provided so that this disclosure will satisfy applicable legal requirements. Like numbers refer to like elements throughout.

Many modifications and other embodiments of the inventions set forth herein will come to mind to one skilled in the art to which these inventions pertain having the benefit of the teachings presented in the foregoing descriptions and the associated drawings. Therefore, it is to be understood that the inventions are not to be limited to the specific embodiments disclosed and that modifications and other embodiments are intended to be included within the scope of the appended claims. Although specific terms are employed herein, they are used in a generic and descriptive sense only and not for purposes of limitation.

FIGS. 1 through 5 show a first preferred embodiment of smoking-waste receptacle 1 according to the present invention. In FIG. 1, the hollow prism of smoking-waste receptacle 1 is a rectangular prism. Top surface 8 of smoking-waste receptacle 1 has aperture 10 through which smoking-waste (not shown) can pass from the exterior of smoking-waste receptacle 1 into the interior thereof. To prevent children and pets from accessing the smoking-waste inside smoking-waste receptacle 1 via aperture 10, aperture 10 is covered by a grating 15.

Aperture 10 preferably has a size of between about 0.5 square inches and about 16 square inches. More preferably aperture 10 has a size of between about 1 square inches and about 9 square inches, and still more preferably aperture 10 has a size of between about 1.5 square inches and about 6.25 square inches.

Grating 15 provides a plurality of openings through which smoking-waste can pass into smoking-waste receptacle 1 while preventing children and pets from accessing the smoking-waste inside smoking-waste receptacle 1. The openings in grating 15 generally range in size from about 0.01 [⅛×⅛ inch] square inches to about 0.15 [⅜×⅜ inch] square inches. More preferably the openings in grating 15 have a size of between about 0.03 square inches and about 0.1 square inches.

To ensure the stability of smoking-waste receptacle 1, the shortest distance separating a point on said top surface from a point on said bottom surfaces (i.e., the height of smoking-waste receptacle 1) is less than the greatest distance separating a first point on said side wall from a second point on said side wall (a measure of the width of smoking-waste receptacle 1.

Smoking-waste receptacle 1 has a drawer 40 in side wall 35. Drawer 40 is slidably mounted in said smoking-receptacle 1. Preferably, when drawer 40 is closed, the exterior of drawer 40 is flush with the exterior of side wall 35. In a preferred embodiment, drawer 40 has a locking means that prevents drawer 40 from being opened by a child or pet. For instance, the locking means might include a rotatable bar mounted above drawer 40 that prevents drawer 40 from opening unless the bar is rotated out of the path of drawer 40 path of movement when opening. Alternatively, the locking means might include one or more pins inserted through side wall 35 and into drawer 40 to prevent its opening. In a further alternative embodiment, the locking means might include an electro magnet that when turned off by an application on the user's phone, permits drawer 40 to be opened.

FIG. 6 illustrates removable tray 50 that can be placed in drawer 40 to simplify the removal of smoking-waste from smoking-waste receptacle 1.

FIG. 7 with its line 7-7 shows where the cross-sectional illustration of FIG. 8 was taken.

FIG. 8 is a cross-sectional illustration of a preferred embodiment of smoking-waste receptacle 1. In the embodiment shown in FIG. 8, interior inclined walls 55 guide the smoking-waste to the center of the interior of smoking-waste receptacle 1.

FIG. 9 shows an embodiment of smoking-waste receptacle 1 that has an external container 75 attached to the ash box for storage of smoking related supplies. For instance, a user might store their package of cigarettes and matches in container 75. While container 75 is shown in FIG. 9 attached to the top surface of smoking-waste receptacle 1, in an alternative embodiment, container 75 could be attached to the side wall.

FIG. 10 illustrates an embodiment of grating 15. In some embodiments, grating 15 is removable. For instance, grating 15 could include a plurality of magnets that secure grating 15 to the underside of the top surface of the smoking-waste receptacle 1. Alternatively, the top surface of grating 15 could have a thread that matches with a thread on the underside of the top surface of smoking-waste receptacle 1.

FIG. 11 illustrates an alternative embodiment of grating 15 which has an enlarged opening to accommodate a cigar stub.

In a still further alternative embodiment of smoking-waste receptacle 1 two, or more, grating 15 are mounted so that the user can rotate their choice in grating 15 into position below aperture 10.

In another embodiment of smoking-waste receptacle 1, there is a tilt sensor in smoking-waste receptacle 1 that detects if smoking-waste receptacle 1 has been substantially tipped, i.e., by for example 45°. The tilt sensor can be either electronic (e.g., an inclinometer) or mechanical (e.g., a weight on a narrow shelf). When the tilt sensor is activated, it causes a flap to cover the aperture in the smoking-waste receptacle 1 to prevent the contents from leaving the receptacle.

FIG. 12 illustrates the interior of smoking-waste receptacle 1 having tilt sensor 90 in communication with flap 95 by link 97. When tilt sensor 90 is activated, link 97 pulls flap 95 over aperture 10 to cover aperture 10 and prevent the smoking-waste from spilling out of smoking-waste receptacle 1.

Claims

1. A receptacle for a smoker's ashes comprising:

a hollow prism having: a top surface joined to a first edge of a side wall, a second edge of said side wall is joined to a bottom surface, wherein said top and bottom surfaces are substantially parallel and the shortest distance separating a point on said top surface from a point on said bottom surfaces is less than the greatest distance separating a first point on said side wall from a second point on said side wall,

said top surface of said prism having an aperture connecting the exterior of said hollow prism to its interior, said aperture having an area of between about 0.5 square inches and about 16 square inches, and a grating joined to said top surface of said prism in a manner effective to limit access to the interior of said prism to objects having a cross-sectional area of less than about 0.15 square inches, and

said side wall includes a drawer slidingly coupled to the interior of said hollow prism, the drawer being configured to: (1) when closed, be positioned below said aperture in said top surface so as to collect anything that passes through said grating, and the exterior surface of said drawer is substantially flush with the exterior of said side wall, and (2) when extend to open in a direction away from said side wall.

2. The receptacle of claim 1 in which said prism has the shape of a member of the group consisting of a rectangular prism, a square prism, a circular prism, an elliptical prism, a pentagonal prism, a hexagonal prism, and an octagonal prism.

3. The receptacle of claim 1 further comprising a lock that when engaged prevents the opening of said drawer.

4. The receptacle of claim 1 further comprising a tray configured to fit in said drawer and to be removable.

5. The receptacle of claim 1 further comprising an interior wall joined to the interior of said side wall near where said side wall is joined to said top surface, said interior wall being inclined in a manner to guide anything that passes through said grating to said drawer.

6. The receptacle of claim 1 further comprising an exterior compartment suitable to contain at least one member of the group consisting of cigarettes, matches, a lighter, and a combination thereof.

7. The receptacle of claim 1 further comprising a removable grating connection so that the grading can be manually changed.

8. The receptacle of claim 1 further comprising a plurality of gratings that can be rotated into or out of position about said aperture.

9. The receptacle of claim 1 further comprising a grating that can be rotated, and held, out of position.

10. The receptacle of claim 1 further comprising:

a tilt sensor; and

a sealing flap.

11. The receptacle of claim 10 wherein said tilt sensor comprises an electronic tilt sensor.

12. The receptacle of claim 10 where in said tilt sensor is mechanical.