RETROFITTING BONG SMOKING ADAPTER

Abstract

Described is a retrofitting smoking adapter for use in conjunction with a liquid holding vessel with an opening to convert said vessel into a water bong smoking device. The adapter includes a plurality of apertures extending through the body that interact sealingly with various components including one or a plurality of mouthpieces, bowls, plugs, vaporizers or combination thereof. There is also a flexing skirt feature that interacts sealingly with the opening of the liquid holding vessel as to allow for the controlled flow of smoke, vapor or air or combination thereof to enter or exit said vessel via one or a plurality of said apertures that make up the smoking adapter when a user or plurality thereof inhales and draws on the mouthpiece or plurality thereof. The retrofitting smoking adapter described, when used in conjunction with some or all of the above components may be used by one or multiple users to smoke combustible materials.

Description

FIELD OF THE INVENTION

The present specification relates generally to smoking devices like water bongs, water pipes and hookahs and more specifically to a device that allows for the conversion of a liquid holding vessel to function in a similar manner.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

Be it for medical, recreational or ceremonial purposes, smoking devices like pipes, hookahs and water bongs have been used in smoking combustible materials like tobacco or cannabinoids for generations. Water bongs and hookahs are of particular distinction amongst the variety of smoking devices available given that the smoke is drawn into the device and filtered through water via the user inhaling through a mouthpiece. Often these devices are bulky in size and complex in shape making portability an issue, cleaning difficult and replacement or repair costly or not possible.

Information related to a device used in conjunction with a liquid holding container for the consumption of smoke can be found in U.S. Pat. No. 9,788,574. This patent incorporates a device for use with a liquid container that draws smoke into the container via a vacuum process created by liquid exiting the container and being consumed by the user prior to inhaling the smoke. This is unlike the functioning of a water bong whereby the smoke is drawn into the device and filtered through liquid by the user inhaling through a mouthpiece. A major drawback to the current art is the requirement for liquid to exit the container in order to create the vacuum that draws the smoke into the container to then be inhaled.

As such, there is a void in the existing art and a need for an adapter that interacts with a liquid holding vessel in a way that allows it to function like a water bong smoking device while addressing issues of portability, cleaning and repair.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

In an embodiment of the present invention, there is a smoking adapter sealingly interacting with a liquid holding vessel consisting of a plurality of apertures capable of fitting the similar components required to function like a water bong smoking device. Said components may include a bowl capable of holding and burning combustible material and a mouthpiece component, or plurality thereof, that allows a user, or a plurality of users, to draw from and pull smoke, vapor, air or combination thereof, through to be inhaled.

In an embodiment of the present invention, said adapter may interact and create a seal with a vessel capable of holding liquid in such a way that smoke pulled through the adapter via user inhalation will filter through a body of liquid contained in the liquid holding vessel before being inhaled by the user, or plurality of users thereof.

In an embodiment of the present invention, an approximately tapered aperture spans from the approximate top center of the adapter through to the bottom end and is capable of interacting with a bowl component that holds the combustible material.

In an embodiment of the present invention, said adapter has a plurality of additional apertures spanning from the topside of the adapter through to approximately below where the adapter sealingly interacts with the liquid holding vessel. Said additional apertures may be used, in combination of or interchangeably as, a port to fit a mouthpiece component or plurality thereof, be plugged to prevent any air flow from going in or out or be left unobstructed and used as a choke mechanism to allow for the flow of clean air at the users discretion.

In an embodiment of the present invention, said plurality of additional apertures may allow for the connection of a vaporizing device thereby allowing vapor to flow through and be directly inhaled in a manner that bypasses the water contained in the liquid holding vessel.

According to an embodiment, the interchangeability of choke hole, mouthpiece and plug placement within the plurality of additional apertures allows for increased accessibility depending on the users dominate hand while also allowing for multi-user functionality in the case where more than one mouthpiece is installed.

Other aspects and features according to the present application will become apparent to those ordinarily skilled in the art upon review of the following description of embodiments of the invention in conjunction with the accompanying figures.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE FIGURES

The principles of the invention may better be understood with reference to the accompanying figures provided by way of illustration of an exemplary embodiment, or embodiments, incorporating principles and aspects of the present invention, and in which:

FIG. 1(A) shows a top isometric perspective of an embodiment of the smoking adapter;

FIG. 1(B) shows a bottom isometric perspective of an embodiment of the smoking adapter;

FIG. 1(C) Shows a cross-sectional perspective of an embodiment of the smoking adapter;

FIG. 2 Shows a top isometric perspective of an embodiment of a plug used to interact with said adapter;

FIG. 3 Shows an isometric view of an embodiment of the adapter sealingly interacting with a liquid holding vessel, a bowl component, a plug system and a plurality of mouthpiece components.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF EMBODIMENTS OF THE INVENTION

The description that follows, and the embodiments described therein, are provided by way of illustration of an example, or examples, of particular embodiments of the principles of the present invention. These examples are provided for the purposes of explanation, and not of limitation, of those principles and of the invention. In the description, like parts are marked throughout the specification and the drawings with the same respective reference numerals. The drawings are not necessarily to scale and in some instances proportions may have been exaggerated in order to more clearly depict certain features of the invention.

According to an embodiment as shown in FIG. 1 (A), there is a smoking adapter 1000 with an approximately centered and tapered aperture 1600 that may receive and hold combustible material or a bowl component capable of receiving and holding combustible material. When the smoking adapter is sealingly interacting with a liquid holding vessel, said aperture may act as a passage and allow for the flow of smoke to flow through the adapter during use whereby the smoke then passes through a body of liquid before being inhaled by the user. According to an embodiment there are a plurality of additional apertures 1400 that may receive a mouthpiece component or plurality thereof, a plug component or plurality thereof, a vaporizing component or be left unobstructed.

According to an embodiment shown in FIG. 1(B) there are spiral ridges 1100 that protrude out and wrap around the outer wall of an approximately conical body which may influence the direction and flow of smoke or vapor.

According to the embodiment shown in FIG. 1(B) there is a water level marker 1300.

According to an embodiment shown in FIG. 1(C) there is a cross-sectional reference of a smoking adapter 1000 with a flexing skirt feature 1500 that may interact with the opening of a vessel as to create a secure connection, grip and seal with said vessel. Once connected, water may then be poured into any of the apertures until a lower portion of the adapter is submerged.

According to an embodiment shown in FIG. 2, there is a plug 2000 that may be used to block or restrict airflow in one or more apertures that make up the smoking adapter. The plug may have an embossed logo design on the top surface 2010 and feature a protruding ridge near its base 2020 that may interact with the inner walls of said adapter apertures to fit into and seal off the aperture or plurality thereof.

According to an embodiment shown in FIG. 3, there is a smoking adapter 1000 sealingly interacting with a liquid holding vessel 3000, a plurality of mouthpieces 4000, a plug system 2000, a bowl capable of holding combustible material 5000, whereby; the user or plurality thereof may ignite combustible material held in the bowl and inhale from the mouthpieces using their mouths, drawing smoke from the bowl that may then flow downward through the approximately centered and tapered aperture and body of liquid into the liquid holding vessel and flowing out of the adapter via the plurality of mouthpieces to be inhaled. One of the approximately identical apertures 1400 may be blocked and unblocked using a finger or thumb for use as a choke mechanism allowing, at the users discretion, clean air to enter into and clear the smoke from the liquid holding vessel at any point during the smoking process.

Various embodiments of the invention have been described in detail. Since changes in and or additions to the above-described best mode may be made without departing from the nature, spirit or scope of the invention, the invention is not to be limited to those details but only by the appended claims. Section headings herein are provided as organizational cues. These headings shall not limit or characterize the invention set out in the appended claims.

Claims

1. A retrofitting smoking adapter for use in conjunction with: a liquid holding vessel with an opening, and an individual mouthpiece or plurality thereof; the retrofitting smoking adapter comprising:

a body sealingly interacting with and extending vertically into said liquid holding vessel with an approximately tapered aperture extending longitudinally from the top of the body through to the bottom of the body, capable of receiving and holding combustible material or a component capable of receiving and holding combustible material, and defining a passage allowing for smoke produced from igniting said combustible material to flow through a body of liquid before being inhaled;

a plurality of additional apertures, adjacent the approximately tapered aperture, extending through the body and capable of receiving one or a plurality of mouthpieces, plugs, vaporizers or combination thereof, defining a plurality of passages for the flow of air, smoke or vapor to enter or exit the liquid holding vessel via the adapter in a manner that does not flow through a body of liquid; and

a plug system used to block one or a plurality of said additional apertures to prevent the flow of smoke, air or vapor.

2. The smoking adapter of claim 1, wherein the adapter is manufactured using a compression molding method and is made of silicone.

3. The smoking adapter of claim 1, wherein the body is approximately conical and narrowing downward into the liquid holding vessel.

4. The smoking adapter of claim 3, wherein a plurality of spiral ridges protrude out and wrap around the outer wall of the approximately conical body.

5. The smoking adapter of claim 4, wherein the plurality of spiral ridges direct smoke, vapor or air.

6. The smoking adapter of claim 1, wherein there is a eater level marker.

7. The smoking adapter of claim 1, wherein the approximately tapered aperture measures in diameter within a range of approximately 3 mm-35 mm.

8. The smoking adapter of claim 1, wherein the additional apertures adjacent to the approximately tapered aperture each measure in diameter within an approximate range of 3 mm-25 mm.

9. The smoking adapter in claim 8, wherein each additional aperture may sealingly interact with a mouthpiece capable of allowing the flow smoke, vapor or air to be drawn into the mouth.

10. The smoking adapter in claim 9, wherein each additional aperture may taper abruptly to prevent an interacting component from pushing through the aperture.

11. The smoking adapter in claim 8, wherein each aperture has a recess in the inner wall to receive and interact with a plug having a corresponding outer ridge protrusion.

12. The smoking adapter in claim 8, wherein each aperture may be blocked using a plug.

13. The smoking adapter in claim 12, wherein a plug or plurality thereof, has an outer surrounding ridge as to interact with the inside contours of the inner walls of said additional apertures.

14. The smoking adapter in claim 13, wherein the plug or plurality thereof have an embossed logo on the top face.

15. The smoking adapter in claim 8, wherein any one of the apertures may be left open and unobstructed for use as a choke mechanism.