Smoke Vapor Tar Condenser Comprising A Tar Condensing Chamber and Condensing Medium In A Disposable Bowl Liner for Easy Insertion and Removal from A Pipe-Like Structure

Abstract

A tar condenser device and method, for use with a smoking pipe. The device having an upper chamber configured to hold smoking material while cylindrical in form, with a non-filtering, smoking material supporting screen, integrally disposed at a lower section of the upper chamber. A lower chamber is integrally coupled to the upper chamber configured to collect smoke drawn from combusted smoking material in the upper chamber, and an upper end of the lower chamber has a diameter matching a bottom diameter of the upper chamber, with a narrowing downward taper. A side of the lower chamber has a smoke exit port and a bottom of the lower chamber is closed. Discrete condensing media disposed in the lower chamber, wherein tar from passing smoke is condensed onto the condensing media.

Description

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION(S)

This application claims the benefit of U.S. Non-Provisional patent application Ser. No. 17/061,268, filed Oct. 1, 2020, the contents of which are hereby incorporated by reference in its entirety.

FIELD

The present invention relates to a smoke tar condenser for use in a pipe-like apparatus, or in other common smoking devices adapted for its use.

BACKGROUND

Pipe devices for inhaling smoke of burning substances have been made throughout the centuries and in many countries. Some previous known and patented pipe designs have included combustion chamber liners such as Smith in U.S. Pat. No. 4,290,437 & 3,084,698, Wunshe in U.S. Pat. No. 4,210,160, DR Turner in U.S. Pat. No. 4,190,063, Calkins in U.S. Pat. No. 3,422,821, J L Turner in U.S. Pat. No. 2,419,509, Aldin in U.S. Pat. No. 5,678,573, Bianchino in U.S. Pat. No. 4,235,252, Fether in U.S. Pat. No. 3,760,814, Schnaier in U.S. Pat. No. 2,144,393, Lingo in U.S. Pat. No. 2,192,448. None of these references teach a tar condenser.

Therefore, none of this related art teaches or contemplates a disposable combustion chamber in combination with features or utilizing principles that condense and capture tar without using a filter, in a manner so as to preserve low molecular weight volatiles in the inhaled smoke, especially when placed in an appropriately designed pipe configuration.

For example, Aldin discloses a pipe design with a cylindrical bore open at both ends to allow lighting the tobacco placed therein from the bottom. Aldin also describes desirable attributes of this design such as creating a natural updraft and causing complete combustion without frequent relighting and preventing accumulation of moisture, tar and the like within the pipe bowl. While not referenced by Aldin, Bianchino teaches a pipe design with the identical features (bowl open at both ends) and describes identical components and benefits.

In many of the referenced patents, the combustion chamber liner is a permanent component of the pipe which must be cleaned periodically due to its cost. In some pipe apparatuses, various filters are used to remove tar from the smoke stream, but the pipe bowl clean up remains a messy and stinky job, especially when tar gets on fingers or surfaces, being hard to remove. In addition, some other art have combustion chamber liners that are removeable for cleaning but which are intended to be put back into the pipe and reused. Or rely on filters that indiscriminately filter volatiles in the smoke as well as tars, etc., therefore reducing low molecular volatiles in the smoke, which are sought by the smoker.

In view of the above, there is a need for a low maintenance smoking approach having internal components to condense and capture tar from inhaled smoke in a component designed for easy disposal, thus reducing undesirable tar from reaching the pipe or the smoker, as well as speeding up and simplifying cleaning of the pipe. Details of such designs and other features are described below.

SUMMARY

Various embodiments describe in one form or another, a smoke tar condenser for use in a pipe-like apparatus configured to work best in combination with the smoke tar condenser. The smoke tar condenser (in a configured form factor) is inserted into the pipe-like apparatus's bowl or cavity prior to use and after smoking its contents, retains burned materials, tars and particulate byproducts for easy disposal. When cleaning is desired, the smoke tar condenser is simply removed and disposed of by inverting the apparatus, for example, and pushing the smoke tar condenser out of the apparatus. The smoke tar condenser does not condense low molecular volatiles, which contain medicinal components.

In one aspect of an embodiment, a tar condenser device for use with a smoking pipe is provided, comprising, an upper chamber configured to hold smoking material and cylindrical in form; a non-filtering, smoking material supporting screen, integrally disposed at a lower section of the upper chamber; a lower chamber integrally coupled to the upper chamber configured to collect smoke drawn from combusted smoking material in the upper chamber, an upper end of the lower chamber having a diameter matching a bottom diameter of the upper chamber, and having a narrowing downward taper, a side of the lower chamber having a smoke exit port and a bottom of the lower chamber being closed; and discrete condensing media disposed in the lower chamber, wherein tar from passing smoke is condensed onto the condensing media.

In another aspect of an embodiment, the above device is provided, wherein the discrete condensing media is bead shaped; and/or wherein at least one of activated alumina beads and activated charcoal beads; and/or wherein an individual medium of the discrete condensing media is greater than 1/16^th inch in diameter; and/or wherein an individual medium of the discrete condensing media is less than and 3/16^th inch in diameter; and/or wherein individual sizes of discrete condensing media are between 1/16- 3/16 inches in diameter; and/or wherein the discrete condensing media is spherical in shape; and/or further comprising, a net holding the discrete condensing media; and/or wherein the supporting screen is integral to at least one of the upper chamber and lower chamber; and/or wherein the discrete condensing media does not condense volatiles with a lower molecular weight than tar; and/or wherein the lower chamber has a shape of an inverted, truncated cone; and/or wherein the discrete condensing media is porous; and/or wherein the discrete condensing media is contained within a holding mesh; and/or further comprising, a marijuana based smoking material; and/or wherein the smoke exit port is smaller than 1/16th of an inch in diameter; and/or further comprising a smoking pipe, having an inner pipe bowl shape matching a shape of the device, and a draw tube in alignment with the smoke exit port; and/or further comprising a through hole in a bottom of the inner pipe bowl, configured to enable a smoker to push out a seated device from the inner pipe bowl; and/or further comprising a cooling element disposed in the smoking pipe, adjacent to the smoke exit port; and/or wherein the cooling element is electrically controllable; and/or the cooling element is ring-shaped.

In yet another aspect of an embodiment, a method of removing tar in smoke vaper is provided, comprising, removing tar in smoke vapor using discrete tar condensing media, wherein the smoke vapor is from combusting smoking material supported by a screen and surrounded by a smoking material holding chamber disposed above the discrete tar condensing media.

In another aspect of an embodiment, the above method is provided, further comprising, placing the discrete tar condensing media in a smoke collection chamber below the smoking material holding chamber; and/or further comprising, forming a unitary, disposable bowl liner configured for a smoking pipe, wherein an upper portion of the bowl liner is the smoking material holding chamber and a lower portion of the bowl liner is the smoke collection chamber.

In yet another aspect of an embodiment, a smoke vapor tar remover device for use with a smoking pipe is provided, comprising, a unitary, disposable bowl liner having a cylindrical upper chamber configured to hold smoking material and a hollow lower chamber; a smoking material supporting screen, integrally disposed at a lower section of the upper chamber; discrete tar condensing material disposed in the hollow lower chamber; and a smoke exit hole disposed in a side of the lower chamber; wherein a top of the upper chamber is open and a bottom of the lower chamber is closed, and the discrete tar condensing material condenses tar from smoke vapor passing through the lower chamber.

In yet another aspect of an embodiment, above device is provided, further comprising, a lip at a top end of the upper chamber, extending outwardly; and/or wherein a body of the upper and lower chamber is formed from at least one of foil, brass, heat resistant plastic, and metal; and/or wherein an diameter of the lower chamber is tapered to form a truncated inverted cone.

These and other objects, features and advantages of the present invention will become more apparent in light of the following detailed description of preferred embodiments thereof, as illustrated in the accompanying drawings.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

The present invention will be more clearly understood from the following detailed description of the preferred embodiments of the invention and from the attached drawings, in which:

FIG. 1A-FIG. 1B illustrate perspective views of a conventional pipe device.

FIG. 2A-FIG. 2C illustrate sectional views of the conventional pipe device.

FIG. 3A-FIG. 3B illustrate perspective views of a novel and easy-care smoking apparatus, according to an embodiment.

FIG. 4A-FIG. 4C illustrate a sectional view, top view, and bottom view, respectively, of the novel and easy-care smoking apparatus, according to an embodiment.

FIG. 5A-FIG. 5B illustrate a method of inserting and removing the disposable bowl liner from the bowl liner housing of the easy-care smoking apparatus, according to an embodiment.

FIG. 6A-FIG. 6C illustrate a side, top, and perspective sectional views, respectively, of the easy-care smoking apparatus with the liner screen located within it, according to an embodiment.

FIG. 7 illustrates a sectional view of an electronic operation of the easy-care smoking apparatus, according to an embodiment.

FIG. 8 illustrates a sectional view of a tapered easy-care smoking apparatus having a tapered bowl housing and tapered disposable bowl liner, according to an embodiment.

FIG. 9 illustrates a method of operation of the tapered easy-care smoking apparatus having a tapered bowl housing and tapered disposable bowl liner contained therein, according to an embodiment.

FIG. 10 is a perspective illustration of another exemplary bowl liner embodiment.

FIG. 11 is an illustration of a cross-sectional side view of a removable bowl liner embodiment with condensing media in the condenser chamber.

In the appended figures, one or more elements may have the same reference numeral in different figures indicating previously described.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

The exemplary embodiments below disclose a pipe-like structure(s) utilizing various disposable bowl liner configurations, wherein a smoke vapor tar condenser approach is used, utilizing a tar condensing chamber and tar condensing medium therein. The uniqueness of such an approach is best detailed in FIGS. 10 & 11, and first addressed so as to highlight its features. Complimentary aspects are described in FIGS. 1-9, including various disposable bowl liner shapes, features, etc. and the pipe-like structure(s), etc.

FIG. 10 is a perspective illustration 1000 of an exemplary tar condenser in the form of a bowl liner 1102 embodiment, having an upper lip 1002A extending outward with an overall diameter greater than that of the combustion chamber cavity 1002B. Outer surface 1002C of the combustion chamber cavity 1002B can be cylindrical, integrally joining smoke collection chamber 1002D disposed below. The smoke collection chamber 1002D can be conical in shape, narrowing via a taper to a smaller diameter 1002F. The taper from the top of the smoke collection chamber 1002D to the bottom of the smoke collection chamber 1002D may be constant, thus forming an inverted cone-like shape, truncated at its bottom. At one side of the smoke collection chamber 1002D, is a smoke exit port 1002E, which, when inserted into an appropriate pipe (not shown) is positioned in-line with the pipe's draw tube (not shown). Not visible is a smoking material supporting screen disposed within the bowl liner 1102 and tar condensing media disposed within smoke collection chamber 1002D. Also, obscured from view is an optional mesh or “bag” for holding the condensing media.

FIG. 11 is a cross-sectional view 1100 of the embodiment of FIG. 10, showing an exemplary tar condensing media 1150 disposed in the smoke collection chamber 1002D, and smoking material supporting screen 1102H. To appreciate the elements within the embodiment of FIGS. 10 & 11, an understanding of the distinction between a condensing media and filter is necessary.

Filters work by passing an air or water stream through a medium with small pores and the size of the pore determines what passes, and what is filtered out. Filtration is a physical separation process that separates a mixture of solid matter and fluid using a restricting medium that has a complex structure through which only the fluid can pass, while restricting/blocking the solid matter, as much as possible. Several definitions of filters described below are readily searchable on the Internet.

For example: “air filter,” noun: a filter that removes particles and impurities from the air. A plastic cellulose acetate cigarette filter and paper modify the particulate smoke phase by particle retention (filtration). A particulate air filter is a device which removes particulates such as smoke, dust, pollen, mold, viruses and bacteria from the air. In all cases, filtration refers to particle size and filter pore size.

The exemplary embodiment described in FIGS. 11 (and 10), having tar condensing media 1150 does not utilize a filter to separate smoke components, but uses the principle of vapor condensation. To recognize the difference, it is understood that smoke is a collection of tiny solid, liquid, and gas particles that can contain hundreds of different chemicals and fumes. Visible smoke is mostly made up of carbon (soot), tar, oils, and ash. Smoke particulates are categorized into three modes based on their size:

Nuclei mode: Particles with a geometric mean radius of 2.5-20 nm, which may form through the condensation of carbon moieties.

Accumulation mode: Particles with a size of 75-250 nm, which form through the coagulation of nuclei mode particles.

Coarse mode: Particles in the micrometer range, which make up most of the smoke material.

Per this excerpt from the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. “How Tobacco Smoke Causes Disease: The Biology and Behavioral Basis for Smoking-Attributable Disease”: A Report of the Surgeon General. Atlanta, GA: U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, National Center for Chronic Disease Prevention and Health Promotion, Office on Smoking and Health, 2010. “Cigarette smoke is formed by (1) the condensation of chemicals formed by the combustion of tobacco, (2) pyrolysis and pyrosynthesis, and (3) distillation products that form an aerosol in the cooler region directly behind the burning coal (Browne 1990). During a puff, the coal temperature reaches 800° C. to 900° C., and the temperature of the aerosol drops rapidly to slightly above room temperature as it travels down the tobacco rod (Toucy and Mumpower 1957; Lendvay and Laszlo 1974). As the smoke cools, compounds with lower volatility condense first, and many of the very volatile gaseous constituents, such as CO, remain in the gas phase.

Thus, condensation occurs when constituents in the vapor reaches its condensation temperature. This process may be accelerated manyfold by vapor contact with a lower temperature surface. Causing vapor to pass over a “cold” surface will cause condensation of some constituent elements in the vapor according to the surface temperature and the condensation point of the vapor components. Tar is a very high molecular weight component in smoke vapor, and condenses at a higher temperature than any other vapor, condensing first after the combustion process, while most vapor components will not condense at room temperature and will pass through the condenser.

While it is widely known that tar in the lungs is dangerous and that it is highly desirable to remove tars from smoke reaching the lungs, less known is that smoke vapors may contain medicinal elements or components that are very much desired to reach the lungs. This is the case with medicinal marijuana, where the smoke's low molecular weight VOC's contain Terpenes, considered desirable medicines.

To see the differences being elaborated, it is helpful to ask “Why doesn't a smoke filter meet the dual need to remove tar and pass low molecular weight VOC's?” To make a smoke filter that collects all the tar in vapor form requires very small filter pore sizes. In the citation above, tar condensate particles form in the size range between 2 nm and 250 nm, up to 1 um. Even the largest of these is a tiny particle-size to capture. Cellulose and other filters made to capture all the tar would be very hard to draw through if their pores were that small, so designers compromise and capture as much as an easy draw would allow in a small dense filter. Therefore, small tar particles still pass through. It is well known that the acetate filters commonly used in cigarettes do not do a good job removing tar in vapor form vs. particulate form. Such small pore sizes required to remove tar vapors would make drawing smoke through the filter challenging and additional vapor elements are also removed in increasing proportion, reducing the desirable (“medicine”) content of the vapor in addition to reducing the tar.

In contrast, a condenser meets the competing needs to remove tar vapors but not “medicinal” vapors or desired volatiles. By separating vapor components by virtue of their condensation temperatures on a “cold” surface, tars may be selectively removed from the vapor stream without removing vapor components, such as the Terpenes (low molecular weight) in marijuana smoke, or nicotine in tobacco, etc. Further, the condensing media provides less constriction from an inhalation point of view. That is, the user need not have to inhale with excessive force, as in a filter with equivalent tar removing performance.

Another feature of the exemplary embodiment(s) is the recognition of the challenge for removing smoke tar in a traditional handheld smoking pipe is that the physical volume available for condensation to occur is small. To address this, the exemplary embodiment(s) contain a “smoke condensing chamber” in which a very large surface may be presented to the smoke stream before reaching any other pipe surface, so as most or all tars may be trapped in the condenser media before exiting the condensing chamber, keeping the smoker's lungs and smoking apparatus tar free.

In a commercial embodiment, achieving the very large surface area was solved with condensation elements such as beads (porous or non-porous), which may be visualized as a very large surface over which the smoke passes and the tar vapor condenses out onto the “cold,” near or at room temperature surface. For example, activated alumina beads are low-cost, highly porous and have a high surface area-to-mass ratio. They come in different sizes and have a surface area of 150 to 350 square meters per gram (m²/g) with pore sizes larger than 300 nm. Only 3 grams of beads would create a 1,000 sq-m surface area. Activated charcoal beads could also provide a similarly large surface area, if properly handled or formulated (e.g., to avoid dust formation). Other materials and shapes providing the objectives above may be used, according to the knowledge of one of ordinary skill.

Experimentally speaking, the space between a dozen or so 1/16th inch and 3/16th inch beads (these diameters being examples of many possible) used in the condensing chamber (or smoke collection chamber 1102D) is large in relation to smoke tar particle sizes identified above, being several orders of magnitude greater (10⁶-10⁸). As such, there is no condensing equivalence with a traditional filtering system. Testing, using an exemplary embodiment(s) with a alumina condensing beads, has confirmed most of the tars are removed from marijuana smoke, while the terpenes level is maintained. Additionally, one of ordinary skill in the art of terpene condensation will understand that terpenes in a heated gas (smoke) are of a different molecular weight than tars, and therefore will remain in a gaseous state while tars will precipitate first (condense) when both are equally cooled.

Additionally, trapping tar within the condensing chamber ahead of all pipe components keeps the apparatus clean of hard to remove tar deposits. When tar is removed from the smoke, only light oil deposits form on the pipe surfaces and are easily wiped off, whereas tar removal requires a solvent. A smoke (tar) condensing chamber 1002D located directly beneath the smoked material screen 1102H, and adjacent to the smoke exit port 1002E provides an easier-to-clean design.

By locating the smoke condensing chamber 1002D under the smoked material (not shown) and conforming its shape with the pipe apparatus it fits into, a “straight” taper was chosen wherein good surface mating can be ensured even with low-cost, low tolerance manufacturing processes. The taper ensures a tight seal providing several benefits. For example, it increases the smoke condenser chamber 1002D surface area in “physical” contact with the pipe, for better cooling, and prevents the smoke condenser chamber 1002D from easily falling out unless physically pressed or pulled out, as a near-vacuum is formed through the taper-to-pipe contact. Thus, the taper-seal effect helps keep the bowl liner 1002 in place if the pipe is inverted. In some embodiments, an optional through hole or open end 206 (as seen in FIG. 9) is placed at a bottom of the pipe to enable easy removal of the removable bowl liner 1002, via pushing the bowl liner 1002 out.

As the condensing media 1150 may be of varied sizes, it is possible to have the condensing media 1150 held “together” via a coarse mesh, net, bag or other form of containment. If a net is utilized, then smaller size condensing media 1150 may be used, or even condensing media 1150 of a size that may (if not constrained by the net) slip through the smoke exit port 1002E. In some embodiments, the smoke exit port 1002E itself may be covered with a mesh or net, to prevent exit of loose condensing media 1150 in the smoke collection chamber 1002D.

A basic structure of a typical and conventional pipe device 100 is provided in perspective views shown in FIG. 1A-FIGS. 1B and 1n sectional views shown in FIG. 2A-2C. In the perspective views, the typical pipe device 100 may include a shank member 101 coupled to a bowl member 103. The bowl member 103 may include an opening, such as a hole, forming a smoking chamber 105, while the shank member 101 may include an air hole 107 from which smoke is inhaled by the user.

FIG. 2A-FIG. 2C illustrates a top, side, and front sectional views, respectively, of the typical pipe body 100. The smoking chamber 105 may include a combustion chamber 105A, a smoke collection chamber 105B, and a combustibles supporting planar screen 105C inserted in between the combustion chamber 105A and the smoke collection chamber 105C. The smoke collection chamber 105C may include a smoke collection opening 105C1 coupled to a smoke draw tube 111. In practice, a user may apply a smoking substance inside the combustion chamber 105A, to rest on the supporting screen 105C where smoke is created in the combustion chamber 105A via a suitable ignition source such as a lighter and is drawn through the screen 105C to the smoke collection chamber 105C where it swirls and is drawn out the smoke draw tube 111 to the air hole 107 which is applied to the mouth of user for smoke intake and inhalation.

FIG. 3A-FIG. 3B illustrate perspective views of a novel and easy-care smoking apparatus 200, in accordance to an embodiment. The easy-care smoking apparatus 200 may include a shank member 201 and a bowl member 203 having a bowl liner housing 205 formed therein for receiving and supporting an exemplary disposable bowl liner 202. In one implementation, the bowl liner housing 205 includes a through-hole or cavity in the bowl member 203 having stepped, tapered or straight side walls to aid in placement and retention of the disposable bowl liner 202. In addition, the bowl member 203 may include a liner insert opening 204 formed at a top portion of the bowl member 203 and a liner removal port 206 formed at a bottom portion of the bowl member 203, while the shank member 201 may include an air hole 207 from which smoke is inhaled by the user.

FIG. 4A-FIG. 4C illustrate a sectional view, top view, and bottom view, respectively, of the novel and easy-care smoking apparatus 200, in accordance to an embodiment. As shown in FIG. 4A, the exemplary disposable bowl liner 202 which may be for single use and removable cylinder-like container structure having an upper liner lip, flange or tab 202A for easy removal of the disposable bowl liner 202 by the user and for preventing the disposable bowl liner 202 from extending too far into the bowl liner housing 205. A liner combustion chamber 202B shown here with a cylindrical shape is coupled to the liner lip 202A at a top portion of the liner combustion chamber 202B, and extends downward to a smoke collection chamber 202C coupled to a bottom portion of the liner combustion chamber 202B, wherein the smoke collection chamber 202C is of a smaller diameter. A liner smoke collection opening 202D is formed along a sidewall of the smoke collection chamber 202C. A liner end cap 202E may be applied at a bottom portion of the smoke collection chamber 202C which may be removed or attached as needed. In addition, a smoking material supporting structure such as a liner screen 202F may be inserted in between the liner combustion chamber 202B and the smoke collection chamber 202C. The liner screen 202F operates to prevent combusted smoking material (not shown) from falling into the smoke collection chamber 202C, while allowing smoke to enter unfiltered into smoke collection chamber 202C. In another implementation, the liner combustion chamber 202B may include a land 202G having a tapered edge disposed along an interface between the liner combustion chamber 202B and the liner smoke collection opening 202D. In yet another implementation, the liner combustion chamber 202B may include a keyed member 202H along top portion of the liner combustion chamber 202B for proper alignment of the disposable bowl liner 202 into the bowl liner housing 205. In practice, the disposable bowl liner 202 is discarded after the first use by the user after the smoking substance (e.g., tobacco) contained therein is completely and fully incinerated, preventing tar build up in the bowl member 203 over time and use of the easy-care smoking apparatus 200.

In various embodiments, the bowl liner material 202 can be of a porous or non-porous nature, and may be made of any material that can be quickly or easily formed, such as through stamping, molding, deep drawing, etc. For example, a metal, foil, brass, heat resistant plastic or other material may be used. Of course, other materials not listed may be utilized according to design preference.

Referring again to FIG. 4A, the interior shape of the bowl liner housing 205 of the bowl member 203 may be complementary to the shape of the disposable bowl liner 202, allowing it to rest firmly against the bowl liner housing 205 when fully inserted therein. For example, the disposable bowl liner 202 may include a cylindrical tube-like body and surface that fits into a cylindrical cavity formed within the bowl liner housing 205. The bowl liner housing 205 may include multiple cavities formed within the housing 205 to support the disposable bowl liner 202, including a tab slot 205A, a combustion chamber cavity 205B, a land cavity 205C, and a smoke collection chamber cavity 205D. The bowl liner housing 205 may also include a smoke collection opening 205E intimately coupled to a smoke draw tube 211. The tab cavity 205A may be slightly larger in diameter than the flange or tab 202A near its top surface to provide a pocket for the flange or tab 202A. In one implementation, the bowl liner housing 205 may be configured to include a keyed slot 205F formed at a top portion of the bowl liner housing 205 near the tab slot 205A for receiving the keyed member 202H of the disposable bowl liner 202 into the bowl liner housing 205 when inserted therein, aligning the liner smoke collection opening 202D of the disposable bowl liner 202 to properly engage and align to the smoke collection opening 205E of the bowl liner housing 205, intimately mating the liner smoke collection opening 202D to the smoke draw tube 211 of the shank member 201 when the disposable bowl liner 202 is inserted into the bowl member 203. In another implementation, the keyed slot 205F may be disposed anywhere in the bowl liner housing 205 for the purpose of providing proper alignment of the liner smoke collection opening 202D with the smoke collection opening 205E.

FIG. 5A and FIG. 5B illustrate a method of inserting and removing the disposable bowl liner 202 from the bowl liner housing 205 of the easy-care smoking apparatus 200, according to an embodiment. The user may insert the disposable bowl liner 202 into the bowl liner housing 205 by inserting the bottom portion of the smoke collection chamber 202C into the top opening (top hole) 204 of the bowl member 203 in a downward direction al as shown in FIG. 5A. The disposable bowl liner 202 may be pushed back out the top of the bowl liner housing 205 from the bottom side for easy removal. For example, the liner removal port (bottom hole) 206 of the bowl member 203 provides a hole through which the user may push out the disposable bowl liner 202 to remove it from the bowl liner housing 205 as shown in FIG. 5B. In practice, the disposable bowl liner 202 may also be pushed through the pipe and out the bottom side, with all the debris and tar remaining within it for instant disposal without touching any of the debris trapped inside it. Note that the top hole 204 and bottom hole 206 runs through the bowl member 203. In practice, the disposable liner may be easily removed from the pipe when cleaning is necessary. Referring to the easy-care smoking apparatus 200, the disposable bowl liner 202 removal process may be by pushing the liner through the bottom of the pipe with a suitable object or by turning the disposable bowl liner 202 over and pushing the disposable bowl liner 202 back out the top of the pipe. In the case of traditional pipes with only one open end on the bowl, the liner lip, flange or tab 202A located on the top end of the disposable bowl liner 202 may be used to remove it from the bowl member 203 by prying or pulling it away from the bowl member 203. With either pipe configurations (two bowl openings or one) or method of liner removal for disposal (push through or pull out), the disposable bowl liner 202 may retain the burned debris and tar products produced from combustion without the user touching the messy combustion debris and tar when cleaning is desired. Thus, the easy-care smoking apparatus 200 can make pipe cleaning a quick, easy and more pleasant experience.

FIG. 6A-FIG. 6C illustrate a side, top, and perspective sectional views, respectively, of the easy-care smoking apparatus 200 with the liner screen 202F located within it, according to an embodiment. In operation, the land 202G is configured to support the liner screen 202F when it is placed into the liner combustion chamber 202B. In another implementation, the easy-care smoking apparatus 200 may include surface enhancing structures 301 applied beneath the liner screen 202F in the smoke collection chamber 202C to enhance tar condensation and collection within the disposable liner. In operation, the surface enhancing structure 301 may be any shape that enhances surface area, creating a tortuous path to the smoke draw tube 211 to enhance condensation. The surface enhancing structure 301 is understood not to be a traditional filter, but more so as a condensing structure, wherein aspects of and examples of one possible type of surface enhancing structure 301 are elaborated in FIG. 10's description below.

FIG. 7 illustrates a sectional view of an electronic operation of the easy-care smoking apparatus 200, according to another embodiment. The easy-care smoking apparatus 200 may also include a cooling element and a metal ring 401 located in the pipe bowl member adjacent to an exterior side portion of the smoke collection chamber 202C. Note that the metal ring 401 is in intimate contact with the smoke collection chamber 202C for heat conduction from the chamber to the metal ring 401. The metal ring 401 may be temperature controlled by a Peltier cooler 403 via an electronic device 405 having a control circuit 405 powered by a battery 405B and activated by a switch SW1. The electronic device 405 may also include a temperature indicator 405C, which can be by any suitable means of lights, LED, or numeric display. It should be noted that accessory battery powered electronic devices using cooling elements may be applied to the easy-care smoking apparatus 200, controlling heat conduction from the chamber to the metal ring 401.

Smoke byproducts removal may be further increased by the addition of the cooling element and metal ring 401 to the space beneath the liner screen 202F, such as the Peltier cooling element which may be controlled to establish a desired temperature of the smoke chamber and surface enhancing design elements located beneath the liner screen 202F. By controlling the temperature of the disposable bowl liner 202 and the surface enhancing structure 301 beneath the liner screen 202F, an undesired fraction of byproducts may be collected out of the air stream being drawn by the user and a desired fraction not condensed and passed to the user. Such temperature control in the effluent air stream allows users to select the desired byproducts fractions passed into the effluent air stream allowing for greater safety (tar removal), flavor experience (byproducts fractions) and medicinal attributes.

FIG. 8 illustrates a sectional view of a tapered easy-care smoking apparatus 500 having a tapered bowl housing 501 and tapered disposable bowl liner 503, in accordance to an embodiment. The general features of the tapered easy-care smoking apparatus 500 are nearly identical to that of the easy-care smoking apparatus 200, sharing similar elements including the shank member 201, bowl member 203, tab slot 205A, combustion chamber cavity 205B, smoke collection opening 205E, air hole 207, liner lip 202A, liner combustion chamber 202B, liner end cap 202E, and the liner screen 202F. However, the two smoking devices differ in the shape of the bowl liner housing and disposable bowl liner. For example, the tapered bowl housing 501 of the tapered easy-care smoking apparatus 500 may include a smoke collection chamber cavity 501A having a tapered cylinder shape. Similarly, the tapered disposable bowl liner 503 may include a tapered smoke collection chamber 503A having a tapered cylinder shape that is complementary to that of the smoke collection chamber cavity 501A of the tapered bowl housing 501. In operation, cylindrical surfaces on the liner and pipe, would require a gap between liner and pipe body to be able to insert the liner, and to further allow for the tolerance stack of the parts would require a large gap under nominal dimensions. This would result in a pipe that does not draw well through the bowl because air would leak around the liner and into the pipe stem. In a preferred implementation, the bowl liner housing 501 may include a through-hole or cavity in the bowl member 203 having a combination of stepped, tapered or straight side walls to aid in liner insertion and to ensure intimate mating of the smoke chamber side wall hole and draw tube and retention of the tapered disposable bowl liner 503.

FIG. 9 illustrates a method of operation of the tapered easy-care smoking apparatus 500 having a tapered bowl housing 501 and tapered disposable bowl liner 503 contained therein, in accordance to an embodiment. In operation, intake air Ain may be drawn into the top opening 204 of the liner combustion chamber 202B containing a combustible substance 601 which sits and is supported by the liner screen 202F. A vertical clearance VO located under the lip or flange 202A may allow the tapered disposable bowl liner 503 to seat on the tapered surface where the smoke collection opening (exit hole) 205E is located. A radial clearance RO may allow easy removal and insertion of the tapered disposable bowl liner 503 from and into the tapered bowl housing 501. The smoke collection chamber cavity 501A has a tapered surface TO to ensure the tapered disposable bowl liner 503 may achieve an intimate contact with the tapered bowl housing 501, preventing air leakage past the disposable bowl liner 503 when drawing the intake air Ain through the combustible substance 601 forming a smoke vapor S0 that travels from the tapered smoke collection chamber 503A to the smoke draw tube 211 via the exit hole 205E. The smoke vapor S0 is then drawn from the smoke draw tube 211 into the air hole 207 via inhalation by the user. In practice, tapering the mating surfaces and relieving pipe material under the lip of the disposable bowl liner 202 can ensure when the liner is inserted that the exit hole will properly mate securely and tightly to the pipe, having no gaps, since the tapered surfaces are mating surfaces.

In another implementation, the disposable bowl liner 202 may include a pilot hole (or throttle port) 202K disposed underneath the disposable bowl liner 202 for lighting the easy-care smoking apparatus from the bottom end and mixing of air into the smoke collection chamber 503A.

In other embodiments, the disposable liner may facilitate rotational alignment between the side port in the smoke collection chamber and the draw tube. The tab described herein could serve as such an alignment feature.

The disposable combustion chamber may also include a land or step down in diameter for holding a screen in place. The liner below the screen can be tapered as shown in FIG. 8, and the mating surface or land 202G of the pipe below the liner screen 202F can also be tapered, which always ensures when a liner is inserted into a pipe that the liner exit hole mates tightly against the pipe body, over a wide range of tolerances for each part which is anticipated in volume manufacturing. In practice, the disposable liner with tapered mating surfaces may be easier to insert and remove because radial clearances can be made much larger than if the mating surfaces were cylindrical.

In various embodiments, the easy-care smoking apparatus described herein includes a novel tar condensing disposable bowl liner 1002 for use with conventional pipes, hookahs and bongs. It should be apparent that the shape and body of the easy-care smoking apparatus are not relevant to the present invention and may include other shaped bowl members 203 and shank members 201. Note, the disposable combustion chamber, or disposable bowl liner 202 does not require a pipe design that includes a bowl with two open ends. Such a disposable combustion chamber liner with a tar condenser may be utilized in either a bowl member with one open end or a bowl with two open ends as described herein above. The preferred embodiment is an easy-care smoking apparatus having the bowl member 203 with the two open ends (204 and 206) for the convenience of pushing the liner 1002 out from the bottom opening in the bowl when cleaning is desired.

Some preferred material for fabricating the disposable combustion chamber includes any low-cost materials which can withstand combustion temperatures, including for example, molded ceramics and composites, formed metals such as aluminum, brass, copper or steel. Similarly, the liner screen 202F/1102H may include materials such as ceramic or metal such as aluminum, brass, copper or steel, etc. A port for mixing fresh air into the smoke collection chamber may be added to further increase condensation of effluent smoke. To further enhance this desirable attribute of the easy-care smoking apparatus, condensation of tars and other volatile compounds in the combustion chamber beneath the screen, surface enhancing shapes such as shown in FIG. 11 and equivalents therein which remove more byproducts of combustion may be added to the smoke collection chamber. As described above, these surface enhancing shapes avoid the removal of desired volatiles in the smoke, while operating to condense onto themselves tar and other undesired elements from the smoke. Thus, the user is afforded a more potent smoke than with a traditional filtering system used in the prior art. It is understood that other shapes than shown in FIG. 11 may be utilized as well as combinations of shapes, if so desired.

It is noted that the foregoing disclosure has been provided merely for the purpose of explanation and is in no way to be construed as limiting of the present invention. Although the present invention has been shown and described with respect to several preferred embodiments thereof, various changes, omissions, and additions to the form and detail thereof, may be made therein, without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention. It is understood that the words which have been used herein are words of description and illustration, rather than words of limitation. Changes may be made, within the purview of the appended claims, as presently stated and as amended, without departing from the scope and spirit of the present invention in its aspects.

Other embodiments and modifications of the present invention may occur to those of ordinary skill in the art in view of these teachings. Accordingly, the invention is to be limited only by the following claims which include all other such embodiments and modifications when viewed in conjunction with the above specifications and accompanying drawings.

Claims

1. A tar condenser device for use with a smoking pipe, comprising:

an upper chamber configured to hold smoking material and cylindrical in form;

a non-filtering, smoking material supporting screen, integrally disposed at a lower section of the upper chamber;

a lower chamber integrally coupled to the upper chamber configured to collect smoke drawn from combusted smoking material in the upper chamber, an upper end of the lower chamber having a diameter matching a bottom diameter of the upper chamber, and having a narrowing downward taper, a side of the lower chamber having a smoke exit port and a bottom of the lower chamber being closed; and

discrete condensing media disposed in the lower chamber, wherein tar from passing smoke is condensed onto the condensing media.

2. The device of claim 1, wherein the discrete condensing media is bead shaped.

3. The device of claim 1, wherein at least one of activated alumina beads and activated charcoal beads.

4. The device of claim 1, wherein an individual medium of the discrete condensing media is greater than 1/16th inch in diameter.

5. The device of claim 4, wherein an individual medium of the discrete condensing media is less than and 3/16th inch in diameter.

6. The device of claim 1, wherein individual sizes of discrete condensing media are between 1/16- 3/16 inches in diameter.

7. The device of claim 1, wherein the discrete condensing media is spherical in shape.

8. The bowl liner of claim 1, further comprising, a net holding the discrete condensing media.

9. The device of claim 1, wherein the supporting screen is integral to at least one of the upper chamber and lower chamber.

10. The device of claim 1, wherein the discrete condensing media does not condense volatiles with a lower molecular weight than tar.

11. The device of claim 1, wherein the lower chamber has a shape of an inverted, truncated cone.

12. The device of claim 1, wherein the discrete condensing media is porous.

13. The device of claim 1, wherein the discrete condensing media is contained within a holding mesh.

14. The device of claim 1, further comprising, a marijuana based smoking material.

15. The device of claim 1, wherein the smoke exit port is smaller than 1/16th of an inch in diameter.

16. The device of claim 1, further comprising a smoking pipe, having an inner pipe bowl shape matching a shape of the device, and a draw tube in alignment with the bowl liner smoke exit port.

17. The device of claim 16, further comprising a through hole in a bottom of the inner pipe bowl, configured to enable a smoker to push out a seated device from the inner pipe bowl.

18. The device of claim 16, further comprising a cooling element disposed in the smoking pipe, adjacent to the smoke exit port.

19. The device of claim 18, wherein the cooling element is electrically controllable.

20. The device of claim 18, wherein the cooling element is ring-shaped.

21. A method of removing tar in smoke vaper, comprising:

removing tar in smoke vapor using discrete tar condensing media, wherein the smoke vapor is from combusting smoking material supported by a screen and surrounded by a smoking material holding chamber disposed above the discrete tar condensing media.

22. The method of claim 21, further comprising, placing the discrete tar condensing media in a smoke collection chamber below the smoking material holding chamber.

23. The method of claim 22, further comprising, forming a unitary, disposable bowl liner configured for a smoking pipe, wherein an upper portion of the bowl liner is the smoking material holding chamber and a lower portion of the bowl liner is the smoke collection chamber

24. A smoke vapor tar remover device for use with a smoking pipe, comprising:

a unitary, disposable bowl liner having a cylindrical upper chamber configured to hold smoking material and a hollow lower chamber;

a smoking material supporting screen, integrally disposed at a lower section of the upper chamber;

discrete tar condensing material disposed in the hollow lower chamber; and

a smoke exit hole disposed in a side of the lower chamber;

wherein a top of the upper chamber is open and a bottom of the lower chamber is closed, and the discrete tar condensing material condenses tar from smoke vapor passing through the lower chamber.

25. The device of claim 24, further comprising, a lip at a top end of the upper chamber, extending outwardly.

26. The device of claim 24, wherein a body of the upper and lower chamber is formed from at least one of foil, brass, heat resistant plastic, and metal.

27. The device of claim 24, wherein a diameter of the lower chamber is tapered to form a truncated inverted cone.