US20040182406A1

US20040182406A1 - Cigarette filter density adjustment device

Info

Publication number: US20040182406A1
Application number: US10/392,790
Authority: US
Inventors: Ronald Conatser
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 2003-03-21
Filing date: 2003-03-21
Publication date: 2004-09-23

Abstract

A cigarette filter density adjustment device for modifying the density of a filter of a cigarette. The cigarette filter density adjustment device includes a support assembly including a tubular housing having open first and second ends and a bore being disposed therethrough; and also includes a cap being removably disposed upon the open first end of the tubular housing; and further includes a filter density adjuster being movably disposed in and from the tubular housing including an elongate punch being movably disposed in and from the tubular housing for moving aside and bending a portion of filter from a cigarette.

Description

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

1. Field of the Invention

The present invention relates to cigarette filter density adjusters and more particularly pertains to a new cigarette filter density adjustment device for modifying the density of a filter of a cigarette.

2. Description of the Prior Art

The use of cigarette filter density adjusters is known in the prior art. More specifically, cigarette filter density adjusters heretofore devised and utilized are known to consist basically of familiar, expected and obvious structural configurations, notwithstanding the myriad of designs encompassed by the crowded prior art which have been developed for the fulfillment of countless objectives and requirements.

Known prior art includes U.S. Pat. No. 2,778,364; U.S. Pat. No. 1,483,503; U.S. Pat. No. 1,734,815; U.S. Pat. No. 1,694,603; and U.S. Pat. No. Des. 364,480.

While these devices fulfill their respective, particular objectives and requirements, the aforementioned patents do not disclose a new cigarette filter density adjustment device. The prior art includes tubular housings having immovable needles for holding onto the cigarette.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The general purpose of the present invention, which will be described subsequently in greater detail, is to provide a new cigarette filter density adjustment device which has many of the advantages of the cigarette filter density adjusters mentioned heretofore and many novel features that result in a new cigarette filter density adjustment device which is not anticipated, rendered obvious, suggested, or even implied by any of the prior art cigarette filter density adjusters, either alone or in any combination thereof. The present invention includes a support assembly including a tubular housing having open first and second ends and a bore being disposed therethrough; and also includes a cap being removably disposed upon the open first end of the tubular housing; and further includes a filter density adjuster being movably disposed in and from the tubular housing including an elongate punch being movably disposed in and from the tubular housing for moving and pushing aside a portion of filter from a cigarette. None of the prior art includes the combination of the elements of the present invention.

There has thus been outlined, rather broadly, the more important features of the cigarette filter density adjustment device in order that the detailed description thereof that follows may be better understood, and in order that the present contribution to the art may be better appreciated. There are additional features of the invention that will be described hereinafter and which will form the subject matter of the claims appended hereto.

In this respect, before explaining at least one embodiment of the invention in detail, it is to be understood that the invention is not limited in its application to the details of construction and to the arrangements of the components set forth in the following description or illustrated in the drawings. The invention is capable of other embodiments and of being practiced and carried out in various ways. Also, it is to be understood that the phraseology and terminology employed herein are for the purpose of description and should not be regarded as limiting.

It is an object of the present invention to provide a new cigarette filter density adjustment device which has many of the advantages of the cigarette filter density adjusters mentioned heretofore and many novel features that result in a new cigarette filter density adjustment device which is not anticipated, rendered obvious, suggested, or even implied by any of the prior art cigarette filter density adjusters, either alone or in any combination thereof.

Still another object of the present invention is to provide a new cigarette filter density adjustment device for modifying the density of a filter of a cigarette.

Still yet another object of the present invention is to provide a new cigarette filter density adjustment device that is easy and convenient to set up and use.

Even still another object of the present invention is to provide a new cigarette filter density adjustment device that moves or pushes aside a selected amount of fibers in the filter of the cigarette.

These together with other objects of the invention, along with the various features of novelty which characterize the invention, are pointed out with particularity in the claims annexed to and forming a part of this disclosure. For a better understanding of the invention, its operating advantages and the specific objects attained by its uses, reference should be made to the accompanying drawings and descriptive matter in which there are illustrated preferred embodiments of the invention.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

The invention will be better understood and objects other than those set forth above will become apparent when consideration is given to the following detailed description thereof. Such description makes reference to the annexed drawings wherein: [0015]
FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a new cigarette filter density adjustment device according to the present invention. [0016]
FIG. 2 is another perspective view of the present invention shown in use. [0017]
FIG. 3 is a cross-sectional view of the present invention. [0018]
FIG. 4[0019] a is a partial cross-sectional view of a cigarette before using the present invention.
FIG. 4[0020] b is a partial cross-sectional view of a cigarette after using the present invention.
FIG. 5 is a cross-sectional view of the present invention being attached to cigarette lighter. [0021]
FIG. 6 is a perspective view of another embodiment of the present invention.[0022]

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT

With reference now to the drawings, and in particular to FIGS. 1 through 6 thereof, a new cigarette filter density adjustment device embodying the principles and concepts of the present invention and generally designated by the [0023] reference numeral 10 will be described.
As best illustrated in FIGS. 1 through 6, the cigarette filter [0024] density adjustment device 10 generally comprises a support assembly including a tubular housing 11 having first and second ends 12,13 and openings 30,31 being disposed therethrough and a bore 14 being disposed therethrough. The tubular housing 11 further includes a cross wall 15 being securely disposed in the bore 14 near the first end 12 thereof and having an opening 16 being disposed therethrough. The support assembly also includes a pocket clip 17 being securely attached to an outer side of a wall of the tubular housing 11 for carrying in a pocket of a user. As a second embodiment, the support assembly further includes a cigarette lighter 18 having a fuel container 19 to which the tubular housing 11 is securely attached. The support assembly also includes a bracket 20 having holes 21 being disposed through corners thereof and to which the tubular housing 11 is securely attached.
A [0025] cap 22 is removably disposed in the first end 12 of the tubular housing 11. The cap 22 includes a tubular stub portion 23 being removably engaged in the bore 14 through the first end 12 of the tubular housing 11, and also includes bulbous handle portion 24.
A filter density adjuster is movably disposed in and from the [0026] tubular housing 11 and includes an elongate punch 25 being movably disposed in and from the tubular housing 11 for moving and pushing aside a portion of filter 33 from a cigarette 32. The elongate punch 25 includes an elongate needle portion 26 having a pointed end portion being extendably retracted through the first end 12 of the tubular housing 11 for punching out a portion of the filter 33 of the cigarette 32 to adjust the density of the filter 33, and also includes a plunger portion 27 being securely attached to the elongate needle portion 26 and having a first end portion being movably disposed externally of the tubular housing 11 through the second end 13 thereof, and further includes a collar 28 being securely disposed about a second end portion of the plunger portion 27 for retaining the elongate punch 25 in the bore 14 of the tubular housing 11. The filter density adjuster also includes a spring 29 being securely disposed about the needle portion 26 in the bore 14 of the tubular housing 11 and engaging the cross wall 15 and the collar 28 for retracting the elongate needle portion 26 in the bore 14 of the tubular housing 11.
In use, the end of the filter of the cigarette is positioned through the opening [0027] 30 of the first end 12 of the tubular housing 11 and against the cross wall 15 being securely disposed in the tubular housing 11, and depresses the plunger portion 27 to move the elongate needle portion 26 into the filter 33 of the cigarette 32 to move and push aside or bend a portion of the filter 33 as desired, and then releases the plunger portion 27 to retract the elongate needle portion 26 into the bore 14 of the tubular housing 11 and out of the filter 33 of the cigarette 32, and removes the filter 33 of the cigarette 32 from the opening 30 of the first end 12 of the tubular housing 11.
As to a further discussion of the manner of usage and operation of the present invention, the same should be apparent from the above description. Accordingly, no further discussion relating to the manner of usage and operation will be provided. [0028]
With respect to the above description then, it is to be realized that the optimum dimensional relationships for the parts of the invention, to include variations in size, materials, shape, form, function and manner of operation, assembly and use, are deemed readily apparent and obvious to one skilled in the art, and all equivalent relationships to those illustrated in the drawings and described in the specification are intended to be encompassed by the present invention. [0029]
Therefore, the foregoing is considered as illustrative only of the principles of the cigarette filter density adjustment device. Further, since numerous modifications and changes will readily occur to those skilled in the art, it is not desired to limit the invention to the exact construction and operation shown and described, and accordingly, all suitable modifications and equivalents may be resorted to, falling within the scope of the invention. [0030]

Claims

I claim:

1. A cigarette filter density adjustment device comprising:

a support assembly including a tubular housing having first and second ends with openings being disposed therethrough, and also having a bore being disposed therethrough;

a cap being removably disposed in said first end of said tubular housing; and

a filter density adjuster being movably disposed in and from said tubular housing including an elongate punch being movably disposed is and from said tubular housing for moving and pushing aside and bending a portion of filter from a cigarette.

2. The cigarette filter density adjustment device as described in claim 2, wherein said tubular housing further includes a cross wall being disposed in said bore near said open first end thereof and having an opening disposed therethrough.

3. The cigarette filter density adjustment device as described in claim 3, wherein said support assembly also includes a pocket clip being attached to an outer side of a wall of said tubular housing for clipping onto a pocket of a user.

4. The cigarette filter density adjustment device as described in claim 3, wherein said support assembly further includes a cigarette lighter having a fuel container to which said tubular housing is attached.

5. The cigarette filter density adjustment device as described in claim 3, wherein said support assembly also includes a bracket having holes disposed through corners thereof and to which said tubular housing is attached.

6. The cigarette filter density adjustment device as described in claim 3, wherein said cap includes a tubular stub portion being removably engaged in said bore through said first end of said tubular housing, and also includes bulbous handle portion.

7. The cigarette filter density adjustment device as described in claim 3, wherein said elongate punch includes an elongate needle portion having a pointed end portion being extendably retracted through said first end of said tubular housing for punching out a portion of the filter of the cigarette to adjust the density of the filter, and also includes a plunger portion being attached to said elongate needle portion and having a first end portion being movably disposed externally of said tubular housing through said second end thereof, and further includes a collar being disposed about a second end portion of said plunger portion for retaining said elongate punch in said bore of said tubular housing.

8. The cigarette filter density adjustment device as described in claim 7, wherein said filter density adjuster also includes a spring being disposed about said needle portion in said bore of said tubular housing and engaging said cross wall and said collar for retracting said elongate needle portion in said bore of said tubular housing.

9. A method of adjusting the density of the filter in a cigarette includes the steps of:

providing a tubular housing having open first and second ends, and also providing an elongate punch having an elongate needle portion and also having a plunger portion for moving said needle portion through said open first end of said tubular housing;

Positioning an end of a filter of a cigarette through said open first end of said tubular housing and against a cross wall disposed in said tubular housing;

depressing said plunger portion to move said elongate needle portion into the filter of the cigarette to move aside and bend a portion of the filter as desired;

releasing said plunger portion to retract said elongate needle portion into said bore of said tubular housing and out of the filter of the cigarette; and

removing the filter of the cigarette from said open first end of said tubular housing.