US20100181221A1

US20100181221A1 - Outdoor smoking materials receptacle simulating a cigarette

Info

Publication number: US20100181221A1
Application number: US12/355,637
Authority: US
Inventors: William C. Rivers, JR.
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 2009-01-16
Filing date: 2009-01-16
Publication date: 2010-07-22

Abstract

A cigarette butt container simulating a large cigarette is mounted on a stand or bracketed to a wall or post as an outside receptacle for discarded smoking materials. An outer PVC hollow cylindrical base mates with a hollow cylindrical cap and both are painted and/or imprinted to simulate a giant cigarette. A removable inner metal cylinder receptacle is spaced apart from the outer cylinder and collects the discarded smoking materials for later disposal by lifting the cap and removing the receptacle. A metal neck having a bottom hole is to the cap for scraping the lighted smoking materials against the metal neck to extinguish the flame and dropping the smoking materials through the bottom hole into the receptacle.

Description

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

Not Applicable.

STATEMENT REGARDING FEDERALLY SPONSORED RESEARCH OR DEVELOPMENT

Not Applicable.

THE NAMES OF THE PARTIES TO A JOINT RESEARCH OR DEVELOPMENT

Not Applicable.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to cigarette butt and ash receptacles and particularly to a cigarette butt container shaped like a large cigarette which may be mounted in a stand or to a wall or post which comprises a tubular two-part container made from PVC pipe, a first upper portion of the two-part container is painted to resemble the filter portion of a cigarette and a second lower portion of the two-part container has a logo printed thereon and simulative ashes or embers painted around the bottom thereof; the cigarette butt container further includes a removable cylindrical cigarette butt and ash receptacle which fits inside the lower portion of the two-part container, and a removable cylindrical cap which fits over the top of the two-part container and has an annular metal neck attached in an opening the center of the cap with a bottom hole in the neck to admit smoking materials through the bottom hole.
2. Description of Related Art Including Information Disclosed Under 37 CFR 1.97 and 1.98
Various ash tray apparatus has been utilized in the prior art for the disposal and containment of cigarette debris, such as smoldering and discarded cigarette and cigar butts. Particularly with regulations against smoking indoors, it is becoming increasingly important to provide outdoor means for disposing of smoking materials with highly visible and clearly indicated. It is also desirable to make the outdoor “ashtray” easy to use and easy to clean and with a sufficient capacity to hold a large quantity of discarded smoking materials while at the same time not taking up too much space. The prior art devices do not adequately address all of these concerns.
U.S. Patent Application #20050005945, published Jan. 13, 2005 by Shaw, is for a cigarette butt receptacle device for receiving cigarette butts. The device has a base retaining a container member, a receiving tube member with a chute segment directing the butts into the receptacle member and a secondary housing member that encloses the chute segment to alter the external visual appearance. In an alternate embodiment, the device has a cap member that joins to the chute segment. In an alternate embodiment the device has a non-linear chute member.
U.S. Patent Application #20050241655, published Nov. 3, 2005 by Goldberg, provides a trash container for disposal of cigarette waste which includes a base, a hollow stem having an outer wall that contains an interior cavity of the hollow stem. The stem further includes a top and a bottom, where the stem is coupled to the base at the bottom. The container also includes a removable cap which is detachably coupled to the top of the stem. It further includes a disposal bucket attached to the cap. Once the cap is coupled to the top of the stem, the disposal bucket is suspended in the interior cavity of the stem. At least one hole is made through the outer wall of the stem near the top. Once the disposal bucket is placed in the interior cavity of the stem, the hole is located between disposal bucket and the cap.
U.S. Patent Application #20070068946, published Mar. 29, 2007 by Marshall, shows a receptacle for waste, the receptacle including an elongated body member having a first end for locating on or in the ground and a second end with an opening therein for receipt of waste, the body member further including inlet means to permit atmospheric air to be drawn into the body member on the application of a vacuum to the body member, wherein contents of the receptacle are capable of being drawn from the receptacle on the application of a vacuum to the body member by entraining with atmospheric air drawn into the body member by the vacuum.
U.S. Patent Application #20060191944, published Aug. 31, 2006 by Starr, claims a smoking material receptacle which reduces or eliminates smoldering of discarded smoking materials and prevents smoke and odor from escaping from the receptacle. The smoking material is inserted in an angled chute near the top of the receptacle. The chute has an upper opening and a lower opening. In one embodiment, the lower opening of the chute lies substantially within a vertical plane. The arrangement of the chute within the receptacle substantially reduces or eliminates the escape of smoke and odor from the receptacle.
U.S. Patent Application #20080029108, published Feb. 7, 2008 by Catron, describes a receptacle for receiving smoking waste includes a canister and a cap disposed on the canister. The cap includes a flow-inhibiting surface for affecting gas flow into the canister and a container member forming a containing area disposed horizontally inward of the flow-inhibiting surface for receiving smoke rising from the collection area. The cap can have at least one snuffing area for snuffing smoking material and at least one depositing area for depositing smoking waste into the canister. The opening for depositing smoking waste can allow for 360 degrees access to the user.
U.S. Patent Application #20060096992, published May 11, 2006 by Weiss, is for a smoker's station disposal unit for discarded smoking products. The unit has a lower tubular section mounted on a base, an upper tubular section with an interior partition to form a closed-bottom receptacle for the discarded smoking products, a removable cap covering an open end of the upper tubular section, and the cap and tubular sections are detachable from one another for emptying the receptacle.
U.S. Pat. No. D428,192, issued Jul. 11, 2000 to Meyer, provides the ornamental design for an ashtray.
U.S. Pat. No. D515,730, issued Feb. 21, 2006 to Weiss, shows the ornamental design for a tubular receptacle for smoker's refuse.
U.S. Pat. No. D480,504, issued Oct. 7, 2003 to Taylor, claims the ornamental design for a cigarette butt receptacle.
U.S. Pat. No. D552,790, issued Oct. 9, 2007 to Catron, describes the ornamental design for a smoking waste container.
U.S. Pat. No. D522,688, issued Jun. 6, 2006 to Goldberg, discloses the ornamental design for a trash container for disposal of cigarette waste.
U.S. Pat. No. D157,712, issued Mar. 14, 1950 to Taylor, indicates the ornamental design for an ash tray stand.
U.S. Pat. No. D143,671, issued Jan. 29, 1946 to Panzer, puts forth the ornamental design for an ash stand.
U.S. Pat. No. D101,459, issued Oct. 6, 1936 to Hoffman, concerns the ornamental design for a smoking stand.
U.S. Pat. No. D100,049, issued Jun. 16, 1936 to Schultz, illustrates the ornamental design for a smoking stand.
U.S. Pat. No. 7,171,968, issued Feb. 6, 2007 to Olson, is for a cigarette disposal assembly comprising a receptacle for receiving and disposing of combustible articles. The assembly has a base member and a cooperating removable top member having a seal structure. A flared inlet extends from the top member and into the base member. Extinguished combustible articles, such as cigarettes, drop into a metal cavity disposed near the bottom of the base member. Securement devices are provided to safeguard the cigarette disposal assembly whereby the top member may be secured to the base member and the entire disposal assembly to a fixed object.
U.S. Pat. No. 2,009,593, issued Jul. 30, 1935 to Reichenbach, provides a smoker's stand which comprises a weighted base member, a metal tubular standard of which the bottom portion threadingly engages an opening in the base member, an ornamental cover shell surrounding the metal tubular standard, a tubular ash container which fits inside the tubular standard.
U.S. Pat. No. 2,593,836, issued Apr. 22, 1952 to Bock, shows a closed receptacle for cigarette ash trays which includes a cylindrical receptacle wall having a cigarette butt reception entrance at the top and a side door built into the cylindrical wall for the purpose of removing and dumping an ash receptacle.
U.S. Pat. No. 2,437,226, issued Mar. 2, 1948 to Fischer, claims a smoker's stand having a base, a tubular standard which fits in the base, an annular platform rigidly affixed to the upper portion of the tubular standard, and an ashtray with a screw-on jar attached to the bottom thereof. The jar fits with and is concealed by the tubular standard when the bottom of the ashtray is sitting on the annular platform.
U.S. Pat. No. 6,145,510, issued Nov. 14, 2000 to Clark, describes a cigar extinguishing device which includes a circular top component for tightly holding a burning or smoldering cigar in a vertical position. On a side of the top component is a substantially horizontal ventilation slot having a sliding cover for controlling the burn rate of the cigar. This arrangement also allows the cigar to be extinguished without physically pressing the end into a typical ash tray; thus allowing the cigar to burn evenly and prevents it from unraveling. The ash tray has a removable, lower base unit allowing the ash collecting portion to be easily removed and emptied.
U.S. Pat. No. 3,082,901, issued Mar. 26, 1963 to Nakagawa, discloses an ash tray with a disposable ash receiver. The ash tray comprises an upstanding container and a funnel-like lid. A milk carton is placed with the container and is used as the ash receptacle.
U.S. Pat. No. 2,910,073, issued Oct. 27, 1959 to Lookholder, relates an ash receiver comprising a cylindrical body with an opening at the top and the bottom thereof. The top opening is covered by an annular lid having a grid-like scraper element in the center thereof. The bottom opening may be placed over a commercial can so that the can may be used as a removable ash container.
What is needed is outdoor means for disposing of smoking materials which is highly visible and its purpose clearly indicated as well as making the outdoor “ashtray” easy to use and easy to clean and with a sufficient capacity to hold a large quantity of discarded smoking materials while at the same time not taking up too much space.

BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

An object of the present invention is to provide a giant simulated cigarette with a removable inner receptacle as an outdoor means for disposing of smoking materials which is highly visible and its purpose clearly indicated as well as making the outdoor “ashtray” easy to use and easy to clean and with a sufficient capacity to hold a large quantity of discarded smoking materials while at the same time not taking up too much space.
In brief, a cigarette butt container shaped like a large cigarette which may be mounted in a stand or to a wall or post as an outside receptacle for discarded smoking materials. An outer PVC cylindrical base mates with a cylindrical cap and both are painted and/or imprinted to simulate a giant cigarette to make it clear what the purpose is and be sure that smokers can see the receptacle and be more likely to use it because of its unique shape. A removable inner metal cylinder receptacle is spaced apart from the outer cylinder and collects the discarded smoking materials for later disposal by removing the receptacle. The cylindrical cap fits over the top of the two-part container and has an annular metal neck attached in an opening the center of the cap with a bottom hole in the neck to admit smoking materials through the bottom hole.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE SEVERAL VIEWS OF THE DRAWINGS

These and other details of my invention will be described in connection with the accompanying drawings, which are furnished only by way of illustration and not in limitation of the invention, and in which drawings:

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of the multiple nested cylinder cigarette butt container of the present invention which has an outer surface and shape configured to simulate a large cigarette;

FIG. 2 is a perspective view of the cigarette butt container of FIG. 1 showing the inner removable butt and ash receptacle in dashed lines inside the container and optional brackets or stand in dashed lines for mounting the container;

FIG. 3 is an exploded perspective view of the components of the butt container of FIG. 1 showing the base and attached sleeve, the butt receptacle, the cap, and the metal neck in the cap with a bottom hole to receive smoking materials therethrough;

FIG. 4 is a cross-sectional plan view taken horizontally through FIG. 5 near the top of the present invention of FIG. 1 showing the bracket and the metal neck in plan view;

FIG. 5 is a cross-sectional elevational view of the embodiment of the present invention of FIGS. 1 and 4 showing the two-piece shell, the inserted receptacle, the bracket and the metal neck in elevational view with the closed bottom of the receptacle resting on the bottom plate of the outer tubular shell;

FIG. 6 is a cross-sectional plan view taken horizontally through FIG. 7 near the top of an alternate embodiment of the present invention with a recessed inner sleeve surface cut from the cap at the cap opening mating with a recessed outer sleeve cut from the outer tubular shell at the shell opening showing the bracket and the metal neck in plan view;

FIG. 7 is a cross-sectional elevational view of the embodiment of the present invention of FIG. 6 showing the shell, the inserted receptacle, the bracket and the metal neck in elevational view with the closed bottom of the receptacle resting on the bottom plate of the outer tubular shell.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

In FIGS. 1-7, a multiple nested cylinder cigarette butt container device 10 has an outer surface and shape configured to simulate a large cigarette.
A hollow cylindrical outer tubular shell 30 has an outer surface and shape simulating a lighted end of a large cigarette including a bottom ash 33 simulating the burning tip of the cigarette. The outer tubular shell comprises a lower shell portion 32 having a bottom base plate 38 and an upper shell opening 39 with an upper recessed sleeve 31 surrounding the upper shell opening, the recessed sleeve 31 protruding from the lower shell portion with a top ridge 34 of the lower shell portion forming an annular extending ridge around the recessed sleeve 31. The recessed sleeve 31 receives and maintains the cap 20 in place on the outer tubular shell 30.
The upper cap 20 has an outer surface and shape simulating a filter end 22 of the large cigarette. The upper cap comprises a hollow cap cylinder having an annular top cap plate 21 having a center opening 25 and a bottom cap opening 29 which fits over the recessed sleeve 31 and rests on the annular ridge 34 to complete the simulation of the large cigarette to indicate the function of the multiple nested cylinder cigarette butt container device 10 as an outdoor smoking material disposal receptacle.
The outer tubular shell 30 preferably comprises a two-part container made from polyvinylchloride (PVC) pipe adhered together to form the outer tubular shell 30 and the recessed sleeve 31. The outer surface of the outer tubular shell 30 and the cap 20 are painted to simulate a large cigarette. The cap 20 is painted to simulate the filter portion of a cigarette and the lower outer tubular shell 30 is imprinted with an encircling band 35 and a logo 37 simulating a cigarette logo or indicating a name of an establishment where the device is located and painted at a bottom tip to simulative ashes 33.
A removable cylindrical cigarette butt and ash receptacle 40 is removably inserted inside the hollow cylindrical outer tubular shell 30. The cigarette butt and ash receptacle 40 comprises a hollow receptacle cylinder smaller in diameter than the outer tubular shell 30 and having a closed bottom 49 to contain discarded smoking materials, such as cigarette and cigar butts, matches, and ashes. The hollow receptacle cylinder 40 is fabricated of non-flammable material, preferably a metal cylinder, and is spaced apart from the hollow cylindrical outer tubular shell 30 with an air space 45 therebetween to prevent any heat in the cigarette butt and ash receptacle from contacting the outer tubular shell 30.
A metal neck 24 is attached to the annular top cap plate 21 through the center opening 25 therein. The metal neck 24 has a top rim 26 to contact the annular cap plate 21 and a bottom hole 23 therethrough so that a lighted end of a cigarette may be extinguished by abrasive contact of the lighted end against the metal neck and the cigarette ashes fall through the bottom hole into the cigarette butt and ash receptacle 40 and the extinguished cigarette or other smoking materials dropped through the bottom hole 23 into the cigarette butt and ash receptacle 40.
Means for supporting the outer tubular shell 30 in an upright orientation and prevent the outer tubular shell from tipping over may comprise one or more brackets 50A, shown in FIGS. 4-7, to secure it to a pole or building or a self supporting stand 50B which rests on the ground both alternatives shown dashed in FIG. 2.
In FIG. 4, the bracket 50A and the metal neck 24 are shown in plan view with the bottom hole 23 of the metal neck shown opening into the receptacle.
In FIG. 5, the cap 20, the two-piece shell 30, the inserted receptacle 40, the bracket 50A and the metal neck 24 are shown in cross-sectional elevational view with the closed bottom of the receptacle 49 resting on the bottom plate 38 of the outer tubular shell 30.
In FIGS. 6 and 7, an alternate embodiment of the present invention provides a recessed inner sleeve cap surface 11 cut from the cap 20 at the cap opening mating with a recessed outer shell sleeve 31A cut from the outer tubular shell at the shell opening, showing the bracket 50A and the metal neck 24 in plan view in FIG. 6 and the cap 20, the outer shell 30, the inserted receptacle 40, the bracket 50A and the metal neck 24 in elevational view with the closed bottom 49 of the receptacle resting on the bottom plate 38 of the outer tubular shell 30.
It is understood that the preceding description is given merely by way of illustration and not in limitation of the invention and that various modifications may be made thereto without departing from the spirit of the invention as claimed.

Claims

1. A multiple nested cylinder cigarette butt container device having an outer surface and shape configured to simulate a large cigarette, the device comprising:

a hollow cylindrical outer tubular shell having an outer surface and shape simulating a lighted end of a large cigarette, the outer tubular shell comprising a lower shell portion having a bottom base plate and an upper shell opening with an upper recessed sleeve surrounding the upper shell opening, the recessed sleeve protruding from the lower shell portion with a top ridge of the lower shell portion forming an annular extending ridge around the recessed sleeve;

an upper cap having an outer surface and shape simulating a filter end of a large cigarette, the upper cap comprising a hollow cap cylinder having an annular top cap plate having a center opening and a bottom cap opening which fits over the recessed sleeve and rests on the annular ridge to complete the simulation of a large cigarette to indicate the function of the multiple nested cylinder cigarette butt container device as an outdoor smoking material disposal receptacle;

a removable cylindrical cigarette butt and ash receptacle removably inserted inside the hollow cylindrical outer tubular shell, the cigarette butt and ash receptacle comprising a hollow receptacle cylinder smaller in diameter than the outer tubular shell and having a closed bottom, the hollow receptacle cylinder fabricated of non-flammable material and spaced apart from the hollow cylindrical outer tubular shell with an air space therebetween to prevent any heat in the cigarette butt and ash receptacle from contacting the outer tubular shell;

a smoking material extinguishing and receiving metal neck attached in the center opening of the annular top cap plate, the metal neck having a bottom hole therethrough so that a lighted end of any smoking materials may be extinguished by abrasive contact of the lighted end against the metal neck, wherein ashes fall through the bottom hole of the metal neck into the cigarette butt and ash receptacle, and the extinguished smoking materials dropped through the bottom hole in the metal neck into the cigarette butt and ash receptacle;

means for supporting the outer tubular shell in an upright orientation and prevent the outer tubular shell from tipping over.

2. The device of claim 2 wherein the outer tubular shell comprises a two-part container made from polyvinylchloride (PVC) pipe adhered together to form the outer tubular shell and the upper cap.

3. The device of claim 1 wherein the outer surface of the outer tubular shell and the cap are painted to simulate a large cigarette.

4. The device of claim 3 wherein the cap is painted to simulate the filter portion of a cigarette and the lower outer tubular shell is imprinted with a logo and painted at a bottom tip to simulative ashes.

5. The device of claim 1 wherein the means for supporting the outer tubular shell comprises at least one bracket for attaching the outer tubular shell to an external vertical surface.

6. The device of claim 1 wherein the means for supporting the outer tubular shell comprises a support stand.

7. The device of claim 1 wherein the cigarette butt and ash receptacle comprises a hollow metal cylinder.