Abstract:
An apparatus for compacting and storing cigarette butts includes a housing having a central bore with a releasable bottom closure, a closable upper extremity, and a plunger which can be forced downwardly to compact butts within the bore. The plunger also serves as releasable closure for the upper extremity of the bore.

Description:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
   1. Field of the Invention 
   This invention concerns apparatus for the convenient and safe accumulation of cigarette butts, and more particularly relates to apparatus to be carried by a cigarette-smoking person for safely accumulating cigarette butts prior to proper disposal thereof. 
   2. Description of the Prior Art 
   When cigarettes are smoked, an unconsumed portion remains, said portion consisting of a filter, a small amount of tobacco rod, and the paper outer wrap that joins the filter to the tobacco rod. Said unconsumed portion is generally referred to as a butt or stub. When outdoors, there is the tendency for the smoker to discard the butt onto sidewalks, streets, fields or wherever else might be most convenient or inconspicuous. When indoors, the cigarette butts are often discarded onto the floors of stores, public buildings, malls and auditoriums. 
   The large numbers of carelessly discarded cigarette butts constitutes a significant litter problem. It should also be noted that, if the butt is not extinguished prior to disposal, it represents a fire hazard. The butts are hazardous to marine and terrestrial species that might ingest them, and cause difficulties in stormwater filtration systems. 
   Several expedients have earlier been proposed for enabling a smoker to easily and safely accumulate cigarette butts for ultimate disposal in an acceptable manner. Such expedients generally involve small collecting devices which can be associated with a cigarette lighter or package of cigarettes, and which have a capacity of 5 to 20 butts. 
   U.S. Pat. RE. 31,076 discloses a plastic cigarette package having a plurality of bores that receive cigarette butts. When filled with butts, the package is returned to a retail outlet for return of a deposit initially paid by the smoker. 
   U.S. Pat. No. 5,673,709 describes a portable ashtray having an apertured top portion which allows passage of a butt to a lower receptacle portion. The top portion is removable to permit dumping of accumulated butts. 
   U.S. Pat. No. 5,368,155 discloses a cigarette package having a butt-receiving drawer and means for slidably accommodating a cigarette lighter. 
   U.S. Pat. No. 5,711,423 concerns a rigid container having separate compartments for an easily crushable package of cigarettes, and cigarette butts. As the cigarettes are transformed into collected butts, the butt compartment is caused to increase in volume while causing commensurate diminution of the volume of the cigarette package compartment. 
   U.S. Pat. No. 3,888,264 discloses a holder for accommodating a cigarette package. A slidably removable ashtray receptacle is built into the bottom of the holder. 
   U.S. Pat. No. 4,961,496 describes a cigarette package having a deformable partition which divides the package into separate compartments for cigarettes and butts. 
   U.S. Pat. No. 4,252,237 concerns a combination holder including separate compartments for a package of cigarettes, a cigarette lighter and cigarette butts. 
   U.S. Pat. No. 4,286,515 describes a compacting waste basket having a hinged lid that can exert downward force upon debris within a collecting compartment. 
   Although the aforesaid patents address the issue of disposing of cigarette butts in a thoughtful manner, the disclosed devices are either difficult to use, or of such large size as to be inconvenient to carry, or lacking in versatility because of requisite use with only certain kinds of cigarette packages. 
   It is accordingly an object of the present invention to provide a small-sized apparatus for the easy accumulation and subsequent disposal of cigarette butts. 
   It is another object of this invention to provide apparatus as in the foregoing object which is optionally attachable to a cigarette lighter. 
   It is a further object of the present invention to provide apparatus of the aforesaid nature amenable to single handed operation. 
   It is an additional object of this invention to provide apparatus of the aforesaid nature capable of compacting cigarette butts so as to achieve greater butt-accumulating capacity within a relatively small compartment. 
   It is a still further object of the present invention to provide apparatus of the aforesaid nature which safely extinguishes cigarette butts, prevents inadvertent release of ashes, and permits easy and efficient discharge of accumulated butts. 
   These objects and other objects and advantages of the invention will be apparent from the following description. 
   SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
   The above and other beneficial objects and advantages are accomplished in accordance with the present invention by an apparatus for compacting and storing cigarette butts comprising:
     a) a housing elongated between upper and lower extremities,   b) a bore of uniform cross-sectional configuration within said housing extending between and opening upon said upper and lower extremities,   c) plunger means for exerting compressive force upon cigarette butts entered into said bore from said upper extremity, and for additionally serving as an adjustable closure lid for said upper extremity,   d) restoring means for returning said plunger means to said upper extremity, and   e) adjustable closure means for said lower extremity.   

   
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWING 
     For a fuller understanding of the nature and objects of the invention, reference should be had to the following detailed description taken in connection with the accompanying drawing forming a part of this specification and in which similar numerals of reference indicate corresponding parts in all the figures of the drawing: 
       FIG. 1  is a perspective top and side view of an embodiment of the apparatus of this invention, shown in its closed state. 
       FIG. 2  is a side view of the embodiment of  FIG. 1 . 
       FIG. 3  is a front view thereof. 
       FIG. 4  is a rear view thereof. 
       FIG. 5  is an enlarged top view thereof. 
       FIG. 6  is a bottom view thereof. 
       FIG. 7  is a sectional view taken in the direction of the arrows upon the line  7 — 7  of  FIG. 5 . 
       FIG. 8  is a top view of the embodiment of  FIG. 1  shown in its open, butt-receiving state. 
       FIG. 9  is a side view of the apparatus in its open, butt-receiving state. 
       FIG. 10  is a side view of the apparatus in its butt-discharging state. 
   

   DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT 
   Referring now to  FIGS. 1–10 , an embodiment of the apparatus  10  of the present invention is shown comprised of housing  11  elongated between upper and lower extremities  12  and  13 , respectively, and containing bore  14  of uniform cross-sectional configuration which opens upon said upper and lower extremities. Adjustable bottom closure means  31  are interactive with said bore at said lower extremity. For reasons of clarity of illustration,  FIGS. 1–10  are larger in size than the actual apparatus. 
   The external appearance of the exemplified housing, as defined by outer sidewall surface  15 , is oval-shaped. Other external configurations may, however, be employed, preferably being symmetrical with respect to the center axis  16  of bore  14 . Said housing may be of metal or plastic construction, and may typically have a length, measured between said extremities, of between about 65 and 80 millimeters. 
   Plunger means  18  is associated with upper extremity  12 . The exemplified plunger means is shown having a plunger portion  19  whose outer perimeter  26  is adapted to make close-fitting sliding contact with bore  14 , and a finger grip portion  20  positioned to slide axially along sidewall surface  15 . Said plunger and finger grip portions are joined by a thin connecting member  21  adapted to undergo reciprocating sliding movement within an axially directed slot  22  communicating between bore  14  and sidewall surface  15  at the front surface  45  of said housing. Said connecting member contains a tubular bushing  24  adapted to slidably embrace guide rod  25  which is emplaced within slot  22 , and extends from lower extremity  13  to upper end portion  28  disposed above upper extremity  12  and equipped with retaining flange  34 . A coil spring  29  mounted upon said guide rod serves to urge said plunger means upwardly upon the guide rod. 
   By virtue of the aforesaid construction, finger-applied downward force acting upon finger grip portion  20  causes plunger portion  19  to descend within bore  14  to compact any cigarette butt within said bore. Upon release of the downward force, said plunger means is restored to its uppermost position, where it serves as a closure lid which prevents loss of material upwardly from said bore. 
   Latch means  30  is pivotably associated with said housing and comprised of an action lever  33  terminating in a control nose  48  disposed above bore  14 . Said lever  33  is biased toward bore  14  by spring  32 . Nose  48  is shaped such that it intercepts and secures plunger portion  19  upon spring-urged upward motion thereof, preventing movement out of bore  14 . However, nose  48  permits forceful downward passage of said plunger portion into bore  14  from a site located above upper extremity  12 . Said permitted downward passage is achieved, for example, by virtue of a bearing surface  49  downwardly angled toward said bore. By virtue of such effect, plunger portion  19  is caused to further serve as a top closure lid which prevents inadvertent discharge of the contents of the bore. 
   In operation, when it is desired to enter a cigarette butt into bore  14 , lever portion  33  of latch  30  is depressed, producing pivoted outward motion of latch  30  with attendant release of plunger means  18 . Spring  29  consequently drives said plunger means out of bore  14  and above upper extremity  12 . Upward movement of said plunger means is halted by retaining flange  34  atop guide rod  25 , said uppermost site of halted movement being about 2 millimeters above upper extremity  12 . When at said uppermost site, bushing  24  enables plunger means  18  to be pivoted freely about upper portion  28  of rod  25  within a plane orthogonal to axis  16  to a position clear of bore  14  (as shown in  FIGS. 8 and 9 ). 
   When a cigarette butt is entered into the open upper extremity of bore  14 , plunger means  18  is then manipulated so as to pivotably return plunger portion  19  to a position above bore  14 . Abutment means  36  may be employed to stop the pivoted movement of said plunger means at the exact position which centers plunger portion  19  above bore  14 . Finger pressure is then applied to finger grip portion  20  of said plunger means, causing plunger portion  19  to pass nose  48  and compact butts within bore  14 . 
   After the successive addition of 3 to 6 cigarette butts, bore  14  may become filled. The contents of the bore may then be discharged by proper manipulation of bottom closure means  31 . In the illustrated embodiment, said bottom closure means is comprised of a cap component  38  having a retaining perimeter lip  39 . Said lip is adapted to closely embrace a shoulder  40  of bore  14  that protrudes downwardly about 1 millimeter from lower extremity  13 . An action arm  41  emergent from the perimeter of cap  38  extends to pivoted engagement with the housing at rear surface  44  thereof. A spring  43  interactive between arm  41  and said housing biases cap  38  away from bore  14 . Latch means  46  slidably retained within the rear surface  44  of the housing is adapted to secure arm  41  in the closed state of the device (as shown in  FIGS. 1–9 ), thereby preventing inadvertent discharge of the contents of the bore. When disposal of the confined butts is desired, latch means  46  is slid by finger force to its release position, an upward position in the exemplified embodiment. Cap  38  is then swung by finger manipulation to a pivoted location away from the housing, as shown in  FIG. 10 , thereby opening bore  14  for discharge of its contents. 
   Attachment means, shown as rubber bands  50  in the illustrated embodiment, facilitate releasable attachment to a cigarette lighter  51 , as shown in  FIG. 5  in phantom outline. 
   While particular examples of the present invention have been shown and described, it is apparent that changes and modifications may be made therein without departing from the invention in its broadest aspects. The aim of the appended claims, therefore, is to cover all such changes and modifications as fall within the true spirit and scope of the invention.