A smoker's booth for isolating, containing, venting, and filtering tobacco smoke. The booth has a walled enclosure with a smoker's access aperture. The presence of a smoker is detected, thereby activating the venting and filtering mechanisms. The booth can be wall mounted or freestanding.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
Field of the Invention (Technical Field) 
The present invention relates to a wrap-around enclosure or booth as a 
"designated smoking area" within public or private facilities or outdoors 
suitable for one or more smokers that isolates, contains, vents and/or 
filters tobacco smoke. This invention makes it possible for smokers to 
enjoy a cigarette, cigar, or pipe in public or private buildings or 
out-of-doors without contaminating the air for non-smokers in the 
vicinity. 
There are four major issues concerning tobacco smoke or smoking: health, 
productivity, social conflict, and legal compliance/liability. The health 
effects of primary and secondary smoke include allergies, asthma, 
emphysema, and increased incidence of lung cancer. There is growing 
evidence that non-smokers have shown decreased general health in the 
presence of secondary smoke. Productivity is reduced for smoking employees 
by at least the amount of time spent smoking and traveling to and from 
permitted smoking areas. In facilities that have been declared totally 
non-smoking, the time required to travel from the work location to the 
outside and back again can be significant. Encounters between smokers and 
non-smokers are becoming more confrontational and divisive. Local 
ordinance prohibiting smoking in public buildings, except in designated 
smoking areas, create a legal obligation for facility owners and managers. 
Liability arising from smoke related illnesses, or perceived civil rights 
violations could result in potentially disastrous financial consequences. 
Modifications to existing public buildings and facilities, or out-of-doors, 
to create designated smoking areas that effectively contain and filter 
tobacco smoke for large numbers of people are difficult and expensive. In 
all known facilities, such designated smoking areas segregate the 
population physically into rooms containing either smokers or nonsmokers 
and do not allow the two groups to commingle in a common area. 
Thus, the need exists to provide an isolated smoker's booth or kiosk, which 
is inexpensive and useful in high traffic areas. 
Description of the Related Art Including Information Disclosed under 37 
C.F.R. .sctn.1.97-1.99 (Background Art) 
Various types of booths, enclosures, and tobacco smoke containment and/or 
filtering devices are already known. Each varies significantly from the 
present invention. 
Canadian Patent No. 968,113, to Anon, entitled Telephone Booth, is intended 
for use solely as a telephone booth and not as a smoker's booth. It does 
not contain an ashtray, venting or air filtration system. The size of the 
enclosure appears incapable of containing the volume of tobacco smoke that 
is usually produced by a cigarette, cigar, or pipe. The sides of the booth 
are perforated to allow the air within the booth to exchange freely with 
the air outside the booth. Thus, this device would not satisfy the obvious 
requirements of an isolated smoke containment booth. 
U.S. Pat. No. 4,733,507, to Doublet, entitled Isolation Hut, teaches a 
temporary booth made principally of cardboard and useful as a polling 
booth, not as a smoker's booth. The device contains no air handling, 
venting, or filtration equipment. Its flammable construction material, 
lack of an ashtray or fireproof container and non-durable design make it 
inappropriate as a smoker's booth. Further, its use of floor space makes 
it unsuitable for high pedestrian traffic areas like the hallways of large 
public buildings or airport concourses. 
U.S. Pat. No. 3,427,768, to Fulton, entitled Booth with a Rotatable Door 
and Seat, discloses a booth suitable as a telephone booth and not for 
isolating tobacco smoke. The device does not contain an air movement, 
venting, or filtration system or an ashtray. When closed, it would trap 
tobacco smoke created by a cigarette, cigar, or pipe, but would not remove 
this smoke from the air or prevent it from escaping when the door was 
opened. 
U.S. Pat. No. 4,571,898, to Le Cacheux, et al., entitled Sales Boutique, 
Especially a Newspaper Kiosk, is designed to be located outdoors and serve 
as a facility that exhibits and sells small items such as newspapers or 
magazines, not to isolate or contain smoke. It does not contain air 
handling, venting, or filtering equipment or ashtrays for smokers. 
French Patent No. 74 03884, to More, entitled Habitacle de cafe, discloses 
an enclosed circular seating area, a round centrally located table, 
ceiling lighting, and a floor heating duct. It is designed to be placed 
outside a cafe to offer shelter in all washer to customers, and not as a 
smoker's enclosure. This invention does not contain air handling, venting, 
or filtration equipment to clean and remove smoke generated within the 
enclosure. The size and design of the enclosure would not make it 
appropriate for use as a smoker's booth. It is not suited to the 
requirements of public facilities that must handle potentially large 
numbers of smokers within existing floor space and traffic flow 
requirements. 
The device disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 4,623,367, to Paulson, entitled 
Smoke-Free Work Area, is shaped like an umbrella covered patio table or a 
work desk with a hand. These devices are most appropriate for offices or 
restaurants that have limited traffic flow and sufficient floor space to 
permit their use by smokers who will remain in the area for an extended 
period of time. The smokers must be seated and face toward the center of 
the table for the smoke to be captured by the air handling system. This 
invention and its embodiments would not be appropriate for high traffic 
areas, such as hallways or airport concourses. The Paulson device relies 
on a relatively calm air environment to effectively contain the smoke 
within the filtering volume of its air handling system. It is not suited 
to the requirements of public facilities that must handle potentially 
large numbers of smokers within existing floor space and traffic low 
requirements. It does not automatically turn on and off when the smoker 
approaches. 
Japanese Patent No. JA 0112951, to Tsujimura, entitled Illuminator, 
discloses a hood suspended above a table containing a cooking burner or 
ashtray to capture the smoke that rises in the heat of the light and vent 
it through the ceiling. A smoker has to remain seated at the table and 
face inward for the tobacco smoke to be contained by the rising air and 
overhead hood. This invention is most appropriate for a restaurant or 
other location where there is floor space suitable for tables and chairs. 
Modifications to the existing facility must be made to remove the smoke 
that is exhausted above the ceiling. The illuminator must remain on at all 
times for this invention to work properly because the heat generated by 
the incandescent bulb is required to create the updraft that moves smoke 
into the hood. This device does not have the air containment, movement, 
venting, and filtration capacity required for an isolated smoker's booth. 
Japanese Patent No. JA 0118049, Ehama, entitled Hood Device for Smoking, 
contains a fan and single paper filter element mounted above a chair. The 
device is no automatically activated when a smoker enters the area or sits 
in the chair. The application of this invention is limited to those 
locations (office and possibly restaurant) that can fix the position of a 
chair so that the shield screen and down-draft air curtain can be lowered 
to collect the tobacco smoke. The smoker must remain seated or standing 
under the hood for the smoke to be contained by this system. The air 
curtain of this invention will not effectively contain smoke in the 
turbulent air conditions created in high traffic areas. This invention 
also requires modifications to the ceiling of the facility to support the 
hood device. 
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION (DISCLOSURE OF THE INVENTION) 
The present invention comprises a smoker's booth for receiving and 
accommodating one or more smokers and for isolating smokers and tobacco 
smoke. The smoker's booth comprises a walled enclosure, ceiling, a 
smoker's access aperture disposed in the walled enclosure for providing 
ingress and egress for the smokers, and a venting mechanism to vent 
tobacco smoke from the walled enclosure and away from the vicinity 
proximate to the walled enclosure. 
In the preferred embodiment, the walled enclosure comprises side walls, 
preferably curved in a wrap-around shape, with the smoker's access 
aperture disposed between the wrap-around side walls. The walled enclosure 
further preferably comprises a single back wall for wall-mounting on a 
flat wall surface, or two back walls which meet in a corner, for 
wall-mounting in a corner configuration. The back wall or walls are 
preferably connected to the side walls. For a plurality of smoker's 
booths, the booths can share at least one wall. The back wall or walls are 
curved towards the smoker's access aperture at the ceiling to assist in 
smoke movement towards the vent. When the smoker's booth is wall mounted, 
the walled enclosure comprises partial walls disposed above the floor 
surface. When the smoker's booth is disposed on the floor (free standing) 
or floor mounted, it requires a base. The walled enclosure, particularly 
the side walls, may be transparent, translucent, or opaque. The walled 
enclosure may comprise indicia, such as advertising. The walled enclosure 
may further comprise a door or other closure to close the access to the 
smoker's booth. 
Also in the preferred embodiment, the venting mechanism comprises a fan and 
at least one exhaust aperture disposed in the ceiling. The smoker's booth 
further preferably comprises an air intake aperture disposed proximate the 
smoker's access aperture. Also, the smoker's booth preferably further 
comprises a filtering system, using a particulate filter, an electrostatic 
filter, an activated charcoal filter, or combination thereof. The filters 
are removable from the smoker's booth, preferably through the ceiling. For 
a plurality of smoker's booths, a common exhaust system, such as a 
facility heating, venting, and air conditioning system, may be provided. 
In the preferred embodiment, the smoker's booth further comprises a sensor 
for detecting the presence of a person. Sensors, useful in accordance with 
the invention include infrared, sonic, capacitive sensors and the like. 
The sensor may automatically activate the venting mechanism, filters, and 
the light. The sensor may have a predetermined delay for deactivating the 
venting (and filter and light) after the person exits the smoker's booth. 
The smoker's booth may further comprise a shelf, ashtray, seat (preferably 
a foldable seat), vending machine, rack, television, telephone, or the 
like. 
It is a primary object of the present invention to provide a smoker's 
booth, for containing and venting tobacco smoke, for use within public and 
private buildings or outside areas. 
It is another object of the present invention to provide means to contain 
and filter primary and secondary tobacco smoke created when an individual 
smokes a cigarette, cigar or pipe. 
Yet another object of the present invention is to provide an enclosure for 
smoking that does not interrupt normal traffic flow within public and 
private buildings or out-of-doors. 
Still another object of the present invention is to minimize power 
consumption by the use of a proximity sensor. 
An advantage of the present invention is the provision of a smoker's booth 
that can be matched with facility decor in colors and materials. 
A further advantage of the present invention is its portability and ease of 
construction. 
Other objects, advantages and novel features, and further scope of 
applicability of the present invention will be at set forth in part in the 
detailed description to follow, taken in conjunction with the accompanying 
drawing, and in part will become apparent to those skilled in the art upon 
examination of the following, or may be learned by practice of the 
invention. The objects and advantages of the invention may be realized and 
attained by means of the instrumentalities and combinations particularly 
pointed out in the appended claims.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS OF THE INVENTION (BEST 
MODES FOR CARRYING OUT THE INVENTION) 
The present invention relates to a wrap-around enclosure, booth or kiosk 
having air handling, venting, and filtration devices and a proximity 
sensor intended to provide a containment and isolation of tobacco smoke 
within public and private buildings or outdoors. The present invention is 
suitable for areas that accommodate large numbers of people within, for 
example, restricted floor spaces, such as airport concourses and gate 
areas, convention centers exhibit halls, sports arenas, halls within 
municipal buildings, court houses, manufacturing facilities, hospital 
waiting rooms, employee break areas, and confined courtyards. The present 
invention requires little or no facility modifications. 
Reference is now made to FIGS. 1-3, which illustrate the preferred 
embodiment of the invention. FIGS. 1-3 show a wall-mounted smoker's booth 
10 intended for use as a contained smoking area is high traffic areas. The 
smoker's booth 10 may accommodate one or more smokers and comprises a 
walled enclosure, such as two partial side walls 12 and 14, and back wall 
16, and a front smoker's access aperture 18. The rear wall 16 is flat to 
assist in wall mounting and is joined at each side by curved side walls 12 
and 14 at verticle or corner edges 20 and 22. The smoker's booth 10 is 
preferably and advantageously wall-mounted at its rear wall or surface 16. 
The side walls 12 and 14 are curved inward along their forward segment to 
create a front access aperture 18 that is narrower than the width of the 
booth 10 in that they do not touch the floor. The front access aperture 18 
is limited on each side by the forward vertical edges of the side walls 24 
and 26. The partial walls 12, 14, and 16 allow for ease of cleaning around 
the booth 10, in that they do not touch the floor. The preferred 
embodiment wraps around the smoker(s) to effectively contain primary and 
secondary smoke and allow the air movement system to quickly clear and the 
booth 10. The wraparound walled enclosure of the present invention so 
effectively contains the smoke generated therein that a moderately sized 
air handling and filtration system can exchange and cleanse the entire 
volume of air within the booth more than twice every minute so as to 
maintain a clean, smoke-free environment for nonsmokers in the immediate 
vicinity. 
In the preferred embodiment, the smoker's booth 10 further comprises a 
convenience shelf 28 for placing packages, purses, briefcases, or the 
like. This shelf 28 is mounted to the rear wall 16 and side walls 12 and 
14. The shelf has a fireproof container or ashtray 30 for tobacco ashes 
and litter. 
The rear wall 16 and side walls 12 and 14 preferably extend from 
approximately an individual's waist to an eight (8) foot light and are 
free of the floor, although the present invention could easily be adapted 
to accommodate a smoker confined to a wheelchair by lowering the booth to 
the appropriate height and enlarging the access aperture. Optionally, a 
floor and full length side and rear walls could be utilized in accordance 
with the invention for certain applications. 
The top or ceiling 36 of the booth 10 is shaped to conform to the flat rear 
wall 16 and the curved side walls 12 and 14. The rear portion of the 
ceiling curves downward via a curved molding 34 into the flat rear wall 16 
to create a surface that aids in moving smoke toward the ceiling 36 and 
the front of the booth 10 (see arrows). The front edge of the ceiling 
continues the smooth curve of the side walls 12 and 14 and extends 
slightly beyond front edges 24 and 26. This extension permits the air 
intake opening 48, located at the front of the ceiling 36, to be at the 
most advantageous position to capture smoke from within the booth 10 and 
prevent its escape into the surrounding environment. 
Above the ceiling 36 is the air handling and filtration compartment 38. 
This compartment 38 is formed by the ceiling 36 as its bottom surface, the 
rear wall 16, a curved trim band 40 on the sides, and the booth's upper 
surface 42 on the top. Access to the air handling and filtration 
compartment 38 for service and repair is through the filter access hatch 
44 located in the upper surface 42. The exit for clean, filtered air from 
the air handling and filtration compartment 38 is through the exhaust 
ports 46 preferably located at the rear of the top surface 42. 
In accordance with the present invention, the rear wall 16, ceiling 36, air 
handling and filtration compartment 38, curved trim band 40, upper surface 
42, filter access hatch 44, and convenience shelf 28 of the smoker's booth 
10 are preferably made essentially from strong, durable, fireproof or 
retardant, and easily cleaned materials, such as wood, aluminum, stainless 
steel, or molded fiberglass. The curved side walls 12 and 14 are 
preferably made of durable, high impact or shatterproof, easily cleaned, 
translucent, transparent, or opaque plastic materials, or laminated safety 
glass. 
Referring specifically to FIG. 2, there is shown the preferred arrangement 
of a proximity sensor 58, light 60, filters 50, 52, and 54, and fan 56 
within the air handling and filtration compartment 38. The air intake 
opening 48 is located at the forward edge of the ceiling 36 just outside 
the front edges 24 and 26 of the side walls 12 and 14. This positioning of 
air intake opening 48 takes advantage of the preferred wrap-around 
structural shape to capture primary and secondary smoke and move it toward 
the front access aperture 18 in an air flow pattern created by the fan 56. 
The high flow rate of air in the vicinity of the air intake opening 48 
completely captures any smoke created within the booth 10 even through the 
front access aperture 18 remains open. The air/smoke flow patterns created 
by the high volume fan 56 and curved or wrap-around structure of the booth 
10 are illustrated in FIG. 2 by the large straight and curved arrows 
within the booth and air handling and filtration compartment 38. 
As can also be seen in FIG. 2, the smoke-air mixture first encounters a 
particulate filter 50 that removes large, coarse particles, lint, and 
hair. The smoke-air mixture next enters an electrostatic filter 52 that 
precipitates the fine smoke (tobacco ash) particles. The last fiber 
element in the series is activated charcoal 54 to absorb or adsorb noxious 
tars and resins and remove odors. The filter elements are easily removable 
for cleaning and service through the filter access hatch 44. 
A proximity sensor switch 58 is located in the ceiling just inside the 
front access aperture 18. This switch 58 sense an individual entering the 
booth and automatically turns on the fan 56, electrostatic filter 52, and 
booth light 60. When the smoker exits the booth, the proximity switch 58 
or an additional sensor detects the absence of someone within the booth 
and automatically turns the system off following a present variable delay 
period to complete evacuation and filtering of any residual smoke within 
the booth. Infrared, sonic, and capacitive sensors, and the like, are 
useful in accordance with the invention. 
The light 60 is recessed and located centrally in the ceiling 36 to provide 
light whenever the booth venting and filtering systems are operating. The 
light 60 is automatically controlled by the proximity switch 58. 
FIG. 3, a top cutaway plan view of the booth 10, best illustrates the 
location of the air inlet 48 and the flow of air and smoke (see arrows) 
within the booth 10 and through the air plenum chamber 62, filters 50, 52, 
and 54, and fan 56. 
FIG. 4 illustrates an alternative embodiment that includes a fold-down seat 
64 located on the back wall 16 beneath the convenience shelf 28. This 
invention could also be tailored to accommodate two smokers with the 
appropriate increase in dimensions and addition of a second ashtray and 
folding seat. Likewise, other types of seats, couches, or the like, may be 
provided. 
FIG. 5 shows an alternative embodiment that includes a configuration for 
mounting the smoker's booth in the corner 72 of two facility walls 66. 
This configuration comprises four walls, two of which 68 and 70 are flat 
and joined at the corner 72 of the two facility walls to form the rear of 
the volume enclosure, and two of which 74 and 76 form right angles with 
the facility walls at the outside vertical edges 78 and 80 of the flat 
rear walls 68 and 70 and curve smoothly inwardly to form the smoker's 
front access aperture 18. The smoker's booth 10 is enclosed on the top by 
a ceiling and air handling, venting, and filtration compartment 38 (such 
as discussed above) that conforms to the shape created by the lateral 
walls 68, 70, 74, and 76 and the front access aperture 18. A convenience 
shelf 28 is attached to both flat rear walls 68 and 70 and both curved 
side walls 74 and 76. Other components of the corner configuration booth 
10 are similar to those of the preferred embodiment discussed above. 
FIG. 6 illustrates an alternative embodiment wherein the rear wall 16 is 
adapted for use as advertising space or other indicia 82. Other possible, 
but not all inclusive, uses for the rear wall 16 or side walls are as 
spaces for appropriately sized vending machines (such as cigarette, butane 
lighter, breath freshners, chewing gum, etc.) telephones, magazine racks, 
televisions, and the like. 
FIG. 7 shows yet another embodiment wherein two smoker's booths 10 are 
positioned back-to-back 84 with a supporting structure 86 that permits the 
present invention to be free standing or floor mounted. As can be 
appreciated by those skilled in the art, any number of booths can be 
joined in multiple configurations (e.g., three, four, and more) to allow 
the booths to be combined using shared or common rear walls, side walls, 
bases, and the like. 
FIG. 8 illustrates another alternative embodiment having two or more booths 
10 joined by common ducting 88 that moves the exhausted air, filtered or 
non-filtered, to a common heating, ventilating or air conditioning (HVAC) 
system 90 or vents the air and smoke to the outside. This same air 
handling technique could be applied to a single booth if convenient access 
to a facility HVAC system ducting is readily available or the unit is 
located where venting to the outside is practical. 
Of course, other embodiments of the present invention may achieve the same 
results without departing from the basic principles of the invention. 
Thus, for instance, according to the particular application contemplated, 
the number and kind of filter elements, the positions of the air inlet 
opening, filters, fans, the countours and positioning of the side and rear 
walls and ceiling, the translucent nature and materials of the side walls, 
and the relative dimensions of the component elements of the smoker's 
booth may be varied to the specific application required. Further, closing 
means could be added to close the smoker's front access aperture, for 
example, if a specific application is required. Such closing means 
comprises, for example, swinging doors, sliding doors, curtains, and the 
like. The smoker's booth of this invention can also be used in other 
applications; for example, as an enclosure around an easy chair or couch 
in a lounge area, restaurant, or the like, by simply adapting the 
components of the present invention to the specific purpose and 
circumstances contemplated. 
Although the invention has been described with reference to these preferred 
embodiments, other embodiments can achieve the same results. Variations 
and modifications of the present invention will be obvious to those 
skilled in the art and it is intended to cover in the appended claims all 
such modifications and equivalents.