Method and device for discouraging cigarette smoking

A device for discouraging cigarette smoking is disclosed comprising a cigarette filter having a mouthpiece oppositely disposed from a cigarette holder with a passageway therebetween. A filter paper is treated to be invisibly pervious only within the configurations of the letters of a word or words directed to the dangers of smoking. The treated filter paper is located in said passageway to close the free passage of smoke from the cigarette holder to the mouthpiece. The method of discouraging cigarette smoking is disclosed comprising the use of the foregoing structure wherein a cigarette is placed in the cigarette holder, the cigarette is lighted, and the smoke is withdrawn from the lighted cigarette so that the smoke from the lighted cigarette will move from the cigarette through the pervious portions of the filter paper, whereupon the letters of the words will entrap smoke particles so as to make the letters of the word or words visible.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
Numerous articles have been devised to discourage smoking. None of the 
devices in the prior art create a graphic visual impact of the dangers of 
smoking derived from the smoking activity. 
BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
This invention comprises a cigarette filter means having a mouthpiece which 
is separated from a cigarette retention means by a passageway. A filter 
paper is placed in the passageway. The filter paper has been made 
invisibly pervious only within the configuration thereon of a written word 
or words, such as "cancer", "emphysema", etc. The written word or words 
are invisibly printed on the filter so that they will be the pervious 
portion of the paper of the filter. The printing will be substantially 
invisible to the naked eye. 
The method of the invention calls for placing a cigarette in the cigarette 
retention means, lighting the cigarette, withdrawing smoke from the 
lighted cigarette so that the smoke passes into the passageway and through 
the pervious portions in the filter paper whereupon the letters or 
background of said words will entrap particles from the smoke so as to 
make the letters of the word visible. 
Thus, the principal object of this invention is to provide a method and 
means of discouraging cigarette smoking by alerting the smoker graphically 
and visually to the dangers of smoking through the act of smoking itself. 
These and other objects will be apparent to those skilled in the art.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT 
The numeral 10 generally designates a transparent cylindrical body member 
which has an open end 12 and a solid closed end 14. A passageway 16 in 
body member 10 communicates with open end 12. A cigarette retention well 
18 is formed in the end 14 and communicates with passageway 16 by means of 
conduit 20. 
A pair of elongated filter supports 22 are spaced apart and are located on 
opposite sides of the interior of passageway 16 as best shown in FIGS. 2 
and 3. A mouthpiece 24 having a shoulder 26 is adapted to be frictionally 
and removably inserted into the open end 12 of body member 10. A pair of 
filter supports 28 are formed in the end of mouthpiece 24 adjacent 
shoulder 26 and are adapted to be aligned with the filter supports 22 in 
passageway 16. A conduit 30 extends longitudinally through mouthpiece 24. 
A rectangular shaped filter paper 31 has letters 32 invisibly printed 
thereon by any means which will block the pervious quality of the paper 
except within the confines of (or the background of) the letters of the 
word or words so printed. One means is to use paper similar to mimeograph 
paper on which the word or words have been typewritten without a colored 
ribbon. The letters of the typing then become the pervious or porous area 
through which the smoke can pass. Another means would be to coat the paper 
with a clear solution such as parafin except the area of the letters of 
the word or words used so that only the letters will allow the passage of 
smoke. Another means would be to affix the filter paper over an impervious 
paper or cardboard on which the word or words have been stencil cut so 
that when so laminated the smoke can pass through the filter paper only 
within the configuration of the stenciled word. The purpose of any such 
means so employed is to have the filter paper appear to be clear and 
devoid of any lettering until it is subjected to the passage of smoke 
through it. The "message" of the word or words is communicated to the 
smoker only by his use of the invention, a sort of "self-warning". The 
letters 32 should contain a word or message alerting the user to the 
dangers of smoking. A typical word would be "cancer" as shown in the 
drawings. 
A conventional cigarette 36 is adapted to have its filter end inserted into 
the cigarette retention well 18 as shown in FIG. 4. 
The normal use and operation of the device of this invention is as follows: 
A filter paper 31 of the type described is mounted between the filter 
supports 22 in passageway 16 by sliding the filter between the supports 
when the mouthpiece 24 is removed from body member 10. The mouthpiece is 
then reinserted into the open end 12 of body member 10 so that the filter 
supports 28 on the mouthpiece align themselves with the filter supports 
22, whereupon the filter supports 28 embrace one end of the filter paper 
31. 
A cigarette 36 is inserted into the well 18, and the cigarette is lighted. 
The smoker then draws the mouthpiece 24 causing smoke from the burning 
cigarette to pass through the body of the cigarette into the bottom of 
well 18, thence through the conduit 20, thence into the upper portion of 
passageway 16, thence through the pervious portions 34 of filter paper 31, 
thence into the bottom portion of passageway 16, and thence through the 
conduit 30 in mouthpiece 24. 
The colloidal particles of the cigarette smoke will immediately collect 
upon the pervious portions of the filter paper 31 as defined by the 
perforations 34. These particles, such as tars and the like, will 
immediately discolor the filter paper in the pervious locations of 34, and 
will thereupon make very visible the letters 32A defined by the 
perforations 34. Prior to the passage of smoke through filter paper 31, 
the letters 32 are essentially invisible. 
The device and method of this invention will graphically and visibly 
demonstrate to the user the harmful effects of cigarette smoke, as 
manifested by the depositing of smoke impurities on filter 31. The impact 
of the phenomenon is enhanced when the impurities in the smoke spell out a 
word or expression that denotes a dangerous effect of cigarette smoking. 
It is thus seen that this invention achieves at least its stated 
objectives.