Abstract:
The present invention relates to a Hookah otherwise known as a water pipe or Nargile. The hookah is used to smoke tobacco or other herbs that are heated using a hot charcoal. With multiple tobacco bowls, this hookah allows the user to consume a mixture of smoke from different flavored tobaccos. The various bowls are independent from each other and spaced apart so that the heat from one does not affect the others. The spacing of the bowls also protects the user from burn injuries while replacing the tobacco or charcoal in each bowl. The smoke from each bowl is directed into a stem tube where it is mixed before being filtered and cooled by water in preparation for consumption. Each tobacco bowl can be connected to a flow control device that allows the user to fine tune the amount of smoke from each bowl and achieve the preferred flavor.

Description:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
       [0001]    1. Field of the Invention 
         [0002]    The present invention relates generally to the field of devices known as Hookahs otherwise known as water pipes or Nargiles. More specifically, the invention relates to a hookah comprising a main stem tube that branches off into various tubes to which various tobacco bowls are attached. The tobacco placed in the various tobacco bowls is heated with hot charcoals to create smoke that is blended within the main stem tube before it is directed into water in a container to be filtered and cooled so that it may be inhaled by the user. The tobacco bowls are properly spaced apart so that the heat radiating from the hot charcoals on each bowl do not affect the smoke created by the tobacco in another bowl and the user runs less risk of burning a hand by a hot charcoal on one bowl or destabilizing the bowls when changing the charcoal or tobacco on another bowl. 
         [0003]    2. Description of the Prior Art 
         [0004]    A hookah is a smoking device or a water pipe that has been used for centuries to smoke tobacco, mixtures of various herbs, or mixtures of both. The general concept of a hookah has been in existence for centuries with original popularity tracing back to Turkey around the years 1623-1640 where they became an important part of coffee shop culture and the preferred way of smoking tobacco. Generally, a hookah directs the smoke generated from the tobacco or herbs through water for cooling and filtration purposes. Undesirable smoke byproducts such as tar, oil, ashes, carbon monoxide, and the like are absorbed or separated in the water before the smoke is inhaled by the user. 
         [0005]    Typically a hookah has a single tobacco bowl mounted at the top and a container at the bottom. The container is filled with water and a tubular hollow stem extends downward from the bowl into the container with its lowermost extremity immersed in the water. The body of the hookah is located directly above the container and has a hollow interior that forms a smoke chamber through which the hollow stem tube extends. A flexible hose is then connected to the smoke chamber and extends outward from the body of the hookah. Finally, a mouthpiece is attached at the distal end of the flexible hose through which the user can inhale the smoke. 
         [0006]    Tobacco or herb is placed on the bowl. The bowl is then covered typically with a piece of foil paper having multiple holes. A piece of hot charcoal is then placed on top of the foil paper to heat the tobacco or herb within the bowl without making direct contact with the tobacco or herb. Direct contact between the hot charcoal and the tobacco or herb can lead to burning rather than heating or smoking. As the tobacco or herb is heated, it generates smoke. When the user inhales through the mouthpiece attached to the flexible hose, the smoke is drawn from the bowl through the stem tube and into the water. The smoke then passes upwards through the water in the form of bubbles and into the smoke chamber. When sufficient smoke is collected in the smoke chamber, it passes through the flexible hose to the user for inhalation. As the smoke is drawn through the water, it is filtered and cooled to make the smoking experience pleasant and enjoyable for the user. 
         [0007]    The primary mechanism of a hookah is the inhalation of the human smoker from the mouthpiece to create the vacuum or negative pressure required to draw smoke through the filtering and cooling water into the smoke chamber. The vacuum or negative pressure in turn influences the combustion rate of the tobacco or herb. The flavors of the smoke from the tobacco can be influenced by the combustion rate. 
         [0008]    Unlike smoke from hookah, smoke from cigarettes is filled with products of combustion, many of which are known carcinogens. Furthermore, smoking a hookah is preferred over smoking cigarettes or cigars because of the flavorful and cool taste of the smoke. Typical tobacco used with a hookah includes a mixture of shredded tobacco leaf mixed with a sweetener such as honey, molasses, or semi-dried fruit. 
         [0009]    Most hookah tobaccos are mixed with tobacco flavors, such as, apple, strawberry, vanilla, mint, etc. Many hookah smokers prefer a combination or mixture of flavors, such as apple flavored tobacco mixed with strawberry flavored tobacco. Manufacturers of hookah tobacco have responded to this trend by offering tobacco that is pre-mixed with multiple flavors. However, the infinite mixtures of flavored tobacco makes it impossible for hookah tobacco manufacturers to offer every possible combination. As a result, hookah smokers often hand mix different types of flavored tobacco themselves to attain the mixed flavor of their liking. This technique of hand mixing different flavored tobacco is cumbersome and messy. 
         [0010]    An alternative to hand mixing different flavored hookah tobacco is to use a multi-headed hookah bowl that is available in the marketplace. Double, triple, and quadruple headed hookah bowls are known in the marketplace. As shown in  FIG. 7 , such multi-headed hookah bowls are designed with multiple bowls arranged closely together and attached to a single outlet point that is directly connected to the single stem tube of a hookah. Each bowl can be filled with different flavored tobacco and heated with different charcoals. The smoke of the different flavored tobacco converge and mix at the single outlet point of the multi-headed bowl before it enters the stem tube of the hookah. 
         [0011]    A disadvantage of multi-headed bowls is that the bowls are clustered too close to each other. The heat radiating from one charcoal on one bowl increases the heat exposure to other bowls, thus affecting the combustion rate of the tobacco in the other bowls. Therefore, such close proximity of bowls makes it very difficult to control the flavor of the smoke inhaled by the user of the hookah. In addition to the amount of different flavored tobacco in each head, the amount of heat radiating from each charcoal becomes another variable that the user of the hookah must control to be able to duplicate the desired flavor on a consistent basis. 
         [0012]    Secondly, the multi-headed bowls are difficult to use because the weight placed on each bowl can tilt the entire unit in any one direction, especially as the charcoal and tobacco on one bowl burns faster than the charcoal and tobacco on another bowl. The weight variance on each bowl can tilt the entire unit to the point when the entire unit falls off the hookah. Additionally, as charcoal on one bowl is replaced or the tobacco in one bowl is refilled, the user can easily knock the entire unit off the stem of the hookah or burn a hand due to the close proximity to other hot charcoal on other bowls. 
         [0013]    Thirdly, another disadvantage of the multi-headed bowls is the difficulty of controlling or fine-tuning the amount of smoke from each flavored tobacco in the final smoke mixture that is inhaled by the user of the hookah. Since the different flavored smoke from each bowl are mixed together at close proximity to their source, it is difficult to deviate from a mixture of equal parts of each flavored smoke. There is no mechanism for the user to control the amount of smoke of each tobacco added to the final mixture. Additionally, controlling the combustion rate and hence the amount and quality of smoke released by each tobacco is difficult due to the heat radiating from the other bowls that are close in proximity. 
         [0014]    What is needed to overcome the various disadvantages evident in the prior art is a hookah or water pipe that has multiple independent bowls for different flavored tobacco with sufficient distance between them that the heat radiating from the charcoal on each bowl does not affect the combustion rate of the tobacco in the other bowls. Secondly, the hookah must allow the user to replace the charcoal or refill the tobacco in each bowl without affecting or disturbing the other bowls. Finally, the hookah would have a mechanism for the user to control the amount of flavored smoke released from each bowl so that the mixed smoke that is ultimately inhaled by the user can be fine-tuned to the desired flavor. Such a hookah would combine the advantages of the prior art while eliminating their various respective disadvantages. As will be seen, this improved hookah achieves these objectives and advantages with a minimum of functioning parts in a novel, nonobvious, and useful combination. 
       SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
       [0015]    Accordingly, the present invention has been made in view of the above-mentioned disadvantages occurring in the prior art, and it is the object of the present invention to provide a hookah or water pipe capable of allowing the user to consistently mix the desired combination of smoke from different tobaccos or herbs. 
         [0016]    It is another object of the present invention to provide a hookah or water pipe that has multiple bowls into which different types of tobacco can be placed and heated with different hot charcoals and that are spaced apart so that the heat radiating from one charcoal will not affect the combustion rate or smoke of the other tobacco. 
         [0017]    It is another object of the present invention to provide a hookah or water pipe that has multiple bowls that connect to different tubes that have a mechanism to allow the user to control or fine tune that amount of smoke from each bowl that is added to the final mixture of smoke inhaled by the user. 
         [0018]    It is another object of the present invention to provide a hookah or water pipe that has multiple bowls and a mechanism connected to each bowl that allows the user to close each bowl independently and only inhale smoke from the other bowls that have not been closed. 
         [0019]    To accomplish the above objects, the present invention is embodied in a hookah or water pipe comprising a main stem tube that branches off into various tubes to which various bowls are connected. The different smoke created from the tobacco in the various bowls are mixed or blended within the main stem tube before it is directed downward into the water in the container so that the smoke being inhaled by the user is the preferred blend of smoke that is cooled and filtered by the water. The various bowls are properly spaced apart so that the heat radiating from the hot charcoals on each bowl do not affect the smoke created by the tobacco in another bowl and the user runs less risk of burning a hand by a hot charcoal on one bowl when changing a hot charcoal or tobacco on another bowl. 
         [0020]    Another embodiment of the present invention is a hookah or water pipe with a flow control device connected inline within each tube to which different tobacco bowls are attached. The flow control device allows the user to fine tune or block off the amount of smoke flowing out of each bowl, through each tube, and into the main stem tube before inhalation by the user. 
         [0021]    The above and other features and advantages of the present invention, as well as the structure and operation of various embodiments of the present invention, are described in detail below with reference to the accompanying drawings. 
     
    
     
       DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         [0022]    The accompanying drawings, which are incorporated herein and form part of the specification, illustrate various embodiments of the present invention and, together with the description, further serve to explain the principles of the invention and to enable a person skilled in the pertinent art to make and use the invention. In the drawings, like reference numbers indicate identical or functional similar elements. A more complete appreciation of the invention and many of the attendant advantages thereof will be readily obtained as the same becomes better understood by reference to the following detailed description when considered in connection with the accompanying drawings, wherein: 
           [0023]      FIG. 1  shows a hookah or water pipe with multiple tobacco bowls according to the first embodiment of the present invention; 
           [0024]      FIG. 2  shows a sectional view of a hookah or water pipe with multiple tobacco bowls attached to multiple tubes that are connected to the main stem tube according to the first embodiment of the present invention; 
           [0025]      FIG. 3  shows an exploded view of a hookah or water pipe with multiple tobacco bowls according to the first embodiment of the present invention; 
           [0026]      FIG. 4  shows a container used in a hookah or water pipe with multiple tobacco bowls according to the first and second embodiment of the present invention; 
           [0027]      FIG. 5  shows a hookah body used in a hookah or water pipe with multiple tobacco bowls according to the first and second embodiment of the present invention; 
           [0028]      FIG. 6  shows a plate used in a hookah or water pipe with multiple tobacco bowls according to the present invention; 
           [0029]      FIG. 7  shows the prior art described above as the multi-headed bowl assembled to a typical single stem hookah and that is currently available in the marketplace; 
           [0030]      FIG. 8  shows a hookah or water pipe with multiple tobacco bowls set up for use according to the first embodiment of the present invention; 
           [0031]      FIG. 9  shows a hookah or water pipe with multiple tobacco bowls attached to multiple tubes with a flow control device connected inline with each tube according to the second embodiment of the present invention. 
           [0032]      FIG. 10   a  shows a hookah or water pipe with multiple tobacco bowls according to the third embodiment of the present invention. 
           [0033]      FIG. 10   b  shows a sectional view of a hookah or water pipe with multiple tobacco bowls attached to multiple tubes that are connected to the main stem tube according to the third embodiment of the present invention. 
           [0034]      FIG. 10   c  shows a container used in a hookah or water pipe with multiple tobacco bowls according to the third embodiment of the present invention. 
       
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS 
       [0035]    Reference will now be made to the drawings in which various elements of the present invention will be given numerical designations and in which the invention will be discussed so as to enable one skilled in the art to make and use the invention. 
         [0036]    As shown in  FIG. 1  and  FIG. 2 , the present invention is designed and engineered to have multiple bowls  10  that are in communication with multiple tubes  20  that are attached to the main stem tube  50  to allow the user to blend a mixture of smoke from different flavored tobacco in each bowl  10  without having to hand mix and without worrying that the heat radiating from the hot charcoal  230  in one bowl  10  will affect the smoke created from the tobacco in another bowl  10 . 
         [0037]      FIG. 7  shows the prior art known as the multi-headed bowl  500  assembled to a typical single stem hookah  510  and that is available in the marketplace. The various bowls  501  of a multi-headed bowl  500  are clustered close together and converge at a single outlet  502  that is connected to the stem tube of the single stem hookah  510 . The bowls  501  are so close to each other that the heat radiating from the hot charcoal on one bowl affects the heat in the other bowl thus affecting the combustion rate of the tobacco in that bowl. Further, the attachment of the multi-headed bowl  500  to the single stem of the hookah  510  is not stable and makes it easy for it to fall off the hookah  510  while the user refills or replaces the tobacco or charcoal in one of the bowls  501 . Finally, the close proximity of the bowls  501  to each other makes it easy for the user to be burned or injured by the hot charcoal in one of the bowls while replacing the tobacco in another bowl. 
         [0038]      FIG. 2  and  FIG. 3  show a hookah or water pipe  100  with multiple bowls  10  according to the first embodiment of the present invention and begin to illustrate elements thereof that overcome the drawbacks and disadvantages of the prior art. Bowl holders  35  are securely attached with an airtight seal to the top end of each tube  21  that extends out of the body of the hookah  80 . Rubber grommets  30  are placed over the bowl holders  35  and the bowls  10  are pushed tightly over the rubber grommets  30  to create an airtight seal between the bowls  10  and each tube  20 . Underneath the rubber grommets  30  and bowls  10 , a plate  40  is rested on each bowl holder  35  so that it may catch any ash or tobacco that may fall off the bowls  10 . 
         [0039]    It is preferred that all the tubes  20  have the same inner and outer diameter so that the flow characteristics of the smoke are the same in all the tubes  20 . The tubes  20  extend downward until they all connect to the main stem tube  50 . The main stem tube  50  preferably has the same inner and outer diameter as the other tubes  20  and is configured straight and vertical so that its lowermost extremity  52  extends into a container  60 . The main stem tube  50  is secured from its top end  51  by the body of the hookah  80  and extends through a smoke chamber  70  formed inside the body of the hookah  80 . 
         [0040]    In the preferred embodiment, the top face  62  of the container  60  is attached to the smoke chamber  70  at its bottom face  72  with a container seal  65  so that the smoke does not escape out to the atmosphere. Once attached, the smoke chamber  70  is in communication with the container  60  such that smoke is allowed to rise or diffuse from the container  60  to the smoke chamber  70 . A hose connector  73  is attached to the body of the hookah  80  to create a passageway from the outside atmosphere into the smoke chamber  70 . As the smoke chamber  70  is filled with smoke, its only exit path is through the hose connector  73 , through a hose  90  connected to the hose connector  73 , and out of a mouthpiece  95  that is attached to the distal end of the hose  90 . 
         [0041]    Hereinafter, an explanation on the methods of packaging and distributing the product of the present invention, the operating states thereof, and the usage thereof will be given. 
         [0042]    For the distribution of the product of the present invention, various parts, that is, the body of the hookah  80  assembled with the tubes  20 , the main stem tube  50 , the hose connectors  73 , and the bowl holders  35 , the plates  40 , the rubber grommets  30 , the bowls  10 , the container  60 , the container seal  65 , the hose connector rubber grommets  75 , and the hoses  90  each assembled with a mouthpiece  95  are individually packaged, and then, they are assembled by a user before the use. 
         [0043]    Now, an explanation of the use of the state of the product of the present invention adapted to have multiple bowls  10  that attach to multiple tubes  20  that are attached to the main stem tube  50  to allow the user to consistently blend a mixture of smoke from different flavored tobacco in each bowl  10  without having to hand mix and without worrying that the heat radiating from the hot charcoal  230  in one bowl  10  will affect the smoke created from the tobacco in another bowl  10 . 
         [0044]    According to the present invention, the hookah or water pipe is adapted to have multiple plates  40 , bowls  10 , bowl holders  35 , and rubber grommets  30  that assemble to the top end of each tube  21 . First the bowl holders  35  are attached directly to the top of each tube  21 . Second, the plates  40  have a circular hole  41  at the center. Each plate  40  is slipped over each bowl holder  35  through the circular hole  41  so that the plate  40  rests on the plate stop  36 . Third, the rubber grommets  30  are slipped over each bowl holder  35 . Finally, each bowl  10  is pushed over each rubber grommet  30  until it is held securely on the bowl holder  35  and in communication with the tube  20  with an airtight seal to direct the smoke from the tobacco or herb through the tube  20  and prevent it from exiting the system. 
         [0045]    Next, the container  60  is filled with water to almost three quarter of the way to the top. The container seal  65  is then placed on the top face  62  of the container  60 . Thirdly, the body of the hookah  80  is securely assembled to the container  60  so that the top face  62  of the container  60  and the bottom face  72  of the smoke chamber  70  tightly seal against the container seal  65 . Once attached, the smoke chamber  70  is in communication with the container  60  such that smoke is allowed to rise or diffuse between the container  60  and the smoke chamber  70 . When the body of the hookah  80  is securely assembled to the container  60 , the lowermost extremity  52  of the main stem tube  50  must be immersed in the water in the container  60 . 
         [0046]    After the hookah or water pipe is moved to its preferred location for easy access by the user while smoking from it, the connecting end  91  of the hoses  90  are inserted into the hose connectors  73  that are attached to the body of the hookah  80 . A hose connector rubber grommet  75  is used to create an airtight seal between the hose  90  and the hose connector  73 . Once the hoses  90  are connected, they create a passageway from the smoke chamber  70  out to the atmosphere through the mouthpiece  95 . 
         [0047]    After the hookah or water pipe is assembled, the user should make sure that all the connections are airtight so that air can only enter through the holes  13  on the top surface  11  of each bowl  10  and can only exit out the mouthpieces  95  at the end of each hose  90 . 
         [0048]    As shown on  FIG. 8 , to prepare the hookah or water pipe for smoking, the user first places tobacco on the top surface  11  of each bowl  10 . Then the top of each bowl  12  is tightly covered, typically with foil paper  220 , to create a resilient top surface  227 . Third, a piece of hot charcoal  230  is placed on the resilient top surface  227  so that it never comes in direct contact with the tobacco or herb. Direct contact between the hot charcoal and the tobacco or herb can lead to burning rather than heating and smoking of the tobacco or herb. The foil paper  220  is punctured to create holes  225  so as to facilitate the heat exchange between the hot charcoal  230  that is placed on the foil paper  220  and the tobacco that is underneath the foil paper  220  on the top surface  11  of each bowl  10 . 
         [0049]    The heat from the hot charcoal  230  is transferred to the foil paper  220  through conduction. The heat is then transferred to the tobacco directly underneath the foil paper  220  through radiation and convection caused by an air flow introduced from the outside through the holes  225  on the foil paper  220 . As the tobacco is heated, it begins to release smoke. 
         [0050]    When the user inhales through the mouthpiece  95  at the end of one of the hoses  90 , air is drawn from the outside atmosphere through the holes  225  on the foil paper  220  to increase the convective heat exchange between the hot charcoal  230  and the tobacco. As the tobacco is heated, smoke is drawn from the tobacco through the holes  13  on the top surface  11  of each bowl  10  and through the tubes  20 . The smoke in each tube  20  then converges and mixes within the main stem tube  50  before it is drawn into the water in the container  60 . The mixed smoke then passes upward through the water in the form of bubbles and into the smoke chamber  70 . When sufficient smoke is collected in the smoke chamber  70 , it passes through the hose  90  to the user for inhalation. 
         [0051]    Thus within a few seconds after the user begins inhaling through one of the mouthpieces  95 , the user begins receiving a smoke that is a mixture of the smoke coming from the different tobacco in each of the bowls  10 . 
         [0052]    The preferred embodiment of the present invention is superior to the prior art shown on  FIG. 7  because each of the bowls  10  are attached to different tubes  20  that are spaced apart from each other so that the heat radiating from the hot charcoals  230  will not affect the heat exposure to the tobacco on the other bowls  10 . Further, since the bowls  10  are spaced apart from each other, the user runs less risk of being burned or injured by the hot charcoals  230  on the other howls  10  when replacing the tobacco or hot charcoal  230 . Thirdly, since the bowls  10  are independent from to each other, the user runs less risk of tilting, destabilizing, or knocking the other bowls  10  off the tube  20  when replacing the tobacco or hot charcoal  230  on one of the bowls  10 . Finally, the separation of the bowls allows the smoke from each bowl to properly blend together into a homogeneous mixture of flavored tobacco smoke. 
         [0053]    An alternative embodiment is shown on  FIG. 9  where a flow control device  300  such as a ball valve, is attached inline to each tube  20  before the tube  20  converges with the main stem tube  50 , preferably directly below the bowl holders  35 . It is preferred that the flow control device  300  be able to be fully opened and closed with the handle  310  or a push button. The flow control device  300  allows the user to control or fine tune the amount of smoke from each bowl  10  being added to the mixture of smoke that is inhaled by the user through the mouthpiece  95 . Such capability allows the user to create the preferred blend of flavored tobacco consistently without having to mix by hand various tobaccos together. Further, the flow control device  300  allows the user to load all the bowls  10  with the same flavored tobacco and use one bowl  10  at a time by opening each flow control device  300  one at a time while the others remain closed. This extends the smoking time without having to clean and reload the bowl  10 . 
         [0054]    Another alternative embodiment is shown on  FIG. 10   a  and  FIG. 10   b  where the smoke chamber  70  is within the container  60  rather than inside the body of the hookah  80 . The hose connector  73  is attached to the smoke chamber  70  in the container  60 . As shown on  FIG. 10   c , the container  60  has both a water chamber  66  and a smoke chamber  70 . 
         [0055]    It is understood that the described embodiments of the invention are illustrative only, and that modifications thereof may occur to those skilled in the art. Accordingly, this invention is not to be regarded as limited to the embodiments disclosed, but to be limited only as defined by the appended claims herein.