Abstract:
A water pipe including a bowl for placing therein a smoking substance, a tube that fluidly connects the bowl to a base member, at least one hose connection port, in fluid communication with the base member, for connecting with at least one flexible hose, an electric heating element disposed in the bowl for heating the smoking substance, the electric heating element being shaped as an inner periphery of the bowl, and a controller in electrical communication with the electric heating element, the controller controlling electrical power to the electric heating element for heating the smoking substance to a temperature that vaporizes volatile aromatic components of the smoking substance without substantially causing combustion of the smoking substance.

Description:
FIELD OF THE INVENTION 
       [0001]    The present invention relates generally to water pipe smoking devices, such as hookahs or narghiles, and particularly to an electrically heated water pipe. 
       BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
       [0002]    Water pipes are well known and come in a variety of forms, including hookahs and narghiles. The term “water pipe” will be used to encompass all such smoking devices, but the terms water pipe and hookah will both be used interchangeably for convenience in the description that follows. 
         [0003]    The hookah or water pipe has been used for centuries to smoke both plain and flavored tobaccos, mixtures of various aromatic herbs and spices, or mixtures of both. Typically a hookah has a bowl in which tobacco is placed, the bowl being mounted on top of a reservoir structure. The interior of the reservoir is partially filled with water. Extending downward from the bowl into the reservoir is a tubular hollow stem, with its lowermost extremity immersed in the water. The interior portion of the reservoir structure (i.e., the air space) above the level of the water forms a chamber into which smoke may be collected. One or more flexible hoses extend outward from this smoke collection portion of the reservoir or from a neck base extending from and in fluid communication with the reservoir. 
         [0004]    Inhaling through a flexible hose, a smoker causes smoke to be drawn from the bowl down the stem, passing the smoke through the water in the lower portion of the reservoir. Passing upwards through the water in the form of bubbles, smoke gradually fills the smoke collection portion of the reservoir, and when sufficient smoke has been collected, passes on through the flexible hose to the smoker. By drawing the smoke through a water reservoir, the smoke is filtered and cooled. 
         [0005]    This basic functionality is shared by virtually all traditional hookahs, which generally differ only in size, shape, style and number of hoses, although the means used to burn the tobacco may also differ. Some use a lighted coal placed in or above the bowl with the tobacco to provide a heat source for burning the tobacco. Others may require an ignition source such as a match or butane lighter to be placed near the top of the bowl to begin burning the tobacco. However, all traditional hookahs use combustion as the method of producing smoke, thus also producing all the undesirable combustion by-products in the smoke. Use of water to filter and cool the smoke may reduce some of the undesirable smoke components, but some, such as carbon monoxide, heavy metal and potentially hazardous chemicals created by placing the aluminum foil that is used to cover the tobacco beneath the burning charcoal, cannot be removed in this manner. 
         [0006]    Combustion has traditionally been the only technology available for production of smoke. However, electric power has allowed development of a variety of alternatives to combustion for use by smokers. These typically generate a sufficient amount of heat to vaporize volatile aromatic components of the tobacco without actually burning the tobacco, in this way avoiding production of undesirable combustion by-products such as carbon monoxide present in smoke. However, according to U.S. Pat. No. 7,287,530 to Stuart, despite the existence of these and other technologies, all hookahs and the vast majority of smoking appliances still rely on the use of combustion as the means to produce smoke for inhalation, and make no provision for the use of any alternate technology. 
       SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
       [0007]    The present invention seeks to provide an improved electrically heated water pipe, as is described in detail further herein below. The water pipe of the present invention vaporizes volatile aromatic components of the tobacco without actually burning the tobacco, thereby avoiding production of undesirable combustion by-products. 
         [0008]    It is noted that the hookah device, in its various forms, can be used with or without water (without water as a vaporizer, such as for aromatherapy). 
         [0009]    There is thus provided in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention a water pipe including a bowl for placing therein a smoking substance, a tube that fluidly connects the bowl to a base member, at least one hose connection port, in fluid communication with the base member, for connecting with at least one flexible hose, an electric heating element disposed in the bowl for heating the smoking substance, the electric heating element being shaped as an inner periphery of the bowl, and a controller in electrical communication with the electric heating element, the controller controlling electrical power to the electric heating element for heating the smoking substance to a temperature that vaporizes volatile aromatic components of the smoking substance without substantially causing combustion of the smoking substance. 
         [0010]    In accordance with a non-limiting embodiment of the present invention, the electric heating element is near or above a top portion of the smoking substance, and may include a glass encased circular carbon fiber or similar glass heating element. 
         [0011]    The water pipe may further include a neck base mounted on top of the base member, and may further include a stem member mounted between the bowl and the neck base. The at least one hose connection port may extend from the neck base. 
         [0012]    In accordance with a non-limiting embodiment of the present invention, the controller cooperates with a temperature sensor placed in the bowl operative to measure a temperature of the smoking substance. The controller may include settings preset for different smoking substances for vaporizing aromatic components of the different smoking substances without reaching combustion thereof. A display may be provided that indicates if a temperature is safe or not safe for only vaporizing volatile aromatic components of the smoking substance without undesirable combustion by-products. 
         [0013]    In accordance with a non-limiting embodiment of the present invention, a chemical sensor is placed in the bowl for sensing production of undesirable combustion by-products, the sensor communicating with the controller in a closed control loop, wherein if the sensor senses an undesirable combustion by-product, the controller lowers heat given off by the electric heating element so as to stop production of the undesirable combustion by-product and only vaporize volatile aromatic components of the smoking substance. 
         [0014]    There is also provided in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention a method for converting a hookah into an electric power hookah, the method including taking a hookah intended for use with a non-electric heating source for heating a smoking substance, and installing in the hookah an electric heating element in a position suitable for heating the smoking substance to a temperature that vaporizes volatile aromatic components of the smoking substance without substantially causing combustion of the smoking substance. 
         [0015]    In accordance with an embodiment of the present invention the electric heating element is provided in a power hookah conversion kit that includes the electric heating element housed in a bowl including a lid. The electric heating element may be assembled to a heat resistant handle. 
         [0016]    The power hookah conversion kit may includes a plug-in power cord receptacle mounted at an end of the handle and electrically connected to the heating element, a universal power cord of a universal adaptor connected to the receptacle, and a temperature controller connected to the power cord. 
     
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         [0017]    The present invention will be understood and appreciated more fully from the following detailed description taken in conjunction with the drawings in which: 
           [0018]      FIG. 1  is a simplified illustration of a water pipe, constructed and operative in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention; 
           [0019]      FIG. 2  is a simplified illustration of a controller that controls the amount of electrical power to heat the smoking substance in the water pipe, in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention; 
           [0020]      FIG. 3  is a simplified illustration of a power hookah conversion kit, constructed and operative in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention; and 
           [0021]      FIG. 4  is a simplified illustration of a portable water pipe, constructed and operative in accordance with another embodiment of the present invention. 
       
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF EMBODIMENTS 
       [0022]    Reference is now made to  FIG. 1 , which illustrates a water pipe  10 , constructed and operative in accordance with a non-limiting embodiment of the present invention. 
         [0023]    Water pipe  10  includes a bowl  12  in which a smoking substance  14  is placed. Smoking substance  14  may include, without limitation, plain and flavored tobaccos, mixtures of various aromatic herbs and spices, or mixtures of both. Bowl  12  may be made of, without limitation, glass, such as thermal shock resistant borosilicate glass (PYREX) or tempered soda lime glass. Bowl  12  is mounted on top of a stem member  16 , which in turn is mounted on top of a neck base  18 , which is mounted on top of a base member  20 . Base member  20  may be made of, without limitation, glass, but not necessarily the same glass as bowl  12  (base member  20  does not require the extreme temperature properties as bowl  12 ). 
         [0024]    Stem member  16  may come in different lengths or may be eliminated altogether, to form different size hookahs, such as for floor use or table top use. 
         [0025]    A neck tube  22  is disposed through stem member  16  and neck base  18  and reaches into base member  20 , thereby fluidly connecting bowl  12  all the way down to base member  20 . Neck tube  22  may be made of, without limitation, metal, glass or silicone tubing. As in traditional hookahs, a tray or plate  24  is placed below bowl  12  near the top or at the top of stem member  16 , for catching ashes or burnt tobacco and the like. A lid  26  may be placed on top of bowl  12 . Lid  26  may have knob  28  or similar structure for grasping, preferably made of a thermally insulated material so as to prevent accidental burning of the fingers. 
         [0026]    Neck base  18  may have one or more hose connection ports  30 , as in traditional hookahs, for connecting with flexible hose(s)  32 . Neck base  18  may be screwed on or otherwise connected to base member  20  with an air-tight seal  21  (e.g., O-ring or grommet). Bowl  12  may also be connected to stem member  16  with an air-tight seal (e.g., O-ring or grommet). Neck base  18  may include an air valve  19  for regulating the air pressure inside water pipe  10 , thereby regulating the sucking power required by the smoker to draw vapors from the air space in base member  20  through flexible hose  32 . 
         [0027]    As in traditional hookahs, base member  20  is partially filled with water and the lowermost extremity of tube  22  is immersed in the water. The air space above the level of the water forms a chamber into which smoke may be collected. Inhaling through flexible hose  32 , a smoker causes smoke to be drawn from bowl  12  down tube  22 , thereby passing the smoke through the water in the lower portion of base member  20 . The smoke bubbles upwards through the water, gradually fills the air space above the water, passes up the neck base  18  and eventually passes on through flexible hose  32  to the smoker who draws the smoke through the mouthpiece of flexible hose  32 . 
         [0028]    Water pipe  10  differs from traditional hookahs in several aspects, such as the manner of heating the smoking substance  14 . In the present invention, smoking substance  14  is heated by an electric heating element  34  disposed in bowl  12 . In prior art hookahs, lighted coals are placed in or above the bowl to burn the smoking substance. In contrast, in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention, electric heating element  34  is arcuate in shape and is placed along an inner circumference of bowl  12  near or above a top portion of smoking substance  14 . In other words, electric heating element  34  is shaped as an inner periphery of bowl  12  (if bowl  12  is circular, elliptical or prismatic, heating element  34  is respectively circular, elliptical or prismatic). The electric heating element  34  may be attached to the inner periphery of bowl  12  or may be spaced there from. It is noted that in the present invention the electrical heating element takes up significantly less space than the coals and there is no need for an electrical heating element that spans the entire area over the smoking substance  14 . For example, without limitation, electric heating element  34  may be a circular carbon fiber heating element, rated at 300/400 W, 110/240 V, encased in bowl  12  or encased in thermal and electrical insulation and attached (e.g., bonded) to the interior of bowl  12 . In general, electric heating element is shaped as an inner periphery of said bowl 
         [0029]    An electrical wire connector  36  may be mounted on bowl  12  for electrically connecting wires thereto for supplying electricity to power electric heating element  34 . In one embodiment of the present invention, shown in  FIG. 1 , one or more electrical wires  38  are connected to connector  36  and pass through to the underside of tray  24 , and from there via a sealed connector  39  pass through a wiring tube  40  down to a controller  42 . Controller  42  may be a potentiometer (e.g., 110/240 V) with an easily read display (analog or digital) and power cord connection (for connecting to mains). Controller  42  controls the amount of electrical power to heat smoking substance  14 , and may cooperate with a temperature sensor  44  (e.g., thermocouple wire, probe or thermistor) placed in bowl  12  that measures the temperature of smoking substance  14 . 
         [0030]    As mentioned above, water pipe  10  vaporizes volatile aromatic components of the smoking substance  14  without actually burning the smoking substance  14 , so as to prevent production of undesirable combustion by-products. Accordingly, as seen in  FIG. 2 , controller  42  may have settings  46  preset for different smoking substances so that the user does not have to guess the correct temperature to vaporize the aromatic components without reaching combustion. The display may display the current temperature of the substance (as sensed by temperature sensor  44 ), and/or may indicate (such as with a green light and red light) if the temperature is safe (green light) or not safe (red light) for only vaporizing the volatile aromatic components of smoking substance  14  without undesirable combustion by-products. 
         [0031]    Of course, the display may include other lights of any suitable colors, for indicating ON/OFF status and any other pertinent information. 
         [0032]    Reference is made again to  FIG. 1 . In accordance with another embodiment, one or more chemical sensors  48  may be optionally placed in bowl  12  for sensing production of undesirable combustion by-products, such as carbon monoxide. Sensor  48  communicates with controller  42  in a closed control loop, wherein if sensor  48  senses an undesirable combustion by-product, controller  42  lowers the heating energy given off by electric heating element  34  so as to stop production of the undesirable combustion by-product and only vaporize the volatile aromatic components of smoking substance  14 . 
         [0033]    As described above, controller  42  and the electrical wiring  38  from electric heating element  34  to temperature controller  42  and a power cord receptacle  43  are all on water pipe  10  except for the external universal power cord  56 . The electrical wiring  38  is internal inside water pipe  10 , except for the connection from bowl  12  to the underside of tray  24 . Alternatively, even the connection from bowl  12  to the underside of tray  24  could be internal with the wires running inside bowl  12  straight down to the underside of tray  24 , as indicated by dashed lines  8 . The electrical power source can be obtained via an electric plug connected to an outlet or via portable power pack, for example. 
         [0034]    In accordance with another embodiment, shown in dashed-dot line  9 , the electrical wiring  38  to bowl  12  is completely external. The wires or a mains power cord are connected directly to electrical wire connector  36 . It is noted that batteries or battery packs are also contemplated as possible sources for electrical power. 
         [0035]    Reference is now made to  FIG. 3 . In accordance with another embodiment, components of water pipe  10  may be used as a “power hookah conversion kit”, that is, a kit for converting an existing water hookah to a power water hookah. 
         [0036]    The power hookah conversion kit may include, for example, without limitation, the electric heating element  34  (e.g., a glass carbon fiber circular or similar glass heating element/lamp) housed in a bowl  12 , including cover lid  26 . The electric heating element  34  may be mounted about half an inch ( 12 . 7  mm) from the bottom of bowl  12 , but the invention is not limited to this distance. The electric heating element  34  may be assembled to a heat resistant handle  50  via an easy replacement socket  52  mounted on the outside of bowl  12 . A plug-in power cord receptacle  54  may be mounted at the end of handle  50  and electrically connected to the heating element  34 . A universal power cord  56  of a universal adaptor  58  (100/240 V, for example) may be connected to receptacle  54 . A wall plug or car cigarette lighter plug  59  is also provided. The power cord  56  may be connected to a temperature controller  60 , which has a power indicator  62  (e.g., a plurality of power indicator LEDs) and/or a knob with a dial markings for temperature settings (with or without digital temperature display module). Temperature controller  60  can provide some or all of the functions of controller  42  of  FIG. 1 . A power control switch box is another option for controlling the power to electric heating element  34 . 
         [0037]    It is noted that in all the embodiments of the invention, changing the temperature of vaporization can be accomplished not by turning a dial and the like, but rather by changing the distance of the heating element from the smoking substance, such as by moving the heating element towards or away from the smoking substance by turning a knob and the like. 
         [0038]    Any other suitable universal external power supply may alternatively be used. Traditional hookah hose connectors and silicone tubing covered with a traditional hookah hose cover may be provided in the kit. 
         [0039]    Reference is now made to  FIG. 4 , which illustrates a portable or traveling water pipe  70 , constructed and operative in accordance with another embodiment of the present invention. 
         [0040]    Water pipe  70  has a base member  71  which may be made from or made to resemble a standard coffee mug or coffee urn and the like. For portability and traveling purposes, base member  71  may fit in a standard cup holder. Alternatively, a coffee mug and the like may be retrofitted for use as a “traveling power hookah to go” by using the power hookah conversion kit described above (of course, with suitable sized components), and with a hole drilled in the side for the flexible hose connection. 
         [0041]    Water pipe  70  includes a bowl  72  in which smoking substance  14  is placed, as described above. Bowl  72  may be made similar to bowl  12  described above. Alternatively, bowl  72  may be made from PYREX glass or clay (or earthenware or porcelain or the like). An internal combination cylinder bowl holder and neck tube  74  may be used to hold bowl  72  in place and serve as the neck tube for fluidly connecting bowl  72  down to base member  71  where the water is placed. Base member  71  has a flexible hose connection  76  for connecting thereto a flexible hose  78  (preferably water resistant), similarly as described above. 
         [0042]    The bowl  72  is capped by a lid  80 , which may be made of glass or metal (e.g., stainless steel) including electric heating element  82  (similar to electric heating element  34 ). The electric heating element may be, for example, a  12  volt circular glass heating element connected through a socket  52  and a heat resistant handle and a power cord with temperature controller as described and depicted in the power hookah conversion kit  FIG. 3 . The power travel/hookah to go can use a standard  12  volt cigarette lighter adaptor plug  59  and also can be used in a 110/240 volt system with the use of a universal wall plug receptacle cord to be attached to  58  power converter as shown in  FIG. 3 . In addition the power travel hookah can be used as a portable water pipe with the use of a standard  12  volt rechargeable battery power pack to be plugged in  58  universal power cord adaptor. 
         [0043]    Optionally an LED colored light  84  may be provided on base member  71 , although for the power hookah coffee mug no LED is deemed necessary. 
         [0044]    Smoking substance  14  is heated as before with heating element  34 . In this embodiment, heating element  34  may be a  120  volt ceramic heater, but can be other heaters, such as a  12  volt circular element that fits in bowl  72  and which is attached to a heat resistant handle that houses the power cord receptacle, which may have a built-in  12  Volt, 50/70 watt temperature controller switch with marked dialed knob and LED power indicator, all as described above for the power hookah conversion kit. 
         [0045]    It is appreciated that various features of the invention which are, for clarity, described in the contexts of separate embodiments, may also be provided in combination in a single embodiment. Conversely, various features of the invention which are, for brevity, described in the context of a single embodiment, may also be provided separately or in any suitable sub combination.