Abstract:
A receptacle for receiving and disposing of combustible articles. The assembly has a base member and a cooperating removable top member having a seal structure. A flared inlet extends from the top member and into the base member. Extinguished combustible articles, such as cigarettes, drop into a metal cavity disposed near the bottom of the base member. Securement devices are provided to safeguard the cigarette disposal assembly whereby the top member may be secured to the base member and the entire disposal assembly to a fixed object.

Description:
This application claims the benefit of U.S. Provisional Patent Application No. 60/372,767, filed on Apr. 15, 2002. 

   BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
   This invention relates generally to a receptacle for receiving and disposing of combustible articles. Particularly, this invention relates to a cigarette disposal assembly for the disposal of combustible articles such as cigarettes and the like. The disposal assembly of the invention provides an efficient means to dispose of cigarette butts, matches and the like, especially in outdoor smoking areas. 
   With more and more restrictions placed on public smoking, the most popular and frequently used areas to engage in smoking are now outdoors. The cigarette disposal assembly of this invention makes the maintenance of these smoking areas easy to maintain while improving the appearance of the outdoor areas designated for smoking. The cigarette disposal assembly is an economical and user friendly device that provides easy use and maintenance. 
   The cigarette disposal assembly may be placed in outdoor smoking areas to give employees and other smokers a sanitary disposal unit, for example. The cigarette disposal assembly may also be placed at entrances of business establishments to keep sidewalk and entrance landscapes orderly and clean. 
   SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
   The cigarette disposal assembly of the invention comprises a base structure and a cooperating removable top member. A centrally disposed inlet chute structure having a flared inlet and a downwardly extending conduit is positioned in the removable top member and extends into the base structure. A seal structure may be incorporated into the bottom of the top member. The seal structure is adapted to secure the inlet chute structure to the top member and to seal the removable top member to the base structure. 
   The inlet chute is constructed and arranged to accept combustible articles, such as cigarettes, without allowing other trash to accumulate inside the disposal assembly. Due to the constriction of the conduit portion, oxygen is limited and cigarette butts and the like are thereby extinguished and concealed to keep the surrounding property clean. The base structure preferably has a large capacity so that a large quantity of extinguished articles, i.e., thousands of cigarette butts, may be stored to thereby reduce maintenance requirements. When full, the top member may be removed and the base structure may be emptied in a manner similar to emptying a wastebasket. A steel or aluminum liner or the like may be attached or placed within the base structure, thereby eliminating the dirty job of separating the liner or container from the inside of the base structure or housing. An added weight, i.e., a quantity of sand, is provided in the base structure to make the cigarette disposal assembly stable in high traffic or windy areas. 
   The components of the cigarette disposal assembly, i.e., base structure, top member and seal structure, are preferably roto-molded using a polymeric resin, resistant to cracking, peeling and which provides an assembly that does not rust. A security locking system comprising a cable and lock may be provided to secure the removable top member to the base structure and to secure the cigarette disposal assembly to a fixed object to protect against vandalism and/or theft. 
   The disposal assembly is constructed and arranged so that emptying the disposal assembly is a clean and simple operation. The top member may be unlocked and twisted from the base structure. The entire base structure may be dumped like a waste basket. In summary, the cigarette disposal assembly is an attractive, economical and low maintenance alternative to open top ashtrays. 
   These and other benefits of this invention will become clear from the following description by reference to the drawings. 

   
     DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
       FIG. 1  is a lateral perspective view of the cigarette disposal assembly of the present invention; 
       FIG. 2  is a top perspective view of the assembly of  FIG. 1 ; 
       FIG. 3  is a perspective view of the assembly showing the top removed from the base structure; 
       FIG. 4  is a perspective view showing the base structure being emptied; 
       FIG. 5  is a lateral plan view, partially in section, of the assembly of  FIG. 1 ; 
       FIG. 6  is a sectional view of the upper portion of the disposal assembly; 
       FIG. 7  is a top plan view of the assembly of  FIG. 1 ; 
       FIG. 8  is a plan view of the padlock key structure used to secure the assembly of the invention; and 
       FIG. 9  is a plan view of the securement cable assembly used to secure the assembly of the invention. 
   

   DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS 
   Referring to  FIGS. 1 and 7 , the cigarette disposal assembly  10  of the invention is shown comprised of a cylindrical base member  11  having a flared bottom portion  16 . A removable top member  12  is shown mounted to the top of the base member  11 . An inlet structure  13  having a flared inlet  14  is shown extending upward from the top member  12 . The flared inlet  14  is preferably constructed of metal to receive combustible articles such as cigarette or cigar butts, matches, etc. A logo  20 , an encircled lit cigarette, preferably in color, is shown disposed on the side of the cylindrical base member  11  to alert smokers that the disposal or receptacle assembly  10  is constructed for receiving smoking materials and combustible articles. The logo or signage  20 , showing a lit cigarette, may be applied to or molded into the body of the base member  11 . The base member is preferably constructed of roto-molded granite speckled color design or the like. 
   Referring further to  FIGS. 3 and 7 , the removable top member  12  is shown to have a handle member  17  extending upwardly therefrom and which may be used to grip, lock and move the assembly  10 . Peripheral locking members  19  are shown extending peripherally outward from the top member  12  and which cooperate with outwardly extending pegs  18  at the top of the base member  11 , as particularly shown in  FIG. 3 . The opposing pegs or tabs  18  are adapted to receive the peripheral locking members  19  of top member  12 . The top member  12  may be removed or attached to the base member  11  by a ¼ turn or revolution of the top member  12  with respect to the base member  11 . As shown particularly in  FIGS. 2 and 7 , the handle member  19  has an aperture  32  through which the shackle of the padlock structure  23  is secured. The loop  30  of the securement cable  22  is also shown attached to the lock structure  23 . 
   Referring to  FIGS. 5 and 6 , the inlet structure  13  is shown comprised of a flared upper portion  14  and a downwardly extending conduit  25 . The inlet structure  13  is preferably constructed of a non-combustible material, such as metal or the like. A combustible article such as a lit cigarette or match is extinguished on the flared upper portion  14 . The extinguished cigarette butt falls through the conduit  25  and into a container  15  constructed of a non-combustible material, i.e., metal or the like, which is shown positioned adjacent the bottom of the base member  11 . At the flared bottom  16  of the base member  11  a quantity of sand or like weighted material is preferably placed to provide stability for the assembly  10 . Space  26  above the sand  21  allows the sand to flow and settle within the flared base bottom  16 . The container  15  is preferably tightly fitted within the base member  11 , for example, via a frictional fit or by fastening means. A non-combustible liner  27 , i.e., metal, aluminum or the like, or other non-combustible structure is shown positioned within and adjacent the interior wall of the base member  11 . Alternatively, the base member  11  may be constructed of a thermoset crosslinked polymer, i.e., crosslinked P.E., which would eliminate the requirement for the bucket member  15  or similar container or a metal liner within the base member. In the latter cases, however, means, such as a non-combustible plate, may be provided within the base to secure the sand or similar weighted material in the bottom of the base member  11 . 
   Referring to  FIG. 6 , the inlet structure  13  is shown secured to the top member  12  by means of a seal structure  28  and a securement structure  29 . The seal structure  28  is shown disposed in touching relationship with the inside of the top member  12 . The seal structure  28  is preferably a circular member having a downwardly extending peripheral lip  31 . As shown, when the top member  12  is secured to the top of the base structure  11 , the side wall of the structure  11  is disposed between the top member  12  and the peripheral lip  31  of the seal structure  28 . Further, the top of the liner  27  is shown in abutment with the peripheral lip  31 . In this manner, the top member  12  may be secured in sealing engagement with the base structure  11  to thereby minimize the entry of air into the disposal assembly  10  and to minimize the exit of ashes and soot from the interior of base structure  11 . 
     FIG. 6  further shows the inlet structure  13  secured to the top member  12  and the seal structure  28  by means of a securement structure  29 . The securement structure  29  may be a slot cut out from the conduit  25  and which is bent into a horizontal position to secure inlet structure  13  and to provide a unitary structure comprising the top member  12 , inlet structure  13  and seal structure  28 . 
   Referring to  FIGS. 2 ,  8  and  9 , a securement cable  22 , i.e., a 0.25 inch diameter steel cable approximately 5 feet long, padlock structure  23  and key structure  24  combination may be used to secure the top member  12  to the base member  11  as well as the assembly  10  to a secure object, i.e., a bench or building component. Apertures in the handle member(s)  19  may be provided for the utilization of the securement cable  22  and the padlock  23 , respectively. 
   In use, combustible articles such as cigarette butts, for example, are put out on the flared inlet  14  of the inlet structure  13  and dropped down through conduit  25  into the container  15 . The lack of oxygen supply in the base structure  11 , prevents combustion and the size or diameter of the conduit  25  limits the material that can enter base structure  11 . As shown in  FIGS. 3 and 4 , to empty the disposal assembly  10 , the top member  12  is removed from base structure  11  and turned upside down to discard the cigarette butt contents. 
   An exemplary disposal assembly  10 , as shown in  FIG. 5 , has a flared inlet  14  and conduit structure  25  of approximately 2 inches in length to prevent clogging, a base structure  11  having a height “b” of approximately 25 inches, a diameter “b” of approximately 7 inches and a flared base bottom  16  having a diameter “c” of approximately 9 inches. The seal structure  28 , as shown in  FIG. 6 , would have a diameter of approximately 6 inches in this assembly  10  configuration. The seal structure  28  is constructed of a ¼ inch thick molded non-combustible material, i.e., crosslinked thermoset polyethylene. The container  15  may be a #10 metal container (one gallon content) which is affixed to the interior of the base member  11 . The amount of sand  21  in the base member  11  of the cigarette disposal assembly  10  having these dimensions is approximately five pounds. 
   As many changes are possible to the embodiments of this invention, utilizing the teachings thereof, the description above and the accompanying drawings should be interpreted in the illustrative and not the limited sense.