Patent Publication Number: US-2015059778-A1

Title: Smoking pipe

Description:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     1. Field of the Invention 
     The present invention relates to a pipe, and more particularly, a smoking pipe. 
     2. Description of the Prior Art 
     Numerous innovations for smoking pipes have been provided in the prior art that will be described. Even though these innovations may be suitable for the specific individual purposes to which they address, however, they differ from the present invention. 
     A FIRST EXAMPLE, U.S. Pat. No. 2,395,596, Issued on Feb. 26, 1946, to Vonnegut teaches a tobacco pipe having a bowl and a stem. The stem has a passageway communicating with the interior of the bowl. The bowl has an opening aligned with the passageway. A tubular member is mounted in the passageway and slidable therein between a smoking position and a cleaning position. The tubular member has a closed end adapted to close the opening in the bowl when in the smoking position and to extend through the opening in the cleaning position. The tubular member has an opening connecting the interior thereof with the interior of the bowl when in the smoking position and positioned outside of the bowl in the cleaning position. The opposite end of the tubular member projects beyond the stem, and is spaced from the stem in the smoking position to permit movement to the cleaning position. 
     A SECOND EXAMPLE, U.S. Pat. No. 4,151,849, Issued on May 1, 1979, to Beck teaches a tobacco pipe, a tobacco storage chamber is integrally formed as a part of what otherwise would be the pipe stem, and the bowl is rotatably attached to the tobacco chamber so that to refill the empty bowl the bowl is rotated from its normal position to a position where it faces the tobacco chamber. The bowl is refilled by tapping the chamber or the entire pipe, and then being rotated back to its normal position. Attachment of the bowl to the tobacco chambers is accomplished by way of a bail wire passing through eyelets on the tobacco chamber and hooking over ears on the bowl. 
     A THIRD EXAMPLE, U.S. Pat. No. 4,648,411, Issued on Mar. 10, 1987, to Planesi teaches a tobacco pipe bowl. The interior burning chamber is larger at its bottom base than at its top where the bowl opening is located. Furthermore, associated with the tobacco pipe bowl there is a honing tool to clean the tobacco pipe bowl. 
     A FOURTH EXAMPLE, U.S. Pat. No. 5,678,573, Issued on Oct. 21, 1997, to Aldin, Sr. teaches a smoking pipe including a bowl having a central generally cylindrical bore open at both ends of the bowl with a closable lid mounted on the top of the bowl and a stem projecting from the wall of the bowl and communicating with the central bore of the bowl, which allows the smoker to light the bottom of the load of tobacco and create a natural updraft through the burning tobacco to cause complete combustion of the entire load of tobacco without the necessity of frequent relighting and preventing the accumulation of moisture, tar, and the like within the pipe bowl. 
     A FIFTH EXAMPLE, U.S. Pat. No. 6,354,301, Issued on Mar. 12, 2002, to McCoy teaches a two-piece smoking pipe vaporization chamber with directed heat intake. The two-piece smoking pipe vaporization chamber with directed heat intake includes a lower chamber member having a bowl portion formed therein to hold materials from which vapor is to be extracted. The bowl portion communicates with a vapor intake conduit at a vapor intake orifice thereof disposed below the bowl portion. The vapor intake conduit is adapted to mate with a smoking pipe conduit. A lower screen member is disposed in the bowl portion of the lower chamber member over the vapor intake orifice. An upper chamber member is adapted to mate with the lower chamber portion in a substantially air-tight manner to form a vaporization chamber. The upper chamber member includes a generally-conical-shaped heat intake conduit communicating therewith and is disposed at an off-axis angle and has a heat intake orifice at a distal end thereof. The upper chamber member is adapted to accept output from a heat source. 
     A SIXTH EXAMPLE, U.S. Pat. No. 6,418,936, Issued on Jul. 16, 2002, to Lee teaches a tobacco pipe having a hollow stem threaded to a manifold on top of which a turret is rotatably mounted. The turret is of greater weight than that of manifold, so that any one of a plurality of turret magazines remains stationary over a chamber in the manifold in their relative rotation, so that smoking tobacco in the aligned magazine with such chamber takes place through the hollow stem. A screen seats in a recess of a port of manifold at a sufficient distance from the turret&#39;s chamber, preventing scorching of screen by a source of flame at/in chamber in the aligned magazine. A member is seated in a cavity co-extensive between and within turret and manifold, and includes a bearing surface that abuts a bearing surface in turret and includes threads disposed within manifold and threads in turret for fastening turret to manifold in an unbinding manner due to the assembly of abutting bearing surfaces. A second set of bearing surfaces are provided in member and manifold, respectively. Series of fluted surfaces on peripheries of turret and manifold assist in aligning a magazine with chamber. Weight of turret over that of manifold maintains a stationary position between the two during a smoking mode. 
     A SEVENTH EXAMPLE, U.S. Pat. No. 6,418,937, Issued on Jul. 16, 2002, to Cristiano teaches a pipe assembly to accommodate the specific filter preferences of the pipe smoker. The pipe assembly includes a bowl, a stem, and a mouthpiece. A cylindrical mounting aperture extends into the end of the stem remote from the bowl, and a connecting passage joins the mounting aperture to the tobacco receiving cavity in the bowl. The mouthpiece has a proximal end with a passage therein and a distal end that can be slidably received in the mounting aperture of the stem. The mouthpiece further includes a filter receptacle that communicates with the passage extending into the proximal end of the mouthpiece. The filter receptacle is dimensioned to accommodate wide prior art filters. The pipe assembly further includes a tubular filter adapter with an outside diameter for slidable engagement in the filter receptacle and an inside diameter dimensioned to receive narrower pipe filters. A tubular plug is provided to fill outer circumferential regions of the filter receptacle to provide a substantially uniformly dimensioned smoke passage for smokers who prefer no filter at all. 
     AN EIGHTH EXAMPLE, U.S. Pat. No. 8,381,737, Issued on Feb. 26, 2013, to Jones teaches a smoking pipe including an elongated body with a removable chassis located therein. Located on the chassis is a lighter with an activation switch and flame opening located on one end. The lighter is positioned in the chassis so that the lighter&#39;s flame opening is located adjacent to the upper bowl on the bowl assembly also mounted on the chassis. Formed over the upper bowl are air openings that allow heated hot gas to enter the bowl and vaporize or burn material placed therein. Rotatably mounted on the lower neck on the bowl assembly is a ratchet. Attached to the ratchet is an elongated mouthpiece. The ratchet includes a cam surface with a hook formed thereon that engages the distal end of a pawl. The proximal end of the pawl sits in a receiving cavity from a moveable head also mounted on the chassis that selectively presses against the activation switch on the lighter. 
     A NINTH EXAMPLE, U.S. Patent Office Document No. 2012/0073586, Published on Mar. 29, 2012, to Shengelia teaches a covert pipe apparatus for facilitating smoking tobacco. The pipe apparatus includes a tubular element having a first end and a second end and a hollow semi-cylindrical element for holding tobacco during smoking. The hollow semi-cylindrical element fits securely within the tubular element and includes perforations in its surface. The pipe apparatus further includes a first torus located on a first end of the hollow semi-cylindrical element. A flame ingresses into the first torus during smoking and a second torus located on a second end of the hollow semi-cylindrical element. Smoke from burning tobacco egresses from the second torus during smoking. The pipe apparatus also includes a functional element, such as a pen, pencil, laser pointer, or flashlight, for coupling to the first end of the tubular element when the pipe apparatus is not in use for smoking. 
     A TENTH EXAMPLE, U.S. Patent Office Document No. 2012/0305009, Published on Dec. 6, 2012, to Morgan teaches a cigar-shaped pipe, ideally made from premium materials, such as briar, yet designed to be low cost to manufacture. The device uses a comparatively thin-walled combustion chamber, which both keeps material costs to a minimum, and also enables a comparatively simple and easy to manufacture design. In a preferred embodiment, the pipe will not use metal parts or clips, but rather will use an end cap that is made of the same materials as the main pipe body, and thus will have similar thermal expansion properties, as well as having the same beneficial combustion chamber properties. This end cap utilizes a unique O-ring design to hold the pipe&#39;s end cap onto position, thus enabling easy loading and cleaning. This design also helps to prevent pipe cracking problems and loose part problems that can otherwise occur due to differential thermal expansion when metal parts are used. 
     It is apparent now that numerous innovations for smoking pipes have been provided in the prior art that adequate for various purposes. Furthermore, even though these innovations may be suitable for the specific individual purposes to which they address, accordingly, they would not be suitable for the purposes of the present invention as heretofore described. 
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     AN OBJECT of the present invention is to provide a smoking pipe that avoids the disadvantages of the prior art. 
     ANOTHER OBJECT of the present invention is to provide a smoking pipe that is simple and inexpensive to manufacture. 
     STILL ANOTHER OBJECT of the present invention is to provide a smoking pipe that is simple to use. 
     BRIEFLY STATED, STILL YET ANOTHER OBJECT of the present invention is to provide a smoking pipe that is puffed on by a user and holds tobacco that is lit by the user using a lighter. The pipe includes a stem and a bowl. The stem is puffed on by the user. The bowl extends from the stem and holds the tobacco to be lit by the user using the lighter. 
     The novel features which are considered characteristic of the present invention are set forth in the appended claims. The invention itself, however, both as to its construction and its method of operation, together with additional objects and advantages thereof, will be best understood from the following description of the specific embodiments when read and understood in connection with the accompanying drawing. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWING 
       The figures of the drawings are briefly described as follows: 
         FIG. 1  is a diagrammatic perspective view illustrating the present invention in use; 
         FIG. 2  is a diagrammatic perspective view thereof illustrating plant matter being loaded into the present invention; 
         FIG. 3  is a right side elevational view thereof, taken in the direction of arrow  3  in  FIG. 2 ; 
         FIG. 4  is a is a top plan view thereof, taken in the direction of arrow  4  in  FIG. 2 ; 
         FIG. 5  is a is a bottom plan view thereof, taken in the direction of arrow  5  in  FIG. 2 ; 
         FIG. 6  is a is a rear elevational view thereof, taken in the direction of arrow  6  in  FIG. 2 ; 
         FIG. 7  is a is a front elevational view thereof, taken in the direction of arrow  7  in  FIG. 2 ; and 
         FIG. 8  is a cross partial sectional view taken on line  8 - 8  in  FIG. 4 . 
     
    
    
     A MARSHALING OF REFERENCE NUMERALS UTILIZED IN THE DRAWING 
       10  smoking pipe of embodiments of present invention for being puffed on by user  12  and for holding tobacco  14  that is for being lit by user  12  using lighter  16   
       12  user 
       14  tobacco 
       16  lighter 
       18  stem for being puffed on by user  12   
       20  bowl for holding tobacco  14  to be lit by user  12  using lighter  16   
       22  tubular stem of stem  18   
       24  proximal end of tubular stem  22  of stem  18   
       26  distal end of tubular stem  22  of stem  18   
       28  imaginary proximal end of bowl  20   
       30  free distal end of bowl  20   
       32  uppermost surface of bowl  20   
       34  lowermost surface of bowl  20   
       35  chamber in bowl  20   
       36  oval-shaped blind bore in bowl  20   
       38  oval-shaped rim defining oval-shaped blind bore  36  in bowl  20   
       40  screen mesh of bowl  20  for having tobacco  14  rest thereon 
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT 
     Referring now to the figures, in which like numerals indicate like parts, and particularly to  FIG. 1 , which is a diagrammatic perspective view illustrating the present invention in use, the smoking pipe of the embodiments of the present invention is shown generally at  10  for being puffed on by a user  12  and for holding tobacco  14  that is for being lit by the user  12  using a lighter  16 . 
     The configuration of the smoking pipe  10  can best be seen in  FIGS. 2-8 , which are, respectively, a diagrammatic perspective view thereof illustrating plant matter being loaded into the present invention, a right side elevational view thereof, taken in the direction of arrow  3  in  FIG. 2 , a is a top plan view thereof, taken in the direction of arrow  4  in  FIG. 2 , a is a bottom plan view thereof, taken in the direction of arrow  5  in  FIG. 2 , a is a rear elevational view thereof, taken in the direction of arrow  6  in  FIG. 2 , a is a front elevational view thereof, taken in the direction of arrow  7  in  FIG. 2 , and a cross partial sectional view taken on line  8 - 8  in  FIG. 4 , and as such, will be discussed with reference thereto. 
     The smoking pipe  10  comprises a stem  18  and a bowl  20 . The stem  18  is for being puffed on by the user  12 . The bowl  20  extends from the stem  18 , and is for holding the tobacco  14  to be lit by the user  12  using the lighter  16 . 
     The stem  18  is a tubular stem  22 . 
     The tubular stem  22  of the stem  18  is straight, is slender, is elongated, has a constant inside diameter with a constant circular cross section, has a proximal end  24 , and has an imaginary distal end  26 . 
     The tubular stem  22  of the stem  18  is made of stainless steel tubing. 
     The proximal end  24  of the tubular stem  22  of the stem  18  is a mouthpiece polished for safety when the user  12  puffs thereon. 
     The bowl  20  is one-piece with the tubular stem  22  of the stem  18 , and as such, is also made of stainless steel tubing. The bowl  20  has an imaginary proximal end  28  and a free distal end  30 . 
     The bowl  20  extends forwardly, coaxially, and communicatingly from the tubular stem  22  of the stem  18 , with the imaginary proximal end  28  of the bowl  20  being coincident with the imaginary distal end  26  of the tubular stem  22  of the stem  18 . 
     The bowl  20  further has an uppermost surface  32 , a lowermost surface  34 , and contains a chamber  35 . 
     The lowermost surface  34  of the bowl  20  extends smoothly convexly arcuately upwardly from the imaginary proximal end  28  of the bowl  20  to the free distal end  30  of the bowl  20 , and defines a part of the chamber  35  in the bowl  20 . 
     The uppermost surface  32  of the bowl  20  extends planarly downwardly from the imaginary proximal end  28  of the bowl  20  to the free distal end  30  of the bowl  20  so as to form an oval shaped blind bore  36  when viewed from above, and defines a remaining part of the chamber  35  in the bowl  20 . 
     The blind bore  36  in the bowl  20  is defined by an oval-shaped rim  38 . 
     The oval-shaped rim  38  defining the blind bore  36  in the bowl  20  is smooth for safety. 
     The oval-shaped blind bore  36  in the bowl  20  communicates with the chamber  35  in the bowl  20 . 
     The uppermost surface  32  of the bowl  20  extends planarly downwardly 30° from the imaginary proximal end  28  of the bowl  20  to the free distal end  30  of the bowl  20 . 
     The bowl  20  further has a screen mesh  40 . 
     The screen mesh  40  of the bowl  20  is made of stainless steel. 
     The screen mesh  40  of the bowl  20  is disposed in the chamber  35  in the bowl  20 , and is for having the tobacco  14  rest thereon. 
     The screen mesh  40  of the bowl  20  extends downwardly concavely forwardly from the uppermost surface  32  of the bowl  20  to the lowermost surface  34  of the bowl  20 . 
     It will be understood that each of the elements described above, or two or more together, may also find a useful application in other types of constructions differing from the types described above. 
     While the invention has been illustrated and described as embodiments of a smoking pipe, accordingly it is not limited to the details shown, since it will be understood that various omissions, modifications, substitutions and changes in the forms and details of the device illustrated and its operation can be made by those skilled in the art without departing in any way from the spirit of the present invention. 
     Without further analysis, the foregoing will so fully reveal the gist of the present invention that others can, by applying current knowledge, readily adapt it for various applications without omitting features that, from the standpoint of prior art, fairly constitute characteristics of the generic or specific aspects of this invention.