Patent Publication Number: US-2022211098-A1

Title: Multi-compartment smoking pipe

Description:
CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS 
     The following application is a based on and claims the priority benefit of U.S. provisional application Ser. No. 63/133,811 filed Jan. 5, 2021 currently co-pending; the entire content of which is incorporated by reference. 
    
    
     BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     A multi-compartment smoking pipe is provided. The multi-compartment smoking pipe not only stores smokable substances (such as tobacco), but further allows a user to smoke a predetermined amount of smokable substance. The pipe has multiple compartments wherein a user can smoke the smoking material in one compartment while the smoking material in the other compartments remains undisturbed. The multi-compartment smoking pipe allows for a user to select from different smokable substances. 
     Smoking pipes are common. For example, U.S. Pat. No. 9,795,164 to Hood discloses a smoking pipe with a jacket containing an inner glass tube. The glass tube has a hole in its wall that aligns with a hole in the jacket. The pipe has a bowl holder that holds a glass bowl with a stem that extends proximate to the hole in the glass tube. The joint between the bowl stem and an insert in the bowl holder can form a frosted glass fitting. End-caps with threaded inserts can match glass threads on the ends of the glass tube holding the glass tube in the jacket. A decorated metal bowl holder can be mounted on the jacket and decorated with gems, glass and the like. The pipe can be manufactured using different types of premium woods for the jacket for design and beauty. The use of an inner glass tube that contains the smoke eliminates contamination and cools the smoke for inhalation. 
     Further, U.S. Pat. No. 9,635,883 to Guardino discloses a body and a smokable substance storage compartment. The body may define a hollow shaft that extends from a first end of the body to a second end of the body. The hollow shaft may terminate at a first opening in the first end of the body and at a second opening in the second end of the body. The pipe may include a reloading slide that is configured to movably engage the body and includes a reloading recess that is configured to receive a portion of a smokable substance from the smokable substance storage compartment. The reloading slide may be configured to align a reloading recess with a portion of the body that provides access to the smokable substance storage compartment or the portion of the body that defines the first opening in the first end of the body. 
     However, these patents fail to describe a multi-compartment smoking pipe which is easy to use. Further, these patents fail to provide for a multi-compartment smoking pipe which allows a user to smoke a designated amount of smokable substance. 
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     A multi-compartment smoking pipe is provided. The multi-compartment smoking pipe not only stores smokable substances, but further allows a user to smoke a predetermined amount of smokable substance. The pipe has multiple compartments wherein a user can smoke the smoking material in one compartment while the smoking material in the other compartments remains undisturbed. The multi-compartment smoking pipe allows for a user to select from different smokable substances. 
     An advantage of the present multi-compartment smoking pipe is that a user may smoke a predetermined amount of smokable material while leaving other smokable material untouched within the pipe. 
     Another advantage of the present multi-compartment smoking pipe is that the present multi-compartment smoking pipe may act as a storage and transportation device as well as a pipe for smoking smokable material. 
     Yet another advantage of the present multi-compartment smoking pipe is that the present multi-compartment smoking pipe allows for different types of smokable materials to be stored and smoked. 
     Still another advantage of the present multi-compartment smoking pipe is that the present multi-compartment smoking pipe has magnets that directly align storage compartments of the device to an air flow hole for smoking the smokable material. 
     And another advantage of the present multi-compartment smoking pipe is that the present multi-compartment smoking pipe is easy to wash and clean. 
     Still another advantage of the present multi-compartment smoking pipe is that the present multi-compartment smoking pipe is small, durable, and light-weight. 
     For a more complete understanding of the above listed features and advantages of the multi-compartment smoking pipe reference should be made to the detailed description and the drawings. Further, additional features and advantages of the invention are described in, and will be apparent from, the detailed description of the preferred embodiments. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         FIG. 1  illustrates a perspective view of the fully assembled multi-compartment pipe wherein the movable storage clip is in the first position and wherein the pipe is in the non-usable storage orientation. 
         FIG. 2  illustrates a perspective view of the fully assembled multi-compartment pipe wherein the movable storage clip is in a second position. 
         FIG. 3  illustrates a perspective view of the main storage body of the multi-compartment smoking pipe. 
         FIG. 4  illustrates a perspective view of the movable storage clip of the multi-compartment smoking pipe. 
         FIG. 5  illustrates a perspective view of the air valve plate of the multi-compartment smoking pipe. 
         FIG. 6  illustrates the path of air flow from the first compartment through the air valve directly to the mouth tip. 
         FIG. 7  illustrates a cross-sectional top view of the device (wherein the top of the main storage body missing for illustrative purposes). 
         FIG. 8  illustrates a side view of the air valve plate of the multi-compartment smoking pipe. 
         FIG. 9  illustrates a front view of the mouth tip of the multi-compartment smoking pipe. 
         FIG. 10  illustrates a bottom view of the air valve plate of the multi-compartment smoking pipe. 
         FIG. 11  illustrates cross-sectional view of the path of air flow from the first compartment through the air valve directly to the mouth tip. 
         FIG. 12  illustrates a perspective view of the air valve plate of the multi-compartment smoking pipe. 
         FIG. 13  illustrates the plurality of different positions the device may occupy. 
     
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS 
     A multi-compartment smoking pipe is provided. The multi-compartment smoking pipe not only stores smokable substances, but further allows a user to smoke a predetermined amount of smokable substance. The pipe has multiple compartments wherein a user can smoke the smoking material in one compartment while the smoking material in the other compartments remains undisturbed. The multi-compartment smoking pipe allows for a user to select from different smokable substances. 
     Referring first to  FIGS. 1-5 , in an embodiment, a multi-compartment smoking pipe  1  is provided. The multi-compartment smoking pipe  1  may have a main storage body  10 , a movable storage clip  50  and an air valve plate  100 . The main storage body  10  may have a top  2 , a bottom  3 , a front  4 , a back  5 , a first side  6 , a second side  7  and a generally hollow interior  8 . In an embodiment, the movable storage clip  50  may move to different positions within, or may be completely removed from the main storage body  10  for cleaning. 
     The main storage body  10  may have a width  11  which is slightly greater than a width  57  of the movable storage clip  50 . The movable storage clip  50  may have a top  51 , a bottom  52 , a front  53 , a back  54 , a first side  55  and a second side  56 . The width  57  of the movable storage clip  50  may be slightly smaller than the width  11  of the main storage body  10  so that the movable storage clip  50  may fit inside the hollow interior  8  of the main storage body  10 . 
     The movable storage clip  50  may also have a length  60 . Running along the length  60  of the movable storage clip  50 , at the top  51  of the movable storage clip  50  may be a plurality of hollow compartments  62  that extend downward toward the center of the movable storage clip  50 . The figures illustrate a movable storage clip  50  having three hollow compartments  62 ; however, a greater of fewer number of hollow compartments  62  may be implemented in the design depending on the desired embodiment. The hollow compartments  62  may receive and hold the smokable material (not shown), such as tobacco. 
     In an embodiment, the device  1  may have an air flow plate  100 . The air flow plate  100  may have a top  101 , a bottom  102 , a front  103 , a back  104 , a first side  105  and a second side  106 . An opening  110  extending from the top  101  to the bottom  102  of the air flow plate  100  may be present on the air flow plate  100 , preferably near the back  104  of the air flow plate  100 . 
     In an embodiment, the movable storage clip  50  is located between the top  2  of the main storage housing  10  and the air flow plate  100 . The movable storage clip  50  may move along an x-axis with respect to the stationary main storage body housing  10 . The movable storage clip  50  may move along the x-axis so that a user may select one of the hollow compartments  62  to align with the opening  110  of the air flow plate  100  so that the smokable material may be smoked. More specifically, at the bottom of each of the hollow compartments  62  may be at least one opening  65  that may receive inflowing air  99  when a lighter is used to light the smokable material and the user pulls in a breath from the device  1 . The figures illustrate three openings  65  at the bottom of each of the hollow compartments  62  so that enough air may be exposed to the smokable material in the hollow compartments  62  while still having small holes that prevent the smokable material from falling through the opening  62 . 
     Located on the back  4  of the main storage body housing  10  may be an opening  20 . The illustration shows an elongated rectangular opening  20 ; although various other shaped openings may be used. The opening  20  of the back  4  of the main storage body housing  10  may be the “mouth” opening that a user would place his/her lips to inhale the smoke while using the device  1 . 
     In one embodiment, a plurality of magnets (at different locations) may be used. In particular, a plurality of magnets  210  may be present on the air flow plate  100 . In an embodiment, a first magnet  210  and a second magnet  210  of the air flow plate  100  may be on opposing sides of the opening  110  of the air flow plate  100 . Further, at least one magnet  220  may also be associated with each hollow compartment  62  of the movable storage clip  50  so that a user may perfectly align the movable storage clip  50  with respect to the air flow plate  100  during use. In particular, the magnet(s)  210  of the air flow plate  100  may correspondingly be attracted to the magnet(s)  220  of the movable storage clip  50 . 
     As a user pulls the movable storage clip  50  outward (along the x-axis) from the interior  8  of the main storage body housing  10 , the magnets  220  of the movable storage clip  50  aligns with the magnet(s)  210  of the air flow plate  100  of the main storage body housing  10  so that the movable storage clip  50  precisely stops at each hollow compartment  62  and therefore aligns the opening  65  of the storage compartment  62  with the opening  110  of the air flow plate  100 . The light attraction of the magnets  220  of the movable storage clip  50  to the magnets  210  of the air flow plate  100  is enough to stop the movable storage clip  50  and align it with the air flow plate  100  of the main storage body housing  10 , but not too strong that a user has difficultly overcoming the attractive force by pulling the movable storage clip  50  to an alternative position (see  FIG. 13 ). More specifically, as a user pulls the movable storage clip  50  outward along the x-axis, the movable storage clip  50  is predetermined to lightly stop at and align with each hollow compartment  62 . 
     An elevated thumb pad  70  provides a surface for the user to grasp while pulling the movable storage clip  50  outward from the main storage body housing  10 . The elevated thumb pad  70  may have, in one embodiment, a rubber and/or rough surface to make grasping and moving the movable storage clip  50  easier. The elevated thumb pad  70  may rest in a correspondingly shaped u-shaped opening  72  of the front  5  of the main storage body housing  10 . 
     In the closed state of  FIG. 1 , each compartment  62  is sealed (under the top of the main housing  10 ) and each compartment  62  may therein safely secure smokable material. In particular, each individual compartment  62  is covered at its top by the underside of the top  2  of the main storage body  10  while the device  1  is in the First Position of  FIG. 1 . As a compartment  62  is pulled forward, only the compartment  62  located directly over the opening  110  of the air valve place  100  may be used to smoke the material as the other compartments  62  still remain sealed by the housing  10  and the air valve plate  100 . More specifically, as a compartment  62  is pulled forward, the openings  65  of that compartment  62  therein align with the opening  110  of the air valve plate  100  while, at the same time, the top of that compartment  62  becomes unobstructed by the underside of the top  2  of the main storage body  10 . Therein, a path for air  99  to completely flow through the compartment  62  is established. 
     To use the device  1 , a user applies a flame source to the top of the compartment  62  while pulling air  99  from the mouth opening  20 . Air  99  (initially with fire) travels down into the individually selected compartment  62 , then through the smokable material within the compartment  62 , and then through opening  65  of the compartment  62  and out the device  1  through the mouth opening  20 . 
     A carb hole  135  on the side of the air valve plate  100  aligns with an opening  140  ( FIGS. 1 and 2 ) of the main body  10 . The carb hole  135  extends from the top and side of the air valve plate  100 . The carb hole  135  allows a user to further regulate the amount of and movement of air  99  through the device  1  to either speed up or slow down the burn rate of the smokable material. More specifically, during use of the device  1  to smoke a material, a user may place his/her finger (or portion of his/her finger) on/over the opening  140  of the main storage body  10  to prevent additional air  99  from flowing through the device  1  to mix with the air  99  already entering the device  1  through the top of the compartments  62  to the mouth piece  20  while smoking the pipe  1 . If a user releases his/her finger from the opening  140 , air may also pass through the opening  140  (and mix with the air  99  from the top of the compartment  62 ) while a user is pulling air  99  through the mouth piece  20 . If the user&#39;s finger is not on the opening  140 , the rate of burning decreases. If a user places his/her finger on the opening  140 , the burn rate increases. As a result, a user may more easily control the burn rate of the smokable material. 
     In an embodiment, an opening  333  on the bottom of the main storage body  10  may align with the opening  110  on the air flow plate  100  to allow the flow of air through the device  1  as described above. Finally, in an embodiment, a locking mechanism  444 , may extend from the top of the air flow plate  100  and may allow the air flow plate  100  to be removably secured to the main storage body  10  of the device  1 . 
     Although embodiments of the invention are shown and described therein, it should be understood that various changes and modifications to the presently preferred embodiments will be apparent to those skilled in the art. Such changes and modifications may be made without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention and without diminishing its attendant advantages.