Patent Publication Number: US-6698435-B2

Title: Folding smoking pipe

Description:
This application claims priority from co-pending provisional application No. 60/258,803, filed Dec. 29, 2000. 
    
    
     FIELD OF THE INVENTION 
     This invention relates generally to pipes used for smoking tobacco, and relates more particularly to a pipe made from a flat sheet of material that can be folded into a functional shape. 
     BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     A typical smoking pipe has a bowl joined to a stem. The bowl holds the tobacco or other smoking material and has an air passageway at the bottom that connects to the stem. The stem is a tubular structure having a bit opposite the bowl through which a user draws smoke. The tobacco and the ash that results from burning are typically isolated from the stem by a screen or narrow region or baffle in the air passageway. Repeated use of the pipe causes tars and other residue to build up in the bowl, on the screen and in the stem, which may interfere with the taste and pleasure of the smoke and which may build up enough to interfere with the function of the pipe. Cleaning the pipe reduces but may not eliminate all the tars and residue. Discarding the pipe after several uses and using a new, clean pipe is one solution to this problem, but can be expensive. Thus, there is a need for an inexpensive pipe that may be used once or a few times and then discarded. 
     U.S. Pat. No. 4,058,130 discloses a disposable pipe that is formed by folding a T-shaped single sheet of flexible material into a functional pipe with a stem and bowl. The sheet has several interconnected panels, made of paper, that are folded and formed into a stem, with overlapping panels that are fastened together with glue. The sheet also has several interconnected panels, made of paper lined with fire proof material like aluminum foil, that are folded to form a bowl, with overlapping panels that are fastened together with glue. Inside the stem is a filter that extends from near the bowl to the bit end of the pipe. This pipe is disposable and is intended to be distributed in its assembled form, with or without tobacco. 
     Another concern about traditional smoking pipes is their size and bulk. A traditional pipe is a three-dimensional object that occupies a substantial space, which may be too bulky to carry conveniently in a pocket or small bag. The bulk of traditional smoking pipes, or a pipe like that disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 4,058,130, makes retailing more expensive, which makes them less available than they might be if they were less bulky to stock and distribute. 
     U.S. Pat. No. 3,902,505 discloses a disposable pipe formed from a foldable flat blank, made of paper or plastic, with a collapsed metal foil bowl. The body of the pipe is made by folding the panels of the flat blank and using tabs coated with adhesive to hold the structure together. The bowl is initially installed in a flattened condition, and can be unfolded into a bowl shape. The bottom of the bowl is perforated to allow smoke to be drawn into the body of the pipe. Although this pipe in its flat form prior to assembly is less bulky than traditional pipes, the flattened bowl adds substantially to the thickness of the pipe and to the cost of construction. 
     What is needed is a less-bulky and less-expensive disposable smoking pipe that would be convenient for a smoker to carry and convenient for a retailer to stock. 
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     In summary, the present invention is a smoking pipe constructed from a flat sheet of material, small enough to fit in a wallet, which can be folded into a functional smoking pipe with an integrated bowl, screen, and stem. The stem is formed by multiple flat panels folded to create a passageway having an opening at one end. The screen consists of several holes through an upper panel of the stem. The bowl is formed by multiple flat panels folded to surround the screen. The material of the smoking pipe is preferably metal, formed into a flat blank ready for folding. The blank of metal has a number of reduced thickness fold lines, which preferably are about one-half the thickness of the metal blank, that join adjacent panels and permit the panels to be folded. 
     The present invention is also a foldable blank that can be assembled into a functional smoking pipe. The foldable blank is a flat sheet of material, preferably metal, composed of stem panels and bowl panels. The sheet of metal has fold lines between adjacent panels that allow adjacent stem panels to be bent along the fold lines to form a hollow stem of the smoking pipe. The fold lines also allow adjacent bowl panels to be bent along the fold lines to form a bowl of the smoking pipe. One stem panel has holes that form a perforated screen disposed between the bowl and hollow stem of the smoking pipe. 
     The foldable blank of the present invention is inexpensive to manufacture and small in size, so it is easy to transport and store. It is convenient for a smoker to carry in a wallet and convenient for a retailer to stock. When the smoker wants to use the pipe, the foldable blank is folded along the fold lines into a functional pipe. 
     The features and advantages described in the specification are not all inclusive, and particularly, many additional features and advantages will be apparent to one of ordinary skill in the art in view of the drawings, specification and claims hereof. Moreover, it should be noted that the language used in the specification has been principally selected for readability and instructional purposes, and may not have been selected to delineate or circumscribe the inventive subject matter, resort to the claims being necessary to determine such inventive subject matter. 
    
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
     FIG. 1 is a plan view of a smoking pipe according to the present invention in a flat condition prior to assembly into a functional shape. 
     FIG. 2 is a perspective view of the rear of the smoking pipe of the present invention as assembled into a functional shape. 
     FIG. 3 is a second perspective view of the front of the smoking pipe of the present invention as assembled into a functional shape. 
     FIG. 4 is a third perspective view of the underside of the smoking pipe of the present invention as assembled into a functional shape. 
     FIG. 5 is a top view of the smoking pipe of the present invention as assembled. 
     FIG. 6 is a bottom view of the smoking pipe of the present invention as assembled. 
     FIG. 7 is a left side view of the smoking pipe of the present invention as assembled. 
     FIG. 8 is a right side view of the smoking pipe of the present invention as assembled. 
     FIG. 9 is a front elevation view of the smoking pipe of the present invention as assembled. 
     FIG. 10 is a rear elevation view of the smoking pipe of the present invention as assembled. 
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS 
     The drawings depict various preferred embodiments of the present invention for purposes of illustration only. One skilled in the art will readily recognize from the following discussion that alternative embodiments of the structures and methods illustrated herein may be employed without departing from the principles of the invention described herein. 
     As shown in FIGS. 1-10, the smoking pipe  10  of the present invention is fabricated from a unitary, flat sheet of material, which is preferably a metal such as stainless steel, brass, or copper having a thickness of about 0.010 inch. The pipe  10  is shown in FIG. 1 in a flat condition as a blank  12  prior to assembly, and is shown as assembled into a functional shape  14  in FIGS. 2-10. 
     The pipe blank  12  is preferably made by photo-chemical machining using photomasks and photoresist on both sides of a sheet of material to define areas to be exposed to an etchant. The etching process is controlled so that the etchant dissolves at least one-half of the thickness of the material that is exposed. Wherever the photomasks expose the material to the etchant on both sides, the etchant will etch all the way through both sides of the material to create a hole or edge. Wherever the photomasks expose the material to the etchant on only one side, the etchant will etch only half way through to form a weakened area for a fold line. Wherever the photomasks cover both sides of the material, no etching occurs. 
     As shown in FIG. 1, the flat pipe blank  12  has several fold lines  16 ,  18 ,  20 ,  22 ,  24 ,  26 ,  28 ,  30 ,  32 , and  34  that have been formed by etching halfway through the thickness of the material as described above, or by an equivalent means. Folds  22  and  24  are preferably formed on the underside of the blank  12  (as shown in FIG. 1) and the remaining folds are formed on the top side of the blank (as shown in FIG.  1 ). Adjacent panels can be bent at the fold lines to form the assembled pipe  14 . The assembly of the pipe is explained in more detail below. 
     In addition to the fold lines, the flat pipe blank  12  also has several void areas where the material has been completely removed by etching from both sides, including a grid of holes  36 , slot  38 , void area  40 , relief  42 , and decorative holes  44  and  46 . FIG. 1 also shows that the flat pipe blank  12  has five stem panels  50 ,  52 ,  54 ,  56 , and  58  that are used to form a rectangular stem of the assembled pipe  14 , four bowl panels  60 ,  62 ,  64 , and  66  that are used to form a rectangular bowl of the assembled pipe, and two support panels  68  and  70  that are used to support the bowl of the assembled pipe. 
     The fold lines permit the pipe sections to be folded into the assembled pipe  14 , which is shown in FIGS. 2-10. Generally speaking, the pipe  14  is assembled by folding adjacent panels at the fold lines to 90 degrees. Preferably, the panels are folded so that the etched line is on the outside of the fold, although the panels can be folded so that the etched line is on the inside of the fold provided that enough material is etched away to permit such a fold. 
     Stem panels  50 ,  52 ,  54 ,  56 , and  58  are folded into a rectangular box shape to form a stem  72  of the assembled pipe  36 . Each fold line allows the panels to be folded with respect to each other at about a right angle. The stem  72  is a hollow box, open at one end and extending to the grid of holes  36  at the other end. The open end of the stem serves as the bit of the pipe. Panel  58  overlaps panel  50  so that the decorative holes  44  and  46  line up. The metal is malleable, so the folds are stable and do not flatten out after forming. No adhesive or glue is needed for the assembled pipe to retain its shape. 
     As shown best in FIGS. 2 and 3, the assembled pipe  14  has a bowl  74  positioned above and surrounding the grid of holes  36 . Bowl panel  60  is attached to stem panel  54  at fold line  26 , and is folded up to form a backside of the bowl  74  and also to close off the distal end of the hollow box of the stem  72 . Bowl panel  60  is retained by support panel  70 , which is bent up relative to stem panel  58 , but at an oblique angle (not a right angle). Bowl panel  62  is attached by fold line  34  to one side of bowl panel  60  and is folded to form another side of the bowl  74 . Support panel  68 , which is attached to stem panel  50  at fold line  24 , is folded up about 90 degrees to hold bowl panel  62  in position. Bowl panel  64  is attached by fold line  32  to the other side of bowl panel  60  and is folded to form another side of the bowl  74 . Bowl panel  66  is attached to bowl panel  64  at fold line  30  and is folded to form a front side of the bowl  74 . There is a tab  76  extending from a lower edge of panel  66 , which is inserted into slot  38  in stem panel  50  to help orient and retain bowl panel  66 . 
     The panels can be folded in a number of equivalent sequences to form the assembled pipe  14 . If the stem is formed first, by folding the stem panels at fold lines  16 ,  18 ,  20 , and  22 , the support panel  70  will need to be folded out of the way to provide clearance for the bowl panel  60  to be folded at fold line  26 . After the bowl panel  60  is folded, the support panel  70  can be folded back to the position shown in the figures. 
     When the pipe is assembled into its functional shape  14 , the lower edges of the bowl panels  62 ,  64 , and  66  rest on the upper surface of the stem panel  50 , and, along with bowl panel  60 , surround the grid of holes  36  to form the bowl  74 . The grid of holes  36  is a perforated screen that separates the bowl from the stem, but provides a flow passage through the bowl into the interior of the stem. 
     As shown in FIGS. 1,  2 ,  3 ,  9 , and  10 , support panel  68  has an irregular shape facing the bowl panel  62 . A lower edge  80  of the support panel  68  is relieved outward relative to the bowl panel  62 , while an upper edge  82  of the panel  68  contacts the panel  62 . This edge shape in effect shifts the slot  84  between panel  68  and panel  50  outward to close off a gap that would otherwise exist at the bottom of the bowl  74  at the lower edge of bowl panel  62 . 
     The flat pipe blank  12  is preferably fabricated in large sheets containing many blanks to be processed simultaneously. A large sheet of material is photomasked on both sides with multiple, repeated patterns to define the areas to be masked or exposed to the etchant. In order to conveniently handle the multiple blanks, it is preferred to keep them joined together using a frame (not shown) until the etching is complete and then separate them. Small tabs, formed by photo-chemical machining, extend from the sides of the blanks and join them to the frame until they are separated. If the edges of the blanks were straight, then the tabs once broken apart would leave rough spots on the edges. The rough spots could be machined off or otherwise removed, but that is an extra processing step that would increase cost. To avoid post-separation machining, the pipe blanks  12  have recessed areas  88  where the interconnecting tabs  90  are located, as shown in FIG.  1 . Even though the tabs  90  remain after the blanks are separated, they are recessed relative to the edges. 
     The flat pipe blank  12  is preferably the size of a plastic credit card or less. Dimensions of 1.900 inches by 3.400 inches have been found to be acceptable. With such a small size, and a thickness of about 0.010 inches, the flat pipe is quite small and easy to store or transport. It can be carried with credit cards in a wallet. When needed for use, the pipe can be assembled without tools merely by folding along the fold lines. The small, compact size of the flat pipe of the present invention lends itself to many retail options, including vending machines or counter sales. The flat pipe can easily be packaged with tobacco or other smoking materials as a bonus or premium feature. 
     The flat pipe blank  12  can be labeled with information, such as assembly instructions, trademarks, logos, advertisements, contact information, or decorative art. To do so, the surface of the flat pipe blank can be etched during the photo-chemical machining. Alternatively, paint, ink, or dyes can be applied to the surface of the flat pipe blank by post etching silkscreening or similar process. 
     Photo-chemical machining is the preferred method of making the flat pipe blank from a sheet of metal. Alternatively, the flat pipe blank can be made by stamping, perhaps using a progressive die, to form the edge cuts, holes, and fold lines. Another method is laser cutting, using a laser beam to cut through the material at the edge cuts and holes, and to remove about half the thickness of material at the fold lines. Still another method is machining with metal-cutting tools. 
     From the above description, it will be apparent that the invention disclosed herein provides a novel and advantageous smoking pipe. The foregoing discussion discloses and describes merely exemplary methods and embodiments of the present invention. As will be understood by those familiar with the art, the invention may be embodied in other specific forms without departing from the spirit or essential characteristics thereof. Accordingly, the disclosure of the present invention is intended to be illustrative, but not limiting, of the scope of the invention, which is set forth in the following claims.