Patent Publication Number: US-7712630-B2

Title: Pivot mechanism for ejecting a cigarette contained in a cigarette case

Description:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
   1. Field of Invention 
   The invention relates to accessories for smoking tobacco and more particularly to a spring based pivot mechanism for ejecting a cigarette contained in a cigarette case. 
   2. Description of Related Art 
   Cigarette cases are well known devices. Typically, cigarettes are parallel arranged as one row or two vertical rows. It is often that the fingers taking out a cigarette may contact adjacent cigarettes (e.g., filter ends) unintentionally. This, however, may leave germs on the filter end and further spread germs on the filter end into the mouth while smoking. Hence, it is unsanitary. 
   There have been numerous suggestions in prior patents for cigarette cases having an automatic cigarette dispensing mechanism. For example, U.S. Pat. No. 5,265,717 discloses a cigarette case for automatically lighting and ejecting a cigarette contained therein. However, its mechanism incorporates many components including pivots, gears, carousel, springs, and electrical devices. Hence, it is relatively complex in constructions, costly to manufacture, trouble-prone, and unreliable in use. 
   Thus, it is desirable to provide a cigarette case having a simple mechanism for dispensing a cigarette contained therein in order to overcome the inadequacies of the prior art. 
   SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
   It is therefore one object of the invention to provide a spring based mechanism for ejecting a cigarette contained in a cigarette case by simply pivoting a trigger on a cover of the case. 
   The above and other objects, features and advantages of the invention will become apparent from the following detailed description taken with the accompanying drawings. 

   
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
       FIG. 1  is a perspective view of a cigarette case incorporating a cigarette ejecting mechanism according to the invention; 
       FIG. 2  is a perspective view of the open cigarette case; 
       FIG. 3  is a top plan view of the cigarette case schematically depicting components of the mechanism according to a first preferred embodiment of the invention, where the mechanism is an inoperative position; 
       FIG. 4  is a top plan view of the mechanism of  FIG. 3  showing a cigarette ejecting operation; 
       FIG. 5  is a top plan view of the cigarette case schematically depicting components of the mechanism according to a second preferred embodiment of the invention, where the mechanism is an inoperative position; 
       FIG. 6  is a view similar to  FIG. 5  showing a cigarette ejecting operation; 
       FIG. 7  is an exploded view of the ejector, the pivot bar, and the link of  FIG. 5 ; 
       FIG. 8  is a perspective view of a cigarette case incorporating a cigarette ejecting mechanism according to a third preferred embodiment of the invention, where the cigarette case is open; and 
       FIGS. 9 and 10  are side elevations of a first cigarette case according to the invention having cigarettes arranged parallel as one row and a second cigarette case according to the invention having cigarettes arranged parallel as two vertical rows respectively. 
   

   DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION 
   Referring to  FIGS. 1 to 4 , a cigarette case incorporating a cigarette ejecting mechanism according to a first preferred embodiment of the invention is shown. The rectangular case comprises a casing  1  and a cover  2 . The casing  1  comprises an internal space for containing a plurality of cigarettes (one is shown)  3 , an outlet  11  at one corner, an elongate zone  12  straightly extending from the outlet  11  to the other corner of the same side with a single cigarette  3  rested thereon, and a clasp  13  provided at about a midpoint of the front end, the clasp  13  adapted to cooperate with a hole (not shown) at about a midpoint of the front end of the cover  2  for closing or opening the cigarette case as known in the art. The dimension of the outlet  11  is slightly larger than that of the cigarette  3  so as to not block the ejection of the cigarette  3  from the outlet  11 . 
   The cover  2  comprises an outer covering plate  22  and an inner separation plate  21  including a narrow first channel  211  in proximity to the front end, and a narrow second channel  212  in proximity to one corner just above the outlet  11  when the case is closed. 
   The cigarette ejecting mechanism is mainly provided in a space defined by the covering plate  22  and the separation plate  21 . The mechanism comprises an L-shaped ejector  50  pivotably secured to the covering plate  22 , a trigger  55  fixed to a joining point of one portion of the ejector  50  and the other portion thereof and provided on a top of the covering plate  22 , a pivot bar  51  pivotably secured to the covering plate  22  and having a downward extending peg  511  at one end, the peg  511  adapted to engage with one end of one portion of the ejector  50  as a stop in an inoperative position of the mechanism, a spring  53  in the form of a wire having one end secured to one end of the pivot bar  51  and the other end secured to one end of the other portion of the ejector  50 , a link  52  having one end formed as a bent pusher  521  extending through the first channel  211  into a space defined by the casing  1  and the cover  2  in proximity to the other corner at the front end opposing the outlet  11 , and the other end pivotably secured to one end of one portion of the ejector  50 , and an elongate sliding member  54  having a lower portion extending through the second channel  212  into the space of the cigarette case to block the outlet  11  when the cigarette case is closed, and the remaining portion hidden in the space defined by the covering plate  22  and the separation plate  21 , the sliding member  54  having its midpoint pivotably secured to the other end of the pivot bar  51 , and the sliding member  54  adapted to move back and forth along the second channel  212  in cigarette ejecting operation as detailed later. 
   A cigarette ejecting operation of the invention will be described in detailed below by mainly referring to  FIG. 4 . A smoker may clockwise pivot the trigger  55  by pushing an end thereof. And in turn, the ejector  50  clockwise pivots. Also, the pivot bar  51  clockwise pivots about its pivot point at one end. Next, the sliding member  54  moves from one end of the second channel  212  toward the other end thereof to open the outlet  11 . At the same time, the link  52  moves from one end of the first channel  211  toward the other end thereof to cause the pusher  521  to push the cigarette  3  outwardly. After the sliding member  54  reaching the other end of the second channel  212  and being stopped thereat, the link  52  continues to move and the spring  53  begins to compress because a distance between one end of the pivot bar  51  and one end of the other portion of the ejector  50  is decreased. The movement of the link  52  will be stopped when the link  52  has reached the other end of the first channel  211 . At this position, the cigarette  3  has passed the outlet  11  to eject from the cigarette case. The cigarette ejecting operation thus ends. 
   A bottom of the casing  1  is inclined forward. That is, a rear portion of the bottom of the casing  1  has an elevation higher than that of a front portion thereof. This can automatically push an adjacent one of any remaining cigarettes  3  toward the empty zone  12  at the end of the cigarette ejecting operation. As a result, a cigarette  3  (if any) in the cigarette case is always disposed on the zone  12 . 
   To the contrary, a releasing of the pivoting force exerted upon the trigger  55  will automatically return all components of the mechanism to their inoperative positions because the spring  53  exerts an expansion force to counterclockwise pivot the ejector  50  (see  FIG. 3 ). 
   Referring to  FIGS. 5 ,  6  and  7 , a cigarette ejecting mechanism according to a second preferred embodiment of the invention is shown. The characteristics of the second preferred embodiment are detailed below. A first spring  53  in the form of a wire has one end secured to one end of the pivot bar  51  and the other end secured to about a midpoint of the other portion of the ejector  50 . A second spring  56  in the form of a wire has one end secured to a post  211  fixedly mounted in the space defined by the covering plate and the separation plate  21  and the other end secured to one end of the other portion of the ejector  50 . Both the springs  53  and  56  are compressed during the cigarette ejecting operation. The returning force after releasing the trigger  55  after the cigarette ejecting operation is thus further increased. The pivot bar  51  further comprises an arcuate cavity  512  at one end. A corresponding projection  501  is further provided at one end of one portion of the ejector  50 . The projection  501  engages with the cavity  512  in the inoperative position of the mechanism as shown in solid lines in  FIG. 5 . The projection  501  disengages with the cavity  512  at the end of the cigarette ejecting operation as shown in phantom lines in  FIG. 6 . The provision of the projection  501  and the cavity  512  will ensure the engagement and disengagement of the pivot bar  51  and the pivot  50  to be more smooth and reliable. 
   Referring to  FIG. 8 , a cigarette ejecting mechanism according to a third preferred embodiment of the invention is shown. The characteristics of the third preferred embodiment are detailed below. A U-shaped frame  14  is provided in the space defined by the casing. The frame  14  has both sides disposed in proximity to both sides of the casing. A V-shaped elastic member  16  has one end secured to an intermediate portion of the rear end of the casing and the other end secured to an intermediate portion of the main portion of the frame  14 . Thus, the frame  14  is adapted to slide back and force in the casing. A plurality of cigarettes can be stored in a space defined by the frame  14 , both sides of the casing, and the front end of the casing. A locking device  15  is provided at a rear portion of either side of the casing. The locking device  15  comprises a button  151  upwardly projecting from the side of the casing, a latch  152  formed with the button  151  laterally projecting into a space defined by the casing, and a spring  153  having one end secured to an internal member of the side of the casing and the other end secured to a joining portion of the latch  152  and the button  151 . Thus, both the latch  152  and the button  151  are spring biased members. At either corner of the frame  14  there are provided a recess  141  open to the rear end of the casing, a slot  143  at a blind end of the recess  141 , and a ramp  142  extending from the slot  143  to the mouth of the recess  141 . 
   A cigarette loading and ejecting operation of the mechanism will be described in detailed below. First, a smoker may push the frame  14  toward the rear end of the casing by compressing the elastic member  16  until the latch  152  enters the recess  141  and passes the ramp  142  into the slot  143  for being locked therein. Next, the smoker may put a plurality of cigarettes into the space defined by the frame  14  and the casing. Next, close the cover onto the casing after loading the cigarettes. The spring  153  is thus compressed because the bottom of the cover presses the button  151  and the latch  152  thus retracts outward to clear the slot  143 . Hence, the frame  14  is unlocked. The frame  14 , as always pushed by the force exerted thereon by the elastic member  16 , will automatically push an adjacent cigarette to occupy the empty space left by the cigarette which has been ejected from the cigarette case at the end of the cigarette ejecting operation as described above. 
   Referring to  FIG. 9 , a plurality of cigarettes  3  can be arranged parallel as a single row in a smaller cigarette case. Referring to  FIG. 10 , a plurality of cigarettes  3  can be arranged parallel as two vertical rows in a larger cigarette case. 
   While the invention herein disclosed has been described by means of specific  25 , embodiments, numerous modifications and variations could be made thereto by those skilled in the art without departing from the scope and spirit of the invention set forth in the claims.