Patent Publication Number: US-2011061665-A1

Title: Protective cover for smoking pipe and method

Description:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     The present invention relates broadly to smoking accessories, especially accessories for smoking pipes. More particularly, the present invention relates to a protective cover made from elastic material for use with a smoking pipe. 
     For pipe smokers, a pipe can be a unique structural vessel for supporting smoking material during use. Pipes may be uniquely configured from various materials. A common material for smoking pipes is briarwood carved into the desired configuration to form a smoking pipe. A smoking pipe will typically include a bowl defining a smoking chamber, a shank extending away from the bowl with the shank having an air passageway formed therein for communication with the chamber. A stem extends away from the shank with the stem having a similar air passageway formed there through for delivering smoke to the user of the pipe through the stem. 
     As stated above, a common medium for pipes is briarwood and example of such briarwood pipes are currently manufactured by the Dr. Grabow Pipe Company and sold to the general public. A more specialized smoking pipe can be made from Meerschaum which is a soft mineral found mostly in Asia that resembles sea foam. In addition, pipes could be formed from other forms of wood, corncobs or glass or other ceramic material. 
     Smokers typically keep pipes after smoking. Pipes may thusly be distinguished from cigars and cigarettes which are consumed by fire and the user with a remainder being reduced to ash. Therefore, owners can become collectors or otherwise be attached to their smoking pipes and seek to protect the outer surfaces thereof as much as possible. Currently, devices are available for containing pipes during transportation and non-use thereof. 
     It would accordingly be desirable to have a pipe cover which could protect the outer surface of a pipe during use. Further, since pipe bowls get hot from the fire within the chamber, it would be desirable to have a pipe cover which could insulate the hands of a user from the heat from the pipe bowl. In addition, some pipes are formed from configurations that do not allow self-support of the pipe in an ashtray or on a support surface. Such pipes can include curved stems and curved bowls that act to prevent the pipe from standing upright. 
     Accordingly, it would be advantageous to have some form of pipe support that allowed a pipe to stand upright on a support surface without spilling the contents of the chamber which may be hot and may actually be on fire. 
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     It is accordingly an object of the present invention to provide a pipe cover that will protect the outer surface of a smoking pipe. 
     It is another object to the present invention to provide such a pipe cover that will insulate a user&#39;s hands from the heat of the pipe bowl. 
     It is another object to the present invention to provide a pipe cover having a support number from their end that will allow a pipe to stand vertically upright on a support surface. 
     It is another object to present invention to provide a pipe cover that is elastic for ease of attachment to and removal from a pipe and. 
     To those ends and according to one preferred embodiment thereof, the present invention provides a protective cover for a smoking pipe including a generally elongate generally tubular body member formed from elastic material and defining a bowl portion, a stem portion and a shank portion. The body member includes a bowl access opening formed in the bowl portion and a stem utility opening formed in the stem portion, with the body member being configured for receiving a smoking pipe through the access opening for substantial envelopment of the smoking pipe by the body member. The body member is configured to stretch from a rest disposition prior to insertion of a smoking pipe through the access opening wherein the body member has a first internal volume dimension to a use disposition for gripping at least one of the bowl portion, the shank portion and the stem portion wherein the body member has a second internal volume dimension. The material returns toward its original shape when the stress of pipe fitment is removed thereby substantially enveloping the smoking pipe. 
     Preferably, the body member is formed from an insulating resilient elastic material. It is preferable that the insulating resilient elastic material is neoprene. It is likewise preferable that the insulating resilient elastic material is silicone rubber. 
     It is further preferred that the body member is formed with a stabilizer portion, at least a part of the stabilizer portion being formed with a substantially planar surface for enhanced stability of the body member on a support surface. 
     It is preferred that the second internal dimension is different than the first internal dimension. Preferably, the body member is configured for partially covering the bowl portion of a smoking pipe to which it is attached. 
     The present invention is also directed to a combination smoking pipe and protective cover therefor. According to that aspect of the present invention and according to one preferred embodiment thereof, a smoking pipe and a cover for covering at least part of the pipe includes a smoking pipe having at least one wall forming a bowl defining a smoking chamber, a shank extending laterally away from the bowl and a stem extending away from the shank for engagement by a user for smoking therefrom. The cover includes a body member formed from elastic material in the general configuration of at least a portion of the outer surface of the pipe and defining a bowl portion, a stem portion and a shank portion. The body member includes a bowl access opening formed in the bowl portion and a stem utility opening formed in the stem portion The body member is configured for receiving a smoking pipe through the access opening for substantial envelopment of the smoking pipe by the body member, with the body member being configured to stretch from a rest disposition prior to insertion of a smoking pipe through the access opening wherein the body member has a first internal volume dimension to a use disposition for gripping at least a portion of the smoking pipe wherein the body member has a second internal volume dimension conforming generally to the volume of the smoking pipe covered by the body member, thereby substantially enveloping the smoking pipe. 
     Preferably, the body member is formed from an insulating resilient elastic material. It is likewise preferable that the insulating resilient elastic material is silicone rubber. 
     It is further preferred that the body member is formed with a stabilizer portion, at least a part of the stabilizer portion being formed with a substantially planar surface for enhanced stability of the body member on a support surface. 
     It is preferred that the second internal dimension is different than the first internal dimension. Preferably, the body member is configured for partially covering the bowl portion of a smoking pipe to which it is attached. 
     The present invention is also directed to a method for protecting a smoking pipe during use thereof. According to one preferred embodiment the present method includes the steps of:
         providing a smoking pipe having at least one wall forming a bowl defining a smoking chamber, a shank extending laterally away from the bowl and a stem extending away from the shank for engagement by a user for smoking therefrom;   providing a body member formed from elastic material in the general configuration of at least a portion of the outer surface of the pipe and defining a bowl portion, a stem portion and a shank portion, the body member including a bowl access opening formed in the bowl portion and a stem utility opening formed in the stem portion, the body member being configured for receiving a smoking pipe through the access opening for substantial envelopment of the smoking pipe by the body member, the body member being configured to stretch from a rest disposition prior to insertion of a smoking pipe through the access opening wherein the body member has a first internal volume dimension to a use disposition for gripping at least a portion of the smoking pipe wherein the body member has a second internal volume dimension conforming generally to the volume of the smoking pipe covered by the body member, thereby substantially enveloping the smoking pipe;   inserting the smoking pipe stem first into the access opening;   moving the pipe into the cover, while stretching the cover over the smoking pipe until the stem portion is engaged with the stem of the pipe and the bowl portion at least partially covers the bowl of the smoking pipe; and   allowing the pipe cover to relax over the smoking pipe thereby substantially enveloping the smoking pipe in at least a partially gripping manner.       

     Preferably, the step of providing a cover includes providing a cover wherein the body member is formed with a stabilizer portion, at least a part of the stabilizer portion being formed with a substantially planar surface for enhanced stability of the pipe within the body member when the pipe is on a support surface. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         FIG. 1  is a perspective view of a protective cover for a smoking pipe, according to one preferred embodiment of the present invention; 
         FIG. 2  is a cutaway view of a protective cover for a smoking pipe taken along lines  2 - 2  of  FIG. 1  and containing a pipe therein; 
         FIG. 3  is a cutaway view of a protective cover for a smoking pipe containing a pipe according to a second preferred embodiment of the present invention; 
         FIG. 3  is a perspective view of a pipe being inserted in the protective cover for a smoking pipe as illustrated in  FIG. 1 ; and 
         FIG. 5  is a perspective view of a pipe contained within the protective cover for a smoking pipe according to another preferred embodiment thereof. 
     
    
    
     DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT 
     Turning now to the drawings and, more particularly to  FIG. 1 , a protective cover for a smoking pipe is illustrated generally at  10  and includes a generally elongate, generally tubular body member  12  which is formed from elastic material. The body portion  12  includes a bowl portion  14  formed at one end thereof, a stem portion  20  formed at an opposite end thereof and a shank portion  18  extending intermediate the bowl portion  14  and the stem portion  20 . The bowl portion  14  is formed with an access opening  16  therein. The shank portion  18  and stem portion  20  extend linearly from a generally upstanding bowl portion  14  and terminate at a utility opening  22  in the stem portion  20 . The body member  12  is configured in the general manner of a smoking pipe and is hollow. 
     The entire protective cover  10  is formed from a generally elastic resilient material. An object of invention is to provide a protective cover for the surface of a smoking pipe and the resilient material which may be neoprene, silicone rubber, or other resilient, elastic material provides a shock-absorbing barrier layer between the pipe surface and a contact surface, thereby protecting the surface of the smoking pipe within the protective cover  10 . Additionally, it is intended that the present smoking pipe protective cover  10  be utilized during operation or smoking of the smoking pipe and therefore the smoking lip of the pipe at the terminus of the stem may protrude through the utility opening  22  with the pipe bowl extending through the access opening  16 , as will be seen in greater detail hereinafter. 
     Turning now to  FIG. 2 , a cutaway view of the protective cover for a smoking pipe  10  is illustrated. There, it can be seen that the pipe  30  includes a bowl  34  defining a smoking chamber  36  in the pipe body  32 . A shank  38  extends laterally away from the upright bowl  34  and a stem  40  is fixed to the shank  38 . An airway  42  extends from the smoking chamber  36  and the bowl  34  through the shank  38  and outwardly through the stem  40 . With continued reference to  FIG. 2 , it can be seen that the present pipe cover  10  can fit snuggly around the pipe  30  with a portion of the bowl  34  projecting through the access opening  16  in the bowl portion. This is intended to keep extreme heat of the smoking chamber  36  away from the protective cover. While it is presumed that the protective cover will provide a measure of heat insulation for the user, a red hot ash or other flame from the smoking chamber  36  could act to melt the cover portion adjacent to bowl  34  should the heat rise to that level. The shank portion  18  is fitted snuggly against the shank  38  of the pipe while the stem portion  20  of the protective cover  10  is fitting snuggly against the stem portion of the pipe  40 . As previously stated, a lip of the pipe extends through the utility opening  22  for access by a pipe smoker. 
     The present pipe cover  10  may fit a general pipe or be configured for a custom fit. With a generalized fit, only a portion of the cover will fit snuggly against the pipe but it should be sufficient to protect the pipe and insulate the user&#39;s hands against the heat of the pipe. This is particularly effective when the pipe is formed from glass or other ceramic material. 
     The pipe may be an unconventional shape or even a conventional shape that will not stand up on its own on a support surface and will not support itself on an ashtray. Such a pipe is illustrated in  FIG. 3  where as the pipe body  32  is curved through a soft S while the bowl  34  extends back toward the shank  38  and stem  40  which is also curved. The airway  42  extends from the smoking chamber  36  while in the curvature of the shank  38  and stem  40  to project outwardly from the utility opening  22  of the cover  10 . 
     With continued reference to  FIG. 3 , in order to support the curved pipe body  32  on a support surface S, a platform  24  is formed in the portion of the cover  10  extending between the bowl portion  14  and the shank portion  18 . The platform  22  projects outwardly from the body  12  of the protective cover  10  and forms a flattened surface for providing a sufficient contact area with the support surface S for supporting the pipe  30  in an upright manner. A second support platform  26  may be formed adjacent the utility opening  22  in the stem portion  20  in order to provide enhanced stability of the custom pipe. It will be understood by those skilled in the art that various forms of custom pipes exist and the present invention can be adapted to most any custom pipe. In such a case, it is desirable to provide the pipe and protective cover in a combination so that the maximum contact area between the pipe cover and the smoking pipe can be maintained to maximize protection of the pipe by the cover. 
     Turning now to  FIG. 4 , in operation and in accordance with the method of the present invention, the pipe  30  is inserted in the pipe cover  10 . The pipe cover  10  is formed from elastic material defining a first interior volume at a relaxed state. The relaxed state is attained the protective cover  10  is empty. In order to protect a pipe  30  using the present cover  10 , the pipe  30  is inserted into the access opening  16  of the cover  10  with the stem  40  leading the way. The direction of movement of the pipe  30  in  FIG. 4  is illustrated by an arrow A. The pipe  30  is inserted through the body  12  of the protective cover  10  wherein the stem  40  passes through the bowl portion  14 , the shank portion  18 , and rests in the stem portion  20  with the smoker&#39;s end of the pipe extending through the utility opening  22  for use of the pipe  30  while in the protective cover  10 . The bowl portion  14  is fitted up and around the bowl  34  of the pipe  30  which results in the shank  38  being fitted within the shank portion  18  of the protective cover. 
     With reference to  FIG. 5 , the pipe  30  is seen fitted within the protective cover  10 .  FIG. 5  illustrates a transparent cover for clarity, yet it should be understood that the present cover  10  may be molded or otherwise formed in many colors including milky semitransparent or transparent. As seen in  FIG. 5 , the present cover  10  utilizing its support platform  24  and pipe enveloping configuration provides a protective cover for a majority of the pipe surface. There, the elastic material of the pipe cover has relaxed into a snug relationship with the pipe  30  and defines a second interior volume of the cover  10  wherein the second interior volume is different from the first interior volume and the second interior volume approximates the volume of the pipe, at least the portion of which being covered by the protective cover  10 . 
     By the above, the present invention provides an inexpensive, easy to produce protective pipe cover for smoking pipes which provides a resilient surface to protect the surface of the pipe, a surface of proper material and sufficient thickness to insulate the user&#39;s hands from the heat of the pipe and a pipe cover that will support a pipe in an upstanding manner on a support surface. 
     It will therefore be readily understood by those persons skilled in the art that the present invention is susceptible of a broad utility and application. While the present invention is described in all currently foreseeable embodiments, there may be other, unforeseeable embodiments and adaptations of the present invention, as well as variations, modifications and equivalent arrangements, that do not depart from the substance or scope of the present invention. The foregoing disclosure is not intended or to be construed to limit the present invention or otherwise to exclude such other embodiments, adaptations, variations, modifications and equivalent arrangements, the present invention being limited only by the claims appended hereto and the equivalents thereof.