Patent Publication Number: US-11395511-B2

Title: Smoking stent for cigar or filterless cigarette

Description:
RELATED APPLICATIONS 
     This application claims the benefit of provisional patent application No. 62/670,757, filed May 12, 2018. 
     BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     1. Field Of The Invention 
     In general, the present invention relates to devices that are inserted into cigars or cigarettes that promote the flow of smoke through the cigar or cigarette and into the mouth. 
     2. Prior Art Description 
     When a person smokes a cigar or a filterless cigarette, the end that is held in the mouth often becomes wet. Over time, the moisture transferred from the mouth can cause the end of the cigar or cigarette to lose structural integrity and collapse under the pressure of the lips. This, in turn, inhibits the flow of smoke to the mouth through the cigar or cigarette. 
     In the prior art, devices have been developed that can prevent the collapse of a cigar or cigarette. The most common is the cigarette holder. Cigarette holders and cigar holders are extensions that support the cigarette or the cigar away from the mouth. Since the cigarette or cigar does not touch the mouth, it never gets wet and the integrity of the cigarette or cigar is never compromised. The problem with cigarette holders and cigar holders is twofold. First, the holder is not in fashion and is, therefore, aesthetically unpleasing. Second, the holder prevents the smoker from directly tasting the tobacco of the cigarette or cigar. This taste is pleasing to many. 
     Some shortened holders have also been invented that extend only over the tip of the cigarette or cigar. In this manner, they prevent the cigarette or cigar from getting wet without being aesthetically unpleasing. Such prior art holders are exemplified by U.S. Pat. No. 400,446 to Dixon and U.S. Pat. No. 2,869,558 to Redford. These holders may be less noticeable, but they also prevent a smoker from directly tasting the tobacco in his/her mouth. 
     Other prior art exists that attempts to internally support the structure of a cigarette or cigar. This prior art provides a solid spike that extends into the end of the cigarette or cigar. The presence of the spike provides structural integrity to the end of the cigarette or cigar as it becomes wet. The smoke exits the cigarette or cigar around the spike. Such prior art is exemplified by U.S. Pat. No. 2,558,127 to Downs and U.S. Patent No. 1,821,159 to Hughes. Although such prior art devices enable a smoker to directly taste the tobacco in the mouth, the tobacco can become wet and collapse around the spike. This prevents smoke from being able to pass freely through the cigarette or cigar. 
     A need therefore exists for a device that can be inserted into the mouth end of a cigar or cigarette that does not prevent the tobacco from entering the mouth, helps maintain structural integrity, and prevents the moistened tobacco in the mouth from inhibiting the flow of smoke. These needs are met by the present invention as described and claimed below. 
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     The present invention is a smoking stent that is inserted into a wrapped smoking product to create a smoking assembly. The presence of the stent in the wrapped smoking product prevents the end of the wrapped smoking product from losing integrity when made wet by the mouth. 
     The wrapped smoking product has a fill material held within a wrapper. The stent device has a tubular body with an open first end and an open second end. The tubular body defines a central conduit between the open first end and the open second end. Side openings are disposed along the tubular body that provide access to the central conduit between the open first end and the open second end. 
     The stent device is inserted within the mouth end of the wrapped smoking product so that the central conduit of the tubular body extends into the smokable fill of the wrapped smoking product. This positions the open second end of the stent device at the mouth end of the wrapped smoking product. When the wrapped smoking product is lighted, the smoke is drawn out of the wrapped smoking device through the central conduit of the stent device. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
       For a better understanding of the present invention, reference is made to the following description of exemplary embodiments thereof, considered in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, in which: 
         FIG. 1  shows a first exemplary embodiment of a stent device shown in conjunction with a segment of a cigar; 
         FIG. 2  shows a cross-sectional view of the exemplary embodiment of  FIG. 1  shown with the stent device inserted into the cigar. 
         FIG. 3  shows the exemplary embodiment of  FIG. 1  shown in conjunction with an insertion tool; 
         FIG. 4  shows a perspective view of a second exemplary embodiment of a stent device shown in conjunction with a cigar; 
         FIG. 5  shows a perspective view of a third exemplary embodiment of a stent device shown in conjunction with a cigar; and 
         FIG. 6  shows a perspective view of a fourth exemplary embodiment of a stent device shown in conjunction with a cigarette. 
     
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
     The present invention smoking stent device can be configured in many ways and can be adapted for use in many applications. For example, the smoking stent device can be used with a cigar, a filterless cigarette, or any other wrapped smoking product where the end of the product is nothing more than dried leaf rolled in a paper or leaf wrapper. Although the present invention can be sized and configured for many such applications, only a few exemplary embodiments are illustrated and described. The exemplary embodiments are selected in order to set forth some of the best modes contemplated for the invention. The illustrated embodiments, however, are merely exemplary and should not be considered limitations when interpreting the scope of the claims. 
     Referring to  FIG. 1 , and  FIG. 2 , a smoking stent device  10  is shown that is sized and shaped to be used in the mouth end of a wrapped smoking product. In the illustrated embodiment, the wrapped smoking product is a cigar  12 . However, it will be understood that the wrapped smoking product can be a tobacco cigarette, a cannabis cigarette or any other smoking product containing fill in a wrapper. 
     In  FIG. 1  and  FIG. 2 , the cigar  12  has a traditional construction where tobacco fill  13  is wrapped in a leaf wrapper  14 . When the cigar  12  is prepared for smoking, the leaf wrapper  14  at the mouth end  11  of the cigar  12  is clipped or otherwise pierced. This produces a small opening  16  through which smoke from the cigar  12  can be inhaled. 
     The smoking stent device  10  has an elongated tubular body  18  that extends from a first end  20  to a second end  22 . The primary diameter of the elongated body  18  is such that it can be inserted into the mouth end  11  of the cigar  12  without causing the cigar  12  to rupture or otherwise break. The elongated tubular body  18  has an interior surface  23  and an exterior surface  25 . The interior surface  23  defines a central conduit  24  that extends through the elongated tubular body  18  from the first end  20  to the second end  22 . The tubular body  18  is perforated or otherwise slotted at various points along its length. This creates smoke flow openings  27  in the peripheral wall that extends between the exterior surface  25  to the interior surface  23 . In this manner, smoke can pass through the tubular body  18  from the tobacco fill  13  and into the central conduit  24 . 
     The second end  22  of the tubular body  18  terminates with a flange  26 . The first end  20  of the tubular body  18  tapers toward a point to make it easier to pass into the tobacco fill  13  of the cigar  12 . The first end  20  of the smoking stent device  10  is inserted into the tobacco fill  13  of the cigar  12  through the small opening  16  that has been previously formed into the cigar  12 . The smoking stent device  10  is inserted into the tobacco fill  13  until the flange  26  at the second end  22  contacts the cigar  12 . The cigar  12  is then lighted and smoked in the traditional manner. As a person puts the cigar  12  into his/her mouth, the leaf wrapper  14  and the tobacco fill  13  that passes into the mouth can become moist and soft. The presence of the smoking stent device  10  in the mouth end  11  of the cigar  12 , ensures that the cigar  12  will not collapse and a pathway will remain open to the smoke until the smoking of the cigar  12  is completed. Smoke passes through the tobacco fill  13  from the point of combustion. The smoke reaches the smoking stent device  10  and passes through the smoke flow openings  27  in the smoking stent device  10 . If the end of the cigar  12  is moist, this is often the path of least resistance. The smoke enters the central conduit  24  where it can be inhaled into the mouth. As a result, even if the tobacco fill  13  at the mouth end  11  of the cigar  12  is fully wetted and collapsed, smoke can still freely flow out of the cigar  12  and into the mouth. 
     To prevent the smoking stent device  10  from being accidentally inhaled with the smoke, the exterior surface  23  of the elongated body  18  can contain some type of anchor system  30 . In  FIG. 1  and  FIG. 2 , the anchor system  30  includes some external ridges  32  that roughen the exterior of the smoking stent  10  and resist the removal of the smoking stent  10  from the cigar  12 . 
     Referring to  FIG. 3  in conjunction with  FIG. 1  and  FIG. 2 , it can be seen that the insertion of the smoking stent device  10  can be assisted by the use of an insertion tool  34 . The insertion tool  34  has a handle  36 . A spike  38  protrudes from the handle  36 . The spike  38  has a diameter that enables the spike  38  to pass inside the central conduit  24  of the smoking stent device  10  through the second end  22  of the smoking stent device  10 . To use the insertion tool  34 , the spike  38  is first used to create the small opening  16  in the end of a cigar  12 . Once the small opening  16  is created, the spike  38  is pulled out of the cigar  12  and the smoking stent device  10  is advanced onto the spike  38 . The spike  38 , with the surrounding smoking stent device  10  is then reinserted into the small opening  16  previously made by the spike  38 . The diameter of the small opening  16  is slightly smaller than that of the tubular body  18  of the smoking stent device  10 . As such, the smoking stent device  10  is advanced into the cigar  12  with an interference fit. Due to the inference fit, once the spike  38  is pulled out of the cigar  12 , the smoking stent device  10  remains in place. The result is the assembly of the cigar  12  and smoking stent device  10 , such as is shown in  FIG. 2 . 
     Referring to  FIG. 4 , an alternative embodiment is shown for the anchor system of a smoking stent device  40 . In  FIG. 4 , the elongated body  42  of the smoking stent device  40  is provided with one or two external flights  44 . The flights  44  thread into the tobacco fill  13  of the cigar  12  by slightly turning the smoking stent device  40  upon insertion. 
     Referring to  FIG. 5 , another alternate embodiment of a smoking stent device  50  is shown. In this embodiment, the smoking stent device  50  is fabricated as a segment of a braided tube  52 . The braided tube  52  is made from braided filaments  54 . The end of the braided tube  52  is flared to create a stop  56 . To utilize the smoking stent device  50 , the insertion tool  34  that was previously described is used. To use the insertion tool  34 , the spike  38  is first used to create the small opening  16  in the end of a cigar  12 . Once the small opening  16  is created, the spike  38  is pulled out of the cigar  12  and the smoking stent device  50  is advanced onto the spike  38 . The spike  38 , with the surrounding smoking stent device  50  is then reinserted into the small opening  16  previously made by the spike  38 . The spike  38  is withdrawn, leaving the smoking stent device  50  in the cigar  12 . 
     Referring to  FIG. 6 , another embodiment of a smoking stent device  60  is shown for use on a cigarette  62 . The smoking stent device  60  is narrower than other embodiments to facilitate use in a cigarette  62 . The smoking stent device  60  has a tubular body  64  with smoke access openings  66 . Small barbs  68  extend from the tubular body  64  to help lock the smoking stent device  60  in place within the cigarette  62 . 
     It will be understood that the embodiments of the present invention that are illustrated and described are merely exemplary and that a person skilled in the art can make many variations to those embodiments. All such embodiments are intended to be included within the scope of the present invention as defined by the claims.