Patent Publication Number: US-7905235-B2

Title: Cigarette rolling machine

Description:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     The present invention generally relates to a compact electrical cigarette rolling machine. The machine is particularly suitable for easily and quickly rolling tobacco into a cigarette. The tobacco is placed into a holding reservoir having tapered walls which help guide the tobacco into a rotating coil located near the bottom of a holding reservoir. The rotating coil then forces the tobacco through a hollow tube and into a pre-rolled paper cigarette in a compact and efficient manner. The machine has a support bar which allows the tobacco to become easily compacted within the paper of the cigarette without the pre-rolled paper becoming accidentally dislodged. The user may control how tightly the tobacco is packed within the cigarette by use of a control knob. 
     Cigarette rolling machines have been around for a long time. To work most of the existing cigarette rolling machines, tobacco is typically placed into a reservoir and then the user, either manually or automatically, rolls and compressed the tobacco within rolling paper. For example, U.S. Pat. No. 6,345,624 to Kastner discloses a compact cigarette making machine for compacting and inserting a quantity of tobacco into a preformed cigarette tube is described. A tobacco receiving member is slidably retained within a base and movable longitudinally thereon to load tobacco into a cigarette tube secured to a nipple at its forward end. A cover is pivotally secured to the rearward end of the tobacco receiving member and slidable therewith respect to the base. The cover is pivotally movable from an open position to a closed position overlying the tobacco receiving member. The cover is substantially of the same width as the base and has a pair of opposed inner tongues engagable under a respective elongated flange which projects inside the open channel-shaped base from opposed side walls thereof when the tobacco receiving member is retracted rearwardly over the base. Accordingly, the cigarette making machine is very compact in dimension and can be easily carried by a user person. 
     U.S. Pat. No. 4,771,793 to Kastner discloses a compact cigarette making machine is disclosed. The machine consists of a hollow channel-shaped base carrying a tobacco receiving member which is longitudinally slideable within the base. A cover is pivotally secured to the tobacco receiving member and is slidable therewith respect to the base. An elongate tobacco injection spoon is removably carried by the base and is stationary therewith, as a hollow circular nipple for reception of a preformed cigarette tube is provided at the forward end of the tobacco receiving member. A tobacco receiving slot is provided in the tobacco receiving member and the cover is provided with a projection for compacting tobacco positioned in the slot. With the cover closed and tobacco positioned in the slot and a cigarette tube positioned on the nipple, rearward movement of the cover and tobacco receiving member with respect to the base results in the injection of a compacted wad of tobacco into the cigarette tube. The spoon and nipple which are the components most subject to gumming by the tobacco are easily removed for cleaning or replacement. 
     U.S. Pat. No. 3,741,220 to Meimunger discloses a device for filling a tube of cigarette paper with tobacco to make a cigarette including a casing, a slide, a chamber for tobacco formed in the slide, a nozzle mounted on the slide and communicating with the chamber, a clamp for holding the tube of paper on the nozzle, compression means mounted on the slide wherein tobacco in the chamber can be compressed into a plug by the compression means, and by manually pushing on the slide portion to reduce the chamber capacity, the plug is forced through the nozzle into the tube of cigarette paper thus forming a cigarette. The compression means is provided with a locking component cooperable with the slide to hold the compression means in a compressing position. 
     However, these existing cigarette rolling machines fail to provide the benefits of the present cigarette rolling machine. A need, therefore, exists for an improved automatic cigarette rolling machine which allows the easy and quick insertion of tobacco into cigarette paper. Further, a need exists for an improved cigarette rolling machine which has a support arm for preventing the unintentional movement of the paper during the insertion process. 
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     The present invention generally relates to a compact electrical cigarette rolling machine. The machine is particularly suitable for easily and quickly rolling tobacco into a cigarette. The tobacco is placed into a holding reservoir having tapered walls which help guide the tobacco into a rotating coil located near the bottom of a holding reservoir. The rotating coil then forces the tobacco through a hollow tube and into a pre-rolled paper cigarette in a compact and efficient manner. The machine has a support bar which allows the tobacco to become easily compacted within the paper of the cigarette without the pre-rolled paper becoming accidentally dislodged. The user may control how tightly the tobacco is packed within the cigarette by use of a control knob. 
     An advantage of the present invention is to provide a cigarette rolling machine which is compact. 
     An advantage of the present invention is to provide a cigarette rolling machine which is easily transported. 
     Another advantage of the present invention is to provide a cigarette rolling machine which has a coil for forcing tobacco into a pre-rolled cigarette. 
     A further advantage of the present invention is to provide a cigarette rolling machine in which the user can control how tightly tobacco is packed into the cigarette. 
     A still further advantage is to provide a cigarette rolling machine which has a support arm for securing the pre-rolled paper cigarette during the filing of the cigarette with tobacco. 
     And yet another advantage of the present invention is to provide a cigarette rolling machine which has a tapered hollow tube for inserting the pre-rolled cigarette onto the machine for filling with tobacco. 
     And still another advantage of the present invention is to provide a cigarette rolling machine which allows the creation of filter and filter-free cigarettes. 
     For a more complete understanding of the above listed features and advantages of the cigarette rolling machine, reference should be made to the following detailed description of the preferred embodiments and to the accompanying drawings. Further, additional features and advantages of the present invention are described in, and will be apparent from, the detailed description of the preferred embodiments and from the drawings. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         FIG. 1  illustrates a side perspective view of the cigarette rolling machine of the present invention. 
         FIG. 2  illustrates a top plan view of the cigarette rolling machine of the present invention. 
         FIG. 3  illustrates a side view of the cigarette rolling machine of the present invention. 
         FIG. 4  illustrates a side view of the cigarette rolling machine of the present invention. 
     
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS 
     The present invention generally relates to a compact electrical cigarette rolling machine. The machine is particularly suitable for easily and quickly rolling tobacco into a cigarette. The tobacco is placed into a holding reservoir having tapered walls which help guide the tobacco into a rotating coil located near the bottom of a holding reservoir. The rotating coil then forces the tobacco through a hollow tube and into a pre-rolled paper cigarette in a compact and efficient manner. The machine has a support bar which allows the tobacco to become easily compacted within the paper of the cigarette without the pre-rolled paper becoming accidentally dislodged. The user may control how tightly the tobacco is packed within the cigarette by use of a control knob. 
     Referring now to  FIG. 1 , the cigarette rolling machine  1  may have a top side  2 , a bottom side  3 , a front  4 , a back  5  a first side  6  and a second side  7 . The top side of the cigarette rolling machine  1  may have a reservoir  8 . The reservoir  8  may have a width  21  which is almost as large as a width  23  of the cigarette rolling machine  1 . The reservoir  8  may be a concave portion which extends from the top side  2  of the cigarette machine  1  toward the interior of the cigarette machine  1 . A protective cover  10  may cover an opening to the reservoir  8 . The protective cover  10  may be slightly larger than the size of the opening of the reservoir  8 . The protective cover  10  may prevent dust or other unintended substances from entering the interior of the reservoir  8 . 
     The reservoir  8  may have a top side  11  and a bottom side  12 . An injection tunnel  13  may be located at the bottom side  12  of the reservoir  8 . The injection tunnel  13  may have a width  20  which is less than the width  21  of the reservoir  8 . Walls  14  of the reservoir  8  may be tapered inward toward the injection of the tunnel  13  of the reservoir  8 . The walls  14  of the reservoir  8  may allow a substance, namely, tobacco  15  to be directed into the injection tunnel  13  by the tapered walls  14  of the reservoir  8 . More specifically, gravity may force the tobacco  15  into the injection tunnel  13 . In addition, a person may force the tobacco  15  into the injection tunnel  13  my the force of, for example, a finger or another object. 
     An opening  30  may be present at a front  31  of the injection tunnel  13  and an opening  30  may be present at a back  32  of the injection tunnel  13 . A coil  40  may be present in the injection tunnel  13 . The coil  40  may have a first end  45  and a second end  46 . The coil  40  may extend the throughout a length  41  of the injection tunnel  13 . Further, the width of the coil  40  may be slightly less than a diameter  47  of the openings  30  at the front  31  of the injection tunnel  13  and the back  32  of the injection tunnel  32  such that the coil  40  may be inserted through the openings  30 . 
     The second end  46  of the coil  40  may extend through the opening of the back  32  of the injection tunnel  13  and into the interior of the cigarette rolling machine  1 . Within the interior of the cigarette rolling machine  1  may be a motor  50  which may not be visible when viewing the apparatus. The motor  50  of the cigarette rolling machine  1  may rotate the coil  40 . The mechanics of a motor are generally known in the art and will not be discussed in further detail. A power source, such as, for, example, an AC or DC connection may power the motor. A power button  60  may be located, for example, on the top side  2  of the cigarette rolling machine  1  and may allow a user to activate the motor  50  and thereby rotate the coil  40 . 
     The first end  45  of the coil  40  may extend through the opening  30  at the front  31  of the injection tunnel  13 . When tobacco  15  is placed through the top side  11  opening and into the reservoir  8 , the tobacco  15  is directed downward by gravity against the tapered walls  14  into the injection tunnel  13 . It may be helpful at times to provide additional pressure to push the tobacco  15  into the injection tunnel  13 . Once in the injection tunnel  13  area, the rotation of the coil  40  may force the tobacco  15  toward the front of the injection tunnel  13  and out the opening  30  of the injection tunnel  13  opposite the opening  30  leading to the motor  50 . 
     A hollow tube  70  may be located toward the front  4  of the cigarette rolling machine  1 . The hollow tube  70  may be have a diameter  71  which is substantially equal to the diameter  47  of the opening  30  such that a portion of the first end  45  of the coil  40  may at least partially extend through the opening  30  of the reservoir  8  and into the hollow tube  70 . When tobacco  15  is moved forward by the coil  40  the tobacco  15  may be forced forward through the opening  30  of the injection tunnel  13  and through the hollow tube  70 . 
     The hollow tube  70  may have a first end  71 , a second end  72 , a length  73  and a width  74 . As stated above, the second end  72  of the hollow tube  70  may be connected to the opening  30  of the injection tunnel  13 . The length  73  of the hollow tube  70  is preferably equal to at least the length  75  of a typical cigarette  76 . 
     To use the apparatus, a person places a pre-rolled paper  77  cigarette lacking tobacco  15  over the hollow tube  70 . If the user desires to make a cigarette having a filter, the filter end of the cigarette is placed toward the front end  4  of the apparatus so that the filter does not prevent the pre-rolled paper  77  from being inserted over the hollow tube  70 . Preferably, the width of the pre-rolled cigarette is slightly larger than the width  74  of the hollow tube  70  such that the pre-rolled paper  77  fits snugly over the hollow tube  70 . 
     During use, tobacco  15  is forced through the hollow tube  70  and out an opening  78  at the first end  71  of the hollow tube  70 . Tobacco  15  exiting the hollow tube  70  then enters the pre-rolled paper  77  cigarette in the tightly packed manner. A user may control how tight the tobacco  15  is packed into the pre-rolled  77  cigarette by controlling the amount of time the apparatus is in the on mode and also by the speed of the coil  40  (which may be controlled by a speed knob on the apparatus). 
     If the user is making a cigarette having a filter, the tobacco  15  will be forced through the hollow tube  70  and against the filter. Because the tobacco  15  is still being forced forward, the packed tobacco  15  forces the filter forward and the pre-rolled paper  77  cigarette is quickly and effectively filled with the tobacco  15 . If the user is making a cigarette lacking a filter, the user may place his/her finger (or other object) over the opening in the pre-rolled paper  77  cigarette such that the tobacco  15  pushes against the object, forces the object forward, and in the process fills the pre-rolled paper  77  cigarette in the same manner. 
     The hollow tube  70  of the cigarette rolling machine  1  may have a tapered portion  80  at the first end  71 . The tapered portion  80  may allow the user to more easily insert the pre-rolled paper  77  cigarette over the hollow tube  70 . 
     A support arm  90  may be located near the front  4  of the cigarette rolling machine  1 . The support arm  90  may have a first end  91 , a second end  92  and a length  93 . The length  93  of the support arm  90  may be substantially similar to the length  73  of the hollow tube  70 . The support arm  90  may be spring loaded and may prevent the unintentional movement of the pre-rolled paper  77  cigarette during the insertion of the tobacco  15  into the paper. More specifically, a spring  95  may connect, for example, the first end  91  of the support arm  90  to a stationary object  96  located, for example, within the interior of the cigarette rolling machine  1 . The spring  95  may force the second end  92  of the support arm  90  upward so that a portion of the support arm  90  is in contact with the hollow tube  70 . More specifically, the second end  92  of the support arm  90  may be forced up against, for example, the first end  71  of the hollow tube  70 . At rest, the support arm  90  may be spring activated to force itself against the hollow tube  70 . 
     The support arm  90  may be arched upward so that only a small flat portion  100  of the support arm  90  is in contact with the hollow tube  70 . A grasping knob  101  may be present near the second end  92  of the support arm  90  so that a user may manually grasp the grasping knob  101  to move the support arm  90  downward to separate the support arm  90  from the hollow tube  70 . 
     To use the cigarette rolling machine  1 , the user presses down on the grasping knob  101  so that the support arm  90  is no longer in contact with the hollow tube  70 . When pressed down, a space  103  is created between the support arm  90  and the hollow tube  70 . In this down position, the user inserts the pre-rolled paper  77  cigarette over the hollow tube  70  until the filter of the cigarette is firm against the first end  71  of the hollow tube  70 . The user then releases the pressure on the grasping knob  101  so that the support arm  90  is forced upward by the spring  95 . In this position, the support arm  90  holds the pre-rolled paper  77  cigarette firmly over the hollow tube  70 . When tobacco  15  is forced out of the first end  71  of the hollow tube  70 , the support arm  90  provides pressure to prevent the pre-rolled  77  cigarette form being prematurely forced off the hollow tube  70  by the force of the tobacco  15  filling up the pre-rolled paper  77  cigarette. Once the pre-rolled paper  77  cigarette is fill of tobacco  15  to the satisfaction of the user, the user simply pulls the remainder of the tobacco  15  filled cigarette off the hollow tube  15 . 
     Although embodiments of the present 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 present invention and without diminishing its attendant advantages. It is, therefore, intended that such changes and modifications be covered by the appended claims.