Abstract:
A system, device, and method for freaking a cigar, such as a Black &amp; Mild, is provided. The system provides a cigar and an inner binder removal tool. The inner binder removal tool effectuates the removal of the inner binder layer which is commonly found in Black &amp; Mild cigars which some users believe poses health risks. Furthermore, the method associated with the present disclosure provides an improved manner in which to freak a Black &amp; Mild over conventionally known manners which require the user to pinch the inner binder layer. Sometimes the inner binder layer is known as cancer paper in urban areas within the United States.

Description:
CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS 
       [0001]    This application claims priority from U.S. Provisional Patent Application Ser. No. 62/191,033, filed on Aug. 27, 2015; the disclosure of which is entirely incorporated herein by reference. 
     
    
     BACKGROUND 
       [0002]    Technical Field 
         [0003]    The present disclosure relates generally to tools associated with cigars. More particularly, the present disclosure relates to a binder removal tool to more easily “freak” a cigar. 
         [0004]    Background Information 
         [0005]    Many people find cigar smoking enjoyable. Moreover, many cigar smokers perceive fewer health risks associated with cigar smoking compared to cigarettes. The perceived fewer health risks may be due to the ability of a user/smoker to modify the cigar. That is, smokers of one of the most consumed cigars in the United States, Black &amp; Mild® (13% of the US market share of large cigars and cigarillos in 2009), may engage in a modification process known colloquially as ‘freaking’ (i.e., to freak) or ‘hyping’ (i.e., to hype). Cigar product modification (CPM) involves the user&#39;s removal of the inner-reconstituted tobacco binder prior to smoking due, in large part, to the belief that this practice reduces the risk of cancer. In fact, users often refer to the binder as the ‘cancer paper’ or ‘cancer stick’. 
         [0006]    The freaking of a Black &amp; Mild cigar requires the user to separate the inner binder layer (i.e., the cancer paper) from the outer tobacco-based tubular layer. As is known in the art, a rolling method is typically employed to effectuate the separation therebetween. The conventional steps to freaking a Black &amp; Mild is depicted in a collaborative study between Virginia Commonwealth University and West Virginia University entitled “How to freak a Black &amp; Mild: a multi-study analysis of YouTube videos illustrating cigar product modification” by Nasim et al., the entirety of which is incorporated herein by reference. 
         [0007]    However, freaking a Black &amp; Mild cigar or another similarly fabricated cigar/cigarillo/cigarette is not without its difficulties. As is well known, once the inner binder layer is separated from the outer layer, the inner binder is removed. Conventional teachings provide that the removal of the inner binder layer is accomplished by pinching it with a user&#39;s fingernails. Alternatively, Nasim et al. also teach that tweezers may be utilized to remove the inner binder layer. However, these techniques are not always practical. For example, a user may not have sufficiently long fingernails to pinch the inner binder layer. Also, tweezers may be too wide so as to not properly grasp the inner binder layer. 
       SUMMARY 
       [0008]    Thus, issues continued to exist with present known systems, devices, and methods for freaking a Black &amp; Mild cigar or another similarly manufactured cigar. The present disclosure address these and other issues. 
         [0009]    In one aspect, an embodiment of the present disclosure may provide a system to freak a cigar comprising: a cigar including a tubular outer layer and a tubular inner binder layer defining a bore filled with tobacco; and a binder removal tool including an elongated shaft and a hooked distal end. The system may also provide that the binder removal tool includes an elongated shaft diameter that is narrower than that of the bore. The system may also provide that the binder removal tool includes a length of the elongated shaft in a range from 5 inches to 10 inches adapted to extend inside the bore when the tobacco is removed therefrom. The system may also provide that the binder removal tool includes a handle connected to the elongated shaft opposite the hooked distal end. A portion of the handle may orthogonally intersect a longitudinal axis defined by the elongated shaft. The system may also provide a mouthpiece attached to one end of the cigar, wherein the mouthpiece defines a slotted opening and the hooked distal end on the binder removal tool is sized to fit within the slotted opening. The system may also provide a first end opposite a second end on the inner binder layer; a binder length measured from the first end to the second end; and an elongated shaft length longer than the binder length adapted to enable the hooked distal end to be advanced beyond the second end of the inner binder layer. The system may also provide a hook shaft extending proximally from the distal end offset from the elongated shafted defining a gap therebetween; and wherein the inner binder layer is received in the gap and captured by the hooked distal end during binder removal. 
         [0010]    In another aspect, an embodiment of the present disclosure may provide a method comprising: providing a cigar having an outer layer and an inner binder layer filled with tobacco; removing the tobacco from the cigar; separating the outer layer from the inner binder layer; and removing the inner binder layer from within the outer layer with a binder removal tool having an elongated shaft and a hooked distal end. The method may also provide wherein the step of removing the inner binder layer is accomplished by advancing the hooked distal end beyond an inner binder layer end and catching the inner binder layer end with the hooked distal end. The method may also provide rolling the inner binder layer to a decreased diameter within the outer layer to thereby effectuate the separation therebetween; and advancing the hooked distal ending beyond an end of the inner binder layer and at least partially into a mouthpiece attached to the cigar. The method may also provide rolling the inner binder layer to a decreased diameter within the outer layer to establish a passageway between the rolled inner binder layer and the outer layer; and inserting the hooked distal end longitudinally through the passageway. The method may also provide advancing the hooked distal end out of the passageway and engaging an end of the rolled inner binder layer with the hooked distal end. 
         [0011]    In another aspect, an embodiment of the present disclosure may provide a cigar inner binder layer removal tool comprising: an elongated shaft extending from a proximal end to a distal end defining a longitudinal axis therebetween; a hook positioned closely adjacent the distal end adapted to engage a cigar inner binder layer after tobacco has been removed from the cigar; and a handle positioned closely adjacent the proximal end adapted to be grasped by an operator to pull the hook along the longitudinal axis to remove the inner binder layer. The removal tool may also include a gap bound between the elongated shaft and a portion of the hook extending proximally from the distal end for a first linear length. The removal tool may also provide that the elongated shaft is at least four times longer than the first linear length. The removal tool may also provide that the gap has a first width narrower than a slotted opening formed in a mouthpiece on the cigar. 
     
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE SEVERAL VIEWS OF THE DRAWINGS 
         [0012]    A sample embodiment of the disclosure is set forth in the following description, is shown in the drawings and is particularly and distinctly pointed out and set forth in the appended claims. The accompanying drawings, which are fully incorporated herein and constitute a part of the specification, illustrate various examples, methods, and other example embodiments of various aspects of the disclosure. It will be appreciated that the illustrated element boundaries (e.g., boxes, groups of boxes, or other shapes) in the figures represent one example of the boundaries. One of ordinary skill in the art will appreciate that in some examples one element may be designed as multiple elements or that multiple elements may be designed as one element. In some examples, an element shown as an internal component of another element may be implemented as an external component and vice versa. Furthermore, elements may not be drawn to scale. 
           [0013]      FIG. 1  is a top perspective view of an exemplary system in accordance with the present disclosure having a cigar and a inner binder layer removal tool; 
           [0014]      FIG. 2  is an operational perspective view of tobacco being removed from the cigar; 
           [0015]      FIG. 3A  is an enlarged perspective view of a first end of the cigar with the tobacco removed exposing the inner binder layer concentric with the outer layer; 
           [0016]      FIG. 3B  is an enlarged perspective view of the first end of the cigar after the inner binder layer has been rolled within the outer layer to create a passageway for the binder removal tool to pass therethrough; 
           [0017]      FIG. 3C  is an operational enlarged perspective view depicting the binder removal tool being inserted through the passageway; 
           [0018]      FIG. 4A  is an operational cross section of the binder removal tool fully advanced through the passageway and positioned in the mouthpiece of the cigar beyond the inner end of the inner binder layer; 
           [0019]      FIG. 4B  is an operational cross section view similar to that of  FIG. 4A  depicting the removal of the inner binder layer by a hook on the binder removal tool catching an inner end of the inner binder layer and pulling it outwardly from the first end of the cigar; and 
           [0020]      FIG. 5  is an operational perspective view of the inner binder layer being extracted from the outer layer of the cigar. 
       
    
    
       [0021]    Similar numbers refer to similar parts throughout the drawings. 
       DETAILED DESCRIPTION 
       [0022]    A system in accordance with the present disclosure is depicted generally at  10 . The system  10  may include a cigar  12  and a binder removal tool  14 . The binder removal tool  14  cooperates and engages a portion of cigar  12  to effectuate the removal of an inner binder layer from the cigar  12 . 
         [0023]    Cigar  12  may include a first end  16  opposite a second end  18  defining a longitudinal axis  20  therebetween. The cigar  12  further includes a combustible tubular outer layer  22  extending longitudinally and concentric about the longitudinal axis  20 . The cigar  12  further includes an inner binder layer  24  (i.e., a binder) that is tubular in shape and concentric with the outer layer  22 . Binder layer  24  ( FIG. 3A ) extends longitudinally concentric with longitudinal axis  20  and positioned within the outer layer  22 . The inner binder layer  24  defines a bore which is filled with tobacco  26  when the cigar  12  is in its unused state. Cigar  12  may further include a mouthpiece  28  defining the second end  18  which is configured to receive an end of the outer layer  22  and the inner binder layer  24  therein so as to enable inhaled smoke from the burning cigar  12  to be fluidly pulled therethrough when inhaled by a smoker or user. 
         [0024]    In some urban communities, the inner binder layer  24  of cigar  12  is believed to have harmful properties that can be dangerous to a user&#39;s health. The present disclosure makes no assertions of whether these beliefs are true, but rather than they merely exist. Additionally, others have noted that the inner binder layer  24  may cause the tobacco  26  to burn unevenly during the smoking process. Thus, the system  10  provides binder removal tool  14  to remove the inner binder layer  24  which will be described in greater detail below. 
         [0025]    The removal of the inner binder layer  24  is known as “freaking” the cigar. Moreover, one specific example of cigar  12  commercially available for sale and known as a “Black &amp; Mild” is sold by the John Middleton Company of Limerick, Pa. 
         [0026]    In order to accomplish the inner binder layer  24  removal, the binder removal tool  14  may include a proximal end  30  opposite a distal end  32  having a first length  34  measured from proximal end  30  to distal end  32  of about 6.5 inches. Other embodiments of binder removal tool  14  may provide a first length  34  in a range from about five inches to about ten inches. However, in each scenario, a significant portion of the first length  34  associated with binder removal tool  14  is greater than the length  36  associated with cigar  12 . The length  36  of a Black &amp; Mild cigar  12  is about five inches. The length of the inner binder layer  24  is about four inches and the mouthpiece  28  is about one inch. 
         [0027]    The greater length of tool  14  is because the binder removal tool  14  must be inserted through the bore defined by the inner binder layer  24  once the tobacco  26  has been removed in order to extract the inner binder layer  24  out from within its concentric disposition within the outer layer  22 . 
         [0028]    The binder removal tool  14 , in one particular embodiment, may be a monolithic member formed from metal or another generally rigid material, such as a hardened plastic. More particularly, one exemplary embodiment utilizes stainless steel to form tool  14  as a unibody structure. This enables the tool  14  to retain its shape (describe hereinafter) during the inner binder removal process (i.e., the “freaking” process). Any metal materials known in the industry of wire formation may be utilized as one embodiment provides the tool entirely formed from a metal wired bent/formed into the desired shape. Furthermore, although tool  14  may be fabricated from metal, it may desirable to coat the metal forming tool  14  with another material. Some exemplary coatings that are contemplated to coat some portion of tool  14  could be a sprayable/dipable rubber/polymer coating (i.e., Plasti Dip®), a colored anodized metallic coating, or metal plating (e.g., chrome plating). 
         [0029]    The binder removal tool  14  may include a handle  38  defining the proximal end  30 , a hook  40  defining the distal end  32  (which may also be referred to as the hooked distal end), and an elongated shaft  42  extending between the handle  38  and the hook  40 . 
         [0030]    The elongated shaft  42  extends longitudinally in a substantially linear manner from an imaginary first plane  44  to an imaginary second plane  46 . The imaginary first and second planes  44 ,  46  orthogonally intersect a longitudinal axis associated with the elongated shaft  42 . The handle  38  is positioned entirely proximal from the imaginary first plane  44  and the hook  40  is disposed entirely distal from the imaginary second plane  46 . In one particular embodiment, no other portion of binder removal tool  14  may be disposed intermediate first plane  44  and second plane  46  other than the elongated shaft  42 . In one particular embodiment, the elongated shaft  42  is formed from a wire in a straightened manner such as to remove all arcuate or curved portions of the wire if fabricated from a wire sourced on a spool. When the elongated shaft  42  is a wire, it has a substantially circular transverse cross section and a diameter  48  that is in a range from about 0.01 inches to about 0.1 inches. 
         [0031]    The hook  40  may be integrally formed with the elongated shaft  42  inasmuch as tool  14  may be a monolithic member formed from a unitary piece of material. However, for descriptive purposes portions of the tool are described below individually for clarity. In general, hook  40  may be V-shaped or U-shaped. A first portion  50  of hook  40  extends distally from imaginary second plane  46  towards an apex  52  where the hook  40  changes directions by approximately 180° and a second portion  54  of hook  40  extends proximally towards imaginary second plane  46 . The hook  40  defines a gap  56  between the first portion  50  and the second portion  54  of hook  40 . The first portion  50  and the second portion  54  may be generally parallel to each other such that the gap  56  has a width of about 0.3 inches near the second imaginary plane  46 . However, segments of the first and second portions  50 ,  54  may not be exactly parallel close to the apex because a natural curve may be formed during the tool  14  formation process to properly establish apex  52 . It should be noted that apex  52  is not intended to be limiting and the tool  14  may be formed with a hook having squared corners so as to eliminate an apex entirely. 
         [0032]    In one embodiment, a free end  58  of second portion  54  terminates closely adjacent the second imaginary plane  46 . Moreover, a linear length associated with the second portion  54  of hook  40  is about one inch measured from free end  58  to the apex  52 . The length of elongated shaft  42  measured from first imaginary plane  44  to second imaginary plane  46  is about at least five times greater than the length associated with second portion  54  of hook  40 . Thus, if second portion  54  of hook  40  is one inch, then the elongated shaft  42  between first imaginary plane  44  and second imaginary plane  46  would be at least five inches. However, other implementations would likely provide an elongated shaft length measured between imaginary first plane  44  and imaginary second plane  46  of about six inches, seven inches, or eight inches. 
         [0033]    The handle  38  may also be formed integrally with elongated shaft  42  and is positioned entirely proximal from imaginary first plane  44 . In one embodiment, the handle  38  may include a transversely extending portion  60  which orthogonally intersects a longitudinal axis associated with elongated shaft  42 . However, the shape of handle  38  is not intended to be limiting and the handle  38  may take a variety of shapes as one having ordinary skill in the art would easily understand. For example, the handle  38  may include a cylindrical grip or another shapen feature. However, it is contemplated that the continued use of a formed wire to fabricate handle  38  would provide for ease of manufacturability which would ultimately reduce the cost to the end user. 
         [0034]    In order to effectuate the extraction and removal of the inner binder layer  24  from cigar  12 , the tobacco  26  must be removed from the cigar  12 . This is the beginning of the “freaking” process. As depicted in  FIG. 2 , the first step to “freak” the cigar  12  begins with rotating the cigar  12  about its longitudinal axis back and forth in a counterclockwise direction (arrow A) and then a clockwise direction (Arrow B) while simultaneously applying pressure inwardly towards the longitudinal axis  20  as indicated by arrows  62 . Typically, the process of applying pressure  62  and rotating the cigar  12  in the directions of arrow A and arrow B is accomplished by maneuvering the cigar between the palms of a user&#39;s hands and rubbing their hands in a back and forth motion. Further, the first end  16  of cigar  12  is typically pointed downwardly to utilize gravity to assist in the removal of tobacco  26  in the direction of arrow C which is parallel to longitudinal axis  20  as pressure  62  is applied and the cigar  12  is rolled in the direction of arrow A and arrow B. 
         [0035]      FIG. 3A  depicts the first end  16  of cigar  12  after all or substantially most of the tobacco  26  has been removed from the inner bore  64  defined by inner binder layer  24 . When the tobacco  26  is removed, the inner binder layer  24  becomes clearly visible when viewing the first end  16  of cigar  12 . As known in the art, the inner binder layer  24  may be separated from the outer layer  22  by continuing to roll cigar  12  between a user&#39;s palms or between a user&#39;s fingers in a manner similar to that identified in  FIG. 2 . Continuous rolling separates the inner binder layer  24  from the outer layer  22  and rolls the inner binder layer  24  to a smaller diameter roll which is indicated in  FIG. 3B  as resting near the bottom of the tubular outer layer  22 . A small passageway  66  is defined between the inner surface of outer layer  22  and the narrowed diameter rolled inner binder layer  24 . 
         [0036]      FIG. 3C  depicts the hooked distal end  40  of the binder removal tool  14  being advanced longitudinally through the passageway  66  in the direction of arrow D. Initially, the apex  52  is inserted through an opening to bore  64  at first end  16 . Then, the first portion  50  and second portion  54  of hook  40  move through the opening and into passageway  66 . Once the free end  58  advances past the opening to bore  64  along passageway  66 , the imaginary second plane  46  may be substantially coplanar with the first end  16  of cigar  12 . The insertion of elongated shaft  42  continues to move the distal end  32  of tool  14  towards the second end  18  of cigar  12  within passageway  66  inside tubular outer layer  22  parallel to axis  20 . 
         [0037]    As depicted in  FIG. 4A , the distal end  32  of the binder removal tool  14  is advanced through the passageway  66  such that the free end  58  passes beyond an inner end  68  of binder layer  24  disposed within mouthpiece  28 . The inner end  68  of binder layer  24  is biased towards the second end  18  of cigar  12  and is ordinarily housed within mouthpiece  28 . The mouthpiece  28  may form a slotted opening  70  such that the apex  52  extends therebeyond and outwardly therefrom when the hook  40  of binder removal tool  14  is fully advanced through passageway  66  with the free end  58  positioned beyond inner end  68 . When the hook  40  has been fully advanced, a portion of the elongated shaft  42  still remains in passageway  66 . 
         [0038]    The present disclosure additionally provides an alternative embodiment which accomplished the method of freaking a cigar to remove inner binder layer  24  while completely removing mouthpiece  28 . In this scenario, the mouthpiece  28  may be disengaged from its weakly adhered attachment to the outer layer  22 . The disengagement may occur either before or after the tobacco  26  is removed. Then, with the tubular outer layer  22  and inner binder layer  24  emptied from tobacco, the elongated shaft  42  may be passed entirely through passageway  66  and freely exit the opposite side. The hook  40  would pass entirely through the bore and be opposite the handle  38  such that the tubular outer layer  22  is suspended and supported by the elongated shaft  42  intermediate the handle  38  and the hook  40 . The binder removal process may continue as described below. 
         [0039]      FIG. 4B  and  FIG. 5  depict the removal and extraction of the inner binder layer  24  from cigar  12  by the user pulling the binder removal tool  14  longitudinally in the direction of arrow E which is opposite that of arrow D parallel to longitudinal axis  20 . When the binder removal tool  14  is pulled outwardly in the direction of arrow E, the free end  58  of hook member  40  passes through a narrow diameter bore  72  defined by the rolled inner binder layer  24  such that the inner end  68  is caught and received by a concave surface defined by the apex  52  from its position within the outer layer  22 . 
         [0040]    The user continues to pull the tool  14  in the direction of arrow E once the hook  40  hooks, snags, or catches a portion of inner binder layer  24 . The fully removed binder layer  24  is indicated in  FIG. 5 . Once the inner binder layer  24  has been removed (See  FIG. 5 ), the user may then repack the outer layer  22  with tobacco  26 , or tobacco mixed with other smokable/vaporizable materials, such as other plant varieties utilized for their relaxation effects. The user may then light and smoke the repacked cigar in a traditionally known manner free of any binder paper that the user believes may have undesired properties. 
         [0041]    As used herein, the term “freaking” or “to freak” refers generally to Cigar Product Modification (CPM) and the process of removing the inner binder layer which is colloquially known as cancer paper in a majority of urban areas throughout the United States. The system  10 , the binder removal tool  14 , and the associated method of use thereof provide a unique solution for conventionally known problems associated with “freaking” a cigar such as a Black &amp; Mild. Such problems typically occur when a user has difficulty removing the inner binder layer with their fingernails by pinching or using another hand tool such as a tweezer, which can often rip or tear the outer layer  22  which is clearly undesirable. 
         [0042]    In the foregoing description, certain terms have been used for brevity, clearness, and understanding. No unnecessary limitations are to be implied therefrom beyond the requirement of the prior art because such terms are used for descriptive purposes and are intended to be broadly construed. 
         [0043]    Moreover, the description and illustration of the preferred embodiment of the disclosure are an example and the disclosure is not limited to the exact details shown or described. 
         [0044]    The present disclosure is respectfully submitted by United States patent attorney Howard L. Wernow who drafted the foregoing description and appended claims on behalf of the Applicant(s).