Patent Description:
Cigarette butts are the most abundant waste in the planet, are not biodegradable and can take more than ten years to decompose. Since it is made of a cellulose acetate, a form of plastic, it decomposes in microplastics that often contaminate the food chain and end up being highly dangerous to the living beings.

Due to the low availability of proper places to dispose cigarette butts, especially outdoors, smokers often discard the butts on the floor, which unfortunately is still socially acceptable. Discarding cigarette butts on the floor is not only unsanitary but is also both a fire and an environmental hazard.

There are already several cigarette pack cases with several formats or textures and portable cigarette butt containers, as separate products as a solution to the problems above. However, until now, there is not any product that comprises both features and the technical characteristics of the present technology.

The solutions currently available, lead the user to carry a cigarette butt contained with him/herself, in addition to the cigarette pack itself, which can be an inconvenient since this solution occupies more space in the pockets or bags of the smoker. Furthermore, since the solution involves two separate containers, it is easier for the smoker to forget to carry the cigarette butt container with him/herself or lose it.

Other solutions are a metal container with a clip that can be attached to the bottom of the cigarette pack, but it is a rigid structure, it can easily detach from the cigarette pack and can only receive up to fourteen cigarette butts. There are several patent applications, mostly in China, Japan and Korea, that are in the same technical field of the present application, but they lack the extensible capability that the present technology possesses. <CIT> discloses a cigarette case with detachable ash tray.

Thus, there is a need to provide a cigarette case with an incorporated extensible cigarette butt container with the extra features of carrying at least twenty cigarette butts, being odour free, extensible and with a cigarette extinguisher.

The present invention relates to a cigarette case (<NUM>) comprising:.

wherein the cigarette butt container (<NUM>) is configured to extend outwards or retract inwards along said lower portion (<NUM>) ;
In one embodiment the cover (<NUM>) is attached to one of the edges that defines the mouth of the pack holder (<NUM>).

In another embodiment the cover (<NUM>) is attached to the pack holder (<NUM>) by attaching means (<NUM>).

In yet another embodiment the attaching means (<NUM>) is a hinge.

In one embodiment the additional attaching means (<NUM>) are arranged below the o-ring and configured to engage with complementary attaching means (<NUM>).

In another embodiment the attaching means (<NUM>) are arranged in the exterior lateral faces of the lower portion (<NUM>).

In yet another embodiment the lower portion (<NUM>) comprises at least two pairs of attaching means (<NUM>) arranged above the o-ring (<NUM>).

In one embodiment the lower portion (<NUM>) further comprises one pair of additional attaching means (<NUM>) arranged below the o-ring (<NUM>).

In another embodiment the attaching means (<NUM>, <NUM>) are selected from hooks, protrusions, pins, clasps or spring buttons.

In another embodiment the complementary attaching means (<NUM>) are arranged in two diametrically opposed interior faces of the lower portion (<NUM>).

In one embodiment the cigarette butt container (<NUM>) comprises one pair of complementary attaching means (<NUM>).

In another embodiment the aperture (<NUM>) is arranged in one of the lateral faces of the cigarette butt container (<NUM>).

In yet another embodiment the cigarette extinguisher (<NUM>) is arranged in one of the lateral faces of the lower portion (<NUM>) and in the same side of the aperture (<NUM>).

In one embodiment the cigarette extinguisher (<NUM>) is made of a material selected from metal such as aluminum, steel or stainless steel, or a polymer.

In another embodiment the cigarette case (<NUM>) is made of a material selected of a metal such as aluminum, stainless steel or steel, or selected from a polymer such as polyurethane coated with nylon, polyamide or recycled plastic; or mixtures thereof.

The present invention as defined in independent claim <NUM> relates to a cigarette case comprising an extensible cigarette butt container configured to receive cigarette butts and store them until they can be properly discarded in an adequate reservoir, thus providing an environmentally friendly solution.

The cigarette case is a two-in-one piece that allows the user to simultaneously have a pack with cigarettes inside the case while also having a coupled container to store the cigarette butts after smoking. The main features in this technology are the capacity to transport at least twenty cigarette butts and up to thirty cigarette butts, due to its extensible feature that allows the case to conform to the size of the cigarette pack when the container is empty and expand outwards when the user wants to introduce the cigarette butts inside the container.

The cigarette butt container prevents odors from exiting the container due to its ergonomics since the container partially covers the cigarette pack holder.

The cigarette case can further comprise a system to extinguish the cigarette before introducing it in the extensible container by providing a combustion free accessory to the desired effect. The cigarette case can be produced with metals selected from aluminum, stainless steel or steel. Other materials for the cigarette case can be selected from polymers, such as polyurethane coated with nylon, or polyamide. The case can also be produced in recycled plastic.

Moreover, the case can also be produced with mixtures of these materials.

The case is light, with an ergonomic format to bring comfort and practicality to the user's life.

For easier understanding of this invention, figures are attached in the annex that represent the preferred forms of implementation which nevertheless are not intended to limit the technique disclosed herein.

Now, preferred embodiments of the present invention will be described in detail with reference to the annexed drawings. However, they are not intended to limit the scope of this invention.

A cigarette case (<NUM>) comprises an extensible cigarette butt container.

As shown in <FIG>, <FIG> and <FIG>, the cigarette case (<NUM>) comprises two main elements, the pack holder (<NUM>) and an extensible cigarette butt container (<NUM>). In one embodiment, the cigarette case (<NUM>) can be shaped as a parallelepiped, in which the apexes might be optionally rounded, in order to receive a cigarette pack.

The pack holder (<NUM>) is configured to receive a cigarette pack, and further comprises a cover (<NUM>) arranged at the top of the pack holder (<NUM>) in its normal, upright use, as shown in <FIG>. In a preferred embodiment, the cover (<NUM>) is attached to one of the edges that defines the mouth of the pack holder (<NUM>).

In a preferred embodiment, the cover (<NUM>) is attached to the pack holder (<NUM>) by attaching means (<NUM>). The attaching means (<NUM>) can be selected from a hinge, or it is a continuation of the material of the pack holder (<NUM>), or from any other means that are adapted to attach the cover (<NUM>) to the pack holder (<NUM>) in a manner that allows the pack holder (<NUM>) to be open and closed by the cover (<NUM>).

In a preferred embodiment, the cover (<NUM>) and the pack holder (<NUM>) comprises a hinge held together by a filament that passes through the interior of the hinge and allows the rotation of the cover (<NUM>), as shown in <FIG> and <FIG>.

The cigarette butt container (<NUM>) is arranged at the bottom of the pack holder (<NUM>) in its normal, upright use, as shown in <FIG>.

The interior space of the cigarette butt container (<NUM>) engages with the exterior surface of a lower portion (<NUM>) of the pack holder (<NUM>), and the cigarette butt container (<NUM>) is configured to extend outwards or retract inwards along said lower portion (<NUM>).

The pack holder (<NUM>) comprises attaching means (<NUM>) in the lower portion (<NUM>) and arranged above an o-ring (<NUM>), as shown in <FIG> and <FIG>. This disposition has a hygienic component since the o-ring (<NUM>) will retain the ashes as the cigarette butt container (<NUM>) slides inwards.

The attaching means (<NUM>) are arranged in two exterior faces of the lower portion (<NUM>), in which the faces are diametrically opposed to each other, as shown in <FIG>. Each attaching means (<NUM>) arranged at one exterior face of the lower portion (<NUM>) is diametrically opposed to another attaching means (<NUM>) in the opposed face of the lower portion (<NUM>), making pairs of attaching means (<NUM>).

In a preferred embodiment, the attaching means (<NUM>) are arranged in the exterior lateral faces (A, B) (illustrated in <FIG>) of the lower portion (<NUM>) and diametrically opposed to each other, as shown in <FIG>.

In another embodiment, the attaching means (<NUM>) can be arranged in the exterior front face (C) and exterior back face (D) (illustrated in <FIG>) of the lower portion (<NUM>) and diametrically opposed to each other.

In one embodiment, the lower portion (<NUM>) can optionally further comprise a pair of additional attaching means (<NUM>) arranged below the o-ring (<NUM>), as shown in <FIG>, which are configured as a stopper so an aperture (<NUM>) in the cigarette butt container (<NUM>) can overlap with a cigarette extinguisher (<NUM>) arranged in the lower portion (<NUM>) and provide access to extinguish cigarettes. The attaching means (<NUM>) are identical in form and arrangement to attaching means (<NUM>).

The attaching means (<NUM>, <NUM>) are selected from hooks, protrusions, pins, clasps, spring buttons, or any other means that allow the cigarette butt container (<NUM>) to engage securely with the lower portion (<NUM>) of the pack holder (<NUM>).

In a preferred embodiment, the lower portion (<NUM>) comprises at least two pairs of attaching means (<NUM>) arranged above the o-ring (<NUM>).

In another embodiment, the lower portion (<NUM>) can optionally further comprise one pair of additional attaching means (<NUM>) arranged below the o-ring (<NUM>).

The attaching means (<NUM>, <NUM>) are configured to engage with complementary attaching means (<NUM>) that are arranged in two diametrically opposed interior faces of the cigarette butt container (<NUM>), as shown in <FIG>, and attach the pack holder (<NUM>) to the cigarette butt container (<NUM>), allowing the cigarette butt container (<NUM>) to slide to different positions according to the number of attaching means (<NUM>, <NUM>) provided and preventing the cigarette butt container (<NUM>) from sliding entirely out of the pack holder (<NUM>).

The complementary attaching means (<NUM>) are arranged in two of the interior faces of the lower portion (<NUM>), in which the interior faces are diametrically opposed to each other, as shown in <FIG>. Each complementary attaching means (<NUM>) arranged at one interior face of the cigarette butt container (<NUM>) is diametrically opposed to another complementary attaching means (<NUM>) in the opposed interior face of the butt container (<NUM>), making a pair of complementary attaching means (<NUM>).

In a preferred embodiment, the complementary attaching means (<NUM>) are arranged in the lateral interior faces of the butt container (<NUM>) and diametrically opposed to each other, as shown in <FIG>.

In another embodiment, the complementary attaching means (<NUM>) can be arranged in the interior front and interior back faces of the butt container (<NUM>) and diametrically opposed to each other.

In one embodiment, the complementary attaching means (<NUM>) are selected from notches, grooves, indentations, recesses, spring buttons, or any other means that are complementary to the attaching means (<NUM>, <NUM>) and allows the cigarette butt container (<NUM>) to engage securely with the lower portion (<NUM>) of the pack holder (<NUM>).

In a preferred embodiment, the cigarette butt container (<NUM>) comprises one pair of complementary attaching means (<NUM>).

The cigarette butt container (<NUM>) is configured to extend outwards and slide along the lower portion (<NUM>) of the pack holder (<NUM>), until the pair of complementary attaching means (<NUM>) of the cigarette butt container (<NUM>) engage with the pairs of attaching means (<NUM>, <NUM>) of the pack holder (<NUM>).

The cigarette butt container (<NUM>) is also configured to be retreated inwards until the lower portion (<NUM>) of the pack holder (<NUM>) is fully contained in the inside space of the cigarette butt container (<NUM>), as shown in <FIG>.

The lower portion (<NUM>) of the pack holder (<NUM>) further comprises an o-ring (<NUM>), adapted to provide isolation to the cigarette butt container (<NUM>). In a preferred embodiment the o-ring (<NUM>) is arranged below the attaching means (<NUM>), as shown in <FIG>.

The cigarette butt container (<NUM>) further comprises an aperture (<NUM>) adapted to allow access to the interior space of the cigarette butt container (<NUM>) and insert the cigarette butts, as shown in <FIG>.

In a preferred embodiment, the aperture (<NUM>) is arranged in one of the lateral faces of the cigarette butt container (<NUM>), as shown in <FIG>.

In another embodiment, the aperture (<NUM>) can be arranged either in the front face or in the back face of the cigarette butt container (<NUM>).

When the cigarette butt container (<NUM>) is extended outward, the aperture (<NUM>) allows access to the interior space of the cigarette butt container (<NUM>).

When the cigarette butt container (<NUM>) is fully retreated inward, the lower portion (<NUM>) of the pack holder (<NUM>) prevents access to the interior space by blocking the aperture (<NUM>), as shown in <FIG> and <FIG>.

The lower portion (<NUM>) further comprises a rim (<NUM>), as shown in <FIG>, that defines the bottom rim of the pack holder (<NUM>), which prevents the cigarette butt container (<NUM>) from unintended disengagement from the pack holder (<NUM>) since the complementary attaching means (<NUM>) can engage with the rim (<NUM>) and stop further outward unintended movement of the cigarette butt container (<NUM>). If the user intends to completely disengage the cigarette butt container (<NUM>) from the pack holder (<NUM>), further outward extension beyond the rim (<NUM>) is necessary.

A cigarette extinguisher (<NUM>) is arranged at the lower portion (<NUM>) of pack holder (<NUM>) and below the o-ring (<NUM>), as shown in <FIG>.

In a preferred embodiment, the cigarette extinguisher (<NUM>) is arranged in one of the external lateral faces (A, B) of the pack holder (<NUM>).

In a preferred embodiment, the cigarette extinguisher (<NUM>) is arranged in the same side of the cigarette case (<NUM>) as the aperture (<NUM>), which allows the user to slide the cigarette butt container (<NUM>) outwards until the aperture (<NUM>) overlaps the extinguisher (<NUM>) and then the user can have access to the extinguisher (<NUM>) to extinguish the cigarette.

The user can further extend the cigarette butt container (<NUM>) outwards until the aperture (<NUM>) is exposed and the user can insert the cigarette butt into the exposed aperture (<NUM>) that becomes arranged below the extinguisher (<NUM>) in the extended outward position of the cigarette butt container (<NUM>).

The cigarette extinguisher (<NUM>) is preferably made of a metal selected from aluminum, steel or stainless steel, or a non-combustible polymer.

In a preferred embodiment, the cigarette extinguisher (<NUM>) is exposed when the cigarette butt container (<NUM>) slides outwards and the aperture (<NUM>) overlaps with the extinguisher (<NUM>), as shown in <FIG>.

To introduce cigarette butts in the cigarette butt container (<NUM>), the user extends the cigarette butt container (<NUM>) outwards so the attaching means (<NUM>) engage with the attaching means (<NUM>) and until the aperture (<NUM>) overlaps with the extinguisher (<NUM>), <FIG>. Once the cigarette butt is extinguished, the user further extends the cigarette butt container (<NUM>) outwards until the aperture (<NUM>) is exposed and the cigarette butt can be inserted into the cigarette butt container (<NUM>), <FIG>. Afterwards, the user retreats the cigarette butt container (<NUM>) inwards and applies pressure on the cigarette butt container (<NUM>) against the pack holder (<NUM>) to compress the cigarette butts. This motion allows to fill the cigarette butt container (<NUM>) with up to thirty cigarette butts and allow the cigarette case (<NUM>) to not substantially increase in size. The attaching means (<NUM>) and complementary attaching means (<NUM>) are also configured as security means to hold the cigarette butt container (<NUM>) to the pack holder (<NUM>) in a closed position when the container (<NUM>) contains cigarette butts.

The emission of odors from the cigarette butts is prevented by the lower portion (<NUM>) being arranged inside the space of the cigarette butt container (<NUM>) in its normal use. This arrangement, and the extensibility of the cigarette butt container (<NUM>), also allows to provide a cigarette case with reduced overall size, which is close to the size of a common cigarette pack.

Claim 1:
A cigarette case (<NUM>) comprising:
- a pack holder (<NUM>) configured to receive a cigarette pack and comprising a lower portion (<NUM>);
- the pack holder (<NUM>) further comprises attaching means (<NUM>) in the lower portion (<NUM>), arranged in two diametrically opposed external faces of the lower portion (<NUM>);
- the attaching means (<NUM>) are configured to engage with complementary attaching means (<NUM>) of a cigarette butt container (<NUM>);
- a cover (<NUM>) arranged at the top of the pack holder (<NUM>);
- an o-ring (<NUM>) arranged in the lower portion (<NUM>) and below said attaching means (<NUM>);
- a cigarette extinguisher (<NUM>) arranged at the lower portion (<NUM>) below the o-ring (<NUM>);
- an extensible cigarette butt container (<NUM>) arranged at the bottom of the pack holder (<NUM>) so that the interior space of the cigarette butt container (<NUM>) engages with the exterior surface of the lower portion (<NUM>);
- the cigarette butt container (<NUM>) further comprises complementary attaching means (<NUM>) arranged in two diametrically opposed interior faces of the cigarette butt container (<NUM>);
- an aperture (<NUM>) adapted to allow access to the interior space of the cigarette butt container (<NUM>);
wherein the cigarette butt container (<NUM>) is configured to extend outwards or retract inwards along said lower portion (<NUM>).