TWO PART, SEPARABLE BOWL FOR SMOKING APPARATUSES

Abstract

A two-piece bowl for smoking apparatuses and a smoking system that incorporates a smoking apparatus and the two-piece bowl. The two-piece bowl includes a first bowl piece having a first bowl portion, a first stem part extending from the first bowl portion and a first channel disposed in the first stem part. The two-piece bowl also including a second bowl piece releasably securable to the first bowl piece to create the two-piece bowl. The second bowl piece having a second bowl portion to cooperate with the first bowl portion to create a bowl of the two-piece bowl that holds a smokable material, a second stem part extending from the second bowl portion that cooperates with the first stem part to create a stem portion of the two-piece bowl that can engage with the smoking apparatus, and a second channel disposed in the second stem part that cooperates with the first channel to create an airflow hole in the stem portion of the two-piece bowl to permit smoke to flow from the bowl of the two-piece bowl to the smoking apparatus.

Claims

1. A two-piece bowl for smoking apparatuses, the two-piece bowl comprising: a first bowl piece having a first bowl portion, a first stem part extending from the first bowl portion and a first channel disposed in the first stem part; and a second bowl piece releasably securable to the first bowl piece to create the two-piece bowl, the second bowl piece having a second bowl portion to cooperate with the first bowl portion to create a bowl of the two-piece bowl that holds a smokable material, a second stem part extending from the second bowl portion that cooperates with the first stem part to create a stem portion of the two-piece bowl that can engage with the smoking apparatus, and a second channel disposed in the second stem part that cooperates with the first channel to create an airflow hole in the stem portion of the two-piece bowl to permit smoke to flow from the bowl of the two-piece bowl to the smoking apparatus.

2. The two-piece bowl of claim 1 wherein the first bowl piece has at least one protrusion extending from a face of the first bowl piece and the second bowl piece can have at least one depression disposed in a face of the second bowl piece that is generally in alignment with the at least one protrusion extending from the face of the first bowl piece wherein the at least one protrusion matingly engages with the at least one depression in the face of the second bowl piece.

3. The two-piece bowl of claim 1 wherein a face of the first bowl piece has at least one depression disposed therein and the second bowl piece can have at least one depression disposed in a face of the second bowl piece that is generally in alignment with the at least depression disposed in the face of the first bowl piece wherein a rod element is disposed in the at least one depression in the face of the first bowl piece and the at least one depression in the face of the second bowl piece.

4. The two-piece bowl of claim 1 wherein the first bowl piece has at least one protrusion extending from a face of the first bowl piece and the second bowl piece can have at least one depression disposed in a face of the second bowl piece that is generally in alignment with the at least one protrusion extending from the face of the first bowl piece wherein the at least one protrusion matingly engages with the at least one depression in the face of the second bowl piece.

5. The two-piece bowl of claim 2 wherein a portion of the at least one protrusion extending from the first bowl piece can be wider than a mouth of the corresponding at least one depression disposed in the second bowl piece to create a snap fit.

6. The two-piece bowl of claim 2 wherein the at least one protrusion extending from the first bowl piece is designed to securely and frictionally engage the corresponding at least one depression disposed in the second bowl piece to create a secure frictional engagement between the first bowl piece and the second bowl piece.

7. The two-piece bowl of claim 1 further comprising: at least one first depression disposed in a first face of the first bowl piece; at least one second depression disposed in a second face of the second bowl piece generally in alignment with the at least one first depression; a first magnet disposed in the at least one first depression; and a second magnet disposed in the at least one second depression that is magnetically attracted to the first magnet, which releasably secures the first bowl piece to the second bowl piece.

8. The two-piece bowl of claim 7 wherein the at least one first magnet extends out of the at least one first depression disposed in the first bowl piece and the at least one second magnet has a height that is less than the depth of the at least one second depression to create a recessed area in the at least one second depression and above the at least one second magnet.

9. The two-piece bowl of claim 1 wherein the first bowl piece includes a first face and the second bowl piece includes a second face, the first and second faces mirror each other when the first bowl piece and the second bowl piece are secured together to create the two-piece bowl, the first face or the second face can include a gasket thereon to prevent smoke from escaping between the first and second bowl piece.

10. A smoking system, the system comprising: a smoking apparatus for smoking a smokable material; and a two-piece bowl for smoking apparatuses, the two-piece bowl comprising: a first bowl piece having a first bowl portion, a first stem part extending from the first bowl portion and a first channel disposed in the first stem part; and a second bowl piece releasably securable to the first bowl piece to create the two-piece bowl, the second bowl piece having a second bowl portion to cooperate with the first bowl portion to create a bowl of the two-piece bowl that holds a smokable material, a second stem part extending from the second bowl portion that cooperates with the first stem part to create a stem portion of the two-piece bowl that can engage with the smoking apparatus, and a second channel disposed in the second stem part that cooperates with the first channel to create an airflow hole in the stem portion of the two-piece bowl to permit smoke to flow from the bowl of the two-piece bowl to the smoking apparatus.

11. The system of claim 10 wherein the first bowl piece has at least one protrusion extending from a face of the first bowl piece and the second bowl piece can have at least one depression disposed in a face of the second bowl piece that is generally in alignment with the at least one protrusion extending from the face of the first bowl piece wherein the at least one protrusion matingly engages with the at least one depression in the face of the second bowl piece.

12. The system of claim 10 wherein a face of the first bowl piece has at least one depression disposed therein and the second bowl piece can have at least one depression disposed in a face of the second bowl piece that is generally in alignment with the at least depression disposed in the face of the first bowl piece wherein a rod element is disposed in the at least one depression in the face of the first bowl piece and the at least one depression in the face of the second bowl piece.

13. The system of claim 10 wherein the first bowl piece has at least one protrusion extending from a face of the first bowl piece and the second bowl piece can have at least one depression disposed in a face of the second bowl piece that is generally in alignment with the at least one protrusion extending from the face of the first bowl piece wherein the at least one protrusion matingly engages with the at least one depression in the face of the second bowl piece.

14. The system of claim 11 wherein a portion of the at least one protrusion extending from the first bowl piece can be wider than a mouth of the corresponding at least one depression disposed in the second bowl piece to create a snap fit.

15. The system of claim 11 wherein the at least one protrusion extending from the first bowl piece is designed to securely and frictionally engage the corresponding at least one depression disposed in the second bowl piece to create a secure frictional engagement between the first bowl piece and the second bowl piece.

16. The system of claim 10 further comprising: at least one first depression disposed in a first face of the first bowl piece; at least one second depression disposed in a second face of the second bowl piece generally in alignment with the at least one first depression; a first magnet disposed in the at least one first depression; and a second magnet disposed in the at least one second depression that is magnetically attracted to the first magnet, which releasably secures the first bowl piece to the second bowl piece.

17. The system of claim 16 wherein the at least one first magnet extends out of the at least one first depression disposed in the first bowl piece and the at least one second magnet has a height that is less than the depth of the at least one second depression to create a recessed area in the at least one second depression and above the at least one second magnet.

18. The system of claim 10 wherein the first bowl piece includes a first face and the second bowl piece includes a second face, the first and second faces mirror each other when the first bowl piece and the second bowl piece are secured together to create the two-piece bowl, the first face or the second face can include a gasket thereon to prevent smoke from escaping between the first and second bowl piece.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0007] FIG. 1A is a side elevation view of a two-piece bowl shown with a smoking apparatus in a first position constructed in accordance with the present disclosure.

[0008] FIG. 1B is a side elevation view of the two-piece bowl shown with the smoking apparatus in a second position constructed in accordance with the present disclosure closure.

[0009] FIG. 2 is a perspective view of the two-piece bowl separated into a first bowl piece and a second bowl piece constructed in accordance with the present disclosure.

[0010] FIGS. 3A-3C are various views of a bowl piece constructed in accordance with the present disclosure.

[0011] FIG. 4 is a cross-sectional view of a bowl piece constructed in accordance with the present disclosure.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE DISCLOSURE

[0012] Referring now to FIGS. 1-4, shown therein is a two-piece bowl 10 for use with smoking apparatuses 12 in a smoking system 13. The two-piece bowl is comprised of a first bowl piece 14 and a second bowl piece 16 that are combinable to create the two-piece bowl 10 and separable from each other for cleaning. When the first and second bowl pieces 14 and 16 are combined the two-piece bowl 10 includes a bowl 18 for holding the smokable material, a stem portion 20 extending from the bowl 18 to engage with the smoking apparatus 12, and an airflow hole 22 that extends from the bowl 18 and through the two-piece bowl 10 to permit smoke to flow from the smokable material in the bowl 18 to flow into and through the smoking apparatus 12.

[0013] The first bowl piece 14 includes a first bowl portion 24 to make up a part of the bowl 18, a first stem part 26 that extends from the first bowl portion 24 to make up part of the stem portion 20 and a first channel 28 disposed in the first stem part 26 that runs the length of the first bowl piece 14. Similarly, the second bowl piece 16 includes a second bowl portion 30 to cooperate with the first bowl portion 24 to create the bowl 18, a second stem part 32 that extends from the second bowl portion 30 to cooperate with the first stem part 26 to create the stem portion 20, and a second channel 34 disposed in the second stem part 32 that runs the length of the second bowl piece 16. The second channel 34 and the first channel 28 cooperate to form the airflow hole 22.

[0014] The first and second bowl pieces 14 and 16 can be held together to create the two-piece bowl 10 in any manner known in the art. In one embodiment, the first bowl piece 14 can have depressions 36 disposed therein and the second bowl piece 16 can have protrusions 38 disposed thereon that are in alignment with the depressions 36 in the first bowl piece. The depressions 36 and the protrusions 38 can be snap fit together. In this embodiment, a portion of the protrusions 38 can be wider than the mouths of the depressions 36 where some force is required to push the protrusions 38 into the depressions 36. In another embodiment, the first and second bowl pieces 14 and 16 can be secured together by frictional engagement of the protrusions 38 and the depressions 36. In yet another embodiment, the protrusions are rod elements 39 that are secured in depressions of the first or second bowl piece 14 or 16 and extend beyond the depression to engage with the corresponding depressions on the first or second bowl piece 14 or 16.

[0015] In yet another embodiment, the second bowl piece 16 has a plurality of depressions 40 disposed therein that are in alignment with the depressions 36 in the first bowl piece 14. In this embodiment, the depressions 36 and 40 can have magnets 42 disposed therein. The magnets 42 in the first bowl piece 14 and the second bowl piece 16 are attracted (have opposite polarities) to each other to hold the first and second bowl pieces 14 and 16 together to create the two-piece bowl 10. The depressions 36, 40 and the protrusions 38 can be positioned on the bowl pieces 14 and 16 in the bowl portions 24, 30 or the stem parts 26, 32. Depending on the configuration of the two-piece bowl 10, there can be multiple depressions 36, 40 and protrusions 38 on each part of the bowl pieces 14 and 16. Each bowl piece 14 and 16 can have a mix of depressions 36 or 40 and protrusions 38 that engage with a corresponding depression or protrusion on the other bowl piece 14 or 16.

[0016] In yet another embodiment of the present disclosure, the magnets 42 disposed in the depressions 36 disposed in the first bowl piece 14 would extend beyond the depth of the depressions 36. The corresponding magnet 42 disposed in the corresponding depression 40 would have a thickness less than the depth of the depression 40, which creates a recessed area above the magnet 42 in the depression 40. The magnet 42 that extends out of the depression 36 in the first bowl piece 14 would extend into the recessed area above the magnet 42 in the depression 40 in the second bowl piece 16. This would provide additional lateral stability to the two pieces 14 and 16 of the two-piece bowl 10 and aides in the alignment of the two pieces 14 and 16 of the two-piece bowl 10.

[0017] Whether the first bowl piece 14 and the second bowl piece 16 of the two-piece bowl 10 are held together with magnets 42 or the protrusions 38 and depressions 36 or 40, the first bowl piece 14 and the second bowl piece 16 of the two-piece bowl 10 are self-aligning. It should be understood and appreciated that the protrusions 38 can be a part of a rod-like member that is secured down in one of the depressions 36 or 40.

[0018] The protrusions 38 may be pins, pegs or dowels or other male kind of protrusion while the depressions 36 or 40 may be sockets, holes, chambers or other receptacle such that they are female The protrusions 38 and depressions 36 or 40 may have cross sections of any shape such as square, circular, triangular, hexagonal, and the like. The drawings depict exemplar locations and sizes of depressions 36 or 40 that can include magnets 42. The magnets 42 may be pressed in and pressure fit and/or held in with glue. The magnets 42, in one embodiment, are 3/16-inch neodymium magnets. Other sizes of magnets may be used depending on the particular embodiment and depending on the size of the particular two-piece bowl 10. In some embodiments, the neodymium magnets may be coated with nickel and/or epoxy or other coating.

[0019] The two-piece bowl 10 can be of a material that allows for it to endure droppage and damage. In some embodiments, the two-piece bowl 10 is made from aluminum. Other sufficiently strong and durable materials may also be used. The number of magnets 42 used in each piece 14 or 16 of the two-piece bowl 10 must be sufficient so that the bowl pieces 14 and 16 remain connected to each other during regular, typical use of the two-piece bowl 10. More or fewer magnets 42 than those shown and described may be used. Again, the number of magnets 42 should provide enough force to connect the bowl pieces 14 and 16 so that the two-piece bowl 10 does not fall apart when used.

[0020] In a further embodiment of the present disclosure, the first bowl piece 14 and the second bowl piece 16 can include a face portion 44 and 46, respectively. A first gasket 48 can be secured to the face portion 44 or 46 of the first or second bowl piece 14 or 16 to provide an airtight seal between the first and second bowl pieces 14 and 16. The gasket 48 can have any shape such that it prevents the smoke passing through the airflow hole 22 from escaping. In yet another embodiment, the face portions 44 and 46 can have a tongue and groove feature that prevents the smoke from escaping the airflow hole 22.

[0021] From the above description, it is clear that the present disclosure is well-adapted to carry out the objectives and to attain the advantages mentioned herein as well as those inherent in the disclosure. While presently preferred embodiments have been described herein, it will be understood that numerous changes may be made which will readily suggest themselves to those skilled in the art and which are accomplished within the spirit of the disclosure and claims.