Abstract
An ember holder for a smoking device for smoking organic matter. The ember holder is comprised of a spirally wound filament that fits within a bowl of the smoking device. The ember holder cradles the organic matter and provides a spiral gas passage along its length that resists clogging from ash and other residue of the combustion process.
Claims
1. A smoking accessory apparatus comprising: an ember holder having a generally frustoconical ember holder having a length comprised of a continuous filament having a first end with a first diameter and a plurality of spiral windings emanating therefrom and downwardly along the length thereof, the plurality of spiral windings having decreasing diameters and extending to a second end having a final diameter with gas passages formed between each of the spiral windings.
2. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the ember holder is adapted to fit within a bowl of a smoking device.
3. The apparatus of claim 2 wherein the first diameter is adapted to be positioned proximate a top portion of the bowl and the final diameter is adapted to be positioned proximate a bottom portion of the bowl of the smoking device.
4. The apparatus of claim 1 further comprising a handle portion extending from the first end of the ember holder.
5. The apparatus of claim 1 further comprising a tailpiece portion extending from the second end of the ember holder and adapted to fit within a stem of a smoking device.
6. The apparatus of claim 2 wherein the smoking device comprises a pipe, a water pipe, a bong, or a hookah.
7. A smoking accessory apparatus for use in a smoking device comprising: an ember holder having a length comprising: a filament having a first end forming a first spiral winding with a first diameter and a plurality of successive spiral windings extending downwardly along the length and emanating spirally therefrom; each of the plurality of successive spiral windings having a decreasing diameter; a final successive spiral winding at a second end and having a final diameter; and a gas passage formed along the length between each successive spiral winding.
8. The apparatus of claim 7 wherein the ember holder comprises a frustoconical shape along the length.
9. The apparatus of claim 7 wherein the ember holder is adapted to cradle a combustible organic matter.
10. The apparatus of claim 9 wherein the ember holder is adapted to fit within a bowl of a smoking device and wherein the first diameter is adapted to be positioned proximate a top portion of the bowl and the final diameter is adapted to be positioned proximate a bottom portion of the bowl.
11. The apparatus of claim 10 wherein the ember holder is adapted to provide for combustion of the combustible organic matter.
12. The apparatus of claim 7 wherein the ember holder is comprised of a material selected from steel, spring steel, stainless steel, copper, silver, gold, platinum, aluminum, titanium, glass, or ceramic.
13. The apparatus of claim 7 further comprising a handle portion extending from the first end of the ember holder.
14. The apparatus of claim 7 further comprising a tailpiece portion extending from the second end of the ember holder and adapted to fit within a stem of a smoking device.
15. The apparatus of claim 7 wherein the smoking device comprises a pipe, a water pipe, a bong, or a hookah.
Description
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
[0016] So that the manner in which the above-recited features of the present invention can be understood in detail, a more particular description of the invention, briefly summarized above, may be had by reference to embodiments, some of which are illustrated in the appended drawings. It is to be noted, however, that the appended drawings illustrate only typical embodiments of this invention and are therefore not to be considered limiting of its scope, for the invention may admit to other equally effective embodiments.
[0017] FIG. 1 illustrates a view of a smoking device, in accordance with the prior art;
[0018] FIG. 2 illustrates a view of a smoking accessory, in accordance with certain aspects of the present invention;
[0019] FIG. 3 illustrates the application of a smoking device, including an ember holder in accordance with certain aspects of the present invention;
[0020] FIG. 4 illustrates an ember holder in accordance with an alternative embodiment of the present invention; and
[0021] FIG. 5 illustrates an ember holder in accordance with an alternative embodiment of the present invention
DETAILED DESCRIPTION
[0022] Embodiments of the present invention provide an article for use with a smoking device that ameliorates the deleterious effects of decreased air flow and combustion caused by the consolidation of ash and residue on the screen of a smoking device.
[0023] Referring to FIG. 1, there is shown a prior art smoking device 1 wherein the smoking device comprises a bong. Bong 1 includes a bowl 2 positioned on one end of cylindrical stem 3 wherein both the bowl and stem are hollow structures and may typically be comprised of glass. Stem 3 is disposed through an opening in a side of housing 4 with the bottom end 5 of the stem positioned in the bottom of the housing. Screen 7 is disposed in the bottom portion of bowl 2 and organic matter 8 is positioned on top of the screen and within the bowl. A more detailed depiction of screen 7 of the prior art is shown in FIG. 2 wherein the screen is a substantially planer circular device. Referring again to FIG. 1, and as described herein above, in use, a user (not shown) inhales from opening 9 and causes air to be drawn from the bowl 2 through the stem 3 into fluid 10 and diffuses through the fluid as bubbles 11 and out of the chamber indicated by arrow 12. Once the organic matter 8 begins to combust, by lighting it on fire using matches (not shown) for instance, the aforementioned air flow is comprised of smoke produced by combustion of the organic matter. As described herein before, as organic matter 8 burns it deposits ash and other residue on screen 7 and blocks the mesh of the screen. As this condition continues, the draw to the user indicated by arrow 13 is diminished and if it exceeds the user's physical ability to draw the organic matter will cease to combust. After a period of use the mesh of screen 7 will become clogged and will need to be replaced by the user.
[0024] Referring now to FIG. 3, a smoking accessory 20 is shown in accordance with one preferred embodiment of the present invention. Smoking accessory, or ember holder, 20 is of a frustoconical shape comprised of a continuous spiral of filament 21 having a first end 22 with an outer diameter 23 and closer spiral second end 24 having an inner diameter 25. Ember holder 20 may be comprised of any suitable material including steel, spring steel, stainless steel, copper, silver, gold, platinum, aluminum, titanium, glass, ceramic and the like. Filament 21 is shown as having a circular cross sectional shape with a diameter 26 but may comprise any suitable cross sectional shape. Ember holder 20 also includes a length 27. Ember holder 20 further includes a generally uniform gas passage 28 formed between adjacent spiral windings, or the pitch of the windings, of filament 21 as successive windings have smaller diameters along length 27. Ember holder 20 may be formed by any known technique depending on material including winding, casting, molding, stamping and the like or combinations thereof. Although shown in FIG. 3 as having a counter-clockwise wind direction when viewed from end 22, it is within the scope of the invention to include a clockwise wind direction as well. It should be appreciated by those skilled in the art that the filament material and diameter, the length, the first diameter and the second diameter, and size of the gas passages may be selected to optimize the combustion of organic matter.
[0025] In accordance with the present invention, and as will be explained more fully herein below, outside diameter 23, inside diameter 25 and length 27 are selected to generally conform a particular bowl size and shape. Similarly, the wire diameter 26, inside diameter 25 and gas passage 28 may be selected to optimize a particular organic matter, type of smoking device and bowl shape, among other factors.
[0026] Now referring to FIG. 4, there is shown a bong 30, similar in use to the bong 1 of the prior art in FIG. 1. Bong 30 also includes a bowl 31 positioned on one end of cylindrical stem 32 wherein both the bowl and stem are hollow structures typically comprised of glass. Stem 32 is disposed through a hole in a side of housing 33 with the bottom end 34 of the stem positioned in the bottom of the housing. In accordance with the present invention, ember holder 20 is disposed within bowl 31, and in this embodiment partially within stem 32, and organic matter 35 is supported within ember holder 20 and the ember holder is disposed within the bowl. Similar to that described herein above, a user (not shown) inhales, or draws, from opening 36 and causes air to be drawn from the bowl 31, partially through gas passages 28, through stem 32 into fluid 37 and diffuses through the fluid as bubbles 38 and out of the chamber indicated by arrow 39. Once the organic matter 35 begins to combust, by igniting it using matches (not shown) for instance, the aforementioned air flow is comprised of smoke produced by combustion of the organic matter. As a user draws on the opening 36, the smoke generated by combustion of organic matter 35, generally depicted by arrow 40, bubbles 38 and air flow 39, starts at bowl 31. As can be appreciated by those skilled in the art, because of the spiral nature of ember holder 20 air is drawn between a gap formed between gas passages 28 and the side of bowl 31, as well as gaps between organic matter 35 and the inside of ember holder 20. As the air mixes with the burning ember 35, it furthers the combustion process and produces smoke. During the user drawing process, the smoke is introduced into stem 32. As organic matter 35 burns it is supported by ember holder 20 and deposits of ash and other residue may drop down within the ember holder but do not block the gaps formed between the spiral gas passage 28 and bowl. In this way the present invention overcomes the shortcomings of the prior art.
[0027] Referring to FIG. 5, there is shown an ember holder 50 in accordance with an alternative embodiment of the present invention. In addition to the features described herein above with regard to ember holder 20 of FIG. 3, ember holder 50 further includes a handle portion 52 shown as an integral part of filament 21 and positioned on end 22. It should be appreciated that handle portion 52 may comprise any shape, fanciful or not, so long as it does not impede the function of the ember holder itself. One skilled in the art would appreciate the advantages presented by handle 52, such as installing and removing ember holder 50 within the bowl of a pipe. Also shown in FIG. 5 is tailpiece 53 shown as an integral part of filament 21 and positioned on second end 24. The function of tailpiece 53 should be apparent by those skilled in the art in that it facilitates the guidance of ember holder 50 into position in bowl 31 and stem 32 (FIG. 4) and works to further stabilize the ember holder within the bowl during use. Handle 52 and tailpiece 53 are not mutually exclusive and may be used separately or in combination with one another without departing from the scope of the present invention.
[0028] While the foregoing is directed to embodiments and uses of the present invention, other and further embodiments of the invention, including its use in other smoking devices not described herein, may be devised without departing from the basic scope thereof, and the scope thereof is determined by the claims that follow.
