TOBACCO BOWL HOLDER AND TOBACCO CONTAINER CONTAINING THE SAME

Abstract

A tobacco bowl stand for supporting a tobacco bowl has an opening for receiving a hookah stem includes a base, and a protrusion extending from the base configured for being received in the tobacco bowl opening for holding the tobacco bowl in an upright position. The stand may be part of canister cap.

Claims

1. A tobacco bowl stand for supporting a tobacco bowl having an opening for receiving a hookah stem, the stand comprising: a base; and a protrusion extending from the base configured for being received in the tobacco bowl opening for holding the tobacco bowl in an upright position.

2. The stand as recited in claim 1, wherein the base is adjacent an inner surface of a cap of a canister having a body for holding tobacco.

3. The stand as recited in claim 1, wherein said base is a cap of a cannister.

4. The stand as recited in claim 1, wherein the protrusion is conical.

5. The stand as recited in claim 4, wherein the protrusion is frustum conical.

6. The stand as recited in claim 1, wherein the base is polygonal in plan view.

7. The stand as recited in claim 1, wherein the base comprises a peripheral edge wherein at least a portion of the peripheral edge is serrated.

8. The stand as recited in claim 1, wherein the base extends along a plane and wherein a dimension of said base along said plane is greater than any dimension of said protrusion along any plane parallel to said plane.

9. The stand as recited in claim 1, wherein the base extends along a plane and has a dimension along said plane of at least 2 inches.

10. The stand as recited in claim 1, wherein the base extends along a plane and has a dimension along said plane of at least 3 inches.

11. The stand as recited in claim 1, wherein the base extends along a plane and has a dimension along said plane of at least 3.5 inches.

12. A canister comprising: a body; and a cap for capping the body, said cap having an outer surface opposite an inner surface and comprising a protrusion extending relative to the inner surface in a direction opposite the outer surface and toward the body when the cap is capping the body and for being inserted into a rear opening of a tobacco bowl for supporting the tobacco bowl in an upright position when the cap is resting on its outer surface.

13. The canister as recited in claim 12, further comprising a base extending from the protrusion, wherein the base is mated to the inner surface of the cap.

14. The canister as recited in claim 13, wherein the base comprises a peripheral edge and wherein the cap comprises a peripheral wall extending in the same direction as the protrusion, wherein base is friction or interference fitted within said peripheral wall.

15. The canister as recited in claim 14, wherein the base peripheral edge is serrated.

16. The canister as recited in claim 12, wherein said protrusion is removably coupled with the cap.

17. The canister as recited in claim 12, wherein the base is wider than the tobacco bowl.

18. The canister as recited in claim 12, wherein the base extends along a plane and has a dimension along said plane of at least 2 inches.

19. The canister as recited in claim 12, wherein the base extends along a plane and has a dimension along said plane of at least 3 inches.

20. The canister as recited in claim 12, wherein the base extends along a plane and has a dimension along said plane of at least 3.5 inches.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0006] FIG. 1 is a front view of a prior art hookah.

[0007] FIG. 2 is a perspective view of an example embodiment tobacco bowl stand.

[0008] FIG. 3 is a perspective view of an example embodiment tobacco canister.

[0009] FIG. 4 a is perspective view of a cap of the example embodiment canister shown in FIG. 3 with the example embodiment stand shown if FIG. 2 mated therein.

[0010] FIG. 5 is a front exploded view of the tobacco canister shown in FIG. 3 including the example embodiment stand shown in FIG. 2.

[0011] FIG. 6 is a cross-sectional view of the example embodiment stand shown in FIG. 2 inserted in the cap of the example embodiment canister shown in FIG. 3 and supporting a tobacco bowl.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0012] In an example embodiment, a tobacco bowl stand 50 (referred as “stand” herein) is provided that fits in cap 52 of a canister for tobacco 54 (FIGS. 2, 3 and 4). Hookah tobacco or massell is typically sold in a canister such as canister 54. A tobacco canister includes the cap (e.g., a cover) 52 and a body 56 that stores the tobacco and that is covered by the cap 52 (FIG. 3). In an example embodiment, the stand 50 includes a base 58 and a protrusion 60 extending from the base. The base in an example embodiment, is made of a thin material which in an example embodiment may be a plastic or a metallic material. In an example embodiment, the base is planar extending along a plane and the protrusion extends transverse from the base and in a preferred example embodiment, perpendicularly from the base. The protrusion 60 in exemplary embodiment is conical or frustum conical, as for example shown in FIG. 2. In an example embodiment, the base and protrusion are integrally formed as a unitary structure. The cap 52 of the canister 54 includes a top wall 62 and a peripheral wall 64 extending from the top wall (FIGS. 3, 5 and 6). The top wall defines an inner surface 68 that faces the interior of the canister when the cap is capping the body (FIG. 6). The top wall also defines an outer surface 70 opposite the inner surface 68 (FIGS. 3 and 6). The base 58 of the stand 50 is fitted within the peripheral wall adjacent to the inner surface of top wall such that the protrusion protrudes in a direction away from the top wall, such that when the cap is capping the body of the canister the protrusion extends in a direction towards the body or within the body, as for example shown in FIGS. 4 and 5. In an example embodiment, the base 58 of the stand is sized so as to have a friction or interference fit with an inner surface 72 of the cap peripheral wall 64 such that it is retained within the cap and can be removed by pulling with a bit of force. In an example embodiment, a peripheral edge 59 of the base may be jagged or otherwise serrated (as for example shown in FIG. 2) so as allow for easy installation of the stand in the cap while maintaining a friction or interference fit with the peripheral wall of the cap.

[0013] When a user wants to fill the tobacco bowl with massell, the user takes the cannister cap 52 with the stand and places it on a surface 80 such that the protrusion 60 extends upward, as for example shown in FIG. 6. In another example embodiment, the stand may be removed from the cap placed directly on the surface 80. The user then places the tobacco bowl such that protrusion 60 is received in the tobacco bowl opening 30 extending to the bowl lower end 82 such that the stand supports the tobacco bowl in an upright position as shown in FIG. 6. When in this position, the user is able to fill the bowl with the appropriate tobacco.

[0014] In the example embodiment where the protrusion 60 is conical or frustum conical, with its outer surface 61 tapering to a smaller diameter in a direction away from the base 58. In an example embodiment, the tapering diameter of the protrusion outer surface is such that when sufficiently received into the opening 30 of the bowl it engages the inner surface 31 of the bowl opening as shown in FIG. 6. In one example embodiment, the tapering diameter of the protrusion is such that the tapering outer surface 61 of the protrusion engages the inner surface 31 of the tobacco bowl opening 30 preventing the bowl from contacting the base 58 of the stand. In another example embodiment a step is formed on the inner surface 31 of the tobacco bowl opening that engages an the protrusion, as for example shown in FIG. 6. In another example embodiment, the tapering outer surface of the protrusion engages the inner surface 31 of the bowl opening just as the bowl lower end 82 rests on the base 58 of the stand. In another example embodiment, the protrusion tapering outer surface dimensions are such that when received in the tobacco bowl opening 30, the tobacco bowl contacts the base of the stand and bowl can be moved laterally relative to the base to a point where the outer surface of the protrusion engages the inner surface of the tobacco bowl rear opening.

[0015] In other example embodiments, the protrusion may have other shapes than conical or frustum conical. For example, it may be cylindrical, or may be in the shape of a cube or may have any other shape that is sized to be received within the opening 30 of the tobacco bowl for supporting the tobacco bowl. The protrusion outer surface in one example embodiment has a dimension such that it fits and engages the inner surface 31 of the opening 30 providing for a tight fit. In another example embodiment, the protrusion outer surface is dimensioned to provide for a looser fit within the inner surface 31 of the opening 30.

[0016] In an example embodiment, the base 58 can have a geometric shape in plan view (i.e. a peripheral shape) that will allow it to fit within the peripheral wall of the cap. In an example embodiment, the shape of the base in plan view is complementary to the shape of the peripheral wall of the cap. For example, if the peripheral wall 64 of the cap extends along a circular path defining a cylinder, the base of the stand has a circular peripheral shape. Similarly, if the peripheral wall of the cap extends along a rectangular or square path, the base will have a complementary rectangular or peripheral shape. In other example embodiments, the peripheral shape of the base is not complementary to the shape defined by the peripheral wall of the cap. In example embodiments, only portions of the periphery (i.e., the peripheral edge) of the stand base engage the cap peripheral wall to form a friction or interference fit with the peripheral wall such that the stand can be retained by such friction or fit within the cap. In another example embodiment, the periphery of the of the base is such that when fitted within the cap it does not engage the peripheral wall.

[0017] In an example embodiment the base has a dimension such that it is wider than the base of the bowl. In an example embodiment, when the bowl is supported by the stand, the base of the stand extends beyond opposite sides of the base 84 of the bowl, as for example shown in FIG. 6. In an example embodiment, the base 68 of the bowl has a dimension of at least 2 inches. In another example embodiment, the stand base has a dimension of at least 3 inches. In another example embodiment, the stand base has a dimension of at least 3.5 inches. For example, in an embodiment, where the stand base is circular, the dimension is the diameter of the base. For example, in an embodiment where the stand base is square or rectangular, the dimension is the length of one side of the rectangular or square shape of the stand base.

[0018] In another example embodiment the stand or the base of the stand may be adhered to the cap. In a further example embodiment, the stand or the protrusion may be integrally formed with the cap such the protrusion extends from the inner surface of the top wall of the cap.

[0019] While this invention has been described in detail with particular references to exemplary embodiments thereof, the exemplary embodiments described herein are not intended to be exhaustive or to limit the scope of the invention to the exact forms disclosed. Persons skilled in the art and technology to which this invention pertains will appreciate that alterations and changes in the described structures and methods of assembly and operation can be practiced without meaningfully departing from the principles, spirit, and scope of this invention, as set forth in the following claims. Although relative terms such as “outer,” “inner,” “upper,” “lower,” “below,” “above,” and similar terms have been used herein to describe a spatial relationship of one element to another, it is understood that these terms are intended to encompass different orientations of the various elements and components of the invention in addition to the orientation depicted in the figures. Furthermore, as used herein, when a component is referred to as being “on” another component, it can be directly on the other component or components may also be present therebetween. Moreover, when a component is component is referred to as being “coupled” to another component, it can be directly attached to the other component or intervening components may be present therebetween.