Treatment device for a smoking article and cartridge therefor

Abstract

The present invention relates to a treatment device for a smoking article, comprising a smoking article receiving portion shaped and configured to receive at least a portion of a smoking article, and a needle storage portion with a needle holder and a needle connected to the needle holder. The needle is movable between an extended position in which the needle extends at least partially into the smoking article receiving portion and a retracted position in which the needle is fully retracted into the needle storage portion with respect to the extended position, to protect an operator from the needle. The invention further relates to a cartridge for such a treatment device, wherein the cartridge comprises a treatment substance for a smoking article. The cartridge comprises a plunger receiving means which is adapted to receive a plunger to force the treatment substance out of the cartridge. The cartridge has at least one side wall which is adapted to be perforated by a second end of the needle, such that the second end of the needle may protrude into the inside of the cartridge, wherein the treatment substance is stored.

Claims

1. A handheld treatment device for a smoking article, comprising: a smoking article receiving portion shaped and configured to receive at least a portion of a smoking article; and a needle storage portion with a needle holder and a needle connected to the needle holder, the needle storage portion comprises an enclosure having one or more walls that enclose the retracted needle, to protect an operator from the needle; wherein the needle is movable between an extended position in which the needle extends at least partially into the smoking article receiving portion and a retracted position in which the needle is fully retracted into the needle storage portion with respect to the extended position, to protect an operator from the needle; and wherein the treatment device is configured to inject a treatment substance through the needle into a smoking article while the needle is moved with respect to the smoking article.

2. The treatment device according to claim 1, wherein the treatment device is configured to inject the treatment substance when the needle is moved from the extended position to the retracted position.

3. The treatment device according to claim 2, wherein the needle holder is attached to a sliding element, which is slideable between the extended position and the retracted position.

4. The treatment device according to claim 3, wherein the smoking article receiving portion is adapted to hold the smoking article in an orientation substantially parallel to the sliding direction of the sliding element.

5. The treatment device according to claim 3, wherein the sliding element comprises a cartridge seat for holding a cartridge comprising a treatment substance.

6. The treatment device according to claim 5, wherein a first end of the needle is adapted to be inserted into the smoking article and a second end of the needle extends into the cartridge seat.

7. The treatment device according to claim 1, wherein the needle storage portion comprises a lid that can be moved between an open configuration and a closed configuration, the open configuration facilitating the insertion and removal of a cartridge into and from the needle storage portion.

8. The treatment device according to claim 1, wherein the smoking article receiving portion comprises a receiving space for the smoking article with an abutment wall arranged at the opposite side with respect to the needle storage portion, wherein the abutment wall is configured to hold the smoking article during insertion of the needle.

9. The treatment device according to claim 3, wherein the needle storage portion comprises a stationary plunger, which extends in the sliding direction of the sliding element and is configured to be inserted into a cartridge by the sliding motion of the sliding element.

10. The treatment device according to claim 1, wherein the needle storage portion and the smoking article receiving portion are movable with respect to one another between an operating configuration and a storage configuration in which at least one dimension of the treatment device is smaller than in the operating configuration.

11. The treatment device according to claim 10, wherein the needle storage portion and the smoking article receiving portion are slidable with respect to one another between the operating configuration and the storage configuration.

12. The treatment device according to claim 1, wherein the smoking article receiving portion is configured to receive a rod-shaped smoking article with a higher longitudinal length than width, and the needle is adapted to be inserted centrally along the longitudinal length of the smoking article.

13. The treatment device according to claim 4, wherein the sliding element comprises a cartridge seat for holding a cartridge comprising a treatment substance.

14. The treatment device according to claim 2, wherein the needle storage portion comprises a lid that can be moved between an open configuration and a closed configuration, the open configuration facilitating the insertion and removal of a cartridge into and from the needle storage portion.

15. The treatment device according to claim 4, wherein the needle storage portion comprises a lid that can be moved between an open configuration and a closed configuration, the open configuration facilitating the insertion and removal of a cartridge into and from the needle storage portion.

16. The treatment device according to claim 4, wherein the needle storage portion comprises a stationary plunger, which extends in the sliding direction of the sliding element and is configured to be inserted into a cartridge by the sliding motion of the sliding element.

Description

(1) The invention will be further described by means of example only with reference to the figures, wherein:

(2) FIG. 1 shows a sectional view of a first embodiment of the treatment device and the cartridge, wherein the needle storage portion of the treatment device is in a storage position.

(3) FIG. 2 shows a sectional view of the treatment device according to the first embodiment, wherein a smoking article is provided in the smoking article receiving portion and the needle storage portion is provided in an operating position.

(4) FIG. 3 shows a sectional view of the first embodiment of the treatment device before the injection process, wherein the cartridge is inserted in the needle storage portion.

(5) FIG. 4 shows a sectional view of the first embodiment of the treatment device after the injection process, wherein the needle holder is in the retracted position.

(6) FIG. 5 shows a sectional view of a second embodiment of the treatment device, wherein a cartridge is inserted in the needle storage portion.

(7) FIG. 1 shows an embodiment of the treatment device 1 and the cartridge 2 according to the present invention in a sectional view, before the cartridge 2 is inserted into the treatment device 1. The treatment device comprises a needle storage portion 3 and a smoking article receiving portion 4, which are separate parts and movable with respect to each other. In FIG. 1, the smoking article receiving portion 4 is arranged in a storage position, which is below the needle storage portion 3. The needle storage portion 3 comprises a needle storage space 5, in which a sliding means 6, with a needle holder 7 and a needle 8 are arranged. The needle storage portion 3 includes enclosure means in the form of one or more walls which enclose the retracted needle 8, such that the operator is protected from the needle 8. The enclosure means are provided to prevent the operator from reaching into the needle space 5. Thus, the needle storage space 5 is at least partially defined by the one or more walls of enclosure means. The needle storage space 5 is open at its front end towards the smoking article receiving portion 4 to allow the needle 8 to be moved into the smoking article receiving portion 4. The needle storage space 5 is further open at its rear end to allow the sliding means 6 to move. At the side of the sliding means 6 a gripping element 9 is provided, which is accessible from outside the needle storage portion 3, such that the operator of the treatment device can slide the sliding means 6 together with the needle holder 7 and needle 8 in the horizontal direction in the figure. Therefore, a slot in the horizontal direction may be provided in the outer housing of the needle storage portion 3, which is not shown in FIG. 1, as it is a sectional schematic view. The gripping element 9 has an engagement protrusion which engages in a sliding track 10 provided in the slot of the needle storage portion 3 and guides the sliding movement. The needle storage portion 3 further comprises an opening 11, through which the needle 8 protrudes, when the needle holder 7 is moved together with the sliding means 6 to the extended position. A cartridge seat 12 is formed by the sliding means 6 together with the needle holder 7, into which the cartridge 2 can be inserted as it will be explained below.

(8) The smoking article receiving portion 4 comprises a smoking article receiving space 13 which is delimited on its left side by an abutment wall 14, and on its right side by an abutment wall 15 which comprises an opening 16, through which the needle 8 can be inserted, when the smoking article receiving portion 4 is in the operating position.

(9) In FIG. 1, the upper side of the smoking article receiving portion 4 is in sliding engagement with the lower side of the needle storage portion 3, such that the smoking article receiving portion 4 may be slid to the left side, such that the upper right corner of the smoking article receiving portion 4 and the lower left corner of the needle storage portion 3 are in the vicinity of each other. The smoking article receiving portion 4 further comprises sliding means on its right side, while the needle storage portion comprises sliding means on its left side, such that when the smoking article receiving portion 4 is in the leftmost position, the smoking article receiving portion 4 can be moved upwards. Then, the smoking article receiving portion 4 and the needle storage portion 3 are aligned with each other, as shown in FIG. 2, wherein in particular the openings 11 and 16 are aligned. The means enabling the sliding in between the smoking article receiving portion 4 and the needle storage portion 3 are in particular protrusions which are provided on one of the two portions, and which engage in tracks in the other of the two portions.

(10) In another embodiment, a hinge is provided in between the upper left corner of the smoking article receiving portion 4 in the storage position as shown in FIG. 1 and the lower left corner the needle storage portion 4, with a hinge axis perpendicular to the figure plane, such that by means of rotation, the smoking article receiving portion 4 can be brought into the same alignment as shown in FIG. 2. Therefore, the location of the smoking article receiving space 13 and the opening 16 has to be accordingly amended.

(11) The smoking article receiving portion 4 comprises a hinged lid 17, which is provided on the top of the smoking article receiving portion 4, and allows in its opened state, as shown in FIG. 2, the insertion of a smoking article 18 into the smoking article receiving space 13. The smoking article 18 extends horizontally in its longitudinal length as shown in FIG. 2, and abuts with its longitudinal ends against the abutment walls 14, 15. In particular, the smoking article 18 is a cigarette comprising a filter tip 19, which abuts against the abutment wall 14 provided on the opposite side with respect to the needle storage portion 3, while the longitudinal front end of the smoking article 18, which is designated to be lit by the consumer at a later stage abuts at the abutment wall 15. The abutment wall 15 comprises the opening 16 and is arranged adjacent to the needle storage portion 3. The opening 16 is aligned with the center of the tip of the smoking article 18.

(12) After the insertion of the smoking article 18 the hingeable lid 17 is closed, such that the smoking article 18 is snugly accommodated in the smoking article receiving space 13 as shown in FIG. 3.

(13) Then, the sliding means 6 is slid together with needle holder 7 and the needle 8 in the direction of the smoking article, such that the needle penetrates the smoking article 18 centrally in a longitudinal direction, wherein the tip of the needle extends at the end of the sliding motion far into the smoking material filled portion of the smoking article 18, being close to the beginning of the filter tip 19 of the smoking article 18. The force for the sliding movement is applied by the operator to the gripping element 9. The end of the sliding motion can either be determined by the end of the track 10 or by an abutment of either the sliding means 6 or the needle holder 7 against the inner lateral walls of the needle storage portion 3.

(14) In FIG. 3, the fully extended position of the needle 8 is shown in which the needle 8 extends into the smoking article 18. In this position a hinged lid 20 can be opened and the cartridge 2 can be inserted into the cartridge seat 12 provided by the sliding means 6 and needle holder 7.

(15) The cartridge 2 comprises a storage portion 21 which is filled with the treatment substance 22, which in the present case is a liquid comprising menthol. Furthermore, the cartridge 2 comprises a plunger 23, which is provided in its fully extended position as shown in FIGS. 1 and 3, when the cartridge is in its filled state. In its fully extended position, the plunger 23 projects only slightly into the storage portion 21, such as to provide a stable connection in between the storage portion 21 and the plunger 23. On the side opposite the plunger 23, the storage portion 21 comprises an abutment surface 24, which is able to be penetrated by a rear section 25 of the needle 8, which extends into the cartridge seat 12. The rear section 15 of the needle 8 may be provided within a protection means, such as a cylindrical protruding wall, which covers the rear section 25 of the needle 8 to prevent any injury of the operator, while being large enough to allow the insertion of the cartridge 2. The plunger 23 has an end that is opposite the storage portion 21, and this opposite end defines an abutment surface 26, which is configured to abut the inside of the right wall 27 of the needle storage portion 3.

(16) In FIG. 3, the cartridge 2 is shown inserted into the cartridge seat 12, wherein the abutment surface 26 is in contact with the rear wall 27 of the needle storage portion 3, which is at the right side in FIG. 3. The left abutment wall 24 of the storage portion 21 is in contact with the needle holder 7, while the rear section 25 of the needle 8 extends into the treatment substance 22.

(17) Then, the hinged lid 20 of the needle storage portion 3 is closed and the sliding means 6 is retracted, such that the needle 8 is brought into the retracted position which is shown in FIG. 4, wherein the needle 8 is fully retracted into the needle storage portion 3. The needle 8 comprises an opening 28 at its tip, and while the needle 8 is retracted from the smoking article 18 by the sliding movement of the sliding means 8 from the extended position to the retracted position, the plunger 23 is inserted into the storage portion 21 of the cartridge 2, such that the treatment substance 22 is distributed continuously along a line inside the smoking article 18. The end of the insertion process and the distribution of the treatment substance 22 in the smoking article 18 can be seen in FIG. 4.

(18) The hinged lid 20 is then opened and the cartridge can be removed from the cartridge seat 12 in the needle storage portion 3. If the operator does not plan to provide the treatment substance to another smoking article, he can slide the smoking article receiving portion 4 back into the storage position as shown in FIG. 1.

(19) In FIG. 5 a second embodiment of the treatment device 1 is shown in cross section, wherein the differences will be explained in the following, while apart from these differences the general setup of the device is preferably identical to the previously described device. In contrast to the first embodiment, the needle storage portion 3 comprises a stationary plunger 29 which is fixed to the right side wall of the needle storage portion 3 or may be an integral part of the needle storage portion 3. The plunger 29 is arranged such that it is aligned with the cartridge 13, when same is inserted into the cartridge seat 12 on the sliding means 6. The cartridge 2 consists of a storage portion 31 in which the treatment substance 22 is provided in a storage space 32. This storage space 32 has substantially the same cross-section as the plunger 29, or the same cross-section as the left most end section of the plunger 29. The plunger 29 and the storage space 32 are aligned, such that the plunger 29 is adapted to force the treatment substance 22 out of the storage space 32 of the cartridge 30, when the cartridge 2 is retracted from the extended position of the needle 8 as shown in FIG. 5, to a retracted position as similarly shown for the first embodiment in FIG. 4. During the sliding motion the treatment substance 22 will be injected into the smoking article 18, such that at the end of the sliding process the smoking article 18 will be provided with treatment substance along a line as shown in FIG. 4.

(20) The invention is also directed to a combination of a treatment device 1 with the cartridge 2 as described.

(21) The treatment device has an approximate height of 25 mm as shown in the vertical direction in the drawings, an approximate width of 25 mm in the direction perpendicular to the figure plane, and an approximate length of 100 mm in the horizontal direction of the drawings, when it is in the operating position as shown in FIG. 4. Preferably, the device is made of plastic material, while the needle 8 is made from stainless steel.

(22) The treatment device 1 may comprise an additional compartment (not shown) to store several cartridges.

(23) In one embodiment, several needles 8 may be provided on one sliding means, and several smoking articles 18 may be provided in the smoking article receiving portion, such that by only one sliding operation, several smoking articles may be provided with treatment substance.

(24) The approximate length of the storage portion 21, 31 of the cartridge 2, 30 is 50 mm, while it contains approximately 10 to 15 microliters of liquid flavouring substance.

(25) In one embodiment, the needle storage portion 3 and the smoking article receiving portion 4 may be part of one integral treatment device 1 and not moveable relative to each other.

(26) In another embodiment the needle storage portion 3 and the smoking article receiving portion 4 may be separate elements, which can be fixed to each other in either the storage position or operating position.

(27) The closable openings for the needle storage portion 3 and smoking article receiving portion 4, which have been described as hingeable lids 17, 20, may as well be slideable or rotable lids, wherein a sliding or rotating motion opens the respective portion of the treatment device.

(28) The needle may be a replaceable part, which can be exchanged on the needle holder. In some embodiments, the length of the needle and the sliding motion may be adapted, such that the treatment substance is only or additionally injected in the filter tip 19 of the smoking article 18.