Smoke generation pod

• US 10,638,768 B2
• Filed: 11/21/2017
• Issued: 05/05/2020
• Est. Priority Date: 11/22/2016
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Mark Flood
• Original Assignee: Mark Flood
• Inventors: Flood, Mark, Nunez, Robinson
• Primary Examiner(s): Moubry, Grant
• Assistant Examiner(s): Johnson, Benjamin W
• Application Number:
  US15/820,336
• Publication Number:
  US 20180139973A1
• Time in Patent Office: 896 Days
• Field of Search: 431 6
• CPC Class Codes: A23B 4/052 Smoke generators ; Smoking apparatus A23B4/056 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: A23B 4/0523 Smoke generators using wood-pyrolysis or wood-friction
• CPC Class Codes: A23L 27/27 Smoke flavours
• CPC Class Codes: A23V 2002/00 Food compositions, function of food ingredients or processes for food or foodstuffs
• CPC Class Codes: B01D 2253/108 Zeolites
• CPC Class Codes: B01D 2257/7027 Aromatic hydrocarbons
• CPC Class Codes: B01D 2258/0275 from food processing plants or kitchens
• CPC Class Codes: B01D 46/10 Particle separators, e.g. dust precipitators, using filter plates, sheets or pads having plane surfaces
• CPC Class Codes: B01D 53/04 with stationary adsorbents B01D53/025 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: C12G 3/06 with flavouring ingredients
• CPC Class Codes: Y02A 40/90 in food processing or handling, e.g. food conservation

Abstract

A smoke generation pod for use in a smoke generation system includes an enclosure that has there within a material such as wood that is heated or ignited by an igniter or arc housed within the smoke generation pod. The smoke generation pod has an input vent for accepting air and an output vent for distributing smoke. The smoke is routed to an object such as a glass (with or without a liquid there within) for infusing the smoke into the liquid or onto the object. In some embodiments, the output vent has a filter and, some such filters also remove some or all carcinogens from the smoke that is emitted.

Claims

1. A smoke generation pod comprising:

a housing having an input vent, an output vent, and an internal chamber;

a material within the internal chamber;

an electrical igniter extending inwardly through the housing and into the internal chamber thereby placing the electrical igniter in contact with the material; and

a plurality of electrical contacts on an outside surface of the housing, wherein each of the plurality of electrical contacts are electrically connected to the igniter;

whereas, upon application of an electric potential across the plurality of electrical contacts, the material emits smoke and the smoke emanates from the output vent as aft replaces the smoke via the input vent.

2. The smoke generation pod of claim 1, further comprising a filter on the output vent, the filter retaining within the internal chamber the material and at least some ashes formed when the material emits smoke.

3. The smoke generation pod of claim 2, wherein the filter comprises silica-alumina for the reduction of carcinogens.

4. The smoke generation pod of claim 1, further comprising a screen on the input vent, the screen retaining within the internal chamber at least some of the material.

5. The smoke generation pod of claim 1, further comprising an identification device within or attached to the housing, the identification device accessible electrically or wirelessly from outside of the housing.

6. The smoke generation pod of claim 5, wherein the identification device comprises a read-only serial number.

7. The smoke generation pod of claim 5, wherein the identification device comprises a write-once, read-many usage count register.

8. The smoke generation pod of claim 5, wherein the identification device comprises an identification of a type of the material.

9. The smoke generation pod of claim 5, wherein the identification device is a radio-frequency identification device (RFID).

10. The smoke generation pod of claim 1, wherein the material comprises wood particles.

11. The smoke generation pod of claim 1, wherein the housing is hermetically sealed.

12. A smoke generation pod comprising:

a hermetically sealed housing having an input vent, an output vent having a filter, and an internal chamber containing a material;

an electrical igniter passing through a wall of the housing and protruding into the internal chamber, wherein the electrical igniter in contact with the material; and

electrical contacts on an outside surface of the housing, wherein the electrical contacts are electrically connected to the igniter;

whereas, upon application of an electric potential across the plurality of electrical contacts, the material emits smoke and the smoke emanates from the output vent as air replaces the smoke via the input vent.

13. The smoke generation pod of claim 12, wherein the filter comprises silica-alumina for the reduction of carcinogens.

14. The smoke generation pod of claim 12, further comprising an identification device within or attached to the hermetically sealed housing, the identification device accessible electrically or wirelessly from outside of the hermetically sealed housing.