Electrical lighter with a rotatable tobacco supply

• US 5,649,554 A
• Filed: 10/16/1995
• Issued: 07/22/1997
• Est. Priority Date: 10/16/1995
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Philip Morris USA Incorporated (Altria Group, Inc.), Philip Morris Products SA (Philip Morris Limited)
• Original Assignee: Philip Morris USA Incorporated (Altria Group, Inc.)
• Inventors: Smith, Ulysses, Grollimund, Everett C., Washington, James M., Lipowicz, Peter J., Wrenn, Susan E., Das, Amitabh, Sprinkel, F. Murphy, Houck, Willie G. Jr., Fleischhauer, Grier S.
• Primary Examiner(s): BAHR, JENNIFER DOYLE
• Application Number:
  US08/543,536
• Time in Patent Office: 645 Days
• Field of Search: 131/329, 131/330, 131/170, 131/175, 131/185, 131/187, 131/194-198, 128/203.27, 128/202.21, 128/203.15, 128/203.17
• US Class Current: 131/329
• CPC Class Codes: A24D 1/20 Cigarettes specially adapted for simulated smoking devices
• CPC Class Codes: A24F 40/20 Devices using solid inhalable precursors
• CPC Class Codes: A24F 40/465 specially adapted for induction heating

Abstract

A lighter is provided having a tobacco flavor heating system which includes a rotatable tobacco containing disc or spiral. This disc or spiral is registered in thermal proximity to a heating element and heated to generate tobacco flavors in response to a sensor. The disc and spiral are sized to provide a convenient number of puffs before disposal. Housings are provided for the disc and spiral to store, register and dispose the tobacco product efficiently. An induction heating system can be employed.

Claims

1. An electrical lighter for generating tobacco flavors from a tobacco supply, the lighter comprising:

a heater;

means for rotating a tobacco supply about an imaginary rotational axis such that respective sections of the tobacco supply are successively rotated about the imaginary rotational axis into registry with said heater to generate tobacco flavors and then rotated about the imaginary rotational axis out of registry with said heater; and

means for drawing air across the heated section to deliver air and tobacco flavors to a smoker upon drawing by the smoker.

2. The electrical lighter according to claim 1, wherein said means for rotating the tobacco supply rotates the tobacco supply substantially in a plane relative to the imaginary rotational axis.

3. The electrical lighter according to claim 1, wherein said means for rotating the tobacco supply rotates the tobacco supply substantially in a plane which is angled relative to the imaginary rotational axis.

4. The electrical lighter according to claim 1, wherein said means for rotating the tobacco supply in a circular path relative to the imaginary rotational axis.

5. The electrical lighter according to claim 1, wherein said means for rotating the tobacco supply rotates the tobacco supply along a helical path relative to the imaginary rotational axis.

6. The electrical lighter according to claim 1, wherein said means for rotating the tobacco supply rotates the tobacco supply at a particular screw angle relative to the imaginary relational axis, wherein said heater and a section of the tobacco supply oriented at the particular screw angle are substantially parallel.

7. The electrical lighter according to claim 6, further comprising means for altering respective screw angles of respective sections of the tobacco supply.

8. The electrical lighter according to claim 7, wherein said means for altering alters the respective screw angle of a respective section of the tobacco supply to increase the respective screw angle when the respective section is in registry with said heater.

9. The electrical lighter according to claim 8, wherein said means for altering alters the respective screw angle of a respective section to decrease the respective screw angle when said rotating means rotates the respective section out of registry with said heater, wherein respective sections rotated out of registry with said heater are relatively compressed toward one another.

10. An electrical lighter for generating tobacco flavors comprising:

a disc comprising tobacco;

a heater;

means for successively registering respective sections of said disc in thermal proximity to said heater, wherein a section of said disc is heated to evolve tobacco flavors and a successive section is subsequently registered with said heater; and

means for drawing air across the heated section to deliver air and tobacco flavors to a smoker upon drawing.

11. The electrical lighter according to claim 10, further comprising a disc housing for enclosing said disc, said disc housing having a window to permit registry between said disc and said heater.

12. The electrical lighter according to claim 11, wherein said window is defined by two edges extending radially outward relative to said disc, wherein said window is wedge-shaped to permit registry between a corresponding wedge-shaped portion of said disc and said heater.

13. The electrical lighter according to claim 12, wherein said heater comprises a wedge-shaped heating element electrically connected to the source of electrical energy, wherein said wedge shaped heating element is in registry with wedge-shaped portion of said disc via said wedge-shaped window.

14. The electrical lighter according to claim 10, wherein said heater comprises a wedge shaped heating element electrically connected to the source of electrical energy.

15. The electrical lighter according to claim 14, wherein said wedge shaped heating element comprises a serpentine shaped heating element having successively increasing amplitudes in a radially outward direction relative to said disc.

16. The electrical lighter according to claim 14, wherein said wedge shaped heating element comprises a serpentine heating element having an amplitude which increases from a first end to a maximum amplitude and then decreases to a second end.

17. The electrical lighter according to claim 10, wherein said means for registering comprises a drive capstan which rotates said disc, wherein said drive capstan is rotatably mated with a hub defined at a center of rotation of said disc.

18. The electrical lighter according to claim 10, wherein said heating element comprises a platinum heating element.

19. The electrical lighter according to claim 10, wherein said means for registering registers sections of said disc in an angularly sequential order.

20. The electrical lighter according to claim 10, wherein said heater comprises an induction heater for generating an alternating magnetic field to heat a suspecter in thermal registry with a registered section of said disc to heat the registered section.

21. The electrical lighter according to claim 10, wherein said heater comprises an induction heater for generating an alternating magnetic field to heat a suspecter in thermal registry with a registered section of said disc to heat the registered section, and further comprising means for adjusting said induction heater between at least two circumferential positions relative to said disc.

22. The electrical lighter according to claim 10, wherein said heater comprises an induction heater for generating an alternating magnetic field to heat a susceptor in thermal registry with a registered section of said disc to heat the registered section, said induction heater comprising two legs joined by a middle leg, and an excitation coil wrapped around said middle leg, wherein an alternating magnetic field is generated between opposing first ends of said two legs, said two legs arranged such that the susceptor is located therebetween.

23. The electrical lighter according to claim 10, further comprising a plurality of discs comprising said tobacco and at least one heater, wherein said means for registering registers a respective section of each of said plurality of discs with said at least one heater.

24. The electrical lighter according to claim 23, wherein said plurality of discs are arranged in a stack and a respective heater is respectively interposed between said stacked plurality of discs.

25. The electrical lighter according to claim 10, wherein said heater comprises an induction heater for generating an alternating magnetic field to heat a suspecter in thermal registry with a registered section of said disc to heat the registered section.

26. An electrical lighter for generating tobacco flavors, comprising:

a spiral structure comprising tobacco;

a heater;

means for registering a section of said spiral structure in thermal proximity to said heater, wherein a section of said spiral structure is heated to generate tobacco flavors and a successive section is registered with said heater; and

means for drawing air across the heated section to deliver air and tobacco flavors to a smoker upon drawing.

27. The electrical lighter according to claim 26, wherein said spiral structure is a circular spiral.

28. The electrical lighter according to claim 26, wherein said spiral structure comprises a single turn.

29. The electrical lighter according to claim 26, wherein said spiral structure comprises multiple turns.

30. The electrical lighter according to claim 26, wherein said registering means comprises a drive axle and means for rotating said drive axle a desired amount to register a section of said spiral structure in thermal proximity to said heater;

wherein said drive axle rotatably mates with a hub defined in said spiral structure;

wherein said drive axle and said hub are configured such that as said drive axle rotates, said spiral structure rotates therewith and translates axially with respect thereto.

31. The electrical lighter according to claim 30, wherein said drive axle has an outer surface which mates with the hub of said structure and which comprises a number of adjacent equally sized faces, wherein a 360°

turn of said hub comprises a corresponding number of adjacent angled inner faces which mate with the outer faces of said drive axle.

32. The electrical lighter according to claim 31, wherein said drive axle comprises four adjacent faces to define a rectangular cross section.

33. The electrical lighter according to claim 31, wherein the number of said drive axle outer faces define a drive axle cross section of a five pointed star.

34. The electrical lighter according to claim 30, further comprising a spiralled track affixed to a periphery of the hub, said spiralled track having indexing links defined therein.

35. The electrical lighter according to claim 34, wherein said drive axle further comprises a plurality of circularly arranged pins which mate with the indexing links, wherein said indexing links spiral around said circularly arranged pins, further comprising a support plate connected to said drive axle, said plurality of circularly arranged pins extending from said support plate.

36. The electrical lighter according to claim 34 wherein said spiral structure comprises multiple turns and the storage chamber and the disposal chamber are sized to store a desired number of turns in a compressed state, and wherein said registering means comprises means for separating two successive compressed turns from the storage chamber in the registry chamber to provide a gap therebetween for registry with said heater, and wherein said registering means further comprises means for compressing the separate successive turns after heating for disposing in the disposal chamber.

37. The electrical lighter according to claim 26, wherein said heater comprises a serpentine heating element electrically connected to a source of electrical energy.

38. The electrical lighter according to claim 26, wherein, after heating of a registered portion, said registering means registers a successive unheated portion of said spiral with said heater for subsequent heating.

39. The electrical lighter according to claim 38, wherein said spiral structure comprises multiple turns and the storage chamber and the disposal chamber are sized to store a desired number of turns in a compressed state.

40. The electrical lighter according to claim 39, wherein said registering means comprises means for separating two successive compressed turns from the storage chamber in the registry chamber to provide a gap therebetween for registry with said heater.

41. The electrical lighter according to claim 38 wherein said spiral structure comprises multiple turns and the storage chamber and the disposal chamber are sized to store a desired number of turns in a compressed state, wherein said registering means comprises means for separating two successive compressed turns from the storage chamber in the registry chamber to provide a gap therebetween for registry with said heater, and wherein said registering means further comprises means for compressing the separate successive turns after heating for disposal in the disposal chamber.

42. The electrical lighter according to claim 26 further comprising a housing structure enclosing the spiral structure, said housing comprising a supply chamber;

a registry chamber adjoining said supply chamber; and

a disposal chamber adjoining said registry chamber;

wherein the section of said spiral structure registered with said heater is located within said registry chamber, unheated sections of said spiral structure are located within said supply chamber, and heated sections are located within said disposal chamber, said adjoining chambers separated by respective dividing walls having apertures for passage of sections of said spiral structure therethrough.

43. The electrical lighter according to claim 42, wherein said registering means comprises a drive axle rotatable a desired amount to register a section of said spiral structure in thermal proximity to said heater;

wherein said drive axle rotatably mates with a hub defined in said spiral structure;

wherein said drive axle and said hub are configured such that as said drive axle rotates, said spiral structure rotates therewith and translates axially with respect thereto, and wherein the apertures of said respective dividing walls of said housing are defined to permit said drive axle to extend therethrough and to rotate.

44. The electrical lighter according to claim 26, wherein said heater is a heater oriented parallel to a screw angle defined by said spiral structure.

45. An electrical smoking system comprising:

a disc shaped structure comprising tobacco;

a heater in thermal proximity to the tobacco; and

a housing surrounding said disc shaped structure, said housing having apertures to permit air flow therethrough to carry evolved tobacco flavors to a smoker.

46. The electrical smoking system according to claim 45, wherein said housing comprises a window to permit registry between said disc and the heater.

47. The electrical smoking system according to claim 45, wherein the tobacco comprises reconsituted tobacco.

48. An electrical smoking system which is registered with a heater, the tobacco flavor supply comprising:

a heater, and

a spiral shaped structure, said spiral shaped structure comprising tobacco.

49. The electrical smoking system according to claim 48, wherein said spiral shaped structure defines a hub, said hub shaped to mate with a drive axle such that as the drive axle rotates, said spiral shaped structure spirals along the drive axle.

50. The electrical smoking system according to claim 49, wherein said registering means comprises a drive axle rotatable a desired amount to register a section of said spiral structure in thermal proximity to said electrical heating means;

wherein said drive axle rotatably mates with a hub defined in said spiral structure;

wherein said drive axle and said hub are mated such that as said drive axle rotates, said spiral structure rotates therewith and translates axially with respect thereto, and wherein the apertures of said respective dividing walls of said housing extend and are sized to permit said drive axle to extend therethrough and to rotate.

51. The electrical smoking system according to claim 50, wherein said drive axle has an outer surface which mates with the hub of said structure and which comprises a number of adjacent equally sized faces, wherein a 360°

turn of said hub comprises a corresponding number of adjacent angled interfaces which mate with the outer faces of said drive axle.

52. The electrical smoking system according to claim 50, further comprising a spiralled track affixed to a periphery of the hub, said spiralled track having indexing links defined therein:

wherein said drive axle further comprises a plurality of circularly arranged pins which mate with the indexing links, wherein said indexing links spiral around said circularly arranged pins.

53. The electrical smoking system according to claim 52, further comprising a support plate connected to said drive axle, said plurality of circularly arranged pins extending from said support plate.

54. The electrical smoking system according to claim 48 further comprising a housing structure enclosing the spiral structure, said housing comprising a supply chamber;

a registry chamber adjoining said supply chamber; and

a disposal chamber adjoining said registry chamber;

wherein the section of said spiral structure registered with the electrical heating means is located within said registry chamber, said registry chamber provided with apertures to permit air flow therethrough to carry evolved tobacco flavors to a smoker, unheated sections of said spiral structure are located within said supply chamber, and heated sections are located within said disposal chamber, said adjoining chambers separated by respective dividing walls having apertures for passage of sections of said spiral structure therethrough.

55. The electrical smoking system according to claim 54, wherein said spiral structure comprises multiple turns and the storage chamber and the disposal chamber are sized to store a desired number of turns in a compressed state.

56. The electrical smoking system according to claim 54 wherein said spiral structure comprises multiple turns and the storage chamber and the disposal chamber are sized to store a desired number of turns in a compressed state, and wherein said registering means comprises means for separating two successive compressed turns from the storage chamber in the registry chamber to provide a gap therebetween for registry with said heater, and wherein said registering means further comprises means for compressing the separate successive turns after heating for disposal in the disposal chamber.

57. The electrical smoking system according to claim 48, wherein the tobacco comprises reconstituted tobacco.

58. The electrical smoking system according to claim 48, wherein said spiral structure is a circular spiral.

59. The electrical smoking system according to claim 48, wherein said spiral structure comprises multiple turns.

60. The electrical smoking system according to claim 48, further comprising a housing enclosing said spiral structure, said housing having apertures to permit airflow therethrough to carry evolved tobacco flavors to a smoker.

61. A method of generating tobacco flavors from tobacco, comprising the steps of:

providing a supply of tobacco;

rotating the supply of tobacco in an imaginary rotational path about an imaginary rotational axis;

heating a section of the supply of tobacco located in the imaginary rotational path to generate tobacco flavors; and

directing air over the heated section to deliver air and the generated tobacco flavors to a smoker.

62. The method according to claim 61, wherein said heating step occurs when the supply is stationary.

63. The method according to claim 61, wherein said rotating step is repeated after said heating and directing steps to present a successive section of the tobacco supply for subsequent heating and directing steps.

64. The method according to claim 61, wherein said rotating step comprises rotating the tobacco supply in a rotational path which is planar.

65. The method according to claim 64, wherein said rotating step comprises rotating the tobacco supply in a planar rotational path which is angled relative to the imaginary rotational axis.

66. The method according to claim 61, wherein said rotating step comprises rotating the tobacco supply in a circular rotational path.

67. The method according to claim 61, further comprising separating unheated sections of the tobacco supply, the section of the tobacco supply being heated, and previously heated sections of the tobacco supply from one another.

68. The method according to claim 67, further comprising relatively compressing sections of the tobacco supply along the helical path, wherein the section of tobacco being heated is not relatively compressed.