Protective and cigarette ejection system for an electrical smoking system
First Claim
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1. An ejector for ejecting a cigarette having a mouth end and a distal end from an electrical smoking system, said ejector comprising, in combination:
- a housing for containing a cigarette, said housing having a cylindrical receptacle for receiving a cigarette inserted distal end first via an opening to be heated by the at least one heater such that an opposite cigarette mouth end protrudes from the lighter, and at least one heater contained in said housing, said heater being located in thermal proximity to an inserted cigarette, said heater being actuated responsive to draw on the protruding cigarette mouth end by a consumer to evolve tobacco flavor from said cigarette while inserted in said housing,a movable contact surface, said contact surface having a size such that it may travel longitudinally through the cylindrical receptacle of the lighter and contact at least a central area of the inserted distal end of a cigarette, andan actuator for moving said contact surface between a first position in the cylindrical receptacle to allow insertion of a cigarette and a second position in the cylindrical receptacle to move an inserted cigarette out of the cylindrical receptacle.
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Abstract
An ejection system is provided which has a mechanism such as a plunger which is positioned to eject at least a portion of a cigarette from the lighter cavity upon actuation by a smoker. The plunger is also positionable to occlude the lighter opening to protect the lighter cavity from dust, moisture, etc. The plunger is shaped, located and arranged to apply a force on the cigarette end inserted into the lighter. Further, an icon based indicator informs the smoker of the status of a cigarette inserted into the lighter.
332 Citations
23 Claims
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1. An ejector for ejecting a cigarette having a mouth end and a distal end from an electrical smoking system, said ejector comprising, in combination:
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a housing for containing a cigarette, said housing having a cylindrical receptacle for receiving a cigarette inserted distal end first via an opening to be heated by the at least one heater such that an opposite cigarette mouth end protrudes from the lighter, and at least one heater contained in said housing, said heater being located in thermal proximity to an inserted cigarette, said heater being actuated responsive to draw on the protruding cigarette mouth end by a consumer to evolve tobacco flavor from said cigarette while inserted in said housing, a movable contact surface, said contact surface having a size such that it may travel longitudinally through the cylindrical receptacle of the lighter and contact at least a central area of the inserted distal end of a cigarette, and an actuator for moving said contact surface between a first position in the cylindrical receptacle to allow insertion of a cigarette and a second position in the cylindrical receptacle to move an inserted cigarette out of the cylindrical receptacle. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 21)
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18. An ejection system for an electrical cigarette lighter comprising at least one heater, a housing surrounding the at least one heater, and a cylindrical receptacle in the housing for receiving a cigarette inserted end first via an opening to be heated by the at least one heater such that an opposite cigarette mouth end protrudes from the lighter, the ejection system comprising:
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a contact surface sized to travel longitudinally through the cylindrical receptacle of the lighter and to contact at least a central area of an inserted end of a cigarette, means for actuating said contact surface between a first position in the cylindrical receptacle to allow insertion of a cigarette and a second position in the cylindrical receptacle to move an inserted cigarette out of the cylindrical receptacle, and means for visually informing a smoker that an inserted cigarette has been heated a desired number of times. - View Dependent Claims (19, 20)
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22. An electrical cigarette lighter for a cigarette having a mouth end and a distal end, said lighter comprising:
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a housing surrounding a cylindrical receptacle for receiving a cigarette inserted end first via an opening; at least one heater contained in said housing and producing inhalable tobacco flavor from a heated cigarette, said heater actuated in response to a draw on the cigarette from a consumer on an opposite cigarette mouth end which protrudes from the lighter; and an ejection system comprising; a contact surface sized to travel longitudinally through the cylindrical receptacle of the lighter and to contact the inserted distal end of a cigarette, and means for actuating said contact surface between a first position in the cylindrical receptacle to allow insertion of a cigarette and a second position in the cylindrical receptacle to move an inserted cigarette out of the cylindrical receptacle. - View Dependent Claims (23)
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Specification