Electronic Cigarette Filter and Cigarette

The invention generally relates to electronic cigarette filters and cigarettes including an electronic cigarette filter. More specifically, the invention relates to an electronic cigarette filter adapted to provide cooperative enjoyment of smoking a dried leaf material such as a rolled tobacco cigarette together with a vaporized liquid in a compact form where the cigarette is rolled onto the electronic filter.

The enjoyment of smoking a cigarette has multiple characteristics including the feel of the cigarette, the sound of the burning tobacco, the taste of the generated smoke, the mouth feel of the smoke, the mouth feel of the filter if a filter is present, along with other characteristics. Together, all contribute to the overall enjoyment and pleasure found in smoking a cigarette. However, it is difficult to find an optimized combination of the described characteristics when all or part of the system is electronic.

Smoking has been a popular habit for centuries, with millions of people across the globe indulging in it. In this context, vaporizers have emerged as a popular alternative that allows people to enjoy smoking. However, vaporizers come with their own limitations as they do not allow users to roll their preferred leaf products. Further, vaporizers do not offer all the described smoking characteristics that smokers enjoy. There are currently available many forms of electronic cigarettes (also known as “e-cigarettes”) which typically employ an energy source to vaporize a liquid to form an inhalable aerosol. E-cigarettes are typically bulky apparatuses to allow for housing all the electronic and mechanical components needed to make the e-cigarette function. E-cigarettes also need to accommodate a significantly large enough reservoir to contain the liquid to be aerosolized for multiple uses. As a result, lost in the use of an e-cigarette is the feel of holding a real cigarette. Further, lost is the experience of burning tobacco or another preferred leaf product. The overall smoking experience is less than ideal.

Some vaporizers purport to allow for attaching a rolled cigarette to the vaporizer. What this typically entails is a bulky vaporizer with a previously rolled cigarette connected to the vaporizer by inserting an end of the rolled cigarette into an orifice of the vaporizer. Thus, the unwieldiness of a vaporizer is exacerbated by the addition of a rolled cigarette. In most if not all such combinations the primary purpose of the apparatus is to act as a vaporizer and with added benefit of allowing for attaching a rolled cigarette. As a result, the combination lacks several of the features granting satisfaction in the smoking experience including the experience of holding a light-weight cigarette with burning tobacco or other leaf product in close proximity to the smoker as experienced when smoking a cigarette without the vaporizer attached.

Therefore, there are opportunities for improving a system for smoking by providing some of the features of an e-cigarette or a vaporizer with a rolled cigarette in an improved combination offering an enhancing overall smoking experience.

The present invention is an electronic cigarette filter (“filter” or “e-filter”) adapted to have a cigarette pre-rolled onto the filter thus producing a rolled cigarette and filter combination having some of the features of an e-cigarette or vaporizer but lacking a bulky configuration and thus providing an exceptionally good smoking experience. The experience is reminiscent of smoking a traditional filtered cigarette but with several advantages including cooperative enjoyment of smoking a dried leaf material such as a rolled tobacco cigarette together with an aerosolized liquid in a compact form where the cigarette is rolled onto the electronic filter.

In a nonlimiting embodiment, the cigarette filter includes a filter body having a first end adapted to receive a rolled cigarette and a second end including a mouthpiece, where the first end includes a cylindrical portion having an outward facing surface suitable for rolling an end of a cigarette rolling paper onto. In an embodiment, the rolling paper is rolled onto the first end of the filter body while the rolling paper has a tobacco product or other smokable product enclosed in the rolling paper. In another embodiment, a cigarette including a rolling paper and smokable product is preformed and is adapted for sliding over the outward facing surface.

In another nonlimiting embodiment the first end of the filter body includes a recessed portion adapted to receive an edge of the rolling paper to aid in keeping the rolling paper in place while rolling the cigarette onto the filter body.

In a nonlimiting embodiment the invention includes an electronic filter for a cigarette, the electronic filter including a cylindrical body including a mouthpiece portion and a rolling material attachment portion, where the mouthpiece portion includes a mouthpiece having an orifice leading into the cylindrical body, and where the rolling material attachment portion includes an exterior surface of the cylindrical body adapted to have a rolling material rolled onto and sealed against the exterior surface. The electronic filter also includes an air-flow cap disposed in the rolling material attachment portion, where the air-flow cap includes a plurality of openings leading into the cylindrical body, where at least one of the openings directs to a channel adapted to restrict a smoke flowing into the cylindrical body. The electronic filter also includes an auto draw device disposed in the cylindrical body and adapted to activate a heating element to heat a liquid into an aerosol including a smoke, where activating the heating element coincides with drawing on the mouthpiece and the smoke flowing into the cylindrical body.

The electronic filter for a cigarette can further include where the cylindrical body is less than 40 mm in length or is less than 30 mm in length.

The electronic filter for a cigarette can further include a storage tank disposed in the cylindrical body where the storage tank contains an aerosolizable liquid.

The electronic filter for a cigarette can further include where the smoke flowing into the cylindrical body is mixed with a second smoke from heating the liquid into an aerosolized smoke.

In a nonlimiting embodiment intended for a single smoking session of use, the volume of liquid is limited to what will be aerosolized within no more than 50 draws on the mouthpiece. The volume can be further be limited to fewer draws including 25 draws or fewer.

In a nonlimiting embodiment intended for a single smoking session of use, the electronic filter for a cigarette can further include a battery in operational association with the heating element, where the battery has enough watt-hours of power to aerosolize the liquid for no more than 50 draws on the mouthpiece or fewer.

The electronic filter for a cigarette can further include where the auto draw device is adapted to delay activating the heating element.

In a nonlimiting embodiment of the invention an electronic filter and cigarette combination, incudes a cylindrical body including a mouthpiece portion and a rolling material attachment portion, where the mouthpiece portion includes a mouthpiece having an orifice leading into the cylindrical body, where the rolling material attachment portion includes an exterior surface of the cylindrical body, where attached to the exterior surface is a rolling material forming a cylindrical receptacle, and where disposed within the cylindrical receptable is a smokable material, wherein the smokable material emits a smoke when burned. The electronic filter and cigarette combination further includes an air-flow cap disposed in the rolling material attachment portion, where the air-flow cap includes a plurality of openings leading into the cylindrical body, where at least one of the openings directs to a channel adapted to restrict the smoke flowing into the cylindrical body. The electronic filter and cigarette combination further includes an auto draw device disposed in the cylindrical body and adapted to activate a heating element to heat a liquid into an aerosolized smoke, where activating the heating element coincides with drawing on the mouthpiece and the smoke flowing into the cylindrical body.

The electronic filter and cigarette combination can further include where the cylindrical body is less than 40 mm in length. The electronic filter and cigarette combination can further include where the cylindrical body is less than 30 mm in length.

The electronic filter and cigarette combination can further include where a storage tank disposed in the cylindrical body where the storage tank contains an aerosolizable liquid.

The electronic filter and cigarette combination can further include where the smoke flowing into the cylindrical body is mixed with a second smoke from heating the liquid into an aerosolized smoke.

The electronic filter and cigarette combination can further include where the combination is adapted to a single session of use, wherein the volume of liquid is limited to what will be aerosolized within the number of draws on the mouthpiece to substantially if not fully burn the leaf material.

The electronic filter and cigarette combination can further include where the leaf material comprises a flower.

The electronic filter and cigarette combination can further include where the auto draw device is adapted to delay activating the heating element.

The electronic filter and cigarette combination can further include where the air-flow cap is made of ceramic.

In a nonlimiting embodiment of the invention a single use cigarette, includes a cylindrical body including a mouthpiece portion and a rolling material attachment portion, where the mouthpiece portion includes a mouthpiece having an orifice leading into the cylindrical body, and where the rolling material attachment portion includes an exterior surface of the cylindrical body. In this embodiment, on the exterior surface is a rolling material forming a cylindrical receptacle, where disposed within the cylindrical receptable is a smokable material, where the smokable material emits a smoke when burned. In this embodiment, an air-flow cap is disposed in the rolling material attachment portion, where the air-flow cap includes at least one opening leading into the cylindrical body, and where the at least one opening directs to a channel adapted to direct the smoke flowing into the cylindrical body. In this embodiment, an auto draw device is disposed in the cylindrical body and adapted to activate a heating element to heat a liquid into an aerosolized smoke, where activating the heating element coincides with drawing on the mouthpiece and the smoke flowing into the cylindrical body, where the smoke is mixed with the aerosolize smoke in the cylindrical body before being inhaled by a user, and where the cigarette is adapted to be disposable after a single session of smoking by the user.

In a nonlimiting embodiment of the cigarette the air-flow cap is made of ceramic.

These, as well as other components, steps, features, objectives, benefits, and advantages, will now become clear from a review of the following detailed description of illustrative embodiments, the accompanying drawings, and the claims.

For the purpose of promoting an understanding of the principles of the embodiments, reference will now be made to the embodiments illustrated in the drawings and specific language will be used to describe the same. It will nevertheless be understood that no limitation of the scope of the embodiments is thereby intended. Any alterations and further modifications in the described embodiments, and any further applications of the principles of the embodiments as described herein are contemplated as would normally occur to one skilled in the art to which the embodiment relates.

With reference toa nonlimiting embodiment of an electronic cigarette filter (“filter” or “e-filter”)of the invention is disclosed. The e-filterincludes a bodyhaving a mouthpiece portionand a rolling-material attachment portion. The mouthpiece portionand attachment portioninclude exterior surfaces of the body. The mouthpiece portionincludes a mouthpiece. The rolling-material attachment portionincludes an air-flow cap. The mouthpieceincludes an orificeleading into the interior of the e-filterbody. In a nonlimiting embodiment, the bodyis a round cylinder shape and adapted to contain components of the e-filter. The bodycan be in shapes other than round, including but not limited oval, square and rectangular. In use, a user will hold the mouthpiece portionwith their lips and draw smoke through the e-filterwhere the smoke, at least in part, originates from a rolled cigarette rolled onto the rolling-material attachment portionof the body.

Advantageously, the e-filter bodyis of diminutive size generally approximating the size and dimensions of a conventional cigarette filter such as a paper and cotton-type filter found on conventional tobacco cigarettes. The diminutive size of the e-filter bodyallows for significantly reduced weight and contributes to a more natural feel of holding a cigarette over the much larger e-cigarettes or vapes. In a nonlimiting embodiment the e-filter bodyis less than 40 mm in length and has a diameter of less than 11 mm. A bodylength of less than 30 mm is within the scope of the invention.

The e-filter bodycan be made from many different materials well known to those skilled in the art, including but not limited to metal, plastic, glass, wood, or other suitable materials. The mouthpiece portionof the bodycan be made in a different shape from the rolling-material attachment portion, including for example, an oval shape, a duckbill shape, or a rounded shape including a rounded shape of the posterior portion of the mouthpiece.

The rolling-material attachment portionof the bodyis adapted to receive a rolling-material of the types well known in the art including a paper cigarette rolling material or other rolling materials used for rolling cigarettes. Different shapes and sizes of rolling material are also suitable for use with the e-filter. Advantageously, the attachment portionallows for attaching the rolling material to the exterior of the e-filterbodythus allowing for rolling a cigarette directly onto the e-filter. Further, advantageously, the e-filteris adapted to have a rolling material rolled onto the rolling-material attachment portionin an automated manner such as by way of a machine roller. In this way the invention offers the advantage of allowing for prefabrication of the e-filter into a cigarette in a combination ready to be smoked by the user.

The air-flow capincludes a central orificeand two perimeter orifices. The perimeter orificescreate passagesinto the interior of the body. The passagesinclude occlusionsadapted to restrict airflowinto the bodythus allowing for directing the airflowand creating turbulence in the airflow thereby providing a more satisfying experience for the user while drawing smoke through the mouthpiece portion.

In a nonlimiting embodiment, the air-flow capis made of ceramic and is heat resistant thus allowing the battery and electronics of the e-filterto be insulated from the burning end of the rolled cigarette. The ceramic body is also chemically resistant to the buildup of resins that occur when smoking. The molded air pathways of the air-flow capcan direct the smoke into and around sensitive electrical components. The ceramic cap is also molded to fit an auto draw silicone seal and an auto draw sensor. This allows the e-filterto begin heating the liquid to be turned into aerosolized smoke when it detects the pull of a person inhaling.

The air-flow capfurther includes two depressionsadapted to further create turbulence in the airflow entering the filter cap. In a nonlimiting embodiment, the two depressionsinstead form a second set of passages into the interior of the bodythus further controlling the airflow and turbulence of the airflow. In another nonlimiting embodiment, the air-flow capincludes a plurality of passageways into the interior of the body, whether or not obstructed.

The air-flow capincludes a collarand annular wall portionfor sealing the air-flow caponto the body. The air-flow capcontributes to a sensation of the user drawing smoke through loosely compacted leaves of a smokable material such as tobacco.

With emphasis on, starting from the air-flow capand progressing to the mouthpiece, the internal components of the e-filterbodyinclude an auto draw silicone partthat seals the air-flow capagainst internal surfaces of the cylindrical body. The auto draw silicone partis made from a suitable silicone or other material well known to a person of skill in the art. The auto draw silicone partalso seals an auto drawin the cylindrical bodypassageway so that smoke entering the bodythrough the central orificemust pass over the auto draw. The auto draw, in a manner well known to a person of skill in the art, detects the user drawing or pulling a puff on the e-filtermouthpieceand as a result activates the e-filterto produce smoke to be inhaled by the user. A user drawing on the mouthpieceresults in a negative air pressure inside the e-filterwhich is detected by the auto draw. As a person of ordinary skill in the art would know, the auto drawdevice typically includes a printed circuit board assembly (PCBA) with various electronic components, a diaphragm, and a plate. The negative air pressure created by drawing on the mouthpiecedeforms the flow of air and causes the diaphragm to touch the plate. When the diaphragm touches the plate, the plate generates a signal that is transmitted to the PCBA. When the PCBA receives the plate signal, it activates the heating of the liquid to create an aerosolized smoke to be inhaled. When a user is not drawing on the mouthpiecethe internal pressure of the e-filterand diaphragm bounces back, and the contact with the plate is detached. When the signal transmission is interrupted, the PCBA stops the heating of liquid and thus stops production of the aerosolized smoke. It should be appreciated that the use of other auto draw devices and configurations are contemplated.

It should be appreciated that the aerosolized smoke can be generated by burning the smoked material or by vaporizer or atomizer as is well known by a person of ordinary skill in the art. It should also be appreciated that additional electronic components well known to those of skill in the art can be included in the e-filter. This includes, but is not limited to, the possibility of including a microprocessor in the e-filterto control the heating of the liquid to be aerosolized, including control in response to the auto draw.

Next in progression of the parts is a batteryused to power the detection of a user drawing on the e-filter and to power the heating of a liquid to be aerosolized. The batterywas specifically developed for the miniaturized e-filterdesign. In a nonlimiting embodiment the batteryis lithium-ion with rechargeable cells and has nominal voltage of 3.85V, and 65 mAh. The batteryweighs less than 3 g. Other batteries may be suitable.

Next in progression is a heating element, in working communication with the battery. The heating elementis disposed in an airflow tubewhich in turn is disposed in a liquid container. The liquid containeris filled with a liquid (not shown) suitable to be aerosolized and inhaled by the user. Any suitable liquid for being aerosolized and inhaled is contemplated within the scope of the invention. Expectedly, but not as a limitation, the liquid is of the type that offers a satisfying smoking experience when combined with smoking a leaf material such as tobacco. The liquid containerhas a vent that allows for the liquid to flow onto a cotton swabbing around the heating element. The heating element then heats the liquid until it is aerosolized. In its aerosolized form the liquid becomes a smoke. A windowin the bodyof the e-filterallows for viewing the liquid in the oil tub. The windowis an optional feature.

Last in sequence is a silicone gasketwhich forms a seal between the mouthpieceand the bodythus forcing air to be drawn through the e-filter.

Now referring to, in a nonlimiting embodiment of the invention, a pre-rolled cigaretteincludes the e-filtercombined with a rolling paperand smokable leaf materialcontained therein. The rolling paperis intended to be the same as the aforementioned rolling material and is well known to those of ordinary skill in the art. The rolling papertypically has a rectangular shape prior to being rolled onto the e-filter. The rolling paperis adhered to the attachment portionwith an adhesive (not shown). Any adhesive known to those skilled in the art and suitable for attaching a rolling material to metal, plastic, glass or other surface comprising the e-filterbody, and in the environment of being combusted is suitable. As an example, water may be adequate as the adhesive in appropriate circumstances known to persons of skill in the art when used with a suitable rolling material. A seamof the rolling paperis where two sides of the rolling material come together to form a cigarette. The leaf materialis meant to include any type of leaf material suitable for smoking in a cigarette and includes but is not limited to tobacco, blended tobacco, herbs, spice, flower or other similar material that is known and suitable to be burned and inhaled as a smoke.

In use, a user places the e-filteragainst their lips, lights the end of the rolling paperto burn the leaf materialand draws through the mouthpiecewhich is detected by the auto draw. The auto drawactivates the heating elementto heat and makes into an aerosol the smokable liquid contained in the liquid container. Smoke from the leaf materialis mixed with the aerosolized liquid and is inhaled by the user.

In a nonlimiting embodiment, the auto drawis configured to delay the activation of the heating elementto allow for smoke from the burnt leaf materialto be within the e-filterprior to aerosolizing the smokable liquid. This delay function allows for an enhanced experience of smoking both sources at the same time.

Advantageously, the e-filter and cigarettecan be made for a single smoking session where a user is expected to take a limited number of puffs on the e-filterafter lighting the cigarette. For example, the e-filter and cigarettecan be made for fewer than 50 puffs. It is within the scope of the invention that the number of puffs could be 25 puffs, or fewer. In this manner, the e-filter and cigarettecan be easily and relatively inexpensively produced. The volume of liquid and power of the battery are adjusted to single use which contributes to the ability to miniaturize the e-filter, and reduce the associated manufacturing costs. The resulting combination feels more natural to hold and offers a more satisfying smoking experience.

Alternatively, the e-filtercan be made to allow for refilling the smokable liquid and attaching another cigarette to the rolling material attachment portionby first removing any residue of a prior rolling material and then rolling onto the exterior surface of the attachment portiona new rolling material filled with a leaf material. The smokable liquid can be refilled using a suitable syringe or potentially through a multiple filling apparatus.

Referring toin a nonlimiting embodiment the e-filter bodyhas paper receiving portionwith a surface adapted to receive the paper. In this embodiment the paper receiving portionis a silicone or other suitable material on a surfacewrapped around the body of the e-filter where the surface is easier to wrap a paper or other material around and form a seal. The paper receiving portionincludes a crevice that is suitably narrow in its depth that it will grip onto an edge of the rolling paper once the edge is introduced into the crevice and allow for holding the edge while the remainder of the rolling paper is wrapped around the attachment portion. This embodiment is conducive to a multiple use version of the e-filter.

Referring toin a another nonlimiting embodiment the e-filterincludes a paper receptor surfaceadapted to receive and hold in place a rolling paper surface thus making it easier to roll paper onto the e-filter. The paper receptor surfaceis a silicone or other suitable material known to persons of skill in the art.

Furthermore, the e-filter is designed to take both the aerosolized smoke and smoke from the leaf product up separate chambers to reduce tar and other harmful materials from entering the user's mouth. This design also ensures that the hot air of the smoke passing through the e-filter does not damage the battery and other electronic components inside the e-filter. The hot air passes the battery's outside surfaces, traveling along the battery's sides while the smoke travels through the heating coil, combining at the mouthpiece, giving a user a smooth drag experience.

The afore described e-filter has the potential to impact the smoking industry in several ways. First, it provides an alternative method for smoking that allows a user to combine their preferred aerosolized liquid with their preferred leaf product and rolling paper. This could attract a new segment of consumers who are interested in this type of smoking experience. Second, the e-filter's design allows for addressing some of the health concerns associated with smoking by filtering out tar and other harmful materials. For example, in all the above-described embodiments a carbon filter screen can be incorporated inside the e-filter to help reduce the amount of tar and other harmful substances that reach the user's respiratory system. Third, the e-filter's design allows for customization, including when and how the leaf material is combined with the aerosolized liquid and modulation of the two. This level of customization may appeal to consumers who are looking for a more personalized smoking experience. Taken together, the e-filter allows for a more satisfying smoking experience.

The invention has been shown and described in what is considered nonlimiting embodiments. It is recognized that departures may be made within the scope of the invention and that modifications will occur to a person skilled in the art. Further, the invention has been described in an illustrative manner. It is to be understood that the terminology which has been used is intended to be in the nature of words of description rather than of limitation. Many modifications and variations of the invention are possible in light of the above teachings. Therefore, within the scope of the appended claims, the invention may be practiced other than as specifically described.