US20160081390A1

US20160081390A1 - Compact Utility Case For Smoking Tools

Info

Publication number: US20160081390A1
Application number: US14/797,424
Authority: US
Inventors: Nathaniel S. Ackerman
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 2014-09-19
Filing date: 2015-07-13
Publication date: 2016-03-24

Abstract

A smoker's tool kit having a plurality of tools and a container to house the plurality of tools when not in use is disclosed. The tool kit container has at least one compartment formed in the container to store certain of the smoker's tool kit tools along with a flat rolling tray or rolling surface formed into the container. The container may also have at least one detachable separate compartment to store tobacco or other smoking material. In one preferred embodiment, the smoker's tool kit tools may include a rolling tray, magnifying glass, removable straight edge, poker or stuffer, a grinder card, and a lighter. The tool kit container may be ruggedized such that the detachable compartment is fabricated to be water-tight and air-tight to ensure freshness of the material stored in the compartment. In a further embodiment, the ruggedized detachable compartment may also have a hardened exterior surface to protect the stored material.

Description

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

This application claims priority to co-pending U.S. Provisional Application No. 62/052,857, filed on Sep. 19, 2014, which is incorporated herein by reference as if set forth in full.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

Humans have rolled, prepared, and smoked various leaves, herbs, including tobacco for thousands of years for pleasure and for medical purposes. While cigarette usage and the smoking of tobacco has certain known detriments and concerns, many around the world continue to smoke tobacco in cigarettes and cigars. More recently, especially in the United States, the use and smoking of marijuana for medical purposes has grown, and will continue to expand as more states legalize such medical use.
The manufacture of cigarettes and cigars is predominantly completed by machines today. Nonetheless, many smokers find enjoyment and satisfaction with the individual hand preparation of their own smoking materials. Moreover, with the growth of medical marijuana use, the vast majority of users of such smoking material prefer to prepare or roll their own smoking products. The preparation of such smoking products typically requires certain tools and materials. Such tools and materials may include the herb being prepared, rolling papers, a clean flat surface for preparing and rolling the smoking product, a cutting tool, such as a straight edge razor blade to cut and clean the smoking material, a screen or grinder for sifting, cleaning, grinding, and breaking down the smoking material for a more even burn, and a magnifying glass to improve the user's view of the product and material he or she is preparing. Because such tools and materials are repeatedly used in the preparation of smoking products, it would be beneficial to have a single container, or kit, that could be used to readily hold all of such tools and materials so that the tools and materials are secured in one location and easily retrieved and used.
Various tools, containers and smokers' kits have been designed and manufactured for many years. Examples of such tools, containers and kits include U.S. Pat. No. 6,014,974 for a Multi-Purpose Accessory for Smokers (the “'974 patent”); U.S. Pat. No. 5,423,335 for a Smoker's Utility Apparatus (the “'335 patent”); U.S. Pat. No. 4,600,022 for a Composite Smoker's Kit (the “'022 patent”); U.S. Pat. No. 4,129,135 for a Smoker's Tool (the “'135 patent”); U.S. Pat. No. 2,072,388; U.S. Pat. No. 1,704,549; and U.S. Pat. No. 1,571,003. Each of these patents disclose certain products and devices with particular uses, but none provide a comprehensive solution for the need to compactly, and securely hold a plurality of smokers' tools along with the necessary smoking materials.
By way of example, the '974 patent discloses a multi-purpose smoker's accessory including a rigid casing that houses a packet of cigarettes and a cigarette lighter. More particularly, the casing has a major surface with a shaped depression for resting the cigarette, and further provides the smoker with a device for housing the cigarettes and cigarette lighter, resting the cigarette during use, extinguishing it when required and disposing of the ash and cigarette-end. The '974 patent does not include or suggest including any tools such as a rolling tray, magnifying glass, straight edge cutting tool, poker, or grinder card.
The '335 patent similarly provides a utility apparatus comprising a base assembly having a plurality of wells. The wells are adapted to receive containers and pipe tools, and also adapted to receive a plurality of loose items, including pipe tools, and an ash tray. The base assembly further includes a rough-surfaced striking surface for igniting matches. Like the '974 patent, the '335 patent does not disclose any suggestion of including tools such as a rolling tray, magnifying glass, straight edge cutting tool, metal bat, or grinder card.
The '022 patent teaches a single tool mechanism with individual subtools rotatably interconnected. More particularly, the patent discloses a composite smoker's kit for preparing a pipe or a cigar for smoking. The kit may be adapted to fit about the body portion of a lighter mechanism to enable easy transfer from one lighter mechanism to another. The smoker's tools are compactly mounted on a spring clip of the kit, and are detented on the lighter body when not in use, but are readily pivoted to operational position when the user wishes to use the tools. The '022 patent does not teach or suggest inclusion of tools such as a rolling tray, magnifying glass, straight edge cutting tool, metal bat, or grinder card.
Other products are currently commercialized that have certain features that address one or two problems, but do not comprehensively solve the several objectives and issues presented. For example, the iRollie (irollie.co) and the iChief (ichiefsupplv.com) are each iPhone cases or covers that can be used as a rolling surface. The iRollie further has a funnel shaped end to direct the smoking material into a specific location, while the iChief has an opening or compartment that can hold rolling papers or paper money. Neither the iRollie nor the iChief appear to have any tools that go along with the mobile phone case.
The SmoCan (smocan.com) is a canister shaped container that has certain tools, including a small screen, a poker or stuffer, and a compartment sized to hold one or more cigarettes. The SmoCan does not have any other features or ability to include other tools, such as a rolling tray, magnifying glass, or a cutting tool.
The Trove (greenwizard-products.co.uk) is similarly a canister shaped container that has a grinder tool, and storage area for use by the smoker, but again, it does not have any other smoker's tools such as a magnifying glass, or a cutting knife.
The OmniHerbivore, or OmniHV is commercialized as the Swiss Army Knife for cannabis users. The OmniHV includes certain tools such as a poker, a stuffer, and a grinder, but does not appear to include or have other needed elements such as a rolling tray or surface, a cutting device, a metal bat, or a magnifying glass. Accordingly, while each of these current products appear to provide certain components and elements, none is a comprehensive solution that has in a compact container all of the typical tools and needs of a smoker.
Similarly, the other identified older patents describe and may address certain problems identified by smokers, but such prior disclosures do not address or teach solutions as addressed by the below described inventive embodiments. What is needed is an apparatus for use by smokers that provides a compact utility tool kit that contains many of the primary tools used by smokers, including a flat rolling surface, a grinder card, a magnifying glass, a poker/stuffer, a cutting tool, and at least one container and compartment to house the smoking product. Such an apparatus has not been created or used in the prior art.

BRIEF SUMMARY OF DESCRIBED EMBODIMENTS

The above noted problems inadequately or incompletely resolved by the prior art are addressed and resolved by the present invention. Examples and certain embodiments of the present invention are summarized below.
In some embodiments, a smoker's tool kit may include a box-type container, along with at least one of a flat rolling surface, removable cutting tool, magnifying glass, a poker/stuffer, a metal bat, a removable screen, and/or at least one detachable and customizable container.
In further embodiments, the container may include, at least one openable compartment, and further having a group of integrally formed openings in the container to securely hold a magnifying glass, a poker/stuffer, a metal bat, a removable screen or grinder card, and a cutting tool.
In some additional embodiments, the at least one detachable container is water-tight and air-tight.
In further aspects, the at least one detachable container has a hardened exterior surface.
In some other embodiments, the at least one detachable container is divided into a group of sub-compartments by removable partitions.
In some embodiments, the removable cutting tool is a straight edge razor blade.
In some embodiments, the screen is formed within a section of a removable card, or the removable card may further include a cutout or bottle opener section.
In some embodiments, the magnifying glass may also be detachable from the box-type container for ease of use separate from the container.
In some embodiments, the box-type container may further include an essentially flat rolling tray or rolling surface.
In some embodiments, the removable screen is sized to fit into the top of the box-type container.
In some embodiments, the box-type container is manufactured from a resilient thermoplastic material.
In some embodiments, the tool kit may include two separate detachable containers.
In some embodiments, the openable compartment is a slidable drawer, and the slidable drawer has a group of sub-compartments formed by integral partitions.
In some embodiments, the integral partitions have aligned indentations into which tools may be rested.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

To easily identify the discussion of any particular element or act, the most significant digit or digits in a reference number refer to the figure number in which that element is first introduced.

FIG. 1 is a front perspective view of an embodiment of the tool kit shown in an open configuration.

FIG. 2 is another front perspective view of an embodiment of the inventive tool kit shown in an open configuration.

FIG. 3 is a top view of an embodiment of the inventive tool kit shown in an open configuration with the detachable compartment detached.

FIG. 4 shows another top perspective view of an embodiment of the smoker's tool kit along with the grinder card removed from the utility container.

FIG. 5 is a top view of an embodiment of the inventive tool kit shown in a closed and assembled configuration.

FIG. 6 is a front view of the inventive tool kit shown in a closed configuration.

FIG. 7 is a left-hand side view of an embodiment of the inventive tool kit shown in a closed and assembled configuration.

FIG. 8 is a right-hand side view of an embodiment of the inventive tool kit shown in a closed and assembled configuration.

FIG. 9 is a bottom view of an embodiment of the inventive tool kit shown in a closed and assembled configuration.

FIG. 10 is a top perspective view of an embodiment of the inventive tool kit shown in a closed and assembled configuration.

FIG. 11 is another top perspective view of an embodiment of the inventive tool kit shown in a closed and assembled configuration.

FIG. 12 is another top-back perspective view of an embodiment of the inventive tool kit shown in a closed and assembled configuration.

FIG. 13 shows another top perspective view of an embodiment of the smoker's tool kit in a fully assembled and closed configuration.

FIG. 14 shows a top perspective view of the smoker's tool kit with the drawer in an open configuration.

FIG. 15 shows a bottom perspective view of an embodiment of the smoker's tool kit with the drawer in an open configuration.

FIG. 16 shows a top perspective view of the smoker's tool kit with the detachable compartment separated from the tool kit, and in an open configuration.

FIG. 17 shows a closer top perspective view of the detachable compartment separated from the smoker's tool kit and with the top of the compartment open.

FIG. 18 shows a cross-sectional view of the smoker's tool kit in a fully assembled configuration.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF CERTAIN EMBODIMENTS

The apparatus and system of tools, including a utility container described herein are for use by those who enjoy smoking tobacco and other herbs, including cannabis, and especially those who prefer to roll or form their own smoking products. The apparatus and system primarily includes a plurality of tools typically needed and used by smokers to prepare their smoking products, along with a utility container that is formed with specific pockets or compartments that are used to securely maintain the tools when not in use. In a preferred embodiment, the utility container further has at least one detachable compartment or container to hold the smoking material and smoking products.
In one preferred embodiment of the inventive apparatus and system, shown in FIGS. 1 and 4, the primary elements of the smoker's tool kit may include a box-shaped utility container 112 having a slidable drawer 108, a flat rolling surface 102, a removable grinder card 402, a magnifying glass 104, a removable straight edge cutting tool 106, and a detachable compartment 110. Other tools that may be included as part of or with the smoker's tool kit, but not shown in FIGS. 1 through 4, are a poker/stuffer, and a metal “bat” that is used to hold a rolled smoking product or cigarette.
The utility container 112 is formed to have specific openings and cavities shaped to hold respective and particular tools. More particularly, the straight edge cutting tool 106 may be stored in a side pocket of the utility container 112, and the grinder card 402 may similarly be stored in the main body of the utility container 112. As shown in FIG. 4, the grinder card 402 may be slid into the card slot 404. In a preferred embodiment, one or more small magnets may be strategically placed in the body of the utility container 112 so that when the straight edge cutting tool 106 is stored in the side pocket it is held in place, and will not inadvertently fall out. Similarly, one or small magnets may also be strategically place in the utility container 112 to hold the grinder card 402 in place within the card slot 404.
A front cutout 116 may be formed in the utility container 112 to make removal of the grinder card 402 from the utility container 112 readily achievable. The flat rolling tray or surface 102 is formed directly as a surface of the utility container 112 as shown in FIGS. 1 and 4. The grinder card 402 may be easily slid out from card slot 404 by accessing and pulling it out using the front cutout 116. Similarly, a side cut out 114 may be formed in the utility container 112, as shown in FIGS. 1 and 4, to provide an easy means to remove the grinder card 402 after being placed on top of the utility container 112. Once the grinder card 402 is removed from the top of the utility container 112, the flat rolling tray or surface 102 is exposed and available for use. As shown in FIG. 1, the sides of the rolling tray are raised to assist in keeping the smoking material within a contained space.
The magnifying glass 104, as also shown in FIG. 1, may also be stored in a cavity or pocket in the utility container 112, and rotated out of the utility container 112 for use to magnify and see various items.
FIG. 2 shows another front perspective view of the embodiment shown in FIG. 1, with this view being from the left-hand side and more closely showing an embodiment of the drawer 108 in an open configuration. In the preferred embodiment, shown in FIG. 2, the drawer 108 may have one or more partitions 202 to create separate sections or compartments within the drawer 108. By having separate sections in the drawer 108, tools or other items can be readily separated and identified by the user when stored in the drawer 108.
In both FIGS. 1 and 2, the detachable compartment 110 is shown slightly separated from the utility container 112. The compartment 110 is easily connected to the utility container 112 by sliding and locking the compartment 110 into formed grooves compatible with the detachable compartment 110.
A top view of the tool kit 100, shown in FIG. 3, similar to the view of FIG. 2, shows the drawer 108 opened from the utility container 112 as well as the magnifying glass 104 rotated out from a stored position within the utility container 112. Also shown in FIG. 3 is the straight edge cutting tool 106 to the right hand side of the utility container 112. Although shown directly next to the utility container 112, the straight edge cutting tool 106 is designed to be completely removable from the tool kit 100 to provide the most efficient and flexible use of the cutting tool 106. Further, the detachable compartment 110 is again shown detached from and next to the utility container 112.
A slightly different perspective view of an embodiment of the smoker's tool kit is shown in FIG. 4. In addition to showing the magnifying glass 104 rotated out of its compartment, the detachable compartment 110 now shown attached to the utility container 112.
More particularly, two views of the grinder card 402 is shown in FIG. 4. As previously described, the grinder card 402 could be stored within a slot 404 formed in the utility container 112, and can be readily removed from the slot 404 through use of the front cutout 116. Once removed from the slot 404 in the utility container 112, the grinder card 402 is sized to fit precisely within the top of the utility container 112 as illustrated in FIG. 4.
The grinder card 402 shown in FIG. 4 has, in one embodiment, a section or part of the card 402 with holes or having a perforated section 406. The holes or perforated section 406 allows the user to grind, or breakdown the smoking product which may be sold in larger sized buds or pieces.
In other embodiments of the grinder card 402, not shown, the entire card 402 could be perforated instead of just a section of grinding perforations. Moreover, in a further embodiment, the grinder card 402 could be formed with a cut out or bottle opener element thereby making the grinder card 402 more useful and providing a further tool within the smoker's tool kit.
FIG. 5 shows an embodiment of the tool kit 100 in a fully assembled and fully closed configuration. The detachable compartment 110 is shown connected to the utility container 112 as also shown in FIG. 4. Further the drawer 108 is closed within the utility container 112, and the straight edge cutting tool 106 is also stowed within the utility container 112. Finally, the magnifying glass 104 is fully rotated into and stored within the utility container 112.
FIG. 6 shows a front view of an assembled and fully closed embodiment of the smoker's tool kit 100, and shows the knurled end section 602 of magnifying glass 104. By rotating the knurled end section 602 the magnifying glass 104 may be rotating outside of the utility container 112 for use by the smoker. In a different embodiment of the tool kit 100, the magnifying glass 104 may be fully removable from the utility container 112 to allow the smoker with additional flexibility in use of the magnifying glass 104 remotely from the utility container 112.
In FIG. 7, the left-hand side view of the tool kit 100 is shown again in a closed configuration. More particularly, the detachable compartment 110 is shown attached to the body of the main utility container 112.
Analogous to the left-hand view shown in FIG. 7, the right-hand view of the tool kit 100 is shown in FIG. 8, again shown in a closed configuration, and with the detachable compartment 110 connected to the main body of the utility container 112. Also shown in FIG. 8 is a side view of the magnifying glass 104 fully rotated into the opening formed in the main body of the utility container 112.
Further, for the same embodiment shown in several of the prior figures, the bottom view of the tool kit 100 is shown in FIG. 9. This view again shows the tool kit 100 in the fully closed configuration, with the detachable compartment 110 connected to the main body of the utility container 112.
An overhead perspective view of the tool kit 100 is shown FIGS. 10 through 13 providing both front and back overhead views. In FIG. 10, the grinder card 402 is stored within the utility container 112, and the magnifying glass 104 is also fully rotated to its stored position in the side of the utility container 112. As illustrated, and previously described, the top of the utility container 112 is formed with a well or concave configuration such that the grinder card 402 fits precisely within the shaped well when in position. This allows the user to use the grinder card 402 and not have either the card move inadvertently. Moreover, because the grinder card 402 sits above the flat rolling surface 102, as the smoking material is cleaned and ground, it falls through the grinder card 402 perforations and into the rolling tray 102 for ease of collection and use to roll a smoking product.
FIG. 12 shows a view of the detachable compartment 110 from the back and provides a view of the hinge 902 that connects the top and bottom of the detachable compartment 110 and allows the compartment to be readily opened by the user.
In preferred embodiments, the tool kit 100 may be partially or fully manufactured using a resilient thermoplastic material, such as polyvinyl chloride (PVC), acrylonitrile butadiene styrene (ABS), or polycarbonate. Alternatively, the tool kit 100 may be manufactured from a lightweight metal such as aluminum.
Another embodiment of the smoker's tool kit 100 is shown in FIGS. 14 and 15, with the drawer 108 in an open configuration, and having a different set of partitions 202 and sides to the drawer 108 with aligned concave sections 1402 or indentations. These concave sections 1402 may be used by the smoker to place one of the tools being used, or to place a rolled smoking product, such as a cigarette, and thereby have the tool or smoking product held in place and be readily within grasp. Similarly, although not shown, the partitions 202 could be formed with specifically shaped indentations or cutouts for specific tools. Such indentations or shaped cutouts could also be formed within the drawer 108 to have a specific storage location for each tool included within the tool kit 100.
The detachable compartment 110 is shown in FIGS. 16 and 17 detached from the utility container 110, and in an open configuration. The detachable compartment has a top 1606 that when open, as shown in FIGS. 16 and 17, allows access to the interior to the detachable compartment 110. In this embodiment, the detachable compartment 110 has a series of compartment dividers 1602 that create a series of smaller compartments. In one preferred embodiment, the detachable compartment 110 uses dividers 1602 that can be removed from the detachable compartment 110 thereby allowing the user to form different sized sub-compartments within the detachable compartment 110.
Also shown in FIGS. 16 and 17 are the locking clips 1604 formed into the top 1606. In the embodiment shown, the locking clips 1604 fit or snap into place into indentations 1702 formed into the side of the detachable compartment 110. In a preferred embodiment, the detachable compartment 110 may be fabricated to provide an airtight and watertight seal between the bottom of the detachable compartment 110 and the top 1606. Such an airtight and watertight seal ensures protection and freshness of the smoking material that may be stored in the detachable compartment 110.
The detachable compartment 110 may also be manufactured from a rigid or resilient material to protect the detachable compartment 110 from being broken or crushed due to inadvertent impacts. Such materials include a lightweight metal such as aluminum or a thermoplastic such as polycarbonate.
A cross-sectional view of the utility container 112 is shown in FIG. 18. The detachable compartment 110 is shown on the right hand side of FIG. 18. The cut out or frame formed for the grinder card 402 when placed on the top of the utility container 112 is shown at the top of the utility container 110, on the left hand side of FIG. 18. In this view, a cross-section of the drawer 108 is also shown with two partitions 202 thereby creating three compartments within the drawer 108.
Approximately one-third down from the top of the utility container 112, the grinder card slot 404 is shown extending substantially to the back of the utility container 112 close to where the detachable compartment 110 attaches to the utility container 112. The locking clips 1604 are also shown from a side view in FIG. 18.
While several preferred embodiments of the inventive tool kit and system have been described and disclosed, in particular with reference to certain figures and drawings showing certain exemplary embodiments that relate to a particular size tool kit and container including certain typical smoker's tools, such a kit, system, and design are not to be construed as limiting the scope of the inventive device or inventive products. For example, as described above, the tool kit 100 may be made having a different size or with different storage placement for one or more of the tools, or for example by having a removable magnifying glass 104. Further, although not shown, additional tools that may be included as part of the smoker's tool kit are a poker—stuffer tool used to form smoker products and clearing such products once formed, and a lighter may be stored in the tool kit 100 for use to ignite the smoking products once formed or rolled. Moreover, alternative materials may be used for the utility container to provide different outside design configurations or ornamental features. All such alternate embodiments are believed to be within the scope of the inventive design and the below claims.
It will be recognized by those skilled in the art that other modifications, substitutions, and/or other applications are possible and all such modifications, substitutions and applications are within the true scope and spirit of the present invention. It is likewise understood that the above disclosure and attached claims are intended to cover all such modifications, substitutions, and/or applications.

Claims

What I claim as my invention is:

1. A smoker's tool kit, comprising:

a box-type container, said container having a substantially flat rolling tray integrally formed on one surface of said container, and having at least one openable compartment, and further having a plurality of integrally formed openings in said container to securely hold at least:

a removable cutting tool;

a removable poker-stuffer tool;

a rotatable magnifying glass; and

a removable grinder screen; and said box-type container further having

at least one detachable container.

2. The tool kit of claim 1, wherein said at least one detachable container is water-tight and air-tight.

3. The tool kit of claim 1, wherein said at least one detachable container has a hardened exterior surface.

4. The tool kit of claim 1, wherein said at least one detachable container is divided into a plurality of sub-compartments by removable partitions.

5. The tool kit of claim 1, further comprising a lighter.

6. The tool kit of claim 1, wherein said removable cutting tool is a straight edge razor blade.

7. The tool kit of claim 1, wherein said grinder screen is formed within a section of a removable card.

8. The tool kit of claim 7, wherein said removable card further comprises a bottle opener element.

9. The tool kit of claim 1, wherein said magnifying glass is detachable from said box-type container.

10. The tool kit of claim 1, wherein said box-type container further comprises an edge lip to hold said removable grinder screen above said flat rolling tray.

11. The tool kit of claim 1, wherein said box-type container is manufactured from a resilient thermoplastic material.

12. The tool kit of claim 1, wherein said tool kit comprises two separate detachable containers.

13. The tool kit of claim 1, wherein said openable compartment is a slidable drawer.

14. The tool kit of claim 13, wherein said slidable drawer has a plurality of sub-compartments formed by integral partitions within said slidable drawer.

15. The tool kit of claim 13, wherein said integral partitions have aligned indentations into which tools may be placed.

16. The tool kit of claim 1, further comprising at least one magnet within said tool kit to hold said removable cutting tool and said removable screen in place when stored in said too 1 kit.

17. The tool kit of claim 1, further comprising specific shaped indentations within said tool kit for each specific tool.

18. The tool kit of claim 17, further comprising spring loaded elements within each said specific shaped indentations to apply a slight retaining force against each said specific tool and hold said specific tool in said specific shape indentation.