US20020069886A1

US20020069886A1 - Smoking pipe

Info

Publication number: US20020069886A1
Application number: US09/732,856
Authority: US
Inventors: Brian Couch
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 2000-12-07
Filing date: 2000-12-07
Publication date: 2002-06-13

Abstract

A smoking pipe of a stainless-steel, modular, slip-fit design having an external sealing system comprising a plurality of elastomeric sleeves which sealably interconnect the components of the modular design. The smoking pipe is compact, lightweight and can be readily dissembled for ease of transport and storage. Further, the smoking pipe is dishwasher safe, is easy to clean and can be safely sterilized by conventional means.

Description

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

1. Field of the Invention

The present invention relates generally to smoking devices. More particularly, the invention concerns a smoking pipe in which the smoke is drawn from a smoking material receiving bowl through water and then into a mouthpiece into the mouth of the user.

2. Discussion of the Prior Art

Smoking devices in which the smoke from the smoking material is drawn through water before inhaling are not new. These types of smoking devices, which are sometimes called “water pipes”, have been in use throughout the world for many years.

A common type of prior art water pipe comprises a liquid-accumulating glass flask having a mouthpiece associated with the upper portion thereof. A pipette or tube typically extends into the flask to a point above the bottom thereof. Disposed at the top of the pipette is a smoke-receiving bowl. The glass flask is usually provided with an opening that sealably receives an apertured rubber stopper which accepts the pipette in a manner to provide an air tight seal between the pipette and the flask. Exemplary of this type of apparatus is that disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 3,882,875 issued to Frost.

A common drawback of many of the prior art “water pipe” devices is that they are quite fragile and easily broken. Another drawback is that they are usually of a rather complex construction making them expensive to produce. These and other drawbacks of the prior art devices are effectively overcome by the novel apparatus of the invention which comprises sealably interconnected metal components that cooperate to provide a sturdy smoking pipe that is easily transportable and is highly reliable in use.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

By way of summary, the present invention comprises a novel smoking pipe having a generally cup-shaped stainless-steel, liquid-containing chamber; a stainless-steel connector segment sealably connected to the liquid-containing chamber, the connector segment having a tapered side wall and an aperture formed in the side wall; an elongated, generally cylindrically shaped, stainless-steel tube receivable within the aperture formed in the side wall, the elongated tube having a first end disposed within the liquid-containing chamber and a second end; a stainless-steel smoking material receiving bowl assembly removably connected to the second end of the elongated tube; and a generally cylindrically shaped, stainless-steel mouthpiece sealably connected to the connector segment.

It is an object of the present invention to provide a smoking pipe which is of a novel stainless-steel, modular, slip-fit design having an external sealing system comprising a plurality of elastomeric sleeves which sealably interconnect the components of the modular design.

Another object of the invention is to provide a smoking pipe of the aforementioned character that is compact and can be readily dissembled for ease of transport and storage.

Another object of the invention is to provide a smoking pipe as described in the preceding paragraph which is dishwasher safe, is easy to clean and, being heat resistant, can readily be sterilized if desired.

Another object of the invention is to provide a smoking pipe of the unique design described in the preceding paragraphs which is extremely durable and virtually unbreakable in normal use.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is a generally perspective view of one form of the smoking device of the invention. [0012]
FIG. 2 is a generally perspective, exploded view of the smoking device shown in FIG. 1. [0013]
FIG. 3 is a cross-sectional view taken along lines [0014] 3-3 of FIG. 1.

DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

Referring to the drawings and particularly to FIGS. 1 and 2, one form of the smoking pipe of the present invention is there illustrated and generally designated by the [0015] numeral 12. As best seen by referring to FIG. 2, the smoking pipe here comprises a generally cup-shaped, stainless-steel, liquid-containing component 14 having a side wall 16 and a bottom wall that cooperate to define a liquid containing chamber 20. Slidably interconnected to liquid containing component 14 is a stainless steel connector segment 22 having a tapered side wall 24. Tapered side wall 24 interconnects and spans a first, generally cylindrically shaped skirt portion 26 that telescopically receives the generally cylindrically shaped wall 16 of the liquid containing component. Connected at the upper extremity of tapered side wall 24 is a second generally cylindrically shaped skirt portion 28 which is telescopically received within an upwardly extending, generally cylindrically shaped, stainless-steel mouthpiece 30.
Tapered [0016] side wall 24 is provided with an aperture 32 which slidably receives a generally cylindrically shaped, stainless-steel tube 34 having a first portion 34 a disposed within liquid containing chamber 20 (FIG. 3) and a second portion 34 b that extends angularly outwardly from tapered side wall 24. Removably connected to second portion 34 b of tube 34 is the novel smoking material receiving bowl assembly of the invention that is generally designated by the numeral 36. As best seen by referring to FIG. 3, smoking material receiving bowl assembly 36 comprises a stainless-steel body 38 having an upper portion provided with a tapered smoking material receiving chamber 40 and a lower portion provided with a counter bore 42 for closely receiving the end of second portion 34 b of elongated tube 34. Importantly, body 38 is constructed of a single piece of material, has no threads and is virtually indestructible. Accordingly, the smoking material receiving bowl assembly is unique and comprises a substantial improvement over the prior art.
With the modular components of the smoking pipe assembled in the manner shown in FIG. 3, a first sealing means is provided for sealably interconnecting [0017] liquid containing component 14 with connector segment 22. This first sealing means is here provided in the form of an elastomeric sleeve 44 that is adapted to sealably span the joint between liquid containing component 14 and connector segment 22 in the manner shown in FIG. 3. A second sealing means is also provided for sealably interconnecting connector segment 22 with mouthpiece 30. The second sealing means also comprises an elastomeric sleeve 46 that sealably spans the joint between connector segment 22 and mouthpiece 30 in the manner shown in FIG. 3. With the modular components of the smoking pipe assembled in the manner shown in FIGS. 1 and 3, liquid containing component 14, connector segment 22 and mouthpiece 30 are axially aligned and the components are sealably interconnected by the sealing means or elastomeric sleeves 44 and 46.
As indicated in FIGS. 1 and 3, [0018] tubular member 34 is sealably connected to connector segments 22 by a third sealing means here provided in the form of a generally annular shaped, elastomeric collar 50. As best seen in FIG. 3, collar 50 includes a circumferentially extending groove 50 a which sealably receives side wall 24 and a central opening 50 b that sealably engages the outer wall of tubular member 34. With this construction, tubular member 34 is sealably connected to connector segment 22, but can be adjusted inwardly or outwardly to properly position portion 34 a with respect to the liquid contained within chamber 20.
Provided proximate the upper portion of [0019] mouthpiece 30 is an elastomeric ring-shaped member 54 that is adapted to sealably cover the mouth of the user. Additionally, a third elastomeric sleeve 56 circumscribes body 38 of bowl assembly 36 to protect the fingers of the user from being burned when the smoking material is placed within chamber 40 and ignited.
With the construction described in the preceding paragraphs, it is apparent that the overall height of the smoking pipe can be adjusted by telescopically moving [0020] mouthpiece 30 relative to connector segment 22 and by telescopically moving connector segment 22 relative to liquid containing component 14. It is also apparent that the smoking pipe of the invention can be readily dissembled for ease of transport and storage.
Having now described the invention in detail in accordance with the requirements of the patent statutes, those skilled in this art will have no difficulty in making changes and modifications in the individual parts or their relative assembly in order to meet specific requirements or conditions. Such changes and modifications may be made without departing from the scope and spirit of the invention, as set forth in the following claims. [0021]

Claims

I claim:

1. A smoking pipe comprising:

(a) a liquid-containing component;

(b) a connector segment connected to said liquid-containing component, said connector segment having a side wall and an aperture formed in said side wall;

(c) an elongated tube receivable within said aperture formed in said side wall, said elongated tube having a first end disposed within said liquid-containing chamber and a second end;

(d) a smoking material receiving bowl assembly connected to said second end of said elongated tube; and

(e) a mouthpiece connected to said connector segment.

2. The smoking pipe as defined in claim 1 in which said connector segment includes a generally cylindrically shaped first skirt portion and in which said liquid-containing component comprises a generally cylindrically shaped wall telescopically received within said first skirt portion.

3. The smoking pipe as defined in claim 1 in which said connector segment includes a generally cylindrically shaped second skirt portion, said mouthpiece being telescopically receivable over said second skirt portion.

4. The smoking pipe as defined in claim 1 in which said smoking material receiving bowl assembly comprises a tubular body telescopically received within said aperture formed in said side wall of said connector segment.

5. The smoking pipe as defined in claim 1 in which said liquid-containing component, said connector segment and said mouthpiece are axially aligned.

6. The smoking pipe as defined in claim 1 in which said smoking material receiving bowl assembly is receivably connected to said elongated tube.

7. The smoking pipe as defined in claim 1 further including first sealing means connected to said liquid containing component and said connector segment for sealably interconnecting said liquid containing component and said connector segment.

8. The smoking pipe as defined in claim 1 further including second sealing means connected to said connector segment and said mouthpiece for sealably interconnecting said connector segment with said mouthpiece.

9. The smoking pipe as defined in claim 1 further including sealing means connected to said elongated tube for sealably interconnecting said elongated tube with said connector segment.

10. The smoking pipe as defined in claim 1 in which said smoking material receiving bowl assembly having:

(a) a body having an upper portion and a lower portion, said upper portion having a smoking material receiving chamber; and

(b) a counter bore formed in said lower portion of said body for receiving said second end of said elongated tube.

11. A smoking pipe comprising:

(a) a generally cup-shaped liquid-containing component having a side wall and a bottom wall connected to said side wall to define a liquid containing chamber;

(b) a connector segment slidably connected to said liquid-containing component, said connector segment having a tapered side wall and an aperture formed in said side wall;

(c) a generally cylindrically shaped, elongated tube receivable within said aperture formed in said tapered side wall, said elongated tube having a first end disposed within said liquid-containing chamber and a second end;

(d) a smoking material receiving bowl assembly removably connected to said second end of said elongated tube;

(e) a generally cylindrically shaped mouthpiece slidably connected to said connector segment;

(f) first sealing means for sealably interconnecting said liquid containing component with said connector segment; and

(g) second sealing means for sealably interconnecting said connector segment and said mouthpiece.

12. The smoking pipe as defined in claim 11 further including third sealing means connected to said elongated tube for sealably interconnecting said elongated tube and said connector segment.

13. The smoking pipe as defined in claim 11 in which said smoking material receiving bowl assembly comprises:

14. The smoking pipe as defined in claim 11 in which each of said liquid containing chambers, said connector segment and said elongated tube are all constructed from stainless steel.

15. The smoking pipe as defined in claim 11 in which each of said first and second sealing means comprises an elastomeric sleeve.

16. A smoking pipe comprising:

(a) a generally cup-shaped, stainless-steel, liquid-containing component having a side wall and a bottom wall connected to said side wall to define a liquid containing chamber;

(b) a stainless-steel connector segment slidably connected to said liquid-containing component, said connector segment having a tapered side wall and an aperture formed in said side wall;

(c) a generally cylindrically shaped, stainless-steel elongated tube slidably receivable within said aperture formed in said tapered side wall, said elongated tube having a first end disposed within said liquid-containing chamber and a second end;

(d) a smoking material receiving bowl assembly removably connected to said second end of said elongated tube said smoking material receiving assembly comprising:

(i) a stainless-steel body having an upper portion and a lower portion, said upper portion having a smoking material receiving chamber; and

(ii) a counter bore formed in said lower portion of said body for receiving said second end of said elongated tube;

(e) a generally cylindrically shaped, stainless-steel mouthpiece slidably connected to said connector segment.

(f) first sealing means for sealably interconnecting said liquid containing component with said connector segment, said first sealing means comprising a first elastomeric sleeve;

(g) second sealing means for sealably interconnecting said connector segment with said mouthpiece, said second sealing means comprising a second elastomeric sleeve; and

(h) third sealing means connected to said elongated tube for sealably interconnecting said elongated tube with said connector segment.

17. The smoking pipe as defined in claim 15 in which said liquid-containing chamber, said connector segment and said mouthpiece are axially aligned.

18. The smoking pipe as defined in claim 15 in which said elongated tube extends angularly outwardly with respect to said tapered side wall of said connector segment.