US3482580A - Anti-smoking device - Google Patents

Description

Dec. 9, 1969 s E. HOLLABAUGH 3,48 80 ANTI-SMOKING DEVICE Filed Feb. 26, 1968 I! 0 INVENTOR 14 ERNEST HOLLABAUGH ATTORNEY United States Patent 3,482,580 Patented Dec. 9, 1969 3,482,580 ANTI-SMOKING DEVICE Shem Ernest Hollabaugh, 6351 Bancroft Ave., St. Louis, Mo. 63109 Filed Feb. 26, 1968, Ser. No. 708,415 Int. Cl. A24f 47/00 US. Cl. 131-178 Claims ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE An anti-smoking device for assisting a smoker in his attempts to stop smoking and includes a mouthpiece having a passage through which smoke is drawn. A slidable switch element in the passage is responsive to the smoke stream and closes a primary electric circuit. A secondary circuit is also partially closed thereby and also includes contact elements at the discharge end of the mouthpiece which is closed by the smokers lips to produce an electrical shock at times when the smoke is drawn through the passage.

A primary object of this invention is to provide a novel anti-smoking device for assisting a smoker in attempting to stop smoking cigars, pipes, cigarettes or the like, and includes a mouthpiece having a passage through which smoke is drawn, means for creating an electrical output in response to smoke moving through the passage, means for conducting the electrical output to the lips of a smoker to thus produce an electrical shock at times when the smoke is drawn through the passage, the electrical output means further including switch means having a movable switch element positioned in the passage for movement under the influence of smoke moving through the passage, and said conducting means includes a pair of lip-contactable electrically conductive contacts which are energized from a source of electrical energy upon the closing of said switch means thereby producing an electrical shock each time the contacts are closed.

With the above and other objects in view that will hereinafter appear, the nature of the invention will be more clearly understood by reference to the following detailed description, the appended claimed subject matter, and the several views illustrated in the accompanying drawing.

In the drawing:

FIGURE 1 is a perspective view of a novel anti-smoking device constructed in accordance with this invention.

FIGURE 2 is a schematic longitudinal sectional view of the anti-smoking device, and illustrates the electrical circuit of the device.

FIGURE 3 is an enlarged sectional view taken generally along line 3-3 of FIGURE 1.

FIGURE 4 is an enlarged sectional view taken generally along line 4-4 of FIGURE 3.

The anti-smoking device 10 illustrated in the drawing is particularly adapted for assisting a smoker in attempting to stop smoking cigars or cigarettes C which can be inserted in end portion 11 of a mouthpiece 12. However, the mouthpiece 12 can be an integral portion of a pipe stem (not shown) or may be appropriately contoured to receive a conventional pipe stem therein to adapt the device 10 for assisting pipe smokers in their efforts to stop smoking.

The mouthpiece 12 of the anti-smoking device 10 is of a two-piece construction and includes a metallic electrically conductive body 13 having a cutout 14 in which is received a body 15. The body 15 is adhesively or otherwise conventionally retained in the cutout 14. An end portion 16 opposite the end portion 11 of the mouthpiece 12 is contoured in a conventional manner so as to adapt the mouthpiece for positioning between the lips of a user.

The bodies 13, 15 of the mouthpiece 12 define a passage 17 through which smoke is adapted to be drawn by a smoker and moved from right-to-left as viewed in FIG- URES 2 and 3 of the drawing. A movable switch element 18 (FIGURES 2 and 3) which defines a portion of an electrical circuit 20 for creating an electrical output is slidably mounted within the passage 17, and is normally biased to the position shown in FIGURE 4 by a rubber band or a similar resilient e'lement connected to the switch element 18 and a pin 22 having opposite ends (unnumbered) selectively positionable in diametrically disposed stepped slots 29 in the end portion 11 of the mouthpiece 12. The switch element 18 is constructed of conductive material and includes a pair of generally circular flanges 23, 24 each having a plurality of radially outwardly opening recesses or apertures 25 (FIGURE 4) through which the smoke is adapted to pass from right-to-left as viewed in FIGURE 3 of the drawing. A pair of normally open electrical contacts 26, 27 are adapted to be closed by the contact thereof with the respective flanges 23, 24, as will be more fully described hereafter.

Referring particularly to FIGURE 2, the electrical circuit 20 in addition to the contacts 26, 27 and the switch element 18 includes a battery or power source 30, a pair of adjustable rheostats 31, 32, a vibrator 33 and a transformer 34 having a primary winding 35 and a secondary winding 36. The contact 27 is connected to the primary Winding 35 of the transformer 34 by a conductor 37 while the secondary winding 36 is connected to the rheostat 31 by a conductor 38. The vibrator 33 is connected by conductors 40, 41 between the primary winding 35 and the rheostat 32. The battery 30 is connected to the rheostat 32 by a conductor 42 and to the contact 26 by a conductor 43. Finally, the output from the rheostat 31 is connected by a conductor 44 to another conductor 45 which runs along the upper surface of the body 15 and terminates at the lip-engaging portion 16. It should be noted that the conductor 45 is insulated from the metallic electrically conductive body 13 by the nonelectrically conductive body 15, and that the contact 27 is connected to the metallic body 13.

When a smoker puffs or inhales, smoke is drawn from right-to-lett in the passage 17 and is permitted to partially pass beyond the switch element 18 through the apertures 25. However, a certain degree of suction is created which is sufficient to draw or pull the switch element 18 to the left against the bias of the band 21 bringing the upper flanges 23, 24 into contact with the respective normally open contacts 26, 27. The closing of the contacts 26, 27 establishes current flow through the primary winding 35 of the transformer 34 over a path defined by the contact 27, the conductor 37, the primary winding 35, the conductor 40, the vibrator 33, the conductor 41, the rheostat 32, the conductor 42, the battery 30, the conductor 43, the contact 26, and the switch element 18. The pulsating current and voltage produced in the primary winding 35 is induced in the second winding 36 to produce an electrical output causing a shock to occur at the lips of the smoker over a path defined by the contact 27, the conductor 37, the secondary winding 36 of the transformer 34, the conductor 38, the rheostat 31, the conductor 44, the conductor 45, the lips of the user (not shown), the metallic electrically conductive body 13, and the switch element 18. When thus repeatedly shocked the anti-smoking device 10 is effective to discourage a person from smoking.

Since smokers differ in their pulling or inhaling characteristics, the stepped slots 29 have been provided to increase or decrease the tension of the band 21. By

3 moving the pin 22 to the left from the position shown in FIGUR'ES 1 and 3, the tension of the band 21 is decreased and a lesser degree of suction will close the contacts 26, 27, and vice versa. Similarly, the arms (unnumbered) of the rheostats 31, 32 can be selectively adjusted by externally exposed rotatable elements 47, 48, respectively, to increase or decrease the degree of shock which is desirable because of the difierences in electrical thresholds among individuals.

While a preferred form and arrangement of parts have been shown in illustrating the invention, it is to be clearly understood that various changes in details and arrangement of parts may be made without departing from the spirit and scope thereof.

I claim:

1. An anti-smoking device for assisting a smoker in attempting to stop smoking cigars, pipes, cigarettes or the like comprising a mouthpiece having a passage through which smoke is drawn, means for completing an electrical circuit having output means responsive to smoke moving through said passage, and means for conducting said electrical output to the lips of a smoker to thus produce an electrical shock at times when the smoke is drawn through said passage.

k 2. The anti-smoking device as defined in claim 1 wherein said electrical output means includes switch means responsive to smoke moving through said passage for moving said switch means from a first open position to a second closed position.

3. The anti-smoking device as defined in claim 1 wherein said electrical output means includes means for selectively adjusting the electrical output.

4. The anti-smoking device as defined in claim 1 wherein said electrical output means includes switch means having'k a movable switch element positioned in said passage for movement under the influence of smoke moving through said passage.

5. The anti-smoking device as defined in claim 1 wherein said electrical output means includes switch means having a slidable switch element positioned in said passage for sliding movement under the influence of smoke moving through said passage.

6. The anti-smoking device as defined in claim 1 wherein said mouthpiece includes an end portion adapted to be positioned between the lips of a user, and said conducting means includes a pair of lip-contactable electrically conductive contacts at said end portion.

7. The anti-smoking device as defined in claim 1 wherein said electrical output means and electrical circuit have a pair of normally open contacts, a switch element movable in response to smoke moving through said passage for closing said normally open contacts, said electrical circuit further including a source of electrical energy, and a pair of conductors coupled to said contacts and said electrical energy source whereby upon the closing of said contacts by said switch element an electrical output is produced through said pair of conductors which when in contact with the lips of a smoker produces an electrical shock each time said contacts are closed.

8. The anti-smoking device as defined in claim 2 wherein said mouthpiece includes an end portion adapted to be positioned between the lips of a user, and said conducting means includes a pair of lip-contactable electrically conductive contacts at said end portion.

9. The anti-smoking device as defined in claim 8 wherein said switch means includes a switch element at least partially disposed in said passage.

10. The anti-smoking device as defined in claim 9 wherein said electrical output means includes an electrical circuit having a pair of normally open contacts, said switch element being operative for closing said normally open contacts upon the movement of smoke through said passage, said electrical circuit further including a source of electrical energy, and said pair of lip-contactable electrically conductive contacts being coupled to said normally open contacts and said electrical energy source whereby upon the closing of said contacts by said switch element an electrical output is produced at said lip-contactable contacts which when in contact with the lips of a smoker produces an electrical shock-each time said normally open contacts are closed.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 407,116 7/1889 Pratt 128-409 x 1,565,173 12/1925 Lyeso 1s1 17s X 2,213,403 9/1940 Miller 12s--172 X JOSEPH S. REICH, Primary Examiner U.S. C1. X.R.

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