APPARATUS AND METHOD OF USE

This application claims the priority of the U.S. Provisional Serial No. 62/722,883 filed August 25, 2018.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

Field of the Invention

The present invention is related to the field of smoking and, more particularly, to a tiltable water-assisted smoking apparatus, having 2 chambers that uses the force of gravity to cause water to fall from the raised chamber into the lower chamber while simultaneously drawing smoke into the raised chamber, the smoke is then forced out of the apparatus by applying pressure to the same chamber by tiling the apparatus back and displacing the smoke with water for inhalation by the user.

Description of the Related Art

Water-assisted smoking devices by which the user inhales smoke that has passed through a quantity of water are known to lower the temperature of the smoke and make the smoke smoother on the throat as compared with the hotter drier smoke that is inhaled directly from a cigarette or pipe. Upon igniting a desired quantity of herb or other combustible substance to be smoked, many conventional water-assisted smoking devices rely on suction created by inhalation through the user’s mouth to draw smoke through the water and into a collecting area of the

5UB5TITUTE SHEET (RULE 26) device. Furthermore, many conventional water-assisted smoking devices rely on the user to inhale the smoke from the apparatus manually, by attaching their mouth on the apparatus. This non- standardized method of suction may, of course, vary from user to user and can be difficult in practice for some individuals, such as those who may have limited proficiency with smoking tools. These conventional approaches listed above can be messy, unsanitary and hard to practice.

Therefore, a need exists for a smoking apparatus that provides the benefits of suction and forced exit of the smoke produced by the apparatus while easily providing for repeated reuse of the apparatus, without having to replace the water.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

In view of the foregoing, the present invention is directed to a water-assisted smoking apparatus having two chambers that are in substantially horizontal alignment with one another and separated by a small opening or choke point through which fluid can pass from the raised chamber to the lower chamber.

The apparatus may be provided with a foot that’s fixed to the bottom, with“bottom” being under the horizontal chambers, of the device that allows the apparatus to stand on its own. Alternatively, if there isn’t a fixed foot to the bottom of the device, a perch or any supporting item may be placed to the bottom of the device. In any of these or other suitable arrangements, which of the chambers is the“raised” chamber and which is the“lower” chamber is merely a function of the orientation of the apparatus for any given use, as the apparatus is fully and interchangeably tiltable, and preferably symmetrical.

Each chamber has at least one vent at the top of the chambers which is preferably placed towards the center of the device, with“top” being the side opposite the bottom. The chambers may be fitted with a removable bowl having an opening in the bottom. The opening may be formed as part of a stem which may be of various lengths. The stem has a central bore or channel running the length thereof like a straw. The bowl, which is positioned above a sealing member preferably integral with the stem, serves to hold the quantity of herb or other combustible substance that is to be ignited to generate smoke.

When appropriate to facilitate the following description and claims, the combination of the sealing member and the stemmed bowl are each generically referred to herein as a“smoke generating and conveying assembly”.

To describe the use of the apparatus according to the present invention, the chambers will be referred to as chamber A and chamber B, again with the understanding that either chamber may be the raised chamber or the lower chamber depending upon the orientation of the apparatus for any given use. A desired quantity of water is poured into the apparatus through any of the vents. The user will then tilt the apparatus starting with chamber A as the lower chamber, making chamber B the raised chamber. The force of gravity will cause the water to flow through the choke point and into the lower chamber A while the air previously in chamber A escapes through the open chamber A vent while atmospheric air is sucked into chamber B through the open chamber B vent.

With the water in the lower chamber A the vent on the lower chamber A is fitted with the smoke generating and conveying assembly with the desired quantity of combustible substance in the bowl. The apparatus is tilted the opposite way, so that chamber A becomes the raised chamber and chamber B is thus the lower chamber. This allows the water in chamber A to fall by gravity into chamber B through the choke point. This creates a partial vacuum in chamber A which draws air and smoke from the burning combustible substance, that’s ignited, in through the central channel in the stem of the smoke generating and conveying assembly. If the stem is long enough, the smoke will exit into the quantity of water still in the upper chamber A, creating bubbles of smoke upon meeting the water and bursting when the bubbles meet the upper surface of the water to fill chamber A with smoke. With a short stem, the smoke enters the air-filled portion of the upper chamber above the water level. After the water has transferred from the upper chamber A into the lower chamber B of the apparatus, the smoke is contained in chamber

A. To force the smoke out of chamber A, remove the smoke generating and conveying assembly and tilt the apparatus so chamber A becomes the lower chamber once again. The water from chamber B flows into chamber A by the force of gravity. During this transfer the water displaces the air in chamber A, forcing the smoke collected in chamber A to exit through the vent located on chamber A, creating a plume of smoke outside of the apparatus that the user can inhale from the air. During the inhaling process the user should hover their mouth above the lower chamber vent, so that they’re ready to inhale the smoke when it projects out of the device.

Once the smoke has been inhaled, the process may be easily repeated by placing the smoke generating and conveying assembly into the vent of lower chamber A with the desired amount of combustible material, tilting the apparatus so that chamber A is the raised chamber, igniting the combustible material, after the water transfer is complete, remove the smoke generating and conveying assembly, tilting it back so that chamber A is the lower chamber, inhale the smoke that erupts out of the apparatus.

During the inhaling process, the user can also, if desired, inhale the projected smoke from the apparatus while creating more smoke in the other chamber. For example: if the raised chamber A is full of smoke, by removing the smoke generating and conveying assembly from the vent on the raised chamber A and placing the smoke generating and conveying assembly into vent on the lower chamber B, then tilting the apparatus so that chamber B is the raised chamber. During this time the user can inhale the smoke erupting out of lower chamber A and generate more smoke in the apparatus. To clear the smoke out of chamber B, tilt the apparatus so that chamber B is the lower chamber and smoke will erupt from the vent located on chamber B. This inventive method allows for multiple repetitions without exchanging liquids.

Accordingly, it is an object of the present invention to provide a water-assisted smoking apparatus having two chambers that use the force of gravity acting on a quantity of water to create a partial vacuum in the raised chamber that suctions smoke into the apparatus where it is collected then forced out for inhalation by the user, the two chambers being in generally horizontal alignment with one another, the relationship of the two chambers by which one is the raised and the other is the lower chamber being interchangeable between two orientations by tilting the apparatus such that the apparatus works effectively in either orientation to bum a combustible substance and, through an apparatus-generated vacuum, to draw in, collect and project the smoke that is generated when the substance is ignited.

A further object of the present invention is to provide a method of using a water-assisted smoking apparatus in accordance with the preceding objects in which the apparatus may be used in a first orientation in which one chamber designated chamber A, is lowered and fitted with the smoke generating and conveying assembly and having a quantity of water therein, and the other chamber filled with air and designated chamber B is in the raised position, upon tilting the apparatus so that chamber B is the lower chamber, water flowing from chamber A into chamber B while a quantity of combustible substance within the smoke generating and conveying assembly associated with chamber A is burned so that smoke, drawn into the apparatus by a partial vacuum created by the controlled tilt and the water transfer between the chambers, is collected in chamber A then forced out of the apparatus by tilting the apparatus again (after removing the smoke generating and conveying assembly), so that chamber A is again the lowered chamber and chamber B is the raised chamber, creating a vacuum in chamber B and creating pressure in chamber A by forcing water to displace the smoke that was generated in chamber A, the process of burning, collecting smoke through suction created by the apparatus, forcing the smoke out of the apparatus, inhaling the smoke that’s forced out, and tilting the apparatus for reuse being repeatable multiple times without delay or any need to change the water.

It is yet another object of the invention to provide a water-assisted smoking apparatus and method in accordance with the preceding objects that provides an easy, clean and efficient smoking experience by which smoke is drawn into the apparatus through the smoke generating and conveying assembly by a partial vacuum generated by the apparatus when in use so that the need for mouth-generated suction by the user to draw the smoke into the apparatus is eliminated.

Still another object of the present invention is to provide a water=assisted smoking apparatus and method in accordance with the preceding objects that provides an easy, clean and efficient smoking experience by which smoke is forced out of the apparatus through a vent by partial pressure generated by the apparatus when in use so that the need for the user to apply their mouth on the object is eliminated.

Still another object of the invention*****

These and other objects of the invention, as well as many of the intended advantages thereof, will become more readily apparent when reference is made to the following description taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

Figure 1 1A show the components of a first embodiment of a water-assisted smoking apparatus in accordance with the present invention. Figure 1 shows the vessel with two chambers connected by a choke point or small opening, each chamber having a vent and perched on a fixed foot. The chambers also share a wall above the small opening or choke point.

Figure 1A shows the smoke generating and conveying assembly used with the vessel to complete the apparatus.

Figure IB shows the vessel of Figure 1 fitted with the smoke generating and conveying assembly of Figure 1A.

Figure 2 A shows the vessel of Figure 1 with the desired quantity of water in the apparatus

Figure 2B shows the vessel of Figure 1 with the desired quantity of water in the apparatus and tilted to one side, the water flowing to one side of the apparatus to prepare the apparatus for the smoke generating and conveying assembly.

Figure 2C shows the vessel as oriented in Figure 2B with the lowered chamber vent fitted with the smoke generating a conveying assembly.

Figure 3 shows the apparatus according to the first embodiment during use as the desired quantity of combustible substance in the bowl of the smoke generating and conveying apparatus is ignited and the apparatus is tilted to the other side creating a partial vacuum in the raised chamber that draws smoke into the upper chamber of the apparatus and ejecting the air in the bottom chamber.

Figure 4 shows the apparatus according to the first embodiment after all the water had reached the lower chamber and the smoke generating and conveying assembly has been removed.

5UB5TITUTE SHEET (RULE 26) Figure 5 shows the apparatus of Figure 4 after tilting the apparatus back to the other side allowing the smoke collected to be ejected out of the apparatus and into the air allowing the user to inhale the smoke being projected out of the chamber.

Figure 5 A shows the apparatus of Figure 4 after tilting the apparatus back to the other side while having the smoke generating and conveying assembly inserted and ignited on the other chamber allowing for both the smoke collected to be ejected out of the apparatus and into the air allowing the user to inhale the smoke being projected out of the chamber and generating more smoke into the other chamber at the same time.

Figure 6 is a flowchart of a method of using the water-assisted smoking apparatus according to the present invention.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

In describing preferred embodiments of the invention illustrated in the drawings, specific terminology will be resorted to for the sake of clarity. However, the invention is not intended to be limited to the specific terms so selected, and it is to be understood that each specific term includes all technical equivalents which operate in a similar manner to accomplish a similar purpose.

As shown by a first preferred embodiment depicted in Figures 1-5, the present invention is directed to a water-assisted smoking apparatus generally designated by reference numeral 10. In this regard, while the smoking apparatus is described herein as water assisted, it is not intended that the present invention be limited to use with just water as other liquid could be used. Therefore, unless otherwise specified, use of the term“water” is intended to include such other liquids as might be appropriately and safely used in conformity with the invention as it is described herein.

The water-assisted smoking apparatus 10 includes a vessel 12 having two chambers generally referred to as chamber A 14 and chamber B 18, and a smoke generating and conveying assembly generally designated by reference numeral 60 and shown in Figures 1A. In the orientation shown in Figure 1 both chambers are at equal level to each other. However, in Figure 2 A chamber A 14 is the lower chamber and chamber B 18 is the raised chamber as will be further described hereinafter, the apparatus 10 is fully and interchangeably tiltable, with appropriate changes in the placement of the smoke generating and conveying assembly 60, so that chamber A 14 may be the lower chamber and chamber B 18 may be the raised chamber. For ease of description, the orientation shown in Figure 2 is referred to as the“first orientation” and an inverted or opposite orientation, with respect to what is shown in in Figure 2, is referred to as the“second orientation” (see Figure 4)

In both the first and second orientations, the chambers 14, 18 are supported in substantially vertical alignment with one another and are separated by a choke point 17 and a wall 15 above the choke point. As used herein, the term“choke point” is intended to include any narrowed or constricted region between the two chambers. According to the preferred embodiment illustrated in Figures 1-5, the vessel 12 of the apparatus 10 has a cylinder shape with two opposed symmetrical chambers 14, 18. However, other shapes may be sued effectively, included the use of chambers that are not symmetrical.

Each chamber has at least 1 vent that may be generally referred to as a vent. According to the embodiment shown, and more specifically, chamber A 14 has a vent or opening 20, and chamber B 18 has a vent or opening 30. The vents 20, 30 as shown are embodied as projected ports with apertures therein but they could be flush with the wall of the vessel chambers A and B. The position may be varied so long as the vents are not in communication with the quantity of water that is used during operation of the smoking apparatus 10.

The smoke generating and conveying assembly 60 according to the first embodiment of the apparatus 10 includes a bowl 40 with an elongated stem 42 and a sealing member 46 as shown in Figures 1A. The bowl 40, stem 42, and sealing member 46 are preferably integral with one another but could be 3 components connected together. The bowl 40 is configured to hold a quantity of combustible substance for burning therein, with the interior of the bowl being in fluid communication with the central channel 44 formed in the stem 42 that extends the length thereof. When the bowl 40 and the stem 42 are fitted into one of the vents 20, 30 the lower end of the stem 42 preferably extends about three-quarters of the way into the respective chamber. The stem 42 may, however, be longer or shorter.

According to the first embodiment, the apparatus and its horizontal chambers A 14, B 18 are supported by a fixed foot 50. Alternatively, in the absence of a fixed foot. The chambers may be supported by a stand, perch or other supporting cradle.

As shown in Figures 2A-5A, the apparatus is operable with a quantity of liquid such as water 66 which is introduced into the apparatus by pouring water through any vent 20, 30 as shown in Figure 2 A. The amount of water may vary with the understanding that suction will only be created for as long as it takes for the water to be displaced from the raised chamber to the lower chamber. Hence, having more water prolong the time period over which suction and pressure is created.

Once the desired quantity of water 66 has been introduced into the apparatus 10, the apparatus is then tilted to the first orientation in which chamber A 14 is the lowered chamber as shown in Figure 2B with a desired quantity of combustible substance 70 having been pressed into the bowl 40 as shown, the apparatus is tilted to the second orientation, shown on Figure 3, and the combustible substance 70 is ignited. Tilting the device to the second orientation allows the water 66 in chamber A 14 to fall by gravity into chamber B 18 through the choke point 17. This creates a partial vacuum in chamber A 14 which draws atmospheric air 74, along with smoke 72 from the burning substance 70 in the bowl 40, into and through the central channel 44 in the stem 42 which is fitted with a sealing member 46 (the sealing member 46 ensures a vacuum through the bowl 40, and stem 42) in the vent 20. The smoke 72 from the burning of the combustible substance 70 goes down through the stem 42 and, in the case of a long stem, into the water 66, creating bubbles of smoke which are filtered by the water and then burst when the bubbles meet the upper surface 73 of the water 66 to fill chamber A 14 with smoke 72. If the bowl has a short stem, the smoke is drawn into the air-filled upper portion of the raised chamber to be collected above the water line without water filtration.

Figure 4 shows the apparatus 10 after the water 66 has fully transferred from the raised chamber A 14 into the lower chamber B 18 of the vessel 12 and the smoke generating and conveying assembly 60 has been removed. The user can then tilt the apparatus back to the first orientation to flush out the smoke or vapor 72, by raising the chamber B 18 thus making chamber A 14 the lower chamber, water 66 can flow from chamber B 18 back to chamber A 14, the water flowing back into chamber A 14 forces the smoke to be pushed out of vent 20, allowing the user to hover over the vent 20 and inhaling the smoke and/or vapor 72 that shoots out of the apparatus (See Figure 5).

Figure 5 A shows an alternative method that includes both the smoke being pushed out of vent 20, and generating smoke at the same time in the other vent 30 through the smoke generating and conveying assembly. This process can be repeated without having the change the water 66, making it incredibly easy for the user.

There are many different embodiments for the device (not shown) and it should be noted that the illustration is just used as a reference.

The entire apparatus is preferably made of glass although other materials such as plastic may be used.

An alternate configuration, the apparatus may be used with water in the lower chamber and the smoke generating and conveying assembly fitted within the lower vent, thereby enabling the apparatus to be used in a more conventional way as is known in the art to create a water- filtered smoking apparatus in which the user, using a vent in the upper chamber, creates the suction needed to draw smoke into the vessel of the apparatus.

Another alternate configuration is the apparatus may be used. After generating smoke into the apparatus, the user can draw smoke from the apparatus by placing their mouth on either vent and inhaling the smoke/vapor 72 in a more traditional fashion.

While the apparatus has been described herein as a water-assisted smoking apparatus, it is noted that the present invention may also be used as a wine aerator.

Accordingly, the present invention is also intended to encompass a liquid-assisted air- moving apparatus.

The foregoing descriptions and drawings should be considered as illustrative only of the principles of the invention. The invention may be configured in a variety of shapes and sizes and is not limited by the dimension of the preferred embodiment. Numerous applications of the present invention will readily occur to those skilled in the art. Therefore, it is not desired to limit the invention to the specific examples disclosed or the exact construction and operation shown and described. Rather, all suitable modifications and equivalents may be resorted to, falling within the scope of the invention.

5U B5TITUTE SH EET (RULE 26)