Cigar cutting apparatus

Abstract

A cigar cutting apparatus has a housing defining a hole for receiving a cigar head, the hole having a hole diameter and defining a hole axis central thereto. First and second cutting blades lie within and are pivotable relative to the housing about first and second pivot axes, respectively. The first and second pivot axes are disposed on a line separated from the hole axis by at least the hole diameter and separately disposed by at least the hole diameter. Each cutting blade has a cutting edge pivotable with the associated cutting blade and directed toward the cutting edge of the other cutting blade. The cutting blades cooperate with the hole to define a passageway for receiving a cigar head when the cutting blades are pivoted away from each other, and the cutting edges cooperate to slice through the cigar head as the cutting blades are pivoted towards each other. The cutting blades come together to block the passageway. A spring biases the cutting edges apart, and a latch is engageable with for retaining together the first and second cutting blades to block the passageway, and operable to release the blades to allow the spring to cause the first and second cutting edges apart to expose the passageway.

Description

RELATED APPLICATION[0001]This application is a continuation-in-part of co-pending U.S. Design patent application Ser. No. 29 / 324,691, filed on Sep. 18, 2008, the specification thereof being incorporated herein by reference in its entirety.[0002]The present invention is related to cigar smoking implements and accessories. More particularly, this invention is a device for trimming the head of a cigar in preparation for smoking. This application is a continuation of co-pending U.S. Letters patent application Ser. No. 11 / 934,812, filed on Nov. 5, 2007.FIELD OF THE INVENTIONBackground[0003]Cigars consist of a filler tobacco, rolled within binder tobacco, and then rolled within wrapper tobacco. The filler is often scraps or pieces of flavorful tobacco. Larger leaves of low aesthetic quality and flavor are generally used for binders to tightly contain and compact the filler. Leaves of highest aesthetic quality are typically used for the wrapper, to provide a smooth and consistent outer sur...

AI Technical Summary

Benefits of technology

[0016]The invention is a cigar cutting apparatus arranged to overcome the deficiencies of the prior art by providing simple and convenient means to slice the head of a cigar and to manufacture such an apparatus, while providing a head-opening quality equal to cutters which are more complicated to operate and manufacture. The cigar cutting apparatus may have blades are biased against each other during slicing along the slicing plane. The cigar cutting apparatus may have a compact and safe storage condition in which the blade edges are protected and unexposed. The cigar cutting apparatus may automatically lock into its compact and safe storage condition at the completion of a cut.

[0019]The cigar cutting apparatus may have a spring for biasing the cutting edges apart, and a latch engaging with and retaining together the first and second cutting blades to block the passageway and operable to release the blades to allow the spring to cause the first and second cutting edges apart. Each of the cutting blades may have a retention edge; the retention edges each becoming aligned with the latch as the cutting blades block the passageway. The latch may have a pawl biased to engage the aligned retention edges, the pawl may engages the aligned retention edges to retain the blades together to block the passageway, and operation of the latch may cause the pawl to release the retention edges and allow the spring to cause the blades apart and expose the passageway for receiving the cigar head.

[0025]A latch may retain the blades in a safe and compact “storage” condition and automatically capture the blades into the storage condition at the completion of the slicing motion. During the storage condition, the blade edges may be protected for safety and to avoid damage to their sharp edges. The latch causes the blades to remain in the compact and safe storage condition against the opening bias of the blades. Release of the latch may allow the springs to push the blades outwardly into a ready condition in preparation for cutting. The smoker may select any slicing position along the cigar accurately and in full view of the cigar.

Problems solved by technology

While typically more expensive and complicated to manufacture, the resulting cigar openings tend to be cleaner and truer than are those made by scissors-type cutters.

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