Portable Ecological Article for Extinguishing a Cigarette and for Containing Residues of the Cigarette

Abstract

A portable ecological article (1) for extinguishing a cigarette (9) and for containing residues of the cigarette (9), comprising: a body (2) comprising in turn a first chamber (3) for receiving internally thereof at least a lit cigarette butt (9), the first chamber (3) being accessible from outside via a first opening (4); a closing element (7), constrained to the body (2), for occluding the first opening (4) of the first chamber (3), which closing element (7) can assume at least two positions, a first position in which the first chamber (3) is accessible from outside and a second position in which the closing element (7) occludes the first opening (4), making the first chamber (3) inaccessible from outside; and wherein the body (2) comprises a housing (5) conformed such as to receive an accessory (6) for smokers; the article (1) exhibiting first means (81) for hermetically occluding the first opening (4) when the closing element (7) is arranged in the second position thereof; the first chamber (3) being dimensioned such that after having inserted a lit cigarette butt (9) internally of the first chamber (3) and having hermetically closed the first chamber (3), the cigarette butt (9) is rapidly extinguished as a consequence of a progressive exhausting of oxygen present internally of the first chamber (3).

Description

FIELD OF THE INVENTION[0001]The present invention relates to the technical sector concerning articles for extinguishing a cigarette; in particular the invention relates to a portable ecological article for extinguishing a cigarette and containing residues thereof (i.e. ashes and butt), in order to enable relative management thereof up to final disposal thereof.DESCRIPTION OF THE PRIOR ART[0002]A basic consideration is that all smokers, in order to indulge their habit, obviously require a cigarette and a lighter.[0003]Therefore all smokers, once having lit the cigarette, require somewhere to discard the ash and when the cigarette is finished need to eliminate the lit cigarette, possibly in total safety and with respect for the environment.[0004]However, throughout the world today, in outside environments such as urban areas, and in particular extra-urban areas such as roads, parks, beaches, coastal locations, mountains etc., ash trays for disposal of cigarette butts are rare or almos...

AI Technical Summary

Benefits of technology

[0028]A further advantage relates to the fact that the article of the invention exhibits a housing for receiving an accessory for smokers; this accessory can be for example a lighter. The smoker, therefore, only needs to carry a single portable object, which enables him or her to carry a light which also functions as a container element for collecting cigarette butts.

[0029]The article advantageously enables, after the lit cigarette has been extinguished, containing the article and eventual residual substances with maximum practicality of use, hygiene and in total safety, while guaranteeing full respect for the environment.

[0030]Thanks to the hermetic closure, the smoke and unpleasant smells created during extinguishing of the cigarette butt are avoided (for example when the article is temporarily placed in the pocket); this dispersion of the smoke and ash occurs during use of known-type articles.

Problems solved by technology

Even where present, ash trays are often not accessible to the smoker, as they are not nearby when needed; in particular, the smoker not only has to be able to stub out a cigarette after having smoked it, but also has to dispose of the ash safely while the cigarette is being smoked.

In fact throughout the world cigarette butts are disposed-of entirely carelessly, or in ways that can be dangerous for and damaging to the environment (on the ground, in water etc).

Consider that this undesirable behaviour is at present cause of an immense environmental problem, and is recognised as such by very many world-level authorities.

The dimensions of the container are however such as to make it not very practical and therefore hardly used at all; furthermore, the smoker has to carry a lighter and a packet of cigarettes as well as the container as a supplementary accessory.

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