Assembly aid for a tobacco head of a water pipe

Abstract

Assembly aid (1) for a tobacco head (101) of a water pipe, comprising a centrally arranged cover element (2) which is connected to an outer element (4) via at least one connecting web (3).

Description

[0001] The invention relates to a construction aid for a tobacco head of a water pipe.

[0002] Water pipes, also known as shisha, hookah, or nargile, have been used for centuries. Water pipes are typically used to smoke tobacco with fruity or similar flavors. The tobacco used is moist tobacco made from a mixture of raw tobacco, molasses, and glycerin. Shisha tobacco is significantly moister than pipe or cigarette tobacco.

[0003] Unlike other smoking products, however, shisha tobacco is not burned. Rather, the assembly and use of a water pipe or shisha results in the tobacco material being heated, causing its ingredients to evaporate or smoke. The tobacco material is filled in a single portion into a chamber of a pipe bowl or tobacco bowl, i.e., its tobacco chamber. The tobacco bowl can be made of ceramic, glass, pumice, or metal, to name just a few possible materials.

[0004] The tobacco head is detachably connected to the water pipe's smoke column, thus forming a movable element of the water pipe. The tobacco head 101 is available in the familiar design in Fig. 1, and comprises a hollow connecting body 102, on which the tobacco deposit 104 is arranged on the upper side, i.e., opposite the connecting end 103 on the smoke column side. The tobacco deposit 104 is trough-shaped and has a raised edge 106, the end face 107 of which may be roughened. A raised portion 108 is arranged in the center, in which a through-hole 109 is arranged, which penetrates the tobacco head 101 in the axial direction, so that a smoke channel to the smoke column is formed when the tobacco head 101 is connected to the smoke column.

[0005] To fill the tobacco bowl with tobacco, i.e., shisha tobacco, and thus prepare the water pipe, which can generally and hereinafter be referred to as "building," the tobacco bowl can be removed from the smoke column and placed on a surface, such as a table, at a comfortably accessible height. Preparing the water pipe is comparatively time-consuming. The moist and sticky tobacco material is first filled into the tobacco bowl by hand, sometimes with the help of suitable tobacco tongs. When building the tobacco bowl, care must be taken to ensure that no tobacco falls into the draft hole, as this could disrupt the draft. Therefore, the draft hole is covered with a finger of one hand while building the tobacco bowl. This obviously severely restricts freedom of movement.Tobacco can also fall sideways over the edge of the tobacco chamber, which can contaminate not only the tobacco bowl but also the surface on which it rests or possibly even the other components of the water pipe (if the tobacco bowl is resting on the smoke column during assembly). In addition, falling tobacco unnecessarily increases tobacco consumption, which is highly undesirable. Once the tobacco has been added, it may still need to be loosened. This is extremely difficult, particularly given the aforementioned restricted freedom of movement, if the draft hole is covered with a finger of one hand. This is why the covering finger is sometimes removed from the draft hole, which increases the risk of tobacco falling into the draft hole. Tobacco can also fall sideways during loosening, which can lead to the aforementioned soiling and also to increased tobacco consumption.It is also possible that the front surface of the rim of the tobacco deposit becomes wetted with the tobacco liquid, which is disadvantageous when sealing the tobacco head with aluminum foil or attaching a so-called smoke box or, alternatively, a chimney cap. For example, wetting the rim with the liquid inherent in the tobacco (molasses) can reduce the roughness of the rim, so that possible relative movement between the smoke box and the front surface of the tobacco head can no longer completely ensure an airtight covering of the tobacco deposit.

[0006] The invention is based on the object of providing an assembly aid for a tobacco head of a water pipe, with which the preparation of the water pipe, i.e. the construction of the tobacco head, is facilitated while avoiding the known disadvantages.

[0007] According to the invention, the object is achieved by a construction aid having the features of claim 1.

[0008] A construction aid for a tobacco bowl of a water pipe is shown. The construction aid has a centrally arranged cover element that is connected to an outer element via at least one connecting web.

[0009] Advantageous embodiments are disclosed in the subclaims.

[0010] It should be noted that the features and measures listed individually in the following description can be combined with one another in any technically reasonable manner and demonstrate further embodiments of the invention. The description further characterizes and specifies the invention, particularly in conjunction with the figures.

[0011] The invention provides a construction aid that facilitates the construction of the tobacco head by providing a novel tool that consistently ensures consistent construction. Furthermore, tobacco loss is reduced, as tobacco is prevented from falling off sideways or falling into the centrally located through-hole. Contamination of the area immediately surrounding the tobacco head is also avoided. Furthermore, the construction aid according to the invention also prevents the edge of the tobacco head, i.e., its front side, from becoming wet with tobacco liquid.

[0012] In a preferred embodiment, the cover element can have a lid on which a support wall is arranged. It is expedient if the cover element is designed as a hollow cylinder that is open on one side. The cover element can therefore completely surround or enclose the pull-through hole, i.e. its elevation, i.e., virtually seal it off from the tobacco to be filled. In particular, the cover element is designed to match the design of the centrally arranged elevation of the tobacco head, in which the pull-through hole is arranged, which means that the inner circumference of the support wall is larger than the outer circumference of the elevation, so that the cover element can be easily slipped over. In particular, the support wall can have a greater extension in the vertical direction than the elevation of the tobacco head, so that the lid is spaced from the elevation, the elevation being completely enclosed by the cover element.

[0013] In a further preferred embodiment, it can be provided that the at least one connecting web extends in the radial direction from the cover element to the outer element. This advantageously provides a stable assembly aid. In particular, the assembly aid can have more than one connecting web to further increase stability. It is contemplated that two connecting webs each extend in the radial direction from the cover element toward the outer element. In this case, the two connecting webs are arranged diametrically opposite one another, which has a positive influence on the stability of the assembly aid.

[0014] In a further preferred embodiment, it can be provided that the at least one connecting web has the same extension in the vertical direction as the centrally arranged cover element. This embodiment is advantageous in that the lower edges of the at least one connecting web and the cover element are arranged at a common level, so that a level support surface is formed. This measure is also advantageous in that a predetermined height for the tobacco to be filled is provided, which is easily recognizable by the identical height of the upper edges of the at least one connecting web and the cover element. If this predetermined construction height is adhered to when building the tobacco head, it is possible to avoid the tobacco falling sideways over the edge of the tobacco head or falling into the through-hole when removing the construction aid after the tobacco head has been completed, i.e. after it has been built.In particular, the lower edges can be designed to match the curvature of the tobacco head, preferably the tobacco deposit. This further improves the fit. The tobacco deposit in . Fig. 1 is exaggerated with regard to the depicted curvature and is not actually to scale.

[0015] In a further preferred embodiment, it can be provided that the outer element is designed to be larger in the vertical direction than the cover element and than the at least one connecting web, wherein a lower edge of the outer element is arranged at the same height as a lower edge of the cover element and / or the at least one connecting web. On the opposite side, the outer element, with its free front edge viewed in the vertical direction, is ideally designed to project beyond the upper edges of the cover element and connecting web. In this way, an overhang is formed by means of the outer element which prevents tobacco from falling sideways when the tobacco head is being constructed, even if too much tobacco is accidentally added or if it falls out of the tobacco tin undesirably due to gravity.

[0016] In a favorable embodiment, it can further be provided that the outer element has an inner wall oriented toward the cover element, and that the outer element has an outer wall opposite thereto. The at least one connecting web is expediently connected to the inner wall of the cover element, extending from the cover element toward the outer element.

[0017] Preferably, the outer element has a bead on its outer wall. The bead can be completely circumferential or interrupted around the outer element. In an even more preferred embodiment, the bead can be provided centrally on the outer wall with respect to the lower edge and the free end edge of the outer element. With the bead, the assembly aid, which engages with the bead, is easy to grasp and handle. Furthermore, the bead can lie on the edge of the tobacco head, i.e. on its end face, so that this is not only protected against the effects of the tobacco liquid, but also experiences a certain resistance to unwanted displacement when the tobacco head is being built.

[0018] The assembly aid can be assembled using the aforementioned elements, with a suitable connection ensuring a stable position of the respective elements. A material-to-material connection is intended. Since tobacco heads can sometimes have different dimensions and geometric shapes, the assembly aid can ideally be manufactured to match the dimensions of the tobacco head. In a preferred embodiment, the assembly aid can be round, with the cover element and outer element being ring-shaped. The connecting webs therefore extend in a radial direction. The assembly aid can also have any geometric shape, for example polygonal, such as square or pentagonal, if the tobacco head is also to be square. In particular, the assembly aid can be manufactured in one piece or in one piece using injection molding or additive manufacturing (3D printing).The assembly aid can be made from plastic, glass, acrylic, or aluminum, for example, although the materials mentioned are of course only examples and not limiting. The assembly aid is advantageously designed so that it can be inserted into the tobacco head in only one, predetermined orientation, namely with the opening of the cover element facing downwards. In this respect, the assembly aid advantageously has a poka-yoke feature. In particular, the bead can be roughened on the side oriented towards the support side of the assembly aid, which further reduces relative movement between the assembly aid and the tobacco head. The same applies to the lower edges of the outer element, cover element or its support wall and the connecting webs, which can also be roughened.

[0019] Once the tobacco head has been fully constructed according to the dimensions of the assembly aid according to the invention, i.e. filled with shisha tobacco, the assembly aid can be removed. Due to the hollow cylindrical design of the cover element with its support wall, a free space, i.e. a tobacco-free space, is created concentrically around the central elevation in which the pull-through hole is located. This way, the tobacco is spaced radially from the pull-through hole, and even after removal of the assembly aid, tobacco is effectively prevented from falling into the pull-through hole. At the same time, thanks to the outer element, a free space, i.e. a tobacco-free space, is created around the edge of the tobacco head. This way, the tobacco is spaced radially from the edge, and even after removal of the assembly aid, tobacco is effectively prevented from falling sideways.This allows the tobacco to be loosened up when building the tobacco head without there being any risk of tobacco falling into the draft hole or falling out the side. The loosening is also positively influenced by the at least one connecting web, which thus has a triple function. One of its functions is to hold the cover element to the outer element. Another function is to limit the construction height. Yet another function is to loosen the tobacco. Due to the free spaces seen in the radial direction, i.e. tobacco-free spaces, the tobacco depot of the tobacco head is filled in a ring-shaped manner, whereby the free spaces, which could also be described as ring-shaped air slits, ensure good ventilation and thus positively influence the evaporation of the ingredients. The following structure is conceivable:

[0020] The assembly aid is preliminarily inserted into the tobacco bowl, with tobacco being flaked into the assembly aid. The tobacco is distributed at the level of the upper edges of the cover element and connecting bar. The assembly aid is then lifted out, oriented upwards, and the smokebox or chimney attachment is placed on the completed tobacco bowl. The completed tobacco bowl can then be placed on the hookah, i.e., on its smoke pipe, and the coal can be placed in the chimney attachment. Fig. Figure 1 shows a known tobacco head in a perspective view from above. Further advantageous embodiments of the invention are disclosed in the dependent claims and the following description of the figures. Fig. 2a a construction aid in a perspective view on its support side from below, and Fig. 2b the construction aid from Fig. 2a in a perspective view on its top side.

[0021] In the different figures, identical parts are always provided with the same reference symbols, which is why they are usually only described once.

[0022] The Fig. 2a and Fig. 2b shows a construction aid 1 for a tobacco bowl 101 of a water pipe. The construction aid 1 has a centrally arranged cover element 2, which is connected to an outer element 4 via at least one connecting web 3.

[0023] The cover element 2 has a lid 6 on which a support wall 7 is arranged. As in Fig. As can best be seen in Figure 2a, the cover element 2 is designed as a hollow cylinder open on one side.

[0024] The Fig. 2a and Fig. 2b shows that the at least one connecting web 3 extends radially from the cover element 2 to the outer element 4. In the illustrated embodiment, two connecting webs 3 extend radially from the cover element 2 toward the outer element 4. The two connecting webs 3 are arranged diametrically opposite one another.

[0025] Both connecting webs 3, viewed in the vertical direction, have the same extension as the centrally arranged cover element 2. Thus, the lower edge 8 of the cover element 2 and the lower edges 9 of the two connecting webs 3 are arranged at a common level, so that a level support surface is formed. In other words, a support side 11 ( Fig. 2a) of the assembly aid 1 is designed without any vertical offset. With the support side 11, the assembly aid 1 rests in the tobacco depot 104. In this respect, it can also be provided that the respective lower edges are designed to match the design of the tobacco depot with regard to the designed curvature. The lid 6 can be spaced with its underside 10 in the vertical direction from the free end face of the elevation 108. This would mean that the connecting webs 3 and the support wall 7 are designed to be larger in the vertical direction than the elevation 108. This would not be disadvantageous, since the elevation 109 and thus the through-hole 109 are completely enclosed by the cover element 2. In an ideal design, the connecting webs 3, the support wall 7 and the elevation 108 have an identical extension in the vertical direction. This can be seen in the Fig. 2b also an identical height level of an upper edge 12 of the cover element 2 and a respective upper edge 13 of the two connecting webs 3.

[0026] The vertical direction is in the Fig. 2a and Fig. 2b is not shown separately. This extends in the drawing plane of the Fig. 2a vertically into the drawing, and in the drawing plane of the Fig. 2b vertically out of the drawing.

[0027] An example is the Fig. 2a and Fig. 2b that the outer element 4, viewed in the vertical direction, is larger than the cover element 2 and the two connecting webs 3. A lower edge 14 of the outer element 4 is arranged at the same height as the lower edges 8, 9 of the cover element 2 and the two connecting webs 3. Thus, the support side 11 of the assembly aid 1 is still designed without any height offset, whereby reference is made here to the possible adaptation to the curvature of the tobacco depot. On the opposite side, the outer element 4, with its free front edge 16, viewed in the vertical direction, is ideally designed to project beyond the upper edges 12, 13 of the cover element 4 and the two connecting webs 3.Thus, a projection 17 is formed by means of the outer element 4, which already prevents tobacco from falling sideways during the construction of the tobacco head 101, even if too much tobacco is filled due to carelessness, or if it falls out of the tobacco tin undesirably due to gravity.

[0028] The Fig. 2a and Fig. 2b further shows that the outer element 4 has an inner wall 18 oriented toward the cover element 2, and that the outer element 4 has an outer wall 19 opposite it. Both connecting webs 3 extend from the cover element 2, i.e., from its support wall 7, toward the outer element 4 and are connected to its inner wall 18.

[0029] As exemplified and best described in the Fig. 2a and Fig.As can be seen in Figure 2b, the outer element 4 has a bead 21 on its outer wall 19. The bead 21 is, for example, completely guided around the outer element 4 in the circumferential direction. It can also be seen that the bead 21 is arranged centrally on the outer wall 19 with respect to the lower edge 14 and the free end edge 16 of the outer element 4. With the bead 21, the assembly aid 1 can be easily grasped and handled by engaging the bead 21. Furthermore, the bead 21 can be placed on the edge 106 of the tobacco head 101, i.e., on its end face. List of reference symbols: 1 assembly aid 2 cover element 3 connecting bridge 4 outer element 5 6 lid 7 Support wall 8 bottom edge of 2 9 bottom edge of 3 10 bottom of 6 11 Support side 12 top edge of 2 13 Top edge of 3 14 bottom edge of 4 15 16 front edge of 4 17 Overhang 18 inner wall of 4 19 outer wall of 4 20 21 bulge 101 Tobacco Head 102 connecting bodies 103 End of connection 104 Tobacco Depot 105 106 Edge 107 frontal area 108 Survey 109 Through hole

Claims

[1] Assembly aid (1) for a tobacco head (101) of a water pipe, comprising a centrally arranged cover element (2) which is connected to an outer element (4) via at least one connecting web (3). [2] Construction aid (1) according to claim 1, characterized by that the cover element (2) has a lid (6) on which a support wall (7) is arranged. [3] Construction aid (1) according to claim 1 or 2, characterized by that the cover element (2) is designed as a hollow cylinder open on one side. [4] Construction aid (1) according to one of the preceding claims, characterized by that the at least one connecting web (3) extends in the radial direction from the cover element (2) to the outer element (4). [5] Construction aid (1) according to one of the preceding claims, characterized by that the at least one connecting web (3) has the same extension in the vertical direction as the centrally arranged cover element (2). [6] Construction aid (1) according to one of the preceding claims, characterized by that the outer element (4) is designed to be larger in the vertical direction than the cover element (2) and than the at least one connecting web (3), wherein a lower edge (14) of the outer element (4) is arranged at the same height level as a lower edge (8) of the cover element (2) and a lower edge (9) of the at least one connecting web (3). [7] Construction aid (1) according to one of the preceding claims, characterized by that the outer element (4) projects with its free front edge (16) above the upper edges (12, 13) of the cover element (2) and the connecting web (3) when viewed in the vertical direction. [8] Construction aid (1) according to one of the preceding claims, characterized by that the outer element (4) has an inner wall (18) which is oriented towards the cover element (2), and that the outer element (4) has an outer wall (19) opposite thereto. [9] Construction aid (1) according to the preceding claim, characterized by that the outer element (4) has on its outer wall (19) a bead (21) which, viewed in the circumferential direction, is guided completely continuously or interrupted around the outer element (4). [10] Construction aid (1) according to one of the preceding claims, which is manufactured in one piece or in one part.

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