Water pipe having a mechanism for releasing spent capsules

Description

[0001] The invention relates to a water pipe with a housing in which a container to be filled with a liquid medium and provided with at least one suction connection and a heating chamber connected to it via a suction tube are integrated, wherein the heating chamber has a receptacle for a capsule serving to hold a smoking medium.

[0002] Water pipes, also known as shishas or hookahs, originated in the Middle East. Such water pipes are described in US patents 4031906 and 2012 / 0042884, among others. They are enjoying increasing popularity, especially among teenagers and young adults, particularly as an alternative to cigarettes. A water pipe consists of a bowl that is partially filled with water or another liquid. Sucking on a mouthpiece creates a vacuum in this bowl. A stem extends into the water, and at its top is a bowl for tobacco, which is heated by charcoal placed on top. The smoker then inhales the mixture of air, vapor, and smoke particles produced when the tobacco is heated.It is obvious that the heat from glowing coals can lead to carbon monoxide poisoning, burns, or, in extreme cases, even fire. Due to manual filling, the quality and legal compliance of the hookah's contents cannot be guaranteed. Therefore, hookahs known today should generally only be used outdoors or in rooms with guaranteed fresh air supply. Furthermore, modern hookahs are quite heavy and bulky, require assembly from several parts, and are cumbersome to transport in their individual components. Electronic hookahs are known from US 4,133,318 and US 12 / 0,199,572, but these have not yet satisfactorily reduced some of the aforementioned problems.Finally, WO 2017 / 080545 concerns an electronic hookah in which a capsule, used to hold a solid or liquid smoking medium, is inserted into a device-side receptacle. This receptacle comprises a wall that tapers towards the container and surrounds the capsule laterally, with the receptacle also serving as a heating element for the capsule. The conventional removal of hookah capsules heated to up to 200 °C has proven dangerous, particularly due to the high risk of burns. Removal is also difficult because the capsule material expands during the heating phase and only shrinks back to its normal size after extensive cooling. Even the cooled capsules are then comparatively difficult to remove, as the capsule must be grasped by the collar that acts as a stop and pulled out of the receptacle.All of this is, not least, quite complex. Further relevant documents are US 2017 / 099873 A1, DE 10 2015 121435 A1, GB 2 553 773 A and US 2017 / 172203 A1, where US 2017 / 099873 A1 describes a water pipe with the features in the preamble of claim 1.

[0003] The present invention therefore aims to create a water pipe in which used capsules can be easily removed from the heating chamber or its receptacle.

[0004] The task is accomplished by a mechanism for pushing the used capsule out of its seat in the receptacle against the insertion direction. The invention accordingly relates to a water pipe according to claim 1.

[0005] Thanks to this mechanism, used capsules can be pushed out of their holder in the heating chamber without the user coming into contact with potentially high-temperature parts of the hookah or the capsule itself. This eliminates any health risks associated with the high temperatures of up to 200°C that heated hookah capsules can reach, as well as the risk of the capsule getting stuck during removal. Any expansion of the capsule is also negligible, as it can be pushed out of the holder from the side of the container in a particularly efficient manner.

[0006] The fact that the mechanism can be operated from outside the heating chamber aims in the same direction, namely to create good handling and a sufficient distance between the operator's hand and the heating chamber, or the capsule inside it, so that burns are virtually impossible.

[0007] An advantageous embodiment of the invention provides that the suction tube is mounted so as to be slidable along its longitudinal axis. This is a particularly optimal solution for such a mechanism, as the existing suction tube also serves as a mechanism for removing the capsules. This can be done from a completely safe distance with regard to the high temperature of the used capsules in the heating chamber. By simply pressing the suction tube, a force is exerted on the capsule in the opposite direction to which it was inserted. Consequently, the capsule is inevitably released from its seat in the heating chamber-side receptacle and can be easily removed.

[0008] For even better handling, the suction tube is mounted to slide against the force of a spring, so that after its use for removing the capsule, the suction tube returns to its starting position and the play of the suction tube during operation is limited.

[0009] In this context, the proposal that the intake manifold has two sections of different diameters is also understandable. This creates a spring channel for the intake manifold or another mechanism.

[0010] The arrangement of an inner pipe with two sections of different diameters upstream of the intake manifold is to be understood as an alternative to a single intake manifold with two sections of different diameters. For this purpose, the intake manifold is associated with an inner pipe which itself has the two sections of different diameters, so that a standard intake manifold can be used to actuate the inner pipe. One embodiment of the invention thus relates to a one-piece intake manifold with two sections of different diameters, a second embodiment to an intake manifold plus an inner pipe, the latter having two sections of different diameters.

[0011] Therefore, it is advantageous if the inner pipe section is surrounded by a compression spring, so that the spring bearing forms in this transition area.

[0012] Specifically, this means that the inner section of the suction pipe or inner tube, facing the heating chamber, has a smaller diameter than the outer section, facing the container, thus forming a collar that acts on the spring when the suction pipe is moved. This step or stop allows the spring to be compressed when the suction pipe is actuated, releasing the capsule or returning it to its starting position.

[0013] By integrating the spring housing into the wall of the heating chamber facing the container, a particularly suitable embodiment of the invention is realized. The spring housing integrated into the wall limits the spring travel.

[0014] The function of the suction pipe or other mechanism has already been discussed several times. Therefore, it is logical that the suction pipe, specifically the inner pipe section or the inner tube, protrudes into the heating chamber and, depending on the pressure on the suction pipe, moves further towards the interior of the heating chamber in order to ultimately push the capsule out of its seat in the holder.

[0015] In addition, the design provides for the intake pipe and / or the inner tube to be slidably mounted in a fixed guide pin connected to the heating chamber. This sleeve-like guide pin is connected to the heating chamber, more precisely to its wall facing the container. In its installed state, this guide pin is surrounded by the electronic unit or control system for the hookah.

[0016] Another advantageous embodiment of the invention provides that the mechanism can be operated manually and / or via the electronic control of the water pipe. The first, manual version has already been described in detail; in the second embodiment with electronic control, the circuit board electronically controls a mechanism, comparable to a pressure piston, which sets the suction tube or a separate rod in motion, ultimately leading to the ejection of the capsule from its seat.

[0017] It is essential to ensure highly efficient heat transfer between the heating chamber and the capsule inserted within it. This is achieved through a precise fit between the receptacle, or parts thereof, and the capsule. The cone plays a crucial role in this precise fit. It allows for highly targeted heat transfer by creating a tight seal between the receptacle's lateral wall and the capsule itself. The tighter the capsule fits within the receptacle, the more effectively heat is transferred from the outside, i.e., from the direction of the heating chamber, towards the capsule. A particularly advantageous design for such a precise fit involves the receptacle's lateral wall tapering conically towards the interior of the heating chamber, with the cone having an angle of approximately 5°–10°, preferably approximately 7°.An ideal geometry is achieved when the diameter of the receptacle increases by a constant factor of approximately 1.1 to 1.25, preferably approximately 1.17, between the front and back of the receptacle or the capsule. According to one embodiment of the invention, the receptacle has a closing ring on its outer surface that extends transversely to the longitudinal axis of the housing. The capsule receptacle is integrated into this closing ring; that is, the closing ring and the heating chamber are arranged and configured to correspond to each other such that the closing ring has a central opening in which the capsule sits within the receptacle. Depending on the arrangement of the container, heating chamber, etc., the closing ring also forms the upper or lower end of the housing or the heating chamber. Furthermore, the closing ring serves as a stop for a capsule-side collar when the capsule is inserted into the heating chamber.The end ring ensures that the capsule sits securely in the heating chamber, not least because the capsule has a collar that abuts the end ring.

[0018] Furthermore, it is provided that the container and a housing part accommodating an electronic unit are detachably connected to one another, and that a valve is provided in the area of ​​the mouth of the suction tube into the container. The housing of the water pipe essentially consists of the container as the first housing part, the second housing part accommodating the electronics and the suction tube, and the third housing part accommodating the heating chamber for the capsule, expediently in the aforementioned order from top to bottom. The container and the housing part accommodating the electronic unit are detachably connected to one another and additionally by a valve that provides an additional seal, which protects the shisha according to the invention particularly effectively against the escape of air. Preferably, the valve is centrally located, and a portion of it may project into the interior of the container.The valve fits precisely onto the suction pipe, which protrudes upwards from the housing. The suction pipe, which opens into the heating chamber at its lower end and passes through the housing, is precisely connected to the valve at its upper end, preventing any air leakage in this entire area. Specifically, the suction pipe opens into the bottom of the container from below, with the bottom being designed to be sufficiently robust to provide a stable bearing for the valve and the end of the pipe. A particularly advantageous embodiment of the invention features a cavity in the bottom of the container with an integrated central mounting plate for securing the suction pipe. The mounting plate, centrally positioned within the cavity of the otherwise relatively solid bottom, thus serves as the bearing for the suction pipe.

[0019] The invention is particularly distinguished by the fact that a particularly suitable mechanism for removing used, but possibly still extremely hot, capsules for storing a smoking medium from the heating chambers or the receptacles located therein is provided. Instead of laboriously removing such a capsule from its seat in the receptacle by hand, knife, etc., using the collar, the existing suction tube or other rod-like component is used in a dual capacity to also push the capsule out of its seat in the receptacle. For this purpose, the suction tube is slidably mounted against the force of a spring, with the spring housing being integrated into the wall of the heating chamber facing the container. An alternative to this mechanical solution requires a control system that ensures the corresponding movement of such a mechanism for pushing out the capsule.

[0020] Further details and advantages of the invention will become apparent from the following description of the accompanying drawing, in which a preferred embodiment is shown with the necessary details and components. The drawing shows: Figure 1: a water pipe in top view; Figure 2: a top view of a heating chamber with suction pipe; Figure 3: a perspective view of Figure 2 Figure 4 shows a longitudinal section through the heating chamber and intake pipe, Figure 5 shows a detail from Figure 4 Figure 6: Top view of a photograph; Figure 7: Photograph with capsule inserted; Figure 8: Detail from Figure 9 , Figure 9 connecting ring, receiver and capsule and Figure 10 a section through the opening of the suction tube.

[0021] Figure 1Figure 1 shows a water pipe 1, also called a shisha or hookah. The water pipe 1, with its elongated housing 2, is particularly compact due to its modular design. The container 3 is closed at the top by the lid 21. A suction hose 22 is connected at its integral end to the connector 23, which is part of the lid 21, and at the other end is fitted with an interchangeable mouthpiece 24. Connecting multiple hoses is possible. The water level in the container 3 is indicated by 25, as only partially filling the container 3 is quite practical. The on / off / standby switch for operating the shisha 1 is indicated by 26. Two perforated capsules 27, containing the smoking medium, are indicated by 10 and 10'. The air inlet, in the form of several air slots, is marked by reference numeral 28.

[0022] This shows the Figures 2 and 3the view of the heating chamber 4 with the suction pipe 6, which is guided in the sleeve-like guide pin 15.

[0023] Figure 4 presents a cut according to AA. Figure 2The reference numeral 6 denotes the suction pipe, which is movable along the longitudinal axis 8. This movement is achieved by applying pressure to the suction pipe 6 manually or via a control mechanism in the direction of arrow 40. The suction pipe 6 has two pipe sections 11 and 12 of different diameters. The section 12 of the suction pipe 6 facing the heating chamber 4 has a smaller diameter than the section 11 facing the container (not shown here), so that a collar 13 or stop is formed which acts on the spring 7 when the suction pipe 6 is moved. Thus, the second pipe section 12 is surrounded by the compression spring 7 at its end 16 facing the first pipe section 11, or the spring channel 18 is integrated into the wall 17 of the heating chamber 4 facing the container. It is clearly visible that the second pipe section 12 projects into the heating chamber 4 with its front end 19.

[0024] Enlarged view shows Figure 5 the excerpt from Figure 4 with a view to intake manifold 6 and inner tube 14. The latter has the collar 13, which is formed by the fact that the inner tube 14 has a smaller diameter at its front end than at its rear end, thus forming the spring channel 18. This is clearly visible in Figure 5 also that the spring is housed in the wall 17, which in turn forms the outer end of the spring shaft 18.

[0025] The reasons for this will then be shown by the Figures 6 and 7 In Figure 2A receptacle 5 for a capsule 10 is shown. The precise fit between the side wall 30 of the receptacle 5 (outer) and the wall 31 of the capsule 10 is clearly visible. Both walls 30, 31 extend towards the interior 32 of the heating chamber 4 in the form of a cone 33, i.e., at an angle α of preferably approximately 7°. The receptacle 5 includes on its inner side an end wall 34 with an opening, which extends essentially transversely to the longitudinal axis 8 of the housing 2 and thus also to the receptacle 5. A clearance 36 may remain between the end wall 34 of the receptacle 5 and the end wall 35 of the capsule 10. The collar 37, which again runs transversely to the longitudinal axis 8 on the outer side of the receptacle 5, is also clearly visible. The housing is integrated into the connecting ring 38.

[0026] Figure 7 shows in relation to Figure 6the section AA there and, on the other hand, from the outside in, the components connecting ring 38, collar 37, wall 30, 31 (cone), end wall 34 and opening 39.

[0027] Figure 8 shows the detail that is in Figure 9 The area enclosed is formed by the integration of the receptacle into the end ring 41. The end ring 41 is connected to the collar 42 on the receptacle side. Simultaneously, the capsule 10, with its collar 43, sits in the receptacle 5, and particularly tightly thanks to the uniform taper of approximately 7°. It should also be noted that, for the purpose of adapting to the connecting ring 41, the capsule 10 has a section 45 between the collar 43 and its actual wall 44, in which the wall of the capsule 10 runs exactly parallel to the longitudinal axis 46.

[0028] In addition, it shows Figure 10A cross-section of the water pipe 1. The central part is the housing section; below it is the heating chamber with the capsule holder and the removable base plate. A thread ensures that when these two components are assembled, the centrally positioned valve 48 is automatically positioned; this valve sits in the base 54 of the container or protrudes slightly into the interior of the container 53. Figure 10 Figure 5 illustrates the massive, multi-layered construction of the base 54 of the container 3. The opening 57 of the suction pipe 6 is secured by three seals in the form of O-rings 49, 50, 51. Valve 48 and suction pipe 6 lie on a common longitudinal axis 52. A cavity integrated into the base 54 is designated 55, which serves to receive a central mounting plate 56 into which the suction pipe 6 then directly opens.

Claims

1. Water pipe (1) having a housing (2) in which a container (3) to be filled with a liquid medium and provided with at least one suction connection (6) and a heating chamber (4) connected thereto via a suction pipe (6) are integrated, wherein the heating chamber (4) has a receptacle (5) for a capsule (10) serving to hold a smoke medium, characterised in that the water pipe (1) further has a mechanism for pressing the used capsule (10) out of its seat in the receptacle (5) against the insertion direction, wherein a part of the housing (2) having an electronic unit is releasably connected to the container (3), and wherein a valve (48) is provided in the region of the mouth of the suction pipe (6) into the container (3).

2. Water pipe according to claim 1, characterised in that the mechanism is operable from outside the heating chamber (4).

3. Water pipe according to claim 1, characterised in that the suction pipe (6) is displaceably mounted in the direction of its longitudinal axis (8), and the suction pipe (6) is displaceably mounted against the force of a spring (7).

4. Water pipe according to claim 1, characterised in that the part of the housing (2) having an electronic unit is located between the container (3) and the heating chamber (4).

5. Water pipe according to claim 1, characterised in that the suction pipe (6) has two sections (11, 12) of different diameter.

6. Water pipe according to claim 1, characterised in that an inner pipe (14) with two sections (11, 12) of different diameter is arranged in front of the suction pipe (6).

7. Water pipe according to claim 5 or 6, characterised in that the inner pipe section (12) is surrounded by a compression spring (7).

8. Water pipe according to claim 5 or 6, characterised in that the inner pipe section (12) of the suction pipe (6) or of the inner pipe (14) has a smaller diameter than the outer pipe section (11) of the suction pipe (6) or of the inner pipe (14), so that a collar (13) acts on the spring (7) when the suction pipe (6) is displaced.

9. Water pipe according to claim 4, characterised in that a spring shaft (18) is integrated into the wall (17) of the heating chamber (4) facing the container (3).

10. Water pipe according to claim 5 or 6, characterised in that the inner pipe section (12) or the inner pipe (14) projects into the heating chamber (4).

11. Water pipe according to claim 5 or 6, characterised in that the suction pipe (6) and / or the inner pipe (14) are displaceably mounted in a guide bolt (15) connected to the heating chamber (4).

12. Water pipe according to claim 1, characterised in that the mechanism is to be operated manually and / or via the electronic control of the water pipe.

13. Water pipe according to claim 1, characterised in that the water pipe further comprises a termination ring (41) as a stop against a collar (42) of the capsule (10) inserted into the receptacle (5) during use in order to ensure the seating of the capsule (10) in the receptacle (5).

14. Water pipe according to claim 1, characterised in that the capsule (10) and receptacle (5) form an accurate fit.

15. Water pipe according to claim 14, characterised in that a lateral wall (44) of the receptacle (5) tapers conically at an angle of 5-10° and the capsule (10) has a corresponding taper.