Cigar Ashtray Cooling Rim for Flavor-Preserving Resting
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Solution Overview
Problem
Cigar smoking causes the body of the cigar to heat up, reducing the desired flavor and sensory profile, particularly in larger-diameter cigars, and there is a need for a device that maintains the cigar at an ambient temperature while providing a place to rest it between puffs and discard ash, with an aesthetically pleasing design.
Innovation Solution
A cigar ashtray system comprising a thermally-conductive platform with an upward-facing resting surface and an ash receptacle, along with a cooling element that provides thermal communication, maintaining the cigar at a temperature of 65 to 70 degrees Fahrenheit through elements like ice, chilled liquids, or thermoelectric cooling units.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Temperature
If a cigar is smoked normally, then the burning process provides heat and light, but the body of the cigar heats up reducing flavor and sensory profile
Solution Approach 1:
The ashtray is divided into functionally distinct segments: a cooling chamber with ice compartment, a thermally conductive platform for cigar placement, and an ash receptacle. This segmentation allows the cooling function to be isolated and optimized without interfering with the burning process, directly addressing the temperature control problem while preserving flavor.
Solution Approach 2:
A thermally conductive platform acts as an intermediary between the ice cooling chamber and the cigar body. This intermediary efficiently transfers cooling energy to the cigar while maintaining a controlled temperature gradient, preventing direct contact between the cigar and ice water that would cause excessive cooling or structural damage.
2Temperature
If a cooling device is added to maintain cigar temperature, then flavor is preserved, but device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The cooling function, ash collection, and cigar resting surface are merged into a single integrated ashtray unit. The cooling chamber, platform, and ash receptacle work together as one device, eliminating the need for separate cooling equipment and reducing overall system complexity despite adding cooling capability.
Solution Approach 2:
The ashtray performs multiple functions simultaneously: cooling the cigar body, collecting ash, providing a stable resting surface, and controlling temperature. This multi-functionality consolidates what would otherwise require multiple separate devices into one universal tool, addressing the complexity concern.
3Temperature
If a thermally conductive platform is used for cooling, then temperature control is achieved, but heat conduction may cause unwanted heat transfer
Solution Approach 1:
The platform exhibits local quality variations in thermal conductivity: areas in contact with the cooling chamber have high thermal conductivity for efficient heat removal, while areas contacting the cigar have optimized conductivity for controlled cooling. This spatial variation in thermal properties enables precise temperature control without excessive heat loss to surrounding areas.
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
The system effectively cools the cigar to a desirable temperature range, enhancing the flavor and mouthfeel by keeping the cigar body at a lower temperature, thus improving user enjoyment.
Implementation Method 1
a thermally-conductive platform with an upward-facing resting surface for at least one cigar... provides thermal communication between the resting surface and the second element
Implementation Method 2
the cooling element may be selected from one or more of ice, a chilled liquid, a cooled or frozen gel
Implementation Method 3
provides thermal communication between the resting surface and the second element... configured to provide a non-burning body length of a lit cigar disposed upon that surface at a temperature of 65 to 70 degrees Fahrenheit
Data Source
AI summary
A cigar-cooling ashtray system is configured for cooling a lit cigar between puffs, preferably to keep at least a body length of the cigar in an ambient temperature range around 65-70 degrees Fahrenheit. The system includes an upper unit with a central ash receptacle and a raised rim around the central ash receptacle, where at least one thermally-conductive region of the raised rim is lower than a tallest portion of the rim and is positioned and contoured to hold and maintain sufficient surface contact with the cigar to keep its lit end suspended above the central ash receptacle. A base comprising at least one cooling chamber is removably attachable to the upper unit, where the cooling chamber is in thermal communication with the thermally-conductive region of the raised rim when the base is attached thereto. An attachable/removable secondary base may be included to provide storage and/or aesthetic enhancement.