Flat-Folding Cigarette Holder With Overlapping Tobacco-Blocking Folds

Resolve Bottlenecks,
Find Innovative Solutions
Generate Solutions

Solution Overview

Problem

Rolling cigarette holders suffer from blockages due to tar and tobacco residue buildup, tobacco leakage, and hygiene issues, affecting smoke quality, comfort, and health risks.

Innovation Solution

A cigarette holder with a flat body that can be bent into a cylindrical shape, featuring aligned holes and perforations to prevent tobacco from slipping into the mouth and facilitate easy folding, thereby addressing blockages and leakage.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Reliability

If a traditional rolling cigarette holder is used, then it can hold and guide the cigarette, but it suffers from blockages due to tar and tobacco residue buildup, affecting smoke quality

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvesmoke qualityVSAvoidtar and tobacco residue buildup
Core Design Contradiction:
ReliabilityVSObject-generated harmful factors

Solution Approach 1:

The holder body is divided into multiple longitudinal sections separated by grooves, creating distinct channels for smoke flow. This segmentation prevents residue buildup from blocking the entire passage, as each groove acts as an independent channel that can be cleaned or replaced separately

Inventive Principle:
Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

The holder incorporates a filter element with porous structure that allows smoke to pass through while trapping tar and tobacco residues. The porous material provides large surface area for filtration without creating narrow passages that are prone to complete blockage

Inventive Principle:
Principle #31Porous materials

2Ease of manufacture

If the holder structure is simplified, then it is easier to manufacture, but it may cause tobacco leakage when not properly sealed

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveholder structure simplicityVSAvoidtobacco sealing
Core Design Contradiction:
Ease of manufactureVSReliability

Solution Approach 1:

The holder utilizes the natural curvature of the rolled cigarette paper to create an self-sealing structure. When the flat holder template is rolled into a cylinder, the edges naturally overlap and seal against each other, eliminating the need for complex sealing mechanisms while maintaining simple manufacturing

Inventive Principle:
Principle #14Spheroidality (Curvature)

Solution Approach 2:

The holder is constructed from flexible material that can be rolled and sealed by hand. The flexibility allows the thin film structure to conform to the cigarette and create effective seals at the edges without requiring rigid sealing components

Inventive Principle:
Principle #30Flexible shells and thin films

3Stability of the object's composition

If the holder body is made rigid for structural stability, then it maintains shape, but it becomes difficult to fold and insert into the cigarette

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveholder shape stabilityVSAvoidfolding and insertion
Core Design Contradiction:
Stability of the object's compositionVSEase of operation

Solution Approach 1:

The holder transitions from a flexible flat state to a rigid cylindrical state during use. The grooves and folds provide defined bending zones that allow easy folding during insertion, while the overall cylindrical structure maintains sufficient rigidity to hold the cigarette shape and guide smoke flow

Inventive Principle:
Principle #15Dynamics

4Ease of operation

If the holder has no perforations, then the structure is simpler, but the body cannot fold accurately and easily

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvefolding accuracyVSAvoidperforation structure
Core Design Contradiction:
Ease of operationVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

Perforations are pre-formed at the locations where folds need to occur, allowing the user to simply push and fold along these predetermined lines. This preliminary preparation of fold lines ensures accurate shaping without requiring complex folding mechanisms or multiple adjustment steps

Inventive Principle:
Principle #10Preliminary action

Data Source

PatentEP4616729A1Cigarette holder
Publication Date: 2025.09.17 ESPIGARES RIERA JAVIER
  • EP4616729A1 patent drawingFigure 1
  • EP4616729A1 patent drawingFigure 2
  • EP4616729A1 patent drawingFigure 3

AI summary

The present invention relates to a cigarette holder comprising a body (1) initially presenting as a flat shape, which can be bent by the user into a cylindrical shape to be inserted into one end of a cigarette (7), wherein the body (1) comprises a plurality of holes (2) aligned in at least one row, which, when the body (1) is bent into a cylindrical shape, cause the area (3) between the holes (2) to fold inwards into the cylinder, forming a surface formed by the overlapping of the folds (4) formed by the areas (3), the body (1) further comprising a plurality of perforations (6) configured to facilitate the folding of the body (1), wherein the holes (2) may be rectangular or V-shaped. This holder allows for a more satisfying smoking experience while helping to avoid tobacco inhalation.