US3372724A - Portable smoker's refuse receiver - Google Patents

Description

March 12, 1968 w. R. ROUSE PORTABLE SMOKER'S REFUSE RECEIVER Filed Feb; 2, 1967 h Y m H a P Label Plastic Foam Paper Stock Paper Stock William R. Rouse R m. m m N A m. m a Y B g n kfl mm mm P /8 Plastic Foam United States Patent Office 3,372,724 Patented Mar. 12, 1968 3,372,724 PORTABLE SMOKERS REFUSE RECEIVER William R. Rouse, 5420 Rambler Way, Sacramento, Calif. 95841 Filed Feb. 2, 1967, Ser. No. 613,617 6 Claims. (Cl. 150-30) ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE A portable smokers refuse receiver. While suitable for repetitional use, it is made of lightweight optional throwaway components. It is pocket-size. Can be collapsed and carried in purse or pocket. Lined with fireproof foil. The walls are exteriorly covered with insulating plastic foam and expedite snutling lighted butts in seconds. Optionally attachable to pack, match folder or other support surface.

Background of the invention This invention relates to an improved portable pocketsize receiver for smokers refuse which, while readily attachable to a pack of cigarettes, cigars, match folder, interior surfaces of an automobile or the like, is so selfcontained that it can be safely and acceptably carried in ones pocket or purse for on-the-spot use whenever and wherever a regular ashtray is not conveniently accessible.

Prior art Persons conversant with the field of invention herein under consideration are well aware that it is common practice to combine an ashtray with a cigarette package as shown, for example, in Gartrell et al. Patent 2,849,154 and similarly in Bryan Patent 2,462,160. While the present ash, butt and refuse receiver is such that it can be adhesively attached to whatever supporting and carrying surface desired, it is an innovation in that an available adhesive surface can remain covered and intact, whereby the then self-contained receiver has the capability of being safely carried in ones garment pocket, handbag, or purse, as desired.

While prior art ash receivers teach the idea of using flame-resistant and smoke and odor diminishing alumimum and equivalent metal foil surfaces, the constructions which have come to light after surveying the field of search, fall short of solving the over-all problem. An objective in the present contribution to the art is to provide a ready-to-use receiver which features an expansible and contractible safety-type pouch which has a closing flap for the openable and closable mouth to prevent spilling.

Another improvement resides in providing (1) an easily expansible and collapsible pouch (2) an equally competent spill-proofing and safeguarding flap (3) economical paper stock walls interiorly covered and flameresistant and (4) which are exteriorly insulated to virtually inhibit passage of heat rays so that very little heat is conducted from the receptacle portion. Accordingly, this receiver or tray will, as experience has repeatedly shown, snuff out and extinguish the ignited end of a cigarette in about ten seconds, simply by chucking the lighted cigarette into the foil-lined reflecting and heat diffusing pouch.

Summary Briefly, the receiver comprises two similar paper panels having inner opposed surfaces which are foil-lined. The lower ends of the panels are overlapped and hingedly joined and one panel (or wall) has bellows-like or flexible accordion-pleated webs which join the companion edges of said panels so that the resulting V-shaped receiver can be spread open from a normally closed state. The closing flap is capable of being manually tucked in or Withdrawn as desired. The exterior surfaces of the wall-forming panels are covered by blocks (auxiliary panels) of insulation, for example, plies of Styrofoam or equivalent heat blocking covers. Finally, at least one cover has an adhesive surface and a normally applied but peelably removable facing which is optionally removable.

The general objective is to provide a simple, practical and structurally unique smokers refuse receiver or tray which, possessed of the above-named features and improvements, well serves the purposes for which it has been devised and acceptably used.

These together with other objects and advantages which will become subsequently apparent reside in the details of construction and operation as more fully hereinafter described and claimed, reference being had to the accompanying drawings forming a part hereof, wherein like numerals refer to like parts throughout.

Brief description of the drawing FIG. 1 is a view in perspective of a. portable smokers refuse receiver constructed in accordance with the present invention and showing the mouth of the receiver or pouch portion uncovered.

FIG. 2 is a view in perspective similar to FIG. 1 but showing the receiver collapsed or folded to compact form and with the tip or lip of the cover flap tucked in to efiect the desired closing result.

FIG. 3 is an exploded perspective view wherein all of the component parts are shown in oriented relationship.

FIG. 4 is a view on an enlarged scale taken on the plane of the vertical section line 4-4 of FIG. 2.

And FIG. 5 is a view at right angles taken on the horizontal section line 5-5 of FIG. 4.

Stated somewhat briefly the ready-to-use refuse depositing and lighted cigarette snuifing receiver is made up of the five component parts illustrated in FIG. 3, the fifth component or part (at the right) being two laminations and constituting an optional expedient, more particularly, means carried by the plastic foam lamination for attaching the same by adhesive media to whatever support surface (cigarette package or the like) desired.

Referring now to the over-all views the numeral 8 in FIG. 3 for example comprises an elongated substantially rectangular sheet or piece of paper stock having upper rounded corners 10. The entire inner surface of this sheet or lamination is covered by an adhesively bonded ply or lamination of heat-resistant aluminum foil or equivalent sheet material which is denoted generally at 12. A relatively narrow lower end or bottom portion of the paper as well as foil is bent upon itself as at 14 to define an assembling and retaining fiap which is denoted at 16. The upper extended end portion is formed into a bendable tongue-like flap 18 the purpose of which is to provide a closure, FIGS. 1, 2 and 4. This tw0- ply component 8 and 12 comprises a Wall which is conveniently differentiated as the rear wall. A relatively short substantially rectangular lamination or ply of paper stock which is here denoted by the numeral 29 constitutes and defines the front wall which is proportional in size and shape with the wall 8. Its lower edge portion 22 is designed and adapted to be seated in the crease or fold 23 in the manner illustrated in FIG. 4. The vertical marginal edge portions 24 of this front wall 22 are provided with substantially V- shaped webs 26 which are creased as at 28 to define bellows-like folding webs. The entire interior surfaces of the front wall 20 and webs 26 are lined with heat-resisting aluminum or equivalent foil 21 which confronts the aforementioned ply of foil 12. The free edge portions 30 overlap the coacting edge portions of the front wall 8 and adhesively or otherwise attached thereto as shown in finished product, FIG. 5. It follows that by seating the edge 22 in the fold 23 and then adhesively attaching the flap 16 to the lower end portion of the exterior surface of the ply the two walls 8 and 20 are thus assembled to provide the desired expansible and contractible openmouth pouch or receiver. With these components thus assembled and joined, as shown particularly in FIGS. 4 and 5, it will be evident that the upper foil-lined end portion of the front wall 8 provides a tongue-like closing flap 18. In other words there is a flap 16 at the bottom for assembling purposes and a bendable tongue-like flap 18 at the top which can be manually bent over and tucked into the mouth portion to effect the closing step shown in FIGS. 2 and 4 or to permit the mouth of the pouch to be opened as shown in FIG. 1 wherein the pouch is expanded to receive ashes, burnt match stems or a used stub (not shown) of a cigarette. This pouch in and of itself provides a satisfactory ash receiver and container for cigarette stubs, one which is substantially fire-resistant or, as generally referred to, fire-proof. To increase the effectiveness particularly of the fire-resisting properties it is desirable to completely cover or shield the exterior surfaces of the plies or walls 8 and 20. Accordingly two substantially rectangular blocks or laminations of plastic foam such as Styrofoam are provided. One ply at the left is denoted by the numeral 32 and is fastened to and covers the exterior surface of the wall 20. The other foam plastic ply 34 to the right is superimposed on and fastened to the exterior surface of the rear wall 8. It is within the purview of the invention to provide adhesive media 36 on the lamination 34 and to stick or attach a label 38 thereon. This label in turn is provided with a suitable gummed surface 40 for attaching purposes, said surface being normally covered by a peelable or detachable cover sheet 42.

It will be evident that by removing the peelable sheet 42 and exposing the adhesive surface 40 the ready-to-use pouch or receiver can be attached to a package of cigarettes, the back of a book of matches, an automobile dashboard or other support surface. Or, alternatively, it can be carried in ones pocket or purse and used as an ashtray without, of course, removing the detachable cover 42.

It will be evident that this portable receiver or ashtray will extinguish lighted cigarettes in about ten seconds when they are placed with the lit end downward in the pouch. Actually, as experience has shown, it is not necessary to crush out the lighted end. The aluminum foil reflects and diffuses the heat and the thermoplastic or the plastic foam plies 32 and 34 inhibit the conducting of heat. Accordingly, very little heat is conducted from the interior to either the front or back of the overall receiver.

It is submitted that the manner in which the front and rear walls (two plies of suitable materials joined together) are constructed individually and then assembled to provide the receiver or pouch proper is clear from the views of the drawing. Also the manner in which the receiver is further reinforced by the adhesive attachment of the lightweight but thick block-like plies of thermoplastic 32 and 34 is evident. The manner of attaching the adhesive means is shown in FIGS. 4 and 5.

The foregoing is considered as illustrative only of the principles of the invention. Further, since numerous modifications and changes will readily occur to those skilled in the art, it is not desired to limit the invention to the exact construction and operation shown and described, and according all suitable modifications and equivalents may be resorted to, falling within the scope of the invention as claimed.

What is claimed as new is as follows:

1. A portable pocket-type refuse receiver for smokers comprising a rear wall, an opposed front wall, said walls having contiguous lower end portions hingedly joined whereby said walls are capable of being manually folded together in aligned face-to-face contact or, alternatively, swung apart to provide an intervening space, at least one of said walls having creased bellows-like webs along opposite marginal edges provided with edges joined to cooperable marginal edges of the other wall and said walls and coordinating webs defining an openable and closa-ble refuse pouch, the interior surfaces of said walls and webs being wholly covered with fire resistant lining material, the entire exterior surfaces of said rear and front walls, respectively, being covered with permanently attached laminations made of insulation material.

2. The refuse receiver defined in and according to claim 1, and wherein the exterior surface of at least one of said laminations is provided with adhesive media, said adhesive media being normally intact and completely covered by a manually peelable detachable adhesive media exposing label, said label being optionally usable.

3. The refuse receiver according to claim 1 and wherein said laminations are made of expanded foam plastic such as polystyrene, each lamination conforming in shape and size with the companion surface of the wall on which it is superimposed and attached.

4. The refuse receiver according to claim 3 and wherein said space is transformed into a substantially V-shaped pouch when said walls have been manually spread apart with said webs distended either partly or wholly as desired, the lower end portion of said rear wall being elongated and formed into an upwardly laterally directed first flap defining and providing a crease in which a cooperating lower end portion of the front wall is seated and retained, said fiap being superimposed upon and secured to a coacting lower end portion of the front Wall, and wherein said rear wall also has an extended tonguelike upper end portion which defines and provides a second flap, and said second flap providing a closure for said mouth, that is, when the free terminal lip portion of Said closure fiap is telescopingly directed down and tucked into said mouth to effect the desired mouth-closing step.

5. A self-contained portable pocket-type refuse receiver for smokers comprising a substantially rectangular rear wall embodying a first outer ply of foldable paper stock material and a companion second inner ply of fireresistant foil superimposed upon and attached to and lining an interior surface of said first ply of material and defining said rear wall, said rear wall having an upwardly laterally bent bottom flange and also having an upper bendable end portion providing a tongue-like closing flap, a front wall complemental to said rear wall and comprising a first outer ply of paper stock material and a second inner ply of fire-resistant foil wholly covering and attached to the interior surface of said first outer ply of paper stock material, the respective vertical marginal edges of said front wall sheet material being provided with substantially V-shaped longitudinally creased bellows-like fire-resistant webs, the lower end portion of said rear wall being joined to the lower end portion of said front wall by said bottom flange, the webs being attached to rearward marginal surface portions of said rear wall and thus providing a substantially V-shaped expansible and contractible pouch, the upper bendable end portion of said rear wall projecting above the upper end of the front wall and being bent down and inwardly and formed into a closing flap.

6. The refuse receiver according to claim 5 and wherein the entire exterior surfaces of said front and rear walls, respectively are covered with permanently attached laminations made of lightweight self-shape-sustaining plies of plastic foam.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,349,488 5/1944 Dement 206-48 DAVID M. BOCKENEK, Primary Examiner.

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