WO2014118787A1

WO2014118787A1 - Electronic coal

Info

Publication number: WO2014118787A1
Application number: PCT/IL2014/050119
Authority: WO
Inventors: Sahar MORDECHI; Yossi PINHASIAN
Original assignee: ZILFA, Noam
Priority date: 2013-02-04
Filing date: 2014-02-04
Publication date: 2014-08-07

Abstract

Provided herewith is a hookah comprising a vase; a tube; a hose; an electric heater capable of combusting a smoking material and is located at the top of said tube, wherein said electric heater is connected to electric power source and to a processor; and wherein said electric heater is a receptacle and is configured to hold said smoking material. The processor is further connected to a sensor such that the temperature of said heater increases during air suction and decreases when air suction stops.

Description

ELECTRONIC COAL

[0001] Field of the Invention

[0002] The present invention relates generally to water pipe smoking devices, such as hookahs or narghiles, and particularly to an electrically heated coal.

[0003] Description of the state of the art

[0004] Many inventors, scientists and scientific research facilities are investigating solutions that will prevent and reduce the air pollution emitted by fuel substances and other burning/ energy sources, most of which still form a central and significant part of our energy production sources as well as air pollutant sources.

[0005] There are various types of hookahs used by people around the globe, most of

Islamic origin. The total amount of hookah users is estimated at one billion people.

[0006] A hookah consists of four basic parts^*, the water filled vase, which cools and cleanses the fumes by removing tar, nicotine and other by-products (water, however, is not obligatory for use); the bowl, which contains the smoking material, usually tobacco or whatever else is being smoked; the stem or thigh, which connects the bowl to the base by a tube that plunges into the water; and the hose, which connects to a second tube (nozzle) in the stem for transferring the cleansed smoke to the user.

[0007] Inhaling through a flexible hose, a smoker causes smoke to be drawn from the bowl down the stem, passing the smoke through the water in the lower portion of the reservoir. Passing upwards through the water in the form of bubbles, smoke gradually fills the smoke collection portion of the reservoir, and smoke passes on through the flexible hose to the smoker. A layer of aluminum foil is wrapped along the top of the bowl and a charcoal is set on this foil. Perforations are placed in the aluminum. Once the charcoal is lit, the aluminum begins to heat and this heat is transferred through the perforations to the tobacco product within the bowl. Hookahs today are commonly used with a piece of industrial or natural coal laid on top of the hookah's clay bowl, which heats and burns the tobacco within the bowl. The use of common coal creates a direct and constant dependency in coal/ charcoal manufacturers, and the coal itself must be replaced every 7-10 minutes.

[0008] Traditional hookahs use combustion of wood charcoals as the method of burning tobacco. Use of water to filter and cool the smoke may reduce some of the undesirable smoke components, but some, such as carbon monoxide coming from the burned coal, cannot be removed in this manner. Thus, with wood-based charcoals, increased levels of carbon monoxide stem from the charcoal used to heat the tobacco. Another main concern is the air pollution caused, the pollution caused by waste facilities and the pollution of the ground in which the waste is buried.

[0009] Wood charcoal produces ashes that fall through the holes in the aluminum, getting mixed with the tobacco and changing the flavor. Another disadvantage with wood charcoals is that the burned charcoal crumbles, falls from the hookah and causes dirt.

[0010] Some electric coals are known. However, high temperature of the known electric coal causes the tobacco to bum too quickly and resulting in a harsh smoke. When temperature is too low, the smoke produced is too thin for the user.

[0011] Perhaps the main problem with present electric coals is that while the temperature of traditional coals increases during air suction, the temperature of the electric coal during air suction decreases. The problem of this decrease in temperature has not been recognized in the art and by the ordinary artisan. Thus, there is a need for an electric coal that imitates the dynamic behavior of a traditional coal during smoking.

[0012] US 8,459,269 teaches a side heat bowl for use with a hookah that can be heated by electric means. However, the smoking material in US 8,459,269 is not uniformly heated as the upper area of the smoking material is closer to the heating source and bums faster than the bottom portion of the smoking material located deeper in the hookah's bowl.

[0013] EP 2292108 teaches a varistor to adjust the heat of combustion and then moderating the burning of the inhalant with the varistor. EP2292108 further suggests adjusting the varistor to increase the heat and burn the inhalant faster. However, by just saying "faster" and no specifying the timing of the heat increase, it is clear that EP 2292108 does not recognize the criticality of increasing the temperature of the electronic coal precisely during the inhalation event, not before inhalation and not after.

[0014] The present invention provides a solution for the two problems mentioned hereinabove.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

[0015] The present invention seeks to provide more efficient tobacco combustion by electrically heated hookah (also known as shisha or nargeela), as is described in detail further herein below. The present invention provides an innovative and unique product and method that imitates the action of a wood charcoal by increasing the temperature of the electric coal during inhalation, and decreasing the temperature back when air flux entering the hookah is loosened.

[0016] The present invention therefore provides a hookah comprising a vase; a tube; a hose; an electric heater capable of combusting a smoking material and is located at the top of said tube, wherein said electric heater is connected to electric power source and to a processor; and wherein said electric heater is a receptacle and is configured to hold said smoking material.

[0017] In another embodiment, the electric heater comprising at least one heating body, said at least one heating body is covered by walls capable of transferring heat.

[0018] In another embodiment the power source is a rechargeable battery.

[0019] In another embodiment the function of the heater is remotely controlled through remote software.

[0020] In another embodiment the heater contains 5 heating bodies.

[0021] In another embodiment the hookah contains a wind turbine unit allowing recharging said rechargeable battery.

[0022] In another embodiment the heater is configured to be available for use only for predetermined period or number of uses.

[0023] In another embodiment the processor is further connected to a sensor such that the temperature of said heater increases during air suction and decreases when air suction stops.

[0024] In another embodiment the sensor is selected from the group consisting of: pressure sensor, air flow meter and smoke sensor.

[0025] In another embodiment during air suction, the heater's temperature increases to from about 300°C to about 400°C, and decreases to about 260°C when air suction stops.

[0026] In another embodiment there is a manual activation trigger such that when the activation trigger is pressed, the heater's temperature is set to from about 300°C to about 400°C, and when the press from the trigger is released, the heater's temperature decreases to about 260°C.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE FIGURES

[0027] The accompanying drawings, which are incorporated herein and form a part of the specification, illustrate non-limiting embodiments of the present invention, and together with the description, serve to explain the principles of the invention.

[0028] In the Figures:

[0029] Figure 1 shows a schematic view of a hookah in accordance with one embodiment of the present invention.

[0030] Figure 2 shows a schematic view of a hookah head in accordance with a preferred embodiment of the present invention. The arrows in Fig. 2 designate air flux direction. [0031] Figures 3 A and 3B show a double- wall tube in accordance with a preferred embodiment of the present invention.

[0032] Figure 4 shows a longitudinal section in a vortex-shaped hookah bowl that also serves as an electric coal (heater) with continuous heating body within.

[0033] Figure 5 shows a cross-section in a concaved hookah bowl with several heating bodies disposed within the bowl's circumference.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0034] In this invention, provided is an "electronic coal" or "electric heater" that is designed to replace the natural charcoal and/or industrial coals used for hookahs in order to heat and burn the tobacco.

[0035] In this application, "heater" or "electronically controlled heater" or "electric heater" means electrical unit capable of heating and combusting smoking material. However, the heater disclosed herein may be used to general heating purposes, such as heating food, body heat maintenance for humans or animals, etc.

[0036] Thus, the present invention aims to providing a heating and combustion solution for tobacco or other burning substances designated for inhalation— a substitute for the natural and industrial charcoal currently used for this purpose. This invention is aimed to providing a product that can offer multiple-use option through electric charge of the coal and prevention of large quantities accumulation of polluting waste.

[0037] The hookah 10 of the present invention includes a bowl 80, a stem 70, a head gasket 46, a tube 68, a hose 44, a hose port 18, a vase 58, a vase gasket 36 and a tray 56. Said hose port includes a nozzle 32 (to which a hose gasket 20 is inserted) and a release valve 22. The hookah 10 also includes a processor 88, a heater 94 and a sensor 92. The hose 44 includes a mouthpiece 44a.

[0038] The tube 68 resembles to that found in a traditional hookah. The tube 68 is coupled to the bowl 80 through the head gasket 46 to ensure no air transport through this area.

[0039] According to this invention there is provided an electric heater, composed of a heating body made of metal or polymers or other materials that can be heated by passage of electric current. This heating body is covered with a material 15 characterized with durability to heat and characterized with good heat conduction. Preferably, the covering material is a ceramic material or pyrex that can be easily cleaned when desired. In a still another embodiment, the facial external surface of the bowl 80 that faces to the outside is covered with heat isolator to allow the user holding the bowl 80 in his hand. [0040] An "input quantity" is a physical quantity to which the sensor responds and generates functional output in the form of a signal, preferably electrical signal. In the present invention the input quantity may be pressure, fluid flow or presence of smoke. In one embodiment, the sensor is a pressure sensor, where in that case, the input quantity is pressure. In another embodiment, the sensor is air flow meter, where in that case, the input quantity is fluid flow. In another embodiment, the sensor is smoke sensor and comprises infrared LED-Light- Emitting Diode, optical beam smoke detector or ionization smoke detector, where in that case, the input quantity is presence of smoke.

[0041] It is noted that the hookah device, in its various forms, can be used with or without water (without water as a vaporizer, such as for aromatherapy).

[0042] In a first embodiment, the electric heater 94 is an electric device connected to a battery 52 that can be charged using an individual or group charger unit (whereas the group unit is used to charge several batteries simultaneously). Charging is done through connection to a high or low power source,, including devices that are found in cars. The hookah 10 therefore includes a battery 52 that provides electrical power to electric heater 94 through a processor 88. The processor mediates between the battery 52 and the heater 94. Processor 88 lets the amount of electric current from battery 52 to be changed in order to control the heat created in the heater 94. Charging is done through connection to a power source such as at home, in the office, in the car or any other place. After charging, the electric heater 94 together with the battery 52 may be carried to any location and do not require connection to a power source.

[0043] In another embodiment the heater is designed to function and to heat for several minutes only and the batteries must be recharged after each use. In order to allow a wide economic potential utilization, the heater 94, together with the processor 88 and the batteries 52 are designed to function for a predefined period or after predefined number of uses.

[0044] The heating techniques shown in this invention may further be used for other purposes, such as heating sandwiches, food, beverages, pillows or beds, or the human body and warming winter cloths under cold environmental conditions.

[0045] In a still another embodiment, the electric heater 94 is controlled by a remote control and monitoring software, including cellular phone applications or other applications utilized via any electronic device— be it motile or mobile.

[0046] In a still another embodiment, the electric heater 94 is charged and operated based on a work period, preferably minutes or hours, ("airtime") which may be downloaded and purchased on the Internet or via cellular network or other virtual media.

[0047] In one embodiment, the heater 94 can be a single, relatively small unit placed on top of the hookah only. However, in another embodiment, the electric heater is spitted into at least two parts. Under this embodiment, the heater is a complex of two or more heating subunits that disposed above or circumnavigate the smoking material. An Example of heating subunits that circumnavigate the smoking material is illustrated in Fig. 5.

[0048] The processor 88, the heater 94 and the sensor 92 receive power from one or more battery 52. The batteries 52 are connected to these electronic components using electrical wires. The batteries 52 are compactly arranged within the hose port 18 internal cavity. The battery may also be located on the tray 56. Preferably, batteries 52 consist of rechargeable lithium ion batteries which can be recharged using an external electrical power source. Other various types of batteries may be used, including nickel cadmium batteries, dry cell batteries as nickel metal hydride batteries. For recharging the batteries 52, the hose port 18 further comprises a power supply 30 comprising a power socket. The power supply also comprises an AC/DC charger that mediates the power socket and the batteries for converting the entrant AC current into a DC current appropriate to operate with the various electronic components of the hookah 10. Still in another embodiment, the processor 88, the heater 94 and the sensor may get power supply by being directly plugged into an AC outlet.

[0049] The hookah's bowl shaped 80 is found at the top of the tube 68. The bowl 80 has the shape of a bowl known in the art and is used for holding the smoking material. An electric heater 94 is put on the bowl 80 and is connected to the processor 88. The electric heater 94 is in the vicinity of the smoking material which is inside the bowl 80.

[0050] In another embodiment, the bowl 80 serves also as the electric heater 94. Namely, the bowl 80 and the heater 94 is a single unit. In this embodiment, there is a heating body 17 which has a cone shape or any other shape corresponding with the shape of the bowl. In Fig. 4 the heating body has a cone shape. This heating body is covered with a material characterized with durability to heat and good heat conduction. The shape of the covering material 15 determines the shape of the bowl 80. In this embodiment, the peripheral walls of the bowl 80 contain a heating body within them. The advantage in this construction is that the smoking material is heated uniformly in the depth direction. In other words, the temperature of the upper area of the smoking material is increased at the same rate as the temperature of the lower area of the smoking material.

[0051] The bowl 80 may have a simple shape of a bowl as in traditional hookahs (Fig. 5), a vortex shape (Fig. 4), a square shape or any other shape suitable to hold the smoking material. The bowl 80 has apertures 13 for air entry.

[0052] According to different embodiment of the present invention, the principle of the hookah's function is that when the user sucks air, a sensor 92 detects a positive value of an input quantity (e.g pressure, air flow or presence of smoke) and the heater's temperature is automatically increased. The heater's temperature is automatically decreased when positive value of the input quantity is no longer detected. In another embodiment, the heater's temperature is increased when the user presses a trigger.

[0053] The electronic hookah 10 comprises a processor 88 and a sensor 92. The sensor

92 may be located within and anywhere along the tube 68, preferably right under the bowl 80. In another embodiment, the sensor 92 is located in the internal side of the hose port 18, preferably near or at the nozzle. In another embodiment, the sensor 92 is located anywhere along the hose 44 or within the mouthpiece 44a. The processor 88 may be located right under the hookah bowl 80. In another embodiment, the processor 88 is located on the tray 56. Alternatively, the processor can be placed in any other convenient location within the hookah 10.

[0054] The processor-heater connections may be wire-based or wireless, in a non- limiting example, the processor 88 and the heater 94 are connected with electric wires 6 as shown in Fig. 2. The processor 88 and the battery 52 may are connected with electric wires. The heater 94 and the battery are also connected with electric wires.

[0055] The processor-sensor connection may be wire-based or wireless. Unless an external sensor may come into use, according to the present invention, the sensor 92 is located in the inner space of the hookah 10. Said inner space is all the vacancy within the hookah's boundaries. These boundaries are defined by the vessel 58, the hose port 18, the head gasket 46, the vase gasket 36, the stem 70 and the bowl's 80 side walls. While the sensor is inside the hookah, it is convenient however, for the processor and the battery to be located outside the hookah's 10 boundaries, for example on the tray 56. Any crossing of the hookah's boundaries with electric wires raises the possibility of undesired air flow through the hookah's boundaries, and not only through the bowl's top portion (fluid entry) or the mouthpiece (fluid exit). This problem is overcome by making the wires 6 of the sensor 92 exit the hookah 10 through the head gasket 46 or through the vase gasket 36. Wires 6 are fixed into the gaskets 46 or 36 to prevent air flow. When wires extending from the sensor 92 exit the head gasket 46, the sensor 92 may be put at the upper portion of the hookah and the entire electric system is concentrated in one region. Wires extending from the sensor 92 that are exiting the vase gasket 36 has the advantage of being in distance from the heater and not being affected by its heat. In one embodiment, the sensor 92 is coupled to the internal side of the gasket 64 or of the gasket 36, while wires erupt from the outer face of the said gasket. In another embodiment, the tube 68 is made of two cylinders that differ in diameter to form a cavity in the shape of a tube (Figs 3 A and 3B). Wires 6 may pass along said tube-shaped cavity towards one of the gaskets. This structure has the advantage of isolating the wires from coming into contact with the smoke. The ring created at the bottom of the double wall tube 68 is sealed so that water may not enter between the wails.

[0056] The processor 88 is connected to the sensor 92, to the at least one battery 52, and to the electric heater 94. According to a preferred embodiment, when the user sucks air using the hose 44, the sensor 92 detects a predetermined variation in pressure, flow flux or smoke quantity and transmits a signal to the processor 88. The processor 88 receives the signal and transmits a signal to the electric heater 94 for activation. The electric heater receives the activation signal and raises its temperature to combust the smoking material. Temperature upraise is a result of increased electric current that passes through the heater. When values of pressure, flow flux or smoke quantity decreases below the predetermined threshold of the sensor, no signal is transmitted and the heater returns to its non-active state.

[0057] According to the present invention, when heater is working but not activated, the smoking material's temperature during use is about 50°C, and the heater's temperature is about 260°C. The heater is being put by the user in the vicinity of, preferably above, the smoking material and, when activated, combusts the smoking material such that the temperature of the smoking material increases to from about 100°C to about 150°C. Under non-activated state, the heater has a steady, relaxed temperature of about 260°C, whereas during activation, the heater's temperature increases to from about 300°C to about 400°C. Temperature values and ranges may be changed or optimized, depends on the smoking material and the temperature of the environment. It should be made clear that both the terms "activated" and "not activated" relate to a state where the electrical components are connected to a power source.

[0058] According to another embodiment of the present invention, the electronic hookah

10 further comprises a manual heater activation trigger connected to the processor 88 which gives the user the option to manually activate the electric heater 94. Activation of the electric heater 94 manually would allow more control on combustion of the smoking material even without suction by the user. The advantage of the manual activation trigger is that the user becomes independent of the sensor's function. The main form of use of the activation trigger is inhaling through the mouthpiece 44a and simultaneously pressing the trigger. When the activation trigger is pressed, the heater's temperature is set to from about 300°C to about 400°C. When the user releases his press from the trigger, the heater's temperature returns to about 260°C. The activation trigger controls the power supplied to electrical heater by pulse- width modulation (PWM), or pulse-duration modulation (PDM), which is a modulation technique that conforms the width of the pulse, formally the pulse duration, based on modulator signal information and is a mechanism known to the skilled artisan. The manual heater activation trigger is preferably located in the proximity of the mouthpiece of the flexible hose. However, other locations of the activation trigger accessible to the user on or near the hookah may be used. In another embodiment, the processor 88 is controlled through cellular phones or by wireless means. In this embodiment, the user may buy "airtime" charge of minutes of operation or rent the hookah 10. Buying airtime by the user may be made through sending Short Message Service (SMS) from his phone or through the internet through an application found in his PC or phone. In other words, the heater is set to operate for a predetermined period of time. This is made by coupling a cellular or wireless coordination unit 90 to the processor 88. The wireless

coordination unit 90 is in communication with a communication and data system 98. This would let a user to remotely control the heater 94. The wireless coordination unit 90 receives a signal from the communication and data system 98 and transmits "on" or "off signal to the processor 88. The processor 88 activates or deactivation the batteries 52. In this way, the user should then go pay for a supplementary amount of time in order to continue smoking.

[0059] It is to be understood that the electronic heater may be controlled by remote control and monitoring software, including Smartphone applications or others utilized via any electronic device. In another embodiment, the electronic heater can be charged and operated based on a work period in minutes or hours ("airtime") which may be downloaded and purchased on the Internet and/or via cellular network and/or other virtual media.

[0060] The use of the electronic heater unit may be defined for a limited period or cycles.

That is, after number of predetermined cycles, the heater stops working. This in made in order to create circulation of the product and additional purchase dependency on the electronic hookahs.

[0061] In another embodiment, the electronic heater 94 is not a continuous unit but a complex of two or more subunits that disposed above or circumnavigate the smoking material. This structure increases heating efficiency. In addition, if needed, hardware components required for the execution of the aforementioned functions may still be implemented and added.

[0062] In another embodiment, the hookah 10 contains a solar panel installed upon the heater 94 to allow solar charge.

[0063] In a still another embodiment the hookah 10 contains a wind turbine unit preferably located at the mouthpiece 44a, allowing charge of the batteries 52 while performing additional pumping or suction smoking activities.

Claims

WHAT IS CLAIMED IS:

1. A hookah comprising: a vase; a tube; a hose; an electric heater capable of combusting a smoking material and is located at the top of said tube, wherein said electric heater is connected to electric power source and to a processor; and wherein said electric heater is a receptacle and is configured to hold said smoking material.

2. The hookah of claim 1 , wherein said electric heater comprising at least one heating body, said at least one heating body is covered by walls capable of transferring heat.

3. The hookah of claim 1 , wherein said power source is a rechargeable battery.

4. The hookah of claim 1, wherein the function of said heater is remotely controlled through remote software.

5. The hookah of claim 2, wherein said heater contains 5 heating bodies.

6. The hookah of claim 3, wherein said hookah contains a wind turbine unit allowing recharging said rechargeable battery.

7. The hookah of claim 1 , wherein the heater is configured to be available for use only for predetermined period or number of uses.

8. The hookah of claim 1 , wherein said processor is further connected to a sensor such that the temperature of said heater increases during air suction and decreases when air suction stops.

9. The hookah of claim 8, wherein said sensor is selected from the group consisting of: pressure sensor and air flow meter.

10. The hookah of claim 8, wherein said sensor is smoke sensor.

11. The hookah of claim 8, wherein during air suction, the heater's temperature increases to from about 300°C to about 400°C, and decreases to about 260°C when air suction stops.

12. The hookah of any one of claims 1-7, further comprising a manual activation trigger such that when the activation trigger is pressed, the heater's temperature is set to from about 300°C to about 400°C, and when the press from the trigger is released, the heater's temperature decreases to about 260°C.

13. A method for preparing an electric hookah comprising installing on a vase, a tube, a hose, and an electric heater capable of combusting a smoking material and is located at the top of said tube, further installing electric power, a processor, and a sensor such that the temperature of said heater increases during air suction and decreases when air suction stops.