US20060196924A1

US20060196924A1 - Ashtray apparatus

Info

Publication number: US20060196924A1
Application number: US11/073,252
Authority: US
Inventors: Orlando Cabalu
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 2005-03-07
Filing date: 2005-03-07
Publication date: 2006-09-07

Abstract

An ashtray apparatus includes a cylindrical housing that has a bottom wall, a top wall and a perimeter wall. An opening extends through the top wall. The housing has a break so that a first section and a second section of the housing are defined. The first section includes the top wall. The first section is rotatably coupled to the second section. The second section has an upper edge and the first section has a lower edge. A first half wall is attached to the first section and a second half wall is attached to the second section. The first section is selectively rotatable with respect to the second section so that the first half wall is selectively positionable in a first position substantially overlapping with the second half wall or in a second position unaligned with the second half wall.

Description

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to ashtray devices and more particularly pertains to a new ashtray device for providing an area for receiving ashes and including a storage cell for storing cigarette butts and ashes within a sealed manner.
2. Description of the Prior Art
The use of ashtray devices is known in the prior art. U.S. Pat. No. 6,170,490 describes a device that includes a housing having an inner compartment therein for holding a scented liquid which may be used to put out a cigarette while a remaining portion of the housing may be used for holding cigarette butts and ashes. Another type of ashtray device is U.S. Pat. No. 6,161,549 again having a compartment therein for releasing an aroma and for putting out a cigarette. Still yet another such device is found in U.S. Pat. No. 4,187,864.
While these devices fulfill their respective, particular objectives and requirements, the need remains for a device that includes an upper ashtray for discarding cigarette ashes in and also including a lower compartment, positioned below the upper ashtray for storing cigarette butts and ashtrays in a sealed manner.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The present invention meets the needs presented above by generally comprising a cylindrical housing that has a bottom wall, a top wall and a perimeter wall extending between and is attached to the bottom and top walls. An opening extends through the top wall. The housing has a break therein orientated parallel to the bottom wall and is positioned nearer to the top wall than the bottom wall so that a first section and a second section of the housing are defined. The first section includes the top wall. The first section is rotatably coupled to the second section. The second section has an upper edge and the first section has a lower edge. A first half wall is attached to the first section adjacent to the lower edge and generally covers ½ of an opening between the first and second sections. A second half wall is attached to the second section adjacent to the upper edge and generally covers ½ of the opening between the first and second sections. The first section is selectively rotatable with respect to the second section so that the first half wall is selectively positionable in a first position substantially overlapping with the second half wall or in a second position unaligned with the second half wall.
There has thus been outlined, rather broadly, the more important features of the invention in order that the detailed description thereof that follows may be better understood, and in order that the present contribution to the art may be better appreciated. There are additional features of the invention that will be described hereinafter and which will form the subject matter of the claims appended hereto.
The objects of the invention, along with the various features of novelty which characterize the invention, are pointed out with particularity in the claims annexed to and forming a part of this disclosure.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

The invention will be better understood and objects other than those set forth above will become apparent when consideration is given to the following detailed description thereof. Such description makes reference to the annexed drawings wherein:
FIG. 1 is a perspective view of an ashtray apparatus according to the present invention.
FIG. 2 is a perspective view of a door of the present invention.
FIG. 3 is a perspective view of a first section of the present invention.
FIG. 4 is a perspective view of an upper portion of a second section of the present invention.
FIG. 5 is a perspective view of a lower portion of the second section of the present invention.
FIG. 6 is a top view of the door of the present invention.
FIG. 7 is a cross-sectional view of the door of the present invention.
FIG. 8 is a cross-sectional view of the first section of the present invention.
FIG. 9 is a top view of the first section of the present invention.
FIG. 10 is a top view of the upper portion of the present invention.
FIG. 11 is a cross-sectional view of the upper portion of the present invention.
FIG. 12 is a cross-sectional view of the lower section of the present invention.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT

With reference now to the drawings, and in particular to FIGS. 1 through 12 thereof, a new ashtray device embodying the principles and concepts of the present invention and generally designated by the reference numeral 10 will be described.
As best illustrated in FIGS. 1 through 12, the ashtray apparatus 10 generally comprises a cylindrical housing 20 that has a bottom wall 22, a top wall 24 and a perimeter wall 26 extending between and is attached to the bottom 22 and top 24 walls. An opening 28 extends through the top wall 24. A door 30 is pivotally attached to top wall 24 for selectively opening or closing the opening 28 in the top wall 24. The door 30 has a bottom surface 32 facing inward of the housing 12 when the door 30 is in a closed position. A plurality of posts 34 is attached to the bottom side of the door 30 and extends into the housing 20 when the door 30 is in the closed position. The posts 34 force cigarette butts downward into the housing 20 when inserted therein. The housing 20 has a height generally between 2 inches and 3 inches and a diameter generally between 2 inches and 3 inches.
The housing 20 has a break 36 therein orientated parallel to the bottom wall 22 and is positioned nearer to the top wall 24 than the bottom wall 22 so that a first section 38 and a second section 38 of the housing 20 are defined. The first section 38 includes the top wall 24. The first section 38 is rotatably coupled to the second section 40. The first section 38 has a height generally equal to one inch. The second section 40 has an upper edge 42 and the first section 38 has a lower edge 44.
A first half wall 46 is attached to the first section 38 adjacent to the lower edge 44 and generally covers ½ of an opening between the first 38 and second 40 sections. A second half wall 48 is attached to the second section 40 adjacent to the upper edge 42 and generally covers ½ of the opening between the first 38 and second 40 sections. The first section 38 is selectively rotatable with respect to the second section 40 so that the first half wall 46 is selectively positionable in a first position substantially overlapping with the second half wall 48 or a in second position unaligned with the second half wall 48.
The second half wall 48 has a pair of spaced notches 50 therein. A nub 52 is attached to and extends downwardly from the first half wall 46. The nub 52 is positioned in a first of the notches 50 when the first half wall 46 is placed in the first position and the nub 52 is positioned in a second of the notches 50 when the second half wall 48 is placed in the second position. The notches 50 allow a person using the apparatus 10 to know if the opening between the first 38 and second 40 sections is open or closed.
The second section 40 has a dividing line 54 therein so that an upper portion 56 and a lower portion 58 of the second section 40 are defined. The upper portion 56 is threadably couplable to the lower portion 58.
In use, the door 30 is opened to receive ashes from a cigarette. When finished, the cigarette butt is placed in the housing 20 and the first half wall 46 placed in the first position so that the cigarette butt and ashes fall into the second section 40. The first half wall 46 is then placed in the first second position so that the second section 40 is closed off from the first section 38. This allows the first section 38 to again be used for receiving ashes while keeping old ashes and cigarette butts in a sealed position in the second section 40. The lower portion 58 may be removed for emptying the second section 40 of the cigarettes and ashes contained therein.
With respect to the above description then, it is to be realized that the optimum dimensional relationships for the parts of the invention, to include variations in size, materials, shape, form, function and manner of operation, assembly and use, are deemed readily apparent and obvious to one skilled in the art, and all equivalent relationships to those illustrated in the drawings and described in the specification are intended to be encompassed by the present invention.
Therefore, 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 accordingly, all suitable modifications and equivalents may be resorted to, falling within the scope of the invention.

Claims

1. An ashtray assembly comprising:

a cylindrical housing having a bottom wall, a top wall and a perimeter wall extending between and being attached to said bottom and top walls, an opening extending through said top wall, said housing having a break therein orientated parallel to said bottom wall and being positioned nearer to said top wall than said bottom wall such that a first section and a second section of said housing are defined, said first section including said top wall, said first section being rotatably coupled to said second section, said second section having an upper edge and said first section having a lower edge, a first half wall being attached to said first section adjacent to said lower edge and generally covering ½ of an opening between said first and second sections, a second half wall being attached to said second section adjacent to said upper edge and generally covering ½ of the opening between said first and second sections, said first section being selectively rotatable with respect to said second section such that said first half wall is selectively positionable in a first position substantially overlapping with said second half wall or a second position unaligned with said second half wall.

2. The assembly according to claim 1, further including a door being pivotally attached to top wall for selectively opening or closing said opening in said top wall.

3. The assembly according to claim 2, wherein said door has a bottom surface facing inward of said housing when said door is in a closed position, a plurality of posts being attached to said bottom side of said door and extending into said housing when said door is in said closed position.

4. The assembly according to claim 1, wherein said second half wall has a pair of spaced notches therein, a nub being attached to and extending downwardly from said first half wall, said nub being positioned in a first of said notches when said first half wall is placed in said first position and said nub being positioned in a second of said notches when said second half wall is placed in said second position.

5. The assembly according to claim 3, wherein said second section has a dividing line therein such that an upper portion and a lower portion of said second section is defined, said upper portion being threadably couplable to said lower portion.

6. The assembly according to claim 1, wherein said second section has a dividing line therein such that an upper portion and a lower portion of said second section is defined, said upper portion being threadably couplable to said lower portion.

7. An ashtray assembly comprising:

a cylindrical housing having a bottom wall, a top wall and a perimeter wall extending between and being attached to said bottom and top walls, an opening extending through said top wall, a door being pivotally attached to top wall for selectively opening or closing said opening in said top wall, said door having a bottom surface facing inward of said housing when said door is in a closed position, a plurality of posts being attached to said bottom side of said door and extending into said housing when said door is in said closed position, said housing having a break therein orientated parallel to said bottom wall and being positioned nearer to said top wall than said bottom wall such that a first section and a second section of said housing are defined, said first section including said top wall, said first section being rotatably coupled to said second section, said second section having an upper edge and said first section having a lower edge, a first half wall being attached to said first section adjacent to said lower edge and generally covering ½ of an opening between said first and second sections, a second half wall being attached to said second section adjacent to said upper edge and generally covering ½ of the opening between said first and second sections, said first section being selectively rotatable with respect to said second section such that said first half wall is selectively positionable in a first position substantially overlapping with said second half wall or a second position unaligned with said second half wall, said second half wall having a pair of spaced notches therein, a nub being attached to and extending downwardly from said first half wall, said nub being positioned in a first of said notches when said first half wall is placed in said first position and said nub being positioned in a second of said notches when said second half wall is placed in said second position, said second section having a dividing line therein such that an upper portion and a lower portion of said second section is defined, said upper portion being threadably couplable to said lower portion.