Smoking Article Warning Device

Abstract

A user engageable device disposed within the tobacco burning path of a smoking article's ember at a pre-selected point. The device may include a visual and/or audible and/or olfactory warning component which alerts the user in response to a proximate ember that the ember has reached a predetermined point. The device is preferably in the form of a translatable sleeve frictionally engageable around the smoking article, but can also may be engaged upon or impregnated into a wrapper of the article's cylinder. Alternatively, the sleeve type device may be disposed within the wrapper or provided in the form of selectively placed integrated or stick-on patches.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . An apparatus providing an alert to a smoker of a smoking article when an ember burning on a path from a distal end toward a proximal end of said smoking article reaches a user preselected point upon the path, comprising:
 a sleeve having an interior wall defining a passage communicating between a leading edge and second edge;   said interior wall dimensioning said passage to a frictional engagement upon an exterior circumference of said smoking article;   said frictional engagement providing means for translation to a frictionally stable position of said sleeve at a user-selected interception point along said path between said distal end and said proximal end;   material operatively positioned with said sleeve, said material producing a human-detectable alert in response to a proximity of the ember to said sleeve, said human-discernable alert providing means for alerting the smoker that the ember has reached the intercepting point, whether said user is positioned in lighted or darkened surroundings.   
     
     
         2 . The device according to  claim 1  wherein said sleeve is formed of non-toxic and noncombustible material whereby said sleeve is employable on multiple smoking articles configured for said frictional engagement. 
     
     
         3 . The device according to  claim 1  wherein said material produces one or a combination of said alerts, from a group of alerts, including an audible noise, a visually perceivable change in appearance, and a smell. 
     
     
         4 . The device according to  claim 2  wherein said material produces one or a combination of said alerts from a group of alerts including an audible noise, a visually perceivable change in appearance, and a smell. 
     
     
         5 . The device according to  claim 3  wherein said visually perceivable change is provided by said material which sparkles in reaction to a proximity to said ember. 
     
     
         6 . The device according to  claim 4  wherein said visually perceivable change is provided by said material which sparkles in reaction to a proximity to said ember. 
     
     
         7 . The device according to  claim 3  wherein said audible noise is provided by said material which audibly sizzles in reaction to heat communicated from said ember. 
     
     
         8 . The device according to  claim 4  wherein said audible noise is provided by said material which audibly sizzles in reaction to heat communicated from said ember. 
     
     
         9 . An apparatus providing an alert to a smoker of a cigarette having a filter at a proximal end, when a cigarette ember of burning tobacco is in proximity to said filter, comprising:
 material disposed along a burning path of an ember of said tobacco adjacent said filter;   said burning path of said ember being toward said filter from a starting point at a distal end of said cigarette opposite said filter;   said material producing an indication in a response to a communication with said ember; and   said indication providing means for alerting the smoker that the ember is in a proximity to said ember.   
     
     
         10 . The device according to  claim 9  wherein the material exhibits a visually discernible change in reaction induced by said communication with said ember. 
     
     
         11 . The device of  claim 10  additionally comprising:
 said material disposed within a cavity of a translucent sleeve slidably engaged around a circumference of said cigarette; 
 said material being a liquid activated to emit light from said cavity; and 
 said visually discernable change being one or a combination of said visually discernable changes from a group including, an increase in a brightness of said light and a change in color of said light, whereby said user is provided visual warning of a proximity of said ember to the position of said sleeve. 
 
     
     
         12 . The device according to  claim 10  wherein said material is a chemiluminescent liquid, said chemiluminescent liquid emitting light, which increases in brightness in a reaction to heat communicated thereto from said proximity of said ember. 
     
     
         13 . The device according to  claim 10  wherein said material is a chemiluminescent liquid which changes color in a reaction to heat communicated from said ember when in proximity of said ember thereto. 
     
     
         14 . The device according to  claim 12  wherein said chemiluminescent liquid also changes color in a reaction to heat communicated from said proximity of said ember. 
     
     
         15 . The device according to  claim 10  wherein the material sparkles in a reaction to said communication with said ember. 
     
     
         16 . The device according to  claim 12  wherein said material additionally audibly sizzles in a reaction to said communication with heat communicated from said ember. 
     
     
         17 . An apparatus providing an alert to a smoker of a smoking article having a path of a burning ember progressing from a distal end, toward a proximal end of said smoking article held by said smoker, comprising:
 a sleeve disposed about the article at a pre-selected point along said path;   said smoking article extending through an axial passage communicating from a first aperture to a second aperture;   a closure rotationally engaged at said first aperture;   said closure having a first position said first position substantially parallel to an axis running through both said smoking article and said axial passage;   said closure having a second position, substantially covering said first aperture;   means to bias said closure toward said second position;   a communication between said exterior surface of said smoking article and said closure providing a support, said support forming a means to maintain said closure in said first position;   a positioning of said ember in or adjacent to said first aperture combusting said exterior surface resulting in a removal of said support; and   said removal of said support causing a rotation of said closure to said second position whereby an extinguishment of said ember results.   
     
     
         18 . The device according to  claim 17  additionally comprising:
 said sleeve having a sliding engagement with said smoking article; and 
 said sliding engagement providing means for said user to adjust a position of said pre-selected point along said path. 
 
     
     
         19 . The device according to  claim 17  additionally comprising:
 said sleeve having a material in combination therewith, said material producing an indication discernable by a smoker of said smoking article, that said ember is proximate to said pre-selected point. 
 
     
     
         20 . The device according to  claim 19  additionally comprising:
 said indication discernable by said smoker, includes one or a combination of indications from a group including, a visible color change of said material, a sparkling of said material, and an audible sizzle of said material. 
 
     
     
         21 . The device according to  claim 4  additionally comprising:
 said sleeve formed of one or a combination of materials including ceramic, glass, plastic, thermally stable paper, thermally stable wood, and metal; 
 said sleeve defining a heat sink for communicated heat radiating from said ember; and 
 said heat sink causing a lowering of a temperature of said ember below a combustion point of said tobacco thereby providing means for extinguishment of said ember. 
 
     
     
         22 . The device of  claim 9  wherein said material is positioned on or in a patch which is adherable to said smoking article. 
     
     
         23 . The device of  claim 20  wherein said material is a chemiluminescent liquid emitting light which also changes color of said light in a reaction to heat communicated from said ember when in proximity thereto. 
     
     
         24 . The device of  claim 23  wherein said material may be pre-activated to cause said chemiluminescent liquid to emit said light, prior to engagement with smoking article.